A/N: My kittens have decided it is acceptable to leap up onto my lap and demand bites of whatever it is I'm eating at dinnertime. They mew very politely and wait their turns for the most part, and as darling as they are, it's hard to refuse. I am considering writing a book on my Incredible Cat Diet. One must either reduce one's portion size by sharing with the kitties or eat cereal for meals, since only Shadoe eats Cinnamon Toast Crunch. I'm already too small for all but one pair of my jeans. (Of course, that may also be from being sick, growing taller, and getting regular exercise chasing the cats around. Who knows?)

Anyway, I do have a profoundly sober point to make in this author's note. It is about animals. My little gray kitten, Alex, fell and broke his hip. The bill for his surgery to repair it is exorbitant. Fortunately, we have some very dear friends who were able to help, and my father started a second job. The veterinarian told us that health insurance is available for pets, however, and information is available at www.petinsurance.com. I highly recommend you insure your animals. Also, microchipping is painless, guarantees your pet's safety, and only costs $40 for up to eight pets. We are having all five kitties and the bunny chipped as soon as they are old enough.

That said, (the kitties are even mewing for me to get to the chapter,) here you go.

Chapter Sixty-Two: Every Good Boy Deserves Favor
"I've been thinking 'bout our fortune, that the life that we are living is in vain, and the sunshine we've been waiting for, will turn to rain. And the sound we make together is the music to the story in your eyes. It's been shining down upon me now, I realize...Listen to the tide slowly turning, wash all our heartache away. We're part of the fire that is burning, and from the ashes we can build another day..."
            -The Moody Blues, 1971

"Theodoric! What are you doing here?" Mitchie ran over and hugged her friend, kissing him on both cheeks.

"Representin' the 'Merican Aurory."

"And hugging Jen," Donaghan observed quietly with a smile. Mitchie's bizarre way of greeting old friends sometimes startled him. It was a little like the way a collie might lick your face.

"Yes, Miss Jennifer and I were having a conversation." Theodoric said this with a certain look that Mitchie knew to mean 'this one needs my attention, get out of here.' Mitchie gave him a smile to affirm this and introduced him to her 'dearest Donaghan.' The werewolves were gone in another moment.

Jen watched the door shut and then sat disconsolately back on the bed. She was still in nothing but her bra and skimpy underwear.

"May I?" Theodoric inquired.

"Sure," Jen replied absently. She had no idea what he was talking about, as she wasn't looking up.  The next thing she knew, a warm and incredibly comforting coat had been placed over her shoulders. Theodoric was also sitting next to her in his shirt, and Shadow was curling up on her lap.

"If you're cold, I can get your robe or some clothes for you," the handsome blond offered.

"No, thank you."

"Dare I ask where you came across iocaine?"

"It's a long story. I've had the vial a couple days."

"No wonder I can scarcely feel it, then. You were aware that that stuff can expire if you don't keep it cold, right?"

Just listening to Theodoric's comforting, soft, Southern-accented tone was making Jen struggle not to cry. She had wanted to die and he had not only the nerve to stop her, but the kindness to not ask questions and console her.

He even sensed this before any tears could fall. Jen found herself being again held tightly against his warm chest, and his gray cat began to purr. It took several minutes of his petting her back gently and letting her sob for Jen to recover herself.

"I- I'm sorry, I-"

"Nothing to be sorry for, Jennifer. You don't mind if I use your first name, do you?"

"N-no." She had never been asked that by anyone other than a professor.

"Then you can call me Theodoric or Theuh...Look, Shadduh likes you." The gray cat was indeed rubbing his head against her stomach and purring loudly. Jen petted him and he meowed appreciatively. "I don't expect you to want to talk about a few minutes ago...can you just tell me a little about yourself?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Well...where you're from, how old you are, if you don't mind, your favorite class at school?"

"I'm from England, I'm sixteen, and I like Muggle Studies and Potions best."

"Oh." Theo handed her a small squarish tidbit, which Shadow graciously ate from her hand, purring. "I'm from near Richmond, Virginia, I'm twenty, and I also like Muggle Studies and Potions best."

"Really?" Jen asked sarcastically, before she could stop herself.

"Sure. In fact, I took six months off and lived with Muggles once. And I've loved Potions ever since...well, I had this friend who was a werewolf, and I made Wolfsbane Potion for her with a friend."

"I have a really nice Potions professor at Hogwarts."

"My cousin went there. What House were you in?"

"First Slytherin, but now I'm a Gryffindor."

"They don't have Houses in most American schools. I'm guessing I'd either be a Slytherin or a Ravenclaw."

"Not a Gryffindor?"

"Lord, no. I'm scared of heights." Jen smiled at the open way he admitted this. "Anything you just can't stand that way?"

Something about his manner convinced her to admit her little secret:

"This is going to sound really insane, but...being held upside-down. My cousin told me my brains would run out my ears when I was quite little."

"Mine –well, one of them, the one from England, he once told me that hitting a woman is admitting you lack- well, nevermind." Jen was astonished and giggled aloud at this. "Draco always went in for chivalry."

"At least your cousin gave you useful advice. Girls are liable to hit back- Draco?"

"Yes, Draco Malfoy. I believe he's on this mission with you." Theodoric didn't seem to think this was any big deal, so Jen left it at that. "I wish more of them had the nerve and the training to. Why, I remember teaching my friend Mitchie to box when she was thirteen."

"You're Mitchie's friend?"

"She's like my sister, yeah."

"But I thought you said you came from Virginia-?"

"I do. I transferred to the Morrison Academy for the Muggle Studies curriculum."

"Oh."

"Do you have a familiar?"

"No...I always meant to get one, but none of the ones I wanted agreed with my cousin's owl."

"Well, do you like cats?"

"I love them!" Jen responded enthusiastically.

"Well, I know a good place to get kittens. Want to go down sometime and have a look?"

"I...I'd love to."

"Seems cats like you." Shadow continued to purr.

**************************************************************************

Another month passed beautifully within the walls of Hogwarts. Outside, the weather was a pure and simple wreck, and Hagrid was forced to move his latest acquisition indoors.

"Couldn't you just keep him in your house?"

"She's a girl, Severus, an' she doesn' like my 'ouse. Besides, look 'ow little A.J. likes 'er."

A.J. had achieved the magnificent height of twenty-six inches and learnt to crawl. He still only weighed about fourteen pounds, and was the most slender baby his grandmother had ever seen. Severus was currently very happy his son had Muggle grandparents, as their orthodontically correct pacifiers and refrigeratable teething ring guaranteed an unterrupted class when A.J. observed.

Hagrid's fluffy pliquash was currently squeaking happily as A.J. petted her. A pliquash has no bones and a great amount of pinkish fur, and they require a symbiote to pet them and squish them in order to digest. In the wild, small monkeys often did this, but with the decline of certain species the pliquash was nearing extinction. The monkeys often ate the pliquash's fleas, but since Hagrid insisted on a flea bath, A.J. petted her from sheer liking to.

"If so much as one jungle flea bites my son," Severus warned.

"Rosemary's not got fleas anymore!"

"Ee-ee!" A.J. cried ecstatically. That was his pronunciation of Rosemary. The pliquash had inflated herself to a furry puffball shape and was being rolled around the playpen by a very happy baby. It was the only way pliquashi moved. "Ee-ee!"

"I suppose if the creature makes him happy," Severus sighed.

"Come on, Severus, didn' yeh ever have a pet when yeh were a kid?"

"Yes...I had a quetzal."

"One of them talkin' feather-snakes?"

"Yes. She was wonderfully intelligent. If A.J. wouldn't be such a bore to one, I'd look into it."

"I think he should keep Rosemary fer 'is firs' pet."

"Do you suppose she minds him?"

"Listen to 'er squeak. She's a very 'appy girl in there."

"I'll have to ask Hermione what she thinks."

"About what, dear?" Hermione had neatly appeared in the doorway with a book in her hand.

"This," Severus pointed to the pliquash. "Hagrid thinks it-"

"She,"

"-can be A.J.'s first pet."

"Why not? They seem to like one each other, dear." She bent near the playpen and ruffled her son's brown hair. "Doesn't the boy? Don't you love your pliquash?"

"Ee-ee!" A.J. agreed shrilly. Severus also bent down and smiled softly at his son. "Da-da," A.J. pronounced with as much conviction as a baby could. "Da-da."

"Did he just-?" Severus asked Hagrid and Hermione in wonder.

"Yes, darling, he did."

"Da-da!"

And Severus picked him up. With what looked to Hermione almost like unshed tears, he held his little son close and grinned. Hagrid was openly crying now.

"His firs' proper word! An' clear as a bell!"

"Oh, no, Hagrid, it's not his first," Severus explained. "He said 'Julie' almost a week ago."

"I want 'er and the other 'uns to come home."

"We all do, Hagrid," Professor McGonagall pointed out, bringing her copy of Donaghan's textbook. "At least we don't have to worry that the girls will get behind in their classes now."

"And according to Julie's latest letter, nothing dangerous has happened in the whole time that they've been there."

"Hermione, do you trust Julie to let you know if they're in danger?" Minerva asked.

"Of course not. She wouldn't want to worry me."

"Donaghan and I have an agreement. He writes us what's going on," Severus announced.

"And what are you blackmailing that boy with?"

"Nothing, Minerva."

"Severus," Hermione raised her eyebrow at him.

"We have an agreement. He tells me the honest truth in case Julie's sparing us, and I permit him to see Michelle."

"How utterly paternal of you, Severus." Minerva smiled derisively. "I shudder to think what will happen when A.J. discovers the opposite sex."

"My  son will be raised as a gentleman."

"I get the distinct impression Donaghan was as well."

"Yes, he was. It's Michelle I don't want to put much trust in."

"Aw, na', Severus! Mitchie an' Julie are trus'worthy."

"That they may be when it comes to your animals, Hagrid, but they are teenage girls."

"And we all know how dangerous they can be," Hermione joked, convulsing everyone else.

********************************************************************

"I have had enough of this waiting around!" Chloe announced. "We are going to the zoo!"

"The zoo?" Mitchie asked.

"Yes, the New Orleans Zoo. I want to see elephants."

"Are there flamingoes?" Malfoy asked absently.

"Why the zoo all of a sudden, Chlo'?" Julie asked.

"Because I've only been to the Muggle one in France and I want to see elephants."

"Okay..."

It seemed like a most unusual whim, but Chloe had been subject to whims lately. Even Theodoric was bored after almost a month with no action or sign of de Diablo.

"Alright, but we have to see penguins, too," the Southerner bargained.

"And wolves," Mitchie and Donaghan added in unison.

"Tigers," Jen suggested.

"And baby polar bears!" Sometimes Uncle Ron was still childish. "What? I heard on the wireless that they have some."

Not two hours later, the entire British corps of the mission was happily munching cotton candy and watching the Siberian snow tigers. Mitchie and Theodoric were discussing something a cage or two away, which must have been desperately important judging by their solemn manner.

"You love him?"

"Of course I do!"

"Can you imagine your life without him, Mitchie?"

"Never!"

"Mitchie, if your parents were here, do you think they'd approve of him?"

There was a pause. Mitchie started silently to cry.

"Yes, I think they would."

"Then marry him, darlin'." Theodoric hugged her close. "I don't suppose you'll be havin' kids early."

"No, we want to wait until we're much older. Want to be a godfather?"

"I think I'd like that."

"How are things with Jen?"

Theodoric suddenly looked enraged.

"What did they do to her back there?"

"I've never gotten all of it out of her."

"Do you think she trusts me enough yet to tell?"

"She doesn't even trust Julie enough yet."

"I think she's been abused."

"I told you her boyfriend beat her up."

"Past that."

"You mean, like-"

"I think she was being used by those limey bastards."

"I wouldn't put it past the pricks."

"God damn worthless Slytherins," Theodoric swore. "Sometimes that disillusions girls away from men, y'know, which would explain why she fancied you."

"Hey, guys," Jen greeted. "What's goin' on?"

"Lions," Mitchie pointed out. "Like the Griffie one."

"We've been looking at the white tigers, they seem to be mating."

"Neat!" Mitchie cried.

"I felt you might think so. Donaghan wants you, by the way."

"In the middle of the zoo?" Theodoric asked jokingly. Mitchie gave him a small smack upside the head and left. "So...what's going on?"

"Well...this sticky sweet's quite nice." Jen tore off some cotton candy and fed it to him. "Hold on, you've got some on your moustache." She tried to unstick it with her thumb, then stopped suddenly, as Theodoric bent and kissed her. Jen leaned into the kiss fully as his hands pressed gently against her back. In a breath it was over, almost the chastest kiss she'd ever had.

"Are you alright with this?" Theo asked quietly.

"Yes," Jen whispered, leaning close for another kiss just before he stopped her.

"You don't need mindless lust. You need affection." She looked at him strangely for a moment, and then he wrapped his arms around her in a quiet, warm hug. "What do you want most in a relationship? –be honest."

"I...I want...I don't know what."

"How about someone to hold your hand and cuddle you for a start? Someone who'll read Muggle books with you and brush your hair when you're tired?"

"You just want to help me because I was trying to poison myself."

"No, I want to comfort you because I like you and because you need comforting. If I hold your hand, you'll hold mine and you can cuddle me back. We can read any books you want. If I brush your hair, will you scratch my back?"

"Yes."

"Everything between the two of us will be even. I don't want to use you and I won't let you use me to hurt yourself."

Jen looked angry at him for a moment. The nerve of him! Then Theo kissed her again and she seemed to calm down.

"Would you kiss me again?" she asked quietly.

*************************************************************************

Hermione rolled over in her sleep, only to be gently kissed awake by her husband.

"Mmm...good morning, Severus."

"Dear, have you forgotten what day this is?" he inquired sternly.

"No, it's Wednesday. NEWTs aren't for another month."

"I'm not referring to the NEWTs, Miss Granger."

"Oh, that day..."

"Yes. Another anniversary." Again he kissed her, this time lifting her onto him like a blanket. "Seventeen years since our first kiss, m'love."

"I think it may be the most wonderful seventeen years I've had."

"I know they have been for me."

"Severus, are you still happy?"

"Incredibly." It was remarkable how perfectly designed she was to fit on top of him. "You gave me my children and my reason to live again. I wasn't intending on surviving the last battle."

"I only wish I had known we had Julie."

"So do I, dear, but I think it may yet work out for the best."

"Severus, I'm tired of this mission in America. They've made no progress and I want my babies back."

"I've been wondering when that would become plural. We could adopt Michelle, couldn't we?"

"Instead of just keeping her as our foster-child?"

"Yeah. I think John and Cass would want it this way. They always loved you."

"They loved you, too, dear. Remember how John wanted to call their first boy 'Severus'?"

"I remember the day you were found. Cass broke three Ministry ordinances and committed two Muggle felonies making sure I'd be the first to know."

"However did she manage to do that?"

"She disobeyed a superior, stole a broom, and used the full Body-Bind on Alastor Moody when he tried to stop her leaving. Next she stole a car and broke the speed limit by eighty-five miles when the Auror Office broom stalled. In fact, I think she did something to make the car go faster, but Arthur Weasley must have let her off for that."

"I had no idea!"

"Cass was also some five months pregnant at the time. Moody suspended her for six months and timed it to coincide with maternity leave."

"So he didn't punish her at all!"

"Basically. Paranoid or not, the man has some decency."

"Now I see where Mitchie gets that iron nerve of hers."

"One of the only things I regret about not knowing we had Julie is that she never knew the Tylers. I also think we might have named her differently."

"It's kind of remarkable how well it worked out between she and Mitchie, though. They're just about inseparable, aren't they?"

"So you think they'll like the idea?"

"Absolutely, dear. Just don't make Mitchie change her name."

"Of course not." Severus ran his fingers down Hermione's back. "What kind of a 'snarky git' do you think I am?"

"Oh...the deliciously shaggable and secretly darling sort."

**************************************************************************

Fire rained down amidst the twisted iron gates of the New Orleans Zoo. Glass walls of cages had been shattered and steel bars bent like the thinnest of wires. The animals had mostly fled the scene, but the occasional sound of roars and growls still echoed.

Most of the visitors had either fled or been cursed and then rounded up. Many had merely been stabbed to death by de Diablo's followers and several had been killed magically. Bodies of the dead, dying, and wounded lay all around. There were even many dead animals.

Santa Anna de Diablo surveyed the scene from his perch. The pole bearing the American flag had been bent in half so the banner was dipped in blood; and on the silver bar now stood the Dark wizard. A terrible, rasping laugh echoed through the wrecked zoo.

His only opposition picked up their wand and rose to stand boldly amid the death.

**************************************************************************

A/N: Cliffie alert! (It was Boots' idea.)