Sorry this one took so long! I had it all written up last weekend, but FF.net wouldn't let me post, and then there was the HOMEWORK. So, anyway, here it is, and I promise to have the next one up soon.

*~*~*~

The whole Gryffindor gang was studying in the library, and Hermione was getting impatient.

"Ron," said Hermione.

Ron was looking past her shoulder. His mouth was open.

"Ron!"

"Uh-huh," said Ron.

"RON!"

"What?" he asked irritably, jerking his eyes back to the bushy-haired girl in front of him. Harry, sitting next to Hermione, grinned.

"What are you staring at?"

Ron just pointed. Harry and Hermione turned to look.

"Wow," said Harry.

"Who is she?" asked the ever practical Hermione.

"I dunno," breathed Ron. "But isn't she something?"

"I know who she is," said Neville.

"Who?" asked Ron, his eyes still focused upon the woman.

"Snape's sister."

"WHAT!" was the general consensus.

"No way," said Fred, shaking his head.

"She is," said Ginny, beside Neville. "His older sister."

"Now you're really pulling our legs," said George. "There's no way that, one, she can be his sister, and two, even if she was his sister, which she can't be, she's got to be at least ten years younger."

"Tell her that - she'll like it," said a new voice from behind them. The Gryffindors turned to see Erin.

"You know her?" asked Neville.

"She's my aunt, isn't she?" said Erin, dumping her books down and pulling up a chair next to Harry. "Not that I knew it until, say, three days ago."

"Is this something to do with that girl we saw?" said Fred and George together.

"Um-hmm. Her name's Nina, and she's Snape's niece. Nina's brother is called Christopher. You probably saw him, too - little blonde boy, 'bout four foot ten."

"Wow," said Ginny. "I didn't realize Snape had so many relatives."

"Yeah, we figured he was probably abandoned at birth," said Fred.

"So why are they all here?" asked Harry.

"It's safer for them," said Erin.

"Why hasn't Nina come to Hogwarts before?" asked Hermione.

"She's a Squib. So's Aunt Mariah. They think Christopher might have magic, though."

The curfew bell rang.

"See ya," said Erin to the Gryffindors, and with merry good-byes they parted. But Erin did not go to the Slytherin common room. Instead, she turned left and entered her guardian's office. Severus, Mariah, and Nina were waiting.

"We need more information," said Erin as soon as she walked in. "The list on Malfoy's wand was good, but pretty soon the higher Death Eaters will spring their comrades."

"I don't think you realize quite how American you sound," said Nina with a faint smile.

"I don't care if I sound Turkish as long as we get the info," said Erin, pacing back and forth. "Who do we have?"

"Draco's our best chance," said Severus. "But I'm not sure if he's ready."

"I think you could persuade him, though," said Nina to her cousin. Catching the frown her uncle sent her, she added in an undertone, "Well, he's crazy about her."

"We have spies down in the Labyrinth," said Mariah. "If they're meeting in Knockturn Alley, we'll hear them."

"I think we need to send Draco in," said Nina. "He's so close to them."

"What about Pansy Parkinson?" asked Mariah.

"She'll do anything Draco does," said Severus.

Erin kept quiet for a bit, listening to her three debating advisors. She really was beginning to enjoy these "family counsels". It was so refreshing to have people offer their opinions, and not - like the Slytherin students - simply agree to whatever she said.

"Erin, can you persuade Draco?" asked Severus.

She thought about it, nodded.

"I'd go ahead and talk to him tonight," advised Mariah. "And send him out on Saturday. That way he'll have time."

"We must set up a communication line," said Severus, his long fingers tapping the table. "Just in case something goes wrong."

"I doubt it will," said Erin. "Draco's smart."

*~*~*~

I wish you thought other of Draco, Erin, thought Severus to himself. I wish you'd see that he loves you.

He was beginning to become uneasy. Certain - things - Quirrell had suggested to him were beginning to seem all too true. Not that Erin would ever really fall for Potter, but even a temporary infatuation could prove deadly -

He jerked his head up, startled. Erin and Nina had already left. Mariah was looking at him, a slight smile curving her red lips.

"You still lose yourself," she said. "Just like when we were children."

"If only we still were," he said softly, looking down at his desk and the mound of paperwork that still had to be done.

"I don't," said Mariah. "If we were still children, we'd be in bed right now."

That provoked a rare, startled laugh out of her brother.

*~*~*~*~

"Do you think I'm rushing them?" Sheila asked the cloaked figure standing beside her on the Astronomy Tower. He shook his head.

"They'll need to know the Templas soon enough."

"I know. But Longbottom has already nearly cracked his own head open."

Bryan thought for a moment. "Try him with a sword."

"And have a child lose an eye?"

"All right, try him with the sword when nobody else is around."

Sheila laughed, her flame-colored hair sweeping across her face. Suddenly she stopped and flung her head back, gazing up at the shining stars.

"Do you miss your family?" Bryan asked quietly, the words more inside Sheila's head than out.

"Yes," she whispered back.

"How did it happen?"

Sheila looked down, across at him, back up at the stars. "My mother was an Animagi. A dragon. She transfigured a few too many times when she was pregnant with me."

"And so you were born with some dragon blood."

Sheila nodded. She looked across at him again. "And you?"

It was Bryan's turn to look up at the stars. Through the darkness of the hood Sheila could just see the shimmering blueness of his eyes. "A long story, and one which I am not disposed of to tell."

Sheila did not push him, because the animal instinct in her knew that, someday, Bryan would tell her.

*~*~*~

"Do you accept?" asked Erin.

The cool gray eyes flicked away, then back to her own dark ones. "Yes."