A/n: Thought i'd mention this in the beginning to avoid confusion. This story will (have to!) incorporate some aspects of the fifth book so here's how it is now...The incidents of the summer holidays and Grimauld Place exist in this story (although they may remain unmentioned) and so do the characters introduced therein. Ok?
However, there is no Umbridge in this one (although it was kinda fun in an exasperating way!), but Fudge is still an idiot who refuses to believe that the Dark Lord has risen. Doubts are being cast on Harry's sanity but thats the extent of the propaganda against him and Dumbledore...NO Dumbledore sacking and NO stupid DA involved here ok? Thats why I gave these guys the Dueling Club! Now, on with the story!
p.s. the Draco/Reive angle is inspired from the Sorting Hat's song in the fifth book!
Ch.15 Loose ends
November rushed by in a flurry of winds, rain, classes and Dueling sessions. It seemed December arrived in no time at all. Hermione had been upto her eyes in studies so she never got time to find what she was looking for in the library. She had hoped to find out a little more about Prof. Snape and Prof. Blizzard's 'relationship'. She figured that since Myra had been famous at the time, there would have been some gossip about her beaus! But she had found nothing so far in what little time she had. Atleast Ron and Harry never heard of it. And they would have if she'd found something out!
Meanwhile, there was nothing out of the ordinary in the behaviour of any of the professors. They just seemed to be getting a lot more demanding of the students, which was not entirely unexpected; afterall, this was an O.W.L. class!
As winter break approached, Harry received a letter from Remus Lupin, ex- DADA teacher and Marauder. He almost tore the envelope in his eagerness to read the letter and got quite a few stares. This is what it said :
Dear Harry
Hope you're doing ok at school. I'm sorry I have to make this short because I'm actually writing this in the middle of a company meeting. I have to leave as soon as its over and I won't find time to write if I don't now! Our friend doesn't know yet; I'm keeping it as a Christmas surpirse for him but I'm letting you know that you,Ron, Hermione and Virginia (if she wants to) can spend the winter holidays together! How's that?!
At this point Harry stopped reading and said aloud," Who's Virginia?"
"Ginny, ass!" Ron replied.
"Oh!"
Yana, that's Madam Giovanni to you, will escort you. See you then!
Remus
"Madam Giovanni?" Harry mouthed to Ron who had been reading over his shoulder. Ron just shrugged his shoulders.
...
Madam Giovanni, or Yana, accompanied them on the train ride back to London. Half-way through, she changed into muggle-looking attire i.e. a long overcoat and a scarf (that had been previously tied around her waist) over her rather witchy looking stockings and corset ensemble. She obviously had a strange fashion sense. Harry couldn't help wondering if that was what she wore under her robes at school too, then blushed scarlett when he realised it was none of his business! Ron was wearing a similar look but Yana didn't appear to have noticed. Instead she kept busy with her fashion magazines, a few of which she lent to Hermione and Ginny to read. She didn't talk much to any of them, except treat them all when the lunch trolley came around.
They were received at the station by Tonks, who had changed her appearance to look very much like what Harry imagined Yana's mother would look like! Harry didn't even realise it was Tonks till she told them herself!
They arrived at Grimauld place to find Remus and Sirius waiting for them. Mrs. Weasely was there too and ofcourse she had prepared a sumptuous meal to welcome them. Harry noticed that Yana did not accompany them inside; she had apparently left at the door. Harry was too busy to ask about her disappearance and no one else seemed to have noticed in all the excitement.
Later, after dinner when all of them were relaxing and Ron ,Hermione and Ginny were busy relating Hogwarts stories to Tonks, Harry noticed an old photograph lying on one of the kitchen tables as he helped Mrs. Weasely clear the table. He moved closer to get a better look at it and realised almost instantly that it was the same one Moody had shown him that summer. However a vaguely familiar face caught his eye and he decided to take a better look.
Yes, indeed, it was a picture of a younger looking Yana Giovanni, with her arm around the shoulders of a pretty blonde girl. Next to them looking rather serious and severe in black was...Harry peered closely again. Yes it was Prof. Blizzard!
He was still blinking in amazement when he heard someone come up behind him.
"What's got your goat, Harry?" asked Sirius evidently in response to the look on his face. then, catching sight of the picture, he said, " Ah, where did Moody find that old thing. Look, there's my ex- girlfriend, Yana Giovanni."
He laughed then, a strange, bitter sort of laugh.
"Ex?" Harry asked. "You mean because of your conviction...?"
"No." Sirius said suddenly in a bark-like voice. "Little Miss Perfect thought she was too good for me thats all."
"But never you mind, Harry. That's all in the past. I doubt I'll be seeing her anytime soon."Sirius continued in a brighter voice.
Suddenly Harry understood why Yana had not come in. Just at that moment he caught Lupin's eye who had been standing nearby and had evidently overheard Black, for he silently shook his head as if warning Harry not to mention Yana yet. But Sirius would find out eventually. Harry decided to leave it to Lupin to handle matters. Afterall he was aware of their history...Harry wasn't.
And he wasn't entirely sure he wanted to be either.
...
Yana meanwhile, was spread out on the couch at Eva's place, which happened to be next door to Grimauld place. Music was blaring loudly from the state of the art stereo system. In fact the apartment had been converted more or less into a studio where the Weirdsisters would be recording their new songs this winter. It was convenient; the Order HQ was just next door.
Eva was in the kitchen, trying to prepare a halfway decent meal while they were waiting for Myra to show up.
"You think the casserole's fine?" Eva asked anxiously as she pushed Yana's feet off the couch to make room for herself.
"Just dandy," said Yana absently, too lost in the music to really pay any attention. Eva just shook her head and heaved a sigh. She had beeen locked up in the apartment for the past four months, first writing songs, then making the arrangements for their recordings. She had made contact with both Myra and Yana once she knew they were both at Hogwarts, through Dumbledore ofcourse, and they had chipped in whenever they could. Thankfully, both had seemed eager to revive the band. It was a great cover for their presence in London together; besides which it was great fun anyway.
Now they would be living, eating, sleeping and recording in the same place, just as before. Eva had always regretted packing up, but then she had known that they would go their own ways one day. What she hadn't expected was that they would meet again under such circumstances.
She herself hadn't yet attended an Order meeting though she was up-to-date with the happenings on that front ...whenever she thought about it, it gave her a queer feeling , the thought of seeing her teachers and a few schoolmates as well. She had changed quite a lot from the shy little girl she used to be; outwardly anyway, but on the inside she still sometimes felt like that shy little girl.
A crack was heard outside the door to the apartment and Eva knew at once that Myra had apparated. She jumped up to seize open the door, and was shocked, rather pleasantly, to see a face familiar from her time at Hogwarts standing at the door.
"Who's there?" Yana asked loudly from the couch, shaking Eva from her reverie. Flustered she hastily answered, "It's no one...I, I mean its Lupin, Remus Lupin." and opened the door wider to let him in.
"I'm surprised you remember me at all! I don't think we've met before, however..." Lupin trailed off, staring hard at Eva Eowen, famous singing sensation, trying to place her face in his memory. It did remind him vaguely of someone...someone at Hogwarts a long time ago.
Lupin's staring only made her more nervous as she ushered him into the lounge, where Yana was 'lounging' and then she disappeared into the kitchen, muttering something about her casserole.
"Oh stop obsessing about it, it'll be fine!" Yana called after her.
Remus sat down on another couch, and stretched out his legs, then smiled at Yana, who was looking at him expectantly.
"'ello Remus," she said, her irish accent kicking in.
"I've come to escort you ladies to the meeting." was all he said.
"Hear that Eva? Who said chivalry was dead?! You can leave that casserole be now."
"But what about Myra?" Eva said coming out of the kitchen and drying her hands on a towel.
"She's probably there already." said Remus as he got up. "Shall we?" he asked as he made his way to the door.
"Yep, hang on just a sec."Yana retrieved hers and Eva's robes from the stand and the three of them walked out of the apartment. As she turned to lock the door, Yana asked Remus nonchalantly whether 'an old friend' was expecting them.
"No" he replied with a strange twinkling in his eye.
...
Sirius looked thunderstruck as he stared across the table at one Yana Giovanni. He also kept shooting accusatory looks at one Remus Lupin, whom he had considered a friend and well-wisher, but right now he was highly pissed off at him, as he was trying his darndest to ignore Sirius and his 'looks'. Ditto for Yana.
"Think it mighty funny do ya?" he snarled at Lupin when he took him aside before the meeting. Unbeknowest to him, he was watched by two inquisitive pairs of eyes belonging to Harry and Hermione.
"Think what funny?" Remus began, but catching the murderous look Sirius was giving him he decided to drop the innocent act.
"Why didn't you tell me SHE was going to be here?"
"Why? What would you have done?"
Sirius fell silent at that but continued to glower at Remus and Yana as she passed by, walking with Eva. Catching sight of them, Remus decided to distract Sirius a little.
"Do you recognize the blonde with her? She knew my name but, funny, I don't recall ever meeting her?"
"Yeah. She's the shy Hufflepuff. Remember, the one who used to go about dreamy faced whenever she caught sight of you...?"Sirius grinned at the memory of the young pigtailed, shy girl who used to stare shyly from behind a book at Remus at all mealtimes across from the Hufflepuff table. Sirius also remembered ridiculing the girl's taste in choosing to moon over Remus instead of him or James!
"No way! That girl?"Remus said, slightly aghast. He too remebered Sirius's ribbing all too well, but didn't actually mind the girl's obvious infatuation;on the contrary he found it flattering - but he did mind the ribbing.
" Ah, here come our infamous undercover agents!" Dumbledore remarked louldly, as Severus and Myra entered together. Myra immediately linked arms with Severus and put her head on his shoulder, making it clear that they were an 'item'. Severus, looking a tad embarrassed but recovering quickly, jerked her off his shoulder and made his way to a chair as far away from her as possible.
Harry, alongwith the other kids, snickered but it was quickly cut off when Snape glowered at them. Once he looked away however, they had to cover their mouths with their hands to stifle their laughter. Now Hermione understood the Professors' 'relationship'. But she still thought it funny that there was no mention of it in the gossip columns.
When she mentioned it to Tonks however,she clarified it was because Snape had threatened to personally 'deal with' any reporter who chose to commit the folly of following them around.
"And they left him alone?"
" Well they contented themselves with pictures of the two taken whenever they appeared in public _which were rare occasions. Snape wouldn't have any of it but even he knew it was necessary to maintain the facade."
"Must have come across as a possessive boyfriend" giggled Ginnny.
" That was the idea." Tonks replied.
"Now off you go children, get cracking at your books" said Mrs. Weasely as she shooed them out of the kitchen. " and don't stay up too late." she said as she shut the door on them.
"Well, how do you like that?" Ron asked indignantly.
"Did you really expect them to change their attitude?" said Hermione.
" Well...why'd they call us then?"
" Probably to cheer Sirius up."
"And keep a better eye on you." said Ginny shrewdly to Harry.
" Honestly you'd think I was a two-year old who's in the habit of wandering off if you took your eyes off o' him for 2 seconds, the way they carry on!"
The others tactfully said nothing but avoided looking directly at him. Harry had the distinct impression Ginny was trying hard not to laugh.