Author's Notes: If you've been reading Old and New Relations, my other story about Remus and Cassius, you'll be familiar with the character of Clara. This chapter (and the next) is her introduction into Remus and Cassius' life. :-) Also, the character of Julius Malfoy is my own making so all information about him is all made up by my fevered imagination. :-)

Chapter 24 – Catching Up

Remus woke up a few hours later. He laid next to Cassius for a while, tracing over the magical writing on his collarbone, twirling his fingers through Cassius' smooth hair…it was long enough to fall into his eyes now. All the symptoms of the separation illness he'd had, helped somewhat by the potion, were now totally gone. Remus felt refreshed and energized. He gave Cassius, who was still sound asleep, another kiss and then got out of bed. Remus took a quick hot shower, noticing his bite mark was already healing, got dressed and walked down into the kitchen. Tabby turned from where she was fixing lunch. Remus smiled widely as he crossed over to hug her. He had missed her.

"I heard you received a letter from Lucius." Tabby said as they sat down to eat.

"Yes….he told me what happened when Cass was twelve…did you know?"

"My sister was at Hogwarts at the time…all the professors knew, well, they knew he'd had an accident. Dumbledore told them it was a memory charm gone bad. Only he and Poppy knew the truth. When Cassie became an auror, Dumbledore told the truth to Alastor. He knew Cassie was living here, so he told me too, so I would know."

"Why didn't they ever prosecute Julius?" Remus asked the question he'd been wanting the answer for since reading Lucius' letter.

"There wasn't any proof. Malfoy Manor is heavily warded – it's impossible to tell what spells go on there. And Lucius couldn't find the wand his father used, probably destroyed."

"Probably." Remus took a bite of his sandwich. "Why didn't anyone tell me?"

"At first we, that is, Stevens, Moody and I, we didn't want to tell you because we thought you might pity him. We'd thought about telling you the cover story…Then when you started becoming close, Cassie got so much better that we…we didn't think you needed to know. Everyone gets forgetful when they're tired, Cassie just does - more so." Tabby smiled ruefully. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you…but I think it's good that you heard the truth from Lucius."

"I never thought he really cared for Cass." Remus sipped his tea thoughtfully. "I mean – he's a Death Eater."

"He says he was under Imperious."

"You don't really believe that, do you?"

"No." Tabby said coldly, her eyes gazing in the distance. Remus wondered what she was remembering. After a moment, she shook her head, as if to clear it. "Cassius wants to believe it but in his heart, he knows it's not true."

"Why does he know? He always insists Lucius was under Imperious."

"Because he knows Lucius was trained to be a Death Eater from an early age…because Cassius was too."

"Trained to be a Death Eater?"

"Didn't you know? Julius Malfoy and Tom Riddle were best friends at Hogwarts. They formed the Death Eaters their seventh year. It was only because Julius went mad that Voldemort became the sole leader."

"I didn't know that. So, do you think Lucius is only a Death Eater because his father made him one?"

Tabby was silent for a long time. "I don't know. I only know that I try to believe there is good in all of us. I've seen many things to make me doubt it. But the only way I get up every morning is to try to believe."

Remus and Tabby ate in companionable silence for a while.

"Stevens has been dating a lovely witch named Clara Endicott. He brought her by early last month." Tabby said with a smile, changing the subject.

"Really? Actually brought her by for an introduction?" Remus was surprised. Stevens' immediate family was dead and Cassius, Remus and Tabby were his family now. A girl was very special if Stevens brought her to Windy Corner.

"Yes, I think that's only the second time ever."

"Maureen was the other one, wasn't she?" Maureen had met Cassius and Tabby but not Remus. Cassius hadn't allowed it. She and Stevens had been serious but she'd gotten too fed up with the traveling Stevens did for Quidditch. And she claimed Stevens wouldn't tell her what his first name was. Remus couldn't blame him.

"Yes. Clara works at the Ministry in International Magical Office of Law. Did you ever meet her?"

"I did. I knew that name sounded familiar. I was in a few meetings with her but we never really talked. She was five years below me in school but we were both in Gryffindor."

"Seems to be a good match – Ravenclaw and Gryffindor." Tabby sipped her tea.

"Moody was a Gryffindor, wasn't he?" Remus said without thinking. He had recently found out that Tabby and Moody had been an item years ago.

"Yes." Tabby answered, looking at him sharply.

"Sorry – I didn't think…." Remus said, holding his hand up in a placating gesture.

"Who told you about that?"

"Your sister."

"Humph."

"I think he's an idiot for what he did."

"So do I."

"Will you ever forgive him?"

"I forgave him a long time ago…"

"So?"

Tabby shrugged in answer. After a moment, Remus decided it was best to let the subject go.

The next morning, Cassius was still sleeping. Remus hadn't disturbed him yesterday knowing he had a lot of rest to catch up on. Remus had woken early, but hadn't wanted to get out of their warm bed. He was reading a history book about magical inventions, wearing his favorite flannel pajamas. Cassius was curled up at his side, his arms surrounded Remus and their legs intertwined, his head rested over Remus's heart. Remus's stomach started to growl, he looked over at the clock noticing it was past time for breakfast. Remus put the book on the bedside table and started to inch his way out of Cassius' hold, trying not to wake him. Tabby knocked softly on the door. After checking to make sure his naked mate was adequately covered by the quilt, Remus reached for his wand and opened the door. Tabby entered, holding a tray of food.

"Breakfast in bed? Tabby, you shouldn't have." Remus said quietly.

"Ach – the least I can do." Tabby answered equally quietly as she set the tray down on Remus' thighs. "He's still sleeping, I see. I thought that might be the case, that's why I knocked. The poor little lamb."

Remus smiled. Tabby doted on Cassius, he was her 'lamb' despite the fact he was the most feared auror in the wizarding world.

"Stevens and I kept trying to get him to take a potion, or slip it in his drink, but he hates being babied. He figured out what we were up to and started avoiding us, staying at the Ministry, or he'd lose his temper and lock himself in…that room. You know how he gets, especially when he's tired."

"Yes, I do." Remus brushed back a stray lock of hair from Cassius' forehead. He'd have to cut it before he went back to Hogwarts. Remus gestured towards the chair that was near the fire with his wand and it levitated over near the bed. Tabby sat down. There were two cups of tea on the tray and Tabby reached for one. Remus picked up the other one and took a sip.

"Stevens, Clara and Moody are coming for dinner tonight," said Tabby. "Stevens really wants you to meet Clara… I think she might be the one. They've been together 7 months now."

"I'd like to meet her." Really, Remus reflected, the only reason they'd kept their marriage a secret was because of Julius Malfoy and he'd been dead for years. It was time to start letting some people know.

"I think it'd be safe, Stevens said he'd make sure she would keep the secret."

"I'd really like to meet her again, in a social setting. She always seemed very nice at work. And she's no dark wizard."

"That is true." Tabby nodded.

"Hopefully he'll be awake." Remus smiled down at his husband who hadn't moved a muscle since Tabby had entered.

"Well, even if he isn't, I've already started baking the cake, so we could enjoy it without him." Tabby smiled.

"What kind did you make?"

"His favorite, of course." Tabby said, as if it should have been obvious.

"Of course." Remus smiled. Cassius' favorite cake was one of Tabby's specialties. It was a three layer cake, two layers rich dense chocolate cake, with the middle layer angel food cake. The frosting was lemon flavored whipped cream. She only made it for his birthday.

"We can just wake him up right before dinner, if he doesn't wake up before that. I know Cassius wouldn't want to miss meeting Clara. He was gone on assignment when Stevens brought her by. And it's his 30th. We should make a big deal of it."

"True, it's not every day that my husband turns 30." Remus gazed down at his husband lovingly. Cassius snuggled closer and tightened his arms around Remus as if sensing the gaze.

"Lucius, Narcissa and Draco sent gifts for him to the Ministry. Kingsley forwarded them here."

"That was nice of them." Remus said it every year that Cassius got presents from the Malfoys, he figured one of these years he would sound sincere.

"Hmm. I'll be interested to see what they are." Tabby sipped her tea and picked up one of the copies of the Daily Prophet on the tray.

Remus ate his breakfast, reading the other copy of the paper. Occasionally he and Tabby discussed one of the articles in the paper. He was so glad to be home again. And he had permission to stay until after Boxing Day. The next full moon was Christmas night so he would have been out of commission anyway, even if he had stayed at Hogwarts. After they finished breakfast, Tabby took the tray away and Remus read in bed until Cassius woke up just before lunch.

The next chapter is almost ready to be posted - if I get three reviews for this chapter, I'll update (how's that for motivation?) Bwa ha ha ha! (That's evil laughter - it's hard to type it out!)