When they finally made it to the hospital wing, Madame Pomfrey and Ron settled Hermione on the nearest bed. She drew the curtain around with a sharp metallic rustle, and Ron was abruptly shooed out.

He stood awkwardly by the curtain with his hands in his pockets, Madame Pomfrey droning quietly to her Quickquill about contusions and abrasions. Finally, he shuffled over to where Harry and Lupin were sitting.

"I'm sorry," Ron said, "I'm so sorry!"

"What? Why?" Harry asked, bewildered. Ron mopped his face with his hand, just like Harry had seen Mr. Weasley do when he was upset.

"If I'd just been earlier...just a few seconds sooner...I thought I heard someone call for me, I did, but –"

"There's no need to blame yourself," Lupin said quietly, "Or you, Harry. You both did very well today. This...this is what He does. Divides people against themselves and against each other, exploits our closest bonds...it's always been His way."

"You mean...Voldemort?" Harry whispered. He wasn't sure if Madame Pomfrey would brook this kind of conversation, "You think He was behind this?"

"No," Lupin said, frowning, "Not directly. But I don't think Malfoy just has a casual interest in knowing who your Secret Keeper is. He's making himself valuable," he said scornfully, "Proving himself to his father, no doubt."

"Moony!" Harry whispered urgently, "He knows! Malfoy! I was looking at Neville, and he caught me."

Lupin seemed alarmed, and Ron went a bit pale.

"We'll have to tell Dumbledore immediately," he said, "Snape's got him now...there's no way Malfoy can get word to anybody...and by the time he does, we'll be sure you've switched to someone else."

"Somehow, the fact that Snape's 'got him' isn't exactly reassuring," Harry said darkly.

"How do you mean?" Ron asked.

"I don't half wonder if he put Malfoy up to it," Harry said angrily. It seemed every time one of his friends was hurt, Snape was somehow vaguely involved, or at least unable to prevent it.

"Harry," Lupin said, rubbing his brow tiredly, "We all know how you and Professor Snape get on. Believe me, I hate him just as much as you do. Don't repeat that, by the way," he added, glancing over at the closed curtain, "He's a cantankerous old bat, and no mistake, but he's not evil."

Harry sighed frustratedly, "Well, why do you hate each other so much, then? I mean, besides the obvious...What ever made you [I]start[/I] to hate each other in the first place? It seems that now you hate each other just because...you hate each other."

Ron chuckled dryly, "How many reasons do you need? I kept a list in the margins of my Potions notebook, first year."

"Well, he does make himself unlikeable," Lupin conceded, "But it's more than that. I don't know, Harry, how is it that you hate Malfoy so much?"

"Because he's contemptible, bullying [I]pondscum,[/I]" Harry said venomously, "Because he's an evil, ambitious, snot-nosed—"

"Alright, alright Harry. But turnaround is fair play. It seems that you hate each other because...you just do. Ever since you met."

"He—!" Harry began to shout. He glanced at the curtain where Madame Pomfrey was doubtlessly administering some 'Knockabout's No-Hurt Numb Rub.' He recognized the minty smell from the Quidditch locker room – it was a favorite among Beaters.

"He assaulted Hermione," he whispered through gritted teeth, "He's jinxed us a hundred times over, at least..."

"Well, true. But didn't you ever rough him up a bit, or try to hex him? I'm not saying it's the same," Lupin said, holding up his hands at Harry's look of outrage, "It's not. What he did was wrong, and no one' s excusing it. But you've always disliked each other...It's simply...well, there you have it. Some people just don't get along. Of course," Lupin added darkly, "With Snape and I, there's some older reasons we get along so well...that have very little to do with us specifically..." He trailed off.

"Guess that's why you get along like cats and wolves?" Ron added with a wry grin.

Lupin looked at Ron with wide-eyes, as though he'd said something very startling. A second later he grinned though, and shook his head, as though dismissing it.

"Exactly," he said, "Cats and wolves."

Harry wrinkled his brow. What was Lupin hiding? Surely the whole school knew he was a werewolf by now, he had to be used to hearing it...Did Snape hate werewolves or something? It was possible...Umbridge had hated centaurs and werewolves for no good reason...Come to think of it, it seemed similar to the kind of Pureblood nonsense Snape was likely to favor anyway...

"Drop it, Harry," Lupin said gently, noting his puzzled expression, "Just old family stuff. I'd rather not talk about it."

"All through!" Madame Pomfrey shouted, as she snapped the curtain open. She walked briskly to Harry's side, and began sorting through his hair again, prodding painfully at his lump.

Hermione was settled comfortably, and she did look calmer, though a bit sad.

"I'm really sorry—" she began, but Harry and Ron grinned, and waved her off.

"We've already done all that," Ron said, "Turns out, to our great amazement, none of us are to blame."

"No, I mean for fighting the other day. It was stupid, I should have—"

"I already said, don't worry about it," Ron said with a smile, which quickly darkened, "The only person I'm mad at is Malfoy."

"I hear that," Harry said, "Ouch!" Madame Pomfrey had given him a particularly painful prod.

"Well, you got lucky Mr. Potter, it seems you don't have a concussion," Madame Pomfrey said, "I'd like it if you didn't go to sleep until after midnight tonight, though. Mr. Weasley, you can keep an eye on him. And if I find you back in my Infirmary tonight, fresh from a duel with Draco Malfoy, for the love of Merlin—"

"They won't, Poppy," Lupin said reassuringly.

"Hmmph." Madame Pomfrey walked over to her desk and began muttering to her Quickquill again about the lump on Harry's head.

"Boys," Lupin said, putting his arm around Harry's shoulders, "I know how upset you are...but you can't sink to his level. Let the Order handle it."

"Let the Order handle it," Harry repeated sarcastically, and drew his shoulders in a bit so that Lupin took his arm away. There was an uncomfortable silence.

"Well, I think I'd better go check in with Dumbledore and see what's happened," Lupin said, casually standing up, "I imagine Snape is finished with Malfoy by now...and you'll probably want to know what's happened. And I've got to warn Kingsley."

"Kingsley?" Harry asked. If he couldn't help, he could at least stay in the loop.

"Yes," Lupin said, frowning, "And Tonks. Lucius Malfoy will soon be hearing about all of this from Draco, no doubt, and he is not going to be in a pleasant mood. He might try to sneak into work again."

"Sneak into work again!" cried Hermione, sitting up in bed, "You can't mean the Ministry? Has he before? How could he? He'd be arrested!" At a severe glance from Madame Pomfrey however, she settled back against the pillows.

"I can't really say too much more. The Ministry..." Lupin sighed deeply. "Lucius has friends in the Ministry. High ranking friends. The Ministry really isn't what it used to be," he added darkly, "I don't know. Maybe it never was."

Harry remembered his trial last year...the clink of gold in Lucius Malfoy's pocket when he had found him with Fudge in the corridor...

"Well, I have [I]really[/I] said too much," Lupin said, "Madame Pomfrey, are they free to go?"

"So long as they stay out of trouble."

But as they were all heading towards the door, Draco Malfoy entered the room, steered by the shoulder by Professor Snape, who was sneering down his beaky nose at Malfoy.

"Madame Pomfrey," Snape said, "You'd better have a look at Malfoy's hand. He was hit over the head as well."

"Of course," Madame Pomfrey said civilly.

"Excuse us," Lupin said, "We were just leaving."

They all avoided each other's eyes as they left the room. But as Harry brushed by Draco, he glanced up, and met his smoldering scowl.

"Hope it hurts," he muttered.

"Thank you, Mr. Potter, that will do," Snape said angrily. Harry forced a curt nod, and followed the rest of them into the hallway towards Dumbledore's office. When they reached the stone gargoyles, Lupin stopped, and turned to face them.

"You three had best get back to your common room," Lupin said, "And Harry..."

"What?" he thought, meeting Lupin's eye, "What should I do? How am I [I]supposed[/I] to behave?"

Lupin sighed, "Just take care of each other. I'll see you class."

Just as Lupin opened his mouth to speak the password, Cornelius Fudge himself rounded the corner, followed closely by Percy Weasley and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

"Minister Fudge," Lupin said evenly, "I'm surprised to see you here. So soon."

"Let it never be said the Ministry is ill-informed," Fudge said frostily, "No matter how hard you attempt to keep us in the dark here at Hogwarts!"

"No one is trying to keep you in the dark, Minister," Lupin said evenly, "I was wondering actually, who was keeping you so up-to-date...Tell me, how is Lucius these days?"

Fudge grinned snidely at Lupin, "I have no idea what you're talking about. Lucius Malfoy is an old friend, and I was as shocked as anyone when he was captured at the Ministry...I only hope that he is arrested soon, so that he can take the stand and defend himself properly. I've no doubt he was under the Imperius Curse, as before."

"I'm sure," Lupin said quietly, "Regarding your fears about communications at Hogwarts, Minister, I think you'll find Hogwarts is an open book. In fact, as soon as I've finished meeting with Professor Dumbledore, he'll have a statement prepared for you."

"Nonsense!" Fudge bellowed, "I'm tired of taking prepared statements from that old fool...Prepared lies, more like! I want to see him immediately, and I want the truth!"

"And you shall have it," said Professor Dumbledore, as the stone wall before them slowly rotated, revealing Dumbledore standing on the last step of the spiral staircase. Kingsley's face was totally impassive, and he actually stepped forward to protect the Minister, until Fudge waved him off casually. Harry was impressed – Kingsley was quite a good actor...he and Dumbledore must have had dinner together a hundred times.

"I have never told you anything but the truth," Dumbledore said politely, "Now. What is it that I can do for you, Cornelius?"

"Minister Fudge, if you please, sir," Percy said bowing slightly, "No disrespect intended, Headmaster. Just want to keep things professional."

"Of course, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore said nodding politely, "Now, why are you all making such a fuss outside my office? Surely it would be more comfortable to make a fuss inside it."

"That's what I said!" Fudge said, his face coloring slightly, as he pointed to Lupin, "But [I]he[/I] wouldn't let me in!" Harry was reminded of Dudley tattling on him when they were small.

"I just wanted to meet with you briefly, Sir, in private," Lupin said, "It will only be a few minutes."

"Ah, yes," Dumbledore said, "Well, I'm sure you understand, Minister Fudge. I can't give you the information you seek if I am not fully informed myself."

"Why do you have to meet in private?" Minister Fudge bellowed, "What could you possibly be saying that I'm not meant to hear? I tell you Albus, my patience is wearing thin—"

"[I]Professor[/I] Dumbledore," Ron interrupted suddenly. Harry saw he had his arms crossed over his chest, and was glaring at Percy, "Just want to keep things [I]professional,[/I] after all."

"Stay out of this, Ron," Percy said, "I'll send you an owl later."

"You needn't bother," Ron said, "As I won't be reading it."

"Ah, of course," Minister Fudge said, eyeing Harry with a smug smirk, "Harry Potter and company. Why am I not surprised that you're at the heart of all this?"

"I don't know, Minister," Harry said abruptly, "It stopped surprising me years ago."

Lupin stifled a chuckle, and Harry caught the faintest glimmer in Dumbledore's eye.

"Maybe it's time you three went to your common room?" Lupin asked, and Harry knew it was more than a suggestion. With a polite nod to the Minister, the three friends beat a hasty retreat.