Chapter 5 : The unbelievable truth

It was a cheerful dinner and many toasts were drunk in Harry's honour that evening, which means that everybody was in high spirits even before the end of the meal. Mad-Eye was telling stories from the preceding war, tales of battles and fierce duels which everyone heard with chills and thrills and sips of an excellent mead Horace Slughorn had offered Harry, with a sigh, for the occasion. A returned and convalescing Ron was busy digesting the memorable helpings Mrs Weasley, who believed in the healing qualities of food, had taken care of administering him. Hermione kept frowning slightly each time he put his hand to his mouth with a sick look, but said nothing. Tonks' hair and robes were pink again, and she was hugging Lupin so tightly Harry thought she was only matched by Fleur, who was clutching Bill as if she wanted her already very round belly to explode. Lupin's joy and happiness was genuine, but could not erase the sad lines and melancholy shadows a lonely life of wandering had printed on his face for ever.

At last Tonks went away with Mrs Weasley to discuss matters involving, Harry knew it, white robes and white-winged cupids. Harry sat down beside Lupin and asked quietly :

"Sir, I was wondering if you could tell me something".

Lupin smiled encouragingly.

"Well, if you want to know the precise number of guests or how you should be dressed for the ceremony, I'm afraid I can't help you there, Harry".

Harry grinned and shook his head.

"No, actually, it wasn't about that. It was about Snape."

"Ah, Snape."

"Yes. I'd like to know what his Patronus was."

"What a curious question", Lupin said with an inquiring look. "Well, it was a spider."

Harry's heart sank in his chest.

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Mad-Eye used to say, behind his back you know, what a perfect Patronus for Snape. Waiting and weaving in the dark, and that one day, he would end up squashed under somebody's foot" he added with a faint smile.

Harry couldn't bring himself to say anything. So, Snape had saved his girl-friend, and Snape had saved his best friend. This just didn't make sense. Snape had shown his true colours by killing Dumbledore, why should he have done such a thing? Lupin must have noticed the troubled look on Harry's face, for he said :

"You did what you had to do, Harry. And, by the way. When his body was taken away from the cabin, we found this in his pocket."

He took something wrapped in a bit of cloth out of his own pocket.

"We checked it, there's no dark magic in it, yet there's something intriguing about it, and I wanted to have your opinion." He unwrapped it but Harry had somehow guessed already what he was going to see : the locket he'd been looking for the whole year.