Chapter 41

"Harry Potter is no more the heir of Salazar Slytherin than this brussel sprout," Remus declared. For the last few hours Meredith and Patricia had been telling him about the attacks at school and the rumors that had been going around about Harry.

"James Potter was a Gryffindor down to his bones. The sorting hat called Gryffindor before it even touched his head. He practically bled scarlet and gold. The entire Potter line was in Gryffindor, as he was so fond of telling everyone till they were sick of hearing about it." The two girls giggled from the table where they sat peeling vegetables for dinner.

"It almost sounds like James Potter was a bit of a prat," Meredith said.

"He could be," Remus said. "At times." He smiled fondly as he thought of all the trouble James used to get up to. Usually accompanied by Sirius. At least half the gray hairs on Professor McGonagall's head could be credited to those two.

"James was a great man don't get me wrong," he said at the two incredulous impressions. "But he was as human as the rest of us. He made his share of mistakes."

"But he was pureblood wasn't he?" Patricia asked. "And aren't all the pureblood families related to each other through blood or marriage."

"Hmm," Remus mused. "Yes, many of the old purebloods were determined to keep their line pure and so they would only let their sons or daughters marry other purebloods. Considering there are hardly any witches or wizards left that aren't half-blood or less it limits the choices severely."

"So Harry's father could have been related by blood to Slytherin," Patricia reasoned.

"If there was Slytherin blood in James it was extremely diluted," Remus said. "The Potters were some of the kindest people I ever knew. They never bought into the idea that being pureblood made you better than everyone else. If they had James never would have married Lily." Or have been friends with someone like me, he thought.

"Besides," he continued not wanting to dwell on unhappy thoughts. "As much as they might claim it, there really aren't any wizard lines that are entirely pure-blood. It's much more likely that any member who married outside the line was simply stricken from the family tree."

"Like Aunt Andromeda," Meredith said.

"Yes," Remus said. "Her family pretty much disowned her after she married Ted."

"No loss there," Meredith said wrinkling her nose. "Poor Tonks. I can't imagine having Draco Malfoy as a cousin." Remus bit his lip. He was not about to tell her that Draco was also her cousin.

"Hey," Patricia said, "maybe Malfoy is the heir of Slytherin." Meredith seemed to consider it.

"It's certainly no secret how he feels about Muggleborns. From what I remember of his father I'd say he's been taught to hate them from the womb." Remus bit his lip as he remembered that day Meredith had come home from a stay at the Tonks' sad and quiet after witnessing an ugly exchange between the Malfoys and the Tonks'.

"And isn't it just a little coincidental that Malfoy launched a serpent at Potter. Who does that?"

"Serpensortia?" Remus said. "Severus must have taught him that one."

"I forget sometimes that you and Snape were at school together," Meredith said.

"Well," Remus said. "His hatred for me was more because of my association with James than anything else. Not to say we'd have been best friends if I wasn't friends with James, but it would have been more of an indifference than dislike."

"Why did they hate each other so much?" Meredith asked. Remus sighed.

"It was just one of those things. I think it stemmed from jealousy on Severus's part. James was everything Severus, well any boy that age, would want to be. He was good looking, wealthy, popular, great at quidditch, great at pretty much everything. Snape, well, wasn't. He was also very deep into the darks arts. James hated them."

"Hmph," Patricia said thoughtfully. "They sound a bit like you and Flint, Mere." Meredith's knife slipped in her hand, knicking her thumb.

"Meredith," Remus said concerned reaching for her hand.

"It's nothing," Meredith said quickly pulling her hand from his grasp. "I'm fine. I'm uh just gonna go take care of this." Remus stared after her as she hurried out of the kitchen. He turned to Patricia in confusion.

"She doesn't like talking about Flint," Patricia said quietly. "Ever since fifth year…"

"What happened in your fifth year?" Remus asked. Patricia looked thoughtful.

"That's just it. I don't know. I mean they never liked each other. From our first day he and his goons were always trying to curse us and that. But in fifth year, Flint just seemed to focus on Meredith with his attacks. I'm pretty sure he did something bad to her."

"What?" Remus asked desperately. Meredith had never said anything about this to him.

"I don't know," Patricia said. "She wouldn't tell me." Remus was shocked. The two of them were so close, they were practically sisters. What could have been so bad that Meredith wouldn't have told Patricia.

"He didn't hurt her," Patricia said. "She told me Oliver stopped…whatever it was." This was most disturbing to Remus. What did Meredith feel she had to hide from him?

"Don't tell her I said anything," Patricia said her big blue eyes wide. "I'm pretty sure she didn't want you to know."

'That's what bothering me,' Remus thought to himself.

Remus decided to let it go for the moment. Whatever had happened it was obviously a painful subject for Meredith and Christmas was not the time for sadness. The girls woke early on Christmas morning and prepared a huge breakfast. After breakfast they sat under the tree and opened presents.

"Oh my gosh!" Meredith gasped as she opened Patricia's present. It was a very elegant silver bracelet with sparkly blue stones covering it.

"I saw you admiring it in that shop last time we were at Hogsmeade," Patricia said quietly.

"When did you buy it?" Meredith said, confused. "I was with you the whole time except when…" She narrowed her eyes in realization.

"Oliver didn't really need help picking out a gift for his mother did he?" she asked.

"Well, he did," Patricia said. "Trust me I saw what he had planned on giving her. But he thinks he was just distracting you. Don't tell him."

"This was so much," Meredith said gaping at the bracelet.

"I wanted you to have it," Patricia said. "I know you'd never buy something like that for yourself."

"It wouldn't be practical," Meredith said softly. Remus pursed his lips. Money was always such a touchy subject for them. Meredith was very careful with her inheritance, knowing it had to last her at least till she got through school. That meant that Meredith never spent money on pretty trinkets like other girls her age did. He hated not being able to give her all she truly deserved. Even with the meager earnings he'd been able to bring in by working at menial muggle jobs. Just another curse he was forced to bear because of his condition. Always being dependent on others for support. First his parents, then James and Sirius, and now his daughter. He shook his head. He shoudn't be thinking of this now.

"Which is why it's perfect," Patricia said. "But don't wear it when we're in Potions or Herbology. It'd be too easy to damage it."

"You are the greatest," Meredith said her voice full of emotion.

"Back at ya," Patricia said. "Now let's see what you got me." Meredith smiled a little as Patricia opened the wristwatch Meredith had found in a shop in Diagon Alley.

"How pretty," Patricia said.

"It's enchanted to wake you up on time," Meredith said with a sly grin.

"I thought that was your job," Patricia said. They exchanged a smile that somehow Remus knew they saved only for each other. They really were like sisters, he thought with a smile.

After dinner the girls took turn losing to Remus at chess. After a last cup of hot chocolate they said goodnight and went up to bed. He could hear them whispering up in Meredith's room. They always thought they were being quiet enough that he wouldn't hear them. Whether Meredith didn't realize that his lycanthropy gave him sharper than average hearing capability, or she just pretended she didn't for Patricia's sake he wasn't certain. He never paid close attention to what they were saying, that would be prying and he didn't want to do that. He heard enough over the years to know that Meredith confided in Patricia things she didn't want to tell him about. He didn't resent it. He was glad that Meredith had someone to tell these things to. He smiled as he heard them giggling. He decided to go read in the 'library' so he would not be tempted to eavesdrop. The small den off of the kitchen was where he kept the numerous books both he and Meredith had collected over the years. It was a cozy room with two comfortable armchairs by a small fireplace. In the winter months when Meredith was off at school he could often be found in here sitting by the fire with a book. He opted for a muggle novel. The one full of fairy tales by those two brothers was a particular favorite of his. Muggle fairy tales were certainly different from the Tales of Beedle the Bard his mother had read to him as a child. He was deep into the one about the girl in the tower with the very long hair when he heard a sound behind him. He turned and was surprised to see Patricia come quietly into the library. She did not seem to notice him as she scanned over the shelves.

"Were you looking for something particular?" he asked. Patricia jumped and clapped her hand to her chest.

"Oh," she cried. "Mr. Lupin, you scared me."

"Sorry," he said standing.

"I was uh, just looking for a book. I thought it might help me sleep."

"Ah," Remus said. "I recommend War and Peace. I can never get past the first chapter without dozing off." Patricia giggled.

"You certainly have a lot of muggle books. My grandmother read me a few muggle books when I was a child and I used to stay with her when my folks were traveling. They didn't really like that. Thought they portrayed witches in a bad light." Remus chuckled. Patricia took a book from the shelf and ran a finger thoughtfully over the binding.

"Thank you for letting me come here for Christmas Mr. Lupin," Patricia said. Remus smiled and patted her shoulder.

"You are always welcome here Patricia," he said. "I consider you a part of this family." Patricia blushed a little and looked down at the carpet.

"Mr. Lupin, I have to be honest with you. I lied about my parents being in France." Remus raised his eyes.

"Oh?" he said.

"I knew if I went home they'd start in on me about my marks again and I just wanted to enjoy Christmas for once. I guess I just feel more at home here than I do in their house." Remus felt his heart ache for the young woman. He knew it was hard for her at home. She'd shown up on their doorstep more times than he could count. Sometimes it was all he could do to restrain himself from marching to Patterson's door and demand that they open their bloody eyes and see what a treasure they had.

"This is as much your home as Meredith's, Patricia," Remus said. "My door is always open to you. Anytime." Patricia smiled and he thought he could see the traces of tears in her eyes.

"May I tell you something Mr. Lupin?" she asked shyly.

"Of course," he said warmly. She bit her lip and looked at him.

"Sometimes I wish you were my father," Patricia said softly. Remus was overwhelmed by the rush of warmth he felt to his heart. He didn't know how to feel about what she had just said though.

"I'm…very flattered…Patricia. I don't know what to say," he said.

"Sometimes I see you look at Meredith when we're sitting around not doing anything and I can tell how much you love her. You were so proud when she got made Prefect and when she did so well on her OWLs, but I just know you'd have been just as proud if she were a lame brain screw up because she's your daughter. I just wish my father would look at me like that just once." Remus was quite literally speechless. He'd had no idea how truly observant Patricia was. Or how lonely, he thought. He glanced down at the floor for a moment and noticed to his surprise that she was wearing the slippers he had given her for Christmas. They weren't the most fancy but they were warm. He'd chosen them for her when he remembered her complaining about how drafty the floors at Hogwarts got during the winter. They had seemed a very dull gift to him, especially after he'd seen the diamond earrings her parents had given her. Now he recalled her face lighting up when she opened the slippers and how she'd put them on right away. As far as he knew the earrings from her parents were still in their box.

"I know it's difficult Patricia," he said his voice a little choked. "But don't doubt for a second that you have people who care about you very much."

"I know," she said wiping away the tears that fell from her eyes. "I don't know what I'd do without Meredith. She's been such a good friend to me."

"You've been a good friend to her as well," Remus said. "I'm grateful to you for that."

"I'm very lucky to have Meredith as a friend. But it's hard sometimes," she said swallowing. "I mean she and Percy are Prefects and Oliver's Quidditch Captain. And they're so good at everything. Sometimes I wonder why they let me hang with them at all." Remus couldn't help but relate. He'd often wondered why James and Sirius hung out with him. He had been a decent student but he was nowhere in their league. Plus he'd looked very shabby next to them. Both had come from wealthy families and they always had the best of everything.

"You're too hard on yourself, Patricia. You have so much to offer. I know that you have everything it takes to be a great witch. It's all there inside you. Believe in yourself my dear." Patricia smiled.

"Thank you, Mr. Lupin," she said. Remus wrapped her in a warm hug.

"Merry Christmas Patricia."