Chapter Sixty-Two

There was a knock at the door to the office.

"Yes?"

Regulus quickly mustered up a smile, as they entered.

Narcissa stepped across the threshold and his smile warmed, turning genuine when he realised who it was, as she eyed the boxes that were scattered throughout the room.

"Spring cleaning. We do have house elves for that, you know. You really ought to use them, once in a while."

Regulus leaned back in his chair, grinning now; "Idle hands, Cousin."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow, getting a smile of her own, as she took the seat opposite.

"Or –" Regulus leaned forward, giving a shrug; "- perhaps you've heard about my great escape? Part Two."

"I just may have."

Regulus shook his head.

"Do not do that again."

He got to his feet, walking over to the cabinet to pour a glass of firewhiskey.

"Well. You'd think you weren't grateful."

"I'm grateful," Regulus said, with a nod, as he filled the glass; "How could I not be? Your sister tried to torture my son into insanity right in front of me. If not, to death. So, yes; for Malachi. Thank you."

Narcissa raised an eyebrow.

"I am grateful, Narcissa," Regulus said, softly, truthfully, as he turned more fully to face her; "But I won't have you risking your life to save mine," he glanced away; "Our family's been all but wiped out on my account, as it is."

He raised his glass to his lips.

"Drinking isn't going to help that sour mood of yours, Regulus."

He drank.

"And I won't apologise for what I did. Nor will I promise not to do it again. If you don't want me at risk, you're just going to have to be a bit more careful in the future," Narcissa crossed her legs, leaning back and frowning at him; "The Trace? Really, Regulus?"

Regulus only shot her a sheepish smile, not elaborating any further on how that had come about, and called on a house elf to fetch her some tea.

"What is all this?" Narcissa indicated with a hand at the boxes, as Crombie set about preparing her refreshments – as always – and Regulus took a seat back behind his desk.

"The entirety of our possessions. I haven't closed, yet, on the new property."

In actuality, he had to wait until Lily was discharged from St Mungo's before they could enact the Fidelius once more. As such, the property had simply remained vacant and empty since he had half-heartedly set about organising their relocation.

"I see," she lifted her teacup, taking a sip, as she eyed the room, quickly noticing the blankets and pillow on the couch; "So, you're sleeping…here?"

"You'll have to excuse me for not revealing the location of my sleeping quarters; one can never be too cautious in these times," he said, with a grin, and Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"Tell me you at least transfigure yourself a bed?"

Regulus ignored the question and lifted the rolls of parchment he had set aside, handing them over; "Here. We'll aim for August for the Opening Gala. Make it big, flashy; that'll really piss him off."

Regulus wasn't even sure if he was joking.

Narcissa shot him a look.

"You don't need a party to do that, Regulus. He is none too pleased as it is. And with Severus' recent theatrics, I am not the only one who needs to be watching their step."

"What theatrics?" Regulus frowned.

"I learned of it in a letter from Draco; along with all the other parents who happen to be in the Circle."

Narcissa explained it to him; the events that had transpired within the Slytherin House at Hogwarts the week before. And when she finished, she raised an eyebrow.

"So, you see, it is not only I who may have risked incurring the Dark Lord's suspicions."

Regulus glanced away.

But he could be nothing but thankful to Severus for this. What he had done had been for Malachi. And there was no help – no lifeline – he wouldn't grasp for his son.

"Playground politics, Narcissa," Regulus said, optimistically – hopefully – and added, as reassurance for himself or his cousin, he wasn't sure; "Severus has talked his way out of far more precarious situations than that. And he was known for running that House with an iron fist, long before Malachi set foot in there."

"Only time will tell, I suppose," she said, somewhat less optimistically.

Regulus drew in a breath, pushing aside the – added – worry, that Severus, himself, may just end up becoming another casualty of Regulus' existence and leaned back in his chair, before he indicated at the parchments.

"August 5th. Can we manage it?"

Narcissa gave a nod, fingering the sheets she held; "Certainly. I'll get to work."

Regulus gave her a smile; "Thanks, Cissy."

Narcissa got to her feet, tilting her chin to the side; "Was that so hard, little cousin?"

He grinned, and she did in turn, before she headed from the room.

It felt odd to walk the halls, now.

Without the fear of being jeered at or sneered at or tripped or hexed or cursed in the corridors or the Common Room or the dorms or, well, anywhere on Hogwarts grounds - in the aftermath of Severus' scathing oration - Malachi found it was quite easy – pleasantly easy – to exist in this new reality.

It was easy to blend into the shadows when people weren't constantly looking in them for him.

"Auror or Healer, hm," Harry made a show of thinking about it, where the two of them were in the – very loose, hardly effective – line up, waiting to get into the Great Hall where the 'Careers Fair' had been set up.

"You have to be good at Potions and Herbology to be a Healer," Malachi pointed out.

"Guess that makes me an Auror by default."

"I think you need it for that, too. Potions, anyway."

"So, according to the Ministry, I have no future," Harry said, with mock concern, as he flicked through the leaflets that had been set up just outside the entrance.

"There's people here for the Curse Breaker and the Obliviator branches as well, Potter –," a voice spoke from behind him, and Malachi glanced over his shoulder, surprised to see it was Draco – with Daphne a few steps behind; "- If your credentials don't meet that of the top guns, that is."

Harry eyed him with annoyance.

"I'd rather be a Healer than an Auror," Malachi said, glancing at the door.

"Healer Black," Daphne's arm came up around his neck as she stepped in beside them; "Almost makes me wanna get sick."

Malachi gave her a smirk, before meeting Harry's eyes. Trying to, anyway, but all of a sudden the leaflet Harry was reading became oh-so-very interesting as he peered, closely, at the text, completely ignoring Daphne's arrival.

"What about you? What do you wanna do?" Malachi asked her.

She shrugged; "Write. Like my dad. This is a waste of time. Everyone knows this is just a recruitment stunt by the Ministry; drag the kids into the war before they have a chance to even know or question what it is they think about it. They want soldiers, that's all. It's disgusting, really. They're even making the first years come to this."

"Well, it's not that bad, is it?" Harry said – bravely peering over the leaflet at her; "I mean, at least we'd end up on the right side, if we did get dragged into it by them."

"There's no right side in war, Potter. It's just war. And bloodshed solves nothing."

Harry didn't look like he agreed but when Daphne met his eyes, challenging him, he blushed and looked back at the leaflet as if she hadn't even spoken.

Malachi snickered, rolling his eyes, and Daphne met his eyes with a frown.

"What?"

"Nothing," he gave her a smile, just as Professor McGonagall walked up past the line.

Professor McGonagall's eyes glanced in the direction of the House Hourglasses – the empty Slytherin one – and she got a proud little smile when she saw it, probably not for the first time, before she addressed the students.

"You have all been excused from classes for two hours, to attend this event. I expect you all to be on your finest behaviour. You are representatives of the school and are to conduct yourselves accordingly when interacting with our guests."

Malachi and Harry shared a grin.

"There will be presentations in forty-five minutes time; one for each of the two primary occupations, and I am afraid you will only be able to choose one. As such, I urge you all to use the time wisely, speak to as many of our guest speakers as you can, ask questions, think carefully. And, I must stress that no one sign there name to anything, without first seeking guidance from your respective Head of House – either myself, or Professor Snape –" she indicated with a nod as said professor approached, and every Slytherin in the line straightened up, hastily, as he passed; " – now. Line up. In twos, if you please."

Malachi deliberately stepped back, lining up next to Draco, so that Harry was left alongside Daphne.

Draco glanced at him, out the corner of his eyes; "Hey, Mac."

Malachi gave him a brief, small smile, saying nothing, and bit his bottom lip to keep from chuckling when Harry shot him a look over his shoulder – as red as he had been when Daphne had dared make eye contact.

"Anyone been bothering you the past week?"

"Oh. Um. No. Not since…"

"Good."

"Didn't know you cared."

"You're my little cousin. 'course I care."

Malachi frowned, shifting where he stood, before they began to make a slow move forward into the hall.

"Well…thanks," Malachi said. Leaving out the 'for nothing', that lingered in the air.

"If anyone bothers you again, just come get me. I'll sort them out."

Malachi looked at Draco with a frown. Draco met his eyes, then.

"Why?"

"Because you and I are family," Draco said, as if it were obvious.

Malachi didn't answer that. He didn't, really, know how to. As far as he was concerned his family was him and his dad.

And he was glad when, upon stepping over the threshold into the hall, Harry immediately left Daphne's side and returned to his, looking red and flustered.

Malachi raised an eyebrow with a grin; "Alright?"

Harry grabbed his arm and dragged him over in the direction of the Auror tables, away from Draco and Daphne; "I think I liked it better when they avoided you."

"Daphne's never avoided me," Malachi pointed out, as they stepped up to one of the tables set up with an Aurors display; "And since when do you fancy her, anyway?"

"I don't fancy Daphne!" Harry spluttered, blushing again, more furiously this time, while shaking his head in denial as Malachi laughed; "She's the most annoying girl in school."

"You know, I think you always have, actually," Malachi said, thinking about it; "You've never shut up about how pretty she is, ever since I made friends with her."

"I've never said that."

"You did. A lot."

"Hi there, boys," the man – the Auror – behind the table addressed them, with a friendly smile; "You two thinking about joining the Auror Program? How old are you?"

"Fourteen."

"Almost fifteen," Harry added to Malachi's answer.

"Fifth year after the summer? You could sign up now, if you're interested; there's a ton of support during the OWL year. You'd be pretty much guaranteed a spot."

"Um. He's Harry Potter," Malachi pointed out; "He's pretty much guaranteed a spot wherever he wants."

The man's eyes immediately went to Harry's scar, while Harry shot him a look. Malachi shrugged, apologetically, but it was obviously true. Harry could be whatever he wanted. Even if he flunked out of Hogwarts, completely, there'd be employers lining up to offer him a spot on their programs.

"Let me go and get you some more information –" the Auror said, suddenly looking excited – that he should be granted the credit of snagging Harry Potter as one of his recruits – before he vanished behind the screen behind him.

"Sorry," Malachi apologised, when he'd gone.

Harry shrugged; "It's fine. I wanted to look into it, anyway. Least I've got this guy's attention – oh, hey, there's Julia," he nodded in the direction of the Healer's section.

Sure enough, Julia Bradbury was one of the guests, and she noticed them looking a few seconds after they noticed her and raised her hand in a smile and a wave.

"Go, say hi," Harry gave him a nudge, "I'll be over in a second."

Malachi glanced between them, uncertainly, but Harry had jostled him enough that he'd been forced to take a few steps in her direction, enough that it'd be rude for him to not head over; so, he did. Feeling more than a little awkward and unsure of the appropriate etiquette when greeting the – he assumed, by now – breaker of his father's heart as he did.

"Hey, Kid," Julia greeted him with her usual enthusiasm, when he reached her table; "How you doing?"

"Good," he shrugged, giving her a lie and a shy smile. His eyes found her hand, looking for a ring, which obviously wouldn't be there; which pretty much confirmed that she and his dad were over, now.

He kept his eyes on the table, feigning more interest in the information about Healers upon it than he actually felt, so as to avoid looking at her and feeling even more awkward, as he waited for Harry to join them. There was a little timeline, the progression to becoming a Healer, and when he met Julia's eyes – that were upon him with that familiar concern that all adults seemed to have whenever they looked at him these days – he said, if only to fill the silence; "So, it takes a while? To become a Healer?"

Julia looked a little surprised at the question; "Oh, um. Sure," she nodded, before stepping a bit more in front of him and lifting up one of the leaflets; "There's some pretty tough academic requirements. Not that you'd have any trouble meeting them, from what your dad's told me; Potions, Transfiguration, Herbology – you're good at that one, right?"

"Yeah. My mum…" he trailed off. Was it wrong to talk about his mum in front of his dad's…ex-girlfriend?

"She was a Herbologist, right?" Julia nodded, with an easy smile; "Yeah. So, from there you'd normally start off with the three-year Healing program; then you've got the two-year Apprenticeship; then the two-year Internship where you specialise; and then there's Fellowship programs. Another two."

"That's almost ten years," Malachi said, staring at it in disbelief. He didn't realise it had taken so long for Julia and Mrs Potter to become Healers.

"Yeah," Julia chuckled at his astonishment; "Yeah, it takes a while."

She reached for another pamphlet – though it was obvious she didn't have quite the same enthusiasm for that one – and went on; "The Ministry is proposing an accelerated apprenticeship; combining it with a simplified version of the Healing Program you'd normally start out with. That'd get the recruits out on the field in the first couple of months."

"Oh. So, that'd make Healers in three years?"

"A new Internship Program – assuming the war was still going strong – would be created at that point and all automatically enrolled onto it; Combat Treatment and Anecdotes."

"Oh. So, we wouldn't even get to pick a speciality or anything? We'd just be…like, Wartime Healers, or something?"

Julia put the pamphlet aside, glancing around them, before she said, quietly; "I didn't know you were interested in becoming a Healer."

Malachi met her eyes, giving a shrug with a glance in the direction of the Auror side of the hall when he admitted; "I hadn't really thought about it." He glanced back at Julia, at the table; "I don't want to be an Auror, though. I want to help people. But I don't want to have to hurt other people to do it."

Julia moved slightly, so that Malachi met her eyes.

"Well. Contrary to what the Ministry would have you believe; those aren't the only two options on the table."

Malachi felt himself relax under her warm gaze and he shrugged; "So…what do you think I'd be good at?"

Julia raised an eyebrow, seeming to think about it for a second before giving a smile; "Well, you've got a good head on those shoulders. And you've got some pretty big thoughts. I think you have a voice. You just have to find it."

Malachi frowned, confused at the statement; "What do you mean?"

"I mean I think you could be a leader. Like your dad."

Malachi stared back at her.

It was the first time in his life that anyone had ever made out that being like his dad was something to aspire to. As if his dad was someone to admire.

And, suddenly, he felt very close to her. That she could see him – his dad – the way that Malachi did.

Malachi glanced around, ensuring they were alone, before meeting her eyes again.

He gave her a small smile, asking timidly; "Did you love him?"

Julia looked a little uneasy at the question, but her smile was still warm – if a bit regretful – when she nodded; "Yeah."

Malachi smiled, more fully this time, finding himself liking her even more than he already did. And it didn't feel quite so awkward now, speaking to her knowing she'd walked away, nor did he even feel guilty for thinking it, that he was glad his dad had fallen in love with her, when before he'd always been unable to untangle the way he felt about that with his lingering love for his mum.

"I um…I'm sorry," Malachi said, sincerely, wondering if what had happened with him at Easter had been part of the reason they'd broken; "About what happened between you two. I think you would have been a great stepmum."

Julia was visibly touched by the statement. Her smile faltered, even if the warmth of her gaze didn't, before it and her eyes softened when she said, quietly; "I would have loved that, Malachi."

They shared a smile; and Malachi knew she felt regret for it, too. Regret he didn't even realise he felt until now, at the lost chance they'd had – the three of them – of being a family.

"Hey, Julia!" Harry's upbeat voice interrupted the moment, as he appeared at Malachi's side, clutching a gazillion pamphlets and flyers.

"Wow, you've been busy," Julia eyed the parchments with a smile; "Someone's really taking this seriously."

"Aw, it's the Auror that's taking it seriously," Harry said, casting a look over his shoulder at the table he'd just escaped from; "He was practically holding my hand, trying to get me to sign on the line. Snape had to show up and scare him off."

"He did?" Malachi chuckled, eyes searching the room for Severus.

He spotted him making a slow walk down the middle of the room, any Slytherins he happened to pass either tensing or straightening as he went by them, the effects of his address the previous week still being felt.

"Did he come?" Harry's voice was a whisper.

Malachi looked back at him and Julia, noticing the little grin Julia got as she patted the side of her nose, twice.

Harry grinned.

"What?" Malachi asked, eagerly, at their obvious conspiring.

"Just putting Snape in a good mood," Harry said with a grin and a shrug, before he put an arm around Malachi's shoulders and dragged him away; "See you this summer, Julia!"

"Bye, guys."

Malachi cast a warm smile over his shoulder at her, before Harry dragged him off to take at seat at the Auror presentation.

"Will you be back after the summer?"

Tonks lifted her shoulders with a little grin; "Who can say? Why, will you miss me?"

Remus gave her a little smile, glancing down at the counter, tapping his thumb; "Just thinking the help has been…most invaluable this term 'Miss Tonks' –" she shot him a look and gave him a playful shove at the name he'd insisted the students refer to her has – "I think I might be quite lost without you next year."

"Well," Tonks' smile turned a little coy, and she cleared her throat, glancing down before she lifted her chin and met his eyes; "What if I said you didn't have to do without me, huh? We could drink on it."

Remus looked at her, uncertainly; "Oh. Um…"

Tonks' confidence diminished somewhat at his - apparent - lack of enthusiasm; "Or…well. No. Sorry. Forget I said anything –" she waved a hand.

"No, no –" Remus quickly protested – against his good sense – and Tonks met his eyes again, looking more hopeful.

"No?"

Remus cleared his throat and gave her a smile; "It's a little bit complicated. That's all."

Tonks shrugged, getting a grin; "Well. It's not like I ever thought it'd be boring, Remus."

Remus chuckled, giving a nod; "It certainly wouldn't be that."

Tonks smiled, warmly, both of them did, at one another where they stood in the kitchenette of his quarters. It had become almost an everyday occurrence now, at the end of lessons, that he should find himself here with her – and, usually, Grace – and they'd play, and they'd flirt, and Remus enjoyed it. Immensely.

Obviously, he would. She was an incredible, bright, lively – beautiful – young woman.

He just didn't really understand why she should like his company so much. She knew the truth – the werewolf – and the lie – the absent father – and, as far as he was aware, neither particularly recommended him as a 'catch'.

Still, that didn't stop Tonks looking at him they way she did, sometimes – often – the way she was looking at him, now, actually.

It had been a very long time since anyone had looked at him in such a way.

He'd have to go all the way back to Hogwarts.

"So?" Tonks asked, with a sparkle in her eyes; "Will we call it a date, then?"

Remus smiled.

That was all the encouragement she needed, and she bit her lip, giving another coy smile, before she stepped a little closer – oh…oh – and she stood up on her tiptoes a bit, her fingertips touching his jaw, as she pressed her lips to his.

It took all of two seconds for him to kiss her back.

His hands came up to take her face in his hands – gently, of course – as he returned her affections and it was slow and sweet and, he supposed, no harm could come from whatever little ride Nymphadora Tonks seemed fit to take him along for. In fact, he was quite willing to just go with it and enjoy whatever little scraps of affection she saw fit to throw his way.

He drew back and she smiled, adorably coy, before she chuckled, but then something out the corner of his eye caught his attention: Grace, coming out of her room – what would soon no longer be so – with tears on her cheeks as she walked over to the couch and pulled herself up onto it with a sniff.

"Oh, Grace," Remus was at her side in an instant, taking a seat next to her on the couch and putting a reassuring hand on her shoulder; "What's the matter?"

Grace looked up at him, sadly, her eyes shimmering with tears; "I don't want to leave Hogwarts, Uncle Remus. I want to stay."

"Oh, Gracie," Remus sighed, giving her a hug – a wash of relief coming over him at the innocent reason for her tears – and he pressed a kiss to the top of her head; "It's a good thing, Sweetheart. Your mum's coming home tomorrow. It'll be just how it used to be."

"But I like the Castle. I like the magic and the people and the ghosts and the creatures and the passages and the portraits –" her eyes were widening with excitement with each proclamation, and then her excitement dimmed, and her shoulders dropped; "At home, there's only just me and Mum. I'll miss you. And Harry and Malachi. And Professor Snape."

Remus saw Tonks' confused look at the last addition and he quickly spoke up, before Grace could reveal any more; "We'll all miss you too, Grace. Very much. But you can visit, any time you want."

Grace looked at him with a frown; "I can? You've never let me visit you before."

Remus tried to ignore the flit of shame he felt when he caught Tonks' response to that little statement, and nodded; "Of course. As long as your mum's alright with it."

"Why can't Mummy just come live here with us?"

Remus smoothed down her hair, giving her a little smile; "Because it's not home."

Grace's eyes lowered.

"I'll tell you what. How about we go for a little walk, hm? If tonight's your last night in the Castle, it's only right you should get to say a proper goodbye."

Grace met his eyes, giving him a small, sad smile, her voice so quiet it was almost a whisper; "Okay."

Severus made his way down the hall.

It would be a lie, of course, if he said he wasn't enjoying - just a little - the way his Slytherins would straighten up with respect whenever he passed them by ever since he'd spoken to them the previous week. Of course, there had always been respect. Just not quite so blatant as was being displayed in light of his recent statement to the House.

Not a single instance of infighting had been reported in the aftermath, finally putting the crumbling of the Slytherin House to a much-needed end.

And he was certainly glad of the fact that Malachi was now – visibly – far more settled than he had been since the first moment his Godson had set foot in the school.

And then, of course, there was Lily.

That moment in time, where he could pretend it was just they two, for a little while, had been a brief, bright spot in all of the darkness. And, as always, just the comfort of her arms and her gaze and her whispers were enough to ease some of the weight and remind him that this – all of this – was going to be worth it.

Despite Harry's assertions to the contrary.

They would be together. They would be a family.

Severus would do whatever it takes, to make that happen.

"Professor Snape!"

Severus hesitated at the achingly familiar voice behind him – so innocently familiar that it could almost wipe all of the warmth and strength he'd gained from his time with Lily away – and he, reluctantly, turned with a quick glance to ensure they were alone.

"Hi!" Grace beamed at him, as she skipped the last few steps to come up short in front of him. Remus Lupin was some way behind, but, evidently, had made no move to stop her approach. Lupin just raised his shoulders, slightly, at Severus' look.

Severus turned his eyes upon his daughter.

"What can I do for you this evening, Miss Potter?"

"I just wanted to say goodbye," she said, and her excitement dimmed at her statement; "I have to go home tomorrow."

"Ah. One would think that would be a good thing."

Grace shrugged; "I don't think so. I think it would be much better if my Mummy came here to live with us and see all the magic," her eyes were bright with the enthusiasm she always had when she talked about it – the Wizarding World – and then they lowered, when she added; "But Uncle Remus said here isn't home."

Severus lips twitched – the threat of a smile that he quickly quashed – before he nodded and agreed; "Indeed. It is not."

Her eyes met his.

And then she gave him a smile with eyes full of warmth – a punch to his gut – and she reached into her pocket and pulled out a pebble from inside.

It was white with brown spots – she had given him such stones, in the past, in better times – and she held it out to him; "I brought you a present. To say goodbye. I hope you won't forget me, Professor Snape."

Severus drew in a breath, shaking his head.

"How could I ever, Miss Potter?"

Grace's smile widened and she shook the hand that held the stone.

Severus took it.

The touch of their fingertips caused a flash in his vision – a memory, from long ago, flashing before his eyes, a younger Grace with the very same smile and eyes of brightness, beaming up at his as she gave him one of the exact same stones – and he stepped back, startled, at the unexpected jolt.

It was a memory.

Severus looked at Grace, quickly.

Grace was frowning, staring at the ground.

He regained his composure, speaking carefully; "Miss Potter?"

Grace met his eyes.

And then she smiled, not knowing him.

But then she said.

"My daddy likes those stones. And he says he loves me more than pudding."

Severus frowned.

And then she beamed at him; "Goodbye, Professor Snape!"

Before she turned and hurried on by.

Leaving Severus staring after her in her wake.