Chapter 2
The Belsornians had really gone to town in making a permanent quidditch venue for international matches; a huge stadium and a complete sports village with hotels catering to all purses, and a field for those who preferred to camp or who could not afford the hotels, especially if they had shelled out for tickets to the match. Wizarding Wireless Vision had been set up to cover matches live and hotels all had viewing halls for those who could not get tickets. The whole Belsornian nation had taken quidditch to their hearts; though that was scarcely surprising since the revenue from hosting international matches meant that the people would never have to pay taxes again!
Severus and family had taken a box and waved to Lucius and family in their box.
The various mascots came out and performed; Shishigi, Polish wood nymphs, and Duende, the Hispanic Leprechaun with their outsize hats, and Seagh happily declaring that now he would have an opportunity to learn more about their skills of hypnotic whistling to draw people off in the direction they chose.
Severus grinned to note that David had set up a music-sucking exclusion zone, a reason now made clear as to why he wanted to dig deep into a book of dark magic; these mascots would not be affecting the result!
And then the game was under way and David looked to be everywhere, adjudicating fairly and well. Though there were few fouls for him to have to sort out; which was a relief.
"Maybe they think he'll set them Kipling if they don't behave" murmured Lilith.
"He'll certainly set YOU Kipling if you don't behave" retorted Seagh.
The teams were closely matched; but the Polish formation flying was superb and drew slightly ahead on points through it before long.
And then, within half an hour of the match starting, a freak accident occurred.
The missile barrier Severus and family had chanted up to prevent bumphing, knocking bludgers towards the crowd, was still in place; nobody had removed it and the IAQ considered it such an excellent safeguard that they had voted to maintain it.
The bludger, struck by Garcia of Portugal, missed the chaser he was aiming at, bounced off the barrier and took the Polish seeker, Radetskia in the back. She plummeted. The crowd gasped. Lydia louder than most; it was an almost identical strike to the one that had broken Gorbrin's back that only a chant had healed.
David signalled a medical time out and the healers ran on and the team captains flew over. The Portuguese captain Trucco was apologising profusely, as was Garcia.
The two captains joined David.
The announcer could hear what went on between David and the captains and said,
"The Portuguese captain feels that such an accident is an unfair advantage since the medics insist that skelegrow is needed, eight hours out at minumum for Radetskia; he is asking David Fraser to use esoteric English magic to heal the Polish seeker and Captain Zdun has agreed" he went on "Fraser has declared this a credit to quidditch and he is right; this is the sort of sportsmanship that we should all emulate. We are about to see an expert in chanting at work" he added in a hushed voice.
"Well the boy isn't bad" said Severus as David proceeded to chant.
Radetskia groaned and sat up.
Zdun pushed her down again; David had not finished. When he had he signalled for them to restart the game; and the crowd cheered wildly, for both sportsmanship and for David Fraser who could give them a better match with his skills.
oOoOo
The game went on all day and play was halted when David called light; they would resume early next day and the Snapes would bring a packed breakfast so as not to miss anything.
oOoOo
The morning's play began with a determined series of scores from Portugal, who were lifted by becoming the darlings of the crowd. Poland responded, but Portugal had the measure of the aggressive formation flying, a variant on the Hawkshead Attacking formation, and the Portuguese chasers pulled themselves sideways on to the arrowhead formation to make them pull up or be in danger of being given foul for blatching, flying with intent to collide.
"A bit like us playing chicken at Durmstrang" said Krait.
And then, half way through the morning, the crowd gave a shout.
The Portuguese seeker, Mendez, had seen the snitch!
Radetskia was quickly after him, flying like a demon; and both jinked and whirled in a dance about the fluttering snitch, each trying to get into a position to take it; and David must keep his eyes partly on that and partly on the continued scoring that was becoming frenetic as each team strove for an advantage, desperate to be more than fifteen goals up to offset the catching of the snitch.
And then it was all over; and David blew his whistle.
The wiry Mendez had twisted, rolled, hung upside-down off his broom and caught the snitch in his sleeve, rapidly clapping the other hand to it to stop it flying out again before he could get skin contact, desperately hanging on by the ankles. And as the whistle went ending the match Mendez took his broom low, raised his head, and let go with his feet to drop in an ungainly pile to the ground as the easiest way of getting himself out of the predicament.
The noise from the crowd was tremendous!
The score stood at nine hundred and sixty to Portugal, eight hundred and twenty to Poland, the Poles having just outscored the Portuguese with quaffles.
"Well THAT was a result" said Lydia happily to Viktor "Best game I've ever seen; fast, exciting, and so few fouls you'd think they had Red Card Rolanda as well as David."
Viktor laughed.
"It was a credit to quidditch like David said" he agreed. "An excellent omen for a harmonious marriage for us."
"Now don't you start on omens, love" said Lydia "I'm not so snippy about them Jade is – I've never been the subject of prophecy so I can afford to be more laid back – but none of us Snapes considers omens with any degree of seriousness."
Viktor laughed.
"Ah, my apologies, dear one" he said. "I am not ruled by omens; but it is a nice way to start – well nearly start – our married life together."
"THAT I'll agree to" said Lydia.
oOoOo
After the World Cup Randolph Wright went back with Lucius' contingent. There was to be a big symposium of teachers at Malfoy Manor, and he and Erica were to talk art seriously. Randolph had news from David Fraser that patterns woven into flying carpets could protect them from jinxes or make them warm when flying at altitude; and that was to share too. They had been exchanging excited letters by owl, Erica's sometimes with scrawls on by her fiancé who took metalwork seriously and could see plenty of uses of art and pattern magic in that. Their task was to work with Charlotte Malfoy to put together an OWL on the subject that Charlotte would then examine. She had approached other wizarding artists and asked for their input but had been rebuffed with the comment, almost universal, that those who COULD paint did not need an OWL in it since they knew how to make portraits; and they had been uninterested in any other reason to study art. Charlotte had given up and told them to keep their narrow, limited views and carry on with their fartwork.
As a fine artist herself she could equal any of the top artists in the country at the moment; and could, and did, tell them where to go.
She had then painted the most pompous in a pastiche of a famous work of Dali and entitled it 'painter autosodomised by his own ego' which, being a recognisable portrait, had Lucius roaring with laughter and taking it up to town to show around.
Randolph was only aware that Madam Malfoy had had some trouble finding artists ready to be co-operative and thought it a shame; but he and Erica would be doing something brand new!
There was at least Androbius Pingit, an Argentinian artist of mixed descent including English who was both eminent and prepared to learn; and he would be prepared to examine Erica as obviously her own mother could not; he had written long and rambling letters with sketches giving input. He was most impressed that Charlotte as a muggle had learned to use wizarding paints and complimented her fulsomely enough for Lucius to refer to him as 'that damned Dago'.
oOoOo
Severus travelled to Malfoy manor himself; because of the symposium he had been setting up. He had talked a lot of disparate teachers into holding an all-subject symposium; and had talked Lucius into letting them hold it at Malfoy Manor while he waited for the arrival of Tanjela's baby. The Malfoys would not be involved save that Narcissa was in her element organising the logistics and Lucius intended to attend what talks he could being an accredited examiner. A significant number of the teachers of Hogwarts and Durmstrang had accepted invitations; Jade and her new teachers were to attend for just two days of the five as they had so much to do getting their new school ready to, as Jade put it, pick the brains of experienced folk and get to know opposite numbers. The New Marauders and friends from the Free School were coming. Beauxbatons too had sent a contingent, and one or two of the small schools offering three or four OWLs, awed to be invited; and Hellibores returned only Hellibore himself and his younger teachers fresh from the ongoing symposium, as Hellibore put it, of Severus Snape's school.
Naturally all the Prince Peak teachers turned up to listen to the pearls of wisdom of others, except Ron who came in body with Hermione, but declared that it would make his head ache and suggested that he coach small Malfoys and their etceteras in quidditch, which was voted a great solution
He was joined by Viktor because Lydia wanted to discus chanting.
Severus welcomed everyone.
"We've got a few talks planned" he said "But the general idea of this symposium is to get to know each other, swap ideas, and see how far our various pet subjects overlap. I have certainly found that the more you learn, the more there is to learn; and the more things tie together. I cite chanting that can only be truly powerful with understanding of ancient runes, Arithmancy and higher levels of theory of charms and transfiguration and a passing acquaintance with comparative magic doesn't come amiss."
There were murmurs of assent from those who were already converted and noises of disbelief from those who were not.
"But Severus, we 'ave no chanters in Beauxbatons, and we are pestered by ze French Quidditch Association to train some as 'ealers; what am I to do?" said Madam Maxime.
"Olympe, I have a French child in my school in the second year whose father is a healer; he's over at the back there somewhere because I invited him to attend" said Severus "And she has come specifically to learn chanting. And her father puts in what free time he has to learn also; and you will doubtless soon have a competent teacher of chanting. You can't have Hercule back though; he's too good an ancient runes teacher and a stalwart of the trains club" he added.
"I have a Dutch lad and an Italian girl just entering the sixth who have learned chanting under Jade Snape, Olympe" said Agata Bacsó "They will be likely to want a job in a couple of years; either one will fit in with your pupils I think. They are pleasant young people."
"Desolina would do well to have her confidence boosted though" said Jade laconically "She HAS got a poor self image; and she's so beautiful all the boys will get tonsillitis for leaving their tongues hanging out. Sigismundus is inclined to the abrasive and he doesn't suffer fools. Period. I like him; but I'm not a fool."
"Besides, he's one I have my eye on to start a Scandinavian School when you've trained replacements for us" said Bertel Elstrup.
"Poacher" said Jade without rancour. "Desolina then, Olympe? Perhaps you will write to her and ask if she is willing; to be wanted as a teacher before she even leaves school will be a real boost!"
"I agree" said Agata; and Olympe nodded.
"I shall do so" she said.
The first talk was Orlando Carcano on the subject of using Wizarding Wireless Vision as a supplement to lessons as well as to substitute for a lack of professors; and Mei Chang gave a supplemental talk as she was teaching in a school with limited resources and only a few professors, though as she said, her husband-to-be had made one more. Lucius assisted Orlando to demonstrate how a school might store globes with recorded information that could then be brought out at need; a globe would only hold ten minutes of stored footage, but this could be used, Orlando pointed out as supplemental to a broadcast programme or a Professor's lecture notes; in his subject, care of beasts, whilst there was no substitute for getting up front and personal, a view of a rare or difficult to see beast or a reiteration of the correct way to clean a firecrab was a useful thing for pupils to see more than once. He also mentioned tentatively that he had footage of the birth of twin unicorns and then wished he had not as it took a while for the hubbub to die down.
"Ar, and it's handy to have a broadcast too when it's snowin'" said Hagrid, who had been talked into coming only because both Orlando and Madam Maxime were to be there, as well as David.
"Or when you're on top of a mountain when there's precious little wildlife that can reach you" said David.
Ross Tuthill nodded; being there as one of the new teachers of Prince Peak with his wife Heather – Geomancy – and sister Freya – comparative magic. For that reason he would find supplemental material useful.
Freya had been promised by Jade a chance too to talk to a Japanese boy at some point about eastern traditions and she was looking forward to it; and meanwhile a symposium of skills by some of the world's most academic people thrilled her to the core; as too it thrilled Hermione.
It was generally reckoned to be a very productive few days, with two talks a day and discussion groups and informal debates going on late into the night. It might have been better organised a different year; but the time had felt right and Severus had put it off more than once because of such interruptions as Odessa; and he was NOT going to put it off again.
oOoOo
The ancient runes people had got into a huddle together and seemed to be talking a variety of incomprehensible languages and gloating; Jade, Bertel Elstrup, Traudl Mondschein, Lydia Snape, Bathsheba Babbling, Agalisse Schreiber, Hercule Maxime and a Monsieur Deveraux enjoyed themselves no end; though not all of them taught Ancient Runes as their first subject. The arithmancers spoke their own language too until Jade strolled over and asked a very technical question that left most of them staring at her in horror and had Hermione throwing a cushion at her.
Severus grinned. Trust Jade to throw a cat among the pigeons; he followed her gist – as, he knew, did Hermione; and so did Krait who was holding two conversations at once, one with the arithmancers and one with Attila Nagy, the Transfiguration Professor at Durmstrang. It horrified young Cenric Grant of Hellibore's, made poor Septima Vector think hard and completely lost the vapid creature from Beauxbatons. It took Fenella Fenwick, teaching both Arithmancy and Mathematics at Rowan house to come up with an answer, added to by Hermione and with quick rounding off by Septima. Katarina Nachtigall stayed wisely out of it; she followed the argument but was not yet experienced enough to have joined in.
It WAS rather a favourite subject of Jade's, the different universes though which one passed or to which one sent vanished material; and the discussion on what exactly happened to vanished matter and was the place to which it went inimical to life was an ongoing discussion – usually over breakfast – of his more academic offspring.
But then, Jade had always gone her own way in the world of academe as well as in doing what she thought was right; and was continuing to do that in Germany by the looks of it. His daughter had picked up an adoptive daughter and a probable son; the little girl was a half goblin with dark red hair and Jade had named her Lily Grace; good names and with family connection too. She was a little older than Ralph, which would not be noticeable when they got to school together; and seemed a sunny child. The little boy was presumably one of Jade's protégés for her free school, a goblin lad of about eleven who watched Jade and Wulf with the sort of hungry yet wary eyes that wanted them as kin and was half afraid of what it might mean; or that they would reject him.
Doubtless Jade would soon sort THAT out; she was very perspicacious and would, had she been there, have seen long before he had done that Silvina craved being his daughter. Well she had settled down to it very well now; and Severus had learned to love her dearly as a daughter. And here at Malfoy Manor his oldest adoptive daughter Grace was making much of her newest sister to draw her in to the extended family. It would all help Silvina's sense of self worth!
oOoOo
The symposium came to an end just after Lucius excused himself because his wife was in labour; he was wished good luck by most people and Severus was left to hold a final question and answer session from questions that had been formulated – if any – over the time period and to pick those who could answer them to do so. There were very few, and mostly from the French; almost everyone else had managed to get any questions answered in informal discussion. And then they broke up and went on their various ways, feeling on the whole enriched for the experience and, especially on the part of the teachers of the small schools, ready to tackle new things with more optimism. And one of the small school's principals said with more truth than tact as she shook hands with Severus,
"I didn't know posh people could be so nice."
One of the things Severus had been glad to pass around was that his school offered scholarships to the truly talented; and that if a child came to a small school whom they felt would benefit from more or specialist teaching, they might be entered for a scholarship and could be so entered up to the third year when electives were chosen so long as they had a basic grounding. This was really for musical or artistic children; but not exclusively. And Severus would go on a case-by-case basis.
oOoOo
Tanjela was duly delivered of a daughter – which delighted her, since she had given Lucius three sons and had tried again only in the hopes of getting a girl; which as she had previously produced only three boys out of her long family of daughters for Tobak was a bit of an irony. Lucius did not care – any more than Tobak had done – in that he loved all his children equally. But all her sister wives understood, and other close family like Krait, who took her turn cooing over both new babies.
"Not that you're pregnant again" grinned Narcissa.
Krait smiled serenely.
"Yes and I thought it must be a girl because I'm sailing through it; but Severus let out that he'd used Scarpin's Revellaspell and it IS a boy; because I got waspish at him for being excessively tender of me. I think I, like you, Tanjela, will call it a day after this baby; he's my number seven which is quite enough for me, thank you!"
"Well I've had nine pregnancies for my dozen children; and I doubt I'd have had more than the first bunch if there hadn't been Lucius" said Tanjela. "Have you seen the 'Prophet'?"
"Not if I can avoid it" said Krait "At least, not without a sick bag. What crap have they printed now?"
Tanjela laughed.
"Oh apparently now Finn and I are Lucius' poor exploited political wives, expected to carry on having children to further his political ends with half breed children to show off."
"Honestly!" said Krait "It's enough to make one consider just dropping the 'Daily Prophet' offices into a hole in the ground! Is Lucius suing or can't he be bothered?"
"Oh you know Lucius – he's suing again, accusing them of making his wives into brood mares and treating us with disrespect; turning their innuendoes entirely on their head" laughed Tanjela.
"Nice; he's a clever little sod in his own environment" chuckled Krait.
"Monty Python" said Draco, who was doing his share of cooing over his new sisters.
oOoOo
The weddings were largely Marauder affairs; and for Severus and Krait poignant in including their daughter Lydia. Jade was to blow in briefly for the ceremony but was much tied up with dire orphanages in Germany; but nothing would stop her being matron of honour for her favourite sister's wedding!
The other marauders being married were Mad Lockhart to Mei Chang – who had rather rashly elected to have Chrysogon Rufus as a page boy, which would attract much media attention to the poor child – Polly Kirrin to Kreacher, though Kreacher was not strictly a marauder; and another tenuous Marauding connection with Peronel Pettigrew, daughter of disgraced marauder Peter, marrying her Theo Weasley and doubtless telling reporters that she had always belonged to Theo; which, strictly speaking, she had, having been his pet rat before her manimagus human form emerged. Peter was mildly disgusting at times; but both Severus and Krait were sorry for him; and love for his daughter had improved him no end and brought him out of himself. Severus was one of those who volunteered to give Nell – as she was known – away, together with Sirius and Harry, which had touched Peter no end. In the end it was to be Theo's father who gave her away; as he and his wife had reared Nell since her unexpected expression into humanity. The wedding was to be filmed for Peter to keep, using Orlando's new methods.
The final couple were protégés of Severus, Shona Moorcroft and Nigel Clough, poor children who had won scholarships for potioneering to Hogwarts through attending Rowan House when it accepted day students from London to boost numbers of squibs and siblings of the talented. They were both working with Pete Prince in Obscura Alley and had waited to save for a year before getting wed; and Severus wanted to show HIS support for them, hence asking Lucius to include them on the wedding list.
Lucius was always willing to oblige a friend; and it made for more to irritate those who considered themselves to be society. As would launching two elves; though that passed Severus by entirely since he had ceased to see free elves as anything but people. Krait thought of it and grinned maliciously; doubtless there would be at least ONE ill advised comment that would be grist to Lucius' litigious hobby.
The weddings went with a swing, Lydia and Polly having chosen muggle-inspired robes based on evening gowns of the classy nineteen thirties; and Mei in traditional Chinese garb in red brocade and Chrysogon Rufus in white satin and HOW he had managed to avoid staining it when taking part in an illicit and unsanctioned blooding of Mei's little squib cousin Yulan was more of a wonder, as Mad put it, than finding a courteous German. Chrys looked as though butter would not melt in his mouth; and Mei, who was fond of Yulan, readily forgave him.
Lydia and Viktor so obviously adored each other and Severus was happy to give her away; Erich claimed the right to give away his little half sister Helga to Viktor's half brother Stoyan; and if there was some tension between the respective mothers of the Krumm boys, there was at least no fighting.
Severus could not help being proud of how beautiful Lydia looked; all Malfoy magnolia skin perfection, violet blue eyes shining like stars and her silver gilt ringlets loose beneath her veil. She outshone any other woman there except perhaps his beloved Krait, and on so happy an occasion his dear Sirri and dear Dione, he thought; and Jade with her own brand of serene beauty. And Mimi – dear me, what a young woman she was now; and the next family wedding likely to be her and Darryl!
It may be said that Severus was somewhat biased because Lucius too was preening at his niece's beauty and reflecting that only HIS wives were lovelier.
oOoOo
And when Severus got back home he found that an owl had left a message from Jade telling him that he would have an adult student, Herr Horst Müller, who would be coming to him for a year to learn Geomancy as he had 'just picked up' enough to teach his daughter and her friend some and she wanted him trained as a teacher; he being a second generation wizard who was not entitled to education at Durmstrang even if his parents could afford it. His daughter was to go to Jade's school and Jade felt it a waste not to make use of his knowledge and desire to learn! There would be a wife and younger son along and they would be arriving at the weekend so long as that was all right. And she was certain that it would be.
How like Jade, thought Severus, smiling fondly.
oOoOo
Herr Müller duly arrived with family – including his daughter until term started – and Severus welcomed them warmly and settled them in.
"I have a post NEWT – what you call ZH – class which is, essentially, made up of those who stay on a year, come to me from other schools, or return to education to pursue a line of research that interests them" he said. "I have a few other applicants for this study, and my ward Victor is staying on for the extra year to consolidate; he's thinking of teaching. It's a small class this year, but I try not to have more than half a dozen researchers anyway. It got a little more last year with two returners to education, but I can be flexible. I would suggest that you work at your own pace with tutorials from our new Geomancy Professor, Heather Burns Tuthill; she and her husband are replacing my Geomancy and Care of Beasts Professors and Ross's sister filling in my missing Comparative Magic teacher."
"Excuse me asking, but how did you lose so many?" asked Herr Müller. Severus laughed.
"I lost two people because David Fraser taught Geomancy as well as Care of Beasts; and he was offered the post of Headmaster at Hogwarts school. So naturally his wife, who teaches Comparative magic, has gone with him; and it will be fortuitous, because in a couple of years time the Hogwarts teacher of Comparative Magic plans to set up a school for impoverished witches and wizards in India – he is Indian – and is pleased to have a replacement that he has trained and whom he trusts to take care of his pupils."
"Then a promotion such as that reflects well on you, Herr Snape" said Müller. "A great compliment to you and your school as well as to Herr Fraser that your professors are sought to replace the legendary Professor Dumbledore of whom everyone has heard."
"David will fill those legendary shoes perfectly" said Severus softly "Yes I AM proud of him; the more so perhaps because he was my ward and I stand in place of a father for him; as he is orphaned. He was the first pupil to study Geomancy formally at Hogwarts; his tutor, Sirius Black, put the subject together from his own nefarious uses of mapping – imagine if you will a teenage boy and a map that tells him exactly where any teachers are – and his interest generally. Sirius was sent erroneously to Azkaban – he was framed – and became the only person to escape, purely by his knowledge of Geomancy and how to use ley lines and nodal shift. Ah, I see nodal shift is a new one for you; it is NEWT level. There is a ZP coming in this year but if you manage to take the study further over this year – as I am sure you will – you will have to sit the NEWT exam if you wish to bother with a formal qualification. It might be handy to wave it at people."
"Could I also study Arithmancy?" asked Herr Müller shyly "I have studied mathematics in a muggle school."
"That should be quite easy to arrange; and will help with Geomancy anyway" said Severus "I will ask my wife to teach you how to transfer; she was in a muggle school to the age of fifteen and caught up in time to take seven NEWTs at the correct age; but she IS exceptional."
"Then it is possible that Renate – my friend – and I might catch up the year of schooling we have missed?" asked Valerie, Herr Müller's daughter.
"Assuredly" said Severus "Pray make use of my library; and Birgitta shall let you read her class notes. Birgitta is a tidy and efficient note taker" he added "And she will probably permit you to take them to show your friend also and rely on the notes of one or more of her many friends. She is a resident of the castle and you shall meet her. You may of course also wish to send bulletins of what to study to your friend; but do not work TOO hard in the holidays. Get the FEEL for study; put in half an hour to an hour a day. You will be amazed how much that can do. If you package up your notes, you may then send those to Renate who can study over your self-imposed lessons."
"Thank you sir" said Valerie.
The Müllers would settle in just fine.
oOoOo
Severus had been discussing another matter with his family; and Jade's efforts with the boy Ulvik had made up his mind. He called the orphaned ex werewolf Siegfried to his office.
"Siegfried, you have had a year round to adapt to waking up four hundred years after you went to sleep" he said "And to grieve and come to terms with losing all your family. I have applied to the council to be sure your lands are reassigned to you; and to revive the Barony that did NOT die out with your father. But you are still a small boy; and I wondered if you would like to have a new family and be our adopted son rather than just our ward."
"Oh SIR!" said Siegfried "I cannot think of a better second father; I should like it above all things!"
"Then too we need to discuss whether you will join the blood pact that was started to protect Harry Potter and into which all my natural children are born; and to date all of my adopted children have chosen to include themselves" said Severus. "This too is the secret of the Marauders who use the blood pact for their work; you have not chosen to maraud, but not all who are blood-joined do so. You are old enough to make the choice."
"Sir, if I am joined to you by blood it will be more of a family, will it not?" said Siegfried "And I am not blind, nor deaf, nor stupid; I know full well that those who are blooded help out any focus. And you do good work, curing werewolves, fighting dark wizards; I should like to be a part of it. And to feel my music sing with those of your family like Seagh and Silvina and Jade and the little ones."
"Then it shall be" said Severus softly.
"If I am to be Baron I should like my father's name to endure" said Siegfried "So I would wish to be Siegfried Snape Von Eiche; if that is satisfactory?"
"It is most sensible" said Severus. "I applaud your family feeling; I hope I live up to your real father's high standards."
"He would like you very much – father" said Siegfried.
All that then remained was for a blooding with whoever was around; and that was enough for a quorum.
And Siegfried was beaming all over his face that he belonged to a family again.
How different, thought Severus, was this self possessed little boy with the sense of self worth undiminished by his experience as a werewolf – and THAT was credit to the boy's father – from Jade's little Ulvik who was scared to trust and be happy. He hoped Ulvik would learn to trust and to feel his self worth expanding under love and praise; for there was strength in that one too.