Chapter 6: Recon

Draco Malfoy found himself in a hauntingly familiar situation, yet was strangely not traumatized by it. He yawned toothily and made a soft squeaking sound as his elongated body bounced behind a nearby barrel and squeezed into the shadows. He twitched his whiskers slightly, his tail puffed out like a bristle brush as his excitement grew. His target was in sight. All of the previous horror he had experienced upon finding his cousin with the weasel was replaced by the motivation of the chase. He preferred squirming targets. Squirming targets named Weasley were even better!

Irony was not lost on Draco Malfoy that Hermione had changed him into a ferret. Strangely, he was not angry, despite his past association with the form in question. In fact, he was quite excited to be spying on Weaselbee. Spying encouraged his inner Slytherin. Spying as a ferret, well, that just added even more excitement to the entire equation. At least this time it was his choice. This time, it was fun!

Draco clambered up the side of the barrel and hid in the flowers, nose twitching as the pollen from the nearby flower almost made him sneeze. His ears perked as he caught the familiar sound of Ronald Weasley's voice. Draco turned his lips up in a wry smile, his lips pulling from his sharp little ferret teeth. Perfect.

-o-o-o-o-o-

"This is such a quaint little town, Ron," Ambre said with a smile. "I was never able to visit here when I was younger."

"It's a bit of a staple for those of us who went to Hogwarts as children," Ron admitted. "It does look like something out of a postcard."

"It does," Ambre nodded. "It's so busy today. Is it always like this?"

"Naw," Ron said with a shrug. "I guess we picked one of the weekends Hogwarts lets the students visit. Normally it's pretty pastoral."

"They just let the students loose on Hogsmeade?" Ambre asked curiously.

Ron chuckled. "There are chaperons. Professors from the school that make sure the students don't get into too much trouble."

"Ah, do you think you'll see anyone you know?" Ambre asked curiously. "I haven't met any of your old friends yet!"

"Not likely," Ron replied. "Hermione shares her duties with her old Master… and he…" Ron paused as his neck twitched. "He is the least likely professor to be in Hogsmeade."

Ambre frowned in confusion. "When will I get to meet your friends, Ron? You said Hermione is teaching at Hogwart's right? So that is at the castle up the hill? Surely it wouldn't be too much trouble to see her! I'd love to actually meet the friends you've talked about. I'd really like to see a real castle too. Mom and dad said I saw plenty of castles when I was a child, but I honestly don't remember anything about castles when I was a kid."

Ron stared at her, focused on the way she pronounced her words rather than what she was saying. Her accent was thickly American, which was strangely fascinating to him. She had confessed that she found his "accent" attractive as well, even though he never considered himself to have an accent. It took him a moment to realize she was staring at him intently, waiting for an answer. "I… uh…" he started to say.

"I haven't exactly been the best of friends with my mates for a while," Ron admitted with a hang of the head. "They've all started families and I just felt… like an outsider of sorts. I've been a bit of a perpetual bachelor. I don't want them to think… that you are temporary."

Ambre looked at him strangely. "And how else are you supposed to prove otherwise if I never get to meet them?"

Ron wilted a little. "I guess I feel like I should have told them sooner, so now I feel like it's past the point of polite and more the time that if I say something I'll be pummeled for not saying anything." Ron looked sheepish.

"Your logic is strange, Ron," Ambre confessed. "I'm not sure what it is like here, but back in the States, when you get to the point in a relationship like we are, the family and the friends tend to know by now."

"Maybe I could lure Hermione away from Hogwart's to meet us for drinks," Ron offered.

"I suppose that's a start," Ambre replied, obvious disappointed in the prospect of only getting to meet one new person from Ron's past.

"I'll see if I can owl her and arrange a meeting in the next few weeks," Ron replied. "Let's go check out Spintwitches Sporting Needs before we stop for lunch?"

Ambre nodded. "Ooo, maybe they will have some Quidditch memorabilia. They might have some the trading cards I'm missing."

Ron, thankful for the the reprieve from the prospect of having to reveal his significant other to his old mates, led the way to Spintwitches.

The ferret in the flower barrel grinned to himself, lips pulling back from his pristinely sharp and white teeth. There was no way he was going to allow Weaselbee to get away with mitigating the reveal by using Hermione as a way to avoid his own discomfort.

Draco looked to make sure no one was looking his way and leapt out from the flowers, slid down the side of the barrel, and dashed along the side of the building. He kept to the shadows, making a stealthy line back towards the Three Broomsticks.

Draco dashed in the door as someone opened it, bouncing from shadow to shadow on his way to the corner where Hermione and Severus were sitting and watching their students in the Three Broomsticks. He bounced across Hermione's foot in the prearranged signal and then dashed into the dark corner to await her counter-spell.

Shortly after, a very smug Draco Malfoy rejoined the two professors at the table, sitting down at the table with an Slytherin grin plastered across his face. "You are going to love this," Draco purred.

Twin eyebrows lifted in curiosity from the Professors Snape. "Do tell," Severus droned casually.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

"Uncle Ron!" Rose greeted as she bounced over from the Quidditch supplies aisle. "I haven't seen you since the hatching day!"

Ronald Weasley's eyes went wide as though he had his hand caught in the cookie jar back at the Burrow.

Rose bounced up on her heels and embraced Ron around the waist. "Have you caught any criminals lately? How is Uncle Harry? Where have you been lately?" Rose's questions came out in a gush of excitement.

Ron awkwardly hugged Rose while trying to edge slightly away from Ambre so they looked less together. Ambre, however, was not amused by his not introducing his supposed niece. His niece was obviously happy to see him, after all, so why was he trying to shuffle away?

"You're fidgeting, Uncle Ron," Rose said with a sniff, staring up at him with an evaluating expression. While her stare was hardly that of her brother's or father's, she pinned her uncle with her dark eyes. "Aren't you going to introduce my new Aunt?"

Ronald's jaw dropped a little. "She's not… your aunt, Rose."

Rose put her hands on her hips. "Honestly, Uncle Ron," Rose snorted, screwing up her face in a slightly disgusted manner. She put her hand out for Ambre. "I'm Rose Snape. Ron's my Uncle, even though he has horrible social skills and never visits when Uncle Harry does for tea with my parents unless he's been dragged by hippogryphs. Are you my new Aunt? The last one didn't last longer than a year, and Nana Molly says not to get my hopes up anytime soon."

Ronald Weasley turned the the same color as his hair as Ambre's face lit up with amusement.

"My name is Ambre," Ambre introduced herself. "Ambre Mathis. Your uncle Ron and I have been seeing each other for about a year now."

"You sound American," Rose said with a tilt of her head. "Did you goto school at Salem Witches' Institute?"

"Indeed I did, Rose," Ambre replied proudly. "That's very observant of you."

"Uncle Draco says I get it from my parents," Rose beamed proudly. "He says anyone born into the Snape family can't help themselves."

Ambre perked. "Draco?" she asked. "As in Draco Malfoy?"

Rose nodded an affirmative.

"Draco and I are distant cousins on my dad's side," Ambre said. "My 'rents said we use to be close before we moved to the States. I'm afraid my memories are a bit spotty."

Rose's eyes grew wide. "That's amazing!"

Ron's plan to keep his private relationship with Ambre under wraps was going up in flames, and his face was gaining a new layer of red.

Rose bounced on her heels. "Scorpius, Julius, Albus!" she called. "Over here!"

The three students from Hogwarts shuffled over from a few isles over due to Rose's call.

"What's on fire, Rose?" Scorpius replied.

"Yeah, I was looking at the newest broom," Albus whined.

Julius, wearing the perfect expression of indifference, simply arched a dark brow at his sister. The phoenix chick on his shoulder peeped curiously for him.

"Ambre, this is my brother Julius, my friends James, Scorpius, and Albus," Rose announced proudly. "They're my best mates. Guys, this is Ambre, Uncle Ron's significant person."

"Pleasure," James said with a nod.

"Charmed," Scorpius said, sounding much like his father.

"Hullo!" Albus greeted warmly.

Julius tilted his head in greeting, his black eyes bored into Ambre with an unconcealed evaluating look he often used to size up first time wand purchasers. The phoenix chick on his shoulder mirrored his look, her normally large round eyes were half narrowed in birdish concentration.

Ambre fidgeted slightly under his regard, unused to such powerful scrutiny. "Pleased to meet you all," she said politely, smiling.

"Are you really with Uncle Weasley?" Scorpius asked tentatively, some of his disbelief leaking out in his voice. He had his chin up slightly, giving off the almost innate and possibly genetic arrogance of the Malfoy family.

"Why yes," Ambre answered cheerfully. "Is this hard to believe?"

The children exchanged glanced as Ron turned an even brighter shade of red.

"Can we confess some doubt?" Albus asked innocently, gaining an elbow in the ribs from Scorpius and James.

Ambre, amused by the openness of youth, smiled at Albus with a genuine smile. "I assure you that we are, Albus is it?"

Albus nodded back to her.

"I suppose I'll get to meet your families very soon, yes?" Ambre smiled at the kids while shooting a look at Ron.

The kids nodded to her.

Rose grinned. "Let's go, guys. We have to hit up Honeydukes before we meet up with the others at the Three Broomsticks!"

"Yes!" Albus exclaimed. "We can get cauldron cakes!"

"And pumpkin pasties!" Julius said with a smile.

"Treacle fudge!" James grinned.

Rose hurriedly exited the store with her friends, their excited chatter faded as they scampered off.

Ambre gave Ron a look as he stared at his shoes. "So, how long will it take before they spread the news back to your friend?"

Ron shook his head. "About as long as it takes then to ride the carriages back to Hogwarts."

"Are you mad at me?" Ambre asked as she stared at him. "For blowing your secret?"

Ron hung his head, using his hand to ruffle his own hair. "No, I'm not mad. It was going to happen. I was just hoping… I'd get to talk to Hermione before she found out from her kids."

"Is there a reason you are so worried about what your old friend will think? She's your friend, right?" Ambre asked with a chuckle.

Ron looked at Ambre with a sheepish grin. "She is brilliant… but scary."

"Well I'm starving," she replied with a shake of her head. "Let's go get some food?"

"Sure," Ron said with a smile, opening the door for her.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-

There were a lot of students gathered in the Three Broomsticks as Ron and Ambre found their way there for a meal. Ambre had found the entire village of Hogsmeade as a picturesque fascination that she compared to the fanciful holiday postcards from back "home."

As Ron set the food and drinks down on the table, Ambre tore into her food without a please or thank you, causing Ron to realize that he had finally found someone with as atrocious manners at the dinner table as his own, and he wasn't sure if that was a good revelation on his own. Ambre chucked a good part of her butterbeer, pausing only to wipe her mouth with her sleeve and belch.

Ron cast his eyes down and busied himself with his own meal and drink, suddenly more aware that had he not just seen Ambre do it, he would have done the same to his own meal. No wonder Hermione always gave him such appalled looks at the dinner table when he and his brothers practically inhaled his mother's cooking without even checking to see what it was.

"Oi, Sap" Draco Malfoy said, tugging on his cousin's hair. "When did you swim back cross the ocean?"

"Draco!" Ambre greeted, standing to fling her arms around her cousin. "It's been forever!"

Draco sniffed. "You sound like an American," he said with a tone of disdain. "Where have you been hiding yourself?" Draco gave a cursory glaze to Ronald, whose eyes were practically bugging out of his head. "Mother and Father will have a Kneazle if they find out you're here and haven't come by to visit."

"I've been in London trying to find work," Ambre admitted. "Sit, Sit, Draco."

Draco stifled a grin as he sat down next to Ambre at the table. He folded his hands together in front of his face, looking ever the Slytherin. The corner of his mouth twitched as he watched Ron's expression alternate between embarrassment and horror.

"Find anything in London?" Draco purred.

"I'm currently working at a clothing store that caters to the Wizarding world. We specialize in muggle fashion for wizards and witches that do not pay much attention to muggle fashion until they need something for an event," Ambre said cheerfully. "I like it. My boss says I sell more outfits because of my accent. Do I really have an accent?"

Draco curled his lip up slightly in a wolfish sort of grin. "You do, Sap," he agreed. "You sound like a bloody American, now. Mother will be beside herself. So. When did you end up with Weasley?" Draco's voice sounded bored, but he glared at Ron.

"Oh you know each other?" Ambre said excitedly. "How wonderful!"

Ronald Weasley took that moment to drink the rest of his beer.

"Hey, Malfoy, you want a beer with your fish and chips?" Harry's voice came from the bar.

"Yeah, thanks," Draco said with a grin, enjoying the sight of Ron sinking even lower into his chair.

"Is that the Harry Ron's told me about?" Ambre asked.

"Quite probably," Draco said with a tilt of his head as Harry came over with food and drink and commandeered a seat with them. "Chances are if you heard of Harry, it's this bloke." Draco used his thumb to point at Harry, who was in the process of stuffing a chip in his mouth hungrily.

"Heh," Harry chuckled as he waved his hand. "Sorry, I'm starving. I just got off an extended long shift from last night whipping some new folks into shape." Harry extended his hand to Ambre. "Harry Potter. Please to make your acquaintance."

Ambre took his hand and shook it politely. "I'm Ambre Mathis. Ron has told me you're an Auror as well? I'm glad to finally get to meet you."

"Oh?" Harry said, sliding his eyes over to peer at Ron. "I do hope it wasn't anything embarrassing."

"Nothing like that," Ambre confessed. "I have been excited to meet his old school friends.

"I'm surprised that I haven't heard of you sooner, Ambre," Harry said, shooting a glare at his mate. "I'm glad to meet you."

"Don't feel bad, Potter," Draco sniffed. "She didn't even tell her own cousin she was back in the Country."

"Cousin?" Harry gave Ambre an appraising look. "She's missing the radiant blond hair."

"Psh," Draco scoffed. "We can't all be genetically blessed. Second cousin on my father's side."

"You sound American," Harry observed. "You must have stayed there quite some time."

"I must stick out like a sore thumb," Ambre blushed. "My accent gives me away."

Harry and Draco grinned at her.

"I considered the U.S. my home, to be honest," Ambre admitted. "I don't have many memories of my life before Beaubaxtons, and even that wasn't long before we moved to the U.S. I do adore the fascination with Quidditch here, though. I've been relying on Ron to help re-acclimatize myself to England and the Wizarding community here."

"Oi, Sap," Draco admonished. "You should have owled us. We would have helped."

Ambre blushed. "Mom and Dad said not to expect welcome when we returned."

Draco rolled his eyes. "You're family, not plague-bearers. Your parents had their reasons for leaving, I'm sure."

"There you are, Harry!" Ginny bounced over to the table carrying a sandwich and a drink. "I almost didn't see you over here. Oh, hey Draco. You here to keep an eye on Scorpius?"

"Psh, hardly. Rose and James keep him under enough eyes for me," Draco said absently. "I was here getting chocolate for Astoria. It's self defense, I assure you."

Ginny laughed as she pulled up a seat and joined them.

"Ambre, this is my wife, Ginny," Harry introduced after taking a chug of his beer. "Ginny, this is Ambre Mathis, Draco's second cousin on his father's side."

"Oh! Pleased to meet you, Ambre!" Ginny said, shaking her hand. Are you here visiting with Draco?"

Ambre shook her head. "No, I was here visiting Hogsmeade with Ron, actually."

"Oh?" Ginny slid her eyes over to give her brother the "look" Molly Weasley was known for. It spoke about repercussions and hexes.

Ron shrank under her gaze in an immediate preconditioned response to his mother's gaze channeled through her daughter. It didn't help that Ginny had practice raising her own children in order to perfect her mother's glare. Ron's plans for a quiet weekend flying under the muggle radar from his friends was quickly a very embarrassing social experience. As if making introduction belatedly to Harry wasn't bad enough, it was getting gradually worse with each new addition to the table. He was beginning to see the merits of having fessed up to dating someone new from the start. About the only thing worse, at this point, would be to have his mother walk in and have to explain to her why he hid the fact he'd been in a serious relationship with a relation of the Malfoy family for the last year.

As the chatter at the table increased both in excitement and volume, two darkly clad professors sitting in the corner of the Three Broomsticks sat quietly to themselves.

A hawk owl landed on the table with a soft brush of wings and a quiet hoot, extending his foot to the pair even as a smaller tawny owl skidded to a halt next to Severus and extended his foot as well. Hermione took the parchment from the larger eagle owl, handed the owl a frog leg. The eagle owl hooted gratefully and took off.

Severus took the parchment off the smaller owl, extending a frog leg for the smaller owl, watching the owl work on maneuvering the offering into position to gulp it down. The tawny owl hooted softly in gratitude and took off from the table.

The two professors scanned the parchments for a few seconds and swapped them with each other and continued reading them.

"Molly will be here with Arthur shortly," Hermione said with a sly grin on her face. "This should be exciting."

"Lucius and Narcissa will be here soon as well," Severus purred. "Doubly so." Severus looked into his wife's eyes, his face emotionless but his eyes flickered with amusement.

Wayne Mitchell glided in from the shadows, carrying a large bowl of popcorn. He sat down with his Master and Mistress, setting the bowl of popcorn down in the middle of the table. "As you command, so shall there be popcorn, my Master and Mistress," Wayne purred.

"Excellent," Severus said with approval. "Do join us in enjoying the show."

Wayne tilted his head up to focus on the crowd gathering around Ronald Weasley and his no longer secret significant other. "Hrm," he said. "I take it you owled everyone?"

Hermione's grin answered him without her having to confess to anything.

"Remind me never to make you angry, Hermione," Wayne said as he munched on some popcorn. "You're scary enough when you're being mischievous."

"Is there anyone you didn't invite?" Wayne asked.

"I believe she didn't bother inviting Master Goodfeather, seeing as it takes him so long to go anywhere," Severus said, popping a piece of popcorn into his mouth.

Wayne raised an eyebrow. The far door opened and Molly and Arthur Weasley walked in with a virtual herd of their grandchildren, making a fuss over them and ordering food and drinks for them all. They purposely ignored the table where Ronald was paling by the second. Once they had their food and drinks in hand, they loosed the grandchildren on Ron and just happened to follow them over. It was downright Slytherin. Rose pounced on her uncle with no shame, leading Albus, James, Julius and Scorpius into drawing even more attention to their shared uncle.

"May I join you?" a familiar voice chimed from behind the three professors.

"By all means, Aiden," Hermione cooed, gesturing to the nearby empty seat. "Have some popcorn."

Aiden Gauge grinned and sat down, helping himself to the giant bowl of popcorn. "How goes the hazing of my ex-trainee?"

Severus tilted his head to Aiden. "I believe he thinks he has the worst luck of any Auror alive."

"So much for constant vigilance," Aiden chuckled. "I suppose we all can't be as paranoid as old Mad-Eye, rest his soul."

"He might be after his," Wayne observed as the door opened and Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy glided in.

Scorpius gave a cry of greeting and the children all ran up to hug them around the waist, drawing attention to Ronald's no longer hidden table. Draco moved another table over to join with the other, pulling more seats towards them. As he moved the table over, he put his back towards Ron and winked towards Hermione and Severus with a roguish grin plastered over his face.

Lucius and Narcissa played the scene well, making sure to greet Ambre as flamboyantly as possible while lavishing affection on all the grandchildren by blood and proxy.

"This just keeps getting better," Aiden commented as he scooped up another handful of popcorn. "I've never seen Ron's face so red."

Severus munched on a few popped kernels. "Mmmhmm."

"So," Aiden began. "When do we get to show up?"

"When we run out of popcorn," Severus replied with a sniff.

The four of them engaged in some mischievous nods as Neville Longbottom "randomly" wandered in to the Three Broomsticks and ordered a drink and sandwich. Rose dutifully waved and called to him, asking him about his fanged geraniums. Neville turned around to greet Rose and "stumbled" on the growing table of embarrassment around Ronald Weasley.

Wayne, Hermione, Aiden, and Severus dove their hands into the popcorn bowl and proceeded to systematically empty it kernel by kernel.

The evening just kept getting better… just not for a certain Ronald Weasley.

-o-o-o-o-o-o-

A/N: The moral of the story tonight kids is… keeping secrets from your childhood friends is bad for your health. *evil grin*

A/N x2: Had to update this chapter due to naming Ambre something different for her last name a couple times. I can't help it, I'm delirious, I swear! Rofl. Thanks, shorty, for pointing it out!