DISCLAIMER: They all belong to JK. I just keep them on a shelf and will, from time to time, take they out, dust them off, and bend them to my will.

Timeline: HBP compliant, beyond that … not so much.

Rating: Mature

A/N: Hmpf. Sorry for the super long delay. Life kind of got in the way. Have worked some things out personally, took a weeklong vacation (I love camping!) and have a lot of writing. Just need to transfer from my writing books to computer.

Remus.

Severus was pacing again and it was starting to make Hestia Jones uncomfortable. Remus could smell her increased perspiration, see her increased heart rate at her jugular, then of course there was the wide eyes and white face. Severus' pacing brought him close enough to the short witch that his robes brushed against her legs. She flinched.

Severus usually had more patience than this. They had only been waiting on Albus and Kingsley for a half hour. There was something else bothering him. Although, it had been years since he had seen this man's feather's ruffled, really ruffled, and it was over a girl. Best not dwell on that.

Both Minerva and Arthur were waiting calmly, sitting across from Remus and Hestia in the library of Grimuald Place. It was late on Christmas Eve and Remus knew Arthur would want to get back home, he had already been nodding off while they were there with his family. It had been a long night. Harry was convinced Severus was trying to help Malfoy with some evil plot, the thing was, he was probably right. But Remus knew Albus and Albus trusted Severus. With his life.

"How do you plan to mass produce the antidote?" Hestia finally broke the silence, speaking out of nerves.

Severus ceased his pacing sharply. "Why would I mass produce it?"

Hestia frowned. "Well, to make sure everyone in the Order and our people in the Ministry are protected."

"There can't be a wide spread distribution. Do you honestly think the Dark Lord wouldn't notice if one of his favorite poisons all of a sudden stopped working?"

"Are you saying that we just allow people to be killed when we have it in our power to prevent it?"

"Yes."

"You heartless bastar—"

"I have to agree with Severus," Remus interrupted Hestia's insult. "All of Severus' work specifically designing the poison with the antidote would be for not if the Death Eaters started using another poison that we don't have the antidote for."

Hestia turned to Remus. "So, you're just going to allow the man responsible for the poison in the first place, be the one to decide who gets the antidote?"

Remus knew the look all too well. Severus was going to cut this woman down to size with just a few words. He couldn't help but flinch.

"By all means, you brew and distribute it. But I'm not going to trust the potion skills of a pompous half rate witch."

Not nearly as bad as he had expected, but nevertheless, Remus watched the short witch's face turn red.

"Albus and Kingsley will determine how it is distributed," Minerva finally interjected. She knew full well how much say Severus had in the matter, but it wouldn't do to voice it.

Hestia, although an asset to the order, was still new enough to have yet to realize that Severus was one of the most valuable members and therefore one of the most powerful.

Just then the two tardy wizards made their entrance. Albus looked gaunt. His heath was continuing to deteriorate. There was no surprise in Minerva's features, which meant she was aware of how serious it was and was ignoring it. That didn't bode well.

Albus sat down next to Hestia and Remus wasn't sure if that relaxed her or made her more on edge.

"First off, happy Christmas. What a wonderful evening to be able to see the closest of my friends, and for such wonderful news."

No one looked really that happy to be there at the late hour, but Albus' attitude, as always, was contagious. He continued, getting the pertinent information from Severus on the antidote, leading directly into the inevitable argument as to how it should be distributed.

"One will go to Minerva, that will cover anyone who may be poisoned at Hogwarts, Kingsley for any of our people at the Ministry. I will send three with Arthur, one for Bill, one for Charlie and one to keep. I also believe one should be left here in case of an emergency. Does that sound acceptable?"

"I believe," Severus started, "that Lupin should have a vial as well. He is traveling a great deal right now, and he is a likely target."

Remus was surprised at the thought, but couldn't help but be thankful. He actually held his breath as everyone's attention fell to Albus to make the final decision.

"Agreed." He took a pause and then turned to Hestia. "Hestia, my dear, what is the word from the Ministry?"

She took a deep breath and sat up straight. "Omaris Wilks has gone missing. He hadn't been at work for some time before one of his superiors reported it."

"Interesting," Albus said and shot a pointed look at Severus. Severus, for his own, didn't even flinch. "Any word from your end, Severus?"

"The Dark Lord is aware of it, but has no additional information that I am aware of. He has put Rabastan Lestrange in charge of finding him. I believe he had his own agenda, which is why no one seems to know where he is."

"Do we need to worry about him?" Kingsley asked.

"I don't know. If he's not already dead, which most of the inner circle believe, he will be soon enough. The Dark Lord is not pleased with him. He was supposed to be laying the ground work for the Ministry's hostile takeover."

Just then Severus turned to Kingsley to discuss the exit strategy when the takeover occurs, that Remus caught a scent he had never smelled on Severus before. Strawberries and roses, dried. Very similar to a tea that Nyphadora favored. A small smile formed as Remus watched his old classmate glare at Hestia again for something she said. It was hard to even entertain the idea of a woman in his life.

At Remus' great relief, the meeting was adjourned, freeing everyone to return home except Arthur who Albus requested a private word. Since Remus was spending the holiday at the Burrow, he let the men to their privacy and made his way to the room he often stayed in when visiting Grimuald Place.

He made it to the third floor when Severus stepped out of the shadows, stopping him. He caught Remus' arm and pulled him close against the wall. Remus was sure he looked confused as he grabbed his hand, because he was, and he hated to admit it, but a touch nervous. But just as quickly as Severus had grabbed him, he let go, leaving a small vial in the palm of his hand.

"Um, I already have my antidote."

"It's not for you."

Remus sighed, knowing exactly who it was for. Nymphadora. The woman he was currently rowing with. The woman who wasn't speaking to him. The woman who he wasn't spending Christmas with. The woman he loved.

"Thank you," and Remus meant it.

"This doesn't mean I like you. Or her."

Remus couldn't help smiling. "I know."

Severus turned to leave in what Remus was sure would have been a flourish of robes but the werewolf caught him by the arm.

"Be careful."

Severus shot a sour look at the hand on his shoulder and then frowned.

"Harry saw you talking with Malfoy. He's convinced you are planning on helping him with some evil plot."

"And you're here to stop me?"

"No. I'm simply telling you that there are eyes and ears everywhere. Just, be careful."

The dark man didn't even blink but Remus could tell he was processing in that calculating mind of his. He made an almost imperceptive movement of his head and finally completed his impressive exit, billowing robes and all.

"So who is she?" Remus asked without turning around. He knew it was Minerva who had approached him from behind just as Severus left. He could smell her.

Minerva laughed quietly. "You picked up on that too?"

"Mm hm."

"I think he may be a bit distraught over some kind of quarrel."

Remus turned to face his old professor and colleague. "Women." Was all he said.

"Women," she agreed with a small smirk. Then the smile faded and she sighed. "I'll tell you the same thing I told Severus. Talk to her."

"That's easier said than done."

"But it's worth it in the end." She patted him on the shoulder and had to stifle a yawn. "Well, I should be retiring for the night. Happy Christmas, my boy."

"Happy Christmas."

Aurelia.

Aurelia would have liked to have said she had an exhausting day, but that would have been a lie. She attempted to cook a goose, turned out dry and tasteless. Did laundry, dusted, and cleaned the windows.

It started snowing around dusk, which guaranteed a nice blanket by morning. That was the highlight of her day. It didn't seem right if there wasn't a fresh snow on Christmas morning. It reminded her of her childhood when her Mum and Dad were still alive. Her real mother and father, not her biological mother and father.

She sighed, oh to be a normal person and not have to make that distinction.

She had hoped someone would stop by and spend Christmas Eve with her. Okay, to be honest she hoped Severus would stop by, but at the very least she would take some random Muggle neighbor caroling but she knew the wards would make her house the last place any Muggle could visit.

But Severus could still visit. She had grown attached to the dark sarcastic wizard and she knew he wasn't thrilled about it. It wasn't entirely her fault, she reasoned, she wasn't the one coming to his house. Still, it wasn't her intention to start having feelings for him. She knew it wasn't what he wanted. He wasn't the type of man who had a normal relationship. Maybe it was like Stockholm Syndrome. Not that it was really him keeping her captive.

But she did have feelings for him. He was her friend and at the moment she had very few of those. She worried about him and felt slighted when he didn't show up for Christmas Eve.

She was afraid she had scared him away. She knew she had let him see exactly how much it would hurt her if he died. Even if it was his own idiocy that offed him.

Finally giving up, she fixed a sandwich for dinner and went to get ready for bed. She wasn't going to let herself be a damsel in distress. She was washing her face in the bathroom when she heard the side door open and close. She smiled. Okay, not a damsel in distress, but just a damsel.

"Severus," she said toweling off her face. "I was beginning to think you weren't—" She stopped short as Kingsley stepped out of her kitchen.

"He isn't coming. I'm sorry."

She tried really hard to hide her disappointment but by his response, she figured herself a failure.

"Don't be sorry," she fixed a smile she hoped looked sincere. She threw the towel onto the coffee table and wrapped her arms around his broad shoulders. He returned her hug, kissing her on the head. "I'm glad you stopped by. It's been quiet."

"Severus did make sure I gave this to you." He held out a vial she recognized, dark brown glass to protect the contents from light, long slim neck with a square base.

"Is that the antidote to Severus' poison?"

He nodded and handed it to her. She frowned.

"As in the antidote that I have an entire cauldron full of downstairs?"

Kingsley's frown matched hers. "He was very insistent. That's strange. He told us tonight that he only had a few vials."

Aurelia shrugged. "Nope. Here, I'll show you."

He followed her to the basement where his attention immediately fell on the wall of almost dead plants. However, it wasn't the dead ones that he was looking at. The one plant still alive had taken over. There were vines with vibrant flowers winding across almost every shelf, up to the ceiling and along the wall above the shelves.

"This was the first living thing we tested it on. Severus was the second."

The look Kingsley shot her was incredulous.

"Completely barmy," Aurelia said shaking her head. "He could have killed himself."

"He didn't do any additional testing?" He asked, touching one of the leaves.

"None at all."

"Reckless."

"He's got some sort of death wish, if you ask me."

Kinglsey dropped the vine and turned to look at the rest of her make shift potions lab. He spotted the only covered cauldron. "Why would he lie about this?"

"I don't know, but having you bring me a vial, he wanted you to know."

When Kingsley simply looked at her blankly, she shrugged. "I don't pretend to understand his motives, but he must have them. He's brilliant, you know."

"Brilliance and insanity are not that far apart."

"Do you really think he's inane?"

"Well, he's never been quite right since Lily died."

"Lily? Lily Potter?"

"Yes. You know it was him, right?"

"What was him?"

"Who told You-Know-Who about the prophecy."

It took her a moment and then she felt her whole body go heavy. "And she died because of it."

Kingsley leaned against the lab table. "Well, there were a number of factors."

"But he won't see it that way."

Kingsley didn't say anything.

"He blames himself for a lot, doesn't he?"

"All that guilt can drive a man insane." He took a moment looking at his shoes.

"What is it you see in him?" Kingsley asked slowly, making a point to not look at her.

"How do you mean?"

"He's … he's mean. Sarcastic and sour. He's a Death Eater, you know. And he's not even good looking."

Aurelia laughed. "Well, it's good to know you won't be falling in love with him."

Kingsley's head snapped up and he caught her eyes. "Are you falling in love with him?"

"I didn't say that."

"Are you?"

"No. I mean, I don't know. You don't see him here, do you?"

Kingsley took a demanding step toward her. "I'm here."

She didn't back down.

"Why couldn't you have fallen for someone like, like …"

"Like you?"

He faltered and took a small step back. "That's not what I meant."

Aurelia couldn't help the heat in her face, and her words. "Then what do you mean?"

"I just mean, I want to see you with someone kind and caring and normal. Not someone who probably won't even be around in a few years."

"I did," and she could feel her anger manifest into magic as little sparks on the tips of her fingers.

Kingsley finally closed the distance between then and grabbed her shoulders.

"I'm sorry. I didn't- I wasn't thinking. I know you did and I wasn't trying to bring up painful … mffp."

Aurelia pressed her lips to his in a move that she wasn't sure was meant to prove a point or to just shut the man up. It only took a moment and his hands were wrapped in her hair, deepening the kiss. And then only a moment after that he was pushing her away rather forcefully.

When she opened her eyes she was met with a rather disgusted look on his face.

A small smile found it's way to Aurelia's lips. "That was horrible."

"Like kissing a sister or a too close cousin."

She couldn't help bursting out laughing. "Have much experience with that do you?"

He shoved her shoulders playfully. She stumbled back and caught herself, still laughing. Kingsley rub bed one big hand over his face and let out a warm b ark of laughter himself.

"I'm sorry. When we were in New York and Severus … well I didn't know what I was feeling. Apparently brotherly protection is something I didn't get too much experience with being an only child. I thought," he paused. "Well, I thought," he started again.

"Kingsley," she stopped him. "Let's go up, eat cookies and watch It's a Wonderful Life."

He smiled, thankful he didn't have to actually voice his thoughts. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder. "Okay kid." And witch and wizard spent Christmas Eve watching Muggle Christmas movies.

Rabastan.

Rabastan was sitting on the bench in the main foyer of his brother and sister-in-law's home putting on his boots when the sudden nausea hit him. He loved his brother, there was no denying that. He had on many occasion fought for him, lied for him and killed for him. But he had a different kind of loyalty to the Dark Lord. It was that internal struggle of which loyalty was stronger that was upsetting his stomach.

It was Rody who was in trouble. Not directly. It was Bellatrix. And to be perfectly honest, no one was denying Bella's insanity. She was crazy. Rabastan had a sort of sad respect for his older brother. It took a lot to stay with someone who had completely lost their grasp of reality. Azkaban had been horrible, he had served the exact same time as Rody and Bella, which begged the question of how stable the dark witch was prior to going. Rabastan knew how loyal Bella was to the Dark Lord, which was why the only real explanation was that she had truly gone off the deep end this time.

It had been several weeks since the Dark Lord had given him the task of finding Wilks. He had disappeared some time ago. It had seemed he had gone off on his own looking for something. Rabastan wasn't sure if the Dark Lord had sent him or not, but either way, he wasn't saying and Rabastan wasn't asking.

Two nights ago he was getting some air and had decided to walk the grounds while he smoked. A sound had caught his attention just beyond the tree line. As it turned out, it was some sort of wild dog that was scavenging. That's when he came upon the remains of what appeared to be a human. It was difficult to tell who as most of the flesh had been eaten. After a few identification spells it was confirmed that the remains belonged to Wilks. At least his name would be cleared of being a traitor.

That was more than Rabastan could say for his sister-in-law. It worried him that his brother could get pulled into the fray. That he didn't want, but he also didn't want to withhold information from his Master.

When the nausea finally passed, he pulled out a cigarette and lit it. The tobacco calmed his nerves and stomach. There was a low creaking of a floorboard up above his head. Someone was awake. He sighed and stood, dropping his barely smoked cigarette to the granite tile and crushed it with the toe of his boot. He threw on his cloak and went to the door, only pausing a moment when he heard another sound at the top of the staircase. He sighed. There was no way he could go through with it if he had to face his brother.

He opened the door and closed it as quietly as he could. The freshly fallen snow crunched under his boots and he knew he was leaving prints in the otherwise pristine plane. The sun hadn't even begun to peek over the horizon, not that it would do much good, the cloud cover was dense, had been for weeks.

He finally made it to the gate at the edge of the Lestrange grounds. He pulled his left sleeve back, revealing the mark of where his allegiance lied. He touched his wand to the scull and dissaperated.

His feet hit the ground with almost no sound. The snow was heavier her, still falling and muffling sound. There was a fire going inside the manor, he noted as he spotted the smoke flowing from the chimney but there was an eerie calm and quiet. At least he wouldn't be waking anyone up, well, anyone of any importance. To be perfectly honest, he wasn't even sure the Dark Lord slept. He shook his head, clearing that thought and trotted up the grass to the Manor.

In the entry way, he was greeted by Nagini. The giant snake looked as if she had been waiting for him, which was a bit unsettling. He followed the snake into the library and stopped short while she curled up at her Master's bare feet.

"My Lord," he said as he kneeled on one knee. He looked up to the ashen face of his Master. "I have distressing news."

"You have found Wilks." It wasn't a question.

"Yes, he's dead. It was more the manner in which I found him that was distressing." He waited until he saw the interest flash across the Dark Lord's features. "I found pieces of him in the woods on Rody and Bella's land. Bella has been known to dispose of … transgressions there."

"Do you believe Bella to be responsible?"

"My Lord, I am withholding my judgment until more information is collected. I haven't brought it to either of their attention. I wanted to wait for your instruction. I do know that Bella is loyal to only you, and if she was responsible, there must be a good reason."

The wizard laughed out loud. The sound sent a chill up Rabastan's spine. "You would throw anyone under the cutting block if it meant to save you or your brother's hide."

A knock on the door saved Rabastan from the rest of this questioning. The Dark Lord took a quick moment before hissing, "Enter."

It was Severus. He entered the room without even glancing in Rabastan's direction, and he was instantly mad at the wizard as he gracefully kneeled at their master's feet. No one should be able to move like that.

"Well Severus," their Lord began after Severus stood. "It seems Wilks hadn't gone as far as I thought."

"You've found him."

"Yes."

Rabastan felt himself get even angrier. It was he would found the missing Death Eater, and yet again, he wasn't going to be getting any credit.

"It seems he has shown up in pieces at Rody and Bella's estate."

Severus didn't look surprised which only did to deepen Rabastan's annoyance. Everything Severus did annoyed him.

"Would you like me to take any action?"

The dark wizard took a long moment contemplating. "No," he finally said. "I will address it at dinner. It is Christmas after all." The smile wasn't anything but evil. He turned back to Rabastan. "You're dismissed. I look forward to seeing you and your bother at dinner this evening."

Rabastan bowed and was still frustrated that he didn't have Severus' grace. Shutting the door behind him, he realized he was being tested. The Dark Lord had never told him to keep the information from his brother, neither did he specifically instruct him to say anything. Once outside the Manor he lit another cigarette. If he warned his brother it might be perceived as a betrayal to the Dark Lord and if he didn't it would certainly be seen as a betrayal to his brother.

The growl that started deep in his chest didn't help at all. This was going to be a very stressful day.