Hunted

Chapter 28: The Lion and the Serpent

The stands on the Quidditch pitch burst with exuberant students. Colorful banners emblazoned with house mascots fluttered in the balmy summer breezes of that June afternoon. At Hogwarts, the term had wound to a close. All final exams had finished, as were the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. Spirits ran high. The time had come for Ravena's seventh-year students to demonstrate their combat skills in an end-of-the-year wizard dueling tournament in front of the entire student body.

Ravena, dressed once again in her academic robes, presided over the event. A bun held her hair neatly at the back of her head with the exception of a single ebony curl that dangled across the left side of her cheek. Her face lit with laughter. Her proud head was held high. She stood front and center in the faculty booth, flanked by Headmaster Dumbledore on her right and Snape on her left.

In the Gryffindor stands, Hermione and Ginny perched on the edge of their seats and strained to gaze over the heads of the crowd for a glimpse of their companions. Remus, still looking fatigued, sat with them. A cane rested by his side and he held little Sirius on his knee. Although still recovering from his illness, he could not be persuaded to stay inside on such a fine day. A jovial grin lit his face with no creases of worry to mar his brow. Angela sat by his side, cuddling baby James in her lap.

Down in the pitch, the competitors filed onto the field. Harry, with his tousled black hair and round glasses, emerged from the locker room. Ron's lanky frame topped with carrot red hair strolled out after him. Neville, shorter and stockier than the other two boys, followed. Neville's eyes searched, not the Gryffindor stands, but the Ravenclaw section. His round face erupted in a broad grin at the sight of a Ravenclaw girl wearing an enormous hat with the head of a lion mounted on top.

Over in the Slytherin stands, students wearing silver and green cheered their own champions. Draco Malfoy swaggered onto the pitch as if he owned the place. Sunlight glinted off of his flaxen head, his sharp nose held high in the air. He stroked the goatee on his chin and waved in response to the raucous cheers of his classmates. The massive bodies of his two constant companions, Goyle and Crabbe, lumbered after him, smiles on their slow-witted faces.

Three students from Ravenclaw and three others from Hufflepuff also bounded out onto the field. The stands came alive with shouts and cheers. Ravena waved a slender hand to silence the crowd. Then she pointed her wand at her own throat and cast a spell. "Sonorus!" The charm magnified her voice to be heard over the clamor.

"Greetings to all, and welcome to our first dueling tournament," Ravena announced. "The students in my N.E.W.T.-level Defense Against the Dark Arts class have worked very hard this year. I am proud of each and every one of them. Today is their opportunity to show the rest of you what they have accomplished. Three students have been selected from the class to represent each house." She motioned toward the students on the field. "I present your champions."

The stands erupted in whistles and cheers. Ravena raised both her hands to silence the crowd once more. When the applause did not diminish, Ravena smiled and continued over the raucous cheers.

"Our champions will be paired off by lottery. Professor Snape, may I have the bowl please."

Snape held out a glass orb filled with a smoky substance. Slips of parchment swirled in the midst of a fog inside the glass. Ravena tapped the side of the crystal sphere with her wand and two slips of parchment flew from the bowl into her waiting hand. She read the names on the scraps of paper. Her thin eyebrows rocketed up. A wry smirk tugged on the corners of her mouth.

"The first pairing is Neville Longbottom vs. Vincent Crabbe," she announced.

A menacing leer appeared on Crabbe's face. He eyed Neville. He cracked his enormous knuckles and nudged Malfoy with his elbow. The force of the jab sent Malfoy hurtling sideways.

"Watch it," Malfoy fired back, returning the jab.

The Slytherin stands erupted in sniggers and catcalls. Slytherin fingers pointed at Neville and hissed mocking jeers. Neville's face turned beet-red, but a defiant glint twinkled in his eyes. His grip tightened around his wand. He turned to face his opponent.

Ravena tapped her wand on the orb once more. Two more slips of parchment popped out. Her eyes scanned the names. She shook her head.

"It is apparent that I neglected to put an Anti-Tampering Charm on this orb." She cast Snape an accusatory stare.

"I assure you that I did nothing to influence the results," Snape spat back. He cocked a self-assured eyebrow.

Ravena sighed. She eyed him with suspicion. Then she turned to the address the crowd.

"The second pairing is Ronald Weasley vs. Gregory Goyle," she announced.

Ron peered over Harry's shoulder and shot Goyle a challenging look. A wide smirk appeared on his freckled face. Goyle seemed equally pleased with the arrangement. From the Slytherin stands rang a taunting chant of "Weasel! Weasel!"

Ravena tapped the glass container three more times. The next three draws pitted Hufflepuff against Ravenclaw. Ravena tapped the orb a final time, but no more slips of parchment emerged. Startled, she searched the stormy contents of the vessel, but it appeared to be empty. If she had not suspected foul play before, she was certain of it now.

"Ah well." Ravena shrugged. "Since there are only two of you left. The final pairing is Draco Malfoy vs. Harry Potter."

This announcement brought the largest reaction from the crowd. Students from both Gryffindor and Slytherin houses leapt to their feet. A deafening roar thundered from the stands. Several minutes passed before order could be restored.

Down on the field, Draco Malfoy basked in the adulation of his house. He waved at the stands and sauntered to face Harry with a cocky gait. His lip curled into a sneer under the fine traces of a blond mustache. He whispered something to Harry. Ravena could see Harry bristle in response and surmised that Malfoy had made some sort of threat. Ravena's brow crinkled. That young man was just like his father.

By now, the six pairs of combatants had positioned themselves at measured intervals across the field. Crabbe and Goyle jostled their opponents in anticipation of the duel. Ravena cleared her throat and motioned for silence.

"Rules of engagement," Ravena announced, when some semblance of order had been restored. "I want a clean duel limited to Shielding Charms and the offensive maneuvers that we practiced in class. No slashing curses or foul play. You may duel only your assigned opponent. Your goal is to disarm your opponent, while taking as few hits to your own body as possible." Ravena shot a warning glare at the Slytherin fans. "Any interference from spectators will result in the immediate disqualification of all their house's contestants. Do I make myself clear?"

Groans and shuffling of feet could be heard from the Slytherin side of the stadium. Several students hid their wands behind their backs. Chagrinned looks appeared on more than a few faces. Ravena pursed her lips. She suspected as much.

"My esteemed colleagues," she continued, "Professor Snape and Headmaster Dumbledore, will serve as judges along with me." Ravena acknowledged them with a wave of her slender hand.

Dumbledore nodded his snowy head, a congenial smile on his face. He surveyed the students over his half-moon spectacles. Snape wore his usual morose look and a scowl. His dark eyes scanned the field.

"Good luck to all contestants." Ravena nodded. "Take your positions back to back. Ten paces."

Out on the pitch, the contestants turned back to back and marched apart, counting their steps. Crabbe gave Neville a hard shove that sent him sprawling into the dirt. Slytherin fans burst with laughter. The Gryffindors jumped to their feet and cried foul.

"Vincent Crabbe!" Ravena cast him a stern glare. "I shall have to deduct points for unsportsmanlike behavior."

Crabbe flashed a recalcitrant look and counted out his paces. Neville pulled himself from the ground and batted the dirt from his robes. His eyes stared daggers at Crabbe. His lips were pressed together into a thin line. The contestants turned to face each other with their wands at the ready.

"On the count of three, you may begin," Ravena instructed. "One. Two. Three."

Before she had even uttered the third count, spells flew from the wands of the three Slytherins. Flashes of red light sped across the field. Caught unawares by Impediment Curses, Ron and Neville were flung backward onto the ground. Boos and howls of protest sounded from the Gryffindor stands. Both young men sprang to their feet and uttered hexes in retaliation. Harry, however, blocked Malfoy's attack with a deft flick of his wand and a Shielding Charm.

After this inauspicious beginning, the duel began in earnest. Curses and countercharms crisscrossed the field in blinding flashes of red light. Volleys of spells flew between the combatants in a well-mannered display of dueling prowess. Her students demonstrated timing, footwork, and skill. They blocked hexes and retaliated with defensive maneuvers, just as she had taught them. Ravena watched, pride swelling in her breast at their accomplishments. Her satisfaction would prove short-lived, however.

Harry had been successful at parrying Malfoy's attacks, but Malfoy's frustration was growing. A look of malice glittered in his eyes. A well-placed hex from Malfoy's wand eluded Harry's defenses and hit. Harry's jeans dropped to his ankles in front of the entire student body. For a brief moment, Harry stood stock still in his skivvies, the color rushing to his cheeks.

Guffaws, wolf whistles, and catcalls rang from every corner of the stadium. Malfoy sniggered and doubled over with mirth. Gryffindors leapt to their feet, gesturing and shouting words of protest. Ravena also rose from her seat, a scowl on her face.

"That's not an approved hex," Ravena admonished. "Penalty against Master Malfoy."

But her words fell on deaf ears. From that moment on, the contest disintegrated into a free-for-all. With his trousers still around his ankles, Harry fired a retaliatory strike at his opponent. The unexpected jolt hit Malfoy and glanced off his shoulder. Malfoy winced and clutched at the stinging blow.

While Harry stooped to pull up his trousers, a furious Malfoy aimed another curse at his opponent. But instead of the laser flash of red light that he expected, only pink soap bubbles emerged from his wand tip. Malfoy's jaw melted open. The pink bubbles floated on the summer breeze and exploded in harmless pops over the field. Malfoy gave the wand a vigorous shake to dispel the curse, but that only sent more glistening soap bubbles bobbing on the breeze.

Laughter rang from the stands once more. But this time, Malfoy was the object of their ridicule. His face reddened with fury. He dodged two more of Harry's hexes, while waiting for the Bubble Charm to wear off.

Apart from his initial fall, Ron fared well against Goyle. He was lighter and more nimble than his hulking opponent and ably blocked the larger student's spells. But Goyle, like Malfoy, was not one to play fair. He flicked his wand. A dozen tarantulas materialized and scuttled across the lawns toward the red-haired youth.

Ron's eyes grew wide and round. He stood paralyzed with fear at the sight of the nightmarish arachnids. His guard dropped. The Petrifying Charm hit. His legs and arms snapped to his sides. He toppled over into the grass, right in the path of the oncoming spiders. Ron's face held a look of abject terror. The creatures scurried closer on the grass.

In the stands, Hermione had jumped to her feet. Her eyes were as big as Ron's. She yelled, but her voice was drowned out in the roar of the crowd. She whipped out her wand, but Remus stayed her hand.

"You'll get them all disqualified," he said, his voice calm and reassuring. "I, on the other hand, am not a student."

Remus extracted his wand from his belt. He aimed at Ron and whispered a countercharm. Immediately, Ron's limbs shook free of the petrifying spell. He jumped to his feet and out of the path of the tarantulas. In another flash of red light, the arachnid hoard vanished. Then, bent on revenge, Ron set his sights on Goyle.

Ron aimed his wand and let his curse fly. A flash of red light streaked toward the laughing Goyle. In the next instant, a flock of squawking, plucked rubber chickens pecked at Goyle's face. His large hands flailed and swatted at the joke-shop fowl, but he could not dislodge them from his nose. A smirk of satisfaction crossed Ron's freckled face.

In the meantime, Neville faced a humiliating battle at the hands of Vincent Crabbe. His Shielding Charm wasn't working. Hexes bypassed his defenses with alarming frequency. In a brutal foray, he was hit by a Stunning Hex, slammed by an Impediment Jinx, then found himself dancing a fast foxtrot with uncontrolled abandon.

When he finally managed to break the dancing spell, an enraged Neville panted on the lawn covered with dirt and grass stains. His round, red face glistened with sweat. His balled up fist jabbed his wand at Crabbe. He uttered an incantation with ferocity uncharacteristic of the shy young man. A bolt of light sped from his wand and hit its target. A stunned Crabbe dripped from head to toe with sticky gobs of Stinksap!

It was hard to tell which of the two students was more surprised by the incident. But then Neville leapt to his feet and let out a whoop of triumph. The tide of the contest had turned.

With his wand restored, Malfoy turned toward Harry with a cunning glare. He aimed and uttered a curse. A monstrous cobra sprung from his wand tip and slithered across the grass toward Harry. The hood fanned. The serpent hissed and spat in agitation.

Harry pointed his wand at the deadly viper. He whispered something and moved the wand in slow hypnotic circles. The serpent's head followed the motion, until the viper twisted itself in spirals and buried its head in its own coils.

Harry uttered a second incantation. The coiled snake had transformed onto a metal box with a crank protruding from the side. The crank wound itself. Tinny music emerged from the box. Malfoy stared at the contraption on the grass between them with a derisive glare.

"A jack in the box?" Malfoy sneered. "Is that the best you can do, Potter?"

Malfoy's nose sniffed at the air with conceit. He prepared to strike out at Harry when the music stopped. The lid flew open. A large boxing glove on a spring emerged from the box and landed a solid hit, smacking Malfoy hard in the face.

"By dose," Malfoy screamed, blood streaming from both nostrils. "You broke by dose."

Malfoy cupped his bloodied nose in both his hands and whined. Crimson streams ran down the goatee and spattered his robes. Malfoy's eyes narrowed, taking on an evil glint. His wand shot out, now pointed at Harry. A stream of hexes flew from both young men's lips. An intense exchange of spells.

Goyle pulled the last of the rubber chickens from his bruised face. He wrung the neck of the joke-shop prop, thrust it to the ground, and stomped on it for good measure. His hands pushed up the sleeves of his robes. He turned to face Ron with an angry scowl on his face. His bushy brows knitted into a single dark line across his forehead. Ron's face wore an equally determined look, his eyes trained on his opponent with a threatening glare.

In an instant, two hexes flew from their wands and crisscrossed in flight. Both young men were so intent on their victims that neither remembered to block. The spells hit simultaneously and splayed both students flat on the grass, knocking the wind from their lungs.

In the Gryffindor stands, Hermione gasped, clutched Ginny's hand, then covered her eyes. Ginny nudged her companion. Hermione peeked through parted fingers and sighed with relief.

Ron was the first of the two to stir. He sat up and shook his head. He checked his limbs and staggered to his feet.

Across the field, Goyle sat up in the grass. He lifted his wand and stared in dumbfounded disbelief. The once stiff wand hung limp in his hand like a wet noodle. Goyle uttered an incantation and flicked his wrist, but the wand whipped in the breeze and flopped back down against his hairy arm.

A wily grin worked across Ron's face at the sight of his incapacitated opponent. Assured of victory, he aimed his wand at the hapless Goyle and uttered a Disarming charm. But instead of the incantation that he expected to hear, only a large belch emerged from his lips.

Ron's eyes flew open wide in shock. He tried another curse, but it came out of his mouth in another enormous "BRAAAP!" He stared down at the wand in his hand, gave it a shake, and tried other incantations. Three more burps erupted from his mouth. A frustrated and embarrassed Ron glanced over at the flummoxed Goyle. Neither had won their match.

Possessed of a new confidence, Neville retaliated with spell after spell. The dim-witted Crabbe could only block the incoming burst of jinxes. He did not have time to not fire off a single offensive hex of his own. In the blink of an eye, a host of irate crustaceans appeared and attacked. Crabs hung from his every appendage, snapping their pincers. The huge youth screamed and hopped around the pitch in pain, trying to pluck the invertebrates loose from his body.

Neville took advantage of the sorry state of his foe and fired Disarming Charms at his occupied adversary. The heavy-set Crabbe proved agile for his size. He ducked and dodged around the pitch, avoiding Neville's aim. After several tries, Neville landed the disarming blow. Crabbe's wand ripped from his grasp and flew into Neville's outstretched hand. The shy Gryffindor had won his match.

A broad grin spread over Neville's face. He raised both fists high in the air, threw back his head, and let fly an exuberant whoop. The Gryffindors stands went wild with applause and cheers.

In the other contests, mayhem reigned as well. Bloodied and bruised combatants littered the field. In one Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff match-up, the Hufflepuff student disarmed his opponent just minutes after Neville's coup. The second Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw match had ended in a draw, when both contestants knocked each other out with a vicious exchange of Stunning Charms. The third and final Hufflepuff-Ravenclaw pair had abandoned their wands altogether and were engaged in furious fisticuffs. The Ravenclaw student held the Hufflepuff in a headlock under his left arm and administered battering blows with his free right hand.

In the faculty booth, Ravena groaned and buried her head in her hands. She couldn't bear to watch any longer.

"Everything I have touched this year has ended in unmitigated disaster," she lamented.

"There now," said the kindly voice of the Headmaster. Ravena felt a comforting hand rest upon her shoulder.

She heard the angry voice of Severus Snape. Her eyes flicked up. The Potions Master ran across the field with a jerky gait toward the brawling students. He grabbed the two students by the scruff of their necks and thrust them apart. Student and professor alike puffed with exertion. Snape's dark eyes flashed with fury. He launched into a scathing diatribe.

Among the contestants, only Harry and Malfoy remained engaged in battle now. The two danced around each other, firing off spells and parries in rapid succession. They dueled, seeming to ignore everything else around them.

Malfoy eyed Harry with a calculating glint in his gray eyes. He aimed his wand, not at Harry, but at the Quidditch locker room and uttered a Summoning Charm. The wooden box containing the Quidditch supplies tumbled out of the locker room door and smashed open on the edge of the field. A bludger rocketed from the cracked case and zoomed toward Harry with deadly intent. Harry's eyes widened with shock. Malfoy's face broke into a broad grin of malice.

Harry ducked in the nick of time. The bludger whizzed past his ear. The errant projectile careened around the pitch, sending panicked students and faculty diving for cover under their seats. Angela screamed and clutched James tighter in her arms. Remus pulled her and their children to safety and reached for his wand. But the bludger had zoomed out of sight before he could fire off a charm.

The bludger zigzagged through the sky, made a final sharp turn, and zoomed back down toward the combatants on the field. Snape was still scolding the two brawlers, unaware of the bludger that had been unleashed. With his back to Malfoy and Harry, he did not see the Quidditch ball speeding toward his head.

Harry's eyes widened once more. His teeth gritted with determination. He pointed his wand at the bludger and uttered an incantation. A beam soared from the tip of his wand. The spell hit. The bludger exploded with a deafening blast.

The force of the detonation knocked the Potions Master into a forward keel. He jerked his head around with a furious hiss to see who had dared to assault him. His dark eyes lit on Harry and the remains of the exploded bludger, smoking on the ground. His eyebrows shot up. His mouth melted open.

That instant, Malfoy fired off an incantation of his own. His hex hit Harry before the young man could react. Harry's wand flew from his grasp and his feet were yanked from under his body. Harry dangled upside down a meter off of the ground, unarmed and defenseless against Malfoy's attacks.

Malfoy, in his quest for revenge, seemed to have forgotten that professors were watching now. Perhaps he no longer cared. A self-satisfied smirk flickered on his face. He glanced up at the Slytherin stands.

"Who wants to see Potty's underwear again?" he asked.

Catcalls and whistles echoed from the Slytherin stands. The Gryffindor students grew livid. They jumped to their feet and surged forward to riot. Remus rose to his feet. He handed the baby to his wife and motioned for calm. Dumbledore's voice rose above the din, calling for order.

Ravena's mouth hung open in speechless disbelief. She sat motionless, her eyes fixed on Snape and the rage melting his controlled features. All the color had drained from Snape's sallow face. The corners of his mouth convulsed with spasms.

"Enough!" he bellowed. He trained his wand on Malfoy. "Expelliarmus!"

Young Malfoy's eyes burst open wide in surprise. The force of the spell knocked him into the dirt and wrested the wand from his grasp. His wand whisked through the air and landed in Snape's outstretched arm. Released from the curse, Harry fell headlong to the ground and crumpled over in the dirt. The duel was over.

Instead of cheers, a sound like the hiss of a steam engine filtered down from the stands, the collective gasps of the students. The massive exhalation of air gave way to whispered discussion, which rose to raucous protest.

Snape eyed Harry with an unfathomable look upon his sallow face. Harry picked himself up off the ground and swatted the dust from his clothes. His hand ran through his rumpled black hair. His gaze cast about the ground for his missing wand. The object lay at the feet of the Potions Master.

Harry walked toward Snape without making eye contact. His hand reached for his wand and plucked it from the grass. Then he stood up and stared into Snape's face. No malice raged in the Potions Master's eyes. No withering look of disdain. Just a blank stare.

"Thank you, sir," Harry said, then he turned away.

"Thank you, Potter," Snape replied.

Harry's head whipped around to face Snape, his mouth hanging open. But Snape had already turned his back to Harry and now strode across the field toward his place in the stands. Harry stared after him, a look of astonishment on his youthful face.

In the faculty booth, Dumbledore and Ravena held a huddled conference. Snape joined them. Ravena stared for a moment at the odd expression that registered on his face. Distracted, words failed her. Dumbledore recalled her to the conversation. She nodded and agreed.

Snape remained strangely silent. Ravena shot him a quizzical stare. When she received no explanation, she shrugged and rose to her feet. She waved her wand and magnified her voice once more.

"May I have your attention please," she announced. "Contestants, please line up for the final review."

Down on the pitch, twelve bedraggled students regrouped into houses and lined up in front of the faculty booth. Dirt and grass stained every robe. Crabbe plucked the final crustacean from his finger and flung it toward the lake. Goyle glanced down at the flaccid wand in his large grip. Malfoy pinched his nose to stem the last trickles of blood. Ron turned to Harry to speak, but all his words came out in loud belches. Harry wore a look of frustration. Only Neville appeared truly happy. He stood straight and tall, wearing a confident grin that stretched from ear to ear.

"I wish that I could say that this had been a clean tournament," Ravena said, a look of disappointment on her face. "Unfortunately, every single one of you broke the rules. While your spells were rather creative, many of them were illegal."

Embarrassed looks appeared on nearly every contestant's face. Only Malfoy stared back with a smug smirk. Ravena frowned.

"Nonetheless, no real harm was done," she continued with a sigh of resignation. "As it stands, two matches ended in a draw and one in an unfortunate fist fight. Three of you managed to successfully disarm your opponent." She cast Malfoy a stern look. "I regret to inform Master Malfoy that I must rescind his victory in light of his ungentlemanly conduct."

Malfoy's face fell. Cheers rang from the Gryffindor stands in response. Jeers and boos issued from the Slytherins. Ravena raised her slender hand and gestured for calm.

"That leaves Masters Finch-Fletchley and Longbottom." Ravena inclined her head in a slight nod to both young men. "Congratulations to you both."

A roar of applause erupted from both the Gryffindor and Hufflepuff spectators.

"The judges have made a decision," Ravena announced in ringing tones. Her eyes sparkled. "Owing to the remarkable progress that he has made in my class this past year and to the fact that he was the first to disarm his opponent, it gives me great pleasure to award the victory of both match and tournament to Neville Longbottom."

The stadium exploded with applause. The entire Gryffindor section rose in a standing ovation. Students now surged from the bleachers and swamped the field below. Neville found himself hoisted onto the shoulders of his fellow Gryffindors and paraded around the stadium, amid shouts of jubilation. He was indeed the hero of the day.

"Longbottom?" Snape groused. "Who would have believed it?"

Ravena didn't respond, but a proud smile graced those ruby lips. Timid Neville had found his courage at last. She wouldn't have wished the outcome any other way.

Down on the field, Ginny bolted toward Harry. She threw her arms around his neck in the most exuberant hug she could muster. Harry spun her around, sending those long locks of red hair fanning out behind her.

"You were brilliant, Harry," she gushed, a wide grin on the pretty freckled face.

"But I lost," Harry said.

Remus hobbled toward the pair, leaning on a cane for support. Angela followed behind, pushing an old-fashioned pram. Inside, two infants squiggled and kicked, their blue eyes taking in their surroundings.

"That all depends on how you look at it," Remus replied.

Harry's face reddened with embarrassment. He loosened his grip on Ginny. She dropped to his side, blushing. Her hand swiped a stray lock of red hair from her face.

"Well done, Harry." Remus held out his hand. Harry shook it, but a quizzical look remained on his face. Remus chuckled. "You forfeited the match to save someone else from harm," he said. "And that takes a bigger man than winning."

A smile now lit Harry's face. Those brilliant green eyes sparkled behind the glasses. Ginny gazed at Harry with admiration. She looped her arm around his and gave his arm a squeeze. Then she turned back to Remus

"Is it true that you'll be teaching here next year, Professor Lupin?" she asked.

"No, but my wife will." Remus shot his wife an adoring look and turned back to Harry and Ginny. "Angela will be taking over the post of Muggle Studies professor."

"And what will you do?" Harry asked.

"In the short term," Remus said, "I'll be fixing the Shrieking Shack to turn it into a suitable home and watching over these two little pups." His hand reached into the pram to stroke the downy heads of his children. "After that, we'll have to see."

"Will we see you around?" Harry inquired.

"I'm sure you will, Harry." Remus clapped him on the shoulder. "I'm sure you will."

Nearby, Hermione cast spells on Ron in an effort to stop the belching. But anything she tried only made matters worse.

"BRAAAAP!" Ron belched, even louder than before.

His eyes shot open wide. He waved his arms in front of Hermione to stop her from casting anymore spells.

"You had best leave him be, Miss Granger," said a frosty voice from behind them.

Both Ron and Hermione spun around to face the dark stare of the Potions Master. Ron's mouth dropped open and uttered an involuntary burp. Both his hands clamped over his lips. A wry smirk twisted across Snape's face.

"The spell will wear off on its own in a couple of hours." Snape sneered. "I doubt that you will miss any intelligent conversation from Weasley in the interim." Snape's black eyes glistened. "You'd best run along to the castle. We would not want to be caught out of bounds, now would we?"

The crowd of celebrating students had borne Neville all the way to the castle doors, still shouting and chanting. Ron and Hermione turned and ran past the Lupins to join the other Gryffindors. Snape strode in pursuit, his robes billowing behind.

"Severus, a word," Remus called after him.

Snape spun around and glanced from Remus to Angela. His dark eyes flashed with the usual look of contempt that he reserved for Remus.

"I understand that congratulations are in order." Remus offered his hand. "Welcome to the family."

"Yes." Snape scowled, eyeing the outstretched hand with suspicion. "Thank you."

He thrust his own hand forward, gave a quick handshake, and withdrew it as if he had just touched fire. He stuffed his fists into his pockets and shuffled his feet. Remus nodded and smiled.

"I suppose there is no escaping you, Lupin." Snape's jaw tightened as his spoke.

"I'm afraid not," Remus replied, with a glint in his blue-gray eyes.

"I have work to do." Snape's head nodded to Angela. "Good day."

Snape made an abrupt turn and strode toward the school entrance. His lanky frame lurched with an ungainly stride. Angela turned to Remus.

"You shouldn't tease him like that, you know," she chided.

"Whatever do you mean?" Remus shot her an innocent look, but that mischievous twinkle sparked in his eyes.

"Welcome to the family?" Angela echoed. "You knew he'd bristle at that."

"Of course, that's why I said it." Remus chuckled. He shrugged his shoulders. "I'm not a saint, you know. That man has been making my life difficult since we met. I discovered early on that the most satisfying way to get back at him was to be as pleasant as possible, no matter what he tries." Remus broke into a broad grin. "It drives him to distraction."

Angela rolled her eyes and shook her head.

Ravena strolled across the now deserted Quidditch pitch and up the lawns toward the castle. Dumbledore walked by her side in conversation.

"...Daddy and I are determined to make Lucius pay for Mother's murder and my injuries," Ravena said, gritting her teeth. "We will have justice."

Ravena's thoughts turned to the steps she'd already taken. Her father's solicitor had succeeded in freezing all of Malfoy's assets. His Gringott's vaults were sealed, pending the outcome of the trial. Narcissa would have difficulty if she wanted to bribe anyone to take her husband's side. A wry smile twisted over Ravena's lips. She was part Malfoy after all. Two could play that game.

"Have you any news on the trial?" Ravena met the Headmaster with her most innocent, blue-eyed stare.

"Minister Cornwall has excused himself from the proceedings," Dumbledore said. "Due to his personal involvement, of course. His own political future is in jeopardy. I fear that his may be the shortest tenure as Minister in recent memory." Dumbledore winked at Ravena over the half-moon spectacles. "I, myself, am chairing the session."

Ravena's thin eyebrows shot up in surprise. This was a fortunate turn of events.

"I hear that Madam Bones is chief solicitor for the prosecution," Ravena said, casting Dumbledore a meaningful look. "This Madam Bones, is she capable?"

"Amelia Susan Bones is tough, fair, and very thorough," Dumbledore said. "I feel confident in her abilities to make the charges stick this time." He shot her a knowing look. "And I understand that she is considering a run for the post of Minister should Cornwall resign. A successful conviction in the Malfoy case will seal her candidacy, I am certain."

"And what of the defense?" Ravena's eyes flashed with contempt. "I hear that Narcissa has pressed Dolores Umbridge to take her husband's case."

"Dolores will not be taking anyone's case." A mysterious twinkle appeared in the old man's eyes. "She was admitted to St. Mungo's yesterday. I daresay that she will be there for quite some time." His lip twitched under the snowy beard. "It appears that she is hearing things. Galloping hooves, howling wolves, and the like. Seems under the delusion that she is being pursued. Alas, she is completely insane."

Ravena could not suppress her triumphant smirk. Lucius was now imprisoned in Azkaban and likely to remain there for quite some time. She imagined him shackled and held in a dank cell. A taste of his own medicine. Such a pity that dementors were no longer employed as guards.

Up ahead, Remus made slow progress. Angela walked by his side, pushing the pram. Ravena checked her steps. Even at her leisurely stride, she was gaining on the couple.

"Ah, Remus," the Headmaster said, coming alongside the Lupins. "How are you feeling today?"

"Fine," Remus replied. His voice had an optimistic lilt.

"Even so," Dumbledore said. He trained a piercing stare on Remus. "Poppy informs me that she would like to keep you around for a few more days."

"Yes, well," Remus sighed. "I suppose that can't be helped. I am recovering a bit slower than I would like."

Ravena stared down at the ground. She could not bring herself to face Remus yet. Watching him hobble along on that cane was torture enough, knowing that she bore responsibility for his injuries.

"Congratulations, Ravena," Angela said. "Mum told me that you and Severus are engaged to be married. I'm...we're happy for you both."

Ravena's head jerked up. She stared at Angela, her azure eyes wide. Had Angela forgiven her after all?

Angela averted her eyes and gazed down into the pram at her babies. Ravena could see the moisture gather in her cousin's eyes. She could sense the tension. No, it hadn't happened yet. Too soon. But this was a start. A hopeful beginning.