Reconstruction of a Death Eater

Chapter 28 - Consequences of a Year Out of Time

"So, Old Man, now we know, don't we?" Minerva said, glancing at the portrait that graced her wall and did not move. It was the first time she had entered her office since she had left the Room of Requirement three days before. The information Severus and Remus had given her had taken a lot of time to digest and a course of action to be decided upon. "It is not often people are granted a second chance, but as luck would have it, I do not intend to waste it, just so you know," she added with a smile that was as old as womankind. The rest of the portraits looked puzzled, but the Headmistress did not enlighten them as she finished putting away her scrolls and books, surveying the office with a fond eye.

The Gryphon at the door announced a visitor, and she seated herself before allowing the doors to open and admit the newcomer. "Severus, this is a surprise, can I help you?" she asked. As they had just parted ways at breakfast it was indeed a surprise and perhaps not a welcome one as the man looked as grim as was possible.

"I am sorry to intrude, Minerva, but what I need to discuss is not for the Great Hall nor would it sit well on top of breakfast."

"Ominous. Tea?"

"No!" Severus snapped impatiently, jumping to his feet and pacing the hearthrug in short choppy steps. "It concerns Lupin...."

"Remus? But he was at breakfast, he is..."

"Minerva!" Severus protested, making chopping motions as he swirled in a billow of robes. "Will you please stop speculating and listen? Thank you! Very well, as you know, Lupin has had a year without transformations and he has recovered dramatically, in weight, fitness and spirit. He is as fit and as strong as he can be. But if he is again subjected to the rigours of monthly transformations, he will slip backwards until he eventually is exhausted beyond even a werewolf's ability to heal."

"Yes, Severus, I think anyone who has concern for Remus realises this rather daunting truth," Minerva remarked heavily. "There is the Wolfsbane potion, you make for him. It does help."

"Oh yes, Wolfsbane, it turns the raging wolf into a sleepy, docile beast, stops it ripping at its own flesh and tearing Remus to pieces as it slumbers the moon away, vulnerable and incapable of defending itself under any circumstances, " Severus repeated in a high, sing-song voice that grated on Minerva's nerves.

"I know it's not ideal but it is better than the alternative!" the Headmistress snapped heatedly.

"I've been working on it," Severus said softly, cutting the budding tirade off short. "I believe I have changed the potion so that it only takes one dose, twenty-four hours before moonrise, no week of disgusting draughts. It does not affect the physical change, only the mental one. I believe it allows the werewolf to have human intelligence, temper control and the ability to think rationally, while it does not destroy the less dangerous instincts that drive werewolves."

Minerva jumped up and grabbed his hands gripping them tightly. "Oh, Severus, that is fantastic! Just think of the difference such an improvement could make, Remus could actually function during the full moon rather than being vulnerable and unable to defend himself if it is needed. You really are brilliant!"

Severus nodded acceptance of her praise. "Yes, it is brilliant... if it works. Minerva, the only way to test it is to feed it to a werewolf and see what happens. The only werewolf I know is Remus and I assume he would be willing to be a guinea pig, but I need an observer, someone to watch and test the potion, someone who would be safe from the wolf if it failed."

"Ah," Minerva said delicately. "And so you come to me as an Animagus, to enlist my aid as an observer."

"You are astute, intelligent and able to observe without projecting your own expectations onto the situation," Severus listed logically. "We have two days before it is too late to take the potion; will that be enough time to decide?"

"I have already decided," Minerva said firmly, picking up a quill and dashing off a note. When a house-elf popped in to her call, she asked it to contact Remus Lupin immediately.

~~*~~

Remus sniffed delicately then gagged. "It still smells like shite," he commented and knocked back the brew in one long swallow. "Tastes like shite too." He gagged as he patted his lips to hold the potion down.

"You must refrain from eating or drinking for at least half an hour or the potion would be neutralised," Severus instructed flatly, retrieving the goblet and shrinking it before slipping it into his pocket. "Minerva will stay with you tomorrow at the Shrieking Shack and observe your behaviour. You will write down your own observations later so I might improve the potion if there are any problems."

"Yes, Severus," Remus said docilely making the dark man glance piercingly at him. He suddenly looked up and grinned, offering him a wink which made him snort. "Well, Minerva, the moon comes up at eight thirty-five tomorrow night, so shall we met at about eight fifteen and get settled in for the evening?"

"Certainly, do you want me to bring anything?"

"No, just yourself."

~~*~~

"Are you alright, Hermione? You look a little pale," Lavender commented, brushing her hair and tying it up in an elaborate plait.

Hermione glanced across at her dorm mate and sighed. "I didn't sleep very well last night, a couple of nasty dreams," she commented, pulling her robe straight and smoothing the Gryffindor badge with a fingertip.

"Or you missed being wrapped around a warm body," Parvati teased gently, her own black hair plaited and tied off with a silk bow. "I miss Colin, annoying little git that he is," she added fondly. "Oh well, term starts tomorrow, and then we won't have time to miss anyone; we are going to be far too busy to even breathe too heavily!"

The girls chuckled as they left the bathroom and made their way down to the Great Hall and breakfast. It wasn't easy being back in the general school population for any of them. Things people spoke of were a year in their past and they all had to struggle to remember what the heck people were talking about. They also had to remember not to speak of things that had happened in their stolen year, quite a feat for all of them. Most of them found it easier to stick their heads back into their NEWTs textbooks and start to study very hard, although the work seemed to be a lot easier than any of them remembered. Even Ron had remarked on how much easier it was to remember stuff now and he hadn't fallen asleep even once when reviewing.

Hermione glared at her breakfast, nibbling on her toast disinterestedly. She had never been interested in breakfast as a meal but only came to keep her housemates happy. As usual she had a book propped up against the pumpkin juice jug and a notepad at her hand for jotting down thoughts, questions and interesting facts. Harry and Ron were busily scarfing down enough food to keep an army happy, one on either side of her. Across the room at the Slytherin table, Draco slathered butter over his toast, the jam pot on hand ready to be poured over the butter at an inch deep. Gregory Goyle said something and Draco turned to pull a face at him, slapping the back of his skull disgustedly. Parkinson and Crabbe laughed, that slut Parkinson draping herself across Draco's shoulder and swirling her fingers in his hair.

Harry nudged her with a knowing look while Ron laughed aloud. "I can hear your teeth grinding," he teased quietly in a sing-song tone. "Settle down, Hermione, he isn't encouraging her, he's just trying to blend."

"Huh! One of these days, Ron Weasley, you will be in this position, then we'll see how the very gentle Weasley temper handles it," Hermione shot back equally quietly.

"Okay, you guys, settle down," Harry murmured, picking up his juice. "It was full moon last night; I want to find out if Remus is okay. I think we will be allowed to go up to his room at lunch time since it's still the holidays."

"I have some Honeyduke's chocolate left over from Christmas," Ron volunteered.

"He'd probably be glad of it," Harry agreed, clapping his best friend on the shoulder. "How about you, Hermione, want to come up too?"

"Hum, yes, I will. I wonder if Remus has any idea of how to form a shield charm and a Patronus both at the same time?"

"Ask him, it may keep his mind occupied with things other than post-transformation blues," Harry agreed cheerfully.

The guest quarters were in what they all thought of as the neutral part of the castle, away from any house territory. They were all surprised when the door opened at their first knock and Remus smiled politely, the smile turning welcoming as he saw who was there. "Come in, come in, how are you all? I was just about to go down and give my report to Severus. Can I offer you tea?"

"You are awfully spry for someone who is in post transformation after a year of missed events." Harry grinned, taking a seat on the sofa and studying his godfather carefully.

Remus laughed. "I really am fine. Severus has tinkered with the Wolfsbane potion and made it much more effective. It is so much better, it makes the old potion seem like nothing and the recovery time is halved. Admittedly, I felt pretty ragged this morning, but a few extra hours sleep and I am ready to take on the world again."

"You sound good too," Harry nodded then grinned slyly. "Does this mean Honeydukes loses their best customer?"

"In your dreams," Remus retorted, then sniffed a little. "Almond and honey, isn't it?"

Harry grinned as Ron produced the sweets with a laugh, plopping them on the table beside the plate of chocolate biscuits. Hermione smiled too and leaned forward to take her cup of tea, not seeing the flash of surprise that crossed Remus' face for a second. The werewolf sniffed again then shook his head very slightly, perhaps he was mistaken.

~~*~~

Aberforth Dumbledore was not used to being invited to afternoon tea at Hogwarts. Even when his little brother had been the headmaster he had been a persona non gratis to some extent, a shady character whose presence might contaminate the innocent children that made up the school population. He sat opposite the headmistress, enjoyed the very fine shortbread and listened to her chit chat about this and that with a blandly interested face.

Minerva studied the man before her intently; his resemblance to Albus remarkable enough to be a painful reminder of how much she missed the aggravating old bat. Severus had asked her to sound out Aberforth regarding the Rite of Raising he was planning to perform, hopefully in mid February when the planetary alignment and the arithmantic calculations were optimum for success. So far the old man had refused to say anything about his brother beyond an acknowledgement that he was indeed the brother of Albus Dumbledore.

The unsatisfactory meeting wound down as Aberforth finished his tea and began a polite leave-taking, knowing very well how frustrated Minerva McGonagall was. The old girl had been the object of his brother's affections, albeit from afar for years. Aberforth had often advised Albus to go for it, to simply sweep the old cat off her feet, but Albus, despite being a top class wizard, was a right prat when it came to women. Probably not the sort of thing one said about one of the icons of the wizarding world, but to Aberforth he had been more in the line of an annoying little brother than a great man. Not that he still didn't miss the idiot, he did, but there it was, dead was dead and nothing could be done about it.

"Perhaps we could do this again some time," Minerva said desperately as the older man was about to leave her office.

He stopped, one hand on the door latch and glanced at her over his shoulder, a decision made in a split second. "Minerva, what the hell do you want from me?" he demanded with shocking directness. "I'm not Albus, I never was, and I don't think you want a substitute for the old goat, so what is it?"

Minerva's eyes narrowed and she glared before chuffing a sigh. "I am hopeless at these stupid games, really. Very well. Albus is not dead, well, not entirely dead anyway. When Severus killed him, he did not kill him completely but used some sort of family magic to ... send his spirit to limbo. We need your cooperation to bring him back."

Aberforth turned and studied her intently. "So that's it. Oh, come on, Minnie, that travesty of a funeral was just that, a travesty. Albus did everything in his power to avoid huge state shows of emotion, and yet there was a public funeral with marble and ministers and the entire furore that accompanies those two things. Our own Master of Rites was so put out he was livid but no matter what I said I was overruled and marginalised. Damn that sneaky little git, always playing his games of intrigue and making us all dance to his bloody tune! Well, I think we had better sit down and drink a bit more of that very good tea, don't you? We do have something to talk about after all."

"I'll get Severus and he can explain what needs to be done."

~~*~~

Lucius Malfoy stared at the wall, not really seeing the elegantly flocked wallpaper of the study. His Lord had given him a task and implanted an image in his mind along with an imperative that did not allow room for any hesitation. What he wanted was a very ordinary thing, of all items, a plush toy shaped like a small black Grim. While Lucius would never question his master's orders, this was definitely not something he had ever anticipated, an assault on the stronghold of the Wizengamot's power to liberate a soft toy from the Ministry, possibly held in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement or with the Unspeakables in the Department of Mysteries.

Narcissa glided in and wrapped her arms around his shoulders, dropping a kiss on the top of his head. Lucius stiffened then relaxed, if Narcissa was willing to be affectionate, who was he to argue but he did wonder what she wanted. His darling wife was not a subtle woman when it came to gratifying her own needs. Winding around him like a sensuous white cat, she slid into his lap and stared up at him, batting her artfully darkened lashes. "What are you thinking of?" she purred in his ear.

"Business," he murmured, glancing down and appreciating her beauty for what it was, a work of art and artifice. His marriage to Narcissa Black had been arranged from the cradle, and he had married her in good faith at his father's insistence, despite being in love with Severus Snape. He could admit that now, now that time and experience had taught their own sharp lessons. Narcissa had given him a son and heir, done her duty to House Malfoy so to speak, but she was not the girl he had married. After the birth of their son, she had become the Dark Lord's lover and that changed her as it had changed almost everyone whom He touched.

Now, when he looked at her dispassionately, Narcissa and her sister Bellatrix were two of a kind, cruel, vicious and obsessed, although Bella's stay in Azkaban had made her madness very obvious while Narcissa hid hers behind a perfectly groomed façade. Still, she was the perfect sounding board for his planning, as long as he remembered that anything he said to her would be immediately reported to their Lord. A handy little conduit was Narcissa and if used correctly, she could pass anything he wanted the Lord to know, without even realising she was being used. He smiled and stroked her back, inhaling the very expensive scent of her. "My beautiful, beautiful wife, tell me, how would you go about entering the Department of Magical Law enforcement and locating a single item amongst the detritus of ages they have accumulated?"

"Why on earth would you even chance such a silly thing?" Narcissa asked doubtfully.

"Our Lord wants the item for a ceremony on the 29^th of February so we have three weeks to organise it."

"Ah."

~~*~~

The school barn owl delivered the note with an impatient shake of its leg then flew off without waiting for a treat or even a reply. Draco made a rude gesture at the retreating creature then unfolded the parchment and read it quickly, pulling another impatient face in disgust. Pansy looked over attentively but knew better than to question Draco whose temper was set at a hair trigger these days. Crabbe and Goyle merely blinked as their lord and master got up to pace in agitation then swirled to point at all three of them. "I have to be somewhere tonight; I want you three to cover for me. Don't ask where, you dunderhead, I'm not going to tell you, am I? Just make sure I am not missed," he snarled at Pansy and flung himself out of the common room.

"Should we follow him and make sure he is not disturbed?" Pansy mused aloud.

After a few moments Goyle shook his head and Crabbe followed suit, making Pansy grin evilly. "Scared, boys?" she taunted nastily.

Vincent Crabbe turned his muddy brown eyes on her in a rather disconcerting stare. "If he had a note and he has business, it may be the Lord's work, and I am not prepared to disobey the Lord just 'cus you are curious, are you, Greg?"

Goyle shook his head slowly and emphatically before going back to studying his textbook. He had no idea why he was taking NEWTs apart from the fact that his parents wanted him to stay at school so he could guard Draco Malfoy which was a good political move. Still there were worse things to do, really, like listen to Pansy Parkinson, who was such a stupid bitch at times. Better to listen to Draco or Vincent who were more sensible and good at telling how the politics were going. Sighing massively, he continued to decipher the page.

~~*~~

"Merlin, I missed you. Are you alright? What's wrong, Honey? Talk to me."

Hermione giggled, a slightly hysterical note in her voice. "I would if I could get a word in edgewise," she teased, returning his kisses with equal fervour. "We - I have a problem..."

"You aren't ill, are you? What's wrong, has someone cursed you?"

"Draco! Will you settle down! Honestly, you are worse than a first-year Hufflepuff!"

He made a noise rather like an indignant squawk but did settle down a little. "I worry, that's all. You are all alone amongst that herd of Gryffindors; what if they turned rabid?"

"Draco!" The sound of a slap echoed in the dim classroom, followed quickly by a giggle and a rustle suggestive of two people wrestling playfully. "Okay, are you ready for this? Remember a few subjective months ago, probably around the beginning of November after we were all told we passed our first-year exam?"

"Yes," Draco acknowledged, pulling her deeper into his lap and nuzzling her ear through her abundant hair.

"Stop that! Well, no, don't really stop that, just listen, please. Remember the little competition we were playing with each other? Yes, see how many times...."

"Four times, wasn't it?" Draco mused then laughed wickedly. "We'll have to try that one again, we are better practised now."

"Yes, well, perhaps we are, but I can only remember us casting the contraception charm three times," Hermione said softly, nervousness making her squirm in his lap.

There was a strange stillness to the air for a few seconds then Draco breathed out very carefully. "When I think about it, I only remember three times too. Are you..."

"Don't worry, if you don't want to..."

"Shut up, Wild Hair, don't even think such a thing! Three months along? An August baby then? Wow! My God, we're going to be parents.... Oh my God, my father will kill us! How can I possibly acknowledge you and the child without tripping the wards and the Generation Charm? As soon as we get married it is going to set off every alarm in Malfoy unless we get married under the Fidelius Charm, yes, that might work. Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck! We have to tell Severus; he will know what to do."

Before Hermione could even collect her wits, she was being hustled down to a strange part of the castle where she had never been before. The door Draco pounded on was of deep ebony wood, iron bound and as solid as the rock that surrounded it. Draco looked ready to tear it down with his bare hands, but then the panels swung aside to reveal the Potions Master, his robes discarded, his shirt sleeves rolled up to his elbows. Before Severus could say a word, Draco barged past him, towing Hermione after him.

"To what do I owe this ... pleasure?" Snape asked sarcastically as he quickly unrolled his sleeves and buttoned the cuffs as if he had been caught naked but not before Hermione noticed the dark mark glowing deeply black on his pale forearm. "You do realise, Draco, that I usually invite people that I want invading my space?"

"Look, Uncle Severus, I don't have time for the niceties, I am in deep, deep shit and I would like for us all to survive it intact. You were the first person I thought of who might be able to help."

Severus glared at them both, noting the twin panicked expressions and tightly clasped hands then groaned dropping his head into his hands. "You didn't go and knock the Gryffindor Lioness up, did you? Bloody Hell, Draco! I thought I told you about the birds and the bees when you were ten! I know I taught you the Conceptus charm when you were twelve! And you, Miss Granger, didn't some idiotic female tell you about the Conceptus charm when you were in third year? I thought you at least, would have better sense than that?" Striding across the room, Severus flung open a cabinet and poured a couple of large whiskeys, passing one to Draco, then waving an impatient hand which amazingly produced a glass of pumpkin juice for Hermione. "Merlin! Now you're really up the fucking creek, you idiots! If Lucius finds out, he will have you both skinned and the proposed offspring pickled before the day is out! Fuck! Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

Hermione couldn't help it; she giggled then buried her nose in the glass when he glared at her bitterly. Draco sipped his whiskey then grimaced in disgust. "I realise that, Severus, which is why we are here instead of announcing it in the Daily Prophet," he drawled with equal sarcasm. "I thought you might have come up with something a bit more original instead of stealing my lines! I haven't said the words to her yet in case it triggers the Generations Charms at Malfoy, which would be a dead give-away, don't you think?"

"'Dead' being the operative word!" Severus agreed morosely then sighed. "Do you really want to do this? There is a way, but it is not exactly straightforward or considered good breeding but it is somewhat legal."

Draco smiled, then smiled reassuringly at Hermione who was looking a little confused. "Yes, we do want to do this, very much so, no matter how."

"Very well, then, on your heads be it." He rose carefully and selected a few small bottles and vials from various shelves around the room. Opening a cupboard he extracted a golden challis with exquisite chasing around the rim, set with emeralds and large square-cut black onyxes. It was a beautiful piece of art, but he didn't seem to notice as he mixed unmeasured quantities from the potions bottles, tapped the edge with his wand. Using his wand transfigured to a brush, he dipped into the concoction to paint some designs in a wide circle on the flagstones of the floor. Waving his visitors to the centre of the circle he had created, he raised his wand and muttered a spell, using a minimal flick of his wrist to bring to life a wall of glowing light that enclosed them in an opalescent bubble. Draco seemed very impressed and bowed slightly as his godfather turned to eye them both flatly. Hermione simply looked confused but willing.

"Right! Join hands, left to left and right to right, don't let go. Give me a positive or a negative answer to the questions I will ask you both. Draco Malfoy, do you want to propose a contract to Hermione Granger, of the matrimonial stamp?"

"If I was able to say the words with impunity, that would be a positive with all my heart and completely binding until death parts all, or beyond," Draco said, staring meaningfully at Hermione over their joined hands.

"Very well. Hermione Granger, would you accept a contract of the matrimonial persuasion, if it was proposed by Draco Malfoy, even in its most binding form?"

"It sounds like something I would willingly and completely embrace, if it was possible," Hermione agreed with a soft smile and a catch in her voice as she finally caught the meaning of the bizarre ceremony.

Severus sighed troubled. "Draco, if a child was proposed as an offspring to such a contract would you consider said offspring as the legal heir of your body, no matter what its conception?"

"Without a single doubt," Draco confirmed emphatically.

Severus made a small gesture that brightened the light wall surrounding them, then let out a faint sigh. "Hermione, if circumstances were as stated, would you agree to the conditions thus outlined?"

Hermione had to think about how to answer that one for a moment then grinned. "It seems a reasonable surmise to me."

"Very well, the proposal, acceptance and inclusions have been stated and accepted, now the tricky part." Severus finished his whiskey and poured another before picking up his wand to extend the light wall and cross to the far bookshelf to retrieve a tome of heroic proportions.

Draco raised an eyebrow but Hermione had never seen such a book so she was in ignorance as Severus laid it on his table and carefully tapped the lock with his wand. "Because the Malfoy Book of Generations is not available to us at this time and Draco is already listed as my godson, I will record you both in the Snape Book of Generations and you can make corrections to the Malfoy Book whenever it becomes politically correct to do so," he said still turning the pages with careful fingers. Using the tip of his wand, Severus Snape etched the new pairing he had just created underneath his own name in his Family Book of Generations.

Deep in the bowels of the Ministry of Magic the new joining and changes to the old notation were recorded, the Snape charm twanging discordantly under the mismatch while the Malfoy charm remained unmoved. An answering glow came from the written words Severus had just inscribed that flickered for a second before turning to pure gold on the parchment, and both Severus and Draco heaved deep sighs of relief.

"Well, it's accepted as legal. Happy Valentine's Day, you may now kiss the bride," Severus said wryly, shaking his head.