The Greatest Love, The Highest Sacrifice

Chapter 11 -- Truces and Truths

And then there was light.

Genesis

Norri woke early on the morning of the Slytherin versus Gryffindor Quidditch match.

She smiled to herself as she stretched luxuriously in her bed, reveling in the fact that there were several hours before anyone else would be stirring. It was, after all, a Saturday morning, and the match wasn't scheduled to start until eleven. Even the most eager supporters wouldn't rise for another hour at least. Which meant that she could go and see Remus for a visit long overdue, and they could talk in his room blissfully undisturbed for several hours. Fabulous!

At that moment, Norri felt a squirm of movement beside her. The next moment she bolted upright, clutching her ear.

“Macaire!” she groaned, “Did you have to stick that tongue of yours in my ear like that? I was already awake, thank you!”

Her kitten obviously wasn't bothered by her impassioned reaction. Rather than making an intelligent retreat, he dropped on his stomach and lolled comfortably next to Norri in her bed, purring loudly.

“Shhhh!” she hissed at him, not wanting Hermione or Ginny to be wakened before she left the dorm.

Make me, was his infuriating response.

Norri groaned. “I'll leave you here! And then you'll have to make your own way to the meeting when it starts!” she whispered threateningly.

Suits me fine, came the kitten's reply.

“Wonderful!” she said, and jumped out of her bed, reaching for her gown. Norri dressed quickly, sparing only one glance for her familiar and muttering wrathfully when she saw that he was fast asleep on her pillows. Grabbing her wand and a cloak to warm her against the cold, she slipped out of her dorm. Five minutes later, she was standing outside Remus' door, waiting for him to answer her gentle knock. He didn't seem surprised to see her.

“Hello, Norri!” he exclaimed, smiling warmly and holding the door wide open for her to enter. “It's nice to see you as yourself outside the door for a change.”

She grinned back at him, stopping on the threshold to give him a quick hug.

“How are you, Remus?” she asked, quickly pulling her golden hair out of her face and pinning it up with her wand. “You look well.”

“For a change, yes,” he answered wryly. “First week after the full moon is always the best, as you know. You really shouldn't do that with your wand,” he added, gesturing to her hair. “Ginny Weasley's always doing it in my classes. So far, she's caught fire three times this year.”

Norri chuckled. “Ginny's too lazy to put an anti-burn charm on her hair -- she says it takes too long because it's so thick. And she forgets that her wand's there half the time too. Which I don't.”

Remus shrugged. “Have it your way, then,” he said equably. “Coffee?” he added, heading over to where the pot stood with several large mugs.

“Thank you, I will,” she said, grinning back at him.

“And why are you so cheerful this morning?” he asked. “Is it that you've rigged the game so that Gryffindor have a surefire way to victory?”

Norri laughed.

“Quite the contrary, I'm afraid. I'm involved in no rigging, I promise you, but I've set my hopes on Slytherin winning this particular match.”

She waited, expecting Remus to express some kind of shock at her affiliation. But he said nothing.

“Aren't you going to even ask me why?” she said after a moment of companionable silence.

“I think I have a fairly good idea,” he answered calmly. “Though I wouldn't recommend your sharing those hopes of yours with Professor Weasley just at the moment.”

He looked at her as he handed her a mug of coffee, noticing how her hands shook ever so slightly as she took it from him. Her smiling face

was gone and in its place was an expression of sorrow -- and resentment. Remus sighed.

“You must understand, Norri. He's had terrible experiences with Malfoys all his life, and so has his family. Even Draco used to cause Ron terrible embarrassment. You remember how he used to humiliate Ron for their family's poverty, don't you? Charlie certainly does. And why should he believe that the boy has changed so dramatically? He has no reason to, no alternative perspective. And they all worry about Ginny. They always have. You remember what he was like when she was a baby. Surely you can see why he would be so worried that she was spending time with someone who could hurt her terribly. The way Justin would have hurt you if Charlie hadn't been around to protect you.”

Norri sighed, and allowed a small smile of acceptance.

“Ever the voice of reason, aren't you Remus?” she asked dryly.

He laughed. “What can I say? When the shoe fits...right?” Then he looked up at a clock on the wall and noticed the time. Clearing his throat, he looked at Norri and announced:

“Speaking of being the voice of reason, you ought to know that you're not the only reason I'm up this early on a Saturday morning. I knew you were coming, and that we had the meeting with Fred and George before the game, but I received an owl from Sirius late last night. He wanted to see me before the match today. Said it was extremely important. I didn't really feel that I could turn him down -- not that his owl really gave me an option. He should be here in the next ten minutes or so.”

Norri's hands gripped her mug tightly, and she closed her eyes.

Remus grimaced in frustration.

“Norri, I thought from the beginning that he should be here for this meeting. I respect your differences of opinion, but for heaven's sake, can't you just --”

She interrupted him.

“Remus, you don't have to say anything. I know. I don't like it; I'm not about to accept it. But I know. My last encounter with Charlie was enough to show me that I need to face things. In a way, I wish that I had told him outright, all that time ago -- about not being able to love him, and of my relationship with Harry and everything. I suppose it's too late now. But I don't intend to make the same mistake with Sirius. It's about time everything was out in the open. So, yes, I can just deal with it. And I'm going to.”

Remus' response was to cross the room and envelop Norri in an enormous hug, which lasted until she pushed against him, gasping for breath.

“I take it I have your approval,” she said with a watery smile.

“Absolutely,” he said gently, brushing a wisp of hair from her face. “So much so that I think I'll let you wait here for him, and get everything out in the open. If that's all right with you?”

She nodded. “I think that's probably the best way,” she said determinedly.

“So you can't change your mind at the last minute, right?”

She laughed. “Right.”

“Well, then, I think I'll take myself for a stroll out near the Quidditch pitch. You can tell him that if he wants to talk to me, I'll be out there until the game starts.” He stopped for a moment, looking down at her face. “And tell him to come to the meeting. He has a right to be there as much as the rest of us. Believe me, Norri, it's the best thing you can do. For both of you.”

She smiled up at him.

“I know, Remus.”

Remus kissed her on the forehead, and headed for the door. As he opened it, Norri called out to him.

“And thanks. For being the big brother.”

He laughed.

“I was made for the role,” he said softly, almost to himself. “It's what I do best, isn't it?”

And then he was gone, leaving Norri considering yet again how different her own situation was from his. She had consciously made her decisions about not letting romance play a role in her life. For Remus, as a werewolf, there was little choice.

*

Norri prowled restlessly around Remus' rooms. If Sirius was generally a punctual man -- and she didn't know

whether or not he was -- he had certainly fallen short this time around. It was easily half an hour since Remus had left her to stroll in the grounds of Hogwarts. When Norri had expressed a guilty feeling that she was kicking him out of his own living quarters, he had only laughed, and assured her that if he needed somewhere to relax for a while, he would drop in on Hagrid.

“I'm the last thing you should be worrying about right now,” he had told her firmly as he headed out the door. “I'll see you shortly. Near Hagrid's hut. And if Fred and George arrive, I'll keep them with me.” And he was gone.

His last words had served to remind Norri that Sirius was not her only problem, although he was the most immediate thing with which she had to deal. Then she groaned to herself. Apart from the pending meeting, which was a definite necessity, there was also the Quidditch match to worry about. If Draco's team lost this game -- or if they cheated, which was much more likely -- he would have to forfeit on his bet with Ginny. Ironically, this was something neither party really wanted, although Ginny had spent the last week doing her best to appear as if going to the Yule Ball with the Slytherin Head Boy was a fate worse than death. Norri had not been in the least bit convinced, though she had had a hard time proving to Draco that her friend's role-play was precisely that.

And Norri herself was to win or lose depending on the outcome of the match. If Draco lost, part of his forfeit was to make sure Charlie Weasley was at Hogwarts for Christmas -- a situation which Norri profoundly hoped did not eventuate. She was planning to enjoy this Christmas in peace -- with her grandfather, her nephew and both her best friends for the first time ever. She would enjoy the traditional Gryffindor Christmas party without needing to worry about who else was present.

She would be going to the Yule Ball as herself.

She did not want Charlie Weasley to ruin her plans by staying at Hogwarts.

Caught up in this train of thought, Norri almost failed to notice Sirius' arrival when it actually took place. She only realised he was nearing because the fire burning merrily in Remus' fireplace suddenly flickered, then went out, accompanied by a vehement selection of expressions which were -- well, which were very Sirius in nature.

Norri smiled to herself, and moved forward. The day of reckoning is at hand, she thought wryly. She took a deep breath. And stood, waiting.

“Damn it, Remus, you knew I was arriving by Floo! Why on earth did you leave the fire burning?” Sirius came into view shortly after he finished speaking, shaking out his decidedly sooty robes.

“Now look what you've done,” he continued, not actually looking around to see that his old friend was absent. “And they were new robes, too! Now half of them are probably scorched away.” He was so intent on making sure that this was not the case that he didn't notice Norri in the room at all until she spoke.

“Don't worry, Sirius,” were her first words to him. “I don't think they are burnt. Just rather sooty. And I've a few charms to solve that problem.”

Sirius looked up quickly at the sound of Norri's voice to see her regarding his robes with a slightly quizzical air.

For a moment there was a silence between them that could have been described as awkward. Then a gleam entered Sirius' eyes, and a grin graced his mouth. Norri couldn't help but smile back, especially considering he looked rather like a chimney sweep, and therefore totally harmless. Quite different from their last personal encounter in this room.

“Hello, old thing!” he said with perfect ease, and she thought for a moment that he would pretend what had taken place between them had never happened. His next words proved her quite wrong in that respect. “So you've decided to start talking to me again after all, have you? Or is it that Voldemort has invaded, and Remus forgot to tell me before I started my trip?”

Norri couldn't help but laugh at him. She had reacted to the discovery of his feelings for her quite childishly, and now he was treating her accordingly. Which was a little uncomfortable, but no less than she deserved.

Before he could continue, she whipped out her wand and muttered a few charms in his direction. Then, as he brushed down his robes -- now restored to their original pristine condition -- she picked up one of the mugs sitting on the bench behind her.

“Coffee, Sirius?” she asked calmly.

“Yes, thanks,” he replied easily. He waited until she had poured it, making no move to walk over to where she was and take it from her.

Norri looked up to see him standing in the same spot, unmoving.

“I thought you said you wanted coffee,” she stated, holding the mug in her hands.

“I did,” he replied. “I wasn't sure if you'd give it to me, or if you wanted me to come and pick it up from the bench after you'd poured it.”

Norri felt like telling him not to be ridiculous until she looked at his face and saw that he was in perfect earnest.

“That's a little too much like playing five-year-olds, isn't it?” she answered lightly, then flushed when his only response was a raised eyebrow. “Come on, Sirius,” she said, struggling not to snap at him. “I know I acted like a scared rabbit, but there's no point in harping over it for the next year or so.”

She walked up to him and handed him the coffee mug, making sure to brush his fingers with her own as she did so. She could almost see his hackles rise.

“Norri,” he growled at her.

“What?” she asked lightly. “I'm trying to prove to you I'm not afraid of physical contact or anything like that. You're my friend. I trust you, remember?”

“Yes, I remember. I wish to goodness you'd remember a few things yourself,” he snarled, though she sensed that his anger wasn't really directed towards her. “ And as far as the friend part goes, I thought the reason you hadn't been talking to me for the last three months was that you realised friends was not exactly what I have in mind for our relationship. Don't tell me I've been banished from your presence for something I didn't even know I'd done wrong.”

Norri couldn't help but wince a little at his blunt sarcasm. But at least he was getting things out in the open.

“No,” she said resolutely, looking directly at him. “You're right. It was because of that. But I still trust you -- or at least, I realised that I should trust you, regardless of what you feel about me. And I think we probably need to sort all that out. Remus thinks the same. So he's disappeared for a few minutes so we can discuss this like rational adults, and we can meet up with him for the meeting. What do you say?”

She eyed Sirius cautiously for several moments as he processed this information.

“You're really going to talk with me about it?” he finally asked. “As in, you're actually going to listen to me while I have my say?”

She nodded.

Sirius ran a hand through his hair. “Well, you could have given me a little more notice, you know! Allowed me to prepare myself for this.” But then he smiled at her and she knew it was all right with him.

“Do you really want to talk inside though?” he asked.

Norri shook her head. “Not at all. If it's all the same to you, I'd love to get outside. I reckon we'll probably need space. And air.”

Sirius nodded sagely at her.

“I figured you'd want to smoke while we talked,” he commented, and grinned at the look she gave him. “Oh don't worry, I'll join you. What do you say to the top of Dumbledore's turret?”

Norri shook her head.

“He's inside all morning having meetings until the game starts,” she answered, but did not choose to elaborate on how she knew this piece of information. “Astronomy Tower?” she supplied.

Sirius grinned.

“It was my first choice, but I figured you'd throw something at me if I suggested it.”

Norri blushed as she realised the implication of what he had said. Then

she shrugged.

“It's fitting, I suppose,” she said easily. “And at least it's too high up for anyone to be able to tell who we are.”

“Or what we're smoking,” Sirius added slyly.

“Nicotine, cinnamon, or Gillyweed only,” Norri answered sternly. “You'd better not have any of Fred and George's experimentals on you, because I won't even think about letting you smoke them with me.” Sirius laughed.

“Don't worry, I wouldn't dream of it. But perhaps the Astronomy Tower is a little too high up for this conversation of ours. If we're meant to be going to a meeting soon, that is. What's the meeting for, by the way?”

Norri swallowed. She'd forgotten that Sirius had not originally been invited to this particular meeting. Maybe staying in Remus' rooms for a few minutes would be easier in the end.

“Um, well, that's one of the things I have to tell you. And you're right about the Astronomy Tower. We may as well stay here.”

Sirius raised one eyebrow at her.

“And what about your smoke?”

“I'll smoke in the meeting.”

He shrugged.

“Fine by me. So, who starts this?”

Despite his casual words, Norri could tell that he was every bit as nervous as she was. She sighed. I started this, so I guess I should start to finish it, she thought ruefully. Damn that I can't do it with a cigarette in my hands! Oh well, good chance to psych myself up to quitting. And she grit her teeth before diving straight in.

“Me, I suppose. I wanted to say that I'm sorry. For having such a childish, adolescent reaction to what happened just after Remus' birthday. For having refused to see you or speak to you ever since. For hoping that if I could pretend what happened between us never took place, we could go back to the way things were before, when I was young and lonely and you were the best friend I never really had. Despite Charlie and Bastian and Sara. And I want you to know that I never meant to hurt your feelings. Or make you unhappy. Or worry you. The last part's about Justin, by the way,” she added wryly, and was relieved to hear him chuckle.

“I guess all there is left to say is that I don't know how I feel,” she said slowly. “About you, or about Severus. No, don't tense up when I say that. It's not my fault that I'm attracted to him. Any more than it's yours that you seem to be attracted to me. That's what made me realise I had to grow up and start talking to you again. And as for Charlie, well, I'm sorry that I never had a chance to explain things to you when we were first engaged. I never would have said yes to him if the circumstances had been different -- if I hadn't thought you were dead, if Bastian hadn't just been killed. If I didn't think Justin was around every corner. And later, well, it was a little too late for turning back. I sort of hoped that I would fall in love with him, and somehow feel for him what he obviously did for me. But it never happened like that. And I couldn't share that with anyone. Not even you. I suppose because I didn't want you to say 'I told you so'. And I think part of me didn't want you to hope that it meant my feelings for you had changed. Sirius, I've known for a very, very long time that you don't feel just friendship for me. But I've always held back from considering my own feelings on the subject. I think I need to now.”

Norri ground to a halt, feeling distinctly like she'd babbled a load of nonsense, none of which she would possibly be able to remember. She had studiously avoided looking at Sirius throughout her extended monologue, and she continued to stare at the floor after she had finished. It wasn't until she felt his hand under her chin that she looked up and met his gaze. His brown eyes stared into hers with an intensity that shook her.

“Norri,” he said, and then suddenly swung around, away from her. A noise escaped him which sounded very much like a muffled groan, and when he turned back to her, his tortured expression made her gasp.

“Do you have any idea how guilty I feel over your engagement to Charlie?” he murmured. “I always felt that I should have said something about how young you were, and how I thought he cared so much more than you did. But I didn't want to believe that you would ever consider marrying him, and I baulked at the idea of playing a parental role in your life. Not when the role I wished to play was so very different.”

He stopped, and looked away from her. “I've never liked Snape. When I was in school it was because he liked your sister, and I never thought he deserved her. And of course there was the typical rivalry between Slytherins and Gryffindors that has always existed. But I never considered hating him until I saw you give him the same charm you gave me after Harry was almost killed by Voldemort.”

“But I thought you'd already left!” Norri cried in amazement.

Sirius grinned wryly, but the bleak gesture fell just short of warming his eyes. “I had planned to. But something made me stay, and I nearly came back and killed him when you touched him. Touched him as you had never touched me. I couldn't understand how you could feel enough for him to be like that. I wasn't even sure if you cared in that way, though every bone in me clenched with fear at the very possibility. And I swore to myself that I wouldn't let you see how I felt. But I have never been good at deception. And I scared you off even more.”

Norri met his gaze unflinchingly, though her heart was pounding.

“I put my hand to his cheek, Sirius! It's not like it was an expression of undying love or anything.”

At the look she received, she lifted her hands deprecatingly.

“All right, all right! I do care for him. I always have -- and ironically, the main reason was because he was in love with my sister and he was so alone at Lily's wedding.”

Sirius goggled at her in amazement and shock.

“You've got to be kidding me!” He sank down onto the divan near the fireplace, still looking up at her. “You've liked him for that long?”

She nodded silently. His face was so despairing that she couldn't help but walk over and sit beside him.

“At first I liked him because he was nice to me, and because he seemed so lonely. And then I didn't see him for years, but he was always sort of at the back of my mind. A little like you, I suppose, in that I never stopped thinking about the fact that you weren't guilty of betraying Lily and James.”

Sirius flinched at this, and Norri took his hand up from where it lay between them, holding it gently between both of hers.

“I never planned for anything to come of it. And it seemed like nothing would. I saw him from a distance -- he was here a great deal as I went through school, though I never spoke to him or anything. We actually never spoke until the night Justin killed Bastian. And then I don't think he realised who I was.”

Norri felt Sirius' hand clench in hers at this unexpected reference to Bastian's death. She had never told Sirius what had happened that night, and he had no way of knowing that Severus had been involved. She smiled at him gently and explained.

“Grandfather sent Severus to save us. Somehow he knew that something was wrong. Of course, he was too late to save Bastian. But he did stop Justin from...well, from doing anything to me. He brought me back to Grandfather at Hogwarts and then he left. He had to go somewhere for the school holidays, though I don't think anyone knows exactly where.”

Sirius stirred at her side.

“That would be, what, six years ago?”

“Yes,” she replied.

“I can tell you where he was,” he replied bitterly. “He was keeping me company in Azkaban.”

“He was what?” Norri cried out. “Why, for goodness' sake?”

Sirius shrugged.

“To be honest, I have absolutely no idea. I think the only person who does apart from Snape is your grandfather. But the one time I attempted to ask him about it, he very firmly changed the subject. Of course, the fact that he was there did little to redeem him in my eyes. If I'd known he'd saved your life,

though -- ” he broke off, and tightened his grasp on her hand. “Well, I think I would have reacted a little differently to his company. Not that he talked to me very much, mind you.”

Norri struggled to fit this new piece of information about Snape into her knowledge of him. She couldn't understand what he could have done to deserve a stint in Azkaban. True, he had been a Death Eater. But that had been for a very brief period of time, and his activities in that field had ended long before she finished her own schooling. But now wasn't the time to consider Severus Snape. She would have to wait until later.

Stirring herself, she noticed with surprise that she still held Sirius' hand carefully in her own. Short of suddenly dropping it, there was no way of letting go without giving the action of letting him go more importance than it deserved. The fact that it was a very comfortable feeling to hold Sirius' hand was firmly and immediately squashed. She turned and regarded him.

“So, what's the conclusion of all this?” she asked him.

“We talk to each other again,” he quipped, and she laughed and nodded. “And I try not to pressure you. And maybe you can try and consider where you stand with all of this?”

The last came very tentatively, and Norri's heart tugged at the hesitancy she saw in his eyes.

“Yes, and I'll consider all this,” she agreed firmly. “Now, about this meeting, I suppose I should explain a little to you before we go down to meet the others. Don't bite my head off that I wasn't planning to invite you -- I've already apologised for all that. Basically, Fred and George have come across some information about Justin that they think we should know, to be prepared for when he and Voldemort attack. Grandfather can't make it -- something about a meeting with the Heads of House -- so he's sending Fawkes instead. Remus will be there, and Macaire's my new familiar,” she explained, forestalling his obvious question. “And as to what kind of creature he is, I'm not exactly sure. You'll have to wait and see.”

Sirius grinned, and for the first time in many months, there was no tension between the two of them. The relief was almost palpable. For both of them.

Norri smiled back at him, then looked up at the clock to see how long they had before the meeting. They were late. Jumping to her feet, she tugged Sirius up as she did so.

“Come on, we're late!” she said, and started pulling him towards the door.

He laughed.

“Lead on, Macduff!” he said good-naturedly.

*

Minutes later, Norri was finally indulging in what Remus dismissed as her one 'appalling habit,' happily dragging on a cinnamon cigarette, while Macaire stalked around her feet in blatant disapproval. She had turned her nose up at the Gillyweed Sirius had offered, and had grabbed the 'specials' Fred and George had pulled out, sternly telling them they would have to wait until they left the grounds of Hogwarts so they couldn't be bad influences on the students.

“Come on, Norri,” Fred had groaned, obviously in as much need of a fix as she was. “Don't give me that 'nicotine, Gillyweed, or cinnamon' line of yours.”

But she was resolute.

“Sorry, guys, but absolutely no way. You know I don't like your experimentals, and I don't like you smoking them, but I can't stop you. You're both adults. But, unless I'm in your house, you're not smoking them around me. Finis. End of story.”

Her adamant stance was supported by Remus, Fawkes and Macaire. Fawkes had haughtily taken up residence in the branches of the tree they all sat under, clearly not convinced that the assembled company deserved his presence. He had been quite taken by Macaire, until the kitten had been audacious enough to swat at the majestic phoenix with one of his minute paws, precipitating the bird's retreat to the tree. Yet even as he looked down, Macaire left his position by Norri's feet and began to claw his way up the tree trunk. He was too little to make much headway, however, and Norri pulled him back

down with little difficulty.

“Come on, Macaire, you can't get all the way up there. And besides, Fawkes probably wouldn't appreciate your company right now.”

Quite, was the phoenix's arrogant addition to this exchange.

Oh, do grow a decent tail, Macaire shot back Fawkes, who started and ruffled his feathers in outright indignation at the impudence of the kitten. You think I have to climb to get up there? With this, he jumped onto Norri's lap and closed his eyes. Norri gasped as she watched him suddenly disappear, then looked up in amazement at Fawkes' squawk of dismay to see Macaire sitting next to her grandfather's familiar, languid ease in every line of his small body. His smug thoughts drifted down to her. I'll stay up here until the meeting's done, thank you. And at Fawkes' ruffling feathers he added, We're on the same team. And you're older than me. Do behave!

Norri stifled a giggle at his imperious tone -- no one, not even Grandfather, ever talked to Fawkes like that. She fully expected him to take umbrage and fly back to his comfortable perch in her grandfather's office. But, to her surprise, he nipped Macaire gently behind the ears, and then settled quite comfortably next to him.

Turning her attention back to her human companions, Norri glared at Fred as she caught him trying to light one of his experimentals while she wasn't watching. Fred moaned, nevertheless stowing away his own cigarettes and accepting one of Sirius' Gillyweeds. As he lit up, he couldn't help complaining, “They're not that experimental, you know. It's not like we put aphrodisiacs in them or anything.”

Unfortunately, this deprecation was spoiled by George's reaction.

“Fred! That's a fantastic idea, old man -- why, we'd sell thousands!!”

George's enthusiasm was quickly curbed by the look on Norri's face at this latest harebrained idea. Before she could say anything to him, however, Remus quickly intervened.

“All right then, you two. Norri said that you had important information about Justin that you needed to pass on to the rest of us. What is it, then -- and where on earth did you manage to score it from?”

This last question prompted a quick exchange of glances between the Weasley twins, who then both turned and looked at Norri, obviously uncertain whether or not they should reveal their source. Norri decided to cover this particular issue herself.

“They received their information from Draco,” she declared calmly, and waited for the storm to break.

“They what?” Sirius burst out, his face a picture of rage, scorn and disbelief.

“You heard what I said,” Norri replied. She was not surprised at Sirius' reaction, though she was a little taken aback that his expressions were mirrored so perfectly by Remus. Obviously, despite his efforts to be objective, Draco's Defense Against the Dark Arts professor still had major problems with the Malfoy heritage.

“Let me get this straight,” Sirius said, turning to Fred and George. “Draco Malfoy came to speak with the two of you, in Hogsmeade?”

They both nodded.

“And he told you he had important information about his cousin Justin, and that you should pass it on as soon as possible.”

Fred grinned.

“No, actually, he was as insulting as possible, and he didn't start out talking about Justin at all. He told us he wanted to talk about Elinor Evans.”

“Did he?” Norri asked with interest. She had not actually heard anything about their conversation, other than that Draco had given them advice about Justin that they felt should be passed along to everyone as quickly as possible. Then her brow furrowed. “But why would he want to know about me? I mean, I'd already told him everything that he needed to --”

“You'd already told him,” Sirius forced out, obviously trying very, very hard to control his temper. “Just what had you told him, exactly?”

Norri took another long drag from her cigarette. She really didn't mean to annoy him, really. It was just so easy.

“What I said. Everything. And before you combust me with that wand of yours, I checked with Grandfather first. And he didn't have a problem with it.” Her tone clearly indicated that if Albus Dumbledore didn't mind that she had told Draco her history, Sirius Black certainly didn't have any right to object.

Norri noticed Fred and George exchange glances when she mentioned her grandfather. They didn't know who he was, of course -- no one apart from Remus and Sirius did. She'd tell them eventually, but it wasn't safe just yet. Little did she know that one very astute Slytherin had already alerted them to his own suspicions, and that these two Weasleys already guessed the truth as a result.

“So, Draco knew everything,” Remus mused aloud. As soon as Norri had mentioned Dumbledore, he had ceased to worry about the fact that she had confided in Draco. He had also remembered Draco's mother -- and the fact that he had considered how many similarities she shared with her son before this. Obviously, there was much more to Narcissa Malfoy and her sense of undying loyalty in Draco than many supposed. And, thank God, it appeared that Draco Malfoy had attached his sense of loyalty firmly and irrevocably to Norri. But there was one thing that didn't quite fit. Sirius expressed it for him.

“If he knew everything, then why did he go to ask Fred and George about you?”

Fred shifted in his seat.

“He actually didn't come to ask anything,” he explained. “I suppose that was just his Malfoy way of making sure we really were in on everything. As soon as he established that we knew exactly what he did, he started talking. About Justin.”

“What exactly about Justin?” Norri asked, somewhat hesitantly.

“About what Justin feels for you,” was George's blunt and uncompromising answer.

“And what would that be?” she continued faintly.

At this question, the two of them looked away. It was obvious neither of them really wanted to answer that particular question. But the other three were determined to find out, and from the tree above them, there came a distinct growling sound.

Looking up, Norri saw that Macaire was glaring down at the twins, his fur standing fully on end.

“Macaire!” she snapped gently, “It's not them, remember. They're just helping us.” Turning to Sirius, she grinned. “His growl is almost competition for yours, you know.”

He smiled back. “Don't ask for a competition any time soon.” Then he also turned to Fred and George, and the power in his voice was almost tangible as he leaned forward.

“Fred. George. You know we have to know this. If we don't, we can't protect Norri. Or Harry. Or Hogwarts. So, what did Draco say his cousin feels for Norri?”

George rose to his feet and scuffed his shoes against the tree-trunk.

“When we discussed it, Draco thought Norri didn't need to know. He said she had enough problems to deal with.”

Norri opened her mouth in shock, then saw Sirius' head nodding at what George had just said.

“Oh, no,” she stated, jumping to her feet as she did so. Despite the fact that it was George who had spoken, she looked down at Sirius as she continued. “This is me. This is what I am going to have to deal with for the coming months. If I don't know what to expect, how the hell am I meant to defend myself if something happens to the rest of you?”

She drew breath to continue her argument, but was forestalled by Remus' interruption.

“Norri's right,” he declared, staring down Sirius when he turned to look at him incredulously. “She's the one who will ultimately have to deal with Justin. Let her know what she's in for.” He turned back to Fred and George, who had sat down next to his brother resignedly.

The twins waited until Norri was sitting again. Fred's eyes widened as Macaire jumped from his position next to Fawkes in the tree so that he was sitting in her lap, then narrowed as he wondered whether or not Norri's familiar anticipated what her reaction would be to what he was about to say. He drew breath.

“Basically, Draco didn't talk about the way Justin saw Norri in terms of feelings. He called it obsession.” He stopped, and regarded the grave expressions before him. “And, after what he told us, I'd have to say I feel the same way.”

Quickly between the two of them, the twins outlined what Draco had told them. Of Justin's interest in Norri since they started Hogwarts together. Of how that interest had changed in her fifth year, and how it had intensified over the years that followed, to the point that he was willing to oppose Voldemort himself in order to ensure that Norri was his. And of his plans for future.

There was dead silence until they had completely finished. Norri sat in shock, absently stroking Macaire, who accepted her caresses with uncharacteristic patience.

“You're being awfully good,” she noted aloud, not seeing the surprised glances that her friends exchanged between them.

That's because you need it right now, was Macaire's calm response. Better than breaking things, isn't it?

“Yes. Quite,” she replied, still not taking in everything she had just heard.

“Norri?”

She looked up to see all four faces considering her with growing worry.

“Are you all right?” Remus asked quietly.

She nodded dazedly. Then, unexpectedly, her face split in a grin at something that Macaire had apparently said to her. Then she chuckled, and rubbed his ears. Looking up at the others, she laughed again.

“Macaire just said that it's worse than he thought. He reckoned I'd never have a worse title than 'Ice Queen'. But he's concluded that Elinor Malfoy sounds much, much worse. Though he reckons marriage to Justin is a step up from being Voldemort's consort. He says Elinor Riddle lacks class.”

They couldn't help but laugh with her, and their laughter released the tension that had hung thickly about them.

“I reckon he'd have to be right,” Sirius agreed, thankful that her familiar's attempt at levity had obviously worked.

“So, what are we going to do about Justin?” Norri asked calmly. She couldn't understand why she wasn't more horrified by what her nemesis had planned for her. Part of her mind told her that it was because, right now, she was safe and secure with people she loved and trusted. Being alone and dealing with these facts would be rather more difficult.

That's why you have me, Macaire interrupted, licking her fingers. She smiled down at him and petted his head gently. And his majesty up there, he added, seemingly disgruntled by having to acknowledge that Fawkes also looked after her.

Thanks, she whispered to him silently, then looked up and smiled at Fawkes, who was regarding her solemnly, but not speaking at all.

Her question drew several minutes of intense discussion from them all. Neither Fawkes nor Macaire contributed at all, but Norri had the feeling that they were having a private dialogue of their own. She floated a little, doing her best to remain focused, but not wholly successful. No one said anything to her, or drew her attention back to their plans when she drifted away. They all seemed to understand the shock she must be dealing with.

The sound of a whistle drew Norri back to the present. Checking her watch, she realised there were only minutes left until the Quidditch game commenced. Immediately her thoughts flew to Ginny and Draco, resting on the latter. She smiled. He had hoped to spare her pain by not telling her exactly what he knew about Justin, and for that she was grateful. Right now, he would need the support of her friendship. Regardless of how many other things were happening, this Quidditch match -- and its outcomes -- were extremely important. In more ways than one.

Standing up, Norri quickly explained why she had to leave. Remus smiled at her understandingly, while Fred and George grinned in anticipation.

“Are you taking sides?” George asked her with interest.

“Don't need to,” she replied, smiling. “They both want Slytherin to win.”

At this, the twins started laughing.

“Mum and Dad are going to die at the concept of having a Malfoy in the family,” Fred chuckled, and then turned to explain what he meant to an extremely confused Sirius.

“I don't think it's that serious just yet!” Norri protested, but laughed along with them. “Anyway, I think I need to go and be the supportive friend for both of them. Maybe we can conclude this after the match?”

They all nodded, and rose, Fred and George both rubbing their hands together in anticipation.

“Quidditch Match, Gryffindor versus Slytherin, Ginny versus Draco -- here we come!”