Megan Potter - A Saga of the Heart - Book 6 - Dark Temptation-

Chapter 41 - Fenrir Greyback

Megan didn't have a chance to speak to Mr Weasley, who was working very long hours at the Ministry, until Christmas Eve. She, Harry, Ginny, the twins and Ron had decorated the tree with all sorts of tinsel, pine cones, baubles and a glass angel on the top. Megan was once again called upon to supply the music. And this time, Cedric joined her. When they finished, Mrs Weasley played records of her favourite singer, Celestina Warbeck. Fleur, who tended to think she was rather dull, kept whispering in a not so discreet manner. Ron was glancing from her and Bill in the armchair to Megan and Cedric, who sat against the sofa on the floor, shoulder to shoulder. Megan wondered if he was trying to pick up tips. She then glanced at Lupin, who was staring absently into the fire.

"Remember when we danced to this when we were eighteen?" Molly was saying.

"Yes, Molly," Arthur said as he pealed a potato before turning to Megan. "Sorry about this, it'll be over soon."

"That's okay," Megan smiled. "You look exhausted, has it been very busy at the Ministry?"

"Yes..." he sighed. "I wouldn't mind, if were at least getting somewhere. Out of the three people we've arrested, one I doubt is a Death Eater. But don't repeat it, Megan."

"No problem... but they're not still holding Stan Shunpike, are they?"

"They are, I'm afraid. Dumbledore's tried appealing directly to Scrimgeour about him. I mean, anyone who's interviewed him can tell he's as much a Death Eater as this potato, but the top levels want to look like they're making progress."

"Yeah, "three arrests" sounds better than "three mistaken arrests and releases..." Cedric said.

"But again, this is top secret, guys." Arthur said.

"I won't tell anyone," Megan said.

"Mr Weasley, d'you remember what we told you at the station in September?"

"I checked, Harry, I immediately organised a search of Lucius Malfoy's house and nothing, broken or otherwise, was there that shouldn't have been."

"I know, we saw it in the Prophet," Harry said. "But there's something different... well, more."

He told Mr Weasley about what Snape and Malfoy had said to each other. Lupin was looking in their direction.

"Has it never occurred to you th-"

"That he was only pretending," Harry finished. "Yeah, we thought about that, eh Megan?"

"Don't you drag me into this," Megan said. "Yes, Malfoy's up to something, but nothing tells us it's got anything to do with Voldemort."

"How do we know Snape was pretending?"

"It's not our business to," Lupin said calmly.

Megan was a little surprised, but Harry was downright shocked.

"What do you mean, not our business?!"

"It's Dumbledore's. He trusts Severus, and that ought to be enough for everyone else."

"Well, yes, but what if he's wrong?" Harry insisted.

"You are not the first to think Dumbledore is mistaken. But it comes down to whether you trust Dumbledore's judgement," Lupin said. "Which I do, and therefore I trust Severus."

"Megan told us he says himself he's only human and prone to mistakes..."

Harry looked at Lupin.

"And you don't really like Snape, do you?"

"I neither like nor dislike him."

Harry looked sceptical.

"No, he's right." Megan said. "Snape never had for Lupin the same resentment he had for my dad or Sirius, even if he hates him as well. And he did make the Wolfsbane potion for him when he was teaching at Hogwarts, remember?"