77

As they stood in the sunshine, Sirius looked towards the house and saw two figures walking out towards them. Seeing one of them warmed his heart. The sight of the other walking casually, one hand in his pocket and very much at ease in his domain, drove a knife through that heart. What pained him more was that he was walking next to his beloved Goddaughter.

"What is he doing here?" he growled fiercely, his hand automatically reaching for his wand.

"He's here because she fought for him to be here." Harry warned, grabbing Sirius' arm before he made an aggressive move.

"I don't care," he hissed, "I cannot bear the sight of him."

"She is happy!" Harry implored. "Can't you see it?"

"I care not. No Goddaughter of mine should be associating with him, no matter how she feels."

"It might be prudent," Lupin interjected calmly, "to give her the benefit of the doubt." He placed a cautioning hand on Sirius' shoulder.

"You should." Harry agreed. "Just sit with him, listen to him, and then make your decision."

"There is nothing he can say that will ever change the way I see him."

"Sirius," Harry implored, "Hermione has sat with him and even she finds him far from what she expected. Of all of us, she is the one with most cause to hate the man, yet he has been welcoming, friendly even. It is too early to say that he has changed, but for Kathryn's sake we need to give him a chance."

"And what if I cannot?"

"Then she will never forgive us, and she will never come back." Sirius merely nodded in reply, relaxing his stance and pushing his wand back into his pocket.

Harry turned his eyes, along with the rest of them, to the pair that were now approaching. He could not deny that the Lucius Malfoy he saw before him was nothing like the one he had ever encountered before. He looked at ease, happy even. There was no trace of the contempt, the arrogance which he had normally displayed in the past. Her right hand was held lightly in his left, not in a possessive way, but just like he would hold Ginny's hand. Every time he glanced at her, he appeared mystified.

She too looked content, and Harry knew her to be so. Hermione was right in her assessment. They had hoped, in the early days at least, that this would turn out to be a mere infatuation, something of which she would soon tire once the excitement and the risk wore off. What they saw each day only further served to destroy their optimism. Her smile was always genuine and, despite all that had gone on and all that she had hidden, Harry could not help but be happy that his sister had found someone who cared for her so much.

"Sorry to abandon you." She smiled. "I hope you're hungry!"

"You really shouldn't have gone to all this trouble dear." Mrs Weasley fretted instantly, looking at the impeccably set table with its pristine china, sparking glasses and lines of gleaming silver cutlery.

"It's no problem." Kathryn shrugged as they made their way to the table. "I like the company." Mrs. Weasley merely smiled in reply, privately reminding herself that Kathryn had a phalanx of House Elves at her disposal that could be tasked to the organisation of such an immaculate dinner table.

She and Lucius both waited until everyone else was seated before they took their places. Kathryn noted that Sirius had placed himself on Lucius' right and she hoped that he would at least be civil.

"Please say Sirius is going to be polite." She whispered to Harry as she sat down.

"I talked to him and, as far as I could get him to promise, I think he is going to give him a chance." Harry explained.

"Well, at least Severus is there in case it gets ugly." She said with a cautious smile as their first course arrived. Harry passed no comment that she was now on first name terms with their former Potions professor.

"So," Harry began as she tucked into the bruschetta and roasted Mediterranean vegetables that had been served as the first course, "do you have any idea how things are going to progress on Monday?"

"No idea." She took a sip of wine. "I assume that Fudge is going to call on other people in order to throw my character into further disrepute."

"Surely he shouldn't be trying to steer the trial towards a guilty verdict?" Ginny asked. "That would totally negate the point of a trial in the first place."

"Indeed, yet I believe that the public have already made their judgement. The arrival of the Wizengamot at that same verdict will not be met with opposition, no matter how that decision is reached."

"Members of the Wizengamot are not bound to follow Fudge's lead; they are at liberty to make their own decisions." Mr Weasley offered from the middle of the table.

"If I could be permitted to disagree, Arthur, if indeed I may address you as such." Lucius entered the conversation for the first time, treading very carefully when addressing a man with whom he had once descended to fisticuffs in Flourish and Blott's.

"Be my guest." Mr Weasley nodded, apparently deciding to let bygones be bygones. Indeed, he looked stunned at being spoken to in such a polite fashion by the blond wizard.

"The other members of the Wizengamot are not as free as you think. True, they hold their own opinions, but voting the opposite way to our dear Minister," his voice was dripping with malice as he referred to Fudge, "in this matter could have severe ramifications. We all know Fudge is paranoid and I wouldn't put it past him to see a vote in my favour as a general support for Death Eaters. In the current climate, the mere suspicion of Fudge could land you in Azkaban."

"He could never get away with locking people up without proof." Hermione argued. "The public wouldn't allow it."

"The Dark Lord had infiltrated the Ministry in many ways." Lucius pointed out.

"You being one of them." Sirius remarked glibly.

"Touché." Lucius conceded. "As far as I am aware, they have not all been discovered. They did not carry the Dark Mark so anyone could be accused."

"But surely the effects of the Imperius curse would be evident?" Hermione pointed out.

"What makes you think they were all under the influence of dark curses?" he countered, eliciting a nod of agreement from several people.

"Besides, Dumbledore visited us this morning and we spoke about many things, one of those being Fudge's sudden resemblance to Barty Crouch." Kathryn informed them. "He wants quick trials with severe verdicts. The public are desperate to see someone punished."

"How wonderful that it is towards my Goddaughter that they direct their anger." Sirius' voice was, again, dripping with hatred for the man sat to his right. Lucius did not rise to the challenge, instead gazing intently at Kathryn and raising an eyebrow.

"They wish to punish me for a choice I made." Her voice was calm yet stern. "I understood the ramifications of my decision and I accept the present circumstances. I am not ashamed of what has happened, nor do I intend to have shame and disgrace forced upon me."

"An admirable attitude." Lupin commented.

"Thank you," Kathryn gave him a warm smile, "however I think your belief is not shared by many." Her smile faded as she finished, their empty plates being removed and replaced with the main course of char grilled swordfish.

"I must say," Mrs Weasley said after a few moments of silence, "that you do indeed lay a fine table for your guests."

"My thanks, madam," Lucius smiled graciously, "but it is as fine a table as I'm sure you would provide." Mrs Weasley looked momentarily shocked at receiving such a compliment.

"I'm not sure that I could boast to such fine fare as this." Molly blushed fiercely.

"Nonsense." He waved aside such an idea. "I have been told on more then one occasion of your prodigious skill in the kitchen." Mrs. Weasley's blush deepened still.

"Mrs. Weasley's kitchen was always the first port of call after a week or two of forced starvation by our Aunt and Uncle." Harry added, remembering all too well the horrendous food Aunt Petunia had forced upon him. When they were still unable to use magic out of school, the weeks they spent in Little Whinging had been painful at best.

"Speaking of which," Kathryn interjected, "have you been in touch with them at all?"

"No, I don't know what to do really."

"Uncle Vernon probably doesn't care if we're alive or dead."

"Surely they will be glad to see you alive?" Mr. Weasley suggested. He had always been ready to believe that the Dursleys did have some feelings for their niece and nephew.

"Not likely," Kathryn scoffed, "Uncle Vernon would be disappointed that we weren't at least horrifically injured."

"What about your Aunt?" Snape asked curiously.

"I suppose she might actually care more." Kathryn shrugged, twirling her fork in her hand. "She never really said anything, but I think she understood."

"Understood?" Lucius raised an eyebrow at her, naturally dubious after what he had heard about her relatives. "How could they ever understand?"

"Just because they're Muggles doesn't mean that they could not comprehend the danger." Sirius immediately shot in, eager to capitalise on this apparent jibe against Muggles and Muggle-borns.

"Sirius!" Kathryn glared at her Godfather.

"What?" Sirius exclaimed, throwing up his arms. "I said that I would listen to him and I believe I've heard enough."

"Actually," Lucius interrupted calmly, "if I had been permitted to finish, I only said that because I have heard first hand how poorly your godchildren were treated by their Muggle relatives." Sirius did not reply, instead just glaring at Lucius, apparently disappointed with his lack of moral victory.

"When I said that she might understand, it's because she heard of Voldemort from our mother." Kathryn explained, beginning where the conversation had left off. "She spoke of him often when she was home from school, and then she heard more when our mother and father were fighting. No matter what she thought of our world, she knew that the man who killed her sister was now after her sister's children."

"Maybe we should pop by and say hello?" Harry shrugged as the house elves appeared to remove their empty plates.

"And give Uncle Vernon his heart attack?" Kathryn pulled a cautious face.

"Zey are curious, your Aunt and Oncle." Fleur commented. "Not wishing to care for children that are their family."

"Curious is one word." Sirius pitched in, apparently willing to speak again. "Personally I favour downright mad."

"I've never met them and I think they sound scary." Bill commented between mouthfuls of fish. "Stuff of wizarding nightmares really."

"I suppose you could turn it into a fairy tale." Ron suggested with a laugh. "Beware little children, if you're naughty the Dursleys will come and take you away!" several people at the table laughed at this remark.

"Well, they haven't ever behaved in any way that had endeared me to them." Harry shrugged. "It's probably a good thing Dumbledore separated us though. I'm no sure if two would have fit in the cupboard."

"It would have been a bit of a squash!" Kathryn laughed. Lucius, however, looked stunned.

"What do you mean by cupboard?" he asked curiously.

"My Aunt and Uncle made me live in the cupboard under the stairs," Harry explained patiently, "at least, until I got my Hogwarts letter."

"You lived in a cupboard?"

"I'd say I was more kept in a cupboard," Harry shrugged as their desserts were set in front of them, "it's not like I had any kind of life until I came to Hogwarts."

"I know that I shouldn't be one to pass judgement, considering the things I stand accused of, but that is actually barbaric." Much to Kathryn's relief, no one decided to pass comment on that fact.

Indeed, dessert passed without incident, the lemon posset apparently enough to reduce everyone to silence. In this quiet, she took the time to notice that Lucius did not once cast en eye in Fleur's direction, despite all the alluring capability of her Veela heritage. The only serious looks he gave to anyone were directed right to the opposite end of the table, right at her. Her heart soared, but she was careful not to look too pleased with herself.

"You know," George drawled, leaning back in his chair once he was finished, "the House Elves of Hogwarts always held a special place in my heart for providing the best food after Mum's kitchen. After that I might have to demote them to second place."

"Hear hear!" Fred agreed readily with his twin.

"I will pass on your compliments." Lucius nodded graciously.

"I think they're happy to have the mouths to feed." Kathryn added with a smile. "Usually it's just me and the occasional guest. For the moment I feel their talents are wasted."

"They do not feel so." Lucius assured her.

"How can you possibly know how they feel?" Hermione asked quite plainly, fixing him with a piercing stare. She remembered all too well his treatment of Dobby in second year, and she had seen him kick two of them when Fudge had seen fit to call off the Dementors. "I have seen how you treat them and it is cruel."

"You have only seen me treating them so when I have been extremely angry." He explained carefully. "On the occasion to which you refer, cruel though my actions may have been, I did not think it prudent to resort to fisticuffs with Fudge when there were two Aurors outside. Had I been in possession of a wand, I assure, what you saw would have been very different."

"Oh."

"I will not deny that I have treated my House Elves with cruelty, it is how I was brought up to behave." Again, he astonished the table with his frankness. "Over these past couple of years, however, I have seen how they respond when treated with respect and gratitude."

It was an unspoken agreement around the table that this was due to Kathryn's presence. Nothing was said and they allowed Lucius to continue with his explanation.

"I cannot deny that I was wrong. All of my House Elves live in comfort and are treated kindly. They serve their Master, and Mistress," he inclined his head ever so slightly towards Kathryn, "willingly and without fear."

"Oh, well, that's very good." Hermione, ever the staunch defender of House Elves rights, was quite surprised by such a declaration.

"Of course, certain appearances had to be maintained, but other than that I have sought to change the behaviours for which I was so criticised."

"So where do you stand on Hermione's presence at your table?" Sirius jumped on that declaration, seeking to tests its merit.

"Is there any answer that I could give with which you would not find fault?" Lucius asked in return.

"I don't think there is." Without another word, Sirius stood and headed back towards the house. At the opposite end of the table Kathryn sighed and watched as her Godfather walked away, her chin resting on her palm and her eyes troubled.

"Just out of curiosity," Lupin spoke calmly, "how would you answer that question?"

"I am glad that she can bring herself to sit at the same table." Lucius finally said after several moments of deliberation. "She is most welcome here, as are you all."

"See," Kathryn said quietly, getting to her feet, "I would not fight so hard if it was not worth it. Excuse me." With that, she left the table and set off behind Sirius.