He felt like a bad brother, expecting gloom that way; he knew he should be happy for Draco. Over the moon with it, really, because the way Draco was speaking to the cashier was proof that the Slytherin boy really was changing for the better. Earlier that summer, he'd treated a clerk in the men's clothing shop like absolute rubbish; it had been clear as day that Draco thought the man was no more worthy of courtesy than a slug. But now, he was being perfectly polite, not a trace of sarcasm about him.
True, he did look like the effort was some kind of strain. But he was making the effort; surely that was what counted? He was being pleasant to a Muggle. What better demonstration could there be, that dating Rhiannon was good for him?
Unfortunately, all that line of thought did was depress Harry further. It proved how important Rhiannon must be to Draco, didn't it? And that just led Harry back to his first worry: that when this didn't work out, since it obviously wasn't going to, Draco was going to be devastated.
Harry sighed inwardly, but managed to say nothing about his dire thoughts. It wasn't right for him to rain on Draco's parade.
For some reason, though, he couldn't seem to push the subject from his thoughts. Well, not until they were back at the cottage, sitting at the table to eat, and Snape began to talk about his meeting with Lupin.
"He's looking well, Harry. He appears to be holding up tolerably under the pressures that a full-time impersonation must impose."
"He's looking well?" Harry felt his eyes narrowing. "I thought you said he was going to be looking like Lucius the whole time."
"He was. I meant that he seemed in good spirits." Snape's nostrils flared. "And I don't appreciate the implication that I'm lying to you."
Harry flushed. "Well, it's just that you made it kind of hard for him to visit me last year. For months at a stretch."
"I was angry with him. You know the reasons for that perfectly well." Snape looked away, his features tense, and spoke in a grudging voice. "However, Lupin is more worthy of respect than I had believed. I would prefer you not visit with him when he is obliged to wear Lucius' body, but other than that, I have no real objection, any longer."
"So, the next time he pops by for potion or something, I can see him?"
Snape gave a curt nod. "As long as he is himself, yes."
"As laudable as Harry's great affection for werewolves is," drawled Draco, "I'm still waiting for some actual news. Is there any?"
Snape turned to look at Draco, who hadn't even started eating yet. "Nothing of great note, though Lupin did mention that Narcissa has seemed tense since shortly after he took up residence in Malfoy Manor."
"Tense?" Draco's brow wrinkled. "I wonder if she suspects."
"Lupin's impersonation cannot be absolutely perfect," said Snape, shrugging. "Hence the fiction that Lucius had been attacked and was not quite himself, afterwards. That alone would be enough to cause your mother some concern. Though I don't know that it explains the physical symptoms Lupin mentioned."
"Physical symptoms?" Draco curled his upper lip. "They'd better not involve claws and fur--"
"Stomach upset," interrupted Snape. "But nothing extreme, it appears. Lupin only knew about it because he spied a bottle of potion on your mother's night table."
"And what was he doing in my mother's bedroom, I'd like to know!"
"I didn't ask."
"Well, next time you see him, be sure you do!"
Snape shook his head. "I'll do no such thing, Draco."
Draco actually sputtered at that. "But what if he-- what if they--"
"He isn't and they aren't."
"How do you know that, unless you ask, preferably after you've dosed his tea with truth serum?"
Harry thought the suggestion was horrid, absolutely horrid, but Snape apparently found it amusing. His lips twitched, just a little, before his expression took on what seemed to be a carefully solemn look. "I know it because I know Lupin, and that's all I'm prepared to say on the matter."
"Yeah, well if I find out later that he'd laid one paw on her, I'll--"
"Be careful what you say," interrupted Snape, a little harshly. "When you apply for an Auror's apprenticeship, they may interview you under truth serum, and ask if you've ever threatened murder and meant it."
"Well, that pretty much blasts my career plans then, since I think I've done it about a thousand times!"
Snape's voice went silky. "Ah, but they'll restrict their queries to your behaviour since you became an adult. You've haven't just acquired new privileges, Draco. There are responsibilities to consider, as well."
"Oh." Draco didn't speak for a few moments, until his voice was calmer, even if it was still rather dark. "Let's just say, then, that if I find out Lupin's been messing about with my mother, I'll be very, very displeased."
Personally, Harry thought Draco's worry about that was ridiculous. Yes, Narcissa Malfoy was stunningly beautiful, but that was only on the outside. Inside, she was a horrible, ugly person, and that was why Remus had said that for all she was attractive, she couldn't possibly attract him.
Oh yeah, thought Harry. No way would Remus want to get involved with the likes of Narcissa Malfoy.
He thought better than to explain all that to Draco, however.
"So, any other news?" asked Draco, his tone a lot more normal, by then.
Snape's own voice went dry. "Lupin believes your mother is doing an insane amount of shopping."
"Oh, she likes to buy things. Nothing strange in that."
"Is it also her practice to take extended trips to the Continent? Alone?"
Draco shrugged. "Sometimes. She prefers French wizard designers to the ones here. And she's got some distant cousins she visits."
"That appears to be in order, then. Lupin and I did wonder if it might mean that she'd realised she was living with an impostor."
"Well, it might," said Harry, alarmed. "And she could betray Remus to Voldemort--"
"Use what passes for your brain," snapped Draco. "She's been living with him for quite some time! She'd never go to the Dark Lord with information like that. He'd blame her for not reporting it sooner!"
"She didn't know!"
"She should have known."
"That would indeed be Voldemort's opinion of the matter," said Snape quietly. "And Narcissa would know that. She's implicated in whatever Lupin does, Harry. Moreover, we have no reason to believe she suspects, not now that we know she periodically takes trips similar to the one she's now proposing."
"Yeah, all right," said Harry, sighing. He just didn't trust Narcissa Malfoy, and felt terrible that Lupin's life could be hanging on her . . . well, not good will, certainly. On her desire to protect herself, maybe.
On her Slytherinness.
Well, Harry did think she was a Slytherin straight through, so if Remus' safety depended on that, he'd probably come through all right.
"So, any word of Voldemort, then?" asked Harry, bracing himself.
Snape merely shrugged. "He's recovered from his mad scheme of having his bone marrow extracted the way you did. The procedure made him ill for a time, but it didn't enhance his magic as he'd wished. He remains baffled as to why you were able to eject him so forcefully from your mind, last year. Lupin reports that he seems in a rather insular mood. He rarely calls him and then, most often sits for hours without sharing his thoughts."
"How does Voldemort call Remus at all?" asked Harry. "Even if your enhanced Polyjuice made Remus end up with Lucius' Dark Mark, it wouldn't really be active, would it?"
"No, it wouldn't."
Draco made a huffing noise. "Oh, honestly. You need it all explained, Harry? The stasis potion, the vat of Dark Marks? Severus has quite a collection by now. Good thing, too. This kind of forgery magic has to be renewed every now and again."