Put on the spot like that, Harry struggled to come up with something, anything, he could say. "Yeah, he was a really good prefect," Harry finally managed, feeling pretty guilty by then that he couldn't remember much else to commend Percy for. Saying that he'd been the world's biggest prat was hardly appropriate. And . . . well, even though he had been a right pain, particularly during fifth year, he'd probably thought he was doing the right thing. Of course, he'd been pretty snooty about it. Harry still fumed when he thought of Percy, so sanctimonious as he took notes during Harry's trial. And he'd been just beastly as the year wound on, advising Ron to ditch Harry, coming to Hogwarts to help arrest Harry . . .
Harry sighed, feeling even worse than before. The longer he tried to find something good to say about Percy, the more bad things he remembered. "Er . . . well . . . oh, yeah. When I was a first-year and feeling lost in the castle, Percy led us to Gryffindor Tower after the Welcoming Feast."
Charlie brightened, clearly wanting more, so Harry racked his brain. "Uh . . . yeah, I can still remember the way he would say, 'Come on, now. Hurry up!' when I was gawking at the moving portraits . . ."
"That sounds like Percy, all right. He was so proud of being made Head Boy," said Charlie, fondness overwhelming his voice. After that, though, he sighed. "Maybe at the funeral, you can talk to Ron, Harry. He's breaking Mum's heart, still going on about how Percy did this to himself, putting work above family. There's no point saying so, not now. And not in front of Mum."
"Yeah, I'll give it a try," said Harry, frowning. He didn't have any idea what to say to Ron. "He can be stubborn, though, so I can't guarantee anything. Er . . . is the funeral set, then?"
"Tuesday at the Burrow. At noon." Charlie grimaced. "More of a memorial service, really. Considering."
When Harry thought back to Pansy's funeral, he thought he understood what Charlie meant. Without a body, some of those funeral customs wouldn't be possible. Harry gulped as it came to him that that might make things even more awful for the Weasleys. They'd loved Percy, after all, and the way it had all happened, they wouldn't ever get to feel like they'd said good-bye. They'd always feel like . . . like Percy's death wasn't real, or at least, not as real and final as death was supposed to be.
An old spasm of missing Sirius clenched in his gut, and made Harry determined to do what he could for Ron. "I'll be there." Then another thought struck him. Being seventeen didn't mean he was making all his own decisions. Draco hadn't been allowed to go and see Rhiannon, and Harry could easily see Snape deciding something similar about the funeral. "Um, if I can, that is. After what happened to the Ministry, my dad's pretty paranoid about our safety."
"Well, he should be." Charlie gave him nod of approval. "We're all glad you've got him looking out for you, Harry. I don't suppose we can mind him doing just that."
Harry understood all that, but the prospect of missing the funeral still rankled. "Yeah . . . well, I guess it doesn't matter that the Apparition Test Centre was destroyed, since I won't be going anywhere, anyway--"
"In point of fact, I will arrange for you and your brother to be tested at Hogwarts," said a cool voice behind him.
"Oh." Harry tried to hide his embarrassment as he turned around. It wasn't too hard, since he straight away started wondering about the wards preventing Apparition at school. Well, Snape must plan to arrange something about that, too. "Thanks. I just meant . . . oh, hell. Not sure what I meant, actually."
"Don't worry about it." Snape looked past Harry. "Mr Weasley. I regret I didn't have more time to speak with you at the party last night. I was going to inquire about your work at the dragon preserve."
Charlie gave a weak smile, one that said he was trying his best to look jolly. "You were going to ask if I could owl you more of those Welsh Green scales, you mean."
Snape's lips twitched. "That might have been mentioned, yes."
"I'll see what I can do, Professor. And I'll see you both at the funeral?"
"You'll see all three of us, if I can satisfy myself as to the security arrangements."
Charlie flushed. "Of course. I didn't mean to leave Draco out. I don't expect you'd want to leave him alone at a time like this."
"Indeed not." Snape glanced about, then settled his gaze on Harry. "Where is your brother?"
"He wanted to talk to Remus. Three guesses about what."
"Hmm. It's time we returned home."
"All right," said Harry, giving Charlie a little wave. "See you later, then."
They found Draco in a hallway near the rear of the house. Remus was with him, but leaning heavily against the wall. He looked even shakier than before.
"Not once?" Draco was asking as Harry and Snape drew near. "You haven't heard from her once since she went to visit her relatives in France?"
"It's only been a few weeks," answered Remus in a patient voice that meant, most likely, that he'd already answered that several times. "I'm sure she's fine, Draco."
"Fine!" Draco hissed through his teeth. "How would you know, if you haven't heard from her? And don't you think it's a bit suspicious, her leaving her husband so soon after he was 'hexed from behind'? What if the Death Eaters start to wonder over it? What if they think she's left the fold? They'll hunt her down!"
"Would you like me to summon her back? That would mean she'd be living with a werewolf, again."
"Well, there is that . . ."
Snape abruptly cleared his throat. "Lupin, I'm positive that when Albus told you to get some rest, he in fact intended you to actually do it!"
"I couldn't leave without speaking to Draco."
"Of course you could have."
Draco ground his teeth together.
Snape ignored that. "Get yourself back in character and take the secured Floo route back to Malfoy Manor, where you belong. I'm sure Draco would be the first to agree."
"You should go, yes," said Draco, biting his lip like he'd realised how selfish he'd been. Or maybe he hadn't, considering his next words. "You look awful, and one slip-up could mean my mother's death, so you'd better get back in top form."
"There's more at stake here than your mother," snapped Snape.
"Severus, he's only seventeen."
Snape turned a glacial glare on Remus. "When I need your assistance to raise my sons, you can be certain I'll ask for it. Now, I do believe we'll be leaving. Neither one of my sons needs to see you looking that part of Lucius Malfoy."
Harry was about to protest that he could handle it, when he realised that he'd better not. Snape didn't like to be contradicted in front of Remus. And besides . . . Harry didn't want to see Lucius Malfoy in the flesh, ever again. He didn't even want to see the statue at Hogwarts.
Thankfully, he wouldn't ever have to. When he went to the Owlery, he wasn't going to look down.
"'Bye, Remus," he said, stepping closer to give the man a brief hug. Remus looked startled, and then pleased, but the expression quickly died. Harry wasn't sure why, unless it had to do with that "Don't tell Harry" business that he and Snape had been discussing.
"Good-bye," said Draco politely. His voice wasn't warm, but at least it wasn't chilled, either.
Snape didn't bid Remus good-bye at all, but Harry figured that was just for show. That be well from earlier really said it all, didn't it? Snape didn't hold Remus in as much contempt as he used to.
For some reason, though, he didn't want Harry to know that.