Monkey nearly lost the two necromancers when they ditched the van and planned to take to the sky, but at the last minute Goyle changed his mind, recalling that the Shifter had instructed them not to fly so near the hideout, it might cause comment. So they simply picked up their brooms, shrank them to fit inside a pocket, and Devlin carried the immobilized Gavin over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

Helpless and unable to move, his heart aching from that most bitter betrayal from those he'd counted his friends, Gavin soon sought solace in sleep on the ride to the hideout. When Devlin picked him up, he remained asleep, and thus missed the fact that the necromancers were traveling through a mostly unused portion of the sewer complex.

Monkey, who was trailing them cautiously, using every ounce of stealth gained from five years on the streets, recognized this was a part of Undercity, but she was unfamiliar with this particular part of the vast maze of tunnels and rooms. It did not belong to any of the gangs she knew, but this didn't bother her. In unclaimed territory she had no fear of being jumped by a rival gang member. Her greatest concern now was keeping up with the two men and not being spotted by them.

Not that it was such a hard thing to hide down here. She was small and quick and the shadows were her home, like any Raven. Her heart burned at Slick's betrayal of Wolf, who did not deserve to be treated like a parcel of goods to be sold to the highest fence at auction. Wolf had proved his loyalty anew when he'd brought the medicine to Smoke, at least as far as Monkey was concerned. Slick was a fool and a money grubber, she thought angrily. Whatever those men had paid him to sell out Wolf he'd planned to keep to himself, not split it with the rest of the gang the way he should've. To Monkey's mind, that was as bad as what he'd done with Wolf. Ravens were supposed to stick together and share whatever they took with each other. That had been an unwritten rule ever since she'd joined them five years ago, and she saw no reason why it ought to change. Something would have to be done about Slick, the scummy traitor. But she'd worry about that later. Right now she needed to follow quick and quiet and see if she could somehow spring her brother from this prison. Whoever these guys were, slavers or drug dealers or whatever, she could not leave Wolf to their mercy, for she sensed instinctively they had none.

* * * * * *

Gavin awoke to find himself hanging face down over a muscled shoulder. He wrinkled his nose, for the man clearly hadn't used a shower in some time. The spell they'd cast on him was wearing off, he could feel an unpleasant tingling in his legs and arms that signaled returning circulation. He was familiar with that sensation, from the times when Ferrous had tied him up in the cellar, in the dark with the spiders and rats. He managed to lift his gaze from the green wool covered back and dart a quick glance about.

He saw gray brick and concrete and the familiar stench of mold and sewage hit his nostrils, telling him beyond the shadow of a doubt that he was down below street level, in the sewers of Undercity. He grimaced, for he hated being underground, hated being inside enclosed spaces like this. He craved light and space, not this endless dripping moldy rock and dimly lit bulbs spaced way too far apart for decent illumination. He felt as if he were inside a tomb, and a shiver of fear went through him. Memories of being locked in a dank dark cellar with nothing save the whispers of rats to keep him company stole through his mind, taunting him relentlessly.

To keep from crying, he wriggled and tried to sit up, testing his captor's grip. Then too, bouncing up and down over the brute's shoulder was making him feel sick.

"Keep still, you!" Devlin ordered when he felt the child move. He accompanied the order with a sharp smack to Gavin's behind.

Gavin froze at the blow, but if the necromancer thought him cowed, he was very much mistaken. The smack had stung, but he'd endured a hell of a lot worse. "Where are you taking me?"

"That's for me to know, kid. You'll find out soon enough and wish you didn't," Devlin said nastily.

Gavin coughed. "Ooo, now I'm really scared," the boy sneered. "What d'you need with me, you big moose? Don't you got a girlfriend?"

"That ain't none of your business," Devlin growled, flushing. "Now shut up!"

Gavin was quiet for a few more minutes, thinking up some new insults. He decided the best defense against the creeping fear was to focus on something else, and the nearest distraction was Devlin and his buddy Goyle.

Goyle shuffled along next to Devlin, reminding Gavin of a stupid version of the Hulk. "Hey, mister. Is Goyle short for Gargoyle? ‘Cause you look like you're related one."

"Watch your mouth, kid," Goyle barked.

"Kind of hard to do that when I can't see anything but his ass over here. No wonder he ain't got a girlfriend."

"Listen, kid-" Devlin began, but Gavin interrupted him.

"Listen to what? Your fat mouth? I'd get more sense out of a cow. And the cow'd smell better too."

Devlin smacked him again and growled, "Better button it kid, before I lose my temper."

"Lay off him, Devlin," Goyle ordered. "The boss said he wasn't to be damaged."

"Then tell him to knock off the smart comments."

"What's the matter, Devildog?" Gavin piped up after a moment. "Did I hurt your feelings, you big baby? It wasn't my fault your mom couldn't tell the difference between a man and a gorilla."

Devlin ground his teeth, struggling against the urge to pound the brat into next week.

A smothered snicker came from Goyle. "He's Snape's kid, all right. Got a snarky mouth just like his old man."

"Yeah, I've got the smartest mouth in America," Gavin told him, repeating a phrase Severus had once used to describe him. Then he added, "And you better pray my dad doesn't catch up to you, or he'll skin you and hang you out to dry."

"Ha! I ain't scared of that old cripple!" sneered Goyle.

Gavin bristled. "My dad's no cripple, he's a better wizard than you ever dreamed and when he comes here he'll kick all your asses right back to Inferno. Or maybe hell, if he's feeling nice."

Devlin looked uneasy at that and snapped, "Keep dreaming, kid. Maybe someday your fantasy'll come true. Until then, you're a guest of the Shifter."

"Who's he, your idiot older brother?"

"Nope. He's your worst nightmare." Goyle answered. "He's been waiting a long time for you, kid. He wants revenge on his old Potions Master real bad. And you're the bait."

They were walking down a long tunnel and their boots scraped across the sludge covered concrete. Gavin could see numerous side passages and larger openings that were sparsely lit. Some were covered with rusty grates and others had narrow doors. The boy tried desperately to memorize some of the layout of the place, but it was nearly hopeless. Everything looked the same, there were no distinguishing landmarks.

They halted at a large red door with a sign that read EXIT ONLY. The door creaked loudly when Goyle turned the handle and shoved it open. A blast of warm air hit them like a welcome caress. Goyle turned to Devlin. "I'll go and tell the boss our mission was a success. You can put him in the room with the other one."

"Should I tie the little snot?" asked Devlin, his tone suggesting he'd enjoy doing that very much.

"Nah. Then we'd only have to untie him every few hours. ‘Sides there's no way outta that room, not with the wards up."

"Whatever," Devlin did not look happy. He began to walk across the room, which from what little Gavin could see, was apparently a sort of living area. It had a rather nice couch and two recliners and a soft green throw rug. Lamps hanging from the ceiling lit up the room bright as day.

"Nice place you've got down here, Devildog. Who'd you off to get the goods? Some rich old lady and her poodle?"

"That'll be enough of your mouth, kid," warned Devlin, giving the boy another smack. "You're really starting to get on my nerves."

Gavin yelped involuntarily, he hadn't been prepared that time. He sniffled once, then whined, "You're not supposed to hit me, remember? Boy are you gonna get it. Your boss won't be happy when he finds out you've been hurting me." Then he lifted his voice in an ear-splitting shriek. "Owww! Don't hurt me, please!"

"Shut up, you lying little sneak!" shouted his captor, pulling the child off his shoulder and shaking him hard.

"Devlin!" came a loud stern voice from across the room. "Did I not tell you the boy wasn't to be harmed?"

"I didn't. . .he's faking it, sir!" sputtered the other man, shooting a ferocious glare at Gavin. "All I did was smack him a couple of times."

"Leave him alone, Devlin. I don't want him marked. Not yet," said the voice coldly.

"Sure, boss." He dragged Gavin through another door, slamming it behind him. Then he walked a few feet down a small hallway, pointed at a blue door that glowed, and muttered an unlocking charm. The glowing outline vanished and Devlin opened the door and propelled Gavin through it with a hard shove. "Get in there, you lying *%$##!"

"Wow, that's some big words there," Gavin shot back, turning around to glare at his captor defiantly. "Your mama teach you them?"

The big man took a step towards him, hand lifted. "Someday, kid, I'm gonna knock that tongue of yours down your throat."

"Bite me, ugly." Gavin sneered, backing away swiftly.

A muscle in Devlin's jaw twitched. "You won't be so tough once the Shifter gets done with you, brat. He'll have you on your knees crying for your daddy in two seconds."

"You wish. Just wait until Severus gets here. Then we'll see who goes crying to their daddy, jailbait! He'll make you wish your mama never slept with her dog, sure enough, devil spawn!"

Devlin's eyes glittered and suddenly Gavin was afraid he'd gone too far. "That does it, you little-!"

But before he could knock Gavin into next week, a red-haired woman, heavily pregnant, interposed herself between the ten-year-old and the furious Devlin. Her eyes were shooting sparks and she gave the startled Devlin a look that could have slain dragons. "Back off, Goliath! Why don't you pick on someone your own size, you bullying toerag?"

Devlin glared at her. "Mind your own business, you slut." He lifted his fist to hit Ginny.

"Coward!" Gavin yelled, wishing he was strong enough to slam Devlin a good one. "Only cowards hit women, scumbag!"

"Devlin! Get your arse in here!" commanded the Shifter.

Swearing furiously, Devlin stomped out the door, muttering about what he was going to do to both hostages when he was given permission. The door slammed and the glowing ward as reactivated.

Ginny sighed then turned to look at the child who was her new cellmate. "Are you totally cracked, taunting him like that? Do you have a death wish or something?"

Slowly, Gavin shook his head. "No. But when I'm scared my mouth runs away with me. And I really don't like him, he's an evil bastard."

"You can say that again." Ginny said, giving the boy a wry smile. "I'm Ginny Potter. What's your name?"

"Gavin Snape. You're Harry's wife, aren't you?"

"Yes." Ginny answered, gaping at the child. "Are you related to Severus Snape, by any chance?"

"Uh-huh. He's my dad. Well, he adopted me, but that still makes him my dad," Gavin said firmly. "He was your potions teacher too at school, right?"

"Yes. And also my Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher and Headmaster in my seventh year. Have you seen Harry? Is he okay? I've been so worried about him." She made her way slowly to a small folding chair next to a rickety table and sat down heavily. "Oof! These babies weigh more than a pair of elephants."

Gavin smiled slightly at that and came over to sit in the other chair next to her. "Harry's okay, he came over to my house to ask my dad to help him find you. He was really freaked out, Harry I mean, not my dad. I was home sick and I got to talk to him and he promised he'd never give up until he found you."

"That sounds like my Harry all right," Ginny said, then she sniffled and tears began to run down her cheeks. She lifted her hands to wipe them away. "Sorry. I cry at the drop of a hat these days." She was wearing a pretty white top with sunflowers on it and a pair of soft yellow maternity pants. Her feet were tucked into fuzzy bunny slippers, apparently she'd been sleeping when they'd kidnapped her.

"It's okay. I'd be bawling too if I was stuck with Ugly and Jackass in the same room for three days."

Ginny favored him with a lukewarm smile. She sniffed into a small handkerchief that had plainly seen better days. "I don't know what's the matter with me lately. I mean, I've faced worse than being locked up, I'm an Auror. But lately, all I want to do is bawl like a two-year-old. Maybe it's the babies."

"Yeah, that could be it," Gavin nodded sagely.

"Like you would know, Mr. Snape," Ginny teased, then reached out and ruffled his hair. "Are you all right? Those brutes didn't . . .hurt you or anything, did they? I heard you yelling out there."

"Nah. I was faking it," he reassured her. "That dumbass Devil Spawn did whack me a couple of times, but it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I was just trying to get him in trouble with the Shifter." He eyed her in concern. "Did they hurt you any, lady? Cause if they did, Harry's gonna go kamikaze on their ass and so will Sev." That's assuming he doesn't go kamikaze on mine first, the youngster thought with a wince.

"I'm fine, Gavin. So far the only thing the Shifter's done is threaten me with curses, he never actually cast anything on me. And he did feed me, he doesn't want me to starve, I guess." Her lip curled in a sneer. "I wish I had my wand, then I could get us out of here. Can you do magic yet, Gavin?"

"No." Gavin admitted reluctantly, feeling utterly useless. "Sev says that one day I'm gonna be able to use my magic, but right now, I can't do much with it. Except talk to animals and make things fly and break plates. Not much use, am I?"

"Hey, don't put yourself down like that. Your magic will wake up soon, and if Professor Snape says you'll be a strong magician, I'd believe him. He's rarely wrong about that kind of thing."

"He's rarely wrong about anything," Gavin said, rolling his eyes. "Hells bells, but he's gonna be ready to spit nails when he finds out what kind of mess I've gotten in now. I'll be lucky if he doesn't take my broom away forever and maybe spank me too."

"Has he ever?"

"Taken my broom away? Yeah, twice. When I got suspended for calling Mrs. Bayonne a stupid bitch and walking out of her class. She kept picking on me, saying I was causing all the trouble in her class and it was a lie, that was Casey Jones. The other time I got suspended was for punching the snot out of Tim Barnes, he kept calling me a thief and drug dealer and saying I smoked crack and shot old ladies. And he pushed little Courtney Winslow into a mud puddle. So I rearranged his teeth for him. And banged his head into the blacktop. Sev was not happy."

"I wouldn't think so. He doesn't like troublemakers. Has he ever spanked you?"

"No. But he could, if he ever got mad enough." Gavin sighed loudly. "Guess I'll worry about that later, when he comes to get me." He lowered his voice and whispered into Ginny's ear. "They are coming for us, you know. Harry swore he'd rescue you and Severus is helping him. Sev promised that if I ever needed him . . .he'd always come for me."

The conviction in his voice made Ginny ashamed, for she had doubted that she would ever be found. "But how will they find us? The Shifter Apparated, I think, when he took me, although I can't be certain, since he stunned me first."

"Sev will know how to find us. He's the Director of the DHI, he can find any criminal ever born, no matter where they hide. And we're in Manhattan, and so are all the Dark Hunters who aren't on assignment. Sev can send them out to look too."

Slowly, Ginny nodded. "You're right. I was being an idiot, thinking all was lost. Nobody messes with Harry Potter's wife."

"Or Severus Snape's son." Gavin added, and grinned at her.

Ginny laughed and reached out and hugged the dark-haired boy. "That's for sure, kid. You make me feel so much better."

Gavin smiled and allowed her to hold him. Though he'd rather die than admit it, being held made him feel better too. He'd never had much of that kind of thing growing up and he never realized what he'd been missing until he had been adopted by Severus and his family, who made it a point to hug each other a lot. He was scared as well, though he knew better than to say so aloud and ruin the first happy moment Ginny must be feeling in days.

So instead he hugged her back and wished with all of his heart that Scout would find Severus and Harry and lead them here. If I ever get out of here, I promise I'll never disobey Severus again and I'll be one of those model children that are made up in books and all that. Really, Lord. Just make my dad find me and I'll try my best to keep my promise, even if it takes me the rest of my life.

His heart was still sick over Slick's betrayal. How could the other boy have done that to him? Was Smoke in on it too? Or had this all been Slick's idea? He recalled Monkey's stricken face just before Devlin had carted him away, and remembered her saying she had nothing to do with Slick's plan to turn him over to the Shifter's goons. Somehow he didn't doubt she was sincere. Monkey might be a street brat, but she had a code of honor and she wouldn't ever sell out a friend.

Then again, that's what he'd assumed about Slick as well.

Bitterness and anger scorched him and suddenly he was lethally angry, so furious he feared he'd explode. Miserable doublecrossing bastard son of a slut! How could he betray me that way? Me, who came back to help my friend? Why? Over a few bucks?

He withdrew from Ginny's arms, not wanting to let her see how close he was to losing it. He began to pace, walking from one end of the rather large room, which contained a mattress and a few blankets and a pillow as well as the table and the chairs, to the other. His temper was sizzling and as sometimes happened when his emotions were at the boiling point, his magic flared to life.

A plastic cup on the table suddenly flew off into the air. His hand closed on the letter in his pocket, the false letter that had brought him walking into Slick's trap like a stupid three-year-old. He pulled it from his pocket, intending to shred it to bits.

But his magic had other ideas.

He glared at the offending paper and suddenly it began to smolder and between one second and the next, it burst into flame. Gavin was so startled he nearly dropped it.

"Gavin!" Ginny cried upon seeing the boy holding what appeared to be a fireball in his hand.

He jerked his head around and the fire flickered and went out, leaving only an ashy residue in his hand. He stared down at the black dust uncomprehendingly.

"Gavin, are you hurt? Let me see your hand," Ginny said, rising awkwardly from the chair and coming over to grasp the boy's wrist gently, peering at it worriedly. She blew the remains of the burned note off his palm and inspected it for any blisters or redness. There was nothing. "I don't believe it. You held a fireball in your hand and you're not even singed."

Gavin blinked, only now realizing that he should have been badly burned by that bit of accidental magic. But his hand wasn't even warm. "I don't know how that happened. Except, I was mad at Slick and I wanted to rip up the stupid note he'd sent me only I guess I . . .set it on fire instead."

Ginny shook her head, still marveling at what had occurred. "If I didn't see it with my own eyes . . .I know you wizards in the States can do wandless magic, that's all you do, in fact, but I never thought you'd be able to hold fire without being burned. Is this the first time you've done that, Gavin?"

"Yeah. Although Severus says sometimes I cast in my sleep."

Ginny's eyebrow climbed nearly into her hair. "You cast in your sleep?"

"When I'm having nightmares. Severus thinks it's ‘cause I've been suppressing my magic. So when I dream and get scared or mad my magic wakes up and does things. Like knock stuff all over or make things fly." He eyed the scattering of ash. "Or light things on fire. I don't even know what I'm doing, it just happens."

Ginny patted his shoulder. "That's normal, Gavin. All young wizards have fits of accidental magic. But I've never known a kid like you to summon fire and not get burned. That's very unusual. And why would you feel the need to suppress your magic when you live with a master wizard like Severus?"

Gavin but his lip, then said softly, "I don't need to stop using magic with Sev, he wants me to use it. I never could before I came to live with him, see, ‘cause of Ferrous. He used to run the orphanage where I lived before I took off. My mom left me there when I was a baby, and he always told me I was nothing but a useless freak that was going to hell for using magic. And every time something happened that was weird, he'd whip me, saying he was going to beat the evil out of me one way or the other. So I started suppressing my magic, even though I didn't know that's what I was doing. All I cared about was not doing odd things and getting beat for it. Except Ferrous used to find excuses to whip me even when I wasn't using magic. Arista said he used me as a scapegoat, whatever that means."

"A scapegoat is a person or thing people use to blame bad luck or other bad things on," Ginny told him, her eyes wide with horrified compassion. "Oh, Gavin! That-that bloody sodding bastard! To do such terrible things to a little kid! I hope he rots in hell for it."

"You and me both," Gavin said feelingly. "Arista says he will, unless he truly repents of what he did. But I don't think he ever will. You see, he thought he was right, that I truly deserved everything he did to me. And I know he'll never change. He's in Riker's Island Prison now, for doing the same thing to a bunch of other kids there. Some social worker or one of the older kids reported him and they hauled his ass to jail. He's convicted for forty years and he'll probably die there. Amen!" Gavin snarled and crossed himself.

"Good. I'm glad there's still some kind of justice in the world."

"Me too, though Sev says there's not enough of the right kind of justice. He says there're too many lawyers out there who throw justice over for legal fees and a winning reputation." Gavin recited.

"He's right, and it's too bad. Even in the wizarding world, we're guilty of that." Ginny admitted sadly. "Look at how many Death Eaters walked free because they bribed Ministry officials after the first war with Voldemort."

"Severus told me about that. He said some of the Ministry wizards made a deal with the devil and they paid for it with their souls." He chewed his lower lip thoughtfully. "Ginny, do you think the Shifter is a Death Eater? I thought they were all killed after Harry destroyed Voldemort."

"It's possible. We didn't get all the Death Eaters during the last war, just the major players, like Bellatrix Lestrange and Lucius Malfoy and Narcissa. There are still plenty more of them out there hiding. The Auror Department has been trying to stamp out as many as we can find, but it's hard, because you can't tell a Death Eater just by looking at him. And they know how to vanish. Harry and I have been working on old cases with suspected Death Eaters for months now."

"You've talked to this Shifter guy though?"

"Yes, a few times. But he's looked different each time and sounded different too. I couldn't identify him. Although sometimes there are times when I almost think I could . . .Whoever he is, he knows the best way to get to Harry is to use me as bait. And to Severus as well."

Gavin looked down at the ground. "That was my fault. I was so stupid, I thought the Ravens were my friends. I trusted damn Slick and he screwed me royally." He told Ginny how Slick had betrayed him and how he'd gotten Gavin to come to the Ravens' hideout to heal Smoke.

"But Smoke was really sick from midnight mushroom powder, he wasn't faking it," Gavin declared quietly. "Once I gave him the antidote he started to wake up. I don't think he had anything to do with Slick's plan. At least I hope not."

"I wouldn't think so. Maybe Slick was the one who gave him the midnight mushroom powder. You could slip it into a drink or food easily, it's almost odorless and tasteless." Ginny surmised.

"I never thought of it like that. And nobody would suspect Slick, ‘cause him and Smoke are like best buds. Least I always thought so. But what kind of friend would poison his brother and sell me into slavery?"

"One who is desperate for wealth and who has no real conscience. Or pretends he doesn't." Ginny pursed her lips. "I'd guess, that the Shifter learned somehow of your association with the Ravens and decided to see if he could exploit them. One of his people probably gave Slick the midnight mushroom powder and told him it was just a new type of hallucinogen. I doubt if he knew how bad the drug was, it's a wizard substance. He slips it into Smoke's food, because he knows Smoke would never go for his big scheme of selling you to the Shifter for money. It's no big deal, Smoke will just have a trip or whatever and wake up the next morning. And he'll serve as bait for the trap. Only it doesn't quite work out that way. The midnight mushroom powder nearly kills Smoke and Slick gets afraid and writes you, hoping you'll be able to save Smoke and also put yourself into his hands."

"Which I did," Gavin said bitterly.

"Don't be so hard on yourself. You did some good, you saved your friend." Ginny reminded him. "We all make mistakes. The trick is to learn from them."

"I never should have trusted them. Severus was right, the Ravens really are no good street trash," the boy spat. "Except maybe Smoke and Monkey. Monkey swore she didn't know anything and I believe her. But the rest of them . . .they'd sell out their own mother if the price was right." He walked back to the chair and sat down, putting his face in his hands. His head was starting to hurt and he didn't have any of Snape's Headache Remedy to take. "I can't believe I was so dumb. Scout warned me not to leave him and I didn't listen. I thought he was just a dog, what did he know?" He groaned. "Sev's gonna kill me this time."

"I doubt that, kid. Snape might be strict and hard, but his heart's in the right place. He won't condemn you for an honest mistake. After all, he made plenty of his own."

"Yeah, like what?"

"Well, for starters, Severus used to think Harry was just like his father James, all spoiled and conceited and arrogant. A troublemaker and a bully. He couldn't have been more wrong. Harry was impulsive, but he was never arrogant or spoiled. His aunt and uncle treated him terribly, worse than a dog. Kind of the way Ferrous treated you, matter of fact. But Harry never told anyone that, and Snape always assumed because he was famous it meant he was a privileged rich kid, since the Dursleys were well to do for Muggles. It wasn't until Harry started doing Occlumency that Snape discovered he'd misjudged Harry all those years."

"Wow! Sev must have felt terrible."

"Yes, I guess he did, because Harry said he was a lot nicer to him afterwards. See, nobody's perfect, Gavin. We all have lessons to learn and things to live down. So don't let one mistake brand you for life."

Gavin lifted his face from his hands then and looked up at the red-haired witch. "Now you sound like Severus. He told me once that everyone deserves a second chance. That was something he'd learned from his wife Amelia."

"There, you see. If he could tell you that, then I'm sure he'll forgive you for getting kidnapped."

Gavin shrugged. "Maybe. After all, I never planned to get myself snatched. But he's still gonna be mad as blazes. I took a potion from his lab without asking. I needed the Dawnstar Elixir to save Smoke. I wonder if that counts as stealing? And I snuck out of my grandparents house without permission. Either way I'm in a hell of a lot of trouble."

"It'll work out, Gavin," Ginny reassured him. "No matter how angry he seems, I'm sure once Severus sees you're all right he'll be so glad that he won't punish you half as bad as you're thinking."

Gavin cast her a skeptical look. "Yeah, sure. He has standards higher than God. And they all apply to his son."

"I'm sure they do, but Arista used to say the same thing and he never punished her half as bad as she figured for some of the things she did, like going off to hunt down Wrackspur by herself. One thing I will say for him, Snape knows how to make the punishment fit the crime."

That's exactly what I'm afraid of, Gavin thought with a wince. If he thinks I stole the Dawnstar Elixir, I won't be able to sit down for three days. Sev always keeps his promises. Damn the Shifter and Slick to the deepest circle of hell! Then he forced himself to calm down, for the last thing he needed was to set something else on fire. He searched for a safe topic of discussion, and his eyes came to rest on Ginny's bulging belly. "Uh, have you picked out names for the babies yet, Ginny?"

"Well, I like Lily Margaret for a girl. Lily for Harry's mum and Margaret for mine, though everybody calls her Molly and never Margaret. And for a boy, maybe James Arthur or Sirius or Ronald. Harry says if I get to name our daughter, he ought to get to name our son, and I said okay, but so far he still hasn't settled on a name and I'm only four months away from my due date." Ginny sighed exasperatedly. "I swear, that man will be late for his own funeral. Just like my brother Ron. The two of them love to procrastinate."

Gavin smiled. "Me too. Especially when I have to do homework."

To his surprise, Ginny burst out laughing.

Gavin soon joined her and for a moment all of their troubles were forgotten, drowned by laughter.

An instant later they sobered and Gavin asked where the bathroom was. "Through there," Ginny indicated a door Gavin hadn't noticed previously to the right of her mattress. "It's the size of a closet, but at least all the plumbing works."

Gavin walked hastily into it. A few minutes later he returned to the table, his stomach growling audibly. He wished he had his backpack, he'd put food in there. "How often do they feed us in here?"

"Two times a day. I think it's nearly lunchtime, so maybe they'll give us a sandwich or whatever."

Gavin certainly hoped so. Then he recalled the little switchblade he'd tucked into his shoe and bent down to get it. Only to discover it was gone. Damn! It must have fallen out somewhere when Devlin had carried him. Figures, he thought gloomily. Just my luck. Oh well. If any of them try to hurt Ginny, I'll set them on fire. Or try to. He sincerely hoped that wouldn't need to depend upon his fledgling powers to defend them, for they were too unreliable. He was as likely to set himself on fire as Goyle or Devlin. And wouldn't they just love that, if I killed myself? Wish I had a baseball bat. Or a crowbar. That'd make a good impression on their heads.

While he was wishing, he might as well wish for an angel to come down from heaven and spring them from this prison. That was as likely to happen as the Shifter showing up in church on Sunday begging for absolution. Still, there was no harm in hoping, the apprentice reminded himself.

The door banged open, and Gavin looked up and met the ice cold eyes of the one they called the Shifter.

"So you're old Snape's kid. You don't look like much."