Behind him, his fireplace erupted in flames.  Without looking, he knew who it was that arrived in his tiny flat.  He felt someone approach and wrap an arm around his shoulder before a soft kiss pressed against his temple.  "Happy birthday, sweetie," whispered a quiet, mournful voice. 

Remus's soft smile disappeared when he remembered abruptly that today was also his brother's birthday.  But his brother was dead now.  And just like Halloween was less than pleasant for Severus Snape, he knew that his birthday was just as painful for his parents.  "Thanks, mum," he whispered. 

"Would you like some tea or anything, Mrs. Lupin?" asked Ophelia as she faced the silver-haired woman, wiping her hands on a towel. 

"Who is this, Remus?" asked his mother, her eyes sparkling with interest at the sight of the young boy sneaking a finger full of icing from the newly decorated cake with a sly little grin.  The youngster waved shyly at her with his other hand.  She waved back as a response followed her question.

"This is my son, Tevin," answered Ophelia. 

Silvia Lupin straightened in interest.  "Your son?"  She looked at her husband meaningfully.  Alator nodded at her.  They were thinking the same thing.  Perhaps there was hope for their son after all.  This glance went unnoticed by Remus and Ophelia as one of them brought the newly finished chocolate cake to the table, while the other scolded Tevin for the tasting. 

Alator and Silvia managed to eagerly situate themselves as close to the little boy as possible.  They wanted to make a good impression on the boy, after all.  Remus began to cut his own birthday cake carefully making sure there were equal pieces and enough for everyone.  Alator noticed that Remus was making sure to cut six pieces rather than five.  Was there another guest missing?  He didn't have much time to think further on this question as Silvia occupied the other woman with conversation.  He didn't want to pay much attention, so he turned to his son.  "Chocolate cake, Remus?" 

His son laughed quietly as he handed him a plate of cake.  "Actually, I wanted vanilla, but-"

"I wanted chocolate!" announced Tevin, proudly. 

Remus chuckled again as he sliced one of the six pieces in half and gave that halved piece to the boy.  Tevin pouted at it, and as he picked up his fork asked, "How come I only get half?"

"Because we all know I'd get in trouble if I gave you an adult sized piece." 

Tevin grinned and shook his head. 

Alator was surprised at this.  In his experience, when a child was told that they couldn't have the same amount of something as an adult, they would usually throw a fit of some sort.  But this boy did not.  He accepted the situation without protest.  This was so strange that he found himself asking before he could stop himself, "Why aren't you angry about having less than everyone else?"

Tevin looked up at Alator Lupin as though the question he'd just put forth was insane.  "Because if I have half now, I can have the rest later.  I get to eat it twice, when everyone else can only have it once." 

Alator's eyebrows went up in surprise at the answer.  All he was able to mutter out was a simple, "Oh," before he resumed eating his piece of cake.  The boy did have a point, actually. 

During the brief silence of everyone eating their birthday cake peaceful silence reigned.  At least it did until Silvia asked a question that surprised everyone in the room.  "So, Ophelia, when did you start seeing my son?"

Ophelia was only capable of staring wide-eyed for a moment at Silvia, her fork with a bite of cake poised halfway to her mouth.  Alator froze in his place as though hit with a Petrificus Totalus charm.  Tevin stared in horror at the older woman.  Remus, unfortunately, choked on his bite of cake. 

"Um," he stammered.  "We're not..."  He looked to the side and saw that Ophelia looked very uncomfortable, while Tevin looked as though he were searching for escape.  Luckily for Remus, he was saved the awkward response at the arrival of his fifth guest and the person for whom the extra piece of cake had been set aside.

"I'm sorry, Remus.  The meeting took a little longer than I thought it would.  Who knew that the Heads of House have so much to discuss when we all get in one place without students?" 

Remus was never happier to have Severus Snape interrupt him.  He smiled in welcome, but it was Tevin who rescued the situation.  "Dad, Remus saved you your piece."  He pointed to the unclaimed piece of cake. 

Severus grinned and levitated the plate and fork to him so no one would have to move out of his way.  He looked at Remus.  "Only half for Tevin?" 

"As usual," came the other man's reply. 

"Good," Severus said, as he speared his first mouthful with his fork. 

Silvia and Alator were watching with confused eyes.  Ophelia caught their expressions and decided to have mercy.  "May I introduce my husband, Severus Snape?"

Silvia was still trying to adjust to the thought of being deprived of grandchildren - even adopted ones! - to focus on what the younger woman had just said.  Meanwhile, Alator looked at Severus with a penetrating gaze as though working out a puzzle in his head.  "Snape," he wondered aloud.  "Why is that-"

"He's been making the Wolfsbane Potion for me for quite some time." 

Alator's eyes brightened at this bit of information and he extended a hand towards Severus as he stood.  "In that case I should thank you."  Severus awkwardly held his plate and fork in one hand in order to accept the offered handshake.  "Thank you for helping him like that.  Not many people, even in our world, would do that for a werewolf." 

Severus shifted his weight as he darted his gaze to Remus.  The other man seemed to understand what he was asking and nodded almost instantly.  "It's a small favor for my son's godfather."

That was something that Silvia definitely understood.  Things suddenly made sense to her now.  "The boy's your godson, Remus?"  Her son smiled softly and nodded.  "Oh, that's wonderful!" 

"Mum, Dad," spoke Remus in a voice that indicated complete seriousness.  "You can't say anything about this to anyone."

"Why?" asked Alator. 

"It's-"  He looked to Severus for help. 

"My family and I have a delicate situation.  We're not wanted by the Ministry or anything like that, so it's nothing dangerous...really," he trailed off, wondering just how much they should reveal to Silvia and Alator. 

"But why would we-"

"Mum, please," growled Remus.  "You have to trust us.  Remember how my lycanthropy was never discussed with anyone unless it was completely necessary?"  When his parents nodded, he continued.  "Think of this like that.  If anyone found out that I'm connected to Severus's family, things could go very wrong very quickly.  Please."

His parents stared at him with careful, calculating eyes.  They were trying to understand.  His mother spoke first.  "Could you lose them?  Could anyone...hurt you...or them?"  Remus knew that she was thinking of her now dead son, of his brother. 

"Yes."

Silvia took in this information for a moment and then looked to her husband, whose expression was just as grave.  He nodded to her and then they both looked at their son.  "You have our word."

"We won't mention any of it to anyone," elaborated his father.

After the agreement had been settled, the rest of the humble birthday party passed with a little more cheer than it had since the death of Romulus Lupin.  Silvia and Alator were thrilled to see that their son had friends to support him again.  After all, all of his school friends were either dead or locked away in prison.  They were the lucky ones to have their boy turn out just fine. 

Tevin opened his eyes and found himself staring into his father's gaze.  "How was that?" he asked. 

Severus's expression was serious but it slowly gained approval.  "Better.  You're getting much better at visualizing a shield for yourself." 

Tevin nodded at his father.  He badly wanted to stretch his legs from their crossed position on the floor, but he knew he shouldn't until his father released himself from the same position across from him. 

Severus looked at the open book on the floor to his right.  It was open to a chapter on creating a calm and centering shield for the Mind Arts.  He flipped the page to see what the next step would be.  It seemed to be a chapter focusing on strengthening the foundations of one's shields.  He looked at his son and saw that he was desperately trying to hold back a yawn.  Severus closed the book softly.

"Remember when we discussed how to successfully produce a corporeal Patronus?"

He saw Tevin nod.  "Think about your happiest memory."

"What is different about your shields in practicing Occlumency?"

"You have to think about something that calms you down the most."

Severus nodded.  He looked at his son for another moment and then began to unfold his legs from their crossed position.  He saw that Tevin followed his lead and began to stretch.  However, the boy looked like he was already almost asleep.  "Come on, Tevin," he said, softly.  "Time for bed." 

"Aren't we doing anymore?"

Severus smiled.  "You're practically sleepwalking.  You're making enough progress so far."  He gathered his son in his arms and got to his feet.  "You're getting big."

Tevin mumbled in his tiredness.  "Too big to be carried."  It was a half-complaint. 

"If I have to carry you to bed, then I will do that no matter what age you are."  He entered his son's bedroom and approached the bed with maroon hangings.  The white kneazle, Minnie, was curled up on the bed.  She lifted her head at their approach and mewed softly.  When Severus used a little bit of magic to pull the covers back, Minnie jumped off.  She knew the routine by now. 

Severus got his son settled in his bed and was pulled the covers up around him, when the boy spoke again.  "What if you're really old and can't pick anything up?"  Minnie jumped back up on the bed. 

Severus tried not to laugh.  When his son was tired, it seemed that all common sense went right out of his head.  "I'll carry you with magic." 

Tevin's eyes finally fell closed.  He only had the energy to mumble, "okay..." before he was asleep.

He turned around quickly and ran towards the open doorway.  With a thundering sound, the door slammed shut.  He pounded on the door for a second, and then tried to push it.  When that failed he slammed his body against the wood.  The sounds he was making were desperate.  He was desperate to escape.

A feminine voice cried out behind him further into the room in which the boy was locked.  "No!  Don't touch him!"  Then, that same voice shouted, "Expecto Patronum!"  A shimmering silver butterfly flew right towards the boy trying to open the door. 

An aggressive voice shouted an unknown spell and then a jet of red light hit the silver butterfly.  It disappeared in a swirl of smoke.  "Run!" shouted the female. 

"Obliviate!" shouted the unseen man.

"Protego!" countered the woman.  As she pushed the boy away from the door, a blast from the first spell collided with the pale blue shield she'd conjured to deflect it, causing a blinding light for only a moment.  When it dissipated, the boy was seen crumbled on his side just to the left of the door.  He blearily opened his eyes and then began to scramble away, his expression terrified. 

He woke up choking, his body convulsing as he tried to breathe.  He felt a hand on his shoulder urging him to turn onto his side.  "Son," called a familiar voice.  "Son!  Wake up."  Tears ran down his face as he began to heave, breathing still difficult.  He even heard his father's voice say, "Anapneo," but nothing happened.   He was still heaving and choking.  He clutched his father's robe in terror. 

"Cissa!" his father shouted, for once allowing fear into his voice.

In another few moments, Draco knew his mother had arrived.  In another moment, and with no hesitation she said two words, "Expello morbus."  With his face streaked in tears from the violent dry-heaving, Draco obeyed the spell's command and proceeded to vomit right on his father. 

He instantly thought that he would have been reprimanded for it, but he was a little surprised when his father used his hand to smooth his son's sweaty hair out of his face.  "Oh, Draco.  Are you alright?" 

Draco nodded drawing in struggling breaths, his throat burning with the effort. 

"Say something, sweetie," urged his mother. 

"Sorry," he croaked. 

"For what?" asked Lucius.  Draco hung his head miserably.  A hand cupped his cheek and tilted his head up gently.  He met his father's eyes.  "For what?" he repeated.

"Your robe," he managed to say. 

Lucius frowned at Draco, and again surprised the boy with what he said, "It can be easily cleaned." 

Lucius and Narcissa waited until Draco was breathing a little steadier before they spoke again.  It was Narcissa who said something first.  "Draco, what happened?  Was it a nightmare?"

Draco would have complained that he was getting too old for nightmares, but what he'd dreamed seemed more important than whining about what he should actually call it.  "I don't know...it was a dream."

Narcissa tensed.  Lucius was still focused on whether his son was getting better and calmer.  His hands seemed to be checking everything.  "What kind of dream?" she asked, letting Lucius fuss over their son in his own way.

"Um...there were spells and I couldn't see two people in it."

"Did you know anyone in the dream?"

Draco looked at his mother then.  "Not until right when I woke up."  He was confused. 

By this point Lucius had stopped checking his son over manually and had shifted his attention to his wife.  "Cissa, what are you-"

She waved her hand at him dismissively.  Her attention was solely on her son.  "What did you dream?"

Nervously and not really understanding, Draco told his parents what occurred in his dream...or nightmare.  "Then, right before I woke up, I saw the boy's face...and...it was Tevin." 

Narcissa stared at her son with an expression that Draco could not decipher.  Lucius's gaze flicked between his wife and his son.  Draco was not the only one confused.  Lucius still gripped Draco's shoulders firmly, sure that without the support his son would simply flop back in back.  It was because of this that he noticed his son was shivering violently.  "Draco?"  Now he noticed that even the boy's lips were shaking.  "Draco?" he called again. 

Then, Draco's lashes fluttered and his eyes rolled back into his head, his neck going limp and his head lolling backward. 

In that instant, both Narcissa and Lucius were panicked.  "He's shivering, shaking."  Lucius tried to touch his boy to soothe him.  He gathered the covers and blankets on Draco's bed and was hurriedly tucking them tightly around his son's shaking body when Narcissa spoke.

"He's covered in sweat."  Then, realization dawned.  "He's feverish!  We should take him to Saint Mungo's."  She moved to gather Draco up. 

"No," Lucius said.  He looked desperate.  "Is it a real fever or is it something else?" 

"What do you mean?  Why are you wasting-"

"Does Draco have your gift, Cissa?"  Narcissa stared at Lucius.  Then she looked at their son.  "Someone doesn't just suddenly get a fever," he continued.  "Do you remember when you had your first vision?  It was much, much later than his age, but...do you remember?"

Numbly, she nodded.  "I was sick, too.  I was...like this." 

"You were like this," he agreed.  "I almost took you to Saint Mungo's but your parents forbade it.  Because they would register you." 

Narcissa lowered herself onto her son's bed, watching helplessly as he twitched and tossed restlessly.  "Then, what will we-"

"We have to see if he gets worse.  If he does, I'll go to Severus.  He's almost as gifted at therapies as a Master Healer.  He'll be able to help us." 

Narcissa shook her head and laughed bitterly.  "We'll owe him countless favors." 

Lucius tried to offer a comforting smile, despite the difficulty in doing so when just in front of him lay his sick son.  "I think by the time both of these boys grow up, we'll all be nearly even in favors." 

Lucius used his wand to clean his robe of the vomit and then to silently drift an armchair near the bed.  He sat down in it and prepared to spend the night with his wife, watching over their son.  "If he isn't any better by morning, I'll go and get Severus." 

Narcissa's eyes were fixed on Draco, but she nodded at his words.  It was enough for Lucius.  Together they watched over their feverish son. 

It was quiet in the Hogwarts suite in which Severus Snape and his son lived when Lucius Malfoy came through the lit fireplace.  He looked around the parlor and kitchen quickly, and when he found no one, he went towards the connecting bedrooms.  "Severus?" he called.  There was no one in Tevin's room.  He went to the door separating the boy's from Severus's bedroom and knocked firmly.  "Severus."  When there was no response he took it upon himself to open the door anyway.  No one.  He checked the bathroom, just in case, but it was as empty as all of the other rooms. 

He briskly walked through into the Potions Master's office and labs.  Nothing.  Then, he went straight up to the door that led to the Potions Classroom.  Finally, he heard Severus. 

"Have you any capacity to listen?" the professor was shouting at an apparently dimwitted student.  "The instructions state that you are to stir the brew eight times counterclockwise not nine or ten!  Or do I have to repeat the lecture I give the First Years to every single year until you leave this school?"

Lucius was seriously thinking about barging into the room and demanding that Severus come to his home and help him care for his son.  Then, as he heard his friend continue to admonish the student on the other side of the door, he wondered if bringing an already aggravated person to tend his son would be a wise idea.  Would Severus do what was required and insist on registering his son?  Could he allow that?  He contemplated this as Severus continued to shout at the students for several minutes. 

Closing his eyes, Lucius made a decision. 

He went back to the fireplace and tossed in a pinch of powder.  "Spinner's End," he said.  When the flames turned green he stepped into them. 

In only another moment he had emerged from the fireplace in the Snape home in the run-down neighborhood of Spinner's End.  He stood still for moment.  Did he really have to go searching around for this scattered family?  With a huff, Lucius decided to start from the outside and work his way back in and then up.  He left the house and stepped outside into the tiny garden in the back of the Snape home.  He sighed in relief when he noticed a familiar person in the action of mid-plantcare.  "Ophelia," he called.

She looked up in his direction, her dark hair a little disheveled and unkempt, some of it escaping from the half ponytail she was sporting.  It was probably due to the wind and activity.  She looked at him apprehensively and wiped her hands on her apron.  "Lucius," she acknowledged. 

He took that as permission to come closer.  "My son is...very sick."

"Take him to Saint Mungo's, then," she said, turning away to resume her work. 

Lucius's hand reached out and latched onto her upper arm and forced her to face him again.  "Don't you think I would if I had faith that they'd be able to help him?"

"Then, why come to me?"

"Because Severus is working right now."

She jerked her arm from his grip and tilted her head in an offended manner.  "And I'm not working?"

Lucius let out a frustrated sound.  He closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath.  "Ophelia, I know that we are not the closest of...friends."  He almost choked on the word.  "But please.  We think that Draco may be gifted in the Sight.  Did you know that when a witch or wizard has their very first vision they may end up with a high fever or some other illness?"  He noticed that Ophelia had stopped what she was doing and had turned a curious glance to him.  "If I took him to Saint Mungo's to treat a Sight-induced fever, I would be forced to register him as a Seer.  You know that, at least." 

Ophelia nodded.  "I see.  I take it Narcissa is not registered."

Lucius knew that Ophelia did not say it as a question.  He shook his head.  "I was with her when she had her first vision.  Her illness was not as severe as Draco's is now."

"And considering that, for the most part, the Sight is passed on through the family line, and that Narcissa is not registered as having it, that this will be another skeleton in the Malfoy family?"

Lucius and Ophelia spent a tense moment staring at each other.  It was a battle of wills, and one from which he refused to retreat.  And as for the skeletons within his family...

Then, a small triumphant smile spread over Ophelia's face.  "Why should I help you now?  You've never once asked me for help until you have no other choice, which seems to be the case now.  Why didn't you just interrupt Severus's class and drag him to your son?"

Lucius hesitated.  Did he want to reveal to her - this mudblood - that he had not interrupted Severus's class because he knew that if his friend knew about Draco's newly presented ability it would be difficult once the boy attended school, that he thought Severus would watch him constantly?  Did he want to tell her that a situation like that would be difficult for both of their families once their boys attended Hogwarts?  For that matter, did he even want to tell Ophelia that he'd finally agreed to Narcissa's pleading to let their son attend Hogwarts with Tevin in the first place?  No.  He was not in a divulgatory mood.  However, if there was something he knew how to do it was manipulate. 

"And if I were to tell you that what Draco Saw had something to do with your son?"

There it was.  He knew he had her attention when she stiffened and then slowly looked at him.  "What did he See?" 

Lucius shook his head as he pierced her with his eyes that had long grown icy.  "Treat my son and I will tell you."  Confident that she would agree, he turned away from her and began to walk back towards the house, intending to continue until he heard her come behind him.  He knew it wouldn't be long before she would agree to this. 

But as his back was turned to her, he did not notice Ophelia stare at the burn marks on her right hand as she gave her reply.  "Wait." 

"She's been with him for hours, Lucius."  Narcissa was clutching her wine glass so tightly her already pale fingers looked as white as a snow bank.  "What if something went wrong?"

"We were told not to disturb her, Cissa."  He stood directly behind her armchair, one of his hands resting on the very top of it while the other lifted his wine glass to his lips. 

She turned her head to look up at her husband.  "Since when has that stopped you?"

He waited for a long moment until he'd properly savored the taste of the wine in his mouth and then the sensation of it going down his throat before he spoke.  "Think of my obedience as an act of good faith.  She said she would help Draco and that she was not to be disturbed until she came out of his room.  As much as I do not wish to..."  He paused to take a quick sip.  "I have to trust her."

Narcissa nodded slowly, bringing her own wine to her lips and drinking deeply from the glass.  Her other hand was clenched on the arm of the chair.  She was clearly a wreck with nerves.  Lucius, while experiencing similar feelings on the inside, was much better skilled at concealing them.  He seemed only to be a man that was enjoying his evening wine and nothing more.

Both of them heard a door open and then close.  In an instant, both parents set down their wine glasses on the nearest surface and rushed toward their son's door.  Standing just outside of it was a tired-looking Ophelia.  Narcissa walked right up to the darker haired woman with anxiety in her own eyes.  "Is Draco-"

Ophelia nodded.  "He should be fine.  He's...conscious now.  But he should be fine." 

Narcissa pressed her lips together thinly before a tentative smile appeared on her face.  "Oh, good."  Without even waiting for Ophelia to move aside, Narcissa forced her way through the door to see her son. 

Ophelia looked at Lucius.  Even though she was tired from the exertions of playing healer, she did not forget the conditions under which she was brought to Malfoy Manor, however reluctantly.  "I did my part.  Now, tell me what he Saw."

Lucius's eyes looked her over head to foot and back up.  "You look hungry.  Come with me." 

It had been years since Ophelia had been in this house and voluntarily eaten a meal with Lucius Malfoy.  The first and only time had ended in the man insulting her and commenting that she should have been dead.  She did not say anything to the blonde man as he ordered his house elf, Dobby, to bring them a light meal and to fetch his wine from the library and provide a fresh glass for Ophelia. 

She hesitantly sat down with one chair between them.  He sat at the head, which was probably his customary spot.  She felt a little better with one empty chair separating them, but not much.  Slowly, she began to eat the admittedly appetizing sandwich in front of her. 

"Thank you for helping him."  Lucius seemed to speak with a great deal of reluctance or distaste. 

Ophelia only just managed to meet his gaze.  She was surprised to see that the proud Malfoy looked decidedly uncomfortable.  This image stunned her.  "You're welcome." 

He shifted in his chair.  "I find that I am forced to admit that for a mud-"  He took a steadying breath.  "For a muggleborn you are a gifted witch.  I have to say it because only a gifted witch could have helped Draco through something like the Sight Fever." 

Ophelia stared at Lucius in shock.  She wasn't sure anymore if this was real.  Lucius would never acknowledge skill in anyone other than a pureblooded witch or wizard, with the possible exception of Severus Snape.  Her mouth fell open as she fumbled for words - any word - to say in response.

"As I said, I would tell you what Draco Saw."  Lucius finally looked up to met her gaze.  "He Saw Tevin attacked.  There was someone else in the room.  A girl.  She used a Patronus to try to send for help, but it was destroyed or countered.  He wasn't sure.  Tevin couldn't escape, and someone - a man, he said - shouted ‘Obliviate.'  The girl with Tevin pushed him aside, and tried to protect him.  There was a blinding light, and when Draco could see someone again, it was Tevin watching something unseen come towards him."  Lucius looked hard into the alarmed eyes of Ophelia.  "Draco said that Tevin looked terrified." 

Ophelia was struggling for composure.  "And then?"

Lucius shook his head apologetically.  "He woke up.  He doesn't know anything else.  Not who the girl was, or the identity of the wizard that threatened them."

Ophelia took this in.  "But Tevin's in danger."

"Yes."

Ophelia closed her eyes, steadying her breathing.  "Should I tell Severus?"

"We don't know anything else other than your son will be attacked by a wizard at some point."  Lucius sighed.  "I'm sorry."

"When a someone like Draco Sees something does it always come true?"

Lucius shook his head.  "I don't know about Draco, but when Narcissa Sees anything it always comes true."  He saw that Ophelia was about to ask again.  "Always," he stressed. 

Ophelia stood from the chair feeling suddenly trapped in the large dining room.  "If I tell Severus he'll be so nervous he'll shut Tevin up in the house and never let him out."  She shook her head.  "I can't tell him." 

Lucius stood from his chair and followed her as she retreated to the parlor where the fireplace was blaring.  "That is your decision, but-"

Ophelia spun to face him.  "It's my responsibility to take care of him.  Of both of them.  I can't let Severus drive himself insane with the fear that something will happen when no one even knows what it is.  And I can't keep Tevin locked up because I'm scared something will happen to him.  I just have to do my best to keep them safe."  The fingers of her right hand twitched.  "To keep my son safe." 

Lucius looked at her with an expression that Ophelia had never seen from him towards her.  If it were from anyone else she would have called the feeling behind it respect.  "We have something in common after all," he said in a hushed tone with deliberate annunciation.  "I never would have thought it." 

Ophelia nodded slowly.  "The world is strange that way." 

Lucius nodded in agreement.  He pinched the floo powder from the mantel and threw it into the fire.  "Spinner's End," he ordered.  The fire turned bright green.  As Ophelia stepped into the fire she heard Lucius clearly say, "Thank you." 

The blonde man turned away from the fire and found himself looking at his wife, who looked both much calmer and a little more pleased thasn usual.  She was smiling at him softly and her eyes glowed in approval.  Lucius did not say anything to Narcissa.  Instead, he went to his son's room and perched himself on the bed next to Draco's sleeping body where he kept vigil for another night.

The middle of the day during the end of May was not typically a time for things to unexpectedly happen in any household on Privet Drive...

...until an owl flew through the neighborhood and landed on top of a chimney in broad daylight.  In the owl's pointed beak was clutched what seemed to be a letter.  It waited and waited until the owner of the house, who was currently in the humble backyard with quite a plethora of strange looking cats, went back into it.  Then, the owl swooped down to the front door and, as efficiently as a courier, slid the letter through the mail slot.  With its task complete, the owl flew off until Privet Drive was just as quiet and uneventful as it always was in the middle of the day.