Tevin felt a nudge on his back.  He glared up at his godfather, who only chuckled at him.  "Well, go on, then.  Are you waiting for a welcoming ceremony?"

Tevin sighed and then, with the determination typically associated with Slytherins, stomped up the stone steps of the house.  He raised his hand to knock on the door, but it was flung open just before he'd managed to touch it. 

"Hello, young Mister Snape!" exclaimed a more-than-normally disheveled Xenophilius Lovegood.  He took Tevin's upper arm firmly and tugged him into the house, smashing the boy against his chest in an overly enthusiastic hug. 

"Xeno," the voice of Luna's mother, Celene, came from the spiral staircase that dominated the center of the house.  She was just coming down from a higher floor.  "Don't kill the boy!" 

Xenophilius released a half-embarrassed and half-joyful laugh as he released Tevin from the suffocating embrace.  "We didn't tell Luna you were coming."

Before Tevin could say anything, Celene was suddenly beside her husband.  "We knew you wanted to surprise her."

Tevin managed to mumble out, "Not really," but no one heard him.  He would have rathered Luna knew he was going to visit.  He felt bad enough that he'd missed her birthday. 

Xenophilius extended his arm right over Tevin's head as he looked at the older man that brought Tevin to their home.  "I'm Xenophilius Lovegood, sir.  And this is my wife, Celene." 

Tevin skirted out from under Xenophilius's extended arm to find himself looking directly at the ever-quiet and almost shyly smiling Luna Lovegood from her place sitting on the spiral stairs.  He slowly approached his friend, distantly aware that introductions were taking place in the house between Luna's parents and his godfather.  The closer Tevin got to Luna on the stairs, the more her smile grew. 

"Hi, Luna."

She didn't respond right away, but fluttered her eyes to her feet.  It was a purely shy gesture.  "Hello," she said.  "What is that in your hand?"  Now that she'd spotted it, her curiosity was peaked.  Tevin shuffled awkwardly, quickly looking behind him to see his godfather talking to Luna's parents.  "Is it a gift?" 

Tevin blushed this time as his gaze darted to the floor.  He walked up to Luna with quick little steps, and held out the wrapped box, not daring to look at her.  He was beyond embarrassed.  The only other person - besides his father, Ophelia, and Remus - that he'd ever given a gift to was Draco.  Luna was a girl.  This could get weird.  He let out a breath he didn't realize he'd been holding when he felt the box taken from him. 

When he didn't hear it being opened after what seemed a very, very long time Tevin looked up at his friend.  She was still holding it and staring at it contemplatively.  "It's for you."

Then, without looking at him, Luna smiled.  "I usually prefer to open presents alone.  That way, if I don't like it, I don't have to lie to someone and say I do."

Tevin stared at her with confusion.  "So, you want to-"

"Open it myself later, yes." 

"Oh."

It was silent between them for a long while.  Silent and awkward.  Usually they could always find something to say, but Tevin was sure this weirdness was all because of the wrapped up box that had gone from him to her.  Finally, it was Luna that broke the silence.

"We're going away soon."

Tevin was excited to have something to talk about.  "Forever?  Where?"

Luna grinned at him, but did not reveal her teeth.  Her lips thinned as they spread in her smile.  "No, not forever.  Just the summer I think."  She reached out her hand to him.  "I made a map.  We hope to find creatures that no one's ever seen before!"  She shook her offered hand at Tevin, urging him to take it.  "I can show you."

Hesitantly, Tevin put his hand in hers.  With a kind smile, Luna led Tevin up the winding staircase. 

"We've met Tevin's father and mother, but we've never met you before, sir," said Xenophilius, as he stared at Remus Lupin with a suspicious twinkle in his eyes.  Celene used her wand to levitate three cups to their little group.  Each person took one of the cups and sipped it slowly.  "So," said Xenophilius instantly after he swallowed his mouthful of tea.  "Who are you to Tevin Snape?"

Remus studied the liquid in his cup for longer than was necessary.  "I am his godfather."  Then, he deliberately sipped the hot liquid. 

 Celene took in this information calmly, while Xenophilius continued to study this new person.  "You've never been with him in Diagon Alley when we've all met at Fortescue's."

Remus didn't miss a beat.  "I'm away often."

Neither did Xenophilius.  "For work or for leisure?"

This time, Remus hesitated only a moment.  "You could say a little of both.  My life is very sensitive to nature."  He sipped his tea again.  He had no idea what the flavor could possibly be!  It was spicy yet bitter all at once.  Not exactly to his taste, but he was not about to be a rude guest and refuse it. 

Xenophilius was about to ask another question, but Celene finally managed to speak first.  "Xeno, why don't you check on the children?"

Xenophilius smiled softly at his wife before he nodded just so and left the pair alone.  He was curious anyway to see what sort of things Tevin Snape could be getting Luna to talk about.  He liked the boy, even if he thought there was something suspicious about his godfather.  

Celene smiled kindly at Remus.  She raised her wand and levitated the cup from his hand.  "I can tell you aren't enjoying that flavor, Mister Lupin."  She laughed when his grateful expression only confirmed it.  "Don't worry," she reassured him.  "I won't tell Xeno." 

Remus was uncertain as to what was acceptable for him to do in this house.  How much at home could he make himself?  He wasn't sure.  He opted on the side of caution and contented himself by leaning just enough to balance his weight properly against the top corner of the cluttered writing desk.  "Mrs. Lovegood," he began before he was abruptly interrupted. 

"Celene."

Remus nodded.  "Celene," he acquiesced.  "How was Luna's birthday party?"

At this question, Celene's expression lost its pleasantness.  She hesitated in her response, as though she were choosing her words carefully.  "There are many people in this world that have nothing better to do than judge others."

Remus was taken aback by this.  He was about to speak, but she continued.  "She has some friends that she spends time with when we go to Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade.  She's even made friends on our trips to find their mysterious creatures in other countries."  She sighed as she began to manually wash the cups from tea.  She did not look at Remus.  "It isn't the children.  It's the parents." 

Remus didn't know how to respond to this.  What he did know was that sometimes silence comforted more than words.  He went to stand beside Luna's mother at the kitchen sink.  Without a word he held out his hand in askance for the rinsed but still wet cup.  She looked up and he saw that she was trying to compose herself as best she could.  But she did offer him a tiny smile as she gave him the cup.  "I'm glad that she has Tevin for a friend.  At least his father doesn't judge her by her parents."

"If Tevin and Severus were ones to prejudice then you can be sure that I wouldn't-"  Remus clamped his jaw.  He'd said too much.  He tried to say something else - anything else - to conceal his slip.  "You both have nothing to be ashamed of."

When Celene looked at him with a studious expression he knew that she did not miss it.  He watched her as she swept her gaze over the faded scars on his face.  He even saw her thinking.  "You said your life is sensitive to nature, Mister Lupin."  He was scarcely breathing.  "And I assume that you know what it's like to be prejudiced against based on what you almost said, which means you are something that most of our kind would still call..."  Her eyes narrowed in thought.  "...different." 

"Yes."  His reply was nothing more than a whisper.  He gripped the cup so tightly that his fingers were colorless. 

Then, her expression was one of comprehension.  "You're a werewolf, aren't you?" 

Remus lowered his head as he swallowed thickly and put down the first cup to dry.  Immediately, he picked up the second.  He refused to look at the blonde woman.  He was stunned to find a pale hand gently resting on his arm.  His shock was increased when she touched her fingertips just below his chin and tilted his head up to look at her.  What he saw was not pity, but rather compassion.  "And like my family, you have nothing for which to be ashamed." 

For the first time in years, Remus Lupin was rendered speechless. 

Luna's room was filled with drawings, loose parchment, capped inkwells, and books - so many books!  Tevin was convinced that she had so many books that it could possibly even rival the collection that his father kept...at least the one they had in their home in Spinner's End.  The one at Hogwarts was absurdly huge!  Plus they had the library in the school.  Nevertheless, Tevin was impressed for two reasons.  Firstly, he was impressed by the sheer amount of books.  Secondly, he was impressed in a completely different way by the complete disorganization of it all! 

However, the chaos of the room did not hinder Luna.  She seemed to know exactly where everything was in the room!  Tevin was taking every step gingerly so that he didn't accidentally crush anything, while she was practically bounding through the mayhem!  Eventually, she pushed on his shoulders and he found himself plopped onto the only visible area of carpeting in the room as she skipped through her room intent on searching for something.  In a matter of moments, she seemed to locate it and she brought it back to Tevin and flung herself down beside him. 

"Look at this!"

Tevin noticed that the book in his hands had a sort of pieced together quality to it.  It was extremely colorful and there were all sorts of headlines about creatures that Tevin was sure could not possibly exist.  In several instances, the word Quibbler was used all over the cover alone.  He tentatively opened the cover.

"Mum helped me make it," supplied Luna to his curiosity.  "She used a permanent sticking charm to the pages so that I could keep all of these things in one place and they don't fall out." 

Luna reached over and turned a few pages before she pointed to a sketch that was stuck in the book.  "I'm going to take a trip with Dad one day to find that."

Tevin looked at it, trying to hold back telling her that the creature she wanted to find could not possibly be real.  Instead, what he said was, "What is it?"

Luna giggled.  "Don't you know?  It's a Crumple-Horned Snorkack!"  Tevin looked at the drawing doubtfully.  "They live in Sweden, but no one's actually seen one.  This is what it's supposed to look like.  Me and mum and dad are going to be the first people to find one!"  She looked at him with a shy smile. 

Tevin wasn't sure anymore if Draco was wrong and Luna Lovegood was just a little...off.  When Xenophilius Lovegood opened the door a moment later, he saw his daughter and her friend staring at each other.  Another moment after that, Luna asked him to tell Tevin all about Crumple-Horned Snorkacks. 

"Expecto Patronum!" shouted two students on one end of the parlor belonging to Professor Snape's living chambers in Hogwarts.  The result of their spells was a bright shield.  Dejectedly, the two students lowered their wands. 

"Almost!" encouraged the small Professor Flitwick.  "You, Miss Lewis, have almost produced the full-bodied Patronus."  The two girls, Judy Lewis and Xuxa Nisal, exchanged competitive glances.  As best friends, they were always trying to outdo the other. 

Not one to admit defeat, Xuxa raised her wand again and cried out, "Expecto Patronum!"  The result of the charm was a half corporeal version of her true Patronus.  The only thing visible was a pair of wings before the half-animal dissolved again. 

"Nearly there, Miss Nisal, well done!"

Xuxa gave Judy a smug and teasing grin.  Judy shook her head at her friend from Slytherin, and exclaimed the incantation of the charm again.  Feathers took shape from her wand, and then it quickly turned into the form of an owl.  The three occupants of the room all stood and looked at the silvery owl that flew around the room.  When the Patronus faded, Flitwick gave a little excited hop and shouted, "Well done!  An owl.  Very interesting, Miss Lewis!"  He conjured a piece of parchment and an ornate quill and jotted something down before he vanished it with a wave of his wand. 

Xuxa was about to try to match her Ravenclaw friend's level when three other people came through the nearby door that led to the corridor outside of Professor Snape's home.  The professor led the way and was followed by Nymphadora Tonks who was half-carrying, half-dragging Charlie Weasley along with her.  They all looked exhausted.

"What happened?" cried Flitwick.

Severus motioned with his wand to Nymphadora.  "Lay him down on the sofa."  She began to comply, while the Ravenclaw and Slytherin students hurried to help her. 

Severus wasted no time in meeting Flitwick at the kitchen table.  "Mister Weasley is the furthest from picking up the Occlumency lessons.  His mind is not particularly strong." 

"Did you-"

For just an instant Severus looked a little guilty.  "I may have been too forceful.  He was unconscious before he could even try to get his shields up."

Flitwick's face did not betray his thoughts.  "You can't push them too hard.  They're not as gifted at this as you, my boy."

Severus sighed.  "Sometimes it's difficult to remember that."

Flitwick nodded.  "I know."  Then, the smaller professor could not hold in his excitement any longer.  "Miss Lewis has produced a full, corporeal Patronus only moments before you came in." 

"Really?" 

Flitwick nodded, clearly allowing his pride to come through.  She was of his House after all.  "A wonderful owl!" 

"And Miss Nisal?"

"Almost there.  She's halfway to a full-formed one.  All we can see are wings.  Very exciting."

Severus knew that his former professor was always a little excitable when his students succeeded in his field of expertise.  He briefly smiled.  Then, he thought of the lessons that he was conducting.  "The best in Occlumency right now is Miss Tonks.  I think it's her determination to succeed." 

"Or to prove herself to you."  Flitwick looked at his former student mischievously.  "I know how hard on her you are in Potions Class." 

From the other side of the living space, the professors heard their students practicing enthusiastically.  "Expecto Patronum!"  From the wand of Nymphadora Tonks there emerged a set of wings. 

"Mine has wings, too!" exclaimed Xuxa before Nymphadora's was able to fully take shape.  It dissolved as she lost her concentration. 

"So does mine," added Judy.  "Except mine are feathers.  It's an owl."

"Wicked," groaned a very tired Charlie from the sofa. 

It was time to return to Hogwarts.  "It's been a pleasure," said Remus to Celene, as they watched Luna lead Tevin down the spiral stairs by the hand.  Xenophilius followed behind them, looking oddly pleased about something. 

"I'm sure that he made Luna's day today by visiting," her mother said.  From her expression, Remus could tell that both the Lovegood parents were fond of Tevin. 

The kids were talking as they came towards the fireplace where Remus and Celene stood.  "Maybe you can come with us to find the Crumple-Horned Snorkack.  We're not sure when we're going, but it might be even more enjoyable with a friend."

Tevin smiled at her, even though his eyes were clearly saying that he wasn't sure how seriously he should be taking the conversation.  "Maybe."

Luna looked up and it seemed she only just noticed that Remus was next to the fireplace.  "Is it time to leave already?"  Remus nodded with a kind smile to the blonde girl.  "That's a shame," she said.  "We didn't even go out into the garden to show you what we've been growing this year."

"There's always next visit, Luna," put in Xenophilius from behind the children. 

Luna seemed to glow.  "When can he come back?" she asked her father. 

Xenophilius looked the image of a doting father.  "Whenever he'd like."

Luna and Tevin exchanged genuine matching smiles. 

Remus didn't really want to, but he knew Severus would nearly start panicking if he didn't have Tevin home in time.  "Come on, Tevin." 

Tevin only took one step in his godfather's direction before Luna flung herself at him and hugged him as only children could do.  "Bye, Tev!" 

Remus was surprised to see Tevin hug back.  "Bye, Luna."

In another moment, Remus was spinning through the green floo flames with his godson towards a certain Potions Master's Hogwarts Suite.

The fireplace erupted in green as Remus and Tevin stepped through into the parlor of the Snape residence in Hogwarts.  Remus instantly realized that he probably could have waited for a few more minutes at the Lovegood home with Tevin when he saw that there were four students in the room. 

"Mr. Lupin!  Good to see you!" announced Flitwick as he came dashing out from behind the sofa.  "And young Snape."

"Hi, Professor," Tevin said cheerfully, causing a happy little squeak from the Charms Professor. 

While this greeting was being exchanged, Remus went right over to Severus.  "I'm sorry.  You said to have him back by now so I did.  I thought you'd be done."

"I did, too, Remus."  Severus shook his head as though to remember something.  "What's done is done."

"Mr. Lupin?" came a quiet voice just out of his peripheral vision. 

Remus turned and acknowledged the young girl.  "Miss Tonks.  We meet again." 

A smile spread on her face and her hair turned bubblegum pink.  Remus noticed that with her hair pink it almost - just almost - disguised her blush.  He could't help but smile back at her. 

"I almost did a full Patronus today."

Remus was suddenly in academic mode.  "Oh?  Was it recognizable?"

She shook her head, but her happy expression did not change.  "Not yet, but I know it has wings." She bit her lower lip suddenly as though nervous.  Remus opened his mouth to ask her what was wrong, but she found her voice first.  "Do you want to know what memory I used to get just wings?"

Once, again Remus opeed his mouth to reply, but he was beaten again vocally - this time by Flitwick.  "My, my!  Our time for training is up for today, everyone.  Back to your Common Rooms before the Prefects start giving you detention for wandering the halls!" 

Nymphadora's hair returned to its mousy brown color as she lowered her head as though embarrassed.  She quietly turned from Remus and gathered her bag along with the other students, before they were all ushered towards the portrait door so they could all go back to their respective dormitories, Flitwick waving them on behind them. 

"That was interesting."

Remus turned to face Severus.  "What?" 

Severus grinned on one side of his mouth at his friend.  "Nothing."  Then he turned his attention to his son.  "Did you have fun at Luna's?"

Tevin bounded over to his father excitedly.  "She wants me to come with her and her family when they go to Sweden to find Crumple-Horned Snorkacks!"

Severus made a face that looked like he'd just eaten something rotten.  "Tevin, there's no such thing."

"But," protested the boy, "she had sketches of it and everything."

Severus shook his head.  "Tevin, there is no such thing as a Crumple-Horned Snorkack, no matter what sort of illustrations she has of it.  She's filling your head with nonsense." 

"Is not."

Severus only stared at his son for a long moment before his tone softened.  "Go wash up.  We'll work on your shielding before bed."  Tevin sighed in quiet protest, but went to do as his father asked. 

Luna was a fan of saving almost everything.  She carefully removed the ribbons from the box and gently set them aside before she got to the main part of the present that Tevin gave her.  Part of her was curious, while the other part of her was excited.  Only her family had gotten her presents before.  She slowly opened the box, wanting to prolong her suspense as long as she could.  She didn't need to worry.  Right on the top was a small, folded piece of parchment. 

She took it out and read it.  There wasn't much on it.

Luna,

I hope you like these. 

- Tevin

Luna tilted her head.  That was certainly an odd thing to put on a card.  Of course the gift-giver would hope the recipient would like their present!  However, when she looked in the box again, what Tevin had written no longer seemed odd.  Nestled on carefully folded fabric was a pair of beaded objects.  They had a hook on the end of them.  What the hook connected to was an object that she recognized.  Radishes. 

"That's a very thoughtful gift he gave you, Luna."

Luna turned and saw her father leaning on the doorjamb of her room, a strange expression on his face.  She wasn't sure if he was pleased or if he was in pain.  It may have been both.  It wasn't his expression however that confused her more.  "Why?"

Xenophilius slowly walked into the room and knelt beside his daughter.  "Well," he began, with the reluctance of a parent thinking they were having a conversation too soon in their child's life.  "This is your first present from a boy, yes?"

Luna smiled and nodded enthusiastically.  "Yes!"

Xenophilius nodded.  "Now, what you will learn as you grow up is that when a girl gets a present from a boy it usually means something...a bit more than just giving a present." 

The confusion was beginning now.  It must have been the look on her face that prompted her father to elaborate.  "You see, most boys are shy or don't ever want to talk about their feelings - especially to a girl - so they sort of leave clues for the girl to figure out what they're trying to tell the girl." 

Luna was now suspicious.  What she thought her father was suggesting was ludicrous...wasn't it?  "Tevin is trying to tell me he likes me?"

"I think that he's trying to tell you that he-"

"Of course he likes me!  We're friends!  I hope he likes me if were friends." 

Xenophilius sighed.  "Luna," he said, gently taking the box with the radishes from her hand and putting it down on the floor beside them.  "I did the same thing with your mother." 

"But you aren't shy around mum."

"I was before you were born.  I was very shy around her.  I never would have been able to tell her that I loved her out loud, so I gave her a few clues along the way.  Left her riddles and things.  It wasn't very clever, really." 

Luna looked at her father as though he were the key to all worldly knowledge.  "So, if Tevin is trying to tell me that he likes me he'll give me more presents?"

"Don't judge it by how much he gives you, dearest, but by what the present means that he gives you." 

Luna stared at Tevin's present for a long while next to her father before she dared to ask, "Did you give something like that to mum?" 

Xenophilius nodded.  "Yes.  And very soon after she gave me a matching one."

Luna looked at the curious charm that hung around her father's neck.  Her mother had the mate of his necklace.  It was a curious design - an interwoven triangle, circle, and straight line.  A very simple-looking thing, really.  "Is it your charms?"

Xenophilius tenderly touched the charm, a soft smile playing at his lips.  "This is a symbol of three things that will make one master of death.  Thankfully, your mother was a clever Ravenclaw who understood what I was trying to say." 

"What does it say?"  Now she was beyond curious. 

"It means that not even death would make me love your mother less.  That what I felt for her would be more powerful than if death were to separate us." 

Luna looked at the very simple shape at her father's chest in a completely new light.  Such a simple thing could mean something so powerful?  Then, she looked at her present from Tevin.  "So, what does a radish mean?"

Xenophilius smiled at her.  "You're a smart girl, Luna.  You have to figure out the clue he left you."  Then, her father stood up again, and left his daughter's room. 

Only moments after he'd shut the door, Luna had searched through her volumes of books until she found one about plants.  She quickly turned the pages until she found what she was looking for - radishes.  She read it several times through.

This plant is sometimes a symbol of protection.  To give one as a gift is to wish for the recipient's safety. 

Luna stared at the entry and then stared at the the radish earrings.  Was Tevin really giving her a gift of protection?  From what was what she could not figure out.  The gesture, however, was thoughtful as her father said, though. 

With a dull thud of the book closing, Luna Lovegood immediately decided that she would get her ears pierced as soon as possible.