***10 September. 1986***

Lucy had been summoned to Uncle Albus' office. She did not know the reason why she had been summoned after a full day of classes, but the reason could not be good. As she approached the door to Uncle Albus' office, she could hear raised voices from the other side side of the heavy English-oak door.

Pawpaw? She wondered at the recognised voice. This could not be good. Things never were when her Pawpaw and Uncle Albus were in the same room together.

"You weren't there Albus…If you could have seen the look in his eyes…"

"I'm sure it could not have been as bad as all of that."

"I'm tellin' you right now…if anything happens…,if he does anythin' to hurt that child…"

"It will be his blood."

"Funny…I was going to say the same thing about you."

Lucy quickly knocked on the door to make her presence known. The silence was immediate. "Come in, Lucy."

Lucy slowly entered and peered around the door. "Umm…Pawpaw…Uncle Albus…is everything alright in here?"

The two men standing before her couldn't be more different. Uncle Albus in midnight blue robes trimmed with silver moons and stars. His beard had hair were white as driven snow and reached his waist.

His younger brother was in stark contrast. A full three inches shorter than his brother, wearing worn blue and green tartans with his matching kilt, his hair and beard were grey, rather than white and they were not nearly as neat as his brothers, nor as long.

Lucy often wondered if Uncle Albus magically charmed the colour of his hair. Being compared to Merlin does have its advantages.

The only physical feature that could distinguish the two centenarians as kin were their intense blue eyes.

"Only a simple difference of opinion," Albus said as he waved Lucy in. "Your grandfather was just leaving." Albus looked intently at his brother over his half-moon glasses.

Albus made to leave but said, "This conversation isn't over, Albus," he turned and pointed a warning at his older brother. "Mark what I said."

Albus slowly nodded his head. The usual gleam in his eyes was gone.

As Aberforth passed Lucy, he stopped to give her a peck on the cheek. "Let me know if you need anythin', Love," he gave Albus one last glare. "I'm only a Floo call away," then he left.

Lucy turned her attention to her great uncle. "What was all that about, Uncle Albus?" she said suspiciously.

"Please…sit, child." Albus indicated to a chair before his desk. He sat himself in his own behind it. "Would you care for some tea?" A silver tea service appeared and Albus began to pour out before Lucy could answer.

"Not particularly…but I would care for some answers," she said, trying to hide her irritation.

Albus looked a little disappointed that she did not accept the tea. But he merely put the once offered cup in front of himself and prepared it to his liking. "Pity…it's a lovely tea…but to the matter at hand…I received a rather pitiful letter from your young man."

Lucy shifted in her chair. Her turquoise eyes narrowed and turned stony. "He is no longer my young man. I assume he wrote as much?"

Albus nodded gravely. "I am aware that the two of you have had your difficulties," said Albus before he blew on his tea. "But don't you think it is a little cruel to deny him access to his child?"

"I am not denying him access to the baby," Lucy defended, "Only to me during my pregnancy."

Albus put down his tea cup and looked at Lucy seriously. "Lucy, Kenneth wrote to me to try to get you to reconsider…and I must say I do sympathise with him."

"I can't say that I don't completely," admitted Lucy. She then informed Albus of the change that had come over Kenneth since there coming to Britain.

Albus nodded his hard in understanding and said, "I can understand your disappointment…and even your change of heart concerning the marriage…but why deny him the chance to bond with the child during this time?" Albus asked.

"Because of what happened to Terri," Lucy said starring sadly into her lap.

"Theresa? What happened to Theresa?" Albus inclined his head in concern.

"You don't remember, do you?" her tone was matter of fact. "It has been sixteen years."

"Are you referring to her elopement?" asked Albus. "It only lasted a couple of months…did it not?"

"Yes it did. Terri did not tell me the whole story until I was old enough to understand," Lucy almost whispered. She was willing herself to hold back the tears at the memory of her older sister's ordeal. "I suppose that is why the warning bells went off when Kenneth began to change. But I was only nine when everything happened to Terri. Only right before Kenneth came home did I make the connection."

"What happened?"

"Well…you know the part where Terri eloped with Matt against Daddy and Mama's wishes." Lucy steeled herself and said, "I think I might take that tea now."

Albus poured out a cup and handed it to his trembling niece. Whatever had happened to his elder niece had obviously been very disturbing.

Lucy took the cup gratefully and sipped it without adding any sugar or cream. "I remember I really liked Matt," she said suddenly. "He was Terri's beau from school…very sweet…very funny. I remember being excited for her when she told me she was going to marry him the night she snuck out of the house." Lucy flinched at the feeling of guilt that was trying to sneak up on her. "Mama and Daddy were so upset. She was only seventeen…and Mama didn't like Matt. Come to think about it…Mama wasn't too keen on Kenneth either," Lucy mused. "For the first couple of weeks Terri wrote me…she was very happy. Then the letters suddenly stopped."

Lucy noticed her uncle looked pale as he asked, "Why was that?"

"Terri told me that she found out later that he did not take her letters to post…she said the overall change was so slow she never saw the warning signs…sort of like putting a live frog in a cauldron full of cold water…," Lucy explained. "You slowly turn up the heat and they don't jump out because they don't realise their being boiled alive."

"How bad did things get?"

"Bad…Terri said at first he isolated her from friends and family…then he would question her every time she would go somewhere without him…even the store. After that…did she have anyone over while he was at work? Then he actually accused her of sleeping around while he was gone…he called her horrid names."

"Why in heavens name did he do that?" Albus asked…shocked.

"Who can figure out the madness of a madman?" Lucy answered. "But Terri became pregnant…I remember, she had finally managed to get an owl out to Mama... Mama told her to come home…but Terri thought that having a baby would change Matt."

Uncle Albus looked confused, "I did not realise Theresa had another child."

"She doesn't," Lucy spat bitterly. "Let me finish."

Albus' face grew stern, "Did he ever strike her?"

"According to Terri…no," Lucy admitted. "But she said he did not need to…Before Terri married Matt, she was outspoken, vivacious, and independent…when she finally came home…Merlin…she had such a nervous breakdown after her last argument with Matt that she was fetal. She cried for hours…nonstop."

Try as she might to keep them at bay, Lucy's treacherous tears finally broke through. "Two days after she came home…she went into labour…the Healers said the baby had a heart attack in vitro…Terri was four months pregnant."

Albus leaned back in his chair, his fingers steepled against his chin in deep contemplation. For a moment Lucy thought he might understand her reluctance to around her argumentative ex.

"Lucy…I understand what you must be thinking. But Theresa and her ex were little more than children."

Lucy stood up. She was angry now. "I can't believe you're still supporting Kenneth…after everything I just told you."  The tears were hot against her cheek.

"Kenneth is not your sister's ex-husband, Lucy. Does he deserve to suffer for another man's sins?"

Lucy's face was turning red with anger. Her wand hand began to twitch. "I need to get out of here," she turned and abruptly left Albus' office. Her small body had mustered enough strength, that the slamming of the door echoed down the spiral staircase and the portraits shook on Albus' walls.

When Lucy reached the bottom of the spiral staircase she had to stop and calm herself. She damned her quick temper.

She needed to talk to someone. By now Pawpaw was back at Hogsmead. She was in no emotional shape to Apparate and she did not want to take the time to walk that far. She could Floo, but the sensation was almost as bad as Apparition.

Which left only one sympathetic ear…

Severus was sitting at the small desk in his sitting room, grading his first round of third year essays. He was lamenting why wizards did not send younger children to primary school. With the exception of wealthy families who could afford tutors, it was almost always the Muggleborns that had the better grasp of English grammar. Most of the papers were absolutely ghastly.

He had dipped his quill at just the right angle to pick up a liberal amount of red ink when he was startled by an urgent pounding on his chamber door.

He sighed and cursed to himself. It would be time to pick up Harry soon and he had hoped to get through these last three essays.

Severus wondered who it could possibly be. Most people rang the buzzer. When he opened the door he was startled. Lucy had only been to his private chambers once before. She had used the Floo connection the day she went to see Molly Weasley. He wondered what was so urgent that it could not wait until morning.

"Lucy…Come in," he stepped aside as he watched an angry little witch march into his chamber. She reminded him of himself after a meeting with Albus.

"Thank you, Severus…,"she said with as much civility as she could muster, "I really need to talk to a friend."

Severus froze in shock. He did not understand why the words had startled him. The feeling was mutual, but it had been over a decade since anyone had called him 'friend' and meant it. Yes…Albus used the term, but he only used it to be patronising. Nobody had used the word as a sincere endearment in reference to Severus since Lily.

"Sit down, Lucy," Severus indicated to his worn sofa. "May I get you anything?"

"Just water, thank you."

Severus went to the kitchen, as he reached for two glasses from the cupboard. Lucy turned on the couch to face the kitchen. "Severus…has my Uncle Albus always been such an interfering old bastard?"

Severus was grateful his back was turned. He nearly broke out in full blown laughter. "It seems to be a rather disagreeable habit of his."

He composed himself as he filled a pitcher of water. When he had schooled his features he walked over to the sofa, pitcher and glasses in hand.

Sitting down next to Lucy, he poured her a glass and handed it to her. He was surprised at how at ease he felt around the witch. "Tell me…what did the interfering old bastard do this time?"

Lucy gave a weary smile and regaled the entire story how Kenneth had written an appeal to Albus, and how Albus had agreed to run interference for the man. Severus listened patiently until Lucy had finished.

"Would you be angry with me if I suggested a compromise?" Severus asked.

Lucy just shook her downward cast head. She looked too emotionally spent to argue.

"Lucy…I can see both points," Lucy lifted her head to say something but Severus raised a hand and said. "I only ask you to listen…and as your friend I will support you in whatever you decide."

Lucy consigned herself to keeping her mouth shut for once. After all, she came to him for advice,

"I find your reason for wanting to keep Kenneth away perfectly valid considering what happened to your sister…tensions between yourself and Kenneth were becoming volatile and that is a stress you can ill afford. However…Albus is right that you cannot make assumptions based upon another man's actions."

"What do you suggest I do?"

"Continue what you have been doing," Severus said sensibly. "But allow him to come to your check-ups…keep him informed…however, do not see him alone…have your grandfather or I present when he is with you."

Lucy chuckled wryly, "Oh…Kenneth will love that!"

"He will have to get used to it." Severus slowly took her hand and looked her in the eyes "Lucy…speaking as a man…I believe that a father has every bit as much right to a child as the mother…but as a friend…I believe you know more of what Kenneth is capable of than anyone…trust your instincts…because when it comes right down to it, whilst you are carrying this child…you are ultimately responsible for its safety. Do not let Albus or anyone else, convince you otherwise."

Lucy reached out and hugged Severus around the neck. "I don't know what I'd do without you, Severus…you're a great friend."

Severus could feel his face heat up as he blushed. "You would simply wait until morning to see your 'Pawpaw'," he said as he pulled from her embrace.

"You are probably right…but Pawpaw wouldn't be as much fun. He doesn't blush as easily."

Severus grimaced, but he couldn't help but blush again as he arose from the sofa and offered Lucy a hand up. "I am over a half hour late to pick-up Harry," he said. "To pay for your insult you shall accompany me to pick him up…he might not be as upset when you come through the Floo."

Lucy took his hand, arose from the sofa, and gave him a genuine smile. Already, she was feeling much better as she said, "It is the least I can do for you."