The ground, still warm from the heat of the day long since ended, radiated tendrils of steam into the summer night, tendrils that brushed past the two professors as they walked out of The Three Broomsticks.

At least the walk should do him good, thought Professor McGonagall as she surreptiously watched the thin, hollow-cheeked Potions loping briskly beside her. He looks to be sober enough now, but I've never put quite the same trust as he does in Bundimun extract. Perhaps because I've never needed to resort to it.

She repressed a shudder. It's easy for me to judge him, isn't it? I've never made the mistakes that he's made in his life, and so I've never had to face the same demons he wrestles with every waking hour -- and much of his sleeping hours, if the tales the house-elves tell are true. And to walk the line he must walk -- to curry the favor of the Malfoys and their like, to pretend to be loyal to the Death Eaters and their cause, even as he spies upon them -- I don't think I could do it. Merlin keep me from ever needing to try.

They made their way to Hogwarts without saying a single word.

==========

Remus Lupin sat in one of Dumbledore's capacious and overstuffed chairs, his fingers beating a nervous rhythm on the armrest.

"Try to relax, Remus," Dumbledore sighed. "Minerva will have no trouble fetching Severus, whatever his condition."

"I know, Professor," Remus replied. He ran his fingers through his thick, rapidly greying hair. "It's just that I never expected him to crack like this -- obnoxious and harsh he always was, but usually steady as a rock. Cliodna knows that his life hasn't exactly been easy, but I'd never seen him fall apart like this. I hope he'll be up to the task."

"I rather think he will be, Remus," said Professor Dumbledore. "He may gripe and complain, but he will be glad of the chance to finally bring matters to a head. Whatever else happens tonight, the strain caused by anticipating the worst will at least be gone."

"Yes," grimly agreed Remus, "there is at least that. Waiting for the blows is almost worse than the blows themselves. But if Sirius is right, we have a fighting chance now -- if we can all stand fast." He paused to take a sip of the club soda Dumbledore had poured for him, and racked his brain for a way to change the subject. Finally, he found it. "That reminds me: Any word from Hagrid and Madame Maxime?"

"Not lately," the headmaster replied, tucking his beard into his belt. "They made it to Jotunheim safely, I do know that."

"I wonder what it must be like for Hagrid and Olympe among them?" mused Remus. "Among humans, they're outsize. But among pure-blooded giants, they're positively puny. I hope they can look out for themselves."

"They have one advantage over their pure-blood kin," Dumbledore reminded Remus, "and that is the fact that they are wizards. Rubeus may not have been allowed to finish his schooling, but Olympe is a very powerful witch in her own right. She would never have become Headmistress of Beauxbatons if she were not."

The door to Dumbledore's office opened, and Professors McGonagall and Snape entered.

"Ah, Severus!" cried Dumbledore. "So good of you to come with Minerva on such short notice. Sit down, please, both of you," he said, indicating the row of overstuffed chairs which had suddenly materialized. "Remus has some information which you will both find of interest."