The Werewolf's Child

The Finding Spell

Ron was in the sitting room trying to get the radio to tune in to Potterwatch. "Albus," he said, tapping on the radio with his wand. "Dumbledore," he said, trying a different rhythm. "Moody!" Tap tap tap. "Sirius." Tappity tap tap.

He wasn't getting very far.

Sev, who was spending a rare evening at Spinner's End was on the sofa before the fire. He had dusted off the book of baby names that he'd bought Remus for Christmas. He was going through it methodically, quill and parchment in hand. Amanda, beside him, looked on with interest. Crookshanks, who had taken a liking to her, purred in her lap.

"Augustus," Sev said thoughtfully, chewing on his quill. "Antonius."

"Those are both a bit stuffy, don't you think?" said Remus from where he sat in the rose colored armchair by the fire, his feet up.

"Probably," said Sev. "I don't know. Antonius Breckenridge was a great potion maker of the seventeenth century."

"Was he now?" said Remus, smiling at him.

"He laid the groundwork for the polyjuice potion. Also Felix Felicis."

"Mmm," said Remus. "Maybe. Keep looking."

"Barilius?" said Sev, flipping forward "Balthazar? Bergood?"

"That means Good Bear," said Remus.

"Bergood Odenton was a great potion maker of the fourteenth century," said Sev.

"Oh dear," said Remus.

"Try going back to front," suggested Harry from the corner table where he was playing exploding snap with Ginny, while Gavin looked on.

Sev flipped to the back of the book. "Zodion?" he said, somewhat hopelessly. "Zepharia? Zane?"

"If his name starts with zed he'll always be called last for everything," said Hermione from the study where she was curled, surrounded by stacks of books and notes.

"Same problem with a name that starts with A," said Ron wisely. "No one likes to be called first all the time."

"Oakley," said Amanda.

"Oakley?" said Sev, flipping back to the middle. "That's not in the book."

"It's a cool name, though," said Ginny, approvingly.

"Oakley," said Sev thoughtfully, writing it down. He liked the way it looked on the page. It wasn't a traditional wizarding name. On the other hand, being called Severus hadn't really done much for him. "Oakley," he said tasting it. "We'll see," he said.

Over in the corner, Ron let a frustrated sigh. "Remus Lupin!" he shouted at the radio, followed by a complicated series of taps. "Severus Snape!" Nothing.

"Try the Prewetts," suggested Remus.

"The Prewetts?

"Gideon and Fabian, They were heroes of the first war. We all looked up to them like mad when we were in school."

Severus snorted. "Some of us did."

"Gideon Prewett!" shouted Ron, tapping furiously. "Fabian Prewett."

Nothing.

"Try Regulus," suggested Sev.

"Regulus?" asked Ron.

"Regulus Black," said Remus. "Sirius' brother. He sacrificed his life resisting the Dark Lord."

"That's right," said Ron. "He did."