All in the Family

Chapter 87: The Dream

Chapter is dedicated to aaquater, who has not only been my goto person for so long now I don't remember a time without them on anything I have a mind to talk about, but helped in particular nailing down some details of this and future chapters, as well as looks over each of the chapters to make sure they're coherent. Don't know what I'd do without you!

To Stitches: The Patronus' changing is indeed a minor plotpoint in book six, and JK says it used to be a rabbit before it turned into a wolf, which makes me sad Tonks and Luna never got a scene together. I'm not saying an animagus could ever change too, but I do still think if you became an animagus it would be what your patronous would be at that time, example if Tonks had become an animagus before she fell in love with Remus it would have been a rabbit, but afterwords it would have been a wolf. The animagus would never switch of course, but it would still represent the animal of your soul at that time. That's just my personal theory though.
Judging does indeed go both ways, these guys still have a ways to go before they all accept each other, some faster than others...

HPHPHPHP

At least this time when Alice face planted something, it was relatively soft, even if she did find herself moments later on the floor instead and whatever she'd hit was now resting on top of her. It was removed moments later, Frank there once more and fighting off yet another sneeze, which she couldn't manage.

Fighting weary limbs to get to her feet with Frank's help, all of them were coughing and sneezing at the musty, sweltering hot room. It was only lit by the fireplace, casting long shadows over the eight of them. The only things of note were the rug in front of the fireplace and the chair she'd toppled over with a tiny table she hadn't managed to disturb, a bottle sitting innocently in place. Yet still no one said a word, they were all covering their mouths and trying to repress the abundance of noise they were making and looking at the lone door. Wherever they were, the very air made them feel as if they didn't belong.

Remus Lupin had landed closest to the window, and he'd been staring out rather than in like the rest of them. Now, eyes still trained outside, he reached over and tugged on the sleeve of his nearest friend. Peter Pettigrew chanced a glance over his shoulder, in the wrong direction it seemed, as he looked up into the sky. It wasn't visible to Alice, but she didn't think it was a full moon, he didn't look particularly worried about it. Then his eyes cast over the rest of the view, and he flinched, nodding his understanding.

The floor moaned in protest as their other two friends finally began to move, making their way over to the window as well. Alice watched their feet carefully to make sure the whole floor wouldn't give out on them. By the time they looked out as well and put it together, Alice didn't think she needed an answer. She was very glad now she hadn't knocked that little bottle over, she didn't want to know what the snake venom that was healing You-Know-Who would do if it had landed on her. Now the real question was, where was the snake?

It stood to reason, as every other animal they'd come across was usually about, shouldn't this one be? Her blood shivered just beneath her skin as if calling to it, she swallowed convulsively and prayed not to vomit as she also remembered the last time that snake had been mentioned, whom it had eaten. Were the bones of poor Frank Bryce somewhere here as well?

A slight tap on her shoulder would have sent a blood-curdling scream from her throat if it hadn't been lodged in place, but it was only Lily, grasping the book tight in her hand, her skin sallow with disgust as she glanced about every corner of the room.

Regulus Black stood alone in the farthest corner, arms crossed and nearly blending into the darkest of shadows. Everyone was accounted for, no-one was currently being attacked by a killer snake, but Alice was beginning to wish they'd landed back in the antechamber of the Chamber of Secrets, the rat bones scattered about and the caved-in ceiling more hospitable than this place.