For wizards skilled in Apparition, France and Britain were not far apart.
Severus Apparated all the way from Fontainebleau, France, to London, where he kept watch near 12 Grimmauld Place, the former headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix.
It was daytime now. Harry Potter and his friend Ron Weasley rode out from the house on a flying motorcycle with a sidecar, as though they were leaving in an ordinary Muggle vehicle.
James Potter's son wore a leather jacket and looked dashing and stylish, nothing like someone heading off to war. He looked more like he was going out to show off.
"Exactly like his godfather." Watching the two figures disappear into the distance, Lucius Malfoy said, "Why did you come back alone?"
Severus ignored Lucius and stared at the red-haired woman standing at the door.
She had Weasley features: a very determined chin, and brown eyes rather than Lily Potter's lake-green ones.
"Are you listening to me?" Lucius asked.
Severus stared at the platinum-haired aristocrat, who looked back at him in confusion.
"I'm asking you, Lucius, do you still have any women besides Narcissa?"
"No!" Lucius answered at once. "I still haven't earned that former one's forgiveness. Why would there be anyone else?"
"Is a woman's affair different from a man's?" Severus asked.
Lucius's gray eyes widened. "What did you just say?"
Looking as though he regretted everything, Severus raised his wand as if he wanted to cast Obliviate on Lucius.
"You just finished your honeymoon. That's far too soon!" Lucius immediately protested on Severus's behalf. "Who is it?"
"You wouldn't believe it." Severus looked constipated.
"Who?" Lucius asked with keen curiosity.
Severus chose silence.
"Want me to gather some people and teach him a lesson?" Lucius said eagerly.
"Then the whole world will know what happened!" Severus roared.