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Wendy shook her head rapidly. "But... but... but... But you don't tie in chess! You just... you just don't! It's, like, physically impossible!" she said, still searching for the elusive checkmate that Remus, by all laws of nature, should be able to perform.

Wendy blinked disbelievingly down at the board for a few more minutes, then recomposed her features, finally accepting the fact that they'd tied. She met Remus's eyes very calmly and, perfectly casual, commented, "There's evil afoot."

As though in answer to her observation, the sound of the fireplace roaring downstairs reached them. Wendy's face lit up instantaniously. "Sam's home early!" she exclaimed jubilantly. Then, however, an unfamiliar voice, sounding nervous and unsure, called, "Er, hello?" Wendy's smile vanished as quickly as it'd appeared, replaced by a look of terror. She pelted for the trapdoor, disappearing through it at top speed.

Wendy ignored him and raced into the living room, where a tall, well-built man with a blond ponytail and a scruffy beard, who Wendy assumed was Sam's new partner, stood supporting Sam, who had an arm around his shoulders. Both men gave Wendy the same uneasy smile.

"Sam!" she cried, starting forward.

"He's fine," Blond Ponytail said. "He got his head bashed pretty good, but they fixed him up at St. Mungo's, he'll be fine. The boss just wanted him to take a load off because, well, quite frankly we need everyone in top shape."

"So he's not in top shape?" Wendy could be ruthless when she wanted to be; she was sick and tired of everybody always trying to soften the blow. She just wanted a straight answer.

"I'm just a bit off," Sam assured her, smiling gently. "The Healer said that my balance and memory might be a bit off-kilter for a bit, but I should be fine within two days at the most."

"Yeah, just be sure he takes it easy," Blond Ponytail said, nodding.

By this time Jude and Finn had filed in - Wendy assumed her father was still deeply engrossed in whatever he was doing, and frankly she'd prefer it stayed that way.

"All right, Sam?" Finn asked, not looking all too excited. Sam grinned and nodded.

"Yeah, you guys can get back to whatever it was you were doing."

Wendy rolled her eyes at her brothers' lack of concern, thanked Blond Ponytail curtly, then led Sam over to the couch and forced him to lie down, not speaking and just generally in an ill mood.

"Yes, she said, her bad mood becoming more evident. "You can concentrate really hard on not being an idiot!"

"I'll have you know," Sam said from his place on the couch, frowning slightly, "that doing my job does not qualify me for idiocy."

Wendy muttered something about him being reckless, then said louder, "Whatever, I don't want to talk about it right now." She sat down heavily at Sam's feet, rubbing her temples, then looked up at him. "Need anything?" she asked more gently. Sam smiled fully.

"You remind me so much of Mum," he said. Wendy blushed severely, taking that as a 'No.' She looked up at Remus.

"Sorry," she said. "You need anything?"

Sam smiled hugely, giving Remus a thumbs-up. "Just concussed, will be fine!" he said, managing to sound excited. Wendy whimpered at the word "concussed," and Sam laughed, tickling her with his toes.

Wendy rocketed to her feet, laughing breathlessly.

"Do you love me again, yet?" Sam asked, making his innocent face and batting his lashes at her.

"Yes," Wendy sighed. "I just wish you'd stop getting yourself beaten up at work; can't you just tell them that beating you up is my job?" He laughed, and she kissed the tip of his nose. "I'll be in my room, so just yell if you need me, 'kay?"

Sam nodded. "Thanks a billion, Wendz," he said sincerely.

Wendy turned to Remus. "Let's go riddle out that chess board, then, Mr. Oh-So-Chivalrously-Flying-To-My-Aid-When-Sam's-Tickling-Me."

Wendy laughed, conceding that getting tickled by the feet of a recently-concussed Auror probably didn't look as dire as it actually was. "Fine, then, you're excused," she said, pulling herself through the trapdoor.

She studied the chessboard for a moment longer, then sighed and shook her head. "Unbelievable..." she said, not necessarily just talking about the tie.

Wendy laughed, then shrugged a little. "Just, everything. The chess tie, you being here, the fact that my brother can't walk out of the house without sustaining some sort of injury." She rubbed her temples again. It was a total exaggeration, but he had been getting hurt more often lately, and she knew it was because of the war. She knew it was because these Death Eaters were really dangerous people.

She shook her head, slapping a smile back on her face. "Sorry - I'm being a mother hen again."