Prank
by Mindige0
I had the overwhelming urge to go to the Great Hall for breakfast, even after my night with Severus I knew that I needed to keep up appearances and so eating breakfast in the Great Hall was a must; but there was something else calling me there something that put me on edge. Something that made me grab my invisibility cloak and drape it over myself, not wanting to be noticed quite yet. I knew the headmaster and probably Severus would know the minute I entered, something that brought a smile to my face, the two people I cared most about next to Ron and Hermione would know I was there. I made my way down from Gryffindor Tower encountering no one and to me that seemed very odd, there was always at least a student or two roaming the halls but it seemed that all were in the Great Hall, the noise from the room made me take a step back. It was never that loud, even at the return feast and here it was ten times louder than that, what had caused something like that? I listened to the noise for a moment and noticed that it was laughing; the same kind that I had heard from my cousins and his friends when they would find me in their game of 'Harry Hunting' it was a sound that instantly put me on edge again. After taking a deep breath did I finally open the Great Hall doors enough to allow me entrance and what I saw made me want to throw up and cry at the same time. For there in larger than life photos was me dressed in the clothing that Severus had given to me as a Christmas gift. I looked like a Playwitch centerfold with the photos flashing from one position to the next. I looked around the room in horror; never had I thought that I would see myself in the Great Hall with all looking and laughing at the photos. It seemed that I was lucky in that Sev...Snape hadn't taken any photos of me nude for I knew they would have been up there as well, swirling in the group of photos that had been taken for Snape's eyes only. Tears leaked out of my eyes as I took in the smug look on Snape's face, and jovial look on the Headmaster's and how my friends, people I called my family laughed at my humiliation. It was just as I was about to back out of the room did Snape stand up, it seemed he had something to say. I didn't want to stay but it seemed that I was glued to the place where I was still barely standing.
"Some of you may be wondering about the photos" here he gestured to the photos that hung on either side of the Great Hall still flipping from moving photo to moving photo.
"Just a little something that the Headmaster thought you would enjoy" here Snape sat back down, so the Headmaster had allowed for this to occur. Did he not remember my horrifying time I had at the Dursley's? Did he forget that I...I cut the thought off. I knew what the Headmaster was doing; I could hear the man's words now.
"It was only a prank, my boy. Something to lighten the mood of the school" as if that would right the wrong that was occurring. I had not allowed for such photos to be released to the press, and I hadn't ever planned on doing so. It seemed that I was wrong in assuming that I would be taken care of by the people I thought to call family. Hell the Dursley's would be better than this! I searched the room again for any one that seemed to find the disgust in what was going on and came up with no one. I left the hall with tears running down my face and thoughts of what I needed to do next. I couldn't, no I wouldn't stay at Hogwarts; if the Headmaster of the school was willing to allow something like this to occur to a student then I had no need to stay there. But where would I go? It wasn't like I could hop on a plane and fly somewhere; to do that would require a visit to the Dursley's, something that I had promised would never occur again, if I could help it. I finally had control over my vaults but I knew the Headmaster had taken a close inventory of everything in there, I had thought at the time it was for my own good but I see that it could have been a way for him to keep me near if things ever needed a hero again. I didn't notice that my feet lead me to a small area of the Entrance Hall that had an alcove, an alcove that currently held Severus Snape and Draco Malfoy. One looking quite smug while the other looked ready to spit nails, at least that is what it looked like.
"Godfather have you lost your mind?" Malfoy spat to Snape, something that I was clearly shocked to see. First he called the man godfather and then asked if he was crazy, two things I thought I would never see or hear happen.
"I am quite sane Draco" Snape said a sneer on his face; it made me take a step back. I had seen that sneer one too many times and knew that nothing good would come from goading the man when he was in that sort of humor.
"Then why in the bloody hell did you post those photos of Potter in the Great Hall"
"I don't..."
"Don't play dumb with me Godfather, you are a Slytherin through and through and I know that you have been seeing Potter, or was that part of it as well?" Malfoy, no Draco said. I would give him the respect that he was due now, he was standing up for me, one person I thought that would never do so was.
"Fine Draco, you want the whole truth" Snape said a smirk on his face, I knew I wouldn't like what he had to say one bit but I knew I had to stay. It seemed that I had walked in on something and I wasn't going to leave until I knew what was really going on. My decisions wouldn't be made until I knew for sure that this was something that Snape and the Headmaster set up and the reasons why.
"Potter" he spat my name like it was poison and I guess it was to him, how had he made love to me when it was clear that he still hated my very being?
"Potter is and will always be a brat, just like his father. Swaggering around the school as if he owns it and acting as if the Wizarding World owes him a great debt. Well I wasn't about to have that, oh no" Snape seemed to be in his element now, remembering the plans he had made to make me see that I was nothing. I could see that now, and I could see where the Headmaster would have agreed to such a thing. If I thought I was nothing, I was bound to hang around and make myself useful in some way, just to please the two people that I cared about most in the world.
"Godfather you are an idiot" Draco said before shaking his head sadly, he seemed to know that nothing good would come from this but told his Godfather to continue.
"So I asked the Headmaster if I could pursue Potter in a romantic scene, he never saw it coming. Acting so love starved he never saw the way I treated him as wrong and he never suspected that he would in the end get his just desserts. With the Headmaster's approval I pursued the boy and soon he was doing any and everything to get my attention"
"It's only just Yule" Draco said stunned, it seemed even he was surprised by my quick caving.
"That is where the other two members of his clan came in, he wasn't giving in and soon they spoke to him about me"
“You used Granger and Weasley against him, are you mad?"
"Oh they were quite willing to help, they too wanted to show Potter that without them he is nothing, just like his father" here my knees buckled, I was glad the cloak covered me still for I didn't know what I would say or do if they had noticed I was there.
"Soon Potter was coming to me, wanting to know more about me and soon he was warming my bed. Last night was as you know Yule and he had a special gift for me" Snape smirked even wider now; I remember coming into Snape's room with the clothing he had gifted me, a shy smile on my face. I should have seen the evil glint in his eyes as he demanded photos of me in the clothing and then carried me to his bed room and took my virginity. I had said that I loved him, how stupid could I have been? No one would ever love me, of that I knew for sure now.
"You didn't" Draco said horror showing on his face.
"Oh but I did, multiple times" Snape said before laughing a laugh that sent shivers down my spine at how evil it sounded.
"Potter...Harry is not his father, Snape" Draco spat the name; it seemed that maybe there was one who cared about me. Snape looked shock over Draco's choice of words for his status in Draco's world. Gone was Godfather to be replaced with Snape, I knew the significance and I saw that Snape did as well.
"His father is dead, something that you seem to forget. He didn't grow up with the man you hated as a parent"
"But his relatives treated him..." Draco cut Snape off here, only Draco knew the full story of how my Aunt and Uncle treated me. I had to tell him so that he understood that I meant no harm to him when I saved him from a burning room during the final battle.
"Treated him like a house elf and tried but failed to beat the magic out of him" Draco answered back; did he think that Snape would see the errors of his ways?
"What" Snape said looking at Draco as if he was the one that was insane.
"His Aunt and Uncle are the worst type of muggles; they know about magic and see fit to beat Harry because he was born with magic. Did you think that they let him lay about on holidays? I did at one point but when I noticed that he always came back thinner and almost broken on September 1st, I began to wonder. My fears were confirmed during the final battle when I was locked in the dungeons of Malfoy Manor, to burn alive. No one but Harry thought to check and make sure that everyone was out of the house. When I told him that he was getting what he always wanted he ripped me a new one and then told me about his life. I'm not sure why, but that day he earned a new respect and understanding from me. So you will excuse me if I find your excuse of 'his father did this to me and his father did that to me' as the crappest excuse I have ever heard. You are hurting Harry the person, not his dead father James Potter but Harry Potter. Did you ever realize that?" Draco said before he turned his back on Snape as if gathering himself for what he was going to do next. I could see that he wasn't finished, and the shocked look on Snape's face made me smile. Draco had earned a new respect from me and I planned to let him know it once I had my plans firmed out.
"Consider your status as my Godfather done, I wish not to associate with you if you thought that dealing with your aggressions of a dead person was easiest to take out on their child" Draco said before I felt the magic swirl around the pair and then I heard a snapping sound. The bond was broken and the only way that it would be repaired was if Draco allowed for another ceremony so that Snape could become his Godfather again.
"Draco" Snape was clearly shocked that Draco had gone to such great lengths over his feelings on the prank.
"Professor if you will excuse me" Draco said before darting out of the alcove and looking about, almost as if sensing that I was there. He nodded his head before heading back into the Great Hall, to do what I don't know but I didn't stick around that was for sure. My feet seemed to carry my body back up to Gryffindor Tower where I packed, not really thinking about what I was doing or where I was going. It was as I put the last item in my trunk that I noticed the necklace that Snape me as a Christmas gift. I had taken if off because of the reaction my skin gave when the necklace had come into contact with it.
“I wonder” I said out loud, when Snape had given me the necklace I had thought that is was gift that showed me how much he cared for me but now sitting on my bed looking at it I began to wonder if there was more to it. I only reacted badly to when tracking charms and potions were applied to my person, could it be that there was a charm or potion on the necklace, to alert Snape and the Headmaster about where I was in the castle? Is that the reason on why Snape wasn't worried about me coming down to the Great Hall before he removed the photos? I left the necklace on the night stand and then looked around the room one last time, I was leaving and I was doing it right now. Breakfast was still going on which gave me time to leave the castle with no one none the wiser until my first class of the day. With my mind made up, at least partly, I took a piece of parchment sitting on the desk near the window and wrote out my letter to the Headmaster about my withdrawal from the school, effective immediately. Now to decide on how the letter would be delivered, I knew one thing for sure about sending the parchment, Hedwig couldn't go. They would probably put a charm on her to track where she would go to return the letter that I knew the Headmaster would write telling me that my family was here and that I should return.
“Dobby” I said hating to have to put the elf into this sort of situation but it was either that or go to the Owlery but that could prove disastrous for me.
“Harry Potter, sir!” Dobby said excitedly to me, I knew he would do as I asked of him but I still felt guilty.
“Bring this letter to Headmaster Dumbledore in twenty minutes” I told Dobby while he looked at the parchment, his eyes wide as if knowing that something was going on.
“But Harry Potter, sir” Dobby said before backing up a bit and shaking his head.
“Please Dobby”
“But”
“Please” I was not above begging at this point to get the letter delivered to the Headmaster on a schedule that I could work with. Twenty minutes would give me enough time to leave the castle and at least floo to two or three locations, before the Headmaster would raise the alarm notifying the staff that a student was missing. I knew my letter would never reach past the Headmaster's hand and so the staff would never know that I had withdrawn from Hogwarts.
“Yes sir” Dobby said seeing that I was emotionally hurt and desperate. I watched as Dobby popped away and then looked over to my bed and the trunk that now was sitting on it, the necklace was glinting in the room's light. I had to turn away from the necklace for I was certain I would destroy it if I looked at it any longer. It was then that an idea popped into my head, I would take the necklace and see if there really was a tracking charm or potion on it. With my mind made up, I slowly made my way over to my trunk and then shrunk it, I was after all seventeen which meant that I could use my wand without having to worry about if the Ministry would be on my back for using it outside of school. With trunk in my pocket did I take the necklace and place it in my pocket before making my way to the Great Hall. I would leave the necklace in an alcove or something and leave soon after. I reached the Entrance Hall much faster than I had thought it would take. I took in Hogwarts one last time before going over to where the large point hourglasses were and left the necklace next to the Slytherin one before moving away and then dashing to the doors. I knew that Snape would swoop out of the Great Hall looking for me, if there truly was something on it. I was not disappointed it seems since I heard Snape' voice calling out to me as he probably searched the Entrance Hall for my visage. I ran all the way to the gates of Hogwarts and then ran past those before making my way to the Three Broomsticks intent on getting as far away as possible as quickly as possible.
“Mr. Potter” Rosemerta said to me as I entered the pub, I had hoped that I wouldn't encounter anyone but it seems that isn't the case. I nodded my head to the woman and asked if I could use the floo.
“Of course you only need to ask” the busty woman said before handing over the pot that held the floo powder in it. I checked one last time before throwing the powder in and shouting the Leaky Cauldron, I had no doubt that the woman would tell the Headmaster were I went, so I had picked a place that would lead me out to the muggle world and also to allow me to get a head start on them when they came searching for me. I was thrown out of the fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron and once on my feet did I make my way out into muggle London, I had withdrawn a large sum of money only a few weeks back as if somehow knowing that I would need the funds. Once out in London did my mind start to swirl with ideas on where I should go and what I should do, I wanted to have nothing to do with the Wizarding World for now. It was as I was walking quickly down the street that I noticed a few of the Order of the Phoenix members looking around as if knowing that I was hiding out in muggle London. They were very out of place, which made it easier for me to disappear into a shop watching as they passed by looking for me. Once I was certain that I was safe did I make my way back out of the shop and walking as quickly as I could without drawing attention to myself. It was as I neared an underground station that I noticed that another group seemed to be looking for me as well, I had almost missed them but it seemed that one in their group was Hermione and she knew where I would go to hide if I was in fact in muggle London.
“Just wait” Hermione said a hand on her hip glaring at the wizards that looked quite out of place by their clothing. They were getting more than a few strange looks and I knew that would help me, I looked like a student on my way to school while they looked quite out of place in the morning rush.
“There!” Hermione said pointing to a boy that had the same build and almost the same outfit I had on. I felt bad for the boy but I knew he would be my one chance to dash to the Underground and make my way onto the train.
“You!” One of the men shouted making the boy turn and then run, this was my chance! I watched as they all ran after him before dashing down the stairs to the Underground and then made my way onto the train after paying my fare. I had no idea where the tube would take me, as the Dursley's never allowed me to take the tube since it was beneath them. I rode the tube for about ten minutes before I noticed that a group of boys about my age and dressed like me were getting off. I figured this would be the easiest way for me to figure out where I was in the city of London, if I was even in London any longer. ‘Did the tube take you outside the city limits?' I thought as I made my way off the tube and then followed the group a few paces back taking in my surroundings. I could hear them laughing and joking around and knew that I was at least safe staying close to them. When they arrived to their destination I pulled up short, what was I to do now? I stood looking at the large building, at a loss as to what to do next.
“Excuse me” A woman said to me looking quite worried about me standing in front of the school and not entering. I turned to her and that was when she noticed that my uniform wasn't the same as the uniforms the boys wore at this school.
“Are you lost?” She asked a kind smile on her face; I was very reluctant to even speak what if this was all just some kind of joke? I shook my head, of course I was lost but I certainly wasn't going to tell her that she would probably call the children's services and I would be shipped back to the Dursley's which would lead me back to Hogwarts, a place that I did not plan to go back to.
“Come with me” the woman said a worried look on her face as she guided me into the building and to what I assumed was her office. As we walked down the hallway, many boys began calling out to her and asking her questions.
“In a minute boys” she said before she herded me into her office and then shut the door. I was instantly on edge. “Now can you tell me why you were standing outside of the school, dressed like that and looking lost?” The woman said going over to her desk and taking a seat while pointing a hand to one of the chairs that sat on the other side of the desk. I didn't know how to answer her, there wasn't anything I could say that she would take at face value and would leave me in the safety of the muggle world.
“How about we start simple then” she said her lips thinning out when I didn't answer her question.
“Your name”
“Harry” I said not willing to give up my last name quite yet.
“Last name”
“Only if you tell me your name” I bargained back to the woman.
“Zoe Connolly” she said before looking at me, telling me I had better give up my last name and soon.
“Potter, Harry Potter” I said before my eyes flicked about the room, I didn't want to meet her eyes. They were the same color as my mother's or at least what I thought her eyes would look like if she was still alive.
“Well then Harry Potter, what are you doing standing outside of this school looking lost?” She asked again, I was still stuck on what kind of answer I could give. There was something about this woman though that sort of put me at ease, it made me want to tell her all about myself but I stopped, I couldn't it would only lead to pain and that was something I wanted to avoid.
“Mr. Potter” she said her lips thinned out again, she wasn't happy I could see that.
“Ms. Connolly, I…” I was at a loss, it would only be a matter of time before the Headmaster and his Order would find me with the help of Hermione, if I was still on the streets of London. Here I was at least safe, and I could always run, I seemed to be fairly good at that.
“Mr. Potter, let me tell you something if you think that for a minute…..” she started but I cut her off, I knew she was a second from kicking me out of the school and that was something that I didn't want.
“I sort of ran away”
“Ran away?” She asked her face told me that she didn't believe me and that I had best get to explaining and fast.
“I go to school in Scotland”
“How did you manage to get here?” She said her face saying that she didn't believe my story so far. How far was I willing to go to stay safe?
“Long story”
“Hmmm” she said taking my excuse at least for now.
“I ran away because of….”here I pulled up short, how do you explain that your headmaster and professor decided to liven up the school's atmosphere by playing a prank on you? It didn't sound like that horrible of a thing, until you understood the deception that went along with the prank.
“Mr. Potter, whatever you tell me will stay in this room” she assured me as if knowing that I hesitated for that reason alone.
“Do you believe in magic then?” I asked; I felt that I could tell her anything and she wouldn't be surprised. She only raised her eyebrows at me, as if asking if I was sane.
“Magic? Wand, spells and all that?”
“Yes” I said meeting her eyes; she just had to believe me.
“To a certain extent” she said before looking around and then whispering.
“But don't tell them that” she said looking to the door of her office and then smiling.
“Then would you believe that I am a wizard with a wand?”
“Hmmm” she said as if daring me to show her, and show her I did. I had nothing to lose at this point, if it went totally wrong the Ministry would be out to clean up the mess and I would be dragged back to Hogwarts and back to the hell that I had wanted to avoid. Nothing to lose indeed! I took out my wand and showed her it before flicking it and muttering the basic levitating spell. Her face morphed into a thing of wonder.
“Magic” she said sitting back and then looking at me as if I told her Santa Claus was real.
“So you see the running away from Scotland was quite possible”
“Then why did you run” she said taking everything in stride, as if it was everyday that a wizard came into her office with a wand in hand showing her magic.
“It's complicated”
“Then the simple version” she said looking at her watch, I knew I didn't have much time then.
“The headmaster along with a professor decided to liven up the school and I was the butt of the prank”
“A prank” she said clearly not believe that a prank would send a boy running as it had me.
“As I told you, it's complicated something that would take a good few hours to explain”
“Then I will take your story for now, but you will tell me the minute we arrive home”
“What?” I asked confused, was this woman just going to take me in?
“If you ran that means you have nowhere to go and as I am a sucker for run aways, I have plenty of animals to attest to that, I am taking you home with me”
“But”
“No buts Mr. Potter” she said before we both jumped hearing the knock on her door. It seemed that my time was up.
“We'll get everything taken care of later” she said rising and going to answer the door where a man that looked quite unhappy with five boys surrounded him stood.
“Ms. Connolly”
“Mr. Dowler” she said respectfully before apologizing for having the boys coming to him about their questions.
“What am I to do?” a boy with blonde hair that reminded me of Draco said, coming into the room and plopping down in the other chair not noticing that I was still sitting there.
“William” she said looking at the boy and then shaking her head, I could see that he was one of the students that probably visited her on a daily basis. It made me laugh which brought the baby blue eyes to land on me, something I had sort of wanted and dreaded.
“Well hello” William said sitting up taller and taking my body in where I sat. It brought a blush to my cheeks, which had the boy laughing.
“William do shut up” Ms. Connolly said when she noticed that I closed up at being laughed at, I was still hurt over the prank and it was that laughing that brought it to the fore front of my mind.
“Right” the boy said before smiling a smile that I knew he meant no harm.
“This is a new student of ours” Ms. Connolly explained to William before asking him if he would be willing to show me around the school and for me to sit in on his classes.
“It would be my pleasure” he said before standing up and then guiding me out of the office, telling me that I would be back there soon enough. Once outside of the office did I panic, I hadn't kept up with my muggle education and I knew that any and all classes I would be lost in something that I didn't want to have happen.
“Boys” William said before he walked up to three other boys, all with smirks on their faces.
“Didn't work” the shortest of the group said before outright laughing at William and whatever attempt he had been making with Ms. Connolly.
“Oh man!” Another one said before noticing that William had brought someone along with him, me.
“Boys, as I was saying before you rudely interrupted me” William said before smirking at the group and then speaking again.
“We have fresh meat”
“Oooh” one that sort of reminded me of Ron minus the hair said looking me over and judging me.
“Ms. Connolly wants me to show him around and take him to my classes”
“A puppy” the one that had spoken first when we arrived said.
“Hmmm” William didn't commit to that, but I knew that was what he was probably thinking.
“Let me introduce you” William said before pointing to the first boy in the group, he had short brown hair and stood like a football player.
“That there is Ryan” William said before pointing to the next boy, who had dark blonde hair and an easy smile on his face.
“That there is Jeremy”
“And that there is Seth” William said pointing to the third boy in the group, who had black hair and looked like he could give me a run for my money in the running department. He was long and lean and looked almost like a gazelle or something in human format.
“Hullo” I said waving and then deciding that they might want my name.
“Harry”
“Excellent, a William and a Harry….God save the Queen!” Jeremy said before cracking up. It seemed that I had found the jokester of the group; hopefully his jokes weren't as hurtful as some other people's.
“You'll get used to it” Seth said before rolling his eyes and then shaking his head as Jeremy still stood laughing about his joke.
“Class” Ryan said before the four of them, plus I made our way to their first class of the day. For the rest of the day I followed William and some of the group around for classes. I was surprised that I sort of had half an idea of what was going on in each of the classes I attended.
“Ah there you are” Ms. Connolly greeted me as William returned me back to her at the end of the day. It was with a grin and a goodbye that he left me with Ms. Connolly and then made his way I assumed home.
“William is a nice lad” Ms. Connolly said before escorting me to the chair I had sat in before and asking me how my day went and if I had any questions about my day and the classes that I had attended.
“No, good; I have some things that I need to finish up do you think you could entertain yourself for a while” she asked me before giving me a smile that I knew she wasn't just pushing me out of the way so that she could continue on with her life at the school.
“Sure” I said before making my way out of her office and to the library that William and the other boys had shown me on my mini-tour of the school. I'm not really sure on how long I was in the library before Ms. Connolly was tapping me on my shoulder telling me that she was done for the day and that we could return to her flat.
“Okay” I said putting away the book I had been looking at, which was oddly enough a book on foreign languages. They had always interested me, but I never had the time to learn another language since I was usually fighting off some evil Dark Wizard. I followed Ms. Connolly back out of the school, and I looked around making sure that the Order hadn't gotten this far to see me exiting the school.
“Are ‘they' looking for you?” She asked me when she saw me looking around.
“Something like that” I said before she put an arm around me and we made our way to the Underground to make our way to her flat. It was as we were coming out of the Underground that I spotted a group of Order members, it seemed they had orders to not return until they found me. I pulled up short which had her looking around and then spotting the group my eyes were glued to.
“That them?”
“Yeah” I said before she tightened her arm around me and began to talk about absolute nonsense to me, while I nodded my head the whole time. We walked right past them and they never took notice of me, which surprised me since Ron was in the group and I knew he would notice me but it seems that with Ms. Connolly's arm around me they disregarded us as just a muggle mother and son.
“Thank you” I said once I knew we were far enough away that they wouldn't hear me.
“No thanks are needed, they didn't look like the best bunch anyway” she joked before she walked us up to her building and then her flat, which sat on the third floor at the end of the hall.
“I thought that they were a great bunch at one point in time” I said to her before she was hanging up her coat and mine and then pushing me into the small yet efficient kitchen.
“Sit and tell me about yourself and what got you here?” She asked me, with me sitting at the kitchen table at a loss as to where to start.
“Well…” I said thinking that a bit of background would be needed.
“It's hard explain but I'll start from the beginning”
“I have all night, although you sir have homework” she said before teasing me a bit about getting homework on the first day there.
“About that…”
“Yes”
“I'm a bit behind in my education”
“I don't think I follow”
“We didn't worry about non-magic classes where I went”
“I see” she said before saying that she would tutor me as best she could and that if I needed extra help to ask William, as he was always willing to help out.
“Now back to your story”
“Well when I was a baby, a Dark Wizard tried and failed to kill me” this brought her up short but she kept on cooking not asking any questions yet. So I continued on, telling her about how my parents died and I was raised by my Aunt and Uncle, who I would die rather than return to, and then my meeting of Ron and Hermione and our adventures at Hogwarts. I finished my tale just we finished eating dinner.
“So let me get this straight” she said her face had morphed into something I had only seen on the face of Molly Weasley when one of her children had been harmed.
“Your PROFESSOR thought it would be a good idea to seduce you into his bed so that he could humiliate you and your HEADMASTER agreed to all of this?!”
“That about sums it up”
“I can't believe it” she said sitting back in her chair, I took the plates and glasses to the kitchen to give her some time to digest what I had just told her.
“I'll kill them with my bare hands” she said coming into the kitchen and then pulling me into a hug, I had never had any one do what she was doing for me and she was practically a stranger.
“Not worth it” I mumbled into her chest taking in her soothing scent of lavender and something else.
“Oh but you are” she said to me before grinning and kissing my forehead as I knew my mother would. I shook my head then, how could a stranger give me the kindness that I had been searching for?
“No matter, you are away from them and I will do all in my power to make sure it stays that way” she promised me before taking me out of the kitchen and showing me the second bedroom in her flat that would be mine.
“I don't usually have guests but when my parents come to visit, they don't want to stay in a hotel and my father refuses to sleep on the sofa” she explained before telling me that once the weekend came that we would go and get some things that would suit me better than the floral décor she had chosen for the room. She stood in the doorway and watched as I took in the room, it was bigger than the cupboard under the stairs and it was bigger than Dudley's second bedroom as well.
“I love it anyway” I said turning and smiling to her. She nodded her head and asked if I had brought anything with me and I nodded and then resized my trunk with my wand. She had that awed look on her face again and then watched as I showed her some of the items that I had been given as gifts and also the clothing that my Aunt and Uncle had deemed me worthy of owning.
“Those are large….. to fit a baby whale” she said as she held up to the too large clothing, a look of disgust on her face.
“All I have besides my uniforms” I said with a shrug, I hadn't ever really worried about my looks and Dudley's hand-me-downs always made me invisible even in the Wizarding World. I wasn't Harry Potter when I wore those clothes, I was just somebody and that always made me feel better. Horrible thought but I didn't care.
“We will have to fix that as well” she said a determined look on her face.
“Please this is all too much” I said, I had no real way to repay her yet as I knew I couldn't go to Gringotts and withdraw money and I knew the money in my trunk would have to last a long while. At least until I got a job or something.
“No, you are now my son…end of story” she said before turning and leaving me a moment to register what she had just said to me. Her son? Her son? I had never had a mother, at least that I didn't remember when Dementors were close and here she was calling me her son. Was I that sad of a case?
“Don't you even be thinking of doing a header and leaving me” she shouting from the living room, I glided to the bed and sat down. Someone wanted to call me their own and not want anything in return; for I knew she wasn't the type to be impressed with fame or money. She did after all live in South Kensington, I knew what that meant and it meant that she was at least well off financially. It was a place that my Aunt and Uncle would take Dudley to and tell him about how one day he would be living here with a beautiful woman on his arm and a great job. I had always snorted at the story, for Dudley doing anything that would end him up in his neighborhood, would mean robbery, he was much too lazy to work for what he wanted his parents had spoiled him in that arena.
“Now come out here” she called to me, what was I to call her? I couldn't exactly call her Ms. Connolly here and I was sort of uncomfortable with calling her anything else at this point. I had learned my lessons the hard way on a way to address a person.
“Soooo” I said looking around for her and finding her at a computer clicking away at some website.
“So what do you think of this” she said showing me some clothing on the screen.
“Uh, it's nice” I said looking at her as if trying to see if I answered correctly.
“If you don't like it…” she said before clicking away again and showing me other things she had picked out for me.
“I don't” “No, I think you deserve this” she said before looking me up and down and then asking me to strip. I blushed; she was going to see me half-naked which brought me up short. There was something that I had sort of held back and I knew if I took off my clothes she would see and how was I to explain *that* to her.
“Off” she said before giving me a look that I rushed to obey, I would try to explain when she saw and hope that she didn't kick me out then. I knew it was too good to be true. I slowly took off my shirt and tie, along with my pants; leaving me standing in the living room with just my boxers on.
“What in the BLOODY hell are those?!” She screamed taking in the many bruises on my body, my time with Snape hadn't been kind. He had hinted to that when explaining what he had done to Draco.
“Uh, yeah so” I said looking everywhere but at her, I knew she would be kicking me out soon enough.
“Please tell me that your professor didn't do this to you”
“I can't” I said sadly before I started to grab my things from the floor knowing she was about to start shouting about how I was an evil child and should be burned or some such nonsense that my Aunt always spewed when she saw two men holding hands.
“He did this to you when you were with him”
“Uh” I said confused on what she was asking, was she asking if he abused me or was she asking something else.
“I'm gay” I said hoping that would clear up any questions she may have had.
“That's fine, but what I mean is did he beat you?”
“Oh no, this was from when I….” here I blushed and she seemed to put the pieces together.
“And the headmaster” here she spat out the word, before continuing on.
“Allowed for this to occur”
“Yeah”
“It's yes in this house and oh I am going to KILL them” she swore again before helping me put on my clothing so that I didn't feel so exposed. She then wrapped her arms around me and hugged me, which made me cry for the first time since I had left Hogwarts.
“They will pay, mark my words” she said before hugging me tighter as I cried out all of the pain I was feeling over the prank, Snape's treatment of me and how the Headmaster had allowed such a thing to occur under his watch.
“All better” she asked me after I had cried myself out of tears. I nodded my head before she patted my head and told me to go and work on the homework I had been given before turning in for the night.
“If I have questions”
“Just come to me, I'll be here” she said before kissing me on the forehead and pushing me back towards *my* room. I made myself at home in there and soon I was deep into the homework, trying to figure out things from the examples in the books and understanding most of it. It was the language that I hated the most, William had taken French since ‘the girls thought it was hot' so I was looking at the book a bit lost but understanding some of it from my time with Fleur and the Tri-Wizard Tournament.
“Pour les autres?” I said looking at the book and coming up short on what the heck I was saying or asking.
“I can see French isn't your cup of tea” Ms. Connolly said to me standing in the doorway a smile on her face and mirth in her eyes.
“I don't think so” I agreed, there had to be something that I was good at and it seemed that languages wasn't it. That book I had been reading in the library was great, but that sort of dealt with the development and history of languages not the actual speaking part.
“Let me guess…William told you that the birds dig a bloke speaking French to them”
“That he did” I agreed with her, which was exactly what William had said to me about the French class.
“I'll see if I can find something else for you” she said before she eyed me as if knowing that I had a question for her.
“And you can call me Zoe or whatever you like while at home but at school it is strictly Ms. Connolly unless we are in my office with the door closed”
“How did you…”
“Know? Mother's intuition” she joked before asking me if I had any questions about my other subjects, she couldn't help me with the French as she took Spanish but I was more than welcome to ask William if I wanted.
“No, I think I'll wait” I said before she was then pulling me back to the living room. It seemed that she just couldn't wait to show me what she had bought for me online.
“But what if it doesn't fit”
“No worries they have a store that we can return it to” she said before showing me some jeans and t-shirts that she got. Nothing horrible and I didn't even have to sit in a fitting room and try stuff on, that was my kind of shopping.
“To bed with you” Zoe said to me as she noticed that I was yawning, it had been a long day for me and it seemed that everything was just now catching up with me.
“Right” I said not protesting as I made my way down the hall and then into my room. I quickly stripped my clothes off and then fell into the bed, asleep before my head even hit the pillow. The next morning dawned and Zoe was at my door waking me up.
“Time for school” she said a smile on her face; like she was just loving that she had someone to wake up and send to school.
“I'm up” I said before sitting up in bed and then yawning again, it would have been nice to sleep in but as Zoe said it was a school day and it was time to get up and get ready for school. By the time I had taken a shower and gotten ready Zoe was in the kitchen making two large cups of coffee.
“You looked like you needed it” she said before handing the cup over, already dressed and looking good.
“Ready” she asked me after noticing that I had finished my cup of coffee.
“I am” I said before grabbing my book bag that I had put my books in last night and then following her to the door of the flat and then out of the building. I had forgotten that the Order and probably the Wizarding World were looking for me, until I saw the group of Order members looking around as if knowing that I was nearby.
“Come on” she said wrapping her arm around me as she had done before, and it seemed that our luck stayed with us since we walked right past them and they never even noticed us. I froze for a second though when I heard the words come out one of the Order member's mouth.
“This is all just to get more attention, the boy will be back” Zoe sped us up, she had heard what the person said and I knew if she lingered too long she would rip them a new one, something that I thought I would enjoy.
“They will pay” she said as we got on the tube and made our way to the City of London School. My day there today was much like my day before only Zoe took me out of French and found another foreign language for me. Spanish, it was much easier to learn than that of French. I at least had a footing on the words in the class since most of the spells we worked with at Hogwarts were in Latin, the mother language for Spanish to some extent. For the next few months I lived in bliss, going to school and doing well and living with a woman that loved me as if I was hers. I knew the bliss and happiness wouldn't last and it didn't, for it was one day while I was walking around near the Leaky Cauldron that I got a glimpse of what was going on in the Wizarding World. I had felt safe enough to venture near the Magical Pub, since I looked nothing like I had when I had left. I had grown and replaced my glasses and also dressed like a muggle which always threw the wizards and witches for a loop. I had been walking by the pub when I had the overwhelming urge to enter it, I had only felt that kind of compulsion once before and it had been what had sent me away from the Wizarding World in the first place. So I shuffled into the pub and made sure that no one noticed my entrance as I made my way to the back of the pub where I would be able to enter Diagon Alley. I still carried my wand on me at all times, so once I had tapped the right sequence of bricks the Alley opened up before me. It still amazed me that the Alley always looked so full and busy, while in the heart of London with really no place to grow. I walked by a few stores before I pulled up short at hearing a voice I hadn't planned on hearing again.
“Why I continue to teach” Snape said glaring at the children that were running up and down the Alley, squealing their delight as they ran. I had taken to standing near a shop looking like I was looking at something in the window. No one would notice me, at least I kept telling myself that as I watched Snape move about the Alleyway with a bat like quality.
“And that snot nosed Potter” he continued on while glaring at anyone that dared to look at him.
“Draco” Snape said a silky quality to his voice, almost glad to see the blonde haired man that seemed to be making his way towards Snape.
“Professor” Draco said his body tight with tension.
“None of that” Snape murmured before looking around the Alleyway.
“I would prefer to call you that” Draco said, it seemed he was still upset over Snape's actions towards me. Snape sneered before then asking what Draco was doing in the Alleyway.
“I am an adult wizard” Draco said as if that explained things, and in a way it did. He had graduated from Hogwarts, with jobs offers on the tips of everyone's lips probably. Draco had been Head Boy and had been tied with Hermione for the top spot before I left.
“That you are” Snape said as if trying to have a conversation but not being allowed to by Draco.
“What are you doing here?” Draco asked clearly curious as to the reason on why Snape would subject himself to the Alleyway, unless there was a very good reason to do so.
“Potter” was all Snape got out before Draco started in on him again, it looked to me that this had been time and time again while Draco was still housed at Hogwarts.
“Isn't coming back, when is that going to get through you, the Headmaster and the rest of his band of merry followers going to get that through your skulls?”
“Draco” Snape said before looking around checking to see if anyone was listening in on the conversation.
“Do you not see what you did as wrong?”
“Potter needed…”
“Harry didn't need to be taught any lesson you wanted to give him”
“But his father” Snape said I could see he was floundering for an excuse he could give Draco that the blonde would accept.
“Is dead, long gone and isn't coming back”
“You don't understand”
“Oh, I understand you still think it was right what you did” Draco said before turning away and going in a different direction than what Snape had been going in. Snape stood there for a moment stunned before gliding away from me and where I was. I made my way towards where Draco had left and it seemed that the blonde hadn't made it that far; for I found him leaning against a building looking calm and collected showing no signs that he had just had a fight with Snape.
“I would be much more careful, if I were you” Draco said looking at me and then raising an eyebrow at me. I was stunned, Draco had noticed me but Snape hadn't; what was really going on?
“Sort of couldn't stay away” I said now sort of standing in front of him looking around making sure that no one was watching us.
“Of that I have no doubt” Draco said his eyes flicking to the bookstore next to us. I hadn't noticed the book in the window, but when Draco's eyes went there I followed wondering what was holding part of his attention there.
“Granger and Weasley thought they would cash in” Draco said as I stared at a book in the window that announced in bold letters that this was the Official Biography of my life. I hadn't given anyone any permission for writing about my life.
“Is it” I wasn't sure what to ask first, was it trash? Was it filled with lies about me? Did it tell the real story about my home life with the Dursley's.
“Complete and utter rubbish but Granger and the Weasel are cashing in; here today for a book signing. You want your very own copy signed by the co-authors themselves?” Draco asked me before snorting; it seemed he was as much a fan of this book as I was.
“No thank you” said before shaking my head, I was having a civil conversation with Draco in Diagon Alley, will wonders never cease?
“Same here” Draco said before his eyes lingered a bit longer at the window and the line that seemed to be building as it got closer to when Granger and the Weasel would show up.
“I would exit the Alley very soon”
“I will” I said before looking at Draco and wondering if now that he was out of school, I could write to him. I had known that any post that was delivered by Hedwig would be watched carefully so I had refrained from writing, but now, now I could write who I wanted and not have to worry about if the Headmaster was keeping an eye of Hedwig.
“Here” Draco said thrusting a card like piece of paper in my hand.
“Uh” I said looking down to the card and then reading that it had an address on it that I could send post to.
“Keep in touch” Draco said before disappearing into the crowd, and I took that as my cue to leave. I tried to leave the same way I left but it seemed the line for the book signing was too long to go around and the people were very unwilling to let me by. It was while trying to figure out how to get past the line that I became very intrigued with what was actually written in the book. Some of the people in line were commenting on some things in the book and I had to wonder on if this was written to prove that I was an idiot and that I had been nothing without Hermione's brain and Ron's strategy skills. I waited in line for a quite awhile before I was allowed into the store with ten other people. I made a beeline over to the book and grabbed a copy before heading to the register.
“Not going to have it signed” the woman working the counter asked, had I changed that much that they didn't recognize me as the person that the book was written about?
“No” I said before handing over some galleons I had found in my trunk when I had unpacked at my mom's house.
“Shame really then” the attendant said before handing me a bag with the book insides. I flashed a grin and then made my way back to the Alleyway and then back to muggle London. I hadn't meant to goad the attendant like that, but when she had said those things about not getting it signed I couldn't help myself. I flashed the same grin that was on the cover of the book, and I have no doubt that she figured out quickly who I was.
“Where have you been” my mum greeted me at the door, it was a Saturday so she was home surfing the internet, which was her favorite past time.
“Did a bit of shopping” I said holding up the bag and then grinning, I knew she would just love to watch the photos as they moved.
“Well what did you get” she asked before eyeing the bag and the name on it.
“Flourish and Blotts?”
“Wizarding bookstore”
“Tell me you didn't”
“I can't”
“Harry Potter!” My mum shouted before glaring at me. I flashed a grin and then tossed the book at her.
“My life” I explained before she was flipping through the book and watching the photos that moved.
“They move”
“That they do” I said before she stopped on a page that then had her gritting her teeth.
“They left nothing out” she said between clenched teeth, glaring at the photo and words on the page was on.
“Let me see” I said, I sort of already knew what page she was on but I wanted to see if they had thought they would put the prank in the book for all to know and laugh at. I grabbed the book from her slack hands and watched as the Great Hall roared with laughter as the photos hanging changed from one horrible picture to the next.
“Seems they didn't” I said reading the caption on the photos and then shook my head. How had anyone got pictures of that? I knew the answer but even then, was nothing safe when dealing with my life?
“And you're sure I can't kill them?”
“Positive, I don't think Azkaban Prison would suit you” I commented now reading the words on the page and snorted at some of the comments that were made about the prank.
“Pity” she said before grabbing the book out of my hands and looking back through it.
“What's this?” My mother asked as the slip of paper that Draco had given slipped out from a page I have placed it in.
“An address” I said watching my mother's face for any sort of ‘bad' reactions, she tended to have those when things got no so nice for me.
“For whom? I hope not one of those…”
“The one person that stuck up for me” I said before I explained to her about Draco and how he had stuck up for me when no one else would or thought no to.
“So your school rival”
“Yes” I said, there wasn't much more I could say on the matter. So I fancied Draco a bit before leaving but it wasn't anything that I knew would become more, and with me finding out about the prank it never lead to more. I was headed for Uni in the fall and I wasn't planning to stepping foot back into the Wizarding World anytime soon, the run in I had in the Alley was enough for me. Luck be damned.
“There's no way I can talk about out of not writing can I?”
“No” I said before taking the paper and sticking it in my back pocket. I would write to Draco soon, but I would wait until I was confident enough to put my gratitude into words. It was a couple of days later that I worked up enough courage to write Draco, I wasn't really sure what I could say to the blonde that wouldn't sound horribly cliqued or sounding as if we were old school chums.
Malfoy,
I would call you Draco if I knew you wouldn't hex me into next week, but since I don't I will stick with the familiar Malfoy unless otherwise told. I wish to thank you, and I know how that sounds and trust me when I say I am shaking my head at how horrible this letter is going so far, but seeing as I'm not the best at writing letters, this will just have to do.
I wanted to thank you for what you have done for me, you may have not known but I saw you the night I left fighting with Snape. I heard what he said and what you said as well, and I thank you with all that I am for your words. It seemed that no one else thought that I needed a champion; and I still think that they think that but I do and I thank you for being it even if for a short time. I could write something inane here but I will keep my letter short and say thank you once again and maybe one day when I am feeling generous we could meet in the Wizarding World, but for now it will have to be on ‘my turf' excuse the muggle term if you will.
With many thanks and tons of gratitude,
Harry Potter
I shook my head at the words but they were true none the less, so I tied the letter to Hedwig; who found me shortly after my departure from Hogwarts and told her the address to which she was to deliver the letter. She hooted once in response and then took flight; I could see that she was happy to be doing something instead of being cooped up in the flat with me and my mother. It had broken my heart to have to confine Hedwig to only hunting and lingering around the flat like a common animal, but it seemed that her time had come and she was going to relish it.
“Knock, knock” William said at my door shocking me out of my thoughts about another blonde, even if my thoughts had been on Hedwig for the moment.
“Hey you” I said a grin on my face, William still had that something about him that made me blush every time I saw him, and he did so love to make me blush.
“My mum and dad want you over for dinner tonight” William said flashing me the grin that made many a girl and women sighing at. He would definitely be breaking hearts once we arrived at Uni in the fall, one could only hope that he would be able to find enough time to go to class as well.
“Sweet deal but what for” I asked William's parents only ever wanted me over there for dinner when something at the Mallory household was going down. I tended to be the level headed one that could calm William down if need be.
“Dunno, but I am going to assume it's about my cousin” at the word cousin he spat out the name.
“Not a fan then?”
“Something like that” William said before giving me the time that I would need to arrive to the Mallory household for dinner.
“Let me at least ask my mum”
“Already done” William said before going over to my closet and picking out some nice clothing.
“Should I worry?”
“I would” William said before pushing to towards the look telling me I had ten minutes and that he would be outside waiting for me. I dressed quickly and told my mum that I would be back once I was able to calm the Mallory household back down from whatever disaster they were having.
“Just be good dear” my mother said not even looking up from her clicking on the computer as I grabbed my keys to the flat and made my way downstairs to the waiting car I knew William would be in. I pulled up short when I saw the Land Rover idling in the street.
“That bad?” I joked getting in the car, the only reason the Mallory family allowed William to drive the Land Rover was because they thought I would need the comfort before the storm as they called it.
“I would say yeah”
“Great” I griped with a grin on my face, I could always count on William's family to have drama that should be on the front page of The Sun . The ride to the Mallory residence was made with William trying and failing to warn me about his cousin that was coming for a visit. When we arrived to the house I laughed as the snort that William made when his parents greeted me at the door.
“So glad you could make it” William's father said a tight smile on his face, then again if what I could gather from William was right his cousin was a right git, much worse than Draco Malfoy and it would be pure pain to have to sit through a dinner with him.
“Come on inside” William's mother said before guiding me into the house and asking me if I was excited to be heading to Uni in the fall.
“That I am” I agreed before telling them about some of the classes that I had taken a look at for my degree path. It seemed that History was to be my calling, I had shied away from it at first thinking of Binns and how you could fall asleep listening to him drone on and on about goblins and their rebellions but when I arrived to my second class of History I was instantly hooked. Who knew that history could be so passionate?
“Oh dear” I heard William's mother, Rosalie said as she heard the door bell. It seemed that the cousin had arrived and right on time, since my watch told me that it was 7 on the dot.
“So glad you could make it” Ms. Mallory said her voice tight, as I had heard it calm and excited just moments before. I wasn't able to hear the other person but the harsh laugh from Mrs. Mallory put me on edge, was their cousin that bad.
“Right this way” Mrs. Mallory said before she was guiding the absolute *last* person I thought into the room that I currently sat in with William by my side and his father in a chair holding onto a book looking like he was in pain.
“Malfoy” I said, I couldn't stop my mouth and all in the room including Malfoy turned and looked at me.
“Potter” Malfoy said looking shocked as I was and then looking over the rest of the room. I wasn't certain but I thought I heard a growl come from his throat when his eyes landed on William.
“I take it you know each other” Mrs. Mallory said nervously, I couldn't speak so I nodded my head.
“Yes we do” Malfoy answered for us, how do you tell them about our past?
“From your previous school” William asked moving just a bit closer to me, or so I thought which had Malfoy glaring at him even harder now.
“Yes” I answered; William along with his family knew that I had gone to another school they just didn't know the details on how I came to be with Ms. Zoe Connolly and attending City of London School.
“I see” Mr. Mallory said before offering a seat to Malfoy, all the while the other blonde glared at William as if he was about to murder him. It was a tense few moments until Mrs. Mallory remembered that dinner was probably ready and made her way with her husband in tow to the kitchen to make sure that everything was done before we would sit down for dinner.
“So” William said once his parents were gone, by now he seemed to have worked out what had his cousin Malfoy in such a state by the smirk on his face. He casually placed his arm on the back of the couch we were sitting on and smirked even more, I could tell I was missing something but what?
“Gloating is unbecoming you know cousin” Malfoy said making me shiver at the pure loathing coming from his mouth towards William.
“But I make it look so good” William said and I turned to look at him, how had I never noticed the similarities before? Then again, I *never* thought that the Malfoy family would have muggles in their family, they spouted about the pure of blood enough to make your ears bleed. There was more to it, but I would have to wait to ask the only one I knew I could ask and that was Malfoy.
“It's the Malfoy genes that make it look good” Malfoy snapped back before almost snarling at William. It was almost like watching two large predators fight over a prey, was I the prey they were fighting over? I was about to ask what in the world was going on when Mrs. Mallory came in and told us that dinner was ready. I followed the woman, making sure to stay as far away from William and Malfoy as possible.
“Mrs. Mallory”
“Later dear” she said as if knowing that I was going to ask why I was really here. I could see that there was something I was missing, something huge but I as of yet had to figure it out. We arrived to the dining room and I looked at the five plate settings and had to wonder on where I was going to sit. I knew Mrs. Mallory sat to her husband's right and I also knew that William sat on his father's left but now there were was an extra person to consider. I usually sat next to William but I could see that this would cause all sorts of problems; at least I thought it did.
“Come on Harry” William said shooting me a grin as he stood next to his standard chair, as if knowing that I would gravitate over to him.
“No” Malfoy all but snarled, okay now I was really confused. It was….odd the way he was acting. I mean I knew he had gotten my letter but for him to be acting like this was just strange even for Malfoy.
“Please dear” Mrs. Mallory said before taking my arm and sitting me next to her, it seemed that neither William nor Malfoy were happy about that but said nothing.
“So what brings you to the city?” Mrs. Mallory attempted to start a conversation with Malfoy, and when had I stopped calling him Draco?
“Business” Malfoy said before his eyes flicked to me for a barest of a second and then returned to his food.
“So you don't plan to head to Uni in the fall?”
“No”
“Too bad” William said a grin back on his face again, that was the missing something thing again.
“Why”
“Harry and *I* are heading to Uni in the fall” William said smug as a cat that had gotten the canary.
“Hmmm” Mal..Draco, oh hell I don't know! Answered as if deep in thought about something, which I had no doubt he was.
“Father left quite the mess for me to clean up” Blondie said, there I picked a name that would work for me until I could figure out what to refer to him as.
“Sad about that” Mr. Mallory said not looking all that sad and I must agree, how cruel could you be to lock your only son in the dungeons and then start the building on fire?
“Can't say that I agree with you” Blondie said flicking his eyes to me and then growling at William as he pushed his elbow.
“Have some manner naïve!”
“Oh get shoved!”
“Boys!”
“Enough!” I could only sit there and laugh at the fight that they were having. How often did you see this sort of thing happen in front of your eyes from another family? I mean it was all aires when the Dursley's had guests and there were was in no way fighting between the Dursley's and me. I was after all the hired help for the night; they didn't need to know that I would be locked away once they left. All eyes fell to me and my giggling, a Malfoy family fighting?! Who would have thought? Not me certainly.
“Harry”
“Are you alright” William asked concerned, I could only laugh harder than since Blondie decided to start snarling at him again. As if I could calm anyone in this room down, it had gone way beyond that.
“Sorry, sorry” I said once I was able to get myself under control and even then it was a hard won fight. The four watched me as if waiting for me to do something insane at any moment.
“Alright there dear?” Mrs. Mallory asked me before I nodded my head and told her that I was quite fine and that it was just a sight to be seen from William and Malfoy fighting like they were. A smile told me that my humor had been received and she nodded her head before glaring at the two blondes sitting across from her.
“Grow up” she said before going back to her dinner and engaging me in conversation, it seemed she was done with her son and her nephew for the night. Her husband didn't look all that happy either but decided to at least attempt a conversation with the pair before he totally abandoned them to ask me about my classes that I planned to take at Uni.
“Hey” William said ten minutes later when it was very clear his parent's were less than impressed with his behavior and that of his cousin.
“I am sorry about my behavior” Blondie, I really needed to talk to him about that, said to the Mallory parents before he was forgiven and then the pair glared at William.
“He started it”
“How childish” Blondie said before he began to ask me about Uni, as if he really cared and it sadly it made my heart flutter with that thought; could I be any more girl like? William glared before he began to over talk Blondie about what classes he planned to take and what classes that we would both have together.
“Oh about that” I said blushing when all the faces in the room turned to me again. My mum and I had talked about it and some of the classes that William was certain I needed to take would only slow me down so we had decided to put them off until I was certain I could handle the work load.
“What” William said clearly worried about something, and I didn't really think he had to be it was only a dropping of a class or two.
“Mum and I”
“Excuse me” Blondie said stunned by my words, and I guess if you didn't know the whole story you would be a bit shocked by my words as well.
“My mum and I have decided that I am going to not take introduction to French, been there tried that hat” I said joking with William and a crushed look came over his face, while on his cousin's face was a whole other look, shock.
“My adopted mother” I explained for only one person's benefit, the confusion and shock cleared to be replaced with the cool and calm mask I had seen at Hogwarts.
“And what about that English class”
“No go there either, sorry I tried” I said before turning away from the puppy dog eyes I was getting from William.
“But that class was going to be great” William said trying to make me cave on not being able to take the Romance English class he wanted us to take. He had said the class would give him an in with the ladies, while I had rolled my eyes and told him that the ladies were of the bookish variety.
“Mum approved the history of language English class” I said, Zoe Connolly was a stickler for what I was and wasn't going to take my first semester at Uni and a Romance English class wasn't one of them.
“That blows”
“William!” Both William's mother and father said, while I hid the smile that was breaking on my face. I couldn't help it, only William Mallory would say something like that in the presence of someone like Draco Malfoy, even if they were related.
TBC.....