Eventually he broke the silence. "Son..." His voice was tired, cracked.

 
"Don't call me that," I spat. "You made it pretty clear I was to consider myself no son of yours." He didn't deny it. "I have to go," I said coldly, shouldering past him.
 
"Wait!" He made to grab my arm but stopped himself. "I need to talk to you. Please."
 
 

 "Mr Black. I was starting to get worried."

 
I rolled  my eyes. "Moody, I..."
 
"Don't think I didn't see that, you young hooligan." I'd forgotten about his new eye, a product of a recent battle where he parted ways with his natural one. He loved it. His students weren't so keen.
 
I didn't struggle as he grabbed my collar and pulled me to my feet. "You're alive and well. That may not be a permanent state if you don't have a damn good excuse for being AWOL the past two days."