Harry leaned back into his seat as the students got up to return to their dormitories. It felt weird to not be among the rushing crowd eager to get into the common room for some quality time together. Summers spent apart always took its toll on a Hogwarts student. It was probably because your house mates were basically family. Or at least that had been the case in Gryffindor.
That was one of the reasons why Harry accepted being a Professor. Of course the main thing was because his head of house had been in dire need of a good DADA Professor that wouldn't poof into disappearance after a year but he did want to do this. Harry had studied to be an Auror but after the first few missions he found that he didn't have the heart to do that kind of stuff anymore.
His attention lay elsewhere and being a Professor meant that he could watch over his children when it was time for them to come to Hogwarts. James was ten and he'd be attending Hogwarts next year while Albus was eight and Lily was seven.
At the moment it felt horrible to be in charge of nearly three hundred students in his house (Gryffindor) when his own three children where spending their days with Molly and Arthur at the Burrow.
Ginny refused to take time off the Prophet and she wouldn't be able to handle watching over the kids whilst juggling all the reports being thrown her way at the same time. The Burrow was the next best solution.
Presently, Harry looked around himself and couldn't help but be surprised by the current Hogwarts teaching staff. He knew that prying Neville away from the plants he'd grown to adore would be hell and hadn't been too shocked when he found out that the Herbology Professor was his fellow Gryffindor.
What did surprise him was a certain Slytherin's return to their Alma-mater. Harry figured that Malfoy was gifted in Potions. It seemed as if most Slytherin's were. He still hadn't expected him to return for the sake of teaching the subject to the future students of Hogwarts. It just wasn't what he thought the Slytherin would do.
"All right Harry?" Neville pulled him out of his puzzling, an expression of concern on his face.
"Dandy." Harry answered, steering the conversation into familiar territory. "I'd like to know what's up with Teddy though. Back in the train he seemed lost in thought and dare I say it love-sick. Earlier he kept flashing colors."
"Saw it too." Neville cut in. "He's known to do that when he's stressed. That habit of his started last year when he started courting Cole O'Brien. He's a year older than Teddy and is a Gryffindor."
"He fancies someone that strongly already?" Harry answered back shocked.
"I'll give it to you straight mate." Neville said with an air of depression. "Unlike us, it's easy for these kids to... express their appreciation of other people. And when I say appreciation, I mean appreciation."
Harry's cheeks flushed though he was very aware of what the meant. "Are you... Nev he's barely fifteen!"
"You're telling me." Neville sighed. "I've watched him since he was a first year Harry. You don't know how traumatizing it was to hear that he'd been fooling around with a Slytherin four years older than him."
"Merlin." Harry ran a hand through his hair. "And does anybody else know about this?"
"It's not my business to tell." Neville told him sternly. "Remember Harry, we're here as his teachers. We can't butt into his life because that's what parents are entitled to do."
Harry opened his mouth to counter that statement but Neville didn't let him say one word.
"I know that he doesn't have parents. But the responsibility of talking to him falls on to Andromeda." Neville smiled a bit. "Now I don't have the heart to tell a witch well into her golden years that her grandson's busy fornicating with the majority of Hogwarts and I'm sure the kid's being careful."
"Is he now?" Harry was having a finding it hard to breathe.
"Yup." Neville said. "Remind me to ask Ron about those conception spells he has in handy."
"Ah." Harry murmured dryly before sagging in his chair. "That's... You make me feel like I'm fifty."
"The life of being a parent." Neville grinned. "And just think. Jamie's on his way to being a first year. He might beat Teddy's record."
"Not on my watch." Harry grumbled but let his friend help him to his feet.
Together they walked towards the teachers' rooms just talking about the simple things. Neville was being considerate and letting him digest what he'd just learned about his Moonlet. Harry had half a mind of tracking the little bugger down and giving him the official talk but it was the first day back. He was sure Teddy wouldn't appreciate it.
Besides, without talking to Teddy Harry had enough to digest on his own. His godson was apparently chasing after a Gryffindor boy at the moment and he was positively stumped. In all his years, he'd never thought about the possibility of looking at someone of his own gender and thinking 'I wanna shag you'.
But of course he didn't find anything wrong with that. If you loved a bloke, it wasn't his business. It was yours.
"See you later." Neville said as they stopped in front of Harry's door. "I'm on patrol duty tonight."
Harry scoffed. "It's the first day back!"
"You never know when there's a little Forge and Gred Weasley somewhere." Neville cheered before he moved away.
Harry smiled at that, his mind coming back to think of the twins back then when they were younger. That seemed so far away.
"Are you going in or are you going in?" The portrait he stood in front of snapped. "Make a choice boy. In or In?"
Harry blinked but grinned at the portrait. "Is that a trick question?"
"Course it is." Fred Weasley smiled at him from inside the frames. Harry knew that several people who had died during the war had portraits here; he just never thought he'd see them.
"You my guardian then?" Harry asked.
"Yup. Here to let only those who you allow." Fred smiled. "It's good to see you Harry. Everything good? How's Georgie?"
"He's all right I suppose." Harry nodded. "His son's coming to study here soon. Fred is Jamie's age. You'll see him next year."
"Wicked." Fred breathed. They exchanged a few more words as Fred wanted to know about Molly and Arthur and the rest of his siblings. He was glad to hear that Bill's daughter was doing well in Beuxbatons although he did not really approve of a Weasley studying somewhere aside from Hogwarts. As that conversation drew to a close, Fred gestured with his hand. "Gonna pick out a password now?"
"I get to choose my password? Neat." Harry asked excitedly. Back when he was a student he'd wished that he could have chosen his own passwords. It meant getting in and out easier. "Uhmm... give me a minute."
"Take your time." Fred grinned. "I do advice you not to choose something that can be easily guessed. Like your kids' names, Gin's name, your favorite dessert, favorite Quidditch team, potion ingredient or just about anything personal. Choose something completely random."
"Like?" Harry prompted.
Fred looked all too ready to suggest just about anything and Harry seriously regretted asking when just about what would be the weirdest of words left the portrait!Weasley's mouth. Harry had thrown himself into that trap all too willingly and the git had them alphabetized!
"Do all portraits accost their new charges?" Harry wondered out loud breaking Fred's steady line of passwords.
"Just the ones that care." Fred assured him getting back to his list.
"I think I've got one though." Harry prompted. "How does Guns and Roses sound?"
Fred's nose wrinkled at that. "Guns and Roses? Honestly Harry how girly can you get?"
Harry grinned. "That's the idea."
"Ginny's been a bad influence on you." Fred decided before shrugging. "Never mind. No one's going to believe me if I told them that the password to Harry Potter's rooms is something as girly as bloody Guns and Roses."
"It's better than what you wanted me to use." Harry shot back cheekily. "Honestly Fred? Fromage?"
"Why would cheese be on the top of one's head whilst trying to guess the Boy-Who-Lived-Twice's password?"
"Why indeed." Harry smiled at Fred who grinned back as he began to internally open the door that would lead to Harry's rooms. It was just about to open when the portrait across from him blew open wide and out stepped a blonde Slytherin that made Fred cackle madly. "If it isn't little Draco Malfoy!"
The blonde's eyes widened as he stared at the frame, eyes moving to Harry but back to Fred once more. "Oh wonderful. Hello Weasley. Good evening, Potter."
"Good evening." Harry replied. He stared at the way Draco looked at Fred and felt that was missing something.
"I take it back. Not so little anymore!" Fred grinned, hands pressing up against his frame. "You didn't tell me you were going to teach at Hogwarts. I would have had them make me your guardian! Do you have the little one with you?"
Harry now knew he was definitely missing something. Draco sent Fred a small glare that was if nothing else a warning to shut his trap. For what reason Harry didn't know.
"I'll take that as a 'yes Freddie I do!'." Fred rubbed his hands together. "I can't wait to spend time with him Draco. Send him out sometime yeah?"
Draco sent Harry a contemplating look before shrugging then nodding. "All right. When I think that it's safe."
"Can't argue with that." Fred admitted. "Harry stop looking like we just shot you, I was just talking about a friend of Draco's."
"Indeed." Draco echoed before turning to his portrait and having a quick discussion about his own password then turning back to them. "I'll be turning in now. Good night."
"Good night!" Fred called out cheerily as the blonde disappeared into his rooms. The moment the portrait closed, Harry spun to face Fred.
"What was that?!" He demanded.
"A friendly interaction?" Fred shot back, eyebrow raised.
"You called him Draco!" Harry accused pointing a shaky hand at the portrait then at the Slytherin's door.
"Stop hyperventilating Harry!" Fred begged. "I'm a portrait! I can't do much than scream at Draco to get back here and give you CPR!"
Harry took a deep breath and raised a hand. "Know what? I just found out that my godson has been fraternizing with anything that walks. My brain's gone through too much tonight and though I know he is being safe, Merlin I'm hoping he truly is and that there's a reason this is happening, I would just like to rest."
"Not exactly stopping you here Harry." Fred's smile was just as tired. "To clear things up though, I have a lot of portraits distributed around the world. One of them used to be in Draco's office. George, Professor Snape, and I are celebrated Potions masters though I never got my degree. Draco's well on his way on becoming one. We're friends."
Harry's lips stayed firmly closed. "We'll talk more about this tomorrow Fred. When my head's all cleared yeah?"
"Sounds good." Fred nodded before he swung open. "Night Harry."