Chapter 65

From the top of the stairs Harry could see them standing together in a corner of the chamber that Professor McGonagall had directed him towards.

Harry had never thought of his uncle as a timid man. He supposed all young boys thought of their dads as the biggest, toughest man around. Even as a teenager Harry had continued to think of Uncle Vernon as being almost herculean in both physical and mental strength. He could count on one hand the number of times he'd seen his uncle look nervous or intimidated.

This was one of those times.

Uncle Vernon and Dudley seemed small, dwarfed by the vastness of the chamber's arching ceilings, towering columns and massive, moving tapestries.

Harry launched himself down the stairs, slipping easily past his team mates and their families and dove at his brother.

The fact that Dudley was so much stronger than Harry was the only thing that stopped him being barrelled over by Harry's tackle. Somehow, he managed to turn it into a bone crushing hug.

He let go of Harry and took half a step back, glancing from Harry to the enchanted ceiling of the chamber. "This is mad."

Harry beamed at his brother, too overwhelmed by excitement to make any other sound than a weird high pitched squeal- a sound he'd never heard come from any other human, let alone himself.

Harry turned slightly as Uncle Vernon greeted him and pulled him into a hug.

It was a toss up between whether Uncle Vernon or Dudley gave the best hugs. Dudley's were the most enthusiastic, they were frequently given and always completely heartfelt. However, nothing could ever quite beat a hug from your Dad. When you get a hug from Uncle Vernon, Harry thought, you knew everything was going to be alright, they were warm and safe.

As Uncle Vernon released him from the hug, Harry looked from him to his brother. "Are you both alright? What do you think of the school? How're Aunt Petunia and the baby? Was the trip here okay?" He didn't give either of them much of a chance to answer his questions as he blurted them out all at once. "I can't wait to show you around. I think you've met most of the team?"

He gestured around the chamber where the rest of the team were greeting their own families. Mrs. Weasley, Bill, Charlie and Tonks had come to see Ginny, Fred and George. From across the room, Uncle Vernon met Mrs. Weasley's eye and gave her a small nod in greeting.

Harry wasn't sure if Uncle Vernon had met Tonks, and made a mental note to introduce them later. Harry was certain he'd want to meet the Aura assigned to protect him.

"Your mum's well, obviously she's disappointed she couldn't come to support you, but she'll have the wireless on and everyone will be cheering you on from home."

Each player had been allowed two family members to come to watch them in the final match of the tournament. It had been suggested to Harry that because Uncle Vernon and Dudley were more interested in Quidditch they should be the ones to come see him play. Even after all these years of accepting Harry, he half suspected that Aunt Petunia had been unwilling to come to Hogwarts due to her personal, childhood feelings about the school.

"I just can't believe we're here. This is so much better than I imagined." Dudley said in response to Harry's questions. "This is mad." He said again, still looking wildly around the chamber.

Uncle Vernon put a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder and surveyed him, his eyes scanning every inch of Harry's face. "How are you feeling? Are you ready for the game - did you get enough sleep last night?"

"I'm ready… I think." Harry said, taking a breath. He hadn't started feeling nervous yet, but could feel it beginning to creep in now, like a spider crawling up the back of his neck. "I'll have to make your first quidditch match spectacular."

Uncle Vernon gave him a sharp look. "We don't need to see spectacular. You just need to be safe."

"But don't catch the snitch too soon." Dudley added. "Don't fall off your broom or anything, but we haven't come all this way to see a five minute match."

"I promise I won't do anything stupid." Harry assured them.

He still thought his decision to try the Dahan Fall was mostly a good one, but it was clear that the only people who supported the fact that he'd done it were himself, Wood and maybe Jones.

Harry firmly believed that the only way he could have ever beat Viktor Krum to the snitch was through that manoeuvre. Others seemed to disagree, or at least not think it was 'worth it'. Professor McGonagall had recently told Harry in no uncertain terms that if he tried anything like that again he would never be allowed to so much as touch a broom at Hogwarts ever again.

"You won't do anything that you think is stupid, or you won't do anything that I think is stupid?" Uncle Vernon asked with a knowing gleam in his eye. When it came to being outsmarted by his sons, Uncle Vernon had been subject to too many tricks and half-truths to be caught out by a vague promise.

Harry rolled his eyes and said in the most monotonous voice he could manage. "I wont take any unnecessary risks during the game," As he paused Uncle Vernon opened his mouth, most likely to point out the loophole in that promise. Harry continued, "and I'll judge what's necessary based on Hermione's opinions, not my own. Satisfied?"

Uncle Vernon shrugged in a faux-nonchalant manner, as though he wasn't particularly bothered. "I suppose. How about a tour?"

Harry glanced around, only just noticing that most of his team mates had already left the chamber with their families. "Yeah, there's so much I want you to see here."

He pulled Uncle Vernon by the cuff of his shirt and began to lead him out. As they headed back towards the entrance of the chamber Harry caught sight of Montague and his parents.

They didn't look much like what Harry had imagined they would; Mrs. Montague was slightly taller than her husband with dark hair cut short in neat bob, her face was beautiful, Harry thought, mainly because she looked like she never stopped smiling. Mr. Montague seemed slightly younger and less attractive than his wife. He was balding but had a thick ginger beard and his eyes sparkled kindly from behind wire framed glasses.

Harry paused, looking to Montague for a hint as to whether they should stop and greet him. He had become such good friends with Montague over the last few months he had almost forgotten how anti-muggle some Slytherins could be. Harry had never dared look deeper into Montague's family and their affiliations during the war, for fear that something unforgivable would be dredged up.

Mr. and Mrs. Montague didn't look much like ex-Death Eaters but, Harry supposed, looks could be deceiving. He would never have pegged Barty Crouch Jr. or Peter Pettigrew as Death Eaters either. Severus on the other hand looked about as Death Eater as you can get, and yet he'd just made a muggle his son's godfather. That was proof enough that looks could be deceiving, but Harry hoped that the Montagues were exactly the people that they looked to be.

Montague's face split into a grin when he caught sight of Harry. "Potter!" He called across the chamber. "Mum, Dad, this is Potter… uh Harry. Harry Potter. Potter, meet my parents."

"It's nice to meet you Mr. and Mrs. Montague," Harry said holding out his hand to shake Montague's parents'. "This is my dad and brother." Harry said introducing the Montague's to his family. "Uncle Vernon, Dudley this is my friend Graham, off the team."

The Montagues' eyes widened slightly in surprise at hearing Harry's name and, in unison, their eyes did the usual flick upwards to Harry's scar.

Mr. Montague took Harry's outstretched hand and shook it enthusiastically. "It's a pleasure to meet you Harry. Graham's told us all about you."

He then held out his hand for Uncle Vernon to shake, introducing himself as Aiden Montague whilst Mrs. Montague introduced herself to Harry and Dudley.

"Where are you going first?" Harry asked Montague.

"Slytherin Common Room, dad's desperate to see what it's like."

Harry was taken aback, for some reason he'd assumed that most Slytherins were not only pureblood, but the they came from mostly Slytherin families. "You weren't in Slytherin?" Harry asked, turning to Montague's dad.

Mr. Montague chuckled. "Oh no, I'm not nearly ambitious enough for that, no I was in Hufflepuff. I think Peg and Graham have more than enough ambition and cunning for this family."

Harry didn't want to suggest that he might have any prejudices against Slytherins, but he was absolutely thrilled that Montague's family seemed to be about as un-Slytherin as you can get. They were both friendly to Dudley and Uncle Vernon, which meant Harry could remain friends with Montague.

"Where are you heading?" Montague asked.

"Everywhere." Harry said, "We'll walk with you as far as the dungeons. We're going to start at the bottom, hopefully make it to the library by lunch then from the Third floor all the way up to Gryffindor Tower- I'll show them where they're sleeping tonight, then back down for early dinner and the grounds after that before it gets dark- when everyone else is out of lesson."

"And then an early night, ready for your early start tomorrow?" Mrs. Montague asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Maybe after a late night visit to the kitchens- for an authentic Hogwarts experience."

OOOOO

They started out by peeking in through the window into Severus' period one First Year lesson. Then made their way up past the kitchens onto the ground floor where Harry showed them the empty Great Hall, Transfiguration corridor and the courtyards.

On the first floor Harry took Uncle Vernon and Dudley to see Madam Pomfrey, introduce them to the new Muggle Studies professor, during lesson changeover, and showed them Professor Binns (who Uncle Vernon couldn't see, but Dudley could).

They had an enjoyable morning visiting the battlements, armoury, trophy room and library. Despite not really being much of a reader, Dudley was enchanted by the library and Uncle Vernon was fascinated by the armoury, although baffled as to why a school would need it.

They managed to get back down to the Great Hall just before lessons let out and were joined at the Gryffindor table by Hermione (who launched herself at Uncle Vernon and Dudley as enthusiastically as Harry had), Neville, Dean and Seamus.

The Weasleys and Tonks joined them shortly after and Harry had the sinking realisation that this was the first time he'd seen all the Weasley siblings together since Percy's funeral. He wondered whether Percy would be here now, for the tournament if he hadn't been killed. Would he have been the Auror assigned to protect Harry over summer, would he have been deemed too inexperienced, or would the Ministry not have been so worried about Harry, had an Auror not been killed at the World Cup?

Harry greeted Mrs. Weasley with the hug he'd have given Aunt Petunia if she had come. She held Harry tightly and pressed a kiss to his temple.

She didn't let go once she'd released him from the hug, she held him tightly by the arms and gave him a stern, motherly look. "Now you listen to me Harry Potter, if you even think of doing anything dangerous or stupid out on that pitch tomorrow morning, there'll be hell to pay. You wouldn't do that to your poor pregnant mother would you?" She gave Uncle Vernon a look that seemed to say 'don't worry, I've got your back'.

Harry knew Quidditch was a dangerous sport, but no one had ever talked to him as though it was this dangerous before. He wondered if his team mates were getting similar talks from their parents, had his performance of the Dahan Fall been a stark reminder to them of what could happen when Quidditch matches go wrong?

Once he'd assured Mrs. Weasley that he was going to be sensible, and that his parents wouldn't be visiting him in the Hospital Wing after the match, he returned to his seat and introduced Uncle Vernon to Tonks.

"Of course!" Uncle Vernon said, holding out his hand for her to shake. "Ny-"

Harry cut him off and elbowed him softly in the side. "We just call her Tonks."

"Tonks," Uncle Vernon corrected himself graciously. "We've heard all about you from Albus and Mr. Scrimgeour. My wife will be thrilled that I've had the chance to meet you, especially with Harry having to spend so much time in Ireland over the summer - of course Sirius has told us a little bit about you, though he doesn't know a great deal himself."

Harry was having such a good time at lunch that he almost forgot about the upcoming Quidditch match, it felt like a party, even Severus was there, pretending to scowl at them from the staff table.

They spent the afternoon exploring the rest of the castle. He hadn't really had the chance to appreciate at the castle since he'd first arrived in First Year and found himself getting swept up in the pure joy of the afternoon. They spent an hour playing on the moving staircases, seeing who would end up on what floor and how quickly they could get to a certain point without getting trapped on a stair-less landing. They visited the Owlery, went on an adventure with the mad knight from the portrait by the Divination corridor on the Seventh Floor and marvelled at the views from the astronomy tower.

As disappointed as he was that his Aunt hadn't come to Hogwarts to see the match, Harry couldn't be happier to spend the day with his dad and brother. Seeing Hogwarts through their eyes completely changed his perspective of the school. He'd never loved the castle more.

OOOOO

They returned to the Great Hall for an early dinner, a feast had been planned for the evening after the final match, but tonight was a normal meal where students could come and go as they pleased.

They finished quickly, Uncle Vernon impressed by the many options available, Harry couldn't wait to see his face the next day during the feast.

After dinner they headed out into the grounds, Hermione, Neville, Dean and Seamus joined them for the walk and the Weasleys made plans to meet them at the Quidditch pitch at seven.

It had been a hot day and though the weather had started to cool, the heat of the day seemed baked in. It was still bright out and as far north as they were it wouldn't get dark until at least 10.

They walked along the edge of the lake skipping stones and chatting idly how they'd each spent their day, their plans for summer and the impending quidditch match. They had a cup of tea with Hagrid, lounging on the grass outside his hut before making their way back up to the quidditch pitch to meet the Weasleys.

The Weasleys came with brooms, all of their brooms, Harry's and some of the spare Hogwarts brooms.

"Thought we'd have a little friendly game." Fred said cheerfully as they approached.

Harry looked wistfully at his broom which had been carried over from the changing rooms by Bill. He really wanted to fly. It was too warm on the ground but up there it would be the perfect conditions for flying and he'd always wanted to test his talent as a seeker against Charlie Weasley. He'd bested Krum, but had heard so much about how good Charlie was on a broom. It felt like it would be against his basic nature as a quidditch player to refuse.

However, Uncle Vernon and Dudley couldn't fly and Hermione hated it. He couldn't leave them to go off flying with his friends.

As the brooms were being distributed, Harry took his broom from Bill and gestured for Seamus to take it.

Seamus' hand brushed Harry's as he took it from him, and Harry said firmly. "Be safe."

Seamus tilted his head slightly, the corner of his mouth turning up in a smirk. "You're telling me to be safe?"

Harry rolled his eyes. "I can see the irony, and the difference between a friendly match and mine tomorrow. But still."

"Are you sure y' want me flying this? I can take a school broom, I know you've got this one all ready for tomorrow." Seamus held the broom gently.

"What's the point in flying a Comet when you can fly a Firebolt?" Harry scoffed.

Teams were organised and it was settled that Charlie, Ginny, Fred, Seamus and Tonks would play against Bill, Ron, Dean, George and, Harry was surprised to see, Mrs. Weasley. The teams kicked off and Harry, Hermione, Uncle Vernon, Dudley and Neville retreated to the side of the pitch, near the Gryffindor stands, to watch.

Ginny had managed to dig out a child's training broom from somewhere, which she'd brought along to tease Neville with. Despite it being unable to fly higher than five feet in the air, Hermione and Neville were reluctant to try it out. However, it seemed that Dudley did have just enough magic in him to make the broom work and soon enough he was whizzing up and down the length of the pitch.

Leaving Dudley, Hermione and Neville with the broom on the pitch, Harry decided to show Uncle Vernon the stands, and where he'd be sitting for the match tomorrow.

The stands had been expanded to accommodate the added students from Durmstrang and Beuxbaton and a section of the teacher's stands had been cordoned off for the families of team members.

Once at Uncle Vernon and Dudley's seats they sat and watched the game in progress. It occurred to Harry that this was the first time that Uncle Vernon had seen flying like this.

Charlie was good, he flew with grace and precision in a similar style to Ginny. Harry pointed this out to Uncle Vernon. "Charlie was a seeker when he was here, Ginny sometimes plays seeker too and you can see in the way they fly. Seekers have to be fast and precise. If you look at Fred and George, they're more aggressive- Beaters are more aggressive fliers but they have to also watch the game more carefully. They need to be able to work out where a bludger is going to cause most damage to the other team."

"What about Ron and his oldest brother?" Uncle Vernon asked, his eyes not leaving the pitch.

"Ron's a Keeper, Bill- well and Percy, were the only ones not to play for the school team. He's decent and would probably be suited to being a seeker too- if his flying style was more confident. Tonks is clumsy, but flies like a Beater." He pointed her out, his finger following her as she circled the pitch, her hair was purple today and she was impossible to miss. "She's clumsy, but look how she's watching everyone all the time."

"Yeah, I see." Uncle Vernon said absently, leaning forward in his seat, entranced by the game in front of him. "So what about Chasers? That's the other position isn't it?"

Harry nodded, thrilled that Uncle Vernon had taken such an interest in his favourite sport. It hadn't bothered him exactly, but it had occurred to him on more than one occasion that Dudley's sport of choice was familiar to their dad- it was an easier sport to support him with.

"Ginny's a chaser and so are Seamus and Dean. It doesn't matter how skilled a chaser is, if you can't work well with the other two chasers on your team you're not going to be successful. If you watch, Seamus' team have the upper hand because they work together so well. Ginny and Seamus seem to be flying well together and so do Tonks and Charlie."

"But Seamus has your broom, does that give him an advantage? It's the best one isn't it?"

"Seamus is a good flier, but a broom like that isn't an advantage unless you can fly it. Someone who flies like Hermione would be at a disadvantage with it, it's too fast and sensitive, it's only an advantage if you're already a good flier."

"And Molly?" Uncle Vernon asked. "She seems good, I didn't expect her to fly too."

Harry laughed, "I wasn't expecting that either. She's a fair flyer, probably a similar skill to Bill, but Bill seems to be more practiced. Look how Mrs. Weasley's got her hands on the broom, she must have played quidditch because that a sports hold, you don't do that for casual flying, you don't forget that sort of thing, but she hasn't done it for a while. Notice how Seamus and Dean don't do that?"

A comfortable quiet settled between them, Uncle Vernon breaking it every few minutes to ask Harry questions about the game or how it was being played. He could hear his brother's laughter from below the stands and could feel a buzz of contentment from Hermione through the bond. He couldn't image a better way to end the school year.

Harry watched Seamus, he'd never had the chance to sit and properly watch the other boy fly. Seamus looked good on the broom. He was a decent flier, not as good as others on the pitch but good enough to manage the Firebolt.

The horizon had begun to develop an orange hue, they still had a couple of hours of daylight and Harry was content to spend it here, sitting watching quidditch with Uncle Vernon. Despite the Statute of Secrecy, Harry hoped that this wouldn't be the only Quidditch match he ever got to watch with him. Hopefully his family would be able to come see him play, if he did manage to end up playing professionally, but it wasn't the same as watching a match together.

"It's a shame Aunt Petunia couldn't come." Harry said, voicing his thoughts aloud. "I think she would have liked the castle."

"I'm glad I got to be here though." Uncle Vernon said, putting a hand on Harry's shoulder. "I would have hated to have missed a day like today. Our family seems to always be getting bigger and bigger- which I'm grateful for, but it's nice for me to spend time with just you and Dud before we add another member to our ever growing ranks."

"Does it ever annoy you, that there's so many people at our house all the time?" Harry asked, as of this moment in time it was likely that Aunt Petunia, Aunt Helen, Uncle David, Dobby, Charity, Alexander, Sirius and possibly Remus were at the Terrace. Harry was more than aware that all of the additions to the family were as a result of Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon's initial adoption of him.

"I always wanted a big family. Marge was older and never around when I was growing up, I always felt like an only child. I never wanted that for Dudley." Uncle Vernon's words were kind and his smile was warm, but Harry couldn't help but worry at his words.

"So you and Aunt Petunia alway wanted another baby?"

"We always said we'd wait until Dudley was around one, then we'd try for another."

Harry didn't say anything. He watched as, down below, Dudley and Neville helped Hermione up onto the broom and sent her off across the pitch. It was still warm and Harry was beginning to feel a little bit too hot, his palms were sweating and his nose was sweating where his glasses touched the bridge. So he'd stopped Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon having another baby? He'd come along and they'd had to put all their plans for their family on hold.

Uncle Vernon seemed to sense a change in Harry's mood. He turned in his seat, taking his attention away from the quidditch and focusing entirely on Harry. "Harry? What are you thinking? I can never tell these days. When you were little I could read you and Dudley like books but you've both grown so much, sometimes you're almost like men. Unfortunately that mean's you've got to be more forthcoming with your words."

He gave Harry a gentle shove in the side and Harry tilted his head, looking over to Uncle Vernon. "I ruined it all, didn't I? Aunt Petunia would have loved a girl, wouldn't she? And then I got left with you and you couldn't have the baby you wanted."

Uncle Vernon looked taken aback. "We'd just decided we we're ready for another baby, and we got one. How could that ruin anything?" He let out a soft chuckle. "It's not as though you get to choose the baby you get anyway, and yet we got to choose to have you."

"But I came with so much…" Harry didn't really know what other word to use, he brought danger, uncertainty, fear and he'd added so many wizards and witches to their family. "stuff."

"You've brought so much to our lives Harry. You're kind, compassionate, caring- you make every one of us better. The Dursley family would not be the same without you, you have made us all better people. You've made us more thoughtful and tolerant. When you were left on our doorstep your mother and I got another son, Dudley got a brother and on top of that we got Severus and the Grangers. You've brought so much good into our lives."

"But you're all in danger, just by being close to me." Harry pointed out, he glanced over to the pitch where Tonks was circling George. The fact that the Ministry had assigned an Auror to protect him was proof enough of the danger posed by him.

"That might be true. But do you think that if we'd refused to have you we wouldn't have been targets? From what I hear about this Voldemort chap, he'd come after us just because we're related to you. Me being your dad or being a distant relative is the same to him- if it can be used to hurt you."

Harry laughed his uncle's words washing all the tension from him, he wasn't sure he'd ever get over Uncle Vernon calling Voldemort 'this Voldemort chap'. It was the most Uncle Vernon- muggleish response he could have imagined.

"I'm really glad I get to be your son - thank you."

Uncle Vernon put an arm around him and pulled him into a half hug. "You don't ever have to thank me for that. You're my son and I love you, I'll love you just as much when the baby comes, I'll love you if you lose the match tomorrow or if you fail all of your exams- no matter what."

It was on the tip of Harry's tongue. He felt a sudden rush of adrenaline, he had the words ready- just a really simple 'Dad, I'm gay'. But he couldn't say it.

His mouth just wouldn't form the words. He rubbed the sweat on his palms against the seat next to him, the rough fabric catching on the dry patch of skin beneath his thumb.

He was almost certain that Uncle Vernon would be fine with it, he'd accepted so much of Harry, that this surely wouldn't matter, but for some reason he just couldn't say it.

OOOOO

"I enjoyed watching you fly tonight." Harry murmured to Seamus, once they were in bed. "You're talented."

They'd stayed out until curfew, then walked Uncle Vernon, Dudley, the Weasleys and Tonks to the guest quarters, by the Hospital Wing. Harry had tried to persuade Severus, to ask McGonagall to let Dudley sleep in Gryffindor Tower but apparently all guests had to be kept together for 'security reasons'. Harry thought it was stupid, especially as he knew for a fact that Severus was planning to sneak over to visit Uncle Vernon for a nightcap.

However, he was relieved that he didn't have to explain his sleeping arrangements to his brother. The others accepted it because they'd seen Seamus having his nightmares, Dudley hadn't and would likely deduce something from the situation.

"I'm hardly talented," Seamus said with a scoff, rolling from his back onto his side, so that he could face Harry. "Did you see Charlie fly?"

"I was too busy watching you… and Bill."

Seamus rolled his eyes, "Fuck off with that, I was being serious."

"So was I, he's really fit. And I never realised how good your arse looks when you're flying bec-"

Seamus cut him off with a soft shove and finished the sentence for him. "Because you're always so far ahead when we fly together- I know."

Harry laughed and pushed Seamus back onto his back, so that he could rest his head on his chest. "I had such a good day today Shay."

Seamus' hand slid up Harry's back and into his hair, caressing gently. "Your brother was proper weird with me. For a second when I got to lunch I swear he didn't recognise me."

Harry did a half shrug, though not so hard as to dislodge Seamus' hand from his hair. "You've changed a lot this year. You're still short, but you look older than the rest of us. You're the only one who can grow facial hair, and your hair's longer, you'll be able to put it in a pony tail soon." Harry looked up at Seamus' face, even in the dark he could see the sharp shadowy outlines of his jaw and cheekbones, he wondered if what had happened in the chamber had aged him prematurely. "You're starting to look more like a man than a boy."

Harry ran his thumb along Seamus' jaw, feeling the sharp stubble that had started to grow. It wasn't thick enough for an actual beard yet, but Harry had noticed that the hair seemed to be coming back faster each time Seamus shaved.

"I almost told my dad tonight." Harry said, his voice little more than a whisper.

Harry didn't need to elaborate, Seamus' fingers froze in their running through Harry's hair. "What stopped you?"

"I don't think I'm ready for everything to change."

"Will they- change I mean?"

"It might change how they look at me." Harry took in a deep breath, it was still stifling- almost too warm to be sharing such a small bed with another boy. "I don't know. I think it scared me when I was about to say it."

"Do you think you'll tell him tomorrow?"

Harry shook his head and felt Seamus' chest move below his head, as he breathed out a sigh of relief, his fingers immediately resumed their threading through Harry's hair.

"I'm sure the right time will come, it doesn't have to be now. Anyway," Harry said, his tone lightening. "it would ruin everything for the holidays. I don't think my aunt would be able to send me to spend the summer at yours, without telling your mum… if Dud had a girlfriend she'd never let him stay over at hers."

"You would have told them about me?"

"I don't think I'd have had to. I think the pieces would fall into place for them, after what happened over summer- you don't just do that for a friend."

"If anyone would it'd be you though."

"I'm not sure y'know. I think I was in love with you even then. When I saw you playing your fiddle that night it was like my heart stopped for a second, and all I could see was you. If it was anyone but you I don't know if I'd have been so quick to act."

Seamus was silent for a long time and his breathing had started to slow, Harry wondered if he was pretending to be asleep.

After what felt like an age Seamus whispered to him in a voice so soft it sounded almost child-like. "I'm not brave enough to tell me mam, but if you need to tell yours I'll be here, even if they figure us out."

Harry reached under the blankets and grabbed Seamus' free hand, entwining their fingers and squeezing tightly. "I think you're braver than me Shay."