A/N: HI! I'm back - sorry but this chapter just took longer to write. There's a few things I need to say. First, I don't write smut, if you want that, go for a different fic, there are plenty around. I'd like to credit fallen angel for the idea of students having crushes on James, thanks for that. Once again, thanks for all the reviews, I promise you that I read each and every one and appreciate them all, however short.
Also, someone asked me to explain what 'Sardines' was. Essentially its a kids' game, under tends probably usually played with between four and ten people. One person is chosen to hide, within a certain area much the same as in hide and seek, while the others count up to an agreed number, say fifty. When the number is reached they have to split up, or go in pairs if they're quite young, and look. If they find the person, they have to quietly join them in the hiding place. The last person to find them all is the 'sardine' and has to hide for the next round. I believe the name comes from everyone squishing in together since invariably there won't be a hiding place big enough and you'll end up on the floor. I played quite a lot of it since I think my mum found it less stressful than hide and seek since no one would be 'forgotten' as it were. Anyway, there's your summary. As for the Christmas, it was more or less how my family celebrate it, just with a few extra people.
Now that was a long A/N for me, so without further ado, let's proceed to the chapter.
Severus met him in the Great Hall for breakfast the next morning. No, James thought, mentally considering the time, maybe it ought to be brunch . . . or afternoon tea. It was in fact about twelve o'clock, perfectly civilised really.
"Good morning James," Severus said, pouring himself another mug of coffee. "Weren't too late last night?"
"Not really - I got caught up in helping with 'bedtime'. I'd never have been allowed to stay up that late at their age."
"From what I understand, it's only twice a year - Hogmanay and Christmas. It does tend to give the adults a break on St Stephen's Day if the children sleep late."
James laughed, seeing the logic in that. He knew from watching Dudley that Boxing Day often seemed anticlimatic after the excitement of Christmas Day itself and the Weasleys' scheme sounded very practical.
"So, do you want to pick up your costume sometime today or shall I bring it round to your room. I've sized it approximately but I think you're going to have to do the exact stuff yourself."
"With your permission, I will call by your rooms later. I promised that I would teach you a little of how to manipulate rooms within the castle so you have a room ready for Alistair when he returns. I can easily retrieve the costume then."
"Sounds good to me - it isn't as if there's any pressing business I have to attend to, so drop by any time that suits."
So by the time Severus did arrive, James made sure he had brought out the deep blue costume. It was simple enough, fashioned around common dress of the time and consisted of black tights (they probably had a fancy name but that was what they looked like to him), a black shirt and a blue doublet embroidered with black falcons. That, of course, was Wulfric's personal sign just as the eagle had been his sister's.
"That?" Severus asked suspiciously, eyeing the tights with reluctance.
"Yes," James said, hiding a smile at the look on his face. The number of time's he'd got this reaction . . . "I have one pretty much identical but in green. Oh, and I picked up the appearance sweets from the twins yesterday evening."
"Very well. Now, had you given any thought as to where you wanted to situate this bedroom?"
"On the other side of the bathroom from my room," James replied promptly. He really did not want to just have a wall between them when or if Alistair got into some of the popular teenage music that some of the older Slytherins liked. Severus's mouth quirked upwards slightly as he realised that that was the furthest from James' room it could get and still be in the same suite.
"And I assume approximately the same size as your own room."
"I suppose."
"It's quite a simple procedure but a little draining since Hogwarts doesn't quite operate in three dimensional space. The consciousness of the castle is what we have to ask to create the room. To do this is like the warding. Take a dagger . . . I brought one along that wasn't poisoned since you don't seem to own one . . . and make a small cut. Smear the blood along the place where you want the door to be."
"Me? Aren't you the one doing the magic?" James asked, eyeing the knife with a certain amount of distrust. "And are you sure that that knife isn't poisoned. I wouldn't have thought you had one given all your potions."
"An advantage of knowing all the poisons is that I also know all of the antidotes and sterilisation techniques. As to the magic, these are your rooms, therefore you must be the one to give the blood."
James sighed,
"Okay, here goes."
"Repeat after me: I, the Defence Master of Hogwarts School and resident of this suite of rooms, request that a second bedroom be added to them in this location to be used by a boy of eleven years."
James dutifully repeated this, surprised at the simplicity. There was a groan and a door appeared as the wall grew about a metre in length. When he asked about the wording, Severus seemed amused.
"The castle's consciousness is made by absorbing the magic and emotions of the residents. It is exposed to far more modern English than Latin, so that's the language we use. Besides, very few wizards could conjugate the Latin correctly as they would have to for this sort of thing."
"Could you?"
"Of course, I received a very . . . thorough education at home in addition to my Hogwarts one."
There was an awkward silence. Then James plucked up the courage to ask.
"Um, the room won't be furnished or anything, will it?"
"No, you'll have to do that yourself."
"I was sort of hoping . . . would you give me a hand. I really don't want to get it wrong and I'm not sure what he's like and . . . "
"Certainly I'll stay, if you want me to. Why don't you have a house elf bring some basic furniture down while we think of the basic ideas?"
A few moments later, there was the odd crack every few moments in the bedroom and Severus and James were sitting together on the sofa.
"I was thinking that he would probably prefer something other than green," James ventured. He hurried on, "I mean, he has green in his dormitory all year, so a change is probably good."
"Not Gryffindor colours, of course."
"Well, obviously not red or gold, so blue I guess."
"You'll want sky blue."
James was a little surprised by this revelation and the assurance. He'd never really thought of light blue being a particularly popular colour with boys of that age.
"According to Draco at that age, it's the best colour to mount Quidditch posters on because if it's well done, they'll blend in and it will be more like a mural."
"I should have guessed Quidditch would have something to do with it. Light blue for the walls then? And I suppose a darker blue for the furnishings."
"That sounds bearable to me. You can always change it if he doesn't like it without much effort."
"I suppose that's true," James admitted doubtfully. Thing was, he wasn't sure whether Alistair would tell him if he didn't like the room or just pretend to.
Severus stood up, putting a hand on James' shoulder in a sort of one-armed hug and scooping up the costume with his other hand.
"I wouldn't worry too much about it," he said, his expression understanding. "I can't see him not liking it and I doubt a single mistake with a colour scheme would make a difference in your relationship anyway."
As if embarrassed by the show of gentleness, he spun away and strode out, robes billowing behind him again. James raised a hand to his shoulder, watching him leave.
A few days later, James found himself waiting outside a hidden room below the headmaster's tower that he knew to be the headquarters and council room of the Order of the Phoenix. In fact, unlike most recruits, he also knew exactly what as going to occur when he entered the room and it wasn't nearly as intimidating as they liked to make out.
When the doors opened, a man stepped out. He was tall, wearing a hooded white robe with a golden phoenix embroidered on the front. Silently, he tied a strip of cloth around James' eyes and led him forwards.
Feeling uncertainly around with his feet as he shuffled into the room, he was guided carefully to the front of the room. They wouldn't have let him fall anyway - this was the Order, not the Death Eaters.
Once there, the blindfold was removed and James saw that he was standing in the middle of a circle made by four Order members garbed in the same way as his guide. This arrangement was particularly common in rituals because it symbolised the four elements, the seasons, the four houses at Hogwarts, the four stages of life. It was also easier to balance than the less common circles of three or five.
The man standing in the North spoke first - this was usually how it worked.
"For what reason do you come before the Order of the Phoenix?"
"I come to become a member."
"To what purpose?"
"To help me to protect the lives under my care under the recommendations of those I trust."
"Very well. Turn and continue.
James turned anticlockwise. He thought this person, shorter than the other, was a woman and this was confirmed when he heard her voice. In fact, he was almost positive that it was Minerva, a powerful witch in her own right.
"Can you, a man wishing to join the Order of the Phoenix, state that you have never knowingly or deliberately harmed an innocent, someone disabled or someone wounded and at your mercy."
"I cannot," James admitted, knowing that a lie would be immediately detected. "I once killed a Death Eater who had murdered people close to me in cold blood when I found them disabled with a broken leg."
"We deem this to be a justified act of revenge as stated in the Statute of Reparations from 1754. Are there any other incidents?"
"To the best of my knowledge, no."
"Turn and continue then."
"Have you ever practised the Dark Arts?" the next interrogator demanded sternly. James winced inwardly, he bloody hated this part of the ritual. Even so, he wasn't entirely sure if it was admitting the attempt or admitting the failure that he minded most.
"When I was fifteen, I attempted to cast the Cruciatus Curse on a woman who had just killed a member of my family. The curse failed."
"A child will do many things in times of sorrow. As a mistake is made, the soul and magic grow and the mistake will not be repeated. Remember this and be free from guilt. Turn and continue."
The next and final stop was in front of a man who leant heavily on a staff and whose gentle voice was instantly recognisable to James as Remus Lupin's.
"A member of the Order of the Phoenix must choose three things to mark his dedication to the light: an element, a former member and a present member of the Order to guide them on their path. Are you ready to make these choices?"
"I am ready," James said with a slight smile. His choices now were, with a notable exception, identical to those he had made when being initiated as Harry Potter. The last one in particular would no doubt cause a minor uproar. "For my element, I choose fire for its strength, power and purity. The deceased member I wish to remember in my initiation is Lily Evans, wife of James Potter, who bore my name and laid down her life for her family and her cause. For my guide I choose Severus Snape as a man I trust and respect for the care he gives to each child under his guidance. These are my choices, are they acceptable?"
"They are more than acceptable. You have been judged a worthy candidate for the Order and may proceed to the final stage of your initiation."
James swallowed slightly and looked again to his guide, who had stood next to him, a hand on his shoulder, throughout. Every candidate had a guide, normally but not always the one who had proposed them to the Order and always a volunteer. In this case, it wouldn't be Albus because he had his own role to play. In truth, he was a little nervous about this stage because it was the one that could go terribly wrong if Albus hadn't managed to explain clearly to Fawkes what the situation was.
When they stopped and the blindfold was removed, they were standing within a ring of fire, the flames towering high above them though the heat was just pleasantly warm. Fawkes was perched on a post in the centre, flames pouring upwards from his scarlet crest. Next to him stood Albus Dumbledore, who smiled confidently at James.
"Your choices have been made and you have been deemed a worthy candidate. Are you ready to take the oath? Repeat after me."
"I, a man pure of heart and strong in power, swear to dedicate my life to fighting against the forces of darkness, to protect all those that I can and to sacrifice my life for others should this be necessary to help the cause," James repeated dutifully. In fact, the one time he had previously said them had been enough to burn them into his brain forever. " I furthermore swear never to practice the dark arts or harm an innocent or one helpless to my wand. Let my oath be heard and witnessed as true."
There was an agonising pause, both Albus and James wincing slightly. At last, Fawkes began to sing and they let out the breath they had been holding.
"Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix," Albus said, ending his part in the ritual. The flames around them died away to reveal the rest of the Order gathered around them, unhooded and welcoming. In a moment, James would go to be welcomed by them but for now he waited, watching curiously as his guide removed his hood. Severus smiled slightly at him, back to their audience, and leaned to kiss him gently on the forehead.
"Welcome to the Order of the Phoenix," he said softly. "Good to have you with us James. But now, the hordes await you - have fun."
With a gentle push, he propelled James out into the gathered group. There were about twenty five of them gathered, quite enough to make him embarrassed at being the centre of attention even though most of them he knew well, either as James or as Harry.
With an indignant squawk, Fawkes regained their attention. He fluttered over to James in a smooth glide and perched himself firmly on his shoulder. He then calmly proceeded to start preening his long hair. James looked to Albus for help, only to find the old man chuckling to himself as he watched. Indignantly, he ignored him and made the compulsory round of handshaking.
A while later, Albus called them rather reluctantly to Order and they took their seats along the long table to start the business they needed to attend to and hear the reports from the various operatives. Kingsley Shacklebolt, as the leader of the Aurors, was the first to speak.
"I assure you that the Aurors are taking the threat that Lucius Malfoy poses extremely seriously. Training has been increased and the recruit schedules are being increased so we should have another ten Aurors in the field by Easter. That will bring our numbers to seventy four, including those in managerial and support roles. So far, the Aurors have suffered no casualties, just a few minor injuries."
"And in terms of civilian casualties?" Hestia Jones asked.
"Twenty four and growing every day. We're keeping it as quiet as possible to avoid any alarm. If the press got hold of the figures and photographs, we would be in serious trouble. As it is, we are advising people to take precautions and avoid staying in a house alone, especially Muggleborns and half-bloods. We're doing all we can but we no longer have a spy and that's making it extremely difficult to prevent attacks."
Albus looked serious and everyone was a little shocked at how much people were being sheltered from the reality of the situation.
"Bill, what about Gringotts?"
"So far they are doing nothing openly, like the Aurors, they believe panic can't be a good thing and are toning it down to their customers as much as possible. If people don't feel safe, it has to be bad for business. Privately, they have us putting up as many additional wards as possible and we're running twenty four hour patrols in the maximum security areas. Personally, I don't think Gringotts is likely to be attacked, given how many Death Eaters have vaults there, and at any rate it's one of the safest places in the wizarding world."
"At least something's normal. Ron, how are the Hogwarts defences coming on?"
"We've blocked up all of the passages out of the school - I'd warn the kids once they get back from the holiday or they might get a nasty surprise. We've started negotiating with the centaurs and we think they'll at least give us a warning if they try to bring large numbers of troops through the forest. The mermen and squid are, of course, with us and doing all they can. Our most vulnerable approach is the one via the main gate from Hogsmeade since we have to leave it open to let students and refugees through."
As the briefing session continued, James was reminded again how impressive the Order could be in a martial situation. They had people from all walks of life, working for many different organisations. There were spies in the Ministry, in Gringotts and in Knockturn Alley and seemingly innocent and humorous citizens like the Weasley twins who could be downright nasty when they put their minds to it. Though he hesitated to admit it, it certainly felt good to feel he was contributing again, it had felt odd as a 'civilian' of sorts.
Albus caught him on the way out.
"You are getting Severus to go with you, aren't you?" he asked quietly and urgently. "Its just, unless he's out the way, my costume won't and nor will Abe's."
"He's coming with me. Why, who are you two going as?"
"Our secret," the infuriating old man said, eyes twinkling. "I'll see you at dinner then."
On New Year's Eve, most of the students returned on the Hogwarts Express. Term didn't officially begin until the fourth, but the ball was considered an opportunity too good to miss and Albus had been persuaded to run the Hogwarts express early and allow them to cut their holiday short. The few students who weren't attending would arrive by Floo in Hogsmeade and walk up to the school with a teacher on the third.
The Hogmanay Ball itself was due to begin at seven o'clock but James was ready with half an hour to go, sitting fidgeting in his living room, wondering how girls put up with tights all the time. They didn't look too bad, he admitted, but Merlin they itched! There was probably a spell that they all used that he didn't know which gave them an unfair advantage.
He wondered if Severus' tights were itching as well. He also wondered what Severus would look like wearing the tights. He had carefully decided to give Severus the chance to change his face only and that would be weird enough. He already knew what Bertie's legs looked like, that wasn't at all what he was interested in.
James knew that he looked the part in his costume. It was accurate to the time period and because of his magic, his face was right. For the occasion, he had brushed his hair out so every strand was in place and applied an extra concealing charm onto his scar.
At five to, he stood up and spun around, making sure his green cape could billow freely to add to the effect. One of the guys he'd roped into going as Wulfric had walked around all evening with it tucked into his breeches and had looked like a complete idiot.
James took a deep breath. Now or never . . .
He stepped out into the corridor and waited, pacing anxiously up and down outside, ready to freeze as soon as Severus' portrait hole opened.
At last it did and James ran an appraising eye down his friend. The clothing was a perfect fit - he'd never known Severus to be anything but accurate and it seemed that this applied even to sizing charms - and highlighted the slim, muscular figure that James had always guessed he was hiding. Okay, so maybe the man was a bit old fashioned but there had to be another reason for wearing those heavy black robes in the heat of summer. He didn't want to think how many girls (and boys) would develop crushes on Severus if they knew what he looked like in better clothing and to be quite honest, falling for him was entirely James' own prerogative. He recovered his composure and said,
"Shall we go up then?"
Severus agreed, looking slightly uncomfortable, though whether it was with the costume, the assumed identity or going with James that caused it, he couldn't tell.
When they arrived, the hall was already full as students of all ages danced, talked and made fools of themselves as youngsters are prone to doing. The Weird Sisters - now quite an old band but still popular - provided a musical background that was traditional enough not to grate on an adult's ears. A prefect at the door, who was wearing a realistic costume of a veela, stopped them before they could enter.
"Who are you going as?" she asked, smiling at them. Apparently, the illusion was meant to extend to the veela charm as well and she was a little puzzled as to why it wasn't working. Of course, they were both perfectly certain in themselves that they only liked guys and their self-control was stronger than most.
"Salazar Slytherin and Wulfric Ravenclaw," James said, bestowing a dazzling smile of his own. She blushed slightly.
"Sorry Professor Evans, I didn't recognise you."
A wave of her wand and named badges attached themselves to their clothes and she waved them through into the Great Hall.
Looking around, they could see a huge variety of costumes, some more realistic or ambitious than others. There were a few that would be impossible to achieve without illusion charms, others that were clearly just clever costumes with the occasional WWW sweet. The twins must have done excellent business in the run up to this since illusion and glamour charms weren't taught until fourth year. Around the hall were the occasional uncomfortable looking chaperone and, standing arms folded in the corner, Professor Snape. James looked curiously over at Severus, pointing the intruder out.
"Do you know who that is?" he asked. Severus followed his glance and looked a little surprise.
"It can't be anyone but a staff member or Slytherin, no one else would have the guts. Given that they are unaccompanied, a staff member would be the most likely and the only one with that sort of sense of humour is Albus. It won't be the first time either."
"That would explain why he was practically threatening to put Imperious on you so that you wore a costume yourself. He looks like he's having a fine time."
"Hufflepuff will probably be in negative points tomorrow," Severus said. He was relaxing into the occasion, perhaps enjoying the chance to exercise his acting skills, and his pose as he stood there was the slouching, defiant looking stance that Bertie was particularly fond of, one that he certainly needed a lot. "Or maybe not. Isn't that Albus over by the punch?"
"Albus informed me that neither his costume nor his brother's would work if you turned up as yourself. I guess Abe's putting in an appearance as you. Shall we go confirm it?"
They wove their way through the crowds towards the drinks table. A snatch of conversation made James pause.
"Did you hear that Professor Evans is gay?" a girl was saying to a huddle of friends, boys and girls amongst them. James wasn't sure exactly who they were but he honestly doubted Slytherins given the ease with which he was eavesdropping.
"Really?" another girl asked. "Oh damn, and he's so good looking as well."
James flushed an attractive shade of scarlet. He could tell that Severus was trying very hard not to smirk.
"Your loss our gain," one of the boys said smugly. James walked rapidly away, Severus trailing behind him. He was trying very hard to recover his composure. He knew that he was relatively popular but had always put it down to his character, not his looks.
"You mean you didn't know?" Severus asked incredulously. "You never noticed the way you always have about a dozen of them staring at you during mealtimes?"
"I'll never be able to eat at the staff table again," he muttered.
"Pull yourself together. I thought you wanted to talk to Professor Dumbledore?"
"Not after this I'm not. Can you imagine the teasing I'd get?"
"Too bad - I want a drink."
James groaned.
"Promise you won't say anything?"
"If you wish but if you don't want him to know you've been embarrassed, I suggest you come up with a believable excuse for being that shade of red. It clashes with your costume."
"Hello sir!" a goblin said suddenly, beaming cheerfully up at him from a diminutive stature. "Nice costume."
"Alistair?" James guessed. "Your own isn't too dusty. This must be Simon then . . . what exactly has he come as?"
He was perfectly entitled to ask, as anyone who beheld the boy would notice. He was wearing an extremely shaggy pair of jeans and a T-shirt that was inside out and back to front. He was also wearing an oversized pair of glasses.
"Martin Miggs at your service sir," Simon said, a grin plastered onto his face. James could see a remarkably bad impression of braces on his teeth. "Howdy!"
"I tried to tell him we didn't really look like this but he didn't exactly listen," Alistair explained, looking slightly embarrassed. "Come on Simon, Jeff said there were Chocolate Frogs on the staff table."
When they reached the drinks table, set over by the far wall where the Hufflepuff table normal stood, James poured himself a mug of firewhisky.
"I don't normally drink but I think I need one right now."
Dumbledore - which one they hadn't yet confirmed - looked on curiously, eyes twinkling.
"My dear boy, what can the trouble be. Would you like a lemon drop?" He proffered a small dish of the Headmaster's favourite candy.
"Quit the act Abe, it was all very predictable," James said irritably, downing his glass in one and wincing as stream poured out of his ears. "Did Albus lend you the robes or are they your own?"
"You think I would have something like this in my own wardrobe? I appropriated some of Albus' for the occasion."
"I take it you forgot to tell him then," Severus concluded. "I hope you realise that now he'll think that you have similar taste in clothes and will start giving you the monstrosities as gifts."
"Hmm, I'll have to watch out for that. I'm so glad you found a date, James, I hope you took my advice?"
"Advice?"
"Never go out with anyone who wears their clothes back to front. It shows a lack of co-ordination and common sense."
This, coming from a man wearing the most atrocious canary yellow robes that had ever been made, sent the two younger men into hysterics. Well, James started laughing uncontrollably (later blaming it on the small amount of alcohol) and Severus chuckled discreetly.
As the evening wore on, James elected not to partake of the punch Abe was guarding, not being entirely sure what the man had added, and stuck to butterbeer. He had no wish to get drunk and make a fool of himself in front of Severus and his students. When twelve o'clock approached, James was hurriedly evicted from the castle by Abe and stood shivering in the cold night outside. Inside, he heard the students counting down the last minute. Dobby appeared with a crack holding a small basket and a note. He thrust these at James and vanished again.
DearJames,
As a tall, dark man that was readily available, you are going to be first footing the castle. In the basket are a piece of coal, which you put on the fire, a flask of whiskey and some shortbread. You are also obliged to kiss any woman who asks for it, though I suggest you limit it to those who are of age if you don't want to be there all night.
Remember not to come in until midnight
Abe
James stared at the note. First footing he'd heard of, though while he was at school they'd had bigger concerns and no party on new year's eve for him to find out about it. If Albus was really that superstitious, he assumed that Severus had been pushed out every year. The bit about the kissing - that could get nasty. He made a mental note to absent himself as soon as possible.
"10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6 - 5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1. . . . " he heard them chant. Then there was a cheer and a huge bang as hundreds of WWW fireworks went off inside. That was the beauty of wizard fireworks, that they were safe enough to be used indoors.
He walked in through the door. As he came into the Great Hall, he got another cheer. As he'd been instructed, he walked over to put the coal in the fireplace and deposited the whiskey and shortbread on the refreshments tables. He then looked at the watching audience and sighed. This could be a long night.
With a certain amount of relief, he spotted Minerva over with Albus, Abe and Severus and went over to them. A number of the students lost interest in him.
"Happy new year," he said to her, kissing her lightly on the cheek. She giggled slightly - too much whiskey for her this evening!
A couple of the braver seventh years came up to him and he dutifully pecked them on the cheek, being very careful to be as light as possible. If they liked him already, there was no way he was going to give them any more ammunition!
Severus had been sitting down, smirking at James' dilemma. As suspected, he had been subjected to this ritual a number of times himself, being the only member of the staff that had qualified before James employment. Hagrid, while tall, dark and male, was also only half-human, and had therefore been ruled out. He might have been asked this year, except that he'd made his hair blond, ruling himself out.
After about fifteen minutes, James gave up. Noticing that Severus's hair was becoming darker by the second, he retreated behind the table, grabbed Severus' arm and pulled him out of the hall.
"Did you suggest that?" he asked.
"No, I certainly should have though. The look on your face was priceless."
"I think I'm calling it a night then, if that's okay with you. I've kissed a quarter of the seventh years - I'd hate to think what they'll be like in class next term!"
"They'll forget it quickly enough, it's not as if it was just one of them or, judging by the rumours, that you're even interested in girls."
"True," James admitted. "You know, if anyone's paying attention, maybe we ought to do this properly."
"What do you mean?" Severus asked, the smirk on his face showing that he knew exactly what James meant but was making him suffer all the same. James decided not to co-operate. It appeared that maybe Severus wasn't interested after all.
He sighed slightly and stepped forwards to press a quick kiss to Severus' lips before drawing back, looking at his face though he was nervous of what he might see. They looked at each other for a moment, then Severus shook his head slightly, dark hair flicked back over his shoulders.
"That was pathetic, Evans."
He pulled James in and kissed him thoroughly. Severus' mouth tasted of an intoxicating mix of firewhisky and shortbread. When they drew apart for lack of breath a minute or so later, they looked at each other. James felt a litle weak at the knees. Sure he'd had boyfriends before but none of them, in any situation, had been able to kiss like that. Words didn't describe it and they seemed a little superfluous as theystared into each other's eyes, reading theemotions there. Finally, an agreement seemed to be reached and they headed down to the dungeons together, not holding hands or anything as irretrievably soppy as that but standing close enough for it to be obvious.
Albus and Abe Dumbledore watched them go, their costumes gone, replaced with normal robes when they left the party.
"That took longer than expected," Abe said relief. "What were you doing all term? I told you that they'd be a good match in August!"
"These things take time," Albus said placidly. "Especially with those two. They needed to get to know each other before they'd get anywhere. Lemon drop?"
"Don't mind if I do."
A/N: So, how was that? Plausible? Review and tell me!