HELLO friends! I am sorry for keeping you waiting. The holidays is all I can say. They give me stress sometimes. sigh. I don't want to plan things, I just want to be lazy and enjoy my Christmas tree! so could life F-OFF please. I spent several days being really excited about Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them. I'm obsessed with the change in who is playing Grindelwald. I wasn't a fan of Johhny Depp, he was way too eccentric. But now they have the guy who played Hannibal _ and im dying from all the sexy possibilities. HAHA. But then Joanne went and decided to continue her transphobic BS...I could rant for days, but I won't, I'll just say, this story continues to be an inclusive space, with changes made to characters specifically for that. I do plan to address the topic of transphobia in this story, but it will not be until their 7th year, when the Carrows join Hogwarts.
SO this chapter is all drama lol. Did you expect anything less after that last one? If you are a lover of Snape, and here for the Snape Penny dynamic, I am sorry for the backlash going on here, but I believe it remains true to his character. He has as much to learn as Penny, and this happens to be a very difficult and painful way for them to work out their crap. Also, enjoy the twins! I do not write a lot of Harry, so it was nice having a chapter dedicated almost exclusive to them both :)
In order to keep Dolores Umbridge away from Penny, Professor Dumbledore, along with Madam Pomfrey, officially reported that Penny had spattergroit. Due to the fact that it was renowned for being highly infectious and that purple pustules were its defining feature, Professor Umbridge was not the least bit willing to risk exposure to determine if these reports were true or not.
To Penny's relief, this also meant she was not allowed visitors, not even her brother. The tumultuous emotions within her made her shy away from wanting to speak to anyone and she dreaded the day she would finally have to explain what had happened. Unfortunately, that day came much sooner than Penny anticipated. Though he was not allowed in the room, Harry had somehow convinced Madam Pomfrey to allow him to sit outside her door to keep her company. Oddly, Madam Pomfrey, who normally disapproved of visitors when her patients needed rest, encouraged Harry to come as often as he liked, believing it was what Penny needed to overcome her panic attacks. Penny, still shaken by what had transpired between her and Snape, and still unable to process her memories, was too ashamed to respond to Harry for the first several days he'd sat outside for hours. By the third day, Penny finally relented, dragged her pillow and blanket to the door, and sat down there.
"Harry?" she said, her own voice alien to her.
"Penny-" came Harry's startled reply, as though he had just been roused from sleep.
"Sorry, did I wake you?"
"No- of course not," he lied.
A faint smile formed on Penny's lips, Harry was always an awful liar, especially when it came to her.
"Are-are you okay?" he asked, tentatively, after a moment's silence.
"Depends on what you mean by okay, I suppose," Penny sighed, pulling her blanket closer to her chest.
"Madam Pomfrey wouldn't tell me what happened, but Hermione, she-she said you poisoned yourself. . ." Harry trailed off, his voice strained with emotion.
"Of course she worked out what I'd taken, she is far too clever sometimes."
"Why, Penny, tell me why you'd want to die!" Harry said, his voice suddenly forceful, full of pain and betrayal. "I know it's been hard since Ce-since he died, but I thought it was getting better, I thought-you would have come to me if it was this bad."
Confused and bewildered, Penny sat stunned, trying to process what Harry was saying.
"Harry, I wasn't trying to kill myself, if that's what you thought," Penny said, weakly.
"How can you say that like I'm some sort of idiot, no one just poisons themselves for the hell of it!" he said, sounding angry now. "It's always been you and me, you're all I have, what did I do to make you not trust me anymore? Did you think-" but Harry didn't get to finish his sentence because Penny had yanked the door open and flung herself between the crack, landing on Harry, her arms so tight around his neck that he choked, his hands moving immediately to try and loosen her hold.
Penny obliged, but did not let go, instead she buried her head into his neck. Harry's arms found Penny and hugged her back, pulling her tightly into him as though he were afraid that if he loosened his hold she would escape out the window.
They remained like this for several minutes, Penny soaking in the comfort of her scrawny twin, Harry allowing her the space to work out her thoughts, waiting patiently for her to be ready to explain. When she finally managed to find her voice, she said "I've been such an idiot."
"Yeah, so what's new," said Harry, the grin apparent in his voice, causing Penny to chuckle.
"I wasn't trying to die, Harry, I swear it. I could never do that to you-I won't make you face what's to come alone. Please believe me," she said, pulling away to frown down at him.
Harry sat up and considered his twin with those wide green eyes of his. "I suppose I should have known you wouldn't have died before being able to get more OWLs than me," he said with a crooked grin. Adjusting his glasses, he dodged Penny's jab at him with those annoying seeker reflexes of his.
With a roll of her eyes, Penny dragged Harry into her room and closed the door, afraid their conversation would attract the attention of Madam Pomfrey sooner than she was ready for their chat to end. Tossing the blanket around him, she pulled him in close, enjoying the feeling of his warmth, it somehow made what she was about to say feel a little less frightening.
"There's a lot, I don't even know where to start," she sighed, leaning her head back and looking up at the ceiling.
"It doesn't matter where you start, you just have to try."
"Only if you promise not to be mad at me," she said, casting a sideways glance at him.
"Why would I be mad at you?" he said, his brows furrowed.
"Just promise."
"Sure," he said, clearly feeling she was being a bit absurd, but Penny knew Harry well enough to know what she was about to admit to not telling him would make him annoyed.
And sure enough, after explaining what Penny had seen in Snape's memories, how he'd used her to bait Yaxley, and then discovered her missing memory was the result of Dolores Umbridge, Harry opened his mouth indignantly, preparing to to dispense his displeasure upon her, but Penny cut him off, "You promised!"
He floundered angrily, clearly considering letting his promise die a fiery death, but seemed to think better of it. "I knew Umbridge was evil, how could Dumbledore let her teach here," Harry said, disgusted. "But what does this have to do with poisoning-"
"I discovered it's one method for retrieving memories, so I had to try. . ." Penny said, looking away from Harry, dreading what she knew would come next.
"Did it work? Did you figure out what that old hag was hiding?"
Penny laughed internally, only her brother, the heroic, sometimes idiotic savior of the wizarding world would care more about whether Penny's questionable methods had paid off than the questionable methods themselves.
"It worked, but. . ."
"But what?" Harry said impatiently when Penny found herself unable to continue.
"The memory I found wasn't the one I'd gone looking for."
"I don't understand, what did you find?"
"Do you remember when I went missing last year?" Penny said, turning reluctantly to face her twin. She saw flashes of misery and concern flicker across his face as he remembered the two months for which no one knew where she was or if she was safe. He nodded, a slight frown on his lips.
"I remember," Penny said in barely more than a whisper.
"Oh!" Harry said, eyes widening in surprise, looking much too curious for what she was about to say.
"Harry-it's not what anyone thought. I-I-" Penny stammered, feeling afraid of the words stuck in her throat.
Harry's presence pressed into her, knocking at the door between them. Having no energy left to ignore him, and desiring the comfort of his mind more than anything else, Penny allowed Harry in. She both saw and did not see her twin before her, looking back at her. There was an element of being wholly enveloped and completely unaware of her physical-self when she and Harry connected their minds.
The gentle coaxing of her twin brought ease to Penny's tension, so she opened, sharing with Harry where she actually had been. His shock hit her like a bolt of lightning. In his response, she felt the same fear, trepidation, and confusion that was mixed up within herself. Clinging tightly to her, he saw the truth of what she had witnessed, his teeth clenched and his eyes blazing when they returned from it.
"There was nothing you could have done, Penny," he said fiercely.
"A part of me knows. . .but it's not only that."
"Don't do that to yourself," Harry said, reading Penny's mind before she could articulate the thought.
"I knew, this entire time, the truth was hidden in my memories. . ." Penny whispered, tears beginning to form in the corners of her eyes.
"Stop-"
"I didn't even put any thought into what I was doing those two months, how could I be such an idiot?"
"There was so much going on, Penny, did you forget the Ministry abducted you-"
But Penny cut him off, refusing to allow her brother to steer her away from the truth. "I should have listened when Snape found the split, but I didn't do anything. It was my second chance."
"And neither did he! If you want to blame anyone-"
"If I'd done something, anything, Harry, you would have never ended up in that graveyard."
"No-" Harry said, grabbing her shoulders.
"He wouldn't have come back. We would have known his plan-have discovered. . ."
"PENNY!" Harry roared, but Penny had to say it, she'd kept it bottled inside of her where it was eating away at her.
"And Cedric-he wouldn't be dead. I could have stopped Cedric from dying," Penny admitted, choking on her sobs as the truth of it came crashing over here, the memory of those terrified blue eyes becoming empty grey ones, so lifeless they could no longer fear.
Her guilt, it yanked on her like a weight attached to her foot, pulling her to the bottom of the ocean, her attempts to fight it useless and laughable. In the quiet, Penny had obsessed over the realization Voldemort, in his arrogance, had imparted the details of his plan to her. Details that would have changed everything. What would her life have looked like if she'd been able to stop Voldemort? The thought was too painful to consider, giving new life to the deep longing she'd buried, the horrible emptiness that missing Cedric left inside of her.
"It's not your fault he's dead. Voldemort killed Cedric in cold blood, because he's evil. But-I've never told you this, I didn't know how," Harry said, his voice shaking slightly as he recalled memories Penny knew were painful to him "I asked Cedric to take the cup with me. I'd won, I'd made it, and Cedric was there, I helped him, so he told me to take it because I won fair and square, but I told him to take it with me because-I don't know-maybe it was my noble complex you accuse me of having, but I thought-and he did it, we were both going to be champion. It was only supposed to be me, he wouldn't have been in that graveyard if I hadn't-" Harry trailed off, struggling against the emotions rising in his chest.
Penny stared at her twin, everything inside of her suddenly freezing. He looked up at her, almost fearfully, afraid to find anger looking back at him, the accusation in her eyes.
"Harry-"
"I'm sorry, Penny. I'm so sorry. If I could take it back-"
Penny leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Harry's neck, burying her face into his robes, several tears rolled off the side of her cheek, landing on the Gryffindor patch embroidered into his robes.
"No, Harry, it's me who is sorry, sorry that you felt you had to carry that alone this whole time."
Penny pulled away and kissed both of his cheeks before looking at him.
"You don't hate me?" he said, weakly, his disbelief furrowed into his brows.
"Do I look like I hate you, you idiot?" Penny grinned, wiping the tears from her face. "I think you are the only person who could have helped me realize."
"Realize what?"
"That we make the best decisions we can with the little information we have, and that it's futile to try to imagine what we could have done. Cedric is gone, and I miss him terribly, but Harry, you came back to me, just like I somehow made it back to you. I don't want to waste that imagining a what-if that might have prevented this."
"You're so cheesy, you know that right?" said Harry, shaking his head of messy black hair at her.
"Shut up," Penny laughed. "It's lucky I have Lupin to counteract the emotional aversion you and Snuffles have."
"We are not-" Harry started, indignation ripe in his tone, but he did not get to finish his thought because the door opened, smashing into them and sending them toppling over.
Penny landed on top of Harry, who had his arms wrapped around her, his reflexes trained to prevent Penny's bad luck and clumsiness from making matters worse, and their blanket entangling them. The door gave another sharp push, forcing them out of the way as someone made their way through. Squashed on top of Harry, grunting as she tried to wiggle free, Penny did not know who it was until the icy voice rang through the room, freezing her mid-motion.
"What's this?" he said, Penny knowing the look of suspicion that accompanied his words.
Harry ignored him, trying to focus on Penny, having noticed the abrupt change in his twin, Penny unable to move much less speak.
"Answer me, Potter," he hissed, when neither responded.
"If you hadn't noticed, we're both Potter," Harry said, pushing himself into a sitting position, and reaching over Penny to pull the blanket from their trapped feet.
"I'd watch my tone, if I were you, Potter, I have already found you where you shouldn't be," Snape said in a dangerous voice.
"I'm her twin, of course I should be here!" Harry exclaimed, wrapping his right arm around Penny and holding her tighter to his chest.
Penny clung to her twin, deeply appreciative of his presence. Though she knew Snape would have to return to tend to her curse, she was in no way prepared to see him. Penny couldn't handle the prospect of being forced to look into those dark eyes, him going about business as normal, pretending her heart hadn't been crushed into a million pieces. It was cruelty, his appearance, after she'd begged him not to go, after he heard her torment and then left her alone for days, crying alone in the empty room, left to ruminate on what it meant, confused about where she was supposed to go from there, and terrified of facing the pain buried deep in her chest. She could not understand how it was that he could stand before her like he hadn't done it, like none of the loneliness and heartache she felt affected him. What was it like to be Severus Snape? What did he see looking down on her cowering in her brother's arms? Penny didn't know because she couldn't look into the black eyes that she'd always trusted, they would only remind her of the deep sense of rejection and humiliation she felt.
"How touching," Snape practically spat, "But need I remind you that Dolores Umbridge would like very much to find any reason to remove Penny from Hogwarts and return her to the custody of the Ministry? Or does that not matter to precious Potter?"
"You can't just lock people up in here! Only a truly awful person could ignore her cries after knowing what she's been through. While I wouldn't expect you to understand, some of us actually care about Penny," Harry said, his tone dripping with insinuation.
Penny closed her eyes, realizing Harry knew, it was pouring out of her-what had transpired between her and Snape-meaning Snape also knew what she was feeling, the silence following Harry's outburst confirmed it. As stupid as she felt, Penny could not stem the tide of volatility bursting from her, of the fear in her chest, the fear of facing the man.
"You can take your complaints to the Headmaster, I do not have the time or patience to entertain such overindulgence and entitlement. I have better things to do with my day, Potter and need to tend to her curse, so get out- now ," Snape sneered, walking forward and grabbing Harry by the upper arm and forcing him to his feet, dumping Penny into a heap on the floor.
"I'm not going!" Harry growled, digging in his heels to stop the Potion Master's progress.
"I do not care if you think you are above the rules, Potter, I will show you that spoiled brats even spoiled spoiled brats cannot always have their way!" Snape replied, giving Harry a rough yank toward the door.
Jumping to her feet, Penny ran towards the two of them and flung herself between Snape and the door, barring his way. Breathing heavily and staring determinedly at his chest, she said, "He's not going."
"That isn't up to you."
"Yes it is. You don't get to make decisions for me, I am entitled to make them for myself, otherwise you can defer to my Godfather," Penny replied, setting her jaw, feeling the dark probing eyes trying to lure her green ones into looking at him, but she couldn't. She knew the pain that waited for her in them, "And right now, Harry is all I need."
"I take that to mean then, that you are capable of managing your curse on your own, in which case. I suppose I am not needed here," Snape said, his voice dripping venom.
"You know perfectly well I'm not, but if you want to leave, then be my guest, at least if you do we can stop pretending like my wellbeing ever mattered. But Harry isn't going anywhere," said Penny, her body shaking from head to toe.
Though she felt absurdly childish, quaking in her pajamas before Snape, Penny found some internal relief from speaking her mind, from standing up to him and not allowing him to dictate how things would go. If he wanted to make everything a transaction, then that is what it would be, but it would be on her terms, not his, and she refused to be alone with him, to endure that agony alone.
With courage she didn't know she had, she bridged the distance between them and reached for Harry, awkwardly avoiding any contact with Snape, holding her breath as she stood beside him, feeling the waves of electricity he exuded and waiting for him to release Harry.
"As you wish, " Snape said, giving a sardonic bow of his head as he made a spectacle of releasing Harry and making for the door, his spite getting the better of him.
"You're a coward!" Harry yelled, angrily.
"What did you call me, Potter-" Snape said, coldly, rounding on him just before he reached the door.
"You heard me," Harry said, the glint in his eye telling Penny he was committed to what he had to say whether it landed him in detention or not. "She's already hurting and you want to make her suffer more, all because you're afraid. Sirius was right, she's nothing more than a toy to you, isn't she? Something to amuse yourself when you're bored and to throw away when you're tired of it."
"Oh yes, because Black can talk, like he hasn't made it perfectly clear that Penny is expendable, especially when he has his precious Potter, the spitting image of that joke of a father of yours. No, Potter, Black isn't correct, and you know why?" Snape hissed, advancing on Harry, and leering over him. "Because he has never once shown up for her. And why would he when she is nothing more than the living reminder of what he was left for. Of course he doesn't love her, not when you two together is the eternal reminder of the happy couple ," Snape went on, disparagingly, his voice rising as he went.
"Take it back!" Harry yelled, pushing past Penny, who was frozen to the spot, staring at the shiny black shoes of the Potions Master, which were much larger than the old, scuffed sneakers of Harry's. Penny remembered when they belonged to Dudley, who quickly became too fat to fit into them, so they were given to Harry. At the time, they'd been clownish on Harry, who tripped often. Now they looked normal, and Penny found herself wondering when he'd grown into them? When their life had sped past them, taking them from their quiet afternoons spent avoiding the Dursley's house, chasing each from around the park, and digging through some of the bins of the shops that sometimes hid amazing finds.
Oftentimes, Penny would watch jealousy as younger kids would run around laughing, their doting parents chasing them, grabbing them and showering them with kisses. She wondered from afar, what it would have been like, to feel such love, to have someone who wanted them to come home, that cared about their day. The reality that she'd been denied such an experience, it made Penny irrationally mad, the bitterness would creep through her, poisoning all her thoughts, so she'd learned to push them away, to tell herself that it was all an illusion, that having a parent would be disappointing and all she needed was Harry.
But then they found Sirius, and Penny, she was wary, standoffish, and not at all desirous of his intrusion on her and Harry's life. Who was he to intrude after all that time? Making some claim without even asking them? And yet, Harry had accepted him with open arms, his face full of the love she'd never had to share before, and Sirius, the way he looked at Harry-Penny knew he would do anything for him. But when he looked at Penny, it was different, he seemed unsettled by her, the ease with which he approached Harry noticeably missing.
Penny suppressed these feelings, telling herself it was in her head, too ashamed to share them. But she couldn't help feel that all her interactions with Sirius validated these fears. But those thoughts, those feelings, they were private to her innermost self. Had Snape seen them in her? Had he stolen them from her without her consent? Or was the truth of Sirius' feelings so plain for everyone to see? It wasn't fair, the way he cruelly brandished these thoughts, like a whip, one that only served to maim Penny, who already struggled with trust.
"Why? So you can keep deluding yourself into thinking somehow you make her life better? Wake up, Potter, she doesn't matter, not when you're around to make her insignificant!"
Snape's words were like a slap to the face, startling her from her thoughts. They made her want to turn and rage at the man, make him hurt the same way she was, but she couldn't, because she sensed Harry's intention before he moved. Instinctively, she threw herself between Snape and Harry, stopping Harry's advance before he could get in range of lashing out at Snape, but his shoulder ploughed into her before she was able to separate them, and she was knocked backwards.
Expecting to land hard on the cold floor, Penny was pleasantly surprised when she was met by warmth instead, caught in the muscular, outstretched arms behind her. Looking up, she found Remus Lupin looking down at her, his face full of concern.
"Are you alright, Penny?" he asked, his soft tones like music to her ears, and a dose of cold water to Harry and Snape, who immediately put distance between themselves.
Staring at Lupin, feeling he surely had to be a dream, Penny merely gaped at him, until that is, her eyes welled with tears and she pulled herself up and threw herself into his embrace. His strong arms wrapped themselves around her, engulfing her, holding her so tightly her ribs would surely crack, but she did not care and did not want him to let her go. Her face buried into his chest, she cried in relief, breathing in all of him, feeling his lips in her hair, hearing him whisper so only she could hear, "I won't be going anywhere, we can stay just like this for as long as you need, okay?"
Penny nodded, too afraid of talking because she did not want the others to know she was crying again, but Lupin understood.
"What are you doing here?" came Snape's snarling tones.
"Good to see you, Professor Snape," Lupin said, and though he was trying to remain polite, Penny could hear the edge in his voice, feel the stiffness in his arms. "I have come to collect, Penny. Spattergroit, as you know, can require several weeks to a couple of months to run its course, and being highly contagious, it is best for Penny to recover at home."
"What home? Surely you wouldn't agree to send her back to her aunt and uncles."
"Penny will be staying in London where her Godfather and myself can give her the care she needs, without the kind of intrusion that sets her back," Lupin said, pointedly.
"What's that supposed to mean? Is there something you'd like to get off your chest, Lupin?" Snape replied, scathingly.
"Oh, there are a great many things I'd like to say to you, Severus, starting with what kind of twisted logic led you to so callously saying Penny is insignificant and unwanted by her family while she stood trembling beside you after a horrible ordeal. I pity you for whatever transpired in your life that led you to lashing out in such a cruel manner at a girl who has only ever had a kind word to describe you; who has never held your considerable lackings against you. There is more I would say, but for this beautiful soul, I won't, because despite it all, she still loves you, and I would not make her feel sorry for that." Lupin said, his voice, while not angry, held such authority and condemnation that it made Penny shiver, though she was quite warm from being so close to him.
"Twisted logic is it? Take off your rose-colored glasses, Lupin, and look again. Do you honestly think Black is capable of loving anything that does not serve himself? When has he ever been the least bit interested in the girl? Pity me all you want, but do not suggest that convict has done anything for her. As for taking her, did you imagine Dolores Umbridge wouldn't notice that her prized pet had gone missing and inquire? No, I won't let you make matters worse so Black can stroke his own ego and feel like he's doing something!"
Penny's tears had dried up, her heart suddenly hopeful at the prospect of leaving with Lupin. She wanted to go, to put some distance between them, to see something other than this cursed room where all she could do all day was both obsess over and dread Snape walking through the door. But at the same time she was confused, she did not understand why Snape was arguing against Lupin. Was it merely because he hated him so much? It did not make sense that he could actually be advocating for her, not after he'd just ranted about how unimportant she was to Harry. He'd made it clear he didn't want her around, that the relationship they'd developed was not worth the cost of being honest. So, why couldn't he just let her go with Lupin, to find a reprieve from the misery she felt trapped in.
"Will you ever grow up and stop projecting? Your petty grudge does absolutely nothing for you, or Penny . It only serves to do her more harm, and I'm through being complicit. You're not getting in my way, you had your chance, Severus, and unsurprising to me, you sabotaged it, took for granted all that she is because you were afraid, afraid to face the fact it's scary, scary to love something as precious as her. And because of that, you decided to act like an absolute tosser, but you'll regret it, I guarantee it. Every minute she's gone, you'll suffer, you'll have to endure the reality you told her you wanted, and you'll hate it. But me, I won't be such a bloody fool because now that she's here, I'm not letting go," said Lupin, and his voice was full of malice now, his right hand moving from Penny's back and toward to his wand, Penny tensing beneath his grasp, afraid of what she couldn't see, of a jinx that was coming of being the cause for even more problems.
"She's not yours-a dirty half-breed, you do not deserve-" Snape raged, rendered completely incoherent by Lupin's words.
"You're right, she's not mine, but she chose me. If you disagree, why don't you ask her where she'd prefer to be? Or are you afraid of the answer?"
"No, Professor, you can't! What if you hit Penny!" came Harry's voice and what sounded to be a scuffle.
"Get off me, Potter!"
"I think that's quite enough of this, Poppy has asked me to remind you that she as other patients which you are disturbing," came the gentle tones of Albus Dumbledore.
"Albus," Lupin said, surprised, relaxing his right hand.
"Lupin here is under the delusion he is taking Ms. Potter, perhaps you can remind it why that's an absurd-"
"I am afraid I cannot do that, Severus," Dumbledore said, not sounding the least bit apologetic.
"And why exactly is that?" Snape said, furiously.
"Because it is I who asked him to come."
The hand at Lupin's side returned to Penny's back, rubbing it reassuringly, making Penny feel less cowardly for still being pressed into his chest, trying to convince herself if she did not see what was going on, then it could not haunt her. She was far away from the pain, safe in Lupin's warm embrace, the Lupin who she loved and always trusted, Lupin, who always had a kind word and a reassuring hug.
"You did what. . ." replied Snape, his voice becoming steadily more waspish.
"I think once you have some time to consider it, you will agree. But as headmaster, my job has always been to protect the students of Hogwarts, and I have found that being here has hindered Penny's ability to recover. Naturally, she will continue her studies, her other professors have already agreed to send her work, so no need to worry that she will fall behind."
"So that's it, after all I've done, you're siding with him ?"
"I'm siding with what Penny needs, Severus. You need not take that as a diminishment of what you have done for her. I know precisely all you've done, and Penny can attest better than anyone how you've cared for her. But you, like all of us, must learn that sometimes we need to listen, if you did that, I am confident you would see she is telling you that your support on this is what she needs right now." Dumbledore's voice was kind and soft, but not soft enough to convince Snape he wasn't being ganged up on.
"Since it seems my opinion counts for nothing, I'll take my leave. But do not ask me to clean up the mess when Umbridge realizes what you have done," Snape said, his voice low and cold, his feet clicking loudly against the floor as he made his way for the door.
Silence followed his words, the others in the room evidently watching his progress, Penny pulling away slightly from Lupin in order to wipe her eyes before she would be asked to look at that headmaster.
"It is unfortunate that he could not be persuaded to agree, but I imagine this time will afford him the opportunity for some much needed self-reflection," Dumbledore finally said.
"We can only hope," Lupin replied, looking down at Penny as she pulled away from him.
"Erm," Harry said, awkwardly, Penny remembering he was in the room. "So Penny is going? But for how long?"
Turning to investigate the pile of treats that Penny's friends had dropped off, Dumbledore replied, "As long as she needs. You will understand, Harry, that you will need to act as though she were still in the castle, so you cannot write."
"Right."
Prodding Harry's mind, Penny had an idea. He looked at her, his brow furrowed as she showed him the image of her chessboard, which sat by her bedside table. From the corner of her eyes, Penny couldn't help but notice Dumbledore examining them curiously. Had he noticed their silent conversation? He never did miss anything, their headmaster.
"I have to get to quidditch practice," Harry said, giving Penny a hug.
Lupin grabbed Harry's shoulder and gave him a smile, "I wish my visit had been on better terms, but hopefully I will see you at Christmas."
"Ask Hermione," Penny whispered in Harry's ear, knowing Hermione would be able to figure out how to help Harry send messages to the chessboard Sirius had. "And make sure the Slytherins lose good."
With a crooked grin, Harry made his farewell, giving an uneasy glance at Dumbledore, who bizarrely ignored the exchange. Irritation flitted across Harry's face, but he mumbled his goodbye to Dumbledore and jogged away.
"Now that we have that settled, this will take you to London," Dumbledore smiled, peering at Penny with those piercing blue eyes. In his hand he held a vase that contained a very beautiful bouquet Ginny had given her, a heartfelt card attached to it. Blushing slightly, Penny grabbed the card and put it into her pocket.
"But sir, I don't have any of my things."
"Oh, no need to worry about that. Dobby the house-elf enthusiastically volunteered to retrieve your trunk for you while replacing it with a decoy," Dumbledore winked.
"Thank you, sir," Penny said, smiling weakly back at the beguiling headmaster.
"No need to thank me, Miss Potter, just send Snuffles my regards and feel better soon, needless to say, you will be sorely missed. Now, on the count of three."
Lupin placed his arm around Penny's shoulder, and the two of them touched the vase as soon as Dumbledore said, three. Penny felt a jerk just behind her navel, the room disappearing, Penny looking up at the last second, uncertain if she'd heard Dumbledore say Snuffles, and if he had, how he knew the nickname. But a moment later, Penny slammed into the ground, Lupin steadying her and 12 Grimmauld Place looming just across the street.
I always love how ya'll figure out my plans before I reveal them. lol. YEAH LUPINS BACK. I'll admit, I wanted this to happen because I believe we all deserve some WHOLESOME WOLFSTAR co-parenting ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ðŸ˜ it's just gonna be too amazing for me to handle. I also think Penny deserves this moment, even if its fleeting. that small glimpse at what a real family feels like. I might also be a really sadistic person too, because these chapters are gonna feel so mean by the end of the OotP..lol SORRY NOT SORRY.
Lastly, any Princess Bride fans? 😈😈 I couldn't resist, Snape's whole arch revolves around subverting the narrative on love. lol. Have a good week!