AN: Hello after 2 years :sweats: I am back with some newt/harry fluff! 3
CH 08 Winter Holidays Part II
As the bright and ungodly light of a sunny winter morning crept in through the floor to ceiling French windows, to glare rather viciously right into the freckled face of a gangly teen, said teen finally stirred awake.
"Gahh… wha-? Why's it so bright…" Newt moaned. Lifting an equally tan and freckled hand to try to block off the sunshine while shying away from it in a manner reminiscent of a vampire, the Hufflepuff tried to go back to sleep.
Unfortunately, it was not just the morning sun against him but also the awful pounding ache in his temples that felt like someone had pulled and twisted the tendons there. That and the almost too warm sheets he was buried under. He didn't remember such strong heating charms on his bed before.
Letting out a sigh of defeat, Newt sat up sluggishly and pulled a hand through the tawny mess he was sure his hair had become. Then blinking bleary-eyed at the surroundings - the large ornate four-poster bed, embroidered armchairs with gilded armrests, intricately patterned carpet, gold vases with white roses on top of elegantly carved side tables, and of course the row of French windows lining his side of the bed - Newt took a moment to contemplate that no, this was decidedly not his bedroom back at home nor his guest room in the Black Keep.
Still bleary, but now also much more alert, bright hazel eyes widened in panic and his gangly frame instantly tensed up as he felt for his wand - only to come into contact with something soft and warm.
Newt nearly jumped out of his skin when he realized that the reason why it was so warm under the sheets was because there was the body heat of another under them with him.
"Ahhhhhh-ack!!!"
Perhaps later Newt would look back on this moment and feel hot embarrassment but at that moment he was truly just too horrified with the dawning realization that somehow he had been kidnapped by one of those old and perverted and disreputable purebloods during the Malfoy Ball that his older brother always warned -frightened- him about and he was about to fight for his safety and chastity without a wand and oh Merlin WHERE WAS LYCORIS -
"Just. What. Merlin be damned flittering twit is making that bloody racket?!"
A sudden hiss resembling that of an angry spitting cat sounded above Newt's head and effectively snapped him from his wild imaginations. Newt paused in his mad struggle with the sheets he had pulled with him in his windmilling fall off the bed.
Wide hazel eyes slowly, and with trepidation, peered upwards behind the tangle curtain of his tawny fringe. And connected directly with mercury ringed emeralds that were currently narrowed into poisonous slits.
With a rush of relief so strong it momentarily drowned out the warning signs that were practically pinging off any and all instincts the Hufflepuff usually had about him when dealing with dangerous magical creatures, Newt babbled, "Lycoris! Oh Merlin, you're safe and I'm safe and everything is alright and this isn't the bed of some unsavoury character -by the way where is this place anyway?- and that is just wonderful and relieving and - "
"Shut. Up."
Newt's mouth clicked shut on autopilot.
Then it was as if giant invisible hands had grabbed the edges of the thick velvet curtains and slammed them shut on all the French windows in the room, throwing the previously sun drenched room into blessed darkness.
"..."
"...Mmph? Mmphh!" After a brief silence Newt tried to speak to his Slytherin friend again only to realize that his lips were effectively glued shut. Hazel eyes widened with surprise at the fact that the other's wandless and wordless magic had not just eliminated the pesky sunlight but also silenced an equally irritating Hufflepuff.
Newt finally managed to untangle himself and stand upright to get a full glimpse of the cranky boy who had seemingly shared a bed with him the night before. And didn't that realization bring a flush to add on top of the blush that had begun heating his face as soon as he finally grasped the fact that he had made an utter fool of himself earlier -he was so going to kill Theseus!- and Newt just wanted to shrivel like a fig.
Everything was coming back to him now. The Malfoy Ball had gone relatively well even if he had been put under some rigorous dancing lessons by a bunch of sadistic Slytherins. It was towards the end after Raphael offered him fairy mead when everything started to go wild.
Newt had never had fairy mead but he hadn't expected it to be so potent that just a couple glasses and he was like his mother used to call it - three sheets to the wind.
The only thing that saved Newt's total mortification was the fact that everyone was getting drunk last night. The formal ball where all the purebloods had their genteel masks on at the beginning suddenly just devolved into a raucous revelry after midnight as if a flip had switched - or maybe just the knowledge that all the children were sent to bed. The only reason they had managed to stay long enough to get a glimpse -and Merlin, how suppressed were the purebloods normally if this was what they got up to in the after hours- was because they had all been in the cups and not up to flooing home.
As for how he and Lycoris ended up in the same bed… Newt covered his blushing face with his hands. No, no, that clingy crybaby begging Lycoris to stay with him was not him. Merely some spirit of Yule that had possessed him, yes.
"...Are you quite done?"
Newt peeked through the spaces between his fingers.
Lycoris was half laying and half propped against the pillows pushed up on the head board. Disheveled silky locks hung into brilliant emeralds with a few strands sticking up and defying gravity as if they had taken a Medusa-like quality. Those almond shaped eyes were narrowed at him like that of a very displeased cat and shone with a rather unholy gleam.
Newt gulped.
It was a thin and sharp little smile, like a flash of a stiletto knife, that Newt saw last before he was sent sprawling on the carpeted floors of the hallway outside, the fine wooden door slamming shut in front of him.
"...Ow." Feeling sheepish, and still embarrassed, Newt was relieved that he had regained the faculties of his mouth at least.
"Scamander? What are you doing over there on the floor?" An arched voice sounded across the hall and Newt swiveled around to see Aurelius Malfoy staring down his pointy nose at him with amused distaste.
Newt, not knowing how or even wanting to explain that embarrassing episode, could only squeeze out the first thing that came to his mind, "What is that you're even wearing?"
But apparently the Malfoy heir, who was dressed in luxurious silk plum house robes embroidered with peonies that looked more like a dress, did not need an answer. Aurelius sniffed and replied magnanimously, "Nothing a peasant like you have seen before I'm sure. Well, I won't hold it against you, as frightened as I imagine you are, allowances must be made."
"Frightened?" Newt spluttered.
A thin silvery blonde brow raised, not at all impressed.
"Well, Lycoris -er- was a bit…"
"Yes. Lycoris was always a surly riser. Threw tantrums about getting out of the bed since we were toddlers." Aurelius nodded in smug understanding. The 'you poor sod' was left unsaid but still echoed loudly.
"Well come along, don't just stand there like an oaf. I'm sure all the rest are downstairs having breakfast. It is nearly 10 after all."
"But Lycoris…?" Newt threw an unsure glance at the closed door.
"He'll arrive at his own pace. Unless of course you want to brave that again?" Aurelius asked with a look that conveyed just how put upon he was.
"Um."
"Thought so."
.
.
.
By the time Lycoris had found them all sitting in the drawing room it was already noon and breakfast had turned into brunch.
"Morning, Lycoris."
"Pleasant sleep, Lycoris?"
"About time, Lycoris, you lazybones!"
Lycoris slouched his way across the scattering of armchairs and low tables to sprawl out in the loveseat next to Phoebe.
Newt, who was playing a game of wizard's chess with Raphael also looked up to call out a greeting to their fashionably late friend, grinning as all Lycoris did was nod his head and flap a hand in response to the warm welcome he got from everyone in the room.
He also couldn't help but chuckle when the Slytherin boy promptly yawned wide enough that almond eyes were reduced to slits and only the barest hint of glazed green could be seen. If that morning hadn't been enough then just Lycoris' still drowsy state even now awake(?) emphasized Aurelius' claims that the other was just not a morning person. Who would have thought the normally put together boy at the Slytherin table every morning was actually like this.
If Newt was being honest with himself he might even call it endearing.
Suddenly, he felt a nudge to his side and turned to see that Raphael had at some point already abandoned the game that he was already winning by a mile against the Hufflepuff and was now huddled next to him with Timoteous who had been watching the game.
"Watch n' learn, my badger friend." Timoteous grinned slyly at him before exchanging conspiratorial looks with Raphael.
"???" Newt tilted his head in curiosity but the boys just gestured in Lycoris' direction with raised chins.
It was not long before Newt understood, grinning widely and feeling a warm and fuzzy lump nestle itself between his ribs.
"Lycoris, would you like some blueberry scones? Mitsy made them herself. And I know just how much you love the elf's scones." Aurelius said in a tone that was -in Newt's opinion- rather disturbingly fawning.
"Hmm." Lycoris took a bite from the blonde's proffered plate of scones and hummed, pleased.
Regina had at one point snuck up behind the loveseat and was now giving a shoulder massage to the boy who was clearly in a pleasant mood. "Sooooo, Lycoris, any plans today?"
"Wuu." Another lazy purr.
"Well, if we're all free -would you like some tea, Lycoris?- how about a day at my place?" Phoebe scooted closer with a dainty porcelain teacup filled with Darjeeling tea.
"Uh?" Lycoris took a sip of tea from Phoebe's hand to wash down the scones.
"Remember Phoebe said her aunt -the one who married an American- gifted her a nature reserve in Alaska for getting her Hogwarts letter?" Alistair sat gingerly on the armrest.
Lycoris murmured vaguely, still sipping at the tea.
Cyprian nudged Phoebe and winked his eyes at them all to get a move on.
"I heard a batch of snow leverets were just born last week. What do you say about making a day of it?" Phoebe wheedled.
"...En."
At his side, Raphael and Timoteous knocked fists in delight. But all Newt could do was hold in the laughter that was trying to bubble out of him. Something told him it would not be good to snap Lycoris out of his daze at this moment.
"...How did you guys know it would work? And also how are you going to escape Lycoris' wrath when he comes back to himself?" Newt asked them curiously, amusement still brightening his hazel eyes.
"Lycoris may be a surly riser but that brief period after waking and before, well, waking, Lycoris can be quite -ahem- agreeable." Cyprian smirked, having sidled up to join their hushed conversation.
"Within a sense." Added Raphael.
"Yeah, I mean I doubt Lycoris would agree to murder someone even if we try to trick him into it in that state." Timoteous added hastily when Newt's eyes widened, "Not that we've tried, mind you."
"Well," Cyprian began thoughtfully, "He might. But he'll probably just pretend to have forgotten about agreeing to it like he did that one time Regina tried to get him to wear one of her dresses."
Newt choked.
"...How are you guys still alive?"
Timoteous tsked at him. "Easily, self-preservation to go with the cunning."
Raphael rolled his eyes, "What he means is that we never take it too far and Lycoris indulges in our 'mischief-making'."
"If you haven't noticed, Lycoris is our beloved leader." Cyprian nodded wisely, "and as the leader, do you think he wouldn't enjoy a good bit of mischief himself?"
Newt thought back to the times he spent sneaking around with Lycoris under his invisibility cloak and had to concede.
"Honestly. You bunch of imps." An exasperated voice interrupted them and announced the return of said beloved leader of mischief back to the waking world.
Newt grinned widely.
.
.
.
"I can't believe you people. You could have just asked."
A young slender boy in black fur trimmed cloak of navy blue with silver claspings stood in the snow, a rather disgruntled look on those delicate features. "I wouldn't have said no to this request - no matter how much I hate portkeys."
"But what's the fun in that, dear?" Phoebe arched a brow patronizingly as she fed sugar cubes to the snow leverets around her.
"Don't be mean, Phoebe. Give the bloke some time to whinge and grumble." Alistair grunted just as he was pelted with sugar cubes and was then promptly buried under an army of snow leverets.
"The only whinger in this merry band of mischief-makers is Aurelius." Lycoris huffed as he toed a snow leveret away from him, completely ignoring its large limpid eyes and adorable snuffling.
"Oi! I heard that!" An indignant shout sounded a little distance away as Aurelius paused in his building of a very likely snow version of Malfoy Manor complete with albino peacocks and all.
Newt, under his own pile of warm and breathing snowballs, couldn't watch anymore and pulled Lycoris down and dumped three snow leverets with varying feet sizes into his lap. "Look, Lycoris, aren't they adorable?"
"I suppose. Always thought they were a witches' thing." Lycoris played idly with the velvety ears of the snow leverets in his lap, ignoring the exasperated eyerolls Phoebe and Regina aimed at him.
The only Hufflepuff also blew up at his tawny fringe with wry amusement as well. "Snow leverets and the snow hares they grow into are much more than cute pets preferred by witches. They're actually quite lucky and hunters used to hunt them for their feet to make into amulets and the bigger the feet the more luck it could bring you."
Phoebe nodded along, adding, "Works almost as good as Felix Felicis but without a time limit. Of course, they're fast and it's almost as hard catching them as catching a snitch, especially as they practically blend in with the snow."
At this, the Slytherin boys all perked up. It would figure that this was what caught their interest.
"It's outlawed to hunt them for their feet." Newt said hastily. Hugging the snow leverets in his arms almost protectively.
"And certainly not allowed in my reserve." Phoebe cast them all a warning look.
"And besides, how could anyone bear to harm such adorableness?" Regina cooed at the tiny snow leveret sitting on her palm.
Lycoris cast a side-eyed look at the Slytherin boys and clarified his innocence, "I don't know about the others but I was thinking about the level of difficulty catching one when compared with a snitch. You all know I joined the quidditch team as a seeker."
"Aren't you on reserve?" Newt asked curiously.
"Yes, but Lycoris will finally play an official match after the holidays! The Ravenclaw-Slytherin match in February!" Aurelius inserted rather excitedly.
"Our Slytherin seeker is a 7th year. The only reason he is still on the team despite this being his NEWTs year is 'cause no else could carry on the torch as it were. Except Lycoris, of course." Alistair grinned.
"But even though Professor Prewett got it allowed for 1st years to join the teams, it's just as reserve players. But no one expected Lycoris to be so good."
"Normally in such a case, it's a no-brainer to promote the reserve player to an official player. But while it's allowed for 1st years to be reserve players, it wasn't ever agreed about 1st years being official players."
"Never said they couldn't be moved up as official players, did they?"
"Technically it was assumed that the 1st year would just remain as a reserve player without ever making it on an official match."
"Lycoris has got them in a quandary, that he did. Youngest seeker in a century." Timoteous punched fists with Lycoris, who did so with a little satisfied quirk to his lips.
Newt exclaimed, "That's amazing! I'll be cheering in the stands when the time comes."
"In Slytherin colors?" Asked Regina deviously while her twin snorted.
Raphael shook his head, "Are you guys trying to get him killed in his own House?"
"The 'Puffs wouldn't do that. I mean, they're 'Puffs." Aurelius turned up his nose.
"Aurelius, you are such a twit." Phoebe rolled her eyes.
"Why is everyone picking on me!" The blonde boy whinged.
Newt chuckled softly. He scooted closer to Lycoris and said, "I might actually take Regina up on her suggestion. Mind if I borrow your Slytherin scarf that day?"
Lycoris raised a brow and drawled, "Really?"
"Yeah." Newt rubbed the back of his tawny head in slight embarrassment, an unknown fluttering in his stomach. Hazel eyes flickered to look elsewhere in awkwardness. "Unless of course you don't want to, and I mean that's fine, that's totally fine and - "
"Well, if you're sure. Don't come crying to me if the upper year 'Puffs rough you up." Lycoris interrupted with an overdramatic put upon sigh.
Newt hid his grin in the big fluffy ears of the mother snow hare that had managed to hog Newt's lap sometime while he was distracted with the conversation.
"Oi, you two! Up for a game of tag with the snow leverets?!" A shout from Cyprian popped whatever bubble that had enveloped the two and Lycoris was there pulling Newt up, tripping feet and all, to join in on the impromptu game.
"Three teams of three. Whichever team tags the most snow leverets wins!"
"1, 2, 3 go!"
.
.
.
"Why do I have to carry Lycoris!"
Seven figures were currently trekking their way through the snow and up towards Cottontail Cabin, the luxury log cabin situated on the Selwyn Magical Nature Reserve they were on. Two of which appeared bulkier than the rest, and upon closer examination, this was seemingly due to the fact that they were carrying an extra burden on their backs.
"Because you lost, of course." Regina said from her place being carried on the back of her twin.
"Our team wasn't the only one that lost!" Aurelius exclaimed indignantly. "And also, what about Alistair and Timoteous? They lost with me!"
"Well, Lycoris picked you as his pony didn't he?" Alistair blinked innocently.
"So why me?!" The blonde wailed, nearly sending himself and a comfy Lycoris down into the snow.
"Tsk. Did you not eat today? Use your strength!" Lycoris smirked and stretched up a hand to mess up that sleek blond hair.
"Maybe we can take turns carrying the winners?" Newt asked, looking pityingly at the little Malfoy heir's shaking arms.
Timoteous slung an arm around his neck and said, "Just 'cause you're soft enough to give up your victor's spoils, doesn't mean the rest of us would be eager to take on the loser's punishment for someone else."
"Besides, Aurelius will live. It's not like he's carrying an oaf like Tim or Alistair." Phoebe snarked, smacking away Timoteous' arm.
"And don't think he doesn't secretly enjoy it, the blonde git." Raphael piped up, his own arms steady as he carried his twin. "Aurelius likes to be close to Lycoris. He just also likes to pretend he doesn't."
Everyone snickered and Newt was also amused. Though if a tiny voice also agreed that the Malfoy heir had the right idea, he didn't bother to pay it any attention.
And as the two figures up ahead, one squawking indignantly and the other cackling sadistically, wobbled again. Newt and the Slytherin children jostled and laughed as they rushed forward to try and prevent the fall.