Open Hand
"Oh."
McGonagall waited for him to say anything, but Harry didn't have anything to say.
How can he, after he just learned that his Aunt and Uncle had been arrested.
It was not what he had expected when he been called into the office.
"Mr. Potter?"
Professor McGonagall, voice unusually soft, brought him out his surprised thoughts, he blinked at her. The woman's expression was worried, and he's now aware of Mary watching him closely.
"Erm, what about my cousin, Dudley?"
Professor looked at Mary for an answer.
"Your cousin is currently staying with a foster family, and will remain so unless we find the next available kin."
"Anyone but Aunt Marge."
The words stumbled out his mouth before he even could consider them, and Harry can only imagine what his face looked like once he realized what he just said.
"I will make sure the person who is handling his case, is aware," Mary reassured with a smile.
Unable to say much else, Harry just nodded.
"Now, then," McGonagall cleared her throat, "to the main issue. With your Aunt and Uncle unable to care for you, it means that you are now a Ward of the Ministry."
Dread filled the young wizard, he wanted to ask what that meant, but his mouth didn't want to work. Thankfully, or perhaps not, his professor continued.
"Specifically, the BAU, as this falls under their jurisdiction."
"You'll be under Bunny's care," Mary took over, "until you age out next year. Generally, they would have placed you in a more appropriate Foster home, however, considering your circumstances. They felt this was the best decision."
".…What if I say no?"
"Mr. Potter, the situa-"
"Then that's fine."
McGonagall's gaze was burning, Harry was half expecting Mary to be set on fire.
"However, we will have to place you somewhere, preferable safe."
"Then, Mr, Bunny, is fine."
As soon as the door closed, Minerva turned to Mary
"Why did you tell him that it was fine?"
"Because Mr. Potter has been though enough. And regardless of the circumstances, he has the right to a choice, especially when it comes to his life and the one that's been trying to end it since he's been a baby.
"But that's exactly why-"
"And how well has that been going so far?"
Minerva closed her mouth, her expression one of hurt, anger, and remorse, finally she sighed and changed the subject.
"I've been getting letters, from parents. Expressing concern for their children."
Mary had wondered when the letters would start coming.
"About what?"
"Suddenly change in behavior, as well as expressing concerns about…Albus's arrest."
"Ah. Well then, I suppose I do have some hand in the changed behavior though I merely answered questions and gave advice when appropriate. However, if it's fine with you, you can instruct the parents to send all inquires to me."
Though she agreed, Minerva felt like she just opened the doors to chaos.
~.~
The familiar red-letter barely began to smoke before it was in flames with a wave of Hermione's wand.
"Thanks, Mione," Ron said.
"No problem," Hermione said before going back to her breakfast.
Harry watched as his friend picked at his food, out of the corner of her eye, Hermione watched as well; expression concerned.
"Do you want to play Chess after our classes?" Hermione asked.
Ron looked up at her surprised, which was fair. Hermione never really bothered playing Chess, mainly because she found it barbaric the few times she played it with her friend. However, she could push that feeling away to see the happy and slight smug glow that Ron always had when he won against an opponent.
"S-Sure." Ron finally said, expression lighting up a bit.
Hermione nodded, then, "The usual bet?"
"Ate my last sweets two days ago."
Oh, now he was sad again.
Hermione glanced over at Harry for an idea, Harry didn't have any sweets he could lend despite Mary seemingly making it a mission to supply the whole school with candy. He would offer to trade some Chocolate Frogs card that Ron would want, but the boy already had all of them
"Oh!" Hermione suddenly said, startling both boys. "How about this, for each round you win, I'll let you copy a homework of your choice."
Both Harry and Ron's jaws dropped.
Hermione was very strict when it came to them-mainly Ron- copying her homework, often stating that not only would they get in trouble, but laziness would get them nowhere in the world.
Even Neville who was seated next to Harry and reading a book from Mary had shot his head up and stared in stunned surprised.
"Seriously?!" Ron's voice had squeaked.
"Yes, granted, I'll making sure it's different enough so the Professor won't notice."
"What about if you win Mione?" Harry asked.
Hermione is thoughtfully silent, then she smiled, it was only a little scary. "Let's just go with you'll owe me a favor for each round I win."
~.~
"If….If you were told to do something….something that you know is bad….would you tell someone?"
Harry looked up from his journal to Draco who was fiddling with a stick of grass that he had plucked up, everything about him just screamed nervousness and uncomfortable. Harry went back to his journal, continuing his little doodle of a tiger, he found he could talk a little bit easier when doing so.
"I guess it depends on how bad that something is."
Draco is silent, very silent, then, "Someone could get hurt."
"I wouldn't do it then."
Draco let out a deep breath and nodded, "Yay."
There is silence, and after a minute, Harry figured that was the end of it, though he was certainly now curious.
There is the sound of shuffling, "What if …What if you don't do it, a-and not only you'll get hurt, but others too."
Harry paused, then he finally looked at Draco, the other teenager bottom lip was trembling and his eyes were wet with unshed tears. The teenager had his knees up and pressed against his chest. There is a long, long, pause, then Harry closed his journal, moving over until he was close; though not close enough to feel crowded. Slowly, he took hold of the hand clenching trousers pants, he pulled it away and held it.
Draco froze, then let out a stuttering breath, and gripped Harry's hand back tightly.
"Will you…Will you tell me?" Harry asked softly.
A long sniff.
Draco did.
~.~
Humming, Mary closed up her office for the night.
It had been a very busy day, with paperwork for Harry to be transferred into Bunny's care. Responding to letters from parents and students alike, ignoring Howlers, and talking to anyone who came into her office whether they had an appointment or not.
"I do hope Mr. Hagrid will take my words to heart." The Witch thought as she made her way to her room, waving at a passing Prefect doing their portal.
He had not taken kindly to Jack's review of his class in terms of safety, among other things.
A low meow and Mary saw Mrs. Norris's tail round the corner, she pouted a little at not being able to try her hand at petting the cat. At the sound of the Caretaker's low voice, her pout turned into a frown. Argus Filch was another concern that hopefully, she could help with.
"A problem for another day,"
Stretching, the woman took a left, and then another. Stopping short when she saw that her door was blocked.
"Evening Ms. Evergreen, we need to talk"
Mary found her eyes looking down to the hands held together, how one seemed a bit shaky, then at the two teenagers. One was staring straight at her, while one didn't.
"Of course, come in. Would you like some tea? Or maybe hot chocolate?"
She unlocked, held the open door, and waited.
With a small smile at the teenager, Harry gently led Draco inside.
~.~
Creed yawned as he tossed the small basketball, silently cheering when it swished into the net stuck on the wall, and down into the waiting basket. Grabbing the other ball beside him, he lifted his arms to toss again, he glanced at his clock on his desk. Humming at seeing the time, he readied his shot. Tossed and it swished into the net, with the last of them gone, he stretched in his chair before getting up to fetch them and the others he had tossed earlier.
He played about three more rounds before he then went about going through some notes and documents he had been putting off. He's lost in one particular document that's he's startled when his alarm went off.
It was time to go home.
A little disappointed, but not at all surprised, he began to clean up.
"We can try another day." He thought, the words becoming a sort of mantra these two weeks.
Done, he grabbed his jacket from the back of his chair, a few things he'd work on at home, and headed out the door.
There was someone in there.
Severus Snape looked tired.
Nothing like the angry man that had stormed out of his office on the first day, and never came back.
Snape didn't say anything, just stood there in the middle of the Waiting Room.
Creed held the door opened.
"Mr. Snape, right on time."
