Lily Potter and the Potions Professor
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Chapter 18: Overheard
Lily and Neville entered the Three Broomsticks together and scanned the crowded bar.
"There they are," pointed out Neville, noticing Hagrid waving eagerly from across the room.
They made their way over to where two tables had been pushed together to accommodate the group. Hagrid was taking up one full side of one of the tables. Lily's parents, Harry and Ginny, were also seated at the table along with Lily's eldest brother James, and Albus.
"Hello you two," roared Hagrid, evidently he had been here the earliest and had already consumed a number of drinks.
Lily glanced at Hagrid and then grinned at James and Albus who shared the joke. Even Harry was attempting to hide an amused smile.
"Hi Hagrid," replied Neville as he took the seat next to James.
Lily attempted to sit as far from her father as possible but he motioned for her to take the seat opposite him and seeing no way out of it she accepted his invitation.
"How's school going?" asked her mother as Lily got comfortable.
"Great," Lily replied simply.
"Any new teachers this year?" asked Harry trying to catch Lily's gaze.
She skilfully avoided his eyes and the question by calling out to the waiter and ordering a Butterbeer.
Before Harry could ask again James said loudly; "Dad, don't bore her with questions about school! Have you decided to take up Quidditch yet?"
Lily internally thanked James for being such a Quidditch nut. He'd followed in their mother's footsteps, who had played professionally for the Holyhead Harpies, and was attempting to forge a sporting career. At the moment, however, being only one year out of school he was only playing in a reserves team. He had been the Gryffindor seeker at Hogwarts for six of the seven years that he was there and captain of the team for his last three years.
Before Lily could answer James, Harry cut in again.
"So any interesting classes Lily?" he said with feigned innocence.
Seeing that he would not let up Lily replied with enthusiasm; "Oh yeah Care of Magical Creatures is great!"
Harry looked a little disappointed and Lily suspected that it was at himself for giving her a way out.
"Hagrid's really been out doing himself this year," she went on. "Even got a hold of a baby Acromantula to show us."
Harry shot Hagrid a disapproving look but by this time Hagrid was too far gone to notice.
"Oh yeah, that little cutie!" slurred Hagrid loudly.
James and Albus roared with laughter at Hagrid's statement and Lily grinned as the relief swept over her. Hagrid entered into a long rant about all of the creatures that he'd presented to the class this year and no one else could really get a word in. He then continued to pursue Ginny about how Charlie was going with the dragons in Romania.
XXX
After her extended lunch with her family and Neville and Hagrid, Lily made her way back to Hogwarts and headed straight for the dungeons. She knocked hastily on the door of Malfoy's office and let herself in without waiting for an answer. As usual she found him sitting in a chair by the fire, deep in thought. Malfoy seemed a little taken aback by her abrupt entrance but didn't say anything.
"I need to talk to you," she stated looking at him.
"Yes," he said simply allowing her to continue.
"I don't want you to worry or anything," Lily said, she avoided his direct gaze now and struggled to go on.
"What is it?" he asked sharply.
Lily thought she detected a hint of fear in his voice; just what she didn't want.
"It's nothing to worry about," she said trying to delay what she'd hurried there to tell him.
"Lily," he said in tone that was almost teacher-like, something that Lily rarely thought of him as anymore.
Deciding that she could no longer put it off Lily dived head first into her story and immediately regretted it; not nearly as much as she would come to regret it however.
"I think my father is suspicious of us," she said it quickly and then continued with; "But I'm not entirely sure, I mean he just asked me a few questions that seemed well odd but that could mean something else. And I might've mentioned something about my Patronus and maybe he saw you wink at me the other day... I wanted to warn you just as a precaution but don't worry, maybe just..." she trailed off at the sight of him.
What little colour was in his face had completely drained as she'd been speaking. His eyes were wide and one of his hands was grasping his forehead. He looked like he was about to faint.
"Are you ok?" Lily asked watching him.
His eyes weren't looking at her however; they were glued to a spot on the ground behind her and slightly to the left. Lily followed his eye line and felt the colour drain from her own face as she saw what he was looking at. She felt as though her whole body had been paralysed. There, sitting on the floor of Malfoy's office and trailing off underneath the door and out of sight was a thin flesh coloured piece of cord which she recognised immediately as an Extendable Ear from her uncle's shop.
Before she could turn back to Malfoy he had brushed past her and was at the door. She could hear running footsteps getting fainter on the other side. He put out his hand and reefed it open. Lily flinched and waited for him to return which he did only a moment later. The look on his face was a mixture of anger and fear.
Lily wanted to ask who it was but she couldn't even speak. She didn't need to say anything because he answered her anyway.
"That was your brother, Albus."
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