"Congratulations, Mr. Malfoy," Professor Flitwick smiled at the teen he'd been living with for months now and was starting to think of like a son.
Ron and Percy Weasley had surprisingly made coming back after the war less of a terrible experience for the man. The dueling-champion had seriously considered not returning and instead joining the dueling circuit full-time to escape the nightmare of his past year and the battle. He'd promised himself just one more year at Hogwarts to get his Ravens past the trauma before deciding, but then Percy and Ron had moved into his rooms bringing a whole slew of family and friends. He'd never been less lonely in his life…honestly, he hadn't realized just how much he'd needed the two young men until they'd taken over his sitting room and cluttered up his small washroom.
"Thanks Filius," Ron gave him a little smile, still trying to get used to using the man's first name. He packed up the last of his books after Charms and was currently dreading lunch next when mail owls would be allowed deliveries once more.
The little professor jumped up to sit on the edge of the table to be a little closer to eye level with the extremely tall teen. "Look, Ronald, I realize this engagement may have come about since the proposed creature bill was voted to pass through to the Wizengamut last week. However, I think you two might actually be a good match. I've seen you both over the past months and you've grown a lot together. I think you're actually good for each other," he said seriously, not wanting them to just throw away what they had after the upcoming Wizengamut session.
Ron gave him a little sheepish smile while turning slightly pink. "I'm actually hoping so…I kind-of, really like him."
Filius couldn't help the burst of laughter that escaped him at that pronouncement. "I'll be rooting for you both then! I'm so excited one of my boys found someone! We just need to set my other werewolf boy up with someone. Hmm, I'll have to give it some thought…"
Ron's smile widened in earnest at that. "Thanks, that really means a lot to me Filius…" He said with feeling. "Hey, you don't have to answer me know, but I wanted to ask…would you think about maybe standing for me in place of my father at the wedding? I don't think Dad will come around before the then, if it actually happens that is and we don't break it off. And, well, you've been there for me and Percy when we really needed someone. Plus, our Sunday family dinners have really gotten us through everything since we haven't been welcome at the Burrow."
Filius reached out a hand and squeezed Ron's larger hand. "I don't need to think about it. I'll be there and it would be one of the greatest honors of my life to stand for your father."
Ron let out a breath and seemed to also let go of a large weight he'd been holding onto since he'd left the Burrow before Christmas. "Thank you. That means more to me than you'll ever know."
Filius gave him a look that said he probably did understand quite a bit. "Now, I need to know robe colors, and none of this nonsense about the wedding maybe not happening! Draco may not love you just yet, but we're talking about a wedding that's six months out. He's not the man I believe him to be if he's not completely head over heels in love with you by then!"
Ron laughed and held the man's hand to help him jump down from the table he'd been sitting on. "Well, Draco vetoed red, and I vetoed green, so you're welcome to push for blue if want…walk me to lunch? I'm not really looking forward to all the crazy the mail owls are going to bring."
"Hmm, I think a nice silvery blue would look good with both of your skin tones," he remarked, looping an arm through Ron's and leading him towards the Great Hall.
Draco Malfoy had a very interesting morning. It seemed that Hermione Granger had taken it upon herself to be a bit of a bodyguard during their shared morning classes of Arithmancy and Ancient Runes. Blaise had plopped down beside him first thing and had turned with a look in his eyes that meant he was clearly going to give his friend a hard time about the engagement. Just as the Zabini heir opened his mouth Granger had leaned around from the other side of him and pinned the dark-skinned Italian with a look that had him immediately close his mouth with a click.
"Hello, Blaise…have a good break?" He drawled, loving having a bodyguard once more and very much not surprised it was Granger. He knew from experience just how fierce she could be. Honestly, he was fairly positive she'd been the one to both save his life and curse him during the final battle…they hadn't talked about it, and he was not going to be the one that brought it up.
"Clearly not as good as yours," Blaise finally remarked deeming it safe to say.
"Good to see you again, Zabini," Granger turned her warning glare into a smile granting him permission to interact with them.
"You too, Granger," Blaise gave him a little wide-eyed look and Draco just smirked at him. He was definitely going to enjoy this.
The Golden Trio had been flanking him since they returned on Potter's insane crusade to keep all the Slytherins safe, but he'd never felt like he was one of them until that very moment. He was Ron's and Ron was his, and he suddenly felt that Granger and Potter both had absorbed him into their lives because of that…or maybe it was before then and he'd just realized it. Regardless, in that moment, it didn't matter what insanity was awaiting them from their families or the public, it didn't even matter that their relationship was only days old, and they were still figuring it out…he felt like he'd finally found where he belonged, and the fact it was in the middle of the Gryffindor agents of chaos was probably less surprising than it should have been.
"I do hope you are free at the end of July," Draco opened his Arithmancy book and remarked dryly with no indication of the earth-shattering revelation he'd just made. "You and Daphne will both be expected at the wedding. I do hope your mother will consider attending if she is free as well…of course with an open invitation for a plus-one."
Granger gave a small, surprised cough beside him, causing Draco to smile down at his book before looking back up at his friend that was regarding him with a disbelieving quirk of his eyebrow. Blaise seemed to study him for a moment before giving a little nod and opening his textbook, nonchalantly settling back in his seat.
"Daphne and I will make sure our calendar is free then. Mother may attend…I doubt my current stepfather will be available, but you may want to leave that plus-one on her invitation. Merlin knows I must be invited to the stag party as well. Your godfather should not be left alone to plan it! You'll be brewing potions if it's left up to him!"
"Ah," Draco nodded quickly seeing the danger there. "Yes, please. Uncle Sev will gladly turn over the responsibility to you."
Granger snorted and shook her head. "Thanks for the reminder," she learned around Draco to smirk at Blaise. "I just realized I should not leave Ron's stag party up to Harry or we'll have to bail someone out of jail if not everyone in attendance."
Draco sagely nodded his head with a smile just tugging at his lips. "That's the danger with family. You're stuck with them even if they are hopeless. It's up to us to save them from themselves."
Blaise and Granger both looked at him with matching shocked expressions. He wasn't going to take it back though. The Gryffindors had made room for both him and his vampire godfather, so they were just going to have to make room for a couple more Slytherins, even if one was the son of a very controversial Italian dignitary and the other was part of the family he was originally supposed to marry into. It's not like Weasley hadn't dated Granger anyway. If he could live with that, then they shouldn't have a problem with Zabini and Greengrass.
Granger was the first to get over her surprise to turn a brilliant smile onto the man opposite her. "Well, of course," she remarked and held out a hand to the other. "Call me Hermione…we'll have to coordinate the stag parties and all. Plus, Draco will need help with the seating plan, and Ron will be hopeless at it."
"Blaise," he gave a little chuckle and shrug before shaking her hand. "Daphne will be better at the seating plan. We'll loop her in when it gets closer."
"Oh, my dear, dear Blaise," Hermione gave him a pitying smile. "The wedding is only six months out, we're already behind…there is no 'when it gets closer.'"
At this Draco's eyes widened in shock. They'd just started dating, he hadn't realized what it'd meant when they'd set the wedding date for July just that it was right after his probation ended. He thought they'd have time, but Granger was right. They might not have to do as much as a normal wedding since the Malfoy family did still have a few house elves, they already had the venue, and it had been decided in the contract to have his Aunt Andy officiate, but still…there was a lot more that had to be decided and put together.
"Stop freaking out, Draco," Blaise rolled his eyes and whacked the back of his head. "This is what you have your family for," he remarked, causing Hermione to laugh.
Draco did let it go with a sigh as Professor Vector stood up to start the class. It was a lot to get done, but he had his mother, and this lot with all the chaotic Weasley brothers added in, and Ron…he wasn't alone, and they could always cancel or move the wedding. Each day he was wanting that option less and less though. Surprisingly, a July wedding didn't even seem all that scary at the moment.
When lunch rolled around, Ron found Draco sitting with Blaise, Daphne, Hermione, Harry, Neville, and Luna all at the Ravenclaw table, which was surprisingly the most welcoming of all the house tables for their group these days. "Have a good lunch," Filius gave his arm a parting pat before walking away to chat with some of his Ravens before heading up to the head table.
His heart gave a little pleased lurch when he saw that Draco had saved a seat for him. He slid into the seat and leaned over to give his fiancé's cheek a little kiss. "What was that for?" Malfoy asked but with a pleased look in his eyes.
"Just good to see you? You ready for all this?" Ron asked with a vague wave towards the windows where normally only a couple owls would drop off mail during lunch but where he was expecting a wave, and probably one that contained several red envelopes.
"Clearly no one will be ready," Malfoy rolled his eyes but pulled out his wand and cleared off some space on the table in front of them before conjuring three baskets.
"Good thinking," Harry nodded and pulled out his own wand. "I'm assuming they are for congratulation letters, die scumbag letters, and ones from people you don't even know but which could be cursed."
Draco and Ron shared a look where they rolled their eyes at his ridiculousness. "That wasn't the terminology I was thinking, but essentially," Draco responded.
With a firm nod, Harry began casting wards over the third basket. "We're learning our lesson from the last cursed letter and anything that goes in here is quarantined to be checked out by aurors," he glared at the box and the heavy layering of wards. "We should just put an incineration ward around box number two…"
"No, I want to hear what my friends and family have to say, even if it is horrible," Ron sighed but with a firm gleam in his eye. "If I'm going to be angry at them, I want evidence for the future for why they are being cut out of our lives and any future children's lives."
Draco's eyes widened at the mention of children but couldn't find fault with Ron's reasoning. He was petty enough to want that evidence as well, and also for if anything was even bordering on illegal to send to his Aunt Andy. "Well, at least we'll have plenty of witnesses," he drawled wondering just how much this was about to hurt.
"Right…so, I'm guessing this is where the party is," Tonks remarked as she strolled up to them, already drawing her wand and getting ready.
Harry frowned in concern at Tonks but looked up to the head table to see Severus holding Teddy who gave him a little sticky wave. Harry waved back and grimaced as Teddy's sticky hand immediately went into Severus's hair. The man didn't even pause in his conversation with McGonagall though while he extricated the hand and put another spoonful of baby food in the baby's babbling mouth.
"No one touch anything," she glared at Harry as everyone else in the area turned to look at him as well.
"For the millionth time! It wasn't my fault!" He huffed in exasperation, but he also put Little Bit under the bench he was sitting on to be more protected.
Immediately a flurry of owls flew through the windows, clearly more than normally showed up for mail delivery at lunch. Tonks immediately began some very complicated spells that would detach the letters from the owls and hold them up for Ron and Draco to sort without anyone touching it. "Countess Zabini," Tonks asked with a raise of her eyebrow at the elaborate calligraphy.
"Congratulations box," Blaise remarked, not pausing from where he was putting a sandwich together for his lunch.
"Bill and Fleur…"
"Congratulations," Ron smiled as Tonks floated it into the box.
"Hagrid…"
"Congratulati'ns!" Hagrid boomed over from the head table, causing most people to chuckle as Tonks dropped it in the right box.
"Lord and Lady Parkinson…"
"Die scumbag," Harry pointed quickly to the second box where Tonks was already aiming.
"Marigold Arnett…"
"Third box?" Ron raised an eyebrow to Draco.
"I don't know her…"
"Third box it is," Tonk nodded, and they continued the sorting.
A groan was heard from almost the entire Great Hall (who were all watching the sorting raptly instead of eating) when a very familiar old owl that should have been retired years before awkwardly flapped towards the table holding a red letter. "Bloody Errol," Ron grumbled in irritation.
Daphne Greengrass made quick work of conjuring earplugs for both herself and Blaise as the red letter was dropped on the table and Tonks paused her sorting for the howler to get it over with. Harry smirked when he saw Severus cast a silencing ward around the baby in his lap who was now happily shredding a roll.
"RONALD BILIUS WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley's voice boomed across the Great Hall causing a collective wince. "What is the meaning of this Prophet Article?! What is this about changing your name and marrying that Death Eater?! Your father and I have let you and your siblings get away with too much since the battle! This is the end! I expect to see you, your sister, that older brother of yours, and Harry at dinner on Sunday! Leave that Death Eater at school! Your father is calling a family meeting and we WILL SORT THIS!"
"Ouch," Blaise dryly remarked as he took the earplugs out of his ears. A second later, he was putting them back in as another owl approached with a red letter.
"Please just put it in the third box," Harry grumbled but stopped when he saw Malfoy's frown.
"That's Mother's owl," he looked at Ron questioningly. "Mother already knew about all this, I swear…I don't know why we're getting a howler."
Tonks had started sorting again but paused once more when the owl dropped the red letter on the table in front of them. "Well…here we go again. Let's see what Aunt Cissa has to say this time."
"RONALD BILIUS MALFOY!" Narcissa Malfoy's voice rang out across the hall this time. "WELCOME to the family! I could not be more pleased my baby boy found you! I see great happiness in your futures, and I want you to know, you are my son now too! You and your siblings are welcome any time in our home and you should consider Malfoy Manor yours now as well! Come by for dinner soon and to discuss the wedding! You and my dear Dragon will make the most handsome of grooms!"
Draco was completely red by the time the letter ended and Ron was decidedly pink. "Aunt Cissa always knew how to come out on top of a situation," Tonks chuckled. "I wonder if she somehow trained the owl to wait until after Molly's letter ended before it delivered hers."
"I wouldn't put it past her," Draco grumbled.
"Do we really have to go to dinner on Sunday? We can get out of that, right?" Harry frowned deeply, looking over to a smug Ginny and completely pale Percy.
"Nope…well, you probably can, but not the rest of us," Ron sighed deeply while motioning a letter from Kingsley into the (hopefully) congratulations bin. "We don't show up to a family meeting, and that's really it. I think most of us are almost there, but it really and truly would be the end of our place in the family if we didn't show."
"Well, I'm definitely going then," Harry angrily glared at the ashes of the letter. "I'm not letting any of you handle that on your own, plus…it might be a good idea to crush their beliefs that I support what they stand for. It would be nice for them to know they are actively trying to discriminate against me while telling everyone I'm a 'close' family friend."
"Hmmm…do tell, Harry," Luna raised a blonde eyebrow at him with a smirk on her face. "I remember a nice little song you sang for me during the battle that I've been just waiting to bring up for ages…"
"You sang during the battle? I'm confused," Neville looked between them while Harry rolled his eyes. Of course, it would be Luna who would catch that slip.
"Yes, I'm a magical creature, and no, neither Percy nor Snape bit me," he huffed and violently sent a red letter heading their direction into the box with the wards on it. No one could take another howler during lunch that day.
Daphne actually choked on her tea and sputtered at that comment, causing Blaise to pat her on the back. "Excuse me?!"
"I'm going on Sunday," Draco spoke up with a stubborn look on his face, cutting through the murmurs around them from the few people who'd heard Harry. The news was probably halfway across the Great Hall at that point, not that Harry cared. The Wizengamut session was in four months and the egg was due to hatch in probably about three, so it was going to get out very soon anyway.
"Malfoy…you really don't have to," Ron shook his head firmly. "I promise you, it's not going to be pleasant. Let me deal with them."
"Wait…can we go back to Potter being a creature?" Daphne tried to steer them back.
"What kind?" Neville asked in interest.
"Something very phoenix-like," Luna told him with a grin.
"Draco, it's probably just going to be a lot of shouting, most likely from Bill and the twins," Harry ignored what was going on around him. "Clearly, I just got everyone off your backs here at school for a while at least, but when I come clean at the Burrow, that's not going to take the attention off of you. It will probably make it worse."
"Oh, so there was a plan there," Draco smirked at Harry. "And I don't care…they will be talking about me, so I want to be there. Plus, Weasley shouldn't have to handle it alone."
"I won't be alone," Ron tried to protest but Malfoy just elbowed him in the ribs to get him to shut up, getting a huff of air. "Oi! Your elbows are bony!"
"I'm sure Draco can show you…" Blaise cut off what he was saying with a wide smirk at Hermione's glare. "Aw, come on! I have to be able to make fun of him a bit at least!" He protested.
"After everything blows over, then he's all yours," Hermione shrugged. She didn't make the rules, she just enforced them…well, yeah, she did make the rules too.
"And Harry…you might want to escape to Potions, or you might not make it there," she remarked once they saw most of the nosey inhabitants of the castle craning their necks to look at him better.
"Yeah! Good call," Harry stood and picked up Little Bit. "Enjoy the reprieve while it lasts," he told his friends before hastily retreating to where Snape could defend him with his vampire glare and threat of detentions.
"Right…so phoenix-like, what does that mean?" Neville leaned on the table to ask Hermione insistently.
"I swear, he just likes causing chaos," she grumbled before standing and making her own way towards the dungeons.
"He and Uncle Sev deserve each other," Draco agreed while the four friends who weren't in the know started sharing information and guesses in their wake.
"You can't hide in here forever," Snape set down his teacup and continued marking essays with a look at Harry who was sitting on the floor beside where Little Bit was being cradled in the fire by Saanp. "The eighth years have a common room so you can socialize, which you seem to like to do even if I'll never understand why. You can't just hide in our rooms for the rest of the term."
"Just for the evening," Harry reached into the fire and ran a finger down the length of the ashwinder who was telling the egg a hissy story of a snake hunting for small prey in the night. "I've been looking for a good opening to let it slip in the Great Hall, and this seemed like a good time to draw some of the attention away from Ron and Draco. Their relationship is so new, I'd hate for all this insanity to cause them to break up or something equally idiotic."
"I was under the impression it was an accident," Snape smirked at him. "You do tend to have loose lips…"
"When have I ever let something slip, I didn't mean to?" Harry raised an eyebrow and smirked right back at him. "I may occasionally say something that seems unintentional, but I can assure you, I keep my secrets I don't want shared. I'm not Hagrid…if something slips it was intentional."
"Be careful Harry, your Slytherin side is showing," the vampire gave him a truly devious smile with that silky voice, and Harry was suddenly very glad he'd decided to stay in for the night. Harry took in a deep breath and pulled his arm out of the fire to stand and purposefully walk over to the couch where his partner was sitting.
"Right…so I've been trying to come up with a good lead in to this for days now, but I finally gave it up for bad work. I'm not a very subtle person when it comes to asking questions," Harry plopped down on the couch beside Severus and turned so he was facing the man.
"That you are not…is there something the matter?" Severus put down his marking and gave his partner his full attention.
"Well, we need to talk, and not about anything bad!" Harry added on quickly at the end as Snape's expression had immediately clouded. "To be perfectly forthcoming, I'd really like to have sex with you one of these days, and hopefully sooner rather than later."
Severus's eyes widened, not having expected the turn the conversation took. "I would like that as well…" he said slowly, wondering where this was going next and if he'd put on his good pants that morning or not.
"Great…Now, I also see a future where my kid could possibly call you Father at some point," Harry crossed his arms and gave Snape a serious look. For his part, Severus was pretty sure he'd stopped breathing. "Before either of those things can come to happen, I think we need to have a conversation about all those things we purposefully don't talk about…mainly concerning our pasts."
"Our pasts…?" Snape finally took in a breath to ask, afraid where this was going now.
Harry rolled his eyes and huffed. "Unclench, I'm not going to be upset over anything you say. I just want to get some things out into the open. I've been making some assumptions about you, and I'm sure you have about me as well, and we should probably check to see if we're right."
Snape couldn't hold in the laugh at that. The infuriating man never ceased to amuse him at the very least. "Fine, sure, so what assumptions have you made about me, and I'll tell you if you're right or not."
Harry grinned at him and nodded. "Right, well, let's start with the sex first since it's maybe not as touchy of a subject."
"Oh really, you think that?" Snape raised a disbelieving eyebrow at that remark.
Harry just chuckled and shrugged though. "Probably not since I won't judge, and I have no experience to speak of, so there's that. Anyway…I realize you are much older than me and I've seen some of your memories, and well…I don't need a number or names or anything that you don't want to tell me of your own free will at some point," he said seriously.
"However…" Harry paused to give him a pointed look. "I've seen your memories, so if my mother happens to be on that list, I never want to know. Don't acknowledge, just pretend it never happened, ok? I don't want that knowledge in my brain at all."
Snape almost choked on air before he had to let out a huge laugh. "Merlin! No, your mother is not on the list! I'm gay, knew very early on, and she was as good as my sister. I loved her dearly, but as my family…my only family for the longest."
"Oh, thank Merlin, Morgana, and Mordred," Harry breathed out in a burst of relief. He really didn't think he could have handled knowing his partner had been with his mother, whether he'd ever known her or not.
Snape took Harry's hand in his. "Look, Harry…I haven't been a monk all these years, but I'm also not a very pleasant person, especially when I'm slowly poisoning myself and in pain. Take that with the prejudice against vampires, that I had a Dark Mark on my arm, and the fact I absolutely hate one-night stands, and my list is really short. I dated a muggle that ended poorly since I had to consistently lie to him the whole time, another potion master that lives in Germany for probably the longest amount of time mainly because it was long distance…that was the one that cheated on me though…but the only person you would know was Regulus back right after Hogwarts for a while. We decided we made better friends, then he disappeared…"
"Oh, ok…" Harry smiled at him and squeezed his hand. "I wasn't lying when I said it was fine…as long as you didn't tell me about Mum or someone like that. What about the vampire though? I know turning someone tends to be a bit…well…not romantic, but sensual?"
Snape rolled his eyes at that assessment. "It was more strategic in this case. I was on a raid for the Dark Lord. Normally, I was not required to attend these, but this was before I finished my mastery and I guess I was still being tested to see if I was committed to the cause."
"You mentioned it was part of a raid before, I think," Harry nodded and scooted on the couch to get closer to Snape, putting his legs over his lap and leaning against him.
Snape chuckled at him but found the contact encouraging. "It was a muggle village, but there was a magical vampire living there unbeknownst to us. I guess he saw me standing apart from everyone else and thought that, if he had someone inside the Death Eaters, he could either get in himself or try to take over from the Dark Lord. I'm not exactly sure his reasoning as I didn't give him much chance to explain."
"He kidnapped you?" His partner's green eyes flashed in anger at the vampire.
Severus just nodded in remembering the pain. "He kept me for a little over a week. I think it surprised him that I lived and kept my magic. It was a gamble, and I think he was hoping I'd live but not keep my magic. If he'd realized I had, he might have changed his strategy from torturing me to do his will and instead been nicer…I was definitely not in my right mind with just turning and the bloodlust and everything, but I also can't say I regret saving myself and taking that twisted individual out of the world. It was a struggle to keep what had happened from the Dark Lord, but I was already fairly good at Occlumency by that point."
Harry just nodded and leaned his head against Severus's neck more. "Sorry…I didn't intend for us to get that deep. But, I do still have another area we need to talk about…"
"Indeed, something having to do with Little Bit?" Snape asked, leaning his cheek against the dark hair. "You know…I'd like to be there for you both. I want to stay in your life."
"I need to say again, I saw your memories," Harry sighed and leaned back to pull his wand out of the holster and give it a flick. A book sailed from Harry's room and into his hand. "Healer Morris gave this to me. I read it, and I think you need to as well if you want to be here for Little Bit."
Snape took the book and raised an eyebrow at the title: Breaking the Cycle: Raising a Family When One Parent was a Child of Abuse. "I have a feeling that is an assumption we were both correct in making," he nodded while flipping through the pages.
"Little Bit will only ever have a loving and supporting home," he promised himself and his partner. "It's up to us to make sure that happens."
"Agreed," he looked up at Harry. "I promise I'll read it. And I'll even go with you to your mind healer if you want me to after school is out and you can go to the one Healer Morris found you."
Harry smiled at him so wide that Severus thought he might be able to see all his teeth and definitely some fangs. "Augustus Harrison Potter," Harry told him. "I decided on a boy's name. A Roman emperor's name like your family does, and I finally learned my name is actually Harrison."
Snape's heart felt like it was too large. Harry wanted Little Bit's name to have a connection to his family. He didn't know what to say or how to even address that. Thank you was just not enough… "You're going to end up calling the child something like Gus or Auggie, aren't you?" He found himself saying with a sneer even when he was trying to say something thankful or nice.
"Clearly," Harry laughed, not seeming phased by Severus's inability to express his feelings at all. "I'm planning on Auggie, but you are welcome to call him Augustus if you feel that strongly."
"Have you decided on a girl's name yet?" He pulled Harry a little closer.
"Nope…still going between a few, but we have time," Harry turned to give the egg a little smile where the ashwinder was still hissing out some dreadful bedtime story that had a lot of death and gore in it.
"Hmm," Severus hummed not sure how to say what he wanted to. He took in a deep breath, holding onto Harry to give him some courage. "I think…I think I might love you…" he frowned deeply, feeling more awkward and insecure than he ever had before.
Harry just turned back and gave him a little kiss. "Yeah, I know…I love you too, I guess."
Snape breathed out a relieved sigh. "Merlin, your father would kill me."
Harry stilled slightly and Snape wasn't sure if he'd just put his foot in his mouth or what. "Er, so…about that…"
"I really don't want to ask…"
"So…what do you know about the Deathly Hallows?" Harry sighed out and grimaced. "Because…I think Little Bit's grandparents are going to have to meet them and be in their life a little at least…"
"I don't know what a Deathly Hallow is, and I'm fairly certain in this context that I don't want to know," Snape frowned in concern. "Please tell me you don't have some way to communicate with the dead? You had better not be about to tell me that I'm going to have to ask James and Lily Potter permission to date their son."
"Of course not!" Harry protested, but Snape was absolutely certain that was not where this was ending. "I'm my own person and the dead have no say in who I date…er, but yeah…you might want to prepare yourself to say 'hi' at the very least though…"
"Some days I think I probably should have told you to bugger off when you kidnapped me from hospital," he closed his eyes. This was not happening, nope, it wasn't happening.
"It'll be fine," Harry laughed and kissed him, making him temporarily forget why he was mad. "They're dead anyway…besides, it's probably Sirius you need to worry about more…"
Snape groaned and pushed Harry back on the couch to flop on top of him. "I should have gone somewhere tropical, probation be damned," he grumbled from where his face was now buried in Harry's shirt. He knew he really didn't believe that though as thin fingers pulled the tie from his hair and began to brush it out. "You owe me so much…" he grumbled again.
"And I'm so very much looking forward to it," the chest under him rumbled with laughter.
"Ergh! What's a hallow?" He finally gave in to ask, not planning on moving until he he was sure no dead relatives were just going to pop up in his sitting room.
"Right, so something else we can be mad at Dumbledore about…" Harry began while running his fingers through Severus's hair.
Percy was stressed! He had a ton of marking, lesson plans that needed finishing, his little study group to lead, students to check in on like Dennis, Astoria, Parvati, and maybe his sister if he was brave enough, and now there was the family meeting his parents had called. All that and a full moon was on the horizon as well! It just wasn't fair…he didn't want to have to deal with his parents, but there was no way they were going to let Ron's new relationship slide. And that was still fairly shocking to him anyway, not that he was against it…he actually really liked Ron and Draco together, but that didn't mean he hadn't had to make sure he wasn't asleep and dreaming it all when Ron had told them.
"I can't believe Harry Potter is some kind of disgusting creature!" A voice drifted to him from the courtyard he was walking by.
"Parvati! What has gotten into you? We loved Aunt Hema, and she was full banshee! You've never thought magical creatures were any less than us before. What happened?" A voice that Percy placed as Padma Patil answered her sister. Percy walked a little closer and paused. He wanted to reach out to Parvati ever since he talked to her sister before the break, but also was still wary about if it would be welcomed.
"They chose their side," Parvati's voice sneered. "They threw their lot in with You-Know-Who! They took Lavender from me! How can you excuse that Pads?!"
"That was one person, Parvati," Padma clearly sighed tiredly. "That was Greyback, and he didn't survive the battle. You can't just throw all magical creatures in together with him."
"The hell I can't!" Parvati stormed loudly. "He wasn't the only one fighting on that side. I dodged three acromantulas and a giant to get back into the castle! I didn't see a single magical creature fighting on our side!"
"Then you didn't look close enough, did you?" Padma's voice sounded as if she was yelling after her sister who was walking away. "Professor Weasley, Headmaster Snape, and Harry Potter all fought for us!"
"A werewolf who had sided with the ministry, a Death Eater vampire, and the Boy-Who-Waited and watched us die!" Was yelled back before the courtyard went silent.
Percy pulled in a breath of surprise at the depth of Parvati's anger when Padma turned the corner and almost ran into him. "Oh! Oh, Merlin, you didn't hear that, did you?" Padma sniffed and wiped a tear off her cheek.
"I'm guessing your parents weren't able to get through to her over break," he gave her a little smile that he hoped was supportive.
Padma shrugged and looked away. "She was there for a week before she joined your sister at her house…no offense, but I'd be worried about that family meeting if I were you."
"None taken, and I'm already stressing enough for all my siblings. I'm kind of hoping that Ron and Harry's news will take some of the heat off me," he said with a sheepish look. "I know, not very Gryffindor of me."
Padma laughed. "I'm solidly Ravenclaw, and I think it's very smart to hide in the back of the room. Good luck, Professor Weasley."
"Thanks, Ms. Patel," he waved to her retreating form. Merlin…he didn't even know how to approach this. Four days…it was four days until Sunday. Four days until everything came to a head and his family officially fell apart…Well, he turned and headed towards the defense corridor. At least he knew where there were wonderful biscuits, good tea, a sympathetic ear, and a baby who always turned his hair red when he walked in the room.
Up Next: Family meetings...