Albus smiled warmly as Professor Sprout entered his office. "Well, this is a surprise," he offered with a twinkle in his eye. "Normally when a Head of House asks for a meeting with me this early in the year, it's Minerva or Serverus. We really do need to talk more." As she took a seat, he leaned back in his own. "I take it this is about young Miss Wyrm?"

Pomona's head jerked up in surprise. "How did you know?"

"Pomona, I don't need Divination to see that things around that young girl are going to be...hectic," Albus offered circumspectly. "Between her attachment to young Mr. Potter and her behavior at the Feast, I know she's going to be more than a handful...though I admit I'm having a hard time figuring out what she could have done between the Sorting Feast and breakfast the following day to have you coming to see me." He took a sip of his morning blend.

"She spent the night in Mr. Potter's bed...with Mr. Potter!"

Albus calmly finished his sip before setting the cup down. "...and?" he asked calmly.

Pomona's eyes bulged. "You can't truly approve of something like that, can you Headmaster?" she demanded in shock.

"It depends entirely on what perspective you're looking at this from," Albus pointed out calmly. "What, exactly, about this do you so strongly object to?"

Pomona stared at him flat-eyed. "You can't possibly be serious."

Albus glanced down at his beard. "Why? Too white for it?" he asked in amusement as he lifted the whiskers. Seeing from the sound of grinding teeth that his attempt at a jest did not help, he continued, "Pomona, there are several possible reasons why you might object to this, and I don't know which one in particular has brought out this reaction. So again...what, exactly, do you object so strongly to in this? Do you mean to tell me they did anything more than cuddle? I'd find that hard to believe..."

Pomona frowned as she started to calm down. "Well...no, I suppose they didn't," she admitted ruefully. "She did say that she was worried he needed more hugs, and found he was having a nightmare..."

"Well, we can hardly fault her for being so loyal to one she's sworn to help," Albus allowed with a small smile. "And as long as neither of them desires anything other than hugs, I see no reason to stop her from giving them."

"But she was in a boy's bed after curfew!" Pomona snapped out.

"But she was in bed after curfew, yes?" Albus asked impishly.

"But the rules-"

"Specifically forbid wandering the halls after curfew," Albus pointed out calmly. "While it's policy to make sure students are in bed at that point so they get all the rest they need, nowhere in the school rules is it required." He took a calming breath. "There isn't even any rule in the Hogwarts rule book against students engaging in...reckless behavior...with each other, save one regarding the rules of the Ministry in regards to interaction."

Pomona pulled back in surprise. "Really?"

"There are actually rules regarding what penalties and pressures teachers can apply to wizard students that sire a child while at school to ensure they take responsibility," Albus observed dryly. "Not that I, personally, approve of such things, but...well, the school is nearly 1000 years old and times change, but the original charter hasn't changed all that much..."

"I feel like something should be done to change that..." Pomona growled under her breath.

"Perhaps," Albus allowed. "But that is neither here nor there for now. "Is there any other issue you have with her behavior?"

"She got there by climbing up the outside of the castle in the middle of the night," Pomona pointed out, though her tone was starting to be a little less confrontational.

"Yes, her mother wrote to warn me such a thing might happen," Albus allowed dryly. "Though considering she free-climbed the 'Dawn Wall' in Yosemite just last year for fun, I doubt we need to worry about her on the castle walls."

"Dawn Wall?" Pomona asked in confusion.

"One of the most difficult wall climbs Muggles know about," Albus explained. "An exceptionally difficult one at that. I've only seen one attempt myself, and even with magic I'd be hesitant to try. And Mrs. Wyrm considers it a 'invigorating jaunt' for her and Penny."

Pomona let out a rueful sigh. "I can't simply stand by and let this happen!" she insisted angrily.

"I'm not saying you should," Albus pointed out calmly. "What I am saying is you shouldn't discourage her from wanting to support Mr. Potter." He let out a sad sigh. "Harry has...a lot of dark times waiting for him, no matter what happens or what is done. And...based on how he's responded to Miss Wyrm's attentions, he doesn't have many light times in his past to draw strength from. I cannot bring myself to deny him whatever joy Miss Wyrm can bring him."

Pomona opened and closed her mouth a few times as though wanting to object, but eventually just let out a sigh. "I told her if I caught her sneaking out to spend the night with Mr. Potter again, she would lose points and receive detention. She accepted that as being worth it...then asked when I do my bed checks."

Albus couldn't help but chuckle at that. "You can't fault her determination," he allowed in amusement. "As long as all they seek to do is cuddle...I don't see the harm in telling her."

Pomona stared at the Headmaster flat-eyed once more. "Seriously?" she asked flatly. "Just...let her sneak around?"

"She's not exactly sneaking if we know she's going to do it one way or the other," Albus pointed out calmly. "Especially since she's told us so."

Pomona buried her face in her hands. "What would Helga Hufflepuff think about this?" she finally asked, trying to appeal to the one authority she thought might back her.

The Sorting Hat suddenly let off an amused snort. "Do you know how many inter-House sleepovers she tried to arrange?" the Hat asked in an amused tone as it turned to face them.

"Really?" Albus asked in surprise.

"Sleepovers are one thing, but-" Pomona tried to counter.

"Ones that involved the entirety of both Houses cuddled up together in the Great Hall before a roaring fire while the Heads of House performed various entertainments, no beds involved," the Hat corrected. "Got a bit indiscriminate when it was just the 'of age' students, and even when it didn't there was a lot of snuggling."

Pomona could only stare in disbelief.

"But what about the rivalry between the Houses?" Albus asked curiously.

"Didn't kick in till a few centuries after the Founders died," the Hat continued calmly. "The four of them were as close as siblings. 'Brothers in Arms', I believe they call it these days. They only did the House system to make sure they taught the students whose learning styles matched their teaching styles, and points to encourage in-class participation."

"But...the duel between Salazar and Godric...?" Pomona asked uncertainly.

The Hat chuckled dryly. "Oh, I love that story. Here, let me show you!" A beam of light shot from the tip of the Hat to Dumbledore's Penseive, and Albus and Pomona felt themselves drawn in.