Plans

That evening found Kanda in McGonnogal's living room beside Alma. Snape had given him the choice between locking himself in his bedroom or leaving the dungeons while Snape made a firecall. He opted for the latter.

"She chewed me out pretty bad" Alma admitted as Kanda laughed silently at the huff that came from the open door of the office,

"Why are you so surprised Al? Snape chewed me out too after class. And Tim definitely got an earful from Sprout. Dunno about Allen, Flitwick seems too nice"

"Lucky for you to get after class. She told me off in front of a bunch of first year Hufflepuffs - I was mortified" he whined and Kanda laughed out loud,

"I guess you've learnt your lesson then?" and Alma nodded,

"Next Hogsmeade weekend, I'm buying a watch," he mumbled. Kanda stretched and sprung from the sofa.

"I should get going. Might check see how the rabbit's group is settling in the Library" he announced and Alma smiled,

"He's gonna think you care. Especially since he's called you Yuu nonstop and you haven't murdered him" he joked and Kanda cringed.

"Does it bother you that he calls me that?"

"No, why should it?" Alma asked, perplexed. Kanda sighed,

"Just because nobody else but you does and I didn't know if-"

"I don't claim exclusive rights to your first name you know. I'm surprised the others haven't tried it out, given that we're basically family now" Alma settled him with a hand on his arm.

"They've called me Kanda for so long, it'd feel weird for them to call me Yuu" he admitted,

"But if they wanted to?" Alma prompted and Kanda smiled,

"If they wanted to, I wouldn't stop them" he admitted and Alma smiled back proudly.

"Thanks for letting me stay professor," Kanda called through the office door as he made his way out.

"Oh I keep telling Alma, you can call me Minerva you know" she smiled leaning in the doorway. Alma blushed as Kanda ruffled his hair,

"Alright. See you Alma, Minerva" and the pair said their goodbyes as Kanda headed off to the library.

"He's a good brother" Minerva remarked and Alma beamed,

"Yeah he is. Did you want another cup of tea?" he asked, making his way into the kitchenette.

"That sounds superb. And Alma, you're a good brother too" she told him, chuckling at the glimpse of a blush on his cheeks.

"Thanks Pro-Minerva"

"You're welcome. Ah thank you. Well, best head back. These essays won't mark themselves" she sighed. Alma tilted his head thoughtfully,

"Did you want some help? I can probably get through the younger years at least"

"That would be wonderful" and Alma joined her in the office, taking a pile of first year essays, leaving Minerva the third years and the pair got to work.

"Man that stinks. What potion is it?" Kanda stated as he entered his and Severus's shared quarters. Severus shut the lab door behind him,

"Wolfsbane. How are the others settling in?" he asked as he joined Kanda on the sofa.

"They're doing okay. They tried the hat on. Lavi got Ravenclaw, Chaoji got Gryffindor, Johnny and Krory are in Hufflepuff and Link got Slytherin. I think Lavi nearly cried with joy when Pince told him he had unlimited access to the restricted section - once Krory gets his wand back that is. Howard and Chaoji have already started planning their lessons - and I think Krory and Johnny are just happy to be with everyone" he rounded up. Snape blinked,

"You never mentioned another wizard"

"He never mentioned being a wizard" Kanda explained.

"Ah. But another mixed bag of houses"

"Not surprising really, thinking about it. Wolfsbane - that's for werewolves right?" Kanda caught up.

"Well remembered"

"Um thanks. But who is it for? It's too volatile to be delivered isn't it? Is it someone at Hogwarts?"

Snape seemed to twitch.

"You're too smart for your own good" he mumbled. Kanda rose an eyebrow,

"I'm not that smart. I just make connections. So, can I know?" he reworded the question.

"No. I gave my word" Severus sounded pained. Kanda nodded in acceptance,

"Thought not" he leaned back and pondered the situation until Snape remarked,

"Don't try and work it out. Come, help me set up for class tomorrow. You can work with the cockroaches" he smirked at Kanda's discreet shudder.

"Not a fan of bugs?" he rose an eyebrow, Kanda scowled,

"Not a fan of the sound" he corrected, remembering the harsh crackle of the beetles all too well.

"You'll get used to it" Snape told him, leading him into the lab and putting the wolfsbane to one side.

"You get cutting while I deliver this. Once you've done that, you can work with the new book on defense magic I left you" he ordered, pouring the potion into a goblet and leaving the lab. Kanda was half tempted to follow him but diligently sorted through the dead bugs in front of him, shuddering at each snap of the shell before sitting down with the mentioned book, making notes as he went. He was finding it quite useful and by the time Snape came back, he had covered his notebook in messy scrawl.

"Pleasant reading?" Snape drawled, startling Kanda slightly as he looked up at the figure entering the room.

"Hnn. It makes some good points." he pointed out as Severus hung up his outer cloak, a sign that he was finished for the day.

"And yes, I have to finally admit that I don't pay enough attention to it." he sighed at Severus's expectant eyebrow. He smirked and sat beside the apprentice.

"Indeed. So where are you up to?" he asked, looking over Kanda's shoulder.

"Duelling techniques" Kanda mumbled, turning slightly and leaning his back into Snape's shoulder.

"Before I forget. Do you remember Draco?"

"Of course I remember Draco. What about him?" he asked distractedly.

"His father is an old friend of mine."

"And?" Kanda prompted, tilting his head back to look at the man.

"And he's going to be paying me a visit tomorrow. He is a school governor and has been asked to look in on the apprentices but after that he'll be coming here. You're more than welcome to stay here but we wouldn't be offended if you would rather be elsewhere" he explained. Kanda huh'd and grinned,

"I kinda wanna meet your friend. I'll be with Moyashi for a bit in the morning though. He's apparently struggling with offensive magic and I said I'd give him and Filius a hand before classes."

Severus nodded,

"You're a good teacher" he admitted and Kanda smirked, leaning further back against the man,

"You're pretty good yourself - when you're not scaring the kids half to death" he snorted and Severus pretended to be offended but shrugged in defeat.

"That reminds me, when are we telling Harry?"

"Oh I completely forgot!"
"After all the fuss you made?" Snape joked,

"Oh haha. I've been busy if you hadn't noticed."

"I noticed. So, did you want me to send him a note to meet us?"

"Sure. This weekend? I don't think he's allowed into town"

"Especially not with the last attack on the castle"

"Black got in the castle?" Kanda spluttered, "Why didn't I find this out?"

"You didn't notice all the kids in the Great Hall?"

"I never go past there"

"I suppose not"

"The rat! Do you reckon they're a Gryffindor pet? If Black's innocent, and the rat is the real culprit, I mean - he'll probably have been after it" Kanda speculated. Snape looked down at him, impressed,

"Yes that makes sense actually. I believe the youngest Weasley had a pet rat if I recall"

"Of course Potter's bestie has the convict for a pet" Kanda whined, flopping fully onto Snape's lap, startling the man before he settled back.

"I can ask for all three of them to come - and to bring the rat."

"You'd be alright with that?" Kanda looked up at him. Severus shrugged,

"He'd tell them anyway. May as well catch them all in one go" he admitted.

"Fair enough. I should probably head to bed then - let you write that letter. Night Severus" Kanda stood, heading into his bedroom.

"Good night" Severus repeated, sitting for a moment before eventually moving towards his own room.

Kanda leant against his bedroom door. He lay a hand on his chest where his heart was beating like crazy. Huh, this was new. He'd had his head in Severus's lap. And the man had let him. It hadn't seemed too forward when he'd leant back - he'd rested on the others before and it was fine. So why did he feel so awkward? He shook his head and started to get ready for bed, trying not to think about it too much. He failed miserably.

Severus stared at the parchment, facing a similar problem. Finally pushing the issue to the back of his mind, he penned a note to Potter asking for the presence of the golden trio and one pet rat on the Saturday morning.