Beck leaned against the cool stones of the castle as students milled around the large space roped off for the demonstration. His fingers dug into his arms briefly as he cast a glance at Shanks.
"Why are you nervous?" Luffy's voice distracted him.
Turning, Beck answered, "I'm not nervous, Luffy. Just didn't expect this many students to be interested." He expected the entire school, actually. What he didn't expect was Shanks looking more serious than expected.
Shanks was with Yasopp and Snake, the astrology teacher. Considering the laughter coming from them, they were probably talking about the demonstration and what Shanks might do.
Rayleigh approached a moment later, grinning. "He's probably worried Shanks won't go easy on him."
Luffy pouted at him briefly, then looked at Beck. "Dad never goes easy on you, Mom."
A warm smile crept onto Beck's face at the nickname; Luffy rarely called him that outside of home. He ruffled his son's hair, his eyes softening briefly. "No, he doesn't. But we've never done something like this around kids, and I want to make sure he remembers that."
Rayleigh chuckled, looking over his shoulder at Shanks. "He will. Nothing could make him forget that, Beck."
Shanks looked over at that moment and gave them a wide grin. When Rayleigh nodded, he made for the space, dodging between students easily.
Beck ran a hand through his hair before letting it fall, his fingers tapping against his leg. He walked through a crowd of Ravenclaws. Law gave him a sharp look, which Beck acknowledged with a nod. Stepping over the rope, Beck approached Shanks, already standing in the middle.
Shanks was still grinning. "Which spells are we doing?" His stance was already showing his excitement; leaning back, thumb hooked into his sash, eyes wide.
A smirk tugged at the corners of Beck's mouth. "We went over this last night. Just send expelliarmus at me, or stupefy. Nothing that could be too dangerous if it goes off course. I'm just showing them how to defend, not attack." Shanks' grin widened, if that were possible, and Beck glared. "I'm serious, Shanks."
The grin faded some. "Alright, fine."
Beck arched an eyebrow, but Shanks didn't meet his gaze.
Rayleigh stepped into the ring, his wand to his throat. When he spoke, his voice echoed easily over the students. "Auror Beck has asked Professor Shanks to help with the demonstration. No student is allowed past the rope at any point, barring an emergency."
Beck scanned the students, who were buzzing with energy, their eager chatter filling the air like a swarm of excited bees, anticipation radiating from their wide eyes.
"They have agreed for Professor Shanks to stick to common attacks, while Auror Beck will defend himself however he sees fit," Rayleigh continued.
Shanks looked almost a little disappointed.
Beck gave him a sympathetic smile. He knew how much Shanks missed being an auror, but the ministry were the ones to let him go when he lost his arm. Not because he lost it, but because he disobeyed the orders they gave. The result had been losing his arm, his job, one person killed, and a child left without their mother.
Beck couldn't blame him however. If he hadn't saved Luffy that night, many more people would have died.
He forced the heavy thoughts from his mind, shaking his head slightly as he darted a quick glance at Rayleigh, who stepped back.
Rayleigh looked around the students and finished, "If there are questions you have, save them until after." He stepped to the rope and sent up a red spark.
Beck barely had time to throw up a weak protego shield, deflecting Shanks' attack just in time. There was a gasp from the students. Stepping back, Beck eyed Shanks warily. He was taking this a little more seriously than he expected, despite the grin still plastered on his face.
Beck raised his wand once, sending out golden ropes; technically still defense. Shanks made them vanish in an instant. A red light shot out a moment later.
Beck flicked his wand. A wall of stone rose, then went back down at another flick.
In the corner of his eye, he saw Kidd and Kamazo watching, or Kidd at least, with open mouths. Gasps rippled through the crowd, eyes widening in disbelief, as students exchanged incredulous glances, their whispers barely audible over the din.
Shanks sent a white light at him, but Beck deflected it back. Shanks' wand flew from his hand as the man gave him a friendly glare.
Beck chuckled, waiting for Shanks to retrieve his wand. He managed another protego as Shanks shot a quick white flash in his direction, but hissed as a quickly cast stupefy hit him in the leg.
Shanks' grin faltered as Beck dropped to one knee, a flicker of regret crossing the red-haired man's face like a shadow.
Beck, despite knowing better, got him back with a well-timed impedimenta.
He didn't know Rayleigh had raised his wand until he and Shanks both froze. He couldn't move, and Shanks was stuck with one foot raised. The students looked excited though. Rayleigh walked up to them. "That's enough. I think you've shown them how to defend well." And how to be petty; Beck could almost hear the words, but he knew the headmaster wouldn't say those words in front of anyone but his son and son-in-law. With another flick of Rayleigh's wand, Beck stood and caught Shanks as he fell forward.
"You alright?" Beck murmured. Shanks nodded, shooting him a glare. He stayed quiet however.
Rayleigh pressed his wand to his throat again. "The demonstration is over, and I hope you all enjoyed seeing how to react to unexpected attacks." His glasses flashed as his gaze darted to Beck and Shanks briefly; disappointment and amusement danced in the depths, noticeable even from here. "For those interested in pursuing a career as aurors, feel free to ask questions."
Beck sighed, his shoulders sagging as a tide of eager students surged toward him, their eyes sparkling with curiosity. A few Slytherins; he recognized Kidd and Kamazo, as expected, though the fourth year Zoro was interesting. Luffy didn't surprise him, though Usopp did, from Gryffindor. Nami, a third year from Ravenclaw, hadn't struck him as interested, but she came over with a blue-haired girl from the same house. Sanji, a fifth year from Hufflepuff, sauntered over with a few others from his house. Beck met Law's gaze as the head boy stood to the side.
Luffy came running up first, launching himself at Beck. "That was so cool!"
Beck chuckled but nudged him away discreetly; none of the students knew he was Luffy's father, or Shanks' husband. "Are you all interested in becoming aurors?" he asked the small crowd. Behind them, the other students slowly left to enjoy their Saturday afternoon.
Sanji shook his head. "I'm more interested in becoming a potions master, but how did you cast without speaking?"
Shanks grinned, answering him. "In your sixth year, you'll learn how to cast nonverbal spells. It's the spells you're learning now, but they tend to be weaker when you don't say them. It takes practice to do what we just did."
"Are there ways of protecting against dark curses?" Kamazo called out from behind the Hufflepuffs.
Beck glanced at Shanks, noting the downslope of his shoulder, the twitch where the stump of his arm was, and turned back to the students. "Yes. Protego horribilis, a more advanced form of protego, is typically what you would use against a dark curse. Your best bet is to use expelliarmus, disarm your opponent before they can attack."
Bonney stepped out from behind Luffy; Beck hadn't seen her. "Is being an auror hard?"
Beck smiled at her. "Not as hard as you'd expect, but harder than you think." He eyed each of the older students, those in their fourth year and up. "Being an auror means having high marks. For your OWLs, you need at least an Exceeds Expectations, and NEWTs need the same. If you can out Outstanding, it's much better."
Zoro narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, while Kidd and Kamazo whispered to each other next to him.
The blue-haired girl stepped forward; Beck recalled her name a second later. Vivi. Her father was the current head of Egypt's Magical Bureau. "Is it dangerous?"
Shanks nodded, his face grim. "Very. Dark wizards are no joke. While there are wizards out there like Marco, pursuing knowledge or protecting magical creatures or working to keep both wizards and muggles safe, there are others like Teach."
"Who is Teach?" a Hufflepuff asked.
Shanks looked at Beck.
Beck saw the pain there and gave a tiny nod before answering. "A dark wizard who cares not for the ministry or those in it." His tone made it clear he would not answer any more about Teach, and thankfully, the students listened.
Law cocked his head, his white cat in his arms now; Beck hadn't seen her approach. "What happens if an auror gets hit by a curse? Is there a way to reverse it?"
While an unusual question, Beck wasn't surprised it came from Law. "I wouldn't know too much about that, Trafalgar. Hongo might know, and Rayleigh knows far more than us about curses," he said, nodding towards the headmaster. "He was a curse-breaker while I was a student here."
As anticipated, Law made a beeline for Rayleigh, who immediately fell into a conversation with the teen as they walked away.
Usopp watched him for a moment, then looked at Beck, his arms crossed. "Why did you become an auror?"
A personal question was not something Beck saw coming. Without looking, he felt Shanks grinning at him. "I wasn't an auror until almost fifteen years ago. Before that, I was an Unspeakable."
Silence fell over the students. Zoro's eyes were wide, Luffy's were shining, and the rest ranged from impressed to confused.
Kamazo spoke hesitantly. "What's an Unspeakable?"
Beck shrugged. "As the name says, I cannot speak about exactly what I did. But what I can say is I explored unusual magic and knowledge."
"So how'd you become an auror then?" Usopp asked, a slight frown crossing his features.
Beck tried to ignore Shanks's grin; he knew it was getting wider. "I met someone who learned about me through the ministry and wanted a partner. Despite the difference in careers, I don't regret it."
Nami's eyes flicked to Shanks, hands on her hips. "You know who got him to be an auror, don't you?" Beck was both annoyed and impressed by her boldness. Most students wouldn't dare talk to a teacher like that. But he also knew that the students knew how laid-back Shanks was compared to the others.
Shanks laughed. "I was the one who convinced Beck to leave his job as an Unspeakable and help me round up dark wizards," he told her.
Beck internally sighed and cursed Shanks as the students either laughed, looked shocked, or kept looking between him and Shanks.
However, he didn't expect Sanji to remark, "Does Professor Shanks still help with auror work, however? I've noticed you talking to him in the teachers' quarters. I saw you leaving there yesterday morning."
A weight settled in Beck's stomach as he caught Rayleigh's eager gaze, his grin as wide as Shanks'. Law leaned in closer, curiosity glinting in his eyes. Shanks' nearly silent snickers only added to Beck's discomfort, and he discreetly flicked his hand behind his back, sending Shanks' cloak fluttering over his head. If he said a single word about this, Beck would ensure Shanks paid for it in some way.
"Yes. Occasionally I still ask for his help with specific assignments," Beck said, forcing his tone to remain even as warmth crept up his cheeks. "Considering the time, however, I think it's time for you to head to dinner."
The sun dipped lower, casting elongated shadows that danced across the grounds, mirroring the embarrassment brewing in his chest.
Beck tried to ignore the looks some students exchanged, the curious gazes flicking between him and Shanks, the smirks from a few of them. Luffy was the only one not reacting to the question, or Beck's face, but the others certainly were. Stepping away from the students, he pointedly ignored Shanks and made his way towards the castle.
Footsteps behind him announced Law's arrival. "Interesting reaction back there," he said, a knowing grin spreading across his face.
Beck shot a sidelong glance but kept his mouth shut.
Law's smirk widened, his voice a teasing whisper, "You know that's going to spread now." He picked up his pace, leaving Beck behind.
The urge to cast obliviate on everyone who heard Sanji's question was strong, but Beck merely sighed, opting to dodge the Great Hall altogether and seek refuge in the teachers' lounge instead, quickly moving through the small clusters of students heading for dinner.
As he stepped into the empty space, heat flushed his cheeks. He sank into a chair, the familiar scent of old books and polished wood offering little comfort. By morning, rumors would be swirling. He could already picture Nami's cheshire-cat grin, a sure sign she would be at the heart of it all. Sanji, despite being a prefect, couldn't resist a good story, and Law? Beck wouldn't put it past him to join in the fun.
Groaning, he tipped his head back and closed his eyes.
Tomorrow was shaping up to be a headache he was hoping to avoid.