The clanging sound of spoons hit his ears when he carried the already heavy weight of his son over the antique threshold, above all other noises that filled the high dining room. It wouldn’t have made much difference to his ears if he had waited outside, but he was early and James had complained all the way from the Ministry about being hungry. As he approached the counter, he spotted the source of the clanging immediately. One of the barstools hosted a young boy with flashing blue hair and where should have been his fingers, ten teaspoons of different length thrummed annoyingly, and he seemed to be the only one who was amused by it. Behind the counter, the landlady presented her boyfriend with the most bored stare while she cleaned some cups. He couldn’t help but notice that something shimmered on her hand.
“I’ve tried.”, Draco moaned, leaning on his right hand, the long, straight fair hair a slight mess.
“I didn’t blame you. But can’t you just put him in a box and send him to Mars?”
“You’d need a rocket ship for that.”
“Huh?”, the three jerked up.
“Harry!”, beamed the boy, slipped off the stool and darted for his godfather’s legs, almost knocking him over.
“Hey.”, the blonds greeted at once.
“Hi. Even though he’s a pest sometimes, I’d like to keep my godson, you know? I’d be really sad if he had to live on Mars.”
“You can have him for free, instantly and forever.”, grumbled Draco.
“No, thanks. I already have another to take care of.”, he shortly readjusted his arms under his son, who wrapped his own arms tighter around his father’s neck. “How come you’re here with him?”
“The disadvantages of going home on a free day. Mum and Romy are completely buggered.”
“Can’t think why,”, Harry chuckled when he sat down on Teddy’s stool and heaved James onto the counter, and Teddy flung his clanging spoon-hands around his waist now, waiting for his head to be patted.
“So they thought it’d be great if I paid my girlfriend a visit – and take the nag with me.”
“Teddy, would you mind transforming your hands back, please?”
“Okay!”, the boy grinned casually and his fingers became normal.
“What the – hey!”, moaned Draco. “Why – ”
“All a matter of the tone.”
“Sure.”, Draco grunted. “And why do you come walking here, with him?”, he briefly nodded.
“Er – Hannah? Got a noodle soup for him, please? He’s hungry.”
“Sure.”, Hannah meant, abandoned her cups and slouched to the kitchen.
“Ginevra’s got training; fortunately she can.”
“Huh?”
“If I was Gwen, I’d have kicked her once and for all. Incredible how tolerant that woman is.”
“Why? What did she do?”, asked Draco.
“Rather what, well, did I do.”, their expressions and silence gave him to understand that he had gotten himself into something he could only get back out by telling them what was going on. “She’s pregnant.”
“No!”, the two gasped.
“Lucky you!”, Hannah smiled out of the kitchen, visibly charmed by the news.
“Yeah. We really are. Rather like Molly. She’s busy with Victoire.”
“Oh right – they’re off to Romania.”, Draco remembered.
“Yes. And Victoire’s a true pest. As beautiful and cute she looks, as nasty she is when she doesn’t get what she wants. And James’s been Dadda, Dadda, Dadda ever since he woke up at five when he couldn’t see or feel me, so here I am.”
“Robards doesn’t complain?”
“The only thing he complains about lately is why I don’t want to be promoted to his post so he can retire. He says I’m better at the job anyway and it’d grant me more time with my family, but I think he’s just sick of it all. I’ve been working on records all morning, so I didn’t need seeing anyone but James. It’s unnerving, to be honest, and I thought I’d forego the luxury of magic and just take him to the wonderfully clean air of London. But he’s so heavy already I’m really glad I’d made it here so fast.”
“You’ve planned to come here?”
“Ordered to. Otherwise we’d ’ve spent lunchtime in the buttery along with Hermione and Ron. But since I’ll be meeting someone here,”
“Whom?”, Draco sat up when Hannah came back with a cup of faintly steaming soup.
“I’m actually – ”, Harry lifted James and sat him onto his lap, “Thanks – ”, he took the bib Hannah had brought and bound it around his son’s neck, “Not allowed to talk about it, but you might guess anyway. Astoria Greengrass.”
“Oh gosh – she’s coming here?”, Hannah moaned.
“Yes. Her therapist wanted it to be a place where she can either decide to be among people or alone.”
“But why would you – I mean, I read it on the Prophet – but why’s that the Aurors’ business – ”
“The Prophet doesn’t know the whole truth. Yes, her mother disappeared and was found dead – ”
“And her sister killed herself upon it – ”
“What?”, Draco aspirated. “Daphne’s – she’s dead? Sorry, but I haven’t gotten to read much lately –when did that – ”
“Last week. I know it’s – yes, yes, James. Here you go.”, he started to carefully feed the boy. “I know it’s too early to question her, but it’s urgent. We have proof they died the same way.”
“What do you mean?”, Hannah continued cleaning cups.
“They both died from the Killing Curse. That’s why we’re on it.”
“But the Prophet – ”
“As I said, the Prophet doesn’t know the whole. Not only have they been killed magically, they’ve been killed with their own wands. They had it in hand and the spell’s been last on each.”
“No way – ”, Draco’s brows narrowed.
“Yes. There was no sign of a fight. They did it – voluntarily. But who kills themselves with the curse? And mother and daughter alike though not knowing of the circumstances? Either they had been threatened or Imperiused. It was murder, planned to make it look like suicide. But whoever wanted them dead, didn’t consider the oddity. And Robards had nothing better to do than entrusting me with interrogating Astoria whether she’s noticed anything that might give us a hint. Is it not too salty?”, James heavily shook his head and opened his mouth as wide as he could, signalling that he wanted more of the soup. “Alright.”
“He doesn’t seem to bother, does he?”, Hannah frowned at the boy, now dedicating to a number of plates. “That you’re talking about such things.”
“Why bothering?”, meant Teddy. “Tha’ss Harry’s job. Hunting bad guys who hurt good guys.”
“Tz.”, Draco chuckled.
“There you go.”, Harry emphasised.
“More soup, Dadda – ”
“We do our best to make him accept it. Molly of course is against it, but Ginevra agrees with me that the sooner he knows what I do, the less it can shock him and the better he can cope with it if it’s getting really nasty.”
“But you haven’t told him of – you know,”, Draco lowered his voice, “The Peverell Sisters?”
“No. For that, he’s really too young.”
“Pevell sissers?”, Teddy asked.
“You don’t know them.”
“Can I get to know dem?”
“No.”, both men laughed.
“You’re too young for that too.”, smirked Harry, but Teddy gave him a pouting moan of displeasure. “Really.”
“Can I go play wit’ James den?”, he asked, as if knowing that the younger boy had just had his last spoonful.
“Do you want to go playing with Teddy, dearie?”
“Yesss!”, the little one grinned and Harry wiped his mouth dry with the bib, bound it off and helped him down, where Teddy brotherly took James’ hand and led him over to a corner where Hannah had put up a small table, chairs and gathered different sorts of toys.
“But don’t burn anything, you hear me?”, he turned his head after them, but they seemed to either have missed it or ignored it plainly. “It’s not like he can’t deaden the fire without any damage left, but it’d be better if they kept the panic in here at a minimum.”
“Got a folder lately?”, Draco chuckled.
“Just two days ago, why?”
“You still get them?”, Hannah frowned.
“Seem so, doesn’t it? Unbelievable how many he had under his command.”
“He’s had hundreds. They’ve fled from the battle when you had him down personally and the rest when he was dead. And I only wondered whether you counted them. I never got to know the actual number. He branded loads for communication matters, but only the innermost circle had been allowed at meetings. And only they would notice the others’ serpents were actually blindwor– ”
“Two hundred seventy-two, so far.”
“Two hundred s– ”, breathed Hannah, her eyes popping out, though her brows were narrowed. “How can anyone possibly kill that many – and in such a brutal way – ”
“Calculate the average and you get one a week. How many cows or pigs does a butcher kill until he retires?”, Harry noted.
“True but – almost three hundred – wow! Wait – someone wants to pay back there.”, she dropped her dishtowel by the sink, retrieved the wallet from a locked drawer and walked over to one of the guests.
“Is she happy?”, Harry asked quiet enough for Draco to hear.
“I wouldn’t say utterly happy, but she got used to the job. And since she owns the Cauldron now, it’s far easier for her to accept. She’s got a valuable job. She runs one of the most prestigious venues in Britain. Not many people can say that of themselves. The responsibility compensates the early disappointment, I’d say. Plus, she has her own glasshouses on the roof now.”
“Really?”
“Yeah. Didn’t I tell you?”
“No – ”, Harry chuckled.
“We’ve cut out a fair area of the roof. Two rooms less, but she grooms most of the vegetables, herbs and spices herself now.”
“That’s great!”
“You want to know what’s even greater?”, he smiled like a child.
“Er – yes?”
“I – I asked her.”
“Asked?”
“I asked her.”, Draco repeated, a little demanding.
“You mean – you – ”, he nodded wildly. “And?”, no answer, only an even more childish grin. “So I’ve seen it right – no! Really?”
“Yes.”
“She said – she said – whow! Congratulations then!”
“Thanks.”
“Got a date al- what?”, Hannah had come back and whispered something into his ear.
“I said, she looks more like she’s lost a pet, and not her mother and sister, if you ask me.”
She nodded over to the backdoor to Diagon Alley, where two women had come in, and returned to her dishes behind the counter. But Harry thought, the young woman looked more than shattered. Her hair was greasy and a shrubby mess around her shoulders. Though her slim black dress was rather elegant, the rest of her appearance couldn’t have been more contrary. Harry could vaguely remember having seen her hanging around with her sister at Hogwarts, but the woman that had entered the Leaky Cauldron with her therapist, was the opposite of the snooty, proud girl she had been in her school days. He didn’t need seeing Draco’s face to know his expression when he spotted her, nor his whisper.
“Oh god – ”
“You’d better say that again. Maybe he hears it.”
Emaciated and weak-kneed, she supported herself on her therapist’s arm, over to where the two sat. The bony cheeks slightly met with the rings under her eyes when she recognised Draco, but the smile was so faint, so dull, it was hard to catch. Harry slipped off and pulled two stools closer so they could sit down between him and Draco.
“Hey – ”, his friend only aspirated.
“Hi.”, mumbled Astoria, but held her skinny hand towards Harry, who shook it as careful as he could so as to not crush it.
“Miss Greengrass,”, upon it she nodded, sniffed and swallowed. “I can’t really express sympathy.”
“It’s okay.”, she whispered barely audible.
“Madam Heathers,”
“Mr Potter,”, the therapist returned his greet. “Just one moment please – ”, she turned to Astoria with her voice in the same volume as hers had been. “Is it fine for you if we sit here or do you wish to – ”
“I’m fine here.”, Astoria gargled. “Draco and I’ve been friends at Hogwarts. As long as he doesn’t mind that we sit down here, I’d really like to.”
“Good. If you are friends, I won’t disagree.”
~~#~~
“Is she – ”
“Asleep like Teddy, yes.”, Draco whispered and led his mother back downstairs.
“Do you really think, that is such a good idea?”
“She’s got nowhere else to go. And she knows us. Madam Heathers said, it’s best for her now if she’s with people she likes, rather than being completely alone. And there is Teddy to distract her and cheer her up.”
“Hannah agrees?”
“She said she’s fine with it as long as Astoria doesn’t go cuddling with me.”
“Draco – ”
“Oh come on, you know Hanna’s humour. She’s fine with it. She’s mostly in the Cauldron anyway and I’m at Hogwarts. She meant rather here than having her blocking a room she could rent otherwise. Harry said the Ministry will pay us until Astoria is ready to work again. So the only thing you need to pay is attention to where she goes. Because if she dies, it’s our fault.”, they had reached the sitting room and Draco let himself sink into one of the armchairs that wasn’t blocked by his aunt and her knitting. “And whom are you doing that for?”, he eyed her.
“That is exactly one of the points. You will go back to Hogwarts tomorrow and we have to look after her. Another child.”
“It’s easy. The Ministry’s confiscated her wand. Keep yours safe and make sure she doesn’t leave the house unnoticed. Lock her in and keep every even slightly possibly dangerous object from her reach. Don’t let her wander the house alone. And when she’s in the bathroom longer than ten minutes, go looking. That’s the official order. Otherwise I would have to take her to Hogwarts and there she’d have to be at my side all the time. So what d’you think is better?”
“Of course. I understand.”, huffed Narcissa. “You rather dump her here.”
“I don’t dump her, Mum! And besides, Madam Heathers will come here once a week – ”
“Come here?”, Andromeda finally looked up from her needles.
“Yes?”
“No. Nobody will come here.”
“You think she’ll simply maroon us?”
“No. I said, nobody will come here. This is our home. I will not let any shrink in here.”
“Therapist,”, Draco warned.
“I agree with Romy.”, said Narcissa. “If she really means as much to you as that you want her looked after, then either drag her to Hogwarts, or accommodate her in St Mungo’s. But if you insist she stays here, she will have to leave for the time she is seeing her therapist.”
“Fine!”, he snapped. “Then we’ll have to arrange appointments in London!”
“Mind your tone, Draco.”,
“I do mind my tone! And – ”
“Draco?”
It was mere luck that he had heard her. Neither of them had seen her enter the sitting room. The embarrassment couldn’t have been bigger.
“You’re not arguing because of me, are you?”, Astoria breathed.
“No – ”, Draco meant to calm her.
“Because, if you’re arguing, then I’ll – I’ll leave – ”
“No, Astoria. It’s not – ”
“I’ll find something, don’t worry. And if – and if it’s St Mungo’s – ”
“No! I – I mean no.”, Draco panted, ignoring the other women’s worried glances. “The last place I’d want to see you, is St Mungo’s. And if I have to take you to Hogwarts and pull you with me everywhere I have to go there.”
“Good, Draco,”, said his mother, “Then it is settled. You will take her to Hogwarts.”
“Okay.”, he said definite, but angry.
“Do you have the slightest idea what you are talking about?”, she hissed, not believing she had really heard him saying what he had just said. “Any idea what this means? What you saddle yourself with?”
“Do you have the slightest idea what she is going through?”
“Draco,”
“Because I do, if you forgot. I haven’t forgotten, and I never will. And if it means that I have to give back three times as much as I received after the war. If it hadn’t been for people who were willing to do what I am willing to do now, we’d both sit in Azkaban. And Dad might have even received a Dementor’s Kiss. Life chose a better ending for us and we’d be the dumbest people if we didn’t give back. Well, I don’t want to be dumb. What you want to do, is your business. So right, if you say, you don’t want her here, then it means that she’ll be living at Hogwarts from now on. And I assure you, if I don’t get your understanding, I’ll get Minerva’s. Astoria? If it doesn’t trouble you too much,”
“It’d be wonderful to return to Hogwarts.”, she replied sadly, but with a smile.
“Alright. Pack your things. We’ll leave whenever you’re ready. I’ll be waiting by your door.”, Astoria nodded and went back upstairs, Draco on her heels. “Mum, Romy, give Teddy a kiss from me when he wakes up. Unless Harry comes by with him, I won’t be seeing him until Christmas.”
“So that is it?”
“Yes, that is it, for now.”
~~#~~
Ominous, the pendulum of the cuckoo clock swayed along the wall, shimmering golden in the candlelight and bearing witness of how fast time had gone by, though they had not spoken much. Her head hanging slackly on her arm that rested on the counter, Ginevra stared bewildered into the half empty cup of cold tea she didn’t fully see anymore. On the other side, her friend was still cleaning dishes, whereby she had lost the fury she had still done it with minutes ago.
“Why don’t you put that down for once!”, moaned Hermione.
“It’s a book, Hermione.”, Harry noted with a bored, brief glance of his eyes only.
“But it’s like – the sixth?”
“I thought you knew how old I got meanwhile. To be honest, I expect at least one more to come. And blame Luna, please. I wouldn’t have cared if she hadn’t insisted on lending me them.”
“What’s it actually that you’re – ”
“Honestly, Ron, where have you been for the past years? Some Muggle has been publishing an entire series of those! And besides, maybe you remember why Kingsley has sent out masses of owls two years ago?”
“Don’t tell me it’s been these books why they – ”
“Yes, that is why they changed the code.”, Harry snorted. “And to be honest, I’m not really sure whether it’s a Muggle. If you’d read – ”
“Why should I read books about you, mate? I know you! I’m really not interested if it’s wizards or Muggles to swoon over you,”
“Seems likely.”
“And you know yourself – ”
“That’s exactly that. I know myself. And someone else seems to do that very much too. Kingsley refuses to listen. Yes, that thing with the code made him alarmed, but there was nothing more yet. Well, apart from having to guard platforms nine and ten at King’s Cross with high numbers of charms. Hermione’s right. For a Ministry worker and my supposedly best friend, your interest for our world and me is extremely low. Rather like this person’s knowledge. Whoever their source is, they must be a highly accomplished Legilimens with close contact – ”, Ginevra had taken a sip from her cup and spluttered it all over the counter. “No, definitely not. He wouldn’t have done that.”
“You’re right – ”, she coughed. “No idea why he’s the first one who came to my mind. Just stupid.”
“Are you thinking about whom I think you – ”, Harry eyed Hermione’s angrily curled lips again, not needing to break through her constant shields to know.
“Yes.”
“And – ”
“I haven’t got the tiniest clue why, but ever since the end of the war, you appear to have grown a fine aversion for all arguments that justify his acts, the more I try to convince you of the opposite’s validity.”
“Take off that look of his!”, Hermione shrieked.
“Easy!”, Ron gasped. “But she’s right, mate. It’s scary if you do that,”
“Only for someone who is afraid to defend themselves against mere words.”
“Words can cause a lot, Harry.”, noted Hermione. “They can, for example, Ron, make Muggles swarm Kings Cross station on September first! And even filming teams!”
“Filming teams?”
“Three of those books have been adapted to screen already.”, Harry sighed. “And the fourth is coming this year. There’s no possible way you could have managed to miss that while the entire planet is talking about me. But somehow, you miraculously must have.”
“You know how often I get out,”
“And even apart from that you don’t fail to shut your eyes and ears to your surrounding.”
“Hey!”
“I really don’t get how you could live in the centre of all that and not pay attention to a single word – or the posters all over the country. Oh and if you should happen to be at least a little interested now, the guy who plays you, does that quite good.”
“Really?”
“But I’m a total miscast.”, Hermione wailed.
“Er – no?”, Harry could chuckle at last.
“I am!”
“Wait – don’t tell me, you’ve – seen these – er – films?”, gasped Ron.
“Yes.”, the two, as well as Ginevra sighed at once.
“Whow! And didn’t bother taking me with you?”
“I won’t say anything regarding that horrifically contradictory question,”, Harry frowned, “And no, she’s not miscast. Her hair might become a little less like yours, but the rest is just – ”
“I’m nothing like that! And I never punched Draco!”, Hermione muttered. “Even though I should,”, she added huffing into space.
“Yeah. Though that last is about the only difference.”
“And that man who plays Severus is – what? Twenty years older than him?”
“Fourteen. Got that out of his head when he gave me an autograph.”
“You got what?”, Hermione shrieked again and James gave a little moan as he slightly changed his sleeping position.
“Yes.”, chuckled Ginevra. “But you of course had to pout at Emma. Just natural that you didn’t catch his frown when he saw that Harry’s scar might just be real.”
“Anyway, he turned away with a smile. Though that doesn’t mean all too much. He seems to know quite a bit more however about whom he plays than any of his colleagues or the crew do.”
“How by all means did you get an autograph from him!”, Hermione hissed.
“I asked. Politely, if you want to know the specifics.”
“Where! What did he sign! I want to see it!”
“I hardly reckon you’d want to see my bum,”, Harry sighed, reading on.
“That’s not funny,”, Hermione warned.
“It is. I just came late for class again.”
“Harry!”
“I swear, if you wake James, I’ll kick yours personally until your nose digs into the cobbles outside.”
“Incredible.”, Ron shook his head. “We’re sitting in here and frustrate one another while Broadford’s drowning.”
“Yeah. To think, Robards wanted me stationed there. Lucky me, I guess. But poor people.”, the last words Neville added quickly to those first he had dropped in an hour, so as to prevent a lot of more arguing, despite the successful change of topic.
“I’ll be going up there for helping, whether he lets me or not.”, Harry said.
“You’re sure, mate?”
“Absolutely. I’ve had enough of the office. Yes, the office, Hermione. Not the books.”
“But you will have to be very careful, Harry.”
“It’s my life, Hermione. For the last time, if I want to do something, it’s my problem if something happens to me, as charming as your care for me might be. And Glasgow was worse three years ago, if you remember. I’ve been there too – what? Oh gosh – ”, he shortly laughed, more to himself so as to not startle James, but Ginevra bent over to read it as well. “My first mention of our family motto!”
“Bloody.”, his wife chuckled. “I’d nobble Seamus, if I were you. He might be behind it.”
“Drop it.”
“I’m just saying. You have responsibility – ”, Hermione seemed to have missed their quiet discussion.
“I know my responsibilities,”, Harry snarled. “One of them is sleeping in my arms and believe me, I’m not as stupid as to do something that might risk my life ever again. It’s just not worth having him grow up as a half-orphan. I’m not as selfish as to prove myself I can help others and abandon everyone I actually care for. I’m not like – ”
“Yeah, Hermione. Harry’s nothing like him. Yes, I’ve figured that. And I mean, he’s a Malfoy. What’d you expect?”
“Shut it, okay?”, Ginevra hissed at her brother, though not as ferocious as she had meant to. “We’ve had that hours ago already. That’s exactly why we normally don’t invite you to such gatherings.”
“Excuse me?”
“She’s right, Ron. You don’t need to remind us that you still hate him.”, noted that one’s wife.
“But it’s idiotic – ”
“I personally think, he’s rather brave.”, meant Hannah.
“Brave?”
“Yes, brave, Neville. Taking on something like that is an absolutely selfless and brave thing to do and we should really admire him. Yes, selfless, not selfish”
“It’s either really brave, or really stupid.”
“No. Hannah’s right.”, sighed Harry, James still being wondrously sound asleep on his lap. “We’ll have to wait and see how she copes with it and help Draco as much as we can. But if there is the slightest sign that he’s overdoing himself completely or that she’s starting to request things from him, we have to intervene.”
“And how do you think, we’re going to do that?”
“We have to rearrange shifts.”, Ginevra said, straightening. “I soon again won’t be able to play. That means, I’ll be working from home once more and I therefore can look after James.”
“And we’ll be looking after James if you’ve got troubles.”, said Hermione, drilling her eyes into Ron’s.
“Right.”, he sighed, for the mere satisfaction of seeing her pleased smile.
“Okay. I’ll suggest I’ll hold lectures on defence. I’ll go to Minerva tomorrow. If she agrees, it means less work for Draco and a little relief for the students, as well as me. Then I go straight to Broadford, no detour.”
“And I’ve got a feeling, that Robards wants to get rid of me.”, meant Neville.
“Now that you mention it again,”, Ron pondered. “What’ve you actually done that he’s not letting you outside anymore?”
“No idea. But I guess it’s been because I made a detour to my parents while I was supposed to guard that wing.”
“Oh yeah – now I remember.”
“And rumour has it, Sprout’s thinking of retiring. I’ll go with you, Harry. If she really does and McGonagall accepts me, there’d be one of us constantly stationed at Hogwarts. And if Robards doesn’t mind, I’ll assist you in Broadford too.”
“Thanks.”
“I could spare an eye as well.”
All heads jerked with shock and everyone but Hannah’s and James’; the boy didn’t even stir; turned for the one who had spoken, airily and smiling. None but Hannah had heard or seen her enter or arrive in any way. Even more strange, there was some peculiar sensation to her meanwhile hip length fair hair-fall, as if it swayed faintly but gently in a soft breeze everybody knew to not be there. And even more curious, there was a man standing by her side.
“Hello, everyone.”
“Hi – ”, was all they could breathe in return.
“You’re back?”, Harry chuckled frowning. “But you said you wouldn’t return before next year – and who’s – ”
“This is Rolf.”, she introduced him and he briefly waved at them as a group.
“Rolf?”, murmured Ron.
“Goodness, Ron – Rolf!”
“Rolf?”, he now murmured at Hermione, contorting his face.
“Rolf Scamander, of course! The grandson of one of the greatest Magizoologists of all time, Professor Newton Artemis Fido – ”
“Who?”
“Newt Scamander.”, Harry snickered. “The author of Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, the regular Care of Magical Creatures book. Honestly, Ron, don’t you read?”
“Oh don’t you be so mean, Harry.”, snapped Hermione. “It won’t help him recognising a legend if it stands before him.”
“I’m not meaner to him than – ”
“I meant to myself, Harry.”
“I am certainly no legend.”, smirked Rolf, his tone as dreamily as Luna’s, only deeper and a bit hectic, and it was clear to each of them immediately that wherever the two had met, it might one day actually be the place they would marry at. “But you seem to be Hermione, then? Yes, you appear to be exactly how Luna has spoken of you. Of course then it is not hard for me to guess the names of every other single one of you.”, Ron’s expression became even worse, and though Hermione noticed it in the corner of her eye, this time she decided it was better not to kick him.
“And to your other question, Harry,”, Luna continued, “We arrived in London twenty-seven minutes and – ”, her eyes flicked at the cuckoo clock, “Forty-eight seconds ago. Fifty.”, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“Great – er – ”, Harry shortly scratched his strangely itching neck, “So you know what we’ve been talking about?”
“Yes. And as I said, I can spare an eye as well.”
“How much do you know?”
“Everything nobody will get to read tomorrow.”, even Rolf eyed her confused.
“Whatever this is about, is this why you have let me wait outside the main office of the Daily Prophet, close my eyes and count to one hundred and thirty?”
“Perhaps?”, Luna’s smile grew barely visible.
“Second – ”
“No, Harry, one hundred and thirty.”
“They’ve been meaning to – ”
“Yes, someone must have gotten notice of it and I like Draco slightly enough. And it’s not right to stir up rumours for profit, especially when it is about a selfless act.”
“So you’re back.”, Harry noted, more for himself and with a brow raised in contemplation.
“It seems so, doesn’t it? And greetings from Francis. He apologises for not answering your letter regarding you know what, as he believes, you should have figured how to by now. He also meant, he knows for sure he won’t be able to celebrate this year’s Christmas with you, as his partner believes, four in a row are enough.”
“Okay,”, Harry sighed, ignoring the others’ confused glances.
“Besides, since Rolf went to Beauxbatons, he is very interested in the aquatic fauna of the Black Lake. I promised him to go diving with him there. You know how big the lake is, Harry. We’d spend at least an entire year at Hogwarts.”, Harry nodded approvingly.
“You’ll be living in Hogsmeade, I guess?”
“Quite likely. Though I wouldn’t mind the forest. I haven’t slept in a house once in four months and I don’t know if I want to get used to it so soon. But I will make sure to say hello to Aberforth. Do you mind if we camp in your garden for tonight? I’ve always wanted to see the sky above Godric’s Hollow.”
“Sure thing! Crookshanks will take care of you.”
“I expected you to say that,”
“I expected you to expect it.”, Harry grinned.
“Who is Crookshanks?”, Rolf asked Luna under his breath.
“Their Half-Kneazle.”, she answered similarly and his eyes widened.
“Oh really? How wonderful!”
“Yes, it is. He is very special.”
“I have no doubt.”
~~#~~