"Thank you, Uncle Sev," Draco echoed.
Father shut his eyes briefly, Harry saw, and when he spoke, his words were quiet and almost sad, which didn't make any sense, unless he was still really disappointed, but somehow, Harry didn't think he was. "You're welcome, boys. But please, try to behave yourselves today."
"We will!" they promised, and held themselves to it until well into the afternoon.
TBC . . .
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Next chapter: Two seven year olds can be more trouble than a barrel of Weasleys . . . especially if you add one more.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who's read and reviewed!
Though it pains me to say so, and as I mentioned in the new chapter of "Walk the Shadows," posted yesterday, I won't be able to respond individually to all reviews anymore, like I have up to now. Mostly, it's because I find I'm spending an hour or two almost every day at it, and would rather (as I imagine most of my readers would) spend that time writing.
Your thanks and affirmations have both humbled and awed me, and if you have any questions, or things that need clarifying in any of my stories, please know that I will still reply to these with alacrity. I read all reviews, of course, and take your words to heart, I just can't respond to them all anymore. My apologies, and my gratitude for all the kind words you have bestowed upon me, and I hope I haven't put anyone off reviewing, or worse, off reading these tales!
Next chapter should be out by the weekend.
*Chapter 25*: Chapter 25
Whelp -- Chapter 25
By jharad17
Disclaimer: None of this is mine. Honest. She's rich, blond and British. I'm not.
AN: An extra-long chapter for y'all, since I was mean and made you wait four whole days . . . although there was the matter of a cliffhanger to deal with in "Walk the Shadows," before I was hunted down and murderized. :-) To all my readers -- you're the absolute best, and I love every one of your reviews! Your ideas and questions and requests for clarification are always welcome.
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From last chapter:
"But please, try to behave yourselves today."
"We will!" they promised, and held themselves to it until well into the afternoon.
"Peeves!" Severus' shout echoed off the walls of the third floor corridor. A greave flew toward him and smacked into his chest. He snarled and lunged at the floating poltergeist, who was apparently as much of a bane to the existence of students now as he had been when Severus attended.
"Ha, ha! Got you, Snippy Snapey," Peeves cackled.
Pieces of a suit of armor littered the corridor, and Severus had to dart to the side to miss being hit by a flying visor. He caught his toe on a bit of cuisse and barely kept from sprawling face first across the floor. "Get out of here now, Peeves, or I swear, the Baron will be notified the moment I leave!"
Immediately sobering, the poltergeist flitted away through a nearby closed transom. A gasp came from several yards away, and as Severus grabbed at the wall to catch his fall, he shot a look at the open doorway. One blond head, and one covered by a dark mass of messy curls peeked around the frame, and both had worried eyes.
"Harry. Draco. Come here."
Red faced, both boys approached, but dragged their feet.
"Now!"
Harry raced to his side, immediately compliant, though his thin shoulders shook as he skidded to a halt. Draco was only a second slower. Severus reached out to steady the boy, but Harry brought up an arm to protect his head and ducked.
Severus swore silently. Instead of commenting, however, he pointed at the empty plinth where the suit of armor had once stood. "Explain."
Staring at his feet, Harry stepped back within arms' reach and held himself very stiffly, obviously embarrassed by his reaction. "I knocked it over, sir. M'sorry."
Surprised, Severus peered down at the boy. Harry had all the signs of guilt over the incident -- which Nelli had reported to him only moments ago -- and it would take but a few questions to get the real story directly from his lips, Severus estimated. But his patience had run thin today already, and he had a lot of work to do after the long staff meeting this morning. His tone, therefore, was sharper than he might have liked when he snapped, "Tell me the truth, Harry."
Harry only flinched again, hunching his shoulders.
Severus looked directly at Draco and lifted an eyebrow, inviting him to share his story, but the towheaded boy glanced away from him and otherwise ignored the situation.
Glancing up, Harry said again, "I knocked it over. It was my fault."
Gritting his teeth, Severus had to force himself to calmness. Although he was aware that Harry was stepping forward to spare his friend, he also knew the boy would be hurt by Draco's lack of the same, and he wanted to give Draco a chance to redeem himself. But Draco was not rising to the occasion, and Severus growled, "Were you playing near it? Running in the halls? How did it go over?"
"I . . ." Harry darted his own look at his friend, then back down to his shoes.
"And look at me when I am speaking to you."
Harry swallowed. "Yes, sir." He pulled his lower lip between his teeth and chewed on it. "I was running."
"Why?"
"I . . ." He glanced at the end of the corridor, where Severus had already found the remains of what Nelli had said was a rather large bag of compost, thrown at the boys by Peeves.
"Speak up, boy!"
Harry's head snapped back around. His eyes were wide and dilated. "Yes, sir. Sorry, sir. I saw a . . . Draco said it's a ghost? Peeves, sir? And I ran, and I wasn't watching where I was going and I tripped and knocked down the soldier man."
"Is there anything else you wish to tell me?" Please speak up, Draco, Severus thought. Show Harry you are worthy to be his friend.
But only Harry moved, and then, just to shake his head. "No, sir."
He was going to need to be direct. "Draco?"
Draco jerked as if he'd been slapped, then brought his head up, eyes wide and innocent. "Uncle Sev?"
"Do you have anything to add?"
The boy gave Harry a quick glance and out of the corner of his eye, Harry shook his head, just a tiny bit, so little that if Severus had not been watching for it, he would not have noticed. "No, sir. But it was an accident."
"Very well, Draco. Harry, please go to your room. Now."
"Yes, sir." Watching his feet again, Harry took off at a half lope, half scuttle, and Severus sighed. His head ached. He pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking he would likely not get a start on the infirmary potions today.
"Uncle Sev?"
Rage flared in him so strongly for an instant that he was sure that if he turned around, he would say many things he would come to regret, and he had already apologized as much as he was going to, to this child. Not looking at the boy, he said, "Draco, go back to our rooms. Do not even think of leaving."
"Yes, sir."
Severus heard the puzzlement in Draco's voice, and didn't care. "Go, I said!"
Draco jumped, and ran after his friend. Severus called up Nelli and told her to keep an eye on the boys, and that they were not to leave his quarters. Then he Reparo'd the armor and went directly to the Headmaster's office.
Once inside, having refused both tea and boiled sweets, he paced before Albus' desk. "This isn't working."
"What seems to be the matter, dear boy?"
"I am not cut out to be a father."
"We've discussed this before. I imagine we'll keep doing so until you feel more secure in your role. But where else would the boy go if you pushed him away?"
It was only one of the questions that plagued Severus right now. Another was, "Tell me, how do I keep from hurting him? I can not seem to keep from scaring him whenever I raise my voice. And I am not accustomed to being civil all the time."