𝐌𝐎𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐑 𝐊𝐍𝐎𝐖𝐒 𝐁𝐄𝐒𝐓

Chapter 10

Mother Knows Best

Chapter Ten

Give Them a Show

Dumbledore had tried his hardest to make the Hogwarts auditorium look scary for the talent show, that much was obvious. The lights, which just the day before could put the brightest of tanning beds to shame, were dimmed by the gigantic dark screen hanging from the ceiling. Fire hazard? Probably. Plastic, glow-in-the-dark skeletons and cobwebs were hanging from the walls along with other cheap, department store-bought Halloween decorations. Even he teachers had dressed up. Except for Snape, who had outright refused. Which was fine because the man was scary enough already. The point is, Dumbledore had succeeded in making the room look scary. Not 'frightening' scary, more like 'so-corny-it's-scary' scary. But it's the thought that counts, right? Or does that only qualify when someone gives you a lame gift?

"Harry! Sign this."

Harry had just entered the auditorium, only a half an hour before the talent show would start. Mostly everyone was already seated, waiting for the first act to begin. Harry didn't think he was one to get stage fright, but he was act number five and Sirius and the rest of The Marauders had yet to arrive. And they had all of the equipment! He made a mental note to have a talk with his godfather about the definition of punctuality. Admittedly, he was starting to get a little nervous and Lucky Charms Jr. thrusting a clipboard in his face wasn't helping the matter at all.

Said Leprechaun was gazing at him up and down, taking in his choice of attire. Harry had to wonder how Seamus had even recognised him in the first place. Even he had hardly been able to discern his own reflection in the mirror with how he looked now.

"I'm a little busy Seamus. Can't this wait?"

"Not really. Look, just sign it, please? It'll only take a sec," the Irishman pleaded, shaking the pen insistently.

Harry sighed, readjusting his guitar over his shoulder before grabbing the pen and quickly jotting down his name, not bothering to read it first.

"Thanks. Oh, hey, Ron. Sign this," Seamus said as soon as he spotted Ron and Dean enter the room, taking the clipboard from Harry and handing it to the redhead. Harry took this as his opportunity to leave.

"'The Hogwarts Gay-Straight Student Alliance Petition'? Seamus, what the hell is this?" Ron questioned.

Harry stopped in his tracks, turning back to them. "Wait. What did I just sign?"

"Seamus watched a movie about discrimination and now he's decided to become an activist," Dean explained. It was stated dryly, but looking at him, Harry could tell he was proud of his boyfriend. Mostly because Dean was also carrying around a clipboard.

Ron blinked, shaking his head. "What?"

"It's a petition. I asked Dumbledore if I could start a Gay-Straight Alliance and he said that if I get enough student signatures, he'll approve it. I made posters and flyer's, and even buttons. Look," Seamus said, reaching into his pocket and taking out a rainbow striped button that read 'GSA', holding it up for them to see.

Behind him was a table that Harry hadn't noticed before. Two boxes were set up on it, both filled to the brim with said flyer's and more petition papers. It was kind of unorganized and messy, but it was a start.

"He did all of this in one day?" Ron questioned.

"Apparently," Dean shrugged.

"You guys wanna join?" Seamus asked hopefully.