The Brightest Star Of The Darkest Night

44. Staff Meeting At Hogwarts

A/N:

Hey guys! Last year I applied for a new job, and the notice came out last week, I was selected! Here's to hoping my new job will be less time-consuming than before!

Cheers!

And enjoy!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey Severus, are you," Barty paused at the fireplace from where he had just gotten out into the living room of Severus's small townhouse in the Spinner's End. Rabastan, now Reylan, was snacking on some sandwich and conversing with Severus who was drinking tea, both of them stopped to look at Barty who lamely finished, "...ready?" while ignoring the constricting feeling inside his heart on seeing his teenage crush cozying up with his colleagues and confidante.

No, he is not jealous. He is not. Why he would be? It's not like Reylan would return his feelings? He can date whoever he wants, it's his second chance at life! He can date Severus, if he wants. For some reason, it broke his heart even more.

Speaking of teenagers... Barty might as well be prepared to face another sacrifice as from this fall, Reylan will become a teenager! Fourteen years old Hogwarts students! Their student, to be more specific. As interesting as it sounds, their Lord's new Hogwarts may not agree with such a forbidden romance between teacher and students!

"Ah Barthélemy," Severus sipped his tea, "Is it time already?" He glanced at the clock and raised his eyebrows.

"Well, we still have like half an hour to kill," Barty shrugged unrepentant, looking around thinking where to seat. Beside Severus, maybe? Before he can come up with a decision, Reylan conjured a chair beside him and pulled it out, offering it to Barty. Smiling and nodding in thanks as he tried to squash the flattering feeling inside his chest, Barty took a seat on the chair. Raba - Reylan had always been such a gentleman with him! It looks like it hadn't changed over the course of a half-decade since they haven't seen each other. Barty looked back at Severus who prepared tea for Barty just the way Barty likes, two sugars and a splash of milk, making him smile. These are the little things that made him feel appreciated by his friends, these were the reason he had yearned to get away from home, to the Hogwarts - his home away from home.

"I take it that it was a success?" Severus asked, knowing why Barty must have arrived earlier than the time they agreed on.

"Yeah," Barty accepted his tea, sipping it, and relaxed back into the comfortable chair. There is something special in the Darjeeling Chai that always leaves him wanting more, "Our Master ordered Augustus to charm our Little Prince. He just left before I did."

"What?" Reylan frowned at them, "Why would Augustus charm The Dark Prince?"

"It was the Restraining Charm that our Lord applied for Little Prince, against Dumbledore," Barty explained and Reylan widened his eyes and nodded in understanding. He heard about this from Cissy.

"How is Little Prince doing?"

"Still an energetic menace to the society."

Reylan snorted at that, "He truly can wreak havoc even without even meaning it, doesn't he?" His voice was undoubtedly fond, "You know when we saw him yesterday, our Little Prince was pouting from the corner of Master's office, grounded by his mother after the latest mess he made."

Severus snorted, knowing what had happened and Barty's eyes shot up, he was busy with some business in Crouch Estate so he was not aware of anything that transpired yesterday, "What happened?"