The Contract

Chapter 18

"Mr. Potter, stay a moment," professor Flitwick called out, summoning all the feathers he was still using to teach the rest of the students the levitation charm. While the rest of the students were reading ahead in their charms textbooks. Waiting patiently for his first years to bag their workbooks, parchment, quills and ink before trudging off towards their next classes, not without giving a curious look over their shoulders as to why Flitwick wanted with Potter.

"Is something the matter, Professor?" Harry asked, watching as he used magic, the murmured Latin giving away the fact it was a silencing spell. There must be students outside waiting, either people early to class or saying behind to try and overhear their conversation.

"Has something happened between yourself and Lord Lestrange?" Filius asked, tone concerned and grim, as he sat on his chair, bones aching.

Harry blinked, staring at his Head of House, clearly thrown by the question. "Wha..." he managed to rasp out, stunned. He knew Corvus would be disappointed by his reply, he should have remained silent until he was able to function fully. "I mean, excuse me?" pulling himself up, spine straight as he stared at Professor Flitwick.

"Ah, nothing has happened then, that's a relief," Filius said, gauging Harry's reactions, and considering them sincere, obviously nothing had happened. "If you ever need help, no matter who it is regarding, you come to me, is that understood?" he would protect his Ravenclaw's with all he had in him.

"While I appreciate the sentiment, Professor, I am confused why you feel the need to say those statements," Harry said, definitely not disappointing Corvus this time.

"The decision to stay at Hogwarts had been confused, that is all," Filius explained, waving away Harry's concern and statements.

"Stay at Hogwarts?" Harry was becoming more perplexed instead of having this entire conversation wrapped up. "I'm not staying at Hogwarts." He had made it more than clear he was going home for the holidays.

"Then perhaps you'd explain why you put your name down on the paperwork for remaining at Hogwarts during the holidays?" Filius questioned, flipping through paperwork before finding what he wanted and handing it to the clearly confused Harry. This was merely a real-time copy of the one in the common room, there was also another in the Headmaster's office. Something more was going on, that was clear, and he was very grateful that he had the forethought to enquire further.

Harry stared at his signature, having to concede it was very much like his own. He knew he hadn't signed up to stay though, "Well, it must have been someone's idea of a joke." Harry said blankly, "Is there any way it can be removed?" he was leaving Hogwarts with or without his name on that stupid list. Showing how dismissive he was at his inclusion on the paperwork. "I will be leaving on the Hogwarts Express and returning home." Refusing to say the name, even with the silencing spells up, he knew better than to just trust anything just because a few precautions had been taken. He didn't understand how many things could be done, but he knew it was a lot. Corvus said he'd help him, and send him books too. Which of course, he was, and was sending mice and things for Hedwig, which made Harry beam in happiness that Corvus knew him well enough to know he'd like his owl cared for as well.

"The train will not leave if the number is not correct," Flitwick informed the young boy, "But it is simple enough to remove your name," with that Flitwick tapped his wand on Harry's name and it quickly disappeared and the rest of the names moved up filling the space left behind.

"Thank you," Harry said, making a mental note to check and make sure whoever was doing it didn't put his name on again. If it came to it, he would simply Portkey back, he had an emergency Portkey - activated by his blood with only one person travelling, which would be him - he hadn't used it yet obviously. Corvus had given it to him in the event that Dumbledore tries to forbid Harry from returning to his 'betrothed' which was only a precautionary measure he'd said. Corvus didn't think Dumbledore would risk things as they stood in trying to force Harry elsewhere. He'd rather be safe than sorry, and thus it had been packed at the bottom of his trunk for safe keeping.