{Half A Hero} Hufflepuff!Reader

Chapter 19: At What Cost

Owls fluttered through the main hall speeder than usual. Almost wanting to hear the dread of their owners at the world news. Jason poured you more coffee, making the same observation as a joke.

With doing classes together as Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff, you've both made an effort to be more aware of each other. Not friends. Not allies. No. He made it clear he was keeping you close, because that's what you do with enemies.

"Now look at this," He said to your essay. "What's a Mandrake doing in a bar? Why is this joke in a essay for Basil eye use?"

"Snape likes my jokes."

"Snape's an old man. Why are you trying to make him laugh?"

"Why do you care?"

"I don't."

Whatever he says to float his conscious. In your eyes, he was a pal again. Besides, this had been your usual breakfast routine, to steal away as the Hufflepuff's discussed their newest routine for Quidditch.

You're use to hanging out with Star for classes, not in the morning. She's too excited. Having a future in professional Quidditch does that.

Ambitions do that, and though you have a future you look forward to, you have not been trying that hard for it. Its especially difficult when your marked in the highest levels for each year. Even in things you don't know they were marking.

A gifted child, your father said. A parasite, your government warned. Another Potter, Dumbledore quipped.

Commotions broke out across the the hall. Students complained to your father at the head table. The man stared back as Owlishly as the messengers of sudden despair.

"What's the fuss about?" You asked.

"Cant you hear?"

You couldnt explain that the noises merged into a violent hum. You could only hear the emotions of the people, not their words. Not their logic, Dumbledore spotted very early on, but you dismissed it as a sage from the old days wanting to be relevant for the kicks. 

You wished you asked him more. He seemed more knowledgeable in your bloodline and its inheritance. Knowing one half of you better would help more than knowing neither.

"Umbridge cant be minister of education!" Hazard burst from the Gryffindor table.

Of course. Of course. Of course it would be that. Fudge wouldnt have let something interrupt his plan of having a crunch on the mentality of the next generation. Your father predicted this, but not the demands of his children.

You were able to listen to Hazard at least. His voice the loudest, easiest to focus on. A siren to your tornado.

Jason showed you the newspaper. You thanked him for his patience, but that made him irritated. He slouched against your shoulder while he read the article in your ear. Though his voice a calming hum, you could still only hear Hazard. You had to read on your own.

Fudge blatantly lied about father stepping in as what Dumbledore wanted. But that was not at all how it happened, if you remembered correctly. Your father threatened him out of the position. Dumbledore said he had more pressing matters to handle and as long as Umbridge was out. All was well. You weren't sure how this affected his plans on the war side.

Mcgonagall silenced the hall by standing at the podium. Kids sat immediately. Owls left in an orderly fashion.

"Settle down." She said uselessly. "Let us not lose our heads at what we can not control, shall we? Today we welcome a trusted face returning to teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, Professor Lupin."

The hall roared, except the first years. The youth looked around helplessly, a few curious at the smiling man the walked to stand beside Mcgonagall. He bowed, which resulted in another roar of approval.

You watched Snape's frown snap as your eyes crossed for a second. Only just.

Raven warned you that a teacher's only this weird if their repressing their darkness, but laughed when you plainly asked if he was a pedophile. But you only asked because of Jason. And Snuffles the soot Sprite. Harry renamed him, he didnt like the dog being named after a person that was after him. A lie that you let him keep.

Jason warns you to stop wooing the man. But it's all jokes to you. Then Jason would remind you that those girls kidnapped and sent to billionaires island thought that invite to meet a friend was a joke.

"No. Wouldnt they have thought it was for fun?"

"Arent jokes for fun? Just date Richard."

"No. That feels like you're sacrificing him."

"I am. I dont know what you're going to do to him."

"Neither do I. That's why I want to practice on Snape."

"With how you're acting, he'll let you. Do you want him to catch a case?"

"You think I'm worth catching a case for?"

His last love was a teenaged Hazard's mom, you heard from Harry. Father didnt let him teach as much now, and wouldnt say why. Slughorn will be coming in within the week. You weren't sure why you chose this as a past time. You decided to check in Professor Sprout more if you needed an elder's attention.

"I look forward to teaching you all. Back on the government stipulated curriculum."

The hall groaned in disdain. You internally, because now Snape chose to stare holes in the back of Lupin's head. You hadn't noticed he had a charm about him that Flitwick couldnt emulate.

"Stop it." Jason scolded for the millionth time.

"What now?"

"You sighed at him."

"Stop being so jealous."

"And please." Mcgonagall said. "Be calm about the news, children. Let the Adults handle it."

"Like they've been handling it this whole time." You heard Hazard's mutter as far as apart as you were. His upset loud.