A Hogwarts Intervention

Chapter 16: Bets of the Interesting Kind

The students dispersed to whatever fun activities or homework they had a mind to. All the while they talked about the latest surprises that Harry had brought to their personal world. Topics ranged from the battle royal, the taming of the Dark Lord, the return of the founders, or the banishing of the pink toad. No one saw him or his mates until the next day when classes resumed.

This second day passed with little more interest than the integration of the two Aurors taking over the Defense post and the Founders taking a look at how badly their school had been messed with. It was a rash bet between seventh years that set everyone off again and the house betting pools were having a field day, especially the Slytherin one.

"I bet you 2 galleons that you can't hug Snape's assistant and I'll add a sickle for every minute after the first one," taunted a seventh year Hufflepuff. "Bet you can't even get near him!"

"Are you insane?! Professor Snape has claimed him and Potter. Touch either of them and he'll kill you!" his Slytherin friend protested. They had been studying in the library when his friend had made the Gryffindor-like challenge out of nowhere.

"Fine then, 3 galleons for a 30 second hug and 2 sickles for every minute after. If you can get the man to hug you back you get an extra galleon, the same if you can get Snape to let you off without taking points or giving a detention. It doesn't count if he doesn't see you," the Hufflepuff challenged again.

"Why don't we toss it out there for everyone to try?" a Slytherin sixth year one study table over suggested with sudden inspiration.

"I don't have that kind of coin, I'm not Malfoy!" the Hufflepuff protested.

"So add Snape as a target into the pool and any failed attempt has a galleon fine to help pay anyone that actually wins. No risk, no reward, and they have to pay the fine before making the attempt to be recognized as winning. They do it and they get their winnings plus the penalty fee back. The lack of points loss or detention bonus is only valid if you try it in front of Snape," the Slytherin smirked.

"Potter can't play if they really are mates," a curious passing upper year Ravenclaw pointed out, joining the conversation.

"If they find out we'll have to give them a cut for being the targets, assuming we won't be in detention for a month with the entire pot confiscated," the Slytherin pointed out with a smirk.

"We should make snagging Snape worth more" the Ravenclaw contemplated.

"No, the assistant guy is supposed to have been You-Know-Who before Winter hols. Its why I'm offering up gold for thirty seconds of hugging him. Snape is a bastard and his rep is why his target reward is the same without some of the bonus'," the Hufflepuff explained smugly.

"That's fair," the Ravenclaw agreed with a nod of understanding. "I'll put the word out among the Ravens and the Gryffs."

"We'll get our houses," the Hufflepuff agreed with a smirk as they all turned back to studying before Madam Pince could throw them out of her domain.

The first attempt happened the next day at lunch. Cho Chang had paid the galleon without a moment's thought. Despite the various announcements she didn't believe for a moment that the gorgeous hunk with ruby eyes could be the evil Dark Lord never mind that she didn't realize that until last night. She planned to have him, at any cost.

Voldemort was enjoying his lunch in the main hall, sitting next to his bondmates at the teacher's table when a stray determined thought caught his eye. In that moment he was never so glad for picking up the habit of lightly reading the mind of the people around him.

Cho didn't make it past the end of the student tables before being hexed. She had only gotten that far because he wanted to be sure she was actually trying something rather than just fantasizing.

"What was that for?" Harry asked curiously.

"I will not let random students assault me for a cuteness bet," Voldemort informed them all stubbornly. "I don't care how much gold is riding on it. I am not a cuddle toy."

"Aw, that's sweet. Tom's playing with the students," Helga cooed, making said Dark Lord blush deeply in embarrassment. Harry just snickered, feeling no sympathy for the man as he had been the one to inflict the cursed savior status on him causing the same thing to happen at the strangest times.

"Don't worry dear, I'll protect you," Harry said sweetly as he patted a grumpy Voldemort on the arm, earning an amused snort from Severus.

"Besides you are a cuddle toy, just only for us," Severus snarked under his breath. Voldemort didn't comment, instead he stood up, walked behind the potions master, dragged him to his feet and threw him over his shoulder. Severus yelped in surprise at being so rudely removed from his meal.

"Put me down!" Severus protested, struggling to get free and retrieve his dignity.

"Come brat, we have a bondmate to remind who is the cuddle toy," Voldemort ordered before heading out of the hall, protesting mate over his shoulder and his laughing younger mate trailing behind the two.

"We did good," Godric declared, staring after their heirs fondly, glad for their playfulness.

"That we did," Salazar agreed appreciatively.

"Men," most of the female staff muttered fondly as everyone turned back to their food.