New Beginnings

chapter 38

Harry spent another few hours with his parents and was almost prepared to leave (they all had their own things to do).

"Tom knows and Draco." He blurted out, waiting for them to say something.

"Okay." Barty honestly didn't mind that the two knew, he'd have liked to be told first for obvious reasons but he was happy that Harry had support. "about Draco, how long have you been dating?"

Severus froze, realizing he hadn't told Barty that the two weren't dating but then decided to watch the events unfold.

"We...we're not dating?" 

"You sound unsure." Barty smirked. "Come on, you can't deny there's something there."

Harry simply stared, not knowing what to say or do for a few moments. 

"Mum!" Harry whined, rolling his eyes sky high but smiling nonetheless.

Barty mimicked Harry, "Harry!"

"Calm down ladies your both beautiful." Severus teased, earning two pillows thrown at his face. "You should consider asking Draco on a date."

"there's not much to do in a castle though." Harry gave up on denying it, he kind of wanted the awkward parent speech and also watching Draco get the shovel talk would be amusing.

"Actually there's a hogsmeade trip next weekend." Severus smiled softly as confusion spread across Barty and Harry's faces.

"There is?"

"There is now."

Barty and Harry shared a look of amusement, which Severus chose to ignore for the time. It would be hard to convince Aurora to allow it considering Severus had just had to argue with her about Barty, however he hoped to argue that the children needed a good break from classes and drama. 

Harry hugged each of his parents goodbye, making sure to go back for one last one before leaving. He planned to find Draco and hopefully talk more to the boy about the rest of the Order of Phoenix. Obviously he knew about Mad-eye and knew the man would be hard to take down but Harry also hoped it wouldn't come down to that.

Others like Kingsley had been pulling away according to Hermione and both teens agreed to leave him be after his role in Dumbledore and Umbridge's arrests. 

They'd moved down to the headmasters office, all of them having things to do and both adults would spend most of the day in there.

Except just as they were finishing their talk (meaningless things really) Aurora Sinistra walked in, not even batting an eyelid at the group, even Barty who wasn't glamoured and was obviously the man who was supposed to be dead.

"Severus, Barty, Mr Potter." She greeted each of them.

There was a tense silence. On one side a serene looking deputy gazed idly at the assembled group, holding a group of files close to her chest, hair loose and flowing in a deliberate contrast to Minerva's tight bun. Aurora still wore the same blue robes she normally had (Harry was willing to bet her cupboard was full of the multiple blue robes) and as comfortable as she appeared, none of them could read her.

On the other side, Harry stood anxiously, resisting the urge to shift his weight from one foot to the other or fiddle. He didn't dare glance back to his parents, unwillingly to take his eyes off the one thing that could separate the lot of them. He was busy thinking up contingencies and ways to get out of the situation without anyone hurt.