Badgersoul

Chapter 15: Oh, Junior

Chapter 15: Oh, Junior

It worked. Pettigrew is a rat. The implications of that are rather alarming but I'm not going to dwell on that. Pettigrew seems fine but I'll keep an eye on him for the next month to make sure there are no adverse effects from my meddling in a very delicate process.

**

Leo and Draco were the subjects of much teasing and jokes over the next week – particularly at the hands of Zabini and the rest of the Slytherins. They made many references to Skeeter's first article about Leo, concluding that since Draco was the thing he'd miss most, they must be together. Comments about it ended rather swiftly when Leo made a point of gluing their tongues to the roofs of their mouths any time it was brought up.

Draco, for his part, was more confused than anything else. He'd thought for sure that it would be Luna at the bottom of the lake, not him. Leo had taken a moment to think about this before shrugging and saying it was probably because he was family, and Leo was very protective of his family – moreso than his friends. That's not to say he wouldn't do anything for his friends, it's just that family mattered more to him. Thankfully, Luna was very understanding of this and didn't seem the least bit upset that she hadn't been dragged under a freezing lake for him to rescue.

On the contrary, she invited him out for the next Hogsmeade weekend. Much as he wanted to go with her, he had to decline, stating that he would be seeing his uncle. Any other person would've alerted the Ministry but, once more, Luna was very understanding and told him to have fun. He was very grateful that his girlfriend was far from normal.

As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course. Apollo turned up at breakfast on Friday morning with half his feathers sticking up the wrong way. He pecked angrily at Leo's face and hands before practically throwing the letter at him and swooping away, clipping the boy in the head with his wing as he did so. Draco wouldn't stop laughing at him, much to his annoyance.

"Unless you want to be involved in something so illegal it'll get you locked up in Azkaban, you should probably leave," Leo grumbled at him.

Draco merely rolled his eyes before departing the Gryffindor table, Leo opening his letter as he left. Sirius's letter was almost as short as the previous one.

Be at stile at end of road out of Hogsmeade (past Dervish and Banges) at two o'clock on Saturday afternoon. Bring as much food as you can.

There was another note in Remus's handwriting beneath it.:

Not necessary, Padfoot's been getting plenty of food. If you want to bring snacks, Leo, that's up to you.

Leo snorted when Remus directed his statement at him. He could read between the lines – he wanted Leo to bring chocolate. Remus's obsession with the sweets almost rivaled his own. He tapped his chin thoughtfully. Remus's birthday was coming up, so he might as well buy him loads of chocolate to celebrate.

"He hasn't come back to Hogsmeade?" said Ron incredulously.

"It looks like it, doesn't it?" said Hermione.

"I can't believe him," said Harry tensely, "if he's caught..."

"Dunno what you three are worried about," Leo shrugged, setting the letter alight so no one could get their hands on it. "Remus is just coming to Hogsmeade to walk his dog – what's the issue?"

The other three snorted before they got up and headed off to their final lesson of the day – double Potions with the Slytherins. Draco joined them as they departed the Great Hall and walked toward the dungeons, descending the steps down beneath the castle.