It Had To Be You

Chapter Six: I Wandered Around And Finally Found

Severus couldn't help but smile as Harry squeezed his hand one last time before he rushed ahead of him, practically bouncing in his excitement to answer the door. Upon opening it, he drew back at the unexpected sight of Remus, Tonks, Albus, Minerva, Molly, Arthur, Ron, and Hermione standing there. Severus put a hand upon Harry's shoulder, and gently drew him back to his side; the protection in vampires ran deep, and Severus was no exception to that rule.

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Severus asked, and Ron immediately looked away from him, while Hermione blushed, both sixth-years easily figuring out his less-than-calm demeanor. "It is rather early for socializing..."

"Severus, this conversation would be better-suited inside," Albus said pragmatically, and Severus rolled his eyes, but nevertheless ushered in the uninvited guests with a nod, and moved with Harry to an armchair beside the fire, and gently pulled Harry into his lap, which the young man didn't seem to mind; in fact, he snuggled closer to his husband.

"This will not be a delicate conversation," Minerva said gravely, and nodded to Ron, who drew something out of his pocket, which Hermione un-shrunk immediately. "Please give the paper to Severus, Mr. Weasley."

Ron nodded, squeezing Hermione's hand for a moment before he crossed the room, blushing red to his ears at the sight of his best friend in their potion professor's arms, and handed over the paper to the two of them. "Sorry, mate," he said to Harry, before he re-joined Hermione on the couch, where Albus and Minerva sat on her other side.

"What's this about?" Harry asked as Severus unfolded the morning's edition of The Daily Profit, which had likely only just hit the stands before breakfast.

In bold script upon the first page, were the words, Death Eater Marries Boy-Who-Lived in Secret Ceremony, and Harry felt a chill up his spine. He turned and looked at Severus, who remained impassive for the moment, although he suddenly shook with anger. Before Harry could read the article—which was published by none other than Rita Skeeter—Severus had thrown the rag into the fireplace beside them. Harry immediately ran his fingers through Severus's hair in an attempt to calm him, unsure of what else to do.

"We've already given Veritaserum to everyone who was present at the ceremony," Tonks told Harry softly, from where she was perched upon the arm of the chair opposite, holding tightly to Remus's hand. "None of the parties sold you out, Harry, you can be assured of that."

"None of this makes any sense," Molly said, shaking her head as she began pacing back and forth through the small living room. "I don't understand who would do such a thing. Naturally, we thought it was Draco, but..."

"But due to his love for Ginny," Arthur said, cutting across his wife from where he stood beside the fireplace, his hand resting upon the mantlepiece, "we knew it couldn't have been him and, even when questioned, he did not waver in his story."

"It's perfectly reasonable to assume how it was done," Hermione said, her tone biting, as Ron placed an arm around her shoulders.

"Miss Granger?" Albus asked.

Hermione sighed. "Perhaps you should learn to ask questions a bit better, sir," she said carefully, and rolled her shoulders. "Rita Skeeter is an unregistered Animagus."

Minerva paled at that. "Well, that certainly would explain things."

"What form does she take, Miss Granger?" Albus asked.

"A beetle," Hermione replied, her nose wrinkling in disgust. "I found out after the tournament at the end of fourth-year. "Kept her in a jar, too. However, when I did finally let her out, I made her promise not to write false stories about Harry anymore."