Inevitable

15 | Two Letters & A Package

Two letters arrived the next morning, delivered by two very serious owls who flew in and out without stopping for a treat or a drink of water, even though Harry offered.

Archimedes and Henrietta, who got along famously, watched them apprehensively from their little tree in the corner of the room.

One of the letters was addressed to Harry, the other to Draco. Harry turned them over curiously, examining the seals.

He walked into the bedroom where Draco was pulling on his Healer robes, his hair still slightly damp from the shower.

"Mail's just arrived. I got something from Hogwarts. I don't recognize the seal on yours."

Draco took it, glancing at the back. Harry watched as the color drained from his already-pale face.

"Azkaban. It's—It's from my father. He's never written to me. Mother wrote to him a few times, before she died, but I never did. I just..." Draco's voice trailed off, leaving his sentence unfinished.

"Do you—" Harry asked tentatively, "—Er, do you want to open it?"

Draco nodded, fingers shaking as he carefully broke the seal and unfolded the letter. His eyes scanned the paper briefly.

"He wants me to visit," Draco said flatly. "Says he wants to talk."

Harry's expression was inscrutable. "Huh. Well, that's... Something."

Harry opened his own letter, his eyes widening in surprise.

"It's from McGonagall. The Defense professor is retiring at the end of the year. She wants me to come interview for the job."

"You should do it!" Draco responded enthusiastically.

Harry shook his head. "I can't. You know I can't leave my job with the Aurors."

"Harry, you told me yourself that you wanted to change careers six months ago. Why wouldn't you go for this? You would be great at it, and you would enjoy it. It would be stupid not to! I know you well enough to know that, even if you won't admit it."

"I can't," Harry repeated stubbornly, "When I told you that, I didn't know—"

"That the Wizarding World was in need of their Savior again?" Draco finished sarcastically.

Harry's expression darkened. "Stop it, Dray. You know I don't think of myself like that."

"Do I? You're turning your nose up at something that would make you happy so that you can go out and save the day again. Even though it's killing you. Even though you come home exhausted and heartbroken and bruised and beaten down at least half the time. You know the Auror department would still function without you, right? It did just recently, as I recall."

Harry glared at him. "People are dying out there, Draco. People are scared. I need to help. I can't just leave. It would be a cowardly move to abandon them now."

"Well, we can't have anyone thinking you're a coward, now can we? Bloody Gryffindor and all. Happiness be damned—"

"STOP!" Harry shouted, his magic crackling dangerously around him. He grabbed his Auror robes from the closet and stormed to the doorway. He took a deep breath and paused, lowering his voice to a normal level.

"My answer is no, Draco, and that's final. I'm going for drinks with Jaz and the rest after work tonight. Don't wait up for me."

Harry left without another word, slamming the front door behind him and leaving Draco silently fuming as he finished getting ready and left for St. Mungo's.