Let Me Be Your Voice

Part 15

**Smut Warning**

Lunch that day was unpleasant. Harry was surrounded by his friends at the Gryffindor table, yet felt more apart from them than he had in ages, wanting nothing more than to retire to his dormitory and to pull his blanket over his head and stay there until he felt better.

The conversations in the hall were abuzz with speculations, as the student body had witnessed Smith and Boot as they were escorted out by Sprout and Flitwick at breakfast and hadn’t returned. Based on the fact that people kept looking at him and then turning to whisper with their classmates, Harry surmised that they had sussed out that the reason for Boot and Smith’s departure had to do with him.

He was surprised when an owl swooped in and dropped a letter in his soup. Normally the post was delivered at breakfast.

The envelope was large and sealed with an official-looking stamp that he first thought was the symbol of the Ministry of Magic, but upon closer inspection was actually three Ws emblazoned in a sort of upside-down version of the Ministry’s seal.

He broke the seal and opened the letter.

Harry,

I can’t help but wonder if I overstepped my bounds in sending you the last parcel, as I’ve not heard from you. Just send this letter back with a quick note, mate. Either tell me to stuff it or put my mind at rest, will you?

~George

Harry stuffed the letter back in its envelope and stowed it in his bag. He got to his feet. He’d totally forgotten to write back to George and wanted to do it before he was sidetracked again.

“What is that, Harry?” Hermione asked, raising her eyebrows. “Was it from the Ministry?”

“It’s just a quick note. I’ll tell you about it later. I need the loo.”

He excused himself and went to the nearest toilets, taking his bag with him.

Once he was safely barricaded in the only cubicle with a door, he sat on the toilet and pulled out the letter and a quill, balancing them on a book on his knees. He turned the letter over to write his response.

George,

I’m sorry to have kept you waiting, but you know how it is with me and my track record. I can’t seem to go an hour without being involved in some sort of threat-of-death scheme. Don’t ask ...

The Snitch … is brilliant! Fred knew what he was doing when he designed it. It’s taken me some time to come to terms with everything, and I’m still sort of working it out, but thank you for reaching out to me and supporting me, even though you weren’t sure. I really appreciate it.

No I don’t think you’ve overstepped your bounds. I think a line of sex toys is pure genius and I will be more than happy to have a look at your other prototypes. Thank you for being discreet. You’re a real mate.

~Harry

He paused a moment, the quill hovering just over his signature. He wondered if he should tell George about Malfoy. He didn’t have anybody else to talk to about it, but then realised it was probably not that great an idea considering how Fred had died and the fact Malfoy was a marked Death Eater.

He scrawled a last-minute postscript.

I could use one of your Patented Daydream Charms. Got anything that plays to my fancy? I’ve had a bit of a let-down and could use a bit of cheer. Thanks.