Thicker than Water (Marauders Era) PART II

10 August, 1995 - Home (III)

"Where exactly do you think you're going?"

"Um... Out?"

"You're supposed to stay in this house until your hearing."

"Am I?"

"No one ever actually said that specifically, Molly," Lavinia sighed, watching the stout woman's glare shift from Harry to herself. Which was relieving in one sense. And terrifying in another.

"We are trying to keep him safe here," Molly snapped, glowering at Lavinia with truly impressive intensity. "I assume you haven't forgotten that?"

Lavinia sighed. She'd expected this. Which was why she'd tried to leave quietly and without the other woman noticing. Which in retrospect had not been the brightest idea, but... "Of course not, Molly," Lavinia murmured, trying to keep herself from rolling her eyes. "We'll be gone for just an hour or two and I promise I'll keep him safe."

Molly narrowed her eyes at Lavinia, who tipped her head to the side in silent challenge. "Forgive me if I think your track record on that isn't stellar," the woman huffed, still scowling slightly, if slightly less so.

Lavinia just flicked her brows up. "Actually," she countered a bit drily, "My track record on Harry's safety is better than anyone's, last I checked. Even Dumbledore."

Molly frowned at that, as though trying to remember why she had thought otherwise or else trying to come up with a valid counterpoint. Apparently, however, nothing was forthcoming because she just huffed. "He'd better be back by dinner time," she agreed, her voice rather clipped.

Lavinia smiled slightly, knowing she'd won this particular argument. "Of course," she agreed, inclining her head slightly before, deciding not to press her luck any further, she pushed the door open behind her and held it for Harry to exit first.

He did so, stepping out onto the front step and continuing to look a bit surprised by the whole thing. Actually, he'd looked surprised since the moment Lavinia had showed up to the door of the room he and Ron shared and asked him if he was still willing to spend an afternoon with her.

The look of utter shock he'd given her then had faded slightly but still wasn't gone and was, in Lavinia's opinion, a clear indicator that he'd had absolutely no faith in her at all. Perhaps, she reasoned, he had thought she'd decided that disaster of an after dinner conversation had been sufficient. Or perhaps he had just thought she was going to chicken out. Until just the other day, Lavinia might have even gone so far as to think Sirius had said something to that effect but... Well but given the conversation they'd had, she really, truly, didn't believe he would ever say something like then. Then again, whispered a rather annoying little voice in her head, she wouldn't have believed he'd say several other things that he had definitely said.

But, she reminded herself a bit sternly, she knew why he had said those things. He had feared for Harry's safety. And he had been stressed, cooped up in this house with no way to help his godson and... and yes, lines had been crossed but how could she possibly hold it against him? When Sirius had turned up again after twelve years, after he had left her behind... She too had crossed lines. And yes, it hadn't been as long, but Lavinia didn't suppose the scene would have been much prettier even if Sirius had come back only weeks after disappearing. Because the fact would have remained that he had left in the first place. Just as the fact remained that Lavinia had left too.

For now, however, Lavinia just sighed and pulled herself back to the present, closing the front door behind her and offering Harry her arm.

He just stared at her. Lavinia blinked and raised her brows slightly before she realized that there was a very good chance Harry had never experienced, or perhaps even heard of side along apparition.