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batsutousaiTitle: Abandon
Author:![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
batsutousai
Beta:magickmaker17
Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort), Seamus/Blaise, Ginevra/Theodore, post-Ron/Hermione, Salazar/Godric, Sirius/Remus
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.), Dumbledore bashing, Ron bashing
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
Chapter 45, Part 1
-
Chapter 45, Part 2
-
-------------------
“Tell me again why you’re up this early?”
Harry scowled at his godfather. “I have a meeting to go to, Siri. I don’t think they’ll want you there, either.”
“Well, I’m coming. Not letting you out of my sight for a moment.”
“Great.” The teen stopped before the blank wall he knew the teacher’s lounge was behind.
“Teacher’s lounge? Is this a teacher’s meeting, Harry?” Sirius asked in a teasing manner.
Harry ignored the man. “Trip ‘em,” he told the wall, stepping through the entrance once it had appeared.
“Not the mutt!” Severus called out immediately.
“Told you,” Harry informed his godfather as he took the seat next to Tom and set the small pile of notes that he’d brought with him on the table. “Morning, love.”
“I notice you’ve left out the ‘good’,” Tom commented as he dropped a kiss on Harry’s cheek.
“It can hardly be ‘good’ when I’m up this bleeding early, don’t you think?” Harry shot back before offering a smile to Poppy and Severus, who were sitting next to one another. “It’s not gonna work, Sevvie. I’ve already tried.”
“You, Harry, are a Gryffindor.”
“Therefore I, Severus, would know how to fight a Gryffindor.”
“You prank them, of course,” Sirius said happily, plopping down in the open seat next to Harry.
“That’s how you fight a Marauder, Siri. Gryffindors need a good, solid whack over the head,” the green-eyed teen shot back as the entrance opened again. “Oh, good morning, Minerva.”
“Good morning, Harry.” McGonagall nodded to the young wizard and took the open seat at the head of the table while Sirius gaped at the two. “You look a little stressed.”
“Really?” Harry rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb at Sirius.
McGonagall offered the slightest of smiles, which appeared to catch quite a few of the other staff members by surprise. “Did you talk to them?”
“Yes. Talked to Albus too.” Harry nodded. “Speaking of the coot, where is he?”
“You’ve noticed that you’re early for once, correct?” Tom inquired mildly.
“Shut up, you bastard.”
Tom smirked. “Albus doesn’t normally get here until it’s closer to four, you imp.”
“Didn’t I just tell you to shut up?”
“You weren’t nice enough,” the Dark Lord replied lightly before shooting Sirius a sharp look. “I saw that wand, Black. Put it away before I snap it.”
“He’ll just get another one,” Severus offered coldly.
“Then I’ll snap that one too.”
“Oh, you two are horrible! Where’s the higher authority when you need it?” Harry exclaimed as the entrance opened again, this time to admit Albus.
“Speak of the chicken,” Tom muttered, sending Harry into a fit of quiet giggles.
Albus smiled over at Harry and Sirius as he sat in his normal seat. “Good morning, Sirius. This is a bit of a surprise.”
“He woke up while I was sneaking out. The Sleeping Draught Sevvie gave me must not have worked.” Harry sighed, shooting a wink at the Potions Professor, who covered a grin.
“Hey!” Sirius exclaimed, shooting dirty looks at anyone who laughed.
Albus chuckled. “We’ll make do. Any problem children?”
“Yeah. There’s this brat in my seventh years who’s an absolute nightmare,” Tom offered immediately. Harry bit his lip to keep from grinning.
“Oh, I think I know who you’re talking about, Marcus,” Severus chimed in. “He keeps almost exploding cauldrons in my class.”
“Nothing but trouble!” Tom agreed.
“And who is this young man?” McGonagall inquired with an annoyed look at both professors while Harry buried his face in his arms, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Tom and Severus traded looks before chorusing, “Sirius Black.”
The table filled with laughter at that. Sirius just scowled. “Hardly funny, I think. It’s not like I’ve been anywhere near any of your precious cauldrons, anyway, Snape.”
“No, Harry’s been doing too good a job of keeping you away from them,” Severus decided as everyone calmed down.
“You two are horrible,” Harry announced.
“Why, thank you, dear,” Tom replied, fluttering his eyelashes at the teen. Harry swatted his arm lightly.
“Any problem concerning students, then?” Albus said finally, still smiling madly.
“Thorald’s come around, but York, Munro, and Rockwell are still going at one another’s throats,” Hooch offered with a sigh.
“Harry?” McGonagall glanced at the youngest wizard at the table.
All eyes turned to Harry as he sighed, shaking his head. “I can try talking to them again, I suppose, but I don’t think there’s much else I can do.”
“Then we’ll have to handle this the old-fashioned way,” Severus murmured. “Let me know if Munro and York don’t stop this nonsense and I’ll have a word with them.”
“I’ll deal with Rockwell, then,” McGonagall agreed as the other staff members and Harry all nodded.
“Good. Any others? No?” Albus glanced at Harry and Tom. “Xylon and Galatea Thorald are coming by today to have that conference with you two, correct?”
“Yes. The time we set was eleven o’clock,” Harry agreed while Tom nodded. “Ula’s supposed to join us for lunch.”
“Wonderful. Would you mind if I also joined you?” the Headmaster inquired.
“I think, Albus, it might be best if Minerva attend,” Tom offered. “She is Ula’s Head of House, after all.”
“And mine,” Harry added. “She should be able to sooth any other worries Xylon or Galatea might have.”
Albus glanced at McGonagall, who nodded, then smiled at the two lovers. “Very well, then. Minerva will join you for lunch. That will be at noon?”
“Yes,” Tom agreed. “If the meeting takes longer, I’ll Floo you ahead of time, Minerva.”
“And I have a way to contact Ula,” Harry added as McGonagall opened her mouth to, no doubt, ask that very question.
McGonagall smiled faintly. “Then I’ll leave this in your capable hands.”
“All four of them, I should hope,” Tom muttered. Harry swatted his arm again as McGonagall shot the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor a dark look.
“Good. Good.” Albus nodded, eyes twinkling. “Harry, you had something to announce?”
Harry nodded. “Yes, thank you, Albus.” He glanced around the table, gaze turning serious. “Minerva and I were talking on Tuesday and we got into the subject of the DA. Minerva wanted to know if I’d start it back up again next year, since I’ll be the Defence teacher. It turned out to be a good plan, and Albus okayed it, so I ran it by the current members of the DA. The club will be an official Hogwarts’ club and be held on the weekends. It’s going to be open to all students and any witch or wizard who has graduated from a wizarding school that now resides in the United Kingdom.”
“Any witch or wizard?” Firenze asked.
“We’re not discriminating, though it was decided that those with the Dark Mark will be treated on a case-by-case basis,” Albus offered.
Harry nodded. “This is more so that we can learn a little bit of everything, and those who don’t always get a chance to practice their duelling skills can practice. Voldemort is back, and we need to be prepared,” the teen said coolly. “At any rate, we’ll need staff to help keep things under some form of control. Poppy, I’d like your help, since both Albus and I agree that basic medimagic skills are essential to everyone. Severus, I’d like your help to draw the Slytherins in.”
Poppy nodded. “You’ve spoken to Sally, I assume?”
“Yes. And Leana Moon. Both would be pleased to help,” Harry agreed.
“I suppose I will help you,” Severus decided.
“Yeah. I’m not Lockhart,” Harry offered innocently, pulling a round of laughter from the members of the staff around the table.
“Thank Merlin for that,” the Potions Professor agreed sincerely.
“Indeed.” Harry turned to Flitwick. “Professor Flitwick, would you be willing to help as well?”
The dwarf almost fell out of his chair. “Delighted!”
“Great.” Harry grinned. “Anyone else who wishes to come is, of course, welcomed. We’ll be having one former DA member in my year from each House helping me teach any spells and run things like we normally do in the DA, which I think you’ll catch on to pretty quickly, but for things like practise duelling, I’ll need all the help I can get.”
“Of course,” Severus agreed. “Now, are you keeping the name as DA? I seem to recall that standing for ‘Dumbledore’s Army,’ and I can’t see many Slytherins agreeing with that.”
“Exactly,” Harry agreed. “It’s why I called the meeting of the DA in the first place. The new name is the ‘Duelling Association,’ keeping 'DA' for short.”
“Gryffindors,” Tom mumbled, earning himself a jab in the side from Harry.
Albus chuckled and slowly drew the meeting towards class work, homework, and exam, NEWT, and OWL preparations. By the time the meeting had ended, Sirius had fallen back to sleep.
“Oh, can I wake him up?” Tom enquired evilly as the staff members collected their things.
“Wait.” Severus pulled a vial from his pocket and shook it, eyes glinting. “Pour this on him and stand back.”
“I have no part it this,” Harry hissed, getting out of the way as Severus tossed the vial to Tom, who caught it. Various members of the staff paused what they were doing to watch the two Slytherins cause trouble.
“Nope. We’ll even say you tried to stop us, love,” Tom promised, uncapping the vial. Then, with a flourish worthy of Lockhart himself, he dumped the potion on the Animagus’ head and jumped back out of the way.
Sirius woke with loud “Rrrrowr!” His eyes were quickly turning from grey to yellow-green and his pupils slitting. Triangular ears poked up out of his hair as his human-shaped ears disappeared. A long tail could be seen thrashing around behind him as he stood, gaze shooting back and forth between Tom and Severus, both of whom were smirking at him. “Meow!” he spat, then froze, eyes widening in horror.
Albus was the first to start laughing. Flitwick, Sprout, Poppy, Hagrid, Hooch, and Burbage followed his example, a few supporting themselves on the table before them.
“Told you,” Harry offered with a shrug at the cat-man.
“Merowr, raowr!”
“Severus, give him the antidote,” McGonagall ordered, hiding a smile behind one hand.
“I’d have to make it first,” Severus said in a helpless voice, which sent all of the staff, including Harry, into gales of laughter.
“Well, Black, looks like you’ll be forced to lay low for a while,” Tom offered, waving a hand at the Animagus as he slipped an arm around Harry’s waist. “Have fun, now,” he added before leading his younger lover from the room.
Sirius shot a string of hisses and “meow”s after the two retreating forms, much to the amusement of the staff.
“You should have stayed in bed,” Severus offered to Sirius before sweeping from the room himself.
Everyone else in the room burst into laughter again as the Animagus let out another string of what should have been curses.
--------------------
“Welcome,” Harry offered with a smile as Galatea and Xylon started up the front steps of the school building. “Mad-Eye, I know you’re there,” he added, glancing at where he could see the ex-Auror standing next to Xylon, hidden by an invisibility spell.
Mad-Eye smiled at the teen and dropped the spell. “I’m making sure Xylon and Galatea got here all right.”
“No, you’re reporting to old Dumbles about some random thing, but I’ll pretend I believe you, for your benefit,” Harry shot back lightly before glancing at his guests, both of whom were smiling. “I’ll lead you to Marcus’ office.”
“Potter!” Mad-Eye called out. Harry turned to him again and cocked an eyebrow at the flask the man was holding up. “For you. Stop stealing mine,” he ordered, then tossed the flask to the grinning teen. “You changed your hair?”
Harry’s smile slid into a smirk as he hid the flask in a robe pocket. “Marcus hates pink,” he offered before motioning to the Thoralds and turning to lead them into the school.
Mad-Eye shook his head with a faint smile at the retreating teen. “That boy is a monster,” he decided, then walked into the school himself, heading for Albus’ office.
--------------------
“Welcome,” Tom offered with a smile as Xylon and Galatea stepped into the office. Harry followed them in, closing the door behind himself. “I’m Marcus Brutús.”
“I must say, we haven’t heard the best things about you,” Galatea said haughtily, even as Xylon shook the Dark Lord’s hand.
“I’m afraid there isn’t much going around these days that is good about me,” Tom agreed mildly, motioning for them to sit in a couple of plush black chairs that sat before his desk. Harry slid into a third, maroon, chair that sat next to the desk, facing the Thoralds. Tom settled in the chair behind his desk.
“We’ll chat until about noon,” Harry started, “then Professor McGonagall and Ula will join us for lunch. Is that alright with you both?”
“That should be fine,” Xylon agreed before Galatea got the chance to disagree.
Galatea shot her husband an annoyed look before asking, “Where will you be staying?”
“My family manor,” Tom replied easily. “It’s near Dundee and there’s plenty of land around it for Quidditch or whatever one would like to do. I’m afraid there’s not much to do inside, but that can be remedied, of course.”
“Ula doesn’t have a broom,” Galatea said tightly.
“I have a few Nimbus 2000s that have only been used once or twice. She’s welcome to them, of course. I have little use for them.”
“A few of my friends will be visiting at random times over the summer,” Harry added. “I’m sure we can throw together a few games of Quidditch. Hermione Granger will also be staying over for most of the summer, so we’ll have her twins to look after.”
“Miss Granger is the Head Girl, correct?” Xylon inquired.
“Yes.” Harry smiled slightly. “She’ll help make sure Ula gets her summer work done. She’s rather good at that, actually.”
“Only rather good?” Tom grumbled. “I thought she was better than rather.”
“Well, yes…” Harry grinned over at his lover. “But I’m trying to be polite.”
“First time for everything.”
“You’re asking for it, Marcus,” the teen warned, shaking a finger in the Defence teacher’s face.
The Dark Lord cocked an eyebrow at his younger lover. “That’s nothing new.”
Xylon was smiling at the two lovers, but Galatea didn’t look amused. “What about any other people that will be there.”
Harry and Tom traded looks. “Just my school friends, really.” Harry shrugged. “And perhaps the Hogwarts mediwitch, Poppy Pomfrey; she and Marcus are friends, and I’ve been learning medimagic from her.”
Tom nodded. “I haven’t kept up with the people who I went to school with, and most of them died in the first war anyway, so they never come over or anything.”
“Where did you go to school?” Galatea demanded.
“Hogwarts,” the Dark Lord replied calmly. “I graduated before you were born.”
Harry smacked his forehead with the heel of his palm as Galatea gasped and Xylon’s eyes widened. Way to shock ‘em, Tom.
I was hoping it would get her to leave me alone, Tom replied with a touch of amusement. “Anything else, Mrs Thorald?”
Galatea pulled herself back together quickly. “Yes. How about punishments? And rewards, of course.”
Tom twitched when Galatea mentioned punishments, but answered calmly, “If Ula does something wrong, I will, perhaps, yell at her. If I think her actions are deserving more than a yelling, I’ll have her sit in the corner.” He glanced at Harry. “Unless you have any other suggestions.”
“Manual labour.” Harry grinned. “That’s what Molly does, at least. Have her help dust the library, or something.”
Tom grimaced. “There is no ‘help’ when it comes to dusting that library. The house-elves won’t go in there.”
“Perfect. If she decides to do something totally crazy, we’ll make her dust the library,” Harry decided. Tom rolled his eyes.
“You have house-elves?” Galatea inquired.
“Yes.” Tom nodded. “Ten of them. Their families have been in my family for centuries. The youngest one, Blinky, has been free for twenty years.” He smiled at Harry’s startled look. “She asked.”
So, you’re nice to your house-elves but not, say, your Death Eaters? Harry teased.
My house-elves need to be dependable. Anyway, my mother was always kind to them, so they’ve always been kind to me. I like them, Tom replied indignantly.
Galatea was nodding thoughtfully. “I see. And what sort of food do your house-elves normally make?”
Tom shrugged. “Pretty much anything. I have a rule against too much sugar in my house, but that’s the only thing that’s restricted. If you want something to eat, you just ask one of the house-elves and they’ll bring it to you. It’s a lot like Hogwarts, actually.”
“That’s fine, then,” Galatea decided. “If you have to be somewhere else, what do you plan on doing with our daughter?”
“Chances are, we won’t have to be anywhere else. I mean, I might have a meeting of some sort to go to, but we’ll never have to leave the house at the same time,” Harry said thoughtfully. “If that does come up...” Harry shrugged and glanced at Tom. “Bring her to Hogwarts, I suppose. Professor Dumbledore did say something last year about this being a safe house over the summer, in case there’s an attack and you have nowhere else to go. He wouldn’t mind us leaving Ula here if something comes up.”
“That’s true.” Galatea nodded. “And is there any way we can get in contact with Ula?”
“I’m not connected to the Floo Network, for safety reasons,” Tom responded. “But you’re welcome to send an owl whenever you feel the need to. There’s an Owl Post office in Dundee that you’ll have to write to, I’m afraid, but we’ll make sure to check at least once a day to see if they have anything.”
“You don’t allow owls on to your property?” Xylon enquired.
“One of my ancestors was paranoid,” Tom said, letting out a long-suffering sigh. “There are wards up against everything, as well as Muggle repelling charms, and we’re unplottable. Owls can’t get through, most wildlife can’t get through, humans have to be built into the wards to be let through, you can’t apparate in, we’re never to be connected to the Floo Network, etc. In fact, even if someone does manage to get onto the grounds, there’s a mile of flat land between the castle and the surrounding wall on all sides so that we can see anyone approaching long before they get into spell-casting range.”
Harry rolled his eyes with a smile while Xylon chuckled. “At least You-Know-Who will never be able to attack your home.”
“That’s one good thing about all those protections, yes,” Tom agreed, glancing at Harry. “I should lock you up in there, Harry. After all, we all know you’re the thing Voldemort wants to get his hands on the most in this world.”
“You have such a way with words, Marcus.” Harry groaned. Inwardly, he was quite pleased, and let his lover know so with a mental hug, which was returned.
“When the list of Hogwarts school supplies come for next year comes, will you take Ula to Diagon Alley to pick her things out?” Galatea cut in, lips pursed.
“Yes,” Harry agreed. “We can pay for the things, if you’d li–“
“No,” the witch cut in sharply. “Ula has her own back account that she will use for her school things. I only request that you make sure she buys only what’s on the list.”
“Of course,” Tom agreed evenly. “That won’t be a problem.”
“Good.” Galatea nodded. “Now, will you be expecting any pay for her staying at your house?”
“No,” Harry replied with a frown. “This is just me doing a service for a friend. It would be rude to expect you to pay for Ula to remain with us when we’re not asking Herm to pay, and she’s got two babies. We’re not babysitting Ula, we’re letting her stay over for the summer like one would ask a friend to stay overnight for a sleepover.”
“So, you’re treating this like a sleepover?” Galatea inquired coldly.
“Yes,” Harry replied in an equally cold tone. He and Galatea glared at one another while Tom looked upwards helplessly and Xylon groaned and shook his head.
The office door opened to admit McGonagall and Ula. Both paused in the doorway, staring at the scene. “Should we come back later?” McGonagall enquired.
Tom waved his wand, conjuring two blue chairs. “No, no, come in,” he said before reaching over and giving the back of Harry’s head a solid ‘wack’. “Enough.”
Harry shot his lover a dark look before turning to smile at the two newcomers. “Good afternoon, Minerva, Ula,” he said as Tom conjured a table in the centre of the room and motioned for everyone to move their chairs up to it, doing so himself.
Ula gaped at Harry in surprise at his calling the Deputy Headmistress by her given name while McGonagall shook her head helplessly. “Good afternoon, Harry, Marcus, Galatea, Xylon.”
Ula settled in the chair closest to Harry and waited for him to scoot his chair up before speaking. “How’d you get away with that?”
Harry winked. “My secret.”
“Aw, come on, Harry.”
“Nope.”
“Actually, he can’t tell,” Tom offered, ruffling Harry’s hair with a grin.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to eavesdrop?” Ula demanded.
“My mother died giving birth to me, actually,” was the response. “Kinda sad, really, but, hey! Got me out of all those things your mother’s supposed to teach you!” Tom winked.
“That explains everything.” Harry snorted, pulling laughter from the first year and smiles from Xylon and McGonagall.
“Like what?” Tom shot back.
“Two words, Marcus. Cleaning Charms.”
“Shut up,” the Dark Lord scowled, making Ula laugh again.
Harry winked at the adults at the table. “Marcus couldn’t cast a Cleaning Charm properly if you burned the directions into his brain.”
“You’re in for a world of pain, you imp,” Tom warned.
“No threats at the lunch table,” Ula said, shaking her finger at the Dark Lord.
“Oh, are you my mother now?” Tom inquired, smiling at the young witch.
“Yup!”
“You’re about seventy years too late, hun.” Harry snorted as the table filled with food, courtesy of Hogwarts’ house-elf population.
Ula giggled. “Marcus is old as dirt!”
“Yes. Thank you.” Tom scowled. “Harry, do you mind?”
“Nope, not at all,” Harry replied cheerfully. “Could you pass the potatoes, love?”
“Where would you like them?” Tom responded just as cheerfully. “In that crazy hair of yours, down your robe, or in your lap?”
“On my plate’s fine, actually,” the Boy-Who-Lived said with a grin as he silently cast a Summoning Charm to call the potatoes to him.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to not cast a Summoning Charm at the table?” Tom asked dryly.
“Nope. I grew up with my aunt, and she’s a Muggle,” Harry offered brightly as he handed the potato bowl to Ula.
“That explains why your table manners are about as good as Alastor’s,” McGonagall sighed.
“Oh, that reminds me!” Harry pulled his new flask out of his robe pocket and snapped his fingers. Dobby appeared out of nowhere and Harry leaned over to whisper something in his ear before handing him the flask. Dobby disappeared with a grin.
“What was that?” Tom asked warily.
“Something Mad-Eye gave me this morning,” Harry responded happily.
With a ‘pop’, Dobby reappeared with the flask and handed it to Harry. “Here’s you are, Harry Potter, sir,” he said excitedly.
“Thanks, Dobby,” the teen replied. He sat back up as Dobby disappeared and took a sip of the flask. After shuddering, he said, “Just right!” and cast a spell on the flask to keep it full.
“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Tom murmured, eyeing the flask warily.
Harry’s face lit up. “Super Secret Special Madness Formula for the Deranged!”
“Noooo...” Tom moaned, hiding his face in his hands.
“What’s that?” Ula looked at the flask curiously. “Can I have some?”
Harry smiled and slipped the flask into a pocket. “ ‘Fraid not, Ula. You’re a little young, yet.”
“Has Albus okayed that yet?” McGonagall asked dryly. “Because, as far as I know, students aren’t allowed to have alcohol in the school.”
“Harry!” Ula cried, eyes wide with shock.
Harry let out a loud sigh. “Oh, I’ll talk him into it, Minerva.”
“That is what I’m afraid of.” McGonagall sighed.
Tom smirked and held up the flask. “I think I’ll have to confiscate this, Mr Potter.”
“Marcus!” Harry leaned against the man and attempted to grab the flask, which Tom held out of his reach with ease.
To get Harry to stop, the Dark Lord leaned up and kissed the teen. “Sit. You’ll get it back only if Albus okays it.” He glanced across the table at McGonagall. “Sound good?”
“Yes,” the Transfiguration professor agreed.
Harry sat back in his seat with a pout. “Meanie.”
“Mmhm.” Tom nodded, leaning back and setting the flask into the top drawer of his desk. “If you try and get that back, the next time I see it I’ll give you a crash course in blowing alcohol up,” he added.
“Ooh! Can I watch?” Ula requested, glancing around Harry at the Dark Lord.
“Perhaps from a very safe distance,” Tom agreed, smiling.
“You’re not blowing my flask up!” Harry shouted.
“Then it’s staying in my desk until Albus okays it,” Tom replied brightly.
Xylon watched Harry and his lover bicker over the flask in the top of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher’s desk with a smile. He glanced over at Galatea, who was scowling, and settled a hand on her knee. “They'll be fine.”
“I don’t like Brutús,” Galatea growled.
“If it makes you feel any better, Galatea,” McGonagall offered, leaning over to talk to the couple. “I have never liked Marcus, but he does his job very well and all the students love him. He’ll have no trouble taking care of Ula, and Harry will keep her busy.”
“You dislike him?” Galatea whispered back.
“Yes,” McGonagall agreed. “And I trust him with myself as far as I can throw him, which we know isn’t far, but I’d trust him with the care of a child any day.”
“So you’re telling me to leave my daughter with him?”
“No. I’m telling you she’ll be safe with him.”
Galatea glanced back over at the professor on the other side of the table warily. It was true she didn’t listen to Ula, but she did care for her only child, to some extent. She wasn’t good with children, that was Xylon, and that’s all there was to it. “Very well. Ula may stay with those two,” she decided finally. “But if I hear one complaint about them, she’s going straight back to my father.”
McGonagall nodded faintly, also glancing back at the three on the other side of the table. They all acted like children, throwing food at one another. Ula will be fine.
-
-
Hope that helps!
SPECIAL THANKS: This chapter would not have been as good as it is without the help of the following people: my mum,allexandrya, tinkerpixy, catriona_malfoy, and firebird157!! Arigatou gozaimasu, minna!! You’re life savers!! I dedicate this chapter to you four!
~Batsutousai ^.^x
Abandon & Reclaim Series:
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29 || 30
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 ||45 || 46 || 47
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
Author:
batsutousaiBeta:
magickmaker17Pairings: Harry/Tom(Voldemort), Seamus/Blaise, Ginevra/Theodore, post-Ron/Hermione, Salazar/Godric, Sirius/Remus
Warnings: This will have slash(Guys on guys, ppl.), Dumbledore bashing, Ron bashing
Key:
Mind-speak
:Parseltongue:
’Written thoughts’
°°Phoenix speech°°
Chapter 45, Part 1
Chapter 45, Part 2
-
“Tell me again why you’re up this early?”
Harry scowled at his godfather. “I have a meeting to go to, Siri. I don’t think they’ll want you there, either.”
“Well, I’m coming. Not letting you out of my sight for a moment.”
“Great.” The teen stopped before the blank wall he knew the teacher’s lounge was behind.
“Teacher’s lounge? Is this a teacher’s meeting, Harry?” Sirius asked in a teasing manner.
Harry ignored the man. “Trip ‘em,” he told the wall, stepping through the entrance once it had appeared.
“Not the mutt!” Severus called out immediately.
“Told you,” Harry informed his godfather as he took the seat next to Tom and set the small pile of notes that he’d brought with him on the table. “Morning, love.”
“I notice you’ve left out the ‘good’,” Tom commented as he dropped a kiss on Harry’s cheek.
“It can hardly be ‘good’ when I’m up this bleeding early, don’t you think?” Harry shot back before offering a smile to Poppy and Severus, who were sitting next to one another. “It’s not gonna work, Sevvie. I’ve already tried.”
“You, Harry, are a Gryffindor.”
“Therefore I, Severus, would know how to fight a Gryffindor.”
“You prank them, of course,” Sirius said happily, plopping down in the open seat next to Harry.
“That’s how you fight a Marauder, Siri. Gryffindors need a good, solid whack over the head,” the green-eyed teen shot back as the entrance opened again. “Oh, good morning, Minerva.”
“Good morning, Harry.” McGonagall nodded to the young wizard and took the open seat at the head of the table while Sirius gaped at the two. “You look a little stressed.”
“Really?” Harry rolled his eyes and jerked his thumb at Sirius.
McGonagall offered the slightest of smiles, which appeared to catch quite a few of the other staff members by surprise. “Did you talk to them?”
“Yes. Talked to Albus too.” Harry nodded. “Speaking of the coot, where is he?”
“You’ve noticed that you’re early for once, correct?” Tom inquired mildly.
“Shut up, you bastard.”
Tom smirked. “Albus doesn’t normally get here until it’s closer to four, you imp.”
“Didn’t I just tell you to shut up?”
“You weren’t nice enough,” the Dark Lord replied lightly before shooting Sirius a sharp look. “I saw that wand, Black. Put it away before I snap it.”
“He’ll just get another one,” Severus offered coldly.
“Then I’ll snap that one too.”
“Oh, you two are horrible! Where’s the higher authority when you need it?” Harry exclaimed as the entrance opened again, this time to admit Albus.
“Speak of the chicken,” Tom muttered, sending Harry into a fit of quiet giggles.
Albus smiled over at Harry and Sirius as he sat in his normal seat. “Good morning, Sirius. This is a bit of a surprise.”
“He woke up while I was sneaking out. The Sleeping Draught Sevvie gave me must not have worked.” Harry sighed, shooting a wink at the Potions Professor, who covered a grin.
“Hey!” Sirius exclaimed, shooting dirty looks at anyone who laughed.
Albus chuckled. “We’ll make do. Any problem children?”
“Yeah. There’s this brat in my seventh years who’s an absolute nightmare,” Tom offered immediately. Harry bit his lip to keep from grinning.
“Oh, I think I know who you’re talking about, Marcus,” Severus chimed in. “He keeps almost exploding cauldrons in my class.”
“Nothing but trouble!” Tom agreed.
“And who is this young man?” McGonagall inquired with an annoyed look at both professors while Harry buried his face in his arms, shoulders shaking with laughter.
Tom and Severus traded looks before chorusing, “Sirius Black.”
The table filled with laughter at that. Sirius just scowled. “Hardly funny, I think. It’s not like I’ve been anywhere near any of your precious cauldrons, anyway, Snape.”
“No, Harry’s been doing too good a job of keeping you away from them,” Severus decided as everyone calmed down.
“You two are horrible,” Harry announced.
“Why, thank you, dear,” Tom replied, fluttering his eyelashes at the teen. Harry swatted his arm lightly.
“Any problem concerning students, then?” Albus said finally, still smiling madly.
“Thorald’s come around, but York, Munro, and Rockwell are still going at one another’s throats,” Hooch offered with a sigh.
“Harry?” McGonagall glanced at the youngest wizard at the table.
All eyes turned to Harry as he sighed, shaking his head. “I can try talking to them again, I suppose, but I don’t think there’s much else I can do.”
“Then we’ll have to handle this the old-fashioned way,” Severus murmured. “Let me know if Munro and York don’t stop this nonsense and I’ll have a word with them.”
“I’ll deal with Rockwell, then,” McGonagall agreed as the other staff members and Harry all nodded.
“Good. Any others? No?” Albus glanced at Harry and Tom. “Xylon and Galatea Thorald are coming by today to have that conference with you two, correct?”
“Yes. The time we set was eleven o’clock,” Harry agreed while Tom nodded. “Ula’s supposed to join us for lunch.”
“Wonderful. Would you mind if I also joined you?” the Headmaster inquired.
“I think, Albus, it might be best if Minerva attend,” Tom offered. “She is Ula’s Head of House, after all.”
“And mine,” Harry added. “She should be able to sooth any other worries Xylon or Galatea might have.”
Albus glanced at McGonagall, who nodded, then smiled at the two lovers. “Very well, then. Minerva will join you for lunch. That will be at noon?”
“Yes,” Tom agreed. “If the meeting takes longer, I’ll Floo you ahead of time, Minerva.”
“And I have a way to contact Ula,” Harry added as McGonagall opened her mouth to, no doubt, ask that very question.
McGonagall smiled faintly. “Then I’ll leave this in your capable hands.”
“All four of them, I should hope,” Tom muttered. Harry swatted his arm again as McGonagall shot the Defence Against the Dark Arts Professor a dark look.
“Good. Good.” Albus nodded, eyes twinkling. “Harry, you had something to announce?”
Harry nodded. “Yes, thank you, Albus.” He glanced around the table, gaze turning serious. “Minerva and I were talking on Tuesday and we got into the subject of the DA. Minerva wanted to know if I’d start it back up again next year, since I’ll be the Defence teacher. It turned out to be a good plan, and Albus okayed it, so I ran it by the current members of the DA. The club will be an official Hogwarts’ club and be held on the weekends. It’s going to be open to all students and any witch or wizard who has graduated from a wizarding school that now resides in the United Kingdom.”
“Any witch or wizard?” Firenze asked.
“We’re not discriminating, though it was decided that those with the Dark Mark will be treated on a case-by-case basis,” Albus offered.
Harry nodded. “This is more so that we can learn a little bit of everything, and those who don’t always get a chance to practice their duelling skills can practice. Voldemort is back, and we need to be prepared,” the teen said coolly. “At any rate, we’ll need staff to help keep things under some form of control. Poppy, I’d like your help, since both Albus and I agree that basic medimagic skills are essential to everyone. Severus, I’d like your help to draw the Slytherins in.”
Poppy nodded. “You’ve spoken to Sally, I assume?”
“Yes. And Leana Moon. Both would be pleased to help,” Harry agreed.
“I suppose I will help you,” Severus decided.
“Yeah. I’m not Lockhart,” Harry offered innocently, pulling a round of laughter from the members of the staff around the table.
“Thank Merlin for that,” the Potions Professor agreed sincerely.
“Indeed.” Harry turned to Flitwick. “Professor Flitwick, would you be willing to help as well?”
The dwarf almost fell out of his chair. “Delighted!”
“Great.” Harry grinned. “Anyone else who wishes to come is, of course, welcomed. We’ll be having one former DA member in my year from each House helping me teach any spells and run things like we normally do in the DA, which I think you’ll catch on to pretty quickly, but for things like practise duelling, I’ll need all the help I can get.”
“Of course,” Severus agreed. “Now, are you keeping the name as DA? I seem to recall that standing for ‘Dumbledore’s Army,’ and I can’t see many Slytherins agreeing with that.”
“Exactly,” Harry agreed. “It’s why I called the meeting of the DA in the first place. The new name is the ‘Duelling Association,’ keeping 'DA' for short.”
“Gryffindors,” Tom mumbled, earning himself a jab in the side from Harry.
Albus chuckled and slowly drew the meeting towards class work, homework, and exam, NEWT, and OWL preparations. By the time the meeting had ended, Sirius had fallen back to sleep.
“Oh, can I wake him up?” Tom enquired evilly as the staff members collected their things.
“Wait.” Severus pulled a vial from his pocket and shook it, eyes glinting. “Pour this on him and stand back.”
“I have no part it this,” Harry hissed, getting out of the way as Severus tossed the vial to Tom, who caught it. Various members of the staff paused what they were doing to watch the two Slytherins cause trouble.
“Nope. We’ll even say you tried to stop us, love,” Tom promised, uncapping the vial. Then, with a flourish worthy of Lockhart himself, he dumped the potion on the Animagus’ head and jumped back out of the way.
Sirius woke with loud “Rrrrowr!” His eyes were quickly turning from grey to yellow-green and his pupils slitting. Triangular ears poked up out of his hair as his human-shaped ears disappeared. A long tail could be seen thrashing around behind him as he stood, gaze shooting back and forth between Tom and Severus, both of whom were smirking at him. “Meow!” he spat, then froze, eyes widening in horror.
Albus was the first to start laughing. Flitwick, Sprout, Poppy, Hagrid, Hooch, and Burbage followed his example, a few supporting themselves on the table before them.
“Told you,” Harry offered with a shrug at the cat-man.
“Merowr, raowr!”
“Severus, give him the antidote,” McGonagall ordered, hiding a smile behind one hand.
“I’d have to make it first,” Severus said in a helpless voice, which sent all of the staff, including Harry, into gales of laughter.
“Well, Black, looks like you’ll be forced to lay low for a while,” Tom offered, waving a hand at the Animagus as he slipped an arm around Harry’s waist. “Have fun, now,” he added before leading his younger lover from the room.
Sirius shot a string of hisses and “meow”s after the two retreating forms, much to the amusement of the staff.
“You should have stayed in bed,” Severus offered to Sirius before sweeping from the room himself.
Everyone else in the room burst into laughter again as the Animagus let out another string of what should have been curses.
“Welcome,” Harry offered with a smile as Galatea and Xylon started up the front steps of the school building. “Mad-Eye, I know you’re there,” he added, glancing at where he could see the ex-Auror standing next to Xylon, hidden by an invisibility spell.
Mad-Eye smiled at the teen and dropped the spell. “I’m making sure Xylon and Galatea got here all right.”
“No, you’re reporting to old Dumbles about some random thing, but I’ll pretend I believe you, for your benefit,” Harry shot back lightly before glancing at his guests, both of whom were smiling. “I’ll lead you to Marcus’ office.”
“Potter!” Mad-Eye called out. Harry turned to him again and cocked an eyebrow at the flask the man was holding up. “For you. Stop stealing mine,” he ordered, then tossed the flask to the grinning teen. “You changed your hair?”
Harry’s smile slid into a smirk as he hid the flask in a robe pocket. “Marcus hates pink,” he offered before motioning to the Thoralds and turning to lead them into the school.
Mad-Eye shook his head with a faint smile at the retreating teen. “That boy is a monster,” he decided, then walked into the school himself, heading for Albus’ office.
“Welcome,” Tom offered with a smile as Xylon and Galatea stepped into the office. Harry followed them in, closing the door behind himself. “I’m Marcus Brutús.”
“I must say, we haven’t heard the best things about you,” Galatea said haughtily, even as Xylon shook the Dark Lord’s hand.
“I’m afraid there isn’t much going around these days that is good about me,” Tom agreed mildly, motioning for them to sit in a couple of plush black chairs that sat before his desk. Harry slid into a third, maroon, chair that sat next to the desk, facing the Thoralds. Tom settled in the chair behind his desk.
“We’ll chat until about noon,” Harry started, “then Professor McGonagall and Ula will join us for lunch. Is that alright with you both?”
“That should be fine,” Xylon agreed before Galatea got the chance to disagree.
Galatea shot her husband an annoyed look before asking, “Where will you be staying?”
“My family manor,” Tom replied easily. “It’s near Dundee and there’s plenty of land around it for Quidditch or whatever one would like to do. I’m afraid there’s not much to do inside, but that can be remedied, of course.”
“Ula doesn’t have a broom,” Galatea said tightly.
“I have a few Nimbus 2000s that have only been used once or twice. She’s welcome to them, of course. I have little use for them.”
“A few of my friends will be visiting at random times over the summer,” Harry added. “I’m sure we can throw together a few games of Quidditch. Hermione Granger will also be staying over for most of the summer, so we’ll have her twins to look after.”
“Miss Granger is the Head Girl, correct?” Xylon inquired.
“Yes.” Harry smiled slightly. “She’ll help make sure Ula gets her summer work done. She’s rather good at that, actually.”
“Only rather good?” Tom grumbled. “I thought she was better than rather.”
“Well, yes…” Harry grinned over at his lover. “But I’m trying to be polite.”
“First time for everything.”
“You’re asking for it, Marcus,” the teen warned, shaking a finger in the Defence teacher’s face.
The Dark Lord cocked an eyebrow at his younger lover. “That’s nothing new.”
Xylon was smiling at the two lovers, but Galatea didn’t look amused. “What about any other people that will be there.”
Harry and Tom traded looks. “Just my school friends, really.” Harry shrugged. “And perhaps the Hogwarts mediwitch, Poppy Pomfrey; she and Marcus are friends, and I’ve been learning medimagic from her.”
Tom nodded. “I haven’t kept up with the people who I went to school with, and most of them died in the first war anyway, so they never come over or anything.”
“Where did you go to school?” Galatea demanded.
“Hogwarts,” the Dark Lord replied calmly. “I graduated before you were born.”
Harry smacked his forehead with the heel of his palm as Galatea gasped and Xylon’s eyes widened. Way to shock ‘em, Tom.
I was hoping it would get her to leave me alone, Tom replied with a touch of amusement. “Anything else, Mrs Thorald?”
Galatea pulled herself back together quickly. “Yes. How about punishments? And rewards, of course.”
Tom twitched when Galatea mentioned punishments, but answered calmly, “If Ula does something wrong, I will, perhaps, yell at her. If I think her actions are deserving more than a yelling, I’ll have her sit in the corner.” He glanced at Harry. “Unless you have any other suggestions.”
“Manual labour.” Harry grinned. “That’s what Molly does, at least. Have her help dust the library, or something.”
Tom grimaced. “There is no ‘help’ when it comes to dusting that library. The house-elves won’t go in there.”
“Perfect. If she decides to do something totally crazy, we’ll make her dust the library,” Harry decided. Tom rolled his eyes.
“You have house-elves?” Galatea inquired.
“Yes.” Tom nodded. “Ten of them. Their families have been in my family for centuries. The youngest one, Blinky, has been free for twenty years.” He smiled at Harry’s startled look. “She asked.”
So, you’re nice to your house-elves but not, say, your Death Eaters? Harry teased.
My house-elves need to be dependable. Anyway, my mother was always kind to them, so they’ve always been kind to me. I like them, Tom replied indignantly.
Galatea was nodding thoughtfully. “I see. And what sort of food do your house-elves normally make?”
Tom shrugged. “Pretty much anything. I have a rule against too much sugar in my house, but that’s the only thing that’s restricted. If you want something to eat, you just ask one of the house-elves and they’ll bring it to you. It’s a lot like Hogwarts, actually.”
“That’s fine, then,” Galatea decided. “If you have to be somewhere else, what do you plan on doing with our daughter?”
“Chances are, we won’t have to be anywhere else. I mean, I might have a meeting of some sort to go to, but we’ll never have to leave the house at the same time,” Harry said thoughtfully. “If that does come up...” Harry shrugged and glanced at Tom. “Bring her to Hogwarts, I suppose. Professor Dumbledore did say something last year about this being a safe house over the summer, in case there’s an attack and you have nowhere else to go. He wouldn’t mind us leaving Ula here if something comes up.”
“That’s true.” Galatea nodded. “And is there any way we can get in contact with Ula?”
“I’m not connected to the Floo Network, for safety reasons,” Tom responded. “But you’re welcome to send an owl whenever you feel the need to. There’s an Owl Post office in Dundee that you’ll have to write to, I’m afraid, but we’ll make sure to check at least once a day to see if they have anything.”
“You don’t allow owls on to your property?” Xylon enquired.
“One of my ancestors was paranoid,” Tom said, letting out a long-suffering sigh. “There are wards up against everything, as well as Muggle repelling charms, and we’re unplottable. Owls can’t get through, most wildlife can’t get through, humans have to be built into the wards to be let through, you can’t apparate in, we’re never to be connected to the Floo Network, etc. In fact, even if someone does manage to get onto the grounds, there’s a mile of flat land between the castle and the surrounding wall on all sides so that we can see anyone approaching long before they get into spell-casting range.”
Harry rolled his eyes with a smile while Xylon chuckled. “At least You-Know-Who will never be able to attack your home.”
“That’s one good thing about all those protections, yes,” Tom agreed, glancing at Harry. “I should lock you up in there, Harry. After all, we all know you’re the thing Voldemort wants to get his hands on the most in this world.”
“You have such a way with words, Marcus.” Harry groaned. Inwardly, he was quite pleased, and let his lover know so with a mental hug, which was returned.
“When the list of Hogwarts school supplies come for next year comes, will you take Ula to Diagon Alley to pick her things out?” Galatea cut in, lips pursed.
“Yes,” Harry agreed. “We can pay for the things, if you’d li–“
“No,” the witch cut in sharply. “Ula has her own back account that she will use for her school things. I only request that you make sure she buys only what’s on the list.”
“Of course,” Tom agreed evenly. “That won’t be a problem.”
“Good.” Galatea nodded. “Now, will you be expecting any pay for her staying at your house?”
“No,” Harry replied with a frown. “This is just me doing a service for a friend. It would be rude to expect you to pay for Ula to remain with us when we’re not asking Herm to pay, and she’s got two babies. We’re not babysitting Ula, we’re letting her stay over for the summer like one would ask a friend to stay overnight for a sleepover.”
“So, you’re treating this like a sleepover?” Galatea inquired coldly.
“Yes,” Harry replied in an equally cold tone. He and Galatea glared at one another while Tom looked upwards helplessly and Xylon groaned and shook his head.
The office door opened to admit McGonagall and Ula. Both paused in the doorway, staring at the scene. “Should we come back later?” McGonagall enquired.
Tom waved his wand, conjuring two blue chairs. “No, no, come in,” he said before reaching over and giving the back of Harry’s head a solid ‘wack’. “Enough.”
Harry shot his lover a dark look before turning to smile at the two newcomers. “Good afternoon, Minerva, Ula,” he said as Tom conjured a table in the centre of the room and motioned for everyone to move their chairs up to it, doing so himself.
Ula gaped at Harry in surprise at his calling the Deputy Headmistress by her given name while McGonagall shook her head helplessly. “Good afternoon, Harry, Marcus, Galatea, Xylon.”
Ula settled in the chair closest to Harry and waited for him to scoot his chair up before speaking. “How’d you get away with that?”
Harry winked. “My secret.”
“Aw, come on, Harry.”
“Nope.”
“Actually, he can’t tell,” Tom offered, ruffling Harry’s hair with a grin.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you not to eavesdrop?” Ula demanded.
“My mother died giving birth to me, actually,” was the response. “Kinda sad, really, but, hey! Got me out of all those things your mother’s supposed to teach you!” Tom winked.
“That explains everything.” Harry snorted, pulling laughter from the first year and smiles from Xylon and McGonagall.
“Like what?” Tom shot back.
“Two words, Marcus. Cleaning Charms.”
“Shut up,” the Dark Lord scowled, making Ula laugh again.
Harry winked at the adults at the table. “Marcus couldn’t cast a Cleaning Charm properly if you burned the directions into his brain.”
“You’re in for a world of pain, you imp,” Tom warned.
“No threats at the lunch table,” Ula said, shaking her finger at the Dark Lord.
“Oh, are you my mother now?” Tom inquired, smiling at the young witch.
“Yup!”
“You’re about seventy years too late, hun.” Harry snorted as the table filled with food, courtesy of Hogwarts’ house-elf population.
Ula giggled. “Marcus is old as dirt!”
“Yes. Thank you.” Tom scowled. “Harry, do you mind?”
“Nope, not at all,” Harry replied cheerfully. “Could you pass the potatoes, love?”
“Where would you like them?” Tom responded just as cheerfully. “In that crazy hair of yours, down your robe, or in your lap?”
“On my plate’s fine, actually,” the Boy-Who-Lived said with a grin as he silently cast a Summoning Charm to call the potatoes to him.
“Didn’t your mother ever teach you to not cast a Summoning Charm at the table?” Tom asked dryly.
“Nope. I grew up with my aunt, and she’s a Muggle,” Harry offered brightly as he handed the potato bowl to Ula.
“That explains why your table manners are about as good as Alastor’s,” McGonagall sighed.
“Oh, that reminds me!” Harry pulled his new flask out of his robe pocket and snapped his fingers. Dobby appeared out of nowhere and Harry leaned over to whisper something in his ear before handing him the flask. Dobby disappeared with a grin.
“What was that?” Tom asked warily.
“Something Mad-Eye gave me this morning,” Harry responded happily.
With a ‘pop’, Dobby reappeared with the flask and handed it to Harry. “Here’s you are, Harry Potter, sir,” he said excitedly.
“Thanks, Dobby,” the teen replied. He sat back up as Dobby disappeared and took a sip of the flask. After shuddering, he said, “Just right!” and cast a spell on the flask to keep it full.
“Please tell me that’s not what I think it is,” Tom murmured, eyeing the flask warily.
Harry’s face lit up. “Super Secret Special Madness Formula for the Deranged!”
“Noooo...” Tom moaned, hiding his face in his hands.
“What’s that?” Ula looked at the flask curiously. “Can I have some?”
Harry smiled and slipped the flask into a pocket. “ ‘Fraid not, Ula. You’re a little young, yet.”
“Has Albus okayed that yet?” McGonagall asked dryly. “Because, as far as I know, students aren’t allowed to have alcohol in the school.”
“Harry!” Ula cried, eyes wide with shock.
Harry let out a loud sigh. “Oh, I’ll talk him into it, Minerva.”
“That is what I’m afraid of.” McGonagall sighed.
Tom smirked and held up the flask. “I think I’ll have to confiscate this, Mr Potter.”
“Marcus!” Harry leaned against the man and attempted to grab the flask, which Tom held out of his reach with ease.
To get Harry to stop, the Dark Lord leaned up and kissed the teen. “Sit. You’ll get it back only if Albus okays it.” He glanced across the table at McGonagall. “Sound good?”
“Yes,” the Transfiguration professor agreed.
Harry sat back in his seat with a pout. “Meanie.”
“Mmhm.” Tom nodded, leaning back and setting the flask into the top drawer of his desk. “If you try and get that back, the next time I see it I’ll give you a crash course in blowing alcohol up,” he added.
“Ooh! Can I watch?” Ula requested, glancing around Harry at the Dark Lord.
“Perhaps from a very safe distance,” Tom agreed, smiling.
“You’re not blowing my flask up!” Harry shouted.
“Then it’s staying in my desk until Albus okays it,” Tom replied brightly.
Xylon watched Harry and his lover bicker over the flask in the top of the Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher’s desk with a smile. He glanced over at Galatea, who was scowling, and settled a hand on her knee. “They'll be fine.”
“I don’t like Brutús,” Galatea growled.
“If it makes you feel any better, Galatea,” McGonagall offered, leaning over to talk to the couple. “I have never liked Marcus, but he does his job very well and all the students love him. He’ll have no trouble taking care of Ula, and Harry will keep her busy.”
“You dislike him?” Galatea whispered back.
“Yes,” McGonagall agreed. “And I trust him with myself as far as I can throw him, which we know isn’t far, but I’d trust him with the care of a child any day.”
“So you’re telling me to leave my daughter with him?”
“No. I’m telling you she’ll be safe with him.”
Galatea glanced back over at the professor on the other side of the table warily. It was true she didn’t listen to Ula, but she did care for her only child, to some extent. She wasn’t good with children, that was Xylon, and that’s all there was to it. “Very well. Ula may stay with those two,” she decided finally. “But if I hear one complaint about them, she’s going straight back to my father.”
McGonagall nodded faintly, also glancing back at the three on the other side of the table. They all acted like children, throwing food at one another. Ula will be fine.
-
First Years: I was asked to clarify the first years at FFN, so I shall. *winks*(These are all the ones I’ve got down in my notebook for now. If they haven’t been mentioned yet, which is possible, they probably will be in the future.)
Gryffindors: Enid Clough, Neal Wakeley, Storm Ambrose, Victor “Vic” McKinley, Ronan Rockwell, Ula Thorald
Slytherins: Cyrus York, Morgan Munro, Juno Baddock, Iven Stanton, Paloma Chelton, Babette “Babs” Kern
Hufflepuffs: Kamila “Kami” Vance
Ravenclaws: Solita Heathcliffe
Notes: Enid, Babs, and Kami are all friends and estranged from their Houses. Ronan and Ula were friends, but Ula’s friendship with Harry has made it very rocky. Cyrus and Morgan are best friends. Ronan and Ula are firmly against Cyrus and Morgan and the three always fight.
Hope that helps!
SPECIAL THANKS: This chapter would not have been as good as it is without the help of the following people: my mum,
allexandrya, tinkerpixy, catriona_malfoy, and firebird157!! Arigatou gozaimasu, minna!! You’re life savers!! I dedicate this chapter to you four!~Batsutousai ^.^x
Abandon the Prequel: Sixth Year
Abandon Chapters:
01 || 02 || 03 || 04 || 05 || 06 || 07 || 08 || 09 || 10
11 || 12 || 13 || 14 || 15 || 16 || 17 || 18 || 19 || 20
21 || 22 || 23 || 24 || 25 || 26 || 27 || 28 || 29 || 30
31 || 32 || 33 || 34 || 35 || 36 || 37 || 38 || 39 || 40
41 || 42 || 43 || 44 ||
Reclaim Chapters:
One || Two || Three || Four || Five || Six || Seven || Eight || Nine || Ten
Eleven || Twelve || Thirteen || Fourteen || Fifteen
Epilogue
Side Stories:
Ginevra Weasley & Theodore Nott
Minerva McGonagall || Minerva McGonagall (again)
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