Forever Yours

Chapter 46: Draft Day

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the people or places that belong to the wonderful world of Harry Potter, as they belong to J.K. Rowling. The OCs (Katherine, Septimus, Serenity, Helena, Christoph, Elisa, Henry, Nick and any name you don't recognize and isn't from the HP universe) are entirely my own.

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The boy had been very pensive the past week since his graduation, Severus had noted. Every day seemed like a drilled routine. The boy would get up early, run, shower, brew, then fly late into the evenings. No matter the weather, the routine remained the same.

Helena had gone for a job interview at the government branch in Chicago earlier in the week. She had returned optimistic. A large smile on her face and hope shining in her eyes. Three days later, an owl arrived with an offer. For now, it was a small job. But it was the department she had imagined getting into.

As the secretary to the head of the Department of Magical Education, Helena would be running errands and taking notes for Apollo Amorith. She had described him as a serious man, but with kind, intelligent eyes. Severus noticed Septimus had frowned at the compliment Helena drew out with a soft smile on her face.

'Good lord, the boy's jealous already,' Severus thought as he sipped his tea late Thursday evening. Helena had joined the family for dinner, declaring her big news to them at the table. He could see Septimus' indecisiveness immediately. While the boy appeared happy for his girlfriend, his eyes told a different story. One of worry and troubled.

Once Helena had flooed home, and Katherine set off to put Serenity to bed, the two wizards sat alone in the living room. Severus sat in his usual chair, his cuppa still perched in one hand and a tome in the other. Septimus sat motionless on the couch, staring blankly into the hearth.

"Knut for your thoughts," Severus said blandly as he turned a page. His onyx eyes never left the text before him.

Startled, Septimus roused from his trans. "What?"

"You alright?" Severus asked, setting the book into his lap.

"Mom usually says 'are you all?'." Septimus smirked half-heartedly.

"Yes well," Severus clicked his tongue. "I'm afraid some of your blasted American phrases are taken hold of my formal English tongue."

"That sounds more like you," the boy muttered, as his eyes returned to the flames.

"Septimus," Severus sighed, now putting down his tea as well. "What is bothering you?"

"I hate him."

"Who?"

"Apollo Amorith," Septimus sneered, folding his arms over his chest.

"And why do you hate him?" Severus asked, pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes.

"You did see the way she talked about him, didn't you?" Septimus gaped, turned his disgusted look towards his father.

"He's tall and well built," Septimus stated sarcastically, mimicking Helena's words. "With wavey blonde locks and kind gray eyes. His face looks like it was chiseled out of marble and when he does smile, his teeth are brilliant white."

"She never said anything about his face being chiseled." Severus stated, as he rolled his eyes at his son.

"You didn't," Septimus huffed. "She was telling mom that in the kitchen when I went to get a drink."

"Septimus..."

"It's not fair," Septimus continued, his eyes going back to the fire. "We've been out of school for only four days, and she already has a crush on someone else. He'll have her eating out of his hand in no time, then it will be goodbye Septimus. I bet he's like that with all the girls in his office. Probably has flirted with all of them at one time or another. Flashing his 'brilliant smile' at them, swooning them. The name fits too. Apollo... pfft... fucking Greek god. Every witch probably kneels at his feet... pfft, probably wizards too. They probably all think he's fucking gorgeous."