The Teacher's Son

Chapter 22

"Harry James Potter!" McGonagall hissed at her son while they stood in her office. "What on God's good earth were you thinking, going down there after Miss Weasley? You could have been killed, Mr. Weasley could have been killed. How did you plan on defeating a basilisk, of all things? Did you have a plan at all? Running headfirst into danger is how people get killed, young man."

"I'm sorry, Mum." Harry told her, looking down. "I wanted to help Ginny, so I did. And I killed the snake-"

"And almost got killed in the process!"

"And I saved Ginny and we got out alive and well."

McGonagall pinched the bridge of her nose, sighing at her son's penchant for finding dangerous things that could kill him.

"We agreed that this year would be different from the last, Harry. What happened to that agreement?"

"I dunno, Mum, I can't really help it. I don't look for trouble, it seeks me out." Harry shrugged.

McGonagall checked the time and realized it was almost time for dinner in the Great Hall.

"Go eat, Harry, we'll discuss this again later." She shooed him off and went to her personal room.

The ingredients were all there, as were the spells. She just needed to decide when to start teaching Harry.

"This summer." She muttered to herself. "He won't be doing much."

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"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione asked when Harry sat down next to her and Ron for dinner.

"Just wandering the castle, no big deal." He replied, shrugging.

"Where's Professor McGonagall, you reckon?" Ron asked, glancing over at the staff table as the food appeared in front of them.

Harry barely glanced up from his food. "Probably doing something in her office, I dunno."

Hermione raised an eyebrow at her friend's response, but started on her food, making a disgusted face at Ron who was, of course, stuffing his face as fast as possible.

McGonagall joined the teachers at the staff table a few minutes later, speaking with Pomona as she sat down at her seat.

"What are we gonna do this summer? You can't just stay with your cousin, is there a way we can meet up?" Ron asked Harry.

"I dunno." He shrugged. "We'll have to figure it out."

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Harry and Ron burst out laughing as the cards stacked in front of them exploded, flying into Neville's face. Hermione glanced up from her book and smiled at the three boys goofing around.

"This is so hard!" Neville complained as he gathered the cards to start again.

"Aw come on, Neville, you can do it!" Harry encouraged him.

The boy started to stack cards again, slowly building up his house.

Right as he stacked the last piece on, a card in the base exploded and the entire thing toppled to the table they were using.

"That counts!" Neville insisted.

"Course it does. Ron's turn." Harry slid the deck over to his redheaded friend.

Just before Ron started the trolley rolled up to the door.

"Candy from the trolley dears?" The old woman asked sweetly.

Harry dug in his pocket and bought about half the cart for the four of them.

"Toss me a chocolate frog, will you?" Ron leaned back in his seat, grinning.

Harry threw him one of the small cardboard boxes.

"Thanks mate." Ron opened the box and grabbed the frog before it could run. He bit into it and grinned happily at the taste.

Hermione pulled herself out of her book to grab a bag of jelly slugs, then curled back into her little ball, turning a page.

Ron and Harry quickly started a contest of who could toss their Bertie Botts Every Flavored Beans higher and catch them in their mouth.

When the train stopped, the four had demolished the supply of candy.

Neville's grandmother met him at the station. Ron's parents picked him up, his mother giving Harry a hug and kissing his forehead, promising to get him to their house again over the summer somehow.

Hermione met her parents beyond the barrier, and then it was just Harry.

He heard the familiar pop and turned to smile at his mum.

"Are you ready to go, Harry?" She asked him.

"Yeah." He grabbed her hand and they apparated back to Hogsmeade.

"What are we gonna do this summer, Mum?" Harry asked as they walked back towards the castle.

"I have a few things planned."

[A/N yay chapter!]