Unhappy Endings

137: The Half Blood Prince's Year Begins

"Oh, it is a rather dour day, isn't it, dear?" You asked, walking over to your husband as check-ins wound down. "I wish my sister was one of the assigned aurors, but you know they wouldn't do that... Also, you know who I haven't seen yet? Ha—"

Suddenly you heard Professor Flitwick's voice. "About time! I've been looking all over for you two. Names." A sprite of a girl you knew as Luna Lovegood arrived with a rather broken looking Harry. Luna had just signed up to attend your class this year and you were quite looking forward to it. Severus had hated her as a student. Flighty, dreamy and without a passion for potions, he had called her. It made you want to have her excel even more.

"Yikes." You commented to Severus, whose hand had just began to touch your lower back and drift down.

"Professor Flitwick, you've known me for five years."

"No exceptions, Potter..." He muttered as you walked over, leaving a huffy professor behind.

"Who are those people, Professor Tonks?" Harry spoke as he watched the shadows drift eerily, like ghosts.

"Aurors. For... security." You gave him a knowing look as Flitwick checked the two wizards in. It was not on Dumbledore, this security. It was from the ministry and everyone knew it. The last time, no, the last several times the ministry intervened, it led to danger and disaster for Hogwarts and its students.

"It's a not a cane, you cretin. It's a walking stick." Everyone turned to see your delightful cousin Draco standing amidst a mountain of trunks and cages, watching Filch pass a long detecting device over a familiar black 'walking stick'. You weren't sure the point of it, but figured it gave the groundskeeper something to do.

"And what exactly would you be wantin' with a walking stick?" Filch implied.

"It was his father's." Severus' voice separated him from the shadows. You watched Draco eye him warily, and then promptly snatch the stick from Filch.

"Is my father's. He's not dead." Severus watched Draco carefully wrapped the stick in felt, lay it back inside his trunk. What an annoying twit. Not only that, but he looked almost sickly this year. As if he had something weighing heavily on him...

"It's alright, Mr. Filch. I can vouch for Mr. Malfoy." It made you uneasy to see Severus so unnecessarily involved in his students' matters, but you knew why. It was to save his own life now. Draco continued to eye Severus warily again, then began to slouch off, before catching Harry looking at him.

"Nice face, Potter." Harry put a hand to his nose and watched Draco disappear into the darkness, trailed by Severus, who waved you along.

"Would you like me to fix it? Personally, I think you look a bit more devil-may-care this way. But it's up to you." You heard the blonde inquire and you laughed as you walked away.

"Have you ever fixed one? A nose..."

"No. But I've done several toes and how different are they really?"

You were sure that this did not fill Harry with confidence. "Oh, what the hell. Give it a go."