The golden Potter griffin let the golden Nott jackal bow to it before nodding imperiously. The jackal turned to look at Harry before it dissolved into mist and disappeared completely.
Harry let out the breath he had been holding. Too many odd things had happened with him and family magic for him to be comfortable with using it anymore. Across Minerva's office, Sirius smiled at him reassuringly and Harry didn't think he was making up the matching relief in Sirius's grey eyes that nothing had happened. Finally, Harry glanced at Theo who nodded at him.
"Guess I'm in truly in service to the House of Potter now." Theo said with enough satisfaction that it was obvious even to Harry who sometimes had problems reading Theo.
"Well, welcome?" Harry said with a small smile.
Theo's father interrupted before Theo could reply. "I know you'll take good care of my son, Lord Potter."
Harry stiffened but nodded sharply. "Of course, Lord Nott." He kept his tone polite.
"Sirius, if I may have a word in private before I leave?" Lord Nott asked, turning away from Harry.
Sirius frowned but accepted, gesturing at Harry. "Can you wait outside the room? I'll be with you in a minute."
"Sure." Harry said. He was eager to be alone with Sirius. He had so much to ask him since Sirius had refused to tell him about the tribunals until they were face to face.
"I'll write to you soon, Theo." Lord Nott placed a hand on his son's shoulder. "Be good."
"Of course, Father." Theo said warmly.
Harry led the way out of the room, shutting the door behind Theo once he'd stepped out. Theo hovered and Harry motioned at the nearby stairs.
"You don't have to wait with me."
Theo shrugged and leaned against the wall. "It's Sunday."
It was enough of an explanation. Nothing happened much on Sundays. They were supposed to be homework days. Harry wistfully thought back to the father-son Sundays he'd spent with Sirius during the Summer and felt a pang of disappointment that Sirius would be leaving as soon as they'd talked about the tribunals and caught up.
"Besides if I go back all I have to look forward to is Malfoy sulking about me being in service to the House of Potter and Greengrass debating about whether she should ask you to Hogsmeade next weekend." Theo continued cheerfully.
Harry's eyes snapped to the Slytherin in alarm. "What?"
Theo smirked at him. "You do realise everybody is discussing who you're planning to go with? Are you planning to ask someone?"
"I'm not." Harry replied automatically.
"Great," Theo commented with genuine cheer, "Zabini owes me a galleon."
Harry glared at him, and folded his arms. "I'm going to see Sirius." He paused. "Actually, a bunch of us are going if you want to come along."
Theo blinked at him. "You want me to come along?"
"You're part of my House now, Theo." Harry shrugged. "Ron, Hermione and Neville are all coming along too."
Theo nodded slowly. "Thanks but I have…" he shifted as though he was suddenly uncertain, "I'm going to Hogsmeade with Jeremy."
Harry's eyes widened momentarily in surprise before he realised it was kind of rude to act shocked about it and Theo was braced as though he expected something bad. "Jeremy's a nice guy."
Theo's expression smoothed and he nodded again. "He is." He bit his lip. "I would bet money Daphne is going to ask you. Her Dad is keen for her to make a good match and you…you're the one they all want to date."
"I don't…I'm not…" Harry stumbled over his words. "I don't really want a girlfriend right now?" He settled on.
"So… you may want to say that but you might want to think about dating a few of the girls you trust anyway." Theo advised. "Otherwise the others will think there's hope for them."
"Really?" asked Harry worriedly.
Theo looked at him. "You're kind of clueless."
Harry bristled but he couldn't really argue with Theo's comment. "I just…don't get why they're so interested in me."
Theo's eyebrows shot up. "Potter, setting aside the whole Boy Who Lived thing, and I know you don't think like this but you're Head of your House and you're the Heir to another really powerful House. If that wasn't enough, you're a genuinely nice guy, hero to the rescue type." He waved at him. "And you're not a totally bad Seeker either although if anyone in Slytherin ever hears that I said that, I will deny it."
Harry felt the heat in his cheeks and wished the ground would open him up.
"Look, my advice? Just ask Granger and Lovegood, maybe Bones, to go on pretend dates with you so people think you're dating – Greengrass probably would do it too if you asked. I don't think she's interested in you so much as she's interested in keeping her Dad off her back about making an appropriate match." Theo said.
Harry frowned. He disliked the idea but he guessed it might work to deflect attention from his non-dating and complete inexperience. He'd talk to his friends about Theo's idea. Maybe it wouldn't hurt to go on pretend dates or maybe they could call them practice dates so Harry wouldn't be totally horrible on a real date?
The door behind Harry suddenly opened.
Sirius poked his head out. He paused seeing Theo but nodded an acknowledgement at him before motioning for Harry to enter the office again.
Harry waved a goodbye at Theo and headed straight into the room. Sirius shut the door, perched on the desk and put up a privacy bubble as Harry made for one of the comfy chairs.
"Sorry about that," Sirius said as Harry got comfortable, "Benjamin wanted to give me a heads up that Wenlock's beginning to organise an opposition, as though I couldn't work that out for myself."
Harry nodded because Sirius had already talked with him about Wenlock and the likely political shift. "So what happened at the tribunal that you couldn't tell me over the mirror?"
Sirius grimaced and changed position to fully look at Harry. "Do you remember just before the World Cup when I told you that there had been a sighting of the rat and Voldemort at Little Hangleton?"
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