𝐃 𝐈 𝐕 𝐈 𝐍 𝐄, 𝐝.𝐦

𝐧𝐞𝐦𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐬 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐱

"Anyone?" Draco tried, practically talking to the air. "Want to fill me in? Even just a little?"

Dean spared him a glance, sitting back against his chair and resting his arms on its sides. He pointed a finger at Draco.

"You didn't tell him?" He spoke again to Adeline, which only seemed to infuriate Draco more.

"I thought a failed Task meant death," Adeline stated, never taking her eyes off him.

"I only alluded to that being a possibility."

"So, why wasn't that the possible outcome here?" Her voice was strained with annoyance.

Dean ran a tongue over his lips, squinting at her slightly. "And here I thought you'd be so happy to see me, darling."

Draco slammed his hands against the table. "Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!"

His voice echoed in the diner. The waitress looked up as if she only just noticed they were there and they'd merely laughed. Dean chuckled lowly as the waitress made her way over to them.

"Can I get anything for you kids?" She was probably in her late thirties, bright red lipstick and cheap foundation brushed her skin.

"No." Adeline and Draco snapped.

The waitress looked appalled, but then Dean grabbed her attention again. "Actually, yes please." He smiled at her, handsome and charming. She seemed to melt under his stare. "Would you please do me the finest pleasure and get me a nice cup of coffee. And I'd also like the scrambled eggs with bacon, and the pancakes with both ice cream and maple syrup. And you know what, put on another side of bacon."

The waitress preened, writing down his order. "Hungry boy." She laughed out, smiling at him, then turning to look at Adeline and Draco with a frown, before scurrying off.

"Thanks, darling." He winked at her as she left, and then turned back to his two charming companions.

"You two are so rude in the exact same way," Dean stated. "It's adorable."

He was sure he saw a vein pop in Draco's neck.

"Dean worked for my uncle," Adeline explained without taking her eyes off the boy in front of her. "He was employed to babysit me during my time at Hogwarts, which is why he left when I did."

"Worked for Arthur?" Draco's brows pinched together. "Why did you think he was dead?"

Adeline let her eyes drop to the table for a moment before she turned the boy beside her. "He's enlisted in some ridiculous Ilvermorny program-"

"Was."

"Their leniency for failure is pretty slim." Adeline continued, ignoring him.

Draco seemed to ponder this for a moment. "So, you failed?" he asked Dean. "How?"

Before Dean could respond, not that he was feeling particularly inclined to tell him anything, Adeline answered for him.

"I went back home with Arthur after Sirius died and Dean was sent back to America." She said without looking at either of them. "He was supposed to stay until we graduated, and he didn't. So, he failed."

Dean looked at her but did not let his confusion show. Draco stayed quiet for a moment, digesting this new piece of information.

"Ilvermorny..." He began, looking at Dean. "Like the military program?"

They both looked at Draco, each asking themselves how he knew what they were talking about.

"Yeah, why?" Dean asked, slowly.