𝐶ℎ𝑜𝑖𝑐𝑒 𝑜𝑓 𝑅𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑏𝑜𝑤𝑠

XXV

Harry pov
Even if this bed was probably the biggest on the market, it was not enough for three people.
Maybe Draco was right, something needed to be done to get James out.

It was six am and I had to be at work at seven, just to leave again half past twelve.
All in all, an easy start after some time off.
The elves would be taking care of the kids for today, while Draco and I worked.
I wanted to ask Draco the big question today as well, not that big question, but about revealing our relationship to the public.

I woke Draco up, we had to get something to eat before we left. He was a little groggy, but wasn't he always that in the morning?
Breakfast went nicely though, we made sure there was some in the fridge for when the kids woke up and then we were off.

We arrived at the ministry and went to our respective offices with a deal of meeting again at twelve thirty sharp. Then the day began, meetings, paperwork and visits from various Aurors with questions filled my morning. I swear I have never drunk this much coffee before in such a short amount of time, the stack of paperwork was like nothing I'd ever seen.
It sort of reminded me of the first time Draco and I properly talked, when he was in shambles over Astoria and I was broken over Ginny. Ginny, who can rot away in Nurmengard for all I care.

*Knock*

Oh gee, what now?

"Mr. Potter?" I went to open the door, it was one of the workers down from check-in or lobby or whatever you'd want to call it.

"A letter arrived for you, it comes from Hogwarts. I thought you'd like it right away." I thanked her and took the letter before closing the door again, who would write from Hogwarts other than Teddy?

The front didn't say anything about who sent it, only said Harry Potter, Ministry of Magic.
I checked it for spells, you never knew what these anonymous things had of hexes and spells on them. And sure enough, a self-combustion spell. I might need to open this with a witness then...

I put the letter in my briefcase as I packed up, I was quite excited to see what it contained.
Draco met me at the fireplaces and together we floo'ed to The Three Broomsticks, as always people stared at their "saviour" walked out. 
Draco and I quickly made it towards Hogwarts, it was quite the walk after all.
I hadn't told Draco about the letter yet, probably should...

"Dove, I got a letter from Hogwarts before we left." He stopped in his tracks, did it mean something to him?

"Is it self-combusting?" Wow, that was random and scarily specific...

"I did find that spell on it yes, also why I haven't opened it yet. Why?" This was kind of freaking me out.

"Teddy said that his prick of a roommate Nate had put a self-combustion spell on all of his stuff, and he wouldn't dare touch any of his own stuff because of that annoying nobody." Harsh Draco, but oh well.

"You think it's from his roommate?"

"It has to be, don't open it until McGonagall is witness." He made it sound much more dramatic than it should be.

We kept walking in silence, I was eager to hear what dear Minnie would do about this situation. But one thing I was sure of, she would not let it go on.

We neared the gates of Hogwarts; nostalgia came over me every single time I walked through these arches. Draco and I went directly towards the office, no time to remember the old days, now we were making sure Teddy could look back at this with a smile too.

I was thankful for our meeting happening during class hours, it meant that nobody was in the hallways, and therefore no eyes on Draco and I as we held hands on our way to the office.
We reached the gargoyle where McGonagall was already waiting for us.

"It occurred to me that I hadn't included a password in my last letter, though I was also confused as to why Mr. Malfoy was the one writing on Mr. Lupin's behalf, but that seems to be clearer now." Always wearing her tight bun and signature smile, this was the same Minnie both my father and I knew.
We walked up in the office and sat down, it brought me nostalgia to the days in here with Dumbledore.

"Mr. Malfoy didn't say much as to what this was about, only that in was urgent."

"Teddy is experiencing some problems, he doesn't want to be here at Hogwarts anymore. And has also run away, which I didn't think was possible back when I went here." Minnie's smile dropped, she hadn't known...

"I see Hecate has failed to inform me of this matter, what do you propose as a solution?" Ever so formal in her speaking, but I could see the small horror hiding behind her eyes.

"Minnie, I want Teddy moved into another dorm, or even better, into a single dorm. I won't let one badly raised child ruin his school life over dumb superstitions. I'm sorry but it just can't be true that other kids have to suffer because one kid is suffering from personal problems."

"I'll get another dorm set up for Teddy, any friends Teddy could be interested in living with?"

"He's not exactly the most outgoing person Minnie, I don't know of any close friends." She gave me a sharp nod, I felt like the worst godfather not knowing whether or not Teddy even had friends here. God, I am the worst. Draco must've felt my self-despair because it didn't take long for his hand to be on my shoulder in a reassuring manner, only this time it didn't quite work.

"I'll call Teddy in then, anything else you'd like to discuss before leaving?" 

"I received a letter at work which was brought by one of the Hogwarts owls, no sender but it does have a self-combustion spell on it. Now I don't want to point fingers, but Teddy did say his roommate was a master at those and had put it on all of Teddy's stuff. I'd like to open it here with witnesses, just in case." Minnie's eyebrows drew together in confusion, she looked puzzled.

I slowly opened it while both Draco and Minnie eagerly looked, it was just nine words, but enough to make my blood boil.

"Teddy Lupin should rot in hell alongside his father."

Minnie had a shocked look on her face and quickly cast a spell to stop the slow self-combustion that was happening, she froze the letter and quickly stored it away in a cabinet.

"I'll contact Nate's parents immediately; Hogwarts is no place for bullying, and definitely not bullying of orphaned kids who lost their parents to the war." 

We said our goodbyes soon after, now I just wanted to get home and not do anything. Draco apparated us home and soon Draco ran off to the cellar, said something about a polyjuice he and Teddy worked on, and I went to bed. I felt shit, why did I convince myself I could take care of four children? I barely know what's happening in my godson's life, one of my own has anxiety-ridden night terrors and now I've also taken Scorpius along even though I barely have qualifications to the three I had to start with.

This is a fucking disaster.

Word Count: 1235