Hogwarts Is My Home

Chapter 27: The Great Hall

Grady was struggling to keep his eyes open Wednesday morning. Tuesdays were a packed day for him, with five classes during the day and no free periods, and then Astronomy at midnight. At his side, Took had his chin propped in his elbow, and he was snoring slightly. Grady yawned and shoveled a spoonful of porridge in his mouth.

The Great Hall filled with the sound of wings flapping as the morning post arrived. Daedalus fluttered down in front of him and Grady shoved himself back in a panic, knocking Took's arm as he did so and startling him awake with a loud snort.

"Get it," Grady pleaded. Took yawned and rubbed his eyes behind his glasses before reaching out and untying the letter from the owl's leg. Daedalus flew off and Grady shuddered in relief, opening the letter to read while Took finally started to eat.

Dear Grady,

I am very pleased to inform you of Sian's engagement to Benoit Lafontaine. Their wedding will take place next July. We connected with a few other families while we were in France, and your mother and I have decided that the best course of action is for you to complete a term abroad at Beauxbatons. We managed to pull some strings and the headmistress has graciously consented to allow you to transfer during the spring term.

Yours sincerely,

Your father

Grady's mouth hung open. Took glanced over at him. "What?" he asked, his mouth full of sausage and eggs. Unable to speak, Grady just handed the letter over to him. Took's eyes went wide. "They're making you go to Beauxbatons?" Grady nodded mutely. "Tell them no!"

"I can't," Grady groaned.

"Sure you can," he said encouragingly. "We've been practicing and you've gotten a lot better!"

"This isn't telling you that you can't copy my Arithmancy homework," Grady replied, rubbing his face out of exhaustion and resignation.

"Do you want to go?"

Grady shrugged helplessly. "It... it might be... interesting. I don't know," he said, looking miserably at his porridge. "I guess I'll have to take Gemma up on the offer to teach me French," he said with a hollow attempt at a laugh. "Oh, Merlin, am I going to have to take my O.W.L.'s in French?!"

Took shook his head. "You need to stand up for yourself," he urged him. "You can't let them micromanage your life like this."

"Easier said than done," Grady sighed. "Come on, breakfast is nearly over. We should go to the library and finish that essay on secrecy sensors and foe detectors for Breese."

"Fine, but we also need to compose a letter back to your parents," Took said, getting up from the bench with him and walking toward the door.

"Took..."

"I reckon if you mention that you'd have to take your O.W.L.'s in French, they'd change their minds."

"I seriously doubt it."

"Worth a try."

Grady sighed. "Okay, you win. But the essay comes first."

Took grinned at him and gave him a salute. "Aye, aye, sir."

~

"That sounds too aggressive," Grady whispered to Took an hour later. They had finished their essays for Defense Against the Dark Arts and were working on the letter to Grady's parents, as promised. Took was doing the initial draft while Grady provided editing suggestions. Took sighed and crossed out his most recent sentence. "What about 'While I would enjoy the opportunity to study at Beauxbatons—'"

"No way," Took argued. "If you say you'd enjoy it, they'd end up snaking you into it somehow. You have to make it clear that you don't want to go!"

Across the table, Abby and Kristen were eavesdropping as they finished up their own essays. "What are you two whispering about?" Abby asked.

"We're writing a letter to Grady's parents," Took explained. "They want him to do a semester abroad at Beauxbatons."

"Oh no!" Abby exclaimed, raising her voice over the hushed whispers they had been conversing in. Madame Strout, the librarian, shushed her and Abby blushed and mouthed an apology to her before turning back to the boys. "You can't go to Beauxbatons, Grady!" she resumed in a whisper.

Took nudged Grady in the ribcage. "See? The Hogwarts girls would be devastated without you," he teased. Abby turned bright red and Grady frowned at his friend.

"Oh please, Took," Kristen huffed. "You'd be lost without him, too." She turned her attention to Grady. "Why do your parents want you to go to Beauxbatons?"

It was Grady's turn to blush. He and Abby were a matching pair of tomatoes. "Oh, erm, well, that is..." he stuttered.

"They're trying to find him a wealthy pureblood French wife," Took butt in.

Kristen started to giggle, but abruptly stopped when Grady just looked miserably down at the table. Her eyes widened. "You're not serious??"

"We should get going to class," Grady said, changing the subject expertly. He stuffed the rough draft of the letter into his messenger bag along with his books and completed essay and slung the bag over his shoulders. Took sighed and quickly shoved his supplies into his bag as well.

"We'll meet you there," Kristen said. "We just need to finish writing our conclusions." She bent her head back over her paper and began scratching quickly with her quill. Abby looked at Grady sadly before doing the same.

Took threw his arm around Grady as they walked out, heading towards Breese's classroom. "You're breaking so many hearts and you haven't even left yet."

"Just.... Stop. Please." Grady kept his eyes on the floor as they walked down the corridors, up a few flights of stairs, and down yet more corridors. He thought about the unfinished letter in his bag. Would he really be able to go against his parents' wishes? Everyone made it sound like it was so easy. All he'd ever wanted was to make his father proud. If he didn't go to Beauxbatons, was he just going to end up disappointing his parents like Noble and Dempsey? 

A/N: What do you think about Grady possibly going to Beauxbatons?