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CHIYMAEI Chapter 1 by supernope

Excited for the new school year, Professors Harry and Louis settle back into their lives and teaching positions at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. But as the winter holidays approach, the efforts of hiding their relationship are draining, and it's only a matter of time before they crack or someone finds out. 

Winter Break

Harry wakes to the sound of birds chirping and wind rustling in through the open windows. The curtains billow madly with it, flapping and snapping like a sail on a storm-tossed sea. Sighing, Harry rolls over and buries his head in the pillow. It's the last day of summer holidays, he thinks he deserves another hour of sleep.

He's nearly there, limbs gone loose and mind a pleasant, drowsy haze, when he realizes how cold the bed is and how quiet the house is around him. Suddenly wide awake, Harry rolls back over and struggles to sit up, tangled as he is in the blankets. Once he's free, he slips out of bed, stretching his arms toward the ceiling in an attempt to work sleepy kinks out of his back.

Despite the warmth of the sun, the wind filtering in through the windows has a pleasant bite to it, and the wooden floors radiate that chill. Shivering, Harry slides his feet into a pair of fluffy slippers and tugs on a robe. The thin silk doesn't do much to ward off the cool August breeze, but it shields his bits from the neighbors as he wanders through the house, peeking into the spare bedrooms as he goes.

Harry's frown deepens as he moves from room to room in search of signs of life. He can still see an imprint at the foot of the guest bed, a small, oblong rumple from where Salem had spent the night, but there's no other hint of him or Luna in the house. Even their food bowls by the kitchen door are still full, food untouched. Harry checks the back garden, just in case they've gone on one of their joint adventures and couldn't get back inside, but the back garden is just as empty as the house.

He's not terribly worried, but he leaves the back door open, all the same, and stretches out on the sofa so he can see through the back windows and watch for them. Plucking his wand out of his robe pocket, Harry turns the old television in the corner on and, with a lazy flick of his wand, surfs the channels until he finds one playing old reruns of a muggle sitcom he's come to enjoy. It's not enough to stop him dozing back off, though, and he falls asleep on the sofa with his cheek cushioned on his stacked palms, mouth curved into a pout while he waits for his babies to come home.

Harry comes to to the feeling of a wet tongue slathering his face. "Luna!" He squeals, shoving her heavy paws off his chest so he can sit up and get out of range of her tongue. "No, naughty girl! What have I said about licking my face while I'm sleeping?"

Luna whines low in her throat and hangs her head, like she knows exactly what Harry is saying. He manages to hold his stern expression for all of 30 seconds before he gives in and smushes her massive face between his hands, dropping a kiss to the tip of her nose. "You're so pretty," he coos, scratching behind her ears so her eyes fall shut in bliss. "My sweet, naughty pup."

"Did she lick your face again?"

"Yes," Harry grumbles, wrinkling his nose as he straightens up. Bored now that Harry isn't touching her, Luna stands, shakes herself bodily, then trots off in search of entertainment. "The training is not going well." He tips his head back and watches through slitted eyes as Louis enters the room. He's holding a damp cloth and a small pastry box. Harry perks up in interest. "Oooh, what do you have?"

Louis stops behind Harry and leans over the back of the sofa, wiggles the cloth in front of him. "For your face," he says, then he holds up the box, "and for your belly. Luna, Salem, and I went on a walk to fetch you your favorite scones from down the road."