A New Dawn at Hogwarts

Chapter Thirty-Five: Playing the Game

"Well, Piccolina, you look well rested," Malichi said the next morning when Severus and Aurora arrived in the Great Hall for breakfast.

"Where have you been?" Aurora asked, giving him a hug. "I thought you'd gone."

Severus knew exactly where his old professor had been. He cleared his throat and shot him a warning glare.

Malichi arched a brow in return.

"Your father's quarters were already full," he said, turning to Aurora. "I made other arrangements. And I would not leave without saying goodbye," he chided, patting her back. "Now, it looks like your friends have just arrived. I'm sure you'd much rather have breakfast with them then two grouchy old men." Aurora looked up at Severus, and he nodded his approval.

"Go nowhere alone," he reminded her.

"I know."

He watched her hurry down the tables to where Harry, Ron, and Basil were sitting, the group beginning to chatter and laugh immediately.

He turned his gaze back to Malichi, who was focused on the other side of the room. Severus turned to see what he was looking at.

Not what. Who. Professor McGonagall had come in and seemed to be studiously ignoring the two of them. Severus turned back to his mentor, who was now eyeballing the food on his plate, the corners of his mouth twitching up in an involuntary smile.

"Merlin save us," Severus muttered, taking a long drink of coffee. "You'll send an owl this time, at least? I still have to work here."

Malichi smirked as he lifted his own cup of coffee. "I'll owl Aurora every week."

"You're impossible," Severus muttered.

"I've lived too long to apologize for enjoying myself, son." He reached for the sausages. "How did it go, then?"

"How did what go?" Severus asked, spearing a potato with his fork.

"Severus," Malichi chided. "The two of you were barely speaking when I left after dinner. And her tone this morning –"

"Her tone was that of an adolescent girl whose father was keeping her from her friends," Severus said, his words clipped.

"So you didn't spend the evening at one another's throats?"

"It isn't as though we have never lived under the same roof, Malichi," he sniffed. "It was fine." He picked up his coffee cup again and shrugged. "I gave her Marie's apprentice books."

Malichi choked on his food, coughing twice and fixing a steely gaze on Severus.

Severus drank his coffee and had considerable difficulty keeping his customary scowl in place.

Malichi nodded once, then took a sip out of his own cup to clear his throat. "Then there seems to be no reason for me to linger," he noted. "I'll say my goodbyes –" he glanced up towards Minerva, " – and get back to my holiday. Severus -"

Severus looked up. The older wizard's eyes were shining. Almost as though he were close to tears.

"Well done, son," he said. "Well done."

Severus cleared his throat and nodded stiffly. Melison's approval was not meted out lightly, especially where he was concerned.

"I should send that letter to Lucius," he muttered, excusing himself and hurrying out of the Hall.

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Aurora and her friends were almost out the front door when he passed back through after visiting the Owlery. A sharp call of her name from Severus and she halted, turning towards him and approaching with a quizzical expression.