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As that conversation progressed he found himself exceedingly pleased with his decision to cast the Emancipation Ritual. James could have simply ordered him to come along, something he must have realized himself, judging from his grim mood the next couple of days until they left. Lily had asked him of the exact same thing, hoping that she would succeed where her husband had failed; Harry was resolute. They had excluded him for all of his life practically and he had finally come to like that. Now it was their time to deal with the consequences of their actions.
Harry had flooed over Silbreith the very moment his once family had left, a wide smile on his face at his newfound freedom. Minnie had welcomed him warmly and had sent one of the house elves to Neville's house -by Harry's request- to call on his friend. The teen had arrived half an hour later and had swiftly joined Harry and Severus at the back porch.
"If this is how you spend your holidays I wonder how you can stand returning to Hogwarts every beginning of term." Neville stated smirking, reclining back on a chaise lounge, a glass of cold tea in hand as he looked at the lake in the distance.
"It's a hardship." Harry answered in mock desperation. Severus scoffed, staring at the lake himself.
"So," Neville asked after a silent moment, "have you thought anything concerning Malfoy? Because I just don't get it."
"Did you know I was almost made his godfather?" Severus asked out of the blue, making Harry breathe most of the tea he was trying to swallow.
"What?" The teen asked, green eyes wide as he stared at his father in complete disbelief.
"Yes." Severus offered sighing. "I had almost forgot so myself; it was back during my darkest period, when I had just finished my mastery on potions. Narcissa had written to ask whether I would consider it. From what I understand, Lucius in the end opted to make Rabastan LeStrange his godfather instead."
"Smart move, really." Neville offered sarcastically; Rabastan LeStrange was still in Azkaban for his crimes during Voldemort's reign.
"Well, hindsight is always clearer." Severus muttered. "I just can't help but wonder how things would have turned out had I been his godfather."
"I imagine I would have seen much more of him during the years." Harry stated. "I have no idea how that would have worked, considering everything though."
"It probably wouldn't have worked at all." Severus stated, shaking his head. "Anyway, no point in wondering what could have been. What's more important is what happened and what happened was Draco going against everything he has been taught and fighting against the very people he had been raised to support."
"And saving people he believes to be inferiors." Neville interjected. "Plus, with how he has treated me personally over the years, I find it hard to consider he secretly is all warm and cuddly on the inside." Harry and Severus chuckled at that, the green eyed boy shaking his head.
"Still, it's something to consider." Harry stated.
"Are we actually considering Draco secretly is warm and cuddly, once you get to know him?" Neville asked, cocking an eyebrow at his brother.
"What Harry, means, I suppose," Severus said, "is that nothing is what it seems." Harry nodded. "I wouldn't go as far as calling him that," the potions master continued with a smirk, "but, you have to remember, he is a Malfoy. Draco has been raised with a specific mindset; he as been trained from birth to consider Purebloods superior. No matter what his personal beliefs might have been, had he been raised in an unbiased environment that would have allowed them to develop without external steering, he has been through fourteen years worth of propaganda." Harry nodded once more, trying to imagine himself in Draco's shoes. And, since he couldn't picture the person he would have become had he received such an upbringing, he tried to imagine instead himself growing up with James as his father. Would he have hated Severus then? Adrian definitely did, or had, up to recently. He might have never even seen past Neville's shy exterior either, considering him nothing more than a fumbling awkward teen that was even more scared of their potions master than the rest of them were. And James was nowhere near as bad as Lucius Malfoy.
"Fourteen years of propaganda notwithstanding," Harry offered, his thoughts taking him once more to the night of the attack at the World Cup, "I know what I saw. Draco seemed more shocked at what he had done than I was at catching him doing it but that doesn't change the fact that he did cast that spell." Severus and Neville nodded, the potions master looking pensive.
"I can't believe I'm even having this conversation," Neville stated, "but I have to admit, stranger things have happened."
"I'd say." Harry agreed; his whole life so far was one of said stranger things and it had definitely happened.
"Still, we can do nothing more than speculate. Just keep an eye on him." Severus stated, cutting a piece from the chocolate cake Minnie had left for them on the table. "If you ever get free time over the year that is." He handed the cake to Neville, the only one that hadn't tried it yet, his eyes focused on his son, a slight tremble coming over his frame.
He had the appearance of a man ready to grab his son and hide for the next school year and in all truth, that was one of the thoughts that had passed through his mind that very morning; Albus, before leaving to oversee Adrian's training, had called the teaching staff and informed them that the measure taken to prevent injuries during the Triwizard Tournament was simple; no underage wizard would be able to compete. And, to avoid students using aging potions, the ward placed would have nothing to do with actual age and everything to do with what ones magical signature stated. And while the plan was quite smart, it left a specific loophole to be considered. A Harry shaped loophole. Albus obviously believed that Harry wouldn't have the experience required to be selected but Severus knew better; he would have to invest on calming draughts this year.
"You know I need this, Dad." Harry stated softly, correctly guessing what Severus was talking about, looking at his father in earnest. "I will never get a better chance to train in such a scale as the Triwizard Tournament offers before the war; and it will be a controlled environment to boot. The circumstances are ideal."
"I know that." Severus stated, closing his eyes and letting his head hit the pillow behind him. "You do realize I'll hate it anyway." Harry and Neville chuckled at the declaration. "I mean, I'll be ridiculously proud of you if you get chosen. But I'll hate it all the same." This time the teens next to him burst into laughter. "It's not even that funny!" Severus exclaimed, opening his eyes and throwing a pillow towards his son. Harry ducked swiftly, the pillow hitting Neville straight on the chest.
"Hey!" The brown eyed teen complained, throwing the pillow back.
"You must admit, it was a little funny." Harry offered, whipping a few errant tears and chuckling.
"Kind of reminded me one of Ron's predictions for Trelawney's class I overheard last term." Neville stated, a smile forming on his face as he reminisced.
"How so?" Severus asked, not knowing if he should be insulted just yet.
"They were working in pairs, I think, and Adrian was paired with Ron; apparently Adrian's tea leaves, according to Ron, predicted something of the sort 'you'll suffer, but you'll be happy for it'." Even Severus laughed on that one.
"Still, we don't even know if I'll get chosen." Harry reminded them making Severus roll his eyes.
"With our luck?" He shook his head in exasperation. "Harry, I have a feeling you would have managed to get chosen without even competing!"
"True." Harry quipped before dissolving into laughter. He only wished, as he watched the sunset by his family's side, that laughter would accompany them during the coming year too. Excitement at least, should things go as expected, was certain.
HI GUYS IF YOU WANT READ 300 + CHAPTERS THEN VISIT
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