Harry Potter:Bonds of Hope

Chapter 16: First Day with the New Headmaster

Harry paced the living room, Draco in his arms. Draco was rather fussy that morning, especially when Harry stopped moving, so he paced, slowly, but enough to keep his little one calm. He couldn't blame Draco. He was feeling rather agitated also, as was Severus, who was making breakfast in the kitchenette.

It was the first day with Aberforth Dumbledore as the Headmaster. They knew that something wasn't right about the situation, the Castle still felt tense, and the man himself was nowhere near qualified enough to be the Headmaster. They just didn't know what the issue was, or how to fix it. Not yet anyway. He hoped they would be able to figure it out soon, though.

He saw that Severus was putting plates of breakfast food on the table for them and he made his way over, sitting down in the chair the older man pulled out for him and taking a moment to breathe as he looked down at the fussy baby in his arms who was squirming slightly in his babygrow.

"Do you want me to take him so you can eat something?" Severus asked softly.

"No, it's fine. I can eat one handed. And I… I need him close right now, I think," Harry said, he felt tense himself, and not just because of the tension in the air, the walls, the magic of the Castle.

And yet Harry made no move to eat. Neither did Severus, who watched his soulmate in concern.

"Harry, we could just stay in here for the day. Say that Draco has come over ill and we need to take care of him. Say that you are unwell. Say anything. Are you alright?" Severus said.

"How the fuck is it Dumbledore's brother who got the Head position? And what the fuck is wrong with the Castle?" Harry muttered harshly, although the harshness wasn't aimed towards Severus and Severus knew that. "It makes no sense. How could Dumbledore just write a clause and voila, his brother is Headmaster if he were to be removed? Surely there is some kind of ritual involved as well, but what? I don't have a good feeling about this. And I want to take Draco as far away from it as possible. But I also need to stay and protect the others. I need to make sure this school is safe. For everyone. And it isn't. And it's driving me a tad insane, I think."

"You're not insane, Harry. I am worried too. But we'll figure it out. Together. Then we can fix things, hopefully," Severus said softly. "And if not then we will take our family, and as many of the other students as we can, and run to one of our other homes. Protect them there until their parents can come for them."

Harry nodded and started eating his food as Draco stopped fussing a little.

There was a knock on the door and Harry looked at Severus worriedly, "Were we expecting anyone?"

"No," said Severus, also a little worried.

Severus stood and stalked to the door, opening it to find the new Headmaster on the other side. Harry held Draco a little closer to him even as he froze in shock, and a little fear upon seeing the man who looked a lot, though thankfully not completely, like his older brother. He dressed better, though, no bright colours or gaudy designs on his muted dark blue robes.

"Ah, Severus, all ready for your first day back to teaching, I see. Wonderful. I was just wondering if I might come in for a mo? Just wanted a quick little chat with yourself and Harry about school life with a baby and such, nothing too major," Aberforth said jovially.

Severus swallowed thickly but nodded nonetheless, letting the man enter the rooms as Harry moved to stand.

"Oh, don't you worry, Harry. Stay seated and eat your breakfast, you need some energy before getting back into classes. I may not have had children but I have heard that they are rather energy draining."

Harry sat back down but he made no move to eat as he made sure to hold Draco close with both arms. Severus moved to stand mostly between Harry, Draco and the new Headmaster, Harry's and his own eyes wary.

Aberforth looked between the two of them and Harry thought perhaps that there was a little sadness and sorrow in his eyes.

"I'm sorry for how my brother has treated you both over the years. But know that things are going to be different now. I promise," Aberforth said calmly.

He looked like he was being honest, but Harry knew that he couldn't trust him. They couldn't trust him. The Castle was still tense. There was something wrong with this entire situation. He couldn't trust it. He couldn't trust anything except his family.

The magic wasn't right. The air wasn't right.

"Know that I am going to do everything I can to support yourselves and your little one on this journey through the beginnings of parenthood, and with school life," Aberforth said, "Is there anything you need from me? Have you thought much about how you need things to work whilst you, Severus, are teaching, and you, Harry, are in classes?"

Severus glanced back at Harry before looking at the new Headmaster again, his eyes hard as he looked at the older man, "Well, Harry and Draco still have a little difficulty being separated for long periods of time, so whilst we're all settling back into a routine here, and Draco is settling into his new setting, we were rather hoping Harry would be able to take Draco to class with him for a little while. Them being separated for the trial was taxing enough on them both, I don't want them separated for that long for a while. Then, when the bond between them is better fully recovered, we would be okay to leave Draco with family during classes so long as we'd be allowed to go and see him during any breaks and such we may have."

"Understandable. I am sorry that your bonds were ruined by my brother separating you after Draco's birth, and because he forced a C-section on you, Harry. I understand these things take time to heal. You shall be allowed to take Draco to classes, so long as there are sufficient protections and things in place in the classes where it may be dangerous for him. I shall speak to your teachers about those things, or if you would like to chance another subject that may be safer, such as Runes or Arithmancy, then please do let me know and I shall see about getting the Professors some time to help you catch up with last year's work."

"Thank you, sir. I think I'll try and remain with my current classes at the moment and see how that goes, for now. I'll let you know if I change my mind at any point, though," Harry said, as calmly as he could handle given how tense the atmosphere was around them.

"Wonderful. If you want to stay here for the time being then, I'll let you know when your Professors are ready to have you and the little one in their classes. Severus, feel free to go back to your own classes straight away. I'm sure Harry and Draco will be just fine," the new Headmaster said cheerfully.

"Thank you," Severus said with a single nod, his body tense as Aberforth moved forwards slightly and peered down at Draco with curious, awed eyes.

"He is an adorable little one, isn't he? You've done well for yourselves with him. And I can see already that you are both wonderful parents for him. Well done," Aberforth said, he sounded honest.

Harry held Draco a little closer and the new Headmaster looked at him understandingly.

"I shall leave you both to your breakfast. I'll be back when I have news for you, though, Harry. Have a good day. And welcome back."

He saw himself out and Severus and Harry both used the opportunity to breathe. And to try to relax, but that was rather hard.

Severus sat back in his seat and although they were both hungry neither of them made a move to finish their meals, Harry still holding Draco close to him.

"That was…" Harry trailed off, unsure of what to say, or think, or feel really. "That was okay, right? I mean, something feels off, definitely. Like, he isn't meant to be Headmaster, and there is something wrong with the Castle. But, he was okay, right? He wasn't terrible. Unless… I don't know, unless something is wrong with him, too."

Severus hummed, "We'll just have to be careful. Keep our guards up. Be prepared for anything. But he seems alright, for now. We'll see how things go, though. And we'll need to check on the wards at some point, also. Make sure they aren't being, or haven't been, tampered with."

Harry nodded, holding Draco with one arm again so he could start eating his breakfast again, though still keeping him close to his chest.

"Are you going to go back to teaching now? Or do you want to wait until the Headmaster comes back?" Harry asked, a tad nervous.

"What would you like me to do? Would you like me to stay with you and Draco until you are able to go to class? Or would you be okay with me going off to teach the dunderheads?"

Harry snorted and Severus smirked at him.

"Obviously, if I do go to classes today then I will be coming back during breaks, and check in with you between classes too for a few minutes. And if you need anything at all, send Dobby to get me, or your patronus, or floo me. I will be here as quickly as I can be."

Harry smiled a little around his mouthful of food, swallowing before he spoke again.

"You can go and teach the dunderheads if you'd like to. I don't mind. I'm sure Draco and I will be fine, but if not then I'll have Dobby come and snatch you away."

"I might have to snatch myself away if the idiots haven't gotten their acts together in the time that I've been away," Severus groaned a little.

"You'll be fine, Sev," Harry chuckled. "Just be yourself."

Severus sighed, his lips tugging up at the corners slightly as he dug into his food.

It wasn't long before Harry was saying goodbye to Severus so the older of them could go to work. Severus kissed Draco's forehead gently, running his long fingers through the thin hair on their baby's head, smiling at them both, Harry smiled back at him.

"Have fun with the dunderheads," Harry said softly.

"I'll try. You be safe. If you need anything send for me. Or Dobby. If the Headmaster comes by then send for me so I can be here too," Severus said, clearly rather worried about the whole situation.

"We'll be fine. But if I do need you, I will send for you. I promise."

Severus nodded, then he kissed Harry's forehead.

"I'll see you later," Severus said.

"See you later," Harry replied with a smile.

Then Severus was gone.

…

The Headmaster didn't come back to their rooms until after classes were all done for the day. Harry spent his time alone looking after Draco, never letting his baby out of his sight, and doing his schoolwork. He also stopped to bake some bread, and some blueberry muffins when he got bored; he had always loved the smell of freshly baked goods, but now he actually had the opportunity to make them and enjoy the taste too. And he was going to relish in that now that he could. He enjoyed cooking, and baking, but now that he got to actually enjoy the food he made he found that he wanted to do more of it, as often as he could, for himself and his family.

Plans were made so that Harry would sit at the back of all of his classrooms, there would be a small crib in each classroom, surrounded by protective wards that only he, Severus, or anyone else that Harry himself keyed into the wards would be able to breach. If he needed to feed Draco in class then he would be able to so long as he either used a bottle, or used a cloth to cover himself. If Draco got fussy then he would have to calm him as quickly as possible. If Draco's nappy needed changing he would have to leave the class to do it, so as to not distract everyone else. In classes where they were doing practicals Draco's crib would be moved to either the back wall of the class, or behind the Professor's desk to keep him away from any potential spells.

Care of Magical Creatures would be the only class Harry can't be with Draco during as a lot of it involved going into the forest, being around volatile creatures, and there wasn't a set classroom. But Severus could have Draco during those times, or they could send Draco to their aforementioned family.

Divination would also be moved to a classroom that doesn't involve using a rope ladder to get into it during the times that Harry has that lesson. Supposing Trelawney remembered to turn up to that classroom and not the one they regularly use.

Harry and Severus thanked him, both still feeling rather aggravated and tense about the situation, and he went on his way. Leaving them to wonder if, perhaps, it was all a bit too good to be true.

But only time would tell, they supposed.