Public Eye
Thursday, 19 November 1998
“Before we adjourn,” Chief Warlock Greengrass said at the five-hour mark of the dryest Wizengamot meeting Harry had ever had the pleasure of attending. Turns out, November is when they review and approve the budget for the new year meaning no one can introduce anything else to the body, they just sit there and read the budget line-by-line and vote on every. single. section. Harry was about to start banging his head against the nearest wall.
“Before we adjourn!” the Chief Warlock repeated over the din of groans and complaints coming from a room of 50 full grown adults, “you should all be receiving invitations to the Ministry’s Yule Ball in the next week. It’s been a couple of years since we’ve held this event, so our Public Relations Department is pretty excited. It’s not required that you attend, but we would really appreciate it if you’d all make the time, thank you! Meeting adjourned,” he called, opening the doors with a wave of his hand, “Lord Peverell, Lord Longbottom, could you come up here please?”
“What’d you two do now?” Susan asked, sounding entirely exasperated.
“Nothing,” Harry said.
“…I don’t think,” Neville added.
“Sure,” Susan said, rolling her eyes, “see you back at school.”
They both waved goodbye and wove through the crowd toward the Chief Warlock’s bench.
“What can we do for you, sir?” Harry asked as they approached.
“Since your Order of Merlin event was close doored this summer for your safety the Ministry would like to honor you and your friends at the ball,” he explained.
“Oh, that’s not necessary,” Neville said immediately.
“I like how you think I was asking,” Greengrass said with a light laugh, “you lot are getting honored whether you like it or not. It’ll be fine, we’ll read your names, you’ll wave, and then you can get drunk on the Ministry dime.”
“Fine,” Harry said with a sigh, “who all does this include?”
“You two, Ron Weasley, and Hermione Granger, please pass on the message.”
“Will do,” Harry responded with a mock salute.
“Get out of here,” Greengrass said, laughing, “see you in December.”
“Have a good day, sir,” Neville said as they turned to leave.
“Ugh,” Harry breathed out once they were in the hall, “I hate attention.”
“I’m well aware, Haz,” Neville responded, slinging his arm around Harry’s shoulder, “do you think we’ll get to bring dates?”
“Neville the people we’d ask to be our dates are already going to be invited to this thing,” Harry reminded him, “unless you’re planning a re-run of the last Yule Ball. In that case, I’m sure Ginny would love to go, just beware that you’ll have to fight Blaise.”
“No thanks,” Neville said with a laugh, stepping into the elevator, “but that gives me an idea, after we see who all gets invited let’s try and pair as many of them up with people who weren’t invited as we can, I think we could get our whole class there.”
“Good point, I’m sure Susan’s had the same thought, but you should mention it anyways.”
He didn’t get a chance because the second the door opened they ran into Susan who’d apparently been waiting for them, “let’s try and get as much of our class here as we can.”
“Let’s,” Harry said, trying not to laugh.
“Which of you already had that thought?” Susan asked, reaching out to shove Harry.
“Me,” Neville said, stepping in to break the pair up, “let’s get back to school before you two get in a brawl in the Ministry lobby.”
“I’ve used an unforgiveable in the Ministry lobby before,” Harry said with a shrug, “I really don’t think fake fighting Susan is going to be what gets me banned.”
“Let’s maybe not say that out loud,” Neville said, shoving Harry himself, “I’ll edit my previous statement, let’s get out of here before Harry gets himself arrested.”
“Fine,” Harry said with a dramatic sigh, “when we get back let’s make a list of everyone we think will be invited and everyone who won’t, remember that of-age heirs will likely be invited as well.”
“Are we including the 7th years in this or are we going to let them pick their own dates?” Neville asked as they walked toward the floo bank.
“Let’s let the boys pick their own dates,” Susan decided, “Luna might want to join us though so we should ask, but I’ll bet she wants to bring Rolf.”
“Odds are Rolf will be invited on his own since his granddad was an Order of Merlin recipient,” Harry said.
“Do you think they’ll invite whole families?” Neville asked, “like would Ginny get an invite because the Weasleys have a Wizengamot seat? And would Parvati be invited even though Padma’s the heir?”
“That’s how they did it in the past,” Susan said with a shrug, “I’d assume it’ll be the same this year.”
“Hey, Daph,” Harry greeted as they reached the line for the floos, “you want to help us match make the few people in our class we don’t think will be invited to the ball?”
“Sure,” Daphne replied with a shrug, “sounds fun.”
They each stepped through the floos and into the 8th Year’s Common Room where Daphne followed Susan, Harry, and Neville through the door into their sitting room.
After about 20 minutes, they’d come up with a comprehensive list of everyone they thought would be invited either through ministry connections or direct ties to the war effort and decided that the only people who wouldn’t get an invite were Sally-Anne Perks, Lisa Turpin, Wayne Hopkins, Megan Jones, Tracey Davis, and Blaise Zabini (maybe, there was a lengthy debate over whether his mother’s ties to the Italian Ministry and ICW would get them an invite to the event).
“The Slytherins are easy,” Daphne decided as she looked over the list, “Blaise will go with Ginny whether he gets an invite or not and Greg would love to escort Tracey.”
“Hufflepuffs are easy too,” Susan said, looking over Daphne’s shoulder, “Ernie has been crushing on Megan forever and this’ll be the push he needs, and I know Millicent likes Wayne so that should work out.”
“Terry Boot will take Sally-Anne,” Harry pointed out, “I have no clue if they’re actually dating or not, but they’re attached at the hip either way.”
“Michael Corner and Lisa are the same way,” Daphne pointed out, “so I think that covers everyone. Who are you three going with?”
“I’ll give Justin a week to ask me and if he doesn’t, I’ll ask him,” Susan said.
“I’ll see if Theo’s alright being seen in public with me,” Harry said with a laugh, though in the darkest corners of his mind, he wasn’t entirely sure.
Daphne just rolled her eyes at that and turned to Neville, raising one eyebrow.
“I’m going to ask Hannah,” Neville said with a shy smile.
“She’ll say yes,” Susan told him.
“Who are you planning to go with, Daph?” Harry asked.
“I’ll be going with Charles Travers,” Daphne said as if Harry absolutely should’ve known that but when he just looked confused she rolled her eyes again and said, “we’ve been courting since August.”
“Courting?” Harry asked, looking slightly dumbfounded.
The three other people in the room turned to look at him like he’d lost the plot.
“Did you forget to explain courting to him?” Susan asked, looking at Neville.
“I assumed Andromeda or Narcissa would,” Neville said, sounding as dumbfounded as Harry looked, “or at the very least, Theo.”
“Are you and Theo not courting?” Daphne all but demanded.
“No?” Harry answered, shrinking back slightly.
“Then what are you two doing?”
“Dating? I don’t know, we made out on the train and now we’re raising a kid together, what do you call that?”
“Sweet Salazar,” Daphne muttered under her breath, “you’re hopeless, Potter.”
“I’m trying my best!” Harry responded before crossing his arms and pouting like an over-sized toddler.
“Harry what’s the ring you wear?” Neville asked, hoping he got the answer he thought he would.
Harry pointed to his right thumb, “this one? It’s one I found in Sirius’ room, though why he owned silver jewelry when he was dating a werewolf is beyond me.”
Neville just rolled his eyes, “no, not that one, the one on your left pointer finger.”
“Oh,” Harry said, starting to smile, “Theo gave it to me a couple months ago, he said it was from his mum’s family.”
“Oh, thank Merlin,” Susan breathed out, “when he gave that to you, did you give him anything back?”
“Yeah?” Harry answered, confused as to what they were getting at, “I gave him a pendant with a lily on it that I found in my dad’s jewelry box.”
“Okay,” Daphne said, shaking her head in disbelief, “you’re courting, you just didn’t know which, honestly, feels on brand.”
Harry just sat there for a moment before he laughed and pushed back from the table, “I have to go ask Theo several questions, I’ll see you lot later.”
“Bye,” they chorused.
“Only Harry could start courting someone and have no clue,” Susan said once he’d left the room.
“Heard that, Bones!” Harry called from the hallway.
“Piss off, Potter!” she responded.
* * *
“Oh, Theodore,” Harry called as he entered his quarters.
Theo stepping out of Teddy’s nursery, “hey, love, I had Mimi bring Teddy back from Grimmauld, he’s asleep but we should wake him up soon or he won’t sleep through the night.”
“Alright,” Harry said, “why didn’t you tell me we were courting?”
Theo stopped in his tracks, opening and closing his mouth several times before shaking his head and saying, “how did you not know?”
“I didn’t even know that courting existed out of the weird period dramas Aunt Petunia used to watch on the BBC.”
“I understood maybe a third of that sentence,” Theo responded, “courting absolutely exists and we exchanged gifts so that means we’re courting, how did no one explain this to you?”
“Theo, Dumbledore died and left me to defeat a Dark Lord on my own at the ripe age of 16, I really don’t think no one explaining courtship to me is all that shocking.”
“Right,” Theo mumbled, “well, I guess we’re a slightly odd case anyways since we’re both our own Heads of House. If we weren’t, we’d have had to get permission from whoever was before we started courting. Then, once permission is granted, you exchange gifts. Sometimes there are formal contracts written up but that’s really rare nowadays and the contracts don’t come into play until marriage and at that point they’re more directives for assets and heirlooms. Courtship doesn’t have to last a prescribed amount of time. I guess it’s really just dating now but with a fancy name? It really depends on the person.”
“So, it’s just a fancy way of saying we’re dating?”
“Sure, if you want to look at it like that,” Theo said with a laugh, stepping up to pull Harry into a hug.
“Alright,” Harry said, resting his chin on Theo’s shoulder, “in that case, will you go to the Yule Ball with me?”
“Really?” Theo said, stepping back to look into Harry’s eyes.
“Really,” Harry responded, leaning forward to press a kiss to Theo’s forehead, “there’s no one else I’d rather go with.”
“You’re okay being in public with me?”
“Theo, I love you, I want to spend every day of the rest of my life with you, of course I’m okay being in public with you. Are you alright being in public with me?”
“Of course, love,” Theo responded with a bright smile, “I was worried you’d want to keep us a secret or something.”
“Theo we’re really not that subtle,” Harry said with a laugh, “you publicly declared fealty to the House of Potter, I’m guessing everyone already knows.”
“Ah, right,” Theo said, clearing his throat, “in that case, I’d love to go with you.”
“Good,” Harry said, pulling Theo back into a hug, “also, I know it’s a month away, but don’t make any plans for your birthday weekend.”
“What’re you planning, Potter?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know, Nott?”
“Oh, shut it,” Theo said, shoving Harry away with a laugh and walking over to the kitchen.
“Was Teddy asleep when Mimi brought him?” Harry asked, following at Theo’s heels.
“Yeah, woke up a little when they popped over but fell right back to sleep.”
“Did she say how long he’d been out?”
“Twenty minutes.”
Harry looked at his watch, “alright, we should wake him up soon. What do you want to do tonight?”
“All my homework’s done, and I don’t have anything else I need to do,” Theo responded, “do you want to do dinner here and just hang out?”
“Why don’t we go out?”
“Go out?”
“Yeah, all three of us. We’ll pack a bottle and some snacks for Teddy and we’ll go somewhere to eat, get away from school and the ministry and everything else for a night.”
“Where do you want to go?”
Harry thought about it for a minute before saying, “how do you feel about playing hooky tomorrow? I’m sure Sal here would give me the day off training if I promise to train on my own.”
“I’ll tell everyone you’re training with Death,” Salazar said from his frame.
“Sal’s in,” Harry told Theo.
Theo looked at Harry for a minute to see if he was serious, “and why would we be skiving off tomorrow? Not that Slughorn would particularly care.”
“Why don’t we go to Potter Manor for the weekend? We spend every day together but there’s always other people around or other things pulling our attention, I just want to spend time with you and Teddy with no one and nothing interrupting.”
Theo mulled it over for a full five seconds before he said, “oh, alright. You go tell someone we’re leaving so they don’t think you’ve been kidnapped, and I’ll start packing. Call a Potter elf and let them know we’re coming.”
“Daisy!” Harry called out, a moment later the Head Potter Elf popped into the room.
“What can Daisy be doing for Lord Potter?”
“Hey Daisy,” Harry greeted, “Theo, Teddy, and I are going to spend the weekend at Potter Manor, could you make sure the master suite is ready and that the crib is still in the suite’s sitting room?”
“Of course, Lord Potter, I will do it personally,” Daisy responded with a wide grin, “is there anything else Daisy can be doing?”
“That’s all for now, we’ll see you soon.”
Harry stood to go find Neville as Daisy popped out, “let’s let Teddy sleep until we’re ready to go, he’ll want dinner as soon as he wakes up and I don’t want to feed him before we do any sort of travel.”
“Smart,” Theo responded, heading into the bedroom, “anything specific you want me to pack or just whatever?”
“Whatever you think, I’ll be back in a minute.”
Harry finally found Neville in the library looking over the curse diagnostics they’d collected over the weekend, “hey, Nev.”
“Hey, Haz,” he responded, not looking up from the sheets, “did you finally figure out you’re courting Theo?”
“I did,” Harry said with a laugh, “I’m just here to tell you that Theo, Teddy, and I are going to Potter Manor for the weekend. We’re skiving off potions tomorrow, tell Slughorn whatever, he probably won’t care either way and tell anyone who asks to leave me alone unless there’s an apocalyptic level emergency.”
“Alright, have fun.”
“Please don’t tell Slughorn anything that’s going to make me have to attend a Slug Club party or anything that will embarrass Theo.”
“But I can embarrass you?”
“I know it’s too much to ask to tell you not to.”
“You know me so well,” Neville said with a slightly wicked grin, “have a good weekend, see you Monday.”
Harry just rolled his eyes and smacked Neville upside the head before heading back upstairs.
“All packed?” he asked as he stepped into the bedroom.
“Our stuff is, I was just about to do Teddy’s.”
“I’ll help,” Harry said, “then we can get changed, wake up the pup, and head to the Manor.”
“How many outfits does one pack for a 7-month-old for a weekend away?”
“Three times as many outfits as you think you’ll need,” Harry said with a laugh, “we can always send an elf back for something.”
“Good point,” Theo said as he started pulling clothes out of the dresser while Harry grabbed anything else they’d need.
Within fifteen minutes, they had everything packed.
“I’ll grab Teddy and let’s apparate,” Harry said as he pulled a hoodie on.
“It’s kind of far to apparate, love, should we take the floo?”
“I can apparate myself to Egypt in one jump, I think I can get the three of us to Southern England.”
“Why do you know you can apparate to Egypt?”
“Hermione and I were testing how far I can apparate this summer and that’s as far as I got?”
“Why’d I even ask,” Theo said with a sigh, “alright, grab Ted and let’s go.”