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SIYE Time:17:13 on 28th March 2024
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The Space Between
By YelloWitchGrl

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Category: Post-Hogwarts, Post-DH/AB, Post-DH/PM
Characters:All
Genres: Action/Adventure, Drama, Fluff, General, Humor, Tragedy
Warnings: Dark Fiction, Death, Disturbing Imagery, Extreme Language, Intimate Sexual Situations, Mental Abuse, Mild Language, Mild Sexual Situations, Negative Alcohol Use, Rape, Sexual Situations, Spouse/Adult/Child Abuse, Violence, Violence/Physical Abuse
Rating: R
Reviews: 559
Summary: Harry and Ginny's lives have finally evened out. They've faced trauma, and loss, more than most have, but they've fought hard to find a normal.

If only things could stay that way... Old enemies find new ways to seek revenge.

This story is the sequel to Bound. It would be extremely helpful if you read that first.

Warnings are to be safe. It's probably overkill. Please message me if you have any questions or concerns.
Hitcount: Story Total: 352169; Chapter Total: 1848
Awards: View Trophy Room




Author's Notes:
I know I'm running late on this chapter, life threw me for a loop again on top of the tick stuff going wrong for me. I'll try very hard to get back on track for this coming month.

Please leave a review! I always respond.

Thank you to Arnel for beta'ing.




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James sat on his living room floor, the dogs sprawled out on the rug. They were moving rugs themselves and Alex was having a grand time crawling over them, babbling as his fine, black hair stood up as though he’d been shocked. It amazed him constantly just how much his son looked like him. He grinned as Alex grabbed hold of Rufus’ fur and pulled himself up almost to a standing position before he plopped back down on his butt. Rufus let out a small chuff, but his eyes were closed and James wasn’t entirely sure the big dog had even noticed. He was, of course, very used to it.

Alex was now seven months old now that it was October and he’d more than made up for his rough start in life. He’d begun crawling just a week before and already he was attempting to pull himself up! Pride and pleasure filled James’ chest as he watched his son continue to babble, gently patting the dog’s shaggy body with his pudgy hands.

If anyone would have told James at sixteen that he would revel in being a father at twenty-one, he’d have told them they were bonkers. Yeah, he’d been serious about Caroline at that age. Yeah, he’d wanted to be with her, but he hadn’t expected to marry as early as he had. He hadn’t expected to become a father so soon. He definitely hadn’t expected it to be how it had happened. But here he was and he couldn’t love his son more. Every day he loved his wife more. He was so proud of her for taking the job at the cheer gym. She was really enjoying teaching the little ones the basics. Soon enough Emma would be four and she could join in on the lessons. It was a major step in the right direction for her mental well-being.

James’ gaze swiveled to the fireplace as it roared to life. A moment later a grin stole over his expression as he sprang to his feet to pull his cousin into a hard hug. “Louis!” It had been months since he’d seen his best friend. “You’re back early!”

“I was able to transfer back sooner,” Louis laughed as their hug broke and he held him at arm’s length. “It’s good to see.”

“You, too,” James agreed as he gestured his friend to sit. He turned to find Alex studying them with a distinctly worried expression. “He’s alright,” James soothed as he plucked his son up and sat with him, settling him into his lap. He smoothed back his son’s fine hair and felt Alex’s small head rest against his chest as he leaned back into the sofa. “He’s starting to notice now that there are other people.”

“I had the same look from the twins not even two hours ago,” Louis said with a shrug. His red hair was cut short, nearly to the scalp, but his blue eyes were the eyes James had always known. “Emma remembered me, at least, and that helped the babies get over their fear. It helps that I’m so good looking, obviously.”

“Obviously,” James grinned at their usual joke. Being part-Veela, Louis couldn’t help his looks, but for their entire lives, Louis had never done anything to enhance them. “Did you get taller?”

“Another few inches, yeah,” Louis sighed as he crossed his arms, rested his head back and closed his eyes. “Mum had a fit when she saw me in shorts. She said I looked like a beggar and she hoped I hadn’t traveled like that, so she was horrified, but even more so when I explained all my trousers were around my calves. I donated all of them before I left. No sense in hauling them home. She’s already gone to get me new trousers when I left to visit Victoire.”

“Have you seen Dom or your dad?”

“Dom’s at work, same with Dad,” Louis yawned. “I have one free day before I check in at Gringotts, so I’m making the rounds.”

“Did the travel wear you out, then?” James asked as Alex finally wiggled out of his lap to crawl back to the dogs.

“I was out late last night with a girl I’ve been seeing,” he said with a lazy grin. “We danced and drank the night away, all the way up until my Portkey was leaving.”

James studied his mate and wondered, briefly, if that’s all he’d done, but it wasn’t like it was in England. In Egypt there was no punishment for an out of wedlock baby and they had ready access to birth control potions for everyone.

He’d often wondered what it would have been like to live in a society where it was allowed, but decided in his case it didn’t really matter. The woman he loved hadn’t been ready to share his bed until many months after they’d married. If there had been more pressure on her, he didn’t know if she’d ever have truly opened up. It had been one of the most difficult things he’d ever done, waiting and holding himself back from her, but every single second of it had been worth it to have the relationship with his wife that he had now.

“I couldn’t do what you did,” Louis said, interrupting James’ wandering thoughts. “I don’t want to marry for at least a decade.”

“Well, now that you’re back in England, you have to be careful in how you date,” James pointed out and was met by Louis’ blank stare. “You know,” he went on slowly. “You can’t be with a woman here or you risk being forced to marry.”

His cousin’s blue eyes stayed confused for another second before they widened. “Oh… well, blimey. You think I’ve been… with the women?”

“Haven’t you?” James asked bluntly as he automatically held out a hand for his son, who used him to pull himself up.

Louis pointed to Alex. “I’d be risking having one of these,” he said flatly. “Not doing it.”

James glance to Alex. His son’s chubby face beamed up at him with obvious delight at having caught his father’s attention. He couldn’t help the smile or the love as he used his other hand to steady his son. “You don’t know what you’re missing.”

“You’ve never been out dancing all night with a beautiful girl at a club,” Louis reminded him. “You also don’t know what you’re missing.”

He nearly opened his mouth to say that while maybe that was true, he also didn’t sleep alone every night, but he shut his mouth. It wasn’t a competition. James liked where he was, and his cousin enjoyed being single. “We’re thinking of having a second, maybe trying in a few months.”

Louis shook his head but his smile was genuine. “I used to think we’d be going out on the town after we left school, but that’s really not your scene.”

“I don’t know if it was ever my scene, but it’s definitely not now,” he admitted. “I like my family too much to willingly leave them all the time.”

“So I can’t talk you into coming out to a pub with me tonight?”

Before James could answer, the front door opened and Caroline walked in, setting her bag down on a small end table. “Hey,” James called out. “Louis is back.”

Alex went wild at the sight of his mother, clapping and babbling up a storm as Caroline came in and swooped him up, kissing him noisily. “My baby! I have missed you!” She sat down next to James who wrapped his arm around her shoulder and kissed her brow. “I missed you, too,” she told James, kissing him softly. “Hi, Louis,” she finally said, without even sparing him a glance. “Glad you’re home.”

“I feel the love,” Louis said dryly and then laughed as Caroline finally looked at him and stuck out her tongue. “Real mature.”

“I try,” she agreed. “So you’re home for good?”

“I am home for good,” Louis agreed, “and I want to take my best mate out for drinks tonight. Can he come play with me?”

James shook his head, even as Caroline shot him a questioning look. He, quite frankly, didn’t want to go. What he wanted to do was get Alex down for his nap in an hour and take advantage of his free afternoon to ‘nap’ as well. Naked. Then maybe do that again after bedtime. Louis might think he had it great being single, but being married was the best thing James had ever done. It beat out Quidditch, even though he really loved his job.

“I think you should go,” Caroline told him as she swept a bit of his hair back from his brow. “It’ll be good to reconnect.”

“I’m happier staying in,” James began and wished he could telepathically let her know he was pining after her without his cousin somehow catching wind of it.

“You should go,” Caroline said again. “You can have dinner here with us and then head out. Does that work for you, Louis?”

“That’s perfect, actually,” Louis assured her. “Mum wants me home for dinner and sadly I’m still living with them since I haven’t yet had time to find a flat.”

Realizing at least once of his plans could still happen, James finally relented and not so gently kicked his cousin out, telling him that it was Alex’s nap time.

“He could have stayed,” Caroline said as she nursed Alex in the rocking chair in the baby’s room. “I could have done the nap routine by myself.”

“I know, but I wanted him gone,” James told her simply as he folded some of Alex’s clean laundry and put it away. He grinned over at his wife. “I’ve been missing you and I think we need a nap, as well.”

Her pale brow rose slightly. “I see… is that why you didn’t want to go out tonight?”

“Mostly, I don’t like having to be away from you when I don’t have to, but it was a definite factor.”

“It’ll be good for you to get out with Louis,” she said in a quieter voice and James knew he needed to leave the room so Alex could fall asleep.

He gave her a grin. “See you in a few,” he said as he left and went to their bedroom to wait.

Hours later, after Alex was back down again, James met up with Louis at a seedy London pub often frequented by both the Muggle and magical community, at least the younger set. James had a few teammates who’d tried to get him to join them at the pub more than once, but it was not his scene, as he’d said to Louis earlier. He hadn’t even walked into Brewed and already he was regretting leaving home.

Louis was standing there, surrounded by beautiful women, as he often was. He smiled, laughed, flirted, and joked. Of course, James didn’t have time to see any of that but he knew his cousin. He also knew none of the very pretty girls were going to get more than a passing glance out of him. Louis had a type, and it was always the plainest girls in the room.

“James!” Louis called out as several of the young women turned to see him coming. He was given several interested looks. “Excuse me, ladies,” he told them as he broke free.

“Introduce us,” one of them said.

“I’m married and have a baby,” James told the woman, a clearly tipsy brunette in those ridiculous Muggle shoes that made her several inches taller.

“That’s okay, sweetie,” she giggled.

James ignored her and walked with Louis further into the pub. “Two beers,” he told the barkeep and didn’t speak until they both had their drinks and had found a small table in the back. “Cheers,” he said as he clinked his bottle to Louis. It was so noisy in the pub he could barely hear himself think.

“You really don’t want to be here, do you?” Louis asked him speculatively as he studied James’ face.

“I really don’t,” James confirmed as he took a pull on his beer. “But I’m here now, so let’s have an hour’s fun and then I’m going home.”

“An hour?” his cousin asked in surprise. “I can’t even get more than an hour of your time?”

“One beer, one hour,” James said saluting him with the beer. “You’re the one looking for a girl, not me.”

Louis grinned and shook his head. “You are right about that!”

“Come dance,” a pretty redhead said as she suddenly appeared at their table, leaning against Louis. She was one of the ones he’d seen earlier with him at the front of the pub.

“Absolutely no one is dancing,” James pointed out to her, but she didn’t seem to notice or care as she dragged his cousin away back towards the group who looked to be having a lot of fun trying to vie for Louis’ attention. Well, almost all of them. One chubby girl in the back with brown hair and glasses was doing her level best not to be seen, which of course meant Louis was going to latch onto her in a second.

Any second now.

But no… she backed away further and glanced around, catching his eye. Her eyes widened and he realized immediately she recognized him. James pointed to the empty seat and a second later she’d scooted around the group and sat across from him. Her smile lit up her face and he saw she had a slight gap between her front teeth. “You’re Lily’s brother!”

“I am,” he agreed slowly. “You know my sister?”

“Yes, I was in Al’s year, but Lily, Honor, and I were all part of organizing the parties at the school last year,” she told him. She held out her hand. “I’m Annie Yarlow.”

“It’s nice to meet you,” he said shaking her hand. He indicated his head. “Can I ask why you’re here?”

“My Muggle cousin dragged me out,” she shrugged as she pointed over her shoulder to the pretty brunette who had hit on James when he’d walked in. “She doesn’t know what we are, actually. She had no idea who Louis is,” she laughed and it was a tinkling sound like a bell. He grinned, in spite of himself. “Of course, I know who you are and I know Caroline a bit. I heard you had a baby! Congratulations.”

“Thanks,” James said relaxing for the first time since he walked into the bar. He didn’t recall this young woman, but that didn’t mean much. He hadn’t paid a lot of attention to other girls at Hogwarts after Caroline had caught his eye.

“Louis dated my twin sister,” Annie went on cheerfully. “She said he was lovely to date, but of course he’s never serious about anyone for very long. She’s already married, the lucky goose. She met a boy right after Louis and they were engaged shortly after. Anyway, a lack of commitment will work for my cousin but it didn’t work for my sister.”

James opened his mouth to tell her that her cousin wasn’t Louis’ type, when Louis himself appeared at their table, grinning broadly down at Annie. “Hullo, beautiful, where have you been hiding?”

Annie laughed, clutching at her belly as she sat back in her chair. She swiped at her eyes. “You haven’t changed any, have you?”

Clearly chagrinned, Louis’ brows rose as he studied her. “Do we know each other?”

“We were at Hogwarts together and you dated my sister, Jane,” Annie explained.

Louis’ mouth dropped open. “Annie! I can’t believe I didn’t recognize you! Even though you and Jane aren’t identical, you still look a lot alike. It’s been, what? Two years?”

“Less, I think,” she said dryly with obvious humor in her eyes. “You made Jane’s year by dating her.”

“I don’t suppose you’d give me a chance, would you?” he asked as he pulled over another chair and sat down. “Would it be breaking a sister’s code to have dinner with me tomorrow night?”

Annie patted his hand and shook her head. “I’m really not into casual dating, Louis, but thanks for the offer.”

“Oh, come now,” Louis said with his most charming smile fixed on. “You’re too beautiful to resist! I simply have to take you out to dinner.”

Genuine amusement filled her eyes and it was clear to James she didn’t take a single word Louis said to heart.

“Annie!” the brunette called over to her huffily. “We’re leaving, come on!”

“I’ll see you guys later,” Annie told them with her wide, cheerful smile in place.

“Wait!” Louis stood with her. “Can I send you an owl?”

Annie patted him on the arm. “If you like, but I’m not going to dinner with you. It was great seeing you again!”

Then without another backwards glance, she was gone. Louis dropped down into his seat and grabbed his beer, draining it in one go. “I have got to get a date with her.”

“You have zero chance of getting a date with her,” James told him sincerely. “She’s wise to your bullshit.”

“What bullshit?” Louis demanded.

James had no idea why he always picked the plainest girls. He had no idea why his cousin did most anything he did, but he knew he liked the chase and the game. He liked to flirt. “She sees right through your flirting. She told me she’s only looking for something serious. Her twin sister is already married. She’s not going to be happy with a few dates with you until you find the next girl.”

Louis gazed pensively towards the pub’s exit. “We’ll see.”

True to his word, James left at the hour mark and arrived home to find his wife reading in their bed. Immediately he stripped off the clothes which held a miasma of cheap beer and even cheaper cologne which some people wore almost as though they needed it to part their way into a room.

“You’re home earlier than I expected,” Caroline mused as she watched him throw on his pajama pants.

“I didn’t want to go in the first place,” he reminded her as he moved to the bed and lay until his head was cradled in her lap. “Please don’t make me go again.”

“You’re being ridiculous, you know,” she told him as she stroked his hair. “You’re twenty-one years old. You’re supposed to like going to a pub with your mates.”

“I don’t mind a wizarding pub,” James admitted. “If he’d wanted to go to The Three Broomsticks or The Leaky Cauldron, I’d have been happy to go for an hour or two.”

“What’s the difference?”

“In a wizarding pub, no one hits on me.”

Her fingers stilled. “I hadn’t thought of that.”

“It wasn’t much,” he sighed as he glanced up at her. Still, he had to tell her. “Just someone when we walked in, a Muggle woman who had been flirting with Louis, but of course he passed her up for the plainest girl in the place.”

Caroline grinned at that. “He’s the oddest duck I have ever met. Did he have any luck with the girl?”

“Not even a little,” James laughed as he felt a dog sniffing at his foot. It probably smelled terrible from the pub. “Do you remember that Ravenclaw he dated for a bit? Jane?”

“I do!” Caroline’s eyes went wide. “Isn’t she married?”

“Yeah, but this was her twin.”

“Oh, Annie!” his wife nodded. “Yes, she’s a sweetheart. She’s one of the happiest people I’ve ever met. She’s in her training to be a Healer.”

“How do you know that?” James blinked in surprise. As far as he knew, Caroline didn’t have a lot of contact outside of the family.

“I ran into her in a shop a few weeks back in Diagon Alley,” she told him. “One of those times your mum came and kicked me out of the house for my own good.”

“When did she do that? Wait, never mind,” he shook his head. They were getting off topic. “So you’re friends with Annie?”

“Yeah, I really like her,” Caroline confirmed as she traced her fingers along his jaw. “She asked about meeting up for coffee, but of course that’s hard. Still, we’ve exchanged a letter each in the last few weeks. I told her to let me know when she’s free and I’d try to meet her. Your mum has been insisting I get out and if we meet at a Muggle establishment, I can bring Steve for more training.”

“Huh,” he shook his head then beamed up at her. “I am so proud of you for getting out on your own!”

“Thanks. I’m proud of me, too.”

James leaned up and captured her lips. He had fleeting thoughts of picking up where they left off that afternoon, but she broke the kiss and crinkled her nose. “You taste like beer. Go brush your teeth.”

He could only laugh. This was also part of being married.

~*~

Lily sat in her booth staring into a crystal ball that told her nothing while her dog, Sera slept at her feet while the bustle of the Halloween carnival went on around her. The ball was only a prop, even though it mysteriously started to swirl smoke for no apparent reason. Lily hadn’t ever taken divination, so she really didn’t understand it, but she didn’t need divination for this.

The girl sitting before her was miserable. It practically rolled off of her in waves. It was, in turn, making Lily miserable, but since it was clear the girl needed advice, she adjusted her stupid looking turban and searched her heart for what might help.

“He said he’s not happy with me anymore,” the seventh year Hufflepuff sobbed quietly.

“Were you still happy with him?” Lily asked without knowing why she asked.

“We were fighting a lot, but otherwise…”

“Fighting a lot?” Lily repeated the words as she waited for the girl’s sad brown eyes to meet hers. “What’s a lot? Every week?”

“Most days,” the girl admitted.

Lily breathed in a deep breath and then pretended to look into the crystal ball. “I do not see this guy in your future. I see someone else who respects you more and will like everything about you, not wanting to change you.”

“How… how did you know that’s what he was doing?” the girl gasped.

Lily blinked and had to fight to hide her surprise. It had just come to her without her conscious thought. “You are too special to change, Holly!” she said, deflecting away from the question. “You deserve someone who loves you for who you are and I think there is a boy you’re already close to who wants a chance with you if you’d just give him a small bit of encouragement.”

“You… you don’t mean Caleb, do you?” Holly’s eyes were huge now. “He’s just a friend!”

“Just a friend?” Lily asked her, feeling hopelessly out of her depths but also feeling dreadfully sorry for the poor girl. “Are you sure? Is he acting like just a friend?”

“Well… well, he was… he was telling me that Drake wasn’t treating me well… and how he thinks I shouldn’t change for–” the girl gasped as though something major had just been revealed. “He is saying just what you’re saying!”

“I think maybe you should see if Caleb wouldn’t be a better fit for you,” Lily told him smiling now.

“I will! Oh, thank you!” the girl bounced up and hugged her hard before scooting out of the tent.

Honor poked her head in as soon as the girl was gone. “That was one satisfied customer.”

“She was,” Lily grinned. “Anyone else?”

“Not yet,” Honor said. “I’m going to put up the closed sign and hit the loo. You want to come?”

“I’m alright,” Lily told her. “I’ll just wait here.”

“I’ll tell Scott to keep an eye out, but his table is swamped,” Honor said of her boyfriend.

“I’ll be fine!” Lily said with more confidence than she actually felt. She did have Sera, after all, and so far her dog had been an excellent deterrent to basically everyone who was male except for Hugo and Scott. Scott was such a big bloke he could take a serious game of tug with the dog, who was too strong for everyone else. But Lily liked Scott a lot and knew his feelings for Honor were genuine.

It was an absolute relief not to be someone’s type.

She had no sooner thought it than the tent flap opened and Adam slunk in, plopping himself down into the empty chair.

Sera instantly sat up and vibrated out a low warning.

“I’m a paying customer,” he said holding up a token. Of course, the tokens were actually meaningless, but the booth that collected the most won a prize for the students who ran it. “I want to know what I should do next year.”

Lily stared at him as fear and revulsion began to claw their way up her throat. She threaded her hand into the scruff of Sera’s neck and breathed in the peace of knowing that no matter what else happened, this boy would not be able to hurt her.

But she didn’t have anything to say to him. Her mind was an utter blank when it came to the question he was asking. It was the first time all afternoon she hadn’t had anything to say.

So, she asked the question she really wanted to know. “Why are you doing this?”

Adam’s pale blue eyes regarded her for a long moment. “You can’t possible want to stick with Malfoy. His family is a laughing stock.” He sat back in his seat. “For all that your grandmother was Muggleborn, the rest of your family is pure. Also, you’re also the most beautiful girl I have ever seen. We could make a good alliance. Our families would both gain for a match between us.”

Pure astonishment filled her as she studied the boy she absolutely loathed. “You think I’d be with someone based on their family name?”

“Is that why you’re with Malfoy?” a dark brow rose as his lips formed a smirk.

“No,” Lily said simply. She crossed her arms and sat back, wishing she’d pulled off the stupid turban so she didn’t look quite so ridiculous having this conversation.

“You’re actually telling me,” he drawled as sarcasm dripped from every word, “that you have genuine feelings for him?”

“Yes,” she retorted curtly. She was glaring now and Sera was still growling. “I think you should leave. Take your token with you and leave me alone, once and for all.”

“Or what?” he asked, leaning forward.

It was one step too far for Sera who snapped at him and started barking her head off which was so loud Lily had to fight not to cover her ears. Adam fell back in his chair and scrambled on his hands and knees out of the tent, only to be collared by Neville and the furious Headmaster.

“Good girl, Sera,” Lily crooned for her happy dog as Scott skidded into the tent.

“You okay?” he asked frantically as Hugo pushed in after him. “Blimey, Honor leaves you for two seconds and they’re already on you.”

“I’m okay,” Lily said as she hugged her dog, realizing she’d faced her fears and she was okay even though she’d sensed something dark in him. Adam wasn’t likely to have hurt her here, not physically where everyone in the school would know, but it was chilling to know he had been feeling that way.

He would need watching from here on out. She’d definitely made an enemy.

Her father was at the school two hours later. But then again, so was Mr. Bell, Adam’s father. Lily only knew this because the gossip spread thick and fast around the castle as the two fathers spoke with the Headmaster over the whole incident.

Adam hadn’t hurt Lily. He hadn’t even threatened her. But he’d spoken to her again when he’d been warned multiple times to leave her alone.

She really hoped they’d sort everything out without her. She just wanted to sit in the common room with Sera at her feet while the fire crackled and her friends talked around her. She didn’t want to deal with boys and their drama.

She wanted to be left alone!

“You okay?” Honor asked as she bumped Lily’s shoulder with her own.

Lily shrugged. “I guess I’m as good as I can be.”

They all turned as the portrait hole swung open and Neville came through, looking serious. “Lily, you need to come with me.”

Lily’s nerves jumped into overdrive, but she nodded and stood, Sera following suit as they made their way out of Gryffindor Tower and towards the Headmaster’s office.

“Am I in trouble?” Lily asked Professor Longbottom quietly when they were out of earshot of everyone else.

“No,” Neville told her in a tone that said he didn’t quite believe it.

Nausea rolled in her stomach and she put her hand on Sera’s head as they walked to help keep her steady. What was she walking into?

Was she going to be told she couldn’t have Sera? Would she be sent home again from school? It wasn’t the worst fate, if she was honest, but she knew her parents wanted her to finish. She wanted to finish, but right now it felt like everything was too difficult.

They went up the spiral staircase in silence and she noted that several of the teachers were there along with Mr. Bell, who was an older version of his son, dark haired, light eyed, and with a healthy tan. He was trim in dress robes and his expression was sour as his gaze fell upon her before falling to the dog.

Sera stayed quietly next to her. Lily didn’t like the situation she was in, but no one was going to let her be hurt, so Sera knew her place was to stay silent.

Lily focused her gaze on her father and saw the livid expression clearly in his eyes. Whatever had been said had him furious.

And then there was Adam, who sat in a seat and looked… smug. He looked like he’d won.

It could not be good.

“Miss Potter,” Headmaster Goldstein said, pulling Lily’s attention. “Please have a seat and I’d like for you to tell us again what happened.”

Lily sat with Sera next to her, between her and the Bells, and she recounted what had happened. “When he leaned in, Sera snapped at him and started to bark.”

“The beast bit him?” Mr. Bell demanded hotly.

“Bell,” her father interjected harshly. “If she’d have bitten him, he’d have a chunk missing out of his arm. She snapped at him to warn him off and barked to alert for help.”

“My son,” Mr. Bell flared up for what Lily knew was not the first time, as he moved into her father’s face and pointed a finger at his nose, “would not hurt a fly! That mangy mongrel is a menace!”

To his credit, her dad didn’t curse the other man. “Walk over to my daughter and stand next to her.”

“And risk being bit? No thank you,” Mr. Bell scoffed.

Suddenly, Lily saw what her father was doing. The man was angry at Lily, certainly he wanted her to be punished and not his son, but he wasn’t going to hurt her.

“Go on, then,” Harry said as he stepped aside. “I promise to protect you from the dog if you need it.”

Clearly affronted at the notion he’d need to be protected, Mr. Bell stalked over to her and stood next to her. Sera watched him closely but she didn’t growl.

“Everyone else,” Harry said to the teachers around the room. “Go next to Lily.”

They all did, all except Adam who sat transfixed.

“What are you trying to prove?” Mr. Bell demanded sharply. Lily thought he, too, was starting to catch on.

“Alright, Adam,” Headmaster Goldstein said quietly. “Go next to Lily.”

In this room full of people when he approached Lily, she wasn’t afraid, although she didn’t like the energy coming off of him. Sera stood up and stood between her and the young man, but she only rumbled out a warning.

“Back off, now,” the Headmaster told him wearily.

“So, the dog was only a menace earlier?” Mr. Bell bit out angrily. “It’s a loose cannon!”

“That’s not how these dogs work,” Professor Longbottom told him flatly. “They only go on the defensive when their owner is in danger. Obviously, with a room full of people, Lily was not at risk.”

“My son is not a risk to anyone!” Mr. Bell objected again. “He’s a good student, a good man, and a fine, upstanding member of the community!”

Unlike the Malfoy boy she’s dating. He didn’t say it, but it was near the tip of his tongue, Lily knew. He wanted to say it.

“Your son was a risk to Lily at the festival,” Headmaster Goldstein said with finality, his face grim. “He’s been warned, repeatedly, to stay away from her. She’d told him, repeatedly, that she does not want his attention.

“You cannot prove that,” Mr. Bell said hotly. “You only have her word against his! She shouldn’t be allowed to keep that damned dog!”

“We don’t need her word on this,” the charms teacher said in her soft voice. “We’ve all seen him seeking her out and her attempts to avoid him. I’ve seen it repeatedly, so has every member of staff. He has been warned, multiple times, to leave her alone. The dog did exactly what it was supposed to do, which was protect her.”

“My son is not a threat!”

They all stared at him silently and Lily could tell they were waiting for Professor Goldstein to speak. Lily shifted uncomfortably in her seat. “He didn’t hurt me,” she said, keeping her focus on the Headmaster.

Every eye turned to stare at her.

“Lily…” her father began but cut off when he saw her expression.

“He… he didn’t want to hurt me, exactly,” Lily went on, clearing her throat. “He maybe wanted to and I don’t think he wishes me well, but he didn’t actually hurt me.”

“What are you saying, Miss Potter?”

She studied the Headmaster again. “If you’re considering expelling him, I don’t think that’s fair because people think a lot of awful things and it matters more if they act on them or not.”

“True,” he said even as her father vibrated with anger next to her.

“But he needs to stay away from me,” Lily said finally. She turned to Adam. “You stay away from me, don’t come to my table, don’t come near me in the halls, and stop trying to get me alone or,” she turned back to the Headmaster, “I have permission for Sera to bite him.”

The Headmaster blinked in surprise. “That is a reasonable request.”

“You cannot be serious!” Mr. Bell practically screeched out his protest. “She cannot be allowed to turn that mut on him!”

“Did you not just hear my daughter standing up for your son so he isn’t expelled?” Harry said, rounding on the man. “She’s the only one in this room, apart from you, who doesn’t think he should be kicked out! If he stays away from her, then her dog will leave him alone. It’s as simple as that.”

“Take the deal,” Neville said quietly.

“Adam,” Professor Goldstein said sternly. “Do you understand the conditions of you staying here? Do you understand that if you go near her, that dog will attack and not only will you be expelled, but I will press charges against you?”

Adam almost looked like he was grinding his teeth. “I understand.”

“Then we have nothing more to discuss. Lily, you can go back to your dorm.”

Her father walked her out this time and back to the tower. “You’re nicer than I am,” Harry told her gently as he pulled her in for a hug. “You sure you don’t want to get out of here and come home?”

“At the moment I want to stay,” Lily said with a sigh, “but I’m not sure for how much longer.”

“Anytime you want to come home, you can,” he promised as he kissed her brow and let her go so she could get back to her friends.

It would have been so easy to run away and let her father handle all of her problems. She really liked that method of life.

But she also realized, after she’d brought Sera to school, that doing so meant she never had to stand on her own feet. That didn’t make her brave, it made her feel like a victim. She didn’t want to be a victim. She didn’t want to be scared anymore.

So, for now she was going to stay. She was safe with her dog and that meant she could stay and face the feelings that kept coming at her.
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