"We could ban him from going."
The Headmistress sighed as she leveled a gaze upon the boy's Head of House, "Do you truly believe that would stop him? Every time we have 'prohibited' him from doing something he ends up doing what he wants regardless of our wishes."
Riddle frowned, "We could just… lock him in one of the towers. I'm sure his parents would approve given the alternative." Dumbledore leveled a gaze and the other huffed in annoyance, "Well I don't hear you giving any suggestions."
"A compromise perhaps," the elder mused, "they may go only so long as a chaperone attends. We ensure the Aurors are aware of the situation and are nearby as well."
Grace stared off into space for a moment, softly muttering to herself as she went through the plan already forming in her mind, "At least one of us, maybe both. We choose the restaurants and one to two shops they may go to. Floo to and from to minimize travel dangers…"
Dumbledore chuckled softly, "While it would be nice to control every aspect of this little… outing, I doubt the Minister and School Board will go along with such stipulations. We should have a backup option or two in place as well."
"Then perhaps it is time we have our guest take a more active role in her duties."
****
"You want me to escort the victor and their date to Hogsmeade."
Augustina gave Remi Lupin credit, if the situation were reversed, she would have been more than a little concerned or even outraged, yet the woman was rather calm and contemplative about it. "Obviously, we would rather no one go, but my hands are tied. At least this way the risks is minimized."
"Do we know who is going to win?"
Dumbledore glanced over to the defense professor, who gave a slight nod, "I have a fairly good idea of the final contestants at least. I'm sure you've heard that Harry is offering a date to the victor as well."
Both older witches noticed the slight tensing in the Lycan, the curling and uncurling of fingers, the twitching of facial muscles.
Oh yes, she was definitely aware. "We feel the more safeguards in place the better. You know Lycans better than anyone else at Hogwarts and I am sure Lily and James would feel infinitely better knowing you were looking after their son's best interests."
They all knew she was going to accept. Remus Lupin was already to the point of throwing herself into harm's way to ensure his safety.
****
"You're grounded." It was blunt and to the point and Harry Potter just withheld a smile at the man's tone. "For... I don't know, a long time. Possibly the rest of your life? Your mother and I need to talk and so you might be eligible for parole after a few decades depending on good behavior."
"We also discussed just locking you in your room for the rest of your life. I think we could slip lesson plans and food under the door."
He inadvertently froze, memories of the summer after his own first year coming back with a vengeance. Half starved, being unable to leave except to work, he must have stared off for too long as moments later there was a hand, gentle and now familiar, on his face. "Harry? Sweetheart what's wrong?"
For once he came back to the present easily, allowing him to think rather than simply react with fear, and it gave him time to collect himself and give a stronger response, "If you honestly think a locked door will stop me from getting into trouble you are sorely mistaken." Lily's expression flashed into one of painful worry for long enough that any sarcastic humor faded, "You're worried, I know, I understand. You might not think I do but you're wrong. You are worried I will be hurt again, that I'm going to go looking for a fight and be found unconscious or worse. You're worried that every year is going to be this way, that it's never going to stop. You're worried for Amy and Harriet too."
James opened his mouth but not a sound came, and he closed it with clear frustration seconds later.
"I..." Harry spent a moment searching for the correct words, "Someone else's child is going out there too, a teenager who isn't as experienced, who isn't as strong, who isn't as ready as I am. I can't watch them leave the school and pretend that if they don't come back, it wouldn't be partially my fault. I can't look away when others need help, it just isn't who I am."
The two parents shared a look before the man let out a deep, tired, sigh. "We know Harry, after the last two years and the start of this one we know that you aren't the type to just let others fend for themselves but... we want you to understand how scared we are as parents. You're our child and knowing that you keep getting hurt, seeing you hurt... it is tearing us apart, us and the girls."
He flinched and lowered his head just noticeably, "I... I'm not doing this to hurt you, any of you. I just..."
Kill the spare.
Suddenly he was short of breath. Memories he had been suppressing, trying his best to forget and replace with warmer ones of family and friendship, came roaring back.
"I can't stand back and hope for the best, not this time. I can't have that blood on my hands."
Before either could respond, or question further, their remaining two children approached, and the conversation shifted away from the boy.
__________________________
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