Chapter 31 - Punishment

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to J.K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.

Chapter 31 - Punishment

Both boys shrunk into their chairs.

“First, your separate punishments. Harry, you are grounded for the next week. That means you will be returning to the quarters as soon as classes are over. No visits from your friends until next Friday.”

Harry was shocked but didn’t dare to say anything. At least he could see his friends in classes.

“Draco, as I already told you, you will clean the Slytherin’s bathroom for the next week, and you will write your mother a letter about what happened.”

Draco blushed and nodded.

“Now to your shared punishment. You will both help Hagrid to de-gnome the garden on Sunday morning. If you don’t work together and do your work well, that will be repeated until you two learn to work together. Is that clear?”

Both boys nodded eagerly. All their hopes that this conversation was over now were destroyed when Severus spoke again. “In addition, you two will write an essay about what you have done wrong, what you could have done instead, and how you can avoid situations like this in future. And I don’t want to read ‘We will try to get out of the way of the other.’ Is that clear, too?”

Again, both boys nodded.

“You will write your essays together here in the library on Sunday afternoon. I want to see at least five feet from each of you. You will start at one o’clock and will work on it until at least five o’clock. If you need more time, you will just stay longer. I don’t want to hear about any complaints to your mothers or whomever. If I hear of something like that, you can be sure I will find another punishment for you in addition to the others. Clear?”

“Yes, sir,” both boys answered quickly.

“Good!” Severus leaned back in his chair. He was satisfied with how this conversation had turned out. “Draco, you can go. Write the letter to your mother today. I will wait to contact her until tomorrow.“

“Yes, sir,” Draco said as he stood up. He looked uncertainly at Harry and then went over to Severus and hugged him.

Harry couldn’t stop himself from feeling jealous. He knew it was stupid, but he also wished he could hug Severus now. It would make the conversation and punishment stuff less embarrassing, and he would feel much better because if Severus hugged him back, he knew he would be forgiven.

Draco left the room, and Harry started to feel even more unsure. He looked down at his hands again. What else should he do? He couldn’t just go over and hug Severus. He squeaked when his chair was suddenly pulled closer to Severus and turned so that Harry had to face his adoptive father. “So, what’s going on in that head now?” Severus asked in a kind tone and ruffled Harry’s hair.

Hearing that Severus’ voice wasn’t strict anymore, Harry looked up. “Are you still angry with me?”

“I’m proud of both of you that you have spoken so openly. No, I’m not angry with you. I hope you have learned something from this, and I also expect you to serve your punishment properly.”

“I will,” Harry said, nodding frantically.

“Then you are forgiven, Harry,” Severus said in his friendly voice again.

Harry bit his bottom lip and considered what to do. Finally, he took all his courage and threw himself at Severus and hugged him.

Severus wasn’t surprised. He had seen Harry’s expression when Draco had hugged him, and he had hoped that Harry would find the courage to do what he wanted to. Severus shifted Harry onto his lap, and Harry leaned against his chest, sighing.

“Severus?” Harry asked cautiously.

“Yes, Harry?”

“What about tomorrow? Albus, Minerva and the twins wanted to go to Hogsmeade with me. Am I still allowed? I mean because of the grounding.”

“Normally, I would say no, but the twins are already so very excited about it, and Albus and Minerva also wanted to spend some time with you. So if they still want to take you with them, you can go.”

“What about Ivy?”

“What about her?” Severus asked, confused.

“Will she also give me a punishment?”

Severus chuckled. “No, of course all that I told you was arranged with her in advance. We always decide together about everything that concerns our children. She just didn’t take part in this conversation because of Draco. She feared it would be too awkward for him.”

“Oh,” Harry said and snuggled closer.

“And Albus and Minerva?”

“Are grandparents in this case and will not interfere in our decision about punishment. But of course, they could decide that they don’t want to go to Hogsmeade after this.”

Harry groaned miserably.

Severus chuckled again. “You just have to ask them.”

Finally realizing that he was still sitting on Severus' lap, Harry blushed and stood up.

“Please, sit down again. I would still like to speak with you about something else.” Severus gestured to Harry’s chair.

When Harry sat down again, Severus said, “On Monday, you will only attend the first four classes. Then you will meet James in the hospital wing for a check-up, and we will go to the Ministry to sign the adoption papers… or have you changed your mind?”

“No, I would still like the adoption,” Harry said eagerly.

“We also have to name your godparents then, Harry. Alastor and Poppy are the godparents of Lysander and Eathan and would like to be yours as well. So is that okay with you?”

“Sure.” He had always wondered how it would be to have a godfather or godmother. Now he would have both. Sirius had been killed before he could even get to know him, after all.

“Then that is settled,” Severus said and smiled. “So, ready to face the rest of the family again?”

Harry sighed. “Okay.”

When they entered the living room, it was even more crowded than before. The twins were looking at Harry with scared expressions. “Are we not going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?”

Harry quickly gazed at Albus and Minerva and then looked down at the sad faces of the twins. “I don’t know. I did something very stupid, and maybe your grandparents don’t want to take me with you this time.”

“Why don’t you three go playing for a while so that we adults can decide what we will do?” Albus asked.

“Okay,” Harry said sadly and guided the twins in the direction of their room. Before they reached the stairs, he turned and said, “I just want to say again that I’m sorry. Really! Whatever you decide, it will be okay with me.” With that he turned and left his new parents, grandparents and godparents to what they wanted to speak about.