She nodded, dropping her head to mask the disappointment. It was so difficult to see her students upset and be unable to help, but she hadn’t really expected anything different. It wouldn’t be too hard, with the younger ones, at least; Merlin only knew what she’d tell the older students. Her head lifted at the question and she nodded, saying quickly, “Pomona Sprout. I’m the Herbology professor, and head of Hufflepuff house. Thank you, I understand you can’t give any information. It’s just hard -” Her voice cut off as she caught sight of one of her students watching them curiously, which struck her as a little odd. “I’ll be here, when you can release any information.”
Were he a man who was not more able to school his features his eyes would have widened in the recognition of her name. The first year on the stairs all those years ago. Surely she didn’t know it, but hers was the first life that he had ever saved. Over the years he had thought about her and a small handful of others when he failed a mission to reassure himself that he wasn’t merely incompetent. This helped his drive to be better and was what had eventually brought him up through the ranks and deposited him in a rather high position within the Auror Office. “Perhaps I could speak to you privately sometime?” he asked, “Do you like dinner?”
The unity of all the Hufflepuffs, of course, extended to their head of house. Charity loved Professor Sprout, and while Herbology wasn’t her favorite class, it was certainly an enjoyable one. She visited the greenhouses every once in a while, and it was always enjoyable. Which was why, when she spotted Professor Sprout and an auror she couldn’t name talking to each other, a small smile spread across her face. She’d gotten the attention of a few other Hufflepuffs around her, and tried to listen in as much as she could. She’d admit, it was a bit strange to be eavesdropping on her teacher, not to mention she thought she’d seen Professor Sprout blush at one point. However, Charity felt a strong urge to interject, just for a moment. She could tell everyone had been considering it, but she was the first to dare. Walking up to the two of them, she got there just in time to here the auror’s question. “If you don’t mind me interrupting,” She began, unable to help a mischievious smirk. “I think I’m speaking for all the Hufflepuffs here when I say she definitely likes dinner.”
Ever since their run-in the night before, Ted had been hoping to apologize to his head of house. He’d lost his temper a bit with Professor Sprout when she had accused him of being so fickle in his affections for Andromeda. Ted Tonks may be many things, but fickle wasn’t one of them, not when it came to Andromeda. He had planned on speaking with Professor Sprout in the Great Hall but hadn’t wanted to interrupt her conversation with non other than Domhnall Marchand, a man whom Ted greatly admired. After years of visiting the Bones family, he had run into the auror many times, and from their very first meeting Ted had felt he’d found a sort of kindred spirit. Another muggleborn that the Bones family had taken in, the two had a number of things in common and Ted had been thrilled to meet someone in the wizarding world who had entered into Hogwarts much as he had. Ted had been content to eavesdrop from afar before Charity had made her way over to the unlikely pair. He’d tried his best to intercept her, hoping she wouldn’t interrupt the conversation, but hadn’t been quick enough to stop her. In a way, he was glad he hadn’t, and he couldn’t help a grin as he stepped next to Dom, realizing what she was up to. Perhaps he could return the favor to Professor Sprout, setting her up on a lovely date of her own. It was the least he could do after what she had done for him last night and Ted couldn’t think of a better man to set her up with. “That’s true, she does. And what a coincidence, I believe you also like dinner, don’t you Uncle Dom?”
