𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐁𝐎𝐘 𝐖𝐇𝐎 𝐓𝐑𝐈𝐄𝐃 ━━ harry potter

summer 1993

TW: Mentions of abuse (nothing graphic)

Knock, knock, knock.

Paper noises came from inside the office. Ben breathed in sharply when he heard footsteps approaching the door, and tried to stay calm as he waited for his father's eyes to meet his own.

"Benjamin," he spoke when he opened the door. "What do you want?"

"I would like to talk to you, father."

Sébastian stared at his son for a couple of seconds, wondering what he was up to. But Ben was giving him an innocent and peaceful look, without the characteristic mischief spark in his eyes.

"Come in."

He stepped into the office, with Sébastian closing the door behind him, and went to sit on the chair in front of his father's desk, which was filled with unorganised pieces of parchment, envelopes and quills.

He looked around at the books on Sébastian's shelves, and considered asking him to lend him some, because he had read pretty much every single one he owned, but the man then sat on his desk, fixing his light blue eyes on him in a way that made him too nervous to ask.

"Tell me," he said, though it sounded more like an order.

Ben cleared his throat. "So... These first weeks of holidays I've been thinking about what you and mother said about my- friends, Harry, Ron and Hermione. And Neville."

Sébastian raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Continue."

"Well, I've finally understood why you didn't want me to relate to people like them. Our family has stayed clean and pure for centuries, and it would be such a pity to ruin it just because of some... friends."

He took a deep breath and shifted in his seat. "However, I must admit that I've enjoyed every single minute I've spent with them these two years, apart from the moments in which we almost died, which has been quite a lot of times, actually... But the point is that, if it wasn't for the fact that they are, well, who they are, I would've liked to keep being friends with them."

"But you decide to keep your family's honour, I hope?"

"Yes, father," he deadpanned. "There's some things that matter much more than others. And I'm not willing to be the one to tarnish my family's legacy."

He was feeling very dirty. Pronouncing those words made him sick; as though they were a poison that rotted his insides. He felt a strong need to talk to his friends, and to tell them how much he needed and appreciated them.

"Apparently that's your older sister's job, now..."

Ben's heart gave a jolt, and he gaped at his father, wishing he would explain what he had meant, though he could already feel Sébastian wasn't going to. He wondered if he was talking about Steve.

"Do you really mean what you've said, Benjamin?"

"Of course."

And then something very odd happened. Sébastian got up from his desk, walked over to Ben, helped him up from the chair, and pulled him into a hug.

He didn't have the slightest idea of how to react to that. It felt like he had frozen there, being held by a father who had never seemed to have the slightest interest in being affectionate with him.

He would have liked to say something, but he didn't know what. And besides, he had the feeling that the words wouldn't have come out even if he wanted them to.