I'm not a kitten... Okay, I'm Kitten

Chapter 15

Quick recap.
"Am I correct in assuming that it didn't go well?" Narcissa asked softly.
"Bastards threw out the case when they found out that the victim was a 'filthy halfbreed'." Severus snarled.
"They were fined for animal abuse." Lucius spat, disgusted.
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"What?!" Narcissa squawked. "You can't be serious!"

Boy's quiet tears restarted. He felt bad for ruining Lucius' robes, but he just couldn't help himself. Dazedly, he noted being shifted and he was now facing Severus and Narcissa, but he was still on Lucius' lap. He heard a beeping noise from near Severus.

"Time to deactivate your brace, Harry." Severus said, flicking his wand to shut off the alarm.

Sniffling, Boy did as asked, letting his leg fall limp.

"I'll need to write to Madam Pomfrey about where to get those ingenious braces." Narcissa said thoughtfully. "With a bit of luck, and a lot of proper feeding, you'll need a new one by your birthday."

Boy wiped his eyes on his baggy sleeve. "'Kay," he replied weakly, doubting it. That was only a few months away. There was no way he'd grow that much, but he wasn't going to argue.

A familiar little brown barn owl with tan and white stripes on its chest flew into the open window. Boy was confused at why Penny's owl was delivering mail to Narcissa.

As she scanned the letter, she was smiling, and actually giggled at one point. When she was finished, she refolded the letter and gave Boy a mock-glare. "It seems like you've been keeping a very big secret from me, Harry."

What? He'd answered every question they asked! "I haven't!" He said, shaking his head.

"According to Misses Clearwater, Odoa and Elison, you are quite the little hairdresser." Her smile was warm.

Severus snorted. "That's putting it mildly."

"What do you mean, Severus?" Lucius asked.

Finishing off his cognac, Severus put down his glass. "Every Hogsmeade weekend, there is a line of females from three of the four houses, all wanting to 'get pretty' for dates."

"It's not just girls," Boy rolled his eyes, sniffling once more. "Anderson Whittaker and Jason Alaverez from Hufflepuff are regulars, and the Weasley twins both let me do theirs a couple of times when the girls were busy. Those two didn't leave the room though."

Boy felt Lucius' stomach moving as he laughed quietly.

"Yes, Severus. Don't be sexist." The blond man chuckled.

"That reminds me," Severus mused. "I need to set up a meeting with Mr. Alaverez's family before the summer holidays begin."

"Is Jason okay?" Boy asked, worried.

"Are you friends with him, Harry?"

Boy nodded. "He visits the salon every week, and I've been tutoring him in potions and advanced runes. Why?"

"Has he mentioned anything... odd to you?"

"Like what?"

"I'm not entirely sure how to ask, without just asking outright." Severus sighed. "Have you noticed anything to indicate that he is... uncomfortable in his own skin?"

"That's asking outright?" Boy clapped his hand over his mouth. "I'm so sorry. I just... I'm not sure what you mean."

Lucius and Narcissa laughed.

"I have a suspicion that Mr. Alaverez is not a homosexual, but indeed, a female." Severus explained. "Have you seen anything to indicate that I am correct in my thinking?"