It Started With Letters - Drarry

Mr Baxter

Harry and Draco both stayed back after last period transfiguration that Thursday afternoon.

They had managed to score themselves a week of detentions, which was rather lucky considering the night before involved 'threatening aurors' and 'breaking into a professors office'.

Both the boys had their heads down on the shared desk, facing away from each other, eyes closed. Harry had quickly noticed Draco's stand-offish and languid demeanour after the events that had occured. He had tried to talk to him but any attempts had been brushed off.

The door clicked open again and McGonagall re-entered, having left briefly, this time followed by a tall, worn out man.

His baggy grey suit hung of him and his bones peeked out from beneath his skin. His trousers fell far too short above his ankles, revealing a pair of colourful socks. A fraying leather satchel hung over his shoulder, bumping against his hip as he walked. His greying brown hair was scarce and the stubble on his chin was in desperate need of a shave.

He followed after McGonagall, briskly making his way to the front of the room before turning around, and as Harry looked up he noticed two things at once.

Firstly he recognised the man as the second auror from the night before, causing him to sit up straighter, looking ready to pounce at any attack made on Draco, who was still asleep, and secondly he noticed the scars on the mans neck and face, something he had missed in the dim, chaotic light of the dungeons. He could also see the faded twinkle in the mans sunken eyes, causing him to lower his guard ever so slightly.

McGonagall cleared her throat and Draco opened his eyes. Suddenly he was sitting upright, nostrils flaring, eyebrows burrowed. He took a deep breath through his nose and then glanced uneasily at the man, who was watching him curiously.

McGonagll ignored all of this or didn't notice it  and cleared her throat again, "Boys, it seems that I have business which I need to attend to, so I have arranged for Mr Baxter to watch over your detention. Please show him the the same respect you would show me," and with that she left the classroom.

The air was thick and strained as Harry and Draco exchanged agitated glances.

'I can smell it, be careful' Draco mouthed and Harry's eyes travelled to his mouth, reading his lips. His brow furrowed, 'Smell what' but before Draco could respond Mr Baxter spoke.

"Right well, i'm Mr Baxter, you can call me Mark," He began, "I'm old friends with Remus you see, work as a auror for the ministry, not that there's much to do now that you saved the world," he nodded at Harry who grimaced and winced.

"Sorry, touchy subject," he murmured uncomfortably.

His eyes then moved to Draco who was watching him with slanted eyes and a tilted head, "Sorry about my colleague, he's a real prick sometimes but it's only because of Daisy, his daughter you see, she missing along with the others,"

"She's missing?" Harry questioned, he had heard parts of the conversation yesterday and tried to get more out of Sirius, only to have failed tragically.

"Ah i've said to much, let's forget that, don't want to be getting in anymore trouble with Dumbledore," He scratched his scruff of his beard and stood up moving closer to Draco, "I am real sorry mate, i'm on your side, Moony trusts you and that man never lies,"

Draco looked up suddenly, "You called him Moony."

Mark, who had still been moving forward froze as Draco sat up straighter, lessening the distance between them even more. His nose twitched and he suddenly stepped forward placing one hand under Draco's chin and using his thumb to pull down his lip, revealing his bottom teeth.