Chapter Text
Driving a flying car to a magical school was definitely not the most brilliant idea, Harry reflected.
It was a desperate solution that seemed impossibly odd, but wasn’t that magic anyway? What’s done was done, and despite the general disapproval of, well—every adult he knew, they did get to Hogwarts safely…relatively. The only real disappointment was missing the sorting ceremony. Still, by the time he and Ron were fed and excitedly catching up with Hermione, it was only a minor speed bump to the start of the year.
Which is why he was baffled to be summoned by the headmaster the following morning. Ron had sent him a commiserating look with a pat on the back. Hermione was busy scouring through Lockhart’s books but took the time to send him a look.
“Mr. Potter, I assure you that you are not in any trouble,” Headmaster Dumbledore started, but Harry couldn’t shake the apprehension. Was he still in trouble for the car? Did Snape finally convince the headmaster to expel him rather than give him detention? Git. “In fact, we’ll be calling Ron after—“
“Please, sir!” Harry blurted, hands rumpling his jumper in apprehension. “We won’t do it again. We’ll do every detention but please don’t—“
“Mr. Potter,” Dumbledore called out, walking towards the boy and soothing his back. “I believe we have already concluded our discussion about yesterday’s mishap last night, yes? While I’m glad to hear there would not be any repeat of your…imperilment, we called you here for an entirely different matter.”
Harry looked up at the old man, eyes wide with relief before asking, “We?” Dumbledore’s eyes gave their characteristic twinkle, but they were interrupted by a knock on the door.
“Ah yes, you’ll understand soon enough, Harry,” Dumbledore told him before clearing his throat. “Please, come in Mrs. Lovett.”
The door did not swing open or creak so much as it was opened gingerly, and a head with brilliant shining hair appeared. “Hullo, I had a wonderful chat with Mr. G downstairs,” The woman said, and she was grinning so hard that Harry couldn’t help but subconsciously follow her example.
“Mrs. Lovett, as per your request, this is Harry Potter,” Dumbledore announced as if he were some kind of royalty. Harry ducked his head in embarrassment. For all that he genuinely enjoyed the oddness of his headmaster, he wasn’t too blind to realize that the headmaster had taken a liking to him more than he did other students. He wanted to keep that affection, he realized.
“Oh my!” She exclaimed, striding forward so quickly that Harry gave a slight flinch. She seemed at a loss with words and had taken to observing him curiously like Hedwig did when he talked to her.
“Mrs. Lovett,” Dumbledore reminded with a hint of warning, though not unkindly. Mrs. Lovett blinked before straightening up and clearing her throat.
Now that Harry really looked at her, he thought that she would stand out even in a crowd of witches, perhaps especially so. She was dressed as most witches were, but her robes were soft white and lined with pink floral embroidery. She wore a pink blouse with a white tie. A long pink satin skirt swished at her feet, which were mysteriously invisible (invisible shoes?). Her hair was carefully styled into large rings pinned neatly with what looked like real butterflies (and with magic, who knows?), and her eyes seemed to be painted with glitter. She looked…excitable as she bounced in place, and her wide-eyed examination of him reminded him briefly of the house elf that visited him during the summer.
“I see you like my clothes,” She winked at him, and he nervously nodded, but she continued. “I was quite nervous, wondering how you’d react to me. If you’d like, I can recommend some styling choices that would look absolutely darling on you.” “I—no, uhm, I’m fine…Mrs. Lovett,” He sent a panicked look at the headmaster. Still, the woman was already pulling the headmaster into a jovial hug. “And you, Professor Dumbledore! Such bold patterns as usual, very camp,” She, almost comically, gave him a thumbs up. “Would you perhaps finally be interested in styling your hair? Especially since you’ve managed to grow it this long and beautiful! My, my, my, I see you took my advice on—“ “Camellia, please, you’re flustering the boy,” Dumbledore raised his hand, and if Harry didn’t know better, he sounded exasperated. “I’m sure we’re taking Mr. Potter away from his classes, so let us finish what we set out to accomplish today.” Her lips formed an ‘O’, and she eagerly nodded, “Oh yes! Of course, forgive me. It’s been so long since I’ve been in this office I couldn’t help myself. Well! Nevermind that. Hello, it’s perfectly, absolutely wonderful to meet you, Mr. Harry James Potter. I am Camellia Lovett. Please call me Mrs. Lovett.” She held her hand out for him in a manner reminiscent of Hermione when they first met; however, rather than haughtiness, it seemed more like she had drunk ten vials of pepper-up. “Hello,” Harry greeted her slowly, gingerly placing his hand in hers. Contrary to her enthusiastic greeting, she shook softly. “I’m Harry.” He then looked at Dumbledore. “Please, have a seat the both of you,” Dumbledore gestured, and a second chair was conjured, to which Mrs. Lovett gave an appreciative clap. “Mr. Potter, you had missed it last night but we had introduced Mrs. Lovett to our staff.”
"I thought Lock—I mean, Professor Lockheart was the new Defense professor?" He inquired, sending the woman sitting next to him a curious glance, wondering what this all had to do with him.
"If I may cut in, Headmaster," Dumbledore nodded, and the woman turned to Harry as her smile shrank to something softer. "Mr. Potter, with the events that happened last year, I approached the headmaster to see if I could help in any way. I—"She hesitated, weighing something in her mind. "Do you have any questions for me to answer?"
Strangely, Aunt Petunia's voice rang shrill in his head. Don't ask questions!
"No, ma'am," He shook his head, and she nodded in response. "Events last year?" Came out of his mouth without thought and he repressed a wince.
She hummed, consideringly. "Well, from what I've gathered, you had the most magical experience last year, yes?" Harry nodded. "And this is only your second year in the wizarding world, yes?" Harry nodded once more. "And you had encountered Voldemort—may Magic smite him—after he had disguised himself as your professor, yes?" Harry hesitated, chancing a glance at Dumbledore, who gave him an encouraging nod. Well, if he trusted her…
"Yes," He admitted softly.
"Mr. Potter, may I?" She gestured to his shoulder, and confused, he simply nodded. She clasped him gently, and his heart sped nervously, but he looked at her straight on. Closer, the glitters were much more apparent, and so was the determined set of her brows. "I'm here to help you, should you want it," She told him quietly. "I'm here to support you however you need me to."
Harry shook his head. "No, I'm fine, I—"
"—Don't need help?" She finished wryly, letting him go and clapping her hands together, bouncing in her seat. "Well! Everyone needs help every once in awhile. I even help your headmaster quite often actually."
At Harry's doubtful look, Dumbledore chuckled and chimed in, "It's true, Harry. Mrs. Lovett is an exceptional singular character, and I'm quite glad to have her as a friend." Mrs. Lovett flushed, but she made an exaggerated embarrassed gesture, giggling lightly. Harry wasn't sure how such a…how…*well—*how someone like her could help someone like Headmaster Dumbledore.
"I'm now under his payroll as your resident guidance counselor," She told him conspiratorially. "Have you had one of those in your old school?"
He did, in fact. He remembered one when he was younger. She pulled him out of class and asked him where his bruises had come from. He answered truthfully, and a large commotion had him locked away in his cupboard for a while. She was gone when he finally returned to school, and the bruises no longer showed in obvious places. The subsequent guidance counselors were either largely indifferent or flat-out disdainful of him with his messy hair and baggy clothes. None of them ever looked or acted like Mrs. Lovett with her colorful clothes, loud laughter, and too-bright smiles.
He briefly wondered if she had any relation with Gilderoy Lockheart.
"If it eases you to know, I'll be counseling for all students and staff in Hogwarts, so if you ask me, I have my work cut out for me." Despite her voice's rueful effect, she looked delighted at the idea.
"So why am I here?" Harry asked, uneasy at being singled out once more. He was fine!
"Originally, I was going to do rounds for everyone and start with the first-years and seventh-years, but your stunt yesterday," She paused, looking far too amused at the idea. "Yes, well, I decided it might perhaps do good to start with our earliest troublemakers, hm?"
Harry flushed indignantly, wanting to insist against the idea. He didn't actively look for trouble. It just happened around him! It's not like he did pranks or messed around in class.
Mrs. Lovett pulled a pink slip from her pocket and held it out to him with her pointer and middle finger. "As my first customer, I'm giving you a free pass. If you need to get out of any class, show this to the professor and say you have a meeting with me." Harry reached for it disbelievingly, looking at Dumbledore for any chastisement, but the man was busy cooing at Fawkes.
Before he could accept it, her wrist flicked upwards, and the slip moved away from him. "Like all magic, however, there is a condition," she told him with a grin, and he quickly became disgruntled with her. "If you don't use the slip within the week, you lose the free pass and I'll have to summon you at a rather unfortunate time. Perhaps during quidditch?"
"You wouldn't!" Harry gaped, but she just grinned and finally handed it to him.
"I look forward to our first session, Mr. Potter. Now off you go to class—oh and, please call Mr. Weasley to come here. Your professor should let him go easily," She stood up, pulling him with her as she ushered him out the door.
"But ma'am—"
"You can ask more questions when we next meet, Mr. Potter," She cheerfully said, finally succeeding in pushing him out the door.
Before she could close it, he blurted, "You wouldn't actually call me from quidditch practice, will you?"
"Best not to find out, no?" She winked and closed the door as Harry gaped.
He wasn't sure if he liked the new addition to Hogwarts.