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It only took them a few minutes to reach Andromeda's office where Magnus entered first and Andromeda followed behind him closing the door before drawing her want and casting a number of spells silently to give them privacy.
As soon as she put her wand away Magnus went to speak but a raised hand and a stern look from Andromeda cut him off before he even began.
While he may have been older mentally than what he was physically, having his backside handed to him multiple times over in their duelling lessons had afforded him a healthy level of respect.
And understandable fear, for the elder Black, and he didn't want to put himself any deeper into her bad side than he suspected he was right now.
After he was quiet for a few seconds Andromeda lowered her hand and put her wand away back into her wrist holster before taking a deep breath before she spoke.
"Firstly, I want to say that I am extremely proud of you for what you said to young Neville in the library," Andromeda stated calmly.
"I have only met Agusta Longbottom a few times, and while your words were harsh, they were necessary. She can be an overbearing woman at times, and the war took its toll on her."
"And while I would never believe her possible of harming her own house intentionally, I believe her grief and pain over what happened to her son and daughter-in-law has clouded her judgement in this matter."
"I will only ask that you keep that fact in mind when or if you make good on your promise to help Neviell with his letter to her about his wand."
Whatever Magnus had been expecting her to say first, that had not been it, he swallowed.
"Um, okay…. Ah how did you…" he said, a little confused as to how she had known what they had been talking about in the library and was even more concerned now exactly what she had heard.
Andromeda's lips quirked slightly at his confusion, "how did I know what you three were saying even under your muffling charm?" she asked.
"Simple dear nephew, I read your lips, the charm only muffles the sound, it does nothing to prevent people from watching your lips to see what you are saying. And reading lips is a skill I picked up in my younger years, I was watching from the doorway."
Magnus had to fight the urge to facepalm when he heard that, so this was what it felt like to be a wizard, to think magic can solve all your problems only to look over something so simple as reading lips.
Andromeda smirked slightly seeing Magnus' expression but shook her head, "that being said, I am proud of you for what you said, it might have been harsh but Neviell needed to hear it."
"It's the mark of a good friend who can do that for another, to tell them something like it is without pulling any punches, as you did."
"And while I believe Augusta has only the best intentions when it comes to Neville, you and Harry are good friends to have his back and look out for him like you are."
Magnus sighed and nodded, "Yeah I know, it was painful to see the look on his face but it's worse to see him keep doubting himself constantly, he could be a great wizard if he just grew a backbone and learned to stand up for himself."
"But that won't happen if he keeps struggling in his classes because of a defective wand, his confidence is already low enough." He voiced his concerns to her.
Andromeda nodded, "yes, I've seen that well enough first hand, and I have no doubt that had he kept studying potions under Snape that his confidence would have continued to suffer until either he broke down or fouled up a potion so bad in his nervousness that he hurt himself."
She mused before eying him, "but what I want to know is how you think that playing pranks will help him to improve?" she said, her disapproval clear in her tone.
Magnus swallowed nervously under her glare, "Um well, it's to help bring him out of his shell more, to give us, me, Harry and Nev, something more to bond over. I'm hoping that the pranks will help not only our friendship but Nev in the long run."
Andromeda watched him closely, her piercing gaze one that only a mother could know how to do as it made Magnus feel two feet tall as she held it on him for a full minute before she spoke again, "as much as I hate to admit it, your idea has merit" she said before sighing.
"And I suppose I can allow this, as long as you don't get caught, and, you give me a heads up from now on whenever any of your pranks target all of the professors so that I can avoid being caught up in another one like this morning." She stated giving him an unimpressed look.
"Because I promise you now if I do and I find you knew about it beforehand and didn't, contract or no, so help me you won't be able to sit comfortably for a month, am I clear." Andromeda warned him.
Magnus audibly gulped at the threat that he had no doubt that the Black witch could and would carry out, and at that moment he didn't know what to fear more of the intimidating black witch, her wand or the hand that wielded it.
"Understood Auntie," Magnus said after a moment of fear, "I'll be sure to give you ample head's up if there is any chance that I suspect that you might get caught in one of our pranks that I know of ahead of time."
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