Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Salvation	By : clairevictoria Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 67617 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 7
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter and I do not make any money from these writings

Chapter List
- 9
- 10
Lucius missed the Manor. He missed his comfortable life. He had lived it so long that he wasn’t sure of himself here.
He and his companions were living in little more than a shack on the Yorkshire moors, trying not to get arrested and still trying to have it their way.
Why shouldn’t he have his own way? He was Lucius Abraxus Malfoy, born of the highest Pureblood pedigree. He had spent his life being waited on and catered to. His childhood had been lavishly comfortable, even when he had reached Hogwarts. His father had used large sums of money to clear the way for any problems Lucius might have encountered, be them big or small.
What Lucius hadn’t known is that his father also spent extortionate amounts of money on a gambling problem, accruing debt he couldn’t dismiss. A mild case of Dragon Pox, something that potions should have been able to cure, had killed his father in a matter of hours, leaving Lucius with the fallout of his problems.
The blond walked into the ‘bedroom’, the room he had secured as his own, to find Bellatrix waiting on his bed.
Naked.
Bella had lost many things also. Her family, her husband, her wealth. Her mind. He remembered when they were young, how vibrant she had been. Once upon a time he had argued with his father over his betrothal to Narcissa. He had much preferred Bellatrix. But his father had won that argument, and, looking at her sanity now, Lucius was glad of it.
“Come to bed,” she said. “I’m bored.”
Lucius smirked and began to shed his clothes. She might not be his sweet Harry, she might be as barren as the Sahara, but she was a warm willing body that didn’t expect him to be tender, so things could be worse.
Soon enough, all his plans would come to fruition, and he would have his sweet pet writhing beneath him once more.
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Stunned silence met Severus’ announcement and he shared a smirk with Solarin.
“What?” Remus said.
“I just told you that I have booked a vacation for Harry, Miri and myself. We leave on the twentieth of April,” Severus repeated.
Another stunned silence and Severus was rather glad that Harry had disappeared with Miri as soon as lunch had finished. He dreaded to think of how Harry would take the silence.
“You can’t,” Molly said. “You can’t take them away.”
“Why not?” Severus asked. “Why can I not take my husband and daughter on a holiday?”
“Severus, be reasonable,” Sirius said. “It’s not safe. How do you expect to keep them safe?”
“Lucius cannot leave England, and he is not smart enough to ever consider that Harry may leave the country. Harry and Miri will be safe.”
“But what if he does figure it out?” Remus questioned.
“He can’t leave England, the boarders are closed to him,” Solarin said. “The Muggle authorities are aware that there is a dangerous criminal on the loose, they’re on guard for him.”
“He could use a potion or spell to change his appearance,” Arthur pointed out.
“We’ve taken steps against that,” Tonks said. “We have Aurors posted at every airport, train station and coach station, not to mention the boarder crossing between Dover and Calais and the new one at Kings Cross. If Harry leaves the country, Lucius can’t follow.”
They looked around at each other.
“This might be a stupid thing to ask…but what about Miri?” Bill questioned. “All those Muggle minds…is it okay for her to travel?”
“It’s fine,” Solarin assured. “I’ve never had any problems, she shouldn’t either.” She sighed. “Your concerns are all good concerns, ones that you should have. But we’ve already thought of them. We’re ready for all eventualities.”
“You’re right,” Remus said. “We do trust you, Severus, truly. It’s just…”
“I know, old friend,” Severus said. “I know exactly where you’re coming from.” He reached for his wand, summoning a bottle of wine and some glasses, pouring himself one and then motioning for the others to help themselves. “They left him, Remus. Those fucking bastards who dared call themselves his family left him with Arabella Figg while they went and lived it up on holiday. Remus, he’s never been away, never had anything new from them, they always made him feel like a dirty little boy who deserved to be neglected, who deserved nothing from them.”
“But…Harry talked about their holidays,” Molly said.
“Exactly. Their holidays, not his. They didn’t take him with them. Molly, why shouldn’t Harry have a holiday? Why shouldn’t I take him away for a week? Everyone else gets to have this, why shouldn’t he?”
“Of course he should,” Charlie said. “We’re just cautious. None of us wants anything to happen to Harry or Miri.”
“I would never put them in danger, I swear it,” Severus said. “But I do love him, and I want him to have everything I can give him. That includes things like holidays.”
“This might be the last thing on everyone’s minds, but what about the exams?” Sam asked. “This holiday would interrupt the revision schedule.”
“One of the glorious things about home-schooling: Harry and Nixie are both as ready as they’re going to get,” Remus said. “At this point, if they don’t know it, then they don’t know it. And a break might do Harry some good. He can relax, get some rest, some time away from all the stresses he faces here. It’ll refresh him for the exams.”
“So, where are you going?” Nixie asked. “I think he’d like France.”
“You mean you like France,” Sirius said with a grin. “After the exams me and Remus will take you away somewhere.”
She leaned in and hugged him, her pale cheeks rosy.
“We’re going to Mallorca, to a little place called Cala Bona,” Severus said and Solarin grinned. “I took Solarin there once when she was small. If they can handle her, Miri should be no trouble.
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“Caya. Dada. Caya.”
Harry awoke to the pitch dark of his bedroom at the sound of a tiny voice calling for him. He sat up slightly and looked over the edge of the mattress to find Miri standing by the side of the bed, her tiny hands fisted in the sheet.
“Severus,” he called, the man waking immediately at his tone. Harry reached down and plucked Miri up, cuddling her close as she snuggled into him. “She’s hot.”
Severus reached over and placed a palm to her forehead, pushing back the blankets so he could stand.
“I’m going to get Sam,” he said, sliding on his slippers and heading from the room.
Harry felt his heart racing. Something was wrong with his baby, his precious baby girl.
“Caya.”
“I’m here, baby. Carrier’s right here,” he murmured.
“Et.”
“Wet? You need a change? Okay, baby, let’s go do that, okay. Come on, here we go,” he soothed as he stood up and padded from the room. He turned on the low level lamp on the dresser and made his way to the changing table. “How did you even get out of your cot, baby? Down we go, that’s it, good girl.”
He laid her on the changing mat and pulled off her pyjama bottoms, unpopping her vest, all the while keeping up a string of soothing words. Her little cheeks were flushed with her fever and he momentarily bit his lip as he panicked. Panic would not help him.
“Harry!”
“In here,” he called at Severus’ panic filled cry. The potions master entered in a hurry, Sam on his heels. “She says she’s wet.”
Harry pulled open the tabs and froze. “That’s not wet.”
“No, that’s diarrhoea,” Sam said. “Just clean her up and I’ll take a look at her.”
Harry did as he was told, securing her into a fresh nappy, putting her back into her little pyjamas before letting Sam pick her up, carrying her from the room. Harry followed, Severus’ gentle hand on his back.
They made their way to Sam and Tonks’ bedroom, where the tiny witch was laid on the bed. Tonks sleepily watched the proceedings as Harry and Severus hovered by the bed.
Sam took her temperature via her ear, and listened to her chest and then he handed her to Harry, motioning him to sit on the bed.
“Harry, can you get her to say ah for me? I need a look at the back of her throat.”
“Miri. Say ah for Sam. Come on, baby. Ah!”
She whimpered and snuggled in, clutching at his sleeve. Severus squatted down, getting on her level.
“Miri,” he called. “Ah!” he demonstrated. “Miri do it. Ah!”
“Ah,” she said, reaching tiredly for the penlight Sam was using to look at the back of her throat.
Tonks managed to pass Severus a towel as Miri vomited with spectacular volume and distance. Harry held her close, soothing her, as Sam summoned a bottle of water for her. She drank tentatively, trying to push it way as it slid down her sore throat.
“Come on, Miri,” Harry urged. “Just a little more, sweetheart. That’s my good girl.”
Sam rummaged through his bag for a few vials of potion, handing them to Severus with a small syringe to apply them orally.
“Bout of flu, nothing more,” he said. “She’ll be fine, she just needs rest and fluids. Those vials have pain relievers and something to keep her salts up while she’s got an upset tummy.”
“Will those make it go away?” Harry questioned, nodding at the potions.
“No, they’ll just make her feel a bit better while she fights this off. I know this is hard, but she needs to catch these things,” Sam said. “Every bug she fights off makes her immune system that little bit stronger. She needs this, Harry.”
“So what do I do?” the Gryffindor asked after a moment.
“Plenty of fluids, don’t worry so much about food for today. If you can get her to eat, that’s great, but if her throat is too sore for it, nursing should be fine enough for today. Pain relievers every four to six hours, and a dose of rehydration salts every time you change a nappy like the one you just changed. Other than that, just lots of cuddles and rest.”
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Severus hovered in the doorway of the nursery with a tray in his hands and watched Harry.
The little brunet was snuggling a miserable Miri in the rocking chair, his slim fingers toying with her curls as she clung to him.
“I brought you some lunch,” Severus said as he made his way across the room. On his tray was a bowl of peach slices, a bowl of peach puree, a baby bottle of water and a glass of strawberry milkshake.
“I’m not hungry,” Harry said. Severus sighed and set the tray down atop the dresser, moving to seat himself on the footstool.
“It’s just the flu, love,” he soothed, stroking Harry’s knee. “She will be fine, I promise you.”
“I know.”
“Then…would you like to share your thoughts with me?”
Harry was silent for a moment, his green eyes locked on the world outside the window, the burning weight of Miri in his arms.
“I don’t remember this,” he mumbled.
“Remember what?”
“This. I don’t remember ever having someone do this for me when I was sick.”
Severus was stunned silent. Just when he thought he knew all there was to know about his lovers sorry excuse for a childhood, Harry dropped another bomb.
“Did you get sick very often?” he questioned; it took everything he had to keep his tone light.
“I guess.”
“What sort of illnesses? Did you have the flu?”
“I think so. I got colds, like the other kids at school, and bumps and bruises, nothing serious.” Severus bit his tongue. “I don’t think I ever got really sick. Chicken pox maybe. And the mumps.”
“Mumps? You had mumps?”
Harry nodded, finally looking at him. “I was all swollen around my neck and my joints hurt and Aunt Petunia was scared I’d infect Dudley.”
“Harry,” Severus began, a sinking feeling in his stomach. “Do you remember those jabs Sam had to give Miri?” Harry nodded. “You remember us explaining to you that she had to have them, that they would make her immune system stronger?” Another nod. “Harry, did you ever have jabs when you were a child?”
“I don’t think so.”
“Not even at school?”
“I’m not sure,” he said. “Why?”
“Because, if you didn’t have your childhood immunisations, you would be at risk of all those illnesses, your immune system could be compromised, and you could get very sick.”
“Could I make Miri sick?”
“You might. We need Sam to test you.”
He pressed a kiss to Harry’s forehead before he sped from the room, returning a few moments later with Sam, Remus and Sirius trailing behind him. Sam came forwards and crouched beside Harry’s seat, pressing a hand to Miri’s forehead.
“She’s a little cooler now,” he said, smiling up at Harry. “That’s good. She should be back to her old self pretty soon. Little ones tend to bounce back quickly from these things, and she was in perfect health before. Now, Severus tells me you don’t remember having any jabs as a child.” He shook his head. “Okay. We can fix this. I’m going to need to take a blood sample and send it to the lab at the hospital. In a few hours they’ll be able to tell us which illnesses you’ve had or been immunised against, and which you haven’t.”
“What do we do about the ones I haven’t had?”
“I can give you the jabs myself, top up your immune system,” he said. “In all honesty, it shouldn’t be too many. You’re approaching eighteen, you’ve gone through a pregnancy, gone to school. It’s likely you’ve had most of the things you need to have had.”
Miri reached for Harry as she was given to Remus to hold, and Severus had to promise her that she could go back to him in a moment. Then Harry curled into Sirius and Severus wiped his arm with an alcohol swab. He drew the blood as swiftly as he could, flashing back to the morning of their wedding and doing exactly the same thing.
“All done, love,” he said, accepting the kiss Harry gave him, before Miri let out a truly pissed off shriek.
Remus chuckled and handed her back to Harry, where she snuggled in and glared at them all as she stuck her thumb in her mouth.
“I’ll take this off to St. Mungo’s. We should have the results in a few hours.”
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Miri giggled as she was surrounded by shopping bags, her little hands swiping at the plastic to make it crinkle. She had fully recovered from her flu and was her old happy self once more.
“Why do we bother buying her toys?” Severus asked as she let out a particularly loud shriek of delight.
“Because plastic bags are not playthings,” Molly replied as she hauled in another bag. “I raised seven children, and we never got through this much in a week.”
“Many more than nine people in this house,” Remus put in. He dumped the two bags in his hands down onto the floor, chuckling as Miri climbed over some to see what noise these ones made. “That’s all of them.”
The adults sat down around the table, sharing tea and cookies as Miri began to explore what was actually in the bags. She slowly emptied each one, and they looked on in amazement as she moved each item to where it should be. She ended up with a pile in front of the fridge, another by the kitchen counter below the higher cupboards, and another at the end of the table with all the things that belonged in the fruit bowl.
“Is that the first time she’s done that?” Remus asked as she made herself at home in the cupboard near the floor that held the tins.
“As far as I know,” Severus replied, nibbling at a ginger biscuit. “Harry did mention something about her doing something similar with the toys in the playroom.”
“She loves to put them away,” Harry said from the doorway, smiling at Miri slowly putting tins in the cupboard and babbling to herself, happy as could be. “I leave her with you for ten minutes,” he teased, crossing the room to kiss Severus.
“She’s happy enough.”
“She might be, but I don’t think Solarin is.”
“How so?”
“She’s a little high strung. She’s in the playroom, and she seems a bit tense. I think she needs you.”
Severus leaned in and kissed him once more before he made his way from the room.
He found his sister in the playroom, as Harry had said she was. Dorian was happily playing on the floor with some Lego, building what seemed to be a house. Solarin was pacing with the new baby in her arms, the tiny thing screaming, tears pouring down Solarin’s face.
“Sol? Sweetheart, what’s wrong?”
“She won’t stop. No matter what I do, she won’t stop crying. She’s almost a week old, and she screams every time I pick her up.”
He crossed the room, taking the baby from her and laying her down on one of the play mats. It wouldn’t do her any harm to cry for a while, just until he’d calmed the Augur down. Dorian abandoned his toys and crawled over, laying down and cuddling into his sister.
The baby suddenly stopped, snuffling a few times before laying contentedly with her brother.
“See?” Solarin said, motioning to the children. “She hates me!”
Severus smothered his grin. “Dorian, will you stay with the baby for a moment?”
“I will, Uncle Sevwus.”
“Good boy.” He slipped an arm around Solarin’s shoulders and guided her out of the room, settling her in the main living room and curling up with her on the sofa. “Oh, sweetheart,” he soothed. “She doesn’t hate you, I promise.”
“She does!” she argued, tears flowing. “She screams at me no matter what I do!”
“Solarin, stop this and listen to me,” he commanded and she fell quiet, sniffling into his chest. “Now, she doesn’t hate you. She is a week old, she does not have the capacity for hate. But she does have the ability to feed off of you, of what you put out. Now tell me, honestly young lady. When did you last have some sleep?”
“Not since she came home,” she mumbled.
“Night feeds? Worried you won’t hear her cry?” he asked and she nodded. “I understand. I was the same the first few nights I had you. I was so worried you’d need me and I wouldn’t wake up to you. Eventually I grew out of it.”
“How long?”
“Oh, about a week and a half. Until Albus swooped in and told me either I got some sleep or he’d drug me.” He chuckled. “Solarin, you will not sleep through her crying, I promise. Even if her cries do not wake you, your abilities will.” He pressed a kiss to her head. “Now, a small known fact of babies is that they pick up on how their caregiver feels, and they feed off it. If you are this stressed, how do you think she feels?”
“See? I’m a terrible mother.”
“Oh, piffle. What nonsense! You’re tired and stressed and overwhelmed. All of that tells me how much you love her and how much you want to do a good job. You are not a terrible mother.”
He pulled back and forced her to look at him. “Solarin, listen to me. You are going to give your children to me for a few hours. You’re going to take a hot bath, and a long nap, and then you’re going to come back at it.”
“Oh, I can’t,” she protested. “She needs a feed and I promised Dorian…”
“Hush. I will take care of it. Go.”
She ran her hands through her hair before she nodded and left the room. Severus heard her tell Dorian where she was going and then move off to the stairs, off to her room.
Severus waited until he was sure she’d done what she was told and then he returned to the playroom, picking up the baby and taking Dorian’s hand, taking them with him back to the kitchen.
“Oh, come to grandma,” Molly cooed, taking the baby from him while Harry swooped in and picked Dorian up, tickling him. “Where’s mummy, hmmm?”
“Takin’ a baff,” Dorian said as Harry let him up for air.
“She’s a little overwhelmed,” Severus said. “Needs a few hours.”
“Ah,” Molly said, reaching in the fridge for a bottle of formula.
“Baba,” Miri said, pointing.
“That’s right, sweetheart,” Severus said, picking her up. “That’s a baby.”
“Me baba.”
“Yes, you’re a baby too. You’re my baby,” he said, kissing her cheek and making her squeal
“Caya baba.”
“Yes, you’re carrier’s baby.”
She seemed content enough with that and danced in his arms, her little body moving from side to side while she waved her hands.
“I not a baby,” Dorian said, content to sit on Harry’s lap and draw pictures with the crayons Remus set down.
“No, you’re a big boy,” Remus said, picking up a crayon to draw his own picture. “Babies wear nappies and have bottles. You don’t have those.”
“I sweep in a big boy bed.”
“Yes, you sleep in a big boy bed.”
“And I help mummy with the baby.”
“Oh yes, you do. You’re a very good big brother, just like daddy.” Dorian beamed. “Has Solarin or Bill mentioned any names for the little one?”
“Not yet,” Molly said as she eased the teat into the little questing mouth.
They spent the afternoon in light conversation, and as the time for dinner approached other members of the family began to arrive home.
Bill received the most enthusiastic welcome from Dorian, who pelted across the kitchen to be scooped up and hugged.
“Hi, daddy.”
“There’s my little man,” Bill said, nuzzling his son. “Have you been good?”
“Uh-huh. I helped with the baby.”
“You did? That’s great.” He looked around the room. “Where’s mummy?”
“Sweepin’. I helpin’ with dinner!”
“You are? Good boy! Go on then, go help,” he said as he set Dorian down, the little boy running back to the counter to climb back on his stool, Molly passing him more carrots for him to peel.
Severus was walking with the baby, patting her little back to help her settle for a nap. She was fighting valiantly, but the result was a foregone conclusion.
“What happened?” Bill asked, Severus pausing in one place but swaying side to side.
“She’s a little overwhelmed, felt she was a terrible mother and the baby hates her.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Bill scoffed. “Babies don’t hate…do they?”
“No, of course they don’t.”
“So you convinced her to get some sleep? You’re a better man than me. Been trying for days.”
“Yes, she took a hot soak and then a nap. Speaking of, someone should probably wake her for something to eat.”
“I’ll go…that is, if you’re okay with the kids.”
“We’re fine,” Severus assured, glancing over at Dorian, who was happily peeling away.
Bill slowly climbed the stairs to his room, letting himself into the darkened room and toeing off his boots, slipping off his robes. He slid into bed with his wife and curled around her, pressing kisses to her neck.
“Arin…Arin, baby, wake up,” he called softly, winding his arm around her as she whimpered.
“Mmmm,”she moaned, stroking the arms around her waist. “You’re home. What time is it?”
“A little after six. Severus said you should come eat something.”
She rolled over and snuggled in to him, nuzzling at his chest.
“You feel better now you’ve had some sleep?” he asked and she nodded, making him smile. “I told you that you needed it. Hot bath, some sleep, next up some food, and soon enough you’ll be back to the sane version of my wife.”
“I’m sorry,” she said, rolling onto her back to look up at him. “I’ve been a bitch.”
“Yes, but that’s part of your charm.” He leaned in and kissed her, feeling her fingers stealing into his hair, pulling it from the band.
“Your mother pointed out that the little madam needs a name,” Solarin said when they were eventually happy to disconnect.
“She’s not wrong.”
“I had some thoughts.”
“Yeah? What do you have in mind?”
“I’d like it to start with a D, like Dorian. So I went through the baby name book Harry has, the one he got when he was pregnant, and I found a couple of options. The usual things, Danielle, Davina, Daisy. But my favourite is Daven. It’s technically a boy’s name, but it means beloved.”
“Daven…I like it. What about middle names? Dorian has two, Arthur Severus.”
“Molly Minerva,” Solarin said immediately.
“Daven Molly Minerva Weasley-Snape. I like it.”
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As it turned out, Lily and James had been very vigilant when it came to their son, and Harry had had all the immunisations he should have had in his first year. After that, however, was a different story.
Severus wanted to kill Petunia Dursley.
With Muggle immunisations being free for all children on the NHS, there shouldn’t have been any reason for Harry not to have his jabs. But he hadn’t. Sam had managed to dig up Harry’s childhood medical records, and it was noted that Petunia hadn’t believed in jabs. Yet Dudley had received all of his.
“I can only conclude that she was hoping he’d catch something,” Sam said sadly. “And that something would kill him.”
“Harry said he’d had mumps,” Severus said, warming his hands on his mug of tea. “Can you tell which others he actually caught? And what he might need a jab for?”
“I can,” Sam said, opening the envelope from St Mungo’s. “He’s had most Muggle things, and some, like polio, he got lucky with. The initial vaccine Lily had given to him was enough to keep him safe. I still want to give him a top up, just to be safe, but he was incredibly lucky.”
“What about magical illnesses?”
“There’s the problem. Most of those jabs are done in the preschool booster, or, in the case of Muggleborns, they’re given them when they get to Hogwarts. Harry hasn’t had them. He’s got no immunity against any of it. I spoke to Poppy Pomfrey. She assumed he’d had them, that someone had seen to it. Everyone assumed someone else had taken care of it.”
“Not even Dragon Pox?” Severus asked, horrified.
“He had the first two, given at six and twelve months, but he didn’t have the third. That’s given at eighteen months, and Harry was with Petunia then.”
“And even had she known, it’s doubtful she would have taken him for it.”
“Exactly.”
“So what do you propose?” Severus questioned, pouring the doctor more tea.
“I want to give him a couple of Muggle boosters, one for his MMR, that’s measles, mumps and rubella, but without the mumps one, so it’ll be two separate injections, and I want to give him the DTP triple vaccine, for his diphtheria, tetanus and whooping cough. I also want to top up his polio vaccine, but that one is oral.”
“And the Magical ailments?”
“A course of vaccinations, most as simple potions. The poxes, that’s Dragon, Doxy and Pixie, those are all injections.”
“Just give me an idea of how long it’ll be before he’s clear and safe.”
“Don’t worry, Severus. He’ll be covered by the time you get on that plane.”
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April rolled upon them before they knew it, and then it was the day of Harry and Severus’ great adventure. Everyone was nervous, with good reason, but Severus wasn’t worried. He’d planned their travel arrangements down to the letter.
Harry was now fully vaccinated, as Sam had promised. He’d managed to get through most of them with nothing but a little swelling where the needle had punctured the skin. The oral vaccines had put him off his food for about a day, but nothing serious. The Dragon pox vaccine, however, had laid Harry up for two days with a fever and violent sneezing, accompanied by his magic flaring and shooting flames every time he sneezed. It would have been funny if Harry hadn’t felt so unwell.
Harry had had great fun packing their suitcases, picking out which of Miri’s clothes would be coming with them, what was needed in their hand luggage. And Severus had needed to give him a mild calming draught to get him to sleep the night before.
And now here they were, making final checks while they waited for the Ministry car Arthur had arranged for them.
“Look, I trust you, you know I do,” Sirius said quietly, pulling Severus to one side. “But are you sure about this? What if something goes wrong? What if Harry can’t handle it? What if it’s too much for Miri?”
“Sirius, take a breath and relax. We will be fine, I promise. I have travelled with a little Augur before, I know what I’m doing. And I would never let anything happen to Harry. So just relax. I have it all under control.”
“Car’s here,” Phoenix said from the hallway and Harry grinned at him.
They gathered their bags, and Sirius and Remus helped them get their suitcases and Miri’s pram into the car. A few final farewells and they were off.
The car journey was a pleasant experience, Miri entranced by the world speeding past her window, and Harry enjoying being outside. His lover was a little nervous, but Severus had anticipated that and decided to ignore it unless it got worse.
They made it to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
Gatwick airport was huge, but pretty empty, owing to the early hour. They unloaded their things, thanked the driver, and made their way inside. Harry was content to let Severus lead. After all, Severus had done this before. Severus led him to a desk with the travel company name on the sign above.
Check in was simple enough, even if the woman at the desk had given herself away as a witch by the way she had done a double take at Harry’s passport. Their suitcases had been well under the allowed weight limit, and Severus had managed to fold down Miri’s buggy without too much trouble. The witch at the desk had given them the choice of whether to check it in with their luggage or keep it until they boarded the plane. Harry felt better carrying Miri.
Once the two wizards had relieved themselves of all but Miri and their carryon bag, they made their way to the security check point. It was here that they had a slight hiccup.
They showed their passports and tickets, put their bag on the conveyor to be x-rayed, and waited their turn to go through the body scanners. Severus went first, reaching out and taking Miri as Harry did as instructed and passed her through. And then Harry stepped through, setting off the alarm.
“Step over here, please, sir,” the big burly security guard requested and Harry did as he was told, looking worriedly at Severus.
“Hold your arms out like this.” The guard held out his arms to the side, straight out at shoulder height. Harry copied him and then backed away as the man moved to touch him.
Severus had been watching, waiting to see how his husband handled it. When he saw Harry move away, he stepped forwards, handing Miri to a female security guard.
“Let me show him,” he said to the guard. “He’s never travelled before, he doesn’t know what you’re going to do.”
The guard nodded, and Severus stood where he was directed. “Watch, love,” Severus instructed. Harry nodded and watched as Severus held his arms out, smiling reassuringly as the guard ran his hands along his tall frame.
“See?” Severus asked as he retrieved Miri and picked up the bag. “Ten seconds, nothing to worry about. Just stand still and he’ll be very quick.”
Harry took a deep breath, locked eyes with Severus and held his arms out like the man had shown him. Quick hands slid over his arms, his chest, stomach, round to his back. Fingers checked his collar and then the waistband of his trousers. The hands skimmed over his legs, moving a little too close to his privates for Harry’s liking, before the hands were gone.
“All done, just need you to take your shoes off for me.”
Harry toed off his trainers and handed them over, watching as they were placed on the conveyor belt and disappeared. Severus kissed his temple as he tried to grab them, alarm on his face.
“They’ll come out the other end, Harry,” he reassured. “They’re x-raying them, like they did with the bag.”
“Why?”
“Because a terrorist once hid explosives in his shoes and used them to blow up a plane. Now all airports have tight security.”
“Oh. Like Mad-Eye’s constant vigilance?”
“Just like. Look, here they are.” Severus motioned to the emerging shoes.
Harry slipped them on and took Miri before letting Severus guide him forwards. The space was massive, high bright ceilings covering them, sectioned areas filled with seats, hundreds of people milling about. Miri whined and grabbed her ears.
“No, Miri. No look, no see,” Harry ordered and Miri went still for a moment before giggling. Harry cuddled her close and blew a raspberry on her cheek. “That’s my good girl.”
They made a lap of the duty free, where they bought a couple bottles of water and some sweets and crisps for the plane, and then Severus led Harry to Café Rouge for a full English.
“But we had crumpets,” Harry said, easing Miri into a highchair.
“Ah, but we’re on holiday. And it’ll be a good few hours before we get another chance for a proper meal. You’ll thank me, love, trust me.”
Their food arrived and Severus quickly swiped the toast from both their plates, hiding it under a napkin, before cutting up some of his and Harry’s breakfasts for Miri to nibble at. She was too little to manage a breakfast of her own, and only hungry enough to nibble.
Harry found himself people watching as they ate. Men in suits, some in jeans, some looking lost, others in a hurry. Women in heels, ones in trainers, some with kids, others Molly’s age. There were some babies, some toddlers, others that were older.
“I’m invisible,” Harry said in surprise.
“Hmmm?” Severus queried as he let Miri suck at his straw, getting some of his orange juice, before she went back to her sausage.
“No one’s looking at me,” Harry explained with a grin. “I’m invisible.”
“Severus smiled back. “Invisible might be a bit far,” he said. “But these are, presumably, all Muggles, love. They don’t know who you are. And, if they do, they’re all focussed on not missing their flight.”
They finished up and Harry let Severus guide him once more. Severus found an information board and they made their way to gate 42. There was a half hour wait, so Harry took the opportunity to change Miri’s nappy, and Severus moved things about in the bag, filling Miri’s Sippy cup with water from one of the bottles.
Severus urged Harry into the window seat, taking Miri while the Gryffindor got comfortable and found the pieces of his seatbelt. A nice flight attendant helped them secure Miri on Harry’s lap with an infant belt, Severus took his seat, and then they were taxiing down the runway. Severus and Harry each popped a hard-boiled sweet into their mouths and Harry cuddled Miri in, getting her to gulp at her cup at Severus’ urging.
The force of take-off pushed Harry back into his seat, and Miri clutched at his fingers, but they managed to relax as they reached 37,000 feet. Miri fell asleep before the drinks cart had even begun its lap of the plane. Severus tried to get as comfortable as he could, which was practically impossible for a 6’2” man in that small a space. He envied Harry’s shorter legs.
“The place we’re going,” Harry began, shifting slightly in his seat.
“Cala Bona,” Severus supplied.
“It’s magical?”
“Yes. It’s inhabited and run by Muggle borns and their families, as a holiday resort for witches and wizards. I brought Solarin here years ago; she absolutely loved it.”
“Well, if they survived Sol, Miri should be no trouble.”
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Miri awoke with a jolt as they landed and snuggled into Harry for a moment before she caught sight of the bright sunshine outside the window, and then she couldn’t wait to see what was going on around her.
They made their way off the plane, through passport control and towards the baggage reclaim.
“Caya,” Miri said as they were waiting for their bags to come through.
“What, sweetheart?”
“Et,” she said and Harry looked to Severus.
Severus pointed out the toilets and promised that he would be waiting by the impossible to miss information point. He watched Harry disappear before he darted forwards to grab Harry’s suitcase.
“Professor?”
He looked up to see a man and a woman looking at him.
“Professor, I’m Auror Kelley, this is Auror Summers. Mad-Eye sent us,” said the young woman.
Severus looked at the badges they flashed him. “Why did he send you?”
“To keep an eye on things. He wanted to be sure you had a peaceful vacation.”
Severus grinned. He should have known Moody would do something like this. The man was obsessive about the safety of those he loved, even if he would never say anything.
“Thank you for coming,” he said. “I promise nothing too adrenaline filled, nice peaceful week. And it is appreciated, I assure you. Just…Harry doesn’t need to know about it.”
“Of course not,” Summers agreed as Kelley pulled Severus’ case off the conveyor belt. “He’ll never even know we’re here. Oh. Before I forget. Have them wear this.” He held out a box, opening it to show a pendant and a tiny, baby-sized bracelet. “It’ll stop any photos of them taken by anyone other than you. Very complicated spell work, and it needs to be returned to the Ministry when you return.”
Severus accepted the box and thanked them and then watched them disappear into the crowds before snagging Miri’s buggy and loading up a trolley, rolling over to the information point. Harry joined him with a happy Miri, and they made their way outside. The heat hit them, and it was glorious. They found the correct coach and Harry climbed aboard with Miri while Severus made sure their luggage was all loaded.
“Harry?”
“Yes?”
“If I asked you for something, to do something for me while we’re here, would you?”
“Of course.”
Severus pulled out the box, showing him the pendant and bracelet. “Wear this for me? It’ll stop people taking pictures of you. The bracelet will do the same for Miri. I don’t want you to have to worry about fans taking pictures, I want you to be able to relax.”
“Of course we’ll wear them,” he said immediately, grabbing the bracelet and slipping it on Miri’s tiny wrist. Severus fastened the pendant around his neck and their tour guide announced over the speaker that they needed to take their seats.
As they journeyed through the island of Mallorca towards Cala Bona, Severus found himself transfixed by his husband.
Harry watched in awe as sun scorched earth sped by, the ground so red it looked like the surface of Mars. Gnarled and twisted trees, scrubby little bushes, wide open vistas with vast green mountains. A sky so big and blue that dreams had space to dance. They past herds of semi-wild horses, pottery workshops, farms with rows upon rows of lemon trees, another with olives, one with oranges. The deep pale pit of a quarry, the sandy stone of an immense cathedral, the rush of swooping birds, each no bigger than a baby’s foot. Harry watched it all fly past, his eyes alight with the wonder and amazement of a child.
Harry had stood Miri on one of his thighs and the tiny girl was nose to the glass, her little hands tiny starfish beside her head. She babbled away, each word running into the next in her excitement.
After an hour and a half, in which none of them grew bored, they finally pulled up outside the Hotel Bonaire. Harry shielded his eyes and looked up at the terracotta building, taking in the tile floors, the expansive windows, the tasteful planting. There was a water feature in front of the main doors, a huge 20 foot windmill with water pouring out about halfway down.
As Harry began to strap Miri into the pushchair Severus had unfolded, he heard a whispering somewhere behind him.
“It can’t be.”
“It is! It’s him!”
“Who?”
“Harry Potter!”
“Never! Which one?”
“That one! With the baby!”
He sighed and adjusted the sun umbrella over Miri, digging in the bag for her water and handing it to her.
“Ta,” she said before jamming the teat in her mouth and sucking heartily. Harry gently pulled off her little trainers and socks, running over her sweaty feet with a wet wipe and watching her little toes wriggle in sudden freedom.
“The Prophet said he didn’t take care of the baby,” the whisperer said, a woman by the sound of it.
“Don’t be stupid, mum,” said another, this one apparently a teenage girl. “Didn’t you read the Quibbler? That Prophet article was complete rubbish. Anyway, just look. He’s obviously devoted.”
“Are you alright, love?”
Harry looked up to see Severus looking down at him worriedly. Harry stood and moved into the circle of Severus’ arms even though it was too hot to really be comfortable.
“They’re talking about me,” Harry admitted. “They’ve recognised me. And they’ve read Skeeter.”
Severus looked over his head at the two witches and a wizard openly looking at them, whispering and pointing. He sighed and pressed a kiss to Harry’s scar.
“May we help you with something?” he called. “Or are you content to gossip?”
They all flushed and gathered their things, hurrying inside.
“Feel free to point out more vultures to me, love,” Severus said. “After all, I have a reputation as a mean bastard to uphold.”
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That afternoon was spent unpacking and locating the supermarket. They had decided to go self-catering so they had the freedom to eat when and where they wanted.
Harry found himself alone in their apartment with Miri while Severus shot to the supermarket. He laid out a blanket on the white tile floor and set Miri on it with some of her toys while he looked around, opening cupboards and drawers, finding where everything was, unpacking as he went.
He found the safe in the closet in the bedroom, and Miri’s crib was beside Harry’s side of the bed, which was two singles pushed together, clamped in place. The bathroom had a bath and shower, though he judged the tub to be too small for either Severus or himself. Harry found the kettle in one of the kitchen cupboards, and cups in another. There were two sofas in the living room and sliding doors that opened out onto a high walled balcony.
Harry made his way out and sat down on one of the patio chairs, taking in the view. There was another hotel directly opposite, far enough away that his privacy was assured, and a children’s playground below the balcony. He could see the pool if he looked left, and the sea if he looked slightly to the right.
It was hot, hotter than Harry had ever encountered, even during the heat waves of last summer, and he could feel sweat coating his back. He was just about to go and change into something cooler when the sound of little hands slapping the floor drew his attention. Miri crawled determinedly to him, carefully negotiating the lip of the doorframe, and sat back on her knees, holding her hands up to him.
“Caya, me see, peas,” she asked and then squealed in delight as he picked her up, standing and pointing out the view to her.
She babbled away, pointing at the palm trees, the slide, the pool, and getting very excited at the sight of ice creams.
“Caya.”
“Yes, baby?”
“Ot.”
“You’re hot?”
“Es.”
“Me too. Shall we get changed into something better?”
“Es. Dada?”
“Daddy will be back in a minute,” he reassured as he walked her to the bedroom. He sat her on the bed, instructing her to stay put, before moving to the closet, pulling off his shirt as he went.
“Which one?” he asked, holding out two sun-dresses, one pink with white butterflies, the other yellow with blue flowers.
“Lellow.”
She obediently moved this way and that so he could strip her off and watched the birds flying by the window as he slipped the dress on her, before she was placed on the cool tile floor.
Harry heard the door open and the rustle of plastic bags as he dug through the bag of toiletries for Miri’s hair clips.
“Harry?”
“In here.”
Severus appeared in the doorway, red in the face with sweat beading on his forehead.
“Sweet Merlin, it’s hot out there,” he said.
“Miri thought the same,” Harry said as Severus bent to pick her up. He moved closer and swept her curls back off her face, securing them with a clip.
“Dada,” Miri said as Harry shimmied out of his trousers.
“Yes?” Severus replied, placing her on the bed. “Sit still, Miri, so you don’t fall.”
“Me sit,” she promised as he pulled off his own shirt. “Dada, duns, peas.”
“She’s right,” Harry said, looking at his watch. “It’s lunchtime.”
“Where would you like to eat, love?” he asked Harry, contemplating his Dark Mark. “Should I try and cover this?”
“No,” Harry replied without pause. “I don’t mind it, and you keep saying it doesn’t matter what the public think. What are my choices?”
“We could have sandwiches in here, or we can order something from the poolside bar downstairs, or perhaps a walk down to the front to find something.”
“By the pool.”
They covered themselves and Miri in sun cream, made sure they had everything they needed, and made their way downstairs.
It was wonderful to sit in the sun, basking in the beautiful heat and glow.
“Hola,” said the waiter. “How are you today, my friends?”
“We’re very well, thank you,” Severus replied.
“Very good. Your first time here with us?”
“Yes.”
“I hope you enjoy your stay, and please don’t hesitate to ask for anything you need. Now, I have some menus for you, and my friend here has a high chair for the beautiful little girl. Can I start you off with a drink?”
Severus looked to Harry, who shrugged. “Two orange juices, please. And a small slush drink for the little one, an orange one please.”
He nodded and walked away.
“What do you like the look of?” Severus asked, looking at the menu.
“The pizza looks good. How about you?”
“I think I’ll have…the omelette. A salad for Miri? I don’t think she’ll eat anything hot at the moment.”
“Either salad or…” Harry trailed off, pointing to the ice creams.
“Salad it is then.”
The waiter returned with their drinks and they placed their orders and then sat back to watch the world go by. Miri found it highly amusing when anyone jumped in the pool and made a splash; she kept giggling at it.
“How are you doing?” Severus asked as they sipped their drinks. Miri was having great fun poking at her slush, shoving the ice crystals into her mouth and licking at the melted juice on her hand and arm.
“I’m okay,” Harry said. “Admittedly, I don’t appreciate being gossiped about, but that’s just a little thing, and it’d happen if we were at home. The room’s nice, weather’s beautiful, the resort is gorgeous. I haven’t found a downside yet.”
“And the plane?”
“I think I prefer my broom.”
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Late that night, Severus lay in bed, watching Harry and Miri sleep.
They had enjoyed lunch by the pool and then sat for a while, enjoying more drinks in the hot sunshine, and then they had gone for a stroll around the hotel grounds. They had found the children’s splash pool, four inches of water with various animal shaped slides, all centred around a life size pirate ship with working low power water cannons. They’d had to promise Miri she could play there tomorrow.
They had also found the kids club, where parents could leave their children with holiday reps while they went off and did other things. The mere idea had made Harry shudder.
The highlight of the stroll had been the pond. Harry had laughed in delight as the ‘statues’ moved, revealing themselves as real turtles. Miri had named them Caya, Dada, Sis, Rus and baba.
They had dinner in the hotel dining room, an all-you-can-eat buffet affair. Miri had delighted in the highchair that pulled right up to the cloth covered table, sitting her right at the table with her parents, and the vegetables and pasta Harry put before her, along with some salad and a torn up roll. Severus had thoroughly enjoyed his swordfish, and Harry had managed seconds of his lamb in red wine sauce. They had lingered, Miri nibbling on an apple, Harry and Severus on some cheese and crackers, before the day of travel had caught up with them all. Miri had splashed her way through her bath and held on to Severus’ finger as Harry nursed her.
She was asleep before they even managed to get her into the crib.
And now, in the silence of the night, Severus was hard as a rock.
He debated with himself for as long as he could stand it, before he cast privacy charms around the bed so Miri wouldn’t hear or see anything if she happened to wake. He made sure the lube was within easy reach before he slid across the bed to mould himself to Harry’s frame, his lips finding the sweet curve of his neck.
Harry moaned at the soft hands on his skin, the hot lips on his neck.
“What time is it?” he mumbled as Severus rolled him onto his back, pinning him beneath his weight.
“Late. Or early, depending on your perspective,” he murmured, nibbling at his throat.
“Oh,” he said as he felt Severus’ hard length against his thigh. “Really? Aren’t you too tired for it?”
“Apparently not. If you are, I can take care of it in the bathroom.”
“No! I want it. But…do we have to do it in the bed? I had a few ideas.”
Severus grinned, stroking his thigh. “Oh, do tell.”
“The sofa. We’ve never done it on a sofa.”
Severus wasted no time in getting up, kissing Harry as he picked him up, Harry’s legs going around his waist. He grabbed the lube before carrying him out of the room, sitting down on the sofa. Harry grinned at him.
“Hmmm. Maybe we should get a sofa for our room.”
Severus surrendered to the kiss Harry gifted him with. And it truly was a gift, being able to touch Harry like that, to demonstrate his love. No one else got to see Harry like that, no one got have Harry touch them with those wonderful fleeting touches, or got to enjoy his wild kisses. The wild ones, the gentle ones, and all the kisses in-between.
Their thin sleepwear hit the tiled floor and they let their hands wander, sliding over warm skin, gripping at hips and caressing sensitive spots.
Harry loved the sofa. They’d done it with Harry on top before, of course they had, but the sofa was different. It put Severus at a different angle, supported him in an entirely new way. It made Harry feel a little vulnerable, having no bed to fall back on, nothing but open air at his back. If Severus let go of him, he’d fall, hit the cold tile, probably get hurt.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Severus murmured as he slid a hand up his inner thigh, so slow Harry thought he might go out of his mind before he touched him where it mattered.
“Really?” he replied breathlessly, fingers tangling in his hair.
“Yes. I would never let you fall,” he promised, squeezing him with the arm wrapped around his waist.
Harry sealed their mouths together, snaking his tongue inside, whimpering as Severus’ hot palm pressed against his aching erection, fingertips pressing against his slick folds, cradling his balls. Severus’ hands were probably Harry’s favourite part of the man. They were big and strong, strong enough to hold him together and gentle enough to caress him.
Harry pushed down against the hand, moaning softly when he was stroked.
“Don’t,” Harry begged. “I need you to…I need. Don’t draw it out…”
Severus hadn’t realised how desperate Harry was, how long it had been since…actually, they had never truly let go, never really relaxed. But now they were in another country, a few thousand miles between them and Lucius and whatever he was coming up with. For a week, they had nothing to worry about other than how they would spend their day. The pool, the beach, go on an excursion. It was completely up to them, and they could do anything they wanted without needing to check over their shoulders.
Severus wasted no time in opening the lube, adding to Harry’s natural slick and coating himself, guiding Harry to sink down onto him. As always, Harry stilled, savouring the moment they joined, surrounding them with each other, so nothing in the world existed but them, the two of them making their own universe where nothing mattered but the other, their skin, their touch, taste, feel, pure pleasure.
Harry moved over him, squeezing him with inner muscles so Severus’ eyes rolled back. Harry was insatiable, moving in pure lust, taking what he needed and pulling Severus along for the ride.
From the way he moved, the pure desire written across his face, the way he gripped at his husband, lips kissing and teeth nipping, Severus knew he wouldn’t need to touch Harry’s clit.
His little lover had it all under control.
Severus let himself thrust, and Harry gripped his shoulders, using them to steady himself as they moved to meet each other. Not once did they falter. They knew each other’s bodies so well that it was practically instinctual, knowing just where and how and when to touch to bring the other maximum amount of pleasure in the least amount of time.
Harry’s teeth sank into his shoulder as he screamed, sticky heat hitting his stomach and chest, and Severus thrust twice more before he spilled, his release hitting deep inside his lover.
Harry snuggled sleepily into him. Severus knew they should get cleaned up and go back to bed, get some sleep. But Harry was all pliant and satisfied.
“Just a few minutes,” Harry mumbled. “Few minutes then bed.”
Severus couldn’t agree more.
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They woke bright and early the next morning and, after showers and sun cream, they had breakfast in the dining room. The waitresses found Miri adorable, and they all wanted to hold her for a cuddle, but Miri was having none of it. And a particularly determined one plucked her from Severus’ arms, she heated her hands, causing the woman to almost drop her.
“No, Miri!” Harry scolded, his heart not truly in it. “That’s not nice.”
“Well, we did tell her not to take her,” Severus pointed out reasonably as the waitress hurried away and the manager came over and apologised for her behaviour. “She chose not to listen.”
“Still, it’s not something I’m supposed to praise, is it?” Harry said as they chose a table, Severus pulling over a highchair.
“Not really,” Severus agreed. “Juice?”
They took their time over the meal and then they decided to go for a walk down the seafront. Miri happily watched this sunny new world go by, babbling and pointing to things, squealing and giggling when something really caught her attention. Harry loved watching the sea go in and out, the sound of it, the smell. It was wonderful.
They came across a small harbour where Harry had excitedly pointed out a school of fish swimming around the moored boats.
They took a trip on a glass bottom boat, Harry fascinated by the underwater world suddenly revealed to them, and Miri waved at every fish that went past. Severus sat back and enjoyed the sea air on his face, the sound of Harry pointing things out to Miri, the baby giggling, the gentle motion of the boat. It was incredibly peaceful.
After their aquatic adventure, they continued along down the promenade. They bought t-shirts, toys, ornaments, jewellery, hats, key rings, magnets bags and sweets as gifts for their family back home. Harry specially purchased gifts for his parents, a decorative bottle of sangria for Sirius, and a book full of information about the island for Remus. Severus found a tobacconist and bought Solarin 200 of her favourite cigarettes.
Miri ended up with more toys than she knew what to do with. Dolls, stuffed characters from cartoons none of them recognised, rattles, balls, things on springs, doodads that attached to the buggy, jigsaws, colouring books, crayons, cars, trucks, soldiers. Harry and Severus earmarked them all for the playroom when they got home, but they saw no harm in letting Miri play with them until then.
Harry bought Miri a little pink flamenco dancers dress and shoes. He wanted it for her first birthday in a few weeks. He was planning a pretty princess party for her.
They had lunch in a little sandwich bar run by an English couple called Frank and June. Their sandwiches came with salad and crisps, which Harry proceeded to put in his ham and cheese to make it crunch.
It was on their way back towards the hotel that Miri caught their attention and proclaimed that she was wet. They stopped at a restaurant and ordered two cokes. Severus slipped inside to change the 11 month old and Harry sat, taking in the view. When the drinks arrived, they came with two free chicken wings and a handful of mini breadsticks.
“Did you order these?” Severus questioned as he returned.
“No. All drinks come with them,” Harry said, motioning to the other tables and offering Miri a mini breadstick.
“Down,” Miri said. “Down, peas, dada.”
Severus looked around, seeing how busy it was, before he lowered her to the floor, the tiny girl standing independently, holding onto the hem of Severus’ shorts. If Miri decided to craw about on the smooth paving, it wouldn’t do to get her stepped on.
“Who’s a clever girl?” Harry called, depositing his chicken bone into a napkin.
She grinned up at him before looking around, her bright green eyes taking it in. She wriggled her bare little toes before she very determinedly took her first step. She let go of her father’s shorts and put her arms out to the side, slowly stepping away from him.
Severus whipped out the camera and started snapping pictures as fast as he could while Harry moved a few steps away, squatting down and holding his hands out to her. She giggled and slowly plodded to him. She got about halfway there before she wobbled and abruptly sat down on her squashy bottom. She looked around for a moment before placing her hands on the floor, getting back up by pushing her butt up into the air before going upright and clapping. She continued her plodding, straight into Harry’s arms.
“That’s my clever girl!” Harry cried as he scooped her up, his eyes swimming with tears. “Look at you!”
“Are you alright?” Severus asked, crowding close.
Harry nodded, his smile wide. “She walked! My baby walked!”
“She did. I got it all.” He held up the camera.
“Me alk,” Miri announced, as if her parents were praising the most obvious thing in the world.
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Harry was not a strong swimmer.
Despite having competed in the second Triwizard task, Harry was not confident in the water, especially when it came to Miri. She was so eager to get in the water it was hard to keep a hold of her. When given the choice between the splash pool she’d seen the day before, and the huge expanse of the full pool, it had taken her mere moments to decide on the big one.
“It’ll be fine, Harry,” Severus promised. “I am a very proficient swimmer, and a devoted father and husband. No one will be drowning on my watch.”
“You’re right,” Harry agreed as he shimmied into his swimming trunks. “You know…Solarin got me a bikini top. If I wanted to cover up. If I wanted.”
“You could wear that, if you wanted. Or perhaps a t-shirt, if it would be more comfortable for you. Or you could just stick with the shorts.”
“Won’t people get scared?”
Severus froze in the middle of tying his hair back.
“Oh, love,” he said softly, pulling Harry in for a kiss. “If they get scared over a few scars, then that’s their problem. You know how I feel about them. I love you, every tiny little piece of you. I think you are stunning. If you want to cover up because that’s what you feel comfortable with, then by all means, cover what you wish. But do not do it to make some gossiping busybodies feel better.”
Harry grinned at him, pulling him in for another kiss, snaking his tongue inside and pressing close, until Severus had to push him back.
“Stop it, or I won’t be able to leave this room,” Severus warned.
“I’ll be good,” Harry promised as Miri began banging on the bedroom door with her little hands.
They’d left her in the living room with her toys so they could change, but it seemed they were taking too long for her demanding ideas.
“Caya! Dada! Swim!”
Harry opened the door and stood back as she made her unsteady way in, walking along in the funny plodding way she had. It made Harry deliriously happy every time he watched it. She’d been toddling along most of the day, only getting into her buggy to come back to the hotel. She’d been happy to doodle along around the apartment, munching her snack as she went, excited for her nap. And when she woke up all she wanted was for her parents to fulfil their promise of the pool.
“Okay, okay, we hear you,” Severus said indulgently. “Come on. Go to carrier and I’ll get your swimming costume.”
She shrieked in delight and wiggled along to Harry, holding up her arms. She happily let him strip her off, and then put her in a swimming nappy and her little swimming costume. It was pink with yellow polka dots, with a little ring of ruffles where a skirt would be, and it had a baby Tweety Bird on her chest. She also had five others, but that one was Harry’s favourite.
Once she was ready, and her parents, sun cream done for all of them, they packed up what they’d need into the buggy and Harry carried her down to the terrace. Once they were on the ground floor, he put her down and she held his hand as they headed towards the water.
“Swim! Swim! Me swim!”
“That’s right, Miri swim,” Harry said.
No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t say her own name. It kept coming out as Me instead of Miri. Oh well, she’d get it eventually.
“Let’s find somewhere to put our things first,” Severus said and she nodded, happily standing by the sun lounger they chose as they laid out towels and other necessities.
“Okay. How are we doing this?” Severus asked. “Shall I get in first, take her and then you follow us in?”
“Sounds good, let’s do that,” Harry said.
“Dada swim.”
Harry and Severus walked to the pool and Harry held onto Miri as the Slytherin lowered himself in.
“Sweet Merlin, that is glorious,” Severus moaned.
“Warm water?”
“Pleasantly cool, heated a little by the sun. It’s very nice. Alright, Miri, come on, sweetheart.”
Miri looked to her carrier, waiting for his encouraging smile before she cautiously tottered towards the edge. Her grip on Harry’s hand towed him with her, and he and Severus shared a smile as she sat down, scooting forwards to dip her feet in.
“Wet,” she declared.
Her speech had come on in leaps and bounds and she was improving by the day in her pronunciations. Just that morning she had been missing out her w’s.
“Yeah, it’s wet,” Harry agreed, sitting down with her, dipping his own feet. “It’s nice. Look. Daddy’s in. Do you want to go in too?”
“Caya in.”
“I’ll get in too.”
“Dada,” she said, holding her hands out for him. “In, peas.”
Severus picked her up and mimed chewing on her neck as he pulled her close. She shrieked and giggled and then realised that she was being held over an expanse of water, grabbing at Severus and looking for Harry.
The hermaphrodite lowered himself into the water and sighed in relief. It really was very hot compared to the weather at home, and the pool was wonderfully cool in comparison. He bounced a little, getting his balance, and then joined his husband and daughter.
“See? It’s nice,” Harry promised, splashing a little water over her legs.
Harry and Severus hadn’t seen the need for floatation devices. They weren’t going to take her to the deep end, nor were they going to let go of her, or attempt any daring swimming moves, and she was such a good girl that she wouldn’t be running around near the pool without holding onto one of them. Plus, they couldn’t actually get the damn things on her little arms.
Still, Severus could see some of the other parents whispering to each other about them
“Harry,” he said softly as Miri dived at him, the little sprite taking her.
“Mmmm?” he hummed, lowering Miri so she was comfortable in his arms, her legs in the water. She wiggled them, getting used to it, and then swished her hand through it, the other one firmly on her carrier’s shoulder.
“I would very much like it if you ignored the gossips.”
“Do I want to know what I’m doing wrong this time?”
“No floaties.”
“Oh, for the love of-!” Harry looked over at the gossiping women. “Take a picture, it’ll last longer!” he yelled and they all looked away, shame-faced.
“Don’t worry about them,” said a woman in the pool, her own baby happily splashing in her arms. “I changed him on a sun lounger yesterday. They made it sound like I was torturing him. They just can’t help themselves.”
“We noticed,” Severus grumbled, chuckling as Miri managed to splash herself full in the face. Her blinking surprise was hilarious.
Severus raised the waterproof camera looped around his wrist and snapped some pictures of Harry and Miri. The tiny girl was getting the hang of it all but she still wouldn’t take her hand off of Harry’s shoulder. The two green-eyed beauties kept glancing over at him, smiling, looking so relaxed.
The holiday was the greatest idea Severus had ever had.
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“Oh, look, Severus sent us a letter.”
The family were sat around the breakfast table, nibbling away at the last of it as the post owls arrived.
Remus opened the letter, looking at the magically developed photographs and breaking into a huge grin.
“Oh! Siri! Look!”
Sirius set down his coffee and looked at the pictures Remus was showing him.
“Miri took her first steps,” he announced with a smile, passing the pictures around.
Miri in the pool in Harry’s arms; walking along in the apartment; Harry smiling as Severus snapped a candid picture of him half asleep on a sun lounger with Miri on his chest. Miri on the beach with Harry, building a sandcastle; Miri in Severus’ arms, the Potions Master chuckling as she spat out the handful of sand she’d decided to eat, finding out it didn’t taste good. The three of them at lunch in a little restaurant by the harbour, smiling and laid back.
“Damn, they look so relaxed,” Bill said, holding the pictures up for Solarin to see from where she was feeding Daven. “I didn’t know Severus could do relaxed.”
Sirius smiled. “Depends how much booze is involved.”
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Severus had assumed that Harry would want to take one of the daytrips available. There were trips to other parts of the island, trips to aquariums and water parks and caves. Trips to markets, evening shows, points of natural beauty.
But Harry didn’t want to do any of them. He liked walking along the parade of shops along the beachfront, he found enjoyment in the simple pleasures. Sitting with Severus and having a cold drink while they watch Miri play. Sitting on the beach and making castles, something he’d never had the chance to do before. Swimming in the pool. Taking Miri to the splash pool. Sitting on the balcony of their hotel, watching the world pass him by.
Severus really should have anticipated it. Harry had spent his formative years being denied every experience a child should have. Of course he wanted them. Harry took enjoyment in the small things most people would overlook or take for granted.
Harry was so content to amuse himself by watching the small fish in the harbour, build a castle with Miri on the beach, choose what he wanted to eat at dinner. Severus soon came to enjoy watching his pleasure, just the way he did when they claimed one another.
By the third day, they had found a sort of routine that lasted until they left.
They started each day by waking early, dressing, and having breakfast, sometimes in the apartment (where it was cereals and toast) and sometimes in the restaurant downstairs (which was a buffet affair with plenty of bacon).
Then they’d go for a walk down the front, letting Miri toddle along and babble at them as things caught her eye. Lunch was usually a small café down the front, watching the waves as they ate and then letting Miri play on the beach for a while.
They’d head back to the apartment for a snack and an afternoon nap, during which Miri slept and Harry and Severus took the opportunity to spend time together. They would talk and make out, and usually end up claiming on the sofa or floor, or even in the shower.
The afternoons were spent in the pool. Miri liked the splash pool, but she loved the full size one, going in with her daddy and her carrier, splashing away. Once she was tired out, she’d curl up with Harry on a sun lounger and nibble at the snacks Severus bought from the pool bar, suckling at her juice and usually drifting off. Severus was sure she’d sleep for a week when they took her home. She barely made it through her bath at night before drifting off.
Dinner was in the hotel, taking advantage of the buffet; they were simply too tired and content to worry about going somewhere else. The food was good, the atmosphere great, and they could easily get to bed when they’d had enough.
After dinner, the hotel put on entertainment. Miri loved the kids club, holiday reps dancing around with the little ones. It delighted her that she could now stand and dance with them, and Harry was sure he and Severus had taken enough pictures to fill a whole room just of Miri dancing.
After the kids club came the hired acts. Miri happily snuggled into her daddy and watched with them as each night someone performed onstage. One night was an acrobatic group, complete with a contortionist who could bend in eye watering ways. Another night were some dancers who demonstrated over a dozen different dances. One memorable night was an animal act; snakes and birds and dogs, all trained to perform. Harry giggled as the boa constrictor complained at him of how bored she was.
Harry snuggled into Severus on their last night, toying with his fingers. They’d packed their suitcases and ordered a wakeup call and the coach to the airport would pick them up just after breakfast. Miri was asleep in her crib and the two of them were curled together on the sofa, watching the stars through the open balcony doors.
“Severus?” Harry whispered.
“Yes, love?”
“Can we do this again? Go on holiday again?”
Severus turned him a little until he was on his back, the taller man leaning over him and joining their lips. Harry whimpered beneath him, tangling his fingers in his hair and the front of his pyjamas. He held Harry close, as if he could undo all the damage the Dursley’s had done.
He knew it was impossible. Harry wouldn’t be who he was without his experiences, and Severus would never want to change him, he loved him just the way he was. But he hated knowing his lover had suffered.
“I promise,” Severus vowed. “There will be many more holidays in the future.”
“Can they be to other places? Can we see other places?”
“As many as we can.”
“And when Miri’s older, maybe we could go without her. Like…just the two of us.”
Severus grinned. “A belated honeymoon would be pleasant. Some secluded paradise, just us two. Hot sun, sandy beaches, claiming in interesting places.”
“Sounds good,” Harry said, toying with the buttons of Severus’ pyjama top. “When Miri’s older though. After he’s been caught.”
“They will catch him, Harry,” Severus assured. “No one is invincible. He’ll be caught, and then there will be no more need for you to worry about him. He’s going straight to Azkaban.”
Harry nodded and snuggled serenely into his arms. Severus knew they wouldn’t be having sex, the night had a different kind of feel to it. He found himself happily content to hold his little sprite, knowing that the morning will take them back to real life. Waiting for them are exams and housework, Lucius and possible bad press. But, for tonight, Severus couldn’t bring himself to worry.
He just wanted that one last night.
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Harry and Severus returned from their vacation at lunchtime on a Wednesday, to rain and the happy greetings of their family.
Miri was the first in, toddling off to the kitchen while her parents were hauling in the suitcases.
“Look at you!” Remus cried, squatting down for her as she giggled and chanted his name. “There’s my clever girl!”
They all laughed as she stood in the middle of the floor and put her hands over her wide smiling mouth, squealing behind her fingers, before she toddled straight into Remus’ arms.
Sirius was the first to hug Harry, gushing over how tanned he was, how rested both of them were, how happy he was to have them home.
“So? How was it?” Molly asked as she sliced tomatoes for sandwiches.
“It was great,” Harry said. “Beautiful. Did you get the letter?”
“We did,” Anne said. “It looked gorgeous. Was the food good?”
“Amazing,” he said, accepting Miri as she reached for him. “Wasn’t it, baby?”
“Num num,” she said with a smile. “Lunch, peas.”
“Oh, she’s come on so well,” Charlie said as he set up her highchair for Harry.
“Yeah, she’s really come so far in the last few days,” Harry agreed as he strapped her in and accepted a bib from Sirius. “I’m sorry you all missed it.”
“Don’t be silly, pup,” Remus assured as Molly set a huge plate of sandwiches on the table. “You deserve a holiday as much as anyone. And she’s your baby, so the important part is that you get to see these milestones as they happen.”
They sat down to lunch, the family listening to Harry and Severus tell them all about their week in the sun. Everyone was thrilled with their gifts, and they spent the afternoon putting everything to rights, starting with unpacking.
“We were only gone for a week,” Severus said as he emptied out his suitcase. “How can we have amassed this much laundry?”
“Who knows,” Molly said.
“I really do appreciate it. I can wash this all myself if it’s an imposition.”
“Nonsense,” she said with a smile as she sorted lights from darks. “It’s no bother. Severus, I have been meaning to ask you…”
“Yes?”
“Have Solarin’s periods always been so irregular? And painful? Poor thing was really suffering while you were gone.”
“Hmmm. Not to my knowledge,” he said, leaning against the counter and looking over at his sister, who was chatting animatedly with Harry. Both of them had their daughters in their arms, Dorian happily playing at the table with some of the new toys and munching on some of the candy Severus and Harry had brought back.
“How old was she when she had her first?”
“Twelve,” Severus said, thinking back. “She was fairly average. Poppy didn’t see a problem.”
“Has she ever complained of them being difficult?”
“Molly, it is different for you, you are a woman. I’m sure Ginny and Hermione feel very comfortable talking about this subject with you. But I am her cantankerous big brother. The only time Solarin ever discussed her womanly problems was when she needed products. I vaguely remember brief mentions of pain potions, but nothing more. She didn’t want to talk about it, and I was too mortified to ask.”
“Say no more,” she assured. “Arthur is the same.”
Severus chuckled and made his way over to Dorian, looking at his picture.
“Oh, that’s very good,” he said and the little boy beamed up at him. “Is that one you?”
“Uh huh. And that’s mummy, and that one’s daddy. I still got to do Daven,” he said. “Can I have anothew lolly pop?”
Severus quickly glanced at Solarin. “Of course you can,” he said once she nodded. “Which one would you like?”
Dorian peered into the jar he held out and plucked up a green one, which Severus knew was apple flavour and not lime. Severus himself selected a red cherry flavoured one, and then started on his own picture. He managed to get a little stick figure of Miri in before Sirius caught his attention.
“I was wondering how he took it,” Sirius prompted as they settled in Severus’ lab. “The travelling, the new people.”
“He did wonderfully,” Severus assured as he looked over the potions Remus had been watching for him. “Remus did beautifully with these. Maybe I should start paying him.”
“That’s between you and your god. He was really okay?”
“Sirius, do you know that you sound like a neurotic father? You must feel so satisfied and accomplished.”
“You’re an arse sometimes.”
“I wouldn’t be me if I weren’t. Now. Harry did fine on the plane, found it a little cramped, but I think everyone does. He loved the resort, and the pool. He slept well, he relaxed, and the food! He hasn’t eaten so much since Lucius took him.”
Sirius breathed a sigh of relief and actually hugged Severus.
They never spoke of it.
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One simple trip to the supermarket. One simple trip. Sirius wasn’t quite sure of all the steps that led them to St Mungo’s.
“No, the green ones never get eaten,” Remus said, motioning to the apples in Solarin’s hands as he pressed the pacifier between Daven’s lips.
“These?” she asked, holding up a bag of Pink Lady apples.
“Perfect. So what would you do?”
“About Charlie and Nixie?” He nodded as she picked out bananas. “Remus, I’ve known Charlie a long time. A very long time. He’s one of the good ones. Nixie loves him, and he loves her. He treats her right. I’m not quite seeing the problem.”
“Is it right to allow them to share a bed? She’s only seventeen,” he said, pushing the cart.
“But she’s not any seventeen year old,” she said, adding in a few loaves of bread.
“It’s a bad parenting move, right?” Sirius pressed.
“Stop, both of you. She’s happy and healthy, the rest is up to you. Who cares what anyone thinks? She’s your daughter. What do you want to do? Do we need jam?”
“It’s on the list,” Sirius said. “I don’t know what we want to do. Can’t I lock her away from the world?”
“No,” she said simply. “Strawberry or mixed fruit?”
“Strawberry,” Remus said, picking out peanut butter. “So you don’t think we’re failures as parents and human beings if we let it keep happening?”
“Can you hear yourselves?” she asked with a grin as Dorian scampered up with a tube of Pringles. Sirius lifted him so he could dunk them in the cart. “Dorian, tell Sirius and Remus that they’re very silly.”
“Silly Billies,” he piped. “Why they silly, mummy?”
“Because they’re worrying over nothing.”
“That is silly. Can we get hotdogs?”
“Come on, little man,” Sirius said. “We’ll go get the hotdog buns.”
“Sol, I think she’s hungry,” Remus said as Daven began to fuss. “Can I?”
“Sure. Let me just…”
She rummaged in the baby bag and produced a bottle of formula as he lifted the month old baby out of the padded seat and cradled her close. Solarin held the bottle and heated her hand to warm the milk before testing it on her wrist.
“There’s a girl,” Remus cooed as she latched onto the teat, blinking up at him. “Such a good girl.”
“Careful,” she warned as they entered the cereal aisle. “Sirius might worry you want to adopt another one. I think he’s stressed enough with the two you have.”
“No, no, my two are enough stress. I just like to borrow a little one every now and then. Speaking of Siri…what do I do about Canis? Sirius wants me to have dinner with the man.”
“And you’d rather curse him back to the other side of the planet.”
“Exactly. What do I do?”
“Well, it’s just dinner. How bad could it be? Do we need cornflakes?”
“No, we’re fine for those. The chocolate ones we need.” He watched Daven feed for a while before he spoke. “I hate him. What he did to Sirius…I can’t get past it.”
“No one is asking you to,” Sirius said as he and Dorian put their multiple choices in the cart, including a huge box of cream cakes and four different kinds of donut. “Remus, honey, no one is asking you to forget everything. Or forgive it. I just want you to have a meal with him. He’s my father. You’re my husband. I want you to have a meal with him. Am I asking so much?”
“Siri…” he whined as Solarin took the baby from him to burp. “It’s not about you asking too much. I’d give you the world if I could, you know that. I just feel that this request may be beyond my abilities. Right now, I can’t imagine sharing a coffee with the man, let alone a meal.”
“Start with the coffee,” Sirius begged. “Just think about a coffee with him.”
“I’ll think about it,” Remus promised as he ignored Dorian picking up a box of cake mix. “Just don’t push.”
They continued around the store, picking up all the things the family needed and many things they wanted, including an almost obscene amount of chocolate. Chocolate puddings, cereals, milkshake mix, cookies. Far too much ice cream in a whole rainbow of flavours. Not even a family as big as theirs could get through that much ice cream.
It was a good thing they, as a family, were very financially secure, because the total at the register was enough to give anyone sticker shock. They paid and bagged before making their way out to the parking lot.
The car was a new addition to the family. It had once belonged to the Ministry, but they decided to update their motor vehicles and put the old ones up for auction. According to Sirius, he’d gotten it for an absolute bargain. No one was quite convinced. But it was a very nice car. A white BMW X3, it had a huge boot, which was perfect for the weekly shop.
The jars of stir in sauce shattered as they hit the concrete, Remus choking as a huge muscular hand wrapped around his throat.
“No!” Sirius screamed.
“Did you really think I wouldn’t find you?” a greasy voice growled in his ear as Remus fought for breath, nails scratching at the thick skin of his sire.
Sirius was helpless as Fenrir Greyback choked his beloved Remus. He was huge, at least seven feet tall, muscles bulging and hair thick on his arms and chest and face. He was filthy, grease matting his hair to his head and making his skin shine with it. His wild golden eyes leered at Sirius as he grabbed Remus’ wand and threw it across the parking lot, and Remus choked out a gagging sound as his hairy hand grabbed between his legs.
“Stop it, just let him go!” Sirius demanded, powerless. He couldn’t use magic. Any spell or charm he used could hit Remus, and he couldn’t risk it.
“And why would I do that, runt? He’s mine. I made him. He has always been mine, and he always will be mine,” Greyback said with a disgusting smile. “Always and forever.”
Solarin crouched behind the car and wrapped Daven in Dorian’s grasp.
“Baby, listen,” she whispered. “I need you to take care of your sister. Can you be a big boy and do that for me?”
“Yes,” he whispered, nodding and clutching the baby.
“Good. I need you to take Daven and go back to the supermarket. Find the security man and tell him you’re lost. We will come and find you, I promise.”
[Okay, mummy. I go now?]
She nodded and pressed a kiss to each of their foreheads before letting go of him. He scurried off, not looking back, focussed completely on keeping his sister safe.
Solarin leaned against the car for a moment, praying her children would be safe.
[Bill. Bill. BILL!]
[Arin? What’s wrong?]
[Fenrir Greyback found us, he has Remus by the throat. Send help.]
Bill sounded devastated and terrified, and she got flashes of him running, the image of a fireplace flashing into her mind.
[Solarin, where are you? Tell me where you are.]
[The supermarket, the usual one.]
[We’re coming, baby. Just hold on.]
She took a deep breath and began crawling around the car, trying to do something to help. She didn’t want to kill Greyback. No matter what he’d done, she refused to become the thing the Ministry had made of her.
His mind was a mess, closer to what she felt from Remus and Sam on the full moon. He was barely human, and it scared her in the way Lucius had scared her as a child. With a human mind, she could usually tell where things were leading.
Fenrir Greyback had her working blind.
Sirius was begging to every deity he could think of that Remus would be okay. He didn’t think he could handle it if something happened to his sweet wolf. He felt his teeth sharpen and Greyback laughed.
“Really? You challenging me? Dog?”
“You have your hands on my mate,” Sirius snarled, shifting his feet, mind working as he tried to find an opening.
“My pup,” he corrected, fondling Remus below the waist, and Remus whimpered.
The smaller werewolf only had strength enough for fighting one assault, the one on his throat, compromising his air, or the one on his cock, compromising his stomach. He decided air was more important and kept scrabbling at the huge hand.
Solarin rounded the bumper of the car, her gaze fixed on Fenrir, and then screamed as a hand clawed into her hair, rending her scalp as she was hauled to her feet.
“Well, well, well, what have we here? A little garden snake for me to play with,” Bellatrix cackled and Sirius swore. “How is the traitor? Does he miss my master?”
“Go to hell,” Solarin hissed.
“Oh, I’ve been there. Fifteen years, and I stayed loyal,” she snarled, yanking Solarin’s head back at an unnatural angle. “Fifteen years and I never wavered.”
“Same your sanity can’t say the same.”
“You always have been a stuck up little bitch.”
Solarin screamed as something was rubbed into her eyes. It burned, blinding her. Something was poured down her throat, a huge gush of liquid. There was so much of it, making it hard to breathe, impossible to make any sound other than pained gasps.
Her back hit the floor as Sirius screamed, his knees buckling under the blow to them, blood pouring from the place he’d been hit. He got a flash of red hair before his assailant moved to pin him to the ground, knee digging sadistically into his wounds. A hand was fisted into his hair and his face smashed into the asphalt.
Remus watched in horror as his mate was pinned, and he found himself irrationally angry about the blood in Sirius’ hair. It was Remus’ to play with, to keep clean, to tangle his fingers in, and this woman Remus had never seen before shouldn’t touch it.
Solarin was letting out little choked sounds, struggling to breathe but still unable to remain silent as Bellatrix began to carve into her arm with an ornate dagger.
“See, little one?” Fenrir growled in his ear, close, intimate, like a lover. “There is nothing you can do to stop us. And when we’re done here with you and your little runts, we’ll find those little ones you had.” He buried his nose in Remus’ neck and took a deep breath. “Oh, you were holding them. They smell so sweet on you. A little boy, and a baby girl. How nice. You remember how I like little ones, don’t you?”
“No,” he ground out, jerking against the hands touching him to no effect. “Leave them alone.”
Remus gasped in air as he was thrown down, face to the floor. He tried to scramble away as his trousers were ripped off. Fenrir grabbed him by the back of the neck, applying enough pressure that Remus was afraid to move, fearing the snap of his neck if he did. A rough hand pressed between his thighs and one was shoved roughly, exposing him. He sobbed as a thick finger was shoved within him, and he felt something tear, caught on a thick claw.
Solarin gagged as the potion she’d been half drowned in began to work. She felt her control shatter. It was so loud, there were so many of them, all around. Angry, sad, lonely, distraught, worried, elated. Old, young, male, female, witch, wizard, Muggle.
She fought against it, struggling under Bellatrix’s weight as it pressed her into the cold hard ground.
Bill skidded to a stop, wand out, and blasted Bellatrix across the parking lot, sending her careening into an oncoming car. Moody took on Fenrir, scorching him with flames and sending him running, while Arthur went for the red-haired witch on Sirius. He ignored magic completely, punching her hard in the face.
“Arin, Arin, baby, talk to me,” Bill begged as he helped her up, stroking her hair.
[Can’t. Drowning,] she sent and his grip tightened as he got a look at what the potion had done.
“Oh, shit,” he muttered. “Okay, okay, just…don’t do anything. Just stay still and…breathe! Yes, breathing is good. Dad!”
Arthur left Sirius to Charlie and ran over.
“Bellatrix gave her something, it shattered her control. Opiate, she was given Opiate. Dad, she hurt me. She can’t stop herself.”
“Alright, we’ll do something. Take her to St Mungo’s, take her to Sam, tell him what you told me. We’re right behind you.”
[Dorian. Daven,] she said, trying to keep it contained and failing.
“Where are they?” Bill asked, pushing down his nausea.
[Security guard, inside.]
“Dad, the kids are inside, with the security guard.”
“On it,” Fred said before running inside.
“Okay, honey, hold on,” Bill said, gathering Solarin into his arms. She whimpered as her arm was jostled.
Bill Apparated to the hospital, where Sam was waiting. He took her from Bill and laid her on a gurney, and Solarin’s panic literally knocked them on their arses.
“Solarin, calm down,” Bill said, stroking her hair as Sam hauled himself up off the floor.
“No. No. No,” she begged, her voice raw. [No. No. No.]
“Move,” Severus ordered and Bill jumped out of his way. “Easy, sweetheart. You’re not going to die here, I promise. You only look like mum, you are not actually her. Come on, come with me.”
Severus picked her up and he looked to Sam who led the way. By the time they reached the emergency cubicles, Sirius and Remus were already there, being patched up by Jack and another healer.
Remus was laying on his side as the potion coating his insides started to work, healing the tear. His throat was one big bruise, and beneath the gown he was wearing were more bruises. Sirius was absolutely certain there would be no mating until they faded.
Sirius was on his front as Jack repaired the tendons in his legs the witch had sliced through. He couldn’t feel any pain, just the sick tugging as he was stitched up. Once he was stitched back together, potions would be applied, but the pieces needed to be together first.
“I’m putting you on a bed,” Severus said. “It does not look very comfortable, but it is a bed, so behave, young lady.”
She nodded as he set her down and Sam went to work.
First off he hooked her up to a dialysis machine, trying to filter the potion out of her system without the aid of magic. If he used any, Solarin’s own magic could blow the building up. Once it was running, he flushed out her eyes.
“It’s nothing dangerous,” he said, looking at what he’d removed. “Looks like salt.” He swabbed some up. “I’ll get the lab to check it, but it doesn’t seem to be doing any lasting damage. How’re the peepers?”
“They sting,” she admitted. “But I can kind of see you now. Where are my children?”
“In the Children’s Ward with Arthur,” Severus said. “They’re both fine. Fred pulled off the idiot uncle act very well.”
“Sol, I’m going to look at your arm,” Sam warned.
“Don’t sugar coat it,” she said.
He peeled away the gauze he’d covered it with and began to carefully clean away the blood. Eventually, they could see what Bellatrix had carved into her lily-white skin.
“It says ‘TRAITOR’,” Sam said. “And there’s some kind of residue in it.” He took another sample swab and added it to the other one going to the lab. “I’m going to stitch this, and then have a crack with some murtlap, but I’m not feeling confident.”
“Just stitch,” Severus said. “We’ll worry about it when her arm is not a gaping wound. Clean and stitch, clean and stitch.”
“I’m cleaning, I’m stitching.”
“Okay, explain this to me,” Sirius said from his bed across the medical bay. His arm was stretched across the space between him and Remus, their fingers entwined.
“Explain what?” Bill asked.
“It was one trip to the supermarket. I was worried about donuts and ice cream. How did we end up being playthings?”
“I still want my ice cream,” Remus grouched, his voice raw. “I demand it.”
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Severus crawled onto the bed and curled around his lover, holding him close, pressing kisses to his neck.
“Would you care to talk?” Severus whispered.
Harry shook his head.
“Very well. Shall we just lay here for a while?”
A nod of the head.
“All right, love. Miri is in the playroom with Molly and the other little ones. As long as you need.”
Harry nodded absently and they stayed curled up for the next few hours. Distantly they heard voices below, but Harry just gripped Severus tighter when he tried to move. Eventually Harry rolled over and buried his face in Severus’ chest.
Finally, Harry let out a moan and began to cry. Slow at first, and then full out sobs as Severus held him close.
“That’s it, Harry,” he soothed. “Let it out, sweetheart. It’s okay.”
“They could have killed them,” Harry cried between high whines of fear and remembered pain. “They tried to take them from me.”
“I know, but they didn’t. Harry, look at me. Come on, love, look at me.” Harry untangled himself and met his gaze, though he couldn’t stop his tears. “Yes, the events of today were not good things. But all three of them are fine. Sam isn’t even keeping them overnight. That’s probably them downstairs.”
“But they got hurt, they could have died!”
“Yes, they could have, but they didn’t. And the witch that hurt Sirius is in custody.” Severus tangled his fingers in the messy locks and pulled Harry into a kiss, which was enthusiastically returned. Before he knew it, Harry had taken complete control of the kiss.
“It’s my fault,” Harry whispered as he let Severus go.
“No. In no way is this your fault.”
“They’re free because of him, and he’s on the rampage because of me! Why couldn’t I just give him the son he wants? Then he’d leave us all alone!”
“Harry, stop it,” Severus barked. “This is not your fault, none of it. And you know why you didn’t give him a son. You can only bear a son if the sire can in fact make one. He can’t. If he could, Miri would be a Dylan.”
“But…”
“No. Just…no. I refuse to listen to you blame yourself for this! Even if Miri had been a boy, do you truly believe any of us would have let you hand a poor innocent child to that sadistic son of a bitch? Harry, would you ever hand a child to Lucius?”
“No…”
“Then for the love of Merlin, shut up! You’re beating yourself up over something that you never would have done anyway. Just stop.”
“I can’t,” Harry admitted. “Everything he does, everything his friends do…every single time, I feel like it’s my fault.”
“Harry, listen to me, just this once. I know you love to argue with me, but, just this once, just listen. Harry, what Lucius and his friends do is in no way a reflection of you. You did not break them out of prison. You did not decide to kidnap an underage wizard, keep him prisoner, and rape him repeatedly. You did not decide to murder anyone. Thus, if none of those things were your decision, then they cannot, logically, be your fault. What happened today was a result of the choices other people made. Not you.”
“None of that was my choice, but I still feel guilty. And I don’t know how to stop.”
“That is because Petunia and Vernon destroyed any self-confidence you ever had,” Severus said firmly. He sighed and stroked Harry’s hair. “They spent the formative years of your life telling you how worthless you were. Are you truly surprised that it is still ingrained in you?”
“I guess not.”
“Harry, my love, my husband, my sweet little lion, you could not truly look at yourself in the mirror until very recently. The Dursley’s were very thorough. But I am very determined to make you see how much you are worth.”
“What if I never do? What if I always think of myself like this?”
“Then that is the way it is, but I shall never stop arguing with you about it.”
“You still love me, even though I think I’m pathetic and worthless? Even though I still think I’m a freak?” Harry whispered.
“Harry, I will still love you even if the world stops turning. I will love you forever and beyond, and there is nothing that could stop it.”
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Charlie looked over his paperwork one last time to make sure he hadn’t missed anything. He had his application, his references, his qualifications, it was all there. Even his certificate of health from Sam.
Now all he had to do was ace the interview.
“Charles Weasley?”
“Yes, that’s me,” he said as he leapt to his feet and shook hands with the absolutely tiny blonde woman. “Please, call me Charlie.”
“Charlie it is. I’m Mikaela Starlight, one of the Senior Keepers. Shall we?” she said, motioning to the door that led to the main open area.
He had never met anyone so tiny and fragile looking with such a high position of power, but Harry’s tiny and he defeated the Dark Lord. There’s a whole lot of substance packed into tiny packages.
The Welsh Dragon Reserve was beautiful, all wide open expanses of green, plenty of hidden caves for the creatures to nest in, huge lakes and winding rivers. It was dragon paradise. There were even herds of animals roaming so the dragons could hunt for themselves. The aim was to keep the environment as natural as possible, to minimise interventions used on the huge creatures. On a day like that, with the sky a beautiful clear blue with fluffy clouds skittering across, it belonged on postcards.
“I have to say, I was very excited to hear that you were looking to join our team,” Mikaela said as they walked. “I have colleges in Romania who’ve told me how good you are.”
“Thank you.”
“According to our records, you applied for our scholarship programme, and then trained in Romania. Can I ask why?”
“Financial reasons. Without the scholarship I just couldn’t afford to train here. So I applied for the Romanian one and got accepted.”
She took him on a tour of the Reserve, pointing out the nesting sites, the favoured hunting grounds, the conservation and breeding work that they did. It was the most reputable dragon conservation project in the world, and the criteria for the scholarships were strict as hell. Charlie had missed out on it by a single point.
They finished up the tour and she took him back to the main building and they settled at her desk.
“Okay, let’s get right down to it,” she said. She shuffled through his papers, making a few notes on a spare piece of parchment. “Your health records are all good, no major health issues or injuries. I can’t seem to find any record of major burns.”
“I’ve not had any. A few that were pretty painful, but nothing that would really disfigure or leave an issue.”
“Very nice. Sign of a good handler. No allergies?”
“None that I’m aware of.”
“You’ve noted here that your reason for leaving the Romanian Reserve is ‘personal reasons’. Care to elaborate?”
“There were some incidents, my family needed me here in the UK.”
“Can I assume that to be why you’ve noted you would prefer not to live on-site?”
“Partly. Yes, I need to be able to be nearer my family. But I’ve also got a girlfriend, and I think it would be a little unfair to her if I lived in Wales while she’s in London.”
“Such things do tend to put a strain on a relationship,” she said, like a woman who had been there. “Okay, screw all the questions I’m supposed to ask. Why dragons? You’re talented, intelligent. You could have picked any career in the world. Merlin knows there are safer ones. Why dragons?”
Charlie smiled to himself. “When I was a little boy, my mum used to read me the story of St George and the Dragon. And my brothers, they’ve all identified with the knight. Me? I just wanted to get close to something that incredibly primal. Dragons are beautiful and dangerous. They’re fierce, wild, there’s no taming them. And I just always wanted to be a part of that.”
She smiled at him wistfully. “Been a long while since anyone interviewing here had that kind of love for dragons. You’re obviously very passionate about the species. Do you have a preference in breed?”
“Not at all. They’re all good in their own different ways. Really, it’s not about the breed. It’s the dragon itself, the personality.”
“Any age range you prefer to work with?”
“I like the babies, obviously. Hatchling and nestling. But juveniles are probably my favourite. It’s where they really start to show their personalities, try to figure out hierarchies and all that but they’re still playful. It’s usually when they’re clumsiest too, when they’re really growing into their wings.”
“Says here that you have a particular affinity for nesting females,” she said, glancing at his application and references. “Can I get you to elaborate on that?”
“It’s a weird thing we noticed, that the females weren’t as aggressive towards me as to the others. After a few nests, I even managed to get close enough to inspect the eggs. No one can figure out why, but it meant that our breeding dragons produced more live hatchlings than usual. One of the older tamers joked that I was a Whisperer.”
“That’s fantastic. We’ve had two handlers who could do that in the past, but none in the last ten years or so. It would be wonderful to have one again.”
They went through the rest of the interview and then took a break for lunch before Charlie was collected from the dining room by a wizard who had to be an ex-beater.
“I was as it happens, in my school days,” he said with a heavy southern American drawl. “Boston Academy of Magic. Wish I could’ve gone to Hogwarts, but them’s the dice. Hatton Peterson, at your service.”
Charlie shook his rough hand.
“Now, I hear you do well with nesters.”
“I have in the past.”
“Good. That is Marybelle, my baby. She started nesting last week, but we have no clue how many she’s laid, if she’s laid any,” he said, motioning to a bright green dragon.
“Welsh Green?”
“Yup.”
Charlie looked at the dragon, craning his head this way and that. “I’d hazard a guess…nine years old?”
“Correct.”
“By the looks of her, the male tried to get close, set her on edge. Her first lay?”
“Very first. She had a false last season.”
Charlie nodded and began to slowly make his way forwards, stopping a healthy distance away from her and sitting down. He plucked a few blades of grass and began to braid them, adding more and more the longer he sat there.
Marybelle roared and screeched at him and few times and then watched him confusedly.
Charlie waited, and eventually the curiosity got the best of her. She slowly shuffled out of her nest and closer to him, ducking her huge head to look at him. She shoved at him with her nose a few times before retreating to her nest once more and watched to see what he’d do.
Marybelle had chosen to make her nest in the open, which was unusual, but not unheard of for a first time nesting. Charlie hauled himself up and strolled closer, stopping to lean against a rock, crouching down to grab some daisies to weave in to his grass chain.
Finally, Charlie approached her, holding out a hand and murmuring soft words.
“Hey, there. Pretty girl. I’m not going to hurt you, just come to say hello,” he said carefully. “I’d very much like it if I got this job. If I get it, I’ll bring you some ducks, how about that? Or maybe you like berries? Some of my Romanian dragons liked fruit. I’ll bring you strawberries if I get the job. A whole feast for you, beautiful. That’s it.”
She ducked her head and let him run a hand over her scaled nose, opening her great jaw and letting out a noise that was somewhere between a whine and a growl.
“Oh, I know. This nesting business is hard work. And you’re such a pretty girl. I bet you’ve got all the boys running after you. Have they come sniffing? Is that what’s wrong? I know, us boys can be very annoying. But you’re a good girl, you’re going to keep those babies safe.”
As he stroked her, she continued to let out the noises, as if she was talking with him, complaining about everything that was bothering her. While he petted the dragon, he managed to get a look at what she was protecting.
Her nest was a dug out bowl in the earth, ringed by pretty white rocks that had been picked from the surrounding boulders. Marybelle had padded it with grass and leaves and a healthy heap of daffodils. Currently, there was a single egg being heated by the heat of her body. A nice healthy size, roughly the size of a Quaffle but tapered at both ends.
As he stood there, she let out a high wail and squatted over the bowl, straining. Amazingly, as he stood there, this brand new human in her enclosure, she laid another two eggs, purring as he scratched her in praise. They hissed with heat as they joined the first egg.
He spent a little more time with her, before he carefully backed away and returned to Hatton.
“She’s got three so far, but she might lay more. In my opinion, she’s got another two at least to drop, maybe three, but no more than that. Pretty large for a first clutch.”
“I’m impressed. Come on, next hurdle.”
Charlie was led to a broom and the two of them flew to another part of the reserve and approached another dragon.
“Tell me what you get from this one,” Hatton directed and Charlie approached the beast.
This one was bright red, with a fringe of golden spikes around its face and unquestionably male.
“Chinese Fireball, male, I’d guess at around thirty years, maybe thirty five. Unsheathed penis. Been near to a female, tried to mate within the last few hours.” He noted the sluggishly bleeding wounds on the side of his neck and along his left flank. “Did he get near to a nesting female?”
“This morning, Marybelle.”
“He tried breeding her?”
“She didn’t take kindly to it.”
“Poor guy.” He slowly approached and then once again sat on the ground and waited until the huge red nose nudged at him. He followed the dragon back to his chosen spot and held out a hand until his nose was shoved into it and the dragon moaned at him.
“I know, women are hard. They give you all these signals and then change their minds and you’re the one who gets hit. I know, I’ve been there.” He looked at the wounds. “Don’t worry, you’ll heal up fine. Few days and you can go chase another one. Stay far from Marybelle for a while, though.”
Eventually the dragon was happy enough to let Charlie leave and he once again joined Hatton, who was smiling.
“Okay, colour me impressed. His name is Zion. We’re all wondering what he and Marybelle will make.”
“He’s the father?”
“Yup. We were shocked when we came across them mating. Never happened before, a Fireball and a Green. And she’s only just reached the age. Caught us all by surprise.”
“We managed to breed an Opaleye and a Swedish once. Ugliest hatchlings I’d ever seen. We were waiting for something blue and pearlescent. We got this muddy brown dried blood kind of colour with a snout like a pug.”
Hatton laughed as they mounted their brooms once more and headed back to the main building. Hatton led him through to another building, the inside of which was hotter than hell.
“Nursery?” Charlie asked and Hatton nodded.
“Eggs abandoned by their mama’s. We try to hatch as many as we can, keep the populations constant. You ever hand rear one?”
“Once. Hatched too early and its mother was young. He’s now a happy nestling with a foster mother.”
Hatton gave him a tour around the building, pointing out their incubators (complete with 24 hour furnace), their hatchlings, the ones that were nursing on brandy and chicken blood. Then he took Charlie on a tour around the dorm building, which was a lot nicer than the one in Romania. The redhead got to meet the other members of staff, who were a friendly bunch.
“How did he do?” Mikaela asked as they re-joined her in the main building.
“He’s got the spark,” Hatton said. “Real talent. Marybelle and Zion both took to him. And the hatchlings! I thought they’d never let him leave they were curled so tight around him.”
She let out a long whistle.
“Never thought I’d see the day I met a Whisperer. I was starting to think they were a myth.”
Hatton left them to it and Charlie was handed a packet of papers.
“I feel pretty confident about you,” Mikaela said as she loaded a quill with ink. “Natural talent with the dragons, Hatton likes you and he’s a great judge of character, you’ve got great references. I’d like to offer you a position with us, on a probationary period. Six months and then we reassess. Within those six months you cannot quit without notice, and you will be required to do some overnight shifts, where you’ll need to be onsite. Is that something you can get on board with?”
“Absolutely.”
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Bellatrix ducked as the lamp was thrown her way. Fenrir was huddled in a corner, cradling his broken wrist.
“Did I not tell you to lay low?” Lucius roared. “Did I not make it clear that I have plans for those little do-gooders? And now look! Aurors on us! And you lost Amelia!”
A book was thrown at Bellatrix’s hip and she hissed as the corner caught her, drawing blood.
“We told her not to come,” Fenrir growled. “We told her to stay, but she insisted. Said she was bored.”
“And you just rolled over and showed your belly, like a fucking pup.”
“She’s a grown woman, I’m not telling her what to do.”
“No, the ones telling her what to do are the Ministry. They’ll be asking all sorts of questions, which means we need to leave. All because you couldn’t do as you were fucking told!”
Fenrir got to his feet and advanced on the blond, teeth bared. “I am not your pet.”
“No, a pet is worth something to me,” Lucius said, waving his wand and snapping the other wrist. “You are just a worthless mongrel I picked up at the pound. And if you don’t start doing as you’re told, you’ll be going straight back there. And as for you.”
Bellatrix recoiled as he rounded on her. Lucius hadn’t allowed any of them wands, not even his precious little Amelia.
Amelia had been a small redheaded witch Lucius had met in Knockturn Alley. Her brother had been a Death Eater sent to Azkaban and given the Kiss on the testimony of Harry Potter.
“Two decades and still you’re angry at that little witch,” Lucius hissed. “Twenty years and you just can’t let it go, the actions of a scared child. That witch is dangerous! That witch has carte blanch to kill us all if so much as a finger is raised against her and you decided to force a potion down her throat and carve into her arm! Tell me, my dear Bella. What was it you rubbed into her eyes?”
“Salt.”
“Salt. Into the eyes of a witch that can make you cut off your own air supply. And the word you carved into her arm? Which was that?”
“Traitor. It was for Severus!”
“Hmmm. And the acid you dipped the blade in? Tell me what it was.”
“Battery acid, from a Muggle car.”
“To match her Muggle blood, I see. And, my dear Bellatrix, my little raven, is there any Augur Opiate left in my stores?”
“No,” she whispered and he hummed.
He was suddenly very calm. Too calm. Too fast. A calm Lucius was something she had learned to be wary of. It never led to anything that would be enjoyed by people other than Lucius.
The aristocrat smiled gently, beckoning her closer. She slowly approached and he held her close, stroking her hair.
“I do understand,” he crooned, pressing a kiss to her cheek. “It is frustrating for me also. I want my Pet back, I want my life back.” He wound her hair around his fist and slammed her into the table face first.
Fenrir started to move towards them but stopped. He had two broken wrists and severe burns. He could be no use.
“Do you remember what we learned in school, Bella?” Lucius asked the prone woman. “About consequences.” He pressed himself against her backside and leaned down to kiss her shoulder.
“Yes,” she whimpered.
Lucius freed himself from his trousers and shoved up the skirt of her dress. She gasped as he pushed into her, fingers scrabbling at the wood.
“Tell me what we learned,” he moaned, thrusting hard, making her choke.
“All actions have consequences,” she grit out.
“Yes. So you deserve the consequences of your actions? Yes? I told you to lay low and you didn’t listen. So you deserve the punishment I shall bestow, yes? You have earned it, haven’t you, Bella?”
“I have,” she agreed, breaking off to screech at his rough thrusts. “Lucius, please. I’m sorry. I made a mistake. It won’t happen again. I swear. Please, Lucius. Please.”
“Oh, Bella,” he crooned as he emptied himself into her. “I know it won’t happen again. Because you shall not forget this time.”
Lucius withdrew as he stabbed his knife through her hand and into the wood. She began to beg in earnest as he pulled out a second knife and lined up with her wrist.
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The morning of Miri’s first birthday dawned bright and beautiful, with perfect blue skies and beautifully warm weather.
Despite her crippling menstrual cramps, Solarin started the morning off by pulling out her mixing bowls right after breakfast. The word on her arm was bright against the pale white of her skin.
“I would understand if you weren’t up to this,” Harry said as he retrieved eggs from the fridge. “I mean, if you wanted to spend the day buried in chocolate with a hot water bottle.”
“I’m fine. My cycle’s just gone funky,” she said, measuring out sugar. “Damn thing should have finished last week and I’m still heavy. Now, I’m doing chocolate sponge with an orange buttercream filling, covered in orange flavoured fondant with little modelling chocolate figures.”
“Sounds amazing.”
“Good. So what figures would you like on her cake?”
“Can I have something really girly? Like…insanely girly?”
“Absolutely. Cream these together for me while I pop to the loo,” she said, motioning to the butter and sugar she’d measured.
Harry happily creamed them together, leaning against the counter with the bowl in his arms so he could watch Miri munching away at her breakfast of fruit and cut up crumpets.
A year. A whole year. He couldn’t believe his baby girl had been around for a whole twelve months. He remembered how terrified he’d been, how nervous, how unsure. This tiny helpless newborn wanting him to know what to do. Somehow along the way he’d found his footing. He knew so much more now. And she’d grown so much! She was walking and talking, eating real grown up food. She had teeth, she had even learnt to give kisses.
The day was bittersweet for Harry. He was proud of his baby, happy she’d reached the milestone. But he couldn’t help but be reminded of how little he’d been when Lily and James had been killed.
Miri was so small, so breakable. She needed him so much. He hated the thought of being taken away from her the way Lily had. He watched Severus accept the piece of apple she shoved into his mouth, saying thank you, munching exaggeratedly and making her giggle. She needed Severus just as much as she needed Harry, as much as he’d needed James.
“Harry?” Ron prompted as he leaned next to him. “Are you okay?”
“Just thinking.”
“About what?”
“I was just a few months older than Miri is when my mum and dad were killed. I just…she’s so tiny. She needs me and Severus so much.”
“Right there with you,” Ron assured, watching as his twins shared crumpets between themselves, poking food into each other’s mouths. It was just what he remembered from Fred and George when they were little.
“Ron, can I ask you…if something happens to me and Severus…”
“Harry, don’t.”
“I need to. Just in case.”
“Okay. Just in case.”
“If something happens to me and Severus, promise me you’ll take care of her? That she’ll be cared for and loved and never wonder if she’s good enough?”
“I promise. Me and Hermione are her godparents, she’ll come to us if something happens. And she’ll be taken care of, I swear. If it comes to it, I’ll love her like one of my own.”
“Thank you. And you know me and Severus will take care of them if the worst comes,” Harry promised, motioning to the twins now poking yogurt covered fingers into each other’s mouths and giggling.
Solarin returned and liberated her bowl from Harry’s hands.
Harry and Ron returned to the table to finish up breakfast, and then the family did what they usually did when the weather was nice and they all wanted to be together.
They headed to the garden.
Miri happily toddled off to explore the flowers, Dorian ran off to the swing set and the twins crawled off after Miri. The adults set up the huge picnic blanket and cushions, laying Daven under a canopy and lounging around.
The good thing about Miri’s first birthday falling on a Saturday was that it meant the family could all be home to enjoy it. Molly and Anne were in the kitchen cooking up all their favourite things, Solarin making the cake, Ginny and Nixie helping, with Fred and George causing all kinds of trouble trying to get bits to nibble on.
Solarin appeared with a timer shaped like a strawberry and wasted no time in making herself comfortable on the blanket, laying Daven on her chest. The baby snuffled a few times before settling, as if her mother was the most comfortable mattress in the world.
Severus smiled to himself as Miri sprinkled flower petals all over Catherine and Joseph’s heads, the babies giggling and clapping.
“Good smile?” Harry asked, pressing a kiss to his neck.
Severus cuddled him close, running a hand along his bare shin.
“Just looking at Miri, trying to get my head around it. A year ago, she was Daven’s size. Smaller. And now look at her. Walking, talking, her first birthday.” He laughed. “A year. A whole year. It went so fast.”
“I know.”
Severus pulled him in for a kiss, snaking his tongue inside as Miri ran past them, the twins crawling furiously after the giggling little girl.
“I want more,” Severus whispered as they parted. “I want another. Sod it, I want a dozen.”
“I’m game,” Harry said with a grin. “I’ll carry whenever you’re ready. I’m good to go, you said I had to wait.”
“I know. And we really must wait. You should at least get to finish school first.”
Harry giggled and settled himself more comfortably, cuddling in between Severus’ long legs.
“Think I’ll have a boy next time?” Harry wondered as Severus handed him a glass of lemonade.
“Perhaps,” he said with a smile at Solarin, who was stroking Daven’s bright curls. “I have never fathered a child, I have no clue if I can make boys. But a girl would be fine too. Another little girl. We could create the first female magical dynasty.”
“Now you’re pushing it,” Harry chuckled.
Sirius was happily setting up the barbecue behind a magical barrier so the little ones couldn’t hurt themselves. He was still sore, his legs feeling like someone had stuck a cheese grater and a feather duster under his skin.
“Stop it,” Remus admonished as he reached down to scratch. “It’ll never heal properly if you keep picking at it.”
“It itches,” Sirius complained, pouring more charcoal into the huge metal half drum on legs.
“I know. But it will get better.”
“Remus…”
“If you’re about to get sappy on me, please, wait until later,” the werewolf said, threading his fingers into long black hair. He gave him a gentle kiss. “I know that face after a very long time of knowing you. You’re about to get sentimental on me. And I love that you are, and whatever you want to say, I want to hear. But if I’m getting through today with a smile, I can’t hear it right now.”
“Okay, honey. Later. You can screw me after I say it, if that makes it easier.”
“Now, we both know that you just want sex.”
“Absolutely.”
“It’s any excuse with you,” Remus purred, kissing his throat. “Never change, sweetheart.”
“’Ampa Re’Us!”
Remus pulled away and laughed as he spied Miri bashing her hands against the magical barrier. It wouldn’t admit anyone under Hogwarts age, and she wasn’t a fan.
“What’s the matter, angel?” Remus asked as he picked her up, carrying her away from the soon-to-be open flames.
“Me go cook ‘Ampa Si’Us,” she said determinedly, pointing at where the Animagus was lighting the coals. “I do an’ help.”
“Oh, I know you’d be a very good helper for Grandpa Sirius. But Rommy needs someone to play with him,” he said as he carried her over to where the wolf pup was lounging on the blanket. He sat up and his tail wiggled his entire back end.
“Rommy!” Miri called as she was set down and Romulus happily joined her, letting her hug him around the neck.
Romulus was quick to grab his toys and carry them over to her and the two of them happily set to playing. Miri would throw a ball and the puppy would fetch it, even though she didn’t throw it very far. He was a happy little guy, content to play in any way his humans wanted. He even got along with Crookshanks, when he was there.
Before anyone really realised it, Catherine was copying him, fetching the ball and carrying it back to Miri and Joseph in her itty bitty teeth.
“Should I be worried that one of my children is treating the other one like a dog?” Hermione wondered as she carried out a platter of uncooked sausages and hamburgers.
“It’s a game,” Charlie assured. “We used to do the same thing with Ronnie.”
“Shut up, you did not,” Ron scoffed.
“We really did,” Fred assured. “It was fun.”
“You treated me like a dog! You gits!”
“Relax, it was just a game,” George soothed as Oliver tried not to laugh too hard. “We stopped once you started walking. Well. We stopped once dad made us.”
Harry was laughing so hard he couldn’t draw breath, happy tears pouring down his face.
“Daddy,” Joseph said, handing Ron one of the balls. “Pay, peas.”
“Can we play a different game?” Ron pressed. “Huh, JoJo? We can get Cat to throw the balls too!”
“No,” Catherine said as she returned the ball to Miri once more. “Cash.”
“How about you catch them with your hands? Huh, Kitty Cat?”
“No. A fetch ‘ike ‘Ommy!”
“Okay, you fetch like Rommy,” he sighed, throwing a ball for the dog and another for his daughter. He looked to his mother as she carried a plate of hot dog rolls over to the barbecue. “Mum?”
“Yes, dear?”
“She’s going to grow out of this, right?” he whined as she crouched to hug him. “She’s a little girl, not a puppy.”
“It’s a game,” Molly assured. “The little ones don’t really see the difference between themselves and Romulus. They will grow out of it. You did.”
Miri abandoned the game as Sam appeared with a platter of cut up vegetables and she trundled along, running to him in her funny plodding way.
“Sam! Me have petter po-lease!”
Sam managed not to laugh too hard as he handed her a piece of red pepper from the platter.
“Tank ‘ooo!” she said before she toddled off, nibbling at her prize.
Dorian happily made space for her as she joined him at the huge play equipment, hopping off his swing and helping her play on the slide. He was so good with the smaller members of the family. Always willing to play with them, help them along. He was such a content little boy and they all thanked their lucky stars. With the start he’d had in life, he could have gone the complete opposite way, becoming a little terror.
Sam and Jack were quick to offer advice to Solarin and Bill, being very clear in how important routine and stability were for a child who had been neglected and abused. Solarin and Bill were very clear in how much they loved Dorian, they told him every day. They were quick to offer praise and comfort, never turning him away when he wanted a cuddle or to show them a picture. They set boundaries for him, making clear what was and wasn’t acceptable behaviour, and what was expected from him.
Having a routine was something both of them were very clear on. Solarin had been raised by Severus after all, and she was the stay at home parent. Dorian had breakfast time, lunch time, play time, bath time, bed time and all other times, all clearly laid out for him. He always had Solarin or Bill give him his bath and read him a story while he had a Sippy cup of warm milk and lots of cuddles.
The result was a happy little boy.
It was all going so well until Miri lost her footing at the top of the slide and fell down it face first, letting out a scream as her face hit the grass.
Harry couldn’t hear or see anything but Miri as he launched himself across the garden and scooped her up. His heart was pounding in his chest and he was fairly certain he was going to be sick as she sobbed and clutched at him.
“Come on,” Severus urged, putting gentle hands on Harry’s shoulders and guiding him back to the blanket. They sat back down and Severus carefully peeled Miri away from Harry, looking for damage.
There was a graze on her forehead and she had some blood coming from her mouth.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, it’s okay,” Harry chanted as he rocked and cuddled her.
She kept crying and shrieking as Sam swiped a cleaning potion over her forehead and checked her mouth.
“She scratched the inside of her lip with her tooth. She’ll be fine. She scared herself more than anything,” Sam promised as he let Miri pick out a plaster.
She chose a pink one with cupcakes on it and he applied it to her forehead before she really started complaining.
Miri, as it turned out, was not hurt, nor was she scared.
She was pissed that the slide had the audacity to hurt her.
“Is a bad side!” she screeched, pointing at it and looking at her parents, determined that they should know. “Is bad side, a bad, a hurted me mouse and a ‘ead and a me falled a ouched!”
“I know, baby,” Harry soothed. “That wasn’t nice, but it’s okay, you’re okay. Just a scratch.”
“Dada, a bad side!”
“Yes, darling,” Severus agreed. “Bad slide.”
“A side a need time out!”
Harry giggled to himself, despite his still churning stomach. “How do we put a slide in time out?”
They watched with amusement as Miri used her magic to lift the slide and deposit it in the corner of the garden, apparently ‘facing’ the wall.
“A bad side has time out,” Miri declared before snuggling into Harry. Her little fingers wrapped around the lion pendant he wore, toying with it. “Me birday, no has hurted. Has cake!”
“Yes, you have cake for your birthday,” Severus agreed while Harry settled himself. “And presents and a pretty new dress.”
“Pity dess! Pesents!”
Just like that, it was all forgotten.
The morning was spent playing and laughing, spending time together and making a fuss of the birthday girl. Soon enough, Sirius had the coals going, and the men gathered around, grilling things.
“Must be a guy thing,” Solarin said, watching as Bill, his brothers, their father, Sirius, Remus, Sam, and Jack all argued about the best way to grill steak.
“I feel I should be offended on behalf of my gender,” Severus said, Harry nodding.
“I’m just saying! I call it as I see it.”
“Well, don’t,” Harry said.
“Look, you’re only half male, technically, and Severus…you’re…you. All advanced and stoic and put together and stuff.”
“You do realise you just generalised about my son’s future,” Hermione pointed out. “And yours.”
“Ah, hell, you know what I mean,” Solarin defended. “Look at them. Put them in furs and they’re cavemen.”
“We can hear you!” Bill called. “Find us a woolly mammoth!”
“I’ll get right on that.”
“Dada,” Miri said, toddling over and climbing onto his lap while Dorian followed, Romulus on his heels.
“Yes, beautiful.”
“Pesents, now, poh-ease.”
“Not yet, sweetheart. We’re going to have some lunch and a nap and then some cake, and then you can open presents. Yes?”
“No. A pesents,” she argued and Severus brows pulled down in confusion before he smiled down at her.
“Now, Miri, I am very proud of you for using your magic, and pushing what you want into my head is a clever new trick,” he said and she giggled at him.
“Dada see what want!”
“Someone’s getting more and more like her aunt every single day,” Bill laughed.
“Unfair,” Solarin replied.
“Totally fair.”
“Wait, wait, wait,” Harry said, a breath away from laughing. “She literally tried to change your mind, literally pushing what she wants into your head?”
“Yes, and the boxes are very pretty,” Severus agreed.
Miri, despite her new trick, wasn’t allowed to open her presents until after her nap. First came lunch, a whole banquet of cooked meats and barbecued vegetables. Food soon distracted Miri from being denied.
“Slow down, beautiful,” Ginny chuckled as Miri tried to shove more into her bulging cheeks. “Slowly, it’s not going anywhere.”
“Nummy!” She swallowed her mouthful and looked down, pouting as she noticed her plate was clean. “Caya, kickin’ poh-ease.”
Harry held out the plate of chicken. “Which one do you want, baby?”
She wiggled in place before she picked out a small drumstick and added it to her plate.
“Tank ‘oo. Dada? A has ‘amato?”
Severus was quick to lay a few tomato slices on her plate before he returned to his own food.
Soon enough, Miri was sleepily rubbing at her eyes and crawled across the blanket to climb into Harry’s lap. She cuddled in and used her magic to pull a book across the grass from where it was laying by the door. Harry read her the story and she fell asleep in his arms, sucking at her thumb and gripping at him.
While Miri and the twins napped in their mothers arms, the family lounged around, talking and laughing with each other.
Once Miri woke up, she hadn’t forgotten Severus’ promises. The cake was brought out.
Five tiers of chocolate goodness covered in pink fondant with adorable butterflies and flowers, topped off with a sugar paste model of Miri wearing a crown.
“You’ve outdone yourself,” Arthur praised as he accepted a second slice.
“Nummy cake!” Miri declared.
The little witch had chocolate and pink fondant smeared all over her face, her green eyes bright in the sea of confectionary. Her hands were covered in it, and she was happily picking up handfuls of cake and smooshing it between her fingers before she stuck it in her mouth.
Once the cake was demolished, Miri was surrounded by a circle of presents. She amused herself by turning around and around, clapping and shrieking at all the pretty wrapped boxes around her.
“Okay, baby,” Harry said. “Which one do you want to open first?”
“All pesents!”
“Yes, you can open all of them. Which one first?”
Eventually, Miri got to opening her gifts instead of just giggling at them. She, like every toddler that had ever gone before her, loved the paper and ribbons and bows she got to tear off, and the boxes themselves. Sooner or later she would get to the actual gifts.
Miri received a play kitchen, with plastic food and cooking equipment. A dollshouse was next, followed by a playhouse for the garden. Next up came a little pedal car, a toddler-sized climbing frame, a few dolls and stuffed animals.
On the more magical side, she was given a toy broom that only went a little higher than the grass, a teddy bear that hugged back, a toy wand that blew bubbles in different colours, and a kitten.
The kitten was the big gift from Harry and Severus. They thought it was the perfect time for her first familiar. The little male cat was black with one white paw, the front right one. Romulus was quick to guide him in where to do his business and where the food and water was.
Miri’s first act as a cat owner was to introduce him to Smoo. The kitten happily sniffed at the humming ball of fluff, going so far as to lick him before he shuddered at the sensation of Smoo’s fur.
“What do you think, Miri?” Harry asked, picking the kitten up. “His mummy was half-Kneazle, so he’s very smart and will make a good familiar for my little witch.”
“Clevah kitty,” she said, carefully petting his head and laughing when his rough tongue swiped across her fingers. “Kitty mine.”
“Yes, he’s yours,” Severus said, feeding the cat a piece of cooked chicken and getting a meow of thanks. “Now, kitty needs a name. What name do you think he might like?”
“Don’t know,” she said, shrugging and petting. “Kitty not tell me yet.”
“Okay,” Sirius said.
Miri spent the rest of the day carrying her kitten around with her, pretending to cook it food and happily petting it. Remus taught her how to dangle string for him, and she found it hilarious when the cat went nuts over the dangling end.
Dinner was more barbecue as they had seriously over-shopped for the day, and then more cake.
The kitten happily perched on the sink edge while Miri had her bath, and then curled up in the rocking chair as she was read a story and drifted off to sleep.
Severus and Harry had had ideas of how to celebrate Miri’s first birthday in their own more private way. But by the time bedtime rolled around, neither of them had the energy to do anything but cuddle into each other.
“A year,” Severus murmured as Harry settled on his chest.
“Yes.”
“I still can’t quite get my head around it. So much has happened since she was born.”
“I know. It’s been a pretty good year, all things considered,” Harry said.
“Do you truly feel that? Harry, are you happy with our lives?”
Harry looked up at him with a look somewhere between incredulous and amused.
“Let’s take stock,” Harry said with a smile. “I have a husband who loves me, a daughter I adore, a family, a safe home, I’m getting good marks in all my classes, and I went on my very first holiday. Not to mention that I made it to my seventeenth birthday when I shouldn’t have even made it to my second. Severus, I have all these people around me who love me and care what happens to me. I might not think that highly of myself most of the time but I do value what they bring to my life.”
“And my life?”
“You have a husband who loves you, a daughter who thinks you hung the moon, a successful business.”
Severus smiled and pulled him in for a kiss, holding him close, drawing patterns on the skin of his back.
“I am very glad of one thing though,” Harry said as he pulled back.
“And that one thing is?”
“It’s this night and not a year ago. That was damn painful on my privates.”
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Harry lifted Miri onto his lap and helped her hold up the book.
“Okay, baby, what’s that one?” he prompted, pointing at the letter on the page.
“Is a B,” she said.
“Good girl, that’s my clever girl. And what begins with a B?”
“Bzzzz,” she hummed, pointing at the bee on the page. “A bee say buzz.”
“Well done.” He leafed through the pages. He didn’t want her to recite it by memory, he wanted to know she actually knew what she was reading.
They’d started to notice that Miri was very interested in letters. She played with the alphabet magnets on the fridge and was quick to point out that the apples on the table started with an A, the spaghetti started with an S, banana with a B. She was very good at following along when she was read a story. She’d point with her little finger at the words being read.
“How about this one? What’s this one?”
“Is a G. Guh.”
“Good sounds! That’s my smart girl. What starts with a G?”
“Gowiya.”
“A gorilla, very good. What else begins with a G?”
“Goose. Gape. Gampa!”
“Very good. Goose, grape and grandpa.” Harry set aside the book and led her over to the low table covered in crayons and paper. “Shall we draw some letters? Yeah?”
“A daw a lettahs!” She grabbed a blue crayon.
Harry smiled to himself as he watched her carefully fill a piece of paper with letters. He loved the way she spoke. It was so haphazard. Sometimes she could pronounce things just fine, other times she’d miss out a letter or a whole word. It was adorable. She got so excited her mouth just couldn’t keep up.
Molly had suggested that maybe Miri was ready to start learning to read. Severus agreed, saying that Solarin had been early in her education. Miri would always be advanced, it was a part of what she was. And they weren’t going to push her. If she wanted to learn, so be it. If she didn’t, they’d leave her be.
“Caya, look me picture.”
Harry took the piece of paper and smiled at her.
“Very good. Can you tell me what all of them are?”
She proceeded to flop down into his lap and point at her carefully drawn letters, reciting what each one was as she went.
“Hard to believe it’s only been a few days since her birthday,” Nixie said as she joined them. Miri grinned up at her and waved. “She’s so little, and she’s learning to read. Barely seems real. Seems like she was this tiny newborn just last week.”
“I know. It takes some getting your head around. Hey, Miri, do you want to do a picture for Aunt Nixie?”
“Ant Nissy picture!” she declared, a tiny little battle cry as she returned to her own seat and grabbed a fresh piece of paper.
While Miri was busy with her masterpiece, Harry and his sister settled on the sofa.
“So, how are you doing?” Harry prompted.
“I’m okay. I mean, I’m not okay okay. Things aren’t all sunshine and roses. But things are pretty good,” she said.
“I know what you mean. I keep waiting for him to do something.”
“I think he’s done enough for the time being.” Harry took a deep breath to calm himself. “Nixie, who taught you to read?”
“My nanny. She was nice, from what I remember. Who taught you?”
“No one. I sort of picked it up at school, but no one ever sat down with me and taught me.”
“That sucks. Well. At least Miri won’t have that issue.” She watched the little girl drawing. “I don’t understand your relatives. You were a baby. How could they treat you like that?”
“I don’t know. Whatever it was that got to them about me, I don’t know what it is. Wish I did sometimes. But it doesn’t matter anymore. I’m here now, who cares what’s wrong with them?”
“True. Harry? Will you go over the Defence chapter with me? It’s still not sinking in.”
“Of course I will. What are brothers for?”
She cuddled into him and then smiled.
“Maybe that’s why we all found each other,” she said.
“Huh?”
“Maybe it’s because we were all scorned in one way or another. You and me both had bad childhoods, so did Sirius, Remus was an outcast. It’s almost like fate or magic or something wanted us all together, like it knew the best place for us all was here, together.”
Harry hummed in agreement, stroking her hair. He was so thankful for his family, so grateful to have them all. Their family was loud and crazy and someone was always around, but it was warm and safe and there was so much love. Harry knew he’d never have to worry about being alone or unwanted. No matter his opinion of himself, he would never question theirs. They loved him, all of him, just the way he was. And that had more value to him than anything else.
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Oliver rolled over and snuggled into George, pressing his lips to his warm chest.
“We should really get up,” George said, toying with his hair.
“So?”
“So…it’s a thing where we both get out of this bed and put on clothes and do things outside of this room,” George prompted and Oliver moaned, burying himself under the blankets.
“But I don’t want to,” he whined. “It’s my day off.”
George tugged at the sheets, trying to find his boyfriend but having a hard time being serious through his laughter. His laughs turned into moans as Oliver pressed a kiss to his hip, clever fingers tickling over his soft length.
“Olly, please.”
“You want me to stop?” he asked between kisses.
“No. I should, but no. Oh, fuck…”
Oliver grinned to himself and set to working the cock he held. He stroked slowly, kissing George’s belly and thighs, dipping in every now and then to lick the head, which made the redhead gasp. Oliver ground his own erection into the mattress as he worked his lover into a frenzy.
So many times Oliver had pictured doing exactly this. When his fantasizing about George had started, he’d blamed it purely on hormones. When puberty had seemed to even out and Oliver was still dreaming of the sweeter of the twins, he realised he might have a problem.
Oliver had always found George to be the softer of the Weasley twins, always more ready to listen, gentler. He wondered how many people actually realised that George had one eye that was a slightly darker shade of blue. Or maybe it was just him, because he’d spent so long dreaming of him.
When he’d left Hogwarts, he’d been sure it would fade. And for a while, he had managed to satiate his hunger for men with random hook-ups and short relationships.
And then George had walked into a bar one night and Oliver refused to back down, refused to let the opportunity pass him by. Of course, he hadn’t planned for them to end up in bed that very night. Maybe lead up to it.
He wasn’t complaining.
“Olly, if you don’t get a fucking move on and fuck me, I’m shoving you out of this bed and handling matters myself!”
Oliver chuckled as he crawled up the long freckled body, pressing kisses as he went, nibbling at a hard nipple before he conjured some lube and coated George.
“Better?” he murmured, tugging George’s bottom lip with his teeth.
“Yes, oh, yes, better, much!” he babbled, thrusting up into the slick grip.
They were both clean, and they were monogamous, so neither of them had seen a need for condoms after a few months of sleeping together. The first time they had done it without a barrier of latex, both of them had almost passed out.
Oliver sank down and tangled George’s hair in his fists, slamming their mouths together. After the amount of times they’d done it the night before, he was still slick and open, ready to take it. He could hear himself whining high and desperate as he rose and fell, guiding the hard shaft within him to rub where he wanted.
“Oh, fuck me. Please. George. Please. Georgie!”
“I got you,” George promised, gripping his hips and thrusting up into the sheath gripping him. He ran his fingers down the line of his spine, pressing their chests together. “Keep going. Just…go!”
“Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
The headboard began to bang against the wall as they chased the pleasure, the mattress creaking beneath them, their cries echoing against the walls.
They left bruises on each other as they tried to find something stable to hold onto as every part of their bodies strained towards completion. Lips trailed across whatever skin they came across, teeth nipping, and eventually they managed to find each other’s mouths and thrust tongues deep.
“Almost…close…please,” Oliver begged, looping his arms around George’s shoulders, burying his face in his neck as he pleaded.
George took him and rolled him onto his back before grabbing his hands and pinning them above his head. He readjusted Oliver’s hips and thrust hard and fast, thighs wide around his hips as he hammered into him until he tumbled over the edge, spurting hot and sticky between them.
The feel of his hot cum hitting his chest tipped George over, and he felt his breath seep out of him in one long moan as he came within the tight passage, collapsing atop the pliant body.
Oliver tiredly stroked the wild red hair, too spent to do anything more but unwilling to stop touching.
“Olly?”
“Hmmm?”
“Am I ever going to get tired of this?”
“This?”
“This moment,” George continued. “When we’ve both cum and we’re just lying here, just together, all tired and boneless.”
“So this is your favourite part, huh?” he asked with a smile. “I would have thought it was when you came.”
“Well, that part is pretty great too. But this is the best.”
“It is very nice.”
“So? Am I?”
“Georgie, baby, I’m running on very little brain right now. The blood is still all south.”
“Oh. Right. Am I ever going to get tired of this moment?”
Oliver smiled to himself and stroked his sweaty back.
“I really hope not.”
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Miri, as it turned out, was a perfect cat owner.
She happily filled the kitten’s bowls of food and water (with a little help from someone a bit taller), sat and brushed his black fur until it gleamed, played with him until his little furry body was pooped. She’d quickly taught him to ride in her little toy pram and to sit with her while she pointed out letters in picture books.
The only thing she didn’t do was the litter box, because the cat didn’t use one. Thanks to Romulus and Crookshanks, the kitten did his business outside.
The two pets and the various owls of the house guided the kitten, and through them he learnt what was and wasn’t okay. They taught him not to bite his humans, and not to scratch them. Crookshaks taught him what his cat-tree was for, and that he wasn’t allowed to eat off the plates the humans put on the table.
Miri picked up her kitten and carried him across the playroom, carrying him just the way her parents had told her to, careful not to dangle his back end. She put him down in the pile of stuffed toys for Catherine and Joseph.
The twins liked to watch him pounce around on the toys, closely watched by Crookshanks. Their mothers cat was their favourite. The great beast was always happy to lay there and let them pet him, and occasionally play pillow for them.
“Are they okay with the cats?” Harry asked Severus as they watched them.
“Crookshanks is friendly with little ones, and the kitten has shown no signs of aggression. The pet shop owner said he would learn very fast. I don’t think we should worry,” Severus assured. “What you should worry about are these exam questions. Come on. Four uses for fluxweed, please.”
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Solarin hunched up on the closed toilet lid and smiled at Daven as she was lowered into the bath, her little legs kicking at the feel of the warm water.
“Thanks for doing this,” Solarin said and Hermione smiled. “I don’t think I could handle bending over that tub right now.”
“I can’t believe you’re still on,” Hermione said incredulously as she wet the baby’s hair.
“Three weeks and two days and still going.”
“Should we be worried that you’re going to dry out like a raisin?”
“Sam doesn’t think so. He thinks that it was a long one anyway, and then I got drowned in that blooming potion. My body is just trying to flush it all out.”
They were quiet for a while as the baby was bathed, and then, as Hermione placed her into the towel Solarin held, the younger witch spoke.
“Sol, can I ask you something?”
“Of course.”
“Do you ever miss your mother? I mean, I know what she did to you and what she let your father do and everything, and all that is awful. But she’s still your mum.”
“Yeah, she is. And, since you’re asking, no, I don’t. I don’t remember her, so it’s hard to miss her. But I’d probably feel different if my situation was closer to yours. You must miss your parents.”
“I do,” she said sadly, drying Daven’s toes. “I keep wanting to show mum and dad all the things the twins do. I know they have Molly, but I want them to have their Nana Cathy. And Arthur is great, he really is, but my dad would have been an amazing Grandpa.”
“I’m sure they would have been great. They raised you, and the Weasley boys don’t tend to make stupid choices. Well, I think Percy might be an exception there, but there’s always one, isn’t there?”
“It’s one of my recurring nightmares that JoJo becomes that one,” she giggled. “Molly managed to have six normal ones and Percy.”
“Who knows, maybe we’ve dodged that bullet and he’s taking all the stupid for the next ten generations,” Solarin said and they had a happy catty giggle about it.
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Remus stared into the pleading blue eyes and sighed. He really didn’t want to do it, but he had to be honest with himself.
He found it hard to ever say no to Sirius.
“Sirius, sweetheart, please. Do I really have to do this?”
Sirius looked crestfallen. “No, not if you don’t want to,” he said. “Honey, if you really can’t do this, then I’d understand.”
Remus groaned and crashed their mouths together. Sirius submitted under hit touch and reciprocated, letting Remus have his tongue when he chased it.
“Alright, here is my bargain, take it or leave it,” Remus said, stroking his cheek. “I will not negotiate, I will not change any detail.”
“Okay…”
“I will do this,” Remus said and Sirius grinned, practically bouncing. “I will do this, and only this. I will not even entertain the idea of more than this. I will be civil. I will attempt to be polite.”
“I’m not asking anything more right now. I just want you to do this, just try this. Please?” Sirius begged, stroking his shirt-covered chest.
He took a deep breath, took one more kiss, before he pushed Sirius away and walked into the coffee shop.
‘Okay, Remus, nice public Muggle space,’ he thought to himself as he approached the counter. ‘One drink, that’s it, just one. You can do this. You CAN do this! Gryffindor strength! Oh, fuck.’
He ordered a hot chocolate and a brownie and made his way to the table where Canis Black was waiting for him.
“Lord Black.”
“Please, call me Canis,” the older man insisted. “Or Mr Black if you prefer. Please, let me help.”
“No, thank you,” he said as Canis reached for the plate. “I’m fine. I’ll just…”
Canis looked highly uncomfortable and Remus took a small pleasure in it. Well. Maybe more than small.
“So…”
Remus raised an eyebrow as he sipped his drink and held in a grimace. Ugh! Too many chemicals!
“I want to start by saying thank you,” Canis said, toying with his croissant, tearing it into little pieces. “Thank you for coming today. You didn’t have to, and Merlin knows I don’t deserve anything from you. So…thank you.”
“Yes, well, Sirius is very…persuasive when he wants something,” Remus admitted. “And it is just a drink.”
“Yes, he always has been, even when he was a little boy. Always so much more charismatic than we were ever expecting. Much more than Regulus.”
“Shame you couldn’t tell him that,” Remus snapped and then groaned. “I’m sorry, that was uncalled for.”
“No, it wasn’t,” he whispered, shamefaced. “Look, Remus. I’m not here to hurt him. Or to try and be forgiven. I know what I did to my son. To both my sons. One dead and the other ashamed of me. I deserve everything you want to dish out.”
“Saying that doesn’t make me want to do this any more.”
“No, I didn’t think it would.”
“So what is it you want? If it’s not forgiveness, and it’s not to hurt him, then what is it?”
“Being perfectly honest, I’m not sure. Curiosity, perhaps. Wondering what can be undone. Seeing the man he’s become, who he is now. Hearing him talk about his life, how happy and content he is, it brings me a lot of happiness. He’s very proud of your children. And he says you have a granddaughter. You must be very happy.”
“We are. She’s a beautiful little witch.” He chuckled to himself. “The family tree is rather entangled. Through Harry’s marriage we gain another two grandkids. Children of Severus’ sister. You met her, when she was a little girl.”
“I did?”
“Yes. The day Severus was Marked.”
“Ah. That little girl. Yes. Fiery little thing.”
“She’s still fiery. And little. Sometimes I feel sure Shakespeare must have met her in a past life.”
“Which quote?”
“ ‘And though she be but little, she is fierce!’ Always makes me think of her.” He chuckled a little to himself. “Actually, it applies to most of the females in the family.”
“Good. I’d hate to think of anyone like my wife in your family.”
“What was she like?”
“A pain in the arse,” he said bluntly and then smiled at the startled laugh he got.
“No, I don’t think we have any of those. We did have Narcissa, but…well, she’s passed now.”
“Yes, I did read the paper about that. Terrible business. I can’t understand where Lucius ever got the idea to do what he’s done. I know the Death Eaters did terrible things, but never like this.”
“He’ll be caught soon enough,” Remus said, clear in his tone that he’d rather not continue down that line of conversation.
The man had been a Death Eater and Canis couldn’t see where he got the idea? Remus knew with absolute certainty that the topic would lead to nothing but screaming on his part.
“Yes, I’m sure.” He took a sip of his tea and was much less successful at hiding his dislike of it. “What are your children like?”
“Strong,” Remus said eventually. “Harry is a Gryffindor, technically, but he could have gone to Slytherin easily. Nixie…she’s my angel. A Slytherin, but she’s sweet inside. They both love Quidditch, and chocolate. And making fun of Sirius. Harry is definitely closer to Siri, and Nixie to me, but they’re both wonderful.”
“They sound it. I’d love to meet them someday,” Canis said carefully. “Someday, perhaps. I know it’s something I’d have to earn. But I would like to.”
“I’ll…keep that in mind,” Remus said diplomatically.
He didn’t want to say no outright, not give a knee-jerk reaction. Those were never fair. Nor did he want to say yes. He did not want the man near his children. He didn’t want him around Sirius, but he could do nothing about that. Sirius was a grown man, and Canis was, at least by blood, his father. Remus had pretty much no say in what Sirius chose to do.
Remus was his lover, his friend, his partner in all things, his mate. He was not Sirius’ jailer.
Even if he did want to chain him to the bed and never let him leave.
“Tell me…what…what was Sirius like? When he was a little boy? Before I met him? He rarely talks about his life before Hogwarts, and I confess I haven’t really asked. But I am curious.”
Canis hummed as he thought back. “He was…stubborn is the best word for it. Always knew what he wanted, and once he’d made up his mind it was always damn near impossible to change. He always knew exactly who he was.”
“Yes, he always has been very clear on himself,” Remus agreed.
“And you. He was always very fierce when it came to you.”
“Now that I did know. I also know that you came to our wedding in disguise.”
“How on earth do you know that!”
“Solarin. You were thinking of it the day Severus was Marked and she read it off of you. She told me a few months ago.”
“Dear Merlin, how do you keep a secret around her?”
“You don’t,” Remus admitted. “She keeps them. Whatever she hears, she’s always discreet.”
“That’s…unsettling.”
“She takes some getting used to, but she’s a good woman. And I’m very glad she is on our side.”
“I’ll bet. Yes, I did come to your wedding. He’s my son, I wanted to see it. It was a beautiful day. You both looked so very happy. I was very sad to hear of Sirius being sent away. It must have been very hard for you.”
“Could you have done something? Could you have kept him out of Azkaban? Kept him with me?” Remus asked softly.
“No. I did try. He was never one of them, any fool could have seen that if they cared to look. Betray James and Lily? Betray you? Kill Peter? Even Belladonna knew it wasn’t the truth, bugger if she’d admit it. I’ll admit, I’ve always wondered how she was ever his son.”
“Sirius has mentioned how cold she was.”
“I believe the term Frosty the Snow Bitch applies.”
“And with Regulus?”
“She was always affectionate with him, as far as her affections went. But Sirius…she never took to him. When he was a baby, I thought it would change as he grew. But it never did.”
“Why?”
“I’m not entirely sure, she never did have that conversation with me,” Canis said. “I believe it was something to do with the way he was born.”
“The way he was born?”
“I can say it now, because she’s dead and no one cares these days, but Sirius was born on the 13^th of June. We were married on the 16^th of January.”
“Dear lord,” Remus giggled. “Are you saying…no, surely not.”
“Yes, he was. And when he was actually born…he was a big boy, and she was a very small woman. He was pretty ill too. He had trouble breathing to start, couldn’t quite get the hang of it, and feeding him was almost impossible. His poor nurse, I don’t think that woman slept for the first year of his life. I thought it was just that she was nervous about hurting him. He seemed to fragile, so breakable. But even as he grew, Belladonna always pushed him away.”
Remus stirred at his drink, thinking it over.
Sirius had always been insecure, as long as Remus had known him. Sure, he’d been good at putting on a good front, at making people see what they wanted to see. Azkaban had been one of the few things Sirius hadn’t been able to talk his way out of.
Remus had always known that Sirius needed to be sure of his love, be absolute in his belief in him. And Remus had never doubted him except for Azkaban, and even then it hadn’t stopped Remus loving him.
Sirius was his mate, his lover, his everything. He knew every inch of Sirius, and now many of the things he’d known were suddenly making a lot of sense.
Sirius knew what he liked to eat and tended to stick to it. He had too much spice, too much dairy or too much wine and his digestive system staged a revolt. Remus had thought it was because of Azkaban, or maybe the inbreeding in the Pureblood lines.
And now he knew.
“Remus…can I ask…I know I have no right to ask…but…”
“Yes?”
“How is he? He says he’s happy and content, and he seems it. But I worry about him. I’ve had one son die because I didn’t see what was right in front of me. I don’t want to miss something important because I was so busy not seeing.”
“He’s not yours to protect,” Remus snapped. “You washed your hands of him decades ago. You’re right, you have no right to ask.”
“He is still my son,” he said carefully.
“Really? And was he your son the day you beat him to a pulp? Or the day you tried to force him to marry someone he didn’t love? What about all the times you made him feel he wasn’t good enough? You have not been a part of his life for a very long time, Mr Black. Do not insult me by trying to play the dutiful father.”
“I have made mistakes, I do not deny that…”
“Mistakes! Emotional abuse, physical abuse and borderline neglect. You threw out his toys when he was seven. Seven! How could you expect him to be an adult at seven? Dark Marks, Unforgiveables, arranged marriages. And when he opposed you, you beat him. Give me one good reason I should continue sitting here.”
Canis stared at him for a moment.
“He wants it,” Canis said eventually.
“It’s not enough,” Remus said bluntly. “He wants to eat his weight in apple crumble. It does not mean I will let him. This conversation is at an end.” He stood up, straightening his clothes. “I won’t stop Sirius from continuing on with contact, but I will never do this again, and I will NEVER let you near my children. Have I left anything unclear?”
“Shouldn’t it be Sirius’ decision who is allowed near his children?”
Remus leaned over him, balancing on the arms of Canis’ chair. “You come near my children and I will put you in the ground,” he snarled.
Hands grasped his shoulders and pulled him back.
“Remus, honey, stop,” Sirius said, holding him close, pushing his face into his neck so he could inhale lungful’s of Sirius’ scent. “Calm down, it’s okay. Just calm down. What did you do?”
“Me?” Canis exclaimed. “I did nothing!”
“Remus? Come on, honey. Tell me what happened.”
“This isn’t about you,” Remus said. “It’s about him, him trying to make himself feel better! He thinks he can just walk back in and claim a place in your life!”
“But…that’s not…I didn’t…” Sirius stammered, looking between his husband and his father. “Is that right? Is that what you think will happen here?”
“Isn’t it?” Canis asked.
“No!”
“But you contacted me! You wanted to see me!”
“I wanted some closure, some understanding of what made you hate me so much,” Sirius said. “I was curious about you, that’s all. I never implied that you could be a part of my life.”
“Then this was a waste of my time,” Canis said, standing and gathering his things. “Good day to you both.”
Sirius stood there, stunned. He’d walked out, he’d just walked out. He couldn’t get his own way so he’d dismissed Sirius once again. No argument, no name calling, nothing. Just upped and left.
Remus, who had managed to calm down, took Sirius’ hand and led him out of the coffee shop and down the street, into an alley and out of sight before he Apparated them both to Diagon Alley. He took Sirius to a café and ordered them hot chocolates.
“I’m a fool,” Sirius murmured eventually. “I should have realised. I pushed and pushed so you’d have to go meet him, fuck, I’m so stupid!”
“No. Siri, look at me,” he said, coaxing him with a gentle hand in his hair. “You did nothing wrong. You had questions, there is nothing shameful about wanting answers.”
“I brought that bastard into your life. You, my amazing husband who I love more than anything. And I was considering letting him near our children, how stupid is that!”
“No! You’re not stupid! You made a mistake and that’s okay,” he promised, kissing him. “It’s okay to make mistakes. It’s okay.”
“Saving me from myself again,” Sirius joked. “Damn. I’m high maintenance.”
“You always have been, and I’ve never loved you any the less.”
“Don’t you get tired of it?”
Remus heard what Sirius was actually asking. Don’t you get tired of me.
“Sirius Orion Lupin-Black, listen to me very carefully. I love you, wholly and completely without reservation. I love you when you’re sleeping, when you’re eating, when you’re being an utter prat. You hog the covers, and the hot water. You’re the first to disappear when the washing up comes your way, and you make some truly shocking decisions. When I say I love you, it's not because I want you, or because I can't help myself - it has nothing to do with me. I love what you are, what you do, how you try... I've seen your kindness, and your strength, I've seen the best and the worst of you and I understand with perfect clarity exactly what you are. You're a hell of a man.”
Sirius was crying and Remus didn’t stop him. Just cuddled him in and let him go.
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Harry trapped his tinge between his teeth as he concentrated on making his folds completely even and straight.
Sheet after sheet of paper was folded under his careful hands, and then he gathered them into groups of four, one inside another inside another. He repeated the process until he had ten groups. The instructions called the signatures.
He measured and marked and then pierced his marks with an awl. He thread his needle and began to bind them together.
It had been Oliver who had taught him to book bind. Apparently, Oliver’s mother worked for Flourish and Blots making books, and he’d grown up doing it. Harry had been enchanted by the notebook Oliver had been scribbling down notes in one day, and Oliver had been quick to tell him he had made it himself.
Harry had only had to look excited before Oliver offered to teach him.
Through the hole, round the previous stitch, back in. Over to the next hole, repeat the steps. On and on Harry went until he had sewn all ten signatures together. Then he clamped them in the press Oliver had loaned him. Two bamboo cutting boards held together by screws and wing nuts that could be loosened and tightened. Once he had it how he wanted it, he applied a layer of glue to the spine, and a second layer once it dried, and then added a ribbon of his choice, which was red, and left it to dry.
While he was waiting for things to dry, he slowly made his way through his revision for Herbology. It wasn’t his favourite subject, but it wasn’t History of Magic. Even Severus had said that subject was a waste of time with the way Binn’s taught it. But Harry had been finding much more enjoyment in History with Remus teaching him. The werewolf knew so many little titbits that weren’t in the books, silly facts that helped the knowledge stick in his brain a lot easier.
Once his glue was all dry, Harry added his end pages, a nice bright red, and put it back in the press to dry while he switched to working on Transfiguration. And then once that was dry, he added a piece of paper to the spine to make sure his end pages wouldn’t fall off before carefully trimming the edge of the pages with a craft knife.
He felt all proud of himself when he’d finished his very first text block.
He set aside his revision for the more enjoyable activity of making the hard cover for his book. His hand nudged the newspaper as he put down his ink bottle.
He measured his text block and then measured out his boards. Back cover, front cover, spine. He carefully cut them out and glued them to the fabric Oliver had prepared for him. It was electric pink with little dragons on it.
To prepare the fabric, Oliver had first ironed the fabric flat, and then used heat bond interfacing to ‘glue’ tissue paper to it. It was that simple.
He piled a load of text books on the pieces so they would dry flat.
“Are you ever coming out?” Severus asked from the doorway. “I brought you some lunch.”
“Thanks. I’m revising.”
“I see that. You’re also hiding.”
“I’m not!” Harry protested, accepting the sandwich. “What is there that I’m hiding from?”
“This,” he said, picking up the newspaper and the letter from Dumbledore. “They’re not going to take her from us, Harry. This is simply procedure.”
“Insinuating that I would ever put her at risk…I don’t understand,” Harry said. “Why are they doing this to us?”
Severus sighed. Apparently a complaint had been made to the Ministry that Harry was unfit as a parent, and the suggestion put forward that perhaps having Miri removed from their custody was the best course of action. Dumbledore was working from within the Ministry to try and make them see that it was simply malicious gossip, that Miri was perfectly well cared for.
They still wanted to do a home visit and investigate the claims.
To make matters worse, the press had gotten wind of it and splashed it across the front page of the Prophet. Rita Skeeter was out to get Harry, they were all sure of it now.
“They won’t take her, they wouldn’t dare,” Severus assured. “You’re Harry Potter, you saved them. If it truly comes to it, we’ll invoke the love of your fans. The Ministry truly isn’t big enough to take your child from you. If they tried, they would lose the support of the people and there would be anarchy in the streets.”
“The things they imply…”
“I know,” he said sadly. “It upsets me too.”
According to the Prophet, the complaint was that Harry was neglectful, that Miri was underfed and left to herself for hours at a time without supervision, that she was being forced to do magic beyond her age and ability. There were claims that she wasn’t loved, wasn’t wanted, and claims that Harry was mentally unstable.
Claims against Severus were centred on his history, that he’d been a Death Eater. Apparently the person who had made the complaint was under the impression that Severus had acted of his own free will and not as a spy. The things hinted at were enough to turn all their stomachs. That someone would do such things to a child, that anyone would even suggest them…it was vile.
Harry finished his lunch and then poked at the letter and paper unhappily.
“So what are we supposed to do about this?”
“For the moment, nothing is required of us,” Severus said, taking his hands and rubbing them with his thumbs, easing the muscles. “Most likely, the Ministry will want one of their Auror’s to do a home visit, to assuage their concerns. Possibly a Healer will be asked to examine Miri, to dismiss those particular rumours. But those things will only happen if the Ministry need to be seen to be doing something.”
“I don’t like this. I don’t want it to be like this!”
“I know, I know. Come on, love,” he soothed, mulling him onto his lap and kissing him to calm him.
“She’s mine!”
“Yes, she is, and no one will take her, I won’t let them.”
“How dare they imply that anyone would hurt her! Oh! You know what, it’s probably those fuckers on holiday! The ones I wouldn’t sign autographs for. Or the gossiping bitches by the pool, you remember? The ones who bitched about the floaties?”
“Possibly. Or, it is Lucius. The complaint is anonymous, so it could be anyone.”
“Shit. If they take her and put her in Care, Lucius can get at her, use her to draw me out!”
“Stop, Harry, stop,” he said firmly, cupping Harry’s cheeks and forcing their eyes to meet. “Listen to me. No one will take her, I will never let them. We will get through this.”
Harry snuggled into his neck, clinging tight and Severus clung just as hard.
“Severus, Harry.”
Remus was standing in the doorway.
“Albus is here, he’s seen the Minister.”
Harry and Severus followed him down.
“It is all settled, you need not worry,” Albus promised as they entered. “The complaint was made by an anonymous source and isn’t being treated seriously. Cornelius is furious that Skeeter published it and he’s had her hauled in for questioning.”
“Does everyone who reads the Prophet know that?” Sirius pressed.
“They will,” Albus assured. “A retraction and an apology are being drafted as we speak and will be in both the Evening Prophet and tomorrows Morning Prophet. The Editor in Chief would also like me to extend his deepest apologies.”
“Screw his apologies!” Harry snarled. “After what he allowed printed, he should be having his parenting skills questioned! He should have the threat of this hang over him for a day, see how he likes it!”
“Easy, pup,” Remus said.
“No! Fuck easy! They believed some idiot with too much time on their hands! The next person to threaten my family in any way just because I’m Harry fucking Potter is going to know they fucked up!”
“Uncle Hawy? Why awe you mad?” Dorian asked and Harry stared at him for a moment before he deflated.
“I’m sorry, Dor. I shouldn’t have yelled like that.”
Dorian was quick to hug him and press a kiss to his cheek.
“Is okay. You wewe mad. Why wewe you mad?”
“I’m mad because someone said some very nasty things about me and Severus, said that we don’t take care of Miri.”
“That’s silly,” the little boy said simply. “Was it someone in the house?”
“No.”
“Then they’s wong. They don’t know, they don’t live hewe, so they silly.”
Harry let out a startled laugh and picked him up, hugging him close.
“You’re right. You are a very clever little boy, do you know that?”
“You smart too.”
“Not as smart as you. Don’t ever let anyone tell you different, okay?”
“Okay. Put me down, please,” Dorian asked politely. “I go play in the gawden.”
Harry set him on his feet and he scampered off, hugging Severus’ legs on his way outside. Harry suddenly felt exhausted and sank down into a chair, burying his face in his hands.
“I can’t do this,” he mumbled and Severus gathered him onto his lap, cuddling him close. “Severus, I can’t. It’s too hard.”
“I know, Harry. I know that life keeps kicking you, but it will get better. Listen to me, love. You’re not on your own.”
“Why do they have to make it so hard?” he whimpered.
“Because they are bored fools that have nothing better to do with their time,” Sirius said bluntly. “Sorry. Is this a private moment?”
“No,” Severus said. “This is a ‘the world sucks and humans are morons’ moment.”
“Ah. Well. I can’t argue with that one.”
Harry gasped.
“Miri’s awake from her nap,” he said, pressing a kiss to Severus’ lips as he stood up. “I’ll fall apart later, when she’s in bed. I’m going to get her and take her out to the garden to play.”
“Harry? What do you want to do about all this?” Remus asked, motioning at the letter and newspaper.
“I’m not doing anything about that, not right now. Right now, I’m going to play in the garden with my baby,” Harry said, heading to the door. “Professor, you seem to have it all in hand. You and Severus can handle it.”
“Very well,” Dumbledore said carefully after getting a quick head shake from Severus. “Have fun with Miri, my boy.”
Harry left the room and started climbing the stairs, letting himself leave the pain and anger in the kitchen. Dorian was right. Whoever had made the complaint knew nothing about him, his family, his life, or his parenting skills.
And, all things considered, no matter how much Harry disliked himself, he knew he was a pretty good parent. Miri was happy and healthy, she spent almost all of her day smiling. She was independent (as much as a 12 month old could be), and opinionated, and stubborn. She was affectionate and sweet and had the cutest giggle Harry had ever come across. She was perfect, and Harry took it as proof that he must be doing something right.
Miri was standing in her cot when he entered her bedroom, her kitten standing on the floor looking up at her as she rubbed at her eyes.
As she saw Harry, her face lit up with a huge smile and she jumped up and down.
“Caya! Me go up!”
“Yes, Miri goes up!” he sang as he picked her up, cuddling her and rubbing his nose against hers. “Did you have a nice nap?”
She nodded, pressing kisses to his cheek.
“Did you have nice dreams?”
Another nod. She was happily exploring his ear, tracing her tiny fingertip around the swirls and curves.
“Pity dream,” she said, tugging at the lobe as he carried her towards the stairs.
“Oh. That’s good. Pretty dreams are nice. What colours were there?” he prompted as he paused on the top step to scoop up her kitten. He promptly settled on Harry’s shoulder for Miri to pet.
“Was a blue and a red and a lellow,” she said. “I sawed a pink and a geen ands puple. And sparky!”
“Sparkly? Wow. What else was in your dream?”
“Kitty! And daddy, and Caya and Ampa!”
“Which grandpa?”
“Bowf. Was playin’ game in garden,” she said, carefully petting the kitten on his head between his ears. He was a good sport, taking it even when she slipped and wasn’t so gentle.
“Really! What game were they playing?”
“A playin’ on da side and a swing and a tree.”
“Oh. What were they doing in the tree?”
“A kissin’!”
“Oh, Grandpa Sirius and Grandpa Remus were kissing in the tree. Did they like it in the tree?”
“Found birdies in a tree! Flap flap flap! Pity birdies.”
“What colours were the birdies?”
“A back, like a kitty. Kitty name is a Cauldron,” she said, carefully sounding out his name so Harry would hear it clearly.
“Your kitten told you his name?”
“Yes.”
“And his name is Cauldron.”
“Yes. Good name.”
The kitten happily meowed at Harry as he was given a name, and then Miri clapped and squealed as she noticed where she was being taken.
“A garden! A play in garden?”
“Yup. We’re going to play in the garden, baby, just me and you.”
“Caya push me on swing, poh-lease?”
“Absolutely.”
Harry put her down and Cauldron leapt to the ground, stalking off to do his business in the weeds. Miri took Harry’s hand and led him over to the swings.
Because of the size of the garden, and the amount of kids they had (actual kids and kids at heart), the family had made the decision to invest in industrial size play equipment, the kind found in public playgrounds.
There was a climbing frame, a range of slides in different sizes, swings, a roundabout, a see-saw, and little wooden animals on springs that rocked back and forth.
Miri loved the toddler swing, with its bars to keep her safe as she was pushed. She could use her magic to make it move, but she preferred to have someone push her that she could babble at as she moved. Dorian liked the ‘big boy swings’. Big bouncy bucket seats that cradled him as he played. He really liked the huge hammock swing, which was big enough for him to curl up with a grown up and cuddle while they rocked.
Harry settled Miri in, made sure she was comfortable and started up the swing. She babbled her dream at him, going on about the birdies and the butterflies she’d imagined.
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“You are certain of this?”
“Yes,” Albus said sadly. “There is no doubt, he admitted it himself.”
Severus sighed and watched Harry and Miri out of the window, hearing her giggle and talk, seeing him smile.
“Percy,” Severus said. “I never would have thought something like this from any Weasley.”
“It’s since he moved out, apparently,” Albus said. “Fleur and his co-workers are adamant that Percy implied that you were a paedophile.”
“Severus, I am so sorry,” Molly said, mopping at her tears.
“Don’t be silly,” he said, crossing the room to hold her. “This is not your fault. Six out of seven of your children turned out wonderful. You can’t be blamed for one bad apple.”
“I can’t believe he said such things!” Sirius said. “I never thought I’d see the day a Weasley was such an absolute disgrace.”
“Me neither,” Remus agreed. “And for him to think such things…”
“Yes, it is worrying,” Albus said.
“Is the Minister going to take action?” Severus asked.
“Percy will be spending the night in a holding cell. The Auror’s are going to question him today about his allegations, to determine what he believes and how he came to such conclusions, and then question some more tomorrow. As for what is to become of him…no one has an answer for that just yet.”
“We can’t let him go around saying things like this,” Charlie said angrily. “All it takes is the wrong comment in front of the wrong person and someone could end up dead. Fuck! Does he even think about what comes out of his mouth!”
“Charlie, calm down,” Molly urged. “Getting yourself worked up isn’t going to help anything.”
“Maybe not, but he’s put all of us at risk. He makes comments, logs an official complaint, Harry and Severus get investigated, and now the family is front page news.”
“It’s not a situation any of us are happy with,” Anne said, getting up to make more tea. “But it has happened, and now we need to deal with it. The paper is printing a retraction and an apology.”
“Yes, and the Minister only wants a written report from Tonks on what she’s witnessed, and another from Sam or Jack regarding Miri’s health,” Albus said. “He only wants them for procedural reasons, so he can complete the file and close it. Cornelius doesn’t want this anymore than we do. It’s shining a light on the Ministry, and he doesn’t want that.”
“Yeah, someone might start to question his leadership skills,” Charlie muttered. “If he can’t even keep his staff under control.”
The fire sprung to life and deposited Arthur, who looked destroyed.
“The Minister came to my office, told me…”
“We know,” Severus said. “And I do not blame you, Arthur. You are a wonderful man. This is Percy and Percy alone. He has come along to these conclusions and decided to make his own way with them.”
They sat and discussed it for a while, all the time with someone watching Harry to make sure they weren’t caught unaware.
“So we’re all agreed?” Sirius asked. “We don’t tell Harry who it was.”
“Agreed,” Severus said. “I do not want my husband convicted of murder. Even if he did bring it upon himself.”
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It was the first time Harry had gone out without Miri, but that wasn’t why he was nervous. Solarin and Sam and Mad-Eye had all assured him that she would be fine without him for a few hours.
Harry was nervous because of what he was about to do.
“We don’t have to do this,” Severus promised. “If you’re unsure, if you’re not ready.”
“No, I am, I’m ready,” Harry reassured, fiddling with the flowers he held. “I’m just…nervous.”
“Understandable. This way.”
They made their way through the village of Godric’s Hollow towards the church and attached graveyard. From there it was a matter of walking up and down the rows to find the right markers. It was Severus that spotted them, and he led Harry over.
The marble headstone proclaimed it to be the final resting place of Lily and James Potter.
Harry laid his flowers and then leaned back against Severus.
“Do you think…it hurt?” he whispered. “When they…”
“No,” Severus said. “I have always like to think of it happening very fast, so fast that they didn’t feel a thing.”
“I like that. Tell me more.”
Severus squeezed him, resting his head on his shoulder. “Well, I know from the reports of that night that James was first. He was found in the living room doorway. It’s assumed he was headed to the front door to stop the Dark Lord. The reports mention that his eyes were open, so he didn’t even have time to close them.”
“Really fast then.”
“Yes. Very fast. Lily…she was found in your nursery, in front of your crib. Her eyes were open too.”
“That’s good. I like that it was fast, that they weren’t in pain.” Harry stroked Severus fingers. “Was I hurt? Apart from my head, I mean.”
“No. Sirius found you, got you out. He said, in the report, that you were confused, and distressed, but you were not harmed aside from the obvious.”
Harry was quiet for a long time, and Severus let him be. His own mother was buried in Devon, where her family had been from originally, and Severus hadn’t been there in a very long time. But he remembered what it was like to stand before her grave and try to make sense of it all in his mind.
Eventually, Harry moved and Severus followed, trailing him out of the graveyard and into the town square. Harry stopped and stared at the statue for a moment before moving closer to read the inscription. As they got closer, the obelisk transformed into three figures of white marble.
It was a memorial to Harry, Lily and James.
Captured in stone were the three Gryffindor’s, Lily held by James, baby Harry in Lily’s arms.
“We look happy,” Harry murmured. “I think we were. It feels happy here, like I was happy here. Does that make sense?”
“Perfect sense.”
“I want to see it. My house.”
Severus took his hand and led him through the village until they got to the Potter’s house. It was a very beautiful village, full of quaint little houses and inhabitants that still waved hello to anyone they saw. It was the sort of place where people could legitimately leave their doors unlocked without fear, where everyone knew everyone else.
Harry made sure not to look too closely at any elderly people they passed. It was entirely possible that they had known his parents before the Fidelius charm, and they might recognise Harry and try to draw him into a conversation he wasn’t ready for.
There were several shops, a post office, a pub, and the little church. Harry reasoned that it was probably where he’d been Christened, if there had been a ceremony. There was almost certainly a village school close by; Harry possibly would have attended it, had Lily and James lived.
The Potter’s house was a rather pretty house, or it had been. A small two bedroom cottage not far from the statue, in what Harry thought was a Tudor style. White walls, black beams that were slightly crooked in the way things almost always were in the Wizarding world, leaded diamond windows and a sturdy looking chimney. The garden was overgrown, but it had probably been a very picturesque yard.
The hedge had grown wild in the years since that night. There was rubble in the waist high grass, like little islands in a sea of green. Most of the cottage was still standing, though entirely covered in dark trailing ivy, but the right side of the top floor had been blown apart.
“My room was there?” Harry asked, pointing at the missing part of the house.
“Yes. Lily told me it faced east, so you would get the morning sun.”
Harry reached out to touch the gate and then pulled back his hand as if he’d been burnt. He didn’t want to touch it. It was almost as if he might disturb the peace of the place if he did.
“Why is it like this?” he asked. “It’s all broken still. It’s been sixteen years.”
“The house is yours,” Severus said gently. “No one had the legal right to touch it. Also…”
Severus reached out and placed a hand on the gate, and before them a plaque sprung up, words bright on it.
On this spot, on the night of 31 October 1981,
Lily and James Potter lost their lives.
Their son, Harry, remains the only wizard ever
to have survived the Killing Curse.
This house, invisible to Muggles, has been left
in its ruined state as a monument to the Potters
and as a reminder of the violence
that tore apart their family.
All around the bright words, other witches and wizards had left their own messages, scrawled as they visited the home of the Potter’s. Some of the messages were simple messages of good luck, others were heartfelt, saying how sorry they were that such a tragedy had happened.
“If the house is mine…what do I do with it?” Harry whispered.
“You need not do anything with it,” Severus said gently. “It is yours, always has been, always will. For now, we live in London with your fathers. Perhaps someday you might like to have it rebuilt and live in it, or perhaps have it torn down and build a different house. Or just leave it as it is.”
“I don’t know. Maybe I’ll just think about it for a while.”
“Also a valid course of action.”
Harry and Severus lingered for a while, staring at the house. Harry could see a little bit of his nursery through the missing part of the walls. Lots of yellow. Walls, what was left of the curtains, and Harry could just spot an alphabet picture, but all the letters were off, sort of slumped against the bottom of the frame, and it took Harry a while to realise why.
“The pictures…they were magical.”
“Hmmm?”
“The alphabet, in my room,” he said, pointing to them.
“Oh. Yes, it was. It was a gift from your grandmother, I think. If it’s the one I’m thinking of. James enchanted it. The spell must have worn off after he passed.”
“Can we…maybe…go inside?”
“Possibly, but I wouldn’t, not today anyway,” Severus said, looking at the cracks in the bricks and plaster, the deep reaching ivy. “Doesn’t look particularly sound.”
“Oh. Maybe…we could come back sometime. Have someone take a look at it, make it safe. Can we do that?”
“If you’d like.”
“Harry? Are you Harry?”
They turned to find a woman looking at them from her own front garden. She was fifty or so, with dark hair and eyes and a wide smile. Her skin was a beautiful mahogany.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you or intrude,” she said, leaning against the wall. “I just…you look so much like him, I wondered if you were him.”
“Him who?” Harry asked.
“Harry, the baby that lived there,” she said, motioning to the damaged cottage. “I always wondered if he might come back someday, if I might get to give him…”
“Give me what?”
“You are Harry! I knew it. You look so much like James. But those eyes…they’re hers. Lily’s. Oh, look at you. All grown up. At Hogwarts are you?”
“You’re…”
“I’m Melinda. I’m a Squib. Lily never held it against me though. She was a good woman. Such a sad night.” She waved a hand. “I’m sorry, you don’t want to be listening to me blathering on. I’ll give them to you and let you get on. Got to pick up my grandson from school anyway. Just a mo.”
She disappeared inside and left them standing there stunned.
“Do we think she’s genuine?” Severus asked.
“I think so. She’s kind of familiar, like I’ve met her before. Which would make sense if I lived next door. Maybe I have met her before.”
She returned with a handful of photographs and a huge white cat, bigger than Crookshanks.
“You can have the pictures, I’ve no use for them except to say I used to live next door,” she chuckled. “But I wasn’t sure if you’d want him.”
“You want us to take your cat?” Severus asked as Harry accepted the pictures.
“Oh! No. He’s not mine. Potter is Harry’s. After that night…poor thing needed a home.”
“He’s my cat?” Harry questioned, shoving the photo’s into his pocket and holding out a hand for it to sniff. “Really? I didn’t know I had a cat.”
“Yes. Well, he was bought for you, when James found out Lily was pregnant. And he’s not just a cat, he’s a Kneazle. Goodness!”
The cat, apparently called Potter, had leapt from her arms and into Harry’s, where he curled up and purred. Harry carded his fingers through the wild white fuzz and scratched behind an ear, making him meow up at him, turning bright blue eyes on him.
“I see. Am I your human, is that what this is?” Harry said to the feline, managing not to laugh.
Meow.
“Right. That’s that then. Uhhh. How do you get a cat through the floo?”
“I have a carrier for him,” Melinda said and disappeared inside once more.
“Kneazle’s are very loyal,” Severus said. He held out a hand and smiled when Potter let him pet him between the ears. “James probably wanted a familiar for you. Like we got Cauldron for Miri.”
“Is taking care of one of these any different from a regular cat? I mean…feed him, groom him, let him out to do his thing in the weeds. That’s all the same, right?”
“Yes. Crookshanks will show him the ropes.”
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Molly was making bread when Dorian came running in, panic all over his little face.
“Oh, baby boy!” she soothed, scooping him up with her floury hands. “What’s the matter?”
“Mummy’s huwt! She in the bathwoom and she not waking up and thewe’s blood!”
Molly handed him off to Anne and hurried from the room, running up the stairs and using the doorframe to stop herself at the bathroom. She started to knock but stopped when the door swung open, revealing what had scared Dorian.
Solarin laying on the white tile, unconscious, blood pouring from her, covering the floor, soaking her clothes, her hair, her skin. She was deathly pale, almost blue.
“Oh, sweet Merlin,” she breathed.
Molly crossed the room and knelt down, trying to rouse her daughter-in-law with no success. There was so much blood, so very much.
“Oh God,” Jack said. “Anne called Sam and me, I got here first.”
He set to work, mopping away some of the blood, trying to find its source while hooking her up to all sorts of tubes and wires. She had no idea what he was doing, but it comforted her to see him do something.
It seemed an age before Sam arrived and between them father and son lifted her up and Apparated away, leaving Molly to comfort her grandchildren.
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Bill and Severus felt like they;d been in the waiting room for years, decades by the time Sam came to update them
“She’s stable,” he said and the two men let out sighs of relief. “But she’s not out of the woods.”
“What’s happening to her?” Bill pressed and Sam took a seat.
“We’re not entirely sure why, but her body has started to reject her own uterus. Her magic has pushed down on it, basically crushing it.”
“And that caused the bleeding?”
“Yes. I am so sorry. She came to me and I thought it was just a period, that the potion she was given in the attack was making it worse. I never thought it could be so serious. I am so, so sorry.”
“Sam, stop,” Severus said. “You weren’t to know, no one could have known.”
“He’s right,” Bill agreed.
“I’m still sorry.”
“I know,” Bill said. “So what do we do now?”
“I want to operate,” he said bluntly. “I can’t see any other way to stop what’s happening and keep it from happening again. Her magic will continue to put pressure on her, and her body is classing her reproductive capabilities as non-essential.”
“So you want to go in and repair things or something else?” Bill asked.
“I want to perform a complete hysterectomy,” he said bluntly. “Even from the preliminary tests we’ve done, it’s clear that this is the only option. She has no chance of ever conceiving biological children, we already knew that, so that isn’t a consideration as it would be in another woman. The bottom line is this: without this, she will continue to bleed and she will die.”
“She won’t agree,” Severus said.
“I know,” Sam said with a sigh, running his fingers through his hair. “I already tried. She told me to go fuck myself.”
“Simple, direct, classic,” Bill joked.
“Time wasting,” Severus finished.
“All of the above, and also dangerous,” Sam said. “She needs this surgery. But I can’t do it without her consent. Not only is it illegal, it’s unethical too.”
“I will talk to her. Bill, you call home, let them know what’s happening. Harry and I shall take care of Dorian and Daven tonight, Molly has her hands full with the twins, teething and all.”
Bill nodded and went off to the room set aside for relatives to call others, with good news or bad. Severus followed Sam down the hall.
Solarin was in the high dependency pre-surgery ward, which meant a large white room filled with equipment and very sick people. There were four beds, two of which were occupied. One was filled by a young wizard, roughly 12 or 13, who had a cage over his legs to keep the sheet elevated. A woman Severus assumed to be the boy’s mother was sat by his head, stroking his hair as he completely lost his cool. Tears were falling down his face and he was babbling absolute nonsense, something about being eaten by his homework and letting Santa Claus down.
“Pain meds,” Sam whispered to him as they passed. “She’s down the end. Good luck.”
Severus approached the bed where his sister lay and nodded at the nurse as she left Solarin’s side. Then Severus looked at the bed and he had to remind himself that he was a grown man with a daughter and not a scared teenager with a dead mother.
Solarin was pale anyway, she always had been. But with the blood loss she looked dead already. If it weren’t for the rise and fall of her chest, the beep of the heart monitor, Severus would have feared that he’d lost her already.
There was blood in her hair, matting it together, making it sticky. It stained her skin where she’d been laying in it, and it turned Severus’ stomach.
“I hear you’ve been causing trouble, miss,” he said, taking the empty chair.
“I’m going home,” she said. “I have to go home. Daven needs a feed, she’s due in ten minutes. And Dorian. I need to play Lego with him, I promised. And bath time, and bedtime. He needs his story. He always has a story.”
“Solarin, stop it. Stop, and listen to me. You are bleeding, sweetheart, and I don’t mean a tiny bit. You are gushing blood, and if Sam doesn’t do something to stop it you will die,” he said, knowing that he needed to be blunt to get through to his sister.
Solarin was terrified of the hospital, and had been ever since their mother died. Somewhere deep in her subconscious it had become ingrained that the hospital meant death. Every time she had to go near a hospital she lost her control.
“I don’t want to be here,” she whimpered. “Please, Sevus. Please don’t make me stay here.”
“I know, sweetheart,” he said, stroking her hair. “I know. But Sam will take very good care of you. And I promise one of us will be waiting for you when you wake up.”
Sam made his way over and hovered by the end of her bed.
“I don’t want it,” she cried and Severus grabbed a tissue to wipe her tears. “Please, I don’t. I’ll be good! I’ll be a good girl! Please, please, please!”
“Shhh, Solarin, calm down, sweetheart,” he soothed, climbing onto the bed so he could hold her close, the way he’d done when she was a little girl with a nightmare. “Oh, my baby girl. Come on. Sevus is here. Easy, darling. Come on, calm down. You are a good girl, you’ve always been a good girl. My good girl. Now I need you to be a brave girl for me and let Sam help you.”
“I don’t want to,” she argued.
“I know that. And I also know that there are a great many things in this world that all of us do not want to do. But we must do them, nonetheless. Thus, even though you do not want to do this, will you do it?”
“I will,” she sniffed.
“Good girl. Now, Sam has a form for you to sign.”
Sam came forwards and held out a clipboard and a pen, one of the Muggle ones he always seemed to have in every pocket. She didn’t even read it, just scrawled her name where he pointed and handed it back.
Bill arrived as Sam left to prep for surgery and the nurse returned to administer some potions.
Severus made to get up but stopped when Solarin whimpered and gripped at him.
“Bill’s turn, sweetheart,” he prompted and motioned to where the redhead was. It was all it took for her to let go of him and let him up.
Severus stood back and pulled himself together while Bill took his place, curling close to Solarin and whispering endearments to her.
“Harry and Severus are going to take care of the kids tonight, they’ve already said,” Bill assured. “And I spoke to Dorian, he knows you’re sick but Sam’s going to make you better.”
“Please, don’t make me stay here,” she begged.
“Baby, I have to. Just this one time. Get this done. Do you really want our babies growing up without their mother? Because that’s what’ll happen if you don’t do this. You’ll bleed out and you’ll die and me and the kids will be the ones left behind.”
“No, I don’t want that.”
“So what are you going to do about it?”
“Let Sam make it better.”
“That’s my girl,” he said, kissing her.
[I love you, wholly and completely, without question,] he said. [And I will be right here the whole time, every single second. I’ll be right here waiting for you. And when you wake up, I’ll be the first thing you see.]
[I love you.]
Bill got in a few more kisses and reassurances before they had to take her in, and then he gripped at Severus’ hand behind his back until she was out of sight. Then his knees went from under him.
Bill knelt on the floor, breathing deeply, and Severus let him be. The two of them in the corridor, pulling themselves together.
Bill felt it, the very moment she was put under. He felt the connection between them snap, broken in a way it never had been and his legs, which he’d finally managed to make work enough to make him stand, turned to jelly and he collapsed.
“Oh, shit.”
“Deep breaths, that’s a lad,” Severus urged, gripping his shoulders and hauling him up.
Severus wrapped an arm around him and led him to the waiting room, settling him into one of the chairs.
“They put her under?”
“Yeah. I don’t like it,” Bill said, wrapping his arms around himself. He was suddenly shaking, freezing. “It’s just gone, the connection. She’s gone.”
“No, she is just sleeping, a very very deep sleep. And when Sam has made this right, he’ll wake her up and she’ll come back.”
“Yeah. You’re right. It’s temporary,” he said. “I’m okay. I’m going to get some bad coffee and sit here and wait. You go.”
“Are you sure? I will stay if you need me to,” Severus checked.
“No. I’m okay, I swear. Go home and give my kids big kisses from their mum.”
Severus stood and stared down the corridor for a long moment, before he clapped Bill and the shoulder and forced himself to walk away.
Bill eventually got himself together enough to get that cup of coffee. He had no intentions of drinking it, but it was warm in his hands, took the chill out of them.
And then there was nothing left to do but wait.
- 9
- 10
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Salvation