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The Rise of the Drackens	By : StarLightMassacre Category: Harry Potter > Threesomes/Moresomes Views: 769456 -:- Recommendations : 71 -:- Currently Reading : 219
Disclaimer: I own nothing. All rights for the creation of the Harry Potter novels go to J. K. Rowling. I make no money from this piece of fictional writing

Chapter List
- 122
- 123
- 124
Last Time
They would plan a day trip somewhere, and they would let their children experience normal situations, it wasn’t good for them to keep them secluded in the house all day, only taking them out occasionally for a trip to the supermarket down the road. They needed to get more confident in their own parenting abilities and start teaching their kids about the world around them, that was their duty as parents. They would have that day trip, they could only hope that Harry agreed with them about it.

Chapter One Hundred-Twenty-Three – Thunderer

The four dominants had waited until the evening of the next day to tell Harry about the possibility of going out for a day trip in the summer, until he was more himself and less taken by his Dracken instincts.
Far from being worried, or fretful, over the safety of the children, as most submissives were when broached about the subject of taking their children out into large crowds of strangers, Harry was fully on board and seemed to be excited about the prospect of taking the kids out.

“We should take them to the zoo!” Harry insisted, so excited that the four of them had to smile at him. “They’ll love all of the animals, I know it. Braiden especially, he loves animals.”

They looked to where Braiden was playing with a wooden farm, moving the animals around as he played, talking to himself as he did so.
Nasta was a bit troubled though by Harry’s enthusiasm, and how he’d immediately jumped to the zoo, when they had suggested taking them to the park down the road. His mind went to the cruel family who had raised him, and his heart ached as he realised that perhaps Harry had always wanted to go to a zoo, but hadn’t been able to go to one before.

“Harry, have you ever been to a zoo?” Nasta asked softly.

Harry’s face closed off immediately, as it always did when they brought up his past.
Nasta was expecting Harry to shake his head, as he usually went non-verbal when the Dursleys were brought up until he was coaxed into talking, but Harry just sighed.

“Once.” He told them. “It…it didn’t end very well for me.”

“Will you tell us about it?” Blaise asked softly, sitting down next to Harry.

Harry breathed in deeply to calm himself and he closed his eyes, his face a picture of misery. Nasta hated the Dursleys all over again, the rage he felt at them, at what they’d done to Harry, growing even further inside him.

“I was so excited.” Harry said softly. “I’d never been allowed to go out with them before. They’d been on day trips, on holiday, all without me, but this time…this time I was allowed to go, because no one else could look after me. They were forced to take me with them.”

Harry frowned and glanced a look at the four of them.

“They were going to the zoo for Dudley’s eleventh birthday. Dudley took his friend Piers with him. They were hitting and pinching me all through the car drive, but I didn’t care, I was finally going to see a zoo, and I was so happy. I can’t tell you with mere words how happy I felt to be doing something normal.”

“You would have been ten.” Draco said.

Harry looked up at him, and nodded. “Yes. Dudley’s birthday was at the end of June, mine was the end of July. So he was a month older than I was. I…I thought it was the best day of my life, because Vernon, he brought Dudley and Piers a large ice cream each as soon as we arrived, and the nice lady asked me what I wanted before Vernon could hurry us off, so I got a cheap lemon ice lolly.”

“Is…is that why you like them now?” Max asked.

Harry nodded. “Yes. I don’t mind orange ones either, but lemon are my favourite, because it was the first one I had. He bought me a lemon one because he hoped I wouldn’t like it, but I did.”

“You like ice cream, though, don’t you?” Blaise questioned.

Harry smiled then. “Oh, yes, I definitely like ice cream.” The smile fell and Harry sighed. “Anyway, I loved the zoo at first. I was mostly left alone, Dudley and Piers were rushing off everywhere, and I got to do my own thing as long as I stayed in sight. We stopped for lunch at a restaurant.”

“We’re you allowed anything to eat?” Max asked.

“Of course not. I’d already had a lolly.” Harry told them, and all four of them had to swallow back their rage at how blasé Harry spoke about only being allowed one ice lolly to eat in a day. “But Dudley complained that his Knickerbocker glory wasn’t big enough, after he’d already eaten most of it, so they got him another one and I was allowed to finish the rest of the first.”

“That’s all you had that day, wasn’t it? An ice lolly and the remnants of an ice cream sundae.” Nasta asked.

Harry nodded. “Yeah. We…we went to the reptile house after that, and that’s where I found out I could speak Parseltongue for the first time. I had a conversation with a boa constrictor. I…I was caught doing it by Dudley and Piers. Dudley punched me in the ribs to get me out of the way, I hit the floor and I…I was just so angry.”

“Accidental magic?” Draco sighed, knowing where the story was heading.

Harry nodded. “I made the glass from the snake’s tank vanish…they had both been leaning up against the glass, pressing against it, so they fell into the enclosure. The snake paid them no mind, it made a break for freedom, I’m not sure if it was ever caught, but…they hated magic so much, so…”

“You were punished for it.” Nasta said.

Harry nodded. “Of course I was. The best day quickly turned into a bad one, we came straight home after that, without seeing any more of the zoo, and I was locked in the cupboard with no food for a week. I…I was so excited to go to the zoo, but they spoilt it, just like they spoilt everything for me.”

“We’ll go to the zoo in the summer.” Max said decisively. “We’ll make it a much better experience for you too, with all the lemon lollies you want.”

That made Harry smile. “I just want my babies to have all the experiences that I never got to have.”

“You’re never too old to experience new things.” Nasta said firmly. “We’ll plan a trip to the zoo in June, after Draco’s birthday. We’ll get it off work, plan a schedule, everything.”

“I’m so excited already.” Harry said. “Our little thunderer won’t remember it, I doubt the girls will either, but I hope the others have a good time.”

“It doesn’t matter if they remember it or not, love. They’ll all enjoy themselves, and we’ll take photos, and we’ll take the camcorder too. We can film it for them for when they’re older.”

“Will we take Leolin, or not?” Blaise asked.

“That’s something we’ll have to discuss.” Nasta said.

“I don’t think I want to risk it.” Harry frowned. “I don’t want him to miss out, but there will be a lot of people there. People who might be sick, or be carrying germs. I think I’d feel better if he had a Faerie day with Dain and Kailen, or maybe even Lathen and Ezrah, and then we could take him maybe, when he’s older and more able to deal with things. When he could tell us if he’s getting any symptoms of being sick.”

“I think that would be for the best.” Nasta agreed. “He won’t mind, and he liked his Faerie day the last time. As long as he has his Ma doll and you sleep with his blanket beforehand, I’m sure he’ll be fine.”

Harry settled himself then, and he smiled. “I’m so excited for this trip.”

Nasta bent forward and kissed Harry’s head. “We’ll make it perfect for you.”

“For the kids.” Harry corrected firmly.

“For all of you.” Max said. “Now, do you want tea?”

Harry hummed and nodded. “Yes.”

“Still not hungry?”

“Not yet. I had some toast for breakfast, I am eating, I just don’t want a lot. I do want my baby though, I can’t believe he’s already three days old and he doesn’t have a bloody name.”

Draco, who had been cuddling the newborn, begrudgingly handed him over to Harry.

“Sorry, love, but he really needs a name.” Harry said, looking at the baby in his arms.

“I know, I just enjoy cuddling him.”

Harry chuckled softly and he sat back against the cushions that his mates had packed up behind him, reclining back without injuring himself by holding the baby.

“Do you still want to name him after thunder?” Blaise asked.

“Yes, I’ve been looking up Welsh names too, and so far I’ve got Taranis, the god of thunder, but I don’t want to call him Taranis, it sounds too weird.”

“Then name him a variant, Caru.” Nasta said gently, aware that it was Harry’s decision, but offering him help.

“There are variants?” Harry asked.

“Of course, there’s Taranu, Taran, Tarron…”

“Taren.” Harry cut in, looking from Nasta to the baby in his arms.

“Do you like that name? It means thunder.”

“Really?” Harry asked, looking back up at Nasta.

Nasta nodded. “There are several ways of spelling it, T-A-R-A-N is the usual, but it’s also popular spelt T-A-R-Y-N.”

“No, I don’t like Tar-in.” Harry said, shaking his head. “I like Ta-ren.”

Nasta blinked, but he smiled. “Okay, whatever you want, Cariad. How would you want it spelt?”

“T-A-R-E-N.” Harry said, smiling. He lifted a hand and stroked the baby’s face. “My little thunderer.”

“Did I just miss the name?” Max asked excitedly as he brought in the tray of tea.

“Taren.” Harry said, looking up with a grin. “Our little Welsh thunderer.”

Max reached out to gently squeeze a tiny foot. “Love you, Taren.” He said.

Harry almost teared up at that, but he smiled down at the baby and kissed him again.

“Taren Trefor Delericey.” Harry said firmly, nodding.

“Trefor?” Nasta asked, his face falling.

“He was your several times great-grandfather, Nas.” Harry pointed out. “I think it’s a nice touch, and it suits him.”

Nasta sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’m trying to come to terms with it.”

“I know, and you’re doing so well. It can’t be easy to find out that your family was built on a lie, on such treachery and betrayal. There’s nothing any of us can do to change that, but that you’re trying means a lot to me. Like it or not, we have a Faerie child, who could potentially reach eight hundred years old. He’s going to be lonely, love, if he doesn’t form his own bonds with those who are just as long lived as he is. I don’t want him to be so lonely.”

“And you’re friends with the Faeries yourself.” Max pointed out.

Harry chuckled. “That too, but it’s not the Faeries Nas has the problem with, is it, love? It’s Dain and Kailen for lying, or rather keeping the truth to themselves about the real family history, and the fact that they were the fathers’ of Trefor’s children, and thus related to him, and not that pathetic little prick, Constas.”

Nasta nodded. “That’s the real problem. I still don’t understand why they kept it from us. I heard them explain, I know what they felt, I just…I keep trying to imagine myself in their place, and I just can’t do it.”

“You need to remember that they’re Faeries, not Drackens. Drackens are very, very family orientated, Nas.” Max pointed out. “You’re never going to be able to put yourself in their shoes and imagine yourself not interacting with your grandkids, because a Dracken would never be able to do as they did, and you’re never going to understand that mentality.”

“Therein lies my problem.” Nasta sighed. “I can’t understand why they did it, so I’m finding it difficult to forgive. I’m trying, I just…I just don’t understand and I’m not used to not understanding things.”

“Thank you for at least trying.” Harry said, giving him a smile.

“I’ll make more time for them when they next visit, I think it might help more if I got to know them better.”

Harry smiled at that. “It makes me happy to hear you say that.”

“So, Taren Trefor Delericey.” Nasta smirked. “I’ll have to inform the family, Idris will be upset that you didn’t name the baby after him.”

Harry laughed. “Maybe the next one, after all Regan is named for your Father.”

“Are you sure you want him to be a Delericey, and not a Potter-Delericey? I thought you only wanted one male child to be heir to the family names?” Draco pointed out.

Harry shook his head and swallowed his mouthful of tea. “No, I was thinking about it, and…and I don’t want them to be lonely, so I think I want the first two boys born to each house to take a family name. Of course we had to make allowances for Potter and Black too, but I want our thunderer to be a Delericey.”

“We’ll fill in his birth certificate tomorrow morning then.” Nasta said. “We haven’t touched it yet.”

“Where is it?” Harry asked.

“Healer Almus handed it over when we gave him the placenta to check over.” Max explained. “You were still fast asleep in bed when we did that.”

Harry snorted and sent Max a grin, before a squirm from the baby in his arms took his attention.

“Oh, someone is awake and hungry.”

“Got that covered.” Max insisted, as he took the little bottle of milk from the tray and handed it over.

“Blaise, can you help me?” Harry asked, trying to force his still healing body to cooperate.

Blaise, who was still sat next to him, started moving cushions and he tucked one under Harry’s arm and helped him to lie the baby on it so that he could be fed without Harry straining all his muscles to hold him in the correct feeding position.

“Is that comfortable for you?” Blaise asked, even as he finished tucking the baby’s head towards Harry’s body.

“Yes, that’s perfect, thank you.”

Harry tested the bottle and a slight touch of wandless, wordless magic had it cooling a little more, so it was more comfortable for Taren to drink.
The five of them were silent, all of them watching as their newest child suckled his milk, cradled in a cushion.

“How heavy was he born, love? I don’t think we’ve asked yet.” Max asked him, but his eyes were still all for the baby.

“Nine pounds and two ounces.” Harry said immediately. “Twenty inches long with a thirteen and three quarter inch head circumference.”

“I love submissives.” Max chuckled. “I’ll grab his certificate now, but you’re certain of his name, lover?”

Harry considered the question seriously, but it only took him a moment as he looked at his child. The name had stuck.

“Yes. It’s stuck. Taren Trefor Delericey.”

Max stood and went to the sideboard, taking out the official document from the highest part of the cabinet up top, where Blaise kept the warded, ancient alchemy book that Harry had given to him for their very first Christmas together.
He took out his best quill and a bottle of ink and while Harry watched their feeding son, the others watched as Max filled in the certificate.

“Nine pounds and two ounces, you were right, he was definitely a big baby.” Max chuckled. “You had such a nice, neat bump too, where were you hiding the rest of him?”

Harry laughed. “In my bladder and lungs.”

Max laughed, but pushed the certificate over to Nasta and handed over the quill. “Nas, you need to do this part as the genetic Father.”

Nasta took the quill, read over the information, and then where Max had filled in his full name, he signed underneath.

“Harry, you just need to sign it now, Caru.”

Harry nodded his understanding, but he didn’t take his eyes from the baby. “Let him finish feeding first, and then I will.”

A wail over the baby monitor had all five of them looking to the group of three on the coffee table. They were colour coordinated to the three different rooms that held their sleeping babies.

“That’s Leolin’s room.” Draco sighed. “I told you he wasn’t settling as normal. I’ll go and grab him.”

“See if he can be tempted with a bit more milk, Draco.” Nasta said. “He left an inch or so in his bottle, it’s on the side of his changing table.”

Draco nodded and went upstairs to check on their Faerie baby, while Harry finished off feeding Taren.

“Do you want me to wind him?” Blaise asked, hovering over Harry as baby Taren finished his bottle and Harry eased forward to put the bottle on the coffee table.

“Yeah, take him.” Harry said, passing the three day old baby over and reaching for the certificate and the quill.

Blaise snuggled the baby into his neck, rubbing the baby’s back and patting gently to bring up his wind.

“Is it my turn to be on night duty?” Harry asked, even as he found where Max had written his name under Mother, and he signed his name underneath.

“No, Harry.” Nasta said. “It’s mine. I’m on paternity leave now.”

“I haven’t done a turn during the night though.” Harry said, finishing his signature and flicking his head up to look at his top dominant.

“You’re still recovering, love.” Max insisted. “Until I say you’re fit, you won’t be doing any night feeds.”

“But…I want to help. I want to look after my own baby.”

“You are, Harry.” Nasta stressed. “But you need to look after yourself too. None of us have had to rip ourselves open and pull a baby out. None of us had to carry a baby in our bodies for seven months. You need to take this time to relax and recover. We are well able to do the night shifts until you’re recovered.”

Harry gave them a look, then he smirked. “Will I ever be recovered enough in your view to handle the night feeds?”

“No.” Blaise insisted truthfully.

Harry laughed, but made a pained noise and pressed a hand over his belly. “Oh, don’t make me laugh, love.” He complained.

“You see, you’re not healed enough, and I don’t want you going up and down those stairs so often with your healing caesarean. The stairs are still too much for you, and we want you to be safe and healthy.” Max said. “You had Taren just three days ago, dearest, normally you’re still in your nest with him, you won’t be going up those stairs by yourself for another two weeks if everything heals nice and smoothly, and even then you won’t be carrying anything, or anyone, up or down them.”

Harry sighed. “I was thinking of making up his bottles ready and just heating them with magic when he needs them. Or just keeping him and myself down here for the night.”

“Absolutely not.” Nasta said sternly. “Being in bed, with us, is the best place for you. We will handle the night feeds until you are fully recovered, Harry. There are four of us, Caru, there is absolutely no need for you to force yourself to do anything with us here to look after you.”

“I suppose I can stop being so stubborn for a while, he really took it out of me, and coming out of my nest early messed up my healing process. But just this once.” Harry added firmly.

Harry saw the three of them share smiles, but he affected to ignore it. Instead he rested back in the cushions that had been placed behind him to prop him up and he breathed deeply and calmly.
Draco came back down, but he had a grizzling, whining Leolin in his arms still.

“He really will not settle.” Draco told them. “He seems fine. He’s not fevered, he’s clean and dry, I’ve checked for signs of teething and he doesn’t have any sign. I just don’t know.”

“Pass him to me.” Harry said, indicating that he wanted Draco to put Leolin on his chest, so that he wouldn’t have to struggle to sit up so soon after laying back down.

They were all rather worried when not even being on Harry calmed Leolin down.

“Leolin.” Harry tried, speaking to his son to try and calm him. It was usually Harry’s voice, and his eyes, that calmed Leolin the most, but he continued to grizzle.

Harry shared a look with his mates as he stroked Leolin’s back, taking care with the folded up wings.

“Baby, are you okay?” He asked, doing his own checks to make sure that Leolin wasn’t sick, but he smelt normal, earthy, like all Faeries.

“Was there anything in the development books that mentioned anything like this happening at around twenty-six months?” Harry asked Nasta desperately.

Nasta shook his head. “Do you want Healer Cole? Or do you want Dain and Kailen?”

“Dain and Kailen, just in case this is normal or just another development. If they think he needs a healer after that…” Harry trailed off, his bottom lip trembling. None of them had ever wanted a repeat of the time when Leolin had been in the hospital.

“I’ll go and get them. Blaise, perhaps it might be best to put the baby…to put Taren upstairs in his bassinet.” Nasta said softly.

Blaise nodded and checked that the baby he was cradling was asleep, before standing and leaving the room. Nasta took a pinch of floo powder and threw it into the grate and he was gone a moment later.

“I don’t want anything to be wrong with him.” Harry said, tears welling up.

Max rushed to the seat that Blaise had vacated. “We don’t know that anything is wrong, Harry.” He soothed immediately.

“This isn’t normal behaviour.” Harry stressed, watching as Leolin writhed and grizzled. “He looks like he’s in pain, I can’t stand it.”

“Maybe we should take him to the hospital.” Draco said. “Or at the least call a healer here, surely they have one spare.”

“It could be anything, Draco. Maybe we forgot to add softener to the laundry that his bodysuit went into. Maybe Faeries start having nightmares when they hit two. Let Dain and Kailen see him first, and then if they’re worried, then we’ll take him to the hospital.”

“This should be a happy time, we have a newborn, I can’t see him in that hospital again. Not like before.”

Max laid a hand on Leolin’s back, covering Harry’s hand, trying to comfort them both as Leolin wailed and squirmed. It was early night, it was only just gone nine, but if Nasta had trouble getting into the Faerie city, especially with it being in as much turmoil as it allegedly was, then it could take them longer to get back. Harry hoped that Nasta was allowed into the city, and wasn’t detained, but as the minutes ticked by, Harry was getting more and more worried and wound up.
Leolin eventually settled, perhaps too tired to carry on his wriggling and squirming, and Harry looked at him critically, making sure it wasn’t due to an illness taking him over.

“Ma ma.” He said slowly, his tiny hands clenching.

“I’m here.” Harry said softly, stroking Leolin’s black hair, before turning to Max. “Where the hell is Nasta?”

Max bent forward to rest his forehead against the side of Harry’s. “It hasn’t been long enough for him to have even reached their house yet, Harry. Please just try to stay calm. He’s not fevered, and he doesn’t smell sick.”

“I don’t know what else it could be.” Harry said desperately.

“As I said, it could be anything. Maybe there was an extra scoop of formula in his bottle and he’s reacting to that? Maybe he wants to go outside for a Faerie moment? It could be anything, love, it doesn’t mean that he’s sick or in danger.”

Blaise and Draco came to flank them, and they all watched as Leolin looked around, he seemed to be searching for something, and whatever he saw, whether he saw something he wanted, or didn’t see something that he didn’t, he relaxed his whole body and properly settled.

“Ma.” He said more normally, snuffling into Harry’s neck.

“I’m here, sweetie.” Harry said soothingly, patting his back gently.

“Is…is he okay now?” Blaise asked, as they watched Leolin still himself and start drifting off.

“I don’t know.” Harry said. “I want him checked out, just in case.”

It took close to half an hour before Nasta came back, and when he did enter the house again, via the front door, he was in full Dracken form and he was visibly fuming.
All four of them sunk away from him instinctually, which was what made them realise that he was releasing fear-inducing pheromones.

“Don’t be afraid of me.” He told them, his voice harsh and guttural with his Dracken, but he made a conscious effort to rein back his pheromones.

“Would they not come?” Harry asked.

“We are here. We just have a very healthy respect for our angry grandson.” Dain insisted, as he slowly and carefully entered the room.

“Don’t say that the court tried to involve itself in this?” Max demanded.

“Later, we’ll go over that later, please come and see Leolin.” Harry insisted, looking at the two Faeries.

“He seems to have settled.” Kailen pointed out, as both Faeries hunched beside the settee that Harry was reclining on.

“Only in the last ten minutes. He sort of looked around and everything stopped, the wailing and writhing, the crying, he settled and then he went to sleep.”

“Will you tell us the schedule he had today, Harry?” Dain asked, as he gently manipulated Leolin into his own arms and turned him over to check on him.

“He woke up at maybe quarter past seven.” Harry said, looking to his mates for confirmation.

“I was first up, he was still asleep at six when I fed Taren.” Draco said. “He did wake up at about quarter past seven.”

“It might be easier if we got his book.” Harry pointed out.

Max nodded and stood, going to grab Leolin’s book, so that the Faeries could see his eating and napping habits, which had all been documented down so that they could check for patterns, progress, or anything that might indicate that Leolin was not himself.

“We have been letting him have some time outside too, would…would that have made him act like this?” Harry asked.

“No.” Both Faeries said together.

“Being outside is usually what settles an upset Faerie.” Kailen told them, as Max handed Dain the exercise book, open to the right page.

“He’s been doing really well recently.” Draco said. “He’s been going from strength to strength, sitting up more, eating more, we thought he was gearing up for another growth spurt too, before this happened tonight.”

“Aneirin got him a light up ball for Christmas, every time he squeezes it, it flashes a different colour, and he loves it.” Harry chuckled.

“I believe it to be because of the very big change recently. I heard the name Taren, and I can see that you have recently given birth. We were expecting this.”

“Expecting what?” Nasta demanded.

“It is simply sibling jealousy.” Dain told them, closing the book after finding nothing amiss. “It usually starts at this age. He likely saw you fussing over the newly born babe and he didn’t like it. It is for this reason that most Faeries space their babes out, so that the oldest babe does not feel such jealousy towards siblings so soon in their lifetimes.”

“But…Leolin has eight siblings, he’s not even our youngest before Taren was born.” Harry pointed out confusedly.

“The other babes are all moving, you do not need to carry them everywhere, or have them with you at all times like a newly born babe. This is the first babe you’ve had where Leolin is able to see, and understand that he doesn’t have your full attention, and he is jealous.”

“He was looking around.” Harry said to his mates. “He only settled when he saw that Taren wasn’t in the room.”

“Yes, Faerie babes covet their Mother’s attention. It would have been specifically if you had been holding the new babe, or had your attention on the new babe.” Kailen told him.

“I was holding Taren when Leolin was put to bed.” Harry said. “I can’t go up the stairs, or pick up the kids just yet, I only gave birth three days ago, so my mates put all the kids to bed and I was down here with Taren.”

“That is all this is, though?” Nasta asked. “He doesn’t need a hospital, or any medical help?”

“No. None. This is simply Leolin becoming more aware of those around him, and coming to realise that he is not the centre of his Mother’s attentions.”

“Will he learn? I mean, how long does this usually last?” Harry asked.

“Oh, he will learn.” Kailen said. “In perhaps half a decade.”

“What?!”

“Most Faerie babes learn to share their Mother’s when they are several years old, certainly before they reach their first decade.” Dain agreed. “Having so many siblings will hopefully help Leolin to learn sooner.”

“He was acting as if he was in pain.” Harry murmured.

“And you dropped the new babe to rush to Leolin, which is exactly what he wanted.”

Harry blinked. “I never would have believed him capable of such manipulation.”

“Do not think him mentally subnormal because he is not on par with your other babes.” Dain warned. “He is ahead of them in many ways already and he is well capable of such deceptions. It will be up to you to determine if it is real, or if he is trying to gain your attention by behaving as if he is ill or injured.”

“I don’t think he’s mentally subnormal!” Harry said hotly. “I just never realised that he would try to manipulate us by making us think he was hurt and in pain.”

“He knows how to tug on your heartstrings.” Kailen told them, brushing Leolin’s face with gentle fingers. “He is getting better at controlling his own limbs and he is getting stronger. You will find that he’ll do this more often in the future, especially if he is being put in a room on his own when he knows you have the new babe with you, like at bedtime.”

“Do we ignore him? How do we handle it?”

“You could try to keep him and the new babe with you, but remain aware and vigilant of his attempts to hit his new brother, he will lash out at him.”

“Like he used to do to us when he wanted you to himself.” Max said to Harry, all of them remembering when Leolin used to strike out at them if they went to kiss Harry.

“It will be just like that.” Dain agreed.

“If you were to keep one babe to either side of you, it would compromise Leolin’s reach.” Kailen added. “I remember, back when I was very young, our neighbours had twin babes. They had to be separated from one another too, as they fought over their Mother’s attention and she would hold them to either side of herself, so that they could not reach the other.”

“Twins will fight?” Harry asked in horror.

“Yes, for a time, until they understand that they must share their Mother with others, and that it will not harm them to do so. Once they learn that, then their bond will become one of the strongest we know and they will focus completely on one another for a time.”

“We have already explained to you that he does not like to share you because he feels threatened. He depends on you for everything, and to have your attention not upon him makes him feel threatened, that is why he is doing this, that is why he is jealous of his own Fathers, and of the new baby.” Dain explained. “It does not last for very long, this stage of jealousy. He will become aware that he is not in any danger in his own home, from his own family, and he will then stop lashing out.”

“I’m just glad that he’s alright.” Harry said, sighing in relief.

“He is completely fine.” Dain insisted, passing the sleeping Leolin over to Kailen. “He looks strong and healthy, and he has grown since we last saw him.”

Harry nodded happily. “He’s doing so well, and he’s able to hold things by himself and entertain himself. And as Draco said, we think he’s getting ready for another growth spurt. He’s been eating and sleeping more for the last week or two.”

“How did he handle your nesting?” Kailen asked. “That would have hit him hardest, and sleeping more than usual is a sign of depression in Faerie babes.”

The five of them shared horrified looks. “He could get depression at his age?”

The two Faeries nodded. “If separated from their beloved Mother, it is possible, though rare.”

“He got sulky and sullen, and very angry.” Nasta said. “He was fine for a time, we gave him a blanket that smelt of Harry and played recordings of his voice, but once the blanket stopped smelling of Harry, when he’d gone for a time without actually seeing his Mother, he would scream if anyone else touched him, hit out at us for picking him up…”

“He did start sleeping more then, but he was eating more too.” Max put in.

“He was frightened without the reassurance of his Mother.” Kailen sighed. “He ate more because he was unsettled, and he would have tried to force himself to take in more food as a result. He slept longer because the extra milk would have made him feel sluggish and heavy.”

“So it wasn’t a good sign.” Draco demanded.

“No.” Both Faeries said together.

“It would have been better if you had limited his milk to what he normally ate, to prevent him from hiding away in sleep. He will learn quicker if he has more exposure to being away from his Mother, though frightening and painful for him.”

“I don’t think any of us want him to be scared.” Blaise said angrily.

“It is his mentality, the mentality that all Faeries babes have. Like babes who have lost their Mothers learn to see their Fathers, or caregivers, as safe to them, Leolin will learn too. You are Drackens, and Harry needs to nest to birth new babes. Leolin will need to learn to see all of you as safe, to see his home as safe, and the only way to do that is to expose him to it.”

“So I’m not to drop what I’m doing to rush to him?” Harry asked, very worried and starting to feel a little stressed.

“Not if you want to break this dependence on you.” Dain said seriously. “We are not saying to ignore him all the time, but if you are doing something else, or holding another of your babes, do not stop just to go to him. Allow one of your mates to see to him.”

“It will be painful for all of you.” Kailen added. “Not just from an emotional side, but if he is picked up by anyone other than you, Harry, I believe he will try to hit them.”

“But we need to do it.” Harry said. “Is that what you’re saying?”

“You could just leave him and pander to him, he will eventually learn on his own, just at a later time. But I believe it will be in his best interests to learn this lesson sooner, because you are all Drackens.”

“Right. Right okay.” Harry said, breathing in deeply, because this was mostly on him and they all knew it. “I can try. I certainly don’t want him upset, but I can’t have him lash out at his Fathers, or his siblings, especially not Taren. He’s only three days old.”

“Have we congratulated you for that yet?” Kailen asked with a soft smile.

“Not yet.” Harry grinned.

“Well, congratulations, Harry, on the birth of your new babe.”

“He’s Nasta’s, so he’s yours too by blood.” Harry said with a smile. “We only named him this evening. Taren Trefor Delericey.”

Harry saw the effect that the baby’s name had on the two Faeries, and after a moment they turned to each other and touched their foreheads together.

“Thank you, Harry. Trefor would have loved to meet his extended family, and he would have been so excited to hear that he had a grandson named after him.” Dain said tearfully.

“Taren is not a Faerie?” Kailen asked.

Harry shook his head. “No. Would you like to meet him, though?”

“Yes, if we may. We would love to.”

Blaise left without being asked and he went up the stairs to go and fetch their little baby.

“He’s been our biggest born thus far.” Harry said with a smile. “Nine pounds and two ounces.”

“He is healthy and thriving?”

Harry nodded. “He really is.”

Blaise came back down with the sleeping Taren and while a calmed Nasta took Leolin, Blaise handed Taren over to be fussed by the Faeries.

“Now that we know Leolin is fine, I’m going to go put him back in his cot.” Nasta told them, doing just that. All attention was then on the sleeping newborn.

“He is beautiful.” Kailen praised, and Harry puffed up proudly.

“He looks like Leolin.” Harry said. “Just chubbier.”

“He does.” Dain agreed. “Thank you for this, Harry.”

Harry nodded, watching them and smiling, as the two Faeries fussed over Taren.

“So what did happen at the city?” Harry asked when Nasta came back into the room. His top dominant was calmer, but not calm enough yet to pull in his wings, though the claws and fangs had gone.

“They tried to detain Nasta.” Dain said, when Nasta went back to looking furious.

“What for?”

“Apparently Drackens are no longer welcome in the Faerie city.” Nasta snarled.

“But…what will we do if Leolin has a problem? Tonight turned out to be nothing serious, but what if he had been ill?” Harry demanded.

“They suggested that we take Leolin to the gates, and allow them to take him into the city while we wait outside.” Nasta said, sneering.

Harry scoffed. “That will never happen, they wouldn’t give him back.”

“I said as such to them.” Nasta nodded. “The Faerie city is on shutdown, and they’re being unduly biased against us.”

“The court has not liked you since you came to them with a newborn Leolin.” Kailen said with a sigh. “They do not like that two Drackens gave birth to a Faerie babe.”

“We’re not going to be able to go there again, are we?” Blaise asked.

“I would not risk you all in such a way.” Dain insisted. “I do not know what orders will be given now that Nasta forced himself through the guards.”

“I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me from getting help for Leolin.” Nasta explained seriously.

“What will we do in the future?” Max asked. “We can’t just leave Leolin without that support, and sending an owl would take too long.”

“We’d have to go to Lathen and Ezrah.” Harry said. “And beg Lathen to go to get Dain and Kailen for us. It’s overall longer, but…but we can’t let anything happen to Leolin.”

“We will not give in to the court.” Kailen said fiercely. “We will not bow to them. They will never get Leolin, we would die first.”

Harry nodded. “As would we.”

Harry watched Dain and Kailen, as they snuggled up Taren between them, and he smiled sadly. It was worrisome that the Faerie city, that several of his friends and even family members called their home city, was in such despair. He didn’t like that Lathen and Ezrah had had to leave the city, that Eitri was being threatened and hurt, that Dain and Kailen might lose their lives if…or rather when Sindri succumbed to the illness that had affected him, just because they were rivals with the other members of the court. He was worried for them, and for what it might mean for Leolin too.
Dain and Kailen stayed with them for another half an hour, until Harry was almost falling asleep along with Taren. They thanked the Faeries for coming to see them, even if Leolin hadn’t been ill or in trouble this time. They made a date for them to come and visit again, socially this time, and Harry barely managed to hang on until then.
Draco was the one to carry him up to bed and Harry snuggled into him, murmuring nonsense as he was laid on the bed gently, being tucked up, as he hadn’t progressed yet to getting dressed in the day time and he spent all day in his pyjamas. His mates preferred that he stayed in pyjamas too, because they knew he wouldn’t go outside if he was in his pyjamas and it helped them when they inevitably carried him to bed, as they didn’t have to struggle through changing him, and risk waking him back up.

“Thank you.” He murmured softly, as the duvet was tucked up under his neck.

Draco chuckled. “Get some sleep, love.” He said, but Harry was already asleep and he shook his head before heading to their en suite to get ready for bed himself.

He was in his pyjamas when the others came up, and as they got ready for bed themselves, he went out onto the landing and went to go and check on Leolin, fast asleep in his own cot. He made sure that Leolin was in the centre of his cot with his feet to the bottom, that his blanket was folded over his waist and he had his Ma doll in his arms.
Draco sighed, bent and kissed the little Faerie, and he went back to the master bedroom to slip into the bed right next to Harry before the others could get in. He wrapped his arms around his softly snoring mate and slipped down to tuck his head into Harry’s neck.

“Getting comfy there, lover?” Max chuckled, climbing into the bed and purposefully bumping his groin into Draco’s arse.

“Of course.” Draco said, softly for the sake of Harry. “I have to fight to get the good part of the bed.”

“I think I did well tonight.” Max laughed, throwing an arm over him and Harry, snuggling in tight.

“It’s only Nas who has to stay on the edge of the bed. He’s on night duty again because you’re in work tomorrow.”

Max groaned. “Don’t remind me!” He whined. “A four day old baby at home and I have to go into bloody work.”

“Everything will be fine. Taren is doing well and we know how to look after Harry. The family will come later in the day, after you get home from work, so that you can be there. Everything is going to be fine.” Nasta said, herding Blaise into the bed, on Harry’s other side, before sliding in after him. “Now all of you get to sleep, Taren will be waking up in less than two hours as it is.”

Max turned off the lamp on his bedside table and Nasta did the same on his side. Draco yawned in the sudden. Soothing dark and he shoved his head back into Harry’s neck. He was asleep himself in just ten minutes.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

The next afternoon was a bad, headache inducing day. Harry was snuggling Taren in his arms, making use of Leolin’s little beanbag chair that he rarely used anymore to prop up his back against the settee as he’d chosen to sit on the floor, his legs out in front of him, so that he could be more hands on with his children.
The problem was that Leolin did not like this, not even as he was sat in his bouncer, right beside Harry and holding one of his hands. He kept clamouring, he kept trying to reach out for Harry, but he was unable to move himself in the bouncer, so he kept screaming for him.
It was the hardest thing Harry had ever had to endure, but he persevered. He would turn to Leolin, touch his face, smile at him, but he did not pick him up. He did not put Taren down and he could almost see the cloud of rage building around Leolin.

“Come here, Baban.” Nasta said calmly, soothingly, as he bent and undid the repaired straps to the bouncer, picking Leolin up.

They had more than learnt their lesson, and Nasta held Leolin away from his face, so that their Faerie son couldn’t strike him. Not that Leolin didn’t try, he did, but he still tired very easily with such activity and soon he slowed his attempts to hit Nasta and lay quiet, still calling sleepily for Harry, but Nasta had him well in hand, rubbing his back between his wings just how he liked, and he started drifting off against Nasta’s shoulder, too tired to keep fighting, too upset to do anything other than sleep. Harry hated this.

“Do you want to cuddle him?” Nasta asked. “Will having both of them be too much for you?”

“No, I’m feeling better today, as long as I don’t have to move I’ll be fine, but if I’m not, I’ll tell you.”

Nasta nodded and took his word for it, as he gently passed the drifting Leolin over. Leolin’s body relaxed as he sensed he had been passed over to his Ma and he snuffled his wet face into Harry’s neck.
Harry held him against his chest with one arm, the other cradling a peacefully sleeping Taren. It was a bit of a struggle, and he couldn’t move at all now, but his babies had gotten used to him being back in the house, and they were content and settled with him sat on the floor with them, though it did make him smile when Regan toddled over to him, fell against his chest and puckered his lips at him.
Harry chuckled and bent to kiss him, and then Regan was gone again and Harry watched him go with a smile.
Max walked through the door, still in his work clothes, and he threw his work case onto the settee and fell to his knees his arms open, as he called out to the kids and was completely swarmed. Harry laughed as much as he was able, aware that his stomach would protest heavily if he laughed too hard and that he had two sleeping babies in his arms.
Max’s attention was monopolised for ten minutes as the kids all wanted to show him this or that, wanted cuddles or kisses, and then Max broke free and he first snagged Draco into a kiss, then Blaise, then he stood to snog Nasta and he turned to Harry last, smirking at him as he was sat prone on the floor unable to move or escape, not that he particularly wanted to, of course. Max hunched beside him and cupped his face.

“Hello, lover.” Max greeted softly, before bending forward and snogging him.

Harry was dazed and feeling happy as they broke apart, but he chuckled as Max snagged Taren from him and cuddled him himself.

“He’ll wake up soon for a feed.” Harry said, shifting Leolin to hold him with both arms.

“I’ll get that well in hand.” Max said. “I’ve missed him and his milky smell.”

“You’ve just got in, at least let me do this feed and get you a cup of tea.” Nasta insisted. “I’m on paternity leave, remember?”

“Boo, Nas.” Max complained. “I’m not so old that I can’t handle a round of tea and a bottle. Nor is my job so physically demanding as yours.”

“You weren’t brewing today, were you?” Draco asked knowingly.

“No, those rats put me on stock controlling. Making sure nothing had been stored improperly, or any seals had been broken, or had spoiled in any way. Out of the five thousand odd potions we stocked, I found two that I didn’t like the look of. Two! It was the most boring day ever, and now I want to cuddle our newborn son, feed him, I’ll even take nappy changes, because I’d rather do that than what I had to suffer through at work today.”

Harry chuckled at his dramatic mate, but Nasta just shook his head and sat down, waving Max off to make the tea. Then Nasta had been on his feet all day, and he’d taken all the night feeds and changes too, he must have been exhausted.

“They only did it to punish me.” Max carried on complaining as he came back into the room five minutes later, baby Taren in the crook of his arm and a full tea tray balanced on the other hand.

Blaise took the tray and set it down on the coffee table, even as Max fell gently into a seat.

“Because you said about taking time off for Taren?” Draco asked.

Max nodded. “Exactly. So now they’re making my life a misery.”

“Go freelance.” Harry told him. “It’s the best option. Then maybe, in several years, you can set up your own rival company and hire your own apprentices. That way you won’t be stuck with teaching all the dangerous, half-cocked ones who don’t have brains that your manager hires and then pushes onto you.”

“If they carry on punishing me when the rookies can check the quality of the stocked potions, when I’m much more use actually brewing, as an actual qualified Potions Master, then they’ll leave me no choice.” Max said, relaxing back on the settee, one ankle crossed over the knee of his other leg, Taren cradled in his arms.

Harry carefully sat himself up with Leolin in his arms. He sat still for a moment, to decipher the feelings from his own body, but when he decided that he felt fine, he shuffled forward on his bum and reached for his tea.

“Are you okay?” Blaise asked, laughing at him.

Harry nodded. “Fine, I was just making sure.”

Harry took a deep drink of tea and sighed happily.

“Have these dick bags been looking after you?” Max teased.

“Who, in the name of Merlin, are you calling a dick bag?” Draco demanded.

“Of course we have!” Blaise insisted.

Nasta said nothing, so Harry shot him a look and a grin, only to find his top dominant fast asleep, head resting back against the settee.

Harry laughed, shook his head and turned back to Max. “I’ve been very well looked after, Max, as you well know. My salve is still in place, I needed a pain reliever with lunch, but that’s it.”

Max nodded, but he was grinning at the sleeping Nasta. “Aw, bless him. He’s getting too old for these new babies.”

The four of them snorted a laugh at Nasta’s expense.
Harry went back to his tea, being careful with Leolin snuggled into his neck, as he didn’t want to drip hot tea onto him, and he relaxed and enjoyed this time of peace. Well, as peaceful as things ever got with seven babies screeching and playing on the floor with a mass of toys.
Taren woke with a whine, and Max sat forward, put his tea cup down and picked up the bottle, automatically testing it against his bare arm, before prodding the nipple at Taren’s little lips. He latched on and started feeding and they all watched him for a moment with a smile.

“When are the family coming over?”

“Later.” Max said. “We’ll have time to feed the kids dinner at four, but they’ll be here soon after.”

“Do you want me to do din…?” Harry started, but that was as far as he got.

“No I bloody well don’t.” Max cut in immediately. “I’m not having you stood out in that kitchen, with your healing muscles, cooking!”

Harry laughed, but waved Max off.

“How has your appetite been today?” Max asked him.

Harry pulled a face and bobbed his head from side to side in consideration. “Eh, not too bad. I had toast in the morning and I managed half a sandwich for lunch. I haven’t felt hungry again since.”

“Okay, but let me know the moment you’re hungry.” Max warned him.

Harry agreed easily, but happily went back to his tea.

“Can one of you take Leolin for me, please? I need a potty break.”

Blaise stood and took Leolin in one arm, and used his other hand to help Harry to his feet, slowly and carefully.

“Thank you, love.”

Harry gave Blaise a kiss and then slowly made his way to the bathroom, sighing as he realised that Tegan had followed him.

“Hi, baby girl.” Harry said softly. “Have you come to watch Mummy wee?”

“Potty, too.”

“You need the potty as well?” Harry asked her.

Tegan nodded her head, then used a casual hand to swipe the fall of black hair from her face.

“Don’t like little potty.” Tegan told him and Harry couldn’t have been more surprised if she’d gotten up and started flying.

He quickly hunched down and smiled at her.

“Do you want to use the big potty like I do?” He asked, trying to keep her talking, trying to keep her from panicking or freaking out, trying not to show his excitement that she was actually talking in proper words.

Tegan nodded her head. “Yeah.” She said simply.

“Come on then.” He encouraged, slowly standing back up so as not to jar his body, and he held his hand out.

Tegan took his hand and he led her to the bathroom. If Tegan was refusing to use a potty because she didn’t like it, but she wanted to stop using nappies, then they would need to get a training seat for her to use, pronto.

“Come here then, sweetie. Have you done this before with your Daddies?” He asked, just in case she had started using the proper toilet while he’d been nesting.

“No, wanted to do with Mummy.” Tegan told him, and Harry had to wonder when she’d started using proper words. She had been using the odd word now and then before he’d gone into his nest. She had even been stringing two ‘real’ words in her stream of usual illegible babble, but all of a sudden, overnight, she was speaking properly and he was so excited and happy.

Harry hunched down in front of the toilet, which just brought back awful memories of morning sickness, and he helped Tegan pull down her leggings and took her nappy off before encouraging her to use his legs as a step to reach the toilet. He held her hands tightly, after he got a mental image of her slipping into the bowl and getting stuck, and he encouraged her to go.

“If you like the toilet we’ll get you a special seat and a step to use, so that you can reach it by yourself.”

“I like it better than little potty.” Tegan told him, looking between her own legs and giggling.

Harry smiled and held her as she did her business and then he fished out a pack of baby wipes from one of the cupboards under the counter and he wiped her. He pulled her nappy and leggings back up and then fretted how to help her wash her hands.

“Okay baby, Mummy can’t lift you, so we’re going to wash our hands over the bath for now, okay? But we will definitely be getting you that step so that you can reach by yourself.”

“Okay, Mummy.”

Harry put the liquid soap in his own hand and walked to the bath, running the water and getting Tegan’s hands under before soaping them up and letting her rinse them off.
Then he let her free in the bathroom as he used the toilet himself, washed his hands again, before he was finally going back to the family room.

“We thought you’d fallen in.” Draco joked with a grin.

“No, our little girl wanted to use the toilet, not a potty! She went perfectly fine too, so we need to get her a seat and step.”

“She used the toilet?” Draco asked excitedly, sitting forward.

“Yes, Daddy.” Tegan answered.

“Did you lift her?” Max asked, looking just as excited, but also sent Harry’s belly a worried frown.

“No, she used my legs as a step and I held her hands. We washed our hands in the bath too, so I didn’t lift her to reach the sink.”

“Good thinking, love.”

“I would have called you all, but I wanted to use the bathroom too, and you know I don’t really like an audience.” He smiled. “But the next time, we’re definitely all watching.”

“If she lets us.” Blaise answered. “Calix didn’t let us watch and wanted us to all turn around.”

“What…what do you mean?” Harry asked, his eyebrows lowered in confusion as he looked around the room for Calix. He was playing happily enough with Braiden and Farren. “Has Calix used the toilet too? Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Oh, Harry, it was while you were nesting.” Max said. “We were going to tell you, of course, but you’re still recovering, so it just slipped our minds having you and Taren in the house.”

“It wasn’t the toilet either, it was a potty.” Draco told him quickly. “He asked for it himself, after he’d seen me changing Braiden and asked why Braiden wasn’t in a nappy. He’s wanted to be in pants ever since.”

“Is he wearing pants now?” Harry asked, feeling himself getting teary at all the developments his babies were showing.

“Yes. He doesn’t take them off either, not like he did with his nappies.” Draco said, sounding pleased.

Harry went to Calix and smiled at him.

“Hey, Calix, are you wearing pants, sweetie?” He asked.

“Yes, Mummy.” He said, standing up and pulling down his little jeans to show him the blue briefs.

“I’m very proud of you for being a big boy and using the potty.” Harry said seriously.

Calix grinned happily. “Want big boy bed.”

“I want pants too!” Tegan said.

“Dear Merlin, they’re all at it.” Max laughed.

“Okay, Calix, you can have a big boy bed. Tegan, honey, we’ll get you your own pants. What colour do you want?”

“Umm…” Tegan trailed off, but she snapped her head back up and grinned. “Grey!”

“Grey?” Draco asked, aghast at the very suggestion.

“Like pengy, Daddy!” Tegan explained, running to get her penguin, which was a soft, pale grey colour.

“Where are we going to find grey pants for girls?” Draco asked.

“We could always get white ones and charm them the same colour.” Harry pointed out. “I know the charm will eventually wear off, but it’s better than nothing. Unless stores really do sell grey pants.”

“No, for girls it’s mostly pinks, purples, yellows and white.” Max said. “Boys are the usual red, blue and green.”

“I wonder if they sell penguin themed ones.” Blaise mused.

“We need to learn household charms, that or how to sew so we can make our own.” Max laughed.

Harry smiled at Calix, as he showed off his little blue pants to his brothers and sisters, very proud to be wearing them, but Harry felt himself welling up at the thought of his little babies becoming proper children, and before he knew it he was crying.

“Harry, what’s wrong?” Max asked, loudly.

He startled Nasta, who leapt to his feet, groggy and still half asleep, but now with adrenaline pumping through his body too.

“What’s happened?!” He demanded, a growl already in his throat.

Harry sniffled, still crying, and he held his arms out for his top dominant, who took several quick, large strides to reach him and pulled him up into his arms to sniff at him, checking him for injuries.

“I won’t ask again!” He said. “What happened?”

“We forgot to tell him about Calix wearing pants.” Blaise said worriedly.

Nasta looked for Calix, still showing off the little blue briefs, and Nasta inhaled deeply. He went and sat back down and cradled Harry in his lap.

“It…it wasn’t really that.” Harry sniffled, calming down. He rubbed the tears away. “I’m still a little hormonal and it’s not that I wasn’t told, though I am angry I wasn’t told, it’s just…they’re all growing up and they’re becoming proper children and gaining independence. I love seeing them growing and doing things for themselves, I’m just a bit hormonal over it.”

“Tegan will be next, I think.” Nasta said, his voice still sleep gruff.

“That’s what started this.” Harry said. “She doesn’t like potties, she wants to go straight to using the toilet, like us. She came with me to the bathroom and she used the toilet, Nas! We need to get a training seat and a step for her.”

“She actually used the toilet by herself?” Nasta asked, smiling and searching out Tegan this time.

Harry nodded. “She used my legs as a step and I held onto her hands, but she doesn’t like the potties for some reason.”

“I wonder why she didn’t ask any of us.” Blaise mused.

“Wanted Mummy to do it!” Tegan turned around to tell him.

“Oh. Well that answers that question then.” Max laughed.

“Where is Leolin?” Nasta asked.

“In his bassinet, by there.” Blaise pointed. “Harry needed the bathroom, and I put him in his bassinet.”

“It’s about dinner time now, anyway.” Max said. “Does someone want Ta…?”

Max hadn’t even finished speaking before Draco held out his arms and Max laughed, passing over their four day old son. He groaned and stood up.

“I’ll get a quick dinner on for them now, we’ll be having visitors soon. Nas, do you want to go for a late nap? I can handle everything down here.”

“No. I’ll be alright, Caru.” Nasta said, still cwtching Harry.

“Daddy, I cook.” Braiden shouted over the room, standing and running to him. “I cook.”

Max blinked down at him in surprise. “You want to come and cook with me?”

“Yuh.” Braiden nodded.

“Huh, well okay then, we can cook together.”

“It’s that new lunchtime kids show he likes watching. Little Cooks.” Blaise told them. “It shows toddlers in the kitchen, cooking and being little chefs. Braiden and Farren refuse to miss an episode.”

“Farren, do you want to come and cook as well?” Max asked, holding out his other hand.

As if he had been waiting for permission, Farren jumped up and ran to Max, taking his other hand.
Harry sniffled, his eyes welling up as his babies rushed to the kitchen with Max to help him cook. They were all growing up and now they even wanted to help in the kitchen, and it made his heart swell.
Nasta kissed his cheek, cuddling him in tighter and rubbing his back. Harry turned to get a proper kiss and he smiled.

“I’m okay, I just feel too much emotion at the moment and I can’t control it.”

“Don’t even try, Bello.” Blaise insisted.

“I couldn’t even if I did try.” Harry laughed. “We have six two year olds, two, year olds and now our newborn Taren. I just…I never expected my life to turn out this way. Not…not coming from the boy in the cupboard, and I’m so happy sometimes I feel like I could burst.”

“We love you.” Nasta told him, still rubbing his back.

“And I love all of you.” Harry declared. “I love you all so much.”

Harry laughed at himself. Rubbing his wet eyes. Nasta kissed him again and Harry happily sunk into that kiss. He broke away and inhaled deeply, smiling.

“Maxie!”

“What is it?” Max called back. “Are you okay?”

“I love you!” Harry shouted.

He heard Max laughing from the kitchen. “I love you too, dearest! I’d come and snog you, but I have babies stood on chairs making a mess of dinner.”

“I’ve got you covered!” Nasta called out and he turned and snogged Harry again, Max’s laugh coming to them from the kitchen.

“I’ll snog you both later!”

“What about me?” Blaise demanded.

“I’ll snog you all later!” Max amended and Harry had to break the kiss with Nasta because he was laughing too much to maintain it.

He truly loved these four men so much, and he’d meant what he’d said. He couldn’t imagine his life without them, and though sometimes they made him angry and sad too, those occasions were by far outweighed by so much love, laughter, and happiness. He loved them, and he always would.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ X

They had only just managed to get the kids fed and partially clean again by the time their first guests started arriving and well...they were family, so they were shouted at to grab a kid and clean them off without any embarrassment, or hesitancy.
It was funny though watching Idris chase down Regan with a wet wipe and Max trying to fish Ave out from under the table. Harry sat back and he watched it all and laughed.

“We only came to see our Nassa’s little newborn!” Idris complained, as he finally caught Regan and tried to wipe his face while little hands continuously got in the way and fended off the wipe.

Harry laughed all the more as he cuddled with Taren on the settee watching the carnage. He had Leolin tucked into his other side, away from Taren, but no one could miss, or even misinterpret the huge scowl he was aiming at his newborn brother.

“Is he still not letting anyone touch him?” Aneirin asked, sitting beside Harry, on the same side as Leolin.

Harry shook his head. “He’s gotten very violent in the last few days, since Taren was born. So be careful if you do pick him up, he will go for your face.”

“Maybe we should rename him alley cat?” Idris joked, as he set Regan free and threw the used wipe in the waste bin. He missed, and left it to Max to pick up.

Idris picked up Leolin, who did immediately start squirming and screaming, thrashing out both hands, trying to hit Idris.

“He gets tired right?”

“Very quickly if he keeps that up.” Harry nodded.

“May I hold Taren?” Aneirin asked.

Harry smiled and he passed Taren over to his Grandfather.

“How many grandkids is that now, Nye?” Idris teased. “Man you’re getting old.”

“Four.” Aneirin said with a soft smile, aimed right at Taren. “Though I would argue that all nine of them are my grandchildren.”

“That goes without saying.” Idris nodded. “I doubt that any of us would favour any of the Faerie kin above the others.”

“Faerie kin.” Harry giggled.

“Look, they’re all touched by the Faerie blood, Regan and our little Pengwin are both carriers, they have the golden tint, and I’m sure this little boy will too.”

“Pengy!” Tegan turned the moment Idris had called her a penguin and she had the little stuffed animal in her hands.

“Come and show me!” Idris encouraged, opening his one arm, the one not holding a now exhausted Leolin, and pulling Tegan onto his lap when she ran to him.

Harry could only smile at them both, and then he was distracted as Myron, Richard and Ashleigh arrived.

“It’s good to see you with your clothes on this time!” Richard had to tease him the moment he saw Harry.

“If you’ve got it, flaunt it.” Harry teased right back. There was nothing he could do about just how he’d introduced Taren to the family, and unfortunately the family had been around to see his top dominant on his birthday, so Harry had walked into a full get together completely bollock naked and dirty, bloody and smelly too.

Richard looked shocked, then he recovered and wolf whistled. “You’ve definitely got it, baby.”

Harry laughed and he had to shake his head at the sheer absurdity of everything.

“Stop hitting on my mate.” Max demanded, bringing in a freshly bathed Calix, who’d decided that he would much rather wear his dinner than eat it.

“Damn, I thought you would be gone for longer.” Richard laughed.

Max just rolled his eyes and set Calix free with his clean siblings.

“You were hunting Ave down the last I saw you, where has she gone?” Harry asked.

“Draco has her.” Max told him, bending over the settee to kiss him.

Harry reached up to link his hands behind Max’s head and he kissed all over Max’s face and then nuzzled into his throat.
Max laughed that really deep, properly amused laugh that he sometimes did and Harry grinned to hear it. He loved hearing his mates’ truly laughing. Of course it didn’t mean that all of their other laughs were fake, or forced, just that sometimes they were so genuinely amused that they couldn’t control the laugh.
His parents heard it, and knew what it meant too, as the three of them all shared a soft smile to see their oldest son so happy and in love.
Max didn’t move away from him after that, he sat next to Harry and threw an arm around him, pulling Harry into a cuddle. Harry twisted and rested himself fully on Max and he exhaled deeply, smiling in contentment.

“You make the best pillow.” He murmured softly.

“You’ve had a busy day, just rest.” Max insisted, using his free hand to stroke over Harry’s face, pushing his hair back out of the way.

Harry hummed and nuzzled into Max’s chest.

“Can we just scrap Bolognese from the kids’ menu?” Draco begged, carrying in a clean pair of twin girls. “Their hair is getting really long, and it’s almost impossible to get squashed pasta from their curls! They get it everywhere, Eva even had a bit of carrot in her ear. In her ear, Max!”

Harry giggled, and Max laughed. “Sorry, lover. All those vegetables are good for them, and that sauce I make has eight of them hidden in it. We’ll just have to make do with the mess.”

“You manage to hide eight vegetables in one sauce?” Idris asked. “How?”

“Just blend it all up. Bolognese is a tomato based sauce, it doesn’t matter what else you add to it, it always goes red. I hide onions, tomatoes, courgette, carrots, peas, peppers, leeks and celery in my kiddie Bolognese. They love it.”

“They love putting it all over their heads.” Draco moaned.

Harry giggled again. “Only after they’ve filled their bellies.”

Draco blew out a breath and placed the two clean girls on the floor for their quiet time. Not that it was very quiet, but they only had their quiet toys to play with.
Soon all of the kids were clean and in the family room, and all of their visitors had arrived once more, just like they had for Nasta’s birthday four days ago.
Baby Taren was being passed around in his little blue blanket and Harry was very content to stay on the settee, using Max as a pillow, with his mate’s arms wrapped around him. Because of that it was Nasta who served their guests tea.

“How have you been, Harry?” Alexander asked him, coming to sit on his other side to talk to him.

“A bit sleepier than I usually am, but I’m feeling really good. I was telling the guys that we need more singletons.”

Alexander smiled. “So there is no fall out from you leaving your nest so early?”

Harry shook his head. “No. I was worried that I hadn’t bonded with Taren enough beforehand, but he settled the moment he heard my heartbeat, and I had his scent deeply ingrained. We had bonded enough, despite how short a time it actually was. I’m just more tired than I usually am after coming out of my nest.”

“He’s a beautiful baby.” Alexander praised, and Harry couldn’t help puffing up a little. He laughed with Alexander and Max at his own actions, but they all knew that he couldn’t help it.

“He’s definitely a squirmy baby.” Harry grinned.

“When he stretches he does it full body.” Max added. “All stretched out fingers and pointed toes. We were saying we really don’t blame Harry for being so uncomfortable while pregnant if that’s what our thunderer was doing inside him.”

“It felt like that was what he was doing.” Harry chuckled. “I’m glad that he’s born though, and he can stretch as much as he likes now without my body squashing him up.”

“I’ve heard it being said that Leolin is having difficulties accepting his brother?” Alexander asked gently.

Harry sighed, and looked over to where Aneirin had Leolin in his arms. Their Faerie baby was red faced and angry, but Aneirin refused to put him down.

“Dain and Kailen told us that he’s at an age where he realises what his siblings are, and he sees Taren as a rival for my attention.” Harry said quietly. “It’s all normal for Faeries, but it breaks my heart to see him so upset and angry.”

“How have you boys decided to handle it?”

“We can’t pander to him.” Max said.

Harry snorted. “You mean I can’t pander to him. I have to watch my baby cry out for me and just…just ignore him, even though it kills me inside.”

“We can stop doing it at any moment, Harry, just say the word.” Max told him, laying a kiss to his head.

Harry shook his head. “No we can’t. I will have another heat period, I will have to nest again, I will have more babies for him to be jealous over. What would happen to Taren if I just handed him over to someone else the moment Leolin demands it? What about our other future babies? What will happen to them if I keep pandering to Leolin? I don’t like it. In fact I hate it, but I understand that it needs to be done sooner rather than later. But I will try to keep an even balance between them, I won’t ignore Taren, or the others, in favour of Leolin, but neither am I going to start ignoring Leolin or spending less time with him.”

“It’ll all come with practice.” Max soothed him, stroking his hair gently. “It won’t be forever, Dain and Kailen said he would learn, and like this, he’ll learn quicker.”

Harry nodded and let out a heavy sigh, cuddling back into Max.
Blaise came over with a grizzling Eva and Harry took her when he realised that she was calling for him.

“Has she hurt herself?” Harry asked Blaise.

Blaise shook his head. “No, I think she might be a little tired, she didn’t nap as long as usual.”

Harry nodded and he cuddled his baby girl to sleep in his arms, watching as his other little hellions interacted with their extended family members. Even Lucius had his lap full of Braiden.
Harry got Max to take Eva up to her cot once she was fully asleep, and he went to make more tea by himself, though by Nasta’s unamused look when he carried the tray of two teapots into the room, he would be scolded for it later.
He sat back down with his own cup of tea, handing one to Alexander, who thanked him, and they both went back to watching everything calmly and quietly. Though Idris was winding the kids up more than winding them down to sleep. Nasta’s uncle was more of a terror than Sanex and Caesar. Well…a sober Sanex and Caesar at least, when they were drunk they were unstoppable…and hilarious.
An hour later and Harry had Leolin in his arms, stroking his back to get him to sleep so that he could go up to his cot. Which was made more difficult when Leolin refused to let go of Harry’s hair.

“Ma.” Leolin whispered into his ear.

“It’s alright, Leolin. I have you.” He insisted softly, still stroking over that tiny back.

Leolin was getting sleepier. Harry could hear it in his voice, but he was also fighting sleep every single second, because he finally had what he wanted. His Ma’s full and undivided attention.
Harry sat with him, stayed with him until his Faerie baby eventually fell asleep on him. Leolin would never have been able to outlast him, but that he’d tried so hard upset Harry too.

“Do you want me to take him up, love, or do you want to cuddle for a little while longer?” Max asked him.

“Five more minutes.” Harry insisted, resting his chin on Leolin’s back.

Max nodded and went to round up some other kids. It was now approaching six in the evening, and the usual time that their kids went to bed. Taren was still being passed around, as the main reason that everyone had come, but their family had started saying goodnight, and leaving.
It was only Marianna and Narcissa, still sat sipping tea and chatting. Lucius was sat beside Draco, Calix snuggled on his lap with a teddy bear, and of course Myron, Richard and Ashleigh were still here, mostly because Ashleigh had missed so much of her grandchildren’s lives that she didn’t really want to leave them so soon, but Harry understood that. She had Taren in her arms, looking down at him, but her eyes seemed far away. Harry wondered if she was thinking of her lost son, Theodric.

“Mama, snuggle me sleep.” Regan asked, holding up his arms.

“Max, can you take Leolin now?” Harry asked.

“Sure thing.”

Max came to him and picked up Leolin gently, and he used his other arm to pick up Regan and place him within easy reach of Harry, so that he didn’t have to bend and lift him.

“Come here my big boy.” Harry said, letting Regan climb onto his lap and then snuggling him into a tight hug. He kissed his baby’s face and rocked slowly from side to side.

Harry started humming softly, smiling down at his lovely boy.

“I love you, Regan.” He said.

“Love you, Mummy.” Regan said softly, sleepily, snuggled up to Harry’s chest.

Harry felt complete in this moment. Holding one of his children close to his heart, family all around him, his mates around him. He inhaled deeply, a sense of peace and calm settling over him. This was utter perfection for him.

“You look so contented.” Max chuckled.

Harry opened his eyes to look at Max, he was still smiling happily.

“I am incredibly contented right now.”

“Would a cuddle make it better, or worse?” Max asked. “Because right now I just really want to touch you.”

“Cuddles and cwtches make everything better. Having you touch me could never make anything worse.”

Max sat beside him and threw an arm around him and a drifting Regan. Max couldn’t help himself as he turned to kiss Harry’s cheek, nuzzling into him.

“I love you, so fucking much.” Max declared.

“I love you too, even if you are a big dope.”

Max grinned down at him. “You love me this way, admit it.”

“Of course I do. I love everything about you.” Harry declared. “Even when you drive me berserk, and try to feed me until I burst, I still love you.”

“And I love you even when you put your cold feet on my back or thigh, and when you try to claw my face for trying to take the last chocolate frog.”

Harry laughed, trying to stifle himself purely for Regan’s sake.

“No one takes the last chocolate frog.” He said, letting out a little giggle.

“At least not from you, and not without incurring an injury.”

Harry giggled again and turned to put his face to Max’s neck, kissing him there.

“I love you so much, Maxie.”

Max just held him tighter, and Harry heard him inhaling deeply, sniffing him. His mates did this on occasion, especially if they thought he was sick or injured, if he’d been away from them for a while, or if they were feeling particularly emotional. Harry rather thought that this was because he’d been nesting for two weeks, and then recovering for the last four days, but it could also be that Max was feeling a little emotional with their talk. Or perhaps a blend of both.
Harry said nothing, he just held onto Max tighter, letting him think and feel how he wanted.

“Bello, do you want me to take Regan?” Blaise asked him.

Harry nodded. “If you don’t mind, Blaise.”

“Of course not. Ave went down fine, and Eva was still asleep.” Blaise reported as he picked up Regan carefully and gently. Their little boy didn’t so much as stir as Blaise lifted him from Harry’s lap.

Once free of Regan, Harry swung his legs up and over Max’s lap, shuffling forward to sit on his mate and cuddle properly. Max accommodated him immediately.

“Are you feeling okay?” Max asked.

Harry hummed. “Maybe a little tired now that it’s getting later.”

“Still not hungry?”

“Not in the slightest. Sorry, Max.”

“Don’t be sorry for that, dearest.” Max told him, laying another kiss to Harry’s head. “Just let me know the moment that you’re hungry, even if it’s in the middle of the night…no…even if it’s just five minutes after I’ve finished the dinner dishes and just sat down with a cuppa. You tell me, got it?”

Harry chuckled, but he felt lighter than air as he nodded and rested his head on Max’s chest.

“I will, I promise.”

Max wrapped his arms around him tight, laying his chin on Harry’s head. Sitting quietly like that, Harry fell asleep, as Max knew that he would. It was just six in the evening, but their submissive was still recovering, and while he wasn’t eating too much, he was sleeping a lot more. He would wake up in an hour, complain that he’d fallen asleep in the first place, have a couple cups of tea and a sit down, and then he’d be asleep again.
None of them minded, it was just nice to have Harry back in the house, and to see him resting and recovering from what all of them knew had been an agonising caesarean. They’d seen the freshly healed scar, Max could barely get it from his mind, thick and an angry pinkish-red colour. There was no doubt in any of their minds that it had hurt, and terribly at that, so they wanted Harry to rest as much as possible. Something which wasn’t made any easier by their stubborn mate.
So Max stayed still, and he let Harry sleep on him. He stroked through the unruly hair that he loved, down Harry’s back, and then up again. Anything to keep Harry relaxed and asleep for a little longer.

“Max, we’re going to head off, okay, care bear?”

Max huffed at the hated nickname from his Dad, but he nodded.

“Yeah, thanks for coming, Dad.”

Richard grinned. “We wouldn’t have said no. Though we’re glad that Harry was at least dressed for the occasion this time.”

“Don’t tease him, he was absolutely mortified.” Max chuckled.

“Yeah, it’s happened to all of us at some point.” Richard said, giving Harry’s head a gentle touch. “Look after him, Max. We’ll see you soon.”

“Bye, Dad.”

Max went back to stroking Harry gently, and when he next looked up, it was just them on their own. Taren was in Blaise’s arms, just wrapped up and being cuddled. Draco was sat reading a book, and Nasta looked to be taking a nap himself.
The house was silent, with only a few murmurs from Blaise, or a page turning from Draco, and it was nice. But he needed to sort out dinner, so he sighed and shifted Harry as gently as he possibly could, slipped himself out from under him and then laid him on a stack of cushions instead.

“Do you want help with dinner?” Blaise asked him, looking up.

“No, I’ll be fine, love.” Max insisted, going to Blaise and kissing him, before kissing Taren. “Just keep an eye on Harry for me, he might wake up in pain now.”

Blaise nodded and snuggled Taren back in his arms, though now he kept an ear out for Harry too. Harry didn’t wake up, and neither did Nasta, but Taren started wailing when he wanted a nappy change.

“Is he okay?” Draco asked, looking up from his book.

“Fine, he just wants to be nice and clean. Thankfully he’s not another Calix, and he does wake up for wet nappies.” Blaise grinned.

“I hope we never have another baby like him.” Draco insisted. “I love the boy to bits, but dealing with his nappy rash was something I never want to repeat.”

“Agreed.” Blaise nodded. “Thankfully Taren isn’t another Calix and we don’t have to deal with any nappy rash, or at least not because he wasn’t crying to let us know he was wet.”

“Thank Merlin.” Draco said, giving him a grin.

“Hey, lovers. Dinner’s on the table.” Max said. “Let me grab Nas.”

“What about Harry?” Draco asked worriedly.

Max shook his head. “Sleep is the best thing for him at the moment. He wasn’t hungry when he went to sleep, so we’ll leave him for now and see what he feels like when he wakes up.”

Max went to shake Nasta, and he did so gently, also laying a kiss to his mouth. Nasta hummed gently and suddenly Max was pulled down onto his lap, into strong arms.

“You, out of everyone, should know better than to start something you’re not willing to finish.” Nasta mumbled sleepily.

“Who says I’m not going to finish it later?” Max grinned, leaning forward and snogging Nasta. “But for now, dinner is on the table.”

Nasta hummed again and gently pushed Max aside and he stood to stretch. Max heard his back crack and he smiled, standing and laying his hand on Nasta’s back, slipping it down to his bum.
Nasta gave him a look, but snorted a laugh. Then he caught sight of Harry.

“Is he okay?”

“He’s fine.” Max assured. “He wasn’t hungry earlier, so I think it’s best to just let him sleep while he can.”

Nasta nodded, walking into the kitchen to see both Blaise and Draco already eating. Baby Taren was laying in the bassinet at the top of the table, and he couldn’t help but go to him, and give him a gentle kiss.

“He’s had a nappy change, but he’ll want feeding soon.” Blaise told him.

“After that we can tuck ourselves into bed.” Max laughed. “We’re not going to be good for anything else.”

“I’m on night duty, tonight.” Draco told them.

“I sterilised all the bottles this afternoon.” Nasta said, sitting in his place and picking up his fork. “We’ve used two since then, so he should have six left to use.”

“They’re at the back of the counter, by the kettle.” Max nodded.

“Leolin will be awake at maybe eleven for a bottle, he didn’t take much before he went to sleep.” Blaise warned them.

“Am I the only one who wishes this little phase of his will end?” Max asked.

“I think it’s safe to say that we all feel the same way.” Draco agreed. “But it’s one of the challenges we face having a Faerie child. Just think ahead, to when our Drackens are sixteen and throwing emotional tantrums because of their inheritances, and trying to fly the nest to have their own kids.”

Max grunted and threw his head back. “Don’t remind me of that. We already have four Drackens. I mean, how the hell are we going to handle Eva and Ave having an inheritance together?!”

“Firewhiskey.” Blaise offered.

Max laughed, and even Nasta managed a snort of amusement.

“I don’t think it’ll be enough.” Draco told him seriously. “I don’t think vintage Firewhiskey will be enough. Maybe we should build a bomb shelter?”

“I don’t think that would protect us.” Max pointed out, jabbing his fork at Draco.

“It’s not for protection, it’s so that we can hide.” Draco sniffed.

All four of them laughed at that.

“Oh no, just imagine if all five of the Quintuplets had been Drackens!” Max said.

“Max, stop jinxing us!” Blaise complained. “Harry only wants singletons from now on, and you’re jinxing him with five baby Drackens.”

Max laughed. “If anyone could do it, it’s him.”

“Don’t want to do it.” Came a sleepy mumble from the living room door.

All four of them looked up to see Harry rubbing sleep from his eyes, padding towards them.

“How are you feeling, love?” Max asked, and as the closest to Harry, as he’d walked up behind him, he abandoned his dinner to check on him, wrapping an arm around his hips, even as Harry hugged him.

“Fine. I can’t believe I fell asleep again, but I want tea.”

Max grinned to himself. He really knew Harry so well by now.

“I’ll get that for you.” He insisted.

Harry scoffed and pushed away from him, going to the kettle himself.

“You finish eating. I can do it.” He said stubbornly.

Of course the four of them watched Harry intently, as he boiled the kettle and sorted himself out a cup of tea, reaching for the bottle of honey and squeezing a good glob into his cup with a happy smile that he didn’t know he was doing, which made the rest of them smile to see.
He didn’t sit down however, he went to hover over Taren, touching him, and assessing him critically with his eyes.

“He’s wet a nappy, but hasn’t woken for a feed yet.” Blaise reported dutifully.

Harry nodded, looking up only briefly to smile at Blaise, before dropping his gaze back to the four day old baby.

“Are you hungry or in any pain?” Max asked, once he’d finished his food and pushed his plate away.

“No, I might need a pain reliever to sleep tonight, but it’s more a sore ache at the moment. It’s just getting worse the longer I’m up and moving.”

Max nodded. “Do you want to go and sit down in the living room with Taren?”

Harry nodded, putting down his tea and picking up the baby. All four of them grimaced, as they didn’t really want him picking up and carrying anything, but they knew if they tried to take the baby from him now, Harry would get upset. So instead Max picked up Harry’s tea and escorted him to the living room and got Harry settled on the settee comfortably, helping Harry to arrange Taren against a cushion, and handing over the tea.

“There, all comfy and content.” Max grinned. A grin that widened when Harry chuckled.

“I really am feeling alright.” Harry insisted. “Just a bit sore.”

“Let me know the moment that soreness changes to pain, okay?”

Harry nodded. “I will.”

Max bent forward and kissed Harry’s forehead before heading back to the kitchen to sort out the dishes and make more tea for everyone.

“Thank you for dinner, Max.” Draco told him.

Max swooped onto him and snogged him. “You’re welcome, gorgeous. Now go and keep Harry company while I make us tea.”

Max didn’t want to wash the dishes by hand today, but with a newborn in the house, he refused to risk the magic use, so he stood and he washed the dishes, he boiled the kettle and set up four cups and a teapot, before he dried the dishes and put them away, and only then did he feel like he could relax, as he poured the boiling water into the teapot, into the four cups, all the while listening to the murmur of voices come from the opposite side of the house. He knew they were talking at a normal level, but to him it sounded like whispering, with the occasional laugh. This house seemed so small when the kids were all up and awake, running around the place, but right now, it seemed like a palace.
He made the tea, made sure he had the bottle of honey, before he carried the tray into the living room, and suddenly he could breathe, and he smiled as he placed the tray down and his mates were all around him.
He was dealing with his issues left over from the massive bust up, issues which had only recently come to light when Harry had been so heavily pregnant. His nightmares were easing off now that Taren had been born, and both he and Harry had come out alive.
None of his mates knew about his feelings, or thoughts on the matter, only the therapist he hadn’t thought he’d needed, until he’d started talking to him. Of course he knew that Nasta suspected, out of all of them it was bound to be Nasta who saw something, or guessed at what he was going through, but thus far Nasta hadn’t approached him to ask, and Max wasn’t quite ready to share his feelings on the matter off his own back.
It made him feel better to think that perhaps all of them were thinking and feeling the same, but he was worried that he was the only one, as he was the only one who needed Harry to be right next to him at all times, it was only him who had needed to have Harry wrapped up in his arms in bed at night. He’d been paranoid about every move that Harry made, terrified that every bend or shift would kill him because of the damage done to him during that fight. It made him sick sometimes, to even think of it, and at night his nightmares kept him awake, replaying the same horrors over and over, as he held Harry close to him, checking constantly through the night that Harry was still alive and breathing.
He still wasn’t over it, despite Harry and Taren being back in the house, and he hated being away from Harry, petrified that he might die from his injuries while he wasn’t there, despite the fact that he didn’t have any injuries from that fight anymore. He couldn’t help his fear, or the way he wanted to hover over his lover.
He was trying his best to control the fear, and the urge to smother Harry, and act like his usual self. His therapist was helping greatly with that, but Max just wanted to be himself again. He wanted to be able to deal with these fears without them affecting the rest of his mateship.

“Hey, are you okay?” Blaise asked, sitting next to him and tipping himself sideways to rest on him.

“Yeah, just lost in thought.” Max replied, smiling at Blaise and giving him a kiss.

Blaise kissed him back and snuggled into his side. Max inhaled deeply, and wrapped his arm around Blaise, cuddling him in tight. When he thought that he could have also lost Blaise in that fight. Merlin, why the fuck couldn’t he get past that damn fight? Why did he have to keep thinking about it, why did he torment himself like this? It had happened in May of last year, it was almost a year ago now, and he’d thought that he was over it. He’d thought that he’d forgiven the fight, and that he was over the thoughts of Harry and Blaise dying, but as it turned out, he wasn’t over any of it. He was still struggling and coming to terms with it. Harry’s pregnancy really hadn’t helped, as he’d seen Harry’s belly swelling with their baby Taren, and he’d worried that it might split Harry at the seams and kill him.
Max sighed. He’d been so overprotective, so worried, that now that nothing had actually happened, he was confused by it. Relieved, of course, but confused too. He was waiting for the other shoe to drop, and that wait was driving him insane.

“More tea.” Harry demanded with a cheeky grin, so much like his usual self that Max was hard pressed to remember why he was so worried, but then Harry winced as he stretched forward too far, and he remembered all over again that Harry was hurt, and injured, and could have died, and his mind circled in on that once again.

“Do you want to tell me what’s wrong?” Nasta asked him an hour later, coming to sit beside him.

“Nothing. I don’t know what you mean.” Max insisted.

Nasta gave him an unimpressed look. “You don’t have to tell me, you haven’t thus far, but ever since Taren was born…no, it was a few weeks before he was born, you’ve been acting strangely, Max. I can see it, we all can. I’ve left you alone, to give you time to come to me if you need to, but you haven’t. Now what is the issue?”

Max didn’t know if he could put his fears into words. He had known that Nasta knew, of course he knew, Nasta knew pretty much everything that went on in their house, he was their top dominant for a reason. But that still didn’t make it easy to confess to his fears, all the nightmares, and his awful thoughts about Harry and Blaise dying.

Nasta sighed. “Is it to do with Harry giving birth?”

Max slumped and he rested himself against Nasta.

“Sort of. I’m still hung up over the fight, Nas. I can’t let go of it.” He admitted in a whisper. “I’m…I’m having nightmares, ever since Harry hit the third trimester, and started getting so big with Taren. I just have nightmares of him bursting, and bleeding out before we can help him. I thought I was over it, that I’d forgiven and moved on, but when Harry started getting bigger, all of my fears came back and escalated. I felt like I couldn’t let him out of my sight, like I couldn’t let him go. I had to be holding him, I had to be able to feel his breathing, I’d wake up in the night to check that he was still alive. Now that he’s here, he’s home, and he and Taren are completely fine, it’s sort of…”

“Anti-climactic?” Nasta offered when Max paused.

Max nodded. “Yeah, I’m waiting for the punch line, I’m waiting for the worst to happen and I feel awful for that, I feel guilty just thinking it, but I’m anticipating it, just waiting for it to happen, and I can’t move past it.”

“Have you spoken to you therapist about all of this?” Nasta asked seriously.

Max nodded. “Yes. Apparently having them both back in the house, completely fine, is supposed to help, but it’s not, Nasta. I’m still having those awful thoughts. It’s been almost a year, and I’m still worried that Harry might die from it.”

“It was a terrible ordeal, Max. We’re never going to be completely over it. It’s scarred us forever. We’ll never be able to truly forget about it, sitting together just waiting for news, hearing that Blaise had died, watching Harry writhe and scream in pain, hearing his delusions as he hallucinated on those painkillers. We’ll never forget that, we have to learn to live with it.”

“Is that even possible?” Max asked humourlessly. “I mean, are you over it? Can you live with it?”

Nasta looked at Harry sat sandwiched between Draco and Blaise, Taren in Draco’s arms, as the three of them chatted and laughed together, waiting for the newborn to wake up for a feed so that they could all go up to bed.

“I can live with it.” He said softly. “Because the alternative will rip us apart and send us back into that unstable abyss. I won’t risk Harry and Blaise being upset, I won’t unsettle the kids, but more than that, Max, I won’t risk our family. I will never again allow a situation to arise where we’re stripped of Harry’s care under the Submissive Protection Act, I won’t go through that again, and I won’t put him or the kids through that again. So for that reason, I can live with what happened, but I will also never forget, and I will never allow it to happen again.”

“It’s just me then.” Max sighed sadly.

“It’s never just you.” Nasta said, leaning over and kissing his cheek. “We all think back to that fight from time to time, we all look around at what we might have thrown away over one fight. We all have ‘what if’ scenarios running around in our heads. It’s not just you.”

“I’m struggling with it, Nas. I thought I was okay. I thought I was moving on, but when I saw Harry swelling, my fear took over and I couldn’t think of anything else.”

Nasta hummed. “Look at him, Max.”

Max did as instructed, and he looked to Harry, drinking his third cup of tea since he’d woken up from his nap, sitting between their two younger dominants, and he watched as Harry gently took Taren’s hand and rubbed his thumb over the tiny fingers, before going back to his tea.

“Do you think you could do without this?”

“No.” He replied immediately. “I don’t want to go back to that time, Nas. I’m happy, I’m just…I’m worried too.”

Nasta nodded. “Understandable. It’ll take more time, that’s all.”

“It’s February, this happened last May, Nasta. I should be over it.”

“It was all brought back to you because of Harry’s pregnancy. It was a delicate situation. I keep thinking about what might have happened if he’d had twins, or triplets. What would have happened to him then?”

“He said he’d have the selective reduction.”

“He says that he would have, but can you really see our Harry agreeing to it?”

Max swallowed as he thought of that. Harry had told them he would have agreed to the selective reduction, but if it had come down to it, would he have actually gone through with the procedure?

“Things could have been worse, Caru, but on the other hand they could have been a hell of a lot better too. We just have to work with what we have, remember what actually happened instead of what could have happened, and be thankful that we all made it out alive, and together. There’s no changing what happened, but how we proceed from now on, that we can control, and I’ve promised to never let anything like that dark time in our mateship happen again, and I’m fully committed to ensuring that I keep that promise.”

“I can do that too.” Max said, smiling softly.

Nasta kissed him again, on the mouth this time, and Harry saw it.

“Hey! Don’t go starting anything like that when you know I can’t join in for another few weeks!” He complained, grinning at them.

“You’d never know, you’ll be asleep in an hour!” Max teased him, feeling lighter, and happier. Fucking Nasta and his advice, he could become a therapist himself if he wanted to.

“I’ll know if you have!” Harry insisted.

Nasta joined in, scoffing loudly. “No you wouldn’t. A few cups of tea and you’re out by nine O’clock and you wouldn’t wake up if there was an earthquake.”

“I mean it, if I find out you’ve been having sex behind my back…”

“Sometimes it’s over your back, and you still don’t wake up.” Blaise cut in.

Harry laughed, making them all feel lighter and happier, just because he was so happy.

“You’d better not! I demand compensation!”

“We’ll give you an IOU booklet, so you can cash in on the sex when you’re recovered enough.” Max joked, smiling naturally.

“Ooo, I want one. How many coupons do I have?”

“Hmm…let’s see, how many times have we had sex without him since he left us?” Max asked in a faux considering tone, even going so far as to put a finger to his lips and tapping, playing at thinking very hard, when all of them knew damn well how many times it had been.

“Once.” Draco insisted.

“Hmm, yes, it was just the once, wasn’t it?” Nasta said, smiling as he remembered his birthday morning, just after Harry had given birth.

“Okay, you get one coupon.” Max told Harry.

“You’ve had sex once without me?” Harry demanded. “I don’t believe any of you. I want at least six coupons.”

“Six?! Damn, I wish we’d had enough time and energy for six sessions!” Max laughed.

“We need to have five more to make up for those missing sessions!” Blaise laughed.

“No.” Harry cut in stubbornly. “Six is my benchmark, any more that you have now will be added on too. I want my coupons.”

“I’m sure you think we’re sex crazed maniacs.”

“Oh, are you not?” Harry teased, grinning.

“We’re really not, it’s always you teasing us!” Draco insisted.

Harry laughed loudly. “Who are you and what have you done with my mates?”

“He really does think we’re the sex crazed ones. Him, while he’s off flaunting himself in tiny skirts and lacy pants to rile us up!” Max chuckled.

“Don’t remind him of that!” Draco complained.

“Oh yeah. If I wear a skirt, you’ll all crack sooner.”

“Don’t do anything you’re not ready for, lover, let yourself recover, and then when you feel up to it, then you can wear the skirts, or those cute little boy shorts you have stashed away.” Max tried.

Harry squinted at him. “What have you done with my Maxie?”

Max laughed. “It’s still me, I just don’t want you to be hurt or in pain. I’ll happily give you your love coupons though.”

Harry smiled widely. “I can’t wait until I’m better so I can cash them in.”

“We’ll take it day by day.” Nasta said seriously.

Harry nodded. “I’m feeling alright, a bit sore, but it’s not like pain or anything, it’s more an annoyance, especially if I reach for something, or bend down and it twinges. Sleeping is the worst, because I move and roll in my sleep, and that can hurt and wake me up if I don’t remember to take a pain potion first, before I go to sleep.”

“We’ll make sure that you remember to take it.” Nasta said, smiling.

Harry grinned back. “Having a singleton is the greatest. I get this cute, adorable little baby, and even though he was nine pounds, I feel infinitely better than I have with any of the others.”

“Even Braiden?” Blaise asked.

Harry hummed. “It’s hard to compare it, I carried Braiden three years ago, and that’s a long time to remember, but on the other hand, I almost lost him and the pain of that could be influencing my thoughts. But still, singletons are definitely better. More singletons, please.”

The four of them laughed at Harry’s cheesy little grin.

“You’re such a goof.” Max insisted.

Harry scoffed. “You love me and everyone knows it.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.” Max agreed.

The five of them settled, they shared another cup of tea together, Harry took a pain potion in preparation, as he was starting to doze against Draco’s shoulder, and then their little Taren woke up, a small wail in the back of his throat, which steadily built to a full on scream.

“Damn, he’s loud when the rest of the house is quiet.” Max complained, as he threw the readymade bottle over to Blaise, who was the one holding Taren.

Blaise caught the bottle one handed, and he tested the temperature out of habit before plugging up Taren’s hungry, little mouth. The cries cut off and they all watched, infinitely interested in their newborn son feeding.

“I’ll go check on the kids, then we can all go to bed.” Nasta told them, breaking the transfixed spell by standing up.

Max watched him go and he heaved in a heavy sigh. He could get better. He could let go of the past and move on from this. A few more days and Harry wouldn’t even need pain potions, and in a week or so he would be completely back to himself, fully healed, running and rolling around as normal.
He did think that these feelings he still carried were because Harry had gotten pregnant before he’d been fully healed from that fight, and had almost been gutted. Or at the very least that had not helped his Dracken side to settle after the fight, because Harry had been so worried and stressed over it, and the court case really hadn’t helped the matter either. So it seemed more like everything had been extended by the pregnancy, instead of one taking over from the other.
Max sighed and tried to push those thoughts from his mind, as Taren was winded gently and then changed again in quick succession.

“Let’s get you up to bed, love.” Draco said gently to Harry, who was trying so hard to force himself to stay awake.

“Taren.” Harry fretted.

“Blaise has him. He’s been fed and he’s just getting his nappy changed. He’ll be up just after us. Come on.”

“Carry him, Draco.” Max said.

Draco looked at him, nodded, and then gently lifted Harry into his arms.

“Can walk.” Harry argued sleepily.

“Not up those stairs you can’t.” Draco refuted, carrying Harry from the room and up to bed.

Max stayed with Blaise and Taren, taking the dirty nappy sack from Blaise and going to put it in the bin. He made sure all the doors and windows were shut and locked, that all the lights were off, before going into the living room and taking the tray of mugs, the used bottle, and the teapot back into the kitchen. He washed them all out, dried them and put them away, before filling the bottle steriliser and setting that off. It would only take five minutes, and that would give him time to wipe down all his counters.

“Max, why aren’t you upstairs?” Nasta asked him, looking at him from the doorway.

“I was just sterilising the bottles.” Max insisted, looking up at his top dominant.

“I did that this afternoon. Taren has enough bottles to last the night feeds, and his first morning feed. It could have been done then.”

“I never wiped down my counters after dinner.”

Nasta sighed. “Is this really what you want to be doing at half nine in the night? Or is it something else?”

“I won’t sleep properly if I haven’t cleaned the counters. Not with Leolin and a newborn in the house. It only takes ten minutes, Nas.”

“Fine, you do the counters, I’ll get the bottles.” Nasta compromised, moving to the sink and washing his hands thoroughly, before going to the steamer and opening it, taking out the cleaned teats and bottles.

“I’ve cleaned where we usually line them up.” Max told him, moving to wiping down the island counter.

Nasta nodded and he lined up the bottles beside the kettle, and in the group of other bottles that had already been sterilised, putting the assembled tops in front of each bottle. He made sure that the formula powder they used for Taren was on the other side of the kettle, and that the kettle had enough water in it for the first feed, with a little extra because they believed that Leolin would wake up for a feed too.

“Are you done?” Nasta asked Max, as his mate threw another wipe into the bin and then went to wash his hands.

“I’m done.”

“Come on then, those lot upstairs will already be asleep.”

“Were the kids okay?” Max asked him.

“Perfectly fine, and all fast asleep.”

Max followed Nasta up the stairs and they both slowed their steps and quietened down as they entered the master bedroom. Harry was fast asleep, snuggled up to Blaise, who had his arms wrapped tightly around him.
Draco was just coming out of the en suite, a bit of white toothpaste foam on his lip still.

“Come here, lover.” Max teased, pulling Draco into his arms and reaching up to wipe the splodge away with his thumb. “There we go.”

“I thought I was at least going to get a kiss.” Draco complained in a whisper.

Max stifled a laugh, but dutifully bent to kiss his mate, before he and Nasta both got themselves ready for bed. Stripping off their clothes and putting them in the hamper, using the bathroom, getting into their pyjamas and brushing their teeth.
Draco was on the night duty tonight, and he was impatiently waiting for them to finish, and he hustled Nasta into the bed, shoving him up towards Harry before lying down himself, closest to Taren’s bassinet. Not that it mattered, as Taren’s cry was so loud and piercing, that all of them heard him regardless of where they were lying. They could have been sleeping in the guest room down the hall and they’d still hear him.
Max chuckled softly, even as he climbed into the bed on the other side, next to Blaise. He was still worried, still scared that the other shoe would drop and that Harry and Taren might be hurt. But Nasta knew now. Nasta would look after them all, he always did. Max could always rely on Nasta for everything, he just needed to make sure that this time around, that he made sure that Nasta was well looked after, and satisfied, to make up for all his care of them as individuals, and as a family. They couldn’t let Nasta get burned out or so frayed that he snapped. They needed him, all of them needed him, so Max made a mental note, right before he dozed off to sleep, that he would make the time to pin Nasta down and take the burden of being the top dominant from his shoulders every now and then, in the only way he knew how, by pleasuring the fuck out of him. He smiled tiredly to himself, he would enjoy that, and he hoped that Nasta would too.

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A/N: I got distracted by The Black Heir and the forced myself to keep to it to break the block I’ve had on it for the last year, and it actually worked, so I’ve been sucked back into The Black Heir, but I’ve finally finished this chapter off ready to post, and we finally have little Thunderer’s name! I hope that you all enjoyed it, as I’m going to go over to The Black Heir for a little while.
That’s all for now, thank you all for your comments and observations, I’ll be back soon enough, I imagine, with chapter 124, but until then, lovelies,

StarLight Massacre. X
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The Rise of the Drackens