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Perfect	By : starstruck86 Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Snape/Ron Views: 3234 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor do I make any money from these writings.

Chapter List
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A/N: Hello
all. This is the final fic to my big long RW/SS AU �Dreams�
series and the other fics should be read first to explain this little epilogue
story. Thank you for all your reviews throughout, I owe you lots of kisses and
virtual cupcakes for your support and praise. *squish*

This
infinitely happier than the last RW/SS I posted, you�ll be pleased to note� and
no matter what, these two have a happy ending this time round. I sincerely
promise! ;-) (Working hard to regain the trust here and hope you�ve all
forgiven me). I wrote this during the last two i've posted. As I said, this is just to show what type of parents they became(crafty, in my opinion LOL) and how their children grew up, and how their
relationship matured. Beware the extreme fluff! This jumps to
shortly before the triplets� 11^th birthday from the end of �Magic�,
then jumps to them leaving for Hogwarts. Enjoy xxx

----

Severus
could have turned around as he walked through the fireplace, straight back to the
relative quiet of his office. The sound of vibrating music from his kitchen
made him very glad they lived in the middle of nowhere with nobody to disturb,
though he wouldn�t be surprised if the racket could be heard from the village.
He dropped his briefcase on the floor by the sofa and peered into the hall,
eager not to be noticed, lest he be pulled into the mini-mosh
pit which resembled his kitchen.

The scene
which met his eyes was not irregular in anyway. The crashing music was almost
commonplace and the house seemed odd without it. Ron luckily had his back to
him, cooking at the stove, bellowing his head off along to the music along with
Rosie and Jack, who were doing their usual air guitar impressions; Severus
watched as Elliott tried to sit still at the table, attempting to keep all his
limbs stationery, but the impression was ruined by the fact he was mouthing the
words. He had given up on whatever he was attempting writing; the table was
covered in sheets of parchment and books. As usual, Ron�s love of singing
whilst cooking had interrupted homework time. Severus had long since given up
trying to keep them on the straight and narrow when their other father seemed
unable to help himself in dragging them off it. As Jack never failed to remind
them, it was �only� prep school.

Both
Severus and Ron had had their doubts about sending the triplets to the
preparatory school which had been started up for parents who wanted to
integrate their children to a school-like environment before packing them off
to Hogwarts. Severus had been secretly looking forward to teaching his children
what they needed to know, but as Ron had pointed out, everyone was getting
grumpier that way. Severus was frustrated, Jack wasn�t bothered, Rosie
outstripped her brothers and Elliott struggled, over-thought everything and got angry with everyone
when he couldn�t do a set task. And so the prep school had seemed the best
option, with its qualified teachers, and they found that other parents had been
dithering too but then all decided together �so at least the triplets had their
friends present, James and Louis both attended.

The song
reached the crescendo to the chorus �ha,
if these idiots know about big words like that- and Ron gave up stirring
whatever was on the hob to join his children in singing very loudly and jumping
around. Severus had never gotten over the fact that Rosie had picked up Ron�s
love of the infernal Muggle band that he used to play to them when they were in
the Ministry facilities in the hospital. Severus knew every word to every song
and pretended to hate them to annoy both his husband and his daughter. Jack was
indifferent and would listen to anything. Elliott was fussy, claimed he hated
it but when he sat and sang to it that was hard to believe.

Severus
watched as his last son finally gave up the pretence and leapt into the dancing
half of their kitchen, long dark hair bouncing. Still unnoticed, Severus
watched, laughing behind his hand as he did so.

At nearly
eleven years old, the triplets stood at the height of thirteen-year-olds and
spoke, as they always had, with conversational skills far beyond their years.
Jack�s tightly curled hair was bouncing as he jumped about, black with obvious
curls of fire red. Rosie�s fiery hair was plaited and flinging about her;
Severus assumed it would hit someone in the face soon, as usual. Elliott�s dark
locks washed about his face. It fell to his shoulders and although there were a
few comments about �what a lovely little girl you have� Elliott would never let
them cut it, and almost relished the look on people�s faces when his
undoubtedly boyish voice shocked them into stuttering their apologies. All lean
and tall, growing at the same speed, they were a striking triad with their
almost-purple eyes.

�DAD!�

The shout
cut through the music and three male faces whipped round to where Rosie was
already looking. Ron waved his wand and cut the music down to a volume which
was an automatic relief to all their eardrums and grinned.

�Hey you,�
Ron shook his hair back out of his eyes. �Er, why
aren�t you three doing your homework?�

Jack
snorted and sauntered to the sink for a drink. �Hi, Dad,� he added casually
over his shoulder.

�I can
remember a time when you�d all pile on me as I came home,� Severus sighed
dramatically, but broke off when Rosie jumped over and threw her arms around
his middle �she was now the most openly affectionate of the three.

�Yes, but,�
Ron turned back to attend to the dinner he�d left cooking, �If you remember
rightly, things got kicked and broken� it�s just better for the family finance
that they don�t any more.�

�True. So,
how�s your homework?�

�Done,�
Rosie piled up her parchment and closed her books.

�If I said done, Dad, would you believe me?� Jack asked with a grin.

�That means
you didn�t particularly get any,� Severus raised an eyebrow.

Jack said
nothing and sat down airily at the table.

�How�s
yours, El?�

The
nickname had stuck. Severus had fought it, corrected himself a million and one
times. But Elliott answered to it and it was just easy.

�I hate maths,�
Elliott answered contemptuously, glaring at his textbook like it was evil.

As well as
pre-cursors to the Hogwarts subjects, the prep school also made sure that the
pupils were proficient in their reading, writing and arithmetic skills, as well
as giving them room for art, music and sport if they so wished. Elliott�s
problem, however, was that he would much rather have spent all his time drawing
and playing his instruments than bothering with the rest.

�I hated
learning maths too,� Ron said supportively. �Bunch of bloody
numbers and whatnot. You don�t need to be brilliant at it El, you�ll
survive with the basics. I did.�

�It�s
easy,� Rosie said unhelpfully, stacking her books up.

�When
you�re you,� Elliott muttered, and he picked up his quill again.

�How about
you stop for now, if it�s too hard, and I�ll help you with it later?� Severus
suggested �maths had never been an issue for him.

�Thanks,�
Elliott took that as an instant dismissal, slapped the textbook shut with the
parchment inside it and shoved it in his schoolbag under the table, taking out
his art book instead.

Severus
rolled his eyes at Ron as his son disappeared into the book and he walked to
his husband, resplendent in his thirties, dressed in tatty jeans, an obscure
band t-shirt under a short-sleeved unbuttoned checked shirt and the trainers he
insisted kept him young. Ron was undoubtedly the cool parent of the two of them, Severus had long gotten over his inferiority complex
because it just wasn�t worth fighting the stereotype. And Severus wasn�t
exactly dowdy or dressing like an old man. Only approaching his mid-fifties and
not a slip-on shoe or grey pair of elasticated-waist
trousers in sight, he was fine. And he planned to keep that way. Black would
work forever.

Ron greeted
him with a warm kiss and a squeeze, and Severus loved the way not one of his
children batted an eyelid. Why would
they? It�s not as though they disapprove.

That had
been another reason for the prep school. Both Ron and Severus had agreed that
it would be best for the triplets to learn to deal with the enquiries as to
their parentage as early as possible and the prep school was the perfect basis
for that, because it wasn�t a boarding school, and anything could be discussed
in the evening. Severus thought back to the night two years previously where
Jack had suddenly decided, in the middle of dinner, to ask about sexuality and
how it �worked�. Although it had taken both of his parents by surprise, they�d
both been glad of their son�s forward nature �without him, it seemed everything
would be much harder, considering Elliott�s reclusive character and Rosie�s
empowered brain.

The music
on the enchanted muggle CD player switched to an electro-pop girlband that Rosie favoured and Jack groaned.

�This is
rubbish; can we listen to something else?�

�There�s
nothing wrong with them,� Rosie instantly snapped, temper flaring �it never
took much. �You don�t mind looking at their posters on my wall.�

�Yeah well
I�m a boy?� Jack shrugged, from where he was folding up a piece of parchment
into a paper aeroplane.

�El�s a boy and he�s not drooling on my wall.�

�Leave me
out of it,� Elliott kept his eyes on his drawing.

�That�s
because El�s weird,� Jack made a face.

Severus
made to speak to deflect the fight but Elliott beat him to it.

�What, so I�m weird because I don�t like a group of� stick insects, as Dad
would say?� he jerked his head towards Ron. �They all look so skinny, like
their heads are too big for their bodies. That�s
weird, not me.�

Ron
occupied himself stirring the dinner and Severus pretended to be overly
interested in what he was doing, letting the conversation play out as they
exchanged furtive glances, trying to fight down proud grins at their son�s
surprisingly grown up attitude to women.

�So what?�
Jack shrugged again and sent his aeroplane sailing across the room.

�Ooh, that
was a good one,� Rosie watched it sail past the back door. �You�re getting
better.�

�Just in time for me to get my wand and make them with magic,� Jack shot a glum
look at Ron and Severus� backs, resenting them for the fact they only let them
have their wands for school, when the teachers had supreme control over the
blessed sticks of wood.

�Well, woe betide Hogwarts when you eventually get there,� Ron
laughed. �Alright. Clear that off, dinner�s nearly
done. Set the table please and no sword fights with the cutlery like last
night.�

Jack and
Rosie got up and heaved the remnants of their work off the table but Elliott
remained, still bent over his book.

�He means
you as well,� Severus gave his son a gentle prod on the shoulder. �But that�s
really good.�

�It�s not
right,� Elliott replied with his usual frustration but at least shut the book
and got up.

�As ever,
listens to you over me,� Ron muttered under his breath, though Severus heard it
and felt a stab of resentment through the chain bond.

�Can I
help?� Severus asked with a �don�t start� glare which had Ron sticking his
tongue out in response.

Just then a
chorus of rock music burst out from Ron�s pocket and he pulled the mobile phone
out, indicating for Severus to watch over the food. Severus found their
surprising descent into the muggle world amusing. They both used mobile phones
when possible and they had a fully working television, and Ron had his beloved
iPod which never left his side, not to mention the computer.

�Hey Harry,
fire not good enough for you these days?� Ron walked to the end of the kitchen
and leant on the larder door. �And which one of us was raised by muggles?
You�re rubbish. I don�t know, read the bloody manual.� Severus snorted to the
food at Harry�s apparent lack of technological expertise; Severus himself had
complete use of his own mobile phone. �No, we�re all here. Why? What�s going
on?� Ron frowned at the kids, chattering amongst themselves by that point. �No� nothing at all. Right. I�ll
find out later, I suppose. Did he say what? No, he�s not said anything. I�ll
ring you later. Oh, fine, I�ll firecall if you can�t figure out how to answer
it you tool. Bye.�

Ron beeped
the phone off and looked furtively at Severus, warning him not to ask
questions. Without another word, Ron sorted out the food and drinks and had
everyone sitting down at faster than usual speed.

�So.
Which way around the table are we going then?� Ron asked brightly, meaning who
was going to talk about their day first.

It made him
like his mother, he knew. And he knew at times he�d really resented her
inquisitive nature, but tonight, according to Harry�s phone call, their days
really needed to discussed.

�Severus?�
He asked forcefully, surreptitiously treading on his foot under the table.

�It was
fine. Had to sit for the staff picture,� Severus made a face.

�So another picture of you not smiling then, dad?� Rosie grinned at him.

�If I was happy
to be having my picture taken, I�d smile,� Severus speared some food.

�I made a
really good save at Quidditch practice during lunch,� Jack offered up.

�Yeah?�
Ron prompted him further, eyes lingering over the way that Elliott was ignoring
everything green on his plate.

�I was over
by the third post and made it to the first, kicked the ball out of the pitch
and stayed on the broom,� Jack beamed.

�Sounds
great! And impressive on the rubbish training brooms they give you.�

Ron got up
for the salt which had been forgotten in the cupboard; as soon as his back was
turned the usual flurry of activity occurred. Severus instantly reached for
whatever he could stab of the greenery on Elliott�s plate, Jack reached for
Rosie�s potatoes as she swapped him for half his chicken in white sauce and
Elliott arranged his food to look like a quarter of it hadn�t disappeared.

By the time
Ron sat back down, they were normal again, mostly happy with their plates and
eating contentedly. Severus knew it defeated the object, taking the parts his
son didn�t like, but he was beginning to wonder if it was more than just bog
standard objection. There were points at which El looked positively green
confronted with sprouts or broccoli, which his siblings could eat and like. It�s easier to just spare him the misery
now he�s older.

�So, how
was your day?� Severus turned to Ron to keep him occupied.

�S�allright, I broke in my new Converse,� Ron shrugged with
a grin. �And I procured a really valuable contract at work today.�

�So can we
get our own iPods?� Jack was on him in an instant.

�No you
can�t,� Ron rolled his eyes. �But it�s worth a lot of money and I�ll get some
of that.�

�Which is
useful seeing as we have three birthdays coming up,� Severus smirked.

�Are you
ever going to tell us what you�re planning?� Elliott finally spoke.

Severus
opened his mouth to reply in the negative but Ron got there first.

�Yes, I�ll tell you now if you like.�

Er, hello? What about discussing these things first?! Severus dropped his fork and picked
up his drink, not wanting to display a rift between them but sent several
confused pulses along the bond.

�We�re
going to London
to stay with Uncle Harry and Aunt Gin, and then we�re going to take you to
places each of you likes. Because it�s the last birthday you�ll have,� Ron gave
a big pointed sniff, �with us before you go to Hogwarts.�

�And that meaaaaans?� Jack asked excitedly.

�Quidditch
match, Harpies versus Tornados,� Ron pointed at Jack, �Dean�s going to come
with us to England football world cup qualifier,� that went to Elliott who
forgot to look serious as glee lit up his face at going to an actual football
match, and Ron sighed, looking at Rosie. �And you will have us all on our best behaviour in the Planetarium and
that place with all the creepy waxworks.�

�Eeeeeeeeeeeeee,� Rosie bounced in her seat. �They�re not
creepy, Daddy, they�re fun.�

�If you say
so�� Jack muttered around a potato.

�Don�t talk
with your mouth full,� Severus scolded.

�Sorry,
excited,� Jack grinned after swallowing.

�So� we�re not
having the usual birthday party then?� Elliott asked in a quiet voice.

�You all complained last year?� Ron raised an eyebrow.

�Yeah but��

�We can�t,
anyway,� Severus said gently. �Harry and Gin are going on holiday the day we
arrive, we�re just� staying in their house for a bit.�

�Oh,�
Elliott shrugged. �Never mind.�

�So. Now I�ve done that,� Ron said. �Bad points of the
day, now you�re all placated.�

It would
have taken an idiot to miss the very obvious look which swept between their
children, and Ron had to fight back his smirk of satisfaction.

�Today was
fine,� Elliott shrugged.

�Yeah,
really good,� Rosie said too enthusiastically.

Jack,
tellingly and unusually, stayed dead quiet and Ron gave him two seconds grace
before he homed in on him as his pathway to the truth. �Jack? Anything bad happen at school today?�

�Ow!�
Severus protested as a foot whacked into his shin. �Who just kicked me and
why?�

Palpable
silence filled their kitchen and even George looked up from his bed to see what
was going on. The dog was as intelligent as ever, and the only sign of his
growing age was the way his chops were tinged blonde. Plates were cleared in
the time the silence lasted and Severus watched as Jack fidgeted in his seat,
before glancing at Ron who was staring at their curly haired son.

�Alright,
can�t take it any more!� Jack burst out. �She,� he pointed a finger at Rosie,
�Got kicked out of Potions Club today and he,� he pointed the other index
finger at Elliott, �Got beaten up behind the broom shed at lunch.�

Severus�
mouth fell open but before he could express his horror there were two scrapes
of chairs and two very angry siblings on their feet.

�Jack!� Rosie wailed. �You promised you wouldn�t tell! You said you wouldn�t.�

�Well, they were going to find out sometime,� Jack coloured under her temper.

�I hate
you,� Elliott spat with his most scathing look, and turned to flounce from the
kitchen, snapped his fingers, and George leapt up and followed him instantly.

Rosie
followed him without bothering to ask permission to leave the table, and
shortly after there were the two loud bangs of bedroom doors being slammed.
Jack looked at the wood of the table and waited for the interrogation.

�What
happened?� Ron pushed back his chair, jumping to his feet. �Who beat up El?�

�And how on
earth did Rosie get thrown out of her favourite club?� Severus joined Ron in
standing up.

�Go and ask
them, I wasn�t there for either, I just know it happened� did James tell Uncle
Harry? That�s who was on the phone?� Jack looked at Ron, who nodded. �Ah man,
I�m going to kill him. He promised��

�Just like
you promised?� Severus raised an eyebrow and Jack flushed again.

�You needed
to know, didn�t you?�

�Yes, but, you shouldn�t break your promises,� Ron said. �And you can do the
washing up by hand as a punishment. Washing and
drying.�

Jack�s
mouth fell open in mutiny. �That�s not fair!� He jumped up.

�Don�t tell
tales on people then,� Ron countered.

Jack�s only
answer was to starting picking up plates, muttering under his breath. Severus and
Ron made it to the kitchen door.

�Oh, yeah,
and I hate you,� Jack said with a roll of his eyes, and grinned at them.

�Shame �cos we luuuurve you,� Ron snorted
and walked into the hallway.

�That was
mean,� Severus whispered to him. �He only told you because you were glaring at
him.�

�I didn�t
say I fought fair,� Ron rolled his eyes. �I�ll take Rosie and you take El?�

�Yes� I�m
stunned� Have you ever heard El say anything which hinted towards him being
picked on?�

Ron shook
his head. �As serious as he is he gets on with everyone. Harry didn�t tell me
everything because James didn�t know everything, only what he found out with
Jack.�

�I wish
those two were separable,� Severus muttered darkly.

�Well
they�re not, and they�ll never be the rate they�re going, so give it up,� Ron
poked Severus in the stomach and leant in for a kiss. �Good luck.�

�Think I
need it.�

***

�So come on
then�� Severus sat on the end of Elliott�s bed, trying to start the
conversation, which seemed pointless when his son had his face buried in
George�s fur.

�I didn�t
get beaten up,� Elliott muffled.

�So why did
Jack say you did, then?�

�Because it
sort of� well��

�Just tell me the truth, El.�

�It�s
stupid.�

�Don�t
care. Tell me anyway.�

Elliott
finally looked up and Severus hated the sad look on his little boy�s features.
Although not one for over-the-top shows of emotion, with a somewhat sombre
countenance, he could still tell when Elliott was miserable. �Well, I just��

�Where was
Jack? Why didn�t he stop whoever it was?�

�Quidditch, Rosie was at Potions.�

�Where was Louis, then? Couldn�t he have gone and got a teacher or did
something happen with him too?� Severus asked, wondering if he should be
alerting Bill and Fleur.

�Lou was at
Gobstones,� Elliott bit his lip.

�Hang on
then, so why weren�t you?�

�Don�t be
mad?� Elliott beseeched him.

�Why would
I be mad at you if someone else is picking on you?� Severus was reminded
starkly of his own childhood when his own father had been exactly that. His old
broken arm injury gave an unhelpful twinge.

�How d�you know when you�re in love?� Elliott fiddled with
George�s collar, making the tag tinkle a little bit as it connected to the
buckle.

�I�m sorry�
what?� Severus wasn�t quite sure he�d heard right.

�Love�
what�s it feel like?�

�El��

�There�s
someone at school I really like,� Elliott said, so quietly it might have been a
whisper.

�What does�� Severus had been about to say she, but
then remembered that might not have been wise, considering the situation in
their home. �How does that come into this?�

�I wasn�t
at Gobstones because Chloe was upset.�

�Chloe?�

Elliott
nodded. �We�re friends� and the� idiots were teasing her, calling her fat.�

Severus
suddenly thought back to his son�s earlier comments about the girls in Rosie�s
posters and had an inkling of what might have happened.

�And you stuck up for her?�

�Yeah.�

�And then
they what?�

�They were
kind of stronger than me.�

�I know
that, but still, what did they do?�

�Shoved me
over and I hit my face on the steps as I fell and my nose was bleeding, so they
said they did it.�

�Didn�t you
go to a teacher?� But Severus already knew the answer to that �he had never
gone to the staff either, when he�d been harassed. �How did you fix your nose?�

�Magic kind
of fixed it for me,� Elliott shrugged.

�How did
Jack and James find out?�

�Sort of
spread��

Hearing his
son�s voice get quieter and quieter, Severus sighed. �You did something really
nice in sticking up for your friend, El.�

�Is it
weird that I love her, though?�

Careful what you say, Severus. And
remember who you were in love with at his age. Shaking the thought that history
might be about to catastrophically repeat itself in his son, Severus sighed
slightly. �Does she know you like her that way?�

�She likes
me back,� Elliott�s grin lit up his face.

�Well
still, she should have told one of the teachers that those boys were picking on
her, and you should have done the same. What if they�d really hurt you, or
really hit you?�

�I said
that,� he shrugged. �But she was really upset.�

�So who is this Chloe�? I don�t think I�ve heard you mention her before?�

�Chloe Longbottom.�

Severus
nearly fell off the bed. Oh my good god.
No. Not Longbottom�s girl?! Severus remembered
Ron telling him, a long, long time ago that Neville announced his pregnancy with
Hannah Abbott the month the triplets had been born, but had never given it
another thought, and didn�t know that their child was one of the triplets�
classmates. And now his son was apparently in love with her. Longbottom? REALLY?
SERIOUSLY?!

�Dad?� Elliott
looked at him.

�Hmmm?�

�The boys that were picking on her. They sort of said that��

�Said
what?�

�Because my
parents are gay then I must be too.�

�Well we
both know that�s rubbish, you can be whatever you want to be, and the fact is
you�re not even eleven and it�s not likely you know yet.�

�I said
that.�

�Really, El? Where�s all this coming from? You�re as quiet as a mouse.�

�Well they were really mean,� Elliott picked up a chunk of George�s hair and
combed his fingers through it. �It made me really mad they�d upset her like
that.�

�If
something like this happens again, El, I expect you to tell us, do you
understand? And I�m contacting the school, just so you know.�

�I know I
should have told you� but I was just worried that you�d tell me I was being
stupid over Chloe.�

�I�m not
saying it�s entirely normal for you to think you�re in love with someone at the
age of ten and eleven months, El��

�I know.�

�What?�

�You said think. I don�t think, I know. I�m going to marry her when we�re old
enough.�

Severus
looked at his son and tried to control his features to retain his sarcastic
side. He wouldn�t have appreciated it at Elliott�s age and he was certain his
son would react the same way, they were so very, very
alike. Too bloody
alike. Jesus Christ.

�Just� the
people we like when we�re young aren�t always right for us,� Severus said
gently. �Remember that. You�re going to Hogwarts soon and there�ll be other
people there. Don�t make yourself alienated, El.�

�How would
you know?� Elliott�s tone was sulky �advice didn�t really work with him, if it
was doled out obviously.

�I was ten
once too.�

�So you
liked somebody when you were my age?�

�I might
have. And it clearly didn�t work out because your Dad�s not a girl.�

Elliott
laughed then. �No.�

�So are you
going to apologise to Jack for saying you hated him?�

�No,�
Elliott scowled. �I do hate him.�

�Don�t say
that, he�s your brother.�

�But he
promised me he�d keep it quiet� and Rosie, too, she�s really upset, she didn�t
want you to know because she was scared you�d be disappointed in her.�

�Is that
why you didn�t tell us? You thought we�d be disappointed?�

Elliott
shrugged. �I guess I wondered if Dad would have expected me to fight back�
he�s��

�Your
father did his fair share of fighting at Hogwarts, yes� but that doesn�t mean
he wants you to be the same as him.�

�Did you
get into many fights?�

�No� well.
You know what? You don�t need to know this El.�

�Were you�
picked on at school?�

Damn astute child. Why couldn�t you
have been stupid?
�Yes.�

�Oh.�

�And that�s
why I insist you tell me if this keeps up.�

�Alright.�

�Promise?�

Elliott
nodded and gave him a nervous smile. �Are you going to tell Dad��

�You know we don�t have secrets from one another, El,� Severus reminded him
gently. �He�s your father too and he has a right to know, even if you don�t
feel as close to him as you do to me.�

�It�s not that! I just� easier to talk to you.�

�I know. I
should go and find out what happened with Rosie. I�ll send your Dad in? I think
you should tell him all of this. I know you argue a lot, El, but he�s just
trying to help.�

�I know.�

�See you in
a bit and we�ll do your maths homework.�

�Urgh.�

***

�Why�d you
get kicked out of Potions Club then?� Ron asked, sitting backwards on the
little desk chair in Rosie�s room, which was lit only by the glow of her pink
fairy lights around the ceiling perimeter.

�I� had an
argument with my teacher,� Rosie blushed.

�That�s not
like you� very much like me though,� he gave her a lopsided smile. �I used to
give your Dad cheek all the time when he taught me.�

�You still do,� Rosie grinned, stroking the plush bear she had in her lap.

�Well,
wouldn�t like the man to get bored, would we?� Ron wheeled closer, his long
legs propelling himself as his elbows rested on the back of the chair. �How did
you fall out?�

�He was
talking about werewolves. And he was getting it all wrong.�

�What do you mean?� Ron frowned.

�We were
discussing the Wolfsbane Potion, and he said how that
it�s a pointless potion because a werewolf is dangerous all the time, not just
on the full moon. And that�s rubbish, isn�t it dad? Remus is only a wolf when
the moon�s full and he�s lovely the rest of the time.�

Ron looked
at his daughter as she spoke, passion tumbling out of her mouth and eyes with
every word.

�So I told
him he was wrong,� Rosie said boldly. �Because he was.
And then he asked how on earth I would know, and I said that my Godfather was a
werewolf and one of the nicest people I know.�

�And then
what happened?� Ron�s brow furrowed.

�He told me
he didn�t like liars and threw me out of the club, in front of everyone, dad,
it was horrid.�

�Well,� Ron
sat up straight and clapped his hands on the back of the chair. �Looks like
we�ll have to get your Dad to write a letter, won�t we? Reminding your teacher
that Hermione Jane Granger -proprietor of the �Cursed Beings Reform� is your Godmother, and that she�d be very interested to know that the only wizarding preparatory school
in the country is allowing incorrect information to be taught to its students
regarding said cursed beings, as would the MOM.�

�Oh, can
we?� Rosie�s eyes lit up and she flew onto her knees, bouncing a little.
�That�d be so funny!�

�I�m sure
we�ll have you back in Potions Club in no time,� Ron winked.

�I don�t want to be in his stupid club,� she gave a jut of her chin. �If he was
stupid about that then he could be about other things.�

�I�m proud
of you, Rosieposie.�

�Dad how
many times, don�t call me that!�

�You�re my
little Rosieposie no matter how much you tell me differently and you always
will be,� Ron smirked annoyingly. �Your Nana Weasley used to have nicknames for
us all, you know. She�d want me to continue it.�

�It sounds like I would have really liked her,� Rosie said sadly.

�And she
would have adored you three like you were the best thing since� ever,� Ron
grinned, staring at the carpet as a glow of warmth from the memory of his
mother washed over him.

There was a
gentle knock on the door then and it opened slightly. �Can I come in?�

�Like we
could say no to you,� Ron eased up off the chair. �Is El alright?�

�Go and
talk to him,� Severus said. �He�s waiting for you.�

�Be gentle
with this little anarchist here. Your scornful letter writing skills are
needed,� Ron winked as he passed him.

***

Three pages
of maths homework, the drafting of an angry letter and a firecall to Hermione
later, Severus was just about dead on his feet. His head was pounding and it
wasn�t helped by the fact that four lots of music crashed through the house
walls from four different quarters �the usual blasting of McFly from Rosie,
some scarily techno-like pounding from Jack�s room and something old but
amplified from Elliott, plus Ron up in his attic room contributing something
Severus didn�t recognise.

I knew I was right. We should have
put silencing spells on their rooms. Ron had vetoed that, saying he didn�t want them getting up
to no good. But Severus winced with every ear shattering beat and wondered how
his children were not completely deaf.

Resolutely,
Severus pulled out his wand and twiddled it in his fingers. It was time for
action which would kill two birds with one stone.

He leant
against the hallway wall and concentrated hard on gathering his magic and
flicked his wand, sending a pulse of it throughout the house. In seconds there
was deafening silence as the magic knocked out the modified electrical items,
and then there came the shouts.

Three yells of �DAD!� and one shout of �SEVERUS!�

He grinned
at the carpet and waited to see who would be the first to recover their
noise-making. It was usually Jack but he was surprised to hear the shouting
opening lines of Bon Jovi�s �You Give Love a Bad
Name� from above and that meant Ron had won.

With a sly
smile, Severus sent the pulse again.

�FOR GOD�S SAKE
QUIT IT!� Ron yelled angrily and there was a thump through the floor which made
Severus choke on his laughter.

Severus
flicked his wand again and thought of the most annoying song he could think of,
and sent it flying through the house. And then he hid his wand, waiting to see
which of his children would be the first to crack and open their bedroom door.

So chirpily
upbeat, Billy Joel was even annoying Severus, but he was there to serve a
purpose and every single member of that household hated �Uptown Girl� with a
passion. Jack�s bedroom door flew open and he glared at his father, looking
exactly like Ron in a temper.

Severus
raised one eyebrow and folded his arms over his chest.

�FINE!�
Jack shouted over the music and turned, barging through the door to Elliott�s
bedroom and dragging his brother into the outer-room which had once been a
playroom but now held Ron�s beloved pool table. Then Jack did the same for
Rosie.

�I�M SORRY
I TOLD THEM,� Jack yelled.

Elliott
looked like he wanted to launch into a fight but the music made him wince, and
then he shook his head. �SORRY I SAID I HATE YOU.�

�SORRY I
SHOUTED!� Rosie added.

Then all three of them turned around and looked at Severus with expressions
which clearly asked �happy now?� Severus gave a nod and smiled, then cut the
music.

It wasn�t
the first time he�d had to do it, but it always worked.

�Oh thank
God for that, my ears were bleeding,� Ron jumped off the four stairs into the
hallway. �That song should be banned.�

�I�m surprised you could hear it,� Severus muttered.

�You�re an
old git,� Ron yawned, stretching one arm up over his head and scratched his
stomach with his free hand.

�I�m glad
our children heard that,� Severus nodded at the three of them who were still
standing looking at him, and Ron poked his head round the doorframe.

�So what, they�re only hearing the truth,� Ron snorted. �I�m making tea. Anyone
want?�

�Rather
have hot chocolate,� Elliott said with a sly grin.

�Oooh, with tiny marshmallows,� Rosie nodded.

Ron stomped
off to the kitchen muttering about how needy his offspring were.

***

�Mmm, so
good,� Ron relaxed against the headboard of their bed.

It was late
and they should have been asleep, but they�d had a lot to talk about. Severus was
in between Ron�s legs, leaning back on his chest, receiving a gentle neck
massage.

�Shouldn�t
it be me saying that?� He asked.

�Just being
on the bed is good,� Ron laughed. He worked his thumbs in circles at the nape
of Severus� neck and sighed.

�What?�

�I�m just
pig sick that, only just into my thirties, I have found three grey hairs, and
you have none. It�s as black as it ever was. Unbelievable.�

�Well, good, going grey has never been something I�ve looked forward
to.�

�I still say you would have looked fabulous with silver.�

�I still
say you�re a bit mad.�

�Well, you
wouldn�t love me if I were normal,� Ron stopped massaging and draped his arms
around Severus� neck and leant forward to kiss his ear.

�Oh, I
think I would. I�ve been trying to inject some normality into this household
for years.�

Ron laughed
and murmured into Severus� ear, �Never gonna happen.�

�A man can
still dream.�

�Aye, I
suppose. It�s late, we should go to bed.�

�Mm,
probably,� Severus agreed, but did not move.

�What�s on your brilliant but over-active mind?� Ron asked instantly, sensing
the worry in the bond.

�El.�

�Thought he might be.�

�It�s
weird, right?�

�A bit� but
they�re ten. It�s just handholding and being friends, from what I got out of
him,� Ron shrugged. �But we shouldn�t exactly have been surprised��

�Why?�

�Well look
at his parents. One of them,� Ron gave a subtle poke at Severus� ribs, �Was in
love with someone at the same age, and wanted her for many years. The other one
went after his Professor at the age of eighteen and refused to let him go��

�Have you
met her?�

�Chloe? Yeah, she�s really sweet. Quite shy, she
really takes after Neville but she looks like her mother, blonde hair, blue
eyes.�

�Is she as clumsy as her father was?� Severus muttered darkly.

�No.
Nobody�s as butterfingered as Neville though. But he�s so much better, and he
loves teaching at the school.�

�I just
don�t want El to get hurt. I remember how much it hurts� to go to school
thinking you�ve got the person you�re going to marry by your side� and then
they find someone better than you and you�re left with nothing. I�m scared
he�ll alienate himself.�

�He has
Rosie and Jack and they won�t let him do that,� Ron gave his husband a
re-assuring squeeze about the shoulders. �And he�d soon learn.�

Severus said
nothing and Ron stroked his hair slightly. �Just because he is like us doesn�t
mean he will make our decisions and our mistakes. For all we know, he might
actually have met the person he�s going to spend the rest of his life with.
Look at Harry and Ginny. Ginny was El�s age when she
first set her sights on Harry.�

�Something
I have never understood,� Severus grinned. �And she questioned your taste.�

�Well, it
was the dark hair� what can we say?� Ron laughed.

�Yes, your family
does have an amazing about of dark haired partners, me, Harry, Ben, and Seamus
is getting darker as he gets older, not to mention Angelina��

�Seamus is also getting thinner,� Ron grinned darkly. �Receding
hairline, even though he�s denying it.�

�Think
they�re back together for good this time?� Severus asked. �They have to admit
it�s getting ridiculous now.�

Ron thought over his brother�s off again-on again relationship with his old
classmate and sighed. �I know. They�re just two people who need to wander every
now and then. I think it actually reminds them how much they love one another.�

�I couldn�t have a relationship like that,� Severus mused.

�Me either, it�d kill me to see you go off with someone else, and I wouldn�t
take you if you came back.�

�I�d be the
same.�

�Good thing
we�re both stupidly loyal then,� Ron snorted.

�Less of
the stupid,� Severus said indignantly.

�I am stupid,� Ron groaned, as his tongue
stung. �Burnt myself on the hot chocolate earlier. Not
fun when your tongue�s pierced.�

�Does that
mean it�s out of commission?� Severus asked sadly.

�God, yes,
a blow job would kill me.�

�Tragic shame.�

�You could
always put your own to use.�

�I�m
suddenly very tired.�

�Git.�

�Old git, if you don�t mind.�
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