Princes in Exile

Hi everyone! Sorry it's taken me so long to get back into writing, but real life's been biting me a new butt and I've just gotten back into my writing groove. If this chapter is stilted, I'm very sorry. Again, gotta get back into the groove.



Thanks to everyone who's emailed and reviewed. I hope to hear more from you.





Read and review, and more chapters will be coming soon.



marti





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He’d had to promise her whatever she wanted to get her to allow the family to visit their alma mater that Sunday. Somewhere in there included a day off, with him taking the girls while she went to the spa. He’d have done it anyway, knowing how stressed he was, but the Slytherin in him made him use it in his bargaining.



The Weasleys would meet them there for dinner, with Minerva as hostess on neutral territory. Toby has slipped a calming draught into her morning tea, which he was fairly certain she knew he’d done, but hadn’t called him on it.



The girls piled into the back of the van and Toby got behind the wheel. Usually, Mina drove, but considering their destination, a steadier hand at the wheel would be better for all involved.



“Everyone buckled in?”



“Yep.”



Toby grimaced at the American word, but shrugged it off. His daughters had been born and raised here; they were American. He pulled out of their driveway and drove to Marian Marcus’s house where the girls would use the floo network for the first time.



“Now, girls, the castle won’t have anyone there but the headmistress and maybe a few teachers. Oh, and the ghosts, but they won’t bother you. You have to watch out for Peeves, though.”



“Ghosts?” Milana stuck her thumb in her mouth in fear.



“Peeves?”



“Peeves is the resident poltergeist. He likes to play pranks on people. And the ghosts are harmless, Milana. They’re really quite friendly.” Mina leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes. She hoped the girls would act alright at Hogwarts and not cause any problems.



“I wanna see the squid!”



“Maybe Hagrid can take you and Serenity down to the lake,” their mother responded absently as she turned the air conditioner on full blast in her face.



“Girls, let’s leave your Mummy alone for a little while. She didn’t sleep well last night.” Toby looked at the girls in his rear-view mirror, winking at Emily and Jennifer in the far back seat with Serenity between them. The middle of his daughters had her head cocked to one side, staring at the Rubik’s Cube in her hands. He’d found the thing amongst his things when he and his wife had moved into the house on Spinner’s End after the wedding. He’d thrown it in his suitcase when they’d packed to move, in the dead of night three weeks after Mina’s attack.



She looked up into her father’s eyes in the mirror smiled at him and then returned to the Cube. Well, at least she had something to keep her occupied for a few hours. It certainly kept him infuriated for the better part of three months in his teen years while home during summer vacation.



“Thank you, Toby. Are you sure we have everything?”



“Yes, dear. We’ve packed practically the entire house for the day trip to England. Just lay your head back and rest while I drive. It’s not that far and Marian is anxious to see you.”



“I want to see those kittens. Ever since Crooks died, I’ve wanted another Kneazle kitten.” She smiled at the memory of her familiar, who had passed away during the first six months of their marriage. His curiosity had gotten the better of him and the last of his nine lives had expired while being held in her arms, her husband standing behind her unsure how to console his young wife. That had been the first night they’d really talked and come to realize how similar they were.



“They’re as mangy as that beast ever was. I’m sure you’ll fall in love with the little bas—fluff-balls.” He caught the profanity before he could say it fully. The twins were imitating him now, and he didn’t need to hear them copy him today, of all days.



“Kneazles do magic, Seri. Mommy had one when she went to Hogwarts, and she said he used to tell when people were good or bad,” Emily explained quietly to her younger sister, who had looked up from her toy.



“He also helped your mother get into a lot of trouble with her two friends,” Toby muttered under his breath. The girls didn’t need to know what kind of trouble maker their mother had been in her youth.



“You hush, Mr. Prince. I rarely got into trouble.” Mina turned to look at her husband, smiling ever so softly.



“Only because you lot never got caught,” he muttered beneath his breath.



He drove silently, listening to his daughters’ chatter behind him, casting worried glances to his right at his silent wife. He hated going back, but knew that now that the can of worms was open, they needed to confront their past and overcome it.



Within a few minutes they were parking in front of Marian’s house, the girls jumping out as soon as he had stopped the van. He was already getting a headache, and they hadn’t even gotten to the Floo yet!



“Mina, darling,” Marian called while the girls gathered around her. Toby watched his wife get out of the vehicle and go to her friend, the women immediately hugging above the heads of the girls.



“I’m alright, Mar. I knew they’d find us, but had hoped they wouldn’t. Jenny’s looking forward to seeing the school, anyway.”



Marian and Toby shared a concerned look over Mina’s head, but neither said anything about how tired the younger woman looked.





A few minutes later, the family of seven was standing before the fireplace, five sets of eyes staring at it curiously. Emily wondered if their father was pulling their legs.



“No, this is how we travel long distances. I’ll go first with the twins, then Jennifer alone, followed by your mum with Seri and Emily.”



“I can go with Jenny, Daddy!”



“No, you’re not. Jenny, listen carefully and watch me while I go. Do exactly as I do, and more specifically, say exactly as I say. If you don’t you might end up somewhere unsavory. Do you understand? If you don’t want to go alone, I can come back through after your mother arrives on the other side and accompany you.”



“I’ll be alright, Daddy.” She smiled at him, anxious and excited, and a little worried at what she’d find on the other side of the fireplace. Toby grinned, proud of his daughter and straightened, pulled his youngest children into his arms. Freeing a hand, he stepped up to the Floo and threw the powder into it.



“Headmistress’s office, Hogwarts School,” he stated clearly, stepping into the smoke and disappearing from the sight of his three daughters. Seri’s eyes widened in surprise and she gripped her mother’s hand tighter.



“It’s alright, Seri. We’ll go next and you’ll see; there’s nothing to worry about.” Mina gave her middle daughter a small smile. Seri returned it and watched Jenna as she followed her father’s example exactly.



She turned her head and looked out Auntie Marian’s window and gasped. The strange red man was standing there watching them. Her grip on her mother’s hand tightened and she knew her mother wouldn’t understand her fear. She’d just assume she was afraid of traveling through the fireplace. She wished she knew how to tell her mother and father about what she’s been watching over the last few months. Whenever she tried to write it down, it came out all wrong, like she didn’t know how to write correctly.



&*&*&*&*&*





A few seconds later, Seri opened her eyes which she hadn’t realized she’d clenched closed so tightly and gasped soundlessly. Her dark blue eyes widened as she stared at the room. Her little fingers itched to go touch the books on the far wall. The room was filled with knickknacks and other little things she knew the twins would break in only a couple of minutes. She left her mother’s side and went to her father, who was facing away from her, speaking to someone. She pressed up against his leg and looked up at the older woman, smiling shyly.



“Serendipity, this is Minerva MacGonagall, the Headmistress of Hogwarts. She was my head of house while I was a student here. She was my favorite teacher.”



“What was I, chopped liver?”



“You, husband, were the greasy bat of the dungeon who hated every Gryffindor alive, especially those that associated with Harry Potter. Remember?” Mina smiled at her husband, soothing the harsh words. He grunted, but a sparkle in his eye belied his true feelings. Mina went to her husband, took a twin from his arm and kissed his gently on his cheek. “But, if it makes you feel better, you were always my favorite Potions instructor.”



“I’d hope so. Horace knew his stuff, but that damn club was always more important.”



“Daddy! You owe us fifty cents.” Emily raised her hand, palm out, her black eyebrow raised identically to her father’s. Minerva watched a grumbling Severus Snape --no, Tobias Prince!--hand two silver coins, Muggle money to his daughter. She caught his eye and was surprised to see him blush.



“I owe the little Goblin money every time I swear,” he muttered as his daughter grinned back at him and pocketed the change.



“Yep. He’s given me almost thirty bucks now. Daddy swears a lot.” Emily looked up at the imposing Headmistress, not the least bit intimidated by the older witch.



“Yes, he’s been known to do that in the solitude of his dungeon.” Minerva grinned down at the girl, her father in feminine miniature. “Now, can you tell me who everyone is, as your arrival interrupted your father’s introductions of your youngest sisters?”



“Oh, okay. Well, that’s Jennifer Minerva. We just call her Jenna. I’m Emily.” She pointed to her younger sister, still standing next to their mother’s leg in comfort. “That’s Serendipity. She doesn’t talk. And the twins are Milana and Marika. Miss Marcus is going to give us some kittens when they’re old enough and Daddy said they’re part weasel.”



“Kneazle.” Toby laughed, doing the sway-bounce all parents instinctively learn to sooth their child, in his case, Milana in his arms who was refusing to turn her face toward the unknown woman in the weird robes. “Milana, say hello to Daddy’s friend, please.”



“Nuh-uh! Looks like the witch from Witherd of Oth!”



“Milana, that was a movie. The headmistress is a good witch. And look, her skin isn’t green.” Toby’s face flushed as he caught the eye of his former colleague. “The girls watched ‘The Wizard of Oz’ last month,” he mumbled the explanation.



“I’m sure Milana and I will get along well once she realizes I’m not like that witch.” Minerva had to hold back the smirk that threatened to break across her face. “Would you lovely lasses like to take a wee walk about the school?” The older witch looked into the eyes of the three older girls, standing in line and patiently waiting for an adult to speak to them. She had to admit: Severus and Hermione certainly made beautiful children.