The Next Generation

“Tomorrows a new day love, come and get some sleep now.” He responded, masking his own worry for his mate. He was unable to mask the small feeling of guilt he had. It had been his idea to take a break from conceiving children, perhaps it had been a bad idea to go against his mate’s obvious nature of wanting a large family. Shaking his head Severus gathered his mate and made their way to the bedroom, only to sleep tonight though.

Chapter 11:

Ciar slinked through the dark, empty halls footsteps echoing in the quiet night. How he hated this place! It was so beyond lonely that it was a wonder that anyone could be sane. At home he could reach out, with his mind of course, and touch hundreds of minds who would welcome him openly. He never was at a loss for friends, even if they never met outside their thoughts. Here however it was dark and dismal. Not even the other mori welcomed him; it was in fact as if they were predisposed to hate him. Perhaps from some in-born knowledge that they’d been abandoned on earth all those millennia ago, whatever it was he was going crazy from the silence. He wanted to go home, with an intense need that he’d never experienced before. His emotions were typical well controlled and steady but here without others to rely on they were all over the place. He didn’t have anyone else to share the feelings with and figure out how to handle it, here he was alone. How did one handle that? He was discovering slowly how little real control he had over himself and it was frightening.

“What are you doing down here?” asked a familiar voice from behind him as he stared listlessly out a window. He didn’t have to turn around to know that it was Vera; she would be glaring at him with eyes that resembled his own, black hair styled in cascading waves. It was too easy to imagine her with solid black eye, like his mother’s, like all female mori, all the moripu. She simply radiated power, by the time her powers matured she was going to rival his mother in power, that in itself was a beautiful thought.

“I’m homesick.” He replied finally still not turning to look at her, he could feel her presence and was almost surprised that her twin wasn’t accompanying her.

“I am too. But I suppose it’s different for you, it’s not like you could get home if you had the opportunity.” She said stepping a little closer. He couldn’t feel any of the fear and hate that had been present in her mind earlier, maybe it wasn’t predisposition then, and maybe humans were just trained from birth to guard their thoughts and minds with such intensity. He looked at her now. Moonlight caressed her soft childish features, yet the hit of the woman she would be someday was there, pouty lips, big beautiful eyes, stubborn lines around those eyes and her mouth. He looked away, feeling the soft heat in his cheeks. Oh the scandal he would cause choosing to court an earth-born moripu who was little more than three years younger than himself. As the mori prince he would be expected to court one of the lesser princesses in his home realm, besides Vera would never leave her home to join him there, no matter how much he wished it.

“You know I’ve never awaited my birthday with so much apprehension before. I can’t help but wonder what will be different after, what will change. Rave is already growing away from me, if only a little. We knew it would happen and yet it still hurts.” She remarked aloud, he looked over at her startled. Just weeks ago she ran from the sight of him and now she was sharing more personal insight? The Earth-born were so different.

“Are you more afraid because only you will experience a …” he halted trying to find the right word. Glancing at her again, she was leaning on the windowsill beside him now. Not a single expression of fear marring her face. “Singularly change?” he finished.

“Partly I suppose. I just have this feeling that there is something more that will happen, and I’m not sure that it’s going to be a good thing.” She remarked. He thought about it and shrugged, stealing a glance at her face again.

“If something happens, it happens. If there isn’t anything you can do about it then don’t waste your energy worrying about it. Only when you can change something should you bother gracing it with your thoughts.” He said it was one of his mother’s favorite quotes as queen. She often faced things that she couldn’t do anything about, so she would set to changing as many things as she could in attempt to change the unchangeable.

“Do you believe that?” Vera asked him, this time black eyes met black.

“Somewhat I suppose. It’s my mother’s saying and it works for her.” He replied and she nodded content with that response. They remained in companionable silence for a while longer, something that Ciar was unused to. Silence that is, when there were thousand minds clamoring every moment it was strange to feel the peace of only his own.

“Do you miss your mother?” she asked after a moment more. He paused.

“Yes and no. I miss her like every child misses their parent but I’m also glad that she isn’t constantly hammering me about ‘princely’ duties and such. It’s almost nice to learn for the sake of learning and not because it’s demanded of me.” He replied with a soft honest smile. She stared at him with a smile of her own.

“You should smile like that more often.” She told him pushing away from the window and starting down the hall. He automatically moved to keep her in sight.

“Good night Ciar, don’t let the teachers catch you out her if you plan to stay.” She said with a honest smile of her own. Bare feet padding back towards the first-year dorms. He watched her go leaning against to windowsill. There were still a few moths before her transformation, in a sense, yet she already felt more powerful then when he arrived. He looked back out at the moon for a while longer then headed back to the dorms too. Perhaps this wasn’t so bad; it was after all rather nice to be able to think in peace.

oOo

“Where did you disappear of to last night?” Ione asked Vera with a sly smile. The latter girl rolled her eyes. Count on the young veela to notice that she slipped away.

“I needed some air. Are you coming to breakfast or what?” she replied pulling on a sweatshirt, robes weren’t required on the weekends. Plus it was getting a little cold, the first few moths of school had flown by and they were entering the second week in November. Ione stuck her tongue out at her friend and dashed out the door first, nearly running into Rave at the end of the stairs.

“What are you doing here Rave? I would’ve pegged you to be at breakfast with Itzal already.” She said with mock anger, as if it wasn’t her fault for practically flying down the stairs. The boy blushed a little and gave an embarrassed smile.

“I wanted to walk with you gals; it feels like forever since we’ve been a group.” He said with those damned irresistible puppy dog eyes. Vera laughed and flung an arm around her brother’s shoulders then Ione’s.

“Sure. After all we are a trio are we not?” she said and they set off for the great hall. The other first years looked at them in amusement when they came in with Ione between the twins this time; her slight height making it impossible for her to have her arms around their shoulders and walk at the same time so they supported her while she hung off them with a goofy smile.

“There you go your majesty.” Said Vera as the deposited the little veela on a bench across from Sterling and Damien. The twins sitting beside each other and teasing each other, Damien watched with an amused smile.

“Did someone cast a cheering charm on you three or something?” he asked, sounding almost jealous. His new friend’s obvious closeness made it seem like they had no need for anyone else. The trio laughed and engaged the others in an encompassing conversation about quidditch. Even the girls contributed, laughing and arguing.

“Hey look, were you expecting your parents to visit Ione?” Sterling pointed out as Harry and an unexpected trio entered the hall. They were all laughing much as their children had been only moments ago. Azar seemed to be teasing his little brother, who was by no visibly pregnant, while Ron and Draco mused about taking sides and poking fun at both of them.

“No, but I’m sure we’ll find out why their here soon enough.” She replied and they all took the same attitude resuming their conversations. Harry had debated announcing why another chunk of his family was here now, after all many students slept in on Saturdays but it seemed most were here and those who were not would get the news soon enough.

“Good morning everyone,” he began catching their attention and waiting for the chatter to drown out some. “I have a brief announcement, I promise not to intrude on your Saturday for too long. I would just like to announce some recent inclusions to our staff. Draco Weasley will be joining Madam Pomphry on our medical staff, since it seems that we often provide her with far too much work. He will also be accepting two apprenticeships. Ron Weasley will temporarily joining our Defense against the Dark Arts class as a resident dark wizard fighter. My brother as it seems is along for the ride.” He said with a mischievous smile and ducking the swipe Az sent him.

“That is all, please enjoy your weekends!” he finished with a smile, many of the students were looking at the head table with wide eyes. The head master was acting like a person, it was all very strange. Az sat next to his little brother with a smile while Ron sat on the other side, reaching to pull Draco into his lap only to be scolded with a glare.

“How are you doing Ry?” Az asked first, he’d heard from Severus, who had secretly arranged their visit. Honestly like the man needed to keep up his image anymore, anyone who saw him with any of his numerous children would know the irate potions master had one hell of a soft side. It was no secret that Severus was worried about his mate and the best way to cheer Harry up was to surround him with family. Since the last time they had been at Hogwarts was the scare when Harry had been abducted, they decided to all make the trip here.

“I’m alright.” Harry said laughing when he received three identical glares, “Really, I’ve been feeling better, and it helps a lot to have the Mini Mansion connected to my office so I can sneak home during the day. Of course it’s always good to see you guys too.” He added, while the students were still trying to wrap their minds around the headmaster smiling and laughing with his family. It was just far too normal.

“How’s the baby?” Draco asked not as a healer but a concerned son. Harry gave a little half smile and placed a hand on his stomach.

“Better I think. Ciar says that it’s responding well to my attempts to fix the damage I unintentionally did.” He replied sounding a little resigned, “We’ll see when it’s born.” He finished then smiled at them demanding details of what they’d been doing and how their lives were going. All three accommodated his wishes not to talk about his worries and moved on. After most of the students had dissipated the trio, Damien and Sterling went up to the head table. Ione rounded the table to give each of her parents a hug. Ron gathered her in a big bear hug.

“Harry tells me that you took after your mum.” The redhead refused to refer to Draco as ‘papa’ and always called him ‘mum’ because it infuriated the blonde as much as it made him happy. The little veela laughed,

“So it would seem. Do you love me any less because I’m a snake Daddy?” she replied teasingly with big innocent eyes. Ron laughed this time and turned his head to the side for a moment face becoming serious.

“Yes, I’m afraid that I absolutely abhor you now.” He responded only to look back at her and nuzzle their noses. He was obviously kidding.

“Oh daddy have you been hanging out with Aunty Hermione again? Abhor is an awfully sophisticated word for you.” She teased only to dissolve into a shrieking laughter as he tickled her in response.

“Such disrespect! What has Harry been teaching you?” he teased setting her back down. She smiled and simply chose to sit in Az’s lap instead. Damien and Sterling were looking a bit shell shocked, everything they’d heard about the people in front of them never included how totally cool they were in person.

“Hi Uncle Ron, Draco, and Uncle Az.” Said the twins in unison, Ron making his typical face at being called ‘uncle’, he often told them to leave it off because it made him feel old. Thus the twins had immediately started always using it to annoy their uncle.

“I feel I am fighting a loosing battle with your deplorable children Ry.” He intoned mournfully. Now purposely using higher vocabulary, as he stuck his tongue out at his daughter, they all laughed and for the next few months all was good. At least it was happier; the surprise visit from Fred and George at Christmas had the whole school smelling of dung bombs for a week later. Harry cheerfully over looked it simply because he had honestly expected it. Unfortunately the twins and his immanent birth were approaching rapidly, and their down time was going to come to an end.

AN: Well… I like this chapter until like the last two paragraphs but alas I can’t write so much interlude, its borringgggg. So I’m going to time skip. =P live with it. I love the little insight of Ciar at the beginning. I myself really like the way he’s turning out. But I felt we needed an explanation to why he’s a little skitzo. School is OVER well for the summer, so I can finally start/post the three or so other new fics I’m working on and try and come up with a semi regular updating schedule! I think this fic will most likely remain sporadic in updates because I seem to be only able to write it to my satisfaction when the muse hits, not whenever I want like some other fics. Also I have a few (one atm) original stories on my fiction press. =D
http://www (dot) fictionpress (dot) com/u/655329/
~Sarah.