Indago:3

Chapter Twelve

“Shut up and sit down.”

Everyone went stiff as a board at Professor Snape’s icy order as he slammed through the potions classroom door. Maia watched him carefully and determined that her Sev was extremely angry. He immediately started with the day’s lesson – no welcome back or first day speech from him, of course—and continued to glower and snap at every opportunity; even attacking a few Slytherins.

When the bells rang, the class rushed out of the room as quickly as possible.

“Miss Malfoy! You will stay after class!”

Maia stopped in her tracks and turned to look at the scowling professor. She waved her friends on and moved toward the podium.

“Yes, Professor?” she asked politely as soon as the classroom was empty. “I have second period after this and—”

“I am quite aware of how this school works!” he snapped. He pointed to a chair and she sat down primly, looking at him expectantly. “As you know, there has been an undesirable element added to this school,” he began.

“The music people?” she asked. He glared at her for the interruption and she quickly schooled her face into a blank mask.

“Yes. The music people,” he sneered. “They are completely objectionable and you will have nothing to do with them. The Headmaster has elected to keep them here so you will stay away.”

“Stay away?” Maia frowned. “Why? They will be very popular and I think it would be better if I became their friend.”

“No! You are not to mix with their kind at all. I will not catch you within twenty feet of any of them or you will be serving detention with Filch.”

Maia’s eyes opened wide in shock. “What?”

“Have you gone deaf?” Snape retorted in contempt.

Maia stood up and frowned. “Why are you acting like this? You sound like Grandfather with all the ‘their kind’ rubbish. And threatening me with Filch?!”

“Sit down!” Snape barked and pinched the bridge of his nose while she returned to her seat. “Why I believed instructing you to stay away was a good plan, I don’t know. You will, of course, seek them out at the earliest opportunity.”

Since that was exactly what she was thinking of doing, Maia remained silent. Snape looked at her again and his shoulders straightened. “Let me put it to you this way: your parents do not want you getting close to any of those people. Your dad is very adamant about this and once your father is informed, he will be even more so.”

“Dad doesn’t want me around them?” she asked in shock. “Why?”

Snape stared at her for a full minute and Maia waited him out, hoping that she would actually get an answer.

“One of them is like us… an Indago,” Snape admitted finally.

Eyes wide, Maia stood up again. “An Indago?” she asked in a whisper.

The classroom door opened then and the next class began filing in. Snape glared at them while stepping closer to Maia. “This is a dangerous situation. You will stay away from them at all times, do you understand?” he hissed at her.

Maia was confused but nodded her head in agreement.

“You will not go within twenty feet of them. If any of them try to approach you, you will leave the area and come to me or your dad immediately.”

“Yes.” Maia looked around and whispered, “Are they going to try to fight me?”

Snape’s lips tightened. “Go to class,” he replied, grabbing a scrap of parchment to write her an excuse for being late. “And do not disobey this edict.”

Maia wondered about the discussion with Snape all morning. There was another one like her. She had grown up knowing that she and her family were different, but it was only as an aside. Like the reason her dad was able to have babies. It didn’t seem odd to her at all, but she imagined that to others it might. She had always revelled in her specialness, just as her father had taught her. Of course, there was something a bit off about her, but she had learned to hide it from the other girls. But if there were another Indago, right there in the school and not in foreign countries like her Sev had told her when she had once asked, then maybe things would change. She’d wait it out and see which way her parents were going to go. There at school she could do as she pleased, even with her Sev and dad watching. She had gotten very good at skirting attention and the rules. True, the hangover she had gotten the one time she had outright broken the rules had been awful, but she had learned to not over-drink at the next party.

At lunch she and her friends made their way to their normal spot at the Slytherin table when she saw the very ones she was supposed to be avoiding. And they were coming right at her.

She knew she was supposed to get away, but that would look ridiculous since everyone else wanted to spend as much time as possible with the famous students. Inspiration struck and Maia turned up her nose at them and said loudly, “I don’t get the appeal of rock stars. Without their music, they really aren’t all that impressive. Especially in a school setting.”

“You’re just jealous, Malfoy, because your spotlight’s being turned on someone else.”

Maia sneered at the offensive person walking past. “You, Weasley, have nothing to do with anything, do you? Do not spread your own jealousy around just because you were born into the wrong branch of the family.” She put her hands on her hips and smiled coldly. “Tell me, has your father been accepted back into his family, or is he still considered a turn-coat?”

The redheaded boy with the pointy nose flushed and stormed away.

“You’ve got a fair bite to your tongue, don’t you, darlin’?”

Maia spun and found the reason for her arrogant words was not far away. Kellas O’Neill and her cousins were smiling at her, but it was Kellas’ blue eyes that were the most unnerving as they seemed to stare right into her soul.

Her Grandfather’s blood jolted her into action. “You have no right to call me that,” she snapped. “You are also on the wrong side of the room. But as you are new, I won’t hold this mistake against your intelligence.”

Kellas’s smile brightened. “Oh, aye, a fair bite. Why don’t you come a wee closer there, Mot, and tell me more?” she asked with a twinkle in her eye.

Maia took an instinctual step back. Maizy and Siebel, knowing their loyalties, also stepped back and closed ranks.

“Ah, now, your aul man got to you, did he? Told you to stay away from the likes of me, eh?” Kellas shook her head and shrugged. “Well, I didn’t want to be havin’ a fight, but if they’re going to play manky, then there’s nothing to do, aye?” Kellas began walking closer and Maia was literally back-pedalling away, bumping into other students who had gathered to watch the scene.

“Aren’t you all hungry?”

Maia nearly slumped in relief as her dad pushed his way into the group.

“If you lot don’t start eating, I wouldn’t put it past Professor Snape to assign you study hall instead,” he stated cheerfully, but his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil as he moved close to Maia.

“Yes, Professor.” The students began dispersing and Harry looked at Maia in concern.

“Are you all right?” he asked quietly.

“I haven’t touched her, have I?” Kellas interjected with a smile. Her cousins had lost their own happy countenance and were watching Harry warily.

Harry looked at her coolly. “I was asking my daughter if she was all right. You, Miss O’Neill, should go to your house’s table and enjoy your lunch.”

Kellas stepped forward and her smile widened when Harry took a step back, pulling Maia with him. He backed away but he didn’t lose his cool manner or his direct gaze into the Irishwoman’s eyes. They stared at each other and Maia saw Maizy and Siebel’s confused looks. She felt her dad’s hand tighten on her forearm where he had grabbed her as he and Kellas continued to stare each other down.

Finally, Kellas blinked and her entire demeanour seemed to change, becoming relaxed and congenial. Maia realized she’d had no idea how intense the other young woman had gotten in just those few moments.

“Ah, you’re right,” Kellas said with a chuckle. “I’m as weak as a salmon in a sandpit. Come on, boys. Let’s go eat.” With one last look at Harry, she walked away with her cousins trailing behind.

“Are you all right, Maia?”

Maia looked up at her dad. “Yes.”

Harry looked over at the Gryffindor table and then began pulling her away and out of the Great Hall. “We need to see your father.”

They went out into the autumn sunshine and moved down the hill toward the main gate. “Dad, wait.” Maia stumbled along behind him. “Why do we have to tell Father? Was it because she was going to fight you? I would have hexed her before she could have done anything.”

Harry came to a stop and spun to face her. “I could handle a fight, Maia,” he said in a breathy rush, just as he did when he came back from a flight on his broom. “I could always handle a fight. But that girl doesn’t need to do that.” He took a deep breath and shook his head.

“What, Dad?” she asked impatiently. “What is going on? You always told me that we were special and different and rare. Why are we afraid of someone like us? Shouldn’t we welcome her and be friends? We had each other, but what if she didn’t have anyone?”

“Maia, you don’t understand!”

“No, you made sure of that, didn’t you?” Maia pulled her hand away angrily. She hated being in ignorance. And she hated that her own family had seen to it. The anger and resentment she had been holding back bubbled forward. Accusations she had been silent about for some time spilled out of her mouth. “All three of you have kept so much from us! I didn’t even know what a ‘Voldemort’ was until I read about it in History class! I thought it was a big nasty snake that you had captured! I had no idea that you actually saved the world from some evil dark lord! I felt like such an idiot! But then I was finally able to put together all those comments and remarks about Death Eaters and now I think I know what you meant. Was Grandfather one of those evil henchmen? Was he responsible for killing and torturing Muggles?”

Harry stood silently and looked at her, admitting the truth without uttering a sound. Maia felt her throat close with tears she refused to shed.

“I know about Azeas,” she accused softly. “I know Sev is his real father.”

“No,” Harry said adamantly. “His real father is Draco Malfoy. Severus contributed but it was Draco Malfoy who happily and lovingly raised Azeas, Bran, and you.”

“It doesn’t matter! It’s just another secret! Another lie you told us!”

“We never lied to you! We may have not told you everything, but you were too young to know.”

“What about now? Something is happening and you and Sev are acting strange and trying to hide things again!”

“We are protecting you!”

“Stop protecting me!” Maia nearly shouted. “You can’t stop life from happening to me, Dad! I can’t run from who and what I am! You can’t protect me from that!”

They stood facing each other on the road out of Hogwarts, both of their chests heaving with emotion. Finally Harry ran a hand through his hair and looked up at the clear sky.

“Those were the exact words I told myself and everyone else when I found out what I was and your father was after me,” he sighed. “I’m still a bit surprised that I had the maturity then to recognize that fact.” He looked back down at Maia thoughtfully. “But I’m not surprised that you would know it.”

Maia watched her dad run another hand through his hair. “Father’s always after you,” she said quietly. “You probably didn’t have to think about it in such a serious way.”

Harry smiled and shook his head. “Oh no, Maia. It was very serious when we were your age. Your father and I hated each other.”

“School rivals…”

“No,” Harry interrupted. “It was much more serious than that. What you see of your father’s and my relationship now is vastly different than it was before. We have worked hard, and through unspeakable events, to get to where we are now. When I think about when we started, I am more amazed than anyone that we have done so well through the years.” He looked at her seriously then. “But it began ugly and violent.”

Maia frowned. “What?”

“We hated each other and when it was found out that we were both Indago and that he could have control over me…” Harry sighed and shook his head. “It was awful. Maia, this is why you need to stay away from that girl. She’s a Supero. She’s arrogant, vicious, and brutal. That’s just what they are.”

“But Father isn’t,” she argued. “Sev isn’t either. Maybe Father was then, but he isn’t now! That means that maybe it was just the fact that you hated each other that made it so bad.”

“They are anomalies. Maia, as soon as she is within meters of you, she’ll have control of you. Complete and utter control. You can’t understand it,” he explained at her look of disbelief. “But that doesn’t make it any less true. This isn’t for you. Just leave it be,” he declared with finality. But Maia wouldn’t take that as a final answer.

“I can’t!” she argued. “You can’t just ignore it, Dad!” She bit the inside of her lip and held onto her composure. “I have never had a menstrual cycle.”

Harry sighed. “I know.”

“I’m developed every other way than that. You said that it was fine when I complained about not being like my friends, but it’s not, is it?”

“Maia…”

“I’ve read one of Sev’s papers on us. He knows about me, too.” Her eyes flashed in anger. “He wrote about me like I was some sort of animal.”

“He did the same to me,” Harry replied quickly. “He’s done it with himself. He’s a scientist no matter what.”

“But he knows what’s wrong, doesn’t he? And it makes sense.”

“It’s all guess work—“

“No, it isn’t!” Maia swallowed. “I’m completely useless, aren’t I? My body is still like that of a child’s, isn’t it?”

Harry looked down and shook his head.

“I read that you weren’t able to get pregnant until father initiated you. It’s the same for me, isn’t it?”

He looked up. “I have never had a menstrual cycle either,” he pointed out with a small smile.

“This isn’t funny!”

Harry sighed. “I know, love. I do. But you see, it is very possible that you will never have a period. You’re body may not be set up like that.”

“But I won’t be able to have children, will I?”

“You don’t know that. The first of our kind had to come from somewhere. Perhaps a menstrual cycle isn’t necessary for you. Besides, you’re only seventeen. It’s a little early to be thinking of this.”

“Not for me. Not for a Malfoy.”

Harry sighed again, his jaw tight. “Your Grandfather is a dynastic-“

“It doesn’t matter!” Maia’s hands tightened into fists. “That girl in there may be my only hope.”

“Stop it!” Harry hissed. “Do not ever think that! You do not understand what could happen! I will not allow anything to hurt you! She’s not coming near you, Maia. Don’t make me take you out of this school!”

“You can’t run my life! You can’t hide me from everything!”

“I can and I will! You have no idea of the dangers—“

“I don’t care!” Maia spun around and began running back to the school. Harry started after her and then caught sight of a dark figure near the top of the hill. With a deep breath, Harry turned back towards Hogsmeade. Sev would watch over Maia until he got back. Luckily he didn’t have another class for two hours. He hoped the coming confrontation wouldn’t be longer than that.

The cottage Draco and he were staying in was actually quite small. Harry had been surprised that Draco had leased such a cosy place, but Draco had smiled and said, “All the better to find you, love.”

Harry took a deep breath as he turned the doorknob and walked inside. “Draco? Are you here?”

“Ah, my fantasy of having the professor in between classes has come true.”

Harry turned and saw Draco smirking as he came down the hall from the kitchen. “Draco, something has happened.”

Immediately the smirk dropped and Draco asked, “What is it? What’s wrong?”

Harry waited until Draco was in front of him and then blurted, “There’s a new Supero.”

Draco was still for a moment before his mouth tightened and he grabbed Harry by the shoulders. “Did he do anything to you? Where is he?”

“It’s a she and she is after our daughter!”

Harry watched Draco digest the news. “She is,” Draco repeated slowly in not quite a question.

“Yes,” Harry answered anyway. “Sev and I are keeping them apart, but Maia has it in her head that this girl is her only shot at being an adult. And the girl, Kellas is her name, is not going to back down. She sought Maia out not half an hour ago.” Harry grabbed the front of Draco’s shirt. “We have to get her away from Maia.”

“We will remove her from the school,” Draco stated calmly.

“Sev already tried that and Dumbledore can’t do it. He agreed to take on Kellas and her cousins on behalf of the Ministry. Our Ministry is trying to build good will with the Irish since the war and the forming of their own government. Dumbledore says that if he were to remove her then he would be insulting the Irish Ministry and its people. He says that his hands are tied.”

Draco was frowning angrily. “Then we remove her,” he stated coldly. “And they can deal with us.”



Draco and Harry were waiting in Dumbledore’s office when Snape escorted Maia in. The moment she saw her father, she clenched her jaw and refused to look at either of her parents. Snape shoved her along until they were on one side of the room. Not a second later, the door opened again and admitted a man and woman that looked to be in their forties, perhaps a tad bit older than Draco and Harry. The woman had auburn hair cut to her shoulders while the man had brown hair with a receding hairline and sported a goatee. They walked in, marvelling at the décor and portraits. Behind them, Kellas sauntered in. Her hands were causally in her jeans pockets, having obviously left her uniform and robes behind for the after-dinner meeting. The black dragon-hide jacket that Siebel had spoken of rested comfortably across Kellas’ shoulders where her wavy, auburn hair tumbled freely. Her eyes immediately went to Maia and she smiled. Harry stepped into her line of vision and she looked him up and down, smirking. Snape grabbed Draco by the arm before the blond could try to tear her throat out.

“Good, good,” Dumbledore called out as he stepped into the middle of the room. “Would anyone care for some tea and biscuits, or a bit of a sweet?”

“I’d not mind a cup,” the brown haired man answered with a smile. Dumbledore motioned to the tea set, which happily served.

“Now that we are all here-“

“Now we are,” a cool voice interjected as the door opened one more time and Lucius Malfoy entered.

Draco frowned. “Father, I wasn’t aware you were coming to this meeting.”

“Yes, well, luckily my son-in-law informed me as to what was happening so that I may attend and lend my support,” Lucius replied smoothly as he crossed the room, not deigning to give the other occupants a glance. Both Maia and Draco turned to Harry, who stared straight ahead.

“You called my father?” Draco asked quietly.

“How could you?” Maia hissed.

Harry didn’t answer and Dumbledore broke in. “Well, now, let’s begin then, shall we? We have things to discuss.”

“No, we do not,” Draco retorted immediately. “She is leaving this school immediately.”

“Hold on there, now,” the brown haired man protested with narrowed eyes. “My daughter has as much right to go to this school as anyone else.”

“No, she does not. She is a threat to another student,” Draco stated firmly. “She needs to be removed.

“She isn’t a threat to anyone!” Maia spoke up.

“You will be quiet,” Draco snapped.

“No! This is my life you are discussing!”

“It’s your life when I say it is!” Draco snarled.

“Maia, this is for the best,” Harry added. “You’ll understand when you’re older.”

“Will she?” Kellas asked from across the room. “Well, I understand now.”

“I doubt you could grasp anything at all,” Lucius murmured.

“Hey now, don’t be insultin’ my daughter,” the Kellas’ mother shouted.

“Madam, there is hardly anything not to insult,” Lucius remarked snidely.

“We don’t need this,” Harry interrupted. “We just need for Miss O’Neill to school somewhere else. If you like, we could pay for a private tutor for her.”

“We don’t need yer charity,” Kellas’ father spat. “If you don’t want your own precious to be with mine, then you do the movin’!”

“Da, I’ll handle it.” Kellas straightened up from where she had been leaning against a chair and moved a step closer. Harry moved back, pushing Maia with him as Draco tensed. “My name is Kellas O’Neill. How do you do? Isn’ that the proper way to greet?”

“So they do teach manners where you’re from?” Lucius jeered.

“Aye, they do,” she answered with a smirk. “A fair bit better than they do in your family, I see.”

“How dare you!”

“I dare because I have the right,” Kellas answered the angry Lucius. “And you don’t. This is between us, not you or even me parents.”

“It very much is my right! I will not let some Irish backwater girl who bangs on things with sticks to go anywhere near my granddaughter!” Lucius brought his cane up but not in a threatening manner…yet.

Kellas smiled and stood tall. “Oh, then you would perhaps care more for your granddaughter’s choice to be a refined Englishwoman of breeding?” she asked in a perfect upper-crust English accent. “Shall I don a dress and hang up my sticks then, sir? Would that make me a better candidate?”

“Good grief, an actress as well as a musician,” Lucius sneered. “Can it get any worse?”

“It doesn’t matter how you speak,” Harry interjected. “It’s what you are. Maia doesn’t want anything to do with that.”

“Dad! Don’t speak for me!”

“Be quiet!” Draco and Lucius barked at her.

“Are you not satisfied with your own husband, then?” Kellas asked, her Irish accent back, but not nearly as thick as before. “Here I thought with two doms in your bed, you’d be a happy man.”

“Shut your filthy mouth!” Draco shouted. “You are beneath my daughter!”

“And you are beneath this family,” Lucius added.

“Am I?” Kellas answered back, waving her parents to silence. “Well, best be getting yourself lowered because she’s going to be mine,” she stated in a low tone, her eyes nearly glowing with intent.

Snape wasn’t fast enough to stop Draco as he rushed Kellas, slamming her into the wall.

“Draco!” Harry shouted.

Kellas pushed hard, shoving him back and they both glared at each other as silver markings began to cross their faces.

“I’ll kill you before you touch my daughter!”

“Draco, stop!” Harry rushed forward.

“Father, stop it!” Maia echoed and was right behind Harry. As soon as Harry grabbed Draco’s arm, he was flung back against Maia and they both fell to the ground. Draco snarled down at them.

“Go back! Now!” he shouted.

Maia was terrified. She had never felt such fear. Her father was angry...so angry. How could she have yelled at him like that?

“Y-yes, Draco,” her dad was whispering while shielding her as they scrambled back. Strong hands suddenly grabbed her and pulled her away. Her dad stayed on the ground and pleaded with her father. “Please, Draco. Please stop. Don’t hurt her, please. She’s young…”

Maia’s head felt clear suddenly as she was held against her Sev’s chest. She gasped when Kellas moved and caught her father’s attention immediately before he went for her again. Her dad stayed where he was, unmoving and quiet.

“That is what your dad has been trying to protect you from,” Sev murmured in her ear. “He’s gone still because he knows he could distract his Supero and also because when two dominants are fighting a good Subicio knows his or her place. For arguing with Draco, he could be beaten.”

Maia stared in shock as her brave and strong dad sat cowering on the floor. She watched in incomprehension as her calm and cool father tried to kill another human being. “No, Father could never hurt Dad,” she whispered.

“Oh, he could and he has,” Snape stated coldly. “That is the way of things. Just as you see the others aren’t moving to help.” Maia looked around and saw Kellas’ parents holding each other, their faces full of fear and anger. Her grandfather stood calmly with only his eyes moving as he watched the fight. And the Headmaster had a sad look on his face as he looked down at her dad. “They can’t do anything lest they be thrown in Azkaban. This is between us and only us. There is no outside help.”

Maia felt a warm wetness on her cheeks but couldn’t understand that she was crying. How could she cry when her father and dad were… were… “Stop! Stop it!” she shouted. “Please, stop!”

Harry reacted to the fear in her voice and looked up with concern. He slowly moved toward the fight but Maia was afraid for him. “No, Dad!” She went to stop him but Snape held her tight.

“If you get any closer you will be incapacitated,” he explained. “You will feel that fear you just experienced.”

Maia shuddered at the memory and shouted again. “Father, stop!” Then in desperation, she screamed, “Kellas! Please, Kellas, stop!”

Kellas shoved Draco off of her and stumbled back. Her hair was wild around her and there was a bright red mark on her face under the silver streaks. She and Draco glared at each other, both of their chests heaving.

“Draco, look to your own!” Snape suddenly called out.

Blinking and quickly looking behind him, Draco saw Harry trying to fight against the order given and stop his daughter’s distress. “Damn it!” Draco whispered and went to his knees at Harry’s side. “Love, I’m sorry.” He pulled Harry into his arms, deliberately turning his back on his enemy.

“Kelly, girl!” Kellas’ parents went to her and began checking her over for injuries. “I’ll have you thrown in a pit, ye bastard!” Kellas’ fathered shouted at Draco, who ignored him.

“You will, of course, do no such thing,” Lucius retorted coldly. “Instead, you will take your miscreant and be gone.”

“Kelly, this isn’t worth it,” her mother hissed. “I’ll not have ye being beaten on. Think of your fans! Pick one of them instead!”

“No.” Kellas looked right at Maia. “I won’t. I’m stayin’.”

“The hell you are!” Draco growled over Harry’s head.

“Stop it!” Maia cried. “Please, just stop!”

“Draco,” Harry murmured. “Let Maia have a say.”

Draco frowned down at Harry. “No. You said it yourself that she’ll understand when she’s older.”

“I think she understands now,” Harry pointed out while looking at Maia.

And Maia did. She understood. “I won’t go near her,” she whispered.

“I’m not leavin’,” Kellas stated firmly, but Maia didn’t look over at her and instead shrunk a bit further into her Sev.

“It appears we are at an impasse,” Dumbledore said into the quiet. “The school will assist in anyway it can, but cannot do very much, I’m afraid,” he explained as he looked at Maia.

“Maia, you should come home,” Draco said.

“No, I… I don’t want to leave. I’ll just stay away from her.”

“Maia… It doesn’t work like that,” Harry said.

“Yes, I’ll make it work. I don’t want to leave during my last year.”

“Your bravery and your arrogance,” Snape remarked to Harry and Draco. “What a volatile mix.”

“Granddaughter, do not be foolish,” Lucius admonished.

“I’m not. And I’m not a coward. This is something I can handle,” she retorted coolly, regaining her composure. “I am perfectly capable of dealing with this. Besides, I have two faculty members on my side and able to do something to intervene if necessary.” She looked at her parents. “I would rather spend my school year handling this then spending it alone and hiding.”

Draco and Harry shared a look before Draco looked at his daughter. “So be it, then. But you are welcome to come home at any time. There is no shame in battling another day.”

“Yes, Father.”

“Good, good. All settled, then,” Dumbledore declared brightly. “Now, we should let these youngsters find their beds, shall we? Mr. and Mrs. O’Neill, will you be so kind as to escort your daughter to bed? I am sure she’ll enjoy your company just a bit more, hmm?”

Kellas sent one more look at Maia, who again ignored her, and then preceded her parents out of the room.

“Father, will you make sure Maia gets to her dorm safely?” Draco asked.

“Of course.” Lucius moved forward and held his arm out. Maia came out of Snape’s hold and latched onto her grandfather. “I’m sorry, Dad,” she whispered.

“It’s all right, Maia. Have a good night. I’ll see you in class.”

Maia nodded and went with Lucius. The door closed softly behind them.

“The world always moves in circles,” Dumbledore said quietly as Draco and Harry stood up from the floor.

“It does,” Snape answered.

“Severus, will you see that she takes the potion?”

“What potion? Who?” Harry asked.

“Your yearly potion, love,” Draco answered. “That female is strong and, as much as I believe in my daughter, I will not be blind to any and all complications.”

“Wait…” Harry frowned in confusion. “You mean my contraceptive? But… they can’t… Can they?” he asked Snape.

“Didn’t you?” he asked with a raised eyebrow. “Our sexes have little to do with what we can accomplish. I would have thought you’d understand that after bearing three children.”

Blushing at discussing that particular topic in front of Dumbledore, Harry asked, “Yes, but how is… I mean, does she have…?”

“As I have never examined Miss O’Neill or come across a complete history on female Superos, I would not be able to say for certain,” Snape answered. “But Mother Nature has quite a few tricks in her bag.” He looked at Draco. “I will make sure she takes it and will make sure that all grape items are taken off the menu for the next month and a half.”

Harry looked at the closed door. “I didn’t want this for her,” he murmured.

Draco held him close as Snape moved in and laid a hand on his shoulder.