Indago:3

Chapter Fifteen

Maizy and Siebel walked on eggshells around Maia for the next couple of days, never mentioning a certain name or band within Maia’s hearing. They had already had to change their hair back from putrid green once and that was enough of a warning. The only thing they were allowed to speak of in excitement was their upcoming class with Professor Potter-Malfoy. They were permitted to ooh and ahh over the fact that they had a celebrity teacher this year who was also their friend’s father. Their social points had skyrocketed beyond their wildest dreams with the situation.

“Maizy, you will research the theory and I will conduct the experiment. I will check over your work, of course.”

Rolling her eyes, Maizy smiled at Maia across the library table from her. “Of course,” she agreed sweetly.

Maia’s black eyes came up from the book she was reading and focused on her friend sharply. With a sigh, she put the book down. “That was rather high-handed of me, wasn’t it?” she asked with a small smile. “I do enjoy partnering with you. Either of you, really. I just want to make sure that this project goes well.”

“We know, Maia,” Siebel answered. “It’s Potions. You always stress over Potions.”

“I just want to make sure it’s the best.” Maia went back to her book and her friends exchanged glances.

Since they had become friends in first year, Maia had always made Potions class the focus of most of her energy. It had taken nearly the entire first year before the eleven-year old girls had understood that Professor Snape was considered family to Maia. The thought of having a demanding family member like Professor Snape was all they needed before they focused just as hard as Maia. Neither girl could decide if Maia worked so hard at the subject because Snape was grading her harder due to her being family, because she wanted to put any nepotism allegations away, or because Maia and Snape were competitive enough that she felt she had to prove something. In any case, Maizy and Siebel both stayed clear and thanked their lucky stars that they were able to make it through Potions with only a few scratches.

“Maia, it’s close to lunch. Let’s pack up,” Maizy suggested and started collecting up her scrolls.

“Malfoy! Hey, Malfoy!”

Maia looked up at the call. Madame Pince hissed at the boy in the hall to be silent when passing the library. The boy’s face flushed and he quickly moved away without a look at Maia.

“What was that?” Siebel asked.

“He looked like a first year.” Maizy turned back to Maia. “Maybe he was calling one of your brothers?”

Maia frowned, grabbed her bag, and quickly moved out of the library in the direction of the boy. She found him not far away, standing in a window alcove with three other boys, one of them being her brother.

“She really clocked you one!” one of the boys exclaimed. “But you got her! Both of you went down, but I know she got hurt worse!”

“She was fair steaming mad when Snape came in and stopped her from going after you!” another crowed.

“Bran!” Maia strode quickly to the group and saw her brother turn around with a frown. He had a red mark starting from his ear and ending at his chin. Maia gasped. “What happened to you? Have you been fighting?”

“Watch it, she’s Head Girl,” someone whispered.

“Bran, answer me! Who were you fighting with?”

Bran was sullen and glared up at Maia. “Are you going to run to Dad?”

“If you don’t tell me what happened!”

His lips pursed in anger, Bran replied, “It was the Irish slag! I heard she was harassing Az and I told her to stop it. She got mad and punched me!”

“What?!”

“Then she said that Professor Potter-Malfoy was a horrible teacher and she thought he should be fired!” one of the other boys chimed in.

Maia’s eyes widened in rage, she flung her bag to Bran, and ran.



“This has got to stop, Severus. I can’t believe Bran would do this.”

Snape raised an eyebrow at Harry, who was gracious enough to blush and shrug.

“All right, I can believe he would do this. But he can’t be allowed to continue.” Harry moved a step closer to Snape. The Main Hall was half-full of students beginning to file in for their lunch and there was a large circle of students who had yet to dissipate from the earlier scuffle.

“No, he cannot.” Snape’s frown was harder. “I’ve alerted Draco.”

“What? Why?” Harry looked up at Snape in worry. “I’m not exactly sure if that is a good idea. He is not happy right now. He could either incite Bran to worse or yank him out of school.”

“Draco understands what he must do as a father,” Snape answered darkly. Harry wasn’t sure how to take those words, but was interrupted by the entrance of the subject of their conversation.

“Where is he?” Draco demanded as he strode into the Hall, ignoring the gaping students. His cloak billowed behind him and his entire demeanour radiated anger and determination.

Harry stepped towards him, his hands out. “Draco, calm down. There are eyes watching us.”

“There are always eyes watching us and that is exactly what that little miscreant is going to learn,” Draco hissed, his eyes darting about for his son. They alighted on a head of red and Draco’s eyes narrowed. “The problem,” he stated as he looked at Kellas from across the room.

“To her credit, she did not start this,” Snape said lowly as he too watched Kellas being fawned over by many of the students. “Bran did not state his intention and instead attacked her from behind. There was a tussle and Bran and his cohorts ran off when he saw me coming.”

Draco’s jaw was tight as he stared at the girl. She must have known they were in the room, but did not look up. Harry was grateful for that. “Where is Maia?” Draco suddenly asked.

“She had a study period, so I imagine she’s in the library,” Harry answered. “If we keep this under control, I am sure she’ll never know.”

“I see your memory has begun to fail you,” Snape said. “To forget the school gossip vine is folly.”

Harry pressed his lips together in annoyance. “Well, still, this shouldn’t influence her too much. She’s staying away from O’Neill.” Snape gave him a look. “As am I,” he muttered.

Draco frowned and then turned his head toward the double doors along with everyone else when they were flung open. The fact that the enormous doors were hurled back with such force was their only warning as to who it might be.

Maia stalked into the room, her eyes narrowed. She immediately focused on the cluster of students and the person in its centre. Harry, Snape, and Draco watched in shock as she charged forward. Harry was the first to react.

“Maia!” he called out. She ignored him and shoved her way towards the group. The students were quickly realizing the large threat headed their way and scrambled to the edges of the room as both Snape and Draco started forward.

Maia had her wand out and shouted a spell just as she breached the inner circle of Kellas’ circle. A magical bubble formed around Maia’s head. She never broke her stride as it appeared and she marched up to Kellas, who had stood at her approach.

“The Bubble-Head charm,” Harry whispered in shock. “Why didn’t I ever think of that?”

Maia strode right up to Kellas and shoved her hard in the chest. Kellas toppled backwards and over the bench she had been standing next to. She rolled off of it and onto the floor.

The bubble disappeared from around Maia’s head as she stepped back again. She trained her wand on Kellas as the other girl slowly sat up. Kellas’ breathing was heavy and Harry was alarmed to see silver beginning to trace along her face. Draco surged forward while Snape grabbed Harry.

“Don’t you ever touch either of my brothers again!” Maia demanded in seething tones. “Nor are you to ever make a nasty comment about my parents!”

“I suggest you get your facts straight, girl,” Kellas growled. “Your wee brother is lucky I didn’t tear his spine out.”

“I’d like to see you try!”

“Bran!” Harry spun to find Bran coming into the room clutching a book bag to his chest. “Stop right there!”

“My facts are perfectly straight! You are pushing around and beating up on little boys!” Maia said loudly.

“Maia!” Bran shouted in embarrassment.

“That little boy attacked me from behind.” Kellas rose up until she was squatting on her haunches, her hand resting on the bench beside her. Snape grabbed Harry before he could charge forward at the sight of Kellas’ blue eyes beginning to slit.

“You were harassing him!” Maia accused.

“You’re grasping at straws, love. Why don’t you just admit that you wanted your hands on me and be done with it?”

Maia cried out in anger and raised her wand. “Aquamenti!” she shouted and a blast of water shot from the end of her wand.

“Protego!” Kellas shouted back and the water splashed around her and doused the students nearby. It was at that moment that Draco reached Maia and pulled her back and away.

“Both you and Bran are going to follow me. Now!” he hissed.

As if it had been she hit with the cold water, Maia jumped before her face smoothed into a polite mask. She nodded and allowed her father to pull her away.

“Ah, darlin’, you’re beautiful when you’re angry!” Kellas called out. Draco’s jaw tightened and he shot the girl a death glare before turning his back on her and walking away with Maia.

Maia was not as graceful and snapped, “I’ll douse you in fire next time!”

“As long as it’s the fire of your passion, love,” Kellas returned with a chuckle.



“Tell me why I should not now decide to inflict corporal punishment on you lot!” Draco shouted as he paced in Snape’s rooms. Maia and Bran winced as their shoulders came up to their ears. They stood near the fireplace and watched their father pace.

“I can’t believe you two!” Harry added, though not as loudly.

“She hurt Bran and Azeas!” Maia replied defensively. “Aren’t we supposed to stand up for our family? For the Malfoy honor?”

“Don’t you dare try to use that line!” Harry snapped. “This is a completely different situation than Az being pushed in line during lunch! That was insanely stupid! Maia, you are supposed to be staying away from her!”

“But I’m not going to cower away from her and hide!” Maia shouted.

Draco was suddenly in front of her, crowding her back towards the wall. “You’ll cower from me!” he snarled.

“Draco, don’t!” Harry moved toward them. He could sense that Draco wasn’t using anything other than his height and presence to intimidate her, but he was still concerned that Maia would remember the night in Dumbledore’s office.

Bran had straightened and tensed when his father had gotten aggressive. Draco noticed and moved in on his son. “You will control yourself, boy,” Draco growled as he stared his son down. “Or you and I will be quite cosy in that cottage by ourselves.”

“I want to stay in school,” Bran whispered, his eyes down.

“Then act like it!” Draco spun away and restarted his pacing, making Harry relax a bit.

“Both of you have been told to leave that girl alone,” Harry said. “Bran, you will stay away from her. If you come in contact with her at all, you will be cordial and polite.”

“Let’s not go too far,” Draco interrupted. He looked at Bran. “You will ignore her. Completely. She is beneath your and this family’s notice.”

“That is ridiculous!” Maia spluttered. She carefully avoided her father’s glare and continued on. “If she were beneath our notice, then we wouldn’t be fighting over her, would we?”

“You will watch your tongue, daughter,” Draco warned.

“Maia, you understand the situation. Stay away from her. I’m not going to tell you again,” Harry ordered calmly.

“Or what?” Maia sneered. “You’ll set Father after me?”

“Maia!” Draco shouted.

“Maybe he’ll beat me like he did you? Will that teach me a lesson?”

Maia was pulled into Snape’s body just as Draco charged at her.

“You are coming home!” Draco seethed.

“No.” Harry’s voice was quiet but firm. “No. She has a right to say what she thinks.”

“She does not have the right to be disrespectful!” Draco shouted.

“Is it disrespectful?” Maia asked in an angry rush from inside Snape’s arms. “Why can’t I talk to him like you do? Dad always does as you say! He always makes sure that you are happy and you don’t care about him at all!”

“Now you are going too far,” Harry said. “What I told you about our history was just that: history. What you saw the other night is what we were trying to warn you about. Yes, in the beginning your father and I… had it rough. But we love each other.”

“So because you’re a bottom you have to cow-tow to him?” Maia spat out.

“That is enough!” Draco roared. “You have obviously gone mad!”

“Yes, Maia,” Harry answered quietly as he stared at his daughter. “That is exactly how it is. I could fight it, but that is not in my nature, my Subicio nature, to do so. I love your father. I’m happy. And to be happy, we had to establish certain things.”

“That you were going to be a rug for your entire life?!”

Harry grabbed Draco’s arm to keep him quiet. “No,” he answered. “You are very smart. I know you’ve already researched my past, haven’t you?”

Maia just stared back.

“My marriage is how I want it. I know you don’t like the fact that I am agreeable and compromising and passive. But you and I have completely different natures, Maia.” He moved closer and looked directly in her eyes. “And that is why you need to stay away from Kellas. She will make you what you hate. She will make you like me.”

Maia looked away and swallowed. “I… I don’t hate you,” she whispered. “I just…” She looked up at Harry as her eyes began to tear. “You were on the floor. You were… begging.”

His face showing his sympathy, Harry nodded. “I know. And so were you,” he reminded her softly.

Maia winced. Snape stepped back as Harry pulled her into his arms. “I don’t want that!” Maia whispered fervently into her dad’s shoulder. “I don’t ever want to do that!”

“I know, love. We all know.”

“I won’t let her near you, Maia!” Bran announced loudly. “I’ll keep her away so she won’t hurt you!”

“You will keep your balls in their place!” Draco growled. Harry glared at him for his language but Draco ignored it. “Until you grow into them, you will leave that girl alone!”

Bran reddened in embarrassment, but faced his father. “She’s… she’s… not right! I hate her!”

“We all do,” Draco agreed. “But you will not be doing anything about it.”

“Father! I—“

Draco moved quickly and was once again in Bran’s face, staring him down. Snape slid in front of Harry and Maia as Draco let his scent fill the area he and Bran occupied.

“I will not be repeating myself again,” Draco said quietly as he glared down at Bran. “You will stay away from O’Neill.”

Bran’s head had dropped and both Snape and Draco could see he was struggling to stay on his feet. Draco took a step closer and Bran’s will gave out before he sunk to his knees.

“Y-Yes, Father,” he muttered. Draco kept him there for another moment more before running his hand through his son’s hair.

“You’re strong,” Draco stated quietly. “But not yet.”

Bran nodded and looked up at his father. Draco helped his son to his feet and looked at Snape. “Where’s Azeas?”

“I imagine that he is being a diligent student and is in his class. These two should also be in theirs,” Snape replied.

“But we didn’t get to eat yet,” Bran whined, proving his youth.

“Then you should have busied yourself with filling your stomachs instead of starting fights,” Snape said darkly. “And you will not be getting late passes from me or your dad,” he added when Maia and Bran looked to Harry. Harry seemed torn, but shrugged his shoulders and nodded.

Maia and Bran hurried out of the room.

“She held herself back,” Harry said quietly after the door closed behind his children. “Kellas was angry, but she didn’t react.”

“No, she didn’t,” Snape agreed.

“That means nothing,” Draco growled. “I’m working through the Ministry to get her extradited back to Ireland.”

“I doubt that will work,” Snape commented. “You and your father bolstered the laws regarding us. They are in her favour as much as they are in ours.”

“Yes, thank you ever so for the reminder,” Draco snapped. He blinked in surprise when Harry leaned up and kissed him on the lips.

“I have a class,” Harry said with a smile. He rose onto his toes to give a similar quick kiss to Snape. “We should have dinner together. The whole family. You’re hosting,” he said with a smile at Snape as he walked toward the door. It closed softly behind him with a click.

“Well, isn’t he chipper,” Draco remarked snidely.

Snape moved to collect some papers. “He bonded with his daughter and his husband showed his strength. Yes, he’s chipper.”

Draco studied the door before snorting quietly. “Fine, fine.” He turned to Snape. “Is Azeas showing signs…?”

“Not that I am aware of. He seems his usually calm self. His scent may have increased, but my close proximity to him may be affecting my judgment. You’ll have to tell me after dinner tonight. But so far, he seems unaffected by O’Neill. In fact, he had a conversation with her, he tells me.”

“What?!”

“He spoke with her and tells me that he is content to stay out of the issue. He says that he found her cocky, intelligent, and that he believes she sees and knows more than she lets on. Which is, of course, my own opinion of her.”

Draco took a deep breath, since sighing was not dignified. “I’m not sure if I should be angry at him for going against our instructions by seeking her out, or if I should be proud of his calm-headed thinking and his promise to stay out of it,” he grumbled.

“I will leave you to sort out your feelings then,” Snape retorted dismissively. “I have allowed my students to stew in torment long enough.” With a flap of his black robe, he was gone. Draco glared at the door before flopping down on the settee.