Princes in Exile

Second chapter!!! Enjoy! Everything is handwritten, up to the ninth chapter or so...gotta type it all up, and while typing of course flesh out the story. Lemons due in the fourth chapter, not that the story needs it, but...heh... they're fun to write;)



Please review, I love hearing from you. And I can update only as fast as I can. I want to remain at least two chapters ahead of my updates so I have time to edit and such. Thanks for being so patient


Marti


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Toby Apparated back home, right into his office. He knew none of the children would be in there, as it was the one room they weren’t allowed to enter. He tossed the crumpled envelopes on to the desk and dropped into his swivel chair, slumping in misery. Although he and Mina had hoped, he had known the world he’d left would come barging back in. But he had hoped, along with Mina, that Jenna wouldn’t be on the Hogwarts enrollment lists.

His door opened and he looked up at his wife’s entrance. She closed it behind her, her eyes never leaving the envelopes and papers on his desk. She rounded it and sat in his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Minerva?”

“Jennifer Minerva Weasley has been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Arthur found her name and knows about her, love. I fear we shall be inundated with them once they discover our whereabouts.”

“We knew it wouldn’t last forever, Tobias.” She had called him by the false name for so long, she felt more comfortable with it. He stroked her hair soothingly. the name ‘Weasley’ no longer sent her into fits, but he knew it hurt all the same. “We’ll have to tell Jenna and the younger girls.”

Tobias closed his eyes, afraid he’d lose the closeness he shared with his daughter, his daughter in every way but blood. Every year he noticed new Weasley traits and he ignored them. Jenna was his daughter and he’d be damned again before Arthur Weasley made a claim on his bastard son’s biological child.

“Minerva offered me the Defense position. And you, the Potions professorship. It’s all there on the desk. I need a drink,” he sighed as his wife cuddled against his chest.

“You know she’s been waiting over a decade to do that.”

He shrugged. “By rights, the positions are ours anyway as per our contracts. She had to offer them once she found us. Who do you think will be arriving first?”

Mina thought about it and sighed herself. “Harry. And he’ll be in a bad mood. We better go talk to the girls. Are you sure you don’t want to try for a boy?” she teased as she started to squirm, ready to stand from his lap. He stood also, grinning down at her.

“Five is enough, love. I’m too old to try again anyway.” He slapped his wife’s bottom and dropped his head to kiss her before she could protest. His tongue dipped inside her mouth, tasting her deeply. “I love you, Mina. I am ever by your side,” he murmured huskily into her frizzy brown hair.

“I know. I love you, too.” She kissed him back quickly and turned away from him to leave the office. He watched her go to the door and stop, turning to wait for him. In Muggle jeans and a flannel t-shirt, much like what she wore, he was as attractive as he had been while wearing billowing teaching robes, and all black. “Merlin, you’re a sexy man.”

“Later, woman. Now, we have to destroy our paradise. After you,” he motioned sarcastically to his young wife.

!@!@!@

He eyed his daughters lovingly. All five sat on the sofa, in order of birth. Mina used to jokingly call them the Von Trappes. Jennifer read a book while waiting patiently for the discussion to begin while Emily sat with the cordless phone clutched in her small hands. Serenity had a puzzle book open on her lap. She never spoke, but doctors said nothing ailed his middle daughter. Maybe she just had nothing to say? Marika and Milana chattered beneath their breath in their twin language. Mina sat in her rocking chair where she had consoled each of their children during sickness and bad dreams. Their idyllic little home was going to come undone around his ears.

“My princesses, your mum and I have something to tell you. First, we’re from England.”

“Surprised? Not me.” Jenna grinned as she teased her father. He did not return her smile though.

“Your mum is a witch, and I, a wizard. Her birth name was Hermione Granger and she was once my student at a magical school. My name was Severus Snape. There was a war and afterwards we left as neither of us had family remaining. We wanted a fresh start and needed time away from our magic.” He took a deep breath and felt his wife’s hand on his arm. He breathed a sigh of grateful relief as he took it into his own and squeezed. “Today, the school contacted us and told us Jenna has been accepted to attend come September first.”

Silence greeted his announcement.

“Daddy, I don’t have to go, do I?” Jenna chewed her bottom lip as she questioned her father.

“You don’t have to accept, love. We can talk about it some more tonight, after your sisters are in bed. Anyone have questions?”

“Why don’t you want to teach, Daddy?”

“I got tired of the insolent brats.” He didn’t even want to remember the House fighting between Gryffindor and Slytherin.

“We’re magical? Why’d you hide it from us?”

“Emily, we needed a break. You’re too young to know, and I hope you never know, how horrible the war was. Very bad things happened then, that we wanted to get away from. When a letter comes for you, we’ll discuss your leaving for England.”

Emily rolled her eyes, but didn’t say any thing more. She knew she was going to accept in a second. She wanted to grow up and get away from her house-full of sisters.

“You’re not going to teach again?” Jenna couldn’t let go of her father’s educator status.

“Your mother and I haven’t discussed it. We just got the owl a couple of hours ago,” he snapped in irritation. The girl was as tenacious as her mother when she wanted to be.

“Can we go pway?” Milana sighed impatiently. Serenity, Milana and Marika got up and headed out the sliding door to their play yard. Emily got up and headed to her and Jenna’s room.

“Emily?” Mina called her second eldest daughter. The girl turned back to face her parents. “Not a word to anyone. No one must know.”

“Like anyone would believe me, anyway!” The girl hurried down the hall to her bedroom.

“I swear that girl’s really fifteen sometimes,” Toby muttered as he watched his second eldest. Jenna got up and hugged him tightly, knowing he was feeling apprehensive.

Toby closed his eyes and savored his daughter’s embrace. He wondered if this would be the last time she acknowledged him as her father.