Princes in Exile

Hey everyone, yeah, I know. another update. OMFG!!!



Things are going well here. With my son\'s transplant done and over with and his incredible advances since it\'s like having a whole new boy in the house. One who runs, jumps, laughs plays, hell, breathes without extra oxygen!



To one of my reviewers who worried I was upset about my ex being called a bastard. Don\'t be. I call him far worse ,and usually in his face. The truce that we came up with after our son\'s surgery has been officially broken lol!



Thanks to everyone who reads and reviews, I appreciate greatly how you\'ve all been so patient and understanding this past year.



Marti!





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September first came and the family escorted Jenny to Kings Cross Station, to Platform 9 ¾ for her first ride on the Hogwarts Express. All the girls were amazed at the bright red train and what it represented: their sister was going to be gone for nine months, only to be seen on holidays. It was an experience that subdued her younger sisters, having never been away from her longer than a week-long summer camp two years before. Jennifer was excited and couldn’t wait to find the Weasley grandchildren and find a cabin on the train together. She wondered if the Malfoy boy would show up today and if she could share a cabin with him and the Weasleys. Seri was finally over her episode at MacDonald’s and was her usual giggly (albeit silent giggles) self. After so many years, Jenny didn’t find it odd not to hear her sister’s mirth, but feel it with her.



“Jenny, you gotta write every day and send it with Moody. I want my own letter.” Emily demanded, carrying her sister’s owl cage, the one that the Weasleys had given her on Victoire’s birthday. At first the gift had upset their mother, but after talking alone in the corner in hushed tones for a few minutes, their mom had hugged Mrs. Weasley and smiled at her. it wasn’t fair that Jenny got a pet and the other girls didn’t, but then Victoire’s grandma said they would all get owls on their first days of Hogwarts. And that meant she’d get one in three years!



“Maybe not every day. I have to do my school work, you know. Besides, you’ll be in the village! Daddy can bring the letters to you every night.”



“But it’s more fun if the owl arrives.”



“Owl hoot. Moody hoot.” Milana nodded sagely. Marika nodded her head in agreement, her shrunken head clenched tightly in her fist. Her other hand was firmly clasped in her mother’s left hand. Mina smiled in fond memory of her first sight of the Hogwarts Express and recognized the same look in her oldest daughter’s gaze.



The train’s whistle blew, signaling its departure in five minutes. Jenny’s gaze became frantic, looking for the only people her age she knew, Victoire Weasley, and Abraxas Malfoy, the boy she’d met while school shopping. A blond head wound its way through the short first years milling about, most of them Muggleborn and not knowing what to do. Jenny’s eyes lifted to the man behind Abraxas, a taller, older version of him. He could only be Abraxas’ father. She’d heard her mother and father whisper about this man, a former Death Eater like Daddy, only saved from the wizarding prison because of his wife’s actions during the final battle. His eyes were narrowed toward her father right now, which he couldn’t see because he was bent over talking to Marika.



“Severus Snape. What a surprise. I must admit I never thought I’d see you standing here sending off your child—dear lord! You’ve procreated like the Weasleys! How many do you have?”



“Mr. Malfoy.” Mina stepped forward with an icy smile, her right hand held out to be taken. It would have been bad form for Malfoy to refuse in public, taking her hand and dropping the barest of gentlemanly kisses to her knuckles. “We’ve five beautiful daughters.”



“Hi, Jenny!” Abraxas smiled at Jenny, his eyes taking in her other sisters.



“Hi, Abraxas. Wanna sit together on the train?”



“Alright. Nice owl.”



The two eleven year olds went off alone, Emily pouting after her sister. A blonde woman, carrying an equally blond little girl around Seri’s age came up behind Mr. Malfoy, touching his arm gently. “Lucius, Cassiopeia and I were looking all over for you and Abraxas. You shouldn’t run off without telling me, husband.” Narcissa Malfoy smiled at Mina and Severus, the man who’d saved her son’s life and soul. “Severus! Hermione? You look well. I know Draco’s been wondering about you for quite awhile.”



Mina smiled tightly. She took Severus’ hand in her free one, holding her daughter against her side. The toddler wiggled a little, so she released her hold a bit. She knew better than to let the 3 year old down, though. She’d probably end up stowing away on the train, taking the long way to Hogsmeade. “Mrs. Malfoy.” She nodded her head in acknowledgement of the greeting.



“Darling, where is Cassiopeia? I thought she was with you.”



“She went off with Scorpius and Draco.” Lucius smiled lovingly down at his wife of thirty-five years. She had gifted him with not only another son so late in their marriage, only a year before their oldest grandson’s birth, but also a daughter.



“Lucius, another son? I was surprised you didn’t show up at the Leaky Cauldron the night I met the boy.”



“Narcissa told me that you might not appreciate an interruption. How are you liking your re-introduction to the Wizarding world?”



“It’s been… interesting. Please excuse us, Lucius. We have to get Jenny’s things stowed on the train, then finish packing the girls. Have a good day. Narcissa.” Severus bowed to the two pure bloods and left, holding Milana against his left side, squeezing Mina’s fingers before releasing them. She smiled at the two older wizards and followed her husband.



“Toby! That was quite rude.”



“I wasn’t in the mood to talk with Lucius right now. Our daughter is off with their son, a virtual clone of his older brother, who harassed you for six years! I’m not ready to sit down and chit-chat with him. He was a bloody Death Eater!” He hissed down by her ear as they two of them, with the two middle daughters trailing after them, almost running to keep up with their longer-legged parents.



“You were too.” Mina almost ran into his back as he stopped dead in the middle of the milling students and parents and slowly turned back to look at her. The hurt in his eyes froze her and made her heart ache at how she’d hurt him. He clamped down on feelings, his eyes turning cold as ice as he arched one black eyebrow at her.



“You’re right, of course. Emily,” he called their second eldest daughter his side and lowered Milana to the floor. He put her little hand inside Emily’s and knelt down to their side. “I’m going to go find your sister. I want you to hold Lana’s hand. Do not let her go. Do you understand? I want you to help you mum with your sisters.”



Emily could feel the tension between her parents and she nodded quickly, her dark brown locks bouncing around her head. “Okay, Daddy.”



Severus stood and looked down at his wife. “I will meet you back at the entrance in ten minutes. The train will be leaving soon.” He hesitated, then bent down and kissed her on the cheek. “I love you, Hermione.” He said it deliberately, reminding her that everyone had secrets, before blending back into the mass of people, disappearing in plain sight as a good spy should.





‘You were a Death Eater, Severus. You can’t get over that. Every time she remembers your sordid past, she remembers Percy’s attack. Maybe we should have stayed in America and told Minerva and the Weasleys to just bugger off.’ Severus stalked between people, some of the parents staring after him as if seeing a ghost, a shade of their most feared teacher during their school years. ‘But what’s done is done and now we have to deal with it. She’s with that boy again!’ He seethed internally as he spotted his daughter with the blond on blond haired prat he’d taught with his wife and the boy’s young brother. He had another boy, almost identical to Abraxas, and a very young girl who could have been a mirror image of Bellatrix. Even her hair was black. The sight stopped Severus cold. A Malfoy without blond hair?



“Draco.” Jenny and Abraxas turned at the sound of her father’s voice. Draco smiled at his former teacher, the man who’d saved his soul at seventeen. He’d be in Snape’s debt forever because of that.



“Professor, I was meeting your lovely daughter. She looks quite a bit like Granger.” Draco reached forward with his hand outstretched. Severus took it awkwardly, but he took it. Draco put his arm around the other blond boy, the one who hadn’t been with Jenny in the seamstress’ shop. “This is my son, Scorpius. My sister, Cassiopeia.” He let go of Snape’s hand and gestured to the little girl, maybe 6 years old holding an owl cage for her older brother. Her black hair was pulled back into a braid down her back.



“Daddy! Brax and I are gonna sit together on the train. I hope Vicky hurries with her dad, so we can all sit together.”



“Vicky?” Abraxas hadn’t realized she knew more wizarding families already. He knew that she had been raised like a Muggle until a few weeks ago.



“Vicky Weasley. She’s the oldest Weasley kid and she’s starting this year too! Ronald is too, but he’s a dink.”



“Jennifer!”



“Sorry, Daddy. He’s a nerd.” She directed that at Abraxas, smiling sweetly at her father while saying it.



“I’m not sitting with Weasleys!”



Draco reached over and smacked his younger brother on the back of the head. Not really hard enough to hurt, but enough to sting and have the boy rub his head.



“Hey! What was that for?”



“There’s nothing wrong with Weasleys. I work with Potter and Ronald’s father on a regular basis.”



“I’ll sit with Vicky. But not with Ronald.”



Severus and Jenny watched the exchange like they were watching a volleyball game on the TV; it went back and forth, back and forth.



“You’ll sit with Ronald. And you’ll like it.”



“I’m telling Father.” Abraxas glared at his older brother, old enough to be his own father. Hell, he was older than his own nephew by six months.



“Go ahead. I’ll enjoy watching you chase the train. It leaves in three minutes. You need to get on board, brat.”



“I’m not as much of a brat as you were.” But Abraxas tossed his satchel over his shoulder and turned to Jenny. “Let’s get on and look for your friend. I guess I can sit with her and her cousin if I have to.” He rolled his eyes and went to his sister and nephew. “Be good, Cassie. Don’t let Scorpius bug you too much.”



“I’ll hethx him,” the girl, as black haired as her brothers were blonde, smiled for the first time and showed the missing two front teeth that caused her lisp. She reached up and hugged her brother tight, then stepped back and took Draco’s hand again.



Jenny smiled up at her father and hugged him around the waist as she’d always done. He stiffened for a moment then softened his features and hugged her back, closing his eyes as he rested his cheek against the top of her head.



“I love you, Daddy.”



“I love you too, Jennifer. I’ll see you tonight at the Sorting and Feast.” He brushed her hair out of her eyes and kissed her forehead as she stepped out of his embrace. His semi-smile turned into a frown when she turned to grasp Abraxas’ hand and pulled him to the train.



“If your brother touches my daughter, I’ll make him fertilizer. Just so you know, Draco.”



“I’ve missed your sense of humor, Professor. Really.” Draco grinned at his former teacher and head of house before bending down and lifting his young sister into his arms. “Cassie, why don’t we find Mother and Father? I believe Father promised you ice cream after Brax boarded the train.”



“Mummy thaid no.”



“Uh-huh. We’ll see. Good day, Professor.” Severus watched his former student leave. He frowned as he realized that Jenny was already on the train and that parents weren’t allowed on. Mina wouldn’t be able to say good bye to their daughter. He shrugged. It’s not like he wasn’t in the doghouse already. His wife might have calmed down from his slight deception, but that didn’t mean that she wouldn’t pitch a fit over this minor thing. He caught sight of her near a window. Her eyes held his and he raised his left hand in a wave. She grinned and waved back before turned back to the younger Malfoy son and someone who looked like the oldest Weasley granddaughter. He smirked when he saw how coldly Malfoy and Weasley treated each other. At least Jenny wouldn’t be in the same House as the little blond prat.