Daddy Dearest - (No Update, Edit)

Disclaimer: All recognizable characters belong to JKR. All situations are mine. No $$$ is being made from this fanfic.
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Chapter 22 ~ A Problem by the Lake

Mathias had a free hour and decided to go outside and sit by the lake. There was a nice little grove of trees there and he could sit and relax for a while. Unfortunately for the young wizard, he didn't realize James Potter and three of his friends saw him exit the castle alone.

James grinned evilly at the other wizards. A first year named John Blatz, a second year name Virgil Donaldson, and a third year named Franklin Umbleton. The older students had latched on to James because he was the son of Harry Potter, and wanted a bit of the reflected glory.

"Hey, Mathias is by himself," James said to the other wizards, "Looks like it's time for some payback for flipping our breakfasts."

The other wizards nodded and followed the young Slytherin out the door.

Mathias was oblivious to being followed, his mind focused on Jasmine's reaction when he refused to sit with her at breakfast. She got very angry with him.

"Why can't I sit with you?" she demanded, her hands on her hips.

"Because I need my space, Jasmine," he replied. "I can't hang around with you all the time. I need time for myself."

"Well, I find that very rude, Mathias Granger," she said angrily, stomping her foot.

Mathias let his black eyes drift over her. Professor Snape was right. She really was trying to control him.

"Well, I guess I'm rude then," he answered her rather snarkily.

Jasmine huffed and stormed off to sit with the other first year witches. They all glared at Mathias as Jasmine told them what he said to her. The young wizard didn't even notice.

Severus witnessed the exchange, a small smirk on his face. It seemed his son took their little talk to heart and was nipping things in the bud now, before the "mating instinct" kicked in. He was really quite a bright boy. And in the process, Jasmine was discovering she couldn't have everything she wanted, something that was probably quite a shock to the spoiled young witch. He wondered if she would call "Daddy" and complain about Mathias.

"Daddy, make him listen to me."

Draco would then have to let his little girl know he wasn't one of the gods after all. Short of an Imperious curse, he'd have no way to make Mathias obey his little heartbreaker-in-training. The Potions Master grinned. He'd love to be a beetle on the ledge for that conversation. Jasmine was known for her tantrums around her father. She didn't dare do it around her grandfather however. Lucius didn't stand for it, and Jasmine would find herself with a very red bottom if she dared try.

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Mathias strolled along until he came to the copse of trees. He walked under them, surrounded by greenery and sniffed deeply. The air was moist and sweet here. He looked out across the lake. The Giant Squid was out in the middle of it, splashing about, its great tentacles slapping the water. The wizard sat down, cross-legged and continued to watch the Squid.

He didn't hear the Gryffindors creeping up behind him.

Virgil, the oldest of the group pulled out his wand and pointed it at the wizard's back.

"Petrificus Totalus!" he cried.

Mathias started to roll when he heard the spell, but he couldn't move quickly enough from the position he was in and was hit. His body straightened out and stiffened. He was unable to move any part of his body but his eyes. He saw four evilly grinning faces lean over him. One of them was James Potter. Mathias' eyes narrowed.

"Hey bastard," James said to the petrified wizard, "I want you to meet the new 'Marauders,' Virgil, John, Franklin and myself. We owe you big time for hexing Gryffindor house. Now what do you suppose we're going to do to you?"

James stuck his hand into Mathias' pocket, pulled out his wand then walked over to the lake and threw it in. It landed out quite a distance, bobbing on top of the water. Eventually the tide would push it back in. But now, Mathias was wandless.

James looked at Virgil, who knew most of the good spells since he was a third year.

"Let him go," James said, backing away, "But watch him. My dad and uncle Ron taught him how to fight, so keep your wands on him, everybody."

The boys backed away a bit, then Virgil released Mathias, who immediately sprang to his feet.

"And my mum tried to tell me Gryffindors were brave. Right. Look at this. Four against one and you took my wand. You're all cowards," he seethed.

James scowled at him, then his eyes slid over to Virgil.

"Hit him," he hissed

Virgil murmured a spell that blasted Mathias back several feet, the boy landing hard on his back as the wizards laughed. He lay there gasping. His back ached. Slowly he got to his feet. He might have tried to run but he was in too much pain.

"I bet that felt good, didn't it, Mathias? That'll teach you to fuck with Gryffindor," James gloated as they approached the wizard again.

"I'm going to get you for this, James!" Mathias swore through gritted teeth.

James frowned at the wizard, then whispered something to Virgil, who nodded and smiled nastily at Mathias. He pointed his wand at him.

"Divesto!" he cried. Instantly, all of Mathias' clothing disappeared, leaving him naked. His robes, boxers, socks and shoes appeared in front of the wizards. Virgil pointed his wand at them.

"Wingardium Leviosa!" he said. The clothing floated upward and the wizard neatly guided them to rest high in a fork in one of the trees.

The Gryffindors cracked up as Mathias stood there naked. The wizard made no attempt to cover himself up. James looked at him then pointed

"You're even built like a freak. Look at the size of your dick…that's fucking abnormal," the wizard said.

Everyone but Virgil started laughing anew. Virgil was the oldest, and he knew that even at eleven years old, Mathias was nothing to laugh at.

"Let's go," Virgil said, glowering at Mathias, who stood there furious, his black eyes filled with hatred.

"Why? we're just getting started!" James complained, looking back at the naked wizard.

"We've got class. I don't want to be late," Virgil said, turning and walking back toward the castle.

"We're going to leave him like this?" John said a little nervously, "He might tell on us."

"So what? It's worth a detention," James said, "We can't let him get away with what he did to Gryffindor. Now we're one up on him. If he tells, he'll just show all of Hogwarts he's a little crybaby. Let's go."

Mathias watched as the four wizards walked back to the castle, murder in his heart. He looked down at himself, then up into the tree. His clothing was too high to reach and there were no limbs low enough to hoist himself up on. The young wizard then looked toward the lake, squinting his eyes until he saw his floating wand. It was about fifty feet out. He could swim and retrieve it.

Mathias cautiously exited the copse of trees, looking to see if anyone were about. No, he didn't see anyone. The wizard walked into the water, stepping carefully. There were a lot of rocks on the lake bottom and the gods only knew what living things were there ready to take a bite out of him. The water was rather murky, so he couldn't see the bottom clearly. He tried not to think of all the Giant Squid shit and piss that was in the water. Mathias waded out into the lake until the water was deep enough that he could swim, then lowered himself into the water and swam for his wand.

He got it and was swimming back when he heard a shout.

"You! You there! What in the gods' names do you think you're doing?" the voice called.

Mathias stopped swimming and tread water, looking along the shore for the person who called to him, but didn't see anyone.

"Up here!" the voice called.

Mathias looked up.

Madame Hooch and about a dozen first years were hovering over the lake on brooms, looking down on him. All the first years were giggling.

"Swimming is not allowed in the Lake," Madame Hooch called down to him. "Especially naked swimming. You are in a world of trouble, young man!"

Mathias sighed and started swimming for shore, his pale ass showing as he stroked.

Gods, James was going to pay for this. Him and his cronies.

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Mathias sat in Professor Snape's Head of House office, waiting for Severus to appear. When he was taken to the Headmaster by a scolding Madam Hooch, Albus immediately said he was to report to Professor Snape, who would take care of the matter in-house. Madame Hooch didn't look happy about this. It was well known Severus went easy on his Slytherins, and she was sure the boy wasn't going to be properly punished.

She was also upset because Mathias didn't try to explain why he was swimming in the lake naked during class hours. He wouldn't answer any of her questions but just looked at her sullenly. The witch took twenty points from him for being insubordinate, but he still said nothing.

Mathias wasn't looking forward to telling Professor Snape what happened. He was angry he let himself be caught off guard like that. But then again, he hadn't expected to be followed and attacked by Gryffindors. He was also concerned that the Professor would pull James and his friends in and make him look like a tattletale. Mathias wanted to get them back himself, like a real Slytherin.

Severus headed toward his office scowling. What the hell had Mathias been thinking, skinny-dipping in the Lake in full daylight during class hours? Madam Hooch had been livid, saying the boy refused to answer any questions she put to him and he needed a good disciplining. Well, he'd get to the bottom of it. There would be a point loss and detention involved, as well as a lecture.

Severus entered his office, robes billowing and swept behind his desk. His dark eyes fell on the young wizard in front of him.

"Mr. Granger, what the hell were you doing swimming naked in the Lake? Swimming is absolutely forbidden and signs are prominently displayed. You've already cost Slytherin House twenty points for your insubordination to Madam Hooch. Why didn't you answer her questions?" Severus demanded.

Mathias looked at him.

"Because you said whenever we were in trouble to come to you first," he said, "So I wanted you to know what happened before anyone."

Severus looked at him, taken aback for a moment. He did tell the first years to come to him first.

"Why were you in the lake?" Severus asked.

"I had to get my wand," the boy replied.

Severus looked at him incredulously.

"And why was your wand in the lake?" he asked him.

Mathias hesitated.

"Mr. Granger, I need to understand what happened before I make my decision on how you will be punished. You will tell me everything, do you understand? If you do not, I will use legilimency on you and find out for myself. That will add more point loss if I have to do it. So I suggest you tell me everything of your own free will," Severus said, scowling at the wizard.

Mathias sighed, then told the Professor what happened.

"I had a free hour and went outside to go sit in a copse of trees out by the lake. It's quiet there, and I like quiet. James Potter and his friends followed me…"

The Professor stiffened a bit at this revelation. James Potter was targeting his son like his grandfather targeted him. His eyes went darker.

"They petrified me at first, then James said they were the New Marauders. He took my wand out of my robes pocket and threw it into the lake," Mathias said, frowning at the memory. "Then one of them blasted me, then divestoed all my clothes and put them high in a tree where I couldn't reach them. Then they left me there naked."

The Professor scowled blackly.

"I needed to get my wand so I could get my clothes down. I had to swim to go get it, and Madam Hooch saw me when I was swimming back to shore, and I got in trouble."

Severus had an ugly expression on his face. The "New Marauders?" Shit. It was like time replaying itself, only with his son in his place. And as angry as it made the Potions Master, he knew that he would have to let Mathias deal with the boys if he were going to get any respect. But still, he wanted the lad to know that he wasn't the only one who was targeted.

"Mathias, when I attended Hogwarts as a student, I was targeted by the original Marauders. It was something that lasted throughout my years here. I had no one to help me deal with them. I was a bit of an outcast because of how I was. There were times they ganged up on me and caught me unaware, the same way James and his friends did to you today. Once I was almost killed by one of them and nothing was done about it. Nothing at all. So I understand what you are facing now."

Mathias stared at him. Wow. He would have never thought that.

"Now, I could report this incident to the Gryffindor Head of House, take points from them and give them detention…" the Potions Master began.

"No!" Mathias exclaimed, then realized he had shouted at the Professor.

"I'm sorry sir, but no…if you do that it will look like I ran to you like some kind of baby. Then it would be worse. I want to get them back myself. I know enough spells to do it," Mathias replied.

Severus looked at the boy, a bit of pride swelling in his chest. He wanted to handle this himself.

"Very well, Mr. Granger. You have my permission to do just that, however, if you are caught, you will have to take the consequences. You will have to be cunning and resourceful, Mr. Granger, and not be caught," Severus said, smirking at the boy.

"I will have to be a Slytherin about it," Mathias said, also smirking.

"Precisely," Severus replied, "Twenty points for that correct assumption, Mr. Granger."

Mathias beamed at the wizard. He had just put back the twenty points Madam Hooch had taken from him.

"Because of the situation that led you to be found nude in the lake, Mr. Granger, I will not be punishing you...this time. However, if you get in trouble again for being caught off guard by the "New Marauders" I will not be as generous. Correction is important, and gives you impetus to learn. If you want to avoid losing house points and getting detentions, you will have to look out for yourself. Apply constant vigilance."

Mathias nodded. He understood completely. If James managed to get him in trouble, then he would have to face the consequences.

"Yes sir. I will be careful," the boy replied, his eyes hard.

Severus nodded with approval…again feeling that tightness in his chest as he looked at his son.

"Very good, Mr. Granger. You may go," Severus said.

Mathias rose from the chair.

"Your face and neck look much better today sir," the wizard commented.

Severus looked at him for a moment, then took out his wand and removed the glamour for a moment, so the boy could see he still had the bruises from the fight, then put it back up.

"I'm afraid it will take a while for the bruises to fully disappear," he said to the boy.

"Sir, may I ask you a question?" Mathias asked.

"As long as it isn't the reason Mr. Forall and I fought, yes, you may," Severus replied, curious as to what the boy would ask him.

"Why didn't you use your wand on him? It would have been faster and less painful," Mathias observed.

Severus looked at him.

"Duels are deadly, Mr. Granger, particularly between grown wizards. Sometimes, a physical altercation is much more satisfying. It is more of a challenge and shows how well you can defend yourself without magic. The field is more level when wizards fight hand to hand. There are times when it is more satisfying to plant one's fist in another's face up close and personal than to blast them from a distance. My foray with Mr. Forall was one of those kinds of situations," the wizard replied.

Mathias looked thoughtful.

"I'd like to plant my fist in James' face. A few times," the young wizard said.

Severus almost chuckled.

"Maybe you will get the opportunity in the coming years," the Potions Master replied. "Now get to class, Mr. Granger."

Severus handed him a pass.

"Thank you, Professor," Mathias said, leaving his office.

"You're welcome son," Severus said in a low voice as his chest tightened again.

Mathias Granger was something else.

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A/N: lol. I'm sure there will be some serious James-bashing going on the boards for this one. I like how Severus dealt with it though. A little pride showing through there, eh Potions Master? But he isn't too easy on the boy I think…which is good. Anyway, please review.