Salvation

The waiting room of St Mungo’s maternity ward was a tense place, and it didn’t get any easier as the minutes trickled by. All of them were gathered there, Weasley’s, Lupin-Black’s, Potter-Snape’s, Snape, Tonks and Dumbledore. The only two missing were Ron and Hermione.

The stress of her bad news had Hermione going into a sudden and fierce labour, the witch panicking that she was almost a full week early. No matter how anyone had tried to reassure her that it was only a few days ahead of schedule, she wouldn’t listen and had worked herself up even more. Her birth plan had included her parents being with her. She had kept screaming about her parents, about being early, and about Harry’s screams during Miri’s birth. No one had seemed to be able to calm her, not even Ron. She was so frantic that Madame Pomfrey had been forced to move her to the hospital, proclaiming that Hermione would do better with lots of intervention from many healers and midwives.

The whole family had chosen to go along for the wait, all of them worried by how frantic the brilliant young witch had become. They had been in the waiting room two hours, and still there was no sign of anyone coming to tell them what was going on.

“Harry, will you sit down? You’re going to wear yourself out,” Bill suggested and smirked as he was met with a grunt of refusal and a shake of the messy head.

“Don’t bother. This is Potter we’re talking about. He is very stubborn and has a ‘people saving thing’, as Hermione puts it. He won’t settle until he hears that she is all right. You might as well save your breath,” Severus intervened, trying to soothe a fussy Miri. He had tried everything over the last two hours in the waiting room to get her to settle but she wouldn’t. She continued to whine at him, twisting in his arms. He couldn’t understand it, Miri was a very placid baby, nothing seemed to get to her except having her feet touched. No one was touching her feet now, so he couldn’t explain it.

“Do you think she’s all right in there?” Tonks asked. “She didn’t look so good when her waters broke.”

“She is in the best possible hands,” Severus reassured, sighing in defeat. “Harry, I can’t get Miri to settle. She needs her carrier, love.”

That got Harry’s attention. He moved immediately to his daughter, taking her and bouncing her. But it didn’t work. If anything, it made her worse. She began to cry, really cry. It sounded so pained compared to her usual whimper.

“Severus! What’s wrong with her?” Harry asked, panicking, Miri’s cries getting harsher and she tried to throw herself out of Harry’s arms. All of them were watching worriedly, their concern for Hermione being overridden by this new situation.

Severus began to panic with his lover and shot up from his chair, trying to soothe her with his husband. Unbelievably, she got more frantic, screaming now. “I don’t know, love. Maybe we should get a healer,” he suggested, trying to remember to breathe.

Sirius darted to his feet, heading for the door to get one for them, and was nearly hit in the face by it opening. Ron stood in the doorway, a wide smile on his face.

“I’m a dad,” he announced. His smile faded when he saw how bad Miri was. “What’s wrong with her?”

“We don’t know. She’s never been like this before,” Harry said, a few tears of panic making their way down his bloodless face. Ron came forwards and stroked his hand over Miri’s curls, holding in his news out of concern for his best friends daughter.

The tiny girl stopped crying. Everyone froze at the sudden silence.

“What the hell just happened?” Charlie asked his youngest brother. “How did you do that?”

“I did nothing! I just stroked her hair,” Ron explained, stunned as Miri cooed at him.

“Harry, give Ron the baby,” Solarin said, her eyes narrowed in suspicion. Harry tried to voice protest but she stopped him. “Humour me for a moment, give her to him.”

Harry reluctantly handed Miri over and she began to gurgle contentedly.

“All right, I am very lost,” Severus said. “What is going on?”

“You shouldn’t be lost, you of all people should understand,” Solarin said, a light smile on her face. They all looked at her as if she had gone mad. “Go with me for a moment, and I will show you what just happened.”

She looked around the room, her eyes landing on Phoenix. “Nixie, come here.” The blonde obeyed. “Okay, you hold Miri, and let your emotions go with what I say to you, all right?”

Phoenix glanced at Miri and then at Harry. “Can I hold her, Harry?” she asked. She had never held the baby before, her symptoms as Draco preventing her, first out of disgust and then out of danger of Miri being dropped from her numb arms.

“Of course,” Harry agreed. Solarin came forwards and transferred the infant from Ron to Phoenix, showing her how to hold her.

“Everyone watching?” she asked with a smirk. They all nodded mutely and she turned to Phoenix, sitting her down.

“Right. Narcissa,” she stated to Phoenix and Miri began to throw her tiny fists around, making a sound that was almost a growl.

“Remus,” she said and Miri laughed, babbling happily.

“Lucius.” Miri screamed, crying as if the world was ending.

“Sirius.” Miri giggled.

“Charlie,” she said and Miri looked confused, Phoenix blushing. Solarin chuckled. “All right, that one was a bit out there. Severus,” she said, and Miri babbled.

Solarin smirked. She turned around and looked at everyone, confusion written across their faces. “Don’t you get it? Come on, Sevus, you of all people should recognise this,” she said mockingly, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

Severus began to shake his head in disbelief. “No…you can’t mean…she can’t be…” he muttered, ending with an amazed bark of laughter. “You’re serious, aren’t you?”

“Yup.”

“I cannot believe I didn’t figure that one out. I must be getting slow in my old age.”

“Will one of you tell me what the fuck is wrong with my baby?” Harry demanded, his panic causing his patience to reach breaking point.

“Nothing is wrong with her, Harry. I swear it,” Severus soothed, rubbing his hand along his back. “Miri is special, right?”

“Yes. She’s my baby, fable says she will be very powerful,” Harry said, not taking his eyes off his daughter.

“Solarin is special too, isn’t she?” Severus asked, leading Harry to the answer.

“Yes. She’s the only one like her, the only augur,” Harry replied, glancing at his smiling sister-in-law.

“Not anymore,” Solarin muttered.

“Miri is like Solarin. Miri is an augur,” Severus said with a smile, Harry laughing in incredulity and relief, Severus holding him while the tension seeped out of his body, leaving him weak and shaking.

“What?” Sirius asked. “Are you sure?”

“Miri reacting to other people’s emotions is the first indicator of it. Solarin used to do it all the time when she was a baby. Though, granted, she didn’t start until she was six months old,” Severus explained.

“But how is that possible if there is only ever one augur in the world at a time?” Bill asked.

“Because Miri is special. They both are,” Harry said firmly. “Can I hold her and have her not scream at me?”

Solarin gazed at him for a moment before nodding. “Yes. You’re not worried about Hermione or panicking about Miri. You’re calm and relieved, she’ll be fine with that. I promise I’ll explain everything properly when we get home.” She turned to Ron. “So, how is Hermione?”

Ron blinked in surprise and then a huge grin spread across his face, though there was sadness in its depths. “She’s fine, absolutely fine. Well, physically. She’s devastated about her parents. I left her alone, she told me to. Madame Pomfrey told me she just needs me to go away for a while, so she can think things over,” he said as Harry gathered Miri into his arms, the tiny augur cooing at him.

“The baby?” Charlie asked, distracting his brother.

Ron’s grin, however impossible it may have seemed, grew even wider. “A boy…and a girl,” he announced and Molly laughed. Sirius, Arthur, Charlie and Bill moved forwards to clap him on the back with a heart felt round of ‘well done’. Fred and George appeared thoroughly impressed, chuckling in that way men have that make it seem as if some dirty joke has just been uttered.

“Twins?” Harry asked, his jaw practically on the floor. “Sweet Merlin, no wonder she was so much bigger than me.” Harry smiled as he remembered Hermione’s grumblings. Even at his biggest, Harry’s bump hadn’t even reached a quarter of the size of Hermione’s. He shuddered at the thought of delivering two babies at once. Miri had been hard enough to get out.

“Twins,” Ron chuckled. “Midwife was so shocked she nearly passed out. The girl came first, the boy a minute later. We’re going to call them Catherine Molly and Joseph Arthur, after both of our parents.” He grinned and everyone began to ask questions, asking him about tiny fingers and toes, if they had red hair.

Harry passed Miri to Severus and slipped from the room, making his way down the oddly silent hallways until he reached the door to Hermione’s room. He peeked around it to find his friend lying on her side, quietly crying.

He slipped in and made his way over, ridding himself of his shoes. He slithered onto the bed and held her, letting her mourn the future she had envisioned but would never have.

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Phoenix shifted in her bed, trying to get comfortable. She growled in frustration and sat up, plucking disgustedly at the nightwear she wore.

“Comfortable my arse,” she spat as she stood up, pulling at her wedgy. “Bloody things.”

She spun to the door when she heard the sniggering. There stood Charlie, watching her with an amused smile. She let her eyes fall to the floor.

“I knew I should have closed that door,” she muttered, willing herself not to blush. She glanced at him. He appeared to be trying not to laugh. It made her temper rise. “You try wearing it and see how well you do!” she snapped and he lost his battle, letting out a loud guffaw at her.

They stood uncertainly, glancing at each other. Neither was sure what to say, or who should be the first to speak. He propped himself against the doorframe, folding his arms across his chest to keep his hands busy. She leant against the fireplace, twiddling her hair.

“Exciting day,” Charlie said.

“Yeah. Very exciting. How do you think Hermione is?” Phoenix replied, latching onto the neutral topic.

“Mum says she’s fine. Tired and grieving, but mum says she’s doing as well as she could be doing at this point.”

Silence fell between them again and Phoenix noticed that he seemed to be more nervous than she was. She giggled at the way he was chewing on his lower lip. His eyes met hers. “The brave dragon tamer,” she teased and he snorted. “Charlie, we’re still friends, right?”

“Of course we are,” he said, watching her sit on the edge of the bed, the way she watched him.

“Then come here and sit down so we can talk,” she commanded.

He pushed off from the doorframe and moved to the bed, sitting down beside her with enough room for Hagrid to sit between them.

“I’m not carrying some horrible illness, you know,” she spat at him, offended.

He smirked. “No, just PMS by the sound of it,” he joked. Not the best move he had ever made, as she shoved at his shoulder so hard he was pushed off of the bed.

“You asked for it,” she spat as he glared at her.

“All right, I’m sorry. I just don’t know what to say,” he mumbled as he regained his seat, sitting closer to her.

“I’m not a different person, you know. It’s just my body that’s different.”

“You sure?”

“Very. Why? Are you implying that I’m nothing more than a hormonal girl now?” she griped. Inside she was berating herself furiously, wondering why she was being so mean.

He sniggered. “You’re doing a good impression of it right now.”

It was like a red flag. She glared at him, her eyes blazing. “Well, if I’m that hormonal why don’t you just get out then?” she asked stiffly.

His eyes widened. The realization of just what was going on here hit him like a ton of bricks. How could he have been so stupid to have missed it? He wanted to slap himself, he had been so blind.

“You’re scared,” he said simply and she blushed, looking away. “You think I won’t want you anymore.” He chuckled. “You can be pretty dense sometimes, Nix.”

“Why has everyone insisted on shortening my name?” she snarled. She didn’t really mind it, except she was on the defensive, looking for any way to push him away incase she got hurt.

“Because Phoenix is a very long name,” he chuckled. “Besides, Nix suits you. But I don’t want to call you Nix, or Nixie, or any other variation of Phoenix.”

She suddenly felt her stomach churning. Fear gripped her at the thought of him still wanting to call her Draco. ‘No!’ she screamed inside her head. ‘Draco was horrible, he was a bad boy. I was mean when I was Draco. I’m not that person anymore, I’m not!’ But she couldn’t say anything.

“I want to call you Rose,” he said and she stared at him in shock. “I want something that only I call you.”

Her mouth had suddenly gone very dry. “Why?” she whispered.

“Because you’re my girlfriend…if you still want to be…that is…I mean…if you don’t want to…not that there’s any pressure…but…well…I know you were my boyfriend…but you’re…well…now you’re…”

He trailed off, unable to actually form a complete sentence anymore. Damn, he was doing it again, regressing ten years. He kept his eyes trained on the floor, refusing to look up into her eyes and see her ready to reject him.

“And here I was thinking you wouldn’t want me anymore.”

He snapped his head up to find her smiling at him, her cheeks blazing.

“You blush,” he said, stunned. “As Draco you never did that.”

She raised her hands to her face and, unbelievably, it started to spread down her neck.

“I wish I didn’t as Phoenix either. I seem to have spent the day with my face burning. And Solarin didn’t help either. She seemed to delight in making it happen. It’s not fair, I’ve never seen her blush, not once,” Phoenix complained, willing it to go away.

“I kind of like it,” he said quietly and she grinned as he began to go red.

“You blush too,” she said delightedly. “I feel better now. At least I’m not the only one.” She peered at him, nervously plucking at the hem of her camisole. She chuckled.

“What?” he asked, laughing with her, though he had no idea why she was laughing.

“Nothing, it’s just…well, Sol asked me if I thought you’d mind if she asked you not to think so loud.”

“I think loud?”

“Apparently you were projecting.”

Charlie frowned in concentration as he tried to figure out when he might have done that, but the stresses of the day clouded his mind. “When?”

She nibbled her lower lip, her cheeks going rosy again. “Breakfast. When I came out of the bathroom,” she admitted and he wished for a hole to open up and swallow him.

“She heard that?” he asked, his face blazing.

The blonde nodded.

“Ummmm…did she…uh…tell you what…er…I was thinking about?” he asked nervously and he was mortified when she nodded again. “What did she tell you?”

“She said that you thought I was hot like this,” she admitted in a whisper, and his ears turned a brilliant shade of crimson.

“I can’t believe she heard that,” he muttered to himself.

“Do you like this body?” she asked curiously, examining it herself. Her blue gaze searched along her pale thighs, her smooth arms, her torso.

He stared at her, trying to figure out if this was the right time to be honest. She could be teasing him, toying with him. When she was Draco she had loved to tease. And as Phoenix she was no different, but she seemed to reserve it only for Harry and Sirius, the ones who would tease back. Charlie had never been the target of either blonde. But there was a first time for everything.

“Are you teasing me?” he asked, diverting her attention from her own wiggling toes.

“No. Why would you think I was teasing you?” she asked, confused.

“You love to tease. You loved it when you were Draco as well.”

“But I’ve never teased you. I save it for Harry and Sirius. I don’t understand.”

“There’s a first time for everything,” he muttered, suddenly embarrassed by his second guessing of her genuine curiosity.

She glared at him, thinking that he was mocking her. And then she noticed the way he was staring at the floor, the way he was picking at his fingernails.

He was scared.

Of her. Of her possible rejection of him.

She smiled gently. “I’m not teasing you. I’m curious. Harry told me that you’re bisexual. And I want to believe him, but I need to hear you say it. Do you like this body?” she explained.

“Yes, I like it. I like it very much. But that’s not what I need to hear,” he replied, watching her eyes narrow. “I need to hear that you’re still the same person. That you’re still the one who loves oranges, and the colour purple, and that Sirius is still your favourite person to annoy. I need to know that you’re still the same on the inside, because that’s the person I want to be with.”

Her mouth dropped open in surprise. “I didn’t think you’d remember about the oranges,” she mumbled. “I didn’t know that it was really me you wanted and not just the form I took.”

“You didn’t believe me?” She shook her head. “I know that this is a bad way to put it but it’s the only one I’ve got so don’t mock me for it or get offended.” He took a deep breath. “For me, it’s the chocolate bar, not the wrapper, that’s important. I look for what is inside, not the outside.”

She sat there, looking at him, working it all through in her head.

“It’s still me, just different packaging,” she said and he grinned. “Charlie?”

“Yes?”

“Will you still be my boyfriend?”

His grin seemed so wide that she wondered if he could crack his face with it. “Yes, yes I will,” he said.

“Charlie?” she asked shyly, picking at the bedspread.

“Yes?”

“Are you a good kisser?”

“I’ve never had any complaints,” he joked lightly. “Why?”

“Because I’ve never enjoyed a kiss, so I was wondering if you were good at it.”

He sucked at his lower lip to keep himself from saying something she may hit him for. “Come lie down with me,” he said, keeping his lecherous thoughts to himself.

They lay down on the bed and he drew the covers up, making sure she was tucked in. He lit a few candles on the bedside table before he propped himself up on one elbow, staring down at her.

“You have freckles across your nose and cheekbones.” He ran his finger along the scattering, making her giggle. He leaned in and kissed the tip of her nose. “Can I keep you?” he whispered.

“Yes,” she whispered back. She reached up and ran her fingers through his hair, smiling at how silky it was. “I can feel it now.”

He smiled at her and ran his hand along her stomach, watching her jump in surprise. “Can I kiss you, Rose?”

She nodded and he leaned in, slowly, taking his sweet time. He considered it her first kiss ever, not just her first with him. And he was determined to make it a good one. His lips brushed hers and he captured her lower lip between his two, kissing her, soft and gentle. Her fingers tightened in his hair and he pulled her closer, wrapping her in his arms. After a moment, she began to kiss back, the movement of her lips jerky and hesitant.

Phoenix felt his lips on hers and wondered how she had ever managed to bring herself to kiss Pansy when she was Draco. Charlie’s kiss was possessive, but gentle, deep yet hesitant. It was a total contradiction but it suited him, strangely. She had no idea what she was doing, it had never felt like this before. When she was Draco, the main point during a kiss was concentrating on not throwing up. But now, with Charlie, she wasn’t quite sure what she was supposed to do. So she relaxed, letting herself kiss back. It had never been this difficult when she was Draco. But it felt good now, it felt better.

She pulled back and smiled shyly at him.

“So, am I a good kisser?” he asked and she nodded, blushing again. “Is there anything you don’t blush at?”

“I haven’t found one yet, but I’m determined,” she said firmly. She ran her fingertips over his brow, down his nose, along his cheekbones, along his bottom lip. His hand was resting on her ribs and she found that she liked it, liked having the warm pressure of it. She caressed the stubble on his jaw. “It prickles.”

He smiled. “I don’t usually shave before bed,” he joked.

“I don’t mind it. Did mine feel like that when I was Draco? Even before I went numb I was too disgusted to really feel it.”

“Yes, when you were Draco your stubble felt like mine.”

She traced his ear, tracing the curve of it, tugging the lobe between her fingers. She closed his eyes and stroked his eyelashes. The brown eyes fluttered open again as she laid her hand hesitantly on his chest.

“Will you stay with me tonight?” she asked.

“I think Sirius might kill me for it,” he said, laughing.

“Why? We’re only going to sleep,” she replied, confused.

“Didn’t you see the glare he gave me at breakfast? When he told Remus that they had two children that could get pregnant. I know he thinks I didn’t see it but I did. He’ll kill me if he finds me here.”

“But he was okay with it when I was Draco. I don’t understand. Why is it different now?”

“Because when you were Draco you couldn’t be taken advantage of the way you can now. Trust me, it’s different,” he said, watching her pout.

“But I want you to stay, why can’t you?” she insisted stubbornly.

Charlie was about to argue with her that it wouldn’t be proper now, that things had changed, but a growl and a hand grabbing the back of his shirt distracted him. He was roughly pulled from the bed and dragged to the door, the hand shoving him out into the hallway. He turned around to find an infuriated Sirius glaring at him.

Charlie held up his hands in a placating move, but Sirius was still advancing on him. “Sirius, we weren’t doing anything, I swear to all mighty Merlin,” Charlie managed to get out, stopping Sirius, though he was still taking deep furious breaths.

“You were in bed with my sixteen year old daughter at eleven o’clock at night,” Sirius snarled, standing in the open doorway. “Do you really expect me to believe you?”

“We’re both still dressed. Believe that if nothing else.” Charlie viewed the angry animagus the same way he had viewed an angry horntail: a situation to be handled cautiously.

Sirius glanced up and down at Charlie’s pyjama clad form and then did the same with Phoenix. “Fine, I believe you,” he ground out. “But you are going back to your own bed.”

“Why can’t he stay here with me?” Phoenix asked, scrambling from the bed.

“Because I said so,” Sirius replied. “Back to your own beds, both of you.”

He left no room for argument and Charlie shot Phoenix an apologetic look before he complied.

Sirius stood over Phoenix as she got back into bed, making sure she didn’t follow the redhead. She might have been stubborn, but Sirius was bigger than her, and she suspected he wasn’t above sitting in her room all night.

“Good night, Phoenix,” Sirius called out as he left the room. He paused at the door. “Mine and Remus’ room is right next to Charlie’s room. We will hear you if you try to go in there. Stay in your own bed. Sweet dreams.” And with that he left, closing the door behind him.

Phoenix huffed in annoyance. She never had gotten her answer from Charlie, so she didn’t understand what they had done wrong. Sirius hadn’t had a problem with them sleeping in the same bed when she was Draco. She didn’t see the difference. But she couldn’t go and ask Charlie, not when his room was right next to her parents.

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Harry rolled over and cracked his eyes open, groaning at the whimpering coming from the baby monitor. “Midnight feed,” he grumbled as Severus hugged him.

“I’ll get her,” Severus said, kissing his cheek.

“Can’t we put her on solids yet?” Harry moaned, sitting up and ridding himself of his t-shirt.

Severus slipped from the room and returned a moment later, Miri gurgling in his arms. “Another two months, love. But she should start sleeping through the night before long, at least, that is what Molly told me,” Severus replied, transferring the baby to Harry before slipping back into bed, assuming their usual position of Harry cradled against him.

“Not fair,” Harry wined as Miri latched on. “I miss having a full nights sleep.”

Severus chuckled and kissed his neck. “Me too. But it will end soon. Patience.”

“Screw patience,” Harry retorted, smiling.

“Patience is a virtue,” Severus sing songed and Harry snorted.

“For you maybe.”

Severus’ reply was cut off by the appearance of a blonde in the open doorway. “Phoenix? Are you all right?” he asked and she shook her head.

“Can I talk to you? I mean, I know it’s late but you’re up already,” she asked.

“Come on in. Just keep in mind we’re sleep deprived,” Harry said and she smiled, moving forwards and seating herself on the bed.

“What’s on your mind?” Harry asked.

She drew up her knees and rested her chin on them, trying to figure out the best way to ask.

“Why won’t Sirius let me sleep with Charlie? He lets you sleep with Severus, why can’t I sleep with Charlie?” she asked and their jaws dropped. “What? What did I say?”

“Well, I am married to Harry, that has an effect on Sirius’ thinking,” Severus said, recovering first. “And you are a girl now. Things are different.”

She huffed. “Charlie said that, right before Sirius yanked him out of bed and threw him into the hallway. I don’t understand. We were just talking.”

“Phoenix, what do you mean by ‘sleep with Charlie’?” Harry asked, detaching Miri and covering himself, winding her.

“Sleep. Like the kind where you dream. What did you think I meant?” she answered, looking at him like he was mad as he chuckled.

“Ah, I see why you do not understand now. We thought you were referring to sex,” Severus said, watching her jaw drop. “When you were Draco, you could not get pregnant as easily. You can now you are Phoenix.”

“But Charlie said that and I still don’t understand. We aren’t doing anything. Why is it wrong?” she asked.

“Because it is not proper for a teenage girl to share a bed with her boyfriend who is ten years older than her,” Severus explained.

“But you’re old enough to be Harry’s dad…and Hermione is a teenager.”

Severus looked at Harry, searching for help. Harry laughed and shook his head. “Nope. You’re explaining. You’re on your own,” Harry chuckled, Severus glaring at him.

“Potter, you will assist, or so help me I will make the next few days a very mortifying experience for you,” Severus said, reverting back to Scary Professor Snape. It didn’t have quite the same effect anymore. Harry merely laughed harder.

“That doesn’t scare me, not when we’re sitting in bed together.”

Severus scowled. “Slytherin,” he grumbled, and Miri began to laugh as Harry’s amusement reached it’s peak. “Please?”

“All right, I’ll help,” Harry agreed as he held Miri to his other breast, waiting for her giggles to stop before he latched her. He looked at his sister, who was crimson in her embarrassment of Harry’s breasts. He took a deep breath to keep himself from laughing at her. “Phoenix, don’t you remember when Sirius found out about me and Severus? He hit him. And Ron and Hermione are married, but I did hear that Hermione’s dad went a bit bezerk at Ron when he found out about the two of them being together.”

“But why isn’t it proper? All we do is cuddle,” she asked stubbornly.

Harry sighed. She really could be too stubborn sometimes. “Because Sirius is being an overprotective father. He has a daughter now, he’s trying to protect you. And, he doesn’t like the idea of his daughter having sex. Does that make more sense to you?”

“I guess. But I got used to sleeping with Charlie. It doesn’t feel right without him talking to me while I fall asleep,” she said sadly.

“I will talk to Sirius tomorrow. For tonight, you will have to sleep alone,” Severus instructed.

“I suppose I can live with that,” she sighed. “Thank you.”

“Hey, just be grateful it wasn’t Remus who found you. I don’t think his wolf would have taken it as well as Sirius did,” Harry said seriously.

She made her way to the door, pausing to give them another ‘thank you’ before she retired to her own bed once more. Harry dissolved into a fit of laughter and Severus sighed in relief, his head falling back against the pillows.

“Nicely handled, Mr Potter. Ten points to Slytherin,” Severus teased.

“Shut it. I did better than you. And, personally, I think Remus’ wolf would be tame compared to you if it had been Miri with her boyfriend you had caught,” Harry teased back, Severus’ face darkening with anger.

“You are right, of course. I would tear the swine limb from limb,” Severus snarled in all seriousness.

“Kind of the way you wanted to kill Bill?” Harry asked, looking up at him through his fringe innocently as he winded Miri.

“Exactly. No one is good enough for either augur,” he insisted stubbornly, holding Miri’s little fist.

Harry groaned. “I forgot about that.”

He lifted Miri and peered at her face, turning her this way and that. She peered back, making a grab for his nose. Severus plucked her out of Harry’s hands and sat her on his raised knee, his hands around her ribs. She babbled at him as he tapped his foot to make her bounce.

“She doesn’t look any different,” Harry observed. “Are you and Sol sure she’s an augur?”

“Positive, love. You saw the little display. Albus thinks that Miri has been doing it since she was born. Mad-Eye will come and test her properly in a few days.” Severus paused, staring at his husband. “This worries you, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t want her to be any more different than she has to be. She’s already different by having me as a carrier. I just feel that this is going to make it harder on her,” Harry explained, leaning back against his chest and stroking Miri’s nose, tapping the end to make her laugh.

“Different is what she is. She’s the daughter of the ‘famous Harry Potter’. Plus, she is the child of a hermaphrodite. As you said when she was born, she made history. She won’t stand out too much, the Wizarding World will accept her for what she is,” Severus reassured.

“They didn’t accept me,” Harry replied quietly. “I was different because of being raised by the Dursley’s. The Prophet either praised me or tore me to pieces. And people kept expecting things of me because I was the ‘famous Harry Potter’, the bloody Boy-Who-Lived. I don’t want that for her.”

“I accept you.”

“You didn’t in the beginning,” Harry argued.

“No. In the beginning, I just saw you as the son of the man who once exposed my underwear to the rest of the school. I was clouded by my own petty hatred,” Severus admitted. “But I got past that. I finally forgave your father for what happened between us and I learned to see you for who you really are. I accept you now.”

“I know, and that’s all that matters to me now, that you love me and accept me for who I am. I have you and Miri and a wonderful family who love and accept me.” He sighed as Miri gripped his finger. “She’ll be accepted, I know that, it’s just…”

“Just what, love?” Severus asked, smiling at Miri’s babbles.

“You’ll think I’m being silly,” he replied, taking Miri from him, bringing her to his chest so he could cuddle her. Severus’ arms came around them both and a gentle hand tilted his head back so a sweet kiss could be pressed to his lips.

“I will not think you are being silly unless you say something like Miri turning out to be a Hufflepuff is your big worry,” Severus soothed and Harry laughed.

“No, I couldn’t care less about her house, as long as she’s happy in it.”

“So? What is the problem?”

Harry stroked the downy curls, kissing the top of her head as she began to fall asleep against him. “What if something happens to her? Something like what the Ministry did to Sol?” he asked, holding his daughter closer at the mere thought of it. Severus smiled down at him softly. “You think it’s silly, right?”

“No, it think that it is every parents worry that something will happen to their child. I think your concerns are warranted. I worry about it happening to her also. But the new laws surrounding Sol will be applied to Miri. Miri will be protected under them, no one will be allowed to touch her. And our daughter will have better training than my sister did. Solarin has agreed to train her with Moody, and Hermione is a walking encyclopaedia,” he reassured. “This little augur is well protected, Harry. You just have to remember Remus with her this morning to know that. No one will let anything happen to her.”

“What about Lucius? Do you think he’ll care about the law?” Harry argued, Miri whining in her sleep.

“Lucius will be caught before long, he cannot run forever. And you are forgetting that your child is a girl. Lucius did not want Phoenix, I doubt he will want Miri.”

Harry was silent and Severus let him be, let him work through his own thoughts. The thought of Lucius scared him too, if he was honest, but he would never admit that to his green eyed elfin beauty. Harry needed him to be the strong one, so it was not a wise idea to reveal to Harry that he was desperately afraid of what Lucius was capable of.

The two of them had once been friends, he had even trusted him enough, once upon a time, to let him near Solarin. Lucius had been the one he had turned to when Voldemort had become too much to bear and he had desired to leave. He had known that he could count on the blond aristocrat to both calm him and convince Voldemort that he had been too hard on Severus. After Lucius had calmed the Dark Lord, Severus had been able to enjoy a few days in his good graces, being treated like a child in his fathers favour once more. Severus had found those days the more enjoyable of his servitude. Voldemort would often give him permission to miss the next few meetings during these periods and he would be able to spend a few days, uninterrupted, with Solarin. Lucius had given him that.

Solarin had found Lucius’ manor to be a fairytale castle, in her child’s imagination, and Lucius had indulged her every whim and desire that one day when they had gone to visit. But Solarin had made the mistake of glancing into Lucius’ mind. It had scared her far more efficiently than their father had ever done. Severus had not let her near Lucius after that. But Lucius had remained a loyal friend.

After the fall of Voldemort, when they had been two of the few Death Eaters to manage to keep themselves out of Azkaban, Severus had assumed that Lucius would settle, become a normal member of society. How wrong he had been. If he had just had the sense to look past Lucius’ pretty words he would have figured out that his apparent ‘settling’ was just a clever ruse to hide his confinement of Severus’ beloved Harry.

And now Lucius seemed to be completely out of control. His actions denoted that he was no longer sane, and even if he was, Severus feared for what he would do next. It was this fear that had made him talk Harry away from the idea of taking Miri to Diagon Alley a few days ago. Severus had almost refused to allow Harry to take her to St Mungo’s, but he had regained his sense just in time.

He considered Hermione’s parents. Those poor people had died because of Lucius’ insane desire to have a son. Severus couldn’t quite decide if Lucius wanted a son because it would bring him money, or because of some need to prove his masculinity.

Severus gazed down at his husband and their daughter. Masculinity wasn’t proved by having a son. It was proved by your actions, a man proved it by all the good he did, by the people he loved and how he treated them. It suddenly dawned on him that Lucius was no better than his father.

A father protects his children, he doesn’t hurt them. A man is proved by his actions. And, judging by Lucius’, he was nothing more than a little boy.

“Severus?” Harry’s voice pulled him out of his musings.

“Yes, love?”

“Where were you just now?”

“Thinking. Just thinking, love. Just wondering what on earth has happened to Lucius.”

“What do you mean?” Harry asked cautiously.

Severus sighed. “Put Miri in her crib and I will share my thoughts with you,” he agreed and he gathered his thoughts as Harry left the room. He lay back and cradled Harry to him as he returned.

“Lucius used to be very rational. He took care of me, in a sense, when I was a Death Eater. When the Dark Lord began to take real delight in…causing me pain, he would intervene, and I would be allowed to spend a few days away from my servitude. I was allowed to spend a whole month with Solarin once. Lucius was calm and collected, he always thought through his plans, never acted without good reason. Aside from his activities as a Death Eater, he never acted outside the law. Lucius used to be my friend.”

“So, what changed?” Harry asked, his head pillowed on the broad chest. He ran his finger over the faded Dark Mark, tracing it as Severus stroked his hair. “When did he begin to be less rational?”

“When you defeated the Dark Lord. He and I were some of the few Death Eaters who escaped imprisonment. I did think he would settle, that he would create a more respectable position for himself. I had begun to believe it. I was wrong. He fooled me,” Severus finished quietly, feeling ashamed. “He told me that he was working on a new book, that it was a cautionary tale of how not to end up in the service of a mad man. I believed him. I think I trusted his words mostly because I wanted to. I really wanted to believe that he had found a way to be a normal wizard, the way I had. He fed me a whole tale of his latest work when all the time he was…was…”

“It’s all right, you don’t have to say it,” Harry said, stroking his stomach. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m yours, that’s all that matters.”

“Poor Hermione,” Severus sighed, holding Harry tighter to him. “That poor girl. I should have seen his madness sooner. If I had, none of this would have happened. You never would have had to go through that, the birth of Hermione’s children would not be marred by her parents deaths. If I had just seen through his lies, none of this would have happened.”

“You see it now. I belong to you now, and I always will. None of this is your fault, he’s very good at putting his point across. And Hermione will be all right. She’s tougher than she looks. Dumbledore’s Army was all her idea, you know,” Harry informed and Severus looked at him in surprise, Harry raising his head to smile at him. “Did you think it was my idea?”

“I was under that impression, yes. Hermione devised it?”

“Yes. And Neville found the Room of Requirement. I was just the teacher. Frankly, I’m amazed I had any students as most of the wizarding population felt me to be a liar at the time. But Ron and Hermione were always on my side. Hermione is a smart witch, she’ll soon see the blessings she has in her life, like Catherine and Joseph,” Harry explained. “You can’t blame yourself for this, no more than I can blame myself for what Lucius did to me, or Phoenix can blame herself. None of us are to blame except Lucius. You told me that, remember? Or were you lying to me?”

“I have not lied to you, love. And you are right. None of us are to blame. This is all Lucius’ fault. I will just feel better when he is caught,” Severus said, kissing Harry on his scar, making him smile.

“Do you remember the polyjuice incident in my second year?” Harry asked, smiling when his head bounced with Severus’ snort of agreement. His distraction was working, he could just feel it in the way Severus’ body had begun to relax under him.

“I didn’t make it.”

“Excuse me?”

“I didn’t brew the polyjuice. I let off the firework that went into the cauldron, the one that splattered everyone with Swelling Solution,” Harry admitted, tempting his husband with one of the more juicy mysteries he had wondered about.

“That was you? Why did you let off the firework?” Severus asked, amused at the information being so freely given to him, all thoughts of Lucius fading from his mind.

“To create a diversion so Hermione could sneak into your private potions store. We needed boomslang skin and bicorn horn. Are you going to get Dumbledore to expel me?” Harry asked cheekily as Severus laughed.

“No, not today, Potter. I would rather my husband did actually sit his N.E.W.T.’s. Why did you need polyjuice, anyway?”

“We thought Draco was the Heir of Slytherin,” he admitted and Severus dissolved into disbelieving howls of laughter. “It was the most logical way to go, the way he kept going on about Mudbloods.”

Severus spent the next few minutes laughing, clutching Harry to him through his amusement. As he quietened, he pulled Harry up for a kiss, letting his lips graze his cheek, his nose and his eyelids before finally resting on his scar.

“You know, I’m sure you could have the scar removed if you so desired. Now that the Dark Lord is gone, I am sure it could be removed,” Severus suggested, pulling back and sighing as Harry settled against his chest again.

“I don’t want to. I want to keep it.”

“I thought you disliked it.”

“No, I dislike the attention it brings me. I got it when he killed my parents. It’s kind of a reminder of them for me, a reminder that I can never misplace or have taken away,” Harry said simply and Severus kissed him on it again. “And I like it when you kiss it.”

Severus smirked. “I know,” he said, kissing it once more.

Harry hummed his contentment. “Poor Phoenix. I don’t think she’ll ever forgive Narcissa,” Harry mused. “Did you see the way she pulled away when Lady Malfoy tried to hug her?”

“I did, though she is just Narcissa Black now, not Lady Malfoy. She gave up that title when she divorced that man. No, I don’t think Phoenix will forgive her either. What her father did was one thing, but Narcissa’s actions are another. I do not believe she can forgive her for them, I do not believe any of us can.” He chuckled. “Sirius must be mellowing in his old age. I cannot fathom why he offered her a place here.”

“He must have his reasons.” Harry sighed. “Have you noticed that we seem to have found quite a few birth parents that are bloody useless?”

“I had noticed that. But I feel it makes us all the more thankful for the good ones. And, of course, it increases the appreciation of the parents that were taken by choice,” Severus reasoned and Harry hummed his agreement against his chest, snuggling closer to him.

They rearranged themselves, both knowing that they would only find true rest in their usual spooning position.

Severus smiled at the way his lover snuggled further into his embrace before turning his head for a sleepy kiss. Severus obliged, taking comfort in the fact that Harry was safe, that he belonged to him. Harry was safe in his arms, Miri was safe in her crib and the whole house was filled with their family.

As he fell asleep, Severus had the stray thought flit briefly through his head of what would be sent next to test them.

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Sirius rolled over, intending to wrap his arms around his husband, to find the bed empty. He sat up and looked around, noticing that the door to their room was wide open.

“Remus?” he called out as he eased himself from the warm bedding. He donned his robe and padded down the hallway. He slipped into the bathroom and sighed as he saw Remus bent over the toilet, throwing up. He moved forwards and knelt behind him, rubbing his back.

“Are you all right?” he asked as Remus pulled back, sweaty and gasping.

“Flaming Wolfsbane,” Remus rasped. “I’m all right. The potion is just playing havoc with my insides. I’ve been throwing up every morning for a week, ever since the full moon.”

“Maybe we should talk to Severus about it. He brewed the potion for you, he might know what’s wrong,” Sirius suggested, handing him a glass of water to rinse his mouth. He plucked it out of his hand as he retched again. “Is there anything I can get you?” Sirius asked, rubbing his back again.

“No,” Remus ground out. “Just stay with me.”

Sirius smiled and rubbed his back as another wave broke, forcing his stomach to empty itself. When it was all over, Remus fell back into his arms, shaking and sweating.

“We need to talk to Severus. During the moon, I didn’t have as much control as I usually do, and then that whole business with Miri. Maybe the measurements of the ingredients were off, not that I’m questioning Severus’ skill. He is very good at his job. But I can’t help feeling that maybe the potion was off. I’ve never had problems with it before,” Remus panted, gripping at the arms around him.

Sirius kissed his hair. “That might be it. Or it may be that you are developing an immunity to it. You may need a different potion, honey,” Sirius offered.

“Perhaps.”

They sat there for a few minutes before they eased themselves into the shower. It was nothing like their usual morning routine of hot steamy sex, one of them lifted up and fucked hard against the tiled wall. That mornings shower was caring, Remus letting Sirius cleanse him, treating him to his more tender side, caressing every inch of him. Remus loved moments like that, when Sirius showed him just how much he loved him, how precious he was to him.

His new problems with the Wolfsbane potion didn’t scare him too much, not when he had Sirius with him.

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Harry wandered into the kitchen to find Solarin sitting at the table alone. It was a rare occurrence; Harry had begun to believe that she and Bill were joined at the hip. She looked slightly ill, and she was shuffling a pack of cards.

“Can I play?” he asked, sitting down opposite her. She stared at him in surprise.

“What?” she asked, her hands still moving like a nervous tic.

“The cards. Can I play?” he said, motioning to her hands.

She peered down at them and then back up, smiling at him. “They are not the kind of cards you play games with,” she said gently. “They are to see the future. Moody gave them to me when I was very young.”

“Like tarot cards?”

“Kind of, but these are specifically for augurs. Miri will get a pack when she’s old enough to use them,” she said with a smile, looking at his empty arms. “Where is the little miracle?”

“Asleep in her crib.”

“Ah. It’s just odd to see you with your hands free.”

“She’s settling better. I think it’s because it’s calmer now.”

“She doesn’t have any strong barriers yet, she has no control. It will get easier as she develops,” she assured. “She’s a lucky girl, she has lots of people to help her to learn her limits.”

“You have limits?” he asked with a smile. “And here I was thinking that you were invincible.”

“Pipe down,” she scolded with a grin. “I have my limits, and I know them very well, thank you very much. Just because you don’t know them doesn’t mean that they are not there.” She cut the deck and resumed her shuffling. “Where is everyone?”

“Gone to see Hermione. I thought it was best to stay behind, she might not do well with too many people. Severus stayed too, he’s with Sirius and Remus, something about the Wolfsbane potion. Did Bill stay?”

“Bill went to Gringotts. He’s getting restless so it’s best if he goes back to work. How is Hermione?”

“I spoke to Ron this morning, he said she’s doing pretty well, all things considered. The healers are finally considering letting her come home.”

She nodded and Harry got the impression that she was distracted. It surprised him. As far as he knew, she didn’t get distracted by anything except Bill, and even that was only once in a blue moon.

“Are you okay? You seem distracted,” he asked, pouring himself a glass of orange juice.

“I’m fine but you are right, I am a little distracted.”

“Not those infernal cards again,” Severus said as he entered the room, followed by Sirius and Remus. Harry was worried by how ill Remus looked, but Sirius didn’t seem too worried so he put it down to the last full moon only being a week ago. “You’re wrong more often than you’re right.”

She stuck out her tongue at him. “You’re still sore about that?” she asked.

“Sore about what?” Severus asked dismissively, pretending to be clueless of what she was insinuating as he sat down next to her.

“It was one time, Sevus. And I was close, you have to give me that.”

“You would have been right instead of merely close if you had paid attention to your lessons,” he scolded.

“Probably, but those lessons were boring.”

“Childish attitude to your gift,” he said lightly.

“All right, I’ll say it! You were right, I should have done as I was told. If I had I wouldn’t struggle with it now. You were right,” she admitted and a pleased smile spread across the mans face.

“Most wonderful three words in the English language. It is so very satisfying when you say things like that,” he gloated and she slapped him round the head. It didn’t diminish the smile.

“Care to explain?” Remus said, sitting down wearily in his seat with a glass of water and a few crackers.

“When I was young, I had these lessons that were supposed to help me focus my ability to see the future. Well, I hated the lessons and now I’m terrible at it,” she explained, glaring at the smug look on Severus’ face. “He’s right, I am more often wrong than right.” Severus hummed in agreement.

“And the cards?” Remus asked.

“Moody gave them to me. They’re meant to help me see through the mist. I haven’t picked them up for a while, though.”

“Why now?” Sirius asked, Remus leaning his head against his shoulder..

“I have this nagging feeling. It happens when something big is about to happen. The last few times I’ve ignored it, but this time it’s giving me a migraine. So, I dug out the cards,” she said as she slapped them down in front of Severus. He glared at her.

“Remus, are you okay? You don’t look very well,” Harry asked.

“I’m fine, it’s just a few after effects of the moon,” Remus said with a warm smile. “I will be fine, do not trouble yourself.”

Harry smiled at him, nodding, and turned his attention to the bickering going on between his husband and sister-in-law.

“Just shuffle the cards,” Solarin insisted.

“I am not touching those,” he insisted. “You are not reading me.”

“So, you are still sore then?” she teased. “Or are you afraid of what I might see?”

“I am neither sore nor afraid. I am just refusing to be read.”

“But the cards are telling me that it must be you,” she argued.

“Read someone else first and I may consent,” he bargained and she sighed in annoyance, picking up the cards once more and shuffling.

“Fine. Do I have any takers?” she asked, looking around.

“Tell us what Severus is sore about and I’ll do it,” Sirius said, Severus glaring at him.

She giggled. “I once told him that he would end up with his great enemy. We managed to interpret it a little more and I proclaimed that he would be very happy with James Potter.” They all laughed and Severus went a little pink. “I was close. I was only off by one generation of Potter.”

“Yes, yes. You were close,” Severus admitted.

She slapped the cards down in front of Sirius and instructed him to shuffle them until he felt it time to stop. He shuffled them for a few moments before handing them back. She fanned them out and plucked six of them, seemingly at random, placing them in a cross shape on the table, face down. She turned them over, one by one, looking at them curiously. Harry noticed that each card held the image of a different household object. One of them was a table, another a bed. There was also a cupboard and what looked like a pair of shoes.

“Ouch, not a happy spread,” she muttered.

“Do not take it too seriously, she is not a very good seer,” Severus warned the animagus, earning him a glare from his sister. “I was merely observing, based on your past predictions.”

“Well, I see much physical pleasure, in your future, and a happy family, but there is a dark shadow hanging over it all. There is the whisper of trials ahead, and a loss,” she proclaimed.

“A loss?” Sirius asked.

“Yes. It might be someone travelling far away, or a death, I can’t be certain. Sorry, Sirius, but that is about as clear as it gets. I’m sorry I can’t give a better reading,” she soothed. “As Severus said, I’m usually wrong.” He appeared shaken but he nodded at her, offering a shaky smile as he slipped an arm around Remus’ shoulders.

“What was the last one you got right?” Harry asked.

“It was a long time ago,” she dodged and Harry knew it was not a subject to press as Severus shook his head.

“So, will you let me read you now, Sevus? Please?” she asked and he let out a world weary sigh before he nodded. She gathered up the cards and shuffled them before setting them in front of her brother. He muttered something about being insane as he picked them up and began to shuffle. As he did so, the members of the house who had gone to visit Hermione began to emerge through the floo. They all settled down, getting explanations of the scene from Harry, and still Severus continued to shuffle. Harry noticed that Narcissa had chosen a seat by the fireplace, away from everyone else.

After what seemed an age he finally pressed them into her hands. Harry observed her hands were shaking as she spread them out, plucking them and arranging only four in a square. She glanced up, her eyes unseeing, the whites of her eyes completely taken over by black, and Severus sat up straighter in alarm.

It was no longer a game, watching what she could see. She was seeing something else, something far away, and it was making Severus uneasy.

“Severus? What’s happening?” Harry asked as she glanced up at him, her black eyes swirling red, the same way they had when she had stopped Severus and Bill killing Kingsley.

“Call Moody, call him now,” Severus commanded and Molly moved to the fireplace, Moody coming through after only a minute.

Moody took one look at her and took a seat, apparently waiting for something.

“Alastor, what is happening?” Severus asked.

“Her gift is finally maturing. She is seeing the future, at long last. This prediction will not be wrong, Severus. Her others may be, but this one will be true. Give her time to see, let her watch it. She will come back to us when it is over, when she has learnt all she needs to. We wait until it has passed on its own,” Moody instructed. “Molly, could I trouble you for some tea?”

They waited, watching her hands skim over the cards, arranging them in some weird pattern, seemingly without order or reason. Severus appeared to be fighting the urge to try and pull her out of it, and Bill, when he returned, panicked at her state.

After an hour of her blank stare, she blinked and collapsed back into her chair, gasping. Severus, who had been pacing with Bill, reached her before the redhead and moved to touch her but she held up her hand.

“Don’t touch me, not yet. Let it pass,” she said shakily and Sirius placed a glass of water in front of her as the two of them backed off slightly. She took a sip of it and coughed as it hit her throat. The second sip was more successful.

“Solarin?” Harry said. “Are you okay?”

“I’m fine. It was just a little…intense. And unexpected,” she said, waving his concerns away with her hand.

“What did you see?” Moody asked, and Harry was surprised by her acceptance of him, as if she had known he was there all along.

“I don’t know. It’s fuzzy. It doesn’t make any sense,” she admitted and Moody placed a vial of red liquid in front of her.

“It will clear your head, make it easier for you to put it in some kind of order,” he instructed. “As soon as Molly told me what you were doing I knew you would need it.”

She nodded and chucked it down, grimacing at the taste. It seemed to help, because she began to describe what she had seen.

“It was here, in Grimmauld Place. It was bright, so I think it was daytime. We were all sitting around the table. It was something about Severus, something he needs to learn. There was another reason for it, something about Remus, some kind of warning. I can’t make the rest clear.”

“That is because it cannot be clear until it is lived,” Moody explained. “Just tell us what you got.”

“For Severus I got a hidden past, a secret long kept. It was told to save a family, to ease a mind. Deception not easily forgiven. A face from the past, long pushed aside but never forgotten. Resolution, but no peace. A choice made. A truth uncovered but not understood. A passing, a loss,” she reeled off, Severus’ face becoming more and more confused with every word.

She glanced at Remus, the werewolf staring at her, waiting for what she would tell him. “A new start, it is unexpected, unplanned for. Trials ahead, tough choices to make. A love, greater than ever anticipated. A shadow, something dark and unknown, it is sent to test you. A choice not easy to make, but needed.”

“What does it mean, Mad-Eye?” Severus questioned, Solarin finally letting Bill hold her. He reached forwards and stroked her hair. The augur looked exhausted but her eyes kept darting to the odd formation of cards.

“We have no way of knowing until we live it. The other predictions she makes can be changed, this one cannot. This one will come to pass. Other premonitions she has revealed in the past have been unfixed, this one is set in stone. It cannot be deciphered until it happens,” Moody explained. “It may not be as bleak as it seems, she is only telling us what she knows.”

“And sounding like Trelawney in the process,” Solarin put in. “It sounds pretty bleak.”

“But it may not be what it appears to be.”

“There was something else, another mind with mine. I think it was Miri,” she said and Harry shot up, making his way quickly up the stairs, not stopping until he reached his daughters crib. She was still sound asleep, but a tiny trickle of blood dripped down her face from her nose.

Severus came up behind him. “She saw what Sol saw,” Severus said as Harry reached in to pick her up, holding her close.

“Is she all right?” Harry asked, Miri twitching in her sleep at his worry.

“She appears to be. We will take her down to Mad-Eye, he will know,” Severus reassured and the two of them made their way back to the kitchen.

They handed Miri to Moody and Harry curled himself into Severus’ embrace, watching the grizzled wizard run several spells on the tiny girl. Harry couldn’t breathe, he just couldn’t, not until Moody told him his baby was unharmed. Severus rubbed his back, the dark eyes glued to the sleeping child.

“She’s fine, she slept through the whole thing. She was merely a hitchhiker. The bleed is from her mind going beyond its limits, it is nothing to worry about,” Moody proclaimed, passing her back to Harry.

“You’re sure she’s all right?” Solarin asked from her seat.

“Perfectly. She’ll be a little grouchy because she doesn’t understand what happened, but she is fine.”

Harry breathed a sigh of relief and Miri smiled in her sleep. Since Moody had tested Miri, Harry had been unable to stop worrying. Moody had proclaimed her powerful, but unguarded. Severus had translated that Miri was strong enough to pick up emotions and hear random thoughts but she would be unable to block any of it for the time being. Over the next few months her barriers would begin to develop, and then it would get easier, but until then, Harry would have to let it run its course. It had not comforted him, the thought of Miri picking things up. That night he had not slept, he had stood over her crib, watching her dream on, unaware. Moody had told him that Miri would be most attuned to his emotions because he had carried her, and for the last few days he had been careful to keep himself as calm as possible, only letting good emotions take hold, like happiness. But now his fear for her was taking over.

“Severus,” Harry whispered and Severus pulled him more firmly into his arms, whispering soothing words into his ear. Severus used his wand to clean away the blood from Miri and led Harry to a chair, sitting down first and pulling him into his lap. Remus came forwards and held Miri while Severus settled the young Gryffindor, the slim hands bunched in his shirt.

“It’s all right, love, she is all right. It is just a little bump on the road. She will strengthen the barriers soon, it will be all right,” Severus murmured.

“No! I don’t want this for her! Take it away!” Harry argued. “Take it away from her, make it stop!” Miri whined in her sleep at him and his anger at the whole situation grew.

“Harry, we can’t. It is not possible to remove it, it is a part of her. It must run its course.”

“No, I don’t want it. She’s two months old, she shouldn’t be having nosebleeds.”

Harry couldn’t stop, he knew he should, but he couldn’t. He didn’t blame Solarin, or Moody, or any of them. He blamed himself. He felt that if he hadn’t been so special, his daughter would not have to deal with all this.

“I don’t want her to be special, I want her to be a normal little witch. And if Solarin had just dropped it when you refused she wouldn’t be bleeding,” Harry stated simply, turning his accusing stare to his sister-in-law. “This is your fault. If you had just left it alone, my daughter would not be bleeding right now, she would not have had to go through that. Why can’t you just leave it alone?”

Solarin looked like she was about to cry and he felt guilt wash over him. The room was silent and no one offered any kind of argument against him, and it just made him feel worse. He didn’t know what to say anymore, how to apologise, how to explain what was running through his head. Not even Severus was trying to reason with him, and Solarin looked so hurt.

He got to his feet and snatched Miri up from Remus’ arms before storming from the room and up to his bedroom. He charmed the door shut and lay down on his bed, holding his special little girl close and feeling guiltier than he had ever felt in his life.

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Severus broke the charm and peeked around the door a few hours later to find Harry lying on their bed, running his fingertips in little circles over Miri’s tiny round tummy where she lay on her back next to him. He cautiously made his way towards them, sitting down next to Harry’s shins. He carefully laid his hand on the still hip, waiting.

“I didn’t mean that,” Harry mumbled. “I didn’t mean any of it. I shouldn’t have said it. Is Sol okay?”

“She retreated to her bedroom and told Bill to ‘fuck off’. I think it is safe to assume that she feels as guilty as you do right now,” Severus said honestly.

“I’ll go and apologise,” Harry said, beginning to sit up but Severus shook his head.

“We’re going to talk first. You are going to explain this to me,” he said simply, picking Miri up.

“I don’t know how.”

“Try.”

Harry sighed and stared at his daughter. She was waving her little fists around in aggravation and he wasn’t sure if it was his frustration or her own that she was expressing. He knew Severus would not drop this, that he would sit there until Harry talked to him. He also knew that he would not be able to lie, that his husband knew all his tricks of deception after nearly seven years of knowing each other.

“I’m scared,” Harry admitted, deeming it the only place to start. “What if she doesn’t build these barriers? And how the hell are we supposed to raise an augur? I have enough trouble just raising her as a little girl, but now I find out that she’s special and I’m second guessing myself all the more.” The words were spilling forth now, Harry unable to stop them. “I’m not just questioning my skill as a parent any more, I’m questioning my emotions, my thoughts, everything. And every time Miri shows some kind of reaction, I can’t work out if it’s mine or hers. It’s so confusing. And I didn’t mean to lash out like that, especially at Sol. It’s not her fault. It’s mine. If I wasn’t so bloody special, Miri wouldn’t be.” He took a deep breath to try and calm himself, but it didn’t help much. “I’m not old enough for this. I love her, more than anything, but I keep wondering if I did the right thing by keeping her, if maybe she would be better off with someone else. And, of course, that just makes me feel worse because I can’t even imagine living without her.”

Harry snapped his mouth shut and Severus was silent for a few minutes. Harry didn’t know what Severus would say, but he had a theory that he wouldn’t like it. When Severus did eventually speak, Harry was glad that his theories were usually wrong when it came to his husband.

“When Sol was six months old, I went into her room to find her screaming in her crib. I was fourteen. I had no idea what to do. I checked her over, but there was no reason why she should be crying,” Severus admitted. “I picked her up and began to sing to her. Soon enough, she began to calm and then I heard it. My father beating my mother.”

Harry looked up at him in surprise. Severus didn’t talk of his parents, ever. It was one of the few topics that was off-limits. But here he was, baring his soul to try and ease Harry’s worries.

“When it was over, I found my mother in a terrible state. She refused to go to the hospital. She always did,” Severus continued, his voice quiet and unsure. He took a deep shuddering breath. “When I returned to Hogwarts, I asked Albus of it. It took him a few days but he eventually discovered the problem. It would have been so simple for Solarin to be trained at that young age, she simply had to be immersed into the Wizarding World, surrounded by magical minds. But my father would not allow it.”

Harry sat up and wiped away the tears that had made their way down his husbands pale face.

“Why are you revealing this to me?” Harry asked as Severus composed himself.

“To show you that Miri is in a much better position than Solarin was. She is surrounded my magical minds, which are much stronger and harder to tap into than muggle minds. It will force the barriers to develop. She will have the best training, better than my sister, because she will have an augur to train her,” Severus explained. “Harry, she is already beginning to build her barriers. Give it a few months and she will be tapping in at will instead of at random.”

“All right, I believe you. And I know that she’s got the best possible teachers. I get that one. But I’m still having trouble believing that I’m the right carrier for her. Everything I do for her, I worry if I’ve done it right. Even when you’re helping me,” Harry said sadly. “I just don’t feel like I’m doing a very good job.”

Severus smiled gently at him. “Harry, take her from me,” Severus commanded. Harry gave him a wary glance but did as he was told.

He peered down at his silent daughter, her big green eyes locked on his.

“Harry, you are very young. We all understand that. We also understand that you are a first time parent. This is all a learning curve for you. You are going to have doubts, and it is likely that you will make mistakes along the way. I promise you that you are doing the best you can and that is enough. Look at her, love. Does she look unhappy with your performance?”

“No,” Harry admitted. “But it’s still my fault she’s like this. If I wasn’t a hermaphrodite, she wouldn’t be so bloody special. I want this…thing gone.”

“Harry, this is a gift. Our daughter is gifted and, in time, you will come to see it that way. I know that this is hard for you to deal with, that you have your doubts and concerns. But I assure you that this is a gift, not a curse,” Severus said firmly, Harry’s emerald orbs searching his onyx ones. “And I happen to love you, just the way you are. And I feel very blessed that you chose me to be the one you want to spend the rest of your life with. I see this as a gift you have given her.”

Harry blushed slightly and looked down just in time to see Miri let out a huge smile, gurgling at him and giggling, waving her little arms.

“I guess I believe you. But I’m not going to stop worrying about this, not until she has her barriers,” Harry said quietly.

Severus leaned in and kissed him, slow and gentle.

“You’re sure I’m doing okay as her carrier?” Harry asked as he pulled back.

“Positive. You may ask Molly if you still need more reassurance,” he offered but Harry shook his head.

“I believe you. Just tell me that you had trouble with Solarin when she was young,” Harry demanded.

Severus chuckled. “You have no idea. That girl was tougher to handle than the Dark Lord and all the Marauders put together,” he assured. “I wasn’t much older than you when I took full custody of her, and she was only four. It was difficult. She had her own issues about our parents, so she was not an easy child to handle. Couple that with her beginning to experiment with all her abilities and you get an idea of how difficult she was.”

“But I thought you said she started to display at six months old. Why didn’t she experiment with them before?” Harry asked.

“Our father hated magic. He didn’t allow her to experiment. Once she lived solely with me, I gave her free reign, let her do what she wished with her magic, find her own limits.” He snorted. “That lasted all of five minutes. After that she needed to be reigned in slightly, which is where Albus and Mad-Eye came in. The two of them helped me to raise her,” he explained. “Miri is in a much better position, and I am much more confident now.”

“I forget that you’ve done this all before. I must sound like a really neurotic parent to you,” Harry mumbled as Miri stuck her fist in her mouth and began to suck on it.

“No, you sound like me, nineteen years ago.”

Harry chuckled at Miri blowing a raspberry at him as she pulled her fist away. “All right, I’ll try to stop stressing so much,” Harry agreed and leaned in, kissing his husband. “I have you to make sure I don’t screw it up too badly.”

“Yes, you do. And you have many members of family who are all too happy to help,” Severus said, nibbling his ear. “Now, I am going to take Miri down to the kitchen and you are going to apologise to Solarin.”

He plucked Miri from Harry’s arms and smirked at his pout.

“You know, she could kill me and get away with it. You still want me to go alone?” Harry pointed out.

“She will not kill you. She’s more likely to cry at you at this point. Just go and apologise,” Severus instructed, sweeping from the room.

Harry sighed and hauled himself to his feet, making his way from the room, feeling like he was walking to his own execution. But when he had travelled to the far side of the huge house and let himself into Solarin’s room, he found himself having to fight through her apologies to get his own out. The two of them spent most of the afternoon sharing their worries, and Harry ended up, for a short while, feeling more apprehensive of her premonition than he was of his own parenting skills.

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Severus and Harry walked into the living room to find Solarin asleep on the sofa, her head in Bill’s lap. The curse breaker looked up from the book he was reading and beckoned them in.

“It’s all right, you won’t wake her,” Bill assured.

“Is she ill? She does not usually sleep during the day. If I recall correctly, she doesn’t sleep very much at all,” Severus asked as he sat down on one of the other sofas, pulling Harry into his lap.

“She’s just a little tired, that whole premonition thing took it out of her. Moody says she’ll be back to her old self in a few days. So, what are you two up to?”

“We are discussing Harry’s seventeenth,” Severus said, Harry sighing in annoyance.

“I already told you, it’s not a big deal,” Harry complained, picking at the hem of his t-shirt.

“Seventeen is a big deal, Harry,” Bill put in as Remus and Sirius joined them. “How’s it going?” he asked the two.

“Albus chucked us out,” Sirius grumbled as the two of them sat down on the sofa with Harry and Severus, Remus pulling Harry’s bare feet onto his lap. He stroked his hands up and down Harry’s bare hairless shins, seemingly needing something to do with his hands. Harry doubted he even realized he was doing it.

Sirius and Remus were twitching in their agitation and no one could blame them. Phoenix was at that very moment having a supervised conversation with Narcissa. It had been Dumbledore’s idea, his way of trying to save the family bond. Remus and Sirius had started out joining them. Apparently, they hadn’t handled it well.

“Why did he deem it necessary for you to leave the room?” Severus asked.

“No reason,” Sirius said guiltily, Remus sniggering.

“He called Narcissa a money grabbing whore and I called her a selfish bitch,” Remus supplied.

“Nice,” Bill commented. “How long do you think it’ll be before he chucks out Charlie as well?”

“Don’t place any bets on that one,” Charlie grumbled as he stormed in, his face like thunder. “Bloody woman. She’s a menace, a bloody menace.”

“Which one, Narcissa or Nixie?” Harry asked cheekily.

“Charlie, you mind keeping it down?” Bill asked, and Charlie stopped in his angry pacing, glancing at the sleeping woman before flopping into an armchair.

“Narcissa. She is just so….” he trailed off, unable to find the word.

“What did you call her?” Sirius asked.

“A banshee.”

“Seems appropriate.”

“We are just discussing Harry’s seventeenth,” Severus distracted. “Care to join the conversation?”

“We are not talking about my birthday. I told you, several times, it is not a big deal,” Harry put in, glaring at his husband.

“Harry, it is your coming of age, it is a big milestone. Why do you not want to celebrate it?” Remus asked. He and Sirius were looking forward to celebrating his birthday with him, and Molly was already planning his cake.

“I don’t want anyone making a fuss,” Harry mumbled, ducking his head.

“Harry, this is the first birthday we will have with you since the adoption was finalized. And it is the first since you were rescued. Let us make a fuss,” Sirius coerced. “Please?”

“You really want to?”

“We really want to.”

Harry sighed. He had learnt to pick his battles, and this was one that he would not win, he could just tell by the determination in his husband. “Fine, I suppose I can let you make a fuss, do the whole parent thing. But I don’t want a great big party, no big crowds of people. I’m doing okay with a load of people in the kitchen, let’s not push it,” Harry bargained.

“Of course not. We were thinking a simple family dinner, with cake. Much like your wedding reception, but with a few more people present,” Remus assured.

Harry nodded and Severus smiled. “What do you want?” Severus asked.

“What do you mean?” Harry asked in confusion.

“As a birthday gift. What would you like?”

“I don’t know. I have everything I really want. I have you and Miri, I have my family around me. I can’t think of anything else,” Harry reasoned, Severus kissing him as the others smiled. He frowned. “There is one thing, but I know I can’t have it.”

“What?” Bill asked.

“My parents,” Harry said sadly. “I guess I’m being silly, but I just kinda…wish that…they could be here.” He buried his head in Severus’ shoulder as the others looked at him in understanding. “I mean, I know I have you guys, but I wish they could be here too.”

“You are not being silly. We understand, pup. We all wish they could be here,” Remus soothed.

Harry’s head shot up, the young Gryffindor chewing his lower lip.

“What’s wrong?” Sirius asked.

“My photo album. I left it at the Dursley’s. I meant to take it to Hogwarts with me for my sixth year. My Firebolt is there too. I forgot all about them,” Harry explained. “The photo album has all my pictures of my mum and dad in it.” His eyes filled with tears. “They’ve probably destroyed them by now. Oh God, my dad’s invisibility cloak is there too. I put it all under the loose floorboard. Hermione shrunk the broom for me at the end of my fifth year, so it would be easier to carry around. I can’t believe I forgot them.”

“We’ll go and check for you. If they are still in one piece we will bring them back with us. If not, we will put together a new album for you and try to replace the broom and cloak,” Remus said, standing up, trying to ease Harry’s concerns. He and Sirius had reached the door when Severus spoke.

“Give Petunia my fondest greetings,” he called out and they looked at him strangely.

“Why would they do that?” Harry asked.

“Your aunt was never very fond of me. She used to call me the ‘weird little boy from Spinners End’. I have my suspicions that her father had a run in with mine once but her dislike of me may have been because of me and Lily,” Severus explained lightly, confused by the way Harry’s eyes had widened in shock.

“You knew my mum when she was young?” Harry whispered.

“Yes, of course. We grew up a few streets from each other. We took the Hogwarts Express together in our first year,” Severus reasoned before realization dawned on him. “You didn’t know.”

Harry shook his head. “No one told me. I knew you went to school together, but I didn’t know you knew her before.” Harry knew that he was crying, but he couldn’t help it. Severus could tell him, he could share with him what his mother was like. He knew so much of his father, but very little of his mother. But now, here it was, every question he had ever had, about to be answered.

“Oh, love, I thought you knew. I thought someone had told you,” Severus said, pulling him in for a hug. “I would have told you had I been aware.” He looked at Sirius and Remus, stock still in the open doorway, unsure of what to do. “Go collect his things, he will be fine.”

They shared a glance before they left, closing the door behind them.

“What do you want to know, love?” Severus asked, stroking the raven tresses.

“Everything. How old was she when you first met? What was she like? Did she like being a witch? Why did my aunt hate her so much? Just tell me everything,” Harry reeled off.

“All right,” Severus agreed as Harry pulled back, watching him. “I first met your mother when we were about eight. We went to the same primary school. I was the object of the bullies attentions and your mother stood up for me. She used to look out for me. She was such a passionate young woman.”

“She was mean to the people who picked on you?”

“No, she merely defended me. Your mother was such a kind girl, she never changed much. She was fiery, kind, intelligent, beautiful. She would have been perfect in my eyes, if I hadn’t preferred males,” Severus said with a smile, Harry blushing. “Lily loved being a witch, and she was a skilled witch too, even before we got to Hogwarts. She was extremely gifted at charms, and she was rather good at potions too. Such a shame you did not inherit that trait.”

“Did you spend a lot of time together at school?” Harry asked, grinning.

“In the beginning we did, but around the end of our third year we began to drift apart. I became very withdrawn, what with the situation at home, and Lily started spending most of her time with your father and his friends. In our fifth year, the underwear incident occurred, when I let my embarrassment take me over. I never meant to call her a Mudblood, I never felt that way for her. However, no matter my apologies, she wouldn’t speak to me after that. Not for the rest of our time at Hogwarts, at least.”

“Why did my Aunt Petunia hate her so much?” Harry asked, remembering the way his aunt had talked of his mother when Hagrid had told him he was a wizard. “Why does she hate me?”

“She didn’t hate her. She was jealous of her,” Severus clarified. “When me and Lily got our letters, Petunia wanted to go as well. She couldn’t, of course, because she was not a witch. She wrote to Albus, asking him if she could go too. Albus sent her a very kind letter, explaining why she could not. Petunia became very angry towards Lily, as far as I know they never made peace.” He kissed him, soothing away his frown. “I am unsure why she dislikes you. It is beyond my reasoning.”

Harry nodded and sat there thinking, mulling it all over. He was about to ask another question, but Bill interrupted him. It made him jump, he had forgotten that they were not alone in the room.

“Charlie, can you go and ask them to calm down?” Bill asked, smoothing Solarin’s hair as she hit out in her sleep.

“Don’t bother,” she said groggily. “I’m awake.” She looked around as she sat up, pushing back her long hair and summoning a hairbrush. It came zooming into her hand and Bill plucked it from her, pulling her against him as he attacked the glossy strands. “What did I miss?”

“We were talking about my mum,” Harry supplied.

“Ah, I see. Didn’t I meet her once?” Solarin asked Severus.

“Twice, when you were very young. The first was not long after I gained custody of you, and we went to a toyshop to get you a doll, so it must have been the winter before your fifth birthday,” Severus said, his brow furrowed in concentration. “If I remember correctly, you turned her hair blue.”

Solarin laughed. “That’s right! I did! She found it hilarious.”

“I did not,” he scolded. “But I did see the funny side eventually. It was your blue phase, you were turning everything blue.”

“I thought it looked better than her dark red,” she reasoned with a smile.

“Auburn,” he corrected automatically.

“My mum met Solarin?” Harry asked Severus.

“Twice. The first time, Lily and I were less than a year out of Hogwarts. Sol and I had just moved into this tiny little cottage in Hogsmeade. I wrote to Lily, explaining my withdrawal and my actions, apologising. She came to visit one Saturday afternoon. Your father was off somewhere, his whereabouts that day escape me now, it was so long ago. The minute Lily walked through the door, Sol turned her hair blue. Uncontrolled magic. Well, at four years old, it should have been uncontrolled. I was still giving her free reign with it at the time, so she was rather good at transfiguring things,” Severus described.

“She smelled of some kind of flower. She sat next to me at the table, we coloured together,” Solarin interjected, frowning as she tried to remember.

“Lilies. She wore a perfume that smelled of lilies. James gave it to her for her birthday.”

“That’s right. I thought it was pretty, I thought she was.” She laughed. “She coloured with me and still managed to talk to you. I remember being very impressed. Albus couldn’t do both at the same time. She smiled a lot,” she said with a sad smile. “I thought her eyes were pretty.”

“You told her they were like gummy bears. The green ones were your favourite. You shared your bag of them with her,” Severus put in, remembering for her. “I had terrible trouble trying to find toys for you. I was a seventeen year old boy, I had no idea what to get you, what was appropriate. We went to a toyshop and Lily helped me find a doll. When you hugged the doll, it hugged you back. She kept you distracted while I purchased it and had it wrapped. We all went to the Three Broomsticks for dinner, do you remember?”

“Yes. I still have that doll,” she revealed. “It sits on my dresser. It doesn’t hug back anymore, but it was the first birthday I had with just you, so I kept the doll. It even went to Hogwarts with me.”

She wandlessly summoned it and it came zooming in, landing in Harry’s hands. It was a little battered, but obviously well loved.

“The dress isn’t the one the doll came with, the original was yellow. This dress came later. It was a gift from your mother,” Severus put in, fiddling with the white lace trim of the blue dress.

“Really?” Harry asked, stroking his fingers over the worn fabric. “When was this?”

“The second time Lily met Solarin, just after your first birthday,” Severus replied. “Albus arranged for her to be able to bring you to Hogwarts, so she could show of her son to me. She was very proud of you. You had just learnt to walk.”

“You…you met me as…as a baby?” Harry breathed, disbelieving.

“You see, I thought you knew all of this. I was sure that Sirius or someone had told you. If I had known you were unaware, I would have disclosed it to you long ago,” Severus said, his face a mask of concern.

“You’re telling me now,” Harry reasoned. “I know now. So, you met me?”

“Yes. You were such an inquisitive little boy. You had just learnt to walk, so you were in everything.” He chuckled, glancing at Solarin. “Sol wanted to dress you up and play with you, she thought you were a doll.”

“I did not!” she replied indignantly. “Did I?”

“You did. You had a doll that walked and talked, so you didn’t see the difference. You were only young, it was an easy mistake.” His brow furrowed in concentration. “I had cared for you for three years, so you were about seven at the time. You and Harry have a six year age gap, so you must have been seven. It was after Harry’s first birthday, and there were no students at Hogwarts, they had gone home for the holidays. It was sometime in august, I believe.”

He smiled and eased himself out from under Harry, proclaiming he would be right back. Harry curled up and stared at Solarin’s doll, running his fingers over the little blue dress. Here it was, tangible proof his mother had lived, a solid something that he could touch, something she had once touched. He had proof, he had something he could point to and say ‘my mum bought that’. He had his way to prove she did walk the earth once. Now he knew why Solarin had seemed familiar to him when he first met her.

“Found it,” Severus proclaimed as he re-entered, clutching a battered photo album. “It was buried in the bottom of my trunk. I forgot all about it.”

He flicked through the pages as he sat down, pulling Harry back onto his lap.

“Did you check on Miri while you were up there?” Harry asked.

“I did. She is still sleeping,” Severus replied. “Here it is.”

He pushed the book into Harry’s hands and pointed to a picture. It was of the Hogwarts grounds, near the Quidditch pitch. Severus was there, much younger than he was now, smiling, and a tiny Solarin, only as tall as his knee. Apparently, she had always been short. There was his mother, climbing all over Severus as if to annoy him. And there he was, toddling about, pulling at Solarin’s hair. His own hair had been messy, even then.

“Albus took it for us. Your mother had a copy of it. See, love? She was here. She loved you,” Severus murmured in his ear as photo-Lily ran after a toddling photo-Harry, scooping him up and kissing his cheek as he smiled and clapped.

Severus turned the page and pointed at another picture. This one was of a tiny Severus and Lily, standing proudly in front of Hagrid’s hut, photo-Lily playfully tugging on his hair. “Our first year. Hagrid took the photo. Lily had just saved me from James’ teasing and Hagrid thought it was appropriate to commemorate the moment.”

It went on like that, Severus pointing out different pictures, telling him the stories behind them. At the end, when there were no more new ones to show him, Severus removed all the photo’s containing Lily and copied them with a spell, handing the copies to Harry.

Harry sat there, curled into Severus’ embrace, the doll in his arms, gazing at the pictures. His mother had smiled a lot, and everyone was right when they said he had her eyes. He gazed at himself as a baby, poking at little Solarin’s nose. Miri looked just like he did, and she seemed to be as playful as he had been. He felt his heart tug as he considered that his mother would never meet his daughter, that she would not get to hold her. He would not be able to share this family he had built for himself with her. She would never know how happy he was just being him, never know what Severus had shown him, taught him, given him.

“My mum never told anyone about me? Not even Dumbledore? She never told anyone what I am?” Harry asked, just as Sirius and Remus re-entered the room.

“No one, love. Your parents were probably trying to protect you. Considering the ease of which you can be claimed, it seems the most logical assumption,” Severus replied, turning to look at Sirius and Remus. “Did you manage to get his things?”

“Yes, we got them. Petunia had put them all in a box in the cupboard under the stairs,” Sirius said as they dug in their pockets, resizing Harry’s things. First came the Firebolt, then the cloak, and finally his photo album.

Harry grinned and thanked them before opening the book, easing his new pictures into their new places. He felt a deep sense of satisfaction as he looked at them, proudly showing it to Severus.

“Petunia did indeed remember you, Severus,” Remus said with a grin. “She said that you were a disgrace to the species.”

“Definitely remembers me,” Severus chuckled.

“She did give us something else that belongs to Harry. She said she wanted all traces of him out of her house,” Remus said, resizing a shoe box. “These are the things he had with him when he was left with them.”

Harry pulled off the lid and pulled out a blue blanket, followed by a baby grow patterned with yellow ducks, and finally a worn looking envelope. He set aside the letter, he had no desires to read it. But he ran his fingers over the soft wool of the blanket, picking at a loose stitch.

“Did these come from Godric’s Hollow, from my house?” he asked quietly, his eyes fixed to the blanket.

“Yes. I remember Lily knitting that when she was carrying you,” Sirius enlightened. “She was so convinced you were going to be a boy, she decided on Harry as your name before you were even born.”

Harry smiled at it, his mother had appliquéd a bright red soft felt ‘H’ on to the blanket.

He had gotten what he wanted for his birthday, his family had given him his mother.

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Harry awoke to Severus kissing his neck, nibbling at it in the way that made him shiver. He hummed his appreciation and rolled over to let his husband at his lips. Severus kissed him deep, their tongues duelling. Harry gave up the fight and let Severus dominate, loving the way Severus could take charge of him and still be gentle.

“Good morning to you too,” Harry said as Severus finally let him up for air. His husband propped himself up on one elbow and stared down at him, his hand on Harry’s stomach. “You’re in a good mood.”

“You should be too. Miri slept the whole night,” Severus informed. “It is seven thirty.”

Harry glanced at the clock, his smile wide as he realized how well rested he felt. He stretched and moaned at the delicious way his muscles flexed.

“You’re right, I am in a good mood now,” he admitted and Severus smiled at him. “How long has it been now?”

“Nine, nearly ten weeks.”

“God, really? That is a very long time,” Harry giggled. “She is such a good girl for finally giving us a full night.”

“Indeed. But she is wide awake now,” Severus said, nodding at the monitor. Harry heard Miri’s babbles coming through it and laughed.

“I suppose it’s only fair that we both go and get her, she did sleep for us,” Harry said, easing himself from the bed, Severus following him.

Harry made his way into the yellow room, the morning sun making it an even more happy colour. He leaned in and picked up his daughter, kissing her cheek as she grabbed the collar of his t-shirt.

“Good morning, sweetheart. Who was a very good girl last night?” he asked and she squealed at him. He chuckled and passed her to Severus so he could rid himself of his t-shirt and open his bra.

He settled himself in the rocking chair and retrieved her, smiling as she latched on immediately.

“You go shower and dress while I feed her. Then you can take her while I get ready,” Harry instructed, smiling into the kiss Severus gave him before he left. He fed her and then bathed her before dressing her in a pair of yellow dungarees with a pale pink t-shirt, the tiny augur smiling and gurgling at his good mood as he dressed her. He handed her to Severus with a kiss and made his way to the bathroom.

Harry thoroughly enjoyed his shower and was finally able to rid himself of his bra as his breasts had, at long last, stopped feeling like they were about to explode. He still had the slight swell of them making his shirt stick out slightly, but he didn’t mind. He still needed them so he could live with it. He made his way down to the kitchen to find it full. He smirked at how tired Ron and Hermione looked, though he was impressed that Hermione could hold both twins at the same time.

“Good morning,” he said brightly as he took his seat.

“What’s good about it?” Ron grumbled, his eyelids drooping. “Question, why do they both have to start screaming at the same time? And why can’t they go more than two hours without needing something?”

Harry stifled his laughter as Hermione shoved one of the twins at him, giving him a look that could cause death.

“It gets easier,” Harry offered. “Miri slept the whole night last night. I, for one, feel very refreshed.”

“Lap it up,” Ron grumbled, which earned him a slap around the head from his wife.

“They’re only babies. They need us, Ronald. Stop complaining about fatherhood or you may find yourself on the sofa,” Hermione warned. Her temper had become very short since she had given birth, and Ron was usually on the receiving end. “I’m happy for you, Harry. It’ll be nice to have a full night.”

Harry grinned and set to his breakfast. Ginny was sitting at one end of the table, tickling Miri so both he and Severus had their hands free to enjoy a peaceful breakfast. Harry felt very content until he noticed how unwell Remus looked.

“Are you still feeling no better, Remus?” Harry asked.

“No. I have an appointment with a healer in a few weeks, he’ll soon discover the problem,” Remus assured. “I’m sure it’s just a bug or something.”

“Hopefully, it is not my Wolfsbane,” Severus put in worriedly. “I hope I have not made you ill.”

“It is probably nothing, I just want to be sure. I am certain it is not your potion, Severus. It has never caused me problems before.”

Breakfast continued quietly until Solarin began to pull at her earlobes.

“Does anyone else hear that?” she asked, looking around for the source of whatever she was hearing.

“No,” Bill replied. “What do you hear?”

“A ringing. There’s a ringing in my ears. None of you hear it?”

“Nope,” Charlie replied, eyeing Sirius warily as he laced his fingers with Phoenix’s.

“Miri hears it,” Ginny offered. They all peered at the little girl, who was grabbing at her ears and growling.

Harry smiled. He had begun to relax into Miri’s abilities and felt he should praise her for being able to use them. He no longer felt that it was a curse, Severus had convinced him that she was special. Solarin’s explanations of what it felt like to be an augur had helped too. Harry was now determined to make it as easy as possible for Miri to love being what she was, and that included adoration for every demonstration.

“Who’s my clever little augur then?” Harry said as he retrieved her from Ginny. “What do you hear?”

“I’m going to find it,” Solarin announced determinedly and disappeared from the room. Harry walked around with Miri, trying to ease her discomfort, murmuring soothing words to her, until they heard Solarin call for Severus.

Severus glanced up from his breakfast as his name was called. He shrugged and followed it to the entrance hall, where Solarin was standing, staring at Kingsley Shacklebolt. He was holding a limp figure and Severus felt his natural curiosities rise. He was mildly surprised that he wasn’t angry at Kingsley, but he put it to the back of his mind to examine later.

“The Minister, ordered him brought here, to you,” Kingsley explained nervously, nodding at Solarin.

“He’s a muggle, why would Fudge order that?” she asked, taking a step forwards and turning the pale face towards herself. She stepped back, pulling her hand away as if she had been burnt. Severus peeked over her head and suddenly, he couldn’t breathe.

Lying in Kingsley’s arms, limp and lifeless, was Tobias Snape.

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Severus paced angrily as Molly mopped at his fathers sweaty brow. This couldn’t be right, it was impossible. His father had died, twelve years ago, serving time for the murder of his mother. How could he be lying in one of the guest bedrooms, sweating out a fever? It wasn’t possible.

Kingsley was hovering in the corner, watching the scene with barely concealed fear. He was obviously still afraid of Severus strangling him again, and succeeding this time. Severus felt no such urges.

Kingsley had informed them that Tobias Snape had somehow managed to find the Leaky Cauldron, though no one was quite sure how seeing as he was a muggle and therefore not supposed to be able to see it. He had stumbled inside and collapsed, begging for Solarin and Severus to Tom, the toothless barman. Tom had contacted Fudge and the Minister had ordered Kingsley to bring Tobias to the Snape siblings, claiming that they would know what to do with the strange muggle.

Solarin was sitting quietly on the wide windowsill, watching the whole scene with interest. She seemed to be very calm, and Severus wondered how she could be unruffled. The man who had beaten her, killed her mother in front of her, who was supposed to be dead, for Merlin’s sake, was lying there, being tended to by Molly Weasley.

Solarin, Severus, Molly and Kingsley were the only ones in the room with Tobias, the rest of the house’s inhabitants ordered to stay in the kitchen. Severus would not allow Harry near this man, not if he was who he claimed to be.

“It cannot be, Tobias Snape is dead. He is an impostor,” Severus stated angrily. “That man is not who he claims to be. It is not possible.”

“He is Tobias Snape, Severus,” Solarin argued from the window. “It is him. The only question is how. Kingsley, would you go and call Albus Dumbledore and Mad-Eye Moody for us please?”

Kingsley nodded and sped from the room, grateful to be away from Severus, not yet realizing that Bill was sitting in the kitchen.

Severus continued to pace and Solarin let him be until Dumbledore entered the room. His eyes lacked their usual twinkle as they surveyed the scene and his face was grave as he looked at the two of them. Moody ran a few diagnostic tests on Tobias but still Dumbledore stared at the siblings. Severus recognised the guilt on his mentors face.

“Albus, what did you do?” Severus whispered. “What did you do?”

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Severus secluded himself in the library with Albus, Moody and Solarin, taking a seat as Albus instructed.

“I apologise, old friend,” Albus said sadly, looking for all the world older than he ever had before. “I have lied to you both.”

“A hidden past, a secret long kept. It was told to save a family, to ease a mind. Deception not easily forgiven. A face from the past, long pushed aside but never forgotten. Resolution, but no peace. A choice made. A truth uncovered but not understood. A passing, a loss,” Solarin reeled off quietly from her perch in the window seat, Albus staring at her in shock.

“Your premonition?” Severus asked. “What does that have to do with anything?”

“Correct me if I get this wrong, won’t you Albus?” she asked and the old wizard nodded. “‘A face from the past, long pushed aside but never forgotten’. That means Tobias. ‘A hidden past, a secret long kept’. You told us he had died when he lived. ‘It was told to save a family, to ease a mind’. That would be me and Severus, you told it to us to ease his fears of Tobias one day coming back and taking me from him. Am I right so far?”

“Yes, child, you are right,” Albus agreed. Severus stared at him in shock. Albus had lied to him, to them both. He felt his trust in the man slipping.

“‘Deception not easily forgiven’. I’m guessing that would be our forgiveness of you, of your lies. I won’t hazard a guess at the rest, I cannot be clear on those yet. But I will hazard a guess at him dying. ‘A passing, a loss’. Tobias is dying, isn’t he?”

“Yes. He has advanced liver cancer. He will not live more than a few days, a week at the most. It is amazing that he managed to stand, let alone make it here,” Moody informed.

Moody looked angry at Dumbledore, but Severus couldn’t quite get his mind to process the information he was being given. Albus had lied to him. The man he had trusted more than anyone else with Solarin’s safety, the one he had turned to when their mother had died, the one who had allowed him to see his best friend one last time before she was slain had lied to him.

“What did you do with him? Where has he been for the last twelve years?” Solarin asked, and Severus latched onto it, latched on to his sister taking charge when he couldn’t get himself to utter a single word.

“Dublin, Ireland. Twelve years ago, I was contacted and told that Tobias was to be released from prison. All of Severus’ fears were coming to life. You had just finished your first year of Hogwarts, the two of you were thriving. I could not let him ruin it.” He sighed, glancing at Severus before continuing. “I went to see him on the day he was released. I convinced him to leave you be, to sign over everything, to go away and not return. I provided him with a new identity. For the last twelve years, he had been David Jones. He has been living in Dublin, working in a glass factory.”

“Why has he come back? Why now? Why not die in peace, why come all this way?” she asked. “Why is he here?”

“I cannot say. The first I heard of his return was Kingsley’s call. I cannot tell you, my child,” Albus replied, staring at Severus. “Can you forgive me? I did what I felt was best for the both of you. You were so unsure of yourself, Severus. I was only trying to help you, to free you finally.”

“You lied to me.” It came out as a whisper and Severus tried again. “You lied to me,” he said more confidently. “I trusted you to help me protect her. He could have come back at any moment, Albus. How was I supposed to protect her when I had no idea what I was up against?”

“He did not come back, not until today,” Albus reasoned.

“Yes, you are right. He came back today, to the house where my family resides. Harry, Miri, Solarin, Phoenix. Need I name more members of my family? I will not have him here. Take him somewhere else. I do not care where you take him, just get him out,” Severus snarled, standing and beginning to pace angrily once more. “Forgive you? Forgive you? I cannot trust you anymore, how am I expected to forgive you, you manipulative old fool!”

Dumbledore looked like he had been slapped in the face and he stared, mouth open in shock, at the Potions Master.

“He stays.”

Severus whipped round to stare at his sister.

“You heard me. Tobias stays,” she repeated.

“Sol, you cannot be serious. Have him here? In the same house as Harry and Miri, the same house as Phoenix? Why on earth would you say that?” he questioned.

“‘Resolution, but no peace. A choice made. A truth uncovered but not understood. A passing, a loss’,” she reeled off, Severus’ face becoming more and more confused with every word. “We must let it play out, Severus. And for it to do that, he must stay. There is something you must learn, the mist told me so. You must let him stay. He is dying, he is no danger to Harry, Miri or anyone else in this house, not while he is surrounded by powerful, fully trained witches and wizards.”

“Solarin, think of what you are saying. If nothing else, you must consider that he will be a muggle mind in this house,” Severus argued, clutching at his last hope of changing her mind. He knew her, and he could see that her mind was made up with no possibility of changing it. “Miri is developing her barriers, you are still healing from a near meltdown.”

“There are enough magical minds to cancel his out. Miri and I will be fine.”

“Solarin…”

“Stop, Sevus. Stop. He stays. I will take responsibility for him while he resides here. He stays,” she said firmly and Severus sighed in defeat.

He breathed deep, trying to get his mind to work rationally through his hurt, confusion and sense of betrayal. The most overwhelming factor was his fear. Damn it, he was not a child anymore, he was a Potions Master, he was a former Death Eater, he was a husband and father. He didn’t understand how the mere thought of the presence of that man in the house scared him beyond anything Lucius could possibly do.

“I will agree, on a few conditions,” he muttered and she inclined her head in an invitation for him to continue. “He does not utter the words freak, abnormality, abomination or any other word like them. He does not go near Miri or Harry. He stays in his room as much as humanly possible. And he does not touch a single drop of alcohol.”

“Very well,” she agreed. “But what if Harry goes near him? What if Harry gets curious? Or what if Harry goes down to the kitchen in the night and he is there? What of those scenarios, Severus?”

“I will inform Harry of my concerns,” he said stiffly and she nodded. “What of Bill?”

“I will talk to him. We should explain to the others what has happened.”

She stood and made her way to the door, Moody following her immediately but Severus and Dumbledore did not move. They stood staring at each other, Dumbledore’s face a mask of pleading, of guilt. Severus couldn’t say anything, no words would come, none that would be of any use.

He swept from the room, catching the look of hurt his mentor sent at him as he left him standing alone.

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Bill paced the hallway outside the sickroom door, feeling murderous urges rise in him once again. Solarin and Severus had told him to stay in the kitchen, told all of them to. But he hadn’t listened. The man who had hurt his girl was in there. He wanted to rip him to shreds. He spun around and punched the wall, feeling several of the bones snap at the impact. He really should have listened to them.

He grit his teeth against the pain and shut his eyes against the tears that threatened to fall. He snapped them open again as he was assaulted by the image of Tobias Snape shaking Solarin hard enough to crack her ribs because she had conjured a ball of light. She had only wanted to play with him, have daddy join in her games. He had beaten her for it.

He stormed towards the door, only realizing at the very last moment, as his hand reached for the handle, that Solarin was trusting him to follow her instructions, that there was a reason for all of this. He swore, loudly and creatively, and threw himself towards the stairs, flying down them until he reached the kitchen. The people gathered there didn’t look any happier than he felt.

“I broke my hand,” he said simply as he threw himself into a chair. His mother came forwards and healed it for him, but he didn’t hear her scolding. His eyes were fixed on Harry, who was livid. He was pacing back and forth, Miri screaming his anger for him from his arms.

Bill brushed his mother off and made his way over to the pacing Seeker.

“How can she let him stay?” Harry snarled. “How can she do this, after what that son of a bitch has done to them?”

Bill felt vindicated. He wasn’t the only one. Though he was surprised by Harry’s colourful language. He had never heard Harry say anything worse than damn, except while he was in labour.

“She has her reasons. Give Miri to someone else while you calm down,” Bill suggested and Harry looked down, noticing for the first time how angry Miri was. He handed her to Moody, who had opted to stay for lunch and the one with the least chance of letting Miri into his mind and emotions, and resumed his pacing.

“I can’t calm down. That…that…bastard hurt Severus, he hurt Solarin. He’s supposed to be dead!” Harry ranted, and Bill found himself calming.

“I know. But, right now, we don’t have a choice. He stays. Solarin has decided and Severus is going with it,” Bill reasoned and felt himself calm completely as he tried to soothe the younger man.

Harry stared at him as if he had grown a second head and then softened, letting out a sigh and leaning against the kitchen counter. “Do we have to like it?”

“No. In fact, I feel much better knowing that you are as pissed off about the whole situation as I am,” Bill admitted. “Word of warning, though. Don’t go punching any walls. It may seem like a good idea at the time, but it bloody hurts.”

Harry offered him a shaky smile and snapped his head up as Solarin entered the room. All eyes were on her and she seemed to be very calm as she crossed to Remus and Sirius. Bill wondered what was going on inside her head; she had closed the connection, shut him out. He didn’t feel angry about it, he just wondered what was left for her to protect him from.

“Sirius, I need a favour of you and Remus,” Solarin announced. Sirius nodded for her to continue. “I need to ask you if you will allow Tobias to stay here while he dies.”

“How long has he got?” Remus asked.

“A few days, a week at the most. He has advanced liver cancer.”

Sirius sighed and Remus grabbed his hand, soothing his volatile lover. “Why are you asking us?” Sirius asked.

“Because it is your house,” she replied. “And it is a big something to ask, requesting that he stay here while he dies.”

“Are you sure about this? Are you sure him staying here is the best course of action?” Remus questioned.

“It is the only course of action. Trust me when I tell you that this is for the best,” she said steadily.

A look passed between the Animagus and his husband and then he nodded, Solarin kissing each of them on the cheek in thanks. Her eyes landed on Bill’s bruised hand. She crossed to him and Harry, caressing the bruises.

“So it was you who made a dent in the wall, the one who swore so colourfully outside the bedroom door,” she joked. “I thought I told you to stay in here?”

“When have I ever been good at doing what I’m told?” he replied, letting her pull him into a kiss. It comforted him. She knew what she was doing, there was a reason for it. And it was only a few days. He could restrain himself for a few days.

“Why?” Harry asked her.

She sighed and looked him in the eye. “Harry, you trust me, don’t you?” she asked.

“Of course I do.”

“Then trust me when I say that this is something Severus needs. He needs this. I cannot tell you why but he does. Will you believe me if I tell you that I am doing this for Severus’ best interests?”

Harry chewed on his lower lip, considering it. He knew that Solarin would never do anything to hurt his husband, or their family. She was a good woman, a good witch. Damn scary sometimes, but definitely good. He trusted her, almost as much as he trusted Severus.

“All right. But I don’t like it, just stating that for the record,” Harry agreed and she kissed his cheek.

“You all need to know the rules of dealing with Tobias,” she announced to the room, and they settled themselves to listen to her. She leaned against the sink and took a deep breath. “Number one, no alcohol. There is to be no alcohol consumed in this house while he is here, by anyone. Do not underestimate him, he will do what he must to get to it, and you will not like him when he has had a drink.” A dark cloud passed over her face momentarily, but it was gone before anyone could get a good look at it.

“Number two, no one goes near him without me or Severus present. We know him, you do not. It is for his safety as well as your own.” She looked pointedly at Bill and he sighed, nodding.

“Number three, no one under twenty one goes near him, and I mean no one. Severus is the one who has insisted on this rule and I will back him on it.” At this one she stared at Harry and he nodded.

“Final rule, whatever he spouts, whatever bile comes out of his mouth, you must not rise to the bait. He will try to goad you, try to lure you into getting angry for his own amusement. Do not give him the satisfaction. Does everyone understand the rules?”

They all nodded and she gave them one short sharp nod before she left the room, sweeping up the stairs.

Bill watched her go and wondered once more why she would put herself through this.

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Severus watched as Tobias cracked his eyes open, glancing up at Molly Weasley, who was still sponging at his fever ridden brow. Severus noticed that the whites of his eyes were yellow.

“Hello, darlin’. What’s your name then?” Tobias asked Molly flirtatiously, his voice rough. It didn’t surprise Severus, his voice had always been that way, even when Severus was very small.

“Molly, leave us please,” Severus ordered and she left the room, shutting the door behind her. He stared at the invalid form of his father and suppressed a shudder. How could he still scare him after so many years?

“Severus?” Tobias questioned and Severus shot him a look of disgust. It was, apparently, all the confirmation Tobias needed. “Look at you, all grown up. Come and give your old man a proper greeting.” He held open his arms and Severus sneered at him

“I will not. I would not waste the energy to cross the room,” Severus spat and Tobias hacked out a laugh.

“Still so afraid of me?”

“I am not afraid. I am merely wishing you dead.”

His fathers eyes darkened. “You’ll get your wish soon enough.”

“Yes. A few days, Mad-Eye says, a week at the most. It is too long, in my opinion. You should be rotting in the ground.”

“So why the fuck are you letting me stay, boy! Why not throw your dying father out onto the street and be done with!” Tobias snarled.

“It was not my opinion to let you stay. You owe your bed and board to Solarin, not me,” Severus said as calmly as he possibly could, but it still came out as a half shout.

“And where is the little freak? Hiding in her room? Under the bed? In a closet? Or did someone finish what I started and rid the world of her filth?”

Severus was halfway across the room, ready to end it there and then, before he realized that the very girl they were discussing was standing in the doorway. She entered, her long dark hair hanging loose and hiding her face from view. The headboard of the bed was against the same wall as the door, so all Tobias could make out was that there was a woman in the room with them. Severus crossed to his original place, leaning against the wall, as she glanced between the two men.

“Temper,” she scolded gently.

Severus marvelled at how calm she was. How the hell was she doing it? She should be livid, like him. Then again, Solarin had always managed to surprise him in times of stress. He should really have learnt by now that he should never assume anything about her, he would be wrong every time.

Tobias let his lecherous eyes rake over her generous curves, her tight jeans, her painted on red top. Severus’ blood began to boil as Tobias licked his lips.

“Stop it, she is not for you to peruse!” Severus snarled at him and Tobias shot him a grin full of stained teeth.

“Your wife? I see your wedding ring, is she your wife?” Tobias asked and Severus laughed.

“No, she is not my wife. Don’t you recognise her?” Severus taunted. “You should.”

Severus turned her to face him head on and tenderly swept her hair away from her face, feeling satisfaction rise as Tobias paled.

“Hello, Tobias,” Solarin said calmly, pulling out her wand and tapping her hair with it, the glossy waterfall plaiting itself. “It has been a long time.” She leaned back against Severus and he placed his hands on her shoulders. She wasn’t even trembling in nerves. How was she doing it?

“You’re Solarin?” Tobias asked, his voice even hoarser in his shock. He looked her up and down, taking her in, his mouth hanging open.

“In the flesh. I know you noticed my flesh, I just thought I’d remind you seeing as you like it so much,” she said and he gulped. She had never spoken to him like that, and Severus knew why she had said she would take responsibility for him. She would keep a level head, her quick tongue her saving grace. Severus had raised her to speak her mind, to stand up for herself. It was the only lesson she had ever accepted from him without question, complaint or remark.

“I didn’t know it was you,” Tobias reasoned.

“No, of course not.” She held out her hand and conjured a ball of flames. “But if you look at any of the females in this house that way again, I will see to it that your last few days are a rather painful experience.”

His eyes turned dark, murderous, the way they had done before his fists had lashed out at them as children. “Are you threatening me?” he hissed.

“No. Simply a warning. Keep in mind, there are many fully grown, fully trained witches and wizards in this house. None of them will hesitate to cause you pain.”

Tobias appeared to be fighting the urge to spout something vile. Surprisingly, he managed to bite his tongue and nod at her, and she closed her fist, extinguishing the flames.

“Can you get out of bed?” she asked and he shook his head. “Are you in pain?”

“Yes.”

“I will see to it that you are given something for it,” she said calmly and he shook his head at her.

“I don’t want any of that nonsense you people use. No freakish medicine,” he spat. Before Severus had even seen any movement, Solarin was across the room and pushing Tobias into the mattress by his throat.

“You will not use words like that while in this house. You will keep a civil tongue in your head or I will remove it. Do you understand?” she said calmly and he nodded. She let go and took a step back so she was just out of his reach. “Would you like to know the rules of the house now or later?”

“Now,” Tobias ground out, obviously trying to figure out how to approach this new, unexpected situation.

“Very well. You don’t drink any alcohol, not a single drop. You keep a civil tongue in your head. You do not, under any circumstances, touch anyone in this house. You keep your eyes to yourself. You may ask any questions you want but there is no guarantee that any of us will answer them. Do you understand?” she enlightened and he nodded.

She took a deep breath and seated herself on one of the chairs situated to the side of the bed. Severus preferred to stay standing.

“Why did you come here?” she asked.

Tobias eyed her, trying to figure her out. She was not as he remembered her. He had expected her to be half mad or half dead by now. He had never expected her to be like this. She was calm, confident, unafraid. It was not a Solarin he was familiar with and it made him uneasy. When she had been young, she had been oh so easy to control. She had been terrified of him, and he had liked it. Her fear had meant that she did not use her magic around him, and he had enjoyed it that way. But this woman sitting before him held very little resemblance to the child he had terrorized. He wasn’t quite sure what she was capable of now.

“To see you both,” he replied eventually, choosing his words carefully.

“Why?”

“Because you’re my kids,” Tobias said simply and she laughed.

“Your kids? No, we stopped being that a long time ago. We haven’t been yours for nineteen years. Come to think of it, I don’t believe we were ever really yours. Why come to us?”

“Because I needed to clear up my mess before I died. I needed to see you both one last time.”

“He is lying!” Severus snarled.

Solarin tilted in her chair to look at her brother. “How do you know?” she asked curiously.

“His mouth is moving,” Severus replied and she sniggered.

“Good point. He never was any good at the truth. Maybe we should let him at the booze, might loosen his tongue a bit,” she joked and Severus growled at how hopeful Tobias looked at the prospect of being allowed alcohol. “Then again, I have no desires to be covered in bruises anytime soon, so I think not.” His face dropped.

She turned to him once more. “Are you going to tell us the truth?” she asked. “Or do I have to force one of our nasty potions down your throat?”

Tobias considered his options. She didn’t seem to be the type to back down from him, not anymore. How the hell had she changed so much? How could he not scare her anymore, when he terrified Severus? Who had changed her? He had two options. Option one, he could do as she asked, and answer honestly. Or option two, they would force a potion down him. He was in no fit state to stop them.

“I’ll answer your questions if you answer mine,” he bargained and Solarin nodded.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“I didn’t want to die alone.”

“So, why come to us? You must have known we wouldn’t want you here, so why come?”

“Because you are all I have, whether you like it or not.”

Something flashed in her eyes but it was gone before he had a chance to look at it properly.

“How did you get here from Dublin if you can no longer stand?” she asked, lighting a cigarette.

“Put that out,” he snarled, motioning at it.

“No. Answer the question. How did you get here?” she said simply, blowing her smoke at him.

“Some wizard found me, he brought me here,” he spat, coughing.

“What wizard?” Severus asked.

“No, you answer one of mine now,” he bargained and Solarin glanced at Severus before nodding. “Who are you married to, Severus?”

“Harry. I am married to Harry,” Severus replied after a pause.

“I want to meet her. I want to meet the whore you married, boy.”

Solarin had to use a shield charm to keep Severus back, he was that angry.

“Harry is not a whore!” Severus yelled. He didn’t even notice when the door opened and Sirius stepped in, carrying a tray. “Don’t you dare! You have no right to come in here and judge us, to pass any kind of comment, you twisted, disgusting bastard!”

“Severus! Enough!” Solarin yelled over him, shocking him into looking at her. “Don’t give him the satisfaction. He is trying to goad you. Let it slide.”

“I want him dead!”

“He will be soon enough! Just do it my way for the time being. Please?”

Severus breathed through his nose as he tried to get himself to calm down. She was right, he knew that. But hearing someone call his beloved Harry a whore, it set him off. Harry had called himself that in the beginning, all because of Lucius Malfoy. And here was another son of a bitch trying to damage his lover. It didn’t matter that Harry was not in the room, it was the principle of it.

Solarin took the tray from Sirius and set it on Tobias’ lap roughly, glaring at him. “I told you to keep a civil tongue in your head,” she snarled. “You will control yourself or the first thing to go will be your food.”

“You wouldn’t starve a dying man,” Tobias laughed, the chuckle dying in his throat at her reply.

“Try me.”

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Two days passed in much the same manner, Tobias dangling just enough information to keep them interested while keeping the main knowledge a secret. Tobias didn’t eat after the first meal, and Solarin refused to relent. Every few hours he would say something to piss Severus off and Solarin would be forced to restrain him again. She punished Tobias for these little bouts of acid tongue by taking things away. First it was his food, then his pain medication, finally his bathroom privileges, various other things being denied in-between. Tobias seemed to be cracking, but all Severus could see was that the man was still breathing. Lucius had been replaced at the top of his hate list by his father, but only just.

On the morning of the third day, Solarin gave Tobias a large breakfast and allowed him a trip to the bathroom. She ordered him to shower and shave, with promises of physical pain if he did not comply. An hour later, she levitated him to the living room and put him in a chair, leaving him there alone with a muggle paperback. She walked into the kitchen and sat down calmly at the table.

“We’re going to try something new,” she announced.

“New?” Severus asked.

“Yes. He keeps dangling information out to us without revealing anything of use. So we are going to approach this from a new angle.”

“What do you suggest?” Molly asked.

“We’re all going to sit in the living room with him,” she explained.

“Have you lost your mind? I will not have my husband and my daughter in the same room as that man!” Severus exploded. “What the hell are you thinking?”

“Severus, listen to me.” She waited patiently for him to calm down enough to actually process her words before she spoke again. “He is playing with us. He will not tell us what we want to know unless we give him something. He wants to know about our family. So we will give it to him.”

“And if you are wrong? If he does not cooperate?” Severus asked. He didn’t like the idea, but he knew her plan had merit. He had to admit, she could be damn manipulative sometimes. No wonder she had been a Slytherin. He stared at his husband, pacing with Miri. He couldn’t believe he was actually considering agreeing to her plan.

“Then I will force it out of him,” she said simply. She did not need to elaborate. If Tobias wouldn’t reveal anything to them, they would not require truth serums. Solarin would go into his head and rip out what she wanted, no mater how unhinged it left him. The Minister had given her full permission to do what she wanted with the muggle, the Minister anxious to know how he had found the Leaky Cauldron.

“I will not agree to anything for Harry. He will be the one to be subjected to that man. Ask him,” Severus said.

“Of course not. I will not have anyone in that room who has not consented,” she stated. “I require full cooperation from everyone for this to work.” She turned to the rest of their family, gathered around the table, all except Harry, Hermione and Ron, who were pacing with a child each. “If anyone has any reservations, voice them. I will not force anyone to do this.”

The room was silent, save for baby babbles, as they all considered it. They all knew that Solarin had something up her sleeve, that there was a plan to her apparent madness. They also knew what Tobias Snape had done to his children as Severus and Solarin had sat them all down on the first night and explained everything. They had skimmed over details, but they all knew what the siblings had been getting at.

The man was cruel, cold, sadistic.

Evil.

They had to weigh the options: it was either say no and Solarin would rip it out of the mans head, in all likelihood driving him insane in the process, or agree and trust that she knew what she was doing. When considered like that, they had no problems agreeing, even Harry.

They made their way to the living room door, where she instructed them to go in and pretend that he wasn’t even there. She told them all to sit and talk, to behave as they normally would. They all complied and Solarin felt a swell of satisfaction at Tobias’ raised eyebrows and wide eyes.

The most smile inducing moment was when Severus stubbornly pulled Harry and Miri onto his lap, holding them close. Tobias seemed to be stunned speechless. Severus felt extremely fulfilled by the look of utter disbelief on his fathers face and he kissed Harry, just because.

“Good morning, Tobias,” Solarin said after three hours of them all sitting there. The conversation had been stilted at first, but it was soon flowing. “We are going to play a little game. For every piece of useful information you give me, I will answer one question you have about any person in this room. Everyone in here is family to me and Severus. You wanted to know about them, so here it is, your chance to know anything you want.”

Severus had to suppress his grin. Clever little witch. Tobias was going for the bait, he could see it. All she had to do would be to tip him over the edge.

“You can ask anything, and I will tell you, I swear it,” she offered and it was all that was needed for Tobias to snap. He nodded and she smiled kindly at him. Severus sniggered quietly into Harry’s shoulder. Kill him with kindness.

“Good. Now, do you understand the rules of the game or would you like me to clear them up for you?” she said sweetly, and Severus saw Bill go red with his own suppressed laughter, burying his face in Solarin’s back to hide the tears of mirth. Everyone else seemed stunned by the new development, but they took it in their stride, all watching interestedly.

“I answer a question of yours honestly, giving you something useful, and you will tell me anything I want to know about any of them in return,” Tobias stated, clearly unsure of where it was all leading. Severus himself was unsure of what she was planning, but he would go with it.

“Exactly. Do you want to play?”

“Yes.”

“Very well. I shall go first. Who took you to the Leaky Cauldron?” she asked.

“He was a wizard.”

“Yes, we have covered that already, that is nothing new to me. What was his name?” she reasoned.

“He never told me.”

She sighed and licked her lips in seeming frustration, but Severus knew it was all an act. A clever ruse to lull Tobias into a false sense of security. “Very well. Your turn to ask as you were honest with me.”

Tobias’ yellow and black eyes scanned the room, trying to pick the least conspicuous looking one, the one she would most likely describe without hesitation. Harry was not an option, not yet. He would have to work up to that one. But the little blonde looked likely.

He pointed at Phoenix. “I want to know who she is,” he demanded and Solarin nodded, Phoenix’s eyes wide at being chosen first. Solarin winked at the little witch.

“Her name is Phoenix Rose Lupin-Black, she is sixteen, and is Harry’s sister. Now, what did this wizard look like?”

“He was blonde, appeared rich.” He pointed at Ginny. “That one.”

“That is Ginny Weasley, she is fifteen, and is Harry’s best friends sister. Why did he bring you to London?”

“He said it was important, said Severus needed to be punished for taking his pet.” The room went silent and still.

“So, Lucius has found a new game,” she muttered, frowning in concentration, before her face cleared and she smiled at Tobias. The muggle was staring at her, fear across his face in case he had said something wrong. “Which one now?”

He pointed to Sirius. “That is Sirius Orion Lupin-Black. This is his house and he is married to the man sitting next to him. His name is Remus John Lupin-Black and he is a werewolf. The two of them are Phoenix and Harry’s adoptive parents. What did Albus Dumbledore say to you to convince you to stay away?”

Two for the price of one. Severus could see Tobias beginning to relax into the game and he kissed Harry’s neck, making Harry giggle in surprise. He understood now. Harry was the bait. She was working up to Harry, leading him to him, the one he really wanted knowledge of. Tobias grasped that to get the information about Harry, he would have to wait for the right moment, the right question. Severus saw Tobias’ eyes fix on his husband at the giggle and he turned Harry’s head to kiss him, sweet and fleeting. Harry smiled at him, Miri cooing. Severus stroked his long fingers over her curls and Tobias returned his stare to Solarin, a little flustered. Miri really did look very much like Solarin.

“He told me that if I interfered, if I tried to upset you and Severus, then he would kill me, and he would make it very painful,” Tobias revealed. “He said that the two of you were special, that you needed to be taken care of, to be away from me. He said that the two of you were finally free and he would not sit by idle while I destroyed you once more.”

Solarin looked at Severus and he inclined his head. He understood now, Albus had really been doing what he thought was best. It didn’t mean that Severus would forgive him for his deception, or that trust wouldn’t be a long time coming, but there was the seed of both in him now.

“Very good. Pick one,” she praised.

“The one sharing the chair with you.”

She craned her head to look at Bill, who was patiently waiting to see how she would define their relationship. She reached up and tangled her fingers in his hair before she faced Tobias once more. “This is William Weasley, more commonly called Bill, the second eldest of the seven Weasley children. He is a curse breaker, he works for Gringotts, the Wizarding Bank. He is my lover.”

Severus choked on his sip of ice tea at her phrasing. He peeked at Tobias to see him covering his rage at her word.

Bill was biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself laughing, and all the other inhabitants of the room seemed to be doing similar things to keep the hilarity from spilling forth. Well, most of them.

Hermione was the first to laugh, then Ron and Ginny, Phoenix joining soon after, and finally Harry, Miri laughing along with him. Solarin grinned covertly at them and then resumed a straight face as she faced Tobias once more.

“I only have one more question, and if you answer me honestly, I will tell you everything about Harry,” she bargained and his eyes brightened greedily. Severus instinctively tightened his hold on his husband, laying a protective hand on Miri’s back.

“All right.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Do what?”

“All of it. You hurt me, hurt Severus. You hurt mum. You killed her. Why did you do it?” she said, her voice calm and emotionless, carefully controlled.

The room fell silent. Tobias finally realized that this was what she had been aiming for the whole time. He stared at her, his mouth open in shock. He glanced at Harry. Was the knowledge of the little brunet on his sons lap enough for him to reveal all?

“Why that?” he asked.

“Because I watched her die and I want to know why. I want to know what we did to make you hate us so much. What did we do to deserve that?”

Tobias coughed and Solarin helped him gulp down some water, gently tilting the glass and then wiping his mouth. She was confusing him, Severus could see it in his tired eyes. He didn’t understand. She was asking him about the less than stellar years of his life, demanding to know, and yet she wasn’t upset about it. If anything, she sounded mildly curious. And she was still kindly helping him when his shaky hands failed.

But Severus understood. If the man was confused he would be more likely to let something slip. If it was all added together, it all became clear what she was doing. Moody would be so proud when informed.

She had denied him, punished him. Then she had nourished him. Then she had rewarded. And now she was dangling bait, offering knowledge he desperately wanted. All he had to do was tell her.

“I hated you,” Tobias whispered.

“Why?”

“Because I couldn’t do it. You were a tiny little dot of a thing and you could do all these things I couldn’t. I was jealous.”

“Is that all? Jealousy?”

“No. Your mother…she…well…she loved you…she adored you…both of you…”

“She loved us more than she loved you,” Severus supplied quietly and he nodded.

“And it was unnatural. Children doing weird shit, it was deformed!” Tobias seemed to be falling into her trap, and Severus noticed how stiffly she was sitting as his temper rose. It was the same things he had spouted when they were children. “All of it was! The two of you were, are! You’re freaks! How could I not hate you? You were abominations, and I should have drowned you at birth! I would have been rid of you! You and your abnormalities!” He gasped in oxygen. It was as if he couldn’t stop himself, it just kept spilling out. Bile, venom, disgusting accusations. It just went on.

Bill looked ready to rip Tobias to shreds but stayed seated. Sirius pulled Remus closer to him, Arthur dragged in Molly, Charlie hugged Phoenix and Ron grabbed Hermione. Harry snuggled against Severus’ chest, shaking in anger and rising panic. Miri was passed to Remus, Harry was too close to his emotions just then for her to handle.

Severus sat quietly, finding himself unsurprised at the words. He had heard them throughout the entirety of his first seventeen years on earth. He had thought he would be angry at the outburst, when it arrived, but he was calm. It washed over him and he finally saw how pathetic the man was.

Finally, the tirade ended.

“Done?” Solarin asked and Tobias nodded, watching her warily, her calm tone making him nervous. “You didn’t answer me.”

“What?” Tobias asked.

“I asked you why you killed mum. You did not answer me. If you want the information about Harry, you will tell me why I grew up without a mother.”

Tobias stared at her as if she had suddenly turned into a pumpkin or something equally as unbelievable. “You will still tell me?”

“Yes, if you tell me why you killed her,” she replied quietly. Bill’s mouth had dropped open in shock.

Tobias took a deep breath. “I want to go back to my room. I don’t want to play anymore,” he announced and she shook her head.

“You will tell me. If you do not, I will go into your head and rip it out. It is your choice,” she warned.

His mouth moved soundlessly, his eyes wide with shock. All eyes were fixed upon her and she stared at Tobias. She lounged back against Bill, as if they were discussing nothing more than the weather.

“I was drunk. I was convinced she was having an affair. I was sure she was trying to leave me. I didn’t mean to kill her, but it happened. I won’t apologise for something I have served my time for,” he reeled off suddenly.

“Are you saying it was an accident?”

“It was one of our fights that got out of hand.”

Solarin took a deep breath and nodded. She beckoned Harry over to her and sat him on the arm of her chair, holding his hand to keep him calm. Bill placed a hand on his back to lend support. He kept glancing at Severus, who was nodding encouragingly, and staring at Tobias.

“Harry, tell him who you are,” she instructed gently.

“Which bit of me? There is a lot to who I am,” he said shakily, staring warily at the sick man.

“Your name and age to begin with.”

“My name is Harry James Potter-Snape and I am sixteen. I will be seventeen in a week.”

“Sixteen?” Tobias questioned and Harry nodded.

“Harry, how are you a Snape?” she asked.

“I’m married to Severus.”

“Harry, why are you with Severus?”

Harry smiled in spite of his fear and looked at Severus, who smiled back. “Because I love him,” he said simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world. “Because he is a good man, a good husband, a good father. He loves me, more than anything in the whole world. He loves me for me. I could go on but then we would be here forever. There are too many reasons to list them all.”

Solarin smiled at him.

“You’re a faggot, Severus? A nancy boy? Tell me, does he take it up the arse or do you?” Tobias spat at his son and Solarin laughed. “What the fuck are you laughing about?”

“Harry, tell him how you are special,” she instructed and Severus grinned at her. Harry wasn’t just the bait, he was the weapon.

Harry blushed but a reassuring nod from Severus had his courage returning.

“I’m the youngest Seeker in a century. I killed acromantula’s and a basilisk when I was twelve, and I beat a dragon when I was fourteen. I saved the world when I was fifteen, with help from my friends. I saved your arse,” Harry said cheekily to Tobias, his confidence returning. “Oh, and I’m a magical hermaphrodite.”

It was almost an afterthought, and they all chuckled at him. Tobias opened his mouth to speak but Harry got in there first.

“In case you’re confused, a Seeker is a sportsman, I guess that’s the best way to explain it to you. A basilisk is a giant snake, an acromantula is a giant spider. And a magical hermaphrodite is a being that is defined as neither male nor female because I am both. I’m a gender all on my own. I am both male and female, because I have a full set of both. I have boy bits and girl bits. I prefer to be referred to as a male, though.”

He paused, moving to Remus and retrieving Miri before settling himself on the arm of her chair once more. He was silent, and Solarin opened her mouth to prompt him again, when he spoke.

“Oh! I almost forgot! I’m the first magical hermaphrodite to have a girl as my first child, but she’s special all on her own so we don’t really count that one properly.” Harry reeled off, offhandedly.

“Harry, why is Miri special?” Solarin asked innocently, smiling in a satisfied sort of way at Tobias. Miri was squealing in delight at Harry’s amusement of the dumbstruck expression on Tobias’ face.

“My daughter is like you. She’s an augur, just like you. She can do what you do.”

Tobias looked like he was about to have a heart attack as the words sunk in and he stared at the little girl. No one was sure how he managed to do it, but he stood suddenly and made a lunge for Miri, Solarin moving in front of Harry to shield them both from the muggle. Harry and Miri were pushed back to Severus’ arms by Bill, and Severus secured them in Remus’ arms before turning to look at his sister and his father facing off.

“Get them out of here, now,” she ordered and Bill herded them all out of the room, Sirius and Remus guiding them to the kitchen.

“You son of a bitch. How dare you? You pathetic bastard,” Solarin snarled. Bill returned and Severus told him to call Mad-Eye and Dumbledore. “You did enough damage to me, I won’t let you touch that little miracle.”

Severus saw it coming but he couldn’t stop it.

Tobias punched Solarin in the face, putting his whole weight behind the blow. She went flying, rolling as she hit the floor. And then Tobias was lying on the floor, his eyes wide and lifeless, empty.

Solarin had ended the game.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Harry left Miri with Sirius and took Severus by the hand, leading him to the bathroom. He ran a hot steamy bath and stripped the two of them, pushing Severus towards the tub. He eased himself in after him and leant back against his chest, slightly tilted so he could see his husbands face.

“Are you all right?” Harry asked as Severus wrapped his arms around him.

Severus didn’t answer him and Harry didn’t push it. Instead, he reached for the soap and turned so he was facing him, kneeling between the long legs. He ran the bar over the pale flesh, bathing his lover. When he was done, when there was not an inch of skin he had left untouched, he reached for the shampoo, straddling Severus’ thighs to get better access to the long hair. Severus’ hands gripped his hips as he massaged his scalp, Severus’ eyes closed and his lips parted to let out breathless moans of enjoyment. Harry grinned and dumped a jug of water over Severus’ head, making him splutter in shock.

Severus spat out the water that had slipped into his mouth and blinked to get it out of his eyes. He managed to get in a quick breath before Harry poured another jug of water over his head. He opened his eyes to find Harry grinning at him, trying not to laugh.

Severus didn’t say anything, he couldn’t. How could he possibly say it? How could he say he was grieving the loss of a man he hated? It didn’t make sense to him, so instead of trying to explain it, he splashed his lover, smirking. He grabbed the jug and doused Harry, smiling at the spluttering laughs.

Severus grabbed the soap and bathed his husband, taking his time, making sure he didn’t miss any of that pale skin. He shampooed his messy hair, which had finally received the long overdue trim from Molly, and carefully rinsed the suds from it.

When he was sure Harry was as clean as he was going to get, he pulled him in for a kiss, Harry wrapping his slick wet arms around his neck. He lost himself, let himself get pulled in by the gentle nipping of Harry’s teeth on his lower lip, by the tentative exploration of his tongue, of his slim warm weight in his arms.

It was all suddenly too much, the events of the past few days hitting him all at once. He pulled away and buried his head in Harry’s neck, crushing him to his chest, sobbing for all he was worth. Harry stroked his hair, his neck, his back. Those slim fingers trailed across his shoulders, and Severus felt the touch sweep away all the pain, all the hurt.

“It’s over,” Severus whispered. “It’s finally over.”

Harry kissed his neck and Severus pulled back to look into those bright green eyes.

“I’m not like him,” Severus admitted. “That’s what I needed to learn, I needed to see it. I had to know that I wasn’t like him. Harry…oh God…Harry, I swear I will never hurt you. I will never hurt Miri. Never. I would rather be struck down right now than ever do that.”

Harry smiled softly at him. “I told you,” Harry whispered, cupping his face. “I told you that you were not like him. You are nothing like him. And I know you would never ever hurt me or Miri. You, Severus Potter-Snape, are the best man in my life and I love you more than anything else in the whole world. And I know that you feel the same about me.”

“I do, I love you, Harry, more than anything. You told him so. I am so proud of you for the way you handled him,” Severus whispered, running his thumb over the full lower lip.

“I wanted him to know. I wanted to tell him what a wonderful man you are, and how happy you make me. He had to be told what a good husband you are, and he definitely had to know what good a father you are,” Harry stated simply.

“I couldn’t stop him hitting Solarin,” Severus admitted, his gaze dropping to the bite shaped scars on Harry’s shoulder.

“It was too fast. And she’s all right. You healed her, it’s just bruising now, and that fades.”

“A broken jaw, a broken cheekbone and a broken nose, all from one punch. Sweet Merlin, how the hell didn’t he end up killing her when she was small?” Severus asked angrily.

“Because she is tougher than she looks,” Harry stated, forcing Severus to look at him. “So are you.”

Severus snorted. “You are biased.”

Harry tilted his head to the side and pouted in consideration. “Yeah, I am. And I like it.”

Severus chuckled, bringing him in for another kiss, sweet and slow. Severus felt all his feelings of his father fade, felt Harry’s lips and hands, his beautiful body and tender heart drive them all away. He didn’t care anymore. It mattered nothing to him what his father had done, not now he had Harry. When Harry touched him, kissed him, even looked at him, his past disappeared. When Harry kissed him, nothing else mattered.

“Severus?”

“Yes?”

“I wanted to ask about when you claim me again, when I’m not sore anymore,” Harry began.

“What about it, love?” Severus asked, running his thumb over a scar on Harry’s collarbone. He felt it was a shame he could do nothing about the scars Lucius had inflicted. Harry shouldn’t have to live with them. But they were different to his curse scar, they had been made by hand, not magic. There was no magical way to remove the scars on Harry’s pale body. Severus had asked Harry if he wanted to try a muggle surgery to remove them, but Harry had refused. Harry had claimed that the scars reminded him of how lucky he was now and Severus had let the subject drop. It was Harry’s body, Harry’s choice.

“Well, I don’t want anymore children yet. I want them eventually, but not yet. I want to be with you, though. I’m not quite sure how to do one without getting the other,” Harry said with a shy grin and Severus smiled.

“There are several methods you can use to prevent an unplanned pregnancy,” Severus reassured, choosing his words carefully.

“Like what?” Harry asked, using the sponge to trickle water down Severus’ chest.

“Well, there is a charm you can use, there are potions you can take, or there are muggle methods of contraception, such as condoms and the contraceptive Pill. Though, I am unsure how well the Pill would work with your anatomy. The reliability of condoms is a factor also. They can break.”

Harry tilted his head, considering the options. “I don’t think muggle methods are right for us. How do we use the charm?” Harry asked, running a comb through Severus’ wet hair.

“We cast it before we enjoy each other. You will glow blue briefly. It will protect you for twelve hours,” Severus explained, tilting his head so that Harry could get a better angle on his long dark strands.

“But we could forget it.”

Severus tried to suppress his shudder and failed. “Solarin and Bill use it. They have not forgotten.” He paused. “Yet.”

“I really don’t ever want to know anything like that again. That is way too much information about your sister, even if it is reassuring,” Harry said, pulling a face.

“Agreed. I just felt it would be appropriate for you to be aware. I will never bring that up again,” Severus concurred, sighing gratefully. “Sometimes I wish she and Bill did not tell me these things. It is reassuring to know I am not about to become an uncle anytime soon, though.”

“What about the potions?” Harry asked, changing the subject. He chucked the comb over his shoulder and started twirling the hair in his fingers.

Severus chuckled at Harry playing with his hair. He knew Harry would grow his long enough to fiddle with if it didn’t annoy him so much. As a result, Severus had come to enjoy the slim fingers toying with his.

“There are two contraceptive potions that I can brew for you. The first is one that you take daily, usually with breakfast though the timing is a personal choice. It protects for the full 24 hours. Though, if a dose is forgotten, you are unprotected. The second is one that you take biannually. You consume one dose every six months and you will be defended against unplanned pregnancy for the full six months,” Severus described, Harry smiling at the explanation.

“I like the sound of the six months one. Can I use that one, will it work for me?”

“It will work. I asked Poppy Pomfrey of suitable contraceptives for you to use, for when the time came for you to ask me of them. She assures me that the potion will be effective. I will begin preparing it for you tomorrow. It will take a week to brew,” Severus clarified. Harry was used to Severus having gone to Pomfrey or Dumbledore, asking the relevant information before Harry asked. Harry loved him for it.

Harry smiled and kissed him, gently taking his hand and guiding it down between them, pushing Severus’ hand between his thighs. “Check,” Harry instructed and Severus nibbled his neck as he slipped a gentle finger into him. Harry sighed at it, nodding, and then hissed in pain as Severus tried to add a second one, pulling away from the tender hand instinctively.

“Damn it!” Harry growled as the fingers were removed. “How long is this going to take? I want you to claim me. It’s not fair.”

Severus smiled softly and kissed him, running his fingers along his spine. “Not much longer, love. Just have a little more patience. I promise, when you are back to your old self, I will make it worth your while,” Severus whispered in his ear, sucking the lobe into his mouth and toying with it with his tongue.

Harry moaned, running his hands up the trimly muscled arms and grabbing the broad shoulders, pulling himself closer. His blood rushed to his groin and he felt himself harden. He cried out in surprise as his penis rubbed against Severus’. He thrust experimentally and moaned at the pleasure that shot up his spine.

“This is new,” Harry breathed and Severus chuckled.

“Would you like to see if I can get us there like this?” Severus asked, licking his Adam’s apple. “I bet I can get us there using only my hands. I bet I won’t move my hips at all.”

“I bet you won’t be able to do it. You can’t keep still, you never can. What are we betting for?” Harry asked as Severus reclined against the side of the tub, smirking, his hands holding Harry’s slim hips.

“Hmmmm. How about washing up duty the next time Molly asks one of us to do it? If I move my hips, I do it. If I do not, you do it,” Severus said with a grin.

“Deal.”

Severus pulled Harry’s hips a little closer, aligning their members properly. He wrapped his hand around both of them and began to stroke, slowly. Harry gasped and latched his lips to his husbands, moaning into his mouth, gripping the sides of the tub. Severus kept to his slow pace, building their pleasure gradually, letting Harry savour it. His plan was going well, and he was feeling very confident of his ability to keep still. That was, until Harry trailed his hands down, his fingertips grazing over his nipples. He clenched his thighs and Harry smiled mischievously at him.

“You’re going to lose,” Harry taunted, circling the rosy nubs with his fingers before smirking and ducking his head to lick one.

Severus knew right then and there that he had made a very bad move. Damn it, he had been outsmarted by a Gryffindor. How had that happened?

“Harry,” Severus moaned as Harry worried his nipple between his teeth. He took a deep breath, trying to regain control. That plan was shattered when Harry slipped a hand down to join his around their members. He hissed as Harry’s fingertips tickled along his length, his knees trembling.

“I know you want to move,” Harry taunted. “Give up now.”

“I will not. I am Severus Snape, I do not give up,” he ground out between clenched teeth. He let out a strangled moan as Harry somehow managed to work his free hand down between them to play with his balls. “That is an unfair advantage.”

“So do something about it,” Harry replied cheekily, licking his nipple again. Severus bucked his hips, sending a wave of water across the tiled floor. Harry smiled in triumph at him and Severus groaned. “You lost. You have to do the dishes.”

Severus stilled their hands and forced Harry to look at him. “How are you not losing control?” he asked suspiciously and Harry smirked. Severus looked down to find that he was not stroking both of them. He was only stroking himself. Harry had used a spell on him, his wand was lying innocently on the side of the tub. “That is cheating. I demand a rematch.”

“Nope. You said nothing about using magic to win,” Harry chuckled. “I won.”

“Why that blasted hat didn’t go against you and put you in Slytherin anyway is beyond me,” Severus grumbled.

Harry shrugged and laughed. “You didn’t even notice I had moved back. That spell is wicked.”

“Who taught you that spell?”

“Fred and George. They said the spell was for when I got up in the middle of the night, so you could sleep. I adapted its usage.”

“I am going to kill them both and you are misusing your magic. That was sneaky. I will punish you and execute them later. First, you come closer so I can finish what I started,” Severus said, curling his hands around Harry’s hips and trying to pull him closer but Harry resisted.

“Not until you admit that you just got out Slytherined by a Gryffindor,” Harry bargained. “And admit that you lost.”

“I did not get out Slytherined. That is not even a word anyway,” Severus insisted stubbornly.

“Fine, but at least admit that you lost,” Harry insisted.

Severus huffed in annoyance, but Harry was smiling at him, his beautiful wet body practically glowing in the candlelight. Those green eyes were shining so brightly, Severus just couldn’t stay mad at him. Where had his control around Harry gone? Had he ever really had any? He seemed to asking himself that quite a lot.

“All right, you won. I have to do the dishes. And yes, I got out Slytherined by a Gryffindor. Just do not tell anyone and I will let you have this one,” he admitted, Harry nodding before he slid closer.

Severus grabbed Harry’s wand and chucked it across the room. “No more tricks from you and no wandless or nonverbal magic,” he warned and Harry blushed. “Now, shall we enjoy each other or would you like to trick me some more?”

Harry leaned in and kissed him, deep and heated, his tongue toying with Severus’. Severus wrapped his arms around him, sliding his hands along the smooth skin, laying one on the base of his spine and pulling his hips forwards. He was rewarded with Harry throwing his head back and moaning in pleasure. He kept his hand on his back as he moved his other one to grasp them both, glancing down to be sure it was not a trick.

He stroked them once more, slow, torturously slow. He watched Harry’s face, staring in wonder as the head was tilted back down, those green eyes fluttering open to lock with his own black orbs. Harry’s hands came up to grip his shoulders and Harry cried out when Severus stroked the head of only Harry’s member with his thumb.

“Severus,” Harry gasped, tangling his fingers in the long hair and forcing him forwards for a kiss as Severus resumed stroking them both. It was demanding and needy and Severus knew Harry was close. He was just waiting for that one little sentence, holding himself back so they could come together. Severus refused to increase the speed of his stroking, he was determined to make Harry dissolve into that puddle of pure need.

Harry whined and shifted his hips, determined not to say it. But he could feel it in his throat, on the tip of his tongue. He knew it was coming, and he was powerless to stop it. He needed it, and he was fully aware that Severus would not give it to him unless he said it. Severus loved that one little sentence, and Harry couldn’t really say he wanted to deny Severus something so small, even if he did cringe afterwards.

“Severus…please…I need it…” Harry gasped out, the pleasure coursing through his every cell, just waiting for one little thing.

Severus smiled and let out his own groan of pleasure and relief. It had been torture to hold himself back, but it had been worth it. He raised his knees slightly, spreading his thighs so he could reach down, work his hand between his lovers thighs and stroke that little nub, the centre of Harry’s pleasure.

Harry crashed their lips together as he screamed, shaking as he was swept up in the hurricane of bliss, Severus screaming with him, stiffening below him.

Pleasure, pure pleasure, coursed through both of them, sweeping away everything else, leaving them breathless.

Harry collapsed on Severus’ chest, dimly aware of his husband casting a charm to clean the water of their emissions before his arms came around him. Harry closed his eyes and basked in the afterglow, loving the feel of those smooth hands on his back, his curves, his thighs. “Love you,” Harry mumbled when his mouth decided to work again.

“I love you,” Severus replied.

“What is that called, what we just did?” Harry asked, humming his agreement when Severus trickled water down his back from the sponge.

“I am unsure of its name. I believe it is a form of masturbation. Did you enjoy it?”

“Yes. I like that one. I like it more than the oral sex but less than when you claim me. You claiming me is my favourite. Is it okay that I have favourite things to do when we enjoy each other?” Harry asked, sitting up and turning around to lean against Severus’ chest, stretching out his stiff legs.

“It is perfectly all right. It is good for you to know what you like and what you are not so fond of,” Severus reassured, kissing the dark hair under his chin, wrapping his arms around the slender frame. “I find it very satisfying to know what will give you the greatest pleasure at the right moment. That is why I love your little sentence of need.” Severus chuckled as Harry squirmed slightly. “And I like knowing that I am the only one who gets to hear it.”

“I always forget that you like watching me enjoy myself,” Harry commented, stroking the strong slim arms.

“I consider it a good thing that you do not remember, you may get self conscious about being watched,” Severus admitted. “You may hold back, try and stop yourself. You would not enjoy it as much if you held back through embarrassment.”

Harry giggled. “I don’t think I could. You’re just too good at making me lose all ability to think. Anyways, I don’t mind you watching me. You think I’m beautiful, so I don’t mind.”

“I do. To me, you are the most beautiful creature in the world,” Severus confirmed, stroking his hair away from his forehead.

“Besides, I don’t get embarrassed with you. Well, all except my little sentence.”

Severus chuckled and nibbled his neck, running his hands along the slight curves. He hugged his lover and sighed. He didn’t want to ask, but it was playing on his mind once more. Harry was the only one he would ever ask something so private. His petite lover had shown him that it was all right to be vulnerable on occasion, but Severus would never let anyone but Harry see his insecurities.

“Harry?”

“Hmmmm?”

“Is it wrong that I am mourning him?” Severus asked quietly. Harry was silent and still for a moment, before he ran his hands along the thighs either side of his body.

“I don’t think so. He was your father. Even if he sucked at the job, he was your father. I think it’s only natural that you will mourn him, even if he was evil.”

“You really believe that?”

“Yes. I mean, I can’t think of anyone sane who mourned Voldemort,” Harry said and they both laughed. “But I think that it is absolutely all right for you to mourn Tobias, even if he was an evil son of a bitch who should have been castrated and made to eat it.” Harry took a deep breath, Severus chuckling slightly at his idea and his anger. “It’s all right with me, anyway.”

Severus smiled and hugged him a little tighter. “That is all I need. You are all I need.”

“Well, maybe not all,” Harry said logically. “You need food and sleep and outside interests and you would get…”

Severus cut him off with a kiss, silencing him from further mentions of what Severus did or didn’t need.

Severus knew what he needed. He needed Harry, Harry and all that came with him.

Harry was all he needed.

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Solarin slipped from the warm comforting embrace of Bill and made her way from the room. She padded her way along the hallways, her mind in turmoil. Bill had been doing his best to comfort her. To that end, their lovemaking earlier had been sweet, slow, gentle.

But Bill couldn’t help her on this one. This was something she had to deal with on her own.

She found herself in the room Tobias had occupied. Moody had taken the body, the Minister would see to it that it was disposed of. Solarin would receive no punishment for her treatment of Tobias, and no action would be taken towards her for his death. He had hit her first, she had been within her rights to kill him.

The room was dark and still. The space would be stripped in the morning, all the things that man had touched were to be burnt or otherwise destroyed. Give it 24 hours and there would be no trace that he had ever been in the house. But Solarin knew he had been there, she had the bruises to prove it.

She crossed to the window and perched on the windowsill, glancing around. She was so lost in her own thoughts she didn’t notice someone else approaching the room until she heard the gasp from the doorway.

“I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be here,” Narcissa said, turning to leave.

“It’s all right. Why are you here anyway?” Solarin asked, beckoning her in. She entered and hovered uncertainly by the door.

“I couldn’t sleep and I was going to start stripping the room, make myself useful,” the blonde admitted.

Solarin nodded and let her head drop, staring at her pale knees.

“I’ll go and leave you alone,” Narcissa said.

“No, stay. Strip the room, it’s all right.”

Narcissa stared at her for a moment, her mouth open as if she wanted to say something but she thought better of it and nodded, moving to the bed and beginning to pull off the sheets, setting them in a neat pile in the centre of the mattress.

Narcissa seemed to regain her courage as she reached for the bag Tobias had arrived with.

“Do you want anything from it?” she asked the augur.

Solarin looked up, noticing the bag for the first time. She hadn’t realized that Tobias had arrived with anything. Maybe she had been too caught up in keeping her cool. She snorted. She hadn’t managed to keep her cool in the end. She had manipulated him, all to get answers that didn’t mean anything.

“I don’t know. I hadn’t thought of it,” Solarin admitted as Narcissa set the bag at her feet. “Sit down, I don’t bite.” She motioned to the chair she had sat on when she had first spoken to Tobias and Narcissa took it uncertainly.

“Why are you in here?” Narcissa asked.

“Not sure, really. I guess…I guess I wondered if I should feel something. Like maybe I should feel free, or hurt, or guilty even. But I don’t. I just feel numb. There’s nothing, not even anger anymore.”

She looked at the blonde, measuring her up. It was the first time the two of them had been alone together. Narcissa had seen how mothering Solarin was of Phoenix, the way Phoenix had accepted her as a mother figure in a way she had never accepted Narcissa. Solarin knew Narcissa was nervous of her, that she made her uneasy. It made for a tense silence between the two Slytherin women.

“I know she will never forgive me,” Narcissa admitted. “But I will continue to try.”

“How long will you stay here?”

“Until I figure out what to do with my life. I have no money, no job, nothing. I gave it all up when I left Lucius,” Narcissa confessed. “I do not know what to do.”

“The trick is to live for yourself, to be happy in yourself,” Solarin advised and Narcissa smiled at her.

“She adores you.”

Solarin snorted. “Yeah, especially my wardrobe. I swear, she wears my clothes more than I do.”

They were silent, each trying to figure out what they wanted to say.

“You know, when I was about three, I got up very early and spent an hour making breakfast for my father,” Solarin revealed. “I burnt the toast, the eggs were like rubber, the sausages were frozen in the middle.” She laughed. “It was such a mess. But I did it all by hand, no magic. When I was done I took it up to him in bed. He took the tray and I said to him, ‘Look, daddy, I made you breakfast. I did it all by hand, I didn’t use any magic.’ He looked at me so strangely, and my mother beside him was so still.” She paused, remembering. “He told me to stop being silly, that I would always be a freak. That I had wasted food. When I got upset he gave me a black eye.”

Narcissa made a noise of protest in the back of her throat but Solarin just looked at her, smiling slightly.

“You didn’t think that this is the first set of bruises he’s ever given me, did you?” she asked the blonde, indicating her black and blue face, and Narcissa shook her head.

“I just didn’t expect you to reveal a story like that to me. Why are you telling me?” Narcissa enquired cautiously.

“I was just remembering and you happen to be here with me.”

“Oh.”

The augur smiled sadly and finished her tale.

“Severus came home for the holidays, and my mother told him of the breakfast incident. Spinners End was near an old factory, I think it made chairs or something. Severus used to spend a lot of time there. When he heard of the breakfast disaster, he took me there and said that I could do any magic that I wanted.” She looked directly into Narcissa’s eyes, finding the blue ones fixed on her. “We spent most of the summer there, me doing all these weird and wonderful things. Severus praised me for every single act of magic I did.”

She reached for the bag, pulling it closer to her.

“I think that’s why I don’t feel anything about Tobias anymore. I had Severus. I never needed anyone else,” she reasoned, opening the bag.

She pulled out clothes, chucking them at the bed. Toiletries were added to it. But at the bottom of the bag she found two items that made her stop in her tracks.

She picked them up and left the room without a single word, making her way to the kitchen and sitting at the table. She lay the objects on the scarred wood and stared at them. The first object was a book that had belonged to their mother. It had pictures of the Prince family members, it was a scrapbook of memories. But the box made Solarin’s blood boil, made fire dance along her fingertips. She was leaving scorch marks on the table but she couldn’t stop.

The sun was rising before she was joined by another. Two others.

“Solarin?”

She couldn’t answer, couldn’t speak. What could she possibly say?

“Sol, are you all right?”

How could he have kept them all these years? All that time she and Severus had spent looking for them, and he had them all along. What was there to say?

“Go get Bill and Severus.”

All the years she had spent questioning herself, all the times she had hated herself, hated what she was. All of it was wrapped up in that one little box. All the missing pieces of her life were in that one book. All along, he had them all along.

“Solarin? Sol, sweetheart, talk to me.”

She looked up into dark eyes, feeling warm strong hands on her shoulders.

“Sevus,” she whispered. A flash of red hair over his shoulder. Bill. Her boys. Her heroes.

“What is it, sweetheart? Come on, tell me,” Severus urged.

She grabbed the box and pushed it to him. He took one look at it and pulled her onto his lap, rocking her. Bill came forwards and she was passed to him, Severus sighing as he pulled the lid off of the battered metal box.

“Serena,” Severus muttered.

It was a trigger, a catalyst for her anger. That one little word sparked an anger in her that she couldn’t stop, couldn’t control. It filled her, searing through her veins, making her blood boil. It was more than she had ever felt before, and that girl had been the reason for all of it. If Serena hadn’t been the way she was, Solarin never would have hated herself. It was all her fault. Blue electricity began to dance over her skin as she began to lose herself in her fury.

“Severus,” Bill said uncertainly, feeling something rise in his girl, something so strong it was overwhelming. He couldn’t even identify what it was, it was too strong. He had never felt something so powerful.

Severus looked up to see Solarin shaking in pure unadulterated rage. Severus had never seen her so angry and he knew that this was not good. He turned to Sirius, who had come and woken him and Bill, and ordered him to unlock the door to the garden, the only space that could possibly handle whatever she was about to throw out. Sirius ran from the room and Severus ordered Remus to call Moody and Dumbledore immediately. He took a slim arm and Bill took the other, the two of them guiding her to the door Sirius was holding open.

They set her down in the middle of the overgrown field sized garden and retreated back inside, closing the door behind them. They watched her from the window.

She was still for a moment and then she exploded.

Literally.

The whole house shook with the force of it, and all the plants in the garden were incinerated. Her cry, amplified by her magic, woke everyone in the house, and they all came barrelling down the stairs to investigate. They watched her eruption in shock, and Mad-Eye placed a hand on Severus’ shoulder.

“It’s been a long time coming, Severus. You did the right thing by putting her in the garden,” Moody praised.

Severus pulled Harry into his arms and held him as she collapsed, screaming for all she was worth. Small areas of dirt were thrown up in the air as she continued to meltdown, and her whole body was engulfed by bright blue flames.

“Why is she like that?” Harry asked nervously, Miri silent in his arms. The rage was far to big for the baby to comprehend, so she snuggled against her carrier, yawning sleepily. Harry had grabbed her in his panic, so she was still half asleep.

Severus held up a battered photo for Harry to see. It was of Severus, baby Solarin and another girl. The Severus in the photo could not have been more than fourteen, Solarin no more than a year, and the girl was, in Harry’s estimate, about sixteen.

“The girl, her name is Serena. Was Serena. She was my older sister. She was a Squib,” Severus explained. “She died a week after this was taken, car accident. My father never hit Serena, never yelled at her. Serena was his angel because she was a Squib. After she died, Tobias never let me and Sol forget her. Sol has always felt that, if she was like Serena, Tobias would have loved her too. In her mind, she has lived in Serena’s shadow her whole life, that one Squib girl making Sol hate everything about her abilities. She has been angry about Serena her whole life, bottling it up.”

“So, she’s getting it all out?” Harry asked, Bill peering at the photo briefly before he returned to watching the elder augur.

“Yes. She will feel much better when she is done. We just wait, let her vent it all.”

They watched her for a while before Remus spoke.

“Now we can have your birthday in the garden, Harry. Sol has cleared it for us.”

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Severus propped himself up on one elbow and watched Harry sleep, the brunet snuggled against his chest. Harry shifted in his slumber and Severus ran a hand down his back, soothing him. Harry rubbed his nose along the chest and then settled once more, his hand coming to lay on Severus’ ribs.

It had been a calm week for the family after Solarin had exploded. They had spent the week enjoying each others company, talking more than anything. Arthur and Molly had spent the week doing up the demolished garden, and it was now an Eden.

Solarin had remained her old self, but she was somehow lighter now. Her smiles were no longer faked and her temper seemed to have settled somewhat, though she still had her moments.

The only major change was Narcissa’s absence from the house. Albus had finally admitted defeat in trying to get Phoenix to talk with her mother, and he had employed her at Hogwarts as his secretary. It was the best he could do at such short notice, but no one was complaining, not even Narcissa. The job came with lodgings in Hogwarts itself. No one had been sad to see her go.

Severus caressed the soft skin under his hands, Harry moaning in his sleep and trying to get closer. An impossibility as there was no space left between them, but to Severus it seemed as if Harry was trying to burrow under his skin, so close that they could never be separated. He liked it. He leaned down and kissed the lightening bolt scar, Harry humming in contentment. Severus called his name softly, waking him.

“Morning,” Harry mumbled sleepily.

“Good morning,” Severus said, the green eyes blinking open to look up at him.

“What time is it?”

“A little before five.”

Harry glanced confusedly at the clock and then at the baby monitor. “Why are you waking me so early if Miri isn’t asking to be fed?” Harry asked in concern. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine. I just wanted to give you a birthday gift before everyone else awoke.”

Harry sat up and rubbed his eyes as Severus placed a box on his lap. He grinned at it and kissed his husband. “What is it?” Harry asked excitedly, running his fingers along the red ribbon.

“Open it and see,” Severus teased, plucking a smaller box from his nightstand.

Harry pulled at the ribbon and ripped off the green paper, opening the box he found.

“A Pensieve?” Harry asked, tracing the runic engravings on the bowl with his thumb.

“Yes. This goes with it,” Severus said, handing him the smaller box. Harry opened it to find a tiny vial of swirling white memory.

“Who’s memory is it?”

“Mine. It is something I want you to see, something you deserve to see.”

Harry stared at the tiny bottle, rubbing the smooth glass with his thumb. Severus was going to show him one of his memories? Why? What was it of?

“Why?” Harry asked. “Why do you want me to see it?”

“Because you asked for it,” Severus said simply. “You asked for your parents for your birthday. This is the closest I could get.”

Harry’s jaw dropped and he held the vial up to the faint morning light. It was such a tiny bottle, it could only contain one memory.

“Will you come with me to look at it?” Harry asked, picking at the sealing wax.

“If you want me to.”

“I do.”

Severus kissed him and uncorked the bottle, pouring the contents into the Pensieve where they swirled, not quite liquid, but not quite gas either. Severus sat patiently, waiting for Harry to enter the memory. It was Harry’s choice to look at it. No matter how much Severus wanted him to see it, he would not force Harry to view it.

Harry took a deep breath and leaned forwards, the tip of his nose dipping into the cold substance. He felt himself pulled in, and then he was falling, tumbling down into the past.

He landed on his feet in a tiny living room. The room was well kept and had the appearance of being loved. It was painted Slytherin green. There was a teddy bear lying on the sofa, and a tiny pair of socks lying on the coffee table. A blue pair of child’s shoes were lying beside the sofa. Harry could see the kitchen from where he stood, it was part of the living room, separated by only a breakfast bar.

Severus landed beside him and Harry slipped his hand into the larger one, feeling the slim fingers entwine with his.

“Where are we?” Harry asked.

“We are in Hogsmeade. This is where me and Solarin lived when we were younger, after I gained custody of her. Before this we lived in a little bed-sit for a few months. Albus helped us to sort out the lease of this cottage,” Severus clarified and Harry peered around, taking in the child’s drawings framed and mounted on the walls, the potion ingredients sitting on a section of the kitchen counter. Through the glass kitchen door he could see a garden gone wild, magical and muggle plants all twining together. To Harry’s right was an open wooden door, which he assumed led to the other rooms, and behind him was the front door. There were small windows letting in warm summer sunshine. To Harry’s left was a fireplace, small framed photos placed on the mantle.

As Harry opened his mouth to speak, a tiny Solarin in nothing but her knickers scampered in and hid behind the sofa, giggling. In her arms was the doll the older Solarin had showed him. It was wearing a yellow dress and someone had put its black hair in pigtails. A moment later, a young Severus entered, carrying a blue sleeveless summer dress. He could not have been more than twenty. He looked irritated but he was smiling, so Harry supposed she must have done this often. Harry and adult Severus stepped back to watch the scene play out.

“Solarin, come out. If you do not get dressed, we will be late,” Severus said, hands on hips. He sighed. “Well, if you do not want to go, I suppose I shall call Albus and cancel.”

She came hurtling out, throwing herself at him. He grabbed her and swung her high, tickling her. The two of them looked so relaxed.

Severus sat down on the sofa and Solarin stood before him, letting him wriggle her into the dress. She sat on his lap obediently as he slipped on her socks and shoes, and then brushed and braided her hair. She was wriggling in excitement, twiddling the pigtails of her doll. Harry noticed it was almost as big as she was.

“You take too long, Sevus,” she complained, poking the end of his nose, and Harry giggled at her baby voice.

“Well, we would be ready by now if you hadn’t decided to play hide and seek,” Severus reasoned.

Harry turned to his Severus. “Solarin really has always been short, hasn’t she?” he asked, and Severus smiled at him.

“Yes, she has. Don’t say that to her, though. She takes great offence at only being five feet tall,” Severus advised and they turned their attention back to the memory.

Solarin had scampered to the window, walking right through Harry, and was peering out, waiting for something. The something arrived moments later and she began to jump up and down excitedly.

“He’s here! He’s here!” she called and Severus threw down the copy of the Daily Prophet he was reading. He scooped her up, grabbing her doll as it slipped from her arms, and left the room, Harry and adult Severus following.

Severus and Solarin made their way to the carriage waiting outside their front gate and climbed in, Solarin clambering into Hagrid’s huge lap. Hagrid chuckled and let her grip the reins of the thestral pulling it.

Harry and adult Severus climbed in the back, and all of them were transported up to Hogwarts. Harry followed, his hand still clutching his husbands, as Severus and Solarin made their way through the castle and up to Dumbledore’s office.

Severus set Solarin on her feet and gave her the once over, fastening a button on her dress that had managed to escape his notice. He took her hand and knocked.

Harry watched in amazement as Severus and Solarin entered, Severus going forwards to meet a woman holding a baby. Harry’s jaw dropped as he realized he was looking at his mother. It was him she was holding.

“You’re showing me this?” Harry breathed, Severus’ arms coming around him from behind.

“Yes. I wanted you to see it. You have no memory of her. I felt that you should see her at least, that you should get to see the last time I saw her. I have no good memories of your father, so this was the best I could do,” Severus explained.

Harry pulled him in for a kiss before he turned to watch the memory play out.

Solarin ran forwards to barrel into Albus’ arms, the old wizard lifting her miniscule weight easily and asking her how she was that morning.

Severus approached Lily and stood awkwardly for a moment before she adjusted baby Harry on her hip and leaned in to hug him. He hugged her back, careful not to crush the infant gazing around curiously.

“Hello, Sev. How are you?” she asked. Her voice had been soft, gentle. She smiled gently at Severus.

“I am very well. How are you?” he asked, smiling back at her, glancing at baby Harry.

She laughed and, to Harry, it was beautiful. It was light and sweet. “Tired. A baby is no easy job,” she joked, bringing baby Harry forwards so his green eyes could catch sight of Severus. “Sev, this is my son, Harry.” She looked at Harry. “Harry, this is Severus, mummy’s friend. Say hello.”

Harry stared at Severus for a moment before he reached out his arms to him, asking to be held. Severus glanced to Lily for permission and, on her nod, he took Harry into his arms.

“Hello, Harry,” Severus said and Harry uttered a true baby ‘haro’, waving his little hand. He reached up and grabbed Severus’ hair, yanking on it, giggling.

“Some things never change,” adult Severus muttered in his ear and Harry grinned.

Younger Severus expertly freed his hair and smiled at Harry, looking down as Solarin tugged on his trouser leg. She was tugging at her braid and appeared nervous.

“Can I play with the dolly? It would look pretty in my dolly clothes. I’ll swap you,” she asked quietly, holding up her doll to Severus.

Severus bit his lip to keep from laughing and handed Harry back to Lily, crouching down so he was closer to Solarin’s level.

“Sol, this is not a dolly. This is a baby, a real person, like you and me,” Severus explained and she peered at Harry interestedly, hugging her doll. It hugged her back.

“So I can’t play with him?” Solarin asked.

“No, you can play with him, but you have to be gentle with him. He is a lot more easy to break than your doll.”

Severus stood as she nodded. She hid behind Severus leg as she noticed who was holding Harry. Lily smiled at her and she hid her face.

“Why is she doing that?” older Harry asked his Severus. “Sol isn’t like that now.”

“No, she is not. You are seeing Sol at seven years old. She was not yet broken of all her timid behaviour. She still had some lingering effects of Tobias at this point. She had only met Lily once before, she was unsure of her this time,” Severus explained and Harry nodded, watching the tiny augur chew her lip and scuff the floor with the toe of her shoe as Lily set Harry on his feet.

Baby Harry began to toddle away as Lily crouched down to talk to Solarin.

“Hello, Sol. Do you remember me?” she asked and Solarin nodded, still tugging at her hair. “That’s good, because I remember you. You’re the special little girl and you like things to be blue. I like your dress.”

It seemed to be some kind of trigger, because Solarin grinned and, suddenly, Lily’s hair was blue. Severus paled as Lily peered at her hair before laughing.

“I see you do remember me,” Lily joked. “That is a very clever trick. What a clever little witch you are. Can you change it back? Are you clever enough to do that?”

A blink from Solarin and her hair was auburn again. “I like it blue. It looks pretty,” Solarin stated.

“Well, it is very pretty blue, but I think my husband would much prefer it to be red. He likes it that way,” Lily explained.

“Oh. I suppose that’s all right then. I’ll leave it the way it is.”

Lily smiled and glanced around, leaping up and grabbing Harry as he made an attempt to reach for Fawkes the phoenix, who had been strutting around on the floor. Fawkes cried out, flying up to his perch and looking offended, and Lily carried Harry over to the two brunettes. She knelt down, holding Harry to her even though he was on his own two tiny feet. Older Harry noticed that he and Solarin had been roughly the same size despite the six year age gap, she had been that small.

“Solarin, this is Harry. He’s my little boy,” Lily introduced and Solarin stared at Harry for a moment, her mind working.

“You’re his mummy?” she asked.

“Yes, I am.”

“And you take care of him, like Sevus takes care of me?”

“Yes.”

Solarin tilted her head to the side, staring at the baby boy, before she took Harry’s little hand in her own and shook it.

“Hello, Harry. I’m Sarin,” she said, mangling her own name.

Harry shrieked and pushed forwards, grabbing her hair. She grinned and pulled gently at his and he laughed.

“Shall we go outside?” Severus asked, picking up his little brunette as Lily grabbed hers.

“Good idea. They can break far too many things in here. Albus had the house elves set up a picnic by the Quidditch pitch for us,” she said and the two of them waved to Dumbledore before making their way from the room.

The two adults made their way through the hallways in silence, the two little ones wriggling to try and get down.

Harry and Severus followed them, Harry impressed by the two managing to keep hold of the little ones through their squirming.

“Sol was so sweet,” Harry commented and Severus snorted.

“She had her moments,” he agreed.

“It’s a shame I can’t remember this. It looks like a fun day,” Harry said.

“A shame. That is why I am showing it you. Are you enjoying it?”

Harry nodded and returned to his gift as the four reached the blanket. Solarin and Harry began to toddle off together, before they were grabbed by Severus. Older Harry sat down a little way from the blanket and watched, older Severus sitting behind him and pulling him to lean against his chest.

“Sol, what did I tell you about Harry?” Severus asked, holding a child in each arm.

“He’s not a doll and he breaks real easy so I have to be gentle,” she recited.

“Good girl. Now, don’t wander too far from the blanket, stay where we can see you.”

“We will. Can we go play now?”

“Yes.”

Severus released them and Solarin took Harry’s hand, the little girl going slow so Harry could keep up with her on his unsteady little legs. They stopped a few metres away from their guardians and Solarin glanced at Severus, who nodded. Lily laughed beside him.

Solarin sat Harry down and moved a little way from him, conjuring a ball of light that changed colour. She sat down and rolled it to him. He squealed in delight and pushed it back, the little augur smiling from ear to ear at having someone to play her games with her.

“You worry too much, Sev. What trouble could they possibly get into?” Lily asked, sniggering.

“You have only ever seen Sol in a good mood. Trust me, you will want to keep an eye on her,” Severus said evasively, avoiding her gaze.

Lily sighed. “He’s not coming to take her from you, Severus. You can relax once in a while, you know,” she soothed and he hung his head.

He rubbed the back of his neck and picked up Solarin’s doll. He ran his fingers over the dress and stared at his sister, who was making twigs dance for Harry’s amusement.

“I worry about her. What kind of life is it for her, being what she is? I was perhaps wrong in letting her run wild with it. What if she cannot be reigned in?” Severus questioned. Lily stayed silent, smiling gently at him as he reeled off his worries. “What if she never learns to control it? And what if she never learns to appreciate it for what it is? It is a gift but because of that fucking man she doesn’t see it that way. She refuses to do her clairvoyance lessons, and Mad-Eye is the only one who can truly control her, she even plays up for Albus. What if I am doing it wrong?”

Lily pulled him in for a hug as he finished. “You know what I think? I think that you worry too much. Remember last time? She couldn’t, or wouldn’t, change my hair back. You had to do it,” Lily reassured. “Look at what she’s doing, Sev. She has a lot of control already. She couldn’t control herself that way when I saw her last.”

Severus glanced at his friend before letting his eyes land on the two children. Solarin was floating flowers, making them dance around Harry, who kept trying to grab them.

“She will learn to love what she is, truly love it. And it is only natural that she would have her rough moments, considering her experiences. Just give her time, she’ll come into her own. And as for the lessons, she is just stubborn. Reminds me of another Snape I know,” she teased and he snorted.

“Well, what of Harry? That child looks suspiciously like an arrogant Gryffindor that I love to loathe,” he teased and she chuckled at him. “I cannot believe you not only married that swine, but you had offspring with him. Are you sure Harry even qualifies as human life?”

She slapped his arm as he grinned at her shocked expression. “I’ll thank you to not call my son ‘offspring’, and James is a good man.”

Severus pointed to the clear blue sky. “Oh look, a flying pig,” he said sarcastically and she huffed in annoyance.

“Are we going to spend the rest of the afternoon bickering about James? Because if we are I don’t see the point in me coming to see you,” she mumbled and he pulled her in for a hug.

“I don’t mean it. It’s just me and James, you know we’ll never get along. Just tell me he makes you happy,” he said and she smiled, relaxing into the hug.

“He makes me very happy, Sev. I am very happy with him.”

“And is he a good father?”

“Very good. Almost as good a parent as you are,” she praised. “I don’t think any of us could truly handle that girl. I’m impressed by your parenting skills.”

He smiled. “Thank you. I will admit I have help with her, though.”

“I’m not surprised. I’m just glad James hasn’t met her. Glad for you, I mean. Can you imagine the pranks she’d be pulling if they met?” she said, horrified. “Now that would be a problem child.”

They laughed, grimacing at thoughts of what James could teach the little mischief maker.

“She did make a very strange prediction the other day, when Mad-Eye actually managed to get her to do her lesson,” Severus admitted.

“What did she tell you?” Lily asked, nibbling on a sandwich.

“She told me that I would be very happy if I was married to James Potter.”

Severus shuddered while Lily choked on her bite of ham sandwich. “You’re pulling my leg,” she insisted, taking a sip of pumpkin juice.

“I wish.”

Lily looked thoughtful and then grinned wickedly. “Maybe she was merely off by a generation. Maybe she meant Harry.”

This time it was Severus’ turn to choke on the bite of cucumber he had just taken and Lily had to clap him on the back. He gasped in much needed air and looked at her, horrified.

“Not to divulge too much, but I would like to get laid sometime this decade, thank you,” he said and she dissolved into a fit of giggles. “You are a horrific woman, do you know that? Me and Harry? You’re barking mad. He’s a baby. And he’s related to James bloody Potter. Not a good combination. He’ll probably end up a Gryffindor to boot. No way, not in a million years.”

She was still laughing, tears rolling down her face, and Solarin glanced up at her, her distracted attention causing the ball of light to bonk Harry on the head. He blinked in surprise before screeching at her in protest. She looked back to the game and tottered over to him, rubbing his head and apologising. She conjured a smaller ball of light, a bright Gryffindor red, and passed it to him, Harry waving it about in delight.

Severus glared at her as she stopped laughing.

“It was only a suggestion,” Lily offered and he took a bite of carrot stick to keep himself from saying something he would regret.

“How is James? And his miscreant acquaintances?” Severus asked after a moment, changing the subject. It was probably not the best subject to choose, though.

“James is pissed off that I would come to see you. Sirius and Remus are dong very well, they just got themselves a little flat in London. They’re loving being out from living with Remus’ parents. All three think I’m mad to bring Harry to meet you. Peter’s too busy working all the time to pass comment, which I’m thankful for. Three of them is bad enough. Honestly, you boys never change. James told me this morning that you probably spend your time warming the Dark Lord’s bed, little sod,” she said angrily and Severus paled, looking away in shame. Her eyes narrowed in suspicion and disbelief. “Is it true? Are you sleeping with him?”

Her question was quiet, he could have ignored it if he had chosen, but he answered her.

“Not out of choice,” he mumbled and she looked horrified at what he was implying.

Older Harry turned his head and captured his husbands lips, the kiss sweet and gentle. Severus kissed him back and hugged him tighter.

“I’m sorry,” Harry said softly. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

“Don’t be. It is not your fault. It was not mine either. Both of us have been the playthings of evil men, so I consider it to be a blessing that we have each other now. Besides, my experiences allow me to understand yours better. We are together, that is all that matters now,” Severus said, brushing Harry’s fringe from his forehead and kissing his scar. Harry grinned.

“I thought you didn’t want to be with me?” he asked innocently and Severus laughed.

“I did not know you then. And you must admit there is a rather large age gap between us. I was younger then, and you were a baby. Also, my own prejudices against your father may have been clouding my judgement,” Severus reasoned. “It did seem like an insane prediction at the time.”

Harry kissed him once more before returning to his birthday present.

“Why would you stay if he does that to you, Severus? Why would you put yourself through that? I know you have your reasons for becoming a Death Eater in the first place, even if you won’t tell me what they are, but there is no reason on earth for you to go through that,” Lily questioned.

“I joined so he would stay away from Sol,” Severus admitted. “If I am his slave, he will stay away from her. Can you imagine what his mind would do to her? And how much he would use her? Can you picture how much sway he would have were he to have her in his grasp, how he would manipulate her? I joined to protect her. It is also the reason I put up with it. I remain a slave, and a spy for the Order, to protect her. I would not do it for any other reason.”

Lily’s mouth worked soundlessly as she stared at the tiny girl playing with her son. “She really does mean everything to you, doesn’t she?”

He looked at her, his black eyes boring into her green ones. “Doesn’t Harry mean everything to you? What would you do to keep him safe?” Severus asked and she froze.

Harry knew his mother was realizing that her hiding under the Fidelius Charm was no different to Severus being a slave to Voldemort. They were both doing what they had to.

“She is safe, that is all that matters to me. When I cannot be with her, when I am summoned, Albus cares for her, she stays with him. It is not perfect, but I must consider what she is. A being like Sol needs a certain type of care. She must be protected. She has been done too much damage already. I will not let it happen again. I will do what I must to care for her,” Severus said firmly and Lily nodded, rubbing his shoulder in a show of understanding and support.

Lily took a deep breath; she seemed to be dredging up all of her Gryffindor courage. “Severus, you are my best friend. It’s for that reason I am about to ask you for a very big favour,” she said and he nodded for her to continue, munching on a stick of celery.

“If something should happen to me and James…if Harry arrives here at eleven and we are not around…will you watch over him?”

“What do you mean watch over him?” Severus asked. It was obvious that he did not need to question her not being around. It was clear to both of them that there was the real risk of baby Harry growing up without his parents.

Older Harry snuggled further into his husbands embrace, watching his mother ask the hardest question she had ever asked in her life.

“I mean, he does not just look like James, he has his moments when I am sure he is James’ clone. Can you imagine him being raised by Sirius and Remus? I love Sirius, I think he is a wonderful man, but he does like his pranks.”

“I remember all too well,” Severus snarled.

“I know you do.” She sighed, worrying her lower lip. “I want my son to be safe, Severus. He is a special little boy, more special than you could imagine. He needs watching over, he needs protecting. Protecting from himself, protecting from others. I know you will do that. I know I can trust you to keep him safe,” Lily said firmly and Severus peered at her.

“What do you mean, special?” Severus asked and she swallowed.

Older Harry realized that she had been about to tell her friend what he was. Harry held his breath, but she never revealed it, she merely covered her tracks.

“I mean the prophecy,” Lily said quietly and Severus looked guilty.

“I am so sorry, Lily. If I could have stopped him…”

“I know. It is not your fault, Sev. I don’t see how you could have stopped him ripping it out of your head. Albus told us what a state you were in when you returned from that meeting. I don’t blame you. And it cannot be changed now, so don’t feel so guilty about it,” she soothed. She hugged him and the two fell silent for a while.

Older Harry turned to peer at his husband. He found him staring sadly at the redhead of his past.

“I did not want to tell him, Harry. I overheard Sybil make the prophecy to Albus. Once the Dark Lord discovered I knew something, he ripped it from my mind. I tried to stop him, I really did…” Severus explained quietly.

Harry cut him off with a kiss. “I know. You had no choice. I understand. It was not your fault,” Harry reassured. He paused. “She was talking about me being a hermaphrodite, wasn’t she?”

“I believe so. I believe she lost her nerve at the last moment. I do not blame her. I am glad she did not tell me. The Dark Lord could have ripped that information out of my head also. I am thankful he never discovered your special status.”

Harry shuddered and kissed his husband. “I’m yours,” Harry said firmly. “Always yours.”

Severus smiled at him and kissed his neck, motioning to the memory. Harry returned to it, safe in his lovers embrace.

Lily pulled back and forced Severus to look her in the eye.

“Severus, if he arrives for his time at Hogwarts and we are not around, it is likely he will get himself into trouble. I just want to be able to relax, to know that he will not get himself killed. Will you watch over him and make sure he does not drown in the lake or blow himself up in potions? Will you make sure he does not accidentally kill himself playing some foolish prank?” she asked and Severus smiled at her.

“I will watch over him. I will not coddle him, he is, after all, James’ son. Let us not hope for a miracle. But I will make sure he does not meet a sticky end pulling some prank or through lack of concentration in potions. I will watch over him for you,” Severus promised and she smiled, Severus pulling her into his arms for a hug of reassurance. When they pulled back, both of their eyes were swimming with tears. “Those children should eat something.”

Severus called for Harry and Solarin and the two of them came toddling over, hand in hand. Lily burst into peals of laughter as she caught sight of her son and Severus groaned.

Harry’s hair was blue, and his skin was red and green striped. Solarin had even changed his clothes to a bright pink.

“Sol, change him back right now,” Severus ordered as soon as they stepped onto the blanket, Harry walking over to plop down in his mothers lap, babbling away to her.

“But I was gentle with him,” Solarin said, sitting in Severus’ lap and taking the sandwich Lily offered to her. “And he looks pretty like this.”

“Yes, I know you were, and he does look very…colourful, but I’m sure Lily would like to take him home looking the same way he did when he arrived here,” Severus explained.

“But she’s smiling. She doesn’t look mad,” Solarin reasoned, slightly muffled through her bite of sandwich.

“Don’t talk with your mouth full,” Severus instructed automatically. He sighed. “Sol, I know that you changing the way he looks is a very clever trick. You are very special to be able to do that. But it is time to change him back.”

Solarin stared at Harry for a moment before she nodded. A moment later and he was back to his original appearance, gnawing happily on a carrot stick that Lily had given him.

“Good girl,” Severus praised.

The afternoon passed smoothly, and as the sun began to set Dumbledore made his way over to the four on the blanket, holding a camera.

Older Harry watched as the four stood for the picture, as Dumbledore assured them he would get them both a copy. All too soon, Harry and Severus were following the memory figures back to Dumbledore’s office. Lily gave Solarin the blue dress for her doll, the little girl practically glowing as she immediately began to change the toy, and promised Severus that she and Harry would visit just before Christmas. Harry watched sadly as his mother said goodbye to Severus and Solarin, the two Snape’s saying their own farewells. And then she was gone.

Harry found himself sitting in bed, Severus sitting beside him and pulling the memory back into its bottle. Harry sat silently as Severus placed the Pensieve on the dresser, the vial beside it, before he climbed back into bed. Harry glanced at the clock. It was half five. They had been gone only half an hour, but to Harry it felt like a lifetime.

“Are you all right, Harry? Should I not have shown it to you?” Severus asked quietly and Harry shook his head.

“No, I love it. It was a wonderful gift. It’s just sad that she made plans to see you again and she never got to do them,” Harry mumbled. Severus pulled him into his arms and lay them down, cradling Harry against his chest. “I understand why you wanted me to have it in private. Can I look at it again some other time?”

“You can look at it whenever you want, love. It is yours to keep,” Severus said and Harry smiled.

Harry sniggered. “You were right, you were a neurotic parent back then. You had the same worries that I do,” Harry said. “I like knowing that.” Harry snuggled closer, resting his head against the strong chest to hear the steady beat of Severus’ heart. “She asked you to watch over me. You never told me that you watched me because she asked.”

“Well, now you know. I saved you in your first year because of the debt I owed your father, but I continued to protect you because your mother asked me to. Does our past make sense to you now?” Severus asked.

“Yes. I like knowing that you’ve always been there, making sure I didn’t get myself killed. Nothing has really changed, you’re still protecting me. You seem to be very good at it. Must be years of practice.”

Severus hummed in agreement and Harry slipped his hand under the t-shirt Severus had slept in, circling a nipple. Severus gasped in surprise and Harry took the opportunity to kiss him, snaking his tongue inside.

“I want to thank you for your gift. I love it,” Harry said suggestively against his lips and Severus smiled. Harry grabbed his wand and spelled away their clothes.

“You are getting very good at misusing your magic,” Severus commented as Harry placed his wand on his bedside cabinet.

“I am, aren’t I? But you have to admit, I do it to get very good effects,” Harry said as he reached down and cupped Severus’ hardening member.

“Oh, I like the effects,” Severus moaned, clutching Harry’s hip.

They were on their sides, facing one another, and Harry stole another kiss, taking Severus’ hand and bringing it down between his thighs. He hooked one leg over Severus’ hip and ran his fingers through his hair.

“Check,” Harry instructed and Severus wandlessly summoned the lube, coating his fingers with it before dropping the tube between them. He slipped his hand down and kissed his husband as he stroked him, making Harry moan and thrust into his hand. He nibbled his neck as he slipped a finger into him, finding him wet with anticipation, Harry groaning. He eased in another and felt a grin break across his face as Harry pushed down for more. He moved, stroking the inside of Harry’s body and Harry smiled at him.

“I think you’re ready, love,” Severus said and Harry sighed in relief.

“Finally. Can you claim me now?”

“Yes, I can claim you now.”

“At long last,” Harry said and pulled Severus into a kiss, fiery and possessive. He pushed Severus onto his back and straddled his hips, leaning down to keep the kiss going, their tongues duelling.

Severus grabbed the lube and coated his tumescent shaft. It had been a long time since they had joined and he didn’t want there to be any pain on Harry’s part. He slipped gentle fingers into him, stroking the tender flesh, spreading the slick gel as he teased his lover. He moved himself into position and froze. He managed to catch himself from sinking into that tight heat as he remembered that Harry’s potion would not be ready until tomorrow. Harry was still unprotected. He broke the kiss and reached for his wand, Harry looking at him in surprise.

“What are you doing?” Harry asked, his hands splayed across Severus’ chest. He could feel Severus poised below him, why hadn’t Severus told him he was ready? Why was Severus holding his wand? Why was he still waiting, damn it?

“Contraceptive charm,” Severus said and Harry nodded, chewing his lip to keep himself patient. Severus cast the spell and watched as Harry glowed blue briefly. Harry giggled.

“It tickles,” Harry explained and Severus smiled at him, chucking his wand away to land somewhere across the room. He kissed Harry’s wrist.

“I’m ready for you now, love.”

Harry grinned and sunk down slowly, the two of them moaning. Harry lay down on Severus chest as he waited for his body to adjust, Severus stroking his spine with one hand and gripping his thigh with the other. It was heaven, the feel of Severus inside him once again, knowing that there was nothing in the whole world that felt as good as being claimed by his lover. He wriggled experimentally and found no discomfort, so he kissed the broad chest and sat up, smiling at his lover. He began to move, slowly at first, taking his time. He sighed as Severus’ hands gripped his hips, guiding him.

“Too long,” Harry moaned, his eyes fluttering shut. “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too, love,” Severus agreed, his knees coming up as the green eyes opened to lock with his onyx ones. Oh God, the heat, the pressure, the sinful feel of Harry moving on him, around him. It was practically too much, and he almost lost it right there and then. The sight of Harry’s fluid arching, the feel of his hands gripping Severus’ shoulders, the sound of his breathy moans. God, Severus had missed it so much, he could barely contain himself. Neither of them would last very long, he knew that, they were much too desperate for that. But it was enough for now just to be able to join. Severus began to thrust up to meet him, Harry’s cries getting louder at the movement. Thank Merlin for one way Silencing Charms. They could hear noises from outside the room, but no one could hear them. A blessing, with Harry’s ex-con and werewolf fathers within hearing distance.

Harry gasped, trying to make it last, to hold himself back. But it had been too long, he couldn’t. The other things they had done, the oral sex, the bathtub, the touches and caresses, they had been good. Not good enough, though. Nothing was good enough to match this. This was a whole other level of pleasure and Harry loved it, loved the feel of Severus inside him, of those hands on his hips.

Severus grit his teeth, forcing himself to hold back. Harry needed this, needed him. Oh Merlin, that pale skin under his hands, that tight heat. No. He would wait, hold back until Harry was there with him, until Harry was shaking and screaming with the force of it. Oh, those moans, those fingers tangled in his hair. No. He would restrain himself from getting there before him. They had waited so long for it, he would not waste it with his neglected libido. His pleasure belonged to Harry, he would hang on. But when Harry kissed him, he was sorely tested.

Harry moaned and pulled Severus in for a kiss, the two of them moving faster, harder, more desperate. Harry shifted, trying to make it last. All he managed to do was drive Severus deeper, making him throw his head back and call his lovers name in delight. He didn’t even care about his embarrassment, not now, not this time.

“Severus, please, I need it,” Harry cried out, Severus moaning in agreement. He felt the mans hand move, grab his own and wrap it around himself. Harry knew the way to do it now, Severus had guided him in it many times. He stroked himself, rubbing his thumb over the head the way Severus had shown him. And then there was Severus’ finger, rubbing him, his balls cradled in Severus’ palm. And that was it, he lost himself, swept away in the tidal wave of bliss that only his husband could bring, only with his gentle claiming.

Severus screamed at the tight clenching of Harry around him, the sound of his lover crying out his name in pleasure, the sight of Harry losing himself. Severus let himself go, let himself get pulled into it. He felt his seed erupt, filling his sweet Harry, and he gasped, trying to remember how to breathe. Harry collapsed on his chest and Severus wrapped his own shaking arms around the trembling frame, his body trying to pull in oxygen.

Later, much later, they finally regained some margin of competency and Harry shifted, causing Severus to slip from his body. Harry moaned at the loss, suddenly feeling empty.

“That was wicked,” Harry said.

“Exquisite. It was well worth the wait, in my opinion,” Severus agreed, rolling them to their sides, not willing to let go of Harry just yet. Harry had his fingers tangled in Severus’ hair, one of his legs thrown over Severus’ hip. Severus couldn’t stop running his hand along the bare curve of his side, accentuated by the rise of Harry’s hip. His other hand was trapped under Harry’s head, and he let his fingers toy with the soft raven tresses.

“Definitely worth it.” Harry glanced at the clock. Damn, they had been at it for an hour and a half. How had they managed to make it last that long? “We should get up and get dressed. Well, after a shower. Miri will want feeding in twenty minutes. I swear, that girl has better timekeeping than you do,” Harry said, sliding his hand down Severus’ sweaty back.

Severus chuckled. “We can shower together,” he said suggestively and Harry kissed him.

‘Best birthday morning I’ve ever had,’ Harry thought to himself as they eased themselves under the hot water.

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

Harry found himself sat at the breakfast table surrounded by more gifts than he had ever been given before. He felt for sure that they would outnumber all the other gifts he had ever received and then some. He stared in disbelief at them, Severus smiling at his shock. The whole of their odd family were gathered around the breakfast table, Arthur and Bill had even taken the day off work. Harry felt himself grow uncomfortable, so many people, so many gifts.

“They can’t all be for me,” Harry said quietly, feeling a blush rise.

“They are, love. They are all for you. Keep in mind you have a very large family now,” Severus said gently, watching him carefully.

“But I said I didn’t want a fuss. It’s too much just for me,” Harry mumbled and Severus pulled him onto his lap.

“Did you really think that anyone would listen when you said that? Harry, it is your seventeenth. Everyone wanted to make a fuss. We did not get to spend Christmas with you, we are making up for it. Will you, for once, let us make a huge commotion over you?” Severus reasoned and Harry shrugged, laying his head on his shoulder. “Harry, look at Sirius and Remus.” Harry glanced over to find them looking every inch the proud parents, even if Remus did still look sickly. “They want to make a big celebration of their boy on his coming of age.”

“I know but…”

Severus waited silently, the rest of their family talking amongst themselves to give Severus the time to soothe the Gryffindor with some semblance of privacy. Severus knew that Harry had low self esteem issues, years of living with the Dursley’s had seen to that. Harry honestly didn’t think he was worth all the trouble his family had gone to, no matter what Severus said to change his thinking. Severus wondered how he would handle the dinner.

Harry huffed. “I’ve never had a big birthday, I don’t know how to handle this,” Harry whispered.

“The trick is to sit back and enjoy it. You are the birthday boy, today is your day. Let Remus and Sirius do this, just allow them this one day. They will make the same fuss over Nixie’s seventeenth, it is not just you who is receiving this treatment. Just try to relax into it. And I am right here with you,” Severus instructed. Harry huffed and Severus grinned, moving down a different path. “You and I could celebrate something different.” Harry locked eyes with him and he leaned in to whisper in his ear. “We could celebrate that you are no longer jailbait.”

A moment of still silence and then Harry laughed. “All right, I will celebrate today,” Harry finally agreed. “But I don’t guarantee that I won’t find it too much at some point.”

Severus kissed him, letting him know that he could slip out at any time and compose himself. Harry smiled gently at him, choosing to stay in Severus’ lap. Severus felt it was acceptable that morning, it seemed to be the only way Harry would feel comfortable enough to deal with all the attention.

They turned to the rest of the room and Severus gave them all a nod.

Miri babbled away in Remus’ arms, her green eyes darting around at all the people, and she kept making an attempt to get to the bright packages on the table without success. Remus sipped his water and considered his own feelings as Harry chose to eat his breakfast before opening his gifts. He had been angry about Severus caring for Harry when he was first rescued, his inner wolf protesting wildly at the notion of someone else caring for his cub. And then the punch that Sirius had landed on Severus the morning after That Night. Remus couldn’t in all honesty say that he had acted well either. He could have stopped Sirius, he was faster and stronger than him, his senses were sharper, but he had chosen to allow Sirius to hit the Potions Master. His wolf flaring again.

Over the months, Remus had felt left out, abandoned, betrayed, angry, unsure, conflicted and possessive. But now he was feeling something else, something he hadn’t been able to give a name to before now.

Acceptance.

He finally accepted the situation, accepted Harry and Severus together. He, at long last, fully accepted that Severus was one of his pack, that Miri was. He found it was quite a nice feeling really, almost soothing. His wolf was calmer, at least. That was better than having it growling at him all the time. Now, if he could only get rid of the nausea, fatigue, short temper and sore abdomen, he would be absolutely peachy. His appointment with his healer was tomorrow morning, he just hoped he managed to keep his slice of birthday cake down later.

He returned his attentions to his cub as he finished his breakfast and took in a deep breath, staring at the huge pile, Severus whispering something to him that made him giggle.

“That one is from me and Remus, Harry,” Sirius said as Harry reached for the small box on top of the enormous stack. Harry opened it to find a gold wizarding wristwatch. “It is traditional for a wizard to receive a watch on his seventeenth. That one was your dads.”

Harry grinned and stood up, making his way around the table to hug the two men, muttering his thanks. He let Sirius fasten it around his wrist before he attacked the next gift. It took him quite a while to get through them all.

As well as the wristwatch, Harry received a huge box of Weasley Wizard Wheezes from Fred and George. They had also slipped some cherry flavoured lube into the box, which made Harry and Severus blush and bury it under some Skiving Snackboxes. Harry planned to thank the twins, somehow, when they arrived later.

From Ron and Hermione, he got a large selection of Honeydukes sweets and a muggle novel about a young woman who had been cursed with constant obedience. Harry found the strawberry fudge went quite well with his breakfast, even if Severus muttered about rotting his teeth.

Arthur and Molly gave him a Weasley jumper, seeing as he had forgotten his and it had been incinerated in the blaze of Spinners End, and a set of Quidditch balls, which must have cost them a fortune, but Arthur revealed that he had finally been promoted, so they had some extra money. Ron, Hermione and Ginny promised to break them in with him at the first opportunity they got. It would probably be a while, as Harry and the married Weasley’s had children that needed their attention.

Charlie gave him a set of dragon figurines that moved. It was like a mini dragon zoo. Harry thoroughly enjoyed watching the little Horntail chase the Swedish Shortsnout across the table. Ginny had included the little farm set to go with them and Harry couldn’t stop arranging the little dragons in their pens, though they kept escaping. How, he didn’t know, but they put up a fight when returned to their pens. It was funny, the tiny dragons trying to prove how tough they were, when all it did was make them look cuter.

Phoenix gave him a gift certificate to Florean Fortescues. Severus promised to take Harry one day soon, and Harry began to plan what he was going to order.

Severus gave him yet more gifts, as did Sirius and Remus. These ranged from a pram for Miri to a full set of new text books and potions equipment for his N.E.W.T.’s, an expensive set of quills and inks to a new journal. There was jewellery, a new broomstick maintenance set, books, clothes, things for Miri, sweets, and all manner of other things.

Miri thoroughly enjoyed the bright paper Sirius waved in front of her, flourishing it so it caught the light. She kept making grabs for it, trying to eat it.

Harry had thought he was done with all the gifts, until Bill and Solarin announced that theirs wasn’t ready yet and they would pick it up later. He had just begun to relax once more, when Tonks arrived with the twins, who grinned at his renewed blush. Tonks gave him a book on spells that changed a persons appearance. Mad-Eye and Dumbledore followed the three soon after, Mad-Eye giving him a new Sneakoscope. Dumbledore gave him a huge bag of Sherbet Lemons, a lion shaped gold pendant and a pair of socks, made by Dobby the house elf. Then Hedwig arrived with Hagrid’s gift of a new perch for Hedwig and Dumbledore announced that Harry’s fans had sent gifts for him to Hogwarts. Dumbledore assured him that he would sort through them, so he didn’t end up with two of anything, and find good homes for the excess. Harry couldn’t quite get his face to stop burning, and couldn’t dispel the urge to bolt from the room.

The only thing that helped was Severus. Every time Harry thought he might get up and walk out, having had enough, Severus would lean in and whisper ‘jailbait’ in his ear and Harry would laugh, able to endure all the attention for a little longer.

Harry tore his attention away from the tiny Chinese Fireball trying to catch its own tail to the owl that had just swooped in for him. It looked official, as if it had come from a post office. Harry removed the small box and thanked the owl with a piece of bacon. It was probably from Seamus and Dean, or maybe some member of Dumbledore’s Army. It was a rather small box, so he had no clue as to what it could possibly be.

He opened the box and his chest constricted, stopping the flow of air. His head started to spin, his heart pounded and he felt himself break out in a cold sweat. He stood shakily from the table and backed up, everyone watching him worriedly. He felt himself back into someone and flinched, fighting against the hands that had come up to steady him.

Severus looked up from his conversation with Moody to see Harry backing away from the table, fighting to breathe. Harry backed into Arthur and began to fight against him, panicking. What on earth was going on, Harry didn’t panic anymore. He hadn’t done so in weeks, months, not since Miri had arrived. And why was Harry rubbing at his wrists?

Severus was there in an instant, but Harry fought against him, too far gone in his panic to register who it was that was touching him. Severus moved back to the table, grabbing the box.

Lying inside were the manacles Lucius had used to restrain Harry and a note in his cursive scroll.

‘I’ll be seeing you, my little legend. Happy birthday.’

He quelled his own rising anger and passed the box to Sirius, muttering an explanation of what the manacles were used for, and the Animagus paled before he explained to the rest of the family. Severus crossed to his panicking husband, who had backed himself into the corner nearest the stove. He was curled up in a ball on the floor, hugging his knees. He was shaking, tears pouring from his terrified green eyes. Harry had not had a panic attack like this in months, not since Solarin had taken Lucius on in Enchantment. Harry had stopped having fits of terror like this. Damn Lucius.

“Harry? Harry, love, it’s Severus,” he said softly, Harry’s attention caught by his lovers name.

“Severus?” Harry gasped out, though he couldn‘t actually see him through his tears.

“Yes, love. It’s me. Come on, come and cuddle.”

Harry reached out a shaking hand and grabbed the front of Severus’ shirt, curling his fingers in the fabric. Slowly, Severus eased him out of his corner and pulled him into his arms, carrying him to the table and rocking him, breathing slow and deep so Harry would copy him.

“Why?” Harry whispered.

“To induce this panic, to ruin your day,” Severus said simply, stroking the dark hair.

“Bastard.”

“Yes, he is.” Severus turned to Dumbledore. “We need to stop this. That man has figured out a way to get to Harry, even if he can’t actually find him. We need to stop anonymous owls coming here.”

Dumbledore nodded, Moody mentioning that he would speak to the Auror’s about their search for the blond aristocrat.

Severus looked at Remus. “Harry opens no more post. Someone else opens it for him, I don’t care who, but someone else opens it before he reads it,” he instructed and Remus nodded.

Harry curled into Severus’ embrace, clutching at his shirt. Severus was holding him, rocking him, whispering soothing words in his ear between orders to other people, breathing slow and deep. Harry knew what he was trying to do, but it wasn’t working. Harry pulled back and latched his lips onto Severus’, his husband responding immediately. The kiss was everything he needed. It was soft and gentle, and yet it was deep and possessive. He was Severus’, always Severus’. He could breathe again, his heart had slowed. He felt rather proud of how well he had managed to make it go away this time.

“Lucius can’t have me,” Harry said angrily, his panic fading. “I’m yours, I belong to you. He can’t have me, you won’t let him.”

“Exactly, Harry. I will never let him take you from me. You are mine, always mine,” Severus agreed, impressed that Harry had regained his calm so quickly. There were no odd unconnected statements or questions this time. Quite the improvement.

Harry took a deep breath and glanced around the room, searching for his baby. She was safe in Remus’ arms, happily sucking on her thumb, a piece of shiny yellow ribbon in her free fist. She was safe, Remus wouldn’t let anything happen to her. Remus wouldn’t let anyone but Harry take her from him, Miri was safe.

“Give me the box,” Harry demanded, placing a hand over Severus’ mouth when he started to protest. “I’m all right. I need to do this. Give me the box.”

Harry wasn’t quite sure why he wanted to see it, but he knew he needed to. He couldn’t figure out why, but he was determined. Severus had taught him to follow his instincts.

Sirius cautiously handed the box to him and Harry put it on the table. He reached inside and picked up the note, running his fingers over the neat writing.

“I am a legend, but I’m not his,” Harry said firmly. “Sol, will you incinerate this for me?”

She nodded and conjured a bright blue flame in the palm of her hand, holding it out so he could feed the parchment into it. It blazed in an instant and Harry felt himself smile.

He reached for the manacles. He was surprised by the weight, he had forgotten how heavy they were. He glanced at the scars on his wrists, scars Lucius had caused with these restraints. The chain between the two circles of metal was thick, and there was a piece of brick attached to part of it. Lucius had probably ripped it off the wall when he discovered he was missing. Harry ran his fingers over the cold iron of the cuffs. The outside was rather smooth, but the inside was rough. Harry tilted it to get a better look and found that there were serrated ridges along the inside. Lucius had purposely chosen them to cause Harry pain, to cause the scars. Harry turned them over and over in his hands, looking at them from every angle. The room was silent and still, the whole family watching him.

“These are the restraints that Lucius used to keep me his prisoner,” Harry announced to the room, his voice calm and steady. “It took Draco an hour to figure out that they were magically sealed, even though he used his bare hands to try and yank them open, and it took Severus so many spells to break them, I thought he would run out of ideas. I wore these for almost five months straight while he tortured me, and he raped me, and he tried to break me.” He stroked the thick chain. “But I’m safe now. I’m home. Lucius is just a sick pathetic sadistic son of a bitch, and he is no more than a child playing games with me.”

He looked up to see everyone looking proudly at him. “Mad-Eye, when you catch him, can you make sure that he wears these?” Harry asked, passing him the shackles. Moody nodded and Harry fixed his attention on his parents. “Is it too late for me to have a party tonight?”

Remus and Sirius glanced at each other in surprise. “I don’t know, pup,” Remus said.

“I will arrange for Harry’s friends from school to come tonight,” Albus offered. “Give me a list of the guests you want, Harry, and I will contact them for you.”

“Molly’s cooked enough to feed an army,” Arthur put in. “There is enough food to feed all of Gryffindor tower.”

“I can supply the entertainment, provided I can be let loose on all those unused musical instruments in the attic,” Solarin said, and then her gaze fixed on Bill. “Would you and your wonderful brothers play them for me?” She was toying with his hair, running her fingertips along his neck and Harry realized that he didn’t stand a chance against her. Bill nodded and she kissed him in thanks, the curse breaker having to excuse himself from the room. Solarin grinned. “Music sorted.” Severus shuddered as they all realized she had been whispering naughty somethings into his head through the connection.

“We can deal with the decorations,” Fred said firmly, George nodding.

Harry smiled at them. “I want to celebrate today. I have a lot to celebrate, and I want to do it in style,” Harry said firmly and they all smiled at him. He turned to look at Severus. “I think I’d like to lie down first though, I feel a little lightheaded.”

Remus assured them that Miri would be fine with him for an hour or two, and Severus led him from the room, up to their bedroom, lying with him and holding him safe in his warm arms.

“Tell me again,” Harry whispered.

“You are mine, and I refuse to give you up. You are the best thing that has ever happened to me. Even if I do not deserve you, or the happiness you bring me, I will not let anyone take you from me. Especially Lucius,” Severus said firmly.

Harry smiled, sighing in contentment.

“You are mine,” Severus said possessively.

“I am yours.”

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Solarin slipped into the living room, finding the redhead she was searching for.

“Arthur, I wonder if you could charm this to work without electricity,” she said, setting the heavy box she carried on the floor.

Arthur glanced up from the piano he was retuning to peer at the strange picture on the packaging.

Arthur hadn’t been able to give his children very much in the way of money or possessions when they were young, but he had taught them all to play a musical instrument of their choosing. It was something he felt was important, for his sons and daughter to appreciate the beauty of music. It was an education that they would never receive at Hogwarts, and it was best learned young. Arthur’s father had taught him the piano and the violin, he felt music to be an appropriate family tradition. Bill and Percy played the piano, Charlie and Ron the guitar, Fred and George the drums, and Ginny the violin. It was quite the sound to behold when they all got together to play.

“What is it?” he asked, tilting the box to get a better look.

“It is a muggle karaoke machine. It plays muggle music that you can sing along with, it has a screen so you can see the words. I thought Harry might enjoy having muggle music at his party and I just know that you are the wizard with the know how to make it work,” she said, Arthur’s eyes lighting up at the word ‘muggle’.

“Don’t tell Molly,” he said, reaching for the box excitedly. He pulled out his muggle tools from his back pocket. He had taken to carrying them around with him, eager for any muggle paraphernalia that he might have the chance to dismantle.

“I wouldn’t dream of it.”

She settled in an armchair to watch him work, marvelling at his skill with it. They were all well aware that Molly didn’t like her husband tinkering with muggle devices, but Solarin loved it. There were many great things in the Muggle World, it seemed a shame to her that wizards could not enjoy them. She grinned at Arthur’s expression of sheer delight as he pulled out a microphone. She rather liked Arthur, he was a good man and smiled an awful lot. She found his obsession with muggles quite endearing.

“I know that your boys will be playing tonight but I thought it might be a nice addition. I got it while I was out getting Harry’s gift. Think I can convince Charlie to sing with me?” she asked as he started to dismantle the plug.

“Oh, I think you’ll manage it,” he said, glancing up at her. “I think you could even convince Bill to get over his stage fright.”

Arthur had always liked the strange little witch, ever since Bill had brought her to the Burrow one summer and she had proudly announced that she was half-blood when questioned. Arthur had spent that day restraining himself from monopolising her attentions, his brain buzzing with questions. Since they had all begun living in the same house, Solarin had patiently answered all of his questions, offering a few nuggets of information he hadn’t even considered.

She was a good match for his son, a perfect one, in his opinion. She managed to bring out a different side of him, a sweet, playful side that Arthur quite enjoyed. Bill had been so serious and quiet for the last few years, the years she had not been with him. There was a new fire in his son, and he knew that the augur was responsible. They seemed to be the golden couple. There was just one question Arthur had.

“Why have you and Bill never married?” he asked suddenly and her jaw dropped.

She took a few minutes to compose herself and then answered. “I love Bill, very much, but I have a thing about marriage. Severus has always said it would take a dragon on my tail to get me down the aisle. The idea of marriage makes me nervous. I didn’t even go to Severus and Harry’s wedding,” she revealed.

“Why?”

“My parents were married. I guess their idea of marriage has always stuck with me. I know that Bill would never hurt me, if anything he would forever treat me to roses and chocolates. But I’ve never really got my head around the whole idea.” She smiled at him. “Maybe one day I will marry your son, but not anytime soon. Maybe someday.”

He nodded and let the subject drop. He giggled at the fuse he had uncovered in the plug. Maybe he could start a new collection of them. There were plenty of places in Number Twelve he could hide it from Molly. His head snapped up as Solarin sat down at the piano and began to play Beethoven, tuning it as she went.

He smiled. Yes, she was the perfect witch for his son.

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The family sat down to a quiet dinner at five that evening, and Harry found himself presented with Solarin and Bill’s gift. He set down his knife and fork and pulled off the shiny blue wrapping paper, Miri making a grab for it from where she was cradled in Severus’ arms. Severus picked up the paper and twirled it, making Miri giggle.

Inside the paper was a photograph in a black wooden frame. It brought tears to his eyes.

In the photo was him and Severus and Miri, but there was Remus and Sirius too. There was Phoenix, the Weasley’s, Solarin, Tonks, Dumbledore, Moody.

And his parents.

It was a photograph of his whole family, all interacting with each other as if the photo had been taken that morning. But it could not have possibly been taken.

“How did you do this?” Harry whispered, running his fingers over the image of his parents, his mother proudly tickling Miri.

“I have a friend who has combined muggle photo manipulation technology with magic. She took a load of photos of the people in your family and combined them. Then she charmed them to move and interact with each other,” Solarin explained. “You asked for your parents for your birthday. It was the closest I could get. Do you like it?”

“You two are so alike,” Harry said to Severus and Solarin. “I love it. Thank you.”

He hugged her firmly and set the picture in the middle of the table, in pride of place. His whole family was in it. It was perfect.

The rest of the meal was calm and quiet, the family talking about anything that happened to come to mind. At the end of it, Molly brought out his cake, which was in the form of a huge beach ball sized Snitch. Under the golden icing, Harry found the cake to be chocolate.

In Harry’s opinion, his birthday had been pretty much perfect, barring the ‘gift’ from Lucius. It was such a shame, in Harry’s view, that Remus hadn’t managed to keep his slice of cake down.

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Severus watched his lover from across the garden, the sprite smiling and laughing with his friends. Harry was surrounded by them. Seamus and Dean, who had joined hands constantly; Luna and Neville, who seemed to be dating, though no one could be quite sure about that one; the little Creevy brothers, who each had a camera dangling from their necks; Ron and Hermione, holding a twin each; Lavender, who kept making eyes at Ron, and Parvati, who was staring enviously at Phoenix’ long blonde hair.

Harry had opted to only have a few of his friends at his party, not wanting to test himself too much by having too many people. Severus suspected that Lavender and Parvati were just invited so Harry could add to the numbers, push his boundaries slightly. The girls made Severus shudder and Ron and Hermione didn’t seem to be appreciating their presence either. But, it was Harry’s party, so they all kept their mouths closed.

‘Merlin, Harry is beautiful tonight’, Severus thought to himself. Harry was dressed in a tailored sea green shirt, the colour bringing out his eyes, and tight fitting black jeans. He was definitely looking good tonight. He had regained his slim figure almost immediately after delivering Miri. Ah, the joys of being young. But it wasn’t his body, it was his smile that caused Severus’ admiration. His little elfin beauty was breathtaking when he laughed, and he seemed to be doing quite a lot of it tonight.

The sun was just beginning to set and the party would soon get underway, if Solarin could ever get the music set up. Miri was falling asleep in Severus’ arms, the tiny girl still clutching the shiny blue paper from Harry’s photograph, sucking the thumb of her free hand, rubbing her nose with her free fingers. She was fighting it, too much going on for her to want to miss any of it, but Severus knew it was a losing battle. The baby augur had managed to stay awake all day, though he was baffled as to how, and now she was exhausted. She was fed, dry and happy. Her chances of lasting another five minutes were slim to none.

Severus let his eyes rake over the whole garden, taking in the odd pairings and unusual groupings.

Fred and George were standing with Tonks, the three of them talking animatedly with Minerva McGonagall, the old witch laughing. Three pranksters and a teacher, wonders would never cease.

On the conjured stage, Bill and Charlie were setting up instruments, Solarin and Arthur fiddling with an odd muggle looking square thing while Molly berated the two of them for bewitching it. Bill and Charlie were trying to hide sniggers of amusement at the guilty looks on Arthur and Solarin’s faces.

Dumbledore and Pomona Sprout were discussing Quidditch with Phoenix and Ginny, the blonde witch smiling at the descriptions of the last Slytherin game that she had missed.

Sirius and Remus were in deep discussion with Filius Flitwick and Moody, Remus looking ill but still smiling, Sirius keeping a close eye on his husband. The discussion seemed to be on household charms, but Severus couldn’t see the point as neither Sirius nor Remus performed many of those.

Severus himself was in discussion with Hagrid and Horace Slughorn, his replacement as Potions Master at Hogwarts and his old head of house. The two men were admiring Miri, proclaiming what an adorable little witch she was, and Severus hid his smirk. One little baby girl and grown men went to pieces. He dreaded to think of how much of a heartbreaker she would be at sixteen.

“She is adorable, isn’t she?” asked Harry, coming over to the three men and a baby.

“Absolutely, Harry. She’s the spit of you,” Hagrid proclaimed and Harry grinned.

“Thank you. I should go and put her to bed,” Harry said, Severus easing the slumbering girl to her carriers arms and kissing Harry on the cheek. “I’ll be back in a minute.”

He slipped into the house and up to Miri’s nursery, slipping her into her crib and adjusting the window so she had a cool breeze fluttering over her. He stroked her hair, plucked the wrapping paper from her tiny fist, and grabbed the baby monitor, turning it on. He slipped into his bedroom and grabbed the other one, activating it and clipping it to his belt. It wouldn’t do to miss her whimpers through the noise of the party.

He cast a silencing spell on the nursery before he slipped from it once more, grinning at the sound of music that drifted up to him. He stole back into the garden, watching it for a moment before anyone noticed him.

The joys of living in a magical house was that things were never really what they appeared to be. Number Twelve appeared to be no bigger than Number Eleven or Number Thirteen, but that was deceiving. Outside, the house appeared just like all the others in the street. Inside was a different story. There were masses of rooms, dozens of bedrooms, many bathrooms, and a very large garden. The garden was roughly the size of a field, and Harry considered it to be near the size of the Quidditch pitch at Hogwarts, but he was appalling at judging things like size, so he didn’t consider his assessment to be accurate. Either way, it was big enough for Hagrid to have attended without breaking anything.

Fred and George had hung hundreds of lime green lanterns and scarlet balloons over the space, hovering above them all, casting a warm glow. Molly and Arthur had managed to turn the bombsite that used to be the garden into a paradise, full of beautiful flowers, a full green lawn and even a huge oak tree at the end, the leaves of which Hermione had charmed gold. Solarin had dragged Charlie into singing with her up on the conjured stage, and Harry found that the dragon tamer was actually very good. The music was a mix of wizarding songs, which were played by the Weasley boys, and muggle tunes, which came from the karaoke machine. Some of them Harry knew, most he didn’t, but he enjoyed it all the same. Harry’s friends and family were gathered here and he smiled. He had expected to panic at the increased numbers, but he was very calm. He was safe, surrounded by people who loved and cared for him. And Severus was with him. It was all he needed.

“Harry, are you all right?” Ginny asked as she carried out a tray of drinks for everyone, placing them on the table by the door.

“I’m fine. Just thinking,” he said.

“Are you having a good time?” she asked as she handed him a drink.

“I’m having a great time.”

“Come on, Harry! Come dance!” Neville called as Ron and Hermione slipped past him to put Catherine and Joseph into their cribs. Harry smiled and made his way over, letting Seamus and Dean pull him into the group of friends madly jumping around to the beat of the music.

The next hour passed in a haze of music and laughter as he danced with his friends, even relaxing enough to let Dean hold him as they danced to a slower number. Seamus had chuckled, wagging a teasing warning finger at Harry and claiming he wanted his boyfriend back at the end of the night with his virtue intact. Harry had replied ‘What virtue? You took that already’. His friends had dissolved into shocked laughter. Dean had chuckled in Harry’s ear, wrapping his arms around his waist from where he stood behind him, the two of them swaying to the music. Harry could see Severus watching them like a hawk and he smiled, waving at his husband, Dean paling slightly and determinedly keeping his hands solely on Harry’s waist.

Seamus and Neville were debating, as they danced together, on whether or not Harry would be considered a gay wizard or a straight one. They had looked to Harry for his comfort of them talking about this and he had waved away their concerns, telling them to go right ahead, it might help him to figure it out himself.

Neville mused that Harry’s female anatomy made him straight. It was a fair point, considering that Harry had been pregnant not so very long ago.

Lavender reasoned that Harry was both male and female, so either everyone was the same gender as he was or no one was, so he would be considered straight. That one didn’t make sense to anyone, not even Harry.

Maybe it had been a bad idea to invite Lavender? She kept trying to get Ron to let go of Hermione and dance with her. Hermione kept a death grip on her husband and he didn’t complain, clutching at her just as tightly. After Lavender’s fifth attempt, Sirius came over and rescued the young Weasley couple by asking Lavender to dance, Remus sitting on the edge of the stage, surveying the gathered teens with a wicked wolfish grin. Sirius had used his full Pureblood charm on her and she had melted, letting him lead her away. As they left, Sirius added that he considered Harry to be in love, and did it count as a preference. Harry beamed at his winking godfather.

Seamus argued that Harry considered himself male, so he was gay, and proclaimed that he had always known Harry batted for his team. Everyone rolled their eyes at this.

Neither Neville nor Seamus wanted to relent, and they managed to twist themselves around so much that neither argument made sense anymore, but they did end up in a fit of laughter, so it was a good conversation.

Harry was about to comment that he liked Sirius’ suggestion when Bill came rushing up to him, shielding himself behind Harry and Dean, though they didn’t make very good cover for the much taller wizard.

“What are you doing?” Harry asked.

“Hiding from your sister-in-law. That witch is nuts,” Bill said, crouching down.

“Why are you hiding?” Dean asked, chuckling as Bill grabbed the back of his shirt and maneuvered the two younger Gryffindor’s to shield him from the augur moving towards him. Tonks had taken over Solarin’s place on the stage and Harry considered the pink haired witch to be a better Auror than singer, but he gave her points for trying.

“She wants me to get up there and sing with her. I’ve told her a million times, I don’t get up on a bloody stage,” Bill said, his voice rising as Solarin stopped in front of Harry, grinning. She folded her arms over her chest and tapped her foot, leaning to the left so she could peer at her boyfriend.

“William Weasley, it is so cowardly of you to hide behind children,” she scolded, winking at Harry and Dean.

Dean was making faint spluttering noises in Harry’s ear and Harry smirked. Dean was bisexual, of course the beautiful curvy woman in the little black dress would catch his attention, even if his long term boyfriend was within arms reach.

“Harry is legal now, he’s not a child,” Bill argued.

“No, but Dean is, aren’t you Dean?” she said, pulling Harry away from the staring Gryffindor, removing one of Bill’s shields.

“Nope, he’s all man, a legal man,” said Seamus, grinning from Harry’s left. Seamus leaned into Harry. “I bet you ten galleons he faints before she moves away,” Seamus whispered in his ear, making Harry laugh and disagree. Harry bet that Dean would make a pass at her.

Solarin moved closer to the two males, smiling at Dean. “Well, I suppose if you’re not man enough to get up there, I’ll just have to amuse myself with your little friend,” she said, wrapping her arms around Dean’s neck, who seemed to be unable to breathe, though he did slide his hand down as if to cup her backside. Something her next comment put a stop to. “After all, he is much more manly than you.”

It did the trick, as Bill popped up and grabbed her hand, pulling her away from Dean and kissing her possessively. “Slytherin,” Bill muttered.

“You love it.”

Harry burst out laughing as Dean blinked in surprise, Seamus handing Harry his winnings and moving to console his boyfriend.

Harry had the suspicion that the Irishman and his lover were not entirely exclusive. Harry considered it a scary thought, the two of them unleashed on the unsuspecting magical population, gay, straight, and any variation in-between. Harry was suddenly very thankful for Severus’ clear possessiveness. He wasn’t sure he would handle being hit on by his friends very well. He didn’t have to worry about it though; Severus had made it very clear that he did not share.

“That is not fair, you manipulated me,” Bill complained.

“Well, you are very easy to manipulate,” Solarin teased, smiling.

“You know, sometimes, you are too much of a Slytherin for your own good.”

“I think Harry could out Slytherin her any day,” Severus said, coming up to the group, making Neville jump about a foot in the air.

Harry grinned and allowed Severus to pull him possessively into his hold. Harry choked back his laughter as his friends eyes nearly popped out of their heads. He had forgotten that Dean, Seamus, the Creevy’s, Parvati and Lavender had never seen him and Severus together.

Sirius had abandoned Lavender, returning to Remus. Sirius seemed mortified and Remus was consoling him. Remus was glaring at Lavender, running his hands along Sirius’ back and chest, kissing him desperately every few moments. He was remarking his territory while soothing his husband and Harry realized that Lavender had made a pass at his married gay godfather. Poor Sirius. Then again, poor Lavender if Remus got hold of her.

Solarin grinned. “Come on, Bill. It’s just one song and I’ll be right up there with you,” she pleaded and Harry could see his resolve wavering.

“Please, don’t make me get up on that stage,” he begged.

“But you have a wonderful voice. Come on, it’s Harry’s birthday. Consider it a gift to him.”

“We already gave him a gift.”

She sighed and tilted her head to the side, surveying him with a calculating gaze and sweeping her hair away from her neck, stroking her own hand down the smooth pale column. He looked very nervous.

“I’ll make it worth your while…” she teased, her gaze seductive.

Severus shuddered and Dean looked put out, but Bill sighed, nodding. “You owe me big for this one,” Bill said, letting her grab his hand and pull him towards the stage.

Severus led Harry away from his friends, pulling him in to wrap his arms around him, laying his hands on the base of Harry’s spine.

“Dance with me, love,” Severus said, kissing his neck. Harry smiled and nodded, resting his hands on the strong shoulders. Severus chuckled at the terrified looks from Dean and Seamus. Severus would not be sharing his petite companion. With anyone.

Bill and Solarin took a microphone each, Solarin starting off the slow romantic muggle duet, and Severus began to sway with his lover, Harry resting his head against his chest. Solarin had been right, Bill was good and their voices worked well together.

“Are you enjoying your party?” Severus asked, Harry pulling back to look at him, his smile wide.

“Yes. I didn’t think I would, not with this many people here, but I really am enjoying myself,” Harry said, laughing as Severus spun him. “Seamus made an interesting suggestion earlier.”

Severus kissed the dark messy hair. “What suggestion?”

“He suggested I go to Hogwarts to play in the Quidditch matches. I’m not going back for lessons, I couldn’t handle that and Miri needs me here, but I could still play. I am still a Gryffindor, and I am still a member of the team,” Harry explained, Severus considering the idea.

“Would you be comfortable with it? The stands would be full of people. Are you sure you want to?”

“I think so, I’ll be in the air, away from all the crowds, and I know you won’t let me go without you, so you’ll be right there with me. Seamus says that the first Gryffindor game is against Hufflepuff. It’s a nice easy game, more fun than actual competition. They lost all their competition when…when Cedric was killed,” Harry reasoned, glossing over the death of Cedric Diggory. It was his birthday, he didn’t want to dwell on the losses of his past.

Severus swooped in and kissed him, soft and sweet. “I will talk to Albus, see if it is permissible for you to still play,” Severus agreed and Harry bestowed him with a huge smile, pulling him into a passionate kiss.

“I love you, did you know that?” Harry asked as he pulled back.

Severus chuckled. “Yes, I knew that. I love you too.”

Harry smiled and let his husband lead him around, the two of them losing themselves in their own little world.

The night went on like that, Severus letting Harry go to dance with others before letting his possessive streak overtake once more, pulling Harry back to him for a song or two. It was a good system. It let Harry keep his cool with so many people and allowed Severus to be overprotective without it being too obvious.

At one point, Sirius brought out a few bottles of champagne. This was no ordinary muggle champagne, this was wizards champagne. As you popped off the cork, it turned into a little dancing leprechaun, something Seamus greatly enjoyed. The drink itself changed colour according to the inebriation of the drinker, and let off glimmering bubbles as it was poured. Sirius, Arthur, the Twins, Seamus, Dean, Ron, and Charlie ended up with bright green glasses of alcohol, their consumption the highest. They would have very sore heads in the morning. Severus had a few glasses, his glass only reaching a warm orange. Harry had a sip of Severus’, not considering it a good idea to drink properly whilst he was still nursing Miri, even if he did like the way the bubbles tickled. Severus’ glass turned red as Harry held it, indicating total sobriety.

Harry stuck to soft drinks, along with Hermione, Remus, Molly, Bill, and Solarin, though the augur did seem awfully merry. The other guests had varying amounts of champagne, each of them thoroughly enjoying Harry’s party.

Oh dear, maybe it had not been the best idea to let Lavender drink. She had moved on from Ron and was making a pass for Bill. Solarin could barely contain her laughter at his futile attempts to save himself, and she finally took pity on him, moving over to bail him out. Bill cast a wary glance at Lavender as he led Solarin away, clutching her like a security blanket. Lavender went on to make a move on Charlie, something Phoenix soon put an end to. Eventually, Sirius put an end to it all as she fixed her eye on Harry and Lavender was collected by her parents, the two of them scolding her all the way to the floo.

No one seemed to miss her, or Parvati who left soon after her friend.

It was past midnight and the party was still in full swing when it all went a bit pear shaped.

Harry sat down with Remus, the two of them watching Severus and Sirius trying to beat each other at some game involving downing shots of something green.

“They are going to be so ill in the morning,” Harry commented and Remus grinned.

“I say we wake them up at the crack of dawn,” Remus suggested. “It would serve them right. Maybe it’ll teach them to stop trying to outdo each other.”

“I like it. Maybe we should hide the hangover potions, too.”

Remus stared at his cub and then let out a bark of laughter. “Severus is right, you are a little Slytherin in Gryffindor skin,” he sniggered, Harry smiling. “I like it, worthy of the Marauders. It’ll teach them.”

Charlie took over the music, Solarin moving through the milling people to grab a fresh drink and then to observe the two men making fools of themselves. She had a very mischievous smirk on her face and Harry ran his wand over his drink just to be sure it was still pineapple juice. Tonks had told him that it was a given circumstance for the Odd Trio to switch peoples drinks.

Their two spouses continued to try and win, years of petty rivalry taking over their common sense at that particular moment. Seamus was pouring, Dean keeping score and Solarin came over from watching the contest to discreetly whisper that the booze in the bottle was fake. It had no alcoholic content at all, it just tasted that way. Solarin, Bill and Tonks had thought it wise to make the switch. Harry laughed. Still pranksters. He and Remus mused on who would be more upset to discover the deception, the Animagus or the Potions Master?

“I’m going for another drink, do you want one?” Remus asked. Harry shook his head and Remus got to his feet, suddenly feeling the garden spin.

“Remus?” Harry asked, standing up to grab the werewolf’s arm as he swayed on his feet. “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine, I just stood up too fast,” Remus said, smiling at him. He made to walk away, but didn’t get very far.

Harry never managed to say anything else as Remus collapsed before he got the chance.

“Sirius!” Harry screamed, ending the game.

Sirius spun around to find Remus on the floor, Harry cradling his head in his lap. He bolted over, skidding to his knees as he reached his lover. The party ground to a halt, the music cutting out immediately. Everyone peered over concernedly, a few people moving closer to Remus.

“What happened?” Sirius asked his godson, checking Remus’ pulse and finding it strong and steady. No fever, no trouble breathing. Remus seemed fine, just unconscious.

“I don’t know. He said he was going for another drink and then he stood up, but he looked like he was about to fall over. He said he stood up too fast, and then he just went down, no warning or anything,” Harry described, Severus kissing his temple to keep him calm.

“Remus? Remus, can you hear me?” Sirius asked, stroking his hair, trying to rouse the man. “Remus, come on, honey, wake up for me.”

Remus groaned and opened his eyes, staring up at the bright crescent moon and scattering of stars. He glanced around, finding green eyes, blue eyes and black eyes staring down on him worriedly. “Ugh, what happened? Why am I on the grass?” he asked groggily.

“You passed out. How do you feel?” Severus asked as Sirius helped Remus sit up, leaning him against his chest.

“Fine, I think. It was all very dizzy all of a sudden,” Remus said, Sirius stroking his hair. “I’m all right.”

“You fainted,” Sirius argued, helping Remus into a chair.

“Please, can we make it sound more manly than that?” Remus begged and Severus smirked.

“Fine, passed out, collapsed, blacked out, whatever. Point is, you ended up unconscious. I’m taking you to see a healer right now,” Sirius commanded.

“Sirius, come on,” Remus complained. “It can wait until morning. My appointment is tomorrow anyway. I feel fine now. I promise I will sit here like a good boy, just let me have tonight before you have that bloody man start poking and prodding me. Leave it until the morning, Padfoot.”

“Remus…”

“No. I want to stay for the rest of Harry’s party, it’s his seventeenth. Whatever this is, it has been going on for weeks, months. It will still be there in the morning. Leave me be for tonight and tomorrow, I will go to my healer and you can fuss all you like. Please, Siri?” Remus persuaded.

“Are you sure you feel all right?” Sirius asked.

“I feel fine now,” Remus insisted.

“Have you managed to eat anything since you lost your dinner?”

“No, I haven’t eaten anything. That’s probably why I collapsed.”

Harry made to stand up to get Remus something to eat when Solarin stepped into the group, holding a plate of party nibbles.

“Here, eat this. It’s all plain, it should stay down,” she said, handing him the plate and a glass of water. He smiled at her and accepted it, beginning to eat at Sirius commanding gaze. Harry realized that there was another woman standing beside Solarin. She had dyed red hair and three spikes through her lower lip. There were also about a dozen hoops through her right ear, her left hidden by her hair.

“Who is your friend, Sol?” Remus asked, trying to move the attention away from his poor health.

“This is Maab. She is one of the other witches who sings regularly at Enchantment. I had Albus get her for me, to take over. My throat is raw, I can’t keep it up on that stage much longer, so she’s going to entertain us,” Solarin explained and Maab nodded a greeting to all of them, her hazel eyes lingering for a moment on Harry’s scar before she excused herself and moved to the stage.

“Are you sure you’re all right?” Sirius asked, undeterred.

“I am fine. I am going to sit here and enjoy the party,” Remus insisted. “Stop fussing, Padfoot.”

Sirius huffed in annoyance but he let it be. At Remus’ gentle persuading he moved away, Arthur engaging him in discussion of his flying motorbike. Remus convinced them all to continue with the party and they all eventually agreed, though Neville and Luna opted to sit with Remus and talk weird magical creatures, the lycanthrope laughing at some of Luna’s more bizarre animal descriptions.

Maab was not as good as Solarin, her voice was a little thin, but she was good enough. She kept up with the muggle music and Solarin revealed to them all that Maab was Muggleborn, something that made Hermione smile.

The night was perfect, Seamus even managing to get Sirius to dance with him. He had been angling for a turn around the dance floor with the tall, willowy, gorgeous Pureblood all night, but he had been too embarrassed to actually ask Sirius for a turn. Remus had finally taken pity on the little wizard and whispered in Sirius’ ear something about the wonders of his allure, pointing at Seamus. Sirius had grinned, kissed his husband and then blasted Seamus with his magnetism, not that it was needed by that point. Harry wasn’t quite sure who had melted faster, Lavender or Seamus. The Irishman had been practically floating on a cloud when Sirius finally released him with a cheeky peck to his cheek. Dean and Remus had just shaken their heads, smiling in amusement. Sirius and his bloody charm. Got them every time.

The night finally drew to a close at four am, and Harry saw off the last of his guests through the floo before Severus led him to bed.

As Harry drifted off to sleep, safe in Severus’ arms, he smiled.

‘Best birthday ever.’

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Okay, now I think I'm caught up to where I was before this was taken down. i will post a new chapter very soon. I hope you liked this chapter. Please review. I promise you that I read every single one and I love them all.