A RUMOR OF PEACE

          Severus froze.

          The words 'we're attracted to them' ringing in his ears.  He went absolutely still, staring down into the silver eyes with surprise, and definitely shock.  "Excuse me?" he asked him softly.  "Did you REALLY just say what I THOUGHT you said."

          Roark lips twisted slightly.  "Yes, Severus, you heard me say--"

          "HAVE YOU BOTH COMPLETELY LOST YOUR FUCKING MINDS?!" he shouted suddenly, moving to begin pacing the office.  "They work for Tom Riddle, or Lord Voldemort, whatever the monster has decided to call himself.  Rodolphus is his second in command, his left-hand man.  He and Rabastan are his number one and two Terminators that have now been hired to kill the two of you, and YOU...ARE...ATTRACTED to them?"

          Roark could only nod as he leaned back against his desk, watching Severus warily.  He whirled, raising a hand to point a long, slender finger at him.  "Explain.  NOW!"

          Explain he did.  He left nothing out of Rodolphus' visit with him, or what Harry had told him of Rabastan's with him, at the end saying, "We're well aware of who...and what they are, Severus.  Rabastan made it clear from the moment he entered Harry's apartment that he wanted him, and Harry...he said he just couldn't help how he reacted...how he responded to his words.  As for me...I don't know what, or even HOW it happened.  He looked at me, and I at him, and I just...I don't know...I felt something I have never before felt with ANYONE.  Not even Mason.  It's like...when our eyes met, like something shattered in my mind, like there was this...recognition, maybe?  Like he could be the other half of my soul."

          Severus let him talk it out, listening to his words, surprised again.  "I...," a pause, "see.  And what, may I ask, do the two of you intend to do about this?"

          "Nothing.  We have no plans of letting this go any further, and we certainly have no intention of seeking the two of them out."  He pushed away from his desk and went to him to lay his hands on his chest.  "Severus, we know just how dangerous they are, and how deadly.  They remind us far too much of wild animals stalking their prey, waiting for just the right moment to pounce in for the kill."

          "Are you sure you really want to use the analogy of 'pounce'?" he asked, his midnight eyes taking on a look of amusement, of mischief.

          "Severus!" he gasped, his face flushing.

          Severus began to laugh, reaching out to pull him into his arms.  He had never liked James Peverell Potter.  Had, in fact, hated the man with a passion.  Hated him because he had stolen, and then married Lily Adama.  He had been prepared to hate James' sons too, but the two boys had surprised him from the moment they had entered Hogwarts.  They had been absolutely nothing like their father at all.

          Then he had married Dacian and decided he would teach at the Academy between his assignments as an Undercover Specialist, teaching remedial potions, and potions themselves to those that took the healing and medical courses.

          Harry had entered the Academy first at sixteen, to be followed a short time later by Roark at fourteen.  He, like many of the other Instructors, was stunned that they had even been allowed to enter the Academy at those ages, but then he had been shown their entry exams,

          Perfect scores.  They had both scored one hundred percent or more on those exams, and when they had begun to take the classes...they had stunned them all with their determination, their willingness to work hard, to do more than their very best, diligently doing their book work and handing that in before it was even due.

          Then there had been their practicals...Those two boys had shocked and stunned the hell out of everyone who had ever doubted them when they outscored, and outdone everyone in everything they had undertaken.

          Harry and Roark had completely knocked all of their doubters on their collective asses with their dedication and their determination to do their best and to prove to them all that they were wrong.  Which they had done.  

          Spectacularly.

          Being married to Dacian had also put him in a position to spend nearly every day in their company, and he had come to realize very quickly that neither of those boys was absolutely nothing like their father.  Over the yahrens {years}, he had become very close to them, and just as protective as his husband and his family.

          Pulling out of the hug, he looked down into silver eyes.  "Promise me one thing."

          "Anything, Severus."

          "Promise me that you'll be very careful around the Lestrange's?  They have ways of getting under your skin."

          "You have to know we will."

          "Alright then, no more needs to be said, but if either of you ever needs someone to talk to, you know where I am, and tell Harry I expect him to do the same.  Attraction is one thing, but doing something ABOUT that attraction?  That is something completely different.  DO NOT give them a free shot at you, because trust me, Roark, if you leave yourselves open to them like that?  They will not hesitate to take it."

          "I know, and so does Harry."

          Severus nodded.  "If you need me, I'll be down in my lab.  I need to figure out a way to make some of these potions I give you too, stronger."

          "Figure out how to add flavoring to them too,"

          Severus laughed as he left the office.