Dragels everywhere
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 11, 1995: Harry and Viktor
“Zdrasti, Little Seeker,”
Harry looked up from his book to see Viktor Krum leaning casually against the tree he was sitting under near the lake. Harry’s feet were bare, and he had them resting in the water. Harry smiled up at him.
“Hello,” Harry said with a blush. “Do you need something?”
“I don’t. Just to talk with you. I heard that you were the youngest seeker in a century to play here and that you have only lost one match since your first year. Is that true?” Viktor asked him. He sat down next to Harry close enough that the smallest movement would have them brushing against each other.
“Yeah, and I only lost that match because I was attacked by dementors,” Harry answered. He was proud of his skills as a Seeker.
“Very impressive. Have you ever considered doing it professionally?” Viktor asked him.
“No, well once. But I don’t really want to do anything that will put me in the spotlight. I get enough attention as ‘The Harry Potter’. I think I want to do something that people find boring or something that takes me far away from here,” Harry answered honestly.
“You do not like the attention that comes with people knowing your name,” Viktor stated. It wasn’t a question, just an observation.
“Exactly,” Harry agreed. “I think it would get annoying having people follow me around the way they do you.” Harry nodded his head toward the group of girls that was standing nearby giggling at Viktor and glaring at Harry.
“I enjoy playing Quidditch. I am good at it, and it makes me happy. I do not enjoy the results of the fame that comes with it. I have been considering quitting,” Viktor admitted quietly.
He leaned a little closer to Harry when he did, and Harry inhaled and opened his magic the way that Fred and George told him too. He nearly preened and barely held back the surprised trill that wanted to escape. Viktor was definitely a Dragel. He felt a bit like Charlie did to Harry’s instincts. So maybe a Beta.
“Oh,” Harry breathed out. He hadn’t meant to, but it had been so surprising. He looked up at Viktor with wide eyes. “You’re like me.”
“I am, Little Submissive,” Viktor admitted. “I was wondering when you would stop fighting your instincts enough to notice.”
“I wouldn’t have.” Harry admitted with a blush. “But Fred and George told me to open up my magic to you the next time I was near you.”
“Your Pareya are very helpful it seems,” Viktor responded.
“They aren’t mine,” Harry pointed out.
“So, you do not intend to bond with them?” Viktor asked curiously. He and the others had just assumed they had already exchanged claim marks with the way the twins doted on him.
“No, Fred and George are the closest things I have to family. They are like brothers to me. I don’t see them in any way other than platonic family,” Harry admitted.
“Are they the only Dragel you know? What about actual family? Where are your parents?” Viktor asked him.
“They have two older brothers that are also Dragel but other than that I have never met one aside from you now. As far as family, that is very complicated and not something I am willing to talk about right now,” Harry informed him.
“I understand. You do not know me well enough to speak with me about it. That is understandable. But I do want you to know that you are safe with me and that I would never hurt you or allow anyone else to hurt you if I can help it,” Viktor promised him.
“You would look after me? Even though I am a stranger to you?” Harry asked him shocked.
“I would,” Viktor admitted. “I am drawn to you. There is a pull that has been very hard to ignore. I have decided not to ignore it.”
“Oh,” Harry said and blushed brightly.
He had felt a pull toward the Bulgarian as well. He had been ignoring it because he seemed quite close to Draco and his best friends. He figured that because of that, the man would never even look his way.
“Just ‘oh’,” Viktor said with a chuckle. Harry ducked his head and nodded.
“I have felt a pull toward you, too,” Harry said quietly. “But I figured it would be one sided, like with…” He cut himself off. He had been about to say ‘like with Zabini’ but that isn’t something he had ever admitted out loud yet.
It was why he was avoiding all of the Slytherins this year. Something about his new instincts wanted to be close to Zabini. He was more attracted to him than ever. He knew from his reading, that Dragel didn’t have one mate they had many. It was ok for him to like Viktor and Blaise because in a perfect world, he could have them both.
If Blaise was a Dragel. And maybe even if he wasn’t. There was a rank called Companion that non-Dragel could claim. Or so he had read.
“Like with who?” Viktor asked him. “I will keep your secrets, Little Seeker.”
Harry looked him in the eyes for a few moments as if searching for something that would let him know if he could trust him or not.
“Zabini,” Harry admitted out loud for the first time. “I feel the same kind of pull toward Zabini. But nothing would ever come from it.”
“Why do you assume that?” Viktor asked him. Harry laughed and shook his head.
“You are with him all of the time. I am sure by now you know that he is best friends with Malfoy. And Malfoy and I have been fighting with each other since we were eleven. I am sure he hates me,” Harry pointed out.
“Perhaps he hates you about as much as you hate him,” Viktor responded.
“I just told you, I don’t hate him,” Harry stated and then was shocked when Viktor gave him a look that seemed to scream ‘Exactly’. “Oh, you mean..”
“I do,” Viktor responded. “Perhaps you should stop avoiding him and the other Slytherin so adamantly and you would find that things may not be the way you think they are.”
“Ok,” Harry responded. He was suspicious now and was thinking about really taking the twins up on their bet to find the other Dragel at the school. Starting with Zabini.
“Really really sorry to interrupt,”
Harry looked up and smiled at the guy standing there. It was Viktor’s friend. The one that was always with him. Fred and George said that he was a Dragel too. Harry reached out for him with his magic. Definitely Dragel.
There were quite a few of them around for a race that was supposed to be extinct.
“What is it, Nikolaus?” Viktor asked curiously.
“Karkaroff is looking for you,” Nikolaus informed him apologetically. He knew that this was the first time Viktor had been able to get Harry alone long enough to talk to him. He hadn’t wanted to bother them.
“Do you know what he wants?” Viktor asked. Nikolaus shook his head no.
Viktor sighed and stood up. Harry stood up as well after slipping his shoes back on. He was going to head back in. The twins would probably be looking for him soon anyway. They usually hunted him down near mealtimes.
“Thank you for sitting and talking with me,” Viktor told him.
He held out his hand and Harry placed his in it without hesitation. The Bulgarian leaned over his hand. Harry blushed brightly when he flipped his hand over and pressed a barely there kiss to his wrist.
“Of…of course. It was great,” Harry stuttered out. Viktor released his hand and then bowed. Nikolaus bowed as well.
“I am Nikolaus, but you may call me Nik,” The other Dragel stated with a grin. “Perhaps we can join you for a meal sometime soon. Get to know each other. That is, after all, what this tournament is about.”
“Yeah, that would be great,” Harry answered quickly. Merlin, he was a blushing stuttering mess.
“Until next time, Little Seeker,” Viktor stated and then the two Bulgarians walked away toward their ship.
Harry was pretty sure he was still grinning like an idiot against the tree when Fred and George found him a few minutes later. They teased him mercilessly for hours when he told them what had happened. He only left out the part about Zabini.
It was probably the only thing they didn’t know about him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus watched from the Forbidden Forest as his son flirted with the Durmstrang Champion. He didn’t quite know how he felt about that. He wasn’t close enough to hear anything that was being said but it was obvious what was going on.
He would keep an eye out to make sure the man kept his hands to himself. Severus’ underage son was off limits. And he didn’t want his heart broken when he took him and ran once they were all back together again.
Though judging by the way he was grinning like an idiot even after the men were gone it might already be too late. Severus would speak to him about it. And maybe he would warn the Bulgarian away from his boy as well while he was at it.
He needed to find a way to let Hadrian know that he was aware and wanted him. Perhaps it was time to give him a detention. That would give him the chance to speak with him alone. The Potion Master headed into the castle a little after the Weasley Twins had drug his son inside for lunch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 13, 1995: Harry and Hermione fight
“Harry,” Hermione called out when he entered the common room.
“Yeah,” Harry answered. She patted the couch next to her.
Ron was nowhere to be seen. He had been angry at Harry and avoiding him like the plague when he wasn’t being an outright ass. He was hanging out with Seamus these days as well as a few upper years. None of them were nice to Harry. Had even taken to casting jinxes at him in the halls when no one else was around.
“What’s up, Hermione?” Harry asked as he sat down.
He had been spending as little time with her as possible. He didn’t trust that she was really his friend after seeing his inheritance. Now that the compulsions were gone, he was realizing that he had noticed a few ways that she wasn’t really his friend.
“I just wanted to talk to you for a bit. It seems like we haven’t done that in a while,” Hermione answered.
“Ok, what do you want to talk about?” Harry responded. She frowned at him and then looked at him curiously.
“Since when have we needed something to talk about? What’s going on with you this year?” Hermione pointed out.
“Nothing is going on with me,” Harry countered.
“You don’t hang out with any one any more other than Fred and George and sometimes Ginny and Dean. Are you angry with me and Ron?” Hermione asked him.
“No, I am not angry with either of you. I am, however, sick of Ron and his conditional friendship. I’m just over it. It’s a bit childish honestly. And you spend most of your time with him, so we just haven’t hung out,” Harry explained.
“So what? You don’t want to be Ron’s friend anymore? You know how he is Harry. He will get over it in a week or two and then the two of you will be fine again,” Hermione insisted.
“That’s just it, Hermione. Why is he even angry? What does he even have to be angry about? Why should I just have to accept that it is just the way it is?” Harry snapped at her.
“He is angry because you put your name in the Goblet of Fire and didn’t tell him about it. He is your best friend you should have told him that you were going to try,” Hermione stated as if it was just a fact that Ron was right, and Harry was wrong.
“I didn’t put my name in the Goblet of Fire. You and Ron know how much I hate all the attention that comes with being me. Why would I sign up for a competition that would put me even more in the spot light?” Harry insisted.
“Harry, of course you didn’t put your name in the Goblet, you wouldn’t have been able to get around the age line. You obviously asked a seventh year to do it for you. Probably one of the twins,” Hermione said in that condescending way that she often used on them. “You don’t have to lie to me, Harry.”
“You know what. You are right Hermione. I did get the twins to put my name in the Goblet. I heard that people had died during the competition and couldn’t wait to enter. I know I told you guys that I hate the attention, but we all know that I love it. You are so smart, Hermione. I don’t know why I ever thought I could get anything past you,” Harry said with a smile and so much sass he was sure she would catch the sarcasm, he wasn’t being subtle.
“Of course, you do Harry,” Hermione stated with a smile. The idiot girl was actually preening as if Harry had complemented her. Harry started laughing. He couldn’t help himself. She looked up at him startled.
“Oh, Hermione, you are so desperate to be the smartest and most important person in the room that you don’t even realize when someone is being sarcastic. Do me a favor?” Harry asked. Hermione frowned but nodded.
“Yeah,” Hermione answered. Harry stood up and grabbed his bag.
“Stick with Ron. The two of you deserve each other. You asked what was wrong with me and the only answer I can give you is that being lost in the woods for those five or six days gave me a lot of time to think about my life and maybe I have changed. I am a different person then I was before. So different in fact that I don’t think I can be friends with you and Ron anymore,” Harry told her.
“What? Don’t be ridiculous,” Hermione started. Harry held up his hand.
“You and Ron have been my friends since I was eleven. My first friends in this new world so I clung to the two of you. But I don’t think either of you know me at all. Ron is petty and jealous. He hates that I have money and hates that people pay attention to me no matter how much I tell him that I hate it. He hates when I make better grades, so I work hard not to. He wants to be rich and famous, and I am starting to think it is the only reason he ever became my friend to begin with,” Harry kept going.
“But Harry,” Hermione tried to say. Harry cut her off again.
“And you, I know what your motivation is. I figured it out. You have to be better than everyone. To have the best grades and have the most knowledge. You like to boss people around and I think being friends with Ron and I let you do that. You are ambitious to a fault. You know, I heard you last year talking to a few of the Pureblood girls in Ravenclaw,” Harry told her.
“What did you hear?” Hermione asked him.
“You were talking about wanting to work in the ministry. That you wanted to make a difference in the Wixen world through politics,” Harry answered.
“So, what, there isn’t anything wrong with that,” Hermione defended herself. Harry grinned and it wasn’t nice.
“No there isn’t anything wrong with that. But they told you that it would never happen because you were a muggleborn and unfortunately this is a society that is run by the pureblood and old families. That the only way you would be able to do what you wanted was by marrying into a nice old pureblood family,” Harry revealed to her.
“That still doesn’t tell me why you are bringing it up,” Hermione stated.
“They suggested that perhaps you should start working on getting me to see you as more than a friend. That having Harry Potter as a husband would get you into the places you wanted,” Harry responded. “After that you started talking to me different and hinting at things. That was when I made it a point to talk to you in confidence about liking boys.”
“Harry, that isn’t,” Hermione tried to defend. Harry could see the worry on her face, she knew that she was caught.
“Yes it is, you are so ambitious that you were going to do exactly what they said and try to get me to marry you so that you could use my name to get where you wanted to be,” Harry interrupted. Hermione was silent. She didn’t look sorry. She looked like she was trying to find a way to excuse herself.
“When that didn’t work for you, you switched your attention to Ron. You can’t stand Ron. He is stupid, loud, vulgar, and immature, all the things you hate in a partner. But you are going to try and marry him anyway. To use his pureblood, old family name,” Harry kept going. “Don’t worry Hermione, I won’t tell him. I hope it works. I hope he marries you. I think it would be fitting punishment for the both of you.”
Harry turned away from her and headed out of the common room. He was going to the Room of Requirement. He needed a quiet place to calm down before dinner. He hadn’t meant to blow up on Hermione. It would probably cause him problems later. He was supposed to be under compulsions that probably prevented him from fighting with her like this.
He turned a corner and slammed into someone who steadied him before he could fall. He looked up to see Blaise Zabini still gently holding his arms.
“Alright Potter?” He asked.
Harry was surprised that he sound genuinely concerned and not hateful at all. Before he answered he let go of his hold on his magic just a little. He had been doing it around everyone since the twins had challenged him. He was even more surprised to learn that Blaise was, in fact, also a Dragel. He was not fast enough to hold back his surprised trill.
“Y.yes,” Harry answered quickly. He was hoping it would distract the Slytherin from the noise he had accidentally made.
“Good, where were you off to in such a hurry that you nearly knocked me off my feet, Cara Mia?” The Italian asked him.
“I was…um…looking for a quiet place to calm down. I had a fight with Hermione,” Harry answered honestly.
Viktor had told him that he needed to be open to the possibility that people didn’t hate him the way that he thought they did. Maybe Blaise didn’t hate him.
“Did you have a specific place in mind?” Blaise asked him.
“Kind of, but I had just changed my mind. I am going to the Astronomy Tower,” Harry told him.
“I happened to be looking for a quiet place myself to sit and read for a bit,” Blaise stated and leaned down to pick up a book he had obviously dropped when Harry ran into him. “If I promised to stay quiet, could I join you? The Astronomy Tower sounds like a great place to relax.”
“Um..sure. That’s fine,” Harry responded and blushed just a little when the boy flashed him a beautiful smile.
“Perfetto, Grazie,” Blaise responded.
“No problem,” Harry managed to get out.
Between the Italian, the accent, and the smiles, he was having a hard time concentrating. Merlin, when did the boys around him get so dang hot and why was he such a blushing mess? He and Blaise walked quietly together up to the tower.
Blaise transfigured a few cushions and piled them up. He sat down and opened his book as Harry walked around for a bit. He ended up leaning over the railing with the wind whipping his hair around him. It was kind of calming to be up so high with the wind in his face.
Maybe he should consider going for a fly soon. Just because there was no Quidditch this year didn’t mean that he couldn’t fly. He yawned and leaned over on his arm to keep looking out. Something about Blaise’s presence and the feel of his magic made Harry feel so safe and that added to the tiredness he was feeling.
“You could come and share my pillows,” He heard Blaise offer behind him.
“Huh?” Harry asked and turned around. Blaise had scooted over so that there was space for him.
“You look tired. You could rest here for a bit I don’t think anyone will bother us up here,” Blaise explained.
Harry thought about it for a moment. He reached out with his magic again but didn’t feel anything that would make him wary, just that steady pulse of magic that felt dangerous and barely contained but it also felt like safety. Like Blaise wouldn’t hesitate to use all of that dangerous magic to keep him safe. So, he nodded and joined Blaise on the pile of cushions. He laid down and only startled a little when Blaise laid his robe over him as a blanket. The robe smelled great.
“What are you reading?” Harry asked after a few moments.
“It’s a muggle book called The Color of Dragons,” Blaise answered. Harry chuckled and yawned again.
“Are you reading it because you are a Dragel?” Harry asked sleepily. Merlin he could not keep his eyes open.
“No, Cara Mia. It isn’t even really about Dragons. I am reading it because it is interesting and I happen to like fantasy novels,” Blaise responded. “Would you like me to read out loud?”
“Yeah, that would be nice,” Harry answered.
He was asleep before Blaise had finished the first page. The other boy had failed to mention it was in Italian and Harry didn’t understand a word he was saying. But the cadence of his voice lulled Harry to sleep before he knew it.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“What is going on up here?” Fred asked a few hours later. Blaise simply looked up from his book and smiled.
“He was looking for a quiet place. Apparently he had a fight with Granger,” Blaise answered.
“That doesn’t explain what you are doing up here with him,” George pointed out.
He had come around and was checking on Harry who was still sound asleep pressed against Blaise’s side with his head on his lap, and not rousing at all. He ran a diagnostic and nothing seemed to be wrong with him. He was just sleeping.
“He ran into me on his way up and I asked if I could sit with him for a while and read. He seemed very tired. I believe, your Submissive is finally having his realignment,” Blaise pointed out.
“We came looking for him when he missed dinner,” Fred told him. Blaise nodded.
“I realized what was happening a little after he fell asleep. I did not want to leave him unguarded to find help. I knew someone would come looking for him or myself after we missed dinner,” Blaise informed them.
“Thank you for guarding him,” George stated as he lifted Harry into his arms. The Submissive never stirred.
“We have been trying to convince him to allow himself to have a proper resting period since this summer,” Fred revealed.
“Honestly, we figured it would be Krum that got him calm enough to actually do it,” George stated with a smile.
“Well, I have been told that I have a very calming presence,” Blaise said with a grin.
“No, you haven’t,” Draco said from the stairway. He was standing with Theo, Viktor, and Nikolaus behind him.
“What is going on? The little Seeker has not missed a meal is he sick?” Viktor asked and stepped around Draco.
“No, Zabini got him relaxed and calm enough to actually give in to his Realignment Cycle,” Fred answered.
“Very well done, Good Gheyo,” Viktor praised. Blaise grinned and if he preened just a little no one said anything.
“We were worried,” Nikolaus added.
“Were you?” George asked with a smile. He was still just holding Harry in his arms.
“We all were,” Draco admitted.
“We need to get him somewhere secure,” Fred stated.
Maybe the others could help them find a place and they could all take turns watching over him so that no one missed too much class and made other people suspicious.
“I will take him.”
They all turned to see Severus Snape standing there watching them. Draco, Theo, and Blaise stepped up in front of Harry.
“With all due respect Uncle, we know how much you hate him. Why would you offer to take him?” Draco asked.
“I would point out that the world believes you hate him as well,” Severus stated.
“He won’t hurt him, Malfoy,” Fred stated.
“What makes you so sure?” Draco asked curiously.
“He is his son,” George answered and strode forward. He placed Harry in Severus’ arms and grinned when the man held him as if he was the most precious and fragile thing in the world.
“You went to the bank,” Fred said with a laugh.
“I did, thank you for getting the letter to me. I am cleansed and unsuppressed. I know who and what I am, and I know who he is to me,” Severus answered honestly.
“Your son?” Draco exclaimed. “I think there is a lot of things we missed.”
“Yes, there clearly is. Everyone here is a Dragel?” Severus asked. The seven teens nodded.
“We are,” Viktor verbalized.
“Well, then I believe the seven of you need to accompany me to my quarters. I am going to get my son settled and then we can discuss a few things,” Severus told them.
“Yes, Sir,” the others answered.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Severus settled Hadrian in the spare room of his quarters. He placed wards around the room so that he could monitor him at all times. He cast a dampening spell on the room as well. They had done the same thing for Hadrian when he was a baby. It helped him sleep longer and better when the room was a bit damp. Then he went to his sitting room and sat down in his chair near the fire.
“How long does his realignment usually last?” Severus asked Fred and George.
“This is the first one he has ever had,” Fred responded.
“What do you mean? He should have had many before now if he inherited this summer,” Severus stated.
“He has been refusing to rest. He takes potions to prevent his Realignment and only naps in the room of requitement with us watching over him,” George answered.
“We have begged him to allow himself to do it. We know how important it is. But he wouldn’t do it. It was one of the reasons we wanted you to get cleansed,” Fred continued.
“We figured if his Sire was watching over him, he would feel safe enough to rest,” George finished.
“Turns out, he just needed me,” Blaise said with a grin. Draco elbowed him.
“It’s probably because you are a Gheyo,” Nikolaus point out.
“Thank you, for watching out for him,” Severus surprised them all. He was like a different person. All bitterness gone.
“Our pleasure,”
“If he is anything like his bearer, he will sleep for a day or two at the most,” Severus informed them. “I will allow the seven of you to have access to my quarters so that someone is always here with him. I do not want him to be alone.”
“We will help you guard your son,” Viktor agreed.
“Draco and I will help as well. He shouldn’t have his Realignment for another few days,” Theo stated.
“You said you needed to tell us something,” Nikolaus reminded.
“Yes, I have contacted Nevarah. I have requested a Gheyo suite to come and help me locate my missing mates and bring my family together. Once Regulus and Remus are cleansed and back with me, I am going to kill Albus Dumbledore before taking my family to Nevarah and as far away from Earth as possible,” Severus informed them.
“You are taking him and leaving?” Viktor questioned.
“I am,” Severus told him with a small glare.
“Do you think you will leave before the tournament is over?” Nikolaus asked.
“I do not know,” Severus answered honestly. “I do not know how long it will take for Nevarah to respond and send us help. Or how long it will take to find Regulus. Why?”
“Viktor and I have been considering moving to Nevarah. It is getting more dangerous to be a Dragel here. The Torvak have begun hunting again. If you do not leave until after the tournament, we would like to go with you,” Nikolaus answered.
“I don’t see why that would be a problem,” Severus responded.
“My mother will want us to leave with you when you go. You should write to her. She told me the truth about a lot of things after I inherited. Like the fact that Lucius isn’t even my Father. Why would you have to wait Nik?” Draco asked.
“Because a magical contract was created the moment Mr. Krum’s name came out of the Goblet. He must compete or suffer the consequences that could be as bad as losing his magic,” Severus answered. “And I will write to you mother as soon as I am able, to let her know what is going on.”
“Oh, I didn’t know that” Draco responded. “Why didn’t it create one when Harry’s name came out?”
“Because there are explicit rules for participation. He is underage by a year and did not enter voluntarily,” Severus answered him.
“You mean two years,” Blaise pointed out. “Harry is only fifteen.”
“No, he isn’t. My son is sixteen. This is just another lie Albus told everyone to make it seem like he belonged to the Potters,” Severus growled out.
“It seems to me that a lot of bad things have happened to you and your family,” Viktor stated. Severus nodded. “You blame the Headmaster?”
“He is responsible. He is working with the Torvak, may even be one himself. I don’t know. There is no proof that we can use against him in court. So, I am just going to kill him before I leave with my family,” Severus answered.
“I will stand with you when the time comes,” Viktor stated.
“As will, I,” Nikolaus added.
“Why?” Severus asked them.
“For your son,” Viktor answered. “I believe that he and I have a Soulbond. I believe that I am meant to be his.”
“You will not pressure my son. Do you understand? He has lived a very hard life of abuse. I will not allow anyone to ever hurt or use him in any way ever again,” Severus stated firmly.
“I understand. I would never harm him or take away his choices,” Viktor responded. Severus nodded.
“Now, let’s discuss class schedules and see who can be with him and when.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
November 17, 1995: Harry wakes up
Harry woke up feeling amazing.
Best nap ever. He was starving and ready for Dinner. He lifted up and looked around. He was not in the Astronomy Tower anymore. In fact, he was in a room that he didn’t recognize at all. He was just about to panic when he saw someone in the room that made him pause.
Severus was sleeping in the chair next to the bed he was in.
He leaned over and sniffed at the same time he reached out with his magic. He chirred in surprised happiness when he realized that he could smell Severus the way that he smelled the Weasleys and the others. Severus had been cleansed.
Severus snapped open his eyes at the noise and looked over to see Harry grinning at him.
“You were cleansed,” Harry stated.
“I was,” Severus answered. He stood up and moved to sit on the bed next to Harry.
“You know who I am?” Harry asked just to be sure.
“Yes, My Hadrian. I know who you are,” Severus answered him with a cautious smile. Harry trilled happily and then launched himself into Severus’ arms.
Severus knew the exact moment that Hadrian started to cry. He moved around and pulled his boy into his arms so he could properly hold him.
“It’s alright, My Hadrian. I have you now. I am going to look after you. I swear it,” Severus spoke low and calmly to him. They sat together that way for an hour or two with Severus just holding Harry as he stayed curled up in his arms.
Severus rumbled happily when their bond was reestablished between them. Then a different kind of rumble sounded in the room and Severus chuckled.
“Hungry?” Severus asked.
“Starving,” Harry answered with a laugh.
“Come then, Child. Let us get you something to eat,” Severus told him. Harry nodded and stood up finally. Severus led him out of the room.
“Where are we?” Harry asked. “How did I get here?”
“You are in my personal quarters in the Dungeon. I brought you here. Apparently, you were sleeping in the Astronomy Tower while Zabini read. You got comfortable enough that you slipped into your Realignment Cycle,” Severus told him.
“How long was I asleep for? Did anyone notice? Are they asking questions?” Harry asked quickly.
“Peace, Child. Sit,” Severus led him to a table and pulled out a chair. He tapped the table and food began to appear a few moments later. “You were asleep for three days. Yes, people noticed. Yes, they are asking questions. We will have to either come up with a believable lie or hide you away from them.”
“You aren’t worried?” Harry asked him curiously. Severus was so calm and unbothered that Harry couldn’t stay upset about it. His Sire wasn’t worried, he shouldn’t be either.
“I am not. I care not for their opinion. I will take you and run if I must,” Severus informed him. “It goes against every instinct in me to let you stay here anyway.”
“What do you mean?” Harry asked him.
“I mean that I am tempted to keep you hidden and safe in my quarters until Remus can be located and cleansed. Then I would send the two of you to Nevarah where you will be safe and far away from the chaos of Earth while I search for your Dera,” Severus told him.
“I don’t want to go anywhere without you,” Harry answered quickly. “Please, don’t send me away. I only just found you.”
“Hush, Hadrian. It was only something I had thought about. We do not have to do that. There are other options. I don’t exactly want to send you away from me after just getting you back,” Severus soothed him. Harry smiled at him. It might just be really nice to finally have a real parent.
“Want to see me without my glamour on?” Harry asked him after a few moments.
“I would love to see the true you, my Son,” Severus answered.
And didn’t that just make Harry feel all tingly inside. To be considered someone’s son. He pulled off his ring and stood proudly in front of his dad while he looked him over.
“So, what do you think?” Harry asked him. Severus smiled and pulled him into his arms.
“You look so much like Regulus,” Severus breathed out. “Such a beautiful boy.”