Perhaps it was time to go to the bank
“All right, Kid, are you ready?” Hadrian asked as he stood in the floo room with Teddy.
“Yeah, Pops I got this,” Teddy answered with a grin. He was ready to do this. He had been studying with Remus, Lucius, and Hadrian.
“Then let’s go. Your appointment is in thirty minutes, and we need to get to the right floor and who knows what else might happen, so let’s get going,” Hadrian instructed.
“Let’s go,” Teddy agreed and then the two of the flooed to the Ministry Atrium.
Today Teddy was going to take his OWLS so that he could prepare for his NEWT classes. Hadrian knew he was ready and wasn’t too worried about how he was going to do. Teddy hadn’t had much spare time to do anything but study and learn to duel because of the way that he had been raised.
They checked in and then headed for the lifts. Hadrian had to stop himself from smiling and greeting Arthur Weasley when he stepped into the lift behind them. He wasn’t supposed to know him in this time.
“Hello,” Arthur greeted with a smile.
“Hello,” Hadrian responded. He held out his hand and Arthur grasped it. “I’m Hadrian.”
“Oh, the new Duke everyone is talking about?” Arthur asked him with curiosity. This man had been causing Albus all sorts of trouble and Molly had done nothing but talk bad about him even though she had never met him.
“That would be me,” Hadrian said with a chuckle.
“I’m Arthur Weasley. It is nice to meet you and put a face to the name,” Arthur said with genuine kindness. He had always been kind and Hadrian had loved him for it. “And this fine-looking young man must be your son.”
“Yes, this is Edward, but he prefers Ted or Teddy,” Hadrian introduced. Teddy smiled at Arthur and shook his hand when he held it out to him.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mr. Weasley,” Teddy said politely. Ted had only ever met Arthur twice in the past. So, he wasn’t very familiar with him.
“How old are you, Ted? You look about the same age as my Percy,” Arthur asked him.
“Eighteen, sir,” Teddy answered. Arthur chuckled.
“Well, then that puts you between Percy and Charlie,” Arthur responded. “You are probably through with school then.”
“Not yet, sir. I have been homeschooled but my dad is going to let me attend Hogwarts for my NEWT year so I am here to take my OWLS so that I can go,” Teddy answered.
“Oh, so you will probably get to meet my five youngest at some point. My two oldest have already graduated. Percy is sixteen he will be in his sixth year. You should say ‘hello’ he is very studious and serious about school,” Arthur offered.
“Thank you, Mr. Weasley. I will certainly say hello,” Teddy responded. Arthur turned back to Hadrian.
“I heard that you made quite the suggestion in the last Wizengamot…something about cleansings and protection against compulsions, is that correct?” Arthur asked him.
“Yes, that is correct. I believe that it is important for the people to be able to trust in their government. And what better way to ensure that trust than to make sure they are protected against any mind magic that someone may try and use to manipulate them. I wear my ear cuff every day and report to the goblins for regular cleansings,” Hadrian informed him.
“I would like to know where I could get one of those ear cuffs. I agree that we should do what we can to protect ourselves from outside influences,” Arthur surprised Hadrian by asking.
“Oh, well then, I would like to suggest going to Gringotts and speaking to my account manager Axeclaw. He will be happy to set you up with a cleansing and put you in contact with the people who made my cuff,” Hadrian instructed him.
“Thank you, Duke Peverell. I believe that I have to agree with those that say you are much friendlier than you look. Have a lovely day and good luck on your OWLS,” Arthur said with a chuckle before exiting the lift at his floor.
“That was surprising,” Teddy stated when they were alone.
“Yeah, Kid. It was. Arthur is Albus’ man through and through from what I remember. But maybe he is under compulsions or something like most people close to Albus are. This is a good thing,” Hadrian agreed.
“Oh, this is our stop,” Teddy said a bit nervously. Hadrian squeezed his shoulder for a moment and then they stepped up to the Educational Department receptionist.
“What can I do for you gentlemen today?” the receptionist asked with a smile.
“Edward Peverell, he has an appointment to take his OWLS today,” Hadrian answered.
“Yep, I see him right here. His paperwork is already all filled out and he is ready to go. If you will just take a seat, your test Proctor will be out in a moment to get you,” she instructed.
“Thank you,” Hadrian said and then led Teddy to the waiting room. “How are you feeling?”
“Nervous, but I know I can do this. I am ready,” Teddy answered with a smile.
“Good boy, Ted,” Hadrian praised. “Just take your time. You know the information; you know you do. You are smart boy. You have this.”
“Thanks, Dad,” Teddy said. They waited a few minutes before an older gentleman stepped into the room.
“Edward Peverell?” he asked.
“Yes, Sir,” Teddy answered and stood.
“I am Mr. Long; I will be your proctor today. You are his father?” Mr. Long asked Hadrian.
“Yes,” Hadrian answered.
“You cannot accompany him back here. You are welcome to wait but he will most likely be here for many hours. Each section of each subject is timed. He will get thirty minutes for lunch and then he will continue on. He will most likely be here until around six this evening,” Mr. Long informed them.
“I wasn’t planning on staying. I will make myself busy elsewhere,” Hadrian responded.
“Very good,” Mr. Long stated with a smile. “All right, Heir Peverell, follow me.”
“Good luck, Kid,” Hadrian stated and kissed him on the head.
“Thanks, Dad,” Teddy said before following the Proctor. Hadrian waited until he was gone and then took a deep breath and left the Educational Department. He was planning on going with Remus today to check out the Island and see about putting buildings on it.
~~~~~~~~
“Hey, Dad?” Draco called out when Hadrian strode into the sitting room to find Remus.
“What is it, Dragon?” Hadrian asked him as he ruffled his hair. Draco combed it back down with his fingers and looked up at Hadrian.
“Would it maybe, be alright if I tagged along with you today?” Draco asked him nervously.
“To the island?” Hadrian asked him to be sure.
“Yes, Sir. I don’t really want to just sit at the house while everyone else is busy today,” Draco responded.
“It probably won’t be much fun, but you are welcome to come with me, Draco. I have already told you that I am always available if you want to spend time together,” Hadrian told him with a smile.
“Thanks, Dad,” Draco answered and beamed up at him. Hadrian absolutely adored the smile. It wasn’t an expression that he had ever seen on Draco when they were in school together. Hadrian had mostly been subjected to sneers and frowns. This was so much better.
“Come on, let’s find Remus and Sirius,” Hadrian stated and then headed up to the library. Remus at least was probably in there even if Sirius wasn’t. Except, neither of them was in the library.
“Oh, I think I remember them saying something about practicing a wandless shield. Maybe they are in the Dueling Room,” Draco offered.
“Thanks, Dragon. Let’s go check it out,” Hadrian said with a smile and then the two of them headed that way.
Sure enough, Sirius and Remus were in the Dueling room. They were taking turns casting spells at each other and trying to block them wandlessly and wordlessly. It didn’t look like it was going all that well for them. Hadrian stood with his arm around Draco’s shoulder and the two of them watched for a few minutes.
“Oh, hey Hades,” Sirius said when he finally noticed them.
“Hey, I am glad you guys are actually practicing the wandless stuff,” Hadrian responded. He was glad they were taking it seriously. Knowing wandless magic was a really good way to not end up dead if someone happened to disarm you in the middle of a duel.
“Yeah, well, we can’t let these youngsters be better at it than we are,” Sirius answered.
“Teddy is already much better at it than both of you and Draco is most likely going to be better at it as well. He is young and it is easier to learn when your core is still developing. Your cores are too dependent on channeling through a focus object that it is going to take time to train it to do something else,” Hadrian pointed out.
“You are pretty flawless at it; did you teach yourself wandless magic at their age?” Remus asked him curiously. Hadrian smirked and shook his head.
“No, I didn’t start attempting Wandless magic until after I had become an Auror. I disarmed a Rogue Witch during one of my missions and she still managed to get me even though she didn’t have a wand. That is where the big scar on my face came from. I was determined to learn wandless magic after that,” Hadrian informed them.
“So, you were, what, in your early twenties?” Remus clarified.
“Yes,” Hadrian stated.
“How long did it take you to start mastering your wandless spells?” Sirius asked him excitedly.
“Um..well, not long, I was really good at wandless magic in about a year or two. Just as good without my wand as with it. It was really natural for me to learn to cast without my wand,” Hadrian admitted.
“Seriously?” Sirius exclaimed. “Is there anything you aren’t good at?”
“Potions,” Hadrian answered. Remus laughed.
“No, you are good at potions you just don’t like it. There is a difference,” Remus stated.
“Oh, well um I am bad at …. Household charms. Cleaning, cooking, and that stuff,” Hadrian answered again.
“Merlin, can you believe him?” Sirius asked Remus. “And look at his kid, smiling that little smug smile.”
“Hey, I am allowed to be proud. My dad is pretty cool. Way cooler than the two of you,” Draco responded with all the snobbery that Harry was used to hearing when Draco talked about Lucius back in school. Hadrian chuckled.
"Oi, I will have you know...we are really cool," Sirius said with a pout.
"If you have to be the one to say you are cool, then you definitely aren't. But just to be clear. I didn't say you weren't cool, I said dad was cooler," Draco pointed out.
“Are we still going to the island today?” Hadrian asked Remus.
“Oh, yeah. I forgot about that,” Remus said with a smile. “I am ready to go.”
“I am coming too,” Sirius stated quickly.
“Of course, you are,” Hadrian agreed. “Let’s go then.”
The four of them stepped into the foyer of the castle, it was the only place in the castle they could apparate into or out of the castle.
“Here we are,” Hadrian said as he steadied Draco. Side-along apparition always sucked.
“Yeah, I have already walked the entire island once,” Remus pointed out. “This is the center of the island and also the biggest clearing. This would be the place to put cabins if you were going to.”
“This is absolutely your decision, Mooney,” Hadrian told him. “The island is going to be the place that you spend your full moons. So, it is up to you if you want the place to yourself or if you want to offer it for a pack to use as well.”
“I think I would like to invite a pack or two to come and spend their full moons here. The island is big enough for us to put a few buildings on and that everyone should have plenty of space to run,” Remus answered.
“Sounds good, Mooney,” Hadrian agreed. “You have free reign to do whatever you want here. Build what you want. Hell, make it a little village and invite the packs to live here full time if that’s what you want.”
“Wha…I didn’t even think of that,” Remus stated in surprise. “Do you know how many wolves live in shacks or in really bad living conditions because they can’t get jobs or anything to provide for themselves?”
"I bet you could make the island into its own self-sustaining community if you wanted," Hadrian pointed out. "I would help of course."
“We can do it Mooney,” Sirius added. “Hades has been nice enough to give you free run of the island I will pay for anything we need to do to it. Let me do this for you Moons.”
“You wouldn’t have to do that Siri,” Hadrian stated with a laugh.
“I want to. It would make me feel better to use my family money for something good,” Sirius insisted. “Besides you aren’t the only person around here who is filthy rich and can spend money.”
“You are absolutely right, Siri,” Hadrian agreed. “So, who wants to explore for a bit?”
“I do,” Draco spoke up with a grin.
“Alright, then let’s do it,” Hadrian agreed. “You two coming?”
“Yeah, we are,” Sirius answered. “Like we are going to let the two of you have all of the fun.”
Hadrian just chuckled and then the four of them headed into the woods. They explored for a while and Hadrian let Draco roam as much as he wanted as long as he didn’t get too far.
“Dad!” Draco exclaimed as he came running through the bush. “You have to come see this.”
“What is it, Dragon?” Hadrian answered and let Draco pull him. Draco was grinning and then Hadrian could hear the roar of water.
“Look,” Draco said and pushed aside the foliage that was in the way. Hadrian looked around in aww, it was a beautiful waterfall with a pool of clear blue water. It was absolutely enchanting.
“Great find, Draco,” Hadrian said with a grin.
“Yeah, it is,” Remus agreed. He and Sirius were standing just behind Hadrian. Sirius grinned like a lunatic and then grabbed Draco and jumped into the pool of water. Hadrian laughed when the blonde came up sputtering and splashed water at Sirius.
“Come on, Pup. We can’t let them have all of the fun,” Remus said and stripped off down to his boxers. The Were was nearly as scarred as Hadrian was. Hadrian shrugged and laughed.
“No, we absolutely can’t,” Hadrian agreed and stripped down to his boxers as well before jumping in and splashing everyone.
“Merlin, Pup you are like a boulder,” Sirius exclaimed as he wiped the water out of his face. Hadrian just laughed and pulled Sirius under the water.
The four of them played in the water for an hour or so before Hadrian decided he was done and conjured a blanket to lay out on. He cast a drying charm and then slipped on his pants before laying down to bask in the sun. He listened to the sounds of Draco and the other two playing while he stared up at the sky.
He must have fallen asleep, because he blinked his eyes open when he felt someone snuggle up to him. He looked down to see Draco sound asleep on the blanket curled into his side.
“He crawled up there with you about two minutes after he realized you were asleep,” Remus said quietly.
“What time is it?” Hadrian asked. It was probably about time to head home. Lucius and Teddy would be getting home for dinner, and he didn’t want to worry either of them by not being home.
“After five,” Remus answered him. Hadrian waved his hand and was fully clothed then he carefully stood and then lifted the still sleeping boy in his arms.
“Must have worn him out,” Sirius said with a chuckle. Hadrian smiled when Draco nuzzled closer to him but didn’t wake up.
“Yeah, must have,” Hadrian agreed. “Come on, let’s get home before my lovely Veela and Little Wolf arrive to an empty house.”
“We wouldn’t want that. Whatever would they do with themselves,” Sirius said mockingly. Remus laughed and then laughed harder when Sirius yelped. Hadrian had sent a stinging hex his direction. Then the four of them apparated home.
“Well, he looks exhausted,” Lucius stated. He was standing in the foyer as if he had just arrived home as well. Teddy was right behind him.
“We went to the island to check it out and did a bit of exploring. Our Dragon found a very pretty waterfall with a swimming hole. He played hard,” Hadrian explained.
“Aww, sounds like I missed out on a lot of fun,” Teddy fake pouted.
“Don’t worry, Ted, Uncle Remi and I will take you out there another day. We are going to be spending a lot of time on the island fixing it up,” Sirius assured him. “We will leave your old dad at home.”
“Awesome,” Teddy said with a grin. Lucius stepped up to Hadrian and Draco. He ran his fingers through Draco’s hair and kissed his cheek. Draco blinked open his eyes and then blushed when he realized he was being held by Hadrian and fussed over by Lucius.
“Hello, Dragon,” Lucius said with a smile. “Have a good day?”
“Yes, Father it was a really good day. We went to the island that dad is letting Uncle Remi use. I found a waterfall and we played in the water,” Draco answered as Hadrian stood him back on his own feet. Draco hugged Lucius and Hadrian kissed his Veela on the head before going to Teddy and letting the two of them catch up about their day.
“How were your exams, Kid?” Hadrian asked as he ruffled Teddy’s hair and led him to the sitting room.
“Oh, I think I did really good. You were right. As long as I took my time and paid attention to what I was doing it wasn’t difficult,” Teddy stated with a grin. “I had time to swing by and take my apparition exam as well. So, I am licensed for that too, now.”
“Good boy, Ted. I didn’t even think about you needing that,” Hadrian praised. Teddy beamed up at his dad and sat down next to him on the couch. “Did they tell you how long it will be before you get your results?”
“Yeah, in about two or three days,” Teddy answered excitedly.
“How many did you decide to take?” Hadrian asked him.
“Charms, Transfiguration, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Potions, Defense Against the Dark Arts, and Herbology,” Teddy answered.
“That is great, Ted,” Lucius said as he sat down on one of the couches with Draco. “I have seen you study, I know you did great.”
“Thanks, Luc,” Teddy said with a slight blush. “So, I have been thinking…I want to be an Animagus.”
“We talked about it a few years ago and you always said no. That you were basically an Animagus already, what made you change your mind?” Hadrian asked him.
“Well, I thought that it might be nice to have two animal forms. It might be useful for sneaking, spying, or escaping,” Teddy pointed out.
“I agree with all of those points but in order for it to be useful for those things, you would have to be unregistered,” Hadrian countered. Teddy gave him a look.
“When have we ever been that concerned with the law?” Teddy asked him with a chuckle.
“Touche, Little Wolf. Alright but I want you to agree to wait until Winter Break to do it so that you can be supervised,” Hadrian requested.
“Ok, Pops I can do that,” Teddy agreed. Draco looked up at Lucius hopefully.
“Don’t even think about it, Dragon,” Lucius warned with a laugh. Draco pouted and turned to Hadrian.
“Sorry, Drake if your father says no then it is no,” Hadrian answered. “I wouldn’t let Ted do it at your age either. You are still a bit too young, even if it wasn’t illegal.”
Draco sighed and then shrugged.
“Worth a try,” the blonde boy stated. Lucius, Teddy, and Hadrian all laughed.
"Uncle Sirius and your dad did it when they were what fifteen?" Teddy asked. "Isn't that what you told me?"
"Yes, but they were doing it because the moon was hard for Mooney and they wanted to find a way to make it easier for him. That and they did it without their parents knowing," Hadrian responded.
"Don't get any ideas about doing it at school without us knowing. Severus is always watching," Lucius warned them.
"I wouldn't, Father," Draco answered quickly. "I am not a reckless Gryffindor."
"Hey," Hadrian said with a laugh. Then Teddy gave him a look.
"I have heard the stories, Pops," Teddy pointed out. Hadrian laughed harder.
"Ok, that's fair. Reckless is kind of a requirement I think," Hadrian agreed.
“I believe it is time for dinner,” Lucius stated and indicated Tandy standing in the doorway.
“Yes, Master Lucius, it is being time for dinner,” Tandy agreed.
“Perfect, I am starving,” Hadrian said with a grin. He reached down and pulled Lucius up with him. Then he wrapped his arms around the Veela while the boys headed for the dining room. Lucius nuzzled Hadrian’s neck and pressed a chaste kiss to his jaw.
“I missed you today, My Love,” Lucius admitted.
"I missed you as well, Darling," Hadrian responded and claimed Lucius' lips in a slow kiss. He pulled back slightly and then buried his nose in Lucius' neck.
Hadrian tightened his arms around Lucius and breathed deeply. There was a subtle shift in his Submissive’s scent. There was a new softness to it that smelled of fresh new things. It made Hadrian want to wrap his love in protective charms and keep him safe in their home.
“Oh,” Hadrian sighed out. He understood what the books had meant about a dominant noticing the change in scent first. His Veela was definitely carrying. He knelt down and pressed his nose to Lucius’ very flat abdomen.
“What is it, My Alpha?” Lucius asked him curiously. Hadrian caressed Lucius’ stomach and grinned up at the blonde.
“You are definitely carrying,” Hadrian said quietly before breathing in the scent that was strongest where his little one was growing in his Submissives magical womb. “The scent of it makes me want to lock you away in the safety of our rooms and not let you out until the babe is born.”
“Hey, Pup….” Sirius called loudly from the doorway. He stopped and backed up when Hadrian turned toward him with flashing eyes. “Alright, did I miss something?”
“No,” Lucius said with a laugh. He gripped Hadrian’s hair and turned his head up toward him. “Stop growling, Love. Your Godfather isn’t a threat, and you know it.” Hadrian seemed to physically shake himself before pressing a kiss to Lucius’ abdomen and standing up.
“Sorry, Siri,” Hadrian said with a shrug. “I believe my Lovely Veela is in fact carrying. The new scent on him has my instincts acting up.”
“No need to apologize, Pup,” Sirius said with a grin. “We were expecting it. No sudden movements around Luci from now on. We will do our best not to trigger your instincts negatively.”
“Thanks, Siri,” Hadrian said. He nuzzled Lucius once more before leading him out of the room. They sat down at the dining table and Hadrian fought his instincts hard not to pull Lucius down into his lap.
“What held you up?” Draco asked curiously.
“Hades says Luci smells different. Has his instincts acting crazy,” Sirius answered for them with grin.
“Oh, you mean….” Teddy started and Lucius nodded while Hadrian grinned with pride.
"Congratulations, Pup, Lucius. We are excited for you both," Remus exclaimed.
“What?” Draco asked and looked between them all. Then he smiled and Hadrian could see that he understood. “Oh, you think Father is pregnant.”
“Yes, I do,” Hadrian said proudly.
“That’s wonderful. I am so excited,” Draco responded.
“So, are we,” Lucius stated and rubbed his hand across his abdomen. He couldn’t wait to feel the baby moving. It had been one of his favorite parts of carrying Draco.
“But, we are still keeping quiet about this. It is very important that Dumbledore and others like him do not know that Lucius is carrying. They would use it against us or try to hurt him,” Hadrian warned them.
“A new baby is exciting and within these walls we will celebrate the miracle of this. But the outside world isn’t kind to Creatures. So, we must protect ourselves,” Lucius added.
Hadrian reached out and cupped Lucius’ face before looking at his family around the table.
“It isn’t safe… yet” Hadrian insisted. “But it will be. I will make it safe for us all. We will be able to live our lives in the open without fear of Wixen and their prejudices. I swear it.”
“We believe you, Pup,” Sirius said with a grin. “Besides not all Wixen are prejudice. I am not a Creature, and I am for sure on your side.”
“You don’t count, Uncle Siri. You are mated to a Creature,” Teddy pointed out with a laugh.
“You count, Pads,” Remus stated when Sirius pouted. The Animagus stuck his tongue out at Teddy and Hadrian chuckled. It was like having three children in the house.
“You are such a good Alpha, My Hades,” Lucius told Hadrian. “I want you to remember that you are not fighting this battle alone. There are a lot of people and resources in your corner, make sure to use us.”
“I know, Darling. I want you to stay far away from any fights or duels that are likely to break out after we start pushing for Creature rights. I won’t risk you or our baby,” Hadrian insisted.
Lucius laughed and pulled Hadrian closer to him by his collar. He kissed the Drake and laughed harder when he heard the other four making either kissing noises or gagging noises at the display.
“Try not to forget that I was once a dueling champion and am not afraid to use some very dark, nasty curses. I am carrying our baby, but I am not a delicate flower incapable of protecting myself or our family,” Lucius gently reminded him.
“You are right, of course. Forgive me, Lucius I know that you are more than capable of taking care of yourself,” Hadrian assured him.
“No forgiveness needed, Hades. I know you are simply reacting on instinct. I love that you want to take care of us. And I love letting you do just that. I am happy to let others believe I am a delicate flower in need of protecting, it means they will underestimate me. But I want you to always remember that I am perfectly capable, but I choose to let you take care of me,” Lucius told him.
“I will endeavor to never forget again, My Vicious Darling,” Hadrian stated seriously.
“The ministry is starting to perform raids on the homes of ‘Dark’ Wixen. Malfoy Manor is on the list of homes up for a visit,” Sirius interrupted. He was looking down at a letter in his hands. One of the elves had brought it in while Lucius and Hadrian had been talking. Sirius had been writing letters to his old friends in the Auror department.
“What?” Lucius asked shocked. Sirius held out the letter.
“Phil doesn’t know where the orders are coming from originally, but apparently some of the Auror team leaders are letting their teams know that they are going to start performing raids on the homes of those confirmed and suspected of siding with the ‘Dark’ factions. He doesn’t think it is exactly ministry sanctioned,” Sirius told them in further detail.
“That is something that has to be voted on by the Wizengamot, so I know for a fact it isn’t ministry sanctioned,” Lucius stated angrily. “I have to do a bit of cleaning up at the Manor so that Cissa nor myself can be persecuted.”
“Bring it here,” Hadrian insisted. “They cannot find this place and I will never give them access, so bring the things that could get you in trouble here. We will lock them in the vault room in the basement.”
“Thank you, Hadrian. I will do it tomorrow,” Lucius agreed.
“We will do it tomorrow. I have a meeting with Charis Smith about the School Board meeting but other than that I am completely free tomorrow,” Hadrian insisted.
“Sounds great,” Lucius responded.
This would be a great way to get the Diary into his home and protected. In the other timeline, Lucius had only slipped the Diary into Ginny Weasley’s cauldron to get it out of his home so that he could not be condemned for having artifacts that belonged to Tom.
He was planning to retrieve the Ring tomorrow as well. He wanted Tom’s soul safe. Lucius had told him that Albus was losing the plot and believed that he was Tom in disguise. Albus would probably start hunting for the Horcrux sooner this time around.
They had dinner and talked about their plans for the next few days. Hadrian would have his meeting with Charis tomorrow and get him onside for the things that he wanted to do for the school.
The day after that was his 37th birthday and the day that they could do a scan to confirm Lucius’ pregnancy. He had been instructed to make no plans for that day because his family wanted him home and available to spend the day with them. Hadrian was perfectly fine with that.
August first he would be shaking Albus’ world up even more and he was living for it. He was going to start slowly making changes to the school with Charis’ help. He also needed to find the Ravenclaw Lord as well. If he did, there were old laws in place that would allow the four founders heirs, or in this case three, to take complete control of the school.
At some point in the next few days, he was going to be meeting with Amelia and Rufus to officially question Peter Pettigrew. Hadrian was hoping they could get something solid out of him that would point to Albus being more involved.
He knew that Amelia and Rufus were starting to figure out that Albus was the one he was suspicious of, but it was inevitable. It was hard to lead the questioning the way he needed it to go without giving some things away. He could tell them more once they were protected.
“You were quite lost in thought through dinner,” Lucius pointed out.
The Veela had played a few rounds of chess with Draco and Teddy after dinner. Hadrian had retreated to his office to go over a few things and check over some of the investments that he was now responsible for. Lucius had come looking for him after Draco had gone to bed.
Hadrian wrapped his arms around Lucius when he sat down in the Drake’s lap in his office. He caressed Lucius’ stomach and kissed his neck softly.
“For such a big, intimidating man, you are quite affectionate and gentle,” Lucius said with a smile. He had never thought he would be so lucky in a Dominant mate.
“Only for those I consider family, Darling. Everyone else is always one wrong twitch away from a curse. I won’t lose anyone this time around,” Hadrian responded with a bit of a growl in his voice as he continued to pepper kisses up and down Lucius’ neck.
“We, Love, we won’t lose anyone. You are not alone, and you are not solely responsible for us all,” Lucius said quietly. He had his head tilted to the side so that Hadrian had better access to his neck.
“I know that logically, Darling, but I have been trained and pushed into the position of a leader from fourteen years old. I have been told so many times that I am the only one capable of handling the ‘big bad’. That I am the one responsible for the survival of others. It is hard to rework that mindset, especially when I am the most Dominant Creature in our home. My instincts say it is my right and duty to protect you all,” Hadrian told him.
Lucius pulled away from Hadrian and then turned so that he was straddling the man’s lap. He wrapped his arms around his neck and nuzzled his cheek before kissing him. Hadrian sat back and let his Veela shower him with affection. It had been so long since anyone, but Teddy had even touched him. Having Lucius, Draco, and Teddy to shower with affection and receive affection in turn has been so good for Hadrian's state of mind. It also strengthened his resolve to protect them all.
“Oh, my Love,” Lucius said as he kissed Hadrian and ran his fingers through his hair. “We are so lucky to have you. You are taking such good care of us all. You can lead us to battle or lead us to a peaceful resolution. You can lead us to victory or lead us into hiding. We would follow you anywhere. But leading still doesn’t mean standing alone. You will never stand alone again.”
Hadrian tightened his arms around Lucius and kissed him hard. Merlin, he was so thankful for this second chance at life. When he pulled away both of them were panting hard and more than a little turned on.
“I believe it is time to retire to our room, Little Veela,” Hadrian said with a growl. He gripped Lucius by the thighs and stood from his chair.
Lucius wrapped his arms and legs around the Drake and grinned. It was never a position he would allow anyone outside of their home to see him in but Merlin he loved being able to give in to his Submissive instincts. This is what he had been waiting his entire life for.
“Please,” Lucius agreed and then proceeded to nip and kiss at Hadrian’s neck while he carried him to their room.
He was pretty sure he heard someone chuckle but paid them no attention. Draco was already in bed and Ted was usually in his room reading this time of night so it could only be Remus or Sirius, and he wasn’t worried about the two of them.
Hadrian opened and shut their bedroom door with wandless, wordless magic. It was a show of power that always made Lucius want him more. Hadrian gently laid him down on the bed and then crawled up after him.
Lucius moved to start unbuttoning Hadrian’s clothes, but the Drake shook his head and gently placed Lucius’ hands back on the bed.
“Be still, Darling and let me take care of you,” Hadrian insisted. Lucius just smiled up at his Dominant Mate and nodded.
“Of course, my Love,” Lucius agreed. Hadrian slowly unbuttoned Lucius’ shirt. He kissed and a worshiped every piece of beautiful pale flesh that he uncovered before vanishing the shirt and moving on to his shoes.
Hadrian took his time and slowly removed every item of clothing that Lucius wore. When he was completely bare, Hadrian grabbed a pillow and folded it over so that his face was even with Lucius' abdomen. His desire had cooled as he removed Lucius' clothes. Not because Lucius was unattractive, because he was gorgeous. But Hadrian had been distracted by the new scent and the thought of his baby growing inside his lovely mate.
Lucius ran his fingers through Hadrian’s curls as the Drake caressed him. Lucius startled slightly when he felt a warmth that seemed to trickle into him. He looked down to see beautiful flashes of light moving from Hadrian’s fingertips and sinking into his stomach.
“What are you doing, Hades?” Lucius asked curiously. The magic felt so warm and nice. Like something caressing him from the inside.
“The books say it is best to start sharing magic with the baby as early as possible. If I start now and share magic with you like this every night, it will make the entire pregnancy easier on you and our little one,” Hadrian informed him.
Lucius smiled and simply continued to run his fingers through Hadrian’s hair as the Drake slowly and carefully continued to let his magic trickle into him. Hadrian was a great Alpha, and he was a great father. He didn't think there were many Wixen, Creature or otherwise, who was powerful enough to physically share magic like this.
After a few more minutes of this, Hadrian pressed a kiss to Lucius’ stomach before banishing his own clothes finally and covering Lucius’ body completely with his own. He pressed his quickly hardening member into Lucius own and grinned down at his gorgeous mate.
“Now, I am going to take care of you in a much more fun way,” Hadrian said with a growl to his deep voice. His eyes flashed a beautiful green with his power, and he felt Lucius shiver and harden beneath him.
“Thank, Merlin,” Lucius answered with a laugh. He ground himself up against Hadrian and shivered again when he saw Hadrian’s eyes darken with his pleasure.
Hadrian slowly but expertly took Lucius apart as he brought him to orgasm multiple times before ever burying himself into him. When they were both exhausted and satisfied, Lucius laid on his stomach with his head on Hadrian’s chest and one arm and leg thrown over him.
The dark haired man was gently caressing his Submissive as the two of them just lay there contentedly together.
“Luc, I already told you that Tom created Horcrux didn’t I?” Hadrian asked quietly.
“Tom?” Lucius asked him. Hadrian chuckled.
“I guess not,” Hadrian responded. “Tom Marvolo Riddle. Better known as Lord Voldemort, The Dark Lord.” Lucius stiffened a bit in his arms and Hadrian continued to caress him gently.
“He made Horcrux?” Lucius asked quietly. Hadrian could smell the distress and rumbled soothingly to Lucius before kissing him on the head.
“Yes, but you have nothing to fear, Darling. Tom wasn’t always insane. That was something else that Albus caused. He felt threatened by the power, influence, and followers that Tom was gathering to himself. So, he placed compulsions on Tom that made him start creating Horcrux until he was completely insane all on his own,” Hadrian informed Lucius.
“So, you want to gather them? To destroy them?” Lucius asked him carefully. Guess that explained why their Dark Marks never completely faded.
“No, I want to gather them so that I can make his soul whole again and bring him back to life as the man he was originally. He was a Creature like us and was attempting to do wonderful things in the Creature communities. He is a born leader and good at convincing people to follow him. He would make a good ally,” Hadrian got to his point.
“Ally?” Lucius stated and sat up. He looked down at Hadrian like he was completely insane. “I have been a Death Eater since I was seventeen years old. If there is one thing that I know about The Dark Lord, it is that he doesn’t share power. He would never follow you.”
Hadrian sat up and reached out for Lucius’ hand. The Veela linked their fingers together without hesitation. Hadrian rewarded him with a blinding smile.
“This is one of those times that I am going to ask you to put your trust in me without much proof or reason. I need you to trust that I know what I am doing and that I would not risk our family or our cause. I am not saying putting his soul together will make him a good man, but like the two of us he will do what it takes to get the job done,” Hadrian insisted.
Lucius held Hadrian’s hand and thought about what he had been told. Hadrian insisted Tom wasn’t always insane and Lucius remembered the stories his father and Nott Sr. used to tell of a man that was charismatic and ambitious. One with brilliant ideas and the power to see it through.
He hadn’t believed those stories because he had only ever experienced the Dark Lord, not Tom Riddle. He was going to put his trust in his mate. He knew that even if the Dark Lord was resurrected and started acting insane that he would be ok. Hadrian would take care of him and their children. Lucius would never follow the Dark Lord again. He had done so the first time because his father had all but forced him. Their other option had been to follow Albus, and he would never do that. Hadrian was powerful enough to stop the Dark Lord if the worst did happen. He had faith in his Mate.
“I trust you, Hadrian,” Lucius stated firmly. He moved and shifted around until he was sitting between Hadrian’s legs with his back to the Drake’s chest. Hadrian wrapped his arms around him and held him securely. Lucius snuggled up to him and kissed his jaw.
“I know that you would never do anything to put our family at risk and if you believe this is something that needs to be done, then I will stand with you. Is there anything that I can do to help?” Lucius asked him.
“As a matter of fact, Darling there is,” Hadrian told him gratefully. “You have a Horcrux currently inside Malfoy Manor. I would like to make sure that we retrieve it tomorrow.”
“I have a Horcrux?” Lucius asked surprised.
“Yes, a diary with ‘TMR’ on the front bottom corner,” Hadrian explained.
“I remember that. The Dark Lord gave it to me about a year before he was killed and told me to guard it. It is in a secure, secret room in my office,” Lucius recalled.
“Perfect, we will get it tomorrow,” Hadrian responded. “There is one more that you can help me get.”
“I will do what I can, Hades,” Lucius answered.
“I need to know if Narcissa was left in control of Bellatrix’s vaults when she was locked away in Azkaban,” Hadrian asked him.
“Yes, Bellatrix left Cissa in control of everything for her and the Lestrange brothers both. I am not surprised that she was left one of the Horcrux. She is completely insane and absolutely obsessed with the Dark Lord,” Lucius informed him.
“Great, I need Narcissa to give the Goblins permission to give me the Hufflepuff Cup that is in Bellatrix’s vault. They know the one, they just need permission to retrieve it,” Hadrian explained.
“She will do it,” Lucius responded. “She will be curious as to why.”
“She can’t know anything yet. The two of you are very good friends and were married for a long time. Ask her to just trust that you need this done and it is safer for her if she doesn’t know why we need it. The less people to know about the existence of Horcrux the better,” Hadrian requested.
“I agree with that. I will get it done,” Lucius told him. “How many Horcrux are there?”
“I have already retrieved one, then there is the diary, the cup, a ring, a diadem, and a necklace. I will get the ring tomorrow and I will also attempt to get the necklace tomorrow with Sirius’ help. The Diadem is at Hogwarts, I will get Teddy to get it for me when school starts back up,” Hadrian answered him.
“You don’t have to wait for Teddy to do it. You could get Severus to do it. He wouldn’t betray us,” Lucius insisted. Hadrian kissed Lucius on the cheek.
“If he gets cleansed like you believe he will, then I will be happy to trust him with this task. I would much rather he did it than, Teddy. I am only concerned about it, because we cannot be sure what kinds of compulsions were placed on him as a teenager. Things that we may not even realize until it is too late,” Hadrian pointed out.
“He will get cleansed. I know he will. He will be stubborn at first, but it will eventually get to him. He will not be able to stand the thought that he might not have complete control of his own mind,” Lucius assured him. Hadrian chuckled.
“I know, Darling. I know about his stubbornness and his pride in his mental abilities,” Hadrian agreed with his Veela. Lucius was quiet for a few moments.
“He is your second mate, isn’t he?” Lucius finally asked. Hadrian tightened his arms around Lucius and kissed his head.
“Such a quick mind, Darling. Yes, Severus is my second mate,” Hadrian said honestly. He had sworn he wouldn’t lie to his mates.
“How have you been so strong willed about staying away from him? The connection between you and I was instant and wonderful. Don’t you feel the need to be with him?” Lucius asked curiously.
“Yes, knowing that you have been visiting with him and coming home with his scent on you even though it was faint has been hard. But I have to do what is best for all of us. And letting him know where our home is before we are sure that he is cleansed and in his own mind is a risk that I cannot take,” Hadrian admitted. "Besides, it wouldn't be like it was with you anyways. Severus isn't cleansed. He doesn't even know that he is a Creature. I would know he was mine and want to me near him, but he wouldn't feel the same. It would be worse to have him close and not be allowed to touch him or acknowledge him."
Then he gently grasped Lucius by the chin and turned his head up to look at him and make sure that he was looking at him.
“I also wanted to have you alone for a little while. To give you the attention that you deserve and settle our bond properly before adding another Submissive,” Hadrian told him. “You deserve to know that you are important to me. It will be different once I claim Severus because he will have to settle into a home knowing that there is more than just him.”
“But I will make sure to give him the time he deserves as well. I won’t let the fact that I have more than one Submissive take away from all of you getting the attention you should have,” Hadrian assured him.
“You are so good to me. I know that you will take good care of all of us. Severus is my best friend, and I am happy to share you with him. At least I know that I will get along with him and that there won’t be any fighting amongst us,” Lucius said with a laugh. “To be completely honest, I have always been attracted to Severus but didn’t want to attempt to do anything to ruin our friendship. I also didn't want him to feel like a secret I had to keep because of my marriage to Cissa. I find I am happy with this.”
“I will do my best to make sure that we are all happy together. That our home is a safe, happy place and never a war zone,” Hadrian promised. Lucius kissed him and smiled.
“We all will,” Lucius agreed and then he yawned. Hadrian chuckled and then moved them around until they were laying comfortably together. Lucius turned so that he could press his face into Hadrian’s neck. “I love you, Hadrian.”
“I love you too, Darling,” Hadrian responded honestly. The two of them fell asleep quite satisfied and curled tightly together.
~~~~~~~~~~~
“Lord Charis Smith,” Hadrian said with a grin. He held out his hand to the very nervous looking man. They had decided to meet in a private room in Gringotts so that they knew they would have privacy.
“Charis, please, Duke Peverell,” Charis insisted with a hesitant smile.
“Then I insist you call me Hadrian,” the Drake responded. He indicated a chair across from him and Charis took a seat. “Thank you for agreeing to meet with me.”
“I have been in attendance at both Wizengamot meetings since you have come to town. You are quite the leader, and I am happy to have this chance to speak with you,” Charis responded with. "I only found out I had this title because of your encouragement to get cleansed and do inheritance testing."
“Then let’s you and I talk about the school,” Hadrian stated. Charis nodded. “The first thing I want to discuss with you is the wards. I have it on very good authority that the wards have been corrupted and are not functioning properly to protect the students. I want to bring the goblins and their group of Warders to the school so that they can fix them.”
“That sounds like a good idea. My son complained about a troll and a possessed teacher last year. My wife and I have debated very seriously sending him to Durmstrang because of it. The school is supposed to be safe. Instead, there is a man in charge who is simply brushing the incidents aside as if they aren’t important,” Charis told him.
“That is exactly what I want to change. It is not a secret that Lord Malfoy and I are together. I will do everything that I can to assure our sons are protected when they are at school. I want to properly screen the Professors to make sure they are actually qualified to do their job, and I want to start this year,” Hadrian insisted.
“I am willing to follow your lead. You propose the changes that you want done and I will back you. The two of us have three founding titles between us and that means we overrule the Governors and the headmaster,” Charis stated.
“Yes, we do,” Hadrian agreed. “We have two days to work out our plans and how to implement them. The Goblins will be on standby and ready to start reworking the wards right after the meeting. It will require the entire school to be empty to ensure that no one can mess with the process.”
“Albus Dumbledore is going to be very unhappy with you,” Charis said with a grin. “He likes the power that he holds from his many positions. You are slowly but surely wresting that power away. You have the majority vote in the Wizengamot when you speak and now you are taking Hogwarts.”
“He has too much power and has grown too complacent in his positions. He thinks there will be no consequences for his actions. I am here to show him otherwise. He is going to really hate me when I bring charges against him for the death and neglect of my cousin,” Hadrian assured the Hufflepuff Lord.
“I agree and there are many many others that also agree. He holds too much power. What happened to your cousin is tragic and was completely avoidable. He didn't have to paint a target on one child's back to protect another. He could have just protected them both. It will be nice to take some of his power away from him,” Charis agreed.
“Yes, it will. Now, let’s work on that plan so that we are on the same page in front of Albus and the others,” Hadrian insisted.
Hadrian and Charis spent the next hour talking about everything that they wanted to start working on for the school. The first thing they were going to do was take care of the wards, then they were going to get rid of at least one professor.
Hadrian was not going to make his children spend a year listening to Gilderoy Lockhart talk about himself and pretend to know things that he had no idea about. He already had someone in mind that he was going to put into the position of Defense Teacher. But that was a surprise.
He left the bank when he was satisfied that they had a decent plan. He and Charis agreed to meet up at the bank and arrive together at Hogwarts for the meeting to show their solidarity.
~~~~~~~~~~
“Is that everything?” Hadrian asked as the two of them stood in Lucius’ office. The Malfoy House elves had made sure to gather every dark artifact that was inside the manor and packed it up.
"Yes, I believe it is,” Lucius said and took another look around. He had also finished packing up the rest of his personal things that he had left in the manor. The manor was Narcissa’s now to do what she wanted with it as long as she didn’t get rid of anything.
She could put it all into storage or into the Malfoy family vaults so that Draco would have access to them when he came of age. Malfoy Manor would be passed to Draco when the time came because it was his to inherit if he wanted it. But until such a time as that, it was Narcissa’s home to decorate and change as she saw fit.
Hadrian placed the Diary on floor in the center of the room and indicated for Lucius to move behind him for safety. He didn’t know how the Horcrux would react to being removed from the Diary. This was the biggest piece of Tom’s soul after all.
“What are you doing?” Lucius asked from behind him. Hadrian pulled the scythe charm from his neck and poured his magic into it. Lucius stared at it in awe when it became a full-sized Reaper Scythe.
“I am removing his soul for safe keeping,” Hadrian informed him. He raised the scythe above his head and then swung it down. There was a hissing noise and a sort of agonized screaming before the black mist rose from the diary and was pulled into the scythe.
Hadrian conjured the chest that had been given to him to safely hold Tom’s soul and opened it to see two balls of mist floating inside of it. Hadrian smiled and then closed the lid before banishing the chest back to his vault room.
“Two down, four to go,” Hadrian said with a smile. He shrunk the scythe back down and placed it back around his neck. He picked up the Diary and placed it in the box sitting on the desk.
“Sirius is hopefully retrieving the necklace for you, Love,” Lucius pointed out and stepped into Hadrian’s arms. He loved being surrounded by his Mate. “That will give you three.”
“Yes, it will,” Hadrian agreed. “How about lunch in the Alley?”
“That sounds lovely,” Lucius agreed. He was happy to go out with his mate to do something as simple as have lunch. They were always either busy or home.
Hadrian watched the joy on his Submissive’s face and vowed to take him out for pleasure more often. Lucius was a proud man and enjoyed being flashy and flaunting his wealth over others. It may not be a nice personality trait, but Hadrian accepted his mate for who he was.
“Any preferences?” Hadrian asked him.
“Yes, there is a new French place that just opened up. I haven’t been able to try it out just yet. We could go there,” Lucius suggested.
“Ca a l’air genial,” Hadrian responded with a grin. Lucius smiled up at him.
“Bien sur, que tu parles Francais,” Lucius responded with glee.
“Oui, et bien d’autres langues aussi,” Hadrian answered him. “I had a lot of spare time on my hands when I was locked away in my house. Teddy is fluent in many languages as well.”
“You are a very impressive man, Hadrian Peverell,” Lucius said with pride. Hadrian just chuckled and then reached for the floo powder.
“I do try, Darling,” Hadrian teased. The two of them flooed to the Alley and then walked to the restaurant. Hadrian kept his hand on the small of Lucius’ back and made sure to keep plenty of space between his expecting Submissive and the rest of the people in the Alley.
“Table for two please,” Lucius told the hostess at the door and the two of them were sat pretty quickly.
“This place is far fancier then I have ever eaten in before,” Hadrian said with a grin. The other patrons in the building were staring at him as well. He knew he was pretty scary to look at. He was tall, muscled, and heavily scarred.
“We don’t have to eat here if you are uncomfortable,” Lucius stated quickly. Hadrian reached out and linked their hands together on the table.
“I am not uncomfortable, Darling. You want French food; you get French food. I am happy when you are happy,” Hadrian insisted. Lucius blushed and nodded.
Their server came to the table and took their drink and appetizer order, and Hadrian was surprised they made it through most of their appetizer before the camera showed up to take pictures of them for the paper. Hadrian grinned at Lucius and winked. It was the only warning the blonde had before Hadrian stood up and dropped to a knee next to him.
“Hadrian, what are you doing?” Lucius asked. He was blushing but also looked immensely pleased.
“Exactly what you think I am doing,” Hadrian stated. “I don’t care what kind of shit we get for this in the papers. I agree with what you said a few days back. I am yours and you are mine. I want the entire world to know it. I love you and I know we are going to spend the rest of our lives together. Why not make it official and do it properly?”
“Oh Hades,” Lucius said with a happy sigh. He didn’t care what kind of shit they got from the papers either. And he knew there would be shit. He was barely divorced and now in the eyes of the public he was already moving on.
“Will you do me the honor of becoming my husband?” Hadrian asked him with flourish and loud enough for the patrons and the reporters to hear. This would give his vain Veela the attention he enjoyed. Lucius practically glowed with how pleased he was.
“Nothing would make me happier,” Lucius accepted. Hadrian made of a show of wandless magic and pulled a beautiful silver band out of thin air. It had been a gift from Lady Death for his new Mate. The ring had been sitting in a velvet box on his desk when he had stopped in to get the paperwork for his meeting with Charis. There was a simple letter from Death congratulating him on his bonding. It was a metal that didn’t exist in this realm. He slipped the ring on Lucius’ finger.
Hadrian stood and pulled Lucius up as well. He wrapped his arms around the Veela and then kissed the life out of him right there in the middle of the restaurant. There was applause from the other patrons and the snapping of cameras. They would be front page news tomorrow.
“Guess we need to tell our boys tonight before they read about it in the paper,” Lucius said when they were back in their seats. He was admiring his new ring, and Hadrian could see how hard he was fighting to maintain his trademark blank face.
“They already know,” Hadrian informed him. “I talked to both of them about it this morning before we all went our separate ways.”
“Sneaky,” Lucius responded. “I know you did it like this for me. You would have been perfectly happy to do it in the privacy of our home. Thank you.”
“I know you, Darling. I know what makes you happy and you are a man who likes to be the center of attention. I am happy to give you that,” Hadrian agreed with him.
“I think you might actually be perfect,” Lucius said with a chuckle. Hadrian laughed out loud and then shook his head.
“Absolutely not. But I am happy to give it my best shot,” Hadrian denied.
The two of them enjoyed the rest of their meal in an even better mood. Hadrian was pleased to see that Lucius had a hard time not staring at his lovely new ring. When they were finally finished, they flooed home and were instantly assaulted with a thousand questions about how lunch had gone.
Draco loved the ring and hearing the details of the proposal. Remus and Sirius congratulated them, and Teddy hugged them both tightly and let them know that he was really happy for them.
Sirius presented him with the locket after dinner and Hadrian safely retrieved the soul before placing the necklace in the vault with the Diary and Soul Chest. That was three soul pieces down and three to go. He had planned to retrieve the ring today, but he could do it tomorrow or even the next day after the meeting at the school.
Tomorrow he would be thirty-seven and he couldn’t wait to spend his birthday with his family and the people who meant the most to him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
“Did you see this morning’s paper, Severus?” Albus spat out and slammed the paper down in front of the potion master. Severus had in fact seen the paper and had immediately written to his friend to congratulate him. He had to admit, he was a bit jealous of how happy Lucius was with his new love.
“I did,” Severus replied. “From what I read, they made sure to make a show out of it.”
Severus knew without talking to him that Lucius had loved every minute of it. His friend had always loved being the center of attention. So, either it was a show of some sort to get a reaction or Duke Peverell knew Lucius well enough to know exactly what would make him happy.
“They are up to something. There is no way they just met each other for the first time three weeks ago. There is a plan of some sort being put into action and we need to know what it is. Lucius is too proud and dominant of a man to simply submit himself to another man this way,” Albus insisted.
“But not if it is the Dark Lord like you believe. Lucius would submit to him,” Severus pointed out. He and Lucius had agreed to let Albus believe what he wanted so that he seemed completely insane if he ever actually accused Hadrian of it.
“Oh, very good, My Boy. You are absolutely right. Lucius would only submit to Tom,” Albus agreed. “This is just further proof that I am right.”
Severus just nodded and sipped his tea. Albus pulled a box off a shelf and set in on the desk in front of Severus.
“Your last ingredient,” Albus revealed. “It is time to start brewing the potion. I need it done as soon as possible. I have been listening to the rumors of the ministry employees and Wizengamot members. No matter what I have said on the matter, it seems like the majority are going to vote in favor of the cleansings and charms.”
“The potion will take at least a month to brew. It will not be done I before the vote is done,” Severus pointed out.
“I know. But I am hoping that it will take time to get the cuffs made and passed out. If I can get the potion in people's systems after they are cleansed and before they place the cuffs, then I can make sure to keep control,” Albus revealed his plan.
“Of course,” Severus agreed. He would need to let Lucius know so that his Mate could work on a way to counter this. Peverell seemed to be a very smart man with a sharp mind. Severus wasn’t worried about it.
“We need to get Neville and his horrible grandmother on side as well. It is more important now, then ever before that he is trained. We cannot let Tom win,” Albus insisted. “He is going the political route for now, but it will change, and he will resort to violence just as he did last time. I will ensure it. No one will side with him when they see that he is up to his old tricks.”
“You don’t think he has learned from his mistakes? That he won’t do things differently this time around?” Severus asked curiously.
“He will do exactly as he did last time. I know it,” Albus stated.
He said it in such a way that Severus was pretty certain that Albus had done something to cause the war last time. That maybe, perhaps it wasn’t The Dark Lord who had started the last war. Maybe, Albus had done something to start that one as well.
The Dark Lord was one the best people Severus had ever known at Mind Magics. If Albus had somehow affected him then it was perfectly logical to assume he had been able to do the same to Severus.
Perhaps it was time to go to the bank.