What was Severus willing to give?
“What can we do for you today?” the goblin behind the counter asked.
“I would like to submit myself for an inheritance test and a cleansing, if necessary,” the cloaked man answered.
“And you would like to remain anonymous?” the goblin asked.
“Only while I am in the outer room. Once we are in an office, I will be happy to remove my hood and reveal my identity. It is imperative that I am not recognized doing this so that my employer does not become suspicious,” the cloaked man responded.
“Please, follow me,” the goblin stated. The cloaked man followed him down a corridor and into an office. He was pointed to a seat. “This is Axeclaw he has been handling the bulk of the Inheritance tests and cleansings he will help you.”
“Thank you,” the cloaked man said and inclined his head. A parchment and dagger were passed across the table to him.
“Five drops on the parchment please, to give us accurate information,” Axeclaw instructed.
The cloaked man did as he was told and then they waited. The Goblin picked up the parchment as the words began to form and looked it over. He grinned and then slid it over to the cloaked figure.
“We have been waiting for you, Severus Snape,” Axeclaw said with a grin. The cloaked man pulled his hood away to show surprised dark eyes and long dark hair. He looked over his inheritance test and grew angrier with every line. He was going to kill Albus Dumbledore.
Severus Tobias Snape
Born January 9, 1960
Mother: Eileen Anne Snape Nee Prince (Deceased June 24, 1975)
Father: Tobias Wayne Snape (Deceased December 30, 1977)
Godparents: None
Spouse: None
Children: None
Godchild: None
Creature Inheritance: Submissive Shadow Phoenix (Suppressed by A.P.W.B.D January 9, 1976)
Mate: Unknown Dominant
Titles Held:
By Birth:
Lord of the Most Ancient and Most Noble House Ravenclaw
Lord of the Ancient and Noble House Prince
Blocks, Spells, and Compulsions:
Creature Inheritance: 100% Blocked (Placed By: A.P.W.B.D. January 9, 1976)
Eidetic Memory: 40% Blocked (Placed By: A.P.W.B.D. January 9, 1976)
Mate Bond: 100% Blocked (Placed By: A.P.W.B.D. January 9, 1976)
Compulsion keyed to A.P.W.B.D. (Placed by A.P.W.B.D. January 9, 1976)
Severus was pissed. Lucius had been right. Albus had gotten to him on his sixteenth birthday. He hadn’t started working on his Occlumency until he was nearly eighteen years old. The compulsions and blocks had been put on him before that.
“So, does it not specify the type of compulsion?” Severus asked the Goblin.
“Unfortunately, it doesn’t,” Axeclaw answered. “What would you like to do now?”
“I want to submit myself for a cleansing and then we can talk more about these results. I have questions,” Severus responded.
“Very good, if you will follow me, I will take you to the ritual room. We keep it prepped and ready these days. Duke Peverell has caused us quite a bit of extra work since coming to town,” Axeclaw said with a fond chuckle.
“You don’t sound bothered,” Severus pointed out.
“Oh, I am not. It is a great pleasure to be his Account Manager,” Axeclaw insisted. “Never a dull moment. That is for sure. Our King is quite fond of him as well.”
“I am quite interested in meeting him finally. He has been avoiding me because he was rightly suspicious of my being under compulsions,” Severus revealed.
“He is a very interesting man,” Axeclaw stated. “Here we are. Go on in and they will take care of you. When you are finished, you will be escorted back to my office. I will have your Account Manager waiting there as well.”
“I don’t have an Account Manager,” Severus pointed out.
“You do now, Lord Prince,” Axeclaw responded. Severus just nodded and then entered the Ritual Room. He had a few questions and concerns that he was going to have to work through.
Like the fact that he was a Creature. A Submissive Creature. Severus didn’t know how he felt about that at all. Maybe he would feel differently once he was cleansed and unsuppressed. The only way to know was to simply do it. So, he held his head high and submitted himself to a cleansing.
~~~~~~~~~~
Hadrian was currently waiting for Charis to arrive at Gringotts. While he waited, he thought about his birthday yesterday. It had been a great day. Teddy and Draco had terrorized the house elves and made breakfast themselves.
He spent hours flying with his sons and Sirius. They packed a lunch and the six of them had gone to the island to swim and explore. It had been the best birthday he had had in a really long time. They had ended the day with a pregnancy test that was absolutely positive. His Veela was carrying their first child together.
“Hello, Hadrian,” Charis greeted with a smile.
“Charis,” Hadrian acknowledged. “Ready to cause a little chaos?”
“More than anything,” Charis grinned.
“Then, let’s get to the school. Meeting starts in five minutes. I want to arrive about two minutes into the meeting,” Hadrian informed him.
“I saw the paper yesterday, congratulations on your engagement,” Charis stated.
“Thank you,” Hadrian answered and then the two of them used the floo in the bank to go to the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.
The two of them headed into the castle and up to the meeting room right off the Great Hall. Hadrian could hear Albus in the room talking about his choice for Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. He looked at Charis who grinned and nodded. Hadrian plastered a smile on his face and opened the door with a flourish.
“I’m sorry, is there something that we can help you with? This is a closed meeting,” Albus said with barely suppressed anger.
Hadrian just grinned at him and conjured two chairs at the opposite end of the table from where Albus was sitting. He took the seat next to Lucius and Charis sat next to him.
“I know. Lord Hufflepuff and I have every right to be here considering we hold between us, three of the founding titles. We have more of a right to be here than you do actually,” Hadrian stated.
“He isn’t wrong, Albus,” Lord Flint pointed out. “They will have majority vote and the right to veto rulings as long as it pertains to the school.”
“Oh, and just to give you a heads up,” Hadrian told Albus. “The Goblins and their Warders are waiting for the end of the meeting to come in and rework the wards for the school. There have been complaints of corruption and questions of the children’s safety here after the events of last year.”
“There is no need for that. I assure you that I have complete control of the Wards, and they are functioning perfectly,” Albus insisted.
“I’m sorry, Headmaster, perhaps you misunderstood,” Charis spoke up. “It wasn’t a question or up for debate. The Goblins are reworking the wards after the meeting. Duke Peverell was simply giving you the curtesy of a warning so that you can let your professors, the elves, and anyone else currently inside the castle know that they must vacate the property for a few days during the process.”
“I am afraid that is impossible,” Albus answered quickly. Hadrian leaned back and steepled his fingers together.
“And why is that?” Hadrian asked him. Albus stuttered briefly and then smiled kindly.
“We are preparing for the new year. Prefects must be chosen and letters must be sent out. We are in the middle of this process and if we don’t get them out, then students will not have sufficient time to prepare for the year,” Albus said smugly.
“Oh, well Lord Hufflepuff and myself are happy to volunteer to help write up the letters while you choose prefects. That should help get things done in time,” Hadrian offered.
“That won’t be necessary, we know how busy you are with your new fiancé, and we don’t want to steal your time from him,” Albus tried again.
“Nonsense, Hadrian and I live together, and I think I will survive if he is busy for a little while helping the school,” Lucius stated.
“Besides, it was something that we were going to bring up in this meeting anyway. We have received far too many complaints from concerned parents about the troll on Halloween and the possessed and dead professor at the end of the year. We absolutely are backing Duke Peverell and Lord Hufflepuff on this decision,” Lady Abbot insisted.
“Well, I believe that is the short and long of it. Inform your staff,” Charis responded.
“Of course, I see that the decision has been made. I am happy to stay behind and supervise. They will need access to the wardstone after all,” Albus agreed.
“That won’t be necessary, headmaster. Your assistance will not be needed you are to evacuate with everyone else. We have already given the Goblins permission to access the wardstone,” Charis countered.
Hadrian nearly laughed out loud at the pure rage that flashed through Albus’ eyes before he schooled them. He was going to have to do better than that.
“I believe we can move on to the next order of business,” Lucius stated. “I believe you were informing us on who you have chosen as the new Defense teacher.”
“Of course, I have chosen Gilderoy Lockhart as the new Defense teacher,” Albus said with a smile. Hadrian snorted and then looked apologetically at the governors.
“Do you find something amusing about Mr. Lockhart?” Albus asked with barely contained irritation.
“Only that I have personally met the man, and he is a fraud. Do you know that he got drunk one night and admitted to me that he hasn’t actually done any of the things he has taken credit for and written about?” Hadrian asked them all.
“A fraud?” Minerva asked with a gasp. “I don’t believe it.”
“Why? Because he has a pretty face? Question him yourself, hell, sit him down and have him take your fifth year OWL Defense exam. I can promise you that he will fail it. The man is not qualified to teach anyone Defense,” Hadrian insisted.
“I assure you that I know, Mr. Lockhart personally. He is qualified,” Albus insisted.
“Do you have an alternative in mind?” Lord Flint asked Albus.
“No, I am confident in my choice of Mr. Lockhart,” Albus stated firmly.
“And you, Duke Peverell, do you have an alternative to suggest as an option?” Lord Flint asked him.
“As a matter of fact, I do,” Hadrian said with a smile. He conjured a file and then duplicated it and gave each person a copy. “This is Kimi Fukagawa. She has her mastery in teaching as well as one in Defense and one in Dark Arts. She has four years of teaching Defense Against the Dark Arts at Mahoutokoro and she moved to Britian a year ago. I happen to know for a fact that she applied for the Defense position here, so I know she is interested.”
“She is highly qualified and there is a letter of recommendation in here from the headmaster of Mahoutokoro. Why wasn’t she considered Albus? She is far more qualified than a celebrity with a nice smile and a good story,” Lucius asked Albus.
“You would think you would want the most qualified person teaching our children. Or are we wrong about the fact that you want what is best? It seems to me like you are hiring with a bit of bias,” Charis pointed out.
“I met with Ms. Fukagawa and didn’t think that she would be a good fit here. She wants to teach Dark Arts to our children as well as Defense. I don’t believe we need to expose our young children to that kind of influence,” Albus stated smugly.
“Firstly, I know that you didn’t meet with her. She and I happen to be very good friends. I met her when my son and I travelled through Japan. We had tea together just last week,” Hadrian responded. “I suggest you don’t attempt to lie again during this meeting. I might start becoming worried that you are hiding things and shouldn’t be responsible for our children.”
“Be that as it may, it doesn’t change the fact that she wants to teach our children Dark Arts,” Minerva spoke up when Albus simply glared at Hadrian.
“She doesn’t teach the children how to perform the Dark Arts. She teaches them the Theory of Dark Arts. She simply wants them to be aware of what they are likely to face if they come across a dark wizard who wants to hurt them. I can guarantee our children will not cast even one spell, curse, or Jinx that is considered Dark Arts under her tutelage,” Hadrian addressed the others.
“We can put it to a vote if you like so that we can take every one’s opinion into consideration,” Charis offered.
“You say that as if the vote doesn’t actually matter to you,” Minerva spoke up.
“Like I said, we can see where everyone stands on Lockhart or Fukagawa and take it into consideration but ultimately Duke Peverell and I have the majority vote,” Charis answered her.
“So, then why call for a vote if the two of you have already made up your mind? It sounds a bit like you are trying to play games,” Lord Doge pointed out with a frown.
“Then I believe you were not listening to the man,” Hadrian responded. “He said twice that we want to know how everyone feels about it.”
“Why don’t we just stop the quarrelling and vote on it,” Lady Abbot stated with a sigh.
“All of those in favor of Gilderoy Lockhart for the defense position,” Albus asked. Of the nine people around the table three raised their hands. “And those in favor of Ms. Fukagawa.” The remaining six raised their hands.
“I believe that we will go with the majority. Do you want to write to Kimi or should I?” Hadrian asked Albus with a smirk.
“As headmaster, I will handle my Professors,” Albus replied.
“As you wish, Albus,” Hadrian said with a chuckle. Pissing off Albus was quickly becoming his favorite entertainment.
“What else needs to be discussed today?” Lucius asked. “I would like to move this meeting along. I am sure the Goblins are not going to be too happy to be left waiting for so long.”
“Duke Peverell and myself would like to give the Governors and Headmaster a warning up front, we will be randomly dropping in throughout the year to audit classes to make sure that the Professors are actually proficient at their jobs. We will be removing anyone that is not up to standard at the end of the year,” Charis warned.
“We will also be going over the classes that have been removed from the curriculum for one reason or another. Hogwarts used to be one of the best magical schools in the world now it ranks at the bottom. We intend to find out why and raise her back up to the glory that she used to hold,” Hadrian added.
“That sounds like something that has been a long time coming. We are at your disposal. Please let us know how we can help you,” Lord Flint offered.
They spent the rest of the meeting discussing smaller issues and Hadrian sat back and listened. Charis was actually quite proficient, and Hadrian agreed with most of his choices so he let the man take point so that Albus could not accuse him of bullying his way into the meeting and throwing his power around.
He was also a little distracted. His sneaky little mate was flirting with him. Lucius kept rubbing his foot up Hadrian’s leg or reaching over and touching him when he spoke. At one point the little vixen had ‘accidentally’ knocked his quill to the floor and when he leaned down to get it, he had rubbed against Hadrian’s thigh very close to his semi-hard cock.
All he could think about was demanding that everyone left the room so that he could bend his teasing blond over the meeting table and take him until they had both cum. Hadrian was going take his Mate as soon as they were home.
“Well, I believe that concludes our first meeting for the new school year,” Albus stated.
“Perfect, I will let the Goblins know that the school will be empty in an hour so that they can get to it. They will send out a notification when they are through. It shouldn’t take more than three days and then you are all welcome to return and prepare for the new year,” Hadrian responded. He stood and held a hand out for Lucius.
His Veela smiled up at him and took his offered hand. Hadrian helped him stand and then led him from the room with a hand at the small of his back and made sure that he was between Lucius and the others in the room. Every person in that room was a potential threat to his Submissive.
They exited the room and as they turned a corner, Lucius stumbled into someone. Hadrian reacted on instinct and steadied both of them. He was curious why he didn’t feel the need to defend Lucius when he realized exactly who he had steadied.
Severus Snape was standing there with an arm on Lucius to steady him, but he only had eyes for Hadrian. The Drake took a deep breath and rumbled in pleasure. It slipped out before he could suppress his reaction. Severus and Lucius both shivered in reaction.
“Hades? Severus?” Lucius said quietly. “We can’t do this here.”
“You have been cleansed,” Hadrian stated. It wasn’t a question. He could smell Severus and knew that his Creature was no longer suppressed.
“I have,” Severus answered. He seemed to be having a reaction to Hadrian that was milder than what had happened with Lucius. But he was still reacting and it made Hadrian very happy. Hadrian smiled at him and gently straightened Severus’ robes and hair. Then he took a small step back and wrapped an arm around Lucius.
“My Lucius speaks so highly of you,” Hadrian said a bit louder. Severus and Lucius looked up at him curiously before schooling their faces. Perfect. They were both so quick. Albus came strolling around the corner with Minerva.
“Lucius and I have been friends for a very long time,” Severus replied.
“Perhaps you could join us for a meal someday soon?” Hadrian asked.
“That would be lovely. I will be glad to finally sit down with the man who has my friend so thoroughly besotted,” Severus agreed.
“Perfect, I will send you a message on what day is best. Draco misses you as well so maybe plan to spend the day with us,” Lucius responded.
“I miss him as well. Thank you for the invitation,” Severus said. “It is nice to finally meet you, Duke Peverell.”
“Please, call me Hadrian,” The Drake offered. Severus inclined his head again. Hadrian took a deep breath and loved the way Severus and Lucius’ scents mingled together. He fought the urge to reach out and pull Severus to him. The man would not appreciate it at all. Severus would need to be handled differently than Lucius.
“Hades?” Lucius drew his attention. He realized that he had been staring.
“Sorry, Darling,” Hadrian said and kissed Lucius on the head. “I look forward to your visit. You smell divine.” He really hadn’t meant to say that last part. But it was worth it to see the very slight pink that tinged the Potion Master’s cheeks.
“I…well…I really must get going. I have to pack a few things since I will not be here for a few days,” Severus stated quickly.
“Where will you stay?” Lucius asked him. Severus would normally stay at Malfoy manor if something like this happened. Then he looked up at Hadrian. The Drake nodded and Lucius turned back to Severus. “You are welcome to stay with us, Sev. We have the room, and we would be happy to have you.”
“I wouldn’t want to impose,” Severus answered quickly. He looked like it pained him just a little to turn them down.
“You wouldn’t,” Hadrian insisted. Severus looked like he didn’t know whether he wanted to move closer to them or run for the hills.
“Please, Sev?” Lucius asked again. They were alone in the hall again, but they were still speaking quietly. Lucius had a hand on Severus’ arm as if to keep him from running from them. Guess he noticed the look as well.
Hadrian was happy to see none of the jealousy from Lucius that he had first seen whenever Severus was mentioned. It seemed like now that Lucius knew Severus was Hadrian’s as well, he was determined to help him woo him.
“Well, I guess it would be helpful. I have a few more things to talk to you about anyway. Thank you for the offer of your home,” Severus told them both.
Hadrian conjured a parchment and quill. He quickly wrote down instructions and the passkey for the floo in the reception room this week. He handed the paper to Severus and couldn’t help but gently brush their fingers together.
“Come by when you are ready. Dinner is served at six,” Lucius said with a smile. He let go of Severus’ arm but not before squeezing his hand. Severus looked equal parts confused, wary, and hopeful. Lucius was working very hard already to make sure Severus knew he was welcome. Hadrian rewarded his lovely Veela with a kiss.
“See you soon, Severus,” Hadrian said in his deep voice. He was working hard to contain the growling rumbled that wanted to escape his throat. Severus shivered slightly at the sound but suppressed it quickly. Hadrian smiled at him and then he led Lucius out of the school and through the front gate before apparating them home.
“He went for his cleansing far sooner than I thought he would,” Lucius said when they were settled in the sitting room.
“That was pure torture,” Hadrian said with a sigh. “To be so close and not touch him. He smelled so amazing. He has always been so good at hiding the way he feels that I don’t know what he thought of the situation or if he even realized what was going on.”
“He is smart,” Lucius said and was happy when Hadrian lifted him and settled him in his lap. Hadrian nuzzled him and kissed his neck as he caressed his stomach. “He will figure it out quickly if he doesn’t know already. But he is also very stubborn, and he might refuse to acknowledge you at first.”
“We will work it out as it happens,” Hadrian insisted. “Right now, our house is empty, and I am horny thanks to your teasing. Do you want me to take you here over this couch or somewhere else we wouldn’t normally get to play?”
“Oh, over the couch sounds perfect,” Lucius responded quickly. He didn’t want to wait the time it would take to go to another room. Hadrian nipped his ear and then stood and positioned Lucius on his knees facing the back of the couch.
“I am going to show you what it means to be teased, Little Veela,” Hadrian growled out. Lucius simply stuck his ass out more and purred when Hadrian banished his clothes.
“Please, My Alpha,” Lucius begged. Hadrian’s smile was nearly feral. This was going to be fun.
~~~~~~~~~~~
Albus was livid.
That horrible, disrespectful man needed to be taken down. This couldn’t keep going on. He was wresting control from Albus, and he was doing it at too rapid a pace. It was bad enough that Albus feared the man would completely usurp him in the Wizengamot.
Now, he was pushing his agenda in the school. Albus had to do something about the man and quickly. This might call for drastic measures. This may call for less subtlety and more brazen actions.
One good thing had come from the Tom’s visit to the school. Severus had finally met him and had been invited to their home for dinner. Lucius couldn’t keep Severus away from his lover now. This was a step in the right direction. Now, Severus should be able to give him some sort of information on the man.
“Headmaster,”
Albus turned with narrowed eyes toward the goblin that had somehow managed to find him. He had made a show of leaving the school and then snuck back in via one of the tunnels. He needed to be in the school to make sure he could still alter the wards when the goblins were working on them.
“Aww, so you have found me. I only returned because I forgot…” Albus was cut off by the goblin.
“We care not for your excuses. You will vacate the premises, or you will find yourself with charges brought against you. We have ways of knowing when someone is in the castle that is not supposed to be. You will not get away with hiding inside. Now, get out. You will not be warned again,” the goblin threatened him.
Albus almost snarled at the goblin in his anger. He was the defeater of Grindelwald and the Leader of the Light. They had no right to speak to him this way. He deserved their respect and adoration for their freedom. But he held himself back. He said nothing more. He simply strode out of the room he had been hidden in and apparated away when he was outside the gates.
He would simply alter the wards when he was back in the school. He had done it before, and he would do it again. He would be in control again. This was merely a small bump in the road. Tom Riddle would not win.
He needed to call The Order together and he needed a secure place to do it. The Blacks have a property that Albus could get access to through Sirius Black. He needed to make sure the man was still his pawn anyways.
Going based on the trial, Sirius didn’t know or suspect that Albus was anything other than his friend. He hadn’t been brought up or accused at all except during Peter’s trial but Sirius wasn’t in the room at that time. So the Black Heir should still be on his side. He would get him to claim the title of Lord and then open Grimmauld up to them.
Albus chuckled. Sirius had always been obsessed with Remus Lupin. Perhaps it was time to bring the wolf home. That would secure him two allies that he could certainly use. They had fought for him before; they would fight for him again.
Albus sat down at the desk in his home and wrote a quick letter to the wolf and one to Sirius just to start laying the groundwork. This would help him begin to get things back under control again. That and whatever information Severus brought to him after his dinner would be what he needed.
~~~~~~~~~
Severus used the passkey and information he had been given and flooed to the Peverell home. He had managed to dodge Albus after the meeting because the man had been busy trying to plot a way to stay in the castle. So, he had been able to gather his things and leave in peace.
“Master Snape,” Said a small very well groomed House elf. “Please, give things to Dodky. He will put them up and follow Looky.”
Severus handed his one trunk over to another Elf that had been waiting to the side and then followed Looky out of the room. Severus heard the sound of laughter and excited talking and was surprised at the scene he witnessed upon entering the sitting room.
Lucius was sitting on the floor across from Draco and they were playing chess and talking. He had never seen either of them smile the way they were currently. They were so relaxed and happy. Even in their home the two of them had always been more composed and serious. They were always careful to present themselves to the world as the perfect pureblood family.
Peverell was sitting on the couch with a teenage boy cuddled up to him and the two of them were looking over a piece of parchment that the both seemed very pleased about. The boy was pointing excitedly and talking in a low murmur so that he didn’t disturb Lucius and Draco. Peverell was just watching the boy with so much fondness.
Albus was wrong in so many ways. Even if this was the Dark Lord in disguise, it was very clear that he loved his son and would not hesitate to kill or maim anyone who threatened or harmed him. The four people in the room were a family and they looked it. Severus was jealous.
“Master Hades, your Master Severus has arrived,” Looky announced. All four heads turned to him with smiles. And Merlin didn’t that make him feel so warm inside for unknown reasons. As if he was important and included in their familial bliss.
“Uncle Severus,” Draco called out and then stood up and walked up to him and hugged him. Draco hadn’t been so open with his affection in years. Being with Peverell hadn’t just been good for Lucius. Severus hugged him back.
“Hello, Dragon,” Severus greeted his Godson.
Draco was the only person since Lily that he had ever allowed to touch him so freely. Other than Lucius of course. He was his best friend outside of Lily. Severus had even entertained the thought of the them being together once or twice but hadn’t wanted to ruin their friendship.
“Come in, Severus and make yourself at home,” Hadrian instructed. “We are glad that you accepted our invitation to stay here a few days. I know that it will make our Dragon very happy to have you here.”
Severus could have sworn he heard the boy next to Hadrian mumble something under his breath about it making more than just Draco happy. But then he yelped, smacked Peverell on the chest, and then burst out laughing at the look he received.
“You invited him to stay a few days?” Draco asked and turned to Hadrian.
“Of course,” Hadrian answered while he tugged lightly on the teen’s hair. Then Severus was really surprised when Draco launched himself into the arms of the scarred man. Hadrian settled Draco on his lap for a moment and cuddled him.
Severus was way out of his comfort zone here. Everything about what was happening in this room was completely different from what he expected. Everyone here was so open with their affection for one another. Even the teen had reached out and poked Draco and smiled at him. Severus wasn’t used to being around people like this.
“Thanks Dad,” Draco exclaimed. Hadrian chuckled and set Draco back on his feet after a few moments.
“You are welcome, Dragon. Now, go on and finish your game with Lucius,” Hadrian instructed. “Come and sit, Severus. Teddy just got his letter from the ministry about his OWLS.”
“Oh, and how did he do? Will I be seeing him in my class room this year? I don’t accept anyone for NEWT classes that make anything less than an O,” Severus responded as he took a chair near them.
“I am quite proud to brag that my boy has earned O’s in every OWL that he took,” Hadrian said with a smile. “In fact, he scored so high in Defense that they made a notation on his exam that they haven’t seen anyone score higher in a few decades.”
“And which OWLS did you take?” Severus asked the very pleased teenager who was still cuddling with his father and smiling brightly at Severus.
The potion master didn’t know what to make of it. He wasn’t used to anyone smiling at him. Most thought he was intimidating or down right horrible and he was ok with that. But he decided he quite liked the way it felt to be smiled at like that. As if he was genuinely liked.
“Ancient Runes, Arithmancy, Herbology, Defense, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration,” Teddy answered.
“And you made O’s in all of them. Perhaps you will not be a dunderhead like most of your classmates. It is always nice to teach someone with a true aptitude for potions. You were homeschooled were you not?” Severus asked him.
“Yea, Pops was very serious when it came to my education. He insisted that just because I didn’t attend an actual school didn’t mean I was allowed to be lax,” Teddy responded.
“That means you must be pretty good at potions yourself,” Severus directed at Hadrian. He couldn’t seem to take his eyes off the man for too long a time. He was absolutely captivating. He exuded so much power and Severus was quickly coming to crave the feel of it.
“I am sufficient enough to provide us with what we need. I don’t trust store bought potions and so I taught myself to be good enough to take care of Teddy and myself,” Hadrian answered. Teddy snorted and then yelped when Hadrian pinched him.
“What he is trying not to say is that he absolutely hates to brew,” Teddy said as he jumped up and sat down next to Lucius. Teddy leaned over onto Lucius and even though he was leaning against him, Severus didn’t fail to notice he was careful. “Tell your Mate to stop pinching me. Or I am afraid I am going to have to resort to pranking and then our home will be a war zone.”
“Did I hear someone say something about pranking?” Sirius said as he strolled into the room grinning. Severus was surprised and prepared himself for the vitriol that always came his way from Sirius Black when he was around.
“Oh, when did Snive..” Sirius started only to be cut off by a vicious growl and then he yelped before grabbing his leg. Severus looked at Hadrian in surprise. He was defending him? No one besides Lucius and Regulas ever defended him from Black and Potter.
“Mind your tongue. This is your only warning,” Hadrian growled out. Lucius stood up and then sat down in Hadrian’s lap and nuzzled him. The man looked nearly murderous but he was careful and gentle where he touched Lucius.
“Peace, Alpha,” Lucius said quietly. Severus had fought the urge to do that exact thing. Something about Hadrian’s scent made him want to soothe him as well. Almost like a submission of sorts. A near compulsive need to make sure the dominant in the room was settled. It was a very unfamiliar reaction for him. To want to comfort or soothe someone.
“I’m sorry, Hades. I forgot. It won’t happen again. I didn’t mean to offend you or yours,” Sirius apologized quickly. Then he turned to Severus. “I’m sorry. Hadrian has already warned me that our school boy rivalry and hate has no place here.”
Severus inclined his head. He didn’t really know how to respond. It was surprising and unexpected to see Sirius Black back down so easily. The mutt always took things too far with no fear or respect for the consequences. The professors had been at their wits end on how to deal with him. Just who was Hadrian Peverell?
“Accepted,” Severus stated. He saw Sirius relax and wait until Hadrian nodded before coming the rest of the way into the room. He sat down next to Draco.
“I am fine, Darling,” Hadrian assured Lucius and then Severus watched as the scarred man gently caressed Lucius’ stomach and kiss him on the neck.
Oh, Lucius was carrying. That would explain the Dominant Creature’s behavior. If his Submissive is pregnant then his instincts will be unpredictable.
“Your dad is kinda scary sometimes,” Sirius said in a mock whisper. Draco laughed and shrugged.
“Only to other people. You know he wouldn’t hurt you too badly. Just enough to remind you to mind your manners,” Draco stated with a grin. “Come on, Uncle Siri, Father already beat me so why don’t you play with me for a bit.”
“You only want to play me because you beat me every time,” Sirius said with a chuckle and moved to sit next to Teddy on the opposite side of the chess board from Draco. “Did you get your OWLS results today like you expected Ted?”
“Oh, yeah...” Teddy answered and then Severus’ attention was pulled from their conversation by Lucius.
“So, you went to the bank?” Lucius asked him.
“I did,” Severus answered. “It was quite enlightening.”
“Anything you are willing to share?” Lucius responded. He had moved so that he was sitting next to Hadrian now. The Dominant was sitting contentedly between them and letting them talk.
“I am willing to share. I learned that I am Titled,” Severus stated. “My Grandfather named me his heir and when he passed, I was left everything.”
“Oh, I thought your mother was disowned?” Lucius asked him. He was holding Hadrian’s hand and was letting the Dominant absently play with his fingers. Hadrian didn’t sit completely still very often.
“She was. But apparently that didn’t extend to me,” Severus answered.
“What title do you hold now?” Lucius questioned him. Severus smirked.
“Titles, plural. I hold two and you will be quite interested in the second. The first is Lord Prince. The older title that the Prince line came from is Ravenclaw,” Severus stated. Hadrian straightened and looked at Severus with surprise.
“Ravenclaw, really now,” Hadrian said with a laugh. “Perfect, absolutely perfect. Are you planning to let anyone know or are you going to keep it a secret, Spy Master?”
“You would give me a choice?” Severus asked. He had served many masters. None had given him a choice. Severus was no fool, he knew siding with Lucius meant serving at Hadrian’s discretion.
Hadrian was clearly in charge of whatever was happening. Lucius and Sirius had deferred to him before making a decision or entering the room, respectively. He may not be the Dark Lord, but he was the Master, the leader of those that were opposing Albus.
Hadrian laughed.
“Why would you need my permission to do what you wanted with information that pertains to yourself,” Hadrian asked him. Severus looked confused and turned to Lucius for a moment. The Veela was smiling, and Severus turned back to Hadrian.
“Did Lucius not tell you already that I would side with him in this battle between you and Albus?” Severus asked him.
“He did. Though I would like to clarify that while I do have a vendetta against Albus that I fully intend to satisfy, the real battle is between Creatures and Wixen,” Hadrian pointed out to Severus’ surprise.
“You are fighting for Creature Rights?” Severus asked.
“I am. Considering all those that I hold dear to me are Creatures, it shouldn’t be very surprising. I am a Drake, my Darling is a Veela, one son is a Born Wolf, the other a Veela, and my very good friend is a Were. I am in frequent contact with the Creature Council we have many plans,” Hadrian revealed.
Severus took a moment to think about what Hadrian was saying to him. He was opposing Albus, but he was fighting for Creatures, not the ‘Dark’. He was definitely leading, and it made no sense to Severus that a man so powerful and clearly in charge didn’t want him to serve. Or perhaps it was a test of some sort.
“You are thinking far too hard about this, Severus. What is that you are worried about?” Hadrian asked him.
“Is it a test? To see how useful I am willing to be for you?” Severus asked him boldly. He was taking a chance here and he wanted to know where he stood.
“Of course it isn’t. I have no need to test you. Lucius trusts you and I have every faith that he would never lead me wrong or put our family in danger,” Hadrian insisted.
“I have served Masters before, Duke Peverell. If there is one thing that I have learned it is that they always want to control what information or actions are revealed to others,” Severus insisted. He sounded so bitter, and Hadrian just wanted erase those feelings from his jaded Submissive.
“I can promise you two things right now, Severus. I am not now, nor will I ever be your master. I have no interest in such things from you. You will, at all times, retain complete autonomy. You can spy for us if that is what you want to do or you can reveal everything and stand with us in the open against those who would fight us. If you choose to side with us, you would do it with us, beside us, not beneath us as a sycophant or boot licker. You will never kneel to me, Severus. Do you understand?” Hadrian asked him.
“With you, not for you,” Severus said quietly as if he was just in aww. And honestly, he was. If this man was speaking the truth, Severus would be more than happy to side with him.
“With us,” Hadrian insisted. “I was reminded recently by someone important to me that, yes, I am leading this charge, but leading doesn’t mean standing alone. You wouldn’t be standing with me; you would be standing with us.”
Severus looked around the room and realized that Sirius was paying them no attention and Draco was distracted with the chess game, but Teddy and Lucius were both looking at him and Hadrian and nodding their agreement.
“He tells no lies, Severus. It is your choice to do what you want with your secrets. Keep them and work with us in secret as a spy. If that is what you want. Or reveal your secrets and side with us openly,” Lucius insisted after a few moments of silence.
“I think, for now, I would like to keep my secrets close. I am in a perfect position to gather information and keep you informed of Albus’ movements. I am a very good spy. I am more useful this way,” Severus answered finally.
“Just so that you are aware, Little Bird, I have no interest in how you are more useful. I have spies in Hogwarts who report to me of the old man’s movements. I will be even more aware of them after the school has been rewarded. You may spy for us, if that is what you want. You truly have a real choice here,” Hadrian answered.
“You have spies in Hogwarts already?” Severus asked in surprise. Hadrian grinned and nodded.
“Of course, I do. I was chosen as the champion for the Creatures, that means all Creatures, including House elves. They are perfect spies; they are ignored because they are considered servants lower than dirt by most Wixen. They are loyal to one even above their masters. It is not common knowledge, and I would ask that you reveal it to no one, there is an Elven King just as there is a Goblin King,” Hadrian revealed.
“That is perfect. No one considers the elves in the room when they plot,” Severus agreed.
“Exactly,” Lucius said with a smile. “But you have another spy now as well, don’t you?” He asked Hadrian.
“Clever Veela,” Hadrian praised and kissed his cheek. “Yes, I do. She is as talented as the Elves when it comes to gathering information and remaining unseen.”
“Who?” Severus asked curiously.
“The new Defense Professor,” Lucius said with a chuckle.
“She? I thought Albus had chosen that idiot, pretty boy, Lockhart?” Severus asked them.
“He did, but the good thing about being a Founder’s heir is that we have the majority vote. I simply showed the Governors that Kimi was much more qualified and it was an easy win,” Hadrian told him. Severus smirked.
“I am assuming that she is a Creature as well,” Severus stated. Hadrian nodded.
“What is she?” Lucius asked him. This had not been something he had been aware of before the meeting.
“A Kitsune,” Hadrian informed them. “The best thing about it, is that all of her credentials are accurate. They don’t have the same hang ups about Creatures in Japan as they do here.”
“You are quite clever,” Severus praised.
Hadrian grinned at him and winked. Severus worked very hard not to flush in excitement from that small gesture. Hadrian belonged to Lucius. He had no right to flirt with the man or entertain less than platonic thoughts about him.
“Thank you, that is high praise coming from the Head of Slytherin House,” Hadrian accepted. “Now, we still have about an hour before dinner, why don’t you let Lucius show you our Potion Lab. He and Draco insist that you would simply offer me vital limbs for the honor of brewing in it. Teddy and Draco will come with me to get in a bit of Dueling practice before dinner.”
“Yes,” Draco exclaimed. He stood quickly and Teddy put the chess game away with a wave of his hand. Sirius grinned at them and threw an arm around Draco.
Severus was impressed by the wandless magic and surprised by the casual affection between his godson and Black. Maybe the man had done some growing up in Azkaban or even since. He still wasn’t sure why the man was with Hadrian and Lucius, as far as he knew, they had no reason to be together.
“Hey, Pup. Mind if I come with? Remi is still ankle deep in working on Creature laws and I don’t want to bother him,” Sirius asked Hadrian.
Now, Severus was a clever man. And he had an eidetic memory. He recalled Sirius Black calling exactly one person ‘pup’. Lily had mentioned it a few times when they had talked secretly during the war. She had thought it was a bit rude to refer to her son as a puppy. Severus looked hard at Hadrian and Teddy who was now standing next to him.
How had he missed it? Teddy looked like he could have been Harry’s older brother. He looked exactly like James Potter at that age, and those eyes. Those eyes were a near exact match of his best friend’s. And Hadrian, well that was the most confusing part of all, Hadrian had a very famous, very distinct scar on his forehead. It was impossible. There was no way that he was who Severus was currently thinking of.
“Impossible,” Severus murmured. Hadrian and the others looked at him. He locked eyes with Hadrian who smiled at him and seemed so proud. Why? Hadrian leaned down and whispered something in Lucius’ ear.
“Come on, Sev. Let’s go see the lab. We can talk down there,” Lucius said. He leaned up and kissed Hadrian on the cheek and then reached out for Severus who simply clasped their hands together without thinking about it.
Lucius led Severus from the room and then Hadrian turned to the other three. Sirius and Teddy were grinning at him and Draco was looking at all of them a bit confused. He was the only one that didn’t know Hadrian was actually Harry from the future. They were giving him time to get to know him as Hadrian and then maybe it wouldn’t be so hard for him to accept.
“Alright, let’s go to the Dueling Room,” Hadrian told them and slung an arm around Teddy.
“Me too?” Sirius asked again.
“Yes, Siri, you too,” Hadrian agreed.
He would rather be with Lucius and Severus while the potion master found out about who he was, but he knew that Severus would take things better coming from Lucius. Hadrian was just going to have to be patient and let the cautious man come to him when he was ready. Even if it was going to be pure torture.
~~~~~~~~~~
“This is not a potion lab,” Severus stated when Lucius pulled him into a smaller sitting room.
“No, it isn’t. But I know you have questions, and I would like to answer them for you before you are distracted by the lab,” Lucius responded. He headed for the couch in the room and pulled Severus down beside him.
“You are right, I do have questions because the thing that I am thinking is completely impossible,” Severus stated. He looked down at where Lucius’ hand was still clasped in his own and found that he really didn’t mind the contact, so he just gripped him tighter and looked up at him.
“Ask me,” Lucius instructed simply.
“I feel ridiculous even asking this question, Luc,” Severus said with a sigh.
“Just ask it, Sev. I have never judged you and I never will. Ask it,” Lucius encouraged.
“Is Hadrian Peverell somehow Harry Potter?” Severus asked him finally and watched him closely. Lucius smiled at him.
“You always were so much smarter than me. I have always been so jealous of how quickly you can come to a conclusion that would take other men ages,” Lucius praised him. “Yes, Severus Hadrian Peverell was Harry Potter.”
“How?” Severus asked him quietly. “It is impossible.”
“Nothing is impossible if you are chosen and supported by Lady Magic herself,” Lucius answered. “It is a long, complicated story, Sev. But Hadrian wants you to know it and he knows you are more likely to accept it if it comes from me.”
“He is right,” Severus responded. He was willing to follow Hadrian but that didn’t mean he was willing to trust him blindly, not matter what his instincts insisted. Severus had never been one to simply follow his instincts. He was too suspicious.
“Are you ready for the whole truth?” Lucius asked him after a few moments.
“Yes,” Severus answered.
So, Lucius told him everything. Hadrian’s entire story. Severus was just a bit overwhelmed by all of the information. He was sitting quietly next to Lucius and taking the time to think over everything he had just been told.
“There is one more thing, Severus,” Lucius said after a while.
“Go on,” Severus told him with a nod. Lucius gripped his hand and waited until the potion master was looking at him again.
“You are Hadrian’s second mate,” Lucius said confidently. “I don’t know who his third is. He won’t tell me yet, but he has admitted that you are his second. We know that you will want to confirm with a test from the bank and he knows there is a chance that you are not ready for any of this. He is willing to wait and give you the space you need to work through everything.”
“I am his second mate?” Severus repeated quietly. Lucius nodded and then smiled at his friend. “You are not bothered or upset about possibly sharing him with others?”
“No, and I am more than happy that it is you, Sev. I have always been attracted to you as more than a friend. I just didn’t want to ruin our friendship, and I never wanted you to feel like someone less than worthy by keeping our relationship a secret because of my marriage,” Lucius admitted.
“I don’t know how I feel about all of this. It is a lot of information to take in all at once. I only just found out I was a Submissive Creature yesterday. I don’t even know how I feel about that,” Severus revealed.
“It’s ok not to know how you feel,”
Both Submissives turned to see Hadrian leaning in the doorway. He smiled at them but stayed where he was. He wouldn’t overwhelm Severus any more than he already was.
“Or even just to take some time and figure it all out. It really is a lot of information for one person to take at one time. No one is going to force you into a situation that you aren’t comfortable with,” Hadrian promised him.
“You are Harry Potter,” Severus said to him. Hadrian nodded and then shrugged.
“I was Harry Potter. But he was the price I had to pay to come back and fix our broken world. So, Harry Potter is dead,” Hadrian answered him.
“You grew up with me as your potion professor,” Severus stated.
“Yes, you were my potion professor from first year to fifth year and then you were my defense professor,” Hadrian told him.
“Why did I change positions? Not that it really matters I am just curious about the relationship we would have had,” Severus said quickly.
“If you want to know about the relationship we had, then I can tell you that it was complicated. For seven years I thought you hated me. You were cruel, hateful, angry, and treated me so badly simply because I looked like my father,” Hadrian told him.
Severus flinched and even looked a bit ashamed. Probably because he now knew how Harry Potter had been raised.
“But, during the last year before the final battle when Voldemort was back you were headmaster of Hogwarts and you did everything that you could to protect the students while maintaining your position as a spy. You gave me your memories during the final battle and you showed me everything. How you had protected me behind the scenes from the moment you met me and most importantly you showed me your anger and disgust that Albus had raised me my entire life to die at the proper moment by Voldemort’s hand,” Hadrian informed him.
“What do you mean, raised you to die?” Severus asked angrily.
“I was a Horcrux,” Hadrian told him. “It is why no one could heal the scar and why I was so connected to him my entire life. Albus knew. He knew from the moment he held me at fifteen months old. It was why he has always been so certain that He would return. He needed me broken and beaten down it was why he placed me with the Dursleys. He wanted me to be grateful to him and the Wixen World so that I would willingly walk to my death for all of you.”
“And did you?” Severus asked him. Hadrian nodded and unbuttoned he shirt just enough to show the lightning bolt shaped scar on his chest over his heart.
“I died during the final battle when Voldemort hit me with the killing curse for the second time. I don’t know how long I was dead for but I came to in the same clearing with Narcissa kneeling over me. She lied to Voldemort and told him I was dead it was how I was able to catch him by surprise later and finally kill him,” Hadrian told them both honestly.
“You hadn’t told me this part,” Lucius said. He seemed so distressed. Hadrian went to him and knelt down in front of both men. He grasped Lucius’ hand and kissed the top of it.
“I know, Darling. I’m sorry,” Hadrian apologized. “It is a hard thing to talk about.”
“Of course, it is,” Lucius agreed. “Don’t apologize, Love.”
“How could you want me to be your mate after the way I treated you the entire time I knew you?” Severus asked him. Hadrian looked up at him and smiled.
“I am going to tell you the same thing I told Lucius and the same thing I will tell my third. For you, those things will never happen, for me, they happened two decades ago. I am not a child, and I have had a long time to move on from the war and understand that people did what they thought they needed to do in order to survive an impossible situation,” Hadrian insisted.
“Thank you for your honesty and openness with me,” Severus said after a few moments.
Hadrian and Lucius watched as he seemed to build himself back up and close himself away behind his Occlumency walls. Hadrian hated it and so did Lucius, but they understood that this was something Severus needed.
“I will always be honest and open with you. I will never lie to either of you. It is something that I have already sworn to Lucius and now I am swearing it to you as well,” Hadrian stated.
“You want to be with me?” Severus asked him carefully.
“I do, we both do, but we will never force you into a situation that you are uncomfortable with. So, take whatever time you do or don’t need. Think it through, decide what you want and what will make you happy without worrying about how anyone else will feel about it. We will not turn you away or refuse to work with you if you decide that this is not something that you are ready for. Do you understand?” Hadrian asked him.
“You want to be with me, but you will not force me to do anything I don’t want to do,” Severus repeated. “It’s my right to decide what kind of relationship I want to have with the two of you.”
“Exactly, and there is no time limit for you to decide, Severus. We aren’t going to change our mind just because we respect your decision to choose. If you should choose now that you don’t want to be with us because it is too much and decide later that you want to give it a try, then we are still going to be here,” Lucius insisted.
“Thank you,” Severus told them again. “I would like time to think about it. I want to, of course, confirm with the bank that I am actually your mate with my own eyes. And then I want to be able to have the time to come to terms with my new reality.”
“Done,” Hadrian told him. “Now, it is time for dinner. If you didn’t get to see the lab yet, I will be happy to take you down there after dinner.”
“Sounds good,” Severus stated. He would like to spend more time with the Dominant. It settled something inside of him to be around him. If he was being completely honest with himself, he really just wanted to give in. He wanted to experience the same touching and caring that Hadrian showered on Lucius.
His best friend was happier and more content then he had every seen him. He wanted some of that feeling for himself as well. He just didn’t know what he would do with it. He had never been a very emotional person. Always careful to be composed and unfeeling so that nothing could hurt him. Severus didn’t know if he was going to be capable of opening himself up that way. To be truly Submissive to this very Dominant man.
“Come on, Darling. I need to make sure that you and our little one eat properly so that both of you stay strong and healthy,” Hadrian said. He pulled Lucius to his feet and nuzzled him gently before reaching down and offering a hand to Severus as well.
Severus hesitated for a moment and Hadrian almost pulled his hand back thinking he was pushing too hard. But then Severus reached out hesitantly and slipped his hand into the Drake’s hand. Hadrian wanted to rumble in pleasure at the feel of it but didn’t. Once Severus was standing he withdrew his hand but didn’t step back.
“Pops!!!” Teddy yelled down the hallway. “Come on. We are starving. I think Uncle Moony might actually start growling in a moment.” Teddy finished his sentence as he stepped into the room. He smiled at the three of them and beckoned them to come on.
Hadrian chuckled and kissed Lucius on the head and gently ghosted his hand over Severus’ shoulder before striding to Teddy and throwing him over his shoulder. Teddy squealed and laughed as Hadrian turned around and grinned at Lucius and Severus.
“You heard him. There is a hungry Werewolf in the dining room and he is going to start growling or eating the furniture if we don’t hurry,” Hadrian repeated with a wink and then he took off out of the room with Teddy laughing and holding on for dear life.
“Is it always so lively around here?” Severus asked as he and Lucius followed at a more sedate pace. Lucius smiled and pressed a gentle hand to his abdomen.
“Yes, and I hope it never changes. I have realized since being here that we stuffy purebloods have been doing our children a disservice. We are robbing them of their childhoods by forcing them to be so proper even in their own homes. Draco is so happy here. Happier than I have ever seen him,” Lucius told his friend.
“I noticed. He hasn’t been so affectionate since he was much smaller,” Severus responded. Then he waved his hand toward Lucius’ stomach. “Is it confirmed that you are carrying?”
“Yes, Hadrian can smell the difference in my scent, and we confirmed it with a spell yesterday,” Lucius answered with a soft smile. Severus remembered that smile from twelve years ago when he carried Draco. Severus was the only person that had known the truth about Draco’s birth.
“Congratulations, Luc. I am really happy for you. How does Draco feel about everything?” Severus asked.
“He says he is really happy. He loves having Teddy as a big brother and he is excited to have a little brother or sister. He adores Hadrian. I have been watching him as well to make sure that he isn’t just saying what he thinks we want to hear. He seems to be genuinely happy,” Lucius answered him.
“This is why we sent you to tell them to hurry. We wouldn’t have gotten away with being thrown over a shoulder,” Sirius was telling Teddy when Lucius and Severus walked into the room.
“Should have sent Drake,” Teddy said as he was set back down on his feet. “Pops wouldn’t have done anything to him. It’s totally unfair being the oldest.”
“Merlin there is so much pouting going on in this room. I think maybe it might be time for some real dueling practice,” Hadrian stated as he sat at the head of the table. Lucius took the seat to his right as Teddy groaned and threw a fork at Sirius. Severus at next to Lucius.
“This is your fault,” Teddy exclaimed as Remus caught the fork before it could hit Sirius. “I am the only one in this house who can give him the dueling practice he is threatening us with.”
“No, you aren’t,” Draco spoke up excitedly. He nodded at Severus. “Uncle Severus is a master duelist. I bet he could keep up with Dad.”
“I would be more than happy to duel with you. It has been a long time since I had a proper challenge,” Severus agreed.
“That sounds like fun,” Hadrian agreed. Then he pointed his fork at Teddy. “But you aren’t getting out of the practice just because he agreed to duel with me. You cannot get sloppy.”
“Damn, I really thought I was gonna get out of it,” Teddy whined.
“Language, Kid, and you definitely should have known better,” Hadrian said with a chuckle.
“I am eighteen, Pops. I should be able to say damn without getting in trouble,” Teddy stated.
“My house, my rules,” Hadrian countered. “No cussing.”
“Harsh, Pup. So strict,” Sirius said with a disappointed look. “I told you he was too old to know what fun is.”
Hadrian flicked a finger in his direction causing Draco, Teddy, and Remus to start laughing. Sirius looked at them confused and then went to eat and noticed that his hand was pink and spotted.
“What did you do to me?” Sirius exclaimed. “I’m pink.”
“I didn’t do anything, I am too old to know what fun is, remember,” Hadrian said casually.
Remus cast a ‘finite’ that didn’t do anything and then he just laughed harder when Sirius pouted and gave Hadrian puppy dog eyes.
“Ok, I am sorry. You are so fun. The most fun person in the house. Your sense of humor is unrivaled. Now, please fix me,” Sirius begged. Hadrian and the others around the table laughed and Hadrian finally reversed his spell.
They ate their dinner and talked happily together about things they wanted to do the next few days. Severus didn’t do a lot of talking. He watched them all and thought about everything that had changed for him the last two days.
Maybe it wouldn’t be so bad to be part of this. Everyone was so happy and open with each other. They were a family, the kind of family that Severus had wished for when he was a small child hiding in a closet while his drunk father abused his mother.
He could have this. He could truly be part of this. He looked over at Hadrian and Lucius. The two of them were hold hands and listening to Draco and Teddy tell them about their days. Draco had been over at Theodore Nott’s house with Blaise and Teddy had been with Black and Lupin on an island exploring.
Maybe he could talk to Hadrian about what a relationship with him would look like. How Submissive he would expect Severus to be. He didn’t think he would be able to be as accepting of Submission as Lucius was, but it might be kind of nice to be able to depend on someone else to look after him. He had only ever had himself to truly depend on for such a long time.
“Severus,” Hadrian called.
Severus looked up to see that everyone aside from Lucius and Hadrian had already finished their dinner and left the table. He had apparently been very lost in thought.
“Yes?” He answered.
“Ready to see the Potion Lab?” Hadrian asked him with a smile.
“That would be nice,” Severus accepted. Lucius smiled at them both before kissing Hadrian on the lips chastely.
“I am going to go and sit with Remus for a bit and talk about what research he has done for the Creature Bills. Have fun you two,” Lucius stated and then left the two of them alone.
“Come on, you are going to love it,” Hadrian said and then waited for Severus to stand and follow him out of the room.
He wanted to touch him, hold his hand or the small of his back like he did with Lucius. It was a bit painful not to. But he would respect Severus’ boundaries. And right now, Severus wasn’t sure what he wanted. He wanted time and Hadrian was going to give him what he wanted.
“Here we are,” Hadrian said and threw open the door to the lab. He stepped inside just so he could see if Severus let his mask slip. He wasn’t disappointed. Severus fought not to look extremely pleased.
Severus walked around and inspected the equipment and ingredients. Finally, he turned back to Hadrian and smirked.
“You all are very right. I would freely give an organ to brew here,” Severus informed him.
“Well, lucky for you I was always planning to let you have free reign of this place. This room is yours and yours alone if you want it,” Hadrian told him.
“If I choose to become your mate, you mean,” Severus countered. Hadrian chuckled.
“Even if you don’t. I am still hoping that even if you don’t want to be my mate that you at least want to be my friend,” Hadrian shot back.
“Since we are alone, can we talk about what a relationship between us would look like. You know, if I chose to do this with you,” Severus asked him after a few moments.
“I am only willing to take what you are willing to give,” was Hadrian’s response.
And wasn’t that just the issue…. What was Severus willing to give?