Eleven years later
Ten-year-old Cedar Emerald Rose Potter-Prince sat in a tree looking out over Loch Leven. She loved her home, the trees, the water and the fields she had explored every inch of the property with her brother and her friends growing up. She had no memory of ever living anywhere else, even though she knew she had been born in Edinburgh. The family’s house in Edinburgh was now used by her Aunt Penny as emergency accommodation for omegas and children in need. Cedar did not really understand what that meant but she knew that people thought her dad had been very generous in letting Penny use the house. People told her all the time what a kind and generous person she had for a father; it annoyed her because the way they said it, was like they were telling her something new as if she did not already know her dad was amazing, generous and kind.
Her dad was Lord Harry Potter-Black and he was the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts and he was a very important man in the Wizarding World. He had moved his family to the house at Loch Leven when Cedar and her brother Henry were two years old. Before that, they lived in Edinburgh so that their papa could finish work on his potion. Cedar was very proud of her papa too, he was an omega like she would be. It was a special bond they shared between them. Her papa was Lord Severus Potter-Prince and he was a very clever man he made sure to tell her she could do anything she wanted in life, he told her that often. Cedar tried not to get annoyed by it, she knew her papa meant well. He wanted the best for her and her brother and she wanted to make him proud when she grew up.
Her papa was a potions genius according to her dad. He had created a special potion, which her dad said saved lives. Cedar did not understand how it did that because Papa said it was not for regular illness. Papa had explained that sometimes people's minds got stuck and they needed help to work right again and that was what his potion did, Cedar thought that sounded serious and so she was glad her Papa had created the potion.
Cedar planned to help her papa create potions to make people well when she finished school. Sometimes he would let her watch him experiment and she loved to help him when he thought it was safe. She helped to make a lot of potions for their home already and she could brew pepper up and a basic pain potion on her own. She knew how to grow most ingredients for everyday potions, her papa had taught her and Henry. Henry preferred to fly on his broom though he wasn't interested in gardening.
The girl swung her leg as she sat, she was a bit out of sorts, in two weeks it would be her eleventh birthday. She would get her Hogwarts letter this year and she and Henry would be going to school where their dad worked. It would mean that she would see more of her dad which was good, but less of her papa and she did not like that idea at all.
They had been to Hogwarts plenty of times; Cedar had explored the castle last summer with Henry and her friends Sage, Rumi and their little brother Matthew as well as her cousin, Scorpius. He wasn't really her cousin but her parents called him that, Cedar had already decided she would marry him one day, so it was a good thing he wasn't really her cousin. He was younger than her by fifteen months but that didn't matter her daddy was lots younger than her papa and they loved each other so much, it was kind of annoying sometimes.
There was a lot of talk about Hogwarts these days, Henry was so excited to go. He would be in Gryffindor her papa said, he rolled his eyes when he said it but Cedar knew he wasn't really annoyed. Her daddy said she would be in Slytherin, Cedar hoped so, it sounded by far the best house. Her friend Rumi was in that house, and Sage was in Ravenclaw but everyone said Scorpius would be in Slytherin, so Cedar was determined to go there. Still, it was a long time to be away from her papa.
“Cedar Emerald Rose Potter-Prince,” her Papa’s voice broke through her daydream and she looked back towards the house and saw him striding towards her, his black robes billowing behind him as he walked down the hill towards her tree. Daddy always laughed when he saw Papa like that, he whispered to her once that when he was at school he had been terrified of Papa and his robes. Cedar thought that was a hilarious joke, who could ever be scared of her papa?
Cedar grimaced at his use of her full name, it must have been later than she thought. She had not forgotten about her dad’s special day, she had just gotten sidetracked. They had planned a family dinner and everyone was coming to celebrate her dad’s legislation passing the vote in the Wizengamot. Her dad did not sit in his seats, Uncle George did that for him because he was a teacher at Hogwarts and could not leave the school for most of the sessions. Still, Lord Potter-Black, her dad, was an important person in the wizarding world, he was famous. When Cedar had been five she heard some people say he killed a bad wizard. Cedar had not been sure how to feel about that, but her papa had told her none of that changed who her dad was to her. He told her daddy was a hero, and she would understand when she grew up.
One thing she did know for sure was that her dad had been working for a long time to get the other wizards on the Wizengamot to pass his legislation. Cedar liked that word very much, it was such a fun word to say. She was not sure exactly what it meant, something to do with the law she thought. Another thing she knew was that Papa had been really happy about it, he had kissed Daddy for a very long time when he first heard that it would pass the vote.
The girl slid out of the tree and ran towards her papa, “I am sorry, Papa, am I very late?” she as she reached him.
“No my little monkey, there is still plenty of time. I allowed time to come and fetch you,” he said with a smile.
“Thank you, papa,” she replied throwing her arms around his waist. He wrapped her up in his arms and kissed the top of her head.
“Come on love, let's go,” he said gently as he let her go. They walked to the house together and were greeted by her papa’s good friend and work partner Morgan. They worked together creating new potions for omegas, which Uncle Draco sold through his potions supply business. Draco had a huge laboratory in somewhere in London where he made enough potions to supply St Mungos and other hospitals. Cedar had never seen it, but she hoped she would have the chance to see it one day.
A little boy was standing beside Morgan, Matthew was almost two years younger than Cedar and Henry. He would be Lord Abernathy one day Cedar hoped he would manage to not be so shy when he was Lord Abernathy.
“Hello Cedar,” Morgan said warmly. “You had best go up and get dressed, your Dad will be home soon.”
“Yes, Aunty Morgan,” the dark-haired girl said and skipped off upstairs to her bedroom, her long, wild locks flying behind her.
“I take it she was in her tree?” Morgan asked with a smile.
“Naturally,” Severus replied. “She is part monkey that one,” he said with a sigh.
“Is she looking forward to going to school?” Morgan asked as the two friends moved through the house to the dining room to check on the table settings and decorations.
Severus shook his head “I don’t know, I think so. It will be quite a big change for her. She will cope and I have no doubt she will do well,” he replied.
“She will miss you,” Morgan observed.
“As I will miss her and Henry, it will be terribly quiet here without them,” Severus replied sounding a little melancholy.
Morgan gave him a knowing smile, “The quiet does take some getting used to, though I still have Mathew I suppose. Everything will be much easier for them now, for Cedar and Sage and Rumi. They will have a much easier than time than we did, thanks to Harry, they are legally considered the equals of alphas now,” she said with a smile.
“Yes, indeed they are. Cedar will be Lady Prince in her own right and she will be allowed to sit in the seat herself if she chooses to do so,” Severus said returning his friend's smile.
“You and Harry have done so much for our world you have made a difference to so many people. Harry’s bill to provide all muggle-borns with a magical guardian has changed everything for those new to our world. Your potions have changed lives too,” Morgan told him.
“Our potions Morgan, they are just as much yours as mine,” he reminded her firmly.
Morgan grinned “Indeed, we have come a long way Lord Prince,” she said with a teasing smile.
Severus ducked his head, he was not used to the title, which was his to use now, even if he had not had his husband's permission. “We have Lady Abernathy, indeed we have,” he replied.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
Severus had spent several days organising this dinner for Harry, ever since Harry had given him the news the bill would pass. He was so very proud of his husband, he had worked hard and fought for a long time to achieve this outcome. He was equally excited by the future which was now promised to his daughter.
The guest began to arrive and they were shown into the room by Cadby or Kreacher. Colly and Winky were busy in the kitchen finishing off the food the four elves had been preparing all day.
Hermione waddled into the room only to be ushered into to chair by Morgan. She was only a month away from being a mother of two. Draco fussed around her getting her a drink of non-alcoholic cider and cheese straw. Scorpius stood tall in his suit; the young Malfoy heir was a very serious boy like his father had been, but not nearly so arrogant or isolated. Hermione had ensured that Scorpius had a balanced childhood. He could run wild with other children; he could climb trees with Cedar or chase a snitch for hours with Henry, just as easily as he could converse in French with grandmother or brew potions with his father.
Hermione was a successful psychiatrist and mind healer with a private practice in London, where she saw both muggle and magical clients. She had worked closely with Severus and Morgan during the development of their omega anti-depressant potion which by now had several variants for specific uses and she often prescribed them to her magical clients.
Draco had left Hogwarts the year after Scorpius had been born. Severus potion had just been approved for general use and Draco saw a chance to corner the the market. He sought his godfather's permission to mass produce his potions for distribution to hospitals, clinics and apothecaries. Severus had agreed. It was a good way for him to control the quality of the potions people were taking and it gave Draco a nine-to-five job, so he could spend more time with his wife and son.
George and Luna arrived shortly after with young Fred, who was five and Mina who was almost one. Harry had been delighted when they got together not long after George escorted Luna home after the dinner at Grimmauld Place which had ended his courtship of Severus. They had officially started courting just after Harry and Severus had bonded. They had courted for a year before bonding in a beautiful spring garden ceremony at Malfoy Manor.
Neville and Theo arrived last; they had only been dating for a few months but Harry had confided in Severus that he thought this was the right match for Neville. The omega had taken over as Herbology Professor two years before when Pomona had retired. He was also now Head of Hufflepuff and he was very happy working at Hogwarts. This has made it difficult to find an alpha, most of the alphas his grandmother had tried to set him up with refused to allow him to live and work at Hogwarts. Theo had no objection to his omega working, not even if it was as a professor at Hogwarts and he had recently started the search for a house near Hogsmeade.
Harry arrived home half an hour after Neville and Theo arrived. He found Severus waiting for him in the sitting room. He was sitting in his favourite chair, reading a potions journal and he looked so soft in the lamp light Harry’s heart contracted at the sight. The omega looked up and saw Harry. He put down his journal and stood and walked over to his husband to greet him as he always did when Harry arrived home.
The alpha had spent the past ten years fighting to have equality for omegas passed into law by the Wizengamot. In the end, it had taken the retirement of three old alphas to bring about the change. Draco had told Severus years ago his generation was different and the proof was now the change in the law. The first day the new Lord’s Knott, Avery and Parkinson had taken their seats in the Wizengamot, Harry put his bill on the table. It passed by an unexpectedly high margin of votes. It seemed some middle-aged Lords were more willing to support change with the old guard gone. Harry had been surprised but pleased with the result and he knew Severus would be ecstatic, not for himself he already held his title thanks to Harry allowing him to hold it. No, Severus' excitement was for Cedar, who he could now name his full heir and she would have the right to hold the Prince seat herself if she chose.
Severus reached out and pulled his husband into a warm kiss, “how was your day?” he asked softly as they separated.
“Wonderful, it passed with a majority of fifteen votes,” Harry told him, his eyes shining with success and happiness.
Severus' eyes went wide. “Fifteen? How did that happen?” he asked surprised.
“I think a few of the in-betweens realised it would pass anyway and with the old guard gone they felt they could vote for it too,” Harry replied.
“Politics!” Severus huffed sounding annoyed. His smile gave away his true feelings. “You must be famished my love, come,” he said, taking Harry’s hand and leading him to the dining room, where he was greeted by their guests with cheers and muggle party poppers.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
Dinner was a hearty stew and fresh bread suitable for even the young children with apple crumble and custard for dessert. As tired as he was, Harry appreciated the effort Severus had gone to; he knew just how much Severus appreciated what Harry had done. Omegas finally had equal rights, they could be named as family heirs and their titles would not automatically transfer to their alphas, they could work in any job they were qualified for and child care was to be funded by the ministry.
Harry looked around the table at his family and friends. Cedar his black-haired princess was dressed in her very best new green dress and her long hair was pulled back neatly in two braids. It was quite the contrast from the girl dressed in jeans and a tee shirt with a dirty smudge on her nose who often sat at the dining table. She was sitting next to Scorpius and the two were deep in what seemed to be a serious conversation. Severus and Hermione were already running a tab on those two being a love match one day. Narcissa said they might even rival Harry and Severus in the 'disgustingly in-love sakes.' Harry could only hope his little girl would find that kind of happiness. He knew Scorpius would take care of her without stifling her passions. His daughter was already headed towards being a potions prodigy just like her papa.
Henry was talking to Sage and joking with her about something, the young man looked like Lily Potter from certain angles. He had the same shaped face; he also had her dark auburn hair which Henry liked to wear a little long and her green eyes. Henry was a quiet studious boy, except for when his Uncle George brought new pranks to try out for the shop or when he was allowed to fly. Henry had taken to a broom the same way Harry had, from his first toy broom to his current old Firebolt II the anniversary edition, which he had inherited from his father. Harry had purchased a brand new latest edition Thunderbolt for his son’s birthday and he could not wait to give it to him.
The night wore on and finally, the guests took their leave some via the floo and others apparating home and Harry was left with his own beautiful family. When he looked at these three people, he considered himself to be highly blessed. Somehow he had ended up with the man of his dreams and two wonderful kids as well. He had not thought he could be much happier until today when he finally achieved full and legal equality for his husband and daughter.
Henry and Cedar hugged both their parents goodnight and took themselves upstairs to bed. Harry took Severus in his arms and kissed him and the two followed their children upstairs for final goodnights and Harry went to tuck them in.
Severus was waiting in the bedroom when Harry came back from seeing to the kids. He was sitting up in bed in his nightshirt. He had never gone back to pyjamas after the birth of the twins and Harry had never complained.
The alpha stripped off his clothes and pulled on his old sleep tee and boxes and climbed in next to his husband. Severus put down the journal he had been reading and snuggled against Harry.
“Congratulations Lord Potter-Black,” Severus whispered. “Quite the feat you have achieved.”
Harry ran his hand down the omega’s back and slipped it under the man’s nightshirt. “I had serious motivation,” he replied his voice low and husky. “You see, I have this wonderful, sexy and amazing omega that I am married to, I had to do this for him,” Harry said and he kissed Severus’ mating bite.
“Oh, sounds like you are a lucky man,” Severus said, his voice hitching as Harry found his half-hard cock and began to stroke it.
“I am a very lucky man,” Harry replied. Capturing the omega's lips in his and kissing him deeply. Severus groaned and Harry's fingers found his hole.
“Harry, I am an old man, you need to slow down or I will be done before we start,” Severus whispered.
Harry smiled into his omega’s neck. “You are not that old Severus, you are still stuck with me for at least another hundred years.”
“However shall I cope,” Severus breathed as Harry breached his hole and began to pump his finger slowly in and out.
“Was that cheek, my omega?” Harry asked, raising his eyebrow.
“What if it was Alpha?” Severus replied with a challenge in his eye.
Harry took a moment to cast privacy wards then he returned his attention to his cheeky husband. “If it was, I fear I would have to take my wayward omega in hand. Perhaps he needs to be reminded of his place, by not coming until he is given permission and if he does he will be put over my knee and spanked,” Harry told him firmly.
Severus groaned and fell back against his pillows while Harry tormented him. They did not play like this often any more, not since the twins had been born and they both missed it. Harry continued to tease Severus for some time, he loved nothing more than making his husband beg. Harry brought him to the edge five times before finally allowing him to orgasm with his alpha inside him.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
The twins turned eleven two weeks later and all their friends and family returned to celebrate on the weekend. All the children ran wild in the huge over grown backyard, while the adults watched from the sunroom facing the loch. Later the children were called inside where they played party games and ate too much ice cream and cake.
Henry had been over the moon with his new broom. Cedar had been gifted her own potions kit complete with her own goblin-made silver dagger and glass stirring rod. Harry and Severus watched their almost grown-up children enthuse over their presents and thank their parents. Harry had taken Henry out to try out his new broom and Cedar had pulled Severus out to the lab to use her new kit.
Harry arrived home for the summer at the end of June and the family celebrated being together again. Harry and Henry went flying most days while Cedar and Severus gardened or foraged for potion ingredients in the woods. They ate picnics by the loch and spent time together as a family.
The next major event was the arrival of long-awaited Hogwarts letters signed by the Headmistress Minerva McGonagall. Harry almost burst with pride as he watched his own children open their letters at the kitchen table and read them out loud. Severus eyes were suspiciously sparkly but Harry let it go with just a knowing smile.
The next month passed in a whirlwind of visiting Diagon Alley for school supplies and visiting family before they headed off to Italy to Prince Vineyard for the last two weeks of the holidays.
The family spent time relaxing together by the pool, shopping at the local market and sharing meals on the outside terrace. It was lovely to be together just the four of them before everything changed.
Severus, who had such grand plans for when the children went to school found he was actually dreading living alone in the empty house. Harry had been right Severus loved the house on Loch Leven as much as Harry did once he was recovered from the children's birth and had his potions research back on track. He loved living there but the house was a family home.
The past eight years had been heaven-sent, Severus would never have believed he could be so happy staying home and raising children. Henry and Cedar however were his pride and joy and he thoroughly enjoyed being their papa. He had taught them himself at home rather than send them to the local primary school and they had a tutor three times a week from the age of nine.
They learned how to grow and prepare potion ingredients, as well as the basics of controlling their magic, alongside reading, writing and maths. He taught them about the stars and constellations and magical creatures. They were polite and well-rounded children who knew how to study and how to have fun.
The children in turn had taught Severus to relax more and that lessons could be fun and messy while still achieving his educational goals. They had taught him to balance fun and learning and they had shown him that unconditional love existed beyond his bond with Harry.
Harry knew Severus had something on his mind and he thought he could guess what it was, but he waited for the Omega to come to him. All these years together had given them a good sense of each other he knew when to ask and when to wait.
Finally on their last night at the Vineyard Severus crawled into bed next to Harry and sought his alphas arms. When Harry had him wrapped up tight he whispered his fears of being alone. After eleven years with the twins always being there, he had no real real wish to be completely alone. He was worried about slipping into depression again.
Harry suggested he move back into the cottage in Hogsmeade where they had lived after they first bonded. That way he would be close enough for Harry to come home on the weekends if wasn't on Hogsmeade duty. He had a serviceable lab for brewing there and Morgan was still only a floo call away. Severus agreed that would be a good plan and thanked Harry thoroughly for being a wonderful alpha.
🔷🔷🔷🔷🔷
On the first of September Severus and Harry arrived at Platform 9 3⁄4 with their twins, two large trunks, Henry’s a barn owl called Artie in a cage on his trunk and a black cat called Ebony in a basket carried by Cedar. They went through the Muggle entrance because that was how both Harry and Severus had started their Hogwarts journeys. They met Morgan and the girls on the platform and the older twins took charge of their younger friends and helped them onto the train and found them a compartment. Harry and Severus waved until the train was gone from their sight before they headed to the Leaky Cauldron for lunch before apparating to their cottage.
Harry stood on the steps of Hogwarts, list in hand, waiting for the first years to arrive at the castle after their boat ride across the lake. He was a little nervous knowing his own children were among the first years. He was soon surrounded by chatty, excited and nervous new students. He called for their attention and then introduced himself. He caught sight of Cedar standing slightly apart from the crowd with another girl while Henry was right in the middle of the group laughing a joking with a few other boys. Gryffindor was in for a shake-up like they had not seen in many years if he was any judge.
Henry was sorted first and placed in Gryffindor after several minutes of consideration by the hat. However, Harry had barely settled the hat on his daughter's head before it called out Slytherin.
Harry sat in the Deputy Headmasters seat next to Minerva and observed his son who seemed to have found new friends in a rowdy group of boys. Harry could see that legacy of Fred and George Weasley would live on in Gryffindor House through his son.
Cedar was sitting with Rumi and a blond-haired first-year girl, she was much less boisterous than her brother but she seemed comfortable with her sorting. He doubted she would have difficulty settling in and Aurora would tell him if she did.
Harry smiled. Severus would be so pleased to have predicted the kids' sorting correctly. He would pop down to the cottage and see him tonight and maybe stay the night, he had a free period first thing in the morning. Perhaps he could wait with his husband until Henry’s owl arrived with their children's letters in the morning.
His inner alpha was happy to see his children fitting in with their new houses. He was also very pleased with his omega’s choice to move to the cottage in Hogsmeade.
His life was good. The boy who lived was living his dream and the reality was better than he had ever dared to hope.