Chapter 12
The Golden Trio, plus the Weasly Twins listened anxiously, desperate to hear what Snape was going to say to Tom. They had just barely managed to avoid getting caught by Draco, but managed it they did.
"Tom Riddle, is it?" Severus asked politely. Tom simply nodded, waiting to hear what it was that Severus wished to speak with him about. "You are different than your father." He said simply. Tom simply smirked at himself.
"I have been told that constantly since I have been here. I do not know my so called 'father' so I cannot judge." He said with a shrug instead of laughing. He was really good at controlling himself, if he does say so himself.
"Yes, you are most certainly an odd one, are you not?" Severus looked at him intently. Tom kept his mind blocked, which seemed to annoy the older wizard, but Tom ignored the man's frustration. "How many times have you managed to put Draco under?" He asked, leaning back, and gazing intently at him. Tom defiantly met his stare with one of his own.
"Several times. When that pathetic excuse for a father brings him over, Draco is usually mentally and physically exhausted. Honestly, if this is what he has to go through every summer, I am surprised that the boy is alive right now. So tell me, Severus..." Tom asked, leaning forward, and staring deep into the other's eyes. "What sort of Alpha, lets a submissive stay in such a dangerous familial relationship?" Tom watched as Severus's eyes flashed with surprise. "Or are you simply ignoring your instincts. I am told that there are certain potions for that. Rare, and difficult to make, but they are there." Severus just stared intently at Tom.
"I do not like what you are implying." He said coldly. "I would NEVER leave Draco in a dangerous situation..."
"But you did." Tom said cooly. "I have seen what his moronic father does to him, I have heard his screaming. And it tears me apart inside. I simply cannot understand how an Natural Alpha would not be able to notice something wrong with someone like Draco. It is not as if he is purposely hiding his scents, he likely does not even know how to do it. So the real question is, why. Did. You. Leave. Him? The signs are all there, and, whether or not he acts differently at school, which I am quite certain he does, is irrelevent." He sighed, taking a sip of his green tea that had been brought out for them by Draco a little while earlier.
"Draco is in a rather...delicate, position. Lucius is highly respected and influential. I cannot simply order a trial on him, he has too many members in place in the Wizemagont."
"So you are suppressing your natural instincts. Interesting. No wonder you seem so...distant." Severus glared at him, Tom just smirked.
"Oh, please, your eyes are slightly glassy. It is a side-affect of a suppresent potion. There are many different kinds for a Natural Alpha, and all of them are complex and incredibly difficult to make, not to mention many of the ingrediants are rare. Exceedingly rare. But all of them have side-affects. Glassy eyes being one of the main commonalities of all of them. Clearly you are using the potion, and likely use it all the time. After all, a Natural Alpha's protective instinct on those who are Naturally submissive are...well, legendary."
"Yes, you would know all about that would you not?" Severus sneered. Tom laughed.
"Of course. I have personal experience in dealing with the instincts of a Natural Alpha. Obviously, considering I am one. But, you already knew that as well, did you not?" Tom asked, eyes becoming dangerous. "Clearly you are unable to control yourself around Draco, which means you knew at least a little of the situation he was in, and did nothing about it. Not the best route of action if I do say so myself."
"You are a natural Alpha?" Tom just smirked, sipping his tea, before shrugging. The other was clearly curious. The more that I push about this, though, the less I am beginning to think that Severus truly is a Natural Alpha. There is something totally off about this situation, and I really do not like it.
"How else would I have gotten all the knowledge. Little is known about Nature's Balance Creatures...The Natural Alphas and the Natural Submissives. Hardly anything is written about them, and most that is written down in journals or books or articles are guessing games. I do not care for guesswork." He said, sighing. "Look, Severus, I can assure that I have no bad plans for your godson, despite any misgivings you may have. However, I am wondering just how stupid you are." Severus started, staring at Tom with unconcealed confusion. "Oh come on. Are you seriously telling me that Draco has not come into his creature inheritence? As far as I can tell, most Natural creatures come early, 16 usually, sometimes 15, but Draco, obviously has a lot of experience with his natural instincts, enough to suppress them incredibly easily, which can take years for a submissive in the constant presence of an Alpha to learn. Which means that he would have had to have lots of practice. So, he must have come into several years early." Severus sighed not even bothering to argue the younger's words. There was a sort of despondent look on his face, and Tom narrowed his eyes at it. Yeah, I am beginning...
"He showed signs of a N.S. when he reached eleven. I could tell for sure if he was a true N.S. and I could not find the evidence until he was thirteen. Lucius knows nothing of this, either. Otherwise it would not end well."
"How did he find out what was going on?" Tom asked, curiously.
"That is something I think you should ask him. He was never very clear. Just that he did some research and figured it out. He cornered me after class one day. Since then he has become very, very good at bending the laws of nature that even I have trouble getting him to do what I ask on the first try. He is a very astute boy."
"Of that I had no doubt. You, however, are clearly not." Severus stared at him again.
"What are you talking about? I thought that I already told you that there was nothing I could have done for Draco in his situation, considering who his father and mother are. The Malfoy's are an extremely well respected family. Hardly anyone dares oppose them, and those who do tend not to be seen again." Tom hissed in frustration.
"Did you even care to see if there are any laws regarding Nature's Balance Creatures?" He asked angrily.
"No, I did not." Tom laughed bitterly. Severus flinched at the sound, it was so cold and angry.
"Of course not. For someone who is obviously very clever, you are so stupid! There are special laws in place for a Natural Alpha or Submissive. Once a N.S. presents, they can be taken out from their parents care, and placed under the care of a N.A. as long as the neither parent was an N.A. As, as far as I have gathered, neither Lucius nor Narcissa are an N.A. or an N.S. Meaning that you could have easily pulled for custody."
"Damn." Severus muttered under his breath. Tom could see the warring look on his face. No, definitely not. He may seem like he is an Alpha at first glance, even had me fooled, but...
"You were too busy ignoring your instincts. If you hadn't you would have felt the urge to check all the laws and figure out if there was ANYTHING you could have done. You did a lot, but failed a lot too." Tom said. Severus' eyes flashed, anger and hurt flooding them.
"I will check this out, thank you. However, I need to know what your view on Draco is." Tom cocked his head.
"My View?"
"Yes. There is something about Draco. I am unsure what it is, but than again, I have never met another N.S. Nor another N.A. to attempt to gather any information that might be different about him. So. Thoughts."
"I did notice that he goes under incredabily easy, and fast. It only takes me a few seconds, at best, and a few minutes at worst, before he is completely under."
"Really?" Severus asked. "It takes me several minutes at least." Tom shrugged.
"Well, you are a lower level." Tom said carelessly. He glanced up at Severus's blank expression. "Natural Alphas and Submissive's have ranks. The higher level Alpha, the easier it is to put a Sub under. Draco is ridiculously high on the scale, from what I have seen, but I am the same level Alpha as he is Submissive, which means that we are the most compatible. Which also means he responds best to me. You are a lower level Alpha than Draco is Submissive, meaning that it would take longer for him to respond the same. Really interesting, actually. I found a book in the Avery Library, in a hidden room. Naturally, I read it, and saved the information. It was incredibly informative when I turned 15 and presented into my Creature inheritence."
"Well, I am glad that you have seem to have taken a...liking to each other." Tom just smiled. "I will be keeping an eye on you, Tom, a very very close eye. I do not want Draco broken any more than he already is."
"Of course, Sir."
"Glad we understand each other." Tom just chuckled, finishing off his tea.
"Oh, just a moment, Professor," Just as suspected, Severus paused in his attempts to gather Draco from the door, swallowing and turning back. "I just wanted to let you know, I already know there was nothing you could do. I am sorry i pushed a sensitive topic." A second later Tom called Draco over smiling, ignoring the confused and somewhat worried look in Severus' eyes.
"Yes, little one?" Draco glanced at Severus before moving back to Tom bouncing on the balls of his feet.
"Dinner's done! I Helped!" He said eyes twinkling. "I made the...brown things!" He said, excitedly.
"Well, then, we should get going. Don't you think, Severus?" Draco turned around to watch Severus's expressions.
Severus, for his part, was taken aback. He had never really seen Draco's eyes so...well, alive. The boy seemed genuinely excited, and greatly at that. He had not really expected, nor ever really seen such a thing.
"Alright, let's get a move on."
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Hermione, Ron, and Harry, stared at each other, whilst listening to everything going on in the living room between Tom and Severus.
"Seriously?" Ron asked. "What the hell is a Natural Alpha or Submissive? And are they kidding? I mean, Malfoy is most certainly not submissive in anyway!"
"I don't...I don't know." Hermione seemed genuinely lost for once.
"Well, perhaps 'Submissive' means something different in the context that they are using. Though it is clear that whatever a 'Natural Alpha' is, both Riddle and Snape are it. So, it can't hurt to know, right?" Harry asked.
"I wonder what this 'put under' is. I mean, it obviously means something important."
"I'll have to look at the library when we get to Hogwarts. They should have SOMETHING on the subject."
"KIDS DINNER IS DONE!" Molly's voice shouted out from the downstairs kitchen.
"Shoot." George and Fred quickly put the extendable ears away, and shoved them into their pockets, before they all rushed downstairs readying themselves to eat.