Kitten

August 15, 1991 (pt.3)

Severus landed smoothly. He felt movement in his pocket and knew that apparating had woken Harry. He wasn’t surprised, but he took the kitten out of his pocket and cradled him to his chest. His baby mewed up at him and Severus could tell that he was on the verge of crying. He stopped just below the steps to the manor to sooth his kit. 

“It’s alright, darling. I know you don’t like it, but Mama will make it better. Then you can meet your papa and some of the family.” 

Harry mewed again, this time snuggling into his chest and beginning to purr. Severus chuckled softly then kissed the boy on his head and made his way into the manor. 

“Dobby?” He called. There was small pop and Severus came face to face with a small house elf. 

“Yes, Master Severus? What can I do for you?” The house elf asked. He, unlike most house elves he knew, had been properly trained in speech. It was the one thing his father, and his father’s friends, required of their servants. 

“Is Tom here?” 

“Yes sir. Master Riddle is waiting for you in the young master’s nursery with Dinky.” 

Severus nodded. “Take us there please.” 

The house elf nodded. “Right away, sir.”

They landed in front of the mahogany door located on the right next to the bedroom that belonged to him and Tom. Speaking of who was sitting in the rocking chair in front of the window that was facing the gardens. He rose when he heard the door open. The two mates met in the middle of the room giving each other a kiss. When they parted, Tom finally asked what both of them knew was on his mind. 

“What is this about Severus? Why are we here?” He looked down at the small kitten that looked to be sleeping in his husband’s arms. 

Severus could hear the pained undertone of his voice, and it was for a good reason. The family stopped entering this room since Hadrian’s first birthday when he was taken. No matter how many years passed these walls just held too many memories and pain. From then on both Tom and Severus placed a ward on the room that only allowed them to enter in addition to a house elf if they requested it . 

Before he gave his husband an answer, Severus removed the cage from his pocket and handed it to Dinky. 

“Take them to the dungeons and transform them back. Give them enough food and water for them to survive, but do not speak to them. I will be down there at a later date.”

The house elf bowed, “Yes, Master Severus.”

When he turned back, Tom was looking at him with an eyebrow raised. He was growing impatient, if the hands on his hips were anything to go by, and it amused Severus to no end. He gave him a kiss on the cheek, and decided showing him his new discovery was better than telling him. With that in mind, he placed his precious cargo in the middle of the bed. The little kit mewed in protest, but sat down and looked up at him. Tom looked at the animal and then back at his husband. 

“And why exactly am I looking at a cat?” He asked. 

“You don’t see it?” His husband asked incredulously, sighing in exasperation when he shook his head. Instead of saying what he was thinking Severus shifted into his Kayte form. 

“ Shift ,” he said through their bond. 

Although he was confused, Tom did as he was told and almost immediately he felt something different. It felt like there was something else here with them. Or someone. He looked back up at the kitten looking down at them from over the bedside then back his mate. Tom stood to his full height so that he could see the little one who was now running around in circles on the bed. He made a noise in the back of his throat and the little one looked up at him. 

“ Papa! Papa! Papa! ” He all but screamed through their bond. The adult Kayte chuckled at the little one. 

“ Come down here, little one ,” Tom said. Harry went to do as he said, but he got to the edge of the bed and mewed. 

“ Too high! Too high, Papa! Can’t get down! ” The little one was beginning to panic though he paused momentarily when he felt himself being picked up by the scruff of his neck. Tom placed him on the ground gently and Harry just looked up at the two of them. Father and son studied each other before Harry got antsy and moved closer to Severus. 

“ He looks exactly like you, my love. ” Tom commented. 

“ I know ,” there was pride in his voice. Tom suddenly felt the anger and despair through their mating bond. “ You should have seen what they did to him. They beat him. They made him cook and clean and garden. They had him relieve himself outside like some animal. And to make matters even worse that filthy muggle, he-h-... ”

“ What, love? ” Tom asked, but Severus could only shake his head. 

Severus could not let the words pass his throat. He could only imagine the horrors that his son had gone through. The look of fear in his eyes when the beach whale of an uncle came near him. He wanted them to know the pain that they had caused their son. He wanted them to pay. Severus wanted them dead. 

Tom could feel his mate’s anger and was trying to come up with all the possibilities of what could have him more angry. To treat his son like some lowly house elf was bad enough, he truly could not imagine what more they could have done. His stomach turned at the thought. He looked down at the little one that looked to be half asleep. There was a knock on the door and the pair shifted back as Narcissa entered. 

“Cissy,” Severus said as he gave her a hug and a kiss on the cheek. 

The blond woman smiled. “Glad to see you’ve returned from your adventure.”

Severus chuckled. “Indeed.” His face suddenly turned grim. “There’s something I need you to help us with.”

“Oh?” She looked to Tom who nodded. “What is it?”

Just then Harry took the opportunity to make his presence known by meowing loudly. Narcissa crouched down to his level and both of his parents were relieved when their kit walked over to the healer willingly. He leaned into her when she ran her hand along his head and began to purr when her nails gently scratched under his chin. Harry tilted his head upward which caused the light to shine on his head. There she saw the small horn in the middle of his head as well as the small black wings on his back. She gasped audibly when the little one opened his eyes and looked at her. His eyes, which looked so much like his mother’s, were topaz with small flecks of dark red and black. 

She looked back at the two men, “It’s-It’s him,” she whispered although she didn’t need any confirmation. The resemblance was as bright as day. Her nephew had returned. 

“But how?” She asked as she lifted the Harry kitten into her arms and placed him on the bed. 

“I will explain later, Cissy. Right now, he is in desperate need of a medical exam. I watched that muggle do horrible things to him, and it is a miracle that he is even up and about.” 

Narcissa nodded before going into complete healer mode. “I need him to shift back Severus. I can’t do a full examination with him in this form.” 

The man nodded and called to Harry through their bond. 

“Harry, darling”

“ Mama! ” the kit replied. 

“Yes, it’s mama. I need you to change back for me, sweet boy.”

Apparently the boy didn’t need much more prompting than that as he turned back and in the kitten’s place sat a small young boy. Harry looked around warily, but reached to Severus seeing as he recognized the man as his mother. He was picked up and put into the man’s lap as Narcissa  studied him. He shifted under her gaze clearly uncomfortable under the scrutiny. 

“Hello, Hadrian. Or is it Harry?” Narcissa asked, her voice was soft and gentle.

“I’m Harry,” the boy replied. 

“Hello, Harry. My name is Narcissa, and it’s a pleasure to meet you.” She stuck her hand out which caused the boy to giggle. She smiled when he took her hand and shook it. 

“That’s a pretty name,” he smiled. “Can I call you Cissy?” 

The blond aristocrat smiled and nodded. “Yes you can call me Cissy.” She got a nod in return. “Harry, I need to examine you. Is it okay if I do that?” She asked. 

“Y-You won’t send me back? To Auntie and Uncle?” The boy asked, clearly becoming agitated. The next person to answer was Severus. 

“Harry, you will never be going back to those filthy animals. Do you understand me?” 

Harry nodded, “Okay." He put his thumb in his mouth. 

The adults in the room grimaced at the action but said nothing. Instead Narcissa took out her wand and began to run a scan on the boy. Harry stiffened, but his mama rubbed soothing circles on his back and he relaxed. He was sleepy. He put his head on his mama’s chest and promptly fell asleep as the adults in the room waited for parchment to stop. When it finally stopped, every last one of them cursed to high hell. Severus and Tom vowed that they would pay for what they had done to their boy.