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Severus was warned beforehand his purge owning to the size of his core, the percentage needing to be released, and if they managed it, the leech being broken was going to be painful. But he chose to stay conscious, he didn’t like the idea of anyone doing something to him while he slept.
The pain was worse than anything he ever had to endure, every part of his body felt as if it was on fire. He knew, it was his magic awakening pathways he hadn’t used since he was a boy, before Albus Dumbledore decided he shouldn’t be allowed to wield more power than the Great Dark Wizard Defeater. He felt as his nose broke, again, and again, not knowing why the previously broken appendage was acting this way, but knowing none of the Goblins was responsible.
As it ended he sent a quick prayer to, his, he just realized ‘ancestor’, Frigga, thankful for Sleeping draught and Runic bench, knowing Harry had been asleep for his own purge, he wouldn’t wish this much pain on the toddler.
The Goblins had told him to stay still on the runes until they told him he could get up, and he obeyed them. He took the time, while he waited, to think about how he really felt about this new life, a new possibility, offered to him. Leaving with Lupin and Black wasn’t in his plans, that is for sure, but he knew he would have to interact with them if he really wished to rekindle his friendship with Lily. The strange thing was, he didn’t hate them anymore, sure he felt resentment for the pranks played on him at school, and anger when he thought about that night, but all the same, it seemed irrational to blame Remus for it, even as a teen he had always been mild-mannered and polite to him, never calling him names even as he didn’t prevent Potter and Black from insulting and demeaning him. This too, he could understand, on their first train ride, he sat with Lily and while she had been polite with the group of boys he stayed silent and when she told them they were being impolite, and she’d rather they’d leave them alone, he snorted, then Lily went to Gryffindor and as a rule they couldn’t bully her for the way they treated them, so Severus was their prey of choice.
Something Harry’s memories helped him put into perspective, while Draco went too far in their enmity, they had a similar relationship while at Hogwarts, and they managed to put it aside after the war. Maybe he could follow their example.
Harry was someone he didn’t have to think about. Lily wrote to him, sent him pictures of the toddler since the day he was born. She pleaded with him to come and see him, but he didn’t want to risk anyone following him. While he had never been a baby enthusiast, he learned, on his visits to Draco, to take care of the little boy’s needs, and while he was happy to paw off Draco back to his parents at the end of the day and leave for the quiet of his house, something in the green eyes little one just about melted all the walls he put so much effort into building to protect his heart. Luna didn’t seem so bad either, she was a quiet little girl, from what Narcissa told him, little girls were easier, not that she could explain why only having Draco as her child and Severus’ godson was far from easy and calm, he took after his grandfather too much for that. He was always asking to be held, if you dared to put him down on the floor he would wail and cry until his mother would pick him up. Not even the House-Elves could touch him and Severus knew how much Narcissa and Lucius had both tried at night to let the House-Elves handle the boy, so they could catch some sleep.
From Harry’s memories, that didn’t turn out well in the future, and he would write a letter to Narcissa, telling her to let the boy cry from time to time, if he realized he wasn’t the center of the universe now, maybe they could prevent some of his haughtiness as he grew up. And of course, he would often visit, he had no plan to abandon his friend or his Godson.
He knew everyone thought Lucius pushed him to join the Dark Lord, that he was the one who convinced him, even the Great Albus Dumbledore believed so, and always required for him to speak to Lucius to cultivate their friendship. How wrong they were. Lucius could only sneer at him. Yes, Severus was the youngest Potion Master on the European continent. Yes, he was a Death Eater, and he couldn’t help the smile gracing his face when he thought about the new mark on his left arm. Yes, those elements combined made the Dark Lord offer him privileges among his number. But to Lucius Abraxas Malfoy, it meant nothing. Severus was a half-blood, and worst, a half-blood raised in the muggle world, for which Lucius often called him ‘Traitor’, as if it had been his choice. No, his friend in the Malfoy family was Narcissa, while not as highly praised as Lily in his mind-heart, Narcissa had been is best friend in Slytherin, though older than him, she protected him for the likes of Lucius, declared him under the Black House protection, lent him the money he needed to bury his mother with a marble tombstone and still keep her house as to not become homeless once out of Hogwarts. Narcissa tried to convince him not to take the Dark Mark, but he wanted to protect her, she was pregnant again and had already miscarried once, Abraxas trying to force her to take the mark not aware of the consequences. Many the night he was marked asked for the death of their enemy as a reward for joining the Death Eaters, or more accurately for the right to kill them themselves as no one was allowed to kill anyone without the Dark Lord’s approval, you wouldn’t want to assassinate one of his number or one he had use for. Severus asked for Narcissa, which the Dark Lord seemed to believe meant Severus fancied her, and he never denied it, he knew the Dark Lord’s protection would keep Lucius wrath from him. What his request did was protect her, allow for Draco to live and for Narcissa to stay unmarked without having to justify herself. And with his heir alive and clearly his as shown by the pale blond hair on his head, Lucius seized to care for Severus’ involvement in his wife’s life, allowing him to become the Godfather and to step foot inside his manor on a regular basis to interact with the child.
A Goblin approached him, but before he could say a word, Clint came barging into the purge room.
“Harry…” Was all he had time to say before Severus ran out of the room, his muscles ache something fierce, but he didn’t care, he didn’t even stop to ask where Harry was, he ran until he heard Sirius’ voice and followed it to a wooden door at the end of a dark corridor.
“What?” He asked, but he didn’t have to wait for one of them to answer him to know.
Harry was wide awake, surrounded by Goblins in a green tunic which Severus knew to be Healers as he had been introduced to one himself. The peculiar thing was the fact that the Goblins were floating mid-air, one of them in a Curse-Breaker silver apparel was muttering in Gobbledegook looking around himself every time he stopped, clearly trying to get back down to Earth. Goblins didn’t fly, it was a commonly known fact. Not that Harry seemed to care much, as long as they kept away from him.
“He just woke up,” Remus explained, “The Curse-Breaker was telling us about the rune he placed on his memories to keep him from accessing them during the purge because his magic attacked them before they could even start, and he figured his future core remembered events happening in his sleep as dangerous.”
“Idiots,” Severus said and walked past them, casting cushioning charmed on the marble floor as he went to stand before Harry. “That’s enough, Mr. Potter!” He told him firmly making Harry pout, but all the same, he released the Goblins making them fall immediately.
Harry’s lips trembled and he lowered his eyes. Sirius started to yell at Severus for being mean to his Pup, but Severus focused on Harry, putting a finger under his chin and forcing him to look up, before smiling at him.
“That’s better,” He told him, scooping him off the runic bench and kissing his little head when Harry sighed and snuggled against him. “My Little Mage.”
“What? But?” Sirius babbled and Severus looked at him.
“Did you not listen to Ragnok’s explanation?” Severus asked raising an eyebrow at the group by the door. “Harry’s core absorbs the magic cast on him, the runes was as useful as Ginger Roots in a poison.”
“I still don’t,” Sirius said confused, Severus had to fight himself not to roll his eyes, it had been a long day for everyone.
“He remembers his past, and just woke up in an unknown environment, with strangers magic on him, and probably confused by your presence,” Severus explained and sighed when Sirius and the others still looked confused. “He has two sets of memories, and he is a powerful mage. He is a baby, he can’t express it, but he is grieving, and confused, and probably missing both his parents and his…” He stopped and looked at them intently. “Where is Luna?”
“I took her to her suit,” Remus explains, “I didn’t want her to…”
Before he could finish his sentence Severus glared at him and walked out of the room to their Goblins attendant.
“If Lord Weasley is still in his meeting with Manager Ironclaw, could you please ask him if I can borrow his sons?” The goblins nodded and started to walk away. “Lead them to our quarters, thank you.”
He didn’t talk to the others, didn’t even look at them, as he had gone last to the purging room he was already shown to their suits and went to the room, knowing everyone was following him but ignoring them, even when Sirius pleaded with them.
“Here Harry,” He said when he crossed the bedroom marked for himself, once more ignoring Sirius cries about Harry not sleeping in his bed.
Severus put Harry down on the bed and kissed his forehead, noting the fading injury, though it would scar you would need to get right in front of it and be aware of its presence to notice it in the future.
“I’ll be right back, Little Mage,” Severus told him. “I know what you need,” He said and Harry sighed deeply releasing his hold on Severus’ shirt.
Severus closed the door behind him and went to the room clearly meant for the children as he could see a cot from the open door, he picked up Luna delicately and brought her to Harry, before leaving the two as Harry hugged her.
Just as Remus was going to start asking questions Arthur entered the common room with his five sons. Severus knelt in front of the little ones to be less intimidating and smiled at them.
“I need your help with a very important mission,” He told them, and as he thought they would they nodded enthusiastically. “Thank you. Follow me, please,” he said and led the way to his bedroom, Arthur’s five sons following him without asking questions.
‘ Gryffindors’ He thought, but instead of the usual hatred he felt for the house, he could only feel fondness as he watched them walked determinedly through the door. Albus Dumbledore was responsible for so much.
“Harry!” The twins cried out when they saw the toddler.
“Yes,” Severus said keeping them from jumping on the bed. “Now, your mission,” he told them with a grin, “I need you to climb onto the bed and cuddle with Harry and Luna, don’t worry if you fall asleep, that’s okay.”
“Why?” Bill asked his eyes not leaving the bed.
Severus remembering Ragnok’s warning about the boy’s sight explained, “Harry had to go through a purge too, and he needs friends to hold him to keep his magic calm.”
Bill nodded and with Charlie helped Percy, Fred, and George climb onto the bed before curling himself around his little brothers so on the bed laid Bill, Percy, one of the twins, Severus didn’t know which, Harry, Luna, the second twin, Charlie. One after the other the boys put their hands on Harry, making him fall asleep immediately, though something else must have happened because Bill almost broke his neck switching from looking at Harry to looking up at Severus clearly startled. Severus put a finger over his lips to shush him. He would answer questions just not now. Bill nodded and closed his eyes.
As Severus closed the door, he looked to the bed one more time and noticed Percy’s hand on Luna instead of Harry, but now wasn’t the time to think about it.
When he turned around ready to face the rest of the group, he was face to face with Sirius’ wand.
“What did you do?” Sirius spat, “What happened to my pup?
“I’ll explain,” He said calmly waiting for Sirius to lower his wand, “If one of you could cast a Silencing Charm on the door?” He raised an eyebrow at Remus and Arthur.
“What are my sons doing?” Arthur asked but cast the charm anyway.
“Sleeping.”
“What? But I thought…?” Arthur spluttered and fell silent.
“As I said,” Severus said, “I’ll explain.”
He gestured to the couches on the side of the room and went to sit when Sirius lowered his wand.
“First of all, Remus, if I ever hear you say anything resembling ‘Harry is dangerous to Luna’ I will curse you,” he said and Remus seemed startled, but before he even tried to justify himself he blushed and look down in shame. “If you cannot trust Harry around Luna, you are free to take your daughter and leave,” Severus told him coldly and raised his hand to silence everyone when they started to protest. “I understand, Harry’s powers are unknown and relatively infinite, but he would never hurt those he loves and trust, that includes his sister,” He explained and turned toward Arthur, “and your elder sons. What you need to understand, though I know you are still unaware of it, is every time he performed accidental magic as a kid, or a new aspect of his magic manifested at Hogwarts, people turned their back on him, called him dangerous. I will not let you or anyone else push that little boy to think his powers are anything but a blessing,” He finished and when no one answered, though Arthur was making a good impression of a fish out of the water, he asked, “Is that understood?”
Remus and the others all nodded.
“Now, to explain why I needed your sons Arthur, I’ll first need to know if Ragnok warded our rooms?” he asked the others.
“He did,” Phil told him.
“Very well, Arthur, Harry’s soul was brought back from the future to keep dangerous wars to happen, your sons were, had been,” He said looking up confused, but let it go. “They were part of his group, and had been friends with him for a long time, especially the twins, as he befriended them on his first day at Hogwarts.”
Sirius started to laugh hysterically while Tony was muttering “and people say I am blunt.”
“The future? My sons?” Arthur said and Severus nodded looking at the others as he poured himself some tea from the pot spotted on the table.
“But,” Arthur finally said after 5 minutes, “They don’t know him, now.”
“And yet, they took the task of cuddling him while he slept and went with it,” Severus told him, making Arthur smile brightly.
“What I don’t get is why call on them?” Remus asked still looking chastised.
Severus rolled his eyes at him and offered him a fresh teacup “You are good with them Remus, and it is understandable to be scared for either of both of your cubs, just remember protecting Harry means trusting him with Luna, and you’ll do fine.”
“Thank you, Severus.”
“To answer you, as Ragnok explained, a part of Harry’s core was brought back with his soul and between his soulmate connection, mage sight, and his mage core getting unblocked, adding his confusion and his grieving for both lifetimes, neither of us could comfort him without bringing up our deaths.”
Phil was about to interrupt, but Severus looked at Arthur and shook his head. It was not the time to tell him his sons were dead, he would explain later that two things were possible either Harry never saw his friends die, or it would be so fresh in his mind, not having had time to grieve and think about it, he would think it was a nightmare and nothing else. Right now, Harry was surrounded by familiar magic and it was what he needed.
“Calling on Arthur and his sons was the only idea I had,” Severus admitted.
“You didn’t know if it would work?” Remus asked standing up.
“Remus,” Severus growled at him.
“I am,” Remus said and went back to sit next to Sirius who hugged him. “Being a parent is going to take some getting used to.”
“That’s okay,” Sirius told him, “I want to go in there too, to make sure they are safe.”
“Me too,” Arthur told him.
"But you didn’t,” Remus pointed out.
“I have dealt with Bill’s and the twins accidental magic often enough to know to startle them is going to get us hurt,” Arthur explained.
“What about Percy and Charlie?” Natasha asked.
“Percy never had powerful accidental magic, only when he was sick and not in control, but he could do controlled intended magic from an early age,” Arthur explained. “Charlie is different,” Arthur stopped to look at all of them in turn.
“We are under Secrecy Wards while in this room, or in Ragnok’s office, Arthur, you can tell us everything you want we can only talk about it between us,” Remus told him.
Arthur nodded, “Charlie had normal accidental magic, to protect himself or his brothers, call a toy,” Arthur started and everyone nodded, this was pretty normal, or at least it was what they described as normal to Phil, Natasha, and Clint, Tony seemed to know already. “But when we told him Molly was pregnant with the twins,” Arthur said and still after all this time seemed awed by his son’s magic.
“What did he do?” Sirius asked excitedly.
“Well, he wasn’t particularly happy about the news,” he said, “None of them ever are until their siblings are born,” he explained with a smile, though they would all have to believe as Severus came to understand Clint was the only one with a sibling, and he was the youngest. “Anyway,” Arthur said chasing away the thought of temper tantrum, or so Severus assumed, “Charlie started to yell at us, telling us he liked Percy just fine now, he didn’t want us to exchange him.”
Laughter burst out of everyone.
“Yes, I know, not what I thought he was going to say either, I had trouble not laughing at him either, but I didn’t think it would have helped the situation,” Arthur told them smiling.
“Your kids are the bests,” Tony said before looking at Sirius and Remus, “I meant all of them, not…” He tried to explain but everyone started laughing again.
“What happened with Charlie?” Tony asked to keep the attention away from him.
“He got angrier and angrier the more we tried to explain,” Arthur told them. “Which, I can’t blame him, we did really badly, we were not expecting this answer.”
“I don’t think anyone would,” Phil confirmed.
“As he got angrier about a hundred animals made their way into the house, owls, birds, bunnies, toads, they were trying to attack us,” Arthur said with a beaming smile.
“Your son is a Cernunard?” Tony asked surprised, making Arthur nod looking just as surprised, though it had nothing on everyone else’s face, and Severus was happy to not be the only one not knowing what he was talking about, though he was impressed by Charlie’s power. “That’s perfect,” Tony kept going, “With all the familiar we have to find, I bet he will be a big part of helping us find them. Though we already know where Clint’s is, we just need to find a way to get him away from the old man.”
“Stark!” Phil cried out, making Tony look at them, and he seemed startled they were even here.
The man seemed to get distracted easily, though it was always caused by mysteries and a need to find a solution, his thoughts process was quite fascinating to Severus.
“What are Cernunard?” Natasha asked him.
“They are named after the Celtic God of Fertility and Animals, you know all those farm stuff, they have the power to call, calm, and guide animals of all size and ferocity,” Tony explained.
“How do you even know this?” Sirius cried out. “I didn’t know about it.”
“I told you, Nathan is a teacher at Ilvermorny, one of their Care for Magical Beasts teacher, Artemis Scamander, is a Cernunard, he is always surrounded by the animals they have at the school, and at the beginning of the year he sits down with the students’ familiars, so they won’t follow him around,” Tony explained.
“Newt Scamander’s son is a teacher at Ilvermorny?” Arthur asked excitedly.
“I am sure I can make a call, we could go visit the school,” Tony offered and everyone nodded.
“I sort of kidnapped your sons,” Severus said after a moment of silence. “Don’t you have to get Bill back to Hogwarts in the morning?”
“Albus,” Arthur said with a growl, “decided to suspend classes for a week, to give time for the parents to collect their children and celebrate.” Then he looked at Severus, “Bill isn’t old enough to go to Hogwarts yet, he won’t be 11 until the 29th of this month.”
“Oh, I thought…” Severus said and looked at Clint who nodded. “I thought I heard Molly say he was going this year.”
Or at least, that’s what Journal Bill told them.
“Molly wanted to, but I put my foot down, if Bill was allowed, he would only be doing half-day and only 2 days a week with Filius teaching him small inoffensive charms. I didn’t want him to hurt his core by doing too much too soon. She asked the board to allow for an early admittance,” Arthur explained. “Telling them he needed to learn to control it before he hurt his siblings...”
“How did she convince them? My mother tried and it was refused,” Severus asked.
“She showed them memories of his accidental magic, and she told them about his Mage Sight, telling them he needed to get used to the magic in Hogwarts,” Arthur told them. “When she came back and explained how she convinced them, I was so glad I Obliviated Charlie’s accidental call from her mind,” he said angrily.
“We all had a long day, learned a lot,” Phil told them standing up, “and the children will wake us up in the morning. Let’s go to bed.”
“Severus gave up his bed, and I doubt he and Arthur want to sleep in the cribs,” Clint pointed out.
While Sirius chuckled, Severus and Arthur took their wands out, levitated the cribs into the room and transfigured them into adult beds.
In the morning, Tony left for a meeting before breakfast, and Arthur agreed to leave the kids with them while he went to talk to Molly, though not until he was assured they would not be in Albus’ and Molly’s reach.
Ragnok gave them a folder each and sent them on their way, saying he would make his way to the tower next time as it would be more comfortable, and they wouldn’t risk another interruption, though he told them, unless there was something troubling them in their folders, he had no reasons to see them until they had more Intel.