Ocean of his Heart

TITLE: Ocean of his Heart
AUTHOR: Drachengreif
PAIRING: SS/JP
RATING: R
WARNING: angst, rape
FEEDBACK: Drachengreif@freenet.de Now send it already!!! I thrive on the stuff. ;)
DISCLAIMER: Sadly none of the people you recognze are mine.
SUMMARY: The secrets are manifold in the Snape household. One of them changes the life of Severus and that of many others forever.
BETA: Padawan Vesta. Thanks for the great work. :)
*** Severus Alexis Snape was born amidst a thunderstorm in late march. The room was filled with flickering shadows and the light of dying embers in the fireplace. Only an old midwife was there. She had witnessed the birth of many children and also his fathers. It seemed fitting that she should be there on this day as well. She was the only one to know of this secret, the secret of all Snapes. The one secret that nobody but them knew of.

And so she was the only one to hear the screams of Silvanus Harold Snape as he pressed one last time, as his son was freed of his body and came to rest between his blood-smeared thighs.
For this was the secret of the Snape-line. Their males were able to conceive and bear child. And as Silvanus was born of his father's body, so was Severus born of Silvanus' and Severus' child would one day be born of his.
As it always had been.

9 years later

Snape Manor lay in an secluded area near the Scottish coast with a little Muggle-village nearby. They seldom had visitors and the only other people Severus knew were the servants and their children. He knew little to nothing about the wizzarding world, having lived all his life with Muggles and only his father. His childhood was nonetheless a happy one. The people had long since learned to ignore the strangeness of the Snapes and decided to view them as eccentrics. Nobody commented about Silvanus Snapes distinct lack of a woman, Severus was there and this was it. Maybe the charms the Snape-Familiy had cast hundreds of years before over the village had helped to form this opinion.
Knowing this Severus was rather surprised about the big tawny owl that one day swooped through the windows of the library and came to sit on a nearby table.
Carefully laying the big book (Potions And Their Uses by Rellyn Snape) he was reading aside, he abandoned his chair to dive right into this new mystery. He'd always been a very curious child that drove even at times his father barmy with his questions. No book was safe of him and he wasn't restricted in his reading choices since his father believed that his son should learn what he could and wanted. So he learned light and dark curses along with anything other that came his way. The matter of good or bad never came up.
The Snapes were neither and always stood aside in conflicts. It was safer this way. Nonetheless many people believed them to be dark. An opinion that Severus would learn about in a painful manner.
But not at this time. In this moment he simply was a child with a riddle to solve, since it seemed the owl was for him. And who would write him? And why?
Carefully he undid the ties and took the letter. It was on heavy rather crinkly yellow pergament. A big seal on it's backside, a lion, a snake, a raven and a badger all around a big H.
The sender read HOGWARTS School of Wizardry and Witchcraft.
The address was even more curious: Severus Snape, The Library, Snape Manor, North Scottland.
Carefully he opened the letter and read.

Dear Mr. Snape,
We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.
Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.
Yours sincerely,
Minerva McGonagall,
Deputy Headmistress

Severus was quite sure that he didn't make the most intelligent face in the world at this moment but the letter had to be a mistake. He was only nine and it were still two years until he had to attend Hogwarts. If at all. Maybe his father would even decide on further home-schooling or send him to another wizarding school. Rather puzzled he went in search of his parent, oblivious to the fact that the owl followed him on silent wings.

Silvanus Snape hadn't been pleased at all. He knew why the letter had come early. Albus Dumbledore wanted the child out of his reach and influence and that as soon as possible. The headmaster believed him to abuse his only heir and lead him down the path of the dark. Silvanus snorted amused at this thought. Nobody would lead Severus anywhere he didn't want to be led. The boy was too smart and knew already too much. And he had from the day of his birth on learned to trust nobody outside of his family. A slow sardonic smile spread of the older Snapes face. Maybe it wasn't that bad of an idea to let the old fool have his will. Let him believe he could mould the boy into his puppet.
Dumbledore would be surprised, this much was sure. So it was decided. Severus would go. Maybe he would even like it there, Hogwarts was supposed to have the biggest library of magical books in Great Britain. And the Malfoy heir would be there as well, possibly they could be friends, or at least Lucius could be of use.
Silvanus wrote a quick answering note and called the owl to him.
Severus jumped in surprise as the big bird passed him and landed elegantly on his fathers working table. The note was quickly tied to its leg and the animal was on his silent way. A second letter was written on this day and in the evening send to an old acquaintance.

On September 1. Severus found himself in London on train station 93/4 next to his father and a stranger that was introduced to him as Soun Devin Malfoy. The raven-haired boy had never before seen a man like this, and was fascinated by the silver-blond hair and the quicksilver eyes. Ignoring the conversation both adults held, Severus studied the exotic man intensely. He looked much like one of the creatures he'd read about, a veela. Considering the choice in partners that some wizarding families made for their children, Malfoy could, at least in part, be one. Maybe he should ask? Before he could mull over this further his father took him aside.

Noticing his sons eyes were glued to Malfoy, Silvanus Snape decided that it was time to explain at least one fact to him, before the boy could make a severe mistake.
" Listen Severus. I know you're too young to think already about this subject but it's important that you know one thing. If you ever decide to take a male lover and maybe have his child, don't choose one of the Malfoys. They are the only ones you shouldn't even consider."
Before Severus could open his mouth to ask why, Silvanus continued. "I know we never talked about it, but you must know that Soun is your Sire."
Severus chin dropped. This gorgeous creature was his other father? That would make Lucius, who he had seen only shortly before he vanished into the masses of pupils, his half-brother. His *older* brother at that.
Oh well, he'd always known his family wasn't quite normal, so this was just an extension of it. And at least now he knew where his other half was from. This left only one question. "How did you two become lovers?"
His father seemed quite amused by his reaction, but didn't seem to have expected anything other. "Out of circumstances, and it was only for a few weeks. He doesn't know about you. And never shall. Understood?"
Severus simply bowed his head in acceptance. The secrets were manifold in the Snape-household. One more didn't make any difference. When the time came he could find another lover, assuming that he even wanted to. Maybe he found a girl he liked. Though his father was right, he really was too young to think about this right now. Fighting the urge to go 'ewww' over the thought of kissing a girl, or anyone for that matter, Severus walked, head held high, to the train. His fathers hand on his shoulder was warm and comforting, but soon enough they had to depart and Severus felt tears welling up in his eyes. He would miss his home and his father.

Lucius led the much smaller boy to one of the train-compartments, some other first years were already there and looked up at the newcomer with curious eyes.
There were three of them. All boys. Two with the same black hair that Severus sported and one with soft light-brown curls.
Looking shy around he waited till one of them would say anything, Lucius had went off as soon as he had Severus safely delivered.
" Hello, my name is James", one of them spoke up when the silence started to get awkward. It was the one with the light-green eyes and the tousled black hair.
" This is Sirius", James pointed at the other black haired boy who gave him a dark look out of cold blue eyes.
" And I am Remus," said the last one of the trio. His gold-brown eyes held a friendly spark and he held his hand out in an welcoming gesture.
Severus took it. "Hi, I'm Severus."

The rest of the train ride was uneventful, more or less. The four boys first talked quietly amongst themselves about their likes and dislikes, then they, or rather Black, decided to go exploring.
Severus knew better then to follow them. His father was by no means an overly strict man but he didn't tolerate his son stepping out of line. And playing pranks, for this obviously was the intention of the three others, was really against the rules. Instead he pulled a book out of his trunk and started reading. It was some time later that he heard enraged shouting and hasty footsteps. In the next moment the until then missing members of their travelling assemblage burst through the door and threw it shut. The other boys were helplessly giggling as they lounged themselves on the free seats.
The young Snape sighed and decided to ignore them.
They were obviously trouble and he would in future better steer clear of them. Still they seemed to have fun… Maybe he could at least at times share it? His father didn't have to know, didn't he? As long as he wasn't caught… A slight smile curled the black-eyed boy's lips

After leaving the train they were called over by one the largest men Severus had ever seen. He had to be at least a half-giant. Lucius, who was once again by his side, declared him to be the groundskeeper who did go by the name Hagrid. His five-year older 'friend' shoved the slight boy over to the rest of the first years, muttering something about him hopefully not getting seasick.
The meaning of these words soon got much clearer. He sat, with his companions from the train, in a tiny swaying boat which carried them over a sea. A soft rain fell from the grey sky, and something seemed to bump against the boat's bottom from time to time. Something very big. Severus tried to tell himself that he wasn't afraid, but his subconscious wasn't willing to believe it. Very relieved to once again have solid ground beneath his feet he first took no notice of the castle. It was the slight awe filled murmur of his fellow-firstyears that made him finally look up His eyes fell upon the outer walls of a castle, that he assumed was Hogwarts. There wasn't much to see through the rain, but what he could see filled him with wonder. It was beautiful, like some of the old castles in his tale books, where magic waited behind every door, just this was not a tale, it was real. Severus could hardly wait to see what awaited him within these walls.

As the big oak doors opened to the hall, the first thing he noticed weren't the other pupils, or the table with the golden dishes and cutlery, nor were it the house-banners with the emblazed pictures of the four mascots. No, it was the ceiling that captured his attention, the charmed ceiling which mirrored the sky above the school. They seemed to be in an amphitheatre. A big round of stonewalls, were the tables served as tribunes and he and the other first-years as the spectacle exhibited here. It was frightening being the focus of so many strangers eyes. Severus did know what to expect next, but still knowing what would happen and seeing it were really two different things. And seeing this old hat on a stool in the middle of the room… It was singing!!! Chin slightly dropped, it seemed to become some kind of habit, Severus listened.

"Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,
But don't judge on what you see,
I'll eat myself if you can find
A smarter hat than me.
You can keep your bowlers black,
Your top hats sleek and tall,
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat
And I can cap them all.
There's noting hidden in your head
The Sorting Hat can't see,
So try me on and I will tell you
Where you ought to be.
You might belong in Gryffindor,
Where dwell the brave at heart,
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry
Set Gryffindors apart.
You might belong in Hufflepuff,
Where they are just and loyal,
Those patient Hufflepuffs are true
And unafraid of toil;
Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,
If you've a ready mind,
Where those of wit and larding,
Will always find their kind;
Or perhaps in Slytherin
You'll make your real friends,
Those cunning folk use any means
To achieve their ends.
So put me on! Don't be afraid!
And don't get in a flap!
You're in safe hands (though I have none)
For I'm a Thinking Cap!
(For this song I thank Joanne K. Rowling whom I borrowed it from, since I simply am not able to rhyme to safe my life.)

After the song ended the sorting began. His three travelling-companions were sorted before him. They all got into Gryffindor, though the head took a lot of time on Black.
Then it was his turn.
" Severus Snape!"
Out of the corner of his eye the boy saw Black stiffen and then suddenly starting to talk rapidly to his friend, while pointing at him. Slowly walking over to the stool he tried to make sense of this sudden change in behaviour. Not that they were best friends or anything but this…
With a bit of apprehension he took place and saw the world vanish into black as the hat was lifted on his head and promptly slid down to his nose.
Well, well, another Snape. You're truly a special breed, this I know. Sensing Severus confusion, the hat laughed softly. You'll understand in time, young Severus. But know this, you're not bad and you never will be, it's not in your nature.
And now we'll see to your sorting, shall we? Ravenclaw could be a good choice. You have quite a smart head on your shoulders. And an impressive thirst for knowledge I see. But there lay hard times ahead of you and you need to be prepared, so Slytherin might be the better choice. And you have what it needs. Quite a bit of cunning and a sha wit. Yes Slytherin it is.
A bit dazed Severus walked to his new table where he was welcomed with thundering applause. In his mind he still heard the hats voice. What had it meant with its cryptic words?
A quick look over to Gryffindor shocked him even more. A look of fiery hatred was send his way. By Black. Something had changed within the last minutes, and he, Severus, had now an enemy.

5th Year

The library was filled with an peaceful air. The sinking sun cast deep shadows behind the shelves, under the desks and in the corners, dust was dancing in the soft golden glowing light. Nothing was there to disturb the quiet, neither teachers nor students. It was a Hogsmeade-weekend, very few people other than the first and second-years had remained inside of Hogwarts walls.
Sudden cheerful sounds broke the sombre mood. Somebody rushed along the Hallways with very fast steps. Then the doors opened, just enough to let a slender body slip through. The black-haired boy was still quietly laughing as he looked hastily around and then started in direction of the book-shelves. Finding a shadowy nook, he hastily crammed himself inside. And not one moment to early Only seconds later, something like a stampede came thundering the same way, shouting angry threats after the still grinning mischief-maker. What came into view the next moment, might at some point this day have been four normal teenage-boys. But by now they resembled more an misfired colouring experiment, which somehow involved rugs. The hidden boy had to bite on his hand to keep the merry sounds bubbling up in his chest from escaping.
It wouldn't have done much for his continued health.
But hexing Black and his friends had been really fun. And as long as they didn't find him he could have a great time at their expense. Severus was just sorry that Lucius wasn't there to share it. His older half-sibling (though still oblivious to this fact) had finished school last June and was now learning to take care of the family-business. Together the two of them had gotten the reputation of prank-masters. The only competition they had where the Marauders, which were currently cussing and threatening him. But not for any should be much longer. Severus had chosen this place for a good reason…
" Stop, your shouting this moment! This is a library and not the Quidditch pitch."
It was Madame Pince, the librarian. The woman guarded her working-place like a dragon its young. The Marauders were in trouble, and *he* had done it. Single-handedly.
This was something to write Lucius about.
Severus waited until he couldn't hear either the enraged librarian nor the boys, who tried to defend themselves, anymore. Slipping out his hiding place, he then was on his way back to the Seents Den, otherwise known as the Slytherin quarters. He had a friend who needed to hear the newest gossip.

Severus wasn't entirely sure why Lucius and he had become so close. On his part, he simply had wanted to get to know his big brother better. But what Lucius motivation was he couldn't even start to guess. He could only go by what Lucius had told him, which was not much. Just that he on the beginning had felt slightly responsible for this boy, thrust into his care by surprise, then somehow had gotten to like him. The Snape-heir didn't know what to make of this statement. It made it sound like he'd gotten dumped on the Malfoy offspring like a pound of apples.
One thing he knew for sure though, Lucius regarded him as a friend, a close one in fact and Severus didn't want to loose this.

The next day went astonishingly without any disturbances. It seemed as if at least Black planned something. It had taken Severus a long time to find out what it was with this boy anyway. It seemed like his father had made himself an enemy in form of Black's father. This father was according to Silvanus mentally not well, and seemed to have reached this certain trait down to his son. In Severus mind the man was just a bloody nutcase who saw Dark Wizards behind every edge and in every shadow and corner. And this same man had taught his son that the Snapes where pure evil-incarnates and just look how many dark art curses this child already knows. A prejudice Severus knew by now all to well. That he was Slytherin and a close friend of Malfoy didn't help to dispel it.
But that couldn't be helped, so why worry too much about it?
The Snape-child didn't notice the blue eyes watching his every move.
And even if he had noticed, it wasn't that uncommon for Black to glare at him.
The Marauders didn't retaliate until the last class (Charms, Gryffindor/Slytherin) of the day. It didn't seem like much at first.
They were just finished and Potter and Pettigrew had started one of their standard arguments with the dark-eyed Slytherin. But they stopped it too suddenly and then vanished altogether. It was then that Severus noticed the loss of his wand.
Outraged the thirteen year old stalked down the stone-corridors. It was one thing to constantly pull pranks on each other, but to steal another's wand… This was something entirely other, something extremely personal.
Severus was too angry to even consider talking to his head of house or the headmaster. Such feuds between pupils were normally settled between them as well. He would wait until he got the chance to gain the upper hand again.
Amidst his scheming he was halted by a hand which suddenly blocked his way. Looking along the attached arm and shoulder he surely found… Black!!! Why wasn't he surprised? Darkly scowling Severus looked up into the cold blue eyes of his foe.
" Why, hello Snape. It's rather fortunate that we're meeting like this", he drawled.
" Black." Severus acknowledgement sounded as if he'd just encountered dirt under his shoe. "What do you want?"
" Whatever could I want from you, other than your pleasing companionship?" The amount of false sweetness in Blacks voice was astounding.
" Come to the point, Black. I don't have the entire day."
" Now that's really not nice. Maybe I should just go…" A devious grin spread over the Gryffindors face. "But no. There is still this little thing. It seems I've found something that belongs to you. How about we meet tonight? I know the perfect place."
Severus was nearly livid by the time Black had finished. How dare he. How dare he threaten him. How dare he steal his wand. Oh, he would show him.
" Fine, Black. When and where?"
And Black told him.

The rising moon found the young Snape-heir outside on the Quidditch pitch. He tried not to show how afraid he really was. Silently he moved through the shadows wherever the surroundings allowed. It wouldn't do to get caught, and knowing Black he had arranged for something like this. But he needed to get his wand back.
It was a very bright night and the path lay clear before him. It seemed nearly too easy, there had to be some kind of hook. It took not much time to cross the pitch and reach his goal. There, cloaked in shadows, stood the Whomping Willow. It's tentacles moved softly, as if caught in a dream. Taking up the stick, like Black had described, Severus used it to touch the knot and stun the impressive tree. Still he couldn't withstand the need to sink on his knees and crawl over to the opening. It just felt safer. The opening between the roots was easy to find, it seemed like a black nothingness amidst silvery shimmering bark and grass. Inside he felt his way around to the next wall. It really was dark down here after the brightness outside and his eyes took some time to accommodate. The walk appeared much longer than it actually could have been, but he seemed to be at least in Hogsmeade by now. Finally he'd reached something that looked remarkably like a door. How had Black known about this? Maybe this was some kind of meeting place for him and his co-conspirators. Opening the door he found a small bare room. Just one person was occupying it. Lupin. And he was naked.
" What are you…?" the normally soft voice was rough and held now an animalistic quality. The light-brown eyes had changed to a startling golden tone. And in this moment Severus knew. He knew as he saw the Gryffindor shudder and the panic rise in his unnatural eyes. He knew as he saw Lupins fingernails change into claws and his human tooth into canines. They both knew that the werewolf would kill him this night and Lupin's wild eyes begged him with their last human spark for forgiveness.
" Run …," Lupin growled, maybe in the hope of changing both their fates.
But the Slytherin couldn't move. His feet were rooted to the spot and refused to move. He was petrified with fright and at the same time a great calmness washed over him. Part of him had already accepted his impeding death. And so he stood there and watched what his schoolmate became. Watched with unnatural clearness as his death drew nearer, saw the sha white fangs glistening in the soft eerie moonlight which shone through the old wooden boards before the windows. And he still couldn't move. Deep down in his mind another part of him howled in sheer terror, screamed at him to run, to curse the demon before him, to do *something*. But nothing. He saw the change complete itself, saw the gigantic wolf come to its feet, saw it see *him*. Then a hand landed on his shoulder and pulled him abruptly backwards and a voice screamed "Stupefy!" He saw the hex flying at the werewolf, saw it hit it's destination, saw the animal fall. Then all became black.

As he came too, he was outside in somebody's arms and looking up at the gigantic full moon. It took him a moment to notice the tears on his cheeks and the taste of blood on his lips. He'd bitten right through them without noticing. And still he was eerily calm as if all this didn't relate to him. A familiar face moved into his view, concerned green eyes met his. Severus looked up at him only one question in mind.
" Why?"
His voice sounded lifeless, just a deep void were his feelings normally should be and Severus didn't believe he would ever feel anything again.

Looking down at the other boy, James was unable to answer his question. How could he explain what he himself didn't understand? He did not know why Sirius had sent the young Slytherin down to Remus, endangering not only Severus life but Remus safety as well. Sirius had nearly made their friend a murderer, the one thing the werewolf feared most.
Truly Severus was a pest, a damn disturbing one at that, but this was no reason to just kill him. James couldn't understand the other Gryffindor anymore.
Gathering the pallid Slytherin closer he remembered what happened only one hour ago.
***Flashback***
James sat on his bed, quill in one hand, scroll in his lap, Herbology-book next to him, deeply immersed in his homework, as Sirius came in. The blue-eyed boy seemed immensely amused about something, continuously escaped him mirthful laughter.
" Hey Siri." James smiled at the other boy. "Care to share the joke?"
The other literally jumped in the air. Obviously he hadn't expected anyone to be here. But then he caught himself and moved over to his best friend, making himself at home on James bed.
" It's Snape. After this night," Sirius again broke out into giggles "he'll never bother us again."
Curious James lifted one eyebrow. "Oh? How come?" It would be nice not to have to worry again about the little snake. He really was bothersome.
" I…," gasp "send him down to Remus. The slimy git will shit his pants." Again Sirius broke down with laughter.
His friend couldn't see any humour in this situation. James felt as if somebody had just dropped a stone in his stomach. Ice-cold fear gripped his heart and all colour drained from his face. He desperately wanted to believe that this was all just a bad joke, but he knew the other was serious.
" Are you *insane*?" He sounded surprisingly, for him at least, quiet about it. But it shut up Sirius at least.
" What? It's not as if Remus will attack him, he never did that."
Throwing aside his homework, James was out of the door, before Sirius even had finished. Running down the corridor faster than he ever thought possible for him, only one thought in his head. He had to save the Slytherin. For all their sakes.
*** End of Flashback***
And he'd nearly been to late. Hugging Severus even closer to him James shuddered, ignoring the weak struggles of the other boy. He was simply glad to be alive and know that none of them was harmed. And still he felt the black eyes demanding an answer he couldn't give. He shook his head and started to get up. Still holding Severus in a death grip he proceeded to drag the Slytherin to the hospital ward.

6th Year

Once again he wandered the silent hallways of Hogwarts. It was long past midnight and sleep still avoided him. But this was better than the nightmares which had plagued him for over a year now. Night for night he saw the same scenes unfold in his dream, saw once again the wolf drawing nearer, ready to jump. But this time there was no last-second rescue, just teeth and claws ripping his flesh and growls rolling like thunder in his ears.
And his own screams ringing through the room and waking him. He'd long since cast silencing charms around his bed or he would've woken his dorm-mates on a nightly basis.
He was hurt, afraid and alone. Utterly and completely alone and damned to keep this secret that ate him slowly from the inside and out. He remembered it as if it had been yesterday. Just as he'd come from the infirmary Professor McGonnagal, the Head of Gryffindor, had stopped and the escorted him to the headmaster's office. There he'd finally gotten his wand back. His wand, which had been there since dinnertime, and nobody had told him, instead they'd let him run into a werewolfes hideout.
And if that wasn't enough, Dumbledore had taken Blacks side. Yes, Severus had known that the headmaster favoured his Gryffindors, but he'd never expected the man to take such measures. Black had gotten two weeks of detention and a short scolding. Severus hadn't come out of it that lightly. A month detention for straying outside after curfew and the order to never breath one word of the happenings of this night to anyone, or he would get expelled.
The young Slytherin felt betrayed. The person who was responsible for his safekeeping had decided his life wasn't worth it. This had hurt and still did.
The Marauders had lain off of him for a short while, but then it had gotten even worse than before. They played tricks and pranks on him whenever they had the possibility, or at least Black and Pettigrew did. The little group seemed strangely divided since last year. Potter and Lupin did nothing to hurt him, but didn't help either. Black seemed to feel that the light sentence he'd gotten was something akin to a permission to torture the Slytherin-boy.
He'd still told nobody. He knew he should, but he didn't dare, he was simply afraid what would happen if he did. He didn't want to disappoint his father and an expelling would be a sure way to do just this. He also didn't want his father to know how weak he felt and was.
Finally deciding that staying inside wouldn't help him getting rid of his ghosts he silently slipped outside through one of the smaller side entrances.
How long exactly he'd been wandering aimlessly he didn't know, but he found himself in Hogsmeade some time later.
Although it was nearing dawn, there where still lights, still some taverns open, still people outside wandering like him. Some of them drunk, some of them not. But all seemed lost somehow. Very much like he himself felt.

James Potter was drunk. Drunk and very very angry. Not a good mix. The day, being his birthday, had started rather nice, with presents and congratulatory-cards. The breakfast had been good, the classes not to hard. All in all it had been rather great. And in the evening his friends had decided to throw a party for him, down in Hogsmeade.
And it had been a great party. Until Sirius once again had put his foot in his mouth, or better said, started to belittle other people.
Slytherins at whole and especially one Severus Snape, and James had been so tired of it. Always it was Snape this and little slimy git that, it was just infuriating. And James had told him to just shut up. Which had resulted in the biggest fight they'd had to date.
James had a feeling that their friendship wouldn't easily be mended, if at all. Then there were these confusing feelings for said Slytherin. It made him itch inside, because he couldn't do anything about it. And this inability just heightened his anger at the moment. Together with the alcohol he had consumed the whole evening it made him highly unstable, not only in his moves but in his reasoning's and reactions as well.
In this moment Severus had the misfortune to meet the Gryffindor.
They both stepped into the same side-alley at the same time and literally run into each other.
James saw the cause for all his troubles standing before him, looking damnably innocent and hit him. And then he hit him again, threw him at the ground. And again, and again. It was relieving to let go of himself. James didn't notice the other boy's fists on him, his nails scratching his face and arms, his struggles to come back to his feet, to escape the Gryffindors scorn.
And all of a sudden his wrath left him and shifted to something else. Lust. Unadulterated lust. He saw the blood glistening on the other boy's face, saw it welling of the finely drawn lips and wanted to taste it.
If he hadn't been so out of it, he wouldn't have done what he did next. Not because he did not want to, but because it was against the rules his world had set him. But there was nothing to stop him now, his conscious had left him some drinks before and his mind was a blood red haze.
James pressed his lips against Snapes, ignoring the wide, frightened eyes which pleaded with him to let go.

Severus froze as he felt the kiss. So he didn't try to defend himself as the Gryffindor gripped his wrists tightly with one hand and pressed them to the ground. But he did react as he felt the other rip at his clothes, trying to get them off of his body.
Fighting with all his might, knowing it was to no avail. Tears sprung into his eyes, and quiet sobs escaped him. Young as he was he knew what was going to happen. Suddenly he felt the cold night air on his bare skin, and the nearly freezing ground under him. The Gryffindor had succeeded in getting him naked, at least from the hip downward. His pants were in shreds somewhere behind them. Severus started to struggle again, but the fighting and the beating before had already weakened him, it was of no use. Potter, still holding his wrists in a death grip, flipped him over on his stomach. There was the sound of a zipper being opened and then…
Thankfully it was over soon. Severus didn't know if he could have taken much more. His whole body ached, and the tears were still flowing. Potter had left him after he was finished. Maybe in an act of kindness, the Gryffindor had spread Severus' robe over him.
Severus tucked it a bit higher over his head and cried over the loss of his innocence and his childhood.

Next Day

The way to the bathroom would be a painful one, but he really needed to pee. Throwing the covers back, Severus rolled himself on the side and then to his feet. The floor was cold, which wasn't too much of a surprise given that it was just April and the winter cold still hadn't left the dungeons. He avoided to think about the reason for the pain, it was to fresh in his mind. Simply going through the motions required not thoughts and was the most he could do before returning to bed and continuing to sleep. Luckily it was Sunday and nobody would notice if he slept in, it wasn't that uncommon for him.
The way back to Hogwarts had been long and taken most of his remaining strength, he'd simply fallen into bed and slept the next twenty-four hours straight. He wasn't even hungry, just tired. Back in bed he once again huddled the covers around him and closed his eyes, sinking back into darkness. Until suddenly… he felt it. A warmth spreading inside his stomach, just beneath his navel. He felt the magic working, felt two cells becoming one, felt his first child come into being. There it was, after only seconds, a tiny presence inside him. A being which depended fully on him, which needed him, like nobody had every before.
It scared him, knowing that this child inside him would leech of his strength, would grow inside him, before he was ready to even consider having it. Knowing which act had caused it's existence was hell. He did not want this. He wanted it to go away, now. He wished it all had never happened, that he would wake up and all was okay again.
Severus didn't notice that he started to slip into hysterics. He just felt his breathing quickening, and he had the sudden wish to destroy something. So he did.
After he was finished there wasn't much left of the room. There was a reason Black called him a Dark Wizard in the making after all. But by now he felt a bit more peaceful and decided that he had to talk to somebody. The one person who could, maybe, help him. His best friend. His half-brother. Lucius.
A bit floo-powder was easily found. Throwing on the first clothes he found, Severus limped over to the fireplace. Thankfully he still held contact with the Malfoy heir. Maybe Lucius could help him. He couldn't tell his father. The shame was too deep, and he was much too afraid for Silvanus reaction to his new condition. He just needed somebody to talk to and to hold him safe.

Lucius Malfoy was fairly surprised to see his school friend stumble out of the fireplace. It wasn't an every day occurrence. And surely not with Severus in this kind of shape. He was rumpled and deathly pale, with bruises littering his face. Before he could take more than this one look, the young one had himself thrown at him and now clung sobbing and trembling to his robes. Closing his arms around the slight frame of the other, Lucius waited patiently until the sobs subsided to occasional hiccups and the shaking stopped. Then he started asking questions.

Afterwards he wished he'd never left Hogwarts and he cursed the Headmaster who weighed the school carrier of one of his Gryffindors and probably his own reputation higher than Severus life. And he wanted to strangle James Potter who had hurt the one person he regarded as little brother.
But there was this one thing…
" Pregnant? Are your sure?" It wouldn't do to ask the boy if he'd gone insane.
Severus who hadn't raised his head from the safety of Lucius robes the whole time just nodded slightly.
" How should that be possible?"
" It's what I am", answered Severus, his voice slightly muffled.
" I don't understand."
" I don't either. It's just so. Something to do with my magic."
Severus shrugged. "Father could probably tell you."
" Your magic." Lucius tried to make sense out of this.
Finally Severus lifted his head, his red-rimmed black eyes met Lucius silver ones. "Father just told me that an ancestor of ours made some kind of blood contract, which was very important for all of wizarding kind. And to continue it regardless which way, he was altered and with him all his descendants. All of his blood have this possibility at hand, if they don't want to marry. It's how I came into being." The last sounded somehow smug. Reciting the old tale seemed to calm Severus, and helped to bring a bit of light into all of this.
" So you have two fathers, yes?"
" Uh hu." Severus nodded once again. The tears on his face were finally drying and it didn't seem like there would be any more.
" And you're pregnant."
" Uh hu."
" Gods, I need a drink." A slight sparkle danced now in Severus teary eyes. He obviously found this funny. "And after this you'll explain to me how you know this. And then I'll try to help you okay?" A silent nod and they were settled for the time being.

It was late evening until they were finished talking. Lucius had, with some difficulties, stopped Severus from making a rash decision regarding the newly conceived foetus in his belly. Severus had wanted to abort it, but Lucius was afraid of what could happen if he really did. He remembered all to clearly his mother's death. She had miscarried and bled to death. Severus' father had been there to console his father, who had been nearly insane with sorrow. Soun still grieved, but Silvanus had helped to bring him back into life, which was now centred around Lucius.
The Malfoy heir had talked Severus into a spell, which would halt the development of the baby until Severus was able to make a more mature decision, which wasn't dictated by shock and anger.
He hoped Severus would thank him for this one day.

Severus felt… not well… but better. The day on Malfoy Mansion had helped. The hard and intense scrubbing for more or less an hour, had also. He still felt… off. But the feeling of being dirtied and used had lessened. Lucius had not only spelled his child, but also applied a good dozen or so healing charms, which took care of all the aches in his body. His brother had even offered to obliviate him, but Severus had declined. What he'd allowed was a slight alteration of the memory. It now didn't seem so fresh anymore. It was misty, as if all of it had happened long ago. Severus wanted to believe that it was for the best. He wasn't sure if he could have gone on as if nothing had happened otherwise. Meeting Potter in the halls and classes would be hard enough now, before he probably would have tried to hex him or just started screaming until he lost consciousness. As it was he could at least try to ignore the cause for this newest nightmare.
But what about the consequences? He still wasn't too sure he wanted this child. He was glad for Lucius insistence to put it under a time-stopping charm. This probably had saved the life of the unborn slumbering in him. Maybe in a few years… Straightening his shoulders Severus left the dormitory and made his way to the Great Hall.
*This* bridge he would cross when he reached it, and *not one* minute earlier.

End of 6th Year

James looked around once more in the hopes of catching a glimpse of his most elusive new project. He didn't know what fascinated him so much with the Slytherin boy, but he was. It wasn't a new crush, like his friends teased him, more a feeling of responsibility. The need to look out for this boy. It was there always since the night he'd found him in the Shrieking Shack.
But for two months now Severus made himself rare. James couldn't find hair nor hide of him outside of classes. Only at mealtimes, he sometimes saw him.
This drastic change had occurred after his birthday in April. James only vaguely remembered this day which ended with him dead drunk and had brought him a hangover with epic proportions. But what he still remembered were the obvious signs of a fight on his body. Had he maybe hurt the Slytherin? He didn't know. As far as he'd seen, there hadn't been any injuries on the other boy and he couldn't ask, for Severus obviously avoided him.
It really was frustrating.
And today was the day of the leaving feast. They wouldn't see each other until September. James just wanted to bang his head on the table. His whole life was drifting apart and was somehow twisted around. His friends weren't so much his friends anymore. They'd tried to reconcile after 'The Incident' but it didn't really work.
These days James spend more time with Remus than anybody else. Remus still hadn't forgiven Sirius entirely. And Peter… He seemed very alone, when he didn't help Sirius torturing Slytherins that was.
Then there was Lily. A Ravenclaw girl in their year. She was beautiful. Coppery locks flowing down her back and jewel green eyes, which always seemed to hold laughter. And so very smart. Funny how he'd never noticed her before.
A dopey smile crawled over his face as he drifted into his own world.
And he didn't notice Severus slipping in and seating himself on his house-table, talking with his friends.

Looking up, Severus saw the Gryffindor daydreaming, staring holes in the air. He knew that look. Potter was in love. Maybe that would get the other of his back. It always had been slightly unnerving, this concern that Potter had started to show him after the Shrieking Shack incident. And it really hadn't helped his state of mind after this fateful weekend. So Severus had gone out of his way to avoid the Gryffindor, even at the expense of his grades, which had dropped noticeable.
Well, it was still better than having to talk to him.
Suddenly a shadow fell over his breakfast. It was an eagle owl, the sort used by the Malfoy family. And obviously it was intended for him, judging by the letter it held out to him, impatiently balancing on one leg.
Severus was swift to take the paper and gave the dark bird some of his ham in return, which was accepted gracefully.
The letter itself was rather short, but very informative.
Lucius father had arranged a marriage for him. His intended bride was a French noble by the name of Narcissa Delincourt. She was now on Malfoy manor to get to know her groom and his family. They were to be married in late summer. Lucius had also written an informal invitation, which extended to his father as well and would be made official in a few weeks with the announcement of his engagement.
The whole thing sounded a bit put out at being married off, which was understandable enough Lucius was after all only nearing twenty, and happy as well. Lucius wrote excitedly about the beauty of his future wife, her good manners and great intellect. This didn't sound like the marriage would be too terribly unhappy.

A smile crept on his face as well, mirroring the Gryffindor.

The journey home was pleasantly uneventful and on the train station, waiting with all the other parents, was his father. The only thing Severus wanted now was to be taken in his arms and held for a long time. His father happily obliged, having missed his son as much as Severus him.

Late Summer
" Lucius, I can't tell my father."
" Someday you'll have to, Severus. You can't keep this secret forever." Lucius threw his arms in the air exasperatedly.
" I know that, but…"
" No buts Severus. He should know."
" Lucius! Listen to me!" The Snape-heir all but screamed. "I can't tell my father the whole story, because he would go and kill them. You know that as well as I do. And the last thing I need is my father going to Azkaban." The only signs of Severus anger were his heavy breathing and his slitted eyes.
" Will you at least tell him about the child?"
" When I'm ready."
Sighing, Lucius decided to stop their talk at this point. Severus was simply too stubborn to give in. But so was he. Maybe another opportunity would present itself later on. Until then he would enjoy the reception. After all it *was* his wedding day.
Throughout the afternoon and evening Lucius kept a close watch on his friend. Severus had grown up in the short timespan since he'd seen him last. Gone were the last traces of the child he still should have been. Instead there stood a young man, full of secrets which shadowed his eyes and made it impossible to read him.
And then for the first time, Lucius noticed something else. Severus didn't look very much like his father. Yes, there were some distinguishing features they both shared, but there were also differences. They both had the same high build, but where Silvanus had the strong muscles of a natural fighter, Severus had a slender, more athletic frame. Silvanus skin held a natural bronze tone whereas Severus' was very pale with just the slightest hue of gold.
They both shared the same eagle-nose, although some would call it aristocratic, but Severus' features were much sharper, his cheekbones higher and more prominent, his eyes slanted, the brows elegantly arched. Somehow those features reminded Lucius more of himself and his father. And knowing what he did… Lucius did a quick evaluation in his head. Silvanus *had* been at Malfoy Manor at the time Severus must have been conceived. On the other hand Silvanus could have done the same as Severus now. It didn't have to mean anything.
Still maybe this called for some questions. But not now, later. When they were alone and unobserved.
However he didn't get any opportunity on this day nor for the next two years.

Ten months later

Severus graduation was for him a highly anticipated event, though for other reasons than most would have expected. The only one who knew the real reason was Lucius and he wouldn't tell. Severus was sure of it.
For Severus graduation was akin to gaining his freedom. Freedom from his memories and nightmares, freedom from Dumbledore who'd tried more or less subtle to win him over. And freedom from the scorn of Sirius Black, who'd tried his best to make Severus seventh year hell.
Maybe now he could start to come to terms with what had happened. He wished that one day he would be at least able to think about what had happened. He wanted to forgive himself for his inability to defend himself. In his mind he knew clearly that there hadn't been a chance for him. Potter was bigger and stronger than him… He was two years older for Pete's sake. But his feelings were quite a different matter. The memory, despite being dulled, still felt raw and open, he didn't want to touch it. Yet. Some day soon he would have to. If not for himself, then for his child. He did not want to resent it for it's conception.
Sighing he decided to stop wondering and instead took his long since packed trunk to leave silently while his year mates celebrated. Here was nothing left for him to do or say.

A pair of twinkling blue eyes watched the dark boy leave. He had failed to win the child over, but maybe there would be another opportunity later on. There were many possibilities and one of them would bring the boy back to Hogwarts and ultimately under his control. It was just a question of time.
Unfortunately, for him, not even Albus Dumbledore knew everything.

One year later
Summer

It was July, the hottest month of the year. Severus had found a shadowy place beneath a big bush of lilac, which over the years had grown into a little forest. Butterflies were dancing through the summer air, shimmering in the rays of sun. Millions of flowers filled the air with their fragrant aroma and mixed with the soft smell of drying grass.
Holding a book in his hands Severus was lost in world of his own and didn't notice the arrival of his best friend until he stood before him. It had been over a years since they'd seen last. The young Snape-heir had left England altogether in favour of travelling the world and had not looked back until a week before. Actually, he was back on Lucius request. His father, although not entirely understanding his son's sudden need to journey, had simply left him be and would have continued to do so until Severus himself decided to come home.
Severus knew it had been nothing else than running away. Maybe there would have been another way, but this had felt like the only one. He'd seen strange lands and people, wizzarding and muggle alike.
He'd known about the prejudice that existed against muggles, especially amongst so-called Dark Wizards, but in the rest of England as well. It had helped Voldemort to gain a hold over the people here. He was still rising but already became stronger every day.
This had been the reason Dumbledore had so badly wanted to gain control over him and through him, over his father. Most people already thought they were Deatheaters and probably in the inner circle. They thought them influential and they where, but in a whole other sense than people believed.
That they weren't on either side didn't matter to anybody. The concept of neutrality seemed to escape their minds.
They never would follow Voldemort. Severus' father wasn't one to bow before any master nor was Severus.
Now he was back in this land of narrow minds and petty bias.
And his friend stood before him an expression of pure happiness on his face. Severus automatically smiled back.
" Hi Lucius, what gives?" was all he could utter before he found himself in a strong hug, the book uncomfortably crushed between them.
" Hey Severus"; Lucius whispered into his ear. "Do you know how I missed you? Goddamnit Severus. Simply vanishing without a word. It took me a month to find out that you were abroad and not dead."
" u…ak … y… ath…r" came the very muffled reply, since Severus face was still squished against his robes.
Unable to discern this answer Lucius finally let go of him. "What?"
" I said, 'You could have asked my father.'"
" I did. After I finally got him to talk to me. How can you live with somebody this grumpy?"
A slight, fake, pout crossed over Severus face. "He isn't grumpy. You probably disturbed his research or busted one of his experiments. He can get rather… irritated when that happens."
Irritated was most likely an understatement, Silvanus had a hot temper. Which was easily conquered with a few ingredients for his potions or some sweets, but he didn't have to tell Lucius that, now did he? Instead he enjoyed the sour look on his brothers face, it was too funny.
" What did you want to meet me for?" Severus finally decided to bring the conversation back to the primary reason for this meeting. The smile was instantly back on Lucius face. "I'm going to be a father."
" Oh." Not knowing what to say Severus simply sat back, tracing the ground with his eyes, thinking. Finally coming to a decision.
" Congratulations." There was only a slight hitch in his voice and the smile, albeit a shaky one, was true.
Slender fingers under his chin lifted his face until his eyes met silver ones. "Severus, have you still not come to a decision? You can't avoid it forever."
" I know Lucius, and I try, I really try but… I just can't." A sigh accompanied this words.
" Maybe another time," the blonde gave his affirmation. There was nothing else he could do.
He had hoped that the young man before him, whom he now firmly believed to be his brother, would have healed enough to give his fatherhood a chance, to love his child. But it didn't seem like it. Maybe even more than two years hadn't been enough. But he couldn't avoid it much longer. The charm would wear of in a few months, then Severus would have to fight his demons if he wanted or not. There wouldn't be a choice anymore and Lucius could only be there for him then.
Severus voice startled him out of his thought. "Well lets go and celebrate your future heir." An impish sheen was now dancing in those black eyes. Obviously Severus thought this theme to be done with and had it forced to the back of his mind. Well, why not indulge him for the moment.

Late October

"Lucius!!!" The enraged scream was resounding through the whole of Malfoy manor and scaring some houseelves half to death. For they were at the moment the only occupants of the house. Lucius had, wisely, decided to take an extended leave together with his wife, knowing quite well, that his home would be in shambles upon his return. Severus was a powerful wizard and his anger not to be taken lightly. Thus Lucius absence at the time the charm he'd spoken two and a half years earlier was wearing of.
It had taken Severus only seconds to find out what had happened and his first reaction had been seething anger.
Now that he didn't find the outlet he'd wished for, his next reaction kicked in, fear.
He was bone deep and utterly afraid of what would happen next. He couldn't run anymore.
So he huddled into a corner and started weeping like the frightened child he still was. There was nothing else he could do anymore.

Standing before the dark doors of his fathers study, Severus swallowed hard. It was time to tell his father about the future addition to their family. The other option would have been to simply kill the little spark of life inside him and Severus could do this no more than killing his own father. Not anymore. Sometime over the last nearly three years he'd started loving this child. His child. His own. From time to time he even dreamed about it. There in his arms. Gazing at him full of trust. Laughing, running around in the gardens of his home. He never saw its face, but he just knew that it was a boy, and that he would have tousled black hair which fell constantly into his face.
Taking all his courage together the young man opened the door.
" Father? I have to talk to you."
" Severus? Please take a seat. Do you want anything?"
" Other than talk to you? No." Severus perched himself nervously on a sofa, nearly falling off the edge as he started to fidget. He couldn't look at his father instead traced the lines of the carpet beneath his feet, wishing he could simply crawl into a hole and stay there.
" Then, please Severus, talk. Whatever it is, I won't rip your head off over it."
*It's not my head I'm worried for,* shot unbidden through Severus head, before he was able to quench the thought.
" I… I…" taking a deep breath he finished his sentence. "I'm pregnant, father."
" That's what you're worried about? I admit it surprises me a bit, but I'm not unhappy about it."
Slightly shy eyes blinked through black bangs at the Lord of Snape Mansion. "Not?"
Silvanus was in an instead out of his seat and on his knees before his offspring. A soft hand on his sons cheek he spoke. "No Severus. I could never be unhappy about a child of yours. It will be most welcome in this house and my heart. It will all be well. Never doubt that."
Once again tears stung in the younger man's eyes, but there was a soft smile tugging at his lips and warmth filled his hearth and he suddenly couldn't understand anymore why he'd ever been afraid of his father reaction. He'd had no reason to, just irrational fear.
But not anymore. It would be okay. His father had told him so. And his father had never lied to him. Leaning his forehead against his fathers, Severus let his tears fall. Not tears of hurt but of happiness.

Severus was well into his fifth month of pregnancy before he saw Lucius again. One day the blonde strode through the door as if he'd never been away, smiled that cocky smile of his and commandeered a houseelf to bring him tea. Severus simply couldn't help his chuckles at this casual arrogance. It was just so his brother. Coming to this place like nothing had happened.
" I trust you'll be his godfather?" That got him startled enough. Severus grin was definitely malicious.
" Actually I wanted to ask you the same. You're sure it will be a boy?"
" The mediwitch said so. So your heir is born? How did you name him?" "Draco. Draco Severus Malfoy." Severus lifted his eyebrows. That had been unexpected.
" You named your son after me? Why?"
" It seemed fitting. You are my brother after all." Interested Lucius watched Severus become more pale than ever, he had to admire the younger mans control, for he didn't make the slightest noise. But as he did…
" How?" Severus squeaked.
It wasn't easy for Lucius to keep a straight face after this. "So I *was* right. You *are* my brother."
Severus could only stare. This man really was unbelievable and not in a positive sense. Shaking his head he left the room and his brother behind.

A slight smell of lavender hung in the air over the softly bubbling liquid inside the cauldron. The potion was progressing nicely. Only one last component and it would be finished. Measuring the balsa-essence and softly stirring it in, not too hasty, no mistakes here.
A kick into his liver.
Ouch. And the whole went in. Much to fast. Severus had just time enough to jump back before the cauldron started hissing like a angry cat and then dissolved into a rainbow colored puddle on the worktable. Although jump might have been the wrong word, wobble would have been better, considering that he was now nine months pregnant. And his son was at the moment very awake and alternating between kicking and turning in his stomach. Not the best circumstances for doing such precise work as potions. But he'd needed the distraction. The baby should be born any day now and frankly, it made him nervous. He knew what was to be expected, his father as well as the midwife had told him so, but it didn't make the whole thing less frightening. On the other hand he was now constantly tired, he could only waddle, normal walking was out of the question. The baby pressed on his bladder and sleeping in any other way than on his back was impossible. Not to mention that his son seemed to feel the need to exercise at the most inopportune times, mostly between one and two in the morning. He wanted it to be over with. And here kicked the nervousness in again. The birth would be painful and long…
Deciding it was time for a second try on this potion, Severus cleaned up the remainders of the last one and reached for a second cauldron.
This time he was startled by a hand on his shoulder and the shrivelfigs went flying, luckily not into the cauldron. The manor could do without a direct route from the dungeon to the attic.
Turning around as fast as possible, Severus glared at his brother.
Lucius had been visiting on a nearly daily basis since his return from wherever he'd been. Sometimes he even brought his son, Draco, with him. The baby was beautiful, looking like a little angel.
Fluffy silvery hair, big grey eyes whichalways held sparks of mischief and laughter. He was already showing the delicate bone structure of his father, although it still was disguised by a slight chubbiness. But it was already obvious that Draco one day would be the spitting image of his father. Exactly what the world needed, two of them. Severus sighed silently.

Lucius saw it already as settled that their sons would grow up together. The Snape heir hadn't been asked about this. His sentiments had been ignored or beat down with the argument, that Lucius home wasn't the best place for a child to be at the moment. Voldemort was in the upcoming and he tried to gather as much followers as possible. And the lunatic wanted Lucius as well, while he'd resisted so far it was only a question of time until something drastic would happen to change his mind. Lucius wanted his son out of the line of danger. He'd even gone so far as to hold his mere existence a well-kept secret. Nobody besides Narcissa, Severus and a few houseelves actually knew of Draco.
The Ministry of magic was to be considered as well. They weren't lenient with people they suspected to be deatheaters. Lucius had had to prevent two raids on his home already.
No Draco was safer with Severus and his parents would come and visit him whenever they could.
Severus saw the logic behind this and it probably would be no great hardship to care for two children instead for one, but he was afraid what would happen if Voldemorts eye was ever steered in his direction. He wanted nothing to do with this man. The stories he'd heard so far had not been good. Quite the contrary. Voldemort reigned his people through terror, lies and false promises of power and a world without the impure and nether creatures. Something Severus could not accept. Those so-called impure were the muggleborn amongst them. Severus was one of the few who actually knew why they existed and he also knew why the wizzarding world could not be without them. And the nether creatures, muggles. What would the world be without them? Without their achievements? Without their otherness, their ideas and dreams? Without their helping hands? For much of the work for the wizzarding world was actually done by them.
They were the farmers and fishers, the workers and builders. No branch of their world could do without them.
Voldemorts world was not a world he wanted to live in.
Severus had already decided to leave the country as soon as his son was born. There was no use in getting him into danger. Lucius had agreed on this statement, although it meant a long distance between him and his son as well. It was the better option and one concern less for the blonde wizard.
Silvanus hadn't been too happy with their plans, but decided it was for the best and helped Severus to find a home elsewhere. They'd finally decided on New Zealand, an island far off from any greater wizzarding community and hopefully out of Voldemorts view. Only a few families of their kind lived there and they mostly had their own reasons for not wanting to be disturbed and would leave Severus' home and family in peace.
Smiling slightly up at his nephew he send a questioning look at his brother who just nodded. It was time take Draco into his care, it wasn't safe anymore on Malfoy Manor.
Silently the black-haired man extinguished the fire under the cauldron and led his brother to a temporary nursery. And silently he watched his brother saying goodbye to his son, shedding tears that nobody would have believed Lucius Malfoy capable of. And silently he took his brother in his arms, expressing with this gesture all he couldn't say.

Harold Damien Snape was born two days later on the 31. of July. The birth itself had been an easy one according to the midwife. But for Severus it had been just as bloody and awful as he'd expected. As far as he was concerned, his son would be an only-child. He was rather surprised that mankind still existed, if every woman had to live with such horrible pains. At least it was over now.
Tiredly he gazed down at the wrapped-up bundle in his arms, feeling fascinated and a bit awed. This little one was his, was entirely dependent on him. There was no turning away, no denying the fact. For the rest of his life he would be the parent of this beautiful baby-boy.
The baby, his son, looked back at him with misty blue eyes. A bit curious maybe, but mostly he seemed very exhausted from his birth, his eyelids dropping constantly.
He was so little. Smaller than even Draco had been. Probably to accommodate Severus build which was by no means made for child-birth. A shock of silky black hair which stood every which way. A little button-nose, no eyebrows yet, healthy rosy skin.
Surprisingly the babies features reminded Severus somewhat of his brother and less of his own. But still, his son was at the moment far from cute, instead he looked a bit wrinkled and in need of ironing. Not that he would ever tell his son that. It probably would be less then appreciated.

A few days later they arrived at their new home. Looking around Severus sighed, this would take some getting used to. The house, by muggle-standarts a big one, held no comparison to Snape-Manor. And although the two houseelves which had accompanied them, were already starting the cleaning there were a few repairs to do until the house was truly liveable. Ivy was growing at the walls and on the terrace rails, in some places it was even growing through the windows and into the house itself. Small lizards scurried over along the walls in flight. Dust had settled onto every available surface and made the elves sneeze. Luckily neither of the children showed any allergic reactions to it. Draco who had just recently learned to keep his head up, made happily use of this new ability and gazed around the entrance hall in obvious fascination. Harold being too young to be interested in anything else than his own well-being was fussing slightly. Obviously he did not like travelling by portkeye.
Severus sighed, yes this really needed some getting used to.

One year later the situation was remarkably improved. The house was now fully repaired and dust-, ivy- and lizardfree. Harry, as he was now called, had just recently started to walk and was at the moment hanging for dear life on the terrace fence, a smile lighting his whole face and the big expressive green eyes.
Sometimes it hurt to look at him and see the face of his rapist, but not often anymore. In his heart Severus had forgiven James Potter.
Yes, the other had hurt him terribly, but this act had also given Severus this wonderful loving child which always looked so full of trust at him. Severus would never entirely forget what had happened that night, but he wasn't angry anymore. He had gotten the greatest compensation a person could get. He, Severus, was Harrys whole world and knowing this was a good feeling. It soothed the wounds in his soul.
Draco was direct behind Harry, dragging his teddy-bear behind him he watched his step-brothers steps carefully. The two of them had become inseparable and were more like twins then anything else. The four-month age gap didn't seem to matter much. At this moment Draco decided to poke Harry into the rips, the little boys legs gave out under him and he landed with a thud on his bottom. A surprised look crossed his face, then he started to bawl.
Sighing, like he'd done so oft in the last year, Severus picked the little boy up to quiet him. This was the moment the other little boy decided to feel left out and started to cry as well.

Little two-year-old Draco splashed happily in his cauldron. He obviously enjoyed his bath, squealing from time to time and dunking his rubber ducky. Harry was less than impressed with him, being the one who got wet all over. The little black-haired boy had been sitting next to his foster-brothers improvised tub, but now he was climbing its rim to splash his brother in turn.
It was enough for the day and Severus started to lift the little blonde out of the water wrapping him in a towel. This was the exact moment Lucius choose to apparate into the room. Surprised Severus nearly lost hold of Draco. Harry seemed flabbergasted not knowing where his uncle had come from so suddenly.
" Damnit, Lucius! I nearly drowned your son." Growling at his brother Severus held the little boy in his arms close.
" Sorry Severus. I was just able to get away and don't really have much time." Lucius seemed stressed, which was to be expected, considering the situation at home. Voldemort seemed to be on a rampage, murdering Muggles and muggle-born wizards wherever he went.
It didn't seem like he would come to his senses soon. The Malfoy-heir had somehow avoided to become one of his followers, but the price was mistrust from all sides. The times he visited were the only ones that he actually found some solace. Narcissa had long since left England, returning to her parents home, where she mourned the loss of her family. She did understand, that her husband had done what was probably the best for their son but that didn't soothe her broken heart.
Taking his son from Severus arms he started to dry the child off, mussing the white-blonde hair and extracting some interesting noises from him. And he started to talk, telling his brother of everything that had happened since they'd seen each other two months ago on Christmas.
He decided not to mention that James Potter and his wife Lily had gone into hiding the month before. Voldemort had for reasons unknown decided to hunt them down. Probably because they were very close to Dumbledore, his grandson Sirius being one of their best friends. Remus Lupin had vanished as well, being a werewolf he must not have deemed it safe to stay. And his former friends did not trust him anymore, as if he would ever betray them.
Lucius looked down at his nephew who by now clung to his leg. Hopefully this little one would not become like that.

9 ½ years later
Summer

James dreamed, the same nightmare he dreamed for a years now. _He was hurting someone. Tearstained cheeks pale in the moonlight, black eyes gazing full of fright and pain at him. Hair black as a ravens wings in his hands. A slim body fighting against being pressed to the ground. Ripped clothes. Tight heat and blood._
And then the sudden awakening with a scream and the knowledge that this *had* happened, that he'd hurt another person like this. That he'd hurt Severus like this. And he was not able to do anything about it. He couldn't even beg forgiveness, since the Snape-heir had vanished after graduation and hadn't been seen since. Most thought him dead and in all probability rightly so.
Lily was still peacefully slumbering at his side, a soft angelic smile on her lips. She had nothing to feel guilty for, like her husband. Sometimes James resented her for this peace of mind, wishing it was his own and then feeling even worse for thinking something like that.
Getting up James, decided to look after their daughters. They always brought a smile to his lips and chased the nightmarish images back into the recesses of his mind.
He found his elder daughter on her back, the covers kicked down to her ankles and apparently in a dead fight with her pillow. The pillow seemed to be winning at the moment. Sitting down on the edge of the bed he freed his daughter of the attacking cushion and pulled the covers back to her shoulders.
Then he just sat there watching his little girl. Her black hair was like a halo against the white sheets, some stray locks fell into her face and he brushed them softly aside.
His younger daughter Hailey, only a few weeks old, was also lying on her back, the little legs curled to her body, sucking on a little fist. She was so small and helpless. It somehow seemed wrong to have brought her into this world. Voldemort's Deatheaters were still after them, wanting to kill his children as well.
Voldemort, he was the reason James had those nightmares. He had forced James to remember what he had done.
James had decided to become an Auror upon graduation, to fight the Dark Lord. It had seemed like the right decision at the time, but then he'd married. They both had decided to wait until the defeat of Voldemort to have children.
Going into hiding had been more for Lily then himself, he'd wanted to know his wife safe. And yet, it had nearly killed them. Peter, whom they'd chosen for a secret-keeper had betrayed them to his Lord and nearly got them killed. The escape had been a narrow one. It had been pure luck that Sirius had been there as well and together they had fought the Deatheaters (far enough off) should be..off far enough to reach the emergency portkey. It took them four more years until the defeat of Voldemort. The Aurors had lured the maniac into a trap and the combined deathcurses of two dozens of them put an end to Voldemorts reign. At least for a time.
But one of Voldemort's followers had been able to curse James with a hex of total memory. It made a man remember everything he'd ever done or experienced in one moment, rendering them helpless and often driving them into madness, which probably was what the Deatheater had wanted to achieve. It did not make him insane, but it made him remember what he'd done to one he had wanted to protect, and never hurt. And now he dreamed of it, every night. Saw once again the child in Severus die at his hands and felt helpless rage at himself. He could not think of a better punishment.

It was in the last days of August that James decided to go out with his friend from Hogwarts, Sirius. They took his older daughter, Miriam, with them to leave Lily some peace and quiet. Their first stop, like so often, had been Hogwarts and Albus Dumbledore. The old man had been happy to see them and seemed genuinely charmed by Miriam.
And yet there was always this considering spark in his eyes. The silent question what this little human being could one day do for him.
It felt not right to distrust the man, but the same curse that gave him nightmares for the rest of his life also made him see things clearer. Dumbledore was a very dangerous enemy to have, but also an manipulative ally. The best one could do was to leave him as far behind as one could, or live with his scheming. James could not run away. So he had to stay and live with the fact that Dumbledore was already drawing the next generation of his family into his influence.
It was no secret that the Potterline every few generations produced one specially gifted witch or wizard. Nobody knew which gift this child had until it started showing the signs. James grandfather had been a firemage, able to destroy an entire landscape with just one thought. Since then nobody of his family had revealed signs of being more than normally gifted. Dumbleodre obviously hoped that one of his daughters would be the one to become a mage, for James had no other children and did not plan on having more.
The fear of a New Dark Lords rising was still high and a strong defender of light would be just the thing people needed for their peace of mind. But James did not want one of his girls to have this life and was quite glad that at least Miriam was exactly what she seemed to be. A little witch with a normal future. It would take some more years to determine if Hailey was the same, but James hoped for it. Her life would be easier.
Voldemort had wanted them dead for this very reason. The Potter-Family had always been light. There was not one dark wizard between them. And the mere possibility that one of their number could become strong enough to obliterate him had been reason enough to kill them all.
Now the Dark Lord was dead, but his followers were still out there and it was rumoured one of them was trying to become Voldemorts successor. And James suspected that he and his family would be the first targets.

"Dad?"
Groaning internally, Severus looked up from his tome. Yep, he was right. His son had once again found some injured animal. Harry couldn't go past any hurt creature without wanting to help. He seemed to feel when somebody needed him.
This time it was a small colourful parrot. The animal had to be wild and yet it didn't even try to free itself. Instead it sat in Harry's hands and looked like it was trying to give him the same pleading look his son was directing at him.
Severus didn't even try to deter the boy and simply nodded. It was easier that way. The animal would come into the house, one way or the other. At least so he had some measure of control.
" Again?" Another interruption. This time it was Draco who looked slightly amused at him, laughter dancing in his silver-eyes.
" Yes. Do you know where he got it from this time?" Resigning himself to the fact that he wouldn't get to read more for a time Severus closed his book.
Plopping himself next to his step-father, Draco shook his head. "No idea. Wish I knew how he finds them every time. What do you think he's doing with it at the moment?"
" As long as he's not putting this bird into one of my cauldrons, like those fishes, I don't care."
This time the blonde openly laughed.
" What do you really want?" The man asked, sensing that there was another reason for the disturbance than Harrys newest acquisition. "Well, I wanted to ask if we could go to Diagon-Alley? Father wrote. He and mother will be there today."
Draco, although happy to live with them, loved his parents dearly and was happy about every opportunity to meet them. Even if this meant stringing his whole adopted family along.
Sighing Severus relented. He never could say no to either of the boys when gave him this look.
Well, they did need their wands and Ollivander's were the best one could have. Maybe this would be a good opportunity to buy them and a few supplies, too. Some of those were hard to come by on this island, as beautiful as it was.
The boys would start school at the first of September. Luckily, Severus had been able to admit them into New Zealand School for Wizards and Witches. A small but well run institution with a very good reputation. What little they didn't learn there, they could learn from their parents.
And hopefully a short visit to Diagon Alley would not lead to difficulties.
" Go get your brother and we'll be on our way." With a happy sound Draco jumped up and run into the house probably with plans to assault Harry and drag him away from whatever he was doing. Which in return meant he would have to travel with one hyper and one grumpy boy. This really didn't bode well.

Surprisingly the day had become marginally better since they'd left Hogwarts and those dark thoughts behind. Whistling a little tune James watched his daughter and her godfather play something akin to tag. It involved a lot of tickling, running around and hiding behind other people, all the while ignoring angry shouts , but also laughter. Diagon Alley was bustling with Hogwarts students and their families on this day. Everywhere happy voices, smiling faces and an air of expectation. Pure coincidence made him look at Ollivander's wand-shop and then he couldn't look away anymore.
Leaning on the wall, next to the door, wearing blue-jeans and a plain black T-shirt was one Severus Snape.
James blinked.
And blinked again.
The picture didn't change.
Snape was still there, idly twirling his wand between his fingers and oblivious to James stare.
And he looked wonderful.
He'd grown up since James had last seen him. Gone was the scrawny child he remembered so vividly. Instead there stood a young man of high and athletic build. His skin was of a shimmering golden colour, as if he'd spend large amounts of his time in the sun. The raven-hair was held in a loose ponytail and seemed to reach down his back.
Severus held himself with the sort of quiet confidence which spoke of happiness and inner peace. Surely he wouldn't welcome any reminder of other times back in his life.
Sirius was suddenly back by his side, curious what had caught his friends attention.
" Now look at that. It's a Snape. Wonder, which hole he's crawled out of."
And with that he trailed over to his unfortunate prey, with James having no choice but to follow. James curious daughter walked behind them, gripping the folds of her fathers robes.
Snape noticed them before they were even half there. His lips thinned and his features slipped into a scowl.
Before either of them could say anything to start a new war the door of Ollivander's shop opened and a boy of roughly eleven years came bounding towards Snape.
James didn't see much of his features, only the big excited smile.
" Dad. Look. He really had a wand for me. He said it choose me. Isn't it great?"
The boy truly had no problems expressing himself and judging by Snape's face it was a normal and very much cherished occurrence. How could he have a eleven years old son already? When had he married? Who was the mother of this boy? James hadn't seen anybody else besides the two of them.
Suddenly a hand shot out and grabbed the boy's neck. Sirius who never had been able to stand being ignored had lost his patience.
" So, Snape. That's your spawn, isn't it? Lets have a good look at him."
With that he turned the boy to them, ignoring the boys struggling and Snape's angry shout.
It was this moment that James Potter's entire world came crashing down around him.
The boy looked like him.
Like he had looked at that age.
There were slight differences, his brain registered after a breathless minute. The boys cheekbones were higher, his eyes a darker shade of green and slanted, his chin slightly pointed.
No the boy did not exactly look like him, more like a mix of him and…
He and Sirius looked at the same time at Snape who seemed more then ready to hex them.
This little inattention was all the boy needed.
A loud howl interrupted the peace of the day.
Sirius was holding his now bleeding hand. The boy had bitten him and was glaring at his capturer, obviously not the least bit sorry.
And Snape…
Snape looked proud.
Proud and smug.
Like it was something he would have liked to do at some point or other.
Severus' son chose this moment to add to Sirius injuries and kicked his shin viciously.
Behind him someone started clapping.
In turning he saw the next catastrophe of the day.
Lucius Malfoy.
Who seemed to have watched the entire scene.
" Well done, Harry. I couldn't have done better." He sounded amused. This got him the attention of both Snapes.
" Uncle Lucius!" The boy, Harry, stormed past James and his daughter and more or less jumped into the blonde mans arms, Severus followed at a more sedate pace, the fight for the time being forgotten.
Sighing, James decided that this was a good opportunity to leave without getting even more attention. Gripping Sirius arm tightly he steered his friend away, not noticing the thoughtful looks his daughter gave Snape's son.

Harry watched them as well. He saw the looks the little girl gave him. He also saw the hate in the eyes of the man who had gripped him. This man had hurt his father and had wanted to hurt him as well. Though the why was a unanswered question to him.
Then there was the other man, the one who looked just like him. Harry wanted to know more about him. Who was he? Was the little girl with him his daughter? Probably. There was some resemblance.
The green-eyed man had been shocked to see him. Harry had been shocked, too. It had been like looking into a mirror and seeing an older, paler replica of himself. He had a lot of questions to ask.
But he also had a lot of time. There was no reason to start just yet unravelling the past.
A bit down the street he saw his foster-brother and Narcissa slowly closing up to him and his heatedly talking kin. They seemed to discuss the further course of action after 'Black's', so this was the bad mans name, open display.
Deciding he wasn't interested in this Harry left them to join Draco to, maybe, have a look at the Quidditch-supplys shop.

At the same time a man by the name of Quirrell was travelling the dark forests of Rumania. Rumours which people told each other only behind their hands led him here. Those rumours told of animals which acted as if possessed, a voice luring people into the forests and glowing red eyes in the dark. Those tales had fascinated him and he'd decided to get to the bottom of them.
Most people who knew him would have described him as likeable if not a bit daring and always by the hand with an outrageous story of past adventures.
Normally he worked at Hogwarts School of Wizardry as teacher of Defence against the Dark Arts, but the summers were his to do with as he pleased. And he always chose to travel and add to his growing arsenal of tales to tell in the bars by a good beer and a fascinated audience. What he found wasn't what he'd expected though.
The only warning he got was the sudden quiet and a feeling of malice in the air. The soft sound of something sliding and then suddenly a presence inside of his head. Much to late now to fight but he tried nonetheless.
And lost.
The last thing he was consciously aware of was his own mental howl of defeat then nothing anymore.
People later saw a man leave the forest near a little village. His steps were stiff as if he hadn't been able to walk in a long time.
His skin pale, his hair mussed, his robes in disarray. But the most noticeably thing about him were his crimson eyes which bore into every one who dared looking into his direction.
He made them shudder in animalistic fear and they had nightmares for the weeks to follow.

Remus Lupin looked up from his work. Something had changed. The air had shifted and suddenly it felt cold, so cold. The peace he'd felt just moments before while tending to his plants had dispelled and left unease. And he was not the only one to notice. The birds which had sung only moments before now kept quiet. One by one the hairs on the back of his neck started to stand upright. Something evil walked the world again. And this time it would not be stopped.

All over Britain men and woman shook in terror while clutching their arms and the burning mark under their fingers.
Voldemort was back.

Sirius Black was far from feeling the changes which had occurred. The only mark he clutched was the bloody indent of sharp little teeth on his wrist. His mind was still on Snape's brat. The boy who looked strangely like James but had the same expression of otherness in his eyes that the greasy git had. It was this otherness which ticked him off. Which made him attack every time. He'd told himself that Snape was only a worthless piece of scum. A Dark Wizard who would speak the most Unforgivable curses with a smile on his lips.
It was what his father had told him his entire life.. But in retrospect he only saw a small child with a wondrous look in his eyes and a timid smile. He'd seen the same child in the boy. He was a living accusation to everything he'd ever done to Snape. It made him want to lash out. So he'd done just this. And now he had a black and blue shin and a bite in his arm.
Silently cursing his own rashness he decided to visit his grandfather and talk to him. Maybe he could somehow get trough this problem with his help.

The view over the grounds of Hogwarts was beautiful this time of the year, Albus Dumbledore mused.
Looking back into the room and at his grandson, he returned his mind back to the task at hand. And back to what Sirius had told him. Severus had a son. A son of at least ten or eleven years. A son who looked remarkably like James Potter.
How was this possible? To have this child Severus had to have married at age seventeen. And to have a Potterchild he'd have to be married to a Potterwoman. Maybe she was the result of an illicit affair. James' father was known to have had a lot of them. Or maybe the boy himself was said result and Severus had somehow got a hold of him. But this didn't fit with the fact that the boy seemed to resemble his father.
Not to mention that regardless of his origins there was a third descendant of this family and maybe one with great power. Now, how to get to him.

Staring down into his Scotch, James Potter's thoughts moved along the same lines. And he wondered about this child who looked so much like himself and Severus. And he remembered a night which he'd rather forgot but couldn't anymore. And he remembered that none of the Snape men ever seemed to be married and yet they still had heirs.
And he knew that he never should talk about these thoughts. They would not only endanger him and his family but Severus and their son as well. It was better this way.

It happened a few weeks later.
James had been out and of to work and left Lily alone with the girls.
Upon returning home, he found his house in shambles, his wife dead and his children missing.
They had lived a bit outside of town so nobody had heard or seen anything. But a messy inscription on the walls of his living room over Lilys dead body told James all he needed to know. Voldemort was back. And he had his children.

"For you to understand this I have to start my story very far in the past. At the time I'm talking about there were two species of humans. The first species lived here in Europe. Today the muggles call them Neanderthals. They were successful as far as living goes, but they were lacking in another aspect which I'll talk about later on. None the less for a long long time they were the predominate human species.
" The second species lived in Africa. They lived there at a time where the climate was at it's harshest and their numbers were dwindling. But the few that still lived were also the best their species had held, they were the ones who had something all their ancestors didn't have. Something called imagination and the ability to see not only the now but also the then and the need they would maybe then have.
This may not sound like something much to you but for them it was all the difference between living and dying."
" That's a great story you're telling here, Uncle Sev. But what have a few shabby humans in a desert got to do with my question why you're able to get pregnant?"
" Everything Draco. Everything." Severus smiled amused at the frustrated look on his nephews face and shared a secret look with Harry, who was safely nestled into his arms, listening to a story which was ingrained into his very being since before he was born. "This few shabby humans as you call them, are our ancestors.
Everything we are, everything that was, everything created is only there because they overcame the world. And there's something else you should know. Those humans that came out of the desert were muggles. Everyone of them. Magic did not exist at this time and it was a long way until it came into this world. Until then they had to help themselves and they took their destiny into their own hands.
They became more and more with every generation. Finally a part of them decided to wander. Who knows which need, which instinct was driving them. Their way took thousands of years and lead them around the earth into every land, over mountains and seas, through jungles and icy tundra. And they lived. And they conquered the world, with every new generation born, with every drop of blood spilled a bit more. They were the most successful human species ever, there were no hardship they couldn't adapt to. They outlived the other human species, the Neanderthals, not because they were bad at living, but because our ancestors were simply better."
" But how…" Draco seemed puzzled.
" How magic came into being?" Severus smirked. "Frankly I don't know. The only ones able to answer your question are long dead and gone.
One day it was there and it was moving like wildfire, changing everything it touched. Some creatures changed beyond recognition like dragons, some changed their properties, like many plants. And some became Halflings, creatures of magic but still recognisable as descendants of some other species, like centaurs, veelas or giants.
Wizards belonged to those groups who changed properties only. Maybe they were the lucky ones, but I'm not too sure.
" One could look upon those wizards as new human species. They themselves did so. Thought themselves to be standing above those unchanged, whom they called muggles.
They used Magic for everything with no exception. But the price they paid for this specialisation was high. Wizardingkind stopped changing, stood still in their development. For a long time this didn't seem to matter.
Nobody really noticed that there were fewer and fewer of them, since most of them only married their own kind and less children were born every generation, until only about a hundred were left. This was about two thousand years ago.
And here is the place were my answer to your question begins."

Blood-red eyes gazed down at the frightened four-year old who sat in a heap by his feet and stared with big green eyes up at him. In the Dark Wizard's arms the baby was moving softly, having long since ceased screaming.
He had his plans, but until then no real use for them. Coming to a decision, he swiftly moved over to the door, calling in one of his most loyal Death Eaters.

"Okay, and what was this whole story about Neanderthals and human species good for?" Draco's chin was resting on his folded hand while he gazed up at his uncle from the armrest of his stool.
" That's easy enough. Like those Neanderthals our ancestors had stopped evolving, they stood still. In a way we do stand still, at least the more conservative families do."
" What you're telling me is that those ancient wizards had decided to rest on their evolutionary superior laurels and nearly became extinct for it."
" Yes that's it in effect. Would you now kindly let me continue with my story?"
" Yes, dear uncle," came the cheeky reply.
Severus muttered something which sounded suspiciously like 'Brat' before starting to talk again.
" About this time, three wizards decided to do something to save their people. Those three, two men and a woman, pleaded their case to an entity which they called 'The Heart of Magic'. And it, whatever it was, granted their wish. The price were their descendants."
" They had to sacrifice them?!" Suddenly sitting straight in his seat, Draco looked horrified.
" Nothing like that Draco. Will you now stop interrupting me? I don't have the entire day time, you know?"
" Okay, okay. But what about their children?"
" None of them had children at the time, Draco. It was about their future, and with them the future of all remaining wizards, few as they were.
The 'Heart' made new wizards, so to speak. Those new wizards were born to Muggle-parents, designed to bring fresh blood and views into our world."
" That's how we got them? Because we asked for them???" Disbelief was clearly showing in silvery eyes.
" Yes. Exactly. And that's the reason you should always think twice about what you're asking for."
" My father will never believe this."
" That's why I never told him."
" But why remove does everybody hate them?"
" Not everybody Draco, only the oldest Families. Everybody pretty much consists of Muggle-born and their descendants. But those old Families, despite the salvation those new wizards held, have often preferred to marry members of other species rather than muggleborn, your own is a pretty good example with the veela-blood still quite visible in your line."
Draco only nodded at that.
" Our three petitioners were pledged to help those magic muggle-children to get acquainted with our world, to teach them our ways and magics. And their children were to do the same and their grandchildren and the following generations also. And there was the problem, while two of them had nothing against it, the third, my ancestor, was more interested in his own gender, so there were no successors to be expected.
" This was the part were the 'Heart' decided to show it had a sense of humour and solved the problem once and for all, not only for him but all males of his blood. I picture he was pretty surprised upon finding out."
A madly grinning Draco looked up at him. "He promised an magical entity, which he knew nothing about, his unborn children which he never expected to have and got outwitted and pregnant. That's splendid." With that he keeled over, laughing.
Softly shaking his head Severus looked down at his nephew, thinking about everything he hadn't told the boy. His long fingered hand stroked softly through the midnight black hair of his silent son.

It had been pure coincidence that Lucius chose this night to visit an old acquaintance. He'd known Avery Nott since their schooldays.
They'd never been real friends but always had gotten on well enough, so this meeting was no true surprise, nor unwelcome. What really surprised him was the fact that in the middle of their evening a baby started to scream hysterically. Notts two sons were both old enough to go to school and at the moment there and he had no other children. So why was there a baby?
A friendly inquiry brought forth no real results other then that the child had been dumped on Nott.
Lucius accepted this for the time being, having no reason to distrust the other man.
The next surprise was a black-haired little girl running blindly into the room, her cheeks tear-streaked, the luminous green eyes blind with panic.
Seeing her face and connecting it with a man he'd seen only recently was one in his head and in the next moment he'd stunned Nott, who, obviously having decided to hex the girl, had already lifted his wand in her direction.
Now he sat there with James Potter's older daughter crying into his robes and the strong idea that the other one might be the baby screaming it's head of in some other part of the house.

The next day saw him in front of his brother's house. In his arms the now silent black-haired baby, on his hand a solemn Miriam Potter, and no idea how to tell his brother that he'd assigned him as babysitter for them.
Getting the terrified houseelves to hand over Hailey, as was the younger Potter-daughter's name, had been easy enough. Also obliviating them and the master of the house had been an easy task.
Luckily Nott's wife had been absent, probably being on some party.
But getting Severus to take them in… Lucius felt himself shudder.

Moving up to the doors of the living room he caught the end of a conversation underlined with chuckles.
" Okay, dear uncle. One last question. Who were the other two morons?"
" Draco, show a bit more respect for the people who made sure that you were born a wizard." Admonishing. "As for your question. The witch was called Pheona Ristin. She later emigrated to Europe and then vanished. Probably got married. The other one was a Weasley. They are notorious for having hordes of children. You can't miss one when you see them, they all have flaming red hair and a tendency to get into mischief."
Lucius felt short-lived amusement welling up in him. Whatever Severus told his son, his description of this special family was quite accurate. But now to face the devil himself and his wrath. Sighing he pushed the door open and entered the room behind it.

"No! Absolutely not!" Severus was fuming. Lucius had to be joking. There was no way he would take care of Potter's brats.
" Severus, please listen to me."
" No! Lucius, I love you dearly, and your son as well. I had nothing against raising Draco along with my own son, but that is no reason to assume I would want to have more children in my house, these children in particular."
" Would you prefer if I returned them to Voldemort? He'd sure be happy to have his hostages back. Or should I say sacrifices? There are a lot of dark rituals requiring the blood of an innocent child."
" You must be joking. Voldemort probably wants to keep them to be raised as future Deatheaters or to marry them off to further his alliances."
" All the more influence it would gain him together with the hold he'd have over their father. Let's not forget that they or their children are possible future mages. It's simply too much power to be left in Voldemort's hands."
Severus sighed defeated. Lucius was right as much as he loathed the fact.
" Why me?"
" Because I trust you. Because they will be safe with you. Because you will take good care of them. And because nobody but myself knows where you are. If necessary I'd put you under Fidelius to ensure that it stays that way."
" Lucius, I really don't think…"
" It would be the best solution, Severus. Just consider it, please."
It was this soft plea which did it. The blonde did seldom ask for anything, and if he did, nobody could deny him, not even a man as stubborn as his dark-haired brother.
" For the time being, Lucius. They return to their father the moment Voldemort is gone."
" Agreed."

Only later on Severus found time to wonder what he'd gotten himself into. The baby was easy enough taken care of. But the older one, Miriam, she called for her parents and demanded to be taken home to them. She wasn't willing to believe that they wouldn't come to get her. That she wasn't safe at home.
She became more and more hysterical, crying and screaming at him.
It was deep into the night until she was tired out and became silent with only the occasional sniff disturbing the nightly peace. Severus gently took her into his arms, holding her until she dropped of to sleep.

The next days were no better. Miriam was hiding most of the time, and when she wasn't she was silent, looking at her host with big green eyes, pleading to let her go home.
Severus could only look back at her, not being able to do anything about it. The boys had both more or less abandoned the house, only creeping in when they were hungry to snag something from the kitchen.
The only one who didn't do anything to make it worse was the baby, Hailey, who was still too small to do more than sleep and eat.

"Crucio!"
To say Voldemort had been displeased to find the Potter-girls gone was an understatement of epic proportions. He (was) had been torturing Nott for days now, without showing signs of ever letting go. Everyone who witnessed this knew that the man wouldn't live to see the next morning. And even if he did, his mind was by now a mass of howling madness. Nott had seen how his family got tortured to death, heard their agonised dying screams and pleads for mercy and over it simply lost his mind. There was no rescue for him.
But there were few witnesses, since most of Voldemort's followers were trying to locate the lost children.
And nobody heard the final spell which ended the wizard's suffering.

In December Severus returned once more to Britain.
This time to bury his father.
The older man had been sick for some time, but his death still came as a surprise to them.
The young Potionsmaster left the children in the care of his houseelves, not wanting to risk their safety. He had mostly lost contact to his bearer over the years, not by choice, it simply had happened. Now the only thing he could do to honour his father was a quiet funeral under Scotlands snowy hills. Not many guests attended but between those who did was surprisingly the headmaster of Hogwarts, Albus Dumbledore.
Frowning, Severus looked upon the man. The headmaster of Hogwarts never did anything without a reason. And his turning up at the burial of a man who had, mildly put, resented him, left to presume he had a very good one.
Collecting himself Severus watched the other wizard approach.
" Headmaster Dumbledore. May I inquire to what I owe the pleasure," he nearly spat the word out. "of your visit?"
" Straight to the point, aren't you, Mr. Snape?" The annoying twinkle the Slytherin remembered so well, shone in the man's blue eyes.
" Yes I am. Would you please return the decency so we get it over with sooner?"
" Well, if you want it that way. I've heard about your son and his surprising similarity to James Potter."
" I don't quite understand the meaning of your words."
" I suppose you know of the Potter-Family's tendency to turn out mages every other generation? It's time again for one to appear but it didn't look like his daughters were the ones."
" And you think because my son looks a little like a Potter he could be the puppet you're searching for." A snort accompanied the words.
" I'm sorry to disappoint you, but you're mistaken. My son most definitely is a Snape. Now if you will excuse me, I'm awaited elsewhere." With that Severus marched away, outwardly much calmer than he actually was. dialog above, you know what to do Dumbledore had been right. Harry was powerful. But not a warrior and someone easily to be controlled. Harry was a healer, as proven by the countless animals he'd over the years brought home and healed. He was unable to hurt anybody willingly, unable to want to do so. At least most of the time.
There were always exceptions.
Like Black.
A sardonic grin curved Snape's lips.
Severus himself had been very surprised when his son first had shown his gift.

***Flashback***

Harry had just celebrated his fifth birthday and both boys were generally wreaking havoc on the house in their quest for joy and adventure.
One of their favourites was the Prince, the Princess and the Dragon. With Draco for the prince despite his name and Harry playing the princess, his protests were simply ignored by his elder foster-brother. One of the houseelves was forced to play the dragon, although he did seem to mind much. So there they were, the shining knight battling the ferocious beast to save the beautiful, scowling, princess. Then suddenly the little boy lost his hold and fell. Neither the elf nor Severus were fast enough to react, to prevent it from happening and Draco came to rest on the landing with a sickening crunch, laying very still. Then Harry started screaming for Draco, more or less falling down himself before crouching over his playmate, begging him to wake up.
Severus himself barely noticed his feet carrying him over to them, to deep was his shock. He softly pressed a finger to Dracos throat, the boy was alive, but if it was good or bad he could not say. Only then he noticed the blood flowing fast from under the boys head. Harry had seen it the same instant, but instead being frightened out of his wits, he calmed down. Then he touched Dracos head and magic was flowing. Severus never had seen anything like this, maybe nobody ever had.
And Draco woke up, looking fuzzily around and telling them in a squeaky voice that he would never again play on the stairs.

***End Flashback***
No his son would never be anybody's puppet. Least of all Dumbledore's.

The headstone read simply:

Lilian Potter

Beloved Wife and Mother
She is dearly missed

Nothing more. James hadn't known what else to write, what else to say about the woman he had married, who had born him two beautiful children and loved him. She had been innocent, her whole life. This had cost her her life. And probably their children too. Nobody knew what had happened to his daughters. Miriam and Hailey had simply vanished into thin air it seemed. The last he had heard, was that they also had been stolen out of the Dark Lords hands, but this had been four years ago. Nothing else since then.
This left him with one living child, whose other parent would probably kill him, before he could get near enough to see him.
Dumbledore had been urging him to marry again. To have another wife and other children, to forget the ones he had lost. Sirius had done the same, for about two years now. His best friend didn't seem to understand that James felt unable to do this again. He simply did not wish for a new family. Not while he still yearned for Lily and their daughters, not while he yearned for the son he had only seen this once.
His lonely life now consisted of the fight against Voldemort and his memories of everything he had lost.
And with a bit of luck it all would end with the final assault on Voldemort's headquarters.

Apparating to the little house in the woods had been surprisingly easy. He would have thought the werewolf to be more interested in his safety. Then he saw him. For the first time since their graduation, seemingly awaiting him. Remus Lupin looked old. The hair on the sides of his head already greying and the first wrinkles appearing around his eyes. His robes were rather shabby and mended in many places. It seemed he didn't wear them often.
The house itself was well maintained, with the garden and the fruit-trees, which promised good harvest this year.
A few steps brought him into talking range.
" Lupin." He greeted, with a slight nod.
" Snape." The same cautious nod.
" I need to ask a favour of you, Lupin."
The man looked genuinely taken aback. "What kind of favour?"
" I need somebody who doesn't work either for Dumbledore or Voldemort. Somebody I can trust."
" I haven't seen Dumbledore in years and Voldemort doesn't wish to associate himself with werewolves, as you probably know. So what do you want?"
Severus only smiled.

Little naked feet fell on the naked earth path, not once tripping over the roots that were sticking out here and there. The humid air left her with sweaty hair, with little trails of wetness running down along the sides of her face. She was laughing, brightly, full of happiness. Behind her was her bigger sister, trying to catch her, while laughing just as hard.
Suddenly she felt the little amulet on her necklace tingle, the sign to return home.

"I need you to take care of them."
Those words were still echoing in Remus' ears while he looked at the two girls that had been so suddenly entrusted into his care. They looked back, assessing him while obviously trying to decide what they should think of him. They were James' daughters. The two children everybody believed to be dead. And here they were, safe and well.
And loved by the looks of it.
Snape hadn't told him much, only that there was good reason for him to leave as soon as possible for England. The two boys accompanying him had been agitated, but likewise closemouthed. Something had to have happened, but what he did not know.

Lucius had been kidnapped.
They had gotten the news from a distraught Narcissa, who had arrived only hours after it happened and was now in the guestroom being consoled by her only child.
Although the how was an absolute mystery to him, Severus had no problem about guessing the why.
Voldemort had, with growing energy, tried to get a hold onto Lucius, and through him gain access to the higher ministry circles and take control. Lucius had always resisted and instead surrounded his home, his wife and himself with strong safety-measures of not only magical nature. He'd send his only child away for that very reason, not wishing Draco to be caught in this war of wills. Still it had been of no use. Somehow Voldemort had gotten him, of that Severus had now doubt. Now, how to get his brother back? "No! You won't go without us." Draco made his point vehemently clear, gesturing irately with his hands. "Draco. I can not allow you two to accompany me. It's far too dangerous." "I will not accept that. He is my father. I HAVE to do something." The boy was screaming in frustration at being denied. Surprisingly Harry stayed silent, choosing only to watch the discussion. But it was obvious that he had some plans of his own and those, also obviously, didn't include to stay at home and wait. "Draco, it's much too dangerous. Lucius entrusted you in my care to keep you safe and *away* from Voldemort, not to lead you directly into his lair." "I don't CARE. When you go we WILL accompany you. One way or another." With that the blonde boy stormed off. "He's right, you know?" Harry suddenly spoke up. "We will do just that." Then he followed his foster-brother.
Severus just sighed. Being a responsible father really wasn't easy.

He was reluctant to leave Lupin alone with the girls, but the time was running short. Severus' sources in the ministry had informed him of a final attack on Voldemort's stronghold being launched in under twenty-four hours. This was possibly their only chance of gaining entrance and freeing Lucius. In the general confusion hopefully nobody would take notice of them. He also decided to put notice-me-not-spells on all of them, it would distract any attention towards them. Sadly he did not own an invisibility cloak or something like that. They were very rare, being woven of the hairs of Thestrals.
It were the creatures themselves which carried the trait of being seen only by people who'd witnessed death, their hair was just invisible, which made keeping them in the house that much easier.

The little family reached London just after sundown, brooms concealed beneath their cloaks. They would fly as close as possible to Riddle-Mansion and then walk the rest of the way since they wished to arrive unnoticed.

Their whole unit had apparated to their destination at point 20:00 hours. They had been awaited. Within seconds of their arrival the fight had started.
And under James' eyes they fell. Friend and foe alike. Curses thrown and gone amiss made pure hell out of the wilderness surrounding the mansion. Most of the bushes and trees were aflame, giving of an eerie unsteady light and making the shadows dance.
It was near impossible to walk the grounds without stumbling, either over the bodies of fighters made nearly invisible by their black cloaks, or some unfortunate animal having not fled fast enough.
James himself took no part in the fight, he was after another kind of prey. And he knew where to find it.

Severus barely kept from gagging. The stench of burning flesh was permeating the air and giving the nightmarish scenery around them a cruel reality. Impossible to distinguish the fighting men, they all seemed like devilish shadows wildly moving around in the unsteady light of the burning greenery.
Behind him he heard somebody vomiting violently. Probably his son. He couldn't fault the boy, feeling like it himself. And Harry was much more sensible for the suffering around them than he was. Upon turning he found Draco by Harry's side, holding his foster-brothers black hair from his face and then handing him something looking like an handkerchief. The boys had always been close, but Severus could feel already the change that soon would occur in their relationship and found himself approving.
When they were finally able to continue Severus led the boys into the Mansion.

What they found there was a surprising calm. The chaos outside had not yet reached these silent halls. The house was splendid. The previous owners had been very wealthy and loved to show it. It was reflected in everything around them.
Severus saw his awe reflected on the faces of his children. It seemed they could hear the past murmuring to them, demanding their recognition. Everything looked as if the owners had just gotten up and left with every intention of returning. But they hadn't and the mansion was left waiting and dreaming of things long gone past. Silently, the three intruders moved through the house, room after room they found, they all holding the same air of deep peace. What they searched could not be here they found, the house itself would not have allowed for it. So this left one option, the cellar.

Lucius came too to the sight of Voldemort and James Potter duelling. He barely swallowed the groan that wanted to wrench itself free. His whole body hurt and he had the grandfather of headaches in oversize. All he wanted at the moment was for those two morons to stop fighting and be SILENT. Sadly it was not to be. Lucius let his head fall back to the ground, from which he'd lifted it with difficulties and winced heartily as well at the impact as the next particularly loud, and in perfect unison, shouted 'EXPELLIARMUS'. Then finally it was silent. The Malfoy Lord really appreciated it.

When he came around the second time it was because of a soft hand smoothing the hair out of his face. It was his brother, who softly smiled down at him. Before he could gather his wits enough to see Severus next move or even protest as a potion was forced down his throat. A really bad tasting potion. That they always had to taste this bad. Lucius made a face. At least it showed it's effects very fast and he soon was able to get up without help. Looking around he surveyed the room and it's occupants. There were his, now dead, guards, Potter, next to him Severus, Draco and Voldemort, who was half hidden by the slender body of his nephew.

Harry looked down at the face of a man possessed by Voldemort. There was not much left of his mind, only shards here and there. Broken beyond repair. The boy sighed softly. There was nothing he could do for him, but free him from his pain. It was the other that still needed his help, even if he wouldn't' acknowledge it himself. Deep in there was a boy named Tom who called out to the healer in Harry. Leaning down he laid a, slightly shaking, hand on the mans chest and started.

Severus was too late to stop his son from whatever he was about to do. He could only watch as his child decided the fate of all wizardingkind.

Lucius had moved over to his son who was kneeling at Potter's side, seemingly trying to discern if the man was injured. A closer look showed that Draco actually was disarming the man. And a colourful collection it was that came together next to his heir. Potter sure had played safe. Only out of the corner of an eye he noticed that something was happening. Turning his head he saw it begin.

Draco's eyes took in the proof of his Harry's power. A vortex of pure lightningbright magic enveloped both the young mage as well as the body at his feet. The blonde boy was only able to follow the proceedings for a short moment before the light became nearly blinding and he was forced to turn away.

Outside the battle ceased. Everybody still able to see, was staring fixedly at the shining aureole surrounding the old Riddle Mansion. Nobody knew what it meant, only that it hailed a change. Fear started to spread and more then one, be they Deatheater or Auror, simply turned and fled, leaving behind their transfixed comrades.

As suddenly as it had begun it stopped. Only a smell of ozone in the air was left and Harry standing in the middle of the room holding a small boy in his arms, at his feet the remains of a man once known by the name of Quirrell who had been possessed by a spirit called Voldemort.

James returned to consciousness with the unmistakeable sound of an agitated voice very close to him.
"… done?"
" And how did you do it?" another younger voice. But still no real clue as to where he was. With an effort he opened his eyes, to be rewarded with the fuzzy sight of a yellowish ceiling. *Huh.*
His last memory was of the Dark Lord being thrown into a wall by his spell and his world turning upside down when he himself had crashed into another one. Then there had only been darkness and now a yellow ceiling. A yellow ceiling with blue accents and a lizard clinging to it. A blue lizard at that. It seemed to try at camouflage but had chosen the entirely wrong shade of blue to accomplish anything.
Another voice brought his attention back to the ongoing discussion in the next room. The voice of a boy, but with the edge of somebody much older.
" I did what I had to. He needed to be healed and this was the only way."
" But why…that?" Again the first voice and then admonishing. "Lucius, don't you dare to move. You still need rest."
" But Se…"
* Lucius Malfoy? What…? Dizzily James listened on.
" Just listen to him, dad. It's easier that way."
Lucius' son??? James tried to sit up abruptly only to fall back with a muted groan. His brain tried to pound its way out of his head. A blood-red haze settled before his eyes.
And again he heard that other voice.
" When I touched him, there was so much darkness. He'd become a monster, a demon. But there was something else too. The child he's once been. And it has screamed for somebody to come and take it away from the dark. To hold it and dry it's tears. This little one deserved to be saved, he never had a chance the first time around. Now he got it." The boy had sounded unsure when relaying this but in his last words was surety.
" You still haven't told us, how you did it." Lucius' son spoke again.
" Uhmmm…" Did that child sound embarrassed? "I took some body-cells and build his new body from them."
" Whose cells?" Severus sounded very suspicious and somehow James believed he had every reason to be. Slowly turning his head he opened his eyes again and tried to watch the unfolding scene. Yes, it really was Severus' son, standing there with a toddler in his arms. A toddler who resembled him greatly, which Severus seemed to have noticed as well. "Ermmm… mine?"
" HARRY!!!" Wincing James tried to cover his ears, Severus' voice could cut through bone. The scream confirmed his son's name at least. Seemed like he'd just become a grandfather. And he wasn't even forty yet.
" It's really no reason to scream, you know?" Now the boy actually sounded petulant. "You've just become a father. And to a child who's already gone dark once. He was Voldemort, for goodness sake."
James gaped.
" He isn't anymore, dad. And genetically speaking he's more like my twin than anything else. Which makes him *your* son."
Severus now gaped too, as did their silent audience.
" Congratulations. It's a boy." Here the younger Snape started grinning openly at his father.

James had fallen back into unconsciousness after that little tidbit. When he came around the second time it was more or less silent. Somewhere a child was giggling. "I see you've finally returned to land of the living."
After cautiously opening his eyes he found himself looking at Severus, who eyed him with an partly amused, partly annoyed expression. "What…"
"… happened?" Amusement won out for the time being. "Voldemort tried to crush your scull against a wall. Since you still are alive, your head obviously was harder. Which doesn't surprise me at all."
Well, the Slytherin hadn't changed at all. Severus was still insulting him. And he probably deserved it.
" How…"
"… did you get here?"
" Would you stop that? It's…"
"… annoying?" Severus smirked. "Yes it is. Why do you think I do it? As for your question, we dragged your sorry hide back here, after your little stunt."
" Why…" James stopped and waited.
And waited.
And waited.
The Slytherin obviously enjoyed himself very much.
" ..where you there?" The Gryffindor finally finished.
" To get someone back. You were just there and added to the hindrance. Be glad we didn't just leave you there. You would have deserved it for foolishly going after the Dark Lord on your own."
" You love to rub it in, don't you?"
The other man got no chance to answer. A little girl had chosen this moment to stick her head through the, *now* closed, door. Severus smirk was instantly replaced by a loving smile. "What is it, Hailey?"
And James world was plunged into an abyss. Hailey.
*Hailey*
*HAILEY*
Hailey, with brilliant green eyes and messy black hair. Hailey, who looked so much like Lily. Hailey who stood there looking at Severus with all the love a little girl might hold for her father. His little daughter. Who was alive and well… and apparently complained about a lack of attention to her person. She seemed to be hopelessly spoiled.
Finally Severus sent her off in direction of his son. It took a while longer for James to be able to formulate a few syllables.
" Th…Th…That w…was…"
"… your daughter, Potter. Yes. Please refrain from stuttering, it doesn't do well on your image. Not that anything really does, but you could at least try."
" I…I…"
Severus lifted an eyebrow.
" I thought she was dead."
" You were not the only one. That's the reason she is safe."
" Miriam?"
" Remus is just picking her up from school."
" Remus? As in Remus Lupin?"
" The werewolf. Yes. He makes a great babysitter. Even got Narcissa to calm down"
But James had already stopped listening, after hearing both his daughters were alive. All he could do was to laugh while tears streamed down his cheeks.
Severus had silently left the guestroom and closed the door soundlessly after himself. There was nothing else he could do for Potter now. The man would have to work through this himself. Later he would have to give some explanations to him, but for the time being all Potter needed was to be left alone. Silently he moved through the house to look after his family.
Lucius, who was caught in Narcissa's anxious clutches until she declared him well enough again. Which would take some time, since it was her fear which had to be abated. Still Severus would not be surprised if there would be a second child for them in the near future, now that there was peace.
Harry, who kept little Tom occupied by letting bubbles float in the air. The baby was laughing delightedly and tried to catch the colourful forms.
Hailey, who sat next to them, completely absorbed by her game. Somebody had given her a toy-car and that little Muggle-plaything seemed to fascinate her more than any magic ever had done.
Draco, who sat all by himself in the library, reading on of the old tomes Severus had brought from his childhood home. The boy was as always trying to gain knowledge. He hungered for it. Still there were questions, Severus had always refused to answer. And finally Miriam, who just skipped up the path that led to their house, followed by Remus who moved at a more sedate pace. Yes, this family of his was very unusual and thrown together by the hand of fate. But it was his and he would have it no other way, whatever was to happen in future.

Epilogue
In the end, James showed no interest in returning to England and his empty life there. He also could not bring himself to rip his daughters away from their home. To them he still was a stranger and only time would tell what kind of relationship they one day might share. So he stayed.
As did Lucius and his wife. They both had suffered too much on that isle, had been forced to bring too many sacrifices to live there in peace ever again.
And about a year later, just as Severus had predicted, there was another little Malfoy born. This time a beautiful girl with shining blue eyes and silver blonde hair, called Silvany. She looked very much like her brother had at that age. It was the first time the Snape-Lord felt old.

In England the passing of too many good people was mourned, so nobody did much care for the missing Potter-heir. Mostly it was assumed that he'd gotten disintegrated in the magic outburst that had killed Voldemort. In a quiet burial, an empty casket was lowered into the ground next to the grave of his wife and the likewise empty ones of his daughters. The only people attending were Albus Dumbledore, Sirius Black and a few business partners. He soon was forgotten.

But it would take a very long time for the wizarding world to forget Voldemorts second return. The fear of him would be reached down to the next generations, making them wary of anything new or different.

Albus Dumbledore was left to continue as the headmaster of Hogwarts and he was forced to watch how his world started to change again, how it became narrow-minded and petty.
Fewer and fewer muggleborns attended over the years, being whisked away to other schools instead, were they would be more welcome. It was known after all to the English wizards that Voldemort had been a halfblood. Who could say what those muggle-bloods would get up to? Better to send them far away and forget why they were needed so much in the first place.

Of all of them only Remus Lupin returned home. He'd enjoyed the time spend with Severus' family, but he'd been alone for too long, to be able to live close to other human beings for a longer time. He'd gotten used to the freedom of his woods and the peace they held.
Sometimes Severus or James visited him, just to see how he fared and have a quiet talk with him. He always welcomed his guests with some tea and listened while they told him about their lives and those of their loved ones, quietly enjoying these tales. Until one day, Severus found the little hut in the forest empty. Remus never returned.

Ten years after the destruction of Voldemort
" Looks unkempt, just like you."
It had taken a hard struggle for Severus and James to build something that resembled a civil relationship, and years to build an actual friendship. A friendship which in time had grown closer and bonded them stronger together until one night they had taken the very last step and become lovers. The only ones surprised at that change had been themselves, the others only had commented on how long it had taken them. And it had led to this. A little black-haired, black-eyed bundle in Severus arms. "I resent that remark. My hair looks sexy."
" It looks like a crows nest after a particularly heavy storm."
" What are you going to name him?" As always it was Draco who stopped the argument before it could escalate, and as he often did, with a timely question.
Severus opened his mouth only to be interrupted by James. "Don't you dare. Your taste in names is atrocious."
For an instant the black-eyed man looked flabbergasted. "It's not." He protested weakly. "Oh please. Harold?"
" Hey!" protested the owner of said name.
Their whole family stood around the bed and watched the unfolding spectacle with indulgent smiles. Those two never had spend a day without bickering, why should they stop now? "I'll have you know, that Harold is a perfectly fine name. It was the name of my father."
" It's old-fashioned. Next I know you're going to name him Hieronymus or something."
" Actually I thought more along the lines of Zachary."
" Sounds fine to me." This time it was Harry who interrupted them. "But Dad? You do know, that my brother is actually two years younger than his nephew?"
" It's not my fault that you decided to procreate at this early an age."
" Early? I was twenty-three. You were eighteen when you had me."
" Harry. As far as I'm concerned you're still that cute little toddler that started bawling after he fell on his diapered behind. You'll always be too young," Severus delivered, pleasantly smiling and Harry turned red.
Harry and Draco had bonded the moment they reached maturity but surprisingly waited with having children until two years ago. The product of their union was little Alexis Malfoy, who was actually not blond, as many had speculated he might be. His hair had the same inky black Harry's had and his bright green eyes held only dancing embers of his other fathers silver ones. But everybody who saw him agreed on the fact that he had Draco's facial features. He was a strikingly beautiful child and at the moment very happy to be occupied by his parents sisters.
Tom just sat next to his father and silently watched his newborn brother, contemplating things only he could know. He was a strange child, his soul bearing too much knowledge of the darkness and it's monsters.
" You know, uncle Severus. There's something Harry so far refused to tell me." Draco looked mischievous at his partner, "How do they get out? I mean the two of you are male."
Only Narcissa stayed put in her armchair, serenely smiling. She already knew the answer. Everybody else who'd heard the question leaned closer.
" Well Draco, if you were to look down there now, "Severus vaguely gesticulated towards the place between his legs, "you wouldn't find much difference to a woman." The males paled simultaneously, all three unconsciously crossing their legs and Draco staring down at his husbands crotch as if to make sure the most important parts were still there.
" See Love, I told you, you wouldn't want to know." Harry shared an evil grin with his father.

50 years after Zachary's birth

Standing together on the porch they surveyed the garden and the happy disorder reigning there. Their family. Their children and grandchildren and great grandchildren. A smile curled up Lucius lips. They were so beautiful. How he loved them.
Turning to Severus he found the same smile on his brother's face. Severus never had become a renounced potionsmaster, he'd never had had the time or muse for it. Instead he'd become a parent and friend and finally a teacher to all those who wished to gain knowledge as much as he did. Years of hard work and happiness had drawn deep lines around his eyes and coloured his hair white. And given him this air of deep inner peace that was surrounding him. This man was content with his life and everything it had brought him to. "Lucius?"
" Yes?"
" Did I ever thank you?"
" Thank me? For what?"
" For keeping me from making a rash decision. Without you I never would have been this happy. Who knows what would have become of me? Of us?"
" No, I don't think you ever did." Lucius smiled softly at the other.
" Thank you Lucius. Thank you for giving me this life."
" My pleasure, Severus. My pleasure."
And Lucius turned back to the crowd looking at his son.
Indeed, where would they have been?

Fin

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