Growing Legacy

Chapter 10

Today was the day of the second task, today was the day his son would be facing of with a damn Peruvian Vipertooth dragon. Severus had not slept well, or at all, he did not think. If he thought his anxieties had been high during the last task…it was nothing on his stress levels now. Why had he allowed his son to talk him into this? Why had he come here at all? He should have kept Harry in St. Lucia where he was safe and happy.

"Up already?"

Severus froze, heart leaping at the unexpected sound, he had not done such a thing in years. "Talin, I wouldn't suggest giving me any further frights, I'm not sure my magic or my heart could take it." and if his magic reacted…it wouldn't be a little slip up, it would be a full out defensive spell.

"My apologies," Talin commented, "I, too, find myself rather anxious," he confessed as he took a seat next to Severus.

"Indeed," Severus agreed, not at all surprised, "I do believe my son would be here with us if I had not given him a sleeping aid," a dreamless sleep draught, he needed a good rest, he was facing a damn dragon, he needed full concentration.

Talin merely smiled a little, "It was the best decision all around," Talin agreed with the decision, "The last thing we need is to see Harry facing a dragon sleep deprived." He wouldn't be surprised if the others had done the same thing for their champions.

"I could strangle the idiot," Severus sniped, referring, of course, to Durmstrangs Headteacher, who had thought it smart to demand Dragons as his task in the tournament. Karkaroff would pay, one way or another, he had many ways to torment someone that wouldn't lead to him being directly blamed.

"I do not blame you," Talin breathed out shaking his head, pouring a coffee for himself, leaning back. It was six o'clock in the morning, in a few hours Harry would be going out to face a dragon. "Should we back out?" Talin's greatest fear was Harry being hurt in this blasted tournament. "It's not worth the risk." Not anymore.

"Number one, Harry wouldn't allow it, number two, he cannot unless he's injured due to the stipulations of the contract…" Severus trailed off, "As much as I would prefer it this way, the moment Harry put his name in the goblet it was sealed." If he'd known what one of the damn task would be…he would have prevented it. He's idiotically thought that with it being the first time back with a younger student in the mix they wouldn't risk it.

Talin sighed, "Yes, you're quite right," stating the obvious, slowly sipping on his coffee, wishing it was something stronger. He refrained, however, he needed a clear head today, he would also speak to the guards who were watching after the Dragons to ensure they truly knew what they were doing and make sure they were prepared if anything happened. it wasn't just dragons they were dealing with either, it was mother dragons with their eggs. When he'd found out that little titbit, he had gone utterly pale then reprimanded the lot of them for their actions.

He'd left them stewing in their own guilt, and returned immediately to the cabin to inform Severus.

"A Peruvian Vipertooth," Severus groaned quietly, clutching his head in his hands, his young son was going to be facing a damn dragon in the morning. The urge to pack up and just leave was strong, Harry would live well enough without his magic…but he couldn't do that to his son, it had the potential to kill him but so did the dragon.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place.

Not even his spying days had been this stressful, and he loathed the feeling back once more.

"I have a feeling Harry will surprise us," Talin said, trying to give him some comfort, Harry was like a son to him, and he shouldn't have favourites but he was most certainly one. He cared for all his students of course, but he was closer to Harry. "He always finds ways to surprise everyone," he was such a smart, intelligent, devious child, but what can one expect when they were raised by Severus? There could not have been any other option.

Severus inhaled sharply, a dry chuckle leaving his lips, but it was not an amused chuckle at all. "He does that," completely agreeing, he would be keeping a keen eye on the proceedings and if any sign of his imminent danger…he would interfere regardless of the consequences.

Both wizards remained silent as natural light began to spill into the cabin, as daylight did its inevitable and emerged, chasing the bite of darkness away. It was just regretful that neither were particular pleased or happy to see the dawn as one normally would. They wished for just a while long for it to remain dark… to give them more time to prepare for what was coming next.

Unfortunately, there was no delaying the inevitable.

"I suppose I best get breakfast started to," Talin said, everyone would be hungry, with the possible exception of himself, Severus and Harry. Just as he stood, a ping alerted them to the mail being passed through the Floo Network.

"I'll get it," Severus murmured, standing up, his bones beginning to ache after the length of time he'd sat in the same position tense and alert. He prayed to a god he didn't even believe in that his son survived this task. Perhaps there was a reason parents weren't normally at this sort of thing with their children, not that they were meant to be children when one entered into these things.

The pile was quite high, despite the mirror conversations, parents were still writing to their children. Which pleased Severus immensely, to know that they were truly loved and cared for. He'd seen too many cases of abuse, and became ultimately familiar of the results, and potential results.

His own past notwithstanding.

Wandering back into the kitchen, flipping through the mail, placing his own at his spot on the table, Talin's on his and the students ones in the middle for them to collect themselves. They would be up as soon as they smelt breakfast.

"It looks like Luna's results have come in," Severus added, "Why have they not gone straight to her?"

"They have, this is a copy, I suspect," Talin explained easily, "Then a decision will need to be made whether she could cope with the immense workload she'd find herself in. As far as I am aware she hadn't studied even basic Non-magical history which is mandatory along with quite a few other classes."

Severus couldn't help but snort quietly, "Quite a few other classes?" he echoed, "How about a few dozen?" albeit she didn't need to take them all, of course, but she did have to take so many classes. "As smart as she is, she's definitely not up to graduating with the rest of the students at the end of the year." There was just no way.

"No," Talin agreed pensively, as he absently turned the bacon and other breakfast foods with a flick of his wand. "You're quite right, she'd need a lot longer than that to acclimatise. I do wish to help her, but I cannot do that if she won't be able to cope with the workload." She was desperate to join them, anything to get away from Hogwarts. She hadn't said anything of course, but he could see it in the way she clung desperately to the hope of a fresh start elsewhere.

"In the long run it could cause a lot more damage," Severus agreed, the mental breakdown of such an immense heavy workload she wasn't used to, could be crippling and wasn't to be sniffed at.

"Yes, it could," Talin agreed, fondness enveloping him, his friendship with 'Septimus' had gotten him through a lot of tough times, and continued to do so now. He was glad that Severus had came here despite his reluctance. He didn't want to be too close to Dumbledore after all. "I'm glad you're here," he told Severus sincerely, he would have been a mess if he wasn't, somehow there was something grounding about having someone knowing you so well, something he hadn't had since his wife passed away.

"I wouldn't be anywhere else," Severus stated, and just like that the students began to trickle in, the smell of breakfast and excitement about the next task having them up a little earlier and without the usual 'five more minutes' they liked to mutter while still half asleep.

"Morning Headmaster, Mr. Regis," came the excited but subdued due to sleepiness voices of the students, as they began to slide into their seats, three noticeably absent.

Harry and two of his best friends, before Severus could get up to check on his sons wellbeing, he heard laughter drifting from the room. Severus relaxed, well, it seemed as though he was doing well, he was pleased, quite frankly he honestly wouldn't know what to say to ease him if he was terrified for he was beyond terrified himself.

It did not help matters that Harry hadn't discussed potential ways to get through the task. Nowhere he had heard him anyway, he'd feel a little better about this if he knew Harry's strategy.

"Morning Dad, Headmaster!" Harry chirped cheerful enough, as he and his best friends slid into their seats, with Luna as always, a shadow beside Harry. Harry's familiar was never far from his side, they'd never spent more than a day apart.

"Good morning," Severus replied, giving his son a small reassuring smile.

"So, do you have a plan?" Deacon asked, before anyone else could speak, merely asking what was on everyone's mind, including Severus'.

Talin cleared his throat, "Arms off the table," he stated, flicking his wand and the food was quickly plated and set in front of the students. "And let Harry eat his breakfast first," he scolded them lightly.

"But…you have a plan right?" Sophie asked, not deterred by her headmasters light reprimand.

"I do," Harry agreed, giving a cheeky grin, hiding his apprehension, he had no idea how it would all go down, but he was determined to see it through. His school deserved international recognition, unlike Hogwarts his school offered much more and didn't tolerate a lot that Hogwarts seemed to.

"Oh! Come on! You have to tell us!" they heartily complained as they all dug into their breakfast.

Harry didn't join them in eating greasy food, instead he helped himself to toast. His stomach was much too full of worms – figuratively of course – to endure a greasy meal. The constant swooping of his stomach when he actually thought on what lay ahead…did not help matters either. He was absolutely terrified, but he could see his dad was too, so was trying desperately to put on a brave front.

He reckoned his dad wasn't buying it judging by the look on his face.

"You'll see soon enough," Harry commented, it sounded so stupid and childish really…but he couldn't think of anything else that would help him accomplish his mission of getting to the egg. The others probably had better ideas, but Harry didn't mind, he was going with what he thought would be the best way. If he avoided turning into Dragon food or worse…burnt to a crisp then brilliant.

"Hey, did Luna say anything about coming down?" Alexis questioned, after swallowing a mouthful of food. "Or is she meeting us at the pitch?" she hadn't thought to ask, Luna had been spending most of her time with them. Glancing around, everyone shrugged, mouths too full to talk, clearly they didn't know either.

"I think she's probably going to meet everyone there," Harry commented, "She'll be waiting for her owl." Probably with impatience and worry too. If she didn't pass she probably would avoid them, he reckoned.

"We'll watch out for her," Sophie reassured him, "Don't worry," they weren't about to let those girls continue tormenting her, why she let it happen they did not know.

"Great!" Harry said, because if he found them bullying Luna one more time…he was going to make sure they regretted it for the rest of their lives. He detested bullying, probably a by-product of his father's own distaste for any form of abuse or bullying.

Severus did not like the prospect of losing his son to a girl so soon.

Talin chuckled quietly, giving Severus a knowing look, well aware of his thoughts. He'd gone through them twice himself, once with his daughter and of course…with his son. He still had a son too young for girls and would likely go through it again when he found himself a partner.

He was glared at – albeit half-heartedly – in return.

"It's nearly time, go and get dressed," well aware of how long it took them and taking it into account. Luckily, none of the girls were dressing up, no, they were putting on warm clothes and hats, scarfs and gloves as the weather rapidly declined further still. The snow still clung everywhere, still caught in the throes of winter.

The only three that did not stand to leave were Harry, Dylan and Josh. They were quite plainly and clearly already dressed for the day. Perhaps the reason they had been a little later than everyone else.

"You be careful, do you hear me?" Severus stated firmly, staring directly at his son. "Be cautious, smart, fast and deliberate in every action you take."

Josh and Dylan shifted, the tone of voice, the warning behind it, the way he spoke. It always rattled them. They were so glad that their own fathers didn't do that, but for Harry…it was water off a ducks back.

"I promise," Harry said sincerely, nodding his head, "I won't take any risks,"

"Good," Severus replied, it didn't ease his anxieties, he would only relax once this blasted tournament was over with. "I'm going to end up grey before this is over," he muttered out loud to himself.

Harry, Josh and Dylan looked away, lips pursed as they tried desperately to refrain from laughing. "We…will just…you…know…go," scrambling outside grinning like lunatics the entire time.

"Well, I'm glad to see he's enjoying himself." Severus said dryly, shaking his head when the door closed behind him.

Talin coughed, "He wasn't the only one amused," he had found the prospect entirely too entertaining as well. "It's good to see him getting some enjoyment before the reality slaps him in the face." and it would, without a doubt.

In less than an hour maybe two, depending on which order, Harry would be face to face with a dragon.

"I did it! I did it! I did it!" Luna called out to Josh, Dylan and Harry as she ran in their direction, waving a letter back and forth, her entire face flush with happiness and exertion having been running all the way from the Great Hall. "I did it! I did it! I did it! I passed!" she puffed out, stopping just shy of their personal space, almost hopping on the spot, the massive grin on her face speaking volumes.

"Whoa!" Josh said, taking the letter from her, staring at the results, "Ninety-five percentile," he said, showing it to his friends, "That's…really good," and it was, especially for someone so behind compared to them.

It just proved she was being wasted at Hogwarts.

Grande Riviere magical school was definitely where she should be expanding her potential.

Don't worry I won't make you wait as long as before for an update...since I'm updating (trying to) every day I'm going to try and do it in order, so that each story at least gets an update for as long as I can do it anyway :D I always try but end up failing at one point when the desire to update something else intrudes lol well, there we go! Luna succeeded BUT as you'll have deduced it's not definitive, Talin will need to decide if she can do it...before he accepts her as a student at GR magical school! So how will Harry fight his dragon? distraction? cloak? broom? so many ways it can go! R&R please