Complications of Birth

Author: Saavik

Disclaimer: I am not making money off of this. I'd like to, but men in black suits would come and take me away.

Summary: Sequel to Contemplations of Birth and the WIP Convergence of Birth. Now in seventh year, our intrepid cast faces the ultimate test of their loyalty, strength, and sanity. A/U: Story started before Books 6 & 7, so is not compliant.

Pairings: HG/SS, HP/LM, DM/RL, GW/CC, and others

Warnings: See chapter one.

Chapter 8: Fermata

The discovery of the identities to the missing founder's heirs did nothing to improve the collective mood of the Order. Remus had joked that you could tell who belonged to the Order of the Phoenix by measuring the size of their frowns. The only people that seemed to be sporting anything resembling a good mood were the werewolf and his lover. Their happiness only made everyone else's misery reach new heights of depression.

Harry missed Lucius. Lucius missed Harry. Albus was worried about his brother. Aberforth was worried about his goat. Auto was worried about Severus. Severus was worried about Lucius, Albus, Potter, Hermione, Draco, Auto, and the world in general. Hermione thought Crookshanks had a cold. Crookshanks thought Hermione was too stressed…and the house-elves had gotten food poisoning from a bad batch of pudding. The list was endless.

It got so bad that Minerva started checking the castle for dark hexes and Poppy began handing out cheering potions after the evening meal.

Hermione and Severus were still struggling to come to terms with the vast changes to their small family. Auto and Aberforth had publically moved into the castle and taken up residence together – along with Aberforth's goat- and had taken over primary care of Deirdre, much to Hermione's relief. The Daily Prophet had a field day with the story of Auto Snape leaving his wife for another wizard. Poor Aberforth had been forced to close his pub due to all the publicity. Severus had refused to comment and the Prophet had been unable to reach Mrs. Snape either. Auto privately hypothesized that it was because Voldemort wouldn't let her out of bed long enough. Severus hadn't eaten for a week, unable to get the mental image out of his mind.

Severus would never admit it, but he missed Deirdre. It was wonderful having his father around for the first time in his life, but he'd grown accustomed to the little girl and the life she'd breathed into the dungeons. It seemed…barren without her. Having Ronald Weasley out of his chambers, however, did mitigate that somewhat. Ron had followed Deirdre to her new home and could still be found in her company most every spare minute. The Grangers were also doting on the tiny Snape/Penwrath/Dumbledore heir. The little girl was fairly blossoming under the attention and her nightmares were starting to disappear. She was getting far more talkative as well, much to Severus' distress.

Two weeks before the winter holidays Severus made his way to his father and Aberforth's quarters. He'd been making a point to stop by and see Deirdre once a day, even though Auto and Aberforth were taking good care of her. She was technically his daughter after the blood adoption and he felt some responsibility towards her. The fact that she always smiled at him and raised her tiny little arms so he could pick her up had nothing to do with his daily visits. Nothing at all.

Severus growled at two students and they leaped out of his way, all the while watching him for a clue as to what exactly was going on his private life. The students were having a field day speculating about who the little girl living in the castle was and how exactly the Snape's had come to adopt her. Their glee at having a new sacrificial lamb for the gods of gossip had done more than Poppy's potions to lift the melancholic air of Hogwarts. Rumors he was going soft after his daughter's arrival had been squashed with a delightfully amusing round of point deductions, for such onerous offenses as walking the halls with unpolished shoes, and the dire crime of forgetting to floss. After a good week the students had concluded that parenthood had done nothing to even out their potion master's temperament. As such, the sight of him hurrying down the hall to his father's room was suitably terrifying and the two students in question counted themselves lucky as they scurried away with only a glare rather than a creatively nauseating detention for loitering with the purpose of spying near what they knew was his father's quarters.

Severus glanced around quickly making sure the hall was now empty before he opened the door. The student body had been hovering outside his father's rooms with growing boldness trying in vain to catch a glimpse of his private life. Ever since his marriage to Hermione and Creevy's discovery that he did not in fact sleep hanging upside down, nor did he force his young Gryffindor bride to sleep strapped inside an Iron Maiden, the students had been itching to find out exactly what he was like after hours. Deirdre's appearance and the publicity surrounding his father had only made it ten times worse. It took increasingly sever punishments to keep their hormone ridden imaginations from casting him in some hopelessly romantic plot where he took on the role of the dashing anti-hero. He wasn't any sort of hero and he had always aspired to the arch-villain spot if truth be told. They did have the best lines and the image made classroom management a breeze.

It would do his hard won reputation as a bitter anti-social vampritic scholastic nightmare no good if a student saw the little girl rush at him calling for her "Ser'er'rus" to play another game with her. She had a liking for tea parties and he saw no harm in occasionally indulging her and her plethora of stuff animals. He did like tea and the house-elves always gave the little sprite the best cookies for the snack plates…

Severus Snape had always hated children. As far as he could tell the feeling was mutual, even when he was one.

But Deirdre didn't mind his sarcasm or his black clothes. It didn't matter to her that his hair was greasy. He was her "Ser'er'rus". For the first time in his life Severus found himself wanting the company of a child.

Deirdre may have moved in with her grandfathers, but it seemed she still wanted her adoptive father's company and Severus wasn't about to disappoint her. So few people looked up to him and the unconditional trust the little girl placed in him wasn't something he was going to forsake.

Deirdre's small feet made a quiet thumping pattern across the floor as she flew into the front room just as Severus closed the door. Her little eyes were bright with glee as she jumped to hang from his teacher's robes and he chuckled at her antics. "How was your day, Deirdre? Did you give Ronald a hard time like I asked?"

Deirdre giggled. "Yes daddy. I made him read to me over and over…"

Severus lost track of what she was saying, her second word freezing him in place. He looked up in shock and caught his father smirking at him.

"Deirdre," Auto spoke softly. "Would you give me a moment alone with your father, please?"

Deirdre frowned and stopped her long explanation of her day's activities. "But he just got here!" Auto raised an eyebrow and the little girl sighed dramatically before letting go of Severus' robes and slowly moving away. "You promise to play with me before you go?" She looked up him with pleading eyes and Severus instantly gave his word. Deirdre backed away slowly and gave a serious look at first one wizard than the other. "I didn't do anything wrong did I, grandfather?"

Severus' heart gave a sharp flutter at that and he dropped to one knee to hug the little girl. "No, precious thing. You did anything but." Deirdre looked a little uncertain but she accepted Severus at his word and went to her room without further complaint.

"Did she…?" Severus asked softly. "Did she say what I think she said?"

Auto smirked. "She's called you that in private for some time, just not to your face. I doubt she realizes what she just said. You are her father now, after all. The blood adoption is final."

Severus swallowed heavily. "She's still my niece…a niece I didn't know I had from a sister I never knew."

Auto placed a hand on his son's arm. "I can't tell you how sorry I am for all this, Severus. I never meant to hurt you. I wanted so much to tell you the truth all those years. But you know the ugly reality of duty better than anyone. I knew your mother was involved in something sinister. To keep you safe I let her have her way in your education, in your life. I gave you to her to keep her from suspecting the truth. I am sorry. I'm sorry I couldn't protect you and that I couldn't protect your sister. And I'm sorry that you have the responsibility for Deirdre now."

Severus shook his head. "You're raising her now, father. You and Aberforth are taking care of her."

"Only temporarily." Auto smiled softly. "Son, I took her so you could miss her, you foolish foolish man. Anyone with eyes could tell you took to her immediately. I just needed you to realize it." His father smirked at him and patted a stunned Severus on the back. "I knew you'd come around, Severus. That little girl loves you unconditionally. Take her home."

Auto handed Severus an already packed bag and called for Deirdre to come out, that she was going home with her daddy. The little girl bounced into the room, jumping in place, and her tiny hand grabbed onto Severus' much larger one and without any conscious thought Severus walked his daughter back to his rooms, holding her hand the entire way. He never even noticed the students staring in shock as they passed.

Hermione was in the front room, working on some project, when they arrived. She raised an eyebrow at the pair and then shook her head. "I see their plan worked."

"Worked?" Severus asked, still stunned. "What worked?"

Hermione sighed and stood up. She walked over to Deirdre and knelt down to her level. "You, little girl, are going to drive your father insane. You've made all that Slytherin logic fly right out of his head with your childish wiles. At this rate you'll have him dressing in Dumbledore's robes and eating candy in public before the week is out."

Deirdre giggled and held her arms out to Hermione. With some trepidation Hermione picked her up. She turned to Severus and smiled gently at her glowering husband. "Your father was concerned that we weren't bonding with Deirdre so he suggested that she move out for a while hoping we'd start to miss her. You seem to have fallen quite nicely into his trap. It only took you a couple of weeks."

Severus glared and crossed his arms which only made Deirdre giggle harder. "I suppose you were immune?"

Hermione sighed and set Deirdre back down. "I did figure out their plan, which evidently escaped your notice, oh wise Slytherin." Hermione turned to address her daughter. "Take your bags into your room please. I need to talk to your father alone."

Deirdre happily picked up her bag and did as she was told. She was back in her pretty room with all the purple flowers and that was all she really wanted. She'd get daddy to play later, when Her'my'o'nee was doing all that boring reading she always did.

Hermione gave another sigh as the little girl accidently slammed the door to her room causing a book to fall from the shelf next to it and land pages down on the floor. Hermione bent to pick the book up, smoothing the pages and replacing it on the shelf with a long suffering grimace.

"Severus, I'm not cut out to be a mother. I know, you don't think yourself much of a father, but you are. I'm just…not ready. I may never be. I know Deirdre needs us. I even like her. But I just can't be all that motherly. It doesn't help that she remembers her real mother. She doesn't have that many good memories of Soren so it was easy for her to accept you as her father. I'm not at all like her mother and she'd rather keep the good warm memories she has of her. I can't blame her for that and I don't want to replace your sister. Deirdre belongs here with us, but I'm afraid that I'll never be more than a somewhat distant aunt to her. I just…don't feel comfortable with her."

Severus nodded. "Do you want me to take her back to my father?" He tried not to let his discomfort at the thought into his voice but Hermione's flinch made it obvious he'd failed.

Hermione turned and sighed as she started to pick up the papers she'd had spread out all over the front room before Deirdre got the chance to get them out of order. Past experience told her that the little girl couldn't resist mangling loose papers if given the chance. "No, no I don't. Auto and I agreed that Deirdre needs to be here, with you. I can share, Severus. I'm a big girl. I just don't know how to be a mother. It may seem cold and distant to you, but I just don't have a motherly bone in my body. It's not natural for me. I have to remember she can't reach things, that she hasn't learned to read yet, that she can't understand half the words I use." Hermione sat the stack of papers down on a tall shelf. "Deirdre gets it. She's fine with my presence in her life just as I am. It's not odd to her that her 'mother' would be so…unmotherly. Children have a remarkable tendency to adapt. So she calls you her father and me Hermione. I'm not at all upset by it and it doesn't appear to be doing her any harm. I just want to make sure your all right with my not attempting to be what I'm not. I'm afraid it will leave you as the primary care giver."

Severus reached out and pulled Hermione to him, burying his nose in her copious brown hair. "I love you, child. I always will. I don't expect you to be anything other than what you are. If you are happy with this arrangement than I am content as well." He pulled back and cupped the side of her face gently. "You are an amazing creature and I am privileged to have you – motherly instincts or not."

Hermione sniffled and tried to stop a little tear from escaping but Severus caught sight of it and gently brushed it away with his thumb before he leaned down to kiss her. The stress of the last few months had put a significant strain on their relationship. They hadn't had a spare moment for one another in ages. The full moon and the transformations were another complication and Severus knew how frazzled Hermione really was. Adding Deirdre to the mix could not have been easy for her.

Hermione moaned as the kiss deepened and laced her fingers into Severus' hair, pulling him even closer. For a moment she forgot their adoptive daughter, until the little girl's giggle brought the world crashing back down on the couple.

Hermione broke the kiss and leaned her head against Severus' chest and growled. "Can I change my mind?" Severus only chuckled and pulled her closer with one arm while grabbing Deirdre with the other. It was the first family hug they'd shared and Deirdre didn't seem to mind at all that Hermione didn't think herself the motherly type.

The next morning at breakfast no one dared ask the glaring potion master what had transpired to cause Deirdre to move back in or to comment on how she'd been seen holding hands with him in the hall. He kept his glare going full force throughout the entire meal while the students snickered behind their hands. Poppy was ecstatic that the gloomy mood seemed to be lifting and Severus vowed to put a laxative in her coffee when she wasn't looking. The good mood of Hogwarts should not depend on him making a public spectacle of himself. Poppy would serve as a lovely distraction. A Hufflepuff third year squeaked and backed away from the high table as Severus grinned. Oh yes, she'd do nicely. Poppy evidently sensed the direction of his thoughts and scooted her chair further away from him. Minerva just rolled her eyes at the pair.

Hermione ignored her husband's antics and quietly confided in her friends that she wasn't thrilled to have the little one back in her hair but that she'd put up with it for Severus.

Ron spent the next few days trying to convince Hermione that she would make a wonderful mother, but she still didn't seem to agree. It became clear after another week that she wasn't about to take much interest in Deirdre and Ron was beside himself trying to come up with a plan to make the two witches bond. Ron was still watching Deirdre during his free periods and sometimes in the evenings when the Snape's were busy and he just couldn't wrap his mind around why Hermione wouldn't want to mother the little girl. Christmas was only days away and Hermione didn't seem to think it was all that important that she spend time with Deirdre. Instead, she was spending nearly every waking moment with the damn arithmancy equations she'd been working on for months along with revision for the NEWTS.

Auto and Aberforth just shrugged at her behavior. Auto was married to a cold woman and as far as he was concerned Hermione was a supernova in comparison. If she didn't want to play dolls for hours it was her business and if she raised her eyebrow disdainfully at mock tea parties it wasn't a crime. After all, little Deirdre still had Hermione reading a bedtime story every night, even if it was from chapter books and not the picture books Deirdre liked, and she had Severus doting on her in the mornings, and both sets of grandparents taking her about the castle and entertaining her during the day. Dumbledore even made it a point to visit twice a week and spoil her dinner with copious amounts of candy. She was hardly neglected. And Hermione had done nothing to be a bad mother, only a slightly indifferent one. By his estimation that made her twenty times a better mother than Severus had ever known and look how well he turned out. Ron was quite adamant that that proved his point.

Ron thought about asking his mother for advice but Harry talked him out of it. Molly Weasley was certainly a hands on mother, the only kind Ron had any experience with, but Harry assured him Hermione wasn't all that unusual. The fact that she was treating Deirdre like a younger sister was natural, Harry argued, considering the age difference, or lack thereof, and the fact that Hermione hadn't actually given birth to her. Considering how much their friend hated having her schedule interrupted, her papers moved about, her study time shortened, and the million other inconveniences living with a child entailed, Hermione was actually handling the situation rather brilliantly. Harry's voice had cracked as he admitted how much he would have given to have someone care about him as much as she did Deirdre when he was growing up. Hermione might not be mother of the year, Harry argued, but he'd take her over Petunia Dursleys any day.

The war seemed to fade into the distance as the hodgepodge dungeon family settled into their new routines. Since Auto's departure from Snape Manor there hadn't been a single Death Eater sighting. Dumbledore assumed it was because the other side was considering their position and wondering how much information Auto had been able to glean from them before he was revealed. The fact was, they'd learned nothing. But if the enemy thought they knew something it could only work to their advantage.

The Order was helping the illusion hold by milking the information Lucius was able to glean for all it was worth, acting as if they knew more than they did and showing up wherever they could to annoy the Death Eaters and spoil their plotting. There were no active engagements, but whenever two Death Eaters met, an Order member was lurking about. Lucius reported that the strategy seemed to be working. They'd been ordered to stop all clandestine meetings and the Dark Revels had been called off for the time being. Voldemort was worried and changing strategies, keeping Lucius close but uniformed. Something big was brewing, but so far the only ones with any idea what were the Dark Lord and presumably Snape's mother.

Harry hadn't thought much about the lull, taking what rest he could. He was still acting like a half-dark snarky bastard in public in an attempt to keep Voldemort thinking Lucius had succeeded in luring him to the dark side. It was hard pretending to hate Hermione and Ron. Draco wasn't a bad friend, but all the posturing that went into Slytherin interactions was exhausting for the Gryffindor. He spent most of his time avoiding all company and reading what he could on magical theory. Lucius visited when he could, trying to keep their bond stable. The headmaster even set up a special floo between the Manor and Severus' chambers so they could talk whenever Harry could sneak away. But it was hard being apart and Harry didn't like the implications of it. He wasn't frightened of the bond, and he didn't regret his choice, but it was all rather…daunting. To know that he was forever bound to another wizard, required that wizard in a physical way, his health and happiness dependent on another…it wasn't an easy thing to get use to for someone as independent as Harry. To top it all off, bonding wasn't exactly a common occurrence- it set him apart.

Harry had never liked being different and again the universe had conspired to make him so. It wasn't fair and if he thought about it too much Harry knew he'd go mad. Lucius made him happy. Part of the price of that was the bond. On the upside he knew how Lucius was doing and could tell if the blond was upset or in distress. Lucius could also sense Harry and they'd had to carefully practice reading one another from a distance. One bad test score in History of Magic and Lucius had flooed into Hogwarts thinking Harry was being skinned alive. In hindsight it was amusing how worked up Lucius had been over Harry's distress at something so common as a bad score, but it had proved that the bond could be dangerous if not controlled.

It would have helped if they'd have been able to actually communicate mentally through the darn thing, but that was only possible in close physical proximity and usually only after they'd…been close. The longer they were apart the weaker the connection was.

As such, it took some time for Harry to realize exactly why he felt off. At breakfast he thought it was because he hadn't been able to sleep the night before, thinking about too many things he had no way to control. By lunch he knew something was dreadfully wrong but for the life of him he couldn't place what. By their last class of the day, herbology, Harry felt like he'd been playing Quidditch in the rain for a week – every muscle hurt and there was this odd shakiness to his breath, almost like he'd been crying. It wasn't until he'd identified the feeling that Harry put two and two together and realized that there was something wrong with Lucius. That realization made him turn even paler.

"Potter, are you ill?" Zambini asked in a sickeningly sweet voice, mock concern etched into his features.

Harry turned to him and glared, a nasty retort on his lips, when his link to Lucius pulsed suddenly against his magical senses, a clawing sense of evil and danger pushing at Harry's very core. It hit him like the Hogwarts Express at full speed and he gasped aloud, clutching at the herbology table in front of him making Draco and Zambini jump back in surprise. Ron and Hermione made an abortive move towards him, but a quick look from Draco reminded them that they couldn't be seen aiding their "dark" former friend and they kept their distance with difficulty. Draco reached a tentative hand out to Harry's shoulder and drew it back with a hiss as Harry's magic rose to the surface, vainly trying to push back at the clawing darkness as if it was actually in the room rather than filtering through the bond. Draco clutched his burned hand and looked at Harry with wide, frightened eyes, as the Gryffindor fell to his knees.

A golden aura pulsed around Harry and the heat born of loose magic kept Prof. Sprout from reaching him, Draco's burned hand acting as a warning. Harry could dimly hear Draco calling his name over the pounding in his ears, but the panic and desperation Lucius was sending sapped Harry's ability to answer. The darkness was everywhere, he couldn't catch his breath, and the gold of his own magic was making it hard to focus on anything but the raging magics in his mind and core. Harry closed his eyes and concentrated all his energies on Lucius, focusing on any positive memory or emotion he could, directing it all towards his lover and the darkness he felt emanating from the bond. A piercing scream came from nowhere and everywhere, rattling the windows of the green house, and Harry's golden aura flared and then vanished. As the light faded Harry fell forward in a dead faint. Draco made a frantic leap and caught the Gryffindor before he fell face first into a poison leafed vine they'd been pruning. The classroom fell silent, staring at a gaping Draco holding the unconscious Harry.

"Merlin's balls." Zambini whispered under his breath. "Malfoy, what in bloody hell did Potty just do?"

Draco ignored his fellow Slytherin and slowly lowered Harry to the floor. He didn't try to stop Hermione as she rushed forward, a wandless diagnostic spell on her lips. Harry's vital signs flashed in the air and Hermione didn't stop to explain what they meant, instead drawing her wand and performing another set of complicated healing spells. She nodded once towards Ron and together they gently levitated Harry and started back to the castle. Draco caught her eye as she exited the greenhouse and silently agreed to take care of the class. Whatever had just happened couldn't be allowed to be spread by the Hogwarts Rumor Express.

Professor Sprout waved her wand to send a message to the headmaster as she quickly magiced the plants out of the way. Her patronus shot out of the greenhouse and flew towards the headmaster's tower at record speed. She eyed Draco suspiciously, but after glancing towards the quickly disappearing Golden Trio and back at the class she hitched up her robes and took off after the injured Harry leaving the class to Draco. The headmaster trusted the young Malfoy and so had Mrs. Penwrath-Snape. That was enough for Sprout, especially with an injured student to look after.

Draco closed his eyes for a brief moment and gathered his strength. Sprout was an Order member, or she wouldn't have left. Or she wouldn't have left the dirty work for him, his mind added in an angry whisper. Draco opened his eyes and raised his wand. Only Zambini seemed to realize what was about to happen.

His fellow Slytherin gave a resigned sigh. "I hope you're better at this than you are Transfiguration, Draco." Zambini muttered as he closed his eyes and let the spell hit him.

Draco could be thankful that nobody fought him at least. His Obliviate hit the class as a whole and he nodded in resigned satisfaction as everyone froze in place. Zambini's eyes snapped open and Draco planted the new memory behind his classmates' blank stares.

Dumbledore and Severus met Harry, Hermione and Sprout at the gate and a very pale Draco joined them moments later. Draco was out of breath from running to catch up and from the magical effort of doing a mass Obliviate. The new memory he'd planted showed Ron and Harry hexing one another, with Draco and Hermione joining in to defend their respective friends. Sprout had hauled them all off to the Headmaster and dismissed class. It was weak, but it would have to hold. The effort had unnerved Draco and Severus spared a moment to place a comforting hand on his godson's shoulder, his years as a spy telling him without asking what had happened. Draco had never taken well to the Dark Arts and Oblivate wasn't an easy spell for the boy.

Sprout made sure Harry was in Albus' capable hands before she rushed back to her class, throwing a nervous glance at the blond Slytherin as she went. It made her uncomfortable knowing that he had the headmaster's unspoken approval to Oblivate an entire room full of his classmates. She wanted to make sure they were all still whole before they scattered back to their common rooms. Casting a memory charm at that level was advanced magic and something she'd never have left to a student if another choice had been available. She'd have done it herself, of course, but she'd never been particularly good with memory charms….

By silent agreement they took Harry to the dungeon and opened the floo network so Lucius could come through. Dumbledore confirmed Hermione's spells and they assured everyone it was magical exhaustion and shock that had caused Harry's faint. Hermione's quick casting had stabilized Harry's magic enough that he wasn't in danger. The scar on Harry's forehead hadn't become inflamed so Severus knew that it wasn't the Dark Lord causing the boy's distress. It had to be Lucius. Hopefully whatever was wrong wasn't so horrible it would prevent Lucius from getting to the floo. They couldn't very well go after the Lord Malfoy without risking his cover. With Auto and Severus out of the picture they needed whatever intelligence Lucius could provide.

Harry woke slowly and it took several minutes for him to collect himself enough to describe what had happened. "I don't know." Harry croaked out softly. "It was so sudden. I was a little edgy all morning and then…it just hit me." Harry sat up carefully. "Has anyone called the Manor? Is Lucius alright?" Harry eyed the fireplace with concern. "He should be here by now. Something's wrong. Whatever it was started with him."

Albus nodded gravely. "It would seem that Lucius is in some distress. Your collapse would have resonated through your bond. If he was able he would have come immediately. We have to assume that he is being prevented in some fashion."

Harry nearly bolted from the couch and Hermione had to clutch his arm to stop him from going through the floo. "Harry, think for a moment. What does it feel like? Is Lucius in danger or just very upset? A thousand things could be keeping him away. For all you know he's at the Ministry or something."

Draco nodded, his eyes bright. "You can't just pop out at the Manor, Potter. What if Voldie has decided to use it as headquarters again? He can't keep staying with Snape's mum now that we know about it. He used the Manor once, he might have come back. That would have gotten father upset enough to set off the bond and keep him too busy to floo here."

Harry shook his head. "It's worse than that, Draco. I don't know what exactly, but…" Harry eyed his friend with sorrow. "Maybe we should call Remus down here. I think, whatever it is, you might want him here when we find out. I don't think Lucius is physically hurt, but whatever happened it was bad. Very very bad." Harry paused and lowered his eyes. "and Lucius did something…dark. " Harry looked at Severus, his green eyes watering. "I can't tell what it was, professor, but Lucius tried some kind of magic that…rippled, waves of darkness like…like nothing I've ever felt before. That's what made me pass out. I couldn't handle it. It was like…being suffocated by shadows. Living, sentient, shadows. I stopped him from letting them through, but he tried to fight me. He wanted to let them loose."

Albus' eyes narrowed and the elderly wizard's mouth set in a grim line. "Severus, stay here with the children. I'll go get Remus and dismiss classes for the day. Whatever has happened we'll need to be ready to mobilize the Order. I'll see what my contacts at the Ministry may know. Inform me immediately if Lucius manages to make contact."

"Sir," Harry's voice quavered slightly and Hermione held him tightly to keep him from rising from the couch in his weakened state. "Sir, please. You have to help him. I know he's just a spy to you, but please." Harry's eyes watered slightly. "I can't lose him, headmaster. I just can't."

"I know, Harry." Albus patted his shoulder and spared a sympathetic glace at the equally distraught Draco than to his grim potion master. "I know that Lucius means a great deal to all three of you boys. While I may not have a personal connection to him I do not abandon Order members lightly. Even if his role as our spy is compromised I will not desert him if there is any chance of us getting to him in time."

Draco snorted. "How reassuring." His sarcasm curled the words harshly.

Albus sighed. "We are not the Death Eaters, child. When one falls the whole is diminished. When I consented to Hermione's plan last summer I accepted your father into the Order. As such I will protect him with my life. We all will, no matter what foolish things he's just tried to do." Albus looked to Severus who nodded. "Now, there is much to be done. Harry," Albus patted the boy's shoulder again. "Stay here. Do not go after Lucius. If Draco is correct and the Dark Lord has taken over Malfoy Manor once more your arrival could undermine whatever it is Lucius has planned. Tom does not know of your bond yet. It is the one advantage we have. I'll let you know as soon as I have news."

Albus made eye contact with Severus as he exited the room. "Keep them here, Severus. I'll do what I can. You know that."

"I know it may not be enough." Severus said quietly so that the three sitting huddled on the couch could not hear. "If he dies, we'll lose Potter. That kind of bond means that the death of one will likely bring about the other's."

"I know." Albus shivered. "I know."

The next few hours were the longest of Severus' life. Remus arrived minutes after the headmaster left, his eyes flashing amber in his distress. Draco was in his arms before the door closed and Remus didn't bother with platitudes, simply holding him. When Draco's arms finally slackened, the werewolf drew him away to a corner of the room where the shadows would hide the proud blonde's tears.

Harry watched them from the couch where Hermione was still holding his hand and trying to lend him strength. A coal popped in the fireplace and everyone jumped. Harry's eyes widened for a moment and he stared unblinking at the flames till Severus thought he'd burn his corneas. Eventually Hermione caught his attention by squeezing his shoulder and he blinked, turning to her with a desperate expression. Hermione smiled at him grimly and Harry gave a weak smile back.

Severus couldn't stand to watch anymore and moved to his daughter's room to check and make sure she was still entertained by her doll house. Auto had dropped her off when he'd learned what was happening so he could help Albus coordinate the Order and Severus had charmed the dolls to mimic life to keep Deirdre distracted. She knew something was wrong with the adults and the teens in the front room but the fact that her favorite dolls were walking around re-arranging their furniture kept her distracted. Severus watched her for a moment making sure she was still entranced before he shut her door and warded it.

It took several hours for Lucius to finally stumble through the floo. Harry was up and pacing the room when he arrived. As soon as the flames flared green, Harry was instantly next to the grating ready to catch his lover as he came out. Severus made a move to stop him in case it wasn't Lucius, but before he could get there the blond fell out of the fireplace and into Harry's waiting arms, knocking them both to the ground.

Hermione gasped and Draco muttered a curse. Lucius looked horrible. His hair was a tangled mass and his robes were half undone. He smelled strongly of firewhisky and potions and he was shaking so hard Harry had to steady him on his way to the sofa.

"Harry…" Lucius chocked out. "She's gone. I found her…" Lucius looked over Harry's shoulder at his son. "Draco, I'm so sorry. I tried…I've tried so hard and it wasn't enough. It was never enough."

Draco's back stiffened. "Mother's dead isn't she?"

Lucius nodded and clutched at Harry as another sob racked him. "I tried to bring her back. I tried so hard but I couldn't do it. I couldn't pull her back. The Gate wouldn't open! I begged it to open, I offered the keepers anything, ANYTHING! But they couldn't get it open!"

Severus and Remus exchanged a knowing glance. Lucius had attempted Necromancy, that was what Harry had felt before his magic, that golden light everyone saw, had canceled it out. If Harry hadn't felt Lucius' attempt though the bond, and hadn't instinctively acted, pushed the keepers of the gate back…

Necromancy wasn't to be trifled with and in his grief it was likely Lucius could have done serious damage, perhaps ripped the gate itself allowing Merlin knew what through. If he'd offered anything to the dark creatures that guarded the gate he could have brought hell to earth.

Hermione didn't look all that surprised, Severus noted, and she had to have also figured it out. Severus couldn't tell if his godson or Potter understood what Lucius was confessing to, but it hardly mattered. Lucius had failed, thank Merlin, and Narcissa was still dead rather than a resurrected shade of herself. Potter's luck had held.

Damn golden boy.

Lucius clutched at Harry desperately, sobs wracking the older man's body. "I couldn't sleep. I couldn't stop thinking about things, worrying about this and that. I took a sleeping drought early this morning thinking I'd sleep while you were in classes, maybe visit this evening." Lucius breathed heavily against Harry's shoulder. "I slept through it, Harry. I slept through her coming in and…" Lucius sobbed. "She hung herself. 'Cissa…she…oh Merlin, Harry. She did it right there in our room…"

Draco stiffened and Remus flinched. The Black women had never been known for their subtlety but this seemed especially cruel. Narcissa had been Draco's mother and the current picture of Harry Potter comforting his father had to be nightmarish for Draco.

"I tried everything, Harry. I tried to bring her back. She didn't mean to, she couldn't have meant to. She wasn't in her right mind!" Lucius looked up at Severus pleadingly. "She wasn't sane, Severus. You know that. She didn't mean to do it. She must have been frightened. She used to think they were coming for her, the other Death Eaters. She must have thought…and she couldn't wake me and she…if I hadn't taken the potion!" Lucius shook his head and tried to gain control of his breathing. "I tried but…the healer came and he took her to the Ministry. They took her away, Draco. They wouldn't let me keep her…"

Severus made a quiet exit, taking Deirdre's hand and leading her to her grandparents' rooms so she couldn't hear any more of Lucius' ramblings before heading to Albus' office. He didn't want Deirdre to be around Lucius in his current state, or any state quite frankly, and she'd be more comfortable around Auto and Aber than the mass of people now in his sitting room. Ronald was at Quidditch practice, Harry forcing him to go, and Auto promised to stop the redhead before he walked in on the Lucius/Harry moment that was sure to still be taking place on the Snape sofa later this evening. The Weasley boy wasn't terribly comfortable with the fact that Potter was gay. Seeing him comforting Lucius Malfoy wasn't going to go over well.

Albus was waiting for Severus when the gargoyle deposited him at the door to the office. The aged wizard looked grim as he offered Severus a seat.

"I assume you are here to tell me Narcissa Malfoy has passed." Albus said quietly. "The Ministry has already contacted me. When the healers arrived at the Manor they noticed signs of Dark Arts, possibly necromancy, and the Auror Office wanted to know if I would verify before they pursued charges against Lucius."

"What did you do?" Severus asked, his voice thick. "He didn't succeed or there wouldn't have been a body."

"Necromancy is a rare gift, one we are lucky Lucius does not possess in abundance." Albus sighed. "I am one of only a handful that has ever seen it preformed. As badly as Lucius botched the bargaining spells I'm surprised the auror's were even able to identify the classification of magic preformed, let alone try and guess the actual spells. Luckily for us they couldn't piece it all together and get a clear picture of what he'd attempted, otherwise they might have detected my lie when I told them it wasn't that kind of Dark Arts. I blamed the signs on past exposure to torture at Death Eater meetings and linked it to the Blacks. I passed off the residual Necromancy aura as having to do with previous generations of Malfoys dabbling in the forbidden. Sirius is at the Ministry now swearing that as a child the Black family habitually inflicted Dark curses on each other and that he'd heard rumors Lucius' father had been a necromancer. It was all I could think to do at a moment's notice." Albus took an angry breath. "Of all the insane things to have done, that …man had to attempt to bribe the Gate Keepers with bad Necromantic spells! He could have caused the apocalypse!"

Severus couldn't help but raise his eyebrows in surprise. "You defended and covered for Lucius? Knowing what he'd done?"

"I had no choice." Albus fairly growled as he stood up to pace. "I don't like this, Severus. I don't like delivering Harry to that man. I don't like that we're dependent on Lucius Malfoy for information on Voldemort's movements. I especially do not like the fact that Harry Potter is magically bound to a Dark wizard. If I had allowed the Ministry to arrest and prosecute Lucius they'd have given him the Kiss and that would have quite literary killed Harry. I don't like any of this. But it doesn't matter what I like. Their bond is powerful and I have not been able to find a counter measure. It is the best weapon we have and I could not allow it to be compromised by Lucius' idiotic attachment to a dead woman nor the Ministry's desire to prosecute a crime that has no victim, because it failed."

Severus sat back in his chair and contemplated his old friend. "You've been acting as though this thing with Harry and Lucius was all your idea."

"Someone has to be omnipotent, Severus, or wizards get nervous." Albus sighed and sat back down heavily in his chair. "When I defeated Grindewald I accepted that responsibility. If I'd railed against their bond it would have made no difference. All I would have accomplished is to further alienate Harry. He's known so little happiness. His commitment to changing how magic is preformed, to move us towards true light and not the arbitrary standards placed on us, is a good one. He's proved today that it can work. He held the gate closed against the will of the Gate Keepers. They would have answered Lucius' call and taken his offer if Harry's magic hadn't fought them back. If the price I have to pay for Harry taking up this mantle is to watch him cavort with the Slytherin Slut then so be it."

Severus chuckled. "I haven't heard Lucius called that in years."

"I expect we are the only two who would still dare to do so." Albus smiled in a resigned sort of way and gave a tired groan as he tried to rub a kink out of the back of his neck. "I really don't know what to do anymore, Severus. This war isn't like the last one. There are no rules and there doesn't appear to be any clear objective. And now Lucius has made a mockery of the Light and I have the Order defending a Necromancer. Meanwhile, your mother and Voldemort are planning something. I can feel it my bones."

Severus snorted. "Mother. I still can't believe my mother has taken up with Voldemort. It's…nauseating."

"Imagine how your poor father feels. Aberforth told me he tried to Obliviate the memory." Albus gave a true smile then and started to relax a bit into his chair. "How is it going with you, my boy? I know we ask much of you."

Severus waved off the concern. "I am no longer spying. Not being tortured on a regular basis has made a world of difference. Hermione…is a blessing. I will admit I find her company enjoyable. And…I am finding that being a father is…a remarkably pleasant experience." Severus shook his head in disbelief. "I never would have thought I'd say that."

"You've come a long way, Severus. A very long way." Albus smiled and softly patted his friend's arm. "Deirdre has taken to you quite well. You have a family again."

Severus had to force the emotion from his voice. "I have my father with me for the first time in my life. I have a wife and a daughter. I have my godson. If you'd told me at 17 I'd ever have any of those things I would have thought you a fool."

"I still can't believe it." Sirius' Black's voice came from behind them and Albus tried to cover his surprise as Sirius stepped through the floo. He'd obviously just finished at the Ministry and had used the secret connection from Grimmauld Place to report back. "Snivelous has a family." Sirius sneered at him. "The only thing that shocks me more is that I've just lied to get Lucius Malfoy off Dark Arts charges."

Severus wasn't thinking clearly, his temper flaring the instant Sirius' voice hit his ears, his control tenuous after the excitement of the evening. "Why don't you let Harry thank you personally? I'm sure he'd like to convey his heartfelt thanks for you rescuing his lover."

"Severus!" Albus yelled but neither man heard him.

"What!" Sirius backed away from Snape in surprise. "What did you say?"

Severus smirked darkly. The chance to push Black's buttons was too much to ignore. "You heard me. The reason Albus sent you to defend Lucius was because your precious Potter heir is banging him. They are together now, Potter offering Lucius comfort over his wife's death." Severus sneered. "I imagine there will be more…intense comforting this evening."

Sirius was out the door before Albus could even raise his wand to stop him. "Severus Snape, what in Merlin's name have you done?" Albus asked in a harsh whisper. "I didn't save Lucius only to get him killed!"

Severus realized the instant the words had finished leaving his mouth that he'd made an error and that Harry, and Hermione, were likely to demand his head for this. But the sight of Sirius Black so irate was so pleasant…Severus bit back anther smirk. "Perhaps we should go to the dungeons and insure the mutt does not harm your weapon? Either of them?"

Albus glared at him but they never the less started to make their way to Severus' rooms as quickly as the old wizard could travel.

Using a few of the passageways only a Hogwarts faculty member could enter, they got there just ahead of Black. Lucius' head was resting on Harry's knee and the Boy-Who-Lived was calmly petting the long strands. Remus and Draco were in the corner where the werewolf was quietly comforting his lover, whispered words and gentle touches keeping Draco from completely collapsing. Hermione was kneeling by the hearth, trying to clean up the mess Lucius had made coming out the floo, and attempting to ignore the two couples in the room. Just as Albus started to warn the occupants of the room that they were about to have a visitor, Sirius burst into the room, the heavy door banging loudly against the stone wall.

"Harry James Potter!" The irate voice of Sirius Black echoed in the generally calm atmosphere of the dungeons and made everyone snap to attention. "What the hell do you think you are doing!"

Hermione dropped her dustpan with a metallic clang. Remus jumped back from Draco with a guilty look on his face. Albus closed his eyes with a grimace and Snape smirked even harder. But Harry barely flinched before he slowly resumed running his fingers through his lover's hair.

Harry scarcely looked up as he spoke. "Lucius is everything to me, Sirius. Please, try to see that." His voice was quiet and resigned as he said the words. "Let me have this, Sirius, it's the only thing I have that's my own." He spared a quick glance up to catch Sirius eyes and then turned back to Lucius.

Sirius sputtered. "The man is a Death Eater. He's tried to kill you! He set a basilisk loss in the school!. He's a homicidal maniac!"

Severus crossed his arms and glared at the unwanted intruder. "Careful Black. That homicidal maniac is my best friend. And since I categorize you in the same general category of mental stability you have no room to talk."

"I was what, 14 or 15? I was a kid. It was a stupid, dumb, and thoughtless prank all right? I admit it. But Malfoy has…he's done a lot." Sirius finished somewhat lamely arms out to his sides and an exasperated expression on his face.

Remus took a deep breath. "Padfoot, you have to understand something. Lucius and Harry have a lot of the same problems. What you see now is Harry helping Lucius. But I can tell you from personal experience that the man helps Harry just as much. I've come to respect Lucius as a friend. I can't expect you to do the same, but please leave them alone, at least for the moment. Your cousin is dead. Let her family grieve."

A small voice interrupted the werewolf. "She's dead. Oh god Harry, she's dead."

Harry's green eyes flickered sadly in the candle light. "It's alright, love. Narcissa has been gone for a long time. You and Draco both said so."

Lucius raised his head and caught Harry's hand in his tightly. "But…I thought that maybe someday…there had to be a way to fix her. Anything can be fixed if you just find the right…"

Harry used his free hand to brush Lucius' hair back from his face and smiled sadly. "Not everything, love. I'm so sorry." The blond started crying again.

Sirius snorted disgustingly. "Good Merlin. He's run to Harry because his WIFE died! My godson is playing the whore to a married man."

"SIRIUS BLACK!" Hermione yelled, standing up angrily and shaking the dust pan threateningly in the direction of the animagus. The room cringed as one except for the oblivious Lord Malfoy who was currently sobbing hysterically into Harry's shoulder. "You have gone too far. Lucius cares for Harry. You know as well as I do that even if Narcissa hadn't been alive when they met Lucius and Harry could never publicly announce their relationship or marry, not with the families they are from. Not to mention the Dark Lord. And if you had seen the ~Lady~ Malfoy lately you'd know there wasn't enough of the woman left to constitute a marriage. Besides the fact that it was an arranged marriage, not one either would have chosen. They were best friends nearly since birth, practically siblings! Lucius has every right to mourn for her! Harry is not a whore and I don't want to EVER hear you say such a thing again. Now get out of my home." Hermione glared daggers at Black and pointed to the door.

"I will not leave that Death Eater in the same room with my godson."Sirius growled.

Hermione growled herself in answer, her eyes flashing golden. "That Death Eater is guest in my home, Black. You are not. Lucius may have his faults, but he is my friend. Get out."

"That's the point! Harry doesn't have to be fucking the man to talk to him. You seem to get along fine without buggering him. Why can't Harry?" Black seemed almost petulant by the end of his tirade.

"I highly doubt Harry is doing any buggering whatsoever. I believe the proper term for his role in the relationship would be buggeriee." Severus smirked.

"Why you…" Black lunged for Severus but Remus stopped him. Draco meanwhile had sat down on the floor next to the chair containing Harry and his father. He was running a soothing hand up and down the elder Malfoy's back trying to help calm the man. Sirius' tirade had only made the wizard even more despondent, clutching at Harry as if Sirius would rip the boy away any moment.

Sirius wrenched himself free of the werewolf's hold and made for the door. "Fine. Just fine. I'm done with the lot of you. You've all gone mad!"

"Sirius." Harry's voice stopped the man cold. "I know you can't like this. I don't ask you to."

"He's not even mentally stable." Sirius whined without turning around.

"Lucius is what he is, I love him for that not in spite of it. I am here for him now because I know he will be there for me when I need him. You don't know how close I've come to having the same breakdown. I can't keep it at bay forever. Lucius will be there when it happens to help glue the pieces together."

"Harry…"

"Shut up and listen to me. I don't expect you to be in the room when we make love," Harry had to pitch his voice louder to cover the choking sounds from his godfather. "But I do expect you to hold your tongue in our presence. No matter what you say I intend to spend my life with Lucius, however long or short that may be. So you will either accept that or you will be the one to suffer. Don't ask me to give up a chance for some happiness, Sirius. With the war, this might be the only chance I get."

Sirius' eyes darkened and he pursed his lips tightly, clearly holding back a retort. He turned and slammed the chamber door on his way out causing a shelf of books to rattle and a few knick knacks to fall. He transformed into Padfoot several feet down the hallway, his nails clicking dangerously against stone as he started to run. Severus heard the screams of a couple younger Slytherins as they dove out of the way of the running grim.

"I'll go after him." Remus volunteered and headed for the door. "He needs some sense beaten into him."

Severus stopped him. "If anyone is going to be beating sense into Black it will be me. I've waited over a decade to do so." Severus made for the door.

"Will they be alright?" Harry asked worriedly as Snape slammed it behind him, knocking even more prickabrak off the shelf.

Remus grinned. "Severus has been dealing with an irate Sirius Black for years. They'll be fine. They might need some time in the infirmary, but they'll be all right in the end."

Harry nodded.

"I'm sorry Harry. I don't want to be trouble." The small voice of Lucius rose to Harry's ears.

"You are not trouble Lucius. Sirius will deal with this in his own time." Harry replied, smiling gently. "You've had a horrible day and he had no right to make this any worse for you. You've just lost your best friend."

"I am so tired." Lucius replied, laying his head back down on Harry's lap, still clutching at his robes. "The healers kept making me taking calming droughts and …I'm so tired."

Harry shifted slightly on the couch making more room. "Sleep love. We'll be here when you wake up."

Lucius' hand reached blindly in the direction of his son. "Tell Draco…she did love him. I swear she did. Even in the end…"

Draco sniffled, tears running down his cheeks. "I know father. I've always known."