Never Too Old

Something a little different for me but a bunny that pounced me and had to be written.

Dedicated to TrustSnape, because this, and the sequel that I'm working on, are all her fault! Enjoy!

Warnings: this story DOES contain corporal punishment, but NO slash. Read at your own risk. You have been warned and flames will be ignored.

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Two dark heads bent over the parchment, two quills moving, two scowling faces looking less than thrilled with the situation.

"We are too old for this!" the younger occupant of the room declared.

"We are too old for a lot of things, but they seem to happen regardless," his companion commented.

"You should be able to do something."

"Me?? Why me??"

"Because you are older."

A distinct snort was the first answer to this ludicrous statement before a more verbal one followed. "That means very little with THEM. Besides, you have more knowledge of certain other aspects than I do."

"Perhaps if we combined our knowledge," the younger voice held a tiny spark of hope until his companion's eyes turned to regard him.

"I believe you are forgetting what lead us here to begin with, are you not?"

With a resigned sigh, the dark head gave a slight shake and attention was reluctantly turned once more to the parchment.

The quiet of the room was for some time unbroken other than the scratch of quills on paper and the all suffering sighs of two young ones being punished. At length it was the elder of the two that spoke.

"How many have you done?"

"Nearly the required three hundred. You?"

"I only have four more."

"Remember they have to be neat."

"I know that! I have done this enough times."

"At least it is not an essay."

"True. Those require much more thinking than simply writing lines."

"Exactly. This way is more tedious. We simply die from boredom without straining our brains."

"This is not boredom, my friend. True boredom is being made to stand in the corner."

"The idea was for you to be thinking of the words as you wrote them, not talking," a new voice cut in from the doorway.

Two sets of eyes met and the older now took the lead. "We were. . .sir."

"Hmm, it did not seem thus to me. Perhaps the corner would be a better choice so that you may think over things." At the widened eyes, the speaker considered it for a moment and then said thoughtfully, "Or perhaps if I was to go back to the other room when I return I would not hear any talking and only see two boys doing their lines as they were instructed."

The two dark heads nodded vigorously and the tall figure left the room, not allowing a smile on his face until he had closed the door separating the schoolroom with the study adjoining it.

"Well?" The lighter haired gentleman looked up at the return of his friend.

"Complaining as usual." The tall figure took his seat. "Though I believe they are nearly done. So we should be able to finish our drinks and then see to our young ones."

With a chuckle the twinkling eyed man gave a nod and sipped his tea. "One would think that by now they would have learned not to complain with you in the next room, my friend. They have to have known you would hear even if I did not."

"One would think that by now they would have learned a great deal. Obviously they have not."

"That is also true. I still can not believe they thought it would work."

"Believe it. I well know my little boy when he is in a mood."

"Indeed. And when the two of them get together. . ." the speaker trailed off with a shake of his head.

"Then it proves dangerous for all concerned. And most especially for the two young ones."

Eyes met as each thought of the prank which had led them to this stage of things. It was very fortunate that the tea had been discovered before either of them had had a drink. Otherwise they would have been looking decidedly different. And both agreed purple hair was not what they desired.

Back in the schoolroom first one quill was laid aside and then shortly thereafter the other.

"Well, now what?"

"Now we wait. As usual."

"I really wish there was no 'usual' to this sort of thing."

"It seems to occur all too frequently when we are together," the older of the duo agreed.

"Yes it does. I seem to work better alone at this sort of thing."

An eyebrow arched at that. "Then by all means do it on your own from here then. I have no wish to go through this again."

"Ah, but you will go through it, little boy," a voice cut in.

"Bloody hell. I wish he wouldn't do that. He can sneak up on someone too easily being so quiet," the younger of the miscreants whispered.

A quick smack to the back of the dark head reminded the young one that the same being could also hear even whispers when in the same room.

"I assume that you two are now finished with your work?"

"Yes, sir," two voices answered.

With a nod the imposing figure motioned to the door. "Then you will join us in the study."

With nearly matching sighs, two dark haired figures rose from the desk and walked reluctantly through the portal to what they was sure would be their concluding doom in this matter.

"Oh good, you have finished."

To the two who stood rather nervously in the center of the room the voice was a bit too cheery, not to mention the smile and the twinkle from the eyes.

"Is there anything that either of you wish to say before we proceed?" The stern question came from the tall figure who was now standing at the corner of the desk, arms crossed.

There was rather a lot they wished to say, but as the accused met eyes and then looked back at each of their judges they knew better than to voice the thoughts. Two heads gave a slight shake.

"I see." The blond figure studied the pair who were now regarding the floor in apparent fascination. "And do you still maintain that purple was a regal color of which we should have been proud to wear?"

It was impossible. Even with the lecture they had already received, the angry looks, the lines, the threat of more punishment. . .the question did them in and thus sealed the pair of mischief makers fate. They both snickered.

"Might we assume that response to be 'yes, sir, we do'?" asked the white haired gentleman as he looked over at the boys.

"Um, well. . ."

"Really, Severus, you are usually more articulate." The Headmaster held back a slight smile at the way the younger wizard was shifting nervously.

Not when I'm in a situation like this! The Potions Master thought to himself, but he answered, "Sorry, sir."

"I am still waiting on an answer," reminded the other elder in the room, his eyes on his own young charge.

Grey eyes lifted and before he could fully think, let alone stop himself from the childish response it was blurted out. "It was Severus' idea!"

"Elrond!" The one word conveyed disbelief as well as disappointment as the speaker shook his head. "You know better than blaming another for something that you are just as much at fault with, pen-neth."

With a sigh, Elrond nodded. "Yes, Glorfindel. I apologize. It was my fault as well."

"Indeed it was and you shall each answer for your part in this. The very idea of a mixture of potion and herbal tea that would change hair color." The Vanya scowled at both younger ones.

"It would have gradually returned to normal," Severus put in. "Though the herbs Elrond supplied did help with the setting of the color." He couldn't help but give his fellow prankster a slight grin. Without the elf's help the potion would have worn off after only four hours. Had they been able to get Dumbledore and Glorfindel to drink the tea, there would have been two rich purple heads of hair for a full twelve hours.

Glorfindel gave the younger elf lord a stern look and commented. "I plan to set some color of my own shortly."

Elrond swallowed and dropped his eyes. At least his wouldn't be as readily visible as Glorfindel's hair would have been, he thought to himself, trying to take comfort from that fact.

"Yes, I believe it is time I performed a bit of color changing magic myself," Dumbledore agreed. "Severus, come here please."

With a sigh, the younger wizard moved over to stand beside the Headmaster. The dark eyes widened however at the sight of Dumbledore lifting a well worn paddle from beside his chair. "Sir, it was only a harmless joke."

Elrond looked from the two wizards to Glorfindel. He knew the paddle in Dumbledore's hand well considering it normally resided in his own desk drawer! "Glorfindel. . ."

"I did not think you would mind if Professor Dumbledore borrowed it, young one. After all, my own will be occupied." Here the golden elf retrieved his paddle from where it had been out of sight on the desk chair. Taking a seat, he patted his lap and bid, "Come here, Elrond."

"And I suppose it would have been too much to think that you two could have just borrowed Erestor's ruler," Elrond muttered as he went over to the older elf.

Glorfindel quirked an eyebrow. "Continue with that attitude, little boy, and I can use both," he warned.

Deciding now would be a good time to exercise a bit of his wisdom, Elrond remained silent.

Dumbledore now spoke, addressing not only Severus' comment, but including both boys in his statement. "What you did might have been harmless for the most part, but it was a childish prank to two people who have little to no love of such things. Something you are both aware of. It was childish and will be dealt with as such." Returning his full attention to the young wizard beside him, he said in a quieter voice, "You know what I expect, Severus."

Face flushing at all the comments, but most especially the last one, the Potions Master nodded. "Yes, sir." With reluctant fingers, Severus unfastened his trousers and pushed both them and his underpants down before bending over Albus' lap. Merlin how he hated this!!

Glorfindel studied Elrond's face as the younger elf looked down at the floor at Dumbledore's words. He knew his young one was ashamed and regretting his part in all this, but there still had to be consequences. "Leggings down, Elrond," he ordered quietly.

Without a word of protest or otherwise and only a resigned sigh, Elrond slipped his leggings to his knees and bent over the waiting lap. Valar how he hated this!!

All too soon the only sound in the study was that of wood cracking down on tender flesh as two mentors set about teaching their wayward young ones a lesson that had apparently been forgotten.

Neither Elrond nor Severus wanted to be the first to give in and thus it was that after a dozen good swats had been applied to each upturned backside, Glorfindel and Dumbledore exchanged looks across the room. Both knew just how stubborn their young ones could be. Shaking their heads slightly at the foolishness they had to put up with each punisher returned to his task with renewed vigor and a slightly different approach.

"Is this how you show your appreciation for being allowed to come here for a visit?" the Headmaster scolded as he applied the paddle firmly to Severus' undercurve. "You seek to do something that would result not only in my being made to look foolish but also involve Lord Glorfindel in your mischief?"

"It. . .it was only supposed to be for fun." Severus despised how his voice cracked slightly and he could feel the sting of tears in his eyes even as the paddle added heat to his rear and the words of quiet condemnation cut into him. "I meant no offense to Lord Glorfindel."

"Yet it would have been given," Albus remarked as the wood struck hard on the tender sit spot. "You know better, Severus. Jokes and pranks normally do not reflect well on either those who are the would be victim or the ones who came up with the bad idea in the first place."

Severus couldn't stop the small yelp at the harder swat to his lower bottom and once it was out, the young man knew any chance at stoicism was all over. Tears soon followed as the paddle continued to impress on him the foolishness of his actions in a more physical way than the verbal reminder. However it was more the words than the pain in his backside that first reached through and broke the defenses of the dark haired wizard. He hated feeling the disapproval from Albus; from the one he wished to make proud of him and continued to let down repeatedly in some fashion.

Behind the desk, Elrond had clenched his jaw in an effort not to make a sound as Glorfindel started in on his lower bottom with fierce whacks. He had had worse, from this same elf, and he could and would endure now, regardless of the intense sting.

"What were you thinking, Elrond? Attempting to pull a prank that would be cause for humiliation on the part of a guest?!" The Vanya smacked the paddle down sharply on first one thigh and then the other, noting the slight squirm it caused from the recipient.

"It wasn't meant to humiliate him, Glorfy," Elrond protested through slightly gritted teeth.

"Professor Dumbledore is a guest, not to mention a friend, and you know better than treating him with such disrespect, little boy." The spanking now moved to the sensitive crease where bottom and thigh met and there it stayed as Glorfindel continued to speak. "I am disappointed in your behavior, Elrond."

The last comment hit the younger elf harder than the paddle and hurt more than the wood branding his bottom. Tears slipped out and after another hard smack a yelp was heard, coincidentally a mere second after one from the other sore bottomed young one on the other side of the room. Elrond could take many things without a flinch. Bearing the thought of disappointing the elf who now held him tight over his lap wasn't one of them. A whimpered, "I. . .I am s. . .sorry, Glorfy," heralded the acceptance of the deserved punishment. Elrond lowered his head and cried as Glorfindel proceeded to make his displeasure with his lord's actions very well known.

For another few minutes strong arms doled out the necessary discipline to two sobbing, sore young ones before it was all over. Paddles were laid aside, clothes returned to normal positions, and both Severus and Elrond found themselves lifted and settled in the laps they had been face down over only a scarce moment earlier. Loving hands rubbed trembling backs and smoothed through raven hair, offering comfort as much as the quiet words that were spoken.

"Hush now, my child. It is done and you took it very well," Albus soothed his armful of contrite young wizard.

Severus, resting his head on Dumbledore's shoulder, face half hidden, got his crying under control enough to manage words that were not too terribly broken by sobs. "I'm s-sorry, sir. Tr-truly!"

"I know that, Severus. And it is all forgiven now, my child."

Nodding, Severus hugged the older wizard tightly. "Thank you, sir."

Glorfindel looked down at the dark head buried against his chest and smiled to himself as he spoke gently to his repentant young one, "It is alright now, pen-neth. You have been punished and forgiven."

The tears had nearly stopped and Elrond took a last deep slightly tremulous breath before raising his head and looking up at the older elf lord. "I am sorry, Glorfy. I have not behaved as I should."

"No, you have not," the Vanya commented, tucking a strand of raven hair behind one of Elrond's ears and then wiping a tear from his young one's face. "But that has been dealt with and you will not be repeating it, will you, little boy?"

Elrond shook his head. "No, sir."

The golden head nodded as Glorfindel gave Elrond a squeeze. He held the younger elf for several more minutes before looking down at him. He knew that Elrond would not have to be reminded of what needed to come next to end things and in all honesty he did not think Severus would need it either. The thing now was to allow both boys to reach the point where they had had enough immediate reassurance to finish things.

Severus squirmed slightly on Dumbledore's lap. He was feeling a bit better for the most part and his eyes sought Elrond only to find his friend looking back at him. As black eyes met grey the two seemed to share an unspoken acknowledgement. Without a word to their mentors, each younger one slid from the arms that held them and crossed the room.

As they passed each other Elrond and Severus reached out and give each other a firm squeeze on the shoulder and each managed a watery smile before proceeding on to their destination.

Dark eyes looked up at the golden elf lord as Severus apologized, "I am sorry about the attempt to change your hair color, Lord Glorfindel. It was a foolish thing to do and I regret my actions."

"You are forgiven, young one," Glorfindel stated with a smile as he pulled Severus into a hug. "Just be certain to remember this lesson in the future. I rather like my hair as it is."

"Yes, sir." Severus grinned as he returned the hug.

"Professor Dumbledore, I apologize for my lack of manners and the disrespect that was offered to you by the foolish prank which was attempted," Elrond offered to the wizard. "It will never happen again and I assure you, sir, that I never meant to be disrespectful."

Albus chuckled, his eyes twinkling as he put his arms around the young elf lord and held him close. "Oh, child, I well know that you did not mean the disrespect. I freely forgive you for your mischief."

"Thank you, sir." Elrond smiled and embraced the white haired human.

"Now that this unpleasantness is finished, I believe I would enjoy a walk," Dumbledore commented. "Who would like to join me?"

The others all agreed and soon four figures were strolling slowly through the gardens of Imladris, the pace partly to enjoy the flora and partly because of two aching backsides.