Chapter Ten: Names

When James saw the two come out of the restaurant he dragged Sirius and Remus over so they could port key back. Once back on school grounds he watched Remus and Alex go off to tell the Headmaster of their return and Sirius simply went back to the dorms sleepy. Turning he looked at Severus and saw the bottle he had crawled in his arms, "He bought you Chambord?" getting a nod he blinked rapidly.

"Why is that such a big deal?" Severus asked he knew why but wanted to see James' reaction. He had hid the bottle carefully until it was just him and James.

"That costs a small fortune, I've sipped it once and Father would not buy the bottle just a glass for himself and…" seeing the smirk he glared playfully, "You prat you wanted to see me freak out!"

"Yeah I did, hey you set me up least I get is a freak out," Severus said before starting towards the castle, pausing he glanced over his shoulder, "Thanks by the way," and continued leaving a shocked James behind him. Once down in the dorm he admired the bottle while sitting in a chair he adored.

"Dear Merlin where did you get your hands on that?" Lucius asked eyes wide. He had been walking by when he saw the bottle in the others' hands.

"I bought it for him," Alex said as he walked in the door and looked at the chair Severus was in, it was the chair he had claimed in the future, "Dumbledore knows you have the bottle and he asks that I not get you and the others drunk too often, something about not using my title so carelessly. Stupid prat."

Lucius saw the slight gleam to Severus's eyes as Alex spoke and as soon as the young Prince waved and wandered off he sat across from the other teen and said calmly, "Severus you know he can have anyone he wants right?" getting a nod he smirked, "He is rather cute…" seeing those black eyes narrow his smirk broadened slightly, "Let the games begin my friend," and he walked off.

At breakfast the next day Alex was annoyed as he read over his schedule; it seemed he was being treated special because of his royal title. For his schedule read as: Permitted to any class, all teachers are on notice and will not mark as late.

"Crazy old codger can't even get my schedule right," Alex mumbled in annoyance as he grabbed both Severus and Lucius's schedules to look them over and he wrote on the back of the paper he had been given marking which classes both boys had together and apart before moving and startling the hell out of everyone by walking over to the Gryffindor table.

"Hey Alex," James greeted as he held up his schedule as he had seen what the teen had been doing over at the other table, "Had fun yesterday."

"Thanks," Alex said snagging the trio's schedules he came up with a schedule of his own before sighing and whispering so only the three could hear him, "Merisel want to go shopping again so don't plan anything for the weekend," before he headed up to the Head Table and handed the Headmaster the schedule, "Approve that and inform the teachers I'll be in those classes at those times, also stop acting like I'm so bloody important I am a teenager."

"You are a Prince," Dumbledore pointed out as if that meant the teen deserved special treatment, "And should be respected as such."

"Fine we'll do this the regal way," Alex said before straightening his shoulders and taking the stance of someone to be followed, "As the ninth Prince of Caine I demand that no Professor treat me any different then the other students unless I warrant it by means of proving myself!" Seeing the shock he smirked at the old man, "Happy I found a way to compromise."

The students who had heard were in shock why would the prince decide he wanted to be treated like everyone else and why was he so adamant about it? When Alex sat down at his table again to finish his breakfast he glanced to either side as he felt a heated look exchange between the teens at his sides. Severus and Lucius seemed to be glaring at each other discreetly. Glancing at Severus he could not help but think the other teen adorable with the glare even.

By the time he made it to his first class which was Defense Against the Dark Arts with all five of the other teens he sat at a middle table with James while Lucius and Severus sat to their left and Remus and Sirius sat to their right. The Professor's had all taken to enjoying the teen who did not seem to want to use his title to breeze by in the class so the Professor Gravis did not really bother with anything such as bowing or what not. Instead he went into a speech about Patronus's and the use of them.

Half way through the class Alex's eyes fell shut and he dropped back in his seat obviously asleep. James elbowed him a couple times and all he got was a grumble so the Gryffindor looked at Severus and shrugged. "Mr. Damon," called Professor Gravis causing Alex to jerk and look at him, "Since you seem so enthralled by my speech why don't you show us a Patronus."

"Alright," Alex said covering a yawn as he sat up he lifted his wand and mumbled half asleep, "Expecto Patronum," a silver stag came barreling at the Professor and Alex saw the shock before laughing softly and muttering under his breath, "Bet he can't even summon one."

"I can so!" Professor Gravis snapped which made Alex raise an eyebrow at him as if saying prove it, yet the man just growled, "You don't want to be treated like a Prince so how's this for you dentention tonight, seven my office."

"Fine with me," Alex said dropping back to his seat he did not see Remus, Sirius and James gawking at the stag in shock as it looked just like Jame's animagus form. Severus and Lucius were both impressed and watched as Alex simply relaxed back into his seat as if nothing had happened.

"Brat," Gravis grumbled before going back into a speech about the uses of the Patronus. It seemed Alex had made an enemy already.

When they got out of class Alex was about to walk over to Severus when Remus tugged him back into a shadowed part of the hallway. "Where did you set the form of your Patronus?" James asked as Alex was pulled into view of him and Sirius.

Pausing Alex thought back and suddenly felt like smacking himself, 'How could I forget my father would obviously recognize his own bloody form, geez,' he thought before lying smoothly with, "When I was eight a stag came and protected me from a wolf, he's always been my guardion animal."

"A stag…" James said before blinking he could not believe how close to a resemblance the patronus had to his Animagus form, "Saved you?"

"From a wolf," Alex finished blinking at them before saying, "Why do you seem so odd today?" he would pass it up like James was the odd one not him.

"I just…what are you doing tomorrow?" James asked. He would show their new friend his secret to explain why he was startled.

"Hmm, if things go as they have I'll probably have detention again," Alex said before watching Sirius grin and Remus smack his forehead, roling his eyes he sighed, "I'll stay out of trouble so you three can do whatever it is you seem to want to do."

"Thank you, Entrance Hall, nine tomorrow right before curfew," James said calmly eyes locked on Alex.

"Alex?" Severus called as he walked over; pushing past Sirius he stood next to his friend, "What's going on? Thought you were going to Runes with me, Lucius and Lupin?"

"I am," Alex said with a chuckle, "James just wanted to talk, but first Severus say Remus."

"No," Severus said crossing his arms, "You can be their friend if you like but you can't make me."

"I'm not trying to say be their friends I just want to hear you say their names," Alex said which got the other teen to look away from him, "Come on I'll bribe you if I have to," getting a slightly intersted look he tilted his head for a moment before saying, "For each of their names I'll take you back to the restaurant on days of your perferance."

"Remus, James, and Sirius," Severus said before smirking, "That's three more dinners you owe me."