Short update. I wanted to get something up tonight. I will post another chapter with more substance tomorrow evening.
Severus and Lucius:
After putting Harriet to sleep, Severus told Lucius that he wanted to check on the boys. He knew that they were safe and that they weren't in any danger from Sirius Black, but he needed visual confirmation. It was just after curfew, and they should in their common rooms for the night. Lucius agreed to accompany him on his little quest.
Their first stop was the Slytherin common room since it was the closest. Neither Malfoy child was in the common room, so they looked in the dorms. When they found Draco's dorm lacking a certain platinum blonde boy, they assumed that he must be with Marcus in his dorm. When Marcus's dorm revealed neither Malfoy, they became a little worried.
They began asking their son's dorm mates if they knew where the boys were, but no one had seen anything. They had just decided to go searching for the boys when the common room door opened and their eldest walked in carrying the sleeping form of their youngest son.
They felt immensely relieved for a few seconds, and then they were angry. The apprehensive look on Marcus's face was of pure guilt and a little fear. Marcus didn't know what his parents were going to do about this. He had already been spanked once tonight by Profe-his Papa. He didn't think his butt could handle anymore.
Lucius was the first to react. He recalled that they were in the Slytherin common room, and there were students watching. He walked over to Marcus and gently took Draco from his arms. Then he quietly told Marcus to follow him as he led the way back to their quarters. It was late, and he wanted nothing more than to just go to sleep, but he needed to at least address this tonight.
Once in their quarters, he settled Draco down into Oliver's bottom bunk for the night. He didn't want to levitate the boy onto his actual bed on the top bunk. Then he met Severus and Marcus in the living room. Marcus was in the corner.
"Marcus, I want to know why you were out past curfew with your little brother. I want to know why you thought it was a good example to set."
Marcus stepped out of the corner and sat on the couch across from his profess-parents. "I needed to speak with Ollie about something. I knew that I wouldn't be able to sleep tonight if I couldn't get this off of my shoulders. Draco caught me trying to sneak out of the dorm, and he demanded that he be allowed to come with me. I didn't want to argue with him or draw a bunch of attention to my leaving right before curfew, so I told him he could come. I was trying to get back before curfew, but I misjudged the amount of time it would take to get to Gryffindor tower and back."
Lucius wanted to ask what was so important, but Severus stopped him. He had a feeling he knew what the boys talked about, and it was too late at night to have that conversation.
Lucius just replied, "We will discuss this in further depth tomorrow. For now, I suggest we see to your punishment and then get to bed. It has been a long day."
Marcus held his breath and waited for further instructions. He didn't have to wait long as Severus beckoned him over to them on the couch. Severus draped the boy over his knees, and rubbed his back for a second while he lectured.
"This will merely be a little pre-bedtime spanking as you were already punished in this manner once today. I'm disappointed at having to do this twice in one day, but I know that you would probably not sleep well if we left this until the morning. I am also disappointed that you did not set a better example for Draco tonight."
With that over, he spelled Marcus's trousers and boxers down to his knees and started spanking. Severus wasn't as experienced at handing out spankings as his husband was. He was much more experienced at receiving them, but he knew not to punish the already pink bottom too harshly.
He kept up a steady rhythm of moderate to hard smacks alternating cheeks every three times. After 1 minute, Marcus was already squirming and starting to sniffle. Severus tipped him forward and decided to end the spanking with one more minute directly onto his sit spots. Marcus was crying by the end, and then Severus held him over his knees and rubbed his back to calm him.
When he was calm, Severus stood him up and spelled his clothes back into place. Both men walked him into the boys room and waited while he changed into pajamas. Once in the proper nightclothes, Lucius turned down the bed and beckoned for Marcus to get in.
Marcus blushed as he crawled into bed while his new father was holding the covers back. He hadn't been tucked in like this since he was four years old. It was a little embarrassing because he thought he was much too old for this, but a little part of him was very pleased.
He apologized as he lied down, "I'm very sorry for my actions tonight. I'm sorry that you had to punish me twice in one day."
Severus hushed him and sat down on the edge of the bed. "Hush now, child. You are fourteen years old, and you will make mistakes. Just because you are the oldest does not mean that you have to be perfect. As you have found out today, your Papa still sees fit to discipline me on occasion."
Lucius was standing next to the bed, and he leaned down to affectionately wipe a stray tear from Marcus's face and said, "The punishment is over, and the slate has been wiped clean. Do not fret. Tomorrow is a new day, and we will begin again as a family. Your Dad and I are very proud with how well you are handling all of the recent changes."
Marcus smiled sleepily and burrowed down deeper into the covers. Crying really makes a person tired.
Severus pulled the covers up and tucked them in around Marcus's body. Then he placed a chaste kiss to Marcus's forehead and bade him goodnight, "Goodnight my son, sleep well."
Lucius also wished him goodnight, and they turned to leave the room. As they were turning the lights out, they heard a very quiet, "Goodnight Papa. Goodnight Dad."
Sirius and Remus:
After leaving the Malfoy boys at the Slytherin common room door, Remus led Padfoot back to his own rooms. They needed to have a conversation, and it would most likely not be pleasant.
As they were passing the Malfoy's quarters, Padfoot stopped and expected to be let in. Remus told them his plans, and Padfoot gave a little whimper and tucked his tail between his legs. He followed Remus up to the ground floor where Remus's rooms were, and he morphed back into Sirius as soon as the door was closed.
Remus directed him to sit on the couch while he ordered tea. When he sat on the couch next to Sirius, he took one look at the sorry state of the man and changed his mind.
"Nevermind, Sirius. The tea will hold until after you've had a proper bath and grooming. You look atrocious."
Then he swept from the room to his bathroom, and he turned the taps on. He didn't wait to make sure that Sirius was following him. He was alpha mode, and Sirius knew not to undermine that authority when Moony got like this. Moony saw his mate needed to be taken care of, and he wouldn't rest until he was satisfied.
Sirius came into the bathroom and sat on the toilet seat waiting for instructions. He watched while Remus added multiple potions into the bath before he finally turned to acknowledge him. Remus stood Sirius up and started to help him undress.
He growled when he saw how thin and malnourished his mate was under the clothes. Moony was dying to protect his mate and fix everything. He carefully helped Sirius into the tub, and let him soak for a few minutes. Then he grabbed the sponge and started to clean every inch of Sirius's body. He scrubbed Sirius's hair multiple times, and the water had to be drained and refilled approximately 5 times before his mate was completely clean.
Sirius sat there quietly for the entire bath. He stared into Remus's eyes and soaked up the love and affection he was being given. He had missed his mate so much. The last time that Remus rinsed out his hair, his dams broke. He started balling. Remus couldn't keep his distance, and he immediately picked Sirius up out of the tub and wrapped him in a big fluffy towel.
Sirius was way too thin than any grown man was supposed to be. Remus had to suppress the growl that threatened to surface. It was the last thing that his mate needed right now. He maintained as much contact as he could while drying Sirius off. He didn't want him to be wet any longer than necessary because he was already shivering from the cold.
Remus applied a heating charm and dried his hair magically. Then he gave Sirius's hair a trim, and he groomed the unruly facial hair. When he was done, the man looked more like himself aside from the overwhelming evidence of starvation.
Remus decided their conversation would have to wait as Sirius was dead on his feet. The smaller man was struggling to stay awake for the haircut and shave.
For the first time in nearly ten years, he carried his mate to bed. He wrapped an arm around Sirius's waist and pulled him up flush against his chest. They both fell asleep quickly.