Severus stood with Cadeyrn in his arms. The boy had a death grip on him about his shoulders and his legs encircling his waist. Silvanus moved forward and started rubbing Cadeyrn's back as he looked at Severus.
"He can't be left alone right now. He is too frightened of the students. He recognized you and I. That means he should recognize Arwin and Harry as well." Silvanus said.
"I can't take him into the meeting." Severus told Silvanus. "I need to get Lucius. He is more important than the meeting right now."
Silvanus smiled at Severus. "Agreed. He needs some time to settle down and settle in. To know that he is not going to be hurt and looked after for once. He is starved for love."
Severus felt a pain in his stomach at hearing Silvanus say that. He knew how Cadeyrn was feeling, he felt the same way. Silvanus leaned in closer so he was next to Severus's ear and whispered. "It will be alright Potion Master. I am right here and not going anywhere, you are not alone in this." Severus felt the soft kiss which Silvanus gave him.
"There you two are. We are about to start…" Lucius stopped talking as he walked closer to the small group.
Severus turned with Cadeyrn in his arms. He felt Silvanus's hand on his shoulder now and the heat from the elf as he stepped closer to him.
"I can't go back inside Lucius." Severus told him. "Whatever is decided upon, I'll let Silvanus have my vote on things."
"Understood." Lucius said as he looked the little boy over in Severus's arms. "Is this him?"
"Yes. And he is frightened." Severus said. Severus rubbed Cadeyrn's head as the boy continued to cry silently into his neck. "I need to get him to my quarters and get him calmed down."
"I think we can handle things perfectly fine without you for now Severus." Lucius stated.
Silvanus leaned in again. "I will join you for dinner. I am hoping we have everything settled by then."
Severus gave a nod and headed off with a crying boy in his arms as he headed to his quarters. He had never been one to show affection and now he had three children under his care who were clearly starved for it. The one he had in his arms right now was practically demanding it. He was finding he was going to have to get over whatever was going on with himself and give these children what they needed.
Once inside his quarters he sat down in his big comfortable reading chair. He kept rubbing Cadeyrn's head. He started doing the slow soothing circles he had seen Silvanus do with the boy. Severus was shocked to say the least, this was the Dark Lord, and at the same time, he knew it wasn't. Silvanus said his magical signature had changed. Destiny had changed him. Severus tried to force himself to relax. Once he had done so, he felt Cadeyrn's grip on him ease up. After what seemed like hours but really had only been one Cadeyrn lifted his head finally.
Severus's heart clenched at seeing that tear stained face. He was totally responsible for this boy. "Feeling better?" He asked him softly.
Cadeyrn nodded.
Severus pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his tear, stained face. "Look around you. It is just us. No one else."
He watched as the boy slowly started looking around his quarters. They were in the living room area of his quarters, which was quite comfortable. Severus could see the wide eyed look on Cadeyrn's face as he took in objects about the room.
"What is that?" Cadeyrn asked.
Severus turned his head to where he had been pointing. "That is a Grindylow. It lives in the Black Lake, that is what that window is. It shows the Black Lake and whatever is swimming by it."
He turned back to look at Cadeyrn who was fascinated with the lake window. Severus ran his hands through Cadeyrn's hair. It was a little while longer and Severus noticed that Cadeyrn's breathing had calmed even further as he kept looking out that window as he sat in his lap not moving from it. Severus leaned his head back on the chair as he watched the little boy. His heart told him to let Cadeyrn set the pace. He waited and watched, after awhile Cadeyrn finally got out of his lap and walked slowly about the room. Cadeyrn had a death grip still on that wand.
That was when the questions started. For next two hours Severus kept right beside Cadeyrn as the boy looked over everything wanting to know what it was. Even down to the most mundane sort of things. Severus noted he was like a little sponge starved for knowledge. Once they made it into the bathroom inside his quarters, Severus sat on the edge of the large tub and turned on the taps.
"You mean I can really swim in it?" Caderyn asked his eyes wide with excitement.
"Of course you can, it is deep enough for you. Do you know how to swim?" Severus asked.
Caderyn nodded fervently at him and came closer to look at the soapy colorful water filling the tub.
Severus grinned at him. "This is a special swimming pool."
"Really? What's special about it?" Cadeyrn asked.
"It can be swam in every day, it likes that." Severus said slyly.
Caderyn leaned over the edge of the to take a good look around it. "Why does it like it?"
"Well, why don't you take your clothes off and go swimming and find out." Severus said.
Cadeyrn looked back at him. "Where does the water come from? What is all that colorful stuff?"
Severus leaned his back up against the tiled wall as he sat on the edge. "The color stuff is soap, they have different smells. While the water; it comes from the Black Lake."
"But those Grindylows, they don't look too nice, are in the Black Lake." Cadeyrn said a little apprehensive about the swimming tub now.
"Yes, but only water comes through the pipes. Nothing can hurt you. I won't let it. I am not going to leave. I will be right here." Severus reassured him.
With a bit more reassurance and cajoling on Severus's part. Cadeyrn finally stripped his clothes and eased himself into the warm water. Severus was highly amused as Cadeyrn discovered the bubbles tickled as they scrubbed the dirt off his body. He watched as he settled in and played in the tub diving down onto the bottom retrieving little things Severus conjured and tossed in for him to go get. Getting Cadeyrn had been a chore, getting him out was taking longer.
"You can take another bath tomorrow." Severus assured him.
"Why can't I stay in?" Cadeyrn asked pushing out his bottom lip.
Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "Because we need to get your hair cut now. I explained this. You will be going to classes come Monday and little boys with scraggly hair needs to have it cut."
"A little longer." Cadeyrn begged.
Severus narrowed his eyes at him. "You said that half an hour ago. I gave you a little longer. It is time to get out now." He said with authority in his voice.
Cadeyrn swam over to him. All the bubbles where totally gone out of the water now. Severus had the big fluffy towel ready and waiting on the little boy. Finally he climbed out and Severus wrapped him up inside the towel.
"I will use my wand for the hair cut. It won't hurt. I already explained this." Severus reassured him. Severus said the spell and tapped Cadeyrn on the head and the scissors appeared and started doing the magic. Cadeyrn watched in awe in the mirror as the clippings vanished once they were cut from his head as Severus dried him off.
That set off another round of questions as Severus handed him one article of clothing at a time and he watched as Cadeyrn started slowly getting dressed. Which, led to other discussions on clothing. Where the tags actually went and why there was tags on the clothes. Severus finally had enough and slung him up over his shoulder and carried him out of the bathroom. Going back to the living room he placed him the chair.
"Enough with the questions for right now. Quiet time. I am going to get you a book. I want you to read for awhile. Do you think you can manage that?" Severus asked him.
He knew it wasn't Cadeyrn's fault, but Severus desperately needed some quiet. The little boy was going to drive him crazy with wanting to know how every worked, what it was, what is for, why did this, why it did that.
"I can do that." Cadeyrn said with conviction.
"Good. Stay right here and read and don't move. I need to set up your bedroom." Severus told him as went over to a bookcase and grabbed the first year History of Magic book and went back and handed it to him. Severus hoped by dinner time he would have Cadeyrn's bedroom done and he would have an hour or two of peace and quiet.