Chapter 53 – Surprising Reactions

"You're going to have to get him back, you know." The old man told the haunted looking man in front of him.

"I know sir," came the cowed answer from the kneeling blond haired man.

"This is your fault," the old man's eyes glinted with a dark light.

"Yes sir," the blond haired man said resignedly.

"Do not make me punish you again, Lucius," the old man warned in a gravelly voice.

The once proud man before him flinched in response, but said nothing more.

. . .

Lee felt as though his emotions were ricocheting around the inside of his body, trying to find a way out of his skin. However, he didn't find a way to express this until after his dad had gotten them back home, and onto the couch.

"I won't!" He choked out angrily into the shoulder of his father. "I won't talk to him and I won't forgive him! She can't make me!"

His father only continued to hold him and stroke his back as he ranted; letting him express his emotions in a way that the Dursleys had never done.

"I will not make you do so either, but you should try and look at the situation from Molly's point of view, son," his dad had finally said after he had fallen silent.

Lee didn't want to understand Molly's feelings or point of view. Look at what Ron had done to him! For that matter, look at Lucius! He had hurt both Lee and his father, and yet the man had completely gotten away with his heinous acts without any punishment whatsoever!

"I want to hurt them. I want them to hurt," Lee growled at his father. He pulled himself out of Severus's lap and made it to his feet; only to start pacing back and forth across the room.

"Young Mr. Weasley has nearly died on a number of occasions since making his way back to Hogwarts. Not only that, but he has also been in near constant pain the entire time. What else would you like him and his mother to endure before you are willing to forgive him?" Severus asked from his spot on the couch; his eyes continuing to follow Lee as he traversed the room.

"How can you side with him?!? You know what he did!" Lee yelled in a frustrated voice.

"As I have told you before, I have no desire to see you throw your life away in order to find your revenge!" His father said, only raising his voice slightly.

"What does it matter anyways!?? Lucius already made me his bloody fuck toy!!!" Lee cried out, his eyes filling with tears as he did so.

"Do you truly believe yourself to be worth nothing more than that?" Severus asked him softly, his eyes cutting Lee straight to his core.

"I don't know anymore," he said, sinking to the floor and putting his arms around his legs. He laughed through his tears, but it was a sound bereft of any humor or joy.

"I don't know if I'm really Harry Potter pretending to be Lee Snape, or just Lee Snape refusing to be Harry Potter. I'm so fucked up," he said, beginning to rock back and forth; his head in his hands. "If you hadn't adopted me, I wouldn't be anything, anyone at all," he rambled softly with his blurred eyes directed at the floor.

His tears were falling freely when Severus joined him there on the ground. His father merely sat next to him in silence, and waited for him to regain some measure of his control over himself. Finally, after his ragged sobs had nearly let up, his dad began moving towards him with a handkerchief in his outstretched hand.

He tried to take it and clean himself up, but the man was having none of it; personally wiping the tear tracks away on his face with far more gentleness than Lee had expected, even after all of this time. After wiping his nose for him, Severus put away the handkerchief, and replaced it with a suddenly conjured glass of water, which he handed to Lee quietly.

Lee took it gratefully, swallowing nearly half of the cool liquid with his first swallow, before drinking the rest of it a more moderate pace. It was only when he was finished with the glass and had handed it back to his father that Severus spoke.

"It doesn't matter whether your name is Harry or Lee, son. Those names ultimately have nothing to do with who you are." His father told him quietly from where he was sitting cross legged beside him.

"Then who am I?" He pleaded quietly to his father.

"Child, you come from here," Severus told him solemnly, placing his own large hand over Lee's heart, calming him somewhat with just his warm touch.

"And from here," he added, putting his other hand on Lee's smaller head. "Your mind and your heart work together to form your character," his father said softly, leaning his head over to look more closely at Lee's eyes.

"What about my memories?" He whispered hoarsely.

"You do not have to let what has happened to you in the past define who you will become in the future," his dad said emphatically. "It has taken me nearly two decades of my life to learn this, son. I do not want you to waste as much time as I did," his father said softly, taking Lee's smaller hands and holding them between his own.

"Sometimes I just feel like I'm going to explode from all the feelings that are swirling around inside me," Lee admitted quietly.

"At times you will have that sensation," his dad told him patiently. "I do as well. Finding a way to deal with those overwhelming feelings is part of learning how to survive life."

"Will you keep helping me?" Lee asked in what felt like an impossibly tiny and wretched voice.

"I will," Severus told him seriously.

"I'm cold," Lee whispered then, shivering slightly.

His father got to his feet at his words before leaning over to pull his son up into his arms.

"Better?" He whispered into the ear of his boy.

He got a nod in reply, and was rewarded for his efforts when the lad's arms reached out to hug him tightly in return.

. . .

Neville had to admit that he was surprised that both he and Draco Malfoy were still alive after spending more than a week together as constant companions. After waking up and finding Draco sitting on the same bed as he, Neville had not been apart from the other boy for more than a few hours.

It helped that the blond haired boy had not regained his former cocky attitude towards him, but Neville did feel a bit bad for the experiences the other boy had been forced to experience to develop this new demeanor.

And now Draco is sleeping in my bed, he thought to himself with an odd smile.

Draco had been crawling into his bed about halfway through that first week with him. Madam Pomfrey had been forced to reduce his doses of Dreamless Sleep, because it apparently slowed his emotional healing process—or so he had deduced after overhearing many conversations between her and another healer by the name of "Turnskell."

It seemed that Draco's method of compensating from the terrors of his unconscious mind was by finding a new nighttime protector in Neville.

The irony of the situation did not escape the slightly larger boy.

. . .

When Molly went in to see her son that day, she was met with a surprise. Her baby was sitting up in bed with his restraints nowhere to be seen. Around him stood Turnskell and Poppy, who was currently talking with her son.

She's talking with him; not to him! Molly thought with unmitigated joy.

However, the best part of her arrival that day was the reaction she got from Ron himself. As she got closer to the bed, he turned towards her with a smile. She nearly gasped with surprise as she realized how much his face looked like it used to—provided that one looked past the shadows under his eyes and the gauntness of his face.

"Mum!" He called out, waving his arms like crazy. She quickly made her way over and kissed his cheek, receiving a weak hug in return.

"As you can see," Turnskell said, after she had stood back up, "he's really started to make progress now."

"Mum!"

She turned back to look at her youngest boy, and was surprised to see a questioning look on his still too haggard looking face.

"Harry?" He asked softly, looking intently at her.

"No visitors yet dear," Poppy said, interjecting before she had a chance to flounder.

"Oh." Ron's face immediately drooped.

"But Professor Snape did tell me to let you know that 'You are welcome,'" Molly said with a questioning look of her own.

"Thanks," her son said quietly, his eyes still downcast.

"Molly, may I have a word with you in the hallway?" Poppy asked quietly once Turnskell had started talking to Ron.

She took a quick look at her son, before nodding.

However, once outside the room, Poppy kept walking, and soon it was evident to Molly that the older woman was taking them back to her office.

"Will he be okay in there?" She asked anxiously.

"Michael Turnskell is one of the best in his field," Poppy said with a reassuring smile.

"And what is his field exactly?"

"Child psychology," was the quiet answer she received.

Oh. Molly thought about that for a minute before making another comment.

"I suppose that Turnskell wasn't able to do much therapy with Ron before, yes?"

"He did a few evaluations, but you are correct," Poppy said in a distracted tone; before waving her to a seat and closing the door.

"What's wrong, Poppy?" Molly asked anxiously. "It feels as though I've been called to the headmaster's office for a prank I didn't commit."

She wanted Poppy to tell her that of course nothing was wrong, and that she was just being paranoid, but neither of those reassurances came from the serious faced woman who was now seated across the desk from her.

Instead, there was a knock on the door.

. . .

Severus was in his office grading papers when he heard someone rap on the outside of his door. Checking his wards, he was somewhat surprised to see that Kingsley Shacklebolt was the one that was standing outside.

Making sure that his wand was close by, he walked over and opened the door slowly.

"Professor Snape? Might I have a word with you?" The big man asked in a deep voice.

Severus nodded and waved the other man in, before closing the door behind him.

"I thought I told you to call me 'Severus,'" he replied with a rare trace of amusement in his voice.

"Really? I don't recall you saying much of anything last time," Kingsley said in a purr. He was standing close enough that Severus could nearly feel his heart beating against his chest.

"Is this a business call?" Severus asked in a bit of a strained voice.

"Technically yes," Kingsley said, pushing Severus back against the wall securely.

"Is it now," Severus stated in a quiet voice. Severus noted that if he pushed his hips forwards just slightly, he could feel the stiff outline of the other man's cock straining against the cloth of his robes. And if he did it again, with a little more force?

Kingsley was now panting heavily in his ear with one hand planted on the wall, while the other roamed down the front of Severus's robes.

It was Severus's turn to gasp as Kingsley's fingers brushed over the front of his pants, where his equally hard cock was begging for attention. Kingsley's fingers quickly found the opening to his pants, undoing the fastenings quickly, before pushing his hand into the other man's boxers.

Severus felt a moan escape his throat as the larger man took his cock in his exquisitely warm fingers and began stroking him.

Feeling a need to regain some kind of control over the situation, Severus grabbed the man's head and pulled it down to his own, touching their lips together desperately. Soon his tongue was in Kingsley's mouth, tasting him, wrestling with the other man's tongue in a strange kind of hot, wet dance. And then he was crying out, and Kingsley moved his head down to his neck, biting down lightly as Severus orgasmed into his hand.

"Severus," Kingsley begged breathily into the slightly smaller man's ear.

Without even bothering to put himself back to rights, Severus quickly slid to his knees, and soon found himself humming around Kingsley's stiff cock. The other part had been pleasurable enough for him, but here he found that he really enjoyed the control he had over his partner's reactions. He moved his tongue back and forth against the underside of the other man's dick, reveling in the moans and gasps that he had caused to erupt from the disciplined mouth above him.

He began to move back and forwards on the length in his mouth, taking a little bit more into his oral cavity with each pass until finally he felt the moist head reach the back of his throat. He backed off for a moment and took a deep breath before repeating the action, finishing it with a swallow. He worked his throat around his partner while Kingsley's hands twitched and flexed against his shoulders. And then he growled deeply, knowing it to be a sensation that drove the other man mad.

He heard Kingsley cry out, and shortly thereafter he found himself swallowing down the big man's juices as he erupted inside his throat. He finally pulled himself off of the other man's cock, only to be hauled up forcefully and kissed soundly.

"How was that?" He asked some time later, a bit hoarsely. They had both freshened themselves up and put their clothes back to normal. They were currently sitting side by side behind his desk, hands intertwined.

"Spectacular," Kingsley said, looking at him fondly.

They had been working together for nearly a week now, checking the missing students' magical signatures against those present on the scroll via the belongings they had left behind there at Hogwarts. Likewise, they had also been furtively checking the magical signatures of the missing students' roommates, and as many housemates as they could without drawing attention to themselves.

Unfortunately, they would soon be done with Slytherin, and Kingsley would go on to work with the other house heads.

He had dated Kingsley before, nearly nine years ago, but Kingsley had been forced to break it off when an upper level supervisor had gotten suspicious of having one of his auror's dating an ex-Death Eater—even if said death eater had been reformed.

Kingsley had broken it off mostly out of concern for Severus's welfare, especially when said supervisor tried to blackmail the auror by threatening to rat them both out to The Daily Prophet. It potentially could have turned into a very ugly scenario. Severus knew that it had infuriated his lover, but at the time, with the deaths of Lily and James Potter still so fresh in everyone's minds, they hadn't had any other choice but to do as instructed.

However, since Kingsley was now in a position of great authority, and Voldemort had been gone (more or less) for the past eleven years, they finally had felt the freedom to restart their old relationship. And in fact, this time around was going even better; partially because they were both more mature, but also because Severus's ability to openly express himself had greatly increased ever since the adoption of his son.

"You must come to dinner sometime," he said in a soft voice to Kingsley.

"And meet Lee?"

Severus nodded; his eyes searching the other man's face carefully.

"I would love to," Kingsley told him with a gentle kiss, further putting his anxieties to rest.

. . .

That evening Lee was surprised when his daddy walked through the door with Kingsley Shacklebolt following closely behind. His dad seemed unusually at ease; meaning that they weren't in any kind of danger from the auror.

"Lee, I'd like you to meet Kingsley," his father said easily enough to him.

"It's nice to meet you, sir," he said in a quiet voice, as he shook the other man's hand. He blinked as the auror's hand completely swallowed his own.

And I thought dad's hands were big!

Abruptly shy after meeting the big visitor, he went to his father and hid slightly behind him; gently pressing himself into the familiar man's side.

Reassuringly, his felt his father's encircle him with an arm, holding him from where he stood, even as the large man across from them chuckled.

"Don't mind Kingsley, Lee. He is simply surprised that given the choice between the two of us, you find his presence more worrisome than mine. It is not often that way with the other students, you understand," his father said lightly.

He nodded his understanding, but he still didn't leave his daddy's side, not even when it was time for dinner.

"He's not going to hurt you, Lee. I promised you that, remember?" Severus said quietly to him just before it was time to sit down and eat.

He nodded shakily, staring up at his father with trust, even as his stomach did summersaults.

"Would you like to have Lillian with you as you eat dinner?" His dad asked him suddenly.

"Yes please," he answered, brightening somewhat. His snake's presence almost always calmed him; especially when he remembered that she was actually longer than his arm now. Kingsley would have to be nuts to mess with him when he had her wrapped around his shoulders.

He'd be nuts to mess with you with Severus in the room anyways, his mind tried to tell him as he hurried back to his room to get his snake.

. . .

Severus sat at the table with Kingsley to his left while they waited for Lee to fill the empty chair to his right.

"He does seem much taken with you, Severus," Kingsley said in a very low voice.

"For good reason," Severus answered seriously.

"How much are you going to tell him?"

"How much would you like me to?"

"You might leave out the word 'lover,' for now, Severus," Kingsley said thoughtfully.

"I had fully planned on it."

"How about boyfriend?"

"If all goes well," Severus murmured softly, turning suddenly as he heard his son's light footsteps make their way back into the room, taking a tentative seat to the right of him.

His son's eyes glanced to Kingsley warily, but relaxed somewhat as he looked back at Severus. Severus couldn't help but be inordinately pleased by the reaction, even if it was going to make things more difficult.

Oddly enough, children often seemed to get along well with Kingsley, but the same was hardly true for Severus Snape.

But this boy—his mind pointed out—this boy was different.

Then again, he had realized that very truth back in the hospital wing back before the Christmas holidays.

He chuckled as he saw that his son had chosen to wrap his purple and yellow snake around his shoulders for dinner. He didn't mind the addition of the snake's presence at the table, provided that she made the boy comfortable enough to eat. As he had told the child when he had been sick, Lee was still too underweight to afford to be missing meals. And even though the lad had finally picked up some height, his weight had not gone up nearly as drastically.

. . .

Kingsley didn't even notice the food he was now diligently eating. He was too enamored of the beautiful snake wrapped around his lov—um, boyfriend's son's neck. In turn, the boy—who had previously been known as Harry Potter—kept stealing glances at him as though he were about to reach out and strike him.

The child's reactions to him were clearly linked to a history of abuse, but as of yet, Severus had not told him exactly whom he could blame for such horrors.

"What's your snake's name, Lee?" He asked in a slow and easy going voice.

"Lillian," the boy said in a soft voice after glancing at his father for support.

Severus, as a father—the world really is ending. Kingsley still couldn't get over the insanity of that surprise.

"Good choice," he said in an approving voice, smiling slightly at the small boy.

"Thanks," the child whispered in a barely audible voice.

"Lee is a parselmouth, Kingsley," Severus said brightly, an excited gleam clearly visible in his eyes.

Kingsley's mouth dropped in shock and he was thankful not to have been chewing anything in that moment.

"That's just not fair," he said in an annoyed voice.

"What's not?" The boy asked him, suddenly intrigued enough to ask a question of his own.

"I always wanted to be one when I was a kid," Kingsley explained, somewhat glumly.

"Really? You liked snakes?"

"I like snakes still."

"Is he telling the truth dad?" The boy turned to look imploringly at Severus.

"Indeed he is," Severus answered with a smirk to Kingsley.

"Cool!" Lee said, looking back at him with a new light in his eyes.

. . .

Soon dinner was over—the second half having gone much quicker than the first half—and Severus and Lee were now sitting on the couch, with Kingsley in the armchair closest to Severus.

"Son, I brought Kingsley here tonight for a reason," Severus said, watching his boy's reactions carefully.

"He's your friend, isn't he?" Lee asked inquisitively.

"Indeed," Severus said, reaching to take Lee's hand. "But he's also more than just a friend," he added seriously.

"You're gay?" His child's eyes were wide as he quickly made the mental jump from what his father had told him.

Kingsley suddenly snorted in laughter, causing Severus and Lee to look at him oddly.

"Kingsley," Severus growled.

"I'm sorry," the big man said with a grin towards them both. "I just think 'gay,' and I imagine light-hearted cute little, b-b-bunnies," the man sputtered as he began laughing again—this time with Lee snickering too. The mental image was ridiculous; particularly when paired with the dark clothed scowling Severus that was currently sitting between the two laughing imbeciles.

After they each had received a dark glare from the man in-between them, they finally calmed down enough to let Severus finish explaining the situation to Lee.

"Kingsley and I have been dating for just over a month now, but we have known each other for far longer. I thought it was time you met him," Severus said cautiously.

"So he's your boyfriend?" His son asked curiously.

"Yes," Severus said, even though he despised the word 'boyfriend'.

"Awww," Kingsley said in a way that made him want to slap the other man—if not for the way it made his son giggle.

Once they were under control again, he spoke again.

"Kingsley has even brought you a present, should you two ever manage to control yourselves long enough to get it open," Severus said dryly.

"A present?" That got his son's attention as the boy instantly perked up. "For me?"

"For you," the big man said seriously, before drawing a small box out of his pocket and resizing it.

He handed it to Lee, who took the box with wide eyes. His son didn't open it immediately though, but stared up at Severus instead.

"Is it okay?" He asked softly. Severus wasn't sure if the boy was asking whether it was okay to open it, or whether it was okay as in safe to open it.

"It is. Go on child," he said with a nudge.

Lee opened the box carefully and pulled out a green and orange stuffed dragon, complete with little purple wings.

"It's a wizarding toy, Lee," Kingsley explained. "It'll react to your mind. If you imagine it wandering around chewing on things, it'll do that—although it can't hurt them," he added with a boisterous laugh directed towards Severus.

"How do I start it?" The lad looked at them both with surprise in his face.

"Hug it and say the word, 'Mine," Kingsley said.

"And then give it a name," Severus added.

His son got a thoughtful look on his face before grinning and picking the toy up.

"Mine," he said with a hug around its plush middle.

"Your name is Accomplice," the child added with a grin at Severus.

"Well named," Severus said approvingly, just as the soft toy dragon began to wiggle around.

"Dad! Do you see it?!?" He called out excitedly.

'Accomplice' stretched itself out before it began wandering over their laps, sticking its nose into their pockets and exploring the couch in general.

"And Lee?" Kingsley said, getting the boy's attention from where it had been riveted at his toy.

"It will grow as you do," the man added with a final grin.

"Oh! Thank you sir! Thank you for the present! It's brilliant," his son said with shining eyes.

"You're welcome," Kingsley said, before fixing a smile on Severus as the boy went back to finding out more about what his toy could do.

Severus nodded his head at the other man, before draping his arm around Lee's shoulders and pulling him in for a small hug.

He was proud that he hadn't even had to prompt the child to thank Kingsley for his present.