Not Getting Sentimental

Clinging to not getting sentimental

Said, she wasn't going, but she went, still

Likes her gentlemen to not be gentle

Was it a Mecca Dauber or a betting pencil?

Fluorescent Adolescent - Arctic Monkeys


"I still can't believe it," Draco declared in disgust once they were safely ensconced on a loveseat in the sunroom of Malfoy Manor. "Robert Potter!"

"Believe me, Dragon," Samael answered dryly, "no-one can be as disgusted at that fact more than myself." He withheld a shudder at the thought that his twin brother - admittedly one that did not know they were related - had been pleasuring himself thinking of him and was actively attempting to seduce him.

Samael was vaguely aware of an alleged phenomenon in the Muggle world where siblings separated at birth became sexually attracted to one another if they met later in life and vaguely wondered if this was the case with Robert.

Draco placed his arm along the cushions so that Samael was placed in the crook of his arm. "He will not come near you," Draco announced with steely resolve. "We know he will be watching you as soon as we exit the train and will most likely attempt to separate us. At no point, will you be left by yourself."

Samael stiffened within Draco's embrace. "I can defend myself perfectly adequately," he hissed furiously, "I do not require anyone's protection!"

"I know that, Samael," Draco pressed a soft kiss to his dark curled hair. "Please let us protect you, if not for you then for my sake. I could not bear it if you came to any harm and I could have prevented it."

Samael deflated in acquiescence. "I understand," he murmured, "but I do not like it. I hate feeling dependent on others."

"I know, mon cherie, I know."

"We won't get in your way," Ginny said from her position on a wicker chair opposite Samael and Draco who had been trying - and failing - to look as if she hadn't been avidly watching their interaction for the past few minutes. "I imagine Draco will be with you most of the time," she leered at the two shamelessly, "and of course Severus will keep an eye out or you in potions and the Great Hall but if you're outside or in the library then Andras and I will have your backs. As will the twins and Hermione if you'll let me get them on board..."

"No," Samael's response was instantaneous. "I can barely stand you and the family knowing about this, I am not going to tell anyone else!"

"It's nothing to be embarrassed about, Samael," Andras stated softly, placing a gentle hand on Samael's knee. "It's not your fault that Potter is messed up in the head."

"I know that!" Samael replied tightly. He took a moment to take a few breaths before smiling apologetically at the younger boy. "I apologise for my tone, Andras," he murmured softly, "I know I am not to blame for Potter but I would rather we keep his obsession to ourselves for the time being."

"But, Samael -" Ginny began to protest until Andras placed a calming hand on top of hers.

"Leave it, Gin," he said gently, "if Samael changes his mind, he will let us know."

Samael smiled gratefully at the Snape child. "Yes, I will." he nodded to emphasise his agreement and turned towards Ginny. "I do understand that informing others would help, and I do appreciate your support and concern - as much as I hate to rely upon it - but I do not want the others to know."

Ginny tried to immediately respond and then hesitated with a thoughtful frown on her face. "Okay," she acquiesced, "and I'm sorry Samael, I shouldn't have pushed."

"Thank you," Samael replied instantly "do not let it trouble you." Samael placed his cane against the nearby wall, and settled more firmly into the cushion. "Now, what trouble do your brothers have planned?

Ginny smiled a grin full of teeth as she leaned forward eagerly in her chair. "With Draco's investment, they bought an empty lot in Diagon Alley and they've spent most of the holidays creating stock ready to sell for opening next week."

"Bloody menaces," Andras interrupted with a scowl.

Ginny giggled and pressed a soft kiss to his hair. "Andras may have fallen prey to one or two of the twins' products," she informed Draco and Samael.

"One or two?" Andras declared incredulously. "Try about six or seven. Have you tried cleaning green goop from your hair?"

"That is only because they are too frightened of Ginny," Samael stated rather amused at Andras' outrage.

Andras paused for a moment after Samael's words and stared at his girlfriend with adoring eyes, "Yes, well she does cast a mean bat-bogey hex," he shared an evil grin with the red-headed witch.

Movement from the entrance of the room caught the quad's attention, and they saw Marvolo stride into the room with incredible grace and speed that several of the group envied to possess themselves. "And what are you reprobates talking about?" he greeted the teenagers with a disarming smile that only put Ginny at ease.

"We were just talking about my brother's new joke shop," Ginny volunteered. "They're just putting the final tweaks on a few new products and will be opening next Monday."

Marvolo raised an eyebrow and smiled at the young witch. "They have just graduated Hogwarts, correct? Did they do well in their N.E.W.T.S?"

Ginny laughed loudly. "Gred and Forge never really put much effort in their schoolwork," she admitted with a grin, "Not that they aren't smart, because they are, but they put greater value in developing joke products than studying. Between them, they achieved a mixture of As, Es, a few Ds, and an O."

"They were clearly ambitious if they are opening a shop at seventeen," Marvolo praised, "I must admit, I was very academically-minded when I was your age and spent a lot of my free-time studying, but even I knew the benefit of extracurricular activities."

Samael snorted quietly at his brother's admission, whilst Ginny laughed innocently, and Draco and Andras both looked terrified thinking exactly what the 'extracurricular' activities the Dark Lord performed at Hogwarts entailed.

Marvolo small-talked with the Weasley girl for a few more minutes before he glanced at Draco. "Little Malfoy, a word outside, if you please?" the Dark Lord indicated with a nod towards the Manor grounds.

Draco paled drastically but instantly stood and followed the Dark Lord from the room. Samael frowned at their retreating back until he was distracted by Ginny's loud exclamation of: "He seems nice, especially considering how powerful he is in Wizengamot."

Andras nodded shakily and took Ginny's hand in his. "Yes, Lord Slytherin can be a very pleasant man."

"And Consort Slytherin - Lord Black - is lovely. I spoke with him at the Ostara celebrations and he was very down-to-earth. It turns out that we're related through my paternal grandmother who was disowned from the Blacks."

Samael idly paid attention to Ginny's chatter but was distracted wondering just exactly what his brother needed to speak to Draco about. Samael could just vaguely make their figures out in the distance of the Malfoy's cultivated grounds. Surely, if Marvolo wanted to benefit from the Malfoy largesse or political influence, he would turn to Lucius, not his son?

Then, a sudden thought struck Samael. Was Marvolo threatening Draco to never hurt him? It seemed unlikely? Samael could not be entirely sure. He did not think Marvolo would want to play the overprotective brother, but then why else would Marvolo want to speak to Draco alone? Unless, Marvolo was recruiting teenagers to infiltrate Hogwarts? Perhaps, he wished to know Dumbledore's and the Ministry's actions within the school?

Samael settled into the cushion of the loveseat and vowed not to dwell on it - he was sure Draco would tell him when he wished to share it. Glancing at his two companions, Samael smiled apologetically. "My apologies, I was not attending. What were we talking about?"


Rodolphus dismissed the house-elf that he just tasked to fetch his son, and smiled gently from the doorway at his wife who was tightly clutching a bright-blue stuffed rabbit to her chest. They had waited for this moment for so long, and his heart felt like it was fit to burst from the sheer overwhelming joy he was feeling. He must have made some noise because Bella suddenly turned to him with bright, shining, eyes.

"Rodo?" she whispered softly, unfurling a hand so he could pull her from where she was sitting on the floor. Rodolphus swiftly pulled her into his arms, and peppered kisses along her face. "Is Samael on his way?" Rodo quickly let Bella know that Samael was on his way from Malfoy Manor, and then, in a rare display of nervousness, Bella buried her face in her husband's chest. "You are happy, aren't you, Rodo?"

"Oh, my silly little dove." Rodolphus clucked his tongue, kissed the mass of curls on her head, and then gently tilted her chin up so he could kiss her lovingly on the lips. "You have made me the happiest wix in the entire world, my love."

A long moment passed as they stared into each other's eyes, and within them they saw the longing wants and wishes that had so long been denied to them.

"Mother? Father?" Samael's cultured voice called from the hallway and a short moment later he appeared in the room. He glanced between the two adults - noting their positions - and then glanced curiously at the room he had been forbidden to enter years ago.

"Oh, my sweet boy!" Bella hurried towards the teen and gathered him gently into her arms. "Have you grown? Look, you are taller than your own mother!" She exclaimed joyously, peering into Samael's wide eyes.

"No, mother, I have not grown since you saw me this morning," he replied dryly whilst carefully attempting to extricate himself from his mother's embrace. However, Bella was as slippery as a squid and determined, so Samael resigned himself to his fate.

"No, I swear you've grown taller!" Bella was adamant and pulled Samael towards an armchair in the corner. "Come, get off your feet, darling. I'm sure you'll need to rest that foot after playing with your friends all day."

Samael shared an amused glance with his father but acquiesced to his mother's demands. "We spent most of the day sitting down, but my foot is twinging this afternoon so I will do as you wish."

Bella nodded in satisfaction before grasping Rodolphus' hand and bringing him forward so they both stood in front of Samael. The teen stared at his parents in mild confusion, noting their uncharacteristic nervous expressions. "Is something the matter?" He questioned with a small moue of worry.

"Not at all, Samael. In fact, your mother and I have some very exciting news to share with you," Rodolphus quickly answered. "Your mother," here Rodolphus kissed Bella's hand lovingly. "Told me today that she is five months pregnant."

Tearfully, Bella grasped Samael's hand in her free one and squeezed it. "Before we had you, I lost all your brothers and sisters before the first trimester was over. Do you know what that means?" Samael nodded and squeezed Bella's hand, "We all but gave up trying after the tenth m-mis-miscarriage."

Rodolphus released Bella's hand and wrapped Bella around the waist. "We've felt the baby quicken, and we're very very hopeful."

Bella smiled gratefully at Rodo's statement and turned back to their son. "We don't want you to feel neglected or left out, but your little brother or sister will need a lot of attention. You'll always be our first-born and the Lestrange Heir, though the Black heirship will most likely pass to your younger sibling until Regulus inevitably has a child, but we will love you all the -"

Bella's rambling was cut short by Samael gently squeezing his mother's hand. "You do not need to worry about my feelings, I perfectly understand that the baby will require your attention. I am so happy for you both," Samael stared smilingly into Bella's tearful eyes. "Mother Magic has blessed our family."

Rodolphus agreed wholeheartedly and whispered a small prayer under his breath.

Samael glanced thoughtfully at his parents, measuring up the words he was about to voice aloud. "When you adopted me, I first called you 'mother' and 'father' to keep up the appearance of being your true-born child, but with all the care and love you have shown me over the years, I now truly consider you my birth parents."

Tears had finally escaped Bella's eyes, and she turned her head to sob quietly into Rodo's chest. Rodolphus' own eyes were suspiciously bright, as he smiled tightly at his son.

"Whilst, I only became a Lestrange due to my brother's twisted humour and political machinations, I am truly thankful that I am your son."

"Oh, Samael!" Bella exclaimed before sitting on the arm of the chair and pulling Samael into an awkward hug. "You're making your poor mother cry!" Samael apologised amusedly, and Bella hugged him tighter. "I love you!"

Samael paused for a second before telling Bellatrix Lestrange - fearsome member of Lord Voldemort's Inner Circle, Lady of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Lestrange, the wix who unhesitatingly offered her heart to a small abused boy - that he loved her too.


As soon as Hermione appeared on Platform 9 ¾, Andras grabbed her trolley and Ginny pulled the witch into an alcove. Two pairs of worried eyes roved over the older witch, noting her gaunt face and red, puffy eyes.

"Hermione, how are you? You stopped replying to our letters!" Ginny exclaimed hurriedly, pulling the girl into a quick hug.

Hermione glanced over her shoulder and grimaced. Andras, peering over Hermione's head, saw Mr. and Mrs. Granger's scowling expressions. "Did they hurt you?" Andras whispered quietly, fury burning in his golden eyes as he glared at Hermione's parents, who were slowly making their way towards the group.

Hermione slowly lifted the sleeve of her knitted jumper, revealing several purpling bruises on her thin wrist. "Dad grabbed me when I refused to hand over Fred and George's courtship letters," she rasped, "They think I'm even more of a freak for having two 'boyfriends'."

"Bastards! There's nothing wrong about a triad relationship!" Ginny fumed, hugging Hermione once again before hurriedly whispering. "There's nothing wrong with you, don't listen to them. You're my sister now and I won't let them hurt you anymore-"

"Hermione? Will you introduce us to your friends?" A refined voice politely asked and Hermione visibly stiffened upon her parents' arrival.

"Of course. This is Andras Snape and Ginny Weasley - my friends from school."

"Weasley?" Hermione's father sneered, peering down into Ginny's red face. "I suppose you're related to those perverts that have corrupted my daughter?"

"There is nothing polygamous about a triad relationship. Perhaps, if you weren't so willfully ignorant and discriminatory, you would know that already." Ginny returned the sneer with contempt. Mr. Granger's face twisted in rage and he took a threatening step forward. "Go on then," Ginny goaded the muggle, "attack an underage girl because you seem to be quite fond of that, but you should know that I won't hesitate to hurt you back."

"Robert!" Mrs. Granger hissed loudly, pointedly staring at the curious looks they had attracted. "Leave her alone, she's not worth the trouble." Mr. Granger grumbled something under his breath but none of the teenagers could make it out.

"Hermione!" two voices cried out in unison, as the towing forms of Fred and George Weasley appeared from behind Mr. and Mrs. Granger.

Quickly rushing to Hermione's side, they sandwiched her in a hug. "We're sorry we're late - there was a slight issue at the bank - how are you?" Fred asked, peering into the witch's face as George kissed her head.

Before Hermione could answer, Ginny angrily exclaimed: "They hurt Hermione! She has bruises on her arm from them!" She pointed rather pointlessly at the two flabbergasted muggles.

"What?" George's voice was quiet, as he turned Hermione around in his grasp. "Is this true, love?" Fred crouched down beside Hemione and gently held her in order to raise the cuff of her jumper. What they saw had the twins instantly livid.

Slowly, Fred turned to his twin and quietly instructed him to send a patronus to Child Services.

But upon seeing the twins whispering to Hermione, Mr. Granger suddenly interjected himself into the conversation. "Now, see here. Are you the two deviants that have corrupted my Hermione?"

"She ceased to be your daughter when you laid your hands on her in anger!" George vehemently declared, stepping forward, toe-to-toe with the muggle. "We won't let you hurt her again."

"Children, just what is all this ruckus?" Lucius Malfoy's voice caught the attention of the wixen and muggle alike. Within moments, Ginny had appraised Lucius of the situation. From his position at the other end of the platform, he had witnessed the two witches' distress and immediately set out to investigate.

Lucius strolled towards Mr. Granger, rather leisurely, but to those familiar with the Malfoy patriarch, they could see the seething rage in his demeanour. "My dear man, is what Ginerva told me the truth? Did you bruise Miss Granger's wrist?"

"Who are you to question my parenting!" Mr. Ganger sneered at Lucius. "It is my right to discipline my daughter how I see fit. Our Hermione has always been slightly odd and we were fine with that - proud of it even! But she's just getting more and more freaky ever since she fell in with you a lot. What are they teaching her at this supposed school of yours?"

"My apologies for failing to introduce myself earlier. I am Lord Lucius Malfoy of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Malfoy, Governor of the supposed school your daughter is excelling in all her subjects and is, in fact, one of the most talented witches of her age." Lucius' tone held a slight tinge of pride for the young witch who so eagerly absorbed Narcissa's teachings the year previous.

Mr. Granger glared between Lucius and the twins, who were now almost indecently sandwiching Hermione front to back and whispering in her ear."No more! I refuse to allow my daughter to be further corrupted by you freaks. Hermione! You're coming home with your mother and I!" Mr. Granger bellowed, yanking Hermione away from the Weasley twins.

The surrounding teenagers instantly whipped their wands out and pointed them at Mr. Granger. Lucius cast a withering stare at the muggle and instructed the teens to put their wands away. Reluctantly, they acquiesced, and once satisfied that his direction had been followed, Lucius spoke to the Muggles.

"Mr. Granger, this is the only warning I will give you. Release Miss Granger or I will take action." Lucius calmly ignored Mr. Granger's scoff. "Miss Granger is a witch acclimated to regularly exercising her magical core, so it would be highly dangerous, foolhardy, and irresponsible to prevent her from completing her education."

Mr. Granger refused to comply and attempted to pull the young witch towards the muggle platform. However, unhesitatingly and wordlessly, Lucius had Mr Granger bound in ropes within seconds. Mrs. Granger released a wail and hurried to her husband's side, and Hermione ran into the twins' welcoming embrace.

"You monster! Release my husband, this instant!" Mrs. Granger finally seemed to find her voice.

Lucius merely ignored the woman and turned to the assembled children. "Andras, Ginerva, Miss Granger, I suggest you board the Express. Draco and Samael have already boarded and I believe I saw Miss Lovegood in the compartment they commandeered."

The teens did not follow immediately and glanced between Lucius and the two muggle adults hesitatingly.

"There is no need to worry children, I will wait with the Grangers until the Ministry officials arrive."

"And we'll stay with him!" Fred and George declared in unison, a rather fearsome look in their eyes. "We'll make sure the Ministry deals with them properly."

"Ministry?" Hermione squeaked out, from where she was huddled in the middle of the group.

Lucius smiled softly at the witch and calmly explained that her parents' actions were reprehensible in wixen society and would most definitely lead to Hermione being placed with a wixen family.

The witch looked absolutely gobsmacked, but after a moment's hesitation, she stared resolutely into Lucius' eyes, whispered a quiet 'thank you', and ignored her mother's calls for her to return as she boarded the Express.

Once the three teens were safely aboard the Express, Lucius eyed the twins suspiciously. "Weasleys," he greeted neutrally. He knew these Weasleys were friendly with his son and Samael, and that Draco had even invested in their new business.

"Lord Malfoy," they returned simultaneously.

"Draco tells me that your business products are revolutionary," Lucius stated, shifting his weight onto his cane. "Now, tell me, do you expect to turn a profit in the first year?"

To their credit, the two Weasley entrepreneurs did not waver under Lucius' gimlet stare. No matter how much they wanted to.


A/N: Hello, thank you for all your lovely words. I really appreciated it :3

Also, I'm sorry if you've had multiple notifications about this chapter. was experiencing issues uploading new chapters so I'm hoping you'll be able to see this one :)

I'm just going to address a guest reviewer who asked what Severus had to do with how Robert turned out. I'm sorry if I didn't explain this properly. I've worked in UK secondary schools so I might have just assumed that everyone knows safeguarding practices (woopsie!). In schools, safeguarding children (this being protecting children from harm, which includes looking after their social and emotional development) is the absolute imperative. So, if a child displays worrying behaviour (possessive and aggressive behaviour, self-injury, withdrawal from friends, etc) or if a parent/guardian discloses that they or the child are struggling at home (this could be anything like addiction, domestic violence, lack of food or money, etc…) then the school needs to take action and notify the necessary people and direct parent and/or child to help services.

Now, I understand that Hogwarts is a fictional, magical, school and protecting the children from harm seems to be the exact opposite of Dumbledore's modus operandi, however, I would like to think that some of the staff have had some safeguarding training and would take necessary action. So, in my opinion, because Sirius (the guardian of a child) notified a senior professor that Robert was displaying worrying behaviour and Sirius confessed he was struggling, Severus should have at least reported that and followed up. I hope that makes sense, and sorry for any confusion! :)