You're the Only One I see

Chapter Two

Returning Home

"So the basic gist," Sirius was saying as he and Remus walked around the lake. "Is that this kid, Chase, can know about me, because he probably already knows about me."

"Yep."

"I guess that makes sense."

Remus nodded. "Snape said Chase probably knows more about what's going on than any of us do, but hasn't realized it. And Snape doesn't try to keep things from him."

"I suppose trying to hide things from a Seer is pointless."

"In theory." Remus shrugged some. "He's still only fifteen. And its not like this is something he asked for, or abuses. Its not exactly a coveted ability, being able to see the future." He was trying to be tactful about telling Sirius that he'd fucked up.

He knew Sirius was already feeling the effects of missing twelve years of his life…he didn't want to make it worse by getting on his case.

Sirius snorted, though there was no amusement to it. "You can tell me when I've stuck my foot in it Remus, I think I'm old enough to handle it."

Remus glanced out of him from the corner of his eye. "Oh?"

"What I said to Sniv…Snape about everyone he knows going insane was obviously not the right thing to say."

"That's putting it mildly." He shook his head, trying to find the words to explain it. "I know you think Snape is the same bastard he was when we were in school, but he isn't. He's still pretty horrible, which I think is just part of his personality, or lack thereof, but he takes his son, and his responsibility, very seriously."

"It's hard to imagine Snape as someone's father."

"…You're kidding, right?"

"Yes, I realize its weird for us too."

"You get used to it. I think…having Chase made Snape different." Kind of like how having Siri had forced Remus to grow up, having Chase forced Snape to…change what he was. No more lurking around in dark castles and terrorizing people with his fangs.

At least not to Remus' knowledge. He did know Snape got a kick out of tormenting his students and making First Years wet themselves, but he was pretty sure he did that just by being himself, not flaunting his vampire side.

At least he hoped that was the case.

"He's the whole reason, other than loyalty to Dumbledore, that Snape is involved with the Order. If he wanted he could easily leave and stay among his kind, and not spare us a second thought, but he knows Chase wouldn't stand half a chance among full blood vampires."

The boy was…well, he was eccentric, to say the least. Maybe it was the way he was raised, taught independence and how to protect himself from birth, and he was a touch on the odd side, but mostly he was kind of…serene. Unshakable. Death, destruction, and chaos kind of slid off of him like water and Remus couldn't remember a time when he didn't smile readily, or have a joke ready.

"And the nymphs won't accept him." Remus said, glancing over at the lake. Right below the surface he could see the mere-people and the water nymphs, enjoying the warm day.

Snape's son was, really, a bit of a mutt. Not that Remus meant that offensively, but what was true was true. You'd think, for all of Snape's pureblood mania in school, that he'd at least pick a vampire woman as a lover, but instead he'd gone for a half-nymph.

Nymph's Grove was something Chase's half-brother, Brennan, had inherited when their mother was sentenced to life in St. Mungos. Chase was oddly fond of the place, and its less than human inhabitants. The manor was a large one, ridiculously so considering it belonged to two teenage boys and a vampire who would never dare set foot into Ireland, that almost put Remus' childhood home to shame (and that was no small feat).

"Hullo Mr. Lupin!" A house elf said, running towards them. Remus nodded towards it. "Mr. Siri is with Master Chase in the music room."

"Thanks." Remus smiled then motioned for Sirius to follow him.

The music room was a small building off of the side of the house. It was the only thing that Chase's mother had left to him, as opposed to his brother, along with all of the instruments inside. Remus knew that Chase guarded the room and its contents fiercely, not allowing anyone except his father and Siri inside.

Remus had never, in spite of knowing Chase the vast majority of his life, gone inside. He didn't mind, as this was the only piece to a large part of who he was that the teen had, but he did kind of wonder why Siri got the privilege. The boy was pretty much musically hopeless, and that was putting it lightly.

You'd think, considering how well he could hear different pitches, he might be good at it but no…Siri was truly the type of person who should never be allowed musical instruments, for the good of all those around him.

They reached the building quickly. It was a cream colored building, with the walls and windows done in blue. It was simple, though it hadn't always been. It had once been deep blue and covered in intricate white wave designs, but Chase didn't share his mothers desire to stand out.

Remus walked past a window then stopped and looked in rolling his eyes, before rapping on the window. As he'd suspected, any academic pursuits had been abandoned in favor of more…personal ones. Siri and Chase were, or had been at least, rather attached at the lips.

"I swear, I've told him a million times, do not snog the vampire." He muttered, walking towards the door. In a general sense, Remus didn't care whom his son was interested in, but…well Chase drank blood. It made him uneasy.

"And I've told you a million and one, I do not like the taste of wolves." The door opened and a petite boy stuck his head out, smiling wryly. "Hullo Remus."

"Chase." Remus looked over the teen and saw his son sitting on the floor, face buried in his hands. Siri was probably bright red and borderline mortified. "I'd ask if you were having a good day but that'd just seem pointless."

Chase smiled and stepped out. He glanced over at Sirius, who was standing a few steps behind Remus, clearly a little wary at being so…exposed. Then he looked back at Remus and ran his fingers through his hair.

"I'd ask the same of you, but I think it'd be just as pointless."

"You are quite the cheeky runt Chase." Remus said, shaking his head. "This is Siri's father, Sirius Black."

Again Chase looked at Sirius and this time he smiled. "Yes. Nice to meet you Mr. Black."

Sirius blinked, as if the boy had just said something totally inconceivable and Remus sighed then whispered loudly.

"Sirius is fine Chase. Manners are lost of him."

"Ah. He may want to work on that for tonight."

Remus arched an eyebrow. "What's tonight?"

Chase stared at him, then his lips quirked. "Father didn't tell you?" Remus shook his head in the negative and Chase laughed, though there was less humor and more bitterness to it. "I have to host the vampire ball tonight. Every vampire under a hundred in the world, save my father, will be packed into the Scottish Den and I get to play gracious host. That's why I asked for Siri. I need an escort."

"You need an escort so you can make nice with some of the most dangerous, and high class, creatures in the world…and you want to take my son? Have you hit your head recently?"

Siri, who had been standing behind Chase for some time, scowled. "Real funny Da."

"I thought so." Remus said, smiling, before looking back down at Chase. "Are you even allowed to bring Wolflings?"

"It's my party, I think I can do whatever I damn well please." Chase shrugged and pointed at Siri. "If I want to bring a half-breed, a werewolf, and a convict to my party I will. If they don't like it, all of the appropriate exits will be very clearly marked."

"Right. Snape is really going to love you starting an civil war because you felt the need to pull rank on everyone."

"He wouldn't mind. It's not like he'd have to handle it he doesn't do anything. Neither do I for that matter." He scratched his head a bit absently. "As long as Helios keeps things running smoothly we just show up a few times a year and look menacing."

Which Remus knew all too well. During his stint as Snape's lover he'd gotten a taste of how vampire politics worked. Helios, Snape's mentor and a vampire who was well over a thousand, ran all of the day-to-day things, while Snape went to political parties and important meetings, and Chase played the perfect prince. Other than memorizing the names of the other Den leaders, Snape had no active role in the way his Den was run.

The vampire had told him once, while smirking, that Master Vampire simply wasn't a role he was cut out for, nor was it a responsibility he had ever wanted. He much preferred teaching at Hogwarts.

Remus made a face suddenly. Really, he'd thought when he and Snape had ended their relationship he'd never have to be involved with this type of thing again.

He took Chase by the shoulder and started steering him back towards the portal. "Let's get moving then, Prince Figurehead, and get this over with. I hate vampire gatherings."

"You and me both."

-

Sirius had to admit the boy was quite the shock. He was short, maybe smaller than Harry, (That was genetics though. Potter males just didn't luck out in the height department.) and very thin. His skin was pale, almost translucent, and there wasn't a hint of color to it. His hair was blond, almost white, yet Sirius could see ginger colored roots.

His eyes were his most striking feature, aside from the long and slightly hooked nose, (which confirmed that he was indeed Snape's child.) a strange mix of smoky gray and pink. …Well, his eyes and the sheer number of silver things in his ears.

"He gets bored very easily." Remus said, catching his look. "Give him twenty minutes, a ice cube and a straight pin and he'll put a hole almost anywhere."

"Clearly."

"I can hear you." Chase muttered from where he sitting on the ground. Siri was kneeling next to him, very carefully painting an image of Sirius' childhood home onto the wall, next to the already existing portals.

"When this is all over with, we can erase that, right?" Sirius asked, watching his son's delicate strokes. "I'd rather not have any access to that place so…close."

"Sure." Remus leaned against him slightly. "I'll even let you throw the paint thinner on it."

"Bugger that." Siri said, studiously ignoring the look Remus tossed his way. "This is really good. You can't just go destroying my art."

"Fine. I'll let you both throw paint thinner on it."

Siri muttered something and Chase giggled. Finally the younger teen sat back on his haunches and tilted his head off to the side, comparing his painting to the photo in his hand. Then he squinted before picking up his brush again and drawing a small '12'. That done he stood up and rubbed his stained hands onto the front of his jeans. Remus let out a long-suffering sigh.

"That's great Siri, stain your clothes."

"Sorry Mum."

"Real funny." Remus muttered stepping forward. "Doras Sli."

He tapped his wand onto the painting, willing it to become a doorway, then stepped back when the wall went from solid to fluid, the image rippling like the ones surrounding it. He observed it for a moment then, with a sigh, stepped through. He felt the familiar cool tingle the came with this particular spell as he went through the painting, before emerging into a hallway. He looked around, wondering where exactly they were.

He'd only been in this place once and it'd been for a very brief visit. Very, very brief. Because Sirius' family had pretty much hated him right off the back. He knew now it was because certain members could sense what he was, but at the time it'd been…well, self-esteem destroying.

"Professor Lupin?" The voice held a mixture of confusion and happiness. Remus turned and offered a smile towards the two redhead teens standing at the end of the hallway. He opened his mouth to say something, when someone ran into him. He fell forward, but stayed on his feet, before turning to steady the young vampire.

"Chase…"

"Sorry Remus." Gray-pink eyes looked up at him sheepishly. Remus sighed and let the teen go. For a vampire Chase was rather uncoordinated.

He pushed Chase to the side gently and waited for Siri, and then Sirius, to emerge from the portal. That done he tapped the wall next to the doorway and watched intently as it went smooth. He touched it and, satisfied that it was solid, turned back to the assembled group.

No one would be able to get through it until he re-enchanted the doorway.

"Ron, where's your mother?"

"In the kitchen." Ron said, though his gaze seemed to more focus on Chase, who was chewing a strand of his own hair anxiously, than it was on him. Remus arched an eyebrow then looked at Sirius, who blinked him.

"Well, it is your house."

"…Oh. Right." Sirius smiled slightly, feeling a little sheepish. He gestured for the others to follow and lead them towards the staircase that went to the kitchen. Everything was going grandly until:

"Sirius Black! How dare you set foot into this house! And bringing that…thing with you!" Sirius winced, and something like a chill ran up his spine. He glanced at the portrait, which showed his mother looking as lividly stern as ever. "Abominations! You corrupt the house of my fathers!"

Remus frowned slightly, not exactly fancying the idea of being called a thing or an abomination. Then again, Sirius' mum had always been a bit of a bitch and hadn't cared for him in the least, why should this be any different?

"We've been trying to shut her up all summer." Ron said shaking his head.

"Ha. She wouldn't shut up when I was young, why would she start now? Ignore her."

"Who is she?" Chase asked, eyeing the portrait.

"My mother." Sirius muttered, heading down the staircase.

Siri let out a dramatic sigh. "I'm totally devoid of decent relatives, aren't I?"

"Yes. Don't ever forget that." Remus said, putting a hand on his son's shoulder. "There is nothing but bad blood on both sides of your family, so don't associate with any of them."

"Leave this house!"

"Goodness, is she squawking again?" Mrs. Weasley's voice floated from the kitchen. Remus rather liked Mrs. Weasley to be honest. She struck him as the type who was much more than she seemed, and perfectly capable of keeping her entire pack, large as it was, in line. She ruled over her family like a she-wolf did over her brood and Remus could respect that.

Though he probably should have been a little bit disturbed that he could respect that. Sometimes he was sure the wolf inside of him was…not so much inside of him anymore. It was hard to explain exactly but he was pretty sure the fact he'd managed to outlive the average Half-Breed by four years had something to do with it.

People who were bitten didn't have a very long life-span. The oldest recorded had been forty-seven, and most died before thirty-three. Remus was either very lucky or very cursed. But that wasn't really the point.

He and the eldest Weasleys had met quite a few times since Harry's third year, both being among those that Albus trusted above all others. Remus had found she was quite the woman.

Fierce and strong, utterly set in her ways, but never anything short of loving and supporting. She held the Weasley family together…she was, really, everything Remus thought a mother should be and thus the exact opposite of his own mother.

Regina Lupin was a great many things, but more than anything she was an image concerned, self-absorbed woman. Remus was willing to acknowledge she'd had her moments of motherly affection when she tried to do right by him and his siblings, but mostly she viewed them as pretty little…accessories or dolls, for her perfect family 'set'.

And that was a role Remus hadn't really fit.

"Remus!" Mrs. Weasley said, looking up from whatever it was she'd been doing. Her hands were covered in flour, which she started to wipe onto her apron. Her eyes crinkled nicely when she smiled and pulled him into a hug. He let out a tiny gasp; for such a small woman she had quite the grip. And then she was letting him go and eyeing his guests.

Her eyes feel on Sirius for a moment and Remus could almost feel the other man start to squirm under her watchful gaze. Then, without comment, she looked at Siri and Chase, before frowning and clucking disapprovingly.

"Look at you four, skinny as wands. As bad as Harry no doubt." And with that she began to sweep around the kitchen and pull things out of cupboards. Remus exchanged a bemused look with Sirius, who just shrugged.

"Mrs. Weasley-"

"Molly, dear, I've told you plenty of times. You're a grown man after all."

"Yes, well-" She walked past him but gave a light push towards the table. "Umm…"

"Take a seat, all of you. No, not you two." She eyed her own children suspiciously. "Aren't you to be de-gnoming the back yard, not standing around staring at people?"

"Fred and George told us to get lost." Ron said, shoving his hands into his pockets. She rolled her eyes then went back to her work. "Professor-"

"You can call me Remus, Ron." He smiled at the boy as he took a seat. "And I suppose I should introduce you to these two. The disturbingly tall one-" Siri stuck of his tongue. "Is my son Sirius, but Siri is quite all right. The disturbing one, period, is Chase Pryce."

Chase rolled his eyes while Siri snickered, then raised a hand in greeting. Ginny smiled enthusiastically, as Remus had come to realize was her style, but Ron just raised a hand tentatively, eyes not leaving Chase. Chase smirked widely then blinked when a glass of deep purple liquid was put in front of him. His eyebrow went up, in a gesture that reminded Remus very much of Snape, before he leaned forward and sniffed it.

Then he turned to Mrs. Weasley, who was rummaging through the freezer. "Thank you Mrs. Weasley. I'd almost forgotten I hadn't fe…eaten today."

"And how, pray tell, do you forget such a thing?" Mrs. Weasley asked, tone stern. "It's a good thing Dumbledore told me to talk to your father about your eating habits, otherwise you might just waste away."

Chase shrank back some and looked at Remus, who shrugged, before swatting Sirius away from one of his biscuits. The other man stared at him for a moment, trying to look properly pathetic and, after a moment, Remus relented. Sirius smiled at him.

"It's purple." Siri said, watching Chase take a drink from his glass. "Has anyone noticed that it's purple and…hey, why do you get ice cream?"

"Special blend." Chase said, chuckling. "It's one of the few ways I can eat these days and not risk losing."

As of late Chase's Seer abilities had made him prone to seizures, long gaps when he was practically comatose, and throwing up blood. And, as he'd taken to saying, there was little more disturbing that a vampire throwing up blood, because, considering how much trouble they went through to get it in, heaving it back up was just…wrong.

He'd taken to a strictly liquid and frozen diet, to cut down on what he lost. His body absorbed what it needed faster in those forms.

"What's so special about it?" Ginny asked curiously. "It looks like strawberry, only with no berries in it."

"Trust me, I doubt you want any." Remus said mildly. Siri was still watching Chase's glass intently. "Siri-"

"It's purple!"

Chase rolled his eyes and pushed the glass to Siri who, rolling his eyes slightly heavenward, stuck a finger in then licked it. Remus was pretty sure he looked a little sick. …Then again, Mrs. Weasley had, undoubtedly, made his steak more rare than done for a reason (and he did prefer it that way) so his son licking blood probably shouldn't disturb him that much.

And yet it did. And that was good since he found he was rapidly…losing touch with things he once considered normal.

Sirius winced, but Siri just shrugged slightly while pushing it back to Chase. "You could have just said grape juice."

"Eh." Chase glanced at him from the corner of his eye. "Ice cream?"

"No." Siri said, tone firm. He looked slightly green. "I've seen the house elves make it."

"I don't get it. It looks normal to me," Ron said finally. Chase looked up at him slowly, eyebrow arching, then nodded at his bowl.

"Do you want to try?"

"Uh…"

"Go right on ahead." Mrs. Weasley said, putting a hand on her hip. "If you want to pester you might as well get it over with."

Chase held out the spoon obligingly. Remus put a hand over his eyes. Once Ron found out he was eating a mixture of animal blood, human blood, cream, milk and sugar, he was going to be throwing up for at least a week. (Remus estimated a week because the first time he'd been tricked into he'd been sick for three days and still couldn't eat strawberry or peppermint ice cream.)

"Moony-" Sirius said, leaning in to whisper to him.

"He's a vampire Sirius, take a guess." He felt Sirius wince, again, then shrugged. "It won't hurt him any otherwise Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let him."

Ron put the spoon in his mouth and Siri slid low in his seat, while Chase smiled something that was a cross between amused and gleeful. Ron handed the spoon back, considering.

"It's kind of…salty."

"Sirius!" Remus, Siri, and Chase all leapt up form the table, taking with food with them in case, just as a swirl of color pounced Sirius. Sirius could only laugh, wide-eyed, as he was knocked to the floor, taking out his and Remus' chair in the process. "How are you? I wanted to see you before, but I got held up, and then I wanted to come to the Den but Remus told me that maybe a little 'adjusting' time was in order."

"I'm fine Nymph'." He said, reaching up to push the woman up some.

She scowled, hair finally settling on lavender. It made Remus wonder if Siri's own shape shifting was less his doing and something from Sirius' side of the family. Obviously Tonk's got it somewhere, and probably not from her father since he was Muggle-born.

The Black family had a lot of Magical Creature blood flowing about. None of it seemed to effect Sirius who had once whined about being tragically human while everyone around him was just a little beyond ordinary. But that didn't mean it couldn't have skipped a generation.

"You know I hate that. Just Tonks." She said, standing up and pulling him with her. "Anyway, I-" She stopped and turned, eyes falling on the small group huddled by the wall. Remus could only assume Ron and Ginny knew all about Tonk's…accident-prone ways. She beamed.

"Come're puppy."

"Now who's using annoying names?" Siri asked, setting his food down and walking over.

She ignored that and hugged him. They really were very fond of each other, which really lead Remus to believe that Tonk's had long since told Siri they were related in more than a Godmother-Godson sort of way. (Remus had, in an attempt to keep Tonk's close while still keeping Sirius a secret, named her his Godmother. He suspected he might have been drinking that day.)

"And my favorite vampire." She continued. Chase smiled weakly.

"Tonks, as much as I'd love a hug, I don't think I can take it today. I'd rather not do the whole projectile blood vomit thing in front of everyone." Remus made a face but the blond just shrugged. "Well it's true."

"I understand." Tonks said, flashing Remus a smile, before turning back to Sirius. "So, what'd you think of the puppy? Have Remus and I done a decent job?"

"Vampire?" Ron echoed. Remus nodded, patting him on the back soothingly. "Special…does that mean that's…?"

"Blood flavored? That's the general idea."

"What's wrong with him?" Tonks asked, watching Ron turn and flee the room.

"He ate Chase's ice cream."

"Really? I thought he was too smart to just go eating anything-" Ginny snorted loudly, drawing a disapproving look from her mother. "Oh well. Sirius you'll never guess-"

"Not to interrupt," Charlie Weasley was standing in the doorway of the kitchen. "We kind of need the kitchen now."

Ginny heaved a sigh and started for the doorway, knowing that was her clue to leave. Charlie ruffled her hair playfully, but she just stuck out her tongue in reply. Remus sighed and turned to his son and the teen vampire.

"Sorry you two, but its time to go."

"Actually the vampire is supposed to say." Charlie said as he leaned against the doorframe.

Chase frowned. "I have a name."

"Why?" Remus asked, frowning. The redhead shrugged.

"Dumbledore's orders."

Remus put a hand on the teen's shoulder. He wasn't sure he liked the idea. "Has he talked to Snape?"

"I would assume."

"Da-"

"Later Siri. Go make sure Ron isn't too sick, would you?"

The teen rolled his eyes and, with a wave at Chase, walked out, supposedly in search of the Weasley children. Once he gone Remus let go of Chase and motioned for the teen to sit back down at the table, before sitting down as well. He wasn't going to claim to be an expert on Snape, or what he'd allow Chase to do, but he sincerely doubted the other man wanted his son within five meters of Order business.

Albus was playing a dangerous game if he thought differently…

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