Disclaimer : All characters belongs to J. K. Rowlings, minus professor Tralatong, whose name belongs to the creators of Farscape. All were kidnapped in the dawn, and are not used to make money. They will be returned when I'm done.

See, don't own so don't sue, unless you're interested in my teddy bears collection...

Besides this work will contain people out of character since I am definitely not JK Rowlings, and some strange sentences since I'm French. Not to forget it's an AU... No Peter, and Lily is the fourth Marauder. Still here?

So, on with the show...

Chapter 10 – Facing adversity together

During a few minutes, the teachers and the students alike stared unmovingly at the opened doors and the new arrivants.

Mac Nair, Avery, Nott and Regulus used this momentum to rush around Sirius to try and prevent him from escaping. Sirius paled and looked towards Severus with uncertainty. Severus smiled and took his hand, tugging him into his arms, and they both stood there, flanked by Severus' parents. Remus and Lily stood defensively to their right, wands at the ready.

As James was drawing his wand, his fiancé took his hand.

"Problems?" he murmured.

"Yes, but I don't think we're gonna have to fight. Just in case..."

"Hm..." James felt his fiancé's hand leaving his just before his arm sneaked around his waist.

Mrs Black quickly went to stand in front of Sirius, looking him from head to toe. "Say good bye to your 'friends', you're leaving." She stated, eyeing him disgutively.

"He isn't." Firmly answered Severus.

"He is." Drawled Lord Voldemort, "he is mine."

"Says who?" interrupted Sarah.

The red eyed wizzard let out an icy laugh. "Says his mother. And the contract we signed. Come now, boy, it was a merry chase you let us on, but we don't have all day." Samuel's hand on his arm was the only thing stopping him to grab Sirius.

"Who are you?" Voldemort snarled at Samuel.

"I'm Sirius' lawyer. May I see this contract?"

"A lawyer is useless. The contract is legal."

"Nonetheless, may I have a look?" Samuel insisted.

Looking bored, Voldemort handed him the contract. Samuel read it quickly and started to laugh. Voldemort raised an eyebrow. "And, pray tell, what do you find so amusing?"

"This contract is invalid."

"How so?"

"At this date, Mrs Black had no more parental authority on Sirius. And thus she wasn't allowed to sign this." He emphasized his words by shacking the contract, hold between his thumb and forefinger under Voldemort's nose.

"What?" shrieked Mrs Black.

"At this time, your son was engaged to mine, and here is the contract" he extracted it from his pocket, "signed by Sirius. I agree" he waved his hand dismissively, "that this engagement has no precedence on yours, unless..."he trailed.

"Samuel Snape, do you mind going on with this today? I think I'm going to faint from anxiety, here!" Sarah urged him on, her worried gaze fixed on a trembling Sirius in her son's arms. Samuel blushed. "Hu.. Okay, as I was saying, your contract would over-ride this one, if Severus hadn't wed Sirius yesterday evening, transfering parental authority to my wife and I." He ended with a smirk. Mrs Black was fuming.

Lord Voldemort was poker faced, though his eyes still lingered on Sirius. "What proof do I have that this isn't a white marriage? If it is, I can easily cancel it."

Severus snapped. "You have a lot of nerve to suggest that my familly would submit itself to such a thing." He tightened his hold on Sirius. "I married him because I love him."

"Prove it."

"How?"

"Show me how you love him." Everybody gasped at the explicit demand.

"Excuse me?" Sarah enquired, her hands on her hips.

"Well, it is easy to kiss somebody without loving him. Lots of people do that all the time. Care to demonstrate, Mister Malefoy?" he said, directing everybody's attention to Lucius, who was standing next to James.

"It would be my pleasure!" Lucius affirmed, before grabbing James and kissing him, using the surprise effect to deepen the kiss. As soon as he was finished, he relaxed a red faced James who was spluttering in anger.

"See?" he smirked, pointing towards James.

"What do you want?" sighed Lily, from her try to restrain Remus, who was growling low in his throat.

"Ah, finally the question. If you want to know, I think they could pull a show, don't you think? If I'm going to lose an employee, I might as well derive something from this situation."

Voldemort's speech was interupted by Severus' icy voice. "And you think that I'm going to let you degrade my husband like that?" all the while he was burying Sirius deeper in his embrace.

"Either that, or I'm taking him with me." Scowled Voldemort.

Just then, Sirius turned into his speechless husband's embrace to face Voldemort. "What about a compromise?" he nearly whispered, his face redder than a poppy. "We won't have sex in front of you, but I can assure you we'll do!" he grinned a little bit.

Voldemort frowned a little.

"You can't back out now. It was your condition, after all."

"And how am I supposed to make sure that you're not going to cheat?"

"I think you can use a modification of the 'chastety belt' spelt, don't you think?"

"Your idea has merit. I agree."

"Fine, meet us at eight tonight outside of the Great Hall."

"Why not now?"

A smirk "We're hungry."

"And you're not going to run?"

Severus had recover enough to cut in the conversation "Contrary to you, we do respect our word. Besides, you can make sure of that with a simple location spell. Now, if you'll excuse us, my husband and I need substenance." He then dragged Sirius towards their parents and friends.

Mrs Black left hurriedly, her face pinched with hatred.

The next hours were spent eating, receiving congratulations and kissing, with a lot of the last one. The only trouble was brought on by Narcissa, who cornered Lucius and reproached him loudly of his kissing James.

Even the Gryffondors, though warry of such an alliance, backed off when Sirius assured them that no, Severus had not been the one to initiate the contract so he could marry him, and yes, he loved him very much.

The last reserves were abandonned when Severus assured everybody that he too was in love with Sirius, and made his point clear by kissing an enthousiastic Sirius.

As the time of the appointement grew near, they all felt the anxiety level increasing. Sirius appeared to be permanently glued to Severus' side and grew silent. Each one of them were fingering from time to time a little black stone they wore on a chain around their neck. Those stones, a present from the Headmaster, were in fact a sort of 'love portkey', enabling the wearer to be transported to the other's side, just by grabbing it and telling his name.

At eight sharp, they exited the Great Hall to where stood Voldemort. He eyed them approaching, his face betraying nothing of his thoughts. "Are you sure there is no way to change you minds?"

At their nods he added "It's a shame, it could be very interesting." Eyeing them both from head to toe and back.

"If you could hurry, we might be able to go away."

"Eager, are you? It's understandable, with a mate such as yours..."

"We could do without the sarcasms. Now, hurry!" snarled Severus.

Voldemort agreed and casted the spell, smirking as both boys nearly ran to the stairs.

"Well" he mused, "at least they didn't object to my little amelioration."

"Which would be?" asked Mac Nair.

"Oh, just a little extra. Not only will I be warned as soon as they have sex, but I will also be able to experience it from the point of view I chose." Seeing Mac Nair's wisful look, he proposed "Care to share?" At Mac Nair's nod, he laughed "Just point us to a room where we won't be disturbed."

Smiling evilly, Mac Nair lead the way.