AN: It's finally here! wipes brow RL has been quite time consuming.

Thanks to everyone that has reviewed! Once this story is complete - meaning once Harry's defeated old Voldie - each of the first three kids will have their own story. The first is Harry and Sirius' 'love story.' This story is mainly from Severus and James' points of view.

Disclaimer: I own only Helena, Hugh, and Hamilton. Everything else belongs to JKR, without whom I never would become obsessed with wizards who snark or lovable dogs with nicknames like Snuffles.

Chapter 14

St. Mungo's was a madhouse when James arrived the morning after Hogwarts broke up for the holidays. He had stayed at home, even though Harry had gone with Ron by Floo to Grimmauld Place to check on Arthur. Severus had then accompanied Helena and Hugh home, and with them had come Harry's friend Hermione. James wasn't all that fond of the girl, simply because she thought it scandalous they had Maddy. So he had taken the chance that she wouldn't talk about it if she was around Harry and Ron, and brought the girl with him.

When the Floo had waked him so early in the morning yesterday, James had begun worrying about all of the implications this brought forward. He had tended to Hamilton, all the while thinking that something wasn't quite right about the entire situation. Severus had been teaching Harry how to block his mind, and now he was getting pictures he wasn't supposed to talk about.

James thought it was time for Harry to learn about what the Order was protecting. But that would have to wait until they got home. For now, they would visit with Arthur and make sure he was okay.

"James!" Molly called down the hallway as they left the lift. "I wasn't sure if you would be going back today, but I packed up Harry's things." She handed him a small but heavy parcel. "I believe he had quite a few books in there, though I have no idea why it's so heavy."

James had a sneaking suspicion what it was, as he had no doubt Sirius had told him where the dirty books were hidden in the Tower. He would have to remind his son that gender was no barrier to pregnancy, or at least it wasn't one in this family. A thrill of horror ran down his spine when he realized Helena needed The Talk, as well. James had never gone further than a grope with a girl before knowing he was far more attracted to the same sex rather than the opposite. And Severus had never been with anyone before James. So whom was he going to ask?

"Did you want to talk to Arthur, James? He's awake," Molly asked, rescuing James from his train of thought.

"Thanks, Molly," he said distracted by Harry bursting out of a private room.

"Dad! Hermione!" Harry skidded to a stop, Ron not that far behind him. Hermione glared at the two boys before herding them towards the room. Harry looked back. "Where's Patri?"

"At home with your brothers and sister," James answered. "We will be going home after we visit Mr. Weasley."

Molly eyed him. "You're not coming over today, then?"

James shook his head. "Remus is picking up Sirius at Heathrow, and both of them are staying at out house. Severus would hex me if I left the three of them alone for any long period of time."

Yes, he could just imagine the carnage he would come home to, especially a jet-lagged Sirius being involved. They did get along well, but they certainly weren't the best of friends.

He nodded at Molly and then followed her into her husband's room. His bed was nearest the window out of the three. As they passed by the first one, Molly told him in a hushed whisper that he was recovering from a werewolf bite. James made a mental note to see if he could visit for a moment and give him Remus' name if he needed help. The middle bed was occupied by another Ministry employee, of whom James couldn't remember his name at the moment. James did notice a plant by his bed, but didn't recognize it. It was most like one of the Muggle weeds his mother had constantly been battling in their back garden. He shrugged it off as he caught sight of Arthur in his bandages. As he did, he saw Bill Weasley on the other side of the bed, listening to Harry chat up a storm.

"Bill!" he greeted, seeing Molly fussing over her husband and Harry turn to Ron. "When did you get back?"

"Last month," the red head with the long ponytail answered. "The transfer to the London office took awhile... longer than I expected. The word that you-know-who is out and about set quite a few people running."

"I'm glad you managed it, though. Sirius is coming back from Canada today, and I'm sure he would like to see you before Christmas. Have your mother tell you the address and let me know, so we can have someone meet you there. It's under a charm, but you can floo into the next village over."

Bill nodded. "Will do."

Harry came back over. "Dad, who's picking up Sirius?"

"Remus."

"Is Professor Sinistra coming over then? Because they're attached at the hip."

James arched his brows. "Remus is dating? When did this happen? The last I knew he wanted to get with her, but I didn't hear anything different." He paused as he remembered Severus griping about how 'disgusting it is to watch grown men try to suck a woman's lungs out, especially when he's the godfather of one of my children.' Yes, Remus was dating.

"Mr. Moony the Prefect is dating the Astronomy teacher?" Bill asked. "The same girl who was called the Village - " He cut off when he saw James' pointed look at Harry and Ron, who were listening intently. "Mm... never mind."

James smirked at his flustered friend. Bill had been a first year in their seventh and had worshipped the ground the Marauders walked on. They had taught him how to prank Peeves and McGonagall, ensuring their legacy would live on long after Hogwarts was deprived of their presence. Ah, those were the days...

0000000

Severus rolled his eyes as he watched Harry try to 'flirt'with Black. He may have resigned himself to the relationship his eldest child had his heart set on, but that did not mean he wanted to see it.

They were all seated around the fire in James' study, relaxing after a filling supper. James had brought them in here to show off his newest quill - a set gifted to him by the publishing company - which had a Never Blot charm on it. The company had stayed, though, because the parlor was too formal for even Severus' tastes.

Harry and Black were on the settee, and Helena was deep in conversation with Bill Weasley about his job. The red head had come over this Sunday, saying he needed to escape the tension at the Burrow. Surprisingly, he found he had much more in common with the cursebreaker than his former housemates. James, Hugh, and Lupin were discussing England's chances at Quidditch. Severus didn't mind not being included in that conversation.

Instead, he was content to hold Hamilton. He relished in the feel of his warm body up against his chest, the scent of talcum powder soft in the air. Severus was very grateful that none of his Slytherins could see him now as he played with his infant son. It would show too soft of a side for the more jaded buggers

Severus had missed this feeling, the feeling of having created this perfect little person. He would never ask James to have another child, but he was happy that Hamilton had been a most precious surprise. That sentiment may be maudlin, but it was nevertheless true.

His son was finally starting to teethe, his one tooth peeking over his bottom lip when he grinned at the sight of the bunny toy Helena brought over a short time later. Bill followed her, obviously finding it funny watching the same man who had caught him in a tryst with the Ravenclaw keeper playing with his baby boy. Severus arched an eyebrow at the redhead, knowing it was enough to keep him silent, especially since he knew Bill had also been seeing the girl's twin brother at the same time.

"Here you go, Hamilton," Helena said as she tucked Bunny in the baby's arms. She then looked up at Severus. "Patri, would you say a Distraction and Distortion Hex could be used simultaneously?"

Severus thought on it, intrigued by the question, since he had always been searching for new combinations of spells. He could see that it was a possibility.

"Which would be applied first?"

"The Distortion," she answered. "Then when you laid the Distraction charm over it, you could blend it into both the real and perceived object. Hogwarts is like that, only they laid them one on top of each other, but not together."

"Where did you read that?" Bill asked.

Helena smirked. "Ravenclaw secret." She ran a finger down Hamilton's chubby cheek, making him giggle. "I was thinking that something like that could work just as well as a Fidelus Charm, or at least for the property itself. Rather than have a secret keeper for the house to protect the people who reside within, the charm could be used for the people themselves."

Severus exchanged a look with Bill as they understood the ramifications of such a spell.

"What else have you come up with?" Severus asked.

"Well," Helena shrugged. "I looked into the Arithmancy behind each spell and figured out that if you change the matrix of the Distraction spell thirty degrees and the matricies of the Distortion - left by minus twelve and the center twenty-three - you'll be able to mix the two spells together as if they were a two step spell instead of separate spells."

All the males were staring at the girl, except Hamilton, who was now enjoying nibbling on his toes.

"What did you say?" Sirius asked.

Helena glared at him. "I don't want to have to explain it all over again right now, if you're not going to understand it."

"But that's NEWT level Arithmancy," Bill spluttered. "Seventh year material that my class struggled in."

James smiled across the large coffee table the seating was arranged around. "That's my little math genius."

Helena turned pink. "Dad!"

Sirius laughed. "She must have gotten that from Severus, James, because I distinctly remember you failing Numerology in Divination."

James scowled, delighting Severus. It was rare to see his husband so disconcerted, but Severus enjoyed it all the same. Well, when someone other than Severus rattled him. He was proud to say that he could always fluster James when in bed.

"I think tomorrow we should discuss this with Albus," Remus quietly said. "Helena has a good point on combining those spells."

Severus tried to stand up, but found he couldn't with Hamilton squirming as he munched on his toes. Bill reached over and plucked him from Severus' arms with an aplomb borne of having several younger siblings. Severus nodded at him and finished standing just as a light sphere made of gold and red engulfed Bill and Hamilton.

"What was that?" the red head asked, confused by the display.

"Hamilton has chosen you for his godfather," Remus replied. "You've also Gifted him, judging by the fact that his eyes are now the same yours are."

Understanding slashed through the green-blue eyes. "Ah. I get it. Uncle Fabian Gifted me and Charlie before he was killed."

"What were your Gifts? If you don't mind me asking," James asked in a curious voice.

"I don't know mine - it's never come out. But Charlie's is his affinity for dragons. He's a Dragon Singer. Only Ginny has a Gift out of the rest of us, and that's only because it's from Madam Pomfrey, who delivered her."

'Interesting,' Severus thought as talk turned to Harry and Hugh's particular gifts, 'that Weasley would become tied to this family in such a way. But, out of all of them, he or Charlie would be the ones I would choose.'

000000

The new year sped quickly for James, and it was Easter holiday before he realized it. Hamilton had grown steadily and was almost always to be found crawling and half walking everywhere. The eleven month old hadn't quite mastered the art of walking without falling down after more than five steps. The book he was writing was almost finished, as it just needed some editing and adding a few notes before publication.

Severus had kept him informed as to what was happening up at Hogwarts, from Gryffindor winning over Ravenclaw - with only one bruised rib to Harry - to Hugh's progress in his Divination studies. James had laughed when he'd read of Hugh's fights with Sybil Trelawney over what was Divination and what was just her imagination. Severus had also written that he had talked with Professor Vector about advancing Helena to OWL level Arithmancy next year. Vector had then said that if they could get special dispensation from the Examining Board, he would gladly accept her for NEWT level. James didn't know where, exactly, she had gotten an almost frightening grasp on mathematics, but he was damn proud of his only daughter. Harry was hip deep in studying for the OWLs, Severus had written, but he had still managed to upset the entire year by earning the only 'O' on a recent Potions exam. James knew that his eldest wasn't exactly a genius when it came to the subject, but it was pleasing to his pride that he managed to best all the others, even when Severus had acknowledged that the potion was notoriously difficult to a first year Apprentice.

Sirius had visited quite often, splitting his time between here and his new flat. Even though Dumbledore wanted him to stay at his family's house, Sirius had vehemently refused. He would lend the house to the order, but he certainly wasn't going to stay there.

Of all his children, the only one who regularly wrote was Helena, telling of her and Luna's adventures exploring the castle. The two girls, Helena said, were going to follow the Marauder's footsteps of becoming animagi, reminding James that Sirius was her godfather, so he shouldn't be too surprised. At first, he was horrified, but quickly realized that he couldn't change his daughter's mind. Instead of blowing up, he had written Helena, telling her she could study the subject, but Remus had to supervise. And that if Harry and his friends weren't doing so, they should join. With Hugh also. In times like these, he wanted his children to have as much protection as possible. Remus had written that Harry was developing the skills needed to make the transformation the quickest. james was not surprised by that, considering Harry's intimate connection that he had to magic.

Now, James was composing a nasty letter to the Minister, who had made Umbridge High Inquisitor over the heads of the Board of Governors, of which James had figured out that his seat came from his father's mother's step-brother. Edward Negma had been given the seat by the last Ravenclaw descendant in the late 1800s, when he was a young man of eighteen. He had been one of the most powerful, yet reclusive, of the members until Lucius Malfoy had inherited his seat from his own father, Julius Malfoy.

Umbridge's appointment, even without those awful Decrees, which were still illegal under Wizengamot rule though obviously Fudge didn't give a damn, had been the final straw for James. He wanted Fudge and his cronies out of office, especially since there were quite a few, good men within its walls who had been suppressed for years by Fudge's wishes. Gathering together with the other Governors, they had come up with a plan, of which James was writing the first part.

The Daily Prophet
Edition CCLVI, Volume 95

22.May

An Open Letter to Minister Fudge,

We, the Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, protest the use of Educational Decrees and government appointments in order to persecute students and citizens of the British Isles. For ten centuries, Hogwarts has been prized as an elite, educational institute without aid from the government.

Hogwarts is a self-sustaining institution that has produced some of the greatest witches and wizards the world has ever seen.

Since the inception of your administration, Hogwarts has, for the first time since the school opened, had to pay various taxes, including a land tax paid for by the students' tuition. The contract between the Ministry and the Board was broken by instituting the payments of taxes on land that is not under the jurisdiction of the Ministry. Rather, the land was given to the school under King Harold I in return for educating his son. Only the Queen has the power to provoke payment of taxes. However, solicitors hired by the Ministry - the same men you worked with at the same firm before your election - have mired the case that the Board presented, enough that the Wizengamot have not heard arguments in the fifteen years since we filed suit.

Minister Fudge, you also have demanded several of our teachers to step down without just cause. You arrested our Game Keeper without a valid warrant. And now you have made Ms Dolores Umbridge Head Inquisitor with an Educational Decree just as illegal as the Decree passed down in October. Remember, the Wizengamot declared that one invalid, yet you still have enforced it by posting Aurors at the gates leading to the school. As Head Inquisitor, Ms. Umbridge has given detention where the student is required to write using a Blood Quill. One student is now permanently injured using this banned device - a device outlawed in 1782 as being an instrument of torture.

We have several questions that need answers, Mr. Fudge, the first being why is a woman who was under house arrest for assaulting three teenagers twenty years ago made an 'Inquisitor' at a school?

Secondly, since Blood Quills are considered contraband, why is she using one, and does that quill correspond to the Blood Quill that was stolen from a Ministry storage room one year ago?

Our third question is when are you going to reimburse Hogwarts for damages done by Ministry personnel throughout the years, as well as court fees for the land tax lawsuit. Ministry laws state that all lawsuits must be heard within two years of submitting, yet the Ministry has delayed the case from being heard by the Wizengamot by passing new laws. We have the legal right to sue all persons involved.

The last question we, and surely all British citizens under the Ministry of Magic, would like to know: why were the Dementors sent to the school as your escorts for the Third Task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament last year. Five people were treated at St. Mungo's after being touched by the creatures as you moved through the crowd, including a six-year-old child. Why is your safety more important than that of your constituents?

The Board of Governors are calling for an Open Meeting of the Wizengamot to address these questions, as well as put forth charges of child endangerment, assault on a minor, defamation, and possession of stolen goods, among others, on Ms. Umbridge, with you, Minister Fudge, as an accessory.

The Open Meeting will be held in Courtroom 4, today at 15.00 in the Ministry of Magic building.

Signed,

The Board of Governors of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry,

Abel Addison
Michael Beaton
Charles Candor
Robert Clesston
Adam Peirson
Dolan Porter
James Potter-Snape
Richard Treestreet
Robert Wesley
Franklin Yarrow
Zachary Ylart-Martin

Harry's head exploded in pain as he went to put the Thestral wing-feather in his Invisibility Potion. It went dark and he put his hand out, catching his scalding hot cauldron with his fingertips. he could feel himself fall to the floor, but couldn't stop the motion.

"Send them out, Wormtail," a high-pitched voice said beside him.

"Now, master?" asked the rat-like man in front of Harry. "But there will be hundreds of people there!"

"Yes, fool! And they will be in one place - a place not where we will be." A skeletal hand moved in the corner of Harry's eye, a long, pale wand clenched between the bony fingers. "Go, Wormtail, before I need to put you back where I found you."

"Harry!"

The sound of his name jerked him from the odd sight before him in that strange place. He tried to focus on the pale face in front of him, but he could barely make out his father's prominent nose.

"Are you all right?" his father asked.

Harry doubted that anyone but him heard the tremble in the deep voice. He blinked, trying to clear his vision. His nose felt lighter as he realized it, meaning his loss of vision was due to a lack of glasses rather than that of strange vision. Harry went to reach for his father, but couldn't move his arm.

"Don't move, Harry," came Patri's command as he carefully put Harry's glasses in his left hand. "Miss Granger has your hand in a cauldron of ice water."

"Ice water?" Harry asked as he put his glasses on, a bit awkwardly with his non-dominant hand. He looked around the see the classroom cleared, cauldrons haphazardly stacked to the side. Only his father, Ron, Hermione, and strangely enough Zabini were in the room.

"You burned your hand, Harry," Ron said. "The skin's starting to fall off your hand-"

"Patri," Harry interrupted his best friend as he finally understood what his vision was about. "Voldemort's sending people to the Ministry right now!" he took a deep and quick breath. "Dad's there... we gotta go warn him!"

The door to the classroom burst open to reveal Dumbledore, flanked by Helena and Hugh, with Luna hovering behind Harry's sister.

"I was told we needed to head to London," the headmaster said as he swept into the room. He looked so unlike the genial old man he usually was that Harry stared. There was an air of urgency and power, even more than what Harry had been half-conscious of on the Quidditch pitch at the end of the Third Task.

His father stood and looked down at him. "Go to Madam Pomfrey and get your hand taken care of. The Headmaster and I will head to the Ministry."

The two men hurriedly left the room, ignoring all protests from the students.

Harry turned to Hermione. "Do you know a spell that would numb and wrap my hand?"

As his brown-haired friend scrambled to get into her bag, Zabini came forward. "I can wrap it, but not numb it." Harry warily watched as the Slytherin wrapped his hand. Zabini may be friends with Helena and maybe with Hugh, but that didn't mean Harry had to fully trust him. Hermione came back, book in hand, and wand at the ready.

"How are we going to get there, Harry?" Hugh asked.

He looked at his younger brother and shrugged. "What about using brooms?"

Hermione shook her head. "Too long. It would take at least six hours."

"Anything else?" Ron asked. Harry saw him wince as whatever Hermione was doing to his hand - he really didn't want to know because it hurt.

"What about the Thestrals they use to pull the carriages?" Helena asked. "They can fly really fast."

"Can you see them?" Zabini asked.

"I can," Harry and Hugh said at the same time, with Luna a second behind them. Harry eyed his brother, wondering just what he had seen in his visions.

"Hermione, you'll keep us on the right track, then?" Harry asked. His friend nodded. "Let's go."

Severus threw a blasting curse at McNair as the man tried to get through the door leading to the Prophesy room. In front of him, Lupin was hexing Avery. Albus had grabbed the werewolf on their way to the apparition point, leaving the man's first years alone on the lawn with Hagrid's CoMC sixth year class.

Albus was already deep in the room, fighting off Lucius Malfoy and two other men that Severus couldn't tell from where he was.

He sensed someone behind him and ducked in time to avoid a reductor curse shot at him by Rodolphus Lestrange. Severus stopped in shock at seeing a man who was supposed to be locked up tight in Azkaban, and he almost paid a hefty price for it as another curse came at him from the side. Luckily a white shield blocked it as a black-haired man moved in front of Severus.

"Hello, Sev," the man said, turning to flash a smile at him. "Molly's got Hamilton and took him to you-know-where."

Severus glared at James as the man skittered into the Prophesy Room after Rastaban Lestrange. Setting off after him, he sent a sleeping hex to Crabbe Senior, who had just come out, staggering from another room.

"Who got him?" a very familiar voice asked from just inside the doorway.

Severus stepped through to door to find Harry and Helena just outside the lift.

"Hi, Patri!" Helena chirped at him.

"What. Are. You. Doing. Here," Severus ground out.

"We need to be here, Daddy," his daughter replied even as Harry drew up his bandaged hand.

"Stupefy!" The red light passed Severus and from behind him came a dull thud. Severus turned to find Malfoy a meter behind him, inelegantly sprawled in the doorway leading to the spinning foyer.

"We'll talk about this later," Severus growled as the lift door opened to reveal Hugh and the usual crew plus Zabini. "You go back upstairs. Now!"

"I think not, Severus Snape," came a chilling voice from the second lift.

Severus slowly turned to find a tall, skeletal man with crimson eyes. The only thing that crossed his mind as he realized that it was the Dark Lord was, 'Bugger! James is going to kill all of us.'