Gift of Silence
Chapter Three: A Year at Snape Manor
With the four children growing more and more comfortable with each other the three parents decided to set up a Hogwarts like nursery next to the master bedroom. Lucius had a room set up across the hall and there was an extra bed in Lucius's room. In the room where were four beds and they were arranged so that Harry and Jamie were closest to the door leading to their parents' room and then Draco and Tamara's beds were close to the main door to reach Lucius. They had already tried just giving Tamara and Draco new rooms but Tamara had kept up the house all night and the three adults came up with the dormitory style compromise. All the youngsters had there own bed but they were together.
Another couple of additions were made to the house. A brother and sister house elf to cook and clean. James and Severus told the house elves that the master bedroom was off limits: the nursery would be the main concern. The house elves were kept busy with the four small children but they were happy. Lucius was feeling better, he was welcome and chose to stay at Snape Manor.
Before anyone realized what was happening, Yule was upon them, there was a layer of snow on the ground and the children were getting excited. Severus and Lucius were soon decorating while James called over Remus and Sirius for week so they could all be together. Tammy took a liking to Remus while she was shyer with Sirius. Remus and Sirius had the room down the hall and while they were careful to put up a locking charm during the times they didn't want visitors, they were also quick to take them down, incase they had nighttime visitors from the nursery. It was mostly Harry that visited them but Jamie did on occasion too. The manor, which was normally just dark stone with candlelight and portraits of various wizards from the Snape family, was decorated with floating evergreen garlands and the air had a very refreshing pine smell. The entrance hall was decorated with a massive tree with tiny golden candles and silver trim; there was also a snowfall charm on the ceiling that the children loved playing in the wizarding snow. The children were doing well in learning finger speak and Harry could communicate with Tammy and Draco without Jamie or an adult helping. Lucius was catching some of it but still needed help. Draco had tried just using finger speak for a day but Harry asked him to use his voice, he didn't want people confusing Draco's knowledge with a disability.
'I think they're still asleep.' Harry signed to Jamie as they stood outside their uncles' door. Jamie help up three fingers while Harry rested his hands on the doorknob. Down went one finger and Harry grinned. Down went the second finger and Jamie giggled. Down went the last finger and brother and sister opened the door and flew in the room landing on the bed and atop their uncles.
"Happy YULE!" Jamie yelled as the two adults grunted from the violent yet somehow pleasing awakening. Remus sat up and grabbed both of them in his arms and shook them a little while making growling noises. Jamie shrieked while Harry held his arms tight from Remus's chest. Sirius hadn't moved and Remus looked over at him, he could see the smirk on the dark haired mans face.
"Hey look, Uncle Sirius is still asleep let's wake him up!" Remus said to the two little children. They nodded and Harry went to lean down in Sirius face to blow on his nose when his eyes opened and he sat up quickly grabbing Harry and lifting him up in the air.
"Thought I was still asleep did ya?" Sirius said bringing Harry back down to the bed.
'Yes' Harry said a big smile on his face. 'Aren't we going to go get Papa and Daddy now?' Harry said looking over at Jamie. Jamie nodded and they were trying to go get off the bed but Remus and Sirius exchanged glances each picking up one of the babes and walking them down the hall.
"Okay, here's the deal. Remus and I will put a silent charm on the hall so they won't here your feet like we did okay and then you can attack them even better then you did us and they will be really surprised. Okay?" The children nodded and Sirius put up a charm before opening the door for the two children. They rushed in and jumped on their dads while Remus and Sirius snickered on the other side of the door. "Now aren't you glad we put on our pajamas last night?" Remus nodded and they went back to there room to change for the morning activities.
Severus and James both woke to the warm little bodies landing on them and then Jamie screeching out 'Happy YULE!' as she had done in the other room. Severus and James woke up instantly but realized almost as quickly that this was not an emergency. Both men took time to play with the children before sending them off to the nursery to get changed.
Draco and Tammy had gone in to wake Lucius the same time they heard the others wake Sev and James. Lucius was easier to wake with two small children bouncing on one man and he quickly sent them to the nursery to change into proper clothing for Christmas morning.
When the household emerged, the children were in silk pajama sets. Tammy's was a deep purple while Jamie's was red with silver glitter. Draco's was a deep navy and Harry's pajama set was forest green with golden trim. The pajama sets were gifts from Remus and Sirius who had let the children open the gifts early. The adults all seamed to be changed into Christmas themed pajama sets as well. Remus and Sirius were wearing outrageous ones with dancing Christmas trees and snowmen with big round eyes singing various carols. James wore bright red pajamas and hat. Severus wore Navy with a black robe over the pajamas but James had bought him a pair of socks with navy and white stripes that had bells on the back so that when he walked or moved his leg at all the bell would sound. Lucius wore a matching set of green silk pajamas and robe to complete the outfit there was a pair of socks the same color to keep his feet warm. Lucius had not tied back his hair and it fanned out over his shoulders.
Christmas morning passed with a minimal of crying from Tammy who wanted her Mommy and Daddy. Lucius had taken her away into the nursery and had let her cry on his shoulder until both were quietly snoring on the small bed. Harry and Draco were happily trying out some of the new toys they received. The adults were all quiet contented to be drinking the rum free eggnog and watching the children play and for a few hours everything was right and nothing was out of place and there was happiness in the world.
The lethargic morning was only beginning of the lazy day and soon the other children were growing sleepy and lay out to nap on the couches their parents were on. Even the snowmen on Remus and Sirius's pajamas were quiet.
Christmas dinner was excellent being prepared with recipes from the traditional Snape and Potter family collection. Each child had some of everything as they were taught to do and the adults took in this practice as well to encourage the children to eat more.
But the days of Yule passed and soon Remus and Sirius were on their way back to Remus's family home. The fathers soon had their work cut out for them trying to prepare the children for their entrance exams. Harry was afraid the school would not like him because he couldn't talk. Severus had done his best to tell the boy that the school was special because it was for smart children who knew better then to tease people, but Harry was not altogether convinced.
The morning of the first set of exams Harry clung to Jamie's arm as they entered the test room. There were five small little desks with small chairs and each of them had a nametag for the person to find their seat and a woman to help them also. Jamie and Harry could read and write but some of the kids didn't know how.
"Hello. And what are your names?" A woman asked Jamie and Harry.
"I'm Jamie Potter and this is my brother Harry Snape." She said proudly, remembering what Papa had told her to say. "My brother can't talk."
"Ohh alright. Okay well let me take you to your seats." The woman smiled and sat them down. She went back up the front of the room where two blond children were waiting on her. "And what are your names please?"
"Draco and Tamara Malfoy." Draco said while Tammy nodded.
"Alright then, can you talk Tamara?"
"Yes." She said very quietly. The woman guided them to a couple of the desk and waited as another young man gave her his name and set him down.
"Okay, first I need to know if you can read or not. So everyone that can read please raise your hand." She demonstrated by holding up her hand. Harry Jamie and Draco raised there's but the other two did not. The three children who could read we taken into another room with a different teacher and then each child began their test. The two families stayed in London for a week while each child finished the test and was finally allowed to go home. Tammy's test took the longest with Harry's being a close second. The school kindly told the parents that the results and letters of admittance would be mailed by the end of January.
James was very nervous about the test as was Severus but Lucius didn't seem concerned. Late January was met with great anticipation but ended is great relief as all four children had been admitted to the boarding school and were eligible for dormitory lodging. The two families sent in the money quickly hoping that their children could get rooms together. James was away from the house during the days now working at the ministry, but made it home every night in time to enjoy dinner and quiet time with his family.
The three adults were discussing the future of the living situation, and each had a somewhat different view on it.
"Well, I'll be living at Hogwarts, that's why we put the children in a boarding school." Severus said.
"And I will be returning here each night, and while your welcome to stay it's going to be rather lonely during the day."
"I think I should return to Malfoy Manor. Perhaps I should leave soon. I don't wish to be a burden on the two of you and the children could probably use some separation."
"You know your welcome to stay. As are the children."
"I know. It would be best for them if they learned to live without each other's company for a little while. They will all be going to the same school come September. We could stay a couple months more if we think it's best for the children and spend the occasional night or two together but my family has not had the chance to form on it's own since Tammy joined us. I think overall it would be better for the children if we did leave soon. Before Hogwarts ended its school year. I don't think we should stay past Draco's birthday in April."
"Sounds like you have thought about this." James said a hint of sadness on his face at the possibility of losing the company of the other adult and the two children. Lucius nodded and the conversation halted for a few moments.
"Perhaps we could be allowed to throw a large part for Draco's fifth birthday and then again for the twins." Severus said thinking aloud. "When is Tammy's birthday?"
"September she's already five. She'll be a year ahead of other three at Hogwarts but in the same class in muggle schools."
"Well when do you think you'll be taking the children?"
"We should probably leave soon. Say a couple of weeks. I want to get my home ready for them again. I have not yet cleaned out Narcissa's lab." The blond man had tears forming in his eyes. "I should get that cleaned up before I bring the children home. There are other things I need to do but birthday parties sound like a good idea."
"It sounds like we have a plan." Severus said hoping they were near the end of the discussion.
"Yes. I will arrange things from my home in the mornings and return here for the evenings if that is all right with you two."
"Sounds good." James said with a sigh.
? February 13th?
"NO!" Draco yelled as Lucius tried to get his to put on his traveling robe. "I don't want to leave!" He screamed for what seemed like the millionth time. Lucius had a headache but wouldn't show it to the screaming four year old.
"Draco. Tamara is all ready and has her robe on, she wants Jamie to spend the night for your birthday. Don't you want Harry to spend the night for your birthday?"
"I want to stay here!"
"Draco. Get your robe on now."
"NO!"
"Draco if you don't put your robe on I will put it on you and Harry will not be able to some over and spend the night for a month."
"NO!" Draco cried. "I want to see Harry! You aren't the boss of me!"
"Then who is?"
"TANITH!"
"Oh for Merlin's sake Draco. Severus's pet snake can't be the boss of you it's a bleeding snake. Get on your robe so we can go. I have a surprise for you, but I don't know if I should give it to you or not because you're not being a good boy."
"Can Harry come with us?"
"No, but he can come over tomorrow night. So can Jamie. But only if you and Tammy are good children until then. That means you have to get on your robe and get ready to go. Now."
"Okay." Draco said giving in.
The next few months were filled with frequent visits of the two households but soon the three parents had to send in the final notice for the boarding school. But too soon did late August roll around for the children to be sent off to Westerfeld Academy.
James sat back and stared at the fire. Severus joined him as they listened to the quiet of the large house. Three hundred and forty seven miles away Harry was waking up from a nightmare. His eyes were wide and he looked around trying to figure out what was wrong, but he saw that he was in a room of sleeping boys his age and briefly he wanted to start crying because he could not find his parents. Instead he went to find Jamie. As he walked out of the boys room he was in a hall with too many doors. He opened one but there were just more boys. He tried room after room until he opened on and an older boy saw him. Harry tried to get back to his room but he couldn't remember what door it was. The older boy came out and found Harry with tears rolling down his cheeks.
"Hey there buddy. It's okay." He tried moving closer but Harry held out his hands in a stop motion. "Okay. I'll stay over here." He sat down on the floor. "What's your name?" Harry signed his name. "Ohh, I'm sorry. I don't know sign language. Okay are you in first grade?" Harry nodded his head. "Well my name is Dev. I'm in 8th grade and my youngest brother is in 1st grade too. His name is Don. Did you meet don today?" Harry shook his head and he was still crying. He moved his hands spelling out his sister's name and making the movements for sister, but Dev didn't understand. Dev instead stayed there talking to Harry and eventually Harry settled down a little. "Would you like a hug little guy and I can take you to a teacher who can take you to your room?" Harry nodded and Dev picked up the five year old and walked to the end of the hall and knocked on the teacher's door.
A sour looking man answered the knock. Dev began apologizing quickly. "I'm sorry Mr. Simonet. But he was lost. I think he was looking for someone but I can't read sign language."
"It's all right Dev, I'll take care of Harry."
"So that's his name. Well then, goodnight Harry."
"Fifteen till lights out Dev, make sure to get some sleep tonight."
"Yes Mr. Simonet." Dev made his way down the hall and back into the 8th grade hall.
"Now then Harry what's the matter?"
'I miss papa and daddy, can I see my sister please' Harry asked nicely as he could.
"I'm sorry you miss your parents Harry, but Jamie is asleep, but you can see her bright and early in the morning."
'Okay, will you take me back to my room? I don't know what room mine is. Thank you?'
"Yes, I'll take you back to your room and get you back in bed." Harry walked down the hall next to the teacher who opened the door trying not to make much noise and he found the empty bed and lifted Harry into it. "Tomorrow you and I can host a contest for best door marker so you will know what room is which, sound good?" Harry nodded as he closed his eyes.