Chapter 3: Snape and son Vs shopping!

Xander's new bedroom, the day after.

Xander woke up the next morning with no notion of where he was. Yeah, the bed was comfy, but it took him some time to remember the preceding day. They had talked with the headmaster long into the night. He had wanted to know why his dad never mentioned about him, or who is mom was, why Lex had come to see his dad after all this time, and more. Dad had answered all the questions, but had left a lot out and had hidden some of the information, like the binding of his magic or the fact that Lex had lived on the hellmouth all his life. While they were talking, Dumbledore had called a house elf and asked him to rearrange Professor Snape's personal quarters and add a second bedroom and office for Lex. After that, the two of them had made plans to prepare Lex's introduction into the magical world and Hogwart's school, when he had fallen asleep on the couch. He didn't remember waking up or going to bed, so Dad must have tucked him in. He was always the one who had put him to bed, with a bedtime story, when he was really young. That was before Mom left with Tony, and Dad became a Death Eater, and a spy for the ministry of magic. Dad had explained to him, that because Mom never had magic, the bad guy's king wanted to kill them and that was why Lex needed to go leave with Mom. It had been so hard to let Daddy alone, but he had been brave for daddy and smiled to him, when he just wanted to cry. Mom had not been pleased to be stuck with him, and on the second night the strange man had come into Lex's new home, he had spoken a strange language and made Lex forget all about Daddy. When Xander thought about the spell, it made him incredibly angry. That spell had been a real work of art! When Xander was in Sunnydale, he had no souvenir or memories of magic, but after Voldemort's first death, when Dad had forced Mom to send him to Snape manor every holiday, the strange man had came in Lex's home for the second time and put an additional spell on him. So, Xander had his memories back for the time he was in the magical world, but another binding made him unable to speak badly of Sunnydale. Or to tell Dad the truth about how he lived there. At each return, Mom had opened his baggage and burned everything that was touched by magic, to make sure that there was no possibility of breaking inadvertently the spell that was reset every time he came back. Xan……… or maybe it was time he thought of himself has Lex once again, was deep in his tough, when the door opened silently, and an unusual sight walked in. It was his father and he was… smiling.

Severus took the time to take a good look at his son and a thought pop came to him. /It has been, so long since the last time we lived together, it's going to be so much more agreeable to live here. He's awake for only fifteen minute and the first smile of the day is on his lips. But he's much to thin, it's time, some one takes care of him and makes him happy, and bloody hell it's going to be me. /

Before he used his best "Slytherin are the winners of the Quidditch Cup" voice and said,……………

"Good morning, rise and shine sleepy head!"

"Grumpf, Dad! Let me sleep some more pleeeeeease." Lex said giving his most powerful puppy dog eye to his father.

"Get out of that bed young man, that trick never worked with me and you know it. Besides we have a ton of things to do, first…… breakfast," as the last word passed his lips, Lex just jumped out of bed to go in the bathroom, and a little laugh escaped from Severus. " Second, Diagon Alley for some decent clothes, robes and supplies, a new wand, and maybe some other things. Third, I need to find a book on a potion to re-grow your eye. After that, an ice cream seemed like a good idea, then we can come back to make the potion so you can take it a.s.a.p. We need to discuss your lesson schedule also. We have been asked to attend diner with the other teachers tonight, and finally you and me are going to fall asleep on the couch, after I listen to your stories about your adventures with the slayer and how you lost your eye exactly."

"Oh yes, and maybe, if there's some time left, we can accomplish the great feats of Hercules! What were they now? Something about Augias's stables and a wild boar, what do you think Daddy?" said Lex with a patented Snape smirk, and a face glowing with happiness.

" Go wash, you brat and don't call me daddy." At that Snape just looked on with fondness to his precious and maybe a little bit…okay, a lot… loony son, who was heading out of the bathroom.

Diagon alley, several hours later.

Xander was exhausted, his feet were aching and he desperately wanted to have something cold to drink and a chair to rest on. They had begun the day with a visit to Madame Malkin's for some new robes. His dad had claimed the only armchair in the shop and had immediately engaged in a discussion with the little witch about the right cut, his new robes needed to fit him properly after all. After more than a half hour of bantering they finally came to an agreement. The robes would be a compromise between teaching and battle robes. That means that they needed to have a straight cut without the usual fold, to be open on the front with only a silver metal snake as fastener just beside the Mao collar, to be long enough to raze the floor, with long sleeves that became larger at wrist level. All of that in a deep black tissue that seemed to absorb all the light without refracting it. Only a silver snake motif would be put on the collar, to match the fastener one. When all the arrangements and measurements had been made another forty minutes later, they left and Dad dragged him into another shop to buy the rest of his new wardrobe because to quote Dad, " It's absolutely out of question, Alexander, that you teach or go out in the magical world or in any other place, in that horrible thing that you have the pretence to call a 'very cool shirt'. When in reality it's just the result of a mad man's imagination who had been put on crutiatus curse for far too long," and, "For Merlin sakes, would you shut that damned robe before someone sees that bunch of crap, you call muggle clothes. For crying out loud."

So, he was now, after more than one and an half hours of trying on and measuring, the proud owner of four classic black pants, three more sporty black pants, a couple of sweatpants, black of course, a dozen silk shirts, a dozen t-shirts and a half dozen pullovers in different shades of green and, would you believe it? Black, some with discreet snakes in the embroidery. Even his new underwear was black silk. No more snoopy boxers for the Xan-man, no sir.

The hairdresser was an absolute necessity according to Dad, who was looking at his head with disgust. Another witch took him in hand the moment they stepped inside Aticus Loon's Modern Hairstyle for fashionable Witch and Wizard. He was forced in a seat and the witch, who looked like the natural daughter of Dorothy from the "wizard of Oz" and David Bowie in his eighties style, looked at him for two minutes, without blinking mind you, before growing his hair to the middle of his back and adding two fine Slytherin green stripes on the right side to complete the new look. Their next stop was to Flourish and Blotts to buy new books on potions, that they were going to need during the next four weeks, plus some to prepare Xander for teaching lessons, some new publications, and others on divers subjects that Xan just wanted to read like the History of Living Blades Trough the Ages by Timothy Lafleur or How To Survive Your First Day as a Magical Teacher? By the Suicidal Teachers Guild. Apparently, they were having a meeting next month. It was in loving memory of Magnus MorsVoluntaria their suicidal founder. The Leaky Cauldron provided them with a nice lunch before they went down to Knockturn Alley for the potion's ingredients and required utensils. Next was the decoration shop, where he found a tapestry for his bedroom that had living unicorns on it and another one for his office, which showed you whatever your heart desired to see. He also bought a big, green, leather armchair also for his office, a black comforter with a red dragon for his bed, who was breathing fire when the winter comes, to keep you warm and flapping his long wings in the summer hot to cool you. The sealer warned Lex that the dragon, who's little name was Draco had the bad habit to purr, when he loved his master. After that only some minor other accessories were bought to make his rooms more homey. His father had looked at him with amusement, when he was inspecting every thing so closely. Like a little kid on Christmas morning who can't believe that all the gifts are for him. They only needed to make two more stops after that, the first was to Olivander's for a new wand, and the second was supposed to be a surprise. Inside Olivander's shop, they were immediately taken aside by Mr Olivander.

"Good afternoon, Professor. What can I do for you? Did you need a new wand or some repairs on your old one?"

"Good afternoon to you to, Mr Olivander. Actually, it's my son, Alexander, who needs a new one since his first wand had been burned." Severus said keeping a neutral face as always, when he was outside of Hogwart. He had learned a long time ago, that his Death Eater reputation always preceded him, and that if he didn't wanted to be harassed by some good intentioned wizard or witch, the best solution was to act the as discreet as possible.

"Ah…………………yes, yes, I remember young master Alexander, seven inch, sandal rosewood and viper tooth, interesting combination!" said Olivander, who was now selecting boxes and putting them on the counter. " Here, let's try this one, seven inch, cedar wood and phoenix feather."

Xander took it and immediately a couple of boxes went flying.

"NO, absolutely not, try this one, eight inch, pin wood and Drul demon mucus"

………………………………………………VLAM!

"No, Eleven inch, acajou and dragon shell"

………………………………………………CRRRRRRRACK!

"No, Ten inch,…………" and that little game continued on and on and on until only one box was left unopened and Mr Olivander seemed remarkably frustrated almost on the verge of crying. "Gentlemen, this his our last hope, if this one don't work I'll give you the address of one of my esteemed colleges. Nine inch, willow tree wood and vampire blood!" the last description was made with a very tired voice.

Xander was sure that this would be his new wand, before he even touched it, Willow tree and vampire blood, the different parts of the wand were so made for him. The moment, his fingers brushed the soft wood a wave of energy passed through them and made a faint glow surround Lex.

"And we have a winner!" said Xander joyfully, before he asked on a impulse "Do you know the name of the vampire who gave you the blood?"

"Actually, the blood was given to my grand-father by William the bloody, one of the scourge of Europe, more than ninety years ago. Before you, that wand has always tried to kill the wizards who touch her, that's why I let you try it only as a last resort. I've never believed that I would see the day when that bloody thing finds it's true owner. She's a very unusual mix and a powerful one, I think she'll be perfect for you." Said Olivander with a big smile.

" Yes, I think so too. It seems that even when I try to forget the past, he tends to find his way back in my life." After that, Xan made a small chuckle, and let his father pay for the wand.

They said their good byes, and found themselves in the alley once again.

"Can I have my ice cream now, Dad please?"

"Only if you answer a question."

"God damn it! I knew this was going to come up sooner or later"

"Language, Lex!" Severus looked at his son with a little bit of irritation. "How did you know that the wand was yours before you touched it?"

"And this is the first 64000$ question of our little game, ladies and gentlemen, but what's the right answer?" Lex said with his best Jerry Springer imitation, before taking a minute of reflection and finally answering more seriously. " mainly because of the two parts that compose her. The willow tree wood first, the only one who really was my family in Sunnydale, before Buffy, the slayer came and the gang was started, was also the one who always took care of me before it all began to fall apart more than a year ago. She really was my best friend."

"And?"

"And she's named Willow!"

"That I can understand, but the Vampire blood?"

"The blood of William the bloody, aka Spike the one and only! The important part is not the fact that it's vampire blood, but that it's Spike's blood. Spike, the one who tried to kill me more than once, the one I was offered to by Angelus as a snack, my twice roommate, the bleach wonder, fangless! The vampire, I had the stupidity to admire the courage and, I don't know how but in the end of the last year, finally think of my best male friend." And for the first time since the beginning of the battle with the first and the end of Spike's relationship with Buffy, Lex took a moment to think of the one he has began to think as his vampire and realise that maybe Spike was a little bit more than that. But with his chance, he'll probably never know if that could have ended to something else than only friendship. "That's why, I knew the wand was mine, she's the representation of the two of them," Said Xander. That last sentence was followed by a deep silence between the two men, who were lost in their thought. It was Xander, who finally broke the cold ambiance with a joyfully forced voice " And now the surprise!"

"Yes son, now the surprise." replied Severus, his heart bleeding for all that his son had had to endure.

Magnus / big

MorsVoluntaria / suicide