Hiding Under the Ninth Earth
Backstory 01 : All Through the Night
Chapter Thirteen : Hill and Vale in Slumber Sleeping
Wednesday 24 December 2003
The brandy slipped smoothly down his throat, a soothing counterpoint to the jagged nerves caused by a worrisome night which had dawned into an interminable day which, given the usual course of such things, was rapidly becoming an intolerable evening. Alone in his study, Severus winced now and again as his friends, fully indulging their Christmas spirit, disturbed the fragile equilibrium he'd struggled over the past twenty-four hours to achieve.
Bah. Humbug.
Considering all he'd - they'd - done yesterday afternoon in the lab, Harry was holding up fairly well, although the lingering shadows around his eyes heralded an abnormally sluggish recovery. By midnight, after stoically enduring Harry's painful itching, (which clearly illustrated the other side of bond-sharing) Severus decided to take things into his own hands, so to speak, since his husband seemed inclined, yet again, to prove that healers made the worst patients. When Harry had manfully offered to sleep elsewhere, Severus refused to even consider it, saying that perhaps they should concentrate on eliminating the discomfort rather than moving it someplace else. After convincing him to place a heavy sock on the still raw injury to keep him from scratching, (but he could rub to his heart's content) Severus next tricked him into taking one of his better 'restricted' pain potions. Within moments Harry wasn't capable of messing with it, and they both got some rest.
This morning, leaving Harry to sleep as long as possible, he and Perrin had joined an insufferably cheerful Albus and a giddy Flitwick for breakfast in the Great Hall. Almost bouncing in his excitement, Perrin had stayed with the two old men to watch Hagrid exercise the Thestrals, while he'd gone back to collect Harry (who'd been quite succinct about his various displeasures, the least of which had been waking alone - on holiday, no less). Seeing they had a while before their friends were due to arrive, he managed to convince Harry that obtaining their morning protein did not necessarily involve food.
An hour before noon, their friends from Hana arrived, a long train of baggage and brightly coloured packages floating behind them. Dobby sent some mysterious crates to the kitchen, the rest obediently following him to their high tower rooms. Given the daylight's short duration this time of year, they immediately went outside to play in the snow. After an early lunch, Perrin, Hagrid, and Remus joined them in what Perrin had excitedly described during dinner (in the exhaustive detail only a child can produce) as a fiercely competitive snowball fight while the older members fondly watched (and magically redirected random snowballs) from the snug confines of a three-sided tent with a roaring fire and comfy chairs. Although Malia groused it had been too warm inside, Severus knew Poppy had kept it roasting because Albus felt the cold quite keenly now.
Not that he'd personally witnessed any of it. Partway through lunch, the other half of the potion he'd given Harry in the night took effect and, since he'd been watching for it, he caught his husband by the collar before he could drown in his soup. After assuring a worried Perrin that everything was fine, he'd politely (well, maybe not) declined Remus' offer to help him get Harry back to their quarters (something he deeply regretted about half-way down the stairs) and tucked him in (although he wasn't certain a controlled, limp back-flop into bed counted). Since a sleeping Harry must never be squandered, he'd crawled in after him, snagged him close, and easily dropped off despite his spouse's rather protracted snores. A few hours later, a Pepper-up potion for Harry and a refreshing 'snack' for him had much restored their flagging holiday spirits.
Dinner had been a noisy affair with all twelve trees spectacularly lit by Albus (with a bit of surreptitious assistance from the resident, self-proclaimed Scrooge). The pineapple with the ham was fresh and sweet; the house-elves had outdone themselves serving their repast, but he thought the off-key Christmas carols a bit over the top (although the others had been amused).
Bah humbug.
Their visitors' comings and goings facilitated by a new door opening onto the ramp, their quiet home had been invaded with the best of intentions. Already a 'bad' influence, Kalani had challenged Perrin and Harry to a timed race down the railing, the lot of them (including that silly gargoyle) raucously laughing and calling encouragement as the 'children' slid down the oiled rail, tumbling off the end onto a huge pillow Albus had summoned for the occasion. Of course, several 'heats' were necessary to make it fair; the old fart had refereed, declaring Perrin the winner by five seconds.
He sniffed, taking a wistful sip of his best brandy; total waste of time, of course, but it had been good to hear Harry and Perrin laugh so uninhibitedly.
He'd not fully escaped the 'festivities', either. After Albus and Poppy had retired early in the evening, the 'younger' folk had decorated the huge tree in the sitting room (dragged in at sunset after the snowball fight) while Malia and Joseph (ostensibly garlanding the rotunda and ramp) had grilled him about Remus. What was he like? What was his past? His prospects? How suitable was he to sleep with their daughter? Well, they'd not asked that, but they might as well had (and the only thing he'd volunteered was that the wolf liked milk and sugar in his tea.)
He'd found it all a bit much after a while; the friendly, smiling, laughing, abominably cheerful army turned stifling until he'd found himself unable to draw even the shallowest of breaths. When he finished telling the Pucketts how boringly respectable Remus was, he'd fled, merely a tactical retreat to regroup his forces, or so he told himself while the little nagger in the back of his head taunted him for his cowardice and laid on the guilt thicker than a two-day old Christmas pudding.
Bah humbug.
What the hell was wrong with him? These were his friends, damn it, people whose company he missed and usually enjoyed. He had no difficulties of this nature in Hana, had endured more of their numbers than was currently occupying their suite. Why was that? Why did it feel tonight like there was insufficient air to fill his lungs, like the walls were pressing in on him?
He settled deeper in his chair in front of the fire sipping his brandy. Walls. Perhaps that was the crux of it. In Hana, no one had entered their home except him and Harry (and, of course, the Dumbledores). They were always outside on the lanais or on the beach or in the mountains, always in places open to the air, but rarely inside. Was this done on purpose? When he thought on the intensely private nature of their friends, of all the islanders they'd met, he began to understand that they very much divided their lives in a 'this is my space, that's your space' type of way; there was plenty of room on the outside for friends, the intimate space inside reserved for family.
Of course, the icy winter at Hogwarts scotched that notion for the holidays unless one wanted friend-cicles - quite a sensible attitude, though.
The fire warming his feet was beginning to die and, as he debated reviving it, soft steps approaching from behind decided the question for him. The half-expected arm sliding around his shoulders was both welcome and not. Welcome considering who was attached to it, unwelcome in that it meant he was going to have to be civil in a few minutes; he very much wanted the former and dreaded the latter.
"Feeling better?" Harry asked, sitting on the arm of the chair.
Snaking an arm around the waist so close to his shoulder, he replied dryly, "Better as in this is all a bad dream and I'll wake up with you sucking me off..." Harry snickered "...or better as in I think I'm almost ready to tolerate a few more moments of the manic chaos of what was once our home?"
The arch Harry's back assumed when he bent down and nuzzled his neck had to be uncomfortable, but who was he to gainsay such admirable flexibility?
"Hmmm. I rather fancy the former, but as someone's bound to come looking for us, I suspect we'll just have to live with the latter."
"Pity. I had such plans for all that yoga you've been practicing lately."
"Ah, then you might be interested in a few of the more 'interesting' positions I learned this week." Severus shivered as the fingertips skimmed his nape. "Come back," Harry murmured, displaying more of his stretching skills around his ear. "I'll make it worth your while."
Standing, he tugged and gathered Harry close. "Promises, promises, Mr. Potter, and I shall..." he pulled Harry tighter to him "...hold you to every one of them." Any words Harry might have uttered were lost between eager lips building a heat that would just have to wait.
"Not fair," Harry murmured when Severus lowered his hands, cupping his arse. "You're cheating."
Severus chuckled. "No," he replied, maneuvering them into a more 'congenial' position, "but this is," and dove in for another kiss, his own body humming with Harry's response to the slow slide of their mouths and better bits.
"Malia and Joseph are getting ready to go to - Aia! Do the two of you ever come up for air?" Kalani demanded loudly.
Harry jerked, but to his credit, he didn't let go. "Stuffed and mounted," he muttered.
"Over the fireplace, I'm thinking," he countered, reluctantly releasing him.
"You one brave buggah, Kalani," Harry said in passable Pidgin. Straightening his robes, he added with a wicked grin, "Not many are willing to face Severus' more creative side - he's pretty handy with his wand." Severus snorted. "Hey! Where you going?" Harry chortled, calling to Kalani's rapidly retreating back. Shrugging, he pulled Severus along after him. "Guess he thought I was talking about your magic or something."
Indeed.
Entering the sitting room, he almost regretted the Ebenezer Snape persona he always assumed each holiday season; the tree was beautiful with tinsel and mock-fairy lights, (only Albus and Filius had the knack for the real ones) the room warm and inviting even though it felt far too small, (and he had to acknowledged the irony that only a week ago he'd been grousing it was too big) full of the overstuffed chairs Harry had summoned the night before.
It was hours past Perrin's bedtime, but it was Christmas Eve; he wasn't going to be the one to dampen the bright spark flashing in the boy's eyes as he turned his head this way and that, trying to capture it all, but mostly hanging onto every word from Ben and Kalani. He supposed they were a bit exotic with their deeply tanned skin and flashing smiles and quirky humour that so easily embraced the boy as if he were their own. A right proper pair of fairy godfathers they were (and the irony of that wasn't lost on him either) but they'd earned his gratitude as he'd watched Perrin's inherent shyness disappear, leaving behind a boy. Just a boy - laughing and giggling and playing like any other inquisitive boy. If this Christmas held any miracles, it would be that transformation alone.
Malia obviously elected herself to be the bad fairy for the night as she stood and held out her hand to Perrin. "I think that if a certain young one doesn't get to bed soon, Father Christmas is going take a miss tonight and I, for one, would be sorely disappointed should he do so. I want my stocking."
Reluctantly, Perrin stood and as he turned to leave the room, Malia cleared her throat. "Aren't we forgetting something?" she asked pointedly, looking around the room.
Perrin was a perfect picture of panicked confusion. What was Malia babbling about now? Harry, just as mystified, rescued him when he asked, "Um, Malia?" She turned to him, brows raised. "What's he forgot?"
She sighed impatiently and then, comprehending the problem (even as Severus did himself) her face softened. Good gads! She really wouldn't...
"Oh! I suppose it is more an American custom, but nevertheless a good one." She took Perrin's hand and led him over to Joseph. "You need to tell everyone good night."
...make him do that. Joseph leant forward and took Perrin's hand, shaking it once and releasing it as he said softly, "Batty old custom." He eyed his wife. "You don't need to do more than that and say 'good night' for the guys, but I'm afraid the girls will expect a kiss..." Perrin's eyes widened "...on the cheek is fine. And of course, family's different - whatever's comfortable."
It was almost painful to watch Perrin make the circuit, first to Remus. If the boy gave Malia a stiff, perfunctory peck on the cheek, Severus wasn't going to call him on it. And perhaps the kiss he gave to Kahealani and the unexpected hugs he gave to Ben and Kalani warmed him up for the brief but sincere embrace he bestowed to Harry and the shy kiss he gave to him. Amazing actually, as was an image he got from Harry - he thought the boy was glad for the excuse even if it meant touching a group of relative strangers.
Once Perrin had all but fled the room, Joseph joined his smug wife in the centre of the space. "I think that's our cue to go to bed. I suspect it's going to be an early morning with all the 'children' around." Why was he looking at him when he said that? He put his arm around Malia's shoulders. "And we'll spare our friends the grace of our good nights - won't we?"
"Hey, if they get one, we get one, too!" Harry cried in protest.
Speak for yourself, Mr. Potter. Bah humbug. Malia smelled of flowers.
Severus smiled evilly to himself when the Pucketts commandeered Remus to show them to their room and noted with interest Kahea's thoughtful frown - part worry, part irritation as she watched them leave; so the shy island girl had a mind of her own, did she?
"Hey, sis, don't worry about it," Kalani said teasingly. "They won't eat him yet - at least not until they've poked him enough to tenderize him."
Kahea' swatted his arm.
Ben's wicked grin belied his admonishing, "Kalani, behave and stop teasing the poor girl."
Harry squeezed next to Severus in the wide club chair he'd appropriated off to the side of the grouping. "What'd I miss?"
When Kahealani blushed, Ben chuckled. "Seems a certain someone has a crush on a certain werewolf."
"Really?" He could feel the jiggles of Harry's laughter as he said it; oh, he knew all right - one would have to be blind to miss the 'moony' glances the two of them had been exchanging all evening.
"I do not. I'm not some silly teenager."
"Oh? Hmmm. Let's see," Ben replied. "Nine-teen. Yep, still has a teen in it." Kahealani looked like she was going to explode. "C'mon Kahea'. You know your parents are going to test the waters; it's just more - concentrated since they only have a couple of days to look him over. Of course, that's assuming, he's even interested in such a skinny, shy girl."
"Remus is a friend," she retorted hotly. "Surely I'm allowed to have friends."
"Right - and pigs fly." Ben glanced over at them. "Er, sorry, Harry."
Thinking of the longing glances Remus had cast in her direction all evening, Severus remarked slyly, "Oh, I have no doubt the wolf will be howling on your lanai soon enough, but I have to say - you would have made a good Slytherin." He enjoyed the blank looks on the other's faces - except the girl's; she knew exactly of what he spoke.
Smart man, his husband - Harry was the first to catch on. "Oh ho! So that's why I got turned into a pig. Costume my eye - you want to be with him during the change. And you know, it might just work."
She blushed again, but said nothing as Kalani gazed at her as if seeing her for the first time - and maybe he was; she wasn't his baby sister anymore. Ben just looked thoughtful. Severus could almost read his mind: she wasn't reacting like some love-sick teenager, she was planning as a rational adult and that, more than anything else, spoke of her seriousness in the matter. He stared hard at Severus. "He's a good man?"
Such a broad question with far too many answers. Severus nodded. "Of the best."
Ben looked relieved. "That's all right, then." His eyes moved to the entrance to the sitting room. "And speak of the devil - oh, good - they sent him back with you. I was wondering if we would need to make a special trip."
Severus turned his head around to see Remus enter the room carefully balancing a large cardboard box with holes across the top. Stopping in the middle of the room, Remus cautioned, "If this is what I think it is, you might want to set a silencing spell; it's noisy."
Harry nearly bounced in his excitement. "Oh, wow! You got it on time?"
Severus rolled his eyes and set the spell.
"Been hearing that a lot, I bet," Ben said dryly to Severus, "I think he wore out several owls in the last week checking back on it." To Harry he said, "Yes, he's the sweetest little thing you ever saw..."
Ben and Kalani helped Remus lower the box to the floor. "Little my arse; he weighs a ton..." an ear-splitting screech erupted from within "...and loud, too," Remus finished, shaking his ear with his finger.
Ben pulled a small knife out of his jeans pocket and, opening it out, sliced the tape on top. "Wanted to make sure he didn't come out too soon," he explained, gingerly folding the flaps down.
Without the boxtop to mute it, the next screech left his ears ringing; Severus spared Remus some sympathy if he'd endured that all the way back. Shaking his head, Ben began, "They're usually pretty quiet..."
"...but he's scared," Kahea' finished, bending over the open top, her long tresses trailing inside. Her head dipped sharply as something grabbed her hair and she dangled more strands of it, as if playing with a cat. "Oh, now Kani, behave. Come on out. It's OK. You're in your new home and you'll never have to go back in the mean, old nasty box again."
"Careful," Ben whispered as she reached her hands into the opening, "easy does it."
"I know, silly. Ah, there now - you liked that, didn't you? Come now, sweety, don't deny it."
A soft melodious trilling gave Severus hope they'd not made a horrid mistake, (and he'd not been too certain for a moment) but when Kahealani straightened, bringing forth the loveliest owl he'd ever seen, he knew it would work out fine. A dainty round face with huge eyes like gold coins topped a sturdy brown and white feathered body with a broad tail and fierce black talons. The Pueo, as he'd once heard Ben call them, was a little more than a hand tall in the body and when he spread his wings to balance as Kahealani moved him out of the box, his wingspan was easily four feet across. An absolutely stunning bird made to ride the thermals.
"He's beautiful," Harry breathed, holding out his arm.
As Kahealani passed him over, Kani mincing easily onto Harry's arm, Kalani warned, "He's spelled specifically to Perrin as you requested, so don't expect him to get chummy. Aunty says the bauble you sent was perfect to get his signature."
"He'll protect the boy, then?" Severus asked, voicing their primary concern.
"It's his kind's nature," Ben replied, shrugging. "They can be quite fierce and were kept by the Ali'i for that purpose in times past. 'Ka pueo kani kaua' - the owl who protects in battle. With Perrin's magical signature and the spells, he will fight anyone trying to harm the boy, but you might want to warn the other teachers. Kani will not differentiate between a malicious adult - or child; if Perrin feels truly threatened, Kani will respond."
"Perfect," Harry said, his eyes sparkling as he gently stroked the owl's white and gold downy chest. The bird nipping his fingers was so familiar, he smiled. "How will he do with other birds? I'm thinking of Hedwig - she's getting on in years, but she's gentle. Will I need to separate them?"
"There's no such thing as a gentle owl at feeding time, Harry," Kalani replied, sliding his eyes to Kahea'. "However, Hedwig's bigger than him and female; he'll behave."
"How long will he live?" Severus asked, curious more than concerned.
"Hmmm. That's a tough one," Kalani replied. "Malia's is older than me, but she lives in a better climate, although she lived here, too. Kani is young, almost a year old, so he'll acclimate faster and Aunty says he was born in the higher altitudes of Mauna Kea where there's snow, so say thirty years, more or less. Anyway, a long time."
"I think we can set him up in Perrin's room tomorrow," Harry said, placing the owl on the wooden stand that Ben had pulled out of the box. "Damn, he's heavy."
"Told you so," Remus mumbled, all but forgotten by everyone - except Kahea', who was standing close to him.
"Well, until tomorrow morning, is there a dark place we can put him so he can get used to the time difference? He's not nocturnal, but we did just shift him twelve hours forward; he's bound to be confused a while."
"Sure, we can put his stand in my office; there's no windows, and it's warm and cosy."
"Should be perfect," Kahea' said, patting her shoulder. Wings half spread, Kani hop-sailed the short distance and landed as trained, claws digging deep in the thick jumper she wore. He immediately began nibbling her hair.
Walking across the rotunda, Kalani half-carrying, half-levitating the heavy stand of driftwood, Kani suddenly took off from Kahea's shoulder, landing on top of the fish tank. The clicks of his claws as he slid on the smooth glass had barely stopped echoing in the chamber when he silently launched again, wings labouring to gain height in the rotunda. Flying tight around the edges, he seemed to point and then dove, seemingly into the ramp itself. A flurry of wings later, he lazily spiralled back to Kahea's shoulder, a limp mouse in his beak.
Ben chuckled. "Well, that solves the problem of feeding him for the moment. Severus, I suspect you're going to need to order a few more mice and rats."
He shrugged. "Not a hardship; I'll let Horatio explain the subtler nuances of house etiquette to him."
"Now there's a meeting I don't want to miss," Harry said with a laugh. "I'll wager it'll be an even match."
As they laughed and moved on to Harry's study, Ben pulled Severus aside. When Harry looked back, Severus nodded and his spouse waved, the message passed; he would delay them for a few minutes. Severus reached in an inner pocket of his outer robe and pulled out a small polished wooden box. Ben took it from him reverently, his eyes widening at the contents.
"Gods, Severus. It's exquisite," he whispered, running his fingers over the finely carved detail of two dolphins leaping side-by-side out of a turbulent sea. The new gold glyph, hung on a heavy chain, shone bright in the light of the rotunda.
"Langley is very good at his craft."
"It's primed?" he asked, turning it over to look at the engraving on the back: "A O Ko Aloha Ka'u E Hi'ipoi Mau." (With you, joy will ever be mine).
"Yes, Septimius finished the new matrix just last week; he was quite intrigued with the challenge. As you requested, it should give Kalani the extra boost he needs to do simple spells without you nearby and won't require recharging with every use. Provecto believes it may have a cumulative effect and asks that you Owl him with any results, no matter how small."
"You mean he thinks it could help give Kalani back some of his magic?" When Severus cautiously nodded, Ben grinned. "How does it work?"
"'Replere' to fill it, 'Liberatum' for Kalani to use it. Oh, and I suppose I should warn you that if Kalani is distressed when he employs it, your bond might compel you to respond."
"Thus speaks experience?" When Severus nodded again, Ben chuckled, "Severus Snape to the rescue - our hero."
He fought a small smile - it was rather humorous - now. "Don't jest; you have no idea how strong it is. When Perrin's mother died, Harry used it for the first time and I 'felt' him from London."
Ben whistled softly. "Amazing. I'll keep that in mind," he replied, answering Severus' seriousness. Pocketing the box just as the others came out of Harry's study, he remarked, "Perrin seems to be holding up well, all things considered, although he's far too skinny."
"Who? Perrin?" Harry asked standing by Severus' side. "We've given Dobby the job of fattening him up; hopefully it will get him off our backs for the same thing."
"Good idea," Ben remarked. Looking around the rotunda, he asked, "Where's Kahea' and Remus?"
Harry snorted. "Those two! They're still in my study." He leaned over and whispered loudly, "I think they wanted some time alone without Malia standing over them."
Kalani started to go back when Ben snagged his sleeve. "Let them be. No harm will come of it."
Sputtering, Kalani exclaimed, "B-b-but he's a guy! And she's my sister! And we all know what guys do to..."
"Kani settled?" Severus asked, trying to change the subject while heading back to the sitting room. Kalani sullenly followed after Ben cast a spell in the general direction of the study. As it was in Hawaiian, Severus hadn't a clue what it was, but considering the situation and the source, he assumed it was something fairly harmless to keep the missing pair out of mischief. Or at least he hoped it was.
Trying to help redirect Kalani's unexpected temper, Harry said, "Yeah, Kani's all right - found another mouse; messy eater that one. Hedwig will be so thrilled. Anyway, we left him to it; he seems fine now that he's got some food and water." Harry wiggled his way next to Severus in the club chair he'd previously occupied, making it a bit wider to accommodate them both. Summoning his brandy from the other table, he snuggled deeper while saying, "Kani likes the wall and is perched in the ferns; evidently they nest on the ground so I guess he feels more at home there."
"I'll see what I can do after Christmas to make Perrin something similar in his room. I suppose Kani can stay there while the boy's in school; the castle walls certainly don't present an obstacle to any of the owls and there is a window."
As usual, Ben didn't miss much and when Harry winced with the memory of that window, he asked, "Problem?"
Severus hesitated; Harry's hand on his knee and the image he sent decided him. Taking a deep breath, he said, "Perrin's stepfather tried to kill him night before last."
Stunned silence met his bald declaration. Ben broke it with, "Well, that certainly explains why you wanted Kani - and makes what we wanted to talk to you about all the more important."
"About?"
Ben cleared his throat and spoke quietly, "Eh, we were wondering if you were going to adopt Perrin."
Startled, Harry sat up from his slouch and turned his body partially so he could easily see Ben and Kalani and still stay snug to him. It was rather pleasant, so Severus shifted his weight on the wide chair to settle him more firmly against him.
"Yes, we started proceedings the other day. Why?"
"I'll get to it in a moment. You're coming to Hana this summer?"
"We've considered it. Again, why do you ask?" Severus replied for them both, Harry's curiosity almost a physical thing.
"Well, we, that is to say, the five of us have been talking..." He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck, clearly uncomfortable. "If you did come out, you would be bringing Perrin, right?"
"Well, yes, we'd intended to do so." His eyes narrowed. "You don't want us to bring him?"
"Oh, no, nothing like that. If anything, I'd say we're eager to have him come. Actually," he flushed, "we were thinking that if you brought him, we could see if he liked it and, if he did, maybe you would consider letting us be his Hanai family."
Intrigued, Harry asked, "Hanai?" mimicking Ben's pronunciation with an 'eye' at the end.
Clearly on firmer ground, Ben replied, "It's an old tradition - not lightly offered, nor lightly accepted. There are several different varieties from full Hanai which is what you two are doing, to Hanai hapai which is what Kalani and Kahea had, or Hanai ho'omakua, which is what we propose - short-term fostering. Basically, one family takes over the rearing of another's children; it's a community thing."
"And this is common?"
"It's not as prevalent as it once was. Joseph's family and mine are of the old lines; we were both raised by Hanai parents. During your Wizarding war, Malia and Joseph were Aurors in England and brought Kalani back to live with Hanai parents in 1974 when he was five; I was twenty at the time. They sent Kahea' ten years ago when she was nine. I was their Kahu Hanai, or Hanai teacher."
"Hmmm," Harry asked, "like what the Muggles did in World War II to move the children out of London during the bombings? I remember reading about it in my Muggle school." He looked at Ben. "So 'fostering' is like watching him for the summers?"
Ben smiled. "Yes, but it's more than that. Hanai families have legal rights as well. As long as he stays with us Perrin would automatically, by law, be a part of our family in everything but name and he can add that also, if he so desires."
Harry glanced at Severus, who shrugged. He'd already known some of this when he and Ben had discussed the trials of falling for a student, but the concept of Hanai had never entered the conversations, not that there had been any reason for it then.
"You think having a Hanai family would help Perrin?" Severus asked.
"Well, yes." Ben hesitated, his face scrunching as he struggled for the right words. "Please don't take this the wrong way, but you both have duties in England - especially you, Severus - huge responsibilities to more than just one boy and it wouldn't be fair for you to squander what little time you have together by spending it apart. Joseph remembers Hogwarts fondly, but he had to stay over once and said it was awful, that although the teachers went out of their way to try and make it a pleasant holiday, it just wasn't the same as being with family."
When Harry bristled, Ben raised his hand, forestalling any comment. "We just thought Perrin might do well with other kids around. Yeah, we know this year is unusual and that there are normally a few around at Christmas and being here would be a little strange at first, but how many children are there at the school during the summer? How long can you stay in Hana?" His shoulders sagged and Kalani rubbed them in encouragement. "Ach! I'm explaining this badly."
Harry looked thoughtful. "No, I think you're doing just fine. And Joseph's right. I spent every school holiday at Hogwarts; except for a couple when my friends stayed as well, it was lonely."
Severus nodded his agreement. "I don't believe we've thought that far ahead because there was always the possibility Perrin's mother would return and insist he stay with her during the holidays. Obviously this has recently changed and, as I said, we've already started the proceedings, which are quite convoluted. Harry may be Perrin's legal guardian under Wizarding law, but Tony can come forward and claim the boy at any time as his step-father under Muggle law, although that will be more difficult with each passing day he fails to do so and assumes he can get past the wards set up to prevent him from even entering the grounds."
Ben gave him a calculating glance that made Severus certain he would have been a Slytherin had he attended; of course, he'd long suspected it in any event. "Seems to me that if Perrin was on Maui, finding him would be a bit difficult since, if I recall, few of the locator spells work worth a fig over large bodies of water and not at all over two."
Severus muttered, "I knew I was going to have to make you an honorary Slytherin," at the same time Harry snickered, "How Slytherin of you."
Suddenly aware he'd been idly stroking Harry's arm, more a comforting reaction to the mixed feelings he was receiving from his husband than anything else, Severus was a bit shocked at his own similar agitation at the thought of leaving Perrin in someone else's hands - even the Chans'.
It was obvious the others sensed it as well, for Kalani added, "You know, I lived for years without once seeing my parents. Oh, I got Owls and such and though I love Aunty Dot and Uncle Phil, I never thought of them as my 'real' family. My Hanai family was just an - extension - of our family, not a replacement."
Harry startled when Kahealani spoke from the entry to the sitting room. "I remember the green skulls over people's houses and how afraid everyone was. I was so relieved when Mom and Dad took us back to stay with Dot and Phil, and they always made sure I knew my real family loved me enough to place me there for my protection."
She and Remus chose the love seat; he took her hand as soon as they were settled, staring calmly back at Kalani's questioning gaze.
Severus heartily approved when she ignored their subtle posturing. "Kalani and I are still close to Dot and Phil and their children. Mom said she found it comforting to know we were safe with people she trusted to raise us in the manner she would have done so herself."
Harry moved closer to him at her last statement; Severus knew what had caused the reaction - trust. Did they trust their friends to take Perrin over the summers and holidays they could not leave? Ben was right; they would not be able to stay in Hana for extended periods of time and keeping Perrin with them amounted to a prison sentence if Tony was still loose. Certainly not a pleasing prospect for the boy's future.
An image of Godric's Hollow passed before his eyes followed by one of Grimmauld Place and Albus. Harry was right, but would their friends agree?
"Would you be willing to use a Fidelius Charm with Harry or me as the Secret Keeper?" Severus asked them seriously.
Ben looked startled as if the precaution had never occurred to him. "This Tony is that bad and so talented that he could find him?"
"He is - motivated. We think his attempt on Perrin's life the other night is only the beginning; he will continue trying, even after we adopt the boy."
Remus made a strangled noise which he ignored for the moment, his eyes never leaving Ben's. There would be time to explain it to him later.
"Aia!" Ben exclaimed. "Yes, we can cast a Fidelius. But it will go bad for this Tony if he does show up in Hana looking for the boy; we have our own - unique - ways of dealing with dark wizards. A quick Apparation, a hard toss, and Madame Pele is belching with another offering."
He chuckled at Harry's chortling and the image of Tony flying far into the maw of Kilauea; he had to admit, there was a certain justice to a volcanic sacrifice. "The offer is more than generous and for that alone, we thank you; as it would solve several difficulties for all three of us, Harry and I will give it the most serious attention. Perhaps this summer would be a good time to discuss it further. We'll bring the boy and see how it goes."
Harry sighed in relief and raised his head to him, whispering, "Thank you, love." To the others he said, "Right now, Perrin's relatively safe here at Hogwarts and, until the adoption is finalised, we're unable to make any lasting decisions about his future." He hesitated, then plunged ahead. "And I think we all need to - adjust - to each other before we can consider much else."
"That's all anyone can ask..." Kalani said, about to add more when he stopped suddenly and stared hard at them. Or at least Severus thought he was, until his eyes raised a few inches and his mouth broke into a wide grin. "Cool! Flying mistletoe."
Bah humbug.
He would ignore the thing as he did every year; if he wanted to kiss Harry, he would do so in the privacy of their rooms without all the inconvenience of clothes and other outside distractions. That is until several throats cleared in juvenile encouragement - including his husband's.
His first mistake was looking at the damn thing. The mistletoe hovered over his head, its whitish green berries suffused with a rosy glow. Irritably, he waved his wand with the requisite counterspell to send it on its merry way. And that turned out to be his second mistake. The berries impossibly blushed further as a sprinkle of sparkling powder puffed out of the leaves, lightly dusting his face. He softly sneezed, and within seconds, he had - an urge.
An urgent urge.
He must kiss Harry. Now. Must... What the hell? ...take those luscious lips... This. Is. Not. Happening. ...with his own... What was that noise? ...frame the wide-eyed face with gentle hands... Was that cheering? ...to suck and nip and slide... Who cares? ...more - he wanted more...
Heat filled his face as the urge abruptly faded. Pulling back slowly, lips clinging, he found himself gazing into black eyes rimmed with the thinnest green, the skin under his hands moist and flushed, the panted puff of warm air against his mouth a needy, "Hmmm, yesss." Mortification warred with smugness.
Mortification won as he overheard Kalani's enthusiastic, "I want me some of that spell," and Ben's answering chuckle. Looking up quickly, Severus decided he was going to permanently hex whoever charmed the mistletoe.
Just as soon as Remus released a breathless Kahea'.
.:o:. .:o:. .:o:. .:o:.
TBC