Chapter Twenty-One
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters nor the scenery, which you could recognise; the only thing I take credit for is the plot.
Pairings: Severus/Marvolo.
Warnings: Dark Harry, Dumbledore, Hermione, and Weasley bashing (excluding Bill, Charlie, Fred, and George).
Word Count: 6,560
Date Written: 19/03/2021
Wizengamot Set to Change
We here at the Daily Prophet are pleased to inform you all, our loyal readers, that despite the bleak news we have been plagued with regarding Harry Potter these past few weeks, things are beginning to look up.
A few days ago, Diagon Alley was in a flurry as one of the most mysterious circumstances happened right in front of our eyes. A few short weeks ago, a long thought dead bloodline was not only revived by the return of a direct descendant, but the Lordship and Heirship were claimed as well as its Wizengamot seat has been activated. That is right, my dear readers, Lord Slytherin not only claimed his Lordship and reopened his families dormant vaults, much to the delight of the Gringotts Goblins, he also has confirmed in an interview that he will be taking his seat full-time in the Wizengamot and has he got some interesting plans for the upcoming term.
Lord Slytherin had been walking through Diagon Alley, seemingly looking for something in particular when I happened across him and convinced him to answer a few of my questions as well as giving a short statement. I was fascinated, as I am sure most of you are, by the gentleman and found myself not disappointed.
D.P: Thank you for agreeing to speak with me, Lord Slytherin.
L.S: Thank you for seeking me out, Miss Skeeter.
D.P: I think to start with, many of our readers wonder just what made you come back to England when you did?
L.S: Well, that is a pretty interesting story, if I am honest. I was living in Albania as I had been for the past few years when I received a correspondence from an old friend whom I hadn't heard from in quite some time. His letter informed me about the going on within Hogwarts that academic year and I was concerned for the children. Safe to say that when I found no charges were being bought against the Headmaster for such an oversight, nor was there an investigation into the Health and Safety policies regarding the children, I thought it only prudent that I return to my home country and finally take up my Lordship as my family had been pushing for, for years. So, packing my belongings, I moved myself and my Son to England.
D.P: And Your Son is going to Hogwarts?
L.S: Yes, that is correct.
D.P: I see that you have activated your seats in the Wizengamot? Do you have any plans you are willing to share with us?
L.S: Well, my dear, my partner and I have decided to try and sort out these outdated and medieval laws that our nation seems to be having a little trouble regulating or getting rid of together. I plan to fight for the equal rights of all beings, whether they be Magical creatures, Pureblood, or Muggleborn. I do not feel right in living in a world where people are treated better than others because they happened to be born into the 'correct family.' People do not choose who they are related to, not blood-wise anyhow, so I do not think Muggleborn or even Half-blood wizards and witches should be punished for such. My Partner is a Half-blood, and yet he is one of the most powerful wizards I know; he is by no means less significant to our society than anyone else. In fact, I believe he has had more impact with the potions he has created and published than many magical folks in this country. It is not right.
D.P: You are willing to fight for creature rights?
L.S: I am indeed. There are many, less inhumane ways to assist other magical beings instead of ostracizing them and demeaning them for their way of life. Werewolves are so suppressed nowadays that they cannot hold a decent job, they do not get financial support. Yet, they are slated by the wizarding world for not taking the Wolfsbane potion every day for three days before the Full Moon. An incredibly expensive potion. How are these people expected to pay for such things if we block them at every turn from gaining employment? It is not fair to treat them in such a way for something which happens once every month.
D.P: I have a feeling that the wizarding world is set for a big change, Lord Slytherin, and that you will be at the forefront.
L.S: I only hope that Wizarding Britain will see the harm they bring to innocent people and help me make a difference. I do not want to be the one to inform my Son that we are alone in our fight against inequality.
D.P: Your Son is a supporter of your work?
L.S: My Son is the main driving force behind my work. Aldwyn is a very kind and caring soul; he hates to see anyone, no matter their species or classification, suffering if there is something he can do to help them.
D.P: And Your Consort, Lord Prince, does he agree with your goals?
L.S: He is not my Consort, my dear, not yet at least, and yes, he does. Despite what many seem to assume about Severus, he is much like my Son; he is kind and very soft-hearted. He despises any form of unfair treatment, especially against children. Severus hates anything to do with Child abuse and the mistreatment of children and wishes to fund a primary school of sorts for all children within the magical community. Including Muggleborn, Half-blood and Pureblood children, Werewolf cubs, and Vampire Fledglings.
D.P: It sounds like you are very determined and have everything planned out, Lord Slytherin. I would like to let you know that you have the backing of myself and many reporters here at the Daily Prophet.
L.S: Thank you, Miss Skeeter; your support is appreciated.
The Wizarding World as we know it, my dear readers, is set to change, and from what I can tell from Lord Slytherin's words, these changes will only bring about positive results. I pray that many of you will not only back these new developments but also actively attempt to implement them. I, for one, am looking forward to seeing what is to come. With the Prince and Slytherin seats now openly fighting inequality against all known creatures and species, things are going to be interesting. Stay tuned, and we at the Daily Prophet promise to keep you all informed.
Rita Skeeter.
Dumbledore throws the newspaper down, scowling heavily; he would not let this happen. He had tried for too long to shape the wizarding world into what it was today, and he would not let Voldemort ruin his carefully laid plans. Yes, he knew exactly who this newly found Lord Slytherin was, who else had strong enough blood to claim the Slytherin seats.
As soon as everyone had left the great hall from the staff breakfast, he had demanded everyone attend; he had run to the underground corridor where he had thought the Philosopher's Stone was still resting. After all, Young Harry had not held any memories of Quirrell having figured out how to get the Stone from the Mirror of Erised, let alone getting his hands on it. Severus had insisted that he hadn't seen the Stone anywhere within the chamber, and by the time he had gotten to Harry, the boy had been unconscious from magical exhaustion.
It hadn't taken him very long to lift the charms and protection wards he had layered over the Mirror, and what he had found angered him. He had stood staring at the obviously fake Stone for what seemed like hours, questions running through his mind on how he hadn't noticed when he had first come to his mind and how Quirrell had gotten hold of the Stone? He wondered for a brief moment whether Severus had lied to him, had somehow helped the phantom of the Dark Lord possessing Quirrell in acquiring the Stone before almost as quickly brushing the thought aside. Severus wouldn't betray him like that.
Then again, he was allegedly being courted by Marvolo Slytherin, and not only that, but he had also admitted that it was possible that the two would become engaged soon enough. He had already started referring to Slytherin's Son as his own. Which only bought about more questions. If Voldemort indeed had a child, then who was the Mother and had this boy been hidden for the past ten or so years. Did the child know that his Father was the evilest Dark Lord in history? Why would Voldemort send his Son to Hogwarts when he knows Dumbledore is fully aware of who he is?
All of his current plans were falling through, and he didn't know how to stop it. First of all, Voldemort's brat had been enrolled in his school, and he couldn't do anything to outwardly harm the child without drawing unwanted attention from not only the faculty and Ministry but from every single member in the Wizengamot. Not to mention the Daily Prophet would most likely get hold of the story, and soon the entire wizarding world would turn against him. He couldn't harm the child because it would turn his only spy against him, and he couldn't have that. Not when Voldemort had a body back and was walking the streets.
The laws he had made sure passed through were going to be undone as well; he will have to increase his influence with some of the more neutral Lords and Ladies to ensure that Voldemort's policies are blocked at every turn. He wouldn't have Werewolves and Vampires mixing in with the everyday witch and wizard. It was dangerous, and goodness knows how much more influence he would lose with them being incorporated within every lick of society.
To top everything off as well, Harry Potter had gone missing and was suspected dead at the hands of his relatives. The muggles he had placed him with and paid to make the boy mailable to his wishes. He had needed Harry to be the Boy-Who-Lived, to be the Gryffindor Golden Boy, Saviour of the Wizarding World; he had needed the world to look up to the boy and look to him for salvation against the rising Dark powers that plagued their world. He had needed Harry to be willing to sacrifice himself for him, Dumbledore, to swoop in and take the glory for himself. He would have done it initially if that bat hadn't come out with a prophecy. If that reading hadn't gotten out to the public, then he would have been the one everyone looked to save them again. He had already defeated one Dark Lord, after all.
Dumbledore glances back down at the Prophet, teeth gnashing together at the subtle way Voldemort had planted the seeds of doubt against their current ways of life. He was trying to manipulate the public by using a topic most people despised to think about. Child Abuse and Neglect and the recent articles surrounding Harry Potter's suspected death through abuse would hit home more than ever. He wouldn't be all that surprised if Voldemort had planned this all out from the very beginning. Suppose he hadn't killed Harry himself somehow and framed the muggles to give his own agendas a boost.
He had spoken about the poor, defenseless children who were being shunned and neglected due to difficult financial situations they are forced through because of the difficulty their parents have finding work. He points out the injustice in punishing people for the parents they are born to and how he wishes to change it, a sharp cry away from his views during the First Wizarding War. Know one would believe him if he stated that Lord Slytherin was the crazed, evil, mass-murdering Dark Lord who had terrorized their nation just over a decade ago.
He would need to keep an eye on the situation and maybe call together the old crowd just in case, but first, he needed to see to Aldwyn Slytherin. He needed to get the child alone to question him and maybe find some way to persuade him to turn his back on his Father and joining the Light side.
"So, I have Bill as my second in command; then there is Charlie, Draco, and Blaise so far. The rest of the Slytherin children from my year I was debating on whether to invite them at the start of the school year or maybe sometime during or after Yule?"
Aldwyn mutters, tapping his chin with a quill as he sits on the floor, parchment sheets spread across the coffee table. Marvolo and Severus are curled against each other on the sofa, content to just watch their Son as he muddles through his thoughts. Marvolo chuckles at Aldwyn's mutters, wondering briefly how he will cope with being away from the boy for three whole months. His mood sours minutely at the thought of the rapidly approaching beginning of term. It seemed like had hadn't spent enough time with his Son. At least Severus was getting to see him every day when he was in Hogwarts. He was one of Aldwyn's professors, after all.
"You do what you think is best, Aldwyn."
Severus chuckled response draws him back into the conversation, and he smiles. Tightening his arm around his partner's waist, Marvolo drops a kiss to his head before smiling down at his Son, who is scowling down at his notes in contemplation.
"I think I will wait until Yuletide. That way, I do not add too many people at once. I will be able to get used to having a faction of only four people besides myself before adding another seven people to the mix. During the first couple of months, Draco, Blaise, and I can sus them out and find out where best their talents lie before inviting them."
"I am very proud of you, Snakelet; you are really putting a lot of thought into this."
Marvolo compliments, frowning when Aldwyn bites his lip, hand freezing in place, allowing a drop of ink to blot his parchment, and his parents are instantly alert. Something was bothering their child, something that no doubt stemmed from the muggles. Aldwyn sighs, dragging a hand through his hair before glancing up at his parents, eyes alight with trepidation.
"I just don't want to let you down. I really want my faction to be good and helpful, but I am not sure if I will do it. I mean, what if I don't make a good leader? What if I mess up and I end up making things worse? What if I accidentally expose myself and put the members of my faction in danger?"
Severus looks down at Aldwyn; holding his hand out, he gestures for his Son to come to them. Aldwyn is quick to jump to his feet, dropping his quill to the table before he rushes across the room and throws himself into his parents' waiting arms. Sighing and cuddling closer when he feels two sets of arms wrapping around him and pulling him close, while two soft kisses brush his head. The sensation makes him giggle.
"You could never disappoint us, Snakelet. No matter what you do. You have thought through everything you possibly can to keep your In Dolus Intortis safe from discovery, including blood-contracted half masks, wards to prevent the Imperius and other mind control spells and curses from affecting them, and even a block to prevent harmful potions from being injected."
"You have also planned out different jobs for your members based on their own strengths and have written up areas of improvement which you are going to be working on together through the year. You are preparing them and helping them become strong enough to protect themselves. You have already proven to be a great leader, just like your Father."
Severus adds, smiling up at Marvolo, who presses a kiss to Severus' forehead. Aldwyn smiles up at his parents shyly. He loved seeing his parents acting so romantic with each other, something many children his age would find disgusting like Draco. Yet, he found it nice. Like he really was part of a happy family, it always filled him with warmth when he noticed these little acts of affection from his Father to his Papa or his Papa to his Father. It made him wish for something like that. Something in the very distant future. He was only twelve, after all.
"Really?"
"Truly, Snakelet. Besides, your Father and I are always here if you need to talk to us or if you need help coping with leading your own faction. You are our Son, our little boy, and we will always be there to give you a helping hand."
"Not that you will need it; you are just too smart for that but just in case…"
His Father lifts him off the floor, dragging his pliant body into his chest. Aldwyn settles his legs out across Severus' legs and smiles when a hand pats his ankle a few times before resting against him to keep him in place. He cuddles into Marvolo's chest, a large smile stretching across his lips; he always loved just relaxing with his parents.
"Thank you, Father. I am going to try hard."
"We know you will, Aldwyn, and we will be proud of anything you come up with. Just don't forget to keep up with your schoolwork."
"I will, Papa. I promise. I get to choose my electives this year."
"Oh? Do you have an idea of which ones you are likely to pick?"
Aldwyn grins, eyes sparkling as he glances at his Father, resting his head against the man's shoulder and smiling at his Papa, who pats his ankle again.
"Ancient Runes and Arithmancy for definite. Maybe Care of Magical Creatures as well. I don't think Divination is seen as I do not possess the third eye or any form of fortune-telling abilities, and I lived with Muggles for ten years. I do not need to study them, nor would I wish to."
"It sounds like you have it all planned out, Snakelet."
"Bill has been great at helping me understand the very basics of Ancient Runes and Arithmancy, and I like animals. Charlie has been telling me all about the dragons he looked after. He knows everything there is to know about all reptiles."
Aldwyn sits up, bouncing in his Father's lap, drawing a chuckle from his parents at his exuberance. They were pleased that their Son was enjoying his extra tutoring sessions so much; not only had they seen vast improvements with his written calligraphy and legibility of his words, his work, and therefore his confidence in himself had skyrocketed. It was lovely to see.
"Right, Snakelet. In a day or two, we will be taking a trip into Diagon Alley."
"We will?"
"Yes, Albus mentioned that the Hogwarts letters have been sent out and will be arriving in the next few days. Your Father and I have already arranged the trip with the Malfoy's, and Blaise' mother has asked for her Son to tag along as well. We will be collecting all your school supplies, as well as your new wand."
"Brilliant. I cannot wait. I haven't seen Blaise since my party. It would be nice to see him again before we get swept up in the madness of Hogwarts."
"I am pleased that you are looking forward to it. However, I must stress that you remain alert, with the news of my plans for the Wizengamot out in the open, and your Papa and I's pending courtship people may approach you."
"But I'm just a child? What would they want with me?"
Aldwyn tilts his head to the side; eyebrow raised as he glances from his Father's grim expression to his Papa's serious frown. No one would want anything to do with him, not if it was to ask about his Father's political career; he was just twelve. A child. What would these people want from an inexperienced member of their society? It wasn't like he was old enough to be taken seriously anyway; he had learnt that the hard way during his last term at Hogwarts.
"It is not what they would want from you, Aldwyn; it would be more like what could they get from you. Many people would like a chance to fawn over new high standing members of society, especially those who are young and inexperienced. Those types of people will assume that if they can get on good terms with the children of such high standing Lords, then the parents will be easier to manipulate and gauge. You are the Heir to the Slytherin House, one of the most prominent Houses on the Wizengamot; if anything, people will proposition your Papa and I for betrothal contracts for their children to you."
Aldwyn listens with mounting horror; he didn't want to think about marriage or betrothals just yet; he wasn't old enough. He didn't want to be trapped in a loveless marriage because some stranger fancied a hand at his family's monetary value and assets. He bites his lips. If his Father and Papa decided to sign a betrothal contract, then he didn't have much say in the matter, not until he was off age and could break the betrothal on his own.
"I don't want to be shipped off to the highest bidder. I don't want to marry some money-grabbing witch or wizard. I don't want to marry someone who wouldn't come to love me for me."
Marvolo pulls Aldwyn against his chest, soothing his child. Severus slides closer, wrapping his own arms around their Son.
"Aldwyn, your Father and I would never force you through that; we would never want for you to be stuck in a marriage or even a betrothal like that. You are free to choose your own partner, be they male or female when the time is right. As long as you are happy, that is all that matters to us."
"Really?"
"Truly, Snakelet. Now, what do you say that we go practice some more potions?"
Severus clears his throat, patting Aldwyn's back before pushing himself up from the sofa, a blush dusting his cheeks when Marvolo chuckles. Carefully settling Aldwyn on his feet, Marvolo draws his partner to his chest and drops a light, teasing kiss to his lips.
"I think that sounds like fun."
Aldwyn giggles, slipping his hand into his Papa's as they make their way out of the lounge.
"We are going back to Hogwarts…"
Charlie mutters, face blank as he stares into the flames dancing in the hearth. He sits in one of the high back armchairs in the library, Bill scribbling away on his parchments covering the entire table. He had muttered something along the line of lesson plans earlier on. Apparently, he hadn't finished them despite the school term starting up in a week or so. It was amusing for him to watch. At his quiet statement, though, Bill glances up from his work, tucking a strand of hair behind his ear.
"Did you only just realise?"
Charlie blushes at Bill's teasing tone. Shooting a glare towards his older brother.
"No, I just… it is strange to think about, isn't it? I mean, we are in our twenties and are the youngest Professors on the faculty now. I just don't understand why Dumbledore wouldn't find it weird that all of a sudden, we both come back from abroad and both want to be teachers. Not to mention the fact that we went to Severus about it instead of straight to Dumbledore himself, or even Minerva."
Bill drops his quill to the table, running a hand through his hair as he thinks on Charlie's words, thoughts processing before he frowns. It was strange. Dumbledore hadn't even interviewed them for the positions, he had instantly agreed to make them professors, in charge of teaching hundreds of children, and he hadn't even questioned them about their apparent 'sudden change of heart.' He had to be planning something, but he couldn't think of what. Maybe he was just pleased to have more 'light oriented' and biased professors on his staff.
"I know what you mean, Char. It is a little odd. I was expecting a couple of questions, at least. Not to be handed the curriculum and a 'Welcome to the faculty.' I hope he doesn't expect me to be as biased as some of his staff against the Slytherin student. I don't think I would be able to treat any child like that, no matter who their parents are."
"I don't think he would expect you to. Didn't you have that Slytherin friend back in school? What was his name again?"
"Felix? Yea, he was the Slytherin Prefect, a right prick at times, but he was a decent enough fella, even if he did join the Death Eaters as soon as he graduated."
"Bill… you joined the Death Eaters…"
Charlie deadpans, staring at his older brother with a raised eyebrow. He rolls his eyes when Bill shrugs his shoulders and grins.
"No, I am part of the In Dolus Intortis; where have you been, Char?"
"You are a prat. You know what I meant. We were all for joining the Dark Lord's ranks before he offered us the chance to join his Son's faction. Don't be a smart ass."
Bill chuckles, ruffling Charlie's hair. He had missed his younger brother, not having been able to see him as much as he wished while they were both busy. Him in Egypt and Charlie in Romania. It hadn't been easy; he and Charlie had been especially close since they were little. Closer than he was or had ever been to any of his other siblings.
"I am not a smart ass; I am being truthful."
"Alright, alright, but what do you think Dumbledore is plotting?"
"I don't know. He hasn't mentioned anything during the staff meetings."
"Yea, that's what has me worried; he hasn't so much as mentioned that the Dark Lord has returned and that he is Lord Slytherin. He hasn't mentioned anything to do with trying to talk to Aldwyn, who he knows is the Son of the Dark Lord. I just know he has something up his sleeve."
Bill stares at his brother for a moment before pushing himself from his seat a perching on the arm next to Charlie. He wraps an arm around his younger brother, drawing him into his side, and cards a hand through his hair.
"He will not lay a finger on Aldwyn; we will not allow it. Besides, Severus is there and won't let Dumbledore get away with harming his Son, nor would Marvolo if he were to find out. Aldwyn will have you and I, his Papa, and all his friends to keep him safe. It will be alright, Char, no matter what Dumbledore is planning on doing."
"I know, Bill; I just can't help but worry. He is so small."
Bill snorts, dropping a kiss to Charlie's head, tightening his arm for a brief moment.
"Don't let him hear you say that; he has a nasty roundhouse if you piss him off too much. Not to mention his Father has been tutoring him in defensive magics… Merlin help any kid who tries to bully him."
"I pray for the Hogwarts faculty. You know what Draco and Aldwyn are like here, imagine what they are going to get up to when surrounded by hundreds of potential victims for their pranks…"
"They are going to be worse than Fred and George…"
Bill groans, drawing a chuckle from Charlie.
"Now, just imagine if the four of them were to partner up…"
Bill actually whimpers, not looking forward to the upcoming school term if he were going to be dealing with mischievous little boys who had a knack for not getting caught, despite everyone knowing exactly who had done such things. Charlie laughs, twisting his arm up to run a comforting hand through Bill's shoulder-length hair.
"Alright, you procrastinator, best get on with those lesson plans."
Charlie bursts out laughing when he gives Bill a little nudge and accidentally causes him to fall to the floor with a yelp, peering at the tangle of limbs on the floor; he wipes some tears away, shoulders shaking when Bill manages to twist enough to allow him to glare up at his brother. A smirk makes its way to his lips, and before Charlie has a chance to react, Bill jumps from the floor, wraps his arms around Charlie's neck, and drags him to the floor as well.
The two wrestle around the floor for a moment or two, laughter floating through the air, before they collapse on their backs, arms held out. Charlie's head rests in Bill's arm while his own rest over his Brother's chest, the occasional chuckle escaping as they regain their breathing. They hadn't roughhoused like that since they had still lived at the Burrow with their parents and hadn't realised how much they had missed it until now. They turn to each other, wide grins stretching their lips at the other's red face and heaving breaths.
Aldwyn sets out his cauldron, humming under his breath as Severus places his ingredients on the table for him; muttering a quiet thank you, he measures out 24 fluid ounces of water, the standard measurement for most potions his Papa had told him and sets it to the side. He didn't want to have to keep getting up to add more water through his brewing process. He sets the cauldron on the heat, making sure the flames are turned off as he didn't need to heat anything at the moment, not while he was preparing his ingredients anyway.
Reading the instructions from an old textbook of his Papa's, Aldwyn drops two measured scoops of dried nettles into his stone mortar and adds three puffer-fish eyes, crushing the mixture between each eye added. He leans further onto the table, raising onto his tiptoes to put enough pressure behind the pestle to turn the mixture into a medium-fine powder. Calling his Papa over just to check he had done it right, he smiles when his leather tie is tightened around his hair, and a soft kiss dropped to his temple in praise.
He takes up his measuring spoon again, wiping all excess ingredients from the metal before dropping two measures of his now mediumly-fine powder to his empty cauldron. Replacing his measuring spoon with a standard tablespoon, Aldwyn carefully adds two full spoons of plain water to his cauldron and mixes it with the powder. Flicking his wand at the base of the cauldron, Aldwyn smiles when a flame sparks to life; setting it on medium, he sets a timer for twenty minutes.
Walking over to the sink, Aldwyn scrubs his used equipment, nothing much else to do while he waited for his potion to be finished, with the first part that is. He dries his spoons meticulously and replaces them in his apprentice potion masters kit. His Father and Papa had insisted when he had initially voiced his worries over his potions grade. It had been his Papa's when he had been undergoing his N.E. .
His timer buzzes quietly, reminding him that he had to add some more water to his potion. Adding tablespoon at a time, Aldwyn watches as the power's remainder slowly dissolves into the liquid. Picking his wand up from the counter, Aldwyn waves it over the cauldron before setting another timer for 60 minutes, separate alarms set to sound every 10 minutes as some cauldrons can alter the brewing time.
Taking a deep breath, Aldwyn glances over at his Papa and Father, eyes widening in awed surprise when he sees that they have five cauldrons out in front of them. He watches in fascination as they take it in turns to prepare their ingredients, dropping them into their appropriate mixtures, stirring each one and all without bumping elbows once. He rests his elbow on his workbench, content to watch as his parents brew numerous potions and elixirs while he waits for his own to be finished. He watches with a smile when his Father stretches in front of his Papa, placing a steadying hand on the other's waist. His smile widens when he catches sight of the pale blush dusting Severus cheeks at the interaction.
So lost in his observations, Aldwyn jumps when his first alarm goes off. Pushing himself away from the desk, he walks over to his lightly bubbling potion; peering into the liquid, he sighs. It wasn't ready just yet. Going back to watching his parent's interactions, he lets himself get lost in his thoughts once more.
Finally, after the full hour, Aldwyn grins down at his potion, the bubbling liquid matching the descriptions in the book perfectly as far as he can tell. Turning off the Heat and picking up his bat-spleen, he quickly drops it into the cauldron, wiping his hand on a spare cloth at the slimy feeling sticking to his fingers. Grabbing his stirring rod, Aldwyn stirs the mixture four times anti-clockwise, then leaves it to brew for 30 seconds on low heat. Picking up his wand one final time, Aldwyn casts an engorgio charm watching in interest as the sparks are absorbed into the potion, the process completing with a small flash of white light.
Grinning happily at his accomplishment, Aldwyn takes up one of his crystal potion vials and, taking the cauldron away from the flames, which he turns off, he grabs a ladle and carefully pours his potion into the glass. His nose wrinkles at the smell, the gloopy liquid slopping into the vial messily, and he inwardly gags, wondering who would willingly, if anyone, would drink such a disgustingly green potion.
Aldwyn glances across the room, biting his lip as he watches his parents still pottering around their own cauldrons; he didn't want to call for one of them and risk messing up their own potions. He watches Severus add another ingredient and sighs quietly; maybe they were nearly done. He gathers the ingredients that he hadn't used and places them back in the cabinet, ensuring to get them in the correct place. He then proceeds to wash his equipment and place it back in his potions kit.
Pulling out one of the stoles, he sits down, holding his vial in his hand as he settles in to patiently wait for his parents to finish, or at least get to the part of the process which would allow him to interrupt without risking them making a mistake. Leaning his elbow on the table, Aldwyn rests his head against his hand, eyelids blinking rapidly as silence envelops him, the only sounds coming from his parent's quiet mutterings, the soft boiling of their potions, and preparing ingredients. He is soon lulled to sleep by the rhythmic sounds.
It isn't long before Aldwyn is woken back up by a hand carding through his hair, fingers gently detangling some of the knots that had formed behind his ear. His eyes snap open at the feeling, and he jumps to his feet, spinning on unsteady feet, almost toppling into his workbench. Staring up with wide-eyes, Aldwyn sighs heavily when he catches sight of his Papa standing in front of him with a small smile. He found his reaction amusing.
Aldwyn grins sheepishly, glancing around to see that he was indeed still in the potion's lab. He scratches the back of his neck as Severus chuckles slightly.
"How long was I asleep?"
"Not long; why didn't you call one of us if you had finished?"
Severus enquires, glancing over his shoulder where Marvolo was putting the finishing touches on their last potion before he turns to gaze back down at his Son. He frowns when Aldwyn bites his lips, shifting from foot to foot, and Severus grits his teeth at the blasted muggles. Crouching down, Severus grabs Aldwyn's hands, kissing them; he smiles gently.
"I didn't want to bother you. I could have made you make a mistake."
"Aldwyn, I would much rather you come to one of us. Our potions can be done over again, we are not desperate for them as of yet, and I would have much preferred to come to you."
Aldwyn glances down at the stone floor, scuffing the toe of his shoe before he glances back at his Papa, a small smile tugging at his lips. It was taking a while, a very long time in his opinion, for him to let himself relax enough to interrupt any one of his parents while they were busy, but he was coming to see that they wouldn't mind. That they would instead help him, make sure he was alright before anything else, and the thought makes a warmth spread through his body. He had never had anyone so willing to help him before, especially at the risk of their work.
"I think I am starting to understand that now, Papa. I wanted to show you my potion."
Severus smiles, kissing Aldwyn's forehead before standing back up. He reaches across the table and plucks the small glass vial up. Making a show to examine the contents, Aldwyn giggles when his Papa scratches his chin, furrowing his eyebrows in contemplation as she studies the potion. Severus grins at his Son.
"This is perfect, Aldwyn. I am very pleased with you. You will have no trouble in the new year if you continue with this level of work."
"Really?"
"Truly, Snakelet. I am very proud of you. You are a real potions master in the making."
"Does that mean I will be able to help you some time with your experiments?"
Severus chuckles as Aldwyn bounces on the balls of his feet; he pats his child on the head.
"Maybe in a few more years, Aldwyn. I promise that once you are in O.W.L potions, then you can help me with my experiments."
"Wicked. I will get the highest grade in the class and pass my O. with the best score ever! I am going to set a new record!"
"Oh? I think you best lookout love; I think Aldwyn is determined enough to surpass you."
"I believe you may be right, Marvolo."
Aldwyn grins up at his Father as he wraps his arms around his Papa's waist and holds him close, resting his chin on the shorter man's shoulder. Severus and Marvolo chuckle.
"Papa holds the record?"
"He does indeed, Snakelet. Your Father holds the record for highest O.W.L and N.E.W.T scores in Hogwarts history, and he was the youngest person in the world to be rewarded a Potion Mastery."
"Wow. That is amazing. I am going to do it! I am going to beat Papa's record."
"I am sure you will be able to do it, Snakelet."