Chapter 16: We all have our secrets.


{Kat's POV}

After classes, Kat headed back to her dorm to change into her base uniform, getting everything ready to head down to the Slytherin Quidditch tent. Changing into her practice uniform with the rest of the team before they started practice. Today would be a light day as they thought everyone played well, they started off by just going over what happened in the match. Once practice was over, Kat headed back to her dorm to take a hot shower quickly, she had to get heat on her muscles to try and to relax them.

Kat got out of the shower and changed into casual clothes before dinner, she sat on the floor of her room doing homework and researching more and more on something she wanted to ask her father. As Snape had said, his older children could develop some magical ability as well as his youngest child, but at the same time each of his children were capable of learning other kinds of abilities and very difficult ones. Kat had taught herself how to apparate, which is something very hard to learn with help, and she had figured it out on her own, she now wanted to learn Legilimency. She knew her father could do it, and she had been researching for a very long time about it, so he wanted to ask him to help her.

Kat, even while concentrating on her research, she couldn't help but think what her brothers and her father might be talking about right now. She was really hoping to find out what was going on with her little brother, the curiosity was too great. After a couple of minutes and a knock on the door made her concentration vanishes.


{Alex and Sev's POV}

Severus was practically running after Alex since they left the office -"Alex, don't be in such a hurry Kat won't go anywhere"-

Alex completely ignored what Severus said, as he didn't slow down -"Sev, quick, you're too slow!"-

Severus frowned. -"Why aren't you this fast every day"- He growled.

Alex opened the common room door with a bang, receiving the attention of several students before heading in the direction of his sister's dorm.

Severus had to pick up his pace as they were about to reach his sister's dorm. He didn't want Alex to rush in and pounce on Kat, he supposed her body must still ache, plus she had just finished a practice. He grabbed Alex by the collar of his shirt when they were in front of the door.

Alex pouted when he realized he couldn't move forward anymore -"Let me go, I want to go in"- He whimpered softly.

Severus rolls his eyes. -"You have to knock when you're going to enter a girl's room, even if it's our sister"- He said before knocking, though he didn't wait for an answer, right after knocking he was already opening the door.


-"Come in"- Kat shouted to the door as she hears the knock. She figured it was her brothers, as she heard immediately after the knock that the door was opening, so she didn't bother getting up to check, she closed some of her books as she turned to look at them.

Severus opened the door and walked in with Alex still clutching the collar of his shirt.

-"Let me go, let me go"- Alex still whimpering and trying to move forward, he wanted to go with Kat desperately, though it felt a little better to be in the same room as her as he could see her magic and feel it perfectly.

Severus sighed, closing the door behind him. -"Make yourself comfortable, we have a lot to talk about, and I don't think this kid wants to let you go for a while"-

Alex's eyes watered when Severus wouldn't let him go. -"I want to go with Kat, let me go, please, Sev"- He was about to burst into tears again.

-"Oh Merlin, what happened?"- Kat asked as she pushed her homework to the side as she stayed on the floor -"Let the kid go, I'll be fine it he tackles me"- She said as she watched the little boy almost start crying.

Severus sighs and looks down at Alex and then looks at Kat. -"Clench your teeth"- He warns her before letting Alex go.

Alex immediately ran to Kat and threw himself at her neck, wrapping his legs around her waist. -"Kat, Kat"- He sobbed softly as he put his face in Kat's neck and clung to her.

Kat winced slightly as he jumped on her, trying not to show how sore her body really was. -"Why are you crying?"- She asked as she rubbed his back softly.

Alex didn't answer; he simply tightened his grip on Kat's neck more without stopping sobbing.

Severus sat on the bed as he sighed and set the school bags on the floor. -"He got like that after I told dad how he reacted to your fall yesterday"-

Alex sobbed a louder. -"Kat"-

Severus rolled his eyes. -"For the thousandth time, she's fine, she's just..."- He fell silent, knowing that if he told the kid the truth he would start crying, again.

-"Did he do this in front of dad?"- Kat asked glancing at the kid -"I'm right here, and I'm fine, so just relax"- She said as she rubbed his back.

Severus shook his head as he let out a snort. -"You have no idea, at first he was just sobbing your name, dad had to put him in his lap to keep him quiet, but when dad started talking to him, he started crying, it was so annoying. He didn't calm down until he saw you by the window, and when we were done he came running over here, desperate with being able to be with you"-

Alex took a deep breath as he slowly calmed down feeling Kat's magic and caresses and rested his head on Kat's shoulder.

Kat nodded as she listened to him intently and sighed when Alex rested his head on her shoulder, but kept rubbing her back. -"So what did you guys figure out about this?"- She asked refereeing to him clinging on to her tightly.

-"Oh yeah, our little brother is a magical aura reader"- Severus said with a shrug. -"He is a bearer of a magical ability; he can see and feel people's magic, and he seems to love your magic...a lot"-

-"He's a what?"- Kat asked confused -"A magical ability; was he just like born with it?"- She asked curiously, she knew that a wizard or witch could be born or develop a magical ability, and she wanted to know what kind her brother belonged to.

Severus nods. -"A magical aura reader and yes, he was born with it. As I told you, he can feel and see people's magic. Magical aura readers are very affectionate people and more so with those people who have magic they are attracted to, as he is doing now"- He says pointing to Alex who was tightly clinging to Kat's neck. -"And he described your magic as calm and relaxing and making him feel safe, that's why he's been more attached to you than me or dad. But his ability is growing, so he's been even more attached to you than usual these past few days. Everything should return to normal when his ability stops growing"-

-"Oh, makes sense I guess"- Kat said with a shrug -"So all of us are either very powerful or have special abilities?"-

Severus shrugged. -"I don't know, I guess so, dad seemed to have something else in mind, like he knew something else, but didn't want to tell us"- He thinks for a moment -"But we could be more powerful, haven't you learned how to apparate? You are not even of legal age, and you are already capable of doing that, besides you learned it by yourself"-

Kat nodded -"Yeah, dad has a lot of secrets"- She shrugs -"Yeah, I figured out apparating like a month ago, I'm working on something else now too"-

Severus sighed -'Well, he's not the only one'- He thought. -"Really? What are you working on?"- He looks at Alex. -"Though you should be careful what you say in front of him, that kid loves to do advanced things he shouldn't be doing"-

Alex wasn't paying attention to what his siblings were saying; he was trying to keep his eyes open. Since he had calmed down, Kat's magic was starting to make him sleepy.

-"You'll just have to wait and see"- Kat said, laughing softly -"I believe he got that quality from me, I'm just not clumsy. I don't think dad even realized I learned how to apparate"-

-"I'm working on something too, that's why he went to talk to dad this morning"- Severus shrugged. -"I guess dad has so much on his mind that he hasn't realized that and a lot of other things, Alex's ability for example, after all he has you to take care of that shorty"- He said pointing at Alex. -"He doesn't have time for that"- He shrugs -"And besides that quality plus how clumsy Alex is, are not a very good combination"- He chuckles softly.

-"He doesn't worry about us unless something major happens"- Kat said with a shrug -"I just have to talk to him, and hopefully he can find time to help me"- She really had little hope that her father would give her lessons.

Severus shrugged. -"You're right, but hey, he's always busy, there's nothing we can do"- He stretched, both he and Kat had learned to fix their problems on their own, without depending on their father. -"And if he could find time to help me, well rather check, the potion I'm going to make, he'll be able to find time to help you"-He said not being so sure, as he wasn't entirely sure what Kat would do.

-"I'm sure he will; I hope he gives me permission to learn it"- Kat shrugged, not wanting to get her hopes up.

-"Well, I don't think what you want me to teach you is any more dangerous than what I'm going to do, so I think I'd give you permission"- Severus said, trying to give his sister some hope. Their father had given him permission, but he will get his lessons from someone else and the way Kat was talking it seemed like she wanted their father to be the one to give her lessons, so maybe for her, it would be harder to get permission.

-"Yes, hopefully"- Kat said, nodding, hoping Severus was right.

After a few minutes of silence, Severus saw Alex, who was practically asleep on Kat's shoulder. -"I wish he would calm down that easy when he's with me"-

-"You don't have the right magic"- Kat said jokingly as she laughed.

Severus nods with a sigh. -"No, I don't, according to him my magic is the opposite of yours, it makes him feel active and full of energy"-

-"That would explain a lot about the way he acts with you, you're going to have a very interesting next two weeks"- Kat said as she gently rubbed Alex's back. -"And you still have to finish this one"-

Severus plops down on the bed with an exaggerated sigh. -"Don't remind me and I have to keep him under control or dad will suspend my lessons, and it cost me a lot to convince him"-

-"Well if you need any help with Alex just let me know, I can take him for a little to calm him down enough for you to watch him"- Kat said turning her body to look at him; careful not to wake Alex -"I can take him while you're at your lessons if you need"-

Severus sits up and sighs in relief. He was going to ask her anyway, but her offering was much better for his pride. -"That would be very helpful, I really want to keep this kid as far away from my lessons as possible, because I know that if he finds out he will want to do it and end up hurting himself, I know"- He said looking at Alex. -"Although, I'm going to have to take care of him when you have your lessons, of course if dad gives you permission and in addition to your practices"-

-"Yeah, we need to keep his abilities limited, and this whole aura thing"- Kat said with a sigh -"He will definitely have to stay far away from my lessons"- She said nodding her head.

Severus nods. -"I agree, the less he knows what we're doing, the better"-He looks at the time. -"Dad said he's still investigating Alex's ability, I just hope there aren't any more surprises"-

-"There's no way he can be more complicated than he already is"- Kat said, rubbing Alex's back softly.

Severus chuckled softly. -"It's Alex; everything can be more complicated when it's about him"- He rolled his eyes.

-"That's true"- Kat laughed softly, and she got up still holding Alex, she walked over to her bed and tried to place him down without waking him up.

Alex let go of Kat's neck and waist when he felt the bed, but frowned when he no longer felt Kat's magic near him. He turned to the side, grabbed the pillow and hugged it, but continued to sleep as if nothing had happened. He could still feel her magic in the room, and he was emotionally calmer, so he didn't need to cling to her anymore, for now.

-"This kid is a heavy sleeper"- Severus rolls his eyes and gets out of bed slowly so as not to wake him.

-"I'm shocked he let go of me and laid down"- Kat said with a yawn as she picked up all her homework from the ground and put it on her desk.

Severus shrugs. -"Dad said he feels your magic to keep his emotions under control, I guess he's calmed down enough to let you go. And are you going to want him to sleep here or do I take him to his dorm?"-

-"Just leave him here, it's easier for me to deal with the nightmares than you. And with him watching me fall off a broom recently I have a feeling he will be having them"- Kat said with a nod

Severus nodded. -"Yeah, I guess you're right, do you want me to leave you a sleeping potion?"- He picks up his and Alex's school bag from the floor. -"I have to study for my first lesson, I'll tell you later what my lessons are, when he"- He points to Alex. -"Is not present"-

-"Leave me one for him if he wakes up"- Kat said as she pulled out a book and sat in one of her chairs. -"Alright, just come find me whenever"- She said with a nod.

Severus nodded and left the room. He went to his dorm, looked in his closet for a sleeping potion. He left his school bag on the floor, realizing he had Alex's, so when he went back to Kat's room, he left Alex's school bag in his dorm. He went into Kat's room and put the potion on the nightstand. -"Here it is, let me know if you need anything else"-

-"Thank you, in going to need you to take Alex eventually, so I can talk to dad"- Kat said without looking up from the book. She was mentally preparing herself; she wanted the talk with her father to go perfectly.

Severus takes a deep breath. -"Okay, let me know, and I'll take him to my dorm or his, I'll keep an eye on him"- He says before leaving the room -"And please keep sleeping by then"- He sighs.

-"See you later"- Kat said as Severus left the room, she tried to concentrate on her reading, but every so often she would check on Alex to see if he wanted to sleep in her arms or needed anything.

Severus walked back into his dorm; he sat down at his desk, where his books and scrolls were. He began to read each of them carefully and thoroughly.


{Snape's POV}

Snape looks at a row of various books in front of his desk, he asked the elf to bring a series of books relating to his son's ability, and other books on sensory magical abilities. Since his youngest had the ability to see magic, he deduced that his other children might have some ability related to the senses. If not, he would have to search and investigate further.

Snape looked at a number of objects lying next to the books -"I hope this is useful"- He muttered to himself as he held one of the objects in his hands. As he finished going through each of the items on his desk, with a wave of his wand, he placed each of the items in a specific place on the bookshelf.

Snape sighed before he picked up his work and began to work, he wanted to keep his mind distracted from the possibility that his older children might also be bearers of a magical ability, although he didn't dislike it, he would actually be very proud and impressed. The fact that he had to investigate even further until he got to the family of the mother of his children made him extremely annoyed and irritated.


{Alex and Kat's POV}

Alex hugged the pillow tighter as he had another nightmare. To him, it all felt so real, the bodies of his siblings and his father falling to the ground, he tried to get closer to them; he couldn't the closer he got the bodies moved away. Alex felt like he couldn't breathe until he saw a woman's face, causing his eyes to snap open. He sat up, still hugging the pillow while sniffing and sobbing.

-"What happened?"- Kat asked as she saw Alex's eyes snap open and him sit up.

Alex brings his legs to his chest while hugging the pillow more tightly. -"Everyone is leaving, why do you leave me alone? I don't want to be alone"- He says sobbing louder, if it wasn't for his sister's magic he would have surely felt like the night before.

-"Ugh"- Kat groaned under her breath as she closed her book and got up from the chair, walking over to Alex and picking him up -"No one is leaving you, I'm right here"- She said as she rubbed his back softly to calm him down.

Alex clings to Kat's neck, trying to calm himself down by feeling his sister's magic closer. -"Yeah, I know, but in my nightmares you all would go away and leave me alone, I don't want to dream about it anymore, it feels so horrible like I can't breathe"- He said in a cracking voice.

-"Well...just wake up then"- Kat said with a shrug -"And you have to realize these are just nightmares, they're not true, and they won't happen"-

Alex nods slowly. -"I...I'll try, but it still feels horrible, lately every time I feel scared or nervous, I feel like I'm short of breath and I can't think clearly"- He wasn't aware of his ability yet, but he had noticed something weird happening to him lately, but he decided to keep it a secret, he thought it was nothing, and it would pass on its own.

-"Ok, I'll talk to father about it but for now you should stay up until dinner, and then I will give you something to make you sleep later"- Kat said with a nod as she walked over to the chair and sat down, putting the little boy on her lap.

Alex nodded slightly before laying his head on Kat's shoulder. -"Okay, can I go to my dorm to get my homework and do it here until it's time for dinner, please?"-

-"Yes, go get it now, do you mind if I go talk to father while you stay here? I will come pick you up for dinner"- Kat said, looking down at him. She thought it would be better to leave him alone instead of asking Severus to watch him or continue sleeping with the help of the potion. She wanted to see if Alex could prove that he could behave on his own, without anyone watching him.

Alex nods slowly, climbing off Kat's lap and standing in front of her. -"Ok, I can stay here doing homework, I'll wait for you, I'll be good"- He smiles brightly before walking out of Kat's room towards his own.

-"Ok, I'll wait here for you then leave"- Kat said, getting up and gathering anything she needed to bring with her to her father's office.

Alex went into his dorm and grabbed his homework from his school bag; he also grabbed his knitting stuff, just in case he finished his homework before Kat came back. He walked out of his dorm and went back into Kat's. -"I'm back"- He said, smiling.

-"Alright, good"- Kat said turning to walk towards the door with her wand in her hand, but then turned to look at him -"You know I trust you a lot and I need you to behave perfectly while I'm gone, it might earn you a little more freedom if you start acting amazingly while we're gone. But I will be putting a charm on the door to tell me if anyone entered or left this room while I'm gone"- She said before walking out the door and closing it behind her.

Alex nods. -"Yes, I'll be good, I promise"- He said before she closed the door. He was happy for Kat's words; he really loved and admired his sister. He wanted her to be proud of him and if he behaved very well without his siblings around he could make his father very proud of him as well. He smiled brightly, placing his scrolls, his books, and his knitting things on the floor. He lay on his stomach and began to do his homework while humming.

Kat placed the charm on the door before walking away and towards her father's office. She just hoped Alex would really listen to her and not cause her any problems; she wasn't aware of how much her family admired her and would listen to her. Not just her youngest brother but also her middle brother and their father, they all admired her much more than she would know.