Chapter 22: Abilities get stronger


A week had passed since Snape's conversation with his children and since Kat and Sev's abilities first appeared, and Alex was aware of his ability.

The week had been relatively bearable for Kat and Sev, thanks to the items their father had given them they had been able to keep their abilities under control, but their abilities began to grow faster than expected made the next week a little more difficult for all three children.


The first night after Kat awakened her ability, it was the worst of the week, as she had to sleep with Alex, so she was awakened a couple of times throughout the night by visions from Alex's dreams, and that caused her to be very tired the next morning. After that, she had asked Alex not to come sleep with her unless he really needed to. And well, her next night was much better, although she had little visions of touching the sheets, the bed, and even the pillow; they were nothing more than having a lucid dream, so she didn't feel so tired the next morning.

Although she had managed to keep Alex from sleeping in her room most of the week there were days when she would wake up in the middle of the night for a vision and there was her little brother, of course she didn't wake him up or kick him out, but she knew she would be tired the next day. And that day was going to do one of those. She woke with a small grunt and sat up, she looked down to see her baby brother sleeping peacefully beside her, it hadn't surprised her, she had been waked up a few times throughout the night from visions from Alex's dreams, but for some reason this one had been worse than the previous times, the visions were a little clearer and there had been more of them. She yawned and slipped out of bed quickly, trying not to wake Alex. She went into the bathroom and took a quick shower before breakfast started. She took a cold shower to wake herself up more, she felt so tired, she really hadn't slept at all well. Just thinking about the day ahead made her want to give up and stay in her dorm.

Since Alex had been aware of his ability he had felt many emotions, first relieved, since he finally understood what was happening to him, then a little scared for being different from the others, but after a week he had accepted it and also that his siblings were the same as him made him feel better, the fact of not feeling alone was a great relief.

Alex woke up a few minutes after Kat, he felt in a good mood, his emotions were under control, and he felt very relaxed, it had been days since he had slept so well, without having a nightmare or a bad dream. Although he had tried with all his might not to sleep with his sister, it was very difficult, she explained her ability, and he had understood, but he couldn't help it and here he was sleeping with her again. He sat up in bed as he rubbed his eyes, he looked around for Kat.

During the week Severus did not feel anything out of the ordinary, thanks to his headphones his ability was not so uncomfortable. And the fact that his roommates were very quiet helped him sleep well even without them. The only annoyance was when he was in the Great Hall, since even with his headphones the noise was very intense, and also when there was an explosion in Potions class. Although, he found it very useful to find out certain things more easily.

Severus put on his uniform as he took a handful of sleeping potions, he had made many potions for Alex and had kept several, but during the week Alex was taking almost one a day, he was taking twice as many during the weekend, so he had to constantly leave more for him in his dorm. He left some in his dorm, then went to Alex's dorm and put the new potions next to the others. He sighed lightly then went to Kat's dorm to leave some there, Alex used to spend a lot of time there, so he guessed Kat had used a few potion beads that week as well, he knew she would let him know if she ran out, but he didn't want to risk it. When he walked in and saw Alex half asleep sitting on the bed, he paid no attention to him and put the potions on the desk, he didn't know where Kat kept the potions.

Kat changed into her uniform in the bathroom then came out -"Alright Alex, go get all your school stuff, and I'll meet you in the common room"- She said with a yawn as she got her own school stuff ready.

Alex nodded as he gets off the bed. -"Okay"- He said as he walked out of the room, rubbing his eyes. Once he was in his dorm, he decided to take a quick shower before putting on his uniform. When he finished dressing he saw on his bed the book his father gave him, he had only been able to read a little bit, but he had more or less understood his ability. He took the book and put it in his backpack, to read later.

Severus watched Alex leave before looking at Kat. -"So how did you sleep? Do you need a potion to survive today?"- He said, inwardly begging for her to agree to take a potion today. Alex had slept with her only a couple of nights with her, but she always ended up tired, and today she looked more tired than usual.

-"I slept alright, it could have been worse, but I'll be fine, I'm just going to drink a lot of coffee throughout the day"- Kat said as she got ready to leave the dorm, yes she felt tired, but she could handle it.

Severus rolled his eyes. -"Fine, you're too stubborn to drink a potion, at least take a nap when you have free time"- He sighed. -"Here I'm leaving you some more Potions for Dreamless Sleep, you know for Alex when he sleeps over here, though he doesn't seem to have nightmares with you. There's also in my dorm and Alex's dorm"- He sighed again, remembering the nights of fighting with Alex to get him to drink the potions, the times he hadn't been able to give it to him, Alex had promised him if he had a nightmare he would drink it, but two things usually happened either he kept his promise or he went to sleep with Kat, though there was more than once Severus had to come back later in the night to try to give him the potion after a nightmare. It had been an exhausting week.

-"I'll take a nap after practice if I have time between dinner and homework"- Kat said as she rolled her eyes at his comment about her stubbornness, -"Alright, thanks, and I know, I'll give them to him if he needs them"- She said as she thought of new ways to get Alex to drink the potions, it was getting harder and harder to give them to him.

Severus nodded and left Kat's room. He headed to the common room and sat down on the couch to wait for Alex -"Just one more week, just one more week"- He murmured softly.

Kat followed Severus back out to the common room to wait for Alex, she sat on the couch with the book her father gave her; she couldn't help but smile at her brother's murmurs. She was trying to read slowly, not wanting to leave out any details, she needed to know her ability perfectly or at least the basics until she developed enough to know what the name of her ability was.

-"I wonder, what our abilities will be like when they are fully developed"- Severus said when he realized what Kat was reading, -"I mean, Alex is an aura reader, so our abilities should also have a name"- He shrugged.

-"I have no clue what you could call my ability"- Kat said with a shrug as she closed the book, she already had more than one vision so far this day, in the bathroom, grabbing her things; which meant she was already off to a bad start.

-"Me neither, but according to my book there are few hearing abilities, so I'll have some of them"- Severus says while shrugging.

Alex walks into the common room and walks to the couch -"I'm ready"- He says as he stands in front of Severus.

-"We'll have fun, if he's going to continue to spend the nights in my room, then I need to be away from him during the day"- Kat says with a wave as she walks out of the common room and towards to the Great Hall.

Severus looks at Alex and then sighs. -"Alright"- He says before Kat leaves. -"Still, you're stuck with me all day, again"-

Alex frowns. -"Just one more week, and I'll be free"- He says and sticks his tongue out at him.

Severus rolls his eyes as they both walk out of the common room.

Kat slipped on her gloves as she walked down the corridors, luckily it was winter, so her wearing gloves would not be such a weird thing. She walked into the Great Hall and went right over to sit with her friends for breakfast.

Severus put on his headphones as he walked towards the Great Hall, he looked out to see the floor covered in leaves, it was a little colder today, after all, December was a few weeks away. They walked into the Great Hall.

-"I'm going to eat with my friends"- Alex said as soon as they entered, he was a bit jealous that his friends didn't have any more detentions while he still had a week to go.

Severus grabbed Alex by the arm. -"No, Dad wants you near me, so you'll eat with me"- He practically dragged Alex over and sat down next to his friends. This phrase was repeated by Severus throughout the week.

Alex pouted as Severus dragged him. He sat with a frown before he began to eat. He tended to hope that Severus had had enough of him and would let him go to his friends.

Kat sat talking to her friends while she ate, while they talked someone might touch her, and you could physically see her space during a vision before dragging herself out of it. She poured herself a cup of coffee to keep herself up during the day. She was a little surprised that the visions were a little longer, as if she was having a hard time getting out of it.

Severus was chatting with his friends while receiving several looks from different students because of the headphones he was wearing, although several people had already gotten used to them, others still saw them as strange. The professors were aware of the new abilities of Snape's children, as the headmaster had informed the entire teaching staff about it.

Alex finished eating quickly and played with his bracelet while he waited for Severus to finish talking to his friends.

Kat got up after she finished her breakfast and made her way out of the Great Hall, she needed time to get away from everyone, so she could get to class without having so many visions, but she had vision after vision as she touched everything.

Severus finished eating, took Alex to his classes, and then headed to his classes. Even though he was wearing headphones, the classes were torture, it was really nothing compared to a week ago. Professor Trelawney's voice was so noisy that even with the headphones, his ears hurt.

Kat had potions first, so every time she picked up an ingredient she got a vision of how to was gathered. Her brain was practically fried by the end of the class. She also began to notice that this was much more difficult than last week.

Alex's first class was charms, when he picked up his wand to practice he noticed an aura coming from his wand; it was very pretty to his eyes. He snapped back to reality when the professor scolded him for being distracted. He tried to stay focused in class, he didn't want this to be reported to his father and get in trouble for not paying attention in class, but to him this was unbelievable and mesmerizing.


Lunchtime came; Severus drank a potion for his headache as he walked with Alex to the Great Hall. This was all very strange, but he managed to endure it, at least for now. He was so focused on his problems that he ignored his brother's strange behavior.

Alex was distracted as he stared at his wand. He had never been able to see the magic of objects until now, he really liked it, it was the first time he could see his magic, he loved it. He sat down next to Severus, he didn't mind eating with him, he was so excited to want to know more. He set to reading the book, but looked down at his wand from time to time.

Kat felt very tired, her head hurt a lot, she sat at the table, crossed her arms and rested her forehead on them while her friends chatted next to her. She didn't feel up to eating, tiredness wouldn't leave her, and she left her head there for a while to rest until her next classes started.

Severus rolled his eyes at the sight of Kat, he was about to get up to offer her a potion, but then he sighed and decided not to do it, he knew she would tell him she didn't need it, he needed to distract himself, so he looked at Alex to see what he was doing and looked at him confused, to see that he kept looking at his wand. -"Why are you looking at your wand so much?"- He asked, raising an eyebrow.

Alex looks up. -"Because it's pretty, can I see yours?"- He asked with a beaming smile.

Severus raises an eyebrow -"Okay"- He hands Alex his wand.

Alex took Severus' wand and his eyes lit up. -"It's so electric"-

Severus looked at him more confused, but he guessed it had something to do with his ability; still he couldn't help but say -"You're such an odd kid"-


{Kat and Snape's POV}

Kat picked her head up, eventually having enough of the pain and walking up to the professors' table. -"Hello father and other professors"- She said, forcing a smile as she stood in front of her father -"Is there some kind of potion I can drink to stop this from happening for a little bit? I have Quidditch practice after classes and potions completely drained me"- She said softly to her father, not knowing that the other professors were aware of her situation.

Snape nodded. -"Yes, I investigated during the week, it seems that it is normal to feel some pain while developing these abilities, and there is a potion that can help you"- He stands up. -"Come, let's go to my lab, it takes time to make, but I think the first batch should be ready by now"- He had spent much of the week studying that potion and the night before he had been making that potion in case any of his children asked for it.

Kat nodded in agreement as she began following him out of the Great Hall, grabbing all of her school stuff as she walked past it and then out of the room. They walked down the corridor to his lab, waiting for him to open the door before she walked in.

Snape opens the door, and walks in, heading to a table where several cauldrons sat. He nods as he looks for a vial to put the potion in. -"The potion tastes very bitter, do you want me to add a flavoring to it?"- He asked unconsciously, as he used to make it with Alex.

-"No, thanks, I'll be fine"- Kat said as she took the vial from him and drank it, not being effected by the taste of it since she was somewhat used to trying potions for Severus.

Snape crossed his arms as he looked at her. -"So how are you feeling, has it affected you?"- He asked slightly hurriedly, it was the first time he was brewing this kind of potion, and that he wanted it to be perfect.

-"Give it a second to kick in before I go around touching everything to test it"- Kat said as she closed the vial and placed it down on one of the tables. As she felt her headache starting to go away, she walked over to something she knew she'd get a vision from it she touched it, finding the knife Alex had cut himself with, she touched it and was surprised to not have a vision. -"Yeah, it worked; I didn't get one that time, so hopefully it just slowed them down"-

Snape nodded, relieved that it had worked. -"Yes, the effect lasts about twelve hours"- He turns around and puts the rest of the potions into several vials. -"Here, this should do you for a couple of weeks, when you run out let me know, so I can make you some more. Although I would recommend you to practice the control of not having visions, do it after your meditation sessions, it will help you to have a clear and relaxed mind"-

-"Okay, I will, thank you"- Kat said, taking the vials and heading out of his lab to drop them off at her dorm before going to her next class.

Snape cleaned up the lab before returning to his office to continue his work and research. He had a slight idea that more would happen from now on, and he needed to be prepared.


{Sev and Alex's POV}

Alex held Severus' wand in his hand as they walked out of the Great Hall and stared at it as he made his way to his next class.

Severus sighed heavily, realizing that his brother wasn't going to give him his wand -"Hey, give me my wand back"- He held out his hand towards him.

Alex nods and hands his wand to Severus. -"Later, could you take me to dad's office? I want to see his wand"-

Severus looks at him confused, but shrugs. -"Okay"-

Alex hums as he walks into his classroom. -"I want to see Kat's wand too"- He muttered to himself as he sat down.

Severus shrugged as he headed to his next class, he was happy that his next class was history of magic, that class was very quiet.


{Kat's POV}

Once Kat finished all of her classes for the day, she headed to her dorm to change for Quidditch, making her way out to the pitch quickly as she prepared herself for whatever visions she would get throughout practice. During the past week she hadn't had many visions during practice, which was good, but she knew she needed to control it, so it didn't happen during a match. During today's practice session it was the first time in the week that she didn't have any visions, that potion had really come in handy. Once practice was over, she headed back to her dorm to shower and read what her father told her too for her lessons.


Severus grumbled as he waited for Alex to finish his detention, having to be with him all the time was exhausting and listening to his humming had become more annoying since he had awakened his ability.

Alex left the room with a tired sigh as he finished his detention, but smiled broadly when he saw Severus, -"Sev, Sev, come on, quick, quick, I want to go to dad!"- He said bouncing up and down.

Severus let out an exhausted sigh, but said nothing and started walking in the direction of his father's office, while Alex followed him humming happily. When they reached the office door, he knocked on the door.

-"Come in"- Snape said without looking up from his work.

Severus opened the door, but before he could enter, Alex rushed past him and ran into the office.

-"Dad! Dad! Can I see your wand? Can I see your wand? Please! Please!"- Alex stood in front of him as he bounced.

Snape looked up from his work at the sound of his youngest's voice, and then he looked down to see his son bouncing in front of him. He looked up at Severus for an explanation.

-"The shortie said he wanted to see you, and he's obsessed with looking at wands, he was looking at mine all lunch"- Severus said as he shrugged.

Snape sighed before looking back at his youngest son who was smiling radiantly, he really didn't want anyone to have his wand, but he couldn't refuse. -"Okay, but be careful and don't cast spells with it"- He said the last seriously.

Alex nodded -"Yes, dad!"- He held out his hands towards his father.

Snape took his wand out of his pocket, thought about it for a few seconds before sighing and handed it to his son.

Alex smiled even wider as he looked at the wand in his hands. -"Awesome, it's a lot and very strong"- He says in awe.

Snape looks at Alex with a raised eyebrow and then looks at Severus. -"Why is he interested in my wand, did he tell you something, can he see something?"-

Severus shrugs -"I don't know, father, when I asked him he just said it was his wand is pretty and mine was electric, I didn't quite understand what he is seeing, maybe it has something to do with his ability"-

Snape nodded as he listened to him -"Mmm, from how he describes the wands they match a bit to how he can see our magic, his ability to be growing even more, it seems he is now able to see magic in magical objects as well"-

Severus grimaced slightly as he heard that Alex's ability was growing even more -"And is that good or bad?"-

While his father and brother were talking, Alex looked at the wand completely mesmerized. But for a moment there was a different magic, it was his father's magic, but this one didn't feel warm and was even a little scary. Curiosity overcame fear, and he decided to look at that magic, a few seconds later a great rush of emotions flooded Alex's body. His body began to tremble with fear, he didn't want to feel those emotions, he was afraid, he felt sad, scared, angry and lonely at the same time, but they weren't his emotions, he couldn't resist anymore and let out a loud scream of terror -"Aaahhhhhhhhh!"- He forcefully threw the wand to the floor and knelt on the floor while holding his head, he cried loudly, although that great wave of emotions had subsided when he let go of the wand, he couldn't forget it, he felt horrible, he needed help -"No! Get away! I'm scared! Kat! Daddy! Sev!"- He said, crying.

Both Severus and Snape looked at Alex when they heard him scream.

Severus winces slightly at the cries -"Merlin, this kid has very strong lungs, and now why is he crying?"-

Snape gets up from his desk, takes him by the armpits and picks Alex up. -"Hey, what's wrong, what are you afraid of?"-

Alex clings to his father's neck as he cries. -"I'm so scared, get it away from me, get it away from me"-

Snape walks over to the couch and sits on it with Alex on his lap. -"What do you want us to get away from you? Alexander, son, please calm down and talk to me"-

Severus sighed as he grabbed his father's wand and walked over to them.

Alex saw the wand and shouted louder. -"NO! NO! GET IT AWAY FROM ME! GET IT AWAY FROM ME!"- He didn't want to feel those emotions again or see that magic again, it was a side of his father's magic he didn't know.

Severus covered his ears as he moved as far away from Alex as possible. -"Okay, okay, don't yell like that"-

Snape rubbed Alex's back, trying to calm him down. -"Come on, son, breathe for me, I need you to calm down, I can't help you if you don't explain"- He sighed.

Alex clung tightly to his father's neck as he cried, that magic was so powerful and so terrifying that he still couldn't forget that horrible feeling. He didn't feel able to calm down, but he started to feel tired little by little from that rush of emotions and the long time he was crying and screaming. The last thing he remembers before he fell asleep was his father's voice and his caresses on his back.