Chapter 25: Nothing can go wrong, right?
{Alex and Snape's POV}
Alex looked at his father. -"Dad, can you get my knitting stuff, please?"-
Snape raised an eyebrow. -"And wouldn't you rather go back to your dorm?"-
Alex pouted and curled more into his father's lap. He didn't want to leave him alone, but his father used to make it hard for him to do what he wanted.
Snape sighed and after a few minutes of silence summoned Alex's stuff. -"Here"-
-"Thank you"- Alex smiled broadly and set to knitting while his father continued to work.
After a couple of hours Snape looked at his watch, and it was almost curfew -"Okay, Alexander, you have to go back to your dorm, you should be asleep by now"- He said looking down at his son.
Alex stops knitting and looks up at his father while rubbing one eye. -"Can I sleep with you?"-
Snape sighs. -"No, you have to sleep in your dorm"-
Alex pouts and decides to manipulate his father. -"Please, I've been good this week, just tonight, daddy, please, I'm still scared"- He said with teary eyes and his saddest tone.
Snape bit his lip. -"You can sleep with Katarina, I still have work to do."-
Alex let a few tears roll down his face as he sobbed. -"Please, daddy"- He hugged his father by the neck.
Snape scratched his head and sighed heavily. -"Alright, just tonight"- He ended up agreeing, he didn't want to be alone tonight either. He stood up, placing his son on his hips and taking the rest of his work.
-"Yaaay, daddy, I love you"- Alex said happily.
Snape froze for a moment before rubbing his son's back. -"Me too"- He said, awkwardly, he wasn't used to saying that. He sent a note to his children for Alex to spend the night with him. When he was done, he went back to his room with Alex, who was practically falling asleep with his head on his shoulder.
Alex felt very relaxed as he felt his father's magic, after telling him that he loved him, his father's magic felt very warm to Alex.
{Kat's POV}
Kat and her friends sat in the common room chatting, trying to figure out something to do, they all decided that they were going to Hogsmeade this upcoming weekend. They wanted to get a group to go, so it would be more fun.
After a while, Kat and her friends decided to head into their dorms for the night, getting a little annoyed by people constantly bothering them because she was prefect. She got ready for bed and then read some more about her lessons and abilities. Finishing off the night with meditation like her father had told her.
Kat had been woken up by her pet owl, Forest, she had gotten him before her first year as her familiar, as well as being her own owl. Forest dropped the letter on the bed as he hooted softly. Groaning as she petted the owl and got up to pick up the letter, reading it quickly before throwing it on her desk and returning to her bed. Letting Forest curl up next to her before falling back to sleep.
{Sev's POV}
Severus and his friends, once they were done talking about the plan, got to talking about what they would be doing on their upcoming trip to Hogsmeade, Severus also told them that Saturday would be his first lesson, and he was excited.
After a couple of hours Severus lay down on his bed, he was reading when an owl brought him a note, he had no choice but to read it, before shrugging it off and placing it on his desk as well as his headphones. He fell asleep almost immediately when he hit the pillow, he was exhausted; being with Alex 24 hours a day plus his emotional outbursts were very tiring.
Kat woke up with a yawn as she stretched her back and rubbed her eyes. Forcing herself to get up and out of bed, she went to her bathroom to get ready and then grabbed her clothes from the closet.
Severus got up putting on his headphones, he searched through his things for his potions notebooks, he really wanted to make a perfect animagus potion, he had spent weeks making several annotations of that potion, and today he would put it into practice, he kept the notebook in his school bag, along against another notebook where he had other annotations, it would serve for the potion they would give his brother today. Since he didn't have to wake Alex up today, he got dressed and went with his friends to the Great Hall.
Kat left her dorm after putting her back together and met up with her friends in the common room to walk down to the Great Hall. She listened to their conversation, but really didn't get too involved, she was far too nervous about her lesson tonight to think about anything else. She knew it would be hard, but she knew she would be nervous for the first one, once it was over she would be fine for all the following lessons.
Snape opened his eyes with a heavy sigh as he saw that his son was still attached to his neck. -"Alexander, we'll be late for breakfast, let me go"-
Alex clung a bit tighter to his father's neck, he really liked that warmth he felt in his magic, last night he didn't want to let go. -"5 more minutes, please"-
-"For Merlin's sake"- After a while, Snape managed to get his youngest off his neck, made him get dressed and they both headed towards the Great Hall.
Alex was bouncing and humming as he walked feeling in a very good mood, he really liked feeling his father's magic, and he hadn't had any nightmares that night either, so he couldn't feel in a better mood.
Snape paid no attention to him, he was used to having his son like this anyway. When they entered the Great Hall, Snape motioned to his children for Alex to head to the table.
Kat looked up as her father walked in and watched as her youngest brother bounced throughout the hall and to the table. Rolling her eyes at his actions, but letting out a sigh of relief that he wouldn't be attacking her to feel her magic.
Alex's friends sat down next to him and ate as they talked.
Severus watched his brother bouncing and sighed heavily, knowing that this day would be exhausting. He didn't know which was more exhausting, Alex in an emotional breakdown or Alex in a good mood and hyperactive.
Kat put herself together a cup of coffee to have during breakfast and once she was done she would put another one together to take with her to classes.
Severus' roommates watched Alex bounce in his seat. -"Hey, are you guys sure that kid is sleeping long? He seems to have a lot of energy"-
Severus rolled his eyes. -"He's always like that, and yes, the potion should put him to sleep"- They finish eating and get up. He walks past Alex. -"Come on"-
Alex turns his head and jumps up. -"I have to go get my stuff from my dorm"- He said as he walked and bounced behind him.
Severus sighed heavily as he walked back to the common room.
Kat gathered her stuff to leave the Great Hall, pulling her bag over her shoulder as she walked up to the professors' table. -"Good morning, professors, good morning, father"- She said with a smile as she took a sip of her coffee, -"I'm just making sure I still have my lesson tonight"- She said as she stood in front of the table.
Snape nodded. -"Of course, Katarina, everything is ready, the lesson will be in my office, and don't forget you have to be there on time, if you have any questions about what I send you to read, you can come early and ask me, but I don't want you to be a minute late"- He hated it when the schedule wasn't kept, he didn't like wasting time.
-"I know, father, I'll be on time, I always am"- Kat said with a nod and a smile as she sipped her drink -"I will see you later then, I'll see some of you in class, professors"- She added as she turned around and left the table to head to her first class.
Minerva chuckles once Kar walked away, it was very funny to her, the way Snape spoke to his children, he wasn't sarcastic, or rude, or cruel, and though his voice remained the same you could tell his gaze relaxed when they were around.
-"Did I say something funny, Minerva?"- Snape looked at her, raising an eyebrow.
Minerva shook her head. -"No, I just find it funny how different you are with your kids compared to the rest of the world"-
Snape snorts as he rolls his eyes and heads back to his office. Even though he knew she was right, he wouldn't admit it, he had his own way of looking at the world.
After Alex picked up his backpack from his dorm, he headed with Severus to his first class still bouncing. Severus wanted to throw his brother into the black lake.
Kat left the Great Hall and headed straight to her DADA class, she tried to distract herself and pull her mind off her lesson later. She knew her father acted differently with them than he did with the world, she also knew he acted differently towards each individual child of his. To her, her father gave her more freedom than her brothers, she wanted to believe because it was that her father trusted her a lot, but he was very demanding with her and that had her very burdened, the high expectations he had on her and all the responsibilities he had made her feel anything but his daughter, but it was something she didn't want to think about. She knew her father loved her, but sometimes that's not enough.
Instead, Severus was given a little less freedom, but at the same time he was a little less strict than with Kat and also had no responsibilities to you other than his schoolwork and helping Kat when she asked him to. Although his father didn't usually demand so much from Severus, since they shared personality and capabilities, so he didn't push him despite his high expectations, since he knew he would make it. But of course, Sev didn't think that, he believed that his father had him below his sister, that's why he didn't use to give him any responsibilities equal to his sister's and expected him to fail at some point. But he preferred not to think about any of that, or he would get depressed.
And with Alex, it was the complete opposite of his older siblings, he had practically no freedom at all, his clumsiness and naivety were to blame for that, although they were also a symptom of the same. He was watched besides his siblings by the professors, who make him do a daily report about Alex, his behavior and attitude during classes, he wants to have Alex watched 24 hours a day, he overprotects Alex a lot. As a result, he is not so demanding of him nor does he have high expectations of him, as he has his older children all his expectations. But for Alex the treatment he gets from his father and his siblings was very burdensome, although he enjoyed the excess of attention, the fact of always being watched makes him feel like a nuisance, as if everyone would be better off without him, and in turn his father not taking him much into account when it comes to responsibilities both at home and at school made him feel very inferior causing him to want to get more attention, so he would not be left out, causing him to still be very childish and a born troublemaker.
Lunchtime came and Severus was heading to the Great Hall with his little brother on his shoulder, who was squirming, giggling and talking to Severus about his day. He was about to throw his brother into the lake for real.
Alex was in a better mood than this morning, and having spent most of the morning with Severus made him more energetic and hyperactive.
Kat watched as Severus walked into the Great Hall with Alex on his shoulder, she burst out laughing at the sight. She knew how much Severus was mentally done with dealing with Alex already, and that made it even funnier.
Alex began to squirm more on Severus' shoulder. -"Put me down, put me down!"- He said, giggling.
Severus put him down immediately, he sighed in relief that his brother wanted to get away from him.
Alex ran over to where Kat was. -"Kat! Kat! Guess what! Guess what!"-
Severus walked past them. -"Your turn"- He went to sit with his friends and then leaned his head back against the table.
-"Oh, shut up"- Kat growled at Severus with a sigh as Alex ran up to her -"Yeah, Alex, what is it?"- She asked as she made herself another cup of coffee, knowing that this interaction would drain her if he touched her.
-"Well, I had my potions class today, and the professor congratulated me because I made a perfect potion, and also I didn't cut myself, or burn myself. And besides, I didn't get help from anyone, I did it all by myself, and besides the professor said he would tell dad, it's the first time I managed to make a perfect potion without hurting myself! It's great! So cool!"- Alex said, running over the words and jumping and bouncing as he spoke.
-"That's good Alex, I'm so proud of you"- Kat said as she pushed some food into her mouth before speaking again -"May I ask why you're in such a good mood? You haven't been like this in a while"- She noted mentally as she watched him bouncing around in front of her.
Alex thinks for a moment as he continues to bounce -"Well, at night I didn't have nightmares, oh and this morning dad's magic was sooooo warm, it was at night too, it felt sooooo nice, and it was sooooo pretty that this morning I didn't want to let dad go and Sev's magic makes me want to bounce all day"- He says still running over the words.
Kat just nodded as he spoke, not wanting to interrupt him and have him speak more -"Alright, that's good, now go over to your friends and eat with them"- She said with a small smile as she motioned towards them.
Alex nodded. -"Okay!"- He turns around and bounces until he sits down with his friends.
Minerva from the professors' table watched the boy jumping, bouncing and talking non-stop. -"Hey, Severus, is it normal for your son to be like this?"-
Snape looked up and looked at Alex. -"Yes, he's just in a good mood, he's always like that, although, today he seems happier than usual, but he's fine"-
Minerva raises an eyebrow, as today she had a double class with the Slytherin and the Gryffindor, so she would have a hyperactive Alex in her class today. She sighed and went back to eating, trying not to think about it.
Kat yawned and rubbed her temples gently, she knew that if Alex touched her in any way today, she would have a huge vision. His mood was through the roof and his ability surely was too, so he'd kill her head. -"Can you give him something?"- She said as she turned to look at Severus, a few seats down the table.
Severus turned his head to look at Kat. -"I can throw him in the lake, the cold water should calm him down"- He chuckled dryly. -"I'm going to talk to dad, if he's so hyperactive because of his ability, he should be able to give him something, or I can give him a calming potion, the problem with these potions is that their effects are very strong on kids as young as Alex, that potion will stun him all afternoon and I don't think that's good"-
-"Do it"- Kat said with a groan and a chuckle -"I don't care how we fix it, but that kid needs to relax and not make my head want to explode"- She said with a sigh as she sipped her drink.
-"It would be my pleasure"- Severus nods and walks over to the professors' table. -"Father, do you have anything to give Alex, he really needs to relax"-
Snape raises an eyebrow. -"Is he really worse than usual?"-
Severus sighs, and at the same time uses all his strength not to roll his eyes. -"Father, I had to carry him from the dungeons to here on my shoulder because he was jumping and bouncing around and couldn't walk"- He was surprised that with that energy he didn't hurt himself in potions.
Snape looked at his son, who was bouncing around as he spoke and couldn't seem to sit still. -"Okay, take him to my office when he's done eating, I have to make sure I don't give him such a strong potion"- Unlike Sev and Kat's abilities, Alex's abilities didn't bother or make him uncomfortable, so he might feel very uncomfortable or weird if he neutralized his abilities like he did with Kat yesterday.
-"Okay, Father"- Severus nods and returns to the table. -"Done, I have father's permission to throw Alex into the lake"- He said, sitting down at the table.
Kat chuckled as she watched him come back -"Are you going to do something to fix that?"- She said pointing at Alex who was now chasing one of his friends around the table, half bouncing half running.
Severus nodded. -"Yes, he said to bring him to his office when he finishes eating, dad will give him a potion"- He looks at Alex. -"But I don't think he's eating now"- He ran his hand over his face, seeing how Alex was drawing too much attention from everyone in the Great Hall. -"I'd better take him to dad's office now"-
-"Yeah, it's slightly embarrassing"- Kat said with a sigh as she tried to act as if she didn't notice the kid was acting insane.
Severus nodded and widened his eyes as he saw Alex about to climb up on the table. -"Okay, see you after class"- He gets up quickly and practically runs over to Alex and picks him up. -"Alright, shortie, we're leaving"-
Alex pouts as he feels someone pick him up, but then smiles as he feels Severus' magic. -"Where are we going? There's still time before class"- He says, bouncing out of Severus' arms.
-"We are going to swim in the lake"- Severus puts Alex over his shoulder and walks towards the entrance of the Great Hall. He tries to ignore the stares, the murmurs, and the laughter -'This is so embarrassing'- He thought.
-"Yaayy, the lake!"- Alex said out loud as they walked out of the Great Hall.
-"Good luck!"- Kat said as she watched him leave to grab Alex, laughing at the interaction between the two boys. As Alex cheered about the lake and the Great Hall laughing softly at him, her face turned red in embarrassment -"Why is he so stupid sometimes?"- She muttered to herself as she shook her head.
Minerva covered her mouth to keep from laughing so hard. -"Your youngest is very interesting, if it wasn't for the appearance I wouldn't believe he's your son, he's so energetic and cheerful"-
Snape frowns before smirking -"I remind you Minerva that such an energetic and cheerful boy, you will have him in your class this afternoon and I think to remember that it is a double class"- He says mockingly before standing up and smirking even more at Minerva's face. He walked out of the Great Hall, following his children.
Alex pouted at Severus' shoulder. -"Sev, the lake isn't this way, liar"-
Severus rolls his eyes as they walk into the office and puts the kid on the floor.
When Alex was on the floor, he started running around the office while giggling.
Seeing Alex like that reminded Severus of when Alex had a sugar rush a few weeks ago. -"Hey, you didn't eat any candy, did you?"-
Alex frowns and pouts, but doesn't stop running. -"Of course not, I'm grounded"-
Snape walked into his office to find Alex running and jumping, he looked at Severus with a raised eyebrow.
-"It's not my fault"- Severus defended himself.
Snape sighed. -"Alexander, stop running right now, what if you fall and hurt yourself or bump into something in the office"- He scolded Alex.
Alex stopped running, feeling less energetic after his father's scolding. -"I'm sorry"- He said, pouting, but he couldn't stop bouncing.
Snape nods. -"Good, come here"- Once Alex was in front of him, he knelt down looking his son in the eyes -"Now tell me, why are you so energetic? You've never acted like this in the Great Hall"-
Alex played his thumbs as he bounced slightly. -"It's just that I'm in a really good mood, and Sev's magic makes me jump"-
Snape looked at his oldest son with a raised eyebrow.
-"It's not my fault!"- Severus defended himself again, but this time a little more annoyed.
Snape sighed before getting up. -"Alexander, didn't I tell you that you had to control your emotions?"- He said with a scolding tone.
-"But, but, I'm not breaking anything, and I don't feel bad, I don't understand"- Alex's eyes filled with tears, today his father was supposed to congratulate him, not scold him.
Snape sighed, his son's emotions were very difficult to handle. -"Alexander, you don't have to..."- He didn't finish the sentence, as he realized that Alex was breathing deeply and reaching out his arms for his father to pick him up. He picked him up and then rubbed his back. -"That's how you have to do, breathe and calm down, very good"-
Alex smiles at the praise his father was giving him as he tried to calm down.
-"Now, the emotions you have to control are not only the negative ones, but also the positive ones, you can't let Severus' magic and your good mood affect your behavior like that"- Snape goes to a cabinet and takes out a potion. -"Now, you have to take this for you to relax and normalize your emotions"- He said to the small boy who was still bouncing between his arm, but at the same time crying softly.
-"No, please, I'll control myself, not a potion"- Alex whimpered.
-"I'll put a flavoring in it, what flavor do you want it?"- Snape said before sitting down on the couch and putting his son on his lap.
-"Chocolate?"- Alex asked in a pleading voice, trying his luck.
Snape raised an eyebrow, he was about to refuse to give her that flavor, but Alex had willingly agreed to drink the potion, so he just nodded. -"Chocolate it is"- He put the flavoring in the potion and handed it to Alex.
Alex drank it, but after a few seconds he pouted while rubbing his eyes. -"I don't like it, the magic looks weaker, I don't like it, dad, make my eyes go back to normal"-
Snape sighed. -"The effect will only last a few minutes, it's just to get your emotions back to normal, in a little while you'll be able to see normally again"-
Severus snorted. -"Normally"-
Snape looks at him, raising an eyebrow. -"Now, Severus, take your brother to class, and you'd better leave that room clean when you're done, understood?"-
Alex looks at the two of them blankly. He folds his arms, not liking being left out.
Severus nods, knowing what that room referred to his lab. -"Of course father, I always do"-
Snape nods and puts Alex down and then watches as Alex and Severus leave his office. He sighed. -'Alexander asks for too much physical affection, Minerva is right, he is nothing like me'- He thought as he smiled.
{Kat's POV}
Kat just shook her head and then finished eating; once all her friends were done they got up and got ready to head to class. They all had this class together, so they walked together for their own double class.
Kat made it through her last classes pretty easily, a controllable amount of visions, and she was less tired since she was away from Alex. She headed to her down quickly to gather her stuff for Quidditch practice before heading down to the pitch.
After Kat's own practice, she was pretty exhausted, heading back to her dorm to shower and then nap, so she wouldn't be completely dead during her lessons. She changed it o comfortable before she crawled into her bed, meditating for a little while and then falling asleep for a nap.
{Snape and Alex's POV}
Minerva sighed as she led Alex to his father's office; his head hung low on the verge of tears. - "Hey, Mr. Snape, don't cry, you haven't done anything wrong, okay?"- She knocked on the door and when she got an answer she walked in.
-"Minerva, is there a problem?"- Snape says looking at Alex who was hiding behind her.
-"Yes, we have had an accident in my class, Mr. Snape has accidentally blown a desk"- Minerva said with a sigh.
Snape sighed as he put his hand to his face. He sent a note to Severus to tell him that he would see his brother at dinner time, this would be a long conversation. -"Well, first of all, explain to me what happened"-
Minerva sighed as she began to tell Snape how his son had blown up the desk trying to cast a spell, that even if the spell had been poorly executed the worst that would have happened is that the spell wouldn't have worked. So this explosion had to do with Alex's ability.
Snape sighed as he listened to Minerva's explanation. Truly, his youngest's abilities were the most complicated and dangerous.
-"I'm sorry"- Alex said softly as Minerva gently nudged him to stand next to her.
Snape stands up to walk in front of Alex, who had tears running down his face. -"Why are you apologizing and why are you crying?"-
Alex reached into his pocket and pulled out the broken bracelet. -"I broke it, it was an accident, I didn't do it on purpose"- He said as his lip trembled.
Snape takes the bracelet and sighs. -"It's alright, I guess the bracelet can't hold your magic"- He sighed, seeing how his son's magic grew a lot. He takes out his wand and looks at Minerva. -"Did his bracelet break when the accident happened?"-
Minerva thinks for a moment and nods. -"Yes, I heard something fall to the floor and then the desk exploded"-
Snape looked out the window and realized that Quidditch practice was over. He would only have to attend to Alex for a few moments before he could go see Kat's magic.
-"Well, then, I am going to leave"- Minerva said before leaving the office. She had realized that she was no longer needed here.
Snape looked at his son's bracelet and fixed the bracelet. -"Well, I've fixed it, but it looks like we'll need something stronger to contain your magic, now you and I are going to walk around for a while, okay?"- He said before picking up his son, it was obvious from his face and because practically the windows were vibrating that he would soon have an emotional breakdown, and he didn't think it was a good idea to give him a potion, without him making a fuss. He walked with Alex in his arms for a couple of hours until Alex calmed down enough, he sighed at the sight of Alex asleep on his shoulder. -'I guess using so much magic tired him out'- He thought before heading to the Slytherin common room and Alex's dorm, then he placed Alex on his bed, transformed his uniform into more comfortable clothes, tucked him in and went back to his office to investigate something.
