Huge thanks to Miette and dstone12 for betaing this chapter!
AN: A chapter a bit early so that the year doesn't end on the bitter note of the previous chapter :)
AN-2021/12/24 : To answer a few guests' questions:
JustNo: If Lord Voldemort doesn't remove the Marks once he's reunited with his Horcruxes, it means that he was not the man that Severus, but Abraxas and Augustus as well, believed him to be. It does not mean that Severus will rethink his relationship with Augustus and Abraxas. I modified the sentence in the previous chapter that could be misinterpreted.
Guest: I promise that I'm not purposefully torturing you with the dissent between Regulus and Severus, but I believe that disagreements that involve warring feelings like loyalty and self-preservation are difficult to overcome.
The next morning, Severus woke up later than usual. He was glad that he had no obligation that morning, especially no lessons at Hogwarts. He still felt unsettled by the events of the previous evening, and dreaded reading the news this morning.
Dhaal was still asleep. They would need to work on building his endurance when flow-travelling someone else.
A quick look in the mirror before going down for breakfast assured Severus he looked neither worse nor better than usual. Occlumency certainly was useful when you found the right balance between too little and too much.
He was slowly drinking his second cup of hot cocoa, the Daily Prophet, the Wizard Times, and the Quibbler still unopened at the other end of the table, when the floo flared.
Only his brothers' families had unrestricted access to his home. Considering the events that had transpired the night before, Severus bet on Lucius rather than Kiveä. He felt hope rise in his chest that Lucius had finally realised that something was wrong with the group and decided to confide in Severus.
To his surprise, Narcissa came out of the floo, looking as regal and beautiful as usual. If he had not known her so well, he would have missed the tension in her shoulders and the light squint of her eyes that signalled lack of sleep.
She stopped a few steps in the dining room as she spotted him at the table.
"Good morning Severus. I'm sorry to come at such an early hour…"
Severus waved his hand, dismissing her excuse and offering her a small reassuring smile.
"Good morning Narcissa. You know you're always welcome in my home. Would you like a cup of tea? Or some hot cocoa?"
Some of her tension seemed to melt as she smiled back.
"A cup of tea would be lovely, thank you Severus."
She sat down next to him as Tuei brought a full teapot of Earl Grey and Narcissa's favourite flowery cup.
"Thank you Tuei."
They shared an amused glance at having said the words at the same time.
"I really did not expect you to be having breakfast," stated Narcissa while she waited for her tea to brew. "You're usually up earlier."
Severus took a sip of his coca before answering.
"You're aware that the meeting lasted quite late yesterday."
"It has happened before," she countered.
She paused, as if considering which words to say. This was beginning to feel like an interrogation.
"I wondered before about what you are doing during those meetings. Lucius tells me most of it, but… Sometimes, when he comes back, he behaves as if he were a bit… drunk, or as if he had taken one of those potions to feel good. But I've seen many of those who take these kinds of potions and…."
She sighed, meeting Severus' eyes.
"The closest I've come to describing his state is that he's drunk on magic. I've seen it only once during training at St. Mungo, but I'll never forget the euphoria that man seemed to exude, only to come down crashing hard once the extra magic was out of him. He was experimenting with core replenishing potions. Almost got himself killed."
She paused, as if expecting a reaction from Severus.
What was she hoping for? That he would confess brewing a new or illegal potion that was the explanation for Lucius's behaviour? He had not realised that his brother behaved differently after a meeting. He had not realised any of the marked Death Eaters behaved differently except for the fact that they agreed on everything in the end. Was it because they hid it well, or because it came too gradually during the meetings to notice?
"I hadn't noticed," answered Severus honestly.
She stared at him, her gaze hardening.
"Well, it usually doesn't last long once he's back home, ten minutes at most. Then he's back to himself. But these past weeks… It's lasting longer. And he seemed a bit down afterwards, though he denied it. But yesterday… We were in the middle of our dinner when he crashed. Hard."
"Is Lucius alright?" asked Severus.
She would not be here having tea if his brother wasn't. And yet, to come visit him so early…
"He will be fine," answered Narcissa, taking the teapot to pour herself some tea.
She took a sip of tea before looking at Severus.
"But are you?"
"I am," answered Severus, wondering where this was going. "I don't think I'm experiencing the same mood changes as Lucius."
"No, you just sever legs as easily as speaking about the weather then get into a cold rage when your prey escapes you."
Is that what his actions looked like from the outside? Bellatrix had not been impressed, but she was one of a kind.
"What are you saying Narcissa?"
"You were ready to kill my sister to vent out your frustrations."
She had never looked more like Bellatrix than now.
"So was she," answered Severus calmly.
"You're supposed to be better than her!"
Severus stared at Narcissa in surprise. From the faint blush on her cheeks, she had not meant to blurt those words out, but she held his gaze fiercely.
Could he trust her? Could he trust that she would not ruin his plan even with the best intentions?
"I used Occlumency. It took me some time to sort myself out once I was back home," finally said Severus.
Tension seemed to flow out of Narcissa, her eyes closing briefly. She breathed deeply before speaking.
"When I said that Lucius crashed hard… He broke down. Cried in my arms for what felt like hours. He… He told me that he was disgusted with himself. That it was like he had spent the evening lost in the mind of a pack. He couldn't make sense of himself, of what he had felt while he tortured those people. While he watched you toy with this Auror. You did not share his experience."
"I didn't," confirmed Severus.
"Because you're not marked."
It was not a question. How much could he afford to tell her?
"What makes you think so?"
"Don't play with me, Severus."
Her voice was colder than he had ever heard her. She had been called Slytherin's ice queen during her Hogwarts years.
"I've let you keep your secrets because they were not hurting my family, but now, I'm not so sure it was a good idea. So tell me. What do the Marks do?"
He could not tell her everything, not when he did not know which actions she would deem necessary to protect her family. He had to wonder, had Regulus already talked with her? He had wanted to bring her into the Horcruxes' plan several times. Could the two of them have teamed up?
He held her gaze when he answered.
"The Marks link all the marked Death Eaters together. Through this link, they can… influence each other. I believe that it's mostly unconscious, though you can never know if someone has learnt to use this deliberately."
Narcissa closed her eyes, seeming to shrink in on herself for a second, before looking at him again.
"When Abraxas agreed to our marriage, he set one condition. That I never took the Mark, no matter the circumstances. Lucius thought his father was paranoid, but he was not displeased that I would not have the brand of another man on me, even if he admired this man. You didn't take the Mark either when you came back, because of Dhaal according to Lucius. Is this really what happened?"
Once more, his Mentor proved to have been far-sighted. Could he have prevented the group from losing itself?
Pushing the thought away, Severus answered Narcissa.
"Dhaal refused to let me take the Mark because of what it could do, and I agreed with him."
"Why didn't you warn us of its effects?" asked Narcissa, anger showing through her tone.
"Because the risk was too big," replied Severus, holding her gaze without flinching. "Think of what I just told you."
She remained silent, thinking his words over, before speaking.
"You could have told me. I'm almost a certified healer. I'm sure that together, we could have found a way to… lessen the hold of the Mark on Lucius."
"It's not that simple," admitted Severus. "The Marks are only one part of a bigger problem."
She narrowed her eyes at him.
"This is about Regulus' project. He's not really looking through the Blacks' library to find the hidden power of the Dark."
"What project?" asked Severus, trying to hide his alarm.
"Don't worry, everybody believed him and blessed his foresight as the future heir of the House of Blacks, to Bella's great disappointment. But I know my cousin better than that."
What if she was not the only one?
"Regulus alluded to the fact that he may need my help with this project," continued Narcissa, looking at him expectantly.
Severus forced himself not to show his irritation at Regulus' initiative. The younger man could put the entire plan at risk if he was not careful. Severus knew he was hiding his relationship with Lily and Petunia from their Horcrux group, but he had taken a lot of precautions. Even with the stones, they had not spoken more than a handful of times despite him missing Petunia's way with words that always left him feeling lighter. He did not have the feeling that Regulus was being as careful.
"I'm hoping not to need to," answered Severus calmly.
"But can you afford to wait after last night?" asked Narcissa knowingly.
Severus looked away from her.
"I'm already doing too much behind Lucius' back. The less you know about this, the less I'm putting you in danger."
"But isn't there as much danger in waiting for too long? Your brother already feels like he's losing himself," replied Narcissa.
She reached to him, taking his hand and making him look back at her.
"Severus, be honest. Should you be asking for my help or not?"
He could not help the lift of his lips. Lucius had been right to marry her.
"Alright. I should at least tell you roughly what I would require from you," admitted Severus.
He paused, thinking about what he really needed her to know.
"As I told you before, the Marks are only a part of the problem. Lord Voldemort gave some of us an object to keep safe for him. As you can imagine, these objects are Dark, and I think that they can influence the marked Death Eaters if they are not careful with them."
"Of course, Lucius was deemed trustworthy enough to give him one of these... objects."
Severus nodded.
Narcissa looked at him, eyes narrowed in thought.
"So you're trying to... retrieve all these objects, and then what? Destroy them?"
Severus hid a wince.
"No. Not if I have another choice. These objects seem to be linked the most closely to Lord Voldemort, I'm not sure how it would affect him if we destroyed them. As all the marked Death Eaters are linked through the Mark, it would also affect them."
She hummed lightly.
"And you don't have a way to block the Mark?"
"If it was so easy, Lucius would not have been in this state last night, I would have made sure of it," replied Severus sharply.
He had the feeling that Regulus was using Narcissa. To what end? To check that Severus was working as hard as he said he was on finding a way to block the Mark? To motivate him into finding one even more?
"I'm not accusing you of anything," said Narcissa, seemingly taken aback by his reaction. "Lucius is your brother, I trust that you would not let him be influenced if there was another way."
"Yet Regulus is your favourite cousin, and we are having a disagreement on how best to proceed," stated Severus, watching her closely.
The slight tightening of her eyes told him that he had hit home. Still, he had no idea how much Regulus had told her, and what she had deduced from it.
He spoke again.
"For now, I only know one way to block the influence of the Mark without other inconvenience, but it's not without risks."
He went on explaining and demonstrating how to use a Patronus to block the Mark, and how it was imperative to localise it around it.
They only needed to practice for fifteen minutes before Narcissa got the hang of it. As a near-certified Healer, the mastery of the Patronus spell was necessary.
"Be aware that using your Patronus on Lucius might not work as well as if he was using his," concluded Severus. "The influence of the Marks seems to increase with the number of marked Death Eaters present and with feelings of high intensity. While I checked that a Mark can be influenced by the Patronus of someone other than its bearer, it was not tested under the most extreme conditions."
Narcissa nodded pensively.
"You have no way to test the worst possible configuration."
"Exactly."
She would make a good research partner.
"So what would you need from me?" asked Narcissa, bringing them back to the main issue.
"I would need you to retrieve the object that Lord Voldemort gave Lucius for safekeeping when I tell you to. It's in the Dark Artefacts room, and watched over by a House Elf."
"I understand better why he assigned Dobby to this room. He said he was worried about an Auror search but it seemed a bit of an over-reaction," said Narcissa with a hint of disapproval in her voice.
Dobby had to be the House Elf guarding the Horcrux.
"Will Dobby prevent you from taking the object?" asked Severus.
"He shouldn't," answered Narcissa. "Not according to my vow to the House, but I will investigate to be sure."
She paused, lost in her planning, before looking back at Severus.
"Thank you Severus. I feel better knowing what is happening to Lucius."
"You can't tell him," said Severus, looking her right in the eyes.
"Not yet," countered Narcissa.
"As soon as I've taken care of the objects," agreed Severus.
Once Lord Voldemort was reunited with his Horcruxes, he would either remove the Marks or...
He did not finish the thought, and was thankful for Narcissa speaking again.
"Do you know when you'll do so?"
"I'm not ready yet," admitted Severus. "There are still too many unknowns."
Would the Lord agree to reunite with his Horcruxes? What would happen when Magic reclaimed his debt? How would Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters be impacted when the Lord stepped out of the circle that cut him from the others', with his core healed?
"But I can't wait too long either. I would say within one month at most. I may have to risk acting without having all the answers, but doing nothing would be worse."
"I agree," stated Narcissa "You cannot allow the situation to deteriorate much further. You cannot let Lucius remain in this state for much longer."
They fell into a companionable silence, Narcissa pouring herself another cup of tea while Severus finished his hot cocoa.
He expected her to take her leave quickly now that she had her answers, but she seemed content to sip her tea pensively.
"What is it, Cissa?" finally asked Severus.
She opened then closed her mouth, a rare sign of indecision coming from her.
Severus felt concern rise through him.
She sighed.
"I know that Andromeda asked you to adopt her and her family into House Caspian. And I agree. They need protection, and they would be a perfect fit for your House."
"You want me to take on new House members after what I just told you?" asked Severus with disbelief. "That would put them in far more danger than they are today."
"You're wrong," replied Narcissa. "Today, they are aligned with neither Dumbledore nor Lord Voldemort, which means that followers from both sides are putting pressure on Andromeda to choose a side. And it's getting stronger and stronger. With Ted being a Muggle and Nymphéa still so young, we're worried about what could happen. Andromeda is a strong Witch, but it's not enough when you're facing powerful Houses."
"You realise that she will choose Lord Voldemort by coming to my House," said Severus.
Narcissa offered him a smile that had shivers running along his spine.
"Not really. While you support Lord Voldemort openly, you have a really good reputation among neutral and even purported "light" Houses thanks to your work in Hogwarts. Most see you as closer to neutral than to the Blacks. Adopting Andromeda's family, a disavowed Black who married a Muggle, would only reinforce this vision of you. It could bring you stronger support and protection from the most neutral families. It will also allow Andromeda to only choose you and herself."
Severus could see it. A House composed only of its Head of House could easily be destroyed without troubling any one. A House with true members, especially children, was another matter, even more so if its members were considered strong.
And the added members would increase Severus' own strength and give him a better chance of defending them.
"I see your point," admitted Severus. "However, I doubt the Blacks and the Lestranges will be overjoyed."
"True, but if the group and Lord Voldemort approve, they won't be able to do anything. And I trust you to be able to defend yourself against poison and Blood Magic," answered Narcissa.
"You make it sound so easy," said Severus drily.
"Because I trust that for you, it is," replied Narcissa seriously. "You are my son's Godfather, Severus. I did not choose you lightly. And I trust you to take all the necessary precautions to protect yourself, the same as Lucius and I are doing."
"The same as Lady Greengrass did?" asked Severus with a raised eyebrow.
She hummed lightly.
"I heard that Eleanor left for Kyirong after taking ill. Greengrass Manor is now entirely surrounded by thick vegetation that possesses a will of its own. Eleanor's second son has remained with his family to manage the Britain affairs while her first has moved to the United States, officially to explore a new business opportunity. Her daughter, as you already know, is living in China with your uncle and her family."
He often forgot that the Prince and the Greengrass Houses were allied through marriage. In this case, Augustus had certainly been well inspired to send his heir away.
He wondered if all Britain's Great Houses possessed estates outside the reach of Britain's domestic wizarding rivalries. He certainly didn't, but he knew he would be welcomed in Uusi.
"Please, think about it," pleaded Narcissa as she got up.
"I will," promised Severus, standing up too to accompany her to the floo.
He was not surprised anymore when she offered him a long goodbye hug.
"Come for dinner tomorrow," said Narcissa, leaving him no room to refuse before she went through the floo, leaving him to stare at the fireplace.
Her arguments made sense. To be honest, Severus would feel better with Nymphéa having the protection of a House. Dhaal and Tuei were one hundred percent behind the idea. He was feeling more and more like a Head of House everyday. He had powerful allies who would help protect his House. Soon, the situation with Lord Voldemort would be solved, one way or another, and he would not need to watch his steps with Bellatrix and the Blacks as much as he had to today.
He snorted to himself. He had definitely not been as careful as he should have when he had challenged Bellatrix last night. He had been sure of himself. Another sign he was growing into Lord Caspian.
Pensively, Severus walked to his office. Sitting behind his desk, he took a thin parchment and a quill. If he decided to adopt new members into House Caspian, he needed to be prepared.
First, they would have to come and live in Caspian Manor. To do otherwise would only invite trouble and be seen as an easy way to challenge his power as Head of House. The guest rooms would do for a few days, until they decided how to arrange the attic level to their taste.
Though this could also only be temporary. Would they wish to go back to their own home once the business with Lord Voldemort was done? Or would they wish to remain closer to Caspian Manor? He owned enough of the grounds around the Manor that they could build a home nearby while keeping their privacy. In fact, Severus was beginning to think that he should expand the grounds even more.
He laughed to himself at the sudden and ludicrous idea that he should buy all of Spinner's End straight out. His House would never boast so many members. Though he could use the space to set up his future potion apothecary and the greenhouse to go with it. Maybe add a small healing practice. And a school. Helhest, why not build a whole village?
"Excellent idea!"
Severus almost jumped as his Familiar suddenly intruded his thoughts.
"You were broadcasting so loudly you woke me up," Sensed Dhaal teasingly.
"Narcissa visited,"explained Severus.
"Did she finally convince you to welcome the Tonks into our family?" asked Dhaal eagerly.
"Maybe. Yes. I was planning how it would work out before speaking with Andromeda," admitted Severus.
"I'm coming," Sensed Dhaal decisively. "I'll bring food and Tuei with me."
As often was the case, Dhaal had the right idea. Tuei was ecstatic, and they spent the next two hours debating upon what needed to be done right now and what could wait, to properly welcome and protect new members.
He then sent a short letter to Andromeda, inviting her and her family to dinner this evening.
He debated whether to go to Gringotts to meet with Hoardrock about arranging to buy more areas of Spinner's End, but finally decided to wait until tomorrow. He would need to meet with Hoardrock if he went through with the integration of the Tonks family within House Caspian, buying the land could wait for one more day.
Afterwards, he had lunch with Dhaal, Tuei seeming to walk on air at the prospect of more House members to take care of.
Severus spent the afternoon in his office, trying to organise a plan to reunite Lord Voldemort with his Horcruxes as quickly as possible while limiting the damages.
A knock on his door brought him out of his focus.
He blinked, wondering who it could be.
"Come in."
Andromeda walked in calmly, shutting the door behind her. A discreet Tempus showed Severus that it was already six o'clock.
"Tuei told me to come and find you," stated Andromeda. "I was surprised by such a short notice invitation, even if it is always a pleasure to have dinner with you."
"Thank you for coming," answered Severus, putting his papers aside and offering her a small smile. "I do wish to speak with you. Please have a seat," he added, gesturing to the armchair in front of him.
"This sounds serious," said Andromeda as she sat down. "Is it linked with the attempted murder of Auror Moody?"
"In a way," answered Severus. "Do you still wish to become part of House Caspian?"
She straightened in her seat.
"Of course. Have you come to a decision?"
"First, I would like to speak in more detail about what it would entail for you, what you would expect from my House and what I would expect from you," replied Severus. "You may not accept what I require from you."
"I doubt that, but you're right, such an important decision must be discussed in depth," answered Andromeda, her entire attention focused on him.
Severus nodded and reached for the papers on the right corner of his desk.
"To begin with, I would like us to sign a Secrecy Contract. What we are going to discuss is private and could hurt my House as well as your family if we finally decide that your joining House Caspian is not the right option. The Contract will prevent each of us from revealing what we have learnt today. It will dissolve if you and your family integrate into House Caspian to be replaced with the constraints set by the House Oath."
Andromeda took the contract and carefully read it.
Severus approved. He would read a Contract even if Lucius was the other party, if only to ensure that there was no mistake in it.
She finally signed the two duplicate copies of the Contract with a flourish, then offered them to Severus who signed them too. She smiled as he offered her one copy to keep.
She looked a lot like Bellatrix, but her expression was pure Narcissa as her eyes seemed to pierce through his soul while she waited for him to speak. Despite having faced Goblins, Vampires and Werewolves, Severus felt almost intimidated. To be fair, only a few other times had the stakes been higher.
Pushing down the urge to fidget, Severus held her gaze when he spoke.
"Let's begin with what you expect from your House and what you can't live with."
She tilted her head lightly, thinking about the best way to answer him.
"Well. You know that I'm looking for a House to protect my family in these troubled times. What really appeals to me with House Caspian is your motto. Magic and myself for sole limits. I want to be free to choose who I will support. I want Nymphéa to be free to belong to any House in Hogwarts, or even to go to another school, without being disparaged or put down. I want her to be free from the threat of arranged marriages without her consent."
"You realise that you will still need to obey me in some aspects," said Severus with a raised eyebrow.
"Of course. What I mean is, even if you follow Lord Voldemort, I expect that you won't make me take his Mark or attend Death Eater meetings," explained Andromeda.
"Of course not!" exclaimed Severus, shocked at the mere idea. "I don't even bear his Mark."
"Let's just say that Uncle and Mother would have expected it from me," stated Andromeda.
"House Caspian is not the House of Black."
"Which is why I expect to be included into the discussion about the House's politics, even if the last word will always be yours. I also want to be included in new members' adoption," continued Andromeda, not missing a beat.
"Seems fair," answered Severus. "But it doesn't mean that you will be able to veto an adoption, only that I will listen to you and take your advice into account."
"Seems fair," echoed Andromeda, eyes slitted as she contemplated him.
Once more, Severus had the uncomfortable feeling of being assessed by a predator. But he was one too, and met her gaze without flinching.
She nodded.
"I also want to be allowed to work and be independent financially."
Severus let out a laugh.
"I certainly won't allow you to remain idle. I expect you to contribute to the House's development. It can be financially, but I'm not against giving you a stipend if you are working on magical exploration or experiment, or researching how to best merge muggle sciences and Magic. I'm planning on opening an apothecary and a greenhouse on Caspian grounds, you could work here if you wished to."
"I was very good at Potions, though it's not in high regard among the House of Black. I did not have the opportunity to study Potions after my OWLs but I did some independent study to be able to brew healing Potions for Nymphéa. I'm not opposed to learning more if you don't need me to help with the running of the House," answered Andromeda thoughtfully.
"You're working in London, at Gladrags Wizardwear financial department now, right?" asked Severus.
"Yes, I'm in charge of developing new business for the firm, negotiating new deals and liaising with Gringotts," completed Andromeda.
And she had certainly learnt how to run a House when she was still a Black. She might be more useful helping Severus run the House, especially if he adopted other members.
"We'll have to discuss all the possibilities before taking a decision," stated Severus decisively. "Ted will also be expected to contribute to the House's growth. I will expect both Nymphéa and him to explore and reach for their own limits," he added, looking at her expectantly.
Ted was a teacher-researcher in astrophysics. Andromeda had admitted once that his gift for explaining complex concepts with simple words had been one of the reasons she had fallen in love with him. Adding Ted's wonder and curiosity towards Magic, and Severus knew he had the perfect ally to work on his goal of meshing muggle sciences and magical theory.
"And this is another reason why House Caspian is the right choice for us, even if I admit it also scares me a little," replied Andromeda, smiling. "You don't think or expect less from Ted because he's a Muggle. I believe this is how we will make our world stronger."
"So you won't object to respecting all magical beings and treating them as equals," said Severus wryly.
"I won't," confirmed Andromeda.
"Alright," said Severus, racking his brain to check what else he had planned on saying. "Just to be clear, when I say that I want Nymphéa to reach her own limits, it also means that you will allow me a say in her magical tutoring, and that you will let me provide her teachers who I believe will benefit her even if they are… shall we say, unusual."
"I will, as long as we're clear that if I fear for her safety, I will be able to put a stop to it," she answered seriously.
"You know I would never put her in danger," countered Severus.
She watched him silently before sighing.
"I know. But you may miss something."
"And you might be overprotective," replied Severus kindly.
She nodded reluctantly.
"Speaking of protection, I would like you and your family to come and live on the grounds," said Severus sombrely. "The grounds should be large enough to allow you privacy while keeping you safe."
"I would feel better too," admitted Andromeda. "I know that the situation will be… precarious for the first months, between the current political situation, the recentness of House Caspian's creation and the Blacks' inescapable anger at my adoption."
"Exactly," agreed Severus.
He paused for a moment, letting their conversation sink in before speaking again.
"I will also expect you to always make your own sacrifice when using the Dark Arts, except in the most extreme emergency, and only until you find the right time to make a proper sacrifice."
Andromeda nodded seriously.
"A very sound rule."
Severus had not expected less from her, but it was still a relief to have her agreement on this fundamental rule.
"Alright, that's it I think. Do you have other points you wish to talk about?" asked Severus.
"What will you expect from Nymphéa?"
"As long as she's a minor, she won't need to swear an Oath to the House. I will however swear her into the House to offer her the maximum protection," explained Severus. "Once she reaches her majority, she will need to swear an Oath to House Caspian. Of course, she will be free to choose another House anytime she wishes once she is over seventeen without fearing any reprisal from our House. We won't stop caring for her if she finds that she cannot follow our Motto."
"Thank you."
To Severus' surprise, Andromeda's eyes were glistening with unshed tears.
Feeling uncomfortable, faced with such vulnerability from her, he continued speaking.
"I warn you that you will need to craft your Oath. It is yours, and you may change it anytime you feel that it doesn't represent what you're willing or able to give to House Caspian going forward, but with the expectation that the House's Oath will change accordingly."
Andromeda blinked in surprise.
"Even Ted?"
"Even Ted," confirmed Severus. "Of course, you may help him check the Oath wording. But the most important thing will be your intent. When you speak your Oath, you must think about its meaning for you."
"I see," said Andromeda slowly.
She did see, if Severus was reading her correctly. She had been a Black after all.
"Last warning, you know that the House can refuse your Oath if your intent is contrary to its motto and goal, even if I want you to belong to the House," stated Severus seriously.
Andromeda nodded seriously.
"I know. I wasn't sure you did."
She looked at him right in the eye.
"Lord Caspian, I formally request that my family be allowed to become members of House Caspian."
"Don't you wish to speak with Ted about what we've discussed?" asked Severus.
She smiled.
"This is one of the reasons House Caspian is right for us. You don't assume that Ted had no power of decision because he's a Muggle. What we've discussed is within the limits that Ted and I discussed previously. I don't need to consult him again."
Severus inclined his head.
"Very well. Please come with me."
Severus stood up to leave his office.
He could tell that Andromeda was intrigued, but she followed him without a word. He went to the living room where he could Sense Ted, Nymphéa, Dhaal and Tuei waiting.
They painted a strange but cute picture, Tuei seated on a small footstool, Nymphéa and Dhaal on each side of Ted while he read them a book aloud, Egyptian Myths and Legends from what Severus was hearing.
He waited for Ted to finish his sentence before speaking.
"Ted, Nymphéa. Would you mind coming with us?"
To his surprise, Nymphéa jumped on her feet and ran toward him, stopping only at her Mother's warning.
"Uncle Sev! Are you finally adopting us?"
Severus had to fight to prevent his jaw from dropping. Adopting them?
"Nymphéa, what did we tell you?" chided Ted gently as he joined them, putting his hands on his daughter's shoulders.
"Houses are like big families. To belong to a family means that we protect each other. You must choose your family with care because each family has its rules and you must choose a family with rules that you can respect. This is why we want to belong to Uncle Sev's family, because his House has the best rules and because he's a genius and he's the strongest!" recited Nymphéa excitedly.
Severus felt his eyebrow raise at the young girl's praise. It was certainly an earnest plea for… adoption. He would be responsible for their protection and much more once they belonged to his House.
Suddenly feeling light-headed, Severus pushed his blooming panic into one cauldron. He had made his decision, now was not the time to indulge into useless fear.
"Then yes Nymphéa, I have agreed to adopt you and your family. But our Oaths must be accepted by Magic to make the adoption complete and official," explained Severus.
"What will I need to do to make Magic accept me?" asked Nymphéa, curious.
"Nothing," answered Severus with a smile. "You are a child and your parents take care of you, so their House will be yours."
"So what do Mom and Dad need to do to make Magic accept them?"
"Well, your parents and I will craft our Oaths, then we will say them. Magic will judge their Oath on their words and their intent, and decide if they are consistent with House Caspian's motto, its rules and its foundations. If it is the case, Magic will agree to link your family to House Caspian," answered Severus.
"Sounds easy," quipped Ted, though Severus knew him well enough by now to detect a faint tension in his frame.
Andromeda shook her head at her husband but did not say anything, instead turning to Severus askance.
"If you'll follow me," said Severus, turning and leading them to the library corner.
There were several leather armchairs ready to comfortably welcome an avid reader, situated in front of the wall where he had encrusted the Yule stones.
He asked them to sit then went over how to proceed and what to expect from integrating House Caspian again, to make sure that Ted truly had no objection nor question, and to give Nymphéa more insight about the process.
Then they got on with the crafting of their Oaths, Ted surprisingly calling for Tuei to help him check his Oath.
He had good instincts, thought Severus approvingly as Dhaal joined them too. His Familiar did not jump on his shoulder as was his wont, but grew to his normal size.
"Your Oath is ready?" Sensed Severus teasingly.
"I was ready long before you," Sensed back the Thestral smugly.
After almost thirty minutes, they were ready to take their Oaths. Andromeda and Ted would speak first as the ones seeking a House, with Severus answering to them in turn. He would only speak Nymphéa's Oath if the House accepted Ted and Andromeda.
When Andromeda spoke, her voice was clear but shook a little.
"I, Andromeda Eleonora Tonks née Black, swear to consider House Caspian like my family, to protect and defend it and help it flourish. I also promise to work to develop my capabilities within Magic's and my own personal limits. I further promise to uphold the good name, honour and reputation of House Caspian by both word and deed and wherever legally possible help to resolve any differences arising within the house internally."
The stone that they had gifted him at Yule became alight.
Ted's voice was soft but smooth compared to Andromeda's.
"I, Edward "Ted" Andrew Tonks, swear to consider House Caspian like my family, to protect and defend it and to help it flourish. I also promise to act as a bridge between the Muggle world and the Wizarding World and to develop my capabilities within Magic's and my own limits."
The light in the stone spread to the other Yule stones and increased in intensity as Magic seemed to come to attention.
"I, Lord Severus Preston Caspian, swear to protect you as well as support and guide you on your path within Magic's and my own boundaries."
As he spoke his oath, Severus carefully held the intention of being a strong, fair and honourable Lord in his dealings with both the members of his House and the outside world. He could Sense Magic's approval as he completed saying his oath.
All the blazons of the House came alight, and Severus Sensed the wards come up as if to react to an enemy. Dhaal added his Scream, the one he always used to create Bonds. The intensity of the light increased, Magic pounding against Severus' Sense.
Suddenly, everything went silent. The stones' light gently softened until they faded away.
Severus blinked, feeling dazed. He wasn't the only one, from the look of… the members of his House. He could feel them in the back of his mind, a presence similar to his other bonds yet so unusual and distracting.
"That was both amazing and disturbing," stated Ted slowly.
"What did you feel, Dad?" asked Nymphéa curiously.
"I'm not sure, honey," answered Ted puzzled. "I think it was Magic."
"You felt Magic! That's amazing! Maybe you can learn Magic with me now!" said Nymphéa excitedly.
"I think it was a special case, sweety," answered Andromeda kindly. "You know Dad cannot use Magic as we do."
Nymphéa pouted, disappointed.
"Nymphéa," said Severus, gesturing at her to come closer. "Let me say my Oath for you now that your parents belong to House Caspian."
"I thought I didn't need one?" asked Nymphéa, frowning.
Severus smiled, trying to ignore the itch of feeling his House members in his mind.
"You don't need to say one, but I do, if I want to protect you and welcome you to House Caspian properly."
She smiled eagerly and stood in front of him, trying her hardest not to bounce.
Severus spoke quietly but firmly.
"I, Lord Severus Preston Caspian, swear to protect you as well as teach and guide you on your path within Magic's and my own boundaries."
Again, Severus held the intent of being a strong and fair example of a Lord for the child, as well as his desire to push her to become a Witch she could be proud of. Who knew, she might be the next leader of House Caspian.
Dhaal's Scream enveloped them as he said the last words, Magic swirling around them and the stones and blazons coming alight once more before settling down.
Nymphéa looked at Severus with wide eyes.
"I can feel you!"
He winced as a sharp tug in his mind accompanied her words.
"Indeed. Please be careful with the Bond," answered Severus, tugging back gently.
"That's so cool! What else do you think I can do with it"
"I have no idea," answered Severus truthfully. "You are the first Wizards adopted into House Caspian."
"We can experiment together!" exclaimed Nymphéa.
"Yes honey, but we should let the bond settle down before doing anything," stated her father gently but firmly. "Aren't you feeling a bit tired? I know I am, after this display of Magic."
"Maybe a bit," admitted Nymphéa, "but it's so coooool!"
Severus was grateful that Ted and Andromeda shepherded Nymphéa back to the living room, letting him sag into one of the armchairs.
Dhaal jumped onto his knees then huddled close.
"It's even more disturbing than the wards," Sensed his Familiar. "I didn't think we would Sense them so clearly."
"It must fade in time," answered Severus, uncertainly. "I don't see how Lucius can function if he can Sense all the members of his House."
"The wards faded," agreed Dhaal. "Draco too. But we can Sense them if we focus on them."
"I'm more worried about Nymphéa using the Bond to get my attention all the time," said Severus.
"I'm sure Andromeda and Ted will establish rules about it. It's good that she can call on us if she needs our help."
Severus nodded, his eyes going over the Yule stones. They were back to normal, nothing to remind them of what had transpired.
His gaze drifted to the small blazon set up in the right high corner of the same wall.
Severus frowned. There was something different with the blazon.
He got up and went to see the bigger blazon at the entrance of the Manor. The difference was clearer here. The blazon seemed to have sharpened, as if it was somehow more defined. How intriguing.
"Master Severus, it is time to eat dinner," said Tuei disapprovingly, making Severus jump in surprise.
"Master must be very tired if you were not aware of Tuei, you need to eat!"
Severus ignored Dhaal's snicker and made his way to the dining room. Everyone else was already seated.
Tuei wasted no time serving dinner. Severus had to smile as she had decided to make an entire Bǎo-style meal. His new House members were intrigued but ate with gusto once they had tasted a first small bite of the various foreign dishes.
They did not speak much except to comment on the meal, hunger making itself known now that the magic rush caused by the adoption had faded.
Severus was considering whether he should take another helping of gōngbào jīdīng or wait for whatever Tuei had planned for dessert when his House Elf popped up next to him, as if conjured by his thoughts.
"Master Severus has received a letter from Gringotts."
Gringotts? Could they already know about the adoption? But how?
"Thank you Tuei," said Severus, opening the letter quickly.
Lord Caspian,
Congratulations on finally taking in three new House members, it was high time!
I would however greatly appreciate a warning next time, especially considering the House members you have chosen.
As it is, I did not have the opportunity to delay the knowledge of your new members from spreading to every Gringotts employee and I have no doubt that by tomorrow, everyone in the Wizarding World and Goblin Nation will know. I have already sent an official announcement to the Daily Prophet, the Wizard Times and the Quibbler, to be published tomorrow.
If you are amenable, I have scheduled a two hour meeting between us tomorrow at nine.
Hoardrock
He had planned on contacting Hoardrock tomorrow, to discuss how to best expand Caspian Grounds and begin to set up the apothecary.
Severus penned a quick reply back and gave it to Tuei, who popped out then back in in a record time.
"What was that about, Severus?" asked Andromeda.
"Gringotts. They already knew about the adoption and my counsellor would have appreciated a word of forewarning."
"But why?" asked Ted. "Who you take into your House is not a bank's concern, right?"
"It's more complicated than this, because of the Oaths and Bonds that come with belonging to a House," explained Andromeda. "And Gringotts is not just a bank."
They fell silent as Tuei brought a big tarte au citron that was definitely not a Bǎo dessert but was Nymphéa and Ted's péché mignon.
"Tuei, stay with us for dessert!" asked Nymphéa, looking at his — or was it theirs, now? — House Elf with big pleading eyes.
Tuei made a show of hesitating before taking a seat and sitting between Dhaal and the girl.
The House Elf always refused to eat an entire meal at the table, however, she would sit with Severus and other members of the family for dessert or for tea sometimes.
"She will need other children to play with," said Andromeda, watching her girl fondly.
"Hmm, yes, but why are you telling me this?" asked Severus.
Did she want his agreement before having another child? He did not think he had a say in these kinds of decisions.
Ted laughed.
"I told you to be more direct, Andromeda. Being Slytherin does not equal fluent in Black's language."
She mock-glared at her husband before looking back at Severus.
"You need to adopt other Wizards into our House, young enough to have children to expand the size and power of House Caspian."
She was one of them, thought Severus with a sigh.
"Andromeda, I'm not opposed to increasing House Caspian's numbers, but I won't do so just to make us bigger. I need to know people before deciding if they can be part of House Caspian. I'm pretty sure Magic will reject them otherwise, because my intent won't be clear and because there would be too much risk of creating an imbalance in the House," explained Severus.
"I understand your point but I think you need to be more proactive in looking for new members," replied Andromeda. "It's important to increase the status of our House and to gain more protection from both Dumbledore and Lord Voldemort."
"Not from Birkins?" asked Severus to give himself time to think about his answer.
She was right of course, but his House was a part of his family. He could not adopt strangers.
Andromeda shook her head.
"Birkins would be far easier to manage without Dumbledore's influence."
She tilted her head, looking at him as if weighing her next words.
"Do you know that you've managed to raise questions about the importance of Houses amongst the most Gryffindorish Muggleborns?"
"What do you mean?"
And why did it matter?
"It's a well-known fact that I once was a Black and that I was disowned for eloping with a Muggle. I am also on amicable terms with many of Dumbledore's supporters as well as several of the neutral Houses. As such, I'm among the few people that the cleverest Half-Bloods and Muggleborns come to when they have questions about the Wizarding World."
A kind of Mentor for graduates. Interesting.
"When they heard that you chose to create your own House, they had many questions. They didn't understand how I could have chosen to leave the protection of a House if it was so important, but they could not understand either why someone as intelligent as you would choose to create his own House if it wasn't important."
"And so?"
"I have a tentative list with several names of Half Bloods and Muggleborns interested in meeting you and seeing if your House would be a good match for them."
"How many are we speaking of?" asked Severus, once more pushing his growing alarm into his cauldron.
"Three I'm ninety percent sure they will interest you, five I'm only seventy per cent sure, twelve that are so-so and four that I don't think will fit in," answered Andromeda without missing a beat.
Severus felt faint. He made a quick mental check to ensure his mouth hadn't fallen open.
"Master Severus has chosen his first Wizards very well," said Tuei approvingly. "Now, Tuei will be able to introduce you to the other helpers."
He had forgotten that Tuei had told him she was looking for other House Elves. Severus was beginning to feel a bit dazed.
Ted patted his shoulder reassuringly as Andromeda and Tuei began discussing how to identify the next member they needed for House Caspian. For their House.
After dinner, Tuei set up Andromeda, Ted and Nymphéa in the guest rooms of the first floor. Tomorrow, they would need to organise the Tonks' temporary house move on the attic level of the manor, until they had their own home on Caspian's grounds.
Severus thought he should be exhausted after two eventful days, but he felt restless and full of energy. Magic was buzzing under his skin, ready and willing to be used. He needed to arrange a new session with the voktere soon.
Shaking his head to himself, Severus walked to the conservatory, hoping that the stars would calm him down as they had the previous night.
He let the fumes of his mind-cauldrons thin, until the fires underneath were barely burning.
He was not alone in his House anymore.
He was responsible for more than Dhaal, Tuei and himself.
Severus felt his breath quicken as the magnitude of his actions drove home. He was confident in his abilities to protect himself. Dhaal knew how to protect himself, as did Tuei. But now, he had accepted the responsibility of protecting a Muggle and a child.
He took several deep breaths, trying to clear his head. He had already accepted that kind of responsibility when he had accepted to become Draco's Godfather, but the possibility of truly needing to become the boy's only protection was slim and far away. This was much more concrete.
Severus shook his head in frustration. This was not working. He was talking himself in circles. He needed to speak to someone.
His brother was the one he wanted to talk to, but for the first time, Severus hesitated. Narcissa had said that Lucius had crashed down hard the night before. Could he really ask him to reassure Severus when he was still shaken by the previous meeting's events?
Augustus was the next obvious choice. And yet… The man had been a Head of House for a long time. He had been raised knowing he would become a Head of House. Could he truly understand Severus' uncertainty and fears? Could Severus afford to show him this weakness when his grandfather needed him to be strong to implement the Horcrux plan?
Severus got up angrily, pacing the length of the conservatory to try to burn up his mounting frustration. He was not alone, but many people looked up to him to be strong and to know what needed to be done. Who could he show weakness without endangering his current plans? He needed to talk to someone.
"Severus? Is everything alright?"
He jumped in surprise, projecting his Magic and raising his shields instinctively at the unexpected sound.
It took him far too many seconds to realise that the voice was Petunia's and that it was coming from the communication stone in his inside pocket.
"Good evening, Petunia. Yes, everything is fine. Are you alright?" asked Severus, his slowly calming heartbeat threatening to speed up in concern.
"Yes, I'm fine despite all the planning and plotting to protect my nephew," answered Petunia, a light teasing showing through her voice and making him relax. "You're the one who called, is it about the emergency that had James leave in the middle of the night?" she asked, concern colouring her voice.
Oh. It seemed that his Magic had known who to call before his mind.
"Not exactly," answered Severus honestly.
She waited for him to continue but he had no idea what to say next.
"Do you need anything?" she finally asked.
"No. Yes. I…"
She let out a small laugh.
"Seems complicated. Why don't you begin with the beginning and explain everything to me? If it's not too sensitive to tell me, of course."
He smiled, setting himself comfortably on one bench.
"I've adopted my first House members."
"Congratulations Severus!" exclaimed Petunia. "That's a big step from what I heard. There had been many speculations on whether you would do so, who you would choose and who would want to be chosen."
"Really?" asked Severus.
He had not thought this would be the cause for gossip. Except that the old Houses had to be aware that increasing their members' number could bolster their magical strength. They also had to realise that it could help Severus on a political level too.
"Yes. As you imagine, James and Sirius are convinced you will only accept members who can bring you Dark knowledge. Lily told them that you would only adopt those who could tell you "no". Fleamont said that you would choose people who would help you make your House flourish. Euphemia said that you might wait until you had created your own family to adopt new members."
"And what did you say?" asked Severus curious.
The opinions of the various Potters did not matter.
"That I had no interest in speculating about such things," answered Petunia, making him laugh in surprise.
"And what do you think?"
She took her time before answering.
"I think that you won't adopt anyone who is useless, because they are not the kind of people you can bear. As Lily once lamented, you mostly don't like people. And you don't like faux-semblants. So you will only adopt people you truly care for, and they will be the kind of people that can help you increase your House's power one way or another."
That was pretty accurate.
"I adopted a family. With one child. The father is a muggle. She was disowned by her family and disavowed from her House for marrying him."
"I see."
She might. He had no idea if she had ever met the Tonks, but it was a high probability as she was living with Potter-bis.
"You wouldn't have done so if you weren't confident that you can face any retribution from her old House, and that it won't negatively impact your overall status. So what's bothering you?"
"I… I hadn't realised that I would feel so… so responsible for them. I know Heads of House carry the responsibility of the protection of their entire House, but it feels really…"
"You did not expect to care so much," stated Petunia.
"Exactly," agreed Severus. "I cared about them before, I would not have accepted them in my House otherwise, but… It feels so much more…"
"Have I told you about the first time I examined a patient?" asked Petunia unexpectedly.
She had not. From what he remembered, she was now in her fourth year and had begun doing internships in various departments of the hospital.
"I don't think so," answered Severus.
"I wasn't alone, obviously. My tutor was present the entire time, ready to guide me if I was making a mistake. I was so worried about making a mistake. It's natural, of course, because I want to succeed and become a doctor. But I had not expected to feel so concerned about my patient, so scared of failing him. I knew being a doctor came with responsibilities, but I had not truly understood what it meant until that day."
"It's frightening."
"Yes. It wouldn't be so precious otherwise."
Severus could not help but smile. She was right.
"Thank you Petunia," said Severus warmly.
"You're welcome."
To think he had once found her voice grating. How time had changed them.
"You should go to bed now. I believe we will both be very busy tomorrow," added Petunia playfully.
Casting a Tempus, Severus was surprised to realise that it was already past eleven.
"I hadn't realised it was so late. Goodnight Petunia."
"Goodnight Severus."