When Voldemort landed back at Malfoy Manor all he heard was a cacophony of yelling. Headache already beginning to form, Voldemort knew that he was going to end up regretting saving Potter and his offspring. In the entryway of the Manor stood Severus, holding an unconscious Harry Potter, looking like he wanted to kill everyone there. Behind Severus were five children of various ages and the infamous Miss Granger all yelling over one another. Who were they yelling at? Several of his inner circle standing across from them, namely one Bellatrix LeStrange, who was also yelling Merlin knows what nonsense at this point.
"Enough!" Voldemort's voice carried easily across the foyer, silencing everyone at one. "I would expect those who have been given the honor of being in my inner circle to behave better than the rabble of school children!"
"But My Lord-" Bellatrix tried to start but Voldemort quickly shot a silencing charm at her.
"All Death Eaters are to head immediately to the meeting room and are to wait for me to join them, in silence. Whoever is making any noise when I walk into that room later gets to be fed to my darling Nagini. Is that clear?" Voldemort ground out through irritatedly clenched teeth.
"Of course My Lord!" Several of the death eaters responded quickly before retreating further into the manor. Rodolphus and Rabastan herding Bellatrix along with the rest.
"Severus, bring Mr. Potter and … those with him up into the guest wing. I must deal with the idiots before I can handle this current disaster." Voldemort ordered before making his own retreat to the meeting room, not wanting to face what was quite clearly his own DNA.
Severus looked at the worn-down looking rag-tag group of children before sighing, "Follow me. The Dark Lord will be joining us later it seems. We can at least get you settled into rooms and have the house elves bring you all some food."
Hermione looked at Harry's children, and what a weird thought that was, before nodding. She didn't trust Professor Snape, but he seemed harmless enough for now. Her main concern was the exhausted kids and of course Harry.
The kids were quiet but that seemed more out of exhaustion than anything else at this point. None of them seemed to be frightened while being surrounded by death eaters and they hadn't run screaming from Voldemort's snake-like visage either. None of that settled well with Hermione, but neither did the Order locking them up and threatening to allow Sirius to die behind the Veil.
They trudged up the winding staircase to the right of the foyer up to the second floor where Severus led them to a quiet hall of what looked to be six rooms, three on each side of the hall. Hermione had never seen such needless opulence within what she assumed to be someone's home. The floors were what she would describe as white marble, but there were gold filigree patterns on the floor that she would bet were real gold and not just imitations. The halls held several huge crystal chandeliers lighting their path. The walls were a shimmering very pale golden color with white wood breaking up the color.
"All the guest rooms are relatively the same, so choose whatever ones you all want to occupy," Severus spoke in his deep baritone, bringing Hermione out of her thoughts.
"I think my siblings and I will be joining our Dad in his room for the time being," Armand stated, his siblings nodding in quick agreement.
"I do not trust the people in this house," Hermione quietly said, "For now we will all share one room."
"Suit yourselves," Severus muttered. Opening the closest door on the right, Severus quickly shuffled everyone inside the cavernous guest room. "Bathroom is through the door on your left and the bed is probably big enough for all of you to sleep on but there are always the sofas right there." Severus pointed out the sitting area in front of a massive fireplace that had two sofas and two loveseats.
Hermione was looking at the other end of the room where the biggest bed she had ever seen presented itself on its own raised platform centered along the back wall.
"I believe 'massive' might be an understatement sir." Hermione couldn't help but point out. The bed was big enough to fit a dozen grown adults, it would be plenty for seven children.
"Well, the Malfoy's don't know how to do anything mild." Severus quipped.
"This is Malfoy Manor?" Armand asked curiously, studying the surroundings with more care.
"Yes, this is the main Malfoy Manor in Wiltshire. All other questions can be answered by the Dark Lord when he shows up. Feel free to call for the house-elf Ranpi if you want any food or drinks. I would highly suggest not leaving this room until the Dark Lord has returned from the meeting. Most of the Death Eaters that are here will curse you first and ask questions later." Severus drawled as he laid the unconscious form of Harry onto the massive bed. "I will be heading down to the meeting myself, good night all of you."
Severus then quickly swept out of the room before anyone could ask any further questions. They were the Dark Lord's children so he could face their 20 questions.
By the time the Dark Lord made it up to the guest room that Severus had said the children had all decided to pile into instead of taking separate rooms, his headache had progressed into a full-blown migraine of epic proportions. Some days he wondered why he bothered with his followers at all. Knocking lightly on the door, Voldemort was aware of how late it had gotten in his absence and wondered if anyone would even be awake. Quite quickly though the door was opened by Miss Granger.
Voldemort had never appreciated Potter and Potter's friends' lack of fear until he stared one Hermione Granger in the eye and saw no fear or apprehension in standing in front of him. It was rather amazing to behold, but also wildly irritating.
"Miss Granger," Voldemort said with a nod.
"Voldemort." Granger intoned back flatly. How rude.
"May I come in so we can have that talk?" Voldemort fought to keep the irritated tone out of his tone.
"The kids have finally fallen asleep and honestly Harry is the one to talk to so until he is awake it is probably better we just play nice. If the future these kids came from holds any truth then you'll wait until they are all awake and alert to continue this discussion." Granger stated matter of factly before closing the door in his face.
Voldemort felt his eye twitch, the urge to slam open the door and torture the girl was strong but he had enough control to grit his teeth and walk back to his rooms. If he threw a crucio or four on his way then there was no one worth mentioning to tell.
It would be easier if all of this just turned out to be a weird nightmare that he could wake up from. Voldemort had never wanted to have kids, hell, he had never wanted a relationship either. What changed so much in the future that he not only ends up married with children but it is with Potter of all people! Complete insanity.
What had happened in the future to disillusion Harry Potter of all people to join his enemy in matrimony?
These questions would haunt Voldemort for the rest of the night and he knew deep down that even the children probably wouldn't know the answer to most of his questions.
Harry Potter would be his doom, he already could feel it in his bones.
Damn Potter luck.
He would get answers tomorrow. He would hold a civilized conversation with Potter and his…their… five children. Merlin, that was almost as many as the Weasley's had. Did they just not believe in contraception spells?
Damn Potter.
