Meanwhile, somewhere in Central London
Two teenagers were running like crazy through the narrow alleys – a pack of five werewolves chasing them.
"We're lost, you idiot!" shouted James.
"But we're still alive, you prick!" Nicholas shouted.
"Keep running!" exclaimed James, "We have to reach your boyfriend's place!"
"Let's find a hidden place and disapparate!"
And so they did, appearing in a blink of an eye right in front of the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes shop in Diagon Alley and beginning to knock hard on the door.
"Open the door!" James shouted, his wand pointing at the second-floor window, "Lumos maxima."
One of the red-haired twins appeared in the illuminated window.
"What's…?" then he looked down, "James? Nicholas? Wait a minute, guys!"
Less than a minute later the front door was opened and they ran in.
"Close the door!" James ordered as they entered the dark jokeshop.
"Let's go upstairs," invited George.
And they walked upstairs to the Weasleys' apartment.
"What happened to you?" asked Fred, hugging and kissing his boyfriend, noticing he was gasping for air.
"Death Eaters," Nicholas answered, panting, "Werewolves. Both."
George gave each of them a glass of water and asked: "What were you two doing out at this late hour, mates? You know it's dangerous times we're living!"
"We were coming here," started James, "but we saw a gathering of five men at the square and we-"
"WE?" shouted Nick, "There's no WE! You're the one that had the brilliant idea to follow those guys!"
"What guys? The werewolves?" asked George, frowning, "Why would you follow werewolves?"
"I wasn't sure they were werewolves..." James said, "The death eaters are attacking in groups now, they call themselves Snatchers. They kidnap, torture, rape and murder whoever they find wandering at night."
"Lovely," said Fred sarcastically, "And you thought: why not follow them?"
"James thought we could stop them ourselves," growled Nicholas.
"And we could! But you ran!"
Nick stopped right in front of his brother and pushed him.
"Did you want them to take a good look at us, James? Is that what you wanted? You know that would only bring more problems for our family! One good look at your stupid mug and they'd know!"
George was about to ask them something when a Patronus wolf appeared inside the room.
"Where are you?" asked the wolf in a female voice, "If you're not dead, you better come home as soon as you get this message!" the wolf stopped talking but remained there, looking at the two black-haired boys with reproachful eyes.
"I suppose this is your mother's Patronus," said George, pointing at the wolf.
The dark-haired twins nodded.
"Wait! I know that voice," Fred looked at his boyfriend, "Yes. It has to be! You even have her eyes! You two are Mediwitch Delacour's sons!"
Nicholas shook his head, ready to deny it, but his brother opened his mouth first:
"Yes," confirmed James, under the reproachful gaze of his brother.
"The hot healer?" asked George, looking at his twin.
"I'd appreciate if you refrained from calling our mother 'hot'," grimaced Nicholas, glancing at the wolf Patronus as it seemed to smile before disappearing.
"Not to mention, our father would have you head if he heard you say that," James added.
"Your father-" George looked at them and suddenly realised, "Holy shit! So the rumours are true? Snape's shagging the healer!"
James looked instantly very uncomfortable, "Please don't say it like that. They are married. I don't want to hear parents and shagging in the same sentence."
Nicholas inhaled sharply, "And I'm not sure you should be telling them any of this!" his green eyes glaring at his twin.
"What will they do? They don't even study at Hogwarts anymore!" James said dismissively.
"We get it. It's a secret," said Fred, looking at his boyfriend, "You really look like your father. It's fine, I've always had a crush on Prof. Snape, I'm not surprised I fell for his son."
Nicholas made a face, "I really didn't need to know that."
Fred chuckled and kissed him briefly.
"We won't tell anyone. Don't worry," said George.
"About Fred's crush or who our parents are?" asked James, laughing.
"Neither," said George, joining his friend in laughter.
"We'd better go," said Nick, looking at his boyfriend, "If you don't hear from me in the next couple of days, it's probably because we're grounded," he kissed Fred once more and disapparated home with James.
Florence and Severus said goodnight to their younger kids and left the safe-house a little after ten, going back to their house in Hogsmeade.
"Do you think they're back?" she asked, as they walked from the appartition spot in the backyard to the house.
"I hope, for their sakes, they are," Severus replied in restrained fury, "If I end up having to go after them, they'll be grounded for the next decade."
They entered the house and fell silent, trying to hear anything that would indicate the twins were home, but no sound was heard.
"Tiffany!" Florence called.
The elf quickly appeared, "Mistress Florence."
"Are Nick and Jamie home?"
"No, Mistress," Tiffany shook her head, seeming worried.
"Dammit," cursed Severus, "I'll go after them."
Florence just nodded, too tired to spend the night wondering about their whereabouts.
She walked with her husband back to the backyard door, and then they heard the sound of two people apparating. Opening the door and looking at the yard, they could see the boys walking towards the house.
Fuck, mom's furious. Said James to his brother.
She'll only be angrier after she hears what you did tonight, telling Fred and George about them! What were you thinking?
Sod off, Nicholas. James rolled his eyes. When would you tell Fred? On your wedding night? People already know about us!
Not everybody knows! There are rumors, but-
Nicholas didn't finish his thought, for they'd reached the back porch and their parents stood by the door, glaring at them. Nick just lowered his head as their mother pointed towards the living room and he walked in with his brother.
"What the hell happened?" Florence shouted when she closed the door.
"Snatchers followed us," Nicholas answered.
"Did they take a good look at you two?" Severus asked, a small part of his anger giving place to worry.
"No," the twins answered together.
"They saw us running but never got close enough," said James.
"We hid at Fred and George's. But..." Nicholas hesitated.
"What is it, Nick?" Florence asked, sensing something bad had happened.
"James told them the truth about you being our parents and married! I never mentioned anything to Fred, but this daft prick just blurted it all out!" he pushed his brother.
"Who are you calling a daft prick?" James shouted, pushing his brother back, angry.
"You like to pretend you have everything under control! That nothing's gonna happen to us!" replied Nicholas, pushing him as well, "But you're all talk!"
James punched his brother's face and they fell onto the floor of the living room, fighting and shouting at each other.
Florence looked at her husband, "What will we do?"
"Stop them from killing each other would be a good beginning," he pointed at their sons wrestling on the floor.
"Let them at it," she said unworriedly, sitting on the sofa and thinking about the huge risk her kids had been at that night; Snatchers and werewolves had followed them – they could've been captured, tortured, killed.
Severus looked from his concerned wife to the teenagers on the floor and decided to put an end to that stupid fight. He grabbed James by the back of his shirt and pushed him away from his brother.
"Enough of this!" he shouted at them.
The twins still glared at each other but neither dared disrespect their father's direct order.
"Now," Severus drawled, looking from one son to the other and adding: "Why did you have to tell the Weasleys anything, James?"
James crossed his arms, "Mum sent a Patronus. They recognised her voice," he shrugged as if he hadn't done anything, "Adding our looks to Hogwarts gossip that you've been banging the mediwitch for years, it wasn't hard for them to reach that conclusion."
"Watch your mouth!" Severus growled at his son.
"I only confirmed their suspicions!" continued James.
"And was it too hard for you to simply say 'no'?" asked Severus.
"I-I just..." James uncrossed his arms, suddenly feeling less brave.
"You just what James?" hissed Severus, "You just had to be the smartarse and shock your brother's boyfriend with that little piece of news?" he was gradually getting more and more furious, "You two know things are about to become even harder for our family! Your grandma and younger siblings are hidden in a safe-house while the four of us live here in Hogsmeade for a reason! We didn't break our family apart for the fun of it!"
"Tell us why then!" demanded James, finding his courage again, "What's going to happen?"
Florence, still at the sofa, looked at her husband, "Severus. Don't."
He hesitated.
Nicholas decided to speak, "Dad, mum's summoning Death Eaters, you're having breakfast and lunches with the Dark Lord; and still, you're both members of the Order of Phoenix and Dumbledore comes for dinner at our house," he paused, "Which side are we really on, dad?"
"Yeah, should we just go to Little Hangleton and bend the knee to grandpa?" asked James, arrogantly.
That had Florence jumping from the sofa and running towards him, "Feeling brave tonight, aren't you, James? Revealing family secrets, fighting your brother, bad-mouthing your mother, making jokes about working for my father," she wasn't shouting, her voice was low and terrifying instead.
Severus shivered and Nicholas just stared at her, equally scared.
"So you think you deserve to know what is going to happen?" she asked, poking a finger on his chest.
"Yes!" James kept on the brave façade, "We are all paying the price for whatever it is you and dad have to do. I want to know!"
Severus shook his head, "It seems being a foolhardy teenager is a hereditary trait after all," he put a hand on Florence's lower back, "I must apologise for passing that on, love."
Tell them, Severus, as straightforward as possible. She said through their bond.
He glanced at her, feeling her certainty, so he blurted: "I'll kill Dumbledore in a few months."
The twins just stared at him at first; Nicholas was shocked into speechlessness, but James laughed:
"That's hilarious, dad! You'll kill Dumbledore! Right!" he rolled his eyes, "Look, if you don't think we deserve to know the truth-"
"That's the truth," Florence interrupted him, "We are at war, James, Dumbledore is cursed and dying. My father wants the old Headmaster gone, so Severus will kill him before August."
"And if I don't, I'll die. For I made an Unbreakable Vow," added Severus.
Both teenagers looked at their parents, fear beginning to fill up their bodies as they realised they weren't joking.
"Why, dad?" asked Nicholas, worried, "Why did you make the Vow to kill Uncle Albus?"
"To help someone," Severus vaguely replied.
"We are at the eye of the storm, James," Florence added, "We are both playing double agents and your father's head is about to be worth millions; once he kills Dumbledore, the Order will hunt us – for I, as the gossip goes, have been shagging him for years, and you just confirmed to Fred and George that you're our sons."
The twins remained silent.
"Still feeling brave, Jamie?" Florence asked derisively.
He shook his head, looking deflated, "I- I'm sorry I told the Weasleys, mum. I shouldn't have."
"No, you shouldn't," agreed Severus, "Now, I don't have to tell you two that not a word of what was said tonight should leave this house, do I?"
They twins shook their heads.
"Does Uncle Albus know about you... planning on killing him?" Nicholas asked.
"Yes," Florence answered, "It is his plan we are following."
The twins nodded.
Mum doesn't like the plan. Nick added to his brother.
Yes. And it's easy to see why. This is dangerously fucked up, Nick.
"So," James said out loud, "You two are actually working to destroy grandfather from the inside."
"Yes," Severus nodded, wrapping an arm around Florence's waist.
"However," continued Florence, "After Dumbledore dies, we'll publicly declare our support to the Dark Lord."
Bloody hell. Both twins thought.
"Wait." Nicholas said, frowning as he suddenly realised one of the repercussions of that plan: "What will happen to our relationships?"
Florence scoffed, "You're dating a blood-traitor and your brother a mudblood. What do you think will happen?"
The twins looked at her in shock, they had never heard her speak about their partners like that.
"That's not what I think of Fred and Hermione – and you know it!" Florence rolled her eyes, "But that's how my father thinks. And Fred and Hermione are already in great danger for being the family and the best friend of Harry Potter."
"But... they will hate us!" said James, also frowning.
"Probably. Yes," Florence confirmed, her anger with all that situation taking over her, "Oh, you're heartbroken?" she asked mockingly, "Welcome to the club."
Nicholas shook his head, his green eyes filling up with tears at the thought of Fred hating him.
But James was staring at Severus, just as furious as his mother, "We're going to lose our partners because of your choices!"
Severus was briefly surprised by his outburst, but simply replied: "To quote your mother: welcome to the club," he wrapped both arms around Florence, resting his chin on her shoulder, "We were separated during the first war – but we found our way back to each other. You will too. Both Granger and Weasley will be too busy with the war anyway."
The twins silently looked at them.
I can't bloody believe this! James told his brother. I don't want to lose Hermione!
And I don't want to lose Fred! But look at mum and dad, James! They've been through this before, they lost eachother and all of their friends the first time and now they're having to fight the same fight again. Nicholas paused. It's not their fault, they're doing their best.
James looked at their parents, the way their father's arms held their mother tightly, how she had turned around and touched his chest as he whispered in her ear and she nodded in reply. There was fear in their mother's eyes, and subtle desperation in their embrace.
They are afraid. James said. As if they could soon lose each other.
Nicholas nodded. We'll have to stay away from Fred and Hermione for a while, yes, but... honestly, James, will they even want us after they learn who our grandfather is?
James gulped. I hope so.
So do I, but we can't be sure. And that's not something we can change, you know. War or no war, we'll always be the Dark Lord's grandsons.
James just nodded and lowered his head, going upstairs without another word.
Nicholas turned and followed his brother.
Florence touched her head to her husband's chest, breathing in his scent and finding comfort in his warmth.
"Do you think we did right by telling them?" she asked.
"I believe so, yes," murmured Severus, "They shouldn't have told the Weasleys though. That could put you in even more danger, after I kill Albus."
"I can handle the Order."
"I know you can, love," he whispered, holding her close.
Florence felt him tensing up instead of relaxing in their embrace, a clear sign that something was bothering him.
"What is it, Sev? Are you still mad at James?"
He shook his head, looking into her eyes and brushing some of her hair off her face.
"I'm afraid I have one more thing to tell you, love."
"What is it?" Florence looked up at him with a frown.
"Before we left the castle earlier today, Dumbledore told me something-" he sighed heavily, "About Harry."
Florence was immediately worried, "What? What happened to Harry?"
"Nothing. Yet. But all that we've been doing to keep the boy alive is just... just so that he can die in the right moment," he caressed her face, knowing she'd be very upset by that.
Her frown deepened, "What are you talking about, Severus?"
"Harry must die in the end."
"I understood that," she replied harshly, "I want to know why."
"We believe your father's made seven horcruxes, right?"
"Yes."
"Well, Harry is the eighth. The Lord doesn't know about it, but as long as Harry is alive, a part of your father's soul will keep on living too."
Florence gasped, "Neither one can live while the other survives," she quoted a part of the Prophecy, "So that's why Harry can enter his mind!" suddenly she realised something else: "Wait. He entered Nagini's mind a while ago!"
"He did!" Severus understood what she was saying: "Nagini's also a Horcrux! That's why your father has been keeping her even closer than he used to!"
"And it's because of father that Harry's a Parselmouth!" she added.
"Yes," Severus nodded, "So we know the Lord used one horcrux to come back, the diary was another one, and the ring. That's three gone."
"Nagini, Harry and the locket Kreacher told me about are three horcruxes that we know of. We only need to find out where the locket is and what the other two are."
"Considering they could be bloody anything, that's a wild goose chase if there has ever been one."
"Yes, it is," Florence closed her eyes and laid her head on his chest again.
Severus caressed her hair as he spoke: "I told Dumbledore that we'll find a way to make sure that Harry lives in the end; that we won't let him die."
"And we won't," Florence agreed.
He let out a soft sigh: "But I haven't come to any solution so far."
"We'll think of something, Sev. We must," Florence said, looking at him again, "We can't let Harry die!"
"No, and we won't, love."
Florence fisted her hands on his jumper and pulled him down for a kiss.
Severus could sense her anger, fear and worry through their bond. I love you, Flor. He whispered in her mind.
She broke their kiss and smiled briefly, saying in a worried tone: "What I said to James about being at the eye of the storm is something that's been haunting me for a while. Once you kill Dumbledore, we won't have anyone leading the war on our side anymore."
"There'll be just us," Severus nodded slowly, "We'll have to be the ones planning everything; with no one to report to, no one to ask help from."
"And the whole Order will be hating us. Even Remus."
"Yes. But we can do it. We have to do it," he pulled her face closer, kissing her again, "Together."
Florence tearfully nodded, "We'll bring my father down. Together."
They shared another sweet kiss.
"Then," Severus whispered over her wet lips, "Once all this stress is behind us, we can think of making a couple more babies."
Florence laughed, "That's your reason to end the war? Don't you think we already have our hands full?"
"As long as we don't end up making two little girls that act like their oldest brother, we'll be fine."
She shook her head, glad that he had found a way to distract her from the worrisome thoughts in her head.
"That could still happen, you know," Florence said, wrapping her arms around his neck, "Merlin saves us from having two more Jameses..."
"Oh, well, how bad is he really?" Severus whispered over her lips, kissing her softly.
"Not bad. Just wicked," she sighed as he kissed her again.
"I'll take my chances," Severus finished, picking her up in his arms and carrying her upstairs.
