The Bonds That Tie
Tomorrow morning at 11 am, Harry would be on the train with his daughter, brother and friends to return to Hogwarts for their last year of school. Lilium was going to go ahead with Severus, but at the mention of being away from her daddy for several hours; she clutched to him and hid her face. It was the silent signal that she refused that idea so Harry just said he would take her with him on the train. Currently, Harry's trunk was all packed and ready to go, so were Lilium's things and the discussions about Severus will have his quarters ready for them when the two arrived. Tom was packed too, Minerva had given permission that he serve his community service at the school, working as Severus's assistant. In that, Harry let Amelia know where all the death eaters would be working between Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley for their parole service. Lucius was sticking to the ministry, and a couple others chose that too, the rest were in shops. Amelia granted special permission to Tom's tracing and curfew monitors; he could use dark magic if it was in demonstration for classes and his boundaries were set to add being at the school. Minerva didn't want him coming and going for the year. Harry would still be allowed to leave on the weekends to check on the others, if necessary, but Narcissa and Harry agreed to use a two-way mirror to communicate. And obviously, letters too, so Harry could keep a record of all the work the death eaters did.
Tonight, though, Harry was throwing an end of summer party and inviting all the people that had come for his birthday. It would be a good chance to get his friends familiar with his daughter, so it wouldn't take them by surprise tomorrow either at the train station or when entering the great hall. Now that Harry's friends accepted him as a vampire; they all usually sat together in an open compartment on the train to be able to talk and hang out. Harry didn't want any problems; he promised Minerva there wouldn't be, so that meant his friends needed to meet Lilium and understand the circumstances behind why he and Severus had adopted a child. It also went these past few weeks that Harry took Draco and Severus out to hunt for the first time and teach them how to feed from a muggle without being seen, how to not drain them, heal the wound, then cast Obliviate, but only enough to modify the event of being fed on. It took a couple tries, but both nailed it during the start of the second week in practice. Draco and Severus were permitted to hunt on the weekends with Harry, so they could all feed, Minerva said so. Lilium would likely be sleeping at the times they were going out, so it was okay to leave her in the castle alone.
The time of the party would be at 4:00 pm, but right now, it was only 3:00 pm. The house was ready, and everyone not living there who was invited knew they had to apparate inside because Harry was keeping the fireplaces closed. It hadn't been just a hidden during the raids thing; Harry wanted Potter Castle to stay completely off the map, so he was leaving no room for anyone other than who already knew to find it. And those who knew couldn't breathe a word because Harry was the secret keeper. He was the only one who could divulge the location, and as the rules went; it had to be willingly given up.
"So everything is set for the party?" Narcissa asked Harry.
"All done, Mother." Harry replied.
"And ready for school tomorrow?" Lucius questioned.
"We all are, those of us going," Draco nodded.
"Will I be going on the train, or with Severus in the morning?" Tom inquired
"With Severus, so he can show you around and explain the rules." Harry stated. "Remember that no one will be calling you Lord Voldemort. It's been entered into the ministry files that you're officially Tom Marvolo Gaunt." He reminded.
"Yes, I got it. I do thank you for getting that set. I suppose I don't hate my muggle heritage, but the fact my muggle relatives just cast me aside was angering." Tom said.
"I get it, trust me. My muggle relatives beat and starved me. There's plenty of reason to hate muggles, just don't take it out on all of them. Only those who are guilty of doing wrong." Harry told him. "That's a lesson you should have been taught as a child, and perhaps you would have not continued on the path of darkness. I totally blame that one on Dumbledore." He rolled his eyes.
"And we're all taken care of on our feedings?" Severus wondered.
"Yes. Since you're both at a level where you feed once a week now, McGonagall has given the three of us permission to leave campus during the weekends to feed, but at night. Only Friday and Saturday nights." Harry mentioned. "Those are the times I'll be here to check in too."
"Who is going to watch Lilium when we're out feeding?" Severus questioned softly.
"She'll be fast asleep and we won't be gone more than an hour." Harry reminded. "Remember, she's half-human and still sleeps. When she gets older, it's possible she'll sleep less, but she won't be like us where we don't sleep at all unless weakened."
"Ah, right." Severus nodded. "And I'm taking her during your potions lessons?"
"It's the only class I'll have where I can't watch her indefinitely. There's too much focus in brewing, you know that. I'll need both hands and the scents at her age won't be easy to deal with." Harry said. "The rest of the classes are easy to manage her. She'll either sit in my lap or right next to me. I can do wand work or writing with one hand, no big deal." He added. "When you get to the school, it's up to you to rearrange our room though."
"I'll take care of it when Tom and I get there, did Minerva ever say where Tom would be residing though?" Severus asked.
"No, but I don't think it would be a big deal if he's in the dungeons with us. Not in our room, of course, but he could take the room I'm gonna be vacating to move in with you." Harry shrugged. "The classroom you'll be using only has the office on the second level, so it's not like the other classrooms that have both an office and the teacher's chambers."
"True." Severus agreed. "So all is taken care of then?"
"Entirely." Harry responded. "Have you told Minerva you plan on retiring after this year?"
"No, but there will be a staff meeting tomorrow night and I will hand my resignation in then." Severus told his mate. "She won't like it, but I originally only started teacher under Dumbledore's protection from Tom. When I changed sides, Albus told me to work as the potions teacher, and I'd be safe inside Hogwarts. It was also his way of keeping an eye on me to make sure I wasn't spying for Voldemort."
"Yes, we know. He was a manipulative bastard who wanted to be in control of everything." Harry sighed. "He's gone now, we shouldn't have to worry about him again."
"You said shouldn't…It makes me feel like you're not sure yourself that Dumbledore is gone…" Narcissa mentioned.
"He's been playing people for years, so truthfully, no. I don't think we've seen the last of him." Harry admitted. "The dark lord always struck at the end of the year…Let's see what happens this time." He shrugged.
"You think he'll find some way to break out of Azkaban, plus the magical restraints, and come after you?" Remus questioned calmly.
"If something big doesn't happen at the end of the school year, I'll be very surprised." Harry stated. "It's theory, and a feeling. Albus wouldn't give up this easily when he believes fully that the prophecy is about me and Tom, and while it very well could…Technically, Voldemort is gone. He was gone when the pieces of his soul were restored. It's just Tom Gaunt now. I define the dark lord as the one trying to be in control of everything and not giving a damn who he hurts in the process as long as he gets his own way. Tom's not like that anymore. Dumbledore, however, is. And he's the one who built Tom up to become Voldemort. Plus, the bastard admitted it in court. You all saw that." He shrugged a bit.
"We did," Bellatrix nodded. "If that old geezer wants a piece of you, he's gonna have to go through us."
"Calm yourself, Aunt Bella," Harry shook his head. "You're on parole, as are several others. Behave. There won't be another chance. I'll deal with Albus. After all, it's prophesized. I'd love to prove him wrong. It would make for a nice graduation gift."
"Defeating Dumbledore?" Severus laughed a bit. "I thought we were going on vacation to visit my mother?"
"Oh, we're definitely still doing that, love." Harry chuckled. "Have you told her about Lilium yet?"
"I sent word that it wouldn't be just us visiting. Mother likes mysteries and surprises." Severus mentioned.
"Noted." Harry made a mental note about that fact Severus mentioned.
"She wants to move back to Britain, when it's safe. I was going to tell her to come after the trial, but since you've mentioned the possibility of it not being over yet; I'll hold off." Severus remarked.
"She and her husband can live here, if you like. Plenty of room, Sev. I wasn't sure if she'd want to go back to Spinner's End." Harry offered.
"I don't know if her husband will want to live in a magic household. My mother doesn't even really use hers anymore. Basic things, but not full on." Severus stated. "Either way, I told her she could take Spinner's End if she wanted to because I'd be living with you."
"Understandable." Harry nodded lightly as Lilium moved from her seat on the couch next to him to be on his lap. She did it quite often, so he didn't mind. "Hi there. Sleepy?" He asked. Lilium nodded as she leaned herself against Harry's shoulder with a yawn.
"I thought you wanted her up to meet everyone?" Draco asked.
"People will be here for a while, she can always meet them later when she wakes up. It's not a huge deal." Harry told his brother lightly as Lilium began to drift off in Harry's arms, but slightly reclined. "She won't sleep long. It's just a nap. Lily will be up for dinner." Harry gave her a light kiss on the forehead before getting to his feet to take her into her room and lay her down. "Sweet dreams, little one." Harry covered his daughter and left the room, then closed the door slightly before returning to sit next to Severus. The potions master instantly linked their hands.
"I can't believe how much she's grown in just a couple weeks." Narcissa stated.
"It's crazy, right?" Harry chuckled. "Sanguini and I have a theory that she'll age fast for now, then it'll slow down to extend out until she looks seventeen or eighteen. He said she'd stop at adulthood, but would reach that in about ten years and she already looks about three years old." He explained.
"So you're saying that after she hits looking a certain, it'll slow down and she'll age slower?" Pansy questioned.
"That's the theory, but don't know. We're just watching her for now, keeping track of age appearance every week. Figure that she was born July 25th, and when I met her during Draco and Sev's coven initiation, she already appeared to look two years old. That was seven days since her birth to age that fast. We've had her since the 1st of August, it's now been a month and she looks another year older." Harry mentioned. "The aging process is different for all kids, whether born or turned and also being half or full vampire. There's no real way to decipher it. All we know with Lilium, according to Sanguini, is that she will age over ten years, and appear an adult at the end. There's no way to say how she'll age in terms of speed over those ten years." Right now, she's technically five weeks old and looks three. That could speed up or slowdown in the next ten years. But you all heard Sanguini too, what he said was a guess. It could be different."
"Would it be the same for a born full vampire?" Tom questioned.
"Assumingly. Sanguini and I never really got into the aging process other than when people are turned; they stop aging." Harry said.
"But you looked older after being changed." Draco pointed out. "You did not look like you had in fourth year after turning; you looked as you do now. Seventeen. It's been two years, Harry. Does that mean that you just instantly aged two years when bitten? I didn't change at all."
"A lot of it is to do with when you were turned. You, Dray, were already seventeen and that marks adulthood. I was turned at fifteen, but given how close that was to adulthood; I appeared older. Same with Sev, he was turned at his current age; he won't age past that. But say a young child being turned, they'll age until adulthood and stop. It would still be somewhat rapid, but how rapid is unknown. I think it depends on age when turned. As for born, I'm not sure the aging process. Lily is half vampire and she's aging fast, but no pattern to it. A born vampire might have a more set rate to their aging." Harry shrugged.
"Is there a difference between two vampires turned having a child and one born from two born vampires?" Bellatrix asked.
"No. No matter how the vampirism was presented. A child born from two vampires doesn't change based on the parent's vampirism factors. The only changed factors is Lilium's situation, being born a half vampire. And any other kids who were born to a human and a vampire." Harry informed calmly. "But Sanguini and I are keeping a record of Lilium's growth for the future." He added.
"So when will you and Harry have kids, Uncle Severus?" Draco grinned.
"Probably not until we're settled into our after Hogwarts lives…?" Severus shrugged. "We haven't really talked about it. The plans now are he graduates school, I resign, we live here and at some point go visit my mother or help her move back here and raise Lilium."
"You think the others will give you any trouble over having Lilium?" Blaise inquired.
"I would sincerely hope not." Harry muttered.
"Well, they got iffy when you came out as a vampire and were shocked about you being bonded to Professor Snape," Pansy pointed out.
"Outside of school, you may call me Severus," The potions master informed the students.
"Right, but still…Do you think your friends would walk away again?" Theodore questioned.
"It's possible, but it's also whatever. I don't force people to stay in my life if they don't want to be there. Walk out, I don't care. It's your decision, not mine. I'm just here, living my life." Harry informed. "At the same time, it's none of anyone's concern what I choose to do in my life, and it's not like I did this on my own. It was a joint decision between Sev and I. I know Lilium latched onto me, but she's coming around as I said she would have if taken back to the base and placed with another family." He added. "I'm beyond caring what others think of my choices."
"Good for you, Harry," Bellatrix smiled.
"So, Harry…" Severus started. "I found this in our room this morning and my curious nature, plus assuming it's a potion…What is this?" Severus pulled the vial out of his pocket and showed his mate. The vial was long and circular, filled with light blue liquid.
"Oh, that. I forgot I had it, to be honest." Harry chuckled. "It's a potion developed by the coven to allow us to eat human food. Well, a basic potion to allow it. San last told me they were trying to rework it to last longer."
"Wait, this allows vampires to eat normal food?" Draco inquired. "Instead of blood?"
"Not instead of," Harry clarified. "Just able."
"I don't understand?" Blaise tilted his head.
"This was a fairly recent creation for vampires, by vampires. Our coven is strictly human blood feeders. The muggle vampires are ones that can usually survive on animal or human blood. Something to do with the strength of human blood working well with our magical cores," Harry shrugged as he took the vial from his mate. "This potion is built to allow vampires to eat human food, yes, but that does not mean the food is any kind of substitute for blood." He explained. "It's merely to allow us to eat and digest regular food. It was created initially, to help us hide the vampiric side. To people who don't know you're a vampire. Obviously anyone who doesn't know is gonna find it off you don't eat food, ever. So this was made help let vampires blend in to normal society."
"Wow. That's cool." Draco beamed.
"Yes. So it would let you eat normal food, digest it…Possibly reactivate some of your currently shut down organs. But the food will not replace blood. You'll get back the enjoyment of eating, tasting…But it has no nutritional value to a vampire. We still need blood for all that, energy and power." Harry informed.
"How does it work, like…Take it once and that's it?" Draco asked.
"The original version was built to only last the one meal, but this one will last twelve hours." Harry stated calmly. "They're still working on developing one that will last a week, or permanent."
"I could potentially help in this endeavor," Severus offered. "Would Sanguini possibly show me the recipe, notes perhaps?"
"I could ask him about research notes, but I have the recipe, love." Harry told him. "I'll dig it out tomorrow before I get on the train for you. Sanguini would appreciate the help."
"I could assist too, Harry. I was good at potions." Tom offered.
"Go for it." Harry nodded. "Now then…It's nearly 4 pm, let's get ready to party."