The evening after the second task of the Triwizard Tournament found Severus Snape escorting Viktor Krum to the seventh floor corridor. Snape walked in front of a tapestry several times before a door appeared in the wall. He ushered the younger man inside. When the door had sealed behind them, he faced the young man, continuing the argument begun downstairs.
"You do not understand anything, Viktor! You must walk away from her. It is too dangerous for you to be seen with her." He fully expected to be obeyed without any argument.
"Vhat do you mean, I must valk avay from her? I vill not! She vill be my bride!" Viktor was livid that Snape tried to dictate to him.
"You're too young to consider such a step; The girl is only fifteen, Viktor. Use your head." Snape was being patronizing, positive that he knew what was best for his son.
"Vhat? Like you did at sixteen vhen you got my mother pregnant vith me? You haff no room to talk. I vas giffen to the Krums to insure my safety. They raised me as their own, but I knew the voman who had giffen me birth. I nefer knew you! I do not think I vant to know you. You haff no right to tell me vhat to do." Viktor had his wand at the ready. He knew he was in the right and nothing this man, who claimed to be his father, could say would change that.
"Viktor, your mother didn't tell me about you until the day she arrived here after you were chosen as the Durmstrang champion. She kept the secret of your birth from me all these years. Do you think I wouldn't have married her?"
"Are you saying it is her fault? I do not know vhat vent on between the two of you. Maybe she vanted to keep me avay from your associates? They vould haff used me as leferage ofer your actions, vouldn't they? You cannot blame her for keeping me a secret vhen your life vas so dangerous. How do I know you vouldn't haff disafowed me and her as vell?"
Snape saw the wand in the boy's hand and realised he had to defuse the situation or they would wind up fighting each other. He knew had pushed the volatile Bulgarian too far.
"Viktor, I think she made her choice based on what she knew I was going to face. I had sent her a final letter. Had she responded with the revelation she was expecting, I would have changed my plans." He started to pace. He tried to find the right words. "She knew where my loyalties lay. I never kept that a secret from her. I think she wanted you safe and to keep me from worrying about you and her. It was a very bold and brave thing she did, however much I regret she had to make that decision. She is a remarkable woman. I always knew that."
Sullenly, Viktor replied, "I do not know vhat to think. I vas raised by my mother's cousins because she vas avraid you vould be killed. I think she is still avriad of that. Cousin Igor thinks the Dark Lord vill return soon. Do you think this vay, as vell?" The boy had calmed a bit, thankfully.
"I honestly don't know. Caterina and I are only beginning to talk about things: you, Igor, why she kept you from me. There are signs, Viktor, but I cannot say for certain. Igor is letting his fears take control of him. I do not have that luxury. I still face walking a very thin line." Snape was finally being honest with Viktor, which Viktor saw and reacted to.
"You are vatching ofer the Potter boy, yes? Mother says you haff protected him since he vas baby. I do not know vhy she did not tell you of me. She loffs you, that I do know. Her eyes vould go soft vhen she spoke of my father. Tell me truthfully, vhy do you not vant me to marry Nin?" Viktor had calmed a bit, speaking of his mother and his love.
"Because you are both so damn young. And if there is a war coming, I don't want to lose my only son, now that I have found him." Severus heard the anguish in his own voice, as he turned away from the young man, admitting a truth he would rather have kept hidden. He was so protective of his feelings, but Caterina and Viktor, somehow both of them got under his carefully constructed shell.
"Ve vould not marry until var is ofer, you should realise that. I vill protect Nin and Harry, too. To help you if I can." Viktor responded quietly.
"You may well have to, if the Dark Lord regenerates, I will either be killed or forced to live in his pocket. Keep yourself safe, Viktor. You're the only child I will ever have; and Merlin help me, I don't want to lose you." Severus could not keep the ragged sob from his voice. He pulled the young man close and held him. He had realised Viktor was more like him than he had thought previously. The honour and the determination in the young man's character had come from him and Caterina both.
"Vat am I to call you? I cannot say Father in front of Igor and other students," Viktor whispered.
"Call me whatever you wish. But when it is just the four of us, you may call me Father. I admit you are old enough to have realised that Miss Granger, your Nin, is the woman you want to spend your life with. She is your equal in intelligence and zeal for learning." He took a deep breath. "Oh, Merlin, how will I deal with a Gryffindor daughter-in-law?" Severus released Viktor and attempted a small joke.
Viktor laughed as he said, "The same vay you vill deal with the doyenne of Quidditch as a vife, perhaps?"
Severus caught his breath at the boy's words. Why not marry Caterina? Secretly, of course, but to know she was there waiting for him... It was as though the boy knew his mind from years ago.
They were more in charity with each other as they left the room. Caterina waited at the top of the stairs to insert herself in between the two men as they walked down.
Her son took her arm, smiling brilliantly at her. Snape merely kept close to her side. She read the expression on their faces accurately. Viktor's grin meant that he had things to tell her in private and Severus' raised eyebrow, a long-loved characteristic, meant he, too, had things to discuss with her as well.
When they reached the ground floor, Severus turned to Caterina, saying, "Madam, as always it is a pleasure to see what a superb teacher and mentor can do for a young mind. And you, young, man, have the benefit of the canniest Seeker in the history of Quidditch, and an appropriately wise mentor all in one teacher. I shall see you both later."
Caterina and Viktor watched him walk away, then stop to speak to Miss Granger.
Later, in Severus' quarters, a secret door opened to admit two females. Severus and Viktor had requested tea and zakouski for four from the house-elves.
Caterina's voice could be heard saying, "See, Hermione, I vould not lead you into danger. Viktor avaits us."
The tapestry covering the tunnel entrance was swept aside by Caterina, who preceded Hermione into the room.
"Oh, Professor Snape! Madam Ivanova said Viktor's parents wanted to talk to me," Hermione blurted out.
Viktor moved to take Hermione's hand, saying, "Doushenka, these are my parents; my real parents. I did not know the name of my father until this year. They vill not harm you. I svear."
Still looking apprehensive, Hermione let him lead her to a seat.
Caterina smiled at the younger woman benignly. "Vitya, hand her the box of potions you asked her to make for you. She vill see they haff not been tampered vith. She may pour the Feritaserum into the teapot. That vay, none of us vill be able to lie to her. Not efen you, my son. Aha! There ! Did you catch that look, Hermione? Did it not remind you of your oh-so-fearsome Potions professor?"
Completely at a loss for words, Hermione took the proffered box of potions and selected the phial of Veritaserum. She unstoppered it shakily, and poured it directly into the teapot. Viktor took the empty phial from her hands and murmured soft, calming words to her.
Caterina poured the tea and handed each one a cup. "Of course, now you cannot lie to us, either."
"I realise that. Are you really his parents?"
Professor Snape sighed deeply, but answered. "Yes, to my utter surprise, Caterina only told me this year when she arrived after Viktor was chosen as the Durmstrang Champion. She had kept
knowledge of Viktor from me lo these many years. It is not something I am proud of admitting."
Caterina spoken up then. "I did not tell him of the child because I knew he vould face many dangers and I did not vant his loyalties to be suspect. Vitya vas placed vith my cousins because they had a stable life and I could see my son as often as I vished."
"And I had two maykas to spoil me as vell as a bashta to keep me vocused. I vas a lucky boy, Nin. Coming here to the tournament brought me more luck. I discovered you and my luck is now complete." Viktor beamed at her.