Rated M

New Beginning: The Same Refrain

Chapter 15

He spent the summer brewing potions and discovered a new way to speed the process of simmering the calming draught. He could now produce the elixir in half the time, and by substituting the ingredients, at one-third the cost. Severus smirked and took his findings the Headmasters office.

He tossed his notes and new potion instructions on Albus's desk and flopped down in the chair opposite him.

"That is for you to take to St Mungo's." He nodded to the parchment. "I am sure you can receive a small sum for it."

Albus picked up the scroll and leaned back in his chair taking several minutes to read it and process the changes. Then a grin replaced his scowl, as he set the parchment down and looked over is spectacles at Severus.

"You are entitled to half the profits," Albus said already imagining new books for the Third Years. "I am quite pleased with your contribution to the Academy."

"If I am to share the profits of my endeavours I expect you to also cover a share of the cost." Severus smirked reaching into his pocket and pulling out a ledger of expense he had kept on the project.

Albus picked up the list, rising as eyebrow when he came to the bottom.

"It is not the cost of the final product that is the total, but all the mistakes along the way." Severus said in way of explanation of the high sum.

"Yes, I imagine it is our mistakes that cost most dearly," Albus said testily. "You will bare the cost this time, however in the future I will set a Hogwarts Account with your supplier. In the future, you may remember to think before you act. You seem to have forgotten this lesson."

Severus came to his feet, fists at his side and glared at the wizard sitting if front of him. To angry to argue, he turned and started to the door.

"Professor," Albus' voice came to him. "If you are planning to visit with the Malfoys remember our agreement."

Severus continued walking. At the mention of the Malfoys, he walked to the Dungeons and changed into one of his new robes, then telling Millie to inform the Headmaster of his departure he hurried to the Manor. It was not until he was walking up to the house that he realized that Dumbledore had easily manipulated him into checking up on Lucius.

He tossed his robes off as he walked past the elf and into the sitting room where he could hear Narcissa's laughter, followed by the deep baritone laugh of Lucius. He got to the door in time to see Lucius jumping onto the sofa to avoid stabbing by a low flying broom ridden by young Draco Malfoy.

The boy crashed in to the wall and wailed as Narcissa ran over to him still beaming.

"I would think that he needs to be able to walk with out falling before riding a broom." Severus snickered watching Lucius jump off the sofa, smooth his robes, and school his face back to that of a snobbish aristocrat.

"Lucius, really." Severus leaned against the door jam and smirked. "Now you look like one of the Muggle nuevo rich."

Narcissa walked over to him with Draco sitting on her hip, one arm holding him up. With her other, she reached up and pulled him down of a resounding kiss on his cheek.

"Here," she said thrusting the infant at him. "You are staying for lunch. I will see that an extra place is set."

Severus stood holding the young child under both arms, away from his body. He looked at Lucius and seeing no help in the offering carried the child, kicking and dangling in front of him to his father.

"Here," he said trying to do what Narcissa had done, only Lucius stepped back, not attempting to take the child.

"Oh no you don't." Lucius laughed at him. "Narcissa has informed you that you are to be named as Godfather, it is time you got to know your Godson."

Severus looked at Lucius horrified, then looked into the child' face as Draco reached out to grab his nose. Pulling his head back to avoid the little hand, he scowled down at the boy.

Draco looked at the stranger's face and the unfamiliar black hair and let out a howl that would rival a cat under the back wheels of the Knight's Bus. Severus looked at Lucius in horror and again tried to foist the child off on him.

"Really now," Narcissa said from the doorway as she hurried back into the room and took Draco from him, balancing the boy back on her hip and pulling his head closed to her to plant a kiss on his head. "You would think he could hurt you the way you are acting."

Severus stood silently as she huffed out of the room and then he turned back to see Lucius chuckling.

Trying to ignore the mirth Severus went over the liquor cabinet and took out two glasses, pouring one and knocking it back at once he refilled the glass and then poured a drink for Lucius. He and Lucius, taking their drinks with them, followed Narcissa into the dinning room for lunch.

Severus was uncomfortable, eating quickly and not joining in with the conversation. He could not stop looking at the young boy to his right, sitting up in a highchair and blowing bubbles with his food. Occasionally a stray piece of cooked carrot was flung into his face or a gob of potatoes landed on his shoe.

"Severus?" Narcissa voice cut though to him. "Are you paying any attention to what we are saying at all? So, will you?"

"What?" he spat out embarrassed that he had been caught staring at Draco.

"Will you consent to taking Draco if anything were to happen to us?" Narcissa leaned over the table watching him carefully.

"Narcissa, you know I would do anything for you." Severus qualified what he was to say. "However, this I can not do."

"Lucius." Narcissa turn to her husband. "I want some wine. Something nice for our guest."

"And that," Lucius said rising, "is my cue to go the wine cellar so she can talk to you in private."

Narcissa sat quietly until she knew Lucius had time to reach the stairs leading down to the wine cellar.

"Severus," she pleaded. "If you don't do this he will appoint Bella and her new husband."

"Narcissa surely…"

"No, you listen." She put her hand over his on the table and squeezed hard. "Bella wants to take the mark. As soon as the Lord comes back she will, for now it is only her husband that wears it."

"I wear the same my dear." He looked at her suspiciously.

"But you are strong, you may survive this," she said honestly. "I need someone who may last longer than the rest have. You know what I mean. You know how many have been lost."

"I live in the Dungeons of Hogwarts, how I would look after a child?"

"Severus, if we are both gone he will get this all this." She waved her hands around, "He is our only heir."

"If it comes to that my dear," he sneered, "all this well be owned by the Ministry."

He pushed his chair back and left the table returning to the sitting room he took the bottle, sans glass, and sat in one of Narcissa's wing backed chairs that faced the fireplace. He stretched out his legs in front of him and proceeded to finishing the whiskey, waving off the wine when Lucius finally came back.

He was well into his cups when he felt a pressure on the legs and opening just one eye he looked to see the boy standing in front of him resting against his legs. The boy had large grey blue eyes, a shock of silver blond hair and a thumb thrust firmly in his mouth.

Severus tried to put the bottle down without spilling its contents, but unable to balance such a delicate task, allowed it to fall and spill to the floor. He reached down and picked the child up; setting him on his lap with Draco's back to his chest he wrapped his arms around the small lad and leaned his head forward to rest on his head.

Narcissa found them this way, both fast asleep while Lucius looked on from his seat on the sofa.

"What is wrong with him?" Narcissa said sitting next to Lucius and wrapping both arms around one of his. "He seems so different, he hardly smiles, and when he does it is false."

"Nothing a good witch won't fix," he said nuzzling her hair. "We just have to keep him away from those Muggles and Muggle born witches."

"What ever does he see in them?" Narcissa mused smoothing her dress and looking up at Lucius.

"Muggles are all whores, you know that." Lucius looked down at her and saw her nod. "You know yourself that a Muggle born witch is just trying to climb the ladder and snag someone better than herself."

"Now Lucius," she looked up pouting. "Severus is a half-blood, every one knows that. I hardly think a Muggle born witch would waste her time."

"No, but many pure bloods would be honoured to add his mother's blood line to theirs." He thought of all the families aligned to the Dark Lord. "I could think of a few that may do."

"We will just have to make sure his Muggle learns to keep her red light out of our world." He leaned back with Narcissa and started to make a plan.

"It was that tart from school that started all this," Narcissa said looking over to Severus again. "Then she dumped him for that blood traitor Potter."

"It won't happen again Cissy," he patted her knee, "just let me take care of it."

Severus woke slowly aware of the child in his lap but not remembering how he got there. He kept his head lowered and enjoyed the warmth and smell of the boy. He found himself comfortable as he gazed down at the top of the child's head and wondered if Lucius understood how fragile everything was, how quickly this could all be lost for naught.

Narcissa, seeing them stir came over, took her son from his lap, and smiled at him.

"I didn't want to wake you," she whispered over her sons head. "I do the same thing, as soon as he is in my lap I just relax and fall asleep."

"I did not mean to do this." He sat up flexing his legs to get some feeling back into them.

"Severus?" Narcissa quirked an eyebrow at him. "Have you thought about it? Will you do this for Lucius and me?"

"No," Severus said reaching out and stroking Narcissa's hair, then lowering his hand to the boys. "I will do this for your son."

"Thank you Severus." Her eyes filled with tears, "I worry about him every night. Thank you."

She left to put her son to bed as Severus walked to the door. He had not seen Lucius in the sitting room and looking at the clock saw that nearly two hours had passed. He needed to return to the Headmaster now and report that nothing thankfully, had happened.

He told Albus about the visit, and mentioned Narcissa's request and his acceptance.

"Are you sure this was a wise decision?" Albus asked.

"Yes." Severus replied to Albus's question. "I accepted."

"You are aware of the responsibility you have taken on?" Albus fought to keep his anger in check.

"Yes, I am quite aware." Severus scowled crossing his arms.

"A Death Eaters life expectance is rather low," Albus, said flatly. "If anything happens to both of them you will have their child as a member of your family for the rest of your life."

"Since I have no family that should not be a problem." Severus faced Albus showing no emotion.

"Anyway, I now have two masters. I have no doubt that I will precede Lucius in death, and then you may be relieved that I no longer carry this responsibility."

"He will be your student here in ten years," Albus thought aloud.

'Ten years?" Severus was shocked. "Do you mean to hold me here for ten years?"

"I plan on forcing you to stay until I can trust you." Albus frowned at him. "I had hoped after that you may choose to stay on."

"Why are you doing this?" Severus looked up, suddenly that Seventh Year student again.

"Because you asked, because you seem truly repentant," Albus sighed. "And because Hogwarts failed you once, and will not again. I know what you and your mother went through, but in my own blindness I did not think it a Headmaster's duty to step in."

"Is it now part of a Headmaster's duty?"

"No," Albus took his glass off and tossed them on the desk. "It is the duty of us all."