Ch 5: Punishment
A.N. I'm sure everyone can figure out with the '' things that they mean that they are speaking telepathically. However they are also used when they are thinking to themselves but I'm going to assume that everyone can figure out which one's are which. If not, I will go back and try to find another symbol to use.
Coming down to breakfast, the Headmaster was surprised to see that instead of Shadow sitting in one of their laps as he had done the day before, he was sitting next to them and had his own plate with a small bit of food on it. He had been pondering this for quite a while and so did not notice the concerned look Severus sent to Darkness.
'He is being punished.'
'May I ask the transgression? I know that whatever reason is between the three of you.'
'After I had told him no, he asked Midnight the same question, albeit not in words, but we hold each other to the same set of rules that we are not to break and he did so, thus the punishment. I really hate having to do this, because he belittles himself all day and I cannot simply wrap my arms around him and chase those thoughts off.'
'Is this why the three of you hold so tight to one another?'
Darkness closed his eyes. 'Yes.'
'When will it end?'
'Tonight, after dinner. One of us will more than likely have to carry him back. He craves touch and this is honestly the worse punishment for him but it gets the point across point blank and it is not repeated for some time yet.'
The headmaster turned to Severus and saw the look in his eye that said he had zoned out and so gently let his magic meet Severus's before lightly touching his shoulder. Severus broke the connection with Darkness and turned to face the headmaster.
"What may I do to help you Albus?"
"I was merely going to ask if you knew if their had been a fight between the three." Albus had to choose his words carefully since he could not simply say something about the group when Severus had once been part of one as well. "It seems as if the play has stopped and the serious nature set in."
"I believe one of them did something to upset the others but as of the nature I am not quite certain." 'Like I would tell you even if I did really understand you old manipulative bastard. If they were just merely my snakes I wouldn't tell you, much less my sons.' "Honestly, with children, it could be anything." Albus gave him a hard look.
"These children are your responsibility for the time they are here Severus."
"I know this Albus, and if you don't mind I shall take my leave to prepare for a class of dunderheads to darken my classroom doorway." Albus sighed and nodded his permission.
'Blundering fool. Its no wonder my snakes don't trust him. Manipulative bastard. Hopefully in the end Tom will put this fool in his place. As is it, I need to speak with Draconis before he does something he will regret. I also need to have a long talk with my three sons explaining this war. I can't afford to have Dumbledore mess this all up. The end is near. This fight is almost over, and soon peace will reign again.' He stalked into his classroom and prepared it for the first class of the day. He wrote the notes on the chalkboard and then erased it with a swish of his wand. Wouldn't the students be surprised that their professor's did actually have to write the lessons before they could recall them from the board, but Severus wasn't about to tell the students that.
Darkness and Midnight walked ahead, with Shadow following behind them with his head lowered. Not but a few paces behind them came Draco, frowning. He knew that two of them were vampire like him and that the other was a werewolf, but he could also smell Severus's scent on the one that walked head bowed. For all intents, he wanted to walk up to the other and wrap his arms around him. He looked so defeated, just tagging along. Draco could see his tension and feel his fear. He knew the others could feel it to by the way they were trying so hard not to turn around. Then he understood. This was a punishment, not a simple we're better than you. From how he had seen the three the night before, now everything made sense. The three were mates and this was hard for all of them, but still he had the urge to wrap him in a warm embrace, and if it wouldn't cause more problems than it would solve, he would do so, whether it be in front of everyone or not. Then again, since they were mates, the other two would probably kill him and splay his body as a warning to everyone else, but still, he felt drawn to the other. He followed them all the way to the dungeons ignoring everyone else.
Draco was close to all the older vampires as well as Remus. After they had lost their sons, his fathers would bring him over so he was rather spoilt, but he knew better than to show this. He wouldn't disappoint his fathers nor his surrogate uncles. They all meant the world to him. Then he paused in his step, then realizing he had done so, continued, not looking to see if anyone had seen, for that would in fact state that he had done something involuntarily. Now he knew why the other smelled like Severus. He was his son. No wonder he had felt drawn to him. He was almost like a brother to Draco. He would definitely have to tread carefully then, until a meeting could be set up somewhere they felt safe. He knew if he was like a brother to the other that he would get the whole package. Mates did not leave their mates short of death, and even then, typically followed before the night was out.
Severus strode to the door and quickly pulled it open. "Enter," he whispered in a deadly voice. The class quickly filed in. He would have to be careful this morning. He did not wish to set Shadow off, nor make his day any harder than it already was.
'Shadow?'
'Who? Oh! Yes?'
'Are you all right?'
'Will be come dinner,' he replied in a quivering voice.
'Be strong my son. I am here if you need me.'
'Thank you.' Shadow closed the connection and looked back down. It was so hard to try and play happy but he knew he must. It would do no good to show the entire school that he was unstable, mentally and emotionally.
'Draconis?'
'Yes Un Sev?' (Un as in uncle, shortened.)
'I ask that you tread carefully around the three mates. Shadow is my son, Midnight is Moony's, and Darkness Siri's, but still be wary, Darkness is very protective of Shadow. I can see you trying to get closer. No, no else will be able to tell, you are fine. Shadow is currently being punished but come this weekend I would like for you to come to my office around six so that we may all speak.'
'Yes, Un Sev. However I already feel as if I am brother bound to Shadow.'
'You are young Draconis. You wield thunder while he lightening. However, I am sure you will come to feel a bond between the other two as well, though yours with Shadow will be a bit stronger. It is nothing to fear.'
'Alright. Congrats on finding them. I know you have all waited for this.'
'Oh yes. Jam is already enamored with them.'
'They've met? That's cool. So how did it go?'
'Rather well but we must get back to our duties.'
'Yes Sev.' Draco admonished himself. He needed to hold still. It would do no good of him to go getting Shadow into more trouble.
Class went by rather well, considering the fact that no cauldrons had blown up. The Longbottom boy that Severus had been dreading was actually rather well at potions unlike his inept father. He was very thankful for that. The less accidents around vampires the better. Who knew what would set them off sometimes, and it was dangerous, especially if they were trying to hide the fact of what they were from the school population.
Class dismissed, they all ran from the room, except for four students. 'Tomorrow Draconis. I am sorry, he is not allowed touch right now and it would not be fair to make such a display in front of him.' Draco nodded and strode from the room. Oh well, he would get a hug sometime today from Sev.
After two more classes and a missed lunch for the three Slytherin's, they headed to their next class. They so badly wanted to scoop him into their arms, but then they would be punished for breaking a punishment. Shadow strode down the hall with his head held high but his eyes were glazed over. His thoughts were morbid as he walked, following his mate's shoes. He didn't understand how they could love him at all in the first place. He didn't deserve it. He was just a freak. Didn't they know that? It was carved into his chest. They should. His newfound family. Why would they want him? He had nothing to give them. They had house elves, so he could not pay them in cleaning. They had mates, so he was no good for use in that area either. He was just a waste of space, a burden. That was all he was good for. He was a stress reliever. He knew that, he believed that. Why wasn't he still with his uncle? At least there he had known what would occur if not the order things would occur in. Here, here everything could change so fast and he didn't like it. He wanted to be normal. He had tried to be normal. He couldn't even do that. He was worthless.
"Shadow! Enough!" He ran into the back of Darkness who had stopped before him. He was on autopilot and they were the leaders. He should have stopped. He pulled back as if slapped and then the words registered. His eyes focused and he took another step back before he whispered. "I'm sorry."
"Shh, it's alright. We didn't want to lose you. Please try to make it till the end of the day." He nodded. Midnight stepped forward and then stopped. "May mother shield your thoughts little brother." He sighed and relaxed a little before nodding. He could do this. He would do this. They led him again and this time he pushed all the thoughts that came swarming back, away. He would be safe, as soon as he made it through this day. They would hold him when this was over, and then he could relax, and they could all sleep.
Herbology was a quiet class and for that Shadow was extremely happy. He wouldn't have been able to take all the noise right now. It was hard enough keeping his attention centered outwards towards the class instead of inwards to his thoughts and his soul room, which is where he really wanted to be right now. However it seemed that Midnight had picked up on it this time. "Shadow," he warned. "I know. I won't. Sorry." He heard a sigh and looked up lightly to see the frown on Midnight's face, before it went blank. What had he done now to make him angry?
Midnight looked to Darkness and sent a tag to him so that Darkness could allow him to speak to him telepathically. 'Kuro, I don't know how much longer I can hold this off. The wolf is on high protest. It yearns for its mate that is sad. It is also angry that we can't do nothing to stop this. I need time to let out my rage without Shadow near. I don't want him to think it is because he made me angry, I am helpless here.' 'I will find you some time. You should be able to use the forest to dispel your anger, just warn the animals ahead of time that you will need an empty clearing and to stay away from it. You should be able to do this after the next class and before the one remaining for dinner. I will cover for you if I must but hopefully you will be back before then so that you do not worry Shadow with your absence.' Midnight nodded. 'Thank you.'
Midnight bounded through the forest flinging his own type of magic at the rocks and trees that stood in his way. He kept a straight path towards the large clearing that had been devoided of any life form for this one night. He ran constantly, never stopping, only increasing his pace. He needed to wear himself out. He spent fifteen minutes in the clearing dispelling his magic, thankfully their last class was Ancient Runes. His wolf fueled the rage, doubled it, tripled it for being away from its sad mate, and threw it at everything in his path. By the time Midnight was ready to leave he was exhausted. Still, he made the journey back to Hogwarts, to his mate. The wolf was spurred on by this one thought, giving Midnight the extra adrenaline to get back without collapsing. The clearing was totally destroyed, the werewolf's rage had consumed everything. Nothing would grow there ever again unless the wolf's mate sat there. No animal would walk through this clearing and live, no creature, no human, no ones but the wolf's mate and the one's the mate protected. It would become a place of sanctity.
Midnight raced to the classroom, determined not to be late. He didn't want to worry Darkness or Shadow as to his absence. As of yet, Shadow wouldn't have noticed, but once he expected Midnight to be somewhere and he wasn't, he would spaz until he found Midnight. He squeezed in just as the door was closing. "Cut it close Mr. …" "Midnight. Sorry ma'am. It should not happen again." She flashed him a smile. Shadow had been looking forward to this class since he had heard of it and so threw all of his thoughts into his work so as to not think of anything else at all. Dinner came around and Shadow was jittery. All he had to do was get through this and he could be with his mates, loved, and safe again. He vowed he would not make a fool of himself but figured it didn't really matter. As long as they held him and loved him he could care less what anyone else thought of him.
'Kage, wait until we get through the doors at the end of dinner.' He shook and nodded. He could hold on that long. Hell, no he couldn't. This was getting to him way to bad. He wanted them now. He forced himself to eat on autopilot less they fuss at him for not eating. His thoughts were all focused on 'the other side of the door, the other side of the door.' He was shaking by the time dinner was over and more than a few people had started to notice before Severus cast a Notice-Me-Not charm over them. Darkness gave him a nod of thanks and he nodded back as well. Midnight, not being able to stand it any longer, gave Darkness a look and the two stood as one. Immediately, Shadow stood and followed. Before they got the door Darkness commanded, 'Wrap the shadows about us luv.' Shadow nodded and did so and as soon as they were on the other side he was in Midnight's arms, clinging to his neck, like if he let go, he would disappear. They had known this would happen and they were prepared for it. Shadow's crimson tears slid unabashedly from his dark eyes. They wished for the sparkling emerald one's to return again, not the dull, lifeless jade they were now. Darkness lightly touched Midnight's shoulder and jumped them to their room for some privacy. Darkness settled them on the bed with Shadow in between the two with both their arms wrapped around him. His arms were still firmly wrapped around Midnight. Darkness waved his hand and pulled the covers up over them, to help them feel more secure.
It was only the three of them, nothing else mattered. No one else existed. They were the three lost souls that lye together for eternity in one night. They were mates. They were there for each other. They would die for each other. They would forever be together. Nothing could change that. Not even fate herself nor destiny himself.
A.N. Okay. This is strictly a vote. You all know that this yaoi, boy on boy. I'm not all that great at sex scenes and it won't be all that descriptive but if you would like for there to be a small scene at the beginning between the three, then I can do that. I won't write the next chapter until I get a positive yes or no.