To be born again
Sev and his family sat down to eat dinner. Ugh... Now I have to talk about many things with the old man, and I don't feel like it at all after all the fun we've had flying.
Valerie dedicated the entire dinner to Andrew, she just gave Sev a peck on his cheek from time to time, not bonding and leaving him alone. As soon as he sat down, projected to the Headmaster, bonded with Deborah, who was listening, "Albus, we must talk about several urgent matters. Today we are going to have a lively dinner."
"Right, I also had to do it with you."
"Are you going to tell me or do I ask you what I think is a priority?"
"Ask me," Dumbledore said.
"Very well, first issue. Lily and I coming home for holidays. I guess that we will no longer be able to take the Express."
"You guess well, of course you will not be able to."
"When were you planning to tell us, Albus?"
"I was thinking of doing it on Thursday or Friday, when we'll meet for the next invisible session. I would have done it yesterday, but we were beset by other concerns."
"Okay, Albus, I understand."
"Have you already decided when?"
"Better Friday, tomorrow night I have Time Turner with all my Sly family, I'm going to take them to the fir tree." (Lauren's idea to trick him so he doesn't know we're going to the Sorcery Space in the Room of Requirement. Let's see if he buys it.)
"Oh... great."
"Can I ask you a favor?" Sev asked.
"Sure."
"That you undo the wards that does not allow Apparating inside Hogwarts after six so we can go to the tree Apparating, in less time."
"Is there any of them who can Apparate and already know the place?" the Headmaster asked.
"He bought it," Sev told Deborah bonded, she smiled.
"Yes, Jack," he projected to Albus.
"Okay, then I'll do it. I should have thought of that too when we went."
"Then it was no one who could Apparate and knew it."
"Sure, you are right," Dumbledore agreed.
(He is very silly, he does not realize that we can also project images.) "Can we Apparate then from inside the school?"
"Yes of course. Until what time do you need it?"
"What do you think until curfew? We are seven to perform rituals," Sev replied.
"Great, don't tell anyone else anything."
"Of course not, Albus. Third question. What about the OWL exams schedule?"
"Don't talk to me about that, Prince," overwhelmed. "This morning I had a good row at the Ministry."
"Oh... you've been in the Ministry."
"Of course, it is something that cannot be tolerated. I doubt half of the people who are preparing the Defense OWL will pass."
"They are boycotting us," said Sev.
"That is. I have tried to change the dates, but it is impossible, the examining Court is already assigned and summoned."
"And change practical exams from morning to afternoon?"
"Oh… That hadn't crossed my mind and it's a good idea, although I don't think they'll buy it," Dumbledore said. "The Court is only present in the practical ones and they prefer to ventilate them as soon as possible, they are lazy."
"It occurs to me that, in that case, lunchtime could be delayed."
"You're right. If I can't manage to change the practical ones for the afternoon, we'll do it like this."
"And also something else, that if it's hot in the Great Hall, excuse us for wearing the black robes during the theoretical ones," Sev suggested.
"Very well thought out, my boy, and that really does not depend on them, it is school teachers who watch over the theoretical ones. Then we'll do it like this, I'll take care of everything."
(Ugh… how well he is behaving, now I feel guilty for having lied to him like that about the fir tree. Well, I must learn to carry it with him, we are always going to have a weird relationship, because we cannot fully trust each other, especially me him, he will try to use me when the time comes.) "How well we understand each other, Albus."
"Of course. You are the thinking head and I am the executing arm."
"And vice versa. And since you've been in the Ministry, have you taken care of anything else we talked about?"
"Of course, there is no time to waste," the Headmaster replied. "I have already applied for the new Chair."
"Great, Albus. And how do you see it?"
"It won't be for next year, the paperwork is long. But maybe it will for the next one, the person in charge of Education is in my favor, and since I haven't mentioned you yet there hasn't been any problem."
"Cunning Gryff, Albus," admired.
"I've done more things."
"Tell me."
"Find the paperwork about your scholarship in St Mungo's to modify it so that your name and surname do not appear," said Dumbledore.
(Wow… great. Although if Lucius hadn't been involved I would have been caught by the bull.) "Wow... thank you very much."
"Now your name is Adrian Prince and you will collect checks payable to the bearer."
"Great, Albus. Have they granted it to me?"
"Yes, Prince, they have granted it to you. I've got hold of a copy of Professor Belby's report on you. It's impressive, he thinks very highly of you, having only met you for an hour. I'll give it to you when we meet."
"Thank you, Albus."
"More things to tell you since the topic of moving you through Floo has arisen. Your mother wrote to me and told me that at her suggestion Lily's parents were going to set it up in their house. They have already done it, she was in charge yesterday of doing the paperwork in the Ministry and today I also deleted that data."
(What a story, my mother conspiring with the old man behind my back, but very well done, by letter, without showing up at Hogwarts or meeting him at all. I won't need to explain anything to her, she already knows everything. And she hasn't told anything yet to Lily's parents, because they haven't even told Lily about the Floo, they want to surprise her.) "Wow… Albus, how wonderful. Thank you very much," admired.
"Of course, Prince, your mother is also part of the great team that we are, you can talk freely with her about everything. She didn't get to read the Daily Prophet news and she's avoiding going to Diagon, but I've already taken it upon myself to inform her properly. I will also pass you the mail that we have exchanged."
(Ugh… I talked to Mum about Riddle, she may be smelling that he's Voldemort, too.) He unbonded himself from Deborah. "Have you also told her about Riddle?"
"Of course not."
(He would never tell Mum about Horcruxes, she would also smell that he was trying to make me a double agent. She must already smell it from everything I told her about him.) "Thank you, Albus."
Sev bonded with Deborah again. "More questions. Has there been any news of the malefics we lynched?"
"Nothing in the Ministry either. They have kept their mouths shut."
"Great, excellent news. One last question. How do Genevre, Alice and Frank handle Occlumency? I say this because we are organizing a schedule with everything that remains to be done between now and the end of the term."
"Genevre was ready yesterday, she already does it one hundred percent, and I'm sure Alice and Frank will get it this week," Dumbledore replied.
(Of course they will. Alice is going to be cleared tonight, he already has all the classes left for Frank. We can meet to Bond over the weekend, also with Lily, we will demand a space in the Room of Requirement.) "Great, Albus. Now, some suggestions to make to you."
"Tell me."
Sev told him how they had trained that afternoon, flying in formation bonded. The Headmaster was amazed.
"I thought it would be appropriate that you also teach Occlumency to Professor Wing in the summer if she can afford to come to school, so that she can also Bond and help in the instruction of the squads," Sev suggested.
"I think it's a good idea. I'll propose it to her."
"Second suggestion. Is Madame Pomfrey staying at the school for the summer?"
"Yes, she stays," Dumbledore replied.
"Another person you could teach to occlude. She could get a lot out of Beneficial Magic, because of her profession."
"Of course she would. I'll consider it. I'm going to be pretty busy in the summer."
(Indeed, he is going to be, he has to plan everything for the next year, create venues to learn Mental Arts, instruct Minerva and Agatha in Occlumency and Ancient Magic, learn to speak Parseltongue… but he should be busy.) "No more than now, Albus and you are doing very well."
"Don't believe it, I'm also suffering from so much work, I don't have your energy. I can't wait for the term to end."
"Me too Albus, I can't wait for summer to arrive, I've never looked forward to it so much. The last month has seemed like a whole year. For my part, it's done, if you don't have anything else to tell me, I'll let you finish dinner in peace."
"Nothing else, Prince."
He unbonded from Deborah. "If there is nothing new, I will see you on Friday at six."
"That is. Until Friday."
He bonded with Deborah again and asked her, "What do you think?"
"That he is fully efficient, how many things has he done in a morning."
"Of course. We wouldn't be doing anything without him."
"He wouldn't do it without us either," she opined.
"I'm going to ask Lily about the Gryffs, we're still bonded."
Sev projected to Lily, "Good evening, honey, Deborah is listening."
"Hello, Deborah, how are you?" Lily said.
"Tell herI'm very well," Deborah replied.
"She says very well, she sends you a hug," said Sev.
"Another one from me, Deborah," Lily said.
"News from the Gryff table, Lily?"
"All in order regarding the rat, my roommates and Potter. Sailing wind on Sirius with Potter this afternoon. He has already asked him to sacrifice Saturday and Potter has been very sorry, more for not seeing you again than for training."
"Let them both come on Sunday, I will dedicate some time to them, I will fight two on one against them," he proposed. "That Sirius tells him that he is going to propose to me so that he can spend the week excited."
"Great, Sev. Next step to take?"
"Have an appointment tonight or tomorrow with Sirius as you did on Sunday, let him vent to you too."
"Better tomorrow, this afternoon he's had enough with Potter."
"Or on Thursday, when you see fit," he said.
"Have Albus appointed you for the invisible session yet?"
"Yes, for Friday."
"Then I'll meet Sirius tomorrow, so I don't stay up late having Time Turner the next day," she said.
"As you see fit, Lily. Anything else to tell me that Deborah should know?"
"Nothing, Sev."
"Then say goodbye to her, I unbond with her and we spend what's left chatting with each other."
"Good night, Deborah, rest well."
"Tell her the same, Prince, have a good night, and thank everyone for the effort they are making reading," said Deborah.
Sev did so and unbond himself from Deborah. "We are in private, honey. Tell me anything you want."
"Don't you want to chat with Lauren too?"
"I have already spoken with her in the afternoon, and tomorrow's Potions class I am going to dedicate to both of you to tell you all the good things that happened to me today with my family, today I was born again."
"But it would be good if we chatted with her for a little while, so I can tell you what my parents tell me in their letter, she will be very happy," Lily suggested.
"Okay, then project to her."
Lily projected to both of them, "Hi, Lauren, we are all three."
Lauren did it to both of them too, "Hi, Lily, what a joy. The three of us together again," excited.
"I can't wait for the day that the three of us can meet together," Lily said, a bit sad.
"We'll do it, honey, before the end of the term, and the three of us will Bond," Lauren said, encouraged.
(Amazing, Lauren cheering Lily up,) Sev thought. (Of course, what this woman needed was to be with me.)
Lily continued, "I want to tell you the good news that my parents give me in the letter I received today."
"Sure, tell us, come on."
"Sev sent my Mum nine jewels. The jeweler has kept them all and has paid her a good price for each one, for they are so special that he expects to sell them for much more than the simple metals and minerals from which they are made."
"Wooow... wonderful news," the Sly girl said.
"I think he's going to earn more just with that than everything they're going to pay him for the scholarship this summer."
"Great."
"He wants her to take him more and more, and my Mum is going to London to offer them in other jewelry stores," the Gryff continued. "You must Summon more, Sev, many more. They do not have to be all different, you can repeat the designs. Don't you say anything?"
"What do you want me to say, Lily? I'm amazed," he replied. "Today I was born again, tomorrow I'll tell you in more detail."
They chatted for a little while more about pleasant topics, none of the three wanted to bring up the topic of the OWL schedule and left with a bad taste in their mouths.
Lily also gave them news of her sister. "She has already started the exams at the university, since the schedule is longer, with days off between each subject and no classes."
(Muggles are much better organized, warlocks are a disaster at many things,) Sev thought. (We're also taking Petunia to partying to London in the summer, but I'm not saying anything to Lauren, she's going to be so envious, she's not going to be able to come.)
Lauren, in turn, told Lily about Lucius and Narcissa, which she had already told Sev on Saturday, and Lily was very amused by the banter between them. "Incredible, Sev, you have made fall in love with you both Sirius Black and Lucius Malfoy. Who would say it of you?" Lily said, teasing him. "Now you can also try if you like it with a boy."
"The truth is that they are very handsome, but you already know very well that I don't like men," Sev answered, annoyed.
"Of course we know that Severus, we know better than anyone," Lauren said teasing him.
They said goodbye and went home, the girls to prepare to go to the Library and Sev to have his previous meeting with Deborah before the occlumants one. On the way he bonded with her and told her, "It is necessary to include in the schedule a day for the Bond with Genevre, Alice and Frank, perhaps this next weekend. The two girls already occlude, all of Dumbledore's classes are going to be for Frank."
"Wonderful. I had already counted on it, had booked slots this weekend and the next."
"Bravo, Deborah, you think of everything. Anything else to tell me apart from the schedule?"
"Yes, Audrey's Occlumency, last night. Ninety percent."
"Wow… great, she's going to get it this week too."
"Of course, I'll take her to the tree over the weekend so that it will serve her for her exams," she proposed. "You don't know the effort she put in when we told her that it was going to serve her for that too."
"Of course, I should have done it from the beginning. Did you have a good time with her?"
"We didn't have much time to laugh, really. Just back and forth, nothing more."
"Did you tell her about yesterday morning?" he asked.
"Yes, she was very amused, all the time she told us that there is no other like you."
"This morning it was she who began to hit the table, she also did it the day of the mess."
"Yeah, she told us yesterday, she was very proud," Deborah said.
"It was also her triumph."
"Of course, we valued her."
"Was she excited to meet you?" Sev asked.
"A lot."
"Did she tell you something compromising about me?"
"Nothing, and she must have kept it in the Pensieve, because when I read her thoroughly, nothing of yours appeared the few times she failed to occlude," she answered.
"Good girl. She seemed not, but she knows how to keep secrets. You have to include a night in the schedule for her too, even if we only sleep together."
"Prince, I haven't included that in the schedule. Sleep with whoever you want every night."
"Okay…"
"I have made three copies, one of the complete one for you, another for me and Paul that includes the appointments with Audrey but not with Lauren, and the third that does not include the appointments with Lauren or Audrey, for the others."
"Wow… Deborah, you are the best. Give me a kiss, you never kiss me and Valerie has abandoned me."
They kissed without stopping walking, she bit his lips.
"Wow… don't do that to me, Deborah, I'll get very horny and tonight I don't want to do anything, only to you if you want."
"It's just that it wasn't true that I was served for a month, Prince, I desire you a lot and I get horny by seeing you with Valerie."
"That sobriety is going to take a fresh wind, tonight I'll do it with you, I've had you abandoned for more than a week. Short, I'm already like a motorcycle."
"Me too…"
"After Bonding as a Couple, it's going to be fantastic," he said.
They got home and each went up to their bedroom, Sev to the toilet and for the Celtic horoscope book, to leave it to Valerie and Andrew, and Deborah for the schedules. They went down at the same time, the rest of the occlumants were already at the table, leaving a space in the corner, all in silence.
(They are talking to each other bonded, Valerie with Andrew, facing the window, Jack with Anthony, with their backs to it, and Paul also facing it, alone, reading the notes on Red Magic. I'm going to give the book to Valerie and Andrew now. I'm going to let them know, I don't want to eavesdrop on their conversation.)
He put his hand on Andrew's shoulder. He turned to look at him, Valerie too. He bonded with them and spoke to them, "I bring you the Celtic horoscope book so that you can read the rituals and be more prepared for tomorrow. If you do it tonight, pass it on to Paul in the morning, in case he has time during the day to read it too. I have already marked the page where they begin, do not pry about the rest, please, and tell Paul about it too."
"Of course not, Prince," Andrew replied.
"I'm going to chat with Deborah for a while and then we'll do it together."
"We'll wait," Valerie told him.
Sev sat next to Deborah in front of the window and they bonded, looking at the schedule that included all the appointments. Sev thought occluding while he spoke, listened and noted, effortlessly.
Deborah spoke, "Tomorrow, Wednesday the 9th, after dinner, two hours back with Time Turner and until curfew, tree and cave in the Room of Requirement, with the seven occlumants."
Sev Summoned quill and inkwell, immediately and at once. "In the afternoon I'll be in the Library with the fifth-years, so I'll give Fiona a hand and Anthony can pay more attention to Heather. They don't have the powers, we have to help them with their exams. I also add to try the shield, that will be a moment and everyone will love it. If we have time to spare, even if we pass curfew, we'll stop a moment by Erised to look at ourselves, I want to do it with Andrew to see what we see together and also alone, to see if the premonition has already changed. And at night I'm going to be with Valerie." He began to write down the four things.
Deborah asked, "Summon another quill so that I also write down the shield and Erised in the other two."
He did, Deborah annotated and continued. "If you have two hours of Time-Turner and you're going to be with Valerie at night, take a half-hour nap with the Restorative at noon."
"You're absolutely right, I'm writing that down too."
He annotated and she continued, "Thursday the 10th, from dinner to curfew, Jack and Anthony will take Valerie, Andrew and Paul to teach curses in the Forest. I'll go to the small clearing with Audrey, I'll pretend that I'm staying with you, take the opportunity to be with Ariel."
"Of course, I also write it down. Also in the afternoon with the fifth-graders, tell Audrey that I'm sleeping with her that night, upon return from the clearing."
"Won't it be too much for you to spend so many nights in a row with girls?" Deborah asked.
"With Audrey I'm not going to do anything, just sleep, and maybe tomorrow I won't do anything with Valerie either, just please her."
"Okay, then."
He wrote down all three things. Deborah the notice for Audrey on her schedule.
Sev asked her, "Where are Jack and Anthony going to take them to teach them curses?"
"I don't know. Wherever they like."
"Do you know the pond?"
"Yes, when I went through the Forest with Jack looking for a place to train, we went through there," she replied.
"He has returned on more than one occasion. I write down that he takes them there, there are many insects, and more now with the heat."
"Booah… Anthony is going to have a blast, he doesn't know it."
"Let him catch them with Imperius, write it down too," he suggested.
They both annotated the place and Deborah also a notice for Anthony on the Imperius in the common schedule.
She continued, "You need to write down your appointment with Dumbledore on Friday the 11th in the morning, I didn't know if you would meet Thursday or Friday."
"Don't worry, we'll do it now. After breakfast, with Lily, two hours back of Time-Turner."
They annotated. (Three for me, but I will not forget it,) Sev thought.
"Annotate a half-hour nap with the Restorative at noon," Deborah told him.
He did it and she continued, "In the afternoon, at six, Quidditch field, with everyone who wants to join."
"Perfect. I'd like to go earlier, at five, to watch them train. I suppose we will go who have gone today."
"Yeah, I guess, maybe Jack can't go, he has to train the Huffles for the OWLs."
"True. Let him look for someone from home to replace him if he wants," Sev suggested. "George, for example, so we also give him prominence."
"Good idea, I write it down in my schedule to consult him tomorrow."
They wrote down the time change, and Deborah the consultation with Jack.
She continued, "From dinner to curfew, I have left free, in case we have to repeat the curses or Occlumency class with Audrey. If she already occludes well, I'll take her to the beech. Those who are free will stay with you. We'll talk about it on Friday after school."
"Okay. Pass Audrey the notes on Moon Magic as soon as she learns to occlude. That night I'll go to bed early, maybe I won't take that nap to fall asleep soon, that night I'll sleep alone."
"Of course, you will have had Time Turner in the morning and a flight in the afternoon."
"That is. And the next day training and chatting with Sirius, I'll have to plan it," he said. "I reserve that night for myself."
"That seems very good to me. We can also talk about it on Friday after school if you need advice, a problem that you get rid of."
"Yes, of course."
Deborah wrote down the notes for Audrey on her schedule, and Sev put the nap in brackets. They both wrote down the new meeting on Friday after school.
She continued, "Saturday the12th, training for everyone in the morning. When do you prefer to meet to Bond with Genevre and the Gryffs, that same day or on Sunday?"
"That same day. Sunday is big exam eve, Charms, and both Fiona and Heather have it, I'll spend time on them too, with Anthony."
"Where do you plan to do it?"
"In the Room of Requirement, but not where I'm going to take you," Sev replied. "I will demand another space, the piano classroom could be good for us."
"What time?"
"After lunch, without the Time Turner. Then I'll stay with Lily until dinner time so I don't burn up a night."
"Of course, a very good idea, you have many hours ahead of you," Deborah agreed.
"It just occurred to me."
"And how are you going to cover yourselves from Potter?"
"Very easy, let Remus, Cecile, Alice and Frank tell them that they are going for a walk and Sirius entertains him, I'll ask him in the morning," he answered.
"Great, complicity, he will be happy to help you."
"And so Remus can start teaching curses to them too, Genevre too, if she wants to."
"I want to sign up," she said.
"Well, you all can meet in the small clearing, Remus knows the pond, he'll take you."
"I'll tell Anthony, too."
"Sure, and Jack if he wants. Everyone, make friends with each other, you are all going to be part of the escort," Sev suggested. "If you feel like it, you can also take them to the fir tree to pass on the Transfiguration talent before exams and perform rituals with them, and you can even Bond."
"Of course, in the Forest and with Valerie's song, it will be wonderful. Too bad you and Lily won't be around."
"Don't feel sorry for us, we won't be sorry, we're going to be wonderfully."
They annotated the plan on the schedules. Sev spoke, "Enough for today. Saturday after dinner we'll meet again and continue, I want to take time with you tonight."
"Great, I'll give Paul our schedule and Anthony and Jack the common one so they can copy it. Tomorrow after lunch I'll ask them if they have any objections."
"Let me say goodbye to everyone and I'll go up to wait for you in my bedroom."
"Brilliant."
Sev bonded with everyone. "Guys, I'm going to bed, see you tomorrow."
"Prince…" it was Valerie, plaintive. "Don't leave without giving me a kiss…"
He got up and unbonded himself from the others. "Sure, Valerie, beautiful."
She also unbonded from Andrew, Sev leaned towards her and they kissed passionately, while he intensely caressed the nape of her neck.
"We're in private, sweetheart," she told him.
"Wow... Valerie, I'm dying to arrive tomorrow at this time, I'm already at a hundred."
"Of course, I turn you on and Deborah takes the prize..." sad.
"You're not going to get jealous, are you?" very sweet.
"It is that yesterday I tasted very little," she complained.
"Tomorrow we will be together, my love, you will be very pleased, I promise you, and it will be fantastic to do it after performing the rituals, I will do joint ones only with you."
"Thank you, sweetheart," more animated.
"Are you better?" Sev asked.
"Yes, much better, let's not talk anymore, I just want to feel you."
They continued kissing without saying anything else, for a couple of minutes. They separated and Sev said goodbye to everyone out loud, Deborah had already left.
He headed to his bedroom. By the way, I have to take a shower, I can't delayit if I'm going to spend the night with Deborah, I have disgusting hair. I should have told her to shower together, she also told me that she was going to shower at night.
While I'm waiting for her, I'm going to prepare my backpack with everything for tomorrow to take advantage of the time as much as possible. I'll also put in my alarm clock, shampoo, towel and clean uniform, I'll change my boots for my shoes and I put my robes in the trunk, so I already leave the hidden bedroom changed, because she surely also brings her clean clothes as she did the other night.
He went upstairs and got everything ready. Before he finished, Deborah had already arrived.
They bonded. "Wow, Deborah, how quick. I thought you were going to shower."
"I prefer to shower with you, Prince."
"Sure, me too."
"Are you already preparing your backpack for tomorrow?"
"Yes, and clean clothes, to speed up time as much as possible," he answered.
"I have done it too."
"Wonderful. Have you brought your shampoo?"
"Of course," she replied.
"Brilliant."
"Did you think we would read the Red Magic book today?"
"No, Deborah, today we are not going to have much time, I prefer to dedicate myself to other activities."
"Then leave it to Anthony, he wants to study everything related to the Couple in depth, to carry out the steps to the letter with Heather. You know, the whole initiation process."
"Wow... that's good."
"Paul and I also want to do it like this," she said.
"Great, Deborah. But Anthony will have to teach Heather Occlumency."
"Sure, he will. Now I'm going to let him read me whenever we're around and I'm not busy with you, so he can practice too and can do it, at dinner he's already done it without looking me in the eye. I will go with you to the Library also those afternoons, tomorrow I'll write it down."
"Great, everything is going smoothly. That's it, everything is ready. Shall I go downstairs to drop off the book for Anthony?"
"It's not necessary, he'll go up as soon as he finishes making copies of the schedule with Jack. He doesn't know Runic, Jack has to translate it for him. Leave it in his bed, as you did with your Arithmancy homework, he will be very excited."