A/N: Should I be doing schoolwork instead of this? Yes. However, that is not what happened. Instead, this chapter happened and I am so glad it did! So much here in both fluffy and tense, threatening developments. I really hope you enjoy this chapter and the way I chose to do certain things (you will know what I mean when you read). If you enjoy it, please, leave a review. Thank you so much ️❤️

Translations:
[English text] Moy drug = [Russian text] Мой друг = My friend

Chapter 57

Severus winced as Alexei carefully scraped away the layer of burnt, dead skin around the Mark while wiping away the weeping blood. Once the necrotic tissue was gone, leaving behind raw flesh, Alexei spread a clear gel over the entire area to protect the fresh opening before dropping a few beads of his refined venom to numb it just slightly for the next few hours. The range of its effectiveness had greatly diminished in the last month, leaving him in a haze of constant pain for all of February and now the beginning half of March.

He grit his teeth and clenched his fist even as he tried to push the pain aside and focus on his letter of justification that the adoption application asked for in cases where the original guardians did not give up custody voluntarily and the adopter was not a family member or registered as a caregiver with the Child and Family Services Department. He knew it would mean little while Scrimgeour was Minister, but he was not going to risk what little hold he had on Harry and Draco by skirting the process.

"Almost done, moy drug," Alexei murmured, looking closely at the Mark that was quickly becoming concealed beneath the damage before placing a large piece of gauze over it and wrapping the forearm in bandages. "I fear we are reaching the limit of what we can do."

Severus sighed, finishing his sentence and glancing at Alexei. "Yes, I know."

"Severus, he is no longer just torturing you with pain," Alexei said, taping off the end of the bandage. "Something has changed."

"I know," Severus repeated, feeling weary. "I believe it has to do with Voldemort taking our magic."

"He cannot use it to harm you, not with your bond," Alexei protested with a frown.

"No, but there is nothing stopping him from changing the magic to something far darker," Severus told him. "I believe he is using our magic to strengthen his and is pouring it into the Mark, causing far worse damage."

"Can he kill you this way?" Alexei asked gravely.

"More than likely," Severus admitted and Alexei's face grew tight. "Pure dark magic is…destructive to anything it touches."

Alexei didn't get a chance to respond as there was a sudden knock on the door and it swung open. Severus' own face tightened as the open door admitted Rufus Scrimgeour. He rose to his feet, Alexei doing the same from where he'd been crouched to treat Severus' arm, and he circled the desk to join his unwelcome visitor next to the sitting area, Alexei remaining just behind him.

The atmosphere in his rooms had sharpened and grown cool like Scrimgeour's demeanour, features, and gaze, and both sensations crawled across his skin. Severus was tense as he narrowed his eyes, meeting the hard gaze levelled at him, but did his best not to show any of his discomfort, particularly not when Scrimgeour's eyes became glued to his bandaged arm, lips twisting distastefully when Severus calmly and casually rolled his sleeve back down.

"What can I do for you in this uninvited visit?" Severus asked with barely concealed pointed bite. "I do not recall having a meeting arranged."

Scrimgeour's eye twitched ever so slightly and Severus tilted his head a fraction to indicate he'd seen the unwanted response.

"We do not, but as I have sent a number of letters that have all gone unanswered, I decided to take an in-person approach," Scrimgeour replied with stiff lightness.

"Well, I am very sorry you have come all the way here, wasting what I am sure is very valuable time," Severus said sardonically, doing his best not to sneer.

Scrimgeour looked at him questioningly.

"My in-person response remains the same as my letter responses," Severus replied bluntly.

Scrimgeour's expression turned hard again, angry, though he quickly tried to clear the emotion with false pleasantry. "Perhaps my requests have been misunderstood. I simply want—"

"I know what you want, Minister," Severus interrupted, crossing his arms. "I have not misunderstood, I am simply refusing as is my right as their guardian."

"And how long do you believe you would remain as such should the public become aware of just who is caring for the Boy Who Lived? Do you believe your petition for adoption will be approved given the…" Scrimgeour's eyes slid over Alexei with disgust and a curl of his lip, "unsavoury company of Death Eaters, vampires, and immortals with quite questionable pasts and relations with infamous wizarding threats?"

Severus' eyes narrowed again as Scrimgeour looked back at him, a hint of sinister triumph behind the yellowish eyes.

"Given what I have found about Marcus, I can only imagine what I'll find if I look into Alexei Romanov," Scrimgeour continued, "and we know what I'll find if I get my hands on the file of Severus Snape."

The silence between them was thick, suffocating.

"You do not want to be my enemy, Snape."

Severus arched a sharp brow even as his face remained impassive in the face of Scrimgeour's threats and blackmail. "I was unaware I was anything else," he drawled.

Scrimgeour's eye twitched again. "You have a choice, Snape. Either give me the boys or I pull out every past action of you, the vampire, and Marcus, send you all to Azkaban or worse," his gaze flickered to Alexei again, "and I simply take the boys. It will be so easy to take them into Ministry custody when it is public that they have no guardians, that Dumbledore is incapacitated, that Hogwarts has facilitated the forcible confinement of the boys with Death Eaters and Dark creatures."

Severus said nothing, his jaw clenching as he glared at the Minister.

"Think on it," Scrimgeour suggested lightly. "The Ministry is changing. I think it could be due for a new Archivist. Enjoy your evening. We will speak again soon."

Severus still said nothing nor did he move as he watched Scrimgeour stroll out of his quarters, the door closing far too gently for the tense atmosphere. Its small click seemed to echo in the silent room. Severus stared at the door for a long while, feeling Alexei practically vibrate with rage behind him as the air grew warm and electric with the vampire's seeping magic.

Eventually, Severus sighed and released his arms, massaging his brow as he turned to Alexei.

"Please do not set my rooms on fire or conjure a tornado," Severus said and Alexei seemed to deflate as he met Severus' amused look, rolling his own eyes and pulling back his magic.

"What are you going to do?" Alexei asked.

"I'm not going to just give Harry and Draco to Rufus Scrimgeour, if that's what you're asking," Severus replied with a touch of sarcasm.

"He'll throw you in Azkaban."

"He couldn't get me convicted fifteen years ago when there was ample proof," Severus said dismissively. "He'll have even less now."

"Fifteen years ago, you had Dumbledore. As much as Leif and I dislike him and what he's done to you, he did keep you out of prison," Alexei snapped. "He can't help you this time."

"Dad?"

Severus froze at the simultaneous voices echoing that word behind him. Alexei's eyebrows rose as he leaned just slightly to the side to look past Severus' shoulder, his mouth twitching into a smile.

He found he had no idea how to respond. At no point had he ever thought he would hear that title and he certainly never would have expected it to come out so casually on a random Friday evening without anything predicating its use. Yet, for as stunned as he was, he could not deny the overwhelming feeling it incited within him, such pure emotion he'd never felt before.

"Hello, boys," Alexei greeted. "We weren't expecting you."

Severus turned finally, finding Harry and Draco standing next to each other where Scrimgeour had stood, both looking worried and even a little startled. Apparently, calling him 'Dad' had not been planned. Somehow, knowing that made Severus soften, any anxiety melting away. If it hadn't been planned, then it meant they were just that comfortable and it had been natural, something they'd been wanting, thinking, and feeling, even unconsciously.

"Yeah, sorry, just…we've got homework," Harry said awkwardly, gesturing absently to the bag hanging down his side.

"Finishing our project," Draco added, just as uncomfortable. "The Magical Theory assessors come in a couple weeks."

"Wanted somewhere quiet," Harry justified as though they needed a reason to be there. "I also wanted to ask you or Leif to go over my runes."

"I'd be happy to," Alexei agreed. "I have to step out for a moment, though, so I'll leave you three to talk. I'll be back soon."

Severus watched as Alexei gave him a very pointed look before passing by Harry and Draco to leave the quarters. The boys also watched the vampire leave, turning back to each other and then him with almost comically wide eyes. A part of him was amused, but he could see the panic behind both sets of eyes, panic that they had crossed some line and would be thrown back into their lives of abandonment.

"Sir, we are so sorry!" Draco exclaimed, panicked.

"We didn't mean—we shouldn't have—"

"It just slipped out."

Severus held up a hand and both of their mouths snapped shut. "What are you apologizing for?" he asked.

"For calling you—"

"We shouldn't have—"

"You never said—"

"Stop," Severus interrupted again and their mouths shut again, teeth clicking. "I am adopting you, am I not? At least, I am attempting to, yes?"

Both boys gave slow, small nods.

"And I believe I can recall a couple occasions on which I have called the two of you my sons, correct?"

More slow nods.

"So, what could possibly have made you believe I would be unhappy earning such a title?"

"You…you never asked for it," Harry said quietly.

"For us," Draco added. "You've also said you'd never planned to have kids."

"And we don't want you to think we think you're like our fathers," Harry said. "You might not want to be put in the place of people you hated and who've hurt you."

"Because you're not like them at all!" Draco said quickly. "Not the bad parts anyway," he added with a glance at Harry, obviously remembering that, for as much as James Potter had been an aggressive bully as a teenager, he had loved and died for Harry.

Severus hummed as he watched the boys shift anxiously, waiting for him to agree with their fears and throw them out, never to be in his life again. All they'd listed didn't surprise him; they were expected fears for traumatized children. No matter the words given or actions done, they could never be sure just how comfortable they were allowed to get, how far they were allowed to go before it was actually too far. They would always look for the invisible lines and listen for the unspoken rules, distracting them from how far he would allow and encourage them to go. What did surprise him was that he had apparently guided them to this moment without even realizing.

Noticing the boys had paled significantly, Severus finally responded, concerned they were about to make themselves ill.

"No, I never planned to have children, but more because I never believed I would have the opportunity, particularly given the direction my life ended up taking," Severus told them. "And, no, I did not ask for you to come to me this summer, but considering we are standing here having this particular conversation, I could not be happier that you ended up in my home."

His mouth curved up into a small smile as the boys glanced at each other, hope swimming behind their worried eyes when they looked back at him.

"Finally, no, I do not believe you think me to be the same as James Potter or Lucius Malfoy," Severus continued. "I am not here to take their place, though, I do hope I am better than Lucius and can live up to James."

"I mean, you haven't sold me to a dark lord," Draco said with a small grin and shrug.

"And you did nearly die for me already," Harry pointed out.

"I will do my best to raise those bars a touch higher," Severus said, forcing himself to be amused at the clear attempts at making jokes rather than feeling despair at just how low their expectations were. "You are to call me whatever you are comfortable with and, if that is 'Dad', then I am honoured to have gained such a place with you."

Harry and Draco smiled then and quickly moved to embrace him together, heads of messy black and slightly less than perfect blonde—there was some obvious subliminal influence from his brother happening—coming to rest against his shoulders.

"Now," Severus said after a few moments, "I assume you want to know about what you heard."

The heads nodded and pulled back, Severus pointing them to the sofa and he sat in his usual wingback.

"What did you hear?" Severus asked once they were all comfortable.

"Just the last bit about Dumbledore keeping you out of prison and he can't help this time," Draco told him.

"Are you going to Azkaban?" Harry asked, fear drifting into each boy's face with the voiced question.

"Not anytime soon, I should think," Severus replied. "It was a threat against me, Leif, and Alexei by Scrimgeour. He has been…dissatisfied with my lack of cooperation regarding his 'requests' to speak with the two of you and decided threats were his next course of action."

"It could become more than threats though, right?" Draco said, clearly worried.

"And what is going on with Dumbledore?" Harry asked with a furrowed brow. "When I saw him that night, he seemed…mad."

"The headmaster has…fallen ill due to a loss of magic," Severus said and the boys looked at him, confused. "It is a punishment for how he harmed the two of you when he blocked your magic. It was illegal as well as could have been fatal had our bond not been as strong."

"So, is the Ministry punishing him?" Harry wondered.

Severus shook his head and the boys frowned.

"Who?" Draco asked.

"Lady Magic," Severus said and their eyes widened. "It seems she wants Dumbledore to pay for his interference so she has taken nearly all his magic while making him relive his mistakes."

"Will…will he die?" Harry asked.

"If she wants him to, yes, but we do not believe that is what she wants," Severus told them. "We believe she simply wants him out of the way until her prophecy is fulfilled while suffering for the pain he caused you."

"So, what's going to happen with Scrimgeour then?" Draco asked.

"Try not to concern yourselves," Severus assured. "I will keep you from him with Leif and Alexei. Should he become more of a threat towards you, I will tell you. I also want you to tell me if he reaches out to you directly."

Harry and Draco nodded despite still looking unconvinced that there was little for them to worry about.

"Focus on your project," Severus said, summoning the tea tray from the kitchen. "When do I finally earn the privilege of knowing what this project is?"

"When we present it," Harry replied and Severus arched an eyebrow.

"You're going to be part of it," Draco added.

"I am unsure I like the idea of the two of you colluding," Severus said with playfully narrowed eyes though he was legitimately suspicious.

"Don't worry, Dad," Harry said, the slightest hint of hesitation in his tone as he tried out the title again.

"With you two, I always worry," Severus said dryly even as the purest emotion spread through him again at the title, and the boys snickered.

As the cylinder disappeared with a pop to the Misuse of Muggle Artifacts Department, Leif turned to the podium for his next request. He tapped each Daily Prophet to create an indexing number for each and sent them flying into the shelves to join the thousands of other archived papers while casually reading the request that sat on top of the small stack. Touching his wand to it, it also flew into the shelves and he double-checked the quill that was recording everything as he waited, making sure names and numbers had been taken down correctly. He turned around as the request and its document returned, confirming all the information before sending it off to the Portkey Office.

He was reading another acquisition request when a roll of parchment with the Ministry's insignia appeared on top of his small pile of tasks. As it slowly unfurled itself, Leif's eyebrows furrowed. All correspondence penned within the Ministry was automatically duplicated with the copy immediately going to the Archives. Every correspondence came with a different version of the Ministry insignia based on the writer's department and employment role, and any correspondence that came from outside the Ministry also bore different insignias. Based on this particular insignia, this correspondence had been penned by the Minister himself.

The scroll had unrolled just enough for him to spot the name 'Horatio Ophelschus' when the parchment wound back up tightly and zipped to his right as his charmed quill fell over, all writing stopping. His head snapped to the right just as Scrimgeour walked into the Archives, followed by Gawain Robards, Guilda Brickers, and Kingsley Shacklebolt. The Minister caught the roll of parchment and tucked it into an inner pocket as he gazed at Leif coolly, but with strange satisfaction that made Leif's eyes narrow. His eyes flicked very briefly to Kingsley who returned the look with his own severe one and Leif looked back at Scrimgeour, eyes turning hard.

"Leif Marcus," Robards said, stepping forward to stand beside Scrimgeour. "You are hereby suspended from the Ministry of Magic until further notice pending investigation. You are to be re—"

"Wait, what? Suspended?" Leif interrupted. "What investigation?"

"You are under investigation for aiding a known Death Eater and feral vampire, obstructing a Ministry investigation, destruction of Ministry documentation, and conspiracy to commit treason," Brickers listed and Leif stared at them all in astonishment.

"You must be joking."

"When I request documents, I expect to receive them, Mr. Marcus," Scrimgeour said, tone smooth but sharp. "And when I put in a stay order on an application, I expect it to happen."

Leif's gape turned into a glare as he understood. "Suspending me won't stop them or let you have the boys."

Scrimgeour stepped up to him so they were nose to nose, Leif glaring and Scrimgeour eyeing him far too casually for Leif's liking.

"Don't let me see you in this Ministry again, Marcus," Scrimgeour said calmly, "or home won't be where I send you."

Leif clenched his teeth at the clear threat, eyes locked on the smug man even as Robards spoke again.

"You are to be removed from the premises with all employee privileges revoked and your wand tagged for instances of trespassing."

"Very well," Leif said tightly. "Allow me to retrieve my things."

"Robards—"

"I will accompany him, sir," Kingsley interjected before Scrimgeour could give the instruction to Robards who scowled at the purple-robed Auror.

"Fine," Scrimgeour said shortly, taking a couple steps back as Kingsley walked forward to Leif. "Make it quick."

Leif glowered at the Minister for a few more seconds before Kingsley finally turned him around and guided him to his office. Leif ground his teeth the entire way, yanking his bag and coat from their racks, and storming to his desk. He let his magic trickle out, wrapping around his wards around his office to turn one into a subtle Silencing Charm that no one else would notice before turning to Kingsley infuriated.

"What the hell is going on?" Leif snapped. "What did he do?"

"I don't know. All I know is he went to Hogwarts earlier and then he came back and said you were to be removed from the Ministry," Kingsley replied with a shake of his head.

"Hogwarts? What was he doing there?"

"You can't guess?"

Leif cursed, pulling a couple files from his desk and putting them in his bag. "This is about Harry and Draco."

"Seems to be." Kingsley nodded. "He wants them and he's going to get you, Snape, and Romanov out of the way to get them."

"What does he know?" Leif asked, removing more items and files from his desk.

"I don't know…yet," Kingsley admitted. "I'll find out and owl you."

"No, owls are too risky," Leif said, shaking his head. "Find Barlow, the Unspeakable. Tell him you need to get a message to me out of the spotlight."

"He's the other Mysteries leak," Kingsley realized.

"He's my leak," Leif said, feeling the need to clarify and defend the Unspeakable. "Find him. He'll help you."

Leif pulled his bag onto his shoulder and draped his coat over his arm to leave the office only for Kingsley to block the way. he looked at the Auror questioningly.

"Scrimgeour's not going to stop," Kingsley warned.

"Neither will we," Leif vowed. "I don't need to work here to protect them."

"I hope you're right," Kingsley said with a heavy sigh and let Leif pass, both exiting the office.

They returned to Scrimgeour and the other Aurors, Leif's expression hard and hateful.

"This won't work," Leif said to the man.

"Allow Auror Robards to escort you out," Scrimgeour said and Leif walked around him, heading for the golden bars that parted for him. "Oh, and, Marcus? Don't you worry. I'll make sure the boys are well taken care of."

Leif snarled and would have lunged back at the smirking man had Kingsley not grasped his shoulder firmly. He grudgingly let Robards lead him up to the main floor where his ID was deactivated and his wand stripped of its Ministry-specific enchantments, replaced with a charm that would alert the Ministry if he entered the premises. He and Robards were heading for the doors that exited into Muggle London when Leif's name was called and they turned around to Barlow approaching.

"Heard you're taking some time off for a family emergency. Hope everything's alright," Barlow said and held out his hand to a puzzled Leif who took it and was pulled into a hug. "Scrimgeour's after all of you and he knows I'm helping. I'll do what I can. The prophecy's changing, that's why he's doing this all now."

Barlow pulled back, releasing their hands, and Leif forced himself not to look at the strangely shaped shard now in his fist.

"Hope to see you again soon, Marcus," Barlow said, gaze pointed as he stared at Leif. "I'm going on a trip soon, too, so try to visit."

Leif just nodded and finally left the Ministry, instantly Apparating to Hogsmeade the moment he was out of the wards. He glanced down at his hand, frowning at the strange blue shard he now held and the tiny black threads that covered the surface like a spiderweb. Holding it tightly, he hurried up to the castle and down to the dungeons, crashing unceremoniously into Severus' quarters. Severus was reading while Draco was sat on the floor at the coffee table, scribbling in his notebook, and Harry was sat on the sofa with Alexei, both looking through and talking about the parchment Alexei held. Upon his loud arrival, all their heads popped up and all looked at him in confusion.

"Leif?" Alexei said, bewildered at his uncharacteristic entrance.

Before Leif could answer, a tiny folded piece of parchment appeared in front of him. He watched it unfold itself and took it from the air to read.

Leif,

Scrimgeour's got information on you, Snape, and Romanov. He's aiming for arrests and he's getting more than enough to do it. He's contacted the International Confederation of Wizards and their Dark Creature Task Force. He's also put out an arrest warrant for a Malachi Medici and put in an inquiry with the vampire compound in Northern Ireland.

He knows something, Marcus, and he knows you've hidden it.

Whatever it is the two of you did, I hope it's not as serious as Scrimgeour seems to think.

I'll give you more as I can.

KS

Leif pulled out the second that had been included behind Kingsley's, drowning in dread as he read the correspondence.

Dear Horatio Ophelschus,

I am requesting some records regarding a couple of individuals that had been involved in the European Vampire-Werewolf War: a feral vampire named Alexei Romanov and a Task Force Member named Leif Marcus. I believe these individuals to be dangerous, here in England, and threatening Britain's national hero, Harry Potter.

I appreciate your cooperation in ensuring the safety of our saviour.

Regards,

Rufus Scrimgeour

Minister for Magic

British Ministry of Magic

Leif cursed loudly and crumpled both letters, chucking them into the fireplace where they were incinerated in an instant.

"Leif, what is going on?"

He looked up at his family, all of whom now looked concerned. His gaze slid over to Alexei, feeling resignation sweep over him.

"He's contacted the ICW and put out a warrant for Malachi Medici."

If it was possible, Alexei would have paled, gaining more confused looks from Severus and the boys.

"What is wrong?" Severus demanded.

"When Scrimgeour was here earlier, what did he say?" Leif asked, ignoring the question as he looked at the Potions Master.

Severus' brow furrowed. "He told me to give him Harry and Draco or he would have the three of us arrested and take them."

"He's not giving you time to decide," Leif told him. "I've been suspended and Scrimgeour's contacted the ICW."

"What is the significance of this?" Severus asked, voice tight with worry.

Leif sighed as he met Alexei's guilt-ridden gaze. "Scrimgeour already knows what I did during Grindelwald's War, but that fight when we met, when Alexei was feral? It was during the European Vampire-Werewolf War. He was captured and supposed to be executed, but I helped him escape and destroyed every record of me being on the Task Force. At least, I thought I had."

"He's also looking for my Alpha who can provide all the memories of what I did while I was feral," Alexei added reluctantly. "After the war, every feral vampire was supposed to be executed or remanded to a vampire compound."

"What does this all mean?" Severus wondered.

Leif looked between Severus and the boys, and then looked down at the shard of prophecy in his hand, only now understanding that that's what it was. "It means we're running out of time."