The silent night was interrupted by a loud crash just outside the Daystars cabin. The kids inside startled awake, and the boys ran over to the girls' side where the three girls were huddled on the same bed as they looked around the cabin for the source of the noise.
"Did you see anything?" Carwyn asked.
"No," Kat said. "I think it came from outside."
"Naughty bird," Professor said from his bird stand next to Kat's bed.
The girls crawled off the bed and followed the boys to a window, everyone peering outside at where they had left a platter of raw fish for the monster. The camp leaders had charmed a small cage to fall on the monster when it took a bite of the fish, and the cage was collapsed over the platter of food, but there was no monster visible inside.
"Let's go take a look," Carwyn said, moving toward the door.
"No way," Nia exclaimed. "Not with a monster outside."
"Then I'll go look," Carwyn said.
Harry, Draco, and Ollie bravely followed Carwyn outside, Harry carrying Miss Trifle, keeping his rabbit close just in case the monster avoided the trap and was lurking in the shadows somewhere. Carwyn paused near the cage, dropping to his knees to look inside it. Harry shared a look with his friends as they waited to hear what Carwyn made of the beast, if it was even in there.
"It's not here," Carwyn said, sounding very disappointed as he stood up. "It didn't even take the bait. Not even a nibble."
"Maybe it doesn't like fish," Draco said as he crossed his arms.
"What are you boys doing?" Eileen asked as she walked over to the kids. "Where is Aisling?"
"Right here," Kat said in the doorway of the cabin, Aisling right behind her. "We just woke her."
"Did we get anything?" Aisling asked, stepping around Kat and walking over to the cage, peering into it.
"It doesn't appear so," Eileen said.
"We heard the trap go off," Carwyn said. "It must have gotten close enough to set it off, but it didn't even eat anything."
"Maybe we are incorrect in our assumption that it is some kind of river monster," Eileen said.
"Maybe," Carwyn agreed reluctantly.
"We should head back to bed, kids," Aisling said.
"Yes," Eileen agreed, vanishing the trap and bait with a swish of her wand. You have a busy day tomorrow. I hear you have hiking planned on the Enchanted Trail. You don't want to be too tired for it."
Everyone returned to bed for the night, Aisling sleeping in the cabin with the girls instead of her usual room as the girls were afraid the monster would come after them again. After a good night of sleep, the kids followed Aisling to breakfast, and then, after a twenty-minute recess where everyone lathered up in sunscreen, they began their journey to the Enchanted Trail.
It stretched along the river, weaving through the trees near the riverbank, then taking a sharp turn up a hill near the treehouse before the path dropped down to the camp once more. The trodden down path by the river seemed to come alive as Aisling led the way, a hat on her head and a water bottle in her hands. The kids wither ran ahead of Aisling playfully now and then or kept just behind her as they admired the different magical flowers that sparkled in the sun. Miss Trifle hopped along Harry, happily sniffing all the new plants and leaves she could get her nose close to.
"What is this?" Ollie asked, touching a group of white and yellow flowers whose petals seemed to shiver.
"That's just a daisy," Draco said with a scoff.
Suddenly, the petals of the daisies started spinning around the yellow disk of the flowers, startling Ollie, who shouted in surprise and jumped back.
"Daisies don't do that," Ollie said, pointing at the moving flowers.
"They don't?" Draco frowned. "We have those all over Malfoy Manor. It's just attracting bugs so it can be pollinated. That's what Mum says, anyway."
"Spin-daisies," Aisling supplied, pausing next to the boys. "And you're correct, Draco, it is attempting to attract pollinators right now. These types of daisies overproduce a very potent pollen, which is why it needs to constantly attract pollinators to reduce the load, or it may get clogged with its own pollen. Spin-daisies are very popular among potioneers as their pollen is useful in a few healing potions, especially a bruise balm."
"Cool," Harry said, touching one of the flowers. "I bet Dad would love some of these in our garden."
A few bees appeared and landed on the daises, collecting some of the pollen. Harry's eyes widened at the size of the bees. They were the length of his finger, and as wide as a fifty-pence piece. The collected a visible amount of pollen into their pollen basket on their hind leg. What really caught Harry's attention was the thick, black two-inch stinger.
Boomerbees, they were called, so Aisling said. A bee that made magical honey that had explosive reactions with water. Their beehive was one of the thickest and most durable of all bees for that reason. They were generally harmless unless threatened, like most bees, but as Birgit was highly allergic to bees, Aisling led the kids onward down the path. Everyone touched the different magical plants that they could find or pointed at some strange glowing stones. Along the way, small magical creatures scurried through the trees, including a newt that turned invisible, a large ferret-creature that quickly disappeared underground, a shrinking lizard, and large, tawny hares with long fuzzy ears that Harry adored.
One of the hares hopped over to Miss Trifle, who paused to sniff noses with the other rabbit. Harry had seen many rabbits, and none were ever as big as his checkered giant, but these hares were twice Miss Trifle's size, and the ears were nearly two feet long on their own.
"Hi bunny," Harry greeted, kneeling and offering a hand cautiously to the hare sniffing noses with his rabbit. "It's okay. I won't hurt you."
The hare backed up a hop and sniffed the air in Harry's direction. It glanced at Miss Trifle then back at Harry before dropping its ears and lifting them straight up again.
Harry squealed as he was lifted into the air and floated a few inches closer to the hare before he was gently placed on the ground once again. The hare tilted his ears at Harry while sniffing the air again. Harry slowly reached for the hare, and it didn't move until Harry was able to stroke a hand down one fuzzy ear. Then, the hare thumped a foot before retreating into the trees after its family.
Harry swore Miss Trifle was smiling, and he couldn't help but grin at the retreating hare.
"Nicely done, Harry," Aisling said. "The Old Irish Hare is an ancient kind that rarely interacts with humans. You've made an impression on them, it seems."
After the brief interaction with the hares, the kids encountered a few more magical creatures, including a snake-like creature wrapped around a branch on a tree, and it flicked its tongue out at the kids.
"It's a snake," Ollie said, pointing up at the colorful, scaley beast. "Ireland has no snakes."
"You'd be right," Aisling said, pausing under the branch to watch the beast slither around the branch it was on. "Ireland has had no snakes since Saint Patrick vanished them all away. But this is no snake, Ollie. That is a type of amphithere, the Scaly Snake-tongue, it's called. For its resemblance to a snake."
Suddenly, the beast spread out its leathery wings and took flight, gliding across the river and to the trees on the other side. The kids awed at the sight of it until it vanished.
Harry loved everything. Who knew there was so much magic just lying around the earth, completely unnoticed by passerby. Miss Trifle was enjoying the stroll, until a fruit fell directly in front of her, startling her and forcing her to slide to a halt.
She sniffed the golden fruit, then licked her lips and nibbled at the fruit.
"Miss Trifle!" Harry scolded as he scooped up his rabbit to keep her from eating the strange fruit. "You can't just eat things off the ground."
"Relax," Carwyn said, walking over to Harry. He picked up the fruit and bit into it with a loud crunch. "It's a golden apple. From the silver leafed tree."
Carwyn pointed at the tree behind them, and Harry awed at the massive tree that had several golden apples hanging off it. The rest of the group surrounded the tree and tried to reach for one for themselves.
"Super sweet," Carwyn explained as he took another bite. "Mum and Dad get these shipped to the sanctuary as treats for many of the beasts we rehabilitate. It helps build trust."
"Oh," Harry said, setting Miss Trifle down. Harry reached up for a branch hanging low and snatched another apple. He bit into it to break off a small chuck and set that piece down on the ground for Miss Trifle to enjoy, who happily nibbled at it once more. Harry bit into the fruit again and was surprised at how sweet the apple was. Carwyn had not been joking. The other kids were enjoying an apple as well, and so was Aisling.
"Naughty bird," Professor said suddenly, swinging his head this way and that. "Naughty bird."
There was a scuffle in the bushes nearby before a couple apples rolled out from under a bush. A loud splash caught everyone's attention, and Carwyn ran forward to see what had made the sound.
"Is it the monster?" Felix asked, following Carwyn down to the bank while the girls ran over to Aisling for protection, convinced the creature was hungry for little girls. Harry picked up Miss Trifle and held her close while Ollie and Draco watched the other two boys from where they sat enjoying their apples.
"It's gone," Carwyn said, kicking the ground. He walked back up to the path and looked at the apples that had rolled out from under the bush, picking them up and studying the bite marks. "It was so close to us."
"It's following us," Nia said. "It wants to eat us for sure."
"Now, now," Aisling said. "I doubt that is true. There's probably a good reason why it was here."
"It's an herbivore!" Carwyn nearly shouted, a big grin on his face. He turned the apple in his hand to show off the bite marks. "No wonder it didn't like our bait, it doesn't eat fish. See the flat teeth marks? It eats plants and fruit. I bet it wasn't after the girls. Kat, it was after the fruit cups in your bag that you have for Professor! It's been after that this whole time."
"These?" Kat said, pulling out a couple fruit cups from the cooler bag in her backpack.
"Yes. The first night it stopped by it tried to eat your bag. And then on the river, it targeted you at the end, but all four of you went down the rapids." Ollie gestured to Kat, Ollie, Draco, and Harry with a big sweep of his arms. "It's not following us, it's following you!"
"That's not very comforting," Kat said.
"Oh, don't worry, it doesn't want to eat you or Professor. Just the fruit you have." Carwyn smiled gleefully. "We have to set up another trap. With the right bait this time."
Peadar and Severus returned to the forest with a small fairy house that they spent most of the day constructing with leaves, twigs, sticks, and plants found in the native area. It resembled a small bird house, but with a wooden door and windows carefully constructed with wand magic. The roof was made with two bark slabs spelled together, and moss covered the top. Peadar has even added a small touch by creating a small front yard with an extended wood piece, spelling grass to grow in the small area and then he created a small stone wall on either side of a pebble stone path leading up to the front door. A couple of pink flowers decorated the house, and it was a stunning piece of work that Severus was proud of for their fairy friend.
Once back in the forest, the sun just beginning to set, the fairies came to life once more, taking on both fairy and animal forms this time as they danced around Peadar and Severus.
The fox spirit appeared and led the way to Zelma, who was waiting on the branch in front of her own house. She smiled as the men presented the new home created for Hattie.
"Beautiful," she said. "Hattie will be most pleased. Now, we must destroy the stone, but first, we will separate Hattie from the stone and horcrux and transfer her to her new home. Sometimes, it can be difficult for fairies to transition to new homes after their spirit was already bonded to an original source, but I have faith that Hattie's spirit will take to the beautiful art you have created with the magic of our land."
Severus prayed for that as well, as he could not have Hattie die for his own well-being, and that of his son. He wasn't proud of the selfish thought he had in that moment, but self-preservation was an instinct, so he allowed himself to focus on ensuring that he assisted the fairies in any way he could to help with Hattie's transition.
As the sun lowered in the sky to where all sorts of colors stretched out above them, Peadar set the stone on the ground below, and Severus set the jar containing the possessed fairy down next to it.
One by one, the fairies circled the stone and Hattie, and each one stretched out a hand and emitted a strange white light orb in front of them. As more fairies joined in, the orbs grew until they began to merge with each other, and soon, there was a large, transparent but pulsating light creating a protective dome around the stone and Hattie's jar. A shield of pure light.
Hattie was still smashing herself against the glass jar angrily, but the fox bravely flew into the dome and flicked her tail at the cap on the jar, and it flew off, freeing the possessed dragon from her prison. Hattie shot out of the jar and chased the fox, who flew in small circles before turning and closing her jaws around the dragon's neck, stopping Hattie in her tracks, but she continued to thrash in the fox's hold.
The fox flew over to the shield of light, dragging Hattie along as the dragon tried to snap at the fox, shooting out a flame now and then. The fox flew through the shield but was jerked to a halt as she tried to pull Hattie through.
Severus realized what they were doing now. Nothing dark could escape pure light, and they were going to pull Hattie through before suffocating the horcrux in pure light magic. It was an ingenious plan.
If they could pull Hattie free from the dark magic retaining her.
The fox yanked and thrashed her body as she tried to pull Hattie through the shield, but the dragon writhed and thrashed against the shield, the dark magic swirling around the dragon in an angry manner.
Hattie swung herself back, yanking the fox into the shield partially, and suddenly, the dark magic seeped into the fox's jaws and head, turning her eyes red. The fox thrashed against the magic as she tried to pull herself back, her jaws still holding on to Hattie's neck.
The dark magic consumed more of the fox, turning her light glow to a dark black.
"Pure light magic," Peadar said, "against pure dark magic. Both raw and powerful. I fear this could go either way."
"It needs to go our way," Severus said, stepping forward, but he was unsure how to help creatures he could not touch.
Two owl spirits flew down to the fox and grasped her tail and pulled, flapping their wings furiously. A snake spirit weaved its way up to the owls and wrapped itself around the fox's tail and pulled as well. A small deer leaped up to the shield before growing to the size of a full stag. It leaned forward, allowing the snake to wrap around an antler before it tried backing away.
There was a slight give, and the fox withdrew slowly from the shield, and the blackness fizzled away as it hit the shield, returning full force to the possessed dragon, who snarled and hissed as she was pulled closer to the shield.
The fox was finally free of the dark magic, her eyes restored to a normal hazel color. She pulled on the dragon's neck, bringing her up against the shield now while more animal spirits came to assist in pulling the dragon free, a few finches grabbing the scruff of the fox's neck and pulling, while a couple dragons grabbed the fox's back and pulled as well. A full-sized badger crawled up the deer and grabbed his antlers and pulled back on them.
The dragon seemed to have a seizure against the shield, and the dark magic around her fizzled and swirled in a chaotic pattern as it resisted letting go of its victim.
Slowly, like a shedding snake, the dark magic peeled off the dragon as she was pulled through the shield. At last, the dragon was yanked through the shield and flung into the new house Severus was still holding, her spirit and light disappearing within its confines.
The dark magic within ricocheted off the walls of the shield before striking the stone fairy carving, shattering it on impact and releasing the entire horcrux within.
It roared to life like a tornado, twisting and flailing inside the shield of light. The fairies quickly reinforced the shield, everyone putting out a hand, hoof, or paw and touching the shield, adding more light to it.
The horcrux screamed within, an ugly face briefly revealing itself as it pushed against the shield. The shield shrunk slowly, destroying the horcrux bit by bit, but it fought back viciously, and suddenly, the shield was expanding, the spirit fairies fighting hard to keep the shield intact.
Zelma floated over to Peadar and Severus as she watched with worry.
"Why aren't you helping?" Severus asked loudly over the roar of the dark magic, unable to keep the panic out of his voice as the shield expanded more.
"Only in spirit are we gifted with such light magic. I can heal and restore, but I cannot do this yet." Zelma was nearly blown away as the wind started picking up around the area, cracks in the shield beginning to form. Many of the fairies took to their animal forms and grew to that animal's full size, and they did their best to restore the shield. Zelma frowned, then said, "I think we need a little more pure light."
"Pure light," Severus muttered. He adjusted the house against him protectively, then grabbed his wand and swirled it above his head. "Expecto Patronum!"
A silvery doe emitted from Severus's wand and leaped through the air, circling the shield and horcrux as if judging the situation before it flew down to the ground and placed its front hooves against the shield, adding more light to it.
Slowly the shield began to shrink again, the horcrux crying out within.
"Expecto Patronum," Peadar said, summoning his own patronus.
A Connemara pony galloped free from his wand and joined the doe at the shield, adding his hooves and pushing into the shield to share his light.
More fizzling and screaming came from within as the horcrux shrunk even more, the shield of light evaporating the dark magic it contained. The shield shrunk more and more until only a small orb with a hint of dark magic remained, and it exploded with a loud pop that threw everyone back several yards.
Severus forced himself to land on his back with the new fairy house on his chest, protecting it against him. He grunted at the impact and waited for his breath to catch. As he slowly sat up, the forest around him was dark, not a single fairy in sight, and he panted as he scanned the area. Peadar was pushing up to his feet and brushing himself off.
Severus did the same before he looked over the house. He didn't see a fairy, but he knew she was within the structure at the moment, hopefully recovering and not dying. Severus patronus walked up to him, and the doe bowed before disappearing, Peadar's pony doing the same.
Walking into the small stretch of trees, Severus found the small fairy house sitting on the branch in complete ruins, and he sucked in a breath. Peadar joined him and followed his gaze, shaking his head sadly.
"It's alright," Zelma said as she flew over to them. "I have friends who will make a new one for me. They visit often, you know."
"I'm glad you're alright," Severus said. He looked around the dark trees. "What of the other spirits?"
"Just a little whiplash, I'm sure," Zelma said. She whistled sharply.
Slowly, animal spirits poked their heads out of flowers, trees, and stones before they leaped into the air, lighting up the trees once more. Zelma laughed as the fox spun around her a few times, and they rubbed their noses together briefly before looking down at Severus and Peadar.
Severus held up the house and peered into a window. The inside was dark, but he sorted of expected it to be. He tilted the house this way and that, unsure if he should be feeling something or if the fairy may show herself.
"Do you think Hattie is alright?" Severus asked.
Zelma hovered over to the house, landing on the pebble stone pathway leading to the front door. She walked down the path and knocked on the door.
"Hattie? You must come out now. I'd like to check you over."
There was silence for a minute before the house began to glow a silvery blue before it faded. The front door opened, and Hattie stepped out of it in her fairy form, wearing her typical blue petal dress. She had a hand to her head as she stumbled out of the house and nearly collapsed in Zelma's arms. Zelma helped her sit down on the small patch of grass, then moved her hands over Hattie, causing the spirit fairy to glow a strange yellow.
Severus had never felt happier to see the little fairy alive and not possessed by a horcrux. She seemed a bit weak, but Zelma smiled as she finished what she was doing. She looked up at Severus.
"She'll be just fine. Especially with some rest."
Hattie shook her head and looked up at Severus and Peadar. She smiled as she stood up and bowed.
"Thank you," Hattie said in a soft voice.
"Of course," Severus said. "I am just glad you are okay. I hope you like the new home."
"It's beautiful," Hattie said, floating an inch or so as she checked out her new home. "I love it."
Severus and Peadar smiled at Hattie, then up at the fairies floating above them. Several came rushing down to hug or nuzzle Hattie, depending on what form they were in, and even the fox brushed her fur against Hattie. A couple dragons hovered above her, and Hattie grinned before shifting into dragon form and joining the other two in the air, spinning and diving with them briefly before she lowered herself back down to the house, shifting back. Severus learned that families tended to take on the same animal form upon passing, and the dragons were sisters of Hattie.
After the brief reunion for Hattie, Severus and Peadar thanked the fairies, and Hattie happily vanished into her new home to go back to MacAuley Estate.
The trap was set up inside the cabin, with the front door left wide open. Eileen had not entirely been fond of the new plan in the case Carwyn was incorrect about the monster being an herbivore, but when Aisling agreed to the idea, she relented and allowed the kids to lead the hunt. Kat left three fruit cups on the floor on the girls' side of the cabin, and Carwyn added a couple of the golden apples he brought back from their hike. Aisling charmed the front door to close when anything walked past it. Now, all they had to do was wait.
The kids had fallen asleep while waiting, and it was the slam of the front door that awoke everyone, followed by frightened squealing. The girls woke up screaming while the boys rushed over to their side of the cabin.
"Naughty bird!" Professor repeated over and over loudly at a small creature sliding all over the place inside the cabin, running into things and knocking small items over in its panic.
Kat, Nia, and Birgit were standing on their beds watching the creature run into everything. Aisling appeared, her wand drawn and ready.
The creature slammed into a nightstand, knocking a lamp off and covering itself with the lampshade that toppled over it. It squealed once more and charged forward, running into a corner where it repeatedly bumped into a wall trying to escape before falling still.
Carwyn picked up a half-eaten fruit cup and slowly approached the lampshade.
"Carwyn, be careful!" Aisling cautioned, adjusting her wand so it was directed on the lampshade.
Carwyn knelt down and slowly lifted the lampshade up, exposing the creature beneath little by little. The animal beneath startled at the sight of Carwyn, cowering slightly, but Carwyn shoved the fruit cup forward. The animal sniffed at it before it crawled out from under the lampshade and ate out of the fruit cup, allowing Carwyn to pet it's back while it did so.
"It's a muckie!" Carwyn exclaimed.
Harry tilted his head at the strange creature. It was a greenish color with smooth looking skin, a long, horse-like face, and a crest ran down its neck. There were two elongated and thin ears behind its head, and it head two fins in the front, then a long serpent-like body that ended in a tail similar to a dolphin or whale. It gobbled the fruit out of the cup quickly, not minding that Carwyn was moving his hands around it to lift it up.
"Mum and Dad will be so jealous!" Carwyn said as he held the muckie in his arms, the baby emitting a soft noise as it smacked its tail gently against Carwyn, who picked up an apple and offered it to the muckie. The creature snapped a bite off the apple and ate greedily. "It's a baby for sure, they get up to twenty feet long. He must have gotten separated and swam into the river. They usually live in lakes. Muckross Lake is where they were first spotted, so that's why we call them Muckross Lake Monster, or muckie for short."
"He's so cute," Kat said. She picked up a fruit cup and offered it to the muckie, who smacked its lips and ate out of the cup.
"He must be starving. They mostly eat plants in and around the lake, but they have a sweet tooth like Professor. Their teeth are made for tough plants and foods. It's no wonder he was able to chew through the cabin so quickly."
The other kids ran forward to see the baby, reaching out to pet him as he enjoyed the snacks the kids offered. Aisling smiled as she watched the group pet the little creature. Carwyn grinned at her and adjusted the baby in his arms as much as he could.
"Aisling, get a picture! I want to show Mum and Dad."
Aisling snorted before summoning the camera she used to take pictures throughout the week. She waited for the kids to huddle up and smile at her, Carwyn resting his head against the muckie's. Aisling clicked her tongue to get the creature's attention.
The muckie tilted its head at Aisling, then startled and stared off dazed at the bright flash of the camera before it closed its eyes and shook its head, emitting small grumbles. Aisling chuckled before saying, "That will make a cute moving picture. I'll have it processed for you to take home by the end of the day."
"We have to take him home," Carwyn said.
"The river here is connected to Lough Leane," Aisling said. "We can take the muckie home first thing in the morning. We'll make sure he can't escape the cabin tonight and set him up in bathroom with a tub. I'll let Eileen know we are taking a little field trip on our last day here."
The muckie seemed to enjoy the attention from the kids as it purred happily with all the pets and scratches it was getting. The kids laughed as it swung its tail slightly, almost like it was wagging it.
Severus set the new fairy house on the mantle where the fairy stone sculpture once sat. Finally, the horcrux crisis was resolved. And no more possessed, demonic fairy terrorizing the house. After giving Shandy and Finn ear rubs, Severus collapsed on the couch, exhausted from the long trip. Peadar went to check on the stable, the dogs following him. The house elves had been left to tend to the house and barn while they had been gone, but Severus knew Peadar could be a bit finicky with the care of the ponies.
Severus closed his eyes, content to take a nap for the rest of the afternoon, but that was quickly interrupted when he heard the floo flare up. Was it noon already?
"Daddy!" Harry greeted as he set his bunny down and threw his bag on the floor. Harry ran across the living room and jumped on top of his father, earning a grunt from him while lying down on top of him so he could face his father, resting his chin on the back of his hands as he started talking a mile a minute.
"You won't believe what the monster was—it was a muckie!" Harry said. "It was this weird-looking lake monster, well, it was actually really cute. We named him Fruity cause he really liked fruit cups. We took him back to the lake way up the river and he screamed really loud. We thought he was scared at first but then this really big muckie showed up and Fruity followed her out. Carwyn thinks it was the mother. Carwyn was one of my campmates and he's really smart about monsters. His parents own a sanctuary for magical beasts—"
"Shhh," Severus said, putting a finger to Harry's lip. He waited a second to make sure Harry had stopped talking, then said, "I have absolutely no clue what you are going on about, but it sounds like you had a lot of fun at camp."
Harry laughed and Severus smiled at him. He turned his head to see Eileen setting her own bag down on the chair along with Harry's that she had picked up off the floor. She smiled and shrugged at Severus before moving on to the kitchen.
"I can't wait to go back to camp on Monday," Harry said. "We all had so much fun. I made a lot of new friends. And Ollie and Draco had a lot of fun, too."
"Did they?" Severus said, turning his attention back to Harry and resting a hand on Harry's back. "I am glad to hear you are enjoying camp. And it sounds like you've had a busy week."
"Yeah." Harry yawned, turning his head to rest his cheek against his hands. "Hey, did you save the fairy? Is she okay? I haven't felt any pains."
"She is safe," Severus said, glancing at the mantle. "We made her a new home. And the dark magic hurting her is gone."
Harry looked over at the mantle and smiled at the fairy house.
"I like it," he said. He yawned again and closed his eyes. "It's really pretty."
"I think you could use a nap," Severus said. He gently rubbed his son's back. "Why don't you head up to your room and settle in bed for a bit, hmm?"
"Mmhmm," Harry agreed quietly, though he did not move off his father's chest nor did he open his eyes.
Severus snorted as he felt his son become dead weight against him. Now he was trapped on the couch with Harry sleeping on top of him. Oh well. He continued to rub his son's back as he closed his own eyes, allowing himself to be pulled into blissful slumber.