Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons

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Discussions

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"I can truly see what you mean," Michael sighed as they were again in the privacy and safety of their quarters. "She's like a snake -- although all snakes I've met are more pleasant. Including the basilisk."

"Nice to hear I'm not the only one who got that impression about her," Severus said dryly. Then, he turned towards his husband, a concerned expression on his face. "Are you all right, my dear?" he asked quietly.

For some time they all were silent, Severus and Michael both looking at Remus, who just stood there, his lips pressed tightly together. Then they noticed as a single tear rolled down the werewolf's cheek. Without hesitation Severus drew the other man into his embrace. This display of affection made Remus break down, and he hid his face in Severus' shoulder, crying silently. Michael just stared, not knowing what to do.

At last, Remus calmed down enough to speak. "She -- she hates me," he whispered, his hands clutching on Severus' robes. "And not only me, but you, too. I don't know if she's yet made up her opinion about Michael, but I've no doubt that she'll hate him for his attitude as soon as she notices it. I could smell it on her, Severus. If we'd both just dropped dead back there, she would have sung with joy."

"I don't doubt that," sighed the Potions Master, soothingly stroking the slightly smaller man's back with one of his hands. "After all, I know that she is a mere vengeful bitch. And Michael, let it be known that while I usually do not encourage such language, I will not remove a single point from any of the Houses even if I do hear a student calling her a bitch. In fact, I think I will rather reward a few points."

The boy raised an eyebrow, smirking a bit. "I somehow guessed that," he said. "Very well. I'll make sure that once the school starts, she'll be known as a bitch by everybody with sense in their heads."

"That might be a rather difficult task," sighed Severus. "As you already saw, she is a very enchanting person, used to wrap everybody around her little finger. I have no doubt most of the school will settle on her side. Ah, well -- the more joy I will take in every sign of rebellion against her I see."

"That's definitely not like you, Severus," Remus muttered quietly. "Usually you disapprove of any rebellion against authority, no matter what kind of authority it is. Why the sudden change of mind?"

"In other matters I have not changed my mind," Severus replied softly, still holding his husband against him. "However, I do not think that Monica Manson deserves a single bit of respect. In fact, in my opinion, she doesn't deserve even the name of a human. Still, the Headmaster has hired her, and I'm going to respect that -- but nothing can force me to respect her, or to demand anybody else to do so." With a grim expression, he added, "She'd like nothing more than to hurt you... and for that, I'll never forgive her."

A weak smile rose to the werewolf's lips. They were again all silent for a moment, Remus slowly relaxing in Severus' comforting embrace. Just as Michael was starting to leave, wanting to give his parents some time by themselves, however, his carrier spoke up, calling his name.

"Something Manson said made me think, you know," Remus said as he had Michael's undivided attention, apparently doing his best to maintain his usual calm appearance. "She asked whether you're taking DADA. That's what I'd like to know as well. What exactly are you going to do with your life now? You don't have to worry about your OWLs, though; as your Adoption Charm has been lifted after you took your exams, those grades do not apply to you. Instead, you'll take an entrance test for each subject you wish to study."

"Well..." Michael appeared to be thinking for a moment. Then he said, "I think I'd still like to be an Auror. Well, at least I would work for the Auror's Guild, but I'd really like to specialize in potions." He flashed a smile at Severus, who replied with a small smirk. "So yes, I will be taking DADA... I think."

"I'd rather not see you attending her lessons," Severus said with a frown. "Merlin only knows what ideas she'll feed to her students, and I don't want to subject you to that. You do know that you don't have to take the class to take the test in your NEWTs, right? We, Remus and I, could train you in DADA instead of her. I'm rather confident that it would only improve your chances in NEWTs."

"So for regular classes you will take at least Transfiguration, Potions, and Charms, I'd assume," Remus said then. "What else are you going to take? You are required to have at least five NEWTs with nothing under 'Exceeds Exceptions' to be accepted to enter the Auror program, you know. So, what's the fifth?"

"Well... Herbology, I guess," Michael replied. "I know it better than Care of Magical Creatures, I'm definitely not taking Divination, and I have no base of any kind for any of the other subjects. It's rather useful in Potions, too. So, I think I'll have Transfigurations, Potions, Charms, and Herbology."

"And DADA, too, but that's not in the regular classes," Remus added, still not leaving Severus' arms. "Oh, and Harry? Please, tell Ron and Hermione that if they do not want to attend her lessons, I'd be more than glad to teach them as well. It's not like I'll have much to do with my time anyway if I'm going to stay here."

"You are," Severus said firmly. "Manson might be here, but at least she can be controlled. She can't attack you here in the castle. Outside, however, there are many others like her, and with the Dark Lord raising, the prejudices against so-called Dark Creatures are only growing. You'd be attacked immediately."

"I know." Remus gave his husband a brief, although rather weak smile. "And I don't have any intentions to leave, either. As your husband, I have every right to stay here despite what Manson might think, and I do want to stay as close to you two as possible."

Severus finally took his arms from around his husband, although neither made a move to step apart. "Michael?" asked the Potions Master then from his son. "Do you wish to be re-Sorted? That can be arranged, if you want to -- even if you were again put into Gryffindor. At least it would ease your housemates' minds about having a son of the Head of Slytherin in their precious Gryffindor House."

Michael nodded slowly in agreement. "That might be the best solution, yes," he said. "As you said, most Gryffindors won't be too happy to have a Snape in the same House. At least if I was Sorted there, they couldn't argue that the Sorting Hat would now put me in Slytherin. And even if it does put me in Slytherin, well, so what? Not all Slytherins are evil, after all." With a smirk, he added, "Only the vast majority."

"Very amusing, Son," Severus replied, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "Although I'd mostly see you in Ravenclaw -- you seem to have inherited the Ravenclaw-ish characteristics from both of us. However," he added then, "even though I might be disappointed if you were Sorted into Hufflepuff... I'd still love you."

"Well, he really doesn't have a choice," Remus told Michael with a conspiratorial tone. "He knows that if he did stop loving you for such a ridiculous reason, I would have his head. And besides, it's not even too far-fetched a theory," he added then. "Most children with a Gryffindor and a Slytherin for parents end up either in Ravenclaw, or, if the traits of the different Houses are too equal in them, in Hufflepuff. It's not that Hufflepuff has only the leftovers -- it's just that they might, for example, be as brave as they are intelligent."

"Or at least that's what they tell the -- oof!" exclaimed Severus, cut off by his husband's elbow hitting his stomach. "Remus! Is that how you're supposed to treat your husband? If I remember right, we both promised to 'love and cherish' each other, not 'maul and maltreat'!"

"Well, don't go teaching our son your stupid prejudices," the werewolf replied with his sweetest smile. "If you judge somebody only by their House, you're not much better than Manson."

That comment actually silenced Severus for a while, allowing Michael to leave. According to what he knew about his parents, this might lead to a fight, which he didn't want to witness -- or it might lead to something else that he definitely didn't want to witness. So, he retreated into his own rooms, very thankful for the soundproof charms around it. Whatever the outcome was, he did not want to know it.

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