Fearn't Ever Further

.~*~.Fearn't Ever Further.~*~.

Chapter Four

Reasons to Celebrate

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This chapter is not from any particular first-person POV.

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"Is everything ready?" asked Draco excitedly from the house-elves that had been put in charge of decorating the Manor. "They'll be here on any moment! Everything has to be perfect!"

Severus and Sirius were at last coming back from their unfortunately ended vacation. As the local hospitals left far too much to be wished for and St. Mungo's was already full of Wizarding tsunami victims, Severus had been transferred to a private Wizarding hospital in India. Now he'd been released, at last, and they were both coming back home. Of course, nothing could have made their family and friends happier.

The whole Malfoy Manor was full of life at the moment. Everyone was fussing around; even Lucius was running around to make sure everything was in perfect order. All in all, they were all very excited.

Suddenly, Olivia stopped, then turned around and called out, "Harry, Hermione and the girls just arrived! They're in the master sitting room. Go to welcome them, will you?"

"How do you know that?" asked Christopher curiously. At her grin, he then shook his head and rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "Oh, yes, of course. Mistress of the Manor. I should have known."

"So you should have," replied the young Criddle lightly. "I'd think that you'd by now be used to all this." Pouting a bit, she then added, "Although I'm a bit disappointed that not even you could convince Father to accept computers into the Manor. If you don't manage to make him believe it's important for his business, then how could the others of us ever do that?"

"Well, from what I've seen, he manages pretty well even without a computer," said Christopher, laughing. "I know that I, myself, could never do that, but for some reason he doesn't seem to have any difficulties with it. Probably all those goblins working for him manage to keep things straight."

"Probably, yes," admitted Olivia, "but they can't give me access to the Internet." With a smile, she then added, "Could you perhaps help me a little? Just on one thing?"

"I hardly think I'm much of help to you," the Muggle protested. "Why don't you ask somebody else?"

"No, you are the only one who can help me at the moment," she argued. "You see, I've been running to and fro all the day. I could use a break -- and some chocolate. Cover for me while I slip into the kitchen, please? I don't want anybody to think that I'm trying to avoid work."

"Well, I don't think anybody would accuse you of trying to do that, given how much you've done already," Christopher said. "But okay. If anybody asks, I'll say you just went to check something, okay?"

"Okay. Thank you, Christopher!" exclaimed Olivia. And with that, she was on her way.

"That girl will be the death of mine," Christopher heard an amused voice behind him. As he turned around, he saw Remus standing there, looking after his daughter with a smile on his lips.

"Well, she is a sweet child," the Muggle noted. "I hardly think she would ever cause your death." With a smirk, he added, "If you don't count eating all the chocolate in the house and letting you starve, that is."

"Oh ha ha," muttered Remus dryly, but then grinned anyway. "At least there's no doubt about the fact that she's mine," he said jokingly. Then, however, he turned serious. "You've been really much at ease with all this," he noted. "Wizards, magic, even my Lycanthropy, which'd freak out even most wizards... you just take it everything without batting an eyelid, and are even enjoying yourself. How can you stay so calm?"

Christopher shrugged. "I don't know," he replied truthfully. "Maybe I was secretly longing for some action in my boring life, and this most certainly is the perfect occasion. Or maybe it's just that I like your family. I like Lucius very much and would do almost anything in my power be his friend. None of you have ever been unpleasant to me, either -- well, with the exception of Lilian, of course," he added lightly. "Anyway, if you can take so calmly a magicless man walking around in your centuries-old garden and ghost-filled corridors, I guess it's only fair that I accept your spells and charms, right?"

"I guess so." Now, Remus smiled. "Come on now, we need to see Lucius. He's just about to freak out."

And so, the Muggle was led away by the werewolf in search of the Master of the Manor.

*

"Oh, my," said an amused voice behind Olivia, making her freeze. "It seems that you're on bad ways again, Miss Malfoy. Since when did you become such a naughty girl? Stealing from the kitchen? Bad, bad girl."

Olivia merely shrugged and gave a cool glance at the offending speaker. "It's my kitchen," she said levelly. "I'm the Mistress of the Manor, and thus, I wasn't stealing anything."

"Well, that's really good and all," the same voice continued. "I really don't want to be accused of laying a hand on any stolen stuff." And with that, he reached out a hand to take a bar of chocolate from her.

Olivia glared at him. "I don't remember giving you a permission for that, Malcolm," she snapped. "Get your own chocolate. This is mine." She stuck out her tongue for him, and he returned the childish gesture.

"So... You're escaping work, then?" asked Malcolm amusedly as they sat in a stairway eating the chocolate. "Not that I blame you, anyway. Everything's ready, but they keep putting every detail up to perfection, and expect everybody else to do the same, too. I bet they've already put Hermione to work."

"I don't doubt that," chuckled Olivia. "Father seems to think that if everything's not perfect Severus will die the second he walks in. Okay, so he was injured, but he's almost perfectly healthy now. And besides, I think they're happy with anything as long as they get home. Why can't anybody else realize that?"

Her friend laughed. "I think it's because they're frustrated at not being able to help them earlier, and now want to do everything they can," he mused then. "Oh, well. It can't hurt, anyway, now can it?"

"I guess not." And, giving him a smile, she then took another bite of chocolate.

*

"Good afternoon, Albus, and welcome," greeted Lucius as he saw the Headmaster stepping out of the fireplace. "And you, too, Minerva. You're the last to arrive -- except for the guests of honor, of course. Draco and Remus are currently making sure the ballroom is properly decorated and Narcissa, Lilian, and Hermione are instructing the kitchen house-elves. Thomas and Harry are looking after the kids, and Olivia and Malcolm are just somewhere -- up to no good, I'd assume. So, the whole Manor's in a bit of a chaos."

"I understand, my boy, I completely understand," said Dumbledore good-naturedly. "I'm sure we're all just as excited to have our friends back safe and sound. It's only natural that everybody's busy."

"I guess so." Lucius smiled a bit. Before he could say anything else, however, the door was banged open.

"We've got a bit of a problem, Lucius," Christopher announced as soon as he got into the room. "The house-elves demand to have the Mistress's opinion of the foods, but Olivia's blocked her location from Remus's ring. Could you perhaps --" When he saw the two guests, however, he froze.

"Ah, yes, Christopher," Lucius said smoothly. "Allow me to introduce you. Christopher, this is Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts, and Minerva McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress. Albus and Minerva, this is Christopher Bay, my most important contact in the Muggle world."

"Pleasant to meet you, Mister Bay," Dumbledore said brightly. "This is kind of surprising, though. I would have never thought that Lucius would have a Muggle friend. He was kind of...intolerant in the past."

"Saying that I was intolerant before is like saying that water is wet," Lucius remarked dryly. "Believe me, I would have never thought I would have a Muggle friend, either. Christopher just proved me wrong." At this, he gave a small smile at the mentioned friend, who returned a similar one.

"Are you sure this is the real Lucius?" asked McGonagall dryly. However, there was a tiny hint of amusement in her voice. "The Lucius Malfoy I know would never say anything like that."

"Well, then you obviously don't know the real Lucius Malfoy," Christopher said happily. Then he shook his head. "Anyway, Lucius, could you please try to track Olivia down? Your house-elves are almost panicked and the women are annoyed. Also, Remus is worried because he doesn't know where she is."

"Well, if she's blocked her location, I can't do anything about that," Lucius said calmly. "After all, my ring and hers are equals when it comes to that. My commands will go over hers, but if she wants to hide, I can't find her," he explained. Then, however, he smirked. "I can do something, though," he said, walking to the nearest mirror and pressing his seal ring against it. As the silvery mist appeared onto the surface of the mirror, indicating the magic being activated, he asked, "Where is Malcolm Snape?"

"In the smaller study next to the library in the west tower," replied the cool female voice. Hearing this, Lucius turned towards his Muggle friend, a smirk on his lips.

"If both are missing, finding one will bring you the other," he said. "So, you only have to Malcolm." Smirking in response, Christopher bowed a bit, hurrying then out of the room.

"Is it really safe for him to go around the Manor?" asked McGonagall, frowning a bit. "I'd think that a building as full of Dark powers and ancient magic as this one wouldn't be safe for a Muggle."

"Christopher's my friend," said Lucius calmly. "Nothing in this building would dare to hurt him. He's even made friends with a couple of the ghosts, as improbable as it probably sounds."

They were again interrupted as the door was banged open and Draco ran in. "Father!" he called out, panicked. "The decorations have caught fire for some reason and we can't make it stop!"

Well aware of Dumbledore and McGonagall sharing amused glances behind his back, Lucius sighed and closed his eyes momentarily. "Draco," he said then slowly, "you are supposed to be the Charms expert in our family. So, why the Hell don't you just cast a simple extinguishing charm on those decorations?"

Draco's eyes widened. "Hey, that's a really good idea!" he exclaimed. "I'm sorry, but I have to hurry!"

After the younger blond had fled the room, Lucius turned towards his guests with an apologetic expression. "I suppose I'd better go check on them before anyone gets killed," he said dryly. The old wizard and witch just smiled and nodded, completely agreeing with him.

*

"They're here!" called out Olivia excitedly. "They're finally here! In the master sitting room!"

This, of course, made every person in the ballroom rush towards the door. When they reached it, Draco being the first, however, they found it to be locked. They all glared accusingly at Olivia, who smirked.

"It wouldn't be fair that way, now would it?" she asked sweetly. "If I may remind you, not everybody here can run as fast as everybody else. Knowing my father, however, he would at least try and end up hurting himself in the process. Therefore, you all have to wait here while Laura leads them here!"

Remus laughed. "That's my girl," he said with a proud smirk. Lucius, however, just glared at his husband and daughter. How could they even suggest he'd be stupid enough to try to run as fast as the others? He knew very well that his legs couldn't do that. There was no way he'd be so idiotic.

When they heard sounds from the other side of the door, however, he immediately sprang there to be the first one to greet his best friend and his husband. And when the door was finally opened, revealing two forms they'd been longing to see for so long, he immediately reached out for Severus.

"Severus!" exclaimed Lucius, drawing his best friend into a tight embrace, unashamed of his affection. "You bastard, how could you make us worry like that? We really thought you were dead!"

"Don't worry," Severus replied while trying to fight himself out of the blonde's embrace. "I promise I'll tell you ahead of time the next time a natural catastrophe tries to slaughter me whether or not I'm planning to die, alright? That way, you don't have to worry for nothing any longer."

"Do that," Lilian said in perfect seriousness. "If you had informed us about that this time, maybe I could have avoided having to meet this damned Muggle." She glared at Christopher, who just smirked a bit.

"Wait a minute, what am I hearing?" Sirius asked excitedly. "There's a Muggle in the Malfoy Manor?"

"Yes, that's true," Remus chuckled. "Christopher, as you've probably already figured out, this is Sirius and Severus Black, mine and Lucius's best friends, Harry's adoptive parents, Olivia's godfathers et cetera. And Sirius and Severus, this is Christopher Bay, Lucius's new friend -- not that the others of us mind having him around, either, except for perhaps Lilian. For some reason, she's not very tolerant." At this, he smirked at his husband's former sister-in-law, who scowled a bit.

"Pleasant to meet you, Christopher," Sirius said immediately, a big grin on his face. "I am quite impressed, you know. If you've managed to befriend Lucius despite being a Muggle, you must be a really wonderful guy. He's not the most tolerant of people, either, you know."

"So I've been told," replied the Muggle man smoothly. Then he, too, smirked a bit. "This probably sounds rude, but I think I should thank you," he said. "If it wasn't for everyone being worried about you two, I probably would have never been invited here, and then I would never have gotten to know all these people."

"So," Severus said now, narrowing his eyes a bit, "how much exactly do you know?"

"I know everything I've been told," replied Christopher simply. "And as to what I've been told, well, I know about magic, as well as about Remus's Lycanthropy. I've been told about Olivia's past -- not full details, mind you, but enough to get the picture -- about Remus and Lucius's lost children, all three. Sirius has almost died twice in a motorbike accident, and Lucius has pink boxers." Seeing all the shocked, stunned, or just plain amused faces around himself, he chuckled. "Okay, so the last one was a joke."

"It was?" asked Remus, feigning surprise. "Weird. I could have sworn that..." However, a dirty glare from his husband made him just laugh and give up on the topic.

"Ha ha. That's so very funny, Christopher. Remind me to laugh," Lucius said dryly. However, his glare didn't manage to scare his friend, who just smirked at him.

"I'm a business man, Lucius, and used to deal with other business men. One glare isn't going to send me crying away, and not even ten glares, so you may just as well stop trying."

Now, Sirius was grinning broadly. "I think I already like you," he announced, making everybody laugh.

*

Some time later Lucius and Severus were finally left to talk with each other without disturbances as everybody scattered around the room after making sure that both Blacks truly were still alive and in once piece.

"So, what is this Muggle friend of yours like?" Severus asked, a cunning look in his eyes.

"Christopher? He's a fine man," Lucius said. "One of the best men I know, actually. From what I've figured about him this far, he's loyal, friendly, and completely trustworthy. He would never betray us."

"I didn't mean that," the other Potions Master replied. "It's just that Lilian's obviously gone onto her predatory mode, and what she wants, she gets, too. I'd just like to know in advance what my future brother-in-law is like -- and believe me, he will be that. I know my sister well enough to say that."

"Lilian likes him?" asked Lucius disbelievingly. "No way, Severus. She hates him more than anything. I've never seen her being in the same room with him for a minute without her saying something nasty to him!"

"That's Lilian for you," chuckled Severus. "She's just testing him to see if he could stand her. I'd figure that he gives back as good as he gets; otherwise, she would have already given up. An interesting match, though," he added then, smirking. "Father would roll in his grave if he knew -- which is only too good a thing."

"I still think you're mistaken, though," Lucius said. "Even the idea of them being together is almost ridiculous. I mean, just look at them! They're far too different to ever be happy together."

"If Lilian's still after him, like she is," Severus said, "then they can't be too different, as he's shooting back at her attacks. And when she's set her mind, there's no messing with her. She'll get Christopher, no matter what. Take my word for it -- or if you don't believe me, just ask Narcissa."

"Oh, I think I will," replied Lucius. "There's no way I'll believe that. It's just impossible."

So, he walked over to Narcissa, who at the moment was holding her youngest child. Before he could say anything, though, Narcissa smirked. "Look at Lilian," she said. "She's obviously on predatory mode. Believe me, before the year's out, she's got Christopher. There's no way she'll let him slip away." As she saw Lucius's weird expression, she frowned. "What is it, Lucius?" she asked kindly.

"Nothing," the blonde replied. "Just... just nothing. I'll never understand you Snapes," he added.

In the meantime, the topic of their conversation -- not Lilian, though, but Christopher -- was talking with Hermione. "So you're taking care of your daughters alone, then?" he asked. "It can't be easy."

"Well, it isn't," admitted the witch with a bit sad smile. "We're always a bit tight on money. Of course Harry and the Malfoys would be more than ready to help, but I won't accept anything from them. My pride would be lost forever if I couldn't take care of my children on my own."

"I understand." Christopher nodded slowly. Then he suddenly got an idea. Drawing his chequebook from his pocket, he quickly wrote a cheque and handed it to her. "Perhaps you could still take this," he said.

Hermione's eyes widened as she saw the amount. "There's no way I could accept this," she whispered.

Christopher, however, merely shook his head with a sad smile. "Please take it," he said quietly. "I had already put that sum aside for my daughter's education. Georgia will never need it now, and I could never use it for anything else. If you took the money and used it for your daughters' good, I could hope with a good conscience that somewhere up there somebody's taking care of Georgia, too."

For a moment, Hermione just stared at him. Then, very slowly, she nodded. "I understand," she whispered.

As soon as she had turned away and got dragged into a conversation with Narcissa, Lucius pulled Christopher aside. "Tell me how much you gave her, and I'll pay it all back to you," he said quietly. "By making up with Harry, Hermione's made my son happier than ever, but from she'll accept nothing me."

"There's no need for that," Christopher replied. "I meant what I said. Call me selfish if you want, but I'm not giving in. Georgia could never grow up. However, I can make sure that at least two other little girls get a happy life I wanted a guarantee for my own daughter but never had the chance to."

Lucius nodded slowly. Then he asked off-handedly, "What do you think about Lilian, by the way?"

"Lilian?" echoed Christopher. "Well, she most obviously doesn't like me. Other than that, though... I think I might like her if she only wasn't so hostile. She's an intelligent woman, and has one hell of a sense of humour. And she's interesting. Why do you ask?" he then asked wonderingly, glancing at his friend.

"Oh, nothing," Lucius said. "It's just that both Severus and Narcissa claim that their sister dearest is after you -- and not to harm you, either. Instead, they're sure she'd very much like to marry you."

Christopher's eyes flew wide. "You must be kidding," he then said. "That woman hates me with all her heart! And besides, if I approached her, I'd take her favourite pastime from her -- teasing me, that is."

"That's probable, yes," chuckled Lucius. "I don't believe it, either. Severus and Narcissa seemed quite sure, though." His eyes then scanned the crowd. "Excuse me for a moment, will you? I think I spotted Dumbledore near Sirius, and I'd like to talk with him for a while."

"Sure." So, Christopher was now left alone, shaking his head at Lucius's news. Well, although he'd been told that Severus was intelligent, now the man was most certainly mistaken. Lilian Snape hated him, period.

For some time he just walked through the people around, listening to bits of conversations and stepping aside whenever some children ran past him. Then, however, he came across another Malfoy.

"You look rather distracted, Remus," remarked Christopher, frowning a bit. "What is wrong?"

"Oh, nothing," Remus said, sighing a bit. "It's just that full moon's only a couple of days away. The wolf's pretty calm this month -- otherwise I wouldn't stand any people near, not even Lucius -- but it's still disturbing me. Especially with all the guests and strong emotions it's getting nearer to the surface."

Christopher nodded slowly. "You do look exhausted," he then said. "Maybe you should rest a bit."

"Maybe I should," admitted Remus, chuckling tiredly. "You're probably right," he then said. "If somebody asks, tell them that I went to lie down for a while, will you? I'll come back after some time."

Promising to inform the others, the Muggle then watched him leave. He frowned a bit. He'd been explained everything about Remus's Lycanthropy, and he knew that with the Wolfsbane Potion the only one who was hurt was Remus himself. It wasn't until now, however, that he realized just how strong the wolf's grip was on the brunet man. Suddenly he did not wonder why Remus was always so thin and looked tired any more.

"That's the reason for his depression, you know," he heard a quiet voice behind him. Lucius. "After every full moon he goes for a couple of days into a self-loathing mood. The worse the full moon, the worse the depression, and if something upsetting happens on top of that, he will try to hurt himself. Thankfully, he's been unsuccessful this far." With a sigh, the blond the continued, "We've been working, Severus and I, to modify the potion so that it would take the depression away. However, just as with trying to make the transformation painless, we have been unsuccessful. Thus, Remus still has to suffer every month."

"It is so unfair," Christopher said quietly. "He's one of the kindest men I've ever come to know. He'd never hurt a fly. Why does he, of all people, have to go through that hell every month?"

"I don't know," replied Lucius. "Believe me, if I knew, I'd have changed that already. It tears my heart apart to see him like this. He doesn't show it, but I know that even now he was pretty near breaking down. The wolf always gets restless if the place or people around are unfamiliar, and strong emotions call it, too. So, now is about the perfect occasion for the wolf to get nearer to the surface."

"So it was for the best that he went to sleep now, then," concluded Christopher.

"Yes, it is," admitted his blond friend. "Thank you for telling him to do that, though. If I'd told him, he would have just accused me of worrying for no reason and absolutely refused to get any rest."

"A good thing I told him, then." But, even though Christopher tried to smile, he looked still worried. Lucius noticed this, but didn't say anything. After all, he was worried himself.

*

The Potters were just sitting on a couch together when they heard somebody rushing out of the fireplace. Draco looked up to see who was coming in such a hurry, and was startled. "Father?" he asked.

"Quick," his father hissed. "I know you always have some chocolate somewhere. If I don't get some and get back home fast, my life is at stake." While he spoke his eyes darted quickly around the room.

Draco, who had seen this happening many times earlier, frowned. Something was off in this scene, no matter how familiar it was. Then it hit him. "Why?" he blurted out. "It's nowhere near full moon yet."

Lucius just sighed. "If I may remind you," he said, "Remus is no more the only one in the Manor with a monthly problem." As the other wizards' eyes widened in realization, he grimaced. "I know I should be delighted that she dares to show her negative feelings as well, but I'd also really appreciate it if there were less of those. At the very least she could be less vocal and loud about them."

"Oh, poor you," Draco said, and then hurried towards the door. "I'll be back in a moment!" he shouted.

So, Harry and Lucius were left alone. "Is she really that bad?" asked Harry with a grin.

"Uh-huh." The blond man nodded. "She's been raging all day about every little thing. And when she discovered that there was no chocolate left in the whole Manor, she looked about ready to commit murder, so I thought it would be best to leave for a while. I can only hope that Remus is still alive," he added.

"Oh, I think he is," said Harry, shrugging. "After all, he should be able to sympathize with her better. They both get moody once a month and crave chocolate; I, at least, don't see any real difference."

At that, Lucius raised an eyebrow. "Perhaps not," he said, "but if I were you, I would not say that in either of their hearing. If you do, I will not be responsible for the physical injuries you receive."

Just then, Draco returned, carrying a couple of boxes of chocolate. "Here's some first aid for my dearest sister," he said, handing the boxes to his father. "I recommend you order more as soon as possible, though," he added then. "I remember all too well how Mother could be at that time of the month."

"You know nothing about that," snorted Lucius. "She made sure not to show you even half of it; after all, you're her precious son. As her husband, however, I had to bear it all." With a sigh, he added, "Apparently fathers are also allowed too be used as targets."

Draco and Harry glanced at each other sympathetically as Lucius then Flooed back to the Malfoy Manor.

*

"So." Olivia looked at her godfather. "What is it you wanted to tell me?"

"Well, like you probably know, today's the day when day and night are just as long," started Severus As she nodded, he went on, "Therefore, now it's the perfect timing to teach you some more Seeing."

"Really?" Olivia's eyes flew wide. "What is it? And why is now the perfect time?"

"This is the day when darkness and light are equals," Severus explained. "Light is growing over darkness, and thus, Seeing is at its strongest point. Tonight, every Seer and Seeress can see whatever they want -- past, future, and what might have been. If you have someone's Soul Potion, they can See the same."

The girl's eyes shone with excitement. She listened carefully to Severus's instructions on how to make use of this "gift". Then, under his strict observation, she chose what she wanted to see, concentrated... and entered the vision world.

*

A tiny baby girl, a tuft of dark hair on top of her head, was sleeping peacefully in a small cradle. Olivia herself was looking down at her, looking a bit tired but happy nevertheless.

"Isn't she just adorable?" she sighed to somebody who wasn't in sight at the moment. "Such a little angel." She extended a hand to gently pet her daughter's soft, dark hair.

"That she truly is," said another voice fondly -- a voice she knew all too well. And at the next second, Malcolm appeared into the picture, wrapping an arm around the sight-Olivia's shoulders. "She is the very image of cuteness -- when she's asleep, that is." With this, he chuckled, then leant forward to press a kiss onto the Criddle's temple. "She definitely takes after you on her features," he said with a teasing tone.

"And isn't that a good thing," replied his companion, equally teasing. "I would hate for my first and this far only daughter to have her father's nose." Then she pecked the facial feature in question.

"You insult me, my dear fiancée." A smile lit up Malcolm's face. "Anyway. Now that this little angel has finally decided to fall asleep, what about us getting a bit of sleep at last, as well?"

Now, the sight-Olivia flashed him a bright smile. "That sounds like a splendid idea to me."

And with that, the sight faded away.

*

"Olivia?" Somebody was shaking her by the shoulder. "Olivia, are you all right?"

A bit slowly, the young Criddle regained her sense of reality. "Yeah... I suppose so." She flashed her godfather a bewildered smile. "It was just... surprising, is all."

"Oh?" Severus raised an eyebrow. "And what did you See, exactly, then?" he then inquired.

She smiled. "I wanted to See my future firstborn," she told him. "And, well, I did. There was a beautiful little baby girl in my vision -- and her father was Malcolm. We were engaged, but not married yet." As she saw Severus's amused smirk, she frowned. "You don't look too surprised," she said accusingly.

Now, Severus chuckled. "Dear Olivia," he said, "I would have to try very hard not to notice my dear nephew's crush on you. It is rather obvious to anyone but you what he feels towards you."

"But -- but Malcolm's gay!" exclaimed the astonished girl. Her eyes were wide with disbelief.

"No, he's bisexual," Severus corrected. "Come on, Olivia. Knowing what happened to you, do you think he would ever dare to approach you? He can't even tell you that he likes girls as well, as you might feel threatened by him if you knew that he's bisexual instead of gay."

"But that's ridiculous!" Olivia looked really stunned. "Father's bi, and Harry's bi, too, and I don't feel threatened by either of them. I trust Malcolm. Why would I ever think he would do anything to harm me?"

"Lucius and Harry don't have any reason to be nervous, because they have no sexual interest in you," Severus replied, shrugging a bit. "A boy's brain works oddly when he's in love. Malcolm's not going to risk anything with you, and least of all will he ever make any moves on you."

For a moment, Olivia just stared at him. Then, she turned around, storming out of the room with an expression that strongly reminded Severus of Lucius when he was plotting something. "That stupid little git," the girl muttered as she went. "Why couldn't he just simply tell me? I'll show him..."

Shaking his head, Severus smiled. Obviously he had been right about Olivia's feelings for Malcolm, too.

Then, he felt a pair of arms being wrapped around his waist from behind. "Something funny?" asked a deep voice right next to his ear. "Anything I should know about?"

"Well, it depends," Severus replied with a smirk. "If you want to know that Olivia's obviously going to show Malcolm just how afraid she is of his possible bisexuality, then yes, you should know." Turning around in the circle of Sirius's arms, he then placed a kiss onto his husband's lips. As he pulled back, he smiled a bit. "Tonight's the Night of Sight," he said quietly. "Will you accompany me for the vision?"

"It depends," replied Sirius lightly. "What were you planning to See?"

For a moment, Severus stayed silent. Then he said, very quietly, "I want to See what our lives would be like if... if I hadn't lost Brian." He lowered his eyes then, unable to say anything else.

Sirius hugged the slender Slytherin against his chest, staying silent for a while as well. Then he said, "It was not your fault, you know. And besides, maybe it was for the better in the end. We can't know that."

"Yes, we can," Severus protested. "Tonight's the Night of Sight, and I remember Brian, and thus can try to get a vision of him. Therefore, we can very well get to know whether it was for better or for worse."

Now, Sirius was quiet for an even longer time. He knew that if they saw that their lives would have been better with Brian living -- what he secretly suspected himself, too -- Severus would be very depressed. He might even end up doing something stupid. However, the fact that Severus even considered using this day's special magic to have a vision involving Brian suggested that he might be getting over the loss, at least enough to look at it sensibly. And Severus had to get over it for the sorrow to even fade a bit, even though it would never completely disappear.

Pulling for a moment his husband even tighter against himself, he then released Severus. "Let me See."

*

"Now, eat nicely, Jamie," Severus scolded his son. "Don't drop food on the table."

"Aw, let the boy play, Severus," Sirius chuckled. "You know he's just trying to get your attention."

"He's got my attention," the Potions Master replied, frowning at his husband's words. "He doesn't have to make a mess to get it."

"No, he doesn't," the Animagus grinned. "Admit it, Severus, at the moment all your attention is centered on the baby, and she's not even born yet!"

"That's right!" somebody shouted from the next room. "You couldn't even come to watch when Joyce, Philip, and I played Quidditch yesterday!"

"I couldn't come and you know that, Brian," Severus replied levelly. "For some reason you seem to be unable to understand I happen to prefer your baby sister being a healthy child."

"Uncle Lucius came to watch, too," their elder son complained, peering into the dining room, his black hair in a mess and his blue eyes twinkling. "And how could you being there harm the baby?"

"I had an appointment with the doctor yesterday," the Potions Master told him. "Now, go to play." In an instant, the dark-haired boy had vanished from the doorway, hurrying to get back to his games. After a moment Severus gave up any hope of little James getting any more food into his mouth and put him on the floor. The little boy immediately ran after his big brother on his little feet.

Severus sighed tiredly and leant against Sirius, resting his head on his husband's shoulder. Sirius smiled a bit and placed a kiss on top of the other man's raven-haired head. "I love you, you know," he murmured into the midnight-black hair.

"And I love you, too." Sighing again, Severus raised his hand to his stomach, where a small bulge could already be seen. After a moment of silence, he said, "How do you think Lucius is?"

"Not too well, I'm afraid." Sirius sighed, too. "It's hard to believe, you know. It's now been exactly seven years since..." His voice trailed off and he lowered his eyes, unable to finish the sentence.

"Since Remus died. I know." Severus raised a hand to sink his fingers into the Animagus's long raven locks. "It's not your fault," he said quietly. "Would you rather have let Brian and I die? No one could ever blame you for Remus's death. You couldn't be there; you're not responsible for it."

"Knowing that doesn't help my guilt." Now, Sirius wrapped his arms around Severus. "Sometimes I can't help but wonder what our life would be like if everything had gone differently."

"Tonight's the Night of Sight," replied Severus quietly. "You could find out."

"Really?" Sirius's eyes widened. "You'd use your gift to show me that?"

"Of course I would, you great git." Severus turned his head to place a small kiss onto the tip of Sirius's nose. "Don't get too comfortable, though. I haven't had any good mood swings yet. It might be just fitting to throw a fit at you for getting me pregnant... again."

"Hey, now you're not being fair," said Sirius with a small grin. "You like getting pregnant, admit it. It's being pregnant that you have problems with." Then, the grin disappeared along with his cheerful mood. "Lucius must be feeling awful," he said quietly. "As absurd as it sounded at the time, he truly loved Remus. If it wasn't for Philip and Joyce, he'd probably have killed himself already."

"That's true." Severus sighed once again. "So, let's be grateful that he has them."

And then, the image faded.

*

The Blacks stared at each other for a moment. Then Sirius's eyes widened in realization. "The attack on the Forbidden Forest," he said. "It was exactly seven years ago, wasn't it? You Saw it, I remember."

"And you wouldn't leave until I practically shoved you out of the room because you were worried about me," the Potions Master continued. "Like being a bit dizzy could harm me. And then you arrived to the battle field just in time to save Remus." After a small pause, he added, "Apparently, in this other possible reality, Brian somehow slowed you down or even kept you from going to the whole battle."

"Merlin." The Animagus leant back in the armchair he was now sitting in, his expression unreadable as he looked up at the ceiling. "So that's what would have happened if we hadn't lost Brian."

"Exactly." Severus was quiet for a moment. Then he sighed and shook his head. "Well, it's no use thinking about what our life would be like if things had gone differently. After all, it's not like we can change the past." With a small, sad smirk, he added, "Besides, even if we indeed could change the past, could you choose between a child you never knew and your best friend? And if you could, who would you choose?"

"You know the answer." Eyeing his husband carefully as if expecting him to break down on any moment, Sirius said then, "Maybe you can be a bit less hard on yourself now, too."

"Never, Sirius, never," replied the Potions Master quietly. "I may regret it less now, after seeing what it might have led to -- only a bit less, but still -- but I'll never forgive myself for my failure."

To that, Sirius didn't say anything. Instead, he just drew the other man into his arms and tightened his embrace around the slender shoulders. For a long time they sat in silence, neither saying a word.

*

Malcolm glanced down at the magazine in his hands. He scowled at its cover. Normally he'd never want to dirty his hands by touching such trash, but his mother had sent it to him, telling him that there was something in there he might be interested in. Wondering whatever it could be, he finally opened the magazine, at first glancing around to make sure nobody could see him reading it.

For a moment he skimmed through the magazine, not seeing anything that might have caught his interest. Just as he thought that his mother had been just teasing him, however, his eyes fell onto one title.

"WITCH WEEKLY MEETS THE MALFOY HEIRESS

Lady of Malfoy. Mistress of the Malfoy Manor. One of the owners of the Malfoy Industries. A Potions Mistress in training. That's a lot of positions for a sixteen-year-old girl to be in, but this one happens to handle her not always so simple life rather admirably.

Olivia Malfoy, who will turn 17 this summer, became widely known a year ago as an adoption drama hit the headlines. Lucius and Remus Malfoy won the trial against the Ministry of Magic, and thus Olivia, who is also Lucius's biological daughter, got to stay with whom she considers 'her only true parents'. Now this, the richest female in the Wizarding Britain, the sole heiress to the most enormous family fortune ever, her half brother having given up his claims to anything under the Malfoy name, has given an interview to Witch Weekly.

So, what is it like to be the richest British witch, Olivia?

'Well, first, I'm not a witch -- if I were, I'd be in Hogwarts at this very moment. I'm a Criddle -- a Pureblood, though. And as for being rich, well, it doesn't really feel that different. I'm still trying to get used to the fact that I have enough money for everything I'd ever want.'

There are many girls who would kill to be you, you know.

'That's probable, yes. However, if I put my past into the deal as well, I think most would give up on my fortune. And besides, being rich alone doesn't make you happy.'

What about your past, then?

'I'd rather not talk about it. Let's just say that I had a very unpleasant childhood.'

You said being rich doesn't necessarily make one happy. Are you happy?

'Yes, I am, but that has nothing to do with money. I am happy because I have a loving family and wonderful friends to whom I can always turn if I need some help.'

So, Do you like boys or girls, Olivia?

'I knew that question would come... Well, I like boys. In that respect, I come to my parents.'

Indeed. Is there anyone in particular you like, perhaps?

'Well... There is indeed someone. He just doesn't know it yet.'

Oh, yes. Some lucky boy should apparently pay more attention to his surroundings. But what are your plans for the future, Olivia?

'Well, first I'll have to pass my Potions Mistress tests. Then I'll look for a job in the Ministry or some research team. At some point I'll probably marry and have a couple of kids of my own, and then, well, then I will live hopefully happily for as long as I can before my time is over.'

A good and respectable plan, I'd say. Now to basic questions. What are your favourite colours?

'Green and silver.' *giggle* 'I'm a Malfoy, after all. I like blue too, though.'

Those are also the Slytherin colours. What House do you belong in?

'Well, I've never been Sorted, so I can't say for sure. However, I guess that Ravenclaw would suit my character best. There's nothing wrong with Slytherin, either, but I just wouldn't fit there.'

What about Hufflepuff and Gryffindor, then?

'Hufflepuff is okay. Gryffindor sucks.'

Your brother-in-law might disagree on that one; never mind your Dad and Godfather.

'Ask them and you'll get the same answer. Our recent experiences about people of that House are not exactly encouraging nor do they much increase House pride in the Gryffindors of my family.'

You're referring to the adoption mess, aren't you?

'Exactly. It had begun much earlier, though. Draco's said that none of the Slytherins on the side of Light ever had any problem with his and Harry's relationship. All the Gryffindors, however, deserted Harry completely. The same applies to my parents and godparents, so, well...'

At least now the infamous anti-Gryffindor attitude of the Malfoys is not unfounded, then. But let's go on. Who is your best friend?

'Malcolm Snape, of course! We always do everything together... Whenever he's around, that is. Most of the time he's at school, though, so I don't see him except on holidays.'

Ah, young Master Snape. He's the same age as you, isn't he?

'Almost exactly. Malcolm's three days older than me -- my birthday's July 3rd, his is last of June.'

Do you have any pets?

'Oh, yes. I have a saroth called Ssaratha. She's a really cute little thing.'

Very fitting for a Malfoy to have such an unusual pet. On that note, does the name of Malfoy affect your life? And, if it does, what is the difference?

'Of course it affects my life! It is, after all, what people notice first about me. Everyone knows about the Malfoys. My name makes some people afraid of me, and I sometimes have to spend a lot of time trying to convince them that I'm not evil. At times, I don't manage.'

And what do you do then?

'Then I am evil, of course. It's what's expected of me, so why couldn't I?' *laughter* 'Well, if someone's dumb enough not to listen to me, then I most certainly won't waste my time and energy on trying to convince them of the truth. So, I use it to my advantage however I can. I am a Malfoy, after all. And besides, that's just what they're prepared for. So, no harm done to anybody.'

Is there any chance you might tell us who that mysterious boy is?

*chuckle* 'No chance at all, no.'

Very well. Thank you for the interview, Olivia. It was pleasant to talk to you.

'The pleasure is mine.'"

The picture attached to the interview was a pretty one. It was taken in the garden of the Manor, where the very first flowers had just began to bloom. Olivia was standing in the middle of Never-Dying Roses, which were Lucius's joy and pride. She was wearing a pale blue dress, and her hair was shining golden blonde in the sunlight. She was smiling, and when she saw Malcolm, her smile brightened and she waved at him.

For a moment, Malcolm was quiet. Then he snorted. "Well, well, well," he said thoughtfully. "It seems that you have kept something from me, my dear friend." Then, with determination in his voice, he said, "But I am going to find out who that boy is... And when I find out, I will make sure they never look at you."

Oh, how very wrong he was.

*

Olivia took the letter offered to her from the Hogwarts school owl. Seeing her name on the parchment written with the familiar neat handwriting of Malcolm, she smiled. Settling down in an armchair near the couch her parents were seated on, she started to read, absentmindedly petting Ssaratha.

For a moment, the small family sat in silence, each reading their literature of choice. Remus had a novel by his favourite werewolf author, Lucius had a potions magazine, and Olivia had Malcolm's letter. Then, suddenly, Olivia gasped. "That sneaky little bastard!" she then exclaimed, but with a smile on her face.

"What?" asked Lucius, frowning at her. "What exactly do you deem so important that it would justify such language, young lady? Or is it perhaps something I'm not allowed to know of?"

His daughter shook her head. "No, you're allowed to know, because you'll probably find it out soon anyway," she said. "You see, Malcolm's been taking additional classes all year-- that's why he couldn't even spend all of the holidays home, he's been working too much. Anyway, thanks to these classes, he has now passed both the sixth and seventh year curriculum." With an amused gaze to her parents' direction, she finished, "He'll take his N.E.W.T.s this spring... and graduate a year ahead his peers."

At first, Lucius's eyes widened; then he burst into laughter. "Isn't that just so typical," he laughed. "Can't ever do anything the usual way, the Snapes, can they? No, of course not. There's no way that Malcolm could become a Potions Master at a younger age than Severus, so he at least graduates earlier!"

"Well, that's a huge achievement," Remus said, smiling. "There are very few who have ever graduated ahead of time, and not a single one outside the Ravenclaw House. Even if Malcolm passed with only a couple of points over the failing limit, he'd still be achieving more than most people ever. And, knowing him, I really doubt he'd get bad grades. Rather I'd expect him to be at the top of his class."

"Well, Malcolm most certainly wouldn't accept anything less," Olivia said with a smirk. "Anyway," she then continued, "are we going to the graduation ceremony? He's asking us to come. I don't think it'd be too much of a bother, would it?" Now, she smirked again, looking even more sly than before.

Lucius merely rolled his eyes towards the ceiling. "You will be the death of mine," he muttered.

*

"Welcome home, Malcolm," Lilian said brightly, pulling her son into a hug despite his protests. "I'm so very proud of you, you know! Everyone's coming over for a party tomorrow," she then added, fussing over him. "There's already someone here who'd like to congratulate you, though." She smirked.

"Malcolm!" shouted a happy voice from the doorway just then. "The graduation was so wonderful! I thought the others would die when they heard that you didn't only graduate ahead of time but also on top of your class! Even father laughed. We're all so proud of you, you know!"

"Olivia!" exclaimed Malcolm as he saw his friend hurrying towards him. Hugging her, he then swirled her around in the air, ignoring her annoyed shriek. When he put her back to the ground, however, he raised an eyebrow. "I didn't manage to catch you after the ceremony," he said, "as I didn't see you anywhere. Now I certainly see the reason for that, though. You've shrunk so much I can barely see you!"

"You brat," huffed Olivia, pouting. Then, however, she smiled brightly. "Oh, my, you've truly grown," she said. "You must be taller than Father by now! Just how tall are you?" she asked them.

"Six feet and three inches," laughed Malcolm. "So, yes, I have passed your father, and about everybody else, too. I used to be just as tall as Severus, and he was the third tallest by then right after Lucius and Sirius. Now I've passed him, but alas, I still haven't managed to get rid of the Snape looks," he added.

"Unfortunately not," agreed Olivia. Then, she grinned. "Come on now," she said. "The formal party is tomorrow, but tonight we're going to have a party of our own! We have candies and crisps and soda and pizza and all other kinds of Muggle junk food. Tomorrow you have to be oh-so-grown-up, but tonight, we'll still be just teenagers!" And then, she dragged her grinning friend out of the room.

Not much later, they both sat on the floor of Malcolm's room. Neither thought much about the fact that the guest bed for Olivia had been brought to the same room; they'd shared a bedroom many times before, often talking and laughing well past midnight, or at least until some adult came to tell them to stop. Just as Olivia had managed to cut a huge pizza into proper-sized pieces, Malcolm decided to speak.

"So... What was this thing about some boy you're interested in?" asked the young wizard, obviously trying hard to sound casual. "Who is it, anyway? And why haven't I heard of him?"

"And here I was thinking you were clever," laughed Olivia. At his confused look, she smirked, looking for a moment frighteningly much like her father. "Take a moment to think about it, Malcolm. Whenever you're not around, I'm somewhere with my parents, usually abroad or here in the Manor. Exactly how many boys I could see more than a couple of times, never mind that my parents would let me even talk with?"

It took a moment for the message to get through to Malcolm's brain. After he realized what she meant, he just opened his mouth a couple of times, unable to talk. At last he said, "Oh."

"Exactly." Olivia's smirk didn't fade anywhere. "So, is it true what my dear Godfather told me, then... that you have a crush on me?" she asked, giving him now her most innocent smile.

"Severus told you what?" Malcolm stared at her. Then, he ground his teeth. "I'm going to kill him."

"So it's true, then," observed the girl with a self-satisfied grin. Then, she put on a serious face. "You stupid, stupid boy," she scolded. "Why couldn't you tell me? Did you really think I'd suddenly become afraid of you if I knew that you are bisexual instead of gay? I'm not afraid of Father or Harry, after all."

"Well..." Malcolm looked a bit sheepish, something that happened very rarely -- well, practically never. He was a true Snape, after all. "I just thought... Oh, well, I didn't think, okay? It was clear in the beginning that you were wary of Jonah, and as you seemed to be at ease around me because you thought I was gay, I didn't bother to correct you so as to not scare you away. And as the time went on, well, I thought about telling you, but I figured you'd just yelled at me for not telling you sooner or something like that..."

"Well, you knew that eventually it would come out, didn't you?" asked Olivia, raising an eyebrow. "Your mother commenting on some past girlfriend of yours would have been enough. And the longer you waited, the more time I would have to be mad at you." At his expression, she smirked. "Don't worry, though," she then said cheerfully. "I'm not mad at you. I just hope you would have told me sooner."

"About what?" asked Malcolm, still a bit confused about the situation. "About my being bi?"

"No," Olivia said calmly. "About your liking me. And, well, about your being bi, too. If I had known, I could have told you earlier." At his questioning gaze, she explained, "I could have told that I like you, too."

For a long moment they were both absolutely silent. Neither dared to say anything; they didn't even dare to look each other in the eye. Both felt a bit uneasy, and didn't know what to do or say next.

Just then, the door was opened, and Lilian Snape looked in. "Oh, so you're not snogging yet," she said cheerfully. "I got a bit worried when you were quiet for so long. Just go ahead, you know you both want it. However," she then added sternly, "you are still sleeping in separated beds. Merlin knows that Lucius will have my head if I let you do anything that goes past kissing. So, don't get me into trouble, okay?"

As the door was closed again, the teenagers finally looked at each other. Then, they both started to laugh.

"Have I told you how much I love your mother?" asked Olivia when she could finally stop laughing. "That's just -- just unbelievable. Not even my Dad could say anything like that, leave alone my Father!"

"Of course not," Malcolm said, grinning. "They're not Snapes, after all." With a smirk, he added, "Narcissa is just like that, though, even though we all suspect that she doesn't have a single drop of my not-so-dear grandfather's blood in her veins. Draco once told me that one day, while arranging Uncle Severus's wedding, he and Harry had been making out on a couch in one of the sitting rooms here. So, Aunt Narcissa went there, looking for something. Of course they pulled apart, embarrassed, but she just said, 'It's nothing, just go on. Don't mind me. It's not like I haven't seen you naked before, Draco, and as for Harry, I doubt he has anything I haven't seen before, what with all those men I've bedded.'"

Now, Olivia burst into laughter. "Well, I no longer have to wonder where Draco's got it from," she said cheerfully. "That's a relief, actually. If he'd got it from Father, there might have been a chance I would become just as bad at some point. But now I know I'm clean!"

"Are you sure?" asked Malcolm, raising an eyebrow in a very Severus-y way. "After all, an extended amount of time in the proximity of us all has to have corrupted you more than a bit. Just think about it. Your godparents are Sirius and Severus, for Salazar's sake!" Then his eyes found something very interesting to be set on. "Would you give me a piece of that pizza? Please?" he asked.

Olivia, however, snatched the whole pizza and kept it well away from his hands. "Not unless you kiss me first," she said, giving him a sly grin. It soon turned into a surprised and a bit startled expression, however, as Malcolm suddenly flung himself forward and indeed pressed a quick, soft kiss onto her lips.

Pulling back, the boy smirked at her. "Now can I get my pizza?" he asked with his sweetest voice. Then, however, he frowned as he watched her. Her bottom lip began to tremble and tears formed up in her eyes. He tried to reach out a hand for her, but she started to stumble away from him, her face very pale.

"Merlin, Olivia. I didn't scare you, did I?" asked Malcolm hurriedly. "Please, don't be frightened. I'm sorry; I'll never do that again! I swear I won't even look to your direction, just please don't be scared..."

As Olivia still just stared at him, he began to get more than a bit anxious. This was not good. Olivia was obviously upset with him, and thus Lucius would kill him, and Draco would do that, too, and practically any male family member either of them happened to have. He'd just assumed, obviously wrongly, that if they truly both liked each other, he could get away with one kiss. What could he do now?

Then, to his great shock, Olivia started to giggle. "You should have seen your face!" she announced. Then calming down a bit, she continued, "Don't worry. I just wanted to remind you that I'm not some porcelain doll you have to be careful with. I can assure you that if you do something I don't like, I will indeed let you know -- even slap you, if it seems necessary."

"Oh." Malcolm sighed with relief. Then, however, he frowned. "Is it really necessary for you to slap me?" he whined. No, asked. Whining would have been just absolutely unlike him.

Olivia, of course, just smirked in her most Malfoy-ish way. "Only if you misbehave," she said.

*

Lilian glanced at her family and friends. With a smile on her lips, she said, "Welcome, my dear friends, and thank you for coming. It's really nice to see you all attending Malcolm's graduation party. I hope you all enjoy yourselves." Giving them her brightest smile now, she received many similar ones in response.

"Oh, and I have an announcement to make," she added with a smirk on her lips. "I have been told, and asked to tell further, that my son and Olivia Malfoy are now officially together."

At that, Lucius fainted.

*

"Well, well, well," Sirius said with a grin as he saw Lucius walking towards him and Severus. "Decided to wake up at last, eh, Sleeping Beauty? I take it you didn't really expect to hear that particular news."

"Definitely not," muttered Lucius, glancing gloomily around. "Where's Lilian? I am going to kill her for her wonderful idea of letting Olivia spend last night with her 'friend.'"

"Oh, calm down," huffed Severus. "It's not like they slept in the same bed, just in the same room. They're both too sensible to rush into things. And besides," he then added with a small smirk, "they're both almost seventeen. You should just accept the fact that your little girl isn't that little anymore."

"You have given her at least the birds and bees talk, right?" asked Sirius, smirking a bit.

Lucius, however, was serious when he said, "Yes, I have. It wasn't that easy, though." At the Grim Animagus's questioning gaze, he sighed. "How exactly do you tell about birds and bees to a girl who lost her virginity to a rapist at the age of fourteen?" he asked, a trace of bitterness in his voice.

"Oh," was all that Sirius said. Then, after a moment of silence, he said, "It's not your fault, you know."

"No, it isn't, is it?" the blond replied. "But I can't help but blame myself. It was because of me, after all, that she had to grow up with those Muggles at the first place. Without me --"

"Without you, she wouldn't exist," Severus cut in. "Don't blame yourself, Lucius. Olivia's a strong character -- much like yourself. She got that from you, you know. So, it's because of you that she has been able to get over her past and start again as Olivia Malfoy. Don't blame yourself, my friend."

"I won't, then." Lucius sighed again slightly. Then, however, he smirked. "Excuse me for a moment," he said, his eyes now landing on a certain teenager. "I think I have something to discuss with young Malcolm."

The Blacks glanced at each other as they saw Lucius walking towards the young wizard. "That's almost sad," Sirius said amusedly. "Lucius is the one who's supposed to give Malcolm the hurt-my-girl-and-I'll-chase-you-down-and-kill-you talk first -- and yet, he's the sixth one to do that."

"The seventh," Severus said dryly. "At least he is if I'm not badly mistaken about the purpose of Christopher's little conversation with my nephew." Chuckling, he added, "Poor boy. He'll probably never dare to even breathe to the wrong direction in Olivia's company."

"Well, can you blame him?" asked Sirius, raising an eyebrow. "In fact, I kind of admire him for still being able to show a brave face. If I'd been given that talk by all of us, I would have already crapped my pants."

"So that's what bothered you after my sisters had their 'talk' with you," Severus murmured under his breath. As an annoyed Sirius then demanded to know what he'd said, Severus just smirked.

*

"Malcolm, a word with you, if you please," said somebody behind Malcolm. As he turned around, he saw Lucius standing in front of him, looking serious. Excusing himself, he then followed the older wizard.

When they were out of Olivia's hearing, Lucius turned towards Malcolm, looking as if he was about to say something. The boy, however, raised a hand to stop him. "Let's see if I have it already," he said dryly. "I'm a good boy and blah blah blah. If, however, I ever do anything that might in any way hurt your precious little daughter, you will chase me down and kill me in some nasty way -- if you get me before the others."

Now, Lucius raised an eyebrow. "I guess I didn't get to you first, then," he remarked amusedly.

"Oh, no," sighed the teenager. "What do you have to offer for my death, anyway? Harry promised to stake me with his broomstick and Draco told he'd skin alive. Sirius said he'd turn me into a mouse and feed me to his Kneazle, Severus told he'd feed me poison, and Remus said that he would put a couple of werewolves after me. Oh, and Christopher promised to simply beat me to death."

"Looks like the basic alternatives are already covered," said Lucius dryly but with a hint of amusement in his voice. "How about I turn you into something disgusting and then use you as ingredients for my potions?"

"Sure..." Now, Malcolm sighed. "I don't know if I even dare to talk to Olivia ever again now."

"Don't be afraid of being with her," the blond told him with a smirk. "Just be afraid of me."

"I don't really need to be told that," was the only response he got.

*