Like Father, Like Son

Twenty-third Chapter

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Beauties of the Ball

*

"Okay, Son," Sirius said with a grin. "Everything ready? You are going to me watched by everyone, you know. No time for rest -- and no possibilities to sneak off with your girlfriend, either." Sirius grinned, genuinely happy. After Remy and Samantha had made up, the boy hadn't been seen upset once.

"I'm prepared for that." Remy flashed him a grin. "As long as Rita Skeeter doesn't tell any lies, I and Samantha will have no problems." Then, he grimaced. "If I don't make her mad again, of course. I'll definitely try to avoid doing that, but then again, I certainly didn't mean to enrage her the last time."

"That alone would be enough of a reason to turn me away from females," said a dry voice from the doorway, "assuming that I'd ever had any true interest for them, of course. Your dad is certainly impossible enough at times, but at least with him, I have some kind of an inkling as of how his brain is working, if at all. Females, however, are just impossible to understand."

"Amen to that," muttered Remy. Then he took another glance at his father and frowned. "Father? Are you going to go to the Ball, too?"

Severus grimaced a bit, smoothing his dark green dress robes. "Albus's demands," he sighed. "I had no choice in the matter. Well, at least I had no difficulties with finding a suitable partner," he added dryly.

"Of course not," Sirius chuckled. "After all, you have the most wonderful husband on your side, don't you?" He then span the Slytherin around, wrapping his arms around the thin waist, and kissed him right on the mouth.

Remy gagged. "Ewww," he said, glaring at his parents. "Get a room, you two."

"You're one to speak," Sirius said, grinning broadly as he pulled back. "After all, didn't we just recently walk into this very same room only to find you lying on the couch with a pretty girl on top of you? We are at least in our own quarters, you see, not in those of our parents'."

A very rare occasion then came about as Remy blushed. Sure, it was a very slight blush, hardly even colouring his pale face, but still a clear, very un-Snapish blush.

"Aww, Remie-poo is blushing," said an amused voice from the direction of the door. "Has some nasty person said something that embarrassed ickle Remie-poo?"

"Harry!" exclaimed Remy, turning towards his friend... well, technically cousin... well, genetically halfbrother. "I was starting to worry that you'd back off, you utter brat!"

"Don't even start, skunk boy," laughed Harry. "Like I would ever betray my words!"

"Harry?" asked Sirius, frowning. "You aren't here for the Ball, are you? No outsiders are allowed in without an invitation, you know, not even teachers' relatives."

"Well, I have an invitation," the honey-haired youth replied, grinning. He smoothed his dark blue dress robe, which was almost exactly similar to that of Remy's. "You see, I have a date from the school."

"You? A date?" asked Sirius, disbelieving. "How did you find a girl foolish enough?"

"Not foolish at all," the eldest Marauder offspring said. "Instead, she's very much the most intelligent young witch I've come across, with a taste to match, of course. Don't you agree, my dearest cousin?" he asked, turning towards Remy.

"Well, she truly is that, although she is left second by Samantha." Remy smirked.

Severus's eyes widened. "Do not tell me that..." His voice trailed off.

"Hermione? Yup," Harry replied happily. "I needed a date, she needed a date, and we reached a mutually satisfying agreement." Now, he tugged at Remy. "Come on, cousin. When I asked from the Ravenclaw Tower, the girls were still not done. With a bit of luck, they are now getting finished, and if we are even a moment too late, they'll for sure get our hides."

"Typical," Remy said with a small chuckle. "What do you think, should we just give up on females and go to the Ball together?" He winked suggestively at his friend.

Harry laughed, too. "We wouldn't dare," he joked. "It would cost us our lives, that."

Both young wizards chuckled, then left the room together. Despite the age difference their heads, Harry's golden and Remy's black, were at the same height. With their similar robes and body build, never mind their expressions, it was easy to believe that half of their genes were practically the same.

Severus shook his head as he watched the two young men departing from the two professors' quarters. "I'm telling you," he said to his husband, "those two are worth more trouble than the Weasley twins ever."

Sirius merely chuckled as he drew Severus close again. "Well, it's a good thing they're on our side and not on Voldemort's, then, isn't it?"

"Precisely." And, as Severus hated owing anybody anything, he now decided to return the earlier favour he had received from his husband. Or, like the favour could also be called if one preferred such terms, the kiss.

*

As soon as the two young wizards got out into the deeper dungeons, Remy turned serious again. "By the way," he said, "I have something that belongs to you."

"Oh?" Harry raised his eyebrows. "And what in Merlin's name might that be?"

"This." Remy drew something from his pocked and extended it towards his friend. It was a key, a Gringotts key, to be exact. "It's the key to the Potter family vault. Quite obviously, that belongs to you now."

Harry, however, shook his head. "No, it belongs to you," he said. "You were the only heir by the time they died. And if we go by the original bloodlines," he added as Remy opened his mouth, "it still belongs to you. After all, your father was originally the eldest Potter son, and thus the true heir."

"But Father hasn't returned to his original family," Remy argued. "He's a Snape, and I'm a Snape as well. Ours is the Snape inheritance. You, on the other hand, are the only Potter alive, and thus, the Potter fortune is rightfully yours."

Harry glared at him halfheartedly. "You aren't going to give up on this, are you?"

Remy smirked and shook his head. "Of course not," he said. "My reputation would be completely ruined if I ever gave up on anything."

The other young man rolled his eyes towards the ceiling and then took the offered key. "Very well," he muttered, "if it makes you happy. Now, let's hurry. The girls can keep us waiting as long as they want, but Merlin forbid if we're a second too late."

"That's because the girls' appearance is usually worth the fight," Remy said, grinning. "But you are right. We'd better not tempt any misfortune by dallying. By the way, do you have anything to give to your date?"

"Of course." At this, Harry drew a shrunk bunch of flowers from his pocket. "They have preservation charms on them to keep them fresh."

"Quite nice," Remy said, rising his eyebrow. "Let's just hope you can make the unshrinking charm work. Anyway, I have this." Then he took something from his pocket as well. "It's a necklace to match the bracelet I gave her on Christmas."

"A good choice," Harry praised. "Let's hope Samantha will like it, too."

They chatted on until they reached the Ravenclaw Tower. After Remy gave the password to the statue guarding the entrance -- "Sic transit gloria mundi" -- they stepped inside. There were only some boys in the Common Room, most probably waiting for their dates to show up, as the beginning of the Ball was drawing near.

Remy spotted Benjamin but didn't even have time to ask him for the girls as Hermione decided to make an appearance. She'd somehow tamed her brown hair onto an elaborate bun with a couple of shiny ringlets falling down to frame her face. Her dress robe was a beautiful green and golden thing that matched her colouring and body build perfectly. Seeing Harry, she gave him a shy smile.

The goldenhaired boy bowed deep in front of her, giving her the flowers he'd managed to unshrink at some point. "Have I died and got to the Heaven, or why are my mortal eyes allowed to see such an image of unearthly beauty?" he asked jokingly, taking her hand and placing a light kiss on the back of her palm.

"Oh, shut up, you prat," Hermione said with a warm smile. "You and Remy are truly too much alike." She smelled deep the flowers' scent. "Thank you," she said happily. "Would you be offended if I disappeared for a moment to put these into water?"

"Not at all, milady." He even managed to avoid her halfhearted swat.

Remy and Harry exchanged grins. Then, however, Remy's eyes were again fixed at the stairway as Samantha came to sight. The tiny girl's dress robe was so dark blue that it was almost black, its silver embroideries resembling stars on a dark night sky. Her hair was on a thick braid around her head, falling then down on the back of her head like a golden waterfall. Her warm eyes were twinkling with delight as she saw Remy, moving so swiftly over the floor that she was almost like dancing already.

"Ah, another angel graces us with their company," commented Remy with a grin to match that of Harry's. "And this time they are even more fascinating and appealing to the eye than the first one." He, too, bowed in front of her, then handed her the necklace that had a small heart pendant on it. "I hope you like it."

"Oh, it's wonderful!" exclaimed the tiny girl. "Thank you so much, Remy!" She eyed him again with shining eyes. "You wouldn't mind helping me to put it on, would you?" she asked then, a hint of mischief in her voice that didn't go unnoticed by Remy.

The darkhaired young wizard, of course, immediately complied her request. Waiting until she turned her back on him, he then stepped forward to fasten the necklace on the girl's neck. He was startled as he got a closer look at what he had thought to be a hair band where her braid completed the circle in the back of her head and fell down on free locks of wavy, golden hair. It was not a hair band -- it was Sarlass.

'The one who speaksss,' hissed Sarlass as she noticed him. 'I sssee you have an interessst for thisss young one. Isss ssshe your mate, perhapsss?'

'That would be wonderful, yes,' Remy admitted. 'But, Sarlass, we're too young to mate. Therefore, I can only ask you to take care of her until we get older.'

'You humansss are weird,' was the snake's only reply.

Now, Remy fastened the necklace around Samantha's neck. "What did you say to her?" asked Samantha curiously from him as he stepped back.

"I just told her to take care of you," Remy replied with the half-truth. "Why on Earth is she in your hair? I'd think the wrist is a better place."

"Perhaps," Samantha said, and shrugged. "But she was in my way as I tried to pull the dress on, so I asked her to move. Seemingly she understands English. Anyway, she seems to actually prefer my hair to my wrist." Now, she smiled warmly at him.

"Of course she understands English," Remy replied. "She's a very intelligent creature. Well, anyway," he said then, "the beginning of the Ball is getting closer. Perhaps we should head towards the Great Hall so as not to miss the beginning? Or shall we wait for Hermione and Harry, or just be fashionably late?"

Samantha giggled a bit. "I think we'd better go now," she said then, giving him a beaming smile. "Unless you absolutely want to make a late appearance to gain all the attention, of course," she then added a bit mischievously.

Remy faked a shudder. "Merlin forbid that," he said. "We're going to be the centre of attention anyway." Then, he offered his arm to her. "Shall we go, then?"

They talked happily as they made their way to the Great Hall. A few students walked past them in the corridor, but they paid absolutely no attention to them, only interested in each other. As they reached the doors to the Great Hall, Remy leant down to place a quick kiss on Samantha's lips before leading her inside.

The Great Hall was already half full of people. The House Tables had all disappeared to be replaced by smaller tables, and there was a large area for dancing in the middle of the Hall. There were pink, heart-shaped decorations everywhere. People were scattered around, talking and laughing.

"By the way, Remy," Samantha said as they walked further into the crowd, "can you dance?" She casted him a mischievous glance.

Remy raised an eyebrow. "Well, of course I can," he replied truthfully. "I'm now like I'd been forever raised to be a Snape, remember? Not a member of such an old Pureblood family can go around without knowing how to dance."

"Well, that's good, then." Samantha smiled up at him. "Let's just hope our height difference doesn't make it too difficult, though. I really want to dance."

"I think we can manage," Remy replied. His eyes scanned the people gathered in the Hall until they caught a familiar form. "What do you think, should we go to meet my parents?" he asked from his companion.

Chuckling, Samantha replied, "Definitely. If they both are here, it's truly worth a look."

Remy agreed on this. So, they made their way through the crowd towards the corner where the young wizard had spotted his parents.

Severus raised an eyebrow as he saw his son approaching. "My, my, dear son," he said smoothly. "So you actually arrived in time? I'm impressed."

"You forget one thing, Father," Remy replied smoothly. "I am Remy Snape, your son. I am not Sirius Snape, your husband. Having spent quite some time with him, I am well aware of his tendency to be late, but I do not possess the same characteristic."

"Hey!" exclaimed Sirius, mock-offended. "Is this the way you should talk about your carrier? It was not easy work, carrying you, you know. Have at least some respect."

"Well, I'm awfully sorry, Dad," the young wizard said, "but I'm finding it hard to believe that Father raised me to respect a lazy, thickheaded mutt. So, save your lectures. All due respect to you, right, but I definitely do have the right to tease you."

Now, Sirius glanced at Severus for some support. As his husband just raised an eyebrow, he then turned towards Samantha. "You're such an intelligent young witch, Samantha," he whined. "Surely at least you disagree with this brat?"

Now, Samantha faked a thoughtful look. "Will I get a better grade for my next essay if I do?" she asked then innocently, flashing him a smile.

Sirius looked taken aback. "Remy's spoiled you," he grumbled then. "You were such a nice little girl before you started to date my son!"

"Of course she was," Severus spoke up rather calmly. "Nobody my father disapproves of can be a really bad person, after all."

"And how'd you come to that conclusion?" asked Remy. "Not that I don't agree, having seen Grandfather's attitude, but shouldn't you respect your father, too?"

"Well," the Potions Master said calmly, "he does not approve of Sirius, now does he? So, that proves that he doesn't have any sense at all when it comes to people."

Remy and Samantha both grinned at the befuddled expression on Sirius's face. Then they left the adult couple to the conversation that was sure to follow. After all, it was very rare that Severus in any way expressed his affection for his lover in public.

Soon they met Harry and Hermione. Both seemed pretty happy, which of course brought a smirk to Remy's face. "Oh, what a happy couple I'm seeing," he smirked. "Who is this young man, Hermione? Your boyfriend, perhaps?"

His friend just blushed slightly. "Be quiet, you brat," she said, although she sounded amused. "You haven't happened to see Remus anywhere, have you?"

"No, we haven't," Samantha replied, then smiled. "Look for a tall, black, bald man. If Kingsley's here, Remus is most probably somewhere nearby."

"You're right," chuckled Harry. "Kingsley's certainly much easier to notice than my father. Come on, Hermione," he said then, now turning serious. "I need to see my dad and make sure he's not up to anything stupid. Before that, I can't get rest."

"Well, luck in your quest," Remy said. "It looks like the Ball's about to begin, anyway. If I may?" He raised a questioning eyebrow and smirked at Samantha, who giggled. Then, she gave him her hand, and they headed towards the dancing floor just as music started to flow through the Hall and the dance began.

Harry watched after them for a while. Then he turned towards Hermione. "Well, what do you think?" he asked without any further explanations.

"What do I think about what?" asked Hermione, confused. "Your dad?"

"No. About Remy's comment." The goldenhaired young man flashed him a grin. "His first comment, to be exact. The one about a... boyfriend."

Hermione's eyes widened slightly. Then, however, she just smiled slyly. "Is that an offer?" she asked, half joking, half serious.

Harry, however, was completely serious as he replied, "If you want it to be?"

At this, the young witch broke into a warm smile. "Most gladly," she replied softly.

So, Harry bent down to press a light kiss on her lips before they continued their way.

*