The time came for Halloween.  Harry and Alex were at his old house.  They had come up that morning to give him time to walk through the wreckage, getting out the emotions he held so tightly at times.  He had sobbed for hours in Alex's arms when he had found the nursery, seeing the blood on the old carpet.  Now they were in the dining room, one that still had some pictures on the walls.  He had laid out the capturing circle and everything was ready.  Alex lit the candles with his wand while Harry started the chant, calling on his mother to appear.  He didn't think he could face his father yet, but he wanted his mother terribly at the moment.  She slowly faded into view, giving him an impatient look.  "Mum," he whispered.

"Was all this really necessary, son?"

"Alex, can we remove the circle?"

"It's so she doesn't have to use up any of her remaining energy to stay and talk.  If we did, she could fade out before you're done," he offered.  "Sorry, Mrs. Potter."  She looked at him.  "I'm sorry if it hurts you.  I'm trying to keep you from fading completely away."

"I understand.  Who are you? You look so familiar."

"I'm Alexander Birmingham."  She looked stunned.  "The son of Severus Snape and Elani Birmingham."

"I remember your parents.  Is at least one still alive?  We all feared you being raised by your grandmother, Alex."

He grimaced and nodded.  "My father is but she still raised me.  He didn't even know."  He shrugged.  "It happens and I've had him since I started school and started protecting Harry here.  You'd be proud of your son."

"What were you protecting him from?" she asked, looking at her son.  "Harry?"

He knew that tone of voice, Molly Weasley used it on the twins when they were really naughty.  "Voldemort," he sighed, slumping down until he was sitting, staring up at her.  "But we defeated him together, mum.  I don't wanna talk about that."

"No, I think we'll be talking about that later."

"You can haunt our suite," Alex said quietly. "I'm told by my father you were a very nice lady in life and I'm sure you won't perv on me and Draco when Harry's off with his auror girlfriend."

"You're dating an auror?" she asked, floating closer.  "Oh, release me!  I've got more than enough energy for this."  He blew out the candles and opened the circle, letting her out.  She floated closer to her son.  "You're dating?  Already?"

"I'm dating Nymphadora Tonks, though she's comparison shopping at the moment to make sure she wants to keep me," he offered, smiling a bit.  "She's a great girl, mum.  A bit older than me but I don't see that it matters much."

She smiled, moving closer to place a kiss on his cheek.  "You're so much like your father.  He knew he wanted me in our third year and I had no clue until our sixth."

"I'm a sixth year but I took her out for the first real time last year," Harry offered.  "I wish I could have gotten you both but I wanted to talk to you first.  Just in case dad was disappointed in me."

"Dear, I'm sure James would have no cause to be disappointed in you, dead or not."  She looked at Alex, then at her son.  "May we?"

"Sure. I'm going to go guard against my Grams coming.  Watch out for the gold stuff," he warned as he strolled off.

"He is so much like Sirius," she said with a faint smile. "I can see why you're friends with him."

"We help each other, mum.  I protect him from the evil sort who like to hurt him and he helps me in class and helps me when something comes up and I have to fight.  He was beside me when we took on Voldemort and killed him again."

"Again?"

He lifted the curtain of hair, showing the scar.  "Somehow I survived."

"I saw," she admitted. "I saw him turn into a ghoul too."  He nodded.  "He came back?"

"Three years running and the fourth he was raised," he sighed, looking at her.  "Merlin, mum, I wanted to," he pleaded.  "I wanted to so much."

"I know, Harry."  She stroked his face.  "I wish I was there for you, son.  The same as I wish your father could see you now."

"He's passed on?" he asked, looking miserable.  "Or is he stuck?  Can we free him?"

"Dear, your father's not dead.  He can't see me for some reason but he's not dead.  He's in Germany, or possibly Lisbon this week, but he's not dead."

"Alex!" he called.  He came jogging back and Harry pointed at his mother. "She said he's not dead."  He looked at his friend.  "She said he can't see her but he's not dead!"  He got up, hauling Alex closer. "My dad's not dead!"

"Calm down, Harry.  We can easily find him," Alex soothed, getting him sitting again, holding him for a bit.  "Do you know why he can't see you, Mrs. Potter?"

"I'm not sure. It's like he doesn't remember me."  She moved closer to him.  "I've never seen your mother either."

"Interesting," he said, holding in the rage.  "Where are they?  I can send my father to them immediately."

"They're in Germany, but he may be in Lisbon on a business trip.  He's selling cars."

"Is he aware he's a wizard?"  She smiled and nodded.  "Cool.  It'll make it easier.  Should we send Remus and Sirius or just my dad?"

"Send your father.  I made an old picture appear one day from this house and he got the most blinding headache while saying Remus' name.  I'm not sure why."

"I am," he assured her.  "Oh, I so am."  She looked amused.  "I rather found it in Gram's journal and I wasn't sure what it meant or who she was talking about.  It was experimental."  She nodded once.  "As I said, you're more than welcome to visit with your son anytime.  He's a good boy."  He looked down at Harry, who was asleep now.  "Nice job," he told her.  She pointed behind them and he gently put Harry down before turning and opening the locket he wore, sucking the spirit inside Sirius Black out.  He had known she was haunting someone and he had been acting cold and distant recently.  He redid the seal and took it off, looking at it.  "Pity, bitch."  He put it in his pocket and sat down again, waving Sirius closer.  "Come on, you can come over too."  He looked at her.  "Would a piece of the house be enough for you to cue in on him?"

She nodded. "It has been in the past.  James has bits and pieces embedded in his legs from the explosion."  She gave Sirius a sad smile. "I saw you.  I wish I could have come, Sirius."

"How are you here now?" he asked, sounding choked up.  She pointed at the boys.  He looked at them.  "Explanations before I kill you?"

Alex looked at him.  "A seance.  Harry needed to speak to his mother.  We got permission from Remus.  He said you'd get really upset so we left you out of it."

"You...."  He glared at him.  "That's not right, Alexander!"

"Hey, I talked him out of raising her!" he said angrily.  "I told him we could call her, so he could talk.  Sometimes, no matter how good the substitute is, you can't beat the real thing, Sirius.  The same as I can't.  The same as I'd give *everything* to bring my mother back.  He's worried that his parents are disappointed in him.  No matter how good you do, it's not the same as your mother hugging you when you get nightmares from killing someone to save everyone else."  Sirius sat down and hugged them both.  "There's news, did you want to hear it?" he asked more calmly.

"What news?" he asked, looking up at Lily.  "If I take a piece of the house home, will you come visit me too?"

"Of course.  I've tried, but you've been sleeping with someone each time I pop in."  He blushed and she giggled. "I see so much of your influence in them, Sirius.  You do very good.  You're enough most of the time, but you know the bond that exists."

"I do," he sighed. "I'd have given everything to have you both back."

"James and Elani are in Germany," she told him.  He went stiff, staring at her.  She nodded. "He can't see me."

"Gram's journal mentioned a new trial of a memory charm," Alex admitted. "I'm sending dad tonight since he's the key they decided on."

"They?" Sirius asked.

Alex looked at him.  "Dumbledore wanted to marry her."

Sirius shuddered.  "I thought the old guy had better taste."

"No he thought she was perfect the way she was," he told her.  A light came near them.  "Go away!"

"What are you doing here! This is protected territory!"

Harry was nudged until he woke up, then he glared at the person pointing his wand at him.  "I can hex you eight ways to Sunday until you see Merlin in every bit of light," he warned.  "Step off.  She's my mum."

"Mr...Mr. Potter," he said, sounding fearful.  "I'm sorry, Mr. Potter.  I didn't realize."  He bowed a bit, backing away.  "I was told to watch the old place, just live up the road a bit.  We've saved a few things that got wet on when the roof started to go the second time if you want them back."

"Please," Harry agreed more gently. "Send them to Alex here.  I'm going to visit him during the holidays."  The man nodded and turned, running back to his house.  He looked up at his mother. "Sorry about that, mum."

She frowned. "Why is he scared of you?"

"Voldemort," Harry said simply.

She frowned.  "Huh?"

"Oooh, it's a long story," Sirius told her, shaking his head. "And now that I have a few final pieces in place it makes more sense than ever."  He gave Harry a squeeze.  "Alex, go play."

"Sure."  He got up and dusted his pants off as he walked outside to guard them.  He walked down to the road, starting a small fire, and threw some floo powder in. "Severus Snape."  His head appeared, looking none too pleased. "Before you start...."

"Where the bloody hell are you?"

"Helping Harry talk to his mother.  I need Gram's journal from the year I was born and you're going to Germany."

"Why?" he demanded.

"Because Lily said James is alive but doesn't remember her," he said simply.  His father started to splutter.  "It's in the journal I was browsing last holiday, father.  An experimental memory charm.  They're in Germany.  We should be able to break it."

"But...but...but...how!"

"One guess."

"Whatever saved Potter saved his father?"  Alex nodded.  "Fine.  Any other news?"

"She said the last time she popped in, mum was alive."

Snape stared at him, looking confused. "His mother?"

"My mother."

"I saw her body!"

"Then let's go grave digging!  According to the journal, you're the weak link they put in. They couldn't take you from mother's mind and they knew you'd never go searching for James," he said firmly.  "You're going to Germany and we can figure out the rest later!"

"Fine," he said shortly. "Where is the journal?"

"You have it."  Snape raised an eyebrow. "It's puke green, with maroon bindings? Like dried blood on puke?"

"That one," he said, turning away.  His face came back and he held it up.  Alex nodded. "Where?"

"About page twenty or so."  Snape flipped through it, then looked at him. "I think someone can undo it."

"A good finite incantantum by the castor should work," he offered. "However she's dead."

"She wasn't alone, father.  We can let Dumbledore do it."  He looked a bit surprised.  "He thought she was perfect the way she was."

"How ...how do you know that?"

"The refused marriage contract in Gringotts. They found it while they were searching for heirs and lost vaults.  Our vault manager gave it to me as a warning."

"Mmm.  Fine.  Where in Germany?"

"Can't we do a tracing using part of the house? She said he's got bits and pieces in him from the explosion.  Either that or blood does call to blood."

"Very well.  I'll be there soon.  Stay there."  His head disappeared.

Alex extinguished the fire and went back to watching the woods.  He knew why they had picked this spot, it was peaceful and nice up here.

***

Severus Snape appeared on a doorstep in Germany, noticing the architecture of the house gave him that clue.  He glanced around then rang the doorbell, looking at the haggard man who answered it.  He pushed back the hood of his invisibility cloak.  "Let me in, James. Your son sent me."

"I don't have a son," he said tiredly.  He took the picture Snape held out and grabbed his head.  "What's going on!  I had one of these before!"  He wobbled back to a couch, falling down onto it, looking at the picture.  Someone showed up and the odd man trapped her, making her shriek.  "She's stopping the pain."

"She's enforcing a memory charm on you," Snape said as he shut the door and walked further inside.  "Anyanka.  I thought you only worked for women scorned."  She sneered at him. "I know of this man's wife.  She died trying to protect him and their son."

"It's a favor, all right?" she demanded.

"No, it's not.  You're keeping one of Halfrek's chosen away from his father."

"Halfrek? How do you know Hallie?"  She appeared and she pointed at Snape.  "He said this one is the father of one of your knights."

"Sorta.  More like the guardian and guardee of one of my knights," she admitted.  "That's Harry Potter's father, Anh."  She looked stunned.  "So let's remove the memory charm, huh?"

"I can only weaken it.  I didn't do it in the first place."

"Then weaken it and if we must, my son can finish it."  He looked at James, then around.  He saw a picture of his woman, his beautiful girl, and walked over to it, holding it up.  "Where is she, James?"

"My name's Rudy."

"Your name is James Potter," Anya told him, looking down at him.  "I can see the information behind the blockade now that I'm looking."  She undid what she had once done and looked at him, shaking her head. "She died last month."

Snape closed his eyes, then nodded.  "Thank you.  How?"

"Muggle."  James sat up.  "One was shooting up the store she was shopping in.  How did you know my wife?"

"She wasn't, James. That's part of the memory charm.  She was meant to be my wife, she bore my son before she was supposedly killed.  You were supposedly killed not even a year later."  The man on the couch stiffened.  "Pack.  We're going to Hogwarts to have that removed."

"Um," Halfrek offered.  "I kinda didn't catch Willow in time.  Dumbledore's been kinda, sorta fixed," she offered.  "She got really pissed that he was upsetting her Xander."

"I know that name!" James said, sitting up straighter.  "He works with the slayer."  He looked at the man.  "He kind of looks like you."

"Wonderful.  You can't tell Alexander anything about that," Snape told him. "Not yet anyway.  Pack.  We're removing this memory charm."

"You'll need a chaos sorcerer much stronger than Draco can ever be," Halfrek offered quietly.

"My Xander?" Anya asked.  "The one I just took to his prom?"

Halfrek looked at her.  "Remember when I said we'd be talking in about a year and a half?"  She nodded, looking confused. "There's been a time switch, Anh, honey.  Xander died and has a new life now.  You'll only have him until he's twenty.  So enjoy the hell outta him, okay?"

"Why?" she demanded.  "He's very good in bed!"

"Yes, but he's also very important and he's the one protecting this one's son."

"He's your knight!"

"A sacrifice had to be made!" she shouted back.  "To save us all!  Or did you want to face Glory!"  Anyanka shuddered and shook her head.  "Then get with the program.  The new life of Xander doesn't know you.  He knows nothing of his old life until he's twenty-one here or everything could start going back to pot. It's bad enough I had to warn Spike off, repeatedly!"

"Sorry," she said meekly.  "A year and a half?  He's only nineteen."

"That'll give you a final year to enjoy him.  Now go see the boss.  That way he can tell you what you need to know.  You have him until three months before his twenty-first birthday."  She nodded and faded out.  She tipped James' face up.  "Remember always who Xander was, but do not tell him.  Ever.  Or else the First Evil prophecies will come to pass.  As will the Glorificus one.  As will the Voldemort one and your son is in the way of that one," she said quietly.  He whimpered and grabbed his head again.  "Take him.  I'll send on his things later or he can come back and pack once he's clean and thinking."

Snape nodded and took a picture of his girl, creating a portkey out of it.  That way he could have at least that for himself and his son.  He brought them directly to the infirmary, he had long had permission to do that.  Poppy gasped, running over to help him.  "He's under a heavy memory charm.  We need Draco Malfoy, and we need a chaos sorcerer to help."

"I know of one," Harry said from behind him.  He walked over, looking at his father.  "Dad?" he whispered, touching him.

"He's under a very heavy memory charm, Potter.  Leave him be until it's fixed.  He's lived a second life since it was implanted."  Harry looked at him.  "Once he's clean and remembering, you can come back.  Until then, he will be shouting and ranting at everyone for making him go through that," he said more gently.  Harry nodded and left, going back to find Draco and get that sorcerer for his father.  He looked at Poppy.  "No one else is to know except Dumbledore.  He's part of this, he can help clear it."   She nodded, closing the curtains around him.  He took the picture down to his office so he could sit and stare at it.  He had been so close. If he had known he would have saved her.  If he had known....

***

The hooded man stepped into the castle and pushed his cloak's hood back, showing inky dark hair and a smiling face.  "How can I help you, Mr. Malfoy?" he asked the boy there to meet him.  He had known his father.  He looked behind him at the man slinking out of the shadows, gasping.  "Boy!" he said, looking horrified.  "How...what!"

"It's not him," Draco assured him dryly.  "That's to be explained at a later date.  For now, we have this memory charm," he said, handing over the copied pages.  "We think we have an original caster.  If not, we have the blood of the other."  Ethan looked at him, still looking confused.  "Potter's father."

"Oh, dear heaven," he murmured, looking at the parchment again.  "Lead me to him.  I'll study the spell on him and then figure out which we need."

"Good.  I don't want to keep hurting Harry any more than we have to," Alex said softly, following him.  He felt a pull from this man and felt himself yawning suddenly.  He never realized he fell asleep in the middle of the hallway, floating there.

Granger sneered.  "You won't be hurting Harry at all, *Alex*."

Ethan turned and waved a hand, taking her wand from her and knocking her into a wall.  "Stupid bint.  Don't touch him!  We need him to free a curse on Harry's family."

"She's obsessed over him," Draco said with a negligent hand wave.  "First she wants to fix him so she can have him.  Then he's evil to her so she's got to fix him so she can have him.  Then he's gay and evil so she's got to fix him so she can have him," he finished sarcastically.  "We've been trying very hard to keep Mr. Birmingham, my spouse, away from her."

"That's Alexander?" he asked, pointing at the boy.  Draco smirked and nodded. "Oh, it's all starting to make more sense," he moaned, holding his head.  "Oh, damn."  He walked back to the boy.  "Float him with us please.  We'll need him."  Draco nodded, ordering his body to follow them.  The nurse gave them an odd look but put him down on the bed.  "There was some bushy haired brunette girl," he offered. "Where's my patient?"

"Are you a healer?"

"No, I'm a chaos sorcerer, woman.  Where is he?"  She pointed.  "Thank you.  You might check him for Miss Rosenburg's taint again, Mr. Malfoy.  I was recently told to block her from astral travel so she couldn't come here again."

Draco sighed and got to work removing all the marks on his mate and himself.  It was getting tiresome, but only three more years to go and then they'd be free of this.

"Twenty-one, Mr. Malfoy, not twenty," Ethan called. "Yes, I think we'll need both.  Get the supposed caster?"  The nurse went running to call him.  Ethan came over to wake the boy up, looking down at him.  "You don't know me and you never really did, but I had wondered why I got sent instead of dear, old Ripper."  He stroked his cheek.  "It'll be fine.  Four more years, Mr. Birmingham."

"So you're involved in that too?"

"A few times. Are you a shapeshifter?"

"I'm an animagus."

"I'm the reason it was messed up.  Halfrek said I could tell you that much since Summer landed here."  He smirked a bit.  "Soon you'll know more."

"My mother?" he asked quietly.  Ethan shrugged.  "Can you get my father?"

Draco gave him a gentle kiss on the forehead.  "She died last month, Alex," he said gently.  "She was shot by some muggles holding up the store she was in."

Alex pulled him closer, clinging to him.  "We were so close," he whispered, crying now.

Ethan pulled the drapes around them, shaking his head at the nurse. "He asked about his mother."

"She died years ago."  He pointed at the other patient and she nodded.  "I see.  When?"

"Last month."

"So close and yet so distant," she sighed, shaking her head.  "Do you need him today?  Would a calming potion help you any?"

"It might disturb it," he offered.  "Later, Sister Pomfrey."  He nodded at the man walking in, noticing who he was by description alone.  "Professor Dumbledore.  Ethan Rayne."

"Yes, hello.  Why are you here?"

"Because I got called to help the memory charm on James Potter," he said quietly. "We'll need you and Alexander to uncast it after I do a bit of unraveling.  Then watch out for the emotional storm."  Dumbledore nodded and so he went to work, stripping the charms and hexes off the poor man, getting to the root of the curse he was under.  "All right.  First you, professor.  Then the boy."  He grabbed onto the spell and prepared to yank the final strings apart.

"James?"  James gave him a very drugged-up look. "I'm sorry this was done to you, James.  We never meant to harm anyone.  Finite Incantantum."  James writhed, grabbing the hands on his head.  "Alexander?"

Draco led Alex over, handing him back his wand.  "Free him," he soothed, stroking his back.

Alex looked at him.  "I'm so sorry Grams got another one," he whispered. "I wish it hadn't been like this.  Finite Incantantum!"  The man just stared at him.  "What?"

"Don't wish," Ethan told him.  "Never wish, boy.  There's demons who grant those things."

"Sorry!" he defended.

"No, the fault is mine. You don't have much knowledge of this sort of thing," he admitted.  He took Alex's hand, then slit his fingers open to use some of his blood, taking the power from it to destroy the memory charm.  Again.  This time it unraveled more peacefully and just let him go, drifting off.  Madam Pomfrey came over to grab the boy to heal him and Ethan stepped back.  "There, it should be cleared.  James?"  The man looked at him. "Do you remember me?"

"You're Ripper's boy," he said quietly, sitting up, still holding his head.  "Madam Pomfrey, do you have something for this elephant stomping around?  Worse than Sirius' hangovers after his homebrew, I swear."  Dumbledore smiled at that and he looked at him.  "I wouldn't," he offered.  "I really wouldn't."  He nodded, backing off.  He looked at Draco, then at Alex, then at Ethan.  "Where's Lily?"

"Floating around your son," Alex said.  He looked at him.  "Did you love my mother?"

James looked at the kid, then nodded. "I did.  In my own way.  It wasn't a deep love.  It was a friendship sort really."  He got up and slowly walked over.  "I remember everything, kid.  I'm sorry.  I tried to save her."  Alex nodded, staring at him.  Draco gave him another hug.  "He's good at that?"

"He is.  He's been there for me a lot.  Dad's down in his office probably getting drunk again.  He brought a picture."

"I'll talk with him tonight," he decided.  "My son first, then Severus."  He looked around.  "Where is he?"

"We decided to give you some space to remember first," Draco said quietly.  "It was humane for your son."

"You care about my son?  Then you're very unlike your father."

"It's Alex's fault," he said with a nod for his mate.  "He makes me go gooey and stupid.  It's nauseating really, but sometimes I can't stop myself from giving a damn about your boy too."
James nodded, smirking a bit at that.  "At least someone gives a bit of a damn about my son.  It's good someone watched out for him."  Alex raised his hand. "You?"  He nodded. "Why?"

"Because I refused to follow the torturing bitch's footsteps," he said simply. "I've protected Harry since we got here. I'm the one who maintains the truce in our suite when Draco becomes a bastard to him and Ron Weasley."

"Who raised my son?" he asked suddenly.

"Remember the fat bastard and the chicken-necked muggle bird?" Draco asked him.  James glared at Dumbledore, who had the sense to leave quickly.  "Yeah, that's why Alex protected him."

Harry walked in.  "Don't tell him about that yet.  Mum's off haunting her sister anyway."  He looked at his father.  "You remember me now?"  James nodded and pulled him closer, hugging him. Harry relaxed and hugged him back.  "Dad."

"Son."  He pushed him back to look at him.  "Well, you've grown since the last time I held you.  You were barely standing then."  Harry blushed at that.  "We should talk, kid."  Harry nodded.  He made Harry look at him.  "I don't know what I'm doing yet, Harry.  But I'm not abandoning you.  You go back to those muggles over my redead body."

Harry grinned a bit. "Since Sirius got out of jail, he and Remus have had me.  Along with the given son there," he said, pointing at Alex. His father looked confused. "His grandmother decided it'd make it easier for the Death Eaters to reach us both if we were together."  He gave him a shy grin.  "I'm a pretty good dad, dad.  Alex is turning out okay.  Even if he is a pervert who draws a lot of naked Draco stuff and makes us look."

James snickered, hugging his son again.  "I would have missed you if I had known," he said quietly.  "You're almost exactly like Sirius."

"Yeah, but he claims I look too much like you for him to have been my dad," Harry teased. James roared with laughter at that.  "So, can we talk?"

"Go, use the suite, kick the boys out," Alex told him.  "They can go find a softer spot in Slytherin for a bit, or Vinnie can go join Nary in Gryffindor maybe."  He shrugged. "Shoo."

James smiled at him. "We'll be talking later.  Go for a fly?"

"I can't fly."  James raised an eyebrow.  "Really, I can't fly."  Harry and Draco both shook their heads.  "See, both seekers agree, I can't fly. I got banished from the lessons even."

James smirked a bit. "So did your mother."  He walked his son out, heading to a nice suite as it turned out, where Harry kicked out an obvious Weasley and two Slytherins.  He looked at his son.  "What's this?"

"We got kicked out of Gryffindor for knowing what to do in an emergency and they got kicked out of Slytherin for being drawn into the emergency.  So we share here and Alex maintains a truce."  He flopped down and rang a bell, getting Winky.  "Get us something to chat and have dad/son talks over," he ordered quietly. "Plus some cocoa.  We're not to be disturbed by anyone."  She nodded, going to do that for him and pass on the order to the other elves.  The food appeared without the house elf and he served his father some lunch.  "Here, I find I like to eat while I talk.  Alex corrupted me that way."

"Yeah, the Malfoy brat said he did the same to him," he admitted, looking really confused.  "I don't understand, Harry. What's going on?  I heard of you in the press and stuff...."

"Mostly lies," Harry told him.  "Did you read my rant last year?"  He nodded, picking up a brownie to nibble.  Harry grinned.  "That was the actual truth."

"Then why is Dumbledore against him?  Or me for that matter?"

"He loved Alex's Grams."

"How?"

"We're not really sure," he admitted dryly.  "I can't see how anyone could, but he nearly married her."  He shrugged and picked up his own brownie to nibble on, taking a large bite first.  Someone knocked.  "Unless it's Voldemort, go the fuck away!" he yelled.

"No, but someone in the press heard about Summer and mum's going off," Ginny called.

"Alex and Draco were in the infirmary, go get them.  I'm having a private discussion."

"Sure!"  She ran off, they could hear it.

"Sorry, Ron's little sister Ginny."  He ate another bite, looking at his father.  "I'm dating an auror, kinda.  She's test shopping at the moment."

"Do we know her?"

"You remember Sirius' sister Andromeda?"  He nodded once.  "Her daughter. Nymphadora Tonks."

"Tonks?  Never heard that name," he admitted, thinking back.  "Where is he from?"

"London.  He's a muggle."

"Oh.  That's fine then.  Is she nice?"  Harry nodded.  "They why is she test shopping?"

"She said I'm very intense and needy, plus I keep her from making it into work, plus I'm a bit younger than she usually likes but she doesn't want to need me as badly as she does so therefore she's finding if it's real or not by trying out a few other blokes."

"Did you agree to this?"

"Nope, but there's no contract between us, we were just dating.  I pouted and she vowed to quit and make a decision."  He ate another bite of brownie, looking at the house elf who appeared. "Yes, Dobby?"

"Headmaster needs to see Harry Potter immediately.  Floo call from Gringotts."

"Tell him to put it down here, Dobby. I'm not moving from my father's side for a while."  Dobby nodded and disappeared and Harry gave him a grimace.  "Sorry."

"No, it's okay.  It's got to be important."  The goblin's head appeared in the fireplace. "Hi.  Matter of national security?"

"Relatively not," he admitted. "Just personal security."  He stared at him.  "Then the rumors we heard from Germany were true?"  Harry nodded.  "Good.  Should I send up new keys along with the dark artifact someone sent to your vault?"

"What dark artifact?"

"I'm not sure," the goblin admitted. "All I know is that it was sent to your vault instead of Mr. Birmingham's.  I thought he should have a look at it.  It set off even some of our wards."

"Sure.  If the headmaster doesn't mind I'm all for it.  And please, get my father a set of keys as well."  The goblin nodded.  "Don't tell anyone else though. Please?"

"We do not spread around rumors."  He disappeared.

Harry looked up. "If this has something to do with Alex's other past, tell me now!" he called.  Nothing happened so he shrugged. "Okay then.  That's good."  He grinned at his father.  "We can't tell him anything we might find out."

"I know why."  He frowned a bit, then ate another bite of his brownie.  "Is your mother...did she...."

"No," Harry sighed.  "She's off haunting her sister for locking me in a cupboard under her stairs."

"Excuse me?"

Harry nodded.  "Oh, yeah.  Mum's a bit pissed.  Said she's gonna go off like Alex's mum would have.  So, what was she like?"

"Sweet, gentle.  Had one hell of a temper.  She used to throw things when she got mad at you," he said with a slight grin.  "Are you...freaked out?"

"Greatly.  Then again, I'm not dating Alex so it's not incest."

James snickered and hugged him. "That's so Sirius."

"I know.  He said the same thing about me and Nym."  He shrugged and snuggled in harder, liking the hug he was getting.  It fulfilled a spot no other hugs had ever filled and it made him really happy.  Like he could cast a patronius so strong it could eat through a dementor.  Someone tapped on the door.  "It had better be really important!" he yelled. "Or else I'm hexing someone!"

"Just me, Harry," Granger called.  He pulled his wand and a moment later she shrieked and ran off.

"I warned her."  He looked up at the laughing man beside him.  "She's kinda obsessed with Alexander.  Oh, unless he gives you that right, it's Alexander.  He's really touchy about that."

"Elani was too.  Snape was the only one who got to call her El."  He shrugged and cuddled his son again, needing this.  "Where are my boys anyway?"

"In Somerset.  Hiding.  Sirius is basically lounging around and sleeping with a lot of people.  Remus is teaching here but he's back there for two days on a Dumbledore-ordered vacation."  James nodded, that was nice of him.  "We should talk, huh?"

"Not yet.  We've got a bit of time."  He gave him a squeeze.  "I'm satisfied with this for however long I can have it."  Harry grinned and snuggled back in, giving him a squeeze back. "Your mother would be so proud."

"She said so but she said if I had tried to raise her, she'd have kicked my bum," he said dryly.

"Yeah, she's not the only one, kiddo."

"Alex talked me out of it and into a seance instead.  That way I could ask if she wanted it.  She's the one who told us where you were and that you couldn't see her."

"She came?"

"Yup, lots of times."

"Oh."  He pouted a bit. "Lily?" he called, just like he used to when he wanted her to spoil him rotten.  She appeared behind him, giving him that same look she used to give him.  "Damn, you're so young," he said in awe, smiling at her.

"Yes, but you're not," she chided, smiling a bit. "Harry, dear, Severus would like him later tonight, after he's slept it off.  Would that be okay?"  Harry nodded. "Good boy."  She blew a kiss at him.  "I am very proud of him.  He survived Petunia for eleven years and two summers."

"She that bad?"

"I can't destroy her but I'm sure as hell gonna try," Lily assured him.  "She knows each and every grandchild of theirs will be a wizard and they'll be loving it by the way they do it around the house."  Harry chuckled at that. "My porker of a nephew has already started on that goal as well. She's already screaming at him."  She smiled at her boys.  "We need Remus and Sirius."

"Tomorrow, mum.  Tomorrow.  He's mine for now.  I'm not gonna share yet."

"Fine, dear. I understand."  She blew another kiss at her boys then faded off to talk to Alex's house elves.  They did so adore her boys and they had all sorts of stories to tell about stupid boy stuff they did.  Alex might as well be hers after all.  Her son had adopted him.

***

Harry came out of the fireplace at Sirius' house then got out of the way.  "Sirius?" he called.  The big, black dog trotted in and licked him, making him laugh, then he sniffed the air, looked from Harry to the blank spot and back.  At least until he changed.  "Sit," Harry ordered.

"I'm not in that form now and I don't take orders from you, brat," he teased, ruffling his hair.  "Who's your invisible friend?"

James pulled off his invisibility cloak.  "We need to talk about what you know about Dumbledore moving against us, old friend."  Sirius stared, then slowly sank down to the carpet, holding his chest. "If you die, I'm letting Alex raise you."  He stared down at him and suddenly grinned.  "At least I'm not the only old one, Sirius Black."

"Remus!" Sirius called, sounding strangled.  He pointed at the apparition.  "The seance brought the ghost back," he said, his hand wavering.

Remus stared, just stared.  "James?" he whispered finally.  James nodded and grinned at him so he launched himself at him, hugging him as tight as he could.

"If you become my new stepmum, I'm not calling you mother, Remus," Harry said as he sat down.

Remus chuckled. "Alex said about the same thing when he caught his father and I talking."  He wiped his cheeks off.  "James.  How is this possible?"

"Dumbledore and Alex's Grams used a memory charm on him," Harry said dryly.  "We released it with Alex and a sorcerer named Ethan Rayne's help?"  Remus looked stunned.

"He was allowed near Alex?"

"Yeah.  He couldn't really tell him anything and he got the point of the silence order immediately once he realized who he was."  He looked at Sirius, helping him up.  Then he shoved him at his father, looking at Remus again. "Alex is fine, but his mother's gone.  She died about a month ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that.  Is he okay?"

"Nope.  He hasn't drawn since he heard and he's perpetually cold.  Not even all of us snuggling into him is helping any.  Not to mention Granger's latched on to this as a new way to heal him."

"Someone needs to stop that girl."

"Really, dad?  What gave you that idea?" Harry asked sarcastically.

"Oh, I don't know.  The unlimited hexing barrage you and Ron have against her?  I was never that mean to Severus when we were your age."  He looked at his friends.  "We're... okay with Severus, right?  I mean, he found me, he's saved my son's life, even if he is a mean bastard still, his son and our son are friends."

"Yeah, he's pretty decent to the grandkid," Sirius assured him.

"Grandkid?" James asked.

"Well, Harry there got given Alex. That makes him our grandkid sorta since we take care of Harry."

"He's the closest some of us will ever come," Remus noted bitterly.

"Remus, you could go take over my house in Germany.  It's not illegal there and I was friends with a very nice female werewolf.  I worked with her selling cars."

"You sold cars?" Sirius asked.  "Why?"

"Because that's what I got a job doing.  Since all I knew was that I was a wizard with fairly decent marks, I tried to find one in our world, but I couldn't so I went muggle and sold cars.  I'm top salesman in Germany at the moment.  All the pretty women come to buy from me," he said with an impish grin.

"So that's where Harry gets that look from," Tonks said from the doorway. "I wondered which side it came from.  Uncle Sirius, mum's a bit pissed that you left her like that.  She said to come arrest your mangy hide."

"Your mother needs to go make another of you so she's got someone to fuss over," Sirius assured her, smirking a bit.  "This doesn't shock you?"

"Hell no.  I was talking with Draco's portrait and the new one told me and Auntie Narci about it.  She's hiding until you tell him alllll about Alex and Draco."

"Those two have more sex than Lily and I *ever* did," James told her.

Tonks beamed and looked at Harry. "So you got that tongue thing from Alex then?"

"Ron taught me," he offered with a grin.  "Dad, the girlfriend.  Nym, my dad."

She walked in and shook his hand.  "Nice to finally meet you in person."

"You'll treat my son right and quit playing with him or I'll let Alex and Draco get you for me," he said with a sweet smile.  "Then our group will finish you off."

She laughed and hugged him.  "I like you already, mate."  She kissed Harry, making herself moan.  "Fine, I was dumb."  Harry nodded, smirking a bit. "Be smug, wait longer, Harry."

Harry grabbed her, pulling her into his lap to kiss her again.  She tried to get them to move to a more discreet location but he wasn't letting her so she had to give in and let him molest her mouth in front of his father and her uncle.

"That he gets from Lily," James said once they came up for air.  "She taught me how to kiss."  Remus and Sirius both laughed at that, nodding.  He flopped down beside Remus, giving him another hug.  "So, guys, tell me what I missed.  The news is dreadful around here.  I thought Skeeter made a holy vow to tell the truth in school.  Or else she'd allow herself to be forever cursed by wearing hideous clothes."

"She got seduced by the lure of an easy story, easy money, and someone doing the work for her," Sirius told him.

"She's scared senseless of Harry," Remus offered.  He cleared his throat at the first sign of a groping hand.  "Nymphadora Tonks!  Take my godson upstairs now!" he ordered.  She grinned back at him and quit trying to grope Harry, dragging him with her up to his room.   Remus rolled his eyes. "I don't know how he did it but he kept it going for eight hours once, James."

"Yeah, but he slept the next day, as did she," Sirius said proudly.  "Even if they did keep everyone at Malfoy Manor up after the solstice ball."

"Why were they there?" James asked, looking really confused now.  His son, at the Malfoy ball?  Even if he was friends with Alex, who was the boyfriend of Draco, that didn't seem like his son as he knew him.

"Nym wanted to go to Narci's thing since Lucius was dead and she was celebrating being free."

"He's dead?  Since when?"

"Since he attacked his son and Alex, plus their house elves," Remus told him.  "Alex continued to wail on him until the aurors begged to take him in.  Then he gave him up and Narcissa got him at the Ministry.  He decided to kill himself instead of face her."

"She's been really happy ever since but Merlin is my sister a pervert!" Sirius complained. "She and Alex talk about sex all the time, comparing lubricant spells and the naked Draco paintings.  She walked one through the school and made me hang it up in her study.  Her toy of the moment got jealous, thinking he was the last toy.  She had me explain that it was her son after I kicked his ass."

"You were nicer than she was about it," Remus assured him. "The toy before him went for a fly out a third story window without a broom for lusting over her son and Alex both."

James looked at them, then shook his head.  "We got strange as we got old, didn't we?"

"Yes, old friend, we did," Remus said, patting him on the arm.  Tonks let out a yell of pleasure, a whoop really, and he groaned.  "Not again. Sirius!"

Sirius got up and headed up tell them to quiet down or use a silencing charm.  He found one in place but broken and opened the door, leaning in. "Harry, if you make that much noise ever again, we're going to have to tell you about the orgy your father planned for our whole year on the train home," he called, not looking anywhere near the bed.

A pillow hit him, making him yelp.  "Get out, you bloody bugger!  I'm enjoying it like I should!" Tonks assured him. "If you don't like it, well, go outside!  You're a dog, go lick yourself or something!"  She was cut off by a pair of soft lips.  "Harry," she moaned.

"She's sorry, Sirius, but you interrupted her getting off and you know how much she likes it."

"I'm applying a permanent silencing spell on your room, kid," he complained.

"Ya know, they did it to the entire school because of me," he said proudly, looking at his lady.  "Since Draco, Ron, and Hermione were all complaining about me calling your name one night, the teachers got a bit embarrassed.  I think it was the thought of that topic following past the lunch we were in."

"I didn't need to hear that," Sirius complained, slamming the door and applying a better silencing charm.  Harry may be all powerful and all but the mundane often slipped past his grasp.  He wandered back down the stairs, shaking his head the whole way.  "That should hold."  Tonks screamed in pleasure and he sighed.  "Or maybe not."

"We can go outside," Remus offered, standing and pulling James up.  "It's going to be a few hours.  Should we go steal on of Alex's elves?"

"Why?  Ours is back from the market," Sirius complained, leading the way outside.  They put up a shield to keep off the threatening rain and pulled the couch out of the house to use.   They all knew each other well enough to know that any lawn furniture would be a prank and probably sink you into the lawn.  "Tab, Rabbit, bring us something to nibble," he called.

"Make it real food please?  Harry and I ate nothing but brownies and cookies yesterday thanks to a house elf named Twirly."

"Yeah, she's Alex's," Remus said with a grin.  "She spoils him horribly.  You should see her on the holidays."

***

Snape looked around the small apartment, then back at his tormentor.  "Are you sure?"

"Take whatever photos you want, Severus.  Elani was yours.  I should go kick Dumbledore's arse for what he did to us."  Snape nodded, looking around and picking out a few.  He choked when he saw one, noticing which one it was with a sigh.  "She miscarried about two weeks after that was taken," he said quietly.  "She thought we needed a baby to tie us closer together.  I wasn't going to argue with her since we were financially stable and the like."  He moved closer.  "We weren't really that close, Severus.  We had separate rooms except for about a month of it all."  Snape looked at him.  "Really."

"Why?"

"Because we were friends but we were never sure why we got married.  We weren't in love, only decent friends.  We were really tense around each other and I never understood why. The only times I did more than hold her were few, far between, and usually after a string of nightmares on her part about something she could never tell me."

"Why were the muggles able to kill her?"

James shrugged.  "I don't know," he admitted.  "I think she may have seen a picture of Alex in the paper, or maybe Harry.  Each time she saw one of him she'd get the same splitting headaches I got when I saw something about Sirius or Remus.  We, um, figured we memory charmed each other to forget a terrible tragedy and they were related to it but we were too scared to work on a cure.  If I had known," he said, his voice breaking.  "I'd have broken it that first year, Severus. You, Harry, and Alex all deserved better than to be puppets to someone."

Snape nodded, putting down that picture.  "I don't think Alex should see that one."

"I understand fully," he agreed.  "Is he any better?"

"No.  He's back to being the cold bastard he was his first year.  He's going to snap soon and I can only hope it's on someone deserving, like Longbottom."

"His family was always so nice.  How did he go dark?  Was it the people who wanted your son?"

"One of the death eaters came to the school in disguise as the newest defense teacher," he said bitterly.  "The boys found out and told McGonagall.  Dumbledore decided to use him to give false information back, which worked wonderfully.  Voldemort and his followers only knew how powerful my son was and not yours.  But he latched onto Neville as being like him.  Mr. Longbottom was warned a few times by my son but he made a decision.  Then when his teacher faced down Alex about Halfrek being on the school's property, they got into it and Alex challenged him since Crouch was threatening him.  Longbottom jumped in and cast the Cruciatus on my son."  He looked down then at his former enemy again. "Draco stopped him and released Alexander. Tonks showed up in time to arrest them all."

"Where was my son?  He said they had been friends."

"Dumbledore was having tea and reminding him of his duty in the office.  McGonagall was out there before anyone," he said quietly.

"I love that old girl," James said, looking very serious.  "She's been as good as she could be to my son.  She helped him a lot."  He looked around.  "She's not the softest around but at least he had some female care between her and Molly Weasley."  He looked at him again. "How did you stand knowing and not taking him?"

"I didn't know.  I assumed and I was blocked.  I watched and he turned out so very much like his mother, but I was cursed if I came near him.  Both of us would have died by his grandmother's curse."  He sat down.  "The Sorting Hat told him since she hadn't.  He got enough clues to know she had been a Slytherin and Ronald told him to come see me, that I was about the right age and over the house so I could find any records.  He figured it out that night and faced me down about it a few days later."  He let out a very sad smile.  "My son came in so damaged, James.  Even more so than yours.  He came in vowing to torture Lucius for killing his mother."  James gave him a squeeze on the shoulder.  "It took him months to relax around McGonagall.  He still claims Sprout is a dark and evil beast in hiding."  James smiled a bit at that.  "Your son and others have helped my boy as much as they could.  Even Granger until her obsession got carnal and out of control.  They're both very strong boys."

"What happened?  How did they face down He-Who-Shouldn't-Be-Named?"

"The Triwizard tournament.  The same year Longbottom dove off the side of the chasm.  They knew it was coming.  Alex helped prepare Harry for all his tasks since Granger was starting to show instability.  He knew that they'd try something during the last trial.  He learned how to track apparations and portkeys to follow him.  They had it all planned out and all the rest of us could do was worry.  At least they planned with Mr. Malfoy so they could get the press there.  They knew the Ministry was going to discredit and shove them aside.  Since they were trying to make both or one of our sons a dark lord to take the place of the last one they had killed...."  He shrugged.  "You son has always stuck up for mine and mine has helped yours when the whole world gave him evil looks."

James sat down.  "I can't understand how we got here."

"Nor can I," Severus admitted.  "All I know is that we're lucky the boys have survived. Alex has been one step ahead of everyone the whole time."

"Then I need to thank that boy for saving my son and his sanity."  He looked at him.  "I'm going to pack my clothes.  Would you like to get hers? I put it into boxes but I hadn't been able to do anything with it yet."

Snape nodded, heading to do that.

***

Alex hit the wall next to him and stomped off in another direction.   "Alex!" Millie called.  "Come back!"

"I can't, I'll blow someone up," he called back.  "Tell Flitwick I'm going for a stroll."   He headed out through a back corridor, finding a hidden passage.  He thought it lead to one of his father's hidden exits from the school but instead it led down to a staircase.  He slowly walked down it, looking around.  He had never been down here before.  At the end of the staircase was three doors and a dark red line across the floor in front of him.  He stared at it, then cast a checking charm.  The line was a threshold.  The doors led to somewhere.  They were dark magic, he wasn't sneezing or anything like it.  He glanced down at the line again, biting his bottom lip while he thought.  He could retreat but he had to go somewhere else.  He had to get away from this place and he had to do it now.  He walked forward, feeling the magic of the threshold wash over him.  He tried one door, noticing it went to an underground river.  He tried the second door and shuddered, closing it on the dead and rotting bodies.  He opened the third door.  It went to a small garden grotto.

Upstairs, in the office, Dumbledore felt the magic of the threshold go across one of his students and hopped up, going to stop them.  Most students didn't come back from there.  He hurried to the staircase, noticing it was locked.  He couldn't get in. He tried everything he could, and he knew who was down there now.  He could feel the pain of that one room and the oblivion the other offered.  Either cavern would eat you and deposit you in it's stomach, but perhaps he could save this one student.  He owed it to him.

Harry came jogging out and stopped at the doorway.  "What's going on?  Millicent Bulstrode said Alex went this way."

"He did?"  He looked at him.  "I thought for sure it'd be Neville."

"No, he's still ignoring it."  He laid his hand on the closed doorway but it wasn't opening for him either.  "Fuck."

"Language, Harry."

"Bugger off, headmaster.  What's down there?"  The older man looked at him.  "I'm going to save Alex so therefore I need to know!"

"It's two caverns.  Two mouths to the same creature," he said sadly.  "One offers a calm oblivion and the other a more dangerous one.  Nothing and no one has come back once they've entered a room."

"Then someone should really try the doorknob," Draco said, joining them and walking around them to open the door.   He headed down the stairs, finding the door to the river open.  His mate needed to wear off some energy but really.  He carefully walked across the threshold, following him to the edge of the doorway.  "Alex, come back!  It's a creature!  It's going to eat you!"

"No it won't."

"Yes, it will."

"No it won't."  He came into view.  "It's dead."  He looked at the headmaster, then pulled Draco in and slammed the door shut.  "I don't like things that come after me."  He started to walk.  "I'm not good company."

"You haven't been for many weeks," he admitted, following him around the monster's body.  He saw a twitch of movement.  "It's regenerating."

"It'll take some time since I dissolved its brain.  We're safe."  He found another doorway and looked inside, then back at his mate.  "I need to disappear for a while Draco.  I can't handle it."

"It's only another few weeks until the holidays."

"Draco, I love you, but I almost killed someone earlier.  I can't be responsible for that.  I'm sorry.  I'll be back by tonight if I can."  He pointed his wand at him.  "Shoo, before it wakes up."

"So!  It could still eat you too!"

"It won't eat me.  It's now scared of me."  Draco glared at him, moving closer and Alex pushed him back.  "Go, Draco."

"No!  Bugger off!  If you're going I'm going."

"This isn't some kid's expedition into the forest!"

"No, if it was we'd be safer!" he snapped back.  Alex looked hurt.  "You're not rational."

"Why in the hell should I be!" he yelled.  "What part of this is rational!"  He ran a hand through his hair, dodging the attempt to touch him.  "No, Draco. I need to be alone!"

"If you do, you won't ever come back!"

"Bull!  Have I never come back?"

"There's a first time for everything and you're not yourself.  You're slow on the draw and you're depressed.  You should be but this is going a bit too far!"

"I don't care!" he shouted.  Draco took a step back and Alex panted.  "I've got to get this out of me and I can't do that here.  There's too many people I can harm.  Too many little kids who could end up dead when I destroyed this place.  So just let me go and I'll be back as soon as I've worn some of it out."

"I can't do that, Alex," he said more quietly.  "I can't let my husband or my friend go that way."

"We only did that to get me free of Pansy."

"Have you noticed me having to pretend very hard?" he demanded coolly.  "I'm having mother make it a permanent one as soon as we get the stupid test results."  Alex looked at him.  "I'm not going to lose you!  You're the first one who didn't see me as some evil bastard prepared to take over for the last dark lord!  Why in the hell would I want to let you walk off and commit fucking suicide to wear out the anger and the grief!" he finished at a shout.

"I promise, I'll be fine."

"You won't be and if you're going, I'm going."

"Draco...."

Draco slugged him, then rubbed his sore hand.  "If you're going I'm going."  He turned and hexed the creature, making it die again.  Then he looked at his mate.  "That's the end of this argument.  Understood?"

"You hit me."

"I had to, you're not rational."

"You hit me!"  He stood up.  "You promised to never hit me."

"Yes, well, I also promised to help you protect yourself and you're being an annoying ass about this.  We go together or you don't go."

"Boys, come out while you can," Dumbledore called.

"Bugger off!" Draco yelled.  He stared his mate down.  "That's the only way you're leaving, with me.  Your choice.  We can go back to the forest and do it there."

"I'd destroy the forest."

"Yes, well, maybe it could use some redecorating."

"This isn't a room!"

"No.  It's not."  He moved closer, healing the spot he had hit.  "You scared me and I'm sorry but I'm not letting you out alone.  You're a danger to yourself.  You just admitted it when you said you needed to destroy things.  So let's go."  Alex stared into his eyes then nodded, taking his hand and walking off with him.  He had no idea where they were going but he was sure it'd be fine.

***

McGonagall looked up as Harry stomped in, slamming the door and glaring at the students who glared at him for it.  "We need to talk.  Two of the students have went for a hike and we can't find 'em."

"Who?"

"Alex and Draco.  He's still really pissed and tried to burn it off.  Draco wouldn't let him go alone.  They found an alternate exit out of that creature thingy downstairs."  She moaned.  "It's dead by the way.  They killed it a third time and it won't be moving again."  She nodded slowly.  "The headmaster says they're not on school property.  There was something like a portal that took them off property and he hasn't found them yet.  I need leave of absence papers for them."

"I'll fill them out immediately," she offered.  "Where is his father?"

"With mine.  Somewhere."  She nodded once.  "I have no idea."

"Very well.  I'll be setting the wards to look for them to return and I'll tell him myself.  Do you think he's safe?"

"He walked off before he destroyed something. He's angry, he's grieving, and he's thinking stupid thoughts.  But he's got Draco with him."

"Then I'll trust one of them to have enough sense to come back here as soon as humanly possible."  Harry nodded and left, slamming the door again.  She looked at the students.  "Give me a moment to fill those out.  Go back to your reading, then we'll restart the lecture."

"I didn't know we had a creature downstairs," one of third years noted.  "Was it in that Chamber place that was opened a few years back?"

She shook her head.  "No, this one was someplace only very hurting students could find."  She hurried into her office to fill out the paperwork, sending it upstairs and a copy down to Severus' desk.  Then she told a house elf to stand in the doorway and watch for them.  As soon as Snape got back she had to see him, to tell him it was about Alex.  She came back out to finish her lecture, waiting impatiently for any news.  Snape got back before dinner time, slamming the door just like Harry had with James behind her.  He waved the papers. "I had the house elf try to stop you so I could tell you before you read those."

"I came back by portkey, the same as I usually do."  He put them on her desk.  "Where are they?"

"Harry said they killed the suicide creature and found another way out of that cavern," she said quietly.  "There was a portal or something.  They're together."

"My son and his?" James asked.

"Draco and his," she told him. "Yours is fuming in the North Tower."  James groaned, rubbing his face.  She looked at her fellow teacher and friend.  "He said he was going to destroy something.  He went for a walk before he could," she said quietly.  "I've filled out paperwork for both boys as soon as Harry told me."

"May I see it?"

"If you can get down there."

"I have many times in the past," he admitted, heading that way.  He found Harry staring at the line and walked past him, heading into the cavern.  He knew his son wasn't one for passive suicide.  He would have been looking for a fight or a very long, arduous walk.  He found the back cavern and the spot where the portal had been but it was closed.  He ran every spell he could over it, but he couldn't tell a destination.

"Let me," Sirius offered, coming closer.  Severus sneered at him.  "I like your son. I don't want to see him harmed either.  He's as close as I'm ever coming to a kid of my own."  He tried his own check spell.  "They're in Russia, the southern part."  He looked at him.  "Nowhere near Drumstrang.  Near that small magical research center."

"Could they have went there?"

"Is Alex going to search out people?"  He shook his head.  "Then I doubt it.  At least Draco's with him."

"He left without anything but his school bags!"

"At least he had his wand.  Draco's usually got a few galleons and I know both boys can apparate and create portkeys."  Snape slumped a bit at that. "They'll be fine.  They'll come back when your son is calm. Now let's go.  You need to have a long drink, Severus. It's starting to show wear on you too."

"I've drank too much already."

"Fine.  Remember, the soonest they could probably get back would be tomorrow morning."

"And the latest?" he sneered.

"How long will it take Draco to calm your son down and make him cry?" he said honestly.

"It hadn't helped yet."

Sirius nodded.  "I didn't figure it had.  Narcissa felt them go as well.  She's already calling all the other major areas.  She also called Gringotts.  If they show up at any branch to remove money, then we'll be told instantly."  Snape nodded, stomping off.  Sirius calmed himself and followed him.  He found Harry still staring at the door and hauled him up.  "You're not going anywhere near there, even if the creature is dead, Harry."  He walked him up the stairs, taking him to Remus, who was helping James cope with today.  Harry grabbed his father to hold.  "Good boy."

"Why couldn't Alex do this?" Harry asked miserably.

"Because Alex isn't the sort to be cured by hugs," Remus reminded him.  "He's the sort who needs to work it out of his system before a hug would help.  It showed some courage to walk away from everyone trying to support him because he knew he was going to hurt them."  Someone tapped on his office door.  "Enter!"  Neville walked in. "Yes, Mr. Longbottom?"

"Harry's owl just dropped a letter," he said, handing it to Harry.  Harry opened it and Neville looked at Remus.  "When you've got a few free minutes, may we talk?"

"Of course," he agreed.

Harry looked at him.  "Does that mean you're willing to quit lying to yourself, Neville?"  He looked hurt.  "Alex, Draco, and I have all been there, Longbottom.  We know exactly what you felt and the more you lie about it to yourself the more likely you are to do it again.  It just keeps getting easier, mate.  Just look at Alex."  Neville looked down, nodding a bit.  "Are you ready to quit lying?"

He looked at him.  "I can't admit to anyone I liked it, Harry.  I didn't."

"You cast the crucio, it feels damn good at first," Sirius told him.  "Until the screaming starts."  Harry nodded.  "Can you at least admit that?"

"I....."

Remus looked at the boy.  "When we've settled other matters, Mr. Longbottom."

He tipped his chin up, looking at Sirius. "It may have but that doesn't mean I wanted to do it again."

"No, a swift punishment can be a deterrent but there's always that voice in the back of your head telling you how easy it was and how easy it is to do it again.  How there's only a five percent chance of them catching you doing it.  How, even here with all the wards and spells, they probably won't catch you and haven't before."

Neville sniffled then nodded. "I have one of those.  I can control it."

Sirius shook his head.  "Not while you're lying to yourself, kid.  It only makes it stronger.  You'll slide.  It'll be too easy or you'll run too hot tempered and then it'll happen and you'll hate yourself but it's already done and all you can do is hide and wait."

Neville broke and sobbed, nodding at him.  He walked over to hold him.  "I nearly cursed Alexander for making me fall," he sobbed, clinging to him.  "I need help!"

"Shh, you do, but we can only walk you through it and offer advice.  This is a hard thing to come back from, kiddo," Sirius offered, patting him to calm him down.  Neville finally pulled back and wiped off his e yes.  "Go clean up.  We'll talk later tonight.  It'll take our minds off the two missing students."

"Another attack?" he asked, looking so young and scared.

"No.  Alex walked off before he could destroy anyone," Harry said quietly.  "He's grieving, Neville.  He just lost his mother all over again."

Neville nodded.  "Then I'll take over as your back up," he promised, walking out to clean his face off and blow his nose.

"That's a dodge that's very familiar to me," Sirius sighed.   He looked at Harry.  "You don't do that, right?"

"No, Sirius.  I hate fighting.  I just have to now and then.  I always act to stop them as soon as humanly possible.  I loathe fighting."

"You don't *fear* it though, right?" James asked.  "Like you're avoiding it?"  Harry shook his head and he relaxed. "Then someone's done a good job raising you for me.   I'm proud if I haven't mentioned it recently."

"You have."  He handed something to Remus.  "Alex's."

Remus flipped through it then put it into his desk and locked the drawer.  "Thanks."

"I know it's on his mind."

"Of course it is."  Someone knocked.  "Enter!"  Severus walked in.  "Hey. Are you all right?"

"Not yet.  Any word yet?"

"Not yet," Harry told him.  "Did you find out where it went?"

"Southern Russia."

"Why?" Remus asked.  Sirius shrugged.  "Fine.  Can we call around?"

"Narcissa already has.  Plus called Gringotts in case they go to get into the vaults."

"Is there anything else we could look for?"

Harry looked at him. "There's nothing saying that they're still in Russia, Professor.  Draco would have moved him closer to civilization.  As far as I know neither can camp for long times."

"Alex can," Severus said quietly.  "He took off to camp a few holidays ago.  He likes to stare at the moon."

"Alex has always been a night person," Harry agreed.  "I've caught him more than once on the roof staring at the moon.

"Where the portal went, it would be a good spot to do that," Remus offered.  He looked at the calendar on his wall, then at everyone else.  "Guys, I hate to break this up but I have to kick everyone out within the next hour."

"I'm staying," Sirius and James said in unison.

"I"m going to calm down Ron and the Slytherins.  I'm hoping we can hold the truce for a few more weeks."  Harry stood up with a groan and his father hugged him again.  "Thanks, Dad.  I'll see you guys in the morning."  He headed back to the suite, finding everyone in there with Ginny.  "Out."  She got up and huffed off.  "Thank you."  He looked at everyone.  "Draco followed Alex off campus," he announced.  Greg moaned.  "You've heard rumors about the suicide cavern?"  They all nodded.  "Alex killed the creature and stomped off but Draco made him take him as well.  They found a portal that Sirius said went to Southern Russia."

Vinnie shifted.  "It's gonna be a while, Potter.  He was so hurt he was blowing stuff up and it wasn't helping.  We tried everything to help him."

Greg nodded.  "It's going to be a long time.  Draco's going to have to make him scream at him first and then release the anger and pain, and then stop the stupidity. Then they'll be home."

"So, when, March?" Ron suggested.

Greg and Vinnie both nodded.  "Possibly," Greg agreed.

Vinnie shook his head.  "Draco doesn't have that much patience."

"So, next week?" Harry suggested.

"Probably closer to January," Vinnie told him.

"Oh, wonderful.  I'm staying away from Narcissa's party this year."  Both boys nodded at that.  She'd be frantic by then. She'd be fussing them to death long before then.

***

Draco landed, dusting off his new jacket and turned, finding his mate behind him.  "Come," he ordered, holding out a hand. "It's time."

Alex sighed and nodded.  "Can we run away again?"

"No, love.  It's time to face the family again.  They'll understand even if they do scream."  Alex sighed and nodded, taking his hand and allowing him to walk him up to the doorway.  The herald looked at him.  "It's not like I need an invitation."

"Everyone needs one."

"I'm the son, duffus."

Alex stepped forward.  "There's a standing invitation.  Alexander Birmingham and spouse."  The herald looked alarmed.  "Announce us.  Now."

He had been told not to make too big of a fuss if someone got pushy so he turned around.  "Alexander Birmingham and spouse," he announced.  He let them pass, watching as the young man walked down to the receiving line, noticing the woman hugged him and cried a bit, on both of them.  Then they walked off and the blond one spun the dark haired one out, leading him off to dance. He turned to the next person, taking his invitation.  "Sirius Black."  He put the invitation into the bin and watched as he walked down. He learned a lot by watching these people party.

Sirius kissed Narcisa on the cheek, looking at the couple in the center of attention.  "They show up now?"

"Clean, presentable, and Alex trying to run away again," she admitted dryly. "I don't know what we're going to do."

Sirius watched them.  "We won't have to."  He kissed her on the cheek again and walked out, going to join his family.  Tonks and Harry were showing off on another part of the floor. He smirked a bit, shaking his head at his godson, the showoff.  He grabbed Tonks when he spun her off, catching her with a grin and taking off with her.

Harry pouted.  "Hey, that's my woman!  Stealing my woman means I get to prank your butt or make sure you don't ever sleep again!"  Tonks grinned at him so he let it go for now.  He looked around, spotting Alex and Draco.  They were smiling that secretive lover's smile at each other and Alex looked much better, if a bit thin.  He walked over and blatantly cut in.  "Sorry, I need my given son.  Mind much?" he asked with a grin.

"Actually, I do," Draco complained.  His mother walked over and let him dance with her instead.  "Mother, you look lovely."

"Thank you, son.  Is he better?" she asked gently.

"Much," he offered with a smile.  "I had to scream and rant a bit but it worked.  He's better."  He backed away at the end of the song, bowing politely.  Then he grabbed Alex to take him away from his grabby relatives.  He smiled at him.  "Are you still all right?"

"I am," he agreed.  "I'll be fine.  I'm calm.  I'm still upset, but I'm fine."  He moved back to clap at the end of that song, then felt someone grab him by the shoulder and looked, nodding politely at James.  "You're here too?"

"I figured Draco's got his father's flair for the dramatic."  He walked him off, dancing with him.  "Are you better, Alexander?"

"More or less.  I swear I thought I saw her."

"With what happened, I wouldn't put it past them," James admitted grimly, "but even if it were true, the new memory charms would have eliminated any chance of her remembering you or him," he said quietly.

"I know.  He said so.  We put a tracker on her through Halfrek.  She said it wasn't her."

"We all hold hope," he reminded him.  "You're not going to try something stupid, right?"

"Draco talked me out of it."

"Good boy.  The death would have locked the memory charm in."  He stepped back as the music stopped.  "We're here for you, kiddo.  Since my son adopted you, I can consider you an odd grandkid like Sirius and Remus."  He winked and walked him back to Draco, handing him off with a nod to him.  "There you go. Good job, Mr. Malfoy."  He walked off, going to hang with the other bachelors. Sirius was being groped by some older woman on the floor so he had a corner to himself, watching his son flirt and tease his lady.  His son was better than he had ever been.

Draco pulled Alex closer, kissing him gently.  "Still all right?"

"I'll be fine," he promised.  "I'm still calm and good."

"Good.  Tell me if it gets too much and we'll stroll in the gardens."  Alex nodded, taking this dance to lead, making Draco smile.  "You're still taking it tonight, Alex."

"Like I mind," he said with a small smirk.  "Thank you, Draco."

"It's what I do for the ones I love."  He smiled as his mate blushed.  "No more talk about dissolving this contract?"

"No," he said, shaking his head. "No more.  Never again."

"Good."  He let himself be dipped and clutched at his mate's shoulders afterward.  "What are you getting me for the holidays?"

"Not a clue.  Can it wait until January?"

"I'll expect it as soon as you find it," he teased, smiling a bit.  He stole a kiss and let Alex dance him off toward the doors.  "Had enough of being stared at?"

"I need to go to the bathroom.  The shock of lack of cold."  He adjourned to the bathroom and locked himself in for a moment.  He made sure he was calm before he relieved himself and cleaned up again, walking out into an ambush by his family. "Hi," he said weakly.

Draco coughed.  "Get off him, mum.  Remember, this is Alex, he still doesn't like women."  She sniffled and let him go, wiping off her cheeks, retreating to check on her makeup before coming back.

Sirius looked at the boy.  "You sure you're okay?"

"I'm pretty good.  Still a bit sad but I'll be fine."  He wiggled free of the new hug. "Hey!  You're wrinkling me."

"Sorry," Sirius said, grinning a bit. "Can't have you looking better than me.  Someone might try to steal you instead."

"No," Draco moaned, holding his head.  "Alex has somehow managed to activate an old curse for literalness, Sirius.  So you get to hex her."

"How long will this last?" Tonks asked.

"We're not sure," Draco admitted bitterly.  "Feel free to remove it, I couldn't."  She nodded, walking Alex off to try to remove it for him.  He came back a bit singed around the edges but maybe it was gone. He used his wand to spiff him up again then walked him back to the dance floor.

"We're related to very many worrywarts," Alex said quietly in his ear.  Draco smiled and nodded.  "I'm sorry I worried them."

"They'd have to be worried.  With the way you took off, I'd have been worried too.  I'm surprised we haven't seen your father yet."

"He might not be here.  He could be working."

"I doubt it," Draco said dryly, looking toward the door. Then he glanced at his mother and nodded at Alex. She smiled and nodded, going to berate Severus until he showed up.  He heard his name be announced and smirked a bit, taking control of their dance and spinning Alex out, then pulling him back, making Alex giggle and blush a bit.

"He's mine and staying mine!" Pansy shouted.

"It's a curse that was on Alexander," Sirius yelled at her mother.  "Don't make me ruin her hair."  Her mother pulled the girl off, going to cure her of that problem immediately, before anyone else noted it.  He nodded politely at Severus.  "They showed up earlier."

"That figures.  Mr.  Malfoy hates to disappoint his mother and them missing would have," he noted sarcastically.  He looked at his son, catching him when he danced past, making Draco glare at him.  He raised an eyebrow and Draco huffed, being taken by his mother again.  He looked his son over.  "You've lost weight," he greeted.  "You've also lost that hopeless look in your eyes."  Alex hugged him and he relaxed.  "You're fine?"

"Mostly.  Still kinda sad but not too bad," he said quietly, walking him off.  "Draco and I ended up getting into real fist fight once.  I needed it, it made me break."  He looked at his father.  "I'm sorry I ran that way."

"I'm not.  I obviously couldn't help you and our misery was feeding off each other.  Therefore it was good he could handle your grief while I handled mine."  Alex nodded and Severus gave him another hug.  "You're truly fine?"

"I'm fine, daddy."  He rested against him. "I thought I saw her over there but Halfrek told me I was wrong," he said quietly. "Draco and she agreed even if it was her, she couldn't come out from under it."  Severus nodded at that.  "I'm sorry, dad."

"I'm not, son.  It wasn't meant to be."  He stroked his cheek with the back of his hand.  "I'm satisfied that I got you back."  He looked at him.  "Are you still satisfied with Mr. Malfoy, even after your fights?"

"I needed it, dad."

"I understand, but should he ever even think about such an action again I have the right to the first hex and I will make him suffer for a very long time."

Alex gave him a sheepish grin, nodding.  "Thanks.  I figured you'd have to hex his mother first."

"No, she's agreed I get the first one and then she'll make him more pathetic than his father had been when he died."  Alex grinned at that. "Should it ever happen again...."

"I'll come sobbing to you."

"Good.  I'm glad you're back."  He gave him another hug.  "Your mate dresses up even the most bland people," he noted dryly, letting him see his mate dancing with Ginny Weasley.  He looked at his son again. "Granger was invited by her new boyfriend.  Unfortunately."

"Does he know?"

"It's Longbottom."

"Ah, so he does know."  He nodded, going out to repossess his mate, smirking a bit at Ginny as he stole him.   "Thanks for keeping him warm."  He smiled at Draco as he took charge.  "I told dad we had to have that fight.   He won't hex you this time."

"I'm never doing it again, Alex. You know that."  He smiled at him.  "Did I see the dark ones together?"

"Dad said Neville asked Granger."

"Wonderful.  Who asked Weasley?"

"Blaise apparently."  He dipped Draco and then pulled him up, giving him a steamy look.   "Walk in the gardens?"

"Already?" he teased.

"Forgive me for being so wanton and desiring you, Draco."  He walked him outside, going to walk in the cool air with him.  They giggled when they heard Tonks chastising Harry to not tease.  They stopped under a bunch of mistletoe to share a kiss. Then they walked on, disappearing into the darker shadows for a quickie.

Narcissa walked out, sighing a bit.  "Boys," she called.  "You're panicking Harry and the others by disappearing again."

"No he's not.  Harry's only panicking because you keep trying to get a peek of his bum."

She giggled, looking at where her niece's voice came from.  "Nymphadora!  So naughty!"  She walked on further, hearing Harry sigh in relief.  She found her son and son-in-law in an ardent clinch.  "Some things never change."

"Mother, I'm about to suck him off, did you want to watch?" Draco asked, stealing another kiss, not stopping in the least.  If she wanted to watch, she'd be getting an eyeful.   He moved down to suck on his mate's neck, one hand teasing the hardness he was trying to uncover. He finally got to his goal and went down to tease him.

Narcissa blushed and walked off, hoping to clear off her blush before walking inside.  She ran into Sirius and shook her head, turning him around so he couldn't go watch them.   "You don't want to go out there."

"Why?"

"I walked out and found Draco about halfway down his mate."

"Really?" he asked, smirking a bit.  "Was it good?"

"I'll beat you, Sirius.  They didn't even stop because I was there."

He blushed at that. Those boys were still so bad about that.  He heard a feminine giggle and realized who was worse than those boys.

***

Alex walked into his house the next morning and was pounced by a crying lump of house elf.  "Hi, Marsette," he offered, stroking over her head.  "We're back."  She looked up at him, smiling through the tears.  "Let m guess, Twirly is throwing a fit and scared you again?"  She nodded, sniffling and hugging him.  "Twirly!" he called.  "I'm back!"  Draco walked in, shaking his head.  Twirly popped in and looked at them. "Were you scaring Marsette again?"

"Twirly not mean to but Marsette cry."  She pulled Marsette away, hugging her.  "Twirly sorry, Marsette."  Marsette nodded, hugging her.  They looked at their masters again.  "You leave?"

"No, not until we go back to school," Alex said, squatting down to get closer to their height.  "We're home for the rest of the holidays."

"No, Misses said you leave," Twirly told him.  Alex frowned and she moved closer, leaving Marsette alone.  "Goblins calling, saying you leave?"

"I left school for a bit, but I didn't quit. I had to leave.  I found out what happened to my mother."  Twirly hung her head, nodding.  "What Misses said we're to leave?"  She pointed at the study.  "What?  The old bat's painting?"  She nodded.  "I'm burning that."

"Send it to Dumbledore," Draco ordered quietly. "Let his decisions torment him."

"Goblins say can't," Marsette told them.

Alex headed to his study, finding the floo powder and calling his personal vault manager.  "What the fuck is going on?  I come home and my elves tell me I'm supposed to leave my house?"

"A clause to her will appeared just after your birthday but it was only spotted a few days ago," he said calmly.  "It states that if you're over the age of majority you can only be in the marriage contract she created for you.  If you were to file one before that age, it was revoked unless it was one she would find unsuitable."

"She found Lucius and Draco very suitable.  She said he was one of the more suitable people for me to be friends with."

"Yes, but the will also states that it had to be a fertile union."

"Draco figured out a spell for that."

"That wouldn't matter."

"So I've lost everything?" he asked dryly.  "Who would it go to?  We don't have any family left."  He held up the list, letting him see who had been marked off.  The house would go to Dumbledore.  "Wonderful.  Can we kill him?"  The goblin slowly shook his head.  "Then you're helping to vacate the will?"

"We are.  We needed your help to do so."

"I'll be right there with Draco."

"Thank you. You may want to change and come up with a good excuse for your recent absence from school."

"Easy, we found out Grams and Dumbledore charmed my mother and James Potter to forget us and live in Germany together."  He looked stunned.  "Mom died about a month before we found them."

"I'm sorry."

Alex nodded.  "Me too, that's why I took off and Draco made me bring him.  I'll be there within an hour."  He hung up and headed upstairs, finding Draco already changing.  "We've got to go vacate Grams' will totally.  You're not the one she wanted me to marry.  If we don't get it vacated, I'm going to be your husband and nothing else."

Draco frowned at him.  "We can always live at the manor.  Even if I did marry you for your library."  Alex frowned at him.  "Just teasing."

"You'd better be or else you're going to be finding me a massive holiday present to make me quit pouting.  The house goes to Dumbledore.  Since there's no relatives she wrote out a list.  Including your dad and mum above him but she was crossed out since he's dead and that leaves Dumbledore and Greg's stepmum that no one liked and we banished from the country."  He pulled down an outfit but Draco pulled out something else, handing it to him and putting the other back.  "This doesn't fit."

"You just had it fitted before we left."

"Yeah, and all my sleeves were too short by the time we got back."  He put on the shirt, showing it off.  Draco rolled his eyes and got him something else, handing it over. "Thanks."  He went to clean up and change, coming out with damp hair and his shirt collar undone by two buttons.  Draco looked up from fixing his hair, leering a bit, so he smiled back.  "Mind out of the gutter."

"Sorry.  Can't help it when you look like that."  His hair was uncharmed and fingers run through it, tousling it so it looked like bedhair.  "Don't!"

"Hush!"  He pulled on a robe and shoes, then headed down the stairs after grabbing his wand and one other thing off his dresser.  "We're going to Gringotts to solve this before it gets even worse."  Twirly brought him a sandwich and he smiled.  "Thank you, Twirly.  You've always known when I was hungry."  She beamed and nodded.  "I wish I could've brought mum home," he muttered, stroking over her head.

"Mistress Elani alive?"

"She had been.  Grams memory charmed her and Harry's dad.  She died a month before we found James."  She looked down, nodding.  "That's why I took the long vacation.  You can grieve as well.  We're not doing anything for the holidays."  She nodded, heading back to tell the other elves.  Draco came down while he was finishing his sandwich and they both apparated to Gringotts, landing as he finished his last bite of food.  Their manager gave him an amused look.  "Sorry, had to eat.  Too much wine last night."  They headed into his office, noticing the human in there.  Alex shook his hand.  "Alexander Birmingham."

"Judge Scorlian.  Mr. Malfoy," he said with a cordial nod.  "Are you his solicitor or his manager?"

"Actually, I'm his spouse."

"Ah!"  He nodded.  "I see."  He looked at Alex. "Would she approve?"

"Would I care since she's the one who tortured me so much I hate women enough to kill them all?"  The judge raised an eyebrow and Alex looked at the goblin.  "We need that file."

"I have it already," he offered, handing it to the judge.  "There is also the matter of her will hiding clauses like this without our knowing, which we do not allow for matters of inheritance.  It leads to situations like these."

"Which is why they were banned.  His grandmother was a barrister, she should have realized that."

"She didn't deal much in contract law.  She dealt with criminal punishment cases.  Preferably where she could help with the questioning and/or punishment."  Alex sat down, looking unconcerned.  "There's also the matter of a curse that was sent as a letter to me for me to open upon my majority.  It says that if I sell any of her tacky crap she'll haunt me until I die."

"How did you get that already?"

"I've been emancipated since shortly after she died. With the Ministry trying to force me to become a dark lord for them and all that stuff, it was thought it safer.  The Wizengomet agreed with myself and my guardian, Harry Potter, attaining it at the same time."

"The clause in question is based on age however, so it appeared after his last birthday," the goblin pointed out.  "Mr. Birmingham has been instrumental in changing some of the darkest artifacts back to light ones again.  He's been slowly clearing the taint from the dark arts vault."

"And I'd still sell half that tacky crap if I could."

"You plan on working?"

"I hadn't," he admitted.  "I planned on having a few good hobbies that I did more often than not.  I also paint quite well.  I've already done three living portraits of my husband, one each year since we've signed our contract."

"Is your contract a permanent one?"

"My mother demanded a temporary one until we were one month past graduation," Draco said calmly.  "We agreed that would be for the best.  Even though we've been friends since childhood, people do change over their years in school.  Alex has only gotten nicer and calmer.  Less hurt from what she did to him."

"Hmm."  The judge looked over everything, then back at the boys.  "Well, it's a borderline case really," he decided.  "It could go either way with the evidenced presented.  If the other two parties would fight you over it, it would come to a trial."

"Narcissa Malfoy said she did not want it," the goblin told him.  "As did the goblin named."

"That leaves the Headmaster and he was what to her?"

"A failed suitor.  Her father refused his request for marriage and even after she was widowed and her parents died at her own hand she didn't take him up on it.  He's also the one who was helping the Ministry try to turn me into a dark lord."  The judge sighed.  "There is something that was not formally stated in any of that paperwork.  Grams was a death eater.  You have vacated wills on that stipulation alone.  She was actually higher in the hierarchy than Lucius Malfoy was. She was his left hand. She was his torturer."

"Can you prove that?"

"The death certificate lists her dark mark.  Other death eaters who may still be alive would tell you where she was placed.  As long as they were around during the first run of idiocy."

The judge nodded and turned to the floo, calling to the aurors.  "I need the file you kept on Issadora Marianna Birmingham."

"All of it or just the summary pages?"

"All of it."

"Back up," he said, lifting something thick and tossing it into the fireplace.  It came out the other side a bit thinner.  "Sorry, some of that was Ministry eyes only.  I'll send it another way."

"That's fine.  This may be more than enough."

Alex waved.  "A hidden clause appeared giving everything to Dumbledore if I didn't marry Parkinson or have kids with an acceptable brood mare."

"I have a spell worked out for that," Draco noted with a small smirk.

The judge looked at him.  "How?"  Draco pulled it out of his pocket and handed it over.  He looked it over, then at him.  "Would it work?"

"It has.  We tested it on someone's familiar in Slytherin since she wanted kittens so bad. They came out very healthy."

"I see."  He went back to reading, glancing at Alex now and then.  When the auror walked in, he took those documents to read as well, outright staring at Alex.  "You were tortured by her?"

"Numerous times.  Including the use of the Imperious to force me to study and learn her books until I collapsed.  By the time I could break it, I was up to about a week and a half in stamina."

He blinked and went back to reading.  "When did she die?"

"About four days after I was sorted."

"I see."  He continued on.  "Was it a suicide?"

"We're not sure.  It could have been but I did witness her saying she had some divination skills so that did preclude the note she sent me saying she would never see me again."

"He walked around for the first week of school calling it cryptic shite if I remember right," Draco said with a smirk for his mate.  He looked at the goblin. "Did you get that special file Severus found?"  He nodded and handed it to the judge, who sat down, staring in horror at the confession that Dumbledore had been forced to write out about his involvement in the disappearance of James Potter and Elani Birmingham.  "She was his mother.  That's why we had to take some time off.  We found out she actually died about a month before we found her."

"Oh, dear."  He looked at Alex, then back at the paperwork. "This is more than enough to vacate the will totally, but you should give Dumbledore something so he cannot contest."

"I'll gladly give him every charmed painting of the old bitch, her old wand, all of the stuff that remains of her personal collections except the cursed stuff, the jewelry, or any clothes that got confiscated by the adults helping when we cleaned the house of dark artifacts.  I'll gladly hand over her spirit since I trapped it this year.  I wish like hell we could have her haunt him and break the curse she laid too."

"We can if the will is vacated," the goblin assured him.

"Thank you!  I'll let you guys come gather that today and send it to him. I do not want that man in my house.  I don't like how he treats most of the school's house elves and we've got two fragile ones.  I'd give them clothes and send them to Narcissa before I let him near them."

"She agreed that would be reasonable and you two would have your own house built," the goblin noted.  "We did call her about this when it was found.  That was the backup plan."

The judge smiled a bit.  "I'm seeing a lot of reasons to vacate it but I should, by law, talk to Dumbledore to see if he wants to protest it."

"Mrs. Parkinson would since she believes it would force Alexander to marry her pug-ugly daughter," Draco offered.  "She's still trying to force it."

"No, Pansy and her mother signed a contract last night," Alex told him.  "Your mother told me when we had that next-to-last dance.  They didn't even get to complain about any of the stipulations but she's taken by a Saudi wizard."

"Hmmm.  At least we won't have to deal with her socially very often then," Draco said happily. "Is she coming back?"

"Until she graduates, unless she goes closer for next year."

"Oh, well, can't have everything I guess," he noted dryly.

Alex just grinned at him.  "Be nice.  We also have to find out about an Indian wizard who wanted Ginny's hand.  She asked me to look in the books your mother's got since she's scared of your mother."

"Fine," he said, rolling his eyes.

The judge laughed.  "Go have lunch, boys.  Let me make sure there's no legal challenges to the plan to vacate the will. Come back in an hour."  They nodded and shook his hand, walking out.  "They seem nicer than you'd think."

"They've helped each other grow up.  Mr. Malfoy just got Mr. Birmingham over his greatest grief yet.  They left school for the last month.  There is also the matter that Dumbledore is still trying to work against Mr. Birmingham."  He handed over sealed envelopes.  "Their NEWT results."

"They're the ones who tested the new tests?"  The goblin nodded.  "Why?"

"Because of the forced learning and Dumbledore wants them separated for some reason.  He may have known about this clause in hindsight."  He shrugged.  "They're to take whatever they didn't pass next year."

The judge looked at the copies of the results, which the goblins always got a record of for higher profile families since the grades often factored into wills and access to vaults.  "That speaks of the forced education he received being true torture to him then," he sighed, putting down Alex's marks.  "What will he have to take over?"

"Anything under an average."

The judge shook his head and opened the other one, smiling at the less high marks, but still quite decent.  He turned back to the floo, calling out for Dumbledore.  "A petition has come to me today to vacate a will of one Issadora Birmingham."  Dumbledore looked pained. "It has been worked out that the heir will be giving you all of the paintings of her, all of her remaining personal possessions that cannot be claimed by the family, like her jewelry and art collections, and her wand.  Plus the heir has stated he has the captured spirit which he was more than happy to transfer to you once the curse on it was broken.  Did you want to issue a legal protest of this vacating?  If so, I need to know before I rule today."

"I would like some time to think about it."

"Unfortunately they have moved to follow through in a timely manner," the judge told him.  Dumbledore frowned a bit. "I believe they were going to be cleaning a few more of the artifacts today and that's why they needed to know, so they had time to do that and come back to school on time."

"I see.  Are there any other beneficiaries?"

"No.  Just you and Alexander."  The man flinched at that name. "Unfortunately her will contained clauses that were illegal and the goblins did move to start vacating it before telling the boys today.  They've been presenting evidence on the goblin's behalf.  Alexander has agreed to give you those items without a qualm, feeling that your involvement was emotional and so therefore you should have the paintings of her and her wand.  I should also tell you that some of the evidence is quite damning of your relationship and I will have to file it with the Ministry if you do protest."

Dumbledore looked at him. "Was that a threat?"

"No, a statement of legal fact.  It would be required that I file all this information with the Ministry's legal department should you decide to openly challenge this action.  That is legal precedent and law."

"Which means it would be open to the scrutiny of the public?" he asked bitterly.

"Indeed," the goblin agreed.  "As such, you would be receiving all her animate portraits and all other portraits of her, her wand, a few remaining pieces of clothing that were confiscated while they were cleaning the dark arts materials from the house, and things like her personal correspondence once a copy had been made in case any other...irregularities existed like the one for James Potter and Elani Birmingham should show up."  He shivered at that. "You do have the choice of challenging this vacation, but you must know what it entails legally first."

"I see. What about her personal elves?"

"One died during the attack on the manor a few years back and the other two are very frail and are down to ceremonial and cooking duties," the goblin told him.  "Neither are fit for real work and are protected by the old and disabled house elf statues since their master agreed to keep them."

"I see. What about the items in her work areas?"

"Those were either put into the vault to be cleaned by Alexander or were given to the Ministry if they were too dark to be safely stored here."  The judge looked at the goblin.  "We also found blood magic and other things so polluted we couldn't risk having them in a vault together. Was there something of that mess you wanted, Mr. Dumbledore? I can approach the boys on your behalf."

"There was a jeweled silver dagger and a gold dagger.  A matched set."

The goblin pulled out that file, looking through it.  "It went to the Ministry.  They're presently at the auror academy from what I hear, being used as training tools to teach the cadets about dark magic and what it feels like."  He looked at him.  "Anything else of that set found on that altar, including her grimoire, is in the vaults."

"I want that grimoire.  I want the rest of that set, and I want the emerald robes she kept down there, plus I want control over her gravesite."

The judge considered it, then nodded slowly. "If the boys agree."

"Without them being cleaned."

"The bowl already was.  It was one of the first things he did this summer," the goblin said, looking at the list again.  "He's tried with the crystals but they weren't working for him."  Dumbledore nodded so he summoned a lesser goblin, writing out a note.  "Find Mr. Birmingham, see that he agrees to that. Anything else before I send him on?"

"Her working attire."

"Was burned," the goblin told him.  "If you mean those leather outfits?"  He nodded.  "Those were burned upon Severus Snape's orders by the account he gave to us."

Dumbledore hung his head.  "Then I'd also like the ashes of that if possible and the bronze urn on the mantel."

"Agreed."  He added that to the note and sent him off.   He came back a moment later and whispered in his ear, but gave back the note.  "Thank you."  He looked at him. "Alexander was talked into it by his spouse, but it was noted by the goblin that the urn contained material artifacts and remains so they'd have to have it examined to make sure there's no prior claim on them."  Dumbledore nodded at that. "Otherwise that would be acceptable."

The judge nodded, taking the notes the goblin wrote down.  "Then I'll have my formal ruling drawn up this afternoon and sent to you with those artifacts, hopefully by the start of school.  Should we send them there?"  Dumbledore nodded.  "Thank you for your understanding."

"I bear no real ill will toward Alexander, just that he should have followed his family more closely."

"Yes, well, we can't all be evil bastards," the goblin noted dryly.  The floo was cut off and he looked at him. "I'm rather glad he isn't like her.  She used to scare the younger goblins and me when she came in."

"So I can tell.  How did they let her get away with this?"

"They were too scared of her to act."

The judge sighed and took the notes, heading back to his office to write his final decision and send it on to the interested parties. The next day the newspaper had pictures of the couple dancing and laughing in celebration and it made him happy.

***

Alex stepped off the train and pulled his hood over his head, wrapping his cloak more tightly around him.  "Damn, I'm freezing," he complained to Greg.  Draco had been held up by family business for his mother and his estate for a day.  He looked over at the teachers waiting on him.  "Professors," he said, nodding pleasantly.  "Are you here to yell at us for singing off-key?"

She smiled and hugged him.  "No, dear, but your new bed has arrived."  She tweaked the tip of his nose.  "Such a naughty boy."

"Hey, I need my beauty rest to be as pretty as Draco," he said with a small grin.  "I'm sorry I couldn't come back sooner."

"I'm not.  You're happy again."  She patted him on the cheek.  "Head up to the feast, young man.  Where is your spouse?"

"Estate crap.  He'll be in right after breakfast tomorrow."

"That's fine."  She let his father have him and watched as they walked off together, the Slytherins guarding them like they did Draco. She smiled at the sight of them, it was rather touching how much love Crabbe and Goyle had for her poor little fledgling.  She grabbed the two miscreants off the train and drug Harry and Ron by their ears off to the side.  "What were you thinking!"

"It wasn't us!" Ron complained, rubbing his ear.  "We were both napping.  Alex can verify that for you."

"He woke us up," Harry agreed. "Someone cast that charm to create the two not-uses who ran up and down tormenting others.  They were ghosts or something like it anyway!"

"Fine," she said, frowning at them.  "My office, now, boys."  They nodded, heading that way.  "Grab Alex as well."  They both nodded, catching a carriage back up there.  She moaned and held her head, going to get the probable suspect, Miss Lovegood.  "Did you do that?" she asked.

She giggled and nodded.  "It was rather fun to see a naughty Harry and Ron.  Who knew they could be worse than the twins!"

"My office, Miss Lovegood!"  She nodded, skipping that way.  She looked up at the full moon.  "Why do I teach?" she muttered, heading back herself.  She walked to give herself time to calm down and think up something truly horrible for that girl this time.

***

Draco strolled into breakfast and over to his mate, stealing a kiss.  "Mum vacated father's will.  Now if she wants to she can remarry and keep the house.  That means I'm shacking up at your place until she dies.  That good with you?"

Alex stole a real kiss.  "Sure, baby.  You can have the spot next to me.  I'll make sure all the handcuffs are really soft," he teased.  Draco smirked a bit and went back to his seat.  "Any other news?"

"Yeah, my mum's found another toy.  He's Italian," he called back.  "She's very happy with him."

"Oh, good."  Alex grinned and went back to eating his breakfast, ignoring the gossip.  "So, how was your holiday, Ron?"

"Less happy when you told Mum he had three other wives and Ginny would be the fourth of his harem.  She's still probably ranting about that.  She even called to rant at him about that and he assured her she'd be a treasured jewel to him.  I'm doubting it's going to go through."

"Did you ever find Draco something for Solstice?" Harry asked between bites.

Alex stole a piece of bacon and nibbled it, then shook his head.  "No.  Not really.  I found him a little something but nothing spectacular."   He looked at his mate, giving him a 'sorry' look.  Draco raised an eyebrow.  "Present," he mouthed.  Draco rolled his eyes and shook his head, digging in again.  "Apparently he doesn't mind."  He finished that piece of bacon then stood up.  "I need to pack my bag.  Same schedule?"  Ron nodded.  "Cool.  Any word on our results?"

"Waiting on the table this morning," Harry told him.  "You were too asleep to see them."

Alex beamed and headed back to the suite to get his bag and his results.  He sat down, staring at the pair of letters until the bell rang.  Then he grabbed them and took them with him to Charms.  Draco sat down next to him so he handed him his letter and watched him open it, smiling at the results.  Draco had passed basically everything he had taken with at least an average.  He was going to have to take Runes, Creatures, and Divination next year.  Plus Potions because his father would complain if he didn't.  Alex opened his own while Flitwick chatted, looking at the grades.  He frowned at one, then pulled his wand and uncharmed the paper, making Harry and Ron chuckle.  Flitwick looked at him so he handed over his results.

"We only charmed his, Draco," Harry offered with a smirk.  "How did you do?"

"Quite well."  He handed his to Flitwick as well, earning a smile before they were handed back.

"Mr. Birmingham, I'm very impressed," he said happily.  "If you can demonstrate the charm we're doing today, I'll let you find your father and relieve the first year Gryffindor and Slytherin class of his presence for a bit."

"Which charm?  I wasn't paying attention while I opened that."

"The Patronius."

"Um, I can't," he admitted.  "I can cast the charm but I can't even get a cloud."  Flitwick raised an eyebrow. "It's not my fault," he muttered.

"You're more than powerful enough."

"Yeah, but I'm not happy enough."

"Oh, I see.  That's fine then.  That problem is one we can work on later tonight, during your special class. I have a book that has other ideas to take the place of those memories."

Draco whispered in his ear, touching Alex's hand gently.  "Try it now, Alex.  Concentrate on that," he said gently.

Alex closed his eyes, concentrating on that image, and pulled his wand.  "Expecto Patronius!"  A cloud formed, but that was closer than he normally got.  He sighed and let it go.  "Closer but still no go."

"Fine," Flitwick agreed, smiling at him. "We'll work on that later. You have unique circumstances.  Go find your father.  Mr. Potter, I believe you can demonstrate it?"

Harry nodded, waiting until Alex was gone to cast his.

"Well done!  Ten points to Gryffindor for it being fully formed and so very detailed!"  He clapped and bounced a bit.  "Very well done.  Let it go now."  He let it go.  "Thank you.  Normally you would go over this in defense, but Professor Lupin is feeling under the weather and asked me to help you with this lesson.  Now let's pull our wands and one at a time do it.  Those who do, can be released early as well."

Alex walked into his father's classroom and handed him the results.  His father stared him down.  "I got released early since I still can't conjure a patronius.  Professor Flitwick said he's got some ideas about how to help me."

Snape nodded, looking at the results.  Then at his son, then back at the results.  "You passed Potions?"

"I have no idea *how* but apparently I did," he agreed with a small grin. "Amazing, huh?"

"Very."  He looked at the rest of the grades.  "What did Mr. Malfoy not pass?"

"Creatures, Divinations, and Runes."

"Hmm.  I'll be seeing him anyway I'm sure."  He looked at his son. "I'm very impressed," he said quietly. "Good work, Mr. Birmingham.  Fifty points to Gryffindor for exceeding even my high expectations of you."  Alex gave him a shy grin with a hint of a blush.  "Tell your head of house, that way she can figure out what you're doing since you're only taking Herbology and Creatures.  Plus mine if you wanted," he offered graciously.

"Dad, you said it yourself, I sucked in here.  Did you want me back?"

"Not particularly.  I'm still trying to remove the spot on the ceiling from when yours and Mr Longbottom's potions mixed."  Alex looked up and grinned at the pretty rainbow effect in the splatter.  Then at him.  "I won't make you but I will expect you to comport yourself reasonably and decently during all those hours you'll have free."

"Thanks."  He gave him a brief hug and headed up to McGonagall's classroom.  He peeked inside, the fifth years had her.  He waved his results and she hurried up to get them, then squealed and hugged him.  "Thank you.  Dad said you could have the frustration of figuring out what I'm doing next year."

She smiled.  "I think you deserve a bloody award for doing so well, especially in things you've never taken," she muttered next to his ear.

"Dad gave me fifty points."

"Wonderful, I'm giving you another twenty for passing Potions and Divination."  She handed it back.  "You know you don't have to take those two over next year?  Just the classes?"  He grinned and nodded.  "Then go be a good boy, Mr. Birmingham.  Somewhere other than my class."  He grinned and ducked out, heading toward his next classroom.  It was Defense and he was sure Lupin was still recovering.  He listened, no classes and the sign on the door said no classes.   He tapped and Sirius opened it so he held up his results, getting a shocked look and a strong hug.  "Dad was really impressed that I passed Potions."

Sirius let him in, smiling as he led him back to the office.  "He failed yet again to knock the boys down," he said proudly.  "Narcissa, they've got their results."

"Ooh!  Where's my son?"

"In Charms unless he got released early for being able to conjure a patronius."

"Can you?" Remus asked.

"No, I think he released me out of pity.  I finally got a cloud," he offered with a small grin.  Remus shrugged.  "He said he's got a book with alternate ideas and he'd help me later."  He presented his marks to his teacher, smirking a bit.  "Thank you for helping us get what we needed to study."

Remus grinned at him.  "I'm rather proud of you, grandson.  Very well done.  How many did Draco get?"

"All but three.  Creatures, Divinations, and Runes.  He got just barely under an average by the remarks for Runes, one point under."

Remus passed them to James, who patted him on the back.  "Help my son study, okay?"

"Of course."

"Thank you."  He handed them back.  "You should have those framed, kid."

"I probably should but I got a letter this morning saying I wasn't even allowed to go to Hogsmeade and that the bed would have been switched back, I didn't have to provide my own."  He looked at them.  "Did you hear about the will being vacated?"  They all nodded.  "Did you hear what else he wanted?"  They all nodded.  "Good, then I'm going to leave that in your hands to watch while I'm a happy boy all day."  He grinned and headed out, casting a charm to find Draco for him.  He found him coming out of Potions. "Your mother is with Remus."  Draco smirked a bit and headed up there to brag and show off.  Alex headed to his next class, Transfiguration, and waited outside the door, being polite.   For now.  They'd be celebrating later, when he told Twirly and Marsette. Some good wine, some good food, some good cuddling with his Draco snuggly later, and he'd be a totally happy boy.  Even if he did have a hangover and was walking funny in the morning. Which he hoped he would be.

***

Epilogue 1:

***

Alex looked up from his seventh year Transfiguration textbook, sneezing.  He was bored and going over something he still had a bit of problems with, helping Harry study really.  He sneezed again and Ron gave him a worried look.  "Dark magic," he offered, sneezing a third time. His nose started to bleed so Ron and Harry went to get some tissues and check the halls.  Harry found a small box outside and it was radiating dark magic.  He watched as Ron led Alex back to bed before floating the box up to eye height.  He wasn't touching it.  He looked around, then at the nearest painting.  "Tell Professor Snape I need him immediately at the Room of Requirement."  He hurried that way, the box floating in front of him so it couldn't be stolen.  By the time the room formed what he needed, Snape was stomping up the halls.  "Alex has a nosebleed from this," he offered, opening the door.  He and Snape walked inside, sealing in the natural stone room.  He put the box on the stone table.  "It's all that was around the suite, sir.  Even I can feel the bad magic on it and Alex started to sneeze as soon as it was put down we think. I didn't see anyone there though."

Snape nodded. "Step back.  I want you next to the door.  If I'm frozen or hurt, get Lupin." Harry nodded, getting back to the doorway, one hand on the doorknob, tensed to run out.  Snape carefully unwrapped the gift, looking down at what the box contained.  Harry waited then ran out, slamming the door behind him.  Snape picked up the small ring, holding it up in front of him.  He knew what it was.  It was the symbol given to a family's heir upon their birth.  Draco had one he was sure.  He carefully put the ring in the box, then stepped away from it, casting a discernment spell.  The magic he saw confused him but it couldn't be right.  Elani's magic was surrounding the ring?  Remus walked in and locked the door behind him, looking at the small box. "It's an heir's ring."

"And that's Elani's magic showing in your spell, but on this side it's her mother's."  Remus turned the box around and Snape shuddered.  He looked in the box, using the tip of his wand to lift out the small silver ring.  Sirius had one so he'd seen one before. It would grow with the child.  He looked at Severus.  "Did Alex get one?" he asked quietly.  He shook his head.  "Are you sure?"

"I am.  I asked him and he said he didn't have one."

"Then this could have been his," he noted calmly, putting it back into the box.  He sealed it in some of the stone from the table, transfiguring it into a box of keeping.  Then he looked at him again.  "What does it mean to you, Severus?"

"That he raised her," he said, looking at him.  "Somehow he raised one of them."

"Or all of them," Remus noted.  Severus rushed out, going to check his son.  Remus took the direct route.  "Halfrek?"  She appeared.  "Was Alex ever raised from the dead?"

"No.  You can tell the big guy that.  He wasn't.  His mother was.  His grandmother has been, but she's wrong somehow.  She's not going to be able to stay over a year.  Each day of her life leaches a month of Dumbledore's."  She looked at the box, then at him.  "What's that?"

"We think it's Alex's heir's ring."

"Can't be. His is in the vault of dark arts stuff.  She placed compulsion spells on it but I made sure the ring repelled him."

"What?"  He blinked a few times.  "Does that mean there's a new heir?"

"Think, Remus, what does a silver ring mean?"

"A daughter," he breathed.  "Summer!"  She nodded and faded out.  Remus ran, going back to the suite.  "It's not him.  Halfrek said it's about Summer."

"Then I'm about to kick some ass," Ron told him.  "When and where?"

"Maybe now."  He looked at Alex, whose nose was still bleeding. "He raised her.  She's leeching off his lifeforce."

"Pity."

"Son," Snape sighed.  "We're going to the Burrow.  Now."  They sent themselves there, Remus going to get James and Sirius, which got Tonks and her mother plus Narcissa.  They found the Weasleys frozen solid and Bill having tea with an older woman.  "Get away from her!"

"I'm protecting Summer," Bill told him.  "She can't defeat me. I can unravel the spells holding her up.  We're at stalemate."

"Oh, let me," Alex sneered, pulling his wand.  He started to cast a very complicated charm, letting Draco and the others guard him from her attacks while Bill got the baby and his family safe.  She shot one last one at Harry but died, dissolving back into dust.  He saw a glittering thing in the dust of her ashes and picked up the solid gold egg, looking at it.  "What are you?" he whispered.  It opened and he stared at his mother's picture.  He dropped it and backed away, his mate turning him away and taking him outside.

Snape picked up the picture and closed the egg, pocketing it.  He looked at Bill.  "We're sorry."

"I'm not.  She wanted Summer to be the sacrifice Alex should have been or she said."

Snape nodded. "He was scheduled for it."  He let the others coming in check the baby while he went to protect his son.  He neared him and Alex sneezed.  So he put the egg carefully down and stepped closer again.  This time no sneeze and he mentally sighed.  He'd have to keep that locked away.  His son hugged him, clinging to him as only he could, sobbing at this injustice.  "Shh.  All is well again.  He didn't get Summer.  She won't turn into you."  Alex just hugged him harder.  "All is well, son."

"He's nearly hysterical," Harry said as he joined them.  "Somulous."  Alex went limp in his father's arms.  "Molly said you could use one of the beds here, Draco.  There's a cot in Summer's room if you think it'll help."  He nodded, floating his mate inside and up to the baby's room to tuck him in.  Harry looked at the professor.  "There's a wonderful spot by the pond, Professor," he offered quietly.  "Head down the path between the birch trees.   You can yell and scream there and no one can hear you."  He nodded, heading that way, taking the egg with him.  Harry went back inside.  "Professor Snape went to scream.  He took the egg with the picture with him."  James and Sirius headed after him, shocking Harry a bit but they had been getting closer.  "I had Draco put Alex in Summer's room," he told Bill.  Bill nodded and started to relax.  "What was going on?"

"She was telling me about baby Summer there.  How they had both been waiting for her to show up.  That even if her power wasn't attainable as a key, it was still there and useable for sacrificial purposes."  He turned green and Harry hauled him up, letting him run to get sick.

Ron sat down with his baby sister, stroking her hair.  "I doubt anyone's ever going to try that ever the bloody hell again," he said calmly, stroking he brown hair. "You didn't start as one of us but you're damn sure one of us now.  Harry, call Ginny?"  He nodded, heading to do that while he and Remus held the baby.

"She makes you want one," Remus offered.

"She made Draco want one enough to make a spell for it," Ron joked.  He glared at his brother Percy's still-stunned form.  "Get them."  Remus nodded, going to uncharm his family.  Molly burst out crying and Ron looked at her.  "Bill stopped her, mum, and Alex undid the raising spell."  She nodded, holding them both.  "Mum," he soothed, kissing her on the cheek.  "It's all right.  We knocked Alex out.  Snape's off screaming his head off in rage.  We've still got Summer and we'll be warding her so no one and nothing ever comes near her again.  I'm sure Bill, Charley, and I can help."  Bill came back, nodding and wiping his face off with a damp cloth.  "Want to hold her?"

"Please."  He took his baby sister, smiling at her.  "We love you, Summer.  You're safe and protected here."  She cooed at him and wiggled a bit. "Yeah, you're one'a the family.  It was bloody brilliant of you to call me, love.  I'll always protect you."  He kissed her on the forehead and handed her to his mother, watching as she sat on their father's lap and they held the baby together.  "We'll be layering shields on her like should've been done to Harry and Alexander," he promised her.  He uncursed Percy, watching as he hugged his parents too.  "Everyone all right?"

"I was wondering if we should blow the remains our or sweep 'em up," Ron offered, pointing at them.  He got up and kicked through them, coming up with a small red stone and a galleon, a silver one for some reason.  He put both of them on top of a copy of the day's paper, then got a broom.  He didn't want to look at it anymore.  Draco came down the stairs, helping him a bit.  "Where's Dumbledore?" he asked quietly.

"Halfrek said she was leeching off his energy," Remus offered. "She'd only live for a year total before he died and freed her again."  He looked at the things on the table, then at Draco. "Did you get into his journal?"

"No," Draco said.

"I did the research too," Harry said quietly, looking at them.  "Philosopher's stone.  Two physical elements, opposed magically: silver and gold, plus the money and the wrongness of it being in silver.  An emotional tie that held power and things of the blood to call to the older, dead blood."  He looked at Remus.  "We need that egg to keep it safe."

"It had his mother's picture in it," Remus told him quietly.

Harry nodded.  "Snape has it right now.  Why would it leech from him?  Dumbledore's powerful enough if Alex is."

"What?" Molly asked.

"Alex tried to raise his mum when he was younger," Harry told her.  "His Grams made him stop and congratulated him on it."  She shuddered at that.  "He knows now that it's darker than even she was."

"But that rite would have brought her back whole and healthy," Bill said, looking confused.  "I've seen it in a few tombs and in a few things we've found.  They're always confiscated immediately."

Harry nodded.  "Alex hid his journal.  Remus has it.  So why was she leeching off Dumbledore?"

"Because he didn't have enough energy left to do it?" Remus suggested.  He suddenly looked alarmed and hurried out to where Snape was sitting, staring at the picture, snatching it away to cast a tracking charm on it.  "Oh, bloody hell.  She's alive."  Severus took it once he turned it into a portkey, watching him disappear.  Remus looked at his friends.  "We've got to stop Dumbledore."

"Agreed," James assured him. "How?"

"If he's not dead," Sirius noted.

"Issadora was leeching off him," Remus told him.  "It's possible.  We're heading back to the school right now."  They nodded and sent themselves as close as they could, heading up at a dead run.  The school was relatively quiet.  Almost no students were laughing and joking.  Remus spat the password at the gargoyle and they headed up, finding him in his seat.  He was already dead.  In front of him was a quill on top of a letter, apologizing.  He knew they'd stop Issadora and that the taking of her life had been enough to bring back Elani, which was what he wanted.  He wanted to do it in reparation for all he'd done to Severus and his family.

James turned and hit a wall, then looked at the body again. "Fine.  Remus, McGonagall.  Sirius, the aurors.  Get Tonks personally if you have to. I don't trust outside the family for this."  They nodded while he stood guard, mentally swearing at the old man for hurting them again.   Someone came running up the stairs and he stopped Bill, shaking his head.  "Too late."

"Bugger!"  He looked around and pointed at something.  "That's where he cast it.  It's Fawke's ashes.  He'll be raising soon."

"Cool."  James walked over, finding the egg.  It was cooler than he thought it should be so he heated the pot over the fireplace and stuck the egg in there, scooping out the ashes to put around it.  They both had to duck when the door exploded and the phoenix came out a moment later to attend to this threat.  James looked at the men standing there.  "It's handled."

"You killed him?"

"No, he killed him.  Get out," James told them.  "Now."

"Now see here!  We're with the Ministry...."

Tonks pushed them aside.  "Out!" she yelled.  They scurried away.  She looked at the note, then at them.  "We'll want a full set of reports, boys," she ordered calmly.  "Now."  She glared at the Unmentionable's people.  "Get in here.  The risen one?"

"Dead."  Sirius came back and he nodded at Narcissa.  "Severus took off after Elani.  This was all to bring her back."

"Then I'll have to check her to make sure she's normal," Tonks pointed out.  "Before Alex can see her."

Sirius nodded.  "Good.  He probably doesn't know yet.  He broke after having to kill the old battleaxe to protect Summer."

"What is going on!" one of the ministry people demanded.  "We were called because we felt someone raising the dead!  The necormatic energy reached us in London!"

Tonks nodded, handing over the note.  "And we're keeping it quiet. Or else I'm letting Harry Potter have you lot."  They shuddered and shrunk away again. "Good boys.  Now call someone."  She looked at the phoenix.  "You good?"  It cooed.  "Good.  Go watch Summer Weasley.  She's important."  The phoenix flew off.  Tonks looked at Bill.  "You left her alone with them?"

"Draco, Ron, and Harry can call if it's something they can't handle."

"Which is damn few and far between," she noted with a hint of a smile.  "Where was she?"

"You'd have to ask Remus.  He's the one who turned it into a portkey," Sirius offered. "Narcissa, as part of the board, take over here."

"This will be kept quiet," she told the Unmentionables and her niece.  Who all nodded, some more scared then others.  "Good.  We'll let his reputation fall wherever it may without this incident being known.  Where are the things he got from Alex as part of the vacating of the will?  And where is McGonagall?"

"Remus went to find her," James offered.  "Why is the school so quiet?"

"Hogsmeade."  They all winced.  Remus came in with McGonagall a few minutes later, while they were tidying up.  "Dear, they need his workroom.  He raised Issadora and then caused Elani to be raised."  She shuddered. "Severus went to find her."

"Of course."  She pushed on a bookcase and it opened, letting them into the hidden rooms of the tower, including his bedroom and other work areas.  She looked at the body, then at Tonks.  "Is this going to be known?"

"Not if I have my way, and I will," she noted.  "Harry and I are scarier than that whole department," she offered with a small grin.

"Good.  I'll gather the teachers.  Narcissa, the board?"  She nodded, moving to the floo to push James out of the way and call them.  "James, be a dear and send someone to Madam Rosemerta, have her tell the kids to stay in town until a late dinner tonight.  That way they don't have to see such things."  He nodded, looking at Sirius, who nodded and left.  She smiled at him. "You always did delegate very well."

"Sirius lies better."

She smiled and nodded.  "So I remember.  He came up with some fantastic excuses when you three were playing hooky."

***

Sirius walked into the Broomstick, smiling at all the students.  "Attention, students!" he yelled.  Everyone stared at him. "There was a small explosion up in the school in the entryway.  Professor McGonagall said you're having a late dinner tonight so stay in town until dusk at least. We need time to clear the rubble.  We need this spread to each and every student because no one's getting in until dusk.  Prefects in each house are asked to go guard the road back to make sure of it.  The remaining students up there are going to be confined to the library and their houses until the way is clear."  The older kids hurried out and the younger ones gossiped.  He walked over to the bar and pulled Madam Rosemerta over, whispering the truth in her ear, sorta.  Just that Dumbledore was dead.  She sniffled and nodded.  "So they need to stay."

"I'll do what I can and tell the others," she agreed, going to do that.

Sirius walked out and found Harry guarding the way with the Prefects, giving him a short hug.  "You okay?"

"We warded Summer so much you can't see an aura.  She'll read as non-magical until she's ten.  We put a time-stop on it."

"Good."  He kissed him on the temple.  "Your girl is handling it."

"Elani?" he asked quietly.  The Prefects all looked at him.  "Don't ask."  They sighed and turned away again.

"I'm not sure yet.  You'd have to ask James if he's called."

"I hope she's all right. Neither of them need that sort of thing," he said quietly.  "Alex might cling to her more than he does Draco."

Sirius smiled.  "I think his dad at first.  He's still not too sure any woman is safe.  Even her."  He walked off, glancing at the kids coming out of the school.  "I thought they'd put you lot in the houses and the library."

"They did, but they gave the option to those of us who are old enough to come down," Hermione told him.  "What's going on? I didn't see any destruction."

"You'll find out later. For now, go have fun. I told the others dusk."  He headed back up to the office to see what else he could do and report on the reason he gave.

Harry nodded at Granger when she stopped next to him.  "Granger."

"Harry.  What's going on?"

"It's a bit complicated and I can't tell you," he told her.  "Not until someone else announces it."  He looked at the Prefects as the students walked past them. "Until dusk, guys.  Go have fun."  They all nodded. "You as well."  She huffed off and he looked at the Prefects again. "Dumbledore's dead," he said quietly.  They slumped and a few started to cry.  "We can't tell the others until they announce it.  That's why the stall."  They pulled themselves back together again and transfigured chairs from a few nearby stones and logs, sitting down in the way so no one got past them.  The younger kids didn't need to see that, the same as they didn't.  Harry sat on the ground, hoping and silently praying that Alex would be okay.  Some days he was still so fragile.

***

Alex woke up to someone stroking his brow, frowning at the woman standing there.  "Halfrek?" he whispered.  She nodded.  He sat up, looking at her.  "Is it true?"

"It is, precious."

"Why do you call me a pet name?"

"That way I don't slip and call you by the other one," she offered with a faint smile.  He nodded, accepting that.  "She's alive.  Her memories are totally gone.  They can be returned and I've sent the person over tragedies like this to your father."  She stroked his cheek.  "Trust her, Alex.  This is just as hard for her as it is for you."  He nodded quickly, giving her a faint smile in return.  "Good boy.  Go eat, you need to eat."

"I can't eat."

"Well, try.  Let Draco feed you a bit.  He's worried and fussing over you eases that, all right?" He nodded so she smiled.  "By the way, that spell?  Really big hit with my boss.  He said if you did it, he'd make sure none of us ever came at their call." She winked and disappeared.

"Their?" he called.

"Their," she called back.  "As in three total over the years.  Cute ones too!"

He grinned at that, resting his chin on his knees.  Summer cooed at him from her crib so he got up to check on her, changing her diaper because it was stinky.  Then he sat down on the cot with her in his arms, just holding her and appreciating her.  She was so small and fragile, but she was so good.  Draco stuck his head in and he gave him a half-grin.  "Halfrek woke me.  She said if we went through with the spell we'd have three total and they'd never come at their call.  Can we name the girl after her?"

Draco sat down next to him.  "I wouldn't mind."  He looked at the baby.  "She's cute."

"She's also so heavily warded she'll never cause accidental magic," Alex joked.

"True.  Not that it'll matter.  We made it so it'll come off when she's ten.  Then the house'll probably explode but I'm sure it'll be fine."  He stole a kiss and went back to looking at the baby.  "If you want, after you're twenty-one.  Not before you have that meeting with the vampire."

"Sure."  He smiled at the girl playing with his hair. "You are adorable.  You're going to break hearts for decades, sweetness.  I'll teach you how to duel with Draco here, that way you can defend yourself from all the icky boys."  She squealed and babbled at him, making him smile.  "We love you, Summer."

Arthur coughed from the doorway.  "Molly's put out stuff for sandwiches, boys.  Can I have her?"

"No."

The father smiled.  "That's fine then.  Bring her down to come eat."

"I'm not really hungry."

"You'll eat, Alex, or else I'm tying you down and spanking you tonight," Draco ordered.  He stood up and helped his mate up, walking him down the stairs once he had his shoes on.  He fixed him a sandwich and a glass of milk, putting it in front of him.  "Eat."

"Yes, dear."  He nibbled a bit, then softened a piece of bread in his milk, letting her suck it off his finger.

Ron took the baby, shaking his head.  "She's not ready for that yet. Cereal starts at six months old."  He took the bottle from the house elf and plugged the babble.  "There, you eat too."  She sucked happily, kicking and waving at him.  He grinned at her.  "Don't worry, we'll make sure you like to be pretty, unlike your big sister. She's horribly boyish and that's why most blokes don't go for her."

"I'd hit you but you're holding the baby.  Expect it later, Ron," Ginny said, glaring at him.

Molly coughed.  "Dear, you could be a bit more feminine."

"Mum, the last time I was, I nearly got taken as part of a harem."

"She has a point," Arthur admitted with a small grin for his wife.  He heard the crack of someone appearing and smiled at Harry and Tonks, who were kissing already.  "Come eat," he called.

"Harry!  You're traumatizing the baby!"

"And me," Draco announced.  "I don't want to see straight people at the moment."

"Does that mean I can take out the mistress clause?" Alex asked him.  "Make it an every now and then night at a whorehouse?"

"Hey!" Ron said, covering the baby's ears.

Draco considered it, then sighed.  "Fine.  If you want."  Alex kissed him and he smiled. "That's not getting you out of eating.  Eat."

"Yes, dear.  Can I put in a clause that says you get to fuss and spoil me?"

"As long as it's reciprocal," he agreed patiently.

"Thanks."  He blew a kiss and finished his sandwich, stealing the baby back.  "Hi again, Summer.  It's the unclie."

"You need some of your own," Ginny complained. "You're always stealing her when you're over."

"After he's had that talk with the vampire and he finds out what he's not allowed to know," Draco said firmly.

"Fine."  She nibbled on her sandwich.  "Mum, did he send another letter?"

"No, but his wives did," she offered, handing it over.  "We were going to burn it but Charley laughed too long."

Charley stuck his head in, grinning at her.  "At least then you'd get to play with other girly girls."

"I can kick you in the shins again," she reminded him. "Harry, Tonks, come eat!" she bellowed, startling the baby, but Alex got her calm and eating again.  "Sorry, Summer."

Tonks walked Harry in and patted Ginny on the head. "You're nearly scary enough to come work with us.  Wanna?" she asked with a grin.  "Wotcher, Charley."

"Hey, Tonks."  He looked at her, then at Harry, then at her.  "An announcement in the making?"

"They've known."

"Mum, you never tell me the *good* gossip," he complained.

"I didn't want to put that level of naughtiness in a letter, dear.  Eat, all of you."  Alex hopped up and took the baby outside when his father appeared, making her frown a bit.  "Alexander, bring that baby back!  She's not yours!"

"Bet that's a relief," Charley teased.

"No, I'll knock him up some year soon so he can have one of his own," Draco assured him, smirking a bit.  His mother appeared, staring at the people in the back yard, then she hugged the woman.  He got up, wiping his mouth before heading out there.  He got a hug from his mother, smiling at her. "Is everything okay at home?"

"And at school.  We've got a board meeting to attend and I need Molly."

"Molly, board meeting," Draco called.  "An emergency one."

"I'm coming, let me change!"  She hurried up and then came out, letting Narcissa take her to the meeting.

Arthur peered out the door.  "Alexander, we'd like the baby back in a bit if you could," he offered with a small grin. "Whenever your arms get tired or thereabouts."

Draco took the direct route, taking the baby, talking quietly in her ear on the way back to her father.  He handed her over, rolling his eyes.  "He'll have his own by the time he's twenty-three."  He went back to the small pairing, watching his mate cling to his father and stare at his mother. So he took the direct route, peeling his mate off and handing him to his mother.  She slowly hugged him and he slowly hugged back, then it was like suction pulled them together.  He looked up at his mentor.  "We need somewhere more private but around people."

"We can go home," Alex offered, looking at his mother.  "Twirly and Marsette missed you, mum."

She smiled. "What happened to Gibbons?"

"Lucius.  He's dead now," Alex told her.

She blinked.  Then looked at Severus.  "You?"

"Our son and Narcissa."

She looked at her son, seeing his eyes and the pain they held.  "She got to raise you?"  He nodded once.  "Why?"

"A death curse on both of us if dad got near me. I found him once I got to school. She committed suicide fairly quickly after I got sorted into Gryff."

"You're a Gryff?" she asked Draco. Who shook his head quickly, then shuddered.  She looked at her son. "I think we need to catch up."  He nodded, hugging her again.  "Come on, let's head home.  Portkey, Severus?"

He snorted.  "Apparate, boy."  He took him and his mother.  He looked at Draco. "You might as well come too. You'll keep him calm and centered."

Draco smirked.  "And tired and sore and stretched open I have no doubt.  I'm hoping you cleared this one.  Hate to get detention for it."  He disappeared.

Snape looked up.  "Why do I have him as a son-in-law?"

"Can you think of anyone else who could heal your son, make him calm down, and make him a nice guy?" Ginny asked from the doorway.  "No one else, not even Greg and Vinnie together, are strong enough for that."

He nodded at that miniature wisdom and disappeared as well.  He would have to put up with a son-in-law and some possible grandchildren some day.  It made his son too happy for him to complain...much.

***

Epilogue 2:

***

Alex looked up as he walked into the Leaky Cauldron, smiling slightly at the old bartender.  "Ton, I need a private room for a meeting.  My guest is...unorthodox."

"That'd be the stupid vampire who showed up and tried to scare everyone until Hagrid said he's to be here?" he asked.

Alex nodded.  "Yup.  How long has he been here?"

"Two days.  Said you'd pay for his room."  Alex handed over two galleons, making him smile a bit.  "Thanks, sir. Crimson room at the top of the stairs.  He's been well behaved at least."

"Good.  That's always good."  He walked up there, tapping on the door before opening it, staring at the vampire before closing the door.  "I had a dream about you the other night," he noted.  "Then one of my house elves poked me to remind me to come here."

"You said you could know what's going on now," Spike admitted from his seat, sucking on a smoke, curled up next to a sleeping Halfrek.  "This bint here did it ya know."

"No, I don't know, but I know her and she said humanity was hanging in the balance."  He took off his cloak and sat down across from them, looking at Halfrek.  "Is she all right?"

"Nah.  Had a wish undone, she'll fade after this."

"Pity."  She woke up and gave him a weak smile. "I don't want to see you move on."

"I'll haunt you now and then," she promised. "I'll be fine."  She leaned forward and removed all the blocks between the two lives, releasing all his memories of his past one.  Alex groaned and held his head, then looked up at her.  "If I hadn't, Voldemort would still be around.  Glorificus would have come for Summer in her other form.  The First Evil would have shown as well."

Alex nodded, looking at her.  "And I realize I accepted the burden and the sacrifice."

"You did," she agreed, smiling sadly.  "I wish I had been able to put you somewhere else, Alexander."

"Yeah, but it probably had to be.  Everything's worked out okay. I'm happy.  I've got my mom back.  I've still got dad, even though I had to save his life the other day."  He glared at Spike.

"How was I supposed to know?  Looked like one'a us!"

"Shut it, Spike.  I mean it," he said firmly.  He looked at her.  "Am I to go back?"

"If you want.  You don't have to.  Things will stay calm, the sacrifice sealed this timeline."  He nodded at that.  "Do whatever makes you happy, baby.  You've earned it."  She faded out, then disappeared.

Alex rubbed his head, looking at Spike.  "What's going on over there, fangless?"

Spike smirked.  "Red wants ta see ya."  He lit another cigarette off his old one and mashed that one out.  Then he took a deep drag.  "Buffy doesn't understand. Anya wants you back."  He shrugged.  "They want you to come home, whelp."

"I am home, Spike."  He looked at him, staring him down. "I've got a family who loves me.  A husband who spoils me rotten and lets me spoil him.  I've got hobbies that I'm good at and that I adore.  I've got friends and family here that're supportive and people who love me.  I've got my own people to protect, including Summer Weasley.  I might visit to see it and put it behind me, but I'm not staying."

"They'll be hurt."

"I can sense Willow scrying anyway," he said dryly.  Spike raised an eyebrow. "I am a wizard, Spike.  I'm one of the most powerful ones today.  Even if I wasn't happy here, people need me.  I'm helping some kids escape very bad homes with Mum's help.  She and Mrs. Crabbe work on that together.  Draco and I are planning our first kid next year, once I'm over this revelation."

"Then you won't come back?"

"I might visit, but they'll never know. I might even bring Draco with me to show and tell him what he's known and the rest not even he could know," he said quietly, standing up.  "I've had twenty-one years here, Spike.  I've got everything I could ever want.  And some things I don't, like fame.  All I really ever wanted was my family and my mate.  I've got that now. I've also got power dripping out my arsehole and an offer to teach Charms as soon as the old teacher gives up."  He smiled at him.  "I know it's raw for them, but I can't go back to being Xander."

Spike nodded.  "I get that. You gonna stake me now?"

"No, I'll make you a portkey home.  You can swat Willow and tell them that I died upon hearing the news, as soon as the sacrifice was made here.  That the world is safe and that the Xander they knew is only in their memories."

Spike put out his current smoke. "You sure?"

"If I come back to show Draco all of it, I'll be in disguise.  Not even you'll know."  He shook his hand.  "Thank you for keeping them safe.  Try to protect Tara, okay?"

"She's become a feisty one," Spike said with a grin.  "Gives Red hell all the time, Glinda does."  He stood up, looking at him.  "At least you grew up only bent a little bit."

"No, I'm fully bent," he offered with a wicked grin.  "As I'm going to go home and prove to my husband, Draco."

"Poofter then?" Spike said smugly.

"And then some."  He winked.  "Draco does the most incredible things to me."  Spike held up a hand and shuddered.  "Sorry.  Did you want to talk to him?  I know he's downstairs.  I felt him following me.  Then you can explain some things to him and shock the hell outta him. I used to wonder why he felt so familiar when we just met."  Spike raised an eyebrow so he opened the door, smiling at the house elf standing there with two mugs.  "Thank you, dear.  Can you get the blond one up here too?"

"Nip get Mr. Malfoy for you," she agreed, taking the knut of a tip.  "Thank you, Mister Birmingham, sir."  She disappeared.

Alex handed over the blood and sat down to drink his butterbeer, leaving the door open.  Draco walked in and shut it, then stopped to blink at Spike.  "I didn't think you got a good look at him before," he teased.  "Spike, this is Draco Malfoy, my husband.  Dear, this is Spike, from my former life."

"I remember you from when you grabbed him our third year," he admitted, nodding politely and sitting next to his husband.  "What's going on?"

"Halfrek just removed all the blockages.  Spike's from my old life.  The one as Xander."

"Oh.  I see.  And what was he?"

"An annoyance who had a casual friendship with my old group."  He looked at his mate, seeing the worry.  "I'm not going back, not even to visit.  Not unless you wanted to?"

"I...."  Draco found himself at a loss for words.  "I thought you'd want to, take some time off to go there, close things."

"I closed things before I died.  They didn't really need me, Draco," he said quietly, taking his hand to hold.  "If we go back, it'll be in disguise and hidden.  Otherwise I'm putting it all in a pensieve tonight and leaving it there."

Draco looked at him. "You're not going back?"

"Why would I?  Everything I ever wanted or needed is *here*, Drac.  My family.  You.  Our future kids."  Draco relaxed and grinned at that.  "I don't need a former life.   So unless *you* want to visit, I'm considering it a true past life.  I've had twenty-one years here, away from there.  I don't need to go back to that battle."

Draco stole a deep, searching kiss and felt the truth in his mate's response.  He wasn't being abandoned for the former life.  "You're not even curious?"

"I figure if I am, we can go visit in disguise and I'll tell you about it."

Draco nodded, squeezing his hand.  "Not today, but maybe next summer."

"Sure."  He grinned.  "Won't I be pregnant by then?"  Draco blushed and nodded. "Then you'll have to protect me from the big bad menaces there, like Spike."

Draco smirked a bit, looking very wicked and slightly evil.  "That's not a problem.  No one touches what's mine, Alex. You know that."  He stole a deeper kiss, hearing the vampire moan at that.  He looked at him.  "We're sending you home, right?"  He nodded.  "Where?"

"Sunnydale.  The hellmouth."

Alex pulled his wand and created the portkey out of Spike's pack of cigarettes.  "If they truly need me to fight something, something so major they'll all die, come for me here.  Have someone here summon me through the floo.  The same goes for Angel.  Otherwise, I'm just Alexander Birmingham, son of Severus and Elani Snape."  Spike nodded.  "Tell them I'm dead, Spike, and make Willow grieve.  Before she does another will spell."

"Agreed," he said quietly.  "Oz is still around somewhere."

"If I run into him, I'll tell him."

"Sure.  Any other messages?"

"Do they know you found me?"

"That'd be crueler than I usually am.  Peaches knows."  Draco snickered at that.  "Bigger poof than you two are.  And only half as cute."  He looked at Alex again.  "His bird might, she's a seer now."

"Shit happens and I'm sure the Powers will tell her to contact me if they *need* me that way.  Not for anything less than the fate of humanity though.  I've got my own people to guard now."  He kissed the back of Draco's hand.  "Later."

"Later, whelp," Spike said, smirking a bit.  The portkey activated and took him home.  He landed in the old library, looking up at the ruined ceiling, what was left of it.  He lit another cigarette and put the pack into his special pocket so he'd never toss it away.  Something crunched near him and he looked at Tara.  "He thought he felt Red spying."

"He did, but I made her stop.  How is he?"

"Alive.  Dead to us but alive.  He's happy."

"I saw."  She gave him a gentle smile. "The portkey?"  He patted his pocket.  "You could be dust, Spike."

"Make a new one 'en," he offered with a grin. "He's only over in England."

She nodded. "True. I'll take the signature from it later."  She walked over and helped him sit up, staring at him.  "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Glinda.  Red'll be howling."

"I took it from her.  To her and everyone, Xander's dead."  Anya faded in, glaring at her. "To you too."

"I doubt he'd be calling on her anyway considering he's as gay as any float I've ever seen."  Tara blushed at that. "Hot too.  His little nancy poof looks a bit like me," he said smugly, smirking at Anya.  "Very protective of him too.  Wanted to stake me on sight.  You could tell by his body language.  Xan is his and staying his no matter what comes for him."

Anya pouted. "It's not fair!"  She looked up. "D'Hoffryn!" she whined.

He appeared and laid a hand on her head.  "He's earned his reward by saving humanity," he ordered, taking it from her.  All she knew was that her mate was dead and he had allowed her to come back. He looked at Spike and Tara. "You can wish the same for the others."

"I would, but Ethan knows," Tara told him.  "He had to help him a few years back.  So Giles knows."

"No, Giles has heard of Mr. Birmingham but he thinks he's an evil bastard like the Malfoys are."  He smirked a bit.  "His family's reputation was very handy for that."

"Hallie hated where you stuck him," Spike reminded him.

"She got to mitigate what she could and the rest was solved when he was eleven.  It made him strong enough to help Potter save the world."  Spike nodded at that.  "It also gave him the desire to search out his own happiness instead of letting it come for him.  Something your Xander lacked."  He moved closer.  "Neither of you should remember."

"Sometimes we've got to.  He's promised to help if there's that big of an emergency," Tara told him.

D'Hoffryn considered it then nodded.  "Very well, you may remember, but you may not speak of it, except to write out a letter to Angel tell him about the sacrifice and how it was necessary.  It solved the end of days coming for him as well."  He laid a hand on both their heads, smiling at Tara.  "You are so cute, daughter of Rayne."  She blushed and nodded.  "You knew?"  She nodded.  "Interesting."

"He told me the first time he saw me.  He showed up to find me and my mother tried to kill him."

"With your parents, I'd have clapped and cheered him on," D'Hoffryn assured her.  He disappeared in a small burst of flame.

Spike looked at her.  "Does Ripper know you're the spawn of his old fuck buddy?"

She pinched him.  "No and he'd better not ever find out if you want to remain unstaked."  She smiled and walked out, dragging him with her to write the letter to Angel and Cordelia.  She'd put it more kindly than he would.  And someday she'd gloat at Giles when her dad showed up again.

***

Draco took Alex home, putting him to bed once he had put everything into the pensieve and let him watch it. He stared down at his man, aware of what a gift he had.  He had known before but now he was even more certain that this was the real savior of their world, not Potter.  He found the spell he had devised, sitting down to read it over again, mentally thinking about who they could ask to donate for them.

Alex rolled over, hugging him gently.  "We're asking Tonks."

"She's not a pureblood," he said quietly.  She was just up the hallway.

"It won't matter.  We're taking out her stuff and turning it into one of ours. We could even use a muggle for it, Draco."

"I designed it to use a pureblood," he told him.

"Then ask Millie. She doesn't want kids.  This'll make sure she won't have one for at least another three months."

"Point," he agreed, happier about that.  He stole a kiss and snuggled in to hold him.  "Are you *sure*, Alex?"

"Ask me again and what I did to you on the train that first time will seem like nothing this time," he teased.  "I'm fine, Draco.  I'm over it."  Draco nodded, giving him a squeeze.  "Some day, we'll go watch them.  Otherwise I'm fine."

"Good.  When did you want to go?"

"Next Solstice so we can ignore the ball?" he asked hopefully.

Draco snickered and shook his head.  "Mum would be most upset."

"Yeah, but we'd have the baby by then so she'd get the granddaughter to introduce."

"She'd skin us."

"Point."  He licked over Draco's chin, making him shiver. "Can you maybe pound me into the bed tonight?"

"If you want.  I was going to slowly and gently remind you who you belonged to and make you scream louder than Potter."  Alex grinned at that and nodded.  "Get up and strip for me, Alex.  I need to see you come to my side willingly."  Alex gave him a kiss and got up, stripping off everything but his wedding band.  Even his socks went, though he did have cold toes.   He moved closer and knelt beside where Draco was sitting, just as he had on their wedding night.  Draco sat up and pushed his face up, kissing him deeply.  He stripped off, showing his mate what he was getting, then helped his mate into their bed.  He looked at the spell, then at him, then smirked and went to talk to the Weasley brat since she was up the hall as well.  Their house was being fumigated and Alex had offered them a spot so he could spoil Summer some more.  He found her and Summer curled together in a chair, looking at her.  "I'm taking one of your eggs to make our own.  You care?" he said lazily.

"That's a hell of a way to ask," she said blandly.  "Will it hurt?"

"A bit.  Your cycle should start tomorrow.  It won't be yours."

"I'm not planning on using 'em," she said with a shrug.  "As long as you're not making mum a grandmum I don't mind.  I like and appreciate Alex."

He smirked.  "Good."  He went back to their room, laying out the candles while his mate stroked himself on their bed, making him harder than he had ever been.  He cast the spell, feeling it take in his mate's body, then climbed in with him.  It was a glorious feeling, knowing what he was about to do.  He kissed and caressed every inch of his lover's body.  His cock got lavished with attention and love, but not allowed to release, not yet.  Draco spread him out and mounted him, staring down at his face, panting hard.  "One for now, one for later," he promised.  Alex nodded, biting his lip, giving him such an adoring look.  He kissed him and they both let go, moaning as the magic washed over them.  He felt it, he knew.  It hadn't been Ginny's, it had been Summer's.  She had been holding the baby, but she was fine.  It wouldn't hurt her either.  Once the magic cleared, Draco got to work pleasing his mate for coming home to him.  "You're the one who makes me nice," he whispered as he worked himself in and out of his husband's body.  "You're the one who keeps me in the light and on the slightly good side."  Alex moaned at that, arching up.  "You're the one who makes it all okay every time something prompts a dark thought or a dark desire.  You're the one anchor I have," he whispered.

Alex flipped them over, riding his husband, smiling down at him.  "Ditto."  Draco laughed and held him, helping him pleasure the both of them.  "Are you carrying one of these?"

"Bloody hell, Alex.  No!"  He grinned at him and pushed up really hard, making Alex moan and clutch at his arms.  "You're much more suited to being so soft and gentle.  Summer likes you more anyway."

"Fine, I'll be the mommy and you'll be the daddy, but the mommy had better get lovin' every single night for the rest of our lives or else daddy's going to be hexed into being on the bottom and having the next one."

Draco laughed.  "I don't mind being on the bottom, but I'm not carrying one of our children, Alex."  He stroked over his stomach.  "What did you want?" he asked suddenly.

Alex blushed.  "A girl.  Halfrek?"

"I can agree to that," he promised, flipping them back over so he could get back to work, stealing a deep, breathing stealing kiss before plunging back into his husband's body.  "Mine?"

"Yours," Alex moaned, arching up into him.  "Please, Draco!"

"All yours," he vowed, stroking him until he got off, getting off in him.  He rested on his mate's shoulder, one arm over his chest.  "We've got to tell your father tomorrow so he can get the drinking out of his system."

"Hmm," Alex said sleepily, yawning a bit.  "After you suck me off before breakfast.  We'll announce it then."

Draco smiled, stroking the soft skin as his baby slept.  His hand moved down, stroking over the firm stomach.  He'd have to make sure Alex didn't get *that* big.  Someone knocked on the door and he growled. "Go away!"  He used his wand to blow out the candles, but the door opened anyway.  "What?"

"You got Summer."

"I noticed. She fine?"

"Yeah, and I told mum already.  She's presently sobbing that she doesn't have grandkids, so I'm going to go stay with the twins for the night."  He waved and she floated the crib into the room, putting it beside their bed. "Practice," she said with a smirk, heading off after she closed their door.

Draco checked the baby, then settled in to nap as well.  Summer still got up some nights but he was sure she'd be nice and let them sleep tonight.

She smiled at her uncles.  They were so cute!  Even naked!

***

Alex wandered into the dining room the next morning, seeing their entire family there.  He flopped down and looked at everyone.  "Coffee."  A cup appeared, along with his usual breakfast.  "Twirly, Marsette, come out here please.  Draco wants to tell you something," he called after taking a sip.

Draco walked in with Summer, smirking at bit at the mothers in the room.  "Ginny was holding her when we stole her eggs.  She's got a mild tummy ache but nothing else."  She handed her off.  Snape was blinking.  His wife was looking very confused.  Molly was sniffling and dotting at her eyes with her napkin.  His own mother was giving him a speculative look.  Sirius looked like he needed more coffee, which Remus was pouring onto the table.  Harry and Tonks were both smirking a bit, but looked like they were ready to go back to bed.  Ron shuddered and Greg and Vinnie both choked at that news.  He kissed his mate and looked around again.  "Yes, he's having our child, we're hoping for a daughter. If you so much as make him have a mood swing I'm taking him and hiding him from all you lot until she's born.  He's mine."

Alex beamed at him. "I love it when you get overprotective."

"It's what a good husband does."  He stole another kiss then sat down to start his own breakfast.  "Lupin, you're burning your leg," he said patiently.  He quit pouring the coffee onto the table and down his thigh, just blinking.

Twirly squealed.  "Twirly and Marsette have babies!" she screamed, hugging first Marsette, then Elani, then Alexander's stomach.  "Oh, Twirly and Marsette must start on nursery for baby!   Must have many things!"

"Not until we're sure what it is," Alex said, staring her down.  She sniffled and looked pitiful.  "I just got pregnant last night. You've got nine months."  She let it go, still looking hurt.  "Pick out a space for the nursery first."  She nodded and they went up to examine each room and write down their favorites.

Severus looked at Narcissa.  "Well, you got your wish. You'll have someone to spoil."

"I'm much too young," she said, pouting at her son. "You didn't want to wait a year?"

"No," he said simply, taking Alex's hand to hold.  "Sorry, mum, but you're going to be a grandmother soon."  She sniffled and burst out crying, so Severus handed her his napkin.

Elani smiled at her son.  "I hope you have better morning sickness than I had, dear."

He grinned. "It doesn't matter to me."

She smirked a bit. "You say that now.  Just wait."

Draco smirked a bit more wickedly.  "I wrote it so it'd be an easy, mostly painless, uncomplicated pregnancy. All he'll do is gain some weight and look stunning."  He stole another kiss.  "Eat," he ordered.

Sirius put down his cup of coffee.  "I'm not sure I can."  He looked at Harry.  "Are you planning on that?"

"Nym said she doesn't want kids until she makes sergeant.  Then she'll take the year off to have our baby.  Our only baby."

She beamed at him.  "True," she agreed happily.  "We're only having the one so you boys can spoil him to death without nagging for more."

Molly patted her on the hand.  "I said the same thing," she said, still crying a bit.  She looked at Ron. "Where's Patrice, dear?"

"Rome.  I'll call her later. It's still early there, mum."  She smiled at him and wiped her eyes off. "Patrice said she doesn't want any for the next two years, mum.  Nag the twins, Charley, Bill, and Percy.  Or even Ginny."

"She took off to stay with the twins last night," Draco told him.

"That'd be a child who would end the school," Remus said, shaking his head.  "Sorry, bad mental image."  Alex snickered at that.  "You know Flitwick wants to retire in five years.  Are you bunching any others together?"

"No."

"We've got a house by Hogsmeade or we can floo in each day from here," Draco assured him. He occasionally substituted for Severus. He looked at his father-in-law.  "You could have another one."

"No, one's enough," he assured him.  "I'll get bothered by messy hands soon enough."

Elani coughed and looked amused. "Ooops?" she offered.  He passed out.  "He did that the first time too."  Alex snickered and leaned over to hug her.  "Oh, Alex, we'll work it out.  Everything will be fine.  She'll be beautiful and have my hair."

"My hair," Draco ordered.

"What about mine?" Alex asked them.

"Our son, dear, our son."  Draco patted him on the hand and smiled at him. "Say, five years from now?"

"If I start teaching then, that'd be really hard."

"Not really.  You could lounge all day while teaching charms," Ron told him.  "Flitwick leaned most of the time."  Harry nodded to agree.  Tonks giggled.  "He did."

"He did in our year too."   She smirked at him.  "You're going to be fat and round soon, Alex.  Then what'll Draco do for sex?"

Alex looked at his mother.  "You can't have sex?"

"I did, right up until the day Draco was born," Narcissa assured him.  "That's why Draco was born when he was."  Draco blushed at that. "Didn't your father tell you that?"

"It's not like we talked about such things," Draco said sarcastically, staring her down.  "Quit picking on my husband please.  Congratulate him later."  He dug in, handing Alex the milk.  He got a grin for it.  His mate would tell him if he was overcompensating or being too pushy.  He might wake up a Weasley, but he'd know.

Severus woke up and looked at his son. "I'll stock up on common remedies," he promised, going to do that and hide in his lab.  That way he could drink in private.  He called Minerva, getting a smiling, happy woman, who was probably slightly tipsy.  "Draco did the spell.  It worked."

"Good thing it's the holidays," she said happily, tipping her flask at him.  "I'll tell Flitwick."  She hung up and told him, clinging flasks together.  It was going to be a merry holiday this year.

The End.

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