After Snape had been healed and released from the infirmary, he went straight back to helping with the warding. He’d been highly annoyed that Dumbledore had not even been on the grounds when the incident occurred, nor had he been aware of what happened until three days later when he had returned from wherever it was that he kept disappearing to. Severus had informed the Headmaster that the foundation of the castle had begun to crumble after the structuring wards had been temporarily removed to be renewed, causing a precariously cracked rampart on the west tower to break off and fall to the ground, causing his injuries and the near deaths of his colleagues. The Headmaster only expressed that he was glad no one was killed, and assured all the Professors working on the warding that the most dangerous part of the task had passed.

Two weeks later, Hogwarts was safer than ever, with no more near-death experiences or major problems, unless of course you counted Peeves trying to pop out of the stone work and frighten the Professors periodically, causing a few wayward spells to fly about. The students were all extremely glad when an announcement was made at dinner for everyone to pack up and prepare to move back into the castle.

Harry was indeed eager to move back in as well, but his reasons were much different than his classmates. All throughout the re-warding of the castle, Harry had not spoken to the Headmaster once, nor been given any more information about Tom Riddle or his Horcruxes. Time was running out quickly, as May was turning swiftly into June. He had no idea if the Headmaster had exactly a year to live from when the curse took affect or if that was just an estimated time frame for the curse to finally kill him. All Harry knew was that he was not ready to lose Dumbledore as an ally and a source of information. He wasn’t ready to do things on his own yet.

“I’m sure the Headmaster has just been busy, Harry. All of the Professors have been. He’ll probably want to speak to you as soon as we’re all safely in the castle once more,” Hermione tried to reassure her best friend as she, Ron, Harry and Draco sat around a table in the makeshift study hall to finish up the last of their projects before time was up. Hermione of course already had hers finished a week ago, but she was assisting the boys as best she could.

“I heard Dad complaining to Moony that Dumbledore hadn’t even been around when the accident happened, nor did he bother to answer the Patronus that Remus sent out to him after it happened. He didn’t even get back to Hogwarts until three days later, and even then, he wouldn’t tell anyone where he’d been,” Harry explained, flipping distractedly through his potions book as he checked his measurements to make sure he had everything completely correct for his father’s class project.

“Maybe he was out looking for more of the – you know...things,” Ron whispered, looking around to make sure no one who wasn’t supposed to hear was listening in. Their table was mostly secluded, as the study hall began to thin out as it grew later into the evening.

“Maybe so, but shouldn’t he have been here helping? What if something really bad had happened; what if Dad had died?” Harry asked in a harsh voice, forgetting his essay for a second to give in to his anger at the Headmaster.

Draco finished his Arithmancy project with a flourish and dried the ink with his wand before letting the parchment scroll in on itself. “Severus is fine, Harry. Not that I’m saying I approve of how Professor Dumbledore handled Sev’s accident, but perhaps going and looking for these objects was more important. Maybe he found another one, and he’s just waiting to tell you so he can take you along,” the blonde suggested.

“Did he promise to take you along, Harry? I don’t know if that’s a very good idea. What would your father think of that?” Hermione asked as she unrolled Draco’s essay and began to read it over, ignoring his exasperated look.

Harry leaned forward and dipped his quill into his ink, giving Hermione a pointed look. “Yes, he promised, and I don’t plan on letting my father in on that, so hush up about it.”

“Harry, you have to tell him – ”

“Let off, Hermione. Harry has a right to go along with Dumbledore, and you know old Snape will probably blow up and refuse to let him go. I say go for it, mate, and give the thing a right nice kick for me,” Ron said with a firm nod of his head. He scoffed as Hermione smacked him on the back of the head and stood from the table, gathering her books.

“You’re both stupid, and when Harry ends up hurt over this, I’ll be sure to tell you that I told you so. Coming, Draco? There are a few things in your essay I’d like to discuss with you, if you’re willing,” Hermione said, holding Draco’s essay hostage as she began to turn away.

Draco shrugged at his boyfriend, who was glaring at the Gryffindor witch as she walked away, the blonde traipsing along beside her to discuss the finer intricacies of Arithmatic theory.

“Those two...” Ron grumbled as he scowled at Draco’s back, still rubbing the spot where Hermione had whacked him a good one.

S~S~S~S

Hermione had been right; at lunch the next day, which was a Saturday, Harry received a small scroll, instructing Harry to meet Dumbledore in his office on Monday after lessons had been completed.

“I told you so,” Hermione said smugly as she plucked up an apple and bit into it. Harry scowled and shoved the scroll into his pocket, bumping his arm into Draco as he did so and making the blonde spill his pumpkin juice on his white shirt.

“Aw, you little berk! This is my favourite shirt!”

“I know a good stain removing spell, Malfoy. Sit still,” Ernie MacMillan said, who’d been Neville’s tent partner, and was sitting at the Gryffindor table. In fact, if you looked around the Great Hall, the House tables were all filled with an assortment from each House, as students who had made new friends in their tent-mates sat with each other instead of merely by House. It was a unique sight to see, and the sense of unity had never been so very strong within Hogwarts walls before.

Draco thanked the Hufflepuff after the bright orange stain was removed from his shirt, and he put a spell on his chalice to keep it from spilling again, giving Harry a mock glare. Harry, Draco, Ron and Hermione all looked up as a dark shape appeared just behind Harry.

“I saw that you received a letter from the Headmaster. When is the meeting?” Severus asked, only slightly thrown off by the random mix of students currently inhabiting the Gryffindor table, including quite a few of his Slytherins.

“Monday evening. He said he has good news,” Harry told his father, fingering the small scroll in his pocket.

“Mm, I should hope so, as the man is simply refusing to say anything about where he’s been disappearing to these past few months. Do remind me where you’ll be that day so that I do not worry about you not coming home straight away,” Severus instructed his son, ignoring the few surprised looks he received from the students sitting around the newly formed quartet.

“Of course, Dad,” Harry said, offering his father a warm smile before the man stalked away, his robes billowing out behind him as ever.

“I know he’s your Da’ and all now, Harry, but he still frightens me a bit,” Neville admitted with a gulp as many of the students watched the Potions Master leave the Great Hall with a flourish.

“Don’t worry; he still frightens me a bit, Nev.”

S~S~S~S

Sunday morning dawned bright and early, for those who could see the sun anyway. Harry stretched and yawned as the smell of fresh brewed coffee filled his lungs. He had desperately missed the warmth of Draco sleeping beside him during the night, and planned to ask his father about making some sort of Oath of celibacy so that Draco could share his bed once more.

After taking a leisurely shower and throwing on some comfortable Muggle clothes, Harry made to head for breakfast, but paused in the hall as he heard a familiar voice mixed in with the two male voices that he recognized as his fathers’. He kept to the shadows as he listened in, realizing he recognized the feminine voice of his Astronomy Professor as well.

“I am quite honoured to be approached with this question. To be honest, I never had planned to have children of my own, but it would be nice to go through the experience at least,” Aurora Sinistra said before taking a sip of her coffee.

“Though I am working on a potion to make the child both biologically mine and Remus’, you would still be considered the child’s mother, and have full rights to see him or her and be a part of their life. We would not ask you to do this, and then simply shut you out of the child’s life. We thought for a long time about our choices, and thought you were the best,” the Potions Professor explained from his seat across from the witch.

“It was purely by accident that I heard about your sexual preferences. Gossip, even among adults, is unfortunately quite carrying. Professor Grubbly-Plank didn’t seem to mind outing you to the staff,” Remus remarked with a snort. He’d always thought that old woman was quite a hoot.

There was a robust laugh from the woman that made Harry feel warm inside for some reason. He couldn’t believe he was actually hearing this; his parents were really serious about having another child. Harry was getting a sibling!

“Ah, that woman was a laugh indeed. She meant well, I’m sure. Besides, I never really intended to hide it. If I’d been asked out right if I was a Lesbian, I would have just said yes. There seems to be something about Hogwarts and having quite a queer staff...”

Harry could not hold in his snort at that play on words, and gave up trying to eaves drop as his fathers and the witch turned towards the hall and spotted him. He blushed as Snape gave him a reprimanding look for eaves dropping, glad the man didn’t outright admonish him.

“Good morning Dad, Moony, Professor Sinistra,” Harry said warmly as he took the last open seat and poured himself a cup of coffee. He always preferred coffee to tea in the mornings; it seemed to help wake him up a bit more.

“Good morning Mr. Potter! I hope you slept well?” Aurora asked cheerfully as she sat her cup down and nodded at Harry.

“Yeah, I slept alright. Kind of lonely now, though...” Harry said offhandedly, catching the exasperated looks from his fathers.

“I daresay you heard what we were discussing with Ms. Sinistra, Harry?” Remus asked, transferring a few pieces of toast onto a napkin and handing them to his son.

Harry accepted the toast and blushed at being caught out. “Er, yeah. I wasn’t meaning to eaves drop, really. I was just happening down the hall and didn’t want to interrupt.”

“A likely story,” Severus deadpanned, causing Aurora to laugh boisterously into her coffee once more. Though Harry had never really had an opinion one way or the other about the Astronomy Professor, she seemed like a pleasant enough woman, and he secretly hoped that this arrangement would work out.

Aurora checked her watch as it gave a short chime. Harry noticed that the face was not bedecked in numbers, but lunar phases. He saw Remus’ interest pique as well. “Sorry to cut this short, gentlemen, but I’ve got to go pick up the new telescopes I ordered. Pamphlet said they can see past Pluto; we’ll see about that.”

“Thank you for obliging us, Aurora,” Severus said, standing from the table in respect as the witch stood to leave.

“You’re most welcome Severus, Remus. Keep me updated on how the potion is coming along, and then we’ll discuss the date of insemination!” the Astronomy Professor said excitedly. All three adults looked over at Harry as he spluttered into his coffee.

“Insemination? I’m really going to get a sibling?” Harry asked, his face breaking out into a grin as Remus nodded and Severus only smirked. “I demand a sister! Boys suck!”

Professor Sinistra left the dungeon quarters still laughing heartily, thanking Severus and Remus for the coffee, and Harry for the good laugh.

“As powerful a Potions Master as I may be, I do not think it is yet possible for me to ascertain a certain sex is created. However, I have already done some research on mixed DNA insemination, so it shant be long before your sibling will be on its way,” the Potions Master assured his son, accepting a kiss from his husband as Remus took the dirty dishes to the sink in the kitchenette.

“I thought you said the time wasn’t right when I brought it up last month?” Harry asked, curious as to why his fathers had changed their minds about a second child.

Severus and Remus shared a look as the latter retook his seat at the table. There was a short silence before Remus gave in and decided to explain. “Harry, in terms of life expectancies for werewolves, I am no spring chicken. Your father and I have thought a lot about this, and though we fear bringing another child into this world during a war may be extremely risky, we do not want to lose the chance to have another child.”

“You’re saying that you want to have a baby now, just in case one of you doesn’t survive the war,” Harry stated, looking between the two men with a worried look. As much as he wanted a sibling, he didn’t want his parents to rush into it either. He was determined to see both of them through the war, no matter what it took.

“You never know what will happen, Harry. We wanted to discuss with you what would happen to your brother or sister should we both not survive the war. You are very young, and as difficult as it would be to raise a child at yours and Draco’s age, we thought that we would leave in our wills that, should we both peril, you and Draco shall receive custody. However, if you think an alternative solution would be better, we’d like to hear your opinion,” Severus said, spreading his arms as if to open the floor for Harry to speak.

Harry blinked rapidly, feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of this. “Well, I would prefer you both stay alive and be there for my brother or sister, to be honest. But...well, I guess this needs to be discussed with Draco as well.” Harry took a good look at his fathers expressions, Severus’ stoic as ever, and Remus’ eager, but trying to hide it, and his decision was made.

“If you both don’t make it through the war, I want custody of my sibling. I’ll speak with Draco about including him as a guardian as well.”

Remus sighed in relief as Severus offered his son a warm smile. They all turned as Draco himself actually walked into dungeon quarters, pausing in his steps as he realized he had just interrupted something.

“Sorry to barge in. I guess I should have knocked...” Draco said uncertainly as he stood there behind Harry instead of taking the empty seat beside him.

“Nonsense, Draco. You’re a part of this family as well. The wards would not simply allow you entry if not,” Severus assured the blonde, who smiled shyly and sat down next to Harry, accepting his good morning kiss that tasted of coffee and minty toothpaste.

“We were just talking about you, actually,” said Remus, gauging the Slytherin’s reaction as he bypassed the coffee and went for the tea instead, much like Remus himself.

Severus glared half-heartedly at the werewolf before topping off his coffee and turning back to Draco, who was buttering a slice of toast. “We’d like to ask you to be the Godfather of the child we’re expecting.”

Draco dropped his knife and spread butter all over the table cloth instead of his toast, staring at his own godfather. “Er...the child you’re expecting?” Draco repeated, giving Harry a bewildered look.

Remus chuckled at the look of sheer confusion on the boy’s face and took pity on him. “We’ve decided to have a child with a surrogate mother. The insemination has not yet taken place, but as soon as Severus has perfected his potion on mixing DNA, we’ll have a child on the way. We’ve already discussed with Harry that, should we both not make it through the war, we would like to leave custody of the child to the both of you. As there are no Wizarding laws about naming two Godfather’s due to a same-sex union, we’re appointing both Harry and yourself a godparents, should you accept.”

Draco smiled and looked at Harry, who seemed to be happier than he had been in a very long time. The look in his emerald green eyes told Draco all he needed to know, and he looked back at his Professors and nodded. “I accept. We accept.”

Harry kissed Draco excitedly on the cheek, then stood and moved around the table to hug both of his fathers. “I really, really hope I get a sister.”

“Ooh we could dress her up in cute little outfits and do her hair!” Draco exclaimed, causing both Severus and Remus to burst out laughing.

“I do hope the both of you mature a bit more, should you gain custody of our child,” Severus said playfully as Harry and Draco continued to gab on about matching their outfits to the child’s and hoping she’d get Severus’ eyes.

S~S~S~S

The Headmaster’s office looked the same as ever. Spindly little tables with shiny contraptions that whirred and emitted puffs of smoke, walls lined with any book you could imagine, framed portraits of past Headmaster’s and –mistress’, and of course, the magnificent form of Fawkes the phoenix, preening his golden and crimson plumage, his watery black eyes blinking slowly as Harry softly pet down his head feathers.

“Harry, my boy. How are you this fine evening?”

Harry smiled gently at the old man as he took his usual seat before the Headmaster’s desk. He glanced at the bowel of lemon drops and took one, just to see the man’s eyes twinkle as he smiled. “I’m doing pretty well myself, Professor.”

“Good, good.” The long pause that followed should probably have unnerved Harry, but somehow, he knew what was coming. He had been waiting for this night, and he wouldn’t let a little unease harm his chances of finally getting to assist in destroying a piece of the monster that had plagued his entire life.

“I have found it, Harry. The next Horcrux has been located,” Dumbledore said quietly, his good hand crossed over his blackened hand, almost as if he were trying to conceal it, even though the young Gryffindor had seen it many a time before.

Harry’s heart sped up to an alarming rate, nearly sending the young man into a fit of hyperventilation. He gripped the wooden arms of his chair, scooting forward until he was perched on the edge, as if ready for flight. “Where? When are we going?”

That was when Harry knew something was wrong. The Headmaster’s serene expression turned suddenly sullen, and a look of deep concern and sadness filled those icy blue eyes. No...no, this wasn’t right, the old man couldn’t possibly stop him from – !

“I must apologize most profusely, my boy. I have lied to you. I agreed to take you along on the next journey to destroy the Horcrux with the understanding that you would remain safe with me. However, I have grown too ill, too weak to feel entirely comfortable defending not just myself, but you as well. I do have confidence in your abilities, but I cannot rightfully bring you along, knowing that there may be the slightest chance that I cannot help you, and you falling victim to Voldemort once more.”

Red hot, blinding anger took over Harry then, sending him to his feet and his chair skidding back a fair few feet. “How could you? You promised that you would take me! I’m sick of sitting on the sidelines and watching the people I love die for me! I WANT TO FIGHT!” Harry bellowed so loudly, he was sure he tore his throat into pieces.

The Headmaster did not flinch nor blink; he sat as still and calm as ever as Harry built a head of steam. It was like fifth year after Sirius had died all over again. “Harry, I know this is very disappointing to you, and you do not know how very much I regret disappointing you, but I cannot in good conscious take you with me. Your safety is the most important thing to me, and to the war effort. I have done everything I can to make sure you were informed, that you learned all you needed to know about Voldemort, but this time, I must go alone.”

“Yeah, great idea, considering last time you went alone you stupidly put on a cursed ring and sentenced yourself to death! What about after you die, eh? You won’t be there to protect me anymore. You won’t be there to tell me what to do, who to trust, when to act. What then, old man?”

“The Order has not abandoned you, nor will they after my impending death. You will never be alone in this, Harry. Once I am gone, there will be others to take my place, guide you in the right direction – ”

“You mean others to lead me along like a blind man, pushing me across that great chess board like the pawn I am. When will you learn that I am not just a weapon to be used at your or anyone else’s disposal?” Harry shouted, his entire being shaking with rage and pent up emotions. He couldn’t handle the manipulation any longer, it was too much.

“Harry, you must listen to me! This is for your own protection!”

That was the crack that shattered Harry’s fragile control. “Oh, of course it’s for my protection! You couldn’t possibly risk the chance of your weapon being taken out of the battle before it’s time to finally face the bastard for the last time!”

Harry stalked up to the desk, leaning over until he was as close to the Headmaster as he could get, his face red and screwed up in anger as he clenched his wand in one fist, the other ready to send a punch.

“You listen to me, old man! I am sick of you breaking your promises, of you telling me you do things for my ‘protection’ when time after time, I’m the one who suffers in the end! The Prophecy calls for me to defeat Voldemort, for my hand to be the one that slays him. I won’t have you directing my arm like a puppet master, aiming for me when it’s time to make the kill. This is my fight, and I will be a part of it, do you understand? Whether you want to help me along the right path or not, I take the reins now!”

Harry spun around and made to leave the office, but as he reached the door and the ever spiralling staircase, he turned and looked at the Headmaster, who’s head was bowed in what he hoped was immense shame and guilt.

“Dead or alive, you’re no good to me anyways.”

S~S~S~S

Three weeks later, it was time for Dumbledore to make his move.

The graveyard was quiet, except for the usual night time sounds of crickets and owls in the distance. The wind had a slight chill to it, but the Headmaster paid it no heed. He was here for a specific purpose; to remove and try to destroy one of Voldemort’s ever dwindling Horcruxes.

The headstones were all weather worn and cracked in places. This graveyard was indeed very old, and held fair few of those deceased who had lived in the small village of Little Hangleton, and the bigger town of Hangleton. The names and dates were still readable, but Dumbledore had absolutely no trouble assessing which of the elaborate headstones belonged to the father of the Dark Lord.

Standing against the dark sky with its scythe still held at an angle, as if it had been used to trap a person before, stood the marble and stone version of Death that had haunted Harry’s nightmares for years. Carved into the stone was the name of the Dark Lord’s father, his death and birth date forgotten. However, there was an epitaph under the name that Dumbledore had not been aware of before.

Tom Riddle Senior
The ignorance of mortals shall bring upon them the darkness and everlasting damnation that plagues those who rely on the Soul.

A sharper chill took over the Headmaster, and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the wind. Using his wand, Dumbledore ran a few spells over the headstone, checking for warding spells and curses. Looking down at his blackened hand, the elderly man was reminded not to be so foolish as to touch the stone. As he continued to examine the stone from a supposedly safe distance, Dumbledore finally saw what he was looking for; the scythe could be removed from the stone statue. He trained his wand on the stone weapon and uttered a spell to separate the stone handle from the skeletal hand of Death. He realized his mistake when the scythe suddenly flew up to its original position, held aloft in Death’s firm grip, no longer pointed down at an angle.

Thunder began to rumble across the sky as dark clouds gathered and the wind kicked up, blowing the Headmaster’s hair and beard about. Looking up, Dumbledore saw a funnel cloud begin to form, the whirlwind so strong and loud it started to hurt his ears. The funnel touched down only fifty feet away from the Headmaster, and travelled quickly across the dry earth until it was just before the elderly man. With a stronger gust of wind and a rumble of deafening thunder, a black cloaked figure emerged from the black cloud, his pale flesh and burning red eyes glaring so intensely, they could have pierced a weaker man’s soul.

“Well, well...What do we have here? Dumbledore, come to reminisce about the beginning of his failure?” the snake like man hissed, spreading his arms theatrically as the older man stood his ground.

“Ah, Tom Riddle. It has not been long enough since last we spoke. As reminiscent an old man as I am, I am here for much different reasons,” Albus responded quietly. As off-putting and worrisome as the situation was, Dumbledore could not let the Dark Lord see his weakness.

“The birth of my new reign, the place where I received my second chance...What brings you here, Dumbledore? A sacrifice for Potter?” Voldemort was circling the Headmaster slowly now, his dark robes trailing behind him, sweeping across the dead grass and dirt that made up the dilapidated graveyard.

Dumbledore followed the creature’s progress with simple turns of his head, his wand at the ready in his good hand. He turned with the monster as he tried to walk behind the old man, however; Dumbledore knew that this thing was not above attacking while his opponent’s back was turned.

“My presence here is no business of yours, Tom. If a fight is what you want, perhaps it will be what you get.”

The Dark Lord snarled in indignation and brandished his wand, taking a step closer to the elderly Headmaster. “You old fool! You have no business here; the place where my dirty, mudblood father and his disgusting family rot in the bowels of the earth! This is my turf, Dumbledore. Death is what you shall receive!”

As expected, a ghostly, neon green light burst forth from the bone-like wand held in Voldemort’s spidery hand. With a simple flick of his wrist, Dumbledore blocked the Killing Curse. He knew that weak attempt was just a warning. What Voldemort didn’t know, however, was how weak the Headmaster really was. He had to keep the creature on his toes if he wanted to return to Hogwarts that night. He had to keep him from knowing why Dumbledore was really there, if Harry was to succeed.

“Come, Tom. Is killing me really the answer?”

“Your death makes no difference to me, old man. It is only the lure of the sheer joy I will get out of seeing the light leave your ridiculously twinkling eyes!”

Old man...old man...You listen to me, old man...Dumbledore could hear Harry’s livid voice echoing in his ears, beating at his heart and soul with so much disappointment and regret. However, the Headmaster would have done it the same way if given a second chance. Standing before the Darkest Wizard of their time, who had been hell bent on killing a child for the last sixteen years, Dumbledore knew he had been right to break his promise and leave Harry behind. The boy would understand, one day.

A flash of red light streaked through the air, and Dumbledore came out of his reverie with not a second to spare, sending up a weak shield charm to counter the Dark Lord’s cutting curse. Blood spurt from his pale cheek as part of the curse hit its mark, and he used much of his strength not to stumble and fall.

“Such morbid violence, Tom. From what I understand, you usually have your Death Eater’s do your dirty work for you. Why do I receive such special treatment?” Dumbledore asked as he sent a blasting curse at the Dark Lord, who blocked it with a sneer and a snarl of anger.

“How dare you! If anyone is to take your life, Dumbledore, it will be me! Just as it shall be my hands to snuff the life out of your precious Boy-Who-Lived, it will be I who breaks the Great Dumbledore, who shows the world that wearing your hearts on your sleeves, waxing poetic about love and tolerance will gain you nothing but a painful death! Death, by those who are superior, who have fought to keep our world untainted by the mud that flows through the veins of the whores and filth you and your ilk allow into it!”

“There are things far worse than death to suffer, Tom. I have told you many times, and yet, you refuse to believe me. You are nothing but a frightened little boy in a monster’s body, spreading discord because you are too cowardly to face what we will all eventually succumb to. It is not superiority that fuels your regime, but fear of the unknown, fear of the death that should have consumed you long ago!”

Bright flashes of wand light took over then, curses, hexes, shields and jinxes bouncing back and forth. As Dumbledore threw up a shield to block a stray curse, the Dark Lord took his chance, and fired a dark spell, severing the tendons in the back of the old Headmaster’s knees and sending his wand careening much too far away to summon wandlessly. There was an ugly, triumphant sneer on Voldemort’s face as he approached the weak and profusely bleeding man, who had fallen to his injured knees and crumpled to the ground.

“Why are you here, Dumbledore?” Voldemort whispered, his hiss like voice seeming to carry across the graveyard, despite its quietness.

Dumbledore knew this was his last chance to lead the creature down the wrong path, to secure Harry’s chance of finding and destroying all of the Horcruxes. Quickly searching his weakening and pain-filled mind, the Headmaster found the answer at last.

“The cores...the twin cores of yours and Harry’s wands. I was researching the phenomenon that happened here just two years ago. The magic...the magic leaves echoes, residue. I’m here for Harry,” Dumbledore explained in a croak, feeling a sense of peace wash over him already as Voldemort gave a bark of laughter that told of early victory.

“You fool...I have already found a way to avoid anything of the sort happening again. When I face that brat, his end will be swift. Does that make you happy, Dumbledore, to know I intend to kill your sweet, noble Harry quickly, and mostly painless? You sacrificed yourself for nothing! And so the noble, wise old mentor falls to the prey of ignorance...I hope your boy hero knows exactly what you’ve just cost him,” Voldemort hissed, his bare foot connecting with the side of Dumbledore’s face in a vicious kick.

The Headmaster of Hogwarts raised his head slowly, looking up into blazing red eyes, the last eyes he would ever see, and smiled. “He does...Oh yes, Tom, he does.”

“Avada Kedavra!”

S~S~S~S

“I’ve done it!”

Remus and Harry looked up from the chess board they had both been concentrating on as the Potions Master came out of his personal potions lab, a beaker of violet potion held aloft in his hand, a wide smile on his face.

Remus stood from the settee, the smile infectious as it spread across his face too. “It’s done, the potion’s been perfected?” he asked in an excited voice. Harry was beaming at his parents from his spot on the sofa, feeling no shame in the wetness that sprung to his eyes as the Potions Master nodded. He carefully set the potion aside before being engulfed in a hug by his husband and thoroughly kissed.

“I’ll firecall Aurora. The potion has a time limit on it; we must act quickly for it to take,” Severus said urgently as he summoned a vial and carefully transferred the potion from the beaker to the vial and corked it.

“And you’re sure she’s at the peak of her ovulation cycle?” Remus asked as he offered the pot of floo powder to his husband so he could make the call.

“Yes, she should be most fertile the next three days. The potion is potent enough that it would probably get her pregnant were she not very fertile anyways.”

Harry blushed quite darkly and coughed into his cup of tea. He’d known in theory how the potion and insemination would work, but hearing about how fertile his Astronomy Professor was and how potent his fathers were, Harry couldn’t help but feel a bit squeamish.

The flames in the grate flared green as Severus made the call to Professor Sinistra’s personal quarters, startling Harry out of his reverie. This was it; he was really going to get a sister or a brother! Hopefully a sister, though a brother would be ok...

“Good evening, Severus,” Aurora’s voice said from the flames, her dark skin lightened by the green flames licking at her features.

“It’s time, Aurora. The potion is complete, and you’re ovulation cycle is most fertile right now. Are you quite ready?”

The head in the flames suddenly disappeared, and Severus only had a few seconds to move out of the way before the Astronomy Professor came through the floo connection.

“I’m ready when you are, boys!”

Harry chuckled along with his parents as Severus explained what would need to happen. Harry then realized that, as strange as it would be for anyone else to hear, he was actually excited to be a part of his sibling being created. The potion mixing Severus’ and Remus’ DNA would need to be ingested, and then a spell would need to be performed to actually inseminate Aurora. Harry had been quite embarrassed as his father explained to him just how the actual insemination would occur, and was quite glad he would only witness the ingestion of the potion.

“As you know, the DNA samples within this potion will ensure that the child will be biologically related to all three of us. As it is your egg who will host the child, you are one hundred percent the mother. However, the actual insemination will need to be done separately, and by quite different methods,” Severus explained, even in his stoic state still unable to keep the blush from his cheeks.

“Oh, I’m quite familiar with the process, Severus; no need to blush. I trust Poppy, and we’ve gone over the details quite a bit. She joked about being the one to impregnate me just last week!”

Harry spluttered into his tea and thought his face might melt from how hot his blush was getting. He was extremely glad for the distraction when Draco joined them, Lucius following behind him as well. Aurora simply nodded towards the man with a friendly smile.

“I hear I am about to become an uncle?” Lucius asked with a smirk.

“Yes, and our sons godfathers. They grow up so terribly fast,” said Remus, chuckling at the scowl on his husband’s face.

Lucius chuckled quietly, brushing the hair from Draco’s forehead in an oddly tender gesture. “And yet, you want another. I always thought one was quite enough.”

“Gee thanks, Dad,” Draco said, rolling his eyes. He glared as his father hit him in the shin with his ridiculous cane, and moved over to sit beside Harry.

Severus swirled the violet potion around in its vial, catching Aurora’s excited smile as she watched the potion move around in its glass home. “Yes, well, as much as we love our son, we thought trying to raise a child from infancy would be a delightful challenge.”

Everyone in the room laughed, and the intensity increased as Severus pulled out a chair for Aurora, and instructed Remus to firecall the infirmary and ensure that poppy was ready for the procedure. Once everything was in order, Severus popped the cork on the vial and held it up, looking to his husband with a gentle smile.

“Ready to make a baby, love?”

Remus laughed and kissed Severus quite languidly. His hand joined Severus’ on the long vial and they carefully poured it into Aurora’s mouth, together.

Professor Sinistra swallowed down the potion and smacked her lips appreciatively. “Mmm, essence of Potions Master and Defence Professor. Tasted like grapes.”

Everyone groaned at the implication, causing Aurora to laugh heartily as she stood and headed towards the floo. “Well, here goes my last trip of travelling by floo for nine months. That will probably be the worst part of the pregnancy.”

“I’m very glad there isn’t any restrictions on alcohol for the fathers, that’s for sure,” Severus said with a smirk, awkwardly accepting the hug that Aurora offered, and letting go of his husband for long enough to let them embrace as well.

“Here goes nothing!” With a flash of green, the Astronomy Professor was through the floo and into the infirmary, where the real magic would happen.

“How long will it be before we know if it took?” Harry asked as he allowed himself to be wrapped in Draco’s arms. Lucius sat beside his son on the sofa, looking to all the world as if he had absolutely no problem with the Slytherin cuddling up to another boy; and honestly, he didn’t.

“We should know within the hour. Until then, I think I’d like to see if I can beat an old friend at chess,” Severus said with a pointed look at Lucius, who took up the challenge and flexed his fingers as the Wizard’s chess board was set up for play.

After watching the Potions Master and the ex-Death Eater thoroughly trounce each other numerous times at chess, Harry was getting antsy and excited. Just as he thought he would go insane, there was a short knock on the door. Harry jumped up and ran to answer, smiling as his Astronomy Professor came through.

“Well, since I couldn’t use the floo, I walked all the way down to let you all know: I’m officially pregnant!”

There was an uproar of excited laughter as hugs were passed all around. They were so absorbed in their excitement that they did not hear the floo, nor notice the Deputy Headmistress step through, a very dark look on her face.

“I have some news.”

Everyone turned to look at her, shocked to see that she was even in the room. It was well past midnight already, but Minerva looked quite wide awake. Aurora smiled and told McGonagall of her own news.

“Well, congratulations to you all. However, I’m sorry to say that I must cut into your celebrations...” It looked as though she were steeling herself to say the next words, and as she looked directly into Harry’s green eyes, she said, “The portrait of Albus Dumbledore has appeared in the Head’s office. The Headmaster is gone.”