Harry sat at the table with Severus sitting on his lap, his little head resting on Harry’s shoulder and tears falling down the little boy’s face. Narcissa had kept the children out of the dining room for the time being, to give Sev time to calm down. Pansy looked forlorn sitting beside Narcissa.

She regretted having to tell a five year old any of her story, even if it was for the best. She had kept all of the gory details out as it was.

Narcissa laid her hand on the young woman’s shoulder and patted it. She leant down and whispered, “He shall be okay. He is a strong little boy. You brought that family closer together tonight, Love.” Narcissa kissed Pansy on the forehead and then walked over to the Potter’s.

“Sev, are you ready to eat? There is a special menu for you and the other children, and I am sure that your brothers and cousins are hungry.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Severus whispered, then went to run his hand through Harry’s hair and stopped. Ginny smiled.

“Sev, Daddy is holding you know, he doesn’t have long hair like I do to run your fingers through, so you will have to make do with Daddy’s shoulder.” Ginny told him. Sev smiled sheepishly.

Just at that moment, a stampede of children ran into the dining hall. Narcissa carried one child in her arms, the blonde haired, green eyed, Asta. Draco came in holding the hands of three year old Scorpius and Jamie.

Sirius and Teddy ran over to their parents and brothers.

“Okay, boys, let’s sit down, Aunt Cissy promised a special menu for you.” Ginny said, picking up Jamie and setting him to her right, and Harry placed Severus to her left.

“Mummy…” Severus said, tugging on the sleeve of her robes.

“Yes, Love?”

“Can I sit by Daddy tonight? Just tonight. Cause…”

Ginny placed her finger to his lips and said, “Shhh. You can sit beside Daddy if Sirius or Teddy will change spots with you.” Ginny told him. Severus nodded and stood up, walking slowly over to Sirius.

“Sirius, can…can I sit beside Daddy?” Sev looked at his feet, afraid that the first time he asked for something that he would be turned down.

Sirius stared at his new little brother. On one hand, he was supposed to hate the man. But, was this timid little boy in front of him who carried so many insecurities around with him really worth hating? Was he not, perhaps, worth more than that?

“Sure, Sev, you can sit by Dad, but don’t get used to it.” Sirius said, running his hand through Sev’s hair and then walking towards Ginny.

Severus stared at the empty spot that Sirius had vacated.

Harry had overheard the entire conversation and sent an approving smile at Sirius. Sirius merely grinned back at him then started talking to Ginny.

“Come on, Sev!” Harry said, picking him up and placing him in the chair beside him. Severus smiled.

“Thanks….Daddy.” Severus told Harry. One would not be able to smack the grin that was on Harry’s face.

Cling. Cling.

Both Harry and Severus looked towards Narcissa who was standing at the head of the table. It was then that Severus realized that there were a lot of people sitting at the table. A lot of people he was familiar with. He immediately shrunk back into his seat.

“First, I would like to introduce the two newest members of our extended family to everyone as they have not yet been re-introduced to everyone.” Narcissa then pointed to the left side of the table, “Sirius and Severus, you both, of course know Draco and Pansy. Between them are Scorpius and Asta. Next to Pansy, is Hermione, and then Hugo, Rose, and of course, Ron. You have, of course, met Luna and Neville. These two next to me are Kaethe and Alec. Severus, Sirius, I believe that I speak for us all when I say how happy we are that you have joined our family. Now, let’s eat!” Narcissa gave her short speech and then food appeared on their plates. All of the children were excited to see that, instead of the fillet of tilapia, asparagus, and rice pilaf that graced their parents plates, they had baked chicken, macaroni and cheese, and green beans. They knew that if they ate their meal that there would be an awesome dessert to be had.

Severus looked at his plate, and at Harry’s plate.

“Daddy…” Severus whispered.

Harry looked down at him and raised his eyebrows in questioning.

“Come here.” Severus whispered.

Harry bent down so that Severus could whisper in his ears.

“Daddy, can I have your green things? And you take mine? And can I have some ketchup?”

Harry looked at the little boy with surprise and nodded. Although he, himself, did not really care for green beans, it was a parent’s prerogative to help their children in such cases. And, as Sev was still going to be eating a vegetable, it was okay if he wanted to trade.

Harry discreetly made the swap, though it escaped no one’s notice minus the other children, and placed some ketchup on Severus’ plate that had popped on the table as soon as Severus had requested it.

What astounded Harry, however, was the fact that the boy was dipping everything on his plate, chicken, asparagus, and macaroni and cheese, in the ketchup.

Harry simply shook his head and continued eating his own food and making sure that Teddy, on his other side, was eating his.

Ginny smiled at the actions of two of her boys (Harry as one of said boys) and went to wipe off Alby’s mouth with a napkin. Sirius looked down at Severus, snarled his nose in disgust, and said, “Severus that is disgusting!”

Sev looked at his food and then at Sirius.

“So what! You don’t have to eat it.” Severus took another bite.

“I wouldn’t eat it if you forced it down my throat. That looks like vomit!”

Ginny turned to Sirius and narrowed her eyes.

“Sirius, you have been such a good big brother today, do not ruin it now.”

“But…”

“No buts. This conversation is over. Behave or you will get a check mark on your Happy Chart and have to go to bed early tonight.” Ginny told him lightly. Sirius scowled but did as he was told and continued eating. He had only gotten one check mark on his Happy Chart for running in the house after he had been warned not to. He ignored the fact that the other times he had gotten in trouble were bad enough to bypass the Happy Chart and to get a spanking.

Soon, everyone had finished with dinner and waited patiently for dessert, though Harry had had to tell Teddy to stop fidgeting. No one, especially not the children, were disappointed when desert came.

In a large, flat bottomed bowl was a scope of vanilla ice cream and a chocolate brownie both covered in chocolate sauce. On top of the chocolate sauce sat a chocolate turtle. It looked as if the turtle was swimming in the sauce.

“I found these tiny chocolate turtles in a muggle candy store. They really are truly delightful.” Narcissa told her guests. All of the children dug in and moans of pure bliss could be heard from them.

Severus picked up his chocolate turtle and scrutinized it before biting its top part off.

Hmm. Aunt Cissy was right. They were good.

At first.

Severus realized quickly that whatever enjoyment his brothers and new cousins were having by eating those turtles was not something that he was going to achieve.

His throat started to feel tight and his body began to feel hot.

“Mummmmmy….” His voice was low and husky, causing Harry to look down.

“Oh Merlin! Ginny! Something is wrong with Severus!” Harry said, standing up and knocking his chair on the floor as he pulled Severus out of his own chair. Ginny stood up and rushed to where Harry was and took the little boy from his arms, laying him on the floor.

“Aunt Cissy, what were in those chocolate turtles?” Ginny asked, as she had yet to eat hers.

“Caramel. Pecans. Chocolate.” Narcissa said walking quickly over to Harry and Ginny.

“He is having an allergic reaction. It must be the pecans because he has had both chocolate and caramel at home. I need a Anti-Allergy Elixer and an Adrenaline Draught. Now.” Ginny told the older woman, knowing that because Kaethe and Pansy both had severe allergic reactions to bees and other stinging insects that they would have a full supply.

Sure enough, within seconds, the Elixer was being spelled into Severus’ stomach and Ginny was filling a needle with the Draught. Severus winced as he was turned over, trousers dropped, and the needle was stuck in the top part of his bum.

Embarrassment, however, was slowly diminishing to relief as he was able to breathe again. Ginny, who had discretely hid her son’s naked flesh from the observer’s in the dining hall, covered him back up and then held him to her chest as Harry helped her up.

Severus had tears falling down his cheeks as he held onto Ginny.

“Mummy…I’m sorry.” He told her, already wrapping his hands in her hair and twisting it around his fingers.

Ginny pulled him back and looked at him.

“Whatever for?”

“I forgot, Mummy. I forgot. I forgot that I couldn’t have them!” He cried into her neck. Ginny sighed.

“Baby, it is okay. That was not for you to have to remember. Mummy will not ever forget and we will do our best to make sure that you never eat another pecan again. Okay?”

Severus nodded, and then quietly lay against his mother’s chest, breathing slowly, and relishing in the fact that he was breathing so freely after such a close call.

“Ginny, is he okay?” Hermione asked from across the table. Her youngest, Hugo, age one, was in her lap asleep.

“Yes. He is alright, just a bit scared.”

Everyone seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.

 Soon, everyone finished eating and all of the children, minus the babies, Asta and Hugo, and Severus who was now asleep in his mother’s arms, were sent into the next room to play. Narcissa looked at everyone at the dining table and smiled.

“I have a couple of things that I wanted to tell you all tonight, things that I have been quiet about for a while,” Narcissa took a deep breath, “The first thing, is about Kaethe and Alec. While I have never lied to any of you, I have not told you the truth either. I have, rather, omitted the truth for quite some time.

When Draco, and most of you, were in first year, I became pregnant. I had the child when you were in second year. That child was Kaethe. I knew that if I wished for her to live, I had to send her to a distant squib cousin who I knew would take care of her and, if the war ended with the side of the light, and if I or Lucius were still alive, would willingly give her back. Then, when you were in fifth year, I gave birth again, to Alec. I sent him to the same relative. I did what I could not do for Draco, and guaranteed that they would live a Dark free life. I kept this a secret until now, because I was not sure how to tell it.” Narcissa paused for a moment.

“Aunt Cissy…that was very…Slytherin of you.” Hermione said with a smile, “And, not one of us here could fault you a bit for what you did. In a way, you saved each and every one of us. You have been everything that we have needed since the war. We understand that you couldn’t during the war, but the war is over.”

Relief washed over Narcissa’s face as she noticed that every child, well, young adult, was smiling back at her.

“What is your other news?” Neville asked.

“I am glad you asked. As of two weeks ago, the Rune’s professor at Hogwarts took an extended leave of absence to, I repeat verbatim, ‘Get the nonsense of hormonal teenagers out of my head’. I was offered an extended contract via Minerva, and took the job. I want to be closer to each of you and the children when they go to school. So, during the school year, I will take residence at Hogwarts. I start after Christmas break.”

“That is excellent, Aunt Cissy!” Harry said, jumping up and walking over to her to embrace her.

Then, everyone began congratulating her.

It would be nice to have another part of their family close by.

~sdrawkcab~

Ginny held Severus as she walked through the Floo. The child was sleeping, and Ginny was still worried about him. Behind her, Harry came through with Jamie and Alby, then Neville with Teddy and Luna with Sirius.

“Good night, boys.” Luna said, wrapping her arm around Neville.

“Night, Auntie Luna!” The boys chorused, then ran out of the room.

“Thanks, you two, for helping us get the boys through. We really appreciate it.” Harry said.

Ginny smiled at them, and then the four said their good-byes to one another. Ginny went over to the couch and sat down with a sigh. She had been holding Severus for a while and she was realizing that it was not going to be easy to hold any of her boys much longer as her stomach was growing larger with each passing day. She didn’t know how Alby and Severus, her two cuddlers, were going to take that. She would have to figure out a way around it.

“How is he?” Harry asked, sitting beside his wife.

“He is okay. I want to watch him tonight though. That scared me to death, Harry.” Ginny said. Harry nodded.

“Me, too, Love, me, too.” Harry said, then smiled

Ginny looked at him and then smiled herself. Her husband was so predictable.

“It wasn’t a dream, Harry.”

“I know, Gin. He really said it. He really called me Daddy!”

Harry just continued to grin like he had won a million galleons.