Tevin waited with his father in the parlor excitedly for the arrival of Draco.  Tonight was the Halloween Feast at Hogwarts and it would be the first one that Lucius allowed Draco to attend.  Narcissa wanted Draco not to know the grounds of Hogwarts until he attended the school so some things would still surprise and delight him, but Lucius was eventually convinced to let Draco come to the Halloween Feast after both of the boys begging him year after year.  Lucius was also determined to send his son to Durmstrang Institute for his education, so he saw little harm in exposing him to Hogwarts.  And now, Tevin waited next to Severus, holding his hand, for Draco to get there. 

Tevin looked up at his father and saw that he seemed far away.  He always looked sad on Halloween, and Tevin did not understand why.  Severus always sent him to sleep at his godfather's on Halloween, unless he was very sick like he was every month.  Tevin wondered why his father acted like a ghost on Halloween, like he was so sad he couldn't do anything but walk around.  His father was almost silent on Halloween.  Severus was not a talkative man, but he barely spoke on Halloween.  Tevin did not understand.

The fire burst into green flames and out stepped Lucius and Draco.  Tevin heard his father swallow and he squeezed the larger hand.  He felt like he did the right thing when he felt it squeeze back. 

"Here we are, Draco," Lucius unnecessarily announced.  Draco was wearing expensive looking clothes like he would be attending an elegant dinner party rather than the Hogwarts Halloween Feast.  The blonde boy looked like he was desperate to be wearing anything else. 

Lucius leaned a little to his left, but he looked supported by something behind Draco.  It looked like a tall stick.  "Go on, Draco," Lucius urged, with a gentle push to his son's back.  Draco walked up to Tevin and stood beside him, sweeping his grey eyes up and down his friend's form, noting jealously the comfortable and less constrictive clothing the professor's son was permitted to wear. 

Then, Tevin saw it.  Lucius was leaning on something and it was a stick.  When Lucius walked forward he supported himself with the cane.  "Why do you have a cane, Mr. Malfoy?" 

Lucius fixed his gaze on Tevin.  "Because your dear pet was kind enough to bite me." 

Tevin looked down at Lucius's leg next to the cane.  "Sorry," he mumbled. 

Lucius actually smiled then at Tevin, before speaking to Severus.  "My wife got this for me.  She thought it would add to my dignified image and it also had a convenient quality that I was most impressed with."  Lucius shifted his weight to his right and lifted the cane.  Tevin and Draco watched closely as the silver shape of a hissing snake head was visible on the top of the cane. 

"Why is it a snake?" Tevin asked.

Lucius looked down at Tevin in surprise.  "Because I was a Slytherin."

"Like my dad?"

"Yes, like your father."  Lucius grabbed the snake head and held it up to search for something on the silver band at the bottom of the figure.  He seemed to find it because a moment later, the cane split in two and he drew his wand.  It had been hidden inside the cane!  Tevin gasped in admiration. 

Lucius pointed it at Tevin accidentally as he drew the wand and Tevin went rigid.  He thought he saw something in his mind.  A flash of green from the end of the wand, but that was absurd.  He blinked to rid his head of the flash.  His little hand tightened on his father's and he edged closer to Severus.  Severus looked down but other than that, no one else reacted. 

Lucius had continued talking.  "...thought it would be clever to fit my wand to the cane.  Reminds you of dueling with swords, doesn't it, how they used to have swords hidden in canes.  Leave it to my wife.  Although, I will admit the snake does make gripping the thing very comfortable."  He said all of this as he put the wand back into the cane shaft, making it a functional walking aid again.  "I may even keep it like this after I heal." 

"It is impressive, Lucius," Severus offered, quietly.  "I think it's time we went to dinner," he said to the boys.  Draco's eyes lit up in excitement and he smiled shyly. 

Lucius looked then at his son, but he spoke to Severus.  "He shouldn't give you any trouble.  He's been warned what would happen if he did."  He looked warningly at Draco, who lowered his eyes.  "Behave, Draco."

"I will, Father," he said. 

Lucius gave a curt nod and walked with the support of his cane to the fireplace.  He was still getting used to walking with the cane, and therefore his stride had lost some of its intimidation.  In another moment he had vanished in the green flames. 

Severus let go of his son's hand and drew his own wand.  "Come here, Draco."  Draco walked over to Severus a little hesitantly.  "You look uncomfortable."  Draco nodded.  Severus waved his wand over the boy's figure and muttered a string of spells.  Draco looked down and saw that his clothing was getting a little looser and that it was looking similar to Tevin's outfit.  "I think that's a little more appropriate for a dinner at Hogwarts.  It's not like one of your father's social parties." 

Draco moved about and tested the freer clothes.  Then he beamed up at Severus.  "Thanks!" 

Severus tried to offer a grin, but his lips only twitched.  "You're welcome.  I'll have to change them back after we return."

"Okay." 

Severus put his wand away and looked at the boys.  "Follow me."  Severus walked to the portrait hole, opened it, and walked into the hallway.  Draco trotted after him as Tevin made sure the portrait closed.  Tevin jogged to catch up to his friend. 

"Did you get your wand back?" Draco asked, as they walked quickly to keep up with Severus's large stride. 

"No," Tevin said, miserably.

Draco sighed.  "Me neither.  It's been two weeks."

"I haven't been allowed dessert in two weeks either."

Draco smirked.  "Mother's been sneaking me sweets just before bed, even though Father said I'm not to have any." 

"You're lucky," grumbled Tevin.

Draco smiled and his face brightened.  "But you can have dessert tonight, right?" 

The answer came from Severus ahead of them.  "Only tonight, and after that it's back to no dessert."  Tevin groaned.  "I could extend it," came the threat.  Tevin snapped his mouth shut.

It was quiet in the hallway as they made their way to the Great Hall behind Severus.  As they rounded one of the corners, they began to see the students of Hogwarts making their migration to dinner.  Draco took the opportunity of everyone else making noise to talk.  "What's it like?"

"What?"

"The Feast!"

Tevin blushed, feeling a little stupid.  "Oh!"  He cleared is throat awkwardly.  "It's big and there's lots of food!  And pumpkins everywhere!"

"Really?"  Draco seemed to get more and more excited with every step closer they took. 

Soon, the amount of people heading towards the Great Hall was getting too much for Tevin and Draco.  Tevin usually went with his father to dinner through the uncongested staff entrance.  He knew that his father led them this way so that Draco could get the full excitement of walking into the Great Hall, but Tevin wished his father took them the normal way. 

In another few seconds, the main hallway was so crowded that Tevin could not even see his father anymore.  "Daddy!" he shouted.  "Daddy!"  Draco seemed to get nervous from Tevin's nervousness and he had no desire to lose his friend in this crowd.  Tevin found his hand snatched tightly by Draco's.  "Daddy!"  Tevin and Draco were looking everywhere. 

"Tevin, you troublemaker!" came a young voice from right behind them. 

Tevin whipped his head behind him and saw his father's favorite potions student.  "Clarabel!"  She was the young student years ago who first asked Severus what the glowing stone meant when she stayed behind in class.  After she first met her Head of House's young son, she always looked out for him in the halls.  She was with four other fellow Slytherins, all of them in their seventh year.  Clarabel's best friend, Neal Ampion, stood to her right and next to him was Gair Short.  On Clarabel's left were the other two girls, Modesty Flavian and Elvira Mask.  Draco felt immediately comforted at the sight of Elvira.  She looked very similar to his mother but younger. 

"Did you lose your dad?" Neal asked.  He was a thin, but healthy young man with carefully arranged messy dark hair.  He had a sad expression on his face and it seemed to stick.  Despite the sadness, his face was kind. 

Tevin nodded.  "He's that way," he said, pointing to where everyone was heading. 

"Alright, come on," Neal said, holding out his hand.  Tevin took it and Neal began to lead him towards the Great Hall.  Clarabel followed them. 

"Come on!" Tevin said to Draco, turning his head back to his friend. 

Since he did not want to be separated and lost in the crowd of Hogwarts any longer than necessary he decided to try Tevin's method of getting there safely.  Draco walked right up to Elvira, whose blonde hair was the exact color of Narcissa's, and took her hand.  She looked down at Draco in surprise. 

"Looks like he wants to go with you, Elvira," laughed the other boy. 

"Leave her alone," said Modesty.  She bent down a little and pierced Draco with her dark blue eyes.  "What's your name?"

Draco ignored the question and instead spoke to Elvira.  "You look like Mother."

"Oh!" she exclaimed.  "I do?"  Draco nodded, smiling. 

"And who's your mother?" asked the boy, Gair. 

"She's...Mother," he was not sure what they were asking.

The teenagers all looked around at each other trying to figure out how they were going to find out who this boy was.  Then, Gair looked at the blonde boy and held out his hand.  "I'm Gair, what's your name?" 

Draco's eyes widened as he understood what they wanted.  "Malfoy!"  The teenagers looked on in excitement.  They had all at some point heard of the name Malfoy.  The blonde boy took Gair's hand and shook it.  "Draco Malfoy." 

"Come on," said Modesty.  "We should get him to the Great Hall before the Feast starts."  She began leading the way.  Gair and Elvira followed her lead. 

Gair was interested in the young Malfoy and wanted to talk to him.  It was strange to see children in Hogwarts.  That is until Professor Snape brought his son to live with him.  "Do you like Quidditch, Draco?"

Draco looked at Gair and nodded enthusiastically.  "Do you play here?"

"Yes, I do.  I'm the captain of the Slytherin team and I play chaser." 

"I want to be captain one day," Draco said. 

"Do you fly yet?"  Draco's smile disappeared and he looked down at the floor as the group continued walking. 

Gair looked at the two girls worriedly.  "Did I say something wrong?"  The girls shrugged.  Suddenly, a group of younger students bumped into the Slytherins.  The seventh years all drew their wands faster than Draco could see.  He did not know how Elvira still held onto his hand and leveled her wand at one of the boys that smashed into them. 

"Watch it, Wealsey!" she growled at the fourth year student.

"My name's William!" he snapped back as he drew his own wand. 

Gair stepped forward.  "Well, then, William, move on!  We have a kid with us." 

William looked down and saw little Draco trying to hide behind Elvira's leg while still holding her hand.  He darted his blue eyes back to meet Gair's.  "What are you doing with him?"

"Doesn't concern you, Weasley!" said Elvira fiercely. 

"Kidnapping him, then.  Typical of a Slytherin," he said, knowing it was a challenge. 

"Take that back, Gryffindor!" snarled Gair, raising his wand higher. 

"Make me!" he replied. 

"Serpensortia!" shouted Elvira.  From the tip of her wand burst forth a snake that landed coiled around William's neck.  William grabbed it and tried to get it off of himself.  Draco watched from beside Elvira with interest.  This is what the spells did that he and Tevin pretended to use. 

"Everte Statum!" shouted the Gryffindor boy next to William, who just managed to get the snake off of his neck.  The spell shouted by Vin Newnham forced Gair off of his feet and flying backwards.  He landed on his back with a groan.  Draco's mouth fell open in surprise at what the spell caused to happen. 

"Stop!" shouted Modesty.  "This is ridiculous!"  She saw the snake was hissing at William from the ground.  She pointed her wand at the snake and said, "Evanesco."  The snake vanished from the floor.  "Now, let's all just go to the Great Hall before we all get detention!" 

"It's a little late for that," said Gair as he walked up to Elvira's side. 

They all became aware of two professors stopping in front of them.  "Professor McGonagall," whispered William with a tremor in his voice.

"Professor Snape," acknowledged Elvira. 

Both professors nodded at the greetings.  Severus held his son in his arms, who was watching the scene with wide, dread-filled eyes.  The image of the Head of Slytherin holding a little boy made him much less intimidating than usual.  McGonagall made up for it.  "Explain the meaning of this immediately!" she ordered. 

The younger boys started to speak together.  The Slytherins all stood quietly.  They knew from experience that it was better to stay quiet and accept what was coming from the other professors since their own Head of House was most likely going to give them detentions or take points later.  Sometimes he did both. 

McGonagall pointed her wand at William.  "You, Mr. Weasley!  Explain what happened!" 

William cleared his throat and began speaking.  "Well, Vin and I were just heading to dinner and we got a little excited and ran into Mask and Short there and they started a duel!"

Severus looked disappointedly at his Slytherins.  "Is that true?" 

Modesty stepped forward.  "Actually, professor, Elvira told Weasley to watch where he was going and Gair told them that we had a child with us." 

McGonagall interrupted the story then.  "A child?  Who?"  She looked down and saw the little blonde boy trying to make himself invisible behind Elvira's leg.  "And who are you?"

Draco was quiet in his response.  "Draco Malfoy." 

"You must be Lucius's son, then."  Draco nodded.  McGonagall turned to look at Severus.  "I suppose this was your idea."

Severus offered a half-apologetic grin to his old professor before he shifted Tevin in his arms.  Once he managed to hold him with one arm wrapped around him, he extended his other hand towards Draco.  "Come here, Draco."  Draco let go of Elvira and practically ran to Severus.  He took his hand and stood next to the potions professor nervously. 

McGonagall looked at the students before her.  "As for you two," she said, gesturing with her wand to Vin and William.  "I think detention will be appropriate.  See me in my office tomorrow where I'll inform you of what that will entail.  And five points each taken from your house." 

"For what?" protested Vin.

"For dueling in front of a child.  Who knows what spells he's just learned from you."  Then, she spun to face Severus.  "I leave the punishment of your students to you, Professor Snape."  With a stern expression she looked at William and Vin.  "Come with me!"  Then, McGonagall walked towards the doors of the Great Hall and the two Gryffindor boys followed her. 

Severus looked at his seventh year students for a moment before he sighed.  "I'll speak to you all in my office tonight after dinner.  I will be taking points and you will all serve detention.  We'll discuss it later.  Go."  The group of students walked away from their Head of House suddenly not in the mood to be festive during the feast. 

Severus put his son down and took his little hand.  "Come on, boys, before you miss the start of the meal."  With one hand of each boy in one of his own, he led them into the Great Hall.  He ended up dragging Draco for two or three steps as the blonde froze at his first sight of the Great Hall. 

Draco's mouth hung open as he took in the giant room.  There were four very long tables that ran the length of the entire hall.  A large table rested on the raised dais at the end of the room, which seemed like a mile's walk away to Draco.  He saw a very old man looking at him from the table.  He sat in a thronelike chair in the middle of the table.  The gaze made Draco feel uneasy.  He continued to look around the huge room as Severus led him and Tevin towards the staff table.  The ceiling looked like they were eating outside, but he could see the support beams of the vaulted ceiling so he knew they were still inside.  But the best part was all of the carved pumpkins that floated above the tables.  There must have easily been at least fifty of them.  There were giant fiery hanging torches along the walls that hung from the mouths of dragon carvings on the walls.  There was so much to take in that Draco did not even know where to look.

Tevin smiled next to his father as he walked down the aisle with him.  He'd seen the atmosphere of this feast for the last few years, and this year he was excited to be able to talk about it with someone he considered his friend.  He could always talk to the first year students but they were much older than him and didn't like talking to him for a long time. 

"Where are you going to sit tonight, Tevin?" Severus asked his son. 

Tevin looked around for some of the older students that liked to talk to him.  Draco found his voice before Tevin could find someone he wanted to sit with.  "Could we sit with Elvira?" 

Severus looked down at Draco.  "Did you make a new friend already?"

"I like her," he announced.

Severus raised an eyebrow.  "She's a little old for you, Draco." 

Draco scrunched up his nose at Severus.  "What?"

Severus shook his head.  "Nevermind."  He spotted Elvira at the Slytherin table.  She was nestled between Gair and Modesty.  Across from them sat Clarabel and Neal.  Severus walked the boys around one side of the Ravenclaw table and back up the aisle between Ravenclaw's and Sytherin's tables until he reached the small group of his seventh years. 

Severus was about to speak but Draco was apparently feeling more confident than he seemed.  He let go of Severus's hand and excitedly climbed onto the long bench forcing his way between Elvira and Gair.  The two teenagers looked down at Draco.  Gair laughed and said, "Looks like I've got some competition for you, Elvira." 

Elvira rolled her eyes. 

Clarabel looked up and saw her Head of House standing behind her friends with his son looking for a place to sit.  "Tevin!" she called.  Tevin craned his neck to see her.  "Come and sit by me."  Tevin smiled and was trying to figure out if he should run around the table, or crawl under it.  Before he knew it, he found himself floating gently in the air.  He looked back to his father and saw that he was holding his wand aloft with a stoic expression on his face.  Tevin smiled when he realized that his father was floating him over the table.  Severus lowered his son onto the floor on the other side of the table.  Tevin smiled and climbed onto the bench to sit between Clarabel and Neal. 

As Severus concealed his wand again, he looked at the seventh year students sitting with the boys.  Neal and Clarabel met their professor's eyes.  "Don't let them eat so much that they get sick." 

All five of the students looked at him and grinned.  "We won't, Professor Snape," said Neal with a reassuring smile. 

Severus nodded and walked to the staff table.  As soon as he took his seat Dumbledore stood from his chair and said a strange assortment of words after which the tables blossomed with all sorts of disgustingly sweet treats.  There were caramel and candy apples.  Mercifully, there were also natural apples.  Those were the only normal things on the menu from the house elves that night.  Everything else was an explosion of sweets and non-nutritious food. 

Even the staff table was covered in the sweets, although as requested a proper dinner was presented to Severus and several other professors who always found it a necessity to have an actual dinner.  Dumbledore was happily munching away on what appeared to be a very large piece of carrot cake and seemingly humming to himself in his delight. 

As Severus requested earlier, two proper plates of dinner appeared alongside his own.  With a casual flick of his wand, he sent the two plates through the Great Hall to land softly in front of Draco and Tevin.  He watched proudly as his son put down the caramel apple and began to eat the dinner that had floated to land in front of him without questioning it.  Draco stared at it looking disgusted.  Tevin said something to Draco, who finally picked up a fork and viciously stabbed a roast potato wedge and took a bite, his expression very unhappy.  His grey eyes looked to the students around him jealously as they snacked on various treats while he ate healthy food. 

Severus watched the boys eat for a few minutes before he began to eat his own dinner.  ‘At least Lucius has no grounds to accuse me of feeding his son only sweets for dinner.'  Severus began to cut the meat on his plate with a satisfied feeling.  When he looked up at the boys again, he saw his son wave and smile at him.  Severus tried to offer a smile back, but like every Halloween since he had found his son he just couldn't manage it. 

Draco had gone home with a slight stomach ache.  Severus had given him an anti-nausea potion which was infused with licorice tea.  He had just sent Draco home, when only seconds later Tevin came into the parlor with a satchel, of which Severus had supervised the packing, and a pillow. 

"Are you ready to go?" Severus asked Tevin, who nodded.  "Very well."  Severus turned to the mantel and pinched some floo powder.  Just before he was going to toss it into the flames he felt something collide with his side before it wrapped around him.  He looked down and saw that Tevin was hugging him for dear life.

"Why can't I stay home?"

"Because Remus misses you."

Tevin looked up at Severus.  "Every Halloween?" he asked doubtfully.

Severus drew in a deep breath and then let it out with a deep sigh.  "Tevin, Halloween is very hard time for me.  I want you to enjoy Halloween, and you can do that much better with your godfather than with me."

Tevin shook his head and hugged his father.  "I can help."

"And Uncle Remus gets lonely sometimes.  I can't keep you all to myself."  Severus gently pried his son's arms from around him, and he crouched to the boy's eye level.  "Your godfather needs some company sometimes too.  He lost some dear friends once on Halloween."  Severus picked up his son's fluffy pillow and held it out to Tevin. 

Tevin took it and hugged it like he was hugging another person.  "Did you lose mommy on Hallween?" 

Severus gasped and lowered his eyes.  It was silent in front of the fireplace for a long few minutes.  When Severus looked back up he met the questioning eyes of his son.  "Yes, I lost your mother on Halloween." 

"Is that why you never smile today?"

"Yes," Severus choked, for once allowing his emotion to show to his son.  He tried to hold in his tears as best he could but one escaped to slide down his cheek.  Before he could wipe it away, he felt the smaller hand of his son touch his face.  The boy looked at him with a compassion that far surpassed the level he should have been able to demonstrate at his age. 

"Don't be sad, Daddy," Tevin whispered, as he traced the path of the tear with his fingers, effectively wiping it away.  "I don't like when you get sad." 

Severus tried to smile for his son, but instead he grimaced.  "Come here."  Tevin stepped forward and Severus took the initiative and brought the boy to his chest, hugging him tenderly against him, sliding the fingers of one hand through the wild black hair of his son.  He did not rub Tevin's back, or stroke his fingers through the hair, but he simply held his son. 

Tevin let his father hold him until he felt the pressure of the embrace lessen.  He drew back and looked at Severus.  "Should I go to Uncle Remus's now?"

"Only if you want to."

Tevin thought for a moment.  "I want to.  He might get sad like you." 

Severus nodded.  "He probably would.  You've stayed with him on every Halloween so far." 

Tevin nodded.  "‘Kay."  Tevin picked up his pillow and adjusted his satchel. 

He waited for his father to toss the floo powder into the flames and said, "Remus Lupin's Flat."  With a gentle hand to his son's back, he guided the boy into the fire. 

Tevin faced Severus and just managed to say, "Goodnight, Daddy," as he was spun away towards his godfather's flat where he spent every Halloween night.

"Goodnight, son," Severus said to the orange flames, knowing Tevin could not hear him.  "Sleep well."  Despite Severus's wishes for restful sleep, neither father nor son slept peacefully that Halloween night.