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I, Too, Shall Follow by notwolf [Reviews - 2]

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“Master Lucius?” Sisidy inquired warily. The young master was alone with his wife and, she’d learned once from a severe scolding, he didn’t appreciate being interrupted when he was with Miss Narcissa. She hopped back and forth from one foot to the other, hoping the young master wouldn’t be upset. He’d never struck her as he did Dobby, but a look of displeasure was enough to send her into soulful tears.

“What is it?” Lucius called through the closed door.

“Forgive Sisidy, Master, but your friend is here. Mister Severus is wanting to see Master Lucius.” She raised a hand to her mouth to chew nervously on a fingernail.

“Tell him I’ll be there straightaway.”

“Yes, Master.”

The elf popped down into the main living area, where Severus was wearing a hole in the expensive carpet with his pacing. He looked up hopefully at the sound of her Apparating, then his shoulders slumped once more.

“Master Lucius is saying he coming straightaway,” the elf squeaked. “Does Mister Severus wanting food or drink?”

“No, thank you,” he mumbled. Maybe he shouldn’t be bothering Lucius with this, yet he didn’t know where else to turn. When Lucius Apparated in, looking somewhat disheveled, his hair loose and mussed, Severus definitely wished he hadn’t come. He could imagine what Lucius had been up to with Narcissa, causing a breach in his perennially impeccable appearance.

“Hi, Severus, how are you?” said Lucius pleasantly as he casually smoothed his hair. He seemed very content; maybe they were finished?

Severus dropped his gaze, stifling a snicker. “Your shirt is buttoned wrong,” he mentioned.

“Is it?” Lucius glanced down, flushing slightly as he unbuttoned it to do over. “Wonder how that happened.”

His friend let it pass without a snide remark. Best not to antagonize when asking for a favor. “Lucius, I, um…you know Glenna married Mulciber. I told you.”

“Yes, I remember,” answered the other, who was now peering into the mirror over the fireplace, engaged in full scale inspection of his person, adjusting clothing, tying back his hair.

“Glenna had the baby.” Severus’ voice caught in his throat. “Lucius, she’s mine.”

The older man stopped his primping to study his friend’s forlorn face. He’d thought the poor lovesick fool had gotten over the worst of it. Sadly he said, “Severus, Glenna isn’t yours anymore, she—”

“The baby!” interrupted Severus in a near wail. “The baby is mine!”

Lucius cocked his head, asking guardedly, “Why do you think that?”

“Because Glenna told me! Jack told me!”

Flabbergasted, utterly shocked, Lucius stepped over to a chair and crumbled into it. Severus had a child! It seemed somehow incomprehensible. When he finally managed to move his lips, he murmured, “Wow. I did not expect that.”

Severus continued pacing across the floor as he ranted on. “Glenna married Mulciber, knowing it was my daughter. She thought I didn’t want a kid, which I said I didn’t, but she could’ve told me and given me the chance to make it right. Now they don’t want me involved, Mulciber’s going to be her father, and I’m nobody! It’s not right!”

Lucius hesitated, expecting the other man to continue, but he’d fixed the blond with a stare that implied he anticipated a response. He coughed lightly. “Let me get this straight. You and Glenna have a child, which she and Jack are raising, and you want…what exactly is it you want, Severus?”

“Jacinta,” he replied immediately, then after a pause he added, “And Glenna, but I doubt…she probably wouldn’t…”

“I think it’s a little late to try for Glenna,” advised Lucius. “If you two couldn’t sort things out before this, I don’t see how you’d manage now when it’s far more complicated.”

“Maybe so, but I have as much right to my daughter as she does,” Snape contended. “I want to raise her.”

A myriad of reasons that this seemed a bad idea to Lucius swarmed over him like moths to a flame. Severus was old enough to be a father—obviously—yet if he couldn’t even tell Glenna he loved her when they were together, how would he communicate with the child? He had to work, with no wife at home to tend the baby. He was, to be generous, not exactly inclined to like children, on the whole. He was short tempered, stubborn—

“Lucius, are you even listening?”

“Yes,” said Lucius, snapping out of his contemplation. “I think you’re a little overwrought right now. Perhaps you need to take some time to calm down, think this through.”

“What’s to think through? The Malfoy name carries a lot of weight with the authorities—”

“Assuming we intended to go to them, which we don’t,” interrupted Lucius. He was gearing up for an explanation when his friend gawked at him with a pointed look of betrayal.

“You don’t want to help me.” Severus’ voice sounded high and strained. His last resort—his only resort—wanted no part of it. With as much dignity as he could muster while still being absolutely vitriolic, he sneered, “But then, why should you? It’s not your kid, what do you care?”

“Now you’re just being an arse,” said Lucius matter-of-factly.

“What do you know about it? You’re not a father,” Severus retorted. “You’re probably jealous because you don’t have a child, so you don’t want me to have my daughter, either!” He knew he was being unreasonable, yet he couldn’t stop the words from jumping out of his mouth. “I never abused your friendship, and the one time I ask for your assistance you spurn me. Thanks for nothing.”

He stepped back into the fireplace and Floo’d home, leaving a very confused and indignant Malfoy to stew in his anger. How dare that little jerk treat him this way! He worked his way twice through every swear word he knew, and was then forced to begin combining them in creative ways to vent his fury, which grew the more he dwelt on it. Severus didn’t even bother to listen to what he had to say, he’d simply come to get what he wanted, and if he didn’t get it, to hell with Lucius! Well, two could play that game! And the nerve of the prick to hammer on the sensitive issue of his lack of children!

“Lucius, what’s wrong?” Narcissa came over to where he stood spewing invectives.

“I don’t know why I was ever friends with that bastard,” he growled, his jaw tight. “Ungrateful, vindictive…” He went off again maligning the young man in the most unflattering fashion, to Narcissa’s dismay.

“Honey, what happened?”

“He insulted me, then threw our friendship in my face and left.” As irate as he was, the hurt shown in his gray eyes.

Narcissa reached up to stroke his face, so pale, so beautiful, yet unnerving in its fury. She’d already asked twice, it seemed unwise to ask him again to recount the events when he was so agitated. “I’m sure he didn’t mean it.”

“I don’t care,” answered Lucius, taking her hand to lead her out of the room. “He can rot in hell before I ever speak to him again.”

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

“Severus, what is it?” Eileen came out of the kitchen to find her eldest standing in the fireplace, unmoving, staring at the floor.

He raised his eyes to her, the most mournful eyes she’d ever seen, and huge tears slid down his cheeks. “Mum, I need to talk to you.”

Seated side by side on the couch, he narrated the entire story of Glenna, Jack, and Jacinta, keeping his face averted to avoid acknowledging her shock. He went on to detail the fiasco at Malfoy Manor, including his own unfounded, cruel accusations. When he’d finished, he looked up, expecting to see condemnation.

Eileen threw her arms around her son, hugging him tight to her chest. “Oh, Severus, you stupid boy.” At length she drew back, holding him at arm’s length, studying him. “My baby has a baby. Oh, Severus.”

“Are you heinously disappointed in me?”

“No, son. I’m disappointed at how things worked out, but I’m thrilled to have a granddaughter.”

He shook his head, unsure of what to say. A granddaughter his mother couldn’t see didn’t count for much, did it? Just as a daughter he could never see was purely heartbreaking.

Eileen shook him gently, her voice more commanding than he was used to. “Son, I know you said some awful, mean things to the Malfoy boy, but he’s a good sort. You need to apologize to him. Who knows, maybe he can do something.”

“He doesn’t want to, Mum.”

“Did he say that?” she challenged.

Severus flitted quickly through the conversation in his memory. “No, I guess he didn’t. I assumed that’s what he meant.”

“Severus, even if he can’t or won’t help for some reason, he’s been your friend for many years. You need to hear him out; it’s the least you can do,” she insisted.

A whooshing, rustling in the fireplace drew their attention. A dusty Narcissa stepped forward, brushing at the soot, and she stopped short at seeing them on the couch, eyes riveted on her. She gave a lopsided grin. “Hello there.”

Rising from the couch, Severus walked over to her. Why was she here, especially now? Surely Lucius had regaled her heartily about their quarrel. “Hi, Narcissa. You remember my mother.”

“Yes, Mrs. Snape, it’s good to see you. Severus, I don’t have much time, Lucius will wonder where I’ve gone. He told me you argued…well, he wasn’t so gracious about it, but that was the idea. What happened between you?”

“He didn’t tell you anything?” asked Snape incredulously.

“No,” she said ruefully. “But he taught me some profanities I’d never heard before.”

Eileen waved her over to sit with her. “You may as well tell her, son.”

When Severus had finished spinning the tale for the second time, he sat back in shame at Narcissa’s reaction. She’d looked surprised but almost happy about the baby; when he got to the part of his cutting remarks regarding Lucius, her blue eyes grew wide and filled with tears. He knew damned well how much it pained the couple not to have a baby, and to use it as a weapon was simply unconscionable. Perhaps he ought to have censored himself instead of telling her, he thought, only if he did, Lucius would eventually fill her in on everything he’d said.

“Narcissa, I’m sorry I said those things. It was hurtful and cruel, I know. I didn’t mean it.”

She gulped back a lump in her throat. “Well, I understand why he’s so angry.” Then she did something he could not have anticipated. She took his hand in hers, leaned in, and kissed his cheek. “I know you didn’t mean it, and when he gets over his fit, he’ll realize it, too. I wish you’d come back to the manor.”

“At this point in time, I think that would be suicidal,” he answered dryly.

A lovely smile crept over her features and she laughed softly. “Maybe so. Give it a few days for Lucius to calm down, then come by. And congratulations on Jacinta.”

“Thank you,” he murmured.

Narcissa pulled him into a hard embrace, which he readily returned, then she got up. “I think I’d rather Apparate home. The Floo is so messy.”

Severus led her outside to the back garden, from where she could see smokestacks not far off, then she gave another smile and disappeared.

XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOO

Three days, three agonizingly long days had passed before Severus deemed it safe to make contact with Lucius. Even if the man hadn’t forgiven him, and chance fell heavily in that direction, he needed to make an apology for his beastly conduct. By now Malfoy ought to have simmered down to merely pissed instead of enraged, so he could at least try to explain his actions. No, try to grovel without appearing to do so…it was a tricky path, especially since groveling didn’t come naturally.

He Floo’d into the Malfoy main living area, mildly surprised that he was still able to do so. Lucius must have overlooked blocking him from entry the way everyone else except family was blocked. Almost instantly an elf appeared.

“Yes, Mister Severus?” squeaked Dobby, his huge ears flapping nervously as if he thought the youth might hit him. It peeved Severus, actually, since he’d never touched the wretched elf, which therefore had no cause to fear him.

“I need to see your master,” he said, stepping out of the fireplace to brush himself off.

Dobby gawked for a few moments, his mind churning. Master Lucius hated Dobby, and Master Lucius had been in a very, very bad mood these past days. Master Lucius now hated Mister Severus, too, and if Dobby told him Mister Severus was here, Master Lucius would punch Dobby or kick Dobby. But Mister Severus hadn’t specified Master Lucius…he said Dobby’s master. Dobby’s master was truly Master Malfoy. Biting his lip, he disappeared.

Shortly, though what seemed ages to Severus, Abraxas came strolling into the room. “Hello, Severus.”

“Hello, Mr. Malfoy,” he responded, glancing by him. Where was Lucius? Maybe he refused to come.

“So, you’re a father,” drawled Abraxas, not beating around the bush.

“Yes, sir.” Snape vaguely wondered who had told him, Lucius or Narcissa.

“I suppose it never occurred to you to get married before having relations.” How could he make a scolding sound like casual conversation?

Shamefaced, Severus replied, “I’m sorry, sir.”

“Sit down, son.” It wasn’t a request. Severus sat in one of the armchairs near the fireplace, Abraxas settled himself in the other. “Now you see some of the problems associated with premarital sex.” Was he blushing at the word?

“Mr. Malfoy, I appreciate your concern, but…well, I just want my daughter.”

Abraxas nodded, pursing his lips in thought. “This is a complicated situation you’ve gotten into, Severus. Your daughter is being claimed by another man. I sympathize with you.”

“He’s doing it to spite me,” asserted Severus with a rush of anger.

“Are you sure of that? Can you imagine what this is like for Jack Mulciber? I’m certain when he found out he’d been duped, he was hurt, maybe even humiliated. He didn’t have to forgive Glenna’s deception, he didn’t have to accept responsibility for her and the child. He did so to prevent scandal surrounding them. That doesn’t sound much like spite. No doubt you resent him, even despise him, but it takes a real man to forgive that kind of duplicity, to take on a family under those circumstances.”

No matter how logical the argument, if it championed Jack, Snape didn’t want to hear it. “Sir, he doesn’t have to. I want my daughter; I don’t want him raising her.”

“I understand that, Severus, but realistically, what options exist? Is Glenna an unfit mother?”

“No,” admitted Snape reluctantly.

“And assuming she were unfit and you were given custody, who would take care of the baby while you were at work? Your mother isn’t well, and you can’t expect your siblings to do it.” Why did he have to be so blasted logical?

“My grandparents,” Severus said.

Abraxas inclined his head slightly in acknowledgement. “I have to admit that is a possibility—if Glenna couldn’t care for Jacinta. It all comes down to that.”

“You have a lot of connections, Mr. Malfoy. If you asked for a favor, you’d get it,” pleaded the young man.

“I do, that’s true. Likely I could arrange it. First I want you to think for a minute about how you’re feeling right now. Is that what you want to do to Glenna?” Abraxas fixed him with a hard look. “You can’t have it both ways.”

The idea of Glenna suffering as he suffered was too much for Severus. How could he take her baby from her, devastate her, when despite it all he loved her? She’d carried Jacinta inside her, loved her for nine months when Severus felt nothing for the baby. It would kill her to lose her child.

“Shared custody,” Severus croaked, grasping at a compromise. “Why can’t we have that?”

The older man sighed heavily in a way that made Snape’s stomach leap. “Lucius and I have discussed this at length—yes, he’s still irate, but you’re his friend nonetheless. He told me Jack’s father is a Death Eater, a particularly devoted Death Eater.”

“Yes, sir.”

“If he finds out his granddaughter isn’t really his granddaughter, he’s liable to murder her, and maybe Glenna as well. Shared custody is a declaration to the world that Jack isn’t Jacinta’s father. The child wouldn’t be safe.” Abraxas studied the emotionless face before him; only the pain in his eyes told of the turmoil raging inside.

After what felt like eons of torture, rolling these thoughts around his skull, Severus felt no better than when he’d come—he felt worse, in fact. If he procured sole custody, he’d destroy Glenna. If he got shared custody, his child and Glenna would be marked for death. If he left things as they were, he’d still be miserable. And, assuming he overcame his reluctance concerning homicide and decided on a preemptive strike against Mulciber, Sr., Lord Voldemort would probably find out somehow and see to it the rest of the Death Eaters tracked down Snape and murdered him. If Aurors didn’t do it first, or cart him off to Azkaban. It was a lose/lose proposition all the way around.

“What am I supposed to do? She’s mine!” he blurted in a half howl. “They won’t even let me see her!”

Abraxas cocked his eyebrow in exactly the same manner as his son. “That I may be able to help you with. First I think you and Lucius need to talk, make up, then we’ll discuss securing visitation.” Without waiting for Snape’s reply, he got up and left the room. Severus got up to pace again.

No more than a minute had gone by when Lucius Apparated in. His sullen expression said it all before he even spoke. “My father ordered me to come. What do you want?”

“Just to talk…to apologize,” said Snape, feeling very ill at ease.

“Apologize? Would that be for slandering me, or merely for being a self-centered, obstinate piece of shit?”

He’s baiting you, Severus warned himself, gritting his teeth. “That isn’t necessary, Malfoy. I’m trying to be gracious.”

Lucius blew out a chortled breath. “And a pig can try to be genteel, but it doesn’t succeed.”

Severus’ fragile patience snapped. “Why do you have to be such a jackal? It’s no wonder people talk about you behind your back, you unctuous, self-aggrandizing, condescending prig! I’ll leave so you can get back to worshipping yourself and your perfect wife!”

He didn’t even manage to turn around. Lucius nailed him in the eye with a punch that knocked him to the ground, then leaped on top of him to sit on his chest and whale on the younger man with both fists. Severus squirmed and writhed violently in an attempt to buck him off while doing his best to fend off blows, and hopefully land a few of his own.

All at once, like opposing forces gone postal, the young men flew apart from one another. Severus smacked the wall back-first and sank to the floor; Lucius hit the opposite wall, a considerable distance away, crunching his shoulder quite hard and eliciting a stream of obscenities. He got up, rubbing the bruised limb, then halted in place, eyes widening.

Abraxas put his wand back in his pocket, frowning and shaking his head. “That’s quite enough of your smut mouth, Lucius. I leave you two alone for five minutes and this is how you behave.”

Together Lucius and Severus rejoined, “He started it!”

“You hit me first!” Severus pointed out, his swollen eye testimony to the fact.

Lucius shook back his hair, which had fallen mostly out of its band and draped across his face. “You called me a multitude of names,” he retorted, then addressed his father. “And he called Narcissa…perfect.” Somehow it sounded worse in his mind. Abraxas raised an eyebrow questioningly. “Well, it was the way he said it.”

“You’re both grown men; I’d hate to have to bare your arses and spank you like three-year-olds.” Abraxas crooked a finger at them. “Come here, both of you.”

Out of deeply ingrained habit, Lucius started to obey, albeit with trepidation. He knew that look, that tone, that finger. Severus, his eyes the size of ping pong balls, stood glued to the floor.

While Abraxas didn’t raise the volume of his voice, the tone became deeper, menacing as he directed it at Snape. “Now.”

Severus slinked over, shuffling his feet as if incapable of lifting them off the floor. When both young men stood before him, Abraxas took each one by the head, winding his fingers in their hair, then with a sudden, hard motion he cracked their skulls together with a loud ‘thunk’.

“Ow!” they yelped in unison.

“Now, boys, I’ve had enough of your juvenile attitude. You’re going to sit down like adults and work this out, is that understood?”

Severus exclaimed, “He thinks I’m a ‘pig trying to be genteel’!”

Lucius ducked his head, snickering. “That was pretty clever.” He caught his father’s eye—or rather, glare. “Well, it was,” he grumbled. “Besides, he said loads of things about me, none of them complimentary, I might add.”

Abraxas gave a deliberately exaggerated sigh. He’d hoped he wouldn’t have to resort to this threat. “Do I need to cane you both?” He snapped his fingers; a second later the dreaded cane flew into the room and he deftly caught it. Severus and Lucius scrambled for the chairs, throwing themselves in and projecting an air of absolute innocence. “Excellent. Severus, apologize to Lucius for your earlier remarks—and the recent ones, what the hell.”

“Lucius, I’m sorry for the reprehensible things I said. I was upset, I wanted to make you feel bad, but I didn’t really want to hurt you.”

“But you did,” Lucius confessed, eyes downcast.

“I’m sorry,” he reiterated.

“When you said I was jealous, maybe I am,” Lucius conceded. “You didn’t even want a child, yet you got one. Narcissa and I have been trying for almost five years. It’s not fair.”

“No, it isn’t. My remarks were abhorrent and uncalled for. I don’t know what else to say except I’m very sorry.” Severus chanced a glance over at his friend.

Lucius shrugged one shoulder. “I don’t really think you’re a pig.” He grinned in spite of himself.

Severus let out a relieved breath and grinned with him. “And I don’t really think you’re a prig.”

Abraxas tapped his cane on the floor. “Don’t you both feel better? Was that so difficult? Now let’s talk about getting Severus a way to see his baby.”





I, Too, Shall Follow by notwolf [Reviews - 2]

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