Hogwarts - June 16, 1996
Severus sat in his office staring down at a contract. Like they had planned, the goblins had sent a job offer in the middle of May. Now he had the final contract. He knew that if he just signed it Dumbledore would complain about it. Making a decision, he grabbed the contract and headed to the headmasters office. If he signed it on the orders of the headmaster, Albus would have no one but himself to blame.
Walking up to the office Severus thought about how much he wanted this to work. He had only managed to get away 3 times since Hadrian had woken up, and he was really missing his husband and son. The bracelets were working and helping Hadrian with his separation anxiety, but it was clear he still really missed him. If this worked he could go home after the school term and not have to return.
Knocking, he waited until he was invited before he entered. The office looked like a disaster zone. There was a reason they had waited until this point to bring out the contract.
The OWL and NEWT examiners were set to arrive just after dinner to start the exams the next day. There was also a last minute staff meeting in 10 minutes. Albus would be flustered and rushed so he would be even less likely to read the contract.
"Ah, Severus my boy. What brings you up here. Has the meeting started already? I do hope I'm not late, I'm just gathering some last minute things and then I will be on my way."
"No Albus, the meeting hasn't started yet. I just received the contract from the goblins and thought I should bring it up."
"Ah good good. Have you signed it yet."
"No, not yet. I haven't had time to read it. I also need a witness."
"Well sign away and I will sign as witness."
"But we haven't read it yet. I really think we should read this first."
"It's fine my boy. When you got the official job offer I wrote to the goblins and explained what they were to put in the contract. I wanted to make sure you weren't taken advantage of."
Severus barely managed to stop his eyes from rolling. Making sure he wasn't taken advantage of, sure. This was exactly what he had been hoping for though.
"Ok, I'm done." Severus said as he handed the blood quill that had been provided with the contract to Dumbledore. "Your turn."
Dumbledore hissed slightly after he signed and the cuts appeared on the back of his hand. "This is a blood quill. Where did you get a blood quill?"
"It was provided with the contract. All goblin contracts are required to be signed in blood." Severus informed him. "Well, now that that's done we should head off to the staff meeting."
The staff meeting had just ended and no one had had the chance to leave when Argus Filch led James into the room.
"Lord Peverell what a pleasure to see you, but I must ask, what brings you here today?" Albus said grandly.
"I'm here to start the negotiations for Severus to join my curse breaking team."
"There is no need my boy. I had him sign the contract before the meeting and I witnessed it. It is official, Severus will work for you for the summer or however long you need him." Albus said with a smile.
That smile faded as James gave him a shocked expression. It was actually taking everything for him not to jump for joy. James also noticed that all the teachers were staying in the room to hear what was being said. Most of them looked shocked when Dumbledore had said that Severus was joining a curse breaking team. Filius looked particularly interested.
"But the contract was sent less than two hours ago. There is no way you could have gone over it yet."
Albus felt a little unnerved when he saw the look on Lord Peverell's face. "There was no need. When he got the job offer I sent the bank a list of what was to be in the contract. Once the contract arrived I had Severus sign it."
Before James could say anything Filius went off on the head master. "Are you out of your mind Albus. Have those lemon drops finally soured your brain."
"Filius, that is no way to speak to the headmaster." Minerva almost snarled.
"It is exactly how to speak to the fool." Filius snapped back. "That is not how goblins work. You can tell them until your blue in the face what you want in a contract but they aren't going to care. The only time that they will take what you want into consideration is during the contract negotiation period, and given that Lord Peverell has just arrived to start the negotiations it means that the contract you ordered Severus to sign was the contract that the goblins created, with nothing you wanted added. For all we know you just made Severus sign himself over as a slave."
"Now surely…" Albus said, his voice slightly unsure. He was starting to realize it might have been better if he had read the contract like Severus had said.
"I told you." Severus turned on Dumbledore, playing his role to perfection. "I told you I hadn't read the contract. I told you we should have read it. But oh no, the great Albus Dumbledore said that he had handled it. Who knows what you have forced me into this time. How many times was I tortured? How many times did I almost die? I risked everything during the last war on your order, and now this. Who knows what is going to happen to me now."
"I will contact my kin Severus. I will see if there is anything I can do." Filius told Severus, though his voice allowed them to hear that he didn't have much hope.
"If I may," interrupted James as all heads in the room snapped to him. "It is not as bad as you might think. Yes, it is very dangerous to sign a goblin contract without reading it, but the contract was one of mine. I insist that anyone on my team is first presented with a standard contract that I helped to negotiate, we then make changes to suit them. The contract that Severus signed was an amalgamation of the contracts that I negotiated for myself, and the other two members of our team negotiated for themselves."
"That's odd." Filius said. "I have never heard of the head of the curse breaking department, Rockjaw, allowing something like that."
James could see that Filius could be a problem if he wasn't handled properly. "That is because Rockjaw wasn't involved. My team and I actually report directly to Ragnock."
"Ohh." Filius was stunned. This man could clearly be a vary dangerous opponent if angered. The casual way he spoke of Chief Ragnock actually intimidated the duelling champion. "So what can Severus expect."
"Well… The contract is actually fairly favourable. I won't be able to tell you a great deal of it, there are some extremely strong secrecy rules. One of our other team members insisted on a full secrecy act. I can tell you he will be receiving a good wage, 27,000 galleons per year, plus a percentage of what we find."
"That's not possible. He won't be working with you for a year. He has a teaching contract here." Albus interjected.
"No, he doesn't." James just smiled at him. "The moment you two signed that contract it overrode all other contracts."
"He is correct Albus." Filius said. He was clearly exasperated with the headmasters actions. "Goblin contracts are designed to override almost everything."
"Actually," James said with a secret little grin to Sev. "You said you worked as a spy during the last war?" Sev nodded at that. "If I'm right, I think that the goblin contract would override the vow you had to make to get the mark."
Sev had known this of course. They had specifically made sure the contract was worded in a way to hopefully break the vow he had had to make to the dark lord. He had even felt a slight burning on his forearm after he signed the contract but hadn't had the chance to check without being noticed.
Everyone in the room watched avidly as Severus rolled up his sleeve. Everyone, including both James and Sev, gasped as they saw Sev's pale arm. No trace of the hideous dark mark remained.
"That's wonderful. Congratulations Severus." Filius practically squealed in glee. "So, can you tell us anything else about the contract."
"We are required to have a financial manager that was appointed by the bank for the next 10 years, Ragnock has already said that he would be willing to take that position. I will be given the responsibility of sitting as proxy for any governmental positions. This was at the request of one of the others. As you know headmaster I have already taken up the position as proxy of that particular house, though the actual house name is sealed by the act of silence. We will be traveling and working all over the world, and we will be expected to abide by the laws of the nation we are in, naturally. Just stuff like that. I really don't know what else that I can tell you. I would really suggest that you request a copy of the contract Severus. I know that you can't change it, but it would at least be good to know what to expect."
"Can you tell us where you will be going and who is on your team?" Minerva could see that Albus was at a loss for words so she tried to give him some time to collect himself.
"No." James said, a smile once again on his face.
Minerva looked like she was about to start pushing for more information when Filius cut her off. "Minerva. He isn't saying no because he is being contrary. If you'll notice he has only spoken in generalities. That is because he is bound by the act of silence I assume?" James nodded at him. "That means that he is incapable of going into specifics."
"Quite right Duel Master Flitwick. Since I will not be needed to start the negotiations I should be off. Now that Severus will be with us for the next 5 years I will have to make a few adjustments. Good day, everyone. Severus, you will need to be at the bank at 9 am July 1 to start work."
Walking over he shook Sev's hand, making sure to rub his thumb in circles on the back of Sev's hand. Then he left.
Once he was gone all the teachers started talking at once. It was clear that most of them blamed Dumbledore for the situation Severus was now in. They knew how Dumbledore was with contracts, so they all knew that Severus hadn't been given a choice of signing or not.
"Enough." Albus's magic crackled around him. "Severus, Minerva, Filius, please come with me to my office. We need to speak privately."
Headmasters Office
Albus all but stomped into his office like a toddler throwing a temper tantrum. Dropping down in his seat it was clear just how angry he was when no one was even offered a lemon drop.
"Filius. Tell me how we can renegotiate that contract or cancel it completely. We can't lose our potions professor for 5 whole years. I told those goblins that we could only spare him for the summer, and maybe a month or two into next year."
Years of practice kept the half goblin from reacting to the headmasters callous words. "Did you sign using your own quill, or the one they provided."
"The blood quill they sent." Severus told him as he took a place leaning against the wall as Filius and Minerva had taken the only other seats.
"Then I'm afraid there is nothing that can be done. If you had only signed in ink you may have stood a chance, not much of one, but a chance none the less. Since you signed in blood there is nothing that can be done. The contract must be fulfilled, exactly as it's written."
"But surely…" Minerva was flustered. Just who did those goblins think they were. It was clearly an underhanded trick.
"There is nothing that can be done. Goblin contracts are bound in magic and unbreakable. The only way out of this contract would be for Severus to die, not that I am suggesting that, and even then the goblins would claim his estate as recompense." Filius was actually finding this kind of funny.
He had at first been extremely nervous that Severus was in true danger, and he would have really tried to help him. But, since the contract was an already negotiated contract that others had agreed with, he knew it wouldn't be too bad. This actually might help Severus.
Filius knew that Severus had been forced to sign the teaching contract he had. He hadn't even gotten out of the hospital wing after his illegal stay in Azkaban. That contract was one of the worst he had ever seen. It gave Severus almost no personal freedom and basically enslaved him to the headmaster. Now he was free.
Goblins could be extremely harsh task masters, but something told him that Severus was going to enjoy this time. Lord Peverell clearly had sway within the goblin nation, so the contract was probably one of the best that a wizard could ever hope to achieve with the goblins.
"Filius," Filius pulled himself out of his thoughts to look at the headmaster as he spoke. "You seemed surprised that Lord Peverell would be answering to this, Rognock, rather than Lockjaw. What is the difference."
This time Filius was almost ready to challenge the old man to a dual. "Rockjaw is the head of the curse breaking department. He is a powerful and influential goblin. Ragnock, is the chief of the British branch of the Goblin nation. He is also the King's younger brother. Knowing Rockjaw is one thing, but to be answerable only to Ragnock means that Lord Peverell is very powerful within the goblin nation. It is basically the equivalent of being answerable only to the Minister of Magic in your terms."
"So… What can I do?" Severus asked. He really didn't need to have Filius answer the question as he already knew, but just wanted to rub it in to Albus and Minerva. He was free. He would now have 5 years with his family, he wouldn't even have to consider returning until Hadrian was ready to start his first year.
"You do what Lord Peverell said. You go to the bank July 1 and begin your new job." Filius turned his back to Minerva and Albus, so they wouldn't be able to see his face, and gave Severus a bright smile before turning back to them. "And Albus, Minerva, don't bother asking questions of Severus about his new job. There is no point."
"And just what do you mean by that." Minerva's back was up.
"That contract included a full act of silence, like Lord Peverell said. That means that magic will make it impossible for Severus to tell you anything you don't already know. It's like how Lord Peverell couldn't tell you who was on the team or where they were going. If they try to speak of it magic will stop them, it will actually close their throats and they won't be able to breathe until they stop trying to answer. Attempting to write about it will result in the muscles in their hand being paralyzed temporarily. Legilimence will result in black out pain for both parties. And it will get worse every time they try to circumvent the act of silence.
It is why most humans that work for the goblins only get involved with others that work for the goblins. They are the only people they can even have a basic conversation with, so long as they don't give specifics. Well, I should be off. I have students to check on."
"I will be leaving too." Severus said coldly. "I will be requesting a copy of the contract tomorrow to see just what my life is going to be like for the next 5 years. Oh, and I will be putting in a request to the school board to have Aurora Sinistra take over as head of Slytherin House in my absence as she is the only other former Slytherin on staff, and she has already started helping me with it to ease my workload while I do the schools brewing." Both Severus and Filius left after that. Each of them was hiding a smile. When Severus got back to his room he actually did a small happy dance before he ran to his mirror to call his son and tell him the good news if James hadn't gotten home yet.
Albus and Minerva just sat in the office for a few minutes, stunned. This was bad.
"I warned you." Minerva said. "I warned you that we needed to be careful with how we got information on Lord Peverell. Now we have lost Severus for 5 years. We are going to need to find a new potions master too. And there is no guarantee that we will ever be able to get Severus back under control once he returns. We have had him so well trained these last few years, now he will be running wild for 5 years."
Albus grabbed one of the delicate little crystal devices he kept on his desk and threw it against the wall. It calmed him a little. Waving his wand he repaired it and replaced it on his desk. Fawkes had screeched when he had thrown it but Albus paid him no mind.
Temporarily calmed he sat back down and sipped his tea before putting a lemon drop in his mouth. "I am aware. I should have realized that the goblins would take advantage of the situation. We really need tougher restrictions on them. This is definitely going to make things difficult over the next few years. Not only are we going to need a new potions professor, but we will also need to make sure that they can gather ingredients and brew all the potions the school needs. There are no other potions masters that I have enough control over to make them agree to that. Severus only agreed because Poppy had him on potions at the time. It is a good thing we now have access to more money for the school. But again that will bring the goblins into our school as they need to approve everything."
"And just how are we to get Severus to return after he finishes at the bank. They said that that goblin contract broke his school contract. We will need to get him to sign an entirely new contract. And there is no way even you will be able to get him to agree to everything again."
"I am aware." That was going to be difficult, and Albus knew it. "We may have one thing working in our favour. 5 years is exactly when the Potter boy is to start here. I made Severus swear an unbreakable vow as a life debt that he would protect the boy. That vow will force him to return."
"Is that vow still active."
"I believe so. Life debts are olde magic. As far as I know there is nothing that can override it. I will have to check with Severus, but it should still be there."
"And what are you going to do about the money and Wizengamot seats."
"What?"
"Lord Peverell said that they would have to have a bank appointed financial manager for 10 years. You have been controlling his finances to keep control of him, now the goblins do. He also said that the unknown seat that he held proxy for was another member of his team. If that was written into the contract that means he will now also be proxy for the Prince seats. You may have managed to overpower Severus's shields to make him forget he was Lord Prince, but the goblins know."
Minerva wished that she hadn't said anything as Albus's magic lashed out. He hadn't been paying close enough attention to what they had been saying. The magic was suffocating, Minerva had no choice but to get up and flee the office. Standing outside the closed office door she heard as the headmasters office was destroyed.
Severus's Room
After his little happy dance Severus ran into his room, throwing up privacy wards as he went, and grabbing his mirror he called home.
The first thing he saw when the mirror was activated on the other end was the smiling face of his son. "Papa, you're coming home. Yous safe from the bad man."
"I am my little one. Your daddy did a really good job and now papa is going to get to come home. But remember, I still have to stay here for another 2 weeks. I will try to come home on weekends."
"We know, Sev. We have already discussed that. And although we are not overly happy about it, we will be ok. Won't we, Hadrian." James had come up behind his son. Hadrian nodded to James with a slight pout on his face.
They talked for about an hour more before his wards alerted Severus that someone was at his office door. Believing it to be Dumbledore, Severus said goodbye to his family and went into his office.
Taking a calming breath, Severus opened the door. Opening the door he didn't find the headmaster, instead he found Bill Weasley.
"I wasn't aware that we had a study session tonight Mr. Weasley."
"We didn't sir. I was just hoping that I could ask you a few last minute questions before the exams start."
"Well then, come in."
Going into the office, Severus once again threw up privacy wards. Once the wards were up Severus watched as the boy visibly relaxed. During the past months Severus had come to learn that Bill was actually magically sensitive and had mage sight.
Bill hadn't even known. He had always known that he could see some of the magic around him, and that he felt it too, but he had just thought that everyone else could too. Severus had had to walk him through how to work it, luckily he had already had to do the same thing with Hadrian, so he knew what to say.
Because Bill lived in a magical home he had most likely learned to block out most of it as a child to protect himself. Being in a magically active area was actually quite painful for someone with mage sight if they couldn't control it. The more power the brighter things were. If Bill hadn't learned to block out most of it being in Hogwarts would have been impossible for him, the amount of magic would have left him blind by the end of the first week.
"What is it that you need."
"Sir… I was just wondering…I mean. I honestly don't really know what I'm trying to say." He took a deep breath. "Why have you been helping me? From what I've heard you really don't like many students, but here you are, helping me learn in secret. I know that you could get into trouble if we're caught. So why?"
Severus didn't know what to say. He knew that he wasn't the nicest of teachers, but Bill was right. He normally wouldn't have bothered to help a student the way he had with Bill. It was mostly down to what he knew Bill could be capable of in the future.
"Truthfully Mr. Weasley. I am indeed not overly fond of many of the students. Potions is an exceptionally dangerous class. I am not mean because I enjoy it, it is to make sure that you all do your best not to screw up, because you want to avoid my attention. When I was a student here we had a professor called Horace Slughorn. He allowed many of the students to fool around and treat potions like it was a joke. When I was in my third year some of the students were playing around, throwing things into each others cauldrons. Eventually one of the cauldrons exploded. The entire class ended up in the hospital wing, and two of the students died. It was all covered up, but it doesn't change the fact that we all had to watch them die.
I looked it up. In the 34 years Slughorn worked here 11 students died in his class. I swore when I took on the position that I wouldn't lose any students. And, to date, I haven't lost a single student, I haven't even had any of you dunderheads lose a limb. If I have to be seen as cruel, and be hated to achieve that, then so be it. You're all alive.
As for why I'm helping you… I can see that you have great potential Mr. Weasley. I am just showing you that there is more out there than what you can learn in a classroom. There is also your father. As many people know, I worked as a spy during the last war. Part of that job meant that I had to do things. I had to hurt people to save people. And I did it. I never killed or tortured anyone, but I did terrify and terrorize them to keep my cover. You're parents were both a part of the organization that I was working for at the time. Most of the people there looked down on me. They hated me for what I did, even though that never stopped them from using the information I got.
I was treated with suspicion and hatred by most. Except your father. He never once looked down on me. He never treated me with anything but respect and always made sure to ask how I was doing or if I needed anything when I was hurt. I guess this is my way of repaying him for his kindness during a very dark time in my life."
Bill just sat there. He had, of course, heard the rumours that the potions master had been a death eater but he had just thought they were rumours. The teachers would never allow a death eater to teach them. But this was something he never would have suspected.
He had been a spy. He had risked his life everyday, and people looked down on him for it. This man should be heralded as a hero, instead he was scorned and reviled. His own mother talked about this man like he was scum. Bill had always wondered why his father always stopped his mother from saying anything bad about Snape when he was there. It was clear that his father respected him, while his mother looked down on him. But the fact was simple, to Bill, from this point on, Snape was a hero.
"Thank you."
"There is no need to thank me Mr. Weasley. I have just been doing my job. Now, it is good that you came to see me. I know that you are planning to continue on with your secret studies, but you will have to find somewhere else to work."
"Wh?. Do you not want to help me anymore?"
"Not at all Mr. Weasley. I told you about my curse breaker friends earlier. Well, I have been recruited to work as a curse breaker for the next few years. By the time I finish out my contract you will have already graduated."
"Wow sir, that's so cool. You're so lucky. I've actually been considering applying to be a curse breaker once I graduate, but I don't know what you need to be accepted and I don't want to go to Professor McGonagall. I don't think she would really help me with it, she spends to much time with my mom, and mom won't listen to anything I say. She wants me to work for the ministry, and thats that, it really doesn't seem to matter to her what I want. But where can I study? I really don't want to stop. I've only just started."
Severus sat back. He had actually become fond of Bill. He was a good kid, a bit foolish and reckless, but no worse than many others. He knew that he was being far more blunt than was necessarily wise, but he wanted to trust the boy, it also didn't really matter all that much anymore if Bill ran off and told on him. Then an idea came to him.
"Mipsey"
A house elf in a little dress like uniform in red and black popped into the room. Bowing slightly at Severus she spoke in a high pitched voice.
"Master called Mipsey."
Mipsey was one of the Potter elves that was currently working at the school. Severus knew that she was loyal to himself, his husband, and his son. The little elf had no loyalties to Hogwarts or anyone else inside this castle so she would never betray the secret.
"Mipsey, this is Bill Weasley. He is going to be studying independently in the come and go room over the next two years. I want you to keep an eye on him, if he needs anything, within reason, I want you to get it for him. If at any point he is injured I want you to tend to it. If the injury is too severe for you to fix, you will take him directly to the hospital wing. Am I understood?"
"Yes master. Mipsey be understanding." With that, Mipsey popped away.
"What was that about? Why was she dressed that way? None of the Hogwarts elves that I have seen have uniforms like that." Bill was confused. He had never heard of a place called the come and go room.
"Mipsey is not a Hogwarts elf. Mipsey is actually a Potter elf. The Potter's felt that the elves should be allowed to wear proper uniforms and be treated well. After the loss of their master, James Potter, they were sent here. As for what it was about, there is a room in the castle that is known as the come and go room, or the room of requirement. It can become anything you want it to be and it will hide you from everyone. If you practice in there, no one need ever know. The room is up on the seventh floor across the hall from the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy. Just walk past that section of the wall, thinking about what you need, and the door will appear. If you don't want anyone to find you, the door will disappear after you enter so no one can see it."
"That's so cool."
"If that is everything Mr. Weasley, you should be off. Oh, before you go. To be a curse breaker Mr. Weasley you need O NEWTs in charms, ancient runes, defence agains the dark arts, warding, and arithmancy, you will also need a minimum of EE in transfiguration, potions, history, and herbology. If you can achieve those grades you will have to apply at the bank, where, if accepted, you will then need to go through a minimum of 2 years of training. There are also a few other NEWTs that you could study on your own like you do with warding that would improve your chances, those include spell crafting, and spell weaving. It is not a job for those that aren't willing to put in the work. Now, off with you."
Hogwarts - June 29, 1996
The previous two weeks had been hectic. Normally Severus would stay a week into the summer to clean up his labs and make sure everything was out of the common room. Now, he had to have everything packed and ready to go tomorrow. Severus had never wanted to smile more.
All the exams were done and the students would be boarding the train in less than 3 hours. There would be one last staff meeting, though he really didn't understand why he was required to attend. It was only a few more hours until he could go home, but now those few hours felt like a lifetime.
Everyone seemed to have last minute things to do and were running around like fools, both teachers and students. Severus just wanted them gone. He wanted to be gone. He had his own family to see now.
Eventually he gathered his snakes. He had already explained to them that he wouldn't be back next year. Many did not like that fact. While most of the teachers at least tried to be fair it had always fallen to Severus to balance out the prejudice that the snakes received. They knew with him gone they didn't stand a chance at the house cup.
As he escorted them down to the train he found himself to actually be slightly sad. There was no denying that he was overjoyed to be leaving but, on some level, he was going to miss these children. He had been teaching at the school for 4 years now and had watched them grow. He actually felt slightly paternal to them. But, he knew that Aurora was more then capable of looking after them.
When it came time for the meeting Severus all but apperated himself into the staff room. Once this was done he could go home.
The meeting really didn't cover anything new. Instead they just went over everything they needed to do to close down the school for the summer over the next week. But since Severus had to leave early, he had already done his parts. It was at the end of the meeting that Albus started saying things that concerned Severus.
"Now that that is all done, we need to discuss the students that were removed by the DCW. We will need to keep an eye on them. I know that we won't have much, if any, contact with them during this summer. So, they are going to need to be watched when they return."
"Of course headmaster." Poppy said. She was still angry that the healers from St. Mungo's had come into her domain.
She had been treating the students of this school for over 30 years. Who did they think they were, coming into her ward like she was some newbie.
During the first week of June the healers James had arranged for from St. Mungo's had come and conducted the health checks. Now, when the students got of the train at Kings Cross 13 of them were being met by the newly hired staff of The Sea Cliff House.
There were also another 29 students who would be receiving a home visit from the DCW over the summer. The students hadn't shown any signs of major injuries that would require immediate removal, but there had been some warning signs in the questionnaire that the mind healer staff had had all the students fill out.
"Why?" Pamona Sprout was confused by this idea.
"Because, obviously we have to make sure that they are not being exposed to a negative environment and corrupted." Minerva said.
"I don't think we need to worry about something like that. Some of these children will be going to the first safe home they have ever had. If an abusive home didn't 'corrupt' them, I'm sure a safe home won't." Filius had always known that Albus and Minerva were trying to sway the children to their view point.
"We don't know the kind of people that will be put in charge of them. For all we know it could be someone dark." Albus said in a grave tone.
"Well actually, I know at least one of the people on staff. I have stayed in touch with some of my former students. I often receive letters and yule cards from them. One of my former students, miss Grove, let me know that she was offered a job there. She is actually one of the ones that will be picking up the students at the train station. I made sure my badgers that were going there knew that they could talk to her if they needed help."
"Is there any way you could get us some information on who will be working there?" Albus asked, his eyes twinkling.
"Unfortunately no. As we all know now, goblin contracts are unbreakable, and the DCW insisted that the staff all sign one to ensure the children's privacy." Pamona said.
They had gotten the joy of listening to Albus and Minerva try, and fail, to break, or get around, Severus's new contract. Every time they failed they would then rant at everyone for awhile, before they would try again.
Albus was trying to force himself to remain calm. Nothing was going his way anymore. And he knew exactly why. Lord Peverell. How he hated that man.
That one man had made a mess of Albus's world. Albus had been well on his way to ridding their world of that horrible dark magic. He really didn't know why anyone was even aloud to be born with a dark core. They should be gotten rid of at birth. He knew that most people would never support an idea like that but it was what needed to be done. Dark magic needed to be removed for their world to prosper.
Ever since Sebastian Peverell entered the Wizengamot all his plans had been thrown into disarray. Now he was being forced to allow more dark cored children in his school. It was bad enough that he had to allow the children with dark cores from wealthy families in. If things didn't start going his way again soon the school would become a training ground for those sorts of people.
As Albus had been thinking the meeting had been called to a close and all the teaches were getting ready to go back to what they had been doing before. Severus was headed to the door. It was time for him to go home.
"Severus my boy, I need a word." Albus said as he snapped back to reality.
"Albus, I honestly don't see what we need to talk about." Severus was annoyed. He had no intention of putting up with this old man anymore, he was done. "You have tried to get my new contract cancelled, you have failed. It's done. I have already told you, yes, the life debt you made me swear too is still active. I will be forced to do everything I can to protect Hadrian Potter. But, due to the specific wording of the vow you made me make, that does not come into effect until he comes to Hogwarts. As of the end of this meeting I am finished working here at Hogwarts. I have packed everything up, made sure the common room is clean, and told Aurora everything she needs to know to be head of house. I am done. I am leaving and there is nothing that you, or anyone, can do. Now, I have somewhere to be. Goodbye everyone, it has been an interesting few years."
With that Severus walked out of the staff room and then out of the castle. Walking down the road to the front gates and towards Hogsmead. As soon as he was a foot outside the gates he apperated to the bank, before going on to floo to Peverell manor.
Severus didn't even manage to get out of the fireplace before Hadrian was in his arms. The small boy just kept sobbing, "You're home… You're safe… You don't have to go back."
"Yes, I'm home little one. And I won't have to leave you again. We can finally be a real family." Severus said as he held his son in a tight hug. Seeing this James, Sirius, and Remus joined in the hug.
The house elves came to check why their masters hadn't left the floo room 10 minutes later and found them all in a group hug, sitting on the floor. Smiling, they left the happy humans to their reunion. Oh yes, they thought, life was much better now.