Let's Try Again

Chapter 11: Summer Time

Peverell Manor - July 1, 1996

Life was good. This was Severus's second full day at home and he most definitely wasn't used to this being his life. He had woken up early this morning, he still wasn't used to not having to get up for class, and rather than being alone in his small, dark bedroom, he was in a large, soft bed with his husband and son curled up next to him.

So far, since he had first returned home, Hadrian hadn't managed to spend the night in his own bed. It wasn't that Severus had a problem with that, he actually understood why Hadrian wanted to always be with them. Severus himself actually preferred it. His husband and son had been stolen from him and he had had to live for years without them. Now that he had them back he didn't want them to be far away.

He knew that eventually they would have to work on getting Hadrian to stay in his own bed, just not yet. Severus wanted the chance to get used to having his family close first.

Calling one of the cook elves, Topsy, he had their breakfast brought up to them so that they could have breakfast in bed. Then he got to watch and compare how the two most important men in his life woke up.

Hadrian was the first to react. He was finally starting to be able to eat larger meals, and he had actually managed to put on close to 10 pounds. It wasn't as quick as they would have liked, but if he gained weight to fast it could hurt him.

Severus watched as Hadrian first started to sniff as the scent of bacon and eggs filled the room. Then his face started scrunching as he both tried to wake up and go back to sleep. Eventually he started to blink as he woke up. Severus chuckled lightly at the look on his sons face.

He had a confused look on his face until he caught sight of Severus. As soon as he saw his papa, his face broke out in a happy little grin. Then he noticed the food and hummed a little in joy.

Hadrian and Severus were both half way through their breakfast before James started to wake. James kept his eyes closed tightly against the light until he heard Hadrian giggle at him. Slowly he cracked one eye open to look at them.

With a deep sigh and a large pout he sat up to eat his breakfast. Once they had all eaten James started to tickle Hadrian until he begged to be set free. Once free, Hadrian an off to find Remus and Sirius to try and get them on his team for a prank war against his fathers.

The prank war lasted for over an hour before Hadrian and his uncles claimed victory after turning James and Severus completely pink, clothes and all. After the prank war they got themselves cleaned up for their appointment at the bank.

Today they were going to get their first assignment. By the next day they were planning to be out of Britain. James hadn't been lying when he told Dumbledore that the goblins wanted to excavate the temple lab of one of the oldest known potions masters, it was in Japan.

Remus had been studying up on the lore about the temple during his spare time, the others all believed that he might just be some type of researching god given all the other work they had been doing, and he believed that he knew the general location of the temple. If they could get Ragnock to approve what they were planning then they would be off to Japan by tomorrow morning.

Arriving at the bank, they made their way down the now familiar hallways that led to Ragnock's office. Just before they reached the office Hadrian split off, he had no interest in attending the meeting, instead he headed to the healing ward to visit Cora and Vessra.

As he walked down the halls Hadrian made sure to greet the goblins he saw properly and politely. Many of the goblins were still unsure of what to make of the wizard youngling. Only Ragnock, Cora, and Vessra knew of his strange situation. Most only knew that he had been named a goblin friend. They weren't willing to anger Ragnock or worse, the two healer females, so they treated him with polite disinterest, but some were coming to be fond of the youngling. Goblins weren't used to being treated with respect, and the fact that this little wizard did so, interested them. Hadrian would never be fully accepted, but the goblins already saw him, and by extension his family, as the best the wizarding world had to offer.