Chapter Text
Badly suppressed giggling woke Tom far too early considering the time he went to bed the earlier night. But he had to smile nonetheless. Three… two… one…
“Daddy! Papa! Wake up! Time for breakfast!” The small frame of their daughter jumped onto the bed. Still in her nightshirt and her teddy under her arm she grinned from one ear to the other.
Tom sat up and started to tickle her. Severus next to him started to grumble but soon joined in on their little Sunday morning ritual.
“Good morning little angel. Did you sleep well?” Tom asked after they all had calmed down a bit and Severus made their wishes for breakfast known to the house elves.
“Yes Daddy! Did you sleep well too? You still look tired! You have to go to bed earlier!” Miranda scolded her father. Tom was thankfully not required to answer as Miranda was distracted with the arrival of their food.
Miranda had just picked up her fork and wanted to eat when Severus started to tickle her again. “Ah ah ah, what did I tell you? You have to take your potion first, every Sunday morning.”
“Oh man… but it tastes like sh-“
“Miranda Eileen Prince! Language!” Severus reprimanded her. Miranda pouted. “But Nympha’ is saying that all the time!”
Tom and Severus shared an exasperated look. I think I need to have a talk with Andromeda. Again. Tom was not looking forward that particular talk…
“Angel, you should know that just because someone else is doing or saying something it does not have to be right. Now, will you take your potion?” Severus handed her the small flask, containing not more than a mouthful of golden liquid.
Miranda eyed the bottle disdainfully but plucked it out of her father’s hand and gulped it down quickly. “Can I eat those pancakes now?” Making doe-eyes at her father had Severus rolling his eyes but he looked on fondly as she started to dig in. He and Tom followed on a more sedate pace.
They finished their breakfast a little earlier than usual; they still had a meeting to organize after all.
“Tilly!” Tom called for Miranda’s house-elf a little impatiently. They needed to figure out what Dumbledore was planning; fast. And they still needed to tell Miranda about what had happened yesterday…
“What cans Tilly be doing for Master Tom?” Tilly stood to the side of the bed and watched them curiously.
“Tilly, take Miranda to her rooms and help her getting dressed. After that you two can play a little until we tell you to come down, alright?” Tilly was nodding her head so fast that her ears made a loud flapping noise and her eyes had lit up at the prospect of being able to play with the littlest member of the Prince family.
Taking Miranda’s hand and leading her out of the master bedroom after her parents had kissed her goodbye, Tilly made a beeline to Miranda’s room. She had a feeling in her gut that she decidedly tried to ignore, because it was not a good feeling at all.
~
“Should I call the others while you prepare? It will take them some time to arrive.” Severus asked quietly as soon as the door had closed behind Miranda and Tilly.
“Yes that would be best. I don’t like this Sev’. I don’t like this at all. Something is wrong and I can’t do anything about it!” Tom hit the wall with his fist so hard it left a dent behind.
Severus enveloped him in a hug from behind and the slightly smaller male leaned back into his husband’s chest. “He is planning something and I can’t figure out what it is. All that he has done until now does not make the slightest bit of sense as I am still alive!”
“I know Tom, I know. But if someone can figure out what the old bumblebee is planning, it is you. Let's get dressed, we can call the others and see what they think on the matter.” Severus was walking into their closet to choose them some robes for the day while Tom stared out of the window.
“Call only the Inner Circle. I cannot appear clueless before my other followers. And I would like to see who out of the lower ranks has already attempted to change sides.” The dark look on his face promised pain to anyone who had dared to do just that. Taking the offered robes and changing into them, they made their way down to the ground floor of the manor and into the private meeting room.
~
Dumbledore chuckled. Tom was exactly doing what he wanted him to do. Call a meeting.
Peter had come to him as soon as his mark had started to burn and they managed to extract the coordinates out of the mark. And it hat cost Pettigrew not more than his left arm.
Now the Order lay in wait for the other death eaters to appear. Springriver Mansion, interesting. Who would have thought Severus would claim his title. That was one misconception, but everything will end today either way!
As soon as they heard the death eaters apparating in the Order members engaged them in a fight and Dumbledore entered the manor.
~
It seemed not all Death Eaters had appeared by apparition, some had flooed in or arrived early.
In the room before him stood Tom, Severus by his side, both shielding the ones behind them. He recognised the Malfoys, without their little brat, Remus Lupin and Sirius Black.
“Hello Tom, how are you?” He cast a silent Homenum Revelio and was intrigued to find another marker on one of the upper levels. Who is hiding up there?
“What do you want Dumbledore?!” Tom snarled as he felt the spell being cast. With a short look to Severus he noticed that his husband had felt the same. They needed to act fast, or Miranda would not be safe ever again.
“For one I want to know who you are hiding upstairs.” The room fell quiet. Everyone in the room right now knew who was upstairs and cold fear swooped over Severus as he remembered the very weak Occlumency shields of Black.
Judging by the twinkle in Dumbledore’s eyes he had discovered the same. “Another secret you have been hiding from me and the world Severus? First you seemed to have claimed the title of Lord Prince and now you are having an illegitimate child with Marlene McKinnon. How very interesting.” It seemed Black had been able to hide at least parts of the truth. Severus was suddenly very glad that they had send Marlene out of the country after she had given birth.
“Leave my daughter out of this Dumbledore!” He snarled. It would not do for Albus to dig deeper into Black’s mind.
Dumbledore smirked “Watch me.” And suddenly he had popped out of the room. They could hear Miranda and Tilly screaming from upstairs but before they could leave the room Dumbledore was back with Miranda in his arms.
“I am sorry about your house elf Severus, but she stood in my way.” He softly caressed Miranda’s cheek what made her cry even more. “Hush there child, I will find a more… suitable place for you.”
At that Miranda’s magic began to lash out as she trashed in the arms of this strange man who had killed her friend. Her hazel eyes turned red. Dumbledore was shocked but he recovered quickly and his smirk became even wider.
“Well, well. An Original. I am impressed that you managed to hide her for this long Severus.” Severus and Tom could do nothing more than gritting their teeth. Dumbledore conjured up a bundle of lavender and Miranda immediately started choking. After a short while she fell unconscious.
Without the child trashing around the others pointed their wands at Dumbledore again but you could see their hesitation in their eyes. No one wanted to take the risk of harming the child.
“Well, I think I will have to rearrange my plans according to those new discoveries. But I think I will manage just fine. Oh how they will hail me for finding the last of the seven Originals!”
Tom was barley restraining himself. Just the seemingly calm aura of his husband held him back. Suddenly they all were bound by two silent Petrificus Totalus Tria and could only watch as Dumbledore fell in some kind of trance while chanting something barely resembling Latin.
Tom’s eyes widened in recognition. “NO!” He managed to scream before the world around him went black and the only sounds in the room were the six thumps of bodies hitting the floor and the loud ‘crack’ of apparition...