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It was 8.56am before the first creak was heard on the staircase. He waited until he heard the shuffle of feet at the livingroom door before lowering his paper just enough to raise an eyebrow at the child.
"Is it terribly late, Papa?" The dark haired boy asked rubbing his closed eyes with his green pinstriped pyjama topped buttoned up wrong.
"Almost Nine. Terribly late for any child of mine to be rising." The boys green eyes shot open then giving the man an indignant look.
"But Piks still in bed." He pointed back upstairs.
"Pyxis," He emphasised the name. Severus had always hated nicknames. "takes after your father."
"I'm cold." Ah. Debate over then. He rolled his eyes behind the paper. "Can we have the fire on perhaps?"
Severus placed the paper on his lap. "Perhaps if you can tell me which spell we use to light the fire then I'll light it for you."
"That ones easy, Papa." He giggled boyishly he mimicked the motion of a wand while shouting, "Incendio."
He was rewarded with a small smile. "Very good, Cepheus. Incendio." The fire burst alight as Cepheus shuffled onto the armchair with Severus who lifted an arm and tucked him into side he gave the boy a squeeze turning his face into unruly hair which lifted slighty as he spoke. "Half an hour then we'll get your brother up, hmm?"
The boy just nodded in approval letting Severus go back to his paper, occasional he would point out someone in the a picture and ask Severus who they were or read aloud a headline which he found funny. In the end Pyxis made his own way downstairs complaining of hunger. Severus decided it was well past breakfast time for them all.
"What now, Papa?" Pyxis quired while drying up the final spoon from breakfast. He blew his auburn fringe out of his dark eyes with a put-upon-huff.
"I think that at quater past ten you should both be washed, teeth brushed, and dressed." Severus placed the spoon in the correct drawer and gave the two boys an expectant look.
"Will Altair be on the train by now?" Pyxis frowned.
"You two are full of questions this morning aren't you?"
"Well..."
"Yes."
The boys glanced at each other before Pyxis continued Cepheus' sentence. "We were wondering if we had time to make Dads Christmas Present."
"That depends how long it will take."
"Not all that long with your help."Ah they needed a little help from his wand then.
"Cheaters never prosper."
"Magics not cheating. Thats what Dad says." Pyxis tells him while placing his hands on his hips a habit which Severus fears he picked up from Mrs Weasley.
"What do you need help with?" Severus was led upstairs then to Cepheus' room where the boy dived under the bed to pull out a box. From the box he pulled out a dozen or so pastel cut out pictures which the boys had clearly been working on for a while. The pictures consisted of Airballoons, birds, butterflies, airoplanes, and qiute impressively, what seem to be a drawing of the Solar System.
"We want you to make the float." Severus frown at the two faces staring at him hopefully.
"In the babies room, Papa, like a big magical mobile but made by us." Severus' eyebrows inched up slightly the imagination of his boys never ceased to amaze him. "Maybe you could enchant the pictures to move too?"
"I think I could manage that. You'll have to instruct me on where you want them to go though." And so the three of them worked until the afternoon getting the enchantments just right... He was raising perfectionists afterall. He discovered that Altair had drawn the Solar System and sent that from Hogwarts, he gave it the justice it deserved, enchanting it to move in real time.
"Do you think Daddy will like it?" Cepheus took his hand and watched the paintings weave in and out of each other near the ceiling giving a little giggle when the stick men dived in to the air balloon as a pink fighter jet flew too close.
"I believe he will. Well done, boys." He gave Pyxis shoulder a squeeze and walked them out of the room. "Music practice I think."
The two did as they were told with little complaint. He left the two tuning Pyxis' Violin with the help of the piano. Hopefully he would have an hour or so to himself to get some brewing done. Taking time off from his shop while the boyd were off school didn't mean that demand for potions ceased. Thankfully he employed a compitant shop assistant who was more than capable of selling standard potions as well as taking orders for non-standard in his absence.
At quarter to five he instructed the boys to put to coats on before flooing with them to Diagon Alley. From there it was just a short walk to the ministry. They waited in the ministry atrium until the spotted the messy haired man waddle over.
"Daddy!" Cephus shouted gleefully meeting the man halfway and throwing his arms around the distended middle.
"Hey. You must have missed me." Harry cuckled kissing Severus on the cheek while he patted Pyxis head. "I'm sure you'll be bored of me in nine months time."
"How was your day?" Severus knew Harry always hated his last day before maturnity leave.
"It'll be better once we pick Altair up I'm sure." He smile at his boys before slowly prying Cephus off him.
They walked to Kings Cross. Harry's cheeks flushed the way the Severus like in the december chill. The boys skipped ahead; excited to see their big brother again. When the Hogwarts Express churned to a stop Harry stepped fowards letting go of Severus' hand. The man didn't begrudge him for it as he knew his Husband would need both arms free to welcome back their first born. Sure enough, seconds after the train doors opened, Altair was engulfed in a tight hug.
"The pictures don't do you justice." The boy declared and patted Harry's stomach.
"You've grown too." Altair was inspected at arms length before being tackled to the floor by his brothers.
"He looks more like you everyday." Severus gave Harry a kiss on the head before pulling his youngest off their brother. Once Altair was standing he comb the boys sleek ebony hair back into place. "Welcome home."
"Thank you, Papa." He hugged him then.
Once they were all back home and settled buy the fire eating Marshmellows from the top of their hot chocolates Severus leant fowards to whisper into Cephus' ear. "Perhaps it's time for your gift?"
The boy jumped up, clearly not believing that he had forgotten, and declared that they should all follow him.
"It's beautiful." Harry's eye flickered to all the pictures as he listened to each of his boys explaining who had drawn what.
Severus watch from the door way arms folded until the rooms attention was back on him. "We couldn't have done it without, Papa."
Harry made his way over to the door way, Severus' arms unfolded, the pair continued to watch as the boys talked about their creations. "They're perfect aren't they?"
"Well some of the birds wings are a little out of shape." Harry turn his head slightly and smiled.
"No, our boys."
"Hmm, and what did you expect?"
"Severus Snape is nothing if not a perfectionist." He squeezed Harrys waist.
"I wasn't perfect until I married you."
They smiled at one another. Love comes in all shapes and seizes, but, as long as you have it life is perfection.