85 85) A mess

James wiggled his eyebrows, a mischievous glint in his eyes as he looked at the spectacled boy. "So, how was the kiss?"

"It was actually nice," Harry replied shyly, his demeanor betraying the hint of satisfaction at the memory of the kiss. It had been so warm and his stomach felt hot remembering it.

"So, it was better than the ones with his sister?" Sirius asked with a smirk, directing a playful comment toward Ron and wiggling his eyebrows.

Ron scowled at the comment, his displeasure evident in response to Sirius's playful remark. He didn't like that comment. It was odd thinking about it. Since Ginny didn't exist at the moment, he couldn't even blame Harry for cheating. Harry was already too nervous about the whole thing.

"It was similar. Mary's great, but..." Harry hesitated, as he stopped mid sentence on whatever he wanted to say.

"You find it odd," Sirius remarked with a knowing look, he knew that look very well. He had been the same for months.

"Yeah... I have never had this much happiness in my life. Every time something good happens, things immediately go downhill. It's just odd," Harry tried to explain, he looked at Ron and saw the understanding gaze there. He understood what Harry meant.

James patted Harry on his shoulders. "It's okay, Harry. But guess what, that's life," he reassured, as he grabbed Harry in a side hug.

"Yeah. Don't expect always happiness; you won't get it. . . . Take my life, for example. I left my family; I love some of them still. But we have to move on with some decisions. It ain't wrong," Sirius reflected with a sad smile. He still loved Regulus, Andromeda and perhaps Aunt Druella too. She had always been kind to him.

"Your family is full of nutters, Sirius. No offense, though," Ron commented dryly, looking at the ex Black Heir.

"They are," Sirius replied, waving his hand dismissively. It was true. Suddenly, his gaze turned mischievous as he looked at Ron. "Speaking of nutters, did you nut in our new resident Gryffindor bookworm?"

"Fuck off you pervert!" Ron scowled as he pushed Sirius who was leaning closer to him with a curious look.

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Severus ducked under the pillow once again, he was honestly enjoying it now.

"C'mon, Cissa," he pleaded as the girl huffed angrily and went on for another pillow swing.

"You are a chauvinistic pig," Narcissa huffed angrily as she tried to hit him with a pillow once again.

Her stomach's air was suddenly knocked away as Severus picked her up via his shoulder, hoisting her there in a swift wrestling move.

Narcissa angrily tried to slam her closed hands on his back, displaying her frustration even though the attempts were somewhat unsuccessful.

"You are the greatest asshole. A complete manwhore," Narcissa cursed as she tried to move her legs wildly while simultaneously hitting his back with her arms.

She was suddenly slammed into the comfortable mattress as Severus' body hovered above her. She was frustrated as she saw his eyes shining in mirth at the whole situation.

"I had no choice but to agree with the proposal, Cissa," Severus said as he cupped her face with his hands while hovering above her.

Narcissa sighed at his words, tears forming in her eyes as she looked at him, emotions bubbling to the surface with his dark eyes boring into her soul.

"Why does the Dark Lord have to make you marry Bella?" she cursed angrily as tears fell down her cheeks, frustration and sadness evident in her words. Severus gently laid beside her and slowly flipped her over while she cursed her entire family, herself, and even him angrily.

He was on his back now, while Narcissa was laying above him, snuggling to him while he held her in a close grip. His grip providing a solace to her.

Severus petted her back trying to soothe her, while his hands roamed over her back while she vented out angrily. He softly pressed a kiss at her cheeks while she mumbled obscenities in his hold. He was trying his best to suppress his bulge, her tits were really pressed hard on his chest. It was enough to distract him.

"I understand, Narcissa," Severus softly assured her. He was surprised when she lifted her head angrily to look at him.

"You don't. You can never understand it, nor you will. It was hard enough to share you with other girls, now I have to share you with my own sister. I will have to share the day which is the biggest day of a girl's life with my own sister. I will have to share the bed at my first night with my sister. . . A little happiness and privacy was all I wanted now in these times. Even that is unavailable to me now all thanks to Dark Lord!" Narcissa declared with an angry frown as she looked at him venomously.

Severus held Narcissa close, it hurt him to hear it. But he understood it from her perspective. "I know, Cissa. I can't change the circumstances, but I promise you, I'll do my best to make sure you don't feel alone in this."

Narcissa's eyes sparkled with a hint of sarcasm. "Oh, how splendid! I'll have the pleasure of my future sister-wives as my companions," she declared with a wry smile.

Severus held back his sarcastic retort, he decided to gently continue petting her back in an attempt to provide comfort. His dark humour could mess it more.

"Trust me Narcissa. I don't want to hassle myself with these many wives and girls." Severus declared softly.

Narcissa sighed and nuzzled into Severus' chest, finding solace in his embrace despite the impending complications in her life. She craned her head upwards and saw the sincerity in his eyes. She never knew how well he could lie. If she had known, she wouldn't have trusted the soft orbs so easily.

Severus concealed his relief as he noticed Narcissa's newfound composure. Thankfully his skills in lying were coming handy. The situation wasn't uncharted territory for Severus, he was a master at deceptions. Even if it was wrong to do so. He had to do it nowadays.

Severus sighed in relief, gently rocking her body. Narcissa, lying above him, couldn't suppress a sense of amusement at his actions. It felt akin to being cradled. It was a whimsical reversal that made her feel like a child in his embrace. A sensation which made her smile in amusement.

Her gaze traveled from his chest to his face, only to be met with wiggling eyebrows and a cocky smirk. Amusement flickered across her face at his cheerful expression. Suddenly, he raised his legs, gently maneuvering her body closer to his face.

With an manicured eyebrow raised, she regarded him as their lips hovered just an inch apart.

"May I kiss you, future Lady Prince?" Severus asked with a smirk, his hands wrapped around her waist in a gentle way. Their bodies pressed so tightly together, that their breaths mingled in the intimate space between them.

Narcissa gently moved closer as she kissed him softly. He was right. They shouldn't worry about it from now. Bellatrix was her sister, they could figure something out. They could agree on a solution. It was better than her or Bellatrix being dead at the hands of Dark Lord.

Narcissa allowed him to guide their lips. Slowly and sensually she rubbed her crotch against his pelvic area. A flurry of butterflies filled her stomach, and goosebumps adorned her skin as they shared the eager and heated kiss between them. Her hands moved to cup his face while they slowly pulled away for air finally.

"Is that a boner?" Narcissa asked amazed and surprised. She could feel the hard press against her thighs. It was rock hard in nature and she could feel the heat despite the fabrics they wore.

,"A drop-dead gorgeous girl lies above me and is snogging me. What else do you think it is?" Severus replied rolling his eyes. His hands moved south as he grabbed her fleshy bum.

Narcissa shot him a glare with dagger-like eyes, swatting his hand away from her arse. "I am flattered lover boy but you can't grope me. I won't be able to control myself."

"Maybe I want to see you out of control," Severus replied, wiggling his eyebrows. He moved his hand back to her arse, pressing it experimentally.

"Not now, Severus. I want to remain a virgin. I have a ritual planned for our first night," Narcissa replied, steadfast in her decision despite the pleasure coursing through her body.

Severus' interest was immediately piqued; he found himself genuinely intrigued by her words. The sound of a ritual that too during the first night was certainly suspicious.

"What type of ritual?" he asked curiously, his brow furrowed with intrigue as he looked at the beautiful blonde pressed to him.

"It blesses fertility and supposedly deepens the intimacy between husband and wife. An ancestor of mine created it. They tested it, and whenever they engaged in the ritual, they experienced a unique synergy during sex," Narcissa explained slowly, as she slowly revealed the nature of the mysterious ritual.

In an alternate reality, she might have had a similar conversation with Lucius. However, wounded pride distorted his understanding, mistakenly believing that Narcissa doubted his ability to fulfill her desires for both pregnancy and happiness in sexual life.

"You Black girls are really into blood, sex, and magic, aren't you?" His playful comment accompanied by a gentle swat on her arse, a smirk gracing his lips while he faced her.

"Worry not, Narcissa. I won't do anything you don't want," Severus reassured her sincerely with a smile. The happy face of her was all he wanted to see. He had always felt a connection to her. Perhaps this life was letting him enjoy that connection seriously.

"We are to marry next summer, Severus," Narcissa remarked as she shifted her body lower, playfully gyrating her hips on his crotch, enacting her own subtle revenge on the boy beneath her.

"Don't remind me, Narcissa. I have four marriages of mine, and all in my last year at Hogwarts," Severus replied with a sigh, it was hard to reflect on all those things.

"They won't postpone it, you know. I will really miss you. Perhaps you can talk to Dumbledore and visit every Saturday and Sunday," Narcissa whispered softly, a hint of sadness in her smile as she looked at him.

"I know. It's odd to think about when I ponder it. I will have four wives, wives whom I should be with, instead I will be here studying my last year at Hogwarts," Severus remarked with a sigh, it was hard to reflect on the unusual circumstances that awaited him, that too without considering Voldemort and other things.

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An hour later, Severus found himself wandering through the halls of Hogwarts. The last two hours with Narcissa had been a relief for him, though the revelation about her sister's polygamous marriage had left her visibly angered and vicious. He had to suffer all the rants and tears before he was able to calm her down. He had to lie but it was okay in his opinion if it was for some better course.

Lost in thoughts about the meeting now, Severus suddenly slammed into something as he turned a corner in the corridor. With heightened senses and reflexes, Severus immediately grabbed the person at their waist as he lost his own balance in the process.

He heard a yelp but managed to regain his balance at the last moment, holding tightly to the thin waist now securely in his arms. With his lone hand, Severus clutched the lamp sticking in the wall, providing additional support to bear the weight of both individuals while he held the thin waist with his right hand.

Severus looked at the person beneath him and suddenly realized why the yelp sounded familiar. His eyes widened slightly as he took in her panicked form.

"Hey," the redhead finally spoke up after moments of silence, looking at him from her imbalanced state in his grip.

"Lily," Severus replied in surprise. The shock caused him to lose his grip, and Lily fell as a result. He immediately chastitised himself for it.

She yelped as she fell on her back, and within an instant, Severus was there to help her to her feet. When she finally stood up, her big green eyes looked at him inquiringly.

"Why are you out after curfew?" Lily asked as she composed herself. She knew that their situation was tense, so she decided to stick to the protocols. It was a better way to make small talk and avoid awkwardness.

"Dumbledore's office. I have a meeting with him," Severus replied blankly. A pang of sadness hit him at her prefect-like behavior, but then again he had played a significant role in damaging their relationship.

"Oh," Lily replied with a face of realization. She was curious about Severus's meeting with Dumbledore but refrained from asking. She didn't want to appear overly curious. It would ruin things for her.

Severus nodded and started to walk away. However, just as he was about to pass her, he heard her compliment.

"You performed well in the first task."

"Thank you," Severus replied. He continued to walk away and sighed after three steps. He could feel her gaze.

"What is it, Lily? Surely you aren't ogling my ass like you did when we were young?" Severus asked dryly, turning to catch a red-faced Lily. She was clearly doing it.

"I was not ogling. It's just that you have changed so much. It's like I didn't know you ever," Lily replied with a hesitant look.

"People change, Lily. I just realized that I have a greater purpose here. That I was destined for greatness, and I was wasting all this time trying to fit in among teenagers who are too dumb to understand it," Severus replied with a wry smile.

"I heard about your dad. It has changed you. Though I am glad that you're happy. You deserved it," Lily replied with a soft smile. She really meant it. She knew he had always been bitter about everything. It was good that he was finally free from everything.

"I do. You know you can accompany me to Dumbledore's office. I could use the help of a prefect. It's dark, and I am afraid for my innocence here," Severus offered with a joking smile. He held a hope here. A hope which he wanted to fruit right for him.

"That's the dumbest thing I heard this year. And I live with Gryffindors in a tower," Lily commented back with a mischievous smile. She knew what they were doing. A thing of past between them.

Severus watched quietly as she walked towards him, a familiar glint in her eyes. The glint that had always drawn him to her – the same innocence, the mischievous gaze, and the curiosity that sometimes bordered on harassment.

"So, you're now some big hotshot pureblood Lord," Lily commented with a smile. She started the conversation with her old friend by asking the first thing which she learned from her.

"Yup. I got money, I got resources, and even a big Manor. Though it's much more hassle now," Severus replied dryly. Honestly when he was broke, he wanted money. Now he got money, he wanted to go broke. The stuff was ridiculous.

"You have to manage so many people now. You don't want to deal with it, ain't you," Lily commented mirthfully. She knew he was never the most social, though he was coming of his shell. There were still preferences.

There was silence for some moments before they finally reached two corridors away from Dumbledore's office. It was Lily who broke the silence.

"I am sorry for being a bitch," Lily said softly. She stopped and turned to look at the boy besides her who was having a smirk.

"You were expecting it, don't you?" She asked rhetorically, looking at his smirk.

"I do. We are teenagers, Lily. Fuckin teenagers. We are aggressive, hot-blooded, too stupid, think ourselves as the moral compass of the whole world, trust our decisions to be the best, blah blah, and many more. Of course, we were going to settle our differences like adults sometime," Severus replied candidly with a smirk. He thought it as true. If the whole shit with Voldemort didn't happen, he really thought that they would have settled their differences down the line.

Lily laughed, genuinely surprised by his words. Her mother had said the same things when she learned about Severus and her row. She had explained the same perspective. Watching Severus change so rapidly, she realized that they had been right. Her mother was right. The teenage phase was indeed pathetic by all accounts.

"Does this mean we are friends again?" Severus asked curiously, a hopeful note in his voice which he masked perfectly. She was his first friend, and a special place was held in his heart for her.

"We are, dummy," Lily said, giving him a playful shove. Asking if they were friends felt like an insult to their bond. Despite differences and moments of frustration, she knew they would always be there for each other. They were each other's first magical friends, and that held something truly special between them. She could never forget the boy who introduced her to the world of magic.

Severus smiled genuinely, it was nice to see her smile. There was a strange contentment in seeing her, witnessing the genuine happiness within her – a feeling akin to what he had experienced while being with Narcissa and Francesca.

"Though, don't bother me while I am near Slytherins. I had protected you from being bullied and hexed; they will not be nice when they see you," Severus warned instantly. The whole thing there was quite a mess.

"Protect me? How?" Lily asked, genuinely surprised. She had been unaware that Severus had been protecting her. Severus looked at her with surprise, as if she were being oblivious. Lily immediately recognized that gaze, and she blushed, fully aware of what it meant.

"Don't you find it odd that in five years of your Hogwarts years, not one Slytherin hexed or tried to bully you, and suddenly they start to do so in your sixth year?" Severus explained with a frown. She couldn't be that oblivious for sure.

There was silence from Lily as she connected the dots. She had never made that connection before. "I never thought so," she said, surprised and baffled.

"Of course, you never did," Severus replied with a frustrated groan. It was naive of him to expect it from her. She was really clueless most of the times.

They walked to the next corridor, and Lily replayed his words over and over in her head. She had never thought about it before. It seemed really odd when she connected the dots now.

They reached the outside of Dumbledore's office quietly, the tension lingering between them. Some things required time to be completely resolved. And this was one of it.

"So, good night for now," Severus said as he moved closer to the statue guarding Dumbledore's office.

"Good night, Sev," Lily replied with a soft smile as she walked away, carrying new revelations with her on her way to Gryffindor common room.

Severus watched her walking away, making an effort to divert his attention from her swaying hips and round ass, which he often noted discreetly. Though he succeeded partially, the struggle was evident in him.

"Jelly beans," he uttered to the statue. The statue immediately started to move, revealing the way to Dumbledore's office.

Severus moved through the staircase with decades of experience and familiarity. With a sigh, he opened the door to the office where he had once sat.

Dumbledore was sitting in his night clothes in his Headmaster chair, the Phoenix perched on his table. However, the two weren't alone; there was a third member present too. His thin and gaunt body exuded a power not commonly seen in the elderly.

"Headmaster, Mr. Flamel," Severus greeted politely, acknowledging the two of the most powerful wizards in the world. They were on a level far above than him. A level which he didn't think he was going to get so easily.

"Mr. Prince! Take a seat. Nicholas and I were just trading old stories," Dumbledore happily spoke up with his ever-smiling face. His eyes beamed at him twinkling as he looked at him.

Severus accepted the offer and gently took his seat beside Nicholas Flamel. It was the closest he had ever interacted with the man in his life.

"Do you know why you are here, Mr. Prince?" Dumbledore asked with a poignant stare, even though his face maintained a joyful smile.

"I suspect that it is due to those dueling classes by Professor Moody," Severus replied evenly, a knowing look in his eyes.

"That and because of another reason. However, before we proceed to the latter, we must discuss the former," Dumbledore implored with a curious smile.

"Why are you not attending Alastor's classes? He is livid about it and thinking of replacing you," Dumbledore questioned curiously, his face turning serious.

"Because I am more focused on the mess I have found myself in," Severus replied instantly. He knew Dumbledore and Flamel could help him here. However, he had to play it carefully. He trusted Dumbledore but Flamel was a wild card here.

"Is it about Miss Zabini and Miss Fortescue again?" Dumbledore questioned with a knowing look.

"No, Headmaster. It's more about the Dark Lord, house Lordships, new familial relations, and marriages," Severus replied with a frustrated groan.

The mention of the Dark Lord instantly garnered the attention of Dumbledore and Flamel.

"What's he doing? Has he tried to recruit you?" Dumbledore asked, a serious tone underlying his question. Severus was honestly terrified by the man infront of him now. He had never seen such seriousness in the old man's eyes, not even when he learnt of his impending death.

"Recruiting. The man had decided to sneak into my life. It was bad enough we were related by our families. Now he's learned of it and practically barging into my life, making decisions for me," Severus vented out angrily.

At Dumbledore's inquiring look, he decided to elaborate more on it.

Severus slowly started to elaborate more on it—the burden of his Lordships, the Dark Lord's plan to send Narcissa to seduce him, the dire consequences of failure. He described the entire meeting with his in-laws, the complex situation with Apolline, the sudden arrival of Lord Voldemort, and how he had no choice but to reveal their familial connection between House Dawn and House Slytherin to avoid immediate death. Severus explained the predicament with Bellatrix and Narcissa, the looming Lordship of House Dawn, and Voldemort's insistence on mentoring him to secure the Slytherin Lordship.

Feeling Dumbledore's subtle Legilimency, Severus shared the real memories of everything, laying bare the challenging situations he found himself entangled in.

"You're really in a mess, Mr. Prince," Nicholas Flamel spoke for the first time in the whole discussion, his voice carrying a note of pity for Severus.

"What are your plans, Mr. Prince?" Dumbledore asked curiously. This news changed many things. It would be really bad if Tom succeeded in obtaining the Lordship of House Slytherin, potentially swaying public support towards him. The founders had much respect in people's hearts. The whole support and respect from the people would massively influence Tom's campaign. It was necessary to hear what Severus thought about it. The boy held more influence with him than he knew of.

"I thought about it long and hard, Headmaster. . . . Frankly, I didn't want to involve myself in this war, but the new changes leave me no choices now. . . I have a plan, Headmaster—a plan that could change the whole tide of the war. . . It's more of a compromise between everyone. It's not perfectly planned, but I have faith in it," Severus explained unsurely.

Severus slowly explained his plans to the Headmaster and Flamel. Both listened attentively as Severus outlined his thoughts.

"The plan can work," Nicholas hypothesized after moments of silence.

"It can. But there are too many unknowns in it," Dumbledore said with a hard frown. They would be entering a far more dangerous game with this plan.

"I am going to go ahead with it. My plan is going to be the basis for a new Wizarding World. We could revolutionize the whole magical world if we plan it. I just want you to play along. Think of everyone we could save this way. The lives we will build due to it." Severus said, looking at the Headmaster.

"I will arrange the things... Now let's move to the second part of why I called you here," Dumbledore stated.

"Me and Nicholas were discussing a new potion. A potion that may use Wolfsbane and could help werewolves maintain their mind after transformation," Dumbledore elaborated slowly.

"And?" Severus asked, already anticipating where this was heading. They were talking about that cursed Wolfsbane potion, likely due to the influence of that goddamned Golden Trio.

"We want your opinions on it. Nicholas is going to take a look at it. I recommended your name, and he too wanted you to work with him on it." Dumbledore explained with a smile on his face.