Title: Between the candle and the wall!

Author: Jude

Crossover: btvs/ats/harry potter

Pairing: Xander/spike, eventually draco, severus/harry, probable other pairing

Rating: G

Disclaimer: They are not mine, the btvs and ats characters belong to Josh Wedon, the Harry Potter characters belong to J.K.Rowling and the original character belongs to me, but feel free to borrow them if you want to write some additional story, prequel or sequel. If that is the case, please submit them to me before you post them, thanks.

Feedback: To jude_v@msn.com or jude_cjv@yahoo.fr

Please i really want to know what you think!

Archive: Normally you can now find the previous part at http://www.slashaholics-island.com

Summary: Xander as been rejected again, and this time he decides to leave the Soobies for good. There is only one place he can go, Hogwarts School. It time to become whole and to see his biological father.

A special thanks to my wonderful beta Hannah, Who has the eyes for the details.



Between the candle and the wall!
By Jude

Prologue: no more!


//Rejected again!

It's always the same.

Your useless Xander!

Always getting hurt!

I'm tired, I don't want to save your ass again, Xander!

Go fetch the donuts, Xander!

Oh, sorry we forgot to tell you about the last meeting!

Whelp, droopy, pet, donut-boy, zeppo……………

That's all i am to them!

They look at me and don't really see me anymore.

It's too much to take; i've always been there, the joker one, the comforting one, the Xander-shaped friend, the one you can always count on.

They always cry and complain about their losses, but what about mine?

I've given Buffy everything. My friendship, my trust, my love, my devotion, every damn spare moment of my time since I was fifteen!

Even Anya's life was given to her goddamned cause.

Now, though, she looks at me and I can see her complete disgust.

I can't take it anymore, no more mister nice guy, no more Scooby, i pack my things and i'm gone. NO MORE! //

*

Xander had been in that state of mind since the last meeting with the Scooby and the fang gang in the Hyperion hall. Sunnyhell had been a big hole in the ground for three weeks now. It was time for him to go, time to change. Everything was packed; he just had to finish setting up a fire in his fireplace. Xander took a leather pouch from the bed side table, stepped into the fire with his baggage, threw a little bit of powder, which had been in the pouch, into the fire. And shouted, "Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Severus Snape's dungeon!" and vanished. Only a white letter stayed behind, lying on the bed, when Dawn came to see him. Two days later.




Chapter one: when a slytherin comes home.

**Snape dungeon**

Severus Snape was grading first year papers on the uses of the asphodel powder, and thinking of Potter's latest class behaviour, when a bang came from his fireplace. He turned is head, ready to hex who ever had decided to disturb his peace.

"Who give you the ........Alexander!"

"Hey, Dad."

Severus took several quick steps and engulfed Xander in a big hug.

"What are you doing here? You were supposed to be with your mother in Sunnydale, it's to dangerous for you here!"

Xander just smile and hugged his dad back, happy for the first time in many years.

"There is no more Sunnydale. The hell-mouth is closed forever. I don't know where Mom and Tony Harris are, I haven't seen either of them for the last three years, now. I hope I never see them again. I know it's dangerous to be here with you, but I have nowhere else to go. Besides, I have fought along with the slayer for the last seven years, with a spell binding my magic. The only magical item, I've managed to save, is the floo powder and that's only because it was in my pocket when mom and Tony burned everything else"

Severus was taken aback by the wave of words, and looked at is son for the first time. He was too thin, he looked tired and sad, and definitely in need of his father. At that moment, Xander took a step into the light and Severus could see the patch on his eye, for the first time.

"Your eye Lex, what happened to your beautiful eye?"

There was a big silence, and a tear appeared on Xander cheek as he put his face in the crook of his real father's neck. Instinctively, Severus' hand came up to brush back his son's hair. Then, the meaning of Xander's words sank into his comprehension.

"BIND YOUR MAGIC!!! WHO BOUND YOUR MAGIC LEX?"

"Mom did, Tony told her that I was a freak, they drugged me in the night, after I'd come back from seeing you the last time and made a warlock bind my magic, obliviated my memories of you and who I was. After that she burned all the things you gave me."

"AAAAAARRRRRGG! She did………… I'm going to kill her, I swear it, nobody messes with the Snapes. Not even her! "

"So, can I stay?"

"Of course you can! We'll get your things out of the fireplace, and go see Albus to arrange everything with him. How have you been doing in potions?"

"Pretty good, but I've gotten rusty over the last few years. I'll need some training to be at my best again. After all with a potions master for father, it would be a shame if I wasn't the best. Next to you of course. Why?"

"Because, I think I could use an assistant to teach the first and second years, and to help me in my personal projects or even the one for the Order. Think you can do it?"

Xander just looked at him and grinned madly.

"I'd love to, Daddy!"

"Lex, just don't daddy me in public, or you're going to regret it!" said Snape with the beginnings of a smile," now let's go see Albus, if he agrees, then we have four weeks before the beginning of the term, to get you prepared to teach."




**Dumbledore's office**

Dumbeldore was reading a very old' book, while drinking a cup of tea and chewing on some lemon drops, when a knock at his door sounded through the room and distracted him from his late night reading. Very unusual at this time of the night. It couldn't be Harry since it was summer break and he was with the Dursleys for the next four weeks, Minerva was visiting some friends in Dublin, and the other teachers usually waited until morning. That left him with only the one possibility of Severus! That usually meant Death eaters meeting and bad news in general.

"Come in, my boy!"

//yes, it's Severus.//

"What can I do for you, is anything wrong? Did he call you, are you all right?"

While he spoke, Dumbeldore's eyes slid over every inch of Severus Snape's body, trying to find some evidence that he had been recently exposed to the cruciatus curse as it happened far to often. Like whenever the man was called by the Dark Lord. A light chuckle, just behind Severus attracted his attention. It was a boy. A dark haired boy, no, young man with only one deep chocolate brown eye and a big grin on his face and the most horribly purple hawaοan muggle shirt he had ever seen in his whole life.

During the Dumbeldore's assessment, Xander looked the headmaster over and found it very amusing to see his father, the great head of Slytherin, being inspected and mothered by this very old man.

//Uh oh! The dear old man seems to like dad a little to much, maybe a step-dad? NAAAA!// and with that thought he began to chuckle, trying to be discreet to avoid his father's wrath.

"Daddy? I think mommy wants to know if you've been playing naughty with your little Deatheater friends, and if your big bad teacher, the lovely Voldy, had to punish you or maybe if you scratched your knee on the way here………?" After that last word he choked and couldn't hold back the laugh that had been building up as he followed his train of thought out loud.

Severus just looks at him and grimaced slightly at his son's antics.

"Everything is fine, Albus, I wasn't called tonight, I just happened to have a surprise visit. And when he has finished laughing at us, I will introduce you to my son, Alexander, who happens to be the living reincarnation of bozo the clown. … On a bad day." he said with fondness.

"Hey, I resent that, I'm supposed to be funny man!" Xander protested cheerfully in retaliation to the jibe, then his expression hardened as he muttered bitterly, " Well, that's what they all think of me, the useless funny zeppo guy, Xander."

Severus just looked at him, eyes full of love for his beautiful son and he began to feel hatred for the ones who hurt him so much.

"No, your not Alexander, you're a Snape, a wizard and a handsome, courageous and intelligent man, who happenes to be my only son. I'm proud of you, but we're going to have a little talk about your lack of self-esteem. For now, Lex, meet Albus Dumbledor, Hogwarts headmaster. Albus, meet Alexander Lavelle Snape, my son."

Dumbeldore watched the exchange between the two men, with interest and a twinkle in his eyes. //A son! Severus always surprises me. Who'd have thought that the irritable potions master would have a son? And one that I didn't even know about! I can see the similarities in their features, but *Lex* seems so much more carefree than is father.//

"Well gentlemen, pull up a seat, have a cup of tea, some lemon drops. Alexander nice to meet you, but I must say that you are a complete surprise. I never knew that you had a son Severus."

Xander just tilted his head a little bit in the headmaster direction. Something seemed extremely off about the old man. Disturbing even. Like the guy was thinking one thing and saying another, to please the person he was talking to. Xander glanced over and made brief eye contact with his father, who was hiding the beginnings of a sarcastic smile.

"It's a long story, Albus! Maybe, I'll tell you one day, who knows?" Severus muttered the last words under his breath. The two men sat down in the seats directly across from Albus. "Lex is here at Hogwarts, because he is homeless and I have decided to take him on as my apprentice. With your permission, he will begin working with the first and second years by himself at the start of term and he would assist with all other years. Oh, yes. He's proficient enough to help with my… special… project."

A silence took place in the room, while Albus was thinking of the advantages to having a second potions teacher. At the same time, Fawkes flew in the room and put the tattered sorting hat on Xander's head. A stunned Albus was very disturbed by the strange antics of the phoenix, but he said nothing and just watched, waiting to see what was going to happen.

For Xander, it was a very strange experience. The moment the hat touched is head, he heard a voice speak to him.

//AH AH, little one. It was time you came home my little Slytherin. You are going to stay, the castle needs his little snake, it has been longing for you. It has waited all these years for you to be ready, little snake. You have a great destiny, but you must learn all it is in the light and all it is in the darkness. You can't be a white or a dark wizard, little snake. You must live between the candle and the wall, you must swim in the shade of grey, on the edge of shadows. The two sides are fighting, trying to destroy each other! Neither can win, the status quo must be, or they are going to upset the balance of the magical world.//

Xander had been listening to the cryptic speech with great attention, and now had some questions to ask.

// So, you're saying that there's is no right without wrong, no love without hate, no happiness without sadness. It makes sense, what you want is a referee, but why me? Like I said before, i'm the zeppo, the one who even his friends don't want anymore because he's useless! //

//you're not useless, little snake! You were just not whole. But you fight! Always! You had nothing and you still fought, that is what makes you special, little snake. You make some difficult choices, you've tasted the two faces of the power and you have a representative figure of each one of them inside you.//

//The hyena and the soldier! The two spirits who possessed me. //

//yes, but to be totally whole, you must stop fighting them, you must embrace them and welcome what they are. Who they are.//

//If I do that, the hyena will take control, she's so much more powerful than me.//

//she was, but the binding that was on your magical power is gone now. Besides, she had always wanted only one thing, and it's not to take control, it's for you to...//

//protect the pack! //

//yes, and now that your powers are active, she doesn't need to possess your body, she can just fuse with your soul and give you her strength //

//Ok, I can accept her and welcome her with those conditions.// and in the same time the hyena and all she was became one with him.//What of the soldier? //

//For him it's already almost done, you must both make peace and accept the fact that the two of you are not perfect, and that you can't save everybody. Everybody's fate is not in your hands.//

//It's difficult, we have tried so much to be there, we are afraid to lose another one that we love. Nobody knows, but Jesse was our mate, and we killed him. We....I know that it was the demon not the soul, but it hurt so much! After that ............//

//If you know all about that, you just have to accept it and forgive yourself.//

Xander was disturbed by the last words of the hat; Jesse his love, if he had not heard the slayer that afternoon in the library, would he have been killed? He knew he could never figure that out. You couldn't predict the past. It was time to forgive himself and say goodbye to the one whom possessed a part of his heart forever, his first love, his Jesse.

//I love you Jesse, you'll be in my heart until I can be with you again, watch over me sweetie, I'm going to make you very proud. At least, I'll try, I promise! //

//Alexander.... little snake?//

A small smile shone on Xander lips and tears ran down his face.

// I forgive myself, and I forgive soldier for all the lives we have not saved.// The same sensation came to Xander settling in his chest for the second time, and a feeling of peace passed over him.//now, that I'm whole, what do I do? //

//you learn, like I said, you begin you mission as a grey wizard. You find the warrior of light and the warrior of darkness. You guide them to the love they will share with each other, make them become one, you create the soul bond between them, and make sure that it is consummated. Then, you become they're guide in the fight against Voldemort.//

//you said the darkness was not to be destroyed, though.//

//Voldemort is not the darkness, nor is Dumbledore the light. The dark lord is chaos and the headmaster is perfect order. The second is the beginning of all, when the first is the end of all. They are your counterparts. Together, they are one and balanced, separated they become the destruction of the magical world. But you have an advantage little snake, they doesn't now what or who they truly are.//

//What you are implying, is that Albus Dumbledore and Tom Riddle were meant to be together, but because they never chose to became a couple, I need to clear the mess now?//

//yes, if in there time they had choose to became a couple as you said, they would have been a blessing for this world, because the merge of their two powers would have made them grey and balanced. But some one made sure that Albus saw the darkness who was in young Tom, before he was ready to accept it, and embrace the difference between them. After that, when Tom made a move, and tried to show his love for him, before living the school definitely, Albus rejected him badly. And this last act put the final touch to the birth of lord Voldemort. Without that union the light and the darkness were lost, and each decided to call a new champion. But this time they made an agreement and a third entity, who is named the neutral, because he never choose a side, was called and asked for help. So the neutral, created his champion to guide the two other warriors in their task, and in a sense clear the mess, yes.//

//Ooooooooook! So, now that I know the entire story, how do I became the guide of the warriors without even knowing where my own path goes?//

//Good question, little snake! Each founder of the four houses are now going to give you a special gift to help you//

At that moment four voices begin to speak to him.

//We are the four,
We are the founders.
From the bright sunlight
to the dark shadow.
Gifts to do
What is right
Are now given to you.

From Griffindor,
the living blade, Eline,
to become your master
and teach you to fight.

From Ravenclaw,
the knowledge,
to find the path
between mistake or misjudge.

From Hufflepuff,
The vision,
so you can see
and guide the warriors destiny.

From Slytherin,
who leave in your heart
The way, language and skin of the snake,
so you can go, hear, and see
what no one else can
and the warriors protect.

You are the balance.
You are between the candle and the wall.
The shadow that remains
You are GREY!//

For a moment then Xander could see four rays of coloured light come to him and he could feel them trace patterns on his skin. He knew that for this moment and until he died there would be tattoos on his back and symbols on his wrists, but he didn't care, now he had something to do.

Now he had a destiny.

//it is done, little snake. Be prepared and look for the warriors.//

//I'll do it! I will not fail. I've learned from my past mistakes, but because I'm only human, I'm sure I'll make some new one in the future. Ironic isn't it?//

//Good little snake, I'll let you go now, do not speak of what you are, do not shine in the light or hide in the darkness, live in the light shadow. As you are meant to.//

//I'll be careful, and do what must be done for the good of all.//

//One last piece of advice, little snake. Never trust the one who shines to brightly in the light, and don't condemned the one who seems to live in the darkness, because sometime that one doesn't have a choice, but his help can be priceless. Oh, I know that you don't understand the meaning of that advice for the moment, but you will when the time is right, just remember.//

//thank you! May I speak with you again, sometime?//

//When you need me I'll be here, good bye little snake.//

And Xander came back to the reality. His talk with the hat been long for him, but only a few minutes had passed in the room. Severus and Albus were observing him in a perfect silence, when the hat spoke, "Slytherin, potions apprentice!"

"It seems my dear Severus, that your wish has been granted!"

"Yes, so it seems headmaster," said Severus Snape with a calm tone and a spark of pride shinning in his eyes.

So began, the four most difficult weeks of Alexander "Lex" Lavelle Snape's life. Because, what ever they say your parent is always the most demanding teacher, and his father was Severus Snape!





Chapter 2: What's a Scooby gang without a heart?

**Hyperion, two day's after Xander's departure.**

Dawn was preoccupied, it had been two day's since she'd last seen Xander. Her sister had been making her best impersonation of the queen self-centred bitch, which she really was. Dawn hated her, when she did that kind of thing, and poor Xander always took it like a man and said nothing. But this time no one stood beside him, Buffy had torn into his flesh, like a pound of butter. At that moment something had died in Xander's eye, and Dawn had hugged him. She really had tried to comfort him; he had caressed her hair and given her a sweet smile, before he told her that he needed some time alone. Now she wanted to see him, make sure that he was alright, he had been her father figure for the last seven years, more of a father than her own. Yeah, everybody thinks that she had a crush on him, and that Giles was the father, she never really had. Giles was there for the others, but not, so much, for her. For her it was Xander, the one who smiled at her, the one who called her Dawn-patrol or Dawnster, who joked, played, made sure that she was ok and that she was included in the Scooby meetings. He was the one who took her and Buffy in hand when Joyce died, going to her school, making sure to check with her friend's parents, before agreeing to a sleep-over, paying their bills, making sure that Spike had the best blood because Dawn was afraid that he would starve otherwise. Yes he had done that for them, and more, and more, but no one exept her, and maybe Spike, remembered that. She was the only one who knew, that sometime along the way, he began to stop buying personal stuff for himself, so he could give them more money or that he sold his comics collection so that Buffy could stop working, to be the slayer. Anya had died in the last fight and no one, beside her, had asked how he was feeling. He had made sure that they arrived in one peace at the Hyperion, and even had taken care of the packing before the battle, making sure to take Joyce's most precious items, so they could have something to remember her by. What ever they say, and Buffy be damned, Xander was the heart of the Scooby gang. She was going to make sure that everyone knew it! In that spirit, she came to knock at his door. After several minutes of silence, she opened it and went inside, all of Xander's things were gone! Except for a creamy letter on the bed. With tears in her eyes she took it and saw that it had her name on it. After crying her tears and setting herself on the bed she opened it and found a creamy, white page and some powder. She took the letter and began to read.

My sweet Dawnster,

The time has come for me to go, I can't stay anymore sweetie. I know that you never saw me as the zeppo, every time I look In your eyes, I see myself as your knight in shining armour And that's the most beautiful gift I ever received. Sometime Along the road last year, I began to consider you almost Like, don't laugh, my daughter, my little one. The one I need To protect from the big badies, I love you Dawnie. Know that I'm going somewhere I'm wanted and where I can be useful. The last battle destructed some binding that was on my memories, I pay with my eye the price of my future happiness. I've another father my Dawnster and he's someone you'll like very much, he is a bit nasty, and he snarls almost as much as Spike does. I've not seen him for the last seven and a half years, but I know that he loves me very much. He's a wizard, sweet, and A dark one, he lives in a school for wizards, born wizards, like me. Yes, I'm a wizard. That's the other thing that the last battle released, the binding of my magical power. I need to go now but I left you a gift, there is some powder in the letter's envelope if you ever need me, go inside the fireplace, throw the powder at your feet and say "Hogwart's school, Slytherin tower , Alexander Snape's room" and you'll be with me instantly. But make sure to speak very clearly or you'll be sent Merlin knows where. I'll wait to see you again. Once Angelus called me Buffy's white knight, but I'm not. I'm yours and only your knight. Take care my little one, your almost father who loves you. Oh, and Dawnie, tell the big bad, that he better take care of You or I'll come back and stake him. Tell him your dad has Decided that he's your new official godfather and zookeeper. Love you.

Alexander Lavelle Snape

As she read the last words, all of Dawn's tears broke free, and she began to sob, crushing the letter to her heart.

It was in this state, that Spike found her several hours later. He had been on the way to his room, which was next to Xander's, when he heard the broken cry of his niblet. A quick look around, make evident that the whelp was gone for good as were all his things, and for the almost complete lack of scent, he had been gone for sometime now. He went to the bed and gently collected Dawn in his arms.

"Shh, shh, hush pet! What happened?"

She looked at him and sobbed harder as he wiped away her tears.

"He's gone, Spike! She………she…… my bitch of a sister made him go away. He's not coming back this time, he wrote me a letter to say good by. He said that he considered me his daughter, and that he'll always be there for me. Said that if I need help I can go to him, and… and that you are to take care of me or he'll come and stake you." She chuckled a little in the middle of another sob and said. "make you my godfather and zookeeper!". After that she hugged Spike's torso and began to cry again until she fall asleep.

As he held her close, Spike got lost deep in his thoughts.

//The whelp made me, the big bad, the perioxide menace, blondie, fangless, me, Dawn's official protector. Of course, I know that he paid for my blood, and made sure that I had all I needed, he even took me in. Let me room with him last year. But to know that he trusts me that bloody much, that's fuckin' unbelievable. Hell!, that's the best bleedin' news of the year, Droopy don't ever want to see any of his so called friends, but he trusts me, a vamp who tried to kill him more than once, with a girl he claimed as his daughter. That's fucking bloody frightening, world's comin' to an end……… again……… pretty soon." With that Spike began to chuckle lightly //I'll take good care of the niblet, whelp, I swear it. Godfather, wait till the slayer hears that, it's gonna' be priceless.// and on this last thought he cuddled up to Dawn, put the comforter on them and drifted into the land of dreams, where slayer are Happy meal on legs, blood came with Wheatabix, and Timmy finally got forgotten in the well by that Lassie dog.





**The lobby, two weeks later**

//They've been gone almost all night now. It's the first time Spike's not at my side since he found me in Xander's room. I think he took the fact that Xan made him my honorary godfather literally. He fights with Buffy practicly every night now! We haven't been pleased that, after two weeks, nobody has noticed that he's missing. Last night, we were in research mode, when Buffy just ordered Xander, to go fetch some coffee and donuts. After that every single one of them just said what they wanted. They waited ten good minutes before Spike said that he wasn't in the hotel. Buff exploded about how Xan was only useful for that simple task and that if he wasn't even there for that, then what was the purpose for him to come to the meetings. Spike and I, just look at her with incredulity, before he said that there was no reason and that's why Xan had left two weeks ago, with no intention of returning. They were stunned when we made an escape to our rooms.// Dawn snuggled a little bit more into the new couch trying to feel more at ease, but she continued to have this strange feeling that something wasn't quite right. //Tonight has been weird and they were too quiet when they left to fight the last monster that Cordy saw in her vision. Spike took me aside to remind me to be careful; I have the impression that he doesn't want to leave me alone. I don't feel so good in this deserted hotel, anyway. It's like there's some ghost waiting in the dark. It's just so …………… SPIKE!!!// She saw the lobby's great doors open violently by a bloody vampire, who looked nearly dead and for an undead vampire that's pretty ghastly.

"Spike what happened? Where are the others?"

"Pet!" Spike said with difficulty. "She's crazy pet, the bloody slayer's gone loony! We need to run, go pack, they're gonna' be here soon."

"Why do we need to go?" said Dawn afraid, when they where in Spike's room, he just opened a leather bag and threw everything he owned inside, before going into Dawn's room to do the same.

"I tell you, she gone nuts. The nest was on Cedar avenue, in that old Victorian building, the one with the statues who looked like crazy goblin on crack. So we parked the cars, and the watcher leaded us inside, we found them in the basement. The fight was really quick, since we took them by surprise. There was fifty vamps and tree fyral demons inside. Half of the vamps were dust, before they even realised that they were under attack It was a blood bath pet! A bloody marvellous blood bath. After that, we took the fyrals with the poof and the slayer, and let the others take care of the vamps. I killed two of them, after peaches went down. Ten minutes later the demons were all dead or dust, the watcher made us look in all the rooms in case there was something else," he breath deeply, wiped the blood out of his eyes and listened carefully to know if they were still alone in the hotel, before continuing to talk. "I was in the living room, opening some drawer, when she came for the kill…………"

"She's the one, who put you in that state?"

"Yeah, that's why I tell you, that she's became fuckin' bloody NUTS. She smashed me in a wall, and began to hit, screaming that I'm a fucking blood-sucker, that she's never gonna let me kidnap you, that even if you're useless, you're her sister. And she kept hitting me, and hit me more, she took her stake in her right hand and make the first move to dust me, when the witch called for some help. She let me on the floor telling me to wait, that she had not finished with my ass, that I'm dust as soon as she has finished with the witch's problem. After she left, I've managed to go outside and I put myself in Angel's car, after sabotaging the watcher's citroλn. I drove like a mad man to came here and fetch you, because I don't know if she'll attack you, but I won't take any risks with your life, the whelp'll never forgive me if something happened to you. So lets go niblet, faster."

"But why did she try to kill you after all this time?"

"I don't know pet, and truly I really don't care." Suddenly, he froze. "We need to go pet, they're here."

"In the fireplace!"

"What? The fireplace? We're trying to leave Bit. Not get burnt to a crisp."

"We're going to Xander, put the bags and yourself inside the fireplace, I'll explain later" she said with a confidant but urgent voice. She stood right beside him and drew out an envelope from her pocket. She opened it, took the powder that was inside, said "Hogwart's school, Slytherin tower, Alexandre Snape's room!" and threw the powder at their feet.

When Buffy and the others came in the room, they found it empty. They looked everywhere, before finding themselves standing clueless in the lobby.

"Did you find anything?" asked Buffy.

The general answer was a big `NO!' They settled all in the different couches, Giles was the first to speak.

"Why did you try to kill him Buffy?"

"You tried to do what" a shocked Angel jumped up, but a look from Giles made him stop before he got far from the couch.

"I……………I…………I, just before we went out, Cordy took me away from you, to tell me she'd seen Spike kidnapped Dawn in her last vision, I just saw red and tried to slay the menace he is for Dawn's safety." she said finally.

Giles looked at her, feeling more and more tired every moment that passed.

"And by doing that, you made the vision come true."

At that moment, Willow spoke for the first time.

"Spike would never put Dawn in danger, and you know that! He loves her, she's his niblet. I think, he took her with him tonight to make sure that you don't hurt her. If I'm right, they might try to go to Xan, to be safe. I was going to see Dawn last night; I wanted to know about Xan. I was outside her room, when I heard them, they were talking. Spike was telling her that Xander was right, by making him her protector, and she said that if we kept acting like we were, they were better off going to live with him anyway. Spike just agreed, after that, he must have heard me because they stopped talking and went to sleep."

"So we know where they're going, if we find Xander, we find them! It's simple." Said Giles.

"Exactly"

"Let's go then!" finished Angel.

"Umm… where's Xander anyway?" Said Fred with a little girl kind of voice, after they had, letting her alone in the lobby.




Chapter 3: Snape and son Vs shopping!

**Xander's new bedroom, the day after.**

Xander woke up the next morning with no notion of where he was. Yeah, the bed was comfy, but it took him some time to remember the preceding day. They had talked with the headmaster long into the night. He had wanted to know why his dad never mentioned about him, or who is mom was, why Lex had come to see his dad after all this time, and more. Dad had answered all the questions, but had left a lot out and had hidden some of the information, like the binding of his magic or the fact that Lex had lived on the hellmouth all his life. While they were talking, Dumbledore had called a house elf and asked him to rearrange Professor Snape's personal quarters and add a second bedroom and office for Lex. After that, the two of them had made plans to prepare Lex's introduction into the magical world and Hogwart's school, when he had fallen asleep on the couch. He didn't remember waking up or going to bed, so Dad must have tucked him in. He was always the one who had put him to bed, with a bedtime story, when he was really young. That was before Mom left with Tony, and Dad became a Death Eater, and a spy for the ministry of magic. Dad had explained to him, that because Mom never had magic, the bad guy's king wanted to kill them and that was why Lex needed to go leave with Mom. It had been so hard to let Daddy alone, but he had been brave for daddy and smiled to him, when he just wanted to cry. Mom had not been pleased to be stuck with him, and on the second night the strange man had come into Lex's new home, he had spoken a strange language and made Lex forget all about Daddy. When Xander thought about the spell, it made him incredibly angry. That spell had been a real work of art! When Xander was in Sunnydale, he had no souvenir or memories of magic, but after Voldemort's first death, when Dad had forced Mom to send him to Snape manor every holiday,
the strange man had came in Lex's home for the second time and put an additional spell on him. So, Xander had his memories back for the time he was in the magical world, but another binding made him unable to speak badly of Sunnydale. Or to tell Dad the truth about how he lived there. At each return, Mom had opened his baggage and burned everything that was touched by magic, to make sure that there was no possibility of breaking inadvertently the spell that was reset every time he came back. Xan……… or maybe it was time he thought of himself has Lex once again, was deep in his tough, when the door opened silently, and an unusual sight walked in. It was his father and he was… smiling.

Severus took the time to take a good look at his son and a thought pop came to him. //It has been, so long since the last time we lived together, it's going to be so much more agreeable to live here. He's awake for only fifteen minute and the first smile of the day is on his lips. But he's much to thin, it's time, some one takes care of him and makes him happy, and bloody hell it's going to be me. // Before he used his best "Slytherin are the winners of the Quidditch Cup" voice and said,……………

"Good morning, rise and shine sleepy head!"

"Grumpf, Dad! Let me sleep some more pleeeeeease." Lex said giving his most powerful puppy dog eye to his father.

"Get out of that bed young man, that trick never worked with me and you know it. Besides we have a ton of things to do, first…… breakfast," as the last word passed his lips, Lex just jumped out of bed to go in the bathroom, and a little laugh escaped from Severus. " Second, Diagon Alley for some decent clothes, robes and supplies, a new wand, and maybe some other things. Third, I need to find a book on a potion to re-grow your eye. After that, an ice cream seemed like a good idea, then we can come back to make the potion so you can take it a.s.a.p. We need to discuss your lesson schedule also. We have been asked to attend diner with the other teachers tonight, and finally you and me are going to fall asleep on the couch, after I listen to your stories about your adventures with the slayer and how you lost your eye exactly."

"Oh yes, and maybe, if there's some time left, we can accomplish the great feats of Hercules! What were they now? Something about Augias's stables and a wild boar, what do you think Daddy?" said Lex with a patented Snape smirk, and a face glowing with happiness.

" Go wash, you brat and don't call me daddy." At that Snape just looked on with fondness to his precious and maybe a little bit…okay, a lot… loony son, who was heading out of the bathroom.




**Diagon alley, several hours later.**


Xander was exhausted, his feet were aching and he desperately wanted to have something cold to drink and a chair to rest on. They had begun the day with a visit to Madame Malkin's for some new robes. His dad had claimed the only armchair in the shop and had immediately engaged in a discussion with the little witch about the right cut, his new robes needed to fit him properly after all. After more than a half hour of bantering they finally came to an agreement. The robes would be a compromise between teaching and battle robes. That means that they needed to have a straight cut without the usual fold, to be open on the front with only a silver metal snake as fastener just beside the Mao collar, to be long enough to raze the floor, with long sleeves that became larger at wrist level. All of that in a deep black tissue that seemed to absorb all the light without refracting it. Only a silver snake motif would be put on the collar, to match the fastener one. When all the arrangements and measurements had been made another forty minutes later, they left and Dad dragged him into another shop to buy the rest of his new wardrobe because to quote Dad, " It's absolutely out of question, Alexander, that you teach or go out in the magical world or in any other place, in that horrible thing that you have the pretence to call a `very cool shirt'. When in reality it's just the result of a mad man's imagination who had been put on crutiatus curse for far too long," and, "For Merlin sakes, would you shut that damned robe before someone sees that bunch of crap, you call muggle clothes. For crying out loud."

So, he was now, after more than one and an half hours of trying on and measuring, the proud owner of four classic black pants, three more sporty black pants, a couple of sweatpants, black of course, a dozen silk shirts, a dozen t-shirts and a half dozen pullovers in different shades of green and, would you believe it? Black, some with discreet snakes in the embroidery. Even his new underwear was black silk. No more snoopy boxers for the Xan-man, no sir.

The hairdresser was an absolute necessity according to Dad, who was looking at his head with disgust. Another witch took him in hand the moment they stepped inside **Aticus Loon's Modern Hairstyle for fashionable Witch and Wizard**. He was forced in a seat and the witch, who looked like the natural daughter of Dorothy from the "wizard of Oz" and David Bowie in his eighties style, looked at him for two minutes, without blinking mind you, before growing his hair to the middle of his back and adding two fine Slytherin green stripes on the right side to complete the new look. Their next stop was to Flourish and Blotts to buy new books on potions, that they were going to need during the next four weeks, plus some to prepare Xander for teaching lessons, some new publications, and others on divers subjects that Xan just wanted to read like the History of Living Blades Trough the Ages by Timothy Lafleur or How To Survive Your First Day as a Magical Teacher? By the Suicidal Teachers Guild. Apparently, they were having a meeting next month. It was in loving memory of Magnus MorsVoluntaria their suicidal founder. The Leaky Cauldron provided them with a nice lunch before they went down to Knockturn Alley for the potion's ingredients and required utensils. Next was the decoration shop, where he found a tapestry for his bedroom that had living unicorns on it and another one for his office, which showed you whatever your heart desired to see. He also bought a big, green, leather armchair also for his office, a black comforter with a red dragon for his bed, who was breathing fire when the winter comes, to keep you warm and flapping his long wings in the summer hot to cool you. The sealer warned Lex that the dragon, who's little name was Draco had the bad habit to purr, when he loved his master. After that only some minor other accessories were bought to make his rooms more homey. His father had looked at him with amusement, when he was inspecting every thing so closely. Like a little kid on Christmas morning who can't believe that all the gifts are for him. They only needed to make two more stops after that, the first was to Olivander's for a new wand, and the second was supposed to be a surprise. Inside Olivander's shop, they were immediately taken aside by Mr Olivander.

"Good afternoon, Professor. What can I do for you? Did you need a new wand or some repairs on your old one?"

"Good afternoon to you to, Mr Olivander. Actually, it's my son, Alexander, who needs a new one since his first wand had been burned." Severus said keeping a neutral face as always, when he was outside of Hogwart. He had learned a long time ago, that his Death Eater reputation always preceded him, and that if he didn't wanted to be harassed by some good intentioned wizard or witch, the best solution was to act the as discreet as possible.

"Ah…………………yes, yes, I remember young master Alexander, seven inch, sandal rosewood and viper tooth, interesting combination!" said Olivander, who was now selecting boxes and putting them on the counter. " Here, let's try this one, seven inch, cedar wood and phoenix feather."

Xander took it and immediately a couple of boxes went flying.

"NO, absolutely not, try this one, eight inch, pin wood and Drul demon mucus"

………………………………………………VLAM!

"No, Eleven inch, acajou and dragon shell"

………………………………………………CRRRRRRRACK!

"No, Ten inch,…………" and that little game continued on and on and on until only one box was left unopened and Mr Olivander seemed remarkably frustrated almost on the verge of crying. "Gentlemen, this his our last hope, if this one don't work I'll give you the address of one of my esteemed colleges. Nine inch, willow tree wood and vampire blood!" the last description was made with a very tired voice.

Xander was sure that this would be his new wand, before he even touched it, Willow tree and vampire blood, the different parts of the wand were so made for him. The moment, his fingers brushed the soft wood a wave of energy passed through them and made a faint glow surround Lex. "And we have a winner!" said Xander joyfully, before he asked on a impulse "Do you know the name of the vampire who gave you the blood?"

"Actually, the blood was given to my grand-father by William the bloody, one of the scourge of Europe, more than ninety years ago. Before you, that wand has always tried to kill the wizards who touch her, that's why I let you try it only as a last resort. I've never believed that I would see the day when that bloody thing finds it's true owner. She's a very unusual mix and a powerful one, I think she'll be perfect for you." Said Olivander with a big smile.

"Yes, I think so too. It seems that even when I try to forget the past, he tends to find his way back in my life." After that, Xan made a small chuckle, and let his father pay for the wand.

They said their good byes, and found themselves in the alley once again.

"Can I have my ice cream now, Dad please?"

"Only if you answer a question."

"God damn it! I knew this was going to come up sooner or later"

"Language, Lex!" Severus looked at his son with a little bit of irritation. "How did you know that the wand was yours before you touched it?"

"And this is the first 64000$ question of our little game, ladies and gentlemen, but what's the right answer?" Lex said with his best Jerry Springer imitation, before taking a minute of reflection and finally answering more seriously. " mainly because of the two parts that compose her. The willow tree wood first, the only one who really was my family in Sunnydale, before Buffy, the slayer came and the gang was started, was also the one who always took care of me before it all began to fall apart more than a year ago. She really was my best friend."

"And?"

"And she's named Willow!"

"That I can understand, but the Vampire blood?"

"The blood of William the bloody, aka Spike the one and only! The important part is not the fact that it's vampire blood, but that it's Spike's blood. Spike, the one who tried to kill me more than once, the one I was offered to by Angelus as a snack, my twice roommate, the bleach wonder, fangless! The vampire, I had the stupidity to admire the courage and, I don't know how but in the end of the last year, finally think of my best male friend." And for the first time since the beginning of the battle with the first and the end of Spike's relationship with Buffy, Lex took a moment to think of the one he has began to think as his vampire and realise that maybe Spike was a little bit more than that. But with his chance, he'll probably never know if that could have ended to something else than only friendship. "That's why, I knew the wand was mine, she's the representation of the two of them," Said Xander. That last sentence was followed by a deep silence between the two men, who were lost in their thought. It was Xander, who finally broke the cold ambiance with a joyfully forced voice " And now the surprise!"

"Yes son, now the surprise." replied Severus, his heart bleeding for all that his son had had to endure.


TRANSLATIONS:
Magnus / big
MorsVoluntaria / suicide



Chapter 4: Snakes, potions,…………………

**Some times later**

//A pet, Dad decided to give me a pet. `A friend who will never betray you', were his words. And now she's curled around my neck, so beautiful and lethal, the pet shop owner, was so surprised when she chose me to take care of her and her little family.//


[[Flashback]]

They had visited the five pet shops in Diagon Alley, and, yeah, Lex had seen some very rare and interesting pets, but none of them were made for him. A big black cat-like thingy had tried to get his attention, and a strange naked bird had sung in the most enchanting voice, but he had just past in front of them, they had not felt right. After the last one, he had wanted to give up and go back to the castle but his Dad had insisted. They finally tried the one at the end of Knockturn Alley, the Tenebricosus Animalis shop. Inside, Lex began to wander between the rows, when a flash of light that glinted in a dark corner attracted his eye. He made his way to that corner and, after brushing a mass of spider sheet and dust, discovered a big terrarium, which seemed like it had been there since the beginning of the magical world. Inside, five beautiful snakes were curled on themselves. They were asleep, their skin shinning like really soft leather, where some shadows were dancing slowly and an aura of power surrounded them, in the centre was a neutral grey one, who opened his eyes very slowly to look at Lex.

"Sssssssssssss, who are you sssssssssssstranger?"

"Alexander"

"Alexssssssssander, an name who `hisssssssssssssssed' so nicsssssssely, you smell like ussss little sssssssnake. Why?" during his speech, the snake at uncurled his upper body to look at Lex, his head swaying slowly to the right, then to the left, like if he was listening to a song that no one else could ever hear.

Lex took several minutes to think, and let the words of Salazar Slytherin come back to him. Now, he truly understood the meaning of one of his gifts for the first time. So that was what *understand the language of the snakes* meant. Then he answered the snake's question, with a serie of strange hissing sounds.

"I've been gifted by a very powerful wizard with the way of the snakes."

"A pressshiousss gift, but it doesssssn't explain why you're
dissssssturbing our ressssssst?"

"My father has decided that, since I'm away from my friends and that they seemed to always reject me I needed some one with unconditional loyalty, and what's better for that than a pet."

"I ssssssssee, do you find ussssss beautiful, little sssssnake?"

"Ye..yes,…………………………… Yes, you are, but very dangerous too!"

"You are right, we are indeed! Will you let me tasssssste your blood?"

"Why?"

"Why do I want to tasssste you?" the snake stopped his balancing movements, hissed lightly and said "No one hassssss been able to wake usssss for ssssscenturies, but you, you made me awaken from my eternal dreamsssss. Only that fact, makesssss me think that I'm meant to sssstay with you, but before I trussssssst you with my family and my hissssstory, I want ssssssssome guarantiessss and asssss every snake knowsssss, the history of a man issss in hissssss blood. That's why I want to tasssssste yoursssss. sssssssssss" said the snake, his eyes shinning more brightly than before.

There was a long silence, during which Lex took his time to take up his right sleeve before giving his assent.

"I'll let you taste my blood, but I cut myself, you are not to put your fangs in me until we trust each other," Lex drew Eline, his master blade, gift of Godderick Gryffindor, from the magical black leather cuff who had appeared on his left wrist just after his talk with the hat. The cuff was designed to contain the long, shining and deadly elfish blade, which was decorated with the union of a Snake and a Gryffin. Then, he cut his wrist lightly, before extending it to a little purple forked tong, who licked at the blood for a long time, learning his history, his destiny, his dreams, and the place where her own destiny fit in all of that.

"I will be your pet and your friend little ssssssnake, but you musssst promissssssss me to take care and protect the family who'sssss mine."

Lex took his time once again, considering all the aspects of the bargain he was preparing to make with this strange pet. In himself, he knew that the snake was meant to come with him, like he had know that the wand was his, a feeling of rightness and a hot circle around his heart was the only proof he needed. And if it was not? His HufflePuffle gift, in action for the first time, were letting him see the neutral aura around this strange pet, a aura so much similar to his own. Now, only one last question was in left before he gave his final accord.

"First, your name and the name of the members of your family!"

"My turn to assssssk why, little ssssssssnake."

"I can't read your history in your blood, but most of the time a name contains as much history and power as the blood."

"Ssssssuch an intelligent and paranoid little sssssnake, keep that modus operandi and you'll have a very long life. Very well, I'm Neutralisssss and I'm the older one of the family. After me is Obssscuritasssss, my younger brother" she said, indicated the dark grey black snake, then she made a movement to a grey white snake "and hisss mate, she isssss Luminisssss." After that first presentation she looked at the last two neutral grey snakes, one a little thinner and the other much larger than the first two. "The one with the blood red sssssssssscar above hisssss left eye isssssss my mate Sssssanguissssss and the little one with the green key like mark issssss our daughter Clavisssssss." Then she looked with expectation for Lex's next move.

"I, Alexander Lavelle Snape promise to take care and protect you and your family as I would my own pack. Will that pledge, be enough to satisfy you."

"Yesssss it will, my massssssssster."

"Good, time to go pay the greasy git at the counter and go find Dad. It's time to go home. Tonight, I'll have a story for dad and you'll have one for me." With those last words, Lex took the terrarium in his harms and Neutralis found the way to her new master's neck, resting comfortably.

[[End flashback]]




**Two weeks later, Lex's bedroom, long after midnight**

//So much has changed in two weeks. Especially after that second night with Dad, after the shopping marathon, I just felt so happy for a moment. Before, we had dinner with the staff. They were all very nice, but McGonagall looked really green, well, for a Gryffindor when Dad introduced me. I think I heard her say that for the greasy git's son, I looked almost normal. After that kind of comment from a Head of House nonetheless, you know how the rivalry between Slytherin and Gryffindor had survived all these centuries, it's pitiful. And the staff seemed to find that very funny. My attitude cooled quickly and I even gave them a good impersonation of Angelus the brood-maester in is best *if you have nothing to say, just shut up Xander, you're such a useless, boring little brat* expression. The dinner was almost nice. Dad began a conversation with Professor Sinistra about the next blue moon, some problem with the Brevis-Vita flowers, which contrary to their name had the propriety to extend life in different cases of incurable diseases, but needed to be collected that special night. And I had a nice argument with Professor Flitwick about the possible mixing of impervus and glamour, to make the glamour more difficult to break. After dessert we went of in the direction of the dungeons.

Dad sat on the couch with a glass of faλrie bourbon; I just lay beside him with my head on his knees. He lit the fire and began to caress my hair in a soothing motion. After a moment, I began my story. There was so much to tell that hours just flew by, he laughed with me at some of the most ridiculous episodes of my life, like the giant lady preying-mantis Professor. He hugged me tenderly when I recounted of the rejection of the gang and let me cry on his shoulder for the loss of Anya. At the end of the night, we were pretty much drunk and most of the stories I was telling had Spike and Dawn as main characters. More and more bourbon appeared and disappeared from our glasses as the time passed, and I don't know how but I was so drunk at one point, that I finally emptied the contents of my heart to dad. All I was holding back, was brutally spilled out. To say that he was surprised, is an understatement. He seemed pleased to have a kind of adopted granddaughter, but the `I'm in love with a vampire and he doesn't even know that I exist' part was not taken quite as well. //



[[Flashback]]

"You're in love with a ………………WHAT? Are you bloody insane! I've always thought that the Potter family and especially James's brat wanted me dead, but obviously he's not going to have to do the work! Because, my dear son has taken it on himself to ASSASSINATED ME! I'm going to have a bleedin' heart-attack! And if that's not sufficient to kill me, that blood-sucker of your can just finish the job!"

"But Daaaaaaaaaad."

"Don't `but Dad' me young men! I knew that those muggles would corrupt you, I'm fuckin' going to…………………………………………………"

[[End flashback]]



//It had taken more than an hour to calm him and another one to explain why I had fallen for the big bad. Finally I had to let him try the Legilimens spell on me and that had taken more than three and a half hours for him to understand and be satisfied by what he found in my mind. Merlin knows that only my dad can pull a tantrum for something that I did and try to find a way to understand it in the same time. He really is the best,// a little chuckle escaped him at that moment, his two chocolate brown eyes shone brightly.//and to know that he wants for Dawn to take our family's name and be legally registered as my daughter, it's sweet in a creepy weird kind of way, maybe one day, who knows? // another chuckle // sometimes his degree of adaptation amazes me. He is a true Slytherin in every sense of the word!

The next day had been slightly less joyful, I woke up to find that he had made the potion for my eye and that he had to sedate me after I took it, because regrowing an eye hurts like hell. And once again, he was right, I stayed asleep for the next three days and each time I resurfaced in that lapse of time, it was like some one had put a healthy dose of acid on my face, bloody hell! After that episode, every day looked pretty much the same as the precedent, potions, potions, potions and more potions, add to that bunch of potions, Dad's sarcastic comments. And voila! what has been my life for the past two weeks. // and then Lex used Severus's most sarcastic tone and began to speak for himself aloud.

"NOT Like that Lex! For crying out loud, you need to make an eight figure with your spoon when you add the Tenebrae-Solaris grass in that potion, it's basic Lex! Change your knife between each ingredient Lex! Don't add the dragon shell to quickly Lex! It's supposed to be indigo, not cyan blue Lex! Stop whining Lex! Try not to make this one explode Lex! NO, no, no, no, stop, stop, stop, stop, Lex, Lex, Lex, Lex,……………………………………………"

//how, for Merlin's sake did he want me to concentrate with him breathing down my neck, or looking over my shoulder, he can be an obsessed bastard when it comes to teaching potions to his own son! His only chance is that I love him so much, because some one else would have killed him by now. But I must admit that I've learned much in two weeks with him, than all my years at Sunnydale high.//

At that precise moment, a banging sound came from the living room and made him rush to see what had happened. In the room's fireplace were standing the two people who had occupied his thoughts most of the time since his departure, they were looking with big eyes at an angry Severus Snape, wand in hand who was at the verge to hexing them. A big grin came to his face, as he put his hand on his Dad's wand to stop him and tried to speak, but only two words came out of him before he hugged them to death.

"Dawnie! Spike!"


TRANSLATIONS:
Tenebricosus Animalis / dark animal
Neutralis / neutral
Obscuritas / darkness
Luminis / light
Sanguis / blood
Clavis / key
Brevis-vita/ short live
Tenebrae-solaris/ dark sun



Chapter 5:........and family!

"Next morning, Lex's room"

//It's so great to be here, Xan seemed so happy to see us, at least, last night, he did. We made a smashing entrance in his living room fireplace. And when I say smashing, I mean smash as in my cute little butt landing on the floor and Spike falling on top of my knees. I blushed deep red and the big bad cursed all the saint in heaven, in languages that even Giles must never have heared. For a moment, I've thought we were going to be hexed to death when I saw his father wand in hand ready to throw some spells on us. Spike immediately reacted, shielding me with his body, shifting to game face, and preparing himself to go for the kill, when Xan erupted into the room, it took him only a quick glance before stopping his father and crushing us both in a bear hug. Spike had protested that he was, and I quote `the big bad, don't need to be hugged by a bloody soddin' whelp, so get your hands of me and don't give me your bleedin' puppy dog eyes...... BLOODY HELL! Pet when did you get that eye of yours back ?', it was really funny, because in all the time Spike took to say that he never let go of Xan once, as to make sure that he was real, like if he let go Xan would suddenly disappear. When they finally let go of each other, Xan got us out of the fireplace to introduce us to his Dad. He's kind of freaky, all tall and dark, but not in a ` I've my soul again and I must brood until the end of the world, because my soulless alter ego tortured and killed innocent people and my family' kind a way like Angel. No, it's more a `I have power and I know how to use it, so don't mess with me' attitude, but when he looks at Xan, love shines in his eyes. I don't think Xander ever had that kind of unconditional love before, so that makes him ok, I guess. After that, Xan's Dad took a good look at Spike's condition and dragged us all in to the infirmary, where Poppy Pomfrey decided to stun him after the twenty `bugger this woman!' and a couple of `why can't I leave this antechamber of hell already, I'm a master vampire not a bleedin' toddler for crying out loud!'. After she finished with his assorted injuries, she insisted on examining me too. When she finished up, she had a long talk with Xan's Dad, Severus (he asked us to call him that), before letting us go back to their quarters, insisting that Spike needed to rest. So bed for everyone for now and conversation in the morning. Xan went to sleep with his snake in Severus' bedroom and gave us his own room, so Spike could rest properly in a good bed. We took our usual spots. Spike on his back and me with my head on his chest close to his unbeating heart and went to sleep.//

Dawn woke up for a little while sometime later, sensing something crawling on her body, she opened her eyes to see two beautiful grey snakes. There was one on Spike and one on her, twisting to curl around their necks. They strangely made her feel more secure and she decided to let them be and fall back asleep, figuring that they were most likely Xander's other pet snakes. She had seen the terrarium where they were asleep, before going to bed. She had a nice, refreshing sleep before she waking up almost thirty minutes ago, a little snake with a green key mark on his back caressing her skin very tenderly and licking her neck, like she was kissing her. A moment later, Spike began to shift around as he woke up. He lay still for a moment before asking

"You awake, Niblet?"

"I guess so. Why?" said Dawn, yawning at the same time.

"Wanted to know, s'all... M'I dreaming or is there a snake around my neck?"

"Nope, not dreaming, it's a snake. I think it's one of Xander's pets. I have one on me too; he has a lovely green key on him. Hey! Yours has the same scar, you have on your eyebrow!"

"A snake, s' an ok pet for the big bad and his pup, don't you think Niblet?"

"I think they're cool. Do you think Xan would let me keep this one?"

"Don't know, we'll ask when we see him at breakfast. It's pretty early pet, why don't we go and sleep `til then?"

"M'kay!"

And with that Dawn cuddled Spike some more and fell asleep to the light-shushing purr Spike made, falling in a healing sleep for the second time.



"Same time Severus's bedroom"

Lex stretched out as he woke up, getting out all the kinks of sleep, moving like a snake would have done after a summer afternoon nap and opened his eyes to find his father up and ready for a little trip to his private laboratory.

"You're awake early today, Daddy."

"One day Lex, I'll make you regret that `daddy'!" said Severus with a smile "I've some work to do before breakfast and I want to test a theory, that Poppy and I discussed last night."

"That's what you two where discussing before we left?" asked Lex, as he got up and out of bed; Neutralis found her place around his neck instantly.

"Hello, masssssssssster. We mussssst disssscussssssssse ssssomething, I have interessssssting newssssssss!" said the snake.

"Good morning to you too, Neutralis. We can talk as soon as my father is gone," answered Lex caressing his pet's skin tenderly.

"Lex, what did you plan to do until your friends wake up?" asked Severus.

"Neutralis needs to speak with me, and after that I think I'm going to train with Eline in the training room at the end of the corridor. You know the one behind the portrait where Salazar Slytherin and Goderick Gryffindor's portraits go to snuggle in the lavender flowers. They're so cute and Salazar curses like nobody I've ever know when they're, umm. in the middle of something and you interrupt them. It's really hilarious to see him react like a knight in shinning armour defending his poor damsel in distress. But I think that the better part is seeing Godric chasing him with a sword, because trust me, that guy hate playing the girly part of the couple, " Lex finished with an enormous grin on his face.

Severus was taken aback by his son last revelation and gave a small nod with his head before leaving, promising himself a little trip to the end of the hall sometime soon. He only had three hours before breakfast now to prepare the potion he had in mind. The day promised to be interesting.

After seeing his dad leave the room, Lex put Neutralis on the bed and went to the bathroom to take a shower. Fifteen minutes later, he was heading out to the training room, listening to his snake's joyous voice.

"I wassss awake with the sssssssun my masssssssster and I wanted to sssssee how my massssster'ssss mate and daughter where. Sssso I dessscided to go in our bedroom, they where assssleep my masssster, but when I climbed up on the bed, I could sssssee that they where not alone my masssster," said Neutralis with an excited voice, which was hissing more than usual.

"Not alone?"

"No, my massssster. My mate and my daughter were curled around them."

"They wake up while you were there?"

"Yesssss my massssster, they opened their eyesssss when I approached, I am ssssso happy, my masssster, sssso happy! They ssssaid that their new masssterssss energy had awakened them lassssst night, like yoursssss had awaked me."

"Hmm?"

"What issss it, massster?"

"Just thinking `Lis, that's all."

"And what are you thinking of, my masssster?"

"It's strange, after a thousand years or so, I found you and your family asleep, but as soon as you felt my energy, you woke up. Then, the ones I consider my daughter and my mate come, and your daughter and your mate woke up to find that they have new masters, on top of that, your name is Neutralis who means neutral and I'm supposed to be the only neutral wizard in the world."

"Yessss, it'ssss ssssssstrange but..."

"Wait a minute that's only the beginning, your daughter's name is Clavis, that means key and my daughter is a dimensional key in human form. Next , your mate Sanguis, meaning blood and my mate Spike, William the Bloody, a vamp whose whole life revolves around blood. Your family, my family! I think that each one of you is destined to a member of my family; it's the logical connection! A family made the spell that ended the first war of the wizarding world; a family with the same characteristics needs to end the last war of the wizarding world! So, if I'm right, my father represents the darkness of the family and Obscuritas is his, Luminis would be for his mate when he finally finds the right one." At that moment, Lex had forgotten all training and his brain was thinking so fast it was hard to keep up! It was like the entire jigsaw puzzle was beginning to take form for the first time since his discussion with the sorting hat. "So, let me think a minute, you said that before the spell, Obscuritas was fighting for the dark side and Luminis for the light side, that put them in the place of the warriors of light and darkness when you made the spell, right?"

"Yessss, my masssster. The ssssspell required five participantsssss from the sssssame family, a neutral wizard, a dark and a light one, a neutral who leaned more to the light and finally a neutral who leaned more to the dark."

"OK, ok, ok! I get it know, I'm the neutral, Dawn is the neutral-light, Spike is the neutral-dark and Dad is the new warrior of darkness the founders wanted me to find. If I'm right when I give Obscuritas to Dad after breakfast, he's going to wake up and then we only need to find the warrior of light and give him Luminis. When all the pieces are in place, I can begin their training and we can prepare for what's going to come to us."

"Yesssss, I think it'sssssss correct my massssster, but to accessssss their full power the warriorsssss musssst bond together, assss you mussssst do with your mate too, and technically, your daughter mussssst be from your blood. How she woke Clavissssss, without being from your blood issss an enigma you mussssst resssolve abssssssolutely before the war beginssss openly, and if you need our help we're going to need to forge a blood-bond between your family and mine. Oh, if Obscuritassssss wakessss up, I think that he would be able to sssssenssse hissss massssster'ssss real mate and sssso help ussss to find the misssssssing warrior."

"Good, good!" said Lex, his eyes full of twinkles. "So, objective one: the Dawn/blood enigma thing, objective two: daddy's new mate, that's going to be fun, because he can be a real pain in the ass when he wants to and let me tell you, he's not going to agree without a fight. Objective three: make sure that mister `do you want a lemon drop, veritaserum flavoured, my dear? So, I can fuck with your mind in peace!" doesn't find out about what we're doing until we're ready. Four: begin Spike seduction, five: find a spell to regenerate my blood, so he can drink my blood and not some cow shit, six:......um....is there a six?"

"Ssssssix: it'sssssssss time for breakfassssst, my masssssster!"

Lex stopped his planning, to quickly cast a clock spell, and after seeing that he was almost late, took off in the direction of Snape's living room. The table was set and everyone was sitting. At the sound of the door closing, his father turned his head and said,

"Lex, come here, I need your blood before the potion cools!"


END PART 5