Chapter Text
Tick-tock.
Severus watched the clock on the wall swing back and forth. He let out a heavy sigh, his eyes drifting to the snow covering the mountains beyond the windows. He looked around, he was surrounded by luxury, wrapped in wealth, in a mansion nestled among the mountains. As a child, he had dreamed of having a house like this. The soft sigh of his daughter brought him back to reality.
Amélie slept peacefully in his arms.
He studied the girl’s delicate features, silently wondering whether she would look like Potter when she grew up. Probably. She already resembled him very much.
Severus adjusted Amélie in his arms.
He heard the door creak and quick footsteps rushing toward him.
Louis jumped onto the bed, grinning.
Severus smiled at him.
“Papa, I flew really high with Daddy! You should’ve seen it!”
“Did you?” Severus replied, his voice calm. “Next time I want to see it.”
James entered the bedroom quietly.
Louis pouted.
“Papa, when will you be able to leave the room?”
Severus glanced toward the window.
“Easy there, champ,” James said with a smile. “Your papa is recovering from a magical pregnancy. He needs time.”
Louis looked at Severus.
“Will it take long?”
Severus met his eyes again.
“No. I’m getting better.”
*****
Severus sat at the table, once again taking in the abundance of food laid out before him. James preferred it that way; he said it reminded him of Hogwarts. Every dinner was served à la française.
Severus gave the elf a brief nod and went upstairs, finding Louis being dressed by another elf. He stepped into the bedroom, locked the door, and walked over to Amélie’s crib. The girl slept peacefully. Two months old already, and she was delightfully chubby.
Then he went to Louis, straightening his tie.
“You have to behave tonight, all right?”
Louis pouted sulkily. His son was a little spoiled.
“I always behave, Papa.”
Severus smiled and ran a hand through his curly hair.
“I know. But you have to behave even more tonight, okay?”
Louis nodded, and Severus picked him up. He glanced at Amélie one more time, opened the door, and went downstairs.
James was already seated at the table. He looked directly at Severus.
“I was starting to get worried, wondering where my beloved family was.”
Severus set Louis down in his chair and replied,
“I was helping Louis get ready.”
James frowned.
“And where was the elf? That’s his job.”
Severus turned toward James.
“I just wanted to see Amélie before dinner.”
James smiled slowly, staring at him with an amused glint in his eyes.
“I would never have imagined that you, of all people, would be such a loving father, Sev.”
Louis behaved himself, eating quietly and answering a few of James’s questions in an easygoing way. For a four-year-old, he already understood how not to cause trouble.
Severus felt a wave of relief when dinner finally ended. He looked at Louis and asked,
“Do you want to go to your room now?”
Louis looked back at him and nodded.
Severus stood up.
James watched them without looking away.
“You want to go to bed already too, Sev? Won’t you stay with me for a little while?”
Severus picked Louis up, holding him close.
“I’m just putting him to bed. Then I’ll come back downstairs.”
James frowned, then smiled, baring his teeth.
“All right, my love. I’ll be waiting for you.”
Severus averted his gaze and left the dining room.
****
James walked into the kitchen without making a sound and wrapped himself around Severus from behind. His hands slid over Severus’s waist as he pressed slow kisses along his pale neck.
Severus went rigid. His hand immediately came up to grab James’s, pushing it away, his entire body stiff with revulsion.
James tightened his grip and placed another kiss against Severus’s neck.
“I knew you wouldn’t come downstairs yesterday, Sev, but I decided to let you have that time to recover completely. The truth is… I’m tired of waiting.”
At that moment, Louis burst into the kitchen, cheerful.
“Papa? Mélie woke up.”
Severus slipped out of James’s arms in the same second, stumbling back, disoriented, anger pulsing through him.
“Okay… I’m coming, Louis. I’ll get her.”
But before he could take a step, James grabbed his wrist hard.
“Let the elves handle her, Sev.” He pulled Severus back against him, his voice lowering, turning firm. “I need attention too.”
Severus felt his stomach turn to ice.
Louis, sensing the tension Severus was trying to hide, grabbed his other arm and tugged him away.
“Come on, Papa. Leave grumpy Dad there.”
James gave a tight, irritated smile.
“Fine. We’ll talk later.”
Severus only nodded, not looking at him. He lifted Louis into his arms and left quickly, climbing the stairs with hurried steps. Once inside Amélie’s room, he locked the door immediately.
Louis watched him, worried.
“Is everything okay, Papa?”
Severus nodded. He forced a smile at Louis, trying to mask the panic still throbbing inside him.
“It’s fine, Louis… let me see your sister.”
He set Louis down in the little chair and stepped toward the crib.
Amélie was awake, her light brown eyes wide open, sucking on her tiny hands.
****
Severus hurried down the stairs. He had left Louis and Amélie in the garden with Tolski, but the truth was he didn’t fully trust the elf he was far too clumsy.
As he passed through the sitting room, he stopped abruptly when he noticed the Floo powder left out in plain sight. James usually never allowed it to stay there.
Severus moved closer to the fireplace.
He grabbed a handful of Floo powder.
His heart began to race.
Maybe he could get out. Maybe he still had enough strength. Even if those bracelets prevented him from actively using magic… perhaps he could still reach the Malfoys’ house. Or even Charity’s.
Maybe this whole nightmare could end.
It was a chance.
He would find help to remove the bracelets and then come back for his children.
Severus stepped into the fireplace with the powder in his hand, the words already on the tip of his tongue
When the shock tore through his entire body.
Pain exploded through his skull in violent waves.
Severus dropped the powder and staggered out of the hearth, clutching his head with both hands, fury burning inside him. All he could do was curse James’s name.
There was no escape from this hell.
Severus spent the entire afternoon in the garden. The darker it grew, the more his unease intensified. James would be home from work soon. If he even suspected the escape attempt, Severus would be in serious trouble.
Louis, who had been playing with his broom, attempted a risky maneuver and fell to the ground.
Severus’s eyes widened when he saw the boy fall.
Louis began to cry loudly.
Severus knelt beside him, searching for any visible injury, but physically the boy seemed fine.
“Did you hurt yourself? Does anything hurt?”
Louis sniffled loudly, wrapping his arms around Severus as he cried.
Severus stroked his hair. He never knew what to do in moments like this. Should he comfort him? His own father would have already lost his patience and beaten him to make him stop crying.
Severus stood up with Louis in his arms.
“Let’s go inside. It’s almost time for Potter to get home.”
Louis sniffed again, clinging to his neck.
Severus sighed. The sun had already disappeared.
He took a deep breath and walked into the house.
****
James remained silent throughout the entire dinner. No questions. No stories about work. And yet, his eyes never left Severus, which only made him more uneasy, wondering if James knew about the escape attempt.
Louis was exhausted, dozing off at the table with the spoon still in his hand.
“I’m going to put Louis to bed. He’s very tired,” Severus said.
James didn’t reply. He simply gave a slight nod.
It was strange. The lack of questions. But Severus chose to ignore it and moved on.
When he reached the bedroom, he locked the door. He took Louis to brush his teeth. The boy, who had seemed so sleepy, suddenly perked up, throwing a small tantrum about not wanting to brush.
Severus smiled.
“Louis, you have to brush them, or your teeth will fall out.”
Louis yawned again.
“But, Papa, I didn’t even eat much.”
“It doesn’t matter. You have to brush before bed, or the Tooth Fairy won’t want your teeth.”
Louis pouted.
Severus sighed.
“Look, it’ll be quick, okay? Just brush a little so you don’t get bad breath.”
Louis brushed his teeth and then went to play with the toys James had brought back from his last mission.
Severus glanced at Amélie in her crib. She was fast asleep.
He picked up a book, sat down in the chair, and began to read.
A short while later, James tried to open the door. The sound of the handle turning and a knock made Severus turn abruptly.
He looked at the door, then at Louis and Amélie.
“Louis, stay here with your sister while I talk to James, all right?”
The boy pouted.
“But, Papa… Mélie cries a lot.”
Another knock. Louder this time.
Severus glanced back at the door, his shoulders tense.
“It’ll be quick, Louis. You’re the big brother, remember?”
Another knock.
“Severus, open this door,” James’s voice rang out, impatient. “Or I will.”
Severus took a deep breath, forcing calm into his voice.
“I’m coming, James… just a minute.” He turned back to his son and smiled a small smile, masking the tension coiled inside him. “Wait for me here, all right? Don’t leave the room.”
He stood up, cast one last look over the children, and opened the door, stepping outside. He closed it again behind him.
The sound of the key turning in the lock echoed inside the bedroom.
Louis remained still, listening to the argument unfolding on the other side of the door.
James grabbed Severus’s arm and yanked him roughly down the hallway.
“I know the way to the bedroom, James,” Severus said, his voice tight.
“Apparently you’ve forgotten,” James shot back, squeezing his arm hard in anger. “You haven’t slept in it for ages.”
Severus looked away.
“I was in confinement. I just had a baby… you know that.”
James huffed, impatient.
“Two months is more than enough for your magical body to recover.”
Severus swallowed.
“That’s not how it works. I—”
“You think I’m an idiot?!” James shouted, stepping forward. “Do you think I don’t notice? That you’re using this ridiculous confinement as an excuse to stay away from me? That I don’t know you’re sleeping in the children’s room to avoid me?”
Severus clenched his fists, trying to contain the anger rising inside him.
“Lower your voice, James… the children will hear.”
James’s expression was cold, furious.
“I don’t care.”
Severus drew in a slow breath, his face pale.
“Then at least cast a Silencing Charm… so they won’t hear.”
For a moment, James didn’t respond. Then he raised his wand and cast the spell with a sharp, abrupt motion.