Alternate Universe - brothers Draco & Harry

Chapter 26 - the 4th Winter Break

Winter break was here! Students were all smiles, ready to leave school and head back to see their families. The halls were empty yet again, missing the sounds of children. Everyone was home, even the professors, so the halls were more than just quiet. 

Draco and Hercules finally saw their parents again, running to hug their mother like always. Lucius shook the boys's hand like always. Everything was in order, everyone was in place. And slowly the days began to pass, they were cold and full of snow, the boys spent a lot of time having snow fights, practicing their instruments, as well as read books. But mostly, they caused a lot of mischief around the house, pranking the elves and getting scolded by Dobby.

After the first three days had passed, Lucius told the boys some news. "Tonight we will have very important guests over. It's your Potions professor, along with his wife."

"Really?" Draco seemed surprised. "I never knew professor Snape had a wife."

"He does," Narcissa interjected, taking a sip from her tea cup. "She's a wonderful woman, just had a baby too. Your professor, he doesn't go around spreading that information at school, he likes to keep his private life private, so you boys must keep quiet as well, understood?"

"Yes, mother," they spoke in unison. If Narcissa ever forbid the boys from doing or saying anything, they listened to her, never ever breaking a promise to their mother.

The evening came, the boys were dressed in suits, Narcissa was wearing a beautiful dark blue dress, and the table was set. The elves let Snape inside, he took of his and his wife's coats, urging her to enter the house as she carried their newborn baby. The woman stepped inside, greeted by the dark and eerie place that was the Malfoy Manor.

"Ah," Narcissa went to greet them. "How lovely to see you, Severus. And how wonderful to finally meet your beautiful wife."

"Yes," Severus spoke, a bit nervously, his eyes darting over to the two boys. That was the moment Hercules, formally known as Harry, laid eyes on his biological mother. Lily entered the dining room, her long brown hair shining, her green eyes bright. She took one look at the boy and felt nothing. There was no spark, no recognition, no memory. 

The woman walked over and said, "I'm Lily Snape, how very nice to finally meet some of my husband's dear students."

Hercules gave the woman his usual fake smile, feeling no interest in her what so ever. "It's lovely to meet you as well. My name is Hercules."

"And I'm Draco."

"Oh," the woman chuckled. "Hercules and Draco, both like the constellations."

"Yes, just like the constellations," Lucius spoke, the feeling of ease and relief washing over him. Seeing his son not recognize the woman as his real mother felt so euphoric, he was on cloud-nine. A part of Lucius always feared the day Hercules would meet his mother again. Snape also watched the scene unfold with worried eyes, feeling relieved to see Lily and Hercules interact with such indifference.

"Please," Narcissa spoke. "Sit down. The elves have made the most wonderful feast, you have them all to thank."

And so the evening went on, Draco and Hercules felt quite bored but kept up appearances, yet throughout the night, the adults would often look at Hercules and Lily, trying to see if there were any signs and emotions that might have been missed, yet there were none. These two had no idea and no interest in who the other one was. Throughout the night, Lily mostly paid attention to her actual child, their newborn baby boy. His name was Oscar Severus Snape, and the boy had dark brown hair and his mothers beautiful green eyes. Snape looked at the child with so much love and adoration that it shocked every Malfoy in the room, no one had ever known the man to be so emotional and loving. But it was obvious just how much his family meant to him, and he'd do anything to protect it.