The Brightest Star Of The Darkest Night

23. Let's Build Our Yule Tradition

The longest chapter full of fluff! Enjoy!

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Time flew past and before they knew it, its Yuletide eve. As Marvolo predicted, Hadrianus's routine started to become slow and lethargic at the start of December as he started to drift off to brumation, curling up with Nagini in front of the fireplace. And Marvolo lets him. It was, after all, winter. The hibernation season for the snakes. And Hadrianus is only eight years old child with only a few months of Naga inheritance, so he needs more sleep than usual. Even if they're in a warm-weather country where they wouldn't have to worry about the temperature dropping below zero and a raging snowstorm - except the tallest summits of Hawaii of course.

He will let Hadrianus have two cold seasons to get used to it. In his tenth year, he will start training how to use warming charms and runes to keep his blood warm, which will prevent him from slowing down and get lethargic. Hadrianus may not stay as energetic as other kids in winter - but it will be enough to stop the urge to fall asleep every now and then.

Marvolo sighed tiredly as he finished clearing the residual of the Ritual room after the soul replenishment rituals that he had done. The ritual is more complicated and time-consuming than he thought it would be - but thankfully it's done now. He had realized the stability he had been missing since he had absorbed most of his largest Horcrux, still, that didn't compare with what his cleared mind can do.

And he will need every ounce of his genius, and cleared mind to handle what he plans to do next. The next Hogwarts Board of Governor meeting has been scheduled to be on 27th, in the period between Yule and New Year, and he had requested every professor to be there. Also, the next Wizengamot Session is scheduled to be held on 28th, where he was supposed to swear in as Lord Slytherin and acting Lord Peverell. And Dumbledore will be in both of the places, though he doesn't know about the news of Peverell Lordship being activated as well. The look on his face will be comical. And he will need every bit of patience for the old coot, behave like he is meeting him for the first time, not when he was eleven.

Marvolo breathed deeply as he made his way towards their private wings, absently checking the time to find its half past three in the morning. The ritual had taken more time than he anticipated, but at least it's done now. As he was about to walk past the Heir chamber to his own bedroom, his foot turned on its own, completely involuntary. He stopped for a second, reaching out to his Horcrux link to find it under distress.

Good Lord! Is his son having another nightmare?

Marvolo silently opened the door to Hadrianus's room and entered. He sighed inwardly when he found his son in front of the fireplace, curled up in the soft plush chair instead of sleeping on the bed. What took his attention was how he flinched very minutely every once in a while, a slight frown on his sleeping face as the eyeballs behind the closed eyelids moved. And the tenseness of his body. The book he was reading before falling asleep still resting on his stomach. The warming runes and roaring fire giving them much-needed heat as Hadrianus snoozed away, his tiny hand grabbing Nagini's tail like some kind of plush toy, on other hand his badger toy.

And Nagini, awake, trying to soothe her hatchling by coiling herself all over him making a protective cocoon, hissing softly and tasting his cheeks as in kissing him. His son's head, arm, and legs are thrown over her thick curl, using her as his pillow, even though it was not enough.

":Tom, make it stop.:" Nagini whisper-demanded, clearly in distress that she can't protect her son from nightmares.

Marvolo approached them. ":Why you didn't tell him to go to bed?:" He asked as he gently pried of his fingers from the book, closed it, and put it aside. He clearly remembers telling him to go to sleep after he exhausted himself while decorating the Christmas tree this evening.