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Disclaimer: Isn't it obvious by now? I would totally throw in some slash if I owned it, don't you think?... sigh. Fine:

I do not in any way own Harry Potter. It is the property of J.K.Rowling, Warner Bros. and a number of other organzations, all of which do not ever imploy me.

One more to add to the mountain of stories I keep throwing up. But, well, that's what vacations do to you. Deal with it. And don't go sending in crap about how evil my line of thought is for me to produce this story. Screw off. But regular old constructive criticism is more than welcome, K?

X

Albus Dumbledore sat, stiff-backed in his chair as he waited for the goblin to finish with the reading. Today was the day of the reading of James and Lily Potter's will, and was a most somber occasion. Molly Weasley on his left was constantly dabbing at her eyes, a mangled sob escaping her throat every few seconds. Even Severus, to his right, had shining eyes, though he was considerably more drawn together. Dumbledore could tell that he didn't give much of a thought to James' passing, but Lily had been an old friend.

After what seemed like hours, the giving of all their earthly belongings was finished, and the Goblin handed Dumbledore a thin envelope. The entire congregation left and he went around saying a few comforting words here and there, pausing for a while in front of Severus, who had set himself all by himself in the corner of the room. "Severus, how are you?"

Severus gave him a blank look, holding the shrunken memory box tightly in his long fingers. "Of course I am, Albus." he snapped, though it lacked it's usual bite. "It's been over a month. I've resigned myself to the idea by now, as I should have."

Dumbledore sighed, placing a hand on his surrogate son's shoulder. "Don't keep all of your emotions on the inside, Severus." he advised. "It will only hurt you more."

Severus shrugged off his hand, schooling his mask that had nearly disappeared. "So what is in the letter, Albus?" he asked, obviously changing the subject.

Dumbledore pulled out the letter, one of a few things he had been given by the Potters. He let himself examine it for the first time. It was made from thick green parchment that was practically leaking with charms and sealing spells. Whatever was written was obviously very important. Too important for the likes of him to read, surely. He didn't know them nearly well enough for something like this to find it's way into his hands.

Furrowing his thick white brows, Albus opened the letter, pulling out a single piece of paper. It was just your average piece of Muggle paper, lineless, and written in pen.

Albus Dumbledore

Albus, I know that this is going to sound strange, but I really have no choice. How I wish that this never had to come out, but if you are reading this than I am dead and there is no other way. You may be confused if you are receiving this and James is still alive, but whatever you do, don't show the contents of this letter to him. Please, this means everything to me, Professor.
Do you remember when little Harry was born? I had him at home at James' insistence. He was so little and perfect, but James was acting really jumpy and tense. Sirius teased him for it, and Remus seemed concerned, but he brushed it off as nerves.
Which brings me to the point of this letter. You'll need Severus for this. I would have told him, but you know how he can be. To find out what you need to know, tell The Stag where the best grass grows.
And Albus, please hurry. Who knows how long Borey can hold out?

Lily Evans Potter



Dumbledore blinked in confusion. "What.........?"

"What is it?" asked Severus, arching an elegant black brow.

"It is this letter. Lily wrote it....... Severus, it does not make any sense."

"Can I see it?" asked the young Potions Professor, not really expecting it. It was sent to Dumbledore after all, not him.

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes. Lily said I would need you for this. Later though."

"Yes. Yes of course, Albus. Thank you."

He nodded. "Do the words 'Tell the Stag where the green grass grows' mean anything to you?"

"Well, yes actually. The Stag was our nickname for an old statue of hers. In fourth year we went into Hogsmeade and she saw a statuette of an old man. It looked so much like a deer that she said she just had to buy it. She called it The Stag."

"And 'where the green grass grows'?"

"She always used to say that the greenest grass in the world was to be found in Godric's Hollow."

No sooner than the words left his lips the box in Severus' hand gave a great jerk. He looked down at it in surprise, and immediately reached to open the lid. The room had since cleared out and would stay empty for the next hour, so Albus took the box from him, set it on the floor, bespelling it to it's correct size (roughly the size of a trunk). They immediately bent down and started to sift through it. There were dozens of trinkets, all of which held deep meaning for Severus, but they moved through them until they reached an ugly little statuette that was glowing bright green. They both reached for it at the same time. Their fingers had barely brushed it before both men felt a distinct pull behind their navels and were pulled into nothing.

They both crashed hard on unyielding stone, completely disoriented. "A portkey?" hissed Severus, rubbing his knee. He was normally rather good with Portkey 's, but he had been taken by complete surprise this time. "Where are we?"

Dumbledore looked around. They were on a stone courtyard, overlooking a cliff, right in front of a small cottage. Something about the cottage bothered him, but he decided to ignore it. "Severus...." he asked as he examined the windowless structure, the padlocks on the outside. "Do you know who Borey is?"

"A House Elf I believe. He was a favorite of James'. Died around the time Harry was born."

"The letter mentioned him. It said she wasn't sure how long Borey could last."

"But he died."

"Apparently not."

Severus looked the cottage up and down. "We're going in there then. Alright. I am just relieved that I brought my wand with me."

Dumbledore nodded. "As am I."

X

Severus paced back and forth in front of Dumbledore's desk, practically foaming at the mouth. "How dare he!!" he snarled. "You told me he grew up! You told me he had changed! That he was mature!"

"I know...." said Dumbledore, head in hands.

"He acted normal, he acted sane, but it's obviously only gotten worse since we were in school! Black's inbred psychosis must have worn off on him! Or more likely, the other way around!!"

"Severus........."

"And why wouldn't Lily tell me?! We were so close, she could have trusted me! She should have! I would have helped her!"

"I'm sure she had her reasons." he said. "She wouldn't have agreed to this otherwise. You knew her...."

"Yes, but POTTER!! I never should have let her marry him! I should have- -!"

Severus' rant was cut off by a loud squall in the corner of the room. They spun around and looked warily at the screaming infant, paling. It's mop of black hair fell into it's face, it's unnatural grey eyes mercilessly shut. Neither could summon the courage to go over and calm the baby, so they merely watched it voice it's unhappiness.

Fawkes looked between the two men, obviously annoyed. Seeing them just watching the miserable creature, the huge bird raised it's head towards the ceiling before rising from his perch and flying over. He nuzzled his head against the baby, cooing softly. After a minute or so the sobs slowed, then stopped all together, and it reached up and hugged the big bird. Fawkes swept a wing over the one-year-old, sending the men a half scathing, half smug look that just seemed to scream 'Now was that really so hard? And you call yourselves wizards. Pathetic.'.

Dumbledore cleared his throat. Severus rubbed his left forearm uncomfortably. They both were rather embarrassed to be set on their asses by a bird. Severus held up the letter they had retrieved at the cottage.

Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape

I am glad that you figured out the letter, and by now I think you have at least an idea of what's going on. That is, if Borey has done his job. I suppose that the story will have to come out now. Just please don't take it too horribly.
When James and I conceived Harry, an Incubus came only a few nights later. You know how they work. Nothing could be done. We wouldn't have know at all if it weren't for Borey coming in to straighten up. He frightened off the Incubus and woke us up. We were so frightened when we found out about the pregnancy, we didn't know what do. We decided to wait it out, which is why I gave birth at home. Thankfully little Harry was one hundred percent James and I's. But what no one else knew was that I had another baby that night. That child is in this cottage with you right now. He was made by the Incubus, and is only half witch. In little over ten years he won't even be that. We looked up Incubi and found out that they sometimes get jealous if the woman they're with is pregnant, and if it's early enough on they'll make their own. James was enraged and hated the baby right off. He wouldn't even let me name him. He would have had me abandon him, but I convinced him to let me send him away. Since there was nowhere to leave him, we sent him up to his family's cottage with Borey, and never brought him back. I was only able to visit him a few times but I already love him so.
In a way my death is almost good thing. At least this way my son will be taken care of. Somehow. There has only been a handful of half-Incubus children in history, and he will likely be a difficult child to raise, but I beg of you to please find a way. He deserves the love his mother could never give him.

Lily Evans

Severus resisted the urge to crumple the paper in his fist. "Albus....."he said, forcing calm into his voice that he didn't possess. "What will we do with him?"

"I don't know." he said, practically falling in on himself. "Voldemort didn't know of him, so blood protection isn't necessary. Any Muggle is out. But so are most magic people........"

"A beast perhaps? Something close to an Incubus? A vampire perhaps?"

"Really Severus, how many Vampires adopt?"

"True. A werewolf?"

"Perhaps.... But the only good one I know is Remus and I couldn't do that to him."

A small grin touched his lips. "Molly Weasley?"

"Really Severus, she's pregnant and has five sons."

"It was worth suggestion."

Dumbledore rubbed his temples. "Perhaps blood ties would be best. At least they would have a good reason not to refuse."

"I would take him if I could." said Severus. "Worst to Worst I will. But if there is any other choice, it would be wise to avoid giving a child to an ex-death eater."

"That and you hate children."

Severus shrugged. "That to."

"Perhaps, for now, we should focus on where he'll stay tonight."

".......Narcissa.........she spoils Draco rotten......... she'd be able to put up with a child for a few days. She loves children and I've no doubt that there is more than one crib in Malfoy Manor."

"Very well." Dumbledore walked to the fireplace, throwing in a handful of Floo Powder. The flames turned green and he stuck in his head. "Malfoy Manor!"

X

Lucius watched as his wife fretted and fussed over the tiny orphaned child. Dumbledore hadn't said much, but this was apparently a babe that had been abandoned for being only half wizard. He didn't know what the other half was, but from the way he spoke Lucius could tell it wasn't Muggle. This was likely a half creature, and if so there was really no better place he could go than to them. He and Narcissa were both half Veela 's, a trait undoubtedly carried on to Draco. He couldn't begin to guess what the child was though. Not Veela. His hair was too dark. Werewolf genes weren't hereditary. Vampires couldn't have children at all.

Narcissa said she could almost see the inhuman in his aura. Almost, but not quite. She said that it just had that wrongness that part-creatures had. Lucius wouldn't know. Aura reading was not a skill he possessed.

"Lucius, could you get me a wet cloth? His face is so dirty, the poor thing!"

He quickly conjured up a wet cloth, handing it over and watching as she dabbed at the little boy's face, talking in that aggravating baby voice he could only pray he didn't partake in. Narcissa was of very high class and to hear such sounds from her mouth was more than a bit disturbing.

The wealthy wizard was brought from his musings as he felt a tiny tug on his pants. Looking down his face broke into a tiny smile. "Yes Draco?" he asked, making certain to keep his voice mature and even.

Draco looked up at him with innocent blue eyes, tugging his golden Unicorn plushie by it's horn. "Fodder, who dat?" he asked, pointing a chubby little finger to where his mother was cleaning up the other baby.

Lucius opened his mouth to answer, but stopped. He looked to Narcissa. "What did Dumbledore say his name was?"

Narcissa blinked. "You know, he didn't say. I suppose it comes with being abandoned, huh?"

"Well we'll need to call him something while he's here."

Narcissa looked the baby up and down, running her fingers through his scraggily hair. "He reminds me of a puppy. Can we call him that?"

"What?"

"Puppy."

"Are you insane?"

Narcissa smiled. "Perhaps a little. But just look at him! Doesn't he look just like a little puppy?"

Lucius gave the boy a look over. His eyes were big, true, but so were Draco 's. Maybe if he had brown eyes it'd be easier to imagine. Oh well. It would be best to just humor her. "A puppy you say? A lost little puppy........ Stray maybe?"

"Oh that's perfect!" she exclaimed, giving her husband a peck on the cheek. A sisterly kiss. They had known each other since they were toddlers themselves, and the arranged marriage had changed little. They had relationships of their own and slept in different rooms, not that this even remotely fazed either of them.

"Stway?" asked Draco, toddling over to his mother to look at the boy. His little brow furrowed cutely as he looked at the other baby. Draco was a bit bigger, and obviously more far along then the other, so Lucius guessed them to be around three months apart. Maybe. "Iz dat Dwako's brodder?"

Narcissa laughed. "No no, sweety. We're merely watching him for a day or two."

Draco nodded. "O-tai. He not look like Dwako anyways."

Lucius wondered vaguely if he should be proud of his son for discerning that they weren't related with his little year-and-a-half-old brain, or should simply be amused at how adorable he was. After a moments deliberation, the wealthy Slytherin chose the latter and moved foreword to give his son a much-deserved hug.

X

It was the third day of little Stray's stay, and Lucius was getting aggravated. Not by the child of course, for he secretly adored children and this one was surprisingly well-behaved. Not to mention he got on with Draco famously, a feat no other infant had ever quite managed. No, Lucius was upset because he had spent more than his fair share of time in his library and had yet to figure out what in the bloody hell the boy was. He had went through tome after tome of dark creatures, wild creatures and light creatures, dutifully reading anything and everything he could on the effects of breeding them with humans. There seemed to be at least one documented case on just about everything, but nothing seemed to match.

Lucius sighed heavily as he went over Unicorn Halflings(he did NOT want to know how THAT had come about), mentally crossing things out. "Good tempered..... Docile..... Loves attention..... Damn, no horn." he closed the book, crossing his arms over it and looking across the room at where his wife showed off tiny magics to the boys. Draco squealed with joy as a unicorn shaped bubble galloped around him, and Stray reached out futilely to try and catch a tiny feathered creature that kept tickling his cheek when it got close. He wished he had a camera for this, but decided that duplicating a memory in a pensive would work just as well.

Narcissa flashed him a winning smile, completely in her mothering element. "Lucius, isn't this just precious?" she said as Stray flopped backwards, beaming as the flying thing started to do figure eights above him.

"What spell is that?" he asked curiously.

"Patronus Minimums." she said. "It'll make a bubbled version of a Patronus. Since it's an animal that does or will hold meaning for a child, children simply love to play with them. I love the fact that Draco 's is a Unicorn. It's perfect considering all his little toys."

Lucius cocked his head to the side. "What's Stray's? I can't really tell from here."

"I'm not sure. Looks like a bird, sort of, but not really. An....... Angel? Maybe?"

Lucius shrugged it off, returning to his books. After a few minutes he looked up again. "Narcissa?"

"Yes Lucius?"

"Has Stray done anything that would suggest that he has deep rooted homicidal urges?"

"No dear."

"Oh, okay....."

X

Lol. There's chapter one. I'm not entirely sure about where he'll be though. Should I go crappy orphanage or neglectful family(i.e. the Dursely's)? PLEASE SEND REVIEWS AND SUGGESTIONS!!! Also, who wants to name Stray's daddy? If you make it one of those old, weird name that nowadays kids would kill you for, than extra points! (examples: Septimus, Romulus, etc. etc.)