Archive of Our Own

The first week back after their summer break was when James Potter first noticed it, in the corridor outside their Astronomy classroom.

Lily was laughing, her shoulder brushing against Mary MacDonald’s as they argued about something trivial. James had been halfway out of the classroom when the scent hit him, like clean paper, cedarwood shelves, and a hint of bergamot tea steeping beside an open book but beneath that is a softer warmth, the gentle sweetness of vanilla and worn cotton, comforting and steady. It had wrapped around his instincts and tugged hard enough to make his chest feel tight. But this time the scent wasn’t coming from Lily.

He’d thought it was Lily.

She was a beautiful beta, steady, easy to be around, and he’d told himself that made sense. She had stood out to him on their very first day at Hogwarts, a vibrant beta with a soothing scent. Alphas were supposed to notice things like that. He’d watched her more after that. Sat a little closer in classes they shared. Asked questions about her life. Tried his best to be her friend and make her understand she didn’t need a slimy snake for a best friend. Ignored the fact that whenever she wasn’t near him, the scent felt… thinner.

He never examined why.

Then Lily Evans and Severus Snape stopped being friends.

Everyone knew exactly why. The Black Lake incident. There were whispers, of course there always were at Hogwarts, but one week they were inseparable, and the next they passed each other in silence.

And within days Lily smelled like nothing special at all.

Just a clean floral scent and the typical neutral beta calm. Pleasant. Fine. Ordinary.

James sat across the common room in Gryffindor one afternoon, watching her talk to other roommates, waiting for that pull in his gut.

Nothing.

She looked duller now, without that warmth woven through it, the difference is noticeable. What remains is something polished but faint, light florals and cool perfume, carefully chosen but lacking depth. It’s not unpleasant, just… surface-level, like a display arranged to be admired rather than felt. James could now sense the intention behind it: a scent that wants to impress, to be noticed and envied, more concerned with how it appears than with what it truly is.

He stood up, waving Remus’s concerns away as he walked out of the Gryffindor tower and towards the owlery, he needed his family’s advice.

Just as he was about to turn the corner to the owlery steps, the gut pulling feeling emerged and James’s entire body went still.

The corridor was empty.

Then the wind seemed to shift.

Severus stepped out of the owlery steps.

Alone.

It wasn’t bright and layered anymore. Without Lily nearby, Severus’s scent was clearer, soft cedar and warm tea, something fragile but stubborn underneath. It made James’s throat feel tight and his pulse race.

It wasn’t Lily.

It had never been Lily.

The realization would have been easier to swallow if James hadn’t spent the first 5 years being an absolute bastard to him. And then the last year ignoring his existence.

He hadn’t been cruel in the obvious ways. James wasn’t that kind of alpha. But he’d been dismissive of his struggles. Sharp in his opinion of him. Competitive for Lily’s friendship. He’d cornered Severus with his fellow Marauders behind him just to watch him fluster. He’d blocked his way in doorframes, let others see and laugh with him. 

Serves him right, he’d told himself.

Now he knew what it had been.

Courtship instinct twisted sideways into confusion.

And Severus had looked at him with guarded eyes every single time, a look that never quite relaxed around anyone but little Black.

James lasted exactly three days with the knowledge before he cracked.

Their dorm room was quiet that night. Remus was sprawled across his bed reading a book. Sirius and Peter were on the floor trading their Chudley Cannons and Montrose Magpies playing cards.

James stood in the middle of the room, fists clenched.

“I’ve messed up,” he said hoarsely.

Sirius glanced up first. “That narrows nothing down.”

Remus snorted.

Peter tossed a pillow at James’s head. “Confess properly, oh dramatic one.”

James didn’t laugh.

That’s when they all sat up.

“I thought I liked Lily,” he started. His voice sounded wrong even to his own ears. “I didn’t. I—” He dragged a hand through his hair. “It was Severus. The whole time. Their scents were mixed and I didn’t realize and now they’re not friends and Lily just smells like… like nothing and Seve-”

His voice broke.

The room went dead silent.

“I love his scent,” James said, and the words felt like stepping off a cliff. “I l-like Severus. And I’ve treated him like shit.”

Sirius blinked. Remus’s mouth fell open. Peter dropped all his cards.

“You-you’re-” Remus pointed. “You’re in love with Severus?”

James nodded miserably.

“Severus? Severus Snape? Slytherin Severus Snape?” Peter asked, face paling.

“Yes, Severus Snape!”

“The one you glare at in Potions like he personally offended your ancestors? The one we’ve been making fun of for years?” Sirius added.

James covered his face. “Yes. That one.”

There was a beat.

Then, completely traitorously, Peter started laughing.

James looked up, wounded. “I’m suffering.”

“I know,” Peter wheezed. “That’s why it’s funny. You’re one of the strongest alphas in our year and you’re pining over little Severus Snape.”

Remus swiftly kicked Peter’s side, quietening his laughter. “You’re serious?”

James’s composure shattered.

“I don’t know what to do,” he admitted, voice cracking. “He flinches when I walk too closer him. I’ve made him wary of my presence. I thought I was protecting Lily, but I was just— I was—” His voice hitched. “I hurt him.”

The silence this time was softer.

Remus swung his legs off the bed and stood. He crossed the room and grabbed James by the shoulders.

“You absolute idiot,” Remus said fondly.

James choked out something between a wet sob and a laugh.

“You should have said something sooner,” Remus added gently. “We would’ve told you.”

“Told me what?”

“That your eyes track Severus like he’s the solution to everything,” Remus insisted. “We thought you were just being weird about it because of the Slytherin thing.”

“I was being weird about it.”

Remus squeezed his shoulders. “Okay. Step one: stop messing with him.”

“I don’t mess with him.”

All three of them stared.

James sighed heavily. “Fine."

“Step two,” Remus continued, slipping into his practical ‘let’s make a plan’ mode, “do not be yourself. No dramatic confessions. No possessive alpha rubbish. No looming.”

“Definitely no looming,” Peter agreed solemnly.

“Step three,” Sirius said standing up, his lips upturned in his usual smirk, “we help you court him properly.”

James blinked. “You’d… help me?”

Sirius looked offended. “We’re your pack, you idiot.”

Remus nodded. “You love him. That’s not something we laugh at.”

“We absolutely will still laugh at you,” Peter corrected. “Just not about that part.”

Something tight in James’s chest loosened for the first time in days.

“You’re not… weirded out?” he asked quietly.

Sirius rolled his eyes.

Remus smiled softly. “No one can dictate who you love.”

Peter waggled his brows. “Besides, watching you attempt a gentle courtship is going to be historic.”

James huffed a shaky laugh despite himself.

Sirius sighed and pulled him into a rough hug. Remus joined a second later. Peter crashed into them dramatically, nearly knocking all four over.

“You’re going to do this right,” Sirius murmured against his shoulder. “Slow. Respectful. Safe.”

Remus nodded, adding, “You’ll give him the choice.”

“And,” Peter declared, “we can absolutely help you pick courting gifts.”

James let himself lean into them, his packs warmth and familiar scents steadying him.

For the first time since the realisation, hope flickered.

“I want to do it properly,” he whispered. “I want him to feel safe with me.”

Sirius pulled back just enough to grin at him. “Then we’ll make sure he does.”

Peter clapped his hands. “Operation Win the Affection of the Slytherin Omega Prince begins at dawn-”

Remus groaned. “Please don’t call it that.”

“-we can call it O.P.W.A.S.O.P for short.” Peter continued, face bright.

But James was laughing now, really laughing, and somewhere in the Slytherin’s omega rooms, completely unaware, Severus who was reading quietly in his room, felt a bubbling feeling in his chest.

And for the first time, James knew exactly who his alpha had chosen.

Now he just had to prove he deserved him.

Bright and early on Monday morning, after outlining the courting plans with his packmates all weekend James officially began O.P.W.A.S.O.P.

Phase 1: Proximity & Presence (Low-Risk, High Exposure)

“No grand gestures,” Remus had warned. “He doesn’t trust you yet. You need to build your current relationship first.”

So that morning James walked into Transfiguration early, heart pounding like he was about to step into a fight and took the empty seat beside Severus.

Severus froze mid–page turn.

James kept his movements slow, deliberate. No looming. No crowding.

“Morning,” James said quietly.

Severus blinked.

His scent spiked, burnt cedar wood and acidic tea infusion, and James had to lock every alpha instinct down so he wouldn’t lean closer to try and make his nervous scent disappear.

Severus didn’t speak to him that day.

James ignored the whispers and looks as his classmates walked in, act completely normal he thought to himself. Establishing a casual familiarity was all part of Phase 1.

The next day he did the same thing, and the same on Thursday. And the same for every class Gryffindor shared with Slytherin, or any other extracurricular classes they shared. James sat beside Severus when he could, showing up to classes early. 

Three weeks later, sat next to Severus in their usual Monday Transfiguration class again. James noticed that Severus didn’t have his notes from the previous class. James slowly slid his notes over so Severus could see. He didn’t get a thank you or acknowledgement but knowing he helped the omega was enough.

It was excruciating.

It was perfect.

Phase 1: Sitting next to Severus in class (without being killed) ✔

He volunteered to partner with Severus in Potions the following week.

The classroom went a little quiet when he did.

Severus looked like he’d swallowed toxic air. “You-”

“Oh! That’s kind of you, Mr. Potter,” Professor Slughorn chuffed. “Now, class, the instructions are on the board. You will have two hours to complete this practical. Remember this counts towards your final grade!”

Severus stood staring at James for a while, before going to collect the ingredients from the potion store. He walked back to their work bench, pulling out a green silk ribbon to tie his long raven hair back.

James’s mouth felt dry.

Working together was a lesson in restraint. James kept his voice soft. Sat a careful distance away. Let Severus choose where to stand and what to focus on. Every time Severus leaned over the cauldron, their shoulders almost brushed and James felt like his ribs might crack from the pressure of holding himself back.

He’d been careless with that proximity before.

Now he treated it like something sacred.

Phase 1: Partner with Severus in his favourite class (Prongs is shit at potions though? - Padfoot) ✔

In the library, James stopped claiming the central table the Marauders usually sat at. Where they made more noise than strictly allowed and probably stressed Remus into early graduation.

Today he chose the row behind Severus instead. Tucked in a quiet alcove James didn’t even know existed.

He was close enough to feel the edge of his scent. Far enough not to overwhelm him.

Once, Severus glanced back, clearly startled to find James there. James just gave him a short polite smile and went back to his essay. From his peripheral vision he saw Severus hesitate and then turned back to his book.

He didn’t leave.

That felt like a victory.

Phase 1: Sit near Severus in a neutral spot (The dining hall is NOT neutral – Wormtail) ✔

On Wednesday, James asked Severus to partner up for their Herbology project.

The room went quiet.

Severus looked almost alarmed.

“You don’t have to,” James added quickly. “I just thought, you’re good at research. I can handle the presentation.”

It was the first time he’d offered something instead of taking space.

After a long pause, Severus nodded shallowly.

Working with him was torture.

Not because Severus was difficult. Because he was brilliant. Thoughtful. Soft-spoken until he grew passionate, and then his hands moved when he talked, eyes bright, scent warming with enthusiasm.

James wanted to sit closer just to feel it.

Instead, he kept a careful distance and listened.

Really listened.

By the end of the following week when their presentation was due, Severus had stopped looking like he expected a trap

He volunteered to partner with Severus in History of Magic the following week.

The classroom went a little quiet when he did.

Severus stiffened, mouth opening with no words.

“I want to work with you,” James said simply.

No smirk. No challenge in his tone.

Just truth.

And every time Severus leaned over their research books, their bodies almost touching James just felt his head rush with want.

Phase 1:  Speak to Severus in class, focus only on schoolwork (Do NOT sniff him Prongs – Moony) ✔

Phase 2: Anonymous Affection

The first note took James seven drafts. Sirius said he was too sappy, Remus thought his handwriting was too obvious and Peter just sat giggling as he ripped up another draft.

He finally settled on simple:

In a crowded room, my favourite place would still be wherever you are.

Some feelings don’t need names.

Just know someone feels them for you.

No name. No signature. No scent.

He slipped it into Severus’s bag while Severus was focused on this week's potion practical. 

James carried on.

If he rushed, if he cornered, if he let his instincts push too hard, Severus would bolt. And James couldn’t bear the thought of seeing that guarded look turn into fear.

So on Thursday morning,  James walked into Arithmancy, scanned the room and instead of taking his usual seat with Remus, he slid into the empty chair beside Severus.

The scrape of the chair was loud in the quiet classroom.

Severus still stiffened.

James’s chest tightened immediately.

“Morning,” James said carefully, normally.

Severus blinked up at him, clearly bracing for something cutting.

James forced himself to sit back instead of angling toward him. He kept his voice even. “Do you have the annotated copy of the reading? I missed a section.”

It wasn’t even a lie. He had only read the chapter and not annotated.

Severus hesitated, two seconds feeling like a lifetime, and then he pushed his book toward him.

Their fingers nearly brushed.

James swallowed hard.

“Thank you,” he murmured softly.

He didn’t crowd him. Didn’t tease him. When class ended, he simply handed the notebook back and said, “Your notes are really good.”

Severus stared at him like he’d grown a second head.

The second note appeared in Severus’s bag on Friday.

Folded carefully. Cream paper.

You don’t know this, but you’ve made ordinary days feel extraordinary.

If charm were a crime, you’d be serving a life sentence.

No name.

Severus had been perplexed when he found it.

Regulus had nearly vibrated out of his seat.

“It’s a prank,” Severus insisted immediately. “It has to be.”

“Who writes poetic nonsense as a prank?” Regulus demanded. “This is romantic. A bit sappy though.”

Severus flushed pink. “It’s probably mocking.”

But that night he folded the note gently and tucked it into his journal instead of throwing it away.

On Tuesday James watched from across the dining hall, heart in his throat.

He hadn’t signed the latest note either because he didn’t want Severus to feel cornered, but he was becoming braver. He needed Severus to feel safe. To feel chosen, not claimed.

He saw Severus eyebrows furrow and Regulus lean over his shoulder to read the note that had been slipped next to his bookmark.

I may not say it out loud, but my heart has already chosen you.

If courage ever visits me, you’ll finally know who this is.

That night, James lay awake staring at the ceiling, chest aching with want so sharp it felt like hunger.

He yearned.

For Severus to smile at him without hesitation.

For Severus to lean into his space willingly.

For Severus to trust him.

He would wait as long as it took.

 Phase 2: Anonymous love notes (Don’t sound desperate – Padfoot) ✔

The gifts came next.

First, a delicate silver hair clip, set with small emerald stones that matched the green ribbon in Severus’s hair during potions.

Left next to his essay in the library where he and Regulus were sitting. He had turned away for seconds.

Severus looked to Regulus, who shrugged. He then stared at it for a full minute before touching it.

“It looks expensive,” he whispered.

Regulus inspected it like a jeweler. “It is. Fairy silver, I think. Emerald stones. Suits you.”

Severus’s fingers trembled slightly as he fastened it into his hair.

Behind the shelves, hidden under his invisibility cloak, James forgot how to breathe.

He had imagined it. Of course, he had. But seeing it there, on Severus, like something out of his fantasy, was thrilling.

James had to look away to calm the want in his scent.

The second gift came two days later: a warm, crocheted scarf, dark green in colour and soft to the touch. It had been given to Severus in the Slytherin Omegan rooms by a small first-year who had no clue who the gift giver was.

Severus rubbed the scarf along his fingers as Regulus looked on with a smile.

“It looks like the one your mum made you in third year,” Regulus said softly.

Severus nodded, throat too heavy to speak.

The third came across multiple days, two large white lilies sat in a crystal vase outside his dorm room.

Purity and innocence, they said.

Severus was both bewildered and intrigued; only Regulus knew he had an ancient book on the language of flowers and plants. An old relic his mother had taken with her when she fled the Prince's estate.

That same afternoon, a small bunch of purple irises.

Irises are ideal for expressing admiration and commitment, Severus thought to himself, remembering the section of Iris, the Greek goddess. He added them to his vase.

The following day, on his way back from his second class, seven red and seven pink carnations sat waiting for him.

Red carnations symbolised a passionate love, while the pink carnations conveyed admiration. Often used together to show fascination and affection. 

With a fluttering heart, Severus added them to his growing collection.

Orchids appeared that evening, of various colours, all arranged with a silk ribbon.

Admiration, elegance, and exotic beauty for expressing a deep, passionate love.

Severus brought up the bunch to his nose, taking in their sweet smell.

Regulus watched him arrange his bouquet that night, “So, any idea who your secret admirer is?”

“Reg!” Severus screeched, smacking Regulus with his pillow, where he was sprawled on Severus’s armchair. Regulus laughed at Severus’s pink flush.

For the following weeks, fresh flowers kept waiting for him outside his bedroom, sometimes new types to replace the ones that were dying, and were now often joined by little doodles and notes.

Two large sunflowers accompanied by a doodle of a tiny bee with a dotted flight trail flying toward a cartoonish Severus with a sunflower hat and a handwritten note.

I guess I’m not the only one drawn to you.

Severus muffled his laughter with his hand, not wanting to alert a snoozing Regulus.

Then tropical white morning-glories or ‘Moon flowers’ as they were named, with a tiny sketch of a full moon with constellations of stars around it. 

Someone out here thinks you shine brighter than the stars, even on ordinary days.

Severus kept every note, storing them in his locked journal with the dates they were delivered. One after another until he had over 24 notes, doodles, and sketches.

One of his favourites came on his late mother’s birthday, a day that brought him pain and solitude. Severus was all but an orphan, with only a drunken father who did not want him and his only friend being a pureblood omega who could not associate with him outside of Hogwarts.

He had kept to himself in his room all day, thankful that omegas got their own individual ensuite rooms. Late evening, a knock came at his door. Thinking it was Regulus, he opened the door to find an enormous bouquet of daisies and baby’s breath, his mum’s favourite.

He slowly picked up the arrangement, taking it into his room and opening the large paper attached to it.

Severus stared in shock as his own portrait stared back at him, a detailed pencil drawing of his face and upper half, clearly focused on the open book in front of him.

Below it is a handwritten note,

Something bright for someone who makes my days brighter.

These flowers are beautiful, but they hold no flame to you.

Phase 2: Small symbolic gifts (not too flashy! - Moony) ✔

Phase 3: Devotional Care

The treats started after James overheard Regulus playfully scolding Severus for having nearly devoured an entire box of honey cakes that Regulus’s aunt had mailed to him before the Halloween weekend.

After begging the Hogwarts kitchen elves for access, James spent two hours baking with Remus, who supervised like an exasperated parent.

“They can’t look too perfect,” Remus warned. “He’ll think you bought them.”

James gave him a stoic look and then looked at his slightly uneven lavender honey cakes.

They were delivered in a simple tin, wrapped with a bow, and attached was a small doodle of a bee sitting on a jar of honey, holding a lavender flower. The Slytherin first-year that delivered it was just as confused as Severus and Regulus.

After doing a magical sweep for any harmful intentions, Severus bit into one cautiously and made an undignified noise.

His eyes widened.

Next to him, Regulus also bit into one, “Marry them.” He said.

Severus laughed despite himself, crumbs on his fingers.

James stood under his cloak, watching from the corner, heart bursting at the sound.

He would bake every night if it meant hearing that sound again.

Other sweet treats followed, between the flowers, the notes, and doodles, along with the food. Severus was feeling a strange mix of curiosity and anticipation. Each small gift and note pulled him deeper into his uneasy emotions, torn between the thrill of being wanted and the worry that this was all an elaborate prank on poor slimy Snape. He also felt embarrassed for feeling so affected and flustered; every handwritten note and every perfectly chosen gift made his heart race despite not knowing the sender.

He was sent an artisan box of Honeydukes chocolate with all 104 flavours, including the special occasion ones, that came with a cute doodle of Severus with chubby cheeks stood within a heart.

Some sweetness for a very sweet soul.

There's a static charm on them, so they won’t go bad.

Severus laughed when he saw his little cartoon, popping a cherry bakewell chocolate into his mouth as the new note soon joined his rapidly growing stack.

A week later came an elegant box, wrapped in an emerald lace ribbon. Inside sat two dozen chocolate-dipped strawberries, drizzled in white chocolate and dusted in gold.

From your loving admirer - α

An alpha symbol. So his secret suitor, as Regulus liked to refer to him, was an alpha, probably a male alpha. Maybe another half-blood like him? Would he be in his school year or the year below? Merlin, hopefully he wasn’t from the younger years. 

That weekend, while out in Hogsmeade with Regulus, a Slytherin third year ran up to Severus, gasping for breath. He shoved a pastel pink box into his hands before running off, nearly tripping in his haste.

Severus and Regulus stood there for a moment, eyes tracking the running third year until he disappeared around a corner.

“Well… I guess your secret suitor has run out of first years to use.” Regulus huffed in amusement, leading Severus to the side of the footpath. “Go on, open it!”

Severus rolled his eyes at his best friend’s impatience but did as he was asked. Inside was an assortment of French macaroons, each wrapped individually with wax paper and twine. Homemade from the looks of it, all in his favourite flavours, pistachio, lemon, raspberry, and salted caramel.

Severus shut the box, smacking Regulus’s wandering hands away. Regulus gasped dramatically but just as quickly gave him a knowing look, smirking like a child.

“Don’t,” Severus warned.

Regulus’s hands went up in defence, a smirk still present on his face.

Severus knew his face must be flushed, maybe it was weird of his omegan instincts to not want to share what hi-the alpha had made just for him, but he couldn’t help it. Inside his omega was preening. Look at all the gifts my courting mate has made and bought, it crooned, look how much he wants me, it kept going, he’s a provider, he’ll give us many pup- ok that’s enough. Severus shook those thoughts away and packed the box safely in his satchel before opening the note.

I want to take you to Paris.

You would love the Louvre, and I would love to feed you macaroons - α

The city of love.

His suitor was becoming bolder; it sent whispering shivers down his spine.

Below it was another doodle, two male stick figures holding hands below the Eiffel Tower.

The mystery of his suitor should feel unsettling, how someone could find out such intimate details about his life, and at the start, maybe it had been, between the Marauders' change in behaviour in their last school year and the start of his secret courtship, Severus was wary of a prank.

But it seemed the Marauders weren’t involved with this, at least it didn’t seem so…

Phase 3: Sweet treats for a sweet omega (Eww prongs - Wormtail) ✔

The rare Potions journal took longer to track down than originally planned.

James remembered Severus once talking to Lily about a discontinued book with a disappearing author, his voice soft with longing.

It took James seven weeks and more of his pocket money than he wanted to admit, but he found a copy of the original. One of the only copies. Along with another rare copy by the same author.

When it arrived at Severus’s door, it was wrapped carefully in brown paper and permanently charmed stuck to his door so only his magical signature could unstick it.

Severus didn’t open it at first. Just took it inside and set it on his bed.

He stared at the neat wrapping.

It was his secret suitor.

His secret suitor had gotten him gifts for his 17^th birthday.

Slowly, he opened it. The Verdant Codex Ledger and The Gilded Grimoire of Potions By Isolde Nightvale.

Merlin.

Inside, on the first page of one book, a small note:

For the beautiful omega who sees magic where others see instructions.

Yours faithfully - α

Severus sat down slowly on his bed.

Regulus joined him on the bed, hovering at his shoulder.

“This is not a prank, Severus,” Regulus said firmly. “I know your silly brain must think that no one would love you, but you are wrong. I love you, and clearly so does your secret admirer. No one puts this much effort into cruelty.”

Severus’s fingers traced the message.

He knew his scent had changed over the past weeks, less anxious in class, more curious and comfortable. Soft but blooming.

“But who?” Severus whispered.

Across Hogwarts in Gryffindor Tower, James was unravelling.

He was in too deep.

Every time Severus’s lips quirked up in a hint of a smile. Every time he wore the hair clip. Every time he relaxed just a little more in his presence.

James’s want burned brighter.

He wanted to tell him. To kneel if he had to. To apologize properly. To ask permission to court him openly instead of hiding behind paper, parcels, and notes.

But he was afraid.

Afraid that if Severus knew it had been him all along, he would remember the sharp words, the crowded hallways, the flinches.

So, James waited.

And yearned secretly.

And loved him quietly from closer and closer distances, the desk beside him in class, the chair behind him in the library, the careful brush of shoulders during group work.

Severus no longer flinched.

Sometimes, when their arms touched, Severus didn’t move away straight away.

And that tiny, fragile allowance felt like hope.

Phase 3: Rare potion books for my hot nerdy omega (You need some holy water - Moony) ✔

James still did not sign his name.

No scent marking, no Potter family crest pressed into wax, no trace of him. Just the gift, carefully wrapped, and the quiet hope that Severus would understand.

The bigger gifts began soon after the first set of flowers.

A bundle of pressed, dried flowers, sealed between panes of clear parchment and edged in gold leaf. Each had been flattened and preserved with painstaking care, white foxglove bells, tiny blush starflowers, and fern fronds delicate as lace. James had arranged them into bookmarks, threading silk tassels through their spines.

Sat quietly in the library, Severus turned to the revision page in his book, and out slid several bookmarks, the faintest floral scent rising.

A note was attached to it.

May these mark the places you love most - α

Severus smiled, fingertips tracing the fern and tangling into the tassels.

The second gift came in a large velvet-lined box. Sat on his stool in the small eastern greenhouse, Severus liked to use for planting some potion ingredients.

You deserve tools worthy of your skill, my love.

And if ever a vial runs empty, more will find their way to you.

A quiet admirer of your craft - α

Severus folded the note into his pocket and flicked the golden latch open. Inside, nestled in carved slots, were vials of rare potions and ingredients, dark fairy-dust, crushed moon petal, sealed ivory horns, and a tiny phial of centaur ’s-breath elixir. Along with dried plants like ashblossom, chronos camellia, and lightning moss, besides the sealed jars of fairy wings, sunroot shavings, amber resin drops, and shed stag antler powder.

Each vial was labelled in the same precise, elegant script that Severus has come to eagerly anticipate.

James had sourced them from remote markets, old apothecaries, but had mainly relied on his father’s help. It seemed that being the son of a great Potioneer had many other benefits. It pleased James, knowing his omega would use something he had provided.

A week later, Severus found another box, this time inside his school bag.

A music box, carved from dark walnut. When wound, it played a soft, lilting melody. Severus opened the lid to reveal a woodland scene painstakingly carved in miniature: mossy trees, tall grass, and beneath the arching branches, a deer and a stag stood.

Not battling.

Not bowing.

Just touching foreheads.

How would his secret admirer know his patrons?

In the compartment sat the note.

For when the days are too quiet,

Wind this and know I am always on your side - α

As winter began, James began thinking of warmth.

He sent soft, oversized jumpers, knit from thick wool and lined at the collar with brushed fleece. Deep forest green. Burnt amber. A soft navy blue.

He imagined Severus curled up somewhere quiet, sleeves pulled over his elegant hands.

For colder days,

Until I can be there to share my warmth - α

That weekend, James’s heart stuttered seeing Severus wearing the blue jumper and emerald scarf while walking with Regulus around the Black Lake.

The new leather wand holster came next.

Hand-stitched. Dark brown leather cured with cedar. Adjustable straps for comfort, fitted precisely to the measurements he had memorized from afar. Inside, embossed so subtly it could almost be missed, SS.

No note this time.

Just craftsmanship and a small doodle of cartoon Severus dropping his wand on the floor.

Severus rubbed his thumb over the embossing of his initials, holding another thoughtful courting gift. He could hardly believe it, a poor half-blood who got more love and attention in the past 9 plus weeks than the 17 years he had been alive.

Severus wore his holster proudly the next day, although not visible beneath his Slytherin cloak, it brought him comfort.

And then, another indulgent gift. This time, hand-delivered by a visibly confused Regulus.

“It was in my bag?” He stated in bewilderment.

A lacquered case containing fine stationery sets: thick plain and lined parchment, envelopes lined in patterned vellum, and supple leather journals that lay perfectly flat when opened. Nestled beside them were two enchanted feather pens charmed with unlimited ink, one in midnight black, the other in deep blue.

Tucked into a smaller pouch were sheets of cute animal stickers, cute foxes curled up, owls with oversized eyes, tiny hedgehogs carrying mushrooms, and many cute fawns playing in the meadows.

Severus huffed in perplexed amusement. These were the kind of stickers little Severus Snape wanted. All the kids in his muggle school had sticker books to decorate their homework. Severus had never gotten any, and then he had thought himself too old, too mature for them.

But maybe not anymore.

Phase 3: More and more gifts! Show you listen and care (You sappy shit – Padfoot) ✔

Phase 4: Scent Signalling (Final anonymous phase)

Eventually, the nesting materials started arriving in early November.

That had taken more courage than anything else.

James still sent them anonymously, making sure no one’s scents got on anything, not even his own.

A bag was hooked onto the outside doorknob of Severus's dorm room when he got back from studying that evening.

Severus took it inside, taking a peek at the note first.

For your nest, I won’t intrude on that space.
I only hoped to offer something warm enough to belong there – α

P.S. Use the Reducio counter-spell.

Severus picked up the bag, upturning the contents all over his bed before hitting it with the Engorgio spell.

Nesting materials.

A thick blue fleeced blanket, a plush square quilt,  eight pillows of varied firmness, linen pillowcases, many smaller blankets, a thick weighted blanket, and a cuddly fawn plush.

Severus stared at the materials for a long time.

Because nesting materials are intimate. They are not casual gifts. They are safety offerings.

His current nest was small and bare, with just two blankets and two pillows neatly arranged. A few of his Regulus’ items were scattered across it, worn but comforting. It was all he could gather and afford since hitting omegan puberty last year, and having his first ever heat cycle.

First, Severus builds the base.

The blankets go down first, layered over each other for insulation. He smooths each one carefully, palms pressing out wrinkles. Corners are tucked inward to create soft walls. Already, the nesting space begins to feel smaller. Safer.

Then come the cushions.

Severus arranges the firmer pillows at the back, softer ones to the sides. He tests it, shifting his weight and adjusting until the support feels right.

Omegan instinct won’t allow imperfection.

That night, Severus sleeps soundly, safe in his nest.

Phase 4: Send anonymous nesting materials (Be brave, Prongs! – Peter) ✔

The following week, another bag hung from Severus’s door, and like last time, he took it in. Regulus following close behind him.

Tipping it next to his next, and casting the Engorgio spell across the items.

More nesting materials.

More pillows of different sizes, a sage green crocheted blanket, several cotton fleeces, and…

And folded beneath a dark red hoodie and a large, short-sleeved shirt that smelled unmistakably of alpha.

Sharp like the deep woods and leather, with hints of smoky sandalwood. Strong and pure, it radiated protection and warmth, drawing the omega in irresistibly.

The scent wrapped around him, steady, warm, and grounding.

Not overwhelming.

Protective.

Severus slowly picked up the hoodie, lifting it closer to his nose.

Did he know that scent? It felt so familiar.

“Who is it? Is it…?” Regulus breathed quietly from behind him.

Severus swallowed. “I don’t know.”

For when the world feels too heavy, know I will always be with you.

A piece of me, to make the nights warmer – α

But that night, when the night grew quiet and the air felt too sharp and empty, he pulled the hoodie into his nest, pressing his face into the soft fabric.

Phase 4: Send scented gifts ✔

Phase 5: Apologise

James decided he couldn’t hide behind gifts and paper forever.

It was cowardly.

If Severus was going to reject him, then James would take it properly, like a proper Gryffindor, standing up, looking him in the eyes, giving him the respect he should have given from the beginning.

So he sent one final note.

Please meet me in the east greenhouse after dinner.

No games. No pressure. Just the truth – JP

James had been pacing his room all morning, heart hammering against his ribs. Finally, he had sent the message to Severus, and every minute toward the meeting was heavy with anticipation and nerves.

Severus almost didn’t go.

Regulus had stared at the initials for a full minute, eyes wide. “I knew it,” he whispered. “I knew it was him.”

Severus’s stomach was in knots.

“It’s a prank,” Severus insisted weakly. “It has to be. He hates Slytherins, he hates me.”

“Does he?” Regulus countered gently. “He’s been very different this year. He was different last year, but since the start of this semester, his eyes have traced your every movement.”

Severus had no answer for that.

Still, he went.

The east greenhouse was quiet at dusk, all glass and curling vines. The air smelled of damp soil and blossoms.

James was already there.

He looked… terrified.

Not dominant. Not imposing. Just a seventeen-year-old boy standing too straight, hands clenched at his sides like he was bracing for impact.

Taking a deep breath, Severus stepped inside, James’s head snapped up

James opened his mouth, then closed it again, searching for the right words. “Severus… I—I like you. I really like you. More than friends. I’ve been holding this in for too long, and I just… I wanted you to know.”

Severus froze in the entry. His eyes widened, and a light frown creased his forehead. “Wait… what? Is this some kind of… prank? Where are the rest of your friends?” His voice wavered, eyes shooting around.

For a moment, neither spoke

Then James inhaled shakily.

“It is not a prank, Severus,” he said immediately.

Severus’s expression hardened. “That’s exactly what someone pulling a prank would say.”

James flinched like he’d been struck.

“I deserve that,” he said quietly. “I’ve treated you badly. I have been a terrible example of an Alpha. I will spend the rest of my life making up for it.”

Severus’s cheeks flushed, but his eyes were bright with anger. “Why now? Now you like me?”

“Yes,” J said hoarsely. “And I’m sorry. I-I want you to know that it was never your fault. You are not an ugly or bad person or dark or a bad friend. You have a lovely heart, Severus. I have seen you with Regulus and other younger years. You are a wonderful person.”

The words hung heavy in the warm air.

“I was drawn to you,” James continued, voice trembling. “Your scent was mixed with Lily’s for so long that I didn’t realize it was you I wanted. When you stopped being friends, everything shifted. And I realized I had been so cruel to the person I-”

He broke off, swallowing hard.

“To the person you what?” Severus said, hurt leaking through.

James’s hands shook

“I love you,” he said, voice raw. “I want to court you properly. Not in secret. Not like a coward. I want to do this right.”

Severus had gone pale.

“You think this is funny?” Severus whispered.

James’s stomach had dropped.

“All of that, the gifts, the notes, and t-the nesting stuff, was that some kind of joke?” Severus’s voice had trembled. “Was I entertainment to you?”

“No- No!” James said desperately. “Never.”

But Severus’s eyes were bright with humiliation.

“I trusted it,” Severus had breathed. “I let myself believe someone actually-”

He stopped, tears gathering in his eyes. Then he turned and quickly walked away.

James didn’t chase him.

He stood there long after the sun had set, instincts shredded and raw, body going cold and numb.

An alpha who confesses and is rejected feels it deep in the bones. It wasn’t pride. It wasn’t ego.

It was something more primal.

He had offered devotion.

And it had been refused.

Eventually, Sirius found him and took him back to the Gryffindor tower. No one said anything as he fell into bed and pulled the covers over his head.

10 days was a long time to walk around with your heart split open.

James stopped sleeping properly sometime around day two.

By day six, the shadows under his eyes were dark enough that even professors paused mid-sentence when they saw him. His demeanour was muted. His hair beyond dishevelled.

He didn’t sit beside Severus anymore.

Didn’t go to the library at the same hours.

Didn’t send notes.

Didn’t send gifts.

He thought he’d misread everything. The softened glances. The way Severus hadn’t pulled away as quickly. The faint alpha smell Severus carried, as if he had worn the nesting materials he scented.

Now, over a week later, he looked like something half-feral and entirely miserable.

Sirius had to shove him into the shower more than once.

Remus kept leaving food by his bed and in his bag.

Peter copied class notes for him to use.

James barely reacted.

His heart ached with every breath.

He lay on his back most nights staring at the ceiling, scent dull and muted with grief. The yearning hadn’t gone away. It had nowhere to go.

Severus noticed.

Of course, he noticed.

James wasn’t sitting beside him anymore. Wasn’t partnering up. Wasn’t watching him in the quiet, careful way he had been.

Worse, he wouldn’t meet Severus’s eyes.

It didn’t look like someone who had played a prank.

Surprisingly, the Marauders had not come for revenge; if anything, they seemed to be acting as hurt puppies, tails tucked in and avoiding eye contact.

Regulus had crossed his arms one evening and said gently, “You should talk to him.”

Severus had twisted the edge of his blanket in his hands, “What if it is a joke?”

Regulus’s expression had softened. “He doesn’t look like someone who’s laughing.”

Severus hummed, looking off into the distance, deep in thought.

Severus hadn’t expected it to hurt this much. A hollow, unsettled feeling sat in his chest.

His secret suitor had been a mystery at first, with the kind of presence that filled a room without trying. The anonymous messages had started as silly, eventually becoming something playful and intoxicating. The gifts had become his most precious possessions. And somewhere along the way, Severus had fallen for the mind behind them. For the attention. For the way his secret suitor seemed to see Severus so clearly.

As the attraction grew without a fully formed, grounded image of the suitor, Severus’s mind filled in the blanks, often imagining a strong, kind alpha, with tan skin and warm eyes. Severus had felt some embarrassment that, as he fell in love with his secret suitor, there were times he fantasised it to be James Potter.

When the truth came out, when James finally stepped forward, it felt beyond overwhelming. Real. Too real.

Severus panicked.

Rejecting him had seemed like the safer choice. It was easier to call it fantasy than risk discovering it was something solid. Easier to say no than to admit how deeply he had already let James in. How much of himself he was ready to give to him.

Now everything felt strange

The messages are gone. The gifts are gone. The love is gone. And so was the electricity that had wrapped itself around him for days.

But the feelings were real. The attachment was real.

Severus keeps replaying it, the way his voice sounded when he finally admitted it was him. The way he didn’t chase. Just accepted the rejection.

And that’s what unsettles him most.

If it were just a game, why does it feel like he also lost something real?

Severus finally decided he couldn’t live with the in-between anymore. The uncertainty was louder than his fear, so he chose Gryffindor bravery over comfort and went to confront James, not to accuse him, not to reject him again, but to ask for the truth and face whatever was real between them.

The confrontation happened on a Friday, exactly two weeks after their last meeting.

Class had just ended. Students filtered out in noisy clusters.

Severus waited until the room was almost empty, watching as James sluggishly packed his bag. 

“Po-James.”

James froze mid-movement.

Slowly, he turned.

Up close, the exhaustion was worse. His eyes were red. His scent felt thin.

Severus swallowed. Eyes flicking to the door as their last classmate left.

“What did you mean?” Severus asked quietly. “With… what you said.”

James’s shoulders drooped. “If this is about the prank, I-”

“That’s what I’m asking,” Severus said, voice shaking despite himself. “Was it?”

The silence stretched.

Then James stepped closer, careful, not crowding.

“It wasn’t,” he said, and his voice cracked on the second word. “It was never a prank.”

Severus searched his face.

James looked wrecked.

“I have been in love with you for months, probably years,” James continued, each word deliberate, like he was laying down something sacred. He exhaled shakily. “It was always you.”

Severus’s cheeks flushed.

“The notes weren’t jokes. The gifts weren’t random. I saw you liked honey cakes, so I learnt to bake them. I found that edition because you once said you’d give anything to read it.” His hands trembled at his sides. “I sent my clothes because I wanted you to feel safe. Not claimed. Safe.”

Severus’s breathing had gone shallow.

“I stopped because I thought you were hurt,” James whispered. “I thought I’d made you feel mocked. And I would rather tear my own instincts apart than do that to you.”

His voice dropped, softer now. Raw.

“I want to court you properly. Walk beside you. Ask permission before I touch you. I want to take you to every stupid school event and sit next to you in every class and bring you tea when you’re studying too hard.”

His eyes shone.

“I want to marry you someday,” he admitted helplessly. “I would marry you as soon as we turn 18 if that’s what you wanted. I want a house that smells like both of us. I want a million children with your eyes and freckles. I just-” His breath hitched. “I want a life that has you in it.”

The room was completely silent.

Severus’s entire face was crimson now. His hands twisted in the hem of his sleeve.

“You looked so sure,” Severus murmured. “When you confessed. I thought… I thought you were teasing.”

“I was terrified,” James said hoarsely. “I’ve never been more terrified of anything.”

Severus stared at him for a long moment.

Then, very softly: “You really love me?”

“Yes."

No hesitation.

“Yes,” James repeated, stronger. “I love you.”

Severus’s scent bloomed, warm and bright and shy.

“You’d… court me properly? I-in public?” he asked.

“With everything I have,” James said. “I would scream it from the top of Hogwarts so everyone would know.”

A tiny, nervous smile tugged at Severus’s mouth.

“Okay,” he whispered.

James blinked. “Okay?”

Severus nodded, eyes shy but glowing. “You can court me.”

For a heartbeat, James didn’t move.

Then the meaning hit him.

The relief was violent. Overwhelming. It rushed through him so fast he nearly swayed.

“You’re serious?” he breathed.

Severus nodded again, cheeks burning.

James let out a broken laugh, half sob, half disbelief, and before he could overthink it, he leaned down and pressed his forehead to Severus’s.

Severus froze in flustered shock.

“I will do this right,” James vowed quietly.

Severus, still red from ear to ear, murmured, “You’d better.”

When James pulled back, he looked like someone who’d just been handed the world.

And for the first time in days, James’s scent was returning to full strength, steady, warm, and unmistakably happy.

Monday morning, James walked into the great hall for breakfast, wearing Severus’s courting ribbon on his wrist and the omegas scent layered with his, the hall went hushed.

It was a thick strip of soft green fabric tied neatly, visible against James’s uniform cuff.

Not subtle.

Not quite.

Sirius preened like a proud older brother. Remus looked like a proud mum. Peter loudly announced at the Gryffindor table, “Behold. The domesticated alpha in his natural habitat.”

But the real shock rippled through the rest of the student body later.

Because James didn’t court quietly.

He carried Severus’s books constantly without being asked. Walked beside him to his classes, even ones they did not share. Sat next to him in every class and offered his hand, palm up, in silent question before lacing their fingers together.

And Severus, shy, flushed Severus, always said yes.

Whispers followed them down corridors as the couple walked hand in hand with their merged friend group.

“They’re serious?”

“Only a Gryffindor pureblood would get with a poor half-blood.”

“James Potter? Courting him?”

“I think they look sweet, like Romeo and Juliet you know?”

“Damn, I guess he was pulling pigtails.”

“Oh, they are so cute!”

James looked at Severus like he’d been handed something sacred and was never letting go.

Within days, the news spread like wildfire, even outside of the Hogwarts students. James Potter was courting Severus Snape. Hallways buzzed with whispers, friends nudged each other in disbelief, and even teachers paused mid-step to glance at the pair.

But not everyone was happy. Lily caught up to James just as he was walking out of his last period with Sirius and Peter, arm around their shoulders. “James, wait, wait up!” Lily said, smile plastered on her face. “Don’t do this. You’re making a huge mistake. Se-Snape… he’s not-”

“Lily.” James cut in, voice sharp enough that nearby students in the almost empty hall turned to stare. His eyes blazed, unyielding. “I love Severus, and I don’t care what anyone says. I am courting him.”

Lily’s face tightened, frustration simmering, before she cleared it into her usual smile. “You’re not thinking straight James. Snape must have you under some spell, surely you can see that? Bl-Sirius?” She glanced at Sirius, expecting him to be agreeing but he seemed to be holding in his laughter.

James laughed, sharp and incredulous, stepping closer so that Lily could see the fire in his gaze. “Under a spell? No. Severus would never do something like that. I am not under any love spell, potions or charm. I love him. I choose him. And I would marry him tomorrow if I could, no matter what anyone says.”

Unbeknownst to them, Severus had just walked out of the library, Regulus not far behind him. He froze, heart hammering as he listened to James defend their love so fiercely. The flush on his cheeks deepened, and he felt a swelling affection, almost dizzying, for this bold, stubborn, unshakable alpha who would fight the world just to stand by him.

Regulus, standing at his shoulder, leaned over and nudged Severus with a sly grin. “See that? That’s your alpha.” He teased.

“You can’t be serious,” Lily said without preamble.

James’s expression cooled instantly.

Lily crossed her arms. “You’re making a mistake.”

A few more students slowed nearby.

James didn’t lower his voice.

“I’m not.”

“You’ve changed,” Lily pressed. “This isn’t like you. Ever since you stopped talking to me, you’ve been different.”

“I figured out what I wanted,” James replied evenly.

Lily’s jaw tightened. “Or he did.”

Something dark flickered behind James’s eyes.

“Excuse me?”

“Maybe he’s manipulating you,” she said, voice rising. “Omegas can be subtle. Maybe he-”

“Stop.”

The word cracked like a whip.

Across the hallway, Severus stilled.

Regulus’s brows shot up.

“Severus would never do that,” James said, every syllable sharp and clear. “He didn’t ask for me. I pursued him. I confessed. I begged for the chance to court him.”

People were definitely staring now.

Lily flushed. “You’re throwing away everything for an omega who-”

“For an omega I love,” James interrupted.

Silence fell.

James didn’t hesitate.

“I love him,” he said, louder this time. “I will court him properly. I will protect him. And if he’ll have me in the future, I’ll marry him.”

A collective inhale swept through the courtyard.

Lily looked like she’d been slapped. “Yo-you don’t know him-“

“I know enough,” James said. “I know he’s kind. I know he’s brilliant. I know he deserves someone who doesn’t treat him like an afterthought.”

That one landed.

Colour drained from her face.

“You really think he poisoned me with love?” James continued, incredulous now. “You think Severus had to trick me into loving him? I would choose him in every lifetime. There is no spell involved.”

Severus’s entire body had gone warm and light.

Regulus elbowed him again, a slow grin spreading across his face. “Told you.”

Severus’s hands trembled slightly.

“He’s… loud,” Severus whispered.

“Good,” Regulus replied. “Let him be.”

Back by the Divination classroom, Lily’s eyes were bright with frustrated tears.

“You’re ruining your reputation,” she said.

James actually laughed.

“I don’t care.”

And he didn’t.

He looked past her then, past the whispers and the staring students, and his gaze landed directly on Severus.

Their eyes met.

James’s expression softened instantly.

Everything in him gentled.

He walked around Lily without another word and walked straight to Severus.

He stopped in front of him, holding out his hand like an offering.

Severus, standing beside Reg, squeezed James’s hand, eyes sparkling. He leaned in slightly tilting his face upwards, whispering, “I didn’t think it was possible, but I love you even more now.”

James grinned, tugging Severus closer, pride and devotion blazing in every line of his face. “Good. Because I’m not stopping, ever.”

And the entire hallway watched, half in shock, half in awe, as James and Severus staked their claim on a love that refused to be ignored.

“You didn’t have to say all that,” Severus murmured, cheeks flushed pink, heart pounding.

“Yes, I did,” James replied simply.

James bent forward so he was level with Severus, letting their faces touch, voice low enough that only he could hear.

“Are you okay?”

Severus nodded, face starting to flush.

Then, gathering a bit of bravery he hadn’t possessed a month ago, he whispered, “When you said you’d marry me tomorrow did you mean it?”

James didn’t even blink.

“Yes.”

Severus’s breath caught.

Regulus and Sirius made gagging noises behind them. “Please save the wedding vows for after graduation.”

But Severus was smiling now, small and soft but radiant and undeniably in love.

And James, loud and unashamed and utterly devoted, looked at him like he’d already chosen him for a lifetime.

Later that evening, Regulus cornered Lily, arms crossed and expression sharp.

“You jealous cow.” he said, voice low but cutting. “You have no say in Severus and James’s relationship. None. So save yourself the embarrassment and stop while you can.”

Lily sputtered, flustered and red-faced, while Regulus’s grin widened. “Or go ahead and keep whining. Let’s see what happens. Meanwhile, the rest of us get to watch two people who actually belong together be ridiculously happy.” He gave her a polite but razor-edged smile.

Lily opened her mouth. Face flushed with anger now.

Regulus tilted his head. “You and Severus are not friends. That’s unfortunate. But that doesn’t mean you get to rewrite him into a villain.”

“How dare yo-” She stepped forward, only to have her arm pulled back sharply.

She yelped in shock, as Sirius Black walked around to step between them.

“Evans.” Sirius started, steely eyes looking down at her. “If you lay a hand on my brother or Severus, you’ll never step foot in Hogwarts again.”

Lili flinched, finally looking away.

“Do we understand each other Evans?”

“I-yes.” She murmured, waiting for their footsteps to finish walking away.

Hogwarts had never seen anything quite like James’s courting Severus. A strong pureblood alpha so open, so unapologetic about wanting an omega, a male omega at that, left a lot of the wizarding student body stunned. James didn’t care. Whispers still followed them down hallways, but their friends only grinned and nudged them closer together.

James didn’t do subtle. He brought Severus snacks and treats between classes, tucked handwritten notes into his books, and left small doodles in his journal for him to discover later. When Severus studied late, James always appeared with warm tea and a steady hand rubbing circles into his back. Staying with him and walking him back to the Slytherin omega dorms no matter the curfew. In public, James’s hands rested possessively at Severus’s waist, kisses pressed to his forehead or cheek like it was the most natural thing in the world. When rumours started, James shut them down without hesitation, standing firm and protective in a way that made even other Pureblood alphas think twice.

Severus, shy but soft-hearted, wore James’s jumpers on weekends and pretended not to notice how everyone stared. He’d perch carefully in James’s lap when their friends crowded around, cheeks pink but body relaxed. Severus was shy about the attention, cheeks flushed whenever their friends teased them for being sappy. And every time James brought him something, a gift, a note, a cup of tea, Severus would press a soft kiss to James’s cheek in thanks, quiet but certain.

Within three weeks the shock faded. The whispers dulled.

What remained was the simple truth: James chose Severus loudly, and Severus chose him back, even if he did it in softer ways.

The closer it got to the Christmas break, the colder the grounds became, frost clinging to the gates and snow settling over the fields. James walked Severus to breakfast most mornings, waiting outside the Slytherin omega rooms, checking the scarf was wrapped snugly around Severus’s neck, his hand firm at Severus’s waist. When the wind bit too sharply outside, James would tug Severus closer beneath him with the pretence of shielding him, though everyone knew he just liked the excuse.

He brought Severus warm peppermint tea in a charmed thermos during study period, pressing it into his hands with a quiet, “Drink.” Sometimes he’d sit behind Severus in the library, long legs bracketing Severus’s chair, thumbs kneading warmth back into his omegas’ cold fingers. Severus would lean back into him without thinking, shy but trusting, while their friends across the table exchanged knowing looks.

Some evenings, they’d walk the snowy paths with their friends, laughing as someone inevitably slipped on ice. James kept one arm around Severus the entire time, steady and possessive in a way that felt more protective than territorial. When snow started falling heavily, James brushed flakes from Severus’s hair and kissed his temple like it was instinct. Severus would hide his fluster by ducking into James’s jumper, which he had “borrowed” again. Regulus would tease his best friend until his brother pinched his check, calling the start of a snow ball fight.

They sat together in classrooms, knees touching under the table. Severus would underline important lines in the textbook while James absentmindedly traced patterns on Severus’s wrist. When Severus got stressed, overwhelmed by the attention, James rubbed slow circles into his back until he relaxed, murmuring that he’d handle anything that got too heavy.

And when rules kept alphas and omegas in separate dorm forms, they found ways around it.

Empty classrooms during study periods became theirs. James would spell the door locked softly, tugging Severus close, and pressing slow kisses along his cheek and jaw until Severus melted against him, letting James explore his mouth and taste. They used the room of requirements often, trying to find alone time, without their supportive friends. They’d curl up together on the worn sofa in the room of requirements, Severus tucked in James’s arms, legs a tangled mess, sharing warmth under a soft blanket. James’s hands stayed respectful most of the time, at Severus’s waist, in his soft hair, thumb brushing his hip grounding him, fingers softly brushing his neck.

Sometimes they didn’t even speak. Just held each other, breathing in the quiet.

With their friends, they were teased endlessly, called disgustingly sweet when Severus shyly fed James a bite of his biscuit, or when James insisted on carrying Severus’s bag even though Severus protested. At the Christmas fair in Hogsmeade, James won Severus a ridiculously large plush Mooncalf charmed to warm a bed or nest and carried it for him all evening. Severus, red-faced but smiling, kissed James’s lips in front of everyone in thanks. Squeaking, as James dragged him in for a longer kiss that had their friends whopping and hollering.

Shock had turned into acceptance. The snow kept falling. The holidays crept closer.

And through it all, James courted Severus loudly, openly, like he was proud of every second. Severus, despite his shyness, let himself be chosen. And in quiet rooms filled with winter light, he chose James just as fiercely.

The moment came quietly, wrapped in the hush of the final winter evening before Christmas break.

The greenhouse stood glowing at the edge of the snow-blanketed grounds, its tall glass panes misted faintly from the warmth inside. Snowflakes drifted down around it like soft confetti, catching in Severus’s hair as James guided him through the door. Inside, it felt like stepping into another world.

Golden floating lights hovered beneath the curved ceiling, flickering gently like captured stars. Delicate golden vines draped from beam to beam, winding around pillars and trailing down in elegant arcs. Tiny glass ornaments hung among the leaves, reflecting the light in scattered prisms. The air smelled of pine, roses, and something faintly sweet, winter lilies blooming stubbornly despite the season. Along the stone path inside, shallow bowls of water held floating flower petals, pale blush and deep crimson, drifting lazily whenever the warm air shifted. Even the benches were dusted with soft greenery and ribbon, as if the room itself had been waiting for this night.

James turned to face Severus in the centre of it all.

His heart pounded so hard he was certain Severus could feel it through their joined hands. He took both of them carefully, holding them between his own as though they were something fragile and sacred. His usual confidence softened into something open, vulnerable. When he spoke, his voice was low, steady, but trembling with certainty.

Slowly, without breaking eye contact, he lowered himself onto one knee.

He opened the box.

Inside was a simple ring, silver band, emeralds set into it.

Severus’s breath hitched. His eyes widened, his mouth parting slightly as the floating lights shimmered around them. “Severus… I love you.” James said, each word deliberate. “I don’t want to wait another second. Will you marry me?”

For a short moment, there was only the faint hum of warmth and the quiet tapping of snow against glass.

Severus blinked once. Then twice. A blush bloomed across his cheeks, spreading warm and bright beneath the golden glow. The weight of James’s words settled over him, not heavy, but steady, grounding. Like stepping into something he had secretly always hoped for but never dared expect.

He tried to speak and couldn’t.

Then, finally, barely above a whisper, he said, “Yes… yes, I will!”

Relief and joy broke across James’s face like sunlight after weeks of grey. He rose instantly, pulling Severus into a fierce, breathless hug, lifting him slightly as he pressed a trail of laughing kisses to his face before delivering a sweet kiss to his lips.

The ring slid onto his finger like it had been waiting there.

“You have no idea how happy you just made me, love,” he murmured, voice thick with emotion.

Snow continued to fall outside, sealing the moment in quiet magic.

The following day, after saying their goodbyes to their friends, having endured the teasing, cheers, and more than one mock speech about pre-marital sex during their journey on the Hogwarts Express back to London Severus found himself holding onto James as they apparated outside the protective shield surrounding the snow-dusted countryside, part of James’s family estate.

It was enormous.

The property was vast and glowing against the white hills, every window lit warmly. Inside, the scent of woodsmoke and cinnamon wrapped around him immediately. The faint scent of spices drifting from somewhere deep within the house.

Severus froze at the base of the steps.

“I don’t belong here,” he whispered before he could stop himself.

James turned immediately. “You belong wherever I am.”

The front doors opened before Severus could respond.

James’s grandmother stepped out first, small, elegant, draped in a deep maroon shawl. Her silver hair was pulled into a neat bun, eyes sharp and assessing.

Behind her came James’s father, broad-shouldered, impeccably dressed, and his uncle, nearly identical but softer around the edges. James’s mother and aunt followed, warmth radiating from them instantly.

“So this is him,” James’s grandmother said.

Severus nearly bowed out of panic.

Instead, James’s mother, Euphemia Potter, stepped forward drawing Severus into a genuine, steady embrace despite her shorter stature.

“Welcome, Severus,” Euphemia said, her smile radiant. “We have heard so so much about you from James. You are all he talks about in his letters.”

No hesitation. Just warmth.

The word home nearly undid him.

His dad, Fleamont Potter, a tall, commanding man with a booming laugh, clapped Severus on the shoulder. “And we’ve been waiting to meet you. I have seen your academics, and the papers you produced on the Study of Dilution in Fertility Potions and Properties of Moonstone Powder in Bone Strengthening Elixirs. Fantastic work! You’ll have to tell me about your theories.”

Behind him, Fleamont’s brother, Vikram groaned and Euphemia huffed in amusement at his one-track mind.

Dinner that night was overwhelming in the best way.

Long table. Too much food. Laughter that echoed off high ceilings.

They asked Severus questions, not invasive, but curious. About school. About potions. About what he liked to do.

When it slipped out that Severus’s mother had passed two years ago, the table quieted gently.

James’s grandmother, who had insisted on being called Dadi, reached across and patted his hand.

“You will not be alone here,” she said firmly.

No pity.

Just certainty.

Later, when Fleamont asked casually, “You are serious about potions, yes?” Severus nearly choked on his bamboo juice.

“Yes, si-Monty,” he managed. “Very.”

James’s father smiled slowly.

“I own several potion shops in the city. I have been waiting for someone who loves the craft more than the profit.” His eyes flicked to James. “My son would rather set himself on fire than deal with potions.”

“I hate the slimy...,” James muttered under his breath.

The table laughed.

Fleamont looked back at Severus. “If you wish it, you could apprentice under me after graduation.”

Severus stared at him.

A potions apprentice.

A future.

“You would… allow that?” Severus asked softly.

Uncle Vikram chuckled. “Allow? We would be honoured. Someone to eventually take over the potions business when James takes over the fabric business.”

Severus’s jaw nearly dropped. He had grown up in poverty, his struggling mother had been gone for two years, and a muggle father who had been cruel and unreliable. Now he stood in a mansion filled with warmth and acceptance, with people who showed genuinely care and most importantly an alpha that wanted him to be a part of this family.

“I… I’d love that,” Severus said, almost breathless, though he glanced at James shyly, unsure if it was appropriate to show how overwhelmed he was.

Severus felt something fragile inside him shift.

For years, it had been just survival. Stretching coins. Avoiding his father’s temper. Making himself small.

Now he was being offered a choice.

A family.

Severus wasn’t used to it, the easy affection, the laughter echoing through hallways, the way someone pressed a cup of hot mulled wine and mince pies into his hands without being asked. He stood there for a moment longer than necessary, overwhelmed.

Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes before he could stop them.

James noticed, of course. His thumb brushed against Severus’s knuckles in quiet reassurance, grounding him.

And surrounded by golden light and open arms, Severus felt something unfamiliar bloom in his chest. Something he had not felt often as a child.

The days that followed before Christmas were filled with laughter, family meals, gentle teasing and hours spent with Fleamont in his personal potions office. Dadi doted on Severus, while James's aunt and uncle pressed him to try new foods and insisted on sharing stories of James’s childhood.

By the end of the Christmas break, wedding plans were already taking shape. They agreed on a summer ceremony, after graduation, when both would be eighteen. James would start assuming responsibilities in the family fabric business with his uncle Vikram and Dadi, while Severus would apprentice under Fleamont, channelling his passion for potions into the family business he was to be a part of.

Every night, Severus and James would sneak off from their respective rooms to the balcony, whispering plans for the future. Severus leaned against James as they looked over the snowy estate from the balcony, his hand intertwined with James’s across his stomach.

“I can’t believe this is real,” he murmured.

James pressed a lingering kiss to his forehead, voice soft but filled with promise. “It’s real. And I promise, we’re going to build everything together, love, family, everything.”

“You’ve been quiet tonight,” James said, wrapping a cotton blanket around his shoulders.

Severus turned, eyes bright. “They’re kind to me.”

“They adore you,” James corrected.

Severus hesitated. “Your father really meant it?”

“Yes,” James said. “He has been trying to get me interested for years. I’d rather take over the fabric business with Uncle and Dadi. The potions shops need someone who loves them.”

“And you think that’s me?”

James brushed tiny snowflakes from Severus’s hair.

“I know it’s you.”

Severus swallowed.

“I grew up with nothing,” he admitted softly. “I still feel like that boy.”

James cupped his face gently.

“You are not nothing,” he said. “You are going to be my omega, my husband. You are going to run shops that carry our name. We are going to build a life together.”

Severus leaned into his touch without hesitation now.

“Big summer wedding,” James murmured, nuzzling into Severus’s neck, taking in his warm scent. “After graduation. We’ll both be eighteen. I’ll start taking on responsibilities with the fabric houses. You’ll start apprenticing. We’ll get a house built for us on the family estate so we can have a little personal space.”

Severus smiled shyly. “Big wedding?”

“Big,” James confirmed. “My Dadi will insist.”

“Traditional?”

“Half traditional,” James said, dropping a kiss behind his ear. “Half whatever you want.”

Severus laughed quietly.

They stood there a moment longer, snow gathering on their shoulders.

“For someone who thought he was being pranked,” James teased softly, “you agreed to marry me very quickly.”

Severus flushed, pinching James’s hand lightly.

“You were very loud about it,” he replied.

James grinned toothily.

Then, more serious, Severus whispered, “No one has ever chosen me so loudly before.”

James’s expression softened into something fierce and tender all at once.

“I will keep choosing you forever,” he promised.

And wrapped in snow and the glow of the estate windows, with a future waiting for them eagerly, Severus finally felt what it was like to step into a life where he was not surviving but wanted.

After the Christmas break, James and Severus apparated back to Kings Cross together, ignoring the looks and stares from the wizarding population that stood at the station.

“You two are super cute together,” one of their classmates said as they walked past, and James puffed up, chest and smile swelling with pride.

The train ride back to school was loud with post-holiday chatter, suitcases shoved into racks and scarves tossed over seats. Snow streaked past the windows in white blurs as their group claimed an entire cabin of the carriage.

James and Severus kept exchanging glances the entire time.

Severus sat tucked against James’s side, fingers laced together in his lap, his thumb brushing over the new ring like he still couldn’t quite believe it was real. James looked far too pleased with himself, arm draped possessively over Severus’s shoulders, barely containing a grin.

It was Regulus who noticed first.

A shriek echoed across the carriage.

“You did not-”

Sirius head whipped around. Peter dropped his chocolate cauldron. Remus clapped one hand over his mouth in disbelief.

James didn’t even pretend to be subtle. He lifted Severus’s hand, turning it just enough for the light to catch.

The carriage erupted.

“What?!”

“No way, Prongs!”

“Its massive!”

“That’s what she sai-ow!”

“Yes,” James said smugly. “He said yes.”

Chaos.

Regulus launched himself at Severus, hugging him tight. “You’re marrying into wealth and stability,” he stage-whispered jokingly. “I’m so proud.”

Severus laughed helplessly, cheeks already pink.

Sirius grabbed James by the shoulders and shook him. “You absolute menace Prongs! You’re engaged before graduation?”

“I had priorities,” James replied, cocky grin plastered on his face.

Regulus squeezed Severus’s hand gently. “Are you happy?”

Severus didn’t even hesitate. “Very.”

“You sappy shit.” Regulus replied with, eyes slightly misty.  

Severus went bright red instantly, burying his face into James’s broad shoulder as their friends grabbed his hand to inspect the ring more closely. James just laughed, steady and proud, answering questions over the noise.

“When is the wedding?”

Severus peeked up at that, looking shyly. “We didn’t want to wait,” he admitted softly. “It will be in August, you are all invited of course!” He reassured quickly.

That only made it worse.

Their friends groaned dramatically, calling them insufferably romantic and completely sappy. Peter declared he’d be expecting the most dramatic wedding of the decade. Sirius demanded to be in the wedding party.

But beneath the teasing was something else, genuine happiness. Excitement. Acceptance.

One by one, they pulled Severus and James into hugs. Clapped James on the back. Promised to help with anything they needed. Promised to stand beside them when the day came.

James leaned down, brushing a quiet kiss to Severus’s temple despite the audience.

“Eight months,” he murmured.

Severus smiled, softer now but certain. “Eight months.”

Outside their carriage, light snow continued to fall.

From then on, the second half of their seventh year felt lighter.

Word of their engagement had already spread like wildfire

Everyone knew.

Teachers raised brows but said nothing, engagement before graduation was respectable enough. The whispers were no longer shocked but indulgent.

James continued courting him openly.

He carried Severus’s bag when he looked tired. Brought him tea and treats during late-night revision sessions. Sat with him in the library, knee pressed against Severus’s under the table.

And every now and then, Severus would glance down at the ring and smile to himself. James in return often pressed a kiss to his left hand when he spotted Severus admiring his ring.

“Let them see,” James had said softly. “I’m proud to call you mine and be yours. Only yours, my love.”

On the last weekend of July, graduation day finally arrived.

Hogwarts grounds were almost unrecognisable beneath the bright summer sun, the last of the term’s quidditch banners fluttering lazily in the warm breeze. Where snow had once covered the lawns, now rows of chairs stretched across perfectly cut grass. Families gathered beneath striped marquees, laughter carrying through the air.

Severus stood nervously near the dining hall, smoothing invisible wrinkles from his gown. His fingers brushed the ring on his hand, no longer new to him, but no less meaningful. Seven months had passed in a blur of studying, exams, wedding planning, stolen kisses in classrooms, wandering touches in the room of requirements and whispered promises about the life waiting beyond Hogwarts grounds.

James found him easily in the corner, like he always did.

Severus’s long black hair was styled in a flowy braid, the silver-and-emerald clip from months ago still tucked carefully in place. The ring glinted on his hand as he adjusted his sleeves nervously. A matching emerald necklace now sat high at his collar bone, a birthday gift James had gotten made for him three months ago.

“You’re staring,” Severus whispered out of the corner of his mouth.

“I’m allowed,” James murmured back. “You’re my beautiful fiancé.”

Severus’s ears turned red.

James stepped close without hesitation, straightening Severus’s cap before letting his hand settle at his waist, a familiar, grounding touch. “You ready?” he asked quietly.

Severus nodded, though his heart was racing. “Are you?

James smiled in that steady way that still gave him butterflies. “I am now.”

When their names were called later, they walked across the stage one after the other. Applause rose from their friends first, loud, unapologetic, echoing across the lawn. James’s family stood to clap loudly for both of them. Severus blinked his tears back rapidly when he saw them cheering just as proudly for him.

It felt like the closing of something sacred.

And the beginning of something even bigger.

In the middle of the celebration, surrounded by friends, James grinned mischievously and swept Severus into a dramatic dip, kissing him with all the bravado he could muster.

Severus’s face immediately flushed a deep, rosy red. He let out a squeal of surprise and swatted at James’s arm, half-shocked, half-giggling. “James! Not in front of everyone!”

James just chuckled, holding Severus close and smirking. “You’re mine, and the world should know it, my love." he said, eyes sparkling with pride and love.

Their friends erupted in cheers and laughter, some teasing, others clapping. Severus eventually relented, leaning into James with a shy, happy smile, knowing he had found a love that was bold, unshakable, and entirely his own.

Sirius whooped. Peter shouted something unintelligible. Even Remus was laughing openly.

When James finally pulled Severus upright again, Severus’s face was so red he looked sunburned, his freckles glowing.

“You are impossible,” Severus muttered, swatting James’s arm again.

James grinned, completely unrepentant. “You love me.”

Severus tried to look offended.

Failed.

“I do,” he admitted quietly.

James’s expression softened instantly.

“Good,” he said. “Because this is just the beginning, my love.”

Around them, their friends gathered in close arms slung over shoulders, robes tangled, future wide open.

Sirius tackled Remus into the group hug. Regulus clung to Severus and laughed like he’d personally orchestrated the entire romance.

“You’re free!” Regulus crowed. “Free and engaged!”

“Don’t say it like that,” Severus protested, laughing pulling out of the group hug.

A potion mastery apprenticeship wating.

A summer wedding just around the corner.

And as their laughter echoed across the yard one last time, James laced his fingers with Severus’s and squeezed.

He had chosen him loudly.

And now, stepping into adulthood together, they would build the rest just as boldly.

And in only a few short weeks, they would walk together again, not as courting mates this time, but as something even more permanent.

As the sun cast a golden glow over the celebration, James whispered in his omegas ear, “Summer’s just the beginning. Wait until I can finally mate you…”

Severus could only blush bright red, heart full, completely in love with the boy who had captured him so entirely.

August arrived warm and golden, the countryside stretching wide and green beneath endless blue skies. James’s family estate had transformed completely for the wedding. Marquees lined the gardens, white and sage fabric draped from trees, and flowers, thousands of them, spilled over every archway and pathway. Cream roses, deep red marigolds, jasmine strands woven with ivy leaving air perfumed.

Guests filled the grounds long before the ceremony began. Relatives from James’s English side mingled with members of his Indian family, bright silk saris shimmering beside tailored morning suits. Laughter, different accents, familiar warmth, it was all blended into something vibrant and alive.

At the end of the aisle stood James.

He looked composed at first tailored suit fitted perfectly, boutonnière pinned neatly, posture straight. Sirus, Remus, and Peter stood beside him as his best men, dressed sharply but grinning like they were seconds away from teasing him again. Regulus stood near the front as Severus’s man of honour, already misty-eyed and trying not to ruin his makeup.

Then the music shifted.

A hush fell over the guests as they stood to watch.

Severus appeared at the end of the aisle, radiant and shy in equal measure. His attire blended traditions, a soft ivory suit layered with delicate embroidery inspired by Indian motifs, a light garland of jasmine resting across his shoulders. He looked both regal and impossibly gentle.

James completely fell apart.

His composure cracked the second their eyes met. His jaw tightened, his breathing hitched, and before he could stop himself, tears welled over. He didn’t even attempt to hide it. Sirius clapped him on the back quietly in support.

Severus’s blush deepened as he walked forward, but his steps were steady.

The ceremony itself wove together both heritages beautifully. Traditional English vows were spoken beneath a grand floral arch, promises clear and deliberate. Then, in a nod to James’s Indian roots, they exchanged garlands, symbolizing mutual acceptance and respect. A small sacred fire was lit safely within a decorative lantern, and they circled it together, hands joined, taking symbolic steps that represented commitment, prosperity, love, and lifelong partnership.

When it came time for James to speak his personal vows, his voice broke more than once. “My heart knew you before my mind could understand it. It was always you. I vow to be the strength at your back and the warmth at your side. I will guard your heart without caging it, love you without measure, and stand beside you through every season we face. I will walk beside you through joy and hardship, hold you when the world grows heavy, and remind you that you are never alone. Before family, before fate, and before the bond that ties us together, you chose me,” he said softly, tears still tracking down his face. “Every day, you chose me. I’ll spend the rest of my life choosing you back.”

By the time Severus answered with his own vows, quieter but unwavering, there were very few dry eyes left in the garden. “I never believed a life could change so quickly. But when you look at me, it feels like coming home to a place I had never been before. Our courtship was short, probably shorter than everyone expected,” A few scattered laugh played out from the guests. “But my certainty was not. I vow to trust you with my heart and to give you the gentleness and courage that lives inside me. You are my alpha, my partner, and my chosen future. Today, tomorrow, and for every day after, I am yours.”

When they were finally pronounced married, the cheer that rose felt endless. Flower petals rained down over them in a shower of bright colours. James pulled Severus into him without restraint, kissing him deeply to roaring applause, laughter, and the playful groans from their friends.

The reception carried late into the night, English desserts alongside Indian sweets, traditional music blending seamlessly with modern songs. James barely let Severus out of arm’s reach, still looking at him like he couldn’t quite believe this was real.

And beneath strings of glowing lights and endless flowers, surrounded by and friends, they began the life they had promised each other, loudly, tearfully, and completely in love.

Leaving the last of the guests to their partying, James and Severus apparated out before dawn for their honeymoon. The world felt softer somehow, as if everything loud and bright from the wedding had folded into something private just for them.

Tucked away on a quiet stretch of untouched coastline, the remote beach cottage felt like a world reserved just for them. Weathered wooden steps lead down to soft white sand where the waves roll in with a slow, soothing rhythm. The cottage itself was small but charming, wide windows, gauzy curtains drifting in the sea breeze, and a private veranda perfect for morning coffee or sunset wine. Palm trees swayed gently overhead as they walked inside, as the night sky opened into a brilliant canvas of stars.

Candles flickered softly around the room. The windows were cracked open just enough to let in cool evening air. Severus sat close to James on the edge of the bed, fingers intertwined, both of them suddenly shy in a way they hadn’t been in months. The alpha’s presence was warm and steady beside the omega, like a quiet gravity pulling them closer with every breath. When their eyes met, the air seemed to thicken with unspoken promise, protective instinct on one side, soft trust on the other. The alpha brushed their fingers along the omega’s wrist, slow and careful, as if savouring the simple permission to touch. The omega leaned in, nuzzling against the alpha’s shoulder, their scent mingling in a way that made both of them pause, heartbeats quickening, a quiet spark of desire threading through the tenderness.

James cupped Severus’s face carefully, forehead resting against his. “Only if you’re ready, my love,” he murmured, voice steady but gentle.

The alpha could hardly look away from him. The omega’s pale skin seemed almost luminous against the darker sheets, freckles scattered across his nose and shoulders like tiny constellations. His features were soft, almost delicate, and the way his dark lashes lowered whenever the alpha’s gaze lingered too long made the alpha’s chest tighten with a deep, instinctive need.

Severus nodded, eyes bright but calm. “I am, alpha.”

Every movement Severus made, every shy glance, every slow breath, pulled at the James’s instincts to claim, protect, and cherish him all at once. James eyes darkened in response, leaning forward to connect their lips in a heated kiss. And the omega wanted it just as fiercely. He tilted his head up toward his much larger alpha, pressing closer, drawn to the steady strength and warmth surrounding him. Their scents mingled in the quiet space between them, thick with anticipation and want.

What followed wasn’t rushed or overwhelming. It was tender. Intentional. A promise made not just in words but in trust. James moved reverently, memorising every corner, every mark, every breath of Severus. Severus held onto him just as tightly, choosing him again in the quietest, most vulnerable way possible. The alpha murmuring soft reassurances while the omega smiled against his neck, warmth and affection wrapped tightly around the growing tension between them.

When the bond finally settled between them, emotional and instinctual, it didn’t feel like something snapping into place.

It felt like something exhaling.

Then relief.

Afterward, they lay tangled together beneath soft sheets, the world outside reduced to wind brushing the hills. James traced absent patterns along Severus’s pale freckled back as his mate listened to the steady rhythm of James’s heartbeat beneath his ear.

Just them.

Married.

Mated.

The next morning sunlight spilled softly across the bed, and Severus stirred first, stretching slightly before letting out a quiet, embarrassed laugh and waking his alpha. He was a little sore, the lingering reminder of the night before making his cheeks flush. James noticed immediately, brushing a gentle hand over his omega’s freckled shoulder and murmuring soft reassurance. Yet the closeness between them hadn’t faded, if anything, it had deepened. Severus curled into the James’s side, shy but clearly wanting him again, while the alpha pressed a series of slow kisses to his neck, both of them smiling at the familiar pull between them. They lingered there for a while, tangled together in the morning light, the desire still present but softened by affection, patience, and the quiet understanding that they had all the time they needed.

Days melted into each other with barefoot walks along the shore, skinny dipping in the sea, shared laughter over candlelit dinners, and the simple joy of being alone together in a place where time seems to slow down, an intimate sanctuary made for the first chapter of forever.

The two years after graduation passed in a blur of shared ambition and quiet domestic joy.

James and Severus Potter had married the summer they turned eighteen, slightly young by even wizarding standards but utterly certain. While others hesitated at the threshold of adulthood, they stepped through it hand in hand. James immersed himself in the legacy of his family’s fabric enterprise, spending long hours learning trade routes, negotiating contracts, and memorizing the subtle language of textiles, silk weights, weave densities, the way certain dyes caught the light. By twenty, he was no longer just the heir in training. He was steering major decisions, his confidence settling into something solid and unmistakably alpha.

Severus, meanwhile, devoted himself to the intricacies of the potion’s guild. His mastery required precision, patience, and a near poetic understanding of ingredients, crushed moonpetal at exactly the right phase, stirring draughts until the surface shimmered like glass. Where James’s world was bolts of velvet and ledgers, Severus’s was glass vials and fragrant steam. By twenty, Severus had completed his Potions Mastery with honours, earning his title in a ceremony that left James prouder than he could put into words.

A month after celebrating their second anniversary in Italy Severus began to notice very small, strange changes in his body. At first it was a subtle feeling, he was more tired than usual, waking with a faint queasiness in the mornings, and a new sensitivity to scents that made him wrinkle his freckled nose. Only his mates scent seemed to sooth all his weird symptoms. That afternoon Severus sat quietly on the edge of their bed, a hand resting over his stomach, his thoughts spinning with the realisation slowly settling in. When James finally came into their room from their ensuite, Severus looked up at him with a mixture of nervousness and wonder. His pale cheeks were flushed, dark eyes soft but uncertain.

“I think… something’s different,” he admitted quietly, fingers lacing with his alpha’s as he guided the larger hand to rest over his flat abdomen. “It might be early, but… I think we might be having a pup.”

James went still for a moment, not a even taking a breath, processing the words before a deep warmth spread across his face.

Pregnant.

Carefully, almost reverently, he pulled the Severus into his arms, holding him close while his thumb brushed over the freckles along his mate’s cheek. Surely it had to have been their anniversary, when they decided since Severus had completed his mastery they wouldn’t have to be as careful. Four weeks was still very early, but the thought alone filled him with a fierce, protective pride. Severus fully leaned into him, both shy and hopeful, feeling the steady heartbeat of his mate beneath his ear. They stayed like that for a while, the alpha murmuring soft reassurances and promises while his omega smiled quietly against his chest, both of them wrapped in the fragile, exciting possibility of the new life beginning to grow between them.

Then James laughed, bright, disbelieving, overwhelmed, before pulling Severus up into his arms to put kisses all over his mates face to the point Severus had to scold him between breathless smiles.

They were incandescently happy.

James had always spoken, half teasing and half earnest, about wanting a house overflowing with children.

“Many,” he would murmur against Severus’s freckled shoulder. “So many we lose count.”

He adored Severus’s pale skin dusted with freckles, often spending hours tracing them with his fingers, with his tongue, the soft pout of his lips, the softness that balanced James’s intensity. He hoped their pups would inherit that luminous complexion and those delicate constellations across their noses.

Severus would laugh and counter that he hoped their children would carry James’s thick, curly brown hair, the kind that never quite obeyed a comb, and his warm golden eyes that could turn molten with affection. Eyes that set Severus on fire.

Now, as they stood together in the quiet of their home they spoke in light, excited tones about tiny hands and nursery colours, about how they would rearrange their schedules, about the empty room in front of theirs with the best evening glow.

James knelt in front of Severus that evening, resting his forehead gently against Severus’s stomach as if he could already sense the new life there. His scent had not changed yet, but soon, soon, his omega’s scent would turn milky like any mothering omega and just the thought made James’s mouth water.

“One,” he whispered softly, dropping kisses along his mate’s pale stomach. “And then many more.”

Severus threaded his fingers through James’s curls, smiling down at him.

“Let’s start with this one, my silly mate, before you start planning to keep my pregnant for the next 10 years.” he said, warmth and humour lacing every word.

Outside, the future stretched wide and bright before them and now, filled with the promise of a child who would carry both their hearts forward.