Hey guys! I'm back with the story that you voted for. Sorry for the long delay but school's just back in session and there's quite a lot I've to get use to.
Thanks to all those who voted.
I do not own Harry Potter.

PROLOUGE

Severus Snape could only stare at the Hogwarts headmaster. He couldn't be serious. Could he? It was Dumbeldore after all. Who knew what sort of things went about in his mind. Yet this was too much. Hadn't he already done enough for the old man?

"Why me?" Snape asked, his black eyes glaring angrily at the headmaster.

"Because, Severus," Dumbeldore replied patiently. "You are their uncle."

To this, Snape could only make a scathing noise. What did he being an uncle have to do with this? After all, he certainly never met any of his uncles. Why him, of all people, why him? Why not someone else, like the insufferable Remus Lupin or that sister of his? He had never even met the children.

"It is only for the holidays, Severus. I'm sure that you can handle it." Dumbeldore said, his eyes still twinkling. Damn Dumbeldore and his twinkles.

"Yes, I know." Severus snarled, barely containing his anger now. "But why me? Why not Lupin."

Dumbeldore's eyes darkened for the moment. There was a shadow of anger in his eyes and Snape found that intimidating. He knew what Dumbeldore was capable of, wandless or not, and it was no wonder that the he was the only wizard that the Dark Lord feared.

"You know very well why Remus cannot care for the children." Dumbeldore said. "As for Wendy, well, efforts to contact her never worked so I assume that she has gone underground."

Severus scowled. It was just like a Marauder. Always making life difficult for other people. Granted, the brats would only have to stay with him for a couple of months, but what did he know of caring for children? What did he know of caring for anyone for that matter?

Except Lily.

Don't think about Lily.

Just then, the fire that was happily crackling in the fireplace turned green for a second. In the next, there was a man coughing slightly and dusting off soot from his coat. His light brown hair was lined with streaks of grey and his clothes were patched and frayed. If possible, Snape's scowl grew even deeper. His black eyes met a pair of green ones. They stared at each other for a few moments before the man turned away to greet Dumbeldore.

"I'm sorry for being late Albus," the man apologised. "I only just got back from - "

"No need to apologise, Remus." Dumbeldore said, waving of the other man's apologies. "Severus and I were just discussing about the living arrangements of the twins."

"Are Janine and Gerald really..." Remus said quietly like he couldn't believe it.

"Yes. I'm sorry Remus, there was nothing we could do about it." Dumbeldore said to the limp figure on the chair opposite him. "By the time the Order got there, they were gone."

Snape watched impassively as the former Gryffindor prefect clenched his fists. There was a dangerous gleam to his eyes. He had to refrain from rolling his eyes. It was just like a Gryffindor to be without self-restraint.

"Who?" Remus asked.

Dumbeldore closed his eyes. "Antonin Dolohov, the Carrow siblings, and Travers."

Snape remembered them. Dolohov and the Carrows - Amycus and Alecto - were in Janine's year. As for Travers, who would forget that arrogant face? All Death Eaters who were more than happy to hurt and kill in the name of purging the wizarding world of mud - Muggleborns.

"The twins are in the hospital wing with Poppy." Dumbeldore said. "Would you like to see them?"

A few minutes later found Snape, Remus, and Dumbeldore in the hospital wing with the school's resident mediwitch, Poppy Pomfrey.

"Aren't they just precious?" the mediwitch asked.

"No." Snape answered at the same time Dumbeldore and Remus said, "Of course."

"Well Severus," Dumbeldore said turning to the newest potions master of Hogwarts. "Meet Rory and Sophie Lupin."

*Switch*

Remus Lupin stared at the twins. They looked so peaceful. How long had it been since he last saw them? It was definitely been before this February. He had been so busy. Looking for a job, working for the Order, and his monthly problems meant that he rarely stayed in touch with his family and friends.

He missed them, he missed them all. Sometimes, he could shut his eyes and picture his days at Hogwarts spent in the company of his friends. Back in those days where there were laughter and the tears and the feeling that he finally belonged. Curse the war and You-Know-Who and all his cronies.

Looking down on the infants, Remus found himself promising them something that he would never promise anyone else, least he should hurt them.

I'll love you forever.

As if they knew someone was watching them, they opened their eyes and Remus let out a smile.

*Switch*

Snape scowled even more. Great, they couldn't even bother to look like his sister. Oh no, blue eyes were too hard to do, they had to go with green.

Lily…

Stop that.

The twins, newly awoken from their sleep stared up at the four faces peering down into their crib intently. The one on the right, the boy Rory if Snape was not mistaken, begun to cry. Clearly, he wasn't comfortable being stared at by strangers. The girl on the other hand, Sophie, was still staring at them.

After a while, she reached out with her hands and begun to babble. Madam Pomfrey reached down and picked her up carefully. The girl at once stretched out for Remus who took her from the healer and cradled her as gently as he could. Rory, possibly sensing that he was being left out begun to cry even harder. Snape, unable to stop himself, rolled his eyes at the whiny brat. If he had to live with this for two months, he would go mad.

"Severus," a soft voice said interrupting his daydreams about spending the rest of his days in St. Mungo's. "Would you like to hold him?"

"What?"

"Would you like to hold little Rory?"

Snape focused slightly and found himself looking at the headmaster. Dumbeldore was holding the boy who had stopped screaming for attention and was now happily drooling all over the place. Rory was already reaching out and trying to grab his uncle's nose while his other hand was holding onto Dumbeldore's beard.

"I suppose that I'll have to learn how to take care of these insufferable brats?" Snape asked Dumbeldore, completely ignoring the boy.

"Of course Severus, Poppy here would be more than happy to teach you." Dumbeldore said as the mediwitch nodded her consent.

Possibly he noticed the hesitation in the Potions Master eyes. "Severus, for Janine. They are her children too." Dumbeldore said as he handed Snape the boy who let out a squeal of delight as he latched onto Snape's nose whilst still tugging at the Dumbeldore's beard.

For Janine. Janine who, for so long had protected him and stood by his side before he had ruined it all with one simple curse. I suppose it's now or never…

Snape gave a sharp nod. "Alright."

That's it for the first chapter. I hoped you enjoy it. Leave a review to tell me if it's all right.
Once again, thanks to everyone who voted.