HARRY POTTER: THE LEGACY CHRONICLES – CHRONICLE 2: LEGACIES

By SeverusGirl360

(Disclaimer: The use of places, objects, characters, etc. of the Harry Potter saga is the property of J.K. Rowling and Warner Brother Inc. No infringement intended, for entertainment purposes only. All original characters, objects, places, etc. are the property of SeverusGirl360.)

PROLOUGE: HARRY READS THE NEWS

INT. A COTTAGE, GODRIC'S HALLOW – EVENING (JUNE 13TH, 1998)

Things were slowly getting back to normal for the Wizarding world, including for Harry Potter and his friends. But the mystery of Severus's body having gone missing from the Boathouse was still upon the minds of many in the Wizarding world. Staying at a friend's cottage in Godric's Hallow for the weekend, Harry was sitting in an armchair near a roaring fire in the fireplace, reading the news articles about Severus's disappearance in the Evening Prophet, which was the evening edition to the Daily Prophet:

BODY OF MISSING HOGWARTS TEACHER STILL A BAFFLING MYSTERY!

'According to recent speculations regarding the disappearance of the body of former Hogwarts Headmaster and Death Eater Severus Liam Snape, the case has been reopened temporarily in order for people to step forward with any information regarding the whereabouts of Snape's body. Recent rumors from the North of England have suggested that Severus Snape has been sighted somewhere near the town of the Shambles, though these rumors have yet to be confirmed.

'The mystery of Snape's missing body still baffles authorities as the case continues to be investigated by the Hogsmeade Investigations Unit and by the Ministry of Magic. If you have any information as to the whereabouts of Severus Snape or of where his body might be found, please contact the nearest available authority or the Ministry of Magic…More news to follow as this case progresses…'

SEVERUS SNAPE RUMORED TO HAVE BEEN SPOTTED IN THE SHAMBLES!

'More news from the North of England continues to come in as more rumors continue to surface as to where Severus Snape may be located. Representatives from the Ministry of Magic and the Hogsmeade Investigations Unit continue to be sent to the Shambles in order to confirm any and all rumors of Snape's whereabouts, but have so far turned up with only false leads. The Shambles is a predominantly wizard town that is famous for its airships as well as for its vibrant and healthy trade market. It is also built atop five of the largest and longest viaducts in the Wizarding world and sits 700 feet over and above the River Topplemoor, which runs past the smaller rustic town of the same name. The Shambles is often referred to as the 'Cotswolds of the North', as it features cottages and other structures in the similar style to that of the Cotswolds near the border of Wales, but is mixed with traditional English styles that are associated with witchcraft and the styles seen in Victorian London times.

'The main street of the Shambles is best described as 'a street in Victorian London, but with some organic and rustic overtones' and the row houses of the main street are like any terraced row houses that would have been found in Victorian London in the later part of the time and with Victorian street lamps lining the streets, which are still lit every night by lamplighters. It has been easy for wizards and witches in the past to vanish into the Shambles, never to be seen again, thus it is a possibly that either Severus Snape or his body might be found here. However, due to a law that was past nearly 300 years ago, the Shambles has been turned into a sort of sanctuary for political and wanted criminals who are hiding out and escaping from the law. It is thus for this reason that Severus Snape, if alive, cannot be arrested or put on trial while within the boundary of the town. If you have any information that will lead to the discovery of Snape's whereabouts, please contact the nearest available authority or the Ministry of Magic…'

"What are you reading, Harry?" said a familiar voice from behind Harry, who placed their hands on Harry's shoulders and smiled down at him. Harry turned his head and saw that it was Ginny Weasley, who was the younger sister of Ron Weasley, one of Harry's best friends. She had light skin and the same fiery red hair that most of the Weasley persuasion had.

"Oh, nothing," said Harry putting down the newspaper on the coffee table next to him. "It's just that I've been keeping an eye on jury positions at the Minstry, but so far there haven't been any openings. I might try my hand in jury work, I don't know. Then again, I prefer to be an Auror."

"...So that you can have the right to find and arrest Severus Snape and have the personal satisfaction of asking for his forgiveness and for leaving you completely in the dark as to where he has been after all these years? I know you, Harry. You've been reading the articles about Severus Snape again. He is dead, Harry, we can't change that."

"But what if he isn't dead, Ginny? What if he's…I don't know, somehow still alive and hiding out somewhere trying not to be found? What if he's in trouble or hurt somewhere? I'd want to know where he was and would help him for helping us and protecting me from Voldemort and protecting the Wizarding world."

"Well, if he is alive, he's going to stay well enough away from this place and not tell anyone where he is if he knows what's good for him. Come on, it's time to go to bed."

"I'm going to stay up for a little while longer. I'll be along shortly."

And with that, Ginny smiled and walked up the stairs to the bedrooms on the second floor, leaving Harry to ponder and look at the newspaper once more.

CHAPTER 1: FATHERHOOD

INT. TO EXT. TO INT. TO EXT. THESTRAL STABLES TO VERENA'S HOUSE, THE SUMMER HOUSE, NEAR THE SHAMBLES – EVENING (AUG. 1ST, 2007)

For the first nine years in hiding and under an assumed name, Severus, Verena and with the help of a few trusted wizards and witches from the Shambles nearby, had been making a name for themselves as famous Thestral breeders and tamers, with their Thestral stock being used for domestic use and as beasts of burden. With blank shinning eyes, large, leathery bat-like wings, long black manes, a skeletal body of a great winged horse and a narrow dragonish face, Thestrals were the most elusive and least horse-like breed of magical winged horse family. Though majestic and beautiful in their own unique way, they had an undeserved reputation as being omens of evil to many.

However, over the years after the Battle of Hogwarts, Thestrals had started to be seen as creatures of morbid beauty rather then something evil or unloved and thus a demand for Thestrals as beasts of burden grew. Though possessing fangs as well as being dominantly carnivorous by nature and with a well-developed sense of smell, Thestrals will not attack a human-sized target without provocation.

They are also extremely strong despite their frail appearance and are capable of very fast flight, with the ability to work and/or fly for several hours at a time, though they usually spend their time on the ground and have an excellent sense of direction. Unlike Hagrid's herd of Thestrals, Snape's Thestrals were somewhat special as they came in seven different varieties, including the regular solid black color.

However, Snape was breeding and taming more than just Thestrals, but also certain dragons as well as Hippogriffs. In a research and study area lying within the Thestral stables behind Verena's house, a small cauldron full to the brim with soup sat over a fire in a cobblestone fireplace. The room itself was fairly small and contained a single wooden table, a couple wooden chairs and rows of hanging hooks where bridles and other equipment used to ride horses hung from the ceiling above the table. Upon the table, there was a small potions kit, including all the things needed to make potions as well as a couple books, some parchment, an ink well, a couple quill pens and a couple disused wands, among other small and magical trinkets. Severus had been working on a special potion all day which he was planning to use on his breeding stock later.

"Do you see this, Ergot?" said Severus pointing at a page in the book he had opened in front of him on the table, "This potion should make the breeding stock more fertile. Instead of getting the usual two or three Thestral offspring every five months, we could more than double it to five or six."

"I agree," said Samuel Ergot, a young and clever wizard with light skin and brown hair who had come under Severus's and Verena's employment as a Thestral breeder-in-training. "It should give us more selling stock come next summer. You know how a great deal of farming and trading wizards and witches go mad over these Thestrals nowadays, especially in the Shambles. This place is slowly becoming the Thestral capital of the Wizarding world."

Ergot paused a moment and then continued, looking at Snape, who was quietly sitting at the table, looking down and writing something on some parchment with a quill pen in hand, "You know, Severus, I do find it odd that you went from being the potions master at Hogwarts to a Thestral breeder and tamer. To me, being a Thestral breeder seems less exciting than being a potions master at Hogwarts. And in truth, this is something that sits more along Hagrid's lines, not yours."

"Don't be comparing me to that lumbering oaf, Ergot," said Severus coolly, looking up at Ergot, "Though true it may be something that Hagrid would do and be obsessed with, but to me it's just work."

"Well you must have some passion for the work, Severus, otherwise you wouldn't do it."

"I do, Ergot, though not as much as Hagrid I should think. It is a job that I must do these days to keep food on the table. Verena's job in the parchments and scrolls shop doesn't make enough to keep things running like they should."

"But you're fairly well off, Severus. Why would you ever need to work?"

"It's not enough, Ergot. You know that dreams take money to fund them, and I plan on opening an herbal and potions shop in the Shambles later. Money is needed to make it work."

Unlike in the rest of the Wizarding world, it made it easy for Snape to disappear and not be noticed in the Shambles, even when out in the open and walking about. As a town of considerable reclusiveness, the Shambles was a far cry from the ancient towers, majestic battlements and long meandering corridors of Hogwarts Castle and no one in the Shambles knew anything of what Snape looked like or even about his long and sorted past. Never the less, Verena had to keep on guard just in case someone did find out that Severus was alive and living near the Shambles.

Ergot paused and looked around, then turned back to Snape and continued, "Where is your lovely wife Verena anyway? I haven't seen her around here lately."

"Have you not seen my wife, Ergot?" said Severus coolly with a withering stare, "Surely you remember the state she is in. She's been staying in the house since she is so near to giving birth so I highly doubt she would be out here messing about with the Thestrals, especially since it would be dangerous to work around such creatures in her condition."

"Oh, I forgot, of course. Forgive me," said Ergot bowing his head apologetically and respectfully, then bringing his head up again, "She's nine months gone isn't she? She's due to birth at any minute. Have you found out the sex of your unborn child?"

"Children, Ergot...plural." said Severus coolly.

"What, more than one? Twins? I say, you're going to have your hands full then."

Suddenly, a woman with light skin and brownish-blond hair ran into the room and yelled excitedly, "Severus! It's Verena, come quickly! She's in labor!"

Severus quickly stood up and ran past the woman with Ergot in toe. The panicked woman followed soon after.

Inside the house and in a bedroom on the second floor, another woman held Verena's hand as Verena lied naked under a blanket on her bed, sweating, moaning and crying out in pain. Treevole, Verena's friend and House-Elf, was also there and was standing up on a chair sitting next to the bed and looking on nervously, worried about Verena. A large white owl sat on the ledge of the open window nearby, fluffing up its feathers and hooting loudly. Then Severus entered the bedroom and ran up to Verena's side, taking the place of the woman who was holding Verena's hand, "Verena! Verena, I'm here! Look at me, I'm right here. You'll be alright!"

Verena looked up at Snape and tried to smile through her pain, but quickly went back to crying out and groaning. Snape turned his head and yelled at Ergot and the two women in the room, "Call for the midwife in the Shambles! Tell her that my wife is in labor and that I need her to come here this instant! Do it quickly!"

The women curtsied quickly and ran out, leaving Ergot to watch. Snape soon went back to looking at Verena, holding her hand. Ergot soon left the room and joined up with the other woman who had fetched Severus and Ergot from the Thestral stalls earlier, running around the outside of the house and around the Thestral stables, gathering up everyone who was there working and telling them as to what was going on. A half hour later, the midwife appeared, with her small bundle of towels and other things needed to help Verena give birth. The midwife soon told Severus to wait outside the door, but Verena grabbed onto Severus's arm and spoke through her pain towards the midwife, "No! Please, let him stay...I want him to see his children be born...please."

Severus looked at Verena with a withering stare, a stare that told Verena that Severus was secretly worried and secretly scared for his wife's safety as well as for their unborn children. It seemed as though Severus was halfway agreeing with the midwife to leave and wait outside the door. But the midwife reluctantly agreed to let Severus stay and watch while she told the woman who was holding Verena's hand earlier to fetch her a shallow bowl of warm water. Soon, Treevole left the room, unable to continue watching further. Treevole ran out the front door of the house and ran up to Ergot and where a small group of people were waiting outside and looking up towards the open window to the bedroom, listening to Verena's cries.

Treevole spoke to Ergot and the small group of people, "Mistress is trying to be strong and brave for Master Severus and Treevole. Mistress is telling the midwife that she wants to stay here and not go to the Shambles to give birth. But Treevole is worried for Mistress. Treevole worries that his Mistress will not be able to give birth at the house because Mistress is with two not yet born. It may be too dangerous."

"For the moment, Treevole, I am inclined to agree with you." said Ergot as another loud cry from Verena was heard. Others of the small group waiting began getting nervous and grabbing onto each other. The two women that had been involved earlier had went outside to join the group and began to cry and hold onto one another, worried for Verena. For the next hour, everyone who was there was on edge and waiting anxiously, hoping that Verena would be alright.

Then, upon one final cry from Verena, another sound was heard through the open window, a sound that Ergot and the small group of people had been waiting to hear, the cry of a new life. The white owl that had been watching from the ledge began hooting loudly as if in celebration. With wide and teary eyes, the two women looked up at the window and then back at one another, then began to sob joyously and embrace one another.

Then, several more moans and cries of pain from Verena and several minutes later, a second cry of a new life was heard resonating from the open window above. Ergot looked up at the window and smiled while those in the group that were there joined the two women in a group hug. Treevole soon grabbed onto Ergot and began sobbing into his robes. Ergot looked down at Treevole and smirked, then rolled his eyes while looking away. Ergot then patted Treevole on the back sarcastically.

INT. VERENA'S HOUSE, THE SUMMER HOUSE, BEDROOM, NEAR THE SHAMBLES – EVENING (AUG. 1ST, 2007)

Inside the bedroom, the midwife washed the two newborns in the shallow bowl of warm water and then wrapped them up in large towels. Severus than soon stood up and outstretched his arms towards the midwife, who then gave him the first born, a boy, and then gave him the second born, a girl. Severus, teary eyed and smiling softly, soon brought the newborns to Verena. Verena's face began to show a suppressed joy and began to cry softly as Severus placed the two newborns into her arms.

"You did so well, my dear. They are truly beautiful." said Severus softly and with a smile.

"I know, Severus...just like you." said Verena, crying softly and with a crack in her voice.

Verena could tell that Severus wanted to express his joy, but with the midwife in the room, Severus was using every ounce of his Occlumens ability to remain calm and not show any intense emotion while the midwife was there.

Severus than once again kneeled down at Verena's bedside and laid his head on Verena's right shoulder while Verena, teary eyed, looked at Severus with a withering stare and cried quietly. Realizing that the new parents wanted to be alone, the midwife smiled and gave her farewells before leaving the room. Once out of the room, Severus turned his face away from the door and began sobbing and retching quietly. Verena just looked on with a withering stare, smiling softly and crying quietly. Severus soon quieted himself and started sniffling as he turned his face back and looked on, tears coming down his face.

"Oh, look, our son is holding my finger. It's so adorable, Verena." said Severus with a grin and with a crack in his voice. Severus's face was lit up as though full of a new found hope and joy. It was a rare sight to see Snape grin with joy instead of mischief and it seemed to make both Verena's and Snape's heart feel lighter than they normally were. Verena grinned in return, feeling the same joy and happiness that Severus was now feeling. Snape was almost unfamiliar being seen in this joyful mood, but it was a rare opportunity for Verena and Severus to show off their brighter and less emotionally restrained side, though as Occlumens, it was still subdued in some way or another.

"Oh, Severus, whatever are we going to name them?"

"I'm not sure," said Severus as he looked between the two newborns briefly, then looked back at Verena, "I can't really think of names right now."

"Neither can I. My mind is a blank parchment," said Verena as her face contorted with joy again, tears welling up in her eyes, "And look at the hair on their heads. They both have your beautiful black hair and our son looks like you when you were born, Severus."

"I know, and our daughter has your nose and ears it seems. And I have no doubt that our son will have my ears and my nose when he gets older, I can tell." said Severus, bringing his hand up to his nose and grinning mischievously.

"Oh, that nose! You Snapes are always passing it down!"

"I know. It's like a disease in our family that can never be cured." said Severus mischievously, bringing his hand down and smiling tearfully.

Verena and Severus soon went back to looking down at the newborns and soon noticed that the eyes of their newborn son and daughter were very slightly cracked open and could see the little blue eyes of their daughter and the little dark steel gray eyes of their son peering out. It was possible that there son would have his father's eyes as he got older, but it remained unclear as to what color their daughter's eyes would be.

"Oh, Severus, they're so little and cute. I wish we knew what to name them."

Severus looked away silently for a moment and smiled softly, then looked back at Verena and spoke, "Have I ever told you about my great-grandparents Evangeline and Cyrus?"

Verena looked up at Severus, teary eyed and mildly confused.

EXT. TO INT. THE GNARLED OAK TREE, MAPHERIA'S CHAMBER - EVENING (JUNE 13TH, 1998)

A lone figure in a long, flowing black hooded cloak walked silently and cautiously through the darkness of the forest, walking towards the gnarled oak tree in which Mapheria's chamber lied underneath. Upon reaching the base of the oak tree, the lone figure pulled back its hood, revealing the face of Lucius Malfoy. He then pulled out his wand and stepped back a couple feet before pointing his wand towards the base of the tree.

After speaking a spell silently, an arched door appeared on the trunk of the tree, forming out of the very trunk of the tree. The door then unlocked itself and opened slowly and waited for Lucius to walk through it, revealing a narrow staircase and a narrow corridor behind it. Once Lucius was through and past the door, the door closed behind him and locked before vanishing into the trunk again.

Inside the pitch darkness of the tree, Lucius uttered the spell "Lumos..." causing a light to appear on the tip of his wand, walking down the staircase quietly and cautiously, looking all around him. After walking down the staircase and several feet down the corridor, the corridor opened up wider, revealing a large, arched entrance in the corridor wall on the left, which was the entrance to Mapheria's chamber. Around him, torches suddenly lit on their own, allowing Lucius to put out his wand and hide it back into his walking stick. He then walked cautiously to the entrance and looked in.

Through the entrance to Mapheria's chamber, Lucius beheld the sight of a long marble table, which ran vertically down the middle of Mapheria's chamber. One end of the table sat at the base of the stairs which lead up to Mapheria's throne, while the other end sat at the entrance to the chamber. As was always the case, walls of see through cloth and draperies could be seen all over Mapheria's chamber, except in the area of the chamber where the table was placed. Chairs were set all around the table, in which fellow Death Eaters and other strange wizards and witches were sitting and talking amongst each other.

In the open space above the table, Dementors and Accusers alike were hovering and looking down, watching everything that was happening below. Scattered upon the top and down the entire length of the marble table, there were large maps, parchment, a few books, ink wells, quill pens and a wide assortment of other papers and documents, which told Lucius that Mapheria and her followers were planning out something on a massive scale. Lucius soon noticed that the chair at the end of the table that faced the entrance to the chamber was empty, as though waiting for someone to sit in it.

Soon, a familiar face on the far end of the table looked up. It was Mapheria and she seemed pleased to see him, "Lucius Malfoy. I was wondering when you would find your way back here. Come in and sit at the table."

Mapheria used her wand to point at the empty chair at the other end of the table. Lucius walked in and sat at the end of the table, looking briefly around at everyone who was looking over at him with serious glances. Mapheria then clapped her hands together and spoke once more, "Refreshments!"

Suddenly, the sound of long iron chains dragging across the cold stone floor could be heard. Lucius soon noticed a couple women appear with shackles on their wrists and ankles and carrying out large, sliver platters of food and drink. as Lucius was looking in, the two women walked over to him and sat the platters down in front of him, dragging their long chains behind them. Lucius quickly stopped one of the women and grabbed onto the chain that was binding her wrists. He then looked over at Mapheria coolly and spoke, "Isn't it a bit barbaric of you to have slaves in your chamber, Mapheria?"

"They are survivors from the Battle of Hogwarts I found and saved from certain death. I healed them and as a result, they are to work as servants in my chamber until I feel that the debt they owe me has been paid."

"What then? Free them?"

"Perhaps...Then again I might not and instead feed them to my pet dragon. Afterall, I am not accustomed to being merciful to anyone." said Mapheria, ending her sentience with a quiet and sinister laugh.

"You are slowly testing my patience and my morals, Mapheria!" said Lucius as he let go of the chain angrily and allowed the bounded woman to walk away.

"As are you, Lucius," hissed Mapheria, glaring at Lucius angrily. She then became calm and collected again and spoke once more, "Anyway, Have you found the location of the prize that I seek? Surely you have found something by now."

"I have, but you won't like it." said Lucius as those around him continued to watch and listen to Lucius and Mapheria talk.

"Oh really?" said Mapheria calmly, glaring at Lucius and smiling softly, "And does it involve a very complicated trap that you, unfortunately can't solve, Lucius?"

Lucius opened his mouth and closed it again without saying anything, looking at Mapheria as though mildly surprised by what she had said.

Mapheria then laughed softly and wickedly, than spoke once more, "I've been watching you now and again through my Searching Bowl, Lucius. It appears that the Book of Resurrections is in a hidden cavern high the Himalayas that is protected by a complicated trap that only the Guiding Eye Stones can help solve. This of course only means one thing, Lucius. We will have to find the Guiding Eye Stones first before we can get anywhere near the Book. And even if you do reach the Book, you still have to use the Key to open it, which regrettably, has disappeared into thin air."

"You don't seem too angry about this, Mapheria. Is there some reason why you're not?" said Lucius calmly, undeterred by the sight of the Dementors and the Accusers who were eying him from above. "It is certainly not like you to keep your cool in a matter such as this."

Mapheria suddenly disapparated and then apparated right behind Lucius, pulling out a dagger from a sleeve lashed to the side of her right ankle and placing it up against the front of Lucius's neck, placing her left hand on Lucius's forehead from behind to hold his head back. Mapheria then spoke, "On the contrary, Lucius. I am exceedingly angry at you for not bringing me back at least one of the Guiding Eye Stones, namely the one Guiding Eye Stone that traitorous Torvellos gave to your son on that day in Diagon Alley and then your son gave to you after you found out that he was in possession of it."

Lucius slowly tried to reach for his wand, but Mapheria stopped him by putting the dagger up closer to his neck. Mapheria spoke further, "Don't even think about it, Lucius…Do you remember the day you first came to my chamber, Lucius? The day where I placed this very same dagger up to your neck and threatened to kill you?"

Mapheria suddenly cast her eyes up to the Accusers above her, who had suddenly floated down closer and began staring down Mapheria and hissing at her as if telling her not to do what she was thinking. Mapheria then grinned wickedly as everyone in the room was looking on and glaring nervously at what was going on before them, casting their eyes between the Accusers and Mapheria.

Mapheria then looked back at Lucius and continued, "...And I would have killed you that day, Lucius, had the Accusers not told me otherwise. And you certainly know by now that I don't take to kindly to those who have failed me, even when they are as handsome as you and as clean shaven as you."

"Flirting with Lucius with a dagger to his neck, My Lady? That sums you up." said one of the Death Eaters sitting next to Lucius, who was smiling wickedly and laughing quietly along with other onlookers. Mapheria then gave a cold look at them which caused everyone to lose their smiles and fall silent again.

Mapheria then looked back down at Lucius, who was starting to get nervous, "Indeed, Lucius. I have every reason to kill you here and now and end this little deal of ours, but as you already know, the Accusers have a warped sense of justice and they will most certainly punish me if I bring any harm to you."

"But you need me alive to find you the Guiding Eye Stones for you, Mapheria. You can't kill me when there are so many Accusers around."

"But of course I do, Lucius, as you are of no use to me dead. And besides, if I was to kill you, I would lose any chance of gaining possession of my prize all together and that is something that I am unwilling to let happen. You are still of a very important use to me, Lucius, and I always protect and spare those that are of use to me. But don't ever think for one minute, that I would not kill you!"

Lucius gulped quietly as Mapheria slowly pulled the dagger away from Lucius's neck and took her hand off his forehead. Mapheria continued as she walked away and went back to the other end of the table and sat down, "But for now, leave my presence and do not return until you have found me at least one of the Guiding Eye Stones. Crielis will show you out."

Saying nothing more, Lucius grabbed onto his neck briefly before bringing his hand down again and standing up from the chair, with Crielis standing behind him and waiting. He then looked at Mapheria icily and turned angrily towards the entrance, walking out the entrance with Crielis and with walking stick by his side. Mapheria simply looked on, undeterred by Lucius's cold stares at her. She then cast her eyes back up at the Accusers, who came very close to attacking her earlier. Lucius was safe from Mapheria's dagger for now.

INT. VERENA'S HOUSE, LIVING ROOM, THE SUMMER HOUSE, NEAR THE SHAMBLES - MORNING (AUG. 2ND, 2007)

The next morning, the rest of those present around Verena's house and working on the grounds in the Thestral stables got their first look at the newest members of the Snape family. The women were sitting around in the living room with Verena, passing around the newborns and taking turns holding them and cooing over them. For the boy, Verena and Severus ultimately settled on the name of Cyrus Severus-Saeweard Snape, naming him after Severus's great-grandfather, Cyrus Andrew-James Prince, and Severus himself, using his own first name and another great-grandfather Saeweard Snape's first name. And for the girl, the name Evangeline Lily-Janine Snape, naming her after Severus Snape's great-grandmother, Evangeline Jane-Marie Prince nee Hollowin, and after one of his mother Eileen's middle names and Lily's first name. Severus was with the men in the kitchen, sharing a bottle of red wine and hanging out.

"A toast to Severus's new found happiness!" said Ergot, raising up his glass with the other men and bringing them down again before drinking from them. Severus on the other hand, simply gave one nod of approval and smiled shrewdly as he held his glass of wine, tapping on it with his finger slightly. Severus was not use to getting praised on any level so it made him feel just a bit uncomfortable.

Verena then walked into the kitchen and spoke, "Are you all quite done making my husband feel uncomfortable with your enthusiastic praising? Your wives and girlfriends are waiting for you to join them in the living room."

"Yeah, good idea, my wife Eve may start worrying about me," said Ergot, picking up a cue and putting down his glass of wine with the others and leaving with them. "Come on, men! Let's leave Verena and Severus alone and go join the rest of the show out in the living room."

Verena and Severus watched as Ergot and the other men left and closed the door to the kitchen behind them. Verena then looked back at Severus and smiled, "I was dying to get out of that living room. I am not use to having so many people around the house. It feels so crowded in there."

"Indeed. I was getting crowded with just the men in here," said Severus, "We should tell them to get back to work in the Thestral stalls and on the outside grounds since we pay them far to much for them to just sit around here and do nothing."

"Oh, indeed. They need to get back to work, one of the Thestrals is due to have a foal anytime soon, they should be focusing on that and not busy drinking up one of our..." - Verena picked up the wine bottle and sniffed it - "...best bottles of fine red wine in the entire wine cellar." said Verena, smiling softly and sitting the bottle back down as Severus smiled softly at her. Verena then noticed a look on Severus's face that told her that he was thinking about something that was bothering him to no end. Verena gave a withered stare as she spoke, "What's wrong, Severus, my husband? You seem unusually distracted by something."

"It's Mapheria," said Severus softly, sitting his glass of wine down on the table and walking up closer to Verena. "I have been looking for her and chasing her down for nine years now and I am no step closer to finding her or finding out where she has been hiding. I need to find her quickly and stop her before she brings harm to you and our children."

"Have you forgotten already that I killed Mapheria five years ago, in that raid in Hogsmeade? I know I killed her, she is no longer a threat to us."

"No, you didn't kill her, you merely slowed her. I know she is still alive, I know because she is my father's cousin and is determined to stay alive long enough to see her dreams fulfilled."

"But I killed her, Severus! I know I did! I cast the Avarda Kadavra spell at her, I saw her fall!"

"I was there, Verena. You weren't looking hard enough. She deflected it away from her and fell to make you believe that you killed her. You didn't go and see if she was dead. I did, and as a result she surprised me and very nearly hit me with the Immobilus spell. But I deflected it and saw her run away from Hogsmeade with her followers in toe. I followed her."

Severus suddenly had a flashback to the day in question as he continued to talk about the events that followed: "As I was chasing after her, I suddenly cornered her as she was walking around a large boulder, trying to double back and get behind me. I pointed my wand straight at her and she pointed her wand straight at me. We stared at one another, ready to attack and strike each other at any moment. But the look in Mapheria's eyes, it was an intense and knowing look, as though it was telling me that she knew that I wouldn't kill her, even though I wanted to. And just before she vanished, I pointed my wand away and she took a strike at me with her wand, which I deflected away. That strike wasn't intended to kill me of course, it was to distract me while she vanished, disapparating from my sight."

Severus flashed back to the present and spoke, "I had every opportunity to kill her and stop her from harming anymore people, but I didn't. I know she has to die for killing my family and I know she deserves it and yet I can't bring myself to kill her."

Verena walked up to Severus and they embraced one another, placing their heads on each other's shoulders as Verena spoke, "I understand, Severus, and I know that if you kill Mapheria, you will avenge your family certainly, but you will lose your last living connection to them, otherwise killing the last of the Snape family by your own hand, leaving only you. In this case, your need to stay connected to your family is stronger than your need to avenge them by killing Mapheria. It's not that you can't kill Mapheria, Severus, it's just that you won't..."

"I won't kill what is left of the Snape family, Verena! Even though I want to and need to! I want to kill Mapheria and avenge my family, but by doing so I will lose what is left of the family that I came from."

"But the Snape family will never die, Severus. They will continue on through you and through our children."

"But for how long, Verena?" hissed Severus softly, "We may ultimately go the way of the original wizard Snape family, being absorbed into other wizard families, no longer carrying the name of Snape. I don't want that to ever happen, Verena. Not ever."

"Then we better make certain that our little family of Snapes doesn't get destroyed now won't we?" said Verena with a mischievous smile.

"Indeed...Verena..." said Severus as he smiled softly back. Verena and Severus soon embraced one another once more.

CONTINUED…CHAPTER 2…