Disclaimer: I do not own… yeah you get the idea.
Authors Note: In my boredom I wrote this. I have a minor writers block with writing Irony Of Living so for the time being I decided to skip to a different area in the saga. The area being November 1st. The day after Halloween, The day after the Potter's were murdered
Title is subject to change.
Length of story debatable. It might just stay as the one chapter about them unaware of the potters' death around dawn of the next day. Or it might go on. Who knows.
November 1st
It was just approaching dawn Severus noted as he stared out of his study window. The clock on the wall however told him otherwise. Never going past 3am the clock had told him for the past 2 hours that in was still in fact 3am. He should have gone to bed about 7 hours ago when his wife did. But 7 hours ago he still had things to be written up, financial records to update, and 7 hours on he had finally finished.
Glancing around the study his eyes lingered on certain things, pictures that had piled up on one shelf- Some to be framed, some to be put away for safe keeping and some in Severus's opinion that should be burnt, certain baby items that had strayed, Certain items of clothing he'd shed due to the erratic temperature in the room, Wands, quills, an empty bottle of ink, a stained coffee mug, Letters, stray letter openers, old copies of the Daily prophet, Old copies of Le Prophète Quotidien…. The French daily prophet…. Which reminded him…….. Morganna.
Severus blew out his candle, turned the calendar to November the 1st; a date everyone would remember then made to retire.
He suspected Morganna would not be impressed when he slept for the majority of the day.
Climbing the stairs to their chambers he also noted that baby Morag had slept through the night. She did often these days, but there was the odd occasion when she did stir during the night. But like her parents alike she was an early riser, and this could be a disadvantage for Severus if Morganna didn't elect to answer the infant's call.
The nursery door was ajar, for the practical reason of hearing the baby obviously.
The paling light of the night sky streamed in through the open French windows. It had been a pleasant evening; the need to shut the windows seemed non-existent when Morganna put the child to sleep. The paranoid mind of Severus however felt inclined to close the windows now to protect the infant against the morning chill although there was none in the particular area they lived in. He knew his wife's judgement was good and she wouldn't put their child at risk, but he closed the windows anyway.
Their child. The issue of the parentage wasn't large in his mind anymore. He'd simply grown up and moved on. It also hurt sometimes to think about it. But raising it hurt Morganna more than anyone else in Severus's opinion. So he didn't.
The plan was when Morag was old enough to fully understand, and by understand it was meant not only understand why Severus wasn't really her father, but also why it all happened and the blame didn't fall on anyone. But then perhaps Severus and Morganna were the only ones who could truly understand it all.
Although, all events still fresh in his mind, it was still Severus to blame.
They were happy and settled now in any case. Past events didn't matter… much.
Smiling, Severus ran a finger over the infant's tiny arm, as he leant over her crib. Stirring slightly Morag emitted small odd noises. Severus knew she was still asleep.
This child was everything to him.
The process of moving from Morag's nursery to their chambers, quietly, was indeed going to prove challenging. If he could hear the owls flapping around in the corridors in the middle of the night from his chambers, one would have to be under the effect of tranquilizers not to here him.
Morganna lay exactly where he expected her to be, on her side of their bed, with the fading moon's light splashed on her face, sleeping peacefully. She reminded him instantly of a Botticelli Angel. Severus winced. That was what his aunt had called his mother on numerous occasions.
Getting changed seemed pointless as he was going to have get up in an estimated 2 hours but he did nevertheless
Jesus Christ, it can't be 5:13.. he cursed inwardly, glancing at the clock before slipping into bed.
"What have you been doing?"
Morganna's tone voice suggested to Severus that she was in fact very awake.
"Sorting some things out darling, go back to sleep."
Opening her eyes Morganna studied her husband.
"And that took you all night?"
"Mm, I didn't mean to wake you up, go back to sleep."
"Oh you didn't, I was already awake."
"..Oh sorry, I didn't hear Morag, I would've-."
"No, she hasn't been up, I couldn't sleep." Seeing Severus had already begun to drop off she settled down to sleep herself. "Goodnight Dear."
"Mmm… night.."
But then of course the moment Morganna was finally falling asleep, Severus's brain processed their brief conversation. Wide awake once again he questioned her-
"Why couldn't you sleep?"
"Because .. I couldn't.."
"Is something the matter?"
"No, just… go to sleep Severus." She said in exasperation.
"Well what then?"
"Look its all very well for you, staying awake this late but I have to get up and present myself in the morning. But I suppose you've forgotten we have guests coming tomorrow.. or rather today."
Severus cursed
"Christ I completely forgot."
"Narcissa is bringing little Draco tomorrow."
"And Lucius?"
"Him too."
Severus continued to curse.
"Severus!.. Oh and don't think you can sleep in, you are getting up too."
"Yes dear."
"Now go to sleep."
Severus lay awake for another half an hour. It was far too quite for his liking; usually his owl was flapping about loudly while Morganna's owl harassed creatures outside or something close to that. Usually there were all sorts of noises, but it was deadly silent, like he had passed into death or everyone else had.
At times he thought he couldn't hear Morganna breathing, then he though he couldn't here himself breathing. Reality melted away as he succumbed to his fatigue, but the last few moments before sleep engulfed him he couldn't help but get a sense of foreboding.
