Discovered **Disclaimer - I won nothing except the concept that came to my mind, all characters which are cannon belove to JK Rowling!**
*This is NON DH compliant and M/M Pairing so you have been warned!*
Five long years since the end of the second wizarding many dead, many more sentenced to Azkaban and to the kiss of the dementors after they were reigned in by the ministry and Azkaban was of course rebuilt stronger and better warded than before. The survivors of the battle of Hogwarts all gathered yearly to remember the fallen and to celebrate the victory of the latest darkness. Severus Snape had survived Nagini's attack, only barely. If it had not been for the house elf Tinkly whom had for some reason took it upon her self to make sure he was always taken care of he would have surely died after he gave his memories to Potter and his friends before the finally battle. If he had known that he would have survived he was not sure he would have given the boy his most sacred of memories. No, his love for the boys mother had be strewn across the front pages of the Daily Profit. However it had not been Potter who had given the memories out, no it had been Hermione Granger. The Boy who lived, Harry Potter had be presumed dead after the final battle. All that had been found of the boy was a broken wand with smashed and bloody glasses. The boy, no…young man had fulfilled his destiny and had lost his life in the process. It was a bitter sweet reality of war and some nights Severus Snape would swallow down the harsh tasting Fire whiskey as he thought of the irony of it all. The boy had died but left those memories to be found and used to not only keep him from the dementors kiss but also to award him the Order of Merlin First Class.
Looking over the crowd of party goers he could clearly make out the gaggle of Weasley's. They had almost lost one of their sons during the last battle but Fred Weasley had managed to best Rookwood before the death eater took his young life. Rookwood having been one of Voldermort's oldest followers made him deadly but the younger man was faster and the fact that Rookwood had died and Fred Weasley was alive to sell more contraband to the student body was a testament to that. Severus scowled at the thought of this but shook his head as he took a deep breath, his dark brown eyes scanning the crowd again. Hermione Granger of course he spotted right away as she was heavily pregnant with her first offspring, surprisingly the child would not be a Weasley but a Malfoy. Draco Malfoy had of course been cleared of any charges after the war due to his aiding in the deception to the Dark Lord. The boy had grown in the last year of the war. The fact that Granger and Malfoy had been tossed together in the Ministry as begrudging partners had not been ideal but somehow the two managed to get on and surprisingly married two years ago. Severus had been at the wedding as the boys godfather. Ronald Weasley was holding a blond pig tailed child as Lavender Brown scowled wiping chocolate from both the child and fathers faces, some people just never change. Sipping the drink in his hand he said nothing as a figure in green robes stepped up beside him.
"Come now Severus…do not stand in the shadows glaring…you will scare the children" Minerva McGonagall's Scottish brogue sounded next to him lowly as she herself had a glass of wine. Severus snorted softly.
"I am merely observing, being as it is the last night in the castle before I am slated to go on a much needed vacation for the summer. I find myself in no hurry to join the….festivities" he said as he looked to her.
"I take it that you are still going on your…what did you call it…oh yes, Potions Masters walk about…this time in Italy is it not?" the older witch asked and Severus gave a nod.
"Indeed, there are a few harvesting spots I would like to inquire about" he stated as he had taken to researching and doing his own projects now that he was no longer chained down by two Masters. Severus was free now to spend his summers as he wished and that usually meant traveling the world. The first year after the war had been spent recovering and then back to teaching but that second summer found him restless and on a whim he had ended up in America back packing like some hippy, but he had found it rather rejuvenating not being confined to one place and being free to do as he pleased. He had been planning all year for this trip to Italy and if it had not been for those blasted Weasley twins he would have never even given that country any real thought.
The Weasley twins had of course come to him after the trials and had offered him a quasi partnership. They were too busy with the business part of the store to rectify the formulas they had created. Of course Severus had be wary of this partnership with his former students as many of the products were normally used at Hogwarts its self but the twins of course insured that they would stop distribution to the school it's self if he agreed to work with them. While this did not stop the products from coming it it did limit them. He had been given a few select formulas and when it came to the rare ingredients for the potions they of course supplied those as well. However when the very rare perfect specimen of Moon Flower came in a charmed box his attention was caught. Not just one but three of these very rare and very expensive flowers, perfectly preserved sat on his desk as he looked at them in awe. He of course tried to get them to divulge the apothecary they had used but they had of course skirted around the question.
If it had not been for the small business card that had peaked out from under the box flap he would have never known where to start his search. A simple yet elegant script on a simple card.
'Farmacista della Castello the card had read.
'Tuscany, Italy' So since then he had made it a point to make sure that his summer was open, he would go and see this place for himself. The fact that the Weasley twins had been rather protective of the information had of course made him suspicious but then again, he was rather protective of some of his more darker suppliers and their identities as well so he understood but if he could get another supplier under his belt as well…then better for him it would be and the more he could experiment.
" Are you listening Severus to what I said Severus?!" the voice of Minerva sounded a bit annoyed this time as Severus looked to her and rose a brow.
"I must have let my mind wander Minerva…my apologies…what is it?" he asked as he lowered his glass and she huffed lightly.
" I was inquiring as to when you may be returning..I will be needing you help with settling the new Defense Professor that was hired" she stated and Severus scowled with a snort.
"I do not know why you do not just go ahead and hire young mister Malfoy, we both know Draco would make a fine addition to the staff and Miss Granger- Malfoy would help as a on call substitute for all…she is after all very skilled and with the child she looks like she is about to pop out any day now the quietness of the school would aide in keeping her nerves in check. He stated as he knew after the war the girl had been severally damaged by her Husbands lunatic of an aunt many mind healers had worked with her and while she looked rather well adjusted tonight alone he had spotted her nearly drawing her wand in surprise and any loud noise that startled the poor girl. Draco had been glued to her side almost the entire time to calm her. Minerva at least tried to look surprised by his recommendation.
" I will have to ask him…but I was under the impression that he was doing well in the Ministry these past three years." She said but Severus shrugged.
"Perhaps but with his wife..I am sure they would both prefer…stability and calm with their first child on the way soon" he stated. Minerva turned to look out over the party as she gave a nod.
" I will ask him tonight…thank you Severus…do try and be careful, it worries my old heart when you go away for so long with out owling me…" she said as she placed a hand gently upon his shoulder before patting it and making her way back into the throng of party goers.