"Potters always have a habit of causing trouble, don't they, James?" Minerva McGonagall's voice could be heard from outside the headmistress's office.
Severus Snape jerked awake at the voice. James? Potter? Had he travelled back in time? "Albus!" He hissed, trying to alert said man. But Dumbledore was smiling at him from the next painting with a twinkle in his eye. "No, no, Severus. This is certainly the present." Dumbledore said, as if reading Snape's mind.
Severus scowled. "Do we know another person called James Potter, then?" He asked sarcastically. Dumbledore tutted and took a sip of his lemonade soda. Severus was momentarily startled – where had he gotten the soda from? – but looked at him questioningly. Albus smiled. "You're so – how do the kids say it? – last century, Severus. Are you telling me that you haven't met Harry's children yet?"
Snape coughed loudly and spluttered on his words. "Potter reproduced? How come the world hasn't ended yet?" Dumbledore chuckled softly. Snape shook his greasy hair out of his face. "Please don't tell me there's more than one," Severus said. Dumbledore laughed louder. "There are three. I'll point them out to you when Minerva comes in with them."
As if on cue, the door opened and three kids came in after the headmistress. McGonagall was going on about something, but Severus couldn't care less. He was looking at the three children. Dumbledore pointed at the tallest one, subtly. "James Sirius Potter." Snape looked at him and felt his heart pang with hatred for a moment. The boy looked exactly like James Potter. The same mop of messy black-brown hair, Gryffindor tie, and mischievous look in his eyes. James I and him could have been twins, except for the few freckles on his nose and the fact that James I had lighter brown eyes.
And James Sirius was his name? What was Potter thinking, naming a child after the two most horrible people to walk the planet? Snape quickly dismissed the previous thought. He knew much worse people from experience, who he might have hated more than Potter and Black. (coughbellatrixcough)
Dumbledore motioned to the next boy, who was younger and thinner, but almost the same height as his brother. He had the same Potter hair, but looking at his eyes, Severus felt his heart crack down the middle. Almond shaped and green, just like his father and grandmother. "Lily." He breathed. He blinked back tears. Albus was smiling softly but sympathetically. "His name is Albus Severus." Snape rolled his eyes. "Potter is really horrible at naming his children. What dunderhead would give a child that unfortunate-" He stopped mid-sentence as he realised. "He named his second child after me?" said Snape. He felt a spark of joy as he realised that the boy had Lily's eyes and was in Slytherin. It was perfect, too good to be true.
Dumbledore took another sip of lemonade soda. "You might want to take a look at the girl. Lily Luna." Severus turned his head to look at the youngest one, who was facing the opposite way. He felt another crack in his heart. Lily Luna looked exactly like her first namesake. Long, straight red hair, which was a shade oranger than the original, but Snape was willing to let it go. And the same soft, sweet voice, and petite body figure. Tears were brimming at his eyelids, but his mouth dropped open when he saw the girl's eyes.
Brown. It hit him like a slap in the face. It was the Potter shade of brown, just like James I. He frowned and shook his head, trying to hide his disappointment from Albus. But Dumbledore knew, and was empathetic. "Severus, are you okay?" Snape shut his eyes and turned the other way, trying to let it all sink in.
He didn't hear the voice, the little girl's voice. "Mr. Dumbledore? Is that Mr. Snape? Mr. Severus Snape, Al's middle namesake? Daddy told me about him. I think he's great, what he did and all. He's my hero."