Disclaimer:

This story and the new characters belong to me, but it's all based on Harry Potter. Jo Rowling et al own the copyright for HP. This is just a fan fiction and no money is being made. No copyright or trademark infringement is intended whatsoever.

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A/N: This bedtime-story is part of a chapter in the sequel to my Swedish fan fiction 'Future Snape', which was very well received. The same fiction will be posted soon in English, little by little, under a slightly different name and revised.

Severus naturally changed a bit after having been so close to death, just like most Muggles do when they've been through a serious and almost fatal illness or accident. They often are happy to be alive, they become a little kinder, more light-heartedly and don't bother with petty things any more. These post-victims suddenly realize how precious life really is.

Severus Snape is now married since five years and has a four year's old daughter called Stella. She is a little darling who naturally can wrap him round her little finger.

Severus came up with this bedtime story but never wrote it down on paper, since he remembers it by heart. It tells the true story about the night when Stella was born in their big old cottage outside Dublin.

This is part of a chapter in my fan fiction, as I said, but hopefully won't be difficult to follow.

Please note that English is not my native language and that I use UK English. I hope you'll enjoy and comment. :)

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Author: Smaragd1

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PRINCESS STELLA

Stella lay in her bed, neatly tucked in, hugging her favourite plush-toy, a white unicorn with silver mane and tail. Many more soft toys, both Muggle animals like cats and dogs and different fairy tale creatures, 'peeked' down at her from a shelf by the bed. All of these were created and sewn by 'auntie' Aileen. Stella's white sweetheart was made by her mother for her second Birthday. The horn on its forehead was rather soft, of course. When she' was a little younger she sucked on it when she waited for something exciting to happen. But she wasn't a very spoilt child; the gifts she received landed in her lap on special occasions like Christmas, Eastern and on her Birthdays.

Even the teacher from her father's old school always sent her a Birthday Card. She usually came to visit them during a summer week and curiously enough an 'uncle', John from Dublin, also popped up at the end of the same week to pick her up. Minerva then accompanied him to his house in Dublin for a couple of days, before she returned to the murky ancient school in the Scottish highland. Stella had only seen it on photos.

Uncle John was great fun and he was an Auror just like Uncle Shaun. Shaun on the other hand was a real Uncle, not hers but her mother's. Minerva was stern, or tried to be, but Stella knew that this was only on the surface. Her eyes radiated warmth. She really liked children and best of all; she performed fantastic magic and made wonderful and fun things happen. The old teacher and Stella often laughed together and Stella would hug and kiss her.

He had told Mummy that Minerva seemed happier nowadays than ever before. Mummy knew that Minerva had experienced an unhappy love 'something' in her youth and never gotten married. Minerva had a sister, but she died last year.

Now she squeezed the unicorn tightly. She never sucked or chewed on its horn any more, since she was a big girl now, according to herself anyway. She had already kissed her mother good-night and waited for her father to start telling the well-known and absolutely true story... well, true except for a couple of minor details.

Stella was the only one to call her father 'Sev' instead of Severus. He was not a real king of course and mummy was not a real queen, but to Stella they were, and she dreamed about being a real princess. Her mother and father was taking turns in reading bedtime-stories and during daytime the 'story-armchair' was pushed back in a corner of Stella's room.

With a swift movement of his wand Severus now moved the chair close to her bed and smiled as he sat down. His daughter watched him and really really wanted a wand of her own. She didn't dare to borrow the grown up's; besides her father and mother were never careless, so the chance was non-existing.

Stella had once heard Aileen's wand making husband Brian in an appreciating voice that Severus never was careless or sloppy. 'Uncle' Brian was the best wand maker in all of Ireland and he had promised to make her a very special one. Stella came back to reality when she heard her father's voice again.

"Are you comfy?" he asked and when his daughter smiled he started to tell his story.

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Princess Stella

"Princess' Stella's father King Severinus I of the Rhododendron Forest and her mother Queen Maureen, had been waiting endlessly it seemed for their first born baby to arrive. The month' passed slowly and the queen's tummy just kept growing and growing. They even feared that her tummy might burst open if the baby was not born the natural way soon. Now, we all know that pregnant mother's tummies don't burst, but this was how they joked about it. The king shook his head now and again and the queen just laughed. They were a happy couple and both of them had been wondering if the child would be a boy or a girl. Initially the king had thought that a prince and an heir to the throne would be best, but Maureen, his sensible and lovely wife, was convinced that a beautiful daughter, a princess, was on the way."

"And the queen was right!" Stella hollered" and you were wrong. I mean the king was wrong."

At this Severus just smiled and continued telling the tale.

"The Queen's Uncle, his 'Knightness' Sir Shaun, had made a pretty cradle for the the new baby. He was very skilful with Muggle-style woodwork and handicraft, something which couldn't be said about King Severinus, even if he was highly gifted in different ways. I guess Sir Shaun, who was also the most highly competent Auror, made the cradle so elegant only to be able to brag about it."

Stella giggled because she truly loved Mummy's Uncle who was able to tell wonderful old tales and stories. He was taller than her father and very strong. This was handy at times, considering that she was just a little girl who sometimes needed a helping hand.

"Together with her husband, the queen received the property where they lived as a wedding gift from Sir Shaun. He was born in this house, as was his brother Brendan, the queen's deceased father. They were raised in Faith Cottage. Not far away was a park of Rhododendrons, where the bushes and trees were left untended to grow freely up a small hill, forming a wonderful flowering tunnel. The queen had wandered there many times in her childhood and she had a magnificent view from the top of the hill. She also loved the family cottage and and in her imagination it was like a real castle. It was a sheltered property and protected against Muggles and others who weren't invited. The queen's grandfather had seen to this a long time ago.

Now, late one night in April, a mighty storm swept over the county and the cottage, I mean the castle. The wind was blowing, the rain pouring and heavy lightening crossed the dark sky and at this point Stella announced that she wanted out to meet her parents. The queen was a highly competent witch in the field of nursing and healing and Severinus he was a brilliant wizard. Due to the awful weather they decided to remain in the warmth of their home and not risk travelling to the hospital in Dublin. The queen declared that she could manage the delivery on her own with the help of her husband. The king was rather hesitant at first, even if he normally was a very brave man, but the baby was in a hurry so there wasn't much time to twiddle any thumbs."

"Then the rain stopped," said Stella in a knowledgeable voice.

"Well, yes! The storm was over almost as fast as it started. After a short while the night sky cleared up and the stars were shining brightly as if they were smiling."

"And that was exactly when Stella was born!"

"That was shortly before Princess Stella was born. Without fainting, King Severinus helped his wife during the childbirth. He had been involved in dramas before, moments when the strongest of wizards would have fainted and he didn't. You see, many men feel dizzy and faint when they are about to become daddy's!

"But Severinus, didn't!" Stella stated, with a happy and relieved sigh.

"Oh no, not the the brave king, but it was a dramatic and very special night nevertheless. Tears of happiness streamed from his eyes when he saw his little daughter for the first time and held her in his arms."

"But she wasn't SO pretty!" said Stella with a tiny grimace.

She had once seen an almost newborn baby. His face had been very red and all wrinkled. She'd thought the baby was ugly even, but didn't say it out loud, worried about his mother's feelings. Stella understood that such a remark would have saddened the mother. Severus smiled and said that Stella had been the prettiest girl ever and baby's change for the better rapidly. He carried on with his story.

"The king laid Stella in the arms of her mother and had already prepared a Replenishing potion which he gave his wife, but first he kissed her tenderly. The king could not have been happier, not even if a prince and heir had been born instead of the girl.

"And princesses are not allowed to be heirs?"

"They may be heirs as well as boys. Just take a look at the beautiful Queen Maureen!"

Severus winked with one eye and Stella smiled and enthusiastically said: "And now, we want to know why the princess was named Stella!" With 'we' she also meant her unicorn named 'Albus Starlight' .

Well, since the nasty weather all of a sudden stopped and transformed into a beautiful star strewn sky with twinkling and bright stars, her father the king thought that his daughter ought to be baptized Stella, which means..."

"Star", Stella said. She felt very pleased with herself, just like small children often do. "And her Mummy also thought 'Stella' was the best name!"

"Indeed, she did, and this was almost the entire story about how the Princess was born. Shall we continue another night? You look tired."

She nodded and really felt very sleepy by now. She yawned and smiled at her father. It had been a long and wonderful day. Severus kissed her forehead and she soon fell asleep. Her father smiled. They had never had any problems with their daughter's night sleep. He was feeling very thankful but was almost sure that their next would be a boy, who would keep them awake every night and never wanted to go to bed. Of course that depended on the activities during daytime; if the parents managed to tire them out or not.

He returned to the living room where Maureen sat comfortably with a mug of Chamomile tea in one hand and massaging her stomach with the other.

"Shall I help you, or would you prefer something totally different and very relaxing?" He looked at her and winked.

"By the way, what shall we call the next one if it's a boy?"

His wife looked at him mischievously. "What about Sheridan? In remembrance of the alter ego Narcissa invented for you when you needed anonymity in England! That would be perfect; Stella and Sheridan!

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I thought this bedtime-story could well be posted on it's own like this, but it's partly a chapter from my Swedish fan fiction about Severus Snape, which has been well received. I will post it in English shortly, slightly revised and under a somewhat different title.

Naturally Severus changed after having been so close to death, just like most Muggles when they've experienced a serious and almost fatal illness or accident. They are just happy to be alive, become more light-heartedly and don't bother with petty things any more. These post-victims suddenly realize how precious life really is. / English is my second language, as you realize by now, and I use UK English. This chapter is not Beta read. Please comment, which would make me happy! :)

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