"Severus, you've always had this temper. You're a good man. Don't let others tell you otherwise." Lupin said quietly.
"Malfoy never had respect for me-" Severus said, beginning to raise his voice. He stopped talking, yet glaring still, when Lupin held up his hand.
"Why do you need the little rat's respect anyway? Hermione loves you, your daughter will love you, and all of your children to come will adore and love you. Stop worrying." Remus replied.
"One moment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but did you just say 'and all your children to come?' Oh, no. I am never going through with this again, Remus. Mark my words, if she gets pregnant again..."
"You'll what? Kill her? You love her, Severus. You would never dream of hurting her." Remus interrupted. His talk wasn't getting them anywhere.
"I've been through too much. These nine months have been wonderful, perfect- for lack of a better word. Hermione goes into labor and seems perfectly normal. All of a sudden, poof! She must come here for a grotesque surgery. Tell me, Remus, have you ever been through that?" Severus snapped.
"No." the man replied quietly. "But I might soon."
"What are you talking about?" Severus spat.
"Tonks and I..." he answered.
Severus' jaw hung open. "You and Tonks?" he said, eyeing the man suspiciously. Maybe he was just saying that to calm him down...
"Yes." Remus said, getting up. "Well, this is not homey at all. And they call this an eating room?" he joked. "Are you feeling calm enough to go see your wife and daughter?"
"Lead the way." Severus gestured nonchalantley. He was excited inside. When Malfoy had held his daughter up, he had been disgusted, true, but he had also been amazed. But he couldn't show those feelings could he?
As he and Remus walked through the cafeteria, he began to ponder his colleague's words. Did Hermione really love him? Did he really love Hermione? he thought. He was interrupted from his muse by a small girl, no older than ten, rushing up to him.
"Uncle Severus, sir, my father wishes to speak to you." she panted. Her eyes grew wide and her breath even harder when Severus grabbed her arm and began to drag her toward his wife's hospital room.
"Brandel..." he hissed.
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"So tell me again. Who are you?" Hermione asked the wizard standing in the doorway. In her wearied state, she had first thought he was Severus. The man was tall and muscular, wearing black robes and a vest with many buttons, much like Severus'. He had Severus' sallow features and almost-black indigo eyes. His hair was shoulder-length and black, although a short beard differentiated him from her husband.
"I am Severus' elder brother. Now, where is he? I must speak with him. It is quite urgent." The man named Brandel began pacing nervously. Hermione could now see that he was not alone. Two young witches peered curiously into the room.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know where he is. He's been gone a few hours now, and I haven't a clue where he went," Hermione admitted.
"Madam, I have come to confer with him concerning a situation that affects the Wizarding and Muggle worlds alike." Brandel's voice rose as he rounded on his companions. "Minma, go to the front desk. The healer there should know where the son of a bat is," he snapped at the smaller of the girls, who looked to be no older than ten years of age. She nodded quickly and wordlessly, gliding from the room as her deep burgundy robes billowed behind her.
"Okay. Explain to me what is so important," Hermione sighed, settling back into an accumulation of pillows.
"I'm sorry, but it is quite confidential. I mustn't tell a soul. Other than my brother, of course. He and I have both had our..." Brandel paused. "Experiences...with the Dark Lord. He is the only person who will know until the time comes that I can divulge further."
"I'm his wife, Brandel. I will know." Hermione glared. No one, other than the select few at Hogwarts, had ever withheld information that would be good for the general public, such as the return of Voldemort in fourth year. Dumbledore had told Cornelius Fudge the entire story, thinking that he would believe him. That had always been his weakness...
"No." Brandel staunchly refused to relent, crossing his arms across his chest.
"Fine. I do believe that I'll find out anyway, but suit yourself." Hermione was too weary to argue further. She heaved another sigh and closed her eyes, only to be startled by a reverberating "Brandel!" Her eyes snapped open and she looked around, only to see Severus pinning Brandel to the wall. "What are you doing?" Hermione said groggily and irritably. She noticed the small, blonde girl thrown against the wall near her bed. Severus had tossed her there in his haste to possibly kill his only known brother.
"Brandel, what are you doing here?" Severus asked. Without waiting for an answer, he continued. "You leave the country for thirty years, leading your family to believe that you are dead, and now you show up unexpected?" Severus said. Again, not waiting for an answer, he ventured forth. "Leave." When Brandel did not resist, Severus pushed him harder against the wall. "Don't ever come near my wife, daughter, or family again. Unless you prefer life as a parakeet?" he threatened.
"What do you mean, Severus? I sent you and Mum letters. Am I to be blamed that they were all returned unopened? I made the choice to follow the Dark
Lord three decades past, and he saw fit to send me and Remoir to Egypt to retrieve the Dagger of Ra. But the search went long, and before we could return, news came that He Who Must Not Be Named had suffered his demise at the hands of a mere babe. I had no reason to return at this point, especially since the Ministry would be hunting down the remaining Death Eaters like dogs. But it was brought to my attention that you found yourself a cozy position at Hogwarts, as Dumbledore's pet. I also heard that you weren't man enough to heed the Dark Lord's call when he returned. Why is this, Severus? Thought you could just walk away from the Vow that you took twenty-six years ago?"
"Well isn't that rich?" Severus snarled. "I was not a coward. At least I didn't go into hiding when the Dark Lord, again, asked for my help. He gave me a mission and I fulfilled it. May I ask why you weren't at the meeting in the graveyard? I was fulfilling duties at Hogwarts. You were?" he smirked.
"I did not realize that he had come back." Brandel answered simply.
Severus raised an eyebrow. "And the excruciating burning sensation on your left arm did not clarify the matter?"
"I have a skin disorder," he refuted.
"Please. Don't give me that-" Severus started. He felt eyes boring into his skull. He turned around and found that Hermione was staring at him with wide eyes.
"Severus, put him down." Hermione ordered gently. "Please, put him down." Her voice had started to shake, her eyes welling up with tears, and her lip beginning to quiver. "Just put him down." she whispered.
Placing his older brother roughly on the ground he turned and strode swiftly to Hermione's bedside. Taking her gently into his arms, he kissed her hair. "I'm sorry, love. I'm so sorry I scared you..." he said softly.
Hermione shook her head. "Severus, I'm emotional. I'm a woman. I get that way sometimes. Remember when we defeated Voldemort? I sobbed for weeks..." Hermione replied, still teary.
"That's what I came to talk to you about, Severus." Approaching his brother, Brandel continued. "I came to tell you that He's back; Lord Voldemort has returned."
A small, fragile girl with thick glasses materialized from behind Brandel. "It's in the stars, Uncle Severus. And the tea leaves confirmed it." she said quietly.
"No. No..." Severus breathed. "This can't be. You're lying. Both of you are lying," his voice rose in disbelief. "I will not believe it. We defeated him. He cannot rise; he is dead."
"Sir, please. I'm trying to tell you. The tea leaves, the stars, the palm readings - they all say that we're in grave danger. I studied them all, sir, and I've discerned what the shapes, constellations, and lines are telling me; what they're telling us all." Her eyes glistened as she vehemently pressed her point.
"No. You're merely a slip of a girl. You may dabble in Divination, but the Dark Lord is dead," Severus snarled.
"Give me your hand," she said.
"No," the man balked. "Why should I give you my hand?"
"Give me your hand, Uncle Severus," she insisted. Upon not receiving his hand, she grabbed it and began examining the palm. "Look at these lines..."
"Those aren't palm lines, silly girl. Those are scars from squeezing a block of wood in my hand during my extreme frustration a few weeks ago," Severus explained.
"Be quiet," the girl scolded. "This here," she stopped suddenly. "Look at your hand. Your hand has a square base. You are a do-it-yourself person. Manual dexterity. An inventor." She paused to look up at her uncle. "Your fingers are long and slim; you are emotional and aggressive." Focusing on the palm once more (completely ignoring the vigorous, angry shake of Severus' head at even being called emotional, let alone assumed to be because of some Divination practice), she pointed at a deep rounded line. "Your life line? this one right here? is long and deep. It means you will have a life of vitality; you'll be able to overcome health problems. This deep line here," she pointed at another line, "runs across your entire hand. You are logical and you have a good memory."
"What is the relevance of all this?" Severus asked irritably.
"I'm getting to that. Hold on!" she scolded once more. "And be quiet." Severus made a face, but remained passive. "This line, here, looks like a line with a star at the end. Of course, this line," she pointed to another, "is a broken line. It indicates that you have had a distinct change in thinking, and that it can even be a characteristic of a nervous meltdown."
"I have never had a nervous meltdown." Severus said quietly.
Hermione interjected, "Don't lie, Severus. I recall a certain evening at Hogwarts. You were grading papers. I was in...detention. You allowed me to write a letter to my parents. A minute or two later, you were storming down to your quarters without warning. Before long I heard things being thrown and broken."
"That was not a nervous meltdown," Severus persevered. "That was merely an extreme burst of frustration."
"Be. Quiet!" the girl screamed. She grabbed his hand again and looked more closely. She began to smirk. "Uncle Severus?"
"Yes? What is it?"
"Are you in love?"
There was a long pause. Severus looked most uncomfortable.
"That is none of your business," he stated. Outward appearance indicated he was gazing out of the window. He was, in fact, glancing sidelong at Hermione.
"Suit yourself, sir." The girl sighed heavily. "However, this line here sweeps across your entire hand and is curved upwards. Do you know what that means?" She smirked again.
"No," came the answer.
"Well, sir, don't be upset with me, but it means that you have a pleasant and romantic nature, and there is great warmth in your actions. You tend to give all of yourself to love, no matter what the cost is." Monumental silence permeated the air.
"Wait, 'pleasant and romantic nature?' 'Great warmth in his actions?' And why is that a bad thing?" Hermione shook her head in awe.
"Well, by the way he has been treating my father and me, it just came as a shock," the girl defended herself.
"Don't defend yourself, then. You're uncle is everything those lines say he is. And if you-" Hermione scolded, until Severus cut in.
"Hermione, please, it's not a huge problem." Severus interrupted quietly.
"But Severus-"
"No, Hermione, you need your rest." Severus paused and looked back around at the little girl standing before him. "What is the relevance of all this?"
"If you and your wife would stop interrupting me, I would be able to tell you." She looked pointedly at both Severus and Hermione. She then continued. "This is where I need your full attention. Uncle Severus, look at this line. Tell me that you see nothing!"
"I don't dabble in divination." he replied, simply.
"I don't dabble. I am gifted." The girl looked hurt for a moment. She scrunched up her face and thought for a moment. In a few moments, her face had relaxed. "I'm trying to think...how am I to tell you this as gently as possible?" Another monumental silence. "Uncle Severus, this line that branches off of your main Health Line. Do you know what this means?"
"What does it mean, silly girl?" Severus was growing impatient.
"Well, first, the lines mean that there will be a life-threatening situation when you grow old. Maybe it's the return of the Dark Lord; I do not know. However, I do believe that the last line I am to tell you will conclude whether or not you are in danger of dying at the Dark Lord's hands." she explained.
"Well?"
"Like I said, it will be the last line to tell." She paused for another minute or two, examining her uncle's palm. "This line here...do you see it?" Severus nodded. "This line is your Fame Line. Because your Fame Line is broken, it represents your ups and downs in fame." She paused and smiled mischievously. "Here, Uncle Severus, is your Marriage Line. These two lines run into your Line, but do not cross it; this means that two children will be born into your marriage." She jerked her head toward Hermione. "You have obviously already gone through the first birth." Examining the palm once more, she widened her eyes.
"What's wrong? Is something wrong? I demand to know!" Severus ordered.
"Er...I usually don't read this line, but maybe...er...maybe you should know..." She began blushing furiously.
"What? What is it?"
"No...it's just...oh my...Father, close Gemini's ears. He shouldn't hear this..." she told her father. He heeded her wishes. "Uncle Severus...this is your...S..S...Se...I can't say it..." She continued to blush furiously. She whispered, "It's your S-sex Line..." She paused. Severus' went wide once more. "I don't think you need my help deciphering this one..." she mumbled.
"Oh...Oh, I see..." Severus said with still-wide eyes.
"Yes...Well, that was..erm...uncomfortable!" The girl said. "This line, this one right here, is your Money Line. The way it travels across your hand is an indication that you will receive wealth through inheritance or family allowances."
"Well...I already did."
"Oh. Well, that's good then." She paused. "I don't see your Travel Line. Everyone has a Travel Line. Where is it?" The girl began to look worried. There should have been a Travel Line.
"Well, I don't like to travel anyway." Severus tried to comfort his niece. "What is wrong with you?"
"I must be losing my touch." Then she saw something.
She let go of her uncle's hand and began jumping up and down, letting out a huge "Whoop!"
She had found the Line. "Uncle Severus! I...I..found...Oh, no...Uncle Severus..." She sounded quite scared. "This is the first sign of His return."
"What are you talking about?" Severus snapped.
"Well..." She swallowed hard. "This, Uncle, is your travel line," she said, pointing to the small line on near the bottom of his palm. There were two lines running through it. "Because of the shape, the two small lines running through a third horizontal line, the Line foreshadows danger, problems in travel." The girl did not look up.
"So...are you saying that if my wife and I decided to go on a trip very soon, that we could get killed by a group of Death Eaters?" Severus questioned.
"Indeed. That is exactly what I'm saying." She continued looking at the palm. "This line is your Fate Line, the last line on your palm. Your Fate Line, because of the islands and breaks in it, shows that fate has trouble in store for you. Parts of your life will not run smoothly. However, there is something else I must show you." the girl stated. She pointed to a group of lines on his palm. "Look at these. Tell me what you see."
"I see a group of lines. What is the relevance of this?"
"Look closer."
"I still don't see anything."
The petite girl took out her wand and pointed it at Severus' palm, muttering an incantation under her breath. Some lines glowed red. Others glowed green. When they were all glowing a different color, she looked up. "Now do you see?"
"What are you talking about you silly...Merlin..." Severus looked down. There, on his hand, was a very small Death Eater's mask with a snake through it. "No...it can't be...Oh...Merlin..." he mumbled.
The girl looked up at him sympathetically for a moment. Then she gloated. "My father and I told you that the Dark Lord had returned."
"Merlin..." he breathed, holding back tears. He turned around when he heard a sharp sob. "Hermione. He's back."
"I know, Severus. I know."
"Severus, we need a plan." Brandel said insistently. "My eldest son and daughter, both eighteen, can help." he urged.
"No. This is something that I need to do; Malfoy, Potter, Weasley, Weaselette, Brown, the Patil twins, Longbottom, and Lovegood. Oh. And me, of course."
"I'll go too, love." Hermione chimed in.
"No, you won't. We need at least one parent to watch over our daughter."
"We can leave her at Hogwarts, Severus. I'm sure someone in the Order would like to watch her, such as Tonks or Remus."
"Hermione, I won't let you go. You could get hurt." He paused and looked at his brother. "Brandel, who did you say could help us?"
"My eldest son, Guthrie, who is eighteen, and Ortrude, who is almost nineteen." Brandel replied. He motioned to two teenagers, both wearing snake-skin clothes.
"You think you can help?" Severus asked. Hermione was one thing, these mere children were another. They were older than Hermione was, but still. They were blonde. He was skeptical of anyone without the original Snape hair color. Is Brandel sure that these are his real children? he thought.
"Yes, Uncle Severus. I'm sure of it. There are logical answers to explain everything. Potion ingredients, such as Boomslang Skin, which can also be used in a certain potion the Dark Lord is brewing for himself, has gone missing. Aurors have tracked powerful charms to a certain house, although no one is in the building that they can tell. Snakes are roaming London for absolutely no reason. Men in strange cloaks are roaming the corridors of the Ministry of Magic. These are all-" the girl called Ortrude said very quickly, almost too quickly to understand. Sounds like Hermione at Hogwarts...
"Shut up, you silly girl! I don't want to hear you babble." Severus snapped. Ortrude looked hurt at the interruption.
"Don't talk to my sister that way." the boy named Guthrie snarled. He went over to comfort her.
Meanwhile, Hermione was glaring at Severus for hurting Ortrude's feelings. "Severus, I was actually interested in hearing the rest of the reasons the Dark Lord is back."
"Hermione, we'll talk about this later." Severus replied in a dangerously silky tone.
"You may not have time for 'later', Severus. As your brother, it is in my duty to protect you. It's our duty together to protect the Wizarding and Muggle communities alike." Brandel said. The two teens, Ortrude and Guthrie, looked up as something hit the window.
"Brandel, I think you should get it." Severus said. Brandel was, of course, the furthest one from the window. Might as well make him retrieve it.
Brandel wordlessly walked over to the window and opened it, getting the owl as well. Severus was racking his memory; this owl looked strangely familiar.
He took the message from the owl. However, the stupid bird did not leave; it stayed and watched through slitted eyes.
As he read the message, his eyes grew wide:
Dear Snape family, including the children and Miss Granger,
Please forgive my sarcasm when I say, 'Oh, please!' I am a highly powerful wizard; you shouldn't even try to defeat me. Children will die: yours and others. Loved ones will die: yours and others. It is a win/lose situation; I win. They lose.
Just give up; You will never defeat me.
Sincerely
I am Lord Voldemort
PS: The war is officially begun.
"This has to be some sort of joke. I mean, it has to be… doesn't it?" Severus re-read the letter. It didn't make sense; how did He know what they were planning?
"Severus, love, I don't think it's a trick..." Hermione said quietly.
Everyone turned around when they heard a knock on the door. "Excuse me, but would anyone like to see Baby Snape?" the mediwitch asked. She had a huge smile on her face. The woman walked over to Hermione's bedside and placed the babe in her arms. Hermione was instantly struck with the feeling of fright; She loved her to death, but still, she had a fragile life in her control. In Severus' control. Had this been what Lily was feeling? Surely Hermione would give her life to save her daughter, but should she take part in the War? She'd confer with Harry about this later.
"Severus...she's beautiful!" Hermione breathed, like earlier that day. "She has your black hair, love. She has your indigo-black eyes, too!" Hermione crooned.
Thank Merlin she doesn't have my nose...
They heard another knock at the door. Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Lavender walked in, presents in tow. "Hermione! I have wonderful news! Harry and I! We're having a baby!" Ginny squealed, running up to Hermione to give her a hug. Harry, on the other hand, looked rather awed and passive; what was he going to do if his son had the same fate he had?
"Hermione." Harry said quietly. "I need to talk to you about something."
"Of course, Harry. What's wrong?" Hermione asked, still looking at her baby.
"I'll tell you later."
"Whatever, Harry."
"Hermione! How did it go?" Lavender said loudly.
"What?" Hermione asked quietly.
"Well, you did just go through labor and surgery, didn't you?"
"Yes, I did," Hermione answered. "That's a story for another time," Hermione said. Lavender walked over to the bedside. Hermione whispered in her ear, "I'll tell you later..." followed by an intense roll of her eyes.
"Okay...sorry I asked, 'Mione." Lavender smiled strangely.
"Hermione, how are you feeling? Do you need more pillows? Another blanket?" Ron asked.
"No, thank you, Ron. I'm feeling fine, thanks. A little sore now...no, a lot sore...but I'm holding up fine." Hermione replied. Just like Ron now; he was always running around getting things for Lavender.
"Okay; I remember Lavender after the birth of Edgar, our eldest son. She was a lot worse than you are. She didn't have a See-Sensure like you did though." Ron was the same old Ron. A Babbler at heart. He muttered, "She didn't have that old fag Malfoy sewing her up, either."
"Ron! That has nothing to do with it!" Hermione exclaimed. She realized how loud she had spoken and blushed, quieting her voice. "Ronald Weasley; How did you know I have Draco Malfoy as an obstetrician?"
"That's a story for Christmas." Ron joked.
"I don't get it, Ron." Lavender spoke. She looked dazed. Isn't it Lovegood who's supposed to look dazed? Severus thought. I'll ponder it later..
"Nevermind. You'll find out on Christmas."
"Okay."
For the rest of the Evening, the group of friends and family sat in a circle, talking about the third War, plans for the War, and other worries.
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"Severus?" Hermione asked through the darkness.
"Yes, love?" came the answer.
"What are we going to name her?"
"It's your choice, Hermione."
"I like the sound of 'Willimena Rose', but I don't know. Do you like it?"
"What would be her nickname?"
"'Willa' or 'Mena'."
"I like it. 'Willimena Rose Snape'. Rolls off of the tongue, doesn't it, love?"
"Yes, it does. Did you know your hand was on my waist?"
"Yes, I did. Does it make you uncomfortable? Being so close to me, that is."
"No. It's fine. Good night, Severus."
"Good night, my love. Sweet Dreams."
I'm so sorry for anything offensive that used to be in this chapter. I just changed anything of that category today, so I hope you like it better. And- I've changed Lavender a bit. Hopefully she's more in character. I'm hoping to have a new chapter up soon, preferabley before Thanksgiving.
A HUGE thanks to my beta, Kimberley. She has had to deal with horrid grammar and terrible melodrama. Thanks!