Disclaimer: Yet again, still not mine.

Severus Snape watched his wife attentively. She hadn't spoken a word to him since he had gotten out of the shower. It drove him mad. Having been married for as long as he had been he knew that he had to wait for her speak first. It would only lead to a fight if he tried to say something now. She was brushing out her hair section by section to make sure all the sand was out. While he watched she finished by pulling it all back into a lose bun on the base of her neck with a few strands falling down to frame her face. His eyes took in her freckled cheeks and rosy lips before he noticed that her bright blue eyes were watching him. Severus blanched but just cleared his throat before getting up and heading to Orion's room to help his son get dressed. He felt her eyes on his back the whole way to the door. It sent shivers down his spine.

Orion was sprawled out onto of his bed when Severus came in. The little boy had not even bothered to get underneath the covers and was laying width-wise across the comforter. He looked beautiful when he slept Severus mused. Looking at the boy now he could barely see a resemblance to himself. This boy with the peaceful smile and the full stomach was nothing like Severus at that age. But then Orion would smirk during meal times or make a witty remark not befitting a five year old's level of knowledge and Severus saw the resemblance keenly. Oh yeah, and his love for the color black. The little boy's wardrobe had as much black clothing as Severus' own. The only difference were Orion's affinity to the color blue. Many of his scarves and hats were blue instead of black which made his mother secretly happy (as much as she loved black on her husband it worried her that her five year old liked it as well).

Lyra began to set out the table and Severus silently joined her a short while later. Orion had changed with his father's help and was now playing in the sitting room while his parents worked.

At this point Severus' frustration level was at an all time high. Not quite what it was during the war but it was getting there. Lyra still hadn't spoken to him. Not a word. He was looking for an explanation. Any explanation at this point! Why in the Hell did she invite the Potter Brat and Clan over to his house? It made no sense! He had moved away for a reason! How did she not see that?

Lyra know her husband was not happy. She could practically see the anger in his eyes. But she knew why he was mad and whats more she knew that he needed time to work it out for himself. Why had she done it? Well that was simple. He needed it. All those years ago when he had convinced her to take their baby and leave she had thought it was for fear of prison. Little did she know it was fear of recognition that made him need to leave. She had only found out about this little tidbit a few years back when they had been living in Spain. Lyra had befriended a local who had been a young mother herself. The two women had bonded instantly and they were constantly seen together. One day however Severus had come home early and the local had been stunned. Later she showed Lyra the newspaper articles at the Library. Splashed across the front page was her husband with information on his heroics and his Order of Merlin. The spying was not new for Lyra. She had known that for years. It was the fact that he was being awarded for his deeds that threw her. This was the real reason they had run. And this was why she had invited over the Harry Potter kid. Severus needed closure.

The smells coming from the kitchen were overwhelming the house by the time Lyra spotted the English group heading their way. She smiled when she saw how apprehensive the men looked and how determined the women were. It seemed that Ginny and Hermione knew how important this was as well. Well, it would make this easier.

"Severus, I want you to know that I love you but this is for your own good," she whispered as she passed by her husband on the way outside. She felt rather than heard him stiffen and knew he had realized her intent. She only hoped he behaved.

Harry trudged up the steps to his ex-professor's house. It was a truly beautiful home with stone siding and an infinity pool out front. The house itself was built into the cliff side and the steps leading up to it had been carved into the rock. It looked Muggle made and that in itself made Harry falter when they had first approached the house. Surely the old bat wasn't living in this place. Then again, the man with the lovely wife and son hadn't seemed like a bat. No he was just a regular guy. It made Harry's head spin.

When they reached the top Harry set Teddy down and grabbed his little wife's hand as he knocked on the sliding glass door.

"Come in but leave your shoes outside!" came Lyra's voice from inside the house. She soon appeared and after a round of greetings then the crew inside. The house was open and airier and just a nice as it had looked on the outside.

Teddy didn't see any of this though as he found Orion rather quickly. The two resumed their games and ignored everyone else, lost in their own world.

Lunch was served in a shaded patio outside. Severus had appeared from within the house merely nodding at his guests as he took his place at the head of the table. Lyra sat to his right and motioned Harry to take the other head place. Orion sat next to his mother and Teddy sat next to him (at Harry's left). Ginny was placed next to Harry and her brother quickly sat next to her leaving Hermione to sit next to Severus. At first the only conversation was the normal dinner conversation. Pass this Pass that. It was normal and safe. Finally Harry had enough.

"So, you're alive."

Severus just looked at the black haired boy. "So I am," he said with an almost bored tone.

Nobody moved at the table and Lyra finally spoke up before Harry's staring burned holes.

"Well, dear, I think what Harry is trying to say is how exactly you survived."

"..."

Lyra sighed, "Fine. What do you want to know Harry? Really anyone. I'll answer any questions you may have."

Ginny spoke up before her husband could jump in.

"How did you two meet?"

Lyra's smile faltered slightly, "Well, we were both part of a experimental potion trial during our university days but did not keep in touch after that. We only met up again about eight years ago when I began doing research in England and ran into him at the apothecary. We recognized one another right away and one thing led to another and well, a year later we were married." She smiled lovingly at her husband who wore a small smile of his own. She could tell he was uncomfortable with revealing all this to his ex students but the memory of that first meeting was anything but what Lyra described it as. He still had the scar from where she had thrown a jar at him.

Hermione had gone into student mode and, as such, launched a tirade of questions.

"Where are you from originally Lyra? And what magical school did you go to? Where did you live in England when you were married to Professor Snape? Why haven't we heard of you before?"

"Enough Granger!" Hermione had the decency to flush when the dark Professor reprimanded her.

"Severus its fine, the girl is merely curious. To answer your questions Hermione; I'm originally from India. I'm not a native there it is just where my parents were living at the time of my birth. When I married Severus it was decided that I would live at his home during the school year. Yes that means Spinner's End Harry," She said this when she noticed his inquiring look. "Let's see you asked about my school yes? Well, I didn't attend any school because of the frequency of my parents moves, so I was home schooled. In fact, that's how I ended up at university at the same time as Severus. I was advanced in my studies and attended early and the class we shared was a mixed group in a required class that not a one of us wanted to be in. And the last question you had was about why you had not heard of me before, right? Had you thought that it might be because my husband was a spy and we didn't want anyone to know he had married someone?"

At this Hermione's face darkened further and everyone else looked away uncomfortably.

Everyone but Harry.

"All this still doesn't explain how you survived. Or even why you didn't reveal yourself after the war was over."

Lyra moved to speak again but her husband cut her off. Speaking for the first time since their guest arrived Severus directed all his attention at the boy- no man across from him.

"You are correct. This explains nothing but more of my personal life that you have less right then most to hear. As it stands you know more of my life then any other person back in England. But I will grant you this answer because you are entitled to that. Consider this my thanks for speaking at my funeral. Yes, I was there. I watched from the Forbidden Forest and I know that you didn't want to but you still did it. After this if I do so choose you will leave me and my family alone. Is that understood?"

At Harry's reluctant nod he continued, "I survived because I was married. Lyra knew of my position as a spy and cast a spell over me in the early on to warn her if I was ever mortally wounded. When I found out that she had done this I made her promise not to come to me right away in case it put her in the way of danger. That is why when you saw me at the dreadful shack you did not see Lyra for she showed up within moments after your leaving. While you were off learning some of my most hidden secrets Lyra was feeding me Nagini's antidote and while you were defeating the Dark Lord and telling the world those hidden secrets Lyra was taking me to a Muggle hospital. I stayed in a coma for a few days and when I woke up I was immediately ushered to Lyra's side. Orion was born minutes after I arrived and I knew then I would do everything in my power to protect him. So we left. The Dark Lord's followers would be after me now and the Ministry still wouldn't be happy with me. Not to mention if it all went the way I imagined Lyra would get arrested as well for helping a wanted convict. Ever since we have been moving around the world keeping out of sight. It was all to keep my family safe. I'm sure you would have done the same Potter."

It was the most Harry had ever heard his Professor speak in a given instance. The words were not spoken with bitterness nor annoyance. They were heartfelt and they were true. And Harry knew just what he meant. He really would have done the same. Suddenly all the animosity Harry felt for his old Professor disappeared. He turned from the sour bat of the dungeons to a regular person. It was enriching and refreshing all at once.

When Severus got up and left the table after saying his piece Harry followed. He was led to the porch where an overlook faced the swirling ocean waves.

They both stood silently facing the water until Severus spoke.

"So he's really gone."

"Yeah. He's really gone."

Again a silence fell over the two men and this time they both spoke at once.

"Thank You."

That was it. It was all the two men needed and all anyone else would get. Severus Snape would fade back into eternity and take his little family with him. Maybe someday you would see his descendants at Hogwarts or buy a book under his pen name but that would be all. And Harry? Well, Harry would go back to England and attend the Celebration every year hereafter knowing that it was a celebration of life and not death. He would never again go to his Professor's memorial site alone but would take his wife and leave a letter on the Shepard's hook knowing the dark man would receive it.

Some years after this final meeting Harry would get a letter that told him of Severus' actual death. At the funeral Harry would witness a multitude of people, all there to give their best to the fallen hero. The speaker was a close friend and the family section was overflowing and when Harry was asked to say a few words he did not feel obliged or guilty but felt only the natural grief that comes with a friend's passing. All was how it should have been the first time around.

AN: Questions? Comments? Please leave a review with them and I will do my best to answer them.

So my first story is completed. And it is still completely unedited. Oh well.

Thanks For Reading!

~Mysterious Little Person