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Hermione stood at the kitchen sink.

Washing the dishes was something that could easily be achieved via magic, but she liked to do it manually. There was something about using her own hard labour to clean things, just like her parents had. It was also guaranteed her time that she had to herself – something that was rare to come by in a house of six.

The house was quiet as she scrubbed at one particular obstinate clump of food on a small plate. She was surprised that there was anything left to scrub at, the most mischievous Snape of them all having placed food everywhere but in her mouth, her twin only slightly better.

For all that she was enjoying the peace and quiet, it was a little strange that Severus wasn't here. Monday was a night that he was usually home – Tuesday was reserved for the detentions that he continued to hand out on a regular basis, Wednesday and Thursday for patrols and Friday depended, before he was home for the weekend.

He'd received a letter the night before, but amongst all the chaos the owl had provided, she hadn't had a chance to ask him about it. Other things had been on her mind when they went to bed together and the morning had been too chaotic for her to remember to ask.

All she knew is that he was out.

The absence of their father on a night that he was usually home had only been picked up on by one child: the twins were happy when their father was home and happy when he wasn't so didn't ask questions, Del had been engrossed in a book and so it was only Ali who had asked why Severus had failed to appear. 'Where's Daddy?'

'Out,' she'd responded vaguely as she pulled the sheets around her eldest child.

'Out where?' pushed Ali.

'I'm not sure sweetie,' she'd responded honestly, brushing Ali's hair back from her forehead. 'But Daddy will be back soon.'

'When?'

Wondering if she'd ever been this inquisitive, and deciding that she probably had been, she smiled at her daughter. 'Soon,' she repeated, pressing a kiss to her forehead. 'Good night.'

She'd managed to placate her questions with a promise that her Daddy would kiss her when she got home, but she couldn't fight the worry. Just where was Severus and what was he doing? It was not like him to keep things from her – much.

He'd left without a word.

She trusted him enough to know that he would return, but she had a sinking feeling that it was going to be something serious. Brushing a hair back from her face with her shoulder, she scrubbed at a particularly tough food stuff clinging to Kaylee's bowl.

She wasn't prepared when arms suddenly slid around her waist seconds later. The kids knew better than to bother her when she was doing the dishes and it took her a moment to realise that the arms belonged to her husband.

She hadn't heard him come in.

She attempted to shift to get a better look at him, but his grip was tight and she couldn't budge.

This worried her. Severus despised public displays of affection and even at home, he showed some restraint. It was only in the bedroom that the felt completely free. Giving him a moment to get himself together, she added three plates to the warm water to soak.

He finally spoke with a heavy sigh. 'I need to speak with you.'

Looking longingly at the remaining dishes, she sighed inwardly. Severus didn't give her time to deal with it as he snapped his fingers and they were done. Any other day she would have objected, but the seriousness visible on his face had her holding her tongue. Clearly the subject matter called for some magic to intervene on her prized me time.

His grip on her loosened and she turned in his arms.

'Where were you?' she asked, bracing herself on the sink behind her as Severus took a seat in front of her at the table.

'Malfoy Manor.'

'Malfoy Manor?' repeated Hermione, almost screeching. 'Are you out of your mind?' She began to pace. 'You promised me you wouldn't go back there.'

'Hermione...' said Severus, trying to interrupt, but the young woman ploughed on oblivious. 'You promised. It's too dangerous. I get that Lucas is your godson and all, but... especially after ... '

Severus hung his head as Hermione continued to ramble. Resting his heavy arms on his knees, he spoke softly. 'Lucas is a squib.'

It took Hermione a few moments to register that he had spoken, and then what he had said, but when she did, she sank into a chair like a sack of potatoes. Her voice was almost a whisper when she spoke in shock.

'They're going to kill him.'

It was no secret that the Malfoys valued their magical superiority. Each Malfoy child upon reaching their second birthday was expected to show signs of magical ability. Severus had never heard of an actual case in his lifetime, but knew that Malfoys without magic suddenly disappeared without a trace, never to be seen or heard from again.

And with Lucas' second birthday just days away, his godson faced a very uncertain future.

Noting his wife had ceased speaking, he spoke. 'It was Prudence who sent me that letter, asking me to come.' He took a deep breath as his eyes met those of his wife. 'Lucius and Draco were... out.'

The shock still hadn't left her as her husband abruptly rose from his chair and left the room. Still reeling from the news, she followed him wordlessly, her feet somehow making the steps forward as her mind processed the implications of what she had just been told.

She stood back as her husband grimly stepped into the twins' room. As always, they'd both ended up in the same bed and Severus pressed a kiss to one brown haired head and black haired head as he pulled the sheet up over them.

He checked in on Del next, slipping the book from the sheets before he moved over to Ali. He stood longest over their eldest daughter's bed, his hand brushing away a stray lock from her forehead, much like she had done earlier.

As he joined her in the doorway, she posed the question that was now forefront on her mind. 'What are we going to do?'

She saw him wince.

'The only thing we can.'


Next Chapter: The Snape family expands by one.