I do not own Harry Potter.


Emily felt Christmas had passed by far too quickly. The new year had come and school had started once more. But now things were quite a bit different.

"Morning Severus." Emily said as she walked into the Great Hall for breakfast. She gave him a quick kiss on the cheek as she sat down. "Anything good for breakfast?" She pulled a few pieces of toast onto her plate before reaching for a container of jam.

"The elves got maple syrup for the waffles." Severus chuckled as Emily's eyes locked onto the syrup. She loved her sweets. "Do we need to get a bottle for ourselves?" He chuckled again as Emily nearly chocked on her toast.

"If I had known you would be like this I would have had breakfast delivered to my room." Emily took a drink of her orange juice to clear her windpipe. She sent him a glare as he continued to smile at her. "Get to your class you dungeon dweller."

"I was done eating anyway." Severus placed a kiss on Emily's cheek before leaving the Great Hall.

Emily shook her head as Severus walked away. As she returned to her breakfast, she noticed that almost all of the students were staring at her. Even some of the staff members were staring. "What?" She asked as she looked at the others sitting at the staff table. "This has been going on since the beginning of Christmas break. So you shouldn't be surprised."

"I think it's more of a surprise that Severus acted like that in front of students." Quirinus chuckled as he sat down in his seat. "I do believe you two are going to be top of the gossip mill for the next few weeks."

"I expected that." Emily was telling the truth, human could be vicious when it came to gossiping. But she had lived through worse when she had been a mistress to a Lord in the 1500s. "Let them ask about it, I have nothing to hide. And I already know they are going to be too scared to ask Severus. So I am fully aware they are going to be asking me."

"I only ask that you have some discretion." Minerva said as she walked past Emily's seat to leave the Great Hall. Emily gave the woman a wave in acknowledgment. "Classes begin in twenty minutes."

"That's my cue." Emily got up from her seat quickly. "Monday mornings." Was all she commented enforce she walked out the back door and made her way to her classroom. She found her class of Ravenclaws and Gryffindors. "Hello Students. In you go." She waved her hand and the door swung open. "Girls on the left, Boys on the right, I don't want to see anyone sitting beside someone from their own house."

The students filed into the room, took their shoes off, and sat down in the described order Emily had given them. Emily made her way to her swing and sat down. "We will wait a few minutes for the rest of the class to arrive. Then we will begin." It took a full ten minutes until everyone arrived and the class officially began. "Alright, I can guess the first question that is going to come up, but I will ask anyway. What do you want to learn today?" Everyone put their hands up. "Mr. Jennings?"

"Are you and Professor Snape married?" Emily almost burst out laughing at the Ravenclaws' question. And she could see a few other students trying hard not to laugh as well.

"No, we are not married. But we are seeing each other." Emily noticed another student put her hand up. "Yes Miss Everfree?"

"Are you two in love?" The Gryffindor asked with stars in her eyes. She noticed a few other girls had the same look.

"Love is a curious thing." Emily began carefully, "It's not easy to determine if you are in love or if you are just infatuated. But I would like to think it is love. I hope it is." She giggled as the girls seemed to sink into happy daydreams while the boys seemed to be annoyed. "Alright, we are done with that subject. On to the next subject."


Emily sighed as she made her way towards the dungeon staircase. She had gotten a note from Severus asking her to visit him before diner. So that brought her to the winding staircase down to the sub levels of the castle.

She knocked on the door as she pushed it open. The room was empty. "Severus?" She looked around curiously, spotting a door at the back of the room. She paused and listened carefully, she could hear a single heartbeat coming from the other side of the door. She walked through the door and found Severus lighting candles around the room. "Severus?"

Severus spun around and gave Emily a smile. "Sorry, I didn't hear you come in." He walked over to her and pulled her into a kiss. "I see you got my note."

"I did. What did you have planned?" She giggled as Severus placed another searing kiss on her lips.

"I though maybe a nice diner away from prying eyes would be nice." He stepped back and showed her the table set with food. "Then I was thinking we could spend some time together. I believe it's my turn to begin a game of chess."

"Think you can beat me this time?" Emily laughed as Severus gave her a challenging look, she hadn't loss a game yet. She followed him to the table and sat down across from him. "If I have known we were having dinner I would have brought a few flasks."

"I was thinking you could show me that potions of yours. If you wish to." Emily laughed at Severus' sneaky plan. "I am rather curious about how you came across it." He picked up his wine glass and took a sip.

"It's an old family recipe." Emily tried her wine as well, it was delicious. "And I'm surprised you haven't tried to make it on your own yet. It's rather simple." She picked a few things off of the dishes on the table and tried a few bites of them. "The elves know how to cook. I've tried many foods in my life, and this certainly ranks near the top."

"I will have to let you try my cooking one day. I've been told my chocolate pie is to die for." Severus had to agree on the meal, it was very good tonight. They continued their meal in silence, an enjoyable and peaceful silence.

"Thank you, Severus." Emily reached out and held Severus' hand in hers.

"I should be the one thanking you." The two just looked at each other with happy smiles. "I never thought I could feel like this again."

"Have you ever thought about telling Harry you're his father?" Emily watched as Severus sulked ever so slightly. "I know you feel like you aren't worthy to be his father, but don't you think he deserves to know that there is someone out there that cares for him?"

"And how do you know there isn't?" Severus asked, a bit harsher than he intended. But he could see that Emily wasn't deterred by his sharp tongue.

"If there is one thing I have mastered in my 923 years of living, is reading and listening to people. And Harry Potter is a sad child that is missing the love of a parent figure." Emily could see Severus fighting with himself about telling Harry. "I know you are worried about Dumbledore finding out, so we will keep it a secret. He never needs to know what you do during the summer. And if I can convince him to let me be the one to check on him, then we have no problem."

"Why would let you check on him? He usually gets McGonagall or Hagrid to do it secretly." Severus wondered what Emily was planning. "And I think his mind is too powerful to be compelled."

"I wouldn't even try compelling him, too risky." Emily finished off her wine before she continued. "But if I bring up the issues I have seen in class, then an inquiry could be made by the Ministry. And since I am a registered child therapist, as well as someone with a current relationship with the child in question, I would have first priority in visiting him."

Severus thought on her argument. It was sound and didn't elude to anything being amiss except for neglecting care of Harry. Dumbledore wouldn't be the wiser. Unless he thought Tom was controlling the Ministry. "It's worth a try I suppose."

"Then I will start asking about Harry's guardians. Can't ask for an inquiry without having some doubts." Emily got up and walked around to Severus. "Now then, chess?"

"I will not lose this time." Severus declared as he got up form the table. He led Emily to the couch where a chess board laid all set up.


And now we know her age. Not a millennium yet, but getting there.