EPILOGUE

(SIX YEARS LATER)

I awoke at 10:00 with the sun shining through the window of our cabin. We'd built it in the exact center of the Forbidden Forest, where no one could ever possibly find us. Not that anyone would have recognized either of us. We were both in our twenties now. I was tall, my hair was long, and I was three months pregnant. Snape was tall, skinny, and happy. He looked a lot different than he had when he was grown. He actually looked happy most of the time. He still wore black and scowled a lot, but he was happy. I was happy, too.

Snape awoke and rolled over to kiss me. I smiled as I stretched and got out of bed. That's when my eyes fell on the calendar.

"Do you know what today is?" I asked Snape.

"Uh…September 1st?" he replied, glancing at the calendar, "Why, is it important?"

"Today would be the day my little cousin goes to Hogwarts," I said, then added, "…if he has magic."

"Dumbledore said he did."

"Then I feel certain that today would be the day Dylan goes. He must be so excited," I said, smiling.

"Do you think he will remember you?"

"Doubtful…but I still want to see him get Sorted. I think I'll sneak in and watch, using my Disillusionment Charm."

"Would you like for me to go with you?" he offered.

"No. I'd rather go on my own, if it's okay," I said softly. He nodded and hugged me from behind, placing his hand on my stomach.

"Twelve more years and our own child will be going to Hogwarts," he said, then kissed my cheek.

"He'll definitely be a Slytherin," I said with a smile, touching my stomach absently.

"She will have her mother's brains, that's for sure," he replied. It had become a common disagreement between us over the past few months- I felt certain the baby would be a boy, he felt certain it would be a girl.

"Oh, Sev. How many times do I have to tell you- it feels like a boy," I insisted.

"You can't possibly know that," he said in response.

"Hmph," I said and shoved him playfully.

When it started to get dark out I went outside and grabbed one of the broomsticks we had for when we went to Diagon Alley for food. Flying to Hogwarts wouldn't take very long at all, but sneaking in might be trickier. I didn't know if McGonagall had added any new charms when she became Headmistress. I went ahead and cast my Disillusionment Charm, then stowed my wand in my pocket.

Flying through the darkening sky felt wonderful. It had been a while since I went flying by myself. I hadn't ever felt the need to. I loved Snape more than anything in the world. But now flying by myself, looking down at the passing trees, I felt wonderful.

I landed just outside the castle entrance. I could see the boats full of first-years coming towards it. When they finally reached where I stood I scanned the crowd, looking for someone who could be my cousin. Finally I saw him- long black hair, silver eyes, looking excited. I walked alongside him, invisible, as he made his way into the castle.

He talked animatedly to a boy walking alongside him.

"I didn't know I had magic until the letter came," said the boy beside him, "My parents aren't magic."

"Mine aren't either, but my Dad's a Squib. That's a wizard that can't do magic. He was so excited when the letter came. Mum's a Muggle, you see, so he never thought I'd have magic. I had an older sister, once. She had magic," Dylan said to him. My heart skipped a beat. He had just mentioned me…but as a sister.

"What-" began the boy, but he was cut off by an eavesdropping boy walking ahead of them.

"Your Dad is a squib?" said the boy nastily, suppressing a laugh, "That's almost worse than having a Muggle for a mother. You aren't likely to be good at anything at all."

"Shut up," said the boy beside Dylan.

"No, don't worry about it," Dylan said to his friend, "It's just talk. Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me."

"What's this Muggle rubbish you're spitting at me?" said the nasty little boy. Someone cleared their throat- it was Hagrid, McGonagall's right-hand guy.

"Any trouble here?" Hagrid inquired, eyeing the boy. The boy looked Hagrid up and down, and decided he might sit on him if he started anything.

"No, sir," he said lightly.

"No trouble at all," Dylan added. Hagrid frowned, then walked off. The boy whipped back around to Dylan and his friend as soon as Hagrid was out of earshot.

"The name's Burke. Nathaniel Burke. Don't you forget it. I'll see you later, Mudbloods," said the boy before walking off.

"What a complete arse," remarked Dylan's friend.

"He's all talk. Besides, Todd, no one really cares about pureblood status since Harry Potter defeated Voldemort," Dylan replied, "Come on, let's go inside. We're getting left behind."

I followed them into the Entrance Hall silently. Dylan and Todd might not have cared about "Burke, Nathaniel Burke" but I did. As soon as I could get close to him without anyone noticing, I Stupefied him nonverbally, Disillusioned him, and then hid his unconscious body in a broom closet. He wouldn't be found until after the Sorting. It made me smile to think I'd done my cousin a favor.

McGonagall stood at the front of the Great Hall beside the stool with the Sorting Hat sitting on it. A few times it seemed like her eyes passed over me, but I decided I was being paranoid. It had been years since I'd been in the Great Hall. It was filled with children, most of them talking excitedly to their friends. I touched my stomach absently and smiled. I stood out of the way where I wouldn't accidentally be trodden upon. I spotted Filch a little ways away. At his feet sat not only Mrs. Norris, but Gabriel as well. He looked well-fed and well-groomed. He happened to glance at me, his bright green eyes piercing my Disillusionment Charm. He began to purr quietly, then focused his attention on the Sorting Hat as it started to sing.

Dylan was one of the first ones to be sorted, because his last name was Addams. He looked nervous and excited. He sat very still underneath the Sorting Hat. It seemed like an eternity before the brim of the hat opened wide and shouted "Ravenclaw!". I joined in with the clapping, though quietly so no one could hear me. Dylan smiled as he sat down with his fellow Ravenclaws but he didn't talk much. I stayed through the rest of the Sorting, though I didn't really care to. Dylan's friend Todd was also sorted into Ravenclaw.

Soon the Great Hall began to clear as students made their way to the staircase on their way to bed. I started to follow Dylan, but was stopped by a firm hand on my shoulder. I turned and found myself face to face with McGonagall. Horror shot its way through me- horror that I had been found out, horror that McGonagall clearly knew who I was…but she didn't say anything. She merely made a 'follow me' motion with her hand. I did so obediently- what choice did I have? I followed her out of the Great Hall and up a few staircases. We were alone as we walked down the corridor to her office.

"Casper Addams…I never imagined I would see you alive again," she remarked.

"I…uh…hmm…" I stammered, at a loss for words.

"Why don't you start by removing your Disillusionment Charm?" McGonagall suggested kindly. Strange that she didn't sound angry with me. Frowning slightly, I removed my Disillusionment Charm.

"How did you see through it?" I asked curiously.

"I've learned a few tricks in my old age, Casper Addams."

We stopped just outside of her office- the office that had once belonged to Snape, and previously Dumbledore. She gave the password and we went into her office.

The room looked almost the same. Same desk, same chair, same large portrait of Dumbledore directly behind it. The only notable addition was a portrait of Snape to the right of Dumbledore. It was old Snape, not the Snape I had grown used to seeing the past few years. Still our eyes met and we shared a crooked smile.

"Casper Addams," said Dumbledore's portrait cheerfully, "I had a feeling you had survived."

"Yeah…I've just been…around," I mumbled, still halfway smiling.

"Everyone assumed you had been killed," McGonagall said, sitting down, "They found Severus's body, but they never found yours. Some people thought you just ran off. There were many Death Eaters whose bodies were never found."

"I was never really a Death Eater," I said quickly, "not at heart, anyway."

I absentmindedly rubbed the Dark Mark on my forearm.

"Then why join them?" McGonagall inquired.

"Dumbledore could have told you that," I murmured, "I just followed Severus. I didn't have anyone else, really, so I followed him… That, plus, you know, the Dark Lord was my father and all."

"Hmm," McGonagall said thoughtfully, "And why did you return tonight?"

"To see my cousin, Dylan, get sorted," I replied, "I didn't plan on staying long, but…"

"I see…"

"Well, no harm, no foul," said Dumbledore's portrait, "I don't really see it necessary for there to be consequences, do you Professor McGonagall?"

"No, I suppose not," she agreed.

"Very well. I would like to have a word with Casper before she leaves. Alone, if you don't mind," Dumbledore said.

"Of course," McGonagall said and she nodded to me quickly before leaving the room.

There were a few minutes of silence as I recalled some of the times I had spent in this office. One of the last times I had been alone with Dumbledore here he had told me, in basic terms, that he was responsible for mine and Snape's relationship. For that, I would be eternally grateful.

"So…tell me what happened, Casper," Dumbledore said to me. The portrait of Old Snape also looked curious.

"Well, the chances of you believing me are slim, but…"

I proceeded to tell them both everything that had happened the night Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord, and some things that happened afterwards.

"So, I'm really still alive?" Snape asked, baffled.

"Well…yeah. You are. Sort of. You are younger," I replied with a grin.

"Stranger things have happened," Dumbledore said cheerfully, "…though I can't think of any at the moment. Of course, there is always the alternate possibility that you've gone completely mad since Severus's death."

"You don't believe me?" I asked, frowning.

"No, I believe you," Dumbledore assured me, "You've got the proof growing there."

He pointed to my stomach which I touched absently, thinking of the baby growing there and smiling fondly.

"Also, if you had gone mad, you would not look quite so happy," Dumbledore added, "At least, not genuinely happy, as you do now. Still, I wouldn't recommend telling anyone else what happened. They're more likely to lock you up in St. Mungo's hospital."

"I haven't told anyone besides you two in six years, I don't think I'm going to start now," I replied coolly. Dumbledore smiled and shook his head.

When I left Hogwarts castle I didn't head straight for where I had hidden my broomstick. I walked around the grounds for a little while, looking out over the lake and following a path which led me to a fountain made up of eight deer with water coming from their mouths. It looked vaguely familiar…

"It's the fountain we sat at on the night of the Yule ball," said a voice from the shadows. I jumped slightly and turned to see Snape step into the moonlight.

"You scared the crap out of me, Sev. What are you doing here?" I inquired.

"I came to make sure everything was alright and got distracted by the beauty that is Hogwarts," he replied. He looked once more around the grounds and sat on the edge of the fountain. I sat beside him and looked up at the stars. A few minutes passed and I heard him chuckle quietly.

"What's so funny?" I asked, smiling at him faintly.

"Nothing, I was just remembering…this was the first place I realized I had feelings for you. You were sitting there in your dress robes, looking up at the stars, and I realized how beautiful you looked…" he murmured quietly.

"Sev, I was only fourteen then," I said in a chastising tone.

"Well when did you first decide you might have feelings for me?" he asked me. I thought about it for a moment and blushed.

"That first time when I hugged you, after the start-of-term feast," I admitted bashfully.

"You were fourteen then, too," he said smugly. I crossed my eyes and stuck out my tongue at him. He chuckled quietly. I looked up at the stars again. Silence reigned for a few minutes.

"Casper, can I ask you a question?" he asked suddenly.

"Uh, sure," I replied, frowning curiously and looking at him.

"Well, you may not remember, but…what did you wish for that night? You wished on a falling star…" he murmured quietly. I felt myself blush as I recalled my wish and for a moment I didn't answer.

"I wished," I said finally, "For you. In whatever way I could have you."

Surprise registered and then he smiled tenderly.

"Looks like your wish came true," he said to me and then he kissed me.

Our kiss was interrupted by a presence on the grounds. I could feel it with my mind and with a slight prod peered into the person's mind to find that it was none other than Dylan. His mind was teeming with excitement and curiosity. He wasn't invisible but he was dressed in all black to hide in the shadows.

"Let's see what he does," Snape said to me in my mind. I nodded briefly.

We watched as Dylan snuck into the broom shed and got out a broom. His heart pounding with excitement, he mounted the broomstick and began to rise into the air. He wasn't very steady on it but after a few minutes of flying low and close to the ground, he began to fly a little higher. A sudden gust of wind caught him off guard and he slid right off the broom. I leapt up and grabbed my wand. I slowed his descent considerably and dropped him gently onto the ground. As I walked towards Dylan, Snape disappeared into the shadows.

"Who are you?" Dylan asked me anxiously, "You're not a teacher, are you?"

"No, I'm not a teacher. …my name is Casper. Casper Addams. Do you remember me?"

He inhaled sharply at the mention of my name and with shining silver eyes he looked over me curiously.

"I do remember you…a little bit, anyway…but you can't be Casper Addams," he declared.

"Why not?" I inquired.

"Because Casper Addams was killed by Voldemort when I was young," he replied simply. The simply way in which he said the Dark Lord's name temporarily unnerved me.

"You aren't afraid to speak the Dark Lord's name?" I asked, amazed.

"Why should I be? Fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself, and Voldemort is gone and dead, so I have nothing to fear," he answered lightly. His rationality and bravery surprised me. Many people were still terrified to speak the Dark Lord's name. It was like a curse.

"Well, I wasn't killed by the Dark Lord. I have a house somewhere where I have been living for these past six years. I should have come back, but…it's complicated," I said quietly. I could tell that he believed me and he was content enough not to ask questions.

"I saw you get Sorted," I said, changing the subject.

"That was exciting, wasn't it? The Sorting Hat considered two houses for me. In the end, he let me pick. Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," he informed me, "Which house were you in?"

"Slytherin," I replied, "the Sorting Hat let me pick, too. He said I had traits to fit into any of the houses."

"Slytherin?" he repeated, eyes wide, "Were you one of the bad guys?"

"No, Dylan. You must never believe that, no matter what you hear. Everything I did, I did out of love for… a friend. Think of me as a spy. That's really what I was," I murmured quietly. He nodded thoughtfully. I turned to head into the forest.

"Will I ever see you again, Casper?" he asked me.

"I should think so. I'll come back and visit you here on the grounds when I can."

"But how will I know when you're here?" Dylan inquired.

"I'll find a way to let you know," I assured him.

"Can I maybe bring my new friend Todd sometime?" he asked shyly.

I smiled at the thought that my cousin had a best friend already. I had a feeling that they would be friends for a long time, if not forever.

"Of course you can," I said with a brief nod, "I'll see you soon, okay?"

"Okay. Bye Casper," Dylan said, waving to me.

"Goodbye."

I found Snape waiting for me just within the shadows of the forest. He smiled at me and nodded back towards the castle.

"You forgot your broomstick," he informed me.

"Damn. Knew I was forgetting something. Accio Broomstick," I said, waving my wand. A few seconds later I could see my broomstick coming towards me and I grabbed it.

"So you are going to come back and see your cousin regularly?" Snape asked curiously.

"Yes. I want to mentor him. The first thing I want to teach him is the Disillusionment Charm and maybe some basic Occlumency, so that he can sneak out without being caught."

"He's only a first-year, Casper. I don't know if he'll be able to learn any of those things yet," Snape said gently.

"Well I learned the Disillusionment Charm when I was a first-year," I replied defiantly.

"You were a very talented first-year and exceptionally powerful," he said lightly.

"Dylan said the Dark Lord's name," I said, abruptly changing the subject. He raised a curious eyebrow.

"He was not afraid?"

"No. He said fear of a name only increases fear of the thing itself," I informed him.

"Dumbledore used to say the same thing."

"My cousin could be the next Albus Dumbledore," I said with a grin, "He could end up being Headmaster of Hogwarts when he grows up."

"Anything is possible. With you as a mentor, he will certainly know enough magic to take the post. Perhaps I could help you teach him sometimes?"

"Of course, Sev. Whenever you want to," I replied, surprised, "I never thought you would want to. I could have introduced you to my cousin tonight if you had wanted me to."

"If I had wanted you to, I would have let you known, Casper," he said pointedly, "You can introduce me some other time. You two should get to know each other again before bringing me into it."

"Okay, if that's what you want."

We fell silent, looking up at the stars in the sky. Snape looked back down at me. He tucked a loose strand of hair out of my face and kissed my forehead.

"I love you, Casper," he said quietly, putting his arm around me.

"I love you, too, Severus. Let's go home," I murmured. He intertwined his fingers with mine and we walked into the forest together towards our home.

THE END

Author's Note: Well that's the end. Seriously this time. I've started a new fanfic that I think is going to be a hundred times better and more organized than Dreams. I hope you will all read it when I post it. I will try to get around to each of you individually and let you know when I put it up. Unfortunately, It will be a while because I'm going to wait until I finish this time, so I can better organize my thoughts and edit before I post. I'm already almost through Year 4 though, so it shouldn't be too long. I promise it'll be good. I haven't thought of a name yet, but keep an eye out for new things by me.

~thevampyre13