A scream woke Elizabeth early one morning. She sat bolt upright as Fred jumped back from the bathroom door. "What?"

"Damn country…" Fred swore a blue streak, pointing at the bathroom floor.

"What?" Elizabeth got out of bed and went to look, trying not to laugh when she saw the garter snake on the tile.

"Tell it to go away," Fred said, backing away and fumbling for his wand on the bedside table.

Elizabeth rolled her eyes, but turned to the snake. "Go home," she said. "This isn't where you belong."

"In Parseltongue!" Fred said, pointing his wand menacingly at the creature.

"I did," Elizabeth said, looking back at him. "Didn't I?"

Fred shook his head. "English."

Elizabeth turned back to the snake. "Go away," she tried again. "This is our house." She looked at Fred, who shook his head again.

"You can't… what happened?" His attention was fully off the snake and on his wife's face.

Elizabeth shrugged, pointing her wand at the snake and levitating it out the window to the garden. "I don't know. I haven't tried for a long time."

"Have you been able to do it since the war?" Fred sat on the bed, setting his wand back on the table.

Elizabeth frowned, thinking. "I haven't tried. I mean, there wasn't really a reason. You think when I killed Voldemort… I lost everything I could do because of our connection?"

Fred drummed his fingers on the bed. "Maybe. Your scar hasn't hurt, right?"

"It's been fine," Elizabeth said, rubbing her forehead absently. "But I thought that was because he wasn't alive to be angry…"

"What about Snape's Mark?"

*S*S*

Severus rolled up his shirt-sleeve and held his arm out. "It's hard to tell if it's really faded, or if it's just obscured by the other scars."

Elizabeth examined his forearm. "I think it's really gone, but you're right. It's hard to tell. We need a second arm."

Severus smirked and held out his other arm, laughing when Elizabeth rolled her eyes and shook her head. "Hatchling, he's gone. Forever. I'm not saying that there isn't evil in the world, and that someone won't try to take his place, but he's gone. It's time to stop doubting it."

"He's been gone before, is all I'm saying," Elizabeth sat on the sofa and looked around. "Did you paint?" The walls were a decidedly lighter color than they had been last time she'd been in the dungeons. Or the last thousand times she'd been the dungeons.

"I've been feeling a bit festive lately," Severus said mildly, pointing to the floor. "You'll see that I also invested in a rug."

Elizabeth laughed. "Festive means light-grey walls and a rug?"

"A green rug," Severus answered. "But returning to the subject at hand, if you truly need another forearm to examine, you know who you can go see."

"No way," Elizabeth shook her head. "Forget it."

"Fine," Severus raised his eyebrows and looked disapproving. "He and Astoria are getting on well, you know."

"Why should I care about that?" Elizabeth asked, scowling.

Severus fixed her with his best parental stare. "Because it's time. The world has been cleansed of the greatest evil, and now it's time for us to start healing the wounds we have personally. No matter what he's done, Draco has been too much a part of my life for me to ignore him. I'd like it if you two could be adults and repair the damage."

"Or I could just ignore him," Elizabeth said sassily.

Severus' eyes suddenly had a hint of sadness. "The ability to forgive is a powerful trait, Elizabeth. Your mother had it. I'd hoped that, perhaps you'd inherited more of her than myself in that respect." He stood and went into the little kitchen, pouring himself a cup of tea.

"It's not the same thing, Dad. Mom forgave you for freaking out one time. Draco has actively tried to kill me, or at least make my life miserable, for years."

Severus looked at her sharply. "Remus talks too much."

"He says he needs to translate your 'crazy'." Elizabeth said, taking the teakettle and pouring herself a cup.

"I miss the days when you were afraid of me," Severus glowered.

"That… one day?" Elizabeth smirked. "Could be because you showed up in my house without knocking. But then I learned you just like to make an entrance."

"Brat," Severus rolled his eyes. "If you don't want to go see him, fine. But then you'll have to deal with not knowing if someone else's Mark has disappeared or not."

*S*S*

"Look at all this stuff," Fred said, looking around Elizabeth's bedroom at Spinner's End. "What is all of this?"

"Well, it seems that I've been getting lots of adoration gifts over the years," Elizabeth sighed, conjuring a large box. "Dad thought he was keeping me humble by putting them away until I grew up, but now he wants this crap out of his house."

Fred laughed. "Is that what he said?"

Elizabeth grinned. "I think he called it rubbish. Anyway, he was mad that I didn't want to go see how 'great' Draco is doing."

"I could go the rest of my life without seeing a Malfoy," Fred frowned, picking up a large block of crystal. "Someone sent you a trophy for… living?"

Elizabeth laughed and took it, tossing the block in the box. "Apparently people were moved to send me ugly objects, hoping I'd put them on the mantle and remember the painful moments in my life."

She was reaching for a doll someone had made to look like her when there was a knock on the door.

"Just ignore it," Elizabeth said, making a face at the doll. "No one comes to this house but vacuum salesmen."

But a few moments later, there was another knock, this one more insistent.

"Hold on," Fred put down the trinket he was holding and headed down the stairs. "I'll get rid of them."

When Fred opened the door, he was greeted by a dour-looking man, tall with a hooked nose that looked oddly familiar.

"Severus Snape live here?" the man asked gruffly, his dark eyes blazing out from below his short but untidy dark hair.

"He's not in," Fred said, unconsciously blocking the door from opening any further with his foot. "If you leave your name, I'll tell him you came by."

"Who are you?" the man demanded.

Fred narrowed his eyes. "Fred Weasley. Who are you?"

The man glared at Fred. "You're a little young to be his roommate."

"Well, he's not here—

"Fred?" Elizabeth came down the stairs. "Who is it?"

"I'll be back up in a minute," Fred said, trying to get her to go back upstairs, away from the strange man.

"Another one?" The visitor squinted past Fred. "What's my son doing? Running a bloody boarding house?"

"Your son?" Elizabeth came down the last few stairs to stand beside Fred. "Tobias?"

"Eh, he talks about me, does he?" Tobias Snape grunted.

"Not much," Elizabeth said. "I'll be right back." She hurried into the living room and threw powder into the fireplace, calling her father's office.

"How is the packing going?" Severus' head asked from the flames.

"Fine," Elizabeth answered quickly. "But we have a visitor."

"Who?" Severus' brow furrowed.

"Your father."

Elizabeth was certain she'd never seen the expression that passed over her father's face. It was a mixture of pain and anger, sadness and irritation. He'd a similar expression at Dumbledore's funeral.

"Stand aside," Severus ordered, and within moments, he was standing beside her, brushing non-existent soot off his immaculate robes. "Where is he?"

"At the door," Elizabeth said, pointing. "Fred didn't let him in."

"Good instincts," Severus muttered, striding past her to the entranceway.

"You said he wasn't here," Elizabeth heard Tobias accuse Fred as she followed her father. "Your roommate's a liar, Severus."

Elizabeth swore she heard Severus grit his teeth. "What do you want?"

"That's a fine way to talk to your father," Elizabeth came around Severus' towering frame to see Tobias glaring at his son. Apparently the Snape-glare hadn't originated with Severus.

"It's a perfectly respectable way to speak to a stranger who is demanding to see me in my home," Severus shot back.

Fred moved away from the door and put his arm around Elizabeth, pulling her back a few steps. "I thought he was dead," Fred whispered.

"Dad just assumed," Elizabeth whispered back.

"Aren't you going to invite me into my own house?" Tobias asked, crossing his arms over his chest. He was heavier than his son, but the resemblance was unmistakable.

"It's been more than 20 years since you've come looking for me, and you want to be invited in just like that?" Severus scowled.

Elizabeth pulled out of Fred's hold and stepped next to her father, putting her arm around his waist. Severus was cracking under the strain of the reunion. She could tell by the note of hurt child in his voice.

"You're the one who left," Tobias matched his son's expression. "And now you're living in my house with your…" he looked at Elizabeth. "Young woman. Young, Severus, good God."

Severus rolled his eyes. "She's not my girlfriend, you drunken fool. If you'd come around anytime in the last two decades, you'd recognize your granddaughter." He squeezed his daughter's shoulders. "Go back upstairs, alright?"

Elizabeth frowned. It was not in Severus' speech pattern to ask if orders were 'alright' with the recipient. She looked at him, trying to convey through subtle eye movements that she didn't want to leave him alone in this.

"It's alright," Severus said quietly, as if he understood. "Go on."

"You couldn't tell me I was a grandfather?" Tobias glared at Severus.

"Tell you? How?" Severus nearly spat. "That would have required you to tell me where you were."

"You let her take her boyfriend upstairs?" Tobias peered through the door after Elizabeth and Fred's retreating steps.

"He's her husband," Severus frowned to himself, wondering why he felt the need to justify himself to this man. "Again, it's been 20 years."

"I suppose he's… one of you," Tobias said, looking uncomfortable. "Guess that's why I didn't read about it in the papers."

"Not a paper you would read, no," Severus glanced past his father and into the street. There were few cars, but it wouldn't do for anyone to see him standing in the doorway in wizard's robes. "I need to return to work," Severus said tightly. "If there's nothing else—

"Severus, I know I haven't been around, but you at least owe me an invitation into the house. I'm your father."

"And what would have caused me to 'owe' you anything?" Severus raised an eyebrow. " The constant drinking and abuse? The fact that you didn't even try to keep me after Mum died? Or the last 25 years of no contact?"

"Severus, I've been knocking on this door every day for weeks. Please."

Severus sighed. "I don't live here during the school year."

"Aren't you a little old to be in school?"

Severus rolled his eyes. "Come for dinner on Sunday. One o'clock. Don't be late."

"You'll be here?"

Severus rolled his eyes again. "I suppose it's a risk you'll have to take."

*S*S*

"What do I call him?" Elizabeth asked, folding laundry from the basket on the table. Severus sat, stretching his legs in his daughter's kitchen.

"I don't know," he said, rubbing one hand over his face. "Call him Tobias. Or Mr. Snape." Severus grimaced. "Maybe just avoid calling him anything at all."

"You think he's going to actually show up?"

Severus sighed. "I wouldn't bet on it, but the man has done little in his life but make mine more difficult, so… more than likely."

"I don't know why you invited him to begin with." Elizabeth tossed clean tea towels into the kitchen drawer and slammed it shut.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "Is there a reason you're so pleasant this morning?"

Elizabeth scowled. "You didn't tell me that you invited him, almost a week ago, and now I have to drop everything—

"Elizabeth," Severus interrupted, frowning. "I know you haven't had the best luck with grandparents, but you're nearly 20 years old. " He searched her face. "What is going on?"

"Nothing," Elizabeth shrugged, pulling a set from robes out of the basket. "Look at this," she said, holding up a ragged edge. "Would it kill him to buy clothes?"

"It might," Severus said dryly. "Trouble in paradise?"

Elizabeth glared at the robes before pulling out her wand. "Incendio!" The fabric burst into flames and fell to the ground in a pile of ash.

"Elizabeth Rose!" Severus was on his feet, moving the laundry basket out of her reach. "What are you doing?"

Elizabeth glared at the ashes. "Nothing. Just fixing a problem." She grabbed the basket and headed up the stairs.

Severus stood awkwardly in the middle of the kitchen for a few moments before he heard the floo roar to life. Stepping into the living room, he saw Fred emerge, running a hand through his hair.

"Hello, Professor."

Severus looked the younger wizard up and down. Fred rarely called him 'Professor' since the wedding, but when he was tired or stressed, he reverted to the childhood habit. He certainly looked tired today.

"Mr. Weasley," Severus crossed his arms. "You look like you could use a drink."

Fred smiled ruefully. "Long day. Long night before that."

Severus glanced at the stairs. "I was just treated to my daughter's mood. What have you done now?"

Fred snorted. "I wish it was me."

"She burned your robes."

Fred sighed. "All of them? Because I need to go Ron's tonight, and I don't want to wear this one," he plucked at the magenta shop-robe he was wearing.

"You don't seem surprised." Severus raised his eyebrows.

"Well, yesterday she decided that we were going to become vegetarians, so nothing really surprises me anymore." Fred sat on the sofa.

"So it's really not you? Or do you just believe it isn't you?" Severus gave him a knowing look. "You don't always know."

Fred ran his hand through his hair again. "We're trying to have a baby."

Severus sat in the armchair across from the sofa. "I know you're married, but let me be clear. I only want so much information about anything involving your bedroom and my daughter."

Fred chuckled. "It's been a couple of months. She's taking it very personally."

"These things take time," Severus assured him. "The stress of the past few years… you have plenty of time."

"Yeah… that doesn't really make her feel better," Fred sighed. "Anyway, it doesn't help that my mum keeps commenting about how much she wants more grandchildren." He shook his head. "I shouldn't be talking to you about this."

Severus smiled a little. "I wouldn't say no to grandchildren myself. However, I consider myself lucky every day for the child I have." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. "I appreciate when you do talk to me. Elizabeth is sometimes… less that forthcoming."

*S*S*

"Let's go on a honeymoon," Fred said that night, propping himself up on one elbow in bed to look at his wife.

Elizabeth was reading, but she put down her book to look at him. "We've been married six months."

"Six months and two days," Fred grinned. "I say that calls for a celebration."

"You're insane," Elizabeth rolled her eyes and returned to her book.

"Bermuda is beautiful this time of year," Fred continued.

"Bermuda is beautiful anytime," Elizabeth said, not looking up.

"Not during hurricane season," Fred pointed out. "Anyway, I was thinking we could do the whole Muggle plane thing."

Elizabeth raised an eyebrow and put her book down again. "You know that planes aren't like brooms, right? They crash."

"Brooms crash."

"Not that much," Elizabeth closed the book and put it on the bedside table. "What is this about?"

"It's about me wanting to go somewhere warm with you," Fred said, rolling onto his back. "It's that 10 months of the year when all it does in London is rain."

Elizabeth laughed. "I'm fine, Fred."

"Well that's certainly an understatement, Mrs. Weasley," Fred waggled his eyebrows. "You are more than fine."

"Shut up," Elizabeth smacked him in the face with a pillow.

"How about Africa? Charlie is down there doing something questionable with dragon mating rituals. We could visit him, see some lions or something."

"Fred." Elizabeth slid down so she was lying beside him, putting an arm around his waist. "I don't need a vacation. I'll be fine."

Fred brushed his lips over her hairline. "Worried about you, Betsy."

Elizabeth was quiet for a moment, closing her eyes and settling closer to his chest. "What if we can't…" she trailed off.

"Sweetheart," Fred said quietly, running one hand through her hair. "We're going to have a baby."

"But what if we can't?" Elizabeth sniffed and burrowed deeper.

"Then we'll adopt. Or we'll steal a kid. They're always running around Diagon Alley."

Elizabeth pinched him. "Not funny."

"A little funny," Fred laughed. "Honey, we don't need to worry about it. It'll work out."

"Maybe," Elizabeth was quiet for a moment. "Who do you think will crack first on Sunday? My dad or… whatever we're calling his father?"

Fred grinned. "Severus Snape has never lost a stoic contest. I don't foresee it happening in this case either."