A/N: Thank you to Kiriari and MRSSPICY for your reviews! :) This chapter is mostly filler and potentially somewhat confusing, I'll admit, but it will be only one of a VERY few filler chapters in this story. I hope to mostly keep the action and mystery going from this point forward, so just bear with me here and then things will get rolling again :) Also please note that this chapter is from Lucy's POV.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
A Birthday Party
Azkaban. Her two close friends were thinking of going to Azkaban and she was supposed to be what? Happy for them? No. Supportive? Yes. Lucy would be cautiously supportive.
She straightened up from putting Adara in her bouncer and turned back to Dinah and Severus. "You're honestly going to that place? It's so…well I haven't been there since before I quit the Aurors so I suppose it could be different now but it's not a place one usually wants to visit." She noticed Mae Yates and Andrew Speasy exchanging uneasy glances and nodding from where they sat together on the couch with the birthday boy.
"Oh, it was a real treat when I was there," Sirius said, "but I had a window."
Dinah shook her head, "That's awful, Sirius. That you had to spend twelve years there. But we don't have much choice... we have to locate this family if the son is the one sending these nasty letters, and Dolores Umbridge is the only person who knows their whereabouts. Honestly, Azkaban is supposed to be much better now that the dementors are gone. I'm more disconcerted about talking with Umbridge, from all the stories I've heard of her."
"She's very…" Lucy searched for the words to describe the woman, "devious. She acts all sweet and nice but she'll twist anything you say so that it benefits her…"
"Exactly," Severus sneered, "Which is why she is the only person that would have risked helping this family escape if they paid her enough. She has no true loyalties. She will join whichever 'side' is strongest and whichever side will benefit her the most. In her way she is worse than many Death Eaters."
"That is very true," Lucy nodded, "Luckily I didn't have to work with her much at the Ministry."
"Try having her 'observe' your classes," Severus scowled at the memory.
Lucy shuddered, "No, thank you. My class has had enough scrutiny, I think." She remembered back when she was pregnant with Owen and all the troubles she'd had then.
Altair, observant child that he was, decided that was the right moment to toddle over to Dinah, tug on her robes and hold a book out to her. A rather thick book for a one-and-a-half year old, but it was one of his favorites.
Like most people, Dinah could not resist Altair's sweet silent requests, "Oh, would you like me to read that to you, sweetie?" she cooed, lifting him up into her arms and carrying him over to the sofa to sit down next to the two students and Tommy, "Of course. I know you love this one," she said, opening the book and beginning to read.
Andrew smiled, "He kept giving me looks. I think he wanted me to read to him but I was here with Tommy and so he couldn't ask me."
"It's true, you've definitely found a friend," Dinah smiled at the boy.
Lucy grinned, glad Altair didn't seem to have the same social awkwardness that she'd had. And he did seem to have a fondness for Andrew.
Severus shot the group on the couch a half smile before turning a more business-like gaze back to Lucy and Sirius, "I assume that it will not be a problem for you to take the children for a few hours on Saturday when we visit the prison."
"Not at all," Sirius assured the other man, "though according to your daughter you're supposed to use that time for being 'snuggly and gross.'"
Severus's lip curled, "Not in front of that woman we're not."
"Somebody's being snuggly and gross?" Maylene grinned, popping up out of nowhere.
"No, dear, not at the moment," Severus chuckled, placing a hand on top of his daughter's head, "Have you and Owen finished playing? Because I believe your mother was hoping to do some birthday activities soon. Your brother has been drooling at his unopened presents much the same way you do over food."
"Yes," Owen nodded at Severus, coming from the same place May had, "we're done." He glanced at his little friend before adding, "The potion has to simmer for a whole ten minutes!"
"Oh my, that is long," Dinah indulged with a smile, putting a bookmark in the book and turning to Altair, "Would it be all right if we finished this a little later, Altair? I think your cousin Tommy would like to open his presents now."
Lucy smiled as her youngest son nodded and climbed down off of Dinah's lap, popping his thumb into his mouth in the process. "Owen, would you like to give Tommy our present?"
"Okay!" he said, rushing over to lift a long, rectangular package from the pile and hand it to his little cousin.
"Thank you, O," Tommy said, taking it onto his lap and looking up at Lucy, "I can open?"
"Sure you can," Lucy smiled, "It's your present after all."
The small boy with Severus's nose grinned and tore into the paper, opening it to reveal the set of finger paints Lucy and Sirius had purchased for him, to engage his ever-present curiosities. "Oooh!" he squealed, lifting it high above his head to look at it in a different light, "Look at all the colors! Mummy! Daddy! I got paints!"
Severus chuckled, "Wonderful, something else for you to get into."
Dinah leaned over the box and looked at the writing on it, "Apparently it is completely washable with any basic cleaning spell. Good choice," she grinned at Lucy before turning back to Tommy, "What do you say?"
"Thank you!"
"You're welcome," Lucy said, smiling at the little boy, and then turned to his parents, "I thought these would be better than the noisy toy Sirius wanted to get him."
Altair stood on tip-toe trying to see Tommy's present.
"See, 'Tair? It's finger paints," Tommy said, lowering the box and pointing to the paint jars with the colored lids they could see through the packaging, his finger landing on the red one.
"Do you know what color that is Altair?" Sirius asked, squatting down next the boy, "It's red. Can you say red?"
Altair looked from his father to the paint his cousin was pointing at and back, making a little grunting sound.
Lucy sighed, "Even if he was a talker Sirius, I don't think he'd be naming his colors quite yet."
Dinah smiled, "But maybe soon. He's a smart one, Lucy, he really is. Remind me later to show you some Muggle books that I have about intelligence in quiet children. I think you'll find them quite interesting."
Lucy grinned, quite proud of her little boy. She was proud of all her children really, but it was nice to hear reassurances about Altair. "Thanks. Oh, I've finished my copy of Harry's book about what should have been his seventh year. You wanted to read it, right?"
"Oh!" Dinah exclaimed, a broad grin forming, "Yes!"
"Why must you read those?" Severus growled. "I have already told you everything that happened during those years."
"Be glad I've agreed to only borrow Lucy's and not buy my own copies," Dinah said, waving him off, "Besides, this book has been good for us. The media and readers are less receptive to Rita's book because the facts in this one sort of contradict it; paint us in a better light. Though apparently it doesn't talk so much about the year I got here, at least it tells the truth about you."
"It's true," Mae Yates spoke up, "I read it already and it says all sorts of good things."
"I'm glad you enjoyed it," Lucy said to Mae, "Harry was worried about this one because of all the things it revealed but we told him it was done very well."
"It was," the girl agreed, "Though you can still tell there are things he's leaving out. I only know some of the things the Professor Snapes have told me. There are things even they can't say and I respect that. But I'm glad it's helping to contradict Miss Skeeter's book."
Severus shook his head, "That may be so, but I do not see why people can't simply leave me alone. Either they condemn me with false information like that infernal Skeeter woman or I'm forced to listen to Potter babbling his 'bravest man I ever knew' line over and over again. Can no one give me peace and just see that I am human?"
"I can," Dinah said, standing from the couch and walking over to take her husband's hand.
"Yes, my love, but you are a bit of a given," Severus said.
"Well, fine," she huffed, grinning and turning to Lucy and Sirius, "How's that for gratitude?" she asked them, tilting her head in her husband's direction.
"Sorry, Severus," Lucy said, shaking her head, "I remember a time when, even though you didn't like me much, you still refused to let me retreat into myself when it all became too much. You're just going to have to live with my everlasting gratitude. Though I promise not to write a book about it."
Lucy most definitely made the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor blush. But he did not seem very happy about it as he scowled at her and looked away, storming off to sit down in a chair in a huff, his arms folded across his chest and still not looking at her, "I only did what anyone would do," he snarled as Dinah covered a giggle.
Lucy just rolled her eyes, "You just keep telling yourself that while your son opens another present."
Mae grinned, "Here, Tommy. This is from me and your Uncle Andrew. We bought it in Diagon Alley together just before we came to school," she sighed, casting an odd, longing look at Andrew, who seemed to be ignoring her with an uneasy expression. Come to think of it, they had been acting oddly in classes too, and Lucy heard Severus was not pleased at the fact that Mae was apparently unable to produce a Patronus. She wondered if the situations were all linked.
"Thank you!" Tommy was, of course, too young to notice the students' odd behavior as he ripped open the package Mae had handed him to uncover two large picture books, "Books!"
"Yes," Andrew said, "This one is a story about snakes. We thought you would like it because of Slinky."
"And this one," Mae said of the other book, "Is an item-finding book. But it's for big boys. The items actually hide from you and pop up all over the place. You have to be very fast to catch them!"
"I fast!" Tommy declared, "And a big boy!"
Altair seemed even more interested in this present than the paints and reached for Tommy. Sirius didn't remove their son from the situation but did grab his hand. "Those are Tommy's presents," he explained, "He might share them with you sometime, but you can't grab for them."
Tommy smiled at Altair and then at Sirius, and then gasped, "Oh!" he shifted himself around to hug Mae and Andrew and thank them, then hopped down from the couch and ran to hug Sirius.
Lucy watched as Sirius wrapped his arms around the little boy. It was just the same way he hugged Owen and Altair. "Happy Birthday," he murmured.
"Thank you for present," Tommy said, running to Lucy next, "Thank you, Auntie Lucy." Dinah and Severus were smiling at their boy's politeness. Meanwhile, Maylene was squirming around impatiently.
"You're welcome, Tommy," Lucy said, hugging him and ruffling his hair.
"Well, now all that's left are your presents from Mummy and Daddy, huh?" Dinah said, flicking her wand and levitating a pile of gifts over, "Sit back down and we'll give them to you, okay? Maylene, Owen, I think your potion just might be done simmering. Would you like to go get it and bring it out to show us?" Lucy knew that whenever Mae Yates was present her friends tried to call their daughter Maylene, to avoid any confusion.
"Yes!" both children shouted, running back into Maylene's room to finish off the potion. They quickly returned, Maylene presenting the potion to her father.
"Hmm," he frowned in consideration as he glanced at the potion from all angles and briefly sniffed it, turning the oversized vial around to catch the light. Finally, he smiled at the two children, "Excellent brew. Subtle but effective. Worthy of an O, were you both in my class."
Maylene giggled and climbed into Severus's lap, "O like Owen."
Lucy grinned at the two friends, "Well, I think he's pretty outstanding myself."
"I am!" Owen agreed.
Sirius laughed, "Of course you are son. After all, you've got two pretty outstanding parents, but I think Aunt Dinah is ready for Tommy to finish opening his gifts."
"Okay!" Owen said, jumping into Severus's lap with Maylene.
Severus winced a little at the impact and then looked from one child to the other, "Er… now… both of you at once is a bit…"
"Why don't you come over here Owen?" Sirius said, patting his lap. Altair, made his way over to Andrew and tugged on his robes, looking for a place for him to sit.
"But I want to sit here!" Owen whined, "Can I sit here Uncle Sev?"
Severus's resistance seemed to disappear and he smiled and ruffled Owen's hair, "Of course you may sit here." Meanwhile, Mae was gently encouraging Andrew to pick Altair up, and the boy also lost his resistance and did so.
"Just to warn you Andrew, he might fall asleep on you. It's nearly bedtime," she glanced over to the bouncy seat where Adara had fallen asleep. Hopefully she'd sleep awhile longer and not wake up hungry just yet.
"Uh… all right," Andrew said, blushing a little although it was sometimes hard to tell since his face was often slightly red from his allergies. He held Altair up awkwardly and watched as Dinah sat down on the remaining couch cushion and pulled Tommy into her lap to open presents.
His first gift was a selection of various Muggle and Wizarding books, then a new set of robes followed by various Muggle clothes, and then a strange package from the Muggle world. Lucy had no idea what it was but Tommy held it up excitedly and grinned, "Learning game like May's! For me?"
"Yes, just for you," Dinah said, hugging him close, "Do you like it?"
"Yes!" he squealed. Normally he was fairly quiet but the boy certainly did know how to receive gifts with excitement.
Severus frowned, "Good. I wanted to wait until Christmas so that we could leave it in London but your mother insisted," he managed a slight smile at the end of his sentence.
"What's it do?" Owen asked. Meanwhile Lucy watched Altair rub at his eyes with his free hand, fighting to stay awake as his eyelids drooped.
"You know!" Maylene declared excitedly, waving her hands around in front of Severus's face as she tried to explain to her 'cousin', "You've seen mine sometimes. S'like Mummy's handheld video games but for kids. You can play games that teach you numbers and shapes and things. But I already know all of my numbers and shapes! So I use the bigger kid games now where they teach words!"
"Yes," Severus muttered, lowering her hands to her sides, "Sit still."
"Sorry, Daddy," she giggled, leaning back against him.
"Ooooh!" Owen said, his eyes growing wide. "Those are fun Tommy!"
Lucy grinned at his enthusiasm. She wasn't sure if it came from her or Sirius…probably both of them. Adara made some fussy noises before settling back to sleep. Lucy figured it wouldn't be much longer before she woke, insistently hungry. Altair, in contrast, looked as if he was nearly asleep before he jerked himself awake, scaring Andrew.
"You can play with it," Tommy offered politely while Andrew didn't look like he knew what to do with Altair. But when Lucy's red-haired son closed his eyes and laid his head back on Andrew's shoulder, the boy's question was answered for him. He looked embarrassed, but let Altair stay where he was.
"Thanks!" Owen said, sitting much more still than Maylene had, even in his excitement, "That's really nice."
"I can take him if you want," Lucy offered to Andrew, not wanting the seventh year to think he had to hold the boy, "We can lay him down in Tommy's bed and he'll be fine. Assuming that's okay with Tommy, of course."
"He can lay there," Tommy said just as nicely.
Severus smirked at Dinah, "The boy is clearly your son."
Dinah laughed, "Oh, he's your son too. Just wait and see how excited I know he's going to be over our last gift."
Severus smiled slightly at the notion, leaving Lucy wondering what the last gift would be.
Meanwhile, Andrew was shrugging, "If you think he'd be happier in the bed you can take him. But if he wants to stay he can. I won't make him leave. It's fine." When Mae smiled and leaned her head on Andrew's other shoulder the young man looked utterly thrilled and oddly… hopeful.
"As long as he's not bothering you, it's fine," Lucy said, "Anytime you want me to take him just let me know." She turned back to Tommy grinning, "You think you're ready for your last present? It sounds really exciting!"
"Yes!" Tommy shrieked, craning his neck around to look at Dinah and then at Severus, "Where is it?"
"Right here," Dinah smiled, placing a large package in her son's arms, which he subsequently tore open to find a box from the Diagon Alley toy store with writing on the side that said 'Let's Play Potions!'
"Potions!" the little Snape boy shrieked, his eyes lighting up as he pointed to the familiar word. Lucy guessed he was more recognizing it than reading it, as he probably saw that particular word all of the time.
"What?" Maylene demanded as Severus admonished her to sit still again, a rather large – relatively speaking, for him - smile on his face as he watched his son's reaction to the gift.
"That's right, sweetheart, a potions game just for you," Dinah said, smoothing his hair, "Now, it's a bit different from Maylene's since you're still quite a little boy. This one uses pretend ingredients but the methods are still the same. It changes color just right when you do the right thing. In fact," she smiled, "I do believe some of the pretend ingredients you use are more interesting than some of the real ones in your sister's set."
"No fair!" the sister in concern whined, craning her head to inspect the rival toy.
"Wow!" Owen said, not caring at all whose potions set was better than the other, "If you wanted an assistant, Tommy, I bet 'Tair would do it! He likes watching us play with May's set! 'Course you could do it all by yourself too, you're good at stuff like that."
"We can all use it," Tommy grinned, hugging the box to himself, "Thank you, Mummy and Daddy!"
"I'm glad you like it," Dinah smiled, "Of course this does mean we don't want to see you messing around with your sister's anymore, okay?"
"'Kay," he agreed, but looked a bit thoughtful. The look disappeared quickly though before he turned and gave Dinah a big hug, "Love you, Mummy."
"Oh, I love you too, sweetie," Dinah said, hugging him and kissing the top of his head before releasing him.
Tommy hurried over to stand in front of the chair where Severus sat buried by Maylene and Owen and put his hands squarely on his hips, "Move, May!"
"Well, that's rude," Maylene declared, turning her little nose into the air.
Lucy watched, grateful for her very accommodating son, as Owen scrambled down off Severus's lap and said, "Here Tommy. You can use my spot."
"Thank you," Tommy said, climbing up onto Severus's lap and hugging him, "I love you, Daddy."
"I love you too, son," Severus said, smiling as he hugged his son back, "I assume you had a satisfactory birthday?"
"Yes!"
"That's wonderful," Dinah said, flicking her wand to quickly clean up all of the wrap, "It's getting late, though, and I know our little Altair over here is quite sleepy so we should move onto our last activity and then turn in, okay? Now who wants cake and ice cream?"
"Me, please!" Owen said, raising his hand up in the air as high as he could get it.
Lucy giggled, "I've got to try and eat mine quick. Adara's going to wake up soon and I'll have to go feed her, but I'd love some too."
Maylene and Tommy had also shouted 'Me' and were now crowded around Dinah's legs as Altair shifted awake again. Dinah grinned, "Oh, you know I want some."
Dinah lifted her son up in her arms and everyone who could, sang 'Happy Birthday' to the little boy. When they had finished singing, Severus waved his wand at the cake serving up the first piece to Tommy.
Lucy felt like she'd only gotten to eat a couple bites of the chocolate cake when her daughter let out an anxious and demanding cry. Her body reacted as it always did and Lucy stood, sighing, "I told you I wouldn't have much time to eat. We'll just go into the other room," she said, lifting the little baby up out of her bouncy chair. Adara immediately started searching for her meal. "I hope you all enjoy the rest of your cake," she said, going into Dinah and Severus's bedroom and shutting the door.
"What a lovely day," Dinah murmured later that night, curling up against Severus's chest for sleep after they had finally gotten their excited children to bed. They were both too exhausted for any type of fooling around and had thus showered separately. But that wasn't so unusual now that they had the children. Still, her life was brimming with happiness and contentment.
"Mm," Severus agreed.
"Our baby had a wonderful third birthday," she said, and then sighed. Happy and content she may be, but… there was still a potential dark cloud on the horizon. "One more day until Azkaban. I suppose we should try to do some of our own research on the Airaldi family."
"We can request that the Blacks take the children and spend a few hours after dinner in the library," Severus said, "That should be enough."
"Mm. And Dolores Umbridge? Any expert strategies for dealing with that horrid woman?"
She could hear the smirk in his voice, "Well, I would suggest not letting her get to you, but I do not have the best history when it comes to that."
"You fooled her for a long time."
"Perhaps, but it was no secret that I still had nothing but disdain for her. Ideally she will give us our information and we can get out, but… I highly doubt the situation will be ideal."
"Well, then," she yawned, feeling her body prepare for sleep, "I suppose we will cross that bridge when we come to it."
"Indeed."
