The characters of the Harry Potter universe belong to Ms. Rowlings, and I'm borrowing them for my own imagination.

Chapter 14 - Discussions

As soon as they returned home, Hermione took Lily from Severus and took her up to bed with Remy and Brian in tow. After tucking Lily in, Hermione made her way to Remy's room where Remy and Brian were waiting for her.

"Well, I've some news on the Operation Uncle Remus front." Hermione said as they all took seats on the bed.

"Yeah?" Brian asked.

"I was talking to Tonks. She doesn't think Remus trust her abilities anymore. She is blaming herself for Sirius's death. Do you think Remus blames her?" Hermione asked.

"No. From what we have overheard, he blames himself from not stopping Sirius from going the night he died." Remy informed her.

"Knowing Sirius, I doubt anyone, including your grandfather would have been able to stop him for trying to help Harry." Hermione said.

"So Remus is acting differently to Tonks now then he did before the death." Remy summarized.

"Yes, and I saw something fleeting cross Remus's face when Lily was sleeping in Tonk's arms. It looked like longing." Hermione told them.

"Like he wanted Tonks?" Brian asked.

"Or maybe he wants to see Tonks holding their own child." Remy said.

"I think you're both right, but we need to gather more information. He was not pleased when your mom suggested that he see Tonks home." Hermione said.

"No, and Mom wasn't pleased that he didn't do it. She really likes Tonks." Brian stated.

"I think it is good for Mom to finally have a friend outside of Remus. And a girl friend at that." Remy said thinking of how lonely her mother must have been due to her father's situation.

"That may help us out. I'm sure Remus has confided in your parents . . . " Hermione said.

"And if Tonks confides in Mom . . . " Remy continued.

"Then we can use it to complete our project." Brian finished.

"I'd hate to be Remus right at this moment." Remy said.

"Yeah, Mom was real pissed." Brian agreed.

"Language, Brian." Hermione stated and Brian just rolled his eyes at her.

And the kids were right. Severus sat at the kitchen table with Remus while his wife was banging pots and pans while making tea. He was glad he thought to put up a silencing charm.

"I can't believe you couldn't take a few minutes to make sure Tonks returned home safely!" Anna grumbled retrieving three mugs from the cupboard then slamming the door closed.

"I know how close the apparition point is to her flat. She made it home fine." Remus responded.

"How do you know?" Anna asked pouring the tea into the mugs. "Unlike everyone else that was there, she went home alone. How long will it take for anyone to miss her?"

"Anna, Tonks is very good at her job. Mad Eye trained her." Severus said trying to relieve Remus of some of the heat from his wife.

"This is the same woman that not a month ago was lying in a bed at St. Mungos, thanks to her own aunt. I'm sure you remember. I know I'll never forget what a wreck you were until she regained consciousness." Anna said setting Remus and Severus mugs before them, then grabbing her cup and heading out of the kitchen.

"Where are you going?" Severus called out.

"To flue Tonks, to let her know someone is concerned for." Anna said as she stalked out of the room.

"Sorry, she tends to hit below the belt." Severus said to Remus.

"She was right. But that is also the reason, I couldn't have seen Tonks home. She deserves more than I can give her." Remus said.

"But that isn't what she wants, is it?" Severus asked although he knew Remus would not answer. They have had this conversation on more than one previous occasion.

"Albus, spoke to me before he left and has a project for me." Remus said changing the subject.

"What kind of project?" Severus asked.

"One only I'm qualified for. He wants me to talk to the werewolves. When I leave the night of Brian's party for my transformation, I'll go to see them." Remus stated.

"For how long?" Severus asked knowing he could not fight Remus on this.

"I'll be back by start of the term, at the latest." Remus replied.

"You have to tell Tonks, before she finds out in front of the whole Order. If you want to keep your past relationship a secret, you can't let her be caught off guard." Severus warned him as he unconsciously rubbed his arm.

"You're right. I will." Remus said. "Is your arm bothering you?"

"No, it's just strange that it is not." Severus said pushing up his sleeve to reveal his now unmarked arm.

"Well, I thought I'd inform you that Tonks made it home safely. She was very grateful that someone cared." Anna said as she walked into the kitchen, sat her mug in the sink then walked out.

"I guess we are cleaning up." Severus said as he watched his wife leave.

Remus just stood up and took his and Severus's cup to the sink, "I've got it. You should check on the kids and turn in. I'll see you in the morning."

"Thanks."

RWHG-RLNT-SSAS-HPGW-ADMM-AWMW-BWFD-FWAJ-GWKB-SSAS-RLNT-RWHG

At the Burrows, Ron and Harry were sitting on their beds in Ron's bedroom, discussing the last few days' events. In an effort to keep their promises to Hermione, they had headed directly up to the room as soon as arriving at the Burrows.

As soon as entering the room, Ron immediately put up wards to prevent anyone eavesdropping. Both he and Harry were taking Professor Dumbledore's warning seriously as to sharing the information with those outside of the Order meeting. Ron was sure that they pissed Ginny off, but they didn't want to do anything that would prevent them from being included in future meetings.

"So, Remus and Snape have been friends since my parents' deaths. Professors Dumbledore and Mogonagall have a daughter. And that daughter is married to Snape and they have three children, one of whom in named after my mother. And no one in the Order knew this outside of those four." Harry summed up the information they had learned in the last few days.

"Yeah, that sound right." Ron responded.

"Why do you think the Granger's would have picked Snape of all people to give guardianship to?" Harry asked puzzled by this.

"Not real sure. Professor Dumbledore did say that they had requested a list of teachers meeting certain qualifications. And actually, Severus is the right age to be our parents, and is married. That may have played a part in the selection." Ron suggested.

"Yeah, he was in school with my parents. And he was friends with my mom. That's too weird." Harry said.

"So what was it like to participate in that ritual?" Ron asked.

"It took a lot of energy to focus my magic for that long. It seemed pretty painful to Snape. Remus barely caught him before he hit the floor." Harry said. "What was it like staying with Snape?"

"Pretty weird, at how normal it was. The first night, we learned all about Severus and Anna. The next day, Remus and Severus left to make arrangements for Hermione's parents and to see you. Hermione and I played games with the kids, and she read while I told the kids stories about Hogwarts and the Quidditch World cup. Hermione said they played a muggle board game after Remus brought me back here." Ron recounted for him.

"How has Hermione been?" Harry asked. While Hermione had cried during the funeral, she had seemed to have her brave front up. Taking care of the rest of them, more than herself.

"I don't think it has completely hit her yet. That is the main reason I don't like leaving her. I think either you or I should be there for her when it happens. She would do the same for us." Ron said his worry for Hermione starting to show.

"Do you think Snape will take care of her?" Harry asked still having trouble accepting the real Professor Snape.

"Yeah. I'm as surprised by all this as you are. I'm more surprised that I'm so willing to trust him. But spending time with Severus, Anna and the kids, I actually believe that he will take good care of her. Look at all he did for her today." Ron stated.

"Well, we just need to watch out for Hermione. Spend as much time with her as your mom will let you. I'll be back for my birthday, then in no time we will be back at Hogwarts." Harry said.

"Without my mom watching our every move." Ron stated.

"You know that your mom is just scared." Harry said.

"I do know that. But she is letting her fear run my life, and with Vol-Voldermort out there, we can't live that way." Ron stated.

"You're right. Anyway, we better turn in. Remus said he would pick us up early tomorrow." Harry said and they both crawled under the covers of their respective beds in an attempt to catch some sleep.

TBC