"Severus!" Harry gasped as he jumped down the castle step by twos in his hurry, as Severus arrived in a heap along with Hermione and the children, "Thank goodness you are all alright. I tried reaching you as soon as Ginny sent Hermione off with the Portkey, but I wasn't able to."
"It's alright Potter." Severus answered breathlessly. "You had no idea that your girlfriend would betray you."
"Well according to her, Ron has nothing to do with the Death Eaters or anything like that, but when a group of Aurors and I tried tracing Hermione to where Ginny said the Portkey will go, we couldn't find her there. We came back to the school hoping that you would have returned or that we would be able to reach you but there was a group of Death Eaters ambushed there. Apparently there were there waiting to make an attack on you hoping to capture you and kill you. Voldemort's old supporters aren't too please with you."
"No they are not. Speaking about his old supporters, Malfoy Sr. is in his Manor with a group of Death Eaters as we speak, I place a spell so no one can escape, but since we did duel the building is holding up by threads, and it is ready to topple over threatening to crush anyone who is in it. The Death Eaters kidnapped Hermione to lure me to the Malfoy's manor in order to kill me, it was Lucius' plan to take over for Voldemort and become the new Dark Lord. Your friend Mr. Weasley is there as well, although saving his life won't save him from life in prison but at least it will save him from death." Harry gave a slight nod to the Aurors who were with him and then followed them to the apparition points before apparating to the Malfoy's manor to arrest the Death Eaters that Severus spelled in there.
"Well," Hermione said with a small sight, "that was an exciting day, why don't we wash up and after dinner we can go to Florean Fortescue's Ice-Cream Parlor in Diagon Alley for dessert?"
"I'm in for ice cream any day." said Jack, getting a nod of agreement from his siblings.
"Then ice-cream it is." Severus said, "come, we'll show you to the dungeons and to your rooms. I know that you all brought clothing with you we'll go through everything over the weekend and if you need anything we will buy it." Severus paused trying to think if there was anything else that he didn't think of, "I suppose we need some toys for Sarah and Michael, so we can by that over the weekend as well, but if you lot see anything that you want while we are out you today just let us know and we can buy it alright?"
"Alright." They answered together looking wistful that they could get something while they were out.
"Good, now let's get cleaned up and eat because I'm famished." Severus said leading them into the castle.
Later that evening…
"What do you mean that Malfoy and Ron got away Harry?" Hermione cried.
"We arrived to Malfoy's manor as it was collapsing; everyone in there either got killed or badly injured. We took them to the St. Mungo's Hospital to be healed under an extra security ward before hauling them off to Azkaban but when we did a head count everyone but Ron and Malfoy was accounted for. They seem to have vanished into thin air. We checked the entire area but couldn't find them, no on was able to get in or out of the St. Mungo's just in case. We had to call the healers who were off duty to go to the Ministry of Magic and heal people there- the minister was going to kill me- well not really since I am the boy who live."
"After four hours the minister made us call off our lock in, and open the doors. Now we just have Aurors looking for them like they were looking for Sirius, and how they were looking for you Severus after you killed Dumbledore."
"Did you say that he seem to have vanished into thin air." Severus asked.
"Yes, but we place checked for spells such as the notice-me-not spell, the disillusion spell, and the invisibility spell- those types but we couldn't find any of them in use in city let alone in the hospital."
"Yes, but you don't know the Dark magic ones, Lucius does. He could have used a dark spell to make him and Weasley invisible while you lot did the lock down and went nuts looking for them, and slipped out once you opened the doors again."
"That's a possibility."
"That's a big possibility Harry, knowing Lucius that's exactly what he did."
"But why take Ron from all of the Death Eaters though?" Hermione asked.
"Simple, he was the only one conscious at the time." Harry supplied.
"Also," Severus add, "Ron has a thing for you Hermione, he wants me dead just as much as Lucius does. Lucius knows that he can never be a "Dark Lord" if I am alive therefore he needs me dead. Weasley thinks that he can have you if I am dead, so he will be just as bent on killing me as Lucius, see? The problem with Weasley's great plan is that if I die, you will follow me shortly after because of the curse of the Dementor's bite, your body and mind will wear away until you die. You would probably not last more then two weeks without me, three if you have a potion-make that a strong potion and my dead body by your side at all times, so for him it's a no win situation but he doesn't see that."
"I guess he doesn't." Hermione whispered in a sad voice, "but I hope it doesn't get to that, now that we have the children to look after."
"I fully agree." Severus said taking her hand.
"Well Harry," Severus said walking Harry to the door of his Quarters, "If there is anything I can do to help let me know. Actually here." Severus stopped and waved his hand and created a long black necklace with a black skull pendant.
Both Harry and Hermione watched him holding their breaths as he worked his way putting his energy into the necklace. The necklace glowed a neon green, as it absorb the power that Severus was sending forth into it, his body gave a small jerk as if he was having a fit and Hermione felt the magical energy drain that went through Severus, but knew better then to say anything. Then pretending as if nothing happen, Severus then held up then now black again necklace to Harry.
"Wear this necklace at all time." He said casually, though his voice betrayed a hint of weakness that wasn't there before, "I will make one for Hermione and the kids to wear as well for their protection, it will glow a blood red if someone is using Dark Magic near them, and If the person using the Dark Magic is invisible the eyes of the skull will turn green otherwise it will turn the same red as the rest of the pendent. I think it will help you find Malfoy and Weasley, since most of the Dark Magic isn't traceable through the Ministry of Magic since they don't know the spells."
"Alright, thanks Severus, this will be a great help."
"No problem Harry. Let me know if anything happens."
"Alright take care, see you Hermione."
"By Harry, I'm sorry about Ginny" Hermione said giving her best friend a hug.
"It's alright, I guess it's time to find someone new." Harry said
Hermione and Severus nodded
"Do you really think that she knew what Ron was up to?" Hermione asked, although she wasn't as close to Ginny during the school year, at the Burrow they became as inseparable as sisters.
"It seems that she knew that Ron had intentions of seducing you Hermione. She was jealous that I was with you and Severus all the time and wanted to do something about it so she offered to help him. She didn't know about the fact that they planned on killing Severus or else she wouldn't have gone along with it she said. But I don't know, I think it is time that we started seeing new people, and I told her so today. She was fuming of course, she blamed it all on you and Severus, saying that if Severus would have not been a coward and took the curse that was aimed for him things would have worked out fine with her and me marrying and Hermione and Ron marrying."
"I don't think I would have married Ron in the end." Hermione admitted, "We ready didn't suit each other, think about it, I'm smart, spend my life learning and researching and things like that and all he is really is interested in is sports, and fighting. Thinking about it Severus and I match a hundred times better then Ron and I ever will."
"Your right about that," Harry said with a small sigh, "anyways, I better let you guys go" he said and with one last good-bye Severus and Hermione closed the door.
"Alone at last" Severus breathed planting a small kissed on Hermione's neck.
"hmm…" she replied as they made their way to their room. "It was nice of you to make that charm for Harry to help him locate Dark Magic."
"It was nothing, anyways the faster we get them caught the better." As he waved clumsily at her dress to remove it since he didn't have the energy to do it by hand because of the spell he just did but he wasn't going to admit it to Hermione.
"But making that charm took a lot of magical energy, and physical energy from you didn't it. I felt it." Hermione said turning in his embrace to unbutton his robes, holding him steady, for she felt him sway.
"You were able to feel it, interesting." He said sitting down on the bed no longer able to stay a foot.
"If you are too tired, we can forgo tonight you know."
"I'm never too tired for you." was the replied as he pulled her onto the bed and rolled over her.
Hours later Hermione laid with her head tuck into Severus' shoulder, "I've got a surprise for you." she whispered to her companion who was nearly asleep.
"What is it?" he mumbled.
"You have to wake up to see it."
"I am up."
"Are you? Then open your eyes, sleepy head."
"What is it Hermione" Severus asked with his eyes still closed.
"Open your eyes and I'll show you."
Severus let out a small groan and obliged, "I'm up, happy."
"Yes."
"Now what is it that you want me to see."
"Get out your wand and do a diagnostic test on me."
"Whatever for, are you feeling alright, does something bother you?" he was starting to get concern, was she feeling ill.
"Just do it."
Severus grumbled "Women" and summoned his wand and did the test still wondering why on earth she had asked him to perform such a spell when the tip of his wand started to light up by her stomach and he froze.
"Hermione."
"Yes."
Severus didn't answer he just began waving his wand around her stomach saying different incantations and the tip of his wand continued to glow.
"Hermione you're excepting." He said turning to her with his smile so radiant that it could light up the room. Her smile seemed to match his.
"I know that's the surprise. I am glad that you aren't upset, I was worried for a while how you would react, but when you told me that you wanted to adopt Stongrindge children I knew that it will be alright."
"Do you know what it is?" he asked, still trying to grasp the concept that he will be a father of his own child.
"No, this morning I wasn't feeling well by breakfast, so when I went to Poppy this morning right after you left and she told me I was pregnant I figured that if you weren't there when I found out at least you should be there to find out what it is."
"How much along are you?"
"Three weeks."
"I don't know much about Muggle terms, but in the wizarding world the birthing term is sorter, so we will be able to determine what it is by now, do you what to know?"
Hermione gave a small nod, and met Severus' gaze as he waved his wand over her stomach, the tip of his wand turned a light shade of blue.
"It's a boy, Hermione." He whispered, "We're having a boy."
He looked up to see tears in her eyes, "What do you think we should name him."
"I don't care how many names you want him to have or what you want to call him, but can you do one thing for me, just let one of those names be Albus."
"Of course." Hermione cried, kissing her husband to be. "Of course, it's a wonderful name. Albus Snape, there we have the name."
"You don't mind the name? Don't you want anther name?"
"I think it's a perfect name, Severus." She answered wrapping her arms around him pulling him down. "Now come on, let's get some sleep."
"Severus…Hermione…" a small, timid voice whispered from the outside the closed door.
Severus stood and waved his hand materializing pajama bottoms for himself and a night gown on Hermione as he made his way to the door, opening it he saw Michael standing in his new pyjamas the doorway with his new blanket in one hand and a teddy bear that they bought today in Diagon Alley in an other, standing next to him was Sarah in her new night gown holding her new doll tightly. Bending down to be on eye level with the children Severus addressed them.
"Michael, Sarah what's wrong?"
"I'm sorry to wake you. Sophie said not to or else you'd get upset, but Michael had a bad dream, and …" she trailed off.
Severus bend down and picked up Michael and Hermione came and took Sarah's hand as Sophie hesitated before padded her way to room.
"You shouldn't have woken them up." She hissed at her sister.
"It's alright Sophie," Hermione said in a soft voice, "We're your family now and you can come to us for everything."
"See I told you so!" Sarah said sticking out her tongue at her sister. "Mommy used to let us sleep in her bed when we were scared."
"That sounds like an idea, come Sophie," Severus held out his hand to the girl who seemed as if she was afraid that Hermione might judge her as a small child too. "let's go."
"The bed's too small for everyone." She answered, although she took his hand after looking him up and down for a minute with scrutinizing eyes as if trying to determine if he would harm her or not.
"Well we'll just have to make it bigger don't we." Severus said taking his hand back for a minute and waved it at the bed expanding it for them all to sleep. "Where's Jack?"
"I'm here." The boy answered from the doorway.
"Come here boy." Severus said ruffling his head, as he made his way to the bed, "go on the other side next to Sarah, there's room there."
Severus couldn't help but smile when Michael ignored the bed and snuggled onto Severus' chest instead and fell asleep instantly.
"That's strange." Jack mumbled looking up from next to his sister.
"What is?" Severus asked.
"Michael. He must really like you. I noticed that before, the way he acted around you throughout the day and everything, he's never been like that with any man or boy other then me."
"Why is that?"
"He was there the night that my father, was killed. Since then he's been petrified of all men. The only male that he would go to me since my father's death was me."
"What happened?"
"It was shortly after You-know-who rose to power again. One of the near by Universities had a Quidditchmatch that my father would take us to since he taught a course there once a week. On the way home from the game we were cornered by a group of Death Eaters saying that they contacted him saying that he was warned that if he didn't join them he would be killed. Since he didn't answer they were going to kill him. There was about six of them. My father shoved Michael into my arms and told me to run, but I couldn't. I couldn't leave him. So I hid behind a bin and tried to block Michael's view of what's was going on, but obviously I didn't have much success."
Jack paused and took a deep breath, "They cast the Cruciatus Curse on him, and then disarmed him while he was reacting to the effect of spell. Once he was disarmed they went on to Muggle beating him while he was still under the Curcio effect –it was disgusting. "I should have done more to help my father while the Death Eater were attacking him, but I was so scared I couldn't think, Does that make sense professor?"
"Yes, and I know exactly what you mean, even if you would have tried to do something there would have been nothing that you could have done to save him Jack. If the Dark Lord wanted him dead he would have stopped at nothing to see it done even if it would have meant killing off two small children. The Dark Lord doesn't set value to the young and innocent, he only sees power and how to achieve it, and your father was an outlet on how to get it and Voldemort would have felt that if he couldn't have your father no one can."
Jack nodded absently as he wiped away his tears before he took a deep breath to continue. "It felt like they were beating him for hours, finally they stopped when he was hanging on to an inch to life and then one of them shot the Avada Kedavra at him killing him off. When they apparated away I took my father's wand and tried with all my might to do some sort of magic with it even if I didn't have training. I was able to send sparks high enough, which alerted a passing wizard who alerted the authorities who came to help us. But Michael started screaming as soon as any man tried to approach us. I guess it was because one of the Death Eater lost his masks while he was beating our father, I couldn't make out his face but it was obvious it was a man, since then Michael was petrified of men. I think that before that Michael used to think that Death Eaters were more along the lines of Monsters then Men, but when he saw that there was a man behind the mask he got scared."
"I don't blame him." Severus whispered.
"But it was my fault that he saw all those awful things that night."
"Some things in life aren't avoidable."
"But I should have listened to my father."
"If you would have, you would be saying that what would have happened if you didn't. Who would have found the body? Would they have left the body? You can't live life on ifs Jack, or else you'll never live life at all."
"Professor? I know you told the judge that you knew Dad well. You said that you knew my mom too." Jack whispered and his sister Sophie listened intensely, while Sarah was already fast asleep.
"Yes, I did, and there is no need to call me professor, you can call me Severus."
"How did you know them?...Severus."
"Well your dad was with me when I did my apprenticeship, he was a good chap, very bright and all. We met your mother at a convention that we were at and they fell in love instantly. The problem was that he was muggleborn and she came from a family of purebloods, her parents wouldn't let them near each other let alone marry. Being a half-blood I was considered a step up if you would call that as such, but my mother pride her heritage and I was made to walk around as if I was truly a pure blood. So what we did was that I pretend to Date your mother, pick her up at her manor and everything and then I would take her to the meeting place that I arranged with your father, that way he could spend time with her."
Severus took a deep breath, "It worked out for a while, and we thought that we outsmarted her parents. I was actually pleased with the arrangements. At the time I was already a Death Eater making potions for the Dark Lord doing nothing else. Her father was actually a Death Eater as well, so he tried to press a match with me so he didn't mind me taking his daughter out. The thing was I thought the entire thing was harmless, your father planned on marrying her then, in fact she was pregnant then. On the night she told him the Dark Lord called me for a potion. Usually when I took your mother to meet with your father I would wait for them at a near by pub, but since I was called I told your father that I had to go and he told me that it was fine. What I didn't know was that the Dark Lord found out about our little game and told your grandfather about it. While I was called away your grandfather went to where your parents were and gave both of your parents a beating, both physical and magical, using regular and unforgivable curses on them."
"What happened to the baby?" Sophie asked, tears streaming down her face.
Severus heaved a sigh, "Your mother miscarried, from the brutal attack that your grandfather did. I was so upset when I return and found out what happened, and your loathsome grandfather gloat to me for weeks and I couldn't do anything to him to retaliate knowing that if I would that the Dark Lord would not only kill me but both of your parents as well. Your mother was fuming at me for joining leagues with him, she couldn't understand why I did so in the first place, and she said that she thought better of me, but then she was wrong."
Severus paused and grunted as Michael repositioned himself on Severus' chest, "She blamed the baby's death on me and she had every right to do so. She wasn't able to leave her manor anymore since her parents no longer trusted her. I lost not only one friend that day but two, for your father as well, blamed me for what happened. He dropped out of his apprenticeship and joined a new master in America. I didn't see either of them till six months later that I became a spy for Albus and I had the resources to bring them back together and keep them safe."
"How?"
"Albus married them off using a special licence and magic, and I became their secret keeper. It took weeks to persuade them to let me do so, since they lost their trust in me the night your grandfather attacked them but I think that Albus convinced them in the end. I wanted to be their keeper since I felt responsible for the death of the baby that your mother was to have."
"If you were their keeper why did my father die in the Death Eater Attack and why were the Death Eaters able to find my mother now?"
"Your parents asked me to remove the spell after the Dark Lord fell the first time. Your grandfather died during that time so they felt that they were no longer threatened by him so they released me from it. I told them that there was no need but they said they wanted to live freely without having to look over their shoulders and that they do not hold me responsible for what happened the night your grandfather found them together, nor for what happened to the baby."
"I don't either." Jack whispered in a horse voice and Severus could tell that he was crying.
"Me too," Sophie sobbed out, her voice horsed from crying, "and I'm not scared of you anymore."
"Why were you scared of me Sophie?" Severus asked with his eye brow raised.
"Because you were a Death Eater and Death Eaters were the ones who killed mommy and daddy."
Well she had a point there. "I won't do anything to hurt any of you-Ever, and neither would Hermione, we are here to help you and care for you. We want to do take care of you and love you as a family. Will you let us do that?" Severus said firmly but gently enough to show how much he cared, Hermione stayed quiet, knowing that she had to let Severus build a connection with Sophie now or else he will never gain her respect or love.
Sophie turned her head and looked at him at for a moment.
"Yes, I think so; I think I will like that."
"Good. Now how about getting some sleep, otherwise we'll be too tired to do anything tomorrow."
"Alright," Sophie yawn before curling closer towards Severus and falling asleep.
"Goodnight Jack," Severus whispered.
"Night Severus, night Hermione." Jack whispered before he too turned and went to sleep.
"Goodnight Jack." Hermione answered before she turned to Severus.
"Look at you."
"What?"
"I think I should get Colin Creevey to get a picture of you and hang it in the dungeons. Then I'll highly doubt anyone will be afraid of the evil bat of the dungeons."
"You do, you die." Severus said with a small chuckle.
"Is that what you say to the love of your life?"
"That is exactly what I say to the love of my life, now get some sleep my love." Severus whispers.
"Goodnight Severus. I love you."
"I love you to my love." Severus answered as he watched Hermione drift off into a peaceful sleep.