21 – Conversations
'Delirious?' Kathy thought, terrified. 'Does he imply that I'm saying things, which I don't really mean?'
"I'm not delirious," she said, indignantly, causing Severus to let out a long sigh.
He pulled a chair over to the side of her bed and lowered himself into the seat, before he slowly began to speak. "Kathy," he said in his soft, silky voice, which she loved so much, "I have never loved a woman since Lily, Harry's birth mother. Only recently, I began to develop feelings for you and realised that I love you. However, I did something unforgettable and unforgivable to you, which doesn't allow me to pursue any relationship to you other than that of mere colleagues."
"Nonsense," Kathy replied, inwardly groaning at the tears that welled up in her eyes. "Yes, I was upset because you didn't tell me earlier, but what happened was not your fault. You were forced to do what you did, and you gave me an adorable daughter. Not only I but also the children need you, not just as their Head of House and professor, but as a father. I know that at that time I told you that I'd never forgive you, but I love you and want you in my life. I haven't forgotten and I never will, because it's part of my life, but I've already forgiven you."
"Don't make yourself so upset," Severus said in a soft voice. "You'll only aggravate your condition."
Kathy let out a snort, which turned into a series of harsh coughs. "The only thing aggravating my condition is your distanced behaviour," she then whispered. "Before it happened... Brianna's accident I mean... we were like a family, but ever since then..." She slowly trailed off, tears now running down her cheeks.
"I apologize," Severus whispered, as he leaned over and gently wiped the tears off her cheek. "I thought you wanted nothing to do with me after realising..." He sighed. "We can become a family if that's what you want, Kathy. However, I suggest that you sleep over it and we'll continue this conversation when you'll feel better."
"I want to become a real family, and you know that I'm not delirious. Your potions are absolutely awesome," Kathy replied, smiling.
"Very well, but still you need your rest. So we'll decide about the procedure in a few days' time," Severus insisted.
"Promise?" Kathy queried, once again reaching for his slender, cold hand.
"Promise," Severus replied sincerely and proceeded to hold her hand until she drifted off to sleep with a contented smile playing on her lips.
HP
Slightly hesitating, Severus stepped into his daughter's room and cast a diagnostic spell at Brianna, nodding contentedly at the result that Brianna had, at least so far, not caught the flu. However, knowing that the girl was most likely to spend much time with her sick family members, he summoned a Pepperup potion from his office and spelled it straight into his her system, hoping that it would prevent her from catching the squid's flu. With that he returned to his own quarters, knowing that he was in dire need of sleep as well.
HP
When Severus entered Harry's room to check on the boy first thing in the morning, Brianna was sitting on the edge of her brother's bed, and the two children were talking animatedly.
"Ms. Mackenzie, I suggest that you get ready and accompany me to the Great Hall for breakfast," Severus said gently, before he informed the twins that their mother had taken ill as well.
"Yes Professor," Brianna replied, only to add, "Sir, will Harry and Mum both be all right for Christmas?"
"If they get enough rest, they will," Severus replied and cast Harry a menacing glare, knowing how difficult it was to keep the boy in bed. "If you're bored, Ms. Mackenzie, you're very welcome to spend the day assisting me in the Potions lab," he added as an afterthought, causing his daughter to smile at him, enthusiastically.
"Thank you so much, sir. Of course I'd love to assist," she replied and hurried away.
HP
At first, Severus chose a complex potion, which would make the girl concentrate on the preparation of the ingredients, while he would be able to follow the string of his own thoughts. When it was finished, he made Brianna take a goblet full of the bright orange liquid, explaining that the potion for the squid's flu would not exactly work as preventive potion but would help her body fight the virus before she even knew that she was ill in case she caught it from Harry or Kathy.
After cleaning the workspace, Severus decided to brew a simple fever reducer, knowing that Madam Pomfrey needed a new batch anyway. 'This gives me the opportunity to speak with her. All ingredients are harmless, so that nothing can happen, even if she makes a mistake,' he mused, as he laid out the recipe for Brianna in case she did not remember the ingredients yet.
"I know this potion by heart, sir," Brianna said, chuckling. "We brewed it often enough for Harry."
Severus smirked, as he set up his cauldron. "Very well, then I expect that you're able to fully concentrate on preparing the ingredients, whilst I'd like to speak with you about something."
"Yes sir," Brianna replied, casting the professor a curious look, before she diligently set to work.
"Brianna," the professor hesitantly began to speak, "As you heard a few months ago, I'm your father." He slowly turned his eyes to the girl, unsure about how his daughter might react to the topic.
Brianna, however, managed to surprise him by casting him a bright smile. "I know, sir. Harry and I are very happy about it. I think you should speak with Mum though."
Severus smirked. "Your mother and I had a longer conversation last night. However, she was very unwell; therefore, we will speak about the matter again after her recovery. What I'd like to ask you..."
"Wait sir," Brianna interrupted him, excitedly. "Did Mum tell you that she still loves you and wants you to be with her?"
Severus sighed and kept himself from giving a harsh reply with the advice of not interfering in adults' matters. 'It concerns her and Harry as well,' he mused and replied, "Yes, we decided to become a family. However..."
Again, his daughter interrupted him rudely by cheering loudly.
"What I was going to ask you," Severus continued what he had wanted to ask earlier, "is to consider if you want me to officially accept you as my daughter."
"Yes please," Brianna replied, immediately. "There is nothing to consider. However..." Her tone became pleading as she continued, "will you adopt Harry too, so that we both have you as our father?"
Severus busied himself inserting the sliced moon fern into the purple liquid, before he said evenly, "If that's what Harry wants, I will do so. I have not talked to him though, as I wanted to speak with you first."
"He'll be delighted," Brianna informed him, smiling broadly. "We've often talked about the matter."
HP
It was only in the morning of Christmas Day that Harry was fully recovered and Severus allowed him and Kathy out of bed. Since Kathy was still not fully all right, Severus excused the Mackenzies and himself with Professor McGonagall from all meals and responsibilities in the Great Hall, and Kathy, Severus and the twins spent the whole day in their quarters talking, reading, resting and brewing potions.
After breakfast, Severus sent Kathy back to bed, promising to wake her up in time for lunch. Knowing that the house-elves had placed all their presents under the Christmas tree in the Great Hall, he reached into his robe pocket and pulled out a cork that had mysteriously found the way into his pocket. Under the watchful eyes of the twins, he transfigured it into a small Christmas tree. "Now are you up to decorating the tree?" he queried, quirking an eyebrow.
"Of course," the twins replied, simultaneously, and eagerly set to work.
In the meantime, Severus called Cicero and asked the elf to fetch all of their presents from the Great Hall and put them under the tree that was just being decorated.
A few hours later, after everyone had unwrapped their presents, Severus returned to his own rooms for an instant, before he came back carrying three items that were wrapped in dark green paper. The two larger packages he handed to the children, and Brianna and Harry chuckled upon noticing the fine silver pattern of cats that were moving around the paper, cleaning themselves or doing small cat fights with each other.
Brianna's eyes lit up as she showed Harry her book 'Interesting Potions for Fun'.
"Wow, how cool. Mine is 'Useful Potions to Counter Dark Spells'," Harry spoke up, looking at his Head of House. "Thank you so much Professor," he said, resolving to study the complete book in order to be well prepared if anything ever happened to Brianna again.
Severus slightly inclined his head, before he turned to Kathy and handed her a small gift that immediately drew the attention of both children to the adults. Under the twins' watchful eyes, he spoke up in his soft voice, "Kathy, I would like to ask you to become my wife."
"Yes," Kathy replied immediately, completely distracted and unable to turn her eyes from the beautiful ring in the box in her hand. It was a silver ring with patterns of several magical animals displayed by small stones in a warm green colour. "This is awesome, Severus. Thank you so much."
Kathy and Severus decided to get married by simply filling out the documents and sending them to the Ministry of Magic with Minerva McGonagall and Poppy Pomfrey as witnesses instead of holding a wedding ceremony. While Kathy was taking a much needed nap in the afternoon, Severus filled out all the paper work, not only for the marriage but also to accept Brianna as his daughter and make Harry his son by adoption. Later, when the small family was enjoying Christmas dinner in their own quarters, all three Mackenzies decided to officially change their last names to Mackenzie-Snape.
HP
'Now I even have a father. I'm the happiest boy in the world,' Harry mused, when he drifted off to sleep later the same day.
tbc...
Thank you so much for your kind comments - I really appreciate them!
I'm not a native speaker of English. Please excuse my mistakes. All recognizable characters belong to J. K. Rowling, and I am not earning anything by writing this story.