The August morning would have been perfect for flying kites if there was a bit more breeze in the upper currents. Fortunately that was a minor problem for a wizard. Snape had added just enough uplift and the kites were dancing over the river. The children were dancing on the bank, running up and down. Simon's kite was teasing Eileen's. He had mastered the knack of bumping her kite with his without tangling the strings.

"Eileen's kite is fine by itself," Snape said. "Yours needn't be quite so close, Simon."

Simon grinned and pulled away. Eileen tugged the string just right and her kite spanked Simon's soundly, more by luck than skill but she was pleased. She was very like her mother, Snape thought, with her thick brown hair and that look of concentration. Simon was like Snape, with black hair and a slightly softer version of his nose. He was tall for his age and had that lanky, knobbly-kneed look of young boys.

They had been out for an hour. "Reel them in," Snape said.

"Longer, Dad!" "Please, Daddy?"

"Five more minutes." Snape had allowed the extra time.

Simon was all right on his own but Eileen Jean needed a little help getting her kite down. She clutched it under one arm and lifted the other to reach for Dad's hand. Simon would have liked to hold his father's hand, too, but felt that at eight he was too old to ask. If Dad had offered ...

As they set off up the path from the river, Simon stopped to watch a centipede inch its way along the verge. He counted the pairs of legs: 15. There were always an odd number, 15 or 17, never 16.

"Your mother is making breakfast Muggle-style. We don't want to miss the show."

Simon looked up. Dad and EJ were a few yards ahead and Dad was holding out his other hand. Simon ran to take it. He would have been prouder of his small manipulation if he didn't suspect his father had figured it out and played along. Dad often seemed to know what he was thinking. Simon had overheard Mum and Dad talking a couple of years ago.

"Severus, you wouldn't use Legilimency on the children, would you?"

"Certainly not." Dad's voice was cold. "Unless it was a matter of life and death."

"I know," Mum said quickly. "I shouldn't even have asked. It's just that you seem to know what they're thinking, especially Simon."

"Is it so difficult to believe that I might bond with my children, especially a son?"

"Not difficult at all, you're a wonderful father. I apologize. What can I do to make it up to you?"

"I'll think about it and let you know. Tonight."

Mum and Dad laughed then and Simon never found out what happened.

The river path came out at the bottom of their street, Spinner's End, and their house was just along the way. Inside, it smelled wonderful. Mum was in the kitchen looking a bit flushed and flustered as she always did when cooking without magic.

They washed up. Simon and EJ set the table and poured juice. Dad sat at the table reading the Daily Prophet. Mum was making eggs with ham and cheese. She turned around and stared at Dad.

"Severus, will you not lift a finger to help feed your children?" she asked with exasperation.

The paper dropped. Dad pointed his forefingers in opposite directions. On the table a knife hovered over a bowl of fruit and began peeling and paring and cutting in bite-size pieces. Across the room the oven door opened and a pan of cinnamon rolls floated to a cooling rack on the counter.

"There. I have lifted two fingers." Dad went back to the paper.

"Why do you do things without magic, Mum?" Simon asked.

"Life shouldn't be too easy. It builds character to do things the Muggle way sometimes."

"Dad doesn't do things the Muggle way."

"Well, your father is already quite a character."

But after a few minutes Dad folded the paper and crossed the kitchen to peer over Mum's shoulder. "Mmm, very nice." He paused a moment. "The eggs look good, too."

EJ giggled. She liked 'Romantic Daddy' as she called him when he and Mum were mushy. Simon just shook his head. "That's lame, Dad."

"Your mother doesn't think so."

It was true. Mum was giggling like EJ. Or rather EJ giggled like Mum. And now Mum was looking at Dad with approval because Dad was mixing up an icing and spreading it on the rolls without using magic.

"I think the eggs are ready," Mum said uncertainly. "It was going to be an omelet but that didn't work out so they're scrambled instead." She came to the table and began dishing them up.

Dad brought a plate of warm cinnamon rolls dripping with icing. Once again he leaned over Mum and she offered a forkful of eggs. He chewed thoughtfully and then kissed the back of her neck.

"Delicious." Another pause. "The eggs are tasty, too."

Mum and EJ were giggling again. Simon rolled his eyes. "Can we eat, please?"

"Watch and learn," Dad told him. "You'll be grateful one day."

The breakfast was great despite Mum's worry. She wanted to hear about the kite-flying.

"I'm coming with you next time," she promised.

What about breakfast?"

"We'll make it together. With magic."

Mum and Dad were talking about stuff in the Daily Prophet. EJ's glass was floating to her. Mum stopped it and said gently, "Use your hand, love."

Simon and EJ had both manifested magic early. Parents and the Ministry understood that kids had accidents sometimes but EJ had deliberately made her glass move and Mum and Dad were strict about that.

Dad sat back. "Your best breakfast ever, I believe."

Mum smiled. "I thought the icing was particularly good."

"Just a little something I stirred up."

"Yes, you're good at stirring things up."

Simon wasn't always sure what was going on when his parents talked. Sometimes there seemed to be more than what he heard. Grown-up stuff, he decided. Probably he would understand when he was older. That's what adults always said to kids anyway.

Dad was looking around the kitchen. "What a lot of washing up to be done. You'll enjoy doing that the Muggle way."

Mum looked displeased. Dad's lips twitched. "You cooked so I'll clear up. It's only fair."

Simon and EJ liked watching Dad's magic. The dishes stacked themselves in one tall pile, spinning and swaying and dipping dangerously as they floated to the sink. A lesser wizard might lose control for an instant and smash a lot of nice crockery but that never happened to Dad. He wasn't even paying attention. He and Mum were talking about visiting the Malfoys before the next Hogwarts term started.

The sunny morning faded and the day became overcast. Simon didn't mind, he liked being outside in almost any weather so he went for a walk. He was the oldest kid in the neighborhood and there wasn't anyone he really liked to hang with. He didn't mind that either, he liked being alone so he could think.

Mum worked from home sometimes. She was spending today on Ministry stuff so she would have time when it was a nicer day to do something fun with him and EJ. Dad was brewing in his basement lab. The other half of the basement was a playroom that was used more by EJ than Simon. She was there today so Dad could watch her while Mum worked.

EJ would be six next week and Simon would be nine in November. He wished his birthday was before September 1 so he could go to Hogwarts a year sooner. Mum's birthday was September 12 so she had had to wait almost a whole year after she was 11. It would really suck if your birthday was September 2. Did they make any exceptions? Probably not, Simon decided. Where would it end if they started doing that? Well, he would read up on everything when he turned 11 so he was ready for Hogwarts. Mum and Dad had done that and they were the most powerful witch and wizard he knew.

For a long time Simon hadn't understood about magic. He thought everybody could do it. He had been surprised to learn that the Grands - Mum's parents - were Muggles and had no magic. But Gramp pulled coins from Simon's nose and ears and gave them to Simon and they were real Sickles and Knuts. One spring Simon and Gran had planted seeds and after awhile they grew into flowers and vegetables. Simon knew about sleight of hand and gardening now but it still seemed sort of magical to him.

The Grands didn't seem to mind not having magic. They took him and EJ to their office and cleaned their teeth. Gran told them to eat fruit instead of candy but behind her back Gramp winked at them and said if they ate candy to be sure and brush and he gave them new toothbrushes. But when Gran made cookies she never said they should have fruit instead.

Simon was a few streets from home now and passing the Dursley house. Bibi and Dudley didn't have magic either and that had confused Simon because Dudley had a workshop filled with tools and wood and it seemed like magic when he made things. The Dursleys had a little girl younger than EJ and Dudley had made a big dollhouse for her. Mum and Dad had Dudley make one for EJ – it was in the playroom – and Simon could choose what he would like. That's how he got the birdhouse and the skateboard.

Bibi was the teacher for the neighborhood kids. Quite a few wizarding families had moved in since Mum and Dad got married. Mum said Bibi had a degree in childhood development and education and that meant she could home school kids until they went to Hogwarts. Simon liked school and he supposed he might miss it a bit but he could hardly wait for Hogwarts even though it would be awkward having Dad as one of his professors. Dad had taught Mum years ago and that seemed weird since they were married now.

As Simon headed home the wind that would have been good for kite flying came up. It was dark by the time dinner was finished; a summer storm started soon. The children were fascinated by thunder and lightning so they all went up to the attic to watch. The dormer windows could be opened and a quick spell kept the rain out so they had a close-up view without any mess or discomfort. The storm blew itself out eventually, leaving a steady rain. It was a night for going to bed early. Hermione and Snape tucked Eileen in. Simon wasn't going to bed yet but he had projects in his room.

Snape watched Hermione as she undressed. Ten years of marriage and two children had affected her very little and the small changes were all to the good as far as Snape was concerned: Breasts a little fuller, hips slightly more rounded. He could read his wife's moods as well and they were almost always in sync with his own. It would be long and slow and easy tonight.

Hermione was looking, too, as Snape got ready for bed. Eleven years next month since that fateful Sunday afternoon at Hogwarts and she still felt a tingle when she touched him. And sometimes when she saw him or just thought about him. He hadn't changed much physically since she came to Hogwarts as a student. But happiness had made a difference. And a satisfying sex life. They would take their time tonight. But first, something she had been meaning to mention.

"Simon is probably already planning next summer's road trip," Hermione told Snape.

"What do you mean?"

"Every summer he gets into trouble and you reward his bad behavior by a treat that you seem to think is punishment." Hermione sounded amused.

"I do not." Snape was affronted. "Explain."

"Last year he fiddled the wards on your lab and did a little brewing so you took him to Madam Ingles' and Draco showed him round the research lab."

"I thought seeing a clinical potion environment would be dull for a seven year old."

"Yes, he must have been bored. That's why he talked about it the rest of the summer."

"Well, it's only to be expected. I was interested in potions early on."

"A month ago he hollowed out a birch twig and made a wand using his hair and ours. One reaction might have been to cut a branch from the birch tree and use it on his bottom but no, you took him to Ollivander's in Diagon Alley."

"Ollivander said the wand was crude but effective and showed great imagination by customizing it with his own hair and that of his parents. He was very impressed."

"The Ministry was so impressed with the magic Simon generated that they notified the Auror Office instead of sending an owl."

"It wasn't because they suspected Dark Magic. It was a courtesy to you as a fellow Ministry official so there wouldn't be a record of the incident."

"It was good of Harry to come himself."

"Why would he miss the chance to gloat over our son's misbehavior?" Snape asked sourly. "And it was unnecessary for Weasley to tag along."

"They weren't gloating. They didn't even confiscate the wand if we promised to keep it locked up."

"I put it in Gringotts. Simon can have it back when he goes to Hogwarts."

"Only three more years." Hermione was a little sad.

"But five more years for Eileen."

That turned Hermione's thoughts in a happier direction, as Snape knew it would. Eileen's sixth birthday was next week so they discussed party plans. They were in bed by then and conversation became more personal. And then there was less talk and more action. It was perfect with the rhythm of the rain in the background.

Afterwards they slept for awhile. Snape woke an hour later, suddenly sure that Simon was still up. He slipped on his dressing gown and went across the landing to knock on Simon's door.

"Come in," Simon said, and then: "I was just about to turn out the light."

Snape ignored this obvious falsehood. "Why don't you tell me where you'd like to go next summer instead of plotting an elaborate scheme?"

Simon wasn't embarrassed at being caught out. It was bound to happen. "But that's part of the fun, Dad. Like a sting operation."

Snape considered. He and Hermione had a bright, curious son with many interests – potions, wand making – what would be next? He hadn't done anything dangerous or even very bad.

"I would miss finding out what you come up with," Snape allowed. He had a sudden inspiration. "The Auror Office!"

Simon looked disgusted. "Do I talk in my sleep?"

"I remembered your interest when Potter and Weasley showed up."

"But you don't know yet why it will seem like a good idea to take me. I'm still going to use my plan, it's a good one."

"Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof," Snape quoted. "Time for bed. Have you brushed and flossed?"

"Sure."

"Your grandparents will be pleased. Have a pee, then, and I'll tuck you up."

Dad had turned down the bed when Simon got back from the bathroom. He jumped onto the bed and reached up to hug his father. "Night, Dad."

"Sleep well." Snape kissed his son's forehead.

On his way back to Hermione, Snape looked in on Eileen. She was curled up like a hedgehog and her hair was tangled. They had forgotten to tie it back and she would want Mummy or Daddy to brush it out in the morning.

Hermione stirred when he got into bed. "Was Simon in bed?" she asked sleepily.

"Not even close, but he is now."

"Eileen?"

"Fast asleep. Her hair is loose."

"It's your turn, I did it last time."

"I guessed Simon's destination for next summer. He'd like to tour the Auror Office and he doesn't want to be fobbed off on an underling. You can be the one to ask Potter and Weasley for a favor."

"I'm sure they'll do it."

Hermione scooted back until her bum was against his groin. But she was half asleep and he was tired and they had already made love. Morning, Snape decided. No better way to start the day.