Disclaimer : None of the HP characters are mine – no money being made here.

Chapter 25

Justine McMillian perused the morning Daily Prophet; she had finally made her house elf stop giving her calming draught this morning. Ernie was at her side – she hadn't let him out of her sight since the attack. It had been four days since the horror at the apothecary she had gone to. It had been a horrible experience. Up until then the whole 'little war' that her father-in-law always told her to not worry about was just dinner party talk. She shuddered in remembered terror.

She had been just going out to get a potion for Ernest – someone had fed him ice cream that had upset his stomach – he was really to young for sweet things like that. It had been such a beautiful day outside, she had wanted to enjoy just a few hours with little Ernie, just the two of them.

The madness had started just after she had entered the store, she had been sure that she and Ernie were going to be killed. She had never realized that you could truly see madness in someone's eyes, and know that they planned to kill you in the most horrible way possible. She hadn't recognized the name of the person that horrid 'He-who–must-not-be-named' was trying to capture, but when he had stood and looked into her eyes, she had instantly known he would save her and Ernest. She'd never met someone like that, that she just knew could make her safe. She still tingled at the memory.

She had been talking about him to her father-in-law ever since, Eric could be quite stuffy, but he knew she was simply too young to stay single forever. When he husband Evan had gotten himself killed in a drunken quidditch match in France she had been upset – but it HAD been an arranged marriage. Their son Ernest was an only son of an only son, and there were only distant relatives left. Surely he knew she needed to find someone trustworthy to help her raise Ernest.

She looked at the picture of Potions Master Severus Snape gracing the front of the paper, he wasn't classically handsome, but his onyx-black eyes were striking, and he had presence. If any of the recent articles about him were true he was a genius, and had the ear of not only the Head of the Wizengamot, but the Minister for Magic as well. He would be an excellent second husband for her. She looked at the intense black eyes and shivered in delight, yes, he would do very well.

She looked at Eric, he was being a bit resistant, but she wasn't a favored daughter of the LeClere family for nothing. He had sniffed that the man was a half-blood. She didn't care about that, and neither should he – she had already provided the McMillian heir, so any further children were not really needed. If he wanted an heir, she would provide one, but that would not have anything to do with Ernest and his inheritance. So Snape's blood-status was beside the point.

She just needed to let Eric see her hero up close, and in person. She started composing a letter to the Potions Master Snape.

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Severus slept in as long as he dared and had a late breakfast, the rest of the teachers were almost all returned from Christmas break, as classes would restart on January 4th. They were all remarkably welcoming and congratulated him on the Wolfsbane Potion and his upcoming marriage. Severus managed to answer civilly, but there was a part of him that bitterly remarked that he had not been looked at so kindly as a student.

He gathered up his belongings and they saw him off – most of them would be at the wedding tomorrow. Gregori shook his hand and said that his father would be there – coming by portkey for the event, although his severe arthritis would not allow him to stay for long after the wedding itself.

Severus smiled and thanked him – it would be good to be accepted back into his wizarding family, and made a mental note to look into arthritis potions - surely there were some that could help Gaspare.

The Malfoy mansion was scurrying with activity, apparently there were dozens of last-minute things to be done for the wedding that had only now been thought of. Lucius was cowering in the nursery with the children. He greeted Severus with relief, and handed him Harry who giggled happily and pulled his hair. Severus smiled and hugged him. Soon his family would all be together in Briarwood Manor, and their new life would begin.

Severus and Lucius hid in the nursery and discussed various objects that might have been turned into horcruxes – it was obvious that since Slytherins artifacts had been used, that things belonging to the other founders were the next place to look.

Soon it was lunchtime, and the males were relegated to feeding Draco and Harry; because Narcissa and Lily were planning seating arrangements at the reception and, apparently wizarding world peace depended on getting it right. The lunch was interrupted by a house-elf carrying a pretty spotted owl that had a note addressed to 'Potions Master Severus Snape' attached to her leg.

Severus took the note and read it, mystified.

My dear Severus Snape,

I apologize for not having written to extend my most sincere appreciation for your rescue of my son Ernest and I. I would like to thank you personally at a New-Years Eve party being hosted by my late husbands father at the McMillan Manor.

My most heartfelt congratulations on your achievement with the Wolfsbane Potion, I look forward to your next accomplishment.

With most sincere felicitations for the coming year,

Mrs. Justine McMillian

Severus appreciated that the lady was grateful for the rescue, and the invitation was nice, but he was getting married that night, so – perhaps there would be a rain check – Lily would probably like to meet her, since Justine's baby was just a little older than Harry.

Lucius look at him in inquiry, so Severus handed him the letter. Lucius read it quickly and laughed in amusement. "So you have an admirer, Severus. She seems to be anxious to get to know you."

Severus looked at him in puzzlement. "She's just grateful, for the rescue."

Lucius laughed heartily at that. "I wonder how personal her thanks would be." And he snickered some more.

Lily scowled and Narcissa snatched the letter out of Lucius' hand. They scanned it quickly. "She invited you to a party at the same time as your wedding?" Lily's voice was pitched rather high – it could almost be called a scream.

Severus winced – this wasn't good. "Well she probably dosen't know about it, we did keep the wedding very quiet – swore everyone to secrecy. Delivered a lot of the invitations by house elf, and made sure the press knew nothing…" He trailed off at the ladies glares, apparently explanations were unwelcome.

Narcissa patted Lily's hand, "It's too be expected, dear. Severus is an item, now. And heroics always inspire a little 'fan club' following"

Lucius snickered at Severus' horrified look. "Don't worry, eventually it will blow over – it always does. Someone will do something, and you'll be 'yesterdays hero'. Severus just shook his head, guys like James and Sirius were the one's who always got 'fan mail' and invitations from unknown females, and he had always envied them the effortless attention getting. Now that he was receiving some of it, it just seemed weird.

The men went back to feeding the babies – Lucius keeping a firm grip on the bowl of vegetables.

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Narcissa and Lily went back to the drawing room to finish the seating plans, so they could be sent to Rhiannon Essex – the restaurants owner, who was speechless with excitement at the names on the list.

"Does the letter truly bother you so very much?" Narcissa asked

"I know it shouldn't, but it's like history is repeating itself. I didn't even know someone was after James, and suddenly – well look what happened. Now, the day before my wedding some society princess is sending rather transparent invitations to Severus to 'come peruse her assets'." Narcissa and Lily chuckled, although Lily's laugh was a bit bitter.

"You know Severus didn't even notice that it was an invitation to more than a party. He's too in love with you to notice other women exist." Narcissa affixed the last name to the seating chart, and rolled up the long parchment with the seating arrangements on it. She was soon attaching it to the waiting owl.

Lily sighed "Yes, I can remember on the very night of that fiasco with James, thinking to myself that Severus would never have done that to me. I'm just terrified that somehow, something will make this happy ending not happen."

Narcissa poured her a hefty glass of wine. "Wedding nerves are expected, and you have more reasons than most to be nervous. Just take a deep breath, we've only got two days left to get through, and the rest of your life begins." Lily knocked back half the glass and nodded. Narcissa chuckled, and then wrinkled her nose at the juice she was being served, and sighed, no wine for her for several more months.

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James arrived home and was eating supper, mulling over a plan. He had overheard Frank Longbottom and Arthur Weasley chuckling about Severus Snape's bachelor party tonight. They apparently were going to start out at the Leakey Cauldron, and then they had various places to go afterward that were causing a lot of chuckles. He smiled, he intended for Severus to have an interesting time.

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Peter hid in a bush in his rat form, waiting for Remus to leave, so he could follow him. The Dark Lord was intrigued by the idea of capturing Severus during his bachelor party, although he didn't seem to think it possible – with at least 3 Aurors in the party and several Order members, and they didn't know where the party was going. Several death eaters had volunteered to go along anyway, mostly to escape the Dark Lords presence. They were around the corner, preparing to apparate after the werewolf and Peter.

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Sirius Black was feeling a bit torn, he had noticed James overhear Frank and Arthur talking about the party, and he recognized the look on James face. He hadn't had the nerve to tell James that he was going to watch the children for the wedding party. Not long ago he would have been first in line to help prank Severus' bachelor party. Now, however, he knew anything James came up with was likely to leave scars.

He would just have to follow him and try to foil any 'pranks'. He considered taking someone along to help shadow him, but he didn't want to cause James further problems at work. He knew many were quietly annoyed with James – between the scandalous divorce, and the disownment of Harry, they tended to use the tone of voice when discussing James that they usually reserved for death eaters.

He knew the party was starting at the Leakey Cauldron at 9pm – he'd just be there first.

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Lucius, Severus and Regulus were all dressed for the bachelor party. Severus produced several bottles of polyjuice and sat them on the table, Lucius produced a lock of white – gold hair, and started dropping strands into the potion.

"Who did you get these from, Lucius?" Regulus asked, bemused.

"A distant cousin – second or third, and a few times removed. He's doing quite well in one of my businesses in Cornwall – the wizarding village of Tinworth. But not so well, that he would turn down 2 weeks in my villa in Delphi, Greece for over christmas and New Years – with my yacht available to him, in exchange for some hair. I swore we wouldn't do anything that would cause Azkaban to be mentioned." Lucius smirked. "Just remember that your name is Marius, and you're married to Antonia."

Regulus downed the potion and they all flooed to the Leakey Cauldron.

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Moody (not yet having acquired his 'mad' eye) prepare to leave his office for the Leakey Cauldron, snorting in amusement at having been invited to 'a small party to commemorate Severus soon resigning his status as a bachelor' by Lucius Malfoy.

He was sure that given recent events the party would be crashed at some point by death eaters, no matter how much Lucius was sure it had been planned in secret. He had told his trainee Kingsley Shacklebolt about the party and arranged for him to shadow the party, 'as an exercise'.

He waved at Kingsley, and stepped to the floo.

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Remus left his apartment in good time for the party. Apparating happily, not noticing the wizards who quickly followed him to the back door of the Leakey Cauldron.

It would be a busy night for all.

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A/N The bigger action should begin soon.