p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: bold; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Epilogue 1: As Time Goes By*/span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"* As Time Goes By, (1931). Performed by Billie Holiday, written by /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Herman Hupfeld./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong id="docs-internal-guid-caee63e1-7fff-640f-1ab8-557e30080a44" style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Severus, are you ready?" Maya called as she came through the sitting room they had shared since the end of the war. She could see the door to the bath open and the long form of her husband standing at the sink in his vest. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Their five-year-old daughter was dressed in her favorite velvet party dress, green ribbons holding back her raven curls. She stood mesmerized, between Severus and the sink basin, head tilted upward watching her father shave, awed each time he brought the blade across his skin and rinsed it in the shallow pool of water in the basin. Since the final battle and his last brush with death, there were some tasks that Severus Snape chose to perform the muggle way. Shaving was one of them. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As Maya watched silently, Severus finished shaving, and rinsed his face. As he did, the little girl with his dark hair and Maya's sapphire eyes took the towel from the rod and insisted on being allowed to dry his face and remove the last of the cream he missed. He effortlessly lifted her and stood her on the counter next to him so she could easily reach his face. Maya watched on, finding she could not contain her smile or the stinging behind her eyes at the tenderness of the moment. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Not many people had the opportunity to see Severus Snape this way, the quiet but loving man he was with his family. After drying his face, he lifted the little girl down again and let her help rinse the stubble from the basin. She caught sight of her mother watching in the mirror./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mummy, I helped," she squealed and ran to Maya's arms. Severus reached for his shirt, buttoning it as he followed his daughter into the bedchamber. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So you did, and a terrific job you did too," Maya said, giving her little girl an extra squeeze. "Now go and put your shoes on and help Lysander with his. We're leaving in a moment." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As the little girl ran from the room to find her shoes, Maya picked up her husband's jacket and the silver cufflinks she had bought him. He was halfway through his shirt buttons when he paused to tuck a stray curl back from her face. Maya's skin tingled at the feel of his thumb caressing her cheek. He cradled her face in his hands and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, nose and finally her lips. When he released her, she threaded one cufflink through his right cuff and then his left. She pushed the sleeve up slightly just enough to see the faded mark, and gently placed a kiss there. She looked up into his dark eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You are a wonderful man, Severus Snape, never forget that. You are my world." She handed him his jacket, smoothing it across his broad shoulders./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So much change in five years," he said, pulling her to him./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Indeed. He would have been so proud of you." Maya returned the embrace./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Why do you insist on wearing that dress after all this time? People will think I don't let you visit Madam Malkin's." He waved a hand at the blue gown that highlighted her eyes./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'll have you know that I love this dress, and Albus loved it too. He told me once that he was impressed you had such good taste in ladies gowns," she chuckled./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Very funny, dragon," he scowled. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Besides, Professor, it's the last time I'm going to get to wear it for a while." She stepped away and made for the door to the sitting room to round up her daughter and son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He straightened his jacket as he followed her. "What are you on about? If that permanence charm hasn't worn off by now -" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""For a Slytherin you're not so quick tonight." She laughed at him over her shoulder. "I said for a while, about six to seven months actually." She looked pointedly at him, enjoying the look of confusion on his face that suddenly turned to understanding./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What again?" Their four year old son darted past him, waving a toy hippogriff that the gamekeeper had given him for Christmas as he chased his older sister. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" "Happy Birthday Sev." Maya smirked at him and patted his cheek as she waited for a sign that meant he remembered the mini-break they had taken for his birthday before the term resumed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He smiled a devilish grin. "Yes, it was a rather happy birthday at that." He plucked up their hippogriff waving son, who resembled his father in miniature, though without the sallow look of neglect that Severus had possessed at that age./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Genna, please, no running. You're only encouraging Lysander," Maya called out./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But mummy-" Genna complained./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No buts. Come on you lot, the feast will be starting any minute." Maya took Genna's hand while Lysander squirmed in Severus's arms. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yay! Can I sit by the Headmistress Mummy, can I? Or Hagrid?" Genna cried. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes, daddy, can we sit next to Hagrid?" echoed Lysander as the family started down the hall and out of the dungeons./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not for the feast tonight. There is already a table set up for the two of you and Theodore," Severus said as he secured the small boy./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""If we don't get a move on, we'll be late, and it wouldn't do for the Deputy Headmaster to be late for the Albus Dumbledore Day Feast now would it?" Maya said. However, the sting of her reprimand was diminished by the smile pulling at the corners of her lips. They had suffered much, fought bravely, and come out of the wreckage whole, and out of that war came a love that made all of this possible./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"* As Time Goes By, (1931). Performed by Billie Holiday, written by /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: #ffffff; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Herman Hupfeld./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong id="docs-internal-guid-caee63e1-7fff-640f-1ab8-557e30080a44" style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Severus, are you ready?" Maya called as she came through the sitting room they had shared since the end of the war. She could see the door to the bath open and the long form of her husband standing at the sink in his vest. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Their five-year-old daughter was dressed in her favorite velvet party dress, green ribbons holding back her raven curls. She stood mesmerized, between Severus and the sink basin, head tilted upward watching her father shave, awed each time he brought the blade across his skin and rinsed it in the shallow pool of water in the basin. Since the final battle and his last brush with death, there were some tasks that Severus Snape chose to perform the muggle way. Shaving was one of them. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As Maya watched silently, Severus finished shaving, and rinsed his face. As he did, the little girl with his dark hair and Maya's sapphire eyes took the towel from the rod and insisted on being allowed to dry his face and remove the last of the cream he missed. He effortlessly lifted her and stood her on the counter next to him so she could easily reach his face. Maya watched on, finding she could not contain her smile or the stinging behind her eyes at the tenderness of the moment. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Not many people had the opportunity to see Severus Snape this way, the quiet but loving man he was with his family. After drying his face, he lifted the little girl down again and let her help rinse the stubble from the basin. She caught sight of her mother watching in the mirror./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Mummy, I helped," she squealed and ran to Maya's arms. Severus reached for his shirt, buttoning it as he followed his daughter into the bedchamber. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So you did, and a terrific job you did too," Maya said, giving her little girl an extra squeeze. "Now go and put your shoes on and help Lysander with his. We're leaving in a moment." /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As the little girl ran from the room to find her shoes, Maya picked up her husband's jacket and the silver cufflinks she had bought him. He was halfway through his shirt buttons when he paused to tuck a stray curl back from her face. Maya's skin tingled at the feel of his thumb caressing her cheek. He cradled her face in his hands and placed a gentle kiss to her forehead, nose and finally her lips. When he released her, she threaded one cufflink through his right cuff and then his left. She pushed the sleeve up slightly just enough to see the faded mark, and gently placed a kiss there. She looked up into his dark eyes. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You are a wonderful man, Severus Snape, never forget that. You are my world." She handed him his jacket, smoothing it across his broad shoulders./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""So much change in five years," he said, pulling her to him./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Indeed. He would have been so proud of you." Maya returned the embrace./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Why do you insist on wearing that dress after all this time? People will think I don't let you visit Madam Malkin's." He waved a hand at the blue gown that highlighted her eyes./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'll have you know that I love this dress, and Albus loved it too. He told me once that he was impressed you had such good taste in ladies gowns," she chuckled./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Very funny, dragon," he scowled. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Besides, Professor, it's the last time I'm going to get to wear it for a while." She stepped away and made for the door to the sitting room to round up her daughter and son. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He straightened his jacket as he followed her. "What are you on about? If that permanence charm hasn't worn off by now -" /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""For a Slytherin you're not so quick tonight." She laughed at him over her shoulder. "I said for a while, about six to seven months actually." She looked pointedly at him, enjoying the look of confusion on his face that suddenly turned to understanding./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What again?" Their four year old son darted past him, waving a toy hippogriff that the gamekeeper had given him for Christmas as he chased his older sister. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" "Happy Birthday Sev." Maya smirked at him and patted his cheek as she waited for a sign that meant he remembered the mini-break they had taken for his birthday before the term resumed. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He smiled a devilish grin. "Yes, it was a rather happy birthday at that." He plucked up their hippogriff waving son, who resembled his father in miniature, though without the sallow look of neglect that Severus had possessed at that age./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Genna, please, no running. You're only encouraging Lysander," Maya called out./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""But mummy-" Genna complained./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""No buts. Come on you lot, the feast will be starting any minute." Maya took Genna's hand while Lysander squirmed in Severus's arms. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yay! Can I sit by the Headmistress Mummy, can I? Or Hagrid?" Genna cried. /span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yes, daddy, can we sit next to Hagrid?" echoed Lysander as the family started down the hall and out of the dungeons./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strong style="font-weight: normal;" /strong/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not for the feast tonight. There is already a table set up for the two of you and Theodore," Severus said as he secured the small boy./span/p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.2; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: Garamond; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""If we don't get a move on, we'll be late, and it wouldn't do for the Deputy Headmaster to be late for the Albus Dumbledore Day Feast now would it?" Maya said. However, the sting of her reprimand was diminished by the smile pulling at the corners of her lips. They had suffered much, fought bravely, and come out of the wreckage whole, and out of that war came a love that made all of this possible./span/p