Karma Snape sat in her office at the Daily Prophet reviewing the obituary. The editor had apologized for asking her to do it but a member of the family was the best resource even though it was an unhappy duty.

Survived by son and daughter-in-law Simon Albus Snape and Dominique Weasley Snape and grandchildren Hermione Fleur Snape, William Severus Snape and Dominic Simon Snape.

Karma considered whether to include middle names for her niece and nephews. They were called Ione, Will and Dom but that was too casual. Maybe just first names. She thought about her brother's eventual obit. When the time came it would rightly designate him as the foremost wand-maker in the wizarding world.

Daughter and son-in-law Eileen Jean Snape and Russell Utley and grandchildren Granger Utley and Marjean Utley.

EJ loved learning as much as Mum did. After her N.E.W.T.s year at Hogwarts she had attended a Muggle university and medical school besides her studies at St. Mungo's. She was not only an extremely skilled Magical Healer but a fully accredited doctor as well. It had been no surprise when EJ and Rusty made a match of it. Karma had heard how Rusty was a bit smitten when he first met his best friend's Mum.

"If Mum is your type, so is EJ. They're very alike." Simon had been silent as he realized what he just said. "No, forget it," he said, horrified. "Don't start liking my sister!"

"She's 12, you perv," Rusty replied and Simon was relieved until he added "I'll wait a few years." Rusty had said it to wind Simon up but it had turned out to be true.

Daughter Karma Faith Snape and son Tobias Lyon Snape.

Neither she nor Toby was married yet and they had no children. Toby was a true animal adept and quite famous. Karma had done well in Ravenclaw but she still wasn't sure what she wanted to do in life. She liked working at the DP but it felt like she was marking time. She supposed she would marry eventually and have children. Most witches and wizards did marry and often quite young but the age had risen in the past few decades. Just as well. Magical abilities tended to extend your lifetime well beyond the Muggle average and once bonded, separation was rare.

Being married forever had worked for her parents. Daddy was lots older than Mum but the age difference had never seemed to matter. Neither had the gap between children. It was like having two families. Mum and Dad said it was fun doing favorite things twice. They had taken Simon and Eileen to the resort where they spent their honeymoon and 10 years later they took Karma and Toby.

Their marriage had been remarkably happy. They weren't always in perfect accord, there were times when they were out of temper with each other and out of patience but they had never been out of love. Maybe it was enduring the dark times of Voldemort's return that had made them never take their life together for granted.

There had been loss as well. Karma remembered when the Grands died. First Gramp after Toby's first year at Hogwarts and then Gran followed two years later. Their funerals had been attended by more witches and wizards than Muggles. The Grangers had outlived many of their Muggle friends. In the wizarding world the Potters and the Weasleys had known the Grangers well. Old Arthur Weasley had been quite cut up by Gramp's passing. He was still delighted to tell the story of his dental appointment. Arthur had returned the favor by taking Gramp out in his restored Ford Anglia. It was an unauthorized flight and apparently there had almost been an official incident but Harry and Ron had smoothed it over.

Hagrid had also attended. He had arrived not in his horrible hairy brown suit but in an equally hideous gray sharkskin that he felt was more suited to the dignity of his years.

Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy hadn't known the Grangers well but they came to the funerals out of respect for Mum and Dad. Time really did change things, Mum had told Karma. Old hurts healed, events you considered unforgivable were repented and forgotten.

Just last year they had lost Prince. No running off to Hogwarts this time. he was gone for good. And yet not really. Toby, who hadn't learnt to cast a Patronus charm until recently, had chosen Prince as his Patronus. Now that the sharp sadness was past, it was lovely to get a message from Toby and to see Prince again.

Karma finished the obituary and Apparated to Spinner's End. She had a flat in London but she visited often. Tonight the house was dark and empty. She wandered through the rooms until she heard a pop in the entrance hall and went to meet her father. She was just starting dinner when there was another pop and Hermione came into the kitchen.

"Mum, we didn't expect you."

"I thought you were meeting with the Muggle Prime Minister," Snape said.

"It got rescheduled for tomorrow night. I'm glad the PM is a woman. We get on so well together. She seems to enjoy it too, she says it's fun dishing about husbands and children."

Snape blanched. "She doesn't know who we are, I hope?"

"Your anonymity is intact," Hermione assured him while rolling her eyes at Karma. "Your father's dislike of publicity is practically pathological. I'm sure there's a syndrome for it. I must ask Eileen."

"How was work?" Snape asked Karma, deliberately changing the subject. "What shall we be reading in the Daily Prophet tomorrow?"

"You wouldn't want to read what I was working on today. In fact you wouldn't be around to read it if it was actually being published. I updated your obituaries."

"How macabre," Hermione said.

"Rather presumptuous," Snape added.

"You are Minister of Magic and Headmaster of Hogwarts. The DP keeps obituaries on everyone important just in case." Karma paused for a moment. "Speaking of Daddy's privacy issues, I had a thought while updating the obits. I'd like to write your biographies. Both together in one book."

"Absolutely not," Snape said immediately.

"Hear me out," Karma said. "I know you've always refused to have an authorized biography and everyone has been just afraid enough of you not to attempt an unauthorized one. But now that Mummy is Minister of Magic someone will do it so it might as well be me."

"She's right, Severus. I think it's time."

Snape sighed. "I retain final editing rights."

"Don't be silly. You won't let me put anything good in. It would be dull and awful and no one would want to read it."

Snape smiled. "Precisely."

Hermione intervened. "I will review the final copy. You know I'm not paranoid like your father but I won't let anything too embarrassing be published."

Snape gave in. Hermione was musing about a long-ago memory: "Lucius Malfoy once said we were the premier power couple of the wizarding world."

Karma reached for her eScroll. "I've got to make a note. That's a great quote."

"Don't put that in!" Snape ordered in his Headmaster's voice.

"Daddy, it's perfect. It's true and it's well put. I think I'll interview the Malfoys. In fact I'll have to interview all your friends: The Potters, Weasleys, Dursleys. And Hagrid, of course."

Snape closed his eyes. "My only hope is that my obituary will be published before your book."