Chapter 25: The Envious Shade Of Green
{A/N: Here's Another Update...for the guests wondering...Yes there was a valid reason for the previous chapter...}
My Thanks To All My Readers and Reviewers...Enjoy S.S.
{"I want to take his eyes out...Just for looking at you...Yes I do...I want to take his hands off...Just for touching you...Yes I do...And I want to rip his heart out...Just for hurting you...And I want to break his mind down...Yes I do...And I want to make him...Regret life since the day he met you...Yes I do...And I want to make him...Take back all that he took from you...Yes I do..."}Just For, Nickleback
The Ministry Of Magical Offices, Wizarding World...
Hermione Granger had been patiently awaiting her appointment to see the Minister of Magic. She couldn't wait to be rid of Ron Weasley's last name and all that came with it. Harry had joined her for the proceedings unsure of what would be happening. The children had tagged along of course but he had promised to keep them well behaved while the ruling was passed down. Currently, he found that it was easier said than done with them running about and given to wayward magic. Hugo had taken off at a run and had gotten too far away from a frantic Harry whom had been wishing he spelled the boy to his seat. The young Weasley boy giggled as he moved about the embittered crowd of jaded witches and wizards attempting to do their business and be done with it.
"HUGO GET BACK HERE THIS INSTANT!" demanded Harry as he moved through the crowd.
This only inspired more disobedience on the part of Hugo.
"HUGO WEASLEY YOU GET BACK HERE NOW!" demanded Hermione whom had joined the chase following Harry's inability to capture the boy.
The already nerve-wracked witch had been holding tight to her daughter's hand as they ran through the office.
The boy continued to ignore the voices of his uncle and mother as he zipped through the crowd. He had not gotten as far from them as he would have liked when he found himself levitating from the office floor.
The small boy came face to face with the very wizard responsible for casting the silent spell and simply giggled in delight.
"UNCLE BASTIAN!" he cheered.
Severus Snape in the form of the more youthful Sebastian Prince smirked at the clever little tyke. He had indeed inherited his mother's keen intellect as well as her sense of adventure. It just so happened that Snape was well on his way toward the very appointment that Hermione had scheduled for today.
"Quite the little trouble maker as always aren't you Hugo?" asked Snape in his slightly varied baritone drawl.
"YAY UNCLE BASTIAN!" shouted Hugo immediately hugging Snape once the spell brought him into the noticeably young wizard's grasp.
Harry had rounded the corner frantic in his search for his only nephew. Hermione had beat him to it with Rose still in her grasp. The amber eyes of the concerned mother met those seemingly familiar obsidian of Sebastian Prince. She gasped in utter shock when she noticed how her son was clinging to him. The heat behind his eyes had been unmistakable as she took in the sight of him. There was no mistaking Severus Snape for her given how close they had gotten but the shock of his return to the wizarding world had been truly affecting.
"What's the matter witch?" he asked in a charming tone. "You look as though you've seen a ghost."
"Bastian." chanted Hugo happily in his arms. "Missed you Uncle Bastian."
Rose had squealed in surprise as well. She made her way over toward Snape when Hermione inadvertently released her hand.
"Hi Uncle Bastian." she said with a smile as sweet as her mother's. "We missed you very much."
Harry Potter had been thrown through a loop as he watched his niece and nephew embrace the strange wizard before Hermione too hugged him tightly in a familiar way.
"Hey." he said getting the attention of the four of them. "W-Who's this bloke?"
Snape froze for an instant as he looked into the familiar emerald eyes of Harry James Potter. The son of the woman whom he had loved since his boyhood. She had chosen another and still he loved her, he was so willing to go so far as to die to ensure the boy's safety to prove it. That was until a certain bushy haired girl with formerly buck teeth kissed him on his death bed.
"You must be...Harry." said Sebastian Prince carefully shuffling a stubborn Hugo in a bid to extend his right hand in a bid to shake Harry's.
The green eyed boy turned man in the wake of the dark lord's fall glared at him with suspicion.
"You must be the bloke Hermione goes on so much about." he said not at all trusting this strange wizard.
Snape smiled pleasantly despite the apparent mistrust on the part of Potter.
Some things never changed it seemed.
"Harry!" said Hermione turning her attention toward her best friend. "Sebastian is a wonderful wizard...and unlike Ron he actually cares about me the children."
The green eyed wizard sighed attempting to give his overprotective nature a rest. Truth be told, since Ron's callous antics...he had not believed any bloke good enough to be with Hermione.
"No need to scold him love, he's simply looking after you." said Sebastian in a respectable tone. "I expected nothing less from the bloke that saved the entire wizarding world from the dark lord."
There was something like an insult neatly packaged in that bit of praise that Harry couldn't get passed. This Sebastian Prince had definitely been from Snape's family tree or at the very least like minded.
"Well, it seems you two have the children in hand." said Hermione with a sigh.
She had not been sure how Snape was going to pull off being this close to the Minster of Magic and not be recognized. He had been difficult to recognize as far as anyone who's known him prior to his new life in the muggle world had been concerned.
Hugo had been cooing happily in Snape's arms while Rose clung to his free arm and hand. Harry had not liked how immediately taken the children had been with this strange new wizard but he had housed them for three months and saved their lives during that horrible accident Ron had been the cause of.
"You'd better not hurt them." warned Harry as he met Sebastian's gaze.
"I have no intention of doing anything of the sort, Mr. Potter." replied the seemingly arrogant raven haired wizard.
Once more Harry was reminded of how Snape use to say his name with barely concealed contempt.
This one was definitely like minded with Snape.
"That's enough you two." said Hermione. "Harry he's my soon to be boyfriend so you'd better get use to each other, Sebastian play nicely."
"Of course love." replied Sebastian with a charming smile in the direction of the beautiful young witch.
Harry shook his head. Sebastian seemed to be truly taken with Hermione despite the short amount of time anyone has known of his existence. He felt a bit out of the loop as the two of them briefly chatted about gardens and Hugo's love of tomatoes since their visit with him. They reached the bench from before with Sebastian sitting beside Hermione and still holding a very adamant Hugo whom had not wished to allow him to slip from his grasp.
"What brings you out to the wizarding world?" asked Hermione curious about Snape's visit.
"I was already here looking in on a few old friends and I figured I'd see how the progress was going with your divorce." replied Sebastian truthfully. "The intent was to be tasteful and allow you to conduct your business but then...Hugo had other ideas it seems."
Hermione giggled a bit noting her son's stubborn nature in his continued clinging to the dark wizard between them.
Rose had been content to sit beside them holding her Uncle Harry's hand and watching her baby brother soak up a good deal of attention from their shared Uncle Sebastian.
"I suspect they both missed you lots." said Hermione with a smile.
Harry noticed she had been less anxious and more sure of herself in this strange wizard's presence. It was almost as if he had inspired her to return to the witch she was before the disastrous marriage to Ron had taken it's toll.
"What do you do for a living Sebastian, if you don't mind my asking?" said the green eyed wizard attempting to make conversation.
"Well...to be honest Harry I don't do much of anything for a living any more given the nature of things here after the dark lord's fall." replied Sebastian. "I have a considerable amount of wealth and a good deal of time on my hands."
"No significant others nor family to speak of?" asked Harry inquisitive.
"No family since I was a boy...I suppose it's worth noting that I am the last of my line." said Sebastian again truthfully. "As for the significant other...(his obsidian eyes flickered when he turned his gaze toward Hermione)...I guess I'll have to patiently wait until she is available."
Hermione playfully smacked him across the free arm earning a glare from a very protective Hugo.
"I don't think he like that too much." said Sebastian goading the witch.
"It's your fault, you spoil him too much...and you spoil Rose as well." said Hermione pleasantly.
"Well, she is my favorite girl." replied Sebastian playfully only to be met with an elbow to his side.
Once more Harry found himself on the outside of the conversation as this strange wizard began to seem more apart of Hermione's family than was initially believed. Harry found that his best friend and her children fell into an easy comfort with Sebastian that had not even occurred when Ron had been in their lives.
Percy Weasley caught a glimpse of them all sitting on the bench and also noticed the small family setting. Ron had indeed been in danger of losing everything with this new handsome and seemingly suave bloke in the picture.
"Hermione." he said reaching them. "The Minster of Magic will see you now."
The amber eyed witch took one last look at the her children and the wizards that meant so much to her before following Percy behind the large oak door.
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The Lobby, Ministry Of Magical Offices, Wizarding World...
Silence had been seemingly impregnable as Harry James Potter glared at the mysterious Sebastian S. Prince. He had not known the nature of Hermione's relationship with him but she seemed happy enough to give the bloke a chance at least.
"You needn't worry Harry." said Sebastian suddenly breaking the silence. "I bare no ill will toward Hermione nor the children."
Harry sighed shoving his hands in his pockets.
"Listen, Mione's been through a lot." he said with concern in his tone. "After everything Ron had done...I just don't want to see her hurt again but she really seems to care for you...more than I've seen her care for anyone aside from..."
Snape noted the pause in the younger wizard's words.
"I suppose it makes sense that she'd be taken with a bloke like you." said Harry finding his words once more. "You even remind me of our former Potions Professor."
"I take it you were not very fond of him." said Sebastian observing Harry's reaction.
The green eyed wizard fiddled with his pockets once more.
"Our Potions Professor, Snape...died following the liberation of Hogwarts during the second wizarding war." he said. "I found out quite a bit about the bloke but it still left me with questions...all those years he was the one protecting me and he never said a word...Why?"
Snape sighed unsure how to go about this with Potter being so hard pressed to find answers about his past.
"Perhaps, he had his reasons." replied Sebastian. "That should be good enough given all the man suffered should it not?"
"It should be good enough." said Harry understanding. "But it isn't...all my life I was without a father...and then I find that I had one all along...but I didn't appreciate him...I didn't even like him."
"I get the feeling you weren't the only one whom had felt that way." said the raven haired wizard.
"The only one that didn't was Hermione." said Harry recalling all the times she defended the dour wizard. "I believe she saw something in Snape that no one else could or even tried to...she doesn't know that I went back that night...into the shrieking shack...I saw her kiss him."
Sebastian's eyes widened briefly. He had been so out of it that he had not recalled Potter returning.
"I-I had to try one last time." said Harry with a sad smirk. "I had hoped the duplication spell would work."
"Duplication spell?" asked Sebastian inquisitive as to what the former boy meant.
"That's right." replied Harry Potter. "I suppose there's no harm in telling you..."
Sebastian Prince had been amazed to find that Harry Potter had managed to project his words into his mind in a bid to keep their conversation private.
"The duplication spell was for the resurrection stone." Harry projected. "And it's rather good to see you again, Professor."
Sebastian Prince let out a dark chuckle before projecting his own reply.
"Well...well Potter, I was wondering how I managed to survive that particularly venomous encounter with the dark lord's serpent." he replied. "Perhaps Hogwarts did well by giving you a magical education after all."
Harry smiled.
He had the advantage of knowing what Snape looked like as a teenager given his possession of the elder wizard's memories since the end of the second wizarding war. He figured Snape would venture back to the wizarding world when he was good and ready but kept the secret of the former Professor's survival from Hermione when he noticed that Ron had been in love with her. He thought he was doing his friends a favor by allowing them both to be happy together but he found as the years progressed that the opposite was true for Hermione.
He was more than willing to keep the secret of Snape's survival for as long as the wizard required it in a bid to atone for his actions in the past.
"It is rather good to see you Potter." said Sebastian Prince.
"Likewise, Prince." replied Harry with a smile.
"So I am your new found father figure am I?" asked Sebastian with a smirk.
"I thought you'd enjoy that." replied the green eyed wizard. "Almost much as the irony that I saved your life for a change."
The two wizards sat amid the children, Hugo resting in Snape's arms on the verge of sleep and Rose holding tight to Harry's hand as they awaited the news from Hermione.
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The Lobby, Ministry Of Magical Offices, Wizarding World...
The amber eyes of Hermione Jean Granger were blazing with rage as she was informed that her divorce had gone through without a hitch but her petition for full custody of her children, given she did all the providing and care had been another matter. Ron himself had petitioned for custody of their children and he had done so with the help of his meddling mother.
It had been quite easy for Molly Weasley to throw her weight around the Ministry of Magical offices given Arthur's new weighted position following the war. Ron's lies to his mother had been so carefully constructed that she believed them without a shadow of a doubt to be the truth. The bloody weasel even used her rushing off in a rage from his previous cheating and ending up with Severus Snape, whom he knew nothing about as a way to petition that she being of Muggle-Born heritage was attempting to steal the magically inclined citizens from their home in the wizarding world.
Upon hearing this given the precious amount of magical blood remaining in the wake of the war the Minster of Magic ruled in Ron's favor. Hermione couldn't believe it, all that time she spent fighting against Voldemort due to his prejudice views on Muggles and Muggle-Borns alike and it seemed more of the same prejudices existed in the wizarding world still.
The doors burst open as a fire breathing Hermione had to be restrained by Ministry officials as she attempted to hex her no good now ex-husband. Ron did what he always did and hid behind his overbearing mother.
"You see...she's bloody mental." he said pleading his case to the Minister of Magic. "She's not fit to raise children."
"THERE IS NO WAY IN HELL YOU ARE GETTING MY CHILDREN RONALD WEASLEY!" shouted Hermione in distress.
Snape had given Hugo to Harry, whom already had Rose.
"Keep them safe." he said as he made his way over toward the enraged witch being magically restrained.
"YOU WILL NOT TAKE MY CHILDREN!" shouted Hermione with no regard for her own life in the midst of the spell casting.
"Restrain her!" shouted the Minster of Magic appalled by her behavior.
Molly shook her head.
"You see Jarvis this is what I've been telling you about." she said.
"Definitely mental." said Ron concurring with his mother and the Minster of Magic.
"What's going on here?" asked Sebastian Prince seconds from drawing his wand and hexing the lot of them.
"Who is this bloke?" asked Ron stepping in front of his mother with outrage on his face.
Snape ignored the insignificant little insect and turned his attention to Hermione.
"Let her go." he demanded.
"You do not get to make demands of the Minister of Magic young man." said the man known as Jarvis.
"Apparently, that title didn't stop the Weasley matriarch from doing that very thing." said Sebastian annoyed.
"You will watch how you speak to your betters boy." said Jarvis enraged.
Snape rolled his eyes and made his way over toward the officials restraining Hermione. One of them had been Percy Weasley.
"Mr. Weasley, kindly take your wand off my girl." he said in a civilized tone despite the rage behind his obsidian eyes.
"Y-You're with Hermione Mr. Prince?" asked Percy stunned.
"Indeed I am considering the finalization of her divorce." replied Sebastian. "I had come to take her and the children home."
"And where would this home be?" asked Jarvis with his eyes narrowed at Sebastian.
"Formerly Malfoy Manor." said Sebastian with a smirk. "As you well know it is within the borders of the wizarding world...and there is no danger of her running off with the children if my home within the magical community."
"This is too much to deal with for a simple word of mouth." said Jarvis annoyed. "Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley will have to return in a bid to fully decide on the best possible situation for the children...until then, I suggest you keep your Muggle-Born witch on short leash."
The Minister of Magic turned up his nose at Hermione before retreating into his office. Molly Weasley shook her head.
"For shame." she said in disapproval. "Taken up with a wizard and the ink on your divorce parchments haven't even dried...you are no more fit to raise my grandchildren then you were to be married to my son."
"Molly, I suggest you learn to keep that infernal trap you call a mouth shut or at the very least stuffed with food you are often so prone to consuming considering your rotund form." said Sebastian before Hermione could say anything.
"Well I never!" said Molly retreating into the office. "You are a horrible young man."
"It's not the first time I've been told that." replied Sebastian. "But I'll be this is the first time someone has told you to mind your own fucking business...last I checked that idiot boy you birthed is the one who should be examined and firmly kicked in the seat of his trousers."
Hermione did her best to keep from laughing as Molly finally disappeared into the office.
Ron Weasley glared rather murderously at the wizard whom had taken charge during a rather hostile situation.
"You should follow your own advice about minding your own business." he said hatefully. "This is between my wife and myself."
"She isn't your wife any more." replied Sebastian glaring just as murderously at Ron.
"No...she isn't." replied the red head wizard. "But those are still my children and no matter how much you wish it otherwise they will always have my blood running through their veins."
With a smirk he too retreated toward the office.
"My children will be coming home with me sooner or later Hermione." he said.
It wasn't long before he found himself tripping over his own feet and into the door as it closed violently behind him. Percy released Hermione whom had run over toward Sebastian and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"Thank you so much." she said gratefully.
"Don't thank me just yet...this is far from over." replied Sebastian.
"I know." replied Hermione catching her breath in the wake of all that happened. "It's just that, they were going to take them here and now and you bought us more time."
"I know how much you love them." said Sebastian stroking her cheek with his lengthy pale fingers.
The two of them shared a careful kiss before she pulled back and looked around.
"W-Where's Harry?" she asked.
"He's taken the children home." replied Sebastian. "Once I saw the commotion I knew they were coming for the children...he and I agreed on the best course of action in light of the situation."
"You finally agreed on something?" asked Hermione skeptical.
"Indeed." replied the raven haired wizard. "There's more."
"More?" asked the amber eyed witch. "What could there possibly be..."
"Potter knows." said Sebastian meeting Hermione's gaze.
The look of surprise left her stunned.
"Are you sure?" she asked finding her voice.
The elegant dressed wizard nodded.
"He's always known." he said.
The couple made their way to the floo. The emerald green flames carried them to Harry Potter's residence.
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The Potter Residence, The Burrows, Wizarding World...
Harry Potter had looked as if he was prepared for a fight when they stepped through into his sitting room. He had been relieved when the intruders had actually been welcomed guests.
"UNCLE SEV!" shouted Hugo rushing over toward Snape as he exited the floo.
He had still remained in the form of Sebastian Prince but everyone present had known of his true identity.
Snape picked up the giddy boy whom hugged him once more resting his head against the elegantly dressed wizard's chest. Rose had tears in her eyes as she had witnessed the entire commotion and had grown afraid for her mother.
"Mummy." she said racing over toward Hermione and throwing her arms around her.
The amber eyed witch embraced her daughter and smiled pleasantly at her son. Her small family remained intact for another day thanks to Snape's quick thinking and previous efforts.
"It's alright Rose." she said attempting to comfort her daughter.
"I-I'm glad you're alright Mione." said Harry sadly. "You too Professor."
Hermione shook her head.
"Nothing get's passed you does it, Harry James Potter?" she asked with a small smile.
"Not when it concerns Snape at least." said Harry. "I've had a lot of years to reflect."
"That you have." replied Snape with a smirk.
"I suppose it will be alright for all of you to sleep here for the night." said the green eyed wizard. "Ginny's still out with the children...and to be honest this house is kind of empty without them."
"I appreciate the hospitality Potter." said Snape.
"As do I." said Hermione. "Thanks Harry."
"D-Don't mention it." he replied with his hands fiddling about in his pockets. "I-I'll give you both some time to...well talk...Rose, Hugo you want to help me in the kitchen?"
"Is there chocolate?" asked Rose with an inquisitive expression.
"There is now." replied Snape with a wave of his hand.
"Yay chocolate!" piped Hugo, he suddenly looked at Snape sternly. "No leave Uncle Sev."
"I'm in for the night Hugo, I promise." said the former Potions Professor.
It seemed good enough for the boy and he happily joined his older sister and uncle in the kitchen.
Snape turned his attention to Hermione. Once they were alone she had no other reason to hold back the tears that had fallen from her eyes. The Potions Professor pulled her into his strong embrace and she let out all her carefully maintained sorrow against his chest. The feeling of safety had been a welcome comfort given how her day ended.
Before they knew it, they were sharing a series of desperate and painstakingly slow kisses.
"Please don't leave me." said Hermione, it had not been lost on Snape how small her voice had become beneath the weight of her sorrow.
"As I told Hugo before, I wouldn't dream of it." he replied.
They shared another series of desperate slow kisses before he talked her into lying down for a few moments. The near loss of her children had been draining and she had been prepared to fight to the death for them. Snape held Hermione in his arms and kissed the top of her head as she leaned against his chest.
"Rest." he said softly. "I'm here...and so are the children."
Hermione could do little to stop the tear that tickled down her cheek despite the comfort of Snape's words. This was going to be an uphill battle for her and she was rather fortunate that she had the wizarding world's greatest heroes at her side. Severus S. Snape, former spy for The Order of Phoenix as well as former Headmaster of Hogwarts and her best friend Harry James Potter, the vanquisher of Voldemort.
If there was going to be a fight, she had the two best wizards in her corner for the long haul.