BOOK 2: CHAPTER ONE
"Amelia, for God's sake come and get your son. He just let the snakes go again."
Wearily, Severus picked up two or three sizeable Burmese pythons and put them back into a large wicker basket.
Amelia hurried into the kitchen, which wasn't really a kitchen anymore, but a ramshackle potions lab.
"You know they're dangerous. Why did you get him two more?" she asked irritably.
Snape shrugged. "He likes them. What am I supposed to do?"
Frowning mildly, she kissed his cheek, hoisting the baby into her arms and groaning cheerfully. In just under five months, the younger Severus was crawling as fast as a ground squirrel, and making messes everywhere he went.
"You're so heavy," she said happily, kissing the baby. "I don't know what I'm going to do with you. You're into everything these days."
"Take him away," Severus said. "Go feed him to a mountain lion or something."
Laughing, she eased up beside him and smiled. "Do you like him yet?"
"Of course not."
"Sorry. Why do I bother asking?"
"He wreaks more havoc everyday. It's all that milk you keep feeding him."
She blushed and eased closer to him. "He's hungry, and it's good for him."
"It's inappropriate."
"You're so old-fashioned. It gives him all of his antibodies and nutrition."
"I suppose you're right," Severus said, in a softer, deeper tone. "I'm hungry, Amelia."
Her mouth fell open. "No. Stay away. You're always hungry."
"But it gives me my antibodies."
"You're being…horrible again." She couldn't help but laugh.
Leaning down, he kissed her softly and took his son into his arms.
"Go play with your pythons," he whispered and plopped him down on the floor.
Then, he drew Amelia into his arms, nearly snapping her in half as he bent her over in a deep embrace. She laughed and hung on for dear life, as their breathing began to come in the usual, erratic gasps.
"Severus, the baby…" she whispered, as they nearly flew into the bed as clothes began to fly, too.
"He'll be fine, I promise. God, I want you."
She slipped her arms around his neck. "Take me," she laughed.
Awhile later, or was it an hour…Amelia opened her eyes, and realized she was still tight in his embrace.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
He only kissed her fingers and pressed her hand to his heart.
"You should be. It's terribly impolite to fall asleep afterwards. At least, that's the sermon we men hear."
She only laughed softly and blushed. "I can't help it. You're too powerful, and you sap my strength."
Unable to help herself, she dissolved into more embarrassed laughter.
He only sighed and played with a lock of her dark hair.
"I'm not taking a potion, for the two-hundredth time," he reminded her. "I know you're ignoring me, and if you have another, I will leave."
She shrugged. "Let's not worry about it."
Propping himself up on an elbow, he looked at her as if she'd gone green. "Not worry about it? A baby could be on its way, as we speak."
"I hope so. That would be lovely."
"I'm not hearing this. This is a nightmare."
But she kissed him softly on the lips, in a certain way she knew he loved, and felt him respond, as his own lips traveled from her mouth, down her throat, and onto her breasts – where he began to drink as hungrily as his son.
At last, she had to smile and push him back. "Leave some for Severus," she said gently and he sighed and eased away.
"God, it's delicious. It may be helping my powers return. I think it is. Truly."
"You're more of a liar than me," she giggled.
But she was glowing, and she slipped her arms around his neck.
"You're incredible," she whispered, rolling over on top of him, a little too enthusiastically, and they both toppled out of bed onto the floor.
He was laughing his head off and she cried out again, this time in embarrassment, and buried her head in his chest.
"I love you so much," he whispered and laughed all the more. "How did I live so long without you?"
Tears formed in her eyes and she slipped her arms around his neck and pulled him close.
Later, when they walked out into the living room to check on Severus, both of them froze. Then, if it were possible, Severus blushed. He really did, though it only tinged his pale skin the slightest degree, so only she could notice. Amelia's hands fell limp at her sides and, of course, she went nearly magenta.
"Merry Christmas," Albus said brightly.
"Who is this baby with the python constricting around him?" Minerva asked, just softly enough to cut steel.
Hastily, Severus undid the python and draped it over a few branches of the Christmas tree. Amelia quickly scooped up the baby.
"May I say it?" Snape whispered into her ear. "I'm begging you. It will make this the best Christmas I've ever had. Please..."
She frowned mildly. "All right, for goodness sake."
"Merry Christmas," Snape said evenly. "This is our son, Severus Jr."
-o -S- o-
"Minerva, don't be ridiculous," Snape complained, patting her cheeks and holding a small vial of salts under her nose. "He's just a silly baby."
Sputtering and coughing, Minerva moaned and kept trying to open her eyes. Amelia took her pulse and fanned her. Albus held Severus Jr. and simply walked out of the room.
"Where are we? Oh, heavens, my head hurts," Minerva rambled.
Frowning again, Snape walked away and Amelia smiled and kissed her.
"Aunt Minerva, please, don't get up just yet. Try to relax and breathe normally."
"Relax?" she cried. "No one has powers, Draco is missing, his mother is threatening a law suit, and you two have a baby?"
Snape shrugged impatiently. "Don't look at me..."
Amelia shot him an annoyed look.
He only shrugged again and turned away.
"I think I'm going to pass out again," Minerva murmured, and she wasn't kidding. She started going down, but Amelia grabbed her in time and began patting her cheeks and giving her one more pass of salts.
Albus wandered aimlessly around the room, bouncing the baby in his arms, glancing here and there – far more at ease than many men Amelia had seen with new babies. Snape must have seen the same thing.
"I knew he was Albus'" he whispered into her ear.
Amelia stifled a smile and squeezed his hand. "Is there anyone you think isn't the father?"
"Possibly Hagrid."
Melting into laughter, she had to leave the room for a couple of minutes to calm down.
After a few more rounds of salts and so on, they managed to introduce Minerva to the baby.
"I'm so sorry I can't seem to stay...conscious," Minerva managed, and Amelia laughed and kissed her again.
"I must be tired from the trip," Minerva grasped at straws.
"What trip?" Snape muttered. "You used a port key."
"I'm sorry, Aunt Minerva. I was hoping to surprise you when we returned," Amelia explained.
"Well, this is certainly a surprise," she managed. "I'm sorry I…fainted. It was out of joy, of course."
Snape's eyes narrowed and Minerva refused to meet his gaze.
Amelia nodded understandingly. "Don't worry about it. Severus nearly relapsed when he found out about the baby, but now he loves him to death."
Snape forced a thin smile. "Amelia is still delusional from the delivery. I think something went wrong with the anesthesia."
"I didn't have anesthesia," She smiled smugly.
"That's what they all say." He smiled smugly.
Her pride faded into indignation. Her personal, baby-delivery saga instinctively popped to mind – for what would undoubtedly be the first of thousands of times.
"I go through twelve hours of hard labor…"
"Oh heavens, we just got here…" Albus groaned.
"With no anesthesia, because it was too late and I was too far gone when I made myself leave you and go to the hospital…"
Snape didn't even pretend to care.
"You left me helpless and in a coma, just to go and have a baby?" he asked in indignation.
"Things haven't changed much, I gather," Albus murmured to the baby. "You're going to have an interesting life, my boy. God help you."
Albus handed Minerva a cup of tea – and Amelia managed to help her up onto the couch.
"A son. Well, isn't that wonderful," Minerva seemed to be forcing each word out of her mouth as if it weighed ten pounds. "You both have had quite a year."
Amelia held Severus Jr. in her lap, kissing his curly dark hair and hugging him tightly. He smiled and gurgled, which made her kiss him all the more.
"Hand him over," Minerva said in defeat. "Let's meet my grand nephew."
Amelia complied, and Minerva, delicate and petite, looked completely overwhelmed by the baby – almost as if she'd topple over.
"You are handsome," Minerva conceded, giving him a peck on the cheek. "Heaven knows what you'll be like."
"A nightmare," Snape assisted her. Amelia only beamed all the brighter. "He already is, actually. Incredibly demanding."
Amelia smiled. "Don't listen to him, Aunt Minerva. He's a perfect angel."
Minerva's eyes made their way to Severus, who was somehow able to return the bewildered look and shrug, without Amelia's seeing.
Albus cleared another spot on the couch and managed to sit down amid the piles of black baby clothes, cloaks, robes and a couple of potions books.
"To what do we owe this pleasure?" Amelia finally asked, realizing that there must be some reason they'd made the long journey. "And it is such a joy to see you both, especially at Christmas."
"Yes, I'm overwhelmed," Snape added.
"Well, it's been a little too quiet around Hogwarts, and we've missed you," Albus said. Amelia kissed his cheek and he blushed.
"We've missed you all terribly," she replied. "This is the best Christmas ever – with all of us being together."
They smiled, but there was something sad in their expressions that bothered her. Severus caught it, too. She could see vague anxiety in his eyes, and she could feel it, too.
"Oh, where are my manners," she fussed, pushing those doubts away. "You all must be starving. I was about to start dinner. I haven't cooked a full, Christmas dinner in years."
Snape frowned. "You can't cook. There's no goose."
"That horrid python ate it."
He shrugged carelessly.
Minerva closed her eyes and took deep breaths.
Amelia smiled sweetly. "I'll manage. You all visit while I improvise in the kitchen. There must be something I can whip up."