Chapter 28
Winter drew in quickly during Lyra's first term. Snow and frost was battering the castle as early as November, and many remarked that it looked like a long and bitter winter ahead of them. The young student witch herself was as snug as a bug in the green glow of the Slytherin dungeon common room, situated beneath the surface of the Black Lake.
Lyra was sprawled in a huge armchair before the roaring fire, deep in thought about her History of Magic class earlier that day. Only a couple of generations previously, it would have been unthinkable for a student of mixed parentage such as herself to be admitted into Slytherin house. She knew her mother had experienced bullying at the hands of Slytherin students during her time at Hogwarts, solely because of her Muggle heritage. It was so far beyond Lyra's comprehension of what was fair and just, that she resolved to study the subject in great detail.
The early winter created problems in the extensive Hogwarts grounds, as Rolf Scamander and Hagrid had to battle the elements to create shelter for the many creatures under their care, aided by Eleri, Lorcan, and some of the keener Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws from his Care of Magical Creatures class. Eleri used his skill at communicating with the animals to calm them as shelters were built using a mixture of magic and manual labour, and encouraged them to enter the shelters once they were completed.
Come rain or shine, Eleri and Lorcan could be found either with Hagrid, or Lorcan's father, assisting with game-keeping duties, securing the forest, or helping with the magical creatures. Despite the four-year age difference, the two Hufflepuffs were the best of friends, and not just because they had grown up together at Hogwarts. They had the same interests and the same outlook on life. Both Eleri and Lorcan planned to stay at Hogwarts forever, working in the outdoors and living in the grounds like Hagrid.
Lorcan had confided that he thought his parents would start travelling again once he and Lysander had finished their NEWTs and began their working lives, and with Eleri he made eager plans to take over the wooden treehouse cabin as their shared home in due course.
Auden was still tromping about the castle in a foul mood, and he couldn't be blamed, really, as all his playmates were now sorted into their houses and enjoying life as Hogwarts students; and Auden still had another two years to go before he could begin his formal schooling. He glared out moodily from his place at the head table between his parents, shooting death stares at Lyra, Vesper and Arianne at the Slytherin table, all being giggly and annoying, and pretending not to be looking at the older boys. Eleri and Lorcan were at the quiet end of the Hufflepuff table, enjoying supper with their small group of like-minded friends.
Lysander had gone all high-brow since being sorted into Ravenclaw, and was carrying on a clearly in-depth conversation with a prefect as he ate. All his Weasley cousins were in Gryffindor, having a fine old time as they talked and laughed raucously throughout supper. Auden felt like an overgrown baby seated between his parents, and he hated it. He felt so humiliated.
Hermione had spotted her son's gloomy face and tried to reassure him, but there was nothing she could say to appease his snit. For a child who looked so much like her, with dancing brown eyes, curly brown hair and a smattering of freckles across his nose, he certainly reminded her of Severus when he was in a bad mood. Their youngest boy could sulk impressively for days.
His father was not so understanding as his mother.
"For Merlin's sake, Auden, if you do not desist with this mooning about I shall enrol you in the local Muggle primary school forthwith, to give you something to do all day," Severus chided, as he cut his roast beef.
"Maybe you should. It would be better than being stuck here, on my own," Auden snapped back.
Hermione saw Severus wince at his son's harsh words, although it wasn't Auden's fault that he didn't understand. Auden had been brought up with all the love and care that had been denied to his father; and to his brother in his early years with the Cordoba family. Auden had never had to struggle for acceptance, had to defend himself against violent parents, or have to constantly apologise for who he was.
Severus had spent his childhood disappointing his father because of his magic, and Eleri had spent his early years disappointing his mother because of the lack of his. Severus and Eleri had been neglected, physically hurt and emotionally abused. Auden had everything so easy; he had always been loved and cherished, constantly encouraged and applauded. It was little wonder that their youngest was not coping well with this minor setback.
"I suggest you watch your tongue when addressing me, Auden. Your childish sulking is becoming irritating. You will attend Hogwarts in good time, as you well know. In the meantime, you will have to wait. That is life. It is not always exactly as one would like it."
Auden had the good sense to cease his moaning after that warning, and turned his attention to his supper, whilst still eyeing his siblings and friends with jealousy, although it was concealed a little better after his father's sharp admonishment.
- xxx –
Two weeks later, preparations were well in hand for the annual Yule Ball. This was for fourth-years and above, and Eleri was about to attend his first formal event. This meant he was shipped off with the other fourth-year Hufflepuffs to receive ballroom dance instruction with their Head of House, Rolf Scamander, who was surprisingly light of foot, and understanding of the boys' natural reticence towards having dance lessons.
Eleri had asked Danicca Edwards, a fifth-year Hufflepuff, for the pleasure of being her escort for the ball. He was feeling a little disappointed as Lorcan would not be attending, being far too young, but the shy and reserved Danicca seemed to be delighted to be asked, even by a fourth-year. Eleri had suspected that she had not been inundated with offers from prospective partners, and the glowing smile and genuine gratitude she bestowed upon him when he asked, was worth his plucking up the courage to do so.
Hermione had sent Eleri's new dress robes to the Hufflepuff common room with Toddy, who was still his favourite house-elf, after all these years. Eleri was nothing if not extremely loyal to those he loved. She would have loved to have been there, fussing over her son herself as he dressed for his first formal occasion, but knew that none of the other boys would have their mothers there, so quickly quelled that impulse. She looked forward to seeing her handsome boy as he made his entrance to the Yule Ball with Miss Edwards, a sweet, but socially awkward girl. Hermione was not surprised when Eleri told her that he was to be escorting Danicca, it was typical of his kind nature to seek out a girl whose need of a caring partner was a little greater than most.
Hermione sat on the edge of the bed in their private chambers, and watched Severus put the finishing touches to the elaborate cravat on his dress robes. All black of course, but paired with a gorgeously soft charcoal grey cravat. Just into his seventies, her wizard still radiated sexuality and raw magical power. His raven hair had only the slightest smattering of grey, and the new lines on his face only made him look more dignified, in her opinion. She felt the urge to squeeze his arse cheeks through his trousers. The skinny, underfed bum of his younger years had been replaced with a round, soft bottom that she loved to grab hold of. He turned around and gave his wife his signature raised eyebrow.
"Do not think I cannot see you, eyeing my behind and planning an ambush," he warned her, drily and with poorly-concealed amusement and delight.
"Are you using Legilimency on me? How rude."
"I do not need to, wife. Your intentions are written all over your Gryffindor face."
She sidled up to him, and cupped a squashy bum cheek with her right hand, giving it a firm squeeze.
"Are you complaining?" she asked, lowering her eyelashes at him.
"I am when your intention is to send me to the Yule Ball, in front of a hall full of students and my staff, with a most inconvenient erection."
Hermione pulled a mock-disappointed face and heaved a great sigh.
"Ah well, I shall just have to wait until later to claim my marital rights."
"Witch, you will not have even closed the chamber door tonight before I have that dress ripped from your body," he promised, planting a quick, but promising, kiss on her mouth.
As a treat, and because his parents and all the staff and house-elves were otherwise engaged with the Yule Ball, Auden had been permitted to spend the evening and night with Hagrid, staying in the elderly gamekeeper's hut. To his credit, Hagrid had seemed just as delighted as Auden by the prospect, and had made him up a comfortable bed on a pallet by the fire. Less enticing were the rock cakes he had produced for supper, but Hermione was sure that Auden would bear them cheerfully enough.
- xxx –
Hermione caught her breath with a gasp of motherly pride as she saw Eleri enter the Great Hall, which had been transformed into a winter palace strung with glittering ice baubles and snow conjured to fall from the enchanted ceiling. Eleri Snape looked every inch his father's son in his formal dress robes, his long black hair just touching his shoulders, straight and glossy rather than his usual wild mess. The sparkle of the wintery decorations reflected off the glassy surface of his endless black eyes that had albeit confirmed their genetic bond, all those years ago.
Eleri was tall like Severus, but sturdier and ruddier than his father had been at the same age, due to many years of exceptional Hogwarts nourishment the vast amount of time he spent doing manual work out of doors. Severus leaned forward, looking at their son with the same amount of admiration, and placed his lips close to her ear.
"Now that is how I would have looked, had Circe, in her wisdom, not graced me with this eagle's beak in the centre of my face."
Hermione laughed, quietly.
"I love your nose. You would not be you without it."
"A shocking lie, but thank you. I must say, that tonight I find myself exceptionally proud of our fine son. He is quite the debonair young wizard among this company. Let us hope that he remains so, and is not so reckless as that group of Slytherins I see trying to purloin firewhisky from the adult beverage table. Excuse me, my love, whilst I go and offer the appropriate advice to the miscreants."
Severus left Hermione alone, and she watched Eleri whirl Danicca about the dance floor with grace and skill - he had clearly been paying attention in his compulsory dance classes. How well he fitted in here! How could she have borne to send him away to a Muggle school, away from his family, away from his own culture, away from his birth right?
Since Eleri's admission, three more Squib children had enrolled at Hogwarts, a girl in the year below him, who had also been sorted into Hufflepuff, and two boys the following year, both of whom had been placed in Gryffindor. She supposed that the Sorting Hat did not want to set a precedent for Hufflepuff being dubbed "the Squib house". There were no Squibs in the current crop of first years.
Hermione had assisted Severus to prepare timetables for each one of the Squib students to reflect their level of capability. It was different for each child, as each had a differing amount of magical skill, or an area where they had affinity. Squibs were interviewed thoroughly before admission, along with their parents, to allow their personalised timetable to be produced. All in all, their plan had gone swimmingly well, and the full legislation allowing any child with proven magical heritage to be permitted to attend Hogwarts had been passed two years previously.
The uptake on school places for Squibs was still slow, but they had four and that was progress. She could not change the wizarding world overnight, as much as she would have liked to.
Severus handed her a goblet of wine with a broad smirk on his face that suggested he had just relieved Slytherin of a few house points, and resting his free hand lightly on hers, they returned their gaze to the wintery dance floor, and watched their eldest son with pride.
- xxx –
Eleri had been hanging his dress robes in his dormitory wardrobe when he remembered that he'd promised Hagrid he would assist him to get all the Puffskeins inside their shelter for the night. The spherical creatures that were covered in soft custard-coloured fur were little demons for getting inside at night, not knowing or caring that they would either freeze or be mauled to death if left out in the Forbidden Forest overnight.
Hagrid, now elderly and with only one arm after an incident with a Blast-Ended Skrewt, found it difficult to round up all the energetic Puffskeins and get them into their overnight shelter.
With the happy memories of the evening still fresh in his head, for Danicca Edwards had been excellent company and the two of them had laughed all night, enjoying every part of their first Yule Ball, and he had escorted her to the girls' dormitory before heading for his own; Eleri pulled on his jeans, boots and a Hufflepuff Quidditch team sweatshirt, before heading for a side door that exited nearest the hillside where Hagrid's hut stood at the bottom. He was not scared, despite the howling wind and freezing temperatures. He had lived at Hogwarts since he was three years old and the whole castle and its ground were his home.
Halfway down the hill, Eleri though it might have been wise to put on a cloak over his sweatshirt, but it would only impede him chasing after the errant Puffskeins, and he was sure to work up a warm sweat doing so. He noticed that Hagrid's door was hanging open, and could see candles and a fire burning inside.
Reaching the door stoop of the hut, Eleri stepped inside, instantly noticing that Hagrid was not at home. There was an empty pallet bed in front of the fire where his younger brother was supposed to be sleeping. Where on earth could the two of them be, this late at night and in the freezing cold?
