Disclaimer: Not mine.


Sequel to Finding Home

or

Home Again, Home Again, Jiggety-Jig

Chapter 29


Hermione paced the sitting room, occasionally stopping at the bottom of the stairs to try to hear what they were saying. She knew Severus would have cast a silencing spell around the room, and smirked as he had done it, knowing that she would be sitting on the floor outside the door if he did not. The family's saying was quickly becoming Dad threats go straight to the door's ears. She fumed and looked at the clock to see how much longer the spell would hold. Just as she was about to take her position she heard the door open and softy close, and saw Severus come walking down to her.

"He does not like having a room next to the twins," Severus said stiffly. "They make too much noise for him."

"They make too much noise? They are the ones that complain about him," she grinned at him. "I take it he is talking."

"Next time give me an idea about what he wants before I go in there."

"I told you, he just wants to spend time with you."

"You are a witch, you would not understand. Boys want things, brooms, pictures their mothers should not know about, things like that. He however … wants … Muggle things. Things that I have no idea what he is asking for. He laughed at me Hermione, laughed when he asked for a pod and I said I would ask Longbottom to secure one for him."

"It's called an I-pod. What other kind of things?" She looked at him oddly then walked up close and peered at his face. "Do you have a nose bleed?"

"I do not." He ran a finger under his nose and frowned when it came away with blood. "And I will have you know I did not hit him."

"Oh my god," she turned and began to run up the stairs when Galen came to the top of the stairs and looked down at her.

"Hi Mum, did he tell you?" he said brightly.

"Galen Snape you get down here," Hermione stopped halfway up and looked down at Severus furiously. "You bastard, you hit him. Look at his eye. You hit my baby!"

"Mum? He didn't…"

She clutched him to her chest and stood on the steps unwilling to let go of him.

"Severus Tobias Snape! Explain yourself!"

"He broke my nose. It was self defence."

"Self defence? He is a child, a child half your size. You can heal that thing you call a nose, but what is he to do?"

"No Mum, I did, I really did. It was really neat. He said to show him what I was talking about and then I did and I got him good."

She saw Severus smirk and turned back to Galen, grabbing his jaw and turning his head from side to side. She scowled and turned him around as she pulled out her wand and began to run it over his body checking for injuries.

"What else did he do to you?" She glared at Severus and pointed her wand at him. "Don't be afraid Galen. I won't let him hurt you. You can tell me."

"Mum, uummm, put down the wand Mum."

"Your son has a fine point Hermione," Severus watched the wand lower to his key parts and swallowed hard. "You really need to calm down. I did not hit him."

"Really Mum, I was showing him my martial arts."

Hermione saw Severus' lip twitch and felt Galen tugging her arm down. Looking from husband to son she suddenly felt foolish and lowered her arm completely.

"Son, if you ever have a witch of your own remember this moment, and never, never allow her two wands."

"Okay, that's enough." Hermione walked back down the stairs. "Now tell me what is going on."

"Nothing that concerns you witch," Severus smirked at her.

"Yeah, like he said," Galen smiled up at his father. "Right Dad?"

"She will have to know about the lessons," Severus raised an eyebrow and looked down at Galen. "She is after all the one that will be taking you."

Galen tugged his father's shirtsleeve and crooked his finger to have him lean down.

"She'll say no. Do we have to?"

"I am afraid so son," he scowled.

"Dad?" Galen cupped his hands around Severus ear and whispered. "If you say you're sorry she won't be mad no more. Maybe she will let you stay."

Severus pulled away and looked up to Hermione then turned back to Galen's ear. "I'll let you in on the secret if you don't tell the others. It is only when she does not threaten that you worry."

Galen grinned and nodded and Severus was surprised to see him wink. Feeling his lip twitch, he stood up and faced Hermione who stood with her hands on her hips.

"Well witch," he sniggered. "It appears that this one needs lessons. He not only needs to know how to throw a kick but obviously how to control it."

"Galen Snape, I told you I wanted nothing to do with that… that… stuff." She turned angrily to Severus. "Ever since we got here and he saw that damned Martial Arts sign in town it is all he talks about."

"Galen, upstairs with you. Your mother and I need to talk."

"Great, another talk. You always say that and then the yelling starts and she makes you say no."

Severus looked down at the boy and back to Hermione who was watching him with a scowl.

"It is when you don't hear the yelling that you worry boy." Severus folded his arms and looked at Hermione steadily. "Your mother stops yelling when she is mad."

Severus laid his hand on Galen's head and nodded toward the stairs, waiting until he heard the boy run up and slam his door.

"Perhaps you are right," Severus said begrudgingly.

"About?"

"Galen."

"You think?"

"Come," he reached out his hand and pulled her to him. "We need to talk."

"About."

"Squibs."

"Severus, he still has a couple of years to …"

"Stop. He worries about disappointing us. As strange as it will appear to you, he is more concerned over your feelings then mine. It seems he already knows I hate him because he is a child but his true fear is that if he does not acquire magic you will hate him as well."

"Severus Snape if you were cruel to him I will never forgive you. He would never say that unless you made him."

"Hermione, stop. You have to give it up and leave him alone with this."

"I don't believe it." She sat down on the sofa and leaned back against the cushion folding her arms. "You are telling me to let it go."

"I have never wanted him other then he is. I have never thought he was less then the others."

"Nor have I Severus Snape. I just want the best for him."

"And does the best have to entail magic?"

"No, but Severus, how will he live without it? How will he be able to …?"

"The same way you did before you came to this world. The same way I did and the same way the rest of the world does. Hermione, we fought a war for others like him. I killed for them. I refuse to fall into the same mind games of those that lost this war. Do you understand?"

"He told you to tell me that I was being over protective didn't he."

"Yes, he paid me. I'll have you know he saved 8 Galleons for which he wanted change," he smirked. "It is a shame he won't be sorted, Slytherin would have been well served."

"Severus," she giggled and rolled her eyes. "You didn't take his money."

"Of course I did. To do otherwise would be to lessen his offer."

"Oh my gods, you are incorrigible."

"He is afraid of disappointing you Hermione. Make sure that he does not."

"Do you really not mind about his magic?"

"It stands between us, I will not lie to you, nor did I to him. I cannot teach my own son to live in a world I am easily lost in. Things have changed too much for me to go back, and we must find a way for him to learn."

"We could get a place in town…"

"No, Minerva has found a boarding school for him. It is Muggle, and he must hide the fact there is magic, but there is still two years to teach him how. She is looking into it for him."

"You told him?"

"He seemed not unpleased."

"I guess we have no choice in the matter."

"No, it does not appear we do."

"I know of one way," Hermione bit her lip and looked up at him.

"Don't do that. It means trouble."

"Percy was here."

"Joy," he muttered as he pinched his nose.

"There is, or was, a couple that…"

"No," he turned for the door.

"You haven't even heard me out." She held her stomach and crawled crab like from the sofa. "Get back here Severus."

"No, every time he comes around there is trouble. Flat out cold hearted trouble."

"Dad?" Galen called down. "Mum's yelling, so can I come down now?"

Severus pinched the bridge of his nose as Hermione laughed at him.

"Galen, if I put a spell on a wand would you be able to just point it at Mr. Weasley next time he comes?"

"Sure Dad," Galen grinned.

"Severus don't you dare."

"Did she tell you about them Dad?"

"Them?"

"Hush, Galen." Hermione hissed.

"Galen, come down here and see how your mother does it. Crafty she is. She was sorted wrongly, damned hat must have been drunk."

"Yeah," the boy smiled. "But Angie seems really nice and Thomas knows all about soccer. He's been showing me how to play."

"Your mother can do that. She knows everything. Let her read a book I am sure she can learn the game."

"They are orphans Severus. Percy says they are Muggle born and they had to pull all sorts of strings to get them here. Can you imagine losing your parents and then finding out you have magic all at the same time?"

"The house is too small."

"Not at all. Timothy and Galen can double up, the twins have the biggest room so we can put both Angie and Elaine in there as well, after all Elaine is going to be gone to Hogwarts. Then that will leave Thomas and the other one by themselves."

"The other one?"

"Yeah, Dad. Marcus, he's just like me."

"Their brother. Percy said even the Ministry refused to tear them apart so they insist they are kept together," she tried to smile and failed miserably.

"Dad, you'll like Marcus. He can spit further than Timothy and even knows how to cook better than Mum."

"The spitting part is remarkable, however the cooking is no shining statement as to his ability. You just have low expectations in that area."

"You don't look like I starve you," she hissed.

"Millie is mine, she would never let me die of hunger. I need to leave."

Hermione frowned at him. "The least you could do is meet them."

"We have five, the sixth in your belly, this would be nine. A total of nine. I will not become a Weasley. No, Hermione." He grabbed his cloak and stomped outside to apparate back to their Hogsmeade house.

"Mum, what's going to happen to Marcus now?"

"He didn't say absolutely no, did he? You know how your father is, all bark." She smiled at Galen as she worried her lip wondering how she was going to do this.

She suddenly started to laugh as she thought of Millie. He had never won an argument with the elf and was sure this would be no different.


A/N: two more chapters and epilogue ... the end is is sight.