Chapter Thirty Six: Perspicuus
"Where are the children?" asked Severus as he entered the silent sitting room and sat down beside his wife who was lost in a book.
"In the drawing room with Salus," she said, her eyes never leaving her page. "He's teaching them 'Perspicuus'."
"Perspic-i-what!" asked Severus who was exceptionally confused.
"It's the invisibility spell he spoke of yesterday."
"And why is he teaching them that?" asked Severus. "I specifically told him yesterday that I do not want Sebastian playing any sort of role in this war!"
"Severus," sighed Hermione as she removed her reading glasses and put down her book. "Whether you like it or not and regardless of the fact that Sebastian is too young to join the Order, Septima and Sebastian both have exception powers that are vital to our success."
"Septima has the prophecy on her side and the fact she is extremely powerful-"
"And Sebastian is a child of the Black Moon," interrupted Hermione sternly. "And as if I even need to add to that to prove my point, he has inherited your rare ability to perform both wandless and non-verbal magic!"
"Do you have to sugar coat everything?" snapped Severus. "He's a child!"
"And so was Harry!" retorted Hermione forcefully. "Look Severus, there is no point in arguing the inevitable. This war will not reach its climax for years, you know it, I know it and Albus Dumbledore sure knows it. And when that time comes, Sebastian will be an adult; an adult that will need to be prepared from an early age."
"And what if The Dark Lord strikes tomorrow?" asked Severus. "Will you be so willing to send our son off to death then Hermione?"
"If he strikes tomorrow then he is a fool," answered Hermione softly as she laid her hand on Severus' softly. "Do you honestly think this war will end anytime within the next ten years?"
"No," he answered honestly. "Neither he nor his army are strong enough to attack, and I believe that he wants to wait until he has Septima on his side."
"And when do you and Albus plan on sending her to him?"
"As soon as he next calls me," said Severus solemnly.
"I know this is going to be hard for us Severus, but we have to just accept that it is necessary and try to push forward with our lives despite what is going on around us. We have the baby to think about now, and I want him to live as normal a life as possible. Okay?"
"Yes you're right," conceded Severus with a sigh of resent towards the situation. "The Bump should be our top priority from now on."
"I think we should call him that," said Hermione with a smile.
"Call him what?"
"The Bump," informed Hermione. "The Bump Snape."
"It doesn't begin with 'S' Hermione, so no."
"Oh Severus that family tradition of yours is a load of codswallop and it'll get confusing with all the 'S' names in our family."
"It is not codswallop!" said Severus astutely. "But I can see your point about it being confusing."
"So you'll let us call him something beginning with another letter?" asked Hermione optimistically.
"We'll see," replied Severus shortly and not showing too much enthusiasm.
"I thought that whilst the children were pre-occupied by your brother, we could test out that big bathtub I saw on the top floor," Hermione said with a sultry smile.
"Get yourself upstairs then Mrs Snape," answered Severus with a suggestive twitch of the eyebrows.
"You did it!" exclaimed Salus as he watched both Septima and Sebastian disappear and then reappear simultaneously.
"That was well cool!" said Sebastian as he glanced down his body to check that he was opaque once more.
"Well done 'Bastian," said Septima with a smile.
"You too sis," came the jolly reply.
"Congratulations the pair of you," issued Salus with a proud smile playing about his face.
"We couldn't have done it without you Uncle Salus, so thank you," said Septima earnestly as she gave her much taller Uncle a firm hug.
"I just want to ensure that you're fully prepared for what may come, because I don't want to lose you both after just getting to know you."
"You won't lose us Uncle Salus," said Sebastian positively. "And we're going to kick Voldemort's arse for what he did to you."
"You're a funny boy," laughed Salus. "Now then pair of you, go and scare your Mum and Dad with your new trick."
"This is going to be great!" said Sebastian excitedly, who was imagining all sorts of ways of petrifying his parents by creeping up on them whilst under the invisibility spell!
As they reached the top of the landing, Sebastian and Septima heard voices coming from a locked room at the end of the corridor.
"Wonder what's in there?" pondered Septima with a hand gesture towards the strange sound emitting room.
"I don't know but it sounds dangerous," replied the younger of the siblings. "Maybe it's a swarm of hinkipunks."
"Come on," said Septima, "let's go and check it out."
Septima and Sebastian crept up to the large oak door and pressed their ears up against it in an attempt to figure out what sort of strange creature was locked inside.
"Oh Severus!" came the shrill noise from inside, and instantly the pair pulled their ears away from the door, a sudden feeling of nausea rushing through them.
"They do it more than me and Albus!" said Septima who had turned a nasty shade of green.
"It's just so wrong!" protested Sebastian. "Dad's far too old to be doing that!"
"He's only fifty something," replied Septima. "I hope I have a good a sex life as Mum and Dad when I'm their age."
"I'm surprised he can even keep it up at his age," mused Sebastian, earning him a slap from his elder sister.
"You've just put a horrendous image in my head!"
"Don't worry I think I've just made myself feel quite sick too!" joked Sebastian in reply.
"Come on," said Septima as she pulled her brother away from the door, "lets go for a walk in the grounds. I want to see all of Snape Manor before we leave, and I think after that, we deserve some fresh air!"
At dinner time that same day, Septima and Sebastian returned to the house, muddy and windswept from their adventures in the vast grounds of Snape Manor.
"Your dinner's been on the table for just over an hour," snapped Severus angrily as his children finally appeared in the dining room.
"Sorry Dad, we went for a walk around the grounds," explained Septima taking her seat beside Salus.
"You've been gone all day!" exclaimed Severus.
"There's a lot to explore here Severus," intervened Salus, "surely you remember our own little escapades in the grounds as boys."
"Yes I do, but we were never late for dinner and we were always smartly presented when we returned. Jut look at them," added Severus, "they look like street urchins!"
"We just had to get out though Dad," explained Sebastian with a smirk, "to cure our nausea,"
"Oh you poor things, are you ill?" inquired Hermione, once again sounding very like Molly Weasley.
"Positively," replied Sebastian, his smirk expanding across his face.
"Sebastian cut it out," said Septima as she kicked him under the table.
"What's wrong with you son?" asked Severus curiously.
"We happened to stumble upon some very strange noises coming from the bathroom earlier," informed Sebastian who could barely contain his laughter as his Mother blushed. "When we realised the cause of the noise we were overcome by a sick feeling and just had to get some fresh air!"
Salus chortled, Sebastian joined him, Severus scowled, and Septima shot her mother an apologetic look.
"Whether you did happen to hear whatever was going on between your Mother and I, it is definitely not a subject to bring up at dinner! Or ever for that matter," snapped Severus. "It's perfectly normal for a husband and wife to indulge in such activities, and it's certainly none of your business!"
"But we were concerned Dad," said Sebastian feigning a worried expression.
"About what?" asked Severus.
"Well that bloody little brother of ours is going to come out with a dint in his head, the amount you guys do it!"
"A dint in his head?" quizzed Hermione.
"He's being crude," explained Severus. "He's referring to the amount of times my penis pokes the baby's head."
Salus began to laugh so hard that the table began to shake, and even Septima who was trying to remain angry with her brother couldn't help but giggle.
"Oh dear that's terrible!" said Hermione, her mouth ajar.
"Indeed," agreed Severus. "Sebastian, apologise to your Mother."
"It was a joke Dad," protested Sebastian between giggles.
"Well its not bloody funny!" spat Severus. "I'm serious boy!"
"Sorry Mum."
"Apology accepted," replied Hermione with a smile. "Although it was sort of funny."