AN: Here's a little longer chapter for all of you! Thanks for sticking with me! I'd love to say that my original novel was completed…but that would be a lie. (sigh) I formatted it completely wrong while I was writing it, so now I have to fix it before I can publish. The good news is that I am learning a lot, and since I'll be putting my second book out in August (yes, yes, I have gone stark, raving mad) the knowledge won't be wasted!
Severus felt the wind in his feathers and decided he was glad that Hermione had suggested this. They had just wrapped up a tricky bit of research, and just in time too…the dunderheads would be back in a matter of days.
His lively bride was hip-deep in parchment at the moment: she and Minerva were busy re-working the Transfiguration syllabus, adding additional information for the seventh years and tweaking the fifth year curriculum to reflect some changes to the OWLS. He had been forbidden to attend their sessions on the completely false charge that he distracted Hermione and enjoyed baiting Minerva…sometimes employing live mice….perhaps that suggestion was not entirely false.
Even as a raven he probably looked smug at his ability to distract his lovely little wife.
But because of her distraction, Severus had found himself at loose ends.
Their alchemy research was finished until next summer; the infirmary was fully stocked for the coming influx of Quidditch-mad teenagers, and his own syllabus had changed very little from the past year, barring some unforeseen ingredient shortage.
Lucius and Narcissa were in France again…his old friends found that they preferred to remain anonymous these days, and the large pure-blood resort towns in the south of France made it rather easy. Draco had slipped into his place as Malfoy heir with the ease of one born and bred to the task…which of course he had been.
But all these events conspired to bring Severus to this moment, catching thermals as the sun began to inch toward the west, winging his way in and out of the new wards in what he would have to term a completely frivolous use of time and energy…frivolous, but exhilarating.
His wings were strong, despite having little time for long flights; he'd managed enough short ones to build up the human equivalent of his wing muscles. It didn't add much bulk to his perpetually lean frame, but his wife had commented. He snorted inside his head. It was a good thing he was on the wing, or he'd be preening. No amount of exertion would make him any kind of physical prize…but thankfully he was married to a woman who was bewitched by his intelligence. Well, perhaps not only his intelligence.
He turned, nearly unconsciously, toward Hogwarts. It was time to turn back at any rate. Few birds would challenge a raven in his prime, but it would be just his luck to encounter a hungry eagle owl or an ill-trained Thestral. It would be most undignified to end his life as some beast's dinner.
The new wards accepted him with almost liquid warmth as he entered the grounds. Hermione had vastly improved their functionality and the sensation of crossing them. Albus' wards had felt like the mental equivalent of nails on chalkboard every time he'd crossed the damn things. He was incomparably proud of Hermione…and often a bit awed that this brilliant, funny, beautiful witch so obviously adored him…but being a Slytherin he wasn't about to second-guess the single best surprise that fate had ever handed him.
Once he was at the side entrance, he flapped down to a convenient stump and removed the cloak. Few knew about it, and he saw no real reason to share the information with the general populace. His long fingers smoothed the feathers as he shrunk the cloak to fit into his pocket. He was the only one who could use it…at least until he and Hermione had a child.
He smiled to himself (he caught the once-unfamiliar expression on his face more and more as the years passed and his past was put firmly behind him).
He went in search of his wife. Minerva had monopolized her for long enough.
HG/SS
"Potter."
What an unpleasant surprise. Even in his head the insult lacked heat, but Potter's unexpected presence (with no time for Hermione to soften the shock) had prompted his less than generous mental sally.
"What are you doing in our sitting room without my wife?"
Potter's lips twitched. "Waiting for you, and escaping the squealing in Minerva's office, in that order."
Severus raised a brow and summoned the tea tray.
"One lump or two Potter?"
"I've taken enough lumps in my life sir, just a dash of milk."
Severus felt his lips twitch slightly.
He sipped his own tea before inquiring. "And would you care to enlighten me as to why there is enough squealing in Minerva's office to drive you here of all places?"
"Ginny and I have Teddy Lupin for the weekend…and we came to ask Hermione to be in the wedding."
Severus pinched his nose, and considered the date. If one assumed that it would take a few weeks to begin preparations… "You didn't ask Miss Weasley on your birthday, did you Potter?"
Harry smirked lightly. "Draco's no Seer. Ginny loved it. And besides, I do want her all to myself, forever." Harry shrugged, looking rather unconcerned. "She knows I'm clingy and possessive, and she doesn't seem to mind."
Severus rolled his eyes, but quietly agreed that Hermione was a similar turn of mind: she knew he was a possessive bastard, but she loved him anyway.
Harry Potter took a quick sip of his tea, green eyes slightly nervous. "I came to ask if you will help us with a problem, for Hermione's sake."
Severus huffed but waved the boy on.
"Ron is going to be in the wedding too."
Severus frowned. The ginger-haired menace had been quite rude to Severus' wife…lacking a Ron Weasley to glare at for the insult, he turned his stare to the available Harry Potter.
Harry shrugged. "It isn't as if I could avoid it. He's still one of my best friends and he's Ginny's brother."
Severus spat out "He's a dunderhead."
Harry smirked. "And he's a dunderhead, which is why I'm asking you to stand up with me and be one of my groomsmen…so that you can escort Hermione. Ron's stupid enough to bait Hermione but I doubt he's suicidal enough to cross you. Ginny and I were hoping that it would be enough to avoid any hexing at the wedding."
"It would certainly insure that Mr. Weasley would be on the receiving end of any hexes."
Severus was torn between his old aversion of all things Potter and his adoration of his wife….but adoration quickly overtook his ageing dislike and outdistanced it.
He would do the unthinkable.
"Very well Potter…I suppose I will be in your wedding." He had a sudden urge to wash his own mouth out with soap, but he let the statement stand.
AN: I'll try to update Wednesday!