Chapter Thirty-seven

Help (Not) Wanted

December, 1981

Hogwarts' Dungeons

Snape was grading some papers while a potion boiled on his huge work table. Wait, I said one? No, not one; four cauldrons were lit on the table, and all potions were mere minutes from being ready.

"Damn it." he cursed and wrote a big red T on the student's paper.

He rested his elbows on the desk and stared at it for a moment. There were still hundreds of essays for him to grade and it was already past three in the morning. He stood up, walked to the potions and finished them. Then he came back to his desk, sitting and getting another essay; but as he touched his quill to the paper to write some observations, it didn't write; the quill was dry, no ink in it. He could have just dipped his quill pen in the ink one more time, but he decided to throw it into the fireplace instead. Stupid quill. He was exhausted. He was moodier than ever. And he was hungry.

He stared at the flames for a moment before reaching inside his top drawer and getting another quill pen. And as he was about to attempt to write those observations for the second time, he remembered the conversation he'd had with the Headmaster the previous day. He growled, letting the quill fall on the desk. Dumbledore wanted to force him to accept an assistant. Some stranger messing with his organized stores, some stupid person invading his potions lab. Never! He'd obviously disagreed with Dumbledore. He'd said no. Abso-fucking-lutely no. But Dumbledore was inflexible. So, wanting it or not, Snape would soon be getting an assistant.

The previous day, in Dumbledore's office

"I don't want an assistant." said Snape.

"My son, if you don't accept any help, I'll be forced to remove you from your teaching duties." Dumbledore stared at Snape for a moment. "Last week you put half of you students on detention; even slytherins! You will have an assistant. I summoned you here not to ask your opinion on the matter, but to give you the chance to choose someone. Do you have anyone in mind?"

"No. I don't know anyone who would be able to work quietly with me and not blow up my laboratory with a simple Anticoagulant Potion." Snape growled.

"Well, I know of someone. She's even been invited to teach Poisons in Durmstrang - position she declined for personal reasons. I'll write to her right now."

"Her? A woman?"

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that, Severus?"

"Yes. I don't want an assistant."

"I trust her talent." said Dumbledore. "Now, excuse me, please, I must write to her."

"Fine!" Snape finally conceded. "I'll accept an assistant. But only for a month, Headmaster. As soon as everything calms down, she leaves."

"Ok. She stays until everything calms down and then she leaves." Dumbledore picked up his quill and some paper. Snape stood up and walked to the door. "When will you realize you can't keep on living all by yourself, Severus?" said Dumbledore softly.

Snape didn't answer. He opened the door and left the office.

Dumbledore smiled openly.

At a Park in Little Whinging

"Stay away from the pond and do not transform nor do anything magical, ok?" Florence were telling her sons. The boys nodded. "Go and have fun!"

And the two dark-haired kids ran towards the swings of the playground.

Florence and Remus were sitting on a bench under a tree where they could watch the boys playing, at the same time that Florence could keep an eye on a certain tall woman with a double stroller a few meters from them. Petunia Dursley used to bring her own son and Harry every day to that park. Florence came to the park at least once a week to check if Harry was fine.

"I hate this..." Florence murmured. "I wish I could take him away from her."

"I know. Did you get to meet her?"

"No. Whenever I was at the Evans she never left her room. And the day Lily got married Petunia didn't even go to the wedding. But Severus told me about her. She was jealous that Lily was a witch and she wasn't. He met her briefly, before he went to Hogwarts."

Remus remained quiet for a while, thinking if he should ask her what was in his mind or not. He decided to ask:

"Florence. Now that the war is over, why don't you tell him the truth?"

She stared at her friend, trying to see if he was joking or not.

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Because I think you should tell him. The boys are three years old already, they know who their dad is and they admire him. I just think it's not fair with neither the boys nor Severus. He deserves to know that those incredible kids are his. They are only three and they can do amazing things. They are both Animagi who can already control their animal form!"

"Remus you better stop defending him now or we'll fight."

"Fine." he said, raising his arms in defeat.

Later that day in Florence's house

"Remus, get James!" shouted Florence.

And Remus saw a small black bear cub running from the bathroom.

"James, stop that!" he ordered going after the boy. He ran faster and finally managed to grab the running bear. "Got you!" James transformed back into his human form with a grumpy face. Remus walked with the boy into the bathroom. "Where's Nick?"

"Already bathed, fed and asleep." Florence answered taking her moody son from Remus's arms. "Hey, Jamie, stop that grumpy attitude." the boy just laid his head on her chest and said nothing.

"Where have I seen such a stubborn dark-haired person before?" Remus laughed.

"I know..." Florence sighed.

After she'd bathed and fed James, she put him to sleep and closed the boys' bedroom door. Remus was waiting for her in the corridor.

"James is a lot like his father, isn't he?" he asked.

"Yes." Florence answered.

"Nicholas, on the other hand, is a complete angel when we take into consideration who his parents are." joked Remus.

Florence punched his arm jokingly.

"Stop that." she said, walking to her bedroom. "It's my turn to take a shower now."

"I'll order some pizzas, ok?" he said.

"Great idea!"

After they had eaten, Florence and Remus went to the living room. She was reading a book and he, the newspaper. Only the side lamps and the flames in the fireplace lighted up the room.

"Flor." called Remus, after an hour of silence. "What are you really afraid of?"

"Stop it, Remus." she said. "I don't want to get mad at you."

"I just want to understand it. You love him; he obviously still loves you. The war is over. You two have children together. You are blessed by The Enchantment, for Merlin's sake! Help me understand it, why aren't you two together?"

"Why is it me who has to go after him? Why can't he come talk to me?"

"Because he thinks you blame him for losing the baby. Or maybe he thinks you're grieving over the fact that Sirius is in prison. You told him that Sirius is the boys' father, after all." She didn't reply. "Has he ever seen the boys?" Remus asked.

"Yes, twice, at Eileen's."

"And he never questioned you about their looks?"

"No…" Florence said, shaking her head.

"He must be blind... James looks so much like him it's uncanny."

"Eileen said he's exactly like Severus was when he was a kid. I don't understand how he's never suspected anything either."

Suddenly, a letter was delivered under the front door. Remus stood up and picked it up, giving it to Florence.

"Thank you, Remus. It's... from Dumbledore." she said opening it.

Dear Florence

How are you and those two little angels you have at home? I hope you're all doing great.

I write to you hoping that you'll come to my aid. I'll go straight to the point: would you consider spending some time here in Hogwarts helping a very grumpy and overworked Potions Master that I have living here in the dungeons? He can't handle all his work for the Order (we're still hunting down Death Eaters, you know) plus he's duties as a teacher and the potions he must prepare to the Hospital Wing. It's all too much. Last week I had twenty-eight students from the same class on detention - even slytherins! I fear that if he doesn't get an assistant as soon as possible, I'll end up having students in need of Post-Traumatic Treatment.

I hope you'll agree to come to help us all.

And I'm looking forward to see your children, you must bring them with you.

According to Professor Snape, you'll only be here for a month, but I hope you come and stay for as long as you want.

Love,

Albus Dumbledore.

As she finished reading it, she sat on the couch. She didn't know what to do. Remus got the letter from her hands and quickly read it.

"You're going, right?" he asked.

"What? No, Remus." she paused. "I don't really know."

"But I do! You're going to write him back and say that you're going to the castle. Don't you see?" he kneeled in front of her. "This is your chance to be near the man you love."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked looking at him with a confused expression.

Remus got up from the floor and sat beside her.

"You know I love you." he began. "And I'm this close..." his forefinger and thumb near eachother. "...of falling in love with you." Florence made a face and was about to say something, but he went on: "How couldn't I? You're amazing, Florence. But I know your heart belongs to him. I know you won't ever be completely happy if not by his side, as strange as that sounds to me. I'm not Sirius, I know I can't make you happy, not as you truly deserve."

"But I can't go there, Remus! Severus can't see the boys!"

"He must see them. And he will. And maybe he'll come questioning you and then you two will talk." he got up and grabbed a pen and some paper, giving them to her. "Write back to Dumbledore. I'll even go with you to the castle for a few days."

She sighed and did as her friend suggested.

Professor Dumbledore

I'm not sure I'm doing the right thing but I'll go to the castle to help him.

I think I'm right when I say that this is probably against his will and that he doesn't know that you're requesting me as his assistant.

I only ask you to give me a day to organize everything.

Also, Remus is going with me for a few days, is that ok?

See you soon,

Florence

2:30 a.m.

Hogwarts's Dungeons

Someone was knocking on his door. Snape got up and opened it, already knowing whom he'd find at the other side.

"Dumbledore. Come in." he went back to his desk.

"I only want to tell you that you'll have your assistant the day after tomorrow."

"Excellent." Snape replied sarcastically.

"Yes, it's really good. Florence has agreed to come here and help you for some time." Snape stopped writing and stared at Dumbledore. "Any problems, Severus?"

"You..."

"Don't say anything you might regret later." Interrupted Dumbledore, trying not to smile.

"Absolutely nothing of what I have to say to you will cause me any regrets later. How could you invite her to be my assistant?"

"She's intelligent; and she's completely capable of helping you. You two were always great when working together here as students. I see nothing wrong with it. You always do great things together." Dumbledore said as if meaning more than just potions, confusing Snape. "Well, I just wanted to let you know that you can let those essays for another day and focus on finishing the potions and resting for tomorrow."

"Where will she stay?"

"I'll be giving her the big living quarters on the third floor. Because of the twins, she'll need the space."

"The twins? She'll bring her kids here?"

"Yes. They are only three years old, they need their mother. As I was saying, she'll stay on the third floor, in the living quarters that should belong to the Head of the Slytherin House, but they're too comfortable for you, I think."

Snape just nodded and went back to his potions.

"If that's all, Headmaster, I have some potions to finish."

And Dumbledore left the potions laboratory with a smile on his face.

4 a.m.

Snape was on his bed, still awake. He had napped for a few moments, only to dream about her and wake up drenched in sweat and with his dick as hard as a rock.

I'll see her in less than two days... we'll be working together, alone.

He closed his eyes.

I don't know if I can face her. Not after the baby...and she'll bring her children here, Sirius' children. If I haven't forgiven myself for killing our unborn child how can she ever forgive me?

Before the tears started to roll down his face, he fell asleep. Only to dream about her again. About a birthday of his, around four years ago, when he had gotten home and she was there, asleep on his bed...