Chapter 38

"I heard the wand weighing went well today," Lucy told Sirius as she entered their rooms the next evening, "so it looks like everything's all set for the first task. Well, they'll have to get the 'treasures' but they obviously can't do that right now."

"That's good," Sirius said, feeding a very chubby Dora. A few letters sat on one of the end tables. Surely letters from Harry, the Lupins, the Weasleys, and a few random others.

"Yes," Lucy nodded, "it's going so much smoother than last time. Hopefully that doesn't change. Anyway, there's a Hogsmeade weekend next week and it's my turn to go. I thought, if you were interested, we could stay there for the weekend."

"That sounds nice," he said, coming over and putting his arms around her, "but Harry's got next weekend off and invited us down. I can still decline though."

"No," Lucy protested, "he doesn't get that much time off. You should go. I have to stay and supervise the Hogsmeade students though. I wish I could go with you. It feels like forever since I've seen Harry, but I can't just skip out on my job. Dumbledore was kind enough to not allow me to do Hogsmeade weekends last year but I'm going to do all the duties I'm supposed to be doing now."

"I don't want to leave you alone," Sirius hedged.

His caution made Lucy grin, "I'll be fine. I'm hardly alone, there's a few hundred people here at least and I'm sure Dinah and Severus would be more than happy to check on me if it would make you feel better. But I'm not staying with them," she insisted when he opened his mouth, "Poppy says there's no reason I can't walk to Hogsmeade and back so long as I make sure to sit down and have a proper meal when I'm there. So there is no need for constant supervision my husband."

At some point during their conversation Sirius had sat on the couch and settled Lucy down next to him. She took the opportunity to climb on top of him, straddling his lap. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and resting her forehead against his. She kissed the tip of his nose and moved a little to lean down a bit more, melding her lips with his.

"Lucy," Sirius groaned against her lips.

"I know, but can't we just…" she kissed him, "There's no restrictions on kissing."

"Well, no," he said, a definite huskiness in his voice, "it's just that kissing generally leads too…"

Lucy shifted her weight, felt his arousal resting between them and sighed, "It leads to you being…uncomfortable to say the least and the both of us being rather wound up and frustrated. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," he said, pushing her hair behind her ears, "but I think I'll go see Harry next weekend if you're sure you'll be fine."

"I'm sure," she nodded.

"So, thanks for agreeing to check on me and walk around with me," Lucy told the Snapes the next weekend, "I don't think Sirius would have gone otherwise. He should be able to go places without worrying about me. I'm not as bad as I was last year and I'm not…" she hesitated. After all she was a little stressed about that letter. "Well, I'm not so stressed like earlier in the year…"

"It's no trouble at all," Dinah assured her as they walked further into Hogsmeade village. Her gaze drifted around the area, "It's going to start snowing soon, probably," she clutched her husband's arm and smiled, "It's been almost a year since that time," she pointed at The Three Broomsticks as they passed, "Remember our 'first date'? That was after we ran into you and Sirius and the boys nearly killed each other," Dinah informed Lucy, causing Severus to clear his throat and have the dignity to look embarrassed.

Lucy blushed, "I remember. I believe that was the same day I complained about not having had a first date to Sirius. I got that date eventually though. It…was a good night. It snowed."

"That's lovely," Dinah smiled.

Severus sighed, meeting his wife's smile, "I do recall that day. I remember we dined at The Three Broomsticks and I enjoyed your company immensely, although I do regret not saying so in so many words."

"You were rather stoic, I'll admit, but that's fine," Dinah assured him, but looked pleased at his admission. Then she giggled, "Remember you said 'you come here often'?"

"I - that was a mistake!" Severus retorted, a flush creeping into his pale face.

"A mistake, huh?" Lucy grinned, "I didn't think the great Severus Snape made mistakes."

He snarled a little at Lucy's comment, but Dinah just giggled, "Yeah, it was hilarious to hear him use such a bad pick-up line."

"It wasn't supposed to be a pick-up line!" the poor man continued to try and defend himself.

Lucy laughed, "It's all right. Really. Sirius wasn't any better. He actually had the bad manners to point out I had been so busy staring at him that I hadn't heard Dumbledore introduce us. Of course that was when we met. Like I said before, he never actually asked me out. We never really went on a first date. We never went on any dates back then. Unless you count the times we managed to sneak off together…"

Dinah grinned, "You'll have to tell me all about those times later. In private of course," she assured Severus when he opened his mouth to protest. "Though I hear you could probably tell me about some of those moments, too."

"I'd rather not," he forced out, shooting Lucy an irritated look.

"Don't worry," Lucy comforted her old professor, "I can tell her. I'm sure it was rather more interesting on our end anyway. So did Dinah tell you about the party?" she asked Severus eagerly.

"She told me something about much-too-early planning if that's what you're asking me," Severus smirked.

"Oh, you two. I know it's really early to start planning this party, but it's a big birthday and….and I need to do this," she finished the last quietly, not wanting to confront the possibility of being interrogated about her past soon.

"Lucy?" Dinah didn't seem to miss her tone, "Is everything okay?"

"Yeah," Lucy said. There was no need to worry Dinah over something she couldn't help with. There was nothing for anyone to do at the moment. She shook her head, "I probably just need to eat is all."

Dinah nodded and the threesome started heading back towards the Three Broomsticks. They tried to avoid the larger crowds and stuck towards the edges of town, making a large detour around Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes where many students liked to congregate.

"Lucy!" a distinct male voice called from behind them.

She stopped walking. Lucy could feel the blood drain from her face and she thought she must have stopped breathing when she started to feel faint. When she could think again, she shook her head, murmuring, "No," and taking a couple steps forward before the person called again.

"Lucy Anne!" He sounded angry this time.

She stopped again, latching onto Severus and Dinah's arms. Somewhere along the way they had shifted from next to each other to walking on either side of her. At the moment she was glad for it. "I can't," she said, looking up at Severus and thinking he might have recognized the voice too, "not today."

A snarl had formed on her former Potions professor's face, but Lucy wasn't frightened by it because she knew it was not for her. Some sort of determination flashed in his eyes and he seemed to make a split decision as his hand landed on her shoulder and he moved so that he was at an angle, meeting his wife's gaze with the briefest nod, and Dinah responded with the same gesture, looking a little shocked but seeming to understand what was going on.

"Move forward," Severus ordered, gently pushing Lucy further from the horrible voice. She obeyed, stepping away from Severus as his hand released her and next went for his wand, as he and Dinah moved to stand next to each other, the couple presenting a united barrier between her and her father, both of their wands in their hands at their sides.

"Good afternoon," Severus said coldly to the man Lucy could not see very well past her two friends.

Henley barely acknowledged the two people standing in front of him. He wasn't tall enough to see over them and leaning to see around them would have been…undignified. Instead she saw him stretch up as tall as he could manage to see over their shoulders and try to catch her gaze. "So, you went and did it then? Married that conniving murderer Black. I got to read about that in the Prophet."

"Maybe you should have sent him a post-wedding letter or something like we talked about," Dinah murmured hesitantly back to Lucy, seeming worried.

Obviously, somewhere along the way Dinah and figured out who exactly Henley was. After all, who else could it be? Dinah wasn't stupid and though Lucy would hate to admit it, she and her father did share a chin and were of a similar body type. From what she could see though Henley was no longer the slim man she remembered from before.

"From what I saw of you earlier," Henley continued, "you've followed in your mother's footsteps. We had a good life together until she got pregnant."

Lucy gasped. It wasn't the first time she'd heard something like this, but that didn't make it hurt any less. A part of her wanted to lash out at her father, maybe it was her maternal instincts attempting to protect her own child, but it was still more desire to defend herself then she'd ever felt before. Unfortunately her younger self, the one that just stood there and silently took his insults, even partially believing them, was still stronger than her desire to lash out.

"Did you now?" Severus's tone was icy. It almost made Lucy shiver.

"Yes," Henley spat at the other man. "Now, if you will please excuse me I'd like to speak to my daughter without the two of you rudely standing between us."

Severus did not budge.

Lucy raised a shaking hand and put it on Severus's shoulder, "It's okay," she said, almost whispering.

He met her gaze from the corner of his eye, gave a brief nod, and stepped aside, allowing her to squeeze between himself and Dinah.

"I am happy," she said slowly, predictably with tears in her eyes, "I wish Mum could have been the same."

"I'm not here about your mother," he ground out, "You, my dear, are making a spectacle of yourself as usual. I've heard that your little…episode is about to be splashed all over the papers." At this point he reached out to try and grab ahold of her arm.

Dinah and Severus both moved at once, the former grasping Lucy's shoulders and moving her out of the way while the latter latched onto Henley's arm and shoved him forcefully back, his wand raised against the other man.

"I can't…I don't…I…" Lucy stammered. Her breathing was starting to come in quick, shallow gasps and she was forcefully reminded that she couldn't afford to panic, to get overly stressed about Henley's presence and his words.

"Obviously, you still need their help," Henley said, wand out and pointing at Severus.

"No. I…I want to go home. I-I-I-" Maybe she really did need more help. She certainly couldn't seem to string two thoughts together.

"It's okay," Dinah said softly, trying to be reassuring.

Severus, on the other hand, was furious, "Henley Ketteridge, you are a sick bastard!" he snarled, adjusting his wand so it was pointed more clearly at the man, "Standing there and treating your own daughter like dirt for no legitimate reason. You have no right to come near her or speak to her. You never have!"

"You, Severus Snape, have no call to be telling me how I can and cannot treat my daughter. She's done nothing these last few years but cause herself embarrassment and now that insane Black fellow has taken advantage of her."

"No," Lucy shook her head, "he loves me."

Severus snorted, twisting his wand hand a little, "Take... advantage... indeed. You only care about that because of what it might do to your own reputation, isn't that right?"

"Well," Henley blustered, backing away from Severus's wand, "I don't think that's the point. Someone needs to take care with Lucy's reputation. You might have noticed she wasn't able to keep her last job for long and it seems she's about to be out of another."

This time Lucy could only manage a little squeak of distress.

"If you had even an ounce of intelligence you'd realize that any issue Lucy has is a result of you and your disgusting treatment. Now..." he took a menacing step forward, "I hardly think you would enjoy being afflicted with the Cruciatus curse, so-"

"Severus!" Dinah chided, her attention swiftly shifting to her husband. She put a hand on his arm and shook her head 'no'.

Something changed in his expression and he lowered his wand slightly, turning back to Henley, "The point is that you are obviously too stupid to see how your treatment is the source of all of the problems you cite."

"And I'm sure you have lots of experience with such 'treatment' as you put it Snape," Henley said, taking two or three steps back from the taller man. "However, I have no wish to entangle myself with any Death Eater, not even for my daughter. She's not worth it," Henley threw in before scurrying away.

Severus looked about ready to shoot a curse after him for his last comment but Dinah grabbed his arm again to stop him. He growled a little, but lowered his wand and stuffed it back into his robes, muttering, "If anyone is worthless..."

"I want to go home," Lucy repeated, slowly becoming aware that she'd started crying.

"Let's go home then," Dinah said gently, "Hogwarts or Hogsmeade?"

"Hogwarts," she said, wiping at her cheeks, "I don't…if he's watching. I don't want him knowing about the house here if I can help it. But…we're supposed to be watching the students."

"I will speak to Minerva," Severus said, putting a hand on her shoulder for the second time that day, although just briefly, before he disappeared towards the throng of students to find the headmistress and explain the situation to them, leaving Lucy with Dinah.

"You want to start walking ahead?" Dinah asked, "Or would you like to sit down and get a glass of water or something?"

"I promised Poppy I'd sit and eat a proper meal, but I don't want to be here anymore," Lucy shook her head, "Maybe we could go slow." She sighed, rubbing a hand over One. When she felt a reassuring kick against her hand, she smiled. "We're okay," Lucy murmured and looked over at Dinah, "I hope you're okay? He didn't upset you or anything?"

"I'm more worried about you than him," Dinah said, but looked a little relieved at Lucy's smile. "I still... I never imagined... well, we'll talk about it when we get you back to your rooms. Oh. Severus," she nodded off to where her husband was again approaching them.

"Minerva has given us permission to return," Severus said with a smirk, "Which of course means leaving Slughorn in charge of the Slytherin students along with that infernal assistant. Perhaps someone can send Eugene off to that Wizard Wheezes shop and he can be afflicted with some prank product."

"Don't be sadistic," Dinah chuckled, turning to Lucy. "Ready to go then?"

"Yes," Lucy nodded and they slowly journeyed away from the location of that horrible confrontation.