It seems I am Queen of the Short Updates lately! Sorry about that, it's been hectic here with all this real life getting in the way. I'd rather be enjoying writing about our dear Severus, but oh well.

With the holiday break over with and Tamara back to work Severus set about the task of getting Sevarun and Sevina back into their usual routine. It wasn't proving to be as easy as it had been in years past. He knew this was probably because as they were getting older their lessons were getting a bit harder and they were also becoming more aware of the distractions around them.

All Sevarun really wanted to learn about at the moment was Draco Malfoy, and now, since Tamara had begun to tell him the story of How Godfather Harry Defeated The Dark Wizard Voldemort he was rapidly expanding that to include several other of Draco's former schoolmates as well. Severus was wavering between exasperated amusement and mild embarrassment at some of his son's questions.

"So Draco and Godfather Harry weren't friends?"

"No. They were… rivals, of a sort."

"Why?"

"They had their reasons."

"Harry didn't like you either?"

"No."

"Why?"

"He had his reasons."

"Did you like him?"

"If I'm honest, not terribly, no."

"Why?"

"Sevarun, I was under the impression we were discussing charms today."

"Yeah. Was Godfather Harry good at charms? How about Draco?"

"I was the potions teacher, so I didn't have reason to know."

"Were they any good at potions?"

"Mr. Malfoy was."

"How about Harry?"

"Occasionally, when he managed to pay attention."

"Why didn't he pay attention?"

"I don't know. Why don't you ask him?"

"Do you think it was because he didn't like you?"

It was looking like it would be a very long day. Sevina, for her part, had snuck away during Sevarun's lesson and exploded a feather pillow, using some of Tamara's glue to attach the white fluff to her clothing.

When she came back into the lounge Severus stared at her in shock. "Sevina what is that all over your jumper?"

She grinned proudly. "These are my feathers. I am a white peacock."

"Hen. You'd be a peahen because you're a girl" Sevarun commented, helpfully.

"Yes, thank you for that Sevarun" Severus muttered, smirking. "Is that what's left of mummy's pillow?"

"It used to be mummy's pillow but I borrowed it" explained Sevina. "Now it is my feathers."

Severus suddenly had an overwhelming urge to simply collapse to the floor in a fit of giggles, but he decided that as the adult in the situation, he really should think of a better course of action.

"I see that. Perhaps we could take your feathers off before mummy gets home, and then not mention to her that I conjured her a new pillow?"

Severus had learned over the years that sometimes, as a parent, it was easier to pick one's battles. Also, he had learned that sometimes as a husband, it was easier to keep some things just between him and the children.

For Sevarun and Severus' joint birthday they decided to gather up Teddy Lupin and take a trip to the London Aquarium. Before they left Andromeda's house the standard rules for mingling with muggles were gone over again, just in case. They should be careful to avoid making any mention of magic. They also should try very hard not to accidentally make anything strange happen that might frighten the muggles, and they should not laugh at anything daft that any of the muggles may say or do because that was rude. In Teddy's case, it was also added that he must not change his appearance at all while he was out in public, and that included his hair color.

Much to the relief of Severus and Tamara, nothing too terribly disastrous happened, although there were a few disapproving looks from some older women at Teddy's turquoise hair.

"Imagine dying a little boy's hair that crazy color!" remarked one old bitty to another.

"It's not dyed, it's always like that unless I change it and gran said I wasn't allowed today because of the muggles!"

Severus snorted, and Tamara quickly steered all three children to another exhibit.

"Remus would have loved that" she whispered to Severus. "And Tonks would have told that woman to get bent."

"Rightly so" he said. "Imagine the nerve of trying to dictate the proper color of someone's hair, regardless of their age. Rude old bat."

"HA! That lady's a RUDE OLD BAT!" screeched Sevina, eliciting indignant glares from the two old women, who were still near enough to hear her.

Severus and the boys snickered while Tamara turned a deep shade of red and ushered them all farther away.

"I liked the sharks" Sevarun said, on their way out.

Teddy nodded. "Me too."

"I liked the big octopuses!" Sevina announced.

"Octopi" Sevarun corrected, just as Severus was opening his mouth to do the same.

Noticing that her husband and son had once again had the same thought, Tam laughed.

"Octopuses is also in the dictionary you know" she mumbled. "And they were my favorite too, Vina."

"You're smart" Teddy commented to Sevarun. "You're going to be in Ravenclaw I'll bet."

"Nah! I'm going to be in Slytherin like my dad. I'll bet you'll end up in Gryffindor like your dad too."

"My mum was a Hufflepuff" Teddy said proudly.

"Yes she was" Tam agreed. "Did you know she had Sevarun's dad for a potions teacher?"

Teddy looked over at Severus with wide eyes.

Severus smirked. "She was a decent student, if a bit on the wild side."

This pleased Teddy, and he grinned.

"Your mother was brave, kind, talented, and the most fun witch I have ever known" Tamara told him. "Your dad was sweet and determined, and full of courage and he always inspired everyone not to give up. They were my best friends and I miss them every single day. It makes me very happy when we get to see you because you are a part of both of them that is still here in the world."

"Thanks" Teddy said. "I like hearing about them. Gran talks about mum a lot but she didn't know my dad as good as you did."

Sevina wrapped her arms a little tighter around Severus' neck and he had a feeling that he knew what she was thinking. Later that night when he tucked her into bed she said to him "I'm glad you and mummy are alive and did not die like Teddy's daddy and mummy did."

He wasn't sure what to say, so he just gave her a kiss on the forehead and put out the lamp with his wand. "I love you sweetheart."

"Love you too daddy."

Slipping into bed with Tamara, Severus said "Young Mr. Lupin is a very good role model for our children, isn't he?"

She set down the book she'd been reading and looked at him. "Yes, he is, and considering he's only seven, that is a pretty nifty thing indeed. He inherited Remus' skill for dealing gracefully with adversity."

"I see that." He grinned, remembering the events of the day. "Which of us do you suppose Sevina inherited her sense of tact from?"

Tamara giggled. "You, definitely. I have called a few people old bats in my life but I have yet to ever scream it out right in front of them in an aquarium full of people. That seems more like your style."

"I don't scream. I think she got my tact combined with your volume."

She nodded, having to admit that he was probably right. "Yeah. That makes sense. As for Sevarun, he's serious like you but sensitive like me."

"You don't think I'm sensitive?"

Tamara laughed. "No, you're more what I'd call touchy."

"That's rude" he grumbled, eliciting more giggles from his wife.

He smirked at her, and playfully elbowed her in the ribs.

Still giggling, Tam shook her head, suddenly struck by the unexpectedness of her life. All those years spent knowing that she could never love another man the way she did Sev but fearing that she might never have the chance to know a normal existence with him had finally led her to what they had now, and it still sometimes felt too good to be true.

When she looked back over to him she saw that he was watching her with a curious expression.

"Just thinking that I never dared to hope for a life like this with you. I try to remind myself to never take it for granted because I could have easily found myself with nothing to hold onto but memories and regrets." She glanced at the now faint scars on his neck. Dittany had lightened them considerably but not entirely erased them.

Severus pulled her into his arms, and she snuggled into his chest appreciatively.

"You have yourself to thank for my presence in your life. I know I didn't exactly make it easy, yet you kept faith in me. Then you literally yanked me back from Death's door." He chuckled. "The last time I visited Hogwarts Sybil Trelawny told me it was because you are a Taurus. Do you think that's true?"

She knew he was teasing. "Absolutely. I am certainly as stubborn as a bull." She giggled. "Sevarun would tell me that since I am a female I'm not a bull but a cow."

He laughed out loud and then made a stern face. "I would never allow our son to call his mother a cow."

"Thank you for that" she snickered. "Sev, did you have a nice birthday?"

"Of course I did. You always make sure I do. For me the time of unpleasant birthdays is long gone, and I don't miss it a bit."

Smiling evilly at him she asked "So… how old are you again?"

"Old enough to deserve a little respect, my cheeky little witch. Now get out of that nightgown so I can have my gift…"

"Mmm… that sounds more like a gift for me."

He gave her a wicked smirk and said "If you behave yourself it just might be."

Some time later, sprawled out in a tangled mess of sheets, sweating and dazed, Tam mumbled "500 points for Slytherin."

Severus was too tired to laugh properly but he did manage a little giggle. "Why thank you Madam Snape."

"Don't mention it."

Staring at her contentedly, he found himself thinking about what she'd said earlier about how things could have turned out differently.

"Tamara?"

"Hmm?"

"If I had died and there was a portrait of me up at Hogwarts… would you have spent all your time talking to it?"

She slid across the bed and laid her head on his bare chest. "Probably. Yes. I'm sure I would have, actually. I'd have camped out underneath the damn thing for the rest of my miserable life."

He kissed her temple and gave her a squeeze. "I left instructions in Dumbledore's desk to Minerva that if they put one up somewhere she was to make sure that you never found out about it."

"That's horrible! Why would you do that to me? I can't believe she never told me that." She was so shocked by his revelation that she started to shake.

"I couldn't stand the thought of you wasting your life on a picture in a frame. Thank you for loving me, darling, and thank you yet again for saving my life because it has given me the chance to spend all these years with you knowing what it is like to be loved."

Tears filling her eyes, Tamara hugged him as tight as she possibly could. "I do love you so much. Even if I only had a portrait I would rather have that than nothing at all. To live without you, for me, would not be living."

"Never mind, my love, let's not think about it anymore. We're still here and I promise you I will do everything in my power to remain right here with you for many, many years to come."

She sighed, happy to be holding him. "Good."