Chapter 10

Lucius' POV

I opened the door to Ginevra's room and I can see the order I have come to expect from Severus in here; a place for everything and everything in its place. The navy and grey decor was comforting, but classy. The room is huge, and as I stepped into the bathroom with the free standing large tub and walk-through shower, I feel this room is in fact better then anything at the Manor. I am envious of this. I found the cabinet and opened it. This is by far the single most wizard-like area of the whole home, other than the lab. It's filled with potion bottles; all, I'm guessing, were brewed by Severus. I took the calming potion and headed back. However, as I stepped out of the bathroom, I found myself staring at the bed where Ginny sleeps with Severus. It bothered me.

As I descended the stairs, Ginny was pouring some hot chocolate. She reached for the bottle I handed to her. "Thank you.'' After adding some to the cup, she reached for a container, gave it a shake, and turned it upside down. A noise started and some white fluff came out. I realised it's whipping cream. Ginevra then sprinkled some cinnamon on the top before handing it to the girl.

"Thanks Mum," Marie said quietly.

"Marie, where is your mom tonight?" Ginny asked carefully.

"Dad's away, so she ran off for a couple of days with Bob.'' She took a sip of the drink. "How do you always get the perfect temperature that's still hot, but not so hot you can't drink it?"

Ginevra winked at me and smiled. "Must be magic," she shrugged. "Did you eat? Or are you hungry?"

"I'm okay, I guess."

The doorbell rang. "That should be the police." Ginevra headed to the door. I followed, but remained behind. I could see flashing red and blue lights from the windows around the door. Ginevra opened the door.

"Are you a Ginny Snape?"

"Yes officers, please come in. Now Marie, the teen who called, has a midterm tomorrow, so I would really like if you could question her first so that she stands a chance of getting some sleep tonight, please."

"Of course, madam."

As these men asked questions of the young girl, I took in their uniforms and equipment. They looked very professional; clean pressed, and they seem to take pride in themselves. I noticed a device on both mens' hips that I have never seen before. It was black and strapped into a holster. They also had a set of handcuffs. I was puzzled as to why Muggle Aurors needed an item for sex on their uniforms.

Once they were finished with all their questions, Ginny smiled at me. "Lucius, why don't you pour us something stronger than wine while I get Marie settled."

I walked over to the hidden bar setup Severus has. I had no clue what is strong for Muggle alcohol, so I opened each bottle and took a sniff of them, trying to decide. I finally chose one and looked for glasses. After opening a cupboard door or two, I spotted the good stuff; some Firewhiskey. I poured us both a large glass. Before I finished, Ginny appeared, grabbed the one glass, and downed it in one shot! She then reached for the bottle. She walked over to the fireplace in the living room, pulled out her wand, and started a fire. She set the bottle down on the table. I could tell by the look on her face that she was rattled herself. "Ginevra? What made you so upset?"

"Those guys tonight at Marie's place, they weren't there to break in, Lucius. Once they knew she was alone, they were going to make her father pay by hurting her!" She made eye contact with me.

"How?" I asked.

"You've been a father of a daughter for more than five seconds; think about it! What's the best way to hurt a father using his daughter? Torture; the best, darkest way to do that!"

I stood there, knowing I didn't understand how Muggles think.

"You were a Death Eater. Rape! They were going to rape her tonight!"

"She's fourteen! Still a child!" I'm grossed out by the idea.

"You're over sixty, Lucius. Think; I was eighteen when we started, and sixteen when Severus and I were together. Think about how you would feel watching Eva deal with the effects of being raped if you knew it was payback for something you did!"

"What will happen now?" I asked.

She sat down in front of the fire and stared into it. "The police most likely scared off whoever it was. We'll have a better idea once I talk to Mike."

"Where are her parents?"

"Her mother isn't up for any awards, and she and Mike have been very close to ending the marriage. She's cheating and he knows it, but he's seeing his secretary, Donna, a nice girl really. I think this might be the final straw for him, though. I think she was supposed to stick close to home while he was gone."

Her phone thing goes off. "It's Mike. Hi,... yeah, she's spending the night here. I'll drive her to school tomorrow….. No, he went to pick up the kids…. No, it's okay. Eva's real dad is staying here. He - he served with Severus. Mike, what happens now?" She listened for a few minutes. "Mike, when I think about what could have happened to her..." Ginevra did something I never saw her do; wiped away some tears. I walked over to her and took the phone from her.

"Lucius Malfoy here. Ginevra needs to compose herself. Your daughter and Ginevra are perfectly safe tonight. When are you expected home?"

"Sadly, I'm working on a case that is a matter of life and death. I doubt I can make it home until Christmas Eve. I will try speaking to the judge and the other side. Perhaps a day or two before that, but that's unlikely. I'll talk to Ginny and Severus tomorrow, but if they're willing, I don't want Marie to go back to the house, even if her mother returns."

"I will pass that along."

"Is it just like Ginny says? I have never seen her cry," Mike said

"Yes, she's being honest with you."

"Thank you, sir."

I placed the thing down and looked at her. She was full out crying. "Ginevra?" She threw herself into my arms and continued sobbing. I held and comforted her. "It's alright."

She clung to me as she tried to regain her control. Slowly, she did. "The night that was the catalyst for Severus and me, Carrow had me in an unused classroom. I was under a bodybind and he was skinning me alive! I still think that had Severus not arrived when he did, I would have been raped! There was maximum pain, for all my nerve endings were bare and raw!" she explained while still in my arms and not looking at me.

I comforted her. "Ginevra, both you and Marie are safe."

She pulled away from me finally and wiped her eyes with the heel of her hand. "I know. I'm sorry." She moved back to her seat.

I sat next to her, our legs touching. "Everyone is entitled to a moment of weakness," I assured her.

"Mike said the police are going to stay til it gets light out, then look for clues."

"Still, they could have seen us return here. I will stay up."

She smiled. "Lucius, Severus has this place pretty protected. I'm not worried."

She finally reached for her drink. "Eva's room has a silencing charm on it, so Marie won't hear us talking. I told you I would explain about her."

"You did. I nearly forgot."

"The girls are pretty much the same age. When they were little, it was like Marie was drawn to Eva, and us. As they started to grow up, they became best friends, and we watched them both grow. She has this abnormal interest in magic and anything Muggles call supernatural. Muggle folklore and witches, ghosts, werewolves, vampires, less about giants, trolls and goblins. I swear she has read every book she can get her hands on about these things... She makes up her own mind about what's true and not, and she is surprisingly correct about what's right and wrong. We, Severus and I, think that's why she's drawn to Eva and the family, but we don't know what it means."

"She clearly loves you and trusts you." I racked my brain, as I'm sure Severus had, about what this girl is.

"She already likes you," Ginny offered. "My adrenaline is still on high right now."

"Her father doesn't want her returning to the house until he is there, even if her mother shows up. Is that going to cause an issue?"

"For a hot minute, perhaps, but Mike will deal with it. He hasn't gotten rid of Emily because he didn't want to have to worry about Eva. He has to work on cases out of town a lot, and this was her last chance, but Emily blew it. Marie will likely go to boarding school now. My worry now is that he's going to want to send her to the same school as our kids so Marie knows people."

Ginevra looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. "How can I help you calm down or relax?" She looked like she had an idea, then shook her head. "What?"

"Nothing. For a second, my mind wandered to the past."

Ahh, she was thinking about the ultimate relaxer; great sex. I won't lie; I did want her, but I wanted her to be mine, period! Not for a night, or just for sex. I wanted the look of love she used to give me that I have seen her give to Severus. "I wouldn't object," I teased.

She rolled her brown eyes at me. "Still? I thought age might slow you down a bit."

"I'm only sixty-one! Has it slowed Severus down?"

"No, not in the least."

"Of course not; he has a stunningly beautiful wife." Had I played it right, I likely could have had Ginny, but she had been drinking, and much like years before, I will not have her cheat when she isn't in full control of herself. "Can I ask a question?"

Ginevra looked up from her fourth, possibly fifth, glass of Firewhiskey. "What's that?"

"Those Muggle Aurors; why do they carry handcuffs?"

Ginevra nearly choked on the Firewhiskey as she burst out laughing. "The police? Well Lucius, besides being fun in the bedroom, they're still quite good at restraining someone when you can't use a body binding curse or charm."

"I recall you rather enjoyed them."

She blushed. "I'm hungry." She went to stand up and nearly fell over.

"Ginevra, I think it's time you got to bed." I walked over, picked her up, and carried her up to her room. I had never seen her falling over drunk. Once there, I placed her on the bed. "While I wouldn't complain about undressing you, I think Severus wouldn't be happy about it. Can you get ready for bed yourself?"

She nodded. "Thank you, Lucius. I'm glad I could count on you tonight."

"Happy to have helped." I stepped out of the room and saw Marie standing in the hall looking at me.

"Ginny's still up?" she asked.

"Yes she is, but she's intoxicated."

"I just need something that Ginny will have. There's none in the bathroom." She knocked on Ginevra's door.

"Come in."

The girl slipped into the room, closing the door behind her.

I headed downstairs to tidy up before heading to bed myself. Ginevra's phone went off. I reached for it and saw that it's Severus calling. I touched the button I have seen her touch before speaking. "Hello?"

"Lucius?"

"Yes, Severus."

"Where is Ginny?"

"She's in bed. It was a long night."

"What do you mean?" he questioned, sounding a bit alarmed.

"There was an incident at Marie's home and both her parents were away. The Muggle Aurors were here, and Marie is spending the night here."

"Why are you answering Ginny's phone?" The questions continued.

"Ginevra was rattled by the events of tonight. She drank too much and left her phone down here. I answered because it was you. As friendly as Marie's father was on the phone, I thought perhaps he had called you."

"Ginny rattled? What happened?"

"Nothing, thankfully, but I think it reminded her of the night Carrow skinned her. I expect she drank enough Firewhiskey that she shouldn't dream tonight. As a matter of curiosity, Ginevra stated we served together. Who do the Muggles think we served?"

"Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth's armed forces. For some reason, they think I was the Prince's commanding officer at some point. Lucius, let Ginny know we should be home by noon."

I took Ginny's phone upstairs with me when I headed up. I could see a light was still on in her room, so I knocked softly on her door. It opened on its own. Ginny was in bed, with Marie asleep curled up next to her in a fetal position. I walked over and whispered, "I saw Severus was calling, so I spoke to him. He said to tell you they will be home by noon."

She smiled. "Thank you again, Lucius, and you're doing great."

If nothing else, I at least impressed her tonight.

The following morning, we dropped Marie off at school and then headed to a Muggle bank. Before we went in, she stopped me and asked, "How much did you bring in pounds?"

"Six thousand pounds. Will that be enough?"

"More than enough! I would suggest converting about half of that and that should be more than enough, unless you have issues saying no to a fourteen year old. If you do need more for some other reason, we can return." When we left the bank, I had a veritable rainbow of different coloured bills in my pocket! At the house, we sat at the table as Ginny explained, "This golden coloured coin is one dollar. It's worth two sickles. From here, the money is pretty simple; the number on the bill is the number of dollars. The bills are in the amounts of five, ten, twenty, fifty, and one hundred. The dollars are all very simple math. The coins are a bit harder, so just focus on the size of the first three. The nickel is worth 5 percent of a dollar, the dime is worth 10 percent, and the quarter is twenty five percent. The last coin, this silver and gold one, is called a toonie, and it's worth two dollars." She showed me each coin as she went along.

"Why not have the size reflect the amounts?" I asked, holding up the dime, the smallest of the coins.

"Wish I knew," she shrugged.

"Yet at the grocer, you used a card to pay?" I questioned.

"I did, because it's handy. You get an account at the bank and instead of having to have money, the card takes the money from your account and puts it in the retailer's account."

I didn't want to admit it, but the idea was extraordinary. "What else do I need to know?"

"Muggles in this country, in the shops, don't negotiate or barter over cost. Most shops are owned by big companies that set the prices."

"So what will happen tonight?" I asked.

"Well, I expect to hear Severus interrogate the kids about their Potions professor and class. He wasn't happy when we got the required book lists for the year. And we will decorate the tree tonight, but mostly, it's just hanging out and being together. Don't forget; this is Wyatt's first year."

"Why did you pick the names you did for your children?" I had to finally ask.

"Evangelina Scarlett sounded beautiful. And Wyatt Severus; Wyatt means 'brave in war.'"

We were then interrupted by a knock on the door. The Muggle Aurors wanted to look at the wheels on Ginevra's car.

I watched as the seconds I had with Ginevra all to myself slipped away. I wanted her so desperately, but fate hasn't allowed for that. Now I will have to wait and watch for cracks in Ginevra's and Severus' marriage. I watched her as she was cooking a family favorite for lunch for the children, because they have been gone from home for so long. It put a smile on my face. As a child, I knew this happened in less affluent homes, and not that I ever admitted it, but I was jealous that their mothers did this type of thing. I could tell Ginevra was doing this to cover her excitement about seeing her children, her son and our daughter. I have zero doubts that had we raised Evangelina together that Ginevra would still be doing the same thing. It is who she is. I am gratified that Evangelina has this.

I smirked as Ginevra peeked at the clock for the twelfth time in the last fifteen minutes. Unlike Ginevra, I'm not excited; I'm nervous! Writing to Evangelina was one thing; for in a letter, I didn't have to see her reaction to what I was writing and she couldn't see my reaction to her words. I could take my time to carefully craft my words to her. Now, my safety net was gone. I had never been nervous with anyone.

Then we both heard a pop in the front hall. I saw Ginevra smile as she heard it too.

"MOM!"

"Mom, we're back!"

She rushed to the hall and I followed. Ginevra threw her arms open and embraced the children. "I missed you guys so much!" she gushed happily.

As they broke apart, Evangelina made eye contact with me. This is the first time she and I looked at each other as father and daughter, knowing that's what we are. Neither of us seemed to know what to say.

"Hi," she greeted me.

"Evangelina." Words that had always come so easy for me failed me now.

She smiled at me. "It means a lot to me that you were willing to come and spend the holidays with us." She tried to put me at ease.

"It was very kind of your mother to invite me," I replied.

She glanced at Ginevra, whom Severus has an arm around. "She's all about that sorta thing."

"I have some news for you, Eva," Ginevra said. "Marie is staying with us till Christmas Eve!"

"Really?!" The young girl is clearly excited.

"Yeah," Ginevra replied, sounding concerned. Severus' hand massaged her shoulder.

"What is it, Mom?" Evangelina's attention turned to Ginevra.

"I'll let her tell you about it. Wyatt, you grew like four inches!"

"Yes, he looks ridiculous in everything," Evangelina stated.

"What am I going to do with you?" The young man shrugged in reply to his mother.

"I have been expecting him to start anytime, Ginny," Severus said. "You didn't really think he would take after you, did you?"

"I hoped he might." She paused and looked at me and then Evangelina. "As for you two, there's no way around this; it's going to be odd. Honey, how about you just sit down and have lunch like Lucius is any other guest or family member and just let things happen naturally? Wyatt, how about you show us how you're doing in Charms and set the table for lunch, please?"

My daughter walked over to the stove, peeked in the pot, and smiled. "Should I shred cheese?"

Severus gave me a look that I knew was him asking me to join him and Ginevra. "Give us adults a few moments, please." We headed down the hall to a room near the front door and stepped inside. "Forgive the state of the room. Ginny always takes it over for gift wrapping," he explained. "What happened last night?"

"The police are still looking into it, Severus, but I spoke to Mike. They suspect that someone he put away was looking for payback. Marie, being alone in the house, was a tempting target. She heard them, panicked, and called me. We went over there and brought her here."

"What if they did something to you?" He looked very sternly at her.

She just smiled. "I had my wand, and yes, I know you're thinking that I would have been at a disadvantage with Marie right there and trying to protect her, but I brought Lucius. We were fine. Frankly, I'm more worried about coming up with a reason why Marie can't go to Hogwarts! I think Mike is finally going to toss Emily out. Did you know Marie has been alone since the third?"

Severus shook his head. "I did not. Lucius said you were upset last night."

Ginevra looked like she was a bit embarrassed. "I was, when I thought about what could have happened to her, and how scared she was."

"She would have handled it," he assured her. "You were close to the…"

"Severus, I was a very different child than her! Compare my life to hers! Plus, I was two years older than her. She didn't even think about what they could do if they got into the house, and she was so upset she slept with me in our bed last night."

Severus seemed to take comfort in that. He possibly thought that I would try to bed Ginevra in her intoxicated state. I took comfort in his worry.

"I was thinking I could take Eva to pick up Marie and you could take care of the lights on the tree. We could pick up some things at the drugstore."

"You think that will be long enough?"

"Why? Are you planning on doing the lights by hand?" she cheekily replied. "Let's go have lunch before Wyatt eats it all."

"I could come with you and the girls," I suggested ro Ginevra.

"Sorry Lucius, this isn't a trip for a man."

Watching Severus with his son was odd. As a child, Draco had liked Severus, but I never expected Severus to have a child of his own. He was, of course, good with the boy. The lad is assisting with the lights and the tall tree that was delivered this morning. "Dad, we still need to get Mom her gift," he stated.

"And your sister's, too," Severus added.

"Mum always takes care of that."

He smiled at the boy. "Don't you think that it's time you started to do that for yourself?"

The boy shrugged. "I guess. Hey Dad, did you know Mom got an award for special service to the school? Professor Longbottom told me."

Severus smiled and clearly remembered something. "Your mother did far more that was ever expected of her in her sixth year."

"Man, my mom rocks! She was in a war, did special service for the school, and was a Quidditch star! Who knew a mom could be cool?"

Severus made eye contact with me and shook his head.

"Your mother is also extremely powerful," I added.

"Still holding some admiration for my wife, Lucius?"

I saw no reason to hide it from him. It may as well be a fair fight. "Always."

I saw it; he knew what I was implying, but the sound of the girls returning ended the conversation. Ginevra walked into the kitchen. In her hands are four rather flat, square boxes.

"PIZZA!" Wyatt yelled. "Mom, you are the best!"

"Okay everyone, we eat first, then, after your hands are clean, we can decorate the tree," Ginevra ordered.

Evangelina went to a cupboard and pulled out plates, Marie grabbed glasses from another cupboard, and Wyatt got an assortment of beverages from the fridge. All without being told to, as if they have done this hundreds of times!

"Sir, do you want a fork and knife for your pizza?" Evangelina asked me, grinning.

"I have never had pizza," I confessed. I glanced at Ginevra and Severus for guidance. Ginevra gave a shake of her head.

"Mr. M, when in Rome...hands only," Marie advised.

"This is the traditional favorite food of the North American teen," Severus stated.

While the food wasn't gourmet, it was tasty. "Sorry Lucius, pizza means no table manners happen. Remember what I said about baptism by fire!" Ginevra smiled.