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Before Narcissa could blink, it was her wedding day. Surely enough, she was absolutely correct that Sirius and Charity would be joining Severus and Narcissa at the altar on Beltane. The happy couples planned synchronous weddings that would take place on the same day. Everyone would arrive for the wedding brunch hosted in honor of both couples. At noon, at the height of the day, Sirius and Charity would marry. They would have a light luncheon in honor of the happy couple. At two o'clock exactly, Severus and Narcissa would be married. A formal dinner would be hosted for the happy couple, followed by an evening of dancing and fun at a joint reception held for both couples. Each couple would have their own cake and their own first dance but would otherwise share the festivities.
It was a whirlwind day for everyone involved. Multiple costume changes occurred throughout the day. The children behaved beautifully. The three little girls acted as flower bearers for both couples. The boys acted as ring bearers. The lilac morning dresses and deep purple dress robes matched Sirius and Charity perfectly. The formal red gowns and black dress robes with tails befit Severus and Narcissa perfectly. Everyone had a wonderful time celebrating the happy new lives that were beginning on this day.
It had taken a few years but Severus had learned to accept Sirius' and Remus' apologies for the bullying Severus had experienced at school. Sirius had learned to accept that he had done wrong when he was young. He saw his own faults and the faults of James as well. Severus learned to let the past go and was a better person for it. Sirius learned to do the same with the same results.
It was for this reason that the couples had been able to continue living under the same roof now that they were married. It helped that they each had their own wing, just as the children and Remus each had their own wings of the house. It made it easier for everyone to live in harmony together when there was plenty of space to get away from one another, too. Remus still left the home for three days per month, but he'd wisely started using the shrieking shack for those days again. It made things easier on everyone, especially Severus, who was deathly afraid of werewolves.
Remus still hadn't found anyone special to share his life with but if little Tonks, who was now sixteen years old, had anything to say about it, he would soon. Narcissa couldn't help but smile at the brazen antics of the young lady. She couldn't help but laugh at how uncomfortable it made Remus. Oh well, give it four or five more years and he can rightly wizen up.
The children were doing fantastically. Harry and Draco had both mastered occlumency, or at least as much as was possible for their age and power levels. They were starting animagus training with Sirius next. He bet the boys could make it happen by third year, instead of fifth like James and himself. He was sure the girls would beat them both, even if the boys were learning quickly.
The combination of muggle studies in the morning and wanded magic studies in the afternoon had put the children a little ahead of their peers. Harry and Draco would be starting second year level material in September while the girls would finally get to start the first year wanded magic material, now that they had their own wands.
Severus was impressed with all of the students' grasp of potions but he was particularly proud of Draco, Lily, and Chryssie. The three of them were naturals at Potions. Chryssie's intuitive understanding of plants made her a whiz. Lily had that same special spark of understanding for the subject that her namesake had always had. Draco was very skilled. He understood the interactions between the ingredients so well, he could decipher the ingredients of a simple potion by the effects of the potion alone.
Harry and Jazz were the little defense masters. They easily mastered both Muggle and wizarding self defense strategies without even really trying. Harry could feel where his opponent would be. His punches and spells always hit their targets. Jazz was quick on her feet. She was never where you expected her to be. She got in some good jabs with her fists and her wand, as well. Remus was proud to teach them everything he knew.
Harry, Draco, and Jazz were prize students in flying. They worked so well as a team, Sirius was certain they could win the house cup their first year … if they were going to Hogwarts. Instead, they played intramural games with the other homeschool kids every third Thursday of the month. All the kids looked forward to the games, even though Lily and Chryssie didn't like to fly. That was okay. Neville always sat with them to keep them company. Theo was quick to jump up in the sky with Draco and Harry.
Everything was going so well, Narcissa wanted to pinch herself. Her children were intelligent, reasonably well behaved, they cared for one another, and most importantly, they all valued family above all else. Narcissa felt like a complete success.
She also felt somewhat hollow. Her babies were practically grown. Her boys would be eleven years old in a few weeks. Her girls would be nine in a few short months. Narcissa missed having little children around. She looked at Severus and wondered.
"Severus?" She asked him.
"Yes, darling," he absentmindedly responded, not looking up from the book he was taking notes on.
"Do you want children?"
Severus scoffed. "We have five children."
"Yes, but, wouldn't you like more children? Maybe just one or two? Children made from me and you?"
Severus closed his book and looked at her. His hair pulled back in a thong made his face look much younger and more handsome. She leaned forward and kissed him. He pushed her back gently.
"Do you want more children?" He asked her, curiously. She smiled.
"I love children. I know we aren't quite too old to have children, but I would hope any additional children we have would get to grow up with their siblings." She looked at Sirius, laughing and joking with the kids on the ground while he hovered on his broom and watched the children in the sky. "Maybe to grow up with their cousins, too?"
Severus followed her line of sight and snorted. "Gods help us all, if he reproduces."
"I think they're trying," Narcissa said quietly. "I think I'd like to try, too."
"You want to do the Fertilitas Vita ritual?" Severus asked. She smiled and nodded. "I'd like to offer it to them, too. I think they're struggling," she said, quietly.
Severus sighed and looked at his beautiful wife. How could he ever tell her no? He kissed her instead.
Narcissa waited a few more months before approaching Sirius and Charity. She invited them down to her wing for tea. After she served them both, she turned the topic from pleasantries to serious business.
"I wanted to speak to you both about a possibly sensitive matter. Please, tell me if I'm making you uncomfortable or if I'm being rude," she looked to the two other magicals, who looked concernedly back at her.
"Severus and I have decided to try for another baby." Sirius and Charity winced. They looked at one another and joined hands. "We are fairly certain we will be successful as we plan to enact the Fertilitas Vita ritual. We'd like to know if you'd like to perform the ritual as well?"
Charity looked at Narcissa, shell shocked. "I understand you might be having trouble conceiving. The Fertilitas Vita ritual is a veritably fool proof way to ensure fertilization. If you're interested, I would be glad to make the potion for you. You can choose to have one baby or two. I was thinking I might have one baby and try for another a year from now. That way the children are close in age but not twins. Twins can be very hard on the body," Narcissa said, remembering last time.
"Then triplets must have been murder on you," Charity blurted out. Narcissa winced at her slip up.
"Yes, it was. I do not think I would attempt that again. Keep in mind, I was trying for twins when I got triplets last time," Narcissa said, weakly. Sirius and Charity didn't notice. They were too busy holding a conversation with their eyes.
They looked back at Narcissa. "We'll do it. We want to," Sirius said, beaming.
"Just one," Charity jumped in, slightly panicked. "I think we'll do what you're doing. One at a time, just one."
Narcissa couldn't help but laugh at the look on the woman's face.
"Er," Sirius started. "I don't suppose you'd consider letting a couple of your elves breed? We'd love one or two to help with the little tykes."
Narcissa looked scandalized. "Of course not. I will be glad to purchase an elf for you as a baby gift, however. Our elves stay in the family. It makes for much tighter and happier family groups when you allow the elves to keep their young."
"Fair enough," Sirius said, looking happy. "Just let Mipsy choose so we get a good one," Sirius joked. Then he shuddered at the memory of Kreacher. It might have been callous of him but Sirius was glad the old elf was dead.
Narcissa was also thinking of the loathsome elf. She was surprised Sirius even wanted one with the way Kreacher had aided in Sirius' abuse when he was young.
"I was thinking that the girls have a birthday coming up in a few weeks. That should allow me plenty of time to brew the potions. I know the girls would love to share their special day in this way. We can perform the ritual before our wizarding guests. It will add an extra layer of legitimacy to the births. Then, we can enact the ritual again next year on the boys' birthday. That will allow a few months to heal before undertaking pregnancy again. With magic, it should work perfectly," Narcissa said, beaming as she planned the ceremonies in her mind. She'd want to find a way so that the children could be involved in the ritual, too.
Charity and Sirius grinned at one another. They would do this. They'd end up with two healthy kids, with the aid of magic. Maybe someday, they'd have some more but two sounded like a good starting point. Sirius had basically been a father to five children already. He knew how hard it was to handle that many at once. With his two and Narcissa two more, it would make nine children in the house.
Sirius barked out a laugh. Narcissa and Charity looked at him oddly. He just smiled and said, "I love kids."
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