It was nearing midnight one Saturday in April, as the group Hermione and
Harry had jokingly titled "la resistance" continued to toil in the dungeon
classroom. They had temporarily suspended research into the Mark and had
thrown themselves into the development of their "Lucius special."
Apparently, they had hit upon the perfect combination of stupidity-inducing
narcotics and a temporary power enhancement, because Ron was currently
giggling like a schoolgirl and flinging a powerful jelly-legs curse at
Snape.
"Gods, that feels good," he said, grinning.
"Ronald," hissed Snape menacingly from his position on the floor. "Watch yourself."
Ron took aim badly and just barely missed Snape with his next hex - a tickling curse.
"And the sad thing is, I know you're going to kick my arse when this is all over, and I just don't care," snickered Ron. "It must be working."
Hermione smirked at her husband and muttered the counter curse as she helped him to his feet. Snape glared at Ron menacingly.
"Mr. Weasley, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from getting even for old resentments," Snape said, attempting to maintain a bit of calm as his wand hand itched desperately. "The first curse you flung at me may have been funny, but the fifth is - I assure you - not."
Lupin and Weasley exchanged a quick look, before Ron pointed his wand at Snape and cried: "Vocalis Canaria!"
Snape's glare intensified and he opened his mouth to tell Ron exactly what he thought about his latest curse - and he chirped.
Ron fell to the floor in drunken hysterics while Lupin chuckled and winked at Hermione. The rest of the group stared for a moment in shock before falling into helpless laughter. Even Hermione couldn't hold back the giggles as she saw the horrified look on her tweeting husbands face.
Snape attempted to again yell at Ron, and the dungeon classroom was filled with melodic birdsong. Frustrated, Snape turned in a swirl of billowing black robes and stalked purposefully to the worktable that held their test cauldron - and antidote. In his best evil potions master mode, he stomped back across the classroom and thrust the vial in Ron's face.
Drink it, Snape commanded his vocal cords to say.
"Tweeep twirt," he actually said. Glaring into Ron's mirthful, watery eyes and looking at his red face with disdain, he took the stopper from the vial and attempted to force feed the laughing boy.
"Okay, okay, I'll drink it," giggled Ron. "Just promise me that you'll give me a running start before you pull your wand?"
Snape nodded and chirped. Ron drank, shook his head to clear it of the original potions effects, and promptly took off out of the dungeons like a shot - Snape not far behind trying to hit his fleeing form with a body bind.
After a few moments, the group finally managed to curb their laughter and get back to business.
"I do believe we needed that," chuckled Dumbledore, as he moved to bottle the "Lucius special."
Hermione shook her head, still smiling. "I know Severus needed it. It's been a rough couple of weeks for him. He still hasn't recovered from the last meeting completely. He's been - withdrawn."
Draco's face turned solemn and he nodded grimly. At that moment, Snape returned to the dungeons with a triumphant grin on his face. He sauntered over to their makeshift snack table, poured himself a glass of milk and began looking for the cookie with the most macadamias in it. Finding one, he turned to face the group and leaned back casually against the table munching.
"Very good cookies, Molly. Thank you for bringing them tonight," he said, not looking up.
"What?" he said innocently, when he finally noticed seven pairs of eyes looking at him questioningly.
"What did you do to my son, Severus?" asked Molly, hands on her hips but amusement dancing in her eyes.
"He's fine," said Snape. "Honestly."
The group continued to look at him in silence. Snape grinned.
"Or he will be once his raging case of acne clears up," he said, smirking. "Should be a day or two. Anyway, I wouldn't expect to see much of him for the rest of the weekend."
"Severus, while you were playing with Ron we were able to bottle the potion," interrupted Dumbledore. "You are ready for the next meeting. A vial of the enhancement potion for Lucius and I believe we almost have 100 vials of the narcotics for the rest of the Death Eaters' 'pleasure.' The next time you are called -"
"I know, Headmaster," said Snape, downing the rest of his milk as if it were a shot of whiskey. "The next time I am called is crucial. Don't worry, we plan to make it count."
Dumbledore looked from Harry to Draco and back to Snape. "Just be certain that all three of you return to us, safe and sound."
Silence followed Dumbledore's decree. It was shortly broken, however, as Ginny Weasley moved across the room to Harry and took his hand.
"Harry, let's get married now, tonight or tomorrow," Ginny said. "I don't want you to go with Professor Snape unless we are-"
"No, Ginny," Harry said gently. "You deserve a nice wedding and a nice honeymoon. We've already done everything else backwards and messed things up completely. I want to marry you in June with our families and friends around, not in a damp dungeon in the middle of the night."
The group was once again silent as they listened to the couple discuss their future. Ginny attempted to explain why she felt she needed to marry Harry soon, but he wouldn't listen. Molly appeared to be speechless and Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling at the prospect of a Hogwarts wedding, so Snape decided to speak to the practical issues at hand.
"Think about it Harry," said Snape. "If anything happens to you, Ginny and the baby will be provided for. You can always have another, big ceremony in June. But this way you are covered."
Hermione smiled at her husband and walked over to lay a hand on his shoulder.
"And I can tell you, that a renewal of your vows is just as special as the original ceremony," she said softly. "New Year's Eve is a very special memory for both Severus and I."
Harry turned to Dumbledore, sighing. The old wizard nodded his permission to the young pair.
"Can you do it, sir?" asked Harry. Dumbledore smiled softly and took both Ginny and Harry by the hand, pulling them to stand in front of him. A few simple words and promises later, and the pair were married. The golden wedding bands Snape had quickly transformed out of potion vials mid- ceremony, sparkled on their fingers as Harry brought Ginny's hand to his lips for a soft kiss.
"You may kiss your bride, Harry," said Dumbledore, twinkling brightly. Molly sniffed and Hermione wiped her eyes as Ginny and Harry tenderly kissed.
"I can face anything now, Harry," said Ginny.
Hugs and tears followed as the close-knit group cautiously celebrated the premature nuptials. Dumbledore summoned a House Elf and gave him instructions to escort Harry and Ginny to a guest suite near Gryffindor Tower, and to bring their personal items there for them late the next day. Harry gave Hermione one last, tight hug, then he and Ginny followed the House Elf out of the dungeons and to their new home.
Snape looked at Ginny's mother, who was still teary-eyed.
"Molly," he said, softly. "When this is all over, I promise that your daughter will get the wedding she deserves and that I'm sure you have dreamed of since before she was born."
Molly smiled at him over her wet handkerchief.
"Already picturing yourself as the father of the bride, Professor?" she asked. He didn't say anything, just simply nodded in response.
"Tonight's ceremony was necessary, not romantic," said Dumbledore. "We are waging war and Ginny and the baby deserved the financial and practical results of the joining. Hogwarts would love to host their wedding in June, Molly. When you explain this to Arthur, make sure he knows that he will still be able to see his daughter in her wedding robes. And I'm sure Ron will need the reassurance, as well. But, I know that Arthur will be most upset he wasn't here."
Molly nodded. Snape moved to pull Hermione to his chest for a brief hug before he turned to the assembled group and softly said: "After all, every father should have the chance to walk his little girl down the aisle, shouldn't he?"
"Gods, that feels good," he said, grinning.
"Ronald," hissed Snape menacingly from his position on the floor. "Watch yourself."
Ron took aim badly and just barely missed Snape with his next hex - a tickling curse.
"And the sad thing is, I know you're going to kick my arse when this is all over, and I just don't care," snickered Ron. "It must be working."
Hermione smirked at her husband and muttered the counter curse as she helped him to his feet. Snape glared at Ron menacingly.
"Mr. Weasley, I would appreciate it if you would refrain from getting even for old resentments," Snape said, attempting to maintain a bit of calm as his wand hand itched desperately. "The first curse you flung at me may have been funny, but the fifth is - I assure you - not."
Lupin and Weasley exchanged a quick look, before Ron pointed his wand at Snape and cried: "Vocalis Canaria!"
Snape's glare intensified and he opened his mouth to tell Ron exactly what he thought about his latest curse - and he chirped.
Ron fell to the floor in drunken hysterics while Lupin chuckled and winked at Hermione. The rest of the group stared for a moment in shock before falling into helpless laughter. Even Hermione couldn't hold back the giggles as she saw the horrified look on her tweeting husbands face.
Snape attempted to again yell at Ron, and the dungeon classroom was filled with melodic birdsong. Frustrated, Snape turned in a swirl of billowing black robes and stalked purposefully to the worktable that held their test cauldron - and antidote. In his best evil potions master mode, he stomped back across the classroom and thrust the vial in Ron's face.
Drink it, Snape commanded his vocal cords to say.
"Tweeep twirt," he actually said. Glaring into Ron's mirthful, watery eyes and looking at his red face with disdain, he took the stopper from the vial and attempted to force feed the laughing boy.
"Okay, okay, I'll drink it," giggled Ron. "Just promise me that you'll give me a running start before you pull your wand?"
Snape nodded and chirped. Ron drank, shook his head to clear it of the original potions effects, and promptly took off out of the dungeons like a shot - Snape not far behind trying to hit his fleeing form with a body bind.
After a few moments, the group finally managed to curb their laughter and get back to business.
"I do believe we needed that," chuckled Dumbledore, as he moved to bottle the "Lucius special."
Hermione shook her head, still smiling. "I know Severus needed it. It's been a rough couple of weeks for him. He still hasn't recovered from the last meeting completely. He's been - withdrawn."
Draco's face turned solemn and he nodded grimly. At that moment, Snape returned to the dungeons with a triumphant grin on his face. He sauntered over to their makeshift snack table, poured himself a glass of milk and began looking for the cookie with the most macadamias in it. Finding one, he turned to face the group and leaned back casually against the table munching.
"Very good cookies, Molly. Thank you for bringing them tonight," he said, not looking up.
"What?" he said innocently, when he finally noticed seven pairs of eyes looking at him questioningly.
"What did you do to my son, Severus?" asked Molly, hands on her hips but amusement dancing in her eyes.
"He's fine," said Snape. "Honestly."
The group continued to look at him in silence. Snape grinned.
"Or he will be once his raging case of acne clears up," he said, smirking. "Should be a day or two. Anyway, I wouldn't expect to see much of him for the rest of the weekend."
"Severus, while you were playing with Ron we were able to bottle the potion," interrupted Dumbledore. "You are ready for the next meeting. A vial of the enhancement potion for Lucius and I believe we almost have 100 vials of the narcotics for the rest of the Death Eaters' 'pleasure.' The next time you are called -"
"I know, Headmaster," said Snape, downing the rest of his milk as if it were a shot of whiskey. "The next time I am called is crucial. Don't worry, we plan to make it count."
Dumbledore looked from Harry to Draco and back to Snape. "Just be certain that all three of you return to us, safe and sound."
Silence followed Dumbledore's decree. It was shortly broken, however, as Ginny Weasley moved across the room to Harry and took his hand.
"Harry, let's get married now, tonight or tomorrow," Ginny said. "I don't want you to go with Professor Snape unless we are-"
"No, Ginny," Harry said gently. "You deserve a nice wedding and a nice honeymoon. We've already done everything else backwards and messed things up completely. I want to marry you in June with our families and friends around, not in a damp dungeon in the middle of the night."
The group was once again silent as they listened to the couple discuss their future. Ginny attempted to explain why she felt she needed to marry Harry soon, but he wouldn't listen. Molly appeared to be speechless and Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling at the prospect of a Hogwarts wedding, so Snape decided to speak to the practical issues at hand.
"Think about it Harry," said Snape. "If anything happens to you, Ginny and the baby will be provided for. You can always have another, big ceremony in June. But this way you are covered."
Hermione smiled at her husband and walked over to lay a hand on his shoulder.
"And I can tell you, that a renewal of your vows is just as special as the original ceremony," she said softly. "New Year's Eve is a very special memory for both Severus and I."
Harry turned to Dumbledore, sighing. The old wizard nodded his permission to the young pair.
"Can you do it, sir?" asked Harry. Dumbledore smiled softly and took both Ginny and Harry by the hand, pulling them to stand in front of him. A few simple words and promises later, and the pair were married. The golden wedding bands Snape had quickly transformed out of potion vials mid- ceremony, sparkled on their fingers as Harry brought Ginny's hand to his lips for a soft kiss.
"You may kiss your bride, Harry," said Dumbledore, twinkling brightly. Molly sniffed and Hermione wiped her eyes as Ginny and Harry tenderly kissed.
"I can face anything now, Harry," said Ginny.
Hugs and tears followed as the close-knit group cautiously celebrated the premature nuptials. Dumbledore summoned a House Elf and gave him instructions to escort Harry and Ginny to a guest suite near Gryffindor Tower, and to bring their personal items there for them late the next day. Harry gave Hermione one last, tight hug, then he and Ginny followed the House Elf out of the dungeons and to their new home.
Snape looked at Ginny's mother, who was still teary-eyed.
"Molly," he said, softly. "When this is all over, I promise that your daughter will get the wedding she deserves and that I'm sure you have dreamed of since before she was born."
Molly smiled at him over her wet handkerchief.
"Already picturing yourself as the father of the bride, Professor?" she asked. He didn't say anything, just simply nodded in response.
"Tonight's ceremony was necessary, not romantic," said Dumbledore. "We are waging war and Ginny and the baby deserved the financial and practical results of the joining. Hogwarts would love to host their wedding in June, Molly. When you explain this to Arthur, make sure he knows that he will still be able to see his daughter in her wedding robes. And I'm sure Ron will need the reassurance, as well. But, I know that Arthur will be most upset he wasn't here."
Molly nodded. Snape moved to pull Hermione to his chest for a brief hug before he turned to the assembled group and softly said: "After all, every father should have the chance to walk his little girl down the aisle, shouldn't he?"