A/N: And now for the nastiest result of a cliffhanger I've ever done...

Chapter Seven: The Seeker's Just Lost a Fight

"Professor Hagrid, thank goodness! What happened?" The angry half-giant had Flint's green robes in his left hand and Julie's red ones in his right one, holding both teenagers about their arms' length off the ground. For all appearances it looked like Julie'd lost the fight; blood gushing from some cuts and one eye swollen shut, as well as a nose smashed to a Bludger-style bloody crush. Flint's face had but one darkening eye and a bruise, although he was holding his arm to his gut oddly. Snape swept over then and smacked the Slytherin to the ground, just before he looked at Julie's face and kicked him somewhat harshly, too.

"What happened to you?" he asked of either kid and both of them. Alexei Malgryevic spoke up loudly then:

"It vos my fault, Professor, Julie asked me not to foul with such bad sportsmanship, ant zhen Flint here had to come and hit her- like a fruit." The Bulgarian spat at the green-cloaked, bleeding Flint.

"Well, where were you when she was getting smashed beyond recognition?" Snape howled, ready to knock the Bulgarian into next Thursday -hard. Hagrid stopped him with a word for Malgryevic's side.

"He fought Flint for Julie like a proper gent, on'y he blacked out when that Slyth'rin hit 'im wiv' a curse. Yer Julie fought back on'y after that, plus she broke the bugger's wand ter do it." It didn't quite occur to either professor that Julie hadn't said a word to them. Just then Harry and McGonagall landed, too, followed closely by Hermione and Longbottom.

"I heard Julie got into a fight...is she okay?" Neville asked. Hagrid didn't put her down like he'd thrown Flint there.

"Julie?" Hagrid asked again, with no reply. "She 'asn't said a word since I pulled Flint away!"

"Julie, talk to us!" Hermione begged frightenedly.

"Hagrid, can you put her down?" asked Harry, who took his honorary niece's hand, then swiftly dropped it. "Sweet Merlin, look at her fingers here!" Snape moved quickly, only to see her hands broken and splintered, poking through the skin. "She had to have her gloves off when the fight began." Chloe Davies stepped up with the gloves in her small hands.

"She took them off just after Flint hit Alexei again."

"Hagrid, try to put her down," Snape asked, only to be silenced when she crumpled to the ground again. The half-giant pulled her back above the ground.

"At least one of her legs has been broken, see?" Flint whispered quietly. "I don't take noble guff from Muggles, man." Snape turned on him too quickly for the boy to move, and when he turned back Flint was still and quiet like a sack.

"The full Body-Bind," he clarified. "I'd rather kill that little bag of bones, but-"

"I'm here," Hermione was saying, stroking Julie's hair. It was painfully obvious that Julie couldn't hear her, yet she still felt the need to comfort her half-grown-up child. "It's okay, Julie, Dad's here, too."

"Is Julie gonna be okay?" Chloe asked. At her words, the Seeker raised her head and croaked aloud:

"Yeah, Chloe, I'm alright...yeah." Julie raised her splintered right hand and motioned her over, causing spurts of blood to gush out. "Could you do me a favor- -go tell Donaghan?" The little first-year nodded quickly and ran off, just before Julie gave up and howled from the pain of it. She hadn't wanted Chloe there to see her cry. As swiftly as she had let out that one scary wolfish howl, she stopped any demonstration of how much it hurt, very quietly permitting herself to be carried in to Madam Pomfrey's. "By the way," she told her father, as he helped Hagrid to pick her up, "you might want to take my knife out of Flint pretty soon."

"What do yeh mean, yer knife, Julie?" Hagrid asked in incredulity.

"I stabbed him in the side before he kicked my leg. Sorry if it seems a little-" Abruptly Julie's head swung to the side, and she spat several teeth on the grass below. "It'th a theap Muggle trick, I nefer should haf done that."

"He deserffed it, Julie, wish you't had a bigger vone." Malgryevic was being led up the steps beside her. For once Professor Snape agreed with Alexei.

"You aren't to be blamed, dear, it was self-defense; especially as you don't know half the curses yet."

"I thoul' haf juth hit him, Da'. A knife ith a weapon."

"Are your teeth alright, Julie?" Hermione asked in nervous surprise, having fortunately missed her daughter's spitting all seven right top ones to the ground a moment earlier.

"I'm okay, they're juth out, thath all."

"What do you mean, out?"

"You don't want to thee thith, but-" Julie opened her mouth to reveal the lack of upper teeth there on one whole side. "They're out, you thee?"

"Oh my God, Julie- -we'll fix them. Madame Pomfrey can reattach them or regrow them or something. You'll be okay." Julie's reply was not only lisped, but slurred from the pain.

"I thought tho. Thankth, Hagrid, Mum, Dad- -everybody."

And with that, the valiant Starcatcher passed out.

************************

"She's lost fully a quarter of her teeth, broken her jaw, her nose, both hands, and a tibia, plus there are some nasty cuts and bruises from the beating part. As for curses hitting her, she's been hit with Furnunculus, Squirrelus, Densaugeo, and an imperfect form of Cruciatus according to spectators, and yet I see no ill effects aside from physical- -non-magically physical, that is."

"So she dodged all the curses he threw at her?" Severus asked a little proudly of his Seeker-girl.

"It seems more like she just absorbed them or repelled them, as if she's quite immune to a curse effect." Madam Pomfrey seemed a little bit confused by this. "I can't help but wonder if the curse scar she got as a newborn helped to give her resistance of a kind we can't fathom, or-" Suddenly her face went entirely white. "Severus, do you remember when she shot her foot with a Swelling Curse?"

"All too well, Poppy. She was limping very funny for an hour."

"Because it only worked on her left shoe, Severus! I assumed that the swelling'd gone down, so I iced it the Muggle way. I'm a little afraid that she might be immune to Curse Magic."

"Is that a bad thing?" her mother inquired. "As I recall it, having a curse put on you is a little bit far from a good thing."

"But imagine, Hermione! If your Julie isn't conditioned very closely against evil, we might very well wind up with worse than Lord Voldemort ever was." Snape suddenly rose to his full and decidedly angry height.

"Are you even daring to suggest that my daughter might become a new Dark Lord?" Madame Pomfrey sighed in a little bit of exasperation, completely unmoved by the terrifying sight of a very angry Severus. She explaned her worries thus then:

"No, it's just that she can't be controlled by magic. Should she go into good, she might also prove to be the greatest Auror ever known because the Dark forces won't be able to touch her. It'll be up to you two to condition her. With parents like your friend Malfoy had, she would easily slip into criminal type. It was only you that kept him good, remember? Julie's just going to have to be watched very carefully."

"And the difference from how we treat her now is?"

"None, really, Severus, and I'm sorry to frighten you. I'm just very worried about the immunity, because if that's what it is, then she's also immune to magical medicine. She would be in all essences Muggle-type, with the exception that she could actually do magic. It's rather frightening, especially as she's injured."

"So you might not be able to help her?" Hermione asked, frightened.

"I can set the broken jaw and tibia Muggle-style, but regrowing her teeth and repairing these hands are beyond me. I will try, though, as it may just be from curses."

"How will you be able to prove she's immune or not?"

"I'll have to fix these bones first, but then I'm going to have to have you curse her later to find out for sure." Both Severus and Hermione were shocked by this.

"Why me?"

"And what curses?"

"You're the strongest at Curse Magic in Hogwarts, Severus, and nothing stronger than the very minor, small ones. You aren't going to have to Cruciate your daughter."

"Alright, I suppose so." Severus was again sitting down by her bedside. "How are you going to fix her hands, Poppy?"

"I can't mend them because there's too many splinters, so I'm thinking of borrowing a trick out of Lockhart to fix them." Severus looked disgusted and Hermione amused by this. "I can tell you remember the incident."

"What incident? That Lockhart git couldn't-"

"He deboned Harry's arm once and Madam Pomfrey had to regrow all the bones in it." Hermione still giggled at the memory. "It hurt Harry a lot with the Skele-Gro, though, didn't it?"

"I think Julie can put up with it excellently. Besides, what's a few hours of stinging hands compared to three months with smashed broken ones?"

"So you're just going to remove and then entirely regrow the bones in them?" Severus asked a little nervously. "This wouldn't-"

"No, dear, it won't affect the way she plays Quidditch." Hermione smiled and put an arm around her clearly shaken husband.

"I was thinking, though, our Julie's ambidextrous. Would regrowing the hand bones affect it some?"

"It isn't likely. And her teeth will grow back in in much the same way." Poppy gave Hermione a very pointed look then. "Since she did inherit that one- -detail, would you give me permission to fix them right?"

"Absolutely. I think she would like that."

"What detail?" Neither woman deigned to answer him, though Hermione smiled a bit oddly. "I still haven't a clue what you're talking about." Hermione grinned as Madam Pomfrey decided to tell him:

"Teeth, Severus."

"What's the matter with Julie's teeth?" the father asked indignantly.

"As I recall it, mine had grown down past my collar and you said you saw no difference." It took a second, but then the full light of memory dawned, producing a most spectacular reaction from Severus.

"I remember- I said that? ...I'm sorry!"

"A bit late, now, wouldn't you say?" Madam Pomfrey asked a bit sarcastically.

"No, it's alright, Poppy. I got him to apologize and I'm happy." Hermione was smiling and behaving quite unusually, even as she looked at Julie sleeping. "I think her elbows are the only spot that's not bruised up."

"Yeth, I spoth tho," Julie observed, having come to from the laughter.

"Are you alright, Julie?" her father asked. She didn't nod, but said:

"Yeah, I gueth tho." Madam Pomfrey aimed her wand at Julie's jaw, which instantly became fused and immobile. Her speech grew even more incoherent. "'Ay, why you did thith?"

"Your jaw is broken, Julie, and I have to fix it." Madam Pomfrey aimed a second charm to make the pain go away. "Can you try to tell me what's hurting worst?"

"Oh, thure. My handth are abtholutely thmathed tho I can't uthe them, my leg thtingth, at leatht thicth of my teeth are out, and now on top of it all, I can't move my mouth. Could you try to ficth my handth like you ficthed Donaghan's arm at the Quiddith matth?"

"Actually, Julie, I have to re-bone them. Do your teeth feel any better?"

"Not really, acthually. The lack of them feelth very good, though."

"I think she means the spaces where they were have stopped hurting, right, Jule?"

"Right. 'Ay, now my handth went numb." Madam Pomfrey had neatly deboned them both. Hermione went very white as she saw all the splinters there, as she had not recalled that deboning made the pieces come out from the limbs they were taken. Julie lifted a hand just to look at it. "You've turned them into thquid."

"Hold still a moment, there's still a few cuts in there." A quick spell closed up all the open wounds without a mark. "Now for that leg, and then you'll have to drink the Skele-Gro. It'll be about overnight while the bones grow in, but-"

"Thekele-Gro?" Julie interrupted, a little more nervous than usual. "No way. Uncle Harry thold me about that thtuff, I'm not taking any. Not happening. No thance."

"Julia Snape," her father warned, only raising his voice to a speaking tone.

"Then again, maybe I'll juth put up with it," Julie amended. "How do you reattath teeth, Madam Pomthrey?"

"I'm going to regrow those, too, actually. Hold still a second, this might sting a little-"

There was a snapping noise like chalk or a tree branch, as Julie's tibia popped back and formed one piece. Surprisingly she hadn't flinched or whimpered.

"Did that hurt, dear?" Hermione asked her. Julie looked at her mother and smiled weird.

"I can only clenth half of my teeth, but no."

"Well, she's not immune to magical medicines," Madam Pomfrey couldn't help observing, causing Julie to look curious at all of them.

"Why would I be immune to it?" There was a very urgent knock at the door just then.

"Never mind, we'll tell you later." Severus took one of Julie's rubbery hands and held it tight, while Hermione answered the door. He was later to reflect that perhaps that had been a bad move on his part, as Donaghan came in quite nervously.

"Are yeh alrigh', Julie?" the still red-cloaked Captain inquired. He was quite pale and his eyes were wide open, and he panted from running upstairs so fast. "I was in the dungeon when Chloe fin'lly foun' me, I'm sorry to took so long ter'-"

"I'm alright, Donaghan." Julie told him, teeth still clenched tight. "I've juth gotten my leg bone repaired, there."

"That bleedin'-" Donaghan stopped short of a much-greater swearword as he recalled Professor Granger's presence, "-he broke your leg, did 'e?"

"He's broken one leg, both hands, her jaw, her nose and knocked eight teeth out. The knife wound to the ribs that she gave him was merely superficial." Madame Pomfrey seemed to have a knack for making men angry with sentences. Donaghan nearly exploded from that news.

"That bloody bastard!" He gave Professor Granger an apologetic look but she only grinned at him. "I'm sorry, but that's beyond tol'ratin'. Where 'ave they put that bleedin' miscreant?"

"Actually, Mr. McPhersen, Mr. Flint has been sent into custody, both for causing grievous bodily harm-"

"Damn straight 'e did."

"-and attempting the use of the Cruciatus Curse." Professor Snape was a little pleased with the Gryffindor student's reaction.

"I'll kill the Slyth'rin myself if yeh let me! What y'mean, attempting... that bloody..."

"I say attempting 'cause it didn't work on Julie."

This news surprised Donaghan and Julie as well from the looks of it.

"Flint tried the Cruthiatuth Curth on me?"

"It didn't work on y', really, though, did it?"

"I can't remember anything hurting." Everybody looked at her. "I mean athide from the obviouth cutth an' thingth."

"How come it didn't work on Julie, sir?" Donaghan asked quite normally of the tall dark-haired professor. "I know Flint's lousy an' bleedin' at curses, but still, 'fessor."

"We have reason to believe that Julie may carry an immunity to most of Curse Magic," Snape clarified, at which news Donaghan looked pleased and Julie quite incredulous.

"You mean curtheth might not even hurt me?"

"Julie, tha's neat! 'Ow y'do that?"

"I don't know, and I can't think why they think it."

"Julie, Flint tried at least four different curses and none of them left any effects on you. It probably has to do with that spell scar you've got." Madame Pomfrey again caused a furor with two little sentences.

"Like Uncle Harry ith a Parthelmouth?"

"We don't even know for sure what spell her scar was!"

"Talkin' 'bout that star-shaped one on your hand, righ', Julie?"

"I'm not thure what all thith ith about, but it dothen't thound like anything is happy here." Suddenly Donaghan gave Julie a curious, interesting look.

"Why're y'talkin' like that, only-girl?"

"My jaw's fithed thut and I've got about eight teeth mithing. I mutht look like a train-wreck all bruithed like thith." Donaghan sat down beside her and stroked her hair.

"I think yeh look lovely." Julie arched an eyebrow at him first in disbelief and then in warning as she remembered her parents were right beside, watching. He got the message and abruptly changed his tactic. "Yeah, the bruises look good for a Seeker-girl. Looks like a nice shiner startin', an' that nose could go just as well broken."

"Excuth me?" Julie asked in indignance, pointing first at her crushed nose and then at her father with a hand that seemed as rubbery and lifeless as a latex glove. Donaghan was suitably appalled by that. "I like my nothe juth fine!"

"What did yeh do to 'er 'and?" Donaghan asked Madam Pomfrey, who explained it as she poured a glass of Skele-Gro.

"But I have to fix her jaw first-" there was another twist and 'pop' as pieces fused again, "-so the Skele-Gro doesn't distort her face."

"You call thith not dithtorted?"

"I meant distort it permanently. If the Skele-Gro bonds to the ends of two broken bones, it'll make them start to grow towards each other. Then they start to buckle like misaligned teeth when they meet up, and-"

"Poppy, please, that isn't- -what I'd like to hear." Professor Snape had gone quite green from that description. Even though he could stand far worse on a fairly regular and usual basis, graphic medical terminology gave him a nasty sort of feeling when it was addressed in the sense of being relevant to his family. Right at that moment he was trying to think about Quidditch scores, potions, or anything to put his mind off the worrying about his daughter.

Professor Granger, on the other hand, was looking strangely at the Gryffindor Quidditch Captain and her daughter. She was fairly sure that it wasn't just bruises he'd been admiring, even if Quidditch players did seem to covet scars as marks of honor. Julie's heated defense of her how her nose looked could be one of two things, either an attempt to convey that she was trying to look like her parents and be the kind of daughter they wanted, or Julie's trying to make it seem like she and Donaghan had really just been talking of normal things- -when it was otherwise fairly obvious they weren't. Hermione looked over her daughter's face, swollen eyes already going to purple, broken nose giving her a rakish Bludger-beaten appearance, jaw still locked so painfully closed as she tried to speak through half a set of clenched teeth; and yet Julie was still glad to see Donaghan. And she had asked Chloe to tell him after the fight ended, so she probably liked him as more than a Captain to Seeker. 'Yes,' she thought, 'our Julie is definitely interested.' She remembered also that Donaghan had asked her a lot of detailed questions about Julie, more than one might expect about just a new student or a player on a team. And just a moment ago he had offered to kill Matt Flint, definitely a sign of more than just a normal friend's loyalty. Hermione remembered how often Ron and Harry had suggested a justified homicide, which was something typical of closest friends or brother-types, and she knew that Julie would have said if they were that close. No, McPhersen definitely fancied her Starcatcher.

Even though Julie had hated that word as a last name, as a middle one she seemed to not mind it, probably because of the Quidditch thing. Hermione was a little surprised to discover that any relation of hers could play sports very well, but not disappointed as she realized how much Julie liked it. It also gave her something new to study, as she had never played or wanted to herself despite all 'her guys'' playing the game and always talking of it fondly- -always. Sometimes she suspected that the first thing they had talked about together without snarling had been Quidditch. 'Her guys' was the term Ginny used for Severus, Ron and Harry; or more properly, 'their guys' when they were both together. Ginny had gotten used to Severus the fastest, as neither Ron or Harry could really think why she could have possibly started to like the man, let alone wind up in a relationship with during school and eventually marry two years after graduation. Even thirteen years after they'd married, Harry and Ron still got a little weird whenever Julie showed up around them. Hermione herself was a little surprised at the idea of an illegitimate child, although, as she had pointed out to Julie, it was a matter of merely 'technical' illegitimacy; acting on the theory that their union was lacking only legal sanction. Julie had agreed to that normally, even though Hermione now suspected she knew it was just her method of lessening something socially improper to herself. Julie probably didn't care a fig about things like illegitimacy, especially as practically every kid in an orphanage had it. Severus seemed entirely too pleased to have a child, especially one so like the pair of them, to care about technicalities and 'proper-ness.' In fact, Severus probably liked her all the better for the eccentric way that they had found her, loving her more when he considered how close they'd come to never even knowing she existed. Julie was ecstatic with her father, proving not only how much she seemed like him in sporting skill, but in deviousness, suavity, and, appallingly, temperament. They would argue like raging dogs, Severus pulling in the wisdom of ages to make a point and Julie shooting him down with the layman's sharpest logic. Then they'd insult, with Severus insisting on calling her a 'black-haired partial-Muggle' while Julie referred to him as 'dungeon-boiled dragon-nose.' It was funny that they always managed to snipe at the very characteristics that they shared the most. Then they'd imitate, Severus speaking Julie in a ridiculously high and squeaky 'girly' voice, as Julie growled like a bear with her eyes narrowed. Neither one came close to really looking like the other. And then one would finally shout to scare the other one, such as Julie's daring him to take points off in front of her mother or Snape's threatening to throw her off the Quidditch team, always something that they knew the other'd never do. Then the fight was abruptly over and they'd return to what they had been doing. It was the most singularly bizarre way of showing affection that Hermione had gone and asked Harry, who had simply grinned and said that 'Ron did it quite well back in school, too'. Sometimes he was so completely useful it was sickening, especially in being an 'uncle' for Julie now. Harry had painstakingly taught her to Seek with Severus, a method of learning that sounded a lot like good cop-bad cop; quite effective if Julie's playing indicated. Julie also talked to Harry about scars and things, as it was plain the two had most of their background in common. Growing up among hostile or indifferent people, having a peculiar mark that turned out later to be magical, finding a family at last within Hogwarts, and playing Seeker for Gryffindor made them close. Hermione often found herself neatly cornered after Harry had slipped out an anecdote, such as the time she had given herself fur and a tail when a potion went nasty. Julie, of couse, had demanded to try it, only to be silenced by a crow turning into her father and suggesting that Animagic 'might be a better way to do that, now.' Harry also wound up leading her a bit astray, as an adventure with two loaned prized possessions landed Julie her first detention from someone other than her father. In his old age Filch had not gotten any kinder, but Mrs. Norris had learned to take a bribe for catnip or tuna, a tip Julie had gotten from the Weasley cousins; so of course the three of them had gone out to raid the kitchens, mixed their cats, and gotten nailed by a Transfigured Professor McGonagall. Hermione dimly suspected that Minerva had been more amused than angry, as the look on the three of their faces was probably worth a bit of prowling around as a cat at night. Besides, Professor McGonagall would never have punished them harshly, as two Beaters and a Seeker, they were allowed a few minor transgressions there. In fact, Professor McGonagall was notoriously fair about punishments, and the trio's potato peeling with the house-elves turned out quite well- -but for Julie's inventing contests: to peel a whole one while leaving the peel in one piece, the most potatoes peeled in three minutes, turn around while peeling without getting dizzy...sometimes she really was bright and bad. All in all she found her daughter quite important now, and the sight of her beaten and injured was very hard. The sight at the same time of her fancying Donaghan McPhersen was considerably easier, and quite really, nice. It was good to know that there was a student to protect her girl.

That led her to another thought- -the Bulgarian. He had stood up for her against a Slytherin and been knocked out by a curse for his friendship. So was it friendship or did he fancy Julie like Severus thought? She knew the Weasleys thought of her as extra cousin, and the three other Quidditch boys seemed like perfectly average guy-people, but how many others were there who actually fancied her daughter? And how would Julie think to take these boys' attentions? Going by her father's side, she'd use them as her servant-types, but going by herself she knew she'd run to ask her friends' advice, immediately after the library and owling her mother, too. She knew Severus would fly off the handle, if not menacingly around the grounds like an oversized raven until he'd frightened every breathing male at Hogwarts. She would probably wind up having 'talks' with both of them- -how much had Julie been taught at the orphanage? Good lord, she was nearly sixteen and might even know all about dating, even be totally expert at it, except she hadn't seemed the sort to know about it...

"Mom, you're really looking nervouth. I'll be okay." There was Julie, jaw unclenched now and about to drink the Skele-Gro. Her hands were on a table that swung over the bed and she sat up looking tensely at a glass and straw. "Thith won't take a-" awkwardly she tried to bend and get the straw in her mouth, but the lack of teeth prevented her holding it. Donaghan finally picked it up and held it at her head level, looking nervously and then incredulously at Julie's emptying the glass in one swallow. "Cripe, that burnth! Thankth, Donaghan, I really couldn't get that thtraw."

"Yeah, it's a good thing yeh Seek with your 'ands an' not your teeth, Julie." She gave him a look and he amended his statement. "Well, it still wouldn' make it easy on the Snitch, y'know."

"Were you planning to remain with Julie while her bones regrow?" Madame Pomfrey asked him quite devoid of innuendo. "Her parents have been summoned by the Headmistress, as there's a matter that they have to discuss with her. They probably should be back before it's nightfall, but if the Ministry sends word that they're needed, well,-"

"I was hopin' I could stay here wi' Julie," Donaghan interjected, again amending things as he recalled the two professors' presence. "Got ter' make sure yeh don' move your 'ands like she said cause then we're out another Seeker, righ'?"

"Oh, just admit it, you've been worried since you heard it!" Severus abrasively but not unkindly suggested. Donaghan glanced at Hermione and shrugged.

"Alrigh', I was worried, but jus' on account of I like 'er, y'know?" Julie went a little red but didn't comment. Severus just leaned back and looked at them.

"Good, 'cause I was wondering when you two planned to tell her mother. What do you think of this setup, Hermione?"

He had known -and Donaghan was still breathing. Hermione wondered how he'd been convinced to allow it.

"I think it's perfectly alright for him to like her, as long as Julie's quite okay with it also."

"Oh, she's okay with it, believe me!"

"Dad, do you-"

"Severus, how'd you know this was going on?" The professor grinned at the two now furiously reddening Gryffindors and suggested:

"Why don't you two tell her?"

"He caught us kissing, ma'am. It wasn' nothin' dang'rous."

"And it wathn't like he wathn't eavethdropping anyway, nothing could have pothibly happened-"

"espec'lly since i' only started 'bout two hours ago, us- -what're we doin', Julie?"

"I don't know, really, whether thith ith dating or another thing. Dad thaid to call it whatever we wanted, though."

"You mean you approved of this happening?" Hermione asked in total disbelief of things. Severus nodded and continued quite cynically.

"I forbade them to be caught alone unchaperoned, and no, dear, the paintings do not count, and I knew he'd have to meet your approval, so?"

"Caught alone unchaperoned?"

"Yeah, I figured they would try to cross it anyway so I might as well forbid getting caught instead."

"Not to theem overconfident, Dad, but the only thingth we might do alone would be flying and talking and- -nevermind."

"No, I'd like to hear what else you'd be doing. Or are there too many 's's for the toothless one?"

"Naw, juth not enough witharding wordth that might cover it," Julie retorted sarcastically. "After all, you don't like the ideath that Muggleth get, tho-"

"Yeh aren' really thinkin' o' doin' stuff this early, now?" Donaghan asked in what appeared to be abject shock at his girlfriend's mind. Julie shook her head then.

"No, I juth like to argue with Dad thometimeth. It theemed the appropriate backlath."

"Whatever you meant, I really hope you grow your teeth back." Severus looked perfectly at ease once again, even though his daughter's agile comment had for a second frozen him mid-action. "Between his accent and your lisp I can't think how I'll understand what you're both saying." Hermione was just about to reproach him for the comment, but Julie beat her again with a swift retort.

"Thath alright, becauth you probably won't like it."

"Don't think he will, either, unless you swallow like you take drinks-"

"Severus!" Hermione came within an inch of smacking him right out of Europe. Julie grinned and snapped right back with:

"Thankth for the idea, Dad."

"Both of you! Severus, why on earth would you say that?-Julie, where on earth did you learn it?"

"Banana splits, I'd wager." She smacked him.

"No, really, Profethor Longbottom juth grew thome nice zhuccini, that whath-"

"Julie-girl!" Donaghan looked really quite shocked at her. "You aren' really knowin' how ta'-?"

"Courth I don't. I juth knew that people did that and rethponded to the challenge."

"Yeh can argue better than yeh catch at Quidditch!" Donaghan's delight in her odd hobby was astounding. Severus looked at him as if he'd grown a second head.

"I knew there was a reason I allowed this one." Hermione ruefully nodded, then warned:

"If I catch you two using language like that ever,"

"Oh, don't worry. It was juth a pathing inthult phathe."

"I'm sorry, dear, but what'd you say?"

"Passin' insult phase," Donaghan clarified. "So, is it alrigh' with you if I date her?"

"Of course, Donaghan. Actually, I'm hoping maybe you can break her of the arguing."

"He'th more likely to win the Cup without a broomthitick."

"Aw, naw, Professor, I think she's really sort o' funny." Donaghan gave Julie a radiant grin.

"You haven't seen her when she's angry, yet, I'm certain." Severus got up and ruffled his daughter's hair. "I guess it's only when they start dating teachers that they really get dangerous."

"Severus Snape!"

"Aw, really, dad, the cuteth one's married." That turned her father's face back from a smirking grin. "Bethideth, I'm really more partial to redheadth." Hermione gave Julie just as shocked a look as Severus before she amended: "No way, definitely juth my own age typeth." For a second they had thought of 'uncle' Ron in there. Donaghan, however, chipped in:

"Actur'lly, I'm about two years-"

"Doesn't count," (or 'doethn't count,') all three of the Granger-Snapes chorused. Madame Pomfrey laughed and reminded the two older ones they had to leave. Professor McGonagall had to find out what had happened from their side about the whole affair with Flint and Malgryevic, and she probably wanted to know how their Julie was doing. Right before they left Julie had to drink another glass, this time a whitish-gray potion that would regrow half the teeth in her upper jaw. She took it like the last one, then blushed faintly as she recalled her father's comment.

"I was joking, dear," he stated, knowing just how inappropriate the rash words had been just then.

"I know, Dad. I don't take it theriouthly."

"I'd be worried if anyone really does."