[A/N]: This is absolutely amazing!!! When I posted this I wasn't sure how you would react but damn! Thank you all SO much you're fabulous!!! Normally, I would thank everyone with a brief little message at the end of the chapter but there are so many of you that I'm afraid I can only list your names…Thank you!
DISCLAIMER: Its all J.K Rowling's property, I am merely…er…borrowing them… (The HP characters and universe, that is)
MONKSWOOD, WOLFSBANE and an INFUSION of WORMWOOD
------------Chapter 2: GET IT FASTER-----------
Eleven years has past since Harry gave birth, the roomy cottage in rural Ireland now seemed much smaller than the days when Harry had first arrived. Asphodel and Aconite had grown up beautifully; and with Poppy's and Sirius' weekly visits, they were informed of all the going-on's in Hogwarts. Big topics of these conversations were the teachers, more specifically, their other father, Severus Snape.
Harry had been lied to all his life; about his parents, the wizarding world, even his destiny; which was always to defeat Voldemort. Harry had made up his mind long ago that he was not going to keep any secrets from 'Del and 'Nite. True to his word, he didn't. Harry had told them that he was the so-called 'Boy-Who-Lived', his adventures at Hogwarts which included all of his yearly dangers and intrigues; horrid life with the Dursley's, and Severus.
Of course, Harry had waited until they were old enough to understand what had happened to cause him to love and eventually end his relationship with Sev as not to have either of his children to jump to conclusions or make judgments. Del and Nite had been oddly empathetic and understanding. Severus became an open topic in the household and Harry nor Sirius and Poppy had problems discussing him. It was their natural right, Harry had decided, that they should know the whole truth behind who they were. When it had come to the topic of Severus' right to see his and Harry's twins; Harry, Del, and Nite came to the conclusion together to wait until they attended Hogwarts to tell him.
Aconite joked it could be a surprise, and have McGonagal yell 'Potter-Snape' at the sorting just to see the looks of shock and surprise on the faces of the Great Hall. Asphodel, the ever-sensible one (with Severus' scowl) said that it would certainly shock them, shock them enough to do Dumbledore in and have the rest in fits.
Asphodel Potter and Aconite were as different as 'Del and Nite' was the horrible joke that Sirius' had used to describe it. Asphodel was in nearly everyway except physically the same to Severus. He looked nearly identical to Harry without the glasses and scar. He was a brilliant student and had taken to studying at a young age, much to Nite's dismay. He always wore his fine, shoulder-length raven hair in a pony tail that hung to his shoulders. While it was a common knowledge in the cottage that Asphodel was likely to be in Slytherin house (whose uniforms would compliment his emerald eyes brilliantly) he had a mischievous streak that could out-match Padfoot if he so chose.
Aconite on the other hand, was the embodiment of all things Gryffindor, or she had spent too much time with Sirius. Flowing ebony hair with red undertones that glowed in the light, she was always in trouble and always with an excuse. She, if it was possible, looked more like a Snape than a Potter, even if she didn't act like it. Severus' obsidian eyes were perpetually glittering beneath finely arched eyebrows. They were a sharp contrast between her warm eyes and Sev's cold and calculating. Nite also had the tell-tale Snape aristocratic nose which was, thankfully, not crooked and complimented her face perfectly. They were simply stunning children.
Like Nite and Del they were; and the two of them couldn't bear to be apart for too long, they were too close and happy.
*-*-*-*-*-*AT HOGWARTS*-*-*-*-*-*
After he had finished scheduling a detention for a student that had deliberately or not, caused a cauldron to explode, Severus sat down wearily in his favourite seat in front of the fire as the third year boy scuttled back to the Slytherin common room.
Yes, the boy was a Slytherin. In the days that Harry had attended school here Sev would have certainly ignored the incident and blame a Gryffindor or sometimes Hufflepuff. Now that the war was over and his spying absolved; He had no more animosity towards any house, but he was, believe it or not, slightly lenient to Gryffindor's. It wasn't obvious, only perhaps to the headmaster or Black that he would take points rather than give detention. Maybe he wanted to pay a penance for his attitude towards the house in the past or, just maybe, he couldn't bring himself to do it. Not after Harry.
Sometimes he wondered, in moments like now when there was nothing to do but sit down in peace and read or mark papers. Severus absently swirled the tumbler of scotch in his left hand before taking a sip off the chipped edge. Was it necessary to end it off with Harry? Would it have mattered? Did he have to be so harsh? But most importantly the one question that he always came back to, would Harry have left? Eleven years he had mulled over the question in his mind, and he never had it answered. Severus and the rest of the staff knew he was alive. Black, the Defense teacher since Harry's disappearance, and surprisingly Poppy went to visit him at least every other week. They had always come back happier, if at least a little worried. Sev could tell something was wrong, it was in their eyes, that tiny glimmer of concern. Poppy had always taken her bag of medical supplies with her, and he wondered if Harry was well, if that last battle had left him severely injured, or scarred. But Severus never asked, his stubbornness or maybe pride, stopped him. He absently pondered if it was going to be his undoing.
----
Albus Dumbledore sat in his cluttered office reviewing the list of first years that would be attending the school come September first. Did you think he knew all the students by name if not by face by magic or a weird power? Pah, Albus may have a quick mind but he still needed some revision in his old age. He had thought he wasn't going to live through the second part of the war, but alas, he had. Not without a price; far too many had died, homes destroyed and his own face was disfigured with a scar through his eye, a rogue blade in the final battle. It was over again, though, and lines of fatigue that riddled his face now bent out of shape as an amused smile made its way on to his mouth.
'Aconite Liliane Potter: female
Birthday: March 3rd, 1991
Father(s): Harry James Potter
Severus Salazar Snape
Asphodel Jamison Potter: male
Birthday: March 3rd, 1991
Father(s): Harry James Potter
Severus Salazar Snape'
Dumbledore snickered as he placed an avoidance charm on the two names, no one would notice the two names until the sorting when poor Professor Sampson, nee Granger, read out the lists (Minerva had long since retired, and after being severely injured in her leg, retired to Australia for a short while. Apparently they had a rat problem. Damn introduced species). Getting up from the over-stuffed leather chair, he gave the parchment a once-over and then sealed it. Summoning the ever-faithful head-house elf Dobby, he gave the elf instruction to deliver it to Hermione. Ah yes, he chuckled again, sending the Potter-Snape twins acceptance letters personally, this was going to be a fun year. While he had not known for sure that Harry had been pregnant when he left, he had his suspicions. Now, after many years, he was going to see his great-grandchildren.
*-*-*-*-*
Asphodel Potter was sleeping peacefully and perfectly contently, also having a great dream until-
"Wake up sleepyhead!"
Del groaned when his overly-preppy, older by a minute-and-a-half sister jumped on his bed and on him for a wake-up call. At seven a.m…during the summer! And how she could be so perky this early in the morning was a mystery he fully intended to discover. After lunch. So, in response to her obnoxious screaming and jumping, he threw his pillow in the general direction of said screaming and snuggled deeper into the blue flannel sheets.
"Humph!" Nite scowled at her brother and brightened as she brought out a thick, yellowish letter with a purple wax seal bearing the Hogwarts crest. 'Aconite Potter' was written on the front in bright emerald ink. Waving the parchment in front of his face she watched in obvious amusement as Del shot up in bed and tried to grab the letter from her baiting hands.
"Uh uh!" she chided him, "This is mine, yours downstairs with Da" Nite gave a squeak as he pushed passed her and shuttled down the stairs. Bouncing merrily down the steps after her brother she looked on as her father laughed watching Del loose his calm exterior and was jumping up and down the cozy kitchen waiving his acceptance letter.
"Well? Go on then, open them!" Harry managed to calm down Del, which was a rather hard task, and guided him and Nite over towards the round table where toast and juice were awaiting them.
"Sirius is coming today to take you to Diagon Ally", Harry answered their unasked question, "I told him to take you two to the Leaky Cauldron for breakfast" Harry's cooking wasn't bad so much as he never really got over the weird tastes he had developed during his pregnancy. Melted cheese on crackers and salsa was not a breakfast food.
"Why is Sirius taking us? Aren't you coming too?" Del and Nite looked stricken as he sighed heavily before he explained.
"You both know I'd give anything to be there today but you also know I haven't been well lately, and I've missed a lot of work. I can't keep on doing it"
Over the years, Harry had been getting quite sick. He was unusually pale and thin; He would feel faint and get dizzy spells. Poppy suspected it had something to do with his heart and they were currently doing everything they could; including some of the worst tasting potions imaginable. He had also missed enough days at the bookstore he owned and worked at.
Del and Nite nodded showing they understood. At that time, there was a crash and a stumble. With a yell of 'Sirius!' Aconite ran into the living room with Asphodel, rolling his eyes but hurrying nonetheless after her.
"Hey Twiggy!" Sirius picked up the tall girl and gave her a spin before setting her down and giving Del a one-armed hug.
"Hey Padfoot" Harry leaned in the doorframe of the living room, cleaning the lens of the small, gold oval frames of his glasses on his black knitted v-neck sweater. The old round glasses long since thrown away. Thankfully, Del only needed a pair for reading.
"Hiya Harry" Sirius, noticing the even paler than normal skin asked "Are you okay?" he watched in concern while his 29-year old godson sat wearily in the pale green sofa in front of the fireplace.
"A little tired, but no worse for wear" The older man opened his mouth for a retort when the raven-haired twins bounded down the stairs and back into the room after leaving to go back upstairs, this time clad in their jeans and robes instead of pajamas.
"Bye Da" Nite hugged him tightly as she entered and moved back.
"Bye Munchkin," giving Nite's hand one last squeeze, he motioned Del over, "Comer here Rugrat" Del, believing himself to be much more mature and beyond hugs from his father grudgingly allowed for a small, quick one.
"Now," Harry pulled himself out of the comfortable plush of the couch and handed Sirius a tiny, gold Gringott's key from his black slack's pocket.
"There's more than enough for everything they need in my personal vault" Harry was referring to the sizable pile of gold in the vault he opened for himself at the end of his sixth year. He still contributed to it often, mainly for Del's and Nite's personal use than his own.
"Alright then," Sirius grabbed the pot of Floo Powder from the mantle above the fireplace, "Do you remember how to use it?"
Del snorted and rolled his eyes, "Of course we do! We're no that dense! Well," Del reconsidered, "I don't know about Aconite" In retaliation, Nite punched her brother in the arm and nodded to Sirius.
"Okay then," Sirius looked to Harry, "I'll have them back when you get home, see you at dinner"
With three shouts of 'Diagon Ally!' and three green fires later Harry was left gazing into the empty fireplace. Grabbing his keys and coat he drove into town and to his bookstore.
-------------END CHAPTER 2: GET IT FASTER-----------
[A/N]: Whoo! Another chapter done…thank you all very much for the supportive reviews…a special thanks goes to EireVerde whose constructive criticism I am grateful for…
THANKS TO: Jess, Phoenix, Icyeyes202, Renae Nyx Hunter, chibi, Lady Lightening, Kaat ShadowLover, FifthHeir, Gemini, LoMaRiBa, yume ninite jitsuzai, nikki, kikite, Rhoda, steph, SB_Syd, WittchWay, snowwy54, xanpetuk, sa, Wren, Artymuse, oili-snape, Zarra Rous, Selins, Lady Foxfire, Prophetess of Hearts, Ayanne, JE.
TO ALL THOSE I MAY HAVE MISSED I'M SORRY AND THANK YOU TOO!!! J