Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Harry Potter characters, nor am I J.K
Rowling. I think they belong to Warner Bros. or something, but if not,
don't sue me!
Severus knew he had to leave. There was no way around it this time, no running to Dumbledore. He took the baby and gently set him in the crib. For two days now Severus Snape had been mourning the death of his wife, Riona. Not mourning, actually, he was still in somewhat of a daze. He couldn't remember the night before clearly, nor the night before that, and believe it or not, he wasn't actually sure that his wife was dead. Sooner or later, though, he would have to find out whether he wanted to or not.
Severus was now a single dad, all alone. Obviously, he wouldn't be able to teach at Hogwarts anymore, he couldn't take the baby. Orion would be almost six months old when school started. "If Riona were here," he thought, "I wouldn't have to do this." He'd been thinking like this all day, you see. Once again, not mourning but dazed and confused.
He met Riona two years ago at Hogwarts. She had taken over his Potions job and he was finally appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Apparently, Dumbledore had run out of options and saw no way out of giving Severus the job. He had, after all, applied for the position every year since he had started teaching. Riona, on the other hand, had very little teaching experience. Little was known about her childhood and personal life, but she was unmarried. She came out of a University and went straight to Hogwarts. What made her decide to teach at Hogwarts is unclear, and it's beside the point. Riona was very beautiful because of the veela blood that flowed through her veins, and she fancied herself attractive. That's what set her apart from the others. She was roughly the same height as Severus, with night- black hair and purple-green eyes. It was her eyes that Severus was drawn to at first. They were so magnetic and sparkled with something beyond explanation.
They were an unusual couple; she rarely spoke unless spoken to and he barely said a word to her. Their wedding was secluded, but beautiful. She wore a white satin dress that hugged every curve of her perfect body. He wore a suit, the sleeves long enough to conceal the scar on his forearm. He always thought of her this way, when she looked so lovely, yet her eyes clung to a secret.
Six months later after they married, Riona was pregnant. Severus hadn't taken it very well, and he had to leave the house for a few days. It was a whole new concept to him, fatherhood. He wanted more than anything not to fail, but somehow couldn't fully convince himself that he could raise a child. His only consolation was knowing that Riona would be there. He thought she would always be there. He wanted to be with her and if that meant having a baby with her, so be it! When he came back, half-drunk and very dingy from the streets, he had to beg to be taken in. Nine months later, she gave birth to a son, Orion. For those four months, life was good. There was no fighting in the Snape household, and it was usually quite peaceful.
When Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix, both Severus and Riona knew that it was going to be risky to join, especially with their son. After the incident with Voldemort and the Department of Mysteries, they were on always edge. Since Severus bore the Dark Mark, he was summoned almost every night, and the Crucio was used almost religiously on him. Riona did all she could to protect their son, but couldn't hold up forever. She was taken prisoner after Severus' involvement with the Order was revealed, and, much to Severus' dismay, she was raped.
Severus shuddered to think of Riona's death. In fact, when asked about the night by Ministry officials, he had a seizure. That only made things worse. He was facing a possible trial, his wife was nowhere to be found, he was a newly single father, and he was out of a job. "Damned Dumbledore!" Severus shouted, so loud that it woke Orion. The baby let out a loud wail and Severus groaned as he strolled over to the crib again and picked the screaming baby up.
"Hush now," he chided. He tried to think of what Riona did, Orion hadn't cried this much since well... ever. A lone tear rolled down Severus' cheek. As quickly as it had appeared, Severus slapped it away. Men don't cry. At least not him. This made no difference to Orion, however. He screamed on, deafening Severus to the point that his ears popped. He walked over to the dresser and picked up a photo of Riona at St. Mungo's holding baby Orion, who was just ten minutes old at the time. The sight of his mother's face seemed to quiet Orion down a bit. "There now," Severus soothed, "she's here. She's right here."
Severus knew he had to leave. There was no way around it this time, no running to Dumbledore. He took the baby and gently set him in the crib. For two days now Severus Snape had been mourning the death of his wife, Riona. Not mourning, actually, he was still in somewhat of a daze. He couldn't remember the night before clearly, nor the night before that, and believe it or not, he wasn't actually sure that his wife was dead. Sooner or later, though, he would have to find out whether he wanted to or not.
Severus was now a single dad, all alone. Obviously, he wouldn't be able to teach at Hogwarts anymore, he couldn't take the baby. Orion would be almost six months old when school started. "If Riona were here," he thought, "I wouldn't have to do this." He'd been thinking like this all day, you see. Once again, not mourning but dazed and confused.
He met Riona two years ago at Hogwarts. She had taken over his Potions job and he was finally appointed Defense Against the Dark Arts Professor. Apparently, Dumbledore had run out of options and saw no way out of giving Severus the job. He had, after all, applied for the position every year since he had started teaching. Riona, on the other hand, had very little teaching experience. Little was known about her childhood and personal life, but she was unmarried. She came out of a University and went straight to Hogwarts. What made her decide to teach at Hogwarts is unclear, and it's beside the point. Riona was very beautiful because of the veela blood that flowed through her veins, and she fancied herself attractive. That's what set her apart from the others. She was roughly the same height as Severus, with night- black hair and purple-green eyes. It was her eyes that Severus was drawn to at first. They were so magnetic and sparkled with something beyond explanation.
They were an unusual couple; she rarely spoke unless spoken to and he barely said a word to her. Their wedding was secluded, but beautiful. She wore a white satin dress that hugged every curve of her perfect body. He wore a suit, the sleeves long enough to conceal the scar on his forearm. He always thought of her this way, when she looked so lovely, yet her eyes clung to a secret.
Six months later after they married, Riona was pregnant. Severus hadn't taken it very well, and he had to leave the house for a few days. It was a whole new concept to him, fatherhood. He wanted more than anything not to fail, but somehow couldn't fully convince himself that he could raise a child. His only consolation was knowing that Riona would be there. He thought she would always be there. He wanted to be with her and if that meant having a baby with her, so be it! When he came back, half-drunk and very dingy from the streets, he had to beg to be taken in. Nine months later, she gave birth to a son, Orion. For those four months, life was good. There was no fighting in the Snape household, and it was usually quite peaceful.
When Dumbledore started the Order of the Phoenix, both Severus and Riona knew that it was going to be risky to join, especially with their son. After the incident with Voldemort and the Department of Mysteries, they were on always edge. Since Severus bore the Dark Mark, he was summoned almost every night, and the Crucio was used almost religiously on him. Riona did all she could to protect their son, but couldn't hold up forever. She was taken prisoner after Severus' involvement with the Order was revealed, and, much to Severus' dismay, she was raped.
Severus shuddered to think of Riona's death. In fact, when asked about the night by Ministry officials, he had a seizure. That only made things worse. He was facing a possible trial, his wife was nowhere to be found, he was a newly single father, and he was out of a job. "Damned Dumbledore!" Severus shouted, so loud that it woke Orion. The baby let out a loud wail and Severus groaned as he strolled over to the crib again and picked the screaming baby up.
"Hush now," he chided. He tried to think of what Riona did, Orion hadn't cried this much since well... ever. A lone tear rolled down Severus' cheek. As quickly as it had appeared, Severus slapped it away. Men don't cry. At least not him. This made no difference to Orion, however. He screamed on, deafening Severus to the point that his ears popped. He walked over to the dresser and picked up a photo of Riona at St. Mungo's holding baby Orion, who was just ten minutes old at the time. The sight of his mother's face seemed to quiet Orion down a bit. "There now," Severus soothed, "she's here. She's right here."