Coldness crept through the hospital wing. The teachers all stood around and watched as
Poppy traced her finger through book after book trying to find the right incantation. Finally it
came to a rest with a small sigh. "It is here Albus." Her eyes full of fear looked up to him.
"Albus, are you sure this is what you want?" Severus asked from behind the elderly man,
placing his hand on his shoulder.
Albus turned to look at Severus. In his eyes was a look of love that only a parent could
feel for their child. "This is what I want. This is what needs to be done." Poppy motioned him
over to a bed which was right next to Sheyliegh's. He sat down on the edge of it as he looked to
his neice. "Minerva, you will take my place as headmaster."
She looked to him nodding with her eyes full of tears and fear. There was so much that
she wanted to say to him. But she just couldn't get the words out. Instaed she went forward and
hugged him. Tears spilled from her eyes.
Suddenly Remus returned from the great hall. He was completely oblivious to what was
going on. Minerva pulled away saying good-bye, and took Remus out to the hall to tell him. Next
Severus walked up to him. Words couldn't explain what he was feeling at that moment. "Albus.
There's so much I want to tell you, so much I want to thank you for. But I don't know how..."
"There's no need my dear boy."
"No, but there is. You were like a father to me. I've known you since I was so little.
You've saved my life more than once. But all I can find to say right now... I love you." He
went up to Albus and put his arms around him feeling his embrace. The memory of when Albus had
found him as a child came back to him. "Thank you."
The rest of the teachers there said what they needed and then left. Soon the only people
left in the room was Albus, Severus, Poppy, and a lifeless Sheyliegh. Poppy had gotten Albus to
lie back on the bed, and she was ready to perform the spell. Severus sat in between the two beds.
One hand was holding Sheyliegh's while the other one was tightly grasping Albus'. The medical
spell book lay open in front of her as Poppy began to mutter the rather lengthy spell.
"Good-bye my dear Severus. Keep good care of Sheyliegh."
"I will. I will."
***
The school had been let out for the rest of the year due to worried parents. The fact
that Voldemort was now dead, didn't change the fact of the matter any. No one knew whether or not
some loyal death eater would come back for revenge. So The school was empty, with the exception
of the teachers.
Severus walked into his living quarters laying his wand onto the table. He had been into
Hogsmeade for a long walk and to visit some of the shops. The fact that it was Christmas Eve
meant that almost all of the shops had been full with last minute shoppers. But that couldn't
discourage him. He was looking for something particular, and sure enough he found it.
Walking into the living room he looked up at the picture which had been hung above the
mantle. It was his wedding picture. The image of Sheyliegh waved to him, along with the image of
himself and Albus. They all had an exceptionally big grin apon their face. But none compared to
the happiness that glowed from Albus' face. Severus chuckled. "Ole' man. You were so pround that
day. Any one would have thought that it was your wedding day."
The bedroom was lit by the fireplace which was burning peacefully. He removed his cloak
and scarf and laid them over the back of the chair which was positioned by the small window. Then
flopping down on his bed, let out a long sigh. The lump next to him in bed shifted and sat up.
"About time you came home. I was about to send a search party after you. What were you
doing that took so long?" Sheyliegh's face looked worn out and pale. She had not yet fully
recovered from the events from the few nights before.
"I was just walking around Hogsmeade, doing a bit of thinking. That's all." Severus
rolled over on his side so that his back was facing Sheyliegh. "Oh. And I did a bit last minute
shopping. Nothing big really..."
"Oh, really? And who is this gift for? A certain wife, perhaps?"
He rolled back over to face her. "Now what would give you that idea, hm?"
"Oh... nothing I suppose," Sheyliegh said playfully.
Severus leaned torwards her ear and whispered into it, "You're quite a sharp guesser. Go
into the living room and have a looksy." Sheyliegh leapt to her feet and went into the living
room.
Sitting on the floor against the wall was a large, wrapped sqare package. "Hmm... and
what is this I wonder." She looked back behind her to Severus with a curious look on her face.
"Well you can wonder all you wish, my dear. But the only way to find the answer is to
unwrap it. That is, if you feel like it." And with a small giggle, Sheyliegh began to tear at the
paper.
She stopped and gasped at the sight of it. It was a blown-up picture of her as a child
sitting on Albus' lap. She couldn't have been more than seven years old with her dress and bow
in her hair. It was a black and white photo. Albus had on his wizarding robes and his silver
beard was short. They were no doubtedly at Hogwarts sitting beneath the shade of the tree next to
the lake. It was a very old photo.
Around it was an old looking, wooden frame. It had had carved into it, 'Sheyliegh and
Albus' with little vines and flowers around the words. "Sev... wh-where did you get this picture?
I havn't seen it in so long..."
"Your mother was ever so kind as to give it to me. I simply put an enlargement charm on
it, and then tonight went to the finest craftsman in the entire wizarding world. It took him
around 3 hours to get the detail just perfect. I hope you like it."
She turned around to look at her husband. She had tears in her eyes. "I love it Sev. I
love it. And I love him. Thank you, thank you so much." She was now on her feet giving Severus
an enormous hug. He could feel her sobbing into his shoulder. "You know I miss him so much."
Severus hand stroked her hair and felt himself get somewhat choked up as well. "I miss
him too Shey. I miss him too."
***
Poppy traced her finger through book after book trying to find the right incantation. Finally it
came to a rest with a small sigh. "It is here Albus." Her eyes full of fear looked up to him.
"Albus, are you sure this is what you want?" Severus asked from behind the elderly man,
placing his hand on his shoulder.
Albus turned to look at Severus. In his eyes was a look of love that only a parent could
feel for their child. "This is what I want. This is what needs to be done." Poppy motioned him
over to a bed which was right next to Sheyliegh's. He sat down on the edge of it as he looked to
his neice. "Minerva, you will take my place as headmaster."
She looked to him nodding with her eyes full of tears and fear. There was so much that
she wanted to say to him. But she just couldn't get the words out. Instaed she went forward and
hugged him. Tears spilled from her eyes.
Suddenly Remus returned from the great hall. He was completely oblivious to what was
going on. Minerva pulled away saying good-bye, and took Remus out to the hall to tell him. Next
Severus walked up to him. Words couldn't explain what he was feeling at that moment. "Albus.
There's so much I want to tell you, so much I want to thank you for. But I don't know how..."
"There's no need my dear boy."
"No, but there is. You were like a father to me. I've known you since I was so little.
You've saved my life more than once. But all I can find to say right now... I love you." He
went up to Albus and put his arms around him feeling his embrace. The memory of when Albus had
found him as a child came back to him. "Thank you."
The rest of the teachers there said what they needed and then left. Soon the only people
left in the room was Albus, Severus, Poppy, and a lifeless Sheyliegh. Poppy had gotten Albus to
lie back on the bed, and she was ready to perform the spell. Severus sat in between the two beds.
One hand was holding Sheyliegh's while the other one was tightly grasping Albus'. The medical
spell book lay open in front of her as Poppy began to mutter the rather lengthy spell.
"Good-bye my dear Severus. Keep good care of Sheyliegh."
"I will. I will."
***
The school had been let out for the rest of the year due to worried parents. The fact
that Voldemort was now dead, didn't change the fact of the matter any. No one knew whether or not
some loyal death eater would come back for revenge. So The school was empty, with the exception
of the teachers.
Severus walked into his living quarters laying his wand onto the table. He had been into
Hogsmeade for a long walk and to visit some of the shops. The fact that it was Christmas Eve
meant that almost all of the shops had been full with last minute shoppers. But that couldn't
discourage him. He was looking for something particular, and sure enough he found it.
Walking into the living room he looked up at the picture which had been hung above the
mantle. It was his wedding picture. The image of Sheyliegh waved to him, along with the image of
himself and Albus. They all had an exceptionally big grin apon their face. But none compared to
the happiness that glowed from Albus' face. Severus chuckled. "Ole' man. You were so pround that
day. Any one would have thought that it was your wedding day."
The bedroom was lit by the fireplace which was burning peacefully. He removed his cloak
and scarf and laid them over the back of the chair which was positioned by the small window. Then
flopping down on his bed, let out a long sigh. The lump next to him in bed shifted and sat up.
"About time you came home. I was about to send a search party after you. What were you
doing that took so long?" Sheyliegh's face looked worn out and pale. She had not yet fully
recovered from the events from the few nights before.
"I was just walking around Hogsmeade, doing a bit of thinking. That's all." Severus
rolled over on his side so that his back was facing Sheyliegh. "Oh. And I did a bit last minute
shopping. Nothing big really..."
"Oh, really? And who is this gift for? A certain wife, perhaps?"
He rolled back over to face her. "Now what would give you that idea, hm?"
"Oh... nothing I suppose," Sheyliegh said playfully.
Severus leaned torwards her ear and whispered into it, "You're quite a sharp guesser. Go
into the living room and have a looksy." Sheyliegh leapt to her feet and went into the living
room.
Sitting on the floor against the wall was a large, wrapped sqare package. "Hmm... and
what is this I wonder." She looked back behind her to Severus with a curious look on her face.
"Well you can wonder all you wish, my dear. But the only way to find the answer is to
unwrap it. That is, if you feel like it." And with a small giggle, Sheyliegh began to tear at the
paper.
She stopped and gasped at the sight of it. It was a blown-up picture of her as a child
sitting on Albus' lap. She couldn't have been more than seven years old with her dress and bow
in her hair. It was a black and white photo. Albus had on his wizarding robes and his silver
beard was short. They were no doubtedly at Hogwarts sitting beneath the shade of the tree next to
the lake. It was a very old photo.
Around it was an old looking, wooden frame. It had had carved into it, 'Sheyliegh and
Albus' with little vines and flowers around the words. "Sev... wh-where did you get this picture?
I havn't seen it in so long..."
"Your mother was ever so kind as to give it to me. I simply put an enlargement charm on
it, and then tonight went to the finest craftsman in the entire wizarding world. It took him
around 3 hours to get the detail just perfect. I hope you like it."
She turned around to look at her husband. She had tears in her eyes. "I love it Sev. I
love it. And I love him. Thank you, thank you so much." She was now on her feet giving Severus
an enormous hug. He could feel her sobbing into his shoulder. "You know I miss him so much."
Severus hand stroked her hair and felt himself get somewhat choked up as well. "I miss
him too Shey. I miss him too."
***
