A man sat with a baby of almost 1 old on his knee. The little boy looked almost exactly like his mother, only showing signs of his father's somewhat short fuse at times. "Daddy," he gurgled, pointing at the man who grinned.

"That's right Andy! Where is Mummy?" The little boy concentrated for a moment and pointed to a woman who was talking to someone else at the moment. "Excellent, you are going to be smarter then Dumbledore one of these days!"

Severus felt elated. It was his first official day as a Hogwarts professor, he sauntered into Hogwarts with a grin plastered on his face. He was carrying a large stack of books but they felt weightless in his strong arms. He felt like Hercules or, shall we say it, God himself. He hurried down the hall to his office that was situated in the Dungeons. Not even the cold, stone walls and lack sunlight could do nothing to dampen his spirits.

After discarding his stuff on the desk he walked into the classroom. Later that day the halls would again be clogged with students. Ardent young minds would look to him for guidance and knowledge of the great art of potion making. He couldn't have been happier. He started situating everything to his liking. He and Marina had decided that it would be more convenient to rent a flat in Hogsmeade. After all, no one could apparate in or out of Hogwarts, making it a hindrance to her position as auror.

He looked around the room with a grin. It hadn't been very long since he himself had used the potions room as his haunt. It hadn't been long at all since he and Marina had met. How just a few years can change a person!

He walked back into the office and began to unpack boxes he had brought up. First he put a picture of Marina on his desk next to a wedding photo of the two from only a month before. He then busied himself with the bookcase, filling it with potions books and empty vials. With a satisfied sigh he exited the office to explore around the halls. It was late afternoon and the students would soon be arriving. He as due in the Great Hall at half past six. He had made the choice not to put on his black, professor's robes till that evening. He was wearing a light, cotton sweater and a pair of jeans. His hair was still slightly short, hanging shaggily around his ears.

He practically skipped down the hall. He kept looking down at the golden ring around his finger and thinking about Marina, his Marina. "Severus!" Minerva yelled, coming toward him. She looked happy, very happy, too happy.

"Yes Minerva?" he asked, thinking the name odd after calling her Professor for so many years.

"Professor Dumbledore was wondering what you wanted the students to call you. Since your name is now Severus Snape-Ferilli, that is."

"Professor Severus, I think, would suffice."

"You want to be on first-name terms with your students?"

"Most indubitably my dear Minerva." He grinned roguishly at her.

"Fine, it's your funeral," she sighed. "Oh, and Severus," she turned on her heal, walking back toward him. "James Potter wants to see you. He's at your office." Severus nodded and went back in the direction of his office. What did James Potter want to say to him?

He found James in his office upon his return. "What is it James?" he asked.

"Oh, I was just at Hogwarts visiting Lily, she's filling in for Professor Flitwick at the moment. I just wanted to invite you and Marina to my wedding. It's next week."

"Next week? That's a bit fast isn't it?" Severus said, cocking his eyebrows.

"You can't be too fast in these troubled times Severus," he replied seriously.

"I think I can safely say we'll be there. Will you be seeing Marina today?"

"I think so. She might be off work by now though."

"My wife? Go home early? You've got to be joking! I've got to get my robes on, goodbye James," Severus shook his hand and James was about to leave when he turned back.

"Severus, I just want to thank you again. We were shit to you in school. I don't know how we could be so cruel. I'm sorry."

"No hard feelings, it didn't cause any permanent damage," Severus smiled. James grinned and exited the office. Severus pulled on his robes and wizard's cap. He grabbed his wand and walked swiftly toward the Great Hall. Upon entrance he was met with the emptiness of the chamber. Only a few of the teachers were there. Most of them were still readying themselves. He did, however, catch sight of Lily Evans. She sat at the Teacher's table reading a book. She was pretty, Severus couldn't discount that. He also couldn't say that she was as beautiful as his Marina.

"Hello Lily!" he exclaimed, coming closer to her. She looked up and smiled.

"Hello Severus, how are you?"

"I'm superb, you?"

"As good as can be expected I suppose. You and Marina will be coming to the wedding?"

"Wouldn't miss it." They fell silent as Severus took a seat next to her.

"Did James come by you office?"

"Yeah, he just left actually. So you're getting married?" She smiled bemusedly and happily, almost dreamily.

"Yes, I can hardly believe it myself!"

"I can't either, you and James fought a lot during Hogwarts if I remember correctly."

"Your memory serves you quite well Professor. I don't remember you and Marina really having any altercations."

"We didn't, not really anyway. There was the odd match over studying but that's pretty much it. We get on spiffily."

"I hope James and I will be as successful," she added in a low voice."

"I'm sure you will. You both love each other very much. And," Severus added with a smile. "James can be an okay guy when he's not fifteen." She smiled and they watched as the other professors trickled in. They filled the faculty table and waited for what seemed like an eternity. Then, just when Severus was about to go crazy, students came in in droves. 7th years came first and they all settled at their old tables. They chatted with friends they hadn't had a chance to meet up with on the train. Their steady flow of conversation was stopped when Professor Dumbledore stepped up. "Let us welcome our first years," he said in a booming voice.

Professor Onyx, DADA professor brought out a stool and a hat which sang an entirely annoying song. "Allens, Betsy," was the first girl sorted. She went and sat at the Hufflepuff table with a look of acute relief on her face. The sorting went on for sometime before they came to "Weasley, William." He was, of course, sorted into Gryfindor as every Weasley was. They all clapped and began to eat ravenously.

"Students, I would like to say a few words," Dumbledore began, standing up with a magically amplified voice. "We have two new members of our faculty. One is filling in for Professor Flitwick, Lily Evans, soon to be Lily Potter is a very welcome guest indeed." Lily stood up and smiled at the group of clapping students. "Next, Professor Severus, as he has asked to be called, is taking over the Potions Master position. I hope you all will welcome your new teachers for as long as they are with us." Everyone stood and sang the Hogwarts anthem before Dumbledore went over his regular speech about the forbidden forest. Then the students were released to head to their dormitories.

"Goodnight Severus," Lily smiled and left. Severus did the same. He went to his office and picked up his cloak which he donned and headed out to the grounds. He practically danced across the lawn and toward the entrance to Hogsmeade. He walked down the clean, cobblestone streets to the tall townhouse he and Marina had bought. It was a vibrant shade of electric blue with orange shudders and trim Marina had flowers blooming in baskets outside each window. He ran up the steps where he thrust the arched, orange door open.

Marina was sitting in front of the fire in the living room. She had glasses perched precariously on the end of her nose. A newspaper was spread over her knees and steaming cup of tea sat beside her. She had tied her hair back with a few tendrils gracing the side of her cheek. Her lips moved slightly as she read and the firelight cast a shadow on her already dark tresses. "Hello Gaia," he whispered into her ear, discarding his cloak on the chair. She grinned at him.

"How was your day?" she asked, kissing him softly and beckoning him to the loveseat against the adjacent wall.

"It was good, very good. How was your day?"

"Same as usual. James Potter talked to me though. He invited us to his and Lily's wedding. Did she talk to you?"

"Yes and so did he. He came by my office today when he was helping Lily." Marina smiled again and took off her glasses. She lay them on the coffee table and went in for another kiss.

The next morning Severus woke up with the sun. He and Marina decided to have breakfast together and he tiptoed down the steps to begin the preparation. It was nothing much, a little tea and toast with marmalade and scrambled eggs. He couldn't make anything "fancy".

Marina stumbled down the stairs with her bathrobe falling loose around her body. She had let her hair stay down in her lethargy. She tossed herself into a chair and sipped the cup of tea Severus had given her. "Good night?" he asked. She gave him an incredulous look.

"You know I did," she gave an impish grin. "You're going to be late if you don't hurry," she added, looking at the clock. He glanced at it and hurdled up the stairs. He took the quickest shower in history before pulling on his green sweater and black pants. He tossed on his Hogwarts robes as he ran from the house nearly forgetting his bag. Marina waved goodbye as he aparated to the entrance to Hogwarts grounds. He sprinted up to the castle, down the stairs and down a long stretch of hallway. He got there just in time to see the first student trickle through the door. He looked at the schedule, 7th year NEWT's potions class. He smiled at them all warmly.

"Welcome to advanced potions. You may call me Mr. S."

Over the next month Severus was met with mass appeal. Every student liked his class and he felt that they were actually learning something. He loved teaching, that he had found. He and Marina had attended the Potter's wedding and Marina hadn't stopped crying. The Potters seemed quite happy, almost as happy as the Snape-Ferilli household, which, by the way was going superlatively.

The only glitch in their otherwise perfect lives was Voldemort. He mad his way into even the happiest of family events. It was the end of October, however, that brought about his and Marina's first face-to-face encounter with the Dark Lord.

Marina had accompanied Severus to the Halloween feast. They were sitting and having a lovely time looking around at the decorations and stuffing their faces. Just before dessert appeared a boom sounded off in the front hall. The two along with the Potters' and all the other faculty members shot up. They drew out their wands and Marina and Severus hurdled to the door. Severus was the first to see. Voldemort turned his head and laughed maliciously. Marina came next. "Get gone Voldemort," she spat.

"Do you think I'm scared of a little girl?" he asked. Marina's eyes glinted. She shouted the first spell that came to mind. Severus watched awestruck as she and he dueled. He seemed surprised at first but soon became angry. It seemed to go one forever and there was nothing anyone could do. To startle his dear wife would mean her certain death.

One spell after another was muttered. Smoke filled the room and finally, with a decisive "pop" the dark lord disappeared. Marina fainted into Severus's awaiting arms. He quickly brought her to the Hospital Wing. "Severus, is he gone?" she asked upon waking.

"Yes, what did you do?" She shook her head and fell back onto the pillow. Severus looked nervous. He knew his wife was powerful but he had no idea of that type of power. He didn't know what was coming but it wasn't good. She had fought him once and would definitely have to fight him again.

Nothing happened for a long time after that. Christmas break was a day away and Severus was closing up his last class. "Goodbye Mr. S!" Bill Weasley said with a wave.

"Goodbye Bill, have a good Christmas break. Make sure to say hi to your dad for me okay. How many brothers do you have now anyway?"

"Charlie, Percy, Fred, and George," he ticked off on his fingers. "Four but Mum said there's another on the way."

"Good luck my friend," Severus said with a wave. Bill grinned and walked out of the classroom. Severus packed up his bag and went out through the doors. He wasn't going to spend dinner at Hogwarts. It was December 15th and a light snow fell softly outside. He hurried to the door of his own home which was decorated with Christmas decorations that clashed horribly with the tropical colors of its exterior. Marina was hanging some garlands over the doorway to the Living Room when he walked in. "Hello honey." She smiled warmly and gave him a warm embrace.

"Hello Sev."

It was Christmas and the Potters, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, and Peter Pettigrew were all in the living room of Severus and Marina's house. They had plates of chocolate cake in their hands. They were opening a few gifts as the snow raged outside and night continued in darkness. "It's your turn Severus," Lily said grinning. Marina smiled from where she was sitting on his lap.

"This one's from me," she said in a loud, excited voice.

"What is it Marina, you already got me a present!"

"I know but this is really to both of us. It's something that's wrapped in a very big package. A big, fleshy package that walks and talks."

"What are you talking about?" he asked, a slightly annoyed (in a good natured way) look on his face.

"It's a little present in a big package," she coaxed. Lily clapped her hand to her mouth. She was smiling knowingly.

"Just spell it out plainly Marina," he said finally.

"Okay........it's..........a.................................................................................. ............................................................................ ....................................baby.