Thanks to everyone who reviewed! I love this chapter and hope you guys do too! A big huge thanks to RandiWeasley for writing it!!!

Severus Snape was just finishing up after his last class of the day when the Floo call came from Poppy Pomfrey. "I need to see you in my office at your earliest convenience, Severus."

The Potion Master's mind instantly returned to that morning when he'd taken his young niece to see the nurse and have the pain in her throat checked out. Pomfrey had immediately started various tests, which Snape had admittedly found strange for such a simple complaint. "Did the test results come back on the girl?"

"My office, Severus," repeated Poppy, sounding suddenly close to tears.

"I'm coming through now." Dropping the ingredients in his hand back onto the nearest student workbench, Snape passed through the green flames and exited the Floo in Pomfrey's well-ordered office.

"Severus," said Poppy, without preamble, "Emmilen has Amagical Lymphoma. I'm very sorry."

Snape felt as though he had been hit in the gut. "She—she's only five-years-old," he whispered, praying that Poppy was going to yell, 'April Fool' or some such silly thing. Anything that would make this nightmare have a happy ending.

"The disease has no respect for age, Severus," the medi-witch reminded him gently. She guided him to a chair and lightly lowered him into it, but he hardly noticed. Indeed, for five minutes, he sat immobile, taking no notice of his surroundings.

At last he roused himself to ask the necessary questions. "When can her treatments begin?"

"Tomorrow morning." Poppy Pomfrey looked down, studying the smooth wood of her desktop. "Bring the child before breakfast. Bring clothes and toys as well. She will need to remain here for the duration."

Severus nodded, not removing his eyes from the bright blue binding of one of the books residing in the case behind the medi-witch's desk. The title read, in bright gold letters, Medical Treatments for Non-Magical Maladies. "How long will the treatments continue?"

Poppy spread her hands helplessly. "It could be anywhere from several months to several years, Severus. There's just no way of judging how quickly she'll respond."

Months? Years? Snape was not prepared for that. Days, yes; maybe weeks. But the reality the nurse was discussing was too awful to comprehend.

Emotionally numb, Severus gave a non-committal nod and left the office. Wandering dazedly down the first corridor to present itself, he literally walked right into Missy.

"Oh, Severus, good. I was looking for you. I've really not gotten a proper chance to visit with Emmilen yet. I was wondering if you'd let me watch her tonight and we could do something together, just the two of us."

Snape's immediate reaction was to blow her out of the water, but he reconsidered as he remembered Poppy's words. This was the last night either of them would spend alone with Emmilen for a long time. The only fair thing to do was to give in to the request.

"Very well. Pick her up from my office at 8:00. Bedtime is 9:00, strictly enforced."

"She is my cousin after all and—," Missy started to argue, then, realizing what the dark man before her had said, she brightened instantly. "Great! I'll be there. You won't be sorry. You'll see." She fairly skipped away down the corridor.

"I'd best not be, if you value your position," Severus muttered after her.

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Entering the Great Hall at dinner, Severus approached where his 'family' sat at the Slytherin table. "Emmilen, I wish for you and Missy to sit with me at the Head Table for dinner this evening."

His young niece smiled up at him. "Okay, Uncle Sev'rus. I read my story to just about everybody and they liked it as much as Harry did!"

"That's good," Snape muttered darkly. "Come along now."

"Yes, Uncle Sev'rus." Picking up her book bag from under the table, Emmilen started to follow her uncle, who suddenly turned back.

"I thought we had agreed that students did not bring their book bags to dinner, Emmilen."

"We did, Uncle Sev'rus, but I thought more people might like to hear my story. It's in my book bag, you know."

Man and girl stared at each other in silence for some moments. Finally Severus spoke. "Bring your book bag and follow me. Missy will wait for us at the Head Table." He led the way from the hall, Emmilen close behind.

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Reaching their quarters, Severus gave the password then, entering, stood aside for Emmilen to follow. "Put your book bag in your room then come to me here."

"Yes, Uncle Sev'rus."

Returning to the living area, the child paled at the sight of the switch in her uncle's hand. "I—I'm sorry, Uncle Sev'rus?"

Snape almost gave in then, knowing the painful treatments that would begin the next morning. It suddenly seemed like such a petty thing, just taking a book bag to dinner. However, the more important lesson that rules were meant to be obeyed might mean the girl's life one day. 'Today if it's learned with a few minutes of stinging thighs, it won't need to be learned later with a sentence to Azkaban or a life lost to the Dark side, like mine almost was,' he thought glumly.

"I'm sure you are sorry now, Emmilen. However, I wish you to always obey the rules, so that you do not have to be sorry afterward. To help you remember this, I will switch you when you disobey, and it will sting a lot. Much more terrible things happen to little girls who don't learn to obey. I don't want those terrible things for you. Now come here to me like you were told."

Very reluctantly, the girl crept forward then. Turning her around, Severus let fall a handful of cracks. Emmilen gasped and began to cry. Banishing the switch, Snape stood, waiting out the tears.

Suddenly arms were around his hips and his niece's face was buried in his abdomen. "I really am sorry, Uncle Sev'rus," came a muffled voice from his robes.

"Next time you will obey the rules, Emmilen?"

"Yes, sir, Uncle Sev'rus."

"That is good then." He awkwardly rubbed his hand along the girl's back and patted her shoulder.

Gazing upward at him without releasing her hold, Emmilen gave him a very wet smile. "I love you, Uncle Sev'rus."

"And I love you too, Emmilen," Severus whispered. Then, clearing his throat in embarrassment, he continued in a normal voice, "Go and wash your face, then we'll join Missy for dinner."

"OK, Uncle Sev'rus."

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Missy gazed suspiciously at the pair as they joined her at the Head Table, but Emmilen distracted her by bouncing into her seat and announcing, "Uncle Sev'rus says that you want to baby-sit me tonight. Yay!"

"Yes," smiled Missy. "I have several fun things planned for us."

"Yay!" Emmilen bounced again with a huge grin, then Severus served her food and she tucked in with a smile.

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After dinner, Snape took Emmilen to retrieve her book bag then they went to his office where, after reciting her homework perfectly, the girl learned six new sounds.

"Good work, Emmilen," praised her uncle as he wrote out a new homework parchment for her. "Keep this up and you'll be reading any books you want soon."

"Really, Uncle Sev'rus?" she asked excitedly.

"Yes, really, Niece Emmilen," he teased, passing her the parchment. "To prove it, why don't you read me that now?"

"OK, Uncle Sev'rus. /d/. /s/. /l/. /k/. /i/. /o/. Dan dad did den din dim dot don sat Sam sad set sit sin Sid sot sod lad let led lit lid lot cat can cot con cod tad mad Ted Ned red rid nod rod nil tint rend send sent. That's a lot of words, Uncle Sev'rus. I think you're right!"

"Yes, that is a lot of words, Emmilen, and I know I'm right." Sev thought, 'She didn't even need to sound out the four-letter words. She's starting to blend automatically, just like the text said she would.'

A knock sounded on the door then. "Enter."

Harry Potter stepped into the room but froze when he noticed the girl. "I—I'm sorry for interrupting Emmilen's class, Professor. My watch says 8:00 now, sir."

Snape checked his own timepiece. "So does mine, Potter. Miss Terlan is obviously running a little late."

"Er. Yes, sir," mumbled Harry, very glad that he was not Miss Terlan. The professor's expression did not bode well for that individual.

"Guess what, Harry?" crowed Emmilen. "Uncle Sev'rus said if I keep learning to read like I did tonight, I'll be reading any book I want soon. Want to hear my new homework?"

"Sure!" replied Harry after a glance at Snape, so Emmilen read him the parchment.

Missy slipped through the half-open door as Emmilen finished. "I heard you as I was coming down the hall, Monster. Were you reading all those words? That's really good. Isn't she smart, uhm, Harry, isn't it?"

"Yes," answered that individual, very much surprised. He had never needed to introduce himself once in the wizarding world. Now he was introducing himself to this teacher for a second time in the same day. He found, however, that he preferred the normal way this young woman was treating him. "Yes, er, I'm Harry. Harry Potter. And, er, yes, er, Emmilen is very smart. That was great reading, Emmilen. Thank you for sharing it with me."

"You're welcome, Harry."

After a moment's silence, Snape commented dryly, "It is polite to thank someone when they give you a compliment, such as saying that you are very smart, even if they are not speaking to you when they say it, Emmilen."

"OK, Uncle Sev'rus. Thank you, Harry."

"You're welcome, Emmilen." Harry gave her a big smile, truly happy for the girl. This office of his least-liked professor, the greasy git of the dungeons, had more of a family feeling than Privet Drive ever had.

"Well," continued Severus. "Since you've already recited your homework for Potter, you do not need to do so again tonight. Run along and have fun with your cousin. She will be putting you to bed tonight, since I will be otherwise occupied."

"OK, Uncle Sev'rus. Mrs. Masterson put me to bed sometimes when Gwandma had to go out. I'd always kiss Gwandma good night when she left." Emmilen ran around the desk and flung herself at Snape who just managed to spin in his chair and catch her. "Good night, Uncle Sev'rus." Throwing her arms around him, she gave him a big kiss on the cheek. "I love you so much!"

Pulling her onto his lap, Severus glared in Harry's direction, only to find the boy staring at Missy. Quietly then, he hugged Emmilen back and whispered, "I love you too," before setting her down. "Now," he continued in a normal, snarky tone, "you and you, out. Goodbye." He waved at the two girls in an exaggerated fashion, but the sarcasm fell flat when Emmilen started to giggle. "You," he growled at Potter. "Sit! Get out parchment and quill. You will write a three-foot essay detailing exactly why you are wasting my time with this detention. If I find it unsatisfactory, tomorrow's essay will be four feet at least. Understand me, Potter?"

"Yes, sir," said Harry quickly, with a mighty blush. He tripped over his shoe on his way to the chair and sent his book bag flying, spilling contents across the office.

Snape sat watching as both girls scrambled to help him pick up his things. "You have a lot of stuff in your book bag, Potter," said Emmilen in a conversational tone. "He must be very smart too, right, Missy?"

The two teens had been crawling around on the floor, gathering up parchment scraps. They both turned so quickly to stare at the girl that their heads collided painfully with each other. "Oh!" they chorused in unison. "I'm sorry."

Emmilen giggled again, and even Snape was smirking as he drawled, "As fascinating as I might find this scene, it is interfering with my detention." Aiming his wand at the bag, he commanded, "Pack." Instantly, all of Harry's possessions ordered themselves in the book bag. "I trust that in future the two of you will remember the basic concept of magic and not go squirming around on my floor again."

"Yes, sir," Harry mumbled, red-faced, as he scrambled into the seat.

"That was great, Uncle Sev'rus. Will you pack my book bag with your wand too? Please!"

Such an intense look of pain crossed the Potion Master's face then that Harry wondered if he'd been hit with a silent 'Cruciatus.' Forgetting for the moment that this was Snape, the snarkiest man alive, Harry whispered, "Are you all right, sir?"

Severus' thoughts were of losing his niece to the hospital wing the next morning. And he didn't even get to spend her last free evening with her because that dunderhead of a Potter couldn't brew a simple potion without turning his classroom into a disaster area. Of course, he also had that meeting with the headmaster, but that could easily have been postponed until after Emmilen was abed. He was distracted from these musings by a whisper from none other than the ultimate dunce himself. And the boy had the gall to sound like he was actually concerned!

A look of intense hatred greeted Potter's question, and, with a tone of pure venom, the man responded, "Yes! I am all right, Potter! I also don't need your feigned concern to remind me of that fact. Now get started on your essay immediately!"

Missy gave Harry a very sympathetic look. "Do all the other Death Eaters hate you as much as he does?"

Stunned, embarrassed, but still more than a little flattered that the youngest teacher on staff would care so much, Harry replied with the first words that popped into his head. "No, ma'am. The Death Eaters hate me a lot more." At Severus' glare, he elucidated, "The Death Eaters, I mean, who don't know me. They just hate the idea of me because of some stupid prophecy or something."

"You went and broke it in their faces last year so You-Know-Who couldn't get it. That was terribly brave of you, Harry." Missy's eyes were bright with admiration.

'Oh no!' Harry thought. 'She's turning into a fan, as well. And here I thought she'd actually treat me like a normal student. I don't want to handle this now. I don't want to think about causing Sirius' death when I'm stuck in a lousy detention with Snape. But Miss Terlan is looking at me strangely again. And I've got Snape here now too. I'd best say something quickly.' "I—I didn't—I—I mean, it wasn't brave at all. People got hurt and—and..."

"And this is detention," finished Snape. "I already told you two young ladies to leave, so why are you still here?"

"I'm going now, Uncle Sev'rus. I'm sorry."

Emmilen started for the door, but Snape called her back. "I am not angry with you. This is not your fault. You need to stay with Missy, and she is the one who is refusing to leave."

"Mr. Albus will switch your legs, Missy," Emmilen warned then. "He's already given you detention."

The young woman shook herself out of the stupor of admiration then. "Mr. Albus what? Mr. Albus! Oh, no! Come on, Monster! We have a million things to do!" Grabbing the child's hand, the teen dragged her out the door. "See you around, Harry," floated backward from the corridor.

"Bedtime is 9:00," Severus called after them. "Strictly enforced!" No reply was heard. Glancing at his watch, he muttered to himself, "Maybe that girl CAN manage to do a million things in less than forty-five minutes. She can certainly manage to make enough trouble in less than forty-five seconds!"

Harry James Potter was very careful to hide the smirk those whispered words invoked.

His professor closed and locked the door with his wand and cast a Silencing Charm on the room before turning a murderous glare on the boy. "Now, Potter," he spat out. "Let's discuss in great detail exactly what will befall you the next time you endanger my life by hinting that I am anything less than a loyal follower of the Dark Lord."

Harry had no further desire to smirk in the Potion Master's presence that evening.

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"A surprise party? For Uncle Sev'rus? Really, Missy?" Emmilen's eyes shone brightly.

"Really, Emmilen. Now, you twist these crepe paper rolls to make decorations while I talk to the house elf about the refreshments."

"What're 'freshments, Missy?"

"Cake, ice cream, punch. Things to eat and drink at the party."

"Oh!" nodded the younger girl. Picking up the crepe rolls, she began to carefully lay them over each other as her cousin had shown. The result was the twirl of bright colors that she remembered from past birthday parties with her grandmother.

The two were occupying the table in the middle of Severus' living room. Missy clapped her hands sharply, and a house-elf wearing a Muggle child's shorts set and mismatched socks appeared before her. Perched atop the elf's head were no less than seven knitted monstrosities, which vaguely resembled caps.

"Professor Dumbledore has promised that Dobby might help Miss Terlan this evening. What is Miss Terlan needing Dobby to do first?"

"Uhm, well," Missy was befuddled by the strange appearance and behavior of this elf, but still it seemed willing enough to serve. "We're giving Professor Snape a surprise party tonight, and we'll need cake, ice cream and punch."

"How many guests will there be, Miss Terlan, ma'am?" inquired Dobby excitedly.

"Uhm, say around a dozen, I think," replied Missy vaguely. "I've invited Professors Dumbledore, McGonagall, Flitwick, Sprout, Knight, Vector, and Sinistra. Then there'll be Madams Pomfrey and Pince, Emmilen, Professor Snape, and me. Yes," she concluded happily. "That's exactly twelve."

"Very good, Miss Terlan, ma'am. What flavors of cakes and punch would you like?"

"Uhm, can we get half-chocolate, half-white on the cake and lime punch?"

"With white icing on the chocolate?" cried Emmilen, hopefully.

"With white icing on the chocolate," Missy added then.

"Yes, Miss Terlan, ma'am," squealed Dobby. He raised his hands and a large decorated table appeared with no less than six long sheet cakes, each with its own silver serving knife, and two huge bowls of punch, each with a silver ladle. Dishes, forks, mugs and napkins completed the service.

"What do the cakes say?" Emmilen asked, jumping up and down in excitement, her crepe streamers temporarily forgotten.

"Happy Birthday, Professor Snape," replied Dobby proudly.

"Oh," sighed Emmilen, crestfallen.

"What's wrong, Monster?" asked Missy.

"I wanted a chocolate one with white icing that said 'Happy Birthday, Uncle Sev'rus' in green letters. That's what I wanted, Missy."

"That is what Miss Emmilen shall have then." With a wave of his hand, Dobby changed the lettering on one of the white-iced cakes to read 'Happy Birthday, Uncle Severus.'

"Oh, goody! Thank you, Dobby," crowed Emmilen, returning to her streamers with a satisfied expression.

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Meanwhile, in the staff room, a lively discussion was in progress.

"It's truly amazing the way he's changed since the girl's arrival," Minerva McGonagall was commenting. "Merlin knows, that first day when I found her roaming the castle in tears because her 'Uncle Sev'rus' had left her, I thought we were all in for a rough time of it. But he's fairly decent with the child now, or, considering that it's Severus we're talking about, I should say almost paternal."

"Have you noticed how rapidly Gryffindor's points deplete when he has any of your students in class, Minerva? To say nothing of when he actually catches them breaking the rules?" Professor Micasa, the current Muggle Studies teacher, stared at the deputy headmistress in disbelief.

"I'm not claiming that he's any different with the students, Juan, merely that I would never have believed him capable of such care of Emmilen. Wouldn't you agree, Poppy?" McGonagall turned to her long-time friend for support.

"He clearly loves and cares for the girl, and it's also clear that she adores him," the school nurse admitted before burying her face in her mug, ending any further conversation with her.

"I'm wondering how he is going to react to this surprise party though," Minerva confided to her friend after Juan had left for his quarters. "Severus has always been such a private person, and it doesn't strike me that he gets on that well with Miss Terlan."

"What do you think of Missy Terlan, Minerva? It seems strange for Albus to suddenly hire a student teacher for the first time in Hogwarts' history. Then to hire one in mid-term and from America no less. Aren't their educational methods very different from ours?"

"It is strange, and, yes, American teaching methods are very different from ours. My understanding is that Albus hired Missy because she has such a strong bond with Emmilen Snape. I think he was hoping for it to improve Severus' relationship with the child, but it doesn't seem to be helping, or even necessary for that matter."

"It's certainly not necessary," mused Poppy. "But what do you think of young Missy personally?"

"She seems nice enough, polite and a bit on the shy side. I've heard Albus had a bit of trouble with her last night, but then it must be a huge adjustment for the young woman after all. I've had nothing but rave reviews from the students she had in class today. So I would say things are going as well as one can expect."

"Let us hope so at any rate," muttered Pomfrey darkly, thinking of the morrow. The deputy headmistress, distracted by an owl tapping on the glass, appeared not to hear this comment however.

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"It is 9:00, Potter. If you've finished the essay, you may leave now," Severus growled.

"Yes, sir, it's done." Harry handed over the parchment quickly, not at all loathe to leave the angry man's presence.

"And you'd best remember my words about watching your tongue, if you know what's good for you."

"Yes, sir, Professor Snape." It would be a long time before Harry forgot that particular tongue-lashing!

Exiting the office, Harry hurried down the corridor and bumped into Missy and Emmilen approaching from the opposite direction.

"I don't want to, Missy," Emmilen was complaining. "Uncle Sev'rus will switch my legs, and I don't want him to do that!"

"He won't switch you, Monster. I won't let him," promised that individual fiercely. "Hi, Harry—"

She broke off suddenly as the office door behind him opened and a livid Severus Snape emerged. "I thought I heard a young voice out here whose owner should be in her bed."

"She tried to go to bed, but I stopped her," said Missy bravely.

"So I gathered from what I heard. Why?"

"I need her to stay up for another couple of hours. It's a surprise."

"It certainly is," sneered Snape. "I'll tell you something that is not such a surprise, shall I? She goes to bed—NOW!"

Emmilen burst into tears and ran to her uncle's side. He picked her up and rubbed her back soothingly. "I'm not angry with you, Emmilen. Let's get you in bed and I'll read you a story, shall I?"

"OK, Uncle Sev'rus."

"No, you can't go into your quarters now!" cried Missy, throwing herself into his path and inadvertently blocking Harry as well.

"Please, Uncle Sev'rus, don't look at the living room. That's the surprise, you know!"

"Our living room is a surprise, Niece Emmilen? I assure you I've seen it many times before," Severus teased.

"Not like this, Uncle Sev'rus. Is there another way in?"

"No." Snape thought for a moment, surprised at himself for being secretly pleased the child was not already in bed. "When may I see our surprise living room, Niece Emmilen?"

"At 10:00," answered Missy when Emmilen looked at her.

Severus sighed heavily. That was a way to have some time with Emmilen after all tonight. He would not, however, give Miss Terlan the satisfaction of knowing how her impertinence and disrespect for his rules was really helping him. "Very well. Since you were such a good girl about wanting to go to bed on time and since surprise living rooms don't happen to me often, you may stay up with Missy until my meeting with Mr. Albus is finished. Then I shall put you to bed after looking at our surprise living room."

Both girls bestowed their biggest smiles on him then. "Thank you, Uncle Sev'rus." "Yes, thank you so much, Severus."

"Now let me through please, Miss Terlan. I am already tardy." He set Emmilen down as Missy fairly jumped out of his way. Sweeping toward the stairs, black cloaks billowing behind him, Severus appeared not to notice Harry Potter where he had ducked into the shadows upon having his exit blocked.

Emmilen didn't notice the boy either, but Missy noticed, however. "Would you like some cake and punch, Harry? In fact, take a whole cake to share with your friends. We have more than we'll ever use anyway."

So Harry Potter became legend in the Gryffindor Common Room for returning from detention in the dungeons with a sheet cake bearing the words, 'Happy Birthday, Professor Snape.' All the Gryffindors, who personally abhorred the man, agreed that, whatever might be wrong with his social skills, Severus Snape was perfectly capable of getting delicious birthday cakes.

The only student to refuse cake was Ginny Weasley, who gave Harry a very put-out glare before announcing that she was too tired to stay up even for birthday cake. She made her way up the girls' staircase then, ignoring her brother's worried call that she must be sick enough for the hospital wing if she'd refuse their first-ever cake from the greasy Potions git.

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"Severus," twinkled Dumbledore merrily. "There you are. Come in, my boy, come in and take a seat."

"Please forgive my tardiness, Headmaster. I was...unavoidably detained."

"Of course, of course. Think no more about it, my boy. Now tell me, did you take young Emmilen to Poppy this morning? Was she able to help the child?"

Snape's façade crumpled. Sinking into the nearest chair, he buried his face in his hands as giant sobs wracked his body. Crossing the room in an instant, Albus laid a steadying hand on the younger wizard's shoulder and waited for the tears to abate.

"The test results came back this afternoon," Severus finally managed to gasp out. "The girl has Amagical Lymphoma." Dumbledore mumbled in concern and squeezed the shoulder beneath his hand comfortingly. After several more moments, Snape continued shakily, "Tomorrow morning before breakfast, I move her into the hospital wing for treatments which could continue anywhere from several months to several years. Poppy is unable to narrow the time frame more than that." He continued on to tell the older man about running into Missy, the baby-sitting, and the missed bedtime. "I was actually glad that the girl was not in bed this evening. I wanted time with her tonight myself before treatments start in the morning."

"Of course you did, my boy. Any parent or guardian worth their salt would want the same, I assure you. It is perfectly natural."

"But I want her to learn that rules are to be obeyed. I've told her as much myself. Then I go and break the rule I'd been stressing to them all evening. What kind of a guardian does that, Headmaster?"

"The kind with love, Severus. The kind with love," Dumbledore murmured comfortingly.

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Missy and Emmilen, meanwhile, had gotten rid of another sheet cake by delivering it to the Slytherin Common Room. They then called a house elf to deliver a cake apiece to the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff Common Rooms. Thus, the entire castle became aware that the greasy git of the dungeons had become another year older that day.

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Forty-five minutes later, Severus had splashed cold water on his face in Albus' lavatory and was feeling slightly better for his long cry.

"I just have a little something here to commemorate your day, my boy," Dumbledore beamed, passing over a small wrapped package. "Since it will benefit the both of you, why don't you wait to let Emmilen open it with you? Little girls love to tear apart wrappings, if I remember correctly."

"Thank you, Headmaster. It was not necessary, I assure you, but it is most appreciated."

"Not at all. Merely a token, really," beamed Dumbledore. "Come. I'll walk with you to your quarters and say 'Good night' to Emmilen, if I may."

"You are always welcome to do that, Headmaster."

On the way, they were accosted by a group of scared-looking Hufflepuff first-year girls. "Hap—happy B—b—birthday, Professor Snape, sir. Th—thank you very much for the cake. Here!" Thrusting a parchment roll into Severus' startled hand, they fled down a side corridor as if pursued by dementors.

Albus chuckled as Snape gazed after them in confusion. "You do have a way with Hufflepuffs, don't you, Severus?"

"How did they know today was my birthday? And what was that about a cake?" Opening the parchment, Snape found a handmade birthday card with a calligraphy poem:

'Happy Birthday to you,

'And many more too.

'Best wishes for happiness

'Is what this brings you.'

Each girl had signed her name below.

"That was...thoughtful," commented Severus cautiously. Dumbledore smilingly agreed.

They had not progressed much farther before they were met by a couple of third-year Ravenclaw boys. "Happy birthday, Professor. Thank you for the cake, sir. We all enjoyed it."

"What cake?" demanded Snape, but the boys had already turned through an archway and gave no appearance of having heard the question. Dumbledore was silent.

Two floors down, they were once again accosted, this time by a violently-trembling Neville Longbottom. "P—pro—professor S—s—Snape, s—sir. H—h—I mean, happy b—birth—birthday, sir. Th—thank you for the c—cake you sent with H—harry. It was d—delicious. Th—that's all, sir."

"I did not send a cake with Harry, Mr. Longbottom," replied Severus, though without malice. "What cake does Potter say I sent?"

"Oh, no, sir. Miss Terlan ac—actually sent the cake, but it was your—I mean, it said your name, sir. So we all—"

Raising a hand to silence the boy, Snape closed his eyes and drew several deep breaths before speaking with an enforced calm. "You need say no more, Mr. Longbottom. That name tells me all I need to know about the situation. I thank you for the well-wishes and I am...honored...that you enjoyed my cake."

"Y—yes, sir, Professor. We all did, except Ginny. She was feeling sick, you see, sir, and so didn't think she should take any."

"Thank you, Mr. Longbottom."

"Yes, Professor S—Snape. Professor Dumbledore, sir."

"Mr. Longbottom," nodded Albus with a kindly twinkle. "Have a lemon drop?" Withdrawing a bag from the pocket of his robes, he proffered it to the boy.

"Thank you, sir." Taking a sweet, Neville nodded to the men and made good his escape down the corridor.

"How did that blasted girl find out about my birthday, and why is she serving cake to the entire student body? I've no doubt but that my own House received a cake as well."

"I would hope so, Severus," vouchsafed Dumbledore then.

Continuing on to the dungeons, the duo at last reached the portrait and Severus gave the password. Together they entered the darkened room. "Why aren't the lights coming on?" mumbled Dumbledore.

"Someone is here, many someones in fact," muttered Snape drawing his wand.

Suddenly there was a cry of "Lumos!" and torchlight flared up. "Surprise!" screamed a dozen voices, and then people began singing, "Happy Birthday to you!" Looking around, Severus found the other Heads, various professors, the librarian, the nurse, Missy and Emmilen smiling at him.

"It's a s'prise party, Uncle Sev'rus! Are you very s'prised?" Emmilen ran forward excitedly and grabbed his hand. "Come see the cake I got you from Dobby. He's a house elf, did you know that? I told the color of the letters and everything! It's the one that says 'Happy Birthday, Uncle Sev'rus' in green letters. And Missy got the other cakes and lime punch. We gave one cake to Harry and one cake to Blaise. House elves took a cake to Ravenclaw and a cake to Hufflepuff, but my cake stayed here for you. May I eat some of it with you before I go to bed, Uncle Sev'rus? Please? Oh! I made the decorations too, all by myself. They're called 'streamers.' Did you know that, Uncle Sev'rus? Do you like them a lot?" She was jumping around excitedly and clinging tightly to his hand.

A smile spread across Severus' face as he listened to the child. "Yes, Emmilen. I'm very surprised. You may have cake and punch and more before you have to go to bed tonight, and I like your streamers very much indeed."

"Yay!" crowed Emmilen. "He's s'prised, Missy. And he likes the party as much as we do!"