Severus picked at his breakfast of eggs and toast. He was not overly
hungry and he had other matters on his mind; he was to return to Hogwarts
today. He was not looking forward to it, but he did not wish to remain at
his house either.
As he flicked open the front page of the Daily Prophet a tawny owl flew in through the window. It alighted on the tall backing of the chair next to Severus and waited for its message to be taken from it. Severus undid the ties to her leg and the owl was off again.
Sitting down at the table he contemplated the seal of the letter. He could feel his mother's eyes on him; he tore it open.
Inside was a small parchment, a birth parchment, along with a brief letter from Healer Landon, detailing her bill and some information regarding the health of the mother and child. He cast it over to his mother once he was finished it.
"She sounds quite taken with the baby, Severus. You didn't mention to me that she was beautiful."
Severus snorted and returned to his toast. He allowed his eyes to rove over the birth parchment as he ate. He suddenly stopped mid-bite.
"What is it, Severus?" His mother asked.
Severus was reading the name on the birth parchment. What had that daft woman named their daughter?
Constanza's hand reached tentatively forward and took the parchment. She examined it, a small smile playing at her lips.
"Did you pick the name?" she asked.
"No," he said. "She did. I didn't want Celeste's parents naming her," he added.
"Oh." She thought a moment. "Any particular reason why she chose an Italian name?"
Severus huffed impatiently, not really wanting to give an explanation.
"I think it's lovely," she said.
He scowled once more and returned to his paper.
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The relief Severus felt upon leaving the manor dissipated rapidly once he returned to the school. He had the odd sensation of being forced into a confined space, although that did not make sense at all; Hogwarts was several times larger than his manor. Yet when he stepped into his private rooms, they seemed to have shrunk in his absence.
He was called to the Headmaster's office within a short time of his arrival. Severus strode into the room to find Dumbledore sitting behind his desk sipping from a cup of tea.
"Severus," Dumbledore greeted. "How is she?"
"She is fine. Her mother as well," he said with a huff.
Dumbledore considered him for a moment over the rims of his half-moon spectacles, a mildly amused expression playing at his lips. "I was asking after your mother, Severus." Severus flushed darkly. "But I am glad to hear that your wife and child are well." He waved Severus into a chair.
"I called you here to discuss your new situation."
Severus resisted the urge to sneer at the Headmaster; instead, he settled for a glare. He was not going to discuss babies or family life, of all things, with Dumbledore. The man had no right to interfere with a situation Severus was currently trying to make the best of by himself. He braced himself for the patronizing lecture he was expecting to spurt forth from the Headmaster's lips, asserting simplistic views of family values.
But Dumbledore surprised Severus.
"In light of the new arrangements, it is more than your due to take a leave from your post. Your bereavement leave alone would excuse you for the final three weeks of your classes here, but you are also entitled to paternity leave. If you wish to exploit either of these options, you may do so."
Severus could not believe Dumbledore was offering him time off from work.
Dumbledore leaned in then, with a twinkle in his eye. "It would also give you time to work out arrangements with your new family. The house must feel fairly empty now, especially to your mother."
Severus fairly bristled when he realized the unexpected twist the conversation had taken. "No, Headmaster, I don't believe a leave of absence will be necessary."
Dumbledore considered him with a look that was not in any way resigned, infuriating Severus even more.
"Very well, then. But you will be returning to your manor for the summer?"
Severus nearly snarled that no, he would not, when he realized that he couldn't allow the headmaster to pique him into saying things that he would regret later. He had in fact already made plans to return to stay with his mother over the summer break. The manor had a decent laboratory in the basement, and he intended to make use of it over the summer break to continue his research of the properties of aconite.
"Yes. That is my plan."
"Very well then." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, taking a long sip from his tea.
Eventually Severus felt compelled to say something.
"Who did you find to substitute for my classes while I was away?"
Considering the ceiling, Dumbledore replied, "Remus Lupin. He took to the position quite naturally, actually."
Severus started upon hearing this name. He had forgotten about the man, hadn't thought about him in years; the gears in his head immediately began to whir.
Perhaps Dumbledore did not like the odd gleam he saw in Severus's eyes just then, because he promptly changed the subject.
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Severus rose from his desk, neck aching and eyes gritty with fatigue. From his tall window he could see the full moon glinting off the shard of lake in the distance. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood very still.
He thought of his mother, alone in the large, empty manor with nobody to help her keep the silence at bay except two aging house elves and a number of grotesque portraits. When he had been younger, he had always imagined that the sole obstacle between his mother and her happiness was her husband. However now that he was gone, she was no freer and no happier than before. He realized now that it was not what Constanza had in her life that had made her miserable; it was what she had been lacking all those years. Now that Aegerus was gone, she was still lacking those things she needed, just as much as before.
Severus's last thoughts as he readied himself for bed were of how eager she had been to hear news of her granddaughter.
As he flicked open the front page of the Daily Prophet a tawny owl flew in through the window. It alighted on the tall backing of the chair next to Severus and waited for its message to be taken from it. Severus undid the ties to her leg and the owl was off again.
Sitting down at the table he contemplated the seal of the letter. He could feel his mother's eyes on him; he tore it open.
Inside was a small parchment, a birth parchment, along with a brief letter from Healer Landon, detailing her bill and some information regarding the health of the mother and child. He cast it over to his mother once he was finished it.
"She sounds quite taken with the baby, Severus. You didn't mention to me that she was beautiful."
Severus snorted and returned to his toast. He allowed his eyes to rove over the birth parchment as he ate. He suddenly stopped mid-bite.
"What is it, Severus?" His mother asked.
Severus was reading the name on the birth parchment. What had that daft woman named their daughter?
Constanza's hand reached tentatively forward and took the parchment. She examined it, a small smile playing at her lips.
"Did you pick the name?" she asked.
"No," he said. "She did. I didn't want Celeste's parents naming her," he added.
"Oh." She thought a moment. "Any particular reason why she chose an Italian name?"
Severus huffed impatiently, not really wanting to give an explanation.
"I think it's lovely," she said.
He scowled once more and returned to his paper.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The relief Severus felt upon leaving the manor dissipated rapidly once he returned to the school. He had the odd sensation of being forced into a confined space, although that did not make sense at all; Hogwarts was several times larger than his manor. Yet when he stepped into his private rooms, they seemed to have shrunk in his absence.
He was called to the Headmaster's office within a short time of his arrival. Severus strode into the room to find Dumbledore sitting behind his desk sipping from a cup of tea.
"Severus," Dumbledore greeted. "How is she?"
"She is fine. Her mother as well," he said with a huff.
Dumbledore considered him for a moment over the rims of his half-moon spectacles, a mildly amused expression playing at his lips. "I was asking after your mother, Severus." Severus flushed darkly. "But I am glad to hear that your wife and child are well." He waved Severus into a chair.
"I called you here to discuss your new situation."
Severus resisted the urge to sneer at the Headmaster; instead, he settled for a glare. He was not going to discuss babies or family life, of all things, with Dumbledore. The man had no right to interfere with a situation Severus was currently trying to make the best of by himself. He braced himself for the patronizing lecture he was expecting to spurt forth from the Headmaster's lips, asserting simplistic views of family values.
But Dumbledore surprised Severus.
"In light of the new arrangements, it is more than your due to take a leave from your post. Your bereavement leave alone would excuse you for the final three weeks of your classes here, but you are also entitled to paternity leave. If you wish to exploit either of these options, you may do so."
Severus could not believe Dumbledore was offering him time off from work.
Dumbledore leaned in then, with a twinkle in his eye. "It would also give you time to work out arrangements with your new family. The house must feel fairly empty now, especially to your mother."
Severus fairly bristled when he realized the unexpected twist the conversation had taken. "No, Headmaster, I don't believe a leave of absence will be necessary."
Dumbledore considered him with a look that was not in any way resigned, infuriating Severus even more.
"Very well, then. But you will be returning to your manor for the summer?"
Severus nearly snarled that no, he would not, when he realized that he couldn't allow the headmaster to pique him into saying things that he would regret later. He had in fact already made plans to return to stay with his mother over the summer break. The manor had a decent laboratory in the basement, and he intended to make use of it over the summer break to continue his research of the properties of aconite.
"Yes. That is my plan."
"Very well then." Dumbledore leaned back in his chair, taking a long sip from his tea.
Eventually Severus felt compelled to say something.
"Who did you find to substitute for my classes while I was away?"
Considering the ceiling, Dumbledore replied, "Remus Lupin. He took to the position quite naturally, actually."
Severus started upon hearing this name. He had forgotten about the man, hadn't thought about him in years; the gears in his head immediately began to whir.
Perhaps Dumbledore did not like the odd gleam he saw in Severus's eyes just then, because he promptly changed the subject.
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Severus rose from his desk, neck aching and eyes gritty with fatigue. From his tall window he could see the full moon glinting off the shard of lake in the distance. He clasped his hands behind his back and stood very still.
He thought of his mother, alone in the large, empty manor with nobody to help her keep the silence at bay except two aging house elves and a number of grotesque portraits. When he had been younger, he had always imagined that the sole obstacle between his mother and her happiness was her husband. However now that he was gone, she was no freer and no happier than before. He realized now that it was not what Constanza had in her life that had made her miserable; it was what she had been lacking all those years. Now that Aegerus was gone, she was still lacking those things she needed, just as much as before.
Severus's last thoughts as he readied himself for bed were of how eager she had been to hear news of her granddaughter.