Disclaimer: sigh Nope doesn't belong to me ... all to JK.
A/N: My muse has returned! My thanks to Pheonixcore and Occasus for their friendship and shared Laughter. Thanks to Pheonixcore for the betaing of this chapter. All other mistakes are mine..It's the longest one so far..
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Single Golden Snitch is a Cafe located along Amsterdam Avenue with fifties-style couches and chairs in cozy setting arrangements. Harry is standing at the front counter with Hermione, getting drinks.
"I went to the Flourish and Blotts website and you can buy anything. They owl it to you in a day. Maybe we should get a website."
"My mother would never have wanted us to have a website. Every book you sell is a gift from your heart. She always said that."
As they walked towards the back of the cafe, Harry notices a stack of loose-leaf binders filled with parchment on the table.
"What if they put us out of business" Hermione asked.
"It's out of the question. We're a fixture in the neighborhood and Liberty Ave. We're practically a landmark." Harry pointed out the binders. "Men for Women. Women for Men. Women for Women. Men for Men...What is this?.
"You fill out these forms and they file it in the book and if someone wants to meet you, they arrange it."
"What a stupid way to meet someone."
Hermione gave Harry one of her famous scowls. "Compared to the internet"
Unaffected and waving his hand about, "My little thing on the internet is just a lark."
"So is it still going on"
"And I do not plan to meet him, " Indicating the books. "Why do I get the feeling that you are in here somewhere?
Hermione flips the book open to her application. "I came here one night and drank too much coffee and filled one out." Harry snorted. "Well how am I supposed to meet someone"
"Well I could never, under any circumstance love anybody who had a sailboat."
"Neither could I."
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On a cool crisp Saturday, Severus is on his sailboat. He's polishing his brass and whistling.
"Sev"
Severus jumps off his boat onto the dock to greet his Grandfather's daughter, Annabel, who's eight and coming down the dock with Ginny, his brother's over-decorated thirty-two-year-old fiancée, her son Matthew, four, and the Nanny, Cho Chang.
"Hello" Severus picks up Annabel"How are you today"
"I'm great"
Setting Annabel down, Severus picks up Matthew"Hey big guy." The young dark haired child giggles.
"Don't I get a hello" Ginny asks.
"Hello, Ginny."
"Kiss me. I'm going to be your wicked sister-in-law."
Severus gives her a peck on the cheek. "Who is this" Noting the other woman.
"Nanny Cho Chang. I brought her in case you couldn't handle the kids."
"Cho's getting a divorce" Annabel added.
"I'm sorry to hear that" Severus says apologetically.
"It's my own fault. Never marry a man who lies."
"That is so wise. Remember that Annabel."
"She taught Matt to spell his name."
"Black. B-L-A-C-K."
Smiling widely"Excellent, Matt." To Cho"Good work. You can have the day off. I'll take over from here."
To Ginny"You must be late for something. Volunteer work at the Cedric Diggory Settlement. Packing wolfsbane for werewolves in Romania. A course in Ancient Languages at Columbia."
"I am." Ginny turned and smirked at Severus. "I'm having my eggs harvested." She walked away.
"Alright then" Severus mumbled to himself.
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The annual Liberty Avenue Street Fair always coincided with the going back to school days. A celebration of the ending of Summer holidays and renewing friendships. There was little food carts everywhere in this the Wizarding Center of New York City. There was games and music and young people dancing around having fun. The local Quidditch team was signing autographs and taking pictures.
Through it all Severus, Annabel and Matt were completely enjoying the day by stuffing themselves with food, watching and playing games up and down the Avenue. It was Annabel who spied a sign lit with twinkling lights: Story time today 3:30.
"Can we Severus"
"Sure, Why not"
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Harry is sitting on a stool surrounded by a large group of children including Annabel and Matt. Severus was watching, along with some parents as Harry reads from a Daniel Gint book, called Hagrid and Norbert.
"One day Hagrid went to the forbidden Forrest.
He wanted to see what was inside.
He saw unicorns.
He saw centaurs.
He saw acromantulas.
He saw trolls.
He saw a phoenix.
And he saw... Dragons.
Hagrid loved Dragons.
He wished he had one for a friend.
"And I think it would be nice to play with you" said a voice.
Wide-eyed"Can you" Hagrid asked the Dragon before him."
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Severus is listening to Ron rattle on about a book that he was showing him. A first edition of the Wizard of Oz from the glass case.
"The illustrations are hand-tipped. Which is why..."
"It costs so much."
"It's why it's worth so much" Ron says with a put upon sigh.
Severus smirks and turns around to see Annabel at a whole shelf of Emma and Friends books.
"I want all of them" Annabel tells Harry.
Smiling"That might be an awful lot for your Dad to buy at one time."
"My Dad gets me all the books I want."
Harry looking over at Severus. "Well that's very nice of him."
"That's not my Dad. That's my nephew" Annabel says giggling.
"Oh, I don't really think that's your nephew..." Harry states as Severus approaches.
"It's true. Annabel is my Aunt. Aren't you, Aunt Annabel"
Annabel nods solemnly. "And Matt is..."
"Let me guess" Harry turns to Matt"Are you his Uncle"
More giggles"No."
"His grandfather"
Annabel and Matt are both chortling madly now.
"His great-grandfather"
"I'm his nephew" Matt shouts with glee.
"Annabel is my grandfather's daughter. And Matt is my brother's son. We are an atypical Wizarding family." Severus smiles at Harry who finds himself smiling back.
Annabel suddenly sneezes.
Harry takes a handkerchief from his pocket. It's an old fashioned hankie that is embroidered. He offers it to Annabel, who instead wipes her nose with her hand and then looks at the handkerchief, a little puzzled.
"What is that" Annabel asks Harry.
"A handkerchief. Oh my, do children no even know what handkerchiefs are? A handkerchief is a Kleenex you don't throw away. My mother embroidered it for me... you see" Harry was holding a piece of emerald green cloth"My initials and a daisy, because daisies are my favorite flower."
"Orchids are my favorite flower" Annabel said.
Severus is looking at Harry. "Who are you"
"Harry Potter. I own this store. And you are"
"Severus. Just call me Severus." Quickly pushing the pile of books forward on the counter. "We'll take these books." Severus takes the book Matt is reading and the ones Annabel had chosen.
"These are wonderful books. As Annabel gets older, the characters in the books do, too." Harry smiles at Annabel. "You can grow up with Emma."
Ron starts tallying up the books. "You're gonna come back again, aren't you"
"Of Course" Severus answers.
Smiling smugly"This is why we're never going to go under. Our Customers are loyal."
Harry sees Severus puzzled expression"They're opening a Flourish and Blotts down the Avenue."
"Flourish and Blotts! My Daddy..." Annabel begins excitedly.
Severus gently puts his hand over Annabel's mouth"...likes to buy at discount. Don't tell anyone that, Annabel, it's nothing to be proud of..."
"B-L-A-C-K" Matt spells.
"That's amazing. You can spell black. Can you spell green" Harry asks the young man.
"B-L-A-C-K."
"Matt look at this dragon book. Wouldn't you like a dragon book? Annabel, maybe you could read this Matt while I wrap things up here." Severus moves them to a corner"Sit down, read and don't listen to anything I say."
Severus returns to the counter and hands Harry some Galleons. "And the Dragon book, too."
"The world is not driven by discounts, believe me. I've been in business forever. I started helping my mother here after school when I was six years old. I used to watch her, and it wasn't that she was selling books, it was that she was helping people become whoever they were going to turn out to be. When you read a book as a child it becomes part of your identity in a way that no other reading in you life does." Harry stops himself. "I guess I've gotten carried away."
"You have, and you've made me feel..." He can't finish the sentence. He looks at Harry and sees behind him on the shelf, a picture of woman who is unmistakably Harry's mother, with a young Harry. The eyes. The same green eyes.
"Enchanting, your mother was enchanting."
Taken back"she was. How did you know that"
"Lucky guess."
"Anyway. She left the store to me and I'm gonna leave it to my child."
"How old is your child now"
"Oh, I'm not married. But eventually." He smiles at Severus..."So Flourish and Blotts can..."
Harry and Ron together"Go to hell."
Handing Severus his books"Here you go."
"We ready" Severus asks as Annabel and Matt come and stand next to him at the counter. Harry gives them each a lollipop.
"Bye, Harry" Annabel waves as they walk out the store.
"Goodbye, Annabel. Bye Matt. What about red? Can you spell red"
"B-L-A-C-K."
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feedback please!
off to work on my TSS challenge!