Now, here is the Epilogue, which comes in three chapters, so don't go away just yet. Hopefully you'll stick with the story until the very end. And that's what it will say at the very end - 'The Very End'. So you'll know that's it.
The fact this story is continuing into a three chapter epilogue is all thanks to Music is my Muse, whose comments a little while ago gave me the idea for what follows. So this next chapter is dedicated to her, with very many thanks - because I've had such fun writing it (and having an excuse to hold on to Andi for three more weeks!)
My thanks to JessiokaFroka for betareading as usual, despite her very tight schedule.
EPILOGUE - Part One
SEV'S GIRLS
Imogen
"She's late."
"Only five minutes."
"She said she would be here at seven-thirty." He crossed his arms and stared at the fireplace. Andi smiled indulgently as she watched his foot tapping impatiently on the hearth rug. "No doubt she's ended up in Hogsmeade again. She's no sense of direction. I blame you for that."
"Thank you."
"We haven't seen her for a month. You would think she'd have the common decency to-"
His diatribe was interrupted by a cloud of soot billowing from the fireplace, covering his robes in a fine cloud of dust. There was a clatter and a young woman landed with a bump in the grate.
Imogen jumped to her feet and cleared the grate of her bags.
Just a few days away from her twentieth birthday, she was the same height as Andi but her proportions were more generous. She was a loving, joyful girl - although easily brought to tears, and in that respect, was more like her mother than her father.
Her long black hair was back in a plait and her black eyes shone as she looked at her parents.
Andi got up immediately and went over to the fireplace, even though she knew Imogen would greet her father first.
"Hello Daddy, sorry I'm late."
"What time do you call this?" His arms went around her as she threw hers around his neck and kissed his cheek.
"I know, I'm sorry but I had to-"
"It is common courtesy to arrive when one says."
Andi smiled to herself as she heard evidence of Severus trying his best to maintain a strict tone against the pleasure of seeing his daughter again.
Imogen left her father and came to Andi, hugging and kissing her. "It's just that I-"
She was cut off by another cloud of soot followed by another clatter in the fireplace. Andi jumped at the unexpected sound. They all turned to look in that direction.
An angular, lanky young man was trying, with as much dignity as he could muster, to become upright as soon as possible, knocking his head on the mantle as he did so.
Severus immediately pulled out his wand and pointed it at the boy.
"Stay right where you are!"
"Daddy..."
"You have five seconds to explain who you are and why you are following my daughter."
"Daddy!" Imogen scolded, and went over to the young man and began running her hand over his black hair. ("Did you hurt your head? Are you OK?) She was at least eight inches shorter than him, but carried more flesh.
She turned to face her parents.
"This is Noel Musselwhite," she announced, as though he were the most important person in the world. "Noel, this is my father..."
Noel stepped forward and held out a bony-fingered hand. "Mr. Snape..."
Severus bristled.
"Professor!" he corrected the boy, tightly.
"Oh, no Sir - at least, not yet anyhow... I'm expecting the letter sometime during the summer..."
Imogen put her hand gently on Noel's arm.
"No," she said, with a smile. "Daddy is Professor Snape."
The boy blushed and flustered.
"Oh... oh yes, of course. Erm... Professor Snape. I'm very pleased to meet you." He shook Severus' hand with vigor. Then, glancing at Andi, he frowned and began patting his shirt as he looked around. "Ah!"
He stepped to the fireplace and retrieved a rather battered bouquet from the grate before turning and presenting it to Andi.
"Mrs..."
"Professor," whispered Imogen, quickly.
"Professor Snape..."
"Carver-Snape," whispered Imogen again.
The poor boy by now looked completely washed out. Andi softened immediately, took the flowers and shook his hand.
"Andrea," she smiled, pleased at the look of gratitude she received in return, and feeling a little annoyed with her daughter for dumping the boy into this situation without giving him the full information first. "These are beautiful," she told him. "Wild flowers are my favourite."
Imogen should have realised that any boy brought home to meet her parents for the first time had to be fully prepped on how to greet and speak to her father. Especially as, as far as Severus was aware, this was Imogen's first boyfriend. Andi had been careful to steer Severus clear of any knowledge about the two innocent dalliances during the girl's last year at Hogwarts. Looking at how Imogen was fawning over this one, and the fact she'd introduced him to her father, it was clear he was a little more important.
"Well, you are late," said Severus. "But we still have time for our walk- Imogen..." He gestured towards the French windows.
Since Imogen had moved out of Hogwarts and gone to continue her studies in London, she and Severus had got into the habit of taking a walk by the lake just before dinner whenever she returned home. Neither told Andi what they talked about, but Andi appreciated and delighted in the special bond there had always been between Severus and their first-born.
"Oh," said Imogen, glancing first at Noel then at her father. "I thought perhaps this evening we might all go."
"All?" said Severus, with an edge.
"Yes- Mum too." Imogen looked with pleading eyes at Andi.
"What a good idea," said Andi, even as she felt a jolt of sorrow for the glimmer of disappointment she detected in Severus' eyes.
They made their way out of the French windows and down the steps into the grounds.
A few years after the war, when Severus no longer had to rely on the protection of the dungeons, or of Hogwarts, and with a young child to consider, he and Andi had moved to quarters on the ground floor, where every room had a window and there was more scope for expansion.
It was also desirable to have the Headmaster of the school stationed somewhere a little more accessible than the dungeons.
For the war seemed to have been a turning point for Albus; almost as though his whole purpose was to have seen Harry Potter through to victory. Not very long after, almost as though the old wizard had made the decision himself, Albus had died peacefully, in his sleep.
Andi had mourned; he had been a dear friend.
It was assumed that Minerva would replace him and everyone was quite shocked when she refused the position.
"I believe the school needs and deserves a younger, stronger leader," she had announced. "I would like to step aside in favour of Severus."
Sylvia had noticed, and Andi and Poppy agreed, that a light had gone out in Minerva's eyes the day Albus had died, and her teaching and daily routine appeared mechanical and lacking in her usual drive.
And so it came to be that Severus Snape was now Headmaster of Hogwarts; which suited him much better as he no longer had to teach the younger pupils, but concentrated on those who had actually chosen to study Potions to NEWT level.
It was a lovely July evening, and the evening star glittered brightly but alone in an aquamarine sky.
They began walking as a four, but Imogen, taking Andi's arm, slowed their pace so that finally the two women were walking quite a distance behind the men.
"What do you think of Noel? Isn't he wonderful?"
"He seems very nice..."
"He's so intelligent and... oh Mum, guess what? He plays three musical instruments - all self-taught. He loves Bach and he's heard of The Beatles, so you'll have something in common. He can cook, he had loads of qualifications, and he has this really cute way of landing his broom..."
Andi laughed. "You quite like him then?"
Imogen blushed. "Yes I do. In fact... we want to get married."
Andi stopped in her tracks. "Married?"
"Yes. Here at Hogwarts- during the summer holidays."
"So soon?" Andi ran her eyes over her daughter's plump body. "You're not..?"
"NO!" Imogen laughed. "We don't want to wait, that's all. He's bought me a ring and proposed and everything, but I told him I couldn't accept until Daddy had approved."
Andi's eyes flickered ahead to where the men had just turned a bend in the path. A sickening foreboding descended on her.
"Imogen... is that what this walk is about?"
The girl nodded, smiling.
"You mean, that's what's happening right now - Noel is asking your father's permission to marry you?"
"Yes - why, what's wrong with that?"
"Oh Imogen! You know how your father hates surprises. You should have warned him first."
"Why?"
There was a sudden brilliant flash from up ahead and Noel, in stark resemblance to a javelin trailing a flag, went soaring through the air, landing with a splat in the bulrushes at the edge of the lake.
"Because of that!" yelled Andi as she and Imogen began running towards their respective men. "Severus!"
"Noel!" Imogen pounded up to the heap of rags and helped him up out of the weeds.
Severus was standing, feet apart, wand still raised, glaring in the direction of Noel.
"Severus!" snapped Andi. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"
"Do you know what this adolescent Lothario has just had the audacity to ask me?" he seethed through clenched teeth.
"Whatever it was, I'm sure it didn't deserve an Expelliarmus."
"That penis on legs has just requested my permission to get into my daughter's knickers."
"What!" said Andi, shocked. "Severus, don't be absurd."
He turned his glare on Andi, but it had ceased having its desired effect on her years ago. "He asked me for her hand in marriage."
"And..?"
"Obviously he has designs on my daughter and wants my blessing to go ahead."
"He wants to marry her."
"Just a long-winded way of getting her into bed."
"It couldn't be because he loves her, then?"
Severus scowled; his mouth twitching in the way it did when he realised a family battle might be tipped against him.
"She's too young. Merely a child."
"She's almost twenty."
"Exactly my point."
"Severus," Andi laughed. "She's a grown woman. They're in love. I admit I'd have preferred her to wait and finish her studies first..."
"Exactly my point."
"I thought your point was she was too young?"
"That also." He looked up as Imogen approached, helping along a limping, muddy Noel. "Gods!" he hissed in Andi's ear. "She's having to support him all ready."
Esther
"Have you called her?"
"Yes."
"Call her again."
"She'll be here in a moment."
Severus, Andi, Imogen and Noel were seated at the dining table. The food was waiting, steaming in tureens, the wine had been poured. All that held them back from starting their meal was the empty place to Andi's right.
The door swung open and in breezed sixteen year old Esther.
Dressed in tight black jeans, black belt with two silver, and very phallic, snakes dangling just in front of her crotch, a black, lacy see-through top with a black and scarlet bra clearly visible underneath, and hair - too short for dreadlocks but in them anyway, which caused her hair to stick out like Medusa's, black and red ribbons were secured to the end of each 'snake'.
She swung into the room, letting the door slam shut behind her and took a bread roll before throwing herself in the chair next to Andi.
"You're late," snapped Severus.
"Tch!"
"Are we to be furnished with a reason?"
"I was waiting for an owl."
"That being more important than dinner with your sister whom you have not seen for over a month?"
Esther looked up from under thick black eyelashes and seemed to notice Noel for the first time. Her lips, an exact copy of Severus', lifted in amusement.
"Oo's this?"
"Esther!" Andi scolded.
"This is Noel," said Imogen with a broad smile. "Noel, this is my younger sister, Esther."
"'X' " corrected Esther.
"Pardon?"
"That's my name now - 'X'"
"The artist formally known as," muttered Andi as she took a fortifying gulp of wine.
"What?" hissed Esther, turning to Andi.
"Nothing," said Andi, breezily.
"So, Noel." Esther took her attention back to their visitor. "Do you have brothers and sisters?"
Andi looked sharply at her daughter, suspicious at the normality of the question.
"Yes... yes I do. I have a brother and a sister. Both younger."
"So you're the oldest?"
"Yes I am."
"So you were the First No-el, No-el, No-el..." She broke off the singing, with a cackling laugh that sounded like the result of illicit smoking.
Severus quickly took a mouthful of wine and Andi knew full well he was hiding a smirk. Imogen might be closer to him, but Esther was definitely a female copy of her father.
Imogen was staring hard at Esther.
"Yes, that was very funny," she said. "The first time Noel heard it. About twenty-two years ago."
Esther glared at Imogen.
"Most people assume I was born at Christmas because of my name," said Noel.
"You weren't?" said Andi, surprised.
"No. Actually, I was born in September. My parents called me Noel because I was conceived at Christmas."
"Ye Gods!" muttered Severus, rolling his eyes and exchanging a smirk with Esther.
"That would change Im's name to... 'October'," laughed Esther. "Or Halloween Snape. Hey, you must have had a shag on your birthday, Mum."
"ESTHER!"
Esther grinned and studied Noel a little more. He had turned red.
"Don't you think he looks a bit like Dad when Dad was about sixteen?" she smirked.
"What!" cried Imogen and Severus together, their heads snapping up.
"Yeah," she said to Noel. "You could have stepped straight out of Dad's Pensive. He was skinny then, and had long black hair. You've got that big nose, too and dark eyes..."
Andi remained silent because she had noticed a similarity. Not much, but enough.
"My Pensive?" said Severus, who had been staring at Esther since she first uttered the word. "What would you know of my Pensive?"
Esther shifted uncomfortably, realising she'd dropped herself in trouble.
"Oh give over, Dad," she laughed nervously, trying to bluster her way through it. "I know you've got one, and I know what's in it."
Andi and Severus exchanged horrified looks, both thinking the same thing - what the hell had she seen? Esther looked up and saw their expressions.
"Tch! It's no big deal - it's not like I went into the Death Eater bit or anything."
Andi cringed.
Severus was white. He rose from his chair slowly, ramrod straight, glaring at Esther. Esther paled and lowered her fork.
So did Noel.
"Go to your room," said Severus, barely audible.
"Wha..? Huh? I mean - it's not, like, a secret or anything, is it?" she blustered.
"Go to your room!"
Esther hesitated for a moment and then,
"FINE!" She threw her napkin down on the table and stormed towards the door. "But just so's you know, Mum - he hasn't got one memory of you in there." She left the room with a slam of the door that shook the torches in their sconces.
There was silence whilst everyone tried to continue eating. Noel was now looking so uncomfortable, he was practically squirming in his chair. Imogen was the first to put down her knife and fork.
"Erm... Noel's parents are spending some of the holiday in the Caribbean."
"Oh yes, where abouts exactly?" said Andi, grateful for the diversion.
"Tobago," said Noel. "My parents are keen Oceanarians. They've gone to explore the Caribbean sea bed."
"Noel didn't go with them because he doesn't get on with the heat - his skin burns very easily."
"And I didn't want to spend time away from you," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. They looked lovingly into each other's eyes. Andi thought she heard Severus grinding his teeth.
"So where do you have to go back to tonight?" Andi asked. "I mean, do you live with your parents, or do you have your own place?"
"I have my own place... temporary... just off the Gloucester Road in London; but... erm..." He looked at Imogen and lowered his voice. "Perhaps it might be best if I just..." His eyes shifted uneasily towards Severus and back again.
"No. No. It'll be OK," said Imogen, patting his hand. "Actually, we thought perhaps Noel could stay here for a while. So that you can get to know him a bit better."
Andi glanced at Severus who was eyeing the boy with distaste, his mood still darkened by the Esther episode.
"Well of course we don't mind..." said Andi. Imogen and Noel stood up from the table. "We can't expand the quarters any more, but I'm sure there's a room just along the corridor-"
"Oh no, don't worry," said Imogen, leading Noel away from the table. "We'll sleep in my room."
Andi and Severus both scraped their chairs back at the same time - Severus for the attack, Andi for the defence.
Quickly she went round the table and stepped between the couple and her husband.
This was the first time Imogen had ever made such an announcement and although Andi had to admit to a moment's surprise, she quickly rallied and shepherded them to the door that went along to Imogen's room.
"Yes, of course. Imogen will show you where everything... erm... is, Noel. Your luggage is arriving by train is it? Good. We'll see you in the morning, then." She closed the door on the escaping pair and then, collecting herself with a deep breath, turned to look at Severus.
He was standing quite still, seething, shooting daggers at the door behind her.
"Severus," she warned.
"Out of my way."
"Absolutely not. You are to leave them alone."
Severus took out his wand and advanced towards her. "I'll see the little shit off the premises and have Nifflers biting his arse all the way to bloody Tobago - where he can fry!"
Andi barred the door. "Severus, you cannot go in there."
"Give me one good reason."
"Because if they're anything like us, they'll be at it already."
The statement didn't help his temper, but it did effectively stop him from barging into the room.
Severus sat down heavily on the edge of the bed and gave a deep sigh, his shoulders drooping. Andi shuffled up behind him and put her arms around him, kissing the back of his neck.
"You've had a tough day, haven't you."
"I have one daughter who has pried into my private memories and another who wishes to marry a grasshopper."
"He seems very pleasant."
"The boy is an imbecile. He is incapable of a coherent sentence and appears to be constructed purely of right angles."
"He was just nervous. You're a very intimidating person to meet for the first time, you know."
"How can I give my blessing? Apart from anything else she will be leaving the noble name of Snape to become Imogen Musselwhite - Gods!"
"You'll have to get used to that, unless Esther keeps her maiden name."
"I have no expectations of Esther. I am quite resigned to her running off with someone called 'Wolf' or 'Scorpion'. I had hoped for something better for Imogen."
"I think it's very sweet his asking your permission."
"I shall of course tell him no."
"Severus! You can't possibly."
"The reason being?"
"It would break Imogen's heart. Your approval means everything to her. You don't want them running off and getting married without telling us, do you?"
"Then why bother asking my permission in the first place?"
"Because you are the most important person in her life."
"The most important person am I? You are forgetting the Christmas Conception, currently rutting on my daughter."
"Oh, very Othello!" Andi nuzzled his neck as her hands played through the hairs on his chest. "You're still her most important Daddy."
He turned to her, claiming her mouth as he lowered her back on to the bed.
"Uh uh - before we go any further," Andi stopped his hand from sliding inside her dressing gown. "I think you'd better explain why I don't appear in your Pensive."
"Because," he nibbled his way down her neck. "I want every... single... memory..." He travelled along her collar bone, down her throat and then further, parting her dressing gown and putting his lips to her breast. "...within... immediate reach."
"Oooh, good answer..."
Phoebe
"Oooof! What the devil..?"
The sound of Severus' grunt woke Andi. She peered into the darkness through a sleepy haze to see what appeared to be a house-elf sitting on Severus' chest.
"IS MORRRRNING!" chirruped a little voice.
"Oh no darling, I don't think so." Andi scrabbled around the bedside table for her watch, squinted at it and groaned. "Half-past four!"
"Is morning. The sun is waked."
"Andrea get your daughter off my chest and take her back to bed," muttered Severus, half asleep.
Andi turned and held her arms out to the toddler, who ignored her and instead, pointed her tiny index finger at her sleeping father's nose.
"Phoebe, no!" whispered Andi, urgently.
"Loo-mos!"
The tip of Severus' nose crackled into a golden fountain of sparks, rather like a firework.
He sat up with a roar, sending Phoebe tumbling sideways and landing softly in Andi's lap, where she shrieked with glee as she watched Severus pat the sparks to their death with his hands.
"Phoebe - that was very naughty," Andi scolded. "Say sorry to Daddy."
"Is funny."
"No it isn't. Poor Daddy has a burned nose."
The little girl's face fell for a moment and she looked at her father, thoughtfully. Then she pulled herself up, put her pudgy arms around Severus' neck and kissed his nose.
"Is better now?" she asked, leaning her forehead on his and peering closely at him with big eyes and a smile.
Severus' mouth twitched as he gave a helpless sigh. "Yes - is better." He passed her to Andi. "Back to bed."
Phoebe snuggled sleepily into Andi's shoulder as she was carried over to the open connecting door to her room, but her head came up as they entered and she pointed to the window where the sun was streaming in.
"Look! Is morning."
"No - I think someone is playing a trick on us."
Phoebe gasped. "Goblins?"
Andi smiled as she tucked the little girl back into bed. "Yes - a goblin called Esther."
There was a sleepy chuckle. "Essy is goblin..."
Andi went to the window.
Phoebe would wake as soon as the sun lit her room, so the window had been charmed to let sunshine in (whether cloudy or sunny) at precisely seven am, so she would sleep until then. Andi had no doubt Esther had changed the time to pay them back for yesterday evening, knowing full well the baby would make a beeline for her parents' room as soon as she woke.
Making sure she was out of the girl's hearing, Andi whispered the charm to alter the time back to seven.
Phoebe's arrival had not only been a complete and utter surprise to both her parents, but something of a relief. When Andi had announced she had missed her period, their immediate fear was that she had entered pre-menopause.
Assuming her father had been a Muggle, Andi was only one quarter wizard and was therefore quite likely to have the usual Muggle life-expectancy, and the onset of pre-menopause at forty-six seemed to confirm that.
When they realised the missed period was because of a very unexpected pregnancy, there was shock and joy at the same time; and the fact Andi had sailed through without problems was further indication that perhaps there was a stronger strain of wizard blood in her veins than they thought.
Andi bent to kiss her sleeping daughter.
Phoebe might be coming up to two and a half, but she was an untamed powerhouse of magic; something Andi and Severus were trying desperately to bring under control before she could do any permanent damage. Unfortunately, however, a finger wasn't like a wand which could be confiscated and hidden until she was older, and it was impossible to prevent her picking up magical words. Her sisters had learned to duck whenever Phoebe raised her hand. It was only a matter of time before the child realised she could use this to her advantage.
Andi collapsed back into bed and snuggled up to Severus' back intent on making the most of the few hours sleep she had left, but instead she lay awake musing on Phoebe's talents; how to tackle Esther in the morning, and how on earth she was going to organize a big wedding in a couple of weeks, let alone steer Severus through it all.
A/n - sorry - couldn't think of a better word than 'Oceanarians'. I know it's pathetic, and that there are probably dozens of better words, but that's all I could come up with.
Queen of the Faeries - Thank you. Draco was never going to harm Andi. It would have been intersting had he been forced to help her give birth. It was tempting, but... Wouldn't it be great if a machine was invented that put up pictures of what was being typed? I'd like to have seen Sev ripping off his clothes too! Sorry I haven't been updating on Thursdays, but Jess is very busy at the moment and can't always get the chapters back to me in time. Be pleased - she catches so many stupid mistakes of mine.
Kerichi - Sylvia was a great strength to Andi, wasn't she. She just seemed right for the role of midwife. I guess it was having delivered all those Mandrakes!
Emma Barrows - Thanks for reviewing, as always. Lol.
Flamethrowerqueen - I wasn't going to give them a sad ending, now was I (although, considering what's gone before, I don't blame you for being suspicious of me!)? I'm so glad you didn't have to make me into burgers. Thanks so much for a lovely review.
Mark Darcy - I was a bit disappointed in Draco too; but I figured defying his mother was one thing - going against his father was another. Lucius in the flesh was going to be a tough thing to go against. I saw Draco as having been fired up by his father into fighting, but not really wanting to harm Andi, which is why I had him relent in the end.
Emily - Fanfic were having a PMT day, I think! Thanks for emailing your review - that was very nice of you to go to the trouble. I'm glad you liked the chapter.
Music is my Muse - Yes, I'm British - and we are cool (cough). No, Lucius isn't dead as far as I know. Draco wanted Andi to call him Mr.Malfoy to make her feel inferior to him. Sybill ties with Lockhart as my second favourite character in the HP books. I love her, and Emma Thompson was great in the film. I can't wait for the 'seen and unforseen' chapter in the sixth film.
Penelope S. Cartwright - Thank you so much. Glad to have you around. Lol.
CharlieTheOtakuNymph - Yeah, I DID enjoy the visions that went through my head when typing the 'stripping Severus' scene. Yum! Sev's middle name isn't revealed during the story, but I did mention in my notes that his middle name was Marvolo. If you want to know the explaination for that, read my note to Queen of the Faeries at the foot of chapter thirty-two. lol.
Thouandl - Don't worry - I didn't post the previous chapter until last Saturday. I thought you might like the GWTW reference. I really saw Sylvia as the midwife type. Thanks so much for a lovely review.
Helena Oe - I have to say I DID miss you. So pleased you found the chapters. Fanfic didn't send the alerts out one week and I was late posting last week. I'm so glad you liked the ending, and yes, I think I agree their togetherness feels more solid now. Well, as you can see from the chapter above, they've stayed together for a while now.