Thanks everyone for reviewing that last chapter. Really enjoyed hearing what you thought of the three girls. Notes to you all at the end.

My thanks to JessiokaFroka for betareading.

EPILOGUE - PART TWO

WEDDING ARRANGEMENTS

Andi landed with a bump in the fireplace back home, ignoring the queasiness she always felt when traveling by floo. Imogen, who had preceded her, was currently ordering tea and scones into the mouthpiece next to the fireplace.

Andi got up and dumped her bags and packages next to Imogen's on the table. They had been shopping for almost six hours. Three Bridal shops, four Wedding Accessories suppliers and an unknown number of homeware stores. Andi used to shop for longer with Liz and still have the energy to go clubbing in the evening (was that really over twenty years ago?). Now all she wanted was a hot cup of tea and a soft chair to sink into.

"Shall I call them in? I can't wait to see their faces," beamed Imogen. "Ess! Phoebs!"

"They must be outside," said Andi when no one answered Imogen's call, but then the door that led to Phoebe's room opened and both girls emerged.

Esther was grinning broadly as she led Phoebe out by the hand. "Hey, you two - watch this... we've been practicing something."

"Oh Esther, what have you done to her?"

Phoebe was swathed from neck to toe in a black teaching gown that had been shrunk to fit. Her black hair, usually clipped back, was hanging down the sides of her face.

Esther led her by the hand to the middle of the room.

"This is really funny - watch." She turned to Phoebe. "You remember how it goes? OK, show Mummy and Im."

Phoebe wrapped her little arms around her chest - her way of crossing them - and put on a crosspatch face. With her chin in her chest, trying to get her voice as deep as possible, she said, "No fewlish wanding or silly in-can-shuns in this class."

Esther and Imogen screamed with laughter, and Phoebe's face lit up with delight as she watched her sisters' mirth.

Andi had to fight with all her being not to join in. It really was very funny, but she couldn't allow herself to laugh at Severus in front of the girls; but on the other hand...

"Esther, that was wicked of you!" she said, hearing the laughter in her own voice even as she scolded her daughter. "You mustn't teach Phoebe these things. If she did it in front of your father..."

The two girls were wiping their eyes as they continued to laugh. Andi went to Phoebe and tried to remove the robe.

"NO! Phoebe wear it!" Phoebe grabbed the gown and pulled it further round her.

"No darling we have to take it off now; Daddy will be back soon."

"PHOEBE WEAR IT!" The big eyes welled up, the lip was quivering and the feet began to stomp.

"Don't you want to see what Im has bought you from the shops? She's bought you something very pretty to wear for the wedding."

This coaxed the gown off, and Imogen brought over the bag from 'Crystal's Bridal Enchantments'. There was excitement as the box was taken out and opened and Phoebe was allowed to help open the protective paper.

Inside was a beautiful little dress in pale lavender silk, the skirt overlaid with organza and dotted with butterflies in an array of colours. The dress could hardly be put on, Phoebe was jumping around so much with excitement.

"Oh! You look gorgeous!" said Imogen, when they finally got it on her.

"Just like a Princess!" smiled Andi. "What do you think, Esther? Doesn't Phoebe look like a Princess? Won't she make a beautiful bridesmaid?"

"Yeah, lovely."

"I'm so glad you think so," said Imogen, picking up another bag from 'Crystal's Bridal Enchantments' and handing it to Esther. "Because here's yours."

Esther's face darkened. "Wot?"

"Yes, look..." Imogen opened the package and shook out the dress. "Just like Phoebe's, see - only yours has bigger butterflies."

Esther eyed the dress as though it were half a slug found in her dinner. Although cute in miniature, the dress was a monstrosity in a larger size.

"No one said anything about me being bridesmaid - I'm not wearing that!"

"Oh but you have to - we've paid for it now and..." Imogen began to giggle. "I'm sorry Mum, I can't do it..."

Esther looked on in bewilderment as Imogen and Andi collapsed with laughter.

"Oh Ess, if you could see your face..."

"Oh, that was priceless..."

"Such a pweety dwess..."

When the laughter had been reduced to a manageable volume, Andi spluttered, "When we found out we could have things on approval, we couldn't resist fetching it home, just to see your face."

"Don't worry," laughed Imogen. "It's going straight back tomorrow."

"Oh, very funny." sneered Esther, but with obvious relief in her face.

"I knew you wouldn't want to be a bridesmaid, so I wondered if you would play, instead."

"Play?"

"Yes. After the reception- for the dance. We thought you and the band might like to play for a while."

Esther's face lit up in a rare expression of delight. "You want my band to play at your wedding?"

"Yes."

"Wow! Thanks Im."

The door opened just as the girls hugged.

"A rare sight indeed," said Severus. "Or is this a new method of murdering your sister?"

"Im's just asked me to play at the wedding."

"Indeed?" He shot a questioning look at Imogen. "I sincerely hope that does not mean we are to have Hogwarts students invading what is a private family occasion."

"Oh Dad, it's only the three in the band," said Esther.

"No."

"What?"

"Daddy!"

"Severus!"

"I am having to tolerate inviting the former pupils Imogen classes as friends, I have no intention of allowing the current mob to attend. The answer is no."

"That's not fair!" snapped Esther. "It's not your wedding, it's Imogen's. You're just a..."

"Yes?" he cut in, his voice quiet and dangerous as he glared at Esther, daring her to continue.

Trying desperately not to whither under his gaze, Esther turned swiftly and went out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

Andi frowned. It wasn't unusual these days for Esther to challenge her father or leave the room with a bang, but never before had her eyes filled with tears as she did so.

Phoebe shrieked in delight as she pointed her finger at her dress and all the butterflies took off at once, enveloping her in a multicoloured cloud of wings.

"Esther - may I come in?" Andi knocked on the bedroom door and waited. There was no answer, but the door was opened and Esther looked out at her. "Can I come in for a moment?"

Esther hesitated and then nodded.

They sat on the bed.

"You know how Dad feels about the family privacy. He doesn't like students to see him as a family man."

"It's just three! And in any case, it's Im's wedding, not his. She can have what she wants."

"And she will, she will. I'll talk to him." Andi looked at her daughter. "I'm just a bit worried how upset you got. That's not like you. Is there something else wrong?"

"No."

Andi waited, silently, watching Esther chew her lip.

"Mum..." she said quietly, looking down into her lap. "How much do you know about Dad's past?"

Andi's blood chilled. This was surely about the Pensive. She took a deep breath.

"Not much from before I met him. Most things since," she said. "Why?"

"Did you know he... killed someone?"

OK Andi, careful. Careful.

"Who told you that?"

"I... I saw him do it... in the Pensive."

Andi's mind was racing. How the hell was she supposed to handle this? Even she didn't know what had happened in his Death Eater days. Please let her say the right things.

"Esther, you know you shouldn't have gone in there. How would you like it if someone read your diary."

"But I did go in. And I saw." She turned to look at Andi. "I saw him do it, Mum."

Andi put her arms around her daughter. "You told us you hadn't gone into the Death Eater memories."

"This wasn't when he was a Death Eater."

Shit!

And then with great relief she realised...

"Albus." She looked at Esther. "Just before the war erupted, Albus Dumbledore... you remember I told you about Albus?... well, he and your father concocted a plan to fool Voldemort. During the battle they staged a scene so that everyone would think your father had killed Albus. Of course, he hadn't really-"

"This was a woman."

"What?"

"He killed a woman."

Imogen looked up in surprise as Andi stormed into the living room.

"Where's your father?" she demanded.

"He's... he's taking a shower. Mum..?"

"Give Phoebe her tea, please- and under no circumstances disturb us."

She closed the door on the rest of the family.

The bathroom door was ajar and she could just see Severus' reflection in the mirror. He was naked but for a towel wrapped around his hips and was bent to the basin, rinsing his mouth. He looked up as he heard Andi enter the bedroom, his expression changing to one of concern as his reflection looked back at her. He opened the door wider and stepped out into the bedroom.

"What is wrong?"

She was sobbing, tears streaming down her face. Swiftly she crossed the room and threw herself at him, covering his face with kisses, wrapping her arms around his neck, making his face wet with her kisses and her tears.

"Andrea... what..?"

"It was you. It was you who killed Lestrange." she sobbed. "You never told me. You killed Lestrange."

"Oh Gods..."

"No... no, it's OK," she said, cradling his face in her hands, smiling at him as she sniffed back yet more tears. "For a moment I didn't know what to feel, but now... Oh Severus, thank you; thank you."

She kissed him again, deeply, passionately, until her hands went to the towel and released it.

"Take me to bed," she whispered.

"...and after I've gained a little more teaching experience, what Imogen and I would like to do... plan to do, is open a school."

It was a few hours later. Andi had put Phoebe to bed and the others were now seated, eating dinner.

"What kind of school?"

"Well Sir, rather like this one. Like Hogwarts."

"The funding for that would be immense."

"My... my parents have offered to help out financially if we find a suitable property, and I have several trust-funds that are due to mature in a year's time, when I'm twenty-five."

Noel's face had come alive with passion as he spoke of his ambitions.

My goodness, thought Andi. He may be totally uncoordinated in his manner and movements, but he certainly knows where he's going in life. She looked at Imogen, whose face was shining with pride.

"And I have the trust-funds that Nona Genevieve and Great-Grandpa set up for me," Imogen added.

"I see. You have obviously thought this through. Where would you open this school?"

"Well not here, obviously," Noel replied. "Hogwarts is held in such high regard, there's no need for another. We thought perhaps Europe - some of the smaller countries have no wizarding schools; or North America - there are only three schools for the entire continent."

"That is quite a distance."

"Yes, Sir."

A silence fell.

Everyone continued eating their dinner.

Andi had felt a lurch in her stomach at the thought of her daughter living so far from home. Goodness knew what Severus was feeling.

"Imogen and I are going shopping tomorrow," said Andi in an effort to break the silence.

"Again!" chorused Severus and Esther, who both shared the same horror of shopping.

"Imogen hasn't found her wedding dress yet, and..." Andi stopped as she saw Imogen and Noel exchange glances. "Is something wrong?"

"You haven't asked your mother yet?" said Noel, quietly.

"No," blushed Imogen. "I..." When Imogen failed to continue, Noel said,

"Imogen was wondering...what she would really like, um... Andrea... is to wear your wedding dress."

Andi was astounded. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind. "What on earth made you think you couldn't ask me?"

"Imogen thought you would hate the idea because obviously the dress would have to be altered quite a bit... you're not the same size..."

"Of course I don't hate the idea. Of course you can wear it, but... wouldn't you prefer something more up-to-date?"

Esther snorted. "Yeah, what d'you want to wear that ancient thing for?"

"Because your mother was breathtaking in it."

Everyone, including Andi, looked up in surprise as Severus spoke.

He lifted his glass to his lips quite casually, as though he'd said nothing unusual. Then he gave Andi a sly glance over the rim of his glass; the look that still set fireworks off inside and turned her to jelly. Andi felt her cheeks grow warm.

"Oh Gods!" grimaced Esther, looking from one to the other. "You two have had sex, haven't you?"

"Esther!"

The cry came from Imogen. Andi was too busy smiling down at her plate.

"That's just too gross. I have to be excused." Esther got up, but before leaving the room she went to Severus and put her arms around his neck, kissing him on the cheek. "I think you're a hero, Dad," she said, and left the room.

It was two in the morning, a few days before the wedding. Andi awoke to find an empty space next to her in bed.

"What are you doing?" she said, coming into the living room, tying her dressing gown.

Severus was sitting at the table, surrounded by sheafs of discarded parchment and official looking documents.

"I am trying to write my speech."

"Oh."

She wandered over to him, putting her hands on his shoulders as she peered over them to read the current piece of parchment.

"Severus! You can't say that!"

"Why not?"

"Ladies and Gentlemen and former pupils of Hogwarts..!"

"Had it occurred to you I might be trying for humour?"

"If only I could believe that."

"Why I have to make a speech is beyond me. We didn't have speeches at our wedding."

"That's because we didn't want them. And Cornelius did say a few words, remember? This is Imogen's wedding and she wants her father to make a speech."

"What the devil does one say?"

"Well, you have to thank everyone for coming; say how beautiful the bride looks, how proud you are of her. How pleased you are to welcome Noel into the family..."

"A good template until that last."

"Oh Severus, he's a lovely boy. Surely you admire his ambitions? He and Imogen have certainly got their future planned out."

"That may be, but I shall still feel a hypocrite."

"You're a Slytherin - you'll get over it. You must make the effort to accept him - he's going to be part of the family whether you like it or not."

He grunted.

"What are the other papers?" she asked, looking at the rolls of parchment tied up with green and purple ribbon.

"Those? The Deeds to Snape Towers."

"Snape Towers?" She frowned. "Why are they out?"

"I thought we might transfer them into Imogen's name - as a wedding gift. She and Musselwhite need premises for their school."

"Oh Severus!" Her heart swelled. He was just the most surprising man sometimes.

"Only if you agree of course."

"I think it's a wonderful idea. What a fantastic Dad you are."

"Do not over-enthuse. It is purely for selfish reasons; to prevent the boy dragging her off to America."

"Of course," she grinned, and kissed his cheek. "The only thing is..."

"Yes?"

"Well... don't get me wrong, I think it's a wonderful idea and I think we should do it but... well, what about Esther and Phoebe? What do we give them when their time comes? If Imogen has the castle...?"

He pulled her onto his lap and began running his hand up her leg as he nuzzled her neck.

"You have never taken any interest in our vault at Gringott's, have you? There is more than enough, even divided between the two of them."

"Really? So... you're quite rich then?" she simpered.

His hand reached the top of her thigh; stroked around to caress her bottom.

"Disgustingly so," he murmured.

"Mmmmmmmm." She wriggled in his lap. "I might just have to marry you then."

On the morning of the day before the wedding the family was collected around the table having breakfast when there was a knock on the door.

Andi opened it and was almost knocked backwards by alcohol fumes and stale body odour.

A young man was supporting himself with his arm up against the door frame. His shirt was buttoned completely at random and half tucked in his trousers. Dark blonde hair stood on end, the fringe falling over barely opened eyes. Andi hadn't intended letting him in, but he fell in and staggered back against the wall.

"Alec!" squeaked Imogen leaping to her feet. Severus also stood.

"Hi Im," drawled the boy, trying to smile, but wincing as he did so.

"Who is this person?" demanded Severus.

"He's our Best Man," said Imogen. "Noel had his Stag Night last night. Alec, what are you doing here? Where's Noel?"

"Tha's what I came t'tell you," he slurred. "We think we might've sent him away."

"Away?" said Imogen in alarm. "What do you mean away?"

"Dave and Ivan put a charm on him and... and... put him in the floo."

"You charmed his floo trip?"

"Yeah... as a joke, you know."

"The boy could be anywhere!" said Severus.

"Yeah. Tha's why I thought it best to warn you... we think there's a chance he ended up in... in... Tasmania."

"TASMANIA!" Imogen's eyes quickly welled up and spilled over. "How could you do such a thing? How the hell are we supposed to get him back from Tasmania in time for the wedding? How could you be so irresponsible?"

Andi left the door and went to Imogen, putting her arm around her daughter's shoulder. She knew as well as anyone that sending someone through a floo with a charm meant they would bypass all connecting floos and end up at a random destination. It was a dangerous and highly irresponsible thing to do. No one attempted it except in extreme circumstances - or extreme drunkenness, it would seem.

"How sure are you he is in Tasmania?" snapped Severus, and Andi could hear the veiled anger in his voice.

"Pretty sure," hiccuped Alec. "Either there or New Zealand. Somewhere down-under, anyway - if you'll pardon the expression."

Andi looked helplessly at Severus as she cuddled a weeping Imogen. She could see his mind working overtime. A Portkey would take too long to organize, and apparating with a hangover, after being catapulted across time-zones, presented a very real danger of splinching.

"Bellchambers," said Severus, turning suddenly to Andi. "I recall you mentioning he was in the Antipodes."

"YES!" spluttered Andi in relief. "He's in Sydney. Oh, but Severus - he'll have all ready left for the wedding."

"I shall send a message and intercept him before he has traveled too far."

"Not even a Falcon could reach him that fast at that distance!"

"You forget, he was in the Order - members had, and still do have a faster way of communicating." He swept towards the door, but checked his step as he reached Alec. "You! Out!"

The door slammed shut. Imogen sobbed into Andi's shoulder.

"Don't panic," she soothed into her daughter's ear. "If anyone can sort this out, Daddy and Vincent can."

Emma Barrows - Thanks for review, as always.

Hikari Aijuntani - Thank you. I take your point about the children, but to quote Mr. Rickman on the subject 'you forget, there is another person involved'. I think that on the matter of having babies it is usually (not always, but mostly) the woman who has the final say, and I couldn't see Andi settling for one child - and don't forget, Phoebe was a 'surprise' to both.

Kerichi - I thought that chapter would be different from what you expected. You still have Phoebe cooing to a certain extent. And about that Pensive - Severus is a lot more romantic in his way than many other men who are softer on the outside, don't you think?

Mark Darcy - You know, I never considered it from that angle. I guess Harry et al would find it fine revenge!

Thouandl - I've said it before and I'll say it again; the man is shooting nothing but X chromosones. I can't see Severus with sons. It just doesn't work for me. And I totally agree that being surrounded by women will keep him in check.

May-Luna - Yes, Esther is like Severus, but she has enough of Andi/female in her to make her a little different. And poor Noel. I'm sure he didn't know what he was letting himself in for.

Queen of the Faeries - I hope you will think I've kept the story on Severus and Andi. Andi, of course, is always present because it's her story, although the girls have to play a big part - as kids tend to do. Sigh.

Helena Oe - Sev surrounded by females. It does him good. I felt I could really feel the story was finished once their family was complete, which is why I skipped twenty years. I can happily send them off into the sunset. Poor Noel. I visualise him as a kind of Jimmy Stewart type - aah.

Hysterically Insane Author - No, no, no. The angst in the epilogue is mild, I promise. Thank you for liking Esther. I hope I can do her justice now that I've presented her.

josie - Yes, poor Noel. Can you imagine having Severus Snape as a father-in-law? Ouch!

Aurora Delora - (Gasps) OMG, Delora! Wow! Of course I remember you from the HP Forever board. Oh, I had such fun there. How are you? So glad to see you here. Thanks for letting me know you are reading. Phoebe is a doll, isn't she. And Esther...well, I just hope I can contain her for the rest of the story! lol.