So, here's the next chapter. For all of you who are wondering: This is not gonna be SS/HG. So please enjoy and review.
When Severus and the trio emerged from the kitchen, Minerva looked at them critically. The kids had chosen clothes which made it easy to blend in with the muggles but Severus was dressed in his usual black attire.
"Severus, dear, I'm afraid you'll have to change. At least get another shirt or something. And no robes," Minerva added with a wink. She knew how Severus disliked wearing anything other than his billowing robes and the black suit underneath. But muggles weren't really accustomed to seeing wizard clothes.
Severus looked down at himself, not liking the idea but he knew Minerva was right. He was about to start regretting the idea of joining the others in this outing when Minerva took out her wand and simply transfigured his robes and the black shirt. Now he was wearing his black trousers combined with a white shirt.
"I look like a waiter," he complained but Minerva shook her head.
"Nonsense. You look just fine." But she couldn't suppress a smile. This was typically Severus.
"If you say so…" the younger man sighed.
"I do. And now we just have to wait for Albus – oh, there he is." Minerva smiled appreciating at husband who had dressed in some simple dark blue cotton trousers, a matching jacket and a white shirt underneath. And he had shortened his hair and beard.
"You look lovely, darling." She kissed him gently before spinning around to show him her attire. She had chosen a light summer dress which ended just below the knee.
"And you look absolutely stunning, Min." Albus patted her on the small of her back before turning to the others who grinned at each other at the obvious display of affection.
"So, are you ready? We'll take a Portkey to some place close to the zoo and then walk the rest." Albus took out a pocket watch and indicated for the others to touch it. Then he murmured an incantation to activate the Portkey and off they were.
Within seconds they landed safely on their feet in what seemed to be a small park. Albus took a quick look around, offered Minerva his arm and then led the way to the zoo. Ron and Harry followed while Hermione fell back a bit to walk beside her potions master and ask about some theory she had read some days ago.
Arriving at the zoo Albus bought tickets for all of them and they entered.
"Where do you want to go first?" Minerva asked.
"I'd like to see the lions," Hermione said. Minerva grinned at her. The girl really reminded her of herself when she was that age.
"That makes two of us. How about you guys?" Minerva looked at the four men.
"Oh, do we go Gryffindor now? If that's so I'd like to see the snakes," Severus said with a grin. He couldn't help teasing Minerva with her affection for cats of all kind, let alone her pride in her Gryffindors.
"Uhm… I don't know. The bears maybe? And the elephants." Harry said. The last time he had been to the zoo had been with his relatives when he had set that python on Dudley. True, it had been an accident, and he was now able to control his magic but he still didn't like the idea of a python running wild in the middle of a crowd.
"Yeah, that would be cool," Ron chimed in.
"Well, according to this map these animals are all scattered over the area, so I think we'll just start the tour," Albus said who had studied a map of the zoo which was at the entrance.
So they set off. Minerva and Hermione were lucky; the lions were the first animals on their list they encountered.
"Isn't he beautiful?" Minerva whispered. The lion looked straight at her but didn't blink or move at all. He didn't seem to see her as a threat or a nuisance. Another woman came and stood right next to Minerva. She looked from Minerva to the lion and back, then kind of pushed Minerva out of her way to get a better look at the animal. Suddenly the so far calm lion jumped up and roared, looking menacingly at the strange woman. Minerva had been caught off-guard and stumbled but Severus had caught her.
"I think you've made a friend there," he said, pointing at the lion who had settled back down, again looking at Minerva.
"Yes, I think he can sense my feline animagus form," Minerva whispered back. Severus just nodded. Animals could be rather perceptive when it came to wizards and their animagus forms. Severus wasn't an animagus himself but he had been able to observe Minerva on several occasions as she dealt with animals. Most of them seemed to like her, especially cats. Only dogs seemed to have a problem with her.
Albus and the trio had already gone ahead to the next enclosure. Minerva followed swiftly but Severus lingered a bit before the lion, looking at it intently. Suddenly someone bumped into him. Severus turned angrily to see who had been so clumsy but when he saw the young woman standing next to him and apologizing profusely, he just couldn't be angry anymore. She wasn't exactly pretty, in the general sense of speaking, but she was beautiful to him.
"I'm so sorry, I didn't see you. Are you okay?" she asked, her hand on his elbow.
"Yes, I am. No need to be sorry, that can happen." Severus smiled at her, hoping that it would look like a smile and not his customary sneer. "Are you okay?"
"Yes, thank you." The young woman smiled and was about to turn around when Severus knew he just had to stop her from leaving.
"Uhm… may I invite you for a drink? Over there's a small café." He pointed somewhere to his left, not sure there even was something.
"Yes, why not."
And suddenly Severus had all forgotten about Minerva, Albus and the trio. He had only eyes for the woman next to him as they went to find the café he had been talking about.
After a couple of minutes of waiting for Severus, Minerva grew impatient.
"Albus, do you know where Severus is? He was right behind us in the lion enclosure but he seems to have disappeared." She sounded worried.
"No, Minerva, he hasn't. Look, over there." Hermione indicated a point on the other side of a lawn where Severus walked with a strange dark-blonde woman. Minerva looked over and raised an eye brow.
"And who may that be?" she said with a smile on her face.
"I have no idea, but she must be something special if he forgot to inform us that his plans have changed." Albus said with a chuckle. It seemed Severus had finally found a woman he was truly interested in. And that in the zoo of all places.
"Well, she certainly looks nice enough from here," Ron said, trying to get a better look at the stranger.
"I think we should give them some privacy and not spy on them. If Severus wants to inform us he will do so. In the meantime I suggest we continue our tour." Minerva said resolutely, ushering them further and away from the couple who had found a nice table on the terrace of the café.
Albus, Minerva and the trio spent the rest of the afternoon observing all kinds of animals. The trio managed to find the pet zoo, much to Albus' delight. The baby goats kept following him everywhere, trying to get something nice from him.
"What is that with you Dumbledore men that you can't stay away from goats?" Minerva asked in mock annoyance. Albus' brother Aberforth bred goats, and actually Albus was quite fond of them too. Fortunately not as much as his brother but still…
"Hey, I'm innocent. They just follow me," Albus replied laughing. Finally he was able to get away from them but not after they nearly ripped of the pocket of his jacket in their search for food.
Minerva shook her head but laughed. Albus would always be a child at heart, but that was part of why she fell in love with him in the first place. He could always make her laugh and remind her that there were also other things in life than just work and duty.
"Come on. I think the zoo is about to close. We should get out of here." After checking her watch Minerva saw that she was right indeed. They had actually spent the whole day in the zoo, without even noticing how time flew by.
"I wonder if Severus is already at home," Hermione said softly which earned her a strange look from Ron and Harry.
"Please don't develop a crush on him!" Ron said forcefully.
Hermione just rolled her eyes.
"No, of course not. He's my teacher. But I …" She couldn't really explain that she was just curious about the strange woman. In a strange way she had come to like Severus Snape, and she cared about his happiness. Seeing Minerva interact with him had given her a pretty good idea why he had become the man he was.
"Let's go back to that park so we can take the Portkey home." Albus shoved them behind a bush and activated the Portkey which brought them back to McGonagall manor.