Mirari's third birthday party was a huge affair. They had never thrown a party for her before. Severus had scowled and said there was no point because she was too little to understand, but both birthdays had turned into impromptu parties anyway as dozens of people turned up armed with presents and best wishes.
This year, Mirari had asked for a party.
When Severus refused to move out of the dungeons, Remus had insisted that they expand their living space and asked for permission to build a huge conservatory style extension. That way Severus got his darkness and the safety of the dungeon walls to brew certain potions behind and he also ensured that the whole family would get sunlight and breathing space.
Severus had taken a while to get accustomed to the extension but as Mirari loved playing there, he spent more and more time in that part of their quarters. He and Remus had decorated the largest room with fairy lights that danced and sprinkled golden dust when they moved. There were pink streamers everywhere. Everyone was so used to Mirari's fascination with pink that Dumbledore suggested that he might have to start a new school house when she started school.
They French doors were flung open and the party spilled out into Hogwarts grounds. Luckily, Severus had extended the lights outside too, much to Remus' amusement.
Molly Weasley had baked a huge cake in the shape of a pink dragon breathing flowers, and had knitted Mirari a pink jumper with her name on it. Remus shielded her from Severus' appalled facial expression, thankfully Mirari loved it. Harry and Ginny were now married, as were Ron and Hermione. So Mirari had become very accustomed to the "Weasley Way" as Severus called it. It was an odd party for a three year old, especially since there were no other children there but these were the people Mirari loved and she couldn't have been happier. Dumbledore wore pink robes especially for the party. Severus wondered if the man had no shame, but secretly smiled about it as he went to fetch more punch. Hagrid gave a small parcel that moved, which Severus intercepted with great alarm.
"It's okay Perfessor, it's nothing dangerous, I promise ye"
Remus sat Mirari on his knee and Severus kept his wand to hand as their daughter opened the extremely mobile gift. Inside was something that looked vaguely like a cross between a rabbit and cat, except that it was bright pink and vibrated when it purred. Mirari immediately began giggling her head off.
Hermione looked furious, "Hagrid, you wrapped the poor thing in paper!"
Hagrid looked confused, "Yeah, well, it's 'er present, int it?"
Ron hushed her as Mirari started chasing the creature around.
"A friend of mine bin sperimenting and he came out with this. He int got a name for it or nothing. I thought Mirari could choose what to call the breed."
Mirari looked up at Hagrid with her wide black eyes,
"It's squiggly."
"Squiggly." repeated Hagrid seriously, accepting this as the name and committing it to memory.
"I call her pink" There was a little debate over the name, but Mirari insisted.
Harry and Ginny had brought a fluffy Mirari sized chair that warmed up if she fell asleep on it and a lip balm made by Fred and George which would make her hair go pink. Remus moved her quickly on to the next present and put the lip balm out of reach. Severus could cope with pink hair on another day but not today. Ron and Hermione had bought her a fairy costume with wings that made her hover just a tiny bit, her toes still touched the floor but if she pulled her legs up she could feel like she was flying, she put it on straight away. Dumbledore gave her various kinds of sweets and a cuddly toy snake that could change colour.
All the staff gave her gifts, even Filch and the castle ghosts did a special dance for her. Mirari was a much loved little girl. She brought joy to everyone's lives with her giggling and nature enthusiasm for everything. She had her moody moments, but she even managed to make scowling look cute.
Remus watched his friends and colleagues entertaining his daughter and fussing over her as she showed off her presents for the hundredth time. It took a moment to realise that Severus was missing.
He found him sitting under a tree a short way away, fondly watching his daughter enjoying her birthday party. There was something else in that look though, something he couldn't put his finger on.
He handed Severus a glass of wine (Severus didn't do punch) and sat next to him, taking his hand.
"Is everything okay?"
Severus didn't answer immediately and Remus knew that something was going on.
"What is it Sev?"
Severus looked round. Remus hardly ever called him Sev. It was an endearment he used when he was trying to gently probe.
"I was thinking about Mirari and how much she has changed everything. How much I love her. How creating her, having her and being with her every day has brought us closer and closer and how... how happy I am."
Remus smiled in relief, "Well, that's good isn't it?"
"And then there's the "Weasley Way"."
"Pardon? What do you mean?"
Severus took a deep breath. "How would you feel about having another child?"
Remus blinked and said nothing. He was caught completely by surprise.
Severus closed his eyes and waited while Remus thought. He heard him gulp and assumed the question was not welcome. He rose to his feet and couldn't stop the sad look that swept across his face. Remus saw it and rushed to say something. God, what did he say? It wasn't reluctance that was silencing him, it was complete and utter shock. He had never allowed himself to entertain the thought, merely glad that Severus had accepted Mirari so completely.
"Shock" he mumbled, grabbing Severus hand and standing himself. He stopped his husband from moving away, catching his shoulder and turning him back.
"Severus, you shocked me. I wasn't expecting..." he shook his head in confusion, "just surprised ...I mean... where did that come from?"
Severus turned Remus round to look at their daughter and they stood there for a moment watching as she flew in her fairy costume chasing the Squiggly round the tree and squealing.
Remus caught Severus' face in his hands and kissed him furiously, as though trying to memorise his taste and merge their faces together at the same time. He literally took Severus' breath away.
"Do you mean it? I mean, have you thought this through? You really want this?"
Severus just nodded, Remus could see in his eyes that he did. He broke out the beaming grin and wrapped his arms round the other man's waist, pulling them tight together.
"Is it possible? I mean, we can't go around resurrecting the dead every time we want to have a child."
Severus actually laughed. "There are potions that we can use, ones that work in the same way as Aradia's changes."
"How long do they take to make?"
"About two hours. I could start when we put Mirari to bed and it would be ready by the time we retire ... or I could do it another day." He didn't want to push his luck too much.
"No, let's do it tonight. After the party I'll get Mirari ready for bed and you can make a start."
They broke away from each other as Mirari sped across the lawn towards them screaming "Mama, catch me". Severus caught her and swung her above his head, helping her to "fly" back towards the party.
Molly, Arthur, Harry, Ginny, Hermione and Ron stayed behind after the party to help the two men clean up. It didn't take long; the two older couples were used to clearing up after children and had it sorted quickly. They all said their goodnights and Molly did something she had never done before. She stepped up to Severus Snape and hugged him. He froze for a moment and then tried to return the hug; Molly leant in and whispered "Good luck" in his ear. Snape fixed her with a surprised look as she pulled away but she just smirked at him and said "Motherhood dear, gives you all kinds of special powers. You must have realised," and with that the Snape-Lupins had their quarters back to themselves.
Remus scooped a sleeping Mirari out of her fluffy new chair and carried her and her Squiggly to bed. Severus swept into his private potions room.