Lost and Found.
Albus approached the ramshackle cottage with a deepening sense of joy. The place reminded him of The Burrow, which could only be a good thing. There were children's toys discarded across the lawn, a veritable rainbow of washing hanging on the line and the kind of noise that can only be created by a house full of children. He knocked loudly on the door and from somewhere within there responded a muffled cry of "come in", which he did.
The door opened into a completely open plan room which seemed to serve as kitchen, dining room and living room. The left hand side of the large room was surrounded with freestanding cabinets; there was a large table in the centre of that portion of the room which looked like it served a multitude of purposes. At the moment it was strewn with half emptied shopping parcels, a collection of foods, herbs and other ingredients which could be for household potions or a particularly strange diet. Organisational noises crept out of what Albus assumed was a pantry.
"Be out in a minute. Have a seat."
Albus frowned at the muffled invitation, something he couldn't place. Glancing around at the living room half of the room, he opted to sit at the dining table. The chairs looked very comfortable but he didn't want to intrude on the organised family chaos of books, artwork and toys.
"Sorry about that. What can I do... Albus?"
"Severus? Good lord. I've been looking for you for months, where on earth have you been?"
The Headmaster eyed his former Potions' Professor, brown linen trousers, orange linen tunic – good lord, that's almost red and not a button in sight. His hair hung in clean gentle curls down to his chest, with two small sections pulled back to keep it off his face and a narrow plait hanging down mid-centre at the back. He'd put on weight and had obviously caught the sun fairly frequently. Albus chuckled to himself as he listened to his old friend.
"Here. Where else would I be? You didn't know that this was my house did you?"
"No Severus, I did not. I was under the impression that this was Reuben Chancy's home. I must have taken the wrong turning; I thought the directions sounded too simple."
"Um, no, you got the right house. He was expecting someone about a job, is that why you're here?"
"Mr. Chancy DOES live here ? I didn't realise that he house-shared, I thought he had a family."
"He does...WE do. Um.. Albus, Reuben is my... I mean to say, that, well, we're married. We've been married for nearly ten years. He's my husband."
He stopped. He had run this moment through in his head occasionally, in the same way that one runs receiving an Order of Merlin through your head. You know it won't happen but plan the speech none the less, thanking all the special people and consigning the dunderheads to the waste paper basket all with an eloquent twist of the lip. He only had two illogical fantasies and now both had come true, He'd got the damn trinket after the war and now Albus Dumbledore had accidentally stumbled into his domestic bliss. How in the world he managed to fluff BOTH those well rehearsed speeches, he had no idea. Oh bugger.
"How many children do you have Severus?"
"Five." Severus grimaced as he realised that there was no way to return to the countenance that Albus would be expecting. He also realised that it would amuse Albus no end. The grimace threatened to deepen before he turned it into a sigh and continued to move things around his kitchen. He carefully avoided potentially twinkling eyes, which was just as well, if he had looked the old man in the eyes, he would have been blinded by the intensity.
"Five? Good gracious, you have been busy. How old are they ?"
"Owen is nine, Amalia is eight, Elyssa is seven, Silas is six and Madigan is five. There are some halves in there somewhere, but I am sure that the children will correct that oversight at some point."
Severus moved the shopping to one end of the table and set a mug of tea in front of the old man, taking one for himself. Before he could sit down, there were screams and bangs from upstairs. Severus flung the door open and shouted up the stairs at his children.
"For goodness sake, play nicely or you'll be in bed before Daddy comes home."
The sound of subdued grumbles and scraping echoed through the wooden beams but Severus seemed inclined to ignore it, so Albus dismissed the noises as normal.
"So, Reuben is Daddy. What does that make you?"
"Papa."
The tea was reclaimed as Severus took a seat at the table.
"Papa, eh?" he chortled, "that's wonderful, truly wonderful. Did you adopt them?"
Severus looked confused for a moment.
"Adopt? Ah, no. Potions."
"I don't understand Severus. How do Potions equate with children?"
Severus rested his head on the table and accepted his fate, "By drinking them and then having sex." Annoyance twitched as a tangent thought pushed its way forwards, "They won't let me market it though, the Ministry said it wasn't the sort of thing that they want to encourage. Something about undermining the fabric of society. Good to know that I'm still considered dangerous even as a housewife."
Severus smirked as he timed the last sentence to coincide with the Headmaster sipping his tea. He was rewarded, for the first time ever, with a spluttering tea soaked old codger. Well, well, perhaps there was another fantasy after all. At least he got that one right.
"Would you like a cloth Albus?"
"No, no, thank-you my dear boy. Quite alright. No harm done. I take it that you are the one who took the potion then?"
"Yes."
"Five times?"
"Yes."
"Goodness me. Will you be having anymore?"
"We haven't discussed it, but I doubt it. Madigan was born by c-section. She had the cord wrapped around her neck, it was strangling her. It took me a while to recover, so I wouldn't say there were any plans, no. Five is quite enough. Albus, you came here to talk to Reuben about a job. May I ask what it's about?"
"Hogwarts. She's up and standing again and we need to fill her up with Professors. Good ones."
Severus frowned.
"Reuben teaches at a muggle junior school."
"Yes, yes, I hear he has done some marvellous things. I'd like him to take the Deputy Headmaster's position, in charge of the Primary school – infants and juniors. I'd like you to come back as Head of Potions and Slytherin too. As I said, I've been looking for you for months."
"Albus, I have five children."
"Surely they all go to school Severus, it would merely be a change of location for them. I assure you that Hogwarts will be offering incomparable education for wizarding families. Besides, we are taking on two or three teachers for every subject, Potions is a seniors only subject, so you would have more time free to spend with your family."
"Who?"
"I haven't decided yet, perhaps you could give me some suggestions. I had considered Jane Tormale and Hengiss Liebshank, neither seems to cry out to me, so if you have a preference then I will gladly consider it."
Severus thought for a moment, trying to avoid admitting to himself that he was succumbing to temptation, pretending to only consider the pertinent question.
"Draco Malfoy, he's good enough. His father didn't want him pursuing it, thought it was too practical, which is probably why he chose specifically that when his father was kissed. He's good though and if you chose him, he could be Head of Slytherin because I really don't want it. I married a Hufflepuff and my children are going to end up spread across the houses, I'd like to put house partisanship behind me and I wouldn't be able to do that as a Head of House."
"Hmm, the orange probably wouldn't go down that well either."
"Orange?"
Albus gestured to Severus' tunic, drawing a chuckle from the younger man.
"It would clash with the green, wouldn't it?"
For the second time since he'd walked in, Severus had him laughing. This was a very different Severus Snape. Was he even Snape anymore?
"Severus, did you change your name when you married?"
"Slightly, I hyphenated it. Why?"
"Just interested. So, Potions. I can offer you Head of Department, a suite of rooms big enough for your family, guaranteed places for all your children and the promise of paid maternity leave, should you ever decide that you need it. What do you say?"
"I'll have to talk to Reuben."
"Have to talk to me about what? Ah, Professor Dumbledore, how nice to see you. I didn't realise that you would coming today. I apologise for being a little late."
The tall dark-haired man ran a hand around Severus' shoulders as he leant down to kiss his partner. The soft, slow kiss of those who are confident in their love. Albus smiled broadly at the sight. Reuben Chancy was taller than Severus by about three inches, he had short dark hair and a narrow goatee. His muscular frame was easily visible through his work shirt.
"Professor Dumbledore has invited us both to teach at Hogwarts. Me in Potions again and you as Head of Primary school."
"Primary school? Wizarding Primary School?"
"Yes, I understand that you've been campaigning about the issue for years."
"Well I wouldn't say campaigning, but I've pushed for it, yes. It's good to see you again Professor, by the way." Reuben grabbed himself a cup of tea and sat as close to Severus as possible whilst being on two separate chairs.
"Thank you Reuben. It's good to see you too. The two of you seem to have built a happy life here, I am loathe to intrude upon it, but I do need you both at Hogwarts. Perhaps you can spread a little of your happiness to others."
"Sir?"
"Well, not everyone has recovered from the war quite as well as you have. They certainly don't have families to bring with them. Perhaps you will serve as an example of "moving on"."
The door swung open with a slow creak and three pairs of chocolate brown eyes peered out from behind the three scruffy black mops of hair that poked around the corner. The highest of the heads took the lead for his sisters.
"We heard Daddy. Do we have to be polite and stay upstairs Papa?"
Albus Dumbledore sat up straight at the sight of the three children, they were certainly adorable. Albus was musing on what the rest of his anticipated staff would make of the trio, them and the other two who were undoubtedly upstairs. He couldn't wait to meet them; these were the children of his dear old friend and...he began rummaging about in his pockets for sweets, he was certain that he had some toffees in one of these pockets.
"No sweetheart, come in."
The children immediately ran in and smothered their father in hugs and kisses, all three ended up cuddled into the laps of their parents. Only then did they turn to stare at the strange visitor.
"This is an old friend of mine. His name is Albus Dumbledore. Albus, this is our eldest son Owen and these are two of our daughters, Amalia and Elyssa."
"Princess Amalia and Princess Elyssa" corrected Elyssa.
"I don't want to be a Princess today."
"You have to be a Princess."
"No I don't, I can be a dragon slayer if I want."
Owen roared at his little sisters, Elyssa fled squealing but Amalia held her ground, brandishing a wooden sword before her.
"Think you can best a dragon master, do you? Well take that."
She lunged at her brother, who raised his arms above his head and stalked towards her roaring once more. Circling round each other, they quickly came to a stale mate.
"Hey sis, do you want to go get the Princess?"
"Oh Yes! Dragon I offer you a truce."
The dragon roared his truce offering and the two of them fled up the stairs in pursuit of the squealing sister. Severus was already on his feet.
"Don't upset your..."
Cries rang out suddenly from an upper floor.
"Blast." Severus disappeared through the door after his children. Albus popped one of the suddenly recovered toffees into his mouth and waited for the shouting to begin. Minutes passed and Severus returned to the room followed by a small boy and carrying a crying girl. It looked so natural and easy and wonderful that Albus almost choked on the suddenly forgotten toffee. Severus tossed him a smirk and gestured for Reuben to take their son.
Albus was enchanted with the scene. Reuben was tickling Silas and Severus was singing to Madigan as he rocked her unconsciously.
"Severus, I never would have guessed that you had such a beautiful singing voice."
Reuben chuckled. Severus glared at him in warning.
"Oh Russ, stop it. Albus is just bringing out the worst in you. Drop the glares and just be who you are. I suspect Professor Dumbledore has always known your true nature anyway. Merlin, a fake grouch isn't going to eliminate the fact that you've given birth and breastfed."
"Ru!"
Reuben shook his head in amusement and turned back towards the Headmaster.
"Don't take any of his crap Headmaster, if he wants to balance this job and parenting then he'll just have to get used to people seeing him for what he is, won't he? And don't glare at me again Russ, I don't see what there is to be embarrassed about. I thought you considered Albus a friend."
"I do.."
"Then stop pretending to be the snarky git that you used to be."
"Grr"
Reuben laughed, "Feed me to the Hippogryff."
Albus almost missed the subtle reference, but he wasn't that distracted.
"My dear boys. Does this mean that you'll come to Hogwarts?"
Reuben raised an eyebrow to his husband and receiving a nod in return, beamed at the Headmaster.
"Consider us hired Professor. You have a Deputy and a Potions Master."