Hermione glanced at him sharply, a slight twist of a smirk on her face as Amelia came into the room.
"She slept in one of the guest bedrooms." he voiced uncomfortably, wondering why the hell he was explaining himself to his teenage daughter. She merely raised an eyebrow in return. Harry and Susan were snickering into their breakfasts as Amelia's cheeks turned red.
"Good morning," she spoke, the discomfort clear on her face.
"Good morning," the children chorused, looking angelic. Little bastards. They knew exactly what they were doing.
It had been phenomenally late when Saul had finally left the previous night, Susan had long since fallen asleep in Hermione's room. It hadn't made sense to send Amelia home, and truthfully he didn't want to be in sole charge of three teenagers. Three teenagers who were becoming more devious by the day. He cleared his throat pointedly, fixing his children with a glare. They smiled back at him. For fucks sake, he was losing his bloody touch!
"What are you three planning for this morning? Are you remembering Lady Blishwick is coming for lunch?"
Hermione shot a glance at Harry that immediately had him on edge. Fuck. He probably didn't want to hear the answer to this.
"Not much," she replied evasively. "I should probably read some of those letters." He frowned at her, what the fuck was she not saying. "Actually, I was wondering if I could invite some people over before we go back to school."
"When, Hermione?"
"Ah….tomorrow, maybe? It's the only day we've really got free."
Severus closed his eyes, ignoring Amelia's sympathetic grin. "Who?"
"Ah, a few people." she replied evasively. "I'm not really sure. Draco. Daphne. Maybe Neville? Perhaps a couple of others."
"Hermione." he growled.
"Yes, Father?"
"What are you up to?"
"Nothing!" she replied indignantly.
"Why don't I believe you." he sighed. "Just….just tell me it's not illegal?"
"Of course it's not!"
He looked at her shrewdly. "I want to know the final numbers before my house is invaded."
"Of course." she beamed back at him angelically, Harry and Susan barely concealing their grins. "Harry and Susan offered to help deal with the ridiculous pile of parchment so may we be excused?"
"Yes." he replied wearily.
He felt Amelia's arm snake around his shoulders. "That girl has you wrapped around her little finger, Severus." she said, biting her lip to hide her grin.
"I know," he groaned. "I just can't seem to do anything about it. She doesn't fear me in the slightest."
Amelia snorted. "No, she really doesn't, does she? What do you think they're up to?"
"Nothing good," he replied shortly.
"You know we have a handy listening charm we use in the Aurory…" Amelia trailed off.
"Let's go." He had her hand and was pulling her out the room before she could blink. He stopped expectantly outside Hermione's room.
"Are you sure?" Amelia whispered. "You'll break all trust if they catch you."
"Which is why we will not get caught."
Amelia nodded, casting quickly, indicating they should move once she was done. Severus frowned following her back towards the diningroom. She pulled a tiny black box out of her bag, and tapped it with her wand. The children's voices immediately filled the room.
"Pansy says she still doesn't like you but she's in." Susan spoke, the rusting of parchment clear. "She suggests finding some facts of our own."
"Millicent Bulstrode is also in. She suggests some sort of missile to pelt them with every time someone voices an insult. I think I'd really like to see that. "Harry mused, making the girls laugh.
"The carrow twins are in, they make a good point. It'll be more effective if we're all present at the same event." Hermione voiced
"You're thinking Hogwarts?" Harry asked.
"I think it makes the most sense."
"What if we taught muggleborns?" Susuan asked.
"About the charities?"
"Yes."
"Because that way there'd be more of us…." Hermione said slowly, "I think we start recruiting more half-bloods. There's precedence there, and if we were represented in greater numbers those bloody matrons would have to start minding their manners. After that, I agree, we need to look at including muggleborns. I never realised what a disadvantage I was at before Aunt Cissa began training us. All those rules and unspoken understandings that we just don't have. How could we?"
Susan hummed, "So, how are we going to get Pansy bloody Parkinson to be polite to the halfbloods?"
Harry snorted, "We're probably not. There should be enough of us that will be do we do about the Weasleys? He asked slightly uncomfortable.
Someone sighed, Severus thought it was Hermione. "I don't know. I can't see it being their thing, well….Percy perhaps for the contacts. Fred and George might for the mayhem. Actually, we should probably recruit them for that reason alone. Ron and Ginny though? They'd be bored to tears."
Harry snorted, "Narcissa would murder us if we brought the twins." he stated flatly.
Hermione and Susan giggled, clearly both imagining the outcome of that.
"Neville's on board with whatever you want to do, as is Antony Goldstein. This one from Adrian Pucey is…..interesting." Susan laughed.
"Oh Gods." Hermione groaned.
"Something you want to tell us, Ms Granger-Snape?" Susan teased.
"No! God one dance and he's acting like I proposed! Why are boys so mental?"
Amelia quickly restrained Severus. "You cannot hex him." she hissed. "We're not meant to be hearing this!"
"But…but, clearly his owls are inappropriate!"
"Perhaps." she conceded, "But until Hermione tells you you're going to have to let her deal with it herself."
"I'm going to have Alastor teach her how best to aim a shrinking charm." he muttered petulantly.
She choked on a laugh, "Gods, please don't. They'd make me send someone to investigate and I don't think I'd be able to keep a straight face. Now hush, we're missing this!"
"...Theo, Hermione?" Harry asked, making Severus frown. What was the beginning of that question? God damn Pucey and his inappropriate owls making him miss things!
"Ugh, I don't know!" Hermione groaned. "I really like him but it's all just so…..intense. I want to just have fun and not be bound by ridiculous expectations and I can't. And he smiles and nods along with me but actually, i think if his father pushed, he would too. He's happy to give in to the expectations and doesn't really understand why I'm fighting it so hard."
"So take a break." Harry replied, "Take this year, spend some time with friends, maybe date a little. You've been chucked into this new world and it's all….different. If Theo is one complication too many, you don't need to continue it."
There was a long silence. "Hermione?" Susan asked hesitantly.
"Sorry….I….I was trying to work out how that made me feel to be honest."
"And?" Susan prompted.
"I don't like it."
Harry snorted, "Isn't that your answer then contrary sister of mine? If he's worth the nonsense, then go with it."
"But I'm thirteen! Surely I shouldn't be making decisions like this? How do I know he's worth the nonsense?"
"You're overthinking." Susan replied softly, "Maybe you need to stop thinking that you're too young and just focus on how it feels. You'll know if you're not sure but if you keep thinking like this you're going to end up going in circles."
Hermione sighed and there was a quiet thud as if one of them had hit their head on something.
"I swear your heads getting harder," Harry muttered.
"For the love of merlin let's talk about something, someone else." Hermione groaned. "Susan….give us something!"
"Neville asked me to Hogsmeade?"
"What?" Harry, Hermione and Amelia yelped simultaneously.
"Not so easy when it's your child is it?" Severus needled, smugly.
"Little witch didn't mention that!" Amelia growled.
Severus snorted, "Until Susan tells you you're going to have to let her deal with it herself." he intoned, making her glare at him.
"So that just leaves Harry. Who can we set him up with?" Susan was musing when they returned to the conversation. "What? What did I say?"
"Nothing, Susan. I'm not interested in anyone, that's all. I'm looking forward to going with my friends. I've never actually been."
"If you're sure." Susan didn't sound convinced.
"I am, honestly. Here, Hermione, did I tell you your dad forbid me to take Divination?"
"What? Why?"
"He asked if I was a seer, and when I told him I wasn't, told me that in that case I wasn't allowed to take it. I'm taking Runes instead apparently."
Hermione laughed, "Me too. What are you taking Susan?"
"Care of Magical Creatures and Arithmancy. Aunt Amelia wouldn't let me take Divination either. Shall we reply to these ones and go and do something fun?"
"Yes! I never thought scheming to overthrow high society would be so boring. Although Grandmother agrees with Pansy on the insult front so I imagine when we're actually doing it it'll be a lot more entertaining."
"Gods yes. Your grandmother is hilarious. Have you heard anything else from your grandfather?"
"Not a peep. Which is probably best to be honest, I don't think I was what he wanted in a granddaughter."
"It's his loss Hermione." Harry voiced softly, "Now, these letters?"
There was a rustling of parchment followed by nothing more than the sound of quills scratching.
Amelia tapped the box again and the sound disappeared."Well that was…..not what I was expecting. What are they up to with Annalise Fawley?"
"Taking over society," Severus replied wryly."I may have made the mistake of telling Hermione if she didn't like something to change it."
"You said that…..to your Gryffindor daughter?" she asked incredulously, "Merlin Severus, surely you should know better than anyone not to challenge a lion!"
"Well it's too late now!"
Amelia snorted, "Apparently." She thunked her head onto his shoulder. "Godric Severus, our children are up there planning an entire overhaul of society as we know it." she groaned. "I dont know whether to be incredibly proud or fucking terrified."
"Both." Severus replied dryly. "How much do you want to bet that Hermione ropes Lady Blishwick into joining them."
Amelia choked, looking up at him in horror. "Fuck. Miranda Blishwick, Annalise Fawley, our children and whatever recruits they're gathering."
"Indeed." he replied with a sardonic tilt to his head.
"Fuck." she repeated, making him laugh.
"I do hope you're more eloquent when Lady Blishwick is here, it wouldn't do for her to report back that our esteemed Head of the DMLE is growing too old for the job." he goaded, enjoying the spark of indignation that flashed across her face.
"Who are you calling old, Severus Snape?"
"Why no one, Madam Bones." he murmured, leaning close to her ear, " I was merely concerned about your ability to form a coherent sentence. It's a sign of advancing age."
Amelia shivered slightly which confused him before his brain caught up and then immediately stuttered to halt. Surely he had the wrong end of the stick. This was absurd.
"Your voice should be bloody illegal." she muttered.
What? His voice should what now? What was the woman going on about? Fuck she was looking at him now. And now she was laughing, Fuck. What was funny!
"Oh Severus, your face!" she laughed, leaning in and kissing him. He was sure his brain had stopped working or he was hallucinating. That was probably more like it. He was hallucinating. There was no way Amelia was kissing him. Especially not kissing him like that. In his diningroom. When had she moved to sit on his knee? Fuck. He wasn't sure he cared. Oh fucking hell. He sent a quick prayer of thanks to whoever had invented that shampoo as she tangled her fingers in his hair. It shouldn't feel that good surely?
"Oh! Oh hell…..we'll just….."
They both wrenched apart at the sound of a horrified Harry's voice turning to look at the equally horrified looking girls that had followed him in before the children turned and fled in another direction.
Amelia looked at him, her jaw slightly slack before she covered her mouth with her hand and began to laugh, Severus found himself joining her as they both laughed until they were gasping.
"Oh fuck. Oh fucking fuck. Their faces, Severus!" Amelia gasped, tears falling down her face before she buried it into his neck.
He just shook his head helplessly, unable to formulate words as he gave into the tension releasing hilarity of being caught snogging like a pair of teenagers by their teenage children. Fuck he was going to have to add on more Mind Healer sessions to help Harry and Hermione deal with this, he mused.
Lunch with Miranda Blishwick started awkwardly, none of the children able to look them in the eye.
"Is someone going to explain what is going on?" Miranda asked snippily, "I remember you all being much more entertaining."
Severus heard Hermione mutter something about father and kissing and being scarred for life that made Miranda's eyes widen before she laughed out loud. "Oh my!" she exclaimed, "Severus Snape, I didn't know you had it in you!" Severus spluttered, Amelia blushing at his other side. Miranda reached across and patted Hermione's knee, "Don't worry dear, you've many more years to pay him back in kind."
Severus' brain froze for a moment as what she was implying sunk in. No. Absolutely fucking not. He was within his rights to hex whatever little bastard thought they could touch his daughter wasn't he? Miranda was laughing at him now. "The wonders of parenthood, Severus. It will happen. Now, why doesn't someone tell me what you are up to with Annalise? She was most vague."
Harry choked slightly, looking at Hermione and Susan for help.
"Well you must have noticed how…..tense some of the gatherings can be." Hermione began hesitantly.
Miranda arched a brow. "Tense is definitely one word, yes."
"We were just looking at ways to make them….less tense…..with perhaps slightly more tension before everyone agrees it's silly?"
Miranda swivelled her eyes over to Severus and Amelia who looked back blandly before she turned to gape at the children. And then she laughed. "Oh. I cannot wait to see how this turns out. Do keep me in the loop. Are there many of you…..looking at ways to make it less tense?"
"Um…a few." Hermione hedged.
"A few as in the entirety of your generation?"
"Not all of it, no. Most, perhaps?"
"Well, I do hope it's as entertaining as I'm anticipating, dear. What is next? The Ministry? The Wizengamot? Word domination? One must have goals."
Severus spluttered, "I don't quite think our world is ready for Hermione to be running it."
"Pity, I do not get the impression she's going to give it a choice."
Severus attempted to ignore the jolt of fear that statement gave him as the children grinned.
"Hello, hello!" Severus almost groaned at the sound of Saul's voice. It had been an unreasonably long day already, lunch with Lady Blishwich had been….unusual and they needed to begin getting ready to go to the Granger for the evening.
"Saul!" he heard Hermione exclaim.
"Hello to you my little protege! Where is your father?"
"This way,"
"Saul." he sighed when they made their way to the livingroom, "You are not having my daughter."
Saul pouted "But the things I could teach her Severus! I'm sure I could convince McGonagall to allow me to steal her a couple of times a week!"
"McGonagall is not who you need to convince!"
"You're right of course, Hermione my darling girl, will you agree to be my apprentice?"
"What! No that is not what I meant arsehole and you know it! She's too young!" Severus cut in before Hermione could speak.
"Says the man who is teaching her the Potions Mastery syllabus." Saul said dryly.
"Yes well, she brewed polyjuice in a bathroom last year. Unassisted."
"Sweet Salazar, did you really?"
"Yes." Hermione blushed, remembering the state of Ron.
"We'll then a little long term apprenticeship to the DoM should be fine! Severus, I find your stance on this ridiculous. We both know that that curriculum is not challenging her as it should, let me challenge her! Think of what she could do!"
"I am perfectly aware of what she could do, that is why I have her completing the Mastery syllabus in potions. I will not consent to another apprenticeship this year, she needs a childhood too!"
"What if I just gave her a small extra curricular project or something? One or two a year?" Saul wheedled.
"Saul! No. I am not refusing to discuss it, I am refusing to discuss it this year."
Saul pouted before he grinned, "I'll send you a project after new year then darling," he said, turning to Hermione who grinned unashamedly back at him.
Severus sighed heavily and contemplated murdering the man. Why did they associate again? He had successfully gotten their interactions down to a manageable volume before this last debacle with Albus and now, the man seemed to be popping up all the damn time. It didn't help that Hermione clearly adored him on sight. Fuck. He was bloody stuck with him wasn't he?
"I assume there was a reason for your visit beyond making my blood pressure rise and testing my ability to control my murderous impulses?"
Saul laughed like he was joking. He wasn't fucking joking.
"Yes, yes of course. I heard back from Gringotts and one Mr William Weasley. The Goblins have agreed to loan him and he has agreed to see you and Lucius. Now obviously his family is on holiday with him and we wouldn't want to cut that short so I thought we could attempt the Friday of the week school returns. Obviously if Violet and William expect it to be excruciating, we can wait until the holidays to give you longer to recover."
"Very well Saul, just let me know. Now, if you'll excuse us, the children have dinner plans with Hermione's parents and I have a meeting with Andromeda.
"Ah.I shall take my leave then. Write to me once you're back at school, my protege! I want to hear what you're up to!"
"Bye Saul!" Hermione laughed as Severus glowered at him, shoving him towards the floo.
Severus sat down heavily on Andromeda's sofa after dropping off the children with the Grangers. "Long day?" Ted asked.
"I fucking hate people, Ted."
Ted laughed, "Any in particular?"
"No. All of them. Everyone's an arsehole."
Ted smothered a laugh, "Even for you that seems extreme. What happened?"
"I had lunch with Miranda Blishwick and I think my children are plotting world domination with Susan Bones."
Ted laughed. Arsehole. Didn't he understand the seriousness of this? For fucks sake, he knew parenting a Gryffindor was challenging and he knew he only had himself to bloody blame but overthrowing society wasn't quite what he had had in mind!
"World domination?"
"Yes!"
Andromeda walked in at that moment, "Who's planning on world domination?" she asked mildly, looking from her still laughing husband to a mulish looking Severus.
"My children." he ground out petulantly.
One of Andromeda's perfectly sculpted eyebrows rose. "I wasn't aware this was news to you, Severus. I'm relatively certain your daughter recruited both Nymphadora and I. You were there."
Severus closed his eyes, praying for patience. "I had blocked out that horrific afternoon, thank you. Perhaps I should be grateful that none of their schemes this morning were as outlandish as the ones Nymphadora helped them come up with."
Ted snorted, "I'd say you probably should. Now I assume that whinging was not why you are here?"
Severus scowled at him, he was not winging! "I came to speak to Andy about mind healing sessions."
"For you?" Andromeda asked in surprise.
Severus sighed. "Yes and no. Hermione and Harry both need to see a Healer, Hermione has voiced that she'd prefer you so she can pretend it's just a chat, however she added in the caveat that she would only agree to engage with sessions if I also saw someone."
"Sweet Helga." Andromeda sat down heavily. "You're really agreeing to this?"
"Yes." he bit out.
A slow grin spread over Andromeda's face. "About bloody time." she said bluntly. "Marrilyn, Marrilyn Travers I think would be best for you. She reminds me a bit of Minerva crossed with Poppy, she won't put up with any of your nonsense. I'll see the children. I'll be coming to see Ginny Weasley anyway, we missed a few sessions given that they're in Egypt; international portkeys are a pain the arse."
"Thank you, Andy." he said softly.
"Anything in particular I need to know?"
"The Dursleys' were….cruel and Hermione has no self esteem?"
Andromeda snorted, "Ah, small issues then. I can work with that."
He nodded, feeling a weight being lifted at the thought of the children hopefully being less of a worry. He almost snorted at the thought. Less of a worry. They were planning to take on society, had to contend with Albus and the likelihood of him finding out about the guardianship and that was before he began to worry about the unusually quiet Thoros Nott. Perhaps he had lost his mind.
"Stop fidgeting!" Severus growled, glaring at his children. "What has you two on edge this morning?"
"Nothing!"
"Do not lie to me, my girl. What is going on?"
Hermione sighed, "I'm just nervous about the people coming today."
"You invited them," he replied pointedly.
"I know!" she groaned, "What was I thinking! Tonks and Pansy in one room."
Severus snorted, "I have no idea. Do try not to blow anything up." Hermione glared at him while Harry sniggered. "Does this little gathering have anything to do with your attempt at overthrowing the matrons?"
Harry shrugged, shifting slightly uncomfortably under his gaze. "It's just a chat." he said finally.
"Hmmmm."
The children escaped the moment breakfast was done, and if he ignored the continuous chime of the floo, it was shaping up to be a reasonably peaceful day. Of course he also had to ignore what they were up to. That was harder. He almost wished he had Amelia's little black box. Could he persuade her to give him one? It probably went against some sort of Law Enforcement guidelines but if she just happened to leave one here or one fell out of her pocket…..well that would just be a mistake wouldn't it? Something to think on, surely. His children were plotting to overthrow the status quo, for all Lady Blishwicks flippancy, one did need goals and the gods knew he wouldn't put it past them to be planning to overthrow the damn Ministry just because they got bored…..or because Hermione adopted a crusade…..or because Harry got curious about something he had no business being curious about. Fuck. He needed one of those little black boxes.
He startled slightly at the sound of the floo. Again. Frowning, he headed in its direction, surely everyone Hermione had invited should be here already. Severus paused, not quite wanting to believe what he was seeing.
"Ah, Severus! I'm a bit late, but do you have time for that chat?"
He wanted to say no. Fuck. Really, really wanted to say no…..but he was also curious. Damn it.
"Fine, Thoros, come through."
"Do you know what the children are up to today?" Thoros asked idly once he was seated.
"Not the specifics, no."
"And the broad strokes? Theo was infuriatingly vague, although he did let slip that Miss Parkinson was going to be here. I wasn't aware she and Hermione were friends?"
Severus snorted at the very idea of Hermione and Pansy Parkinson being friends. It was either that or shudder. The thought alone was horrifying.
"They are not. I believe there is a…..dissatisfaction with the attitudes and ideals of some of the more….traditional of society matrons. I gather they are collectively seeking to adjust it."
Thoros blinked. "Pardon?" Severus arched a brow. "Good Gods. They're going to attempt to bend them to their will?"
Severus shrugged. "I have no idea what the specifics of their plans are to be honest."
"That girl of yours is going to be the death of us all." Thoros muttered, making Severus snort.
"Perhaps."
"She is the reason I am here."
Severus sighed looking over at the man. As if that was news. "Oh?"
"Do you no longer believe in the old ways?" he asked bluntly.
"The old ways and Lord Voldemort's ways are not necessarily synonymous."
Thoros looked startled, "No." he said slowly, "No I suppose they are not. Do you believe that the rumours are true and he'll return?"
"Yes." Severus sighed, wiping a hand over his face.
"But you're willing to overtly defy him. You're letting your daughter dictate your moves."
Severus regarded the man across from him. "Do you agree with his methods Thoros? How many pureblood families did he wipe out?"
"I was never fond of the methods however I was of the belief that sometimes getting one's hands dirty was necessary in order to reach our goals."
"And what goals were we reaching when he was torturing muggles who had no idea who the fuck we were or what we were doing?" Thoros stilled and gaped at him. "My daughters parents are muggles, Thoros." Severus continued, his voice low, "Do they deserve to be hurt. Hunted. Murdered?"
"What? Of course not!"
"Why not?"
"Because they're clearly intelligent and and and…..they do not want to see us all burn!"
Severus blinked. "They are clearly intelligent?" he asked slowly.
"Well yes. Hermione's breeding will obviously out but one must still nurture the brain in order for it to be able to flourish."
"And you think….what, exactly? That they are the only intelligent muggles?"
Thoros paused, "Well no." he replied slowly, "But surely there cannot be many?"
"Thoros for fucks sake!" Severus snapped, "Muggles have found ways to adapt to doing everything we can do without magic. They have Healers who are specialised and intelligent, they can make a baby in a bloody petri dish, they've flown to the fucking moon!"
"Don't be absurd, Severus! Flying to the moon!"
"Absurd? Thoros you, who mistakenly believes anyone who is not Sacred 28 is beneath you, is espousing the beliefs of a bloody half-blood! And I am absurd? And yes! They've flown to the bloody moon!"
"We haven't flown to the moon!"
"And?"
"They're not meant to be intelligent!"
"And yet they are!"
"Then why are we told they're not?"
"For fucks sake, Thoros! Why do you think! It suits the bloody narrative! And just what the fuck did you mean when you said the Grangers didn't want to see us burn?"
"Well….the witch trials…."
"Were a very long time ago…."
"They don't still plan witch hunts?" Thoros asked, looking confused.
"No!"
"Oh. So what do they do?"
"What do you mean what do they do?"
"Well….day to day?"
Severus looked at him incredulously. "What do you think they do?"
"Plan witch hunts and clean their shacks?"
"Oh for fucks sake." Severus pinched the bridge of his nose. "We're taking Lucius to the cinema….a muggle version of a pensive on Tuesday before the children go back to school. I expect you here at ten, we will have a tour of some muggle areas and you will join us at the cinema. Perhaps then you will see how ridiculous your beliefs are."
"What? Severus….no!"
"Yes. You let your son go for Harry's birthday, if it is safe enough for him surely it is safe enough for you?"
"What? Theo hasn't been in the muggle world!"
"Oh for fucks sake, of course he has!"
"When!"
"For Harry's birthday!"
Thoros seemed to deflate. "He never told me."
"I wonder why." Severus muttered, taking in the pathetic form of the man in front of him.
"They really don't want to burn us at the stake?"
"They believe us to be nothing more than a fairy tale. There are…..violent muggles, Thoros. Muggles who I'm sure probably would want to burn us at the stake, but they do not make up the majority, and given the atrocities we committed against them in the last war, it is not as if we have moral superiority."
"So…some of them would hurt us?"
"Yes. Just as we hurt them. You cannot believe that the muggles that were guests of the Dark Lord had personally harmed him? They were just the unlucky ones….it could have been any of them, just as if the tables were turned it could be any of us. Theo, Hermione, Draco, you, me…..tortured for nothing more than being in the wrong place at the wrong time."
"But…..but we have magic."
"And they have science and a drive to further their knowledge in all things. They do not stagnate in the same way we do, clinging to tradition for no other reason than that is how it has always been."
"They've really flown to the moon, Severus?"
"Yes."
"Oh." Severus allowed the silence to descend, wondering idly how many times the obliviators were going to be called on Tuesday. Lucius was one thing, Lucius and Thoros….Gods he hadn't thought that through. "Severus?"
"Yes?"
"What in the name of Merlin is a petri dish? And why do they contain babies…And Severus? What half-blood?"
Severus blinked several times before pouring them a very large dram. It was going to be an unreasonably long day.