Chapter 22

Lucius' POV

I decided to stay at the house with her for a few days to get her back into the swing of living again. Together, we went over the specifics of his Potions business. He kept everything very organized and had very detailed records, but we were trying to make sense of the paperwork that built up over the past six months. The number of checks that had come in the mail that weren't deposited was scary to me.

"He was so detail oriented! I can't imagine that if he had kept a personal journal, there would have been volumes and telling his story would have been so much easier," Ginny exclaimed.

I looked up from my reading. "With him being a spy, it would have been too risky."

"Even after he and I got together, he told me almost nothing," she admitted.

"He was protecting himself and you, not closing you out, Ginevra," I offered as a comforting thought. "He really was doing amazing at this," I stated.

She looked over at me with a sad smile. "I know. I was surprised years back too. You don't expect a Potions professor to have a head for business."

"Ginevra, these are royalty checks! Knowing Severus, I'm guessing that as long as the formula still sells, or even adaptations of it, these could continue to come in for generations! Where did he keep the contracts?"

"The safe."

"How much business do you understand?"

"Not much; Severus did all of it," she explained.

"Look, I know some things, but you're going to need someone who understands contracts and business, and Potions. Wyatt is still young and even if he wants to take over, I don't think Severus taught him much. I suspect Wyatt didn't have an interest, but because Severus knew he was dying, he wanted to make sure Wyatt could run things."

"Wyatt didn't want to spend his life in a lab being compared to Severus." She looked like she was about to cry.

"Perhaps now, or when they talked, he felt that way. The boy is still young; give him time," I assured her. "Draco was always good in a lab, as am I. but you need the business end covered. Blaise Zanbini is very successful. Allow me to talk to him, and perhaps he can suggest a good person to manage the business end. Or even teach you, or Wyatt, when the time comes. If you're alright with it, I will contact him."

"That sounds good. Thank you, Lucius."

"I also found the name of a groomer for Stirling, so I made an appointment for her. I think you should also make one at a salon for yourself."

"I look that horrid?" she asked.

"You look like you've only done the minimum for some time. I don't understand it; you looked good at Wyatt's birthday party."

"In my first year, I got good at hiding it when I looked ghastly," she admitted. "Besides, my husband is gone! I have no one to look good for!"

"How about yourself and your children? You really scared Marie when she saw you. Scared me too. We lost Severus, but we don't want to worry about losing you as well. Call your beauty salon. We need to drop Stirling off for noon, so see if you can get an appointment for after that. And, I'm taking you out tonight for a meal that isn't cereal."

"Hey, it's an easy meal full of vitamins with very little clean up," she defended herself.

"And how much use of the other bowls and spoons has there been?" I pointed out that I believe she hasn't even put the dishes away; just washes the same two.

"Damn you and you noticing everything!" she cursed me.

I shook my head at her. "Perhaps everyone pushing you to marry Potter wasn't as horrid as I once believed if it kept you from becoming like this."

She got mad at the comment. Good. Anything is better than tears. "I hate you!" she spat at me.

"That's better than you feeling nothing. Make the call now, Ginevra," I ordered.

She walked over to a picture on the wall and opened it; there was a safe hidden behind it. She opened the safe. "See if you can make any sense of this stuff!" She then grabbed her phone and as she dialed the number, she stepped out of the office and walked over to the mirror in the hall. She seemed to be taking in her appearance. "Hi, this is Ginny Snape. I was hoping Deedee could fit me in for a cut today, and do you have any openings for a facial?" She glanced at her hands. "Maybe a manicure, too?

As she talked, I started looking at the papers from the safe. I found a parchment envelope with her name in Severus' writing on it.

Once she was done, she looked at me. "Happy now?"

"Happier, yes. I found this." I showed her the envelope. She reached for it. "Should I leave you to read it?"

"No." She then reached for my hand to stop me.