April 1996

Late night

Severus was home, reading on his bed and enjoying some wine, with his wife asleep on his lap, when a Phoenix Patronus appeared inside the room, flew for a moment and disappeared.

"Flor." Severus called her, putting his book and his wine goblet on the nightstand. "Love, wake up. We got to go." He stood up.

"Go?" Florence sleepily mumbled. "Go where? What happened?"

"Dumbledore called."

She quickly blinked the sleepiness away and jumped from the bed to get dressed.

They woke up Tiffany, asking her to look after Chris and Sophie, before leaving to the castle by Floo.

The couple walked out of the fireplace and into the Headmaster's office, finding Dumbledore alone, waiting for something.

"What happened?" asked Severus.

"Good evening, children. Dumbledore's Army has been discovered. Umbridge called Fudge and Kingsley to come arrest me."

Florence nodded, remembering what they had previously discussed about their role in the school in case of Dumbledore's absence.

"They're coming, Albus." Said one of he paintings.

"Thank you, Everard."

Seconds after the painting had warned them, they heard noises from the stairs:

"I've been watching them for weeks, Cornelius!" Umbridge was saying to the Minister as they walked into the office with Harry being dragged by the collar of his sweater by Percy Weasley; aurors Donahue and Shacklebolt walked in as well.

"And did you see the name?" Continued Umbridge. "Dumbledore's Army! Proof of what I've been telling you!" she suddenly stopped talking once her eyes fell on Severus. "Prof. Snape!" She greeted him, her hand going to her hair to make sure it was in place. "What a nice surprise. It's great to have you here as our witness!"

He just nodded at her.

And she turned to the Minister again, completely ignoring Florence's presence. "Dumbledore's been trying to terrorize the public with his fake story about You-know-who's return! But it's all part of a plan to demoralize you, Cornelius, and seize control of the Ministry!"

For a few seconds, no one said a word; Harry looked at Florence and Severus, their presence there at that late hour making him finally understand they were a lot more important than he had previously thought.

Then Dumbledore spoke: "You got me, Madam Umbridge."

Harry looked at him, shocked: "No! Professor!" He looked at Fudge. "Minister, he had nothing to do with this! It was all me!" he looked at Florence, "Madam Delacour, it was all me!"

But she shook her head slightly.

Dumbledore continued:

"There's no longer need to try to protect me, Harry. I am ready to confess that I instructed you to form this organization; and I, and I alone, am fully responsible for its activities."

"That's enough of a confession for me." Said Fudge. "Mr. Weasley, send an owl to the Daily Prophet telling them what happened here tonight. Donahue, Shacklebolt: you're going to escort Dumbledore to Azkaban to await trial for conspiracy and sedition."

Florence looked at the Headmaster but he didn't seem worried, he was actually smiling.

"Aah, I was hoping it wouldn't come to this." Said Dumbledore, walking away from them a little. "For, you see, Minister, I have no intention of going to Azkaban. So if you are under the impression that I will, as they say: come quietly. You are in for a surprise."

"Enough of this!" shouted Umbridge. "Take him!"

And then Fawkes suddenly flew into the room and Dumbledore was engulfed by her flames, disappearing out of thin air. The strength of the Phoenix's fire pushed Umbridge and Fudge a few feet away.

Florence took that moment to walk to Harry, casting a brief Inpulsa on Percy Weasley to make him let go of his arm. "Are you ok, Harry?"

He shook his head, "Why did he say that?" He pointed at the place where Dumbledore had been. "He didn't know anything."

"We know Harry." She whispered, leading him out of the office by the hand. "We knew something like this was about to happen." She pulled him down the spiral staircase with her, stopping at the gargoyle. "Listen, she's gonna punish you and your friends for this, tell them to come see me – one at the time – for me to do to their hands what I did to yours." Then she realized something: "Wait. Now Fudge will certainly give Umbridge full control of Hogwarts, if she sacks me..."

"Sacks you!" he exclaimed outraged.

"Yes. If that happens. Severus will give them detentions and I'll meet with them in the dungeons." She touched his face and briefly kissed his forehead. "Warn the others to stay low. Do not engage her again, Harry."

He looked at her, a little disconcerted after the unexpected display of care. "A-alright. I'll tell them."

"Good. Keep your eyes and ears open. Severus and I will try to control this situation as much as we can but... we need your help."

He nodded and walked upstairs, going to his common room to find his friends.

Florence returned to the Headmaster's office just in time to see Fudge signing another one of those blasted Decrees.

What did I miss? Florence asked her husband.

Meet our new headmistress. He replied with a discreetly arched eyebrow.

Fuck.

"So here we are," said Fudge. "Educational Decree number twenty-eight; having Prof. Snape as my witness."

"It'll be my honour to serve our Headmistress Umbridge." Florence spoke with a smile.

"No, it won't, Madam Delacour." Umbridge looked at her, "As of tonight, your services are no longer needed in this school."

Fudge looked a little surprised, but nodded slowly. "Dolores has told me all about you seducing Prof. Snape."

"Seducing him?" Florence replied, nearly laughing.

"Not that I have never heard the rumours before." Fudge continued. "But your past condemns you, Miss Delacour. You are, after all, a single mother."

"Excuse me, Minister," said Severus. "My personal relations with Miss Delacour aside, her services are needed in the infirmary and in the Potions Lab."

To what Umbridge snorted: "I am very aware of her services, Prof. Snape, and I can assure you, you can get them from more appropriate sources."

Severus was taken by surprise by her words, he raised an eyebrow and looked at his wife.

I tried.

Florence struggled to swallow her laughter: "Thank you, Severus. But if that's our new Headmistress' wish, I'll respect it. I only ask for a day to get my things."

"You'll have tomorrow until night fall." Said Umbridge with a satisfied smile.

"Thank you."

Then Florence said to her husband: You know she'll be offering you her services as soon as I'm gone.

I'm not sleeping in this castle until Dumbledore returns. I'd feel safer sleeping in Nagini's room in Little Hangleton.

Florence faked a coughing fit to cover up her laughter then.

Next day

Hogwarts

It was nearly time for dinner when Florence finished getting all of her things out of the infirmary and was on her way to the dungeons.

She walked by the Slytherin common room, seeing Draco with some friends in the corridor and they all had a new badge on their uniforms, something circular and silver with the letters I.S. in it.

Florence raised an eyebrow at him and Draco just smiled at her. She knew he had become part of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad just to mess with the Gryffindors.

She entered her husband's quarters, saying: "Have you seen Draco is now part of Umbridge's Squad?"

"Yes." Severus replied, his wet hair letting her know he had already showered and was probably going to spend the night in the castle. "Out of the Squad's nine members, eight are Slytherin students. And the ninth is Filch."

Florence laughed.

Severus looked at her, unamused. "That's not funny, wife. The problems these kids are going to get into because they now can dock points and boss the others around? It'll be a nightmare!"

She looked at him with feigned innocence: "Why, you're telling me you don't believe Slytherins can keep wrongdoers out of the corridors and maintain the order in the school basing their decisions on ethics and fairness?"

Severus scoffed, "No. And neither do you." crossing his arms on his chest and staring at her.

"Of course not! That's what you get from coddling Slytherins for years." She sat on his desk.

He shrugged, trying to justify his actions: "Slughorn did it for half a century. I'm just keeping up the tradition."

She shook her head. "A tradition of giving advantage to them just because a hat said they're special."

"Not my ancestral who came up with that idea." He raised an eyebrow at her.

Florence laughed again, "Touché."

He got up and walked towards her, stopping between her legs. "How about you stay the night here with me and show me your services, assistant?"

"But I'm no longer your assistant, Prof. Snape." She wrapped her arms around his neck and playfully pouted, "I was sacked. I'm an unemployed single mother now."

He chuckled. "So marry me."

"Hmm, now that's tempting." She kissed his lips. "Maybe I will marry you."

He deepened the kiss and pulled her closer to his body, pulling her dress up to her waist, and caressing her thighs.

Then they suddenly heard a screech: "Delacour? What are you still doing here?"

Severus looked into his wife's eyes, accusingly: You didn't lock the door.

Florence smiled and replied: Nope. I had a feeling she'd come here as soon as she thought me gone.

He sighed in annoyance and turned around to look at Umbridge.

"Headmistress, what I do in the privacy of my quarters is no one's business. You have sacked Florence, yes, from her duties as my assistant and Hogwarts Mediwitch. But if I want her in my bed, it's not of anyone's concern."

Umbridge swelled in anger, her face going bright red, matching her pink clothes horrendously.

"I got rid of her for you!" She shouted. "You shouldn't have your name associated with the likes of her! She's a single mother who..."

Severus interrupted her: "She's a single mother because I impregnated her, Headmistress. She didn't make those kids alone."

"She's a gold-digger!" Umbridge pointed a finger at Florence. "Using her veela-powers to bewitch you! Only harlots do that! Men are all shallow and frivolous and stupid enough to fall for it!" she paused, breathing hard. "I had hoped you'd be different, Prof. Snape! Lucius Malfoy once spoke very highly of you. What a disappointment!"

Florence jumped off of the desk and stopped in front of Severus, saying sensually: "Oh, but he's far from being disappointing, Headmistress." She touched his chest and went lower, getting down on her knees. "On the contrary: he always impresses."

Florence. He called her name in a warning as she rubbed her face against his crotch.

"I will expose you for the whore you are!" Umbridge screeched, furious. "The whole wizarding world will know how you kneel before a man! Shamelessly rubbing yourself on his privates!"

Florence laughed. "You'll just make a whole bunch of old misogynists jealous, Dolores. Now, if you can excuse us. I'm about to offer Severus my services."

"I-I'll sack you too, Snape!" Umbridge shouted.

Get up, Florence! He said. We can't both be thrown out of the castle.

Florence stopped moving and looked up at him.

I can still obliviate her. She offered.

But Severus just shook his head and quickly thought of a reply: "Really, Umbridge? And tell me where you'll find a Potions Master a month before the O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s?"

Umbridge opened her mouth but didn't think of anything to say.

So Severus continued: "That's what I thought." and looked down, Florence had lowered his sweatpants and was about to get her mouth on his dick. "Now, get out of here, Headmistress!" he ordered.

To what Umbridge shouted, indignantly: "Is THAThow you spoke to Dumbledore?"

"No, if you were him, I'd tell you to get the fuck out!" he growled as his half-hard cock slipped between Florence's hot lips into her wet mouth. "Fuck."

And Florence had had enough of that situation, she raised her hand and cast a banishing charm, sending Umbridge to the corridor, then Severus raised his wand to the door, closing and locking it.

He held her head with both hands afterwards, feeling his dick going down her throat. "Fucking cocksucker." He groaned as she swallowed around him, the pure elation he could feel coming from her through their bond letting him know how she had loved showing to that woman that he was hers to pleasure.

He chuckled, "You've been dying to make her see you servicing me, haven't you, princess?"

She hummed affirmatively around his cock, the vibration making him groan.

"You're trouble, wife. So. Much. Trouble." He marked each word with a thrust between her lips.

Florence swallowed him again and his legs shook, letting her know it wouldn't take him much longer to climax. So she had her way with his member, licking around the head, alternating between sucking hard and hardly sucking at all, just barely touching her lips and tongue along his length.

Then he fisted both hands in her hair and moved faster, "Suck me, wife... I'm gonna cum!" He grunted seconds before holding her head in place and spurting into her mouth. "Fuck!" he moaned as he watched her swallow every drop and lick him clean before getting up from the floor.

"Do you have to stay here?" she asked, breathlessly. "I really need some help showering at home."

And he followed her to the fireplace, going home right after putting his dick back into his pants.

May 1996

Florence was reading a book in the library when Tiffany walked in.

"Mistress Florence. Headmaster Dumbledore is here."

"Dumbledore?" She frowned, finding his sudden visit strange. "Send him here, Tiff." She said, standing up to greet the Headmaster.

"Hello, my dear." He said, walking into the library.

"What brings you here, Dumbledore? Will you be returning to the castle?"

"No, Florence, I'm afraid I can't return just yet. Let Umbridge and Fudge have their fun for a little longer."

"The castle is a mess." she said with concern. "I was sacked the night you left. And the way the students are being punished for being part of the Dumbledore's Army is barbaric!"

"I'm sad to hear that, Florence. But I'm sure you and Pomfrey are handling those injuries."

"No one is being injured," she smirked. "I used a tricking charm to make her think she's hurting them. They won't even have a scar, although some want to keep the fake wound as a permanent tattoo."

He just smiled for a second, turning sombre before speaking: "Florence, what brings me to your home is a favour – a strange favour – that I have to ask of you. I need an information and I believe you're the only person capable to acquire it for me."

"You need me to chat with some snakes for you?" she frowned, not thinking of any other unique ability she possessed.

"No no. I need you to talk to Kreacher."

"Kreacher? The Blacks' house-elf?" she found that very strange. "What information could he possibly have that you need?"

"I have reason to believe that he has information regarding Regulus Black's death."

That caught her attention.

Dumbledore continued: "I know he was a friend of yours. And Kreacher likes you. So..."

"I'll help you." She promptly replied, wanting to know what happened to her dear friend.

Later that day

12 Grimmauld Place

It was late night when Florence and Dumbledore walked into the dark and dirty old house of the Black Family.

There were sounds coming from the living room, so Florence peeked in to see who it was, smiling at the scene she encountered: Tonks was on Remus's lap, thoroughly kissing him and being kissed back.

Remus sensed someone was there at the door and he opened his eyes, expecting to see Sirius but then he saw her.

Florence smiled and waved her hand, telling him to keep going at it.

Then she returned to the corridor, going to the kitchen.

"I'm glad to see Remus and Tonks together," she said. "He deserves so much more than life has given him."

Dumbledore just nodded, a silent shadow following her.

"Kreacher?" she called as they entered the empty kitchen. "I would like to talk to you, Kreacher."

"Miss Florence!" squealed the elf when he saw her. "Of course! Can Kreacher offer you anything, Miss?"

"No, dear, thank you." She sat at the table, Dumbledore beside her. "I just need you to help me understand something."

"What can Kreacher do for beautiful Miss Florence?"

"You remember how Regulus was a dear friend of mine, don't you?"

The elf nodded, his eyes turning immediately sad as he heard that name.

"I want to know if you can help me understand how my friend died. Do you know anything about it, Kreacher?"

Kreacher seemed suddenly scared.

Florence insisted: "Please, I need to know what happened to my friend."

The elf looked at her and then glanced at Dumbledore before taking a deep breath, getting up on the table and sitting on top of it, before speaking: "Master Regulus volunteered Kreacher once to serve the Dark Lord. The Lord took Kreacher to a cave where there were huge transparent stones and a lake." He seemed to tremble as he remembered the next part: "T-then the D-Dark Lord fo-forced Kreacher to drink a-a p-potion and then..."

"What kind of potion, Kreacher?" she asked.

"Kreacher doesn't know. But it was evil, Miss, it made Kreacher cold, it sucked all happiness from Kreacher and made Kreacher wish to be dead."

Florence tensed up and glanced at Dumbledore.

"Do you know what he's talking about, Florence?" the Headmaster asked her.

She nodded. "It's the Draught of Despair; a dementor in a vial."

"One of Severus' creations?"

She nodded again, her heart heavy at the thought that her husband had something to do with the death of Regulus. "What happened after you drank all the potion, Kreacher?"

"The Dark Lord put a locket in a basin and filled it with the evil potion again. Then he left Kreacher there; Kreacher got thirsty and there was a lake b-but... the dead grabbed Kreacher and then..."

"The dead?" Florence asked.

"I believe he means Inferi." Explained Dumbledore. "And how did you escape, Kreacher?"

"Kreacher apparated home." He shrugged. "For Master Regulus's orders were for Kreacher to come home when the Lord finished his task."

"Alright." Florence nodded, horrified that her father had invoked Inferi to protect a necklace. "But what happened to Regulus, Kreacher? How did he die?"

And Kreacher began a different story: "When Master Regulus became a follower of the Dark Lord, Mistress Walburga was so proud of him! But after a while, Master regretted his choice and made Kreacher tell him about the mission Kreacher had gone with the Dark Lord. Then... Master Regulus made Kreacher take him to the Cave with the Crystals. And in there... Master drank the potion himself and ordered Kreacher to switch the Lord's Locket with a fake one and then go home and destroy the Lord's locket. B-but Kreacher was never able to fulfil Master's orders!" he finished screaming and crying.

Florence frowned looking at the distressed elf, whispering to Dumbledore. "Why didn't he ask Kreacher to apparate him out of the cave?"

"He'd die either way, Florence. You know Tom would kill him in ways more painful than drowned by Inferi."

She slowly nodded, her eyes filled with tears when she looked at the elf again. "So... Reggie died in the Crystal Cave?"

Kreacher nodded. "Kreacher saw the dead pulling Master into the lake."

"Why have you never told Sirius any of this?" she asked a little angry.

"Master ordered Kreacher to never tell the family what had happened to him. Sirius is family, Miss Florence is not."

She couldn't argue with his reasoning, so she asked: "Where is the locket now, Kreacher?"

"It was stolen!" He shouted, angry all of a sudden. "Mundungus Fletcher stole it!" he started crying the next second. "Kreacher was unable to destroy the locket, despite trying so hard. Master's last order and Kreacher failed him."

Florence pitied him, "It's ok, Kreacher. I'm sure Reggie forgives you. You go rest now, we'll be leaving."

She stood up and left with the Headmaster close behind her.

Florence apparated them to her house and they walked inside without another word.

When she closed the backyard door, she finally spoke:

"It was another Horcrux, wasn't it?"

"Yes. It was. Regulus died trying to destroy your father. He was a hero."

She grimaced, walking to the sofa and sitting down. "Reggie was fifteen, Dumbledore, he was a stupid child on an impossible quest." She replied, hating his romanticizing of what had happened to her friend.

"About Severus' potion, Florence... when did he create that?" Dumbledore asked.

"Before Christmas break of our sixth year. I remember arguing with him about it." She sighed, shaking her head, still digesting all that she had heard. "Regulus got himself killed, drove Kreacher insane with an order the poor thing would never be able to fulfil, and broke his mother's heart – for aunt Wal died without knowing her son's whereabouts." She exhaled angrily. "He was a fool."

"Fools can be heroes too, Florence." He stared at her.

Then the flames turned green and Severus walked out of them in dark sweatpants and a green shirt. He looked from Florence to Dumbledore.

"I felt something was wrong with Florence." He briefly explained, sitting beside her on the sofa.

"We just found out how Reggie died." She said in a strained voice, as she laid her head on his chest, crying silently. "Your Draught of Despair played a part on it."

He tensed up. "How?"

Then Dumbledore quickly explained it all to him.

At the end, Severus nodded and looked at Florence, pulling her chin up gently.

"Flor. You know how sorry I am I ever created that."

"I know." She whispered, slowly moving to his lap, "Just hold me, Sev."

Dumbledore watched them together with a knowing smile, thinking to himself that that right there, on that fancy white sofa, was how they were going to defeat Tom.

With unity.

And with love.