Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery

by Ms-Figg

A reluctant Severus Snape is ardently pursued by Hermione. A few tantrums, hexes, nasty spells and wellplaced knees later an understanding is reached...sort of: RemusOFC too. Yummy. Alternate Universe, Humor, Lemons, Oral, Anal, More.

7. Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery 7

Becoming Familiar with a Man of Misery Part 7

When Severus received his mother's reply that was when the nightmares began.

Hermione lay in the bed beside her lover, watching him toss and turn, occasionally shouting "No!" and "Stop it!" but not waking. In the morning he had no recall of his dreams.

Hermione had begun going to Golpalott but was having a difficult time of it. She was now coming to the "I'm hideous" part of her pregnancy. She was very big for six and a half months, and becoming quite unhappy with her body. Her breasts had become much larger, were tender and the areolae around her nipples had expanded in size and become darker. A thick, dark line had appeared between her navel and her pubic hair. The witch also felt she had to urinate every five minutes, which disrupted her class time, and no matter how bad she felt she had to go…only a little came out. Her balance was off, and she realized she really did waddle. Her back hurt her, and her shoes would barely fit, so she had a time carrying her books and walking about the school. She did her best but it was soon clear to her, her teachers and Severus, that she would have to have the baby, then return to school the next term. So she was home all day now, bad tempered and grumpy most of the time. Poor Eli had his claws full.

But what was happening with Severus at night bothered her. He insisted he wasn't having nightmares, claiming he would remember if he did. But every night, it was the same thing, the dark wizard tossing and turning, crying out in his sleep. Finally, Hermione couldn't stand not knowing any more and performed legilimency on him to see what the source of his nightmares were.

Hermione found herself in a small cottage. A pale, black-haired boy about the age of seven was sitting at a table eating dinner with a lovely black-eyed, black-haired woman, and a tall, brownish gray-haired man with rather bloodshot eyes and a cruel mouth. All were silent as they ate, the man looking at the woman from time to time, a familiar scowl on his face. The meal was meager, potatoes and cabbage, no meat. The little boy had a glass of milk, his mother and father drank water.

Hermione realized the little boy was Severus.

"I'm fucking tired of potatoes and cabbage all the time," the man snarled at the woman, who winced. "Can't you cook anything else?"

"Darius, I'm sorry, but it's all we can afford. I have to buy food that will stretch," she said timidly.

Darius looked at the glass of milk in front of Severus.

"If you didn't spend money on milk, we could probably have some meat," he sneered.

Severus looked up at him for a moment, then dropped his head, concentrating very hard on his cabbage.

"Severus needs milk. He's a growing boy," Isadora said.

Suddenly the man backslapped the witch, knocking her and the chair over.

"Don't backtalk me you bitch," he snarled, standing up, "It's bad enough I bust my ass for pence a day to try to feed you two hangers-on."

Severus looked up with a scared look on his face as his father approached his mother, who was scrambling to her feet.

"I'm sorry, Darius," she said cringing as the man approached her.

"I'm sorry, Darius," the man mimicked her, "That's right. You are sorry. The sorriest witch in existence. What good is magic if you can't use it to make us rich? Zap up some money," he said, closing in on her.

"I can't do that, Darius. It doesn't work like that. You have to earn your money," she replied, backing up. Darius slapped her again and she screamed.

Severus jumped up from the table and darted in front of his mother.

"No! Stop it! You leave her alone!" he shouted at his father, who stopped for a moment and looked at him.

"Ah. The young pup wants to protect his bitch of a mother, eh?" he said with an ugly laugh. Then he grabbed Severus and flung him across the room. The boy hit the wall and slid down it, dazed. His father started toward him when Isadora grabbed his arm desperately.

"No! No! Darius, he's just a child. Please. Please, hit me instead. I can take a beating. Severus can't. You'll hurt him," she pled with her husband.

Darius looked at her, his crazed brown eyes going a bit heated.

"You can take a beating can you? All right…I'll leave the whelp alone. You come with me," he said, striding from the room, loosening his belt as he did so.

Isadora followed him, stopping by Severus and kneeling, stroking his face.

"Severus, you stay here, love. No matter what you hear…you stay here. Don't come after me. I'll be all right. He'll calm down after a while," she said, kissing him on the lips.

The small boy grabbed her arm.

"Don't go to him, Mother. Let's run. Let's leave here!" he said, tears filling his eyes.

"Shhh!" his mother said, her eyes going wide with fear as she looked toward the door her husband passed through. She looked back at Severus.

"Don't you ever let him hear you say that. You understand me, Severus? Never. We can't leave. He's my husband and your father," she said.

"I hate him," Severus breathed, his small face contorted in a mask of hate.

"Come on, witch!" Darius roared from the bedroom, his belt in his hand.

Isadora looked toward the door again, then back at Severus, giving him a small, tearful smile.

"There will be better days, Severus. We'll be happy someday," she whispered, "You be a good boy and stay here. Finish your food and clear the table for me."

Isadora gently took his small hand off her arm, rose and walked through the door. Severus sat on the floor, listening.

"What took you so long? I told you to come with me," the boy heard his father say.

"I just checked on Sev…" the witch began cut off by the sound of leather falling on flesh. She cried out as the sounds started falling again and again.

"I'll teach you to listen to me! I am the man of this house!" Darius screamed like a madman.

Severus covered his head with his arms, tears streaming down his face as he listened to his father whip his mother. Finally the sounds stopped. After a little while, he heard the familiar thump of the headboard, and his mother shrieking rhythmically.

Hermione couldn't help thinking that although Severus looked just like his mother, he might have inherited his generous endowment from his father, by the sound of the witch. Her shrieks were uncomfortably close to sounding like Hermione's own cries of passion when the dark wizard took her. She looked back at Severus, who raised his head, his expression defiant.

"I'm going to kill you one day, Father. One day when I am big," the little boy hissed through his tears. "Kill you dead."

Hermione drew back out of Severus' mind, horrified. She hadn't known his father abused him and his mother. She had grown up in a loving household. She couldn't imagine what it was like to live that way. She looked down at the wizard, who had fallen silent, and ran her hand through his hair gently. Severus turned his face toward her, but didn't wake up.

Hermione knew she shouldn't do this, but she had to know more. She placed her hand on his arm.

"Legilimens," she whispered.

Severus was sitting at the table, holding a parchment letter. He was older now, pale and unsmiling, a shadow of the wizard he was going to be. He was scowling.

His mother was sitting across from him, smiling brightly at him, looking proud as she could be.

Severus leveled his dark eyes at his mother.

"Mother, I don't want to go to Hogwarts," he said stubbornly.

His mother's smile faded as she looked at him, arching one eyebrow.

"Why in the world don't you want to go to Hogwarts, Severus? It's one of the best wizarding schools in existence," she said.

"Because I would have to live there," he replied, his face dark.

"It will be nice to live at Hogwarts," his mother said, smiling at him again. "You'll be around witches and wizards your own age, and will learn a lot about magic and potions. You like potions don't you? The letter says that you qualify to go tuition free because of your marks. You are very smart, Severus. Going to Hogwarts will help you make something of yourself."

"I don't care about that! I want to stay here, with you. Mother…without me here…Father won't have anyone else to hit. Only you. If I leave he will beat you worse than if I was here. At least he can split up the beatings," Severus said, his eyes wet. "He might kill you."

Isadora moved into the seat next to her son.

"He won't kill me, Severus. I can do things for him that will stop him from beating me. You'll understand when you get older and learn about women. But I need you to go to school and do well. So you won't be poor and powerless. So you become someone who'll be respected. That's what I want you to do, Severus. Promise me you'll do that," she said to him softly, rubbing his face.

"I promise, Mother. Then I'm going to take you out of here," Severus said vehemently. "I'm going to stop him from mistreating you."

Isadora gave her son a sad smile.

"Sure you will, Severus…sure you will," she said.

Suddenly the front door slammed.

"I'm home, witch! Where's my supper? And it better not be potatoes and cabbage again," Darius roared.

Isadora and Severus both looked toward the pot full of cabbage and potatoes on the stove.

"I think it's going to be a long night, Severus," Isadora whispered as her husband entered the kitchen.

Hermione left that memory and sifted through several more. Severus getting older and coming home for the holidays and being beaten by his father for trying to protect his mother. His mother pleading with the boy not to hex his father. Finally she stopped at a scene where they were seated around a rather nice Christmas goose. Isadora had a black eye however, and Severus was scowling down into his plate. He looked close to seventeen years old. His father was eating heartily.

Severus' father looked up over the table at Severus.

"Boy, go get me a cup of cider and be quick about it," the man snapped at the young wizard.

Severus' black eyes shifted toward his mother. She had bruises on her neck too. His father was getting worse. The boy got up sullenly and walked to the sink, picking up a glass. He opened the icebox, took out a pitcher of cider, filled the glass with the amber liquid, and put the pitcher back.

Hermione watched as Severus slipped his hand in his pocket and took out a piece of folded parchment. Looking over his shoulder at his father, he opened it and dumped the contents into the cider.

"No, Severus!" Hermione breathed as the wizard said an incantation over it, his hand on his wand in his pocket, pointing at the glass.

A bit of smoke rose from it. Severus carried the glass to his father.

"Took you damn well long enough," his father said, tilting the glass to his mouth as Severus returned to his meal, his mouth in a thin line.

Hermione expected the man to keel over at the table, but he didn't. Hermione fast-forwarded through Severus' memories. His father was fine the next day, and the next. Severus returned to Hogwarts.

Then she stopped at a scene where a younger Albus Dumbledore walked into the Potions class. His hair and beard were red as any of the Weasley's, but streaked with a lot of gray.

"Severus Snape? I need to speak with you," he announced.

Hermione saw Severus look at the Headmaster with some annoyance from over his cauldron. He cast a stasis spell on it, wiped his hands on a cloth and glided over towards the Headmaster. He stumbled as he passed a black-haired student.

"Tripping over your own robes again, eh Snivelus?" barked Sirius Black among a hail of laughter from the other students.

Severus gave him a murderous look. Sirius returned it.

"Anytime you think you're bat enough, Snivelus," the wizard said, patting his wand in his pocket.

Severus' eyes shifted to James Potter, Peter Pettigrew and Remus Lupin. The only one who wasn't glaring at him was Remus.

"Anytime you can face me alone without your girlfriends, Black, I'll be happy to oblige you," he hissed before turning with a billow of robes and walking up to Albus, who was frowning at the Marauders.

"You wanted to see me, sir?" Severus asked him.

"Yes. A matter of importance has come up, concerning your parents," he said.

Hermione saw the fear in Severus' eyes.

"Not my mother," he said, trembling visibly. Albus put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"Come into the corridor," he said kindly.

Severus followed the tall wizard into the corridor.

Albus turned to him.

"I'm sorry to tell you, Severus, that after an extended illness, your father is dead. The muggle doctors weren't able to save him," the Headmaster said softly.

Severus stared at him a moment, his black eyes cold.

"Is that all, Headmaster?" he said.

Albus nearly gaped at the boy. It wasn't the reaction he expected a son to have upon receiving news that his father was dead.

"Ah…no…no Severus. I will make arrangements for you to be excused from classes so you may attend his funeral and have time to grieve," the Headmaster said.

"That won't be necessary, Headmaster," the young wizard replied, "I won't be attending his funeral."

Albus was shocked.

"You won't be attending?" he asked, "but why, Severus? He was your father."

Severus looked at the Headmaster.

"He sired me, but he was never my father. And as for grieving, sir…if I were given time off, I would spend it celebrating his death. Rather frivolous however. I think the time better spent in the classroom," he said. "Now if you'll excuse me, Headmaster…I'd like to return to my cauldron. The stasis spell won't last long and I need the marks."

"But Severus, what about your mother?" the Headmaster asked.

"I will see her this weekend," the young wizard replied heading for the classroom door. Severus turned and looked at the Headmaster.

"Some people in this world are better off dead, Headmaster. My so-called father was one of them. He was too cruel to live as long as he did," he said, then entered the class and closed the door.

Hermione pulled out of Severus' mind and stared at him.

Was he guilty of patricide?

If he was, she couldn't blame him. His father had been a terrible man.

She looked down at Severus. He was still sleeping peacefully, his thick, black lashes resting against his cheeks. Who knew how much he went through as a child and young man? So much cruelty and evil from a man who was supposed to love him.

There was so much about the wizard she didn't know.

But what she did know was she loved him despite his past. Him, and the child she carried for him. She had a chilling thought. Severus was the product of a dysfunctional family and had been abused. It was thought that the abusive nature carried over. It seemed obvious that Severus had his father's "appetite" but did he have his nature?

Hermione was sure Darius didn't start out abusing his wife. It was something that developed over time. Their situation was different too, he was a muggle without a good job, frustrated and bitter, casting the blame on his family. Then the witch paused as she realized that her lover was a half-blood. His father was a muggle.

Severus' mother had fallen in love with a muggle man, and one much older than her at that. How bad could she be…unless she had been turned against them because of how cruel and abusive her husband was. But there were abusive wizards in the magical world as well.

She looked at Severus. Would he turn as abusive as his father was? His reaction to his father's treatment of his mother was not one of acceptance however. He hated the way she was treated. Perhaps he didn't have the same ugliness hiding within him. Perhaps he abhorred violence against women. He was snarky, yes…and had a temper. But he had never done anything that made her think he would strike her in anger. The wizard took out his wrath in a more pleasurable way…as did his father. But the father was violent. Severus wasn't…at least toward her. It seemed the son had some of the father's traits, if not all of them.

Hermione lay back down and Severus instinctively moved closer to her, shifting and turning until he flung his arm out and found her, pulling her close and sighing.

Severus loved her. She didn't think he'd ever purposely hurt her

Hermione lay there, thinking. Maybe his mother would share some of her life story and his.

She could only hope.

---

Severus found himself distracted. With his mother's pending arrival, memories began to return to him. Memories he had buried deep in his psyche, unwilling to dredge up. But they returned now, almost as painful as when he experienced them in actuality. He found himself reliving them as he sat before the fire. These times Hermione would sit quietly by him and watch him brood. She was miserable, but tried her best not to be a bitch during his quiet times. She more than made up for it at other times.

Whatever Severus felt about his father, one thing was quite clear, he had loved his mother very much as a child. It was clear she tried to protect him as much as she could, and had high hopes for him. He had indeed managed to become a respected Potions Master. He was also a wizard of some power and influence. It seemed however that when young, the wizard sought to acquire power via Voldemort, trying to fulfill his promise to his mother.

Unfortunately, Severus misunderstood his mother's wishes. She did not want him to acquire power from an outside influence, but rather develop it within. When he joined Voldemort's death eaters, she was appalled.

"You are a Death Eater? Aren't those the thugs that are running about the wizarding and muggle world harassing muggle-borns and wizards? Severus, you are half muggle. How can you do such a thing?" she asked him, frowning.

"Mother, Voldemort is growing in power. He will soon take over the wizarding world. And as one of his deatheaters, I will help rule in the New Order. I'll have power, Mother…like you wanted. I'll have influence. Respect. Power over people's lives," the young wizard replied.

"And why would you want that, Severus? To control others' lives? One life is hard enough to control. And Fear is not Respect, my son. This Voldemort is evil, Severus. He steals power. He kills and does all manner of things to take power from others. Even by recruiting you, I bet he requires something of you. Whether or not you are an ally, he will seek to take your power and make you a servant. You may think you have joined something great as an equal, Severus, but sooner or later he will make you serve him. Someone like this Voldemort cannot have enough power, nor will he share it…no matter what he promises you. It would be better to fight him than to join him my son," Isadora said, her black eyes focused on her son.

Severus pulled back his sleeve and showed his mother the Dark Mark on his arm. She looked at the image of the snake protruding from the mouth of the skull and a look of horror crossed her face.

"I've seen that mark in photos, Severus. I've seen it in the Prophet floating above burning buildings and discarded bodies," she said looking at her son, her voice dropping low. "Tell me you had nothing to do with such things, Severus. Please tell me this," she breathed.

Severus was silent for a moment.

"Not the bodies," he said, "but they were accidents. Things got out of hand…" he said.

Isadora looked at her son.

"Severus, I want you to quit this group and get that mark removed," she said. "Nothing but great evil can come of it. It is the type of evil that can coarsen and steal your soul, my son. You may think you are on the ground floor of some great rising power, but I assure you, you are standing on a plateau of Hate. Leave Voldemort, Severus, before it is too late," she said.

Severus looked at his mother.

"I…I can't. It isn't that easy to leave, Mother. There is a penalty for leaving," he said, dropping his eyes.

"I imagine it is death, isn't it Severus?" the witch asked him.

"I know of no one who has died," he said stubbornly.

"But I bet some of the dissatisfied who wanted out can no longer be found, can they?" Isadora asked him.

"Maybe they ran away, not wanting to face Voldemort's wrath," he said lamely, searching for an answer and wondering if his mother had any seer blood in her veins.

"And maybe they are dead," the witch said softly, shaking her head. "Ah, Severus. Why did you do this?"

"For us. For me and for you. I was powerless, Mother. Now I have power. I am somebody, just like you wanted me to be. And one day I will have even more power," Severus said.

Isadora looked at him, disappointment in her dark eyes.

"Power is something no one can give you, Severus. Not really. Authority is not true power. Real power comes from within, from your own inner strength and courage. No one can take that from you unless you give it to them. Your father was so angry with me because no matter what he did to me, he could not take my power from me. He could beat me, but never break me. I've always loved and stood up for you, my son. I did my duty as your mother and he was jealous of that, although I did my duty as his wife as well. I didn't let him destroy me, Severus. He was physically stronger…but not as strong as I am on the inside. You follow my example. Not his. Do you understand me? My example, and maybe you will survive this horrible thing you've done. This Voldemort is going to want that Severus. Want your power. Don't you ever give it to him. You understand me, my son? That power inside you could be the only thing that holds you together in the dark days to come," she said.

Then she went silent for a few moments. Mother and son stared at each other.

Then Isadora said in a soft voice, "Aligning yourself with evil has no benefit, Severus. It will eat at your soul and leave you an empty shell, incapable of joy, love and happiness. No false power is worth that. I would rather see you happy than powerful. You have made a great mistake. A very great mistake in joining this wizard. I thought you would be wiser than this."

Severus stepped closer to his mother, imploringly.

"Mother, you must not say such things. Never let anyone hear you say anything against Voldemort," Severus hissed, his eyes glittering.

Isadora considered him.

"Don't you see it already, Severus? I can't say what I think concerning him. I see the fear in your eyes. You know he is dangerous. You know he is evil. He will make you evil in the long run, force you to do things you know are wrong to do, even for the sake of power. Then regret, guilt and bitterness will follow. Things he won't allow. Even your conscience will be his enemy. He will seek to take that from you too. If he takes your conscience, Severus, you will cease to be a man."

Severus stared at his mother, not knowing what to say. He hadn't meant to disappoint her. He was just fed up with being singled out and picked on. Tired of holding back when others went out of their way to torment and mock him. Tired of feeling helpless. Now that he was a deatheater, he got respect. Even the damned Marauders had eased up on him, though Black was still a problem. He had family members that were deatheaters and that was why they didn't target him for his harassment. But all in all, things were better for him as an ally of Voldemort. Sure, the wizard got a bit wild at times, but they were in a war. They were trying to change the world. Of course there would be causalities, but the world would be a better place for it in the end, and he would be a part of it.

"You're wrong, Mother," he spat. "You'll see. Voldemort is going to bring in a new age. And I will be part of it. An important part."

Isadora considered him.

"What kind of new age, Severus? Does he want to free the wizarding world, or rule it? You watch him…watch what he does. If in three years you feel the same about him and your role in his plans, maybe you'll be right. But you are my son. If you see the truth, you will not be able to continue with him. You were not brought up to be evil, though you saw much of it. You are a good boy, Severus, and will be a good man despite what you've gone through. You will not be satisfied as Voldemort's ally. By then, you will probably be a servant rather than the ally you picture yourself as now. You are my son. I love you and will always love you despite the choices you make. But I am disappointed in you, Severus. I have never been disappointed in you before. It is an odd feeling, and a very sad one. My heart feels heavier than stone," she said quietly.

Severus looked at his mother.

"I must go," he said shortly.

For the first time in his life, Severus did not hug or kiss Isadora goodbye before he left. He simply disapparated.

The coldness had already begun to set in.

But when Severus did realize the great evil that the Dark Lord was, and turned spy, he took his mother's words to heart and never relinquished his power, never lost his conscience. He did follow her example and kept his power, relying on his inner strength and courage to get him through all the years of torture and pain as he served the Greater Good. And her words had been prophetic. He did indeed turn all his allies into servants. Severus couldn't even remember how it had happened. One day he was Voldemort, the next, the dreaded Dark Lord and every deatheater his faithful servant. He no longer wanted to change the wizarding world, but rule it.

Severus started. Hermione had gently put her hand on his arm, startling him from his thoughts. He looked at her rather dazedly, as if returning to the present required a great effort. He saw the fire was burning low now.

"Come Severus. It's time for bed," Hermione said softly.

He nodded and rose, stretching, then looped an arm around her shoulder and slowly walked with the witch into the bedroom. Only a few days were left before the wedding.

And soon he would see his mother again.

---

Alfonso didn't take the news of Isadora's impending departure very well. The swarthy Italian wizard had been working on the witch for close to a year now, though he was no means monogamous in his pursuits. He had a number of willing women to indulge himself in. He was ten years Isadora's junior, black-haired, gray-eyed and well built. Normally, the wizard could woo a witch out of her robes within two weeks. Isadora, however, proved to be a challenge.

"Bella, how could you leave without making love to me?" he asked her plaintively from the other side of the cracked door. "Without experiencing my passion…my pleasure?"

Isadora smirked at the wizard.

"Quite easily I'm afraid," she responded. "I'm just not interested in you like that Alfonso. I've told you that before. I'm not interested in an intimate relationship."

"Who says it has to be a relationship, Isadora? I am, as you English speakers say, 'flexible'. A night of passion is well within my range," he said to her seductively. If only the witch would open the door a little further and let him in.

Isadora arched an eyebrow at the wizard.

"As delightful as that sounds, Alfonso, I'm afraid I will have to decline. I am leaving the country in a matter of days. I don't need any complications," she said.

"Oh Bella, it would not be complicated at all. A wizard. A witch. A bed," he said as Isadora shook her head, "At least let me come in and give you a proper goodbye and not have me standing outside your door like an unwelcome solicitor. At least that, Isadora."

Isadora sighed. She really was treating him like a solicitor. But that was what the wizard was in essence. He was trying to solicit sex from her…or seduce her rather. Still, he had a point. She had dined with him on many occasions. She checked her pocket for her wand. Yes, it was there. Better safe than sorry. The witch opened the door.

"Come in, Alfonso. Forgive the state of the villa. I'm packing," she said.

The wizard eased his way in, smiling broadly. He hoped she hadn't disassembled her bed. He looked at the witch. She was beautiful. Exotic. Yes, he had other women, but none like Isadora. Alfonso longed to feel her long, ebony hair draped across him as he took her. If he failed to seduce her tonight, it would probably never happen.

Isadora looked at him speculatively.

"Alfonso," she said, "I'm no Legilimens, but even I can see what's going on in your head. You are not going to seduce me. If you want to spend time with me, make yourself useful and help me pack."

Alfonso shrugged and took off his blazer. He had on a crisp, white shirt underneath that fit him well. He was a headturner of a wizard. But Isadora wasn't interested in sleeping with him. She wasn't a prude mind you. She just wasn't attracted to him. Dominant, insistent men were not her forte any longer after Darius. But it wasn't just that.

Isadora was still a relatively young, but mature witch in her late fifties. When she arrived in Naples she had one encounter with a wizard, and found that it was quite unsatisfying although the wizard was very sweet, passionate and attentive to her needs. He did his best to please her. He just didn't have the drive or the tool necessary. Darius was a cruel man, but he had been a powerful lover and that was the kind of lover Isadora's body was used to and craved. Rather than be frustrated, she decided to live a celibate life.

Alfonso walked over to a table full of knickknacks, took out his wand and started wrapping them in newspapers, his mind working a thousand kilometers an hour as he did so. Isadora was such a beautiful, desirable witch. He didn't understand why she didn't respond to him. He could tell she hadn't been made love to in a long time. He decided to put a bit of pressure on her.

"Isadora, why are you such a cold woman?" he asked her. "You are too beautiful to be so cold."

Actually the witch wasn't cold at all. She was quite a warm human being. The wizard hoped by implying she was frigid, he could get a rise out of her.

Isadora frowned at him for a moment.

"I assure you, Alfonso, I am not a cold woman. I take it you are implying that I am frigid in order to make me 'prove' to you that I am not," she said evenly. "It won't work. I don't have to prove anything to you or any wizard. You should accept my decision and not try to pressure me."

Alfonso turned to her, his gray eyes pleading.

"But Isadora, I can't help how I feel for you. I dream of you. I can barely eat because of you. I toss and turn all night thinking of you in my arms. I would love you like no other wizard ever loved you," he said, taking a step toward her.

Isadora snorted as she reduced the sofa.

"Alfonso…I know about your other witches. You certainly aren't sex-starved," she said.

Alfonso stopped at this. Damn it.

"No other woman compares to you, Isadora," he said, making the most sincere face he could as he returned to the knickknacks. He stood on the other side of the table so he could look at the witch as he worked.

Isadora actually laughed.

"Where did you dig up that line, Alfonso? You really should have brushed the cobwebs off of it before you used it," she said, smiling.

Alfonso looked indignant and hurt.

"Line? What line? I was being sincere," he said. "No one compares to your beauty, Isadora. I've never had a woman like you."

"And you probably never will," she concluded for him, picking up the shrunken sofa and depositing it into a rather large box. "In case you didn't know, Alfonso…ALL women are one of a kind. Not just me. And that is another reason I am not drawn to you. You have no capacity to differentiate between women. It is all conquest with you. Well, I am not a city under siege, and you are not a storming army that will breach my walls. My virtue will not be 'run through' and die on the edge of your very used sword. We are going to separate as friends, Alfonso."

Alfonso raised his eyebrows at her hopefully.

"Friends without privileges," she amended, leveling her dark eyes at him soberly before walking over to an armchair and miniaturizing it.

Alfonso clutched his heart with both hands, an agonized look on his handsome face.

"Ah, you wound me to my heart, Isadora," he gasped.

"There's some healing potion in the bathroom," the witch replied nonchalantly, picking up the little armchair and putting it in the box with the sofa.

Alfonso realized he was never going to shag Isadora. The wizard finished wrapping the knickknacks, put them neatly in the box on the table, added some padding and sealed it. He picked up a marker and wrote, "Knacks" on the box. He put his blazer back on and approached the witch. It was time to say goodbye.

"I am going to miss you, Isadora. This will be the last time I see you. It will be too painful otherwise," he said, taking her hand and kissing it. It was soft and fine in his large hand. He looked down at it, then at her.

"Perhaps, a kiss?" he asked her.

Isadora didn't like the glint in his eye. He'd go overboard if she kissed him.

"No, I don't think so, Alfonso," she said

"Very well," he sighed, releasing her hand, walking to the door and opening it.

"Ciao, Bella," he said, giving her a small bow.

"Ciao, Alfonso. Have a good life," the witch said sincerely.

"Without you, I don't see how that's possible," he said smoothly. One more shot.

"I'm sure you'll find a way," Isadora replied, rolling her eyes.

Alfonso clutched his heart again.

"Again, you wound me," he gasped.

"Then you'd better get a move on, Alfonso, before you are wounded too deeply to recover," she said smiling at him.

The wizard would be fine. He'd probably find some comfort in one of his other paramours' arms tonight.

Alfonso gave her a brilliant smile, bowed again and departed, closing the door behind him.

Isadora let out a sigh of relief and was about to drop to the sofa before she realized she had shrunk it.

Alfonso had given seducing the witch his best. Too bad for him his best wasn't good enough.

Isadora looked around the almost empty living room. She had done well today. She would ship her things to London. The first thing she would do would find a house in muggle London or a surrounding area. She still could work, but she needed to be connected to the net. The magical world was wonderful, but they knew next to nothing about cable modems or the Internet.

Humming, the witch walked into the bedroom. That was the next room to pack up.

In a matter of days she would be reunited with her son.

Isadora hoped it would be a happy reunion.

---

The flight to London was bittersweet for Isadora, the bitter part being the passenger on her right who had a fear of flying and the sweet part being a three-month-old blonde-haired infant held protectively in the arms of his mother on her left. Of course the fearful flyer had the window seat, not thinking to arrange his seating when he made his travel arrangements over the Internet.

Isadora could have easily afforded the price of first class seating and avoided the situation she found herself in, but she had a preference for economy class…finding that the most ordinary, garden-variety muggles traveled this way. They were much more interesting than the stuffy, nose-in-the-ass first class muggle traveler who thought their shit had the heady aroma of spring flowers.

Isadora found herself casting a relaxation spell on Mr. "We're-All-Going-to-Die-and-Disprove-the-Theory-of-the-Safety-of-Plane-Travel-Compared-to-Automobiles" with her disillusioned wand, his wide-eyed mutterings of impending death at fifty-thousand feet irritating her beyond her normal limit. He went slack-mouthed and his eyes glazed and he didn't say another word until they landed.

Isadora cooed at the baby next to her, longing to hold him…but one look at his mother showed she wasn't going to hand her baby to a stranger, no matter how smitten she was. The baby's blue eyes were fixed on Isadora's face, and he gave her a smile, followed closely by a rather large burp for a small child. Isadora's pale face softened. In a few months, she'd be holding her own grandchild. Fate had been kind.

As the plane flew over the English Channel, Isadora began to feel a bit of apprehension. She hadn't seen her son in many years. How would he receive her? The tone of his letter clearly showed he missed her, but she didn't know how much he had changed. Would he accept an embrace from her? Severus had stopped showing her physical affection after joining Voldemort, though he always spoke to her with respect. It was as if he was closing in upon himself, no longer allowing himself to feel or express emotions. It had saddened Isadora. She had known his association with such an evil wizard would have that result. How else could he stomach the horrible acts committed?

Yet, he had turned from the Dark Lord…not only turned but also attempted to bring him down, living as a spy among his ranks. Her son had courage, that was for sure. Severus had kept his conscience and his power, she was certain. He was also well known and respected in his chosen field of Potions. She had read some articles about him speaking at conferences and seminars. He had even come to Naples for an International Potions Conference, but he couldn't visit her. He was still a member of the Dark Lord's ranks, and as such couldn't risk her being discovered. She remembered a photo she had seen of him. It was in a wizarding newspaper where the images moved, but her son didn't move, his face somber, unsmiling…his eyes hard as if he didn't want to be photographed.

Isadora sighed as the plane banked, going into its descent. In a little while, her questions as to how her son would receive her would be answered. A lump formed in the witch's throat. Well, there was nothing for it. No matter how cold her feet were getting. She was returning home and embarking on a new life. She would make the best of it.

---

At the airport, Severus was nervously looking at the flight boards, his knee jumping as he sat folded in the small waiting room chair. Hermione said beside him, looking pale. She was extremely nervous about meeting his mother. Her hair was pulled back in a ponytail, and she wore house slippers because her feet sometimes swelled so badly her shoes wouldn't fit properly. The witch wore a blue maternity top, and white maternity pants. Her round belly was quite obvious beneath it. She rode the moving sidewalks to the waiting room area, Severus walking beside her on the outside, not trusting the moving strip of metal. He was dressed in his black robes as always and drew many curious looks.

"Must be some kind of priest or monk," one woman said to her gaping husband as the tall, pale wizard strode past them. The husband looked at the very pregnant witch he was in step with.

"I don't think he's a priest," he said.

Severus looked out the large windows and watched planes land and take off. He didn't like planes. They didn't look safe, and the fact that such large, heavy objects flew without magic seemed…just plain unnatural. He had never been on one. Even when he traveled to Europe he used a port key. It was a long, disorienting journey, but he felt much safer trusting in magic to deliver him safely, rather than the huge metal birdlike machines muggles created.

"There's her plane," Hermione said as a large plane taxied up to the passenger boarding area, locking into the long tunnel.

Severus rose to his feet, and stared at the door the departing passengers would exit through, his heart pounding. Hermione looked up at him, but remained seated. This was his moment and she didn't want to interfere.

The door opened and the passengers streamed out into the arms and smiles of those waiting for them. Severus' black eyes remained locked on that small door as if it were the only point in the universe. Finally he saw her.

Isadora walked into the waiting room, her black eyes scanning the crowd of passengers. She was dressed in a white blouse, blue jeans and trainers, her hair twisted into a bun. She carried a small overnight bag that was crammed with her entire miniaturized wardrobe. As the people thinned she saw a tall, pale wizard standing in front of a cluster of airline chairs, a small, chestnut-haired, pregnant and pretty young woman seated behind him.

"Severus?" she said as she looked across the room at him.

"Mother," Severus said hoarsely as his eyes swept over her. She didn't seem to have aged at all.

Isadora felt a powerful emotion sweep over her as she saw her son. He was tall, pale and somber, but he was her child, her child that she hadn't seen in many, many years. The witch dropped her bag and started walking toward him, then she began to trot, then she broke out into a run.

"Severus!" she cried as she ran into his arms and embraced him, her hand finding his silky hair and caressing it as the wizard embraced her just as tightly, leaning his head against her shoulder, his heart swelling.

"Mother," he whispered, unable to speak any further.

Isadora pulled back and kissed him on his cheeks several times as if he were a little child. Severus accepted her kisses, a little smirk on his face. He reddened slightly.

Isadora moved out of his embrace and stared up into his face, then reached out a hand and caressed his cheek.

"It's been so long, my son," she said softly, black eyes meeting black eyes.

Severus felt choked, as if his words were stuck in his throat. His eyes glistened as he looked at her. She was still beautiful. She was just as he remembered her.

"I'm…I'm glad you're back, Mother," he managed to get out. Isadora hugged him again.

"I'm glad to be back, Severus. I won't be leaving again. I'm home for good," she said in a soft voice. "I've read about your exploits, Severus. How you are a hero and a respected Potions Master. You've made me very proud, my son. Very proud indeed. I always knew you would."

Severus swallowed, deeply affected by his mother's words. No matter how old or jaded a man gets, he can't help but be softened and comforted by his mother's love. The wizard couldn't speak, so he nodded, and stepped aside, gesturing toward Hermione who was looking at both of them, tears in her eyes.

"Mother, this is Hermione. My wife-to-be and the mother of my child," he said, with a little pride in his voice.

After a couple of failed tries of rising on her own, Hermione said to Severus, who was staring at his mother, "Er…Severus…do you mind helping me up?"

Isadora grinned as her son rushed over to Hermione and helped her to her feet.

She was very, very pregnant. Isadora hid her grin and looked sober as her gaze washed over Hermione. She was such a small witch, chestnut-haired with lovely amber eyes. There was intelligence in those eyes, and nervousness. The witch held out her hand.

"Hello, Mrs. Snape," she said in a small voice.

"Mrs. Snape?" Isadora said imperiously, frowning. "How dare you call me Mrs. Snape!"

Hermione cringed and Severus started. What was his mother doing? Surely she would like Hermione. Wouldn't she?

Suddenly his mother's face softened and she spread her arms wide and enfolded Hermione in a warm, loving embrace.

"Call me Isadora," she said softly and kissed Hermione on her cheek, then pulled back and looked down at her intensely, holding the witch's shoulders with both hands. "Thank you for making my son happy, Hermione, and thank you for my grandchild. I am most grateful."

Hermione looked toward Severus, who was grinning slightly at seeing the two women he loved most in the world connecting. He had been a bit scared there when his mother spoke so sharply. Isadora could see the love in the witch's eyes as she looked at he son. So it was real. She was glad of that. Severus was quite well off and gold diggers abounded. But this witch was no gold digger. Hermione loved her son.

"He's made me very happy, too, Isadora. Very happy," she said.

"And very pregnant," Isadora quipped as Severus retrieved her bag. Hermione blushed.

Isadora quickly addressed the blush.

"Don't worry about that. I married under much the same conditions as you, my dear," Isadora said, "Unfortunately, Severus' father was not as happy about the situation as my son obviously is. But I will tell you about that another time."

Isadora looked at Hermione's engagement ring appraisingly. It wasn't a quickie ring by a long shot. It seemed her son had chosen the ring with care.

"Nice stones," she said, winking at the witch and taking her arm as Severus walked up to them with his mother's bag.

"Shall we go, ladies?" he asked.

"Yes, I need to get my luggage, then check into my hotel," Isadora said.

"Hotel?" Severus and Hermione said together, looking at the witch, startled.

"But, Mother…I thought you'd be staying with us," Severus said, holding her bag possessively.

"Do you have Internet access?" Isadora asked him, her eyebrow arched.

Severus looked taken aback. Internet?

"Er…no. We don't," he replied, scowling a little.

"Well, I need access to the Net," Isadora said. "I still have to work, you know."

"No you don't," Severus said rather stubbornly.

"Yes I do," Isadora said, just as stubbornly as they walked through the airport. "I did not come back to England to live off my son and his new wife. I know you have money, Severus…but so do I. Plus, if I didn't work, what would I do?"

"Watch your grandchild," Severus said as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"I can do that and work," Isadora responded, her eyes dropping towards Hermione's belly for a moment, then looking at the witch, smiling. "I will be working from home."

Severus scowled.

"But…Mother," he began.

Isadora gave him a slight frown that shut him up immediately. It was "The Look". You didn't go against "The Look".

Hermione smirked to see her snarky lover silenced by one look from his mother. Having Isadora around was going to be a real pleasure.

"Severus, my mind's made up. That's that," she said. Then she waved down a passing passenger cart. The smiling driver stopped.

"Come on, Severus," Isadora said, guiding Hermione to the cart and helping her in. She climbed in after her and settled in the seat beside the pregnant witch. "Hermione can't walk all the way to the baggage pick-up."

Severus eyed the cart for a moment, then obediently climbed in, sitting across from his mother and Hermione.

"I don't like these contraptions," he muttered. "What if it gets away from him?"

Isadora looked at her son.

"Did I have you in the twentieth century or the sixteenth?" she asked the pale wizard, her nostrils flared slightly. "It's not like the driver is holding the reins of a team of restless hippogriffs. It's a motorized cart, Severus. He drives through here every day picking up passengers. Get a grip."

Hermione giggled. She couldn't help herself.

Severus glared at her.

"I still don't like them," he said under his breath, much the way a little boy would.

Hermione had to hold her belly. It was too funny watching Severus interact with his mother.

Isadora ignored Severus' protestations and told the driver what baggage pickup area they needed to go to and they were off.

Hermione was feeling much better about this. Isadora was certainly going to make life much more interesting.

---

After Isadora checked into her hotel and got her things in order, she, Severus and Hermione apparated to the couple's home in Little Hangelton. Isadora exclaimed at how cute the little house was, smiling at her son in approval.

Severus let them in, and Eli came running up to the front foyer.

"Master, you and the Mistress is home and…" the elf suddenly stopped as his brown eyes fell on Isadora. Severus and Hermione did not tell him she would be arriving. They had wanted to surprise the elf.

"Hello Eli," said Isadora, smiling down at the house elf with affection.

Eli stood trembling with emotion at the sight of his Mistress. The elf hadn't seen her in many years. When he was in service to Isadora during her marriage to Darius, the elf was not allowed in the man's presence nor was he allowed to cook meals, because the man feared the elf would poison him, which was quite possible actually.

Darius hated Eli because the elf had hexed him early in his marriage to Isadora, when he had hit the witch in his presence. The man had been pinned to the ceiling then dropped to the floor several times. Isadora had been pregnant at the time and the enraged elf was about to kill the muggle when she stopped him.

Darius had threatened to leave her and her unborn baby unless the Eli left their house. It took some time to make the muggle realize the house elf was bound to the witch through her family and could not leave her. So an agreement was reached that the elf would not interfere in their marriage and would not ever be in Darius' presence.

Eli was Severus' constant caretaker, companion and playmate and slept in his room. Although he was a house elf, he provided more of a positive male influence than Severus' father did. Eli was also the one who doctored Isadora and Severus with magic after her husband's beatings. If not for the elf, Isadora would most likely be horribly disfigured. He also did much of the housework, so Darius never had any complaints about the condition of his home, which was always spotless. He found other reasons to rage. When Darius died, Eli was elated. He could serve Isadora openly again. Under his care and kindness, the witch flourished.

When Isadora moved to Naples, Eli's service was transferred to Severus, who put him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens with the other elves for a while. After the wizard purchased the house in Little Hangelton, he sent Eli there to take care of it.

Eli was quite a special house elf. For example, he could read, write and do basic mathematical equations. Since he served Severus the most when he was a child, Severus taught the elf how to do the schoolwork he did. Eli was actually his first pupil and quite bright. This made the elf invaluable. He had access to Severus' Gringotts account and kept the house supplied with what was needed.

Eli looked up at the witch. His reaction was much like his Master's. He couldn't speak.

Isadora stepped forward, knelt and caressed the elf's head between his ears. Eli burst into tears.

"Mistress," the blubbering elf croaked, "Oh, Mistress. It is good to sees you!"

"Dear, sweet Eli," Isadora said, then she hugged the little creature gently. Eli stiffened a moment, then melted into the hug, his scaly arms encircling the witch's neck as he patted her back, feeling that she was real.

"You goes so far away," the elf said, sniffling as he pulled back from her. "Master says no owls, no contact. He says to pretend you is dead. So Eli did."

The elf's ears shot forward.

"But you was never dead to Eli, Mistress. You was always alive, right here," he said, pointing to his chest.

"Yes, Eli. And now I am back to stay. You can see me when you want," Isadora said softly, giving his head another rub before rising.

"Staying? Staying Master?" Eli said, turning to Severus excitedly, "She is staying here with us, Master?"

"No Eli. Mother has an independent streak. She wants to live wild among the muggles," he said scowling. Isadora frowned up at her son as did Hermione.

"Severus…" both Hermione and Isadora began, ganging up on him already. The wizard held up a pale hand, knowing he was outnumbered.

"She will be living in London," he amended, his face screwed up in distaste. "So she can Work."

They walked into the living room. Hermione maneuvered herself on to the couch then looked up at Severus.

"I hope you don't give me this much trouble when I want to go to work," she said to the wizard who was walking over to the liquor cabinet to fix himself a small firewhiskey. He picked up a glass and opened the glass doors, removing a bottle of deep amber liquor.

"Of course not," Severus replied, pouring a drink, "You will be doing valuable work in whatever magical field you choose, not sending wizards and witches to their deaths in muggle airplanes," he said.

"Severus!" Hermione said, starting to scold him for talking down about his mother's field of work.

Isadora simply laughed as she watched Severus fix his drink.

"Make me one of those, please son," she said.

Severus frowned at her.

"You drink, Mother?" he asked her, his eyebrows raised in slight disapproval.

"No. I swallow, Severus. The drink, please?" she retorted.

Hermione could see where the Potions Master's sarcasm came from.

Severus reached into the cabinet again to pull out a bottle of white wine. Isadora scowled at him.

"I said one of those, Severus. A Firewhiskey," she said evenly.

Severus put the wine back and fixed his mother a drink and brought it over to her. He watched as she knocked it back, let out a loud "aaarrgh" and handed the glass back to him.

"That hit the spot after my journey. Thank you," she said.

"You're welcome," the Potions Master said rather snarkily.

Isadora looked at him warningly as if to say "watch your tone with me, young man. I'm still your mother."

Severus sullenly scourgified the glass and returned it to the cabinet. Eli appeared with a tall glass of milk for Hermione.

"Thank you, Eli," Hermione said, taking the glass from the elf, who nodded and stood there, staring at Isadora. He still couldn't believe she was here.

Suddenly the flames in the fireplace turned green with a "foomph!"

"What the…" Severus began as Raucous soared through the flames. The raven landed on his shoulder and preened the wizard's hair in greeting. Then he looked at Hermione and clipped his beak at her. She gave him a hello scowl in return. His beady black eyes focused on Isadora and his beak dropped open.

"And who is this handsome bird?" Isadora asked, admiring the glossy raven.

"That's Raucous, Severus' familiar. You'd better watch out for him because he's…" Hermoine began.

Raucous winged his way over to Isadora and landed on the arm of the armchair, looking up at her. Isadora caressed the raven and Raucous leaned into her hand.

"How sweet," the witch said as Hermione's mouth dropped open.

The little suck-up.

Raucous looked up at the witch's glossy black hair and dark eyes, immediately smitten. She looked very much like his master. The raven looked at Severus and sent him an image of two fledglings in a nest followed by a question mark.

"No Raucous, she's not my sister…she's my mother," he said to the bird. Raucous stared at him in disbelief before looking back at the witch.

"My, what a complimentary little creature you are," Isadora said to Raucous softly, caressing him again. Raucous fairly purred.

Hermione thought she would be sick.

He sent Severus an image of his mother's face, surrounded by a huge heart and little Raucouses flying around it in formation.

"He likes you, mother," Severus said.

Isadora smiled down at the raven.

"Well I like him too. His name is Raucous? What a strange name for such a darling bird," Isadora said.

"You haven't gotten to know him yet," Hermione said. "It fits, believe me."

Raucous looked at her and puffed up threateningly before turning back to Isadora and hopping up on her shoulder, careful not to grip her too hard. He preened at her hair a bit.

"Oh good gods," Hermione said in disgust as Severus smirked at the bird.

Raucous knew how to ingratiate himself when need be. He couldn't shit on his Master's mother after all. He probably wouldn't have anyway. But then again…who knew.

Severus looked at Eli, who was still staring as if star-struck at Isadora.

"Eli? Dinner?" he asked the elf, who started, then bowed.

"Oh yes, of course Master. I will fix it right away," he said, smiling at Isadora then winking out.

"He certainly is happy to see you," Hermione said, smiling.

"I am happy to see him too. Without Eli, life would have been even that much harder. He was a godsend, that elf. We owe him so much. I would have given him his freedom long ago, but he wouldn't dream of taking clothes," Isadora said wistfully. "He practically raised Severus."

"You're both his family," Hermione said, "He would never leave his family."

Isadora looked at the pregnant witch.

"You are his family too now. You and the child you carry. He will serve you as he has served us all these years. It isn't all duty to the elf," she said. "He is capable of great love."

"Yes," Hermione agreed softly, remembering when the elf asked to touch her belly and spoke so gently and lovingly to her unborn child. "Yes, I believe he is."

Isadora studied the young witch. She was very pretty. She wondered how she and Severus became engaged. She was sure as she looked at her somber son, staring into his firewhiskey, that he had been quite a challenge. The years had affected him. He had a rather hard look about him. But the look softened from time to time when he looked at her or Hermione…so he was still capable of feeling.

Isadora looked at Hermione appraisingly. Or else, she had made him feel again. The witch was curious.

"Hermione, how did you and Severus get together?" she asked the witch.

Severus looked up at his mother, startled.

"Well, I was his student," Hermione said, "At Hogwarts. For several years…"

Isadora looked up at her son, her eyebrows raised.

"A student? Severus…you didn't seduce a student did you?" she asked him.

Severus spluttered.

"Of course not Mother," he said, frowning. "I was the epitome of propriety while Hermione was in school. I was aware she had a bit of a crush on me, but it meant nothing. She was quite the annoying little know-it-all then. Chattered incessantly and broke rules all the time. Hardly my type," he said scowling a bit.

"Obviously, she became your 'type'", Isadora replied, her eyes resting on Hermione's belly then looking up at her son. Severus reddened for the second time that day in his mother's presence.

"Only after she had been in university for several years and returned to Hogwarts as an intern," he replied, "And even then…"

Then he stopped, realizing he couldn't tell this story to his own mother.

"Let Hermione tell you," he said shortly. "She orchestrated all of this."

Hermione grinned a bit. She certainly had.

Isadora looked at the witch with a new respect in her eyes. Orchestrated this, eh? She must be quite a determined little witch. Her son sounded as if he had disliked the woman at one time. Severus was quite stubborn. Once he disliked something, it usually stayed disliked. Isadora really wanted to know more now.

"Hermione, you only have one day left before the wedding. Do you need help with anything?" Isadora asked her, pretending to change the subject. Actually she wanted to get Hermione alone, knowing she had a better chance of getting the full candid story out of her son's presence.

Hermione looked at her, desperation in her eyes.

"Actually, I need help with everything, Isadora," she said, her eyes starting to glisten with tears. Isadora stood up, Raucous still on her shoulder. The bird flew back to Severus as the witch crossed to Hermione and helped her out of the chair.

"Don't cry, Hermione. I'll help you, dear. Don't worry. Everything will be fine," Isadora said softly.

Hermione burst into tears and Isadora hugged her as Severus looked at his mother helplessly. Hermione seemed to be always bursting into tears. The wizard approached them.

"Is there anything I can do, Hermione?" he asked. She shook her head against Isadora's shoulder.

"I'll take care of her, Severus. She needs a woman right now. Where's your bedroom?" Isadora asked. Severus pointed down the hall.

"Last room on the right," he said, looking at Hermione anxiously. Isadora released the witch and took her arm.

"Come on, Hermione. You'll feel better in a little while," she said, leading the sniffling witch toward the bedroom.

Severus watched them go, relieved his mother seemed to know what to do.

He certainly didn't.

---

Isadora led Hermione into the bedroom, closed the door and helped the witch to the bed, where she sat down on the edge of it, sniffling and wiping at her eyes. Isadora sat down next to her and looked at her sympathetically. She decided the best way to get the witch to calm down was to talk about the wedding.

"Do you have your dress picked out?" Isadora asked Hermione.

"Yes, but it's white, and I can't wear white, Isadora. I could change it but don't know what color to wear," she replied, calming a little. "Plus I look like a whale in it."

Isadora smirked a little.

"Where is the dress?" Isadora asked. Hermione pointed to the wardrobe.

Isadora got up and walked over to the wardrobe. She opened it. There were several robes and dresses in it. There was a large white one. The witch took it out. It looked a bit like a choir robe, long and shapeless. Isadora could see why Hermione was upset.

"All right. Undress and put this on. We're going to work on this dress," Isadora said with authority.

Hermione hesitated. She felt her body was so ugly she didn't want Isadora to see it. Isadora knew what was wrong immediately and wondered how Severus dealt with the witch concerning this issue. If Hermione didn't want her to see what she looked like, what kind of problems did she give Severus?

"Come now, Hermione. I've been pregnant. I know what changes our bodies go through. No matter how you feel, believe me…you are beautiful. Like a fertility goddess," Isadora said soothingly.

Hermione laughed. She had seen stone images of fertility goddesses. They did look like big, pregnant women with big round bellies and full breasts.

"I'm sure Severus finds you beautiful," Isadora said softly.

"He says he does," Hermione replied, beginning to pull off her shirt.

Her breasts were barely contained by her bra. Isadora made a mental note to go pick her up a few better fitting ones. Her belly was big and round, a dark line running from under her navel into her pants.

"I had a line like that…and what was worse, my pubic hair started growing right up to my navel," Isadora commented. "I cried buckets."

This made Hermione feel better. At least her pubic hair stayed where it belonged. She pulled off her pants, revealing a huge pair of white granny knickers. Isadora turned her head and smiled. She remembered those too.

"You're laughing at me," Hermione said, her mouth turning downwards.

Isadora turned back toward her, still smiling.

"No, Hermione. I'm not laughing at you, dear. I was just remembering what it was like to wear those huge knickers. It was very hard to feel sexy in them, that's for sure," the witch said.

"It's been months since I've felt sexy," Hermione said as Isadora helped her on with the dress.

From over her shoulder, Isadora asked her candidly, "Does Severus find you sexy?"

Hermione sighed.

"I think I could sprout long coarse hair all over my body and Severus would still be interested in me," she responded.

Isadora laughed a rich, throaty laugh.

"Obviously he loves you very much," Isadora said.

"Yes," Hermione said. "I believe he does. He said he does."

Hermione's answer warmed Isadora's heart. Her son never said anything he didn't mean, even as a child he stuck to his word as best he could. If he told the witch he loved her, then he did.

"If he said it, he meant it, Hermione," Isadora said, turning Hermione and stepping back to look at her, drawing her wand out of her jean pocket.

Hermione was right. The dress did make her look like a whale. It was long and shapeless except where it draped over her belly.

"See? I look awful. Severus will run from the dais if he sees me coming toward him like this," Hermione said, her voice cracking slightly as she readied herself to cry again.

"I'm sure my son has seen things more frightening than you in a wedding dress," Isadora said, rubbing her chin as she studied the witch. "Well, would you like me to cast a slimming spell on the dress? Then you wouldn't look so pregnant."

Hermione's eyes lit up.

"Oh, could you?" she breathed.

Isadora nodded. It was a trick she had learned from an Italian seamstress in Naples. She made a few motions with her wand, then flicked it at Hermione. Immediately, her stomach went down significantly.

"It's just a glamour," Isadora said as Hermione smoothed her front. She could still feel her enormous belly, she just couldn't see it. She was still slightly rounded. She looked to be about four months.

"Oh, it's wonderful," Hermione said, looking down at herself.

"You won't look like you're waddling either," Isadora said. "But you will be."

Hermione smiled at her. She was feeling much better about the ceremony now. Then she frowned.

"What about the color? I can't wear white," the witch said.

"That's easy. Has Eli told you what you're having yet?" Isadora asked the witch.

"Yes, a boy," Hermione replied.

Isadora's face lit up. A grandson.

The witch waved her wand at Hermione again, and the dress turned baby blue.

"There you go," Isadora said.

Hermione loved it.

"We'll add a decorative belt, some flowers and some jewelry to add some pizzazz to the dress. Just leave that to me. You're going to look beautiful," Isadora said. "And you can wear your slippers underneath. No one will see them and you will be more comfortable."

Hermione looked at the witch in front of her. Isadora was so unlike what she imagined Severus' mother would be like. The young witch had thought she'd be a broken woman, one whom such a hard life would have beaten down into a mousy, retiring shadow of her former self. But Isadora wasn't like that at all. Not only did Severus get his looks from his mother, he had also received her strength and resiliency.

"I'm not what you imagined, am I Hermione?" Isadora asked her.

"No, Isadora. You're not. You are much kinder than I thought you'd be," Hermione said hesitatingly.

"I take it because Severus is so severe," Isadora said.

"Yes, and because…because…"

Here Hermione faltered.

"Because of the kind of life Severus and I lived with his father," Isadora finished for her.

Hermione nodded.

"Severus told you about it?" Isadora asked.

"No," Hermione admitted. "He started having nightmares after we invited you to the wedding. Terrible nightmares where he would shout and struggle, but had no recollection of the next morning. Finally, I couldn't stand it anymore, and looked into his mind. He still doesn't know I know."

Isadora looked at her appraisingly. She had used legilimency to find out what was troubling her son. The witch had nerve. Isadora helped her to the bed and sat down beside her.

"I met Severus' father Darius when I was quite young. Just out of school really. He was a laborer…did brickwork. He was much older than me, but tall, handsome, with a voice that could melt magma. Whenever he spoke to me, I felt as if he were caressing me," she said wistfully.

Hermione could understand this. Severus did the same thing to her.

"I worked in muggle London as a clerk for a dress shop. My parents came from a long line of purebloods but almost all our wealth was gone, so I had to work to help out. I used to pass Darius every morning and every evening. One day he fell in step beside me and walked me to the shop. He told me I was the most delicate, beautiful woman he had ever seen…and the way he looked at me…gods."

I didn't know anything about men, Hermione. And Darius affected me so much. One evening about two months after I met him, as I was walking past the site he was working at, he reached out and grabbed me, pulling me into the building with him. He told me he just had to kiss me, and he did, and it was the sweetest thing I had ever felt. I wanted so much more. It didn't take him long to give it to me. He took my virginity and I became his lover. And what a lover he was," Isadora breathed.

Hermione flushed. Severus must have taken after his father in the sex department.

"We didn't have the kind of birth control then that's available now. There were condoms, but Darius hated them. He would pull out of me to keep me from getting pregnant. Not a very safe way to practice safe sex, but it was what we did. One night, he got carried away and couldn't help himself. He didn't pull away and I got pregnant immediately. He was very unhappy about it. Then, I told him I was a witch and showed him some simple spells. At first he was frightened, but soon got used to the idea and said he'd marry me. My father helped 'convince' him, however. He showed up at Darius' flat one night and had a talk with him. Darius would never tell me what was said between them. He just showed up with a ring. My father died shortly after the wedding. Severus is almost the spitting image of his grandfather."

Hermione could almost imagine what that 'talk' was like if Isadora's father was anything like Severus. Isadora's eyes darkened as she continued.

"I didn't realize Darius was marrying me primarily because I was a witch. He didn't understand what a witch was. He thought of me more like a genie than a witch. When he found out I couldn't make wishes come true, he claimed I'd trapped him into marriage by getting pregnant, snapped my wand and beat me for the first time. Eli nearly killed him and I had to restrict the elf in order for Darius to stay with Severus and me. So I stayed married to him. I was brought up in the wizarding ways, and marriages were supposed to be forever, so even though he beat me, I couldn't leave him. It would be the ultimate shame in my eyes to leave my marriage. My mother died when Severus was two, and I have no relatives, so there was no where to go anyway."

"Severus had a hard life, though I gave him all the love and support I could, and protected him from Darius as much as possible. Eli helped immensely. He was more of a father to Severus than his own father. I taught Severus to be strong and courageous despite what was happening to us, telling him it wouldn't always be this way. But Darius was getting worse and worse in his abuse, and when Severus was in his sixth year at Hogwarts, his father became very sick. No one knew why, though he went to doctor after doctor. He was just wasting away. Finally he died, and I was free. Then Severus joined the Dark Lord, which broke my heart."

Hermione looked at Isadora. She knew why Darius had died. Severus poisoned him to protect his mother.

"A couple of years later, Severus came to me. He was so different. So cold, his eyes so empty. He told me something had changed and I needed to leave the country. I didn't want to go, but Severus insisted and made arrangements for me to go to Naples. Dumbledore helped, providing the galleons. Severus was now a teacher at Hogwarts. He told me I couldn't contact him at all. That there could be no contact between us until Voldemort was destroyed. He didn't even kiss me goodbye, though his eyes were wet when I departed. I got a job as a travel agent and hadn't seen him from that day until this," Isadora said, drawing a deep breath.

"Now he is free of Voldemort, respected in the wizarding world, marrying a witch who loves him and becoming a father. And I can share in it. We are a family again. A growing family," she said rubbing Hermione's invisible belly lightly and smiling at the witch. "Our early life all seems like a bad dream now."

Isadora took Hermione's hand, patting it and looking into her amber eyes.

"You've heard my story," Isadora said, "Now tell me yours."

Hermione took a deep breath and did so, beginning with her finding out she was a muggle-born witch and discovering the magical world. Then she told of her association with Harry Potter.

Isadora frowned slightly.

"Harry Potter. His father was James Potter. I remember him. He saved Severus from being killed by a werewolf. But he and his friends always targeted my son, and made his time here at Hogwarts miserable. I always had to talk him out of really hurting those four. Severus would be so angry. I think they were part of the reason he joined the Dark Lord," Isadora said darkly.

Hermione continued, hesitating when she came to the part of suddenly finding herself very attracted to the dark wizard.

"He was so commanding. So intelligent…his voice…" Hermione tried to explain.

"I know what you mean, Hermione," Isadora told her. "He has his father's voice."

Hermione went on, telling Isadora how she couldn't get him out of her mind or her heart and how she had saved herself, hoping to tell him how she felt about him one day. And what happened when she did, and how Severus went out of his way to make her dislike him and the small wars that occurred between them. And about Raucous.

The witch laughed at some of the situations her son went through with the witch, and what Hermione went through with Raucous.

Hermione also told Isadora about the state Severus would be in when he returned from the Dark Lord. Tears came to his mother's eyes as Hermione described his condition, and how he would always return to try and get more information to help the Order.

"He suffered greatly," Isadora whispered, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"He is the bravest wizard alive," Hermione said, "He did it all without acknowledgement. Without appreciation. He did it for the entire wizarding world. But I appreciated him."

Hermione told Isadora how Severus finally accepted her…but didn't profess any love for her. And how she took a Wizard's Oath to allay his fears.

"You bound yourself to him?" Isadora said, amazed.

"I didn't want anyone else," Hermione said.

Isadora shook her head. "You are already married to him, then Hermione. You just haven't had the ceremony yet."

Hermione gave her a slight smile.

"How did he treat you?" Isadora asked the witch.

Hermione hesitated.

"Like his personal sex slave, at first" Hermione admitted.

Isadora nodded. He was very much like his father.

"Then we split up after an argument," she continued.

"I bet he realized he missed you," Isadora said.

"Yes. He admitted to having a 'deep, abiding fondness' for me," Hermione replied.

"A what?" Isadora said, her eyebrows almost raised to her hairline in amazement.

"A deep, abiding fondness," Hermione repeated.

Isadora shook her head.

"Talk about sidestepping," she said, "Did you accept that?"

"Not totally. I came back when he admitted feeling affection towards me. That made me hopeful. There were a few rough moments after that, but then he started to treat me different. With more care and tenderness then he had. He didn't treat me like such a plaything all the time. Then the end of the year came and I left Hogwarts, promising I'd see him. But I found out I was pregnant and tried to hide it from him. He had wanted me to move into this house, and I had agreed to…but went back to my dorm when university was about to start."

"He came looking for you, didn't he?" Isadora asked.

"Yes, and found out I was pregnant with his child. He moved me from the dorm and into his house, brought me a ring and asked me to marry him. But I didn't accept because I knew he was only doing it because of the baby, not because he loved me. I didn't want to trap him into marriage that way. I wanted him to want to marry me for me," Hermione said. "But I stayed with him."

"I see," Isadora said, "And what happened to change your mind?"

"Well, Eli did. He told me Severus did love me, and made me see it for myself. He loved me, he just couldn't say it. I was satisfied with that and told him I'd marry him."

"Yet, you said he told you he loved you," Isadora said. "When did that occur?"

Hermione flushed furiously. She wasn't about to tell Severus' mother that the wizard admitted it to her after she had given him a blowjob.

"After he went to the university and withdrew me because they were mistreating me because I was an unwed mother," she said, hoping Isadora would be satisfied with that.

"Yes, I remember how I was ostracized by the wizarding community when I began to show. It was horrible, but subsided once I had Darius' ring on my hand. It was as if I was transformed into something acceptable again. It made me so angry," Isadora said sympathetically.

"It made me angry too. It still makes me angry," Hermione said, her eyes narrowing.

Isadora looked at her approvingly. It seemed the witch had fire as well.

"In fact, it's not over. I'm just waiting to have the baby," Hermione seethed. "Some changes need to be made. And soon."

Somehow, Isadora knew that there was much more to the witch than was apparent on the surface. She was quite Slytherin-like to be a Gryffindor. Isadora had been in Slytherin as well and recognized a kindred spirit. Hermione would be able to keep Severus happy.

"Is that all there is to tell?" Isadora asked the witch.

Hermione shrugged.

"More like a 'to be continued' story," she said grinning at the witch. She felt a whole lot better after telling Isadora her and Severus' story. Like a weight had been lifted. And now she better understood Severus' past and his mother's as well. She took Isadora's hands in hers.

"Thank you for being so kind to me," Hermione said sincerely. Isadora slipped one hand from Hermione's and caressed the witch's cheek.

"How could I be anything less to the witch who is going to make me the happiest grandmother in the world?" she replied.

Suddenly there was a knock on the door.

"Mother? Hermione?"

It was Severus. The door started to open and Hermione was still in her wedding dress. Both witches screamed.

"Stay out!"

Shocked at their vehemence, Severus quickly closed the door.

"I just wanted to tell you that supper is ready," he said against the door.

What were they doing in there that he couldn't come in? The Potions Master felt rather left out.

"All right, we'll be there," his mother called back, "Now go away!"

Severus scowled at the door for a moment. His mother was ordering him about in his own house. He started to say something snarky, but thought better of it and headed toward the kitchen.

He smirked a bit as he walked.

At least his mother was here to annoy him. He had missed it. Terribly.

---

The morning of the wedding found the guests milling about the grounds of Hogwarts. A few white folding chairs had been set up, an aisle in the center which led to a small white dais on which had been erected a white wicker arch decorated generously with baby blue and white roses cascading down. A white decorative podium stood before the arch.

On the far right, a white piano stood as well as several music stands, a drum set, a violin and an electric guitar resting against its case. Ginny Weasley and two other witches stood discussing the processional song they would sing when Hermione was ready to proceed. On the left was a long table covered in baby blue and white where brunch would be served. A large three-tier wedding cake stood on the table with a surprisingly realistic scowling Severus and smiling Hermione on top. The cake was white with baby blue trimming and blue and white roses made of frosting.

A small tent had been erected, and Hermione whooshed into it at eight o'clock in the morning by Isadora, who was determined that her son see neither hide nor hair of his wife-to-be until the ceremony. Isadora, dressed in a dark blue dress, her long ebony hair brushed out and gleaming, put the finishing touches on her daughter-in-law. As good as her word, Isadora had found a blue and white belt to cinch the dress slightly, and a lovely necklace of baby blue sapphires to grace Hermione's neck. The witch wore matching sapphire earrings. Isadora swept Hermione's hair up into an elaborate roll and topped it off with a garland of baby blue and white roses. Hermione looked absolutely lovely.

"Severus is going to faint," Isadora said, smiling as she looked at Hermione, who stood up and waddled to the tent opening, though because of the glamour she didn't seem to waddle at all, and peeked out. She saw Severus.

He was standing next to Dumbledore near the dais, who was talking to him animatedly. The Potions Master looked paler than usual and was running his finger around the collar of his dress robes as if it were choking him. Raucous was on his shoulder. The raven wore a little sparkly tie that Isadora found for him. The raven loved sparkly things. He looked quite dashing, in his and Isadora's estimation.

"He looks close to fainting now," Hermione observed.

Isadora laughed.

"All wizards look like that before they get married. Come to think of it, muggle men do too. Now get back here before someone sees you," Isadora said. Hermione obediently returned and sat down. Isadora smiled at her.

"Nervous?" the witch asked the bride-to-be.

"Yes," Hermione said.

"Don't be. You'll do fine," Isadora said.

"There seem to be a lot more people than we invited," Hermione mused.

"Yes, wedding crashers are to be expected. It's bad form to throw them out," Isadora said, attacking a strand of Hermione's hair that had come loose. Then she looked at her watch.

"It's a quarter to ten. The ceremony will be starting soon. Are you ready?" she asked Hermione.

"Ready as I'll ever be," Hermione replied nervously.

Isadora smiled.

---

Ron, Harry and their girlfriends were seated behind Hermione's parents. The wizards looked at each other nervously. Both Hannah and Gretchen had a frightening glint in their eyes. Harry and Ron became aware of it shortly after receiving invitations to Hermione's wedding.

"That's the "I Want to Get Married Too" look," Ron informed Harry one night when they all went out to eat, and the women had excused themselves to go powder their noses.

Harry went white.

"It's because Hermione's getting married. She's opened the door," Ron continued in a low whisper. "We're in for it, mate."

"I'm too young to get married," Harry said, his glasses fogging slightly. He picked up a napkin, removed his glasses and cleaned them before putting them back on his face rather crookedly.

Ron grimaced.

"You? It's worse for me. I'm going to get it from both ends. Mum and Gretchen are both going to be after me," Ron said glumly. "I'm doomed, Harry. Doomed."

Now the young wizards sat beside their marriage-struck girlfriends, wondering what would happen after the ceremony.

"Snape looks kind of nervous," Harry said, looking at the wizard, whose black eyes were darting back and forth looking from the watch on his wrist to the tent that held Hermione.

"Yeah," Ron agreed, "His last few minutes of freedom. Never thought I'd feel sorry for Snape."

Gretchen elbowed Ron.

"It's the happiest day of his life," she hissed at the redheaded wizard.

"Yeah, he's absolutely brimming over with joy, Gretchen," Ron said sarcastically.

Remus Lupin stood quietly by the banquet table, sipping some black coffee. He was dressed in worn dress robes, and looked a bit tired. He ran his hand through his graying brown hair and looked at all the guests. Severus marrying Hermione. It had been a bit of a shock at first, but then again, it made sense Hermione would be drawn to someone as intelligent as the Potions Master. Plus, Severus deserved some happiness.

Remus noticed a rather tall, stately pale woman walk up the aisle and speak to Hermione's father who rose and walked back to the tent where Hermione was. The werewolf looked at the woman. She was beautiful, with long, black hair, dark eyes and a large but handsome, aristocratic nose. She looked a bit like…Severus. Who was she? His sister? Remus noticed the guest taking their seats and hurried over to take one of his own. He watched as the woman walked up to Severus, said something to him and placed a hand on his cheek gently. She then kissed him and walked over to a chair in the front row and sat down. Remus couldn't seem to take his eyes off her.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived and sat behind the woman, Mrs. Weasley looking around and smiling in approval. All of Hogwarts staff was present. Draco Malfoy and his father settled in the back row to witness the Potions Master's branding. Marcus also sat in the back, his violet eyes on Severus.

"So the old boy gave in after all," Marcus smirked to himself. Ah well, Hermione was officially off the wizard's list of "potential witches-to-shag"

Daily Prophet photographer Bozo Baggins had managed to crash the wedding too, hiding his camera under his bulky robes. He had kept the knowledge of the wedding to himself, hoping to scoop the newspapers with the first and hopefully only photograph of the couple.

Colin Creevey was also there, in the capacity of wedding photographer. Little did Bozo know, Colin planned to sell a photo or two himself.

There were a few of Hermione's classmates present as well, who had heard about the wedding through Ron. Dean Thomas, Neville Longbottom and Seamus Finnegan among them. The Patil sisters arrived, seating themselves next to Neville, who blushed furiously as they greeted him, smiling.

Finally, Ginny and the two witches took up their places as Professor Flitwick climbed onto the piano bench, and several students appeared, settling themselves in and picking up their instruments in readiness.

Severus took his place by the dais, turned facing the tent, watching for Hermione to appear. Dumbledore stood behind the podium dressed in all white robes, his hair and beard blending with them. He too looked expectantly toward the tent. Then the music began.

---

FOLLOW THIS LINK WITHOUT SPACES TO HEAR THE WEDDING SONG:

theburningpen . com SLASH familiar SLASH audio SLASH song . m3u

---

Ginny placed her wand to her throat, invoking the Sonorous charm, and began to sing Shania Twain's ballad, "From this Moment On" in a clear, lovely voice.

From this moment life has begun
From this moment you are the one
Right beside you is where I belong
From this moment on

The door to the tent opened and Hermione emerged on the arm of her father, looking lovelier to Severus than he ever remembered. They marched slowly up the aisle, the smiling faces of the guests on them. Draco almost let out a low whistle. Hermione looked delicious, though it was plain she was expecting.

Molly Weasley had tears streaming down her face, and looked over at Ron, nodding approvingly. Ron's eyes were glued on his friend, his mouth open. She was beautiful and looked more grown up than Ron could ever remember. The wizard turned and looked at Snape, who was watching Hermione, his eyes soft. He looked like he really loved her. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Mr. Granger stopped next to Severus, put Hermione's hand in his, and patted the wizard on his shoulder, before returning to his seat and wrapping his large arm around his sobbing wife.

"She looks so beautiful," Hermione's mother sobbed, "but shouldn't she be showing more?"

Severus stared down at Hermione.

"You're beautiful," he breathed, his dark eyes locked on her. Hermione blushed prettily, then turned her eyes toward Albus, who was beaming at both of them. They waited for the song to end, and after Ginny and the band members took their seats, Albus began the ceremony. At the last minute Raucous winged in and perched on the back of the chair next to Isadora, his bright eyes locked on the couple in front of him. He had to admit, Hermione looked very nice, though it was really tempting to shit on her at this moment. But the raven knew he'd be in a world of trouble from every side if he did that. He cocked his head. Hermione wasn't as round as she should be either.

Isadora looked at her son and his bride, her heart swelling with happiness for them. Severus looked extremely smitten with his witch. She hoped with all her heart they would have a marriage full of love and understanding.

Severus had asked that the vows be kept short for Hermione's sake. Albus said a few words about the sanctity and permanence of marriage, and how it should not be entered into lightly, then had the couple repeat their vows. Molly honked loudly when they said their 'I dos", Arthur patting her reassuringly. Hermione's mother also collapsed into tears.

Severus gave Hermione a long, passionate kiss that elicited wolf whistles from the guests.

"Gods, let her go, man," Ron said, Gretchen elbowing him again.

Finally Severus released Hermione, staring into her eyes passionately for a moment.

"Mrs. Snape," he whispered.

"Mr. Snape," she responded softly.

Then both turned to face their guests. Albus raised his hands.

"I give you Mr. and Mrs. Snape!" he declared joyfully.

Cheers and applause followed as the couple walked back down the aisle, covered in thrown rice and confetti, Severus scowling as he was hit in the face by a handful of rice thrown by Neville Longbottom, who grinned rather evilly. He had waited years to do something like that to the Potions Master.

When they reached the end of the aisle, the ceremony was over and the guests approached them to give their congratulations. Harry, then Ron kissed Hermione and shook Severus' hand. The three wizards stared at each other a moment, then both Harry and Ron smiled at Severus…who allowed himself to give them a small smirk. It seemed peace had finally been made.

Molly Weasley blubbered all over Hermione and Severus and had to be led away by Arthur. After all the congratulations had been made, Isadora prompted Severus and Hermione over to the table to cut their wedding cake.

"Speech! Speech!" the guests cried, looking at Severus, who scowled. He hadn't wanted to give a speech.

Hermione nudged him.

"Say something, Severus!" she urged him.

Severus looked at her, then at the guests.

"She's mine now, and if anyone comes near her, they'll have to answer to me," he said snarkily, glaring at the crowd, which fell silent for a moment, then burst into enthusiastic applause.

"Severus!" Hermione scolded him.

"What? I said something," he responded as they both cut two pieces out of the cake. Hermione picked up one and Severus picked up the other.

Hermione held her piece of cake up to the Potions Master's mouth. He took a slow, sensuous bite, his dark eyes glittering at her as he chewed. Hermione looked mesmerized, as did most of the women in the group.

"Wow," breathed Ginny.

Then it was Hermione's turn. Severus held the cake to her mouth…then mushed it into her face, grinning broadly. The crowd burst into laughter as Hermione spluttered, wiping cake out of her eyes. She promptly smashed the rest of the slice she was holding into her husband's face. The two started throwing cake at each other madly, totally destroying the first tier. Isadora had to break them up.

"Enough!" she cried before getting a faceful of frosting from Severus. She stood there, wiping frosting from her face, before whipping out her wand and scourgifying herself and Hermione.

"Really, Severus," she said. Isadora got curious looks from the crowd. "This is your wedding day. Act your age."

Then she scooped up a bit of the remaining first tier and smushed it firmly into her son's face before racing away.

"Who is she?" Ron asked Harry as they watched her run laughing to a safe spot near Remus Lupin, licking her fingers.

"I think she's Snape's sister," Harry responded.

"Wow, so that's where all the looks went," Ron said admiringly. "Ow! Stop it Gretchen."

Severus scourgified himself, and helped Hermione hand out pieces of cake to the guests. Eli helped serve the rest of the buffet, smiling broadly at being able to be of service to so many people at once.

Bozo Baggins surreptiously pulled his camera out from under his robes, but Isadora spied him and her eyes narrowed.

"Blinking paparazzi," she seethed.

Remus looked at her as she whipped out her wand and flicked it toward Bozo's camera. A puff of black smoke rolled from it.

The puzzled photographer took the camera away from his face, looked it over, opened it and cursed. It was completely fried, and he didn't have another with him.

"Nice bit of magic there," Remus said, smiling at the witch.

Isadora turned and looked at him.

"Why thank you," she responded. She held out her hand.

"Isadora Snape," she said. Remus took her slender, pale hand in his firmly.

"Remus Lupin," he said, giving her a small smile.

Isadora paused. She had heard that name someplace before, but couldn't put a finger on it.

Remus looked at her eyes. They were dark and lovely. He swallowed.

"You are Severus' sister?" he asked politely.

Isadora smiled at him and thought he had the gentlest eyes she had ever seen.

"No. I'm his mother," she replied.

Remus' eyes widened.

"His mother…surely you can't…" he began.

"I assure you, Remus…she is my mother. And I'd appreciate it if you took your furry paws off her," Severus said, glaring at the wizard's hand, which was still holding Isadora's.

Remus let go rather guiltily.

"I'm sorry, Severus. I…I …didn't mean to offend," he stammered.

"Well you have offended," Severus growled.

The Potions Master had spied the two talking and excused himself from the serving table to run interference. The last thing he wanted was his mother mixed up with a werewolf.

"Severus! What in the world are you doing?" Isadora said, frowning at her son. "How dare you be so rude!"

Severus kept his eyes locked on Remus.

"I dare, Mother, because I care," he said evenly, taking her arm. "Come along and let me introduce you to the other guests. Remus will understand…won't you Remus?"

The werewolf nodded, his eyes on Isadora.

"It was a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Snape," he said as Severus led her away.

"Isadora," she called back. "We'll talk again."

"No you won't," Severus growled under his breath.

Isadora pulled her arm out of Severus' with a black scowl.

"I can't spank you, but I can surely hex you, Severus Arsenius Snape! Now tell me, what's going on?" she asked him, frowning.

"That's Remus Lupin. He's the werewolf that almost killed me," Severus replied.

Isadora looked back at Remus, who was standing alone, looking at the other guests.

"That's Remus Lupin? He doesn't look like he'd hurt a fly," she said.

"Wait until the full moon. Flies won't interest him then, I assure you," Severus replied. "He's dangerous, Mother. Not the kind of wizard to become friendly with."

Isadora's eyes flashed dangerously as she looked at her son. She didn't like to be told what to do.

"Severus, you will NOT tell me who to associate with. I am your mother. You are not my father. You'll do well to remember that," she said stiffly. She tossed her long locks and stalked away toward the buffet table and Hermione.

Severus sighed, then looked back at Remus, who was watching Isadora. The Potions Master scowled. He hadn't seen the werewolf look interested in any woman in a long time. He certainly looked interested now.

Severus didn't like this. He didn't like this one bit.

---

Hermione and Severus left the reception quite early since the witch was exhausted. They apparated from inside the tent, Severus placing a silencing spell around them since he wished to keep the fact he could apparate on Hogwarts grounds a secret. Severus tried to get Isadora to come along with them, but the witch was enjoying herself and said she would see them tomorrow.

So her son took his wife home.

As soon as Severus left, Isadora located the werewolf, who was sitting off to the side eating a small plate of chicken wings. The witch noticed he didn't mingle much. Perhaps he separated himself because of his condition. But he wasn't always a werewolf. He only transformed during the full moon.

She walked over to him, and Remus looked up at her.

"I told you we'd talk again," Isadora said, giving him a smile.

Remus looked around nervously. "Ah, your son…" he began.

"Severus? He's gone home to perform his husbandly duties," Isadora grinned, "May I sit down?"

"Please," Remus said politely.

Isadora sat next to him, and the wizard stiffened up immediately. A witch hadn't shown any interest in him in so long, he didn't know exactly what to do. And this particular witch was Severus Snape's mother.

Isadora noticed his stiffness.

"Loosen up," she said, "I'm not going to bite you."

Remus looked at her rather startled. Isadora realized she had used a poor choice of words to try and make the werewolf relax.

"Sorry," she said rather sheepishly, "I just wanted to talk to you. Find out some things."

Remus nodded. So she was curious about him. He had no doubt Severus had told her he was a werewolf.

"I understand you almost killed my son," she said to him, frowning slightly.

"Yes, I did," Remus admitted, sitting the plate of chicken bones on the chair next to him.

"Why? Why did you and those other boys hate him so?" Isadora asked him.

"I didn't hate Severus," Remus said quietly.

"Well, almost killing him didn't exactly put him in your top ten list of favorite people," Isadora said a bit sharply.

"It wasn't intentional. Severus came upon me after I had transformed. I didn't go looking for him. If I had killed him, it would have been accidental. I had a place…a safe place I would go to transform. Severus came there…"

He hesitated.

"Sirius Black sent him there actually, hoping he would find me and…and…James saved him before I got to him, thank the gods. I wouldn't have intentionally hurt Severus," Remus said.

Isadora was familiar with Sirius Black because of his family.

"But you were part of the gang that constantly harassed him," Isadora said accusingly.

Remus looked at her, his eyes pleading for understanding. He had never talked to anyone about this before. Severus Snape's mother seemed an unlikely choice, but she was willing to listen.

"Mrs. Sna…er…Isadora," he corrected himself as her eyes narrowed, "Please believe me when I tell you that I never bore Severus any ill will. I kind of related to him in a way. He was a bit of an outcast, like I was. I never even had friends until I came to Hogwarts. I was bitten as a child and my parents kept me segregated from other children, afraid I would infect them. Dumbledore had to convince them to let me go to Hogwarts, saying he would take full responsibility."

"I was always afraid I would infect or kill someone when I transformed. Dumbledore arranged for me to be sequestered away from the other students when the full moon rose. For some reason, James, Sirius and Peter latched on to me as friends. I had never had friends before, and was very happy I had them. So happy in fact, that when they did something I didn't approve of, I'd look the other way, afraid if I told them or tried to stop them, they would no longer be my friends. I didn't know real friendship didn't work that way. When they picked on Severus, I hated it. But I was afraid to say anything…afraid I'd be without friends again. As sorry as I felt for your son, Isadora, I didn't want to be alone."

"James, Sirius and Peter eventually found out I was a werewolf, and instead of abandoning me and ostracizing me like the rest of the wizarding world would have done, they found a way to transform into animals, so they could keep me company, and in that way help me stay calm until I returned to human form. Sirius Black, he was the worst toward Severus and it was his fault your son was almost killed. I was simply meant to be the tool of his demise."

He looked at Isadora soberly.

"I think if I had killed him, I would have followed him shortly. I wouldn't have been able to live with his death on my conscience. Even now I keep myself from people…afraid that one day I may wake up covered in another witch's or wizard's blood. If that day should ever come…"

Remus stopped talking.

Isadora looked at the wizard, her heart full of sympathy. He wasn't a bad wizard…just a lonely one. How hard it must be to live with such a terrible malady.

"What do you do for a living, Remus?" she asked him.

"Whatever I can. I did work here at Hogwarts for a year as the DA teacher…but your son let it slip I was a werewolf to the student body, and it was just a matter of time before the protests from the parents would begin, and rather than have Dumbledore face all of that trouble, I resigned. No one wants a werewolf around, Isadora. They are too afraid. I can't say I blame them," he said, "Right now I work as a busboy at the Three Broomsticks. I wash dishes, serve food, cook sometimes. Whatever Rosmerta needs done I do. She was very kind to give me work. It's hard to find employment. And she lets me take time off when the full moon is rising."

From a teacher at Hogwarts to a dishwasher. It was just too sad. Isadora surreptiously let her eyes wash across Remus' shabby robes and realized that he was probably too poor to afford anything better. Since he was a werewolf, most didn't want to be in his presence. Most jobs involved being around the public. Most jobs…but not all jobs. She had an idea.

"Remus, do you know anything about computers?" she asked him.

Remus looked puzzled.

"Computers? What are computers?" he asked her.

Isadora looked at him speculatively. Obviously he didn't mingle with muggles either.

"I think you should find out," she said, giving him a slow smile that nearly took the werewolf's breath away. "I think you'd find them interesting."

Remus wasn't so sure this "computer" idea was a good one. Particularly if it put him in close proximity with Severus' mother. There was something about the witch that seemed to put his animal side on point. Obviously, he didn't repel her…but maybe she was moved by pity. Remus couldn't stand pity.

"Isadora," he said, "I hope you don't have a 'stray wolf' complex. I'm a grown wizard who has been taking care of himself for a long time. I don't have much, but I've managed to survive on my own. I don't need pity," he said, his gentle eyes going hard for a moment.

Isadora realized that the wizard, bad off as he was, still had pride and she didn't want to trample on it.

"Remus, for many years I 'survived'. It's good to be able to do that, but I assure you 'living' is much better than surviving. There were times I thought I'd be better off dead…"

Remus blinked at her when she said this. He knew this feeling. It was with him all the time.

"…but eventually I found a better way to live. I don't know what it's like to be you, but I imagine it is hard and terribly, terribly lonely. Please don't mistake concern and kindness for pity. I empathize with you. I don't pity you. And I think I know a way you can earn a decent living on your own. The rest of your problems, well you'll just have to work them out on your own like everyone else," Isadora said, her black eyes meeting his sincerely.

Remus studied her for a moment.

"But why? Why would you be willing to do this? You don't even know me. Even associating with me can have repercussions, with your son, with other people. I just don't understand it," he said, frowning slightly.

Isadora shrugged.

"Maybe it's because when I was in my darkest moments, I often wished I had someone to show me a better way to live. Now that I am established and those dark times have passed, I feel that I should help someone else rise above a difficulty that can be handled. You're the first person I've met that I feel I can help. Maybe I'm just a natural-born philanthropist. I know I will feel better about myself if I can help you, so there would be something in it for me. Anyway, Severus cost you your last good job, and as much as I hate to say this, he probably did it on purpose. The least I can do is try to right that wrong," she said.

Remus looked at the witch. She certainly was beautiful, kind and warm. He still wasn't sure this was a good idea, accepting Severus Snape's mother as a patron. But gods, those eyes…

"So, you think these 'computers' can help me?" he asked her.

"I'm certain of it. You see, Remus…I'm a travel agent and I work…"

Isadora began to talk animatedly about what she did for a living, and Remus listened, enthralled both by the witch and what she was saying. At the buffet table, Albus and Minerva were watching them, Albus eating a sticky bun and Minerva sipping tea, her lip drawn in a tight line after every sip as she watched Severus' mother talk to Remus, leaning in as she did so.

"Hmmph. She's old enough to be his mother," Minerva said.

Albus clucked his tongue at her.

"True as that is, Minerva…Isadora is still rather a young witch. And she certainly doesn't look old enough to be his mother. Besides, they are just talking," the Headmaster said, taking another bite of his sticky bun.

"Severus would have bugbears if he saw them sitting together. He already took her away from Remus once," Minerva sniffed.

"Severus would just have to raise those bugbears, Minerva. His mother is not to be trifled with. I doubt even our dour Potions Master can control her. As black as he appears, he still respects his mother, Minerva. He will listen to her in the end," Albus said.

"But…Remus Lupin?" the witch mused. "Hardly the dashing bachelor. He's a pauper."

Albus scowled at the Transfiguration Teacher.

"Remus Lupin is another wizard who has suffered much for little reason, Minerva. His entire life is one of rejection, loneliness and poverty because of a malady he has no control over. He has a right to be happy just like everyone else. If Isadora Snape decides she wants to bring some light into his life, I say the gods bless her for it. Everyone else be damned!" he spat, stalking off in a billow of robes that would have done Severus justice.

Minerva looked at him departing, her mouth dropping open. Albus rarely got upset over anything. Hell…she'd have to make this up to him in spades or he'd be sulking for days. A sulky Albus was an annoying Albus.

The witch looked back over at Isadora and Remus. Both witch and wizard were standing now, and Remus was writing something on a bit of parchment. He handed to the witch and shook her hand, then turned and started walking toward the main gate. Minerva noticed how Isadora watched him thoughtfully for a while before turning and walking over to Albus, and showing him the bit of parchment.

Minerva wasn't the only one watching the exchange. Marcus Delaluci's violet eyes didn't miss a thing. He had telescoped them and read what Remus wrote. It was his address. Hm. Was the werewolf putting the moves on Snape's mum? Marcus smirked. If he was, the wizard couldn't blame him. Snape's mother was quite a dish. Quite a dish indeed. Nothing old about her…except her son. He looked older than she did.

Marcus let his eyes rake over Isadora's curves. Hm. The muggles in America had a very interesting slur that appropriately described what Marcus would be if he acted on what he was thinking as he studied the slim, dark-haired witch.

If he remembered right, the word was 'motherfucker'.

---

Severus and Hermione reappeared in the living room, and the wizard helped her to the sofa. Hermione sat down heavily, which looked odd because she seemed so small bellied in her bridal gown.

"Thank you, Severus," she puffed.

"You're welcome, Mrs. Snape," he replied.

Hermione looked up at him and smiled. Yes, she was Mrs. Snape. Mrs. Severus Snape, and would be so for the rest of her life. Her dream had finally come true.

Severus loosened his robe at the neck, then sat down next to Hermione, placing his arm around her and drawing her in close. He kissed her gently.

"You were the most beautiful bride I've ever seen," he said softly, his dark eyes moving from her face to the garland in her hair. He would leave it on when he made love to her for the first time as her husband.

Hermione gave him a small smile.

"You're only saying that because I was your bride," she replied.

"No matter whose bride you were, I would have thought it," Severus answered her, "but luckily, you are mine."

"It was a lovely ceremony…up to the point where you smashed cake in my face," she said, scowling slightly. "What made you do that?"

Severus grinned.

"I was in muggle London one day and passed what they called an appliance store, which had televisions in the window. They were fascinating. Different people doing different things…much like a magic mirror. There was a couple getting married and the groom pushed cake in his bride's face. It appealed to my…darker nature," he replied. "I just couldn't resist."

Hermione laughed.

"Then you pushed frosting in your mother's face," she scolded him lightly.

Severus raised his eyebrows.

"Now, how many chances in life would I have the opportunity to do that and get away with it?" he asked his wife, "Besides…she got me back."

Suddenly Severus scowled. Hermione looked at him.

"Severus, what's wrong," she asked him. His whole demeanor seemed to change.

"Remus Lupin. I think he's interested in my mother. I saw it in his eyes," Severus said.

"Remus?" Hermione repeated, "Severus, you know he's too sick to be interested in any woman, much less your mother."

"He wasn't looking very sick, today Hermione. I caught him holding her hand, quite firmly," Severus said.

"He was probably shaking it, Severus. Really. Remus?" she laughed.

"He was also watching her when she walked over to you," he growled.

"So? She's a beautiful woman, Severus. I imagine many wizards were watching her," Hermione replied.

Severus looked at Hermione.

"She is not a beautiful woman. She is my mother," he said unreasonably.

"Your mother who happens to be very attractive and far from over the hill," Hermione replied. "Severus, you might have to deal with your mother getting involved with someone. She deserves to be happy too."

Severus stood up and started pacing.

"I realize that, Hermione…unsavory as it is. It's just who she gets involved with that concerns me," he replied.

He hesitated, then walked to the liquor cabinet and poured himself a drink. Hermione realized she was looking at a classic case of role reversal, where the child becomes the parent and the parent becomes the child. But in this case, Isadora was far from needing 'parenting'. Severus would be in for a rude awakening if he tried to impose his will on his mother.

"Severus. Look at us. No one thought we would be right for each other. But we are. Don't you see you can't choose whom your mother will care about? It's her heart, not yours…she can give it to whomever she wants, just like I gave mine to you," she said softly as Severus tossed back his Firewhiskey. He looked at her, and his eyes softened…but there was a bit of fire behind them. He put the glass down.

"Enough about my mother," he said walking back to Hermione and offering her his hand. "I am concerned about bedding my wife for the first time."

Hermione looked up at him, her eyes sad.

"I wish I looked…looked more desirable for you," she said, her eyes starting to glisten with tears. She looked down at her magically altered body. "This is just a glamour. I don't really look this good, Severus. I'm fat…I'm…" she started to say.

Severus stopped her.

"You are not fat, Hermione. You are pregnant with my child. My child is growing inside you…a part of me you are carrying…for me. How could you even think I don't find you beautiful and desirable? Every change your body is going through is amazing to me, magical to me. I love to touch you and feel those changes under my fingers. Taste them with my lips. Your flavor has changed over the months several times, and I've found every one delightful. You are beautiful, Hermione, and I love being inside you like this…it makes me feel closer, more a part of you. I'm not just an observer of the wonderful changes your body is going through to accommodate my child. I can experience them too, when I make love to you. You still excite me, still arouse me…possibly even more because of the gift you've given me. A child."

"A son," Hermione said softly.

"What?" Severus said, his eyes wide.

"I'm having a boy. You're going to have a son," she repeated.

Severus stared at her, his mouth moving but no sound coming out. He dropped down beside her.

"A son?" he repeated, staring at her.

"Yes, Severus. A baby with a penis," she replied, smirking at him.

"How do you know this?" he asked her.

"Eli told me," she said softly, looking down at her belly.

Severus reached down and rubbed her glamoured belly gently.

"A son," he repeated, then he looked up at Hermione, his black eyes brimming with emotion. "You're giving me a son, Hermione. I love you. I love you more than I could have ever believed possible."

Severus pulled Hermione close and embraced her gently.

"Severus," she whispered against him, feeling safe and loved in his arms. Suddenly she felt him rather than heard him growl deep in his throat.

"I also want you more right now than I've ever wanted you before, witch," he breathed against her temple with such passion that Hermione felt an immediate response inside her. She let out a small gasp of desire. Severus heard it and knew it for what it was.

The Potions Master released his wife and stood up, his black eyes smoldering down on Hermione, his dress robes noticeably tented. Dear gods he had to remember how far along she was.

Severus took Hermione's hand and pulled her to her feet, a bit more roughly than he intended…his desire trying to take him over. He swept her up into his arms. She was heavier than usual, but that didn't matter to him. All that mattered was that he got her into his…no, their marriage bed and make her feel as beautiful as she truly was to him.

A son. She was carrying a son for him.

Severus walked swiftly to the bedroom, set her down and unwilling to take the time to wrestle through her belt and jewelry, took out his wand and divestoed every bit of clothing and jewelry she wore, with the exception of the garland of flowers in her hair. For a moment, Hermione felt like covering up as Severus' black eyes swept over her body…her hands came up...but Severus stopped her.

"No," he said hoarsely, "You have no idea how beautiful you look, Hermione."

He divestoed his own clothing, his erection proving just how turned on he was by his pregnant wife.

"Come here," he said gently, walking Hermione to the large mirror that hung next to the wardrobe. He stood behind her, his hands on her shoulders. "Look at yourself," he said, "Look how beautiful you are."

Hermione stared at her own image, Severus standing behind her, his dark eyes locked on her body. Her amber eyes lingered on the garland of flowers around her head, then dropped over her full breasts and round belly. There seemed to be a glow around her, a glow of life…of love. She looked almost unearthly, like a fertile goddess.

"Am I seeing myself through your eyes, Severus?" she asked him in wonder.

His pale arms encircled her belly and drew her back against him.

"Are you beautiful?" he asked her, pressing his lips against her temple and watching their interaction in the mirror.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Then yes, Hermione…you are seeing yourself as I see you," he replied softly, "a woman in full bloom, soft, rounded, flowering, bringing new life into existence through my seed, the most beautiful witch in existence."

"Severus," Hermione breathed, desire washing over her so powerfully she began to tremble in his arms.

"I'm here, love," he said turning her and kissing her, his erection pressing lightly against her extended belly. His kiss deepened as his passion flared through him. He broke the kiss.

"Come," he said hoarsely, leading Hermione to the bed and helping her into it.

Severus climbed in after her, carefully moving over her body and settling behind her, curling around her and pulling the witch against him. He kissed her throat and shoulders, caressing her belly and breasts gently, making the witch gasp and sigh. She smelled of jasmine and roses.

"So beautiful," he breathed against her throat, as he reached down and himself against her entrance.

"Share your beauty with me, Hermione," he breathed, sliding into the witch with a hiss of pleasure. "Let me feel you."

Hermione groaned as she felt Severus stretch her around his girth and fill her with his hardness. He felt so good.

"Yes," she sighed as he began to stroke her deeply, pressing against her cervix lightly, groaning with pleasure as her heat clutched and pulsed around him.

"My wife," Severus sighed, pulling her closer, biting his lip as pleasure pulsed through him. He possessed Hermione slow and easy, whispering sweet obscenities in her ear as he did so.

"Harder," Hermione hissed, lost in the sensation of him, but wanting to feel his strength.

Severus obliged her, lifting her leg and tucking into the witch, hitting bottom with a bit of power now, making her gasp with pleasure. He knew what she longed for…he longed for it too, but they would have to wait to love that way.

"Like this, witch?" he asked her, stroking deep and hard but not hard enough to make her shriek.

"Ooh," Hermione responded with a choked voice, and the wizard knew he had her right and drove into her, reveling in the growing pressure that announced she was on the verge. He could feel himself trying to tighten and fought it as he buried himself in and out of his wife.

Hermione began to tremble, and Severus tightened his hold on her, driving into her faster, working her toward orgasm, grunting and panting as he approached his own peak.

Suddenly Hermione locked down on him, her body going hot and the witch shrieking as she exploded over him, letting out a stream of unintelligible but beautiful sounding words as she came.

"Gods," Severus groaned as she pulsed tightly around him, her orgasm pouring over his shaft like liquid fire.

The Potions Master felt his balls tightening and uncontrollably slammed into Hermione so deeply that she shrieked again from the ache…but he couldn't help it as he blew with a guttural cry, his seed pouring through him in a delicious stream of pleasure, filling her body, completing the consummation of their marriage as he shuddered against her back, his mouth slack, his chin resting on the top of her head. His eyes were closed in bliss as he released jet after jet into the woman who was his wife, for now and for eternity. He held her as if he would never let her go.

Finally, his release abated, and Severus kissed his wife's throat and shoulders tenderly.

"Our marriage is consummated, Hermione," he breathed against her ear, "Are you satisfied with your choice of husband?"

"I was always satisfied with you Severus, even in my fantasies. There is no other wizard in the world for me," she replied sleepily. Severus tightened his grip on her.

"No other," he agreed, burying his nose in her hair and inhaling, then letting out a satisfied sigh. The Potions Master closed his eyes, a small smile on his pale face.

The couple fell into a sated, comfortable sleep.

Hermione had the wizard she always wanted, and Severus was blessed with the witch he never knew he needed.

All was right with the world.

---

At seven and a half months, Hermione's emotions became quite volatile. Both Eli and Severus crept around the house with their ears pinned back. Severus got a first hand taste of just how emotional Hermione was. One morning while he was in the shower, a very big and naked Hermione attempted to get out of bed and found she couldn't do it. She rolled on to her back and tried to sit up, but couldn't…and found she couldn't manage to roll back over either.

When Severus emerged from the bathroom in his silk boxers, he found his wife floundering on her back like an overturned turtle. He burst into laughter, and instead of helping her, stood there for several minutes in absolute conniptions. Not a wise thing to do at all. Finally when Hermione screamed at him to help her, he pulled her to her feet still chuckling.

"So you think it's fucking funny, Severus?" Hermione snarled at him, reaching for her wand on the nightstand.

Severus sobered immediately. When Hermione cursed, she was truly and deeply pissed. He started backing away.

"Now, Hermione…put the wand down love," he started, then turned and ran for the door. But he wasn't fast enough.

"Crocuta crocuta!" Hermione spat, blasting her husband, who was enveloped in a brown light and smoke. When the smoke cleared, Hermione looked at him with satisfaction.

"Now laugh about THAT!" she said, storming into the bathroom and slamming the door shut.

Severus sat there and laughed. That was all he could do, considering Hermione had turned him into a spotted hyena. He stood up and padded over to the mirror, sat down again and looked at himself.

Damn it.

His eyes were still black and his coat was rather pale and short with a spotted black pattern. He had a thick neck and powerful jaws, while his front legs were long and his back legs rather short. Severus stood up and noted his back sloped deeply. Not a very handsome beast at all. He looked at the bathroom door, walked up to it and scratched on it with his paw.

"Go away, Severus!" Hermione called, "Or I swear I'll make some carrion for you to eat! Probably out of Raucous!"

Raucous spent a lot of time at the house now…and most of it laughing at Hermione as she struggled around the house. He loved to see her sit down, and would wait expectantly for her to attempt to get up on her own. Sometimes she had to roll to the floor and pull herself up. Oh, he loved it. He was always wary though. She was in high hex mode all the time now. He would hide when he slept so she couldn't sneak up on him. But the way she puffed, he would always hear her coming anyway.

Severus sat down in front of the door for several minutes, listening to the shower running. Hermione was certainly taking a long time in there. Finally he realized she was staying in the bathroom on purpose. The transformed wizard padded out of the bedroom, down the hall, through the living room and into the kitchen, where Eli was preparing breakfast. The elf paused when he saw the hyena walk in.

"Master?" he asked, his ears moving forward.

Severus laughed at him. The elf had to fight to keep a straight face. He continued setting the table. Then he returned to the counter and picked up the coffee pot.

"I take it Mistress is grumpy this morning, sir," the elf commented as he poured some coffee in a bowl and brought it over to Severus, setting it down on the floor.

The hyena snarled at the elf, but then lowered his head and tentatively lapped at the brew.

Eli then removed a plate of bacon, eggs and buttered toast from the table and also set it on the floor. Severus looked up at him, then started eating, his long neck bending oddly as he did so.

"Mistress' spells are strong, Master. You has to wait until she is not mad," he commented.

Severus knew this. Since becoming involved with him and Raucous, Hermione put her Spells Making knowledge to evil use, adding little safeties to her hexes so no one could remove them but her, or else they had to wear off. Well, they could be removed, but it was a very involved process that could take hours or even days. The protections even interfered with Eli's powerful magic.

The Potions Master made short work of his breakfast, then felt a call of nature. How embarrassing. He walked through the kitchen foyer and scratched at the back door. Eli looked at him…then grinned, shaking his head as he flicked a finger at the door, opening it. Severus rushed out into the backyard and did his business, then scratched around it with his back legs, growling the entire time. He walked back into the house.

By this time, Hermione had emerged into the kitchen and was seated at the table, calmly drinking a glass of milk as her hyena of a husband walked in. Severus looked at her, but she ignored him completely. Yet she was still scowling.

Severus sighed and sat down, looking at her plaintively. When she kept ignoring him, he jumped up and put two paws on the table, staring at her.

"What?" she said irritatedly.

He whined.

"No," she stated flatly.

Severus fought back a growl. He had to get to Hogwarts. He inched closer to her and tried to lick her face. Hermione pushed him down from the table.

"Ewww, Severus. Your breath stinks!" she said, grimacing at him.

He started pacing, looking from Hermione to the clock, to Hermione again impatiently.

Finally the witch pulled out her wand and flicked it at him. Severus appeared as himself again, on all fours on the floor. He got up with as much dignity as he could muster and glared at Hermione, who was tapping her wand against the table, daring him to say one word to her.

The Potions Master looked at her wand, then turned without a word and headed back to his bedroom to get dressed. Damn it. Wait until she had that baby and was healed. He was going to bugger her again for this one. Good and hard.

Now dressed for school, Severus walked back through the kitchen to find a little doxy with Eli's head, circling the kitchen and chattering madly as Hermione scowled down at her plate.

"Have a good day," Severus said hurriedly, almost sprinting for the floo as Hermione frowned up at him. He didn't dare try to kiss her. Eli was on his own.

---

Severus stood in front of the floo of his study in Hogwarts with a jar of pickles in one hand and a bag of banana chips in the other. He had picked them up on the way to school this morning, hoping this offering would put Hermione in a good mood when he returned home. He wondered how Eli fared. He put the banana chips in his robes pocket, then picked up some floo powder out of the box and threw it into the flames.

"My home," he said, his black eyes focused on the fire as it turned green. He took a deep breath and stepped through.

When he emerged in the living room, he was relieved to see his mother. She was standing behind Hermione, who was sitting on the couch. She was brushing his wife's hair. Hermione's eyes were closed in pleasure as Isadora gently ran the brush through it.

"Mother," Severus said, his relief obvious in his voice.

Isadora smirked at him, then made a noise surprisingly like a hyena's chuckle. Severus instantly frowned as Hermione's mouth drew up in a nasty little smile, her eyes still closed.

"Hello, Severus," Isadora said.

Severus stopped scowling as he looked at Hermione. He had no idea what kind of mood she was in. He wasn't afraid of the witch…just very cautious. He couldn't hex her back after all.

"Hello, wife. I brought pickles. And banana chips," he offered.

Isadora grinned openly.

"Offerings for the Queen?" she asked.

"Something like that," he replied, scowling at his mother.

Hermione's eyes snapped opened.

"Banana chips," she said softly, her amber eyes resting on him evenly.

Relieved she accepted his gift of peace, Severus took the chips out of his pocket and walked up to her. He gave her a quick peck on the lips and handed her the bag, stepping back and watching her open them. Hermione took out a chip and crunched down on it…a look of bliss on her face.

"Thank you, Severus," she said, giving him a smile.

Whew. He could move about freely now.

Severus walked over to his writing desk and took out some parchments from his pocket and set them down. Then he pulled out his wand and enlarged them. They were papers he had to mark. The wizard sat down, opened a bottle of red ink and picked up a quill. He started working on them.

He didn't notice both Hermione and Isadora were looking at him, rather nervously now. Isadora had something to ask him, and knew instinctively he wasn't going to take it very well. She had found a small flat in muggle London, set up her computer and was now back in business. Relocating to England had done nothing to her customer base, and she had plenty of work…maybe a bit too much as her business became known through word of mouth. At first, she received quite a few job offers from other travel agencies hoping to lure her and her accounts to their firms…but that would have cut in on Isadora's commissions. She didn't need to work for an agency.

She had set up two computer terminals in her flat, both connected to the Net. One for her…and one on which to teach Remus Lupin the business. He was going to be her assistant, and receive a commission which was a portion of her commission when he was up to par. A very generous forty percent on the arrangements he made in her stead. It would add up to more money than he had ever made, even at Hogwarts. She had even printed up cards for him. Remus Lupin: Travel Agent, hoping that he could start his own customer base.

But she needed to inform Severus of this, and what's more…to ask him about the Wolfsbane potion he made for the wizard every month. What Isadora wanted to know was if Severus was trying to improve the potion or simply giving the wizard the standard brew. If he was giving him the standard brew, she hoped to influence him to work on finding a cure for the wizard.

Hermione looked up at the witch, encouragement in her eyes. She had Severus pretty much dancing to her tune concerning her pregnancy, but in matters of Potions Making she had no such power over him, or in anything else, actually. He still made his decisions based on what he felt best for him. Of course, Hermione planned to use her own more intimate influence on the dark wizard to help his mother convince him to try to help Remus if he gave her a hard time about it. She could still give a mean blowjob.

Isadora looked down at Hermione, then at her son, who was busily drawing red lines through parchment after parchment…totally absorbed in his work.

"Um, Severus?" Isadora ventured.

The Potions Master stopped writing and looked up.

"Yes, Mother?" he responded, his black eyes resting on Hermione however. She looked a bit nervous. Something was going on. He put the quill down.

"I want to ask you…er…tell you something. Now I don't want you getting upset…" Isadora said haltingly as she walked around the sofa and sat next to Hermione.

His mother's nervousness put Severus immediately on point.

"Tell me about what?" he said, sitting back in the chair now, his arms folded across his chest. Again the witches exchanged glances.

"It's about Remus Lupin," Hermione said to her husband, her amber eyes locked to his face, watching for his reaction.

"Lupin? What about him?" Severus asked, scowling, a low growl sounding in his voice. Anything to do with Remus and his mother couldn't be good.

"Are you working on a cure for him?" Isadora asked.

Severus looked at both witches for a moment, then picked up his quill and started marking papers again.

"No," he said shortly.

"Why?" his mother asked.

"Because Remus Lupin wants to die," the Potions Master replied, "I see no reason to waste my time working on a potion to cure a wizard who doesn't want to live."

"Remus has such a defeatist attitude only because his life is so hard, Severus. Isadora has found a way to help him make a decent living now. His outlook is bound to change," Hermione said.

Severus put his quill down and looked at his mother rather severely.

"You're wasting your time, Mother. Remus has no heart…no will. No determination. He'll give up on it, like he does everything. Like he did his job at Hogwarts…like he does at every job he gets," Severus said dismissively. "Like he's given up on himself."

Isadora frowned at her son.

"You made Remus leave, Severus. By telling the students he was a werewolf. You knew their parents would be up in arms when they found out," she said.

Severus arched an eyebrow.

"If he had any moral fiber, he would have ridden it out," he replied, "instead he ran like a coward, afraid of a little contention."

"A little contention? Severus, parents would have pulled students from his class, you know that," Hermione said.

"Not my problem," he replied, marking another paper.

Both witches scowled at the wizard.

"Severus, how can you be that way? Remus was an outcast…much like you were," Hermione said.

"He had the Marauders," Severus said coldly.

"'Had' being the operative word there. They're all dead now. He's been on his own for years. And with his malady, his life has been hell," Hermione said.

"Cry me a river," Severus said snarkily.

"Severus…Remus never did anything to you. Even the incident when he could have killed you, he wasn't a party to it. He was friends with James, Sirius and Peter, but he never did a single cruel act to you. He's never been a predator," Hermione said, taking up the werewolf's cause now. Isadora looked at her appreciatively.

"He certainly is a predator. He's a werewolf Hermione, and very dangerous," Severus replied.

"But he never preyed on you. Never. You have just grouped him in with the others without seeing him as an individual," she snapped at him.

"He chose to be with them. He might not have attacked me personally, but he did nothing to stop them either," Severus said, his nostrils flaring, "They ganged up on me constantly, and Remus said nothing. Not a damned word."

"He was frightened, Severus. Scared to say anything," Isadora said softly. "Don't you remember what that was like? To be afraid to say when you didn't like what someone did? Afraid of what would happen?"

Severus looked at his mother. He did remember. When his father beat her and he was young and frightened.

"Yes, I remember. But I was young then," he said evenly.

"So was Remus. He had never had friends before, so even though he was older than you…he was still like a child when it came to relationships. He didn't want to lose his friends. He told me he hated what they did to you, Severus. How he identified with you. It could have easily have been him they focused on. He was a werewolf. An outcast. He knows what it's like to be a target, son. He lives it everyday. You have moved past it, but surely you remember how horrible it was to live that way," Isadora said.

Severus didn't say anything. He went back to marking his papers.

"Severus, I want you to help him. I want you to find a cure for him," Isadora said softly.

"Why, Mother? Why should I do that?" Severus asked her coldly.

Isadora blinked at him a moment, her eyes wet.

"Because you know it's the right thing to do," she said softly.

Severus looked at his mother and his wife. Both sets of eyes were wet. He hated witches crying. It was like some secret weapon they pulled out when all else failed to make wizards feel horrible. And these were the two witches he loved most in the world.

He sighed.

"I'll think about it," the wizard said shortly, returning to his paperwork.

Hermione and Isadora looked at each other and gripped each other's arms excitedly. Severus watched them with hooded eyes.

If he did help Remus, they were both going to owe him, big.

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A/N: Thanks for reading. More to come.