They crept down the stairs with their wands lit and at the ready. Russalyn hadn't lifted the blocking charm on the fireplace so they knew that the intruder hadn't come in that way. They heard another noise from down the hall in her office and they both crept silently down the hall to confront the interloper.

As they came to the door Severus placed a hand on her shoulder and motioned for her to wait there for him. As he pushed the door open he saw something that sent a shiver of fear down his spine for Russalyn. James sat at her desk going through her papers and journals with a half full bottle of fire whiskey next to him, his hair in a rumple mess.

It was easy to see how he had gotten in. The large French doors near the desk that led to the back porch were left wide allowing the soft tropical breeze to blow into the room. At that moment he looked up and grabbed his wand from the desk next to him, "You son of a bitch. I knew you would still be here," he said as he pointed his wand at Severus and he lifted his in defense.

Severus should have known that his command for her to wait for him to call her would go unheeded. "James? What in the hell are you doing in my house," Russalyn growled as she stepped around Severus shaking him off as he tried to pull her back behind him.

"I knew you had chosen him. I can still smell him on you, you stupid bitch," he shouted as he trained his wand and her and she did the same.

"Who I choose to be with is none of your concern James," she said her voice hard as diamond and just as sharp. "You need to get it through your head that I will never be yours."

"You are mine Russalyn! You will always be mine," he shouted sparks flying from the tip of his wand making her step back involuntarily. He looked from her back to Severus, "You just need a reminder of who your master is," and trained his wand on Severus, "Avada Kedevra!"

As the green spell flew from the wand Russalyn acted on pure instinct and tackled Severus to the hard wood floor as he raised a shield deflecting the spell into the wall. The sound of a vicious snarl and James startled scream followed by a loud thump had them both looking in the direction of the desk.

The sight before them had Russalyn scrambling to her feet and rushing over to investigate. Jinx stood over an unconscious James sniffing him curiously. She pushed the large cat away with no trouble and saw a large gash on James head from where he had hit the desk. With a quick flick of her wrist the bastard was bound and gagged.

She moved quickly to the vault as Severus pulled himself off the floor. He watched as she retrieved her memory and then produced two more vials and memories to fill them. He grabbed her by the arm as she bent to grab James, "What are you doing," concern coloring his words and filling his face.

"Something I should have done years ago," she said then kissed him deeply and he wrapped his arms around her, desperate to keep her near him. She pulled away and said, "I will be back shortly," then bent grabbed James, his wand and pulled then into the unknown.

It was about thirty minutes later when he heard her appear on the porch. He stepped over Jinx who had positioned himself in the middle of the French doors. He had been nervous around the large cat, then when the beast had rubbed against him with a purr he had thought him a push over. He now knew better after Jinx sudden appearance and savage defense of Russalyn that that impression simply wasn't so.

He saw her standing in the shadows and moved to her side. "They are going to charge him with rape, attempted kidnapping and attempted murder," she said her voice nearly a whisper. He brushed her hair away from her face and she looked away from him and he frowned.

"Will you have to go to the trial," he asked. He would hate for her to have to live through the trauma again, but was almost positive that she would have to be there.

"Not for too much of it. The memories I provided were pretty damning," she said with a shake of her head, "Thank Merlin for small favors."

"I'll go with you while you are required to be there," Severus said and watched her nod frowning when she refused to look at him. With the crook of his finger he took her chin in his hand and turned her towards him, "What's the matter?"

When she looked up at him he saw tears shimmering on her lashes, like diamonds in the moonlight. When one rolled down her cheek he brushed it away with his thumb as he cupped her face, "I thought I was going to lose you. If that had happened I don't know what I would have done Severus."

He pulled her into his arms and held her. The same thought had flash through his mind when she had dove in front of him. He had never been more frightened than when he had seen that wicked spell blocked by her lovely face. He couldn't think of how he would survive if he were to lose her. The mere thought sent his mind into a panic.

"Marry me," he heard himself say then cursed his panicked thoughts and was going to retract the statement until he looked into her green eyes and saw the answer before she began to nod emphatically with a beautiful smile on her lips.

Coming to a Close

Severus sat under a tree on a rare cloudless day in May writing in his field journal. It had been a year since he had been attacked and nearly killed by Voldemort's snake and he never would have thought his life could have turned around so drastically. He was so intent on the notes he was making on a local herb he had found that he didn't notice her approach till a bucket of colorful flowers were dumped over his head.

He jumped up his notes forgotten as he spun towards the sound of her laughter. "You find that funny? Well now you must pay for your little joke," he sneered and began to pace towards her, his journal forgotten in the grass.

Russalyn dropped the bucket and backed away still smiling, "You'll have to catch me first," she said and then darted across the open yard with Severus close behind her. He caught her around the waist and pulled her to the ground and began to tickle her till she begged for mercy smiling down at her the whole time.

As he stopped she looked up into his smiling face amazed by how much he had changed. Then she noticed where they were and sighed, "This is where we first met," and he looked up and saw they were under the Rudella tree. "You looked so funny in your PJs looking for your wand," she giggled and he scowled down at her, "Oh stop it. Besides it is appropriate that I tell you here."

Severus suddenly felt nervous and he couldn't explain why, "What is it," he asked and she couldn't help but laugh at his pensive look.

"Relax Severus its good new. At least I think it is," then she got nervous. What if he got upset, "You love me don't you Sev," she asked and bit her bottom lip and it was his turn to chuckle.

"Now I have to calm you down," he said then kissed her, "Yes Russalyn Prince I love you."

"Good," she said a smile on her lips and a blush creeping to her cheeks, "You're going to be a father Severus," and she laughed at his flabbergasted look.

"Are you sure," he asked and then smiled when she nodded, "That's brilliant," and kissed her again then deepened it when she wrapped her arms around him.

They would have kept going but three pops followed by the familiar voice of Ron, "Now that is just wrong is so many ways," broke them apart and had Severus on his feet with his wand drawn in a matter of moments with Jinx by his side with a harsh snarl on his face. It was them Ron and Hermione with Harry in the lead all with their wands drawn and aimed at Severus.

Russalyn sighed and sat up and watched as both Ron and Harry dropped their wands at the sight of her. "Blimey," they said in unison making Hermione slap them both on the arm. Russalyn stood up laughing as she blushed. Harry shook himself and brought his wand back to Severus.

"What are you doing here Potter," Severus snarled and Jinx hissed again at the three intruders. He had been staying much closer to home since his mistress had returned and nearly been hurt.

"You'll have to excuse them both, they are very protective," Russalyn said and rolled her eyes pushed Jinx back to the shade of the near by tree then said, "I believe what Severus is trying to say is, Why have you come to our home," and pushed his hand down with her left hand as she stepped in front of him and gave him a pointed look.

"Well, 'Mione here was reading an American Newspaper and there was a huge story about how the powerful James Andrews was on trial for a list of major offenses," Ron started as both he and Hermione put away their wands. Harry kept his pointed at Severus.

"That he had attacked his former girlfriend, a famous potion guru in America and currant fiancé. So when they showed a picture of the couple we new it was Snape, even tough he was going by Prince. Granted it was just a glimpse of his face, but when you have a nose like that…" Ron stopped when he saw Russalyn's previously warm eyes go cold.

Her eyes soften when they turned back to Harry, who was in a staring death match with Severus, "Why have you come," she asked him directly. She had no ill will towards the teens. They had suffered a great deal, but if they planned on trying to take Severus they were all going to see how deadly she could be.

"I had to see for myself. Had to see if he was still alive," Harry growled and then his eyes snapped to Russalyn as she moved across the space between them.

"Are you now satisfied," she asked as with her left hand she grabbed his wrist and lowered his wand the sun glinting off the diamond ring on her third finger. His eyes snapped up from the stone to her forest colored ones. She smiled at him and whispered, "You have no enemies here Harry. You know you really should thank him for the help in Slughornes class," and smirked when his eyes bulged a little.

She turned her gaze to Hermione and she offered her hand, "It is nice to finally meet you in person Miss Granger. I have to say I hope that now that the danger is past that you put your vast intelligence to more use than bailing these two out of trouble all the time," she said as she shook her hand and watched blush crimson.

Finally her eyes fell on Ron, "Ronald Weasly," she said and after she walked over to him placed her hands on his shoulders, "You really should be a little more confident in your abilities. You really are quite talented," she said and winked at him when his jaw drop, "Well, we won't be called rude will we Severus," she said as she moved back to his side and Jinx joined them rubbing against her with a loud purr getting stunned looked from the teens as she patted is head affectionately.

She turned to face them, "Please join us for lunch. And please feel free to come by and visit anytime," she said, felt Severus stiffen next to her and took his hand, "Stop scowling Severus or you will freeze like that. But I will ask this of you, please don't tell anyone in the ministry that we are here. We like the quiet and if the find out where we are then we will never get any peace. Our developments in the potions world are break though, but require a bit of privacy."

When the teens nodded she smiled, "Excellent! Well come along," she said and turned her stunning smile on Severus who's face softened when he saw it. She would continue to stun him with that smile till the day he died. Then it hit him, he had his wife, their child was on the way and he was free.

The smile that lit his face made Russalyn's heart race, Merlin how she loved this man. As they made their way back to the house Severus leaned over and whispered something in her ear that made her laughter ring merrily through the trees and the teens knew that their old potions master was no longer the man they once knew, but so much more now.

FIN

OMG! I really finished it WOOOHOOO! That took forever, but I got it done. I hate retyping crap, but I have to say I think it turned out better than when I originally wrote it! Please Review and let me know what you think of my first finished Chapter story. Love to hear from you guys.

LOVE

MERRI

P.S. Tag you're it... now you have to complete a story for me to read...LOL