Note: This is another glimpse at the Snape family dynamics. They're so adorable, I could write so many scenes about them doing the most ordinary things (but I fear I'd bore you all). We also see some war-related problems.
Next chapter we have the Quidditch Cup and then things will start to change.
July 1994
Snapes' family home
It was early morning and Severus turned in bed, patting the mattress with his eyes closed, looking for his wife, but her side was empty and cold.
He looked around the room, but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Florence?" he called.
She didn't reply, but the sounds coming from the bathroom let him know where she was and exactly what had taken her out of bed.
He let out a worried breath as he listened to her getting sick; something wasn't right with Florence and it wasn't just her veela's instability due to the pregnancy. She was sleeping too much, vomiting more than twice a day, and fainting. Not to mention her last Wiggenweld batch which had turned out less powerful than usual.
Severus sat up on the bed and looked at the bathroom door, waiting for her to show up - which didn't take long.
"Hey, love," he said looking at her.
She didn't reply, leaning silently on the door frame.
Severus... He heard her weak whisper in his mind and he knew she was about to lose consciousness.
"Florence!" he exclaimed, running towards her, grabbing her just before she had hit the floor.
Fuck. He carried her to bed and tried to wake her up.
"C'mon, love," he whispered, touching her face, trying not to get desperate.
She slowly moved and blinked, looking at him with a soft frown, "What-"
"You passed out, love," he explained.
"Oh," she whispered, "You didn't let me fall," she smiled at him, "Thanks, Sev," she pulled his face to hers and kissed his lips.
He sat beside her and held her tightly, "You scared me, Flor."
"I'm fine, it was probably just a drop in pressure."
"This is not the first time that I see you faint," he carefully chose his words, knowing she might not like them, "That's a dangerous thing, love. Maybe you should talk to Pomfrey..."
And as he had feared, his soft-spoken words of concern suddenly inflamed her and Florence snapped at him: "I'm a healer myself, Severus! I'm just pregnant! Some dizziness is expected."
"I know, Flor, but it can't hurt to ask her-"
"Let go of me!" she suddenly pushed him away.
He stood and stopped trying to sound sweet: "I'll ask Poppy to come here."
"You'll do no such thing!" she shouted, "I'm fine!"
He stared at her, it was clear she wasn't herself that morning – her light-green eyes made it clear that her veela was close to the surface and he knew if he insisted on arguing with her, he could get hurt.
"Fine, Florence!" he pretended to accept her decision, "I won't ask her to come see you!" he looked at her on the bed with her eyes closed; in days like that he felt like he was sharing a room with a nesting Horntail ready to roast him at any wrong move.
"I'll have to go to the castle this morning, Flor," he let her know as he got dressed, "McGonagall asked for help with the preparations for the Tournament."
"Hm-hm," was all she found herself able of saying, feeling nausea and anger bubbling inside of her.
Severus sat on the bed again, insisting: "Are you sure you're-"
"Get out, Severus!" Florence glared at him, "If you have to go to the castle, then go to the damn castle!"
He silently nodded and walked to the door, keeping his eyes on her, apprehension and fear mixing in his mind – pulling him opposite ways, making him question if he should go to the castle or stay home to keep an eye on her.
Finally, she made the decision for him in the form of a chair unexpectedly flying towards his head, barely missing him, and breaking against the wall; so he quickly left the room, going downstairs to have breakfast.
Severus walked downstairs slowly, hearing his three older children already at the table.
Elizabeth was speaking: "So Krum is coming to the TriWizard Tournament this year and you won't have to share a common room with him ever again?"
"Exactly, sis!" exclaimed James, clearly happy.
"I have to admit I'll miss the view though," added Nicholas, "Krum's morning runs around the school grounds were always very entertaining."
Elizabeth chuckled: "Well, I saw a picture of him in the Prophet and I must agree he's quite interesting."
"That's when he looks his best: in a silent picture," laughed James, "Ugh! He's so dumb, it's painful to watch him studying."
"If you hate the guy, why are you going with him to the World Cup?" Liz asked.
"We aren't," James explained, "We'll be taking our own tent, we won't stay with the other Durmstrang students."
Do you think she's going with us? Nick asked his brother.
I hope not, man. Having Liz there would really make things difficult.
"Mum and dad haven't allowed you to go, have they?" Nicholas asked out loud.
"No," Elizabeth replied angrily, "You'll be there to protect me, I don't see why I can't go! It's just for two days! You do want me to go, don't you?"
The twins hesitated and she gasped in shock: "I can't believe you two! Why?"
"Well, Liz... you're not even twelve and..." Nicholas began.
"Truth is: you'll cramp our style."
"Cramp your style?" she repeated, narrowing her eyes, "You mean you won't be able to fuck whomever you want because I'll be there."
Severus nearly ran downstairs, ordering:
"Enough of this conversation. I've already told you to watch your mouths near your sister!" he glared at the twins.
"Good morning, dad," the kids said as he sat on his chair.
"I wish," he replied.
"You should let me go to the Cup just to give them blue balls, dad," Elizabeth said, glaring at the twins.
Severus grimaced, "Enough of those words, Elizabeth!" he poured himself a cup of strong sweetened coffee, sipping before speaking: "Your brothers are almost sixteen, therefore they're going to the Quidditch Cup. You're two months from being twelve – so that's simply why you're not going."
The girl crossed her arms, glaring at her father and brothers.
"Where's mum?" Nicholas asked.
Severus sighed heavily and sipped his coffee again.
"Oh, hell," James said, grimacing, "It's one of those days."
"Yes," Severus confirmed, "I should expect those already, but I'm always taken by surprise."
"Did you two fight?" Nicholas asked.
"Not exactly. The problem is your mother has been feeling faint a lot. Daily, I'd say. I stopped her from falling this morning and then mentioned she should talk to Poppy. She got furious and a chair flew towards my head. I barely made it."
The twins stifled a laugh.
"Why was mum angry that you were helping her?" James asked.
"I have no idea," Severus said.
"I don't remember mum being this crazy when expecting Chris," said Nicholas, "Is that even normal?"
"Well, when she was expecting her," Severus pointed at Elizabeth – who was still angry, "Flor was way worse mood-wise. I may have slept at Hogwarts more nights than necessary in those months – which actually used to make things worse, but I needed the peace. And some mornings, Florence would cry so much, I would take you two to your grandma's," he said to the twins, "For she didn't want you to see her like that."
"So it is nothing for us to worry about?" asked James.
Severus took another sip of his coffee and hesitated, "According to Pomfrey, when expecting a girl, it's normal for your mother to feel more nausea, anxiety and get more irritated," he glanced at the twins, letting them know there was a 'but' he wasn't saying.
They both frowned.
Fuck, there's something to worry about. James said to his twin.
Yeah, but I don't think dad wants Liz to know. Nicholas replied.
"So," James continued, trying to diffuse the tension, "Not even when mum was expecting us she was like that?"
Severus set his cup on the table and looked at his plate, cutting into his croissant and having a bite, looking upset, "I wouldn't know how to answer that."
Then the boys remembered that their parents weren't together while their mother was expecting them.
"Sorry for asking, dad," said James, wincing, "I forget sometimes."
"It's alright, Jamie."
Then they heard a sound on the stairs and stopped talking, making the least amount of noise as they ate, as if a chimaera had entered the room.
"Good morning, beautiful family!" exclaimed Florence with a smile.
Severus stared at his wife, one eyebrow arched as she sat down on the chair to his right.
"What's wrong, Sev?" she asked, taking a sip of her tea.
"What's wrong?" he repeated, "Five minutes ago you were about to bite my head off!"
"Oh, please!" Florence rolled her eyes, "It was only a chair, and you were annoying me! Just drop it, ok?"
"Fine. But I still remember the pain for going through that window," murmured Severus, pointing to the tall glass window in the living room.
"Stop it, Sev," Florence looked upset, "I was so scared, I could have seriously hurt you that day."
"Waitwaitwait!" exclaimed Nicholas, looking from his brother to their parents.
"You threw dad through that window?" asked James.
"Yes. But it was an accident," explained Florence, "Don't you two remember it being broken once?" she asked the twins.
"Yes, but you said it had been the wind," Nicholas said, "And then we went to spend the night at grandma's."
"Well, it wasn't a lie. It was the wind – a wind caused by my veela. You two were three years old, and terrified I'd send your dad away for some reason. I couldn't tell you I had thrown him through the window!" she sipped her tea again.
"Mum…" Elizabeth began.
"Don't even start, Liz," Florence interrupted her, "Your father's already told you 'no'. You're not going to the Quidditch World Cup."
"AARGH! No one understands me in this house!" Elizabeth shouted and stomped out of the living room, going upstairs.
"And the teenager tantrums have begun," Florence said, before biting down on a sandwich.
After breakfast, Florence took Christopher to the playground in the village main square and Severus took advantage of that and called Pomfrey through the floo network. He could've talked to her in person, but he wanted the twins and the elves to be present when he did it.
"Hi, boys," greeted Pomfrey, smiling, "Look how handsome you two are!"
"Hi," they both said.
"Looking good yourself, Poppy!" said James with a wink.
"Aren't you a flirt!" she giggled, "We always knew you'd be trouble, Jamie."
"What's going on with mum?" Nick asked, knowing that was the reason they were floo-calling Pomfrey behind his mother's back.
Severus let out a sigh and replied honestly: "Florence is not reacting well to this pregnancy."
"But you said it's normal for her to be unpredictable and nervous..." James said.
"It is but... she's been fainting a lot, sleeping too much," Severus ran a hand through his hair - never a good sign, "And still she's constantly tired and weak," he looked at Pomfrey, "How serious is her condition?"
"It depends on how cooperative she is, Severus. If she's trying to live life as usual, then we may have a problem."
The twins looked at their father with equal concerned expressions.
Then James asked: "What can we do to help her, Poppy?"
"Unfortunately, there's nothing you can do, boys," replied the mediwitch, "Florence needs to slow down; the expected pregnancy stress of carrying a girl, plus the worry about the upcoming war, is keeping her veela on high alert 24/7. She's sleeping, but not resting. So her magic is suffering, and so is her body. Is she at least eating well?"
That their older elf replied: "Tiffany makes sure her Mistress Flor eats well and drinks her liquids, but... Mistress is constantly sick."
Pomfrey looked at the potions master, "Haven't you managed to make a safe long-lasting antiemetic potion, Severus?"
"Not yet. I'm already working with the highest concentration of ginger and spearmint oil that are considered safe during pregnancy. But all I've brewed so far gave Flor relief for no longer than four hours."
Pomfrey sighed, "She doesn't know you're calling me, does she?"
"No. She's not home."
"We knew she would be unstable during this pregnancy, Severus. And we both know her anxiety about the future is real – and stress and pregnancy do not mix!"
"What can we do, Pomfrey?" he asked, frustration and concern making him sound rude.
"Keep an eye on her as she walks up and down the stairs, check on her if she spends too long in a room alone. Make sure she eats."
"The usual," Severus said, sounding defeated.
"Yes. The usual. We'll have to wait for her to realise she's not able to carry on doing whatever she wants. Until then: keep an eye on her and try not to annoy her."
"Thanks, Poppy," Severus said, ending the call. Then he looked at the elves and the twins: "I'll need you all to help me look after her."
Both elves nodded vigorously.
"We will, dad," the boys replied in unison, terrified at the thought that something might happen to their mother.
Meanwhile, Florence sat at a table in Madam Puddifoot's patio and watched her son playing with other kids in the playground.
It was safe to bring Chris to play outside for he didn't resemble his father, he was Florence's male version – and the gossip amongst Hogwarts students actually claimed that he was Remus' son.
She chuckled at that, remembering how furious Severus had got when he first heard that.
"He looks a lot like your father," she suddenly heard someone say and looked up.
"Hello, Headmaster. Would you like to rephrase that observation and then join me?" she sounded rightfully offended.
"Sure, dear," he sat beside her and looked at Christopher again, "He's a sweet boy, and his mannerisms are all Severus', but in looks? He's the exact copy of your father when I first met him."
Florence narrowed her eyes at him, "Why are you here, Dumbledore? Just to annoy me? I'm pregnant, it doesn't take much to piss me off."
"I'm here to tell you that Peter Pettigrew has been seen in Little Hangleton."
Florence stared at him in worry, "That's where my father's house is. The house I grew up in."
"Yes," Dumbledore nodded, "And Lord Peverell's daughter inherited that house in 1984, when he was declared dead by the wizengamot."
"Yes. But I've never returned to that place since I ran from home, eighteen years ago."
"Do you know who looks after the property?"
"Honestly? No. I was informed that the wizengamot was going to appoint a ground's keeper, who would live in a little house near the manor. I still pay two hundred galleons monthly to cover his salary, the elves' well-being and the house's expenses."
"Yes. The appointed man was Frank Bryce. Ex-military. Muggle. He's still alive and working there actually. He's the one who called the muggle police and reported seeing Pettigrew in the manor."
She tried to contain her apprehension, "Why don't you just send a team there to kill Pettigrew?"
"Because Peter is not the only thing the old Frank Bryce has been seeing around the manor. He also reported a big snake, twelve feet long, he says. The police don't believe him, of course."
"Nagini," Florence exhaled, "If she's around, you can bet your right hand my father is not too far behind."
"That's why I can't send anyone; without knowing what to expect in there, I could be sending people to their deaths."
Florence nodded in understanding. "If I could, I'd go there myself but I'm not risking my child."
Dumbledore looked at her, noticing she wasn't as fine as she appeared to be, "Why hasn't Nagini ever looked for you?"
"I don't know. I always had a good relationship with her," she sipped her tea, struggling to hide the trembling of her hands, "I can only guess she returned to Albania, after my father went missing. It was the only place I remember hearing her talk about as if it was home."
He tilted his head, looking at her with slight amusement, "It's funny how you talk about her as if she were a person. Because she actually was one once."
Florence frowned at that, "What? What do you mean?"
Dumbledore seemed surprised: "Nagini is a Maledictus. You didn't know that?"
"No!" Florence exclaimed, "She was a person!?" she whispered, in shock, looking at the park, thinking, "It makes so much sense! She knew things that a snake couldn't possibly have known – and she could read English!"
"Read?" it was Dumbledore's turn to frown.
"Yes. I would sit to read a book and she would lay her head on my shoulder and read with me."
He opened his mouth and closed, in a rare moment of speechlessness, looking at her, "I must say that the image of a small girl reading with the head of a huge snake resting on her shoulder is a truly bizarre one, my dear," he shook his head.
"I completely agree with you now. But it was normal for me then, it was my reality."
"I understand."
"Did you meet her when she was a person?" Florence asked, curious.
"Yes, I did," Dumbledore smiled, "She was a beautiful, intelligent woman; I fought beside her against Grindewald. I still wonder how she ended up with your father."
"She once told me father saved her from a life of loneliness and boredom," she finished her tea, "After what you just told me, I can only think that she was missing human contact when he appeared in Albania – a parselmouth, someone she could talk to," she shook her head, "What an awful life, poor Nagini."
Dumbledore looked at her with a mixture of pity and incredulity, then he told her something worrisome: "Bertha Jorkins went missing a couple of weeks ago, in Albania. I have reason to believe your father went there to find Nagini and killed Bertha, making another horcrux."
"Another?" Florence stared at him, shocked, "How many do you reckon he has?"
"Haven't reached a final number yet. But according to what I've found so far, at least five."
"Five!" she whispered horrified.
They fell silent for a few minutes, both thinking about the repercussions of that information; then Florence spoke again: "We know father used one horcrux to not die in 81, and the diary Harry destroyed was another one. But that still leaves three to be found."
"And that is if he hasn't done more," added Dumbledore.
Florence glanced at her son playing in the playground, completely unaware of who he was the grandson of; she caressed her still flat belly, the already familiar cold prickle of fear running down her spine, paralysing her as she thought of her family – of her husband – terrifying her with the thought of her daughter having to grow up without a father.
She blinked, trying to fight the tears that flooded her eyes as she felt her heart race, an anxiety attack starting.
Dumbledore looked at her with concern, "Are you ok, dear?"
Florence shook her head, her bottom lip trembling before she whispered: "Do you think it won't be long now?"
"No, it won't," he shook his head, "It won't take more than a year."
Florence closed her eyes for a few seconds, a tear escaping as she just breathed, her mind bringing forth her father's threat of killing Severus.
"Tom will need your husband," said Dumbledore reassuringly, reading the fear in her face, "Don't worry."
"Easy for you to say!" she snapped, glaring at him with light-green tearful eyes, "Severus is just a pawn for you! But he's everything to our family," she paused, trying to control herself before her son noticed her distress, "Get out of here, Dumbledore."
He respected her request and stood up, "I'm sorry if I've upset you in any way, Florence. But you had to know."
She just nodded and tapped at the menu, ordering another tea, keeping her eyes on her son and her hands on her belly.
That night, after the Snape family had enjoyed a great evening together – dinner had been delicious, the dessert had been perfect and the kids had played games without fighting (much) –, Severus carried a sleepy Florence upstairs, laying her on their bed and removing her shoes.
He took off his shirt and sat on the foot of the bed, massaging her feet and ankles, making her sigh and moan as he rubbed and pressed on her skin.
Florence was thoroughly enjoying his touches, sighing happily, when suddenly she burst into tears.
"Flor, love, what's wrong? Are you in pain?" Severus asked, lying beside her on the bed, pulling her to his chest.
She rubbed her nose against his neck, smelling him, filling her lungs with the scent that was uniquely his.
"Nagini used to be a person," she whispered, tears slowly running down her face.
He frowned in utter confusion, "Come again?" she was crying because of Nagini?
"Dumbledore told me today that she's a Maledictus," she sniffled, "And it makes so much sense!"
"Yes," he slowly nodded, "I agree. I always thought she was just well-trained but... she actually understood English."
"And she could read. We used to read together."
He arched an eyebrow at her.
"Don't judge me, Severus," Florence looked at him steely, "She was my father's pet. I didn't know who he was then."
"It's alright, love," he quickly said, before she got angry, "But what else is worrying you?" he could tell there was more.
Florence whispered: "She's been sighted in Little Hangleton. And Pettigrew is there as well."
He sat up straight, visibly affected by that, "So that means..." he glanced at his Dark Mark, admitting (at least to himself, and behind strong occlumency walls) he'd been noticing it gradually getting darker, its lines somewhat sharper than a year ago.
Florence also looked at the tattoo, not touching it, "It's just a matter of months now," she caressed his face, pulling him down for a kiss, "I love you, Sev. I'm completely out of control, I can't protect you and the kids. I'm scared."
"Don't worry, Flor. I won't leave your side until this princess is born," he touched her belly, "And I won't let your father kill me, at least not without a fight. I have too much to live for."
"I love you, I don't want to lose you," she pulled him closer, kissing him desperately, fear and hormones driving her crazy.
She straddled his hips, making quick work of taking her dress off, needing to feel him naked against her, to feel he was still there, still alive and with her.
Severus saw in her mind what she needed, so he delivered; holding both her hands and magically tying them behind her back.
Her light-green eyes, filled with love, fear and desire, stared into his dark ones.
"I'm here, Flor. I'm your husband, and I'm going to show you that I'm here," he touched her face with both hands, kissing her lips.
"Love me, Sev," she begged against his mouth, "Fuck me, husband."
"I will, love. Every time you sit in the next couple of days you'll remember that I'm still here."
After they both had climaxed, Florence fell forward onto his chest, rubbing her nose on his sweaty shoulder as they both panted.
He let her hands go from the magical ropes he had cast to restrained them and caressed her forearms, pressing their mouths together, parting her lips with his tongue and kissing her deeply.
She touched his chest and sighed in contentment – but he could sense there was still fear in her mind.
"I'm not going anywhere, Flor. I'm right here," he said softly, "I love you."
"I love you, Sev," she said, looking into his dark eyes, touching his face, before kissing him again.
He wrapped his arms around her and moved them both until they were lying under the fluffy duvet.
Florence laid her head on his chest and her breath soon calmed down, letting him know she had fallen asleep.
But it took Severus a while to follow her, the old regret of having ever joined the Death Eaters consuming his thoughts once more.
