Chapter2: Revelations

The next morning Remus sat at his desk and pondered the events of the previous night. It had nearly killed him to see Seren curl up into a ball and cry as she listened to Dumbledore tell her that so many people she loved were hurt or dead while she was in hiding and that there was nothing she could do about it. Seeing her cry had reminded him of the first time he had ever seen her cry.

Flashback
Remus rushed out of the Room of Requirement with a very frustrated look on his face. Anyone who saw him might think that he was angry, but in reality he was filled with worry. No one had seen Seren all day and when she didn't show up at dinner, everyone decided it was finally time to go look for her. Almost all of Gryffindor and a small group of Slytherins were searching the castle and surrounding grounds.

Suddenly Remus remembered that Seren liked watching the sunset from the top of the North Tower. He ran to his room, got his broom from under his bed, and quickly rushed outside. He flew straight to the North Tower and could clearly see Seren sitting on the roof with her broom beside her. The orange and red sunset surrounded her dark outline. Remus landed softly beside her and sat down. He looked closely at her and could see tears running down her cheeks.

"He's a deatheater..." She whispered. "He's a bloody deatheater..." Her voice began to rise bitterly. "First my father and now Severus. They are all bloody deatheaters." She looked up at him. "I feel like I'm losing everyone."

"You haven't lost me." He couldn't think of anything else to say so he hugged her. When she pulled back he placed his hand on her cheek.

"You have the moon in your eyes." She almost mumbled.

"You have the ocean in yours." He smiled.

"The moon is what dictates the ocean you know. When the tide changes, it's because of the moon."

"Has the tide changed?" She knew what he was asking.

"Yes." She leaned in slowly. Remus knew what was coming but when she actually touched his lips with hers, he was caught by surprise. But he soon started kissing back. He had waited years for this one moment. He never wanted it to end.
End Flashback

Remus opened his eyes when he heard his door open but knew that his next class wasn't due yet. His breath caught in his throat when he saw who had just walked through his door and was now standing in the middle of his classroom. Her long brown hair was done up in a circular braid like she had always worn it on friendship-braid-day. Something in the back of Remus' mind reminded him that today was in fact Friday. She had on long crimson red robes lined in silver with silver and red ribbons braided into her hair. She looked up at him hesitantly and tugged at her right ear. Remus knew that was what she did when she was anxious about something. In a flash he was up from his chair and standing in front of her.

"What do you say to someone you haven't seen in twelve years?" She said trying to smile.

"How about hello?" He smiled and his eyes gleamed.

"Hello." She paused for a second then impulsively hugged him. He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her in tighter. "I thought I'd have a million more things to say when I finally saw you again but now I can't think of any of them."

"I know how you feel." He pulled back and looked into her eyes. He knew what she was thinking about. "I'm so sorry for all that's happened."

"I saw her today." Her voice sounded distant.

"Who?"

"Alice. I went to St. Mungo's and saw her. We braided each other's hair. The healers there said that it was the most normal thing they had ever seen Alice do. Just braiding someone's hair..." Remus saw a tear start to fall down Seren's cheek and he wiped it away. "I should have been there."

"No. You might have ended up just like them or worse. And think of Neville. You had to save him. It's what they wanted."

"I feel so bad for Neville and Harry. I hope they know how much their parents loved them."

"They know." He paused. "Speaking of children..." She pulled away from him. "How are yours?"

"They are both wonderful. They have always been. I hate when they ask me about their father."

"You need to tell them."

"I have. They have always known."

"He needs to know too. You have to tell Severus he is a father."

Flashback

Seren rushed from the hospital wing to the Gryffindor common room. She had to tell her friends what had just happened. When she got there, all her friends were waiting for her. It had been over three months since her breakup with Severus, and it had taken her all that time to finally say yes to Remus. They had only been a couple for two days and now she had to drop this on him. As she stepped into the common room to see her friends in the middle of celebrating winning the Quidditch cup she felt like dying. Remus wrapped his arms around her when she sat down.

"Ummm... I have something to tell you."

"What is it?" Alice always had to be the first to know.

"I'm pregnant." She blurted. No one said a word. They all knew that Snape had to be the father. Seren looked at Remus. "Twins," she said simply.

"I don't care who the dad is, they are your kids so I love them... Just as much as I love you." He smiled and kissed her cheek.

"Three cheers for the new mommy!" Sirius stood and shouted. Everyone cheered.

End flashback

"I'll tell him now... Get it over with." She turned and left.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Neville came out of the dungeons all feeling slightly confused. Snape had for once not taken a world of hate and aggression out on them. They were all discussing reasons why he had been at least semi-civil to them when a stranger came walking down the hall. Her face was downcast and full of dread. She slowly made her way towards them. She looked up and suddenly stopped when she saw Harry and Neville. Her eyes grew wide and she drew in a sharp breath.

"Hello," she said approaching them with a smile. "My name is Seren Chantrez (something about that name made Neville twitch) and I was wondering if you could help me."

"Sure, what do you need?" Harry spoke up not knowing why he suddenly felt very drawn to this woman.

"I need to find Severus Snape."

"Why would you actually go looking for that git?" Ron sneered and Neville nudged him.

"I see he hasn't changed." Seren smirked. "I need to speak with him."

"We can show you." Neville spoke in a strong voice. Harry nodded and the two of them left the group and led Seren deep into the dungeon. When they got to the classroom they entered and saw Snape at his desk looking at papers.

"Sir?" Neville spoke, feeling strangely confident having Seren by his side.

"What?" A very irritated reply came without so much as an upward glance.

"A lady here to see you sir... A Miss Chantrez." As soon as the words left his mouth Snape's glare met Neville's eyes. Snape's gaze shifted quickly from Neville to Seren and his eyes softened. Harry and Neville could plainly see that these two people had a past together.

"You may leave now." Snape said dismissing Neville and Harry. The two boys looked up at Seren not wanting to leave her there with Snape. Neville's eyes pleaded with Seren to leave with them. Seren smiled at their worry and whispered that she'd be okay. Harry had to almost drag Neville out of the room. Seren looked back at Snape and started to walk towards him.

"So, I see you still strike fear into hearts of innocent youths."

"And you still have too soft a heart." Snape said it like it was a bad thing but they both knew that it was her soft heart that helped Seren fall in love. "I didn't expect you to come here."

"Moon- uh, Remus talked me into it."

"Lupin? I'll have to thank him later."

"I would have anyways, just not so soon. I've had a trying day." She sat in one of the classroom chairs and Snape pulled up a chair near her. "I saw the Longbottoms today." Snape twitched. "I had a talk with Dumbledore. Then I got a job." She paused and smiled. "Then I saw Remus and he told me I should come see you." Her smile faded. "Like I said, I had planned on seeing you anyways... Just not so soon." She rested her cheek on her hand. "Do you know about Siri and Caden?"

"Your mother and her little brother? Yes, they were killed by deatheaters after your father joined and they wouldn't. Voldemort had them marked for death while we were still in school."

"Well then that's a no. You don't know who I am talking about." Her face fell and her forehead barely touched the desk beneath her.

"What do you mean?"

"I had twins." Her face came up and she saw disbelief in Snape's eyes. "I had a boy and a girl. Very few people ever knew about them for fear that someone might hurt them just to get even with me. I named them after my mom and uncle. They are fourteen now but probably only trained enough to be third year students. When they get here Dumbledore will have them tested and sorted."

"When they get here? Where are they now?"

"The three of us were in hiding in Ireland around Druid healers. I tried to teach them what I knew, but I'm no great tutor."

"Why tell me all of this? What's it got to do with me?"

"Your their father. It has everything to do with you."

"You never told me?" Anger flashed across his face.

"I only found out about them after we had broken up and you wanted me to have nothing to do with you." She straightened taking a defensive tone. "You wanted me gone and I didn't want my children raised by a death-." She cut herself off. "By a death-..." She couldn't finish the word while looking him in the face. Her voice fell. "I know you're not one anymore."

"A deatheater." He said evenly. "Was it anger at me?"

"Anger?"

"That made you run to Lupin. You knew I hated him. I hated the whole lot of them."

"No." She paused. "I had always had feelings for him. I just never let anything happen. Then I fell in love with you. You broke my heart. He helped mend it. And I let myself fall for him. It was the last week of school when I told them all I was pregnant. They knew who the father was but didn't care because the babies were mine too. James and Lily were planning to get married right after graduation. Alice and Frank had just gotten engaged. Everyone helped me raise them. We were all one big family. Then everything went wrong. I was visiting Neville on his first birthday. Cade and Siri were with Remus at his house. Then they came. Three of them. Frank told me to take Neville and fly away. So I did. I left Neville with Remus and took Cade and Siri to Sirius' house. I was so scared that they were the next target. Sirius had us transported with a portkey to Ireland. I raised them there doing what I could to train them and waiting for Sirius to owl me and tell me we could come home. I never knew... I had no way of knowing what happened after we left. If I had only known." A tear found its way down her cheek and stopped on the bottom of her chin. Snape touched the tear with the tip of his finger. Her face grew hot as he placed his palm on her cheek. They had both forgotten that Snape had that affect on her.

"When will the children be here?" He put his hand down and she looked up at him.

"They should be getting here now. I sent Brekken after them. They will be sorted at dinner."

"Do they know who I am?"

"Yes, I have always been honest with them. But I can't say whether or not they are all that excited about meeting you."

"I can accept that."

"You don't have to be a father to them. I understand if you're uncomfortable with that."

"It's not comfort, it's... I don't really know. I don't think I'd make a good father."

"You could try if you want."

"Did you ever hate me?"

"I could never stop loving you long enough to hate you."

"But now you love Lupin."

"I love both of you but in different ways. It's hard to explain."

"I think I understand. Did he ask to marry you?"

"No, I think he was too scared to. He knew I was never really over you. I told him once that it would just take time for me to fully open my heart again. You were my first love. That's a hard thing to overcome."

"I know. I never overcame it either. It was you leaving that made me change sides. I thought if I could change my ways that maybe one day you would see in me what you saw when I first asked you out. All I wanted was to get you back. I never meant any harm to anyone you loved. Yes, I hated them, but I would never harm them."

"I know you wouldn't."

"If Lupin had asked for your hand, would you have said yes?"

"I don't know... Probably."

"If I had asked, I mean, before I joined the deatheaters, would you have said yes?"

"I don't know." She stood up, still deep in thought. "I'm going to see Dumbledore, Cade and Siri should be here by now." She turned and went to the door. Before she exited she faced Snape one last time. "Yes. I would have said yes to you." Snape's heart broke as she left the room and his knees gave out and hit the floor.