What the Mirror Saw: Samantha's Story by Bandgeek252
Chapter 3- When the Kids are away, Adults will play!
September 2, 2019
Hermione woke up and couldn't quell an uneasy feeling she had in her gut. She clutched her stomach as it was doing backflips. The morning sun was shining brightly as Hermione eased her way into the washroom. Good thing too for she only needed two step before all the contents of her stomach came out in a huge vile mess. Hermione barely had enough time to get her massive amount of hair out of the way, cursing the fact that Severus wouldn't let her cut it. "I love to run my fingers through it, my dear. You look positively delectable with your long unruly hair." What a load! He doesn't have to take care of it! But nonetheless Hermione kept her hair long. Even she had to admit how pretty she looked when she did something with it.
Groaning, she picked herself up off the floor and began to wash her mouth out and brush that awful taste out of her mouth when she heard a knock at the washroom door. "Hermione, dearest, are you alright?" her husband asked.
"I'm fine, Severus. Just a bit of upset stomach. I'll be down for breakfast in a minute."
"Coffee or tea this morning?" he asked. Thinking of that rich bitter brew made her stomach gurgle.
"Tea, please." And Severus went down the stairs to make themselves some tea. Looking in the mirror she took a quick inventory of herself. Her honey brown eyes soft and smooth as ever while her face had begun to age. She knew for a forty year old woman she looked pretty good with her round hips and slender waist. That is what two kids gets you. Looking up she examined her breasts and sighed. They weren't as perky as they were ten years ago, but still they held up nicely. She saw her curly long brown hair had a few gray spots at her roots, but she just teased her hair to hide it. No way am I spending the money or taking the time to try to dye any of this mess I am forced to call hair. One would think that the war herione would have made peace with her, but to this day Hermione still found it bothersome and a chore for the most part.
After Hermione had been rescued and Severus "proposed", Hermione spent the summer of 1999 quickly passing the Ministry's Potions Mastery. Due to her age she was put on probation for teaching NEWTS level classes. Minerva was outraged, but Hermione figured it was the best such a corrupt body could manage. She was honesty too busy enjoying teaching and sharing Severus bed to care. After the Ministry interviewed her performance after her first year of teaching, they left and never troubled her again. Severus began to think about a proper home. He remembered the Mirror showing Spinner's End renovated and revitalized beyond its original state. It was a poor house in a poor neighborhood, but after Severus proposed to Hermione, he felt that they could either find a new house or fix this one up. It was Hermione who decided to fix up Spinner's End. It already had so many specifications like a giant library and a well stocked lab, but it also, to Hermione's great enjoyment, still had many Muggle appliances that had been there since the fifties.
Being away for a year at school didn't help progress their fixing up the house until a year or so later, Hermione told Severus she was pregnant. It was a shock to the dark haired forty year old and he worried over Hermione's reaction, but when she smiled as she gave the news, his heart lept out of his chest. Finally at last he'd have that family he wished for so long ago. And that gave him the desire to hurry the remodeling around.
It wasn't easy teaching and taking care of a newborn, but with so many helpful elves that even Hermione couldn't turn down despite how she tried, it wasn't too difficult. Minerva was concerned about having a family teach at the school, but Hermione and Severus checked the rules and there was no rule against teachers having families live in the castle. It was true that the Snapes were the first teachers to house their family there in well over a century, but it still wasn't against the rules.
The Snapes received little trouble within the castle walls, but out in the wizarding world, there were many who believed that Severus was a traitor to either the Death Eaters or the side of Light. It was one of the reasons Severus wanted them to live in castle. There were still too many enemies out there, in Severus' opinion. If Hermione was harassed at all she didn't show it. She refused to feel inferior. During school she hadn't backed down when Malfoy and others called her names like Mudblood or a Nightmare, she wasn't going to back down now. Samantha and Alex knew from an early age what it meant to be a Snape. There was a certain amount of ridicule ignorant people would put on them, but Hermione and Severus were both firm that they were not to retaliate unless attacked first and to stick together.
When Samantha was two and a half, Hermione found out she was pregnant again and Severus couldn't help but grin like a fool. He was so certain that it was a boy, he even decorated the baby room up in a rich blue. When Hermione had asked why blue, Severus simply replied, "He'll be in Ravenclaw, I just want him to get used to the color." Hermione just rolled her eyes and reminded him that the Mirror does not tell the future. They rarely mentioned the Mirror of Erised and when the children would ask about how they met, they edited it slightly, but the last thing they wanted was for their children to get silly ideas about the Mirror solving all their problems, including love lives... when they were old enough to have them.
As Samantha approached her first year at Hogwarts, Hermione and Severus sat down and had a long discussion about what to do. In the end the two teachers wanted a change and to give a chance for their daughter to experience school as a normal student would and turned in their resignation. A few months later the two Potions Masters opened an apothecary in Hogsmeade, Brewed Glory. Hermione and Severus did high quality potions and research for new potions. The brightest witch of her age was determined to improve her restorative potion. She wanted to make it completely restore memories from those who suffered Oblivates so severe that other cures had failed. She was actually able to restore Lockheart's memory four years after leaving the school. He still sent copies of his picture with his Christmas cards every year, much to Severus and Hermione's great annoyance.
The Snapes next big project was study on the cure for Lycanthropy. It started out as simply research for Hermione, but then Samantha and Severus got involved and it just snowballed from there. Three years later they were finally going to be able to start playing with different formulas, but Hermione put her foot down when it came to Samantha helping out during the school year. It was the girl's last year and she didn't need more on her plate. Hermione hadn't gotten a normal seventh year so she was determined to see her daughter get one. Much to the Head Girl's annoyance.
Hermione pulled her hair back and put her dressing gown on. Not that it mattered much with the children at school, but it was habit for the woman.
"Feeling better," Severus' kindly spoke as he handed her a cup of hot tea. The aroma eased her stomach.
"Yes, I don't know what happened. Maybe we shouldn't eat Fish and Chips from the Leaky Cauldron anymore."
The fifty nine year old raised his eyebrow at his lovely wife. Some days Severus looked in the mirror at the aged old man he had become and wondered what the hell was this lovely creature doing with him, but then he would watch how she was with others her own age and knew, She couldn't stand them; they aren't intelligent enough or interesting enough for her. Still, she is here everyday with me. He internally sighed warmth filling his heart. He knew how truly blessed they were. Twenty years of marriage and going strong. He just hoped she took his news well.
"I suppose not. Um, Hermione dear, there is something I wanted to discuss with you." he had his professor voice which caused his wife to perk her ears in concern.
"Whenever you use your professor voice, I worry." Hermione threw him a sly smile.
"I talked to Farnsworth at the Ministry." To this Hermione narrowed her eyes at her husband. He knew how she felt about the Ministry since the war days. "Now don't give me that look! They could use the help in the Department of Mysteries."
To say Hermione was shocked was a gross understatement. "WHAT?" she cried. "Why would you want to?"
Severus sighed in exasperation, he knew this was going to be a battle. "I told when we started the store that we wouldn't stay doing it forever. I have zero desire to teach anymore."
Hermione didn't wait for her husband to finish, "So you just decide that you're going to leave me the shop and take off to work covertly for some highly secret Ministry department. Have you gone completely insane?"
The dark haired man hated hearing his wife's shrieking, he knew after twenty years of marriage with her that this was just a shocked reaction to his news. Taking a deep breath he tried again. "Hermione, I am bored with the shop. I have been doing potions for so long, I need to try something else."
"So you're just to drop all of this on me and expect me to just send you off doing Merlin knows what in the Department of Mysteries?" she snapped taking a sip of her tea wincing at how hot it still was.
"They need the help. They need those who have excellent mind magic and I do, Hermione. I am not trying to leave you with a mess. I will still be able to help with the research, but we'll need to hire another brewer for the day to day stock."
"What you mean is I'll be doing the finding and hiring?" she sneered annoyed with Severus for dropping this bomb on her, her tea being too hot, her stomach being upset, and her need for more caffeine.
"I will help you. You know I will." he tried again, but even Hermione could tell he was losing patience with her and fast.
Hermione sighed, picked up her tea, and walked out of the room. Severus slammed his fist against the table. "So that's it, you're just going to walk away! Mature choice Hermione."
She turned slowly to him glaring at him, "It is the mature choice, because otherwise I might say something I'll regret. Now if you don't mind I don't have the luxury of working at the Ministry so I need to get the shop open shortly, excuse me." she turned on her heel careful not to spill her tea and went up to the study and slammed the door hard.
The husband just stood there and sighed heavily. I knew she wasn't going to take it well. Damn it, Hermione. Is it so much to ask for, hhhmmm? A little support? I suppose it is! And with that Severus downed his burning tea letting scorch his throat and quickly went to get some parchment. He had to write a wanted advertisement.
HGSSHGSSHG
Nate Granger stood outside of Olivander's, his place of employment, hesitating to go in. It was his only day off this week, but he needed something to do with his hands and mind otherwise he'd go crazy. Yesterday had shaken him up more than he thought it would have. What the ruddy hell was I thinking? Going to the train station. If everyone was half as sharp as Severus, I would have been hexed so badly by Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny. No one noticed, but if she keeps doing those kinds of things, everyone will. Aunt Ginny even thanked me. What the hell did she had to do that for? Only made me feel more guilty about it. She's TWEVLE! Get it through your perverted mind, she is too young! I just need a few hours working on some Holly or Vinewood and I'll feel better.
He entered the quiet dusty shop and looked around for the sweet odd blond who was his boss, but couldn't find Luna anywhere.
"Luna!" he called when he heard a heavy sob coming from the basement. Wand at the ready Nate headed down cautiously. He had half a mind to call for Ron, but decided to wait.
"Luna!" he called again. "Where are you?" he heard a scream. "Lumos." he shouted as his wand grew bright lighting the whole basement.
"Nate?" a soft terrified voice called out. Nate moved closer to his shaking boss.
"Luna, are you alright?" Nate reached out for her pulling her into his arms. He had always found Luna fascinating as a child. She was kind of person that was so unique and interesting you couldn't help, but be mesmerized.
"Ron?" she asked for and Nate sent his Ox patronus to Ron asking him to come to the shop quickly all the while never letting go of her.
"Can you tell me what happened?" Nate asked.
"The light went out. I couldn't get it back. It was so dark." she was shaking despite the warming charm Nate had cast on her. She clung to him tightly.
"Luna! Nate!" Ron's voice bellowed through the empty store.
"We're down here. I found her. She's just really shaken up." Nate calmly explained.
"Oh sweetheart what happened?" Ron pulled his wife of fifteen years into his arms. She cried into his Auror robes.
"It was dark, Ron." she said as if that explained everything, but Nate still had a confused look on his face which Ron noticed.
"Why did you go down there? You know to ask one of us." he gently scolded her.
"It was Nate's day off, I didn't... want to be a burden." she cried harder.
"Oh Luna, I was coming here to see if you would let me work a little." Nate sighed and smiled at his boss.
"What? It's your only day off." Luna sniffed trying to calm her tears.
"Pff, who needs a day off. I am itching to try out that new unicorn hair on the new batch of Holly wood that came in. It should be fun. What I would do otherwise?" Nate joked good heartedly.
"I don't know, maybe go see your friends, go on a date, that kind of stuff." Ron said sitting down and pulling Luna into his lap.
"My friends? I see all the time and girls? Who has time for that? I'm happy to watch over the shop if you want to take the day off. Go bunking off, Luna. You need it!" Nate tried to joke with her, but he could see she was still too shaken.
Luna nodded and Ron picked her up without a moment's hesitation. "I will just get her home. Luna why don't you go wash your face and we'll go home."
Luna looked horrified. "I am so sorry Ron! I didn't mean for you to have to take a day off. You shouldn't have to. It's been years, I should be over this by now."
"Now, none of that. I have sick leave and vacation time, we just sent little Rosie up to school why don't we spend the day together?" Luna nodded at his suggestion and went off to the washroom.
"What was that all about?" Nate breathed completely confused. When he noticed Ron's scowl, the Hufflepuff blushed slightly and amended, "Not trying to invasive, just curious is all."
"Right before you were born, we had a war and Luna was taken prisoner. She was more like kidnapped off the Hogwarts Train, but that is neither here nor there. She was kept in isolation for weeks before she was graced with another prisoner, Olivander."
"So that explains a bit about the shop now." Nate nodded his head for Ron to continue. The red head cleared his throat and continued.
"Well after she was freed, she was depressed for months. The war ended and she was back at school actually going out with Neville Longbottom at the time." Ron chuckled at his wife's former boyfriend.
"Professor Longbottom!" Nate cried shocked.
"Around Easter she was taken... again." His brilliant blue eyes glassed over with unshed tears. "She only taken for a few hours, but it was enough to bring it all back for her. Ever since she has never been able to stand the dark. I have been laying by her side every night since she got out of Hogwarts and if I was unable to be there, my patronus is always there. Whenever she is in total darkness she is there again and it is horrifying for her so keep your trap shut, will you?" Ron snapped with no real emotion behind it. Nate felt for the man trying to protect his wife and even worse for his employer.
"I never knew." he breathed and quickly added, "and I certainly won't tell anyone. You have my word, sir."
"You're a good bloke Nate. I had my doubts being Hermione brother, you'd be all textbook-y and a bit of a harpy,"
"Don't let her hear you say that!" Nate pointed out.
The blue eyed man just nodded and continued, "but you turned out alright! You're going to make a good husband one day," to this Nate blushed tomato red, "if you choose to do that. Anyone you're keeping an eye out for?"
Oh Ron, how I wish I wasn't! Get over it! She's too young and I'm too poor for anything like marriage! "Not really. I am too poor and undecided to really make any big decisions about that right now." And thankfully Ron let it go at that. Thank Merlin. I know Ron's not very sharp, but he tends to notice the things others overlook. He sees things. Just hope he can't see into my perverted heart.
Ron just smiled and patted him on the back, "I know. I was the same way with Luna. We didn't get married right away like Harry and Ginny or even your sister and your brother-in-law. I didn't have an inheritance like Harry or have a place to live like Hermione did so I worked up through the ranks and saved up enough money to buy her a house and a nice savings before I asked for her hand."
Nate looked at the red head confused, "I thought you got married around the same time as Hermione did."
"Nope," he shook his head.
"But you said you've slept by her side ever since she left Hogwarts. How long have you two actually been married?" Nate asked with a small sly grin on his cheeky face. The older man felt a small blush creep up his ears.
"I... uh... well I stayed at her house or she came to mine for about a year. Then I found myself a flat and Luna stayed with me. It's not the bloody dark ages, you git!" Ron pushed the younger man slightly trying to move past his apparent embarrassment.
HGSSHGSSHG
That evening Ginny was just getting out of the shower before she began to make dinner. Her long fiery red hair fell to her shoulders with only a few strands of gray which she promptly zapped with her wand. I am too young for gray hair! She brushed it a few times before applying a drying charm and went to dress. Grimmauld Place had been their home since the end of the war. Harry and Ginny had talked about moving to somewhere like Godric's Hollow, his childhood home, but Harry was adamant, the place felt more like a tomb to him and a reminder that at one point he had a family. Despite Hermione and Ginny's insistence that it would be a fresh start, Harry still didn't want to leave Grimmauld. So with that Ginny rolled up her sleeves and got to work after school. Remodeling the entire house and finally removing Mrs. Black from the wall took some work. Ginny just gave her to Krecher who still loved to talk to his former mistress.
Harry and Ginny were married right out of Hogwarts and two years later, Ginny found out she was pregnant with their first child. Harry was ecstatic to say the least, but then quickly found out that his best friend was having a baby as well. All Harry could say was thank Merlin that Hermione was trapped in a dungeon while she was pregnant, because the raven haired Auror had a hard enough time dealing with one hormonal pregnant woman... He didn't think he could have dealt with two of them at the same time. Head of Auror's or not he still was only one man.
That following year Ginny had finally finished remodeling the house. Thanks mostly to Molly and Arthur who found time to come over and help with the heavy lifting and strong spell work while Ginny was pregnant. Harry and Ginny were able to welcome their first child, James Sirius Potter, into a newly remodeled, clean looking home with bright and warm colors on the walls.
Ginny had always had a love of writing and so she began to try her hand at journalism after James was born. She knew she didn't have to work since Harry made a decent living, but she felt she needed something to keep her mind sharp otherwise she would die of boredom. And so the Daily Prophet offered her a small column that she could showcase Quidditch Commentary. Ginny and Harry always received free tickets to matches all over the country and when James was about a year old, Ginny began to take him rather than leave him with her mother. It was there that Ginny first discovered her son's love of flying. He had Quidditch player written all over him.
Three years later, they were blessed with another son who Harry wanted to name Albus Severus Potter. Ginny loved the idea much to Severus annoyance.
"Ginny! You home!" Harry called just getting home from work.
"Up here!" she called as she headed down the stairs to greet him in the kitchen.
"Harry!" she called and found him bloody and bruised searching for the bruise paste and healing salves. "Harry James Potter! What the bloody hell have you done to yourself?" She cried. In all honesty Ginny shouldn't have been surprised. Every week since they were married it seemed that Harry was coming home with some kind of injury. Much to Ginny's annoyance.
"It's not as bad as it look, dearest. I promise." Harry looked at her trying not wince as he was pushed into a chair.
"That is it! I've had it with that damn Auror Office. They think that since you're the Boy-Who-Lived you can always cheat death and not get injured. You are not invincible!"
"Except when I have the Cloak." Harry chuckled as he hissed through the pain. Ginny applied a heavy amount of bruise paste on his left shoulder not even trying to be gentle. "Ouch, Gin that hurt this time."
Channeling Molly Weasley, Ginny looked at her husband with a cross glare, "Good! Maybe this time it will sink in! You are too old for this nonsense."
The injured man chuckled. "Gin, I've been fighting dark wizards since I was 11, how do you expect me to stop?"
"Just stop! That's how difficult it is. Get a different job, work a different position, but something is better than you running around the wizarding world catching dark wizards. Riddle, I understood. The Death Eaters, I understood, but after that Harry you're supposed to let the next generation take the wheel."
"I am not sixty, thank you very much!" Harry snapped at her which only resulted in another 'ouch'.
"I realize that, Mr. Potter, but if you don't ease up on the herorics, you won't be around long enough to reach it!"
"Why Mrs. Potter, I thought you liked that about me?" He grinned at her cheekily.
Ginny rolled her eyes, "When you were sixteen, yes I did, but now that we have a family... Harry," Ginny sighed in frustration. "Every time you go on a mission, I hold my breath. I don't release it until you're home safe and sound. I'm getting tired of holding my breath. I'm not saying quit, but isn't there anything you'd rather be doing than catching dark wizards?"
Harry really looked at his wife for the first time that night. He saw the worry wrinkles that marred the corners of her eyes. Had he caused that? With his reckless behavior? Snape always did say he was horribly reckless, but was it really that bad? Harry hadn't questioned when he entered the Auror Training program or when he became an Auror. When he went on dangerous missions he never questioned the worry that his family must have been experiencing while at home waiting for him to come home. He took her hand and looked deep into his wife's lovely brown eyes.
"Ginny, I'm sorry." Harry breathed as the red head fell into his arms. "Ouch." he hissed.
He heard her chuckle softly, "That will teach you to let me heal you."
HGSSHGSSHG
Later that evening, Severus sat in their study and was quietly reading when he heard the door open with a loud creak. One day I will fix that damn creak.
"Severus?" his wife called out. He looked up to see her tear stricken face blotched and puffy. "I want to talk to you."
"Yes," he said carefully setting down his book.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you. It's not about the Ministry. I know you've been bored with work recently. I just didn't like that it was sprung on me so quickly." she hated to fight with Severus. Argue, discuss, all of those were fine, but fight was something they rarely did.
"I'm sorry too." Severus voice came out quietly. He loathed to apologize, because he honestly didn't think he had done anything terrible, but he had sprung it on her without explaining how it would take him weeks to find a replacement. "I'm not leaving you with the shop, Hermione. Actually I was wondering if you would agree to this idea, I have." Hermione's ears perked up at the notion. "What if we offered the business to Samantha after she graduates?" Hermione's eyes lit up.
"That would be wonderful. I think she would do wonders with the place that we haven't wanted to."
"I also figured this would give you an opportunity to see if there was anything else you would like to pursue. You don't always have to work with me, Hermione."
She hung her head for a moment. It was true. She had loved working by his side through teaching and then the shop, but with their children almost grown, it was time to try something else. "I just don't know what I would want to do."
Severus stood up and kissed her on the nose as a sign that their fight was over. "You have time to figure it out, you know." he yawned. "I'm off to bed. Join me?" he held out his hand for hers. She smiled at him.
"Mr. Snape, I would love to."
"Well then Mrs. Snape, please lead the way. Any chance that lacy pair of black knickers you bought in Diagon Ally and thought I didn't notice will make an appearance tonight?" he smirked at her. Hermione gasped.
"How did you know about that?" Heat climbing her cheeks.
"That is my secret."
"For that I should say no." she grinned at him slyly. "but since I am feeling rather naughty tonight, I think I'll forgive you this once." Severus growled in anticipation as he picked her up bridal style and whisked her off to their bedroom. Their fight long forgotten.
TBC
AN: The adults have issues! I wanted to write it this way to show that even after the wedding and years of happy marriage, adults will still argue. I always thought of Ron as a Xander (from Buffy the Vampire Slayer) equivalent. Perceptive in areas others couldn't see. At least that is the Ron I wish was written. I love writing Nate. Poor Nate. He is kind of like me except for loving a certain red headed Potter who isn't Ginny. I actually prefer old guys, you know ^^ Anyway, I thought Nate's patronus would be an Ox due to his undying loyalty and perseverance when it comes to those he loves. That is actually my Chinese Zodiac.
Hope you liked this chapter and sorry it took me a while to write. Quite a few school projects to do and not enough hours in the day to do them .
Let me know what you think. Thanks to everyone who has favorited, reviewed, alerted, or just read the series. I am very proud of this series and it's really had me work on my writing. It's still nothing impressive, not by a long shot, but I won't lie, I am immensely proud of how it has evolved. Read my earliest story and then read this, you'll see. Thanks to everyone for reading this. I would love to hear suggestions or even predictions.
Happy Reading, Bandgeek252!