KR's world, I am simply extrapolating for my own amusement.

Once inside his office he assured me that my parents had been gotten away with little fuss the night before. The Aurors had taken them as far as Iceland. "I will not ask if you are happy because it shines from your eyes like a beacon. I am very happy for you both. He needs you, though he would be the last to admit it. Things here at school are going to get bad, my dear. I may have to leave for a while. Severus will be my eyes and ears while I am gone. I will be in constant touch with him. I am hoping you have been keeping a low enough profile to be off Dolores Umbridge's radar."

"I do all the assignments on time and do not fraternize with the boys and keep my French thoughts to myself. If I thought it would do any good, I would transfigure her the same way the false Moody did the Malfoy brat. Although she is much too fat to be a ferret, it would have to be a pig, I think."

"Oh dear, Miss Leonidas, you must not say such things to me even though I think you are probably correct. I think you two should go on to your mother's flat in London for at least a few days, until you acclimate yourselves to the married state. He will need to be on full alert in the coming months. You also will need to be vigilant. Keep reporting anything that seems strange with the students. In addition, if possible, could you bring yourself to tutoring Neville Longbottom in Potions? He is deathly afraid of Severus and Potions class terrifies the boy."

"That is the boy with the wandering toad? Yes, I think he is not so afraid of me. I found his toad once in the halls and was teaching it to sing when he came looking for it. We had a laugh over it. He seems a nice child. I will tutor him gladly. Maybe I can show him Severus is not an ogre."

"That would require a miracle which we cannot afford now. Tutoring should be enough. He is very good at Herbology, perhaps talking to him about Herbology and its relationship to Potions would be a way of approaching the tutoring."

"As you wish, Beau-père. I will only call you that between us. It is to honour both you and my Severus. Thank you for letting me see my father once again. I got to wish him Dasvedanya. I hope he and my mother stay safe."

"As do we all, child. Thank you for the Beau-père. Now go off and assist Madam Pince. You may tell Severus that we dine en famille tonight."

"Yes, Headmaster." I made my escape to the library without seeing anyone. Madam Pince was so happy that I had the re-shelving completed several hours before the end of classes that she let me go early. I bumped into Sybill Trelawney on my way back to the Great Hall. She caught my robes and drew me into an alcove. She had not been at the ball the previous night so could not possibly know what had transpired, yet she looked at me oddly. Her eyes were so magnified behind her glasses as to make her look like an owl. "The bonding is known. He will be summoned." She croaked at me. Then she shook her head and asked if I had seen her purple shawl. She wandered off again muttering to herself. I ran in the direction of the Potions office. When I arrived, I slammed the door behind me. "Trelawney said that the bonding is known, that you will be summoned."

"Hush. I have not yet been summoned. Her predictions are notorious for being as vague as mist. We will deal with that when it happens. Did you see Albus?"

"He says we dine en famille tonight. The most of the other teachers are leaving on the same train as the students."



"To Albus en famille means the three of us or up to twenty more. You need to say goodbye to Miss Granger before she leaves. Her paper was excellent, by the way. I graded it fairly."

I kissed him and ran back up to the Gryffindor Tower. I politely asked the portrait of the fat lady to tell Hermione I was waiting to see her. She appeared at the door to let me enter. We went up the stairs to her room. I helped her pack. We talked after she had cast Muffliato to keep us from being overheard.

"Viktor asked me to write to him this year. He says that he really cares for me and wants to see if I could possibly care for him. It is so confusing. I am so worried about Mr. Weasley. I had such a good time last night dancing. The bonding, you and Professor Snape, that is almost squicky. But you looked so happy. Do you love him?"

"Yes, Hermione, I do, with all my heart. He and I are well suited to each other. All my training has been in the Dark Arts, but in the ways to fight them. He and I compliment each other's skills. He was very proud of your essay today. He told me to tell you thank you and Happy Christmas. Take care and remember; we are here if you need us. I will send a Patronus to you if anything happens. My Patronus is a Meerkat."

I kissed her and hugged her before we levitated her trunk down to the carriages. I waved her off with a tear in my eye. Severus was waiting for me when I returned. He was chuckling at something. I asked him what was funny so he told me that Argus Filch and Madam Pince had gone off to Brighton for the Holidays together. He said Minerva McGonagall was not leaving yet so would eat with us tonight. I mentioned to Severus that I was calling Dumbledore Beau-père. He held me to him silently. I went to my room and brought the clothes I had ordered from Mother for him. I knew he would never spend galleons on new things. I wanted him to have new things. I wanted to spoil him. I made him wear some of the new finery that night. I had the House Elves burn his old things. I ordered new sheets on the bed and new towels for the bathroom. The House Elves were astonished that I had given them nameplates for their sleeping alcoves. I wanted something different to wear to dinner that night. I rummaged through the trunk Mother had sent and found a velvet dress in dark purple with dark green trim. It had a v-neck, long sleeves and a princess waistline, and it was warm. I pulled my boots with the highest heels out of the armoire. Being seven inches shorter than my husband made me feel like a child, I needed the boots to project a more adult image. He called me over to fasten a necklace around my throat. "It is a Christmas gift from me to you, wife. It was made to match your ring. Albus will probably distribute his gifts tonight. I usually give him candy, but your gift for him set me to thinking. I also went to Hatchard's and bought him a set of Tolkien. He may be surprised this year. I am giving Minerva extra stores of her favourite shortbread biscuits. The woman is addicted to them, I swear. I gave Filius the transfigured mask. He was delighted. I kept the one that I did for Igor, for you to keep. Shall we go up to dinner?"

"I think there is time for a few kisses, don't you?"

"If you start with kisses we will miss dinner entirely. Come along now."

When we arrived in the Great Hall, the tables had been pushed against the walls. There was one single table set up with places set for six. Professor McGonagall arrived moments after we did. She was wearing a red tartan party dress with her hair drawn up into a chignon at the back of her head. 

Albus Dumbledore appeared just then in red robes that were brocaded. Kingsley Shacklebolt and Alastor Moody completed the company. Shacklebolt was dressed in bronze coloured robes and Moody had on a mismatched set of robes of four different shades of brown. I thanked Moody and Shacklebolt for getting my parents to Iceland. Moody answered me strangely. "Well, missy, I was never too fond of your father until I met you. Your training makes me appreciate him. He did a very superb job teaching you. Hope you and Snape signed those papers; I'll be taking them back with me. They are going to be sealed into the vault that even Fudge can't get into. Shacklebolt, Albus and I are the only ones who have access. I don't trust those fools at the Ministry above half. Congratulations on your bonding anyway. "

The talk at the table was mostly what was going on that the Order should be concerned about. Professor McGonagall said I need not call her Professor any longer. "My name is Minerva, Thera. Another name associated with Mythology. Your name has meaning. It translates as Beautiful, doesn't it?'

"Yes. My parents gave me names from both their heritages. I am Thera Anastasia."

Minerva told Moody and Shacklebolt they had missed a lovely bonding the night before. "Thera made a very pretty bride. She held up well considering everything that has been going on."

I mentioned what I had heard from Trelawney that afternoon. Dumbledore did not seem too concerned. He handed out gifts to everyone. Minerva shared her Glenfiddich. Dumbledore was thrilled with the Donne books and the Tolkien from Severus. Severus had boxes of potions for Shacklebolt and Moody. They had brought us several bottles of Elf-made wine. Minerva gave Severus a box of ingredients. She gave me a pair of amethyst earring that almost matched my ring. Dumbledore gave me a small vial of what I realized was memories. "They are our memories of the bonding, Thera, for you both to look back on in years to come." He also had the House Elves bring in a larger box for me. "Your father left this for you. He said you did not have a properly warm cloak."

Severus helped me open the box, inside was a magnificent hooded sable cape lined in dark green silk.

When all the presents and dinner had been put away, Severus brought forth the two batches of parchments I had signed over the last few days. The bonding documents were sealed into a silver tube, but the copy of his will was open. Moody glanced at it before putting it into the pocket of his robes.

"Oh, right, Karkaroff gave me this to give to you both. Here."

He handed me two scrolls. One was in my father's writing; one was in Mother's more flowery hand. As I started reading, I gasped. Every asset they owned had been transferred into my name, the flat in Chelsea, the Designer's business, the land at home, the house in St. Petersburg, everything. I looked at Severus who simply shrugged. He had known nothing of it beforehand. The letter continued, "Some things I have tied up for your children. You will know soon after the birth of your first child. May you have many, my little warrior. Tell your husband I left him many secrets of the Dark Lord's followers in the house in Petersburg. You will know where. You must have your first child there. It is tradition. May the winds of peace blow across your marriage bed, my child."



I handed that letter to Severus before reading the one from Mother. She left me instructions on the sale of the designer studio. She told me to keep the fabrics and that she had created a wardrobe of maternity clothes for me when the time came. She told me they were going to keep running in the hope that we would destroy the Dark Lord and his followers soon. She was much more practical in her letter. She told me that the bank accounts had been transferred into my name as well. She warned me to learn code phrases such as she and Father had used, that we would need them for the coming fight.

Almost immediately after we left the Great Hall Sev's dark mark burned. He had to run to the dungeons and grab mask and robes before Disapparating out of the tunnel. The Dark Lord had heard from the Malfoy's of mysterious goings on at the school the previous night. Sev simply stated that he had found a way to save face for the Dark Lord by bonding himself to Karkaroff's daughter and bringing her back into the Death Eater circle. The Dark Lord was very thoughtful for a long while then gave the bonding his approval. He asked one question only. If the bonding was political or romantic. Sev, of course answered political, to take a pure blood mate as the Dark Lord had suggested. The meeting was between the Dark Lord and Sev only. Sev requested the Dark Lord not to tell the Malfoys of the bonding because it might be thought that he had taken the girl away from a pureblood. The Dark Lord laughed and said he would tell Lucius that there was merely a charade, of no import. He said that Lucius was getting above himself again and might have to be dealt with at some future date. Then he dismissed Sev with felicitations for his bride. Sev immediately Disapparated back to the tunnel.

It was very late when he finally reached the Dungeons again. Severus asked me if we should go on to London that night or wait until morning. I voted for that night so we packed hurriedly and used the floo network to get to the Chelsea flat. I saw that Viktor had been there at some time that day. He had left huge vases of flowers in the entry hall. He must have known we would be going there for a few days. There was mead, elf-made wine and champagne in the refrigerator. He had stocked it with oysters, caviar, and zakouski of all sorts. I found the note he had left for us. He had left us music to set the mood, flowers to heighten our senses and decorated the bedroom for the bridal couple. When we looked into the bedroom there were rose petals strewn across the bed. Sev told me of the meeting with the Dark Lord and proffered the felicitations. I told him the Dark Lord could sod off for all I wanted his felicitations.

Severus commented that Viktor had thought of everything newlyweds could want. We proceeded to take full advantage of what Viktor had prepared. We stayed until almost the day before classes were due to begin again. We were careful when we returned to school so that no one suspected anything. The Umbridge situation continued to get worse until, in April, Dumbledore disappeared. Umbridge took over and installed her little Inquisitional Squad. What a joke. She had outlawed any gatherings of three or more students but broke her own rules to set up her terrorists who, of course, were the Malfoy brat and his acolytes. I let myself be recruited so that I could undermine their efforts whenever possible. Umbridge was using Veritaserum on the students until she ran out. Then she went to Sev for more but he told her that he was out of ingredients and that his supplier was backordered. His next excuse was that it took a month to brew. He was always so very apologetic and so concerned that she not think ill of him, that I had a difficult time not laughing. Not long after that the Weasley twins had had enough and decided to make a truly flamboyant exit, literally flamboyant. They set off fireworks that were spectacular. The fireworks chased Umbridge until she 

was cowering behind her desk. The absolute joy and encouragement that gave to the rest of the students was very welcome. Sev almost burst out laughing when the twins flew out the door of the school with total chaos in their wake. He laughed about it that night as we compared notes on how to further foil Umbridge's plans. There came a time when she became convinced that she was above the law and even above the Ministry. When she voiced the opinion that she could use the Cruciatus Curse on the students with impunity, we realised that she had to be stopped once and for all. Sev sent a message to Albus at OOTP headquarters about the ongoing abuse of the students. Sev approved my continuing with the Inquisitional Squad as a way to keep tabs on the more vicious of the Slytherins. I had to disarm Malfoy more than once for attacking students with no provocation. In June it became apparent that Harry was having visions of the Dark Lord again. He broke into Umbridge's office to contact Headquarters to see if Sirius Black was unharmed. His plan backfired as the Squad and Umbridge caught him and the others. She had ordered Sev to bring her more Veritaserum, which he reminded her that he was out of and it took a month to make more. Harry screamed at Sev.

"They have Padfoot at the place where it is kept."

Sev immediately knew that Padfoot was Black and the place was the Ministry. He immediately sent a Patronus to Dumbledore. Hermione had the brilliant idea to lead Umbridge off on a wild goose chase into the forest. She was leading her to where Grawp was in the hopes that Grawp would free them from Umbridge. She was correct that they would be freed but the Centaurs and Grawp were all involved in the process. After Umbridge left with Harry and Hermione, the squad thought they could torture the others but I knew that Ron had some of the Skiving Snackbox sweets in his pockets and so I told Goyle and Crabbe to take the candies. They immediately put the candies into their mouths and I stunned Malfoy. I Obliviated Malfoy, Crabbe and Goyle before sending Neville, Luna and Ron off to the forest. Luna Lovegood turned back to hug me before running after the others. She may be a little odd but I like that girl. I started down to the Dungeons to Sev's rooms where we tried to figure out what was going on.

"I saw the Thestrals lifting off just now." I told him. "I think they took the Thestrals to the Ministry."

"What was the boy on about? Black is at Headquarters. I would be willing to bet the Dark Lord has used the connection with Potter to send him a false vision. I had best contact Moody also."

Just then a silver phoenix flew into the room through the wall. It spoke in the dulcet tones of Albus Dumbledore.

"Order alerted. Stay there to apprehend Umbridge. Keep the students safe. I will return later tonight."

"Thank the powers that be, Thera. He means to take the reins back from the female Napoleon. "

We waited for what seemed like hours. Sev finally went out to the forest to hunt for Umbridge. He found her babbling incoherently 50 or so meters beyond Hagrid's hut. He stunned her for her own good before calling Poppy Pomfrey out to retrieve the woman. It was well past midnight when the group of students returned to the school. Hermione had been injured and was taken to the infirmary. Potter, Weasley and Longbottom had minor injuries taken that needed looking after so Poppy called me to help. I did not say anything to them but both Weasley and Longbottom looked at 

me strangely because I had helped them escape before. Luna Lovegood just hugged me and whispered that my wedding ring was showing. I looked at my hand and saw nothing but she winked at me and smiled.

"He was very good to tell them to come help us. Tell him we appreciate it," she whispered

I could not believe she knew anything but I simply nodded and went about my work. I made sure that Poppy had used the Murtlap salve on Hermione's injuries and went to sit by her bed. I said a few healing and calming spells just for good measure before I went off to the dungeons. As I went down the stairs I saw Sev disengage himself from the shadows to draw me into his arms. As we walked back to the Slytherin dorm I glanced up the stairs. Luna was standing in the moonlit hallway waving and smiling at me. When we got into Sev's rooms, I told him that somehow Luna knew. He dismissed it, saying that the girl was too strange to be fully aware of what went on around her. Then he vanished my clothes and dragged me into bed. In the morning I went to the infirmary to see how the patients were faring. Hermione was up but still very sore and weak. Umbridge was still raving. Poppy had contacted St. Mungo's to come and get her. The Daily Prophet was again being read by one and all in the Great Hall at breakfast. Sev nodded to me and thought the words- my office directly. I nodded and excused myself from the table. When I arrived at the Potions office the door was open, I knew Sev never left it that way so I peeked inside. There stood Luna arranging wildflowers in a vase on Sev's desk. She turned around and winked at me before going out the door. I sort of fell into a chair to wait for Sev. He arrived only moments later. He looked at the flowers and then down at his desk. He pulled a parchment up to show to me. It was a note from Luna.

'I can see your rings. I can see the love shining, too. It is a beacon of hope for me. Thank you both.'

"The girl is decidedly odd. Do you really think she knows?"

"Yes, Sev I think she does know. How she knows I am not sure but she seems to be much better at Divination than Trelawney. I will befriend her also, just to keep an eye on her."

"What surprises me is that for all her dithery ways she is an excellent student. Her potions are always correct and her essays are in on time and accurate even if she does tend to go off on strange tangents. Yes, befriend her. Take her under your wing. She is not a danger to anyone, but I don't want anyone here knowing what she knows. School is out in another four days, shall we go to Chelsea, love?"

"Yes, I feel like walking among the Muggles for the summer. We will have to be back here all too soon. We will go as soon as school is out."