DISCLAIMER: I've decided I don't even want to own these characters. Who would want that fame and fortune? The ability to make the last book not suck? Not me. JK can have them. (I'm dying a little inside just saying this).

Timeline: HBP compliant, beyond that is mine.

Rating: Mature, but if you read the last chapter, y'knew that already.

A/N: I really liked the section about Ollivander. Can't put my finger on it, but I couldn't wait to finally get to post it!

Severus.

Severus stretched for a moment before putting on his clothes from the previous day. He wouldn't lie. He was sore. But it was a good sore. It reminded him he still had some muscles he had previously forgotten about. Apparently one used a lot of ill used muscles engaging in sexual acts while standing in the shower. He could still feel the marks her fingernails had dug into his back. She was magnificent when she climaxed.

He was mad at himself the first time the night before. He had not intended on finishing before her, but he had made up for it twice that morning. He was already building up his stamina. Apparently he was out of practice. In fact he was looking forward to practicing once more before he left that day.

His stomach growled, pulling him from that thought. But first he needed to find something to eat. He left her to finish her preening in the bathroom and went into the kitchen.

He was proud to see her kitchen was arranged very much like her potions lab downstairs. Neat and orderly, everything in a logical place. He made eggs with spinach, toast with peanut butter and some leftover turkey.

"You cooked?" Aurelia asked, taking a seat and tucking her legs under herself. She looked refreshed, wearing jeans and a white tee shirt, her hair pulled back from her face. And if he wasn't mistaken, she was wearing a little bit of makeup. Not like she had in New York, just some color on her cheeks and eyes, but it was more than she usually wore.

"Unlike you, I no longer have the resiliency of youth. After last night," he paused with a smirk. "And this morning, I need some carbohydrates and protein."

Aurelia laughed. "So, this isn't you making me breakfast, it's you making you breakfast?"

"Of course," he said, putting a fork full of eggs in his mouth.

Aurleia chuckled to herself, spreading peanut butter on the toast. She took a bite and Severus was watching her intently. He tried to find physical proof of her parentage but she really didn't look that much like Albus. Except her eyes. They were the wrong color, of course, being a dark hazel, brown in the center with a ring of green around the iris. Perhaps she looked like her mother. And who on earth would that be?

"What?" she finally asked after he watched her eat the entire piece.

"Forgive my impertinence, but Albus," he paused. "didn't he, I mean, doesn't he prefer …"

"Men?"

He let out a quick breath, relieved that he didn't have to be the one to voice it. "Yes."

She laughed easily. "Yes, he does."

"I was never aware that he was with a woman."

"No, you wouldn't have been. Their affair would have been quite the scandal."

"More so than Grindelwald?"

She smiled and nodded. "Our society accepts two male lovers over heterosexual lovers when one is underage."

That caught his attention. "You don't mean-?"

She nodded. "She was a student when they began their affair."

"She was a student? And while he was headmaster?"

She laughed. "No, he was the transfiguration professor at that point. She got pregnant years later, after he was given the Headmaster position."

"Wait, how old are you?" Severus asked trying to put the timeline together in his head.

"I will be thirty in April."

He frowned. "You're older than I thought."

"I'm only six years younger than you are. My mother is more than forty years younger than Albus."

He frowned again at the realization. It seemed like she was so much younger than he was. Maybe because he felt so old. The stress of everything in his life and always being surrounded by teenagers. "She was his student?" he reconfirmed.

She laughed again, he really liked that sound. "Yes."

"Never again does that dirty old man get to hang anything over my head." He was quite for a moment. There had never been a student he would have even considered having an affair with. But Aurelia never went to Hogwarts. He did the math quickly in his head, she would have been fifteen years old when he started teaching. That may have been problematic. But if he broke the most important rule and with Albus' daughter no less, the old man would have his balls on a platter.

"So, if he kept the relationship and the pregnancy quiet, did he make your mother raise you by herself?"

"No. I wasn't raised by either of them. The couple who raised me, they're my real Mum and Dad."

"And who are they?"

"You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"At this point I'm willing to go out on a little faith."

"Nicholas and Perenelle Flammel. Albus was able to use their work together as an excuse to visit often."

"Hmm. That would have been logical."

"I was their last favor to Albus before they died." She paused, glancing over at his plate. "Were you going to eat all those eggs?"

He laughed and halved the eggs, scooping them onto a plate for her. He poured them both a glass of orange juice. The breakfast was eaten in a comfortable silence. Once Severus was finished, he pulled two small bottles from his pocket. It looked like she recognized the first one, it was the same she had taken the night before for her arm. She picked up the second and unstoppered it.

"It's a … birth control potion," he said, unable to meet her eye. He wasn't prepared to make that mistake at this point in his life, but he wasn't sure if she would take it as an insult.

She smiled and he was relieved. "Thank you," she said sweetly and took both potions. "So, last night I was thinking about that wand."

"You were? When?" He had very little time between their activities and sleeping to think much of anything other than her scantily clad body.

"Well, after we … before I … You know, it doesn't matter when." She pulled out the wand and set it on the table. He stifled a grin.

"You stole his wand," Severus said without betraying his reaction.

She scoffed, clearly affronted by the accusation. Then she frowned. "Well, yes. But I'm fairly sure it wasn't his wand to begin with. He's dead now anyway, and in all fairness I believe he would have raped and killed me."

"Yes. He would have." He ignored the look she threw at the ground. She was still bothered by killing Wilks. Severus picked up the wand and examined it. "What was the curse that backfired?"

"Impedimenta. Not sure why it didn't work. I thought magic was supposed to be more focused with a wand, not more violent."

Severus was examining the wand, turning it over in his hands. "A wand is specific to the wizard. This wand is made of oak with a dragon heart core." He pulled out his own wand and handed it to Aurelia. "Mine is cherry with a duel core of phoenix feather and unicorn hair. Try it."

She gave him a worried look.

"Try something simple. Like boil that tea," he said pointing to a forgotten cup.

"All right." She pointed the wand at the cup and flicked her wrist. The tea instantly started to bubble, boil and then exploded. Covered in tea she turned to Severus who couldn't hide his smirk.

"I thought that's what was going to happen."

"Thanks for the warning."

"You're too powerful of a witch for this wand," he said holding up the stolen wand. "Now, mine is better. I think a stronger wood and duel core is more suited to you." He took his wand back and pocked them both. "Perhaps mahogany and dragon heartstring instead of phoenix feather." Severus looked up at her angry, tea covered face. "Why don't you get cleaned up and I will brew more of the salve."

Ollivander.

When the knock came again, even harder this time, Ollivander knew he wouldn't be able to ignore the visitor. Throwing his cloak over his house clothes he made his way to the front door. Looking through the peep hole he sighed.

"Cherry, nine inches, phoenix feather and unicorn hair, very unforgiving," he muttered under his breath. He opened the door to find a tall hooded figure at his door step. "Professor Snape." It was more of an acknowledgement than a greeting.

"Ollivander," Severus said quietly, nodding his head.

"How many of you does it take to relay the same damn message? I am not selling, making or trading any wands without the Dark Lord's approval."

Severus couldn't help the amusement at Ollivander's sarcastic 'Dark Lord.' Severus pulled out the oak wand. "I think you and I both know that is a lie." When Ollivander refused to confirm or deny the accusation, Severus continued. "May I come in?"

After a moment's hesitation, he quickly glanced behind Severus for onlookers, Ollivander stepped aside allowing Severus to pass into his home. With one last scan of the street Ollivander shut the door behind him.

The old wand maker wrinkled his nose in disgust as Severus seated himself in his favorite chair without an offer. He removed the hood and smiled a malicious smile.

"What do you want?" Ollivander asked, shoving his right hand into his pocket, not finding much comfort in the wand he felt there.

Severus blatantly eyed the movement, letting Ollivander know he would not be catching him by surprise, but otherwise ignored the threat.

"I propose a bargain. I need a wand better suited than this. And in return, the fact that you are making wands without the Dark Lord's knowledge will remain our secret." Severus held out the wand for Ollivander. He took it.

"I thought it was quite suited for the man who stole it from me."

"Yes, it was," Severus agreed. "But not at all for the one who recovered it."

"You didn't?"

"No. I'm simply returning it."

"How am I to match a wand to a wizard I have never met?"

"This wizard was the last person to cast a spell with this wand." Severus pulled his own wand out. "With mine as well."

Ollivander noticed Severus watching him very carefully as he pulled his own wand out of his pocket. The spell was spoken under Ollivander's breath as he touched the tip of his wand with the stolen oak wand. A thin red stream was pulled out of the tip and Ollivander studied it carefully. Then, with a crack and a shower of red sparks, it disappeared. Ollivander didn't even ask for Severus' wand, he just took it from his hands. He repeated the spell and this time the stream was a dark blue color. Again he studied it and let it disappear with the crack and shower of sparks.

"This wizard is powerful. Even more powerful than you."

"I am aware of that." Severus looked almost bored. "I was thinking a stronger wood, like Mahogany. The duel core was more suitable." Severus took his wand back and pocketed it.

Ollivander was stroking his chin when he said, "If I were to get caught, they would do more than just steal this wand."

Severus pulled out a bag of coins and set it on the table in front of him. "Then I suggest you don't get caught." Severus stood and re-covered his head with the hood. "I can show myself out."

Ollivander didn't even look up from the wand in his hands as Severus left, closing the door behind him.

"Mahogany, ten and a half inches, I think. Unicorn hair and dragon heart string. Something sharp."

Severus.

Severus Snape uncrossed and recrossed his legs. He caught his reflection in a window across the room. He had the perfect combination of boredom and disgust. His arms were folded, slouching slightly in his chair, his hair mostly curtaining his face.

He made sure even the slightest bit of interest in the necessary evil they called a staff meeting was hidden. It was the last day before the winter holidays and he couldn't wait to get away.

Draco was infuriating him. The Malfoy boy was consistently ignoring his attempts to help and didn't even seem to care that he had put his life on the line to help him. Ungrateful little brat.

On top of that, he was fairly sure one of the Lestange brothers had gotten their hands on his poison and Bellatrix was having great fun killing unsuspecting witches and wizards with it and he was still at a loss as to why his antidotes weren't working. He was sure that either Aurelia or he would have determined what the mistake was before this point, but he knew both of their attentions were divided. Him with the spoiled Malfoy heir and her with the red journal she had acquired.

She had no problem letting him read her other journals, but this one she kept close to her at all times and he hadn't straight out asked her to read it. Perhaps he would the next time he saw her.

He caught his reflection again and frowned. He wasn't smiling, no heaven forbid, but his scowl seemed to fade whenever he thought of that witch. It wasn't a good thing, he knew, but like an addict, every time he went to her, he needed it that much more. He had gone to see her twice that week. Mostly for his sanity, he argued. He knew things were going to get horrible by the end of the year, and when he was with her, he could almost pretend nothing else existed. Besides, if he was going to be dead by this time next year, he deserved some good sex.

And it was good.

The best part was when they were working together, there were no innuendos, no blatant flirting or giggling, she hadn't turned into a, well, girl about it all. That he was thankful for.

The commotion in the staff lounge caught his attention and he realized he had missed the last half of the meeting. He hoped there wasn't anything important that he would be expected to know. He watched as Dumbledore and Slughorn left the room discussing something very animatedly.

"Severus."

He looked up to see Minerva pull a chair up next to him. Meddling woman.

"Minerva," he said trying to convey that he would rather be left alone at the moment, even though that was a lie. There was something he was dying to pluck out of her brain.

"You haven't been by to have tea with me in a while and I was so looking forward to gloating about Gryffindor's quidditch win."

"As thrilling as that would be, I have been occupied with more important things."

She smiled to herself. "Yes, I'm sure you have been. How is Aurelia doing?"

Severus completely ignored her question and went straight into his own line of questioning. "Were you a student of Albus' when he was the Transfiguration professor?" He already knew the answer to that, he had done some digging into the Hogwarts records.

She was taken off guard by the question. "Yes," she answered without thinking.

"And how much older would you say he is than you?" Severus asked, leaning forward in his chair. She took the movement as an advance and scooted back in her own chair.

"Why do you ask?"

"Would you say he's more forty years your senior? Say, forty-four?"

"Severus," and her voice was a warning. He didn't heed.

"And in the spring of sixty-six, you took some time off from teaching. A family illness. I believe that's what the record says." He paused, making sure everyone else had left the staff room. "Strange," he continued, "I think Aurelia's birthday is in the spring."

Minerva stood, her lips formed a thin line. "You think you're so smart. What do you want from me?"

"Exactly what you gave me. Confirmation." He smiled.

She glared at him and turned on her heel. She stopped at the door and turned her head to him. "Be careful young man." And she exited, slamming the door behind her.

Severus had been correct. Aurelia looked very much like her mother.