A/N: A bit of a long chapter, I know, but it's filled with lots of hilarity (I hope). Enjoy. :D
Kiss and Make Up
A few days before Christmas, Severus found himself next to his wife's bedside in the hospital wing, holding her hand. His eyes remained locked on the projected image above his wife's abdomen. He couldn't believe that small being was his child, their child. It didn't seem real. It was like a dream.
"Would you like to know the sex now?" Poppy asked, giving the expecting parents a faint smile when they glanced at her slightly dazed. This had been the second time he knew of that she had asked.
Severus's eyes darted to his wife, finding her staring back at him with a look of amusement.
"It's your call," Aurora murmured to him.
So far, everything had been his call. However, turning his attention back to the image of their unborn child, he found himself swell with gratefulness at being able to be here with her this time. To share this experience with her. To not have to worry about everyone else and their damn dog being murdered by the Dark Lord. To just be a husband with his wife learning the sex of their child.
"Yes," he answered, his voice rough with a hint of shakiness to it. He didn't understand why it was starting to feel so . . . different now. What did it matter if their child was a girl or a boy? What mattered was that it was their child. And yet, something was starting to change just a bit.
Poppy quickly set to work, her wand moving slowly over Aurora's belly resulting in the projected image shifting. Once she had found a good place, she paused, her eyes taking in everything as she made her determination.
"It's a boy, Headmaster," Poppy declared a moment later with a quiet laugh. "You can just make out his—" she started to say, motioning towards a spot on the image.
Severus sharply nodded and gave her a mild glare. "Yes, so I can see, Madam." His son was already quite the exhibitionist, it seemed. Clearly, something he inherited from his mother.
"We're having a boy." Aurora squeezed his hand gently, her eyes locked on the image of their son. So much love filled her voice. So much warmth, it was utterly suffocating. "He's so beautiful."
Severus snorted instantly, his mind unable to stop his mouth in time. "Yes, if you like deformed creatures with large alien heads."
"Severus!" his wife sharply retorted, causing him to jerk in surprise.
"I, I mean, yes, of course. Beautiful." He forced his smile at his wife, noting her dark glare. He then turned back to the projected image. Perhaps at this stage a child was only beautiful to its mother, he decided. It was later after birth in his wife's arms that he would find his child beautiful, he knew.
"I'll go make you two a copy," Poppy softly announced, her wand already moving back from Aurora before she turned and left them alone in the private room.
"I can't believe you said that," Aurora huffed, turning her back to him as she redressed.
He winced, knowing that he had not won any favors today clearly. "I apologize, Celes."
"Tell that to our son, whom you just insulted."
"I would if he had—"
"Severus Tobias, don't you dare finish that sentence!"
He glanced upwards, closing his eyes. This was not going well. At all. He blamed the hormones for causing her to become irrational. "I was merely stating that our son's ears are still developing, Aurora." When he felt a hard punch to his shoulder, he glanced at her and frowned.
"You take that back right this moment or the next thing I'll do is hex your ears off."
"There is no need for your—"
"You are insulting our son, Severus," she growled with her maternal instincts in overdrive.
He blinked. "No. I'm stating—"
"Then keep your damn facts to yourself, because I don't want to hear it." She then pointed her finger at him, glaring. "I will not have you destroying our son's self-esteem before he's even born."
"That won't happen!" Severus replied defensively.
"Says you. Tell me. Are you an expert in babies? What they can and can't hear when in their mother's womb?" The sarcasm just oozed out of her. Clearly, he had rubbed off on her over the years.
He groaned, scoffing and shaking his head. She was acting completely and utterly mad.
"No? Well, then shut it."
"There is no reason for you to act like a complete—" His mouth snapped shut instantly when he noticed her eyes trained on him with the darkest look he had ever seen from her before. If he were a different man, he perhaps might have admitted that he was a bit fearful of his wife right then.
"I can't believe I ever married you, you . . ." She clenched her jaw tightly shut as she obviously was at a loss of words, overcome by her anger temporarily. "You—UGH!" She threw her hands up into the air in utter frustration.
At the sight of a stray hex being thrown his way, Severus ducked and inhaled sharply when it hit the wall. Perhaps he pushed her just a bit too far this time if she had lost control of her magic like that.
"You insufferable, goddamn ARSE!" she screamed at him before rushing out of the hospital wing, away from him. The door slammed shut behind her soon after, causing him to sigh inwardly.
After he emerged from the room as well a few moments later, Madam Pomfrey softly remarked, "Well, that could've gone better, I think." She held a moving photograph that contained their son's image out to him with a faint smile.
"I was not wrong, Madam," Severus quietly stated.
"Perhaps not medically," Pomfrey agreed with a shrug, "but I believe someone once told me that no one likes a know-it-all." He glared at the witch instantly, not enjoying hearing his own words thrown back in his face. She gently patted his arm, though. "Give her time to cool off, Severus. She'll be calmer later and might find this all . . . amusing once the hormones lessen a bit."
"Somehow, I doubt that." He then sighed, his eyes flickering down to the magical sonogram. He supposed if he really stared at it, his son was—no, he just couldn't see it yet. He slipped the photo into his pocket and inclined his head to her. "Thank you, Madam." She only nodded in acknowledgement before she walked off again, leaving Severus all alone with his thoughts.
Walking along the empty corridor bordering one of the many courtyards, Severus found himself wandering aimlessly throughout the castle. He usually wasn't one to partake in such ridiculousness as that, but his mind couldn't make a decision as to his destination. His rooms seemed like the worst idea ever, as he knew Aurora would need her space for a bit. And the headmaster's office brought up even more uncomfortableness than ever before, what with the ghosts and that. The dungeons were practically similar to walking into a lion's den nowadays, seeing as how his former Slytherins knew his true loyalties now. And the lake would be too overrun with students trying to escape the castle as it was.
Glancing to his left while passing an archway that led down to Black Lake, he caught the flurry of activity around the white marble memorial. The workers were hard at work again. The marble being laid down had finally reached the halfway point with a wiry structure still outlining the unfinished section near its top. It wouldn't be long now before they added the final bit of marble and started on the lighting of the eternal flame and the etching processes. He turned away a moment later, his heart heavy, and headed towards the tall, silvery-leaved tree in front of him in the courtyard.
The place of tranquility, as he had always called it, had been one place where he could be alone with his thoughts in difficult times. As he rounded the large trunk, though, he noticed a young man already sitting in his spot, reading the Daily Prophet that had a large photo of a somber Dumbledore begging for forgiveness before the full Wizengamot. He paused briefly before pushing forward and choosing the bench opposite of the young man. This was yet another conversation long overdue.
"Professor Snape!" cried the Gryffindor, nearly slipping off his seat.
"Mister Longbottom," Severus replied quietly. He then motioned towards the vacant bench. "Do you have any objections to my sitting out here with you?"
"No, sir." Neville seemed to brighten up instantly. "It'd be an honor actually."
Severus scoffed, sitting down across from him. "An honor to sit near a man who made your life hell for seven years?" He shook his head. "Where you Gryffindors find your logic, I will never understand." He caught Neville's quiet chuckle. The two let the peace fall around them for a bit.
"I hear you and Professor Sinistra are having another baby," Neville said a few minutes afterwards, the Prophet put away now. "I mean, well, we all knew that since you were Toby and she was Celes, and you two didn't really hide your relationship or anything when you were them. It's just now we can all say it aloud. Our congratulations, you know?"
"Thank you," Severus replied curtly. It still was unsettling to hear others speaking so civilly with him again. When he had been Toby, he could understand their civility. But to hear the same pleasantries when they spoke to him now, knowing that he was Severus Snape: Deaged . . . it was unbelievable.
"So, um, if, well, um . . ."
"Spit it out, Longbottom." He caught the young man's flinch instantly and sighed inwardly. He had caused that, those deep emotional scars to the boy over the years.
"I, well, I'm just—not that it's any of my concern mind you, I just wondered why you weren't with her right now. I would have thought that since we all know, we at Hogwarts at least, that you two are married and expecting, that you'd be with the professor, enjoying your second chance for a family."
Severus couldn't stop the loud sigh of exasperation from leaving his lips this time. Just how much had Harry divulged about his life to the others? Did everyone know about Evans now?
"I admit I tire hearing those words."
"It's just an observation," Neville stated with a shrug. "You don't have to answer it. Not like I have any right to know that sort of stuff anyway."
"Says the young man who killed Nagini," Severus remarked dryly.
"I just did what Harry told me to do, sir." Neville then sighed as well, his hands folded neatly on his lap. "Everyone keeps telling me how brave I am."
"I know the feeling." Neville glanced at him and considered that for a moment before his head fell forward slightly.
"Yeah, I suppose you do, sir. Only you were brave."
"No, Longbottom. I was filled with remorse because of a power-hungry adolescent's mistake. I wasn't brave. Hardly. I was . . ." Severus exhaled loudly and shook his head. "I was frankly a coward trying to save my own skin all these years."
"That's not how we see it, sir."
"Well, you're a Gryffindor, not exactly known for seeing things clearly," Severus replied, holding onto his usual dry language.
"It has nothing to do with what House I belong to, Professor," Neville argued. "You could have sent Ginny, Luna, and me to the Carrows after what we pulled in your office last year. Instead, you sent us to Hagrid, where you knew we'd be safe. And you did it all under the noses of the other Death Eaters. That takes guts."
"Again, Longbottom, it was merely a means to an end. That is all."
"Thestral dung."
"Excuse me?" Severus's brow rose. He understood that his seeming younger now and having been Toby the less imposing character for a while would make the other students less frightened by him now, but he hadn't expected that.
"It wasn't just 'merely a means to an end,' sir, and you know it. You protected us that day. Just like you protected Harry all those years in secret. So maybe it isn't just Gryffindors who are blind, maybe it's you as well, sir." There was a certain strength in the young man's voice now as he spoke.
"Mister Longbottom," Severus started to warn until he was interrupted.
"No, sir. No 'Mister Longbottom.' You see, it's funny, but when I had the Sorting Hat on my head that day, I could only think about you, sir."
Severus blinked. "I don't follow." What did he have to do with the Sorting Hat?
"You terrified me beyond all reason. So, after news broke that you had died in the Shrieking Shack, well, I foolishly thought that with you gone, I had no more reason to be scared. We all knew Voldemort was going to kill us one way or another. And then when we saw Harry's body, I just couldn't help but think, 'What more could He do to me at this point?' So, I fought back. Ignored my self-doubts."
His eyes narrowed on the young man as he heard Neville's unspoken words. "You truly found me to be more terrifying than the Dark Lord himself?" he asked in obvious disbelief.
Neville held his eyes, though, a feat he had never done before in all their years together. "Yes, sir. I did. Well, I still do sometimes, but this—" he motioned towards Severus's younger appearance "helps, though. I'm sure when the spell or potion or whatever wears off, I'll be terrified of you again."
"I see." Severus's frown deepened as Aurora's earlier words echoed in his mind. Would he scare his own son this bad some day? Cause the boy to cower behind his mother in fear of his father's fierce temper? A sick feeling rumbled in his gut.
"That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, sir," Neville stated, rambling again like usual.
"I was—am—a bully, Mister Longbottom. There is no other way to justify my actions."
"Yes, but you had to be, didn't you?" Neville shrugged. "I've got a lot of time now, you see, and I realized that. You had to be harsh with us. Otherwise, none of this would have worked. He wouldn't have believed you frankly when you returned to His side. So, I guess if it comes down to it, you might be partially right with your 'ends justify the means' thing, but it's more of a self-preservation thing I would imagine. A bit like Tentaculars. They'll sacrifice themselves for the rest of the group, given the right conditions, lashing out at whomever comes near."
Severus considered that for a moment before he realized he didn't know how to counter that logic. Tentaculars were known for their aggressiveness. And yet most didn't know that their aggression was mostly a result of the Tentacular feeling that others in its group were being threatened. In fact, he only knew this because of his being a Potions Master for so long.
"So, why are you here anyway, sir?" Neville asked, giving him a curious look. "I'm sure it's not just to talk with me."
"How astute of you," Severus dryly replied. He then rubbed the back of his neck, biting back an annoyed sigh. There was no reason he had to speak any longer with the young man. He had expressed his gratitude for Longbottom's killing of the snake. So, he wondered then why he remained sitting there across from the young man, carrying on such a strange conversation. The situation would never had occurred if he had been his normal thirty-eight-year-old self. Neville would have been too scared.
"Fine. Keep your secrets."
Severus scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Now, you sound like Aurora."
"Thank you," Neville replied with a faint smile. He then kicked a rock on the ground before he glanced through his long hair at Severus. He seemed to watch him for a bit before he nodded shortly. "You know, I bet if you just apologized, Professor Sinistra would forgive you."
Crossing his arms defensively, Severus frowned. "Now, what makes you believe I said anything to upset her, Mister Longbottom?"
"Because I know you, Professor Snape," Neville shot back, crossing his arms as well.
Grumbling quietly, Severus inclined his head. How had he become so predictable? "There may perhaps be some truth to your words," he drawled.
"So, apologize to her, sir." Neville gave him a friendly smile. "I think we both know how forgiving Professor Sinistra can be."
"Yes, well, you weren't there, Longbottom." Severus glanced away and frowned. They always made it seem so easy . . . apologize and it would be all better. Nothing more than lies, though, he knew.
"Did you insult her?"
"No."
"Did you hurt her?"
"Of course not," Severus snapped, glaring at the young man.
"Then nothing is unforgivable, sir. So, just be honest with her and apologize."
"I insulted our son, Longbottom! She doesn't want an apology. She wants my head on a stick!"
"Honestly, sir, I would imagine she knew when she married you that her life would be full of insults, so, respectfully, I don't think that's it."
Severus frowned. Everyone always thought they knew better than everyone else. Well, he'd show him a thing or two then. "I didn't agree with her assessment on our child's attractiveness. So, tell me, Longbottom. What else could it be if not my insulting our son? Hmm?"
"What did you say?"
Pulling the magical sonogram of his son out, he held it out to Neville. "Look at that picture and tell me what you see."
Neville's eyes flicked to the photo for a second before he shrugged. "I see a baby."
"Does he look 'beautiful' to you?"
"Oh," Neville said instantly, recognition flooding his face at once.
"Oh, what?" Severus then looked back at his son's photo as well. What was everyone else seeing that he wasn't? When he looked back at Neville, he noticed the young man's uneasiness. "Out with it, Longbottom!"
"It's just, well, don't you already know, sir?" Neville asked, giving him a look.
"Obviously not. Now, what in the Nine Hells are you going on about?"
"She's not referring to his 'attractiveness' or anything like that. She's just, well, scared that something's going to happen again. That there might be something wrong with the baby. So, I mean, look at him. He's got fingers breaking up and looks like what one would expect from a healthy unborn baby. Not that I know anything about babies, I mean."
Severus looked back at his son's photo, his eyes narrowing on it. "So, what you're saying is that she was fawning all over this image because—"
"She's seen with her own eyes now that he's healthy, yeah," Neville offered with a shrug. "I mean, from what I've seen with the way Gran and her friends have talked over the years whenever someone's daughter was pregnant, they all sort of gather around this sort of thing and find it amazing. Gran said once it's because it gives them all the feeling of knowing they'll soon be holding the baby in their arms. Like it's a rite of passage for mothers or something. To her, sir, beautiful means healthy."
"Oh."
"So, when you said whatever you said, it brought up all that negativity, that fear of something happening again, and—don't tell her I said this—her hormones just took your words a step farther and scared her even more."
What Neville was saying was oddly making sense to him. He stared at the young man in amazement. He couldn't believe how much Neville had grown in the past few years. Shaking his head, Severus calmly put his son's photo away.
"I see."
"So, what you need to do then is simple." Severus glanced at him. Simple? "Remind her of the good. Make up with her in other words." Neville then gave a little chuckle. "Gran said Dad used to take Mum out for long walks in the pasture behind the house whenever this would happen."
"He distracted her in other words."
"Yeah." Neville gave a slight shrug. "It's just a suggestion, sir." He then moved to stand up, grabbing his bag as he did. "I should head over to the greenhouses." Giving Severus a faint smile, he held his hand out to him. "Thank you, Professor. For everything."
Severus stared at Neville's outstretched hand for a second before he shook it. "And thank you, Mister Longbottom, for killing that damned snake."
Neville snorted and nodded. "Anytime, sir. If you have any other poisonous animals trying to murder you, I'm always a Patronus away," he joked.
Shaking his head, Severus gave a soft laugh. "I'll keep that in mind." He pulled his hand back a moment later and watched Neville turn and head towards the general direction of the greenhouses. It was amazing to see how much everyone had changed during his tenure at Hogwarts. Who would have thought that a shy little first-year, as Neville had been, could grow up to be such a fierce warrior, a rebel, hell a leader? He rubbed at his face briefly.
Pomona had been right when she approached Severus over the summer about Neville helping her this year with first-year Herbology. He had reluctantly agreed at the time, but now it seemed to be the correct decision. Neville had all the markings of a good teacher in him. And from what Severus had heard thus far from the rest of the staff, the young man was taking his new responsibilities well, continuing to do well in his own classes. He scratched his jawline for a moment as a thought came to him. He'd have to discuss it with Pomona later. But for now, he had more pressing matters to attend to. Like finding his wife and making up with her.
"You'll find her by the lake, Headmaster," commented the Gray Lady as she suddenly floated past before she disappeared through a nearby wall.
He sighed loudly. Some days he positively hated Hogwarts.
After having Disapparated from Hogwarts together wearing their finest dress robes, Severus and Aurora appeared in a deserted alleyway near the restaurant. He offered his wife a hand to steady herself before they continued onward.
"You're certain it's not a problem?" she asked for the hundredth time that evening.
"Yes, Aurora. It's fine. I promise you." He did his very best to keep his annoyance out of his voice, but he knew that he couldn't keep all of it from escaping. Why she was still worried about her asking him to invite their parents to dinner with them tonight was beyond him. He had agreed.
"It's not going to ruin anything? You're certain of this?"
He swallowed back his groan and forced his smile a bit more. "It's fine, Celes." How many times must he say that to her before she'd believe him? Honestly.
"Because if you don't want to do this, I'll—"
"Oh, for Merlin's sake, woman," he snapped, his patience completely worn thin. He stopped abruptly and turned to her. "For the last goddamn time, it's fine! If you want our families here with us tonight, then they'll be here. Otherwise, I'll gladly send a Patronus to the both of them and tell them never mind. This night is about you. Do you understand? It is about me making up for being a complete arse to you earlier and apologizing. Now, do you have any objections to our parents joining us at dinner? Or can we please just get on with this and get to the restaurant finally?" He frowned when he caught her arms crossing. No doubt, she mistook his words yet again, thanks to the overabundance of hormones.
"So, you think you can buy me? Is that it? You can just buy my happiness and it'll all be better? How grand," she replied sarcastically.
He threw his hands up into the air and groaned loudly. At this point, it would be a miracle if they made it through the night without killing one another.
"Oh, you're upset? You're upset?!" she shouted incredulously, glaring at him. "Tell me, Severus. Are your ankles the size of grapefruits? Are you feeling like a—Hey! Where are you going?" she yelled as he started to walk away from her. "Severus!"
She had to almost run to catch up with him. Him and his damn long legs. When she finally did somehow manage to catch up, he hardly even acknowledged her presence, let alone slow down for her. She huffed, forcing herself to try to keep up.
"Will you stop for one goddamn minute, you bloody bat?" she yelled, her breathing coming in loud pants as she sprinted after him.
He slowed just a bit. Enough for her to fall into step with him semi-comfortably.
She took several deep breaths, practically panting after having basically run to keep up with him. The anger had slipped away from her somewhat. It was then she realized why he had turned away from her like that. Her eyes closed briefly before she spoke quietly. "I'm sorry for snapping at you." He remained silent, however, which caused her to continue with a bit more bite to her words. "You know, you could at least say something. Go on. Use your big words and make all of us mere mortals feel stupid like you always do, Severus."
His eyes darted to her. "Give me a minute to think, witch, and I will."
Biting back a huff of annoyance, she nodded and waited. She watched him as she did, noticing the lines deepen on his face. Whatever he was thinking about, it clearly seemed to require a lot of mental energy. After another minute passed, she glanced upwards at the inky sky. It looked like it could rain at any moment, she thought glumly. When she felt her husband's gentle touch on her face as he slowly moved her head so she'd look at him, she frowned, not liking the look on his face.
"I should never have described our son as I did earlier. It was a serious error in judgment, and I apologize, Aurora." He quietly sighed. "I admit that at present time I do not share the same strong feelings for our son as you do, but that will come in time. Currently, I am—well, overwhelmed with this entire experience. As I am certain is the case for you as well." He then held her gaze and stressed his following statement. "I am learning, Aurora. None of this comes naturally to me, as it does for you. You must—I implore that you . . ." His voice trailed off before he inhaled sharply and started again, clearly frustrated with himself. "I need you to be patient with me. Otherwise . . ." He shook his head abruptly, as if to shake out that particular thought. "I am sorry, Aurora. I should have thought before I spoke earlier in the hospital wing. You do not need my kind of negativity, and certainly not at this point."
"Severus, stop."
"In a minute," he replied offhandedly, clearly having more to say but unsure of how to say it.
"No. Now," she argued, forcing him to turn back to her. "I accept your apology. Now, shut it."
"I have more to say, though."
"Oh, of that I'm certain," she remarked with a soft laugh. "But I accepted your apology. So . . ." She motioned towards the restaurant that was just a few feet from them. "Let's go join our families and eat. Because I don't know about you, but I'm positively starving."
"One more moment, please," he stated, though. When she relented, he continued. "I will make mistakes, Aurora. I will say stupid things, but I do not mean my words. You must believe me. I do not mean such things as that. I swear to you."
"I know. Nor do I." She then rested a hand against his chest. "I'm not expecting this to be perfect. I'm not even wanting it to be. Circe knows my temper is going to get the better of me some days and you will be the unfortunate subject of my ire. It's going to be messy, but then again we knew this going into it." She ran her hand through her dark curls. "I mean, let's be honest. We lost a child. That hurt and pain doesn't just go away once you learn that you're pregnant again. It's not like replacing a quill after all. All I'm asking for, from both of us, is that we be there for one another, that we are a team this time. Together. Open and honest." She then glanced into the large windows of the restaurant. "Which is why I asked you to ask our families to join us tonight, Severus. I want our son to know his grandparents, even my mother Circe-willing. And I want them to know our son. We . . . we hid last time. And . . ." Her voice shook slightly before she inhaled deeply and started again. "This time, no more secrets, no more lies, no more."
He nodded. "I understand." He had known when he married her how much family meant to her.
"Then, shall we?" She held her hand out to him with a faint smile. They walked in soon after.
After the pleasantries had finished and the food was ordered, Severus stood up and excused himself from the table. He caught the flickers of concern from his mother and wife, but waved their concerns away. One of these days the women in his life would finally stop fussing over him. He was certain of it.
Pushing open the door to the restroom, he walked in and promptly stopped at recognizing the person already inside. Murphy's Law had struck again.
"Professor Snape!" the young man exclaimed wearing elegant dress robes. He wore a look of complete shock. "What are you doing here?"
"I could ask the same about you, Potter," Severus replied dryly, his lips pursing slightly.
"Oh, well, I'm here having dinner with Luna. Actually, um, it's not so much of a dinner with her as much as it's sort of a date." Harry rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly. "Let me guess, though. You and Professor Sinistra are celebrating your anniversary or something?"
"Our anniversary is in August." He then caught Harry's flicker of surprise and frowned even more. Why had he told Potter that? It was absurd. The young man didn't care when Aurora and he had married. He only cared about how awkward all of this was.
"What are the odds of us running into one another, huh?"
"Indeed." Severus then sighed and shook his head. Of course he'd run into Potter. He should've known better. He walked around the young man and headed towards the sink to wash his hands.
"So, if it's not an anniversary dinner, what is it?"
Severus glanced at him in the mirror and glared.
"And just how exactly is that any of your business, Mister Potter?" he drawled.
"It's not. Just trying to diffuse the tension," he replied with a shrug. Both of them glanced at the door when it opened again and someone entered. Harry was the first to start laughing.
"What?" the other young man said confused. "Do I have a piece of hair sticking up or something, Potter? What is it?"
Snape groaned and let his head fall forward in silent defeat. This night was just getting better and better. At this rate, he'd be lucky if the whole school wasn't here by the end of it.
"Are you here then with Hermione, Malfoy?" he heard Harry ask next to him.
"Uh, yeah, I am. Why?" Draco then sighed loudly, clearly upset with himself at something. "I knew I should've taken her to that French place instead. She likes it better there, doesn't she?"
"I haven't the slightest. I'm just finding it ironic that all three of us chose this place for our dates tonight. I was telling Professor Snape that right before you came in."
"Oh." Draco shrugged. "Well, Longbottom suggested it. Said I should take Granger out tonight, and this was the first place I could think of. Father used to bring Mother here sometimes."
"Huh," Harry said quietly. "He suggested something similar to me as well earlier."
Severus kept his mouth firmly shut. When he returned later, he'd clearly be having a talk with Longbottom. Turning away from the sink, he briskly brushed past both young men.
"Did Neville suggest you take your wife out on a date as well, sir?" Harry asked just as Severus nearly reached the door.
"Of course not, Potter," Severus snapped. "I'm a grown man."
"Well, certainly not in appearance."
Severus whirled on both young men, doing his best to look imposing again. However, with both of them being similar height and age to him, that was rather difficult to accomplish.
"Are you insinuating, Mister Potter, that I am incapable of thinking for myself? I surely hope you are not for your sake."
"So, what'd you do, sir?" Malfoy asked suddenly, leaning against the bathroom wall cockily.
Severus's nostrils flared out. How dare those boys! The cheek on them! "Perhaps I should remind you, Mister Malfoy, that I am still the headmaster. Which means I can revoke yours and Potter's privileges of leaving the castle."
"What do you think, Potter?" Draco said, ignoring Snape's threat.
"My first guess was that he was here for their anniversary, but he shot that down. So, I'd say he said something and is trying to make up for it now."
"Yeah, that's probably the one."
Severus glared at both of them, grinding his teeth together. He had visions of murdering then right then and there. However, before those urges could come true, the door opened once more.
"I was beginning to think you got lost in here," Orin remarked as he stepped inside. His eyes then flitted over to the other two occupants. "Misters Potter and Malfoy. Well, this is a surprise." He gave them both a polite smile. "Are you two here with dates?"
Severus's stomach dropped instantly. Years of being around Orin's daughter had taught him what that smile followed by a rhetorical question meant. And that experience usually meant something awful was about to happen.
"How about you boys join us?"
There it was. The awful thing. Severus held his breath, hoping the young men did the respectable thing and just declined. However, as a second passed of silence, he couldn't wait any longer.
"I don't believe that would be prudent, considering our teacher-student relationships with them," Severus reminded gently.
"Oh?" That pit in Severus's stomach got bigger. If there was any phrase he hated above all, it was the dread 'oh' phrase spoken by a Sinistra. "Have you been cleared for duty, then, and just not told anyone yet?" Orin's eyes met his. "Because, and forgive me, but I was under the impression that you were still on a leave of absence and could not return to your post until you had been cleared by a healer." His smile deepened, as he knew he had a point there.
"It's okay, sir," Harry replied finally with a soft laugh. "We'll just leave him to his date."
"It's not a date," Severus grumbled.
"Please, gentlemen, I insist," Orin responded, though, brushing off his son-in-law's objections. "After all, you're practically family." His eyes then met Severus's again, daring him to argue. "And that is what this dinner is all about, isn't that right, son?"
Orin was going to be stubborn about this. He'd likely even fight to death if pressed, Severus guessed. Biting back his words then, Severus inclined his head in defeating acceptance. He supposed there was some truth in his father-in-law's words. Harry was almost family to him, as the boy was Lily's son. And Draco . . . he had protected the lost Slytherin the best he could as well, especially during the young man's sixth year when the boy had gotten in too deep like Severus had all those years ago. So, it was true that they were practically family. Perhaps it wouldn't be as bad as he envisioned it.
Or not. It was much, much worse than he had ever imagined it would be. As painful as it was to admit, he'd rather have been at the twins' store eating Puking pastries. Anywhere but there.
Question after question had been thrown at him. Or perhaps that was all in his head? At this point, he wasn't certain anymore. It seemed as if there was a horrible spotlight trained solely on him. Numerous times he had to adjust his collar as he felt horribly hot underneath.
"Professor, there appear to be Redenbobbles swarming around your ears."
Severus's eyes, and everyone else's for that matter, darted to the blond haired witch sitting next to Harry. What the hell were Redenbobbles?
"Are you feeling nervous about something?" Luna continued, leaning towards him with her usual pleasant smile on her face. "Because Redenbobbles feed off a person's nervousness, you know. It's why so many people's ears turn red when they're anxious."
Almost instantly, Severus heard his wife burst out laughing before she quickly covered her mouth and tried to recover. He gave her his best look of annoyance. It wasn't that funny. He then caught the others' lips twitching upwards and felt his irritation worsen.
"I shall keep that in mind, Miss Lovegood," he replied with a forced smile before taking a quick sip of his elf wine.
"Redenbobbles?" Tobias repeated curiously. There was a light thump right afterwards, and the table shifted slightly. No doubt, someone had tried to kick Tobias's leg to keep him quiet. However, Severus's father seemed not to have even noticed this. "Just how does one get rid of these . . . things anyway, my lovely?"
There was a soft groan from someone.
"Oh!" Luna's face brightened with excitement at the prospect of a captive audience. She then sat up a bit straighter, as if she were about to lecture at a symposium. "There actually is some debate about it. Some people recommend you eat popcorn, as it will scare them off with the noise. Others suggest garlic, though, as it is a natural repellant of most things."
"I see," Tobias replied, nodding. His finger lightly grazed his jawline in thought.
"Tobias," Eileen warned in a hushed voice, her eyes trained on her son who looked like he was one second away from Disapparating.
"But I think jalapenos are needed in this case with Professor Snape. The Redenbobbles appear to have taken quite a hold on him, it seems," Luna stated.
Severus couldn't take anymore. He let his head fall to the table with a loud thump. Would it be too much to ask for the ground to swallow him up at this point? He didn't think it was that much to ask really. Hell, he'd take the Aurors at this point. A cell next to Dumbledore in Azkaban . . . whatever.
"I respectfully disagree, Luna," Aurora said speaking up soon after.
Severus opened one eye and peeked through his long hair at his wife. Oh Merlin above . . .
"I don't think it's that bad at all. I think just a little . . . less attention on him might be needed, you know? Like how one starves a cold?" she stated with a shrug.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I use a potion when I have a cold, ma'am," Draco replied, wincing a moment later as the thump and table shifting returned.
"Yes, well, some of us aren't so naturally inclined as you when it comes to potions, Mister Malfoy," Aurora shot back.
"Aren't you married to a brilliant Potions Master, though?" asked Harry rhetorically.
"This isn't about me, gentlemen."
"It could be." Draco shrugged again, swirling his glass of wine with a cocky smile.
"Exactly," Harry agreed, his grin widening. They were like wolves circling.
"Just ignore them, Professor," Hermione said rather bored.
"I usually do, Miss Granger," Aurora replied with a gentle laugh.
Having the momentarily respite, Severus felt his previous anxiety start to fade. It was absurd that his wife had to come to his defense yet again. It was only Potter, Malfoy, their dates, and his and Aurora's families. There was no reason to feel so unsettled. Who gave a damn about them? He had his wife and child. And his parents. And his father-in-law. And his sister-in-law. And—he groaned.
"I don't mean to intrude, ma'am, but how is the baby?"
"It's perfectly all right." Aurora waved Hermione's uneasiness away. "He's doing well according to Madam Pomfrey."
"I have a grandson?" Eileen cut in, staring at her daughter-in-law for a moment before whatever emotion she wore on her face was replaced. "Well, I expect him to be named after a Roman, Severus. Preferably one who didn't have a mother complex."
"Oh? So Nero is out then?" Aurora deadpanned. "Because we were so set on naming him that. It's just a strong name, don't you think?"
Eileen looked horrified for a brief second before she smiled thinly. "I suppose if you don't mind that he murdered his mother . . . among other things."
"Well, when in Rome, do as the Romans do. Or rather did." Aurora shrugged, crossing her arms as she held her mother-in-law's fierce look.
"I wouldn't actually do everythin' the Romans did, Aurora. See . . . Nero's mum also murdered Nero's dad. So . . ." Tobias took a quick swig of his drink and glanced at his son. "There's that."
"Oh my god, I get it now!" Harry exclaimed, his head turning towards Severus. "That's where you get your humor from, sir."
"Your observation skills are positively amazing, Mister Potter," Eileen quipped. "It's no wonder you accused my son of trying to kill you year after year."
"I didn't think that every year," Harry argued.
"Almost," Draco pointed out with a soft snort.
"She's right, you know. You did seem to always blame him for everything," Hermione pointed out with an apologetic smile.
"So did you, Hermione!" Harry shot back.
"I didn't," Luna cut in, smiling proudly at herself. "Honestly, it was quite easy to figure Professor Snape out actually."
"It was?" Severus asked quietly.
"Yes. Why else would the Brakasours leave you alone, Professor?"
"Brakasours?" he repeated slowly. "What the hell are they?" He then kicked himself for asking.
"Very terrible creatures that are no more than a size of a pebble. They imbed themselves into their victim's neck and secrete a toxin that forces you to commit crimes. It's why most people end up in Azkaban. There was an outbreak of them and the Ministry refuses to do anything about it because they created them in a lab."
Orin instantly started to choke on his water.
"Really?" Severus glanced at his father-in-law and frowned. "How . . . fascinating."
"They can't stand love, though. So, they try to avoid people who feel very strongly in love. I would imagine either Harry's mother or Professor Sinistra saved you, sir." Luna then smiled even more. "I know this because of your Patronus. Harry's mother's, isn't it? A doe?"
Silence fell around the table then, as everyone was too shocked to speak. Severus forced himself to nod slowly. It was a long while before Hermione finally spoke, cutting the thick tension.
"So, Professor Sinistra, where was your first date with Professor Snape?" The young woman then must have heard her question because her face whitened. "I mean, you don't have to answer if you don't want to. I'm just . . . curious is all."
Aurora glanced at Severus and caught his slight hesitant nod of approval.
"Um, well, we sort of had other things on our mind when we started dating. Voldemort had just returned, so Severus was busy with that whole fiasco. So . . . there weren't any formal dates."
"You didn't go out together? Ever?" Harry asked surprised. "Not even for a quick lunch to the Hog's Head or something?"
Frowning, Severus lifted his head up and met the young man's eyes. Before he could respond, though, Draco did.
"It would've been too dangerous. The Dark Lord had spies everywhere. The Ministry. Hogsmeade. Hell, even Surrey." Draco twirled his noodles around his fork disinterestedly as he spoke. "They'd have seen them together and put two-and-two together."
"I was seen as a blood traitor," Aurora explained. "So, my voicing my feelings so vocally as I did for Severus was only interesting to the Death Eaters for amusement factors. A way to mock me when we'd come across one another. So as long as Severus kept pretending that I meant nothing to him, that he barely even knew I existed let alone cared for, no one really paid much attention."
"How heartbreaking," Hermione murmured.
Eileen snorted, taking a sip of her wine.
"I suppose," Aurora said with a shrug. "But we knew that it was the only way. We couldn't just keep brushing aside our feelings and pretending like there wasn't something there anymore. It was . . . we were failing at that." She shook her head before she added, "Miserably."
"Professor Snape punching Karkoff after the Durmstrang professor kissed your cheek," Harry stated with a knowing nod.
"That was his moment, yes. Mine were seen as just normal moments to anyone who knew me. It wasn't unusual to hear me defend his actions so fiercely. More than a few times, in fact, Minerva had to pull me aside and tell me to control myself. But after Cedric's death . . . after he came back, I . . . I couldn't do it any longer." She glanced at her husband and sighed quietly. It was his story to tell.
"As I'm certain all of you can imagine," Severus began, "my return to the Dark Lord's ranks was met with uneasiness and suspicion. I had returned two hours later than the others."
"You were punished," Draco quietly spoke.
"Yes." Severus drew in a slow breath, feeling both his parents' eyes on him. No doubt, they wondered why he hadn't spoken with them privately about this. He glanced down guiltily at his hand that was holding Aurora's. "After it was finished and the Dark Lord was convinced that I was still loyal to him," Severus continued, his voice wavering just a bit, "he had two of followers return me to Hogwarts and leave me at the gates. I was to serve as a warning to Dumbledore." Severus closed his eyes, the memories flashing in his mind. There was only so much Occlumency could fight.
"I had been waiting in my rooms for him to return. It had seemed like a lifetime had passed before the Baron finally informed me that he was at the gates. I ran as fast as I could, taking shortcuts wherever there were some. When I found him . . ." Her voice cracked before she shook her head.
"Bloodied and unconscious. Much like how you found me, Mister Potter," Severus said, trying to lighten the mood somewhat. There was no reason they had to divulge that particular night, but she had brought it up first. And if there was anything Pomfrey had taught him over their time together as healer-patient, it was that when an issue arose, it was best to address it head on and discuss it.
"I took him back to the castle. I . . . it's stupid now thinking on it, but I didn't want Albus anywhere near him. Not after . . . not after that."
"It's not foolish at all, Professor," Harry stated.
"I agree," Tobias and Eileen said.
She waved away their words, though. "I didn't know what I was doing. I'm no healer by any means, you know? But I just . . . it was as if someone was guiding me. One moment, I had him in his rooms, soaked in blood and pale as a ghost. The next, his color had returned, his breathing better. The marks fading and knitting themselves closed."
Orin smiled faintly. "You get that from your mother," he quietly said, addressing his daughter tenderly. "That natural ability to heal others. It's what made her a good healer for so long."
Severus felt his wife's slight jerk of her hand at the mentioning of her mother, but Aurora remained silent, though. So, he continued for her.
"Madam Pomfrey remarked later when she examined me how nicely I was healing. At first, she didn't believe Aurora when she told the matron my injuries. But upon further inspection, she saw the remnants that were too deep to remove."
"Once I was certain he would be fine, I left and went straight to Albus's office. It's not like he listened at all to my ranting and raving. I knew that. But I needed him to see that Severus wasn't just some person no one cared what happened to. I needed him to know that I would not stand by idly as he sacrificed all of us that he deemed unworthy for his stupid Greater Good." The anger filled every one of her words. "I needed him to get that."
"Good for you, Professor," Hermione said.
"I, however, was the one who brushed aside her concerns and fears," Severus admitted. "I had to make things right and redeem myself for the sins of my past. So, I decided then that as soon as I was able, I would continue being a double agent."
"Which led to many arguments in the following days," Aurora explained with a quiet laugh. "Because I didn't want to lose him to the darkness again . . . or worse, lose him altogether."
"And I didn't want to admit that I perhaps had developed some sort of feelings for the only witch besides my mother who fully accepted me over the years, as I believed a relationship with Aurora would only be a distraction to my overall goal."
"So we argued."
"Threw things at one another." He then hastily added, "Purposefully missing of course."
"Hexes were thrown, I believe," Aurora said laughing.
"Insults were definitely tossed about."
"Until we finally just . . . kissed."
"And you lived happily ever after, the end," Eileen remarked dryly, rolling her eyes.
"Hardly, Mother," Severus replied.
"Some of the best relationships start with bickering. Wouldn't you say, Tobias?" Orin quipped.
"Damn straight," Severus's father replied with a wide grin.
Draco and Hermione shared a look with secret smiles.
"You said earlier you two got married in August," Harry began, his eyes narrowed as he was clearly working something out in his head.
"August 10, 1995," Aurora answered quickly.
"Didn't waste much time gettin' married, did ya?" Tobias teased.
"And to think, we're just find out about this now. Three years after the fact," Eileen bitterly said.
"Tell me, Mother," Severus started, his voice holding a cold edge to it. "Would you rather have had me inform you of our eloping in an owl instead?"
"It's been three years, Severus," she pointed out, giving him a look. "Three."
"Yes, well, perhaps it escaped your notice, but there was a war going on at the time. It's not as if I could stop everything I was doing just to inform you personally of the change in my marital status."
"And yet you could stop everything and marry her!" she shot back.
"El!" Tobias exclaimed.
"Eileen!" Orin rebuked.
"Whoa!" mouthed the four kids.
"Under a set of aliases in a Muggle town in Italy, Mother."
"You didn't even marry her in England?!" Eileen cried.
"Told you she'd be upset about that," Aurora smiled.
"Oh, shut it," he groused before he turned his attention back to his mother. "What part of 'It was dangerous' did you not understand exactly?"
"All of it," Eileen drawled snottily before she crossed her arms. "You both are just going to have to get married again. The proper way this time. And, for the love of God, in England!"
"Technically, we are married, Mother."
"No, technically your aliases are married, Severus. Now, we will keep it a simple affair." Her eyes briefly darted to Aurora. "Just families and close friends, I think." She then held a finger up to quiet them. "Ones of my choosing. I will not have any of her airhead friends attending."
"Excuse me?" Aurora exclaimed, outraged.
"Eileen, let the kids decide."
"Yes, so it'll be three more years before we'll be invited to that wedding," Eileen replied sarcastically. "This way is quick and efficient."
"And ridiculous," Aurora muttered under her breath.
"Just for that comment, you are not allowed to wear white now. Merlin knows, you're hardly a virgin after all."
"Mother," Severus said in his best 'play nice' voice.
"Oh, yeah? And just for that, you're not allowed to see your grandson ever. So there!" Aurora snapped back. "Tobias can see the sonogram, but not you. You'd probably scare him too much anyway, seeing as how you're a bitter, old hag!"
The kids inhaled sharply, as likely not having witnessed anything like this before.
"And you thought my mum was bad," Draco quietly said under his breath to Hermione, who sat there staring at Eileen wearily.
"Ya got the sonogram already? Damn. Let me take a look at him, son," Tobias asked softly, holding his hand out. He flashed a brief appreciate smile when Severus complied a moment later. His eyes went to the photo soon after, and Tobias whistled loudly. "Well, shit, son. He's gorgeous. Hell, look at those little adorable hands of his." Tobias then glanced at him, handing the photo to Orin—purposefully keeping it from his wife's hands. "You did good, Severus. You did real good."
It was surreal to hear such praise coming from someone else's lips. More often than not, he was the subject of others' scorn. That was the way it had been most of his life in fact. And yet, there his father was, praising him for nothing really. It wasn't as if Severus really had displayed all that much effort in terms of his son's development currently.
"I concur. He's really something," Orin said quietly, his eyes sparkling in the low light. He then handed the photo back towards Severus.
However, Eileen snatched it before her son had a chance to take it. Her eyes flicked down to the sonogram. The corners of her lips smoothed slightly.
"He's acceptable, I suppose," she remarked in a rather bored tone, holding the photo out a moment later.
"Such high praise, indeed, Eileen. We're so grateful that our son is deemed worthy in your eyes."
His mother rolled her eyes at Aurora before she took another sip of wine.
"Have you decided on a name yet?" Orin asked.
"No. We've got a bit yet."
"Not that much, dear, judging by your current size," Eileen said snidely.
"Well, I am carrying your grandson, dear sweet mother-in-law."
Severus glanced at his wife with a warning look. He was not going to have this turn into Whose-Is-Bigger, especially not when it was between his mother and wife.
"That you are." Eileen then pushed her salad towards her. "Eat that. All of it. And don't you even dare say you're full, because we both know you're just going to go home and eat cookies later."
"Hey, the baby likes his cookies."
"The baby . . . or you?"
"Mother, I'm warning you," Severus said quietly, giving her a look. This was like the time when he brought Evans over to his house when they were nine all over again. And people wondered why he wasn't close with his parents. This was why.
"Yeah, come on, El. Ya made yer point," Tobias said with a nervous chuckle. "The boy is plenty embarrassed now."
Severus glared at his wine glass. Why had he agreed to a dinner with his parents and her father again? It wasn't like he really had to obey all of his wife's wishes. He could have let that one request slide and rode out the consequences for a bit.
"What was the professor like when he was growing up, if I may ask?" Harry asked as he and Draco shared a mischievous look with one another.
"Was he always such a bookworm back then, Mrs. Snape?" Draco asked, picking up where Harry left off.
"Now, what makes you think I'd reveal such private details about my son?" Eileen answered, much to Severus's surprise.
"Uh, well, it's just, um…" Eileen's not cooperating seemed to have thrown Harry for a moment.
"Just because you're the boy who vanquished Riddle finally, that doesn't mean I have to reveal such intimate details of my son's home life." Eileen then turned to Draco. "However, the answer to your question is yes. He always had his nose in a book growing up. It was the one thing we could provide for our son besides shelter, clothing, and food." She then tossed her napkin down. "Did he tell either of you that he won Felix Felicis once?" The pride swelled in her voice, as it usually did in terms of his achievements. "He was the only one out of the entire group of idiots to realize that Horace had given them a trick challenge. It never crossed any of their minds that the instructions in their textbooks could be wrong. They followed blindly like sheep. Look where that got them, hmm?"
Severus's left hand clenched around his glass instinctively.
"You were the one Professor Slughorn was referring to? You brewed the perfect Draught of Living Peace and won it?" Hermione whispered, staring at him.
His dark eyes narrowed on her before he caught Harry's badly hidden smile.
"Who else would it have been, Granger?" Draco drawled with a snort.
She turned her attention back to the blond. "Oh, what do you know anyway? You were too busy following in your father's footsteps," she snapped, causing a brief flicker of pain to flash across Draco's face. Her eyes then darted to Harry. "And you. I'll say it again! You cheated, and you know it. What's more is you used Professor Snape's old textbook to do it. You should've never won that potion."
"If I wouldn't have gotten that potion, then I never would have gotten Slughorn to open up about Riddle's secret, Hermione," Harry replied frowning.
"But you cheated!"
"You're just upset that someone beat you," Harry shot back. "Someone who wasn't Draco."
"Am not!"
"Are too!"
"Oh dear god, I need a stronger drink," Eileen groaned.
"See what I have to deal with," Severus stated, giving his mother a pointed look.
"We," Aurora corrected quietly before taking a sip of her water. "What we have to deal with."
He glanced at his wife and raised a brow. "You hardly ever had a problem with these … these monsters. In fact, you rather enjoyed chatting with the horrid brats. Learning what new moronic adolescent problem they were dealing with."
"Hey!" the kids yelled. "We're not monsters."
"Says three of the four brats who caused the majority of problems at Hogwarts," Severus quipped. "Miss Lovegood is the only… tolerable student in that place. It will be a sad day when she leaves us." Luna smiled brightly at him before she glanced away, clearly happy with herself.
"You won't miss me, sir?" Harry asked.
Severus snorted, hearing the lightheartedness in Harry's voice. "Hardly, Potter. Once you leave us, I'm planning to throw a very large party, likely even partake in some frivolities as well."
"Like what?" Aurora asked in disbelief.
"Perhaps I'll snog you in front of all our coworkers. Or… or I'll sing from the ramparts." He heard several snickers from around the table instantly.
"Speaking of public displays of intercourse," Eileen suddenly announced much too loudly for Severus's liking. He was starting to wonder if his mother's main goal in life now was to give him a mental breakdown. He certainly wouldn't put it past the old witch at this point. "I'm thrilled to be having a grandson, of course," she said with a beaming smile and dramatic hand wave, "but I expect my next grandchild to be a girl. Is this understood? You'll practice it until you get it right."
Severus groaned inwardly and closed his eyes. He heard Aurora quickly say something next to him. Probably attempting to explain to his mother that reproduction just didn't work that way, he assumed. Not that it would do any good. His mother was a lunatic after all. Certifiably. Was this really what the rest of his life would be like now? One embarrassment after another?
Reopening his eyes a moment later, he caught Miss Lovegood's silvery gray eyes, and she smiled good naturedly at him with a certain . . . fondness (perhaps?) that he wasn't used to seeing directed his way. Her eyes slid towards Harry then, and his own followed. The Boy-Who-Lived-to-Annoy-Him seemed to be trying hard not to laugh. When emerald met obsidian met, though, Severus saw understanding and kindness in Harry's eyes. Person by person, his eyes moved down the table. Each unique pair held a certain feeling he wasn't familiar with seeing from others when it came to him.
Maybe he could get used to spending the rest of his life like this.
"In fact, your father and I would be more than happy to offer you some pointers, dears."
Severus groaned loudly, just barely keeping himself from letting his head hit the table. Ugh.
A/N: Well, what'd you think? I'd love to hear your thoughts.