"Here!"
Hermione looked up from smiling down at the slumbering Edgar to see Octavia holding out a makeshift bouquet of dandelions, asters, and snakeroots. She nearly laughed at the incredulous look on Snape's face. For a moment she thought he might refuse, but the more the blue eyed girl stared at him, the more he relaxed.
"Thank you, Princess." He said warmly, holding his arms out so Octavia could fall into them in a hug. "But flowers these pretty belong with you. Let me make a crown of them for you."
Octavia's eyes widened and her face split into a grin. "Okay, but you have to keep some for yourself." She insisted, her tone much like Snape's when he was giving an order.
Snape sighed, but nodded, and set to work braiding the weed/flowers into a crown while Octavia sat in his lap and stared up at her. Hermione tried to keep her eyes focused on Edgar in her lap, but soon she found the stare to be every bit as powerful and intense as one of Dumbledore's or one of Snape's glares. She smiled as she looked up, wondering why the girl was staring.
"You're boyfriend is fun." She declared. "Why weren't you playing?"
Hermione blushed furiously, rivalling Ron's level of color. "I was holding your brother." She stuttered, hoping that she would forget the first part of her statement. She was hot with embarrassment, had Octavia seen her staring at Ron? She swallowed hard, half-convinced that Snape was smirking at her discomfort.
"Sev could have held him so you could play with your boyfriend." She explained, as if Hermione weren't very bright and couldn't possibly think of such a thing.
"He's not...we're not dating..." She stuttered, wishing she could just disappear or run off. As it was Snape was doing nothing but smirking, seemingly enjoying her pain.
"Then why do you two make eyes at each other?" Octavia demanded, raising a little black blow as she leaned against Snape's chest.
Had Ron been making eyes at her too? Why did that make her so nervous yet excited? She swallowed again, wishing she knew what to say. It was not often she had no answers. "We're mates, is all. Best mates." She said sincerely, too scared to admit she might want something more and too scared to admit she feared Ron might not want the same thing. Some Gryffindor she was.
"I can tell you're lying." She drawled, her eyes full of the knowing that Snape had when he easily called out the best of liars. She was half-convinced the girl could read her mind!
"Princess, your crown is ready." Snape said gently, settling her back a few inches so he could place the makeshift crown atop her black hair.
"Now I look like an official princess!" She yelled happily, reaching up to peck Snape on the cheek.
"You don't need a crown to be a princess." Snape smiled, actually smiled, and Hermione quickly looked away. Since when was Snape anything but angry? "Come on now, it's time for some lunch." Snape added, looking over toward where Draco and Ron were still tossing a very happy Imogen. "Imogen, it's time for some lunch!" He called out, already scooping Edgar up from her arms as Draco carried Imogen toward them.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
Severus ignored the relieved look on Granger's face as she scurried up to Weasley who had stopped a few feet away to wait for her. Sending them a raised brow, and a curt nod, he set off with his girls while Draco went the opposite way to do who knows what. He wasn't as uptight as he usually was, not wanting to upset the children as they could easily pick up on vibes.
Octavia skipped merrily, singing a little song. "I'm a princess!" She sang, dancing a bit as she moved along. Imogen, meanwhile, was hopping with complete excitement showing on her face. Edgar just gurgled contentedly in his arms, staring up at him with big black eyes.
"Are we going to eat with Albus?" Octavia asked, excitement in her voice. "He has a phoenix!" She grinned widely, elation on her face.
"Yes, Fawkes." Severus explained. "You'll like him, he's very gentle." He added, holding open the doors to the great hall for the girls.
"What if he sets on fire when I'm petting him?" Octavia asked, as Severus struggled to lead them the correct way. Little imp that Imogen was, she kept going the opposite way, until Severus sighed and grabbed her hand.
"He won't. I promise." He assured, glaring at the students who dared to stare with open mouths. Did they really think him so big an asshole that he would be cruel to small children, much less abandon them? In all honestly he was fond of innocent children, and only started to dislike them once they got to be the age of 8 or 9 as that was when he believed them to stop being innocent and incapable of controlling themselves.
"Sugar quills!" Octavia piped up, as soon as she had spotted the gargoyle. She squealed at the delight while Imogen started to tug on his hand, eager to ride the steps. He sighed and released her, wondering when the hell Octavia had learned the password. But she had always been so brilliant, so intuitive. Hadn't she just seen through the Granger girl's lie about loving Weasley?
Once he had arrived at the top, a difficult process as Imogen kept running back down the steps and starting the steps again, he knocked lightly knowing that the headmaster already knew he was there.
"Come in, come in!" Albus called out jovially, and Severus opened the door with his Edgar free hand. He had only taken one step inside, when the girls went running over into Albus's outstretched arms.
"Albus! We went outside and saw everything!" Octavia yelled happily. "We saw the whomping willow, the giant squid, the forbidden forest, and Draco made us a big pile of leaves!" She babbled on as Imogen leaned tiredly into Albus's chest. Did the girl need a nap? She'd have to eat lunch first though.
"How fun that must have been!" Albus nodded. "Just wait until you have a chance to go to Hogsmeade." The old man grinned mischievously. "I just so happen to be going there tomorrow afternoon, perhaps if you behave your uncle will let me take you and your sister."
Severus sighed heavily and glared at the headmaster before his girls could notice. "As long as you don't manage to turn her into a gryffindor on the way, feel free."
"What about Eddie?" Octavia asked, seemingly outraged that her brother should be left behind.
Albus chuckled merrily. "Eddie can come as well, although I do not think he'd remember much of the trip and would make so we have to travel much slower."
"Severus made me a crown!" Octavia changed the subject as she crawled up into a chair, while Albus placed Imogen in an already conjured highchair.
"Yes, it is very lovely." Albus agreed, his eyes twinkling more than Severus had ever seen.
"Can we meet Fawkes now?" Octavia asked, her eyes full of hope.
"Ah, yes, my dear. Fawkes?" Albus called out softly, and in seconds the phoenix had materialized in the room, making the girls mouths drop open and Edgar's eyes to widen to the size of dinner plates.
"He's beautiful." Octavia breathed, holding out a slow hand toward the bird who regarded her carefully before moving close enough for her to pet. She stroked him gently, a reverent look in her eyes and a smile on her face. Even Imogen held out a chubby toddler hand and stroked the bird a few times before deciding she wanted food right that moment.
"Be patient, Imogen." Severus reprimanded gently, passing her over his wand to distract her so that Octavia could pet the bird a few more minutes. This went on for a good ten minutes before Imogen bagged a little chubby first on the tray of her chair, and her eyes started to water.
"Ah, Ms. Imogen, you are quite the hungry thing. I'll have the elves fetch supper." Albus purred, serving to lesson the pout showing on Imogen's face.
000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
"Imogen, use your spoon." Severus had a slight laugh in his voice as he watched Imogen attempt to use her fingers to eat her second-helping of potatoes.
"Like me, Immy!" Octavia interrupted, holding her hand up to display the proper method of spoon holding.
Imogen was quick to mimic, her desire to do what he sister was doing outweighing her frustrations with the slowness of the method of using utensils brought.
"Good girl." He applauded, noticing the way she rubbed her eyes every now and then between bites. Perhaps she did need a nap.
"Severus, has Poppy spoken to you about the potions she needs replenished?" Albus asked.
"Several times, Albus." He sighed. "I'm only a day behind, I can easily catch up tomorrow." He assured.
"Potions!?" Octavia whipped her head around. "Can I help?" She asked.
"Princess, these potions are different from the ones you helped me with a few months ago." He explained. "They might be dangerous."
"But Mummy says you were helping Grandma with her potions when you were four." She pointed out.
Yes, but that was because he hadn't had a choice. It was either help or be beaten senseless. But instead of telling Octavia that, he softened his words. "I'll let you help me get started." He relented. There was no problem at all letting her rip off leaves, or stir every now and then. They could even do it while Imogen and Edgar napped.
"Severus?" Octavia looked hesitant to ask a question, but took a deep breath and asked on anyways. "Do you think Mummy and Daddy are going to come back?"
Severus's heart twisted in a way he had not felt in a very long time. He took a long drink from goblet, buying time. What could he tell the girl that wouldn't break her little heart? And what if his sister did come back for the kids? How could he stop her? Did the kids even want to stay with him? Why did that even bother him? No one ever wanted to stay with him. Shouldn't he be used it by now? Should he lie to the girl, and tell her all would be well in her little world it very well might not be? What did he do? What did he say?
"Cause I don't want them too." Octavia admitted, her eyes downcast. "But Immy keeps looking around for Mummy, and it makes me sad."
Severus continued to take a drink, not knowing what to do with this information. Was that why Imogen was constantly looking at doorways? As if she expected Claudia to come through? How could the girl be attached to someone so vile? But hadn't he been attached to his mother early on, no matter how neglectful she was? Before he had grown up and realized she would never, could never, be a mother.
"Octavia, Imogen," Severus finally put down his goblet and spoke, wishing the headmaster wasn't there. "Your mummy is very confused right now, and she doesn't know how to be a mother at the moment." He swallowed down the anger that threatened to explode. "I don't know if she is coming back, but I promise I will always be in your life." He could make that promise at least. No one would ever hurt his girls or Eddie...or Draco...they were his.
"I love you." Octavia whispered, jumping into his arms and wrapping her little hands about his neck. "I wish you were our real Daddy."