Chapter 44

Remus Apparated himself, Charlie and Andromeda to the beach outside Shell Cottage, knocking quickly on the door because Charlie still seemed to be in a daze, and cradling Garth's body. It was flung open by Fleur; whose eyes immediately went to Charlie and the broken cargo he was carrying.

"Oh, Charlie!" she exclaimed, rushing forwards and putting her arms around him, guiding him into the cottage. "What 'appened?"

Remus followed, with Andromeda on his arm, who squealed with delight as she saw her grandson for the first time in months, being held in Orla's arms. His new wife met his eyes, and he could see the thousand questions contained within them, but he merely indicated wordlessly that she should pass Teddy to his grandmother.

Filius was seated on an armchair, surveying the scene, but not speaking. Remus perched himself on the arm, and gave everyone gathered an abbreviated account of the altercation at the school, not leaving out any of Charlie's heroic actions, Kingsley's rigorous planning nor Severus' cool demeanour that had allowed the confrontation to play out as it had done, with minimal loss of life to any innocent parties.

"Except Garth," Charlie choked, stroking the little dragon's cheek, who looked as if he were merely sleeping peacefully.

"Garth is an 'ero, Charlie," comforted Fleur, her arms still around him. "Just like 'is master."

"I'm no hero," he refuted. "I did what I set out to do, which was to avenge the murders of my family. Now that is done, and I am pleased, but it is time to face the truth."

"What truth?" she asked.

"The truth that they are all gone, Fleur. They are all truly gone."

Charlie shook himself gently from her embrace without another word, and walked to the door of the cottage, taking Garth's body and summoning a large digging spade.

"Please, everyone. Please just give me some time."

They all nodded, for of course they would, and Charlie jerked his head once in return, before turning and leaving the cottage, his curly red hair having worked free from its usual messy knot at the back, and now bobbing long on his shoulders.

Casting around the room, Remus knew he would have to speak next.

"Fleur, Filius … Orla. This is Andromeda Tonks, Dora's mother. She has just been released from Azkaban, and will be waiting on the Ministry compensation programme so that she can rebuild her house, which was destroyed by the Death Eaters upon her arrest."

He smiled at the sight of Teddy being bounced on the knee of his grandmother, who kept exclaiming how large he had grown, how handsome he was, and how much he reminded her of Nymphadora.

Orla looked wretchedly awkward, and Lupin knew what he must do next.

"I need to speak with Orla, privately," he told Fleur, who gave him a nod of quiet understanding. "We will take a walk down to the sea, for it feels very good to be free to roam outside, and Orla needs that too."

He extended his hand, and the young witch took it, already looking close to tears as he led her out of the cottage. They walked down the deserted, sandy beach, and he felt her begin to loosen her grip, but he kept a tight hold of her hand, and she looked up at him in surprise.

When they were a decent distance away from the cottage, near to the edge of the water, he turned to look at her, and her eyes were full of tears.

"Why are you crying, Orla?" he asked, as they stopped walking and he spun her gently her to face him, tracing her tears with a gentle thumb.

"Because," she said, casting her eyes around the beach as if it hurt to look at him. "Because you had no need to bind yourself to me. Yaxley is dead, he cannot ever hurt me again, nor gain access to Hope. Charlie has done away with the Malfoys, and I am entirely free from those who would do me harm."

"All these are good things, surely?"

"Of course, they are. But, Remus, with Umbridge dead and Kingsley as the new minister, the laws against werewolves will be revoked, surely?"

"Well, I am hoping so," he smiled. "Else I may have to make Kingsley's life hell until he allows me to get a job."

She smiled a little in return.

"Neither of us need to live in hiding any more. And I suppose what I'm trying to say, is that I won't hold you to any promises you made me. We were doing the best we could in a dreadful situation, and I will forever appreciate you stepping forward to save me."

A warm gust of wind swept across the beach, blowing her white-blonde hair to the side as she spoke, and ruffling his own unkempt hair and beard.

"Sit," he instructed, and he seated himself on the dry sand, taking off his socks and shoes, both embarrassingly old and worn, and enjoying the feel of the beach beneath his feet.

Orla looked confused, but copied him anyway, slipping off her own shoes and stretching out her long legs in the sun. Lupin watched her, this young girl with her whole life ahead of her. He would need to choose his words exceptionally carefully.

"I shall, of course, not hold you to any promises that you made me, Orla. However, let me tell you that since the night we bonded, I have felt a sense of care and of calmness that has not been present in my life for a very long time. I completed our bond with the promise that I hoped love would develop, and for me, my feelings for you grow daily – with affection, respect, and yes, desire.

You are a strong, brave and beautiful witch, who has not only survived the torture that was heaped upon you, but you are looking to the future beyond it. My son loves you, and I believe that you love him in return. And, because it is important, I want you to know that even as we sit here, after the tumultuous history that has been made today, my base desire is still to have you back in our bed tonight, naked beneath my hands."

More tears fell from her eyes, and she wiped them away crossly with her fingers, cursing her pregnancy hormones. They both looked straight ahead, out to sea.

"Your mother-in-law, Remus. What about Madam Tonks? She will not be happy that you have remarried so soon after her daughter's death."

"I do not deny that she will find the notion a difficult one. However, I am living my life, not Andromeda's, and I must do what is right for me, and of course for Teddy."

"You're right about one thing," she replied, a little smile curling the sides of her lips, and he looked sideways at her and returned the smile, allowing his face to relax.

"I had hoped I was right about many things, but go on, do enlighten me."

"I do love Teddy, Remus. I love that little boy with my whole heart."

"I know," he admitted. "But Orla, do you think you could learn to love his father also? If you are going to stay, stay for me, not for Teddy, as terrible as that sounds."

She stared at him, and he was captivated by the incredible ice-blue of her eyes, that were so full of emotion. Slowly, she pushed up from sitting, twisted around, and knelt up before putting one leg over his, so that she seated herself on his lap, straddling him. He felt her hands slip up either side of his chest and come to rest on his shoulders, where she looked at him, her eyes roving all over his face, and then began to stroke his features with one hand – across his prematurely-lined forehead, around his eyes, down his nose and across his moustache, where he chanced a small kiss of her fingertip, awaiting her response.

"The reason why I could not accept Seamus Finnegan's offer to bond, was because I was already in love with you," Orla admitted, with a deep sigh. "I kept telling myself how inappropriate that was, because you had so recently lost your wife in such terrible circumstances, but I couldn't help the way that I felt."

"You loved me?"

"Not loved, past tense, Remus," she corrected. "I love you, now. But I feel like I have trapped you, since everything about our situation has changed."

"Oh, sweet girl," he murmured, raising his hands and sliding them up her back, touching as much of her slim spine as he could. "Oh, Orla, if I am trapped then it is self-imprisonment, for there is nowhere else I would rather be. If you will have me; and I'm aware than an old, widowed, single father with lycanthropy isn't exactly a catch, then I am all yours."

Evidently, there was no need for verbal confirmation, since Orla leaned forwards and placed her soft lips on his own, holding his head between her gentle hands. Remus was only too happy and eager to return it, and he was soon delivering a heavy, open-mouthed snog worthy of a Black or a Potter, the full-on kind that when they'd caught him doing thus in school, their catcalls were of pure jealousy.

This girl! How could he have been so lucky? Lupin desired her, completely.

If it wasn't love, then he was well on the way, and wanted nothing more than to build a life and family with her. They had Teddy, they had Hope on the way – a ready-made family that just needed two parents who were committed to one another. If the werewolf restrictions were lifted, that means he could once again seek employment … the possibility of a bright future was now within his grasp, when just days ago it had seemed bleak and utterly helpless as they hid, concealed under a Fidelius charm for fear of their lives.

"Your mind is elsewhere," she teased, breaking the kiss.

"Not at all, I promise. I was merely thinking how lucky we are, and having wonderful thoughts about our future."

"I feel lucky too, Remus. I feel so safe with you, and it's no mean help that I fancy you like mad, too."

Lupin felt his face blush, and his mouth curl into an embarrassed smirk.

"I shall show you my response to that statement later, in our bed," he warned. "But now, we must go and speak with Andromeda, for whilst she has no say over my future, I would not wish to cause her further pain."

They each picked up their shoes and walked barefoot back up the beach, towards the cottage. As they neared the door, Andromeda walked out, her eyes set upon them both, looking as if she had been crying.

"Charlie and Fleur have told me everything, Remus," she said, as she approached them, turning first to Orla. "You, young lady, are a fine example of a Hufflepuff, just as my dear daughter was. I believe that she would have been quite proud of her husband's choice."

Both were speechless, and Andromeda took hold of Orla's hands.

"My daughter was taken from me in the most dreadful way. But Remus grieving alone, becoming lonely and bitter, will not bring her back, Orla. Nor will it allow her beloved son to have a normal upbringing. Teddy needs a father who is alive and present, both mentally and physically. So, thank you, my dear, for helping him be that father, and for accepting that a piece of his heart will always belong to Nymphadora. I am quite sure that he has enough love for you both."

She squeezed Orla's hands before letting them go, but the brave, accepting speech must have been devastatingly hard for the recently-widowed witch to make. Nonetheless, Andromeda had done so. For himself, for Orla, and for Teddy. He enveloped his mother-in-law in a tight embrace, whispering his thanks into her ear.

It was time to live again.

-xxx-

The castle was empty, except for Minerva and Pomona, with whom he was now having supper with in the headmasters' office. He had called Filius through the Floo, where the Ravenclaw Head of House had been staying after fleeing from Gringotts. Hermione had returned to Grimmauld Place to share the news of their intention to bond with Lupin, and anyone else she saw fit, for she could shout it from the rooftops if she wanted to, and Severus had no quarrel with this, whatsoever. She was collecting her belongings, and would return later that night, and if Severus had his way, Granger would never leave his presence again.

Discussions between the four professors had been excited and plentiful. The first item on his agenda had been to renounce the headship and offer the position to Minerva, who as Albus' deputy, should have been first in the line for the role.

"You do not wish to be headmaster, Severus?" she had asked, surprised.

"Not one bit. I dislike the attention," he replied, smirking.

"Well, I cannot say that I would not like the role, but are you sure?"

"Completely sure, Madam, although before handing over the role, I would like to make sure that you intend to keep me on staff? For starting out unemployed in our brave new world does not particularly appeal."

The capable professor laughed out loud at his drollness, which was more of a hideous cackle, in truth, and confirmed that of course he would be retained on staff, and insisted that he stand as Deputy Headmaster, but queried what teaching position he would prefer?

"I believe that is time to retire Horace Slughorn for the second time," Severus answered. "The man does not wish to teach any longer, and it was only upon Albus' request that he returned at all. I would be more than happy to return to my post as Potions Master, for that is where my true passion lies."

"But, Severus," Flitwick squeaked up, "you applied repeatedly for the Defence position over the years. Would you not wish to stay in role? I hear that the year you taught, your instruction was effective, and the exam passes much improved on previous years."

"And on whose orders, do you believe I applied for that job, Filius? Come on, man, use your not-inconsiderable brain. And of course, my exam results were excellent, think of the ridiculous and ineffective teachers the students had been forced to suffer in the preceding years."

Murmurs of agreement rippled around the table, and Pomona Sprout poured some more tea.

"I am content to resume my role as Head of Slytherin house, in addition. The students of that house will need support and understanding as they return to school, for in the beginning at least, they will be reviled, due to many of their families' dark connections. I can assist with that."

"Thank you, Severus. That will be perfect," McGonagall replied. "Pomona and Filius, you are content to return for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw?"

Both professors nodded in the affirmative.

"That just leaves Gryffindor, since I cannot be headmistress, and Head of House. Ah well, I suppose initially I will have to, until a replacement presents itself. New staff will need to be hired, and I need to confirm all the existing staff members."

"As your official deputy, I have further suggestions," Severus interjected. "I believe that a tide of change will be happening within the Ministry under Shacklebolt's rule, and from this I would like to propose that now is the time to reinstate Lupin as Defence Against the Dark Arts professor. I am reliably informed he was an excellent teacher, despite our … personal differences."

"Excellent idea!" agreed Pomona Sprout, spraying her plate with a mouthful of crumbs from the cream scone she was eating. "I love Remus! Will you be brewing Wolfsbane for him, Severus? Should I start cultivating a good supply of aconite?"

"That is my intention, should Minerva be in agreement?"

"Oh, I am in full agreement," the Scottish professor grinned, "and I believe that appointment solves my problem of whom to appoint as Head of Gryffindor."

"Indeed," he replied, feeling a wide, genuine smile spread across his face as he reached for his cup of tea, at the thought of being in direct House competition with the Gryffindor prick, once again. "Although do remember that Lupin will need family quarters, for there is an expectant wife and a blue-haired infant to accommodate."

"Orla!" cut in Filius. "I have been at Shell Cottage with her for the last two days. An excellent girl, one of your Hufflepuffs, Pomona. Wants to be a Healer, apparently."

"Well then, I would suggest that she moves here with her husband, completes her NEWTs on a course of private study during her pregnancy, then apprentices under Poppy Pomfrey in the infirmary when the babies are old enough for some form of childcare," said Sprout, clearly keen to make amends for the horrendous experiences of Miss Roach over the past year, some of them whilst under her own care.

"All agreed, you will hear no argument from me," confirmed Minerva, scribbling copiously in a large, leather-bound book with plain parchment pages for notes. "Anything else?"

"Hermione Granger."

"Hermione?" McGonagall replied, looking up at him in surprise.

"Yes, Minerva. She has … accepted my proposal to bond."

The other three professors, his co-Heads of House with whom he had spent so many years working alongside, all sat agog, their mouths hanging open as if they were a trio of slack-jawed trolls.

"You? And … Hermione Granger? The Hermione Granger?"

"Unless there are any others you know of?" he drawled, witheringly.

"But … but what did … how did she …?"

"The story is so long, so convoluted, and most of all, so private, that it is not something I am willing to share, at present. Miss Granger and I have agreed to bond, and she will be moving into the castle alongside me. I suggest that she completes the same course of private NEWT study as Madam Lupin, and then we apprentice her also, for she would make an outstanding professor, as I am sure you will all agree."

Having composed themselves, Minerva, Filius and Pomona all gave their full blessing to his request, with Minerva suggesting that she could take her through her Transfiguration mastery, and Filius opining that Hermione would make a wonderful Muggle Studies teacher, bringing her own experiences to a subject that was bound to be completely overhauled in the aftermath of the war they had fought.

"I will ask her," he advised. "No doubt she will be delighted with any role, but she needs to carefully consider her options. She is a formidable brain, as you all know. I consider myself the luckiest of wizards to be able to stand alongside her as fulfils every one of her dreams. We will spend tonight here, and then tomorrow Hermione and I shall spend the day moving into one of the other family quarters, releasing this office for you, Headmistress McGonagall."

Minerva looked at him with the eye of a proud mother. Was she crying?

If she did not desist, he would have to hex her.

-xxx-

Hermione stepped over the grate of the fireplace, into the now-familiar environs of Snape's office, surprised to see many of his possessions packed in boxes.

"You are leaving?" she asked.

"Only this office," he replied, moving across the room in a few long strides and wrapping her tightly into his embrace, littering kisses on the top of her head.

"Tell me?" she questioned, leaning back so that she could see him.

"In a minute," he muttered, stealing her mouth with what appeared to be a mixture of delight and desperation, not that she was complaining.

Severus' kisses took her breath away, and they always had done, ever since they had both been cast under the compulsion curse.

"I have relinquished the headship to Minerva," he told her, in between kisses. "I shall return to teaching Potions. I believe this will give me more time with my new wife, whom I am reluctant to let out of my sight again."

"I'll have to leave your sight sometimes, Severus. I need to find a job, try and work out what my future is going to be. I have absolutely no idea what to do."

He stopped his intermittent kisses, picked her up, and carried her over to one of the armchairs, where he seated her upon his lap, facing him, determined to have a sensible conversation with her before his prick started making unreasonable demands.

Severus told her everything that had been discussed in his meeting with the other heads of house, a couple of hours earlier, enjoying watching her eyes grow wide with excitement. Hermione was just as excited about the offers to the Lupins as she was about the one to herself, and bounced around on his lap, like the enthusiastic teenager she was.

"So, what say you, Miss Granger? Do you wish to study here, work here, and live here – with me?"

"Of course! Of course, I do! This is amazing!"

"I must warn you that I shall be preparing you very thoroughly for your Potions NEWT, girl," he warned, arching an eyebrow. "Anything less than an Outstanding grade and I shall be severely displeased."

"I shall look forward to working directly under you, Professor."

Wench.

So, this is how things were going to be?

He couldn't wait for his new life to begin.

Growling, he yanked her forwards and began to kiss her again, letting out a moan of pleasure as she pushed her little tongue into his mouth, searching for more, which of course he was only too happy to give her.

Severus took hold of her hips and ground her uncouthly against his hardening cock, unable to keep his sexual desire for this witch hidden for too long, keening blissfully as she grabbed his hair, forcing him to deepen the kiss even further.

Suddenly, she stopped kissing him, gave him a small peck on the end of his expansive nose, and then slithered from his lap, ending up kneeling on the floor, between his legs. He only had time to shoot her a questioning look before she began to unfasten his trousers.

"Hermione …"

"Sshh. Our relationship has been about my needs, my desperation, for far too long. Let me do this for you."

Oh, he would let her do this.

Any-fucking-time she wanted.

Snape gasped as she began to roll her tongue around the swollen head of his cock, and then groaned loudly as Granger slid her mouth down the entire length of him, sucking him deeply into her mouth, dragging her lips up and down over the prominent veins and deep ridges of his engorged penis.

For nearly forty years, Severus had been alone.

However, he thought, and it was his last coherent musing before she sent him into paroxysms of sexual madness as she delivered the most stunning blow-job he'd ever experienced, each tortuous year had been worth it, to have Hermione Granger as his prize at the end of it.

Fuck! He loved her.

And thus ended all rational thought, for quite a while.

-xxx-

They were an hour into moving his belongings from the headmasters' office into their new family quarters that were across the castle, when he received a Floo call from a George Kerrington, who introduced himself as the new Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement.

Severus accepted the call, and invited Kerrington into the headmasters' office, where he and Hermione were currently replacing the portraits that he had hidden in the dungeons, all those months ago, and the paintings were all very excited, creating quite a hubbub of noise.

He had to call for silence when Kerrington stepped through, carrying a large wooden box, that Severus bade him to place on the now-empty surface of the desk, for they had cleared it completely, ready for Minerva's use.

The new Chief Auror explained that as part of their work to restore order and justice, a team of Aurors with specialism in dark magic had gone to the Riddle House to search for anything that may prove a threat to a peaceful future for the magical world.

They had been horrified to find several imprisoned Muggles, and Muggle-born witches there, and had combed the house, attic and cellar to ensure they rescued every single one. The Muggle women had been Obliviated and taken to Muggle hospitals, and the witches were now all in St Mungo's, recovering and had been reunited with their families. Severus breathed a sigh of relief that the women were now all safe, but furious at what they had been forced to endure.

Kerrington explained that many dark artefacts had been removed and destroyed, but that the contents of this box had led them to believe that it should be returned to the school.

Severus opened the box, and Hermione gasped.

It was full, crammed full, of wands.

"We have reason to believe, Headmaster Snape, that these wands belonged to those who fell at the battle of Hogwarts, due to the date on the box."

He looked on the underside of the lid, where indeed the date was etched – the second of May, 1998.

Hermione was quicker on the uptake than even he was.

"Accio Harry Potter's wand!" she cast, having whipped out her own wand with lightning speed.

A small pouch struggled its way out from underneath the pile of wands, and she caught it, pulling the string that held it together and finding broken pieces of a wand.

"These are exactly as they were after I destroyed Harry's wand with a rebounding blasting curse," she told him, quietly, a desperate sadness in her voice. "He was using Draco Malfoy's wand, that he won from him, but he kept these pieces in the hope that he would be able, at some point, to repair his own holly wand."

Kerrington coughed.

"Can I leave these with you, Headmaster? Minister Shacklebolt told me you would know just what to do with them."

"Indeed, I do, Kerrington. You have my gratitude for bringing them, and I shall ensure they are treated with sensitivity."

The Chief Auror bowed, and left the office the same way he had entered it, via the Floo connection back to the Ministry.

"Accio Ronald Weasley's wand."

Hermione had cast again, and a familiar-looking chestnut wand forced its way out of the box and into her hand.

"That was Pettigrew's wand," he told her.

"It was. Ron's own wand was taken by Snatchers, and he won this one from Wormtail when he overpowered him, when we were being held at Malfoy Manor. Its allegiance changed and it recognised Ron as its owner."

She was still toying with the pieces of Potter's wand, running her fingertips down the jagged wood, as if she could still feel the soul of her friend within.

"All the owners of these wands are laid to rest here at Hogwarts, Severus."

It was a statement, not a question, and he nodded, placing his large hands around hers as she continued.

"We need to lay the wands to rest, lay their magic to rest also. To give these wands the respect that their owners were denied."

"And we shall, my Hermione. Indeed, we shall."