Sorry! I know this was meant to go out last week but I made a deal (with myself!) that I would only post something if I had finished the first draft of half of a new fic I'm writing as my concentration has been abysmal lately. I finally managed that so yay!
Also, quite a few people seemed to be worried about Severus and Susan...It'll come, honest! Severus' relationship with Amelia is relatively new and Amelia's only shifted with Harry and Hermione after the Mark removal and being forced to worry about the state of Severus together. I don't think it's too odd that hes not seeking her out on his own yet. I'm also considering a wee side piece of one shots looking at the building of relationships away from Severus because bless him he can't see everything and all of this is obviously from his point of view! Thoughts?
"Hermione! Happy birthday Princess!"
"Dad! Mum!" she whirled to face Severus with wide, glassy eyes throwing her arms around him tightly, "Thank you."
"You are welcome, my girl" he smiled down at her, tugging on a curl. "Shouldn't you go and say hello?"
He tried not to let the flare of jealousy he felt take over as he watched his daughter hug her parents. They had had every year he had missed, and he liked them, he did, but he couldn't deny that today was turning out to be harder than he had ever anticipated.
"You're a good man, Severus Snape." Amelia murmured, her arm banding around his waist as her eyes followed his.
"I don't feel it." he admitted softly, "I want to take her back and keep her to myself. They've had all these years…." he trailed off slightly hopelessly.
"I know." she murmured, "But look how happy she looks." And she did.
He sighed, his shoulders slumping, "Does it make me a terrible person to say that that hurts, actually."
"No." Amelia sighed looking at him with sympathy that made him want to squirm."But she wouldn't be that happy if you weren't here too, Severus. You might not have had anywhere near as much time as you should have but that girl of yours adores you." she paused, clearly weighing up whether or not to finish her sentence. "So does your son. You're a far better parent than you give yourself credit for. Now, as I apparently missed out on cake earlier, I believe I was promised some now….let's go celebrate your girl's birthday."
He nodded mechanically, his mind reeling slightly but his eyes focused on the children. His children. Laughing as they teased each other with Jean rolling her eyes at Hermione's side and Saul encouraging them from across the table. Maybe, just maybe, he could let the jealousy go. Hermione beamed up at him as he physically separated her and Harry, settling himself in between them, ignoring Amelia's indulgent eye roll from Harry's other side. Jean and Richard called out a greeting, before asking Amelia something inconsequential as Saul resumed teasing Harry.
Watching them, allowing the conversation to flow around him he realised that he had no need to be jealous. Not of them. Sad? Perhaps, it seemed such a benign word for the sharp jolts of pain he felt whenever he thought of what he had missed. Angry with Ella? Yes. He could admit that he was fucking furious with her, especially today. Perhaps he'd send her some glitter in the post. That might make him feel better and it wouldn't land him in Azkaban like the curse or the poison that he really wanted to send. And it would be far more annoying. Even elf magic couldn't get rid of that fucking stuff. He shuddered slightly as he remembered the time a half-blood had brought some to school because they enjoyed fucking card making of all things. He was sure there were still pieces of it lurking in the common room. He'd seen bits attached to the current cohort and Miss Pender had left school at least a decade ago. He paused to consider whether he could get a picture. It wouldn't be half as entertaining if he couldn't see her rage….perhaps an elf.
"Earth to Father!" Hermione nudged him, startling him out of his introspection. "Where did you go?"
"How challenging do you think it would be to fill an envelope with glitter?" he asked without thinking.
"What?"
"Glitter, in an envelope."
"I….not very?" she answered utterly confused. "Why are we putting glitter in an envelope?"
"To post it. Obviously."
"Oh obviously." she replied drily. "To whom are we posting it?"
"Do you think we could rig a small exploding charm?"
"Into the envelope?"
"Well I don't want it in the glitter. It would pulverise it and completely defeat the point."
Hermione closed her eyes for a moment as if composing herself, huffing out a laugh. The entire table was gaping at him.
"If you had a sort of spring opening, it might work." Harry mused from his other side. "Like those fancy muggle birthday cards where things pop out at you."
Severus considered him for a moment. "So glitter in a card not just an envelope? That could work."
"Who are we sending glitter to and why?" Amelia cut in.
"Oh….it was just a thought, it's not important." Her glare indicated that they'd be finishing this conversation later.
"You're not always sane, you know, Father." Hermione mused with an amused grin.
"I live in a castle full of hormonal teenagers and Albus…..sanity would not only be a hindrance it would be short lived, my girl."
She laughed, nudging him with her elbow. "Pick your dinner before the waiter comes back, we've already sent him away once."
"Yes mum." he replied, grinning when she stuck her tongue out at him.
"No Annalise?" Jean asked from behind her menu.
"No. She had already consented to accompanying Simon to New York for one of his business deals, she would have cancelled but the man Simon is dealing with is notorious for looking for offence. It is not worth the risk given how much business he sends Simon's way." he turned to Hermione, "I meant to say, she's sending your gift to Hogwarts with the evening mail, it'll be waiting when we go back."
"Shame. She's rather entertaining, " Jean replied lightly.
Severus snorted, muttering "That's one word for the woman."
Jean ignored him, "Have you had a good birthday, sweetheart?"
"Yes. It's been fun. We had a water fight and confused half the school. The Weasley twins are already trying to work out how to make a magical version of a water gun."
"Why does it need to be magical?"
"It doesn't," Hermione replied with a shrug, "They just like the idea of experimenting. They were talking about colour changing water, temperature changing maybe and potentially them being used for something other than water. I may have made a mistake explaining what slime was. They also wondered if maybe they could be used to make snow for a different type of snowball fight."
"That's genius, "Richard breathed, his eyes lighting up.
"Please don't introduce these boys to your Dad." Jean groaned. "Actually, just never mention them again. The last thing we need is him feeding them ideas or heaven help us all, buying from them. Now…presents!"
Hermione laughed as her Dad pouted, reaching for the parcel her mother handed her. Little bottles and packages fell out, scattering across the table. "Thanks Mum!" she looked at her Dad shrewdly, "Dad had no idea I was getting this, did he?"
Jean laughed, "Not a clue. There's some fun colours in there but I thought you might like some more neutral ones for day to day looks."
Severus realised then what all the little things were. "You bought her makeup?"
Jean arched a brow, "She asked. Now this one, your Dad definitely knew about. However I'm afraid it's sort of a puzzle disguised as a gift. Blame Saul."
Hermione looked at her quizzically as she gingerly opened the next present. "A discman! Wow! Thanks! But…."
"It wont work at Hogwarts?" her mother finished knowingly. "Hence, the puzzle. Saul says it should be possible to make it work, but you'll need to experiment."
Hermione nodded looking at it thoughtfully as she murmured her thanks again, Severus could almost see the cogs turning as she began theorising.
"Present from me!" Saul chirped, interrupting her thoughts.
Magical Hieroglyphs and Logograms, Curses and Counter-Curses: Bewitch Your Friends and Befuddle Your Enemies with the Latest Revenges: Hair Loss; Jelly Legs; Tongue-Tying and Much, Much More and A beginners guide to warding lay spread on the table, Hermione's eyes had lit up. "Thanks Uncle Saul!"
He grinned back at her. "Don't thank me yet, I'll be testing your warding at Christmas and I absolutely want to hear that you're livening up that defence group of Alastor's with some of the hexes and Jinxes in that book."
Hermione smiled a small, slightly sinister smile. "I think I can manage that."
Severus very briefly wondered if he should warn Alastor before deciding that she scared him more,and really, it would be quite nice to watch her get the better of the irritating man.
"Who are you going to hex first?" Harry asked with an amused smile.
"Moody." Hermione fired back. "That man is far too fond of jinxing me."
Harry laughed, "You're not wrong. If you let me read it too, I'll help you practise." he wheedled.
"Harry Potter willingly reading a book?" she teased.
Harry stuck out his tongue. "I wanted that book on my first trip to the Alley." he confessed.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Of course you did."
"Did Draco manage to remember to give you your gift?" Severus asked, remembering Cissa saying she'd sent it to him.
"Ah yes. They gave me some clothes and a wizarding history book. It's fascinating how much ran parallel to the muggle world."
"And Theo?" Jean questioned lightly, Hermione rolled her eyes.
"Sweets and a new cloak." Severus hummed, glad Jean had asked and grateful beyond measure that Thoros had not tried to sneak in some sort of family heirloom.
"She got sent an egg from Souffle," Harry giggled.
"An egg?" Severus asked, slightly incredulously. "A chicken egg?"
Harry snorted, "Think more Faberge than chicken." he said wryly.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "It was rather sweet. If….odd."
Severus snorted, "Thoros signed it from the chicken?" he prodded
"Yes." Hermione replied with a long suffering sigh making them all laugh.
"Man sounds insane." Richard muttered.
"You've met him." Severus pointed out, "You know he's insane."
"Yes but….a Faberge egg as a present from a chicken? Come on!"
"He dressed it in a dress and a diamond tiara and you have an issue with him sending Hermione an egg?"
"Well when you put it like that…." the other man muttered.
Biting her lip to hide her laughter, Amelia handed Hermione another gift.
"Oh! But….Susan already gave me something!"
Amelia rolled her eyes. "And?"
Hermione arched a brow at her, tearing off the wrapping paper to reveal six ornate metal bookmarks.
"If you look at the little box at the bottom, you can program up to fifty pages into each one at any one time, with a brief description of the topic. It should come up like a…hologram?" She looked at Jean briefly, checking her terminology. "If you tap it and as long as the book is near you it'll turn automatically to the page when you touch it. I thought it might help with your homework or whatever your father or Saul has you working on"
Hermione looked at her in awe. "That's….that's….Oh my god. Thank you." Amelia looked momentarily startled when Hermione got out of her seat to hug her.
"Trust you to be most excited about bookmarks." Harry muttered with a smirk, he winced as Hermione hit him across the head as she passed. "Ow!"
She smiled serenely back at him before turning her attention to her meal.
"Thank you for tonight, Father," Hermione said softly once they'd regained their footing outside the castle gates several hours later.
"You're most welcome, my girl. Have you had a good birthday?"
"Yes." she smiled, stretching up to kiss his cheek. "I hope you know that this means you'll need to tolerate something on yours."
Rolling his eyes, Severus began dismantling the enchantments on the gate, "I genuinely dread to think what the two of you can come up with."
Harry grinned at her side, "Maybe Fred and George will have worked out how to make water guns shoot snow by then."
"Absolutely not."
"We'll see." Harry laughed as Severus wondered how precisely he could bribe the Weasley twins should they indeed manage, Threats didn't work….capital to fund some investments? No… that would probably backfire. A space they could experiment safely? That might work. He could keep his eye on them then and perhaps….subtly sabotage anything he deemed unsuitable. Like snow guns being ready in time for his birthday. For fucks sake he couldn't be seen playing like a child by the entire school. They'd never fucking fear him again….or….or they'd be so fucking confused they'd be terrified. It worked with the Gryffindors. Any he'd seen today had looked at him like they no longer knew who he was and had given him a wide berth in case he what….laughed again? Maybe it bore thinking about. Keep them on their toes. It was amusing if nothing else. He was human, not that they seemed to realise that and their confusion was funny. He wondered briefly if it would work the same in the other common rooms. Perhaps something to try. He could invite Theo to a game of chess. That might work. Theo would be on edge wondering what he was up to and the Slytherins wouldn't know what to do with him invading their space for a prolonged amount of time. He usually avoided all the the little buggers as much as possible.
And really, he should be getting to know his daughters…what? Boyfriend? Fuck that sounded awful. Boy who might be her intended. Eventually. At fifty. That was a bit of a mouthful really. It didn't change that he probably should get to know the boy properly. How else was he meant to blackmail him into good behaviour otherwise? And there was Susan….perhaps he should make more of an effort to include her. Amelia had come tonight. Fuck. He definitely should be making more of an effort. And if he terrified some of the badgers in the process….well that was just a fun perk, wasn't it?
He startled slightly at a slightly pitiful whine from beside them just as the gates opened. He whirled, his wand out as Harry and Hermione mirrored him.
A large black dog stared back. It didn't seem vicious. Yet. After a beat where neither they nor the dog moved, Hermione took a step towards it cautiously. "Are you hurt, you poor thing?" she murmured, purposely keeping her voice low.
"Hermione," he cautioned. "I don't think…"
The dog whined pitfilly again before a blur of orange appeared and rubbed its head against the dogs sides.
"Crookshanks?" Harry asked, shooting a glance at Severus.
"Oh look at you." Hermione was crooning, having reached the quite frankly giant beast. "You look starved. Are you lost? Who do you belong to eh?"
Harry snorted, edging closer cautiously. "You're going to get a massive fright if he answers you 'Mione."
Hermione let out a soft laugh, obliging the dog with ear scratches when its head bounced under her hand. "Father." Severus sighed at the pleading tone of her voice. "Father, we can't leave him here. He's skin and bone."
Severus looked over to where both of his children and that bloody cat were petting the quite frankly mangy looking beast. What was it with his daughter and ugly things? He knew though, he bloody knew he wasn't winning this argument.
"Hermione, we can't bring a stray into school. It's not allowed." he tried. Fuck and now she looked like she was going to cry. Even Harry was looking at him pleadingly.
"But he could stay with you."
Gods that tone. For fucks sake. He used to be better at saying no, he was sure of it. Hermione had fucking ruined him. He closed his eyes, wishing he had put more effort into practising saying no to this girl of his. "I need to check him in case there is anything indicating ownership." he said finally, raising his wand. The dog looked back suspiciously, visibly tensing.
"It's alright pretty boy." Hermione crooned, petting the beast's head. "Father's just going to check in case you've just gotten lost."
Harry's hand lay on the beast's back as he laughed at the dog being called pretty. "You have awful taste in pets, Mione."
"Hush." she admonished, "Don't you listen to him." The dog cocked its head like he understood her, pushing against her hand again so she resumed petting him.
Severus cast several spells, including a detector for dark magic, just in case. He sighed when nothing came back. Apparently he now owned a fucking dog.
"He'll need a bath." he said, resigned. Harry and Hermione grinned.
"Thanks, father." Hermione murmured as she moved to hug him tightly. "Come on boy. Bath and dinner."
Watching her intently, the dog followed them up to the school.
"Take it to the bathroom," Severus sighed once they reached his rooms, "I expect him to be clean"
Sirius allowed the teens to manoeuvre him into the bath, enjoying someone, anyone, touching him for the first time in over a decade. It was enough to make him want to cry. As they began lathering shampoo over him, scrubbing his filthy body, washing him with warm….warm! water, he almost collapsed with the overwhelming feeling of being clean for the first time since he had been arrested. Somewhere in his confused brain he realised that they'd suggested he live with Snivelous but he could….couldn't he? If it meant he was in the castle. Warm, fed…clean. And maybe, if he could pretend to just be a dog, he'd be able to get his hands on the rat. Maybe he'd also be able to work out what the fuck this odd relationship between this girl, Snape and his pup was.
"Come on then, pretty boy." the girl crooned at him, confusing him further. She'd called Snivelous father, this girl with the soothing voice and gentle hands, that didn't seem right. There was no way Snivellous could have raised a girl like this. But…but…he was allowing him to stay. He'd taken pity on him and brought him to the castle. That didn't seem like Snivelous either.
Severus took in the now clean and dripping dog that stood in his livingroom. It really was a rather pitiful creature, all skin and bone stretched across a large frame.
"Did you forget the drying charms?" he asked pointedly, glancing at the puddle that was forming on the floor.
"Sorry Father!'' Both teens looked sheepishly back at him as they began drying the giant dog.
He rolled his eyes, clearing the mess under it, before calling for a house elf. "If we could have food suitable for a dog please. And a bowl for water."
THe elves eyes widened as it took in the giant creature visibly enjoying the blasts of hot air being aimed at it before it nodded, popping out of sight.
"Dinner. Do not gulp it down or you will vomit. I have no idea how long it has been since you last ate" he told it sternly. The dog tilted its head as if it understood before it bolted towards the bowls earning it a "I said do not gulp!"
Harry laughed, "So that's where Mione gets it! I really wish he was able to reply just to see your faces."
Ignoring him, Severus steered them away from the dog, not wanting to contemplate the mess he'd found himself in any further. A fucking dog. For fucks sake. At least it wasn't one of those ridiculous little pocket sized ones, he mused. That would have been unbearable.
"Now my girl, I believe this is from your grandmother."
Hermione smiled, taking the box from him. "Oh." she breathed, pulling out delicate gold hair combs. "Oh these are gorgeous." She moved, securing them in her hair, her eyes widening as she felt them move of their own accord into the most flattering position.
"Bloody hell. Those are something else. Shame I couldn't get away with hair combs to settle my hair down." Harry said wryly, prodding at one of the small combs making Hermione bat at his hand before they were both accosted by a large canine who climbed onto their laps and promptly closed its eyes.
Severus smiled slightly indulgently as both of them began giggling, neither able to move under the dog's bulk.
"I think he might need a bed, Severus." Harry laughed, running a hand down the dog's back as it let out a contented sigh.
"Oh? I was under the impression he'd chosen one."
"Severus! I….oh my! When exactly did you get a dog?"
Severus rolled his eyes, "About half an hour ago."
Saul's eyes widened as he stretched out a cautious hand towards the dog that was now watching him warily. "Gods, I leave you alone for five minutes and you acquire something else to keep alive. Two children, a cat and an owl not enough? Does he have a name?" he asked as he stroked a hand over its head. The dog held itself taut as it tracked Saul's movements.
"Relax," Hermione said softly, wrapping her arms around its neck, "It's just Uncle Saul, he won't hurt you."
The dog turned to look at her before allowing its body to calm.
"Where did you say you got him?" Saul asked eying the beast speculatively.
"I didn't. It was outside the gates and well you can see how starved it looks. It appeared to be familiar with Hermione's ginger beastie."
Saul snorted "And you….?"
"Checked for dark magic? Yes."
Saul nodded, "Fair enough. I'm here for some of that basilisk venom and to drop these off."
The teens wrinkled their noses in confusion as Saul produced a set of Unspeakables robes. He laughed. "They're for you my darling protege and I have a spare set for that brother of yours because we both know he's unable to control his curiosity and I imagine your father would be displeased if he was killed due to your project."
Hermione's eyes lit up at the mention of her project, Harry pouted before he turned to Saul. "Does that mean I'm getting to help?"
"As if I could stop you." Saul muttered indulgently. "Now. I want you to investigate a way to destroy the horcruxes without destroying their vessel."
Hermione blinked, patting the dog more forcefully as it growled, "Pardon? Hush, puppy!"
"You are aware Professor McGonagall found another?"
The dog seemed to settle at the mention of Minerva. Severus frowned. How aware was the beast? Magical dogs were not really a thing, not domesticated, single headed ones anyway. Was it a cross….an experiment? It seemed too benign for it to have been Hagrid, although perhaps it would be wise to check. Still it seemed…protective of the children which wasn't a bad thing, although maybe that was because they'd ensured the beast was fed.
"No," Harry responded bewildered.
"Ah well, she did. It's in Rowena Ravenclaw's diadem. We're hoping to preserve it if possible."
"Oh my God." Hermione breathed. "We can't just destroy it!"
"Exactly, which is why you'll be looking at ways to destroy them without harming its vessel. We know basilisk venom and Feindfyre work but we'd like not to have to use those. You can look into spells, potions, other venom's, it's up to you. I've got a team working on it at the DoM. Here's a list of their names, they're expecting to hear from you."
"They are?" she squeaked.
"Of course, there's no point in doubling research and they're a wonderful resource if you need someone to look over something or ask questions."
Hermione nodded slowly, taking the parchment.
"So we get to play with venom?" Harry asked grinning, "Cool!"
Severus groaned, "Why didn't you just ban him?"
"Because at least this way he doesn't sneak in and hurt himself?"
Sighing, Severus inclined his head, acknowledging the truth of Saul's comment.
"Come on Puppy! Come on!" Hermione laughed as the dog chased them on their run the next morning, periodically bouncing off to chase a falling leaf.
"You cannot keep calling him puppy!" Harry complained, running beside her, occasionally throwing a stick for him.
"Father hasn't called him anything, I can't just call him dog."
"But you can call him puppy?" Harry asked incredulously watching the dog bound off after a stick looking more like a horse than a puppy.
"Obviously," she drawled in her best Professor Snape impression making them both giggle like toddlers.
"I'm not calling that thing puppy." Severus muttered.
"He sort of looks like the grim on Ron's Divination book." Harry mused.
"Thanatos." Hermione replied.
"Bless you?" Harry stopped running to squint at her.
"No! Thanatos was the Greek God of Death. I heard Ron saying that the Grim apparently predicted death so…Thanatos."
"I don't hate it." Severus mused.
"Of course you dont." Harry scoffed.
"Thanatos. Come here!"
The dog stopped running, looking at Severus like he was an idiot.
"Thanatos! Come here puppy!" Hermione shouted, grinning when the dog bounded over to her knocking her flat.
"I think he prefers puppy." Harry muttered, laughing as he watched Hermione try and fail to push the giant dog off of her.
"I am not calling that beast puppy." Severus reiterated, pouting.
Severus watched the dog scratch at the windows whining as they watched Draco and Harry try to direct football training. It was…chaos. Several muggleborns had expressed an interest and again, there was a mix of Houses. The purebloods who had been persuaded along thanks to Draco's involvement all looked baffled as Harry demonstrated dribbling around the marker cones Severus had transfigured for them earlier.
"You cannot go down there." he told the beast sternly. "I am not supposed to have you here. What will you do if we're caught?"
The dog whined and settled back down, seeming to watch the teens playing. It really was quite odd Severus mused, biting back a grin as one of the twins tripped Ronald Weasley up mid dribble. He was intrigued to see Adrian Pucey, Graham Montague and Marcus Flint from his House present, wondering if Draco had told them it'd improve their Quidditch performance. He couldn't imagine anything else would have persuaded them. Susan had clearly brought several members of her own House and there seemed to be an increase in the Ravenclaw contingent. Although Luna Lovegood had a cone upside down on her head and was spinning. Still….the girl was moving, he supposed and technically she was dodging everyone else so as not to hit them…and there was something about her ability to balance that cone that was impressive. Perhaps not a wasted exercise after all. Maybe he'd suggest Hermione join her next time. If nothing else he really wanted to see her face.
Sighing, Severus pulled himself away from the window. Andy had scheduled his mind Healer for the evening and however much he wanted to avoid it he could not.
"Come along, Thanatos. Before Andy has my bollocks." He could have sworn the dog looked amused.
"Mr Snape!" A matronly looking witch with a kind face stepped out his floo. "Marilynn Travers, how nice to meet you!" Severus shook her proffered hand reluctantly. He really, really didn't want to do this. But Hermione had survived two sessions now and he really wasn't sure what Saul had been teaching her. He also had no urge to find out. "And who's this?" the witch cooed at the dog who had immediately appeared looking for attention. Infuriating beast.
"Thanatos." Severus sighed, "He answers to puppy." The dog gave a happy bark as the Mind Healer stifled a grin as she stroked his head. "My daughters doing," he sighed in explanation.
The witch merely gave him a nod, an amused expression on her face. "Now Mr Snape, why don't we sit down and you can tell me why you think you need to see me."
"I don't" he replied petulantly, "My daughter refused to speak to Andromeda unless I also agreed to see someone."
The witch looked momentarily startled, "I see….we'll perhaps you could tell me why your daughter thought you should see me."
Severus sighed, "I made some questionable choices that led to the death of a friend. Hermione believes I need help dealing with that. This last year has also been….strange."
"Strange how?"
"I…I didn't know I had a daughter until we brewed the Heritage potion that is a standard part of the second year curriculum."
"That must have been a shock." the witch said mildly, Severus snorted, "How did your daughter take the news?"
"She…neither of us reacted particularly well in the beginning, although I was….less tolerant than she was."
"And now?"
Severus swallowed hard, "She is the very best thing that has ever happened to me." he said softly, missing the dog staring at him intently. "I am…grateful that I get to have her in my life….and I am furious with her mother for keeping her from me."
Maralynn nodded, "And why did her mother make that decision?"
"She didn't want to be a parent. She thought she'd be forced into marriage and she didn't want to be."
"I see, we'll come back to that. Has having your daughter, Hermione, was it? Changed much in your life?"
He couldn't contain the huff of laughter that escaped. "You could say that."
"Care to elaborate?"
Not really, he thought mulishly. Although if Hermione found out he wasn't fucking engaging she'd be furious and he really didn't want that. Holding back a sigh, he answered the infuriating woman. "Hermione had a spontaneous sibling bond with a friend, who had an abysmal home life. I am now his guardian. As a result I had a hoard of children in my home over the summer. I appear to have acquired a….Christ, I have no idea what she is….a relationship with a woman who also has a child. I have a….strange relationship with my daughter's adopted parents, they have become…almost like older siblings. Her mother in particular is terrifying and meddling. I also appear to have acquired a….Saul."
"A Saul?" Marilynn repeated.
"He…I suppose he's a friend. He adores Hermione and as a result I now appear to see rather a lot of the infuriating man. I have also recently….come to terms with someone I went to school with. We were not on good terms, however he is teaching here this year and we are…civil? Friendly? I don't know. And that's before we begin to consider the fact I have had to return to society to prepare the children, boys are….bloody pains in my arse now I need to watch them. The father of one of them keeps pushing for a bloody contract and the man is insane. He dresses up his chicken! So yes, my life has changed, the miniature witch has turned it completely on its head. I didn't have friends, I had peace. I don't think I've had a moment of that since I found out about her."
The witch blinked at him for a moment. "That's….that's rather a lot Mr Snape. We'll come back to a lot of those. Do you regret finding out about her?"
"What? No! Did you miss me saying she was the best thing that had ever happened to me! If I had my way I'd go back and bloody have her from the start…..the things I've missed….."
Maralynn hummed. "She gave me my freedom." he said softly, "Not directly but without her involvement I wouldn't have been able to ask those who did."
"Your freedom, Mr Snape?" she asked curiously.
"This goes no further?" he checked.
"No, there are spells prohibiting it."
He nodded, "You are aware of who I was? My affiliations?" she nodded, watching curiously as he rolled up his sleeve to reveal his unblemished forearm. Ignoring the witches gaping, "She gave me my freedom." he repeated softly. "And she loved me even when gaining it wasn't something we knew was a possibility."