Thoros Nott took in the cluster of children in front of them and his heart stopped. Harry Potter was easily recognisable, he was the whole bloody reason they were here, after all, the arrogant boy dragging more children into this mess. Not, he supposed, that he had any room to be judging the morality of dragging children into a battle seeing as he was with the adults attempting to murder them. The Weasley's were also recognisable, and the odd Lovegood girl. The other boy, he mused, must be the Longbottom boy. But it was the last girl that terrified him, her brown eyes were wide as she surveyed the people surrounding them; he was more than a little impressed that her wand remained steady despite her obvious fear. She was the image of his Asteria, and he wasn't sure how it was possible. Florence had died at birth, Asteria had been devastated by the loss of their girl and even now Theo had a restless quality to him that Thoros knew was his magic reaching for his missing twin. But this girl, this tiny soldier, had Asteria's eyes, and his wild curls. It shouldn't be fucking possible but there she was. And that thought alone was alarming given the options it left him with.
Thinking wildly, Thoros attempted to work out how he could check. Severus was probably his best bet if they all managed to get out of this in one piece. He almost snorted, listening to Lucius attempt to bargain with the Potter boy, did the man think he was that fucking stupid? It was the only leverage the boy had, surely he wouldn't be giving it up without a fight, especially not given how feral some of his brothers in arms looked. There was no disguising the mad bloodlust on Bella's face. Although Lucius always had been an arrogant sod, he probably hadn't even considered that the boy would refuse him. It would have been funny if the reality wasn't so fucking depressing. None of them were escaping this unscathed, they were hunting fucking school children, for Merlin's sake!
The shattering of glass as the children ran, orbs cascading down behind them acting as a surprisingly effective shield, startled him out of his introspection. Fuck. Fighting the urge to pull Lucius aside and ask what the actual fuck they were doing with their lives, hunting the classmates of their sons, Thoros moved. Maybe, if he was clever, he could stop the children from being hurt. This wasn't what he had signed up for, this wasn't political power and keeping them all safe from the ever-growing number of muggles. This was hunting fucking school children. Thoros wondered how many more times he'd think that before he drove himself insane.
The children, it turned out, were far slippier than he'd given them credit for. They were not evenly matched, not by a bloody long shot, but given that none of them had yet been caught, they were not without some skill either. He moved swiftly, covertly redirecting or blocking the hexes and curses his brothers in arms thought were acceptable to fire at fucking children, holding back another sigh at the mess his life had become. Asteria would bloody murder him if she could see him now. And given how things had turned out, he was relatively certain he'd let her.
Rounding a corner, his blood ran cold at the sight of the wild-haired girl cornered by bloody Dolohov. She was clearly terrified and yet her wand was still steady as she fired back spells that he knew were no match for the deranged Russian. Making a split second decision as Antonin raised his wand and began the sequence of a curse Thoros was intimately familiar with, Thoros stunned him from behind.
The girl looked shocked as her eyes snapped to his. He shook his head minutely, silently raising a finger to the lips on his mask.
"Your friends are through there, I imagine they need some help." he offered, unable to take his eyes off her.
"Why?" she whispered, her wand arm still extended.
He shook his head. "Go." He looked down to bind Antonin, forcing his eyes from her. When he looked back up, she was gone.
He found them all in the Veil room, the voices seeming almost overwhelming as he stepped right back into the battle as The Order appeared, evening the odds. He briefly wondered if he should just let one of them kill him, the Dark Lord was bound to be furious by this turn of events and they all knew he was not known for his mercy. His mind drifted quickly to Theo, strengthening his resolve. Salazar knew what would happen to the boy without his protection and however poor a parent he had been to him, he had no urge to leave his son to that fate.
Spellfire flashed around them, it seemed as if the children were still there. Why the fuck had none of the Order sent them fucking home? He couldn't watch them all, he was barely managing to keep his eyes on the girl as she dodged and weaved, the Potter boy at her back. The other children looked slightly worse for wear, hovering near the perimeter, they were alive though, he supposed he should be grateful for that. Hopefully, someone would have enough sense to get them the fuck out of there soon.
Dodging some questionable hexes from Moody, Thoros contemplated how to get her out of the Ministry, somewhere safe, anywhere away from this conflict. He wanted her as far away from the bloody Potter boy as possible, he was the one the Dark Lord wanted after all, but both of them were in the fucking centre, her back pressed to his as he clutched the fucking orb the Dark Lord was so fucking desperate to get his hands on close to his body. Lucius appeared briefly at his side.
"A little help?"
"You're fighting children," Thoros replied mildly.
"Not any more." the man responded grimly, his eyes finding a slightly gleeful Sirius Black as he sent a volley of curses at his cousin.
Thoros arched a brow, underneath his mask deflecting the curses that headed their way, as he heard something in the tone of Lucius' voice, "I think a talk is in order should we escape this, old friend." Lucius inclined his head in consent, sending a hex at whatever Order member had gotten too close. "Good, let's try not to murder anyone tonight, it won't help our chances of escaping unscathed if we do."
Lucius' eyes widened before he nodded sharply, and followed Thoros back into the fight.
Thoros sat in his study nursing a firewhisky in the dark, more than relieved he'd escaped unnoticed before the Ministry had cast their anti apparition wards, knowing the same couldn't be said for some of his brethren. His mind whirled as he tried to process the night. Before he could get lost inside his own head, his private floo activated, momentarily bathing the room in a sickening green light, startling him out of his thoughts.
"I think we need to have that talk now." Lucius looked at him pointedly, his hands still shaking with the after-effects of what Thoros assumed was a brutal cruciatus.
Throros nodded, "How angry is he?"
Lucius shot him a look that indicated he was a fucking idiot. "How angry do you think?"
"You're alive," Thoros noted mildly.
Lucius arched a brow, "Only because I was not caught. If I had been, I imagine my subsequent release would not have been pleasant."
Thoros inclined his head acknowledging the truth of his statement. "Bodes well for us finally being rid of your delightful sister-in-law."
Lucius snorted, "We both know that's not true. The woman's insane but she's fucking ruthless and he likes it. Are you intending to share what came over you tonight?"
"We were there to murder children, Lucius. You cannot tell me that you enjoy that, that it serves any purpose. Most of them were purebloods and none of them were of age." Thoros sighed.
"No…." Lucius replied slowly, "I can't say I enjoy it but we both know he's not sane, Thoros. He has no idea what it's like to love a child, love anyone. He hunted a baby for Salazar's sake. A baby who exiled him for over a decade. However, I know you better than that, old friend. What are you not saying?"
"I don't know if I can support the murder of school children Lucius," Thoros said softly. "The girl with them, who was she?"
Lucius frowned, "There were three. The Weasley and Lovegood girls and Potters Mudblood."
"Potters Mudblood?"
"Granger….Hermione Granger. Draco speaks of her often, we were worried, I confess I'm still worried, that there is more to his noticing the girl than the dislike he'd like me to believe it is. She's uncommonly powerful for a mudblood if what Draco says is true."
Thoros hummed, "Have you ever taken a proper look at her?"
Lucius stilled, "Why?"
"She….she reminded me strongly of Asteria," Thoros replied finally.
Lucius gaped at him for a moment, his mind flitting through all the interactions he'd had with the girl. "Fuck." he hissed, superimposing the terrified girl from earlier over the face of his oldest friend's wife inside his head. "Fuck. How is that possible?"
"I don't know," Thoros confessed. "I was going to speak with Severus."
Lucius nodded sharply. "If she…fuck Thoros, if she is, it's going to fucking change everything."
Thoros snorted at his dramatics. "She's one girl, she's not going to change that much."
"She'll never leave Potter." Lucius cautioned. "And if she turns out to be who you suspect and you don't tell Theo, he'll never forgive you. And if you do, he'll defy you to keep her. He's missed Florence his entire life."
Thoros slumped slightly, "She's sixteen, she'll do as she's told." he muttered, already knowing it would be difficult given how close to Potter the girl had been.
Lucius snorted before he began to laugh, losing his composure, "Gods Thoros, she's a Gryffindor. Best friends with Harry Potter and involved in more nonsense in that school than any child has any right to be. Ask Severus if you don't believe me. Trust me, old friend, if ever there was a child who would refuse to do as she's told, it's that one." Thoros looked startled, despite acknowledging it was likely to be difficult, girls, children, were meant to be obedient. They bent to their parents' superior knowledge and did as they were bid. She'd give in eventually, wouldn't she? He had no idea what to do with a child who didn't fit that mould. "She is going to despise everything you stand for." Lucius continued softly, "If she is Florence, Thoros, you are going to have to tread very carefully if you want to be in her life. I have no idea how you're going to manage it around your….other commitments."
Thoros looked down at his left arm, feeling the writhing of the mark underneath his skin even when he couldn't see it. "I think I need to see Severus now," he said finally.
"It's the middle of the night, Thoros!" Lucius spluttered indignantly as he stood, calling for an elf.
"And we both know the man barely sleeps. Pinky, go to Severus Snape at Hogwarts, tell him I need to see him at his earliest convenience." The elf nodded and disappeared, reappearing fifteen minutes later with a visibly disgruntled Severus.
He arched a brow at the Thoros, "Well, what could possibly be so important you had to send an elf after me in the middle of the night?"
"I think my daughter's alive." Thoros blurted, his usual composure slipping as fear began to settle in. What if the girl was Florence? What had happened? How had she ended up with muggles? Would she want to see him? Her death had caused Asteria to waste away, her health already poor; she had drowned in her grief for the baby she desperately wanted back. It was the reason he wasn't close to his son now, unable to be close to the boy when he first lost his daughter and then his wife leaving him broken. Somewhere, he knew it wasn't fair, Theo had lost them too but in those early months where the grief had been all-consuming, he hadn't been able to be near him. As he aged it had become easier not to upset the status quo and allow the house elves to continue to raise him.
Severus' eyebrows hit his hairline, as even he was unable to keep the shock from his face. "Pardon?"
"What do you know about Hermione Granger?"
Severus blinked, his jaw-dropping in a startling loss of composure from the man who prided himself on his mask as he began to piece things together. "Fuck." he hissed.
"I need to know," Thoros whispered, staring into his friend's pale face. "I need to know if she's mine."
Severus nodded minutely, seeing the bright happy face of Asteria Fawley flash through his head. She had been one of his only real friends after the debacle with Lily in fifth year, comparing that memory to Hermione Granger, he wondered how he had never suspected. Then again, he actively tried not to think of Asteria, the pain of losing the girl destined to be his goddaughter and then watching his best friend waste away still felt too sharp, even now. "I….I'll see what I can do." he paused, "Thoros. She is not going to take this well if she is."
"So Lucius said," Thoros replied wryly. "Can you….maybe, pair her and Theo up while we're waiting? Maybe if she is and she already knows him a little it'll help?"
Severus scrubbed a hand over his tired face, "Are you going to owl him asking him to be polite?" he asked pointedly. Thoros flinched. "We have almost no time left of the school year, Thoros, I doubt at this point it would make a difference."
"Can you try anyway?"
Severus sighed, "Very well. Owl your son." Thoros nodded. "I'll be in touch."
Thoros sank back down into his chair as Severus disappeared through the floo, his eyes staring blankly at his desk. He vaguely registered the weight of Lucius' hand on his shoulder before he too left him, his mind mulling over the many possible outcomes of today's suspicions. He wasn't sure what he wanted more, Florence being alive and the muggleborn best friend of Harry Potter complicated things in ways he couldn't even begin to imagine but the thought of it being confirmed that Hermione Granger wasn't Florence, that she truly was dead, made him want to sob. He only hoped Severus had answers for them soon.
Severus held the hairs in his hand as he stood over the cauldron, wondering if perhaps it would just be best to tell Thoros that Hermione Granger was exactly who everyone had always thought she was; the girl wasn't likely to thank him for upending her life. But the thought of having a tiny piece of his best friend back was too much of a temptation.
Asteria had been overjoyed to be having twins, coaxing Thoros into agreeing for them to pick a set of godparents each. Lucius and Narcissa were Theo's, Asteria had chosen Severus and Miranda Yaxley, telling him that she wanted something tangible to link them together because she'd viewed him as family for years. Her death had been one of the biggest blows of the last war, one Severus was unlikely to ever fully recover from. Where Lily's death had hurt and still caused an avalanche of guilt for his part in it, Asteria and Florence's had been devastating in a way that left gaping holes in what was left of his heart.
Throwing the hairs in before he could second guess himself, Severus began stirring, counting forty-nine and a quarter turns clockwise followed by ten and a half counterclockwise, watching as the potion turned clear. He removed it quickly from the heat, taking out a pipette and dropping three drops onto a piece of parchment. The words slowly snaked from one end to the other, Hermione Jean Granger was adopted on the 19th of September 1980. Her name changed from Florence Asteria Nott born on 23rd May of the same year.
Severus sat down heavily on his work stool and allowed the tears to fall. Asteria had died for a lie, her life stolen as surely as her daughter had been. What the fuck had happened? Who had taken her and why? Why Florence and not Theo? He turned abruptly and left his lab, drawing his wand as he entered his office, shattering the specimen jars in his rage, the sickening sound of broken glass and ingredients hitting the floor only partially calming him. Someone was going to pay for this if it was the last thing he did.
Thoros' hand shook slightly as he read Severus' note, unsure as to whether the man wanted to break good or bad news in person. Couldn't he just have written down what he wanted to know? Deciding quickly he sent an elf back with a reply before sending another one for Lucius, cautioning it to be careful and not to be seen until Lucius and Narcissa were alone. It wouldn't do for the Dark Lord to begin asking questions, especially when they didn't have answers.
Lucius appeared several minutes later with Narcissa, both of them looking apprehensive.
"Severus should be here shortly," Thoros answered their unspoken question, moving to pour them a drink, his hand still shaking. Narcissa was watching him warily.
Milly appeared clutching Severus' hand less than ten minutes later, the man looking as disgruntled as ever as he let go of the elf. One look at his face had Thoros sitting down sharply.
Lucius' eyes widened, "It's her?"
"Yes." Severus sat down heavily on a chair next to Lucius and Narcissa. "I have no idea what happened but, yes, the lineage potion confirms that Hermione Granger is actually Florence Nott."
"What do we do now?" Narcissa whispered, her face pale.
"We tell her!"
"Thoros," Severus cautioned, "We need to be clever about this. If the Dark Lord finds out he will either be furious or he will demand to use her. As loath as I am to say it, I imagine Dumbledore will react similarly."
"So what the fuck do we do! She's safer as a pureblood than a mudblood if nothing else!"
"Barely. She will be, at best, considered a blood traitor and you know it. She will not leave Harry Potter, she adores the boy."
"Then what the fuck do you suggest, Severus!" he howled.
"Let me….Christ. Let me speak to her. She might not like me but she respects me as her teacher."
Thoros nodded, "I want you to perform the godparent ritual. I need her to be safe. Miranda Yaxley is no longer a safe choice, Corban is too far in, but Asteria wanted you and I trust you to watch out for Florence."
Severus groaned, his head dropping into his hands as he imagined how that particular conversation would go. He'd been bloody awful to the girl for the last five years, she had no reason to trust him. "I am promising nothing, Thoros, I cannot do the binding without her knowledge given her age. Let me speak to her. We have five days before the end of term, perhaps she'll consent to speak to Theo too. What did you say to him to make him hold his tongue?"
Thoros looked briefly mutinous before he shrugged, "I told him to do just that, hold his tongue around her. He's a good boy, he did not question me even if he found it strange."
Severus snorted, "Gods I hope she agrees to see you, you're not going to have any idea what to do with her." Thoros glowered at him, making Severus grin, "She's more strong-willed than Asteria, Thoros, there'll be very little obedience from her if she feels strongly enough about something. Now, what are the plans to find out what happened?"
Thoros and Lucius stilled, having not yet considered what Florence being alive truly meant. "I'll have someone look into the Healer," Thoros said finally. "I don't know where else to start."
Severus nodded, "Very well. I must return to Hogwarts, it's almost dinner and Albus will expect me. I'll attempt to speak with her before curfew tonight."
Thoros nodded silently, watching him disappear, wondering how he felt about a daughter who might want nothing to do with him. Across from him, Lucius and Narcissa were having similar thoughts about the girl who would have been raised like a niece had she not been stolen.
Hermione knocked cautiously on Professor Snape's door, wondering what on earth she had done that required a meeting. He hadn't said it was detention but that didn't mean it wasn't, the Professor wasn't known for seeking out students unless he absolutely had to.
"Enter!" Hermione took a deep breath, pushing the door open slowly, bracing herself for whatever was coming. "Have a seat, Miss Granger."
Hermione blinked at him, before gingerly sitting down in the chair in front of his desk. "You asked to see me, Sir?"
"Yes. Miss Granger, are you aware that there is a theory that there are no such things as muggleborns?"
"What?" Hermione looked at him confused, whatever she had been expecting it hadn't been that.
"There is a theory that each muggleborn is in fact a descendant of a squib."
"Oh….I can see that making sense, Sir. I don't really understand why you're telling me though."
"You wouldn't want to know if you had magical relations, Miss Granger?"
Hermione froze, "Given the current climate, not particularly, Sir. There's a chance that I'm not descended from squibs at all."
Severus frowned, "Pardon?"
"I'm adopted, Sir. There is a chance that my parents are magical."
Severus very quickly attempted to decide how to proceed; he hadn't expected that. "Your parents had no information about your birth family?"
"No. I was abandoned at a hospital, there was no identifying information," she replied shortly, her face closed off.
"Miss Granger," Severus said softly. "I….if I had information on your birth family, would you want it?"
Hermione drew in a sharp breath. "How could you possibly?"
"You were seen recently and I was asked to check. I have done so."
"Seen by who…..Sir," she asked sharply.
"A man who believed it was possible you were his daughter." Severus' eyes roamed her face. She looked desolate.
"Why didn't they want me?" she whispered, her eyes glassy. What was left of Severus' heart broke.
"They did, Miss Granger." he replied gently, " They were told you had died shortly after your birth and they had no reason to disbelieve it."
"I….I don't understand Professor,"
Severus sighed, running a hand through his hair, "You were born Florence Asteria Nott." he said softly, "Twin to Theodore Jethro Nott. The first girl of the line in centuries, the first twins in longer. Your mother was so excited."
Hermione's breaths were coming in short pants, her horrified face was pale. "I….I have a twin? I….I…don't….I don't understand."
"Shit." Severus swore, dropping to his knees in front of her, taking her face in his hands "Hermione, Hermione I need you to breathe. Match your breathing to mine, in, 2, 3, 4, out, 2,3,4. Good girl, again."
Slowly Hermione's breathing evened out, her eyes large in her pale face as she watched him. "Why did they say I was dead?" she whispered, her hands trembling in her lap.
"I…we don't know. Your father, he intends to find out. I know this is a lot to take in Miss…Granger but we thought you should know. I must caution you, however, that neither the Dark Lord nor Dumbledore is aware. We are….concerned that they would seek to use you for their own gain."
If possible she went paler, "My father is a Death Eater?"
Severus sighed, "Yes. But it's rather more complicated than that. He does not hold with the current plans, Hemione. He joined when the Dark Lord was still discussing power via political means. I'm sure you understand that if you repeat this, our lives are forfeit?" she nodded, "We will need to work on your occlumency." Hermione blanched remembering Harry's failed attempts this year. "It will be different than it was with Mr Potter," Severus reassured, watching her closely.
"Why?"
"Because you do not have a connection to the Dark Lord," Severus replied wryly.
"Oh. Professor? Do you know my…birth parents well?"
"Yes. Your mother was my best friend." he smirked slightly at her clear surprise, "I got to know your father through her. I was supposed to be your godfather."
Hermione blinked at him, before shaking her head slightly, "You said was? In regards to my mother,"
Severus flinched, "Yes, your mother died a few months after you were born. Her health was fragile and the grief of losing a child left her with no urge to fight it."
Hermione blanched, tears beginning to fall. "Oh."
"Miss Granger, I understand this is a lot to take in but I need you to answer some questions." At her shaky nod, he continued, "Your father would like me to perform the godfather ritual as your mother wanted, it gives….an extra layer of protection. I cannot, nor will I, do it without your consent."
She looked startled, "I…what does it entail?"
"Its words with witnesses, similar, I suppose, to an unbreakable vow. It allows me to gift you something with protections and it means that should I ever raise a wand in your defence that there are laws allowing it. Given your age, the rights it gives me in terms of taking you in should something happen to your parents are irrelevant. Your father mainly wanted you as protected as possible given the current situation."
Hermione nodded slowly, "Do you have proof I am who you say I am." she asked finally.
Severus smiled, clever girl. "Yes." he handed her the parchment showing her family tree. She blanched before straightening her shoulders, "With all due respect sir, given that you're asking me to allow you to perform a ritual that gives you rights over me, I would like to brew a lineage potion myself."
"Good girl," Severus said softly. "Never blindly allow anyone power over you. Come along, Hermione. My lab is this way."
Two hours later, Hermione's hands shook as she read the parchment that matched the one that Professor Snape had handed her earlier. There was no denying this then. Hermione forcibly wrenched her mind back from spiralling, she could fall apart later, not now. Now, she had to come up with a plan. Her friends were not going to take this well. She wasn't taking this well. She was related to a bloody Death Eater, the very people who were insistent she should be dead. She froze as she realised that she must have been spotted at the Ministry, her father had been there, fighting bloody children. Briefly, her mind settled on the Death Eater that had stunned another one, allowing her to escape. Was it him?
"Do you have proof that my mother intended you to be my godfather?" she asked finally, her eyes still on the parchment in front of her.
"Yes." he said softly, "come with me." He led her into his private sitting room, her eyes going wide at the sight of his personal library. It was all he could do not to laugh.
"Regardless of whether you agree to this ritual, Hermione, you are welcome to borrow whatever you like. I only ask that you check with me first, some of them are vicious."
"Really?" she asked her eyes wide with excitement rather than apprehension for the first time that night.
"Really. Hermione, your mother was the closest thing to family that I had."
"Oh. Does…do you see…my brother, often then?"
"Actually, I do. We keep it quiet for everyone's sake but your brother has referred to me as Uncle Severus since he could speak. I see him at least twice a week."
"Oh." Hermione paused as she processed that. Severus took the opportunity to disappear into his bedroom in search of Asteria's letters. He returned to his sitting room to find Hermione reverently running her fingers over the spines of his books as she read the titles. He coughed slightly, regaining her attention.
"Sit down," he indicated to the sofa, handing her a small stack of letters. Gingerly she opened the top one and began to read. By the end, she had tears silently streaming down her face. Severus sighed quietly, debating whether she would allow him to comfort her before moving cautiously to sit beside her, putting an arm around her shoulder. Startling him, she threw herself at him, sobbing.
"Hush, my girl you're alright." he crooned softly, rubbing circles on her back, barely containing his own tears as he realised that she was here, whole, alive and for whatever reason, not currently pushing him away. He knew how he came across, how he was forced to act, how he had been forced to treat her and he could only hope she would let him explain. He couldn't lose her now, this piece of his family that he'd long since resigned himself to living without. He had no idea how to tell the girl without terrifying her so for now he would content himself with holding her, allowing her to come to terms with tonight, they could worry about their next steps later.
He stiffened slightly, several minutes later, Hermione no longer sobbing, but still curled into him when he heard the door of his quarters bang.
"Uncle Severus!" Theo shouted, "Are you here?" He opened the door of the living room, his eyes going wide at the sight of his Uncle cuddling Hermione Granger. "Fuck I'll….Fuck. Right. Going now."
"Theodore, sit down," Severus commanded, pulling Hermione back into him when she almost bolted, her eyes wide as she tracked her twin's movements. She could see the resemblance now she was looking for it. Their hair was similar, although Theo's was short and therefore less wild, their face shape was similar, as was their nose. He looked as confused as she felt.
"Uncle?"
Severus sighed, glancing down at her for….permission? Oh. Oh fuck, he was asking if it was alright to tell Theo. Very slowly she nodded.
"Theodore, what I am about to say does not leave this room, am I clear?"
Theo's eyes went impossibly wide as he registered that his Uncle was deadly serious. He nodded, his eyes darting from Severus to Granger, desperately trying to figure out how the pieces fit.
"I was asked recently by your father to check Hermione's lineage."
Theo blinked slowly, attempting to process that. "I….why?"
"He ….. He thought he saw some similarities."
"Between?"
"Hermione and your mother," Severus said gently, reaching across the coffee table for the boy.
"I….I don't understand," he replied dazedly, as he allowed his Uncle to pull him down to his other side.
"Miss Granger was adopted as a baby." Severus continued, scanning Theo's face for understanding. He saw the moment the boy put the pieces together.
"Florence?" he whispered. At Severus' nod, he shot from the sofa and threw himself at his twin. Hermione stiffened momentarily before clutching her brother as tightly as he was clutching her, both of them crying, he could hear Theo whispering "I thought you were dead, we all thought you were dead," repeatedly, his hold on his sister leaving his knuckles white with the strength of his grip. Her answering, "Not dead, right here." left his eyes glassy and a feeling of something resembling wholeness settling into him as he watched the twins together for the first time in sixteen years.