The idea of having muggle friends who had no idea about voldemort, or their own personal history appealed. "I shall consider it" He said it in an overly bland manner which made her laugh, but the truth was he actually would give it serious consideration.
Because he was looking forward to the future, for the first time in his life.
oOo
Moving home was always a stressful and difficult time for anyone, muggle or wizardkind alike; Doing so with a pregnant witch, two traumatised toddlers and an insecure, stubborn and paranoid wizard with PTSD, to a rural home that had been uninhabited for nigh on a century was just the icing on the proverbial cake .
Though their original intention was to have the cottage ready to move into before they…well… moved into it, that idea had been scrapped with the news of Hermione's pregnancy and their upcoming nuptials. It was then agreed that the further Hermione got into her pregnancy, the more difficult things would be and the idea of Severus having to leave her at home with two children for hours, if not days at a time to manage progress alone at the cottage, was one that neither of them found ideal, nor the idea of moving home with a Hermione that was heavy with child.
So with that in mind, a quick floo-call to Bill Weasley and a visit from "Grandad Arthur" was on the books. While Arthur entertained the toddlers at Spinner's End, Hermione and Severus, with the aid of Bill Weasley, set up all the wards on the cottage over the course of a few long and very arduous days, so the cottage and grounds were safe. Sparse and Spartan, but Secret Kept and Safe. Knowing that of anyone, Bill Weasley would not judge him, Severus had even laid renewed blood wards into the grounds, adding Hermione's blood to his own, ensuring that she and any children she had borne would be equally as tied into the ground by their blood as he was. Though it pained him, he did not add Scorpius, for the same reasons he did not adopt him, the boy was his family but not blood. And though he considered both Lucius and Narcissa as family, neither of them liked the idea of tying the Malfoy, Black or Greengrass bloodlines into their home wards.
When the final wards were lain, they both felt the warmth of the cottage surrounding them and blanketing them in comfort. Any blood-warded home became somewhat sentient, like Hogwarts and even Grimmauld Place,though both the strength and "personality" was dependent on the magical strength of those who warded it such. Severus and Hermione were so magically proficient and powerful that they practically felt the house waking up, as it metaphorically shook off a century of cobwebs and stillness and after a moment that almost felt as though they were being examined and judged by the curious and sleepy building itself, they were suddenly cocooned in a feeling of warmth, protection, affection and even love?… Nothing like the feeling of grudging tolerance from Grimmauld Place, the cottage welcomed them as its family and it felt like…home.
As well as warding the Cottage they also relocated a number of Mandrakes and other dangerous plants in the garden and immediate grounds that were unsafe to be around the children. They warded off a decent sized section of the garden specifically for dangerous plants or for Severus' potions ingredients and they were thrilled when in addition to the wards they placed, the Cottage took it upon itself to expand the stone wall around the ingredients garden without prompting, in a way that Severus explained was very much like the way Hogwarts would move or create rooms to suit the whims of its residents. The finished product was somewhat remiss of a Victorian Walled Garden and looked every bit as though it had been there from the start. Severus placed a hand on the gate and offered his thanks, whereas Hermione placed a hand on the stone walls, stroking it in fondness and appreciation and the wind shook the ivy on the walls, as though the Cottage itself was a loyal hound wagging its tail in pride at the affection it had received.
Once all the safeguards were in place, then began the arduous task of moving their belongings from Spinner's End to the Cottage. Thankfully, even with pregnancy hormones, Hermione was still enough of a control freak that she was able to organise and navigate the task with as much relative ease as was possible to be given in such a monumental situation. Severus of course played his part in making things easier… by doing exactly what he was told, without question and as promptly as possible. He'd dared to scoff at a point the diminutive witch had made, and instantly regretted it when the full force of flooding hormones had been turned his way, so he very quickly capitulated to appease the frightening beast before him. Bill Weasley had dared a small chuckle at the dreaded, towering Potions Master who was hastily backing away with his tail tucked between his legs at the bark of the much smaller witch, though when a venomous gaze was turned his way he quickly found some place to be… elsewhere. Preferably helping Severus, and preferably as far away from Hecate Incarnate as was possible. The house played its part by somehow ensuring that there was always enough light in every room they were working in no matter the time of day or how much sun was outside, and ensuring that every door opened without prompting for the wizards carrying heavy boxes inside. Since many objects didn't respond well to shrinking, both Severus and Bill were landed with the task of moving boxes, as Severus downright put his foot down at Hermione carrying anything heavy. She allowed him this at least, and instead made sure they were both plied with ample tea and coffee.
They'd moved and unpacked just enough essential furniture into the master bedroom to make it habitable for the four of them, as well as making sure they had all the basics ready in the bathroom and kitchen to make it livable but other than that, they were planning on working through a room at a time once they were in situ, bringing a few more boxes each day and taking it at a leisurely pace, the children were enjoying 'Camping' in the bedroom for the time being and they'd had no end of offers of help from well wishing weasleys to know that there would be an extra set of hands or wands if they needed it.
It had been agreed that they were going to use the move as the opportunity to provide Rose & Scorpius with their own rooms and while it was a small inconvenience to have most of their kitchen goods in boxes, and rooms with bare floorboards and walls, they decided that it would be an important milestone for both children to have new rooms, and with it new starts. The beginning of their new life, started with their new rooms.
So for the first couple of nights, the children slept in the master bedroom with them, while Hermione worked on Rose's room and Severus worked on Scorpius's.
While both Hermione and Severus were almost reluctant to leave the house that had brought them together, Hermione had thought to herself it would be good for Severus also to finally leave behind the house at Spinner's End in which he endured so much horrific abuse throughout his own childhood and that perhaps the new start would do him a world of good also.
Arthur was never far away and for that both Hermione and Severus were thankful. He was an experienced and reliable babysitter, and they both agreed it was a good thing for the children to have another trustworthy adult in their lives, but with the addition of the silver haired Weasley, came another welcome edition in the form of a technicolour hair sporting George. Though Arthur was a firm fixture in their home, he was only semi-retired and did still work and when one such occasion cropped up that Arthur was unable to babysit when asked, they were momentarily shocked by the prompt appearance of the bright haired and even brighter smiled twin. Hermione also noted with gentle fondness that though George always seemed to have a different hair colour when they saw him, due no doubt to some wheezes product or another, the one colour he never sported around Rose, was the traditional Weasley red.
Though Scorpius was in hysterics at his antics, Rose had been a little intimidated by the exuberant man and spent most of her time quietly withdrawn, hidden behind Scorpius. Severus had thought perhaps to say something to the man, though he nodded in gentle approval when the man's next visit heralded the appearance of a number of joke products that kept Scorpius in gales of laughter, but also a small selection of wizarding children's puzzle toys that the very perceptive Rose was instantly hooked on. That evening they had returned to find a laughing Scorpius burping rainbow coloured bubbles, and a quiet Rose seated upon George's knee, sucking on her thumb while he read out a charmed copy of "Babbity Rabbity" which made a rabbit teddy dance in time with the story.
Things crashed to a halt when both Severus and Hermione were shaken when Arthur, who had been watching the children play downstairs at Spinner's End, while Severus and Hermione packaged up Severus's lab in the cellar, told them a muggle had knocked on the door of the house while they were in the basement below.
"They were asking for donations for a charity of somesort , so I just told them I was here helping with the move and didn't have any money on me"
Ushering Arthur away with thanks, they looked at each other in concern. It wasn't the purpose of the muggle's visit that startled them, but the sheer presence of them at the door of the warded property in the first place. Muggles couldn't usually see the house because of the wards, and were repelled away from the general area, one actually knocking on the door was unheard of.
Severus had placed his palm upon the wall and confirmed that the wards on the house were indeed failing.
"The house, the blood wards are keyed to us and to intent, they know we are no longer in residence, it's always been a fickle thing, as ill tempered as my late father and as far as they're concerned we're abandoning the property and so the wards are starting to crumble in response. I knew it was a possibility, I wouldn't be surprised if it did it just to spite us, but I was hoping we'd have longer before they came down. I imagine the final trigger was removing the beds to the cottage earlier. I don't want to renew them, it takes more strength than I am loathe to give when they will soon be torn down anyway so that we can sell the house, and it could cause conflicting issues with the cottage wards because the aura of this house is so at odds with the ones at home, I don't want to upset the balance at our home by expanding energy into this house"
"But Severus if the wards are down enough for a muggle to get through.."
A look of Horror crossed both of their faces before a scream echoed from the back garden where the children were playing.
Rushing outside they were confronted with the sight of a crying Scorpius…but no Rose.