After the war lessons began, Stephen never again made fun of anything war-related.
And his respect for his parents, and for the other adults in his life, grew tenfold.
His issues with Gianah Weasley, though – those only seemed to deepen.
December 2010
Sophie walked through the Entrance Courtyard, coming from the Greenhouses, with a spring in her step. Prof. Longbottom had asked her to be his assistant!
She smiled at the snowy ground, knowing anyone who saw her would think she was mad. But she didn't care!
I'm going to spend all my evenings with him!
She twirled in the empty courtyard, reaching the big entrance doors and nearly running inside, a smile simply frozen in her face.
But before she walked up the Marble Staircase to go to her Common Room, she heard: "And what will you do during the match? It's not like you can play..."
"Sod off, Lily! I'll watch it and learn all I can about the other players, so next year when I'm in the team– "
There was derisive laughter.
"Oh, no," Sophie whispered, pondering if she should just continue walking upstairs and ignore that situation or go down to the dungeons and help diffuse that tickling bomb.
"So you believe next year you'll play?" Gianah said, certainly with a shrug, "Third time is the charm like they say."
"Shut up, Weasley!"
"I wouldn't count on being on the team next year, Stephen," added Lynne.
There were several voices at the same time, and Sophie couldn't make up what they were saying.
"You're a bloody prat!" shouted Tiana.
"That's enough, guys!" said Teddy.
"Acting like he's Magic's gift to wizardkind," scoffed Lynne.
"What are you going to do, Snape?" Gianah's taunting voice, "Attack me?" she laughed, "Do it! You'll never touch a quaffle as long as I'm in this castle!"
"I'll make you pay, Weasley!" Stephen shouted.
Shit.
Then Sophie ran towards them, having a feeling that something bad was about to happen.
"The Slytherin team is lucky they don't have to put up with you, Snape!" continued Gianah.
"If I were allowed to play, I would be Captain of the team!" Stephen shouted.
"Jeez, bro," scoffed Lily, "I truly wonder how your neck is capable of keeping that inflated head of yours up."
Sophie reached the corridor and stopped at the scene in front of her: seven teens stood in the corridor; Teddy and Tiana were the only collected ones, clearly trying to calm their friends down, while Lynne, Gianah, Lily and Sirius pointed their wands at Stephen – whose wand was aimed at Gianah.
"What-" Sophie opened her mouth to ask what was going on there, but spells were cast, stopping her.
"Aculeus!" cast Gianah.
"Stupefy!" shouted Stephen.
But only the second spell hit someone – not their intended target though.
"LILY!" Sophie shouted as she watched her youngest sister fly backward and fall onto the stone floor. She kneeled beside the girl's unconscious body and gathered her in her arms, glaring at her brother, "What in the bloody hell do you think you're doing?"
Stephen stared in stock at his older sister holding his twin and his distraction cost him: he was jumped by four people.
Gianah shoved him hard, "She's your sister! What's wrong with you?"
"I was trying to hit you!" Stephen returned her shove, "But she deserved it too!" he shouted, fighting hard to defend himself from his attackers, for Sirius and Teddy were suddenly punching him, "She knows how much I hate not being able to play!"
Then Lynne cast Locomotor mortis and Stephen fell onto the floor, shouting: "Fuck!"
"You daft idiot!" Lynne shouted, casting a Stinging Hex on him next, "It's just a stupid game!"
"Shit!" Stephen groaned when Gianah punched him and both Sirius and Teddy kicked his immobilised legs.
"Stop it!" ordered Sophie.
"What" they all heard a voice that had them all freezing: "is the meaning of this?"
Prof. McGonagall was walking down the steps from the Entrance Hall, moving towards them with fury in her eyes.
Gianah, Lynne, Tiana, Sirius, Teddy and Stephen (still sitting on the floor) began talking at the same time, making it impossible for anyone to understand a word they were saying as they shouted and pointed fingers at one another.
"Enough!" the professor ordered, her eyes going from the five students in front of her to the older one kneeling on the floor, "Miss Snape, explain."
Sophie nodded, still holding her unconscious sister, "Prof. McGonagall, I arrived from the greenhouses and heard them arguing from the Hall. I ran down here but, before I could intervene, they attacked one another, and my sister got hit by my brother's spell. Then the physical fight you witnessed began."
"Very well," sighed the professor, "Take your sister to the infirmary, Miss Snape. As for you six," she glared at them, removing the leg-locking spell from Stephen's legs, "Follow me to the Headmaster's office."
They all groaned, knowing they were doomed.
Hospital Wing
Florence was surprised to see Sophie walk into the infirmary, a stretcher floating after her, holding–
"Lily!" she gasped, running towards them, "What happened to her?"
"Stephen hexed her," said Sophie, clearly angry.
Florence's head snapped up and she stared at her for two seconds, absorbing what she had just heard.
"What?" Florence hissed.
Sophie nodded, "Yes, exactly what you heard... it had something to do with Quidditch– I really didn't understand, mum. I was walking back from the greenhouses and I saw him attack her. Prof. McGonagall took him and the others to dad."
"The others," Florence shook her head, "I don't even have to ask you who those are," she looked at her youngest daughter, transferring her unconscious body to a clean bed and running a diagnostic spell over her.
"No, you don't," nodded Sophie with a grimace, "Lily will be fine, right?"
"Yes. It was just a Stupefy," said Florence relieved, finishing running her wand over her youngest daughter, "She hit her head on the fall, but there's no sign of a concussion," she pocketed her wand and looked at Sophie again.
"It's nearly night out, dear, why were you still at the greenhouses?" Florence tried to sound curious instead of concerned; suspecting her daughter was probably the soulmate of Neville Longbottom had brought her more worries than one might expect – soulmates or not, her daughter was still underage, whereas Neville was a thirty-year-old man.
"Prof. Longbottom has asked me to be his assistant," Sophie blushed, "And you know how I love natural healing and–and plants so I–I accepted."
Florence smiled, not wanting to make her already blushing daughter more embarrassed, "That's great, dear! You'll spend a lot of time with him and learn so much."
"I know!" the fifteen-year-old smiled broadly, "Prof. Longbottom is brilliant! He knows everything about plants and is so generous with his knowledge."
"Yes," Florence drawled, looking at her daughter with a hint of concern; she knew Neville was a decent man, but still, one could never know when the Enchantment was involved, so she made a mental note to keep an eye on them.
"I was so happy that he chose me to help him!" Sophie blushed even redder.
Florence smiled, finding her crush endearing.
Meanwhile, in the Headmaster's office
Severus sat behind his desk, finishing reading that day's Daily Prophet when there were knocks on his door and Prof. McGonagall walked in.
"Headmaster, I'm afraid we have a problem that needs your immediate attention."
He frowned, "Of course, professor. Come in."
But instead of closing the door behind her, McGonagall stepped aside and opened it wider.
Fuck. Severus grimaced as he watched the six students that walked in: his son, his granddaughter and the usual four others: Weasley, Nott, Potter and Lupin.
"Where's Lily?" he immediately noticed her absence.
"In the infirmary," replied Gianah who, along with the four others, glared at Stephen.
Severus frowned at his son, "And why is she there?"
Stephen seemed uncomfortable under his father's gaze, he lowered his head and mumbled: "Because I hexed her."
"You what?" Severus hissed, standing up and walking towards them.
"She deserved it, dad!" Stephen exclaimed, his head snapping up to plead his case, "She was teasing me and–"
"Teasing you?" Severus growled low, "You sent your own twin to the infirmary because she was teasing you?"
The boy pointed at his friends, "They were ALL teasing me for not being allowed to play Quidditch this year, dad!"
"You're so easy to pick on, Snape!" snorted Gianah, "Always acting as if you were the greatest gift to wizardkind, but you're as disgusting as Cockroach Clusters!"
Stephen moved menacingly towards her, "I'll get you next time, Weasley! It will be you in a hospital bed only it'll be in St. Mungus!
"ENOUGH!" bellowed Severus, lowering his hand from where it had been pinching the bridge of his nose.
"So, it's true?" they all heard Florence sudden hiss from the door, "This whole scene; attacking your own sister, duelling your friends, all for sodding Quidditch?!"
The windows rattled as she stared at him with light-green eyes he had learned to fear.
"Y-yes," Stephen stammered, "But I– I didn't mean to hurt Lily, mum. They were teasing me! I was aiming at Gianah, but–"
"And you two?" demanded Severus, when Florence stopped beside him, looking at Sirius and Teddy, enjoying the way the boys cowered under his harsh glare.
"We didn't hurt Lily, sir!" exclaimed Sirius.
"We'd never hurt her, sir!" added Teddy, "I tried to stop Stephen from attacking, but he never listens, sir."
Severus nodded, that was the biggest truth: Stephen never listened.
"They," spoke McGonagall for the first time in minutes, "minus Miss Nott, were assaulting Mr Snape with fists, hexes and kicks when I arrived."
Severus narrowed his eyes at the older teacher, her amusement at that situation was palpable – and she wasn't even trying to hide it.
"Lynne hexed me, dad! More than once!" Stephen pointed a finger at the girl.
Lynne scoffed, "How did you put it? Oh, yes: you deserved it."
"It's all your fault!" exclaimed Stephen, pointing at the girls, "It's Weasley's fault that I can't play Quidditch this year! And it was Lynne who started making jokes about it this morning, Tiana nodding and laughing on my expense! Then Lily asked me what I was going to do during the match since I can't play, and I just snapped!"
"MY FAULT?" screeched Gianah walking towards him, furious, "If you hadn't eavesdropped–"
"If you hadn't gone to my house–" shouted Stephen.
And they finished in unison: "–none of this would've happened!"
"You're a sodding idiot!" Lynne joined her cousin, pushing Stephen, "If I had been there that day, I'd have–"
"ENOUGH!" Florence shouted and they all fell silent.
McGonagall looked from the teenagers to the Snape couple, and it was clear she was trying hard not to laugh.
It was Florence's turn to glare at the older teacher before she turned to the kids again, "You're not at home now, kids! This is a school and there are rules here that must be followed by everyone! No matter whose children you are!"
"Apart from Miss Nott, Mr Potter and Mr Lupin, this little stunt of yours," added Severus, "is grounds for expulsion."
Lynne, Stephen and Gianah froze, eyes widening in fear.
"Mum. Please," Stephen said, his eyes filled with tears as he started to panic, "I don't want to go to Durmstrang. Please. Mum."
Gianah and Lynne looked just as scared.
"Grandma," whispered Lynne.
"Godmother," pleaded Gianah.
"We're not just family here, kids," Florence sighed heavily, looking from the kids to McGonagall, "Professor, Mr Snape here attacked a student from your House. I'll leave it to you to choose an appropriate punishment. If you believe he should be expelled, I'm sure the Headmaster wouldn't disagree," she glanced at her husband.
"No at all. I'd thank you," added Severus.
Stephen glared at his father, but they ignored him.
"Well," said McGonagall, "Fifty points will be taken from both Slytherin and Gryffindor. And a week of detention for all of you. The boys will refer to Prof. Snape in the dungeons–"
Stephen groaned, "James will torture me for hurting Lily."
"Rightfully so," said Sirius, shrugging.
"Hey, you did nothing to protect her!" accused Stephen.
"I know. That's why I accept my punishment."
Teddy just nodded in agreement.
"And the girls," continued McGonagall, "will help in the greenhouses."
"I'll be writing to your parents," said Severus, "And I don't want to hear about you duelling and fighting again. Believe me when I say expelling you all would be a pleasure, then I'd only have to deal with you' shite twice a year."
"Go back to your dormitories," ordered Florence, "Now. Except you," she pointed at Stephen, "You wait here," she told her son.
Gianah and the others left, followed by McGonagall.
When the door closed behind her, Stephen looked at his parents.
"Do we have to tell you how disappointed we are in you today?" Florence started.
The boy shook his head.
"You hurt your sister for a stupid game!" she continued, "As Head of Slytherin House, I want you to know that you're forbidden from setting foot in the Quidditch pitch for the rest of the term."
Stephen was about to protest, but his father shut him up: "Do you want to be forbidden for next term as well?"
Stephen closed his mouth and shook his head.
"Your bad behaviour reflects on us, son. We cannot look the other way when you and the others fight in the corridors."
"I understand, dad," the boy nodded, looking at his mother next and asking quietly: "How is Lily?"
"Still unconscious for she hit her head when she fell, but she'll be fine."
"Good," he sighed in relief, "I'll apologize when she wakes up."
"You do that," said Severus, sitting back on his chair behind his desk, "You're dismissed, Mr. Snape. Return to your common room, quietly."
The teen nodded and briefly hugged his mother before leaving.
Florence locked the door and went towards her husband, sitting on his lap and sighing: "It's been a little more than two months since Gianah got here... we know this will only get worse as they grow and feelings start to mature, don't we?"
"Yes," Severus exhaled, caressing her face, a wondering look on his, "Are we sure your father didn't leave a ninth horcrux somewhere? Sending all of them to a safe-house and fighting a Dark Lord is starting to sound so relaxing..."
Florence couldn't contain her chuckle, shaking her head and finishing with a sigh: "You're not completely wrong, though."
"This will certainly get worse," he nodded, "Gianah will probably get a boyfriend in the near future–"
"And Teddy and Sirius will defend Lily more and more–"
Severus cut her off: "Let's avoid talking about my daughter and those two boys, please."
Florence rolled her eyes, "You know..."
"I don't want to hear it, wife," he glared at her.
"Fine, husband," she replied in the same tone, pulling him for a kiss as his hand moved under her dress.