Chapter 5

Summary: Life continues; children grow up.

A/N: After editing this chapter, I realized the first part should have probably been in the last chapter because there's quite a break between it and the rest of the chapter. I may switch it up in the future, but for now, forgive me for the big gap.

Severus heard the baby's cry and opened his eyes.

"I'll get her," he groaned to Hermione who rolled over and went back to sleep.

Rising from the bed, he made his way into the nursery before the baby woke Sebastian. Three-month-old Sophie was in a snit, that was for sure. He bent low and pulled her out of her crib.

"Now, now, Sophie. What's all the fuss about?"

His daughter quieted as soon as she heard his voice, which wasn't unusual. Her big eyes looked up at her father, and Severus felt his heart melt once more as she gazed up at him.

"Hungry?" he said finally.

The baby frowned and was about to cry again.

"I thought so. Let's get your bottle."

Severus waved his wand over the premade bottle, lowering the stasis charm and warming it slightly. Before long, the baby was sucking vigorously from it. Severus sat in the rocking chair and looked down upon her as she fed. He loved her so much it almost hurt. Her cute little black curls were growing in already, and he knew she would have her mother's hair, which made him almost gleeful. She had also avoided his horrid nose. No matter how much Hermione said she loved his nose, he knew that his appendage on a young lady would be pretty ugly. Thankfully, she had not been blessed with it.

As for Sebastian, he was growing into his nose, and Severus had to admit he looked cute with it. He wondered if he had looked like that as a youth. The boy was now three, and he was precocious and somewhat of a troublemaker. Severus loved him more than life.

Suddenly, he was brought out of his musing by the boy himself. The toddler came in rubbing his eyes sleepily.

"Da?"

"Shhh, Sebastian. Quietly now so you don't wake your sister. She just fell back to sleep."

The little boy came toward him with arms outstretched, begging to be held.

"Okay, just let me put her in her crib."

"Da! Da! Now!"

"Shhh!" he said quietly as he stood and gently placed Sophie into her crib, begging an unknown god that she wouldn't wake up.

His prayers were answered, and the little baby settled into the crib and continued sleeping. Placing her bottle back on the drawer, he placed a stasis charm on it. After that, he turned to his son and stooped down to pick him up. The little boy threw his arms around his father.

Severus quietly made his way out of the nursery and moved to Sebastian's bedroom. He placed the boy back in his bed. Sebastian shook his head vehemently.

"No. Up."

His arms extended back to his father.

"You want me to hold you for a minute?"

The boy nodded.

"All right," he said with a small sigh.

Evidently, sleep would be elusive tonight.

Lifting up his son, he carried him out of his room and out into the sitting room. He sat down on the rocker with Sebastian still in his arms. The boy hugged him and placed his head on his shoulder as Severus rocked him gently.

Severus secretly loved these moments. He knew that soon enough, cuddles like this would be a thing of the past, and he cherished every moment with his son. He felt a small kiss on his cheek, and his heart was full. Moving his head so he could kiss his son, he did so on his forehead.

"It's late, Sebastian. You need to go back to bed and go to sleep."

"Stay with Da."

"Sorry, son. You need to go to bed. How about I sit on the floor by your bed for a few minutes until you go to sleep."

The little boy nodded his head before grasping Severus and hugging him tightly. Severus rose and patted his son on his back.

"All right, off we go."

Returning to his son's room, he settled him in his bed and tucked him in. He tried to escape, but his son had a good memory and cried out to him.

"Okay, okay," he said as he returned to the bed and settled in on the floor beside it.

Sebastian smiled at him, making the lost sleep worth every minute.

"Night, Da."

He watched over him for about five minutes until the little boy had fallen back to sleep then used his spy techniques to silently slip from the room. Upon returning to bed, Hermione rolled over and snuggled him.

"She all right?" Hermione asked sleepily.

"Just needed feeding. Sebastian woke up and wanted cuddling."

"Mmm, sorry."

"It's okay."

"You love it, don't you?"

"Love that my son loves me, and my daughter seems to find me delightful? Definitely."

She squeezed him before dropping back to sleep. Severus turned and soon was asleep himself.

oooOOOooo

"Sophie, is your trunk packed?" Hermione asked.

Sophie rolled her eyes and tossed her jet-black curls. "Yes, Mum."

"And you have a plan?"

Sophie frowned. "Mum, I don't want to discuss this with you!"

"C'mon, sis. Mum just wants you to find true love!" Sebastian joked as he entered the kitchen and grabbed some toast that Hermione had prepared.

"Bastian, shut up!"

"What? You want Albus Potter, don't you?"

Her eyes narrowed at him. "None of your business."

"Yes, it's very subtle, this love you have for him. You couldn't stop talking about him… ever… all summer."

"Bastian, you don't understand."

Sebastian sat down at the table, brushing his long hair away from his eyes. He was the spitting image of his father. They'd even compared photographs, and Sebastian looked just like a twenty-year-old Severus.

"There's where you're wrong, sis. When I was a seventh year, I already fancied Marissa. Took me almost all year to ask her out. Now we've been together for three years. Just be bold, okay? He probably likes you, just doesn't know what to do about it."

"Sebastian is right," Severus said as he entered the kitchen and grabbed some eggs and bangers. "I see the way the boy looks at you. Merlin, of all people you have to go and fancy a Potter. It's like you're trying to kill me."

Sophie smirked and stood, going over to her father and giving him a hug. "You know I would never plot to kill you, Dad."

He grunted before clumsily hugging her while holding his plate so nothing would spill. They separated and returned to the table.

"As for you, Sebastian, when are you going to ask that woman to marry you? It's about time you moved out of Hogwarts and into your own place and started a family."

"Yes, sir," Sebastian said with some snark. "If you must know, I plan on asking her this weekend."

Severus looked at his son. "Seriously?"

Sebastian nodded, which caused Severus to grin from ear to ear.

"Fantastic. Unlike Potter, she'll be more than welcome to the family."

"Dad!" Sophie cried.

"Your father is just joking, right Severus?" Hermione said with a glare.

"Of course, Sophie. If unfortunately, that relationship works out and you decide to wed the cretin, we will welcome him with open arms just like we will Marissa."

"Dad! Must you be so caustic about Albus? He's not his father nor his grandfather."

"Thank Merlin for that."

Hermione laughed and shook her head. Reaching out, she squeezed her husband's arm.

"Leave Sophie alone! Must you tease her constantly?"

His eyes moved toward his lovely seventeen-year-old daughter, the perfect mixture of both her parents.

"How else will she know I love her?"

Sophie blushed profusely and looked down at her plate.

"You could just pat her on the back in a manly way like you do to me." Sebastian countered.

Severus' eyes snapped to his son's. "If I up and started hugging and kissing you, you would hex me. Don't deny it."

"Well, that's true."

Severus softened. "I love you too," he murmured, looking directly at his son.

Sebastian smiled at his father. "I know. I've always known that. Thanks, Dad."

"So, how is it going at the Ministry?" Severus asked to change the subject.

"You know I can't really talk about that."

"Just because you're an Unspeakable doesn't mean that you can't say whether you like your job or not."

"Oh, I do like my job. I just can't speak about it other than that."

Severus smiled at his son. "I'm glad it's going well, son. If you need anything potions-related, please let me know."

"Dad, I can brew my own potions. You taught me everything I know."

Severus smirked. "Ah, yes, that's right."

Sebastian shook his head. Standing, he looked at his family.

"I gotta go. I'll see you tonight at dinner."

He left the kitchen.

"You know, this was the best thing we ever added to these quarters," Hermione mused about the kitchen. "It's been nice to just have family meals without having an entire school full of students watching us be a family."

Severus nodded.

"Are you excited for your last year, Sophie?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I'm not sure. I'm worried about my N.E.W.T.s. What if I do horridly?"

"Sophie, like your mother, you could have taken those exams last year and passed without any issue. Sebastian worried as well, and see how well he did?"

"Nine Outstandings," Sophie mused. "I can't compete with that."

Hermione reached over and grasped her hand. "It's not a competition, love. You've chosen the classes you excel at the most. There's no trophy for getting the most Outstandings. Obviously, do your best, but you will have plenty of opportunities to do whatever you like."

Sophie's eyes strayed to her father. "Dad?"

He looked up at her. "Hmm?"

"Do you think you'd take on an apprentice if they had good enough N.E.W.T.s?"

"Are you asking for yourself?"

She nodded.

"I thought you were leaning towards Arithmancy like your mother."

She shook her head. "I love potions. You know that. I think I want to make a career out of it."

Severus beamed at her. "I'm sure you'll do well with your exams. If you work hard this year and get an Outstanding, I would be honored to have you as my apprentice."

Sophie burst from her chair and ran over to her father, hugging him tightly. "Thanks, Dad! I'll show you how capable I am this year."

His arms came around her, and he hugged her to him. "I know you will."

Sophie left the room to gather her trunk and get settled into her dorm. One of the perks of living at the castle, she could get ready and then meet everyone for the Welcoming feast later in the day.

Hermione turned to Severus after watching her daughter leave the room.

"She surprised you, didn't she?"

Severus nodded. "I am thrilled that she wants to follow in my footsteps."

"She'll be amazing. She's always been your shadow. This only seems natural. I'm surprised you didn't see that."

He shrugged. "I want her to pursue what she loves, not what I would love her to love."

Hermione smiled at him, reaching across the table to squeeze his hand.

"You're a wonderful father, Severus."

"Thank you. I try."