AN/- Following chapter is rated MA for SSOC adult themes.

Chapter 30

Nuclear

Minerva approached Albus with a sense of responsibility, knowing she owed him an apology. He had already acknowledged his mistakes and made amends. Now, it was her turn to do the same. She had given him the chance to explain himself and respond positively, but she wondered if he would afford her the same courtesy. In her mind, this revelation must have shattered his trust in her, and she wasn't sure if they could ever recover from it.

"Albus, I'm sorry...but I felt I had no other choice. I was hurt and betrayed. I didn't think you were ready or willing to take on the responsibility..."

"You didn't give me a choice, Minerva!" He snapped.

"You didn't give me a choice either..."

"So, was this your way of getting back at me?"

"No, of course not..."

"Then what was it?"

"It was a situation I was forced into. Do you think I wanted this? Do you think I wanted my life to lead me to this point?"

"All I've ever wanted...all I've ever wanted is you..."

He fell silent, and Minerva's expression grew despondent as she spoke. His lack of an immediate response made her think he wasn't ready to accept this betrayal. Feeling cornered, she took a drastic step.

"I would understand if...if you want to go back to the way things were..." She said hesitantly, fidgeting with the ring on her finger. His demeanor shifted, and his heart raced with anxiety. He couldn't bear the thought of returning to how things had been. He had been miserable with their previous situation. How could she even suggest it? He was determined not to let her believe he would deny himself this happiness again.

"Minerva..." He rushed to stop her.

"I know this changes everything..." She said, shaking her head. She continued, expressing her concerns about betraying his trust even after forgiving the past.

"Minerva!" He called her name again, his voice begging her to stop.

She halted and looked up at him, tears still streaming from her emerald-green eyes. He gazed at her with the same fervor he had always held for her – love, amazement, and adoration.

"Minerva, I love you! I will never stop loving you, regardless of anything. I NEVER want to go back to being without you. I've spent years suffering, hoping that one day, you'd come back to me, that you'd forgive me! Don't ever think that I'd jeopardize this...jeopardize us! I made a mistake, Minerva, and I lost everything. I will never make that mistake again. And this...Lyra...we have a daughter, Minerva...that only makes me love you even more!" He said, gently cupping her face.

Minerva couldn't believe how easily he had forgiven her. The man she had betrayed in the worst possible way had forgiven her without hesitation. There were no more secrets between them, nothing to keep them apart. They locked eyes for a few moments, both waiting for the other to say something.

"Oh, Min...if you only knew how happy I am right now..."

Those words were all she needed to hear. Minerva threw her arms around his neck and kissed him passionately. He pulled her closer by the waist, sealing their connection.

"This is ridiculous!" Grandma M snarled indignantly, observing their public display of affection. To her, it felt like her daughter was being foolish again, falling for his words. Minerva paid her no mind. She knew Albus's words were genuine, and as long as she knew that, nothing else mattered.

"Oh, shut up, Grandma M. And do us all a favor...go home!" Michelin snapped at her distastefully. The woman glared at him and left in a huff of anger, leaving ashes in her wake as she flooed away.

"Ahem! I'll leave the three of you alone...I suppose..." Michelin said awkwardly as the couple finally pulled apart. Lyra smiled at him. He turned to her and kissed the top of her head.

"You'll always be my sister. I don't care what anyone else says!" He said, smiling down at her. Lyra returned his smile and placed a hand on his scarred face.

"I love you, brother! And thank you...for everything." She said softly. He smiled at her, feeling incredibly protective of her. But he knew she needed to talk to her parents alone. He pulled away from her and looked at her proudly, as if trying to impart some of his courage. He knew she was nervous about the upcoming conversation.

Michelin nodded gratefully toward Albus and Minerva, silently entrusting Lyra to their care. Albus acknowledged the gesture with a bow of his head, and Michelin knew he had nothing to worry about. He pocketed his wand and left the room.

With great effort, Lyra turned her gaze away from the door and faced Albus and Minerva. She looked at them awkwardly, having rehearsed this moment in her head countless times. She had planned what she would say when she met her parents, how they would spend time together. But now, in this unexpected situation, she found herself at a loss for words.

"You don't have to…we don't have to…change…"

"Lyra…"

"I mean…it's fine…I feel like, I got my questions answered…rather well…and…"

"Lyra…"

"It's fine. It's fine…this is going to be fine…it's been my destiny…stupid book never lies…right?"

"LYRA!"

"WHAT?!"

"You're rambling." He chuckled softly. Lyra stopped to take a breath. All of this felt like it, was too much. She had always wanted, was to know who her parents were. So that she could understand, why she was the way she was. And now suddenly, her purpose in life that drove her so strongly was at an end. She didn't have a way forward. What was she going to do now? More importantly, what were they going to do?

"I don't expect anything from you...either of you..." Lyra began hesitantly.

"I can't imagine what you're going through..." She continued, looking at Albus.

Albus stepped closer, taking her hand to comfort her.

"You're my daughter, and I didn't realize it, Lyra! You have the same eyes as I do, as my entire family. I brushed it off as insignificant, but Aberforth kept pestering me about it. And Merlin, Aberforth was right..." He sighed.

He recalled his conversation with his brother after Lyra had left their lunch, last Christmas Eve.

"There's something about that women...it's unsettling..."

"You find a lot of things unsettling, Abe!"

"You're telling me you can't see it?"

"See what? That she's an extremely powerful witch?"

"You're really a moron sometimes..."

"What are you getting at Aberforth?"

"She...she looks like a lot like...our sister...it's...it's uncanny!"

"What?!"

"Come on Albus! If Ari...had lived to be as old as she is..."

"You're going mad in your old age, brother."

"And you've always been a fucking prat, Albus...but...I...I can't shake it off. Every time I see her, I'm reminded of Ari..."

"She's nothing like Arianna. Arianna...wasn't arrogant...or...anything like her..."

"She wasn't. But her eyes Albus...there's something to them..."

"At first, I…just…I didn't think much of it. I thought, I was imagining it. You look so much like..." Albus began but failed to continue.

"Arianna…" Minerva supplied. Albus nodded.

"What happens now?" Lyra asked, looking at both of them. Before she could inquire further, Minerva joined them.

"Well, you'll be pleased to know that your mother has accepted my proposal. We weren't planning to tell anyone just yet, but I believe it's important for you to know." Albus said, displaying the ring on Minerva's finger.

"That's amazing! I'm very happy for you," Lyra said, smiling at the beautiful ring.

"And now, we have you," Albus said, cupping her face gently.

Lyra's breath caught for a moment, and she nodded. Albus pulled her into a warm embrace, and she closed her eyes, sighing contentedly. She hugged him back. Lyra blinked away her tears and decided it was time to focus on the practicalities. All three of them were not just ordinary people; they were respectable individuals with a shared secret. They needed to plan their next steps.

"What happens next, Al... Da... Albus?" Lyra asked, unsure of how to address him. So, she stuck to the basics.

"For once in my life, Lyra, I don't know, and honestly, I don't care! After a very long time, I feel completely at peace." He replied with a wise smile. Lyra frowned, not expecting that answer. However, she knew that once the initial burst of happiness subsided, he would have a plan of action. He always seemed to. They stood there in a comfortable silence as Lyra stifled a yawn.

"It's getting late, and we've had a long day. I'm going to get some sleep. Goodnight..." Lyra said, stretching.

The couple nodded, still holding each other. Lyra smiled as she left the room; they looked perfect together – her parents. Overwhelmed with emotion, she couldn't help but add a thought in her mind as she walked away.

...Mom and Dad

The house lay in an eerie silence, and Lyra climbed the staircase, attempting to clear her mind from the whirlwind of recent events. She couldn't help but replay the new memories she had acquired in her head.

Checking her watch, she saw it was already a quarter past two. Letting out a sigh, she reached her room in the attic. As she turned the doorknob, a soft light spilled out from next room, indicating that he was home, safe, and awake.

Lyra felt like she could use some company, maybe even that bottle they had taken from the restaurant. She hoped he hadn't finished it without her; after all, it had been her idea to take it home in the first place.

She knocked on the door, but received no response. Instead, she heard what sounded like muggle music coming from inside. Discarding thoughts of respecting his privacy, Lyra turned the doorknob and found it unlocked. However, the room was empty, leaving her puzzled.

Wary of potential intruders, she decided to ward the door. She really didn't need to, seeing there were only three rooms in the attic, and no one would really every come up here. Unless, it was Sirius visiting his hippogriff. Spotting the half-empty bottle of single malt on the dresser, she grabbed it and approached the open window. There, she found him sitting on the roof of the floors below, rolling what appeared to be a thick joint.

"Severus?" Lyra called out, causing the man to jump in surprise. The joint slipped from his hands, but he managed to catch it.

"What the heck?!" He snapped, clearly startled. She laughed and joined him on the roof.

"Where did you get that?" She asked, eyeing it.

"Every year, Hufflepuff seventh years use the greenhouses to illegally grow marijuana, and every year, I catch them in the act. They may be idiots, but they certainly have green thumbs..."

"Well, what are your thoughts on sharing?" Lyra wiggled her eyebrows playfully.

"This is some potent stuff, Lyra..." He warned as she tried to grab at it.

"Please, this is just mellow shit...we do it better in America." She replied with confidence. He looked at her skeptically, while she took a long swig from the bottle.

"Come on, I'll help you roll another one too. I'll even light it for you. After all, it seems like all I am is a glorified human lighter nowadays." She joked with a hint of darkness in her tone. With a snap of her fingers, she conjured a sharp yellow flame. Severus hesitated for a moment before lighting the joint.

They sat together, smoking in silence until it was finished. With dexterous speed, she rolled another one, leaving Severus rolling his eyes at her skill. He shook his head at her competence, but he couldn't deny that she rolled it better than he did, and in a matter of seconds. As they lay there, gazing at the stars, they laughed and talked, passing the bottle and the joint back and forth.

"Can I ask you something?" He eventually broke the silence.

She nodded, looking up at the sky as she took another swig from the bottle.

"Why are you so nice to me?"

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yes."

"Honestly, you're the only one with any brains around here. You're smart, intelligent, cunning, you can hold your own, and I love having conversations with you. You're a great friend to have. I know you're loyal as hell, and you seem to know how to help with the burns I keep getting. That definitely puts you at the top of my list..."

Their laughter filled the night air.

"Can I ask you something too?"

"Sure..."

"Who's...who's Lily? And why do you get so bothered when Black keeps bringing her up?"

Severus's smile faltered, and his expression turned grave. Lyra knew she had touched upon a sensitive topic.

"I'm sorry...you don't have to answer." She slurred slightly due to the alcohol.

"Lily was my childhood friend. Lily Evans was a Muggle-born. We lived in the same area, and I was the first to notice that she wasn't just a regular Muggle, but an extraordinary witch. Her sister was always jealous of her talents; she wasn't special...Petunia..."

"Petunia Dursley...you mean...Lily Potter's...sister?"

"Yes...she became Lily Potter after marrying that complete moron." Severus snapped.

"As in Harry Potter's father?"

"Obviously."

"And she was just your friend?"

He didn't respond, confirming Lyra's suspicions.

"You were in love with her?"

"I was..."

"What happened?"

"I was a horrible friend. I called her a Mudblood when she tried to protect me from James Potter and his gang of bullies. I apologized, but she never forgave me, and I didn't expect her to. But her losing her, it made me angrier. She started dating the same man we had spent years hating on, the one who had tormented her, bullied me and apparently had a change of heart when he tried to court her. She accepted his advances after we stopped being friends. It felt like a betrayal. I fell in with the wrong crowd, got involved in dark magic, and became a Death Eater." He explained, revealing his Dark Mark. Lyra, surprisingly, didn't shy away from it; instead, she looked at it with intrigue.

"I hated what I had become. I reached out to her countless times, but she never forgave me, not once. Instead, she said our paths were never the same, that she should have never been friends with...a Slytherin like me. When I told her I loved her, that I had loved her since we were children, she said she had never seen me that way. That's when I realized I was invisible to her, just as I was to everyone else. I grew angrier and took on more work for the Dark Lord. I was scorned, young, and heartbroken."

"But I only realized how much I had loved her when I heard that Voldemort was going after the Potters. That prophecy, you see... I had overheard it months after Harry Potter was born. It said that a child born in July to parents who had defied the Dark Lord before would be his downfall. When I conveyed the prophecy to the Dark Lord, he had already realized it referred to the Potters. When I learned of his decision to destroy their family, I begged him to reconsider, but he laughed at me. He said that a Mudblood like her didn't deserve to live and that I should give up my feelings for her. Realizing that this wouldn't end well, I reached out to Dumbledore to tell him that the Dark Lord was after the Potters, to hide them if necessary, if it meant saving Lily. I had realized what I had become, that she wasn't the one who had wronged me; I was the one who had to atone for my sins toward her."

Lyra was familiar with this story; Sirius had shared bits and pieces of it with her. It explained why Snape was considered dangerous and why Black blamed his best friend's death on Snape, why he hated him so much.

They lapsed into silence, the weight of Severus's past hanging heavily in the air. But Lyra decided to lighten the mood.

"Since you so bravely bared your heart to me, there's something I discovered today that you might find fascinating. I'm not sure if I'm supposed to talk about it, but it feels like I can with you."

Severus looked at her, she still had her gaze fixed on the stars as she spoke.

"You obviously know the story of how I was adopted when I was six, and that I've been searching for my biological parents for many years..."

"Well, I found them today."

"What?! That's astonishing! Dumbledore asked me to search through muggle hospitals all over the place." He said, turning to her.

"Well, it turns out I'm not Muggle-born..."

"I didn't think you were. I told him you were too powerful to be Muggle-born..."

"Don't be prejudiced, Severus." She chided, shaking her head. She took another drag from the joint.

"So, who are they, then? Lyra? Do you come from some powerful bloodline, maybe an association with the Gryffindors?" He asked snarkily.

"They're here, my parents, in the house, right now, probably sleeping together in their room." Lyra teased. Severus looked taken aback.

"Who talks about their parents like that?" He snapped taking the joint from her.

"Grow up, Severus; old people are allowed to have a love life." She chuckled at his disgust.

"Wait! Did you say they are in the house right now?"

"Yes."

"You're...you're not saying you're Moody's daughter, are you?" He asked, studying her features.

"Constant Vigilance!" Lyra mimicked Moody, closing one eye. They both burst into laughter.

"No, I'm not..." She said, still chuckling.

"Who else is old enough to be your parents and be in the same house?" Severus wondered, then looked at her as if she was the most obvious thing in the world.

"I think you've...got your answer."

Severus's jaw dropped.

"Fuck! You have his eyes! I spent all of last year trying to figure out your stupid face...and the spitting image was just three seats away!"

"Yup..."

"Well, if Dumbledore is your father…then…who's your…?"

"Minerva..."

"WHAT?!"

"What?"

"Albus and Minerva aren't a couple...they're just friends...colleagues. In my year, the Gryffindors were obsessed, always trying to play matchmaker for them. Slytherin practically won the house cup thanks to that!" He chuckled.

"They were supposedly engaged during Grindelwald's war. He lied to her, and they went their separate ways..." She began recounting the story of her origins.

"That is irrevocably tragic!" He said disappointedly, after she completed her long tale.

"Tell me about it!"

They erupted into silly laughter once again. The next hour saw them indulging in some more alcohol and drugs, and what Lyra had initially described as mellow was now hitting her hard. She could feel her heartbeat thudding in her chest.

"Damn, I'm so high right now!" She giggled uncontrollably. He joined in her laughter, and they rolled around on the roof, overcome by fits of mirth.

"Shhhhhh! Black will hear us and want to join!" Severus slurred, attempting to quiet her down.

"Thank Merlin, he's off my case!"

"But why did you reject him? Most women find him charming..."

"I think he's an idiot! I've always been more of a dog person...but that dog...is not for me..."

They managed to stand up, albeit unsteadily. Still giggling, they made their way back inside the room, each shushing the other between laughs. It was clear to both of them that their little party needed to come to an end, and it was time to retire to bed, now that they had exhausted their supply of alcohol and drugs. As Lyra stepped into the room after him, they continued to giggle and laugh, needing each other's support. She stumbled, but he steadied her.

"…my heart is going to burst!"

"Rubbish!" He slurred at her waving her away.

"No really…here feel it!" She said adamantly, lifting his hand to cup her breast. They just stood there. He burst into laughter. Hearing him, so did she. There was nothing to laugh about.

"Wow...that's fast," he said softly, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah..."

"Yeah..."

Their giggling ceased as they now stared at each other, his hand still cupping her breast.

The next minute, their mouths clashed into each other. With what seemed like animalistic fierceness. He undid her hair, and her hands found their way into his. If this was what chemistry looked like, they had clearly caused a nuclear explosion.

She slammed him, against the wall, pinning him under her as they kissed each other hungrily. Both simultaneously, working on their various pieces of clothing. He stripped off her shirt in seconds, while continuing to fumble with the very many buttons of his shirt.

Taking that as an opportunity, he flipped her over and pinned her under him. She scoffed. He was extremely strong. She continued her struggle with his buttons and then snapped in irritation.

"FUCK THIS SHIT!"

In desperation, she pulled the buttons apart. They stopped as the buttons continued to fall off their threads. A tiny brief moment of sanity was evident, as they looked at each other, panting to catch their breaths. Her hands held above her head by his, his body trapping hers between him and the wall, they knew they should have stopped. She bit her lips uncertainly, as his eyes travelled from her face to her exposed breasts, heaving heavily. Her phoenix tattoo peeped out her bra as she inhaled. She let her eyes travel lower as well, looking at his well-toned chest with scatterings of dark black hair. They settled right before his belt, that held his strong erection which she could feel throbbing between her thighs.

Both raised their eyes, to look deeply into the others, trying to search for any hesitation. But as people with unclear drug-riddled minds would. They returned to their rough snog session. Discarding their remaining clothes one by one, without breaking away from each other. Not wanting to have doubt clog their desires.

His hands roamed over her body freely, an access he seemed to be enjoying. He pushed himself further into her, so that she couldn't move, so that he could feel her skin against his. Her legs wrapped themselves around him instinctively, his mouth found the dip in her neck. Her teeth clasped around his ear; her whiskey-breath wafted against it. He pushed himself into her, her heat enveloped him pleasantly. There was nothing gentle about this, as both bodies felt the pent-up need for intimacy. He first took her against the wall with urgency, both brutally biting down on the other's flesh, wherever they felt like, not worried about the painful after effects at all. Her loud moans, and hands caressing the back of his neck, that gripped his hair roughly every time he dived into her, drove away any ounce of composure or care they had left of their situation.

When he couldn't balance himself anymore. They fell into his messy bed, snogging each other breathless. Continuing their session with high ferocity. He kissed her heavily; she responded in a similar style. Spreading her legs apart urgently, as if to correct what he was missing around him, he pushed himself on top of her, his hair covered their faces. She welcomed him again, letting him devour them to completion. But that was by no means all they did.

Even in her state of intoxication, she sought to make sure she had an upper-hand. She wasn't satisfied, she wanted more, and he was very willing to share. She straddled him, enjoying their connection as he filled her perfectly. Not interested in letting her have it all, he joined her, burying his face in her breasts and nipping down on every peak savagely. The softness of her skin made him feel like he could stay there forever. His tongue traced her tattoo and the areas around it, making her move faster, harder. He moved with her, making sure that she knew, he hadn't given up on their little dance of dominance so easily. Every time, she'd move up, he was there to join her. They stuck to their fierce rhythm, making sure there was not even a difference in seconds. Her nails dug lines in his back, as he groaned deeply, she smirked at his response to her actions. Their coupling, didn't seem foreign at all, it looked as if they were experts at sexually driving each other senseless.

Only after two or three more rough and passionate sessions, did they stop, both completely exhausted. He had collapsed panting deeply on her chest. She could still feel him inside her. He reluctantly slipped out, and crashed into the bed next to her. Both panted heavily, like they'd run a marathon. Perhaps, this was what some would call a rather long marathon. Neither of them knew, when they fell asleep. Still naked and perhaps very bruised.

AN/- This was my attempt at a little smut. Hope it was worth the wait. Do let me know what you guys thought!