Denial
It was the Sunday after Severus and the family returned from Hogwarts for the summer holiday. Alice-Marie was busy finding a job with the Ministry (Theodore had offered to go with her), and Neville and Harry were busy studying with Sirius and Orion over at Regulus's for N.E.W.T.s, which meant Marley was the only one free to go out with Severus and Lily to Birmingham for a day trip.
"Daddy, can we stop by the church first?" Marley asked as they got into the car.
"When did you become religious?"
"Milo should be getting out soon; I thought I could stop by and surprise him."
"Why not?" Lily asked. "It's on the way, anyway. Come to think of it, Petunia and Peter might be there."
"But it's laundry day for her," Severus argued, only for the back of Lily's hand to strike his stomach. "Yes, fine," he grumbled.
Marley's eyes lit up in the back seat as Lily started the car.
It didn't take very long for them to pull up to St. Jerome in the Black Country to find that the doors had just opened. Marley hurried out of the car, Lily following behind and Severus last to step out. He wasn't surprised to see that the Pettigrews weren't here (it was laundry day for Petunia, and Peter didn't seem the type); what did surprise him was the sight of Miles, who seemed to have grown out quite a bit, both in height and mass, and his features were darker than before.
Severus glanced over at Marley, who seemed to have been stopped in her tracks at the sight of the boy; her excitement was gone, replaced by a look of blank shock and an odd redness appearing on her cheeks.
"Is something wrong?" Severus asked.
"N-no," Marley replied quickly. Too quickly. "I-I'll go say hi." It took her a second to compose herself before she hurried over, passing through the crowds of churchgoers as she shouted, "MILO!"
Severus watched as Miles turned his head, startled, and set his sights on Marley. A broad smile spread across his face as he rushed to her and lifted her into a hug, which earned an excited squeal from the girl. He set her down before animatedly talking to her, although their conversation was drowned out by people who had chosen to congregate outside and socialize. Even without knowing what was said, Severus could hear the snorts of laughter from Marley at something Miles had said. What stood out most was the light in the boy's eyes, something both recognizable and impossible...
"... Sev," Lily asked, as though voicing his thoughts, "do you think they're...?"
"Absolutely not," Severus said pointedly.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive," Severus insisted, choosing to disbelieve his lying eyes.