Severus looked up from the paper he was grading as his older self entered his office. He didn’t even bother knocking anymore, which Severus found both amusing and irritating. Then when he was that age he’d probably do it, too.

“What’s on your mind today, Erik?” he asked, seeing the look in his mentor’s eyes. This wasn’t just a social call. He had something to discuss with him.

“Walk with me?”

“Of course,” he said. That meant he wanted a conversation away from the possibility of prying eyes or ears of any kind.

They made their way out of the castle and to an infrequently used area. It didn’t offer much of a view, so few bothered to come here. They both cast a muffliato and chuckled with a nod when they realized they’d both done it.

“What is wrong?” he asked his older self.

The older man’s eyes crinkled a bit as he smiled.

“Nothing’s wrong, Severus. I just wanted to talk with you for a few minutes.”

“Okay.”

“Marie wants to offer to let Hermione stay in our servants’ quarters.”

“I see,” he said, unsure why this warranted such a private conversation.

“I want to be clear, Hermione was given a room in that area to begin with so that she’d have privacy. It wasn’t that we didn’t want her in the residential wing of the house with us. We both recalled residing at Hogwarts, and how having our own space when we were away from it was more than welcome. Obviously, we have no servants other than our house elves who have elected not to reside there. So it’s a part of the house that goes unused.”

“I understand. I didn’t think anything of it, and I’m sure Hermione hasn’t either.” The idea that they thought of Hermione as just a servant or something was not something that would ever occur to him. Or her, he was fairly certain.

“I just didn’t want you thinking this offer is to restrict her movements in our home. That isn’t it at all. We have discussed at length at various times over the years what we might do with our property when it comes time to retire. We are closer to that time now than we were ten years ago. We have five children and four foster children who have gone on to give us several grandchildren and great grandchildren. Plus a couple of great great grandchildren you may have noticed at Christmastime.”

“I did.”

“All have enjoyed coming to Grandma and Grandpa’s, but few … show it the attention it deserves and requires. A few have come and stayed for times over the summers to help out, but they don’t want to spend all of the required time doing chores as our children did fifty and sixty years ago. Some come for a week or two. Times are different. They have computers and video games and what not to entertain them. Marie and I were a little surprised no one batted an eye at Hermione staying last summer. That there wasn’t anyone who wanted to spend six weeks there with their children or grandchildren. It’s a lot of responsibility, and I don’t think the grandchildren truly appreciate all that goes into keeping the property and household afloat.”

“Right.”

He understood this very well. Even the difference in student concentration was noticeable as external influences became more. Hermione was one of few who liked books over other things.

“It was, in part, why we asked Hermione to be caregiver last summer.”

“Ah.”

And this summer they were going away for even longer. They were due to leave next week and were planning on being gone for eight weeks. Hermione was again staying.

“Our plan was to leave it to her, to you I suppose if your plans are a future with her.”

“They are. It’s only been a year, Erik, and she’s still trying to find her footing…”

“I’m not rushing or being accusatory. However, a year into this without it being thrust upon you as it was us,” he shrugged. “You may have other thoughts in mind, drawn different conclusions.”

“I’d be a fool to let her go.”

“Oh, I know you would be. We are inclined to act the fool, though, Severus.”

He glanced at Erik’s left arm. He knew the mark was gone, had been removed with their trip back over seventy-three years now. However, he’d seen images of it when he shared memories with him. He’d tried to describe the feeling to him of what being summoned was like. Severus knew he would never fully grasp it, nor did he want to.

“Yes, well, let’s hope I have learned sufficiently from your foolish acts.”

His older self scoffed, but nodded. So Severus knew he hadn’t insulted the man. That was a relief. He didn’t want to insult this man. He still considered him a friend, regardless of who they might be to one another. He wasn’t quite sure what he’d do if he annoyed the man to the point he no longer wished to speak to him.

“Let’s hope indeed, Severus.”

“I plan to give her a little more time so that she does not feel I was thrust upon her.”

“Sound planning. I assure you, she is not a witch you want pissed off at you.”

“You showed me some memories that indicated that to be true.”

“If we do that, we will in such a way as to hopefully not alienate anyone. Though, that may be impossible. We, of course, have provided for everyone, as we have been mostly frugal over the years despite what many think of our perceived wealth. We have amassed a good amount of savings, I won’t lie. That was in part because we are logical people who want to enjoy the time we have when neither of us is working. And therefore have no, or limited, income. Last and this summer are the first time we’ve been gone for weeks at a time.”

“I’m aware.”

“We’re trying it out. Last summer we explored some areas we thought we might like to … retire to.”

“I see.”

“This summer we’re splitting our time between two of those places to see if either appeals to us on a more long-term basis, or neither at all I suppose is possible.”

“I see.”

“She’ll be ninety in a few months, though I’m not sure she’s quite ready to leave the library behind,” he said with a lift of his lips in a knowing smirk.

“I have a feeling I will be saying the same thing in about seventy years about the Archives.”

“Probably so. I admire her love of books.”

“As do I.”

“The lab on the property would suit you well. If you decided to continue using the land as we have would be entirely up to you, obviously. Part of why we considered Hermione, though.”

“Is because she likes to work, and appreciates the ability of being self-sufficient.”

“Yes.”

“And your children won’t mind?”

“They are all long established in their own homes. They love coming there for holidays, but no I don’t think any of them want it. The property or the work that goes into the upkeep of the grounds, even with elves there are finances.”

“Why are you telling me this?”

“I presume last summer you were only a visitor there.”

“Correct.”

“I also presume that will likely not be the case this summer.”

“Other than the couple of weeks you’ll be gone before classes let out, correct. Presumably anyway, I guess I can’t speak for certain on her behalf.”

“We want both of you to decide if that’s what you want. That land, that responsibility. We’ve left detailed maps and instructions on what is where. Take the horses, explore, and see just what makes up our land. We are thinking of relinquishing our home and just having a smaller abode here. You two purchasing it would alleviate any ill feelings toward Hermione should it be left to her after we are gone. I will say it is a wonderful house to make and raise a family in.”

Severus felt his cheeks get warm and shook his head, knowing he was blushing.

“Is Marie having this conversation with Hermione?”

“She is, over lunch at the Ministry.”

“I see.”

“I should also tell you that my wife, before we left on our initial trip.”

“Ah,” Severus said, nodding in understanding.

“Spent three days at the library compiling … information. Winners of certain sporting events and stocks that were viable investments.”

“Okay.”

“Neither of us felt right using that information to achieve wealth. However, we placed more than a few bets and invested in a few stocks here and there. We didn’t see investing, something many did and still do, as suspect even if we had knowledge others might not.”

“Right,” he said.

“As it would look … suspicious if we were to leave you two a monetary sum, and no one else not related to us, we opened up a second account under aliases we both were given as a backup plan when we first moved here. We weren’t sure if we would need them. If we had to do something life changing to that child, we may have had to flee. We couldn’t do that as either identity we had to that point.”

“Understood.”

“That account has now been closed, and the funds transferred to one belonging to you both. It was always meant for you. Most of what’s in there is winnings from those bets or stock gains from those we sold over the years. Again, we weren’t out to become millionaires. However, we enjoyed taking the kids to whatever various event over the years, and she enjoyed coming home with her pocketbook a little fuller than when we left. Stocks were invested in those names as well. We cashed them in at various times, and put the money in said account. The reason I’m telling you this, is that no one should question if we come into an agreement on our home. That account has more than enough in it to cover such a purchase.”

“Ah,” he said with a nod.

“So, you two take the summer and decide if you’re even interested. If you’re not, well, then we will go a different route. Again, I don’t think she’ll be retiring next year or anything, but she is going to offer Hermione the servants’ quarters. That offer would be extended to you were you to be in a position to want to be with her on a daily basis. Legally.”

Severus’ lips quivered, the same as his older self’s did.

“Of course there is more than one bedroom there.”

“There is. I also have a home.”

“You do, but you cannot offer her a room in it, Severus. You and I both know she needs to get out of her parents’ house and somewhere she has no sense of that familial obligation.”

“And you think your house will do that? You are us!”

“No one else knows that. The perception will be that she has taken a room to rent in our home. I think given their closeness over the past eight years, no one will find it odd. Should she decide she likes it there, and you then purchase it from us when we are ready to leave. All the better.”

“I see,” he said. “And if we don’t?”

“Then we will talk to the children and see what they think. I would prefer it go to someone who will use it as it is. I don’t want it sold to some company who’s going to tear down all of the trees and everything and build twenty houses that look identical to one another. You came to mind because of my lab and the gardens. I know of no other potioners who might be in the market for a home.”

He scoffed.

“Take the summer, Severus, see if being there agrees with you. We’re not trying to make you walk the same path we did. However, we were happy there, which led us to believe you would be as well. Marie has said she will make up the bedroom that was originally mine for you two while we’re gone for the summer. The offer for Hermione to stay would be in effect upon our return. We want you to live in the house, not feel like guests living off the kitchen.”

“We will see then.”

“That’s all we’re asking. Truly, I thought I would have been then. Happy in a home like any other, I mean. You saw I still lived in the Snape home in Cokeworth. Living where we do, though, no one bothers me. I have all the land I want. The lab is not connected or in the house as it was when we first lived here, so I can separate the two. Most of the time. We can be self-sufficient, and that is a wonderful feeling when you’re just not sure what’s going to happen from day to day. The memories I shared do not convey how much work Marie did to ensure we had food to eat for years. She did it as I was working and couldn’t help.”

“Do you even think of yourselves as your other names?”

“Not really, I guess I can’t speak for her, but no. I am Erik. Occasionally, we’ll call one another by our given name, but it happens less and less frequently anymore. You are those people, and you have such a bright future. All of you do.”

“Because of you.”

“Well, as you saw I had nothing really to lose. I look at Lily and James, Sirius and Remus. Their lives are all … better. I hate to say that some days, but it’s true. Sirius spent years in Azkaban. Harry has his parents and didn’t have the pressure of being The Boy Who Lived. We didn’t do it for you two. You’re just a perk of the whole thing.”

“Do you ever look at her, Lily I mean, and wonder?”

“No,” he said softly. “I visited you for a reason, Severus. I wanted to save you, both of you truly, years of anguish. She was not my witch. Albus,” he shrugged with a shake of his head. “He wouldn’t let me get over it. He is a good man overall, but can be extremely conniving.”

“I have noticed this.”

“Anyway, we just want you prepared. Again, we’re not planning on this happening tomorrow or next year. Soon, though, we plan on making our way somewhere with no snow.”

“I find it hard to picture you anywhere but here.”

He winked then. “Love, Severus. Wherever she’s happy is where I want to be. She says she’s ready to go where there is no snow, and she doesn’t have to use her hands again.”

“I cannot say as I blame her.”

“Nor can I. She has earned the respite, and I will gladly spend every minute with her in whatever tropical paradise she picks for us. I imagine some sort of garden will make its way onto our property, but not like what she put together here.”

“Will it be Europe, do you think?”

“Mm, I truly don’t know. One of our destinations this summer is Spain. The other is the dessert in America. An area we visited years ago for specimen collecting. She says she thinks the more arid climate will help my aching joints. She is concerned about me taking potions long-term.”

Severus scoffed, but nodded slightly in understanding. He’d never had anyone worry about him in such a fashion.

“I wager you will not experience the same aching joints as I have, so do not be too concerned.”

“Why?”

“I believe mine correlate directly to being on the receiving end of the cruciatus more than just a few times. I can’t imagine that mark, gone though it may be now, did my body any good either.”

“I suppose,” he said, regarding his older self. He’d shown him some of his … experiences as a death eater. None were pleasant, and Severus suspected he didn’t show him any of what could be perceived as the truly bad ones.

“It is one thing I plan on looking into, though.”

“With her assistance.”

“Quite right. Fortunately, no one else will have these side effects unless another egomaniac rises. If I find the cure I will be sure to let you know so that you can pass it on should it be needed.”

“Thank you.”

“One request I have, just so it’s said.”

“I think I owe you at least one of those.”

“Look out for the kids. When the time comes. You’re not going to be rid of the Prinses or Harrisons for years to come. Remember they are a part of you. Help guide them.”

“Erik…”

“I’m not going anywhere, but I also am a realist. I was not the healthiest specimen of a man when we embarked on this journey. I lived a double life for fifteen years. I was tortured. I rarely ate or slept. I assumed I’d die a fairly young man, so didn’t give a shit. I’d like to think I’ll give Headmaster Dippet a run as far as longevity goes, but I know I have experienced things others have not. So I have no idea what my lifespan might be.”

“I will, of course, do my best.”

“That’s all that I can ask. One day, you’ll understand. I went into this assuming she’d hate and resent me eventually. What person from this time would willingly give up cell phones, television, and the internet,” he shrugged. “I look at them, all of them, when they come over for Easter or Christmas or our annual picnic by the lake before classes resume. Rarely does a week go by when we don’t see a handful or two of them. I realize we did that. They are all functional, capable witches and wizards. They don’t hate, and they realize that muggles and muggleborns are not the enemy. They never treated our foster children as lesser than while living in our home, and I know our grandchildren treat our foster children’s children the same as they do their other cousins. That was, of course, part of our goal.”

“Yet, no one knows Marie is…”

“Of course not. Albus insisted on it, and he had a point.”

“I suppose.”

“Someone who was muggleborn wasn’t going to change anyone’s mind. It had to come from what they perceived as within. Our children and grandchildren were raised going to quidditch matches as well as football matches. They attended quidditch in America and then saw baseball games. We saw magical New York and then muggle New York. They saw us use magic to cook meals, but saw Marie and me use our hands to deliver animals, collect eggs, or shuck corn. They saw us work side by side with our elves, treating them fairly. Students saw Marie assist Hagrid when various creatures around the grounds needed help, and saw her treat him and the creatures with kindness and fairness. They would tell their friends who told their friends. There will always be pureblood purists and hatred for muggle things. That won’t change. We knew that. However, muggles being seen as some sort of enemy could be changed, and I like to think that we’ve helped do that. The obvious difference in Thomas aside. Draco Malfoy. There was no way he would have been friends with Hermione originally. Come to respect her? Possibly, but he never would have admitted or shown it. Bellatrix Lestrange, while I don’t doubt she is still crazy as a loon, is not torturing people. Rodolphus may argue that point, but he married her.”

They sat in silence for a while after that.

“Anyway, Severus, we’re not going anywhere anytime soon. Nothing is cast in stone, but what I’ve approached you with today is what we would like to do. I’m not even sure one of the grandchildren would totally understand what exactly goes into keeping that house and property afloat. Thomas does, but Charlotte wasn’t born until 1933 so she doesn’t really have first hand recollection. We’ve talked about it, of course, but as we had the advantage of knowing what was coming we were not good examples. We’ve tried to point out to them other families that were not as thrifty as we were. You can’t teach that, though. Not really. It’s just a few years of several in history to them before their parents or grandparents were even born.”

“We will discuss it.”

“I’m sure that you will. Thomas, by the way, says that they are already talking of promoting Hermione.”

“Really?”

“This surprises you?”

“No, of course not.”

“She’s making the other staff in the department look incompetent and lazy.”

“Impossible,” he said with a snort.

Erik chuckled beside him and then grew quiet.

“I can admit there is one regret I have about all of this, Severus. I shouldn’t complain, I suppose. Seventy-three years into this, and I have only one wish. I’ve explained why we didn’t … interfere more than we did with you. Does that still bother me today? Yes, but it was what it was. We didn’t want to risk you being different. You know? It bothers me, immensely, that she never achieved her true potential. That is the one thing I would enjoy being able to change in all of this if I could. She did so much. She gave so much. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t think there’s a student at Hogwarts who wouldn’t claim Marie didn’t help them in some way get through and pass a test or even a class since 1927. Whether it was her tutoring sessions or knowing the title and location of the precise book that would aid them. However, she should have been able to be so much more than a librarian.”

“Why didn’t she?”

He shrugged.

“Well, she put her all into ensuring Thomas, and the rest of our children too of course, would be who he is today and not what we knew him to be. That was in essence her job. I was not the warmest person as you know. That love Albus thought would make a difference came from her primarily. She taught each of them, which was obviously an every day project. I loved him as well as the others but it was different. I wasn’t with them all day, every day. They saw her come in tired and sweating. Sometimes hurt and bloody. Sometimes the blood was hers, sometimes the blood came from an animal. She taught the grandchildren and a few of the great grandchildren, too.”

Severus nodded. He knew this to be true. If he recalled correctly, it was just a few years before Harry, Hermione, and Draco Malfoy started that she cut off teaching any more of the great grandchildren. Those already under her tutelage continued, but those who turned five around 1988 were sent to schools or other private tutors. It amazed him that at the age of eighty she was still willing to teach such a sizable group.

“All at Hogwarts in the same room she taught our kids. She loves books and learning, so I don’t think she’d tell you being the Hogwarts librarian and homeschool teacher to three and four generations the past seventy-three years has been a hardship. It is just truly the one regret that I have in what we did. There were times she’d come to me in the evenings, I’d see bruises from getting stepped on by a cow or a goat after she undressed. She never sent for me either. A bull would get loose once in a while, and she’d have to get him confined again. And there I was sitting behind a desk, teaching students in a somewhat warm and certainly a better climate than outdoors classroom, eating meals prepared for me by house elves.” He shrugged. “And she never complained. At least not to me. I can’t say if she went to bed some nights cursing Albus and me. Maybe she has, but if she did, she has never once made me think she regretted her decision.”

“Will it bother her, do you think?”

“Hermione achieving success?”

Severus nodded.

“No. I mean, I’m sure somewhere inside of her, yes, there will be some envy. She’s only human after all. She knows we’ve given this Hermione a chance at a better life. I think she’d see that, and be happy at whatever she achieves. Between you and me, I think she has enjoyed being able to see some historical moments play out before her eyes.”

Severus chuckled.

“I appreciate you listening, and I appreciate that you have not hexed me or anything yet for all of this. I am sure it feels as though you had little free will, but I truly have tried not to interfere much. The only direct action I had was getting you to take the position at Hogwarts. And Lily I suppose, but I didn’t make either of you do anything. Not really. It was time for me to go on to the apothecary I’d wanted to do all along.”

“I am aware. Will you continue the work wherever you go?”

“I would like to. We’ll see what’s available. I am one of the best, so it wouldn’t be too difficult to do it, and I have a more than capable assistant.”

Severus snorted. “Don’t let her hear you say that.”

Erik winked at him and Severus couldn’t help but smile. It was a gesture he never in a million years would have imagined himself doing.

“I will leave you then. You have a lot to think about, individually as well as with Hermione.”

“You are right,” he said with a nod as his older self stood. “Enjoy your summer.”

“Oh, I plan to,” he said with another wink before leaving the area.

Severus tipped his head back, glancing at the sky. It was a pretty picture-perfect June day. There were a few clouds in the sky, but they were the ones that looked like muggle cotton balls and they were few and far between. There would be no rain today. The sun was visible and felt … warm and refreshing against his face.

Did he want to live in another family’s home? Really, unless he had their home built they would be living in someone else’s home regardless.

Isn’t that what he’d originally done, though? At least this home would have love and happiness associated with it versus the one he’d grown up in that had nothing positive at all. He huffed with a shake of his head. He pictured Hermione last summer coming in from a ride on Clover, face and hair looking both sun and wind kissed. She’d looked … happy. And at peace.

Beautiful.

The house he currently lived in, which he hardly spent any time in other than to sleep last summer and likely wouldn’t at all this summer. Well, that wasn’t a house that he thought of as a home. He’d bought it because it was more than affordable. The repairs that needed to be done he could do with magic or he had the know-how to do himself. However, while not as antiquated as his childhood home had been, it was still very much stuck in the seventies when it came to decor. He just hadn’t bothered to care. Until the idea of showing it to Hermione last summer had occurred to him. Then he was saved from having to do that when she’d housesat for the Prins’.

Then his mind went to the fact that in addition to the children they were responsible for, these two people had set up accounts for them, wanting to ensure they were cared for as well. He was pretty sure with the number of great grandchildren already that he’d be teaching their descendents for the next fifty or sixty years. Well, and then those great grandchildren would have children and the cycle would continue.

And what of his and Hermione’s children.

He flushed thinking about that. He wanted to create a child with her. Very much so.

One of the memories Erik had shared with him was of Marie, very pregnant with their daughter. He could see even from the memory the uncertainty in her eyes that her husband still found her attractive so far along. Erik hadn’t shown him how he’d chased that doubt away, and Severus did not wish to see it, truth be told. However, he had no doubt the witch knew she was still desired.

He wanted that. He wasn’t sure he wanted nine of them, but he wanted a family. One his mum could be involved with from the beginning, the right way, not as some outsider looking in. Somehow over the past year or so he’d decided that she deserved that.

Erik and Marie’s family were always nice to her, but he knew it was hard for her to see all of those children and know they were related to her and could say and do nothing. He’d seen the looks she’d given him, telling him to get on with it so that she could have that. He wasn’t sure when he’d gotten to the point of thinking that way, but he had and she did.

There were times over the past eight months their relationship had turned physical he’d been … disappointed that she hadn’t told him his potion failed. (She’d gotten her first couple of doses from Marie as it turned out, sneaky witch that she was.) Of course, his potion would not fail. He knew that, however, that moment of disappointment was still there.

So now he had days to sit here and think on this because classes didn’t let out for almost two weeks yet. He planned on going to see Hermione next weekend at the house since his floo still connected to it.

When he returned from dinner she was in his quarters. He shouldn’t have been surprised he supposed.

“Making yourself at home I see,” he drawled as she was stretched out on his sofa with a light blanket covering her while she read.

“Don’t mind if I do,” she said, eyes flicking up to meet his before returning to the book and closing it.

“I presume Marie had a conversation with you today at lunch?”

“She did! I suppose that I should have been suspicious when she suggested a muggle restaurant.”

“Ah. Are you going to take them up on their offer?”

“Which offer exactly?”

“A room in their servants’ quarters.”

“Oh, yes, I think that I am. Their floo is connected to the Ministry. We can add a connection to the fireplace in my sitting room, so that I can come and go from there without inconveniencing them.”

“It sounds as if they may be relocating.”

“I’m getting that impression, too. She’s worried about his knees and hips. They’re apparently quite painful some days.”

“He didn’t tell me specific body parts but he indicated torture, and not the greatest lifestyle in his first thirty-six years may have led to this end.”

“That’s what she implied, too. She didn’t want me to worry about you.”

“They seem to do that a lot,” he said.

“They do.”

“And as to the rest?”

“Well, that’s rather up to you, or us, isn’t it? I can’t live there by myself! Not and keep it up as they’re hoping.”

“No, I imagine not. He suggested we take the eight weeks they’re gone and explore the home as well as the property. Is that what you wish, though, Hermione? A life with me?”

“What do you think I’ve been doing the past couple of years, Severus?”

“Don’t be flippant. I’m asking a legitimate question. I am not a catch.”

“You are to me.”

“If you say so.”

“Hold up your wand, Severus,” she said.

He looked at her questioningly, but did as requested without thought or hesitation. She took hers out and held it up so they touched.

“I, Hermione Jean Granger…”

“Hermione,” he whispered.

“Solemnly swear from this day forward to love, honour, and respect Severus Tobias Snape. I vow to remain faithful and committed until we are parted by death. I swear on my magic and to God that this is a willingly made bond and should be recognized by the Ministry of Magic as being valid.”

There she went nibbling at her lower lip again.

“I wasn’t implying immediately. You could have let me ask you.”

“Yes, well. I didn’t. Are we completing this or not?”

He huffed with a shake of his head. “I, Severus Tobias Snape, solemnly swear from this day forward to love, honour, and respect Hermione Jean Granger. I vow to remain faithful and committed until we are parted by death. I swear on my magic and to God that this is a willingly made bond and should be recognized by the Ministry of Magic as being valid.”

Sparks emitted from their wand tips and he leaned in to kiss her, which resulted in a magical ribbon sliding over each of their wrists holding their wand. The kiss completed, the ribbon turned gold and disappeared in a spark of colourful magic.

“I wasn’t fishing for a marriage, Hermione.”

“I know you weren’t. I figured you either would want to or you’d run away screaming, but either way it would answer your question as to whether you are what I want.”

“May I kiss you again?”

“Well, I think I’d get offended if you didn’t.”

He snorted, leaning in to kiss her again.

“Christ, Hermione,” he murmured, drawing away. “I have nothing …”

“Don’t, Severus. We have weeks together to figure it out. I don’t have to stay at their house, I can stay here with you.”

“That defeats the purpose of them wanting us to take over the responsibility.”

“We have a while to figure that part out. Now. A birdie told me you have no rounds tonight.”

“And who would that have been?”

“The headmaster. I may have sent him a patronus asking.”

“I see. So, he knows…”

“He knows your witch is waiting in your rooms for you and has no plans on letting you leave until breakfast tomorrow.”

“Very well.”

“I know, it’s such a hardship. You mentioned coming to visit me next weekend, so I figured we can think on it before then individually and talk about it then.”

“You are rather a slave driver at times.”

“Mm, making love to your wife is a chore.”

“Say that again.”

She laughed softly. “Making love to your wife?”

“Yes, that. Let’s skip the conversation and get right to the point in this where I do just that.”

“Gladly.”

***

Thomas came into work, surprised to see a piece of parchment on his desk. Stasia usually kept everything for him. He picked it up, slid his reading glasses on, and read the document. Funny, with all that magic could do, he still needed reading glasses to read these days. At nearly seventy-three years old he realized he had little to complain about in the grand scheme of things. He was in good health. Reading glasses were nothing compared to what some dealt with.

“Well, I’ll be,” he said.

He’d known they were courting, but he hadn’t heard of an engagement.

He signed off on the document, making it a binding union in the eyes of the Ministry.

He then called up his turtle patronus with a shake of his head. He never understood where the turtle came from, other than he supposed his love for his parents and their patronuses being animals that lived on the water.

“Your protege and Mum’s pet student are now recognized as man and wife. Just thought you would want to know if you don’t already. I came in to the certificate on my desk when I arrived this morning. It was here waiting for my signature, so it was obviously magically done.”

His nephew, Stephen, would likely be a little disappointed. Thomas knew the wizard had been interested in Miss Granger, rather Madam Snape now, her first and second years at Hogwarts. He’d heard Stephen saying during her seventh year, after Christmas he supposed, that he hoped their paths would cross once she was out of Hogwarts. He had a witch he was interested in now, so Thomas imagined his thought process had changed regarding the witch in the last year or so. Still, knowing a witch had seemed to turn down his interest and ended up with Severus Snape. That would be a little difficult to digest, he wagered.

His father liked the man, though, and Thomas had to admit that his children who’d attended Hogwarts with him spoke highly of his capabilities even if they claimed he was a bit of a loner. None of the kids who’d had him as a professor had a bad word to say about him. They complained sometimes about his militant control in the class, but Thomas knew his father had been the same way. Even with him. Potions was a dangerous business. Neither Severus Snape nor his father before him had had a serious incident or injury in their potions classroom. Over eighty years of that was unheard of and was commendable.

He set the certificate into his outbox, which would deliver it to the proper department for filing. How did a young, smart, beautiful witch look at a man nearly twenty years older than her and think “this is the man I want to marry”? Then, Millie hadn’t been the prettiest thing either, and had come from a rather … common home. To be kind. It sounded like Severus had, too. And teaching at Hogwarts couldn’t have opened him up to meeting many witches, particularly if his rumoured preferred company being himself only was true. And obviously there was an age difference between his own parents, and they had made it more than just work.

His last thought on the couple was that whatever brought them together, he hoped that they were happy. Clearly, his parents saw something good in both of them, he had to believe there was something there for one another to see, too.

“Good luck to them,” he murmured, setting up getting on with his work for the day. Far less enjoyable than marriage certificates, for certain.

Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com