September 1, 2011
"This looks so cool," Mia said as she and her mom made their way to the entrance. She wasn't the last one here at least, so she was following someone who seemed to be a fellow student. (One who apparently knew the way.) She had no idea they were leaving from somewhere No-Maj. She supposed they had to. She knew her mom had, too, when she'd left London for Hogwarts.
She'd read about the subway the first time she looked up things about Ilvermorny School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, because she had no idea how it all worked. There were hardly any buses where they lived, let alone trains. The closest Amtrak station was one hundred forty miles away from their house! Their airport had one terminal, two gates, and one airline with planes so small they only sat a dozen people. Her mom had taken her to Boston and New York, but they'd never needed to take the subway.
"It does," her mom admitted. Her mom tried not to show it, but Mia knew she was as excited as she was. One thing she knew about her mom, she loved learning and she loved when kids (any kids, not just Mia) were excited about school.
"You have everything," her mom asked once they were where they needed to be.
Mia glanced at her cart, ensuring her cat was with her belongings. Beanie was one of her mom's cat's daughters. Mia was lucky her mom let her have Beanie. She knew her mum hadn't wanted a third pet. The other kittens had gone to a magical pet store in Minneapolis.
"Yes," she said. Beanie was really the only thing she felt she had to have. She knew between her and her mom, she'd packed everything she would need to be gone for almost four months.
"Good. You write when you can," she said, hugging her. Mia saw other parents doing the same thing so she didn't pull away too quickly. "Let me know your thoughts."
"I will."
"And, remember, let others learn," she said, running the palm of her hand along Mia's hair. Hair curly like her mom's, but darker and a little easier to manage than hers had been (according to her mom). She'd always wondered where it came from, as Grandma and Grandpa didn't have dark hair either. "You've read ahead, not everyone has. Your teachers do not want to hear from the same student repeatedly."
"I know," she said with a pout.
"Trust me. You will thank me for that advice."
"Uncle Harry," she cried out when she spotted her godfather, and her mom's best friend, through the crowd of other Ilvermorny students and their parents.
She didn't think it would matter if she knew everyone else on this platform or not, she was pretty sure she'd be able to pick him out of a crowd everywhere. And it wasn't because of his scar (though she knew it was still there). He just had a way of carrying himself that no one else could duplicate. She saw her mom's eyes soften. She was pretty sure Harry was the only person who she ever let her guard down completely around. Even her parents and Mia. When she was little, she wondered why her mum and godfather weren't married. (There was a while there she was convinced Uncle Harry was really her father.) They clearly loved one another. Eventually, she figured out from watching them that they loved one another but weren't in love with one another. It was the same type of love she had for her mom. Family. She saw the difference by watching her grandparents and some of her friends' parents. She had no idea who her mom would love because as far as Mia knew, she'd never had a date.
"Hello Harry," her mom said, kissing Harry on the cheek once he'd gotten to where they were standing.
"Hello Hermione. I'm sorry I cut it so close." His lips quirked up a bit here in a smirk. He knew maybe better than Mia that her mom liked punctuality.
"It's okay. I knew you'd be here."
She could tell by the look in her mom's eyes that she was sort of lying. Her mom didn't like being late, and wasn't overly happy when others were. She wasn't going to scold Uncle Harry, though, because it wasn't like he was required to be here. He was being nice. Well, and he wanted to see her off, too. She knew that he did. Her mom did, too.
And, well, he was Harry Potter. Though Uncle Harry told Mia, in secret, that her mom had bossed him around plenty when they were at Hogwarts. She didn't care then, or now, who he was.
Harry ruffled Mia's hair which made her roll her eyes. And blush!
"You all ready then, Kiddo?"
"I'm not Kiddo." She smiled with a laugh, though, so he knew she wasn't really mad. She was getting too old to be called Kiddo, though.
"You will always be Kiddo to me."
"Uncle Harry," she said under her breath.
Mia noticed a few people were staring at them, and cleared her throat. She suddenly felt embarrassed and uncertain. What were they looking at? Her? Why? Did she not look okay? She thought she did. Her mom insisted she did. She wouldn't lie to her. Uncle Harry and her mom didn't seem to notice. Maybe it was just her seeing things? She couldn't remember being this nervous before. Of course, she hadn't been Hermione Granger's daughter back at home. Well, she had been, but that hadn't meant anything to very many there. (There were more than just a few magicals in their area who knew what it meant.) Here. Well, she expected that would be different.
"So, you're all set," Harry said.
"Um, yeah," she said.
"And who's this?" he asked, placing his index finger through one of the slats of Beanie's carrier.
"Beanie."
"Beanie," he glanced from her to her mom who shrugged. She had no idea where she'd come up with the name. Where had Mom come up with Crookshanks? "Okay. Well, hello, Beanie. You take good care of Mia."
A soft meow was heard from the carrier. She supposed it had been a while since Harry visited them so he didn't know about Beanie. They'd met him in Cleveland for a week about a month ago, but Beanie stayed behind with Mia's grandparents.
"You got her a cat?" Harry asked her mom. He sounded both amused and curious.
"No. Well, yes, obviously, she has a cat," Mom said, gesturing to the carrier. "A kitten, really. Crookshanks is a father."
"How nice for him." Uncle Harry really sounded amused now.
"Yes. Truthfully, it is not the only time it's happened, but it is the only time there was one left that the pet store in Minneapolis's wizarding area wouldn't take."
"Ah. Let me guess, the ugly smooshed-faced one, that no one else could ever love or want went back home with you."
"Yes, and I got a bigger payday for the kittens he did want. He seemed to feel legitimately bad he didn't think he could find a home for her."
Harry tipped his head back and laughed. Mia wasn't sure what was so funny. He'd just called Beanie ugly!
"She's not ugly!" Mia said.
"I know she's not, Mia, but not everyone is used to cats like Crookshanks. Most muggles would think Crookshanks is ugly."
She nibbled on her lower lip and nodded a bit. Crookshanks was different, but he was not ugly! Beanie was built a lot like her father, other than their coloring. Where Crookshanks was orange, Beanie was pure black. Mia's mom assumed the mother was not an orange cat as a result of Beanie's coloring (one of the other kittens had been orange and black). Otherwise, from nose to tail she looked like Crooks. Her mom joked it was a good thing she was going to Ilvermorny with Mia, because Mom wasn't sure she could afford to feed both of them all winter long.
She wasn't serious, of course. Beanie was rather ravenous though. She assumed that was how kittens were.
A boy walked up to them, clearing his throat, and shoving his hands in the pockets of his jeans. He didn't look older than her. He offered her a smile, and then turned his attention to her godfather. He slid his hand to the back of his neck, drawing attention to the fact that it was very obvious he'd just recently gotten a haircut. Mia saw his face had turned red.
"Um, excuse me." They all focused their attention from Beanie to the boy. "Yeah. Hi. Um. Are you really Harry Potter," he asked.
"I am," Harry said.
"That is so cool." This was followed by silence. Mia wasn't sure what to expect or who was expecting to do or say what. She'd been at quidditch matches with Harry when people walked up to him, but she didn't think it would happen here. "Um. What are you doing here?"
Mia scoffed. He blushed even redder than he already was, glancing at Mia as if he was wondering what he said wrong.
"I mean, no offense, Sir, but you have no kids."
"Oh, no offense taken. I'm here because I promised my goddaughter I'd be here for her first day off to school."
The boy turned then, regarding Mia fully, and offered his hand. The same hand that had been at the nape of his neck a minute ago. He was a little shorter than Mia with hair so light brown it looked blonde. She guessed it was from being outside in the summer and during the winter would get darker. She had a lot of friends with hair like that. (She was a little envious, because hers never really changed. Even spending as much time outdoors as she did.) He also had really nice hazel eyes.
"I'm Leonard Miller."
"Mia Granger," she said, taking his offered hand.
"Oh," Leonard said, glancing at her mom.
He nodded then, as if he'd thought of something. That was soon followed by a look of recognition on his face. It was interesting to see it, because really, until this moment, she hadn't encountered it much growing up. Most of the magicals already knew her mom by the time Mia got old enough to notice such looks. Her mom lived a pretty quiet and anonymous existence. She went to magical things with Harry more than her mom.
She told Mia recently that she once aspired to bring the wizarding world into the twenty-first century.
She decided, though, living where they were and seeing some of the things she saw. Well, she decided the muggle world wasn't as perfect as she thought it was, so wanted to work on helping it first. The wizarding world, overall, wasn't suffering due to their antiquated ideas. She felt the muggle world was and wanted to do what she could to try and fix it.
"You're Hermione Granger."
"I am," her mom said. Mia knew her mom well enough to know she hesitated a moment before answering.
"It's nice to meet you, Ma'am."
"You, too, Mr. Miller."
"Where are you from, Mia?" he asked.
"Minnesota," she said. "You?"
"Nebraska."
This was said with a bit of a scowl. She could understand that. She and her mom had driven through Nebraska once, and it was flat and rather boring. The Great Plains got their name for a very good reason. She had been so grateful on that trip that her mom had good taste in music. So many near where they lived only listened to country and western, which Mia didn't mind, but not for hours straight at a time.
"Is this your first year?" Mia asked. She assumed so, because he didn't look older than her.
"It is."
"I was going to ask if it was always like this." It was so busy. And loud. Adults and students were talking and moving around.
"Oh, it is. Sometimes it's worse. There was one time, three years ago I think," he said, nodding a bit as if he was convincing himself that was right. "It was pouring rain and everyone looked like drowned rats, except the seventh years, because their parents couldn't keep up with the need for drying charms."
"You've been here before then?" Mia asked.
"Yes. I'm the youngest of twelve," he said.
She stared at him for a moment. Did he really say twelve? Holy crap! She couldn't even imagine. She'd always wanted a sibling. One. She knew farming families who lived out their way had several kids, but she didn't think anyone she knew of had twelve. The most she knew about was eight.
"We're farmers," he said with a shrug. She guessed her reaction to that news wasn't new or abnormal.
Ah. Yeah. Her mom had explained they tended to do that so there was less need for outside help. And, well, likely the moms and dads hoped that one of the kids would take over the farm when the parents were ready to stop working it. It would be hard to sell acres of land you had slaved over for years. "You?"
"Only child. Mom's a lawyer and an accountant. She also has a small apothecary, mostly muggle tonics." She didn't do much accounting anymore, but Mia knew she still helped friends out once in a while.
She saw a pained look cross her mom's face, but she immediately turned her attention to Harry so Mia didn't think anything of it.
Soon, it was time to board the train. Mia fell into step with Leonard after a final hug to her mom and Harry.
"This is my sister, Gretchen," Leonard said. "This is Mia."
Mia glanced at where Gretchen had come from. Where their parents were standing, she presumed. They were quite a bit older than Mom's (almost) thirty-two. She supposed if they had twelve kids older than Leo, they'd have to be older than Mom.
"Hi," Mia said. "Nice to meet you."
"You, too."
They shuffled along the platform and into the train. Eventually they found a car. A second girl joined them.
"My other sister, Threna," Leonard said.
"Hi," Mia said with a wave. "Do you have any brothers?"
"I don't."
"Eleven sisters?" she asked.
"Yeah. They had one boy before me years ago, but he didn't survive."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
"It's okay. It's why they kept trying, I guess. They knew they were bound to get one more eventually."
She laughed softly. She imagined if it had happened years ago, he likely didn't even know the brother. How sad.
"I've always wanted a sister," she said.
"No, you don't," Leonard said with a roll of his eyes. Both Threna and Gretchen laughed. Leonard turned his attention to his sisters. "You owe me a galleon, by the way."
"For what?" Gretchen asked. So, it must have been Threna he was talking to.
"I saw Mia talking to someone I swore was Harry Potter. Threna said there was no way Harry Potter was here. She bet me a galleon."
"You know Harry Potter," Gretchen asked. Mia could tell the witch was trying to hide the fact that she was impressed.
"Yes, he's my godfather, and my mom's best friend."
Silence. Was that wrong? Did they think she was lying? Bragging? She hadn't brought Harry Potter up.
"Tell them your last name," Leo said, elbowing her lightly in the ribs. Not hard enough to be painful.
"Mm," she said softly. "Granger."
Silence. Gretchen still looked impressed. Threna looked both impressed and a little green. As if she was maybe a little overexcited.
"Your mom's Hermione Granger," Threna said.
"Yes."
"Hermione Granger was at the subway station with us?" She looked absolutely excited and then despondent in the blink of an eye. Mia didn't understand that at all. "And you didn't tell me? Leo?"
"Serves you right for not believing that I would recognize Harry Potter if I saw him." He leaned closer to Mia. "I have two of his trading cards, you know." He sounded positively proud of himself. She, honestly, had no idea that Harry was on a chocolate frog trading card until this very moment. "Threna has been trying for one of your mom forever."
Morgana! Her mom had a trading card, too?
Threna slid a galleon into his palm, which he clutched tightly in his fist with a grin on his face before sliding it into the front pocket of his pants.
"Did your mom really sit her NEWTs without even taking a seventh year?" Threna asked.
"Um," Mia said.
"Did she really go to the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum?"
"He's not your father, is he? He's so dreamy! That accent! And the things he can do on a broom!"
"Is it true that she got petrified by a basilisk?"
"Did she really escape Gringotts on a dragon?"
"Was she really nearly attacked by a werewolf?"
"Did she really …"
"Why don't we not bombard Mia with questions about her mother," Gretchen interjected and Mia sighed in relief. She looked out the window at the scenery passing by quickly with all sorts of questions flying through her mind, faster than the terrain was whizzing by.
Had her mom ridden a dragon?
Had she been petrified by a basilisk? And, if so, why?
Had she gone to a dance with Viktor Krum?
Mia knew the wizard.
He visited once in a while when he was in America for quidditch. He seemed to like coming to their place in the middle of nowhere, rather than Mom going to him. Harry brought her to a couple of his matches because Mom wasn't interested. They always had the best seats in the stadium, and Viktor had dinner with them afterward.
Was he her father?
She didn't think so. She didn't get that impression anyway. Then, how did fathers actually behave with their daughters? She'd never thought about it, because she never had one. She wasn't close to Viktor or anything, not like she was with Harry anyway. She certainly didn't call him Uncle Viktor. She was able to call him just Viktor, though.
"Thank you," Mia said to Gretchen when she finally turned her attention back to the train car they were in.
"Don't mind my baby sister. She has a bit of hero worship going on with your mom."
Hero worship? Her mom? Mia scrunched her nose a bit at that. She was just a mom.
"It's okay. I just wasn't expecting…"
"Nor should you have. Threna is third year. I'm fifth. Leo is first like you are. Martha is on the train, too, she's a seventh year. We're the last four to get our magical education. Martha, Threna, and I are in Thunderbird. All of our sisters have been, so we expect Leo will be, too."
"Oh right."
This was something she knew about. The houses.
Well, sort of.
She'd read about the houses at Ilvermorny. It sounded as if it was different from what the sorting process at Hogwarts had been. She wasn't sure which house she wanted to pick her.
Eventually, they arrived at the school. She was so glad Harry met them at the train station. Without him there, she doubted Leo would have walked up to them. Instead, she had a friend. And Threna and Gretchen were nice, too. They were brought to the castle for their sorting by hackneys that seemed to be guiding themselves. Mia knew that couldn't be the case. She'd read about Thestrals, and assumed it was those creatures that were taking them to Ilovermorny from the train station.
She was picked by the Horned Serpent, Thunderbird, and Wampus houses. More than one choosing her allowed her to choose. She remembered what her mother had said about Slytherins. They were represented by snakes, like the Horned Serpents. Would her mom be mad if she chose it? She huffed. This wasn't easy. She'd read up on all of the houses, and they all held appeal. She hadn't prepared herself for the possibility of three picking her. She also knew that she couldn't choose based on her mom. Her mom would be mad if she found out Mia made a choice in an effort to please her.
She thought of Leo, and his sisters, who had been nice to her on the platform and during the train ride here. She made her choice, joining the other first year Thunderbirds.
Leo met up with her once he had been chosen. Thank Morgana he hadn't broken tradition and been selected elsewhere. It was Leo that swayed her choice. As nice as his sisters seemed, she probably wouldn't see them every day being years ahead of her.
She got to her room where Beanie was waiting on a bed for her, sound asleep, curled up in the spot her pillow would go.
"Well, I guess that one's yours then," one of her roommates said.
"Um, I can move her," she said quickly.
"Nonsense."
Unexpectedly, her roommates were other first years: Kyra, Stevie, Tonya, Barbra, and Willie (short for Wilhelmina, which Mia thought was the better name, but it wasn't her name to have an opinion on). They chatted about this and that as they unpacked and organized. All but Mia and Barbra were from the East Coast. Barbra was from Wyoming. None of them seemed too bad, at least. She was grateful for that. Her mom didn't say much about her roommates at Hogwarts, but Mia got the impression she didn't get along with them very well.
*****
"So, how are you?" Harry asked over their after dinner drink. She loved the city, but was always glad when her time was up in one that she lived in a less populated area.
"I don't know yet. Give me a while to realize she's really gone and then I'll get back to you."
He set his hand over hers. "You'll be fine. You're the strongest person I know. And she's not gone."
"I'm not, but thank you for saying so." And, no, she wasn't gone. She'd be home for breaks and summers. This, though, magical school was the first step to Hermione living without Mia under her roof.
"You are. I couldn't have done what you did."
She shrugged, eyes meeting his. She blinked rapidly. Did he know? She never told him that she'd fallen in love with Mia's father. He had to suspect, though. Who could have sex with someone as often as they did to insure she got pregnant with Mia and Eden and not let feelings get involved? Nevermind the time they'd spent before they tried, getting comfortable with one another.
Other than the him in question anyway.
She knew the "Repopulation Decree" had been abolished within a year of it being instituted. Too many people did what they did. Created a child and went on their way. She had been part of a legally recognized married couple, but it was clear by the fact they hadn't lived with one another since April 2000 that it was a sham of a marriage. Certainly there was no chance for additional children, which was what the Ministry of Magic had been hoping for.
Many people hadn't even gotten married! That wasn't what the Ministry of Magic wanted. They hadn't realized people wouldn't get married before having children. They'd presumed people would get married quickly, and have children equally as fast.
Ron wanted to kill two birds with one stone and get married before trying for one of several babies. Ron's name had come up when she ran the numbers, but not in a high enough spot for her to truly consider him. Not to mention, numbers or not, she knew they just weren't compatible for the long term. Then she didn't get a long term as it was, but there was no way Ron would have let her just leave eleven years ago either.
She'd never forget the shocked expression on the girls' father's face when she approached the man on her list she thought would work best.
*****
//
March 1999
"Hello, Professor, I'm sorry to bother you."
"And yet, you are here, Miss Granger, on my personal domicile's doorstep, presumably to do just that. Not to mention addressing me with a title that no longer belongs to me."
"Um, right, I suppose Mister Snape is appropriate then. Have you read a Prophet lately?"
He regarded her shrewdly with that question. Of all the people asking him that question, she could admit she was one of the least likely candidates to do so. She knew first hand how relentless Rita Skeeter could be. She knew what rubbish a good portion of their published stories were. That she thought he would seek a Prophet out was kind of an odd expectation.
She asked, though, thinking he might be keeping abreast of news. Or that the Minister for Magic might have told him. Or his godson. She wasn't sure she could just turn her back on the magical world and its news. Then, she hadn't been a hated spy for the span of two wizarding wars either.
"I can't say that I've bothered, no."
The answer did not take her by surprise at all, truthfully. She had to ask, because if he had, he might have already decided on someone. And wouldn't that be embarrassing? Her coming here for this purpose unnecessarily?
"Oh, well, Kingsley's hands were tied and they've passed a decree in an attempt to make up for the casualties. The losses."
He scowled and she shook her head. Of course he'd know what she meant by casualties.
"Okay."
"They're making people have babies, Sir."
He said nothing, but he clearly hadn't heard because even his emotionless face showed surprise for a moment. She pushed forward. She'd come here for a reason, even if the first time he'd come up first on her lists she assumed it was a joke. Or that she had done something wrong in her equations. She wasn't going to chicken out now. There was no telling he'd answer the door a second time if she turned around and left.
"Perhaps I'm too … selective, but I really don't want Ronald's child, nor do I want to end up having one with someone like Goyle."
His lips twitched at that. She was so glad she could amuse him. She was trying to get ahead of this because there was no way in hell she was going to … auction herself off like a head of cattle to the highest bidder. No, she was going to choose who she had a child with. She made a list, several actually, of her options and try as she might to alter the outcome, this man always ended up to be a more than logical choice.
Only once had his name not been the first one listed. And that had been an attempt to completely throw the equation off, to see if he'd still end up on the list. He had. Just not at number one.
Intellectually, it made sense.
Breathe and move on to the topic at hand, Hermione. The reason for your visit. He hasn't slammed the door in your face. Yet. That doesn't mean he still won't.
"I would like to create a child with you. I will stay here with you until conception is achieved, once the child is born you can sign your rights away if you wish to."
"And I would do this, why?"
"Because you don't want to create a child with Pansy Parkinson," she drawled. His eyes narrowed.
"I've run the numbers. Several times. There are other … possible candidates, but your name is always there at the top in every equation I've run. That leads me to being here tonight, abasing myself to you, because the Ministry thinks I'm a broodmare."
Silence as he took her in. He hadn't told her to leave, so she took heart in that. He was clearly … thinking, though. Dark eyes or not, she could see evidence of that in them.
"Can you cook?"
"Can I cook?" she asked, aghast. What kind of question was that? Was he not taking her seriously?
"Yes, if you are inviting yourself to stay in my home…"
"Well, I don't have to," she said quickly. She realized now, that was a bit presumptuous, but her thought process was to guarantee he knew it was his child. "But it would make sense for me to. And that way you will be assured that the child is, in fact, yours."
"Answer the question, Witch."
"Of course I can cook! What kind of question is that?"
"What's in it for me?"
"Again, Pansy Parkinson. Or Millicent Bulstrode might be available."
He grimaced. There was a look in his eyes that she wasn't sure how to read. Not coming from this man.
"As if any of them would come to me," he spat.
Ah. Now the look made some sense.
"If any of them run the numbers, they will. You are intelligent, strong, powerful, and your mother came from a reputable wizarding family. They would likely come to you, though, assuming no one else would dream of it. I, on the other hand, am here because I've chosen you."
His lips tightened. She took heart that he hadn't slammed the door in her face already.
"I don't mean that as a slight or insult, Sir. Just stating facts. You are not the most approachable person. Witches like Pansy and Millicent would likely presume no one else would dare to do so. You are my first choice. A logical choice."
He narrowed his eyes now, regarding her. He shook his head, which did not seem to be aimed at her. It made her wonder what was going through his mind.
"Allow me a night to think about it. Leave the decree information and, I presume anyway, the equations you ran, that I know you have in your bag, with me to review."
"Of course, Sir," she said, summoning the paperwork out of her bag and handing it to him. "I can come back tomorrow? The day after tomorrow?"
"You're in that big of a hurry?"
He said to give him a night. She was just going with what he said. But, yes, she didn't want anyone else to run the numbers and steal him away from her!
"Well, I'd rather get it over with, so that I can get on with my life and career."
"Understood. Two days should suffice, I think, Miss Granger."
"Thank you for considering, Sir. I know it sounds crazy…"
"No crazier than a man who was supposedly dead coming back to life because he'd created horcruxes."
"Well, no, put like that. I just. Kingsley's not happy about it, but it's one of those he has to give in on this to get other things."
"I see. I will review it and have an answer for you in two days then."
"Thank you."
//
He said yes. Obviously. And she barely ever cooked. She was fairly certain to this day it was a test question to see how incensed she got at him assuming she'd cook for him. They'd quietly gotten married, no binding ceremony or anything. Just a simple marriage. They hadn't counted on her getting pregnant with twins. So, when they discovered she was, they revised their agreement. One for each of them. They both got to be parents, even if before March neither of them wanted to be parents.
Easy as pie.
It had been the hardest thing she'd done in her life, letting Eden go. The agreement had been made before they'd been born. Before she felt them move. Before she held them. They were just faceless beings the size of peas at that point. The idea of splitting them up seemed so logical. Ideal for their situation. He got one, she got one. No child support. No entanglements.
His and hers babies.
And the wizarding world got two magical babies out of them. Intelligent ones at that. Mia was, so Hermione could only presume Eden was as well.
"So, are we going to walk around before we go up to our room?"
"I think so. Do you mind? I'm not ready to be just us yet."
"No problem."
She was so glad he agreed to stay the weekend with her. It was Thursday and Monday was an American holiday, so she was taking a few days before returning to her empty house. Her parents told her "her room" would be ready and waiting for her anytime she needed it.
She and Harry finished their drinks and went to walk around for a while. His hand was comfortable around hers. He escaped the reproduction decree. There was some doubt as to whether there might be residual magic from the horcrux he had carried in him until he was eighteen. That was the official stance anyway. Hermione suspected that it was an excuse so that Harry wouldn't have to contend with every witch of reproductive age, who wasn't Hermione, wanting to have his child.
She'd never know.
That "reason" though, made Harry wonder if there was something bad that he could pass on thanks to that horcrux. So, he'd been gun shy about getting married and having any children. It was kind of too bad. She thought Harry would make a very good father. He, like Viktor, had remained bachelors to this point.
Ron, as it turned out, made a good father. He was on child four, assuming the due date she'd heard of late-August held true. She'd been a bit preoccupied with getting Mia ready for school to touch base with him recently. She'd fix that next week and catch up. While Hermione was glad to see he took to being a father and husband, she did not regret that she wasn't the wife and mother in the equation.
As lonely as she sometimes felt, she didn't mind being a single mum. Her parents were nearby. She had a few friends, magical and muggle. She had a good, reputable business. Three actually. Life wasn't awful.
*****
Her father strode through the halls of the castle as if he belonged there. She always admired the way he took control of a situation. As a young girl, she hadn't completely understood it. She just knew that her father got what he wanted more often than not. She would watch in amazement as people stopped talking, or even moving, when he spoke. And did what he told them to do.
The few who hadn't over the years learned quickly that they were wrong and her dad was right. (He was always right.)
His steps were a touch shorter than he would prefer them to be, she knew, given her inability to keep up with his regular gait. She was never going to be as tall as he was. He'd told her for years that he couldn't wait for the day he could walk at his own pace again. When she was younger, she thought he was truly bothered by having to go slower. She knew now that he wasn't bothered. It was just how he talked, as if he wasn't accustomed to worrying about feelings. Eden was struggling to keep up as it was today. Part of that was gawking which, if he caught her doing, he'd likely look at her with a familiar scowl that let her know she was dawdling. Some were scared of that scowl. She wasn't. Anymore. Much. Sometimes he could be scary! Not that she had ever been afraid of him. She just didn't always understand him.
The headmaster was waiting for them.
Good.
She was afraid he wouldn't keep the appointment. It wasn't often her father was required to drop his name and war hero status. Eden knew he didn't like doing that. He'd told her many times that he didn't truly consider himself the hero he was made out to be. It - having to drop his name - was likely the reason for his bad mood today.
"Mister Snape," Headmaster McGillan said, offering him his hand. "It's just the two of you?"
"It's Master Snape, Headmaster. And I'm not sure who else you'd be expecting. A parade?"
Eden sighed softly.
He really was in a mood today. It was clear the headmaster assumed her mother might be here. Both parents being present at a child's first day of school when she wouldn't be going home tonight was normal. Even Eden knew that.
"Let's get on with this so my daughter is not any further behind than she already will be."
She sighed softly. Further behind. She'd only missed three days!
"Of course. Hello, Miss Eden," the headmaster said.
Her dad did not … like the informality, even if the Miss preceded his daughter's name. Eden kind of liked it, truthfully. They'd visited Britain a few times, and she found most of the magical people she'd met very … stuffy. Miss Eden was more … anonymous than Miss Snape. There were times she didn't like being Eden Joan Snape.
"Hello," she said, lifting her hand to rub her nose. It was a nervous habit she had that her father tried to break her of.
"Eden," he said simply and she dropped her hand.
"Well, follow me then," Headmaster McGillan said, and the two followed him into the entryway where her sorting would occur. The Horned Serpent, Wampus, and Thunderbird selected her, which gave her the opportunity to choose. That was sort of a relief. She was pretty sure her father would have been disappointed if she didn't have a choice.
She glanced from the floor, shifting her feet before she regarded her father and the headmaster.
"Horned Serpent," she said.
Her dad nodded. It was a good choice. Any of the houses would have been an acceptable home for her he'd told her when they looked through the information on the school she would last minute be attending.
"Mrs. Loftus will show you to your dorm then, Miss Eden, where you can get settled while I speak with your father."
"Thank you, Headmaster," she said, pushing some of her hair behind her ear. She pulled it back for the day, but it already managed to come out, as it usually did. Her father wasn't much help, as he had the opposite problem with his hair.
Her father stepped toward her then, before the woman she assumed was Mrs. Loftus could. He hugged her stiffly. He wasn't good at public displays of affection, so she was surprised he did this much. He kissed the top of her head.
"Do well, Eden. I am very proud of you."
"Thank you," she whispered.
She felt his cheek at the top of her head then. She took a deep breath. He smelled so familiar. His clothes were clean. He'd showered and shaved before coming here today. Still, though, there was a faint whiff of his work. It was always there, subtle. Father. She was certain no one else noticed. Because he didn't let anyone else get close enough to.
"I will miss you."
This was barely a whisper. So low, in fact, if she didn't know better, she'd think he said it in her mind, non-verbally. He taught her occlumency, but she wasn't doing that right now because she didn't think she'd need to. He taught her, worried someone would try to get information from her. It was weird to think thirteen years after the war, he still worried about things like that.
She realized, though, he had actually said it. That was not a normal thing for him to say at all. She looked up at him then. His dark eyes that looked black … looked concerned. A little sad. She didn't see those looks from him often.
"I will miss you, too," she said finally.
He kissed her forehead then.
"If you need anything…"
"I know. I'll write, but I'll be fine."
She stepped away from him then. She really would miss him. She'd never truly been away from him before now. It was sort of strange. She joined the woman the headmaster had mentioned then. She glanced over her shoulder and saw he was watching her closely. She gave him a wave before she fell into step with Mrs. Loftus who chatted with her politely about things they passed as they made their way to the Horned Serpent dormitory.
Everyone stopped what they were doing when they came into the common room.
"A last minute student," Mrs. Loftus explained. "Please make Miss Eden feel welcome."
Lots of hellos and welcomes. That was a relief. No questions on why she was just getting here. Also a relief.
"This is Andrea. She'll show you to your room."
"Thank you, Mrs. Loftus," she said, falling in step with Andrea.
"I was wondering why things were being brought into this room," the girl said. "Did you miss the train?"
Ah, there it was. The question she was hoping wouldn't come up. Of course it would. People were naturally curious.
"No," she said simply.
She didn't think it would make her very popular to say that her father tried like hell to get her accepted anywhere but here, but even the Snape name hadn't allowed that to happen. She knew a year or so ago that this was where she would be going, but he seemed to think because they lived in Canada she (he) might have a choice. She accepted it, and honestly, she did not want to go to Beauxbatons Academy of Magic. That was where her father wanted her to go. She had no idea why she wasn't at Hogwarts. She hadn't asked, because it was obvious it wasn't a choice. She assumed it was his past. So, she secretly breathed a sigh of relief when Beauxbatons hadn't happened.
"Okay. Well, this will be your room. You'll meet your roommates later, I'm sure."
"Thank you," she said, moving to the bed where her things were so that she could unpack. She'd been waiting for years for this. School. Magic. Learning to be a witch. She was going to be just as great as her father.
She knew it.
Story ©Susan Falk/APCKRFAN/PhantomRoses.com