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braveclementine · 4 months

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Chapter 17

Warnings: 18+ readers only, smut, sir kink

Copyright: I do not own any Wizarding World characters that J.K. Rowling wrote. I do however own Elizabeth Kane (main character) and Trang Nyguen (best friend). There should be no use of these two names without my permission. I also do not condone any copying of this.

I blinked my eyes open, seeing both Harry and Hermione leaning over me. "You alright?" Hermione asked fretfully.

"Ow, yeah." I mumbled, slowly pushing myself into a sitting position. "Where are we?"

"Safe place. C'mon, let's get into the tent." Harry said, helping me up. I gently placed a hand on my stomach, feeling little kicks. They were unhappy with me, but at least I knew they were both alive and well.

"So," Ron started immediately, showing that I had missed a bit of their conversation, "that Peverell bloke who's buried in Godric's Hollow, you don't know anything about him, then?"

"No, I looked him up after I saw the mark on his grave; if he'd been anyone famous or done anything important, I'm sure he'd be in one of our books. The only place I've managed to find the name 'Peverell' is Nature's Nobility: A Wizarding Genealogy. I borrowed it from Kreacher. It lists the pure-blood families that are now extinct in the male line. Apparently the Peverells were one of the earliest families to vanish."

"Extinct in the male line?" Ron asked.

"It means the name's died out. . . centuries ago, in the case of the Peverells. They could still have descendants, though, they'd just be called something different."

"Marvolo Gaunt!" Harry suddenly shouted.

"What?" I asked.

"Sorry?" Ron and Hermione asked together.

"Marvolo Gaunt! You-Know-Who's grandfather! In the pensieve! With Dumbledore! Marvolo Gaunt said he was descended from the Peverells!"

I had forgotten about that and was impressed that Harry had.

"The ring, the ring that became the Horcrux, Marvolo Gaunt said it had the Peverell coat of arms on it! I saw him waving it in the bloke from the Ministry's face, he nearly shoved it up his nose!"

"the Peverell coat of arms? Could you see what it looked like?" Hermione asked sharply.

"Not really. There was something fancy on there, as far as I could see; maybe a few scratches. I only ever saw it really close up after it had been cracked open."

"Blimey. . . you reckon it was this sign again? the sign of the Hallows?" Ron asked.

"Why not? Marvolo Gaunt was an ignorant old git who lived like a pig, all he cared about was his ancestry. If that ring had been passed down through generations, he might not have know what it really was. There were no books in that house, and trust me, he wasn't the type to read fairy tales to his kids. He'd have loved to think the scratches on the stone were a coat of arms, because as far as he was concerned, having pure blood made you practically royal."

"Yes. . . and that's all very interesting, but Harry, if you're thinking what I think you're think-"

"Well, why not? Why not? It was a stone wasn't it? What if it was the Resurrection stone?" Harry asked.

"Blimey- but would it still work if Dumbledore broke-" Ron gasped.

"Work? Work?" Hermiones' voice was going up in octaves, making little pricks against my brain and I closed my eyes, laying on the cot. "Ron, it never worked! There's no such thing as a Resurrection Stone! Harry, you're trying to fit everything into the Hallows story-"

"Fit everything in? Hermione, it fits of its own accord! I know the sign of the Deathly Hallows was on that stone! Gaunt said he was descended from the Peverell's!"

"A minute ago you told us you never saw the mark on the stone properly!"

"Where d'you reckon the ring is now? What did Dumbledore do with it after he broke it open?" Ron asked frantically.

Harry didn't answer however. He was looking off into the distance, a faint look of concentration on his face. His black hair had fallen into his green eyes, boring holes into the tent wall.

"Harry?" Hermione asked after a few seconds.

Suddenly, Harry let out a dramatic gasp. "Dumbledore had my Cloak the night my parents died!"

I felt that twinge of sadness, whenever he called our parents 'his' or 'my'. I knew it was not his fault, I knew it was what he believed. And I knew that was my fault, because I had made sure it was that way.

His voice was shaking as he continued, "My mum told Sirius that Dumbledore borrowed the cloak! This is why! He wanted to examine it, because he thought it was the third Hallow! Ignotus Peverell is buried in Godric's Hollow. . .He's my ancestor! I'm descended from the third brother! It all makes sense!"

"Harry." Hermione tried again.

"Read it," Harry pushed a piece of parchment in Hermiones' hand. "Read it! Dumbledore had the Cloak, Hermione! Why else would he want it? He didn't need a Cloak, he could perform a Disillusionment Charm so powerful that he made himself completely invisible without one!"

"That's true." I murmured, frowning a little. I hadn't even thought of that.

I heard something clink, rolling on the ground and then Harry shouted so loud I winced, "IT'S IN HERE! He left me the ring- it's in the snitch!"

"You- you reckon?" Ron asked.

Harry looked between me, Ron, and Hermione. Ron looked taken aback and Hermione was obviously unbelieving. I hoped I mostly just looked like I was in pain, fingers pressed against my head like that would get rid of the headache.

"That's what he's after." Harry whispered. "You-Know-Who's after the Elder Wand."

I sat up, motioning to Hermione that I wanted the letter. Hermione handed it over without a word.

I unfolded the letter, taking in a deep breath as I saw Lily Potters' handwriting.

Dear Padfoot, Thank you, thank you, for Harry's birthday present! It was his favorite by far. One year old and already zooming along on a toy broomstick, he looked so pleased with himself, I'm enclosing a picture so you can see. You know it only rises about two feet off the ground, but he nearly killed the cat and he smashed a horrible vase Petunia sent me for Christmas (no complaints there). Of course, James though it was so funny, says he's going to be a great Quidditch player, but we've had to pack away all the ornaments and make sure we don't take our eyes off him when he gets going. Lizzy just absolutely loves the Muggle dolls. I don't think she's stopped playing with them ever since she got them. She's so serious about making sure they're wearing appropriate attire before bed and she doesn't dress herself until they're dressed in day clothes. It's adorable. I would enclose a picture, but you know she's camera shy. We had a very quiet birthday tea, just us and old Bathilda, who has always been sweet to us, and who dotes on Harry and Lizzy. We were so sorry you couldn't come, but the Order's got to come first, and they're not old enough to know it's their birthday anyway! James is getting a bit frustrated shut up here, he tries not to show it but I can tell- also, Dumbledore's still got his Invisibility Cloak, so no chance of little excursions. If you could visit, it would cheer him up so much. Wormy was here last weekend, I though he seemed down, but that was probably the news about the McKinnons; I cried all evening when I heard. Bathilda drops in most days, she's a fascinating old thing with the most amazing stories about Dumbledore, I'm not sure he'd be pleased if he knew! I don't know how much to believe, actually, because it seems incredible that Dumbledore

The letter cut off, but I wasn't focused on that, especially since I knew how it finished. I had found the scrap of letter and half a picture in Severus' top drawer months ago. Despite me being camera shy, it was clear a picture had been snuck with me holding my mother's hand, a doll in my other hand. I knew it had originally connected to a photo of Harry riding along on a broom, our father diving after him, just a pair of legs.

The part I was focused on were the small tidbits about me. Muggle dolls. I had gotten muggle dolls and I liked to dress them, even at a year old. I knew which clothes should've gone on them and I dressed them like they were my children.

It took all of my willpower not to cry, especially knowing Hermione was looking at me, seeing as Harry was still lost in thought.

"I don't suppose you know what the last bit is supposed to say?" Hermione asked quietly.

"Oh." I looked up and said after a moment. "'because it seems incredible that Dumbledore could ever have been friends with Gellert Grindelwald. I think her mind's going, personally! Lots of love, Lily.'"

"You know," Hermione said quieter, "There's something that doesn't quite make sense."

"What?" I asked.

"Harry said he did have a sister, but that Barty Crouch Jr. said she died in April. But if she's celebrating her birthday in July. . . how could she have died in April?" Her eyes were holding mine and I just knew that she knew.

"Maybe she's still out there. Maybe she doesn't want people to know who she is." I answered. "Maybe she wants to reveal herself at the right time." I went silent and then said, "Or maybe she doesn't know who she is."

"This is it." Harry suddenly said, not having paid attention to a word we had said. Ron looked away from us slowly. Hermione and I stared at each other for a moment longer and I shook my head an inch. "This explains everything. The Deathly Hallows are real, and I've got one- maybe two- and You-Know-Who's chasing the third, but he doesn't realize. . . he just thinks it's a powerful wand-"

"Harry, I'm sorry, but I think you've got this wrong, all wrong."

"But don't you see? It all fits-"

"No, it doesn't. It doesn't, Harry, you're just getting carried away. Please, please just answer me this: If the Deathly Hallows really existed, and Dumbledore knew about them, knew that the person who possessed all three of them would be master of Death- Harry, why wouldn't he have told you? Why?"

"But you said it, Hermione! You've got to find out about them for yourself! It's a Quest!"

Hermione was going to hate herself for that one later probably. "But I only said that to try and persuade you to come to the Lovegoods'! I didn't really believe it!"

"Dumbledore usually let me find out stuff for myself. He let me try my strength, take risks. This feels like the kind of thing he'd do."

"Harry, this isn't a game, this isn't practice! This is the real thing, and Dumbledore left you very clear instructions: Find and destroy the Horcruxes! That symbol doesn't mean anything, forget the Deathly Hallows, we can't afford to get sidetracked- You don't believe in this, do you?"

I glanced up, finally handing the letter over to Harry.

"I dunno. . . I mean. . . bits of it sort of fit together," Ron said very awkwardly, looking like he wanted to placate both of them. "But when you look at the whole thing. . . I think we're supposed to get rid of Horcruxes, Harry. That's what Dumbledore told us to do. Maybe. . . maybe we should forget about this Hallows business."

"Thank you Ron, I'll take first watch." Hermione said, walking off.

Harry looked at me. "What about you?"

"I don't know Harry." I said softly, standing. "I know that's a rare answer from me but, I just don't know. I'd listen to Ron." I pulled him into a hug, letting out a sigh. "I'll see you later, I need to get back."

"Back to Snape?" Harry asked, a dangerous note in his voice.

"Back to my son." I said, my voice equally dangerous now. I squeezed his arm and stepped out of the tent without another word. I smiled at Hermione but made it clear I wasn't staying for a word, moving far away into the forest before closing my eyes and apparating.

I turned into my normal black cat form, padding through Hogsmeade before making my way up to the castle once more. Severus was laying on the bed with Remus, fast asleep until the door opened, his wand pointed at me until he saw who it was.

"You know you shouldn't relax so easily." I teased, taking my cloak off, laying it on the back of the chair, locking the door behind me. I sauntered over to the bed, climbing up awkwardly onto the piece of furniture, straddling Severus' lap. "What if I was a Death Eater."

"What if I was a Death Eater?" Severus asked lowly, nose skimming my neck.

"You are a Death Eater." I giggled, before pressing my lips to his. "I'm all yours sir. How do you want me to serve?" I was desperate to lose myself in him after the rough afternoon and the near miss with Hermione discovering I was his sister. Well, knowing, I suppose.

"Hmm, tempting." Severus rolled over, pinning me underneath him. "However, our son is in bed with us so I think we need to behave."

I kissed him again and then wiggled upwards. "That's not fun at all."

"You're a terrible influence." Severus groaned, before rolling out of bed to pick up Remus and lay him down in his crib, tapping it with his wand so that Remus could not hear certain noises that would be going on in the room. Severus crawled back up on the bed, hovering over me, before kissing down my neck. "Now then, I believe you said you were going to serve me?"

"Yes Sir." I replied coyly, letting my hands wander south on him, until they were undoing the buttons on his pants. He rolled off of me, landing on his back as I helped him lose his trousers and boxers. "You look delicious sir."

"You're such a tease." Severus moaned through gritted teeth as I licked up the underside of his shaft. His hand grabbed me by the hair, pulling me towards him. I went with it till I was straddling him, his cock rubbing against my folds.

Our breathing grew heavy as I sank down on him, riding him slowly, his hands moving to my hips, helping me ride him.

"Merlin, you feel amazing." Severus moaned out, fingers digging softly into my hips.

"My name is Elizabeth." I teased lightly, rolling so that we were both on our sides as we made love now. I captured his lips with mine, nipping at his bottom lip.

"My apologies." Severus teased and then gritted his teeth as he moaned lowly again. "Cum, Elizabeth."

It was instantaneous as I released, feeling him release inside of me at the same time. I sighed in content, relaxing into his arms.

We laid there for a moment before Severus slowly started to kiss my skin. Then he lightly murmured, "I'll go run the bath."

I hummed as he got up off the bed, watching him disappear butt naked into the bathroom, before he came back out to get me. I padded out to the bathroom, my legs shaking only a little bit and he helped me into the bath.

We took turns washing each other, soaking in the hot water until it cooled, before heading back out to bed. Severus climbed into bed, helping me up onto the raised furniture, before pulling me against him, cuddling me as the both of us drifted off to sleep.

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braveclementine · 4 months

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Chapter 12

Warnings: None. However, future chapters will contain sexual content so readers that are under the age of 18 may have to skip those chapters (Please keep note of the warnings).

"There is a door in a forest that was not always a forest.

"The door is no longer a door, not entirely. The structure that held it collapsed some time ago and the door fell along with it and now lies in the ground rather than standing upright.

"The wood that composed it has rotted. Its hinges have rusted. Someone took its doorknob away.

"The door remembers the time when it was complete. When there was a house with a roof and walls and other doors and people inside. There are leaves and birds and trees now but on people. Not for years and years.

"So the girl comes as a surprise.

"She is a small girl, too small to be wandering in the woods alone.

"But she is not lost.

"A girl lost in the woods is a different sort of creature than a girl who walks purposefully through the trees even though she does not know her way.

"This girl in the woods is not lost. She is exploring.

"This girl is not scared. She is not unnerved by the darkness of the clawing shadows cast by the trees in the late-afternoon sun. She is not bothered by the thorns and branches that tug at her clothes and scratch at her skin.

"She is young enough to carry fear with her without letting it into her heart. Without being scared. She wears her fear lightly, like a veil, aware that there are dangers but letting the crackling awareness hover around her. It does not sink in, it buzzes in excitement like a swarm of bees.

"The girl has been told many times not to wander too far into these woods. Warned not to play in them at all and she resents her explorations being dismissed as 'play'.

"Today she has gone so far into the woods that she wonders if she has started going out of them again toward the other side. She is not. . ."

I trailed off as Remus started to snore in my arms, the bedtime story putting him fast asleep. Severus hears the sound of my voice stopping and turns away from the desk where he is working.

I continue to cradle Remus as I walked over to Severus.

"What'cha doing?" I ask casually, sitting down on the corner of the desk, keeping my voice low as Remus sleeps soundly in my arms, his tiny lips parted in the smallest 'o' I've ever seen.

"The Dark Lord requests an audience with me." Severus said in a casual voice, but despite his tone, I still feel a cold shudder flow over me. "He has questions about you that he believes I can answer."

The unsettled feeling in my stomach increased even more.

"He suspects Godric's Hollow." I choked out, finding my hands were shaking. Severus gently took Remus from my hands, cradling him in one arm, before pulling me onto his lap with his other arm.

"Of course not." Severus said solidly. "Why should he?"

"Someone in the village must've seen that you were gone. He's put the times together, it's really that simple." I said, unable to swallow. It felt like there was dry cotton in my mouth.

"Elizabeth." Severus tilted my face so that I was forced to look into the soft onyx eyes. "I'm an expert liar when it comes to him. What do you think I've been doing my entire service under him? And there's nothing more important to me than you. You will always be safe where I'm concerned, I swear that."

I studied each of his words in measured concept before nodding. "Okay. I just. . . I'm worried I'll have screwed something up. My plan is only going to work if you stay alive till the exact moment you should die. Anything else. . . "

"I know." Severus took my hand, kissing the back of it. "Now come, we need to eat."

He gently put Remus back in his crib, tucking the blue blanket around our son. Dobby had set a tray to the side for us, containing chicken noodle soup for me, and a pork chop dinner for Severus.

"You know you should be eating your dinners in the Great Hall." I said, blowing on the soup gently to make sure I didn't burn my mouth. "Don't they find it suspicious that you're always up here in your office?"

"Actually, everyone finds it quite normal." Severus replied, clearly unconcerned about my questions. "I've always been rather remote and quiet. Besides, now that I'm headmaster, I'm not obligated to show up anywhere. Dumbledore. . . Dumbledore always did it because of his personality. If I did it, that would be the suspicious part."

Content with this answer and realizing the truth of it once he had explained it, I ate.

"Hey." Severus said softly, pausing as he went to eat his pork chop. "You don't have to worry so much about me, you know. There's no reason to believe that you're with me. I'm clearly a loyal Death Eater and would turn you in, in seconds. Besides, it helps that you were always with the Golden trio for every adventure. I believe that is the assumption the Death Eaters- and everyone else for that matter- believes."

I nodded. That was probably true. Voldemort himself had seen me down in the Chamber of Secrets with Harry. And Wormtail had probably mentioned it for my third year. Death Eaters had also seen me with Harry at the Battle in the Ministry and also last year when Dumbledore had died.

"You're right. I just. . . I don't know what I'm going to do if I lose you." I admitted quietly. "I've never exactly had great success with keeping people alive."

Severus was silent at that and I closed my eyes. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Hagrid? Is that you?" Severus joked dryly, before putting down his cutlery and pulling me into his arms. I gave a weak laugh. Severus sighed, kissing the side of my head. "Elizabeth. Listen. I'm prepared and that's all we can hope for. Your plan is good, the best one we have so far. But things can still happen. And I want you to know now, that if I do die, it's not your fault. You did your best. And. . . don't dwell over me, okay? Please? I want you to only be happy and I know it's not a reality but that's what I want to imagine. I want to imagine that you're able to move on eventually and quite frankly, Remus and these other babies will need a father. Or a father figure at the very least. We both know that."

I nodded, turning into him but said nothing.

"Good." Severus whispered, "Thank you."

"But you will live." I said strongly, unable to think of any other option.

"Of course." Severus agreed.

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I woke with a jolt, lying on the bed, wondering what exactly had woken me up. I laid there, trying to recall the last dregs of the dream. Severus deep slow breathing on the other side of me grounded me a little. I could feel the tips of his fingers on my hip, his warm body heat behind me.

Remus was very quiet and I slowly rose up on the bed to look over at him. He was sucking on his thumb- I really needed to get rid of that habit- and was holding his little panda. I smiled, sinking back down on the bed, running a hand over my stomach.

I turned into Severus, wondering if we would have a girl or a boy or one of each. I desperately wanted a girl, though I loved Remus. But I couldn't wait to dress her up in cute dresses and put tiny bows in her hair. And I knew Severus would spoil her silly.

I drifted away for a moment, wondering what she would look like, before an image of a small blond-haired child popped into my head. But why would she be blond? Severus and I were both dark-haire. . .

"No!" I gasped aloud, sitting up straight in horror. It jolted Severus out of his sleep and I could feel his fingers groping along as they tried to find me, his hand finally resting on my thigh.

"Elizabeth?" His deep, sleepy baritone voice triggered something wonderful in me, but I pushed it to the side in my overbearing horror.

It wouldn't be so bad if the children were Lucius'. Lucius was innocent in my eyes, even if he didn't think so himself. But if it was Greyback. . . or Nott. . . or any of the nameless Death Eaters that I didn't know. . .

What were the chances the babies were Severus'? He had been there first, but was that enough? The others had been there more. And it might not have taken hold the first time with Severus. . .

"Elizabeth talk to me." Severus' voice was more urgent, less sleepy. "What did you see?"

"I- nothing. It was a dream." I whispered. "But not a vision, cause it's. . . it's not. . ."

Severus tightened his grip on my arms, trying to get me to talk to him.

I shook my head, "It's stupid. It's ridiculous."

"Elizabeth." He said sternly, commanding me to talk.

I sighed deeply and said, "What if the babies aren't. . . aren't yours?"

Severus' hands let go of me and he became very quiet. I couldn't look at him, staring at the wall to the side of me instead. "What if they're Greybacks or- or Notts! Or-"

Severus pushed me down into the bed, cutting off my worrying with a desperate kiss. "Stop. They're mine. No matter what, they're mine."

"No matter. . . you don't care?" I asked incredulously.

Severus was quiet for a long time. He sighed, hovering above me. "These children are going to be born from you, Elizabeth. They're your children. Which means that no matter what, they're mine too."

"Even if they have blond hair?" I asked quietly.

"Even so." Severus answered softly. He paused and then said slowly, almost hesitantly. "If they're Lucius' kids. . . in looks you know. . . he's like a brother Elizabeth. And he was sick and I know that it wasn't him and you know that too. It won't be so bad. . . will it? Are you. . ."

I looked up at my husband, running my fingers over his face, feeling the curve of his nose. I felt a little calmer, hearing those words. It didn't matter to him, so long as they came from me. They were our kids.

"Okay." I whispered. "I just. . . I was afraid you wouldn't want them anymore."

"It's not their fault." Severus murmured softly. "It would be unreasonable."

I hugged him tightly, resting my chin on his shoulder. "I love you Severus."

"I love you Elizabeth." Severus whispered softly, kissing the side of my neck. "Now get some rest, okay? You three need it."

I smiled, curling into his side, loving the way his arms wrapped around me- around us protectively.

"Sweet dreams darling." Severus whispered softly in my ear, so that I drifted off to the sweetest voice.

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"Today she has gone so far into the woods that she wonders if she has started going out of them again toward the other side. She is not concerned about finding her way back. She remembers spaces, they stick in her mind even when they are expansive ones filled with trees and rocks. Once she closed her eyes and spun around to prove to herself that she could pick the right direction when she opened them again and she was only wrong by a little bit and a little bit wrong is mostly right.

"Today she finds rocks that might once have been a wall, clustered in a line. Those that are piled on each other do not reach very high, even in the highest places it would be easy to climb over them, but the grid picks a medium-high spot to tackle instead."

My voice shakes as I pace the room, holding Remus. I'm not even trying to put him to sleep, I'm really trying to distract myself. Severus is with the Dark Lord right now, has been for a few hours. I know that he will come back, but I can't help but feel an overwhelming sense of despair. A sickening feeling growing in my stomach that has nothing to do with my pregnancy.

"On the other side of the wall there are clinging vines that snake over the ground, making it difficult to walk so the girl explores closer to the wall instead. It is a more interesting spot than others she has found in the woods. Were the girl older she might recognize that there was once a structure here but she is not old enough to put the pieces of crumbling rock together in her mind and assemble them into a long-forgotten building. The hinge of the door stays buried beneath years of leaves near her left shoe. A candlestick hides between rocks and the shadows fall in such a way that even this intrepid explorer does not discover it.

"It is getting dark, though enough of the now golden sun remains to light her way home if she climbs back over the wall and retraces her steps, but she does not. She is distracted by something on the ground.

"Away from the wall there is another line of stones, set in an almost-circle. A most-of-an-oval shape. A fallen archway that might once have contained a door."

Remus fusses in my arms. He doesn't want to be in them, he wants to sit on the ground and play with the wooden blocks and the trains. He doesn't want to be up, he wants to be down. But I don't want to let go of him, he's the only thing grounding me and keeping me sane.

But he whimpers and I know he's on the verge of tears. I sigh, putting him down on the ground by the small trains and wooden blocks. Once he takes a small wooden train into his hand, his fussing stops and he smiles.

I sink to the ground, my back against the bed, wrapping my arms around myself. I don't want him to see me like this.

He hits his small fist against the floor, the train wheels rolling a little every time he does so. He's only six months old so he doesn't play with toys in the same way a toddler might. He mostly just bites them or throws them at his feet.

I smiled a little, laying down on my side, deciding that they best thing for me is to continue the story.

"The girl picks up a stick and uses it to dig around the leaves in the middle of the arch of stones. The leaves crumble and break and reveal something round and metal.

"She pushes more of the leaves out of the way with the stick and uncovers a curling ring about the size of her hand, which might have been brass but has tranished in mossy patterns of green and brown.

"One side is attached to another piece of metal that remains buried.

"The girl has only ever seen pictures of door knockers but she thinks this might be one even though most of the ones she has seen have lions biting the metal rings and this ring does not, unless the lion is hiding in the dirt.

"She has always wanted to use a door knocker to knock upon a door and this one is on the ground and not in a picture.

"This one she can reach.

"She wraps her fingers around it, not caring how dirty they become in the process, and lifts it up. It is heavy.

"She lets the knocker drop again. The result is a satisfying clang of metal on metal that echoes through the trees.

"The door is delighted to be knocked upon after so long.

"And the door- though it is mere pieces of what it once was- remembers where it used to lead. It remembers how to open.

"So now, when a small explorer knocks, the remains of this door to the Starless Sea let her in.

"The earth crumbles beneath her, pulling her into the ground feetfirst in a cascade of dirt and rocks and leaves."

I pause in the story now, watching and listening as Remus giggles, having knocked over the block tower with the wooden train that had once been in his hand. The story finishes silently in my head.

The girl is too surprised to scream.

She is not afraid. She does not understand what is happening so her fear only buzzes excitedly around her as she falls.

When she lands she is all curiosity and scraped elbows and dirt-covered eyelashes. The lion-less door knocker rests bent and broken by her side.

The door is destroyed in the fall, too damaged to remember what it once was.

A tangle of vines and dirt obscures any evidence of what has occurred.

A hand touches my shoulder. I jump, turning, going to block Remus from whoever is in the room with my body, vividly aware that my mother did the same with Harry.

It's just Severus, who looks upon me apologetically, his black travelers cloak still tightly fastened around his neck.

"Severus." I can barely breathe his name out as I fight to get air into my terrified lungs. "You gave me a heart attack."

"I'm sorry." Severus apologized sincerely, unfastening the cloak and tossing it onto the bed. "I knocked but. . . you didn't answer. And I grew particularly concerned when you didn't answer when I said your name. I half thought you'd fallen asleep."

"No, I'm sorry." I said, getting to my feet, wrapping my arms around him. "I was lost in thought."

I was struck by how easily I hadn't noticed his presence. How easily it could've been a Death Eater without me noticing.

"So um, how did it go with him?" I asked, settling onto the bed. Remus was crawling around now on the floor, heading toward his father. Severus smiled, bending down and scooping Remus into his arms.

"Hi Buddy." Severus said, tossing Remus into the air a bit, making the little boy giggle and squeal. I smiled a little more.

Severus settled him back on the floor on a pillow, before sitting down next to me. "Well, first he wanted to know if I knew anyone by the description of the man who was with you in Godric's Hollow. I answered everything rather honestly. Told him you were often admired and it could be a great many boys, Wizard or Muggle."

"Not very honest then." I teased, unbuttoning his shirt at the first button, leaning in to press a kiss to his collarbone. I had missed him desperately.

"Hmm." Severus replied, amused. "And then he wanted to know the probability of if you had broken apart from Potter and if perhaps your father knew where you were. Your father, of course, is hidden so they can't find him and I said as much. I also told him that I doubted your father knew anything of your whereabouts because you would have protected him to keep him from being a target."

Severus hesitated and said, "I wasn't quite sure how to answer the first one. I thought about saying it was unlikely that you had broken away from the others. But if they were ever caught, then I wanted you to have an alibi. So I simply said that you might be moving between Potter and also doing your own thing based on what you could see of the future."

"Ah, and lastly, he wanted to know why so many people seemed to know that Charity Burbage was dead." Severus grimaced, moving up and away from me at this. I knew that he blamed himself for letting her die, even though he always knew there was nothing that he could do. "I did have to tell him about the mural you'd done of the Professors and what happened when one died."

He sounded apologetic about this and I shook my head. "No, that's fine. The Carrows would probably suspect the same if they had any brains."

Severus snorted at that.

"So we're okay?" I asked tentatively, climbing into his lap so that I could wrap my legs around his waist. He placed his hands on my waist, rocking me a little with a devilish glint in his eyes.

"We're okay." He whispered before placing his lips against mine.

I smiled into the kiss and then pulled away softly and whispered, "Remus."

"Cockblocker." Severus muttered, before playfully dumping me onto the bed and standing up. I giggled, feeling more light-hearted than I had all day. He hung up his clothes and then the three of us settled on the floor and played for the rest of the day.

🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤🖤

HAPPY BIRTHDAY HAGRID! WE LOVE YOU SO VERY MUCH 🖤🖤🖤

⬅️➡️

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