XIX: Love and Friendship

Thanks go, as usual, to JKR, for creating the HP universe, my beta Apple Blossom and all you faithful readers.

Chapter XIX: Love and Friendship

'I've been wondering for years what your private home looks like,' Narcissa declared as she let her gaze wander through the kitchen in the little Hogsmeade cottage. 'I have to say that you have surprised me, Severus.'

'What did you expect, Aunt Narcissa? A bat cave?'

Severus gave his daughter a slightly disapproving look, but Narcissa smiled. 'The little one has certainly inherited your tongue, Severus. Say, Eydis, are you excited to start your last year at Hogwarts?'

Eydis shrugged. 'I guess. But it might prove to be a boring year.'

'Or maybe,' Severus interrupted, 'you will finally be able to fully concentrate on your studies, now that both Potter boys have left school.'

Eydis cocked an eyebrow at her father. 'Are you implying that you are unhappy with my grades, Professor Snape? Is an O in Potions and Charms not good enough? Would you like me to send an owl to the Minister of Education and ask if he could be so kind to adapt the grading system according to your wishes?'

The girl's voice was dripping with irony, and Severus couldn't help but smirk. They had had this discussion before.

'You are predestined to receive an O in Potions and Charms, Ms Snape,' he replied. 'Anything else would be a grave disappointment. But with both Potter boys gone, you might just be able to concentrate on those subjects for which you actually need to study.'

'You know, me not studying for History of Magic has nothing to do with James and Albus,' Eydis explained, now facing Narcissa, and her voice dropped to a whisper. 'It's just so unbelievably boring!'

Narcissa sniggered, and Severus was just about to tell his daughter that he had heard her when he was interrupted by an arriving owl.

'Talking of the devil,' he muttered as he inspected the roll of parchment the bird was carrying and handed it over to Eydis. 'From your beloved, I believe.'

Eydis blushed and snatched the parchment from her father's hand. In a matter of seconds, she had disappeared into her room.

'Beloved?' Narcissa enquired, an amused tone in her voice.

Severus sighed. 'Yes. It appears as if my daughter and James Sirius Potter are ... an item.'

Narcissa smiled kindly. 'Eydis and James Potter? Does that disturb you in any way, Severus?'

Severus frowned. 'Not as much as I expected it to, to be frank. Eydis had already threatened to marry the boy at the age of three. It almost seems as if Sibyll was right when she said that Eydis possessed the gift of the Inner Eye. And James Potter has – despite my initial doubts – turned out to be a fine young man. He is currently in Auror training.'

'Following in his father's footsteps then,' Narcissa concluded. 'How are you and Harry Potter getting along nowadays?'

A shadow fell on Severus' face, and Narcissa extended her hand to gingerly touch his arm. 'I'm sorry, Severus. I shouldn't have asked. It's just ... Harry Potter saved my son. He saved us all.'

'It is alright, Narcissa,' Severus started, awkwardly patting her hand which was still lying on his arm. 'Harry Potter and I have made peace many years ago. We will never be best friends, but for the sake of our children we have decided to let the past rest.'

The door to Eydis' room opened, and the girl re-entered the kitchen, her cheeks still slightly flushed.

'Daddy, James has got tickets for the Quidditch game in Edinburgh tonight. Please, can I go with him? Please?'

'We are having a guest, Eydis,' Severus started. 'It would be very rude ...'

'Severus, please,' Narcissa interrupted. 'Let the girl go. I am sure there will be other opportunities for us to spend time together.'

And Severus had no other choice than to give in. Two Black women looking at him with their blue eyes was not something he could resist.

Eydis hugged her mother's cousin and kissed her father on the cheek. 'And what will you two be doing?' she asked innocently.

'I was hoping your father would give me the full tour of Hogsmeade,' Narcissa replied, smiling tenderly at Severus. 'I am sure that a lot has changed since I last visited this little nest.'

~ ~ ~

'How have you been, Narcissa?' Severus asked, absentmindedly tracing the edge of his teacup with his index finger. The Three Broomsticks was all but deserted, and he and Narcissa were sitting at a quiet table by the window.

'I have ... been busy,' Narcissa started. 'Divorcing a Malfoy turned out to be hard work. But I managed.'

'I heard Lucius got to keep the Manor.'

'The Manor, the summer house in the Lake District, the cottage in Switzerland. Yes, he got to keep just about everything. But I don't care.' She looked up and smiled at Severus. 'Really, I am glad to be rid of everything, including his last name. And the fact that he hates to pay alimony makes spending his money even more fun.'

'You are well taken care of then?' Severus enquired. 'You are doing alright?'

Narcissa's smile broadened. 'Yes, Severus. I am doing more than alright. My divorce lawyer was the son of one of Lucius' old business partners. And you know how Lucius treats his partners. Believe me when I tell you that the bitterness of the father has rubbed off on the son. He made sure that I am very well taken care of. But as fun as it was to see Lucius cringe, it really doesn't matter. I don't need his money. And I finally learnt that I don't need silken gowns and gilded shoes to be happy.'

'Are you seeing anyone?' Severus was himself surprised at his question. Narcissa's love life was certainly none of his business.

'Me?' Narcissa laughed. 'Honestly, Severus, who would want a seventy-something-year-old witch who is recently divorced and a grandmother of two?'

'Of two?' Severus was slightly stunned.

'Yes, two. Didn't you know that Draco and Astoria had another child three years ago?'

No, he hadn't known. He hadn't spoken with Draco since Scorpius' last year at Hogwarts, not since Lucius had decided that he was the one responsible for the boy's education and had taken him out of school and transferred him to Durmstrang.

'She's an adorable little girl with blond hair and blue eyes,' Narcissa went on. 'And her name is Cissy.'

Severus barely heard her. His thoughts were on Scorpius. Could he – as the boy's Head of House – have prevented Lucius from sinking his fangs into the boy?

'How is Scorpius?' he finally asked.

Narcissa bit her lip, and for a moment, Severus regretted his question. He knew how hard it was on Narcissa that her grandson was under Lucius' influence.

'The boy broke any contact with his father the very day he came of age,' Narcissa started, fidgeting with her napkin. 'And as you know, Lucius took him to study at Durmstrang. And since he graduated, the two of them have been travelling the Wizarding world, doing things I'd rather not know of.' Her voice was bitter but turned into a feeble whisper when she started talking about her son. 'The boy did not even say goodbye to his father. Draco was devastated, still is. His only son, his first born ... He is blaming himself. He thinks that he should have stood up to Lucius much earlier, that he should have made sure Scorpius didn't listen to his grandfather ...'

She was clutching her napkin with an iron grip, and now Severus really regretted that he had asked. He had not meant to upset her. He could imagine how it felt to see one's child getting hurt in such a cruel way.

'I am sorry, Narcissa,' he said honestly, taking her shaking hand into his. 'It was tactless of me to ask.'

Narcissa squeezed his hand and looked up at him. 'You were Scorpius' Head of House, Severus. You took care of him for almost seven years. Of course you're concerned about him. You had every right to ask.'

Severus felt a stab of guilt. Concerned was not a word he would have used. He had never cared much for Scorpius, at least not since the boy had seen it fitting to tell Eydis about her father's past. But now he wondered if he could have hindered the boy from following in his grandfather's footsteps. He should have made sure that Lucius did not spread his poison among the Slytherins. Who knew how many more had managed to corrupt? Unfortunately, it was too late now.

'Draco must not blame himself,' he pointed out. 'And Scorpius had no choice either. Once Lucius sets himself a goal, nothing and nobody will stand in his way. He will get what he wants. And if he does not get it, he will take it. The moment he decided that Scorpius was his true heir, Draco had lost the battle.'

Narcissa nodded. 'Yes, you are right, of course. I imagine Lucius promised Scorpius riches and adventures the boy couldn't imagine even in his dizziest daydreams. Of course the boy went with him. Of course he let himself get charmed. No one can resist Lucius.'

No, no one could. Severus knew that from his own experience. He, too, had once been promised riches and glory by Lucius Malfoy. And he, too, had followed him without thinking too much about the consequences. He had ended up with the Dark Mark branded onto his left forearm. Hopefully, the boy would be spared from similar a destiny.

~ ~ ~

It was late afternoon when Severus and Narcissa returned to the cottage. They had spent the afternoon wandering around the village, talking, sharing memories. They had laughed, and they had been serious, and by the time they got back to the cottage, it felt to Severus as if Narcissa had been his best friend for many years.

Back in the kitchen, he put the kettle on and let himself fall onto the nearest chair. Being out in the fresh air all afternoon wasn't something he was used to, and it had made him tired.

'Are you feeling alright?'

Severus frowned. He had not been aware that he had closed his eyes. And as he looked at Narcissa now, he found her looking at him with a concerned look on her face.

'Are you, Severus?'

Her blue eyes locked onto Severus' beetle-black ones, and he couldn't help but smile.

Narcissa's eyes had truly changed over the years. There had been a time when they had been cold and filled with contempt. He had also seen them pleading and filled with tears. But today – for the first time that he could think of – he had seen a smile in those blue eyes. And they were beautiful. And Severus started to wonder whether those heavenly blue eyes were a Black family trait.

'If you don't give me an answer soon, I will Apparate to St. Mungo's with you.'

Narcissa looked truly concerned, and Severus shook his head. 'I am alright, Narcissa,' he assured her. 'The fresh air has made me tired. Those are the joys of getting older, I suspect.'

'Along with the wrinkles and the grey hair.' Narcissa gave him a tiny smile, but it faltered. 'Those things can easily be fixed with a simple spell. But I truly regret everything I have missed, all the years I have wasted in a loveless marriage ...'

She got up and walked towards the window. And Severus followed her gaze with his eyes, wondering what she saw when she looked at the old apple tree in the garden.

'Do you still miss her, Severus?' Narcissa suddenly asked. 'Do you still miss Cassandra?'

Severus left the kitchen table and joined Narcissa by the window. 'I swore that I would always love her, right there on that swing,' he replied, pointing towards the apple tree. 'Cassandra was the love of my life, Narcissa. I have missed her every day since she passed away. And I will miss her until the day I die.'

With a sigh, Narcissa let her head fall against his shoulder. And gingerly, Severus laid his arm around her.

'I envy you, Severus,' she said after a while. 'I wish I had known love like that.'