Excellent work throughout!  What a bitter sweet day for Eydiss!  I once again have started my day in tears!

Thank you for a truly wonderful story - both parts.I must confess I was very saddened by Severus' early demise, but especially so being on Eydis' wedding day. The funeral (with the Slytherins), the inscription and the return of the crone were so poignant...beautiful.Once again thankyou.

Will she know love like that?  Can you give that away?  It's truly sad that Lucius never changed, and that he's corrupted Scorpius as well.  Narcissa is lucky to finally be rid of him.Hey, no tears!  I'd better call the doctor.

I'm glad that Eydis and James have "become an item" and apparently, Severus and Narcissa are comfortable with each other.  Narcissa is well rid of Lucius, but I can only worry about what will happen to Scorpius in the years to come.  Poor Draco and Astoria;  it must be terribly sad for Draco to not only have lost his only son to the influences of his father, but to have been disowned by him as well.  Thank goodness they have a darling daughter.Perhaps Severus and Narcissa will have a future together after all.  Severus will always love Cassandra, but that does not mean that he cannot come to love someone else... and it is time.  Eydis will soon be finished at Hogwarts, and she and James will likely marry, so it will not be good for Severus to be alone for the rest of his life.  He and Narcissa have known each other nearly all of their lives and get on very well.  Perhaps in a year or two, he will rethink what he told her when she asked asked him to make her feel desirable, ‘Yes, Narcissa. I desire you. And if you want me to I will take you, make you moan and scream my name. But I will not make love to you, Narcissa.’  Perhaps in the not too distant future he will find that he wants to make love to her.  Neither of them should be alone any longer.This chapter sets up a good background for a continuing story of these people you have so wonderfully written about... if you ever decide you want to tell us more...  I'll be sad to see this end, but I can't wait to see the final chapter to know what you have in mind for them.Beth

I'm a bit confused... are they friends? Friends w/ benefits? Something more? And I really hope Lucius isn't out there grooming Scorpius to be Voldy Jr! Have you thought of having Severus CIA James and Eyedia? LOL How I love that man but he's such a delight to torture!!

Ahh. Knew you would find someone for him! :)

I think these two would make an excellent couple.

Nawww. I still think, in another lifetime, these two would have made a sweet couple.

Good chapter -- good "talk".  This is the probably the first chapter of the last several that has not reduced me to tears.  Nice job dealing with Severus's grief!

Beautifully written story.  I loved the way that Severus cared for his child.  Not to sweet, but always listening and protective.  I had to read it all the way through in one sitting.

THE talk, the one every parent has with their children (hopefully).  It's very important, but often overlooked.I chuckled when Severus found the vial of Contraceptive Potion on his doorstep with Eydis' addendum:  "I know that, Daddy."If my counting is right, there is only one more chapter.  Is that right?Beth

I can understand why Severus had sex with Narcissa.  It had been a very long time, and Narcissa was almost demanding... how was he to just walk away from that?  I don't think it will happen again.  After all, he told her he would take her, but he would not make love to her.I was happy for him that Cassandra was able to let him know that he had done nothing for which he needed to be forgiven.All in all, a few very fundamental changes have occurred in Severus' life, and I wonder how it will go from here?Beth

I was absolutely blindsided by that, although I shouldn't have been.  Lucius Malfoy hated Severus so much that I should have considered the possibility, but I always thought that one day Severus would... but, no, how does a parent begin a conversation like that... I guess he would have waited until she asked about it... damn!I'm glad Eydis knows her father well enough to know he was telling her the truth.And will we get to see Lucius get his comeuppance?  I sincerely hope so.Beth

Severus is all or nothing!  I think he took the Professor, Deputy Headmaster, Sir thing a little too far, but by Christmas Day Eydis had had enough, and she let him know it in spades! 

I loved the ‘Merlin’s pants, it’s Christmas, Daddy! Broom ride, Hogsmeade, visit Mummy.’  She wants time with her father, and he definitely needs time with her.  Their talk at the Three Broomsticks was time well spent, and Eydis being able to be with her friends after her time with Daddy gave Severus some much needed time with Cassandra.Meeting the old crone was special;  perhaps she will be able to help Severus say goodbye to Cassandra.This was a very nice chapter.Beth

Very sensible advice, Ginny! :)

Ah ha!  Little Eydis was sorted into Slytherin, and this will be a very interesting seven years.  I had to chuckle when Severus admonished himself because his hands were sweaty.I'm looking forward to seeing how things go between father and child with her being in Slytherin House!Beth

Taking Eydis to Iceland for her birthday was such a wonderful thing to do for his child, and a very good thing for himself, too.  When he finally allowed himself to cry, I wanted to cry, too.  This was a turning point for him, I think.  Perhaps now he can began to come out of his grief a bit.  I don't think Cassandra would want him to grieve for the rest of his life.Great writing, as always.Beth

Oh morgaine, what a beautiful chapter.  I felt as though I were in the room with Eydis and Severus, reading Cassandra's words along with them.  I think her words were also meant to bring solace to Severus, as well.When Eydis told her father that she was sorry because she couldn't remember her mother I got tears in my eyes.  I thought to myself that Severus should put some of his memories of Cassandra in a Pensieve so the child could "see" her mother and "see" how very much she loved her and Severus.I love this story, and the way you tell it!Beth

These two are fifteen and their parents should act like parents and explain why it's not a good idea to go having sex when you're that age.  Yes, the kids have their agency and will make their own decisions, but I really have a hard time with the laisez faire approach to sexuality in todays world.  Parents are too afraid to be parents.  Jumps off soap box.  Otherwise... nice chapter.

Oh how beautifully you write!  You have truly captured the feelings a parent feels when a child has come very close to being badly hurt.  And the way Eydis hugged her father's neck brought tears to my eyes, again.Thank you for such a realistic and lovely chapter.Beth

I think Severus was exactly right to make Christmas a happy time for Eydis.  I would have done the same thing.I'm so grateful that he has such good friends who will be there for him and Eydis, and I believe he is grateful to have them, too.This is another well written chapter!  I take my hat off to you!Beth

I am speechless.  I didn't think it would be possible, but this chapter is more painful than the last.  This had to be hard to write, but you have done it so damned well!Beth

I'm sorry it has taken me a while to get back to this story, and I have just cried my eyes out.  The way you wrote of Severus' walling himself away from Cassandra's approaching death was done so well.  I hope you've never had to lose someone this way, but you nailed the emotions of the surviving spouse.You have handled a heartbreaking subject with the utmost care to depict the reality of losing someone close.  Very well done.  I hope Severus and Eydis are able to comfort each other... somehow I think the child will do better than her father.This was a beautiful chapter.Beth

Penny-royal is another herb that can interfere with pregnancy, if you wanted to know.The advice my mother gave me when we had that little talk was... "You are ready for sex when you can handle three things.  The first is be able to care for a baby, second be able to handle the possibility of sexually transmitted disease and thirdly be able to deal with the possibility of the guy zipping up and telling you 'thanks for the ride, babe'."  Hopefully I will be able to have a similar chat with my boys when they are older.  I already have opened lines of communication by explaining why the cat they found got spayed.

While I don't like the fact that Snape slept with Narcissa, I like it when she's written as a character, and not the vapid bubblehead that she was probably meant to be.Cassandra is smart, leaving something for Severus.  I know that it must be hard for those who lose someone they love deeply.  Human beings long for companionship, so I'm glad he ended up with someone.Looking forward to the next chapter.