Chapter 31

The week passed, and more students applied for the contest and turned in their theories. One set of students planned to create a potion that would target certain areas of the body to take pain away during surgery. Others wanted to make a youth serum, and others wanted to relieve the symptoms of Parkinson's disease, which afflicted magical folk and Muggles alike. Other students were working to alleviate the effects of dementia.

Hermione and Severus were amazed with the variety of things their students had come up with. They knew some teams would never accomplish their goals because they were not knowledgeable enough about the subject and didn't have the physical technique needed to follow through with advanced Potion making. Yet there were several older teams they knew would give Albus and Scorpius a run for their money.

That weekend, they decided to visit the Weasleys. Hermione had sent an owl to Ginny with a note asking if they could come for a visit when Ron was not home. Ginny had replied that this weekend would be good, and she was excited about their visit. She and Harry lived in their own house down the lane from The Burrow.

They arrived at the Weasleys' gate about noon on Saturday. There were scads of young children running here and there across the fields near the house. Hermione knew that Molly had 17 grandkids, most of them below Hogwarts age. Surprisingly, Percy was the father of five of them. He'd turned into a rather wonderful father. He was now in office just below the minister. One day, he would take his place in the highest office of their government.

Hermione and Severus barely got close to the house when kids and dogs rushed them, jumping here and there. Hermione saw a few cats peeking from bushes around the house.

"Merlin, it's a regular zoo," Severus said dryly.

Hermione laughed at him. "That's what happens when you have a brood like the Weasleys." She bent to place kisses on top of heads, calling each child by name.

Ginny burst from the house and enveloped her in a big hug. "Hermione, it's so good to see you. Sir, you haven't changed," she said, nodding at Severus.

"Oh, he's changed. He just hasn't aged," Hermione informed her as she took her husband's hand.

Severus said, "Please, call me, Severus. We have no need for titles, and thanks to my stasis bubble, our ages aren't that different."

He noted that Ginny's middle had expanded a bit. She looked more like her mother now. She had her flaming red hair tied back, and she wore an apron that made her look matronly.

Ginny tucked a stray hair behind her ear. "Actually, Severus, you look younger," she said with a blush.

"Well, being a sleeping beauty has its advantages," he said with a drawl.

Ginny looked confused, and Hermione said, "That's a Muggle fairytale."

"Oh, well then, come in. Mum is waiting for you inside. Dad has been ill the last weeks, and she is making him stay in bed. Harry will be here as soon as he gets home from work."

She waved the kids away and gestured for them to go ahead of her.

Hermione took a deep breath and stepped into the house. Little had changed, and the house was still a hodgepodge of this and that. There was a jumble of mismatched furniture and odd magical gizmos. The only difference she could see was the enormous amount of toys that littered the floor.

Molly was sitting near the fireplace with her knitting needles working all by themselves in her lap. She was napping; her face was lined with age. It took Hermione by surprise. It hadn't been that long since she had seen her.

Severus frowned but didn't comment. After all it had been many years since he'd seen her.

Ginny smiled fondly at her. "The kids wear her out, but she wants them here as much as possible." She bent over and placed her hand on Molly's shoulder. "Mum, Hermione and Severus are here."

Molly woke and got to her feet. To Hermione, she seemed smaller than she used to be. Her back was a little stooped from years of hard work.

Molly greeted Hermione and gave her a hug. Then she turned to Severus and said, "You can't imagine how good it is to see you, Severus."

He held out his arms, and she went into them, hugging him to her. Her head rested against his chest for a few moments.

"It's good to see you too, Molly. You were always kind to this spy, and I am grateful."

Molly backed away but held his eyes. "Dumbledore had faith in you. It was all I needed to know. You can't forget, I saw a great deal of your suffering, too. No man would have gone through that unless he was devoted."

"How did you know which master I went through the hell for?" he asked.

"There was a time or two when you came back injured and delirious. I kept your secrets and never told a soul," she said. "Now, come, we will have some tea, and I've made scones. They're waiting under a warming charm."

Hermione knew Severus was touched. He had been dreading visiting the Weasleys. But now that they were at The Burrow, he relaxed and settled into a chair at the kitchen table and attacked the raspberry scones with relish.

Hermione was amazed at the changes in her husband each time she saw him interact with old friends. He'd kept so much of himself hidden all those years. It made her heart ache to know he'd been so closed off. He was just a wonderful, caring man.

Severus turned to look at her and saw the love in her eyes. He reached out and took her hand.

"It was a good idea to come here," he whispered as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"Thank me later, Severus," she said with a grin. "You may change your mind after the bonding plans are talked about over and over."

The door opened and in came Harry. He carried a two- or three-year-old boy in his arms. The child sported a furry head of flaming hair and had a sprinkling of freckles across his face. Harry spied Severus and smiled. He set the boy down and told him to find his grandmother.

Harry held out his hand and said, "It's good to see you, sir."

Severus eyed the younger man. He'd grown a bit taller, broader, and more mature. His hair was shorter. He looked happy. Severus took his hand and got a firm handshake.

"It's good to see you too, Mr. Potter," Severus said, and he realized he meant it.

Hadn't that been what his life had been about...to get Harry through the end and help him destroy Voldemort? Seeing him here...older, happy, a father to happy children...brought it all home. It had been worth it.

"Really, sir?" Harry asked, letting Severus' hand go.

He was studying the man's face as well. He looked healthier, happier, and younger than Harry remembered. He glanced at Hermione and saw her watching them with pride. He could see the love she had for Snape. It had taken him some time to come to terms with the idea. But now he realized his friend was happier than he'd ever seen her. She literally glowed.

"Really," Severus said, handing Harry off so that he could hug Hermione.

He watched the two friends hold on to each other a minute longer than necessary. He knew Hermione missed her friends.

Harry joined them at the table to have tea and scones. When the women started to talk bonding plans, Harry stood.

"Severus, would you like to take a walk?"

Severus stood and said, "Anything to get out of going through the bonding plans again."

He kissed the top of Hermione's head as she continued to chatter in excitement with her friends.

Harry gestured to the side door in the kitchen, and they ducked through the doorway and went out into the garden.

Harry and Severus walked down the road and walked through the fields as they talked.

"Sir, you do not know how relieved I was to hear that you survived and are back at Hogwarts."

He fidgeted, and Severus waited for him to speak. He stopped and faced Severus, looking into the taller man's eyes.

"I owe you an apology. Words cannot express how horrible I felt when I realized what you really were and how Dumbledore used you, as he did me. You have permission to look into my thoughts." His gaze never wavered.

Severus stared at Harry in astonishment. "You have become an honorable man, Harry. I may?" He reached for his wand.

"Of course, Severus," Harry said, tensing for the invasion.

Severus smiled and stowed his wand back in his robes.

"It's not necessary to invade your mind. I can take your word for it," Severus said, though he was curious.

"Please, sir. It would relieve my mind to have it once and for all done with. If my thoughts in those few years after the war will bring you some comfort and it all to a conclusion, then you have no idea how I want this. You shared private thoughts with me; it's my turn."

Severus placed a hand on Harry's shoulder and extended his wand. "Legilimens," he said softly.

He found himself cradled in Hermione's arms, but he was Harry. "Harry, Snape would have understood eventually. He played his role so well; he would have never held it against you that you thought him a traitor."

"You don't know that, Hermione. I hated that man my whole life, and he stood up for me and saved us on countless occasions. He took so much pain and grief on his shoulders, paving the way for me to receive all the glory if I was successful."

"If he were here, you'd make sure he was right there with you," she said, trying to calm him.

"Yes, I would have, but he will never know. He will never know how grateful I am that his loyalty and love of my mother helped save our world. My dad was horrible to him, and he still gave his life for me." The boy was sobbing.

She held him until he cried himself to sleep. Severus heard her say, "I always knew he was good. Why couldn't you have believed it?"

He was then in front of the wizarding council, sharing Snape's memories, getting him pardoned. He saw and felt the boy's determination to clear his name.

There were memories of him crying himself to sleep in Ginny's arms...intimate memories, but Harry still shared them with him. Finally at the birth of their first child, Harry began to heal and talk of Snape to his son, telling him what a hero he had been.

Severus stepped back, breaking the contact and looking at Harry with surprise. Somewhere along the line, after his death, Harry had come to love him, just as he had loved Sirius.

Severus pulled him into an embrace. "We all have our regrets about the war, Harry. I find myself reliving it because for me it was only months ago...not years. Let's make a pact to let the past go. We can be friends now, yes?" he asked.

Harry looked relieved and said, "Yes, Severus. I would like that. You're very different now."

"Hermione loves me, and it has made all the difference to my life," he admitted as they walked back toward the house.

"I think she had a crush on you seventh year," Harry told him. "She was always going on about you, defending you."

Severus laughed, startling the younger man. "Yes, she has shared her fantasies with me."

Harry blanched and turned red; he chose not to comment.

"I will take care of her with my life, Harry," Severus promised. "I would also ask you a favor..."

"Anything, sir," Harry promised.

"Please, get that git of a friend of yours to come talk to her. She was hurt by his attitude after the kidnapping," Severus snarled.

Harry nodded. "I gave him a piece of my mind, but he couldn't deal with the attack or you at the time. He has a lot of regrets where she is concerned. He lets his love of Quidditch drown out his pain."

"He needs to accept that Hermione loves him as a friend...always has, always will. They need to let go of the past and be friends again, as it was always meant to be between the three of you," Severus lamented.

Harry looked at him with admiration. "I will try, sir."

"Please do."

They had reached the door of the house. It was getting to be late afternoon. Some of the children had been sent home. There was a roar of voices in the living room when they entered the kitchen.

Hermione was waiting anxiously. She relaxed when she saw their smiles. One down, she thought. Now, if I can just get that git to talk to us...

Severus held out his arms, and she came to him. Her fingers touched his face with a soft caress. He kissed her tenderly.

"No worries, my love. Your Mr. Potter is quite the man now."

Hermione turned to search Harry's face and found he seemed quite relieved and happy himself. She reached out and drew him to her side.

"Now I have two of my three favorite guys together."

"I'll work on Ron," Harry promised her.

*****

Later, after sitting to watch the children play games, Severus went up to visit with Arthur.

He entered the semi-darkened room and found the man propped up on pillows in his bed. His face was pale, and his snow-white hair was now only a ring around the back of his head. He looked small and shrunken against the pillows. What has happened to these two vital people? He and Molly were pureblood wizards. They shouldn't be aging that quickly.

"Severus, come in, come in," Arthur said, holding out his hand.

Severus took his hand and found it dry and cool. Something isn't right.

"Arthur, forgive the bluntness, but have you seen a healer?"

Arthur shrugged. "I saw the medi-witch down the block. She's not sure what's wrong. Please, Severus, take the chair and pull it closer. My goodness, son, I was perplexed when I heard you were alive. Tell me about it." The man took a glass of water and drank it down.

Severus refilled the glass from a pitcher by the bed, pulled the chair closer, and spent some time telling Arthur about his resurrection.

"That's amazing," Arthur said, as he poured another glass of water and drank it down. "I'm always thirsty. I drink gallons every day, but I seldom have to get up."

"You drink that much and are still dehydrated?"

Severus had that itch at the back of his neck. He found he was becoming more alarmed. That was not physically possible unless there was a potion at work, perhaps held by a spell.

"When did this start?"

Arthur looked away as if in thought. "Well the thirst started after the war. Molly and I seem to be the only ones affected. The kids all seem fine. It's gotten worse the last two years. In the llast weeks I've had to stay in bed a lot; my body doesn't have much strength to hold itself up anymore."

"Merlin, man, you have to see a healer. Can't you see that?" Severus said alarmed. "You're pureblood wizards. You should not appear to be an 80-year-old Muggle."

"Eighty? If that's true, why wouldn't the kids say something?" He seemed alarmed finally.

"Sometimes when people see you every day, they don't notice. You are just Mum and Dad to them."

Severus said, "I will be back."

It is dark magic; I'm sure of it. The moment he'd stepped into the room, the hair on the back of his neck had stood up. What is wrong with this family? Couldn't they see the man was dying? Molly isn't far behind.

He came into the living room where Hermione, Ginny, and Harry were talking. Ginny and Harry both had babies in their laps.

Hermione saw the look of alarm on Severus' face and fear in his eyes.

"What's wrong, Severus?"

Ginny looked to the stairs. "What's happened to Dad?"

She started to run past Severus, but he grabbed her arm.

"He's the same, Ginny."

Molly had come from the kitchen when she'd heard the alarm in Ginny's voice.

"Is Arthur, okay?"

Severus held his hand up.

"You see him every day," Severus said. "You know he's ill, so you cannot see the changes I see. He's aged 30 years in 15. Harry, can't you see that he's been cursed? That is your job isn't it?"

Harry was taken aback. He nearly lashed out at Severus, but then he saw his concern.

"I didn't see it," Harry admitted.

"Harry, go to Hogwarts and bring Poppy here. Then go to St. Mungo's and see if you can get a healer to come...Miriam Strout, if she's still there. Ginny, please get your mum up to bed, and make sure she continues to drink as much fluid as she can."

The houseful of children was silent and stunned. The older ones took charge of the little ones as Harry dove into the Floo.

Severus wondered if there was time left to save Arthur and Molly. Hermione slipped her arms around him and gave him her love and strength.