Fourteen.
Chapter 14 of 15
SS LupinIt had started off as an ordinary night for the girl and him, until he received the news that threatened to erase ten years of quiet joy.
ReviewedDisclaimer: The following characters and places you recognize do not belong to me and are the property of JKR and her affiliates.
~*~
As soon as the Weasleys left, Marie and Julie marched off to their separate rooms without saying a single word to each other. Hermione had shown it to the girl during her visit, and in their absence, Weasley and Potter stuttered their sentences and eventually began holding a conversation on their own without Hermione acting as a mediator.
“All things considered, this wasn’t a total disaster,” she now said as she cleaned the sitting room, Snape arranging furniture close by.
“I agree,” Snape said, adjusting a seat cushion that one of the Weasley children had moved – and managed to stain. As he cast a Cleaning Charm on the spot, he still wondered how they had all been able to coexist for a few hours without chaos occurring.
Potter, who had been looking out into the fire that Weasley and his family had departed from, spoke. “He’s been married. He has a family.”
Hermione, who had been Vanishing the chairs she had conjured, faltered in her spell, making a chair disappear with a loud BANG and a puff of yellow smoke. “I was carrying Julie during the war, Harry.”
Potter sensed that Hermione’s temper was flaring, and he stared at his shoes. “I remember that, but… you two weren’t all that happy together… in that time.”
Snape brushed off nonexistent dust from the couch’s arm as he listened further to their conversation. So Potter did notice the obvious all those years ago.
Hermione Vanished the last chair with a sizzling crack this time, sending green sparks into the air. “It doesn’t matter. We were married–”
“Because he got you pregnant!”
“Like you and Ginny were any different.”
“At least we didn’t go and get rings and pretend like we were the happiest couple on earth.” Potter was standing now, his fist clenched at his sides.
There was silence. Hermione pocketed her wand and made her way toward the hall. “I have to go tuck Julie in.”
Once she left, Potter addressed Snape. “I really bollixed that up, didn’t I?”
“Quite.” A half smile crossed Snape’s face.
Potter scratched the back of his neck. “Marie should be asleep by now.”
“Come on, Potter. Surely you’re not that incapable of putting a blanket over the child.”
Instead of rising to Snape’s bait, Potter smiled. “If she hasn’t gone to bed by now, you could give her a Potions lecture. That would get her snoring fast enough.”
Snape nodded in Potter’s direction. He’s probably still giddy from seeing Weasley. “Best leave the job to Binns.”
Potter laughed a little, and the pair climbed the stairs for Marie’s room.
~*~
Snape closed the door to his bedroom, a sigh escaping his lips.
Marie had already been asleep, sprawled on her bed. He and Potter had sorted her out with the pillows and blanket before adjourning to their own beds for the night.
Snape couldn’t help but notice when, as Snape had ruffled Marie’s hair, Potter had followed suit, his hand trembling.
He shook his head and began to unfasten his robes. The best thing to do now would be to change into his nightshirt and get some sleep, even when he was feeling awake from his nap.
Snape had finished hanging up his robes in the closet and was searching for his nightshirt on the piles of unpacked things on his bed when he heard a knock on the door, a creak, and a gasp.
“Severus! I’m so sorry for intruding–”
Hermione stood in the doorway her face flushed and her hands clutching a newspaper.
Protestations of modesty danced about in his mind, but as Snape stood there in only his boxers, he decided that he didn’t care.
“Either say what you will or get out.” Snape faced the bed and still could not find a spare grey shirt.
Damn.
He began the process of putting away the things he had unpacked earlier, wondering if he had ever packed a nightshirt in the first place.
“It just that the Evening Prophet came in with a report about the fire.”
“Did they actually get the facts right?”
“They got most of it – including the fact that you and Marie lived there.”
Snape paled.
“Well,” Hermione added, “it was only speculation on the part of the reporter. They also have guesses on who the attackers were.”
“Reactionaries perhaps. Those who never stood with the Dark Lord but shared his pureblood madness.”
“Why the phoenix mark? Everyone knows about the Order now – and about Dumbledore.”
Snape rubbed his forehead. “I don’t know. Will you show me the paper, or will you just stand there and ogle my arse all evening?”
Hermione didn’t even have the grace to blush this time as she handed Snape the paper and left the room, calling out one last remark as she did so.
“I’ve seen better.”
~*~
Author's Note: This chapter was beta'd by the supercalifragilisticexpialidocious Southern_Witch_69.
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Latest 25 Reviews for Recovery
55 Reviews | 5.95/10 Average
I just discover this story and I like it very much! I can't help but see it has been a while since who write it... Hope inspiration strike one day, until then I will wait I guess!!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you! As of yet I haven't been able to continue, but I still have hope to finish, too.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you! As of yet I haven't been able to continue, but I still have hope to finish, too.
Glad to see the update. Looking forward to the next.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you very much! :-)
I loved the comment about Julie having a girl's name. LOL I've b een thinking that since I first saw it. Ahahaha
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I'm glad you did... I wanted him to have a 'distinguished' name, but to still keep the feel of him being a little boy. =]
The point is that I'm not getting this story. It seems like a slow, increasing agony for Severus. In the beginning, he had found a reluctant hapiness with a girl he 'almost' calls his own, then things become more complicated and he suffers. With each new introduced character (Harry, Julius, Ron, Millicent (oh, my!)), Snape's grip of his life is slipping ever so slightly more. He does not only have his new social interactions to deal with, he is threatened by some Dark organisation. What you set up in store for him is frankly astonishing. I sincerely hope you plan a happy ending, although I can't phanthom one just now.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yikes... I think the one word that hit me was slow - I hope it isn't getting boring... First off, I hate angst or anything that has a character anguishing in horrible circumstances. I'm just thinking of Snape adjusting to post-war life in the Wizarding world, after being for the most part isolated for so long. It can't possibly be perfect, so this story is working with a flawed world that Snape is trying to make his own. Although, yes, Millicent is on the random side. If you have any other questions, please let me know. :-)
Well it was worth the wait. Your writing of the everyday happenings in a very crowded house is sublime.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you very much! The next chapter is being written.
Haha and wow! The laugh is for the arse comment and the wow is for being able to spell supercalifragilisticexpialidocious!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Glad you liked the arse bit... silly humor has to enter my fics one way or another. ;-)And I take no credit for being able to spell it; I got up to 'fragilistic' when I gave up and looked it up online. Thanks for the review!
Fun chapter! This is quite an intriguing story. I'm looking forward to more.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yay! It was fun writing it. More is up soon; thanks for the review!
I'm really enjoying this, especially the getting along.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks so much - the relationship between Marie's fathers is an important part to this story, and I really want to 'get it right.'
My, my, Snape seems to be softening towards Harry - are you setting this up for some spectacular row or something? :D
I had been wondering how you would handle things once Harry was released, and must say I really like the way you have them interacting.
More, and soon please :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
lol, they aren't out of the woods yet - more rows are up ahead. :-) The next chapter is in the works. Thanks for reviewing!
hehehe. I'm with Severus! At least it wasn't the whole Weasley lot! Now, I wonder what's next?!
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I really couldn't write them all with poor Snape... that will have to come later. I think I will be going back to the attack on the house in the next chapter.
Snape a father figure? - the poor girl! Nice start though. I look forward to the rest of it.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
He's definitely not the best choice, but it was part of the challenge. Thanks for the review!
Hey there!
I found this story over Southern witch's fic rec, and I love it - I like your characterizations, like Severus and Maries interactions and am definitely looking forward to more! Oh, and I can SO see Hermione doing what she did - for one cause she's overjoyed about Harrys recovery and then to help Marie - even if living with Potter sucks for Severus, I think it's a real chance for Marie.
Thanks for sharing!
Fran
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I was recc'd! :-)Thank you so much for your review; the next chapter should be finished soon.
Poor Severus. I feel so bad for him, and I'm rather upset at Hermione. Nice of her to tell Severus Harry was staying there until after he'd already moved in. I'm not much of a Harry fan, and I can only imgaine how Severus must feel, to know he's going to have to live under the same roof of Harry - who he definitely isn't fond of.Again, poor Severus. I'm almost hoping he leaves...But either way, I simply can't wait to see what happens next. Please update again soon! :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I really am writing Hermione as a she-demon, and I hate that - but I can see her being so excited about Harry's waking up that she'd become a zealot in trying to reconcile everyone. Besides, there may have been some deception on her part, so that Snape could move there in the first place. :-)Thanks for your review; the next chapter is in the works.
Ah, what a twist. ~snicker~ Can't wait to see how things work out. :)
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I do love my plot twists... hopefully, the next chapter should be finished soon.
I love Snape's response to Rita's question about being back in the wizard world.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I love the snark, too - thanks for reviewing. =]
hahaha. the image of severus running in the grass in a grey nightshirt (my mind added grey socks and the dew) is priceless. HAhaha 
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
lol, I'm glad you liked that image; I wanted a slightly a humorous contrast to Snape's escape in HBP. Thanks for reviewing!
I have my suspicions about these people. I must say that I feel so badly for them to lose their home and all the special things (like him reflecting on the loss of her first little artwork and such...). That would be what I'd hate to lose, too.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I know... my mother still bemoans the fact that she had lost/threw away some of my childhood creations :) Thanks for reviewing!
I've just finished reading all six of the chapters that are currently posted. I've enjoyed it because it reminds me of one of my favorite episodes of Masterpiece Theater, Silas Marner with Ben Kingsley as Silas. I just checked it out on IMDb and found out it was first shown in 1985, it certainly doesn't seem like I first saw it over 20 years ago.I had found the novel extremely boring when we were required to read it in 10th grade, but now it has become a favorite. Severus is a perfect Silas, and Marie has him wrapped round her finger just as Eppie had Silas. I love what I've seen of the relationship the two of them have.I'm hoping desparately that you won't turn the story into an SS/HG pairing. Not only do I hate that pairing, but it doesn't go with the story the way you've written it or the way George Eliot/Mary Anne Evans wrote it. It's a love story about a man and a child, about how that child changed the fundamental character of that man with the truly paternal love he developed for her. That's exactly what you have Marie doing for Severus.
I will be waiting for your next update.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Wow. This review was so amazing, and I had to look up Silas Marner because of it (I'm familiar with the book but didn't know much about it). I really do not know if I will write any 'pairings' in this story - characters and plot changes as I go along WIP style, but I do know that the main focus of this fic is the development of Snape's love for Marie. Thanks again for reviewing. =]
It was nice to have some background. What will happen now?
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks, I thought I was boring everyone to death with flashbacks... chapter 7 is being written; thanks for reviewing!
Strange ending. Looking forward to the next chapter.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
I know... it was a bit abrupt, but it will be further detailed in the next chapter. Thanks for reviewing!
Psychological suspense is what you're giving us, and I like it. Marie is very perceptive, isn't she?
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Psychological suspense? (squees at such an elaborate term for my fic) Thanks for your review. Marie is quite a perceptive character, but I imagine she's been seing Snape and Hermione interact quite a bit in her lifetime. =]
Ah, Hermione always trying to serve justly, without taking into consideration the consequences thereof. Harry really didn't need that shock and Severus shouldn't feel as if he needs to be on the defensive to save his relationship with Marie. Good thing that Marie doesn't have any of the hang-ups her two fathers have. Looks like she will be the glue to cement the future.
I like this story so far, very original. Looking forward to more.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Yes. I'm afraid Hermione might be keeping up that in the future.Thanks very much for your review - the next chapter's in queue.
I'm looking forward to seeing how this story plays out, so far i'm quite enchanted.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Aw, thanks alot! And I know this is random, but I love your username. =]
Response from lupinschewtoy (Reviewer)
Thanks. Now I just have to become inspired enough to get past the starting stage of two stories so other people can see how cute my name is. lol. Your story is still quite wonderful and I am looking forward to more chapters.
I like this beginning. I'd really like to see where you're going with this.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thank you for reviewing! =]
Your description of Snape's flight with Marie had me as breathless as he was. Well done job! now, I wonder what that phoenix was for.
Response from SS Lupin (Author of Recovery)
Thanks alot! As for the phoenix... I'm not telling yet. ;)