Chapter: 11, Happy Birthday, Severus Snape.

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The sudden return of Severus Snape was sensational news for the wizarding world. The Daily Prophet took it upon themselves to not let the public forget about it with their continual headlines and various editorials about anything and everything Severus Snape. He had declined every attempt at interview, so Rita Skeeter had no choice but to go by herself and let everyone know once again how creative she could become.

He had stopped caring about what people thought of him long ago, but the owls with love notes and poetry from the hero-worshiping attention-seekers bothered him. People not only wanted his autograph, but some very personally offensive demands were also made. He was extremely disgusted.

Severus had moved all his books from Spinner’s End to the back of the Hogwarts Library’s Restricted Section and charmed them to stay hidden before the war. It was time to get them back to his quarters, the Headmaster’s quarters. The new term had begun, and students had come back. He was to be released after his visit to St. Mungo’s. Hermione wanted him to be checked by other Healers for confirmation of his well-being before she released him. He had argued about the necessity of it, but she remained unmoved. He had accused her of her usual bossiness.

They had decided to keep their budding relationship secret until they themselves figured out if it really was going to work out or not. She thought it would be easier this way for the kids. Severus told her that children are generally smarter than their parents gave them credit for—they might surprise her.

She came with Neville Longbottom on her tail. The word “Headmaster” sounded peculiar on her lips. I couldn’t possibly ask her to address me informally in front of Longbottom and not breach the agreement of secrecy with her, but that doesn’t mean I have to like it. So he didn’t. He also didn’t like the professional manner in which she spoke to him. She sounded very aloof when she told him that something had come up to make her so busy that she could not go with him. Neville would accompany him instead. As she handed him a large shopping bag with Madame Malkin’s logo on it, she told him that when she had gone to get her son back from the Burrow, she had done some shopping for him. She’d had Potter measure his outfit when he was at the museum to bring Severus’ wand back, and she had pre-ordered some clothing accordingly. Things in the bag resembled his usual outfit. It also included toiletries and the softest, blue Turkish towels that he’d ever felt. He assumed she had a thing for towels.

They waited in her office for him to come out fully dressed. She’d let him know that even if St. Mungo’s cleared him and she had to release him from the hospital, he would stay under observation. Once again, Severus had argued she was just being too bossy; there was really no point of seeing another Healer. Thanking him very much, she’d told him she knew how to do her job.

Her mannerisms disturbed him. Why was she shutting herself off from him again? Would she do that often? How bumpy would this ride be? He vaguely remembered that she and Weasley used to argue more heatedly than any of his other students. Had anyone said anything? Had he done something? Was she remembering ‘him’ that much? Was she having second thoughts already? Was it her children who disliked him?

He would have gone mad with tension if the Healers hadn’t made him answer all those questions and if Neville Longbottom hadn’t continuously spoken about every plant and potion he’d come face to face with in his attempt to save him for all those years.

“Hello, Rose!” Rose looked behind her to find him following her from the DADA class. She narrowed her eyes. “What do you want, Malfoy? Why are you following me?”

“I’m not following you. I happened to have the same class that you do. The polite thing to do is to say “hi” when one sees a friend.”

“But I am not your friend, Mr. Politeness Incarnate.”

“You could be, if I let you help me with my Transfiguration homework.”

There’s that air of smugness again! Rose really couldn’t let it pass. “What did you just say?”

“Oh, come on, Weasley. You are so good, and I… umm, stink at it; you’ve got to help me.”

“No I don’t. You’re right… I’m good, but you just stink period.” She increased her pace.

He ran to catch up. “Please, can we be friends? We could study together. I’m really good at Divination.”

“No, you’re not; you just make stuff up for that class. I saw you doing homework for that in the common room. Besides, I don’t even have that class anymore.”

“Everybody does it.”

Rose rolled her eyes. “You are hopeless, you know. Come on, I’ll take pity on you. I’ll help you.”

“YES!” He ran after her.

The hospital visit was all right; he had nothing wrong with him. They came back around dinner time. Longbottom suggested they should get diner out of the way first.

He was not feeling particularly hungry after a whole day full of anxieties, but he’d promised to himself a few days ago to remain a changed man, a better man. As such, he thought he should not say no to this particular savior of his.

When the door to the Great Hall opened, Severus was in for the surprise of his life. The Great Hall was decorated with ‘Welcome back’ and ‘Happy birthday’ banners with his name on them. The students and faculty stood up, clapping and singing the birthday song. There was a giant cake in the middle of the room where Minerva stood with Mr. and Mrs. Potter. Hermione was walking towards him with a gorgeous smile on her face.

“Happy birthday, Severus.” She led him to his cake, which he cut in a daze. So that’s what “came up to make her too busy” to go with him. It was all an act. Neville Longbottom was a decoy. No wonder this lot did away with the Dark Lord.

Minerva let him know that Hermione was the organizer of the event, just in case he wanted to hex somebody. He didn’t know if he wanted to hex her or kiss her right then and there.

A first-year student from each house presented him with bouquets of flowers, each representing their house color. He particularly noticed the last one. She was the Slytherin girl with white roses in her hand.

“You are a Weasley.”

“Yes I am, Rosalind Lillian Weasley. Happy birthday, Headmaster Snape,” said the redhead.

“Thank you. I have seen you somewhere.”

“You might have seen her mum levitating herself in your class to answer your question at that age. She’s our Hermione’s little girl,” Harry answered before Rose could say anything.

“A Weasley! In my house!”

“One hundred and fifty-nine of them in other houses before her. I checked the record book after she was sorted,” Minerva told him before progressing towards Ginny.

“You must have got it from Ron. The way he played chess; I would say he had a Slytherin streak in him,” Harry said.

Severus stretched out his hand. “Well, Rosalind! I must say I could not have been any prouder. You’ve managed to accomplish the impossible!”

The girl went white as chalk with shock, not exactly the reaction he was expecting from one of his welcoming committee.

“M—my father said the same thing to me when he came back!” Rose whispered.

“Rosalind!” Hermione screeched behind her.

Severus’ eyebrow went flying to his hairline.

“Well, he did, Mum!” she pleaded.

“What do you mean by he came back?” she whispered to her daughter.

Severus gestured for Rose to not answer that and turned his attention to the crowd, thanking them for the most memorable birthday of his life. He told them that he was still recuperating, so he would be grateful if Hogwarts' Healer would graciously accompany him. He also wanted to have a chat with the Great Harry Potter. “Who wouldn’t?” he asked, making Harry quite uncomfortable. He also asked for the Slytherin Weasley to escort him.

He could be charming when necessary; he once was a Slytherin spy.

They entered an empty classroom. Severus warded it from prying eyes and ears. Then he sat down on the only chair, Harry perched on top of a desk with Rose standing by him and Hermione pacing back and forth.

“Stop, Herms.” Harry then turned to his niece and asked, “What’s going on, Rosie?”

Hermione said, “I am sorry, Severus, all I wanted for you was to have a good birthday…”

Before Severus could say a word, Rose decided to answer Harry’s question.

“I’m not lying, Uncle Harry. Dad did come back. You see, I had this stone…” She took it out of her pocket and offered it for her uncle to see, saying, “Your stone.”

“The Peverall stone!” Harry said.

“The Gaunt stone!” Severus rose from his chair to look at it better.

“The Resurrection Stone!” Hermione stopped pacing.

Harry took it from her hand, saying, “I thought I’d lost it… let it go. It came back!” Before he could stop himself, he tossed it thrice, and the spirits of James and Lily Potter came out of nowhere, along with that of Ronald Weasley. They were made of memories, more substantial than ghosts, less than the living.

“Hello, Mum, Dad, Ron!” said Harry.

“Lily!” Severus couldn’t believe his eyes. Faint movements made him tear his eyes from her to find Hermione swaying on her feet. He leapt to prevent her unconscious body from hitting to the stone floor.

Rose screamed, “Mummy!” and ran towards her mum. “Mummy! Mummy! You’re not dead! Please tell me you’re not dead!” She looked for answers in Severus’ face. “Why isn’t she opening her eyes?”