Meeting Friends, Acquaintances, and Some People You Don't Know

A Knock At The Door Revisited by Pearle

Summary: Silenus Snape has grown into a lovely young witch, the apple of her parents' eye. She has met the wizard of her dreams. Hermione is thrilled with her daughter's engagement. So, why isn't Severus smiling?

A Knock At The Door Revisited takes place six years after the epilogue in the original story, A Knock at the Door. It is not necessary to read that story first, though it would give you the back-story and background on some of the characters here. A Knock At The Door Revisited can be read as a stand-alone.

Disclaimer: The characters, settings, etc. of the Harry Potter series are not mine; they belong to J.K. Rowling and Co. I promise to return them when I am through. Well, most of them anyway.

~~~~~~~~~ A Knock At The Door Revisited ~~~~~~~~~

Chapter 2 – Meeting Friends, Acquaintances, and Some People You Don't Know

"Gryffindor!" Jessie shrieked. "I'll bet the Professor wasn't too happy about that."

"All he kept saying was – 'Remember, your mother was a Gryffindor.' I know he was upset, but Nicky was standing there, so there really wasn't anything he could say. So what's going on with you and Marco? Why didn't he come in with you?" Silenus smiled at her friend's annoyed expression.

"How do you put up with her, Garrett? Honestly, Silenus, tired of your fiancé already? You have to go after my date?"

Garrett merely smiled and shrugged his shoulders. He had learned early on that the first hour or two after Silenus and Jessica visited was spent taking playful digs at each other while making up for lost time. The few times he had tried to be part of the conversation had earned him glares from the two witches and a cold shoulder from his fiancée for days. He would have stayed back at the castle, but the thought that he might accidentally run into Silenus's father quickly eliminated that idea.

Silenus scowled. "As if." Both girls broke out laughing, thinking back to the times in school when the male population of Hogwarts tried to date one or the other.

"You look an awful lot like the Professor when you scowl like that. Better be careful, Garrett, I see a detention in your future." Jessie did a fair impression of Trelawney, her voice taking on an odd wavering quality. She started to laugh until she looked at the young wizard.

Silenus noticed Garrett's pasty complexion. "Love, are you okay? You look like you're going to pass out."

"I'm fine, really. Why don't I take a walk while you two catch up? I think I could use some fresh air." Garrett had gone quite pale. He had taken on a sickly pallor, and he seemed to be breaking out in a cold sweat.

"My father, right?" Silenus stared at her fiancé. "You're worried now that he's going to be your father-in-law?"

Garrett seemed to be having trouble breathing. "He...he said he wanted to talk to me tonight. Alone."

"Don't worry, Silenus wouldn't let him do anything to you." Jessie patted his hand reassuringly. She leaned in toward him and, in a stage whisper, said, "It's really her mother you have to worry about."

Both girls started laughing again.

"Actually, my mother can be worse than my father. Her temper is just as legendary as his. He'll only use you for potions ingredients; Mom is much more creative with her hexes."

"Mum," Jessie said correcting her.

"It's Mom; I'm American, remember?"

"How can I forget? I spent seven years listening to that accent." Jessie laughed in the face of her friend's scowl.

Garrett stood up. "Right, I'll be back in a bit."

"Go. The fresh air might do you good. The others will be by in about a half hour. Just make sure you're back about then." Silenus smiled at the young wizard. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. I wouldn't let Dad do anything to you."

"Tsk, tsk. Trying to get him out of the way already. Why do you want to marry such an annoying witch, Garrett?" Jessie smirked at her friend's expression.

Garrett leaned over and kissed Silenus before beating a hasty retreat for the door. Truth was, Professor Snape scared the hell out of him. He had heard wild comments about the man after the fall of You-Know-Who. Bill Weasley confirmed quite a few of the rumours when Silenus signed on as his apprentice. Garrett had been determined to avoid the young witch at all costs.

The thought of entanglement with a woman whose father was an ex-Death Eater turned spy and a hero of the final battle, not to mention his reputation as a master of the Dark Arts, did not interest him in the least. Add in her mother, who was one of the most famous witches of the age: as part of the Golden Trio at Hogwarts, co-creator alongside the infamous Potions master of the potion that finally destroyed He-Who-Still-Must-Not-Be-Named, he still could not say the wizard's name, and even more famous for her disappearance, reported death, reappearance, and finally, subsequent marriage to the Professor. Not to mention Silenus' adopted 'uncles' - Misters Harry Potter and Ronald Weasley - who were wont to drop in unannounced to visit the girl and Bill Weasley, and it was enough to make any sane-minded wizard grab his wand and head for the hills.

So what happened? Silenus. Her smile, her laugh captivated him before he had a chance to raise his defences. He blinked and found himself head over heels in love with a brilliant, beautiful, and unusually talented witch, her family and friends not withstanding.

On parchment, Professor Severus Snape was an interesting contradiction. On the plus side, he was known throughout the Wizarding world for his role in bringing down He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named; a member of the Order of the Phoenix; recipient of an Order of Merlin, First Class; and considered the foremost authority on Dark Magic in the world. He was also considered one of the top Potions masters in Europe.

All well and good, except when balanced against those accomplishments was the fact he had been a practising Death Eater for twenty years, spy or no spy, that came before that little fact. They had studied Death Eater practice when he was in school. Even if he was spying for the good guys, he still had to take part in the rituals to keep up appearances. Garrett did not even want to know about his ability with the Dark Arts. The man's personality did not lend itself to making you feel welcome, either; he radiated power and danger without saying a word.

His future father-in-law. Right.

His parents were looking forward to meeting the Snapes. His mother thought the rumours were well exaggerated in the face of their fame. He didn't think the rumours could say enough about how dangerous the Professor really was.

A shudder ran through him as he thought of talking alone with the man later. Her mother had insisted he call her Hermione; the Professor just glared at him. It was fine for Silenus to reassure him that her father meant him no bodily harm, but how many wizards had an ex-Death Eater as a future father-in-law? 'You harm one hair on my daughter's head and I'll kill you' takes on a whole new meaning. It takes the comment out of the realm of an idle threat and moves it into the reality column.

He just prayed he left the man's study in one piece. Course, they couldn't have a wedding if there was no groom, and he really didn't think Silenus would let her father do anything to him. Still, he thought he should watch his step, just to be on the safe side.

"I might as well kill myself now and just save him the trouble," he thought. Garrett found himself standing in front of Zonko's Joke Shop. He hadn't been gone that long. The joke shop might be an amusing way to pass the time. Might as well go in and have a last laugh, while he still could.

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"Sounds great. We'll send the order out on Monday when we get back to the shop."

"We can owl it to Katrina when we reach Hogwarts, George. She can start filling it tonight."

The tall redheaded man turned abruptly and bumped directly into Garrett.

"I'm sorry. I didn't see you standing there." Fred grabbed Garrett's arm in an effort to keep the young man upright.

"Open your eyes, Fred. You okay, mate?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. It's all right." Garrett looked from one man to the other. Identical twins.

"Don't I know you?" asked Fred.

George peered into his face. "Do we know you?"

"George, you know who this is? This is Silenus's friend." Fred said as a broad smile lit his face.

"Actually, I'm her fiancé." Garrett had met the twins briefly during a visit to The Burrow with Silenus over Christmas.

"Sure, you're the bloke that worked with Bill in Egypt. I remember now." George was nodding at his brother.

"You're the reason we're here. Well, actually we're here because Hermione invited us. We just thought we could squeeze in a bit of business on the side. Come on, we'll walk back to the castle with you. How are Hermione and the twins? You meet Nicholas yet? Isn't Silenus with you?" Fred continued his running commentary as he walked toward the door; never noticing Garrett and George weren't with him.

"He'll realise you haven't answered in about ten minutes," George said with a laugh. "Are you on your way back to the castle?"

"No, I left Silenus talking to her friend Jessie in the Three Broomsticks. We're meeting up with a few of her friends in a bit."

George seemed to be appraising the young wizard. "I take it you don't really want to go back to the castle, anyway. Problems with the Professor?"

Garrett looked startled. "No. Why would you say that?"

"Eh, take it easy, mate. I had him when I was at Hogwarts. Believe it or not, he's much more mellow since he and Hermione married. Still, he is Silenus's father."

"Mellow?" Garrett found that hard to believe.

George patted his shoulder. "Don't worry. You'll be fine. You have Silenus on your side. I don't think the Professor has offed anyone since the war ended. I'd better find Fred. He must have realised he's been talking to himself, by now. See you later."

He turned to the man behind the counter. "I'll send your order on to Katrina, Ralph. And thank you for carrying Weasleys' Wizarding Wheezes. We really appreciate your business."

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Madam Rosmerta smiled. She could hear the two young women's high-pitched laughing, sounding for all the world like the traditional cackle Muggles associated with witches. The two had been inseparable during their years at Hogwarts and could often be found in the booth they now occupied, pouring over witches' magazines as they giggled their way through from cover to cover.

It was odd to think that this young woman, so vibrant, so full of life, was the eldest child of Professor Snape. She obviously took after her mother in terms of human interaction. It was well-known she had excelled in her studies and even developed a combination Charm and Potions spell to help dispel hexes when working on curses of unknown origin. It seemed all the Snape children mirrored their parents in terms of brains, though Nicholas appeared to be more of a handful then the rest. There were already stories of some of the troubles he had caused. He had been a frequent visitor to the Three Broomsticks during the summer with his mates, Lily Potter and Catherine Weasley, the flip side of his mother's friendship in school. A Snape and a Potter best friends. Well, it was a new era, for sure.

It always surprised her when Professor Snape and Hermione brought the twins in for a snack when chaperoning a Hogsmeade weekend. Quite a few times, Nicholas, Lily, and Catherine joined them.

Snape's reputation as the feared Potions master had not dimmed with the years. But she thought he showed an unusual amount of patience when dealing with his own brood. Normally, Hermione's warm laughter and the open giggles of the children could be heard throughout lunch. Rosmerta could swear she actually saw something approximating a smile on the dour man's face, once or twice, when she caught him gazing at his wife and family.

"Can I get you two another round? What happened to your young man?"

"Yes, please. Oh, Garrett. He took a walk. I think he's a little overwhelmed by my family. Dad in particular. You're coming Saturday night, aren't you?" Silenus had known Madam Rosmerta all her life. The witch seemed to be friends with everyone on-staff at the castle.

"Of course I'll be there. Don't worry about your young man. Once he gets used to the chaos, he'll be fine."

Jessie laughed. "You know, Hogwarts is a little odd, even by wizarding standards."

Silenus shrugged. "It's home. Do you remember the summers we spent at Snape Manor? God, what an awful place; no wonder my father preferred to live at Hogwarts. Mom keeps saying she's going to gut the house and start from scratch."

"When are Garrett's parents coming in?"

"Tomorrow night. We're supposed to meet them here in Hogsmeade at 6:00pm. Did I show you the dresses I was looking at for the bridesmaids? Yours will be different since you're standing for me." Silenus took a tiny magazine out of her side pocket and resized it. In deference to her mother, the ceremony would have a few 'Muggle' touches.

"Have you told the Anders about the changes, yet?" Garrett's parents were pureblood wizards.

"No, I thought I would wait until they met Mom and Dad. Give everyone a chance to get together before going over the details. There's still plenty of time. The wedding's not for a year, yet." Silenus thumbed through the magazine. "Here it is. What do you think?"

Rosmerta shook her head as she delivered the butterbeers. The more things change, the more they stayed the same.

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Severus watched Hermione from the doorway. She was sitting with her back against the sofa, endless stacks of parchment spread around her. She seemed to have changed little over the years. Her hair had streaks of gray, quite a bit more than his did, which seemed to annoy her to no end. She complained about her figure. Her hips were a bit wider, her body fuller, just the normal concession to age and having children. She found it hard to believe he found her more desirable now then he did the first time they made love all those years ago. Perhaps he cherished her more now because she came back to him. He could not imagine his life without her or his children.

Their thirteenth anniversary was coming up in a few weeks. He would have to think of somewhere special to take her. Unlike Muggle superstition, the number thirteen held magical properties for wizards. It would have to be somewhere unique.

"Are you planning on standing there and watching me all night? You could come over here and help."

Severus chuckled as sat on the sofa behind his wife. "And deprive you of the joy of doing... whatever it is you're doing? What are you doing?"

"Trying to figure out the guest list and a few arrangements for the wedding before the Anders get here. I thought we could discuss a few of the details if we're all together."

The movement of parchment from one position to another seemed to make no sense to Severus, but each pile obviously had a specific meaning to Hermione as she shuffled the papers back and forth.

"It's too quiet around here. Where is everyone?"

"Silenus and Garrett have gone into Hogsmeade to meet a few friends. George and Fred stopped by and invited Nicholas to an impromptu game of Quidditch on the pitch. I think Harry and Ron are with them. They stopped by a little while ago. Ginny went into Hogsmeade with Luna to look for baby clothes. I swear Luna and Ron are trying to outdo Molly and Arthur. This will be number five."

"And here I thought you wanted more children, too. What happened to your maternal instincts?"

Hermione closed her eyes and leaned back into his touch as he gently massaged her shoulders. "There's nothing wrong with my maternal instincts, thank you. Four children are enough for me."

"A wizard doesn't reach his prime 'til he nears the century mark. I still have quite a few years to go yet." Severus slowly stroked up and down the length of her arms. "Where did you say the twins were?"

"In their rooms, getting ready for bed. God, that feels good."

Severus caught her hand. "Come up here. I'm too old to join you on the floor."

Hermione laughed as she sat on his lap. "In your prime, huh?"

Whatever else she meant to say was lost as he pulled her in for a soulful kiss, his arms tightening possessively around her. Hermione wriggled in his lap, teasing his hardened member as the kiss turned passionate. They were both breathing hard by the time they broke apart.

Severus kissed along her jawline, all the while teasing her nipple through the fabric of her robe. "How long do you think we have before someone comes looking for us?"

Shivers ran down her spine as he nipped her earlobe. Her own arousal increased as he gently raked his fingers along the sensitive side of her breast.

"Severus." They felt the wards at the door of their chambers being lowered. As she moved next to him on the sofa, the twins called out from the corridor for a story. Hermione laughed uncontrollably. "And you think we should have another one?"

Severus glared at her. "We will continue this later." He stood to straighten his attire.

"Of course you're staying here. Where else would you stay?" Silenus's voice could be heard through the open doorway.

"Silenus, I don't want to put anyone out. I'm sure there's a guest room in the castle I can use."

"Yeah, there's one, right here. Mom, will you tell Jessie we have plenty of room."

Jessie nodded. "Hello, Professor. Mrs Snape."

Hermione smiled. "Jessie, come in. It's nice to see you again. Of course we have room for you. Come on, we'll get you settled in. Did you have a nice evening? Who did you meet?" The three witches took off down the corridor. The twins' shrieks could be heard as they greeted Jessie.

Garrett looked around uncomfortably. "I suppose I should see if they need any help."

"I'm sure my wife is quite capable of locating an empty bedroom in our home." Severus glared at the young wizard. This is the man his daughter wanted to marry? "If you'll come with me, I'd like to have a word with you in private."

Severus turned and strode forcefully toward his study, never doubting that Garrett would follow.

Garrett looked longingly down the corridor where his fiancée had disappeared. His feet felt as if they had lead weights attached to them as he stood in the doorway of the Professor's study. The room was gloomy, bathed in shadows. The darkened corners seemed to be alive and ready to swallow him whole.

The Potions master sat behind his massive desk. He gestured to a wooden chair in front of it. "Have a seat, Mr Anders."

Garrett walked through the doorway, conscious of the door closing on its own behind him.

TBC

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AN: While I know you'all are waiting for the next chapter of Dances (and it will be up soon-ish), here is the next installment of A Knock Revisited.

I do hope Garrett is still alive the next time we join them; I seem to have very little control over Severus. We'll just have to wait and see.

A grateful thank-you to my beta, Nakhash, for her corrections and suggestions. Another set of eyes is always helpful, the mistakes, however, are still mine

Please review and let me know what you think. I love hearing from you! As always, thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome.

Regards, Pearle