A Knock at the Door

A Knock at the Door by Pearle

Summary: The war is over and Hogwarts is about to start a new school year. A knock at the door of Severus Snape\'ficefice is about to change his life and the lives of those around him. HG/SS


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 ~~~~~~

13. Wands of Fire or A Fight To the Death, Than\'an\'t Be Right

\"I have just a few more announcements before we conclude the staff meeting. The students will be leaving on Friday December 20th for the Christmas holidays, therefore the anniversary celebration of Voldemort’s defeat will be held on Sunday December 22nd. This should give everyone time to travel to Hogwarts and settle in on Friday and Saturday before the celebration Sunday evening. I will arrange to have the invitations sent out this week to those wishing to attend. Minerva, could you please check with the students and see who will be staying over at the castle during the holidays?\" Minerva nodded her head and jotted a note down on the parchment in front of her. \"And for all those interested, Mister Potter and Miss Weasley have chosen to be married here at Hogwarts during the Easter break. The staff is invited but I\'m sure we will all be receiving individual invitations by owl sometime soon. I believe there are no further announcements. If no one has any questions or comments, then shall we adjourn for breakfast?\"

The staff meetings were held in the staff room before breakfast on a sporadic basis. The Professors and other staff witches and wizards were talking among themselves and leaving the room in groups of twos and threes. Hermione was sitting on the side with Harry and Sheila. \"Did you get Ginny\'s owl this morning?\" Harry asked.

\"Yeah. She wants me to come in this weekend so an gan go shopping for wedding robes. And something about a friend of hers?\" Hermione was off this weekend. Poppy traded night shifts with her every other weekend. All she really just wanted was some down time. She really wasn\'t looking forward to another blind date.

\"Harry is setting you up with someone? I think that\'s cute.\" Sheila was hanging on their every word. \"Umm, can I ask you something?\"

Hermione resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the woman. \"Yes. What is it?\"

\"Well, I know you and Severus have a daughter. I\'ve met Silenus, but you two just don\'t seem like your umm.\" Sheila wasn\'t sure how to tell Hermione what she wanted without her getting mad.

\"Severus and I aren\'t what?\" Gods, how does this woman even look up a book? She can barely form a coherent thought. Harry was quite amused listening to the whole exchange.

\"Well if you\'re seeing other people then Severus is seeing other people. Right? I mean if I asked him out for a drink it would be okay, right?\"

Harry burst out laughing causing several people to turn around and look at him. There were still quite a few people in the staff room. Breakfast didn\'t start for another ten minutes.

The woman can barely string two words together and she wants to ask Severus out? \"Sheila, you want to ask Severus out?\"

\"Yeah well it\'s not like you two are going out or anything.\"

Harry could barely speak he was laughing so hard. \"You want to ask the old bat out? Good lord I don\'t believe it.\"

\"Wely noy not? He\'s kind of dark and mysterious you know? Like the heroes those Muggle sisters write about. Charlene or Emily Brutt somebody.\"

It shocked Hermione that the woman had read a Muggle book. Actually she was shocked Sheila had read a book at all. Hermione wasn\'t sure how she even got the job in the library. She was not the sharpest quill in the pack. \"Charlotte and Emily Bronte.\"

\"Right. They wrote about this tall, dark, tortured soul on a cliff or somethiVeryVery mysterious and very romantic.\" Sheila sound wistful, she also sounded like she was reading from a book jacket.

Harry stared at her in disbelief. \"Snape romantic?\"

Hermione glared at Harry before turning back to Sheila. \"You mean Heathcliff in Wuthering Heights. It\'s written by Emily Bronte.\"

\"Right. So do you mind or what? I mean I don\'t have to ask you but I figured since you two shardaugdaughter...well.\" Sheila let the sentence trail off as she shrugged her shoulders.

\"Well it\'s not as if I own him so...whatever.\" Hermione was at a loss for words. She just never thought about Severus dating anyone. This woman wouldn\'t last two seconds under his glare or sharp tongue, but what if other witches felt the same way?

\"Great. Thanks.\" Sheila waved goodbye to Hermione as she hurried to catch up with one of the other Professors.

Harry was watching Hermione. \"Hermione are you okay? You look like you had the wind knocked out of you. You don\'t still care for the old bat, do you?\" Harry was never sure what type of relationship they had had before. They had sort of mutually agreed not to discuss it. Of course there was Silenus, so there must have been something.

\"I just never think of Severus that way.\"

\"What went on when you were together? You know we\'ve never discussed it.\" Harry was still watching her eyes.

\"And we\'re still not going to. Ready for breakfast? What is this anniversary party like anyway?\" Hermione was standing, waiting for Harry.

Damn, the anniversary party. He forgot. \"Albus invites the Order, the Ministry, it seems half the wizarding world shows up. There\'s one thing though.\" They were walking down corridor towards the Great Hall.

\"What?\" Hermione was getting annoyed. Today was turning out to be absolutely impossible.

Harry\'s voice was quiet, as he said, \"Ron will be there.\" Hermione and Ron had had jor jor falling out the summer they graduated. Ron detested Snape and took every opportunity to tell Hermione about it. Snape and Ron worked together through the Order of the Phoenix but found even the smallest amount of interaction difficult to handle. It finally came to a head one night at 12 Grimmauld Place in a screaming match between Ron and Hermione. Evidently Hermione had been seeing Snape for a few months at that point. Ron had a few choice words on what he thought of Hermione sleepiith ith Snape. He\'d even had the audacity to call her some rather rude and insulting names. Hermione hexed him and left. They refused to speak to one another again. Ron would not tell Harry what the result of the hex was. It must have worn off because eventually Ron stopped wincing every time he sat down. A few weeks later Hermione was gone. Ron even went so far as to say Snape had killed her, but Albus silenced him. Harry never liked Snape, but even he could tell the man was worried about Hermione\'s disappearance. He had been in the room when Snape was arguing with Albus over the fact that ne sne seemed to be looking for Hermione. Albus had told the order that Miss Granger was forced to leave for her own safety and that they should not look for her. Harry knew it was Albus that engineered his accidental meeting with Hermione a few years ago. Harry never would have been in America if it hat bet been for Albus.

Hermione stopped walking. \"Ron.\"

Harry nodded. \"Ron and his wife attend the celebration every year. He was a part of the order that brought Voldemort down.\"

\"Harry it\'s been twelve years. We didn\'t exactly part on good terms.\" Hermione had started to walk again. She was wringing her hands in agitation.

\"Actually Hermione, I\'m sure he already knows your back. Remember the Quibbler article?\" Hermione nodded her head. That was the article claiming she was a ghost. \"He married Luna.\"

Hermione started laughing. \"Loony Luna? You\'ve got to be kidding.\"

Harry grin was infectious. \"No, I\'m serious. She\'s still as odd as ever. It\'s kind of weird that they sort of fit together.\" He was shaking his head thinking about the two. Harry saw Ron every now and then. Ginny and Luna were never fast friends, but every so often the two couples would meet for dinner. \"Look, if you can face thd bad bat after twelve years you can face him. It had to be harder to see Snape with a daughter he didn\'t even know he had than it will be to see Ron. You\'ll be fine. And if you\'re not, Gin and I will be there to scrape you off the floor.\"

Hermione hit him on the shoulder in a gesture reminiscent of their school days. \"Thanks a lot.\"

\"You\'re welcome.\"

\"Perhaps you could attempt to inflict more damage the next time you take Potter to task?\" Severus had appeared behind them and stepped swiftly around the two on his way to the head table.


XXXXXXXXXXXX

He couldn\'t believe the little chit had asked him out for a drink in front of Potter no less. He would never hear the end of it. He wondered who else had heard. Sheila had cornered Severus right after dinner before he had a chance to escape to his dungeons. She had asked him if he wanted to go out for a drink Friday night. The little twit didn\'t appear to have a brain in her head. He wouldn\'t even think of giving her the time of day let alone go for a drink. Severus groaned to himself. He had been in highand and by young and old witches alike after he was awarded the Order of Merlin and the ensuing publicity that followed. It didn\'t take long for his fans to figure out he was not the romantic hero of their dreams. He was left in relative peace and quiet after that.

It was late Wednesday night when Severus left his office intent on catching up on some of his research. He had a few potions that he needed to brew and should probably start on another batch of Wolfsbane. Hermione was in the lab with Silenus brewing more Pepperup Potion. \"Mom, do I chop or slice the root?\"

Severus heard his daughter\'s voice as he opened the door to his lab. \"Ladies.\" They had not really spoken since the argument in the garden the week before but Severus was determined to stay on neutral ground with Hermione. Normally he would have verbally lashed out at her, but now he had his daughter to consider. No, he mentally amended, their daughter. He moved to his workbench and started to review his notes as he setup.

\"Severus.\" Hermione said acknowledging his presence. She was relieved Severus had not started another war. She had been a bit worried over the reception she might receive when she decided to work in the lab tonight. Maybe they could finally find a neutral ground to stand on.

\"Hi dad.\" Hermione raised yebryebrow at how casual her daughter sounded. Silenus turned to her mother. \"So do I chop or slice?\"

\"Slice. Thin even slices.\" Silenus had told her mother she had finally asked Severus if she could call him dad. They seemed to be getting along well over the last few months. Hermione tried to stop the anger and guilt she felt at their relationship. She thought she should be happy Silenus was getting to know her father. It seems things were never easy. \'At least I get to see her every day.\' Hermione thought to herself. Hogwarts was a boarding school. Most of the parents did not see their children during the school year with the exception of Christmas and Easter break. Occasionally a parent would attend the Quidditch games, but not that often.

\"Since you\'re both here, I have a question to ask you two.\" Silenus\' voice was hesitant.

Dear Merlin. What was she going to ask now? The girl seemed to come up with the most difficult questions. He thought Albus was bad but Silenus was even more direct. He hoped it was nothing personal. There were limits to what he wanted to know about tee gie girls. That\'s what she had Hermione for. \"What is it Silenus?\"

Great, just what I need. Another hoop to jump thought Hermione. \"What honey?\"

Both her parents were looking at her, waiting for her question. Her father looked a bit paler then usual if that was possible and her mother looked somewhat anxious. \"Jessie has invited Benita, Kelly, and me to stay over for a few days during the Christmas holiday. Will it be okay?\" She was looking from her mother to her father and back again.

\"That is the question? To visit over the Christmas holidays?\" That was all she wanted? She had sounded so serious. He would never understand teenage girls. Then again, most men did not understand women so why should teenage girls be any different. They\'re just younger women. He looked at Hermione. \"Hermione?\"

Hermione. He was throwing the ball to her. \"When would you go?\"

\"Well she said something about late Christmas Day and celebrating Boxing Day together. Can I go?\" Silenus looked for one to the other again.

Hermione caught Severus\'s eye with a questioning look. He barely shrugged his shoulders as he gave a small nod. She nodded and said, \"I don\'t see why you can\'t go. I\'ll need to speak with Jessica\'s parents about the arrangements.\"

\"Thank you!\" Silenus hugged her mother and then came around the workbench to hug her father.

Silenus returned to her work as she asked, \"I know we\'re not in Indiana any more, but I guess no one here celebrates Thanksgiving, do they?\"

\"Oh Silenus, I forgot about that. It\'s tomorrow isn\'t it?\" It didn\'t occur to Hermione that they would not be celebrating the American holiday.

\"Is that the holiday that celebrates the colonists leaving England and meeting the Native Americans or is it the holiday that celebrates the colonies defeating the British?\" Severus asked with a wry grin.\"Ok\"Okay so maybe I can understand why it\'s not celebrated here.\" Silenus shrugged her shoulders and continued to chop the potion ingredients.

\"Silenus, would you like me to make a traditional Thanksgiving dinner in my quarters? You could invite your friends?\" Hermione hadn\'t cooked a full meal in a while but she was sure she could rise to the task.

\"No, thanks anyway mom. I\'m not all that into turkey. I\'d rather eat in the Great Hall.\"

Severus had been quiet throughout the exchange. \"Silenus, Maceo will be sending new information over the weekend, would you be able to come in Sunday night and help me reorganize my notes?\"

\"Sure. Sunday evening won\'t be a problem. Just let me know what time.\"

\"You know, there is going to be a celebration here at the start of Christmas break. Do you think your friends would like to stay with you in my quarters and attend the party?\" Hermione thought her daughter might enjoy the celebration. \"Uncle Harry will be there with Ginny.\"

\"Will she be Aunt Ginny after they\'re married?\" Silenus knew Harry wasn\'t really her uncle, but he and her mother were really close. Like brother and sister. Since they were both only children they sort of adopted each other.

\"I don\'t know. We will have to see. It\'s almost time for curfew. You need to get back to your House. You go ahead. I\'ll clean up here.\" Hermione gave Silenus a kiss and watched her move around the table to kiss her father on the cheek. There went that twinge again.

\"Is the celebration about the defeat of Voldemort?\" Severus felt a slight shudder at how casually his daughter said the Dark Lord\'s name.

\"Yes. It should be a grand affair.\" Said her mother.

\"I\'m sure the other girls will jump at the chance. I\'ll ask them.\"

\"Fine. Now get going.\" Hermione had started to clean the workbench.

Silenus called out as she left the room, \"Night mom. Night dad.\"

\"You two seem to be getting along quite well.\" Her tone was not as even as she would have liked it to be.

\"She is a bright child, and quite good at chess. I find her company interesting.\" What was the problem now? Severus was on his guard.

\"Yes, I\'ve always liked her. How was your trip to Italy?\" Hermione hoped she sounded casual.

So she knew he went to Italy. \"It went quite well. In all probability I will return some time in the near future.\" There let her think about that.

\"Great. Well, good night.\" Hermione turned and left.

\"Good night.\" The woman was exasperating. Now what was wrong with her? Severus worked in the lab until late into the night. Thoughts of Hermione continued to cross his mind.

XXXXXXXXXXXX

Thursday passed without any major catastrophes occurring. Severus headed up the back stairs to the seventh floor after dinner. Harry was bringing Silenus up with him in a few minutes. He was completing his third pass in front of the blank section of the wall and concentrating on his need for the room when a door appeared. Evidently the Room of Requirement decided he must be someone in need.

Wizards\' dueling was considered a sport by most, but both Harry and Severus recognized it for what it really was, a means to defend your self against an enemy in times of war. Harry had used the Room of Requirement when he was a student at Hogwarts to teach a group called Dumbledore\'s Army or DA dueling techniques. Harry\'s dueling skills came in handy many times over the next few years as the dangers continued to increase. If Harry and Hermione had been teaching Silenus hexes and curses, she should be halfway to becoming an accomplished duelist. Severus himself was a dueling master. The same could be said for Harry even though he had not competed in any formal competitions. The ability to fight off Death Eaters and defeat Voldemort would probably out rank most organized sporting events.

The room was basically empty with several mats laid end to end on the floor. Harry and Silenus arrived a few minutes later. Silenus\' eyes were bright and her face was flushed with excitement. Severus turned to his daughter as she walked into the room. \"Potter. Good evening Silenus. Are you ready to begin training?\"

Silenus nodded at her father. \"What should I do?\" Uncle Harry hadn\'t explained too much. He had told her he would have to see what Snape wanted when they arrived.

\"Potter?\"

\"All set.\"

\"Fine. Silenus, your mother has asked that Potter and I first show you how a formal duel should be conducted. Then I believe you will take a turn dueling Potter while I assist you.\" Severus had a smirk on his face as he spoke to his daughter.

\"I duel you and then Silenus?\"

\"Is that a problem, Potter?\"

\"No, just want to make sure I know what we\'re doing.\"

\"As in any sport there are rules to follow. There is no contact in dueling. First you bow formally to one another holding your wand in front of you like so. This is followed by a flourish of your wand.\" Severus and Harry faced each other and enacted the stages of dueling as Snape stated them. \"The basic spell of defense is experlliarmus, if not blocked it will unarm you by allowing your wand to fly to the spell caster. Observe.\"

Harry and Severus spent the next forty-five minute locked in a formal duel. They were evenly matched and neither was able to best the other. Silenus was fascinated watching her father and Uncle Harry duel. She realized the duelists she had seen at Witchfield were amateurs compared to the two wizards in front of her.

It was time to call it a draw. A table appeared with a pitcher of pumpkin juice and three glasses. Evidently the room thought they needed a drink. \"Potter here. Would you like to try Silenus?\" Severus asked his daughter as he poured them pumpkin juice.

She nodded and stepped forward. She had shed her robes and was wearing her school uniform.

\"All right. I will stand on the side and instruct you if necessary. Very well Silenus, you may take your place.\"

She had been listening intently when her father had explained the mechanics of dueling. She wanted to do her best. She bowed formally to Harry and then flourished her wand as she had seen them do.

\"Good Silenus. Now concentrate on the general spells and hexes you already know.\" Severus watched his daughter. She was a natural at the sport. Hermione and Potter had trained her well in a variety of spells and hexes, some a bit obscure he thought.

It was a half hour before Harry managed to cast a binding spell that Silenus was unable to block. The spell caused a small thin rope to fly out of the end of his wand and wrap itself around her wrists. Binding her magic in the process. After dueling Snape and then Silenus, Harry was worn out. He collapsed on the mat as Severus reversed the spell on his daughter.

\"Well-done Silenus. You do not need any real training, just practice to hone your skil" Se" Severus found it amusing that Harry was so worn out. \"Problems Potter?\"

Harry ignored Snape as he grinned at Silenus. \"You did great Silenus. We could have used you a few years back. Course, it doesn\'t hurt that your mother and father happened to be two extremely powerful wizards. I may never stand again.\"

Severus snorted. \"Or the fact that she calls two of the most powerful wizards today Uncle.\"

Harry was shocked into silence. He and Severus had worked together to defeat the Dark Lord. Snape had saved his life a number of times and Harry had saved his during the final battle. But Snape had never acknowledged Potter in any positive way before.

Silenus laughed. \"Careful dad. I don\'t think Uncle Harry could stand another direct hit.\"

\"So it would seem.\"

Harry shook his head as he rose to his feet. \"I never would have believed the greasy git could be human. Silenus you probably qualify as being the most powerful witch in existence. I don\'t believe I\'ve ever heard of anyone turning a bat into a human being before.\"

\"Very funny Potter. Next time I will not go easy on you. Silenus, it is time for you to head back to your common room. Can you find your way from here?\"

\"Sure. Straight down the back stairs. No problem. This was great. Thanks.\"

Both men called out good night to the girl as she left.

\"Night dad. Night Uncle Harry.\"

Harry stood regarding Snape. Severus sighed wearily. \"What is it now Potter?\"

\"Hermione.\"

Snape arched an eyebrow in question. \"Yes?\"

\"How do you feel about her?\" Harry didn\'t think Snape would tell him, but he thought he\'d ask anyway.

\"Really, Potter. Aren\'t you past your childhood yet? Still passing notes in class are we?\" Snape\'s tone was snide.

\"Snape. I don\'t like you and you don\'t like me. But I care about my best friend and whether she knows it or not she seems to care about you.\" Harry let the annoyance seep into his voice. The old bat never changed. Just what did Silenus and Hermione see in him? Even Ginny said Harry couldn\'t see past his anger and resentment of the man long enough to see what he was really like. Harry knew what he was really like. Snape was a bastard, plain and simple.

\"Yes, I would imagine she and Mister Parks will spend this weekend in a spirited discussion involving Hermione\'s feelings toward me. Sod off Potter.\" Severus had retrieved his frock coat and was closing the rows of buttons.

Harry had his hand on the doorknob when he turned around to Snape. \"Hermione hasn\'t seen Aidan since your little fight in the garden. She told him she wasn\'t interested in him. Personally I\'d rather see her with him than you. But for some unknown reason he doesn\'t seem to be her choice. I still can\'t figure out why the kid likes you.\"

\"And I am her choice?\" This was childish. He was a grown man, an ex-Death Eater. He did not need to be standing here listening to Potter spout such nonsense. \"What utter rubbish.\"

\"Whatever.\" Harry walked out, leaving Snape alone with his thoughts.

TBC

A/N: Okay, a show of hands. All those who thought Ron’s wife was/should be Luna Lovegood? One, two,…nine, ten,….. eighty-five,….one hundred sixty seven. All right that’s enough. There are too many to count. You can all put your hands down now. For some reason I agree too. It just seems right. Still to come? A blind date (I know, sorry!), the celebration, Ron, Christmas holidays, a few confrontations and more. Thank you to all who have reviewed. As always thoughts, comments, reviews, whatever are always welcome. A thank you to Casandra, the Goddess, my beta.

Regards, Pearle