Marriage Law

AN: Thanks for all the links and advice on birds and St








AN: Thanks for all the links and advice on birds and St.
Petersburg. It has been really helpful. This fic
wouldn’t be half as good if people hadn’t besieged me with links :)

 

I keep having people telling me not to leave my computer. I
got laid off last week so leaving my computer has not been a pending issue.
Hope you enjoy it, but by the end of the week I’ll probably be employed and
you’ll be back to a chapter a week :)

 

Marriage Law Chapter 16

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

Severus opened the door from his personal chambers to see
Hermione already waiting for him in the receiving room. Her trunk sat at her
feet and Crookshanks lay sleeping in a cage stacked on top of it.

 

He dragged his trunk out of his room and went over to the
fireplace.

 

“We need to take floo powder to get to the Portkey Station,”
Severus said.

 

“Err… sure,” said Hermione getting to feet. She had never
heard of a Portkey Station before, but she had never traveled internationally
using wizarding means before.

 

“Don’t forget to keep a journal,” Helga said. “I want to
hear all about it. And don’t forget to take pictures.”

&nbs
“W
“We won’t,” Hermione promised. “And Professor Dumbledore
said he’s going to have you transferred to his office while we’re gone so you
can catch up with the other Headmasters and not be so lonely.”

 

“Wonderful,” said Helga smiling.

 

“Portkey Station,” Severus said throwing dust into the
dancing flames. Green fire leapt up and Severus and Hermione dragged theirunksunks into them.

 

***

 

“Welcome dear,” a sing song voice called out as Hermione and
Severus finally arrived at his family estate in St.
Petersburg.

 

Hermione looked up to see a pretty dark haired witch
striding towards her and Severus.

 

“Hello, Mother,” said Severus wearily. He kissed her cheek
as she embraced him. Hermione stared. His mother didn’t appear to be any older
than he was. Even a bit younger, perhaps.

 

“You don’t need to sound so excited,” said Anastasia with a
frown.

 

“Our trip was quite an adventure,” said Hermione finally
noticing she was almost completely covered and dust and grime from their
traveling. “They gave us the wrong portkey in Stockholm
and we ended up somewhere in the Congo.”

 

“You poor dears,” Anastasia said. She waved her wand at them
and Hermione felt the dust and grime pulling away from her person. It formed
into a small ball in front of Anastasia, combining with a sir onr one from
Severus and floated into a small wastebasket in a corner. “We were wondering
why you were taking so long.”

 

Hermione looked at her surroundings. The room was enormous.
The white marble fireplace was large enough to transport the entire Weasley
family plus a few friends. Gold embellished accents glinted around the room.
Gold ivy sectioned the walls and oil paintings were prominently displayed. The
high vaulted ceiling had large punk roses blooming across it. Hermione noticed
the floor slightly rippled as she walked across it, almost like she was walking
across water.

 

“Thank you,” said Hermione, feeling less grimy. “I’m pleased
to meet you, Madame Snape.” She bobbed slightly.

 

“Do call me either Mother or Anastasia,” she said smiling.

 

“I tried to control her,” a deep voice floated in from a set
of large double doors. Jacob Snape reclined in the doorframe. “But she insisted
on coming right away.”

 

“I’m sure you did your best, Father,” Severus sighed. He
waved his wand at their trunks and they vanished. So did Crookshanks’ cage,
although he remained. He meowed and stretched.

 

“Hello, kitty,” Anastasia said as he padded over to sniff
her. To Hermiones surprise he flopped at Anastasias feet and began rolling on
her dress hem purring happily.

 

“He’s usually not so rude,” Hermione said furrowing her
eyebrows at him.

 

“It’s entirely my fault,” said Anastasia. “I was weeding the
herb garden this afternoon and got into the catnip.”

 

“Hope you like him,” Severus chuckled. “He’s your friend
now. His name is Crookshanks.”

 

“Hello Crookshanks,” said Anastasia scratching him behind
his ears. Crookshanks meowed his adoration and twisted over on his back. “Oh,
he’s adorable!”

 

“He’s found his slave,” Severus smirked. “Father, we’re
starving. I’d like to visit the kitchens.”

 

“The dining room has been readied,” Anastasia said, beaming.

 

“Mother there was no reason to go to all that trouble,”
Severus said embarrassedly. Hermione wondered how fancy the dining room really
was. It didn’t take her long to find out.

 

A 20 foot 17th century dining table stretched the
length of the room. Thankfully, four chairs were set up at the same end of the
table. A turkey lay steaming perfectly, kept warm by a preservation spell.
Stuffed mushrooms decorated the plate around it and each plate had a bowl of
spinach and beet salad. Fresh bread lay cooling on wooden trenchers nearby.

 

“This is incredible!” Hermione said stunned. Once again the
room where she ate she could also view the night sky. In addition, the walls
seemed to be made of live trees growing very close together. Their branches
seemed to stretch out above them, shading the table from the strength of the
full moonlight, streaming it through the leaves. “Thank you for your
hospitality.”

 

“At least one of you remembered your manners,” said
Anastasia, looking annoyed at her son. “Thank you, dear. We’re just happy to
see our Severus finally settling down.”

 

Severus pulled a chair out for Hermione and sat next to her.


 

“Bless the food, Severus,” Anastasia smiled at him.

 

Hermione folded her hands politely as Severus bowed his heand and chanted a prayer in Latin. She suddenly had a vision of him doing the same
thing as a young child. She smiled slightly at him through the brown curls
draped over her face.

 

Severus helped Hermione fill her plate while Jacob carved a
piece of turkey for her. Hermione noticed as she waited for her dinner that the
green carpet really was thick grass, growing up from the floor.

 

Hermione picked up a fork and examined it. The glasses were
crystal and she assumed the plates were as well, but she was amazed at her
clear glass forks and knife. The craftsman must have been very patient and
determined.

 

“This is wonderful,” said Hermione sampling some of the
turkey.

 

“We’re glad you like it,” said Jacob. “Will you be staying
all season?”

 

“I was planning on it,” said Severus.

 

“I still think you should come visit us in France
for awhile,” said Anastasia.

 

Severus wished his mother would drop it about France.
He wasn’t expecting them, but should have guessed his mother would have showed
up eventually. He watched as his father uncorked a bottle of champagne. Jacob
filled all four glasses.

 

Hermione stared at her glass, turning slightly green.
Severus had to fight the the urge to laugh.

 

“Might make you feel better,” he whispered to her. He
watched as she experimentally took a sip, and then nodded slightly at him.
Small bowls of strawberries appeared near their dishes. “Don’t over do it.”

 

“Have you ever been to France?”
Anastasia asked Hermione.

 

“Yes,” said Hermione. “I think it’s why Severus chose Russia.
I had never been here before.”

 

“There are so many things to see here,” said Anastasia. “No
doubt you’ll be busy all season.”

 

“No doubt,” Hermione said smiling politely at her
mother-in-law.

 

***

 

Hermione looked at Severus across the great expanse of bed,
her arms crossed. A blue bathrobe was tightly belted around her waist and some
of her white nightgown poked out from behind it.

 

“I didn’t know they were going to stay the night,” Severus
said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

 

“Well you couldn’t think they’d be making off for the
Portkey Station to be off to France
after what we just went through,” Hermione said crossly. “I just don’t see why
you have to sleep on the floor. There’s plenty of room up here.”

 

‘That’s what I’m afraid of,’ Severus thought to himself
rolling his eyes to the ceiling and taking a deep breath.

 

“What if I snore?” he asked her.

 

“I can still here you if you’re on the floor,” Hermione
said, annoyed.

 

“Not if you put a silencing charm around the,” S,” Severus
said.

 

“I can see the reasoning in that, except I’ve seen you sleep
a number of times and I’ve never heard you snore,” Hermione said.

 

“Fine,” Severus said looking at her. “But if I snore you are
to kick me directly to the floor.”

 

“I’ll have no problem doing that,” Hermione said satisfied.

 

“I’m going to take a proper bath,” Severus said, thinking
about relieving his needs before they ever arise. “There’s really nothing like
a real soak.”

 

“Fine,” Hermione said. “I’ll be in bed by the time you get
out.”

 

Severus felt his body respond to her words.

 

‘Not for you,’ he snarled annoyed in his head at his nether
regions.

 

“Well then, goodnight and I’ll see you in the morning,” he
tried to smile, but it looked pained.