E Pluribus Unum

A/N - Kate has returned to me from the wilds of her in-laws and we all rejoice! Huzzah! Thank you Kate for your tireless efforts towards Grammatical Correctness!

Ghaeth - Yes, doesn\'t it.
TQ - first off I owe everything to JKR for creating a world for me to bogart, but thank you so much for your amazing compliments. As for how I post so quickly, firstly, I write really fast, secondly, I stay many chapters ahead of the story so that even if I have a dry spell, I can keep posting daily. Though Kate would probably hrilhrilled if I would please have a dry spell. :)


Chapter18 – House of Cards

Severus settled the mother and daughter into the Hogwarts guest chambers nearest Slytherin. Having the widow of a Death Eater at the school was guaranteed to be a problem. As calmly as Allegra had taken her expulsion from Snape Manor, she would end up in tears at some point if he couldn’t find her somewhere to live.

Kathryn was watching him as he cradled his son and rocked. The rocking chair had been brought from Grimmauld Place along with Ryan’s other furniture and Severus found it as relaxing as Ryan did. Dealing with his parents always made him want to curl up in a ball every time. It was by force alone of will that he was able to remain standing before his father and act as though he was unaffected by the man’s presence. There was a time when he tried to defend his mother but she had used up his sympathy years ago and now he was unmoved.

Over the years, people had tried to get her away from Malingus but she always refused their help, choosing to stay at his side no matter what he did to her. Severus had thought it was loyalty when he was young, later he had thought that maybe she really loved him. It was years before he came to understand that his mother valued what his father could give her over her own happiness and personal safety; the realization that wou would let him beat her if only she could buy pretty baubles and stay ahead of fashion had revolted him and he had cut his last ties with the family. He couldn’t comprehend what kind of upbringing she had had that made Malingus seem acceptable in comparison. He supposed that she was rather mad.

He shook off his thoughts and met Kathryn’s eyes.

“So much for a quiet evening at home.” He grumbled. Ryan was drifting off to sleep and Kathryn grinned up at him.

“Well, we can a have a noisy evening at home.” He was caught up in her eyes, in how she looked at him, as though he was handsome and desirable. He returned her smile tenderly. She loved him -- it was there in her face, her voice, her touch, and it was quite intoxicating. She came and knelt before him kissing him over the top of the baby’s head and her lips were soft and sweet. Her kiss was an addiction he would never willingly break.

“I missed you a great deal over the summer, you know.” He murmured against her lips.

“Show me.” Her eyes were smoldering with desire and he was caught in the intensity of her dark-eyed gaze.

“Gladly.” He responded, dropping his voice in the way that made her shiver.

She picked Ryan up and deposited him in his bassinet and they retreated to the bedroom to do everything but sleep.


He dreamed that night of sitting down to dinner with Kathryn and their children. Ryan, Minuet and Tina chattered hly tly to three little girls with dark eyes and brown hair. Allegra was passing a plate of beef to the eldest girl when a cold wind whipped through the room. Screaming started and green light came from everywhere and began to envelope his family. He cried out and tried to protect them but he was helpless as they fell one by one. He was kneeling in a pile of bodies sobbing as Kathryn’s eyes went glassy and dead when he awoke to her voice.

“Severus, beloved, you’re ding.ing.” He clung to her, his face wet from tears and she stroked his hair, murmuring soothingly to him. “Nightmare?” She questioned as she kissed his brow.

“You and the children were being killed and I couldn’t stop it.” He admitted and she kissed him all over his face.

“I’m here, beloved and I love you.” He buried his head in her chest and tried to calm himself but the image of her eyes going blank and lifeless haunted him.

“How am I going to get through this, Kat?” He whisperedill ill shivering in reaction.

“The way you always have love, by doing what needs to be done.” She said quite sensibly and he snuggled against her warmth and fell back asleep.


The next day dawned bright and clear and Severus dismissed the nightmare as a product of his father’s visit. It was Saturday and a Hogsmeade weekend; he had to chaperone the students and he would have to find somewhere for the Ravagienne family to live on top of everything e He He groaned and warm armakedaked about his waist. Ryan was still sleeping from his four a.m. feeding, so he turned and snuggled into Kathryn’s arms.

“Where am I going to put Allegra and Tina?” He groaned again.

“We could mail them off to Grand-mére’s house.” Kathryn murmured and began kissing his stubbled chin.
Severus tried to imagine Allegra surrounded by the huge boisterous Laveau clan and chuckled.

“I was thinking Hogsmeade; Minuet would be less emotionally volatile if they were nearby.” He dragged himself from bed and headed towards the shower.

“You mean she would be happier. Admit it, you like children!” ryn ryn teased him and followed him into the bathroom. The toilet was in its own little room so he was able to shut the door on her chuckles with an irritated snap.

He was discovering that he liked certain children, but most of them gave him a migraine. They were spoiled rotten little brats, running around screaming and pushing all the time. Parents let them run wild and then wondered why their precious angels turned into narcissistic bullies. In his view, dying was probably the best parental choice the Potters could have made. At least Harry hadn’t grown up to be the kind of swaggering bully that James had been. Oh certainly the boy had his faults -- too impulsive by far -- but at least he had had the taste to fall for a Slytherin girl rather than some simpering Hufflepuff or brain-dead Gryffindor.

Not that Severus would ever say anything to indicate his approval of the match. Minuet was still far too young for anything of the sort and if Potter tried any funny stuff… well, there were a few hexes that boy didn’t know yet.

He exited the stall to find Kathryn sitting on the floor of the shower, naked, with Ryan splashing happily in the spray. She had charmed the water into a far more gentle mist and Ryan was giggling and making swimming gestures as he kicked happily. Severus stripped and joined his family in the shower, cuddling up with the two most important people in his life.


A few hours later he was remembering why he really did hate children and vowing he would never allow such behavior in any child of his. Children were running and screaming through Hogsmeade in the November sun, tossing Weasley’s Wizarding Wheezes at each other and setting the whole town on its ear.

After the third time he had to rescue a child from a dragon firework that was chasing them through town, he was cursing Fred and George’s inventive and evil minds and imagining using Imperius on them to have them ask Narcissa for a threesome. That should put them off their feed for a few years.

A quick discussion with a land agent in town, and he had rented a pleasant little cottage for Allegra and Tina to live in. It was much smaller than the grand mansions they were used to, but it had a pretty parlor and three bedrooms, so Minuet would have a place to stay over the summer if she chose to. It even had a library, stocked with volumes that would intrigue her and Tina.

As he exited the agent’s offices, he spotted Ron Weasley chatting up a pretty redhead and he rolled his eyes in disgust. Sixteen-year-old boys had no sense at all. If Miss Granger were to spot him at this moment he would be swiftly without a girlfriend. He very much doubted that Miss Granger would put up with any of Weasley’s immature nonsense.

On second glance, the girl was wearing a Ravenclaw uniform but he didn’t immediately recognize her. That wasn’t surprising -- except for the girls of his own house, he never paid any heed to the parade of hormonal teens that passed through his classroom, avoiding them whenever possible; the sound of their incessant chattering and giggling drove him mad.

He spotted Minuet with her black hair and robes standing forlornly beside the pale blonde Draco, who was giving her a lecture while Crabbe and Goyle stood guard. Severus dismissed the Weasley boy from his mind and approached them.

“I know Min, but you know it isn’t safe. The Shack isn’t anywhere near private enough.” Draco tilted her chin up and looked at her with surprisingly compassionate eyes. “Crabbe and Goyle will take you to Honeyduke’s and I’ll go let down your paramour.” She sighed and nodded.

“If you think it’s for the best, Draco.” She responded reluctantly.

“Perhaps Mr. Crabbe and Mr. Goyle had best accompany you, Mr. Malfoy. I will escort my ward.” Severus cut into the discussion and Draco looked up in what Severus could swear was relief and nodded. Was Draco nervous about telling Potter that his girlfriend couldn’t make their tryst?

The three young men departed and Severus extended an arm to Minuet who took it withongionging backwards glance at the Shrieking Shack.

“He is at least trying to be discreet, I see. One must allow for the stupidity of youth, I suppose.” Severus grumbled and Minuet smiled up at him as though he had given the boy a compliment. The trip to the sweet shop was uneventful and he allowed himself to actually enjoy time spent in the company of Minuet.

An hour later and Draco still had not returned; Severus passed Minuet off to Kathryn and went in search of his lost Snake.

The walk to the shack was filled with memories of his own school days. He remembered the taunts and jeers of other students, the pains and agonies of the outcast and despised. He could almost hear James’ voice calling ‘Snivellus’ after him as he walked. He wondered what James would have said if he had seen him with Kathryn on his arm. The thought of James Potter staring at him in a rage of envy made him feel savagely gleeful.

He reached the shack and walked up to the door. Hisorieories of this place were not of the best. He had not forgotten the humiliation of being attacked by the Terrible Trio and Lupin’s reversion to type. He remembered Black’s snarling, twisted features quite clearly as he opened the door. Voices drifted down to him from upsta

“Your parents might be dead, Potter, but at least you know they really loved you. My father couldn’t care less about me as long as I ‘fulfil dut duties as a Malfoy’ and my mother… well, just don’t get me started.” Draco’s bitter aristocratic tones were scathing.

“True, but -- and I cannot believe I am saying this -- at least you have Snape. He really cares about you and he is still alive.” Harry’s voice was amusedveruverus could tell that a part of the boy was laughing at himself for envying Draco his relationship with the snarky Professor Snape.

“Potter, you look like you want to cut out your own tongue!” Draco’s laughter was obviously aimed at the irony of the situation.

“Yeah, well… Minuet adores him; he treats her really well, and Professor Leblanc loves him and she’s really smart about people. She can really see what is inside you and if she can see something good enough in him to fall in love, then he must be pretty special.” A ringing endorsement, Severus thought with a small smile.

“He is.” Was all Draco said, but the way he said it made Severus’ heart swell.

“So, you think the Shack isn’t safe enough to see Min at.” Harry stated.

“Yeah, I do.” Draco tossed out with a bored tone.

“Well, I’ll trust you on that. After all, you’re the Slytherin; sneaky is more your expertise than mine, Malfoy.” Potter teased.

“Yeah, well, I’ll leave all the mindless heroics to you, Potter.” There was laughter at that, Crabbe and Goyle joining in after a beat.

Severus banged the door behind him to alert them of his presence.

“Malfoy!” He called out.

The group of boys came clattering down the staircase, still grinning. It was a very strange sight, Draco, Potter, Crabbe and Goyle, not exactly the best of friends, but certainly not eternal enemies either, with adolescent amusement shining in their eyes. Severus hoped to Merlin that Voldemort never found out.