Marriage Law

AN: John Inman is not dead He is playing Dame Wanda Twankey in Aladdin
at the New Theatre, Cardiff








AN: John Inman is not dead He is playing Dame Wanda Twankey in Aladdin
at the New Theatre, Cardiff.

 

I also think Stephen Fry should play Bagman because he looks like his
nose has seen a bludger or two. He also is not dead. (And yummy but gay, so it
will give me an excuse to write slash :)

 

The Russian has to be spelled phonetically, I’m sorry. And I don’t
speak Russian and don’t know where to find a good translator.

 

Marriage Law Chapter 19

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

 

“Honestly Severus,” Hermione said annoyed. “I don’t think this is
nessisary.”

 

Severus was holding a green set of winter roand and a brown fur cloak.

 

“I think you’ll catch a chill in that,” said Severus nodding at the
brown and white striped dress she was wearing. It had no sleeves. It showed her
knees. The neckline even revealed that endearing little freckle just over her-

 

“They’re used to clothing like this, Hermione,” said Severus grasping
at straws. “With Anna so close to her time she might feel a little protective
about her mate.”

 

“Oh,” said Hermione. “I didn’t even think of that. You’re probably
right.”

 

“You keep me around for a reason,” said Severus, relived.

 

She stepped behind her changing screen.
It reminded Hermione of something out of the Victorian period. It was
pale cream with pink roses painted on it. Anastasia insisted on the six paneled
obstruction on the grounds that the room was too masculine and needed a bit of
lightening up. Hermione felt the soft material of the rug behind her changing
room under her feet. It was nothing like she’d ever seen before. It was almost
like cashmere, but it was an inch thick. She slipped out of the dress her
mother had given her and stepped into the robes Severus had presented her with.

 

They were surprisingly light, although thick and seemed to be made out
of a material similar to the mat beneath her feet. She rubbed the material
between her fingers curiously and made a mental note to ask Severus about it
later.

 

Severus had offered her the room, preferring his usual chamber in the
manor. He had stayed in that chamber as a boy and it still had many personal
things in it.

 

“Better?” asked Hermione stepping out from behind the screen. The robes
had some form to them, but had a high collar and the hem went down to her feet.

 

“Much,” said Severus, holding out her cloak. She took it from him and
fastened it with a brooch in the shape of a silver teardrop. “You look very
nice.”

 

“Thank you,” said Hermione. “Are we apperating?”

 

“No,” said Severus. “Floo.” He pointed his wand at the unlit fireplace
and flames leaped in the hearth. He walked over to the fireplace and threw in a
handful of sandy brown powder. The flames changed to green and crackled loudly.

 

***

 

Anna jumped slightly as the flames jumped up in the hearth behind her.
She smiled as her husband’s cousin stepped through the flames and gave her a
small smile. She always liked it when he smiled; he was so handsome but did it
so rarely it was a small thrill when he did.

 

Severus saw Anna put a hand to her swelled stomach and wince slightly.
He ran to her and put a hand on her shoulder.

 

“Is it time?” he cried, his voice slightly high.

 

Anna Scowled at him. She had large brown eyes and black straight hair
pulled back into a large bun. Kohl darkened her eyes and her lips were rouged.
Her light brown skin seemed to shine in the firelight.

 

“You are as bad as Pieter,” Anna said in barely understandable English.
She probably had no reason to speak English at all unless relatives came to
visit. “I have done this before, you remember.” She whacked him with the wooden
spoon she was holding.

 

ioneione giggled and Anna looked at her. She hadn’t even noticed the
girl’s arrival. She was a classically pretty girl with her brown curly hair she
had pulled behind her with a silver clip. Hermione smiled shyly and Anna smiled
back wearily.

 

Anna’s kitchen was very small. Small brown tiles covered the walls
floor and ceiling. Large wooden cabinets and bins lay above and below the
counteat lat lined the walls. A large cast iron wood burning stove creaked and
bubbling noises came from it. An assortment of pots rested on the top of it.

 

“Good,” Anna said, reaching out to take Hermiones hand and pull her
closer. “You brought someone useful, for a change. Can you stir a cauldron?”

 

“Yes,” said Hermione receiving Anna’s friendly hug.

 

“Good, then you can stir a pot,” said Anna handing Hermione a wooden
spoon, steering her to the stove and taking Hermione’s cloak from her.
“Severus, Pieter is already into the vodka. Stop him before he begins to think
he is a great singer again.”

 

“Does he really?” Hermione laughed stirring a pot of deep red soup.
Severus hurried out of the room.

 

“It is horrible and the children think it is amusing and encourage
him,” Anna said sitting down slowly in a wooden chair near the small wooden
table. “Sometimes they join in. They sound like werewolves in pain.”

 

“I’m sorry,” said Hermione chuckling.

 

“I would not normally mind,” said Anna admittedly. “But I have been of
short temper as of late.”

 

“I can imagine,” said Hermione nodding at Anna’s midsection.

 

“I think this will be the last,” said Anna. “Anymore and he’ll have his
own army.” She paused. “Thank you for helping.”

 

“Not a problem,” Hermione said handing Anna a biscuit from a basket
hanging from a hook. Anna bit into it and smiled.

 

“Sometimes I get so busy I forget to eat,” Anna admitted.

 

“Really?” Hermione asked, not surprised at all.

 

Anna smiled widely. She liked this girl. She would be good for Severus.

 

***

 

Severus shook his head as he walked into Pieter’s den. He seemed to be
doing the can-can by himself as he browsed a bookshelf with a small tumbler in
one hand.

 

“SEV-EH-UH-EH-UH-EH-UH-EH-UH!” shrieked a Tarzan yell from a corner.

 

“Well goodness, young man,” said Severus amused as he scooped up his
young cousin. “How terrifying you are!”

 

“I am five,” the small child said in almost perfect English. “And my
name is Misha Titov.”

 

“Your English is very good, Misha Titov,” said Severus. “What did you
get for your birthday this year?”

 

“A training broom,” he began. Severus winced. “A book about the stars,
a book about Quidditch and an Atlas.”

 

“Very exciting,” said Severus, his eyebrows raised.

 

“Smatrets, Misha!” said a small voice from a corner. “Bulgaria!” Misha
squirmed to be put down.

 

 

“Severus!” boomed Pieter. Anna was right; he didn’t need any more
vodka. “How kind of you to join us for dinner!”

 

Severus embraced his cousin.

 

“Your little ones are growing,” said Severus.

 

“They are five, three and two,” said Pieter proudly looking at the dark
haired children piled in a corner pouring over an Atlas. “Misha, Nadja and
Tatiana. So far only Misha speaks English, but the little ones are picking it
up.”

 

“I’m sorry to have to be such a burden,” said Severus embarrassedly.

 

“They would learn eventually,” said Pieter dismissively. “It is a good
enough reason.”

 

“I just never picked it up,” said Severus.

 

“We spoke English when you were young,” said Pieter. “There was no
reason for you to learn.”

 

“You’re not that much older than me,” said Severus annoyed, taking Pieter’s
glass away from him and taking a drink.

 

“Almost half a decade,” said Pieter walking over to a counter with
bottles lines up on it. “Anna is almost two decades younger than me. 17 years.”

 

“I keep forgetting Anna is only 25,” said Severus walking over to the
bottles to monitor Pieter. “She always had a lot of sense. Reminds me of a
woman I know back home. She has quite a lot of children as well.” Severus
poured himself some more vodka and drank.

 

“It is better to wed them young,” said Pieter with a twinkle in his
eye. “They are willing to put up with more misbehavior and think it is
attractive. Then again, you know all about that, don’t you Severus?”

 

“That was not why I was married to Miss Granger,” said Severus quietly.
“And you know it.”

 

“So she is ‘Miss Granger’ now,” Pieter said loudly, laughing. “You are
in denial Severus. She is fond of you. Take her and she will be yours.” He said
lustily.

 

“Good god man,” said Severus looking over at the children in the corner.

 

“How do you think they got here?” asked Pieter raising his glass.
Severus clinked his glass to Pieter’s.

 

“One can only imagine,” said Severus dryly.

 

***

 

Hermione sat at the table between Nadja and Severus. Pieter led a
prayer in Russian and they had lifted their spoons to begin their borscht.

 

Nadja seemed intent on telling Hermione the events of the day and
didn’t seem one bit put off that Hermione didn’t speak a word of Russian.



Tatiana stared at Hermione with large green eyes and played with her
spoon most of the meal. She seemed fascinated with Hermione’s hair.

 

Mushrooms in sour cream and chicken followed. For desert little
fruitcakes were served carefully by Misha and he sat down to play the piano in
the corner of the parlor after they had retired there.

 

Pieter seemed to tire after dinner, sinking into a velvet couch with a
pleasant smile on his face. Hermione held the glass of vodka in front of her,
sipping infrequently. Anna put tirlsirls to bed and came down to tell them she
was going to bed herself, but would look forward to seeing them again soon.

 

Talk of Quidditch turned to fishing and Misha went to bed before long.

 

“Did you bring the documents?” asked Severus after it was just the
three of them.

 

“Yes, yes,” said Pieter waving a hand at him. “There are many, though.
It will take you much time to go through them.”

 

Pieter walked over to his desk and opened a drawer. He pushed lightly
at the bottom of one of the drawers and the bottom swing up. He reached into
the hidden compartment and brought out a large package wrapped in brown paper.

 

“Be careful with them,” said Pieter. “If they are lost-“

 

“Nothing will happen to them,” said Severus. “I will make sure of it.”
He somehow managed to tuck the package into his robes without it showing at
all.

 

“I also have something for you,” said Pieter to Hermione. He handed her
a blue envelope that seemed to shimmer.

 

“What’s this?” asked Hermione.

 

“Is that what I think it is?” asked Severus incredulously.

 

Hermione turned over the envelope and broke the seal, green wax with
the imprint of an ivy leaf.

 

Madame Hermione
Snape,

At the request
of the English Ministry of Magic we extend an invitation to you to partake in
an information exchange between our countries. Your presence would be welcomed
at the Bibliothecha oo Amazon.

 

Sincerely yours,

Madame Inessa
Ladislav

 

“Well this certainly opens doors for us,” said Severus impressed. “The
Amazons are even worse than the Brotherhood at guarding their information.”

 

“They seem to take the Dark Lords invasion into what they seem to see
as their territory as a personal insult,” said Pieter, his eyes darkening.

 

“Approximate Amazon army size?” Severus asked, opening the top on the
packet of papers and peeking in.

 

“300 strong,” said Pieter. “Could you imagine 300 insulted women
looking for you?”

 

Severus let out a snort. Hermione giggled to herself.

 

“I still do not feel sorry for him, mind you,” said Pieter waving a
finger at Severus as he poured more vodka in Hermione’s glass. “I am just
saying it is not a place where I would want to be.”

 

“Indeed,” said Severus closing the end of the packet that he had been
peering in. The Dark Lord may have bitten off more than he could chew, finally.
He was weakened and hiding, yet managed to catch the attention of the original
militant feminist organization. Not to mention the most respected elite forces
unit in the world. A wild part of Severus imagined this may be entertaining to
watch.

 

***

 

Severus and Hermione flooed back to their
kitchen and Hermione set down the basket of leftovers Pieter had insisted on giving them. A house
elf hopped up on a chair opposite her and Hermione jumped back into Severus.

 

“Cherv will take that for you, Madam,” he
said.

 

“Thank you,” said Hermione. The elf hopped down and trotted happily
into the door to the pantry with the basket.

 

Hermione lowered a look at Severus.

 

“We’ll talk in the morning,” he groaned sleepily.