The Fortress Within

They sat at the Head Table and watched the sorting


They sat at the Head Table and
watched the sorting.  He could feel
the nervousness in his wife as she clutched his hand underneath the table. 
Minerva was running through some changes to the castle rules for the
returning students.  “I also want
to remind everyone that the student dorms are not the place to brew potions. 
Last year’s Hufflepuff explosion left Madam Weasley with 10 students in
the infirmary.  If you insist on
doing any extra-curricular brewing then I ask that you speak with Professor
Snape about reserving some time in the Potions Lab.”
 


Severus blasted the student body
with a scowl that was meant to ensure no students would be plaguing him with
requests.  It wasn’t so much that
he minded the students sudden interest in potions, but there had been several
accidents over the last several years.  Perhaps
he was getting too soft on the children since his own daughter had joined their
ranks.  The situation would be
remedied this year.


 


Severus’ hard eyes strayed to
the Slytherin table and met with his daughter’s dark ones. 
They held the same outward expression as his own, but in their depths he
could see the hidden twinkle he knew so well. Severus thought Hermione was going
to pass out when the hat had screamed “Slytherin” before it had hardly time
to settle on her head.  Still, she
had held herself proudly with her Gryffindor good grace and congratulated
Treasure on such a good placement.


 


He studied the remainder of his
house, mainly the males.  Treasure
had grown into quite a beauty.  Long
black curls cascaded down her back and her pale skin was quite a stunning
contrast to the black robes she insisted on wearing. 
She had grown tall and willowy and he was grateful she kept herself
hidden under the voluminous fabric.  Still,
the boys in all the houses were noticing her emerging womanhood and he knew he
would have to be relentless in his threatening glares. 
His demeanor alone would exude the fact that his daughter was off-limits.


 


Severus felt his wife’s grip on
his hand tighten.  Harry was leading
the first-year students in for their sorting. 
Several terrified students took the seat and Severus only half-listened
until their placements.  He could
see his son standing confidently in the center of the group, flanked by his best
friend and a girl he did not recognize.  “Arthur
Potter,” Harry announced not betraying anything in his voice. 
Severus had resolved his differences with the man over the years and now
was proud to call him friend.


 


Severus hissed with a sharp
intake of breath and leaned to whisper to his wife, “I love you, my darling,
but if you don’t loosen up, I’ll have to have Ginny mend my shattered
bones.”


 


Hermione blushed and released his
hand, moving it to his knee instead.  “Oh,
yes, that was much better,” he thought grimly.  Her touch still excited him, even after all their years of
marriage.  Severus pried her fingers
from his and and encased her hand in both of his. 


 


The Sorting Hat was rambling
along, “Ahhhh, the name may be Potter, but this is a Weasley through and
through.  It’s been quite a while,
but I remember where they go.  There’s
been enough of them.  GRYFFINDOR!”


 


Ginny let a loose small cry of
happiness and Severus politely joined in the applause before taking up his
wife’s hands once again.  He could
see the brown hair bobbing up and down within the ranks of the first years and
knew his son was pleased with the placement.


 


A few more students were sorted
before a familiar nwas was called,  “Amelia
Longbottom.”


 


“Shit,” Severus didn’t mean
to speak the word out loud, but he heard snickers of laughter across the Head
Table as he did.  He saw his son
lean over and whisper something into the ear of the girl next to him. 
It was prob enc encouragement for she stumbled forward and up into the
chair. 


 


“Oh Oh Oh. 
I hope there has been a good supply of cauldrons laid in,” the hat
began.  “Hmmmm, this ones a little
harder than the last one.  Hmmmm….
Gryffindor!”


 


Severus was pleased with that
proclamation.  The last thing he
wanted was a Longbottom in his own house.  The
child would never survive. 


 


“Remus Snape.” 
A fel fell over the crowd as his son’s brown eyes took on a fearful
look.  As he walked forward, his
gaze flew between his mother and father’s. 
Severus allowed himself a break in his threatening persona and smiled at
the frightened boy.  Remus returned it and relaxed infinitesimally as he sat down. 

 


The hat started to speak. 
“Oh, this is very difficult.  Two
strong houses behind this one.” The hat paused and seemed to be listening.


 


Severus could hear two female
voices to his left, low and soft, “Not Slytherin, not Slytherin, not Slytherin.”


 


“Ah, yes,” it continued,
“Greatness, cunning, power, pride, loyalty all imparted from the parents and
flowing through you. Snarky, to say the least. But the two houses stand in stark
contrast.  Well I suppose you will
have to go somewhere.  Gryffindor!”


 


There was a stunned silence as
all efellfell on the Potion’s Master.  Severus
stood up in shocked silence and perused the scene before him. 
Slowly, he raised his hands and began to clap. 
Smiles rushed across the sea of faces and the room burst into applause. 
With a silly grin, Remus hopped down and joined his house as Severus took
his seat once more.


 


He turned to his wife and found
her hand again. “A good choice,” he proclaimed loudly.


 


Following the meal, the tables
rose and began to make their way toward the exit.  Severus had been watching his son and he was afraid he could
see the beginnings of another Dream Team.  Potter,
Snape, and (Oh Gods) Longbottom.  The next seven years just may be hell.


 


His daughter separated herself
from her fellow Slytherins and came to stand next to her father. 
They didn’t touch in public, keeping such displays for private times
with the family.  She spoke in a
low, quiet voice, not unlike his own.  “Are
you OK, Daddy?”


 


He turned to stand with her and
leaned down to keep their conversation between them.  “The sorting went well.”


 


Haughaughter allowed a grin to
grace her face.  “Good, then. 
I’m glad I don’t have to live with him. 
Eleven years has been enough.  Gods,
he’s irritating.”


 


“Treasure, Remus is your
brother and you still have a responsibility to look out for him,” Severus
spoke sternly.  “Houses are of no
consequence when it comes to family and it will serve you well to remember
that.”


 


His daughter wavered a bit. 
Severus didn’t mean to be so hard on her. 
She was so much like him that it was difficult to remember that she
frightened easier than he.  He
softened his tone, “Now, run along with your house. 
I’ll be in in the morning to address the Slytherins.” 
The Hall was empty now, save his family of four. 
He wrapped strong arms around her and placed a kiss on her head.


 


“Thank you, Daddy. 
I love you.”


 


“I love you, my Treasure. 
Go kiss your mother and get going or I’ll take off points.”


 


She did just that and was soon
walking with long strides from the hall, robes billowing behind her.


 


Severus joined his Mother and
son.  He ruffled the boy’s hair. 
“Good sorting, son.”


 


Remus had his mother’s cinnamon
eyes and they raised to meet him, “You’re not upset, Dad?”


 


He pulled his son into his arms
and with an almost broken voice rumbled, “Not in the least. 
Now, you had best be heading up to Gryffindor tower.”


 


Severus wrapped an arm around his
wife and pulled her to him as their son ran from the Hall. 
Hermione’s arms came round his waist and she rested her head against
his chest.  “You’re really ok
with this?”


 


Severus chuckled, “I’m really
OK with this.  Now, let’s go home. 
I think we have the whole place to ourselves now.”


 


They strolled toward their
quarters, hand in hand.  As they
passed the Headmaster’s office Hermione commented softly, “Albus would be
proud of them, you know.”


 


Severus couldn’t reply for the
knot that formed in his throat.  It
had been 6 years since Albus had passed on, and Severus still missed his mentor. 
As Albus lay dying he had called for Treasure and Remus to be brought to
him. Treasure had stood up proud, her face carefully devoid of any emotion.  Albus had placed a hand on either child’s chest, right over
their heart.  The area beneath his
touch glowed.  Severus watched as
Albus imparted his magic to Severus’ children. The meaning of the moment was
lost on his younger child.  Whether
it was because she was female, or something more, his daughter was always more
perceptive of the two.  When it was
finished, Treasure had leaned over, kissed the old man gently, and thanked him
before turning to leave.  As she
neared the door, she turned around and with tears streaming down her face, she
told Albus that she loved him before running from the room. 
Severus watched as a smile lit his old friend’s face, then faded. 
Severus had never burdened his daughter with the knowledge that her words
were the last Albus had ever heard.


 


Sitting beneath the stars, brandy
in hand, Severus marveled at the life he had. 
Their relationship had never had the normal start and it seemed because
oft, it, it was all that much stronger.  Things
could never get any worse than the way they had been in the beginning. 
It was comforting in a way. They fought, like any other couple. 
Their fights were full of passion, as was every other aspect of their
marriage.


 


Their fights. 
Sometimes when the fights were the worst, when Hermione was absolutely
furious with him, the name “Snape” would fall from her lips. 
She never even noticed it; or if she did, she gave no indication. 
The first time it had happened, Severus had pondered the word for days. 
Was there ever, truly, someone else inside of her? 
If so, was she really gone?  Had
it just been her own coping mechanism pushed to the extreme by emotion, pain,
and magic?&n Sev Severus would likely
never know and the one truth of the situation blazed bright in his heart:  it didn’t matter.  The
only thing that mattered was love, and they had that in abundance.


 


As Severus drained the last of
his drink, he felt a sensuous pair of arms work their way around his neck. 
Behind him, Hermione whispered, “Feel like a swim, my darling?” 
Feather light kisses traced his ear.


 


Severus smiled and tilted his
head to the side, allowing her access to the sensitive area on his neck. 
“You go on ahead.  I’ll be along in a few minutes.”


 


Hermione sighed, but released him
and made her way down the winding steps to the garden below. 
He chuckled as he noticed her carrying not only towels, but several
blankets as well.  He watched her,
as she knew he would.  In a
moonlight scene from a fairy tale, she stripped off her robe. 
Severus never tired of watching her. 
The years were good to Hermione and the sight of her still elicited the
same strongponsponse in him it had fifteen years ago. 
He rose from his chair, “I’m coming” he thought. 
She turned to gaze up at him before she dove in.


 


When his emotions were strong,
she could read his mind.  Albus had
said it was an after-effect of the ancient magic he and Harry had used to awaken
her.  The same applied to the
children and was actually quite useful when they were scared or in trouble. 
It all had to do with love.


 


When he reached the grass he
paused long enough to free himself of his robes and undergarments as well. 
In the warm water he took her into his arms. 

 


In the darkness, under the moon,
they met and as the water lapped gently at the sides of the pool he made her his
own.  It had been a long time since
they had the luxury of making love freely, openly, slowly. 
No children lurking around the corner, no fighting or tears from the next
room, no requests for a glass of water, or a last trip to the bathroom.


 


There was a sweetness in their
movements, carried by years of learning each other.  As they lay together beneath the stars wrapped warmly against
the late August evening they spoke quietly of the things to come. 
They could do the things that normal couples did, couples not burdened
with saving the world; the little things they had missed early on in their
relationship.  They would start with
a proper honeymoon.  In the quiet of the night they drifted off, dreaming together
of the lifetime still ahead.


 


They were reborn yet again.