When There Is No War

A/N: It's official. Chapter 42 will indeed be the last of this story. :o I think I got it all sorted out!

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Everyone's all happy with Severus in love; Aint it just cuuuute?! Hope no one minds me not personally addressing anyone today, since everyone is thinking/saying the same thing *hearts*.

Chapter 39: Through the Mouths of the Babes

Langston eyed his older friend carefully. His hair was every which way direction. His eyes had bags under them, and he had a major wardrobe malfunction going on. One of his socks was covering the cuff of his pant leg, and the buttons of his robes were off by one.

"Severus... are you okay?" He asked slowly. The wizard seemed distracted lately, and everytime he had seen him for their daily lunch, he seemed more and more not himself.

"Just fine." The man scowled.

Langston couldn't ignore his mood. "Getting enough sleep?"

"I am sure you know the answer to that." Severus said, cleaning the house with his wand.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing you'd understand."

Langston crossed his arms and stared at him. "Do you really know that for sure?"

"Do you like a girl?" Severus asked harshly.

Langston gave a blank look. He wasn't sure how to answer that. "No... Girls are... girls..."

"Then you wouldn't understand."

The twelve year old sighed. "Fine... so are we going to your house again? To get Audrey, and then Andrew?"

Severus paused in mid spell. "She moved out..."

"She did? Why?"

"Black offered her a room at his place. It's bigger there. This way, her and Andrew can be together."

Langston nodded slowly. "Have you seen much of her since she did this?"

Severus scoffed. "Why would that matter at all?!"

"Severus, if you like her, you should just tell her."

The wizard glanced at Langston and wet his lips anxiously. "What would give you that idea, kid?"

The boy laughed. "You're not doing a grand job in hiding it!"

"So... it's that obvious?" He sighed and pulled out a vial of black liquid, and drank it in one gulp.

"Very." Langston watched him tuck the empty vial back in his pocket.

"She'll never like me- not that way." Severus said to himself.

"Why not? You're a wicked guy. Audrey loves wicked guys."

"You mean handsome, foul tempered, judgmental, and, let's not forget, child beating men?"

"She also likes smart, funny, well mannered, and financially stable men. All of which you are." Langston told him with a grin. "Besides, who said you were ugly?"

Severus huffed. "Don't you dare say that I look like a hunk."

A giggle escaped Langston's throat. "Well, you're no magazine model, Severus, but you're not a bad looker, that Daisy chick has been eyeing you... like... well, like she wants to lock you up away somewhere."

Severus' jaw dropped. "You... you don't mean that...!" He gasped.

"Your problem is you don't pay attention to the women enough. Watch them one day." Langston winked. "You'll see." He slipped his jacket on. "Also, Severus, it says a lot when you can make a girl laugh. You've done so with Audrey and Lily and Daisy just fine." He then smirked. "Remus too..."

Severus cocked up an eye brow in question.

"Don't pretend you haven't noticed the giggling gay man... You surely tease Sirius enough about it."

"I just thought it was Sirius being... Sirius..."

"Who you know is a very jealous man. He thinks you're going to sweep his boyfriend away from him!"

"Langston... you know more than you ever should for your age. Stop acting so old and be a kid already."

"Perhaps one day I will have the privilege..."

* / *

Andrew took Langston's hand as soon as he entered the House of Black. Langston noticed the boy's hand was extremely sticky. "Remus and Mummy and me made waffles, want some?" Andrew asked.

"Sure." Langston let the boy lead him to the kitchen.

"Hey, Langston." A chrous of adults greeted him. He smiled at the warm welcome.

"Hi." He returned.

"Here." Andrew pushed a chair to him. "You have my chair."

"Thanks, kid." Langston was seated next to Sirius who was reading the wizard's newspaper.

"How's Severus doing?" Audrey asked across the table. Her hand paused in mid motion to drink her juice.

"Um..." He noticed Remus was also waiting for an answer. Langston shrugged. "Okay... I guess. He seems a bit distracted."

"He looked a mess when I seen him at Diagon Alley." Sirius said before sipping his tea. "Looked like he hadn't bathed in a month- which is considering; giving his usual status. He didn't even snide about the shat in my hair that a passing owl had done." He shrugged. "I guess Snape's working on a new potion."

"No, Daddy!" Andrew rolled his eyes. "Uncle Severus misses Mummy."

Everyone in the room eyed the five year old who was innocently licking syrup off his fingers.

"He does not, Andrew." Sirius said firmly.

"He said so." Andrew insisted.

"He did?" Audrey's eyes lit up hopefully.

"Yep, to Aunt Lily."

"He didn't." Sirius said. "He is not capable of missing anyone. He's a greasy, grumpy, ol' git."

"Padfoot, shhh." Remus put a finger to his lips and gave a shake of his head. "When did he say this, Little Man?"

"When I went and played with Harry yesterday. I was going wee, and when I got out of the pot, that's when I heard him say so. I said, 'Go see Mummy then!' " Andrew tossed up his hands dramatically, eyes wide. "But he says Mummy doesn't want to see him." Andrew looked at his mother with a frown. "You don't want to see Uncle Severus, Mummy?"

Audrey smiled, but didn't say anything. She finished her juice, heavily in thought before getting up from the table. "I've got something to do..." she kissed each boy on the top of his head before exiting the kitchen.

"Where's she off to?" Sirius asked, looking toward the doorway.

"To go kiss Severus, I'd say..." Langston smirked.

Andrew cheered, clapping his hands. He then paused, giving Langston a questioning look. "Like she kisses us, or with her tongue like what Daddy and Remus does?"

Sirius choked on his bacon just at the same time Remus sprayed the milk out of his mouth that he had just taken a drink of.

Langston chuckled, napping Remus' mess off him. "I'd say like your dad and Remus." He whispered to the young boy. He purposely avoided the embarrassed facial looks that the two men were sharing with each other; both stuck in a series of throat clearing.