Another Dark Star

Chapter 64


Autumn drew in, bringing colder weather, and Severus found himself feeling better than he had in years. For a start, it was September and not a dunderhead in sight! He was instead at home with his wife and children, enjoying his own research as he had always wanted to. Well, for a couple of hours a day at most. Sadira was still being ‘as bad as Molly’ as he put it, and wouldn’t let him stay too long in the cellar on pain of loss of bedroom privileges. He was still using the stick, but he felt that a little bit of pain was a small price to pay to be alive and back home again. He wasn’t housebound any longer either. He found great pleasure in walking with his family to various places of his hometown, rediscovering the area once more.

He took the children to the park, where he and a certain red haired witch had once played. Well, Lily had played. He had never really been very good at being a child. Hadrian, however, ran around the newly refurbished playground like a creature possessed. The lad had near boundless energy and was walking much further nowadays, as his second birthday approached. Sadie would hover maternally by the huge climbing-frame-cum-slide creation the Muggles provided while Severus, leaning on the buggy for support, would take Isabella to watch the ducks and throw bread to them. Well, Severus would throw bread and attempt to thwart Izzy’s attempts to eat it all. By the time they were halfway through the loaf, Hadi would be bored of sliding and come to ‘help’ by attempting to hit the ducks with the bread. He had accidentally hit one in the head once, and thought it so funny he had to try again each time. When a loud ‘floop’ signalled Izzy dropping the final crust in whole, the small, tired family meandered home.

Severus was surprised how happy he was, pretending to fit in with the Muggles he had avoided for years. More surprising was how Sadie knew more of them than he did. Most of them were other mothers from the tiny tots’ groups she attended, and many stopped to chat and inquire about their lives, particularly his health. Severus himself made many acquaintances as he began to spend time in the Muggle public library, or take small errands in the High Street to exercise his legs. It was new to him to have complete strangers genuinely concerned as to his wellbeing. Usually it was only Albus, who needed him, or Poppy, who was an incurable mother hen. Sadira had cleverly concocted the story that Severus had been in the Armed Forces, and was home on an Honourable Discharge due to a war wound. He had chuckled when he heard what she had been telling people, knowing it was not so far from the truth.

The other residents of Spinners End were quite sympathetic of his plight, thinking him to be a brave hero of the Irish troubles, or perhaps that eastern European country. They accepted his jumpy and suspicious behaviour as some kind of shell shock. That in itself was strange however; residents in Spinners End. For years it had been the sorriest hellhole in Yorkshire, but the housing market was on the increase, and mall first time buyer homes were a potential goldmine so the developers had come. The shoddy old two-up, two-down mill houses were modernised and improved and sold on to trendy young commuters and agreeable small families. The nightmare of his childhood was becoming a pleasant place to live.

Minerva had taken a coach down into Hogsmeade with the other teachers who were supervising the students’ weekend treat, but the coaches had long since returned without her. She was still in the private parlour of the Hog’s Head, sipping tea with a healthy shot of whisky in, to ward off the cold. He had spent Lunch and Dinner with Aberforth, and was feeling too comfortable to move. She was happy there, she found; cozy and welcome. She didn’t have to put on a brave face, or any face at all. She was no longer Headmistress of Hogwarts, eminent member of the Wizengamot. She was Minnie from Perth, lover of lilacs and fresh good shortbread; both of which Abe had taken to providing frequently. She could speak her mind and even if he didn’t agree with her, he wouldn’t judge her for it, nor talk behind her back. She didn’t know how many others she could trust to do that. Poppy was close, but Poppy also had some strong beliefs, and Minerva knew that some subjects would put her friend at odds with her for some time.

“You look miles away pet.” Abe said suddenly, disturbing her reverie.

“Just thinking, Abe, that’s all.” She said with a smile.

“Don’t you do enough of that up at yon school of yours?” he replied with a chuckle.

“Oh hush! I was thinking about the Snapes again.” She elaborated.

“Oh aye? What about em?” he asked, sitting on the settee beside her.

“I sent the letters back to Sadira. I thought it would be the right thing to do. Sent a letter of my own with it, too. I told her I miss the children and that I’ll be here for her if she needs me at all.” Minnie said with a sad smile.

“What did she say to that?” Abe asked quietly.

“Nothing. I haven’t heard back yet, but it’s early days. She may write later.” She replied with a small shake of her head. Aberforth put his arm around her neck and pulled her head onto his shoulder. She allowed him to, feeling at ease with the comfort he offered. His arm went around her waist and his other hand took hers, and lifted it to his lips.

“You’re a good woman, Minerva Jean McGonagall.” He said sincerely.

She looked up at him, suddenly realising how close her face was to his. There was something shining in those china blue eyes that made her feel nervous in a way she hadn’t since she was a young woman. Caught like a deer in the headlights, she sat with bated breath as he lowered his head just slightly and brushed her lips with his. Her hand held his tighter, but it trembled. She swallowed quickly, removing her heart from where it had jumped up into her throat.

“It’s dark out, I ought to get back to the castle.” She said in a whisper.

“You don’t have to, Minnie. You don’t have to go anywhere tonight.” He said softly, his gruff voice wrapping around her warmly.

She dared to look into his blue eyes again, and smiled confidently as she placed her hand on his shoulder and kissed him back.


Sadie stood in the kitchen at Spinners End, stacking dishes on the worktop by the sink. Winky was upset with her, and she daren’t do too much of the housework for fear of upsetting her further. The poor devoted elf had been told to hide in the cellar and make no noise, when a young couple from down the street had brought their daughter to play with Hadrian and had ended up staying for tea. Sadie found the Muggles to be more open than the Wizarding folk she had known, and was happy around them, but it had meant hiding anything magical, including many of Hadrian’s toys. When the honest young man had told his little friend all about Winky the magical house elf, poor Severus had had to cover quickly with the excuse that he had an imaginary friend. Sadira was glad Severus was warming to the neighbours though. He had always been so closed off to people, it had taken her long enough to get past his defences, but she was happy to see him conversing comfortably with people.

Leaving Winky to nurse her wounded pride with the peace offering of her favourite lavender scented washing-up liquid, Sadie flopped onto the sofa beside Severus, curling into his side to watch the telly.

“Football? Severus, why?” She asked.

“There’s nothing else on.” He said flatly. “Besides, United are getting flattened.” He added with a gloating smirk. Sadie chuckled, shaking her head reproachfully.

“Look at us, eh; Mr and Mrs Normal Domestic.” She aid amusedly.

“I’m quite happy with normal, thank you. I’ve had quite enough of unusual to last me a lifetime.” He replied. He gave him a look of understanding, and snuggled closer. He muted the TV, using his wand rather than the remote, and put his arm around her. “Once upon a time, I looked down on these Muggles, and their technologies. I saw the mundane lives and tedium of the people around me and I was sure that I was destined for greater things than such humble domesticity of the average working man. That angry young man never saw this house as a home, but he was never happy. You have made me happier than I have ever been, Love, and all it took was for you to love me. You stood by me when no one else did. You gave me something I never wanted, because I never realised how good it was; you gave me a family.” He told her, settling her onto his knee and placing a tender kiss on her lips.

“The best thing I ever did in my life was to marry you, Love. You make me so happy.” She sighed, wrapping her arms around his neck.

“In that case, I think I deserve my marital rights, witch.” He purred in her ear with a sneaky smirk, making her jump off his knee and head for the stairs, stopping at the door to look behind her with a slow smile that made him wish that he didn’t need that damn stick, so he could carry her off himself.