Abused

Disclaimer in Chapter 1.

Epilogue

Minerva McGonagall sat back in her chair in the Headmistress’ office, Poppy Pomfrey and Samantha Sinistra across from her.

“Much as I wish that Severus would return… and that Lucius and Harry would agree to send the twins to Hogwarts, I know it won’t happen.”

Poppy could only commiserate with her. “They have every reason to avoid Hogwarts, Minnie. Too many bad things happened to both Severus and Harry, in this place.”

Sam said thoughtfully. “I don’t believe it’s just that. But if Rigel and Merope went to school here, they’d be under constant scrutiny… because of their fathers’ pasts.”

Minerva nodded. “Harry detested the ‘Boy Who Lived Syndrome’ as he refers to it now. And he doesn’t want his children put under that same microscope.”

Poppy snorted. “And the fact that their other father, at one time, was the Dark Lord’s right hand man, wouldn’t help any.”

The Headmistress agreed. “I believe that Harry and Lucius will take advantage of the Malfoy’s French ancestry to resolve that situation. We’ll just have to make time to see the twins on other occasions. At Harry’s request, I have already pulled the admissions letters for them from the mailing.”
~*~
Mer and Rigel came dashing into the room. Draco raised an eyebrow at their actions, but Lucius only chuckled. “There’s no Dark Lord, my son, and children have a right to be children… or so Harry has taught me.”

“Father, we have letters.” Merope burst out excitedly. Her father nodded, “I was expecting you to, darling. We are expecting company so why don’t you wait until then to open them? I’m certain the others would like to be here.”

At the confused look, he explained. “You grandfathers are coming, as are Uncle Neville and Aunt Luna… and all the other children.”

Just then Harry strolled in, “Why the noise my dears?”

Rigel went up to him, “Mer and I got letters, Papa.”

A small frown appeared on the gentle face, “You ‘received’ letters, Rigel, not ‘got’. Between your grandfathers, your father, and Draco, you have been taught better. Now please sit and think it out before you speak again.”

Draco had been amazed by the parenting skills of the former Gryffindor. On one hand, he had mellowed Lucius’ attitude toward behavior within the family, but on the other, he insisted that the twins learn to speak and behave correctly around outsiders.

As Harry sat down beside Lucius, he chatted with Draco and Susan quietly, “So their letters arrived. Are they from Hogwarts?”

Lucius shook his head, “We were waiting for you, love. Now we have to wait for Rigel to regain control of his vocabulary before we find out.”

Before the youngster had regained control, the Longbottoms arrived with their children and the house elf, Regeane, appeared with the others. Remus and Severus were right behind them.

Merope pulled Travis, Katherine, and Christopher off to a distant corner so they wouldn’t disturb the adults’ conversation, while the house elf supervised the younger ones.

Excited, Luna inquired, “Are we too late?”

Harry grinned at his former schoolmate. “Not in the slightest, dear. We’re just waiting for Rigel to regain control of his tongue before allowing them to open the letters.

It only took five minutes before the eleven-year old knelt at his papa’s feet. “I apologize, Papa, for my plebian use of language. Please forgive me.”

Harry touched his son’s cheek, “You are forgiven, Rigel. Now why don’t you and Merope open your letters? We’re anxious to see what they’re about.”

To both parents’ relief, the letters were from Beauxbatons, not Hogwarts. The Malfoy’s French heritage had been helpful in changing the direction of the twins’ education. Mercifully, neither one would be tainted with their fathers’ pasts.

The playmates were tickled to know where the others were going to school in the fall, but Katherine asked. “Papa, will we get letters for Beauxbatons, too?”

Neville glanced at the others. “I really don’t know, Katia, but it is a possibility. We will just have to see what happens.”

After the children gathered together to talk and play, Severus brought up Katherine’s subject. “Are you considering other options than Hogwarts, Neville?”

The younger wizard sighed. “Luna and I have talked this over… and over again. After the misery Harry and I endured there, I would prefer Katia and Travis to be schooled anywhere but there.” Neville frowned. “But I can’t see Beauxbatons accepting them, either.”

Lucius nodded, understanding the young man’s concern for his children. Harry had told him much of his years at Hogwarts. “The Malfoys are historically, French. Although our children have attended Hogwarts for the last several generations, we continue to make generous donations to Beauxbatons.”

Harry chuckled. Leave it to Lucius to talk circles around a subject. “I believe what he’s saying, Neville, is that the Malfoy family will gladly put in a good word for your children. I’m sure that Merope and Rigel would be most upset to find their playmates anywhere else.”

Neville Longbottom glanced between the two. “You would do that?”

Lucius straightened in his chair. “You have, long ago, proven yourself a valued friend. If we cannot help our friends, we make our own lives the poorer.”

The three sets of parents sat, sharing thoughts and memories with the older men, only missing the calming presence of Minerva… and Blackwell. They all agreed that the day Neville and the two girls had arrived at Malfoy Manor changed each life for the better. The children were discussed, and Lucius did admit that he’d send a request to Beauxbatons for Katherine Alice Longbottom.

Draco and Susan’s son, Christopher Lucius Malfoy, would be going to the French school the next year, so Katherine would be able to go with her friend. Neville’s son, Travis Lysander Longbottom, would be ready the following year, as would Harry and Luc’s daughter, Larisa Serenity Malfoy.

The year after that, the youngest… and the heir to the Snape family, Milos Scott Malfoy, would be going… and Draco’s daughter, Angelia Elizabeth Malfoy, would follow him.

Within a few days, Bill and Charlie Weasley and their families would arrive to spend a few weeks with the Malfoys. Harry, Lucius, and the two redheads agreed that it was time for the old Malfoy-Weasley feud to end, and in that light, spent time each summer allowing their children to grow closer.

Quietly sitting back, listening to the others, Severus Snape mused at how different his life was now. He had an intimate partnership with Remus; was deeply involved in potions research; and spent copious amounts of time with his grand… and god… children. From a low point, when he had doubted his own survival, the sombre man’s life had become something worth living… and his son had made the biggest difference. A son who at one time, had every right to detest him, but shared instead the beauty of being a parent with the older man.

One and all, the group gathered there would, till the very end, be a family.

Finis

Well, here it is... revamped. I hope those who gave me ideas, and told me where I was wrong will enjoy the new stuff.


Stats: 44 pages; 30,158 words; Century Gothic font – 8 point