Epilogue

August, Severus decided, was a fine time to have a wedding. The weather had been behaving itself all week and the 11th of August dawned fine, bright and sunny. The wedding was being held in the grounds of Hogwarts, which Severus had questioned on a couple of occasions, but he'd been told, in no uncertain terms, that his opinion was neither welcome nor valid.

He had learnt over the last few months of wedding preparations that to keep quiet was the key to it all. Simply nodding and agreeing was the way to achieve harmony and, in the end, that was all that really mattered.

There were now only a couple of hours to go. Everything that needed to be taken care of was all in place and now it was simply a matter of getting the key players into their finery and waiting for all the guests to turn up. Of course, one key player was missing and Severus had been sent to find her.

It wasn't a hard guess. Severus knew his daughter well and was well aware that all anyone need do was head straight to Hogwarts' quidditch pitch. Sure enough, as he approached the hallowed ground he saw a figure high up in the air doing loops and dives. He waved, knowing she would have spotted him approaching, and waited for her to land.

"If your father sees your hair all windswept like that he'll kill you," Severus said with a smile as his daughter landed and dismounted her broom seamlessly.

"Exactly how many times is Dad going to be on the verge of a breakdown today?" Naomi asked as she raked her fingers through her short black hair. "It's not his bloody wedding!"

"You know your father, he likes to live on the verge of a crisis."

"The ceremony isn't for another two hours! All I have to do is get into my dress and run a brush through my hair. How long does he think that takes?"

"I am only the messenger, my love," Severus said, slinging an arm around her shoulders.

At 20, Naomi was nearly as tall as him and was now an inch or two taller than Harry. She had an athletic build, which she rigorously maintained, having chosen to make her career in quidditch.

After she had graduated from Hogwarts, she had stayed on for a year as deputy quidditch coach. After that, she had played reserve Keeper for the South West Wasps and, a couple of weeks ago, had been offered the reserve position for the England team.

She was determined that by the time she reached 25 she would be in the main team and would make a name for herself on the international stage.

"Why is he working himself up so much over this? No one else is making this much fuss," Naomi said with an eye roll just like Severus'.

"Oh let him have his day. His firstborn's getting married, he's allowed to be a little over the top."

"But neither Josh nor Bex have been remotely precious about this whole wedding business. Bex is the furthest away from a Bridezilla you could possibly get."

Severus sighed and said, "Sweetheart, I learnt a long time ago that the best way to have a quiet life is to just nod and smile where your father's concerned."

Naomi snorted and cuddled a little closer, saying, "Just promise me that if I ever lose my mind and decide to get married you'll take Dad out of the country."

"You have my word. Have you seen your brother this morning?"

"Of course. I am the best man, after all," Naomi said with a grin as they made their way back up to the castle.

Despite the eight-year age gap between the brother and sister, they were closer than most siblings. Throughout her childhood Naomi had idolised Josh and, rather than being irritated by it, Josh had adored being her Big Brother.

There had been a great deal of concern on both Harry and Severus' parts that Josh would feel somehow pushed out by his sister's arrival, but they had gone to great pains to include him every step of the pregnancy and had prepared him as well as they were able for his new sister.

Severus had felt a tremendous sense of guilt in those early days that he had been there for Naomi's birth and her first few years when he hadn't been for Josh's. He had worried that Josh would somehow feel himself to be the inferior child because of it and Severus had gone to great lengths to make sure that that would never be the case.

Josh had been a very dutiful older brother and had been a dedicated watchdog over Naomi when she was first born. He had displayed a gentleness with her that Severus would have never believed him capable of and had often been the only one capable of soothing her when she cried.

As she had grown older, she had become Josh's shadow. He had had remarkable patience with her and had always tried to include her in whatever he was doing. When he had gone away to Hogwarts she had been heartbroken. Severus and Harry had had to deal with an inconsolable 3 year old for weeks after Josh had departed and the boy had had to send a jumper home so that the little girl had something of his she could cuddle.

As they had both grown older, the relationship between them had become a little more balanced. Throughout her teenage years, Naomi had enjoyed having a grown up big brother who still wanted to spend time with her and they had begun to forge a friendship that went beyond the fact that they were family.

"Has Uncle Drake been crying again?" Naomi asked as they made their way into the entrance hall.

"Oh yes," Severus said with a sigh. "Last I heard he was asking your Auntie Gin if there was a spell to bring down puffy eyes. He's beside himself."

"Merlin help Alex and Rowan if they ever get married. He'll be ten times worse than Dad."

"I think we'll all be leaving the country."

They made their way to the guest rooms on the 5th floor and were accosted by Harry almost as soon as they got through the door.

"Oh thank Merlin! You found her!"

"Where did you think I'd gone, Dad?" asked Naomi exasperatedly. "We've still got a couple of hours for goodness sake!"

"No, we have precisely one hour and forty-seven minutes," Harry corrected, and Severus tried not to smile at the slight hitch in the man's voice.

"Dad, if you don't calm down I swear to Merlin that I will stun you and put you in a broom cupboard for the rest of the day," Naomi said, giving her father a swerve and heading for the corner of the room where there was a table holding champagne.

"You can't have that yet!" Harry protested as she began to take the foil off one of the bottles.

"If I don't have it now I'll kill you. You choose."

"I'd let her get on with it, love," Severus said, gesturing for his daughter to pour him a glass too.

Harry eyes darted to Severus and, as he advanced, Severus inched a little closer to the door.

"Josh wants to see you," Harry said, wagging a finger at him.

"Ok, I'll pop in and see him now," Severus said, heading for the adjoining door that led to the room Josh was getting ready in.

"No wait," Harry said, reaching out and grabbing Severus' arm. "Have you prepared what you're going to say to him?"

Severus frowned and Naomi snorted, popping the cork on the bottle and sloshing champagne into the waiting glasses.

"I'm sorry, I don't follow," Severus said, deeply grateful when a levitated glass made its way into his hand.

"Have you prepared what you're going to say to him?" Harry repeated, as though it somehow made more sense when said twice.

"Harry, my love, I really think we should find you a nice calming draught and perhaps let you have a little lie down for half an hour or so," Severus said, placing his hands on Harry's shoulders and dipping his head to meet the man's eyes.

"I'm serious," Harry insisted.

"You might well be but I still don't have a clue what you're going on about."

Harry took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a few seconds. Severus glanced over the man's head at his daughter who simply shrugged and made twirling gestures at her head. Harry opened his eyes just in time for Severus to school his features back into mild interest.

"Severus, this is our son's wedding day."

"Yes…I'm aware of that," Severus said slowly, wondering if Naomi's suggestion of putting Harry in a broom cupboard had been all that ridiculous.

"So," Harry continued, looking as though he could develop a twitch in his eye at any moment, "he's going to need some words of wisdom, he's going to want to hear sage advice from his parents about how to – "

"Act like a complete lunatic?" Naomi interjected.

Harry glared at her over his shoulder and said, "You just wait until it's your turn, young lady."

"Pa and I have already agreed that he'll be taking you out of England."

"Very bloody funny," Harry groused, turning back to Severus. "Josh is going to want to hear how to make a marriage work, how to listen to your partner and how to respect them. He's going to need to know that this is an important milestone and you need to tell him what to expect from his marriage."

"Well, if it's the same thing as our marriage, I'll tell him to expect to have to section Bex in about 20 years' time."

Naomi laughed into her glass of champagne and Severus briefly wondered if Harry might implode then and there.

"Well fine," Harry said, taking his hands off Severus' shoulders and placing them on his own hips. "I'm glad this is all such a big joke to you. It's not every day your firstborn child gets married you know!"

"I know," Severus said placatingly. He placed a hand on Harry's cheek and smiled as he said, "If Josh has half such a happy marriage as ours he'll be a fortunate man indeed. I'll go and speak to him and I promise I'll take it seriously."

He dipped his head and pressed a soft kiss to his husband's lips, feeling Harry relax a little beneath him. He wondered just how many glasses of champagne they would have to tip down the man's throat before he became ever so slightly less neurotic. He pulled back and received a slightly mollified smile from Harry.

"Why don't you go and join Naomi in a glass of champagne, love? Everything's perfect, there's nothing you need to think about."

"There's plenty to think about. I still need to go and check that the caterers have five vegetarian meals and one gluten-free."

"Just go, Pa," Naomi advised, "while you still can."

Severus nodded and headed for the adjoining door, knocking briefly before letting himself in. Josh was standing in front of a full-length mirror, adjusting his cravat.

Severus allowed himself a brief moment of paternal indulgence as he took in the sight of his son. At 28, Josh was no longer the small child he had first met in Harry's arms all those years ago, and Severus occasionally found himself surprised by the man he found himself looking at.

Speaking as objectively as he could, Severus thought Josh was a handsome man. As he had got older, he had become less of a carbon copy of Harry and had taken on a few of Severus' traits too. He had high cheekbones and a square jaw, all topped off with jet black hair that had developed a wave as he grew older. It now curled around his ears and gave him a rather dashing look.

"Oh Pa, come and help me with this bloody thing," he said, turning around and gesturing to his messily-done cravat.

"I'm not sure I'll have any more success than you," Severus said as he approached. "Why are you in your robes so early anyway?"

Josh sighed and said, "Dad."

"Ah," Severus said with a smile. "Say no more."

"He wasn't like this when you two got married," Josh said, tilting his head up to let Severus get to the cravat.

"No, he was very sedate. I must admit that I'm rather taken aback by this previously unknown side to your father's character."

"Maybe he'll give up being the darling of the wand-making community and take up wedding planning," Josh said with his usual deadpan delivery.

"Dear Merlin, I hope not. Much more of this and I'll be filing for divorce."

Josh snorted and said, "I'd believe that if you weren't so sickeningly in love with him."

Severus smiled, knowing he was banged to rights. He managed to wrestle the cravat into submission and stood back to admire his handiwork. The test, of course, would be if it passed Harry's quality control, which Severus rather doubted it would.

"Keep your head down, don't let your father see it," he advised and Josh grinned at him.

Severus paused for a moment, allowing himself a moment to drink in the sight of his son on his wedding day.

"How are you feeling?" he asked eventually, and the expression on Josh's face told him everything he needed to know.

"I just can't wait to get down there and marry her. I feel like I've been waiting for this day all my life."

Severus had never doubted it, of course. He could remember when Josh had first brought Bex home to meet them all. It had been four years ago and Bex hadn't long joined the Hogwarts staff as Charms professor after Ginny had given up the post to become the school's youngest ever headteacher.

Josh, at that point, had been working at Hogwarts for just over a year as the new History of Magic professor. He had never lost his love of History and, after Hogwarts, had gone on to achieve his Masters in Magical History. He was thoroughly devoted to his subject and, since he had taken on the professorship, the class had become one of the school's most popular.

He and Bex had been drawn to one another almost the second she had come to the school and they had started dating not long after. Before they had met her, Severus and Harry had heard story after story about the woman and they hadn't been remotely surprised when Josh had suggested it was time for them to meet.

Bex was a warm, friendly and endearing woman. She was practically-minded and had a sense of humour that fit in well with the Potter-Snape clan, all of whom valued sarcasm above all else.

"I know you'll be happy," Severus told him. "You light up whenever you look at her."

Josh smiled and took a deep breath before he said, "I knew I could never settle for anything less than the way you feel about Dad. I watched you so much over the years and I wanted to feel for someone the way you do for him. I could see it, it was so strong, so powerful. I knew Bex was the one when I felt I'd achieved that."

"I nearly lost him. You too," Severus said, feeling the usual shiver of dread run through him when he considered that possibility. "I walked out of his life once and I shouldn't have had the right to come back into it. It's only because your father is one of most magnanimous and generous men that I'm standing here today."

"See," Josh said, smiling widely, "that's the kind of devotion I always wanted. He's your whole world."

"I don't deserve him."

"Yes you do, Pa," Josh said gently. "The last 21 years you've more than made up for the past. You love him with an intensity that's breath-taking and you've been the best father that either I or Naomi could have asked for."

Severus swallowed around the lump in his throat. He had spent the last 21 years trying to be as good a husband and father as he could, doing his best to atone for the mistakes he had made so long ago. His family was the only thing that mattered to him and he had devoted his life to their happiness.

"I could never take for granted the gift that I was given when your dad let me back into your lives."

"Well," said Josh, "this is all getting terribly sentimental, isn't it?"

"I'm allowed to be sentimental on your wedding day, it's a parent's prerogative."

"Is that Dad's excuse?" Josh asked wryly.

"I think we may have to claim temporary insanity on that one. Why don't you come next door for a bit? Your sister's opened the champagne."

"I wondered how long it would take her."

"Well it was either that or succumb to murdering your father."

"The day is still young, Pa."

Severus clapped his son on the back as they headed back into the other room, only to find that Draco and Bill, along with their two children, had joined Harry and Naomi.

"Oh pumpkin!" Draco said, holding a handkerchief up to his face. "You look so handsome!"

"Thanks Uncle Drake," Josh said with a good-natured smile. Severus wondered just how many times the man's patience would be tested before the day was out.

"Come here and let me sort that cravat, it looks as though you put it on with your feet," Draco instructed and Severus rolled his eyes. He should have known that Draco was really the one to worry about.

Josh dutifully went over and allowed himself to be manhandled by Draco, who unravelled the cravat and began his work on it.

Severus glanced over to Bill, who rolled his eyes with an expression that said, "Just let him get on with it". Severus smirked and moved over to join him, watching as Draco finished with the cravat then began brushing imaginary dust from Josh's robes.

"You really are the most handsome groom I've ever seen," Draco said, and even from the other side of the room Severus could see the man's eyes starting to well up again.

"10 galleons says he suffers dehydration by the end of the day," Naomi muttered as she walked past on her way to top up her glass.

Severus and Bill both stifled their laughter, neither wanting to be on the receiving end of a telling-off from their husbands.

Harry was busy arranging the buttonhole for Alex and the corsage for Rowan. Severus glanced over and smiled at Bill and Draco's children, feeling yet another sentimental twinge as the proud uncle that he was.

Alex was 18 and had graduated from Hogwarts merely weeks ago. He had been fascinated by wand lore ever since he was a child and had sat by Harry's side in the workshop watching him at his craft. Harry had decided to take him on as an apprentice and he was due to start in September.

Alex was a gentle and shy boy. He had been a quiet but affectionate child and had never been happier than when he was surrounded by his family, particularly his parents and his uncles. As he had grown older, he had begun to look more and more like Ron, a fact that Severus knew both pleased and upset Harry in equal measure.

Rowan was 15 and about to start her fifth year at Hogwarts. She reminded Severus so very strongly of Ginny, both in looks and temperament. She was a vivacious and lively young woman, with a strong personality that she wasn't afraid to show. Severus was immensely fond of her and enjoyed her company, watching her develop from the somewhat precocious child she had been to the striking young woman she was becoming.

"Now, you'll hand out the orders of service to the guests as they take their seats," Harry said, Alex and Rowan nodding dutifully. "And you'll ask if they're part of the groom's party or the bride's."

"Uncle Harry," Rowan said with a sigh, "a lobotomised gerbil could manage this. I don't think Alex and I will have too much difficulty."

"You tell him, Row," said Naomi, grinning cheekily at her father as he glared at her for the hundredth time that day.

"Oh Harry," Draco said, the handkerchief back in place. "Do you remember when we brought him home from the hospital? He was so tiny, just a little pink bundle, and now look at him!"

"Uncle Drake," Josh protested with a groan.

Harry came to stand next to Draco, both of them looking at Josh with tilted heads and soppy expressions.

"He was such a beautiful baby," Harry said, and Draco nodded his agreement. "He had those big dark eyes and olive skin. I remember holding him that first night and thinking how perfect he was."

"I may vomit," said Naomi, chucking back the rest of her champagne and casting a filthy look at her father.

"Ok," Josh said, holding up his hands. "Can we please agree that for the rest of the day there will be no more soppy looks, no more protestations of what a perfect baby I was and no more wistful declarations about how you can't believe I'm old enough to get married!"

Harry went to open his mouth but Josh held up a finger and said, "No. No more. I love you both dearly but I swear I will kill you and chuck your bodies in the lake."

"I'll help," Naomi piped up.

"It's your wedding day!" Harry said. "I'm allowed to be wistful."

"To a degree," Josh said through gritted teeth. "I bet Bex's parents aren't behaving like this."

"I bet they are!" Harry countered. "They're lovely people! And I bet Bex isn't putting embargos on their emotions either."

"Pa, help me out here," Josh said, glancing imploringly in Severus' direction.

Severus took a deep breath and stepped closer. He placed his hands on Harry's shoulders and said, "My love, as this is Josh's big day perhaps we might adhere to his wishes."

"But – "

"Of course you have every right to be proud and…emotional, but perhaps you could…temper it slightly."

Harry pursed his lips and said, "Fine. Fine, I shall just be an emotionless chasm, a cold, dead husk with no feelings whatsoever."

"Sounds good," said Naomi, raising her glass in a cheers.

Severus tried to glare his daughter while stopping his lip from twitching. He wondered how they were all going to make it to the end of the day without killing one another and he vaguely considered confiscating everyone's wands.

"Why don't we go for a little stroll?" he suggested. "You've been running yourself ragged this morning and you could do with a break."

"But I still have to – "

"Naomi," Severus said, looking at his daughter with an expression that said she was to agree at all costs, "your father's left a list on the coffee table. Could you please check it over and do whatever's left to be done?"

Naomi clicked her heels together and saluted. Harry opened his mouth to chastise her but Severus tightened his hold on his husband's shoulders and said, "Come on then, out we go."

He guided Harry out of the room and kept the man tucked tightly to his side as they made their way down the stairs. There were some advantages to being several inches taller than man.

"I can't believe I'm being told off for being a conscientious father," Harry groused as they waited for one of the staircases to come around.

Severus smiled and said, "No one's telling you off, my love. I think perhaps we'd all just appreciate it if you…toned it down ever so slightly."

Harry huffed and turned away from the staircase. He ambled a little way down the corridor and threw himself down on a stone bench beneath a wide window. Severus moved to join him and sat down beside his husband, smiling at the adorably grumpy expression on the man's face.

"I only want the day to be perfect," Harry said, pouting.

Severus bit his lip to stop from laughing and felt a huge swell of affection for his husband. "It will be. You've done a fantastic job and I know how much Josh and Bex appreciate all your hard work."

"Well, your son doesn't seem to appreciate it," Harry said petulantly. Severus snorted at the assertion that Josh was always his son whenever Harry was upset with him.

"Of course he does," Severus said, slinging an arm around Harry's shoulders and pulling him close. He placed a kiss to the top of the man's head and decided to give him a few moments to collect himself.

Harry was always perfectly capable of working himself into a frenzy given the right circumstances, but, if left to his own devices, he could work himself back out of it quickly enough.

They had been together as a couple for 21 years and had been married for just shy of 19. During that time, Severus had learnt to read Harry's moods and how to deal with them. They had grown together as people and as spouses, and, now that their children were grown up, Severus felt as though they were about to begin the next chapter of their lives together.

It was an adventure that Severus had never really believed he deserved. Their marriage had been a happy one, although, of course, it hadn't been without its ups and downs. There had been arguments and hurt feelings, there had been disagreements over both Josh and Naomi, and there had been things said that had often been difficult to retract.

For the most part, though, they had been happy together. Severus' love for Harry had grown and evolved over the years. He still held the same passion that he had felt all those years ago, but it was now enhanced with the sense of companionship and security he felt where Harry was concerned.

"I suppose I have been a little over-the-top," Harry said eventually with a sigh as he snuggled into Severus' chest. "I just want everything to be perfect for them."

"I know, love," Severus said as he rested his head on top of Harry's. "It will be. You've done a wonderful job."

"I can't believe my little boy's getting married…and I'm allowed to say that out of Josh's earshot!"

"You can say it as many times as you like," Severus said, knowing that indulging his husband a little wouldn't hurt.

Harry sighed and said, "Bex said they'd give it a few years and then try for children. Can you imagine? We'll be grandparents!"

"You're far too young and handsome to be a grandfather," Severus said and Harry laughed.

"I'll be 50 next year! I'm hardly a spring chicken, am I?"

"If you could spare a thought for those of us who are somewhat older," Severus groused, reminded of the fact that he would be turning 70 in a few months. He had to admit that he didn't look it.

Wizards and witches aged differently to their muggle counterparts and middle age lasted much longer. If anyone were to guess Severus' age they would have probably put him in his mid-50s. His hair was still largely black, though it was a little peppered with grey here and there, and he had few discernible wrinkles. He was in excellent health and had maintained a slim and toned physique. All in all, he was rather pleased with himself.

"You're still as handsome as the day I married you," Harry said, tilting his head up to look at Severus.

"You always were a little tapped in the head," Severus said affectionately. "I am, by no one's standards, handsome."

"Of course you are," Harry said matter-of-factly. "That gorgeous bone structure and those devastating eyes. You still make me go weak at the knees when you look at me."

"Well, perhaps we could find a nice empty room and I could make other parts of you go weak," Severus said with a sly grin.

"Oh no you don't, you sneaky Slytherin. You're not distracting me that way," Harry said with a sedate smile.

"Worth a shot."

Harry sighed happily and said, "Do you remember our wedding?"

"Hm, vaguely. Remind me?"

Harry gave him a sharp dig in the ribs and he laughed, saying, "Of course I remember it, you fool. It was a wonderful day. It'll be 19 years next month."

"19 years," Harry echoed. "It still feels like yesterday."

Their wedding had been a casual and very laidback affair. They had only invited their closest friends and family and had had the ceremony at their home. Josh had been their pageboy, pushing his baby sister in her pram up the aisle, while Draco had served as Harry's best man and Bill had been Severus'.

Severus had been full of nerves but Bill had been a calming and soothing presence at his side. He had known, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that he wanted nothing more than to be Harry's husband and Josh and Naomi's father, but he had been so uncertain that he was worthy of either title.

The guilt over his initial treatment of Harry had festered for a long time. It had loomed over their marriage for its early years and both men had work hard to try to lay it to rest. It took a long time for Severus to believe that Harry had let go of his anger and resentment, and he was so earnest in his attempts to prove himself to Harry that it often led to arguments.

Harry didn't want to be treated like fine china, like a vulnerable and fragile thing that had to be handled with care. He wanted to be an equal in his marriage and wanted Severus to say when he was irritated or upset. He neither wanted nor expected perfection and had striven to make Severus understand that.

As the years went on, their relationship became a lot more balanced. Severus began to see himself as an equal parent where Josh was concerned and Naomi's arrival helped to solidify that. He still doubted himself from time to time, but Harry was patient with him and together they worked towards cementing their roles within their family dynamic.

"They'll be happy, won't they?" Harry asked as he rested his head on Severus' shoulder.

"Of course they will. They're well-suited and they obviously adore one another. Actually, they remind me a bit of Bill and Drake in their earlier days."

"Mm, I know what you mean. They sort of…bring out all of each other's good points. She's a lovely daughter-in-law, we really did strike lucky. It makes me wonder what Naomi will bring home."

Severus smiled and said, "Whoever it is she won't require our approval for one second."

"Very true," said Harry with a sigh. "She always had a big crush on Gin. Perhaps she'll bring home a feisty redhead."

"That sounds about right," Severus agreed. "Some athletic quidditch colleague I imagine."

"Quidditch, her first and only love."

"I blame you," Severus said. "You started her at such a young age. Josh was never particularly bothered."

"Well at least one of my children took after me just a little. They both ended up far too much like you in personality."

"You needn't say it as though it's such a terrible thing," Severus said with a huff.

It was true though; both Josh and Naomi had taken after him in the personality stakes, his daughter especially. She was as acerbic and intolerant as he could be, and she had very little patience to speak of.

She wasn't particularly one for company and valued her solitude. She loved fiercely where her emotions were stirred and, despite the grief she gave them all, her family was the most important thing to her. She was deeply loyal and probably would have ended up in Hufflepuff were it not for her intense determination to be put in Ravenclaw.

Josh had been sorted into Slytherin, a fact that both Severus and Draco had tried not to crow over too much. He had been a prefect and then, to Harry and Severus' eternal pride, had been made Head Boy. A year after his return to Hogwarts as a professor, he had been made Head of Slytherin, and he took his position incredibly seriously.

The house's reputation had slowly improved after the war, and its members had fought hard to throw off its previously dark mantle. Josh felt that he had a responsibility to ensure that that continued, and he instilled in his students a sense of honour and fairness that normally belonged to the other houses.

He was naturally a very nurturing person, and he tried to make himself as available as possible to his students. He endeavoured to help with all manner of problems from personal to academic. He was a popular teacher and was admired and respected across all the houses.

"It's remarkable how like you they both are," Harry said, reaching up to play with the buttons on Severus' vest.

"My genes trump yours," Severus said smugly.

"I wouldn't mind," Harry groused, "but it was me who carried them both! I had to do all the hard work!"

Severus laughed and said, "I know, my love, I know."

Being there for Harry's pregnancy and the birth of their daughter had been a wonderful yet conflicting experience for Severus. He had loved watching Harry grow as Naomi had developed within him. He had spoken to Harry's bump all day and had lain his hand over it whenever they sat together. The first time he had felt his daughter kick had been an incredible experience and he had been captivated by the wonder of it all.

He hadn't been able to shake the constant feeling of guilt though. At every step he was reminded of the fact that he hadn't been there when Harry was carrying Josh, nor when his son had been born. Holding Naomi for the first time merely seconds after her birth had been the proudest and most emotional experience of Severus' life. Knowing that he hadn't done so with Josh had weighed heavily on him.

Harry had tried to reassure him that it didn't matter, that he had a wonderful bond with Josh, but Severus couldn't help but wonder how different things would have been if he'd been there from the start. It would always be the greatest regret of his life that he hadn't been and he had gone to great pains to ensure that both his children had always felt equally cherished.

"They were worth it though," Harry said with a fond smile. "I'd do it all again in a heartbeat."

"I think our child-rearing days are behind us now."

"We'll have to content ourselves with grandchildren instead then. What do you want to be called? I think I'd like to be 'Gramps'."

"I suppose that leaves 'Granddad' for me," Severus said, rolling his eyes. It had taken him long enough to accustom himself to the idea of being a father, let alone a grandfather. Still, he couldn't deny that the idea of grandchildren was an appealing one. He knew that Harry had plans to offer childcare where needed and he was coming around to the idea.

Neither of his children had taken much interest in his beloved potions, although they had both been passable students at school. Perhaps he could stir a grandchild's interest though and create a mini potions expert, made in his image. Now there was a thought.

"He'll be a wonderful father," Harry said. "And Bex will be a fantastic mother. The kids here love them."

"Well, Josh has had fantastic examples of how to be a perfect parent," Severus said with a smirk.

"True, very true," Harry said, grinning. "Am I allowed to go back to the room now? I promise I'll behave."

"Oh come on then, you old mother hen," Severus said, standing up and extending a hand to his husband. Harry took it and they began their slow stroll back to their guest suite.

Severus took the time to enjoy the proximity of Harry's body to his own. They were so familiar with one another after all these years and yet Severus still felt as attracted to his husband as he ever had been. Their marriage had always been a passionate one. Their sex life had dipped a little after Naomi had been born but they had worked hard to find time for one another.

The intimacy they shared was beautiful to Severus. He had never opened himself up in the ways he had done to Harry, never allowed himself to be vulnerable and fragile, but he trusted his heart in Harry's care and Harry had never betrayed that trust.

He knew every inch of Harry's skin, as Harry knew his. They knew each other in ways nobody else did and the closeness they shared was more precious to Severus than anything else in his life.

Feeling the familiar sensation of arousal sweeping over him whenever he considered Harry for too long, he gave the man's hand a gentle tug and pulled him around so they were face to face. He dipped his head and swept his husband up in a deep and sensual kiss, feeling Harry melt into him.

There was nothing quite like having Harry in his arms. He never took for granted the feel of holding his husband close, of feeling the man's heartbeat next to his own. He was a romantic sap, he knew, but he always thought that Harry fit perfectly to him, as though the man had been made for his arms alone.

"Is this to placate me further?" Harry asked, pulling back and kissing a trail along Severus' jaw.

"No, I have purely selfish motives, I assure you."

"I've already told you, you terrible man, that I am not allowing myself to be dragged into an empty classroom while you have your wicked way with me."

"Surely I can persuade you," Severus said, allowing one hand to rove under Harry's loose shirt. His long fingers danced over the man's smooth skin and Harry shivered in response.

"You can indulge your base urges later," Harry said with a gleam in his eye.

"While you succumb like a put-upon maiden?" Severus asked wryly, and Harry laughed.

"Got it in one. Now come on, it's time we were in our formal wear," Harry said, disentangling himself and continuing down the hall, dragging Severus behind him.

Severus groaned and said, "We still have over an hour!"

Harry stopped and glanced at his watch, saying, "We have one hour and eleven minutes. I know how long you take getting into formal wear; you dawdle."

"I do not dawdle," Severus argued.

"You do. You dawdle over everything. It drives me mad. Honestly, when the kids were younger it wasn't an issue getting them out the door, it was always you who was the problem! You faff."

"No I don't."

"Yes you bloody do."

"Nothing much changes, does it?" came a voice down the corridor, and they both turned to see Ginny heading their way.

"Not in 20-odd years," Harry said with a smile, greeting her with a kiss.

Severus did likewise, saying, "You were wise to never marry. It's why you still look like a teenager."

"Shameless flatterer," Ginny said, grinning. "Anyway, I'm married to this place," she added, gesturing to the castle surrounding them. "It governs my time far more than any spouse could."

"Are you still enjoying it?" Harry asked.

Ginny nodded and said, "When I'm not buried under pointless bureaucracy. Trying to affect change is always difficult but this place has lived in the past for too long. Luckily I have wonderful staff to support me," she said with a wink. "And how is our handsome groom?"

"Ready to push both his father and your brother-in-law off a cliff," Severus answered, earning himself a glare from Harry.

"I warned him you'd be this way," Ginny said sagely. "I told him to get Bex to show him some decent rope-tying charms. Then again…perhaps they're well-versed in those kinds of charms anyway," she said, wiggling her eyebrows.

"Gin!" Harry protested. "I don't need those mental images, thank you very much."

"Oh don't be such a prude. I'm sure you two get up to much worse."

Severus snorted while Harry turned bright red. He was always adorably embarrassed whenever anyone brought up sex and Severus found it thoroughly endearing.

"Minerva was never this lewd," Harry said, cuddling into Severus' side as if to shield himself.

"Oh she was, believe me! Right, I'm off to make myself devastatingly stunning. See you down there."

She blew them both a kiss then turned on her heel and glided off down the corridor. Over the years, Severus had come to know Ginny very well and, besides Bill, she was his favourite Weasley. She was intelligent and fun, and Severus knew that Hogwarts was in a safe pair of hands under her guidance.

"Some people," Harry tutted as he and Severus continued their journey back to the guest suite.

It was true that things were changing at Hogwarts, and Josh had helped to instigate many of those changes. His love of acting had never waned and within his first year of teaching he had set up a drama club. He had had great success with it and the school play was the crowning glory of the end of each academic year.

He had also fought hard to encourage inter-house relations, and the drama club had gone a long way to helping that. He taught his Slytherins that house pride was one thing but to let it rule to the detriment of all else was folly. He was as concerned with pastoral care as he was with academic achievement and his pupils flourished under his tutelage.

When comparing himself with his son, Severus regretted the kid of teacher he had been. It was true that his tenure as an educator had been overshadowed by his work as a spy, but his disposition had never been suited to teaching. He felt a pang of guilt whenever he thought of those who had suffered under him.

"Oh, you didn't offer him to the giant squid for lunch then?" Naomi greeted them as they re-entered the suite.

"I'm beginning to think we were far too lenient with you as a child," Harry said, his eyes narrowing on his daughter. "If we'd been a bit stricter you might be a little more respectful now."

"No chance with that one," Draco said, his fond smile belying his words.

His relationship with Naomi had been different to the one he had forged with Josh, but they were no less close because of it. Both he and Bill served as her godfathers and the two families had grown with one another.

"Are you going to get into your dress, Nims?" Harry asked, and Severus sent up a silent prayer to anyone who might be listening that his husband wasn't about to go into overdrive again.

"Dad, please don't use that name. You know it drives me mad."

"But it's what I called you when you were little!" Harry protested.

"Exactly! I'm 20 years old now."

"You'll always be my little girl."

"Oh thank Merlin," Josh piped up, "he's moved on to you now."

"Hey, I'll take you down with me," Naomi threatened. "I'll remind him of just what a handsome little groom you are!"

"Alright children, that's enough, thank you," Severus said, feeling though he'd been transported at least ten years into the past.

"My earlier question still stands," Harry said, hands on hips, "are you getting into your dress?"

Naomi huffed and turned her dark gaze to Severus, saying, "I thought you were taking him out to calm him down?"

"I'm only human, darling," Severus said, rolling his eyes and heading back towards the champagne. Bill was on standby and handed him a fresh glass with a wry smile.

It was really only the champagne that got everyone through the next hour without killing one another. Harry continued to badger them all into a frenzy and Naomi continued threatening him with various grizzly endings. Draco went misty-eyed a few more times and there were many reminiscences about Josh's childhood.

Eventually, Harry ushered them all down to where the ceremony was being held and positioned Josh and Naomi to greet the guests, while Alex and Rowan were on hand with the orders of service.

Bex's parents had made their way down, Bex's mother jittery with nerves while her father was taking the whole affair in his stride. They were a sensible couple and Severus enjoyed their company. Bex's mother was the magical of the two, while her father was a muggle. It had been many years since he had been introduced to the wonders of the magical world and yet he was still enchanted by it all.

The guests began to arrive and the weather continued to smile them all. Severus felt a little swell of pride every time he saw his children together, shaking hands with those arriving or greeting friends with warm hugs. It was a day of celebration, to be sure, and the overall atmosphere was a happy one.

Both Severus and Harry, along with Bex's parents, were aware that Josh and Bex were a good match. They made each other very happy and were a great source of support to one another. Severus had no doubt that, as long as they worked at it, they would have a very happy marriage.

"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the wedding of Joshua Ronald Potter-Snape and Rebecca Louise Kershaw," the brightly-dressed officiant said as every was eventually seated. Bex was resplendent in an oyster-coloured dress, which favoured the more muggle-type of wedding dress.

Josh was beaming from ear to ear and hadn't been able to take his eyes of his bride. Bex too was grinning broadly and Naomi was looking between the pair of them with obvious fondness.

Naomi's approval had been the litmus test they had all been nervous for. She wasn't fond of many people and was fiercely protective of her brother, despite their differences in age. Josh had had a couple of other girlfriends in the past and Naomi hadn't been slow to tell him what she had thought of them.

She had taken to Bex from the start and everyone had breathed a collective sigh of relief to see it. The two women had formed a close bond, and, having no siblings of her own, Bex had often said how much she looked upon Naomi as a sister.

As he sat watching his eldest child get married, Severus thought how extremely fortunate he was. If circumstances had been different, he might never have known he had a son, or Harry might have decided that he had no right to be given entry into Josh's life. The thought was a terrifying one.

He knew that he would have had no one to blame if that had been the case. He would spend the rest of his life in Harry's debt for allowing him his chance all those years ago. If it hadn't been for the man's bravery, Severus wouldn't have his two beautiful children, nor would he be married to the love of his life.

Taking a steadying breath, he reached out and grasped Harry's hand. Harry looked at him with a smile and squeezed his hand, the man's happiness and pride written all over his face.

"I love you," Harry mouthed silently, and Severus brought the man's hand up to his lips and kissed it gently.

The vows were exchanged and the readings were given. The marriage license was signed and witnessed and then they were all being herded together for the photographs.

"Bex, you look simply stunning," Severus said, embracing his new daughter-in-law.

"Oh thanks, Sev," she beamed. "You don't look too bad yourself. You're putting your son to shame."

"Married five minutes and already she's giving other men the eye!" Josh said with a grin as he appeared at his wife's side.

"You know I've always had a soft spot for your father," Bex said teasingly. "It's that brooding intensity of his."

"I don't brood anymore, do I?" Severus asked, turning to Harry for confirmation.

"Only occasionally," Harry said, tucking himself into Severus' side. "It's more an air you give off."

"Mm," Bex agreed, "like a Byronic hero."

"Don't tell him that," Naomi said, popping up beside them. "He'll get a swollen head and then where would we all be?"

"Of course, my daughter's tongue would freeze in her head if she ever gave me a compliment," Severus said dryly.

"I say nice things to you all the time," Naomi protested.

"Only when you want something."

"Groom's family!" the photographer called. "If I can have you over here please."

More photos were taken then Josh and Bex began to circulate amongst the guests as the champagne and canapés were served. Harry and Severus also did their share of mingling, and even Naomi, who wasn't fond of anything too sociable, played her part and was at her most charming.

The weather stayed fine and so their plans to eat outdoors went ahead. Sitting at the top table, Severus kept glancing across at his son. Josh was practically glowing with happiness and Severus knew that the man had made the right choice in Bex. It was gratifying, as a father, to think that one's child was settled and content.

Josh and Bex had invited only close friends and family and so the wedding party was a small but lively one. Almost everyone knew each other in some manner or another and so conversation flowed easily and the atmosphere remained lively.

The speeches were given and all were thankfully short and heartfelt. Bex's father made a very moving tribute to his only daughter, which had everyone dabbing away a tear or two, while Josh's was equally warm and touching.

Naomi, as best man, and with her own inimitable style, gave a very funny and clever speech, which was as full of praise for her brother as it was full of teasing. She had the guests in fits of laughter yet her own expression never wavered from its usual wry one.

The evening rolled around and the live band started playing. Josh and Bex had decided against several traditions, including the first dance, and so people migrated to the dance floor as and when they felt like it.

"I can't believe he's married," Draco said with a sigh as they stood watching Josh twirl Bex around the dancefloor. Harry was dancing with Ginny, which was an amusing sight as both were cursed with two left feet.

"That's the 15th time you've said that," Severus said, turning his head to look at the man.

"Oh shut up, I can say it as often as I like," Draco returned as he snuggled into Bill's side. "It's been a good day, hasn't it?"

"Mm," Severus agreed, glancing interestedly as he saw Bex's cousin make a beeline for Naomi. The two women had been casting smiles at one another during the whole day and it was quite obvious why. Knowing his daughter, Severus doubted whether Naomi had anything particularly serious in mind, but it looked as though she wouldn't be ending the night alone.

"You do know that Alex and Rowan have decided that neither you nor Harry is allowed anywhere near them if they ever decide to get married," Bill told his husband with a smirk.

"Nonsense," Draco sniffed. "I've behaved wonderfully."

Severus and Bill exchanged a look over the top of Draco's head, both wondering how Draco and Harry had made it through the day without anyone trying to kill them.

"It's nice to see a wedding without all the faff," Bill said. "I swear, I've been to so many weddings where all the bride and groom have focused on is the day itself. Unsurprisingly, those aren't the ones that last long."

"Not our Josh though," Draco said proudly. "Those two will stay the course, they're meant for one another, bit like you and our Harry," he added with a sly smile.

After twenty-odd years, Draco and Severus now had a solid friendship. They would never have the intimacy and closeness that Draco shared with Harry, but they enjoyed one another's company and had learnt to trust each other.

Draco would always be overly-protective of both Harry and Josh, but he had stepped aside and let Severus take his rightful place as husband and father. In the early days Severus had felt that he had been constantly proving himself to Draco, but over the years that feeling had subsided.

Their two families were very close. They still went on holiday together and were in and out of each other's houses on a weekly basis. Like his daughter, Severus wasn't a sociable creature by nature, but Draco and Bill, along with Rowan and Alex, were the amongst the few people he could be around for long periods without wishing to commit murder.

"Sev and Harry are still like newlyweds some days," Bill said with a grin.

"So are we!" Draco said, giving his husband a sharp dig in the ribs.

"Yes dear."

Severus smiled fondly at the two of them, the champagne clearly having gone to his head. Of course, he did have a great fondness for both men, which he would never attempt to deny. He had made his feelings too plain on the subject over the years to pretend they were otherwise.

After years spent hiding his emotions, it had taken him a long time to learn how to display them. He had promised that he would, though. He had promised for the sake of his children and his marriage that he would make himself as open as he could, that his heart would belong truly to those he loved.

It was often difficult, and at times he had found himself moody and defensive at leaving himself so vulnerable. He had learnt, though, that it was the only way to conduct successful relationships with those who mattered and so he continued to try and better himself.

He cast his eye around the group just as he felt a pair of arms slide around his waist. "I think it's high time you danced with your husband, don't you think?" came a familiar voice in his ear.

"I was worried I'd make everyone else jealous," Severus replied, running his hand over Harry's arm.

"Of you or me?" came the amused reply.

"Both, I should imagine," Severus said, turning around to face his husband.

Harry's cheeks were flushed and his eyes were bright. He was delightfully tipsy; Severus always found the man to be thoroughly adorable whenever he had had a few too many.

Harry grabbed his hand and led him over to the dancefloor. The band had started to play a slow, sweet song and Severus glanced over to see Josh swaying gently with Bex in his arms. Smiling, he held Harry close as they began to dance to the music, Harry emitting a contented little sigh as he rested his head on Severus' shoulder.

The world never felt quite as right as it did when he was holding Harry. There was something truly magical about feeling the man's heart beating against his chest while Harry's body moulded so beautifully to his own.

"It feels like we were only just dancing at our own wedding," Harry said dreamily, his breath tickling Severus' ear.

"I'm still waiting for you to come to your senses and realise it was all a big mistake," Severus said, resting his cheek on Harry's messy head. Harry's hair was still as black as ever but it was ever so slightly peppered with grey now. Harry hated it, despite the fact that everyone told him it looked distinguished.

"Never," Harry murmured. "You're the love of my life."

"You really have had too much champagne."

Harry lifted his head and looped his arms around Severus' neck. "As if I don't tell you that often enough," he said with a languid smile.

"Yes, but each time I'm always worried you've taken a knock to the head," Severus said, settling his hands on Harry's hips.

"Fool," Harry said affectionately. "I haven't stuck around all these years just because of a bump on the head."

"Is it because we make beautiful children?" Severus asked as they continued to sway gently to the music.

Harry laughed and said, "That might be part of it."

They both turned their heads to watch their son dancing with Bex, the pair of them still smiling broadly.

"If they're half as happy as we've been, they'll be very lucky," Harry said, and Severus turned back to face him, dipping his head to meet Harry's lips with his own.

"Mm, you taste of chocolate," Severus murmured, holding Harry close.

"Couldn't resist the profiteroles," Harry said with a grin, looking decades younger than his nearly 50 years.

"You two really are sickening, you know," came Draco's familiar drawl, and Severus tilted his head to see the blond had joined the dancefloor, held gently in Bill's arms.

"No more sickening than you," Harry returned. "You behave like teenagers despite the fact that you've been married longer than any of us."

"This one's too hard to resist," Bill said with a mischievous grin as he pulled Draco closer.

"Oh get a room, won't you?" Naomi said as she came closer, dancing with Alex.

There was only two years between them in age and they had been in Ravenclaw together. They'd been close all their lives and viewed one another as a brother and sister. Naomi was fiercely protective of all those she loved and Alex's gentle and studious nature made her feel all the more so on his behalf.

They had spent their childhoods bent over books together and devising games to play down on the beach. She had comforted him when he'd been upset and had helped him navigate his first few weeks away from home at Hogwarts. He was the only one who seemed safe from her harsh tongue and he brought out a gentleness in her that few got to see.

"We intend to," Draco said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Pa, please!" Alex said with a groan, resting his head on Naomi's shoulder.

"Anyway, you're one to talk," Severus told his daughter. "I saw you with Bex's cousin."

"I'm on a promise," Naomi said with a wink.

"So am I," Harry said, "and I'm going to collect just a bit of it now."

Without any further explanation, Harry took hold of Severus' hand and led him off the dancefloor, the others catcalling them as they went. Severus knew better than to question his husband's actions and so let himself be taken by the hand all the way up to the Astronomy Tower.

"I take it you have a reason for being up here?" Severus asked as they moved to stand looking over the parapet.

"Just felt like a moment of privacy," Harry said, turning to face Severus. "I wanted a moment to appreciate the day, to take it all in before it's over."

Severus smiled and circled his arms around his husband, feeling a surge of affection for the man's sentimental streak. "It's been a wonderful day. Hard to believe our son's a married man now. It feels like it was just yesterday when I stumbled back into your life again and met that messy-haired six year old."

"Whatever it was that brought you back to England, I'm thankful for it," Harry said, running his hands up and down Severus' chest. "The last 21 years have been truly wonderful."

"I'm still not convinced I deserved any of them," Severus said with a sigh.

"Oh my love, it's high time those thoughts were laid to rest. In a few years we might be grandparents, proof enough that we've stood the test of time, proof enough that our time together has been happy."

"You're right, but it isn't easy to forget the past."

"It doesn't need to be forgotten. It's led us to where we are today and I wouldn't change that for the world."

"Nor I," Severus said, brushing the soft skin of Harry's cheek with the back of his hand. "You are a gift I shall always be grateful for. My life would have been empty without you and our children."

"It'll never be empty again."

Harry arched upwards on his tiptoes and met Severus with a deep and sweeping kiss. Severus allowed himself to be lost in his husband, a privilege he never took for granted. Harry was all he would ever need, the one thing, along with their children, that truly made life worthwhile.

He was a lucky man, that much was certain. As he revelled in the feel of his husband secure in his arms, he finally felt that he was now able to step out of those long shadows his old sins had once cast.

AN: Well guys, that's it, all over! I went back and forth over where to set the epilogue - I was going to do Naomi's birth, maybe Sev and Harry's wedding, but I decided to cast further into the future and see the kids as grown-ups. I also wanted to show that Sev and Harry managed to stay the course and that their marriage is a happy one after all these years. Anyway, I'm looking forward to hearing what you all thought of it.

So, we've got the Bill/Draco prequel to come, which I'm working on as we speak, and I'm also doing another feature-length Sev/Harry too. That's still in its early days, so you'll have to wait a little bit for that one. It's a memory-loss fic, with a little bit of a twist when it comes to the narrative structure, so I'm working out how best to organise it. Also, I'm determined to go back to Of Curses and Healing and get it finished. It needs some re-working though, so there's a good chance I'll delete and re-post it when it's sorted. In the meantime, if an idea pops into your head that you'd like to see written, please drop me a PM. I can't promise I'll do it, as there will be some things that just won't be my thing, but I could do with some inspiration.

I've truly loved writing this fic and I've loved all your responses to it. The crazy trolls have slightly marred the experience but your support has been great. So long for now, kids. I'll be with you again soon.