They saw little of Lily that summer. She now dated a boy called Samuel from Ravenclaw: she'd briefly dated another Gryffindor, but the relationship had ended quickly, and Severus and Hermione both guessed it had a lot to do with James Potter. Lily was obviously interested in Potter as well, but didn't want to give up on what she'd decided long ago. She still treated Hermione like dirt, and life in the dormitory would have been rather unpleasant for her if Alice hadn't stuck up for her. Marlene McKinnon detested Severus, but she also disliked Hermione for the terrible crime of dating the Slytherin.
Professor Slughorn had offered Severus an apprenticeship. He'd begin his training during next school year, and after his graduation he'd also have brief interludes of training abroad with some of Slughorn's contacts in France, Italy, Germany and Russia, for example, but mainly he'd be training at Hogwarts for the next few years. Professor Vector had offered apprenticeship to Hermione, which meant they'd stay at the castle together for a few years, barring those times when Severus had to train abroad.
The fall of Voldemort brought an end to the war. The economy began to rise, and though Dumbledore's death, as well as the deaths of the Aurors who'd given their lives to bring down the Death Eaters, were greatly mourned, there was an air of relief. Many pure-blood families had lost relatives: Avery, Mulciber and Wilkes all lost their fathers, as had several other Slytherins. Some students from Ravenclaw and Gryffindor also mourned, and some were surprised when they realised that two Gryffindors and one Ravenclaw mourned their parents who'd died defending Voldemort. Not even the house of Gryffindor had been spared the stain of having allied with a notorious Dark Wizard. Avery, Wilkes and Mulciber were sullen and sad, and Severus tried to support his friends. They were rather surprised when Hermione Granger offered them her condolences over their loss.
Lucius Malfoy had fled from the battle like the coward that he was: his wife Narcissa had died in battle. Many others fled too, and during the next weeks news of their capture and subsequent demise in the hands of the Dementors was reported in 'The Daily Prophet'.
Severus was at Spinner's End in July when Lucius Malfoy turned up. He looked terrible: he had lost weight, his expensive clothes were in disarray and dirty, and his usually immaculate hair was dirty and dishevelled. He did not ask for sanctuary: he demanded it.
"No, Lucius."
"What do you mean 'no', Snape? You're my brother in Slytherin. I was your prefect. You owe me."
"I owe you nothing, Malfoy. You threatened my girlfriend's life and called her a Mudblood."
"She's nothing, Severus, you must understand that much!"
"Severus?" called Hermione's voice from the door, and Severus almost jumped in shock. She was supposed to be at her home with Eileen and the Grangers. "Are you in here?" She entered through the open door and her eyes widened at the sight of Malfoy.
Lucius turned around as fast as a rattlesnake, his teeth bared. "You filthy Mudblood slime!" he bellowed and raised his wand to Hex her.
'Protego!', Severus cast nonverbally as he jumped between his girlfriend and Malfoy, and Malfoy's hex — a Confringo, probably — bounced off his shield. Severus sent an Impedimenta toward Lucius and pushed Hermione behind an old sofa. Hermione was fumbling for her wand, unused to keeping it at hand, and Severus cast another Shield Charm. Lucius was several years older and had graduated years before, while Severus hadn't completed his training: both were now casting nonverbally, but Severus had to protect Hermione. Lucius would kill her, kill her without mercy...
"SECTUMSEMPRA!" he cried out loud, and slashed his wand at Lucius. Blood spilled and Severus cast again immediately. Lucius Malfoy fell on the floor, screaming in pain. Hermione was panting in horror behind him. Severus took a look at her quickly: she had no obvious wounds apart from scrapes on her knees. "Are you all right?" Severus asked her.
"Yes. Is Malfoy...?"
"I have a Counter-Charm for that, but first... Impedimenta!" he cast, and invisible ropes trapped Malfoy. He then began chanting the Counter-Charm: "Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur... Vulnera Sanentur..." he sang, and the bleeding wounds on Malfoy knitted together. Finally Severus fired a Stunner at Malfoy and collapsed on the floor, panting in exhaustion. Hermione rushed to his side and clutched him to her body.
"We need to call the Aurors," Severus said. "I'll send a Patronus to Alastor Moody. Malfoy's a wanted war criminal."
"Well done, laddie!" Alastor Moody congratulated the young wizard who had captured Lucius Malfoy. It had surprised him: the boy was a sixth-year, going to his seventh, and still he'd captured a wizard who was not only several years older, but who'd been trained by Voldemort and had managed to evade Aurors. Moody was suspicious of Slytherins, but this boy had taken down a Dark wizard from his own house to protect his Gryffindor girlfriend, and a Muggle-born girlfriend to boot.
The two young ones stood bravely in the hallway as the Aurors slapped a Portkey on Malfoy to send him to the Ministry's dungeons to await for his trial. His wait wouldn't be long, and hopefully Malfoy would either be spending the next several decades in Azkaban, or, if luck were to smile, be kissed by Dementors at the earliest convenience of those lazy sodding buggers at the Ministry.
"Aye, really well done. You'll be a great wizard one day, you mark my words! And you managed a fully corporeal Patronus too, lad. That one ain't taught at Hogwarts, is it?"
"Our Defence Professor is an old Auror, Professor Darklake," the boy replied boldly.
"Thaddeus Darklake?" Alastor asked, and the boy nodded. "Aye, old Thaddy knows his business. Give him my best, will ya? I best be off now. There's a prize on Malfoy's capture, lad, I'll make sure you get it. A boy with a pretty lass can always use the Galleons, aye? I won't ask about those half-healed wounds on Malfoy and the rips on his robes, will I, and I'll make sure nobody else does either. Good luck, the both of you." Waving at them, Alastor Disapparated.
Back in his office he wrote a report and sent it flying to a secretary, who would clean up his foul scrawls to a neater type fit to be sent to Wizengamot. He then sat for a while and took out a small parcel from his desk. He'd received it earlier this morning from the Minister himself, left for him in the will and last testament of Albus Dumbledore.
A letter had accompanied, and Alastor read it again:
"My dearest Alastor," Dumbledore had written, "If you are reading this, I have fallen in battle. I wish my death had a meaning and that I managed to bring down Voldemort, but in case I did not, I hope I can trust you in finishing what I started.
I leave you my wand. I used this wand to bring down Grindelwald. It has served me well: I only hope it will serve you as well as it did serve me. There is always a next Dark wizard, but there are people like you to take them down, and for that, I am grateful.
Do not grieve for me, old friend: if my life had any meaning, I only hope my death will have some too, and I will gladly lay down my life for the Greater Good.
Fare well, old friend. If I could wish for something, then I hope things will go right in this world, if only for a while. We will meet again, some day, in the other side."
Alastor gazed around his office suspiciously. His wards would have alerted him if someone had entered, but Alastor hadn't lived this long without being constantly vigilant. Only after he'd given a thorough look to spot anyone, he wiped out the tears that had formed under his treacherous eyes.
Alastor took out the wand. Fifteen inches long and bearing carvings on berries, it seemed very old. As he held it, Alastor first felt the wand's power. It wasn't his wand, not truly loyal to him, like he was using somebody else's wand... and then, just as he was about to lay it back down, he felt it. The wand responded to him now. It was a strange shift, but the wand had, in some strange way, chosen him.
He did not know much about wand lore, but everyone knew that a wand chooses the wizard, and this wand had chosen him.
Alastor shrugged and pocketed the wand. It was good to have a spare wand, and this seemed like a right powerful one at that. He leaned back on his chair, and the few words in Dumbledore's last letter lingered in his mind... 'I hope things will go right in this world,' Albus had written.
He'd be receiving an Order of Merlin, first class, this month. Perhaps it was time for things to go right from him as well. A grin suddenly lighted the face of the grizzled old Auror, a grin which would have scared the shite out of everyone who'd ever worked for Alastor 'Mad-Eye' Moody.
Right now, Alastor Moody decided, he'd get off his backside, and he'd march to Diagon Alley and propose to Emily, because damn it if he didn't have the guts for that now.
Because it was time that things went right in this world for Alastor Moody.
When Frank had told Severus he meant to propose to Alice during the summer, Severus felt his dreams of one day marrying Hermione blossom again, but a ring would cost money, and he hadn't any. The amount of Galleons he received for apprehending Lucius Malfoy was generous: he offered to share it with Hermione, but Hermione insisted he keep it all: she hadn't done anything after all, she insisted. With the Galleons he could afford a ring and there would be quite a nice sum left over: he already had some savings from brewing to Slughorn, and his mother was earning money so his school supplies were paid for. His experiences in poverty had taught him to spare the Galleons and Sickles whenever he could, but a ring for Hermione would mean a lot.
He knew they had one last year to finish at Hogwarts, and then the time they'd need to finish their apprenticeships, and he knew he hadn't much to offer for her, but she was the finest, best and brightest thing in his world and damn him if he'd ever be foolish enough to cock it up and let her go.
And so he'd bought her a ring. Not an expensive one, but a nice one with a small diamond surrounded by smaller emeralds. The ring was golden: the diamond was in the centre of an engraved flower with the emeralds as leaves for it, and a special charm would size it to fit her finger perfectly.
He'd written a speech. Then he'd memorised it, then rewrote it again, memorised it again, rewrote it and polished it once more, and then memorised:
'Hermione Granger, you are the brightest witch of our age and the brightest star in my life. You are the thing that makes everything go right in my world. I haven't much to offer but everything I have is yours, including my heart and my soul. Hermione, will you marry me?'
He meant to propose to her on the last day of their annual holiday trip, but he was too nervous. He meant to propose again the next day, but before he got the words out, Hermione made a suggestion that stole every shred of his attention, and when he remembered the ring, his girlfriend was lying next to him, her limbs entangled with his, sated and sound asleep.
He meant to propose to her on a picnic on a hilltop in their home town, and they'd received a fine picnic basket from their mothers, but before they got to the dessert and his proposal, it started to rain and they had to dash down the hill with their basket, laughing like little children, and forgetting that they could have cast an Imprevius Charm on their clothes, and when they got home they got distracted with removal of their soaked clothes. The lack of said clothes distracted them further.
Finally he proposed to her in their special place, under the trees by the pond on a beautiful summer afternoon by offering her the ring, but the tears in her suddenly wide brown eyes distracted him so much he forgot his speech and all his flowery words, and could only blurt out "Hermione, you... marry me?"
When she said yes and flung herself over him and kissed him soundly, his heart was still leaping and pounding in his chest. Later that night he'd give her the speech he'd planned written on a parchment and he'd watch her beautiful eyes mist over with tears of happiness, but that'd be later. When he finally held her against his chest and pressed his large nose into her wild and unruly curls, he whispered: "With you in my world, everything is going right."
Lily Evans and James Potter had been named Head Girl and Head Boy, respectively, although Severus found he had no respect for either of them. Hermione and Remus Lupin had been the Gryffindor Prefects, and while Potter was gifted in Charms, Defence and Transfigurations, Lupin's overall scores were much higher than Potter's, and Hermione's grades were much, much better than Lily Evans ever managed to scrape up. The titles of Head Boy and Head Girl were also about popularity, Severus thought: his grades had been the best in Slytherin, but he hadn't been made Prefect, let alone be considered material for the title of Head Boy, and Evans got the Head Girl badge instead of Hermione, who'd more than deserved it. Hermione had been depressed and insulted. And admittedly Severus was happy to know Hermione wouldn't be sharing a Common Room with James Potter, though the injustice of it all twisted his guts.
With Headmaster Dumbledore gone, Professor McGonagall had been named Headmistress. She still favoured Gryffindors, but the bias wasn't as bad as it used to be, and Professor Flitwick was an excellent and fair Deputy Headmaster. Many still grieved over the loss of lives during the years of war, but in general the mood seemed better, and the relationships between Slytherin and Gryffindor seemed far less tense than the previous years. Several students who'd been orphaned suddenly realised that despite the fortune they'd inherited, they'd have to carve their own fortune in the world, and Hermione had started giving tutoring for several other students, including, surprisingly, Wilkes and Avery. Mulciber wasn't adjusting as well as some others, but he still had his mother.
Professor Darklake was the first Defence Professor to return for a second term: there'd been rumours that the post had been Jinxed ages ago. The rumours were either unfounded or the jinx had been lifted, because Professor Darklake returned with vigour and set his students to his rigorous curriculum: he tended to yell at them and drill them without mercy, but he got results. Potter, Black and Lupin were among his favourites, especially after they told him they wanted to become Aurors, though Lupin wasn't quite as certain as his friends about their future career.
Darklake continued drilling them in Patronus Charms: since the NEWT-level defence classes were double for Slytherin and Gryffindor, Severus ended up in the same class with Potter's gang more frequently, as if suffering them in Potions wasn't bad enough. Before their seventh year was half done, over half the students achieved at least a misty shield-form. Potter had managed his corporeal Patronus the previous year: it'd been a stag, and in their seventh year Lily Evans managed hers, a doe. Severus and Hermione had produced their Patronus-otters in class, and Professor Darklake had told them that a paired Patronus was a sign of love and devotion. The way Hermione's Patronus swam and played in the air with Severus Snape's Patronus earned them quite a bit of respect.
Lily had started dating James Potter early in the school year and they seemed inseparable, often glued at the lips somewhere. They managed not to get caught in alcoves, but the rumours said it was only because they shared a Common Room. Severus sometimes felt envious: neither he nor Hermione wanted to get caught in a compromising position, and the times they managed anything further than a good snog in an abandoned classroom were far and wide: they'd decided they'd be travelling home for the holidays this Christmas, Apparating to Manchester, though Hermione's parents had offered to pick them up with a car from London.
Frank Longbottom had graduated the year before, but Hermione remained a steadfast friend with Alice Prewett, and the three trained in Defence together, while Severus occasionally instructed both Alice and Hermione in Potions. Longbottom came to Hogsmeade-weekends for a date with Alice, and the four usually shared Butterbeers at the Three Broomsticks on those days. Longbottom had already started his Auror training, and the life seemed to suit him.
Black and Pettigrew were still a menace, but they no longer tried to attack Severus: he was simply too good in Defence, often besting them in duels when they were forced to duel in class. The word of how he'd defeated Lucius Malfoy also got around, earning him quite a bit of respect, and with James Potter's attention turned on snogging Evans at every opportune moment and boasting with his Head Boy-badge the rest of the time the remaining Marauders wouldn't have stood a chance against him.
All in all, the seventh and last year seemed much better than the previous school years, although Hermione was incredibly stressed and frantic about the N.E.W.T.'s.
Severus Snape and Hermione Granger graduated the top of their year, breaking all previous school records in the long and prestigious history of Hogwarts, Hermione's overall score only a few points higher than those which Severus gained.
James Potter proposed to Lily Evans very dramatically at their Leaving Feast, and Lily accepted his ring to the loud cheers. Severus and Hermione had only eyes for each other, both counting the hours until the Hogwarts Express would take them and their luggage to London for the summer.
Slughorn had already started with the tasks for Severus' apprenticeship, and his first period of training abroad would be in July, when he'd spend a month in Russia. Then he'd return for at least a month to spend time with Slughorn at Hogwarts, after which he'd have another training period abroad, the periods varying from a couple of weeks to up to two months with various famous Masters in different countries. Hermione's schedule would be much easier, and she'd be able to complete her apprenticeship by corresponding by owls with various different Masters, as well as studying under Septima Vector, who'd also attend various conferences about Arithmancy with her, introducing her to various Masters and Mistresses in their field.
For some students leaving Hogwarts was a relief or a meaningless transition, while most of the others would miss their Professors. It was easier for both Severus and Hermione who'd soon return to the castle, although Severus had to admit he'd never gotten very attached to any of the Professors unlike Hermione, who especially adored McGonagall, Flitwick and Vector.
Alice Prewett and Frank Longbottom married the very next summer, just as Frank had promised, and Hermione and Severus stood as witnesses at their wedding. They were a handsome couple, and as Alice Longbottom started her training as an Auror, their reputation as a fierce couple grew steadily. They kept regularly in contact.
James Potter married Lily Evans the same summer. Severus and Hermione were not invited, nor did they expect an invitation: Lily Evans certainly knew how to bear a grudge, and though many said that James Potter had matured a lot in the last year of his schooling, he would never like Severus Snape or Hermione Granger. Sirius Black was the Best Man at their wedding, Alice Longbottom told them, and Marlene McKinnon the maid of honour, although the mood had been sour between the two: Black had cheated on McKinnon with another witch only a week before the event. The Daily Prophet made some scandalous headlines about that one, and Regulus Black wrote that his brother had gotten a black eye from the temperamental Miss McKinnon.
The next years would be hard for them both, the time spent apart harrowing and painful for the two who'd spent so many years inseparable, but every time Severus returned from his assignations to his fiancé, the feeling of being reunited was blinding. The Professors looked over the two young lovers reunited with soft and understanding smiles and gave them both a day off every time. Coming back to Hermione was like coming back home after years of absence.
Never once he felt the need or desire to cheat on her, and his eyes never strayed on anyone else. It was the same with her: Hermione was as loyal as a Hufflepuff and held all the Gryffindor nobility, though she also seduced from him declarations of devotion and love with all the cunning worthy of a Slytherin.
A year into their apprenticeship, Severus Snape married his beloved Hermione Granger. The Muggle wedding was held in France, with another binding at the Ministry and a reception ceremony for their Wizarding companions at Hogwarts. They honeymooned in France, this time travelling without their families and enjoying the sights, and also spent a week in Austria, in Vienna. Severus had never been as proud when he introduced Hermione as Mrs Snape, his beloved wife. A dream come true.
When they returned to Britain, a scandal shook the former Marauders: Peter Pettigrew, a former Marauder, was caught red-handed stealing from a shop at Diagon Alley. Questioned under Veritaserum he revealed several sordid facts about his life: he'd used Memory Charms on various people after lending money from them and stolen several times from various vendors. He had also tried to escape by transfiguring himself into a rat, which added being an illegal Animagus to the list of charges, and the rumours spoke of some other, more unpleasant crimes as well. Pettigrew was sentenced to Azkaban for two decades for his various and sundry crimes, and his sentence did not reflect well on his Marauder-companions Black and Potter, who'd attempted to defend him.
Not bad, in Severus Snape's opinion.
In the summer of 1979 Hermione walked up to her husband, who was still stretching his long limbs in the bed, and smiled at him. She kissed him languidly and told him they'd need some extra supplies and bigger chambers. She was pregnant.
Severus Snape froze for several seconds, before he pulled his lovely wife into the bed and snogged her soundly, heart filled with happiness.
And on the 1st of February in 1980, little Sarah Eileen Snape was born, with hair and eyes black as her father and a pale alabaster skin, but with a soft curl inherited from her mother, along with her adorable button nose.
On the 1st of September in 1991 Severus and Hermione Snape guided their daughter Sarah to platform 9¾ at King's Cross. The platform was brimming with people, and little Sarah Snape was bouncing with excitement.
She'd been to the castle before with her parents when they visited their old Masters Slughorn and Vector, but this would be her first year as a student. She'd read 'Hogwarts: a History' several times, along with many other books supplied by her doting parents, who now had a successful apothecary at Diagon Alley.
Severus had gained his Mastery at Potions in 1981, over a year before the usual schedule, and Hermione had finished her training later the same year. Horace Slughorn had been disappointed when Severus declined to become the next Potions Master at Hogwarts, but he was also unsurprised: Severus was very impatient and intolerant of mistakes and errors, and having an apothecary suited him better. Hermione joined him, the two pooling their savings together to establish their business: they brewed well together, and she also consulted various companies as well as the ministry on various problems about Arithmancy, while Severus offered some freelance consultation in Dark curses, curse breaking, and brewed some of the most difficult potions for St Mungo's.
One company Hermione often worked for was the one owned by Avery and Wilkes, who'd pooled their inheritance together to found a small research company which had bloomed to moderate success over the years. Both had been quite intolerant of Muggle-Borns in their youth, but they'd matured quite well, and both had attended the wedding of Hermione and Severus. Avery now had a son two years younger than Sarah and his wife was expecting a second child later that year, while Wilkes had a two-year-old daughter. Mulciber had left the country after graduation, heading to America, and they hadn't heard of him since.
Alice and Frank Longbottom's oldest son, Neville, would attend Hogwarts this year. Sarah and Neville had pretty much grown up together: both Alice and Hermione took turns in watching over the children when the other pair needed some time off. Sarah and Neville were the best of friends, although the chubby Neville was much more shy and timid than the bossy little Sarah Snape.
Severus spotted James and Lily Potter in the crowd, escorting their son, who was a spitting image of his father, glasses and all. They were both well dressed but kept quite a distance between them. The rumour had it that Lily Potter, while a doting and loving mother, had not exactly embraced the usual loyalty and devotion in marriages. She'd dropped out of her training to give birth first to her son, and then two years later her daughter Helen. The Potter family wealth allowed her to stay at home, and combined with her husband's career as an Auror and the liberal culture she'd grown up in her childhood in the Muggle world caused problems: she'd cheated on her husband with two wizards, one of whom was Sirius Black, Potter's best mate, now former best mate. Black was their son's Godfather and Potter did not wish to divorce her, but the tension between the Potters was evident.
Severus noticed when Lily approached him for the first time in over a decade.
"Hello, Sev," she greeted, using the childhood nickname.
"Good day, Lily," Severus greeted civilly, warily because this was the first time Lily Potter had spoken to him in years.
"How are you, Sev? You look really, really good!" Lily said with a smile that spoke volumes. Severus felt the desire to cringe.
"Fine, thank you. How are you and your husband," he said blandly, without the querying infliction that would have spoken of any interest to the actual answer.
"I'm fine. James and I... well. I was wondering..." she said, twirling her auburn locks between her fingers and looking at him coyly from between her lowered lashes, taking a step closer, too close for comfort, "I was wondering if you had some time soon? Just you and me, you know, getting to know each other again. It's been a while, Sev."
She reached her hand to touch his arm, and Severus jerked back to avoid her. He narrowed his eyes in contempt. "Oh Lily... do grow up," he said, his voice filled with contempt and a thoroughly disgusted expression on his face, and walked back to his wife and daughter, leaving the furious Lily Potter behind.
The Amazing Adventures of Sarah Snape
"Neville, what are you doing?"
"Oh, man... Trevor's gone."
"What, again?! Neville..."
"I know, I know! He was just here."
"You've looked everywhere? Are you sure you still had him when you boarded the train?"
"Yes. I had him when the train left the station."
"Oh Merlin. Fine, let's go search. You go to the left, I'll go to the right and we'll ask the other compartments. Hey, Ernie, could you watch my cat for a moment? His name is Crookshanks and my parents just bought him for me. He likes being petted. He's a half-Kneazle..."
"RAVENCLAW!" the Sorting Hat cried, and Sarah cast an apologetic glance at Neville, who'd already taken his seat at the Gryffindor table. She'd have to let him know they'd still be the best of friends, no matter their Houses.
"My parents own an apothecary at Diagon Alley," Sarah told the group gathered around a table in the library. They'd all studied together since the first months at Hogwarts. The group consisted of Blaise Zabini and Theo Nott from Slytherin, Ron Weasley, Harry Potter and Neville Longbottom from Gryffindor, Ernie MacMillan and Susan Bones from Hufflepuff, and Sarah Snape from Ravenclaw.
"Is it 'The Cauldron and the Stirring Rod'?" Ernie asked.
"Yep," Sarah replied.
"Was the tall man with black hair your dad?"
"Sounds like him. Big hooked nose, tall, thin?"
"Yeah. He was pretty scary."
"Most people think so. He's really powerful, but so's my mum. People say she's brilliant but scary."
"You have any sisters or brothers?" Susan asked.
"No, just me. Dad said that when he saw me he knew I'd be just like mum and asking a million questions a minute, so he'd never have time to respond to more children than one."
"Sounds mean."
"Mum doesn't take it that way," Sarah shrugged. "She just laughs when dad calls her 'know-it-all'. And then she calls him a git."
"I'm tired of constantly writing essays," Harry Potter whined. "I mean, I have essays on Charms, Transfiguration AND Potions to complete. And I'll just bet we'll get an essay in Defence too."
"Oh honestly, Harry!" Sarah Snape moaned, exasperated. "What did you think school was going to be like? A fine labyrinth with some tasks to complete and a treasure in the end? Quit whining and start writing!"
Harry Potter blinked once again at Sarah's bossy tone, but then sighed. She was so pretty, though. He had a horrible crush on her and he knew Ron had one, too. It was a pity his mother hated Sarah's parents... He sighed and bent over his parchment.
"We'll be getting a new Professor in Defence this year," Harry Potter told his friends. "He's a friend of my family, actually."
"D'you know who? What's he like? Why's Professor Jones leaving?" asked Sarah.
"Jones retired, he's moving to France. The new Professor is called Remus Lupin. He's a werewolf, actually," Harry replied.
"They gave a job at Hogwarts to a werewolf?" Neville asked incredulously. "Isn't he dangerous?"
"He'll have to take the Wolfsbane Potion regularly, but with the new laws, the Ministry pays for the Potion. Sarah's father is one of the accepted brewers, actually, it's a difficult potion to make. Remus has had a hard time getting and holding a job, but with the new laws in place... he lives with my dad, actually. He lived in the guest house by the manor, but ever since my parents divorced..." Harry said, looking a bit sad. "Anyway, he moved into the main house. He's really cool though, you'll see."
"I hate Potions," Ronald Weasley whined.
"Suck it up, Ron. Or ask Neville to tutor you."
"How come Neville is so good at Potions?"
"Sarah told me her dad gave him private lessons. He's tutored both Sarah and Neville since they were really small. Neville was really bad at first, but since Sarah loves making potions and they spent so much time at Mr Snape's lab anyway..."
"Maybe I could ask Sarah to tutor me," Ron mused, and Harry narrowed his eyes at his best mate but refrained from commenting. Besides, Ron's sister Ginny was really pretty too.
'We cordially invite you to the wedding of our daughter Sarah Eileen Snape and our son Neville Longbottom on the 26th of August 1999 at Longbottom manor.
RSVP
Severus & Hermione Snape and Frank & Alice Longbottom '
Severus and Hermione watched proudly as their new son-in-law Neville Longbottom danced with his grandmother Augusta. The clumsy, chubby boy had grown up to be a handsome, mature young man with great skills in Herbology. He and Sarah had established a nursery together, specializing in potion ingredients, but Neville also bred his beloved Mimbulus Mimbletonias and developed new hybrids of Muggle roses for his beloved Sarah, who adored them. His proposal had been aided with the representation of a new breed of rose with magical qualities and a sweet, intoxicating scent. He'd named it after Sarah.
Finally Neville bowed to his grandmother and took his new wife's hand from his father Frank, gathering her to his strong arms and kissing her, before he led her to a soft waltz. Severus kissed Hermione's sweet lips, bowed and led her to the dance floor.
They cut a striking couple: he was tall, lean and intimidating, dressed in black accentuated with dark green — his wife adored when he wore blues and greens, so he attempted to appease her, although black would always be his favourite — and his black hair tied back with a silver clasp. Hermione, too, was taller than average, with a slim frame, massive amount of sweet-scenting curly hair and those gorgeous brown eyes that could still make Severus Snape's heart stutter when she looked at him and smiled.
Severus cocked his eyebrow. "They're about to head off, I think."
"Yes. Home, then?"
"We might have to stay for one last drink with Frank and Alice," he replied.
"Bummer. But then... home and bed, love?"
"Yes," Severus replied and kissed his wife's forehead. "One drink and then we'll go home, my love."
Frank and Alice Longbottom lived long lives. They were a famous couple, fierce fighters who apprehended many Dark witches and wizards before they retired to their villa in France.
Neville and Sarah Longbottom bred their beloved plants in their nursery, which became famous throughout the Wizarding world. Many of the plants they kept were incredibly rare and valuable, and Neville and Sarah worked with some old friends from school to secure new varieties: their favourite associates were Luna and Rolf Scamander. Sarah and Neville had two children.
James Potter continued his career as an Auror, as did Sirius Black. The two reconciled after several years, although they never really grew as close as they had been in their youth. As they grew older, they remembered their years at school as bullies and were quietly ashamed. They never really could look Severus and Hermione Snape in the eyes.
Remus Lupin worked as a successful Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts at Hogwarts for decades. The Ministry supplied his Wolfsbane monthly, and his students adored his lessons. He remained best friends with James Potter, living in his mansion for years until he met and married a young Auror by the name of Nymphadora Tonks.
Peter Pettigrew escaped from Azkaban but was caught before he could take more than a few steps of freedom. An Auror was killed in apprehending him, and Pettigrew was sentenced to be kissed by a Dementor.
Eileen Prince met and married an elder Half-blood wizard by the name of John Cullings. Eileen later reconciled with her mother, who still lived, though her father had passed away, and grandmother Prince grew to adore Severus and Hermione.
Lily Evans had several brief relationships after her divorce, before she became accidentally pregnant to a married wizard. She gave birth to a second daughter as a single mother. After her divorce from James she took up a low-level desk job at the Ministry of Magic.
Harry Potter became an Auror, just like his father James. When he grew up old enough, he could never really forgive his mother for cheating on his father, though they never actually lost contact. After he got over his long crush to Sarah Snape, he married Ginevra Weasley and had three children.
Ronald Weasley was quite bitter when Sarah Snape married Neville Longbottom. He brooded for a couple of years until he married a young woman called Susan Bones from Huffflepuff. The couple had several red-haired children and finally Ronald, too, was content.
Severus Snape stirred his cauldron and took a sniff. Yes... strawberries and lemonade on a warm clearing in the sunshine and shade. A faint scent of leaves...
Hermione's present for their anniversary would be this perfume, a scent he'd spent months to design. A single drop would last a whole day.
Severus smiled as he bottled his brew into a beautiful bottle, which he then wrapped with a quick non-verbal spell and left on the table of his laboratory. He then quickly cleaned the desk and his cauldron, took off his long, billowing brewing robes and hung them before taking another cursory glance over his once again immaculately clean laboratory. He then smiled tenderly and extinguished the candles with a flick of his wand before he went through the door that led to their bedchamber, where his darling wife would already be asleep, warm and sweet in their bed, just waiting for him to burrow under the blankets and warm himself against her skin.
Yes, he thought, everything was perfect in his world.