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Life Eternal	By : AlectoPerdita Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Snape Views: 10864 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

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Life Eternal

By Alecto Perdita

Chapter 3 - The Ladies of Snape

Beta'ed by epysiarch and Amanda Saitou

Rating: R

Posted: January 28, 2005

Revised: September 17, 2005

Warnings: Slash, HP/SS

Email: alecto.perdita@gmail.com

Site: http://cocytus.eternity-inc.net

Mailing list: http://groups.yahoo.com/subscribe/cocytus

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling, and is being used in this fanfiction for fan purposes only. All situations, opinions and characters not belonging to J.K. Rowling are the intellectual property of Alecto Perdita.

It had been an exhausting day for Severus and he was knackered. He sighed and sat down on the edge of bed before reaching for vial of sleeping potion he kept in the top drawer of his nightstand. He and Sinclair had gone to pick up Jessica at Heathrow Airport first thing in the morning and Severus found little more distasteful than crowds. The day spent going between Muggle and wizard London afterwards didn't improve his mood.

When he rose to get ready for bed, Moppy suddenly popped into the room. "Master Severus sir, there be a Muggle policeman at the door."

"Did you answer the door?"

"No, Master. He still be knocking now."

"Stay out of sight," Severus ordered as he shed his outer robe and dumped it on the bed.

Moppy nodded and popped out of the room.

Why was the police at their door? Could it be because of Wesley? According to Moppy earlier, Wesley left the castle hours ago and he had still yet to return since they had returned to the castle. Did something happen to Wesley? Had Wesley fallen prey to whatever wild beast was terrorizing the village?

Those thoughts spurred Severus to quicken his pace. Dim light from the lanterns on the wall cast long shadows down the length of the hallway. When he reached the top of the stairs leading down to the foyer, he finally heard the loud thumping on the heavy wooden door.

"Lumos." Light flooded the foyer and he opened the doors.

A constable stood in the doorway, glancing nervously about. "Excuse me, Mister Snape, but a Mister Cedric Wesley claims to be residing here at the moment."

Severus folded his arms over his chest. "Yes, he does. Did something happen?" He tried not to imagine Wesley's body mangled in same manner that the other victims of the rabid creature had been.

"He discovered little Eliza Gardner's body just outside of Tittlem Corner around 10.14 and we detained him for questioning." Then the constable added hastily, "Mister Wesley seems a tad pissed though and we thought it best that someone pick him up if possible. Since you don't have a telephone and you should really-"

"Enough," Severus cut in briskly and the Muggle amazingly shut his mouth. "Is Wesley that incapacitated?"

"Not really," the constable scratched the back of his head. "But the sergeant insisted."

"Very well, let's go." Severus stepped out. The doors immediately closed behind him and the constable jumped at resounding thud.

The constable nodded and quickly turned to race halfway down the stairs. Severus scowled before following. The streets were quiet as they made their way into the village. The constable became less anxious after they passed the first lamppost on their path away from the castle.

The entire way there, Severus found it impossible not to think about Wesley. What was Wesley thinking, allowing himself to be taken into the custody of Muggle officials? So many things could go wrong. It wasn't that he was worried about Wesley per say but there were too many consequences to be considered. It was going to be a hassle if the police was going to start investigating Wesley. The police would look into him and his family by simple association, and Severus didn't need that.

When they entered the small building where the station was set up, Severus was surprised to still see the staff up and about. Though the village of Snape was small, the population was large enough to warrant their own police station. The staff was small and consisted of a handful of constables, two sergeants, and one inspector.

A sergeant greeted them by the front desk and he extended a hand to Severus. "I'm Sergeant Winfield and I'm sorry for bothering you so late at night."

After a brief moment of hesitation, Severus shook the sergeant's hand. "And Wesley?"

"I'm sorry for all the trouble, but we had to take Mister Wesley's statement. We've been waiting for poor Eliza to expire since she been sick for so long," the sergeant shook his head sadly. "She didn't look like she had much left in her anyway. Her parents reported her missing an hour or so ago after they had tucked her in."

"Will you be following up on Wesley then?"

"No, we checked up on Mister Wesley's records and we have no reason to suspect him of foul-play. We suspect that Eliza had wandered out of the house and her health just happened to fail her then. Mister Wesley has a solid alibi that we were able to confirm right away. I think Eliza's parents are grateful that Mister Wesley found poor Eliza's body before that rabid wolf did."

Severus was pleasantly surprised that Wesley had all his paperwork in enough order to not arouse the suspicion of the Muggle police when they pulled up his identity on files. It only made his life easier. He didn't feel like Obliviating anyone that night.

Severus followed the sergeant into another room off to the side. He stood in the doorway and waited as the sergeant debriefed Wesley. Wesley seemed�smaller�under the weight of a heavy coat over his shoulders. Severus couldn't help but feel the coat was somehow familiar. He watched as Wesley's gray eyes moved from the sergeant's face to Severus and then back. Wesley nodded automatically after every few words that fell from the sergeant's mouth. It was if the man wasn't fully there.

The sergeant sighed and pulled away. He turned to Severus. "Be careful with this one. He's not pissed but still a bit tipsy."

Severus nodded sharply. "Let's go, Wesley, I don't have all night."

Wesley rose to his feet without stumbling. The sergeant watched in amusement as Wesley made his way to Severus' side like a chagrined child. Severus spun around and marched out of the room. He knew full well that the dramatic effect of his exit was lost upon his meager audience without his robes.

As if Wesley had read his mind, the younger man piped up rather loudly, "You look different without your robes. Less intimidating."

Severus waited until they were clear out of the station, then he stopped abruptly and turned around to face Wesley. Wesley simply kept going and collided with Severus' chest. The man then stepped back and rubbed his forehead.

"Mister Wesley, you shouldn't drink if you can't hold your liquor properly," Severus drawled.

Wesley glared up at him, all the while looking as if he was still trying to decipher Severus' words. "I only had a few pints of ale."

"Then your foolhardy idiocy hardly needs the aid of alcohol to surface. I'm talking about your lack of discretion at the station." Severus gave the man his best glare- the one he usually reserved for the likes of Neville Longbottom.

"Oh, right," Wesley waved his hand about in a dismissive manner. "Sorry about that, didn't mean it at all."

Severus felt a familiar sort of irritation rising to the surface. He crushed it quickly. He just wanted to get back to the castle and retire to his room. "Can I trust you not to stumble into a mysterious ditch off the side of the pavement?"

"I'm fine. Not my fault the pavement won't stay still!" Wesley whined and Severus could only cringe in return.

Severus sighed and grabbed Wesley's wrist. When his fingers closed around the appendage, he found it to be smaller and more delicate than he would have originally thought. He gave little warning before he began to drag Wesley down the streets. The man stumbled to keep up with the quicker pace set by Severus' longer strides. On more than one occasion, Wesley bumped into Severus' back, sides, and arms. All of this made Severus acutely aware of the fact that Wesley was too fine-boned and tenderly shaped for a man of his age.

Severus almost thought he heard Wesley breathe at one point, "You smell nice, like sage."

He did not bother to give it any further consideration.

~~~

Harry woke up the next morning feeling as if the previous night had been a dream. He knew better though. Abraham's coat thrown over the back of the sofa in his room attested to that fact. Harry took his morning shower and thanked whatever god there was for the modern amenities found even in British rural areas. Merlin, it was good to be back in England.

From the day he'd arrived, Harry had requested that Moppy not pop into his room to wake him. It wouldn't do if the house elf to find a complete "stranger" with green eyes and a prominent scar in "Cedric's" place. He began his daily routine to cement his disguise in front of the bathroom mirror. His platinum blond hair showed no sign of fading for another week or two. He laid the gray contact lenses over his irises. He had always been dreadfully afraid of poking his eye out in this process. He then covered his scar with Muggle cosmetics and spelled the cosmetics to be smudge-proof and water-proof.

Harry stared at the mirror for a while. He had out-grown his boyish looks years ago, but not before he left England. At first he thought to use glamours since they could create the illusion of an entirely different face, but it was still magic and thus subject to detection by a number of methods. He figured that the Muggle way would be the safest to go. There was no spell that would show he'd dyed his hair if he did it in a non-magical way.

Though Harry had never fancied returning to his old life, he carried with him the pieces of it that made him the man he was today. He had taken on the given name of Cedric in memory of the first of many he had watched die. Remius was an effort to give his two beloved godfathers a place together they could not have in life. Wesley was for his best friend who was cut down in the final battle. The hair color was a dedication to Draco Malfoy, first enemy, then bully, but finally reluctant ally. The boy had a tremendous effect on Harry's life. Though most of it may seem negative, they were all essential experiences that made Harry the man who had defeated Voldemort and who he was today.

Harry sighed. He was ready to start another day as Cedric Remius Wesley. He slipped on a t-shirt and a pair of jeans, and decided to forgo his robes. He didn't feel the need to dress in full wizard attire everyday as Snape did. He stopped as he remembered the sight of Severus Snape without his robes. That was a something he had never seen before, even in all the years he had known the man. The man had appeared just so- a man. Snape was far less intimidating without his billowing black robes.

He quickly made his way down to the drawing room where they took their meals and tea. Moppy refused to serve breakfast until everyone was present at the table. He suspected that the move was designed to force Snape to attend breakfast with everyone else. Harry quickened his steps. He hated the idea of keeping everyone else waiting.

Everyone else was already seated when Harry arrived at the dining room. Snape was hidden behind the day's edition of the Daily Prophet. Sinclair had his arm around a young woman of obvious African descent. A smile swept across Harry's lips.

Sinclair was the first to notice him at the door. "Oh, Cedric, about time. Do hurry. I, for one, am famished."

Harry walked toward them and raised a questioning eyebrow. "That busy last night, huh?"

Snape snorted from behind his paper and Sinclair rolled his eyes.

Jessica Powell rose to her feet and greeted Harry with a quick hug. Harry endured the moment of uncomfortable human contact and only smiled. "Wonderful to see you again, Cedric. Sinclair was just telling me that you're done with the lower levels already."

When she pulled back, he got a chance to take a good look at her. She hadn't changed much from when he had last seen her. She'd stopped wearing her black hair in tiny braids, but her dark brown eyes still held the same warmth as before. She was dark-skinned but nowhere as dark as either Dean Thomas or Lee Jordan had been.

"Yes, it went a lot faster than I expected. Last I heard from you, you were studying computer science." Cedric sat down and breakfast appeared on the table almost immediately.

Jessica reached for the plate of blueberry waffles prepared especially for her. "That seems so long ago. I graduated a few years back. I worked for a company in D.C. for a while before I transferred out to France, where I met Sinclair two years back. At that point we were both looking to branch out into the new research on integrating computer technology into wizarding culture for better management purposes. It would sure beats doing the books the old-fashioned way."

Harry nodded. The Yanks were at the forefront of that effort. They always did take to integrating parts of Muggle culture into the American wizarding society.

Snape finally folded his paper and set it aside. It was a signal to everyone at the table to start eating.

Breakfast was pleasant enough. Their conversation ranged over a variety of subjects and Snape even interjected the occasional comment. He was startlingly polite in the presence of his family. Harry noticed that Sinclair sometimes took a teasing tone with Snape and the tone that Snape replied with was only half as biting as usual.

It was strange for Harry to sit at a table for a meal with a relatively normal family- at least by wizards' standards. It had been a long time since he had eaten breakfast with others in this manner. The last time Harry could recall was when he was back in school some five or six years ago. Harry focused on the banter between Sinclair and Jessica instead. He didn't like having to think about the past more than he had to.

~~~

It happened just a few days after Eliza passed away and most of the village was already in mourning. The foggy morning just before the funeral a constable came across the mangled body on a path leading into the Snape Mires, a swampy area to the east of the village. The Criminal Investigation Department was called from the nearby town of Bedale [1] and it was concluded that the man, one Phil Hume, had been attacked and mauled by a wild beast. The entire village was put on alert.

From the details disclosed by gossip, the wounds inflicted were very similar to the ones found in werewolf attacks. The full moon wasn't for another week so Harry knew it wasn't that. He wondered if the Snapes had displaced something dangerous from the castle by moving in. Harry made note to look into the possibility in the library when he found the time.

For the most part, Harry, Sinclair, and Jessica worked on the abandoned west wing toward one of the three towers. They weren't in any particular rush. In fact, Sinclair had declared his mother would be devastated if she didn't get a chance to help in the process. Snape remained devoted to whatever potion he had been trying to brew and Harry only saw enough of the irascible man at meals and tea.

They flushed out a nest of Doxies from the old draperies hanging in one of the abandoned drawing rooms. Harry wondered if Snape would have any use for their wings. If he remembered his potion lectures correctly, Doxy wings were common potion ingredients and something about freshness�

When he asked Sinclair, the other man just burst into laughter and exclaimed he wouldn't know for the life of him.

"I'm absolutely miserable at potions," Sinclair shook his head in pseudo-shame. "Shavonne's the potion prodigy of the family. Even M�re's terrible at it."

Jessica was equally clueless.

Harry shrugged and they re-entered the Doxy-infested room with Doxycide. Harry made sure to catch a few in a jar and stow it away before they eliminated all the pests in the room. When he gave them to Snape when he went to retrieve the older man for tea, he would find out.

~~~

Severus was at home with himself. He had been unable to experiment like this during the war. He couldn't have possibly found the time to do so. He had the time now, though.

There was a knock on his laboratory door. Severus didn't pause to think before calling, "Enter." It was most likely Sinclair coming to get him for tea since Moppy wasn't allowed to pop into the lab because of the delicate magical environment.

He continued to stir the potion as he heard the door close softly. His visitor stood by the door, as if he knew not to disturb Severus at this crucial stage of brewing. He knew then that his visitor wasn't Sinclair. The boy didn't have that sort of sense.

Severus let fall a droplet of the original variation of Wolfsbane into his experimental brew. The concoction in the cauldron turned pitch black immediately and began to boil over, all the while emitting an overwhelming scent of rotten eggs. He gave a frustrated growl and banished the second failure that week with a wave of his wand.

He turned to face his visitor and was surprised to find Wesley standing there, but he knew his expression betrayed no such emotion. Wesley hadn't come down into the dungeons ever since they cleared out the lower levels. "What is it that you want, Wesley?"

The man squeaked at his tone. The reaction reminded Severus of when he caught a student in the wrong.

"Well?" Severus found his irritation getting the better of him.

Wesley recomposed himself and glared at Severus defiantly. The other man stalked up to him and shoved a jar into his chest.

Severus took the jar carefully and ignored the chill that ran down his spine when his fingers brushed against Wesley's. He held the jar up to the meager light to examine the contents.

They were Doxies, all fairly large in size. The jar held three Doxies as prisoners, ramming into the glass sides in a vain attempt to escape. Doxy wings were common potion ingredients. The best results were achieved when the wings were freshly clipped off the Doxies, but they were often harvested in masses and preserved with a combination of potion treatment and magic. Doxies were rarely sold in apothecaries though, because they were so hard to care for, especially in droves. Severus never cared to hunt any of them down for himself.

Severus lowered his eyes to meet the gaze of the other man. He knew this wasn't Sinclair's suggestion. Then again, Longbottom had done miraculously well on his O.W.L.s, which was more than Severus could say for Sinclair. His cousin was as proficient at potions as Neville Longbottom and Jessica was equally as incompetent in the art. Shavonne, bless he, was still in France with Siobhan. This could only be Wesley's idea.

"Well?" Wesley snapped in a familiar irate tone.

"Perhaps I was too hasty in my assessment of your education," Severus drawled. If Wesley was expecting him to say "thank you," the man was sorely deluded.

"Would it kill you to say a simple thank you?" Wesley's eyes narrowed.

Severus turned away to set the jar on the worktable. Those eyes just reminded him of Black too much. "It just might," he muttered very quietly but he knew Wesley heard him. "No need to worry, I always repay my debts, Wesley."

Wesley's next words, as quiet as they were, made Severus pause for a moment. "Should have known you'd be like this. You'll never change."

"What gives you the right to claim such intimate knowledge of my personality?" Severus really disliked the way Wesley was so familiar with him, as if they had known each other for years.

Silence�

"I need to return to my work, as should you." Severus stared long and hard at the scarred surface of his worktable.

"Prat. Damn greasy git," Wesley growled at Severus' turned back. "I don't know why your wife even bothers."

Severus whirled around to stare in confusion as the door slammed behind Wesley's exit.

Wife? What in Merlin's name was the man raving about? He wasn't married.

~~~

Harry punched the wall in frustration. Snape always�he just never failed to bring out the worst in him. The man was such a prat! Here Harry was trying to do something nice for the git and he�

He ran a hand through his unruly hair. He forced himself to take deep breaths. There was no point in getting all upset because Snape was his normal beastly self. The man had always been an unmitigated bastard and always would be. Harry had better things to do than sulk like a school boy. It wasn't as if he owed the man anything. He squared his shoulders. That's right. Snape meant nothing to him.

Sinclair and Jessica were waiting in the drawing room for him with tea. Forget Snape! The man would be out of his life after another few weeks anyway. Merlin, Harry hated how he always managed to get under his skin.

Harry was at the foot of the stairs when he heard, "Wesley."

He forced himself not to turn around to face Snape. He listened to the sound of the footsteps bouncing off the wall that indicated that Snape was getting nearer. "What?"

"I was led to believe you were sent to fetch me for tea."

"So?"

Snape swept by him and Harry felt the older man's robes brush against his exposed forearm. He tensed as Snape came to a stop just in front of him and a few steps up the stairs.

"That was a gracious gesture, Wesley. A reference for the future though, I am not married." Snape then continued up the stairs and disappeared around the bend.

Harry blinked as his mind tried to sort through what had just happened. Did Snape just thank him in Snape-speak? And if Siobhan wasn't Snape's wife then who was she? According to Moppy, Snape didn't have any siblings. And she couldn't be his mother because Sinclair was her son and that would make Sinclair Snape's brother� He shook his head. There was not point in thinking too much about it. He would find out soon enough.

~~~

Harry could tell that Snape hadn't been expecting visitors that morning at breakfast. The expression only broke the surface for a few seconds before it was shuttered and Harry's gaze shifted from Snape to the two women standing in the door. Sinclair and Jessica stood immediately to meet the two and envelope the younger woman in a hug. Snape remained seated next to Harry. The man made no move to greet his family.

Harry guessed the older of the two women was Siobhan Snape. She was taller than most of the women Harry had met in life and even taller than Snape by a centimeter or two. While her complexion was pale, she didn't look unhealthy in the same way Snape did. Her long black hair fell freely over her slim shoulders. She wore form-fitting robes that Harry recognized to be of the highest quality.

She stopped right by Snape's side and placed her hands on her hips. "I know I taught you better manners than that, ma ch�r." Her scowl resembled Snape's in a frightening manner.

Harry listened carefully to the voice. He knew that somewhere deep inside of him, he had expected Siobhan Snape to be�be�like Snape. Her voice was husky and deep, and it couldn't be described as effeminate but it was pleasant to listen to. She didn't have an accent like Harry would have expected from someone who lived in France for as many years as she had. Even Sinclair had only the bare hints of an accent- though it sounded more American than French at times.

Harry watched as Snape glared up at the woman. "You were due to arrive tomorrow, Siobhan."

Siobhan Snape's scowl broke into a rather lovely smile, in Harry's opinion at least. "I thought it would be a nice surprise. Besides, I figured you would like Shavonne to help you with your potion."

At the mention of her name, Shavonne Snape approached the table with her brother and his fianc�e trailing behind her. Shavonne looked like she had just left school, just a teenager. She possessed the same traces of Asian descent that Sinclair did, found in her sharp bright eyes. She wasn't exceptionally tall like her mother.

"Severus," the young woman bent down and pecked Snape on the cheek.

Shavonne's eyes shifted from Snape to Harry. A spark of interest lit up her eyes. "Who is this fine young gentleman?"

Unlike the rest of her family, Shavonne had a heavier accent, but she spoke English far better than Fleur had. Unlike her mother, she was the very picture of femininity. She leaned over toward Harry in what appeared to be a seductive manner. Harry gulped as she batted her eyelashes at him. She was really making him feel uncomfortable.

Siobhan saved him when she brushed her daughter aside. "Mister Wesley?" she extended a hand forward and smiled benevolently down at him. Harry had the feeling that he would get along just fine with the older woman. He couldn't help but feel he had seen her somewhere before. Harry nodded, took her hand, and shook it. "Just call me Cedric."

"I would like to formally thank you for your service to Snape Castle. Allow me to properly introduce my daughter, Shavonne Snape."

Shavonne smiled sweetly at Harry, a bit too sweetly now that he thought about it.

Siobhan placed a hand over her bosom. "I am Siobhan Snape, Severus' aunt. Pleased to meet you."

~~~

After breakfast, Siobhan stopped him on his way out of the room, "I would like to discuss your progress so far, and your future plans."

"Now?" Harry asked. This would be his first meeting with his employer and he felt slightly nervous.

"Yes," she nodded. "If that suits you."

"Of course."

She smiled at him in a gentle manner and her face, smooth and pale, seemed to light up. Harry wondered if she was older or younger than Snape. Age was a very difficult thing to determine once a witch or wizard reached their thirties. The fact that she was Snape's aunt seemed to suggest she was older, but looking at her now, he found that hard to believe.

She led him back to the library where she headed straight for the first shelf and pulled out one of the books on the top shelf. She stopped to look around the library for something before directing them to the window ledge in the back of the library where he'd been reading two days ago.

The older woman sighed. "I'm sorry but we're going to have to stand. The furniture should arrive soon."

"It's no trouble at all." Harry shook his head.

"I know the rooms are bare now but I hope they have been accommodating," she said as she dusted off the surface of the ledge. "I hope Moppy has been accommodating as well."

"It's all well," he replied simply.

She stopped and looked at him very carefully. The one thing she seemed to share with Snape was that dark penetrating stare. Remembering what eye contact could mean, he immediately closed off his mind. He didn't understand why a flash of hurt flickered through her eyes.

Her voice was suddenly very soft when she spoke again, "I didn't mean it like that, Cedric. Has Severus been treating you well?"

Harry straightened his back and stiffened his posture. "I imagine the Professor is treating me as he would anyone."

"In other words, absolutely beastly," she sighed. "Severus was never an amiable person and it's really a shame."

No shit, Harry added to himself silently.

"If we may continue�" Harry said quietly. He was here to talk about the job, not to make idle conversation about Snape.

"Oh yes, of course."

Siobhan opened the book and unfurled the fold-out in the center of the book. It was a layout of Snape Castle, from the dungeons to the highest tower. He watched as she drew her wand from her voluminous sleeve and waved it over the fold-out. A three-dimensional blueprint of the castle sprang up over the pages of the book. "What have you been able to accomplish so far?"

Harry pointed to the lower levels. "We're done with the dungeons. I was attacked by a swarm of vampire bats the first day down there but neither the Professor nor I can find any nesting place. We came to the conclusion they must have gotten in through some opening in the dungeon. Since they were non-magical, the Professor deemed it unnecessary to worry about them."

Siobhan nodded and pointed her wand at the lower levels, which blacked out of the blueprint. "I assume Severus has already set up his lab down there then?"

"Yes, ma'am. He's been working down there and left Sinclair to supervise me these last few days."

"Please, Cedric. Just address me as Siobhan. I'm not like Severus so you don't need to be so formal with me." She smiled and Harry felt some tension bleed out of him but he would not relax around her.

"You honor me with your request," Harry muttered in return.

"So polite," she sighed. "Please continue."

"Sinclair and I finished with the west wing as of yesterday and there were only the usual household pests like Doxies."

She pointed her wand at the aforementioned west wing and blacked it out. "I see, you're working your way toward the first of the towers then?"

Harry nodded. "We were going to start on the west tower today."

"Perhaps I should explain the history of this castle and its architecture?"

"If you believe it would be helpful."

"Snape Castle was built in the 15th century and all of its original architecture remains today. There was some work done in the early 60s for plumbing and such. There are four towers, each in one of the cardinal directions. However," she pointed her wand at the north wing and highlighted the north wing and the north tower in red. "This section connects the north wing to the north tower, Uriel's Tower, which collapsed in 1694, I believe it was. There has never been an attempt to clear out the ruins and rebuild that part of the castle. Since this is a wizarding castle, we can infer that we better not meddle with that area and leave it as it is if no one has bothered to repair it since."

Harry examined the blueprint. It made sense. Something like that could be easily fixed and if it wasn't fixed by now, over a century later, they best not try either.

"Because of that, the north wing has been relatively abandoned since the collapse. I would encourage you not to venture into that area. We need not worry about there then. Looking at what has been done so far, I don't think it'll take us much longer before we're finished with the castle. Moppy will handle the clean-up and maintain the areas you've worked our way through. I'm in no particular hurry. I'd rather we be thorough than quick. From here on, it will be you, Sinclair, and Jessica. Will that be enough for you to work with? Severus is working on a very important experiment right now, so he'll need Shavonne full time since she's the only other person in the family with any potions know-how. Snape Castle isn't very big in the way of castles but it's still a big job for such a short time."

"That'll be more than enough. I understand you just want the job done before Jessica's and Sinclair's wedding in July."

"Yes. The castle also needs to be re-warded soon. The previous wards were taken down by the Ministry of Magic after the first war. I hope you will be our Guardian Benefactor in the warding ceremony. Jessica tells me you're quite the powerful wizard." She glanced down the length of her nose at him.

Harry swallowed his protest. He knew that was not an offer but a disguised order, much like the ones Dumbledore used to give. "I can't refuse."

*To Be Continued*

[1] Bedale is the closest town to Snape that actually appears on a map. It is located at the western end of the Eastern Area of North Yorkshire's Police forces. http://www.northyorkshire.police.uk/structure-eastern.asp

I bet many of you are relieved to hear that Siobhan is not Snape's wife. I was very specific about how I described her and "her" children. Kudos to all the readers who picked up on this. Siobhan is Snape's aunt, and the Sinclair and his sister are Siobhan's children and Snape's cousin. Yet because of their age difference, Snape has become sort of a father figure to his younger cousins.

Many of you astute readers have noted Abraham's resemblance to a certain type of mystical being. I can't say much but all will be revealed in time. All I can say is that a writer never tries to include anything superfluous in the writing and I always put the utmost care into choosing a name for any characters I might create. ;)

I guess I should have been clearer about this in the beginning but now is better than never. This is very heavily plot-based and it's novel length. If you're expecting any quick relationship to spring up between Harry and Snape, then you're in for a long wait. I urge you to give this a try though.

As always, thank you for all your reviews.
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Life Eternal