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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After	By : ElizabethStump Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female > Snape/Hermione Views: 90306 -:- Recommendations : 2 -:- Currently Reading : 2
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.

Chapter List
- 79
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- 81
"And They Didn't Live Happily Ever After"

Chapter Seventy-Nine
"English Tea and Old Memories"

Disclaimer:
I can't write no good disclaimer
I can't write no good disclaimer
'Cause I try and I try and I try and I try
I can't write no, I can't write no
With Rowling owning Potter
And her tweets comes on the Internet
She's writing more and more
About some Cursed Child play
Adding to canon every day

I can't write no, oh no, no, no
A hey, hey, hey, that's what I disclaim

A/N: Disclaimer a parody of “Satisfaction,” by the Rolling Stones.

============

It figured the last person Hermione thought to ask if they had a Pensieve was Lavender. The magical object was expensive, and the common perception was only academic types had one in order to help organize their thoughts. She knew Lavender had the money to afford one, but Hermione did not perceive her as the type to require it for mental matters.

When Hermione asked if she could borrow it for some memories Severus left behind which might exonerate his and Draco's name, her boss was more than happy to lend it for as long as she needed it. First, though, Lavender needed to clear out a few memories she kept stored in it.

Hermione wondered if one of those memories was of Bascom Nettleton, since Hermione asked Lavender why the owner of the Mercury Broom Company wasn't at the wedding. Ron and Bascom had become rather chummy over the months and it surprised her he wasn't there. Lavender admitted to Hermione that Bascom and she had been on intimate terms when she first left Hogwarts, and it was not an amicable parting. When Ron had initially invited Bascom and Dagmar to the wedding, Lavender had to inform her husband-to-be of her prior involvement with Bascom. Needless to say, Ron had since been spending far less time with the Nettletons upon learning such news.

When Hermione showed up to work one morning, the stone bowl was waiting for her on a part of her desk which was not covered in books, scrolls, and sheaves of parchment. It was all she could do to concentrate on her current project for Albert and Lavender – researching a potion for longer and thicker eyelashes without turning the witch into looking like a camel. Four-inch eyelashes were a bit too long for anyone who was not of the Camelus genus.

After her work for the day finished up, she rushed back home to fetch the box Severus had left her for Christmas.

Once back in her office, she locked her door and cast a few security spells. Hermione did not want to be disturbed, even though Albert and Lavender had already gone for the day.

Holding up the red-capped vial, she watched the silvery threads of the memory float languidly, its sultry dance within its glass confines belying the turbulent thoughts contained within.

After pouring the contents of the vial into Lavender's Pensieve, she leaned forward and let herself be pulled into the memory.

Initially disoriented, having only been in a Pensieve memory once before, Hermione recognized she was in a corridor at Hogwarts near the Infirmary. Hearing the familiar clack of boot heels on the stone floor, Hermione turned and saw Severus and Draco walking down the corridor towards her.

Severus was clad in his old frock coat and billowing black robes. Draco followed slightly behind and to his right, dressed in all black as well, in a full woolen cloak. The blond wizard was at his full adult height, but had not filled out yet, looking more like a frightened willowy boy than a young man. The Head of Slytherin was looking gaunt and stern, looking older than when Hermione met him again years later than of this memory.

As the wizards took long strides down the dimly lit corridor, Hermione ran to keep up as they entered the infirmary.

Madam Pomfrey greeted the pair, looking stricken and nervous. "I've contacted St. Mungo's for a Healer. It seems that this is beyond even my capabilities," the school nurse fretted. "They said it may take a while since there was another attack and they are quite busy right now. He asked for you and Mr. Malfoy immediately, Professor."

They crossed the infirmary to an area partitioned off with cloth-sheathed dividers. Normally, Poppy would have shooed any visitors away, but even she seemed to sense that time was short for the Headmaster and there was something important he needed to say. She did not tell Severus to keep it brief and let him rest like she did with most visitors who came to see her charges.

Hermione followed in behind Severus and Draco as they entered the semi-private area. It was then she realized that she was witnessing the last known memory of Dumbledore’s. Severus had told her that he was the last person to speak to Dumbledore alive, which is why suspicion was cast so heavily upon him and Draco regarding Dumbledore's death and its unfortunate timing before the attack on Hogwarts.

Recalling the date, she remembered where she was at the time of this particular memory. It was June 26th, 1999. She, Harry, and Ron were looking for Wormtail, trying to get him to make good on his wizard's debt to Harry for sparing his life in the Shrieking Shack.

The school was officially closed for the summer, but for this one instance, Dumbledore let as many students stay who desired do so. He had been approached by many parents to have someplace safe for their children to stay, when so many Death Eater attacks were happening all over the country.

In the memory, Dumbledore was sitting up in bed looking far frailer and older than the last time she had seen him, which was three days prior to this memory. It looked like he was trying to hold on to life, but it was stealing from his grasp as grains of sand slip easily through one's fingers.

"Severus, Draco," the old Headmaster gasped, his voice brittle and dry. He reached out a papery thin hand that looked as white as the ghosts that haunted the halls of Hogwarts. Blue veins stood out prominently, raised up from the back of his hand, contouring over the bones.

"Headmaster, we came as soon as I heard you called for us," Severus said, looking grave, his forehead etched with concern.

Draco said nothing. His eyes were wide with worry. Hermione could tell what he was thinking, as she had thought the same thing that was plainly written on the younger wizard's face.

'If Dumbledore dies before the end of this war, will we lose?'

Sybill Trelawney’s prophecy may have been about the war being fought in the end between Harry and Voldemort, but without Dumbledore, could the Order still stand against the Death Eaters?

In time, it bore out that it did, and Harry won in the end. But at the time, the future was dark and nebulous.

"I have a mission for you and Draco," Dumbledore said, his voice barely above a raspy whisper. "I need you to go to the orphanage where Tom Riddle was born and lived. Just as he used the gravesite of his father for his regeneration, I believe that there is something significant about the gravesite of his mother."

Dumbledore coughed. Severus offered the Headmaster a glass of water, but he declined for the moment.

Continuing with his request, Dumbledore said, "I have sought for many clues and items that might help Harry defeat Voldemort over the years."

Severus winced and Draco flinched at the mentioning of the Dark Lord's name, but Dumbledore would not use a euphemism. The Headmaster believed in using the name in order to remove the fear from it.

"I believe that there is something buried at the gravesite of his mother. She kept her married name of Riddle, though Tom Riddle Sr. divorced her. Just as her death was the impetus for Tom Riddle Jr. to abandon his humanity, I hope there is something tied to his humanity that he left at her gravesite. I hope it will help Harry defeat him."

"Headmaster, are you certain there is something there? And if so, what do you think it might be?" Severus asked.

"I am not certain of anything, Severus, except that what ails me is nothing that can be cured by Poppy or even the Healers of St. Mungo's. There is no cure for time, and even Time-Turners should not be used to delay the inevitable. As for Merope's gravesite, I do not know if it will yield anything or not. You and Draco must go since I cannot. Some of the far-fetched hints have yielded promising clues as to how to defeat Voldemort, and some of the most encouraging have resulted in nothing. But you must go and soon."

"What if we can't find her grave?" Draco asked.

"Severus knows where the orphanage is where Tom Riddle grew up. I have seen her grave and know it is there. I have been unwilling to desecrate it, until now. Time is short. I know the final battle will come in four days’ time."

"How can you be so sure?" Severus' face became etched with even more worry.

"June 30th was the night of the prophecy. Tom will seek to bring about its completion on its anniversary." Dumbledore gave Severus a piercing stare. "You remember that night, Severus. Do you not?"

Even with the Headmasters’ frailty, it made Severus nearly cower knowing he was the one who had told the Prophecy to the Dark Lord, before he became a spy for the Order. It was after Severus told the Dark Lord of the prophecy that he was forced to kill his wife, Gabrielle. It took the death of his wife for him to change allegiances. Hearing the news of Lily being targeted by the Dark Lord, it only strengthened his resolve to fight against those he’d once aligned himself with.

"Yes, I remember," Severus croaked, hanging his head in shame. Hermione had already heard about how Severus had relayed the prophecy to Voldemort a long time ago.

"Then you must go now, as Harry, Ron and Hermione will need you most during the final battle to come. Protect Ron and Hermione as much as you would protect Harry, as he needs them by his side to help him in the end. Should they fall, so might his resolve."

"I promise I will do my best," Severus vowed.

"And I, Headmaster," Draco added.

Hermione thought she might have seen Draco during the final battle casting a deflection spell which might have hit Ron, but she wasn't sure until now. Upon hearing his promise to Dumbledore to protect them, she was certain of it. Draco may have actually saved Ron, but never made mention of it.

"Then you must go now," the aged wizard commanded. Draco made to leave, but Dumbledore's hand shot out and grasped Severus by the sleeve.

Just then the memory ended. It seemed like there was more memory to come, but Hermione found herself back in her office wondering what Dumbledore was going to say next. There was proof that Dumbledore told Severus to go and leave Hogwarts. However, there was also no proof that Severus did not poison the Headmaster, resulting in his death, as some of the accusations insinuated.

Severus was the last known person to speak with Albus Dumbledore, as Madam Pomfrey had found the Headmaster passed away in his sleep when next she checked on him a few hours later.

Pulling the memory from the liquid substance in the Pensive's bowl, Hermione put the memory away in the red-capped vial before pulling out the one with the blue cap. She had a feeling that the memory continued on from there with the second one, since the first one ended so abruptly.

Once the memory from the blue-capped vial was in the Pensieve, she let herself be pulled once more into the rune-rimmed bowl.

She was correct. The memory picked up from where the last one ended. Dumbledore had a tight grip on the edge of Severus' sleeve.

"A moment with Professor Snape alone, if you please, Mr. Malfoy," the Headmaster requested.

Draco bowed his head and left the enclosed area, parting with a respectful, "Of course, Headmaster."

Once the echo of Draco's boots signaled that he had left the infirmary, Albus let out a small grunt of discomfort.

"Headmaster!" Severus sensed his mentor was suffering.

Dumbledore waved his hand dismissively, having more important things to discuss than a few aches and pains.

"Severus, I must tell you something, and you must pay careful attention."

Severus and Hermione both leaned in closer.

"Should Voldemort win, and should you and Draco have been found to be spies for me, you must seek sanctuary. There you will be safe where no one can hurt you any longer." Albus winced once more and coughed.

Dumbledore's face got a very faraway look, as he began to recall, "When Grindelwald fell, some of his top followers fled for sanctuary. I followed them and tried to bring them back. Unfortunately, the magic imbued into this sanctuary is so powerful that each attempt I had to bring one particular wizard back resulted in me being transported to a location more and more dangerous; the last time I was transported to the edge of the volcano's caldera. It was then I realized nothing I did could allow me to bring these followers of Grindelwald to justice. They had been granted sanctuary. And if we fail, so must you and Draco find sanctuary."

"But where is this sanctuary, Headmaster?" Severus asked.

"Malu Palekaiko, a magical island hidden from Muggles. An island that is part of the chain of Hawaiian Islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean." Dumbledore gave a bittersweet smile before turning his gaze back to Severus.

"There is no place called Hawaii, and certainly no place like that in the middle of the Pacific, Headmaster," Severus corrected him.

"Or so you think, Severus." Even on death's doorstep, there was that damn twinkle is Dumbledore's eye. "After I was unable to bring back Grindelwald's followers, I began a very thorough and systematic erasing of any mention of Hawaii and Malu Palekaiko from all of British wizarding society. Books, maps, news articles, anything, everything. I even petitioned other governments to do the same. Though some of the European Ministries joined in my efforts, other countries did not, especially the United States, since Hawaii was one of their territories at the time. I didn't want any more of Grindelwald's followers finding out and following on to Malu Palekaiko and reforming their army there. And when Voldemort fell the first time, I felt vindicated in my erasure of this part of the world from our society's memory. I had erased the memory of this place of refuge from the minds of all witches and wizards through mass memory charms, omission, and eradication of knowledge," Dumbledore admitted, now looking more like he was filled with regret than triumph.

"Little did I suspect that Albania, a place with no sanctuary, would be the starting ground for the second rise of Voldemort." Dumbledore sighed wearily. "If you seek Muggle sources, you will be able to learn more about Hawaii, but be careful. There are those few who still know about Malu Palekaiko, like Moody who I told, should he need to stop Death Eaters from reaching Hawaii. And should he know that I told you, he might seek to erase that memory from you."

Now the prohibition of Death Eaters leaving England without special permission made all that much more sense to Hermione. The revocation of Severus and Draco's Apparition license, as one could Apparate to another country that hadn't erased the memory of Malu Palekaiko from the wizarding collective conscience, the restriction to travel. Everything.

"Should you and Draco be persecuted, flee, my boy. Go to Malu Palekaiko and make a new life for yourself there. I promise you will find peace and happiness there. A chance for a new beginning for you both," the old Headmaster vowed.

Hermione repeated the name of the island to herself in order to help commit it to memory. She could come back to view this memory as many times as she needed, but when it was done, she would look for Hawaii and the island that granted sanctuary.

Dumbledore stopped and broke into a fit of coughing. His hand stretched out to the glass of water Severus had offered him before. The Potions master handed the glass to the Headmaster who took a small sip, helping his cough subside.

"A bit of lemon, Severus" Dumbledore requested, gesturing over to the lemon cut in half resting on the bedside table.

Severus grabbed it and offered to squeeze a bit of juice into his water.

Dumbledore shook his head and said, "No, allow me," insisting on doing it himself, using his wand to extract the juice.

As the drops of juice fell into the glass, he said, "Now you must go. Time is of the essence, Severus."

"Yes, Headmaster," Severus said as he bowed and exited.

Hermione watched Severus leave in a swirl of black robes before finding herself once more in her office.

Running to a world atlas of magical plants she had, she opened the book up to the map of Oceania. There was the continent of Australia, the islands of New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, New Caledonia, the Solomon Islands, Tonga, Micronesia, French Polynesia, the Marshall Islands, the Northern Marianas, Fiji, Vanuatu, and the Equatorial Islands – but no Hawaiian Islands. Moving to a map showing more of the North Pacific, she saw the Japanese Islands of Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku and Kyushu, in addition to the Alaskan Aleutian Islands chain stretching over a thousand miles across the northern Pacific. There were the Midway Islands, but that was the only thing on this map in the middle of the Pacific. Another map of the Southern Pacific towards the east showed the Pitcairn Islands, the Galapagos Islands, and Easter Island. Being Muggle-born, she had heard of the Hawaiian Islands before, but suddenly realized she hadn't thought of the place in many years.

Hermione had heard her parents lament once that on their year-long trip to the United States the only places they didn't visit that they wish they had gone were to Alaska and Hawaii. They said something about a six-hour flight from the West Coast, so that meant that it was far from the mainland.

Another book which included a world map showed no listing for Hawaii. Hermione wasn't sure where to look in the Pacific, since the memory of Dumbledore said it was in the middle of the Pacific, but he didn't exactly give any latitude or longitude coordinates.

There was one more memory Hermione could view, but she decided her curiosity was getting the better of her. She could not devote her full attention to the memory Severus left for her until she found a map with Hawaii on it.

After rushing home to secure her box of memories from Severus, Hermione threw on her best Muggle-like clothes, including the purse her mother had given her, and Floo’ed directly to the Leaky Cauldron. She could have ran there, but decided to save five minutes. She wanted to reach the Muggle bookstore before it closed. Fortunately, the bookshop she took Ginny to before was not far away. She just hoped they were still open.

Reaching the bookstore, she glanced at the store hours posted on the door and noted she had half an hour before closing time.

Hermione's eyes scanned the section titles in desperation, until she found the area she was looking for.

Arriving in the travel section, she found a map posted on the wall nearby. She began looking about, her finger grazing over the laminated paper, until she found it.

"There you are," she whispered triumphantly.

Her finger found the small island chain located just east of the International Date Line, and just barely south of the Tropic of Cancer. It was rather prominent, compared to many of the other islands in the Pacific that were listed in the first book she’d looked through back at her office.

It was quite amazing that Dumbledore had single-handedly made a land mass of this particular size disappear from the minds of British wizardom, but then again, without books and maps, how could one know anyway about much of anything. There could have been stories, but she wondered if Dumbledore had erased the memories of those who knew about the place as well. Could one wizard cast an Oblivious Spell on all of wizarding Great Britain? If anyone could do it, it could only be Dumbledore who could have pulled it off.

Going over to the bookshelves packed with travel guides, she found a few books on Hawaii and pulled them out. Scanning through the pages, she saw beautiful tropical flowers, palm trees lining white-sand beaches, and smiling friendly faces of people presenting trays of tropical fruits in welcome. A time difference chart showed that Hawaii was eleven hours behind London time. A glance at the store's clock said it was nearly quarter to eight, which meant that where Severus was, it was quarter to nine in the morning.

A quick F.A.Q. guide showed local temperatures indicating it was much warmer, which made Hermione wonder if Severus was still clinging to long sleeves and using cooling charms, or did he adopt some of the local attire shown in the travel guide, notably, Hawaiian shirts and shorts. Hermione wondered how different wizarding fashion in Hawaii was from the Muggle population. She couldn't imagine Severus in a Hawaiian shirt and shorts. It was incongruent with the wizard she knew.

A chime rang out over the loudspeaker. She heard the announcement that the store was closing soon, and shoppers should bring all purchases up to the front. Hermione cursed herself for not having any Muggle money with her. She made a promise to convert some of her money to Muggle currency tomorrow during her lunch break, and to come back at the end of the day. She just hoped the house-elves weren't serving poached salmon for lunch, since she really did enjoy that particular lunch selection.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Rising at the crack of dawn, Severus donned his swim trunks, a shirt, a pair of flip-flops, and a towel over his shoulders. He headed down to the shoreline for a morning swim before eating breakfast and opening his business. He found that if he worked off some of his pent-up sexual energy first thing in the morning with a rigorous swim, he was much less likely to snap at his customers, students, and Draco during the day.

For some reason, the ocean seemed to drain a lot of energy from him so that he didn't walk around taut as a wire and just as ready to snap. Since coming to Malu Palekaiko, he had become much more relaxed, but that feeling of calmness was beginning to wane the longer he was away from Hermione.

He didn't want to regain his reputation of an irritable and brusque person, since people on this small island had been very friendly and respectful of him. They had no preconceived notions of the Potions master or his reputation that was known among the British wizarding population. Severus liked the fact that people on the street smiled at him and didn't dart their eyes in suspicion or fear of him. Even among those who knew him well back in England and at Hogwarts, there was a standoffishness that people had towards him, especially given his dark and troubled history. Malu Palekaiko was a place where Severus could reinvent himself, become the person he could have become had life been different and a bit more kind to him.

But missing Hermione, and the copious amounts of sex they used to enjoy, was bringing back some of the old habits of his irascible temperament, which required daily exercise to keep his temper in check.

Walking back to the hotel after a long swim, Severus waved to the shopkeepers who opened early and greeted him with a friendly "Aloha."

In the shower, after rinsing off the sand and salt from his body, he usually had a good wank to take any further edge off. After he toweled off, he dressed in a long pair of cotton trousers, closed-toe shoes, and a short-sleeved shirt.

After a breakfast of fruit, toast, and coffee, he would go to his shop to open for the day. Draco would usually arrive shortly after him.

The schedule had become much more manageable as of late, with half the day filled with tutoring in fifteen- to thirty-minute increments, and small thirty- to ninety-minute-long Potions classes, of five to eight students, since there wasn't enough time in the day to hold individual Potion brewing sessions. The small class size, without the House rivalry involved, allowed Severus to cover more material in a shorter amount of time with more personal instruction. In addition, he grouped children based on skill level, not age, which seemed to make the environment more conducive to learning. The former professor found the experience much more rewarding and the children more attentive, since he didn't have to monitor a class of about twenty – when who knew what catastrophe would occur for the minute or two he had his back turned.

One policy he had to institute was a clothing policy for the children. For brewing, students were to wear either long trousers, a long skirt that went past their knees or a long sarong. Closed-toe shoes were also a requirement, with stockings to protect the calves if the child was wearing a skirt or sarong. Work robes were always to be worn. Severus found that most of the children didn't have proper robes or gloves, so he had some made and incorporated use of them into his tutoring fees. Another expense was that he used a local laundry, run by a free elf, to wash the black cotton robes and gloves the children spilled experiments on all day long, as well as his own. Potions – spilled on bare skin – could prove to be most... corrosive at times. Severus made the dress code requirements mandatory after one child, who didn't heed his warning to come in proper shoes, lost a toe that had to be re-attached at the local clinic. Some children started bringing their own gloves and robes as time wore on, especially since Severus tended to keep his shop a bit on the cool side with cooling charms.

The other half of his day was filled with consultations and requests for commissions. There were very few evening and weekend appointments. He had a few vampires who commissioned him for an additive to pigs’ blood to keep it close to body temperature without spoiling and make it taste more like human blood.

These hours allowed Severus to have more free time to explore the island, collecting ingredients and scoping out potential places where he'd like to build a house.

Manny, his real estate agent, couldn't find anything regarding Severus' specific needs. The agent suggested he buy some land and build, since the only other thing to do was wait for someone to die or move away before anything else would come onto the market, and Severus had seen every available house out there on the island. Severus even considered buying two parcels of land, one close to town and another on the western side of the island which tended to be much drier and in the rain-shadow of the volcano. The extra parcel of land would be an ideal spot to grow Mediterranean plants that didn't like it where the town was located. Any extra ingredients, he could ship to the other apothecaries on the other Hawaiian Islands. The town was located more along the south side of the island and was quite wet, but not as drenched as the east side of the island, which received rain every day and was a tropical rain forest.

Arriving at work one morning, Draco wore a big smile.

"Guess what I've got?" Draco asked in a sing-song voice.

Severus wanted to say something snide, like "The wizarding clap?" but held his tongue. He was getting tired of living at the hotel and wanted a place of his own that afforded him a bit more privacy and room. Also, the fact he still wasn't quite satisfied with a long swim and a wank that morning meant that it was going to be a long day.

"Tea!" trilled Draco, producing a tin of loose leaf tea.

Severus snorted, disbelieving Draco would find this exciting news. He had drunk the crap they tried to pass off as tea here. He had decided he would stick with coffee, until he could grow his own tea.

"It's from England!" Draco added in the same sing-song voice.

Severus stopped and reached over, snatching the tin from Draco's hand like a greedy, grabby child to look at it. He tried to remove the annoying plastic tape seal, getting fed up with the Muggle packaging and using his wand to remove it. Then he cracked open the top and inhaled deeply, feeling the tension seep away just from the scent of it.

"Where did you get this?" Severus asked in awe, coming out like a sigh of relief.

"Muggle run to the other islands," Draco informed him. "It seems that because there are some of us who cannot leave here without risk, there is a small niche service where this witch runs to the other islands to bring back wizarding and Muggle items not available here. Naomi, who runs the service, does a run once a week. She found a Muggle grocer who specializes in foreign food imports. Sauerkraut and pickles from Germany, sardines from Morocco, pastas and tomato sauces from Italy, and teas, condiments, and biscuits from England. Among other things."

Severus inhaled once more, his eyes fluttering shut before he exhaled once more, letting the scent envelop his senses. "Thank you," he breathed. It was Muggle tea, but it was still good British tea.

God, how he missed a good cup in the morning. Kona coffee was exquisite, but he was missing his habitual morning beverage.

Draco continued prattling on while Severus was lost in the smell of glorious tea. "She asked me if I wanted any of the tinned Scottish haggis next time she went back, and I told her I'd have to ask you. She gave me a list of all the British food items they stocked. They're all Muggle, but at least it will be pretty close to what we had at home, though I don't think they'll have any pumpkin juice or butterbeer. I did see Seville orange marmalade on the list."

"Count me in for a jar of marmalade on the next trip. How much do I owe you?" Severus asked, feel eternally grateful to Draco just at that moment.

"Consider it a gift. Anything to help improve your mood as of late is a gift," Draco noted dryly.

Severus knew he was getting a bit snappish lately, but he didn't want to apologize for it either. There was a small bit of grumbling in the back of Severus' throat as he took the tin to the back Potions lab and pulled out his good teapot which had already started collecting a little dust on the shelf.

Setting the kettle on, Severus offered a cup to Draco who politely declined. "I got a tin for Ginny and me, and I had three cups this morning already." This explained why Draco seemed a little more lively than usual.

The older wizard was ready to down a whole pot by himself, just to satisfy his withdrawal.

He didn't want to admit it, but there were things Severus was missing about England. After all those years of dreaming to get away, there were some things he was longing for. One was a butcher who could provide good lamb, since lamb didn't seem to be a popular meat for the locals. Pork, beef, chicken, and seafood were the bill of fare in Malu Palekaiko, though the butcher did say he could get some good American lamb from the mainland – and also from New Zealand – by Portkey, if Severus had something in mind.

Severus was unfamiliar with the differences between the lamb from either place, as he was used to good English and Scottish lamb raised on the green and lush pastures. He would have to get lamb from both and do a taste comparison with Draco and Ginny. Perhaps a good leg of lamb from each region with some freshly made mango chutney, since mangoes practically grew in nearly everyone's backyard and couldn't get any fresher. He could also get fresh ginger here, though it was better to use candied ginger in his recipe. Then again, depending on the time of year, spring happened at opposite ends of the calendar for America and New Zealand, so "spring" lamb might be available year-round.

It was not just the lamb, or the jammy thumb biscuits – which were called cookies in his new home – that he had to get used to either being different or called by a different name. Biscuits were not cookies, but in American lingo referred to Southern-style baked rolls. Crisps were called potato chips here. Chips were "French" fries – though chips were originally a Belgian dish. A jumper was a sweater. And everyone dropped their u's when spelling words like "color," "favor" and "humor." It made grading a frustrating process, as he had to stop marking certain spelling corrections on submitted homework.

Despite the downsides of Severus' new home, he was willing to learn to tolerate them since he was free, and there was no price one could put on freedom. A few idiosyncrasies from the locals and their customs were worth it. Then again, Hermione's voice in his head reminded him he was not entirely free if he could not go anywhere in the world that he pleased, free from persecution. As much as he missed Hermione and the comforts of home in England, he still preferred his freedom. He knew that if he'd stayed for her, in time he would resent her. Perhaps if she had secured his freedom, then there would have been no resentment for staying behind, but in the end, he knew that this new life was better for him. It was a fresh start.

As Severus finished his first cup of proper tea in nearly two months, Draco knocked on his office door.

"Your nine o'clock is here. And Ginny and I were wondering if you want to join us for drinks Friday night. We join Mounga and Rainbow at the bar on their Friday night date nights. Since you're not as busy with the shop in the evenings now, we wondered if you want to join?" Draco offered.

Severus' initial reaction was to say no, but then he thought that maybe relaxing with friends with a drink Friday night after a long work week might just be the thing he needed to help him remain more relaxed.

"All right. What time?"

"Six, at that bar where Rainbow blindsided you with that Wipe-Out drink."

"I never did figure out what that elusive ingredient was, since all those fruit flavors seemed to mask it," the Potions master admitted.

"Lovage macerated in vodka and essence of valerian," Draco volunteered.

Severus gave him a stunned look.

"I watched him make a couple of them over the weeks and paid him a few extra Galleons to find out what those 'secret ingredients' were."

That explained why Severus had been knocked for a loop. Lovage was used in Confusing and Befuddlement Draughts, and valerian root was used in the Draughts of Living Death. Add to that a generous tipple of multiple spirits acting as catalysts, it was no wonder Severus hadn't remembered much of anything and was gone by the second sip.

Draco could see the grim look on Severus' face, knowing a drink like that had been served up to him unknowingly.

"I think Rainbow wanted to see just how much you could hold your own, since she says that Potions masters are notorious for holding their liquor. And given how much I've seen you drink, I'd say that's a fair assessment," the blond wizard admitted.

It was a good thing Rainbow had otherwise been a good and gracious friend to Severus in all other respects, since that was a stunt he could hold a grudge against for a long time. He was almost willing to forgive her for that one transgression, but not quite. In time he might forgive, but he would never forget.

Severus' mind was brought back to the present when his nine o'clock appointment entered and sat down. It was a wizard who came in seeking help to reverse a home brew of his own to eliminate back-hair. It didn't go as planned, resulting in a thick and luxurious fur pelt on his back instead. The Potions master pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing he'd have to figure out what the wizard did wrong before he could reverse the potion's effects. Reverse engineering bad brewing was an exceptionally trying task, but he had enough experience with children doing it over the years, so it wouldn't be that hard.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Albert was showing Hermione the finer points of pruning trees for shape, growth, and fruit production. Apple trees had to be pruned in a particular way, since the trees did not fruit on vertical branches, but horizontal ones. In contrast, stone-fruit trees did better with a vase-shape pruning, allowing sunlight to enter the center of the tree to ripen the fruit.

Later that day, once she was done working on Albert's garden, Neville was going to show her grafting, which was essential for any Potions master to know. They would be grafting fruit trees onto rootstock.

Hermione was glad she didn't have to dig up any more spring perennials for dividing, since it took several hot baths and a few drops of sopohorous bean oil in almond oil to work out the kinks in her muscles and back after that chore. Her biceps would be screaming tonight, considering all the fruit trees she had to prune that morning.

She was sorely tempted to ask Lavender if she could get a discount for a massage at Madam Hope's Eternal Springs and Day Spa. Lavender was a silent partner there and closed the men's side down every month still for Blaise and Albert to test the latest products. Hermione couldn't get the same privilege as the men, and had to test the products at home by herself, as Lavender didn't want anyone at the spa to see or possibly steal one to sell to her competitors before it came to market. There was too much business with the women's side on the spa on weekends for them to close it, while the men were more than willing to have their side closed down once a month for "maintenance" without being put out, unlike some witches.

Albert had a small orchard of various fruit trees for his personal kitchen use and Potions ingredients. Apricot kernels were an exceptionally valuable Potions ingredient. While he could have easily used the ones imported from Iran, he preferred to grow his own, ensuring freshness. And peach blossoms were quite delicate and didn't transport very well, most often becoming bruised by the time they reached the apothecary. The Asian pears were of no use for Potions, but he liked the Asian varieties compared to that of the European pears for eating.

As Hermione pruned away, making sure to cut last year's growth to an outward-facing bud, directing growth from away the center of the tree, she wondered how much of the same work she was doing had Severus done during his own apprenticeship. And would he be growing any apple or stone-fruit trees in Hawaii? Since many of the fruit trees she worked on had a requirement of chill hours – during which the tree had to grow in conditions when it was exposed to hundreds of hours while dormant between zero and seven degrees Celsius in winter – she wondered if he would only grow tropical fruits in his Potions master garden there.

"So, Albert," Hermione began, "do all Potions masters have an orchard and grow orchids in a greenhouse like you? How typical is your garden compared to other Potions masters? What sort of things would one find in any Potions garden, and what in yours is unique?"

"Well, having visited other Potions masters' homes, I'd say each one is as unique as the Potion master... or mistress," Albert mused, pausing from pruning a large cherry tree. "I'm rather fond of fresh fruit and canning my own surplus in the summer and autumn. I'm also quite enthralled with the ability to cross-breed species of orchids, and experiment in Potions with the results of those hybrids. Some masters and mistresses have lots of greenhouses and grow other tropicals. Mediterranean plants are a specialty of some, and then some grow alpine plants, or cacti and succulents. In time you'll figure out what plants you will tend to use for the types of Potions you prefer brewing, and the ingredients you want to grow yourself will indicate what you'll grow in your own garden come day."

Hermione nodded to herself, wondering what type of garden Reginald Chuff had and what plants Severus tended for his master.

"Speaking of other Potions masters, some of us get together for drinks once a month. I'd like to introduce you to my colleagues," Albert added. "It's a good way to talk with other masters and learn from them, as many are willing to give guidance to an apprentice of a fellow colleague who is within our little circle of friends."

"Of course," Hermione responded immediately, thrilled to be invited. "When is your next gathering?"

"Next Saturday, Valentine's Day. Unless you already have plans for that day," Albert looked at her, a little uncertain.

"No, Albert. Trust me, I have nothing planned for that holiday," she assured him, indicating with her tone she was still very much single and had no romantic interests on the horizon.

"Yeah, a few of the other masters still have wives and are bowing out, but there are a lot of us bachelors and widowers to still call a quorum," he joked. There would be no vote, but it was his way of indicating there would be enough people there to make it an interesting evening.

"Did Dangerose come to many of these gatherings?" Hermione asked, curious to know if his wife came along.

"Yes, she did," he replied with a faraway smile. "And she and Fastrada Johnson, your friend who replaced you at the Department of S&R, were good friends. They'd chat up a storm while I talked shop with her husband, Ganfrey, and the boys. But they usually wound up talking Potions like the rest of us, joining in the conversation."

It pleased Hermione that though the wives were not fully-accredited Potions mistresses, they were allowed to participate in the conversation as equals – at least that's how it seemed they were treated, by Albert's tone.

Hermione chatted the rest of the morning in Greek, practicing with Albert. She was getting more confident and comfortable with the language, and Neville's weekly Greek tutoring sessions during their work together was certainly helping.

============

A/N: As always, thank you to my glorious betas for this chapter, JuneW and Cygnuz.

I know I said I wasn't going to use any canon from HBP and DH, but we knew beforehand that Tom Riddle's mother died, but we just did not know her name. So I will use her name which was revealed in HBP since it allows me to refer to her than just "his mother" for the story. Then there is the addition of the prophecy overheard by Severus, but I tried to backtrack that into the story somehow quietly.

There is speculation on the exact time of year the prophecy was overheard, so for the purposes of this story, I'm going to say it was June 30th, since that is when I wrote Victory Day to be.
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And They Didn\'t Live Happily Ever After