Hogwarts, a History IX
Title: Hogwarts, a History IX
Team: Bloody Turkeys
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Hogwarts History challenge
Characters: Severus, Hermione, OFC
Word Count: 8 x 100
Author’s Notes: All that baby talk made me decide that foreshadowing is overrated, but since it’s Fantastically Fluffy Friday (it’s still Friday in Hawaii, at least), I am obeying the muse and giving you a fluffy ending. Also, this isn’t as connected a series as the others have been. It’s more of an epilogue, and it’s kind of choppy. (Just so ya know.) And I must admit that I don't know squat about the adoption process in Britain; I tried to keep it vague for that reason.
Hogwarts, a History I (links to the first two fics in this trilogy are here)
Hogwarts, a History VIII
***SSHG***
Though it wasn’t practical, Severus and Hermione had finally bought a house in Cornwall three years ago. House-elves - properly compensated, of course - looked after it for them for ten months out of the year, and the Snapes resided there during the summer.
The telephone rang, and Hermione answered it. After a few polite preliminaries, she was silent for a long time. ‘Oh,’ she finally murmured.
Something in her tone sounded wrong. Severus pulled off his reading glasses and set down his book, watching his wife intently.
‘When?’ she asked, her voice thick with tears.
Alarmed, he moved to her side.
*
‘Are you sure?’
Severus nodded. They’d been married for twelve years, and they hadn’t minded their childless state until now. ‘Her name caught my attention on the register, because she’s a Granger. The birth date and first name are the same. Your cousin’s daughter will be invited to attend Hogwarts in six years. She ought to be raised by those who understand and can nurture the abilities she will develop.’ He held Hermione’s hand. ‘I won’t lie. It does make me somewhat … apprehensive. But if we can manage the adoption, I want to do it.’
Hermione hugged her husband tightly.
*
Elizabeth Granger was coming today. The adoption process would take time to finalize, and they had to work through the Ministry to get the Muggles to consider a husband and wife who both seemed to be unemployed - try explaining Hogwarts, Gringotts, and wand-waving to a humourless, clench-kiestered Muggle social worker - but they were allowed to bring Elizabeth home for the first time.
The day of the funeral, when her cousin’s daughter went home with her uncle, a bachelor who didn’t look at all pleased with the arrangement, Hermione went to the village library and borrowed a dozen books on adoption.
*
Upon seeing the pile of books on her bedside table, Severus started to ponder the idea on his own. A day later, he began reading, too. All the difficulties that orphaned, abused, or abandoned children could bring with them made him sick to his stomach, but this little girl was Hermione’s family. She needed them.
He heard the car approach. Severus nervously dusted his hands off, leaving the roses for a few minutes. Not for the first time, he wished for gentler, better-looking features; Elizabeth had seemed to take to Hermione very quickly, when faced with his sallow, stony countenance.
*
Hermione was taking Elizabeth’s trunk out of the boot. He kissed his wife in greeting, then crouched down so he was eye-to-eye with the child. ‘Hello, Elizabeth.’
‘Hullo,’ she whispered, clutching Hermione’s skirt.
Severus took the trunk from Hermione, tugging it up to Elizabeth’s room, letting Hermione give the girl the lay of the land. The house they had acquired was only ten kilometres from the Burrow, which would give Elizabeth a plethora of playmates, but they’d agreed that any visits with magical friends should wait until they’d gotten their new daughter used to the idea of magic.
*
And he’d thought marriage was difficult. After Lizzie’s second meltdown, two days after her arrival, Severus’ patience was wearing thin. She’d dropped a dinner plate and wailed for ten minutes, rivers of tears and snot running down her face. Goodness knew what would happen if he actually lost his temper with Lizzie! Hermione could handle it when he bellowed - she bellowed right back at him - but this little, golden-haired babe was made of spun glass.
The Snapes were slowly introducing Lizzie to the magical world. Today, Severus took a certain tome from the bookcase and went up to Lizzie’s room.
*
Sunlight streamed through the window, beaming onto the headmaster of Hogwarts and his new daughter as they lay on the thick carpet, propped up on their elbows, Lizzie slowly reading the words aloud. Hogwarts, a History was far too esoteric for a child of five, even one so smart as Lizzie, but since he and Hermione would be moving their family there next week, he felt it prudent to tell Lizzie a bit about the castle, what it was for, and what she’d eventually learn there.
‘Her … hermee … own?’ she said uncertainly, her finger resting on the signature that ended the introduction.
*
Severus shook his head, running his own finger over his wife’s name, sounding out the beloved syllables and adding, ‘That next word should be familiar.’
‘Granger,’ Lizzie read, and a smile was in her voice. ‘That’s my name.’
‘Granger was Hermione’s name, before she married me,’ Severus said.
Lizzie looked up at him. Her little face was so serious, he almost laughed. ‘Am I Snape now? Like Hermione?’
‘Yes.’ She actually wasn’t yet, but she would be once the Muggles finished the adoption process.
She smiled. ‘Good.’
Severus smiled back, turning the pages of the book, looking for interesting pictures.
***SSHG***
My drabble trilogy is done! Thanks for sticking with me.
Team: Bloody Turkeys
Rating: all ages
Challenge: Hogwarts History challenge
Characters: Severus, Hermione, OFC
Word Count: 8 x 100
Author’s Notes: All that baby talk made me decide that foreshadowing is overrated, but since it’s Fantastically Fluffy Friday (it’s still Friday in Hawaii, at least), I am obeying the muse and giving you a fluffy ending. Also, this isn’t as connected a series as the others have been. It’s more of an epilogue, and it’s kind of choppy. (Just so ya know.) And I must admit that I don't know squat about the adoption process in Britain; I tried to keep it vague for that reason.
Hogwarts, a History I (links to the first two fics in this trilogy are here)
Hogwarts, a History VIII
***SSHG***
Though it wasn’t practical, Severus and Hermione had finally bought a house in Cornwall three years ago. House-elves - properly compensated, of course - looked after it for them for ten months out of the year, and the Snapes resided there during the summer.
The telephone rang, and Hermione answered it. After a few polite preliminaries, she was silent for a long time. ‘Oh,’ she finally murmured.
Something in her tone sounded wrong. Severus pulled off his reading glasses and set down his book, watching his wife intently.
‘When?’ she asked, her voice thick with tears.
Alarmed, he moved to her side.
*
‘Are you sure?’
Severus nodded. They’d been married for twelve years, and they hadn’t minded their childless state until now. ‘Her name caught my attention on the register, because she’s a Granger. The birth date and first name are the same. Your cousin’s daughter will be invited to attend Hogwarts in six years. She ought to be raised by those who understand and can nurture the abilities she will develop.’ He held Hermione’s hand. ‘I won’t lie. It does make me somewhat … apprehensive. But if we can manage the adoption, I want to do it.’
Hermione hugged her husband tightly.
*
Elizabeth Granger was coming today. The adoption process would take time to finalize, and they had to work through the Ministry to get the Muggles to consider a husband and wife who both seemed to be unemployed - try explaining Hogwarts, Gringotts, and wand-waving to a humourless, clench-kiestered Muggle social worker - but they were allowed to bring Elizabeth home for the first time.
The day of the funeral, when her cousin’s daughter went home with her uncle, a bachelor who didn’t look at all pleased with the arrangement, Hermione went to the village library and borrowed a dozen books on adoption.
*
Upon seeing the pile of books on her bedside table, Severus started to ponder the idea on his own. A day later, he began reading, too. All the difficulties that orphaned, abused, or abandoned children could bring with them made him sick to his stomach, but this little girl was Hermione’s family. She needed them.
He heard the car approach. Severus nervously dusted his hands off, leaving the roses for a few minutes. Not for the first time, he wished for gentler, better-looking features; Elizabeth had seemed to take to Hermione very quickly, when faced with his sallow, stony countenance.
*
Hermione was taking Elizabeth’s trunk out of the boot. He kissed his wife in greeting, then crouched down so he was eye-to-eye with the child. ‘Hello, Elizabeth.’
‘Hullo,’ she whispered, clutching Hermione’s skirt.
Severus took the trunk from Hermione, tugging it up to Elizabeth’s room, letting Hermione give the girl the lay of the land. The house they had acquired was only ten kilometres from the Burrow, which would give Elizabeth a plethora of playmates, but they’d agreed that any visits with magical friends should wait until they’d gotten their new daughter used to the idea of magic.
*
And he’d thought marriage was difficult. After Lizzie’s second meltdown, two days after her arrival, Severus’ patience was wearing thin. She’d dropped a dinner plate and wailed for ten minutes, rivers of tears and snot running down her face. Goodness knew what would happen if he actually lost his temper with Lizzie! Hermione could handle it when he bellowed - she bellowed right back at him - but this little, golden-haired babe was made of spun glass.
The Snapes were slowly introducing Lizzie to the magical world. Today, Severus took a certain tome from the bookcase and went up to Lizzie’s room.
*
Sunlight streamed through the window, beaming onto the headmaster of Hogwarts and his new daughter as they lay on the thick carpet, propped up on their elbows, Lizzie slowly reading the words aloud. Hogwarts, a History was far too esoteric for a child of five, even one so smart as Lizzie, but since he and Hermione would be moving their family there next week, he felt it prudent to tell Lizzie a bit about the castle, what it was for, and what she’d eventually learn there.
‘Her … hermee … own?’ she said uncertainly, her finger resting on the signature that ended the introduction.
*
Severus shook his head, running his own finger over his wife’s name, sounding out the beloved syllables and adding, ‘That next word should be familiar.’
‘Granger,’ Lizzie read, and a smile was in her voice. ‘That’s my name.’
‘Granger was Hermione’s name, before she married me,’ Severus said.
Lizzie looked up at him. Her little face was so serious, he almost laughed. ‘Am I Snape now? Like Hermione?’
‘Yes.’ She actually wasn’t yet, but she would be once the Muggles finished the adoption process.
She smiled. ‘Good.’
Severus smiled back, turning the pages of the book, looking for interesting pictures.
***SSHG***
My drabble trilogy is done! Thanks for sticking with me.