Aftermaths, Part 50

by Geri ([email protected])

Rating: Mostly PG-13, but NC-17 for overall story

Pairing: Snape/Lupin, Theodore/Blaise

Warning: AU; events that occurred at the end of Order of the Phoenix were significantly altered from the book.

Sequel to: Always, Summer Vacation, For Old Time's Sake, Three's a Crowd, Return of the Raven, Phoenix Reborn, and Phoenix Rising.

Summary: The various characters deal with the aftermath of the war, and Snape and Lupin try to build a family together with Theodore and Dylan. However, some people are unable to let go of the past...

Author's note: {} Indicates character's unspoken thoughts.

Disclaimer: Characters belong to J.K. Rowling, except Hob, who belongs to William Mayne; no money is being made off this story; consider it a little wish fulfillment on my part.
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The Snape family owl, Socrates, dropped off a letter that day at lunch, inviting Snape, Lupin, and the boys to tea on Saturday at Snape Manor. The bird sat on the table, waiting patiently as Snape read the letter and groaned; it had obviously been ordered to wait for a reply.

"Does she think we have nothing better to do?" Snape grumbled. "You and I have assignments to grade, lesson plans to work on, and the boys have homework and Quidditch practice--"

"It's just for an hour or two, Severus," Lupin said patiently, petting Socrates and feeding him a tidbit from his plate. "You knew when you adopted Theodore that you'd have to spend some time with your mother." He plucked the letter from his lover's grasp and read it. "It says here that she wants Theodore to start learning about the Snape family history and financial holdings. That seems reasonable to me; he will eventually inherit the Snape estate, after all, so he should know these things."

"I hate it when you're reasonable," Snape said, scowling. "Are you really looking forward to going back to Snape Manor and having my mother look down her nose at you the entire time?"

"No, but I can put it up with it for Theo's sake," Lupin replied calmly. "Besides, Lady Selima and I have reached an understanding of sorts: she'll tolerate my presence in exchange for getting a Snape heir. Look, she even included Dylan and myself in the invitation, and she referred to me as 'Professor Lupin,' not 'the werewolf'. That's progress, don't you think?"

Snape just growled in response, but scrawled a quick reply on the back of Selima's letter and handed it to Socrates.
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The next day, Snape and family arrived at Snape Manor. Snape had brought a new bottle of Pain's Ease Potion for his father, and Lupin, after asking Snape what kind of sweets Selima liked, had picked up a box of petit fours from a tea shop/bakery in London that was popular with the pureblood elite, and which Selima was known to frequent. They were a specialty of the shop, and said to be delicious; they certainly looked like works of art almost too beautiful to eat, each little pastry square covered with deep brown chocolate or pale pastel frosting and decorated with delicate little icing ribbons and bows or flowers.

"Don't expect her to thank you for it," Snape had warned before they left. "You could hand her the Philosopher's Stone on a silver platter and she'd still look it at disdainfully because it came from a werewolf."

"A gift should always be freely given, without expectation of thanks," Lupin had replied serenely. "I'm doing it because I want to, not because I expect thanks from Selima."

"Good," Snape had retorted sourly. "Because you won't get any."

But somewhat to his surprise, his mother accepted the gift graciously, with a cool but polite, "Thank you, Professor Lupin." Snape knew from experience that it was the very proper and polite tone of voice she used with someone she didn't like but didn't want to offend, but it was still a step up from the outright scorn that she usually regarded Lupin with.

"You're welcome, Lady Selima," Lupin said with a warm smile.

Snape gave his mother the potion, and she thanked him with just a little more warmth and sincerity than she had Lupin, which was still barely discernible, at least to someone who didn't know her well. "Here, Vorcher," Selima said, handing him the box of pastries and the potion bottle. "Serve these with tea later, and take the potion up to the Master's room."

"Yes, Mistress," the house-elf said obediently.

Selima led them to the library, sat Theodore down at a desk, and set a very large and intimidating stack of thick, leather-bound books in front of him with a loud thump.

Theodore stared at the books in dismay. "I can't read all this in one day!" he protested.

"No, but you can get started on them," Selima told him sternly. "You can take the books back to school with you, but be careful with them; they're irreplaceable. These are the Snape family histories--records and diaries made by the Lords of the Snape estate. And this--" She added a slimmer volume to the stack. "--contains the financial holdings of the Snape estate." Theodore just sat there staring at the books. "Better get started, boy," Selima told him in a voice that was remarkably similar to the one Snape used when addressing his students. She tapped the stack of books and added, "This covers only the first half of the Snape family history."

Theodore groaned, and Snape told his mother irritably, "You know, he does have other things to do besides read the family histories. This is his seventh year, and he has his N.E.W.T.s to study for--"

"He doesn't have to read them all at once," Selima snapped, "but he is second in line to inherit the title, and being the heir has responsibilities as well as privileges."

"I can't be dragging him out of school every weekend--" Snape continued to complain.

"I just said that he can take them to school with him!" Selima retorted. "He doesn't have to visit every weekend, but I do expect you to bring Theodore by regularly so I can see that he is being properly instructed in his role as the Snape heir. I realize that this is a crucial school year for him, but most heirs aren't suddenly adopted into the family at age seventeen! He knows almost nothing about the family he will head one day, and he has years' worth of learning to catch up on! If you had done your duty and--"

"Lady Selima is right," Lupin quickly interrupted as Snape's face began to turn red with anger, and both Snape and his mother stopped arguing to stare at him in surprise. "Theodore should know the history of the family he has been adopted into," Lupin continued calmly. "I see no reason why he shouldn't visit at regular intervals and take some of the family histories back to school with him to study."

"Whose side are you on, Lupin?" Snape muttered under his breath, while Selima continued to stare at Lupin, obviously torn between feeling vindicated and feeling annoyed that the werewolf was supporting her.

"Theodore's side, Severus," Lupin replied in an even voice. "I want what is best for him, the same as you do." Snape subsided, still looking grumpy, but also a little ashamed of himself. "However," Lupin continued, "while I understand your sense of urgency, Lady Selima, considering Lord Severin's condition, I don't think that we need to rush Theodore's education. He will not have to assume control of the estate for many years, as Severus is next in line to inherit. What is done hastily is often done poorly, and perhaps it would be better to take Theodore's education at a slightly slower pace, and see that it is done properly. There is no point in him reading all these books if he is only going to forget what he read because he rushed through them too quickly."

Selima glared at him, but couldn't argue with his logic. "Very well," she agreed curtly. "I will expect to be kept informed of his progress. And--" She turned to address her grandson. "--I expect you to be making progress. This is just as important as your N.E.W.T.s." She made a sweeping gesture that seemed to include the entire mansion. "All this will be yours one day, and you must learn how to properly manage the estate."

Theodore glanced at Lupin, who smiled and nodded slightly, and Theodore said meekly, "Yes, Lady Sel--I mean, yes, Grandmother."

Selima looked even more annoyed by Theodore's quick glance to Lupin for approval, but all she said was, "Tea will be served in the sunroom in an hour," and she swept out of the room.

Theodore sighed and reluctantly picked up the first book, the list of financial holdings. The look of boredom quickly vanished from his face as his eyes widened in shock. "Merlin's beard!" he exclaimed, then looked up at Snape. "I didn't know that your family--I mean, our family--had that much money in Gringotts!"

"How much?" Dylan asked curiously, and peered over his shoulder. When he saw the figure, he raised his eyebrows, whistled, and said, "Impressive."

Snape looked just a little smug. "Yes, the Snapes are one of the wealthiest families in the wizarding world. Not quite as wealthy as the Malfoys are--or used to be, before the Ministry imposed their fines for Lucius's crimes." He couldn't resist adding, "Wealthier than the Blacks, certainly." Lupin just chuckled and kissed him on the cheek.

"And the Blacks aren't exactly poverty-stricken themselves," Dylan said. "Hermione told me that Sirius is the one who bought the Firebolt for Potter."

Lupin laughed. "I'm sure Mrs. Black would have disapproved of Sirius squandering the family fortune on a broomstick, particularly one for a Gryffindor godson!"

"I'm sure my mother would consider it a frivolous purchase as well," Snape said, smiling a little. "She was raised in a merchant family, so she hates to waste money. She doesn't stint on expenses, however, when it comes to impressing the right people." His voice took on a mocking tone as he mimicked one of his mother's catch phrases, "Making a good impression is the first rule of business."

Theodore turned to the next page. "We own property in London as well as the mansion?"

"Ah yes," Snape said, pulling up a seat next to Theodore, "I'd almost forgotten about that. My parents kept a townhouse there when Father was still working at the Ministry. Sometimes it was convenient for them to stay in the city when he was working long hours, and it was a good central location to entertain business associates, particularly for less formal gatherings. But they closed it up and returned here to the mansion when Father was forced to retire."

Theodore continued flipping through the book in fascination, as Dylan and Lupin read over his shoulder. There was a detailed listing of valuable artwork, books, tapestries, and other items the family owned; the boys gazed around the library with new respect as they realized how much it must have cost to amass such a collection over the years. There was also a listing of the Snape business holdings, including shares in the Bashirs' import-export business.

"It was part of the dowry my mother brought to the marriage," Snape explained.

"That's to be expected," Theodore said, nodding. "But we also own an art gallery in London?"

"Another arrangement with my mother's family," Snape replied. "The Bashirs supply the gallery with art objects from foreign countries--you know, the kinds of expensive and exotic things the purebloods find fashionable. At least, it was fashionable when I was a child. I don't know how the gallery's doing now; I haven't kept up to date on the family business dealings."

"It still seems to be turning a profit, according to these records," Theodore said. "Merlin! We also own stock in the chain of Wizarding Supply stores?"

Dylan laughed. "Maybe we can get a discount on our school supplies next year! Or maybe I can, anyway--you'll be graduating, so I guess you won't need any."

"And that's not all," Theodore said, flipping through the pages. "There are other business dealings. Hmm...we once owned a Potion shop, but sold it a few years back because it wasn't making a profit. Too much competition, particularly from Slug & Jiggers, according to this note your mother made, sir." He grinned at Snape. "Perhaps they would have done better if you had advised them."

"Oh, that reminds me," Lupin said. "I was supposed to tell Dylan that Mr. Jigger is looking for an apprentice to take over his shop."

"Me?" a startled Dylan asked. "He wants me to take over his shop?"

"He is looking to retire in a few years, and has no children of his own to take over the business," Lupin explained. "Severus has been singing your praises to him--"

"I don't 'sing,' Lupin," Snape objected.

"--and apparently Mr. Jigger considers you a worthy candidate," Lupin finished, ignoring the interruption. "He knows that you still have another year of school to finish, but he'd like you to keep it in mind."

"You could do worse," Snape said thoughtfully. "It's an old and respected shop, and you could even expand the business and do more potion-brewing. Jigger mainly sells ingredients these days, not actual potions, except to a few special clients; he says it's too much work."

"But you're young and fit," Lupin said with a grin, "and I think you could handle it. In fact, I think you'd be bored if you didn't have any potions to brew. It wouldn't be too much work if you had, say, a partner helping you run the shop..." He winked at Dylan.

"Hermione's a great Potions student," Dylan said enthusiastically, "and she's still not sure what she wants to do when she graduates."

Snape groaned as Dylan's eyes went a little dreamy, no doubt fantasizing about running the shop together with his ladylove. Lupin laughed and affectionately nuzzled Snape, saying, "Remember when we were teenagers, Severus? I asked you what you would do if your parents disowned you because of me, and you said we could run a Potions shop together! Of course, I have no talent for potions, but you said I could sell charms or counter-curses. We were going to have a little apartment over the shop, and you said I could have a pet dog..."

Snape's face turned bright red as their sons stared at them incredulously. "Oh, knock it off, Lupin," he said gruffly. "It was just a silly schoolboy fantasy."

"It wasn't silly," Lupin objected, giving him a kiss. "Of course, things didn't turn out quite the way we planned, but we are working and living together, so at least part of it came true, and as long as I am with you, I am content." Snape's face turned even redder as the boys tried to hide their smiles. "Of course," Lupin added, "I still don't have the pet dog..."

"We don't need one," Snape growled, "considering that you turn furry on us every month. One canine slobbering on me is sufficient, thank you very much."

Lupin just chuckled and hugged him, and Theodore took pity on his father and changed the subject. Pretending to be engrossed in his book, he asked, "Are all the wealthy families' finances this complicated? My fam--I mean, when I was a Nott, we had the mansion and the account in Gringotts, and that was it. Of course, we weren't as wealthy as the Snapes, but..."

"My mother expanded on our business investments after she married my father," Snape replied gratefully, "but I wasn't aware of how extensive they were. You'll have to ask Lady Selima for the details if you want to learn more, I'm afraid."

Theodore looked a little intimidated at the thought of that, but Lupin said gently, "I'm sure she would be happy to explain them to you, since she wants you to be knowledgeable about the Snape holdings."

"I'm not sure that 'happy' is the word I'd use," Theodore muttered, then sighed. "But I suppose it is my duty to learn these things." He said earnestly to Snape, "I meant what I told Lord Severin when you adopted me, sir, that I would be a worthy son and heir to you."

"I know that, Theodore," Snape said with a gentleness that was much more characteristic of Lupin, and laid his hand on his son's shoulder for a moment. "You already are." Theodore smiled at him, his eyes filled with that look of love and trust that still awed Snape, then he laid aside the financial records and determinedly picked up the first book in the stack of the family histories. Dylan continued to read over his shoulder, and the two boys soon became engrossed in the book; Snape had always thought the histories were rather dull, but apparently Dylan and Theodore were finding them quite interesting. He glanced up to see Lupin gazing at the three of them, a smug and contented look on his face, looking for all the world like a wealthy man gloating over some magnificent treasure, some rare and priceless gem he had just acquired. Snape caught Lupin's eye, and the werewolf smiled tenderly at him, placing his hand on Snape's shoulder. Without saying a word, Snape reached up and laid his hand over Lupin's.
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Selima Snape ground her teeth together, fighting the urge to scream in frustration. It was absolutely intolerable that she had to invite a werewolf to tea just to get a look at her new grandson, who, incidentally, wasn't really her grandson by blood because her ingrate son Severus refused to sire a child of his own! Even worse was the fact that Severus was only grudgingly doing this much of his duty because Lupin had put him up to it! And worst of all was the fact that she'd recently been forced to defend the werewolf in public, when she had been having tea with Priscilla Parkinson and Elaine Baddock, whose grandchildren were students of Severus's...
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"Congratulations on your new heir, Selima," Elaine said sweetly, but there was a look of sly amusement in her eyes.

"You poor dear," Priscilla cooed in a tone of false sympathy. "How trying this must be for you!"

"And to what might you be referring, Priscilla?" Selima asked in a cold voice; people didn't call her the Ice Queen for nothing. She knew perfectly well what they called her behind her back, even if they didn't have the nerve to do it to her face.

"Why, your son being involved with that werewolf, of course!" Priscilla replied, ignoring Selima's frosty tone. "The Daily Prophet has been dropping rumors ever since the Final Battle, and my own granddaughter Pansy saw them kissing in the Great Hall, right in front of all the students! I suppose one can't expect a beast to have proper manners, but really, Severus ought to know better. It's shameful that Dumbledore lets such things go on at the school! Of course he's always been a bit eccentric, but this is going too far, don't you think? Perhaps it's time that he retired..."

Privately, Selima agreed with Priscilla, but it was one thing for Selima to insult her son, and quite another for someone outside the family to do so. And Priscilla's insult against Lupin had been worded as a subtle insult against Severus, and Selima could not let such a slight to the Snape family pass.

"If by 'the beast' you mean Professor Lupin," Selima said in an even colder voice, "I would be careful about referring to a hero of the war in such impolitic terms if I were you." It was almost worth the humiliation of having to defend her son's werewolf lover to see the look on Priscilla's face as her jaw dropped open in a most undignified and unladylike manner.

Priscilla spluttered incoherently for a few moments, then recovered enough to exclaim, "Selima! Surely you're not saying that you approve of Severus's relationship with the werewolf!"

Selima calmly took a sip of tea, showing no sign on her face of the rage she felt inside. "Severus is an adult," she said in an even voice. "He is not required to consult with me regarding his paramours."

"Paramours?" Elaine gasped, her eyes going wide. "He has others besides Lupin?"

It took a great deal of self-control for Selima to hold back an exasperated sigh; at nearly sixty, with two grandchildren, Elaine was still as shallow and witless as she had been as a teenager at Hogwarts. "I was speaking figuratively, dear," Selima said in a tone of gentle condescension, which flew right over her companion's head.

"Oh," Elaine sighed in relief. "Thank goodness. Think how much worse the situation would be if he had other werewolf lovers!"

"I can't believe you're being so cavalier about the matter, Selima dear," Priscilla chided. "Your family's reputation is at stake! It would be one thing if Severus was being more discreet about it, but his flaunting his lover in public will only reflect poorly on his family. If he cannot see that, it is your duty as his mother to make him understand."

Priscilla had always been overbearing, and one thing Selima hated was being told what do. She would accept that from her husband, because that was her duty as a wife, but not from some stuck-up bitch who had always looked down her nose at Selima in school for being foreign-born and from a merchant family that had actually earned their wealth instead of simply inheriting it. Severin had not been Selima's first choice as a husband, but she had taken a small, spiteful pleasure in marrying into a family that outranked Priscilla's, instantly elevating her status over that of Priscilla and the other girls who had looked down on her.

Selima drew herself up, lifting her head proudly, and gave Priscilla a look so cold that the other woman flinched a little, and Elaine visibly shuddered and surreptitiously checked her tea cup, as if expecting to see ice crystals forming on it. "I think people will overlook Severus's...eccentricities...in light of his role in defeating Voldemort." Both women flinched again at the mention of the Dark Lord's name. "He risked his life spying on the Death Eaters, fought heroically in the Final Battle, and he guarded and instructed Harry Potter, the Savior of the Wizarding World. How many other people can say the same?" Priscilla and Elaine both winced. The Parkinsons, while they were not actual Death Eaters, had aligned themselves closely with the Malfoy family, an alliance that they were hasty to disavow after Lucius was killed and the Dark Lord defeated. The Baddocks, on the other hand, had not allied with the Death Eaters, but neither had they offered their support to Dumbledore, and could make no claims to heroism.

"Professor Lupin also is a hero of the war," Selima continued. "I am not saying that I approve of the match, but I am resigned to it. Severus has made his decision, and he is as stubborn as any Snape; once his mind is made up, he cannot be swayed. Now I must make the best of the situation, which is not totally unsalvageable."

"How can you say that, Selima?" Elaine exclaimed. "What possible good could come out of this?"

Selima allowed a cool smile to cross her lips. "We are not living in the same world we did twenty years ago, or even one year ago, Elaine. We must learn to change with the times. Professor Lupin is very well-connected: he is a close friend of the new Minister of Magic, not to mention Dumbledore, whose star has never shone brighter now that he has proved he was right about Voldemort all along, and Lupin is a friend and mentor to the Boy Who Lived. I do not like Lupin, but his connections could well prove useful." She took another sip of tea and told Priscilla. "You might think about making new alliances yourself, Priscilla dear, now that the Malfoys are disgraced. It is fortunate that you did not formally betroth Pansy to Draco, considering how things turned out..."

Priscilla's face turned red with anger and she glared at Selima, who pretended not to notice. "Perhaps you could betroth Pansy to Selima's grandson," Elaine suggested brightly. "That would be quite an advantageous alliance!"

It would be...for the Parkinsons; Selima could see less advantage for the Snapes, seeing as how the Parkinsons were socially tainted by their closeness to the Malfoys. And a major disadvantage would be that Priscilla would become an in-law if Pansy and Theodore married. Still, the girl was of good blood, and there were not that many girls his age of the proper rank and blood purity available as potential brides; she would not dismiss the idea out of hand.

"Of course," Elaine continued, not noticing the glare Priscilla gave her, "I had heard that Theodore was engaged to the Avery girl, but no one could object if you broke it off now. You wouldn't want your grandson marrying the daughter of a convicted Death Eater, anyway."

"There was no formal engagement, as far as I know,"Selima replied, "and even if Andreas hadn't been a Death Eater, it would still be a completely unsuitable match. The Averys were more show than substance, if you know what I mean. I heard that there was barely anything left in their Gringotts account for the Ministry to confiscate."

"Doesn't it bother you, Selima," Priscilla said spitefully, "that your new grandson has none of your blood?"

Of course it did, but Selima was not about to give Priscilla the satisfaction of admitting it out loud. "He has Snape blood," she said coolly, "and that is all that matters. Besides, I could always marry him off to a female Bashir cousin, and then his child would have both Snape and Bashir blood, and it would all come out the same in the end."

Both Elaine and Priscilla seemed impressed by her cold practicality. Actually, Selima had just come up with the idea on the spot to put Priscilla in her place, but it wasn't a bad idea at all; she would have to give it some serious thought. Of course, Theodore needed to finish school and be properly educated in his new duties, but once he had settled into his role as the Snape heir, she could begin having parties and formal dinners--in honor of his graduation, perhaps, when he finished school--and introduce him to her side of the family. She brightened at the thought--not just of Theodore making a proper match, but of the chance to throw a party again, as there had been no social gatherings at Snape Manor in nearly twenty years, ever since Severin had retired from the Ministry, disowned his son, and become a virtual recluse. Selima missed those gatherings; she had relished her role as hostess. Arranging and carrying out a party for the pureblood elite was a delicate matter: everything must be just so, from the flowers to the food to the invitation list, and each guest must be greeted and flattered according to rank, without being overly obsequious and without offending the other guests. It was not an easy task, but Selima had enjoyed the challenge and took pride in the fact that her parties had always been a success, and that no one had ever been able to find fault with her as a hostess. It might be nice to open up Snape Manor once again...but on the other hand, Severus would probably insist on bringing his werewolf lover to any party she threw, just out of spite and sheer pigheadedness. She sighed, silently cursing her son for his poor choice in lovers.

 

Part 51