Loose ends - Epilogue
Mar. 26th, 2017 11:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
coriariaSnape and Lupin play chess, and Snape is concerned about his godson. PG.
This is a work of fan fiction. The world and all recognisable characters belong to J.K. Rowling and I make no claim or profit etc.
Epilogue
Andromeda opened the door and looked critically at the woman who stood on the doorstep.
“Cissa,” she stated coldly.
“Dromeda,” her sister responded in an equally icy tone.
The sisters stared at eachother, neither willing to be the first to look away.
“What are you doing here?” Narcissa said eventually. “I came to see Severus. He gave me the address.”
“He didn’t mention his… living arrangements?” Andromeda raised her eyebrows and watched her sister’s eyes widen in shock as she jumped straight to the wrong conclusion.
Andromeda wondered which was horrifying Narcissa more – the thought of her sister shacked up with a half-blood seven years her junior, or the thought of her son’s godfather living with the woman their mother had considered an embarrassment not to be mentioned in company. Her lips curled into an unkind smile, knowing that the truth would be far less well-received.
“No,” Narcissa said, thinning her lips. “He wasn’t specific.”
Narcissa looked at her sister with distaste twisting her features. Andromeda knew she’d always been a source of shame to her sisters, who’d played the Black role and obligingly married their designated purebloods. That Andromeda should reject the wealth and comfort their lives offered to marry a muggleborn was incomprehensible. That she’d produced such an outlandishly embarrassing daughter, unthinkable. And then, that her embarrassing daughter had married a werewolf… utterly appalling. At some point, Andromeda knew, the final touch would be added to the litany of humiliations – that the same werewolf was now sharing a house with Andromeda, and a bed with Severus Snape.
“Ah,” she said. “Well, I’m sure all will become clear. I believe Severus is in the garden at present, do come through.”
She turned and walked away from her sister, expecting, although not inviting, her to follow. Narcissa would come, she was too curious not to.
Snape was in the garden with Lupin, Teddy and Grimmy. It was a warm day and the garden was looking better than usual. As Lupin had become stronger, both Andromeda and he had spent more time working on the garden. They’d planted a patch of strawberries for Teddy next to Dora’s rose, and there was a shimmering corner of the garden where Snape had warded off a small area for growing medicinal herbs. Andromeda suspected, however, that her sister was more likely to be fixed on the sight of Snape and Lupin sitting together on the bench, watching Teddy throw the ball for Grimmy.
At the sight of Narcissa, Lupin ran his hand from Snape’s shoulder and down his arm, a lingering touch which might, possibly, be construed as platonic, had it not been for the look that Snape gave him in response. Lupin stood, leaning heavily on his walking stick and called to Teddy and Grimmy, who followed him inside somewhat relucantly. As Lupin passed Narcissa, he raised his eyebrow and gave her a smile. Narcissa’s perfectly painted lips fell open in shock.
“Don’t mind them, Narcissa,” Snape said as Lupin closed the door after him. “They can be rather protective of me.”
Narcissa had spoken to Snape in the garden for half an hour, before accepting the offer of tea with obvious reluctance. Teddy had put on a good show, matching her blonde hair and pointy nose before transforming his hands into furry black paws like Grimmy’s, his latest trick. When he was finished, he climbed into Snape’s lap, turned his hair black and fell asleep. Grimmy lay on the floor, rolling on his back in front of Narcissa, while Mephisopheles watched her from the top of the bookshelf. Lupin was insufferably polite, making small talk about the latest Ministry politics before telling her all about Red, the nephew she tried to pretend didn’t exist. Narcissa fixed an insincere smile to her face and looked like she wanted to bolt out the door.
Lupin refrained from asking Snape about the visit until after dinner, when Harry had left for the Burrow and Andromeda had left for Strete, where Mandragora had convinced her there was a wonderful pub they should visit. Lupin set up the chessboard and waited until Snape appeared to be losing soundly before asking about the one reason that Snape would have invited Narcissa.
“How’s that godson of yours doing, Severus?”
“Draco?”
“You have another?”
Snape made an inarticulate sound that might have been, but probably wasn’t, irritation at Lupin’s slight sarcasm. He avoided Lupin’s eye as the werewolf took his queen.
“He’s not good, Remus. He’s dropped out of his studies, and he was working in a bar, although Narcissa told me he’d been sacked for using too much of the merchandise. He has few friends and has been arrested a couple of times over fights. Lucius wasn’t pleased to be extracting him from a muggle jail, and the second time he just told Narcissa to let him rot there. I… I put her in touch with Clarridge, and he’s out now, but… not good. He won’t go home. Can’t say I blame him.”
“How did you ever get to be his godfather, Severus?”
Lupin didn’t say what he could have said – that Snape was a spectacularly strange choice of godfather for the boy, given his history with Lucius Malfoy.
“Voldemort’s idea. Lucius upset him over something or other, and he knew that Lucius would loathe having me in his son’s life. Narcissa wasn’t thrilled either, although she felt sorry for me more than anything.”
“She felt sorry for you?’
“Her husband’s tastes tended towards the rough,” Snape replied, in an unusually mild tone, as if he was discussing the contents of Lucius’s wine cellar. “She figured out quickly enough that he gave her less trouble when I was around.”
Lupin watched his face, looking to see whether he was as calm as his voice sounded. Watching the way Snape’s jaw clenched, Lupin reached over and took his hand. He regretted the question now, Snape was still sensitive about aspects of his history, and Lupin knew it would take a long time before he was past that, if ever. He was still a very skittish lover, although his confidence was growing in response to Lupin’s unflagging patience.
“You’ve been a good godfather to him I think though, haven’t you? You’ve done your best to help him, to keep him on the right path despite his parents.”
“Sometimes it isn’t enough to do your best. I tried, but I’ve still failed him. He survived the war, but now he’s falling apart.”
Snape looked down at his hand, the way Lupin’s fingers wrapped around his. The werewolf was doing that thing where he rubbed his thumb over Snape’s knuckles. There was something soothing, almost hypnotic, in the motion.
“I was thinking, Severus, with Draco, perhaps you should owl him, see if he would be able to come and stay for a bit. It’s a bit cramped here, but we could manage. He could help out a bit at the Institute. He might be able to help you with some of your teaching or potion work there. You might need help with some of your lessons, you have a lot on you know. Now that you’re supporting a half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son and his mother-in-law.”
“What about Harry?”
“Oh yes, a half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son, his mother-in-law and a trainee auror.”
“No, I meant, wasn’t it Harry who was supposed to be supporting the half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son and his mother-in-law. Wasn’t that the reason he had to sell Grimmaud Place and come and live here?”
Lupin looked serious, although his eyes were just a little too innocent.
“Well, Harry’s not going to be able to do that forever. He might actually want to marry Ginny, have kids. He won’t stay living here forever. Things may fall more and more on you.”
He paused and added, “And Andromeda has her own life to lead. You might need more help. If Draco could do some of your easier tasks it would leave you able to do more research, or to give the older children something more challenging, or just spend more time here. And it would be so good for Red too. I think it would really help him to meet his cousin.”
Snape looked intently at Lupin, then nodded slowly.
“Lupin, what house were you sorted into again?”
Lupin looked at Snape. It was an odd change of subject, and it was sometimes hard to tell whether the former spy had genuinely forgotten something, had lost track of conversations, or was just teasing. Calling him Lupin though, he was probably teasing.
“Gryffindor. I’m sure you remember that.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why were you sorted into Gryffindor?”
Lupin was struck that he’d never actually been asked that question.
“Lupins have always been Gryffindors, leaping fearlessly into battle against all manner of dark creatures. Think of my father – taking on Fenrir Greyback with no thought to the consequence, over an issue as unpopular as lycanthrope law reform. Very Gryffindor.”
“Do you think the sorting hat made a mistake?”
“What?”
“It’s a simple enough question. Do. You. Think. The. Sorting. Hat–?
Lupin interrupted, pretending annoyance.
“I heard your question, Severus. It’s just a very strange question.”
“Well, I think the hat made a mistake.”
“Really.”
“You’re pure Slytherin, through and through.”
“Really.”
“Oh yes.”
Lupin raised his eyebrow, but was silent. Where was Snape going with this? The right side of his mouth had twisted into a sneer, but his eyes closed slightly and crinkled at the corners. It was the expression Snape’s face took on when he made a joke. It was something that Lupin was seeing with increasing frequency.
“You, Lupin, are a devious, manipulative bastard. And I can say that with some considerable authority, as I’ve known a fair few. However, my love, out of all them, you really are the most sweet and kind devious, manipulative bastard I’ve ever known.”
Snape paused only to checkmate Lupin, before moving to the sofa beside him and kissing him.
This is a work of fan fiction. The world and all recognisable characters belong to J.K. Rowling and I make no claim or profit etc.
Epilogue
Andromeda opened the door and looked critically at the woman who stood on the doorstep.
“Cissa,” she stated coldly.
“Dromeda,” her sister responded in an equally icy tone.
The sisters stared at eachother, neither willing to be the first to look away.
“What are you doing here?” Narcissa said eventually. “I came to see Severus. He gave me the address.”
“He didn’t mention his… living arrangements?” Andromeda raised her eyebrows and watched her sister’s eyes widen in shock as she jumped straight to the wrong conclusion.
Andromeda wondered which was horrifying Narcissa more – the thought of her sister shacked up with a half-blood seven years her junior, or the thought of her son’s godfather living with the woman their mother had considered an embarrassment not to be mentioned in company. Her lips curled into an unkind smile, knowing that the truth would be far less well-received.
“No,” Narcissa said, thinning her lips. “He wasn’t specific.”
Narcissa looked at her sister with distaste twisting her features. Andromeda knew she’d always been a source of shame to her sisters, who’d played the Black role and obligingly married their designated purebloods. That Andromeda should reject the wealth and comfort their lives offered to marry a muggleborn was incomprehensible. That she’d produced such an outlandishly embarrassing daughter, unthinkable. And then, that her embarrassing daughter had married a werewolf… utterly appalling. At some point, Andromeda knew, the final touch would be added to the litany of humiliations – that the same werewolf was now sharing a house with Andromeda, and a bed with Severus Snape.
“Ah,” she said. “Well, I’m sure all will become clear. I believe Severus is in the garden at present, do come through.”
She turned and walked away from her sister, expecting, although not inviting, her to follow. Narcissa would come, she was too curious not to.
Snape was in the garden with Lupin, Teddy and Grimmy. It was a warm day and the garden was looking better than usual. As Lupin had become stronger, both Andromeda and he had spent more time working on the garden. They’d planted a patch of strawberries for Teddy next to Dora’s rose, and there was a shimmering corner of the garden where Snape had warded off a small area for growing medicinal herbs. Andromeda suspected, however, that her sister was more likely to be fixed on the sight of Snape and Lupin sitting together on the bench, watching Teddy throw the ball for Grimmy.
At the sight of Narcissa, Lupin ran his hand from Snape’s shoulder and down his arm, a lingering touch which might, possibly, be construed as platonic, had it not been for the look that Snape gave him in response. Lupin stood, leaning heavily on his walking stick and called to Teddy and Grimmy, who followed him inside somewhat relucantly. As Lupin passed Narcissa, he raised his eyebrow and gave her a smile. Narcissa’s perfectly painted lips fell open in shock.
“Don’t mind them, Narcissa,” Snape said as Lupin closed the door after him. “They can be rather protective of me.”
Narcissa had spoken to Snape in the garden for half an hour, before accepting the offer of tea with obvious reluctance. Teddy had put on a good show, matching her blonde hair and pointy nose before transforming his hands into furry black paws like Grimmy’s, his latest trick. When he was finished, he climbed into Snape’s lap, turned his hair black and fell asleep. Grimmy lay on the floor, rolling on his back in front of Narcissa, while Mephisopheles watched her from the top of the bookshelf. Lupin was insufferably polite, making small talk about the latest Ministry politics before telling her all about Red, the nephew she tried to pretend didn’t exist. Narcissa fixed an insincere smile to her face and looked like she wanted to bolt out the door.
Lupin refrained from asking Snape about the visit until after dinner, when Harry had left for the Burrow and Andromeda had left for Strete, where Mandragora had convinced her there was a wonderful pub they should visit. Lupin set up the chessboard and waited until Snape appeared to be losing soundly before asking about the one reason that Snape would have invited Narcissa.
“How’s that godson of yours doing, Severus?”
“Draco?”
“You have another?”
Snape made an inarticulate sound that might have been, but probably wasn’t, irritation at Lupin’s slight sarcasm. He avoided Lupin’s eye as the werewolf took his queen.
“He’s not good, Remus. He’s dropped out of his studies, and he was working in a bar, although Narcissa told me he’d been sacked for using too much of the merchandise. He has few friends and has been arrested a couple of times over fights. Lucius wasn’t pleased to be extracting him from a muggle jail, and the second time he just told Narcissa to let him rot there. I… I put her in touch with Clarridge, and he’s out now, but… not good. He won’t go home. Can’t say I blame him.”
“How did you ever get to be his godfather, Severus?”
Lupin didn’t say what he could have said – that Snape was a spectacularly strange choice of godfather for the boy, given his history with Lucius Malfoy.
“Voldemort’s idea. Lucius upset him over something or other, and he knew that Lucius would loathe having me in his son’s life. Narcissa wasn’t thrilled either, although she felt sorry for me more than anything.”
“She felt sorry for you?’
“Her husband’s tastes tended towards the rough,” Snape replied, in an unusually mild tone, as if he was discussing the contents of Lucius’s wine cellar. “She figured out quickly enough that he gave her less trouble when I was around.”
Lupin watched his face, looking to see whether he was as calm as his voice sounded. Watching the way Snape’s jaw clenched, Lupin reached over and took his hand. He regretted the question now, Snape was still sensitive about aspects of his history, and Lupin knew it would take a long time before he was past that, if ever. He was still a very skittish lover, although his confidence was growing in response to Lupin’s unflagging patience.
“You’ve been a good godfather to him I think though, haven’t you? You’ve done your best to help him, to keep him on the right path despite his parents.”
“Sometimes it isn’t enough to do your best. I tried, but I’ve still failed him. He survived the war, but now he’s falling apart.”
Snape looked down at his hand, the way Lupin’s fingers wrapped around his. The werewolf was doing that thing where he rubbed his thumb over Snape’s knuckles. There was something soothing, almost hypnotic, in the motion.
“I was thinking, Severus, with Draco, perhaps you should owl him, see if he would be able to come and stay for a bit. It’s a bit cramped here, but we could manage. He could help out a bit at the Institute. He might be able to help you with some of your teaching or potion work there. You might need help with some of your lessons, you have a lot on you know. Now that you’re supporting a half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son and his mother-in-law.”
“What about Harry?”
“Oh yes, a half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son, his mother-in-law and a trainee auror.”
“No, I meant, wasn’t it Harry who was supposed to be supporting the half-crippled and chronically-ill werewolf, his son and his mother-in-law. Wasn’t that the reason he had to sell Grimmaud Place and come and live here?”
Lupin looked serious, although his eyes were just a little too innocent.
“Well, Harry’s not going to be able to do that forever. He might actually want to marry Ginny, have kids. He won’t stay living here forever. Things may fall more and more on you.”
He paused and added, “And Andromeda has her own life to lead. You might need more help. If Draco could do some of your easier tasks it would leave you able to do more research, or to give the older children something more challenging, or just spend more time here. And it would be so good for Red too. I think it would really help him to meet his cousin.”
Snape looked intently at Lupin, then nodded slowly.
“Lupin, what house were you sorted into again?”
Lupin looked at Snape. It was an odd change of subject, and it was sometimes hard to tell whether the former spy had genuinely forgotten something, had lost track of conversations, or was just teasing. Calling him Lupin though, he was probably teasing.
“Gryffindor. I’m sure you remember that.”
“Why?”
“Why what?”
“Why were you sorted into Gryffindor?”
Lupin was struck that he’d never actually been asked that question.
“Lupins have always been Gryffindors, leaping fearlessly into battle against all manner of dark creatures. Think of my father – taking on Fenrir Greyback with no thought to the consequence, over an issue as unpopular as lycanthrope law reform. Very Gryffindor.”
“Do you think the sorting hat made a mistake?”
“What?”
“It’s a simple enough question. Do. You. Think. The. Sorting. Hat–?
Lupin interrupted, pretending annoyance.
“I heard your question, Severus. It’s just a very strange question.”
“Well, I think the hat made a mistake.”
“Really.”
“You’re pure Slytherin, through and through.”
“Really.”
“Oh yes.”
Lupin raised his eyebrow, but was silent. Where was Snape going with this? The right side of his mouth had twisted into a sneer, but his eyes closed slightly and crinkled at the corners. It was the expression Snape’s face took on when he made a joke. It was something that Lupin was seeing with increasing frequency.
“You, Lupin, are a devious, manipulative bastard. And I can say that with some considerable authority, as I’ve known a fair few. However, my love, out of all them, you really are the most sweet and kind devious, manipulative bastard I’ve ever known.”
Snape paused only to checkmate Lupin, before moving to the sofa beside him and kissing him.
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Date: 2017-03-27 06:52 pm (UTC)Thanks for sharing this story. :-)
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Date: 2017-03-28 10:38 am (UTC)