firefly124 (firefly124) wrote in lupin_snape, @ 2008-04-30 23:28:00 |
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Entry tags: | family fest, fic: pg, prompt: family fest |
Family Fest Fic: Turbulence, PG
Title: Turbulence (part 1/?)
Author: firefly124
Rating: PG
Challenge: Family Fest
Word Count: 1900 this part
Summary/Prompt: Severus and Remus are already raising Teddy together and discover that Severus has a daughter he never knew about. (By one of the DE's perhaps, or one of the minor Order members like Hestia.) How does their little family handle this adjustment?
Notes: I’ve had to tinker with some of the Next Generation ages a bit to make this work, but compared to resurrecting people, what’s a little time twisting? ;-) Also, since this bunny didn’t bite until today, it hasn’t been beta’ed or Brit-picked, though I have plagued saracen77 with several Britglish questions that she has very graciously answered. Anything that doesn't sound overly American is thanks to her help, and any errors are all mine.
Turbulence is life force. It is opportunity. Let's love turbulence and use it for change.
- Ramsay Clark
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Remus demanded. “After all the recriminations about Nymphadora—“
“It was precisely because of Nymphadora … I could hardly expect you to understand.”
Remus shook his head, still almost numb with shock. It wasn’t as though he could accuse Severus of betraying him, not during that time, yet his trust was shaken as it had not been in many years.
“How could you think I wouldn’t understand?”
Of course, Severus had been every bit as alone as he had. Possibly more. Remus could hardly bear to think of him with someone else, but she had been his only contact with the Order after the night he killed Dumbledore. It was understandable that he might seek comfort from her. It was rather more surprising that she had offered it. Not that she wasn’t a kind soul, but that he’d thought she was with someone else and unlikely to cheat on him.
“One hardly need use Legilimency to see that you do not understand even now.” He wore an expression that Remus was certain had reduced many a Hogwarts student to tears. Even after all these years, it still had the ability to hurt him, though Remus would never let him know it.
“What I don’t understand, Severus, is why you never told me.”
“It was a single encounter. Had I known that she had so little practice with the Contraceptive Charm, there would never have been a need to tell you at all.” Severus went on to mumble something about overconfident witches who needed to be taken down a peg.
“I think she rather has been,” Remus replied. After all, the fact that Hermione and Rose now needed somewhere to live was what had started this conversation. “Though you have to admit, your daughter’s spellwork is obviously brilliant. She couldn’t have known her twist on the Ostendo Prosapia Charm would show anyone other than the family she’d always known, but it certainly did work.”
Unfortunately, it had worked in front of the board of O.W.L. examiners.
“And clearly, just like her mother, she hadn’t the sense to practice the spell on her own first.” Severus grimaced. “Though I do wish I could have seen their faces. Filius, in particular.”
Remus scrubbed his hand over his face and said, “I believe we are straying from the point.”
“Then you will not agree to allow my daughter and her mother to stay here until other arrangements can be made?” The look in Severus’ eyes was somehow both dangerous and vulnerable. “Should my child be required to live over the Leaky Cauldron until her mother is able to amass sufficient funds to purchase a home of their own?”
Does he really expect me to refuse? Does he think I am going to tell him to leave as well?
“I never said that,” Remus answered, though he hardly thought that would be as terrible a fate as Severus seemed to believe. “It’s just a lot to take in at once, Severus. Surely you realize that?”
The other man crossed his arms over his chest, his jaw set.
“Have you even asked Hermione what she wants?”
“I could hardly extend the invitation before discussing this with you.” His eyes clouded, making it clear that the Leaky Cauldron scenario was not merely a product of his imagination; it was what Hermione intended to do.
Remus placed his hand on Severus’ shoulder, vaguely reassured when he did not pull away.
“Her reasoning is flawed,” Severus replied. “She will waste hundreds of galleons in rent and board, and my daughter will, no doubt, be allowed to run amok in Diagon Alley.” He sniffed. “While I am hardly surprised by Potter’s failure to assist his friend, no doubt because he fears his wife as he never feared the Dark Lord, I cannot stand aside and allow her to take such a foolish course of action.”
Something in Remus’ chest twisted. Is this more of his need to redeem every wrong he believes he has ever committed? Or is there something else? Was it more than comfort that they shared?
“I rather imagine your daughter’s idea of ‘amok’ includes spending the majority of her day in Flourish and Blott’s,” Remus said with forced lightness.
A scowl was his only answer.
“Of course, they can stay here, Severus,” Remus heard himself say as if from a distance. “We’ll need to split the guest room somehow, assuming Hermione agrees.”
Severus nodded sharply, and Remus wondered whether he would come to regret this.