It had been three weeks since Tobias's ill-fated visit to the pub. During that time he had gone back to the local AA meetings, something which he had neglected while watching Harry, and it was something which he knew he could not afford to do again. But other than that, he found his days and evenings were dull and lifeless compared to when his grandson had been there, filling the house with his noisy presence. He missed Harry more than he wanted to admit, even Carl noticed and remarked upon it one evening at work.

"So, Toby, when are you going to visit your grandson?"

"Dunno, Carl. Whenever Sev lets me, I guess."

"You still on the outs with him?" Carl replied in surprise. "Name of God, why? You'd think he'd be grateful, you taking his kid in all those months."

"You don't understand," Tobias sighed, rearranging a bunch of crates to make room for others coming into the warehouse. He found himself talking haltingly about his past drinking problem and what had occurred that Friday night and Saturday morning.

To his surprise, Carl was sympathetic, though he did say, "You really ought've known better, Toby, than to go and tempt the devil by going to a pub."

"Aye, Middleton, I've learned my lesson good now. Never again, as my son would say. One drink is one too many." He ran a hand through his short blond hair, wishing like hell he could somehow get in touch with Severus. Before he had gotten drunk, Tobias had intended to ask Sev for his address, but now that plan was shot all to hell.

"Perhaps now that you've started going back to the meetings, you can contact Sev again," suggested Carl.

"I would, if I knew his address and his phone number," Tobias replied despondently.

"Oh. Well, what about that friend of his that used to come by and take you two to visit Sev at the hospital? Al something or other? Wouldn't he know?"

Slowly, Tobias nodded. A lone glimmer of hope surfaced. "Yeah, he might. Thanks, Carl. I'll see if I can get a hold of him." Of course Dumbledore would know where Severus lived. The only question was whether or not the old wizard would be willing to give him the information.

The next morning, Tobias penned a hasty note to one Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and placed it in a small wrought iron stand near his garden gate. The stand had a slot in the shape of an owl that would hold a letter and Dumbledore had assured Tobias that if he ever needed to contact him, he should place a letter on the stand and it would be delivered.

Tobias watched out the kitchen window and sure enough, half an hour later a large brown owl flew down and plucked the letter from the stand and glided away. It was the first time he had ever seen the owl post at work, that he could remember anyhow.

The next day, instead of a letter in response, Dumbledore himself showed up. "I thought it best to come in person. I have since spoken with Severus and I'm not sure that he is amenable to speaking with you right now, Tobias."

"I know he doesn't want to see me, but I need to see him," Tobias argued. "Look, I know I screwed up, nobody knows that better than me. But I just want a chance to speak with him, because I don't want to go the rest of my life without knowing my grandson, or Sev either. I used to think what I wanted most after my wife died was to be left alone. But since Harry came, I don't feel that way any longer. I . . .I don't want to be the nasty hermit anymore, Albus. I want to be part of my family again, the family I threw away once before and never knew what I was missing. Will you help me?"

Dumbledore nodded, his blue eyes grave beneath his half-moon spectacles. "I will. Severus believes I was mistaken about you, you know. But I believe that you are sincere and that you deserve a second chance. Therefore, I will take you to St. Mungos, and find Severus for you. Hopefully, you can begin mending fences."

"If Severus is willing to hear me out."

"Ah, that is a problem I cannot help you with," the old wizard said sadly. "But Severus gets his stubbornness from you, so perhaps you know best how to get around it."

"Yeah, with a sledgehammer to the head," muttered the ex-sergeant wryly. "That stubbornness is bred in us Yorkshiremen, Albus. We drink it in along with our mother's milk."

"Ah, well, we all have our flaws, Tobias. Though that stubbornness probably saved Sev's life. I promised myself I would not get involved more than necessary, yet in this instance I feel you need a small nudge in the right direction." The crafty wizard grinned, looking for all the world like a small boy with a very naughty scheme up his sleeve. "So . . .take my arm, if you will, Mr. Snape."

Tobias did, thinking whimsically, We're off to see the wizard. I just hope he doesn't hex me all the way to bleeding Kansas.

* * * * * *

"What are you doing here?" Severus demanded frostily upon nearly running headfirst into Tobias as he was coming out of his office. The ice in his tone could have frozen a bonfire.

The older Snape actually looked uncomfortable, he avoided the other's eyes as if he were ashamed, which he was. It was something that Severus would have never failed to note if he hadn't been in a hurry and startled by his father's sudden appearance in his hospital ward. "Severus, I'd like to speak with you," Tobias began.

His son cut him off with a swift slashing gesture of one lean hand. "I have nothing further to say to you. I said all I'm going to say. Period, the end. Now, if you don't mind, I have a patient in labor that I need to attend to."

Tobias's jaw dropped. "You-you're going to deliver a baby?"

Severus gave him a withering look. "Why yes, Dad, because I am a doctor, and that's part of my job. Wizard Healers do nearly everything, like a Muggle GP, and some specialists. My particular specialty is spell damaged individuals, but I also handle routine pediatric cases and obstetrics. Now, if you don't mind . . ."

He made as if to push past Tobias, but his father lifted a hand. "Severus, I wanted to tell you that I truly regret what happened with Harry and I promise you it'll never happen again."

"You're right. It won't. Because you won't be seeing him."

"But what if I want to see him again?" Tobias said quickly. "He's my grandson, Sev."

Severus ground his teeth together. "I don't have time for this now. Whoever brought you here can just Apparate you right back where you belong-in the damn pub with all the other bloody alcoholics! Go home and drink yourself senseless. It'll be like old times then." Once more he tried to go around Tobias, but the older man refused to budge, and in fact was now glaring at him with a look Severus knew all too well. It was a look that would have sent him scurrying for the nearest closet to hide in when he was a boy. Now he absorbed it without flinching.

"Now you listen here, Severus Tobias Snape! I'm still your father, dammit, however much you might not like it, and that means you'll not speak to me that way. You've got some nerve, boy, talking to me with such disrespect."

His son sighed, reluctantly acknowledging that he had been out of line with those last cutting remarks. "All right, Dad. I spoke without thinking, but what I said is true. After what occurred three Saturdays ago, I can't trust you around my son. And until I say differently, you won't be allowed to come within ten feet of him. You caused enough damage to me, I won't let you do it to Harry."

"Severus, I was a drunken bum then. I'm not now. I started going back to the AA meetings and I've sworn off drinking for good and all."

"That's what you said last time."

"You're going to condemn me for one mistake, boy?" Tobias snapped, frustrated.

"Why not? It's what you used to do to me growing up," Severus flared. "Any mistake I ever made you threw in my face and made sure I never forgot it. Turnabout's fair play." He glared down at his father, for he was a good half an inch taller than the older man. "Now, unless you want to have a war right here in the corridor, Dad, I suggest you move the hell out of my way."

Tobias stepped back, for Severus held his wand in one hand, and he did not want to be hexed by his own stubborn son. "Go on then, but I'll be back to discuss this at another time."

"Fine! Tell Albus to quit meddling in my life, I know it was him that brought you here," snapped the Master Healer, pulling on his gloves and striding down the corridor.

Tobias followed at a discreet distance, curious for the first time about his son's occupation.

Severus reached a large white door labeled Labor and Delivery #3 and muttered a quick disinfecting and sterilizing charm before waving his wand at the door. It opened and he disappeared inside.

Tobias stared at the closed door in dismay, wondering what else he could do to convince his son that he truly wished to make amends. Before he could move, a young intern wearing hospital whites came pushing a cart with a metal bath and loads of fresh towels and scissors and salve on it towards him.

"Excuse me, sir. I need to get these into Healer Snape stat."

Tobias blinked. "Oh, sorry. Uh, you're a doctor here too?"

"Yes, but I'm an Apprentice Healer, doing my final year of internship. My name's Amy Turner. I'd shake your hand, but I need to maintain a sterile field. Are you one of the patient's relatives? If you'd like to observe the birth, you can watch through here, in the OB office next door. I know Healer Snape only allows two relations inside the delivery room, and one of those is usually the husband and most times the other is the woman's mother or other female relation."

She pointed her wand at a wooden door and it unlocked and swung open.

Tobias went where she gestured and found himself in a tastefully appointed wood paneled office with a huge desk and a leather swivel chair and a window running the entire length of the office.

"There. You can observe the whole thing from here, it's a one way viewing spell, so you can see and hear it all but the patient won't ever know you're there. It's what we Apprentices use when we need to listen in and take notes on an examination but don't want to distress the patient. Go on, step right up. Is this your first time observing, sir?"

"Uh, no," Tobias managed to reply. "I've seen one birth before this. My son."

"Oh well then, you'll know what to expect, which is more than poor Dan and Marian will, since this is their firstborn." Amy said with a soft laugh. "Good thing they've got Healer Snape doing the delivery, he's the preferred obstetric Healer on the patient preference poll."

"You people rate your doctors on a poll?"

"Uh-huh. Oh, we don't tell them, of course!" she giggled. "But we all know who rates what and where. And Healer Snape, besides being #1 on the Sexiest Single Male Healer poll, is rated as one of the best Healers at St. Mungos. Anyhow, I'd better scoot, before he gets in a snit, he hates tardy interns."

Then the Apprentice was out the door and closing it behind her before he could respond. Tobias chuckled softly as he saw the Apprentice enter the delivery room with the cart.

"Put that over off to the side, Miss Turner," Severus instructed calmly. "I won't be needing it just yet."

"Yes, Healer," Amy said respectfully, moving the cart off to the side as he had indicated.

Tobias was amazed. He could see and hear them as if he were right in the room, almost like watching a TV show. Some of the things they could do with magic truly were incredible. He leaned against the window and watched his son take charge of the action going on in the delivery room.

Severus moved towards the young woman seated upon the large raised bed, which was draped in clean sterile white sheets. She looked to be about twenty-five with short curly brown hair and dark eyes that were filled with pain. She was wearing a short skimpy blue hospital robe that tied gently in front. Her husband was standing next to her, allowing her to hold his hand, though from the expression on his face, he was regretting it. Marian grimaced as another contraction shot through her.

"Good afternoon, Marian," Severus greeted his patient pleasantly. "How are we doing here?"

"Uh . . .okay, I guess." Marian panted. "But the contractions . . .oooh! They're really starting to bloody hurt . . .!" She winched her hand onto her husband's who gasped.

"Uh, honey . . .do you have to grab my hand so hard?" he whimpered.

"Shut up, Dan!" his loving wife growled. "Just be glad it's not another part of you I'm grabbing. Because I swear to God this is the last time I'm going through this." She moaned as another contraction rippled through her. "Merlin, Healer Snape, can I please have that pain block spell now? Please?"

"You may, in just a minute," Severus replied, waving his wand over her. "Let me see how the baby's doing first."

Suddenly a loud ka-thump! ka-thump! was heard in the room, and both parents glanced around in alarm.

"What's that?" cried Dan.

"That, Mr. Amberly, is your baby's heartbeat," answered Severus, tilting his head slightly and listening.

"Is it normal?" asked the mother.

"Oh yes. Nothing to worry about there." Severus reassured her, then he gently felt her belly to determine the baby's position. "Good. The baby's positioned correctly, head down and seems to be quite impatient to get born."

"Well, so am I, believe me." Marian said, gasping. "Oh my, that was a big one! Healer Sev, can I have that spell now?"

"Not quite yet, Marian. I need you to walk about a bit more first, the baby's not presenting as low as I'd like, and walking will make it move down more rapidly. Come, Dan, help me get her up." Severus gently took the elbow of the laboring mother, whose forehead was beaded with sweat, and helped her to rise.

Then he and her husband began to walk slowly about the room, Marian supported between them. Severus talked soothingly to her as they walked, monitoring the baby's progress with a spell, explaining to the mother in a soft even tone what was happening inside her.

The contractions were coming more rapidly now and twice they had to halt and brace the poor woman, who was whimpering and sobbing. "Oh, sweet Merlin! I think I'm gonna die!"

"You're doing fine, Marian," Severus rubbed her back comfortingly. "Now breathe like I taught you. That's right!"

He made the woman complete one circuit of the room before bringing her back to the bed. Then he ran a repeat diagnostic. "All right, the baby's head is down. Can you feel the difference?"

Marian nodded. "It feels like I'm about to explode."

"Yes, you're just about ready for that spell." Severus pulled out his wand.

"Wait, Healer Snape!" Amy cried. "She's not full dilated. I just ran a quick check and she's only eight and a half centimeters."

"What difference does that make?" cried the expectant mother. "Just cast the damn spell, Snape!"

"Easy, Marian. Eight and a half centimeters isn't enough. Trust me. You need to be ten in order to start pushing."

"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?"

"Relax. You don't do anything. That's my job," Severus answered, and pointed his wand and spoke some words in Latin Tobias didn't understand.

A bluish-white light shot out, enveloping the laboring woman's pelvis for a brief instant.

"There. How's that feel?" queried the physician.

"Better," Marian panted. "Now are you going to do the spell?"

"Yes. Lean forward just a bit, I'm going to touch the base of your spine with my wand and you should feel a bit of a twinge and then . . ." Severus suited action to words as he spoke, tapping the base of the woman's spine gently with his wand and chanting another spell.

"Merlin be praised! I'm numb! Oh, thank you, Healer Snape!" She looked as if she were about to start weeping again.

"Don't thank me yet," Severus remarked, giving her a half-amused smile. "It's not over. Now, even though you can't feel the pain of the contractions, you will feel pressure and that's going to tell you when you have to bear down. What are you feeling now?"

"Uh . . .not much." Then she frowned. "Umm . . .I think that pressure you talked about, doctor? I'm feeling it."

"Good. Right on schedule. Come on over here," Severus led her over to an odd looking padded chair that Tobias thought rather resembled a torture device. The chair legs were metal and extremely high and the bottom was an odd assortment of straps and a gaping hole in the center.

"What-what in hell's that?" asked the husband.

"That is a birthing chair," Severus answered. "It's the latest in medical tech and ninty-five percent of women in labor swear it makes the delivery much easier."

"Easier? Oh God, put me on it," Marian urged. "Hurry!"

Severus pointed his wand and spoke a spell to levitate the woman up on to the chair. The armrests were padded and made of some kind of sturdy rubber so Marian could grip them tightly, for which Dan was immensely grateful. There were also soft rubber footrests for her to brace her feet.

"When can I push? Now?"

"When I say and not before," answered the Healer, running a quick diagnostic on the baby. It was normal. "Ten centimeters, head correct, good presentation . . ." he turned to his intern. "This should be a textbook delivery, Miss Turner." He straightened and said, "All right, Marian. First give me four deep breaths. Like so." He demonstrated.

She copied him.

"Excellent. One. Two. Three. Four. Well done! Now, focus on that pressure you're feeling in your lower abdomen and on three. One. Two. Three. Push!"

Marian obeyed, bearing down hard.

"Don't forget to breathe," Severus coached. "Good job!" He checked the baby's position again. It was halfway down the birth canal.

"How's my baby, Doc?"

"Doing fine, and so are you. Now relax a little, I want you to push when you feel the next contraction." He turned to Dan, who was hovering nervously at his wife's elbow. "Dan, you might want to massage the back of Marian's neck and shoulders so she won't be so tense."

"How can I not be tense at a time like this, Healer Sev?" muttered Marian irritably.

"Think about what it will be like to finally hold your baby," Severus said softly.

"You've been through this too, right?" asked Dan, gently massaging his wife.

"Yes. I delivered my son. Lily wouldn't have anyone else do it but me," replied Severus. Even though I wasn't married to her at the time, she insisted I be her attending. It was the first time I ever did a delivery all on my own, and I was as nervous as she was, the Master Healer recalled with a smile. James nearly passed out, Lily slapped him, and I was so damn nervous I just barely caught Harry. Definitely one for the record books, Snape.

It was over an hour later, however, when Severus told his patient to give him one more good push and then the baby was born.

He caught the child in his arms and patted the little back twice to clear the nasal passages, performed a quick cleaning charm to remove most of the birth fluids and suddenly the cat-like wail of a newborn was heard.

"Congratulations, Mum and Dad, you're the proud parents of a baby girl," Severus announced, smiling broadly. "And she's going to be a heartbreaker, right sweetheart?"

The baby wailed loudly and Marian held out her arms. Severus gently placed the baby in them, and the new parents hugged and exclaimed and cried over the tiny miracle.

"Well, Miss Turner? Not so bad for your first delivery, right?" he asked the apprentice in a very soft tone as she cleaned up the new mother.

"Sir, I almost passed out," whispered Amy, flushing redly. She was certain he was going to order her out of the room in disgust.

Instead he laughed. "Don't feel too bad, Miss Turner. It's a common occurrence at your first delivery, even if you're not the husband."

He allowed the new mother fifteen minutes to bond with her child before he gently took the baby away to give her a warm bath, diaper her and swaddle her in a velvet soft pink blanket, using the items on the cart Amy had brought in earlier.

That gave Amy time to deliver the afterbirth and freshen up the exhausted mother.

"She's so beautiful," Marian kept repeating softly.

"She is indeed," agreed Severus, carrying the tiny bundle over to her mum. The baby was whimpering softly. "There now, don't fuss. Here's your mum."

Marian took the baby and held her while Severus summoned a clipboard and a quill. "And what are we going to call the little lady? Have you decided on a name yet, or shall I just call her Baby Amberly for now?"

Marian and Dan exchanged glances and then they bent over the baby, whispering. In a few minutes, they straightened and Marian said, smiling, "Uh, Healer Sev, we'd like to name her after you, if you don't mind? Her name is Severina Elizabeth Amberly."

Severus blinked, for this was the first baby he'd ever had named after him before. "I . . .I'm honored. Thank you." He wrote the baby's new name on the chart with a flourish. Then he smiled down at the newest member of the wizarding world. "Welcome, Severina. Merlin bless you and God keep you, child."

All four of them were grinning delightedly and so was Tobias, watching from the window. Seeing little Severina get born made him recall Severus's birth, which had been nowhere near as quick as this one, or so it had seemed. Still, he could remember quite well the feeling of utter joy and awe and protectiveness he'd felt when he first saw his baby. He had loved little Severus with a fierce indulgent love then. And he still did. Just the way he loved Harry. It was also the first time he had ever seen his son as something more than just a smartass wizard with a wand.

Watching Severus deliver the baby had shown Tobias that his son was a very competent and compassionate individual, one who was, as Amy and Dumbledore had said, the top in his field. It was not an idle boast, but the simple truth. Tobias looked at his son, who was still speaking to the new parents, and felt a surge of pride suffuse him.

He had to find a way to communicate that to Severus. Turning around, he took a piece of parchment from the desk and dug in his pocket for a pen. Then he began to write quickly. If Severus refused to listen to him speak, then perhaps he would read what Tobias could not say.

* * * * * *

Two hours later, Severus returned to his office for his lunch break, where he planned on working on some more pending cases, he had a surgery and was on call tomorrow. On the top of the pile of charts he found a folded piece of parchment with his name on it.

"What's this? Another thank you from a patient?" he muttered. Patients were always leaving him small tokens of their gratitude. He unfolded the parchment.

Dear Sev,

I figured I'd better write this now while I had the chance, before you summoned some kind of wizard security to throw me out of here. I want you to know that I watched you deliver that couple's baby today and I thought you were an excellent doctor, just what they needed. I know I've never said this to you before, probably because I'm a hard-nosed perfectionist bastard, just like MY old man, but you made me very proud today, Sev. Yeah, I know what you're thinking-does he really mean it, or is he just saying it to get back in my good graces so he can see his grandson? And why the hell is he saying it now when he never did before?

To answer those questions-I really mean it, Sev. It's not a trick or a line, it's the truth. I'm sorry it took me this long to see it, son. Your mother always told me I should stop criticizing and start opening my eyes-then maybe I'd see what was right in front of my nose. Pity I never listened to her back then. I was selfish and drunk and I thought of myself as a failure, because I couldn't get a decent job and whatnot. I took my frustration out on you because you were there and an easy target and it was wrong, but there's nothing I can do about it now except say sorry and hope that someday you can forgive me a little. If not, I'll understand, because I had a hard time forgiving mine for doing basically the same thing to me.

I guess I never said I was proud of you because I didn't want to be shown up by my own son. You were brilliant, hell you were smarter than me even before you went to that damn wizard school, and I knew it. I should have been pleased as punch, but instead I just felt . . . inadequate, I think is the word I want here. Stupid, right? Well, add that to everything else and that's why I never said anything. It was no way for me to act, I can say it now, because I see that now, when I couldn't then.

God knows I screwed up good with you and I can't blame you if you hate my guts, Sev. But I'm grateful that you let me know Harry, he's a great kid, too smart and a little mouthy, just like his father, but nobody's perfect. I'm sorry I ever hurt him, I'd like him to know that, since you won't let me see him. I know you told me that it's too late for us to mend things between us, but I just want you to remember one thing, Sev.

Your mum always used to say this to me when I got all mad over something. She said, "It's never too late to apologize and start over, Toby."

I did that with her a hell of a lot and should've with you.

Well, I'm doing it now.

Think about it, okay?

I hope you read this and don't just chuck it in the nearest bin. I lost my family once because I was an arsehole and I'd really rather not repeat it again.

Your father,

Tobias

Severus read the letter four times before he actually comprehended what his father was saying. To say he was shocked speechless would be an understatement. Never in his life would he have thought his father, of all people, would humble himself and actually admit he was wrong. All throughout his childhood, Tobias had always been right, no matter what. He was right even when he was wrong, a thing that had caused much friction between him and his son. It had always been Tobias's way or no way at all, the stubborn ex-sergeant didn't know the meaning of the word compromise.

And never ever had he told Severus that he was proud of him.

Until now.

"Son-of-a-bitch, old man!" he swore furiously. "You tell me this now-now when you should've told me this ten years ago, fifteen years ago, when it would've meant so much more! I used to pray for a kind word from you, damn it, and all I ever heard was that I was no good, a smartass, and a freak. But now you tell me-now, when I couldn't give a Goddamn?"

He swallowed hard, because he knew deep down that it wasn't true. He still cared, still craved what all children craved from their parents, no matter how old they were, approval and recognition. Tobias's simple words had touched him deeply, loathe as he was to admit it.

He half crumpled the letter in his hands, awash with anger and resentment and sorrow. Damn you, damn you, damn you! This was the last thing he needed. To be made to realize that the demon of his childhood was but a man after all-a flawed human being who could admit his mistakes. Could perhaps learn from them, enough so he wouldn't repeat them with the next generation.

It's never too late to apologize and start over.

That had been one of his mother's maxims, he knew because she had said it to him whenever he got into an argument with Lily or Remus or even James and Sirius. For he too possessed the Snape temper and it had often led him into saying things he didn't mean. Or doing them as well.

The Master Healer put his head in his hands and groaned.

I can't deal with this, not now. I've too much to handle with all the backlog of patients and Harry starts school in another week and a half. I need time, time to think, time to make sure that if I let Tobias back into my life, he won't try and run it the way he used to, and that he won't hurt Harry. That's the most important thing right now, that my son is safe and happy.

Yet Harry liked Tobias, he reminded himself. Harry actually wanted to spend time with the man, proof that whatever Tobias had done hadn't harmed his child the way he'd feared. Perhaps someday, like in a month or so, he would be willing to test Tobias, and allow him to see Harry as long as he was there.

He looked at the letter again, and then, on an impulse, he folded it and put it away in the top drawer of his desk. He knew Tobias had been expecting him to throw it away, but Severus wanted proof that Tobias had offered an olive branch to him, and also he was just contrary enough to do the opposite of what Tobias thought.

Then he rubbed a hand across his eyes and whispered, "Okay, Mum, I'll take your advice. It worked once, maybe it will again. But not now. He'll have to wait until I'm ready, for once."

He then took a drink of water, he usually kept a glass on his desk, and started filling out the birth certificate form for the Amberly's new daughter.

* * * * * *

Later, Severus and Harry went out to Harry's favorite restaurant, Lazy Joe's, for dinner. Harry loved their hamburgers and Severus liked their chicken and rib platter. While they waited for their dinner to arrive, Harry glanced about the restaurant at the other patrons, and to his surprise spotted two people he knew just being seated.

"Dad! Dad, look! It's Padfoot and Moony!" Harry shrilled, grabbing Severus's elbow and pointing across the room.

"Harry, lower your voice," Severus ordered, for people were turning around to look at them. He could feel his face start to flush in embarrassment. "You don't shout like that."

But Harry was so excited at seeing two of their oldest friends that he paid no attention to Sev's reprimand. Instead he stood on his chair and waved frantically, yelling, "Hey, Uncle Sirius and Uncle Remus! Over here!"

The two Aurors looked up and smiled upon seeing their enthusiastic nephew again, whom they hadn't seen in over three months, and rose to make their way over to the Snapes' table. Other people turned about to stare at the child, some wearing amused indulgent expressions and others frowning in disapproval.

Severus was mortified. "Harry James Severus!" he hissed, giving his son his best patented glare. "Sit down this instant and quit behaving like a little hooligan! You know better than to stand on chairs and shout across a room, young man."

Harry gulped and flashed his father an apologetic grin before sitting down. "Sorry, Dad. I forgot."

Severus scowled at the little boy. "Well, don't forget again, or else this will be the last time I take you anywhere. If you're going to act like a two-year-old, we might as well just stay home and spare me the embarrassment."

Harry hung his head. "M' sorry."

"Hey, Sev, what're you yelling at the kid for?" asked Sirius, coming up to Harry and swinging him about before setting him down. "How ya doing, Harry?"

"Fine, Padfoot. ‘Cept Dad's mad at me for jumping on the chair and calling for you."

Sirius grinned. "Ah, he'll get over it."

"Black, don't encourage his bad behavior."

"Aww, c'mon, Severus. He's a little kid, give him a break."

"Did your mother ever let you jump up and down on chairs and scream at the top of your lungs, Sirius?" Severus pointed out.

"Uh, well . . ."

"The answer to that is definitely not," chuckled Remus. "Casseopia Black wrote the book on proper manners."

"Tell me about it," grumbled Sirius. "And she made me memorize every one."

"Looks like you forgot most of them," snorted Severus.

"Who wouldn't?"

"How are you doing, Sev?" asked Remus, coming over to clap the other on the shoulder. "You look good for a man who was asleep for three months."

"He's right. Maybe I ought to try it," joked Sirius. "A three month nap might be just the thing I need to attract the ladies."

"Why? You don't think you attract enough of them as it is?" Severus asked dryly.

"Yeah, but they're a little older than what I'd like, Sev." He seated himself casually in the chair next to the Master Healer. "So how's the practice? Get any interesting patients lately, Snape?"

"I delivered a baby this morning."

"Oh? Boy or girl?" asked Remus, sitting next to Harry. The werewolf still had blond hair and dark eyes.

"It was a girl," Harry put in. "And guess what, Moony? They named her after my dad. They called the baby Severina Elizabeth Amberly. Isn't that funny?" He began to giggle hysterically.

"Really? They named the baby after you?" Sirius looked astonished. "Poor kid."

"Shut up, Black," growled Severus, pretending to be angry.

"Okay, okay, it was just a joke. Merlin's beard!" he glanced sidelong at Harry, who was still giggling a little behind his hand. "So, what brings you here?"

"Harry wanted to eat here tonight," answered the Potions Master.

"So did I," laughed Remus. "They've got the best ribeye steak and potatoes."

"And hamburgers," Harry added. "That's what I'm having." He looked at the two Aurors. "Hey, why don't you sit with us, Uncle Sirius?"

"Sure, kiddo. Y'mind, Sev?"

"If I did, I'd have said so," drawled the doctor, his dark eyes sparkling. "I have no trouble asking a person to leave if they're annoying me. I say it to patient's relatives all the time."

"You do?" Remus raised an eyebrow. "You just tell them to get out?"

"Yes. Sometimes they make the patient worse just by being there, and that's usually when I tell them to go and wait in the waiting room till my exam is over. Some of the children actually behave better for me when their mum or dad isn't in the room with them. One child whined and fussed for me every time I saw him for his school checkup when his mum was there, but once I told her to leave, he settled down and let me do what I needed. He was acting up so she'd feel sorry for him and buy him something, I think."

"Smart kid," chuckled Sirius. "Too bad that didn't work with my mother."

"It won't work with Dad either," Harry informed them, and the two Aurors laughed.

The waitress returned and asked Sirius and Remus for their order, and once she had taken it, snapped her fingers and drinks appeared on the table. "There you go, gentlemen! Enjoy!"

"Thanks! But I'd enjoy her more," murmured Sirius lasciviously.

"Black, for Godsake!" scolded Severus. "My son's right here! Kindly wait till you're alone to start eyeing up the waitress."

"Oops. Sorry, Sev," the other apologized, wearing a guilty look very similar to Harry's previously.

Severus rolled his eyes and Remus sighed and whispered, "He's like Peter Pan. He never really grew up."

"How do you stand it, Moony? You're his partner, you work with him on a daily basis."

"Uh . . .I count to ten a lot, Sev. And sometimes I threaten to make him stand in the corner if he doesn't behave."

Severus burst out laughing. "You must be intimate with the wall a lot then, Black."

"Aww, stuff it, Sev!" Sirius retorted. "Remus might be senior to me, but that don't make him the boss of me." Then he added, at the werewolf's glare, "Not off duty, that is."

Harry nudged Sirius. "Don't feel bad, Padfoot. Daddy makes me stand in the corner too sometimes. I hate it though! It's so boring, I'd almost rather get spanked."

Sirius pretended to wince. "Not if you had my dad, kid. He used to wallop me with the business end of a slipper and it hurt like the dickens."

Harry's eyes widened. "Merlin, that sounds awful! Dad would never do that to me, right?" he eyed Severus warily.

"I might, if a certain little boy doesn't mind his manners," Severus threatened lightly.

"No, please! I'll be good!" Harry whimpered.

"Only kidding, scamp," his father smirked. "You know my rule with spankings."

Sirius's jaw dropped. "Whaddaya have a rule for everything, Sev?"

"Most things, Sirius. It saves me a lot of aggravation and this way he knows exactly what to expect if he misbehaves, no surprises."

"Humph. But what kind of rule d'you have for a spanking?"

"Tell him, Harry."

Harry cleared his throat. "You only get spanked if you did something terrible bad, like leave the house without permission or, uh, fly your broom by yourself. And a spanking is never more than six swats and Dad only uses his hand."

Sirius whistled. "That's fair. Better than what my mum or dad used to dish out."

"Mine too," added Remus. "Though my parents didn't hit as much as the Blacks. Or the Potters. Seemed like James was always getting walloped for something."

Severus snorted. "And that surprises you, Moony? It was James, the kid who invented the word mischief. Thank God Harry didn't inherit that side of him. Much."

"Yeah, but boy did we have some fun, eh, Moony?" Sirius laughed wickedly.

Remus groaned. "Oh yes, it was real fun spending every week in detention, Sirius."

"Thank Merlin I never hung around you that much in school," Severus said feelingly. "I'd never have graduated Hogwarts."

"Don't ask him how he did it," Remus said, and Sirius mock punched him in the arm.

"I graduated the Auror Academy with honors, Moony. And that's what counts."

Before Remus could reply, the waitress returned with their food and they all stopped talking and started eating, for the food at Lazy Joe's was something to be savored, not wasted.

Severus ate slowly, enjoying the tender chicken and ribs, and the company as well. Perhaps he and Harry should go out to eat more often. You never knew when you might run into some old friends.

Harry bit into his burger and sighed in bliss. He could eat here every night. But the best thing was Moony and Padfoot showing up to eat here too. Then it was almost the way it was two years ago, when his mum was alive, and they would all eat dinner together on Sundays. Harry missed that and thought that perhaps his dad might be talked into going back to it, until he remembered that sometimes Sev worked on the weekend. But at least he was able to see Remus and Sirius now, and that was better than never seeing them at all.

Good things come to those who wait had been a favorite saying of Lily's.

Perhaps, the six year old thought, if he waited long enough, his grandfather would be allowed to come visit. Harry hoped so, for it wasn't good for anyone to be alone, unless you were one of those bad masked men.