I could feel Inky's life slipping away even as I ran a diagnostic on him. The bullet had sliced through a major artery and he was bleeding internally badly. His breath was coming in shallow gasps, but he was still breathing. I had never practiced medicine on anything save humans, but the basics were the same for human and animal alike.

I quickly cast a spell to stabilize his heartbeat and another to help him draw as much oxygen into his lungs as possible. Then I summoned the bullet to me with a softly spoken "Accio bullet!"

The steel-jacketed round slipped from the panther's body and into my hand. I stared at it in distaste, then tossed it upon the ground.

Then I spoke a Blood Halting Charm, slowing the internal bleeding somewhat. That done, I carefully levitated him onto a stretcher and Apparated into my lab at home. I had several potions there that I could use to treat him and the lab was scrubbed and sanitary. I knew Sirius or Regulus would see to it that Dad came home with them, along with any criminals who had survived that final battle.

I spoke another disinfecting charm upon my stainless steel lab table, which would have to serve as a surgery field for me right now. I levitated the panther upon it and then cast another one over myself, summoning sterilized gloves and a mask from a drawer in the corner of the lab. I had done plenty of surgeries before, but none on a big cat, and for one minute I considered calling a Magical Creatures vet.

But I vetoed that idea, for the panther was on the threshold of life and death and by the time I found a vet, he could be gone. "Hang in there, big fellow!" I crooned. "Don't you give up on me, Inky. Harry needs you too damn much and so do I."

I had no idea what would happen if Inky died, for I couldn't measure how deep the bond ran between the two, and I didn't want Harry to suffer that kind of trauma again. Losing Lily had been utter hell on us both, the last thing he needed was to lose another whom he cared for.

Nor did I, I admitted, blinking hard as I studied the comatose black cat. I recalled the carving Dad had made for me for Father's Day, with Inky and Harry next to me. Dad had been right when he'd dubbed the carving Healer and Sons. For Inky was as much my son as Harry, a furry, four-footed one, but nevertheless, my son. And I would not permit him to die when I could save him.

I ran another diagnostic, pinpointing the exact location of the artery that had torn. Then I laid the tip of my wand on the panther's shoulder and chanted a spell to magnify my sight to laser-like intensity, for in order to mend, I had to see what I was doing.

With my newfound sight, I quickly saw the tear in the artery and spoke an Artery Repairing Charm. The artery sealed itself and now the panther was in no danger of bleeding to death. Then I concentrated in cleaning up the bleeding in his organs and mending the torn muscles the bullet had ripped through. It was painstaking work, and it required the most intense concentration, but my focus was absolute and soon I had mended everything. It had taken me an hour-and-a-half to do so, but I had succeeded, and now Inky was out of danger.

I performed a few other standard health charms upon him, like I would for a human patient, such as a freshening charm that cleaned all the blood from his fur and an elimination charm to relieve him of a full bladder. I fetched a Blood Replenishing Potion from my stores and spelled it into his stomach, as well as a Pain Relieving Potion, Class Four. I also administered an Anti-Shock Draft and warmed several thick blankets and summoned his cat bed here.

I laid him down on the bed and fed him an antibiotic potion and some water. He breathed steadily, his great chest rising and falling in a blessed familiar rhythm. The place where the bullet had entered was still open, I would monitor it for signs of infection over the next day and if it showed none, I'd heal it closed. I placed a bandage over it, casting a Sticking Charm on it so it would stay put, then I covered him with the blankets.

I had done all I could for him. Now it remained to be seen if he woke up and was the same beloved pet we all knew. I banished my gloves and mask and tucked away my wand, then I knelt beside the beautiful cat and cradled his head in my lap.

"I love you, Inky. You saved my life, you saved Lexy, you saved Harry and everyone from that depraved bastard. Thank you isn't enough, but it's all I know how to say. You are a true hero and I couldn't ask for a more loyal and brave child."

I stroked his ears and the top of his head, in the special place he could never reach with paws or tongue, and suddenly I was sobbing.

Call it stress, call it anxiety, or relief, whatever reason you named, I was crying for all those reasons, overwhelmed by the fact that I had almost lost yet another I loved. I drew my knees up to my chest and put my head down on them and wept like a little child.

I allowed my emotions free reign then, so much so I didn't hear the soft knock at the lab door and Alaina calling my name.

"Sev? Is everything all right in there?"

When I didn't answer, she cautiously turned the knob and entered.

The first thing that caught her eye was me huddled in a ball on the floor next to Inky, sobbing my head off.

"Oh dear God, no!" she groaned. "Poor Harry's going to be devastated." She came and put her arms around me and I instinctively clutched her to me. "Oh, Sev! I'm so sorry. He was so brave . . .he saved my Lexy . . .I'll miss him terribly, you know . . .poor brave boy . . ." Then she started to cry too and for a few minutes we gave vent to all the sorrow and fear we'd been keeping inside of us since the children had been kidnapped.

I rarely allowed myself the relief of tears, it was a legacy of my childhood with Tobias that I hadn't really ever managed to overcome. I'd had the old "boys don't cry" doctrine pounded into my skull since I was four and though rationally I knew that it was perfectly acceptable to shed tears, a part of me remained reserved and I only cried when I was under overwhelming stress or had suffered a life-altering tragedy.

Like now.

Alaina hugged me and stroked my hair and murmured to me, much as I did to Harry, and eventually I managed to get myself back under control. When at last I sat up, sniffling, she handed me a soft handkerchief and kissed me gently.

"Sev, I'm so sorry about Inky. I know how much you loved him," she began.

I blinked, not comprehending her words for a moment. Then it hit me. "Alaina, no. You don't understand . . ."

"It's okay, Sev. You don't need to explain why you were crying over him, I've cried like a baby over my pets when they died. It's perfectly natural and you needn't be ashamed, love."

"Alaina, it's not what you're thinking. I wasn't crying because Inky was dead, I was crying because he was alive . . .and I was so relieved and happy . . .hell, I was just glad I'd saved the big furball . . .and that Harry and Lexy were safe and Dan didn't escape justice this time . . ."

"Lexy said Inky killed him . . .just before he was about to shoot you and her as well." Alaina shuddered. "I wish I could say I'm sorry . . .but I'm not. I'm not! After all he did, and tried to do, and nearly did . . .I'm glad he's dead, Severus! I hope he's roasting in hell for all the misery he put us through. He deserves to suffer for eternity! God, he nearly cost me my child and the man I truly love . . .if you had died . . ." she didn't finish that sentence, but dissolved into tears.

"Alaina, love . . .shh . . .I'm here, I'll never leave you . . ." I crooned, hugging her to me and rocking her. "I'm yours, now and forever, blackbird. If you think you can put up with me, that is."

She stopped crying then and lifted her tear-stained, swollen face to look directly into my eyes. "Put up with you . . .?" she sniffled. "Severus Tobias Snape, I'll take you any way I can have you, don't you know that? You took my heart, the heart that Dan broke into tiny pieces and stomped on, and you made it whole again. You made my ordinary life into something incredible, you gave me back myself, the self Dan beat into the ground, you brought magic back when I had thought it gone forever from my life. I love you, utterly and completely, with all that I am, and I'll put up with you till the stars vanish, Master Healer."

Then she cupped my face in her hands and kissed me.

Instantly my grief was transmuted into something more primal and fiery, and I kissed her back passionately. I felt the tide of desire rise in my blood and I whispered roughly, "Alaina, I want you, all of you."

"Good," her voice was like velvet in my ear. "Because I want all of you too. I've never known a man who loved me for just me, Sev. Never made love with a man who didn't use me for his own pleasure and didn't give a damn that he hurt me while he did it."

"Poor blackbird," I soothed, running my hands through her silky brunette tresses sensuously. "He clipped your wings, didn't he? But I'll heal you and then I'll teach you to fly."

She smiled then, a tender seductive smile, a smile that was as old as time, a smile that had been on Eve's face when she tempted Adam in Eden, no doubt. "Will you, Healer? Can you mend even that?"

"Yes." I answered, and my hands caressed her back. "Love can mend anything, Alaina. It is the greatest magic of all. Shall I prove it to you, my beautiful blackbird?"

"Teach me to fly, Severus," was all she answered, her eyes burning with passion and love and desire so deep it nearly drowned her.

Her eyes mirrored my own. I picked her up in my arms and Apparated into my bedroom. We'd be undisturbed there, I was pretty certain my friends and Dad could amuse themselves or sleep for the rest of the night. Right then, sleep was the furthest thing from my mind.

I set her on the bed, banished our clothes with a wave of my hand, then I joined her there. "Here's your first lesson, beloved mine." I said throatily, and then I showed her exactly how a man could worship a woman, and she flew with me into the heavens, as we cast the oldest magic of all, and two became one, for all of time.

* * * * * *

When I awoke, lazy and sated as a panther that had just devoured a hundred pounds of beef, Alaina's head was beside mine on the pillow. I smiled at her, and teasingly pulled a curl of her wondrous hair, watching it spring back into place. Last night had been extraordinary, Alaina had proved to be my match in more ways than one. I stretched languidly, not wanting to leave my cozy love nest, but knowing I had to get up.

I had houseguests and Harry was probably awake as well, I was fairly certain that Remus, Sirius, and Regulus were staying in my house, and I wasn't sure if my father had opted to remain too. I knew the Grangers had departed last night with Hermione, Alaina had told me that they were so grateful to me for rescuing their daughter that they could never repay me, but if I ever needed anything I shouldn't hesitate to ask. Such obvious hero-worship made me uncomfortable, I never enjoyed being in the spotlight, but I could hardly complain.

So I reluctantly crawled from the warmth of my bed and dressed, leaving Alaina sleeping. After performing my usual washing and shaving routine, I padded down the hallway to the kitchen to see if anyone was up yet. I found Harry in the kitchen, trying to teach Sirius and Regulus how to scramble an egg, while Dad watched with an amused smirk.

"See, you have to beat it really fast with the fork, Padfoot. So it gets all thick and bubbly. The you can add some water, or a little bit of milk and beat it until it's frothy again."

"When do you add the salt and pepper?" Magnus asked.

" Now, if you want, or you can wait until the egg is cooked," answered my would-be gourmet chef. "But now you have to heat up the pan. Dad usually does that, ‘cause he doesn't want me too close to the stove. He takes some butter and melts it in the pan then puts the eggs on it. "Magnus-oops, I mean Regulus-can you get me that plastic spatula over there?"

Regulus obeyed, handing Harry the spatula. "You can call me Magnus if you want to, Harry. It's my middle name, actually, I like it better than my first name, and that's why I used it as a cover. Most of my friends back in the US know me as Magnus."

Before he could say anything else, Sirius spotted me leaning against the doorjam. He smirked devilishly and announced, "Welcome back to planet earth, Sev! Sleep well, Romeo?"

I fought to keep from coloring. "None of your business, Padfoot. That's between me and Alaina." I turned to my father, who was also wearing a knowing smirk, the damn rogue! What was this, Gossip Hour 101? "Morning, Dad."

"Good morning, Sev. How's Inky?"

"Doing well, he's nearly recovered," I answered proudly.

"Where's Alaina?" queried Tobias.

"Still asleep, probably," I answered.

Sirius winked at Regulus and murmured, "Gee, I wonder why."

I swatted him in the back of the neck with a newspaper. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Sirius."

"He can't. It's cemented there," teased Regulus.

"Very funny, Reg," his brother gave him a Look.

Harry looked up from where he was standing at the counter. "Dad! Is Inky all better? Where is he? I want to see him!"

"Yes, but he's sleeping right now in my lab," I began, but Harry had already set the bowl down and was running from the room.

"Hey, little buddy, what about these eggs, huh?" yelled Sirius.

"Dad can show you how to cook them," he called back, then he was gone down the hallway.

Two minutes later I heard Harry shouting, "Hey, Dad! The door's locked!"

"That's right. Because you know my rule, no children allowed in there without an adult," I reminded him.

"But I wanna see Inky."

I cast a glance at my father. "D'you mind going with him to visit Inky?"

Dad shook his head. "Not at all, Sev. That panther's a hero in my book. Saved you and everyone else and did us all a favor by offing that evil bugger. I ought to give him a hug." He rose to his feet.

"Oh? This I've got to see."

"Go on with you, Sev! Keep an eye on the two bumble brothers in the kitchen before they set the place on fire. They barely know how to boil water."

"That's not our fault, Toby," protested Sirius. "We were raised with a house elf and weren't allowed to set foot in the kitchen. Twinky did all the cooking and the cleaning, mostly."

"Yeah, and we weren't allowed in the kitchen because of a dumb prank you pulled, Siri," reminded Regulus.

"How was I supposed to know she'd find it so offensive that I swapped all the spice labels and animated all the silverware? I was nine, give me a break!"

"Troublemaker!" Regulus accused.

"Ha! Look who's talking! You got in more trouble when you were little than I did, only you never got punished for it."

"Right. You were mischief incarnate Sirius, I wasn't even a close second." Regulus snorted.

"Maybe, but Mum spoiled you rotten. She always liked you best," Sirius said resentfully.

"So? You were Dad's favorite." Regulus pointed out, his eyes flashing. Clearly this was a sore point between the two. "He let you get away with murder."

"You're exaggerating, Reg."

"Like hell. You played pranks on all the relatives and he laughed. I turned Aunt Zoya's hair blue and he walloped me for it."

"She was a hundred and seven and you nearly gave her a heart attack."

"What did I know? I was only six," Regulus drawled. "I was following your example, big brother."

"Oh no. You're not going to blame me for your stupidity, Reg," Sirius began hotly.

"Quit bickering, the pair of you!" Dad ordered, in a tone that brooked no nonsense. "You're acting like a pair of five-year-olds. Now knock it the hell off, or else!"

Both brothers froze, then muttered a swift "Yes, sir."

Dad gave them a warning glare, one that made them drop their eyes and look away, just as I used to. Then he rose to his feet and went to unlock the lab so my impatient son could see his panther brother.

"Merlin, Severus!" Sirius complained once my father was out of earshot. "For a minute I thought my father had come back from the dead and was going to box my ears for sniping at Reg."

"Tell me about it," Regulus chuckled ruefully. "That tone nearly made me jump out of my skin. I almost looked over my shoulder to see if he was holding a damn slipper!"

"You're lucky he wasn't," I said, then laughed at Regulus's horrified expression. "The both of you were a pair of devils and you know it."

"Oh, and you were an angel, Snape?" Padfoot snorted.

"Hardly. But I never went out of my way to cause trouble the way you did, Siri. He wouldn't have tolerated that." I moved over to finish scrambling the eggs and poured them into the pan. "Fact is, he didn't tolerate much back then." I began to turn the eggs with a fork. "What did you do with Dan's body?"

"Burned it to hide the fact that he was killed by a panther," Sirius replied matter-of-factly. "We made it look like the house caught fire from an unattended cigarette and he didn't make it out in time. The Muggle authorities will rule it as an accidental death and that'll be the end of it."

"Clever," I said approvingly. "What about the others? The Cabal sorcerer and the two Muggles?"

"Sanguinius is dead," Regulus said flatly, his eyes glittering in satisfaction. "Killed while resisting arrest is how I'm going to report it to my Captain. He's no great loss, the scumbag. I've been after him for years, but never got close enough to pin anything on him until now. It was sheer luck that he was the one Dan hired to help him with his kidnapping scheme."

"What goes around comes around," I said, frowning. "You killed him?"

He nodded. "Drug dealing baby raping piece of trash," said the Guardian heatedly. "He'd of sacrificed your son and the other little girl, Hermione is it?-at the dark of the moon to increase his standing in the Cabal. He was bragging about it to Dan, and he agreed to sell them to the bugger if he paid him enough. The two of them probably have identical seats in the fire next to Satan, by my reckoning."

I nodded coldly. "And the other two?"

"In Auror custody for now, until I return to the States with them. Then I'll turn them over to the NYPD Special Investigations and let them put them away. They ought to get twenty years to life, because both of ‘em have prior records."

"Reg, how did you get involved with Muggle authorities? What about the Statute of Secrecy?" I queried.

"It's different over there, Severus. The Guardians have a partnership with NYPD SI. SI is kind of a outcast department, they get the cases the regular department won't touch, all the paranormal sightings and the alien invasion stuff and whatnot. But they aren't always equipped to handle some of the magical beasts and necromancers they get pitted against, so the USMA decided to give them a hand, and allowed the Guardians to team up with them. After all, we were fighting the same foe. That's what I am, I'm a liaison to SI, I work with them to solve cases and fight high priority wizard criminals."

"They know what you are?"

"Yup. And they're okay with it. They stopped burning witches over there back in 1698," Regulus stated dryly. "Oh, they don't know everything about us, but they know enough to realize that magic really does exist and I can use it and I've saved their asses a number of times, so they respect me, and by extension the rest of the USMA."

"I never would've figured you for a responsible law-abiding wizard," Sirius remarked slyly.

"Well, you don't know everything, now do you?" Regulus scowled. "You just think you do."

"He's grown up, Siri," I interjected, before my indignant friend could start another quarrel. "He's not the spoiled brat that used to tell on us for everything any more. He's found where he belongs. Just like the rest of us did. I can't say I'm surprised you're a Guardian, Magnus."

"I'd hope not, Severus. It's practically a family tradition. At least one Black in every generation is an Auror." The youngest Black answered. "I'm just an Auror with an American title."

I finished with the eggs and put them on a plate, then started cooking some bacon and toast. "Where's Moony? It's not like him to sleep late." I asked, glancing at the clock and finding it was already nine o'clock.

"He was up with the sun," Sirius laughed. "He and Albus are over at headquarters, giving a report to the Chief of the Aurors right now. Should be interesting."

I didn't doubt it. I flipped the bacon over just as Harry and Dad returned. Harry was grinning from ear to ear, and he ran over to me and said, "Grandpa and I went over to see Inky, Dad, and he opened his eyes and purred and licked me. You wouldn't even know he nearly died."

I glanced down at him sharply. "How do you know that, Harry?"

"Know what?"

"That Inky almost died? I didn't tell you anything about his condition."

He shrugged. "I just know, Dad. I could feel him somehow." Then he resumed his tale of his morning visit to Inky. "I could take Lexy to show her Inky when she wakes up. And guess what else happened, Dad?"

"What?"

"Grandpa said that Inky was a hero and then he hugged him, " Harry related delightedly.

I arched an eyebrow at Dad, who looked down at his hands. "Well, even a bloody nuisance of a panther deserves his day in the sun. After all, he saved my son and grandson, not to mention Lexy."

Speaking of Lexy, she came into the kitchen a moment later, yawning and rubbing her eyes. "Morning, Healer Sev and Mr. Toby! Oh, and hello to you too Sirius and Magnus." She glanced about the kitchen. "Where's my mother?"

"Sleeping," I replied, then held out an arm for her to come to me. She burrowed into my side and I ruffled her hair, same as I did to Harry. "She'll be up soon. Meantime, you can sit and have breakfast with us and then I'm going to examine you and Harry, make sure those filthy men didn't hurt you any worse than what I've seen."

"Aww, Dad!" groaned Harry. "Do we have to do that?"

"You do, " I said firmly. "Don't sulk, scamp. It's not as bad as you're thinking. I have no shots to give you. Just a routine exam."

He rolled his eyes, but didn't bother protesting again. I flipped the bacon onto a plate, and Harry came in to lean against my other side. I was thankful the two children were not quarreling over me the way they had done previously, it seemed that their time with the kidnappers had drawn them even closer than before. Which was all to the good, we were starting to become a real family.

I sent Lexy in to wake up Alaina, thinking that in addition to my exam, the kids should probably be looked at by one of the St. Mungoes staff Mind Healers. They had endured a great deal of trauma and dread, and I thought a few sessions with one of our empathic Healers would do them good.

Alaina came in a moment later, and was greeted cordially by everyone. For once, Sirius bridled his tongue and there were no comments made about where she had spent the night, though I knew they all knew she had been with me. In more ways than one.

After breakfast, I took Lexy and Harry into my workroom, and examined them individually. Other than few bumps and bruises, they were in good physical condition. I had expected much worse, given that Harry had been sporting a bruise the size of a small mango. But we'd gotten there in time, because they didn't bear any marks upon them. Physically, that is.

Mentally . . .that was whole different story.

Lexy especially, bore some emotional scarring, it would be months before she could ever get over what her father had done, and then she'd probably still have flashbacks on occasion, the way I did. I'd suggest to Alaina that she have Lexy visit with Miranda Robinson, who was my therapist, she worked specifically with children and adults suffering from long term mental and physical abuse during their childhood by a parent or guardian. Miranda was top notch, she'd be able to help Lexy get some kind of closure and resolve any issues she might have regarding Dan.

I would help too, of course, but I was no professional, and Miranda was more qualified and experienced than I was. Speaking of professions, I wondered if Dan had made a will and if so, did he leave any of his money to his daughter? If he had left the bulk of his fortune to Lexy, she'd be a rich woman someday, when she reached her majority.

Like Harry, for he'd been the recipient of James's assets upon his death, which were held in trust by me, to be used when he came of age or for school tuition and books.

If Lexy was the recipient of any of her father's money, I was sure an attorney would shortly be contacting Alaina, once Dan's body had been discovered.

Once my exam was finished, I let them go outside to play, then returned to the kitchen to discuss several things with Alaina, who agreed with me about the counseling and said she was unsure of the way Dan had left his will, we'd simply have to wait and see.

Regulus opted to stay a few more days here, visiting with Sirius and getting to know his brother again, though they went back to Sirius's flat, saying they'd already worn out their welcome with me. Dad and Alaina returned home too, and once again it was just the three of us, me, Harry, and Inky.

Inky had recovered wonderfully from his near brush with death, and was back to his normal sassy self within a day or two. Harry took a bit longer to recover from his days under the thumb of the kidnappers, he began having nightmares every other night, and once he even wet the bed.

He was horribly embarrassed, of course, though I wasn't surprised much, since stress and anxiety sometimes caused a child to regress, and I didn't make a big deal out of it. I think he expected me to punish him over it, which I would never do, instead I made sure he drank no water before bedtime and used the bathroom, and I stayed with him until he fell asleep.

But there was only the one incident, after that my precautions took hold and his anxiety lessened. But once or twice he would crawl into my big bed and sleep with me and so too would Inky. Usually this was right after a major nightmare and I spent the greater part of the night holding him and soothing him back to sleep. I didn't mind, I was just happy to have Harry back where he belonged and safe at home.

Alaina admitted that Lexy also had nightmares and insisted on sleeping with the lights on. I could hardly blame the poor thing for that, recalling where I'd found her. But gradually, she too was beginning to trust and to love not only her mother, but me as well.

Dan's attorney contacted Alaina a week later to inform her that one Alexis Marie Chase was the sole recipient of Dan's inheritance. Alaina laughed as she signed the papers and said that was the only good thing she'd ever gotten out of him.

October slid into November and before I knew it, it was the middle of November, and I still hadn't finished my Christmas shopping. I had one very special gift left to buy, and a few trinkets for friends or the odd guest, before I was done, but that one gift proved difficult for me to pick out, until Dad volunteered to help me.

Together we picked out a fine one and I prepared for a very memorable Christmas, like the ones I used to have when Lily was alive.