This was the second time in nearly ten months that I found myself giving advice and reassurance to a Muggle mother regarding her magical child. Perhaps I ought to add counselor to the MH after my name, since I seemed to be playing that part exclusively these days. Honestly, though I didn't mind. The Muggle parents of magical children needed to be educated about what to expect from their child and to not fear them for having a power they never could.

Although, I had to admit that Alaina didn't strike me as the type to ostracize her child for having magic. Yes, she had seemed a bit bewildered over it, but there was none of the fear or anxiety that Jane Granger had displayed, no remarks about when her child would return to normal, as if magic were a disease that could be gotten over. And from her reaction, I had the feeling that this was not the first time Lexy had displayed accidental magic and Alaina had tried to cover for her. Which was all to the good. For if Alaina were supportive of her child, Lexy and she would have a much easier time of it.

As I shredded some lettuce for a salad that evening for dinner, I wondered what had caused them to leave American and come here. Perhaps her ex-husband had been causing problems? I was certain there was a story behind their move here, but I wouldn't pry into her personal life, I knew all too well about wounds of the past. There was an air of mystery about Alaina Montague that intrigued me though.

She would take awhile to adjust to her new life here, both the magical one and the mundane one, and for a moment I considered introducing her to my partner, Matthew Morgan, for he too was a transplanted American. But then something in me shied away, and I thought I could help her just as well as Matt. After all, it was my trolley her kid crashed into at the supermarket, and there are no coincidences, as Albus liked to say. I shook my head and turned to slice up a tomato, wondering just what in Merlin's name had gotten into me. I hardly knew this woman and yet she aroused feelings of protection and . . .other feelings in me that I had not felt since Lily had died.

You're being ridiculous, Sev! How can you be attracted to a woman you've only just met? You don't believe in love at first sight or destiny like Albus. Lily had been both my best friend and my lover, I'd had what most men never find and I wasn't seeking a replacement. But her face kept intruding into my thoughts. Not that she was beautiful, because Alaina would never be called that, but she was refreshingly . . .ordinary and pretty. She had a firm jaw and high cheekbones, slightly rounded, and her eyes were large and dark. Expressive eyes, eyes that had flashed alarm after the flying incident, love when she looked at her child, and a kind of bewildered fascination at the mention of magic. What did those eyes see when she looked at me?

I knew most of the young interns around St. Mungos considered me handsome, though I was not as good-looking as my father. Not that I cared, for looks had never mattered much to me. I had always judged a person based on actions and personality rather than looks, for a pretty face could hide a cruel heart and vice versa.

But did Alaina see the man first, or the wizard? And why in the hell did it matter? I wasn't looking for a woman to date, and she had enough to deal with without adding a relationship into the equation. You're not too old to date, Sev. I heard my father's voice whispering to me in the back of my mind. Just shut up, Dad, I told it irritably. Then I continued to fix supper, though a part of me was waiting for the normally silent phone to ring, Merlin save me.

Once I'd put Harry to bed, my time was my own, and I fixed myself a cup of tea and had gotten a bowl of that ice cream Harry had persuaded me to buy, one ear cocked towards the phone, when it rang.

Once, twice, and then I picked it up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, um . . .Severus, right? It's Alaina Montague, we, uh, met in the supermarket."

"I remember," I said softly. A part of me was a little amazed that she had called, and hadn't just written me off as a crazy person.

"Yes, well how could you forget a hyper seven-year-old girl smashing into your cart like a Crash Test Dummy?" she said, laughing a little in embarrassment. "I've been thinking about what you said before, about Lexy being able to do magic, and I wanted to know how it was possible."

"A very good question, Alaina. I wish I had a better answer for you than the standard, wizards are born with the gift of magic, but there it is. No one knows how or why some people inherit magic's gift and others do not. It has nothing to do with genetics, because even a pureblood wizarding family can have a child who is non-magical, and the same is true in a Muggle family."

"A what?"

"Muggle is a term we wizards use to describe a person who doesn't have magic," I explained.

"Oh. So you're saying that having magic is like having an unusual eye color or being able to read before you go to kindergarten, right?"

"Exactly. There have never been very many of us either, which is why eventually we decided to form our own society, hiding ourselves in plain sight with our magic." I went on to detail certain places in our world, like the Ministry of Magic, Diagon Alley, and St Mungos, and several wizard residences, including mine, located in London.

"I can't believe it! It's . . .amazing!"

I had to laugh, for it had been a long time since I had heard honest to God amazement in another adult's voice that way. "Well, it's not as hard as you think to hide that way. People see what they want to see and that works to our advantage."

"I don't doubt it. Some people would consider you insane and try and have you committed, nowadays. Seven hundred years ago, they'd have burned you at the stake for being a tool of the Devil."

"People fear the different," I said, sighing. "That is why I felt it necessary to speak with you Alaina. So you didn't start to fear Lexy because she has magic's gift."

`
"Severus, I would never be afraid of my own child. Lexy is my life, she's all I've got. My husband and I divorced three months ago, it wasn't pleasant, but it was utterly necessary. Now Lexy and I are much happier."

"Good, because having a magical child is not easy at the best of times. I'm a single parent myself, so I know what kinds of things you're going through. But the important thing to remember, Alaina, is the Lexy has no control over her magic at this point, it reacts on impulse and will mostly. You might see something levitate or transfigure itself, such as a cup suddenly becoming a bird, or vice versa, or she may summon something to her, but generally accidental magic is brief and not something to be alarmed over."

"You said it reacts to emotions?"

"Generally, yes it does. Strong emotions can sometimes cause magic to respond to her, but not always. But her magic will grow stronger the older she becomes, until it's time for her to attend a special school for young wizards called Hogwarts."

"You have a wizard school? Should I be sending her there now?"

"No, because children must be eleven before they can attend there, since that is the age when their magic sparks fully and they can begin learning how to control it. Both I and my wife attended a regular public school until it was time to go off to Hogwarts, which is a boarding school, by the way."

I went on to detail specifics about Hogwarts, explained the owl post to her, and also told her my own occupation as a Master Healer.

"A wizard doctor! Wow! You must be able to cure almost anything, right?"

"Regrettably, not as much as we'd like. Magic is very good, but even we do not have the gift of immortality, Alaina. I couldn't cure my wife, she contracted lupus and even with all of my skills, it took her from me," I admitted quietly.

"Oh, Severus, I'm so sorry. Was it recent?"

"No, Lily passed on three years ago. Since then it's just been me and Harry," I answered, feeling my throat tighten in remembrance. Then I asked a question of my own. "Are you planning on teaching here, Alaina?"

"Yes, but I need to see if any school is hiring and if I need to get certified again before I start. But I do miss my classroom, though it's been nice having a bit of a break."

"I'd imagine it would be. Have you met the Grangers? They also have a little girl who is in Harry's class named Hermione and she also has magic."

"Oh, yes, Lexy plays with her quite a bit. They're our neighbors. Funny, isn't it, how things work out? I mean, Lexy's new friend just happens to be a witch like her and then we bump into one another and you also are just the person I need to explain things to me so I'm not such a fish out of water."

"My friend Albus would tell you that there are no such things as coincidences." I chuckled.

"I'm beginning to think he may be right," Alaina said. There was a little pause, then she said, "Umm . . .I may be jumping ahead a little bit, but I just had a brainstorm. I know there must be tons of information on wizards and magic and your world that we don''t know, and you can't possibly tell me all of it in one conversation."

"True. I do have a book on hand that may help you a bit called Your Magical Child: A Guide for Parents of Muggleborn Children," I said, only now recalling that Lily had given me her parents' copy and I had put it away years ago.

"A book sounds great, Severus, but I was thinking more along the lines of a umm . . .seminar."

"A seminar?"

"Yes, where you could teach us what we need to know about your world, me, Lexy, Hermione, and perhaps the Grangers also. Unless you think it's a terrible idea . . ." she trailed off uncertainly.

"No, it's a very good idea," I said quickly. "It's something I ought've thought of myself. Perhaps I could have a small class maybe for an hour or two on the weekends or one night a week in the evening, if that's all right?"

"Yes, any time is good for me, it's you and the Grangers who have the busy schedules. Are you on call like a regular doctor, Severus?"

"Yes, and I have office hours and rounds the same as any Muggle physician," I said. "I do most of the same things, except I use magic to treat and diagnose my patients."

"Do you do surgery as well?"

"Yes, but it's non-invasive, with spells," I answered. "Much less recovery time and pain involved for the patient."

"Sounds incredible. Too bad our doctors couldn't figure out something similar, with all of our technology."

"To each his own, Alaina. Your technology can do some pretty amazing things as well. Magic simply works differently, with a different set of laws and rules. But I'll explain all of that when I hold out first session. I need to check my schedule and let you know when a good day is for me and then we can try and arrange regular meetings with you and the children as well. I think two hours should be sufficient, and I'll be working practically with the children so they aren't bored out of their mind with lecturing."

"If you need me to, I can draw up charts and poster boards," she offered. "I did that all the time for lessons when I taught, Severus."

"Yes, that would be a great help, once I decide what I'm doing," I said. "I think it best if we have the classes at my house. Only I have to warn you, I have a rather unusual pet."

"Oh? Like a unicorn or a dragon?"

"No, nothing too exotic," I laughed. "I have a half-grown panther named Inky."

"A panther! Wow! Is he tame?"

"Yes, and he started out as a stuffed toy of my son's. Until he was brought to life by Harry with accidental magic." I explained. "Harry happens to have some rather unusual abilities," I said, unable to keep the pride from my voice.

"My goodness! I sure hope Lexy doesn't try that, I'll end up with a menagerie, with all the stuffed animals she has!" Alaina laughed, sounding a bit alarmed.

"No fear of that, Alaina." I reassured her. "His other wizard friends know of it and they can't duplicate it. Harry doesn't know how he did it either. Accidental magic is just that, Alaina. Accidental." Although I didn't tell her that a child who displays strong incidences of accidental magic will most likely become a very powerful wizard or witch someday. Time enough for particulars later.

"Does your panther like children?"

"Yes. He is very gentle and you don't need to worry about him scratching or biting your child, since I've blunted his claws and teeth with a spell." I told her. "Everyone loves Inky and Inky loves everyone."

She exhaled a sigh of profound relief, or so it seemed to me. "I'm sure Lexy will be delighted when she comes over. She's been begging me for a pet, but with the move here and trying to get a new job and all, I just don't see adding a pet into our life right now. Maybe one day, when we're more settled, we could get a cat or a dog. Do all you wizards have exotic pets like yours, Severus?"

"No, not at all. Most wizards have owls, or frogs, dogs, and cats. But a panther is exotic even for us. But my son has never been one to do things halfway. When he first transfigured the toy, I was tempted to just turn it back, but he convinced me not to and now I wouldn't dream of it. Inky is here to stay. My father thinks I'm crazy, but this wouldn't be the first time he's disapproved of what I do," I remarked wryly. Now why on earth had I told her that? I found myself saying things I normally never would to someone I'd only just met.

"Sounds rather like my dad, come to think of it. Only he was right, I made a big mistake marrying Daniel." She coughed, then said awkwardly, "But that's all water under the bridge now. I came here to make a fresh start and not dwell on the past. I just never expected my fresh start to include meeting wizards and learning about an entirely new culture."

"Does it frighten you then?" I queried softly.

"No . . .not really. I'm excited and curious and I want to learn as much as I can so I can help Lexy. I can remember wishing when I was a little kid that I had magic, or a fairy godmother, or some kind of magic wand. I guess I never really lost that. And now, I find out that my little girl actually has magic . . .it's so very amazing! I almost don't believe it." Her voice was bright with wonder, like a little child who has just witnessed a miracle.

I must say I found her attitude quite refreshing from the disbelief and wariness most Muggles displayed upon learning their child possessed magic. I almost envied Lexy Montague then, for she would never suffer the mistrust and fear I had, not with Alaina as a parent. Pull yourself together, Severus, and quit behaving like a jealous ten-year-old. What's done is done, and there's no sense in dwelling on the past. At least Tobias has changed for the better now.

"Well, I guess I've talked your ear off enough for one night, Severus. I'd better get going, I've got one more interview at the school tomorrow and you probably need to get some sleep as well, Dr. Snape."

"Sleep would be a good thing," I agreed, then added, "And we call ourselves Healers, Alaina. Though in my case I'm a Master Healer, because I hold two masteries, Medicine and Potions. I'm a Potions Master and a Healer, and thus they combine my titles."

"A Potions Master? Is that sort of like a PhD? You know, a doctorate degree?"

"Hmm . . .in a way I guess you could say that. But no one calls me professor, that's only for teachers at Hogwarts."

"Professor Snape doesn't sound all that strange to me. But then again, I'm biased, since I'm a teacher." Alaina admitted. "Here's my number, so you can call me once you figure out a day and all that." She rattled off her number, which I scribbled on the message board next to the phone. It was an enchanted board that wrote what I dictated with a magical quill, unless I happened to want to write it myself.

"Thank you, Alaina. I will call and let you know about the first class as soon as I can," I said sincerely. "It was a pleasure talking with you."

"Same here, Severus. See you around! Bye!"

Once I had said goodbye, I remained standing next to the phone, pondering what evenings I had free most times. I summoned my current three month schedule with a snap of my fingers and began to peruse it. I can't believe I agreed to this. I've never taught anything before, except medical procedures to interns. What was I thinking?

That perhaps this was a chance for me to prove once and for all that my theory of educating Muggle parents of magical children will be beneficial to the Ministry in the long run. We've hidden in the shadows too long, it's time to step into the sunlight and let the world see us for what we truly are. And the first step towards that is to educate the Muggles who are a part of our world. Knowledge banishes fear, that was one of my maxims, and I intended to make it the mission statement for these classes.

Hopefully, I would do a satisfactory job and not make myself look like an idiot. Yeah, Snape, that won't impress Alaina at all, whispered a lone voice in the back of my head. It sounded suspiciously like Sirius, and I told it firmly I wasn't trying to impress anyone, this was something that needed to be done, and experiment that might prove beneficial to everyone if it worked.

And it's a marvelous excuse to see Alaina every week, chuckled that wayward part of myself, which I told irritably to shut the hell up. All right, Sev. But you know I'm right, it hissed unrepentantly.

Ignoring it, I went back into the den and studied my schedule some more.

The next morning was Saturday and therefore I Apparated to Spinner's End with Harry to see my father. The weekends were Tobias's, as per the agreement I had made with him some months ago. I still had reservations about leaving Harry alone with him for longer than a few hours, even though my father had not touched a drop of spirits in months, not since that fateful poker game at the pub. I really wished there were a spell to guarantee an alcoholic's sobriety, but there wasn't, unless I wanted to use the Imperius Curse on my father.

I shuddered at the mere thought. The whole idea of ruthlessly controlling another person that way was utterly abhorrent to me. I was a firm believer in free will and Tobias had made a choice not to drink and hopefully he would make it stick. He was doing extremely well, attending his counseling sessions and meeting regularly, and also making friends with people who did not spend all of their free time down at the pub, like Carl Middleton. Between the two of us, I thought it was possible to keep my father walking the line of sobriety forever.

Tobias was trimming the roses when we arrived and Harry raced over to him, yelling, "Grandpa! Grandpa!" like he hadn't seen him in a month.

Dad set down the clippers and scooped him up. "How are you doing, Harry? Been behaving yourself?"

"Yes. Dad took me shopping for school stuff and gave me a check-up with three shots and I didn't cry at all."

Tobias patted him on the back and said he was a brave kid, just like his father. Harry beamed at that and I felt a sudden warmth in my chest at that, for the old Tobias would've said that to me when hell froze over. He had come far from where he had been, I thought, pleased.

"And then guess what happened yesterday, Grandpa?" Harry chattered excitedly.

"Tell me, minnow, while I finish this," Dad said, putting my son down and picking up the clippers. He turned and waved hello at me. "Hi, Sev. I just need to finish up here and then I'll go inside."

"Take your time," I called back, then summoned three large frosted glasses of iced tea, and levitated two of them over.

They gulped it down and thanked me, then Harry began telling Dad about little Lexy and Alaina Montague, who we met in the supermarket. "And she's a witch too, like my other best friend, Hermione. You remember Hermione, right?"

"Yes, Harry. You seem to meet magical people in the darndest places."

"She crashed her shopping trolley into ours, Grandpa. And her mother's like you, she doesn't have magic. But Lexy's really strong, she can make herself pick up furniture." He went on to detail how he loved playing with Inky and other kid his ages, like the Weasleys, and then he said, "And Lexy's mum gave Dad her phone number after he talked to her last night."

"Oh?" a pleased smile lit my father's face. "Well, that's a start. What did you two discuss? Or is it wizard business?"

"No. We decided to hold a class where I teach Muggleborns like Lexy and Hermione and Muggles like Alaina and Jane and Wally. You could attend it too, if you're free, that is."

Dad pursed his lips. "I'll think about it. I never was one for much book-learning." He eyed me speculatively, but then he turned away and continued pruning.

I beat a hasty retreat inside, knowing he was going to ask me some very pointed questions. Like whether or not I had asked out Alaina.

I seated myself at the table, which looked as though Tobias had polished and sanded it to a glossy sheen. I think since he stopped drinking, he had turned more and more towards carpentry, which he was extremely gifted in.

Sure enough, i hadn't long to wait before both grandfather and grandson came inside. Tobias steered Harry straight to the sink, where my son got out the hand-carved stepstool Dad had made for him and used it to wash the dirt off his hands. He'd probably been picking up the dead branches again.

Harry scrubbed industriously, then rinsed and showed his hands to Dad for inspection. "Finished. How's that, Grandpa?"

Dad pretended to inspect my son's palms, then nodded and said, "Well done, minnow. Now go out and fetch me the empty glasses, won't you?"

"Sure. Be right back," and Harry raced out the door to retrieve the glasses, which I was almost positive had been left there on purpose.

As soon as my son had departed, Dad took a seat across from me, and said, "So who's the mystery woman, Sev? Harry tells me you bumped into each other in the supermarket."

"We did, and it's not what you're thinking," I said quickly.

"Oh?" One blond eyebrow rose questioningly. "Then you don't like her?"

"I barely know her, Dad. She seems nice enough, but I'm not going to put a ring on her finger any time soon."

"Who mentioned marriage, Sev? Not me! All I'm saying is don't sell yourself short. You're not middle-aged yet, son, and you shouldn't keep to yourself so much. You need to get out more, Sev. There's more to life than Harry and your practice, you know."

I regarded him with something close to open-mouthed astonishment. "Dad? Are you feeling all right? Because I can't believe the hermit of Spinner's End is offering me advice on personal relationships."

He colored faintly. "Well, somebody has to, else you're going to end up like one of your dried up specimens. I know I'm not the best example in the world, God knows I was a right bastard to your mother sometimes, but I never stopped loving her. And when she died, I mourned her and then I went on with my life, such as it was."

My own eyebrow rose. "You've dated other women since Mum died?"

"Holy God, Sev, I'm not dead yet. Or ugly as sin. Once I quit drinking, I looked around and found that the ladies still found me attractive. So yes, I've dated. Not when I watched Harry, of course, but afterwards. And so can you. There's no reason why you can't get a sitter and go out every once in awhile."

"I suppose not, but ever since I woke up, Harry's been a little clingy." I began, knowing even as I said it that it was just an excuse.

"Sev, the kid's gotta learn sometime that he can't have your attention every minute. I know you two are close, but he's going to have to learn to share you one day. And not just with me. This Alaina sounds like a good person to consider as maybe more than a friend."

"If she wants to be. I'm not going to throw myself at her, Dad. I'm not that desperate."

"You would never need to be," he laughed. "Most women tend to find us Snapes mighty appealing. That Lily of yours never looked twice at another man after she married you, now did she?"

"No."

"There you go then. Look, all I'm saying is just because you loved once doesn't mean you can't love again. If you find the right woman. I'm sure your Lily wouldn't want you to be alone all your life."

"I'm not alone, Dad. I have plenty of friends and you and Harry."

"It's not the same." My father said wisely.

He was right, it wasn't. But did I dare to take a chance again? I didn't fancy putting my heart on the line only to have it rejected. "I'll think about it." I said at last. After the first meeting, I would see if the sparks between me and Alaina were just that, or was there something more? Only time would tell.

Harry returned, carrying both glasses and placed them on the table. "What took you so long, scamp?"

He shrugged. "Nothin'. A woman was walking her dog and I went to pet it. She said I could," he added at my darkened frown. Ever since the attack by the vicious Butch across the street, I had insisted Harry always ask permission before going to pet a strange dog, because you never knew. He slid into a chair next to me. "Dad, I'm hungry. What've we got to eat here?"

I cocked an eyebrow at Tobias. "Ask your grandpa."

He did and Tobias's answer, sandwiches and chocolate bars, pleased him to no end. I merely sighed and resigned myself to the fact that on the weekends at least, Harry would develop a sugar high and be hyper until bedtime. But then, such were the perils of eating at a grandparent's house where you were the only grandson and had a sweet tooth besides.

Afterwards we went to the park, so Harry could burn off some of that excess energy and Dad and I spent the rest of the afternoon discussing odd cases I'd had and he spoke a little about my mother and how she would've loved to see her grandson. All in all, it was a most pleasant day, and I had much to think about.