Albus Dumbledore was having a good morning.  His new shipment of lemon drops arrived this morning at breakfast.  His lemon drops always brought a smile to his face.  He could not figure out what about them fascinated him so much.  All he knew was that the little yellow candies were delicious!  Even Fawkes liked them!  This both delighted and dismayed the elderly wizard, because it meant less for himself but it also meant having a friend, even if it was his pet phoenix, who shared his liking for the candies.

He had just offered his hand containing one of the yellow candies to his phoenix, who was contentedly resting on his perch, when a great horned owl flew into his office with an envelope in its beak.  Dumbledore sighed, and went to the owl, ignoring the fact that Fawkes cooed in disappointment from having the candy taken away. 

Dumbledore took the letter and opened it.  His blue eyes scanned the writing through his half-moon spectacles quickly.  He had not heard from this student in a very long time.  Since she was a student, in fact.  The letter took him by surprise.  He read it a second time before he looked at it half suspecting some ill intent.  However, she had never given him trouble.  She meant no harm. 

"I'm about to leave to find the headmaster," Severus announced to Flitwick as soon as he saw the half-goblin's office. 

"Very good, Severus.  Let me get myself prepared."  Flitwick scurried about his office, gathering a few slips of parchment on which he'd written down several new spells.  He snatched his wand from the desk after hopping up onto his chair.  With his materials in his arms he turned to Severus again.  "Is she ready?"

"Yes.  She is in Hogsmeade waiting for a reply to her letter." 

"But is she ready?" the small wizard asked again.

"She better be."

Flitwick raised an eyebrow at Severus.  "And you, my boy, are you ready?"

Severus drew in a long breath before answering.  "Yes.  As ready as I ever could be."

"And Remus?"

Severus nodded.  "He's at his flat with my son.  No doubt occupying him in some way."

Flitwick looked hard into Severus's eyes.  He did not want to ask it, but he knew he had to.  "And if this whole thing fails?"

Severus tensed visibly in his expression.  He glared at Flitwick.  "It won't fail.  I won't allow it to fail." 

Flitwick nodded.  "Very well, Severus.  I'll arrive in ten minutes in the headmaster's office.  Good luck, my boy."

Without another word or change in his expression, Severus's face disappeared in a flurry of green flame. 

Albus Dumbledore had finished writing a reply and had decided that before this newly scheduled meeting was to take place, a small sort of snack would be nice.  He opted to walk to the kitchens today, since it was a weekend and the students would not be overtaking the hallways trying to get to their classes on time.  He smiled merrily as he left his office, dreaming up what treats he would have. 

He was nearing the corridor to the kitchens when he saw someone heading his way.  "Severus," he said, loudly in the empty corridor, his voice reverberating off the walls.  "What brings you to the kitchens?" 

Severus looked relieved as he reached Dumbledore.  "I was about to go searching for you.  May I speak with you?" 

"Of course, though we must make a detour in the kitchens.  I have an appointment in half an hour."  Without waiting for a reply, the older wizard headed towards the kitchens.  Severus followed.  Once Dumbledore entered the kitchens, and after being greeted by all the house elves, with whom he placed his order of a slice of lemon crème pie, did his attention return to his young professor. 

"What can I do for you, Severus?"

"Ever since my...arrest...I've been having difficulty in keeping the students in line.  Not the first and second years.  I think they're a little frightened at the thought of being taught by someone who spent a brief time in Azkaban.  I mean everyone above them."

Dumbledore conjured a large plush armchair and sat down in it just as a chipper house elf arrived with his pie.  With a pleased grin and quiet chuckle, he picked up his fork and stabbed the pie enthusiastically.  After he savored the first bite, he conjured a second chair.  "Do sit, Severus.  I cannot truly enjoy something as wonderful as this pie with someone standing over me."

With a scowl, Severus sat down in the chair.  "Headmaster, what can I do to keep-"

"Be patient.  Let me eat this first, and then we will talk about your situation."  Dumbledore looked down at the house elf that was still standing next to the arm of the chair, staring at him with giant tennis ball eyes.  "Would you get another slice of this for Severus?"

"That's not necess-"

"Oh, no, I insist!  You will enjoy it." 

Before Severus could attempt another protest, he found a house elf in front of him holding a slice of pie out to him.  He looked at Dumbledore, who gazed at him from over his glasses.  Sighing, Severus accepted the pie and began to eat it slowly, hoping that he could delay Dumbledore's trip back to his quarters long enough for Flitwick to do his part of the plan. 

The fireplace flared to life in a vibrant green, catching Fawkes's attention.  Before the flames had even lessened, he heard a voice shout out a phrase.  "Incendio!"  Fawkes had just started to flap his wings to try to fly away before he was hit by the bursts of flames that someone had thrown at him from the fireplace.  The phoenix vainly tried to flap his wings, his eyes closed in pain as he burned.  Suddenly, his body crumbled, and he had no more memory. 

Filius Flitwick stepped from the green flames just before they died.  He saw the pile of ashes where the screaming bird was only moments ago with a wicked smile.  Part one was accomplished for him.  He knew he had to hurry just in case Severus could not delay Dumbledore for a long period of time. 

The half-goblin darted throughout the large office, trying to find the Hogwarts Student Registry.  He knew what it looked like.  It was a large, opened book, which was spelled to record the names of all future students at the time of their births.  If only he could find it.  He knew it would not be in the main part of his office, and so he darted to the room just off of it.  It happened to be the headmaster's bedroom.  His eyes scanned the room, and saw nothing that could lead to the book.  He even checked wardrobes.  Dumbledore may find a twisted delight that he had hidden the book in an enlarged closet to keep it out of harm's way.  Flitwick was determined!  He was going to find this book!  He headed into another chamber connected to the bedroom.  This looked to be a sort of library.  Flitwick groaned at the sight of the books.  He saw the Sorting Hat stir on the top shelf and he dove behind an ottoman.  He waited until he heard the Sorting Hat stop rustling before he peeked over the top of the ottoman.  It was sleeping again.  Flitwick suddenly remembered that the Registry would not possibly be here.  It was always opened. 

He saw another door in the library and he ran quickly over to it.  He pulled on the door and ended up on the floor!  It was locked.  Excitement coursed through him.  With a flick of his wand he performed a non-verbal unlocking spell.  He heard the satisfying click of a lock unlatching.  He ran up to the door again and gave a firm tug.  The door silently drifted open.  And there on a tall pedestal was the book for which he was searching.  It was much bigger than he ever thought it would be.  It was opened, as a large, blue plumed feather scratched away.  It was recording names.  Flitwick levitated himself to the height of the book before conjuring a high stool.  He looked at the book and noticed that at least one hundred names could fit on one side of the opened book.  It was taller than him!  The quill was about a third of the way down on the right of the book.  Flitwick ran his finger down the opposite page of the names and dates of what would be his future students.  He even got a little carried away looking at the names.  He wondered who would be promising. 

Hermione Jane Granger......................................1 September 1979

Daphne Greengrass..............................................23 October 1979

Terry Boot..........................................................2 November 1979

Padma Patil.........................................................11 January 1980

Pavarti Patil..........................................................11 January 1980

Seamus Finnegan..................................................1 February 1980

Ronald Bilius Weasley................................................1 March 1980

Michael Corner.............................................................4 April 1980

Lavender Brown..........................................................12 May 1980

Gregory Goyle............................................................28 May 1980

Draco Lucius Malfoy ....................................................5 June 1980

Ernie Macmillan............................................................8 July 1980

Neville Longbottom.....................................................30 July 1980

Harry James Potter......................................................31 July 1980

Pansy Parkinson......................................................3 August 1980

Blaise Zabini..........................................................10 August 1980

Vincent Crabbe.......................................................19 August 1980

Luna Lovegood...........................................................15 May 1981

Colin Creevey............................................................19 June 1981

Ginevra Molly Weasley...........................................11 August 1981

‘Oh, dear!' Flitwick thought.  ‘Lucius and Narcissa Malfoy have had a son.  This should be interesting.'  Flitwick smiled, remembering for a moment how skilled Lucius Malfoy was in his magic, and the very pretty and sweet Narcissa Black.  He had no doubt their son would be talented.  His finger passed ‘Harry James Potter' in his curiosity...until he remembered that he needed to do something here, not just peruse the Registry Book!

He reached into his robes and pulled out a small piece of parchment.  He looked at his own new spell, reading it over several times.  Then, he touched his wand in the small space between the names of Neville Longbottom and Harry James Potter.  "Adaugeortus."  The space between the two names grew larger, pushing the other names below Harry's down a little.  "Tevin Antonius Ryker Snape pro Harry James Potter in triginta primoris July undeviginti octoginta."  The space below Neville's name began to glow for a moment before Tevin's name began to bleed onto the page in the book.  Flitwick watched as Tevin's name appeared and grew as dark as the others in the book.  He smiled as he saw the addition.

Ernie Macmillan........................................................8 July 1980

Neville Longbottom.................................................30 July 1980

Tevin Antonius Ryker Snape.....................................31 July 1980

Harry James Potter...................................................31 July 1980

Pansy Parkinson....................................................3 August 1980

Flitwick got down onto the floor again, his mission complete. He made his way quickly out of the library, shutting and locking the door again, and silently running past the Sorting Hat.  He dashed through the bedroom and then into the office again.  He saw the head of the newly born-from-the-ashes phoenix moving lethargically.  He did not know how much time he'd spent in Dumbledore's office, but he knew it was long enough!  Without wasting anymore time, he removed a small pouch from his robes and tossed the whole thing into the fireplace, sending the flames into a bright green.  He was not about to use some of Dumbledore's floo powder.  He shouted out the location of his office, before turning to face Fawkes's perch.  His eyes met the eyes of the phoenix, and he knew that he could not risk the phoenix somehow telling Dumbledore that he'd been in the office without the headmaster.  "Incendio!" he shouted again, sending bursts of fire at the helpless phoenix, setting him on fire again until the bird was reduced to ashes. 

Just as he heard voices approach the headmaster's office door, the green flames shifted back to a normal cozy color and height.  All that was different was the phoenix that was struggling to be born from the ashes of its assassination.  Then the floo flared again, and a young woman fell to the hearth. 

Ophelia finished reading the reply from Dumbledore as she leaned against the wall on the side of The Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade.  As soon as she finished reading, she began to walk back towards Hogwarts.  She took a slow pace, knowing that she had a half an hour before she was supposed to meet with Dumbledore.  She hoped that Severus managed to continue talking to Dumbledore without making it seem as though he were stalking him back to his office.  She also hoped that Flitwick succeeded in his tasks. 

Before she knew it, she found herself near the gates to Hogwarts.  Luckily for her, she saw a familiar person striding through the gates, looking aggravated.    "Professor McGonagall!" Ophelia shouted, just as the older woman was about to close the gates again, which would have prevented her from entering.  "Wait!  I have to get into the school!" 

McGonagall squinted towards Ophelia who jogged to reach the gates, trying to figure out who the young woman was before her.  "Miss...Miss Fay!" she exclaimed, remembering the woman.  "What business do you have at the school?"

"I have a meeting with Headmaster Dumbledore in about five minutes."

McGonagall raised her eyebrows.  She barely opened the gates, in a subtle signal for Ophelia to enter the grounds.  When the younger witch hesitated, the elder barked at her, "Well, go on, Miss Fay!  I am called to London immediately and cannot wait for you to dawdle!" 

Ophelia scrambled through the gates, feeling like a second year student again for a moment being caught doing something she should not have been doing.  She jogged to the giant doors of Hogwarts, finding it strange that she'd been in the castle already but arrived by floo.  It was a strange sensation to her to be entering the castle by the large doors that used to greet her as a student. 

She entered through the doors, and her brown eyes immediately scanned entrance hall.  There was no one about.  She then decided to not chance it.  She began to walk at a brisk pace and she reached the changing staircases quickly.  She took the path that would lead her to Filius Flitwick's office as fast as she could.  Within seconds she made it to the portrait.  "Professor Flitwick!" she called, hoping that he was inside.  She heard the flaring of the floo network from inside the office, before the door was flung open. 

She darted inside the office, hearing Flitwick shout at her.  "It's done.  They're coming now!  Go!  Good luck!"  He never touched her, but she swore that she was pushed into the floo, only to fall onto the hearth in Dumbledore's office just as the door opened.  When she looked up, she saw Dumbledore's eyes sparkling in barely contained laughter. 

"Well, Miss Fay, did you forget to use the floo since being a student?"

Ophelia smiled at Dumbledore, noticing that Severus stood behind Dumbledore, smiling softly.  "I suppose I did."

Severus stepped around Dumbledore and went to Ophelia, knowing he had a part to play now.  He held out his hand, which she took to steady herself as she got to her feet.  She did not wish to let his hand go, to make sure that the older wizard saw the contact, but when they turned their attention to Dumbledore, they saw that he was not even looking at them.  He was hunched over a perch, staring at the ashes, which were slowly stirring. 

"Oh, Fawkes," he sighed.  "You could not wait until I returned until you set aflame?"  He looked to his former students.  "It was very near his burning day.  It came just a little earlier.  He's never exactly on time.  Untamable these phoenixes."  He walked around the other side of his desk shaking his head, setting his wand down on the corner.  He did not need it, not with these two.  He trusted them. 

"Now," he began.  "What can I do for you, Ophelia?"  He suddenly noticed that Severus still stood beside his visitor.  "Oh, I'm sorry, Severus.  You may go.  If you still have trouble with the students, let me know.  Remember take as many house points from them as you wish, and give the most disgusting tasks on detentions.  That should make them obey you a little better." 

Severus looked at Ophelia as though for her permission.  He turned his body slightly looking like he was about to step from the room, when he turned back to face Dumbledore suddenly and quickly.  As he did this, Ophelia shouted, "Animadverto meus lumen!" with her wand aimed at Dumbledore's face.  The attack was unexpected for the older wizard, but he fought the command, and was about to summon his wand to him but he was interrupted by the firm voice of Severus. 

"Petrificus totalus!"

Dumbledore's body went rigid, his eyes fixed straight at Ophelia, obeying her earlier command to meet her eyes.  Severus snatched Dumbledore's wand from his desk, not willing to take the chance of him breaking the spell somehow before they had finished their work.  In an instant, Severus hoped that Flitwick's spells would work.  He gave Dumbledore's wand to Ophelia, her free hand closing around the wood, and holding it tightly.  Severus circled Dumbledore's desk until he stood somewhat behind Dumbledore's seated form.  He pressed the tip of his wand to Dumbledore's temple.  With a muttered spell, Severus began to enter the mind of Dumbledore, the attempt becoming easier while he was unable to defend himself without his wand.  Severus's eyes closed as he focused his magic to Dumbledore's mind.  When he had entered the place he needed to be, he nodded to Ophelia but he did not open his eyes.  He needed to be focused on this.  She understood and began to speak the new spells that Flitwick developed for them. 

"Vos recipero Tevin Antonius Ryker Snape ut filius Severus Snape quod Ophelia Fay."  A bright purple streak of light issued from her wand and floated through the air softly to land on Dumbledore's forehead, before it snaked its way to the tip of Severus's wand at the temple, where it slid into the older wizard's head.  Severus began panting in his efforts to plat the thought.  When he had succeeded, he nodded again at Ophelia. 

"Operor non quaero Harry Potter.  Puer est tutus."  Another purple strand flowed from her wand and drifted to Dumbledore, landing again on his forehead.  Then it wound its way to Severus's wand, before the younger wizard pushed it into the older wizard's head.  His breathing was increasing with the strain on his magic.  Sweat began to moisten his forehead.  Ophelia knew he was being drained of his magic.  His part of these spells was much more difficult than hers.  She continued quickly to the next spell, just as Severus nodded tiredly.

"Vacuus testimonium vel nuto vos mos recipero Ophelia Fay ut uxor Severus Snape quod matris Tevin."  Yet another purple light streak flew at Dumbledore, only this time hitting him in the chest over his heart, then slid up his neck and to the wand at his temple.  Severus forced the thought into Dumbledore's mind, trying hard to breathe.  His magic was nearly drained.  He drew in a ragged breath and held it, trying to have as much energy as he needed to finish the spells.  He barely managed to nod at Ophelia. 

"Vos non memor nostrum tentatio."  This time, the light was white as it contacted Dumbledore's face, spreading out as though she had just splashed him with water.  The light encircled his head that made it look like a glowing Bubble-Head Charm.  It was drawn to the dark wand at his temple before Severus used as much magic as he dared to force the thought into the headmaster's head.  After he completed this, he quickly tore his presence from the mind of Dumbledore. 

Ophelia watched as Severus leaned heavily on the edge of the desk.  She put down Dumbledore's wand back where he originally set it on the desk corner.  She reached into her jacket pocket to reveal a small vial.  "Here, Severus.  Drink this." 

He opened it with trembling hands and sniffed the potion, trying to identify it.  He closed his eyes as he placed the scent.  "Thank you," he whispered, before he tipped his head back, pouring it down his throat.  In only moments, he felt the effects, his strength was returning to him and his breathing evened out.  He looked at Ophelia.  "Remove the curse from him." 

Ophelia pointed her wand at the stiff Dumbledore and released him from the Petrificus Totalus spell.  Dumbledore blinked when he was released, and he found that he could not recall why Severus was still in his office after he dismissed him.  He sat and looked at the two former Slytherin students closely, searching his memory.  He could not remember.  He looked at Severus with narrowed eyes.  "Weren't you just leaving, Severus?"  The younger wizard turned and began to leave as he did before. 

"Actually, headmaster," Ophelia interjected, "what I needed to talk to you about has something to do with Severus, too." 

Dumbledore's eyebrows rose curiously.  "Oh?  Well, then, Severus, by all means stay."  Severus turned around to the desk and came back to stand near Ophelia.  "What can I do for you Miss Fay?" 

"I was hoping that I could get your help."

"With what?"

Ophelia took a deep breath, and mentally preparing herself to say two words she never thought she would say as a phrase.  "With protecting my baby." 

"Oh!" 

Before Dumbledore could think about it for any length of time, Ophelia continued to speak.  "A little over two years ago I was taken by Death Eaters...and...tortured.  I didn't know until a little while later that...I was pregnant.  While I was...I was..."

Severus stepped forward looking concernedly at her.  "I attended her during her pregnancy.  After all, I was trained as a healer, and I am her friend."

Dumbledore looked between the two of them.  "What exactly are you asking, Miss Fay?" 

"If it is alright, may I stay in Hogwarts?" 

Dumbledore sighed sadly.  "I'm afraid that is impossible.  The only way is if you were married to one of the staff or teaching here yourself."  He took off his glasses and wiped the lenses clean with his robes, feeling a headache coming on.  As he did this he missed Severus and Ophelia look at each other. 

"Headmaster," Severus said, softly.  "Would it be possible if...if I were to protect her and her child?"

"You already swore to protect one child, Severus, wouldn't another be difficult?" 

"Let me adopt him."

Dumbledore looked hard at the two of them.  He studied them.  He never knew Severus to be adamant about anything that he did not feel was his responsibility.  He narrowed his eyes in suspicion at Severus as he asked, "And why the concern and willingness in this case, Severus?" 

Severus gazed back steadily.  "Because I was the Death Eater that impregnated her." 

Dumbledore's eyes widened.  "Well!" he gasped.  "That certainly explains a good deal."  He looked at the two before him.  "Let's discuss some details if I were to allow Miss Fay and her child to stay here, then."  Severus and Ophelia sat down in the large, comfortable chairs facing Dumbledore's desk.  The headmaster then began to give the two some rules and guidelines to follow, to which they listened closely.

For the first time since James and Lily died Remus Lupin was genuinely smiling.  He found the sound of a child's laughter contagious and not at all unpleasant.  He ran forward again as Tevin struggled to mount the training broom to steady him.  But he was slow, and the boy slid off the side, landing on the floor with a thud.  The boy laughed as he looked at Remus.  Remus smiled at the boy. 

"Now, Tevin, alright.  Let's try again."

"Fall off, ‘gain," Tevin said around his giggling, as he got back to his feet. 

"Yes, you did," Remus laughed.  He held the broom steady in one hand while the other held Tevin's hand.  He helped Tevin to the broom.  "Now, grab it with both hands."  Tevin quickly grabbed the broomstick with both of his little hands.  With step one accomplished, he looked at Remus for what to do next.  "Now, step over it."  Remus lowered the broom a little to make it easier for the child, who bent over as the broom he was holding tightly was lowered.  He lifted his leg over the broom and managed to straddle it.  He looked at Remus and smiled in accomplishment.  "Very good, Tevin.  I'm going to let go now.  Try to follow me."

Remus let go of the broom and it began to float a little higher off the ground.  Tevin squealed in delight as he felt his feet leave the floor.  He gripped the broom tightly.  When the broom continued to rise, he got nervous.  He began to curl into the broom like it would help him stay on it better.  "Tevin?"  He looked up and saw Remus standing a few feet away.  "Come on."

"How?"

"Lean forward a little bit."  Remus demonstrated, shifting his weight forward on his feet.  Tevin hurled his weight forward on the broom, and found out that that was a mistake.  The broom zoomed forward heading right for Remus's knee.  Remus dropped down and grabbed the broom handle, jarring it to a stop.  He was knocked onto the floor and found that the force of the stop made Tevin fly off the broom to collide with his chest. 

He heard a muffled sound against his shirt.  "Tevin?  Are you alright?"  He urged the boy to take his face away from his chest.  When he looked at Tevin's face, he realized that he was laughing again.  Remus smiled.

"Ready to try again?"  Tevin nodded with a huge smile.  Remus righted himself and set Tevin back on his feet.  He walked Tevin through the steps to getting on the broom again.  When the boy was settled on it again, Remus realized a possible reason for Tevin's difficulty.  "Stay there, Tevin." 

Remus went into his kitchen and opened a door that was tucked into the corner of the cramped space.  He pulled out his ragged, rather old-looking broom.  He put it on the table and tried to fix the arrangement of the bristles.  Suddenly he heard a jarring crash!  Grabbing his broom, Remus ran back into the parlor.  He saw Tevin in the middle of chaos.  The boy was nibbling on his bottom lip as he held a ripped lampshade in his hand, and the broom handle in the other.  The lamp belonging to the lampshade was on the floor...in pieces.  Remus sighed.

"And how did the lamp break, Tevin?"

Tevin whipped his head to Remus.  "It fell."

"It fell?  By itself?"

Tevin nodded, still chewing on his bottom lip.  "Bwoom attack it."

Remus laughed.  "The broom attacked it, did it?  Were you riding the broom?"

Tevin shook his head.  Remus knew the boy was lying, but he knew that the boy was more frightened of being in trouble for breaking something than for lying.  With a kind and patient smile, Remus took out his wand and muttered, "Reparo."  The pieces of the lamp began to fuse back together in their original shape.  Tevin watched in fascination, his brown eyes growing wide.  Once the lamp was fixed, Remus picked it up and put it back on the end table.  When he looked at Tevin again, he saw that he was struggling to hold back tears.  "What's the matter, Tevin?"

Tevin looked up at Remus miserably.  "You tell Daddy..."

Remus smiled and crouched down to the boy.  "Well, I won't tell him if you don't." 

Tevin smiled and his brown eyes lit up.  "Pwomise?"

Remus conjured a handkerchief and wiped his godson's eyes.  "I promise."  After he vanished the handkerchief, he picked up Tevin's training broom and held it in front of the child.  "Now, ready to try again?"

Tevin nodded, accepting the broom.  Remus held up his own broom and he walked to the most open spot of his parlor.  Tevin followed him with his little broom.  "Now, I want you to do what I do, alright?"  Tevin nodded excitedly.  Remus and Tevin mounted their brooms.  The older wizard showed the child how to properly hold the handle.  The brooms rose off the ground.  This time, Tevin did not fall off.