***17 April, 1987***

It was a picture perfect spring evening as Severus strolled his way down to Hogsmeade Village. The snowy winter nights had given way to rainy spring days. However, on this day, the rains had stopped and Severus could hear the song of the Crossbill's as he passed the hedgerows that bordered the few cottages that dotted the main road to the village. The high clouds were bright crimson limned in silver against a sapphire-blue sky that would soon give way to indigo. Yes, it was beautiful evening, and Severus was actually in the mood to enjoy it. It scarcely occurred to him anymore that only three short years ago, he would have never allowed himself to indulge his sensibilities in such a manner. That time seemed far away... a different lifetime ago. Indeed, it was. How close he had come to condemning himself to a life of lonely and bitter solitude?

The day was beautiful because life was finally good again. Lucy was healing faster than expected, and to Severus' delight in more ways than one. The old Lucy had finally returned. The melancholy that hung about her like a cold mist had been lifted. Ever since that afternoon her memory returned and she destroyed her precious Resolute replica, she began a slow turn around. No longer was she maniacally overprotective of Harry. She finally managed to leave their quarters of her own accord, taking the initiative to work on her research or taking time to visit the Slytherin common room and help organize study sessions. Severus' panicked O.W.L. and N.E.W.T. students had especially come to appreciate her presence. But despite these changes, there always seemed to be a dark cloud that lingered over her head…until April 7th…Felicity's due date.

Severus had dreaded the coming of that day. He had no inkling as to how it would affect Lucy. She had stunned him when the night before, she declared that she would visit Felicity's grave alone. Severus couldn't keep his mind on his lessons that day. More than one first year cauldron turned into a molten mess. Lucy would never discuss what happened that day, but Severus' fears were unfounded. When Lucy left that day for the graveyard, a part of her was missing, when she returned, all of her had returned. Severus could see in her eyes contentment that only came with closure.

This evening, when Severus returned to his quarters after lessons had ended, he found a note from Lucy on the kitchen table. She had picked Harry up from the Weasley's but had been called to the Hog's Head by her grandfather. She assured Severus that nothing was amiss and that Aberforth insisted on serving supper in his private quarters later that night.

Severus entered the run-down pub. Even on a Friday evening, it still failed to draw much of a crowd. He had to stop a moment and take in the scene. Aberforth's new red-headed barmaid, Bonnie, was serving drinks to a trio of rather rough looking wizards in the far corner. She looked as though she was only a year or two out of Hogwarts, but Severus was certain she had been home-schooled. He would have remembered that fiery mane. Hagrid was in his usual Friday night spot at the end of the bar, accompanied by his gangly boar hound, which had not quite grown into his long, spindly legs. There were perhaps another half- dozen faceless patrons scatted about the pub. Lucy, Harry, and Aberforth were nowhere to be seen.

Severus noticed only a shadow of movement behind the bar, as Hagrid's hulking wall of a body was blocking his view. At first, Snape had assumed the barkeep to be Remus, until the wizard stepped into view.

"Black?" Severus asked evenly, hiding his surprise.

"Hi, Snape," Black said jovially. Apparently he had joined Hagrid in a couple of pints.

"I wasn't aware you had need of work. Where's Remus?" He asked as his eyes casually scanned the room. "For that matter, where is my family?"

"Of course I don't need the work," Sirius said with an indignant huff. "Remus is in London, rehearsing for his performance next week. Abe needed an extra pair of hands tonight so I thought I'd help out. He's out in the barn with Lucy and Harry, kidding,"

Severus simply blinked at the Gryffindor and said flatly, "Honestly, Black, if you don't know where they are, just say so. There's no need to jest."

Black just stared blankly at Severus in mild confusion for a split second until Hagrid's booming laughter began to bounce of the walls of the pub. The half-giant slapped down his massive hand on the bar, causing his flagon of ale to jump and spill half of its contents over the stained wood of the bar. Hagrid's outburst caught the attention of the rest of the patrons who began to laugh without knowing why, in spite of themselves. "Tha's funny, Pr'fessor!" he cried through his mirthful tears.

Black looked about the pub, unsure of what had just happened. "What? What did I miss?"

Severus tutted and said in mock lament, "Ah, Gryffindors. So keen to toss out the Hippogriff dung, yet so quick to step into another's."

Sirius' eyes grew in disbelief. "Did you just make a joke?" Then the still very confused Black turned to the still chuckling Hagrid for confirmation. "Did he just make a joke?"

"Not a very good one," the gamekeeper admitted happily. "But you should see the look on yer face."

Still looking as if his conception of reality had just come crashing down around him. He leaned over the bar towards Severus and asked again in a voice that had to be at least an octave higher than what he was accustomed to speaking, "Did you really just tell a joke?"

Severus could feel a smirk form its way in the corner of his mouth. He reached over the bar gave Sirius a single pat on the shoulder in sympathy and grasping it for a brief second. "Don't think on it too long, Black. You're liable to hurt something."

Severus let go of the still dazed Gryffindor and strode to the back door that led out to Aberforth's barn. He could still feel Black's mystified gaze on him and Severus smiled to himself thinking how still terribly easy and satisfying it was to get the better of Sirius Black.

Severus slowly slid open the barn door and walked into the grooming alley strewn with old hay. It was a small barn with a run-in on the left and two small stalls on the right. It smelled of hay, both fresh and moulding, oats, dung and blood. He could hear a soft feminine voice chanting Latin floating from the far stall. As he walked past the first stall he noticed two very pregnant does tranquilly chewing on their evening fodder, unconcerned over the drama playing out in the stall next door.

Though it was spring, the evening air still had a bit of a chill and Severus drew his cloak around him to keep in the warmth, but the scene laid out before him was enough to warm any man's heart…if he didn't run out of the barn to toss his lunch first, that was.

One of Aberforth's nannies was apparently in distress. Normally, Aberforth preferred to let nature take its course when one of his animals was giving birth, but apparently something had happened that required his intervention.

The distressed mother was lying on her side, her head facing Severus. Aberforth, Lucy and Harry were all sitting upon the barn floor, arrayed around goat. Lucy was at the goat's head, chanting a string of Latin charms intended to calm the animal without stopping the contractions. She had once explained to Severus that Aberforth had taught her the incantation when she only twelve. That had been the first time she had helped her great-grandfather kidding. Harry was positioned between Lucy and Aberforth, his eyes wide with rapt fascination, awe and curiosity. He was holding a clean towel, ready to hand it to Aberforth at the old wizard's request. Aberforth was at the end of she-goat, his hand wrist deep where Severus was certain no woman or goat ever wanted a hand inserted.

Harry was the first to notice Severus' presence and put a shushing finger to his lips. "Come sit next to me, Daddy," he whispered as he patted the ground next to him. "We're helping Pawpaw. Minnie's going to have a baby."

Lucy looked up at Severus and cast a quick smile before returning her attention to the task at hand, all the while continuing her chanting whilst simultaneously working her wand and her free hand to and fro over the nanny goat's head. To this day, her smile still made Severus' heart leap and he had to catch his breath. She looked quite pretty sitting on the floor of the barn, with her braids askew and locks of honey-wheat hair in her face.

Severus removed his cloak despite the chill and hung it over the gate of the stall. He gingerly stepped behind Lucy, between her and the barn wall, and made his way beside Harry. Hitching up his trousers, he knelt down next to his young son and joined him on the barn floor.

Aberforth never looked up from is charge, but simply continued to mumbled nonsensical words of encouragement. "That's it, darlin'... Yer almost there."

"Minnie's baby was coming out the wrong way," Harry explained in a hush voice. "The baby's feet were like this," Harry held up the palms of his hands as if he were cupping them to catch water, "instead of like this," he then turned his small hands over, as if to imitate a rabbit.

So the kid was breach. Severus inwardly wondered if there was a less invasive way to help with the birthing process, but like his brother and his granddaughter, Aberforth answered his unasked question. Severus decided that it was some sort of quasi-annoying Dumbledore trait. "Unfortunately a charm doesn't work in a situation like this. One must be able to feel the head or risk breaking the bairn's neck. Ah! Here we are. Lucy, stop the incantation…Harry, come here, quickly now."

Lucy stopped her chanting and backed away, allowing Aberforth and nature to do the rest. Harry scooted across the straw floor and handed the towel to Aberforth. Aberforth put the towel next to him and said, "Let me see your hands."

Harry complied and Aberforth cast a quick spell to sanitize the boy's hands. The old wizard looked Harry in the eyes and asked seriously, "Are you ready?"

Harry nodded enthusiastically, but his nervousness was evident in his voice when he answered, "Yes, sir."

"Come on then." For the first time, Severus could see the similarity between the Dumbledore brothers as Aberforth's eyes twinkled above his half-rim glasses.

Lucy had made her way next to Severus and slipped her arm around the crux of his elbow. Her face was glowing with excitement as she watched Harry and Aberforth. He could see a single tear in her eye and asked, "Are you all right?"

Lucy nodded and said. "Of course I am. I'm just remembering the first time Pawpaw let me help pull a kid."

Severus felt his heart drop in panic. He had no objection of Harry being a casual observer in the birth, but to physically help…what if he inadvertently did something to harm the kid or the doe? The animal was breathing heavily and steadily. She no longer seemed to be in any real distress.

It was obvious that Aberforth and Lucy had no such fears. Harry was sat on the ground with his legs spread directly behind the doe. He was leaning forward with his small hands around the emerging newborn's legs. Aberforth knelt directly beside the boy, his aged and sure hands over Harry's young and trembling ones.

"Okay Harry," Aberforth said with authority. "When she pushes again, we pull slowly but firmly, understand?"

Harry's eyes were wide with a mix of fear and determination. The boy could only nod his understanding.

Severus held his breath as Aberforth said, "Here we go, Harry…Pull!"

Harry grunted as he began to pull, but Aberforthhad shown he had strengthfor a man of his age that startled Severus. Witha firm yank, he had pulled the kid (with Harry's help, of course) and had quickly stood up, holding the new-born animal upside down to allow the amniotic fluid to drain from its lungs. Severus was astonished at exactly how small the baby goat was. It had to weigh far less than a stone.

"It is tiny, isn't it?" Lucy whispered in his ear.

Severus looked over to his fiancé. He could only shake his head and smirk. He was an Occlumens for Merlin's sake, but he was obviously an open book to her.

Lucy leaned her head on Severus' shoulder and together they watch as Harry experienced his first new life.

Both Harry and Aberforth were shedding tears as the set the new goat next to its mother. The kid took to its mother's teat eagerly as the doe began to clean the rest of the placental gore from her baby. Harry's expression turned from delight to disgust.

"Eww!" Harry exclaimed as he looked up to Aberforth. "Why does she do that?"

"She's just givin' him a bath, Harry," Aberforth patently explained. "It is also how she bonds with her baby."

Harry turned back to the doe and her suckling kid, obviously contemplating what Aberforth had told him. "Do real mummies do that?"

Severus gave an undignified snort and asked, "Excuse me, Harry?"

"I mean people mummies? Do they do that too?"

The three adults broke out in laughter. Poor Lucy was doubled, almost literally beside herself with giggles. Severus wasn't certain who he was laughing at more, Harry or Lucy. Harry just stood there, waiting patiently for an answer and not quite getting what had the grow-ups in such a tither.

Aberforth and Severus were the first to compose themselves and when Lucy finally came up for air she wiped a mirthful tear from her eye and said, "I should certainly hope not." Her composure began to crack once again as she was taken with new fit of the giggles.

Severus held out his arms to his smiling son and Harry ran over to sit in his lap. Lucy had once again come to her senses and managed to sit up again, stroking her hand lovingly through Harry's ever unruly hair. Aberforth had set is attention back on his goats, logging the vital statistics of his newest acquisition in an old leather-bound ledger.

"Did you see what I did?" Harry sang happily as he looked back at the goats. "I helped him to be born."

"You certainly did," Severus agreed. "And your mummy and I couldn't be prouder."

It was late. After several extra-powerful cleansing charms they had sat down for a quiet supper in Aberforth's private rooms. Severus wondered if Aberforth would give Lucy his recipe for Shepard's pie. Lucy was quite accomplished when it came to Southern American cooking, but she had yet to duplicate her grandfather's Shepard's pie.

Though it had long since turned dark, Severus and Lucy had decided to walk back up to the castle with Harry. The boy was still far too excited over the evening's events and they hoped the walk would give the excitable child a chance to burn off his excess energy before bedtime.

Lucy still walked with the help of a cane, but Severus could tell by how steady she had become on her feet, that she would be shedding it soon. The walk to the castle was at a slow pace but the sky was black as onyx and full of silvery stars. One could almost follow the hazy path of the Milky Way back home to Hogwarts. The sky was so different here…much more vast that the skies of Manchester had seen in over two-hundred years. The Industrial Revolution had deprived her of such majesty.

Halfway up the path, Harry had begun to tire some and Severus hoisted small boy atop his shoulders. As pleasant as the walk was, Lucy had been uncharacteristically quiet. The starlight highlighted the contemplative look on her face.

"A Knut for your thoughts," Severus said quietly. He held onto Harry's dangling feet, which were wrapped around his neck with one hand, and he held his other out for Lucy to grab hold.

"Daddy, is that the Plough?" Harry suddenly asked excitedly from over Severus' head.

Severus craned his head up to see where his son was pointing. "Very good, Harry. And what larger constellation is the Plough a part of?"

"Umm…the Great Bear?"

"Well done, Harry," Lucy answered encouragingly. "It has another name too. Do you know what it is?"

"No. What is it?"

Lucy was about to answer when Severus suggested, "Why don't you look it up in your encyclopaedia tomorrow?"

They had approached the gates of the school, and as slight as Harry was, his weight was beginning to bear down on Severus' shoulders. "Harry, you're getting too big, son…ready?"

"Ready, Daddy."

Harry giggled as Severus bent forward and flipped him over the top of his head. It had been quite some time since Severus had carried Harry on his shoulders, but it had been the way he had dismounted the boy since Harry was five. Harry landed on his feet; however, it took a second for him to steady himself. "Whoa…that was fun."

"Harry, why don't you run along up to the castle." Severus felt Lucy hitch at the suggestion, but she said nothing. It was her old fear rearing its head, but there was really nothing to fear here. It was a straight line to the castle door and there was nothing to obstruct Severus' view of Harry. He really wanted Harry to wear himself out before it was time for bed.

Harry looked as though he wanted to stay underfoot, sensing that Severus had something to say to Lucy and not wanting to be left out. But Harry's little-boy energy had to vent itself one last time, so Harry obliged and ran ahead. Severus turned to Lucy, only to realise she was no longer beside him.

He looked about and saw that she had stopped about ten yards back. She was gazing at him with a strange yet contented look on her face.

"Lucy?"

"Marry me, Severus."

If there had been a breeze, it would have blown Severus away. For a moment her could only stand a stare, not certain why Lucy had suddenly asked such a silly question. When he finally found his tongue again, he said, "I was under the impression we had already established that."

Lucy began to walk towards him, leaning on her cane more heavily than she did at the beginning of their walk. "No, Severus," Lucy said with a hint of excitement. "I mean right now. Marry me right now. The light was still on at the Vicar's house. Let's Apparate down right now and knock on the door."

Lucy was standing directly in front of him, gazing up at him. He looked down at her and smiled as he moved a stray hair from in front of her eyes. He looked back down to the village. It was a terribly romantic notion. But rather than articulate his answer Severus pulled Lucy into him and kissed her deeply there beneath the starry night. They were in full view of any Gryffindor or Ravenclaw who happened to be looking out a tower window, but Severus didn't care in the least. Let the school talk. Let the whole world talk…Lucy was his.

They were still in the throes of their kiss when Harry's small voice shouted out from the castle entrance, "Hey…why don't you two get a room!"

Their kiss was broken by their stifled laughs. Severus leaned down and pressed his forehead to Lucy's—still trying to keep from laughing aloud. "I realise he is fond of Bill and Charlie, but we have got to keep him away from the Gryffindor common room."

***19 June, 1987~ Charleston, South Carolina***

Severus and Lucy did not get married that spring night in April. Once they had come to their senses, they realized that it would not be fair to her family. Some people say that one marries the person and not the family, but that aphorism made no sense to Severus. From his observations the strongest marriages were those that had the support of the extended families and Severus had no desire to get off on the foot by denying his father-in-law the chance to walk his youngest daughter down the aisle.

When Lucy was in the midst of her coma, it had seemed prudent to postpone the wedding date as the Healers did not know when she would awaken or how long her recovery would take. Lucy was upset that they had lost St. Michael's but her parents had offered an alternative that meant they did not have to change the wedding date. Despite the fact that they would no longer be having a church wedding, Lucy and Severus still acquiesced to Esther's wish for a Christian ceremony. It mattered little to Severus and Lucy whether they were married before a priest or magistrate, so it was a little concession to make Lucy's mother happy.

Today was more than Severus and Lucy's wedding day. Once they were married, Lucy's adoption of Harry would be official. After he and Lucy exchanged their vows, there would be an additional ceremony commemorating their coming together as a family. Harry said they were all getting married together as a family. In a way, the boy was right.

Severus stood in his brother-in-laws bedroom at the Ashley House and looked out as the wedding planners set up the white chairs in the back garden for the nearly two-hundred guests. Who knew that between him and Lucy, they had so much friends and family…granted most of them were on Lucy's side. Never in is life had Severus imagined himself to be a part of something so big.

It was a gorgeous summer day. The sky was clear blue, the dogwoods, magnolias, and Japanese cherry blossoms were all magically in bloom. The Spanish moss draped the oak and cypress trees in a gossamer veil. It was expected to rain later in the afternoon, but by then the reception would be moved to the front veranda and the cool rain would offer a welcome respite from the heat of the day.

Today he would become a part of a wizarding family that was amongst the most well respected on either side of the ocean. His father-in-law would be receiving the Order-of-Merlin First Class in August for his work on his improved Wolfsbane potion and at home he was about to become the great-great-nephew of the venerable Albus Dumbledore. As intimidating as living up to the expectations of such a family would be to any wizard, Severus had more nerve-wracking concerns on his mind…such as what would Lucy think of his new beard and moustache when she walked down the aisle?

Severus had been contemplating the change for quite some time. Remus and Black had finally talked him into it the night before, pointing out that a new life as a married man would be the perfect occasion for such a change. Even Harry liked the change after Black cast the hair growth charm on Severus' face. Unfortunately, Black's spell had been a bit too enthusiastic. When his facial hair finally decided to stop growing, Severus had a beard to rival Hagrid's.

Thankfully, James, Lucy's brother-in-law, had mentioned that Theresa was quite talented when it came to trimming his beard. Not knowing what else to do, Severus reluctantly agreed. Fortunately, James was right. Theresa had done a marvellous job despite her irritation. She claimed that she did not want her little sister to walk down the aisle to find herself standing in front of a scruffy-faced troll.

When she was done, even Theresa seemed to marvel at her own handiwork. Severus almost hexed Black when he let out a wolf-whistle. Severus had to admit, the beard seemed to fill out his hollow cheek bones and hide his pale pallor. Theresa said the beard accentuated his mysterious, black eyes. Severus was thankful for the beard then because he could feel his face warm with embarrassment.

He mused at his new reflection in the window, as well as those of his groomsmen as they readied themselves. With his new face and his hair pulled back, he could almost pass for handsome. He was lean in his white linen shirt and smoke grey trousers. He looked rather dashing, much like a Flamenco dancer…or at least he hoped Lucy would think so. It was an early afternoon wedding at home and he and Lucy had decided to forgo the formality of jackets or waistcoats. It was a good thing. It was Mid-June in Charleston, South Carolina, and the temperature would reach thirty-two centigrade before the end of the ceremony.

Severus was also keenly aware that Lucy was downstairs in the library with her ladies-in-waiting fussing over her. He closed his eyes and took a deep cleansing breath. He knew a woman's wedding day was when she was her most beautiful, but Severus could not imagine her any more beautiful than she already was. He hoped he would remember to breathe and not stand there, frozen like a love-stuck teenager, too transfixed by the very sight of her.

He turned away from the window to see Black helping Harry with his braces and Remus reading over what Severus could only assume was his toast. How could everyone be so calm? He had lived with Lucy for over seven months now. Why a simple technicality like getting married made Severus as nervous as a niffler amongst kneezles was beyond him.

Severus suddenly panicked as he watched Remus go over his toast for the umpteenth time. He couldn't remember is vows! The entire enormity of the day came crashing down around Severus and he felt his insides turn upside-down and he had to make a mad dash for the loo. As he shut the bathroom door behind him, over the heaving of his stomach, Severus could hear Black say to Remus, "It's not even ten. You owe me ten Galleons."

"What a shame. I was certain he would at least make it to noon."

Lucy had been shaking the entire morning as Mama, Teresa, and Karen dressed and fussed over her for what was the biggest day of her life. She sat in a chair before a large standing mirror that had been brought down from Mama and Daddy's room. At the moment she was practically naked, clad only on her strapless white corset, panties, garter belt and lace stockings. Terri and Karen were fixing her make-up while her mama readied her wedding dress and veil.

Mama was taking particular care with the veil. The white Irish lace confection had been passed down the generations since the time of Mawmaw Eleanor's grandmother. Only the veil's magic had protected it from the ravages of time. Every woman in her family who wore the veil had been blessed with a long and happy marriage. There were only two exceptions of women not wearing the veil in living memory and both marriages had ended sadly, Terri's disastrous first marriage being the latest example. The veil may not have been in Lucy's taste, but she wasn't about to take any chances.

Lucy wondered how Severus did it. He always managed to keep his composure. Surely he was handling the day better than she was. In two short hours she would be Mrs Severus Snape. After today, she would also officially be Harry's mother. God forbid if anything should ever happen to Severus, no one could take Harry away and break-up the family.

After much discussion over the pros and cons of keeping her maiden name for professional reasons, Lucy had announced to Severus that she would take on his name. Her title would officially be Dr Lucille Snape. It was also how the students would discern between herself and Severus. He would remain Professor Snape and she would be Dr Snape. It may prove to be confusing at first, but it would not be the first time in Hogwarts history that a married couple taught at the school…or even two wizards with the same name taught at the same time. The students and staff would adjust and everyone was already accustomed to calling Lucy by her professional title of 'Doctor.'

"Lucy," Terri said in exasperation. "You can't keep crying like this. If this mascara is to stay on, your eyes have to be dry when I apply it. Do you want to go to your man looking like a raccoon?"

"I can't help it," Lucy confessed as she dabbed carefully under her eyes with a handkerchief. "I just can't believe this day is finally here. It doesn't seem real." Her eyes were already turning red. She didn't want to go for blood-shot. The reversal spell could sting and tended to dry the eyes out completely and when it wore off, the eyes tended to be even worse.

"Here," Karen said as she dug through her handbag and pulled out a dark brown tube. "It's the Muggle waterproof stuff. The wizarding brand makes my eyes poof up. It will last through the ceremony well enough."

After another forty-five minutes of her sister and sister-in-law's primping and pulling, Lucy's hair and make-up was finally done. Terri had kept Lucy's make-up light and simple. Rather than making Lucy unrecognizable, she simply looked like a perfected version of herself. Karen had piled Lucy's hair in a loose bun, with wispy curls subtly framing her cheekbones. A wreath of tiny orange blossoms and baby's breath was woven into a crown around her bun. She really felt pretty. She hoped Severus would think she was too.

"Are you ready, baby girl?" Lucy's mama asked softly. She seemed almost as nervous as Lucy.

"Yes, Mama," Lucy said anxiously. As nervous as she was, she was never more ready for anything in her life.

Lucy stepped atop a small stool and raised her arms in the air. She was thankful she had shed her cane over a month ago. The only thing she intended to lean on as she walked to Severus was her daddy's arm.

With her wand, Lucy's mama raised dress over her daughter's head and it gracefully draped itself around Lucy's body. It was a simple, white, strapless affair that extenuated her natural waistline and trailed back into a sweeping train. It was reminiscent of an ancient Grecian stola. Mama and Terri attached her veil to the orange blossom tiara and Karen gave Lucy her matching bouquet.

Lucy caught her breath at the sight of herself in the mirror.

"You're beautiful, sweetheart," Mama said through held back tears.

"Yes you are, Lucy," Terri said in agreement. "But just wait until you get an eyeful of your mister."

Severus was ready to jump out of his skin as the final notes of the prelude to Bach's Cello Suite Number One disappeared and the soft strains of Air on the G String quietly built on the wind. He stood before Lucy's brother, Daniel, along with Harry, Remus Lupin, and Sirius Black below a flowered arch before a white foot bridge. Harry was Severus' best man. As excited Harry was to see Lucy in her wedding dress, the child was a rock compared to his father, and Severus fed off that strength else he would lose his feet.

Lucy's sister, her sister-in-law, and her old college friend, Michelle, stood opposite. Black had brought the Weasley's with him in order to represent Severus as family. Much of the Hogwarts faculty and staff also came as friends, with the exception of Albus, who sat next to his brother on the bride's side. It was the first time the brothers had been seen together at a function in almost a century and was sure to make the front page of the Daily Prophet…and yes—the Prophet had already asked for and been denied an exclusive of the wedding. The fact that the bride and groom were now the adoptive parents of Harry Potter would not go unnoticed. Though they had been denied the exclusive, Lucy and Severus had promised some official wedding photos in hopes of keeping the hounds at bay.

But Severus thought on none of this at the moment. His world was focused on the dream wrapped in a warm breeze that was walking towards him on a carpet of white orchid petals on her father's arm. Lucy's smile broadened as their eyes met. Amongst so many people, there was no one else but one another.

Daniel's voice needed no amplification as it called out, "Who gives this woman to this man in Holy Matrimony?"

Richard squeezed Lucy's arm and he nearly choked on the words. "Her mother and I do." He lifted Lucy's veil and gave his little girl a gentle kiss on the cheek, before Esther came up to lead him back to his seat.

Lucy took Severus' hand. She had been shaking just as much as Severus but when their hands met, the shaking had stopped. They gave each other soft smiles and together they confidently turned to face Daniel.

"Dearly beloved, we have come together in the presence of God to witness and bless the joining together of this man and this woman in Holy Matrimony. The bond and covenant of marriage was established by God in creation, and our Lord Jesus Christ adorned this manner of life by his presence and first miracle at a wedding in Cana of Galilee…"

The words became lost to Severus as the only sound he could hear was that of his own breathing and the only thing he could see was his bride. It wasn't until Daniel had finally announced, "Severus and Lucy have chosen their own vows," that Severus returned to reality.

Severus' fear of forgetting his vows was gone; the words came as naturally as breathing and they were the greatest truth he would ever speak. "I, Severus Tobias Snape, in the name of the spirit of God that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take you, Lucille Mary O'Conner, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my beloved wife. To desire you and be desired by you, to possess you, and be possessed by you, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for you. I promise to love you wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change you in any way. I shall respect you, your beliefs, your people, and your ways as I respect myself."

Severus looked down upon Lucy, lost in her turquoise eyes. As she gazed back at him, he could feel the love he had for her returned. It was hard to believe that one person could hold so much love and passion for him. As she spoke her vows, her voice never wavered. "I, Lucille Mary O'Conner, in the name of the spirit of God that resides within us all, by the life that courses within my blood and the love that resides within my heart, take you, Severus Tobias Snape, to my hand, my heart, and my spirit, to be my beloved husband. To desire you and be desired by you, to possess you, and be possessed by you, without sin or shame, for naught can exist in the purity of my love for you. I promise to love you wholly and completely without restraint, in sickness and in health, in plenty and in poverty, in life and beyond, where we shall meet, remember, and love again. I shall not seek to change you in any way. I shall respect you, your beliefs, your people, and your ways as I respect myself."

After the exchanging of simple gold rings, the pronouncement as Severus and Lucy as man and their first kiss as man and wife, Sirius escorted Harry up to the dais and the child stood between Severus and Lucy, taking the hand of each.

"Beloved friends and family," Daniel announced. "Today we celebrate more than the union of a husband and wife, but also the union of a family. I bid you join with Severus, Lucy, and Harry in their happiness and to witness the inauguration of this new relationship."

Holding his prayer book Daniel looked to Severus and Lucy. "Severus Tobias, Lucille Mary…do you take this child as your own?

Together they answered, "We do."

Daniel then knelt down to face Harry. His bass voice asked gently, "Henry James…Do you take this woman as your mother?"

Harry happily said as he smiled up at Lucy and she smiled back to him, "I do."

"And Harry," Daniel asked as he nodded towards Severus. "Do you take this man as your father?"

Harry beamed up at Severus and his heart swelled with pride for his son when Harry said once again, "I do."

After the reciting of another prayer, Daniel gave his final benediction. "Almighty God, giver of life and love, bless Severus and Lucy. Grant them wisdom and devotion in the ordering of their common life, that each may be to the other a strength in need, a counsellor in perplexity, a comfort in sorrow, and a companion in joy. And so knit their wills together in your will and their spirits in your Spirit, that this family may live together in love and peace all the days of their life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen."

Daniel then gestured to Severus, Lucy, and Harry to turn and face their family and friends. "Beloved…I present to you the Snape family. Whom God has brought so together here today, may no one rend asunder!"

The congregation stood at once with a thunderous applause for the new family. Together, the Snapes would go forth and face the world, confidant in the knowledge that whatever life had planned…they would never have to face it alone.