"The two of you are exceptionally talented cooks. So I'm positive that you both will make excellent potioneers. I want you to work together to brew Dreamless Sleep," Snape announced to Harry and Lily, slipping easily into teaching-mode. The two immediately began collecting ingredients and tools to bring to their shared brewing station along the wall in the basement lab of Spinner's End.

Although well-stocked and perfect for his brewing needs, Snape had always considered the lab to be somewhat cold and sterile. But as he watched his son and the love of his adult life murmur and laugh alongside one another in excited anticipation, he couldn't help thinking how much warmer the lab felt – as if the room itself was celebrating the addition of a family within its walls.

"What can I do?" Jilly asked earnestly beside him at the center work station.

"You, little miss, have the most important job: you're going to help me make my special bruising ointment for the hospital wing."

"We're making something for Hogwarts?" The girl asked excitedly, and Snape nodded with a smile as he conjured a small stool like the one in her apartment. The bruising ointment was a perfect beginner's potion, as the ingredients were simple and only required to be ground with a mortar and pestle. Jilly grinned elatedly as he walked her through each step in the process, and couldn't help a certain paternal pride as she quickly got to work.

Snape reflected on the past few days as he watched his family work. In all honesty, he had not been happy about the prospect of bringing Lily and Jillian to Spinner's End. It was a house that held such horrendous secrets and memories, and Snape had hated this place for as long as he could remember. It was for this reason that he'd never bothered to maintain or update it after his mother died. It was simply a space for him to exist during the summer months, and he'd never had any intention of bringing anyone here – other than Harry, of course, but that had been out of necessity since he'd had no alternative.

When the apartment next door to Lily's had sprung a leak and she'd told he and Harry that she and Jilly had to stay in a run-down motel for a few days while it was fixed, Harry's rash Gryffindor chivalry immediately sprang into action.

"Why don't you stay with us?" He asked. "That would be ok, right Dad?"

Harry was lucky that it was summertime, for Snape had almost caught himself snarling, "Fifty points from Gryffindor," as he gave his son his darkest and most irritated sneer.

"Honestly Severus, its fine," Lily was quick to say. Those beautiful green eyes looked up at him in assurance. "I've been taking care of myself since I was young. Jilly and I will be alright at the motel. Its– "

"Of course you can stay with us," Snape heard himself saying.

What?

"Are you sure? Honestly, you don't have to…"

"Yes, I'm sure." Not even in the slightest. "Come to my house when the workers get there tomorrow."

But the way she smiled up at him made the nerves momentarily settle. "Ok then," she murmured, and Jilly had cheered in excitement.

The next day came sooner than Snape would have liked as he and Harry started preparing the bleak, shabby house for their arrival. After teaching Harry the spell, Snape allowed him to transform his bed into a bunk bed. However, Harry hadn't been able to correctly perform the color-changing charm on the blankets, so Snape had done it for him – changing both bunks to the pink princess sheets he'd seen in Jilly's room.

"Hey!" Harry had cried in horror, tossing a pillow shaped like a pink and purple crown at Snape's face. His son's appalled expression did wonders for his mood, and Snape couldn't help but laugh.

"I guess you'd better learn how to do the spell properly before they get here, or it's staying like that," Snape muttered with an amused smirk. He told Harry later that he was almost disappointed at how quickly his son had picked the spell up after that – but secretly he was quite pleased with the boy.

His amusement at Harry's mortification didn't last long, and Snape couldn't keep himself from nervously contemplating what the girls would think about the dreary, dilapidated house. Would Lily be disappointed? Would he see regret lingering in her eyes when she looked around? Perhaps she'd finally start to realize what a poor choice she'd made in him…

Convinced of the disappointment he knew she'd feel, Snape's mood had darkened considerably by the time they heard the knock on the front door later that afternoon. Harry whipped out his wand in alarm when two green orbs the size of a ping pong ball appeared over Snape's shoulder and flashed twice before disappearing.

"What was that thing?" He asked in surprise.

"Identification charm," Snape muttered, rising from his seat to answer the door. He supposed that since Harry would be living with him here at Spinner's End over the summer for the next few years, he ought to know what the orbs meant. So he paused while going to the door to listlessly explain, "Green means a witch or wizard we trust; yellow is a muggle; red means Death Eaters." Snape saw the sudden apprehension on his son's face at the mention of Death Eaters, but he didn't stop to offer any reassurance.

Turning the corner into the entrance hall, Snape paused with his hand on the door handle to steel himself for the disenchantment he knew he'd soon be seeing on Lily's face. After a deep breath, he opened the door.

"Hi Severus!" Jilly cried, bouncing up and down on her toes in excitement. Lily placed her hands on the girl's shoulders to settle her, and smiled warmly up at him. He attempted to smile back, but had a feeling it came out looking more like a grimace.

"Well… come in, then." He hadn't meant for it to sound so sharp. Lily ushered Jillian through the door, and his son hurried forward to greet them. Snape made an effort to gentle his voice as he said, "Harry, why don't you take Jilly upstairs and show her where she can put her things?"

"Sure. C'mon Jilly-Bean," Harry said with a wink, and the small girl giggled.

An awkward silence descended between him and Lily as their children ran up the stairs and left them in the entrance hall. Snape found himself looking around anywhere but at her, and it was only with immense effort that he stopped his fidgeting. Lily smiled warmly up at him when he finally met her gaze.

"Well… Yes… I'll show you around," he said gruffly, and he pushed the door to the right open but did not actually move into the room. A wave of insecurity washed through him once again, and his voice sounded self-conscious even to his own ears when he explained, "This is my office–"

"Oh wow!" Lily said, leaning into the room to peek around. She inadvertently brought herself within inches of him, squeezing both of their bodies tightly within the doorframe. Her hair tickled Snape's nose and he clearly caught the scent of lavender.

So pure and wholesome and untainted… And I'm bringing her into the deepest pits of Hell. Snape closed his eyes in shame. I deserve to rot for this.

"Did you read all those?" Lily asked in innocent incredulity, motioning to the books lining the walls.

"Of course," he snapped. "Why? Does that surprise you?"

Lily's eyes flicked to his. Instead of the indignant uncertainty that he'd been expecting, he saw open curiosity in their depths. "Not in the slightest," she murmured as she examined him with those piercing green eyes.

Snape suddenly felt very exposed. He cleared his throat and moved away from her toward the sitting room. "Well… Then I suppose it won't shock you to see even more books," he said by way of introduction.

"More?" She murmured as her eyes roamed the sitting room library, settling on the worn out chair by the fire. "How on earth did you ever have the time?"

"Not all of us were entitled to wonderful childhoods full of friends and playdates!" He retorted bitterly as he ran an aggravated hand through his hair.

Lily tilted her head to the side, openly examining him once again without any heat or anger. "Is that what you think my childhood at the orphanage was like?"

Snape clenched his jaw as he stared at the books surrounding them. Of course he didn't think that. He just… Sighing, Snape ran another hand through his hair, feeling very small and lost. These books were so much more than just words on pages – they were a way to escape his pain and channel his overwhelming anger; friends in moments when he had none; reminders of his pitiful, lonely, loveless existence. The wall of books was a literal barrier between him and the outside world, and Lily's presence among them only seemed to upset the barricades he'd worked so hard throughout his life to build.

"Severus…" Lily murmured softly as she came to stand in front of him. He refused to meet her gaze, so Lily raised her hand and gently laid her palm against his cheek. Tender green looked deeply into hesitant black as she said, "I know you haven't had an easy life. I don't judge you for it. I don't know the details – and I'm not demanding that you tell me. It doesn't matter because whatever happened, it made you into the man you are today…" He chuckled humorlessly and looked away, but she continued, "The man that I love with all my heart and want to spend the rest of my life with."

Snape's shocked gaze came back to rest on the utterly devoted, extremely patient, unconditionally loving woman standing before him. His eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he looked at her. "I don't deserve you," he muttered in a guttural whisper. "You coul have anyone you wanted, why–?"

But she cut him off, crushing her lips against his own in answer. She wound her arms about his neck and tangled her fingers in his hair, pressing her luscious body against his own rough planes and edges. Snape held her tightly as something broke inside him, and with a growl his tongue delved into her willing mouth, dancing and sliding against her warmth and wetness.

The sudden clearing of a throat brought them back from the brink. Although they knew they were no longer alone, the pair parted slowly and for long moments only looked at one another. Lily blushed as she smiled shyly up at him, and Snape couldn't help but arch a brow at her sudden bashfulness when she had been more than willing only moments before.

He met Harry's stare and saw the ridiculously large, sappy grin across his son's face.

"What?" He growled at the boy.

"You two are worse than kids my age," Harry said with a laugh. "I'll be sure to let you in on all the good, private snogging spots at school – Hey!" He cried, ducking as Snape sent a well-aimed toenail-growing hex his way. But the smile was still firmly in place as Harry ambled down the last of the stairs, not realizing the weight of his own words as he casually declared with a shrug, "It's nice having parents that aren't afraid to show how much they love each other."

. . . . .

Snape smiled to himself as he allowed the feeling of the last few days to wash over him. He couldn't remember ever feeling more… complete. They settled so easily into their family roles that, as new as it was for everyone, it felt as if they'd been a family for as long as he could remember. Snape was beginning to feel like the father of two amazing children who constantly made him laugh, made him proud, or made him crazy.

And he also realized that despite his fears, he had the unwavering love of a spectacular woman. As much as he'd feared the thought of having Lily in a place he loathed, it was actually quite nice – she knew him better than he realized, and anytime the lingering memories caused him to slip into a foul mood, she'd press her curves up against him and kiss him senseless. Trying not to be caught by the kids had become a sort of game. In such a small house it usually didn't last long, but they had fun attempting it, nonetheless. Snape felt like one of the love-struck teenagers he usually loathed, and he suddenly found that fact incredibly amusing.

He shook himself from his reverie as he realized that Lily and Harry had gathered all their supplies and were looking expectantly at him from their brewing station. He hurried to say, "I chose Dreamless Sleep because my old stores may have spoiled. Harry, turn to page two-hundred-and-fifty-six in your potions book." He gazed at Lily and explained, "This will be good practice, since you will often be brewing this potion to use in the hospital wing." He smiled warmly at her, still surprised at himself that he was so keen on the idea of working alongside her at Hogwarts come September.

After many conversations, she had finally decided to accept the job, and Severus had passed the message on to Dumbledore when he'd floo'd to the Burrow with the older wizard earlier that morning. Dumbledore's eyes twinkled merrily at the news and for once, the cheerful look didn't irritate Snape in the slightest.

Unfortunately however, the mood didn't last. Even with Dumbledore helping, Snape's wards refused to take hold at the Burrow, which meant the Weasleys would have to stay with their Aunt Muriel a while longer. From what he and Dumbledore could determine, there were so many layers of magical residue at the Burrow that one spell or another was disrupting the wards that Severus was trying to place there. Finding out which spell meant days of work, methodically removing each charm one at a time and trying the wards again until they discovered the problem and could ultimately fix it. The two wizards had decided to begin the large undertaking the very next day.

But now, in this moment, Snape wanting nothing more than to enjoy time spent with his family. He was determined to make good on his promise to help Harry hone the potion-making skills he'd need to become an Auror. And he couldn't deny that Lily and Jillian's eagerness to learn a subject that he was so passionate about also pleased him immensely.

"We need two sprigs of lavender and a measure of melaleuca bark," he told Jilly with a smile, and was delighted to see that she instinctively understood the wrist movements needed to properly crush the ingredients with the mortar. "Good. Grind them both together until you have a fine powder, and then we will blend them with the chopped chamomile flowers and the arnica ointment."

Snape strode over to Harry and Lily in order to check their progress with the Dreamless Sleep potion. "Have you added the flobberworm mucus yet? Oh, Harry – I know the book says to chop the valerian, but I find that it juices better if you crush it with the flat of your blade. Yes, like that. A little more… Good. And Lily, stir just a tad slower… Perfect. Also, when Harry adds the lavender, be sure to add one counterclockwise stir for every–"

Two red orbs suddenly appeared over his shoulder and slowly pulsated twice before fading away, and Snape's words died in his throat. Harry's wide, horrified gaze collided with his own, but Lily's brow furrowed in confusion as she glanced between the two of them.

"Dad…"

"Harry, stay here with Lily and Jillian," Snape commanded in a murmur, but Harry immediately got to his feet.

"What? No… I…what if–?"

Snape placed his hands on his son's shoulders, and it didn't take a Legilimens to see that the boy was scared for him. "Harry… I need you here to watch over Lily and Jillian… keep them safe." And I need to keep YOU safe, he thought frantically, but somehow he was able to keep his face masterfully calm.

Harry stared at him for a long moment, but then took a deep breath and nodded his acquiescence. "I have my cloak, Dad. I've carried it on me since the Burrow. I'll listen just in case you need me."

Snape couldn't bring himself to say anything to his son, knowing that it would be a lie. So with a tightly clenched jaw, he nodded jerkily.

Snape saw Jilly hurry to her mother's side as he rushed past her to the stairs. Jumping the first two, he turned to look back at his family. With an apologetic glance at his son he quickly murmured, "Abscondaris." The white marble slabs along the floor and walls began to fold in on themselves before Harry looked wildly around realized what was happening.

"Dad – NO!"

His boy lunged for the stairs but at that moment the potions lab closed in on itself, blocking Harry's frantic face from Snape's view. A dark, damp muggle basement took the place of the well-lit potions lab.

Taking the stairs two at a time, Snape did his best to quickly tuck his feelings and memories behind his Occlumency shields, but he found it incredibly difficult to calm himself with the people he loved most in life only mere feet away from the unknown danger on the other side of the door. He did his best to compose his turbulent emotions as he walked through the sitting room, trying desperately to still the frenzied panic swirling inside him as he made his way to the door.

As Snape reached for the handle, he paused and allowed his hand to hover just above it as he took one last breath, before grasping the metal and opening the door just a crack. What he saw astonished him, and he couldn't have been more stunned had he seen a dragon standing on his doorstep.

"Narcissa!" he said, opening the door a little wider, so that the light from the entrance hall fell upon her and–

His heart clenched painfully.

–Her sister, Bellatrix.