Harry sat inbetween Eileen and Severus while he watched the fireworks, which Bill and Tobias were handling. Lexy was sitting next to Sue and Alaina, baby Toby was asleep and his room had both a Muffling Charm and a Monitor Charm upon it, so he would not wake from the fireworks and if he did wake otherwise, Severus, Lexy, or Harry would be aware of it. Severus was hoping he remained asleep, the little scamp hadn’t slept much due to his new tooth coming in and he needed the rest badly and so did his caregivers.

Eileen was strangely restless, she kept shifting from sitting on her father’s lap to her brother’s. “Sit still, snippet,” Harry ordered, pulling her dark head back until it was resting on his shoulder. Before his younger siblings were born, Harry would have never thought he would feel comfortable holding a small child, but once Eileen was born, he discovered that he didn’t mind holding his little sister. Or his brother either. Except when they were screaming, in Toby’s case, or squirming, in Eileen’s.

“Harry, when’s the fireworks gonna start?” she asked.

“In a little bit. Now just settle down and be patient.”

She scowled slightly, reminding him of his father. “Don’t wanna.”

He frowned down at her. “Tough. You’re going to learn.”

Severus chuckled. “You were just like her at that age, Harry. Had the patience of a gnat when it came to waiting for something you wanted.”

“I was not.” Harry objected.

“I beg to differ, Mr. Potter. You wouldn’t remember it, but I recall many times when I had to tell you to sit still and wait. You were like a jack-in-the-box, son. So don’t be so hard on your sister.”

“Yeah.” Eileen put in.

Harry tweaked her nose. “Put a stopper in it, brat.”

“Make me,” she said fearlessly.

“Eileen, listen to your older brother,” Severus cut in. “Now sit still, young lady, and watch the fireworks, or else you can go to bed.”

She went still immediately. All of Sev’s children knew not to test him when he issued orders in a certain tone. “’Kay, Dad. I’ll be good.”

“For once,” Harry couldn’t resist adding.

“That’s the pot calling the cauldron black, Mister,” Alaina laughed.

Harry blushed then turned and focused his eyes upon the lawn, where Tobias and Bill were just setting the first fireworks alight.

They shot off with a soft whoosh and a hiss, soaring high into the cloudless sky, then exploding with loud bangs and pops into a plethora of red, white, blue, and green. They lit up the sky like the aurora borealis in the colors of the American flag, celebrating the freedom of a nation.

One even was shaped like the flag. Others were purple and pink colored, in the shapes of roses and lilies, and still others were corkscrew shapes, twirling in small cyclones across the sky until the faded away into sparkling dust motes.

The fireworks were Severus’s contribution to the celebration, he had purchased them from Alivan’s Light Spectacular, one of the premier companies of wizarding fireworks.

The light show lasted for nearly an hour, and Tobias and Bill were careful to make sure the fireworks did not blow up too near the woods and were far enough away from the watchers to not hurt their ears.

Eileen clapped her hands as each firework was shot off, grinning and giggling in delight. “I liked the dragon one!” she said to Harry when the huge dragon flew over their heads. “And I also liked the snake and the unicorn!”

“Me too, Lee,” said Lexy. “I also liked the bubbling cauldron.”

“Alivans always has the best fireworks,” Harry said.

“And now . . .who wants roasted marshmallows?” asked Sue.

All of her grandchildren yelled their assent.

“Severus, would you fetch the skewers and marshmallows?” asked his mother-in-law.

“Of course, Mum,” he answered and waved his wand.

The bag of marshmallows and skewers appeared in front of Sue and she lit the grill and the kids took turns roasting the marshmallows over the grill to a crunchy burnt perfection. Harry and Lexy took turns helping Eileen, who was too small to reach the grill.

They then devoured the marshmallows while standing upon the deck and looking out at the woods and the lawn. Tobias came and handed them all sparklers, then told them to go and play.

Grinning, the three siblings chased each other through the grass, waving the sparklers about and making patterns in the air with them. Lexy was the best at that, but Eileen wasn’t bad either. Unlike his sisters, Harry preferred to just watch it burn and twirl it on occasion.

Eileen was spinning around and around, waving her sparkler like a dervish, laughing. “Look at me, Lexy! Watch me, Harry! I’m glowing like a fairy!”

Her older siblings smiled at her, recalling when they were around that age and had loved spinning around and playing with sparklers on the 4th of July.

Abruptly, Eileen halted in her play, and stared off into the trees. She blinked and lowered the sparkler, which was almost out, and squinted into the trees. There, at the verge, where the trees met the lawn, stood a familiar fawn.

“Harry! Lexy!” the little girl cried. “Look, it’s my deer! She’s come back!”

Before they could stop her, Eileen had run towards the fawn.

“Eileen, what are you doing?” Lexy called.

“Going to play with Firefly,” she answered, and just as she reached the spot where the fawn was, the little deer turned and ran a few steps into the woods.

Eileen followed, heedless of Harry and Lexy’s calls.

“Eileen, you stupid brat, come back here,” Harry cried angrily. Then he started after her.

“Harry! Where are you going?”

“After Eileen. Just stay here, okay.”

Lexy shook her head. “Two of them, Merlin help me!” She turned about to inform her parents about her missing siblings only to see Severus coming across the lawn, having heard what sounded like a quarrel beginning.

“Lexy, what’s going on?”

“Eileen saw the fawn again and she ran off after it and Harry went to go and get her,” his daughter groaned.

“They what?” Severus frowned. “Of all the dumb, irresponsible, idiotic stunts . . .” he shook his head angrily. The last thing he wanted was to go rushing off through the woods in the middle of the night. “Lexy go back and tell your mother where we all are, so she doesn’t go insane with worry. I’ll find Harry and Eileen.” He drew his wand. “And when I do—”

“They’re going to be in serious trouble?” Lexy guessed.

“Yes. Your sister more than your brother,” Severus said grimly, then he chanted a Four Points spell and strode into the woods after his wayward offspring. Why is it that my children are all so bloody impulsive? First Harry, now Eileen. Merlin’s bloody hat!

Eileen ran as quickly as her legs could carry her, following the bright white flag of the fawn’s tail. The fawn moved through the trees gracefully, not quite running, but walking quickly. It was odd behavior for a wild creature, had Eileen only known. But she was only five and had no idea how animals normally behaved.

Occasionally, the fawn would pause and almost allow the child to touch her before moving onward.

“Firefly, come here. I won’t hurt you. I want to be your friend,” the girl called, stubbornly continuing on, despite the dark and the multitude of twigs that snagged on her arms and legs.

The fawn continued onward, until finally she came to a small clearing where the moonlight shone down. Firefly walked into the center of the clearing and stood in the moonlight. The gentle beams highlighted the white spots on her coat and chest and something else that glistened and glittered when the light struck it.

Panting, Eileen arrived at the clearing and stared up at the fawn. The fawn gazed back at her, meeting her dark eyes with large almond-shaped ones fearlessly. Something passed between them in that moment and slowly Eileen extended her hand and walked forward.

Firefly remained stock still, not even twitching her large bell-shaped ears.

One hand inched forward, and the fawn dipped her head until her nose grazed Eileen’s palm.

The little girl smiled and tentatively stroked Firefly’s neck. Her fur was as soft as satin. Eileen grinned.

“I wish I could talk to you like we did before,” she told the fawn, continuing to stroke her. “But Daddy says I can’t use my song magic ‘less he’s with me.” Then her eye caught on the glittering silver chain about the fawn’s neck. “What’s this?”

She picked up the chain. Upon it hung a pin with a silver L and S entwined by a silver snake with emerald eyes. “How pretty! Where did it come from?”

Firefly lowered her head and nuzzled Eileen’s cheek.

The little girl threw her arms about the fawn and hugged her. “I love you, Firefly. You’re my best friend.”

That was how Harry found her a few minutes later. He too was scratched and a little out of breath from following his sister on this crazy wild deer chase or whatever you called it and longed to take the little imp and shake her till her teeth rattled. “Eileen, what the bloody hell d’you think you’re doing running after that stupid deer?”

He stopped just inside the clearing, his hands on his hips, and the sight that met his eyes totally floored him. “Merlin! She’s done it again!” he half-murmured, but couldn’t understand how because he hadn’t heard Eileen singing at all. But it had to be magic, because no wild animal would ever let a girl hug them that way.

“Uh, Lee . . .how come the fawn’s letting you hold her that way?” Harry asked, coming forward a pace.

Eileen turned to look at him, the moonlight dancing over her and making her shimmer with an eldritch gleam. “’Cause she’s my friend, Harry. And look, she’s got a necklace just like a princess.” She indicated the silver chain about the fawn;s neck.”

“Eileen, don’t be ridiculous. Deer don’t wear necklaces.”

“She does. See?”

Harry peered at them, then he walked forward again. “I don’t believe it.” He knelt to examine the necklace more closely, and gasped. “Holy Merlin! That’s . . .impossible!”

“What is?” Eileen asked, continuing to pet Firefly, who remained stock still, watching her brother calmly.

“That necklace . . .I know it. Because it used to belong to my mum. Dad bought it for her as a Christmas present and she always wore it with her fancy cloak.”

“Neat! But how’d Firefly get it?”

Harry looked flabbergasted. “I . . .don’t know. What I do know is that you’re going to be in big trouble, kid, for running off like that. You know better, Eileen Lily.”

“But Harry, I had to follow her!” Eileen argued. “I think she was scared of the sparklers and she came here where she was safe.”

“Maybe, but Dad’s gonna have your hide for this,” Harry warned. “You know how he is about wandering off without permission.”

The little girl’s lower lip quivered pathetically. She knew from Harry’s stories of when he was little how Severus dealt with children who ran away from home. “Think he’ll spank me?”

“I may, unless you give me a very good reason not to, young lady,” came Severus’s disapproving voice.

A second later, the tall wizard came through the trees, his wand tip lit up, and an angry glint in his eyes. “How many times have I told you, Eileen Lily, to stay in sight of the house and not leave the property without asking?”

His daughter hung her head. “A lot. But Daddy, Firefly wanted me to follow her.” She hugged the deer tighter, figuring that as long as she was holding onto the fawn, her father would delay carrying out his punishment.

“Eileen, that fawn is a wild animal—”

“Dad, look at what she’s got around her neck,” Harry interrupted his parent’s lecture. “It’s Mum’s necklace.”

Severus gave his son an incredulous look. “Harry, this is no time for pranks.”

“Dad, I’m not kidding. Take a look.”

Severus turned about and stepped close to his daughter and the fawn, who had remained still as a statue. His eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at the familiar pendant . . .the pendant that was also a pin that he had commissioned for Lily that long ago Christmas. He would know that pin anywhere, it was one of a kind.

“How . . .is this possible?” he gasped. His hand reached out and cupped the pin in his hand. It was real, not an illusion or a mirage. “I buried this with her. I placed it around her neck and buried her with it.” He rubbed his eyes. “I don’t understand. Is this . . .some kind of sign?”

Suddenly, there was a brilliant flash of light and the fawn was haloed in a mystical silvery-blue nimbus.

Eileen yelped and went to cover her eyes, releasing the fawn, and Harry grabbed onto her and held her close.

All of the wizards were momentarily blinded by the bright light and when they opened their eyes, they saw that the fawn’s coat had suddenly become a silver color and green eyes looked at them from Firefly’s face.

“Dad?” Harry looked at his father, fearful and uncertain. “What just happened?”

Before Severus could answer, the fawn did. Her mouth did not move, but they could hear her voice in their minds. “Don’t be afraid, Harry. It’s all right, little one. Although, I can’t really call you that anymore, now can I?”

“Mum?”

“Lily?” Severus cried.

“Long time no see, Sev. I only have a little while, so hear me out. I sent this fawn to you, because she is a special deer, one of the last of the White Stag line. Yes, the same white stag that King Arthur hunted through the forests of Camelot. All the deer born of his lineage bear magic in their blood and are considered sacred now. The white deer can serve as guardians and familiars to witches and sometimes channel spirits as well.”

“And that’s how she came to be wearing the necklace,” Severus surmised.

“Yes. I summoned the necklace and placed it about her neck tonight, for tonight is the night of the full moon, and during that time the gateway to the land where shadows go is open, and those who have need may cross over. I’ve been watching you and your family, Sev. I’m glad you have found Alaina to love and she has given you the children I never could. You deserve to be happy.” The fawn swiveled her head about and looked at Harry with Lily’s emerald eyes. “And I’m proud of you too, Harry. You’ve grown into a fine young man, like both of your fathers.”

Harry felt tears come to his eyes and when he went to dash them away, he saw his father doing the same. “Thanks, Mum,” he managed to say.

The white deer nuzzled Eileen then. Eileen gave her an awe-struck look and said, “You’re a magic deer, aren’t you?”

“Yes, and you are the reason I am here, child. Firefly chose you as her familiar, Eileen Lily, for those with a spellsinger’s gift have always been partnered with the white deer. A spellsinger is one with the land and the deer embodies that spirit. Where a white deer roams, magic shall flourish. You must take me with you when you return to England. I am needed there, Severus. There is a dark time coming . . .a shadow hovers over the future . . .and it threatens all of magic . . .”

“Lily, what do you mean? Is it the Death Eaters? Is it . . .Voldemort?” Severus queried.

“No . . .but it is just as deadly . . .be prepared, Master Healer . . .be prepared . . .cherish your children, Sev . . .they are magic’s future . . .Take me home . . .and remember . . .I love you . . .Goodbye, Sev . . .Goodbye, Harry . . .Goodbye Eileen Lily . . .”

“Lily! Wait! What did you mean, be prepared?” Severus cried. “Be prepared for what?”

But the silver nimbus about the fawn had vanished and Lily was gone, slipped back through the passage between worlds to return to the land where shadows go.

Firefly shook herself, her eyes were back to normal, a uniform onyx, and her coat was still brown, though was there a silvery sheen to it now?

“Daddy? Can we really take Firefly home with us?”

“Yes, Eileen.” Severus said, still dazed by Lily’s revelation. “Nothing should separate a witch and her familiar. The fawn can come home with us.”

“Dad? What did Mum mean . . .what great danger is coming?” Harry asked.

“I don’t know, Harry. But it must be pretty bad if she came here to warn us.” He bent to pick up the silver chain and the pin about the fawn’s neck. It was warm to the touch.

“Can Firefly fix it?” asked Eileen worriedly. She didn’t understand everything that the fawn had spoken about, but she understood enough to know that Firefly was important to helping keep the danger away from them.

“Yes, I think so,” answered her father. He was still in awe and shock over the appearance of his dead wife in a deer’s body. Then again, Lily had always loved deer. He sighed. “Well, this will be a 4th of July to remember, all right.” He scooped up his daughter and said, “Come on, snippet. Let’s get you home to your mum, she’ll be worried sick. And next time you see a strange deer, don’t follow it. Or else you’ll be over my knee before you can say Quidditch.” Then he gave her a warning swat for remembrance.

“Oww! M’sorry, Dad!” she yelped. She buried her face in his shoulder, sniffling.

Harry winced, he knew from experience how much that stung. You’re lucky, little sister, that my mum explained everything so Dad didn’t get mad, because then you’d have gotten a real spanking like I did for flying off on my broom that time.

He eyed his father warily. “Am I in trouble too?”

“No, because you were only trying to prevent your sister from getting lost,” Severus said. “But next time, tell someone first, Harry.” He started to leave the clearing, then paused and glanced behind him. “Come on, Firefly.”

To his surprise, the fawn followed at his heels docilely, like a large dog. Severus tucked the chain and the pin into his pocket, wondering how on earth he was going to explain to Alaina that they now had a deer to raise as well as four children. Or about the cryptic warning from his deceased wife.

* * * * * *

Harry and Lexy helped Eileen make a bed for Firefly out of an old mattress and a blanket in the garage, even though Eileen wanted Firefly to sleep in her bed, both her grandmother and her mother refused to hear of it.

“Absolutely not! It could have fleas or ticks or goodness knows what else diseases,” Alaina cried, then she rounded on her husband. “Severus, how could you allow her to bring this . . .animal home? You don’t keep deer as pets!”

“Alaina, it’s a magical deer,” Severus began trying to explain what had gone on in the woods.

“Honey, deer belong outside, not in your bed,” Sue said diplomatically.

“But Firefly’s my friend and my . . .familiar!” Eileen protested, growing cranky when they didn’t seem to understand. “She belongs with me. Harry’s mum Lily sent her from heaven.”

That floored Susan and it was then that Harry decided the best thing to do right now while his father was explaining was to bring Eileen and her familiar to the garage and make the fawn a bed there for the time being.

Eileen, of course, protested. “But she’ll be lonely here all night. Maybe I should sleep out here.”

“In the garage?” Lexy cried. “Eileen, you can’t do that! It’s hot and there’s spiders and stuff.”

“So? I don’t want Firefly to be scared.”

Firefly was sniffing her new accommodations . The kids had provided her with a bucket of water and a bowl of cereal to eat and also put down some newspapers just in case. She didn’t seem even remotely nervous about being inside with so many people. Perhaps Lily had explained things to her, Harry mused as he spread out the soft blanket.

“Lee, she doesn’t look scared.” He told his sister, indicating the fawn, who had jumped up on the mattress and walked about a few times before settling down and nibbling on a corner of the blanket. “See, she likes it here.”

“It’s nice and cozy,” Lexy added. “Sort of like the room Inky used to have.”

“Inky sleeps with us,” Eileen reminded them mulishly.

“That’s because Inky won’t wreck our house,” said her brother. “”Cause he knows better. But when he was small, we kept him in his room. Like we have to do with Firefly now. It’s just for tonight, then we’ll go home.”

“I still don’t like it.”

Harry sighed, exasperated. “Too bad. You can’t always get what you want.”

“Why don’t you sing Firefly a lullaby?” suggested Lexy. “Then she might go to sleep and you don’t have to worry about her being lonely.”

“Okay.” Eileen curled up on the mattress, and began to sing the familiar “Hush Little Baby” which was the Snape lullaby of choice, since Severus sang it to all of his children when they were babies, save for Lexy since she had been eight when he had adopted her.

The fawn’s head began to droop after the third repetition.

Meanwhile, back in the house, Severus was getting a headache trying to explain to his family why the fawn had to come with them to England.

“Severus, you’re crazy, letting Eileen keep a deer,” Tobias remarked. “First that panther of Harry’s and then Lexy’s owl and now a fawn? Bloody hell, what do you want—a menagerie?”

“The fawn’s not an ordinary deer, Dad. It’s a familiar,” Severus repeated through gritted teeth. “Lily was very explicit.”

“I don’t believe this!” Tobias threw up his hands. “You’re telling me your dead wife came down and told you that fawn is some kind of magic animal that’s going to save the world or something? Have you been drinking on the sly, Sev?”

“No, Dad! I know better, damn it!” his son snapped, losing his patience. “I’m not drunk and you ought to know enough about magic by now not to doubt me when I said something happened. Lily came and used the fawn as an avatar to speak to me and warn me about something. And to make sure the fawn was taken to where she needs to be. Scoff all you want, but I’m not going to ignore Lily’s advice.”

Tobias just shook his head. “Unbelievable!” was all he kept saying. “My son’s lost his mind. Bringing a deer home for a pet. Where are you going to keep it, in the backyard?”

“I’ll figure something out.”

“Leave the deer here.”

“I can’t do that.”

“Fine, don’t listen to me! Alaina, maybe you can talk sense into his stubborn hide.” Tobias growled. “I’m going to bed.” Then he left the two of them alone in the kitchen and went into the guest bedroom all the way down the hall. Bill and Susan quickly followed.

“Sev, are you sure . . .?”

“Yes. Alaina. I am.” He pulled the necklace from his pocket. “Look. Here’s the pin, strung on a silver chain, the pin that I buried with her. No one else would have known where to find it, much less retrieve it.”

Alaina gently took the necklace from him. “It’s beautiful.” She closed her hand about it gently. “Like the love you shared with her. Although, I have to admit . . .I am a little jealous of the fact that she had magic and can still use it to come back that way. Sometimes I think that if I had it too . . .things would be so much easier. I envy her that. I’m a terrible person, to envy a dead woman.”

“No, merely a human one,” Severus corrected softly. He gently put his arms about her and hugged her. “Blackbird, you don’t need magic to make our life easier. You make my life easier just by being there for me every day. Sometimes I think we wizards tend to see our magic as the be-all and end-all, but it’s not. We need it, but it’s not what makes life worth living. People are. My family-you, the children, my father, your parents. If I had none of you, I would be a lonely and bitter man indeed. Magic is cold comfort compared to you, Alaina love. You are my other half, and I love you because of who you are, not what you are. I loved Lily the same way.” His hand reached out and caressed her cheek. “No regrets, blackbird. Lily is at peace and you have nothing to fear from a dead woman.” Then he captured her mouth with his own, and showed her quite thoroughly how much he meant what he said.

Their kiss lasted for what seemed like an eternity, one moment stretched into a thousand endless ones, in which their love was reaffirmed and given wings, and the fire rekindled between them.

But at last Severus drew away, reluctantly, and murmured, “Were we alone, blackbird, you know where this would end, but . . .we have to put the children to bed.”

“Damn!” she sighed, then she laughed. “Duty before pleasure, huh, Healer?”

“Regrettably, yes. We don’t want to shock the children,” he smirked.

Together they went into the garage, where they found a sleepy Eileen curled up next to her familiar, Lexy dozing on her right side and Harry on her left.

For one moment, the two parents simply gazed at their offspring, who were sleeping so peacefully, like a trio of angels in a Boticelli portrait.

Then Alaina bent to wake Lexy and Sev Harry, coaxing the two teenagers inside before Severus picked up Eileen, who whined in protest, then obeyed his whispered command to put her head down and close her eyes. He carried his sleeping daughter back to the room she shared with her sister, who was already sprawled on the bed, dreaming.

A quick spell Transfigured both girls’ clothing into pajamas and Eileen was tucked in next to Lexy. They kissed the girls goodnight and went to check on their sons, finding them sleeping soundly as well.

Toby had kicked off his covers and Severus replaced them, while Alaina removed Harry’s glasses and took off his shoes, before Severus Transfigured his clothes as well. Then he went to move his son over so he wasn’t falling off of the bed and Harry stirred and woke for a moment.

“Huh? Wha?”

“Hush. Go to sleep, son.”

“Mmmhmm. Night, Dad.” Harry murmured.

“Good night, Harry.”

“Night, Mum,” he added when Alaina tucked the covers about him.

“Pleasant dreams, scamp.” Alaina whispered, and ruffled his hair.

“Happy 4th of July,” their son called just before he turned over and closed his eyes.

The two elder Snapes retreated to their own room then, to celebrate their own little holiday . . .until their little son woke them at the crack of dawn, howling for breakfast.

* * * * * *

Two days later, the Snape family bid farewell to the Montagues and Pennsylvania until next year, and returned to London, where Severus contacted Sirius and Remus, who helped him cast a space warp spell over the small backyard, making it large enough for Firefly to roam in and charming it so she couldn’t jump over the fence. He also spoke with Hagrid and asked him what a deer ate and how to care for one, explaining they had recently acquired a new familiar.

Hagrid told him to buy a special mix of spruce leaves and shoots and bark designed for a deer’s digestive tract at the pet store in Diagon Alley, though Eileen insisted on giving her fawn handfuls of cereal every now and then and apples for treats. Severus built a small shed and filled it with straw for Firefly to sleep in, but the fawn could be found in Eileen’s bed as often as in her shed.

Severus and Alaina were afraid to introduce Firefly to Inky at first, but the two magical pets got along well, despite the predator and prey relationship, and could be found drowsing in the sun on any given day.

When Firefly’s spots faded, so too did her caramel coat, becoming a soft ivory color which would lighten as she grew, until eventually she would resemble the pure white deer of legends.

Tobias still thought they were insane, but even he admitted that the white doe was a pretty and affectionate thing and a good companion for Eileen.

Sometimes, Severus would take the kids and Firefly up to Hogwarts to visit their Uncle Al and let Firefly run across the grounds and Albus swore he could see magic sparking off the young doe’s hooves as she raced about.

But neither wizard could decipher the meaning of the great danger Lily had spoken of until a year or so later, and the promise of the white deer was fulfilled, but that was a tale yet to be told, and Headmaster and Healer watched the doe romp with Eileen, Harry, and Lexy across the broad sweep of lawn, reveling in the last lazy days of summer before the coming of autumn, their ears filled with the joyous song of children laughing.