Harry tumbled out of the shadows he'd found himself cloaked in for several seconds and right into bright sunshine. Draco fell right into Harry and was knocked further forward when Hermione stumbled into him. Ron was the last and he tripped over Hermione's legs. They helped each other up and took a look at their surroundings.

The landscape was exceptionally boring, and very green. It was a flat expanse that at first appearance seemed to stretch infinitely in all directions. The sound of the ocean rolling up onto a rocky beach caused them all to look a little closer at the land to the north of where they stood. It ended, seemingly sliced off like the drop at the edge of the flat Earth.

A second look, not too far ahead of them and also to the north, was a deep split in the cliff face. Harry started to go closer for a better look, but Draco stopped him.

"I think we'd better wait for Mum and Dad, brother mine," he warned.

Harry huffed, but stayed where he was. Wisely, none of them moved but took in the scent of the ocean and the cool feeling of the sea in the air.

"Any guesses where we might be?" asked Hermione.

"I'm pretty certain that forest we walked through was in North America," commented Draco. "Or possibly Canada."

Ron piped up, "How about Snape's portkey? That wasn't from a portkey station. That was a pretty expensive looking pocket watch Uncle Sev had."

Draco nodded. "I've seen it before. When I was little, sometimes I saw Dad wearing that watch when he came to the manor."

"Boys, summon your brooms!" Snape's rich baritone startled them all as he appeared. He was removing the trunks from his pocket and held them out on the palm of his hand.

"Uncle Severus, I don't have a broom," said Hermione.

"You can ride with me, My!" smiled Draco waggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"You'll ride with me," declared Snape as he summoned his broom and returned it to full size. "The flight down into the gorge can be tricky if it's your first time." He looked pointedly at Draco. "I don't need you tossing yourself and Hermione because you haven't ever dealt with wicked updrafts."

"That's where we're going?" asked Lyrica warily as she peered over the cliff's edge.

Snape smiled. "Wait here, my dear. I'll take Hermione down first and then come back for you." Once Ron, Harry, and Draco had summoned their brooms, they mounted them and hovered, waiting for Snape.

Snape mounted his broom and hovered beside Hermione. She climbed onto the back of the broom and wrapped her arms tightly about his waist. "I hope this is quick," muttered Hermione.

Snape patted her locked hands. "You'll be fine, but try not to scream in my ear, all right?"

"Scream?"

Snape's broom lifted upward from the ground and sped toward the split in the landscape. Right behind him were the boys. Suddenly, he dipped his broom down sharply into the gorge. Hermione's grip tightened and although she didn't scream in Snape's ear, she did scream into his back as her stomach dropped out in the quick dive.

They landed at the bottom of the gorge in the midst of a gardener's paradise. The boys were mesmerised by the sight, but Snape had to interrupt their appreciation. "Draco! Help Hermione, would you?"

Draco trotted over and peeled the shaking girl off the Potions Master. The Gryffindor had become so unbalanced by the roller coaster ride, that she promptly threw up on the Slytherin's chest.

Snape smirked. "I'll leave you to it, son." He then turned his broom around and shot upwards and disappeared over the lip of the cliff side.

Draco used a cleaning spell, but couldn't help grimacing. "I do love you, Hermione, but could you try and not vomit on me in future?"

Shooting him a deadly glare, she dropped to the grass and propped her head in her hands. It seemed that within seconds Snape was back with Lyrica and her aunt was offering her an Anti-Nausea Potion to soothe her stomach.

They had landed at the bottom of the gorge with its cragged walls sloping upwards on either side. The split cut into the coastline, narrow to the south and widening out to the north towards the ocean. Where they stood now was a slice of the Garden of Eden. Climbing plants of all varieties festooned and softened the sharp cliff edges that rose above them. There were trees, roses, bushes, flowers, herbs, and a swath of lush grass that snaked along the gorge until it disappeared from sight at the narrow, south end.

At first look the garden seemed to have no organisation, being allowed to grow wildly on its own. Students of Pomona Sprout (that paid attention in class) were able to tell that every plant grew where it was because it either benefited from those around it, or it benefited them. Magical and non-magical plants grew in this paradise which was a Potions Master's dream of ingredients.

To the north was another brilliant sight. Closing in the garden was a structure of wood, glass, granite and basalt stone, and brick. The foundation was narrow and its east and west sides that followed the surrounding cliff, it spread until it was at its widest at the roof. Floors and rooms jutted out in various places as though the entire structure was a series of children's blocks haphazardly stacked one atop the other. Staircases and balconies traced the sides as though they had been attached as an after thought. It was a fascinating piece of chaotic architecture that no one ever thought the precise Potions Master Severus Snape would ever own.

"That is insane!" whistled Harry in appreciation.

"It's bloody brilliant!" gasped Ron, his head tilted back in order to see all of the house.

"It looks so impossible it's beautiful!" marveled Hermione.

Draco snorted, "I'm with Harry. That thing is insane. Dad, I didn't know you had crazy people on your family tree."

"Setimar Cornelius Prince wasn't crazy, but he was eccentric. He was an Herbologist, a Potions Master, Charms Master, and a Thaumaturgical Archaeologist." Snape glanced down at Hermione anticipating the question on the tip of her tongue about the last occupation. "It is a branch of archaeology that deals specifically with the ancient secrets of the wizarding world." He motioned his family to follow him towards the house.

Lyrica asked, "How long has this been in your family, Severus?"

"Almost two hundred years. Setimar Prince spent nearly seventy years of his adult life building the house and cultivating the garden. He didn't use one bit of magic except for it being Unplottable and the wards used to protect the entire gorge and a large portion of the beach."

Snape, who prided himself on being a very ordered man that paid attention to detail and required everything to be neatly in place, had always enjoyed the chaotic nature of Billeghdonn Manor. It seemed to go against all accepted architectural convention, yet appeared to be so very right.

Harry, glancing back at his father, was astonished by the absolute beatific look upon Snape's face. Although the expression was there for no longer than Harry could draw breath, this he knew was a part of Snape only a select few had ever seen. A contented Severus without a care in the world. Harry smiled, glad of catching such a precious gem.

"Wait until you see the inside," warned Snape. He then ushered his family along the green path and up onto what could only politely be called a porch. Like the tracery of stairs and balconies above, the porch appeared to have been put together from leftover stone and brick only after the architect realised that a porch was needed.

The porch ran the width of the narrow foundation and framed a double door of heavily carved black oak. While the children studied the fantastical carvings that told a story amidst tendrils of ivy and celtic knotwork on the door, Lyrica went over to a porch swing and seated herself.

"Feet still aching?" Snape inquired quietly.

Lyrica smiled and shook her head. "No. I just had to try out this porch swing. I've never sat in one before."

"...it is, too!" declared Hermione hotly.

"No it isn't!" shot Harry right back.

"Look, Harry," said Hermione pointing to one panel, "This is Gandalf and beside him is Bilbo Baggins. Down here, those are most definitely Orcs."

Draco peered at the last carving Hermione was pointing at. "So that's an Orc? Looks like a skinny troll." He had no idea what an Orc was, nor who Gandalf or Bilbo Baggins were. He quietly thought that the Gandalf wizard looked a bit like Dumbledore.

"All right, so maybe it is Lord of the Rings," conceded Harry.

"It is," confirmed Snape. "The door is one of my additions and I've always been fond of Tolkien's interpretation of the wizarding world."

Hermione and Harry stared at Snape gaping. He tapped each of their chins closed. "Much of what is taken for fantasy in the Muggle world was based on fact. Tolkien was not only a powerful wizard himself, he had a gifted imagination."

"So how come I never heard of him?" demanded Draco.

"Lucius was too busy filling your head with Dark Arts texts than fine literature. A deficit you're quite welcome to remedy once you see my library of fiction."

"So, let's go in," said Ron grabbing for the door handle.

"Not quite so fast, Ronald," cautioned Snape. "This, despite all appearances is not the front door. This is the outer door to my potions lab. Follow me."

Snape led them towards the west side of the porch opposite the swing. On this side was one of those sets of stairs that appeared to be rickety wood, but was quite sturdy and solidly anchored to the building. The staircase rose up the side of the house and then over the porch to a balcony that led to the second floor. The door, the official front door to Billeghdonn Manor, was a wide, arched door of colourful art nouveau stained glass.

Snape turned on them all suddenly. "A warning to the hoodlums hiding within you; this glass cannot be repaired by magic so don't you DARE slam it. If any one of you cracks it or breaks it, I will take it out on your hide. Am I clearly understood?" Four teenaged heads nodded in solemn understanding. A wave of his hand and the wards shimmered and fell down. Removing an ornate key from his pocket, he slipped it into a lock in the door's center, turned it three times, and the door gracefully swung open.

They walked into a wide, but short entryway of Spanish tile. Snape was the first to remove his outer robe and hang it upon a clawed hook which snatched at the fabric and grabbed it securely. More of the clawed hooks appeared next to Snape's and one by one they each removed their robes and hung them up.

Leaving the entryway they emerged into a circular parlor decorated in pleasing colors of blue, green, and gold. There were three sets of French doors that Snape opened with a wave of his hand. To the right the doors led into a library and next to that was an office. Opposite those two sets of doors was a more spacious and informal sitting room decorated in wood panelling of cherry and ironwood. The furniture was dark stained leather.

Hermione, obviously salivating to see the library, couldn't stop herself from heading in that direction. Snape caught her by the shoulder. He smiled down at his little know-it-all.

"Why don't you allow me to conduct a formal tour?" Hermione nodded and smiled back at her uncle. "This parlor is purely for guests. I expect it to be kept neat. The fireplace you see here is the only one that can be connected to the Floo network. However, it will only be connected to a secure connection through Hogwarts and in an emergency, or if we're expecting someone." He headed towards the door of the sitting room. "This is the sitting room. As you can see at the back there is a circular staircase that leads to the third floor which is where the kitchen, dining room, fiction library and quarters for Dobby are."

The sitting room was an irregular rectangle with a wide window that looked out upon the ocean. They all crowded over to the window to get their first glimpse of the water rolling up onto a rocky shoreline. The beach was black sand that glittered in the sun.

"The ocean seems awfully close, Severus," remarked Lyrica with consternation.

"Very strong wards protect the manor from the worst the sea can send, my dear. I can assure you that we'll be able to see some spectacular storms, but we'll be quite safe."

"There's a lighthouse out there!" crowed Hermione pointing toward a single tower that nestled firmly within the black rocks that rose from the waves crashing against it. The lighthouse was a sturdy structure of grey stone walls and thick, heavy glass that surrounded its lens. "Will we be able to go out to it, Uncle?"

"I will take you out there a little later," replied Snape.

He then showed them the study, his small office, but didn't allow them entrance. Decorated similarly to the sitting room, it held a large desk, a fireplace, and a tall, thin window that overlooked the garden. An inner door led into the library that Snape finally let Hermione into.

The library was a magnificent room that took up the rest of the second floor. Just as irregularly shaped as the sitting room, it was pleasantly decorated in the same dark wood stylings of the sitting room. Ornate wooden desks with green hooded research lamps and comfortable leather chairs sat at convenient intervals allowing several individuals privacy to study and write. Tall, thin windows lined the wall allowing in light from the garden.

The bookshelves reached the high ceiling and rolling ladders gave one access to the higher shelves of books. It was a much more impressive library than the one at Hogwarts.

"You can read anything in here except those books that are spelled shut. I know each of you have the intelligence to break such spells, but don't." The warning was clear, but not quite to one. The glitter in Hermione's amber brown eyes gave her intention away very clearly. Snape laid a hand firmly on Hermione's shoulder. "I mean it, Miss. I will not tolerate the sneakiness Madame Pince allows you at Hogwarts."

"I don't sneak!" she declared hotly, her cheeks flushing.

Snape's right eyebrow lifted. "I suppose it wasn't you who forged my signature to release the school's copy of Most Potente Potions from the Restricted Section to you in your second year?"

The colour in Hermione's cheeks deepened considerably. How in the world had he known that? her mind quailed.

Snape leaned over and caught Hermione's chin gently with his fingers. "I mean it, my dear girl. There are some very dangerous books in here and if I must, I will impress upon you just how serious I am."

Hermione turned absolutely scarlet and backed up right into Draco. "You can't spank me!"

Lyrica patted the girl's shoulder reassuringly. "Of course he won't, Hermione dear."

"No, that I won't do, Hermione, but you will be barred from the library and you'll only be allowed your school textbooks for the rest of the summer," Snape clarified.

That didn't seem to mollify the young girl and she stared at her aunt and uncle in horror. "I'd rather have the spanking, please!"

Snape laughed and the boys chuckled. Harry patted Hermione's shoulder. "Only you would take a spanking over the loss of your books, 'Mione."

Snape smirked and led them out of the library then into the sitting room and on up the staircase to the third floor.

Outside of the third floor library, which were all fiction books, they were met by an enthusiastic Dobby.

"Welcome Masters and Mistresses!" he cried. "Lunch is being ready. Are you one and all hungry?"

They were and the elf led them into the light and airy dining room which had a wide picture window that overlooked the garden. Before them was a welcome meal of sandwiches, soup, salad, pumpkin juice, coffee and tea.

Silence descended as they allowed their appetites to take over and they indulged themselves in the good food.

The tour proceeded in earnest after lunch concluded. The fourth floor was next and here were four bedrooms, each with their own bathroom. The four bedrooms were connected by an octagonal common room that had a shelf of books, a fireplace in the center of the room, several chairs and two sofas. The decor was cozy and was similar to the sitting room, but the wood panelling was sepia stained pine.

Each bedroom was furnished with a bed, a desk, a wardrobe, an empty shelf for books or knicknacks, two chairs, and a settee. Two rooms looked out upon the ocean and two of the rooms looked out upon the garden.

There was almost an argument about who was going to get what view until Snape pointed out that each window was enchanted and if they wanted to change the view, they could. Ron and Harry took the two rooms that looked naturally out upon the ocean, while Draco and Hermione took the other two rooms.

As soon as Hermione had chosen her room, Snape stepped towards the door and began weaving a spell.

"What are you doing, Dad?" asked Draco curiously.

Snape finished the spell. "Try the door, Draco," suggested Snape.

Draco eyed his father suspiciously, then put his hand on the doorknob. He yelped as he felt a spark of energy leap over his fingers. "Hey! That's not fair!" he shouted.

"Of course it is," Snape countered. "If the door is open, and remains open, you are allowed inside. The second the door is closed, you'll be sent to the common room." Snape went over to Draco's door and incanted the same spell. He then glanced over at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "I trust you about as much as I trust him." Hermione just crossed her arms in exasperation.

Harry peered into his room at the plain white walls, furniture, and bed clothing. "Will we be able to change colors and stuff, Dad?"

"We'll work on that tomorrow. You can have the night to think about what you want. Now, are each of you still wearing the emergency portkeys I gave you at Christmas?" Snape was very pleased to see four identical amulets around the necks of his children. "If you hold the tip of your wand to the amulet, by saying second, third, fourth or fifth floor, you'll be transported there immediately. I want each of you to try it for the fifth floor."

One by one, the teenagers vanished from the fourth floor common room. Snape quickly gathered his wife into his arms and kissed her before leading her over to a graceful staircase that lined the southernmost wall of the circular common room. They walked up it and emerged into a wide room that took up the entire floor. There was a dueling platform amongst a variety of games and exercises meant to tone the body and test one's offensive and defensive skills. The machines were either of clockwork manufacture or magical. As Snape and Lyrica arrived, the teens were already trying everything out.

Hermione loved the treadmill that surrounded the user in a forest, a park, a street, or busy city to walk or run.

Draco thought the punching bag was great, until it punched back.

The game that pitted two to four players against each other and tested one's defensive spells appeared to be the clear favorite and the adults waited for a little bit while one game was played. Ron won the game.

"I demand a rematch!" shouted Draco. "Harry bumped me."

"Did not!"

"Did too!"

"Quiet," intervened Snape. "The tour ends here, so if you want to play some more, you can. The sixth floor contains smaller guest rooms, storage, and an extra potions cabinet. The outer area is an observation deck all of you have access to. There are doors and stairs that lead either down to the gardens or to the beach. No swimming in the ocean is allowed. As you've seen, it's far too rocky, rough, and dangerous. If you walk all the way to the end of the garden, you'll find a freshwater pond and waterfall where you can swim. My only rule there is that you must have Dobby with you if you go swimming."

"What's on the seventh floor?" asked Harry.

Snape smirked and slipped his arm around Lyrica's waist. "Our room. Consider it off limits, unless there is an emergency." Taking Lyrica by the hand, he kissed her cheek and whispered something in her ear. Eschewing the stairs, Snape apparated his wife to the seventh floor.

Draco suddenly caught Hermione's hand and pulled her back down the stairs to the fourth floor. Ron scowled. "I miss Milli."

Harry's frown matched Ron's scowl. "Yeah. I miss Luna." Aiming his wand at the game, he silently challenged his best friend to another match."

The seventh floor was a luxurious master bedroom with a large bath and six French doors that led out onto a wide, shaded deck that surrounded the room. The bedroom was decorated in mahogany, gold, silver, green, and white.

The beautiful and spacious room held no interest for Lyrica at the moment as she was far too busy enjoying her husband's embrace and his kisses.

Snape gave the teenagers a few days to acclimate and explore Billeghdonn Manor and the cove before he got after them to begin their homework assignments. Harry was more concerned about learning defense for his fight with Voldemort, but Snape had decided that those lessons could wait a few days as well. What he didn't tell them was that he just wanted some peace and quiet, either alone, or with Lyrica beside him. He didn't want to think about school, the Dark Lord, or any of the hundred or more thoughts that would soon be occupying his days.

The pool at the end of the garden was the most popular spot for the quartet.
Situated at the end of the garden, they had to slip through a narrow split since the walls of the gorge had joined together at that point. Once through the narrow few feet, they were in a hidden area where a fresh water waterfall spilled over the height of the gorge wall into a wide and deep pond. Sandstone boulders had been carved into varying, wide steps that were perfect to either jump off of, or to sit and lie down upon.

Dobby always went with the children and kept a close eye upon them. He didn't dare let any of them get hurt and thus bring the wrath of Master Potions Master Snape upon him.

The boys also kept themselves busy with flying on their brooms. They would either race the length of the gorge, or the two miles of beach that was encompassed by the wards.

On the first weekend afternoon at Billeghdonn Cove, Hermione asked Snape if they could all go out to the lighthouse. With Lyrica bringing up the rear guard, he led the entourage down a narrow staircase on the outside of the manor on the west side. The staircase was suspended between the house and the steep wall of the gorge. It was a little claustrophobic so Hermione gripped Draco's hand tightly.

The staircase dead ended at a large, black boulder. Snape tapped the boulder with his wand and intoned, "Reveal your secrets!"

The boulder shimmered and revealed that it was a heavy door sunk vertically into the ground that took a strong levitating spell to lift open after the wards had been released. In single file, with their wand tips glowing, the Quartet followed Snape down a set of stone cut steps and into a long and annoyingly twisted tunnel. At one point the temperature dropped and Snape cast Warming Spells on all their clothing.

"We've descended below the sea," explained Snape.

"It would have been easier to fly to the lighthouse," grumbled Harry.

"Of course you can fly out to the lighthouse, Harry," replied Snape, "but that won't get you into the building."

The tunnel curved, twisted, went up, then down, and up a final time before dumping out into a cave beneath the lighthouse. They clambered up a set of stone steps and finally emerged in the main floor of the lighthouse.

When all was said and done, the lighthouse wasn't as exciting as they had hoped. It was simply a tall cylinder, roughly five stories in height, with a light and a huge, cut glass lens, at the top. Snape had no interest in tackling the hundreds of stairs and persuaded Lyrica to stay on the main floor with him while the four teenagers raced up the long spiral staircase.

Harry, easily the swiftest, made it to the top first. He pushed through a metal door in the floor of the watch room and then flopped down away from the door beside the huge, slowly rotating lens.

Hermione showed up next, so breathless, she couldn't speak. She collapsed near Harry with her back to the wall and her head down between her knees.

Draco showed up a few minutes later, cast a cushioning charm, and fell face forward upon the floor. He muttered into the invisible cushion, "Jusht... tell Dad... I'm shtaying all shummer."

When Ron didn't show up some minutes later, Harry crawled back to the floor door and shouted down, "Ron? You down there?"

"Bugger this!" came a sharp, breathless retort.

Harry laughed and let his forehead drop gently to the cool floor. "You do realise... we have to go back down these stairs."

"Shut up, Harry!" This came from both Draco and Hermione.

An hour later found four, very subdued and tired teenagers arriving on the main floor of the tower where Snape had conjured comfortable chairs and tea for himself and Lyrica. They were both bent over a game of chess. Snape looked up after moving his knight.

"Ah! I can see you're all ready for a vigorous lesson in Defense!" He shook his head with silent mirth at the wearied moans and groans that met his comment.

They collapsed around the table and Lyrica poured tea for each of them. Once their tea cups were empty, Snape vanished the chairs, the tea, and the chess game and ushered them all back into the tunnel, up the stone steps, outside, and up the narrow, wooden staircase that took them to the second floor of the house. Tired and with sore leg muscles, the four teenagers carried themselves the last few feet to the sitting room where they each collapsed, unceremoniously, either upon the soft carpet, or the furniture.

Dobby popped into the sitting room. "Masters and Mistresses lunch is... oh no! The little masters and mistress!" He glared at Snape. "What did you do, Snarky Master?"

"I did nothing, Dobby," Snape spoke firmly. "They've been exploring. I don't think any of them are ready for lunch."

In fact, they were all asleep where they had fallen. Lyrica began putting cushions beneath their heads. "I don't suppose you could have shown them a shortcut to reach the top of the lighthouse, could you, Severus?"

He smiled wickedly. "They never asked if there was one."

The first Ley Line Magic lesson at Billeghdonn Cove wasn't cancelled, but delayed til just before dinner. Snape, who had gone to work in his lab while the children were napping, was excused from the first lesson.

Lyrica had her four students outside on the black sand beach and she was lecturing. "For the next few days, we're not going to learn any new spells, but we're going to learn to use the enemies shields against them. Harry, please cast a medium blast shield using your wand and no Ley Line Magic."

Harry did as instructed and suddenly found himself flying backwards, right into Ron. "Hey!" he cried indignantly as he picked himself up.

"Remember the shield I taught you that you can use to repel your enemies at the same time protecting yourself?" They nodded. "Same principle, but this time you're casting a force of energy that slams their shield into them. The nice surprise with this spell is that your force will double upon hitting their shield and depending on the strength of the shield, will either knock them down, or toss them backwards. It will often shatter the shield, allowing you to slip in an attack spell. Now pair up, and we'll practice."

Casting the force that Hermione dubbed a 'Concussive Wave' required the tapping in of the Ley Line reserve, concentrating the power, and then throwing it like one would throw a ball. Nearby rocks were tossed aside, or holes were gouged in the sand as the energy careened off target. Not one of them managed to hit the other's shield.

Lyrica stopped the practice and conjured up four balls each about the size of a standard baseball. She then transfigured a rock into a target.

"Get in a line and one after the other, throw the ball until you each hit the center once."

After seven throws, Harry was the first to hit the bulls-eye. He massaged his elbow and grinned happily.

Ron was next, taking ten throws before he hit the center. He went to sit beside Harry to watch Draco and Hermione.

Draco had never thrown any sort of ball before in his life and it was frustrating to him that his aim was so terrible. Hermione was also getting frustrated with not hitting the target and she was about to give up when Lyrica stepped in.

She took Draco's ball and transfigured it into a dagger. "Since Severus has been teaching all of you to use a dagger and I saw you throw one rather well during DA, try throwing this and hitting the target."

Without any effort, Draco threw the dagger unerringly right in the center of the bulls-eye. He smiled smugly. Lyrica summoned the dagger and handed it back to him. "Throw it again, but this time, try to be aware of your throwing stance."

Draco didn't throw the dagger immediately, but tried to think of the way he stood right before throwing his weapon. He felt where his muscles tensed, and where they relaxed. When he was certain he could mimic the stance again, he threw the dagger, again hitting the center.

Lyrica summoned the weapon and changed it back into a ball. She handed it to Draco. "Now hit the bulls-eye," she commanded gently.

The ball flew from Draco's hand and hit the red bulls-eye dead on. He jumped up and down in triumph and shouted.

"All right, you've got it, Draco. Go sit with the boys." Lyrica smiled and then turned her attention to Hermione. "Your aim isn't that bad, Hermione. The problem you're having is that you're not putting any force behind your throw. You're just throwing with no real intention of hitting your target. So, here's a little help." A wave of her hand transfigured the bulls-eye into a Death Eater.

The Death Eater advanced upon Hermione and instinct took over. She threw the ball at the Death Eater's head, cracking its mask and knocking it backwards. Draco gave a shout as Ron and Harry cheered.

"Uhm... Aunt Lyrica..." pointed Hermione, "the Death Eater is getting back up."

A wave of her hand turned the rising Death Eater back into a simple boulder. "All right, pair up again and I want to see each of you knock each other at least once back into the sand."

This time the students succeeded. They wanted to do it again, but each of them were showing the signs of magical weariness. They headed into the manor where Dobby greeted them each with cold glasses of pumpkin juice. They then went to shower before dinner while Lyrica went down to the first floor potions lab in search of Snape.

Snape hadn't been to his potions lab on the first floor of Billeghdonn Manor for several years and the neglect showed. As much as he'd wanted to dive right into his research for a potion that would help to alleviate the symptom of joint pain and exhaustion a werewolf suffered before and after the full moon, he had to clean up first.

What truly annoyed him was that the stasis spell and preservation wards he'd put up in the lab had somehow failed leaving him with a lab coated with dust and overrun by spiders. There was damage to many potion ingredients as well and this really tore at him. Some of the ingredients had been quite rare and expensive. It would take months, if not years to replace some of them.

Loathe to use magic for such a monumental job, Snape set about cleaning the lab the Muggle way, something that would astonish his students that wound up doing detention and had to clean cauldrons without magic. There were Potions Masters that used magic without a thought to clean their labs, but Snape had learned, even before attending Hogwarts, that 'silly wand waving' wasn't always the answer to every task.

Everything from the equipment, to the ingredients, to the worktables had a subtle to profound effect on a potions end result. Some potions were brewed in iron, not because the brewer preferred iron, or it was cheaper than copper, but because the iron itself lent certain magical properties to certain potions. Stirrers and phials came in all materials, because they, too, contributed to the efficacy of a potion. Cleaning with magic was always at risk of changing a cauldron's properties, altering the magical arithmetical quotient of a stirrer or pipette, or subtly destroying an ingredient.

Severus Snape was well versed in cleaning the Muggle way, and although his students often thought he was being just plain mean in making them clean the same way, he never did anything without a reason.

After two hours the lab was clean, but Snape was the one who was a mess. Dust had turned his black trousers to a fine dark grey. His robes and frock coat were in a heap on a chair as it had gotten hot as he worked. The sleeves of his no longer white cotton shirt were rolled up to his elbows and the collar was unbuttoned. A sweating brow had caused his fine hair to turn into the lanky look that had long ago given him the nickname of 'greasy git'.

After Apparating to the seventh floor, he went out onto the deck and peered down at the beach to see that Lyrica's class was in session. He caught her glancing upwards at him and he waved before heading back into the bedroom.

After a long, and very hot shower, Snape was back down in the lab. He leaned against an old and worn work table of hard ironwood and surveyed it. After having worked in Lyrica's beautiful lab at Ashmere, Snape didn't have quite the pride in this one he'd once had. Of course, once he'd established his marvelous private lab and stores at Hogwarts, it was simple to lose the fondness he'd once held for his Billeghdonn Cove lab.

Much of the equipment was old, and there were very few books down in the lab. Most of his research material was at Hogwarts. Due to the damage, he'd lost quite a lot of his ingredients and determined that a trip to some of his favorite apothecaries was in order if he was going to make any inroads on his research over the summer.

He was taking inventory when Lyrica arrived in his lab. He walked over to kiss her and she smelled his scent of fresh soap. "What have you been doing down here that required a shower, Severus?"

"Stasis and preservation wards failed. It was a disaster. Now, after getting everything cleaned up I've decided this lab is going to require some improvements before I can settle seriously into my research. I also need to replenish quite a number of ingredients and update some of my equipment."

She ran her hands over the smooth, black surface of the heavy worktable. "I hope you intend to keep this worktable, though. Ironwood is it?"

Snape nodded. "It stays. It was a favorite of Setimar Prince. Supposedly it was crafted from a single ironwood tree that was almost 1,000 years old."

"It's quite beautiful." She brushed her fingertips over the various indents and blemishes the table had accumulated over the years. "So, will we be visiting Diagon Alley or Hogsmeade for supplies?"

"I think not. I'd like for the children to come with us, and with the Dark Lord near there, it would be better to travel to some other apothecary. There are places in the United States, Canada, and I have a favorite apothecary in Africa..." a puzzled expression crossed his face and then he smiled, like the cat that ate the canary.

"What?" asked Lyrica. "You've discovered something?"

"Coincidences are fascinating. The apothecary I most often do business with in Hogsmeade introduced me to Imamu whose specialty in Africa is the Laurel Red Heart. I just realised that in 1898, I purchased Laurel Red Heart from Imamu's father Imoo."

Lyrica smiled and slipped her arm around his. "Then perhaps we should start in Africa, Severus. Maybe we can quiz the children on the trip."

Snape chuckled and kissed his wife's cheek. "The lesson is over, I gather?"

She nodded. "They did well. Dobby is preparing dinner. Will you come join us?"

He shook his head. "I will have to decline, my dear. I need to finish what I've started here."

"I will come down after dinner and help you. Would you care for a sandwich?" Lyrica started towards the second floor stairs and turned back to see her husband already buried within his ingredients cabinet. He didn't answer. "I'll take that as a yes," she smiled.