The Web Wizard

The next morning, Joan got up to find Severus in the kitchen making tea. It wasn't just past 6 AM, and it was still dark outside.

"Good morning," she said. He turned to her, "Good morning." "Did you sleep all right on the air bed?"

"Yes, it worked out fine. Do you want some tea?" he asked her.

"No, I'll have some coffee though," she said setting up the machine. She checked the refrigerator to make sure she had remembered to put Diet Pepsi in. She hadn't.

"Oh no, I forgot to put Tara's Pepsi in," she said, rushing to her cabinet. She put a few cans in the refrigerator. "Hopefully it'll get cold in time." Severus excused himself, and returned with his wand.

"Allow me," Severus said, and with a wave of his wand, the cans in the refrigerator were instantly cold.

"I have forgotten how handy it is to have a wizard around the house," Joan remarked.

"Good morning." Tara was in the doorway, rubbing her eyes. Severus walked up to her to kiss her.

"Don't, I haven't brushed my--" too late. He grabbed her and kissed her. "Teeth," she finished, grimacing. "I don't mind." Tara made her face even worse. "Eeew. I do."

She opened the refrigerator and grabbed a Diet Pepsi, opened it, and took a long pull. "Wow, that is extra cold!" she remarked. "Brain freeze!"

"Good job," Joan said to Severus, who looked satisfied. Tara didn't notice the comment. "Well, I'm going to get showered and all of that. I brought my muggle clothes for the family event," she said, and then she got an alarmed expression. "Holy cow, I forgot about that. How are we going to explain Severus's attire? It's not exactly conventional muggle."

"I can whip up something muggle, if you help me with it," he offered. She shook her head. "No, this is who you are and I don't want you to change a thing."

"Don't worry, I already took care of it," Joan said. Both Tara and Severus turned to her, surprised. "I told them that Tara was bringing a man friend from England to Christmas dinner and that he is a bit unusual and into the 'goth' thing." Tara laughed.

"What is 'the goth thing?'" Severus asked, looking from Tara to her mother.

"Well, it's these people who dress all in black, or just big capes--well, pretty much how they dress at Hogwarts', only they are muggles. Only thing is mom, they're pretty young, the goth people."

"Oh that's charming. So now they're expecting a strange gothic man who is obviously having some sort of midlife crisis," he muttered.

"It's goth," Tara corrected him. He smirked. "Whatever. Seriously, if you need me to look more muggle, I can do something along those lines." Tara shook her head again. "It's a non issue."

After breakfast, Joan sent off an e-mail to Albus Dumbledore regarding Tara, and wanting to tell her about her father. She really wanted his advice before she said anything to her.

Most of the day was spent preparing for the Christmas Dinner, and that night was Christmas Eve, so Joan put on a holiday DVD. Severus wasn't used to watching things on TV and was fascinated by it.

"You've never watched a DVD?" Joan asked, amazed. "Thor used to watch movies and television with me..."

"You're forgetting, mom, Sev works in a dungeon, remember?" He made a face at her and ruffled her hair. He put his arm around her and they watched It's a Wonderful Life.

They drank some mulled wine that Tara made for them and stayed up late. Tara dozed off while they watched A Christmas Story. "She's out cold," Joan said, as the movie ended. Severus took his arm out from behind her and stretched--his arm had been numb for some time but he didn't want to move and wake her up. She stirred then.

"Time for bed," he told her gently. She nodded groggily and she got up, reluctantly, and kissed him good night, then slumped off to bed, barely awake.

"I think I'll go to bed also," he told Joan. "But first, did you hear back from Albus?"

Joan shook her head. "Not yet. But then again, it's Christmas. Maybe he's away from his computer."

"That's doubtful; he's hooked."

Right then, there was a whoosh and Albus was in the fireplace. They weren't expecting him, but he was certainly welcome. Joan opened the doors and he tumbled out. "We were expecting Santa Claus," Joan said with a smile, "after all, it is Christmas Eve.

Albus stood up and dusted himself off. "We were just discussing you, wondering if you got my e-mail." Albus nodded. "Rather than just e-mail you back, I felt this warranted a personal visit. How are you Severus?"

"Very well, thank you."

"And Joan, it must be at least 20 years since I last saw you," he said, clasping her hand. "Can I get you some mulled wine?" she asked. "Tara made us a bunch."

"That sounds intriguing, yes, Please. Where is Tara?"

"Sleeping," Joan replied, ladling the fragrant red liquid into a mug. She handed it to Albus, and they all went to sit down in the living room.

"Perhaps that's just as well. So I assume you haven't told her anything."

"No. I wanted to talk to you first."

"A wise decision. It's important that she doesn't think that any of us kept anything from her. Of course, you just found out, Severus.

"But I suspected something was there," he commented.

"Yes, and there is. But it isn't fully developed and it may never become fully developed. But, she still deserves to know. I believe we should tell her, the sooner, the better."

"We?" Severus asked.

"I think I should be present when we tell her. Maybe tomorrow--"

"Muggle family is coming, and they already had to explain me as some sort of eccentric man from the UK," Severus remarked.

"Well, how about the day after tomorrow? Would that work?"

Joan nodded. "I think so. That's the day you two are heading back, isn't it?"

"We think so. Perhaps we'll stay an extra day with this turn of events."

So it was agreed that Albus Dumbledore would come the day after Christmas and they would tell Tara of her father.

Later, laying on the air bed, Severus felt a degree of anxiety. How would she react? He hoped she might be pleased.

But with Tara, one could never be sure of her reaction to anything. He turned over and slept fitfully...