Angelinus

Chapter 16

Summer Holidays

Their bags were packed and already shrunk, Remus having transfigured some of Severus' older clothes into something approximating summer attire. Angelinus had insisted on packing a collection of dolls, cars and books rather than clothing, which necessitated Severus procuring another trunk. Still, they were ready to leave as soon as they had finished breakfast on the first day of the summer holidays. They planned to apparate down to Diagon Alley first; stopping at Gringott's for some cash then go on to Brighton Beach for two weeks. Or at least, that's what Remus understood but Severus had been very vague about the arrangements.

Diagon Alley on the first day of the summer holidays was hell on wheels; children careening out of control, parents pushing and gossiping through the walkways, noise and confusion everywhere. Angelinus was nearly swept off her feet by an old Beldam in dusty green robes that didn't even bother to stop and see if the little girl was hurt. Angrily, Severus picked the child up and held her high in his arms as Remus moved slightly in front of them to stop people pushing too close.

"This was not a good idea," he commented loudly over his shoulder as they forged passage toward the façade of Gringott's bank.

"I think tomorrow will be worse, it usually is," Severus replied as they pushed through the doors into the relative quiet of the old established institution. "Phew! Insanity! I now remember why I never do this sort of thing as a rule."

The goblin on the desk nodded to them, a second goblin hurrying to answer his summons. In seconds they were escorted to the roller coaster ride that led down to the vaults. Remus had only once been into the upper reaches of the bank when he used his family vault and Angelinus had no idea of what to expect as they climbed into the small carriage and hung onto the handles at the sides of the gondola. Snape made a point of sitting the child in his lap as he knew exactly what to expect and he wasn't disappointed when she screamed all the way down the first drop-off. Even Remus let out a small howl of fright, which made the goblin jump and Severus snigger.

After what seemed like forever later, the carriage came to a rest deep in the bowels of the bank outside a formidable door covered in bas-relief bats and snakes. Severus stepped out and handed Remus out before the goblin placed his key in the lock. Reaching into the recesses of his robes, Severus found his own key and placed it in the upper slot, both turning at once. There was the impression of a flight of wings rushing past as the bat carvings sank into the door and the large structure swung aside revealing a short, torch lit corridor with six doors leading off. A seventh door facing the entrance was plain and silvery with two hand prints carved into it at shoulder height. Putting Angelinus down, Severus glided forward and placed his hands into the recesses then stiffened as the inherent magic took over. The silvery surface became a mirror and his reflection looked back at him. Even as they watched the reflection became animate and smirked, a nasty sneer twisting its lips.

"So, still a disappointment to your family then Severus Ibrim Snape. You still have a reflection to mock your birth right and heritage?"

"I am still human, yes," Severus agreed in measured tones, knowing better than to grow angry at the mockery.

"Human!" the reflection spat. "You betray the proud heritage, a bloodline who's patriarch showed Vlad the Impaler the way to immortality, and you glory in you humanity. You short sighted fool! Take what you can but you will never have it all!" The door blasted him away, tearing his hands free of the recesses.

Remus caught his reeling frame and the goblin produced a basin of water for him to wash the blood off his hands. Angelinus glared at the door but hung very close to her uncle's legs as Severus dried his hands and resettled his robes on his shoulders. "One of the less comfortable family duties," Severus remarked softly as they turned away from the treacherous door. "The demon needs to be fed every time I come down here so I don't come often. It's an excellent way to stop the heir to the Earldom becoming a spendthrift."

"Every ounce of gold paid for in fresh blood?" Remus commented.

"Exactly. Until one of the heirs shows up and does not cast a reflection, it survives. Then the true Nosveratu will be allowed into the deep recesses of the vault where the family mysteries are stored. I think my great uncle tried to get in using an invisibility cloak to hide his reflection. That's what is left of him on the wall there."

There was a dark brown smear with a vaguely blurred outline of a face at one end. "How charming." Remus shivered.

"So, let us move on to more exciting things. These doors lead to the vaults belonging to the various branches of the family as you can see by the nameplates. Each family branch has their own key and that key only allows access to their family vault. Only I have the master key as Head of Family. This is Angelinus' vault where her mother's legacy is stored for her. This is your key Angelinus and if you come down here on your own then this is the only door you will have access to, the rest will not exist for you." He handed the little girl a curly golden key, which fitted into a small golden ram horn lock.

There weren't much inside, a few galleons, a couple of pieces of jewellery and a lot of books. Angelinus examined the books, saw they were far too hard for her to understand and shrugged disinterestedly. Exchanging looks, Severus and Remus smiled. The book she had just dismissed was a very rare and valuable first edition, which would fetch even more when the time came to sell it.

Moving down the line, Severus stopped in front of a large door with more bats and a few snakes carved into it. "Your key to our vault," he commented and handed Remus a golden bat key that slid into the carving seamlessly. Pulling it out, Severus handed it over to his astonished partner and pushed open the door into a space as large again as the whole of the family vault. "Take what you need out of our vault, it's ours alone, and our heirs of course. If you come down by yourself you will not need to pay in blood. That's just a personal touch from my great grandmother especially to me. Money is on that side, family papers are over there, and books and grimories are in those shelves, family jewellery in that set of cabinets. Humm, that reminds me." He strode over to the jewellery cabinet and opened a full-length door. Reaching into the interior, he pulled out a Chinese silk covered box of obvious antiquity. Opening the locks, he paused thoughtfully then took out a golden robe pin set with emerald and amber, which he passed to Remus. An amber pendant necklace was handed to Angelinus who squeaked in delight at the trinket. Another dip came up with two golden seal rings each set with moonstone and emeralds.

"This is exquisite," Remus remarked, holding the pin up to study the engraved vines and flowers.

"I'm glad you like it. There is a whole raft of jewellery that is supposed to go to the Lady of the Family but I don't see you as a tiara sort of man." Severus smirked and Remus chuckled, blowing him a kiss. "Pin it on, it will suit you. Angelinus, give me your left hand please. There, now you are the Current Heir. Remus, left hand please, and you are the Bonded Spouse. And as the Head of Family I officially accept you both." There was a tingle of magic in the air and something deep in the bowels of the bank acknowledged the words as sealed and delivered.

"What did you just do?" Remus asked, twisting the ring and finding it was now stuck on his hand. "Severus!"

"Hush, it was time. I realised when I was injured last week, that I had never made you both formally part of the Family, never given you the Keys and the Seals to make you indisputably the Heirs to all this trouble if anything should happen to me. Now, no one can ever argue your claim, you have been Granted, Acknowledged and Sealed. Usually it's a bit more ceremonious but this is equally binding, trust me. Enough! We need some money for our trip and to make some purchases." He selected a bag of coins and tossed it onto the carry tray the goblin seemed to produce from thin air.

They took the ride back up to floor level and Severus quickly signed some paperwork, adding Remus' name to his various accounts. Remus was astonished to find his very Wizard husband even knew about credit cards never mind had one, or a Muggle bank account either.

"What did you think I buy my extra potions ingredients with? Galleons?" Severus teased as they exited the bank and pushed through the crowds to the local apparation point. "So, ready for the holiday? We're apparating to Dover first, then to Calais. I'll take Angelinus, you stay with us."

"Severus! I can't leave the country you know that after the stink last time caused! I haven't even filled in the application for a permit," Remus exclaimed in annoyance.

"Don't let that trouble you, I have already done it for you," Severus said cheerfully as he apparated away, leaving Remus no choice but to follow at a hurry.

The Apparation Exchange in Dover was in an older building, the constant popping of people on the move a rumble in the background. The ministry official glanced up as Severus placed a folded parchment on his desk, and then almost saluted as he read the official document. In moments, his boss came out from the back office and ushered them into the privacy of his own comfortable space. Tea was served and pleasantries exchanged as documents were cut and charmed with official seals then passed to Remus whose head were still spinning. At Severus' urging, he used his now official seal ring to imprint the parchment to make his accepting of his new passport completely legal.

Still bowing and scraping, the head of passport control ushered them out into the Apparation area and cleared them for Calais in seconds. The French wizard checked the date of return on the passport; made sure Remus would be out of France by full moon and stamped his visa without a second glance. They ate in the local restaurant district then Severus hurried them back to the exchange area and they apparated out to Madrid and immediately to the Canary islands. Their last small hop was to Islo de Lobos, an almost deserted island in the chain off the coast of Fuerteventura that served as a wizarding resort.

His head reeling, Remus looked up at the palm trees outlined against the impossibly blue sky and white sandy beach only a matter of yards away from the front porch of the two-storey cottage Severus had hired. It was a tropical paradise such as he had never seen before and so totally unexpected, he simply stared at his partner who was in the process of opening the door.

"Before you ask," Severus said gently, turning him by the shoulders and pointing him indoors, "some issues should be tackled head on and defeated Gryffindor style and others should be approached in the manner of a Slytherin."

"And how does a Slytherin get around the 'werewolves are animals' issue?" Remus asked, allowing himself to be guided into the cool, comfortable sitting room."

"Redefine werewolves in other areas of law, prod the law and test its veracity then apply that same logic to the licensing laws. 'If werewolves have to pay employment taxes in the same way as humans then surely dogs and cats should pay tax too? Well if a dog is exempt from tax and it has a registration tag the same as a werewolf then surely a werewolf doesn't need to pay tax? Oh, are you saying that legally a werewolf is human? Ah!' Take a few unrelated areas and make the law apply logic to those areas then take all those new points of law and apply them to the licensing laws and see what happens. Finally, the overwhelming fact is that the law considers werewolves to be human in every aspect except this one and that makes this area discriminatory and therefore indefensible. Get yourself a good shark like solicitor, preferably a newly graduated werewolf by the name of Miss Andrea Léger-Path - sound familiar? - and set her loose to cut her swathe then see how much slack you can cut from the path of destruction."

"Andy? I knew she had graduated but I didn't think she was practicing yet."

"That girl doesn't need any practice, she is a consummate professional," Severus smiled smugly.

"It must have cost you a fortune," Remus marvelled, still slightly stunned. He had never thought he would see a tropical island in real life and he was having a hard time assimilating it all.

"It was worth every knut. Enough, let's drop our baggage and have a look around. Angelinus put on some cooler clothes or you are going to overheat, and leave your shoes on, no cut feet please." He called as the child emerged from the furthest reaches of the house.

~~<*>~~

Remus paused in his assembling of sandwiches to stare out of the kitchen window. He grinned at the scene before him, smothering a giggle in his throat. Severus was sprawled on his back, a sunscreen spell, pair of swimming trunks and a pair of dark glasses his only clothing. Angelinus was creeping up on him with a bright red pail of cool ocean water, mischief written large on her face. Remus knew very well that Severus was equally aware of her, as the child never realised her panting and suppressed giggles were very audible but she never grew tired of trying to ambush them in her absurd plots.

As she made to tip out the water Severus sat up with a 'boo' making her squeal and jump, the water soaking them both. Angelinus tossed the bucket and bolted, Severus springing after her to scoop her up and run into the water with her over his shoulder, saturating them both.

What a difference a week made! Remus sighed, leaning on his elbow with a happy smile. He grinned when he remembered Severus' reluctance to shed his robes, the idiot trying to sit on the beach in full clothes, then a Muggle shirt and slacks then finally he gave up and pulled on the board shorts Remus had transfigured for him. Oh, they were black, no colours for Severus Snape! But they exposed a lot of his skinny carcass to the sun and he was turning a nice, healthy golden brown. The sunglasses Sandy had given him had become a permanent feature on his face, as was the large Panama hat Remus had bought for him on the second morning.

They had a routine now, of sorts. Early rise and family swim. Stroll down to the local village and buy breakfast and eat in the shade of the palms outside Café del Lobos. The witches who ran it were very good cooks and made exquisite croissants, light and fluffy. They also did a full English breakfast for those who couldn't adapt to the continental way.

After the meal they would take in an attraction, one of the many the islands had to offer or take a trip to another island in the chain to visit a sight or a monument. If they chose to come home, then Remus would make sandwiches or a salad for lunch and they would laze away the day, sunning or surfing or sailing in the little skiff they had hired to play with. Severus always cooked dinner if they ate at home, approaching it as he approached the art of potions brewing. He was a good cook it turned out, much better than Remus who could successfully burn water if he put his mind to it.

Once Angelinus was bathed and put to bed they would go down to the water and swim once again in the cool of the evening, never too far from the cottage that they couldn't hear the intercom spell on Angelinus' room but far enough away that they could indulge themselves in love making and adult pastimes unsuitable for family enjoyment. Merlin, what a wonderful, perfect, fantastic holiday come honeymoon it had been!

Laughing as the two emerged from the water dripping wet, he carefully transferred the stack of sandwiches into a sand proof container and was about to pick up the jug of fruit juice when a tiny movement caught his eye off in the sand hills to his left where the bay began to curve. Always a predator, the wolf quivered alert as his remarkable eyesight brought the shape of a man into focus, a man pointing something dark at his family. The wolf growled low in its throat and Remus didn't hesitate as he apparated to land both feet on the man's back, slamming him face first into the sand dune.

Severus caught the sound of apparation and the yelp of a strange voice as he carried Angelinus from the water. A quick survey of the territory pinpointed the place of disturbance and he glared. His wand instantly appeared in his hand as he slung the small child under his arm and disapparated even as he ran toward the struggling mass in the dunes. Arriving mid-stride, he allowed his momentum to bring him to the side and jabbed his wand firmly into the stranger's neck without missing a beat. Angelinus slid out from under his hold and stepped back hurriedly as Remus straightened away, releasing the man's throat.

"Up. Slowly," Snape commanded, allowing the slight, dark skinned man to climb creakily to his knees. "That's far enough. Who are you? What are you doing here?"

"I'm Carlos de Santo, reporter for the Madrid Clarion and I'm here to do a story on Britain's Premier Gentleman Spy, and family of course," The man rattled out hurriedly, a hand moving toward his light robes.

Severus paralysed it. "I didn't ask you to move. Remus, check out his gadget and see what it is."

"Looks like a camera. He was pointing it at you when I saw him."

"It is a camera," de Santo protested as Remus peered through the viewfinder.

"Yes, with a telescopic charm on the lens. We should have put up more wards." He sighed deeply as he lowered the device.

"I was assured that the security on the place was top notch and we would not have to worry so I only put out mid range wards," Severus mused, confirming something Remus had thought. No wonder he had been so relaxed this past week.

"Now what do we do?" Remus asked, wrapping an arm around Angelinus who was shivering a little but not at all daunted by the melodrama being played out before her.

"I think we need some chemical assistance," Severus mused, an evil smile twisting his face as he peered down his nose at the shorter man. "Mobilis Corpus!"