The Sleepers Awake

Chapter 14: Maman Dearest

Erszhebet awoke in Severus' embrace. She had a raging headache and rubbed her forehead between her eyes as she blinked rapidly.

"Headache?" asked Severus.

Erszhebet nodded, too embarrassed to speak.

"Stay here, I'll be right back," said Severus as he re-arranged the ornamental cushions behind Erszhebets head and back.

Erszhebet reached out impulsively and pulled him into a hug, she was so grateful for him.

Severus slipped his arms around her and then kissed her gently. "It will be alright, my love, everything will be alright," he whispered as he eased her against the cushions.

Erszhebet nodded slightly in the affirmative, her eyes glistening.

Severus raced upstairs to the dressing room and retrieved the potions case that Dumbledore had sent. It was annoying how the Headmaster seemed to know precisely what would be needed here. Severus was resolved that this not-so-small matter would be discussed when he next laid eyes on Albus Dumbledore. Gods knows Albus was like his father, but Severus needed the truth.

Severus returned to the music room having made a brief stop to the kitchen to get a glass.

Erszhebet was in the same position as he had left her, staring into space. His lover looked so tired and fragile. She looked defeated. Severus felt a wave of anger surge through his body. 'Damn him,' he thought as he took out an orange potion which he knew would help Erszhebet to calm herself and rid herself of the headache. 'Damn him for doing this to her - yet again.'

Severus was certain that whatever had happened between Erszhebet and her former lover, it was no small thing. Goddess help whoever it was if he did indeed resurface in France. As was usual, what Severus was feeling deep inside did not register on his countenance.

"Drink this," said Severus sounding every inch the Potions Master. "It will help with the headache and tension."

Erszhebet did as she was told, her hands shaking slightly. She made a face; it tasted awful.

Despite Severus' mask of control, Erszhebet picked up on the thoughts and feelings running through him. She blinked rapidly and swallowed, holding back more tears. Severus was being more understanding than she had a right to deserve and he touched her more than he could ever know. But, Erszhebet did not want for her lover to be even more frustrated than he had been by her seeming incessant emotionalism over the last few days. It was not like her; it was not like her at all.

Severus sensed the powerful surge in her emotions and knew what she was thinking. He was connected with her fully and felt a hard tug - as if she were pulling them back, willing her emotions to be buried deep within so as to not offend or upset him.

"Don't," he whispered to Erszhebet as he held her hands and looked into her troubled eyes. "Don't hold it back if you need to let it out." Severus surprised even himself with that one.

Erszhebet looked at him momentarily, her eyes questioning as she recalled what Severus had said only a few days ago about weakness.

Severus allowed himself to be empathically in sync with his lover and again picked up on the thoughts racing through her. This was not the Legilimens, this was the mark of the spiritual connectedness that each had with the other; the mark, the truth of their Twin Soul connection. Severus came to an innate understanding that he would never ever need to do such a thing to her and cursed himself mentally for having ever considered it.

This ability - of being able to communicate in this way - this was yet something else that Severus and Erszhebet needed to talk about. Something else that would knock the wind out of Minerva and Poppy when they found out. It definitely made communicating with Erszhebet easier though. Severus could not realise it, but this ability would serve them well in the dark times which lay ahead.

"It's ok, trust me my love," said Severus softly as he cupped her face in his hands and stroked her cheeks with his thumbs. "I am alright. Just let it go."

Erszhebets face crumpled only slightly. Then tears welled up and rolled over her cheeks and she bit her bottom lip to keep from crying out as she closed her eyes. She was more overwhelmed by Severus' response, his caring of her and for her. These tears were not for a lost love.

Severus pulled her into a tight embrace and rocked her gently. At this Erszhebet melted completely, her face going bright red contorted by her agony. Severus kissed her face and could taste the saltiness of her tears.

"No matter what happens always remember this, my love," Severus whispered throatily in his distinctive baritone.

"Remember this...remember how much I really do love you," And with that Severus pushed the cushions to the floor and firmly eased Erszhebet onto her back on the sofa. He could feel Erszhebets body betraying her deepest yearnings for him as he kissed her once more, her passion re-awakening to his now achingly familiar touch which she so desperately wanted and needed now.

Severus' hand went under the form-fitting spaghetti-strapped mini-dress she was wearing and stroked her body. He was desperate to make up for her suffering, as shocking as that was, and know Erszhebet intimately once more as he felt her spasms while he explored her. Gods and Goddess how she affected him and how he loved her! This was the only way Severus could really show her; could truly express himself.

Erszhebet reached up silently and threw off his frockcoat which Severus had not taken off once he left Poppy and Minerva at the door. Together they took off his clothes. Buttons flew but Severus did not seem to notice or care. He pulled off Erszhebets little dress impatiently, ripping it in the process. Severus untied the thin slip of red lace bikini underpants she was wearing and threw them, also not caring that they landed the grand piano.

Severus pushed Erszhebet back on the sofa and began to explore her body with his hands and tongue. Erszhebet ran her fingers through his soft black hair and moaned throatily as he suckled her full breasts. Severus moved south and Erszhebet lost control at hearing his ecstatic moans and the feeling of what Severus was doing as he made love to her in that way.

He then reversed his actions and moved upwards as a hand explored her moistness. Severus kissed her deeply and passionately, playing with her lips and her tongue. Erszhebet could feel how much he wanted her.

She desperately wanted him inside her as much as Severus wanted to be inside her. Both could hardly breathe - so caught up were they in their mutual desire and wanting to express how they felt about and needed each other.

At last Severus entered her, unable to hold back any longer. He began thrusting harder and harder; pounding into her over and over fiercely as if to eradicate some lingering essence of her former lover. Erszhebet responded in kind pulling him deeper and deeper; his was the only touch she would ever allow to leave such an indelible impression save for Jean-Hughes. Neither could hold back their moans and cries in a crescendo as their hard, heated passion increased. She loved the feel of Severus on top of her and inside her and he loved the feeling of her in kind.

Severus rolled over so that Erszhebet was on top. As she moved in time with him, Severus looked at his Dark Angel whom he had never stopped loving and wanting - despite what he had overheard. He rolled Erszhebet over so that he was on top again, not missing a beat in doing so.

Severus held out as long as possible until Erszhebet begged for release. He let go of what little control had been sustained in their coupling and orgasmed deep inside her, shuddering as he did so. Severus' feelings about Erszhebet and this almost insatiable desire to comfort, connect and reconnect emotionally and intimately with her would never die. No dark secret would or could ever eradicate it.

[[[]]]

Severus and Erszhebet sat down to lunch in the sunroom after a hot shower and fresh change of clothes. She was feeling much better and it showed in yet another form-fitting min-dress. It was as if the earlier upset had never happened. Whatever that potion was, it had certainly done the trick. They ate in a comfortable silence.

They would always find that there was not a need to be in constant dialogue in each others' presence.

Severus broke the silence. "Erszhebet," he said slowly. He was thinking very carefully of what he wanted to say.

"Yes?" she asked softly.

"I just...I just want you to know that there is no pressure. There is no pressure for you to...share something that you might not wish to with me," he replied as he looked at her. "I will not hold it against you if you do not open up to me."

"Well, I can say the same for you Severus. I am sure that there is much more to your own history that I don't know," Erszhebet replied. "I want to tell you Severus, I have to. Secrets or lies never do anyone or any situation any good. I have to face whatever the consequences of the truth, my truth, may be - even if it means losing you. There is just so much...nothing about my life has ever been simple. Never. Too much fucking drama!"

"You will never lose me, unless it is what you yourself wish," said Severus. "I myself certainly do not."

Erszhebet sighed and then smiled ruefully. "I appreciate the sentiment, Severus and I appreciate that for you it is quite a step to admit to that. Honestly, I do," she said. "But, I have heard that before. 'I will always love you', 'I will always care about you', 'I will never leave you', etc, etc, etc - it's best not to say things like that. Easy enough to say it now...but....you, you may end up feeling differently Severus. Even if you don't think that you will. If I don't know anything else I do know that."

Contemplative silence.

"He really hurt you didn't he," said Severus in his usual silky whisper as he wondered and worried about what it was he did not know.

Erszhebet nodded in the affirmative.

"Yes; that situation is the source of lot of demons for me."

There was silence as the two lovers got lost in their own thoughts and finished their lunch.

"I need to tell you, Severus," said Erszhebet finally. "I have to. This is too important not to..."

She took a breath.

"No, no you don't," said Severus a little too quickly.

Erszhebet gave a soft low chuckle and then sighed.

"Yes, I do," she said. "It will eat both of us up if I don't. And besides, I would rather you get my side of it first than hear it from someone else. Anyway, I am sure we both agree that whatever happens in our relationship - our partnership really is entirely down to the two of us."

Severus regarded her with a faint rueful smile.

"Fair enough Miss Bathory," he replied silkily.

"I can only ask that you listen, Severus. Really listen and consider all that I have to tell you; all that I have to share with you before you react to what you hear," said Erszhebet.

Severus blinked in spite of himself and then nodded slowly to confirm his acceptance of her terms.

"I will be right back," said Erszhebet as she left her lover to stew in his own juices as he wondered what was coming.

[[[]]]

Erszhebet came back bearing photo albums and a container of some sort. She sat down on the sofa where she normally would have sat had Minerva and Poppy been there for lunch and patted the seat next to her at its farthest end.

Severus took his place next to her closely and kissed her before putting an arm around her.

Erszhebet removed his arm and moved away; as she did so Severus' mask of control slipped and hurt took over his countenance.

"I'm sorry Severus; I am just protecting myself - and you. This is not easy, it is not a reflection on you at all," said Erszhebet.

"If what you say is true, then allow me to - be as I see fit. As I need to be," replied Severus. "I said I would try...I would try to make every effort with you. Please allow me to do so."

Erszhebet nodded. "I'm sorry," she said.

Severus pulled her close to him and then placed his arm back around her shoulders. Erszhebet leaned against him and opened a photo album, and flicked through some of its earlier pages.

Severus looked at the images.

Here were more Wizarding photographs. Except these photos were of a child; a baby. The child was obviously a newborn and a girl. The baby had a little pink hat on with a pink and gold ribbon on top and was being held in a rather large baby blanket of pink and blue with an imprint of teddy bears holding balloons.

Erszhebet turned the page.

Severus failed to hold back his gasps of shock and surprise.

These were pictures taken in a hospital of some sort. It was Erszhebet in all of her glowing and proud glory as she rested in bed with an IV tube in her arm. She was holding the child in its little hat and blanket and looked so happy. It must have been just after the child was born because Erszhebets hair was soaking wet and she had a drained air about her as she waved or held the sleeping baby up in the photos.

Severina had a child?!

Over the next pages there were more Wizarding and Muggle photos of Erszhebet strolling at various points in Paris and the French countryside with the baby strapped to her front or pushing a large dark blue and silver English pram her face hidden by dark sunglasses. Still more pictures as the baby grew into a toddler and Erszhebet taught her to walk, fed her, changed her, took her to nursery and had birthday parties.

There were photos of Christmas celebrations with a mountain of presents for the little girl, of Erszhebet soothing her hurt and crying child after a fall, vacations abroad, participation in Mother and Daughter Day at playgroup and photos of Erszhebet winning third place in a sack race as her daughter looked on happily dressed in her favourite colour of pink clapping her plump little hands, held by an older woman pointing at Erszhebet as she hopped across the finish line.

Yet more photos of Erszhebet and the child sleeping. A small baby laying across her chest and abdomen while Erszhebet herself was flat out on her back or Erszhebet laying on her side with a protective arm around the baby lying next to her. They looked so peaceful as they slept.

"This is - this was - this was Caitlin, Severus," whispered Erszhebet as she cleared her throat. "She was my daughter. My upset was for her; not him. My tears are a mothers tears, not a lovers."

Erszhebeaited for Severus to recoil, to jump up, to shout - she waited for anything other than what he did do.

Severus continued to hold her as he rubbed her shoulder and quietly asked, "She...was what??"

He was at least astute enough to realise that Erszhebet had had a life before him and that he could not change those events, even should he wish to. If Severus was honest, part of him did wish that she had not had a child with someone else, that she had not ever had any other lover save him. It was Severus' problem, but not one that he would make into a problem in their relationship. He had not even thought of having children until this moment.

Erszhebet nodded.

"She died just before her fourth birthday," whispered Erszhebet mournfully. She had cried so much that she simply did not have tears left to cry any more. Or so she thought.

There was a sharp intake of breath from Severus. He did not know what to say or do and decided to let his lover continue. He squeezed Erszhebets shoulder.

"She was taken from me; they just...they just blew the door in...," said Erszhebet as her voice cracked under the strain of trying to keep control. "I tried to fight them; honestly and truly I nearly died just trying to protect my baby - Goddess knows I gave it my best shot."

Tears were starting to fall onto the photos. The Erszhebet in the photos wiped them off and wagged a finger. "Not on the baby," the photo Erszhebet hissed.

"They took her, Severus, they took my baby...my sweet innocent baby...," said Erszhebet barely keeping it together. "It was...it was during the time of...of your Voldemort."

Severus swallowed hard. 'Please Goddess, no - don't let it be,' he thought with dread. But he knew what was coming. He of all people, how could he not.

"They took her from me and...what they did to her...they killed her," said Erszhebet hoarsely as the tears rolled down her cheeks and she shook her head.

"Where...where was the father?" asked Severus incredulously as he looked unblinkingly at his lover.

Erszhebet laughed almost hysterically as she covered her mouth with her hands.

"His favourite excuse - he...he...he was busy...running around after Voldemort, running around after someone else, running around to care for everyone else but me and his own daughter," she spat at last, "when it was some Voldemort collaborators that killed his child and almost killed me because of him!"

[[[]]]

"No," whispered Severus out of shock as he forgot himself. "He was...he is a Wizard?? Voldemort?? And because of him you became a target??" The fact that Erszhebet had been a target was disturbing, very disturbing in light of recent events. This would have to be discussed. There was something missing; some crucial information that would shed some light no doubt, but he could not face it just now. It was enough for Severus to get his head around what he had just been told and the photos he was looking at.

Once he had that crucial missing information, Severus Snape would go berserk.

"Yes," hissed Erszhebet. "So when I say that he...that it...that this Voldemort was a Metaphysical Terrorist, a Despot I mean exactly that, I know what I am talking about!!"

Erszhebet was shaking now.

"I could not protect her, Severus, I could not protect my baby, and he was not there, and they... they came for me and they made me, they made me...," she said.

Severus stared at her with a look of horror.

"They...they made you watch," he whispered hoarsely. Gods he knew all to well what probably happened. Erszhebet did not really have to tell him. "And then let you live - only just...and then...then or even before...before...she died," Severus could not finish his thoughts and shook his head no. He could not bear to think of it. Gods he knew - he knew even though he did not want to know. Such memories and knowledge only served to torment him. Even more so now.

Erszhebet nodded. Her face was a mask of bitterness, hatred, shame and despair.

"He was never there, not once when I really needed him. Barely when I was pregnant, not when she was born, not when she died, and not when...not ever," said Erszhebet. She could not say it anymore than Severus could. "I lost my mind Severus. I completely lost it. If it were not for the Tritignants I would be dead now. I tried to kill myself - I could not take it; the memories of my Caitlin and what she suffered. What they did to her. What they did to me. I just wanted it all to be over - I could not take living any more, I had already been through so much - I could not take living with all this, all this shit!!"

Erszhebet angrily turned her wrists up at Severus - there were thin flesh-coloured scars slightly lighter than her natural skin tone; except these had a bit of a pinkish tinge to them.

Severus had not noticed these scars before. Perhaps he had and just did not want to recognise them for what they were. He had a treatment which could take care of those, but it was best not to suggest that just now. Gods, he thought, what kind of man could be such a monster to those closest to him; to have left them and not cared for or protected them; to have left Erszhebet all alone in the aftermath of such horror and tragedy?

There was a lengthy silence.

Erszhebet was preparing herself for Severus' immediate departure. She could not imagine that he would want to stick around now. This was just too much drama; and he still did not know the half of it.

Rather than leave, Severus took Erszhebets hands in his - and kissed her scars and held her hands to his heart as he closed his eyes. His pretence at self-control had come undone yet again and his impromptu gesture surprised even him. The usual rules just did not apply to this situation or this woman. The woman Severus still loved.

They had so much in common, they really did, suicide attempts included though Erszhebet did not know it. How could Severus not love her? In loving her and accepting her, Severus Snape might be able to find his way towards loving and accepting himself. Perhaps even forgiveness. It seemed that they would have a long way to go for that to ever happen.

"How," Severus asked hoarsely as he opened his eyes and fixed his lover with anothntense stare, "how do you find it within yourself to love me, Severina, to care about me. Especially now, knowing what you do...about my youth...about what I did...about what I was??" Severus could not believe that this woman, after every horror that she had survived, could give him absolution when he himself did not.

"Because I know what you are, Severus," she said without hesitation, "and I know what you are not. And I know what you have been to me from the moment I first laid eyes on you."

Shocked silence. Severus could not bury his incredulity at her comment.

"In my heart of hearts to the core of my soul I know that you could not do any of these things. You might be a lot of things - some things that are not entirely pleasant to others. We all are. But I know that you are not evil; you are not like them. I know that you are no rapist, that you are not a killer. I know that you would never ever hurt a child; not physically.

Words and your malevolent demeanour are your weapons of choice, other than the hexes and curses you seem to be quite the expert at. I rather suppose that you gave the illusion of a willing participant as you saved whom you could...before," said Erszhebet. "I know that you are so much more than what you want people, or even yourself, to believe you are."

Severus nodded almost imperceptibly as he fixed Erszhebet with an intense gaze. Damn - she read him well, like the pages of an often-thumbed and much-loved novel.

"So you see, I do have the measure of you Professor Snape," Erszhebet said softly. "No matter what anyone else thinks; and I don't give a fuck what they think, Severus. Truly I don't. They don't have the right. No one has the right to judge and condemn you. I think you do enough of that on your own - you do not need extra help...least of all from someone like me."

Severus found himself silently wishing that he had been the one to meet her so long ago. How different things might have been for both of them. Whoever he was, the child's father had a lot to answer for. Severus wanted answers and would make it his business to get them if he met the bastard.

Erszhebet walked over to something Severus had not noticed in all the time they had spent in this room in the past few days. It was a large plasma screen mounted to the wall. Erszhebet started to move some large potted plants out of the way so that the screen was clearly visible and Severus silently helped her.

Erszhebet picked up the box of DVDs she had brought in and checked the connections of the DVD player which was on the built-in shelf in the wall beneath the screen alongside other Muggle technology.

Severus sat down and watched her as she made her adjustments, her long dark hair falling across her face - her small dark honey-coloured hands flicking switches, flicking her hair back, loading in shiny silver disks and pushing buttons.

As Severus watched, the screen flickered to life.

There was Erszhebet with a laughing blonde-haired, amber-eyed little girl dressed in her favourite pink Muggle overalls, a white shirt trimmed in pink with a big teddy bear on the front, little white ankle socks trimmed in lace and little white trainers. The child must have been between three and four with her lovely peaches and cream complexion which had caught only a hint of the sun. Her long hair was pulled into a long French braid with a pink and white jeweled butterfly at the end and a fringe just like her mother. The little angel obviously was a lovely combination of both her parents.

Erszhebet was tickling her toddler daughter and pulling faces. They seemed to be out in some sort of countryside having a picnic. The little girl was squealing in delight.

Severus could make out other people in the background playing what seemed to be a Muggle game of some sort with a large white ball with black spots while some others were at some sort of Muggle cooking apparatus turning over meat.

More children were running around, shouting and having fun at their own game. One man started to show off with the ball and tried to flip it around with his feet.

"Maman silly!" laughed Caitlin as her mother made her laugh with her increasingly silly faces.

"Yeah your maman's nuts," laughed the show-off in the background. "Cookoo, cookoo."

All of sudden Erszhebet and Caitlin were seized in a fit of riotous laughter as he fell over. He had not been watching where he was going when he made fun of Erszhebet and tripped over a tree root.

"Ooooh so you think that's funny do you?" he asked good-naturedly in French-accented English.

"Yeah!" shouted Erszhebet unable to contain her laughter. "That's what you get, your Karma kicking you in the you-know-what."

"Yeah!" shouted Caitlin as she clapped trying to speak English. "Pee Pee fawober! Pee Pee fawober!"

"Caitlin could not pronounce Pierre so she always called him Pee Pee, you know, like going to the bathroom much to his chagrin; he has no idea his twin Claude put her up to it," Erszhebet explained to Severus with a big smile. "Knowing Pierre he would do something to get him back, something good; I might let it slip when we see them..."

"Are they part of the family you spoke of?" asked Severus. "Les Tritignants." He was thinking that Pierre and Claude were probably the Fred and George Weasley of France.

Erszhebet nodded with a big smile.

The two lovers watched the DVD together. Severus thought it must be a very happy memory for Erszhebet. She was smiling and laughed often. "It was such a wonderful day," she said, "absolutely brilliant. They are all nuts sometimes, totally certifiable - but really wonderful, completely down-to-earth and unpretentious. Well, most of them are anyway."

Severus wrapped her in his embrace as they curled up on the sofa.

Next someone put on some Muggle music and Caitlin wriggled out of her mother's grasp.

"Ohhhhhh nooooooo," shouted Erszhebet onscreen as she laughed and jokingly put her hands over her ears. "Here it comes, ma chérie, ABBA!!"

"ABBA, ABBA, ABBA!!" shouted Caitlin as she jumped up and did her little baby dance as she stuck her little booty out, wiggled, jiggled and bounced up and down while squatting to the foot-stomping strains of 'Waterloo', 'Does Your Mother Know' and then 'Dancing Queen'.

Mother and daughter danced together and Erszhebe laughed as her daughter sang her own off-key made-up words and noises to the songs. The other people on screen who could see them roared with laughter and appreciation at the little princess, especially the squat-and-bounce move which was everyones favourite.

Caitlin propelled herself at her mother and Erszhebet picked her up and danced around and around as she held her on her hip, both of them laughing and screaming with joy.

"Oooh, Severus, she always loved them; ABBA," said Erszhebet as she laughed proudly. "This is sooo brilliant!"

"Did you?" asked Severus raising his eyebrows. "Like this...ABBA." He made a face at the thought of it.

"Errrrrr, yes, matter of fact I did," said Erszhebet guiltily.

"Then that's two of you with dubious taste. She obviously takes after you," said Severus trying not to smile.

"Hey you...my baby had great taste like her Maman," said Erszhebet with a smile as she looked her lover. "She would have loved you, Severus."

Severus looked shocked at this rather unexpected observation. Children and love were not generally associated with him. Most people thought that he loathed students and teaching. Nothing could be further from the truth.

Professor Snape simply did not like to see potential go to waste, students who thought they knew it all when they in fact had a lot to learn or potions not taken seriously as it should - amongst other things. The list was actually quite a long one and got longer every year.

"Why...what makes you say that?" he asked trying to keep his cool - but his façade was cracked.

"Because even if you don't like this, you are putting up with it - for my sake and for Caitlins too I think," replied Erszhebet.

Severus kissed her cheek. "I am putting up with an awful lot then, Miss Bathory," he said trying not to smile and failing utterly.

"Ohhhh is that so, Professor Snape," said Erszhebet raising her left eyebrow as she smiled back. Severus did make her feel so good. She felt safe, accepted and protected with him.

"Yes," said Severus as he shook his head No and smiled.

Erszhebet repositioned herself between Severus' long legs and sank into his embrace. The two lovers cuddled up together and watched more of the home movie of that glorious day.

The whole lot of them onscreen went spare just being silly as they howled the words of ABBA and other Disco-era songs and did mad dance steps, including the oldest adults who Severus supposed were Mama and Papa T. They were letting loose, really enjoying themselves in an old Muggle dance called the Fox Trot according to Erszhebet. Considering their age they were getting on better than some of the younger people.

'Amazing,' Severus thought to himself. Voldemort must have been coming into the height of his second go-round of power then, between the end of Harry Potter's fourth and seventh year. Severus felt a wave of sadness as he realised that his lovers little girl did not have much time left to live when the outing was documented.

Severus laughed aloud once in spite of himself at his lovers' antics onscreen. It was a revelation to see Erszhebet in this way; laughing, happy and so adoring of her little girl. Erszhebets daughter was as enchanting as her mother was and they were really something together. Caitlin was definitely her mothers' child as she did her little baby dancing and singing.

Fleetingly Severus wondered who the childs Wizard father was and what the bastard was like - what the hell was in his mind to have left his familyh a wonderful little family any man would be privileged to have, he thought.

Severus could not believe the antics onscreen as he chuckled softly to himself. He himself would never have allowed himself to be silly or loose in that way. Appearances had always meant too much to him. 'No wonder my life has always been so empty, so lonely' he thought uncharacteristically. Severus looked at Erszhebet. "Not anymore," said the other little voice inside him.

Severus had never been a part of any experience such as the one he was now viewing. He had never had the kind of experience as a son that Erszhebet gave her daughter or that this family had with each other. He wondered what kind of person might he have been had he had the love, support and camaraderie growing up that these people obviously shared. No wonder Severina felt so lucky, so blessed to have them in her life.

Before Severus could catch himself he let slip a rather sensitive yet important question. "Severina, have you ever thought of having more children?" he asked softly as he stroked her hair.

Erszhebet answered before Severus had a chance to make up for what he thought was a serious blunder. "I would like to, Severus. Very much so. I just figured it would take time; time to meet the right person. Someone who would want to be a father, a proper father to their children and a proper partner or husband to me. Someone who would love us, look after us and handle his responsibilities. Someone who would not abandon his children or me," she said. "Although given my history some people don't think I should ever be allowed to have another child. I think sterilisation has been mentioned quite often."

Severus wondered who in the hell these people were, but did not ask.

Onscreen, the footage had changed.

Caitlin was bawling her lungs out and held out her plump little arms as she called for her mother. Erszhebet scooped her daughter up into her arms. One of the twins had come up from behind her and scared her with a hideous Wizarding death skull mask of some sort from a dark joke shop.

Severus felt his chest tighten. Knowing as he did that when Death Eaters or collaborators turned up they always wore similar masks. He had no doubts what Erszhebet must be thinking and feeling having to see this. It was definitely a reminder of the ordeal - a reminder of how frightened her child must have been when the terrifying strangers burst into their home.

"Damn it, Claude, she is only a baby - let it alone for goodness sake's, why can't you leave well enough alone just once - spoiling everything." hissed Erszhebet onscreen before turning her attention back to her child. "It's ok chérie, its only Oncle Claude being stupid."

Onscreen Erszhebet looked at back at the offended Claude and roared, "TAKE IT OFF - NOW!! BEFORE I WRING YOUR FUCKING NECK!"

Claude looked as guilty as sin as Mama and Papa T scolded him, his brothers and sisters and other friends started fussing in rapid-fire French and his twin slapped him across the top of his head while wrenching the offensive item off.

Someone onscreen said, "Who does he think he is, Voldemort?? Is that it Claude, you a tough guy, a big bad Death Eater now?"

"Asshole," someone else mumbled loudly.

Caitlin was still crying her little eyes out, her face bright red and tear-streaked from the effort. "Maaamaaan!" she screamed between wails as she clung to her mother. Severus recognised her distressed expression; he had seen quite a bit of it from her mother. 'She really was her mother's daughter,' he thought.

"Its ok Cherie, maman's here," said Erszhebet as she soothed her frightened child. There, there it's alright. I'm here, your maman is here. I'm sorry, baby; I won't swear again I promise. Maman won't let bad ugly Oncle Claude frighten you any more."

The footage continued as Erszhebet put her now exhausted child down to sleep under her beloved baby blanket, her little blonde head resting on her favourie Barbie pink pillow; laying down next to her in a cuddle and sang to her softly in the coolness of a cluster of shady trees.

Caitlin quieted down and then fell fast asleep in her mothers embrace as her mother sang her favourite lullaby in French and wiped away her child's tears. She obviously loved her little girl very much and was fiercely protective.

Like the others onscreen who were nearby enough to have witnessed the incident, Severus was absolutely transfixed by what he saw and also by what he heard. Erszhebet had a lovely voice; no doubt about that, and an amazing gift and bond with her child.

His lover was born to be a mother.

"You were a fantastic mother to Caitlin," Severus whispered seriously in her ear. 'Any child would be lucky to have you as a mother and any man even luckier to have you in his life. Don't ever doubt that."

Seeing how Erszhebet was with her daughter reminded Severus of what he had always desperately wanted and needed from his own mother and father. And also what he had always wanted deep down even more from a love of his own. The first set of needs had gone unfulfilled; the second set was more than possible now. Severus' past, present and future came together in the form of the woman he held in his arms.

Erszhebet half-turned and kissed Severus blinking back tears at his kindness, love, acceptance and absolution. She wrapped her arms around him, half burying her face in his chest as they continued to watch more home movies on the screen.

They would be like this until Minerva and Poppy returned later that afternoon.