Owls and Musings - The Sequel

Chapter 5 - Snape Hunt

"Right, is everyone here and packed?" Esme asked her children. She looked around counting heads and equipment. "Wait, where's Rhys? Em - rys!" she called out, clearly annoyed.

"Coming, Mum - forgot my broom!" He ran in from the hallway clutching his Comet 400, his pride and joy. He had saved up his pocket money for the last two years to purchase it. First-years still were not allowed brooms, and he wanted to get as much practice in as possible over the summer.

She clucked her tongue at him as he sheepishly came over to join the group near the door. "Well, put it with the luggage, Wizby will take it all to the cottage." She turned to the little elf. "We will see you in a little bit."

"Wizby will have everything ready to go, Miss Essie," the elf squeaked and, placing a hand on top of the pile, vanished herself and the pile with a loud crack of displaced air.

Esme led her brood out the door, told Gustav they would be back at the end of summer, and marched them down the stairs and out the front doors. When they reached the end of the gravel-covered carriageway, they found Severus waiting for them beyond the gates.

"Alisha, Rebecca, go stand with your mother. Twins over here with me," he directed. The adults gathered the children close to them for the side-along Apparition. Not the most pleasant of experiences, this was the quickest way to the cottage for the whole family.

With a turn in place and a heart-wrenching squeeze later, the family popped out next to the forest. The view was a bit different from the one Severus had seen all those years ago when Esme had first invited him for a bit of summer vacation. The house had been expanded to accommodate the growing family and the guests that sometimes stayed over.

As Esme and Severus strolled toward the house, the children raced ahead to check on their various favourite haunts and garden plots. The new wing stretched into the old garden area and the garden had been expanded with the wall moved in order to accommodate the new living area. Two stories tall, the first floor consisted of a family recreation area, and the second story contained the children's and guest sleeping areas. The original guest room on the second floor had been given to McGonagall as a permanent room when she visited. The girls' sleeping area was an ingenious combination of individual dressing rooms that led from the main hallway to the sleeping porch. This way each girl had her own room to herself, but they kept each other company at night. The sleeping porch itself had windows ranging along three sides above the wainscot and these gave the room a bright and cheery feeling.

Emrys' room was across the main hall and it reflected his love of Puddlemere United. Posters of his favourite players decorated the walls, and the corners of his room contained stacks of Quidditch books and mags. An empty aquarium awaited this year's denizen from the forest.

As Esme and Severus watched, their children entered the garden and began to check it over.

"I love coming here over the summer," Esme said as they entered the kitchen. Wizby had already anticipated her master and mistress and had tea things laid out on the huge kitchen table.

"I know," said Severus with a small smile in her direction as he reached for his cup.

"What are your plans for this summer?" she asked him before munching a biscuit.

"Catch up on my journal reading. I have a stack almost as tall as Becca that I need to read through. Are you teaching this summer?" he enquired.

"No, just ours. Another music teacher actually moved into the village last autumn so I can officially retire."

Severus sighed with relief and Esme chuckled.

"But," she raised a finger to warn him, "the quartet will be getting together a few times before the recital. I'm really looking forward to this one. Do you realise we haven't had one in over a decade? There are so many pieces I want to try, and Dave has written some new music as well."

Severus watched fondly as he listened to his wife expound on her hopes for the upcoming recital. The children barging into the kitchen soon interrupted them as they told their parents about the new things they had found in the garden and moor. Just as quickly as they had breezed in, they breezed out again to put their rooms in order. Esme headed for the master suite to do the same, and Severus headed to the cellar to set the lab and his home office space in order.

+++++

"Da, can I talk with you?"

Severus turned to his son as the boy stood on the cellar steps hesitating to come down any further and interrupt if his father was doing some delicate potions work. Severus had all his children trained to stay well away from the potions bench when he was experimenting.

"It's fine, Rhys. Come on down here." He patted a stool next to the workbench. Emrys jumped the last remaining risers and hauled himself up on the stool. "What do you want to talk about?"

"Bree," said his heir, succinctly. "Dad, she spends entirely too much time studying. It's summer, we've been here for a month already, and the only time she left her books was to go on the family hikes you insisted we all go on and when we went to London last Saturday for mum's recital." His son sighed and looked up at his father. "She needs to get out more and have some fun - at least during the summer! It's embarrassing!" There. At least he had done what he promised Roger he would do. Now he waited for his father to respond.

Severus was silent for a moment, thinking over his response as he stirred the potion in front of him. While he and Esme were particularly happy with their daughter's academic leanings, her twin was absolutely correct in pointing out that she needed to balance her academics with activity.

"What do you propose?" he asked his son, turning the tables back on the boy. He picked up the marble mortar and pestle he was preparing nettles with, and resumed the grinding action to reduce the plant to a fine powder.

"I don't know, something outside though." Rhys watched as his father gently dusted a pinch full of the powdered nettles over the simmering cauldron and blend it in clockwise four times with a glass stirring rod.

"I agree, Rhys, but it has to be something that she will agree to do." Severus took down a jar of dried spider webs and choosing a medium-sized web, let it fall gently to the top of the solution. They both watched silently as the web was slowly absorbed into the mixture. Severus sighed as the mixture turned a deep brick-red colour and removed the small cauldron from the fire to cool. The second the cauldron had been moved from it, the fire had disappeared.

"Can't you just insist?" Emrys tried to wheedle when he judged it was safe to talk again.

"I could, and it might have worked when you two were younger, but you are nearly teenagers now, and that type of tactic has never worked with your sister," his father pointed out.

"True," Emrys agreed reluctantly, slumping his shoulders in dejection.

"It comes to mind that we have never really formally taught you and your sister, as well as Becca, to swim. Alisha learned one summer with Uncle Remus - but you were too little at the time," Severus mused out loud.

Emrys' face brightened considerably at this and he sat a little straighter on the stool. "She does like to play along the edges of the lake!" he said, enthusiastically.

"My thoughts as well." A conspiratorial look came over both male Snapes that was very devious in nature.

The next day the children awoke to construction sounds coming from the moor just on the other side of the garden wall. An entire wizarding construction crew was digging a large hole and using their wands to coat it in concrete. The children all tumbled into their play clothes and raced through the kitchen to stand outside and watch. Esme and Severus just chuckled and sent Wizby outside with plates of breakfast for their brood.

By the end of the afternoon, the pool was finished, complete with its own warded wall to keep the children out when their parents or Wizby were not around. The construction wizards had all pointed their wands at the pool, murmured Aguamenti, and the children were amazed at how quickly the pool filled with the water. A warming charm was the last spell cast over the water before the wizards left.

It was the perfect enticement to his bookish daughter to get her out of the house. She took to the lessons like a fish, as did the other two, and Alisha helped teach Becca as her father instructed the twins. Wizby always kept a nervous eye cast on the children, wringing her hands and ears, convinced they were all going to drown themselves. Rhys was congratulating himself for winning the bet; Brigida was having the time of her life in the pool.

++++++++++

"All right, family and assembled friends," Severus said a few weeks later in August. "This morning is the Annual Snape Hunt." He rubbed his hands together in glee as he surveyed the twenty-five people gathered in his recreation room. This was the largest turnout yet for this event. This morning he was dressed for the business at hand in a black t-shirt, black jeans, dragonhide boots (black, of course), and his hair had been pulled away from his face into a clubbed tail at the base of his neck.

Everyone paused where they stood in various stages of eating the repast that Esmerelda and Wizby had produced for the huge gathering.

"Now, at the gate are the gathering baskets complete with lists, reference books and implements to ease in the harvesting of the plants." He began to pace as he recited the rules. "The person or team of persons who returns by one o'clock with the most items will win their choice of sundae down in the village." There was quite a cheer from the younger members of the crowd at that announcement. "You may hunt for ingredients individually or as a member of a team consisting of no more than three people one of whom must be starting Hogwarts in September or older." He waited a moment for the grumbles to die down.

"Remember to leave a marker at any gathering site, and remember to leave some of the plants behind for continued propagation. No more than three markers are allowed per plant type. Last year's markers have already been removed." He sneered down at the grumbling students in particular. "The use of Accio as a harvesting method is strictly forbidden. So, if everything is clear, finish your noshing and we will begin in fifteen minutes' time on the stroke of the hour."

The murmuring began again in the room as teams started to form. Severus walked over to the food table to grab a cup of coffee from his wife, who was staying behind this year. The scavenger hunt had turned into an annual event ever since the children were old enough to read and help their father find fresh potion ingredients from the forest each summer.

The Lupins had joined them after the first hunt, and each year more and more Hogwarts families had accompanied them. This year even Potter and his brood were coming along. In fact, Harry was heading towards his old nemesis with his eldest following behind.

"Severus."

"Potter."

"I'd like you to meet Jamie, my eldest daughter. She'll be starting this September." He added at Snape's upraised eyebrows. Snape nodded in acknowledgement of another apparent war orphan. He turned to the young lady hiding partially behind her father's robes.

"Pleased to make your acquaintance, Miss Potter," he gently said.

"Th-thank you, Sir." A shy girl, she gazed up at the imposing presence of the Potions Master from the protection of her father's arm around her shoulders.

"Have you had a chance to meet any of the other children yet? No?" He looked around the room trying to espy his middle children. He gave up and called out instead, "Emrys, Brigida - front and centre!"

The two children materialized out of the crowd to stand in front of their father. Jamie Potter's eyes were wide in awe at how quickly the two had responded to the command. Harry just chuckled to himself. He was well aware of the impression Snape made to students in particular. It was deliberately cultivated, although he had reportedly mellowed over the last dozen years. Harry and Severus maintained a cordial relationship these days working together on projects for the Ministry. After Harry had made his apology to the former Death Eater, the two had gradually learned to tolerate and, sometimes even grudgingly, respect each other.

"We're here, Da," came the quiet response from Brigida.

"We didn't do anything! I swear!" was Emrys' immediate response. Harry unsuccessfully covered a snigger at the protestation. It had sounded very familiar. Snape caught the half concealed snort, and a quick uplift of the corner of his mouth was all Harry received in response. Severus was going to have his hands full with that child.

"Emrys, Brigida, I would like you to meet Jamie Potter. She is Professor Potter's eldest daughter. Would you please take and introduce her to the rest of the children? Thank you."

"C'mon, Jamie, there are loads of kids here," Brigida said, taking the girls hand in hers. Harry looked fondly after his daughter as Brigida led her over to where the other children were congregated.

"Thank you, Severus. She is such a quiet child - not a bit outgoing," he sighed.

"My children will cure her of that," Severus gibed. He turned to his wife again. "Are you going to be alright?" he asked with a touch of concern in his voice.

"I'm fine. Just a bit of a backache. Go on, it's almost time," she said making a shooing motion with one hand while the other was pressed to the small of her back. Harry chuckled and walked away as Severus leaned over to give Esme a quick kiss and then led the group out the back door to the baskets lined up on the stone fence.

The participants clumped up in their chosen groupings with parents shepherding the youngest children and school-agers sticking together. Jamie Potter ended up joining Brigida and Nancy Longbottom. A distinct advantage on her part as Nancy's father was the Herbology Professor at Hogwarts. Emrys and Roger paired up with one of Roger's younger brothers, and Alisha had invited some classmates to join her this year. Little Rebecca was paired with her father, much to her annoyance. She really wished she were old enough to join the older children.

When Severus blew the whistle the groups all grabbed their baskets and fanned out across the moor toward the forest.

Esme watched them go and as they disappeared from view turned to sit down and prop her legs up on a convenient ottoman. Minerva had arrived a few days earlier and was chatting with her former students, all mothers now with young children that were still too young to join in the Snape Hunt. The women gossiped while Wizby, with help from Dobby, cleared away the morning dishes.

At ten-thirty though, Wizby insisted that Esme take her nap. She followed to make sure her mistress really got into the bed and closed her eyes.

"Miss Essie must get her rest! Miss Poppy says so. I be making sure of it!" the little elf said as she tucked the duvet around Esme. Esme gave the little creature a warm smile and obediently closed her eyes. She really wished this back pain would just stop.

"So, Rog, you get to pay up!" Rhys said gleefully as the boys headed for their favourite haunts in the forest. They knew where most of the ingredients on the list were located and decided to start at the farthest locations first and work their way back to the cottage.

Roger's eyes grew wide. "Did you really? How?"

"Didn't you see the new pool?" Emrys asked his best friend.

"Yeah, I meant to ask you about that." He sounded quite envious of his friends, although he knew he would be staying all week and would be able to enjoy it himself.

Rhys cracked a wide smile. "We can't keep her out of it!" he crowed.

Roger guffawed and started laughing. "That's brilliant, Rhys!"

"Yeah, I took your advice and finally asked Da at the beginning of the month to intercede. We talked a bit and came up with the pool idea. Da told Brigida he had decided we three youngest needed to learn to swim." Roger laughed even more at the very Slytherin way Professor Snape had manoeuvred his daughter into having fun.

"Then I will very gladly share your first detention!" Roger finally managed to say to his best mate. "But let's make sure it lasts until start of term!" Emrys groaned at the truth in that statement; his sister could very well revert to her former ways in a heartbeat, and they still had a week to go before start of term.

Esme awoke to her husband's hand stroking some stray hair away from her face.

"Hey," he said as he noticed her eyes opening.

"Hey, yourself. Did I oversleep? Is the hunt over already?" she sleepily asked him.

"No, I came back for you." He smoothed more damp hair away from her eyes.

"Huh?" She was still a bit groggy from her nap.

"Your water broke while you were asleep." He smiled fondly down at her.

"It what?" she exclaimed, giving him a startled look. Now that she was awake she could feel the spasms. "Merlin, my backache this morning - it was back labour!" She grimaced as a harder spasm flowed down her belly.

"Apparently," he grinned. "Ginny Potter came in to check on you a few minutes ago and noticed the sheets were soaked. She summoned me immediately. Becca is with Lupin," he added quickly as he saw worry creep on her face. She sighed in relief at his reassurance. "Now let's get you cleaned up and into some dry clothes." He got up and, shutting the door, twitched his wand at his wife and the bed, stripping them both and redressing them just as quickly.

"Severus, it is five weeks early..." she mumbled as she tugged the nightgown around to a more comfortable position.

"I've already done a diagnostic and everything is fine. The baby is placed correctly, lungs are fine and you are progressing nicely. Our beater is just ready to join us now!" He brought over another pile of fresh bedding for later and laid it nearby. He then helped Esme to sit back down against the pillows he had conjured for her. "Minerva's gone to get Poppy, and I believe Wizby has gone to the flat to grab some baby things. I think she is really annoyed at herself for not knowing he would come early!" He sat down facing her, taking both hands in his. "Now breathe, Esme," he started coaching. She focused on his eyes as another spasm hit and she began to pant.

Harry and the rest of the Hunt trooped back to the house, tired but triumphant. All had enjoyed a fun time, and the baskets were full of ingredients that were all under freshness charms to keep them safe until Severus processed them. Ginny rushed out to greet him as they neared the stile gate.

"Harry, Remus, can you keep the children busy out here?" she asked a bit hurriedly.

"Of course, Gin." He shared a look with the werewolf. "What's up?"

"Esme's gone into labour. Severus and Poppy are with her. It shouldn't be long now but let's keep the exuberance out here," she pleaded.

"No problem. We'll sort the baskets and then go swimming or something." Remus offered.

Ginny looked relieved. "Thanks, I'll send out some refreshments in a moment." She kissed her husband, hugged Remus, then headed back to the house.

"Well, Remus, seems like another godchild is on its way!" Harry slapped his friend's back in camaraderie. Remus just grinned in happy reply.

"Hey, you lot! Over here!" Harry called out to the rest of crowd as they straggled in across the moor. They circled up around the two wizards and Harry explained what was going on as well as the plan for the rest of the afternoon. The groups dispersed to count their contributions and sort them on the tables in the greenhouse.

A soft knock came at the door and Remus and Minerva peeked in together.

"Severus, you have some children out here about to burst," Remus chided his friend.

"Let them in then and come see your new godson yourself," was the reply.

Remus opened the door to let Minerva and the other children in, then softly closed it again before coming over to see the new pup.

The children piled on the bed, Rebecca cuddling up against her father as she reached a tentative hand out to touch her baby brother's still damp hair. Remus leaned up against the headboard looking over Severus' head.

"Congratulations, you two. You've done it again!" he said as he watched Esme with the baby.

"Thank you, Remus," Esme said quietly. She cradled the little boy, wrapped in a blue blanket, in her arms; enjoying her first moments with this latest Snape scion.

"Have you picked a name?" Minerva asked.

Esme looked up at Severus who supplied, "Albus John Bruce Snape. Probably A.J. for short."

"Very appropriate," said Remus as he reached out a finger to the infant who grabbed it tightly. "Well, hello A.J. What a strong grip you have. Good Quidditch qualities," he chuckled. "Right kids, let your mum and brother catch some sleep."

He gathered up the children and escorted them out of the room after they each gave their mother and new brother a kiss. Minerva came up to the bedside as the others left.

"Thank you, Severus," she said quietly. "I know he would have appreciated the gesture. I can't wait to tell his portrait." She pulled out a lace hanky to wipe her suddenly damp eyes. "May I hold him while you get settled?" she offered her niece.

Esme handed the now sleeping baby to her aunt while Severus removed himself from behind his wife and stretched his sore and tired limbs. He let Poppy and Wizby finish cleaning his wife and bed while he conjured some tea and biscuits for them all. With the fresh linens on the bed and a second fresh nightgown on Esmerelda, she lay down and was soon fast asleep. Minerva gently placed the sleeping baby in the waiting bassinet and scooted it so that it was up against the side of the bed.

Seeing that everything was well in hand, Severus headed for the bathroom for a quick shower and change of clothes for himself. He exited the bedroom several minutes later, feeling greatly refreshed, to find everyone except the Lupins, his children and Minerva gone from the house.

"Merlin!" he exclaimed, slapping his head in remembrance. "The hunt! How did it go?"

"It went fine, Severus. I believe Neville's daughter and her group came in first. Harry and Neville went ahead and took everyone down to the village for ice cream after the children wore themselves out in the pool. Great new addition, by the way!" Remus smiled over at his friend, who acknowledged the compliment with an upturned edge of his mouth and a nod. "They all apparated home a little while ago."

"Are you hungry?" Tonks asked, getting up and tripping over a toy in the process only to be caught by her husband's automatic outstretched hand.

Snape smirked at the former Auror's tendency to still cause a disaster wherever she went. "No, I'm just tired. I'm beginning to agree with Esme, I think this is our last one. I'm getting too old!" he joked.

Minerva snorted as she made room for him on the divan. "You're just hitting your prime, my boy, look at Albus - 150 years."

"Yes, yes, I know and compared to him I'm just a newborn, am I?" he quipped.

"Far from it!" she snapped. "I'm just saying you still have a lot of good years left. You're only fifty-one," she pointed out.

He inclined his head in acceptance of her assessment. "Still, five children is enough, I warrant. Especially when I never even saw myself with even one all those years ago." His voice lowered as his eyes glazed over a bit at the memory. He soon brought himself back to earth however as he looked at his children scattered across the room. "Ah, looks like Rebecca has hit her limit." He got up to walk over to the little girl curled up asleep near the fire, the newest kneazle cuddled up against her. Casey had finally passed away the previous summer. Severus picked up his youngest daughter, her legs and arms unconsciously hugging him as her head laid limply asleep on his shoulder. The kneazle got up, stretching and yawning and followed her mistress.

"Come on, kids, time for bed." His children, as well as Lupin's, followed him up the stairs in the kitchen to the bedrooms in the new addition. The children took turns in the bathroom as he supervised, with Alisha's help, the washing of faces, brushing of teeth and changing into pyjamas. He tucked Becca into bed with her favourite stuffed dragon, the kneazle curling up at her side. After bestowing good night wishes and hugs to the girls and tousling the heads of the boys, sternly telling them that the lights were spelled to go out in thirty minutes, he headed back down to enjoy a nightcap with the Lupins and Minerva.

Remus held up his cup to the assembled folk. "I give you Albus John Bruce Snape, long life and happiness!"

"Long life and happiness!" came the response as they all quaffed their sherries before heading to bed.