Emily had a much harder time than Severus at this point. He was kept from danger because his other master did not want to lose so valuable a servant in the heart of Albus Dumbledore's domain and that servant was therefore not expected to participate in raids and battles. Emily, however, saw the wounded and dying at St. Mungo's and heard about the dead from those whom she saw.

Emily was working on a patient as one night shift ended when a fight between Death Eaters and Aurors erupted right outside her curtained area. Her patient jumped up to join the fight and before she knew what had happened, Emily had been hit by a hex. Someone came and stopped the fight and a few moments later another person came and found Emily sitting on a stool, trying to stay conscious.

“Em!” Sirius Black was standing next to her. “Do you want me to get another Healer?”

“I need Severus. Can you help me get to Hogwarts?”

“You should get looked at. Don't you want a Healer?”

“Severus knows this spell. He will know what to do. Sirius, if you're going to help, get me to Hogwarts.”

He half carried her out into the hallway. The Floo was not functional after the battle that had broken out. “We're going to have to Apparate, Emily, and walk from the gate. Can you do it?”

“Can you do Side-along?”

“Yes, Emily, hold on.”

He walked her to the Apparition area and an instant later they were facing the locked gates of Hogwarts. Sirius sent his Patronus to request that someone let them in.

“Emily, are you still here?” He nudged her to make sure she was still awake.

“Yes, Sirius. What is it?”

He was quiet for a moment. “You really do love him, don't you?”

“He's everything to me.”

“You never felt that for me?”

“I'm sorry, Sirius. I wanted to. You were the boy every girl would love to date, but there was really nothing.”

“After your daughter was born, my mother made some calculations and summoned me. She couldn't understand how, with all my whoring ways, I couldn't make you pregnant and force you to marry me if a half-blood could do it.”

“What did you tell her?”

“I just left the house. I couldn't tell her the truth, which was that I was waiting for you to be ready and you never were.”

“I'm sorry.”

“I should say you were never ready for me. Clearly you were ready.”

“Emily?” Severus was coming toward them and opening the gate.

“Severus, I need you.”

“Is there a good reason your arms are around my wife, Black?”

“Actually, there is. She got a nasty hex at the hospital and she would fall otherwise. She insisted on coming to you and the Floo at the hospital was out.”

“Is that all, Black?” Severus had reached them and was easing his wife into his own arms.

“There's nothing going on, Snape. If you must know, she's been telling me all about the delights of being married to you."

“Everything to me,” said Emily, sounding a bit tipsy.

Severus used a Levitation Charm so that he could easily carry her up the path within his arms. Sirius followed. Severus turned and looked.

“I thought, since I am here, that I might as well visit Dumbledore. He may want hear from someone on the front lines. Not everyone gets to hide behind the protections of Hogwarts.”

Severus bristled at the accusation in Black's voice, but his attention was on Emily. He continued along the path and through the door with his wife, who wasn't quite conscious any more. A few minutes more brought them to their own bedroom, where he removed her robe and searched for the mark the hex had made. Finding it, he applied the correct counter-spell and brought her a potion to drink.

Emily reached up and brushed his hair from his face. “You needn't look so worried. I was sure you would know what to do.”

“I don't want you to work there any more.”

“I'm so close to being certified, and now that Lily's quit, they really need me.”

“Lily's quit?”

“Yes, it's a horribly kept secret. The Potters are living in an obscure small town; only Dumbledore and a couple of other people know where. The rumor is that they're going to move someplace else over the summer. Lily has given up her healer training for now, and James has quit Auror training. Sirius, too, but he was only in it to be with James. Both of them have gobs of family money, anyway. It's not like they need it.”

“Emily, you don't need to work, either.”

“Can we talk about it again after I'm certified? I'm so close, and no one wants to kill me.”

“It might have happened anyway. What if this had been a killing curse? What if you had been pregnant when this happened?”

“I'm sure they will improve security, Severus. I'll be fine.”

“At least let me talk to Dumbledore and see what he says.”

“I love you, Severus.” She wanted to distract him.

“I love you, Emily.” She succeeded.

He held her close until their daughter cried out for some attention. Emily was in the sitting room, giving her a feeding when someone knocked on their door. Severus opened it to see Sirius standing there. Sirius was not prepared to find a scene of familial bliss and wasn't sure where to look when Severus showed him in. Emily had finished feeding the baby and straightened the dressing gown she was wearing and was now coaxing a burp to come up.

“Well, Black?” Severus fixed his guest with a cold stare.

“I told Dumbledore what happened and he has agreed that if possible, we should get a member of the Order to keep an eye on things at St. Mungo's, at least in the areas where emergencies are handled.”

Sirius's eyes strayed to Emily and her baby. The burp had come up and with a sigh the child had closed her eyes and gone to sleep. It was hard to decide whether to look at the enchanting little face or what the small body was nestled against. The dressing gown afforded a close view of something Sirius had long wished to see. An annoyed clearing of his host's throat brought him back to business. He looked into dark eyes that gave nothing away.

“So, Black, am I supposed to trust my wife's safety to one or two of your Order members patrolling the hallways?”

“That's more or less how things were settled this afternoon, Snape. If you don't think we are up to the task, you could do it, yourself.”

“That's an excellent idea, Black. I think I shall discuss it with the Headmaster tomorrow. In the meanwhile, I would like to express my gratitude for the way you looked after my wife and bid you good evening. She has had a taxing day and would be better for a quiet evening with her family.”

Sirius got the point and made his farewells. Emily smiled and thanked him.

After the door was shut, Severus put Hope into her crib, and came to sit next to his wife. “Do you really think you can do that? Will you be able to spend time at the hospital?” she asked.

“I should be able to, at least until O.W.L.s.” His eyes were thawing.

“That could get cozy. How will we manage evenings and nights with Hope?”

“Several of the house-elves here complain every day that we should leave her with them more often. I'm willing if you are.”

“Hmmm. She's mostly onto solid food, now.”

Fingers moved from one lap to unfasten the robe that the other person was still wearing.

“Emily?”

“Yes?”

“You do realize that you could have been seriously injured today and that you need to rest?”

“Do you realize how much I love you?”

“I think you've mentioned it.”

“I'd like to show you, too.” She was pushing the robe down her husband's arms. By the time her fingertips were touching him through the thin fabric of his shirt, he was lost. Per Severus's wishes, Emily spent the evening with him, but she was not very quiet as she informed the stone walls of their bedroom exactly how she felt about her husband.

---

Severus was not heavy hearted on the spring day that Emily finished her practical examinations and received her full certification as a Healer. She had promised to take some time off and he was going to hold her to it. Meeting her at the employee entrance, he pulled her up into his arms and kissed her. “I'm so proud of you, Emily.”

“Thank you,” she replied.

He set her back down and looked at her. “Did you mean it when you said you would take some time off? I was thinking that perhaps it's time to give Hope a brother or sister.”

“Yes, I'm ready to take a year or two off.” She smiled shyly up to him. “And actually, there's something I need to tell you.”