Disclaimer: This world and its characters were created by JK Rowling. In particular, the chapters from here on will depend heavily upon the storyline in canon. In particular, much of what happens in this chapter draws upon Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's (Philosopher's) Stone

Severus moved back to Hogwarts a few weeks before school started. He left Emily and Hope at Margo's house. It was too soon for students to be at the school and Emily was already working evening shifts at the hospital. This gave Emily and her daughter a chance to shop for school clothes and supplies.

Emily had a couple of evenings off and went to Hogwarts to surprise Severus. She suspected that Margo would spoil her granddaughter horribly, but she was eager to see her husband after several days without him. She knew he wouldn't mind, as he complained that it was as difficult as ever to sleep without her in his bed.

She Apparated to Hogsmeade and walked to the school. As she went around a corner in the dungeons a voice behind her said, “You're as lovely as ever, Mrs. Snape. I was sorry that our time together was cut short. We shall have to renew our acquaintance this year.”

The voice made a shiver go down her back and yet affected her body strangely. She could almost see a spidery hand reaching out to touch her. She felt violated and somehow roused at the same time. She stopped and turned, her gaze falling upon Professor Quirrell, who had just returned to the school after a sabbatical. He looked somewhat odd with a turban on his head, yet it also seemed to suit him.

“Hello, Quirinus. Did you say something?”

“Oh, n-no, Emily. I was j-just t-t-taking a sh-short cut.”

Severus must have heard them speaking because he looked out the door of his dungeon classroom. Seeing his wife, he sped out the door and snatched her into his arms. “How is it possible that you are here?”

Emily looked up and smiled, answering, “I have a couple of nights off and left the two Margos to spoil each other.”

“A dangerous proposition, that.” He set her back on her feet and walked her toward their quarters.

“I'll risk it,” Emily said, casting a glance at the other Professor in the hallway. He had an odd smirk on his face as he continued away and was adjusting the back of his turban with trembling fingers. “So Quirinus is back?”

“He has Defense, if you can believe it. More frightened and scattered than ever and he is teaching Defense. How did you come upon him?”

“It was so odd. He came up behind me so quietly and I heard a voice. It affected me quite the same way as the Dark Lord did at that dinner party. I turned and it was just him. He couldn't have spoken to me in that way, the voice sounded so self assured, and didn't stutter.”

“It definitely wasn't Quirrell, then.”

“So what did I hear?”

“I couldn't guess. Perhaps a ghost, or one of the portraits? Some of the headmasters have been sneaking down here lately for reasons I'm not sure I understand.”

“I suppose that could be it.”

“Quirrell is more jittery than ever. Why Dumbledore picks fools like that, when I could teach the class and actually prepare those students for the troubles ahead, is beyond me.”

“He's doing it for my sake, Severus. When is the last time a Defense teacher came through the school year without being killed or maimed?”

In response he kissed her.

“So how are the class lists shaping up?” she asked.

“Well, as you know, there is a young Snape entering the school this year, as well as a Malfoy, and a Macmillan--”

“He's a sort of cousin on my mother's side. He'll be Hufflepuff.”

“Yes, and assorted others...yet another Weasley...and Harry Potter.”

“So Lily and James's son is coming to Hogwarts.”

“Hagrid had quite a time getting to him, from what I hear. Petunia must be as awful as ever. If she married that brute, even worse, because he was a horrible person.”

“So, will it be all right?” Emily looked into Severus's eyes with concern.

“If he looks like Lily, I might survive it. If he looks like James, I'm not sure how I'll handle it.”

Emily put her hands on the sides of her husband's face and kissed him. “The Marauders were awful to you, but you are the one who survived. Two are dead, one is in prison, and I'm not sure what happened to the last one. I'm sure you can rise above it.”

“You've always had more faith in me than I have in myself, Emily.”

“And I've always been right. So are you going to talk me to death when we have all of this lovely time together, or are you going to make proper use of it?”

“Emily, you were the one that asked about the students.”

She shrugged. “I asked. You answered. I'm changing the subject.”

---

Emily had a chance to see Harry Potter for herself a few days later. Since she was working evenings, she had the chance to take Hope, or Margo, as she preferred to be called as a student, to King's Cross. She saw Hope—Margo—onto the train with her baggage and let out a sigh somewhere between relief and sadness at the passage of time. Her daughter got right on the train without a backward glance.

Emily cast a look around and saw a dark haired boy who looked a little lost. She was struck at how much he looked like James Potter at exactly the same age. Then the boy looked at her for a second and she couldn't believe how her impression of him changed. When she saw his eyes it was as though Lily Evans was looking out of them.

She was on the point of speaking with him, for the sake of her relationship with Lily, when another mother came up to him and took him over. Emily recognized Molly Weasley, who no doubt had much more experience with little boys of that age. It was just as well. Until she knew how Severus would react to the young Potter, she should leave things alone.

---

Thirteen hours after she kissed her daughter good-bye at King's Cross Station, Emily Snape stepped out of the fireplace in the family's sitting room at Hogwarts. Severus was pacing in the bedroom, wearing a dressing gown that hadn't been fastened very well.

“He looks exactly like Potter! Except those are Lily's eyes.”

“How did Sorting come out?”

“You were right about your young cousin. He went to Hufflepuff.”

“My mother was the first non-Hufflepuff in the family in a hundred years. They almost scratched her off the family record over it. I was the second.” Emily took off her robe and kicked off her shoes.

“Well, there's a third now.”

“So if she's not Hufflepuff, where did she Sort?”

“There's yet another Weasley in Gryffindor.”

“Am I supposed to be surprised about that? Severus Snape, if you don't tell me what happened to my daughter...” She pulled her blouse out of the waistband of her skirt and started to unbutton it.

“Young Malfoy is in Slytherin. I managed to look pleased.”

“Where's Hope?” She unfastened the skirt and let it fall to the floor as Severus watched appreciatively.

“And of course Potter went to the house of his parents.”

Emily pushed Severus onto the bed and settled herself on his lap, straddling him. She kissed him and wriggled until she could feel that she had his full attention. “Where is my daughter, tonight, Severus Snape? Do I have to leave you and the delights of our marriage bed to search the first year dorms of three houses?”

The huntress became the prey as Severus tipped her over on to her back and began caressing her. “Slytherin. Our daughter, my daughter, has Sorted into Slytherin House.”

Emily pushed his hair out of his face and looked into his triumphant eyes. “There. Was that so hard?”

He punctuated his rather off color answer with his hands and body and it was lost in the shriek of laughter that came from her.

---

"I already hate the way Young Malfoy looks at her.”

It was a much calmer moment and Severus was tracing the light of a single candle on Emily's shoulders as he described Hope's—Margo's, they reminded themselves—first evening at Hogwarts as a student. They were still entwined together and already he could feel the stirrings of passion rising again. He would be exhausted at class time the following morning. He found that he didn't mind.

“I've taught her some jinxes she can use when she needs to establish boundaries. They worked for me.”

“You had to use them on Black?”

“Occasionally I had to use one in my apartment. I was saving myself.”

It was amazing that she could still blush, after twelve years of marriage and after the way she had behaved with him this very night. He knew just for whom she had been saving herself. The passion moved closer. His fingers followed where the candlelight took them.

“Have you ever had to use them on me?” He didn't think so, but he wanted to know.

“I don't need boundaries with you.” There was no blush now as she looked at him with intensity.

The passion was fully upon him. He kissed her and she offered encouragement. They took their time, murmuring endearments and offering each other gentle caresses to start until the fires consumed them.

A/N: Thank you for sticking with me through this story. Thank you especially for your kind reviews. I have also benefited greatly from the suggestions of beta reader Trickie Woo.