Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters here and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling. This chapter takes place within the timeline of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

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Dear Lucky,

My new brother is really cute. Grandma says he has Grandpa's soft brown hair and blue eyes to go with Grandpa's name. Mum says he has the same nose as Daddy and me. Daddy says it goes with my other grandfather's name, since that's how a nose that shape got into the family. So his first name is the same as Mum's dad and his middle name takes after Daddy's dad.

Mum says it's funny but as she takes care of the baby it's like she's reliving when I was a baby and the day my other brother was born. Whenever she puts the baby down or gives him to Grandma or Daddy, she tries to grab and kiss all over me. It was kind of nice the first two or eight times she did it, but enough is enough.

She and Daddy have some new joke between them about the baby being born, too. I will not ask. I'm sure I don't want to know. Grandma just shook her head and said they were horribly irresponsible. That's not a word I would ever have thought to hear in relation to either of my parents and when I said so Grandma backed off. They really weren't irresponsible, just a bit foolish, she said.

There's no telling what Potions will be like this week, but I'm sure we'll regret it if we slack off. You will definitely want to include the following notes in your essay to hand in.

Sincerely,
Hope

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Dear Hope,

Congratulations on the new brother. I'm not likely to ever get one, so I guess it's better late than never for you. I'm glad you gave me those notes about Potions. If I had not had them I would have been in worse trouble than I was today. Can you explain what made my potion spray out like that?

I'm glad it's so quiet lately. With one thing after another the past few years, it's always been hard to study right before finals. I don't know how Granger can be right in the middle of all the drama since we've been here and still study and do so well.

I will be going home for the Easter Holiday. Are you planning to visit your grandmother then? I'm in serious trouble in Transfiguration again and could use some help.

I have the Care of Magical Creatures notes you missed in class the other day and some notes on Herbology you might find useful. Didn't you miss that, too?

Sincerely,
Lucky

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The Snapes were alone one evening, resting with the baby when Severus winced. Emily knew right off what it was. She touched the Mark on his arm gently.

“Is it getting stronger again, isn't it?”

“It won't be long before it's an actual call to go to him. Igor is becoming a pest, begging me to help him at every turn. It's not as though I am in control of this.”

“How can he have the face to ask you for anything, after he tried to sell you for his own freedom before?”

“It's just what everyone did. Now it's back to what it was like before.”

“Severus, I'm so frightened.” Emily's eyes teared up.

“No, you're just very emotional after a long and exciting week.”

“What if he doesn't accept your reasons--”

“I've talked it over with Dumbledore. We've discussed what my reasons are. He'll accept them.”

“I want to tell you to run, but I know you'll be caught and killed if you do. I want to tell you to do whatever it takes to survive this, but I cannot ask you to be other than who you are. All I can do, Severus, is tell you I love you and that I'll always be waiting for you to come back.”

“That's all I can ask from you, Emily.”

“Do you think he will still want—I had thought I was barren, but obviously...” She held the baby tighter.

“There is no way to be certain. If he can come back from the dead, it seems unnecessary. An heir would simply be a rival in that context.”

“What would you have me do, Severus?”

“Dumbledore would probably say that the ultimate goals of letting the boy grow up and of destroying the Dark Lord altogether are most important. It doesn't matter if a single wizard is left alive, as long as Potter survives to destroy the Dark Lord. I don't know if I'm willing to let you sacrifice yourself that way. I will not force you to do so.”

“I cannot provoke him into killing you. He said before he would kill you and take me by force if necessary.”

“Hopefully the choice will be obvious when you are called to make it. However it may happen, Emily, I love you and I know you will do only what is absolutely right.”

---

Severus and Emily sat in the staff section of the stands during the final task of the Trwizard Challenge. Emily held Brendon in a baby sling which sheltered him from the wind. By the use of the sling and a carefully constructed robe, she was able to feed him at the necessary intervals. It was not an unpleasant evening. It was difficult to see much of what happened in the maze, but the actual Tri-Wizard Cup was visible and they would see the winner as he or she arrived to take it.

After a long while of watching somewhat carelessly and chatting with the other professors, Severus drew in his breath as Emily was distracted to the baby. “There's Diggory, but there's an Acromantula, and Potter's there, too, now.”

Emily looked up and they watched, breathlessly, as the two boys fought off the giant spider and then seemed to be arguing with each other. As they argued, they kept making waving motions to each other toward the Cup.

“Why doesn't one of them just take it?” Severus was disgusted. “I can only guess. Between Hufflepuff loyalty and Gryffindor honor, they both think the other deserves it more.”

Finally both boys reached for the Cup together and suddenly the Cup and the boys disappeared.

“A Portkey!” said Emily in amazement. “Where can they have gone?”

“Moody offered to put the Cup in the maze. Somehow he's involved.”

They watched and waited for some word. After about half an hour, Severus sat up and stretched his left arm out. His face turned completely white. Emily watched him and blinked her eyes hard. They shone strangely in the light of the torches around the field but she managed not to tear up and did give him a tremulous smile.

“Is it?” she asked.

“Yes, it's a proper summons. Somehow this is all connected. I need to get down to where Dumbledore and McGonagall are. I won't leave until he gives me the word. Come with me as far as the grounds?”

They walked down the stairs and were on the scene when the boys returned, one living but injured and the other dead. They walked to where the Headmaster was quickly giving directions.

“Severus, I need you and Minerva to help me with this. Emily, perhaps you can assist Diggory's parents?” With a squeeze of fingers the two went their separate ways.

Emily did what she could for the parents of the dead boy and left them to mourn privately with his House Head. She went to the dungeon to wait for she knew not what. Mechanically, she looked through her husband's closet and found two articles he would need soon. The baby slept in his cradle and she paced the sitting room until Severus arrived.

“The old fool made me shake hands with the mutt.”

“With Padfoot?”

“No, at least he made Sirius transform to a human, but I had to pretend to be his friend and promise to work with him. I'm two hours late.” He sighed. “You found my robe and mask?” He took them and looked at her. “Kiss me, Emily.” He kissed her as hard as he could and looked into her eyes. “I will be back for more.” Then, as Emily slid a vial into a pocket inside his robe, “What is this?”

Emily smiled sheepishly. “Some Muggles think it has all sorts of curative and restorative properties. Perhaps it will help to keep you safe.”

Severus looked down on her and smiled indulgently. “Have you been reading The Lancet again?”

She turned red even as she shrugged. “The title of the article caught my eye. It might have been the New England Journal of Medicine.”

“So we're not just trusting Muggles, but possibly American Muggles? I will take it, if only because it is like having a part of you with me.” He gave her one last kiss and was gone.

Emily spent the next hour looking over her domain, making sure the laundry was as caught up as possible and that the family quarters were tidy. Then she readied the baby for the night, bathing and feeding him before putting him down. She decided at that point that her husband might return at any time, so she summoned some house-elves to keep watch over the sleeping baby, grabbed a cloak, and went out into the school grounds.

She was met at the gates by the Headmaster.

“Is he likely to return here, then?”

“I have Hagrid watching for him around the edges of the forest, too.” The Headmaster seemed unbelievably old. He was quiet for a while and when he began speaking again, it was almost as if to himself. “When you told me it was as if there is something living in that scar, I believed you. Thirteen years I have been dreading this day, when you were proven right. Voldemort was kept alive by it and now he has returned to human form, perhaps not fully, but full enough.”

He sighed and looked around the beauty of the night time landscape around them. “I ask too much, Emily, and I don't allow people to refuse. Many years ago I had a true love. For the sake of that love I allowed my sister to be killed. She was so sweet, with eyes just like your Hope's. I'm sure it was an accident, but I'll never know...my brother never forgave me...”

He looked around at Emily again. “My love and I were forced to separate and then years later it became clear that my love's activities were the source of a rising evil. I was forced to fight and overpower my true love, to reduce to a bitter shell what was once so beautiful to me...

“I expect everyone to be willing to jump in and do the same, forgetting that I put off my own evil day for years. I thought maybe the passion would fade and it would be easier...I finally realized I couldn't wait for that. Lives were being destroyed and lost. You had to risk your true love tonight, Emily. Severus is not likely to have a more dangerous moment than the one he faces now. How did you send him off?”

“With a smile and a kiss. I didn't want him to worry about me in midst of the task he had.”

“Good girl. I have manipulated your husband; I admit it. We need what he will do for us, desperately. So much depends upon his success tonight.”

Emily couldn't answer. It was hard to be angry at the man standing beside her, who was almost as worried about her husband as she herself was. He was almost as worried, a voice said inside her, but was it because he had affection for Severus or because of what it would mean to his plans? Suddenly it was hard not to be angry. She glanced at the older wizard. It was an odd moment; he was somewhat unguarded. Perhaps the affection and the need were so entwined that he couldn't sort it out, either.

A/N: Thank you to beta reader Trickie Woo. Thank you all for reading and your kind reviews. I hope that your new year is a happy one.