| No Clue Epilogue: Good Things Come in Multiple Packages Thanks to Christina Teresa for getting me through this story. The following spring . . . Gareth watched intently as the Hufflepuff Seeker took a dive at the Snitch. He caught it! The match was over. On the other side of the stands he could see his very pregnant mother sitting with Laura Lupin. His father was at the top of the stands where Gareth sat. Although no longer head of Slytherin House, he always sat with the Slytherins, just not right next to his son. He watched the Hufflepuffs stream onto the field and looked for Viviana. There she was. Gareth waved at her. She was waving her arms wildly, pointing up at the stands. What is it? Gareth heard several voices behind him. "Professor Snape, they're calling you. Across the stands, look!" "Hey, Gareth. Isn't that your mother Professor McGonagall is putting on a stretcher?" Gareth looked up. He saw Professor McGonagall start to take the stretcher down to the field. His mother was lying on the stretcher holding her very large belly. The students were parting to let them by and Aunt Laura was walking alongside as well. He looked up and saw that his father was rushing down the stands toward the field. Gareth stood for a moment wondering what to do, when someone punched him in the arm. "Get going, you prat. It's your mother!" He hurried down to the field, hearing the students talking about how it was too bad it was a Saturday, because Potions class would have been cancelled if she'd only held on until Monday. Gits! As if she could control it! He'd been through this before with Lily not so long ago. There wasn't anything to worry about . . . A few hours later, a crowd of teachers and friends had gathered at the infirmary. Madam Pomfrey was trying to quiet everyone down. "Really, you would think everyone would know the drill by now, as many Snapes as there have been born in this castle! Need I remind you that the babies need quiet?" "Yes, of course, Poppy," Remus Lupin said with a smile on his face. "Gareth, would you please come in now," Madam Pomfrey put a hand on his shoulder. He looked back at Viviana, who smiled at him. His mother was sitting up looking very well. She didn't look nearly as tired as he expected. Both she and her father were holding small bundles. "Hello, honey," she said beaming at him. "Meet your new brothers." Gareth walked over to the side of the bed to look at his new little brothers. "Uncle Harry went to fetch Colin and Lily. They should be here soon. Can I hold one of them?" His mother nodded and handed him the baby she was holding. He looked from this one to the other baby in his father's arms. They were tiny and absolutely identical as far as he could see. Both had dark hair and for now, their eyes looked a strange sort of deep blue. "Mum, how are we going to tell them apart?" "I haven't worked that out yet. I had Poppy put a bracelet around the ankle of the one you're holding. He's Albus Alaric. Your dad is holding Alexander Severus." "Cool! Hello, Albus. I bet you and I can have a lot of fun in the future playing pranks on Colin. He'll never be able to tell you apart!" Gareth addressed the baby in a higher voice. Out of the corner of his eye, Gareth saw his mother and father look at each other and smile. Colin came crashing in. "Hey, there really are two of them. Mum, how did they both fit inside you?" "Not easily, baby, but keep your voice down. You can only see them for a few minutes. They need to sleep." "They is good sized boys, Mrs. Snape," said Winky who was holding Lily. "Gareth, honey, take Albus back and sit over there. You go too, Colin. I need to pay some attention to my little girl." Lily was about fourteen months old and began to cry when she saw her mother holding another baby. "No, my little baby girl, I'm right here. Don't you worry." Gareth watched his mother rock Lily and whisper all sorts of little things in her ear. He was glad that Dobby was going to go live at their house now. She would need all the help she could get and he wasn't there anymore. One by one the people waiting outside came in to offer their congratulations. Uncle Harry and Aunt Ginny were there with their own baby, a little girl named Emily. They each took turns holding Albus and Alexander. Gareth thought that Uncle Harry looked very much at ease holding a baby, much more so than Uncle Sirius, who came by as well. "Severus, Alexandra, Albus would have been so proud to see your family. It's a shame he won't get to know his namesake," Minerva McGonagall held little Albus and looked back at his parents. "Gareth, it looks like this school will be populated by young Snapes for quite some time. I hope you will continue to set a good example." "Yes, Professor," he said looking over at Viviana, who was holding Alexander. Her mother and father were standing at either side of her admiring the baby. "Do you want him back one more time, Gareth?" she asked. "Sure." Gareth walked over to take his little brother. "Well, I think we should leave them alone now, Viviana," Remus said. "Yes, Alexandra, we'll see you at home tomorrow then." Laura came over to give his mother a hug. After everyone else had said goodbye, he kissed his mother and gave his father a hug. "I'll see you at home tomorrow, Mum. I'll get all my work done so I can go visit. Father gave us a lot of homework this week." Severus looked into Alexandra's eyes as Gareth left. She looked so pretty holding their children. The last two, we'd better enjoy them. |