Sirius and I cleared the bridge and ran up the hill towards Hogwarts, only to discover that the Dark Mark was the only real danger. The Aurors had already been summoned, and I quickly transformed back into my human form, wanting to be of as much help as possible. It was quickly discovered that Peter Pettigrew, also known as Wormtail, a loyal Death Eater and one-time best friend of James Potter, Sirius, and Remus Lupin, had cast the Dark Mark, when Voldemort had expressed frustration that his plan of luring Harry to the graveyard had failed.

Wormtail, meanwhile, was still skulking at the edge of the maze in his rat form, which my heightened senses picked up upon. Thinking quickly, I Accio'd him directly to me, stunning him so that he wouldn't bite me, and handed him over to the Aurors. Tonks listened to me, casting the spell to render him human once more, before he was carted off to Azkaban. It was another shock to discover that Dumbledore had fled the Hogwarts grounds, and that Professor McGonagall had taken over duties as headmistress.

Apparently, we soon learned that the third task had started under Dumbledore's orders, despite other professors attempting to talk him out of it, and all four champions had been injured as both the former headmaster's, and Barty Crouch Jr.'s, magic had failed within Hogwarts grounds, a clear sign that the magic of the castle was against them both. Venturing towards the hospital wing, it was a relief to find that all four champions had been given private rooms within the infirmary, and Sirius and I reported directly to Harry's room. Sirius, meanwhile, was still masquerading as Padfoot, given that he would likely need to wait for an official pardon from the Ministry of Magic, given that Wormtail had only just been taken into custody.

"Padfoot, Cressida!" Harry cried out as soon as we'd entered; he had cuts all over his face, which were bandaged, while one of his hands was in the process of being mended.

Hermione, who was sitting on one side of the bed, with Ron on the other, reached outwards and scratched Padfoot behind one of his ears, much to the dog's delight. "Thank Merlin you're both all right," she said, getting to her feet and embracing me. "You saw the mark, then?"

I nodded, surprised to find Ron looking pale and serious at the entire scenario, leading Padfoot to go over and stand beside him. "We did," I confirmed, conjuring a chair and sitting beside Hermione, taking her offered hand. "And, you'll all be very happy to know, that I sniffed out Wormtail, who conjured it."

Harry immediately sat up in his hospital bed, while Ron and Hermione's eyes were glued to me, and Padfoot growled. "Did you get him?" he wanted to know.

I nodded. "I did," I told him. "Stunned the little bastard and handed him over. Tonks, who is another Auror—she's lovely, you'll meet her soon—cast the spell to render him back into human form, while still keeping him stunned. He's likely at the ministry as we speak, although I can't tell you what Fudge will do, I'm sure Kingsley will try to make a fuss."

"Kingsley? Kingsley Shacklebolt?" Ron asked.

I nodded. "Exactly," I told him. "Lovely man. He's Tonks' and my superior in the Auror Office, and partnered the two of us up."

"We just heard about Barty Crouch. Jr. being Professor Moody this entire year, and that the real Professor Moody was being kept prisoner in a trunk in the Defense Against the Dark Arts professors' private quarters," Hermione let out breathlessly, and Harry nodded. "Is it true that he and Auror Shacklebolt are bonded?"

I nodded. "They are," I replied, catching sight of Padfoot, who had his tongue lolling out of his mouth as he grinned, inasmuch as a dog could do such a thing. "Kingsley sensed danger at the castle, leading us, plus Tonks, to come here in the first place, where we apprehended Barty Crouch Jr..."

"They wouldn't tell us what he did," Ron put in, his tone indignant. "Could you tell us, since you were there and all?"

"Ronald!" Hermione immediately chastised him, despite Harry looking quite keen to know the information as well. "We can't ask Cressida that—she's an Auror now, and—"

"And, considering that Harry was in danger, I believe that he has a right to know what happened in the first place," I said, directly causing Hermione to silence herself, looking most put out to be proven wrong. I turned and regarded Harry and said, "While still impersonating Alastor Moody, Barty Crouch Jr. cast Portus on the Triwizard Cup."

Hermione, at that, leaned forward. "The Portkey Spell?" she whispered.

"Blimey," Ron said, shaking his head. "It would've sent Harry to You-Know-Who, right?" he asked, although part of me believed he already knew the answer.

"Harry, or any other of the champions," I replied, shaking my head. "We don't know why yet, although it's plain to see the he was attempting to resurrect himself tonight. If that meant hurting Harry in some way..." I shrugged my shoulders, noting that everyone, including Padfoot, looked considerably relieved to see that I hadn't used the word "killing" instead. "The point is, we stopped that plot in time, and, although Harry sustained some damage from the maze, it's plain to see that he'll recover, although my knowledge of healing is rudimentary at best," I admitted, directly causing the three teenagers to laugh, and Padfoot to bark along.

Madam Pomfrey swept into the room not a moment later, and raised her eyebrows at the sight of Padfoot, as well as me, sitting in there with Harry. "It's time for dinner," she decided, and clapped her hands. "Is this dog yours, Auror Lambert?"

"In a fashion," I said, grimacing uncomfortably, unknowing how much Madam Pomfrey truly knew about the situation.

"Yes, well," she said, bustling further into the room and taking Harry's vitals, running various Diagnostic Charms upon him, "Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger are to report to the Great Hall for dinner, since you've decided to stay in the wake of the exodus of students..."

"I told you that you could go home if you wanted," Harry protested.

"We're not leaving you here, mate," Ron told him quickly.

Harry shook his head. "But... But your families—"

"Mum and Dad are coming here, since Ginny, plus Fred and George, have decided to stay at the castle, too," Ron informed Harry patiently. "Bill came to watch the last task, so he's staying here as well. Charlie's still in Romania, and Percy..." He shook his head, likely believing that his third-older brother was a lost cause. "Well, you've met him."

"And your parents, 'Mione?" Harry wanted to know.

"Auror Shacklebolt sent them an emergency Portkey," Hermione explained. "They're going to a safe house in Australia, along with several new documents to permit them to live and work there," she told him carefully. "I'd love to have them here with me, of course, but, what with the Statute of Secrecy, as well as the fact that they're Muggles, they would be able to see the castle, which could easily render them mad."

"All right, you four," Madam Pomfrey said, and, when Padfoot barked, she raised her eyebrows at him, "...erm, five. Twenty more minutes of this and then I expect Auror Lambert to escort Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger to the Great Hall. Do I make myself clear?"

Harry bit his lip. "Can they come back after dinner?"

Madam Pomfrey hesitated, until Padfoot barked, and she sighed. "Very well. But they mustn't stay too late, now, Mr. Potter."

"I'll keep an eye on the time, Madam Pomfrey," I put in.

Madam Pomfrey smiled at me. "Call me 'Poppy', my dear," she replied. "You're no longer a student here."

I nodded. "Then, please, call me 'Cressida'," I told her, returning her smile. I watched her leave before I turned my attention back to the patient. "Kingsley is very good at his job, Harry," I told him softly, which seemed to reassure him. "I know that Mr. and Mrs. Granger will be all right, if he's on the case."

"Probably his last thing to do before he takes his leave," Ron put in, and I looked over at him, raising my eyebrows. "He mentioned to Professor McGonagall that he and Professor Moody—the real one—would be... What was it, Hermione?"

"Convalescing, Ronald," Hermione told him patiently.

"Right, that," Ron replied, nodding his head. "Auror Shacklebolt said that he and Professor Moody would be doing that. Of course, the real Moody's offered to take over for Defense Against the Dark Arts for the students that are still here and all, but Professor Lupin is officially back, so they're just going to convalesce..."

"Professor Snape, Professor Flitwick, Professor Sprout, and the rest of the professors are staying here as well," Hermione continued. "Professor McGonagall... Well, Headmistress McGonagall, as of now, given that Hogwarts has rejected Dumbledore as its headmaster, will likely be announcing her Deputy Head this evening at dinner."

Once the twenty minutes were up, I escorted Ron and Hermione to the Great Hall for dinner, although, naturally, Padfoot refused to go. I was surprised that Madam Pomfrey permitted him to stay with Harry, on the condition that he didn't make too much noise, wander around, or bother any other patients. I gave Padfoot a scratch before I go, hoping that he would break the news that he was my father to Harry without me, and ventured towards the Great Hall with two of my charges in tow.

"Auror Lambert," said Severus, once we'd entered, "the headmistress has requested that you join us at the head table, since Auror Tonks is already there as well."

I looked past him and towards the head table, spotting Tonks sitting beside a man who I guessed to be Remus Lupin, my father's best friend, as well as the current Professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts. "I'll catch up with you two later," I told Ron and Hermione, who nodded, and allowed me to go up to the head table with their potions professor.

"Auror Lambert, I hope you're doing well," Headmistress McGonagall said warmly, once I arrived to the table.

I nodded. "Yes, headmistress, I'm well, thank you," I replied. "But, please, no need for formalities with me. Just 'Cressida' is fine."

"Then, you shall call me 'Minerva', dear," she told me, patting my hand, and a seat appeared out of nowhere beside her, just as the table elongated. "Oh, my. It appears the castle likes you, my dear. Do sit down."

"Thank you," I replied, taking my seat, relieved when a simple meal of roast chicken, potatoes, and vegetables appeared on my plate, with a glass of sparkling cider beside it.

"I would like to formally invite you to join me later this evening, after curfew, in the headmistress' office, my dear," Minerva continued, vaguely aware of me cutting into my dinner before me. "Tonks will be there as well, plus the Heads of Houses, the of-age Weasleys, and your sister, Fleur."

I blinked. "Fleur is here? I thought she returned to France..."

"Fleur will be returning here to Hogwarts via Portkey later this evening," Minerva informed me carefully, her tone patient. "She sat for her NEWTs last week, and will merely be returning to France to see Gabrielle returned safely to your mother and father, as well as to collect any pertinent belongings."

I nodded; it wouldn't do if Fleur didn't have her things. "So, it's considered safe for those of us not loyal to You-Know-Who to remain at the castle, then?" I asked.

Minerva nodded. "Yes, for the moment. Not to worry, dear," she continued, patting my hand. "I sent Tonks to your shared flat to collect your belongings after she got rid of that abominable rat earlier this evening. Morgana is safe in your chambers, as well as all your belongings, as we don't know when it will be safe to leave the grounds, let alone to leave the castle at all, during this time."

"Will Hagrid be all right?" I whispered.

"Care of Magical Creatures will be limited to reading and essay work for the time being," said Minerva softly, seemingly pleased that I was thinking of the half-giant. "However, Hagrid's hut has a series of spells around it, and he is equipped with Protection Charms, for those occasions when he has to go back and forth from there and to the castle. For the time being, he will remain there with Fang, and the house-elves will be Apparating in and out with food for him or other necessities."

I did my best to eat my dinner, worrying about those individuals who didn't have a safe place to stay, and how long it would take for Voldemort's Death Eaters to round them up and potentially do away with them. I ate my dinner in virtual silence, and barely glanced at my chocolate cake for pudding, its heaviness weighing down in the pit of my stomach. Once dinner was over, I left the Great Hall with Ron and Hermione in tow, but was interrupted on the way to the infirmary by Kingsley, who appeared out of breath as he hurried down the Entrance Hall.

"Kings?" I asked, stopping him in his tracks. "Is everything all right?"

Kingsley looked around; he was gripping on a scroll of parchment for dear life, a red silk ribbon holding it together. "Minister Fudge was deposed earlier this evening," he said in a whisper, and I could hear the collective gasps of Ron and Hermione behind me. "Scrimgeour, as the current Head of the Department for Magical Law Enforcement, was, of course, next in line, but refused the position. It was then offered to me."

My jaw dropped. "Did you accept it, then?"

Kingsley nodded. "I did, and I will be conducting business here at the castle for the time being, which means I will need to ask Minerva to permit the castle to allow me a room to do so," he informed me patiently. "My first order of business was to appoint Alastor as my Deputy Minister, to give him something to do, and he's already organizing everything. The informal announcement will be given later this evening in the headmistress' office," he said, and turned to Ron and Hermione, "you may inform Harry, of course, as he is trustworthy. However, the official announcement will not be given until tomorrow morning, with The Morning Prophet likely putting it on the front page."

Hermione nodded at that. "It's reasonable, as with monarchs dying, in past history, it was only announced until the following day, as the evening papers weren't considered good enough for such an announcement," she put in.

Kingsley gave Hermione a small smile before he turned back towards me. "My second order of business was this," he said, and handed me over the roll of parchment. "I managed to gather a quorum within the Wizengamot, thanks to Amelia Bones, and we put this together," he said, and nodded for me to open it.

I blinked, but nevertheless untied the ribbon and unrolled the parchment, seeing the official seal of the Minister of Magic, plus several signatures of wixen on the Wizengamot, and gaped. "It's Sirius's official pardon," I whispered, shaking my head.

"That will also go into The Daily Prophet tomorrow, along with the announcement that Peter Pettigrew was the true traitor all along. He and Crouch Jr. will be given the Dementor's Kiss at midnight tonight, and are being held in maximum security in Azkaban as we speak," Kingsley reported, looking quite proud of himself.

"Merlin, it's finally happened," Ron breathed and, just a moment later, caught up Hermione into his arms and kissed her, while Hermione stood there, shocked, before she enthusiastically kissed him back.

"The third and final announcement in tomorrow's paper," Kingsley said, looking indulgently in Ron and Hermione's direction, "is that you and Tonks will be proclaimed as Senior Aurors, due to your impressive work, and will serve as the official Auror Guardians here at Hogwarts until Voldemort is vanquished for good."

I nodded, still a bit overwhelmed. "Perhaps you and Alastor should go and celebrate?" I suggested to him. "It's been awhile since the two of you have been in the same room together, and who knows what tomorrow will bring?"

Kingsley chuckled. "Right, then. I'll see you, Cressida, in the headmistress' office in a couple of hours," he declared, and walked in the other direction.

"We've got to tell Harry right now!" Ron crowed.

I chuckled. "Which part? The part where the two of you finally woke up and snogged, or that my fath..." I cleared my throat, knowing entirely well that Harry had the right to know that tidbit of information first. "His godfather is officially a free man?"

Hermione blinked. "What were you about to say just now—?"

"That we snogged!" Ron declared, looking at Hermione. "You will be my girlfriend, Hermione, won't you?" he asked.

Hermione blushed, her previous question momentarily forgotten. "Of course I will, Ron," she said, and kissed him on the cheek.

I grinned at the pair of them and led the way into the infirmary, Poppy smiling at the three of us as we made our way towards Harry's room. As I opened the door, I spotted my father in his human form with Harry, and he visibly tensed as we walked into the room. "No, don't change back," I told him, and handed the piece of parchment to him.

My father wrinkled his brows but, nevertheless, took the piece of parchment from me and gazed at it, his eyes filling with tears. "They really got him, then?" he asked, his voice shaking.

Harry struggled to sit up. "What? Got who?"

I turned towards Harry. "Peter Pettigrew will be given the Dementor's Kiss at midnight, Harry, alongside Crouch, Jr.," I explained patiently, and his eyes widened. "He's free," I whispered, and turned towards Sirius. "You're free."

Dad let out a whoop, and Harry looked very surprised that he didn't immediately turn to hug him but, instead, ran across the room and wrapped his arms around me, pressing a kiss onto my temple. "No more hiding," he whispered, clutching me tightly.

Harry, meanwhile, was eying us suspiciously from his bed. "Care to share what in Merlin's name is going on here?" he demanded, just as I found myself giggling, and as Poppy came into the room, likely because of the loud noises.

Poppy immediately drew her wand. "What is he doing here?!" she demanded.

I instantly threw myself in front of my father, our bodies enveloping in a pure white light, which bounced off any spells that Poppy could have thrown at us. I waited for her to lower her wand and look immediately apologetic, before Dad handed me the official document, whereupon I waved it in her face. "We Aurors are taught not to fire spells and ask questions later," I told her, speaking through my teeth. "I would think that someone who is employed at a school for children and young adults would abide by the same rules."

Poppy visibly trembled as she took in the words on the document. "He's... You were innocent this whole time?" she whispered.

My father nodded. "I was. I am," he confirmed.

"But, Madam Pomfrey, what was that light?" Harry asked from the bed.

"Harry, don't you recognize it?" Hermione asked.

Harry blinked. "Why would I recognize it?"

Hermione suddenly looked uncomfortable. "Harry, when your mother saved you, she used familial love to stop any spells from hurting you," she explained, and Harry looked saddened at the comparison. "Don't you see? Cressida used familial love to save Sirius!"

Harry's eyes widened then, looking from Sirius to Cressida and back again. "Sirius, is Cressida your daughter?" he whispered.

Sirius nodded. "Yes," he replied.

"Given that display, there is no doubt," Poppy replied, and drew her wand again, before muttering some words in Latin, and a white-gold light illuminated us. "That settles it," she said, and pocketed her wand again. "Cressida is a Black."

~*~

Things settled down rather quickly, although Harry was very pleased when Ron and Hermione announced their relationship to him. Once curfew came, however, Harry was given Dreamless Sleep while Ron and Hermione were sent up to Gryffindor Tower on their own. Meanwhile, my father and I made our way to the headmistress' office, unknowing what kind of reception he would ultimately get.

"Tartan," I uttered at the gargoyle, which promptly jumped out of the way. I went up the staircase, my father just behind me, and pushed open the door, already hearing a series of voices coming from the sitting area. I turned the corner and spotted Arthur and Molly, Bill, Fleur, Fred and George, Remus and Tonks, Severus, Professors Sprout and Flitwick, Hagrid, as well as Kingsley and Alastor, who were speaking to Minerva.

"Siri!" cried Remus, rushing forward, and gripping him tightly. "How can you be here? Are you all right?"

"Kingsley didn't tell you?" I asked, and Remus turned his gaze to me, his eyes widening. "Dear Merlin, you're a dead ringer for this girl Sirius was mad for back in our Hogwarts days. What was her name...?"

My father stood back from Remus and put an arm around my shoulder. "Remy, I'd like for you to meet my daughter, Cressida," he informed his best friend proudly, his eyes dancing. "Thérèsa was her mother."

Remus's eyes widened at my father before he looked at me again, before his expression broke out into a grin. "So nice to meet you," he said warmly, embracing me.

"Oh!" I said, pulling back from him, my eyes wide.

Remus looked uncomfortable. "Oh... I'm sorry, I didn't mean..."

"Hey, it's all right," I told him, squeezing his arm. "Animagus sense of smell."

Remus looked decidedly relieved at that. "Oh, I see," he replied, chuckling.

I peered around him, seeing that Tonks's hair had turned green, and I giggled. "It seems as if Tonks has got the wrong idea," I said.

Remus turned around, spotting Tonks, and grinned. "She's amazing," he whispered.

"Careful, Remy," my father said, grinning. "That's my favorite cousin."

I shoved my father gently on the arm. "Hey! She's also my partner with the Aurors. Not to mention the fact that she's older than I am, so she certainly can make up her on mind who she sees romantically."

Dad raised his eyebrows at my words, acknowledging them, before turning back to Remus. "I do hope you've met Dromeda and Ted, Remy."

"They're coming here later on," Remus confirmed. "They're just locking down the house for the inevitable. Minerva's going to let them Floo in before bed."

Minerva looked up, catching my eye and waving me over. "Cressida?"

I turned towards my father. "The headmistress calls," I said, permitting him to clasp me around my shoulders and press a kiss to my forehead before I walked forward. "Is something going on, Minerva?" I asked.

Minerva caught wind of the exchange. "Kingsley has made us aware of Sirius's pardon, but I had no idea that the two of you were so close..."

"He's my father," I said softly, and Minerva raised her eyebrows.

"I was not even aware that Sirius had any children," she said, looking over at Sirius, still in conversation with Remus, before turning her gaze back to me. "There were rumors of a pretty French witch who turned his head the summer after his fifth-year..." Immediately, she gasped and shook her head. "That must have been your mother, then."

"It was," I confirmed, wrapping my arms around myself. "Now, how can I help?"

Minerva looked decidedly uncomfortable as she got to her feet and moved across the room to speak with me. "Normally, Cressida, I wouldn't ask so much of you, as my predecessor had the habit of doing just that, but, I am afraid there is no other option..."

I blinked. "What are you talking about, Minerva?"

She sighed. "Severus has been our spy within the Order of the Phoenix for many years. He went turncoat during the First Wizarding War," she explained, and I nodded; Kingsley had alluded to the fact that not all was as it seemed from the moment I took my position within the Auror Office, so the notion that Severus was, in fact, an ex-Death Eater wasn't too surprising to me. "Due to You-Know-Who's planned resurrection, I want to get him out of there as quickly as possible. I don't foresee this supposed Second Wizarding War drawing out as much as the first one, and having Severus as a spy is no longer safe."

I nodded. "That seems entirely logical, Minerva. Tell me more."

Minerva wrung her hands together, grimacing. "Well, Cressida... Severus is currently in development of a potion to dissolve the Dark Mark completely from his person, by literally bleeding out the ink and severing the link between himself and You-Know-Who."

I swallowed; although I knew that Severus Snape was a brilliant potions master in his own right, I had no idea that the removal of the Dark Mark was even possible. "And what do you need me for?" I whispered.

Minerva sighed. "I need to know one thing first, Cressida," she said, and deliberately waved her hands, putting up a Silencing Bubble around the two of us. "Are you a virgin?"

I felt my face heating up immediately at the question, wondering why the current Headmistress of Hogwarts needed to know such a personal thing about me. "Yes," I managed to say at last. "I never got that far with Oliver, and, well... Before that, it just never happened for me..."

Minerva nodded, looking a modicum better. "Severus is in need of a very special ingredient for this potion," she continued. "He needs the blood and tears of a virgin."

I grimaced; such things were considered dark ingredients, and the best results came when such things were harvested fresh, direct from the source. "I see."

"It is considered obscene to take them from someone who is below the age of seventeen," she continued, "as they cannot consent to giving them in the first place. Not to mention the notion that everyone else in the Order of the Phoenix is... Well, they're not..."

I gritted my teeth, but, nevertheless, nodded my head. "Very well," I said at last. "Severus can have all the blood and tears he needs."

Minerva shook her head. "No, Cressida, it doesn't work that way," she explained, and looked nervous all over again.

I felt my eyebrows knitting together. "I don't understand. I'm over the age of seventeen. I just gave explicit consent for those materials from me to be used. What's the issue?"

Minerva swallowed. "Cressida, do you actually know how blood of a virgin is collected?" she asked me, staring into my eyes.

I shook my head at her. "I can't just slice my palm or something over the cauldron?"

Minerva looked shocked as she blanched white. "No, of course not!" she cried out. "Were the potions taught at Beauxbatons not..."

"They certainly never called for blood or tears from a virgin!" I cried out. "Minerva, I really don't understand you. How in Peronne's name is Severus supposed to collect the blood from me if I can't just cut my palm?"

"Because Severus needs to be the one to gather the ingredient," Minerva said, dragging her words out deliberately slowly.

I shook my head. "So, he needs to be the one to slice my palm?" I asked.

Minerva shook her head back at me. "No, Cressida..." Again, she lowered her voice, despite the Silencing Bubble around us. "You would need to lose your virginity, and Severus would need to be the one to take it, thus being able to immediately cultivate the ingredient."

I felt myself trembling at the sudden onslaught of knowledge. "I'm sorry?"

"Other than the blood and tears," Minerva went on to explain, "you would be sacrificing your virginity to Severus. Due to this, it would then break the bond to You-Know-Who..."

"But would it bind him irreparably to me?" I demanded, my voice shaking.

Minerva sighed. "Yes, dear, it would. Meaning that you and Severus would need to be bound in marriage before the act in question could take place."

I dragged a hand down my face. "I know what would happen if I refuse this, Minerva," I said softly, "but I cannot in good faith accept. Severus was bound first to You-Know-Who and then to Dumbledore. I can't have him submit to another thing like that, I just couldn't..."

"The bond of marriage is nothing like the bonds that Severus had with You-Know-Who or Dumbledore," Minerva informed me calmly. "Those were all one-sided bonds."

"And what would this one be?" I demanded of her. "A bond enforced by him fucking me, taking my virginity to claim my blood, thus setting him free? He would resent me within a few moments, Minerva, for he wouldn't be free, even after the Dark Mark is dissolved, if this would even work in the first place! Not to mention the notion that I very much doubt he would even look twice at me in that manner..."

"Funny, Severus mentioned to me that you heard a conversation between himself and Headmaster Karkaroff during the Yule Ball," Minerva said softly.

I stammered, attempting to get my bearings within the conversation. "Well, Severus wasn't exactly forthcoming with his thoughts on the matter..."

"Of course not," Minerva said softly. "What would the Wizarding World, let alone the board of governors and the Wizengamot, have thought of a professor supposedly lusting after a student, even if he hadn't taught her for all her years of schooling, and she was of age?"

I swallowed. "Well, the fact remains that he wouldn't..." I felt shame flowing through me as my voice broke, and my eyes filled with tears. "...he could never..."

Minerva's expression took on a note of tenderness. "Oh, Cressida. You feel something for Severus, don't you?"

"Yes," I replied, immediately wiping at my eyes, "I do. And I'm not sure how he would take it, given that he would never want to marry me."

Minerva raised her eyebrows. "How do you know that?"

I crossed my arms. "Was this even discussed with Severus?"

"Yes, and he refused outright," Minerva responded, and I felt something breaking within me at the finality of her words. "But, only due to the fact that he didn't want to force you."

"He wouldn't be forcing me, Minerva, far from it," I told her. "Besides, that's not all that I'm worried about here—"

"Black!" shouted Severus, seemingly only now just seeing that they were sharing a space. "You dare to show your face here?"

"Now, Severus," Kingsley said, getting to his feet, "I showed you, Minerva, Filius, and Pomona his official pardon. Sirius has every right to be here with us, and you know it, especially now that the real villain in question here is in custody."

"Snivellus, I really think you should listen to the Minister of Magic," my father put in, sneering in Severus's direction, with Severus mirroring the expression. "And furthermore—"

"That's enough, both of you!" I shouted, exiting the Silencing Bubble; I officially couldn't take it anymore. "Dad, you can't talk to Severus like that anymore."

Severus gagged from beside me. "Dad?!" he demanded, clearly shocked.

"And, Severus," I said, turning towards him, "please attempt to play nice with my father."

Severus raised an eyebrow at me. "And why would I do that?"

"Why else?" I asked him, my tone resolute. "We're going to be married."

~*~

The wedding was thrown together in preparation of the new moon, due to rise four days later. I permitted Minerva to transfigure a wedding dress for me, with my specifications, and asked Fleur and Tonks to be my Maids of Honor, while Hermione and Ginny had agreed to be my bridesmaids. Even though he was spitting about not being asked for my hand in a traditional Pureblood manner, my father agreed to walk me down the aisle on the night of. The wedding itself was to be held in the library at Hogwarts, due to Madam Pince fleeing to her relatives in New Zealand, so there was plenty of room in there.

Meanwhile, on the day of the ceremony, my belongings were to be moved from my temporary lodgings in the castle and into the dungeons. From my limited conversations with Severus on the matter, I was permitted to live with him, as this was going to be as real a marriage as possible. It shocked me, to say the least, that I wasn't merely going to be used as potions ingredients—no, I was to be declared as Madam Snape, his lady wife. He also informed me that, once the ink was dry on the bonding certificate, he stood to inherit all the Prince property, fortune, heirlooms, and artifacts, the latter three being held at Gringotts. The expansive property, meanwhile, was located in Gloucestershire, and Severus had informed me that we could spend Christmases and summers there.

"Do you even like teaching?" I'd asked him, during one of our mandatory "dates", put in place by Minerva, in the days leading up to the bonding.

"Not entirely," Severus replied. "Why?"

"Well, we're going to be bonded," I replied, "I figured we may as well get to know each other a little bit. Our likes and dislikes, things like that. So," I continued, "why don't you entirely like teaching, then?"

"I liked teaching you," he admitted after a few moments of silence; we were walking in one of the many gardens at Hogwarts, gardens that were unknown to students and, therefore, strictly off-limits to them. "I liked teaching you because you actually seemed competent in the subject, and enjoyed it... Plus, it helped that you were advanced for a seventh-year."

"I see," I said, shooting him a smile as I gazed upon the various flowers around us; this garden in particular favored roses, much to my happiness. I leaned forward, inhaling a rather beautiful red one, which filled me with a rare sense of calm.

"Do you like roses?" Severus asked.

I looked at him over my shoulder. "They're my favorite," I admitted.

"Which color?"

I bit down hard on my lower lip. "Red," I said at last. "Cliché, I know, but..."

"More like classic," Severus said, smiling at me for the first time.

"My adoration of them knows no bounds," I said quietly, tucking my hair behind my right ear, and showcasing my small rose tattoo to him.

Severus leaned forward, brushing at it with his fingertips. "The artist who drew it is obviously very talented," he put in. "Is that your only tattoo?"

"No," I said, shaking my head, and tucking my hair behind my left ear this time, letting him have a look at the iris.

"Fascinating," Severus breathed, and stood back, obviously anticipating more.

I lowered my blouse slightly then, and moved my hair back behind me, letting him look at the rune tattooed on my collarbone. "It's..."

"Perthro," Severus breathed, touching it, and I gasped at his touch at such an intimate area of my body, "for protection, security, creation, and coincidence."

"Yes," I responded, already rolling up my sleeves, and grinning at Severus's sharp intake of breath once he saw the runes which decorated my arms for the first time. I held them upwards so that he could see them clearly in the setting sun, and felt shivers rippling deliciously through me as he traced them, one by one.

"Any others I should be aware of?" he asked.

I bit down hard on my lower lip. "You'll have to wait until our wedding night," I told him, just as I felt my cheeks flush.

Severus smiled. "I can wait," he assured me.

I stared up at him, amazed; despite the persona he'd developed as a Hogwarts professor, and, now that Minerva had selected him as her Deputy Head, he had been nothing but patient, compassionate, and understanding towards me since I'd agreed to marry him. "I'm sorry," I said after a few moments of silence had passed between us, "I suppose this will take a bit to get used to."

Severus blinked. "'This' being?"

"Well, the notion that there's more to you than what meets the eye," I responded, and he stared at me, momentarily surprised. "I suppose I should have realized that sooner, although, of course, I hadn't thought of you as more than my potions master, as well as..." I broke off then, my cheeks flushing as my throat closed.

"As... What?" Severus wanted to know.

I swallowed, struggling to get my bearings within the conversation, for it could potentially make or break everything between the two of us. "Other than someone I deeply admire and respect," I continued, and Severus seemed pleased by this notion, "there was always something about you which made me hesitate, and, initially, I couldn't put my finger on the reasoning behind it, considering I hadn't had any kind of romantic relationship until Oliver..."

Severus's gaze darkened at the mention of my ex-boyfriend. "Whatever he did to you, he was a fool to do it," my fiancé informed me quickly. "The notion that he lost someone as talented, intelligent, forthright, and beautiful as you..." He shook his head. "It is unconscionable, although, given his young age, he will likely, in time, learn."

"I caught him in the changing room after one of his games, snogging Penelope Clearwater," I admitted, and Severus raised his eyebrows. "He'd been on me for weeks up until that point to take our relationship to the next level, but I..." I shook my head. "I just couldn't, and I'm beginning to sense why that is."

Severus reached outwards then, and took my hand in his; I offered no resistance, and, instead, felt utterly delightful at the fluttering from within me at the sensation of his rough, callused fingers gently rubbing my knuckles. "Legend has it that a few wixen within the Wizarding World have soulmates," he whispered.

I stepped forward, tipping my chin up to gaze fully into his eyes. "There's one way to find out if that's true in our case," I whispered softly to him in reply.

Severus hesitated. "Black would kill me..."

"My father will have to learn to live with it," I responded, "given that he's given his permission for the bonding to take place..."

"Reluctantly," Severus put in.

"...and has agreed to walk me down the aisle," I concluded. I hesitated, watching the uncertainty passing through Severus's features. "Why are you so uncertain?" I asked. "I thought... Well, I thought you wanted to bond with me..."

"I do," Severus assured me quickly, "it is only..."

"What?"

Severus shut his eyes, and I sensed painful memories flowing through him then. "I should tell you before anyone else does... In my years at Hogwarts, I was in love with another young woman who saw me as merely a friend from our childhoods, until I made a mistake, which ended our friendship during our fifth-year..."

I slowly reached my hand upwards and cupped his cheek, with Severus momentarily startling for a moment as his eyes swept open. "We often say and do things we regret when we are growing up, Severus," I told him gently. "If you like, you can tell me about her. Who was she?"

Severus sighed deeply. "She was a Muggleborn girl who lived in the wealthier side of town to where I grew up... I told you about my Pureblood mother, as well as my Muggle father, the later of whom beat every ounce of joy from my mother's person and succeeded, for a time, in doing the same to me..."

I stood on my toes, pressing a light kiss onto Severus's cheek. "Yes," I confirmed, for this had been the first conversation we'd had in the wake of my agreeing to bond with Severus.

Severus took me by the hand and led me towards one of the benches in the garden. "I taught her about the Wizarding World, as she, coming from a Muggle family, had no idea about it. She had an older sister who was frequently cruel to her because of what she deemed to be her freakish ways. Their parents, meanwhile, did their best to stop their older daughter's behavior, and positively doted on their younger one..."

I squeezed Severus's hand, letting him know it was all right to continue.

"We boarded the train to Hogwarts during our first-year, where we met James Potter, Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, and Peter Pettigrew, who influenced her to thinking that Gryffindor was the place for her. We were ultimately separated during the sorting ceremony, where she went to Gryffindor, and I to Slytherin. We still managed to make time for one another, however, given that Gryffindor and Slytherin shared classes, even then."

I nodded, pleased that they'd made it work, at least, in the beginning.

"The Marauder's, the group headed by your father, Harry's father, Lupin, and Wormtail quite soon had the reputation for troublemaking, wherein I became their pet project." He expression darkened considerably then. "It got worse and worse but, somehow, only Dumbledore would punish me for retaliation, and never the Marauder's for making my school years nothing short of a living hell..." His voice broke, and I cuddled into his side, which seemed to do the trick, because he kept going. "It all came to a head in fifth-year; I was sitting by the lake during one afternoon, reading one of my books, when James Potter approached me, unprovoked. He spelled my wand away from me, and then proceeded to undress me for all to see..."

My jaw dropped. "What... What were...?"

"Your father was drawing the crowd," Severus responded bitterly, "while Wormtail was avidly egging James Potter on."

"And... And Remus?" I whispered.

"Lupin was a prefect at the time," Severus responded, "who merely stood by and did nothing as James Potter spelled my trousers off, and then attempted to do so to my pants as well."

I felt my blood running cold. "Oh, Peronne..."

"She... She came running when she saw what was going on," Severus continued. "She ordered James, who had a crush on her, to stop what he was doing, and he did. I merely grabbed my clothes and books and ran off, but she followed me. I told her to leave me alone, that I needed to be alone, but she kept telling me to ignore them, to not report it, as Gryffindor winning the House Cup was in jeopardy..."

I shook my head at that. "What was wrong with her?!"

Severus shook his head. "She was headstrong, and I loved her for it. However, in those moments, I hated her more than anything, which led me to call her the most unforgivable word you can imagine. I called her a—"

"Don't say it," I interrupted him quickly.

Severus breathed a sigh of relief. "Anyhow, I went to Gryffindor Tower later on, in an attempt to make amends, but she wouldn't hear of it. Two years later we'd graduated, she got married, and I joined the Death Eaters..."

I sighed. "I'm sorry you and Lily never made up," I whispered, and Severus turned his gaze fully onto me. "It was Harry's mother that you loved, wasn't it? Lily Evans."

"You... You are not angry with me?" he whispered.

I shook my head. "No. I believe that we all speak in anger or fear at times, and we frequently do not mean our words. You attempted to apologize for it, but she wouldn't listen. She was definitely prideful, Severus, and you cannot be blamed for that."

Severus nodded. "Thank you. Of course, they didn't stop there..."

"Severus?" I whispered.

"Your father, he... He told me that I would be able to see why the Shrieking Shack truly shrieked on the night of the full moon..."

My blood ran cold at his words. "But... But that's where Remus experienced his transformation during your Hogwarts years!" I burst out.

Severus nodded. "Yes."

I shook my head. "Did you go?"

"I course I went," Severus responded, shaking his head, almost as if he was chastising his former self for doing so. "Had James Potter not stepped in, Lupin would have killed me right then and there."

I swallowed. "Did... Did my father get disciplined for it?"

"No," Severus told me. "Dumbledore said, yet again, and despite the fact that we were all seventh-years, that it was nothing but a harmless prank."

I drew away from him then, feeling utterly devastated. "My father could have had you killed, Severus," I said softly.

Severus nodded. "Yes."

I felt my eyes filling with tears as I stared up at the sky, relieved once again that the Dark Mark had been extinguished days ago. "The notion that you even want to be near me after he put you through all that amazes me. Yes, he was falsely accused of orchestrating the murder of James and Lily all those years ago, and he shouldn't have been locked up in Azkaban for that. But that doesn't excuse his schoolboy treatment of you, Severus," I whispered, turning to look at him again, tears streaming down my face. "How can you stand it? You hate Harry for being James and Lily's child, but you don't hate me for being Sirius's daughter. Don't tell me it has to do with the notion that none of us knew until a handful of days ago, because I think you're smarter than that... Why?" I whispered, my voice trembling. "I don't see why you haven't knocked me to the ground and attempted to hurt me for all my father did to you..."

"I was ordered by Dumbledore to treat Harry the way I did," Severus responded softly. "Now that he is no longer headmaster and I will, hopefully, no longer be an official Death Eater in a number of days, it will stop. As for you..." He shook his head. "You were different, Cressida, and I believe you were always different."

I swallowed. "Different?" I whispered. "How in Peronne's name could I possibly be different than Harry in this scenario?"

Severus stared at me for several moments before he leaned forward and pressed his lips to mine in our first kiss. I gasped aloud then, leading him to take the opportunity to slip his tongue betwixt my lips, and I automatically wrapped my arms around his neck. He let out a surprised grunt as I threw my leg over his lap and anchored myself upon his shoulders, not letting him go for even a minute.

"Cressida..." He whispered, slowly easing himself back from me.

My eyes flew open. "Yes?" I whispered back.

Severus pressed his forehead against mine. "We have to wait," he said, dragging his hands down my back and cupping my waist. "Merlin..."

I nodded. "I know," I responded, "but it's becoming more and more difficult to do so..."

Severus chuckled. "Indeed it is," he replied.

~*~

The day of the wedding finally arrived, and I had been ordered to keep away from Severus for a full twenty-four hours before the ceremony. In the meantime, Fleur, Tonks, Hermione, Ginny, Molly, Andromeda, and Minerva had arranged a hen night for me, much to my surprise. The prefect's bathroom was utilized for the occasion, and it provided us with a lovely spa. We gave each other manicures and pedicures, while I was subjected to waxing, much to my mortification, although I was assured that such practices were traditional.

"It was very thoughtful of you to help put this together, given how we parted ways last time," I told Molly Weasley softly.

Molly gave me a tender smile. "I really do need to learn to listen," she replied. "And, besides, we're family now. The Blacks and the Weasleys are cousins, after all."

Andromeda was very sweet as well, providing me with some heirloom jewelry to borrow that she had managed to keep in the aftermath of her disownment by the House of Black. "You will look absolutely lovely tomorrow, Cressida," she declared, beaming.

I slept as deeply as one possibly could the night before the ceremony, and my wedding party arrived on schedule the following morning to get ready together. I was aware of Minerva, Molly, and Andromeda finalizing the decorations in the library, but I was a bit preoccupied with my Maids of Honor and bridesmaids getting me dress. A house-elf named Dobby arrived just before we were due to leave my rooms, and he squeaked excitedly when he saw me.

"Great Mistress Cressida Black is a vision!" he declared. "Dobby is Great Master Harry Potter's special friend, because great Master Harry Potter freed Dobby from his previous masters!"

"The Malfoys," Hermione whispered to me.

"Dobby is to give great Mistress Cressida these!" he squeaked, and pulled a beautiful bouquet of red roses out from behind his back. "Great Mistress Cressida needs a bouquet for her bonding ceremony, and Dobby knows these are her favorite! Professor Sprout gave Dobby special permission to take some, once she knew!"

I raised my eyebrows. "Thank you, Dobby, they're beautiful."

Dobby squealed with excitement. "Dobby removed all the thorns for great Mistress Cressida, and is in charge of preparing the wedding feast!"

I smiled, taking the flowers and admiring them fully for a moment. "I'm sure it will be delicious, Dobby, thank you."

Dobby did a merry jig before congratulating me, and popping away.

Tonks giggled, and placed the Black family tiara that Andromeda had consented for me to borrow for the ceremony, upon my head. The tiara was a beautiful piece, with small diamonds interspersed with larger, elegant cut emeralds. Hermione spelled my veil into place, while Fleur and Ginny made sure my hair curled elegantly and wasn't mussed.

"Goblin-made, of course," Tonks put in with a smile. "Thank Merlin no goblins will be in attendance today. They'll think we've stolen it."

I watched as Hermione and Ginny left the bedroom, where they would be escorted to the library by Ron and Harry respectively. Then, Bill and Remus came to escort Fleur and Tonks, and I waited my father's arrival. I turned as the door opened, and wanted very much to smile, but, given our row just after my conversation with him two nights before, it was difficult to put on a happy face, considering.

"You look lovely, Cressida," Sirius said, and I detected remorse in his voice. "Remus cornered me last evening at Severus's stag party, and made it known that he'd apologized to the man many years ago... Apparently, I was the hold-out. I apologized, Cressida, not just for you, but for him as well. If the two of you are going to make this relationship work, I suppose, as your father, I needed to be my part as well."

I nodded. "Did you mean it? Your apology."

"I meant it," he assured me.

"All right, then," I replied, stepping forward, the long train of my transfigured wedding gown trailing silently behind me upon the Hogwarts stone floor.

My father gave me his arm as we walked down the corridor together; I knew my belongings would be moved to Severus's dungeons sometime during the ceremony, and all I had to do was remember what to say, sign the bonding certificate, eat our wedding feast, and then face my wedding night with my future husband. I decided not to dwell upon that last fact, knowing entirely well that I could panic and not go through with any of it.

"Something on your mind?" my father asked me as we walked.

I sighed. "Are the twins behaving themselves with Morgana?" I asked at last.

My father chuckled. "Yes. And she's under strict instructions to bite them if they even dare to get out of hand."

"'Get out of hand'?" I asked. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, they wanted to dye her pink to surprise you," he replied, and I gaped at him. "Don't worry; I told them not to."

I mentally grimaced, knowing entirely well that the twins would be on the nasty receiving end of a hex if they dared to harm my familiar in any way. The staircases, meanwhile, cooperated for us as we ventured down to the first floor, and, quite soon, we stood before the entrance to the library itself. I watched as my father raised his hand, non-verbally ordering the double doors to open, and, when they did, all went silent. Although I sensed everyone's eyes upon me, I myself only had eyes for Severus, who stood, waiting for me at the altar, garbed in an impressive pair of robes, his eyes upon me as well.

I had to force myself to remember how to walk as my father guided me into the library, and brought me towards Severus. I was very surprised that he handed me off without incident, and stood behind Severus, leading me to believe that both he, Remus, Kingsley, and Alastor had been asked personally to stand up for him during the ceremony, much to my surprise. I was pleased that Severus's hands kept me grounded as we turned to look at Minerva, who was to perform the ceremony.

"Dear friends, family, and the two wixen to be bonded this evening," Minerva began, "we have gathered here in the Hogwarts library in Scotland to celebrate the bonding of Severus Snape and Cressida Thérèsa Black in the ancient art of the binding." She smiled at each of us in turn, and I was pleased that Severus had no qualms about me being bonded under my father's name. She turned towards Severus first, as he was the senior within our bonding, and, therefore, according to tradition, would be asked first. "Do you, Severus Snape, take Cressida to be your lawfully bound magical partner? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," Severus responded, and he turned towards Remus, who handed him a ring, which he slipped onto my finger. "I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love, honor, and cherish you in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever."

I gaped momentarily at its beauty—a platinum band, an oval diamond surrounded by smaller diamonds... It was literally my dream ring, and I couldn't have been happier with it. I felt the spell work woven into the ring, which meant it couldn't be taken off by anyone else, only by me, not that I ever would, of course...

Minerva began again. "And do you, Cressida Thérèsa Black, take Severus to be your lawfully bound magical partner? To have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer, to love and to cherish, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?"

"I will," I breathed, taking the platinum band I'd selected for Severus from Fleur, which had several runes etched upon it, and slipped it onto his finger. "I give you this ring as a reminder that I will love, honor, and cherish you in all times, in all places, and in all ways, forever," I uttered softly, although I knew those around us could still hear me.

"By the powers bestowed upon me by Merlin, Circe, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, Salazar Slytherin, and the British Ministry of Magic, I hereby pronounce the pair of you to be lawfully, magically bound. You may now kiss," Minerva declared.

Severus closed the half a step distance between us and kissed me, and, although it wasn't as passionate as the one we'd shared in the rose garden, there were definitely hidden promises behind it, much to my excitement. My husband then led me out of the library and straight to the Great Hall, where the feast was to be held, and I was overwhelmed at how lovely the decorations were once we stepped inside. The feast itself was delicious and filled with all my favorites—roast chicken, scalloped potatoes, crème brûlée, cheese tarts—and anything and everything one could imagine at such a gathering. The wedding cake, however, was the true triumph, due to the white icing and rainbow-sprinkled surface, only to be cut into to reveal Funfetti cake.

"Peronne, did you agree to this?" I whispered to Severus.

The man smiled. "Once I heard it was your favorite, I couldn't resist. Besides, I haven't had the opportunity to try it yet. What's it like?"

"Vanilla cake with hints of butter, and added sweetness," I told him, grinning.

We ate the feast, danced many dances together—with each of us being claimed for dances by others in the crowd—and then, it was time to cut the cake. Severus and I did the honors together, feeding one another the first bites, before ensuring to serve our guests as well. After the customary piece of cake, Minerva produced the bonding certificate as well as a swan feather quill, which she handed first to Severus to sign. I signed second, with Kingsley acting as one of our witnesses, and Alastor as the second.

Finally, Severus took me away from the Great Hall, and I watched as Remus had to keep a tight grip upon Sirius's arm to prevent him from stopping us. Once we arrived in the dungeons, Severus lifted me up into his arms, leading me to shriek, whereupon he spelled open his private chamber doors, and brought me inside, casting various Locking and Silencing Spells as we walked further inside. He kept ahold of me long after we'd crossed the threshold, went through his parlor, past his kitchen and outside bathroom, and into the bedroom itself. There was an ensuite in there, I noticed briefly as he placed me almost reverently upon the foot of the bed, taking off my heels and stockings as he went.

"I don't want you to be nervous," Severus told me gently. "I will be as gentle as I possibly can be, Cressida, but..."

"I know the first time is supposed to hurt, Severus," I said softly.

He gave me a soft smile. "I will understand if you need to... If you would like an aphrodisiac potion beforehand. It will not offend me—"

I leaned forward, tucking my index and middle finger beneath his cheek, and gently tilted it upwards so that he was looking at me. "I don't need anything, Severus. I promise."

Severus nodded and snapped his fingers, the laces upon the back of my gown coming undo almost immediately, leading me to gasp. He chuckled, watching as I lowered the top of the ballgown I wore, revealing the gossamer silk bra I wore beneath it. He got to his feet and stood back as I stood as well, lowering the gown until it was a pool at my feet, showcasing the matching panties I wore as well; but for those, the veil and tiara, as well as my ordinarily unpainted finger and toenails, I was bare.

Slowly, so as not to intimidate me, Severus stepped forward. He placed a hand upon my neck, and I shuddered at the sensations flowing through me at the feeling of his hand upon me. "You are so beautiful," he whispered, his tone awed.

I looked up at him. "I think you're beautiful, too," I whispered back slowly raising my hands upwards, whereupon I banished the outer robe he wore, and proceeded to unbutton his dress shirt. "Is this all right?" I asked.

Severus nodded, taking his free hand and unzipping his trousers, at which point he kicked off his shoes and spelled off his socks. His chest was revealed in due time, and I wasn't altogether surprised at the expanse of rippling muscles upon his chest and arms, due to the likelihood of lifting cauldrons and whatnot. As Severus stared at me a moment longer, he reached behind me and took ahold of the hooks of my bra. "Is this all right?"

"Yes," I replied, nodding.

Severus took off my bra, his dark eyes widening as my breasts were bared to him for the first time, and reached downwards, caressing them gently. He chuckled lightly then at my gasp, as my nipples hardened due to his careful attention to them. "I believe that is a sign of approval," he uttered softly, and I nodded again.

I reached towards, taking ahold of the black band of Severus's boxers, while he did the same to my white panties, and, slowly, we drew them down from each other's bodies. I shivered at the sight of my husband's erect member for the first time, noticing how large it was, and wondered, if for a brief moment, how he expected to fit it inside me. As if sensing my anxiety, he wrapped his arms around my shoulders, and I jumped ever so slightly, pulling my legs around his torso, my eyes locking onto his.

I reached upwards and caressed his arm, the one still imprinted with the Dark Mark, and whispered, "Let me save you, Severus."

Severus smirked, gently caressing a tattoo previously hidden to him, one which had been imprinted upon my torso on the night I'd agreed to marry him, and when I'd joined the Order of the Phoenix; it was a brilliant work of art, depicting Sirin, who had the head of a beautiful woman, the body of an owl, and originated from Greek folklore. "Are you hiding anything else from me, Cressida Snape?" he joked.

I smirked, hopping down from his embrace and turning around, showcasing my bare back to him for the first time, and he gasped at the sight of the black wings etched there.

"Merlin," he breathed.

I peeked over my shoulder. "I'm no angel, Severus," I said softly to him. "With a father like Sirius Black, how could I be?"

Severus wrapped his arms around my waist, pressing kiss after kiss onto my neck. "You're no devil either, Cressida..."

"No, probably not," I allowed, taking him by the hand and turning around, before I lay down upon the bed, pulling him on top of me. "Do you have everything you need?" I asked.

Severus snapped his fingers and nonverbally summoned a blue-tinged glass phial, which, I presumed, would hold my blood as it spilled, as he had already collected tears from me in days' past, as tears could be preserved for much longer as potions ingredients. He placed the vial beside my head, spelling it to remain still and glued to the bed, before he turned his gaze back upon me. "How are you feeling?" he whispered.

I gave him a small smile. "I'm all right," I assured him.

Severus smiled, leaning down to kiss me again, and proceeded to trail kisses up and down my face for several moments. He then nipped upon one of my earlobes, proceeded down my neck, wrapped around towards my other earlobe, and ventured towards my breasts. He nipped upon my collarbone, causing me to gasp aloud, and he chuckled, his hot breath causing my nipples to achieve peak form once again. He tugged at them gently, caressing my stomach and torso as he went further downward, and, ultimately, parted my legs.

"Severus, if you don't want to, you don't have... OH!" I cried out, as he gently caressed my folds for the first time with his fingers.

"Merlin, you're so wet," he whispered.

"Peronne, don't stop, Severus," I begged him.

Severus chuckled lightheartedly, before he lifted his fingers towards his mouth, tasting them for a moment. "Delicious," he declared, and dove in again, his tongue expertly rendering me boneless, my nerve endings erupting ever so delightfully on fire.

I gasped and moaned periodically as he did so, my fingers grasping at the duvet, and my toes curling into my feet as he continued his sensual assault. I trembled as my peak came, and he expertly curled his tongue around my clit, directly causing me to finish with a shout. I was still shaking as he raised his head again, taking me into his arms, and I looked up at him. "You're amazing," I breathed, arching my back to kiss him.

"Do you think you're ready now?" he asked.

I nodded, knowing that I would always be ready for my husband. "Yes," I breathed, doing my best to remain calm as he gently eased himself forward, and pressed himself inside me. I watched as he summoned the phial, muttering ancient Latin words that I couldn't catch, before collecting the sample of the sacred ingredient he so craved. I bit my lip, holding still as he stoppered the bottle, placed it underneath a special Stasis Charm, and held himself above me, waiting for my cue to continue. "I'm all right, Severus," I said after a few moments, once my insides had adjusted to him properly.

Severus leaned down, kissing me again, and pistoned his hips back and forth, directly causing me to arch my back again, to meet him thrust for thrust. He breathed sweet nothings in my ear, and I was all for it, wrapping my arms around him, pulling him as close to me as possible. He waited for me to finish first, and only then did he permit himself to do so, collapsing beside me, worn out. It was then that he rose from the bed and hurried into the ensuite, returning with a hot washcloth, which he used to bathe in between my legs and my thighs.

"You're wonderful," I whispered to him, blissfully sated. "Will you do the potion now?"

Severus hesitated. "The phial can withstand holding it until morning..."

"But you have been imprisoned long enough by that monster," I responded, sitting up. "You need to do it, Severus, and do it quickly. Who knows who he'll get to help him resurrect himself, and you cannot return to him, Severus. As your wife, I won't allow it."

Severus blinked. "You won't?"

"No," I told him, taking my head. "I need you here with me."

Severus nodded his head, lifting up the phial and turning it over and over in his hands. "Very well," he said at last. "Do you need a pain potion?"

"No," I told him, easing back into the bed and smiling up at him. "Do you need anything else from me?" I asked.

Severus shook his head, smiling. "No," he assured me. "I'll try to return as quickly as I possibly can..."

"Don't botch the potion, Severus," I called after him as he hurried out of the room. "This is your freedom we're talking about here."

~*~

I had told Fleur about how wonderful a husband Severus was, in the aftermath of our wedding, as well as the celebration of his Dark Mark being successfully removed. We had two days of peace together, as husband and wife, when, suddenly, Voldemort and his Death Eaters entered the grounds. The rumors had gone abound that he had found an enemy to steal blood from, and thus bring himself back from the half-life he had been living for some time. The other bit of news was that there had been a mass breakout of Azkaban, quite unannounced, leading to many Death Eaters being released, thus strengthening his army.

The Dark Mark was, once more, etched in the sky, glowing green, and teams were promptly put together, based on magical skills and strengths. Severus, naturally, didn't want me going far, but, considering that my father, Minerva, and I were the only Animagi in residence, we were assigned onto a team with Tonks. Severus, meanwhile, due to his impressive dueling skills, was put onto Kingsley, Moody, Filius, Remus, Molly, and Arthur's team.

Thankfully, Professor McGonagall had been the one to take initiative, and send the younger years home, given that the battle had been rumored to take place any day. The sixth-years who were of age and the seventh-years, meanwhile, could not be contained, and so they stood on the front lines, prepared to fight. I saw the masks of the Death Eaters, practically feeling my hackles rising as they lifted their wands, permeating the Dark Mark in the sky. More Aurors had been called, that much I knew, due to seeing several familiar faces within the crowd as I leapt repeatedly, knocking down Death Eaters and incapacitating them just enough for Portkeys to be administered and arrests to be made.

It was the eerie voice of Voldemort which caught my attention next, who seemed to scream inhumanly as I saw his snake. I tore after it, with only the light of the Dark Mark and my night vision to aid me, due to the setting sun being obliterated. I immediately clawed at the snake, which stunned it, before I leaned down and bit off its head, the dying venom making my tongue itch. However, after the scream of anger, came his words..."Bestia ad Humanum!" he raged, a bright blue light filling the air and enveloping me almost immediately.

I fell to the ground, hard, wincing at the sudden impact, my left arm crunching beneath it the moment I made contact with the ground. I let out a pain-filled gasp, attempting to force myself upwards, but felt a rough hand tugging upon me, yanking me backwards by my hair. I flailed slightly then, peering over my shoulder to see Voldemort glaring down at me, enraged, as he held me as far away from him as possible.

"Bellatrix!" he raged, leading to me to stop struggling as my cousin came through the crowd, her dark eyes intent upon me. "I have found another Black!"

Bellatrix, meanwhile, clapped maniacally. "How wonderful, my lord!" she cried.

"What shall I do with her, do you think?" he asked.

"Perhaps Dolohov can have her?" Bellatrix asked. "If my lord permits it, of course... Perhaps Dolohov can get this insignificant kitten to submit..."

Voldemort's eyes gleamed, and he snapped his fingers, leading Bellatrix to press down, hard, upon her mark, a clear signal for a retreat. Voldemort kept ahold of me, despite my fervent struggles against him, and we Apparated away from there immediately. He dropped me onto the ground upon arrival in a darkened room, and then several other Death Eaters arrived as well, looking at their leader. "Dolohov!"

A tall man with dark hair and wide, dark eyes hurried forward, prostrating himself before his lord and master. "Yes, my lord?"

Voldemort patted him impersonally on the shoulder. "Take that kitten there and teach her some manners, won't you?"

Dolohov turned and regarded me, his eyes radiating cruelty. "Yes, my lord!" he responded, his tone eager, before dragging me upwards by my arm, and hauling me out of there.

"Let me go!" I shouted, struggling, and aimed my wand at him.

Dolohov snatched it from me and snapped it, and I let out a cry of anguish. "Oh, do be quiet," he said, rolling his eyes and hauling me into what appeared to be a bedroom. He slammed the door behind us, but did not erect wards, leading me to believe that the other Death Eaters, plus Voldemort, were keen to hear my torture.

I was thrown onto the bed, and tough I tried to kick out at him, as well as get away, he was relentless, not permitting me to do so. "Let me go," I demanded through gritted teeth, tears coming unbidden to my eyes.

Dolohov slapped me without mercy, the seal of his ring cutting into my cheek, the blood seeping down my face. "Not until you learn some respect," he growled back. He dragged off my pants and undergarments before he shoved my legs apart, ultimately shoving himself inside me.

I couldn't hold back the scream, I just couldn't, and, intermingled with the cruelty of his laughter, it just made the entirety of the situation worse. I could vaguely hear the chorus of laughter and cheers emanating from outside the door, leading me to wonder just how close the other Death Eaters were. I trembled, revulsion flowing through me as I turned my head, vomiting upon the duvet I lay upon.

"Disgusting bitch!" Dolohov screamed, making a fist, before he slammed it into my head, which is when my world went black, and I knew no more.

~*~

I gasped, my lungs filling with an unexpected amount of air as I sat up, taking in the chambers I shared with Severus. I felt the residual pain of my imprisonment with the Death Eaters, leading me to believe that the resurfaced memories were just that, and not an epic nightmare. I heard the door opening and, turning, I saw Severus standing there, hesitating in the doorway. "Hello, Severus," I said softly to him.

Severus looked torn. "I was merely fetching a book, Cressida," he said softly. "I won't bother you, I promise..."

"Severus, wait," I said quietly, stopping him in his tracks. "I remember everything... My proposal to bond with you because of the potion, our talk in the rose garden, our bonding ceremony, what happened in this very bed afterwards..." I drew my legs towards my chest. "I remember everything."

Severus breathed out a sigh of relief and hurried forward. "Oh, Cressida, I was so worried that you'd forget—"

"Severus, please don't touch me right now," I cried out, climbing out from beneath the covers and gripping onto the bedframe.

Severus looked shocked at my body language. "Dear Merlin... What did they do to you?" he breathed, stunned.

I swallowed, the tears flowing despite my effort to stop them. "Bellatrix told him to give me to Dolohov," I whispered.

Severus swore under his breath, leading to several glass pieces in the bedroom breaking.

"I'm sorry!" I cried out, wrapping my arms around myself. "I didn't want him to, but he wouldn't stop! Plus, I had my wand snapped, and I—!"

"I'm not angry at you, Cressida," Severus said, obviously attempting to keep his temper. "I'll just have Kingsley make a date with Dolohov and a Dementor when this is all over..." He sighed, and perched on the opposite side of the bed, obviously wanting to be close to me, yet he made no further moves to touch me. "We can make this work, Cressida. Our bonding..." He sighed. "It was the best night of my life. I don't want to lose it..."

I shut my eyes. "I'm afraid you'll want nothing to do with me, Severus," I whispered.

"Why would you believe that, Cressida?" he asked.

I felt my eyes opening, slowly. "You... Poppy or Fleur didn't tell you?"

Severus shook his head at me. "Tell me what?"

I let out a further sob, unable to control my emotions anymore. "Tell you that I'm pregnant," I whispered, gripping the bedframe so hard that my palms began to bleed. "I'm pregnant, and how in Peronne's name are we to know who's baby I'm carrying?" I whispered.

Severus merely stared at me, stunned to silence, for several moments, before he ultimately got to his feet and exited the room.

"Where are you going?" I cried out, my voice breaking at the end. "Severus, please don't leave me like this! Severus!" I begged him, my very soul shattering to pieces as the outer door to our chambers slammed behind him.