oO May Oo

"He's beautiful Galia... What did you name him?" Hermione gently rocked the one-day-old infant in her arms, smiling down at his sleeping face. He was so small, so fragile, yet full of life and promise.

"Renatus Valarius." Galia smiled tiredly from the bed from which she had been forbidden from leaving. While her son had been born healthy, her age at which she had given birth had left her extremely fatigued. The midwife had given her six weeks of bed rest and Severus had supplied the potions that would speed up her recovery.

"Reborn in Victory." Hermione smiled at the meaning remembering the words that Galia had spoken to her what felt like a lifetime ago. The season had only changed but her life had shifted dramatically.

Galia smiled and closed her eyes for a moment, "You're going to the castle today?"

"Yes, I finally convinced him to go."

"Mm, he is a stubborn man." Galia opened her eyes, smiling softly as Hermione came closer to sit down beside her.

"Tell me about it." Hermione chuckled softly and handed the sleeping bundle back into Galia's loving arms. "He finally conceded to letting me cook dinner, though it took him getting so sick he couldn't stand for him to finally let me do it."

Galia chuckled softly adjusting the blanket around her son, "Never fault a man who can cook. It is a rare talent."

As if on cue, Reglan knocked his way through the door with a lunch tray in hand and a bright beaming smile on his face that hadn't left since his son had taken his first breath. "Hello, beautiful. Hello, Hermione."

"Hello Reglan, did you...did you trim your beard?" Hermione moved from her chair giving the man an approving look at his improved appearance.

"Aye, didn't want the little one gettin' all tangled up in it." He set the tray down over Galia's knees before leaning down to place a well-appreciated kiss on her lips before gently running his large fingers through the little tuft of black hair lightly accenting Renatus' head.

"The baby didn't like the feel of his Daddy's kisses." Galia clarified with a smirk before carefully placing the boy in his father's palm. He was still so tiny that the large man could hold him safely with one hand, though he always used two.

"Have to agree with him there." Hermione rubbed her own chin thoughtfully for a moment and tried to picture Severus having facial hair before making a small face. "Well, I'll leave you two to it. I just wanted to drop by Galia's potions and some formula before Severus and I went to investigate the castle."

"You going to the castle then? Be careful, there've been stories of a mysterious creature seen at night. It's got large round blue eyes and no body." The man tried to make his voice sound spooky but it just made Hermione grin.

"Oh, stop it Reglan." Galia lightly hit his barrel of a thigh before, smiling at Hermione. "It'll be fine."

"Thanks. I'll uh, keep an eye out yeah?" Hermione giggled her way through the door leaving the two to their happiness. Even if his story was true, she had no doubt that between her and Severus they could take down any magical creature lurking inside. After all, they'd both faced down the most terrible creature of all, man.

oOo

Severus lifted his head from the small satchel he was filling with emergency potions just in case the castle did, in fact, have some sort of defense around it. Though he didn't have a clue what they'd find inside, he was going to take no chances. A castle, a magical castle didn't just lie dormant for over 80 years and not attract some sort of magical beast to find refuge inside its crumbling walls.

"Severus?"

"In the kitchen." Severus put the last of the potions inside the bag and spelled it closed, shrinking it down to fit in his pocket.

"Galia is looking good." Hermione smiled, coming in to wrap her arms around his waist resting her chin in the center of his chest, "Her baby is absolutely beautiful." Hermione smiled at his eye roll and pressed herself just a bit closer trapping him between the counter and her body. "You know...we could make one of those." She grinned when his frown grew deeper, it wasn't one of refute rather one that wasn't in the mood to put up with her silliness.

"Out of the question." Severus wrapped his hands around her lower back, deciding to let her play her little game.

Hermione let out a soft whine pressing her hips closer, a small trick she'd learned to keep him in place. She had been nearly insatiable since Christmas. It had been as though all the hormones she'd pushed aside for her academic endeavors had come back with a vengeance for having been ignored so long. They were now reaching their high nearly every night, sometimes twice, if she hadn't worn Severus out too much.

"Why not?"

"Aside from the well-known fact that Minerva would kill me. You aren't even 21 yet you're still-"

"If you say child, I'm going to bite you." Hermione clicked her teeth to accent her point.

"I was going to say, you're still getting your own life on track. Aren't you in line for a promotion at the end of this month?" Severus slipped his fingers beneath the back of her shirt rubbing small circles over the tense muscles.

"Mmm, stop that." Hermione squirmed but didn't actually make a move to stop him, instead, she slipped her hands into the back pockets of his slacks, "Women can work and raise children. It is the 20th century."

"That isn't what I meant and you know it." Severus ran his thumb over her sides, mindful of her still sensitive scar, "Your twenties are a time of exploration. Finding out what and who, you want in life." His tone turned soft but serious, "I want to make sure this is really what you want...that I'm really who you want."

"And if say...in five years I'm still here giving you headaches and grey hair?" Hermione knew she was pushing the bounds but neither one of them had had any serious talks about their possible futures. They were coming closer and closer to a year of actually being together and she was starting to think it was time.

"Then I shall give you as many children you desire." Severus let out a slow breath; he hadn't even remotely considered being a father. It wasn't something he'd ever put any thought into. He almost certain he'd never have to make good on his words as nothing good in his life had ever stayed and she was the best thing that had ever happened to him. It was sad, yes, but it was his reality. It was all he could hope to spend just one more day beside her before she'd realized just what sort of man he was.

"Two." Hermione let out a slow breath leaning further against him, "I want two." She gave him a small smile to which he didn't return and her own eyes grew sad. She had only a small sort of idea of what his childhood had been like, she had never had the courage to ask for clarification. Though there was no denying the weight he still carried on his shoulders. A weight, that she was going to spend every last breath in her chest removing from his heart. "I love you, Severus."

"And I, you." Severus sealed his words with a kiss to her forehead.

They stayed that way for a small moment before Hermione remembered just what they had been about to do. She sighed contently and rested her head on his chest before grinning just a little. As a way to break the thick tension in the room, she gave his bum a small squeeze eliciting a rather gruff sounding grunt.

"Unhand my backside woman, or I shall place it somewhere you cannot get to."

"I swear I'm going to get rid of your chair if you ever do." Hermione grinned just a little but pulled her hands back to run over his waist; she was glad he came back to her so easily. It was sometimes a challenge to bring him out of his pensive but she was getting more crafty in her diversions. "To the castle then?" Hermione stepped backward out of his hold pulling up her sleeve to adjust the wand sheath on her arm.

He'd gotten it for her for Christmas but his poor planning for the holiday hadn't made it available until the day after. It was custom made, with small lion heads engraved in the golden studs and a large H imprinted in the deep brown leather. It was possibly the most beautiful craftsmanship she'd ever seen.

Severus adjusted his belt just a bit and nodded his head coming up to his full height, "To the castle."

Hermione smiled softly and turned to lead the way. She'd been reading up the history surrounding the castle's structure as well as its original floor plans. It had been built hundreds of years ago but had been updated and added onto over the centuries. There had been three rooms that had caught her interest, the oracle room, the laboratory that hadn't been listed for a specific use and the library that supposedly was five stories tall. She just hoped something was intact after all these years.

The sun was warm against her face and she tilted her head back to smile up at the happy blue sky. They couldn't have picked a better day. It was warm but not hot and the sun was completely unobstructed. They had plenty of daylight to move over the grounds without fear.

Hermione could hardly contain her excitement as she moved up the road towards the large gates. It wasn't just the thrill of learning something new but that she was doing it with someone just as, if not more, clever as herself. She still had that small thirst for adventure after spending her entire childhood battling one crazy situation after another though as much as she adored Harry, he just wasn't anywhere near as keen as Severus. She was sure as the sun rose every morning, that there wouldn't be anything missed between the two of them.

"Do you suspect the gates work like other magical estates or should we try to reveal the wards?" Hermione knelt down to get another look at the weather-worn emblem that laid broken over the heavy looking wooden doors.

"Simple solutions first, then we work up." Severus was in full professor mode, his eyes narrowed and his jaw tight. He pulled in wand from in sleeve motioning for Hermione to return to his side. After she did as he was instructed he waved his wand in a slow arch over the outer edges of the broken emblem, "Oprava."

Hermione stepped back another step when the ground gave a small shudder. The pieces that had fallen away and become buried in the dirt in front of the gates wiggled their way free as his spell set them back into their proper place. Hermione bit the bottom of her lip with wonder as the moss and other foliage fell away to allow the large metal to follow his command. There was a heavy thud that vibrated in her chest when the final piece returned to its proper place as though a lock had been laid heavily down on the other side.

"What language was that?"

"Slavic." Severus raised his wand again pointing it directly in the center of the nearly smooth emblem but before he could think to utter a breath a thin blue light shot straight from the center right into the tip of his wand. He felt a heavy pull inside his entire body before he realized that the door was validating his blood status. It burned but wasn't unmanageable. He turned his wand slowly as if turning a key in a lock and shifted his eyes up when a loud and heavy thud sounded from just on the other side.

Hermione didn't dare to move, though she did start just a little from the sound that came from on the other side. She could feel the magic in the air, pulsing like heavy waves in the ocean, she was very glad she hadn't attempted to open the door herself, there was no way to fool a blood ward and those who tried rarely survived. When the light dissolved away and the right side door gave a small shudder, she turned her eyes back to Severus waiting for him to take the lead.

Severus nodded his head slowly shifting his wand to his other hand to stretch out his stiff and slightly burning fingers. The wards protecting the castle stopped just one step beyond the gate and he felt as though he were stepping under a heavy curtain when he gave the newly repaired door a small push. It swung open with a heavy grown and a high pitched squeal of stained metal before finally revealing the grounds inside.

"Wow..."

"Indeed..."

They both came to stand side by side. The large pathway leading up to the castle laid broken and partially covered by the grass that had worked it's way over the stones in the years that had passed. Though mostly cleared from the stunted growth it did have a large willow tree growing directly center of the path about 20 yards ahead. The sides of the walkway which should have been large expanses of neatly maintained shrubbery had grown wild. It almost looked as though it were alive when the wind blew through it. Neither one of them could see the entrance of the castle beyond the weeping willow that blocked their path.

"80 Years is a long time..." Hermione pulled her wand free of her sheath taking a hesitant step forward. Her eyes scanning for anything that might possibly be hidden in the undergrowth. Nevermind magical creatures, they could very well find wolves or other manner of dangerous creature living inside the decay.

Severus stayed close to her side, he too keeping an eye out for any wayward creature, though he wasn't sure anything living would have been able to pass the wards, it didn't stop him from wondering what sort of creatures his ancestors might have been keen to have as pets.

Their walk through the front lawns took nearly 20 minutes, the only creature they disturbed was a crow that had nested inside the weeping willow. It let out a low caw before flying off somewhere near one of the broken towers. When they'd come around the tree they both had to look up in wonder.

Even in its dilapidated state, it was clear that the castle had been nearly the size of Hogwarts though most of the right side was nothing but a pile of rubble aside from the tall tower that shadowed the town. The left side was nearly as grand as it had been in its day though it too had large pieces of its structure missing. The front doors were just as large and just grand as those found at Hogwarts, though they had two giant guardians placed just to each side. One appeared to have been a raven, though its head and part of its chest were gone. The other side held what could have been a dragon or a snake, the only thing left was its mouth laying crooked on its pilinth. Inside the small alcove protected from the elements stood two humanoid stone guardians. One held a bow down at its side while the other a large spear. Their faces blank, hidden beneath horned helmets.

The door to the castle stood nearly untouched. Aside from the tarnished metal, the wood didn't appear to have aged at all. Ancient engravings covered both frames, with two large ringed handles held in place inside the mouths of sleeping lions. Though when Hermione's foot landed on the first of two steps, their eyes glowed a deep red and a low earth trembling roar came from their mouths.

"Stop." Severus grabbed the back of her shirt tighter than he intended, his head turning slowly to the light sound of stone falling inside the guard's alcoves. "Don't move." Severus took a cautious step placing his foot beside hers, there was a heavy pause before everything seemed to grow still again. The lion, directly in front of him, eyes shifted from red to blue and the same light that had pierced his wand before shot out again. Severus hissed softly before looking down at Hermione's wand that was pointed to the floor.

"Take my hand, and raise your wand." Severus lowered his free hand, he twined her fingers tight with his before watching her wand raise beside his own. The lion on the right shot out its own beam, the light turning from red to blue when it connected. He could actually feel the power running through her wand into his own body like a completed circuit. They each held their breath until both lights finally faded out, the weight of magic lifting.

Hermione let out a stuttering breath when the door gave a small click, her head turning slowly to look up into Severus' face. She had an idea of what just happened but she wasn't so experienced in ancient magic to be sure.

"The wards accept you, we should be safe." Severus took another step but didn't release her hand, his eyes watching for any sign they should turn back. He hadn't felt any anti-apparation wards but with magic as old as this, it was hard to be sure what was and wasn't in place.

"This is powerful magic..."

"It is. We mustn't let our guard down. Usually with magic this powerful there's an orb or crystal that acts as a conduit. If we can somehow find it we can dismantle everything." Severus turned his head to make sure Hermione still wanted to proceed, while his own curiosity had officially peeked, he wasn't about to put her in danger if she wasn't fully prepared for it.

"I'll keep an eye out for it." Hermione gave him a brave smile. There was no way she was going to turn back now. Just this small experience alone was more than enough to light the fire inside her ever questioning mind. The wealth of magical knowledge in the walls alone was sure to have her searching for answers for years. Her mind turned back to when she was researching the magic used to power the soul bonding stones, surely the magic was similar?

"How big are they usually?"

"I don't know, I've only read about them. None of the books I was able to translate ever mentioned their size." Severus let out a low breath, turning his head back to the door. He tried to tell himself that they could turn back at any time, that there was nothing forcing them to continue, that they were in complete control of their adventure. It was merely the pursuit of knowledge and nothing more. No lives, besides their own, hung in the balance.

"Stay close."

"Always."