Madness takes its toll...

[Herzele]

Probably ... But if you want to ask Alan you should do so !! Who knows - maybe he'd even invite you to take the pic ... ;D

[Rikki]

Yeah, but in that case I guess I'd either faint or just jump on him. *ahem* ;D

[Herzele]

*rofl* I'd advise you to jump on him ... If you'd faint you couldn't enjoy it half as much ... ;D

[Rikki]

Yeah, I know. And I soo intend to jump on, should I ever get the opportunity.

[Herzele]

You have to tell me if you do, okay ?

[Rikki]

Sure. ;D

And of course Lies created the pic that goes with the latest update. *ahem* ;D

[Herzele]

*rofl* That pic is just hilarious ! I sooooo have to show that to one of my friend, who absolutely loves Snape ! ;D

[Nerweniel]

Am very glad you like the pic . Spread the word, I'd say ;D!

Love,

Lies

[Herzele]

I did ! She likes the pic, too ... Just as I thought she would ... ;D

[Nerweniel]

Am very glad . Wanted to make a pic of Snape actually *in* the thong but didn't find any appropriate pics... pity *halo* ;D.

Love,

Lies

[Herzele]

That's really a pity ... I'm sure she would've like THAT even more ... ;D

[Rikki]

admin said:

Am very glad . Wanted to make a pic of Snape actually *in* the thong but didn't find any appropriate pics... pity *halo* ;D.

Love,

Lies

Bet you just didn't look hard enough. *mean* ;D

[KayleeTonksLupin]

Yeah, Lies, you didn't look hard enough *g* Sorry for being gone for so long, I just read the whole madfic again and I want more I have barrels and truckloads of Kaylee-wolf treats for you both in whatever flavor you want ;D some are even dipped in Belgian chocolate *ggg*

Hugs,

Kaylee

[Rikki]

I'll take chocolate treats then. ;D

[Rikki]

Aaand another update, ladies and gentlemen. ;D Have fun reading.

---

Albus let out a last snigger - but then patted the younger man’s shoulder, a serious expression in his eyes again.

”It is, my boy. Let’s go find that bride of yours - before my dear wife gets herself a heart-attack out of sheer nervousness.”

The grey-haired wizard smiled as he remembered his own wedding day. His bride had been the prettiest of all – as to him she definitely still was – but she had been the most nervous one too – and he had literally felt her hand shake as he had put the ring which she now still, invisibly, wore, around her finger.

It was typical Minerva, of course – but he loved her like that.

As he accompanied Severus towards the Great Hall, which, he hoped, was entirely ready by now, Albus looked at the young man sideways – happy that he would finally see Severus’s wedding day. He had always wished to see this day arrive – to see the man whom he considered more than a son than anyone finally happy with someone – but he had often feared that he would not live to see it.

Albus made a mental note of thanking Jean for this one, once. A selfish thought, perhaps – but as he had seen Severus wearing that ridiculous, red thong, he had realized that the woman was right for him. Even though the thong had been rather – well, wrong in itself. He almost sniggered again.

As the door of the Hall opened, both Severus and Albus were very relieved to see that all decorations had in the end found their right place – especially the large Slytherin and Gryffindor banners – courtesy of Minerva, of course. The entire staff of Hogwarts was seated where usually the House tables stood – and Albus gave Severus a little squeeze in his shoulder as he noticed how the younger man shrunk back a little at the sight of all his colleagues.

”Good luck!” he whispered, then gave the Potions Master exactly the little push he needed for his walk towards the front of the Hall – where he would wait for his bride, and where the Scottish druid, who would bless the union, already stood.

Albus hurried back out of the Great Hall where Jean and Minerva were already waiting for him. Since Jean didn’t have any parents – or any other relatives, neither here nor in her own time – Albus would give her away.

Minerva kissed Jean’s cheek and squeezed her hand encouragingly before she entered the Great Hall to take her place.

Seconds later the music started to play. Jean and Severus had decided on something classical, something muggle. So they had chosen the wedding march by Mendelssohn-Bartholdy. When the first notes were heard, Albus took Jean’s hand and placed it on his arm to lead her down the aisle to her waiting fiancée. He could see that the young woman was more than nervous but one deep breath and she was composed as always.

Slowly they made their way down the aisle, passing by Severus’ colleagues and friends. They all smiled at the beautiful bride… and at the proud smile which graced Albus’ face.

After what seemed an eternity to Severus, Jean and Albus arrived at the front of the hall where the staff table usually stood. Jean flashed a gracious smile at Albus before she turned to her husband-to-be and took his hand.

The old druid smiled at the couple in front of him. Since he was a friend of Albus’, he had also known Severus for some years now. And of course he knew how Albus felt about the young wizard. So he was happy for Severus that he had finally found such a lovely woman to marry.

When the music stopped, the druid raised both his arms and started chanting an old blessing. All the time Jean and Severus held out their clasped hands while the druid moved his hands over them. It took only about two minutes before he stopped. Jean and Severus were told to repeat the wedding vow which would magically bind them – which was possible even though Jean wasn’t a witch. It was enough that one of them had magical powers to commit a magical wedding vow.

“Spondeo te amare aduivareque de hoc tempore per reliquum vitam nostris,” said Severus before Jean repeated the vow.

“I hereby pronounce you husband and wife,” the druid said. He nodded to Severus that he was allowed to kiss his bride.

Gently Severus lifted Jean’s veil and stroked her cheek before he lowered her head to capture her lips.
“I love you,” he whispered, only for her to hear.

“And I love you,” Jean whispered back before they turned around to face the cheering crowd behind them in the Great Hall.

Albus and Minerva were the first to congratulate them. Minerva had actually tears in her eyes as she came up to the happy couple, hugging both of them tightly.

“I hope that your marriage will be just as happy as mine with Albus,” she said.

There were still tears in Jean’s eyes as she smiled and squeezed Severus’s hand, casting the couple in front of her a very happy gaze.

”I am sure, Minerva. Thanks so much for your kind words, and your support –and your friendship, these past weeks. You too, Albus. It’s all much, much appreciated.”

[Rikki]

Severus, too, smiled, and Minerva had the feeling that for the first time in years, she saw the young man truly relaxed as all his colleagues came to congratulate the newly married couple. He talked and even laughed like never before.

As she joined her husband of years again to cast a few charms over the Great Hall – thus morphing it into an appropriate location for the actual wedding feast – Minerva McGonagall found herself a very happy woman indeed.

It was a beautiful feast, and quite a few of the teachers were actually rather amazed when they saw that their Potions colleague actually asked his new wife to dance – and it was at this point that many of them decided that that strange woman who had apparently appeared out of nowhere was not a bad influence on the Potions Master after all. Quite the contrary, really.

Still it was around midnight already that, out of the corners of her eyes, Minerva noticed the younger couple sneaking off the dance floor and, surprisingly, being able to leave the Hall without anyone but her noticing. She blamed it on her rather feline sense of sight – then turned to her husband, whom she was dancing with, and smiled.

”There they go.” she said simply, and he mirrored her smile.

Outside, Jean did not have a clue where they were going – she assumed they were not going to walk to Edinburgh, or hoped so, but, being not very well acquainted with the wizarding ways of travelling, she did not have a clue how they were going, then. Severus, though, seemed to know – so she simply followed, her hand tucked safely in his.

Only as, in the middle of one of the lawns of Hogwarts, she was faced with a broomstick floating a few feet above the grass, Jean laughed out loud.

”Severus, last time I rode one of those-“

The blonde’s husband grinned too, then, with an uncharacteristically dramatic gesture, invited her to join him on the broom he was already sitting on.

”I know, my love. That is why, Milady, you are travelling this time with…”

His theatrical pause made her smile, but she laughed again as he finished his sentence.

”Snape Airlines!”

“Oh, do you think you need a second income now that we’re married?” Jean asked, still laughing.

“Well, no, but I think you deserve a very special way of transportation to our honeymoon. The flight isn’t too far but really pleasant. It’s a warm summer night, so perfect for a ride on the broomstick,” Severus said while seating himself. Then he helped Jean to find a comfortable position on the broom which had been enlarged to be able to comfortably carry both of them.

Jean looked a little frightened, clearly remembering her last adventure with a broom but Severus held her safely around her waist and then kicked off the ground.

“Oh.” A soft sigh escaped Jean’s lips when she felt the rush of the wind in her face. But it was a pleasant experience, and secured by Severus it was wonderful… she felt free, like a bird. Jean even dared to look down and watch the Scottish hills roll by under them.

“Do you like that?” Severus asked. He placed a soft kiss on Jean’s earlobe while correcting the course of the broom slightly.

“Yes, it’s wonderful. I wouldn’t have thought that flying could be like this.” Jean snuggled deeper into Severus’ embrace and took a deep breath. The air was clear, and the sky over them was a beautiful midnight blue with stars glistening here and there.

“Well, I guess we could do that more often. As for now, I’m afraid we’ve arrived. We can’t risk to be seen riding the broomstick through Edinburgh… Muggles would get shocked,” Severus grinned. He could imagine the faces of the residents in the street where the small hotel was.

“So what are we going to do? I can’t exactly take a long walk in these shoes,” Jean said, pointing at her high heels which were nice for dancing and a party but definitely not for a long walk.

“The hotel I chose is just at the outskirts. We’ll land close to it and just transfigure the broom into some more appropriate.” Severus didn’t seem to want to go into more detail so Jean decided to be satisfied with that answer and just trust him. Usually he found a way to manage anyway, and she knew that they couldn’t risk exposing the wizarding world to the muggles.

Softly the broom tipped towards the ground and they descended slowly. As promised Severus landed them not too far outside Edinburgh, just far enough so that they wouldn’t be seen should anyone happen to look into the night sky.

After demounting the broom, Jean heard Severus whisper a spell.

[Herzele]

Ohhhhhhh - now you have to update very soon again !! I need to know what he transfigured the broom into !!! ;D

I still love this story !!! And the wedding was great !!

[Nerweniel]

herzele said:

I need to know what he transfigured the broom into !!! ;D

Well, since I need to write the next part... so do I ;D. But dum dee dum, Mathilde shall come... or no, not Mathilde... whoever the muse of writing is ;D.

Love,

Lies

[Herzele]

Well, hopefully whoever she is won't takt too much time ... ;D

[Rikki]

Well, Lies is off to Oxford now till Friday but I hope she has time to think about what to transfigure the broom into.

[tanja]

i really didn´r review...shame on me !!!
surly she´ll figure out something good...(just remember the thong )

[Herzele]

After watching "The prime of Miss Jean Broadie" again last night, I remembered this story ...

Did you forget it ? Or are you going to update soon ? *hopeful look*

[Herzele]

Just wanted to bring this story back up to top, to remind you that someone is still reading it and (im)patiently waiting for an update, Lies ...

[crystalpheonixeyes]

Okay, I did not get to finish my English project because this story had captivated me. I Do Hope you will update soon.

[Rikki]

Good gracious. Totally forgot about that one. ;D Have to check my laptop if I have the update on that one cause I got a new comp this summer. I apologize for keeping you waiting.

I do believe we finished this one...

[Herzele]

rikki said:

I do believe we finished this one...

I like the sound of that ... ;D

Now I just hope you can find it !

[Rikki]

Yeah, so we still owed you about 9 pages of madfic as we lovably call it. Can you believe that it's 99 word pages? ;D Anyways, here we go:

After demounting the broom, Jean heard Severus whisper a spell – and found herself standing in front of about the last thing she had expected to see.

It looked rather glorious, really, as it hung there, floating a few feet above the earth – and Jean gasped.

It was a huge, red thong.

Severus was looking at Jean, as if expecting her to be impressed, or amazed, or touched by what she saw – but the blonde could only laugh.

“Severus – I -”

“Oh for Slytherin’s sake!”

With a quick swish of the Potions Master’s wand, the – remarkable undergarment vanished, and Jean did her utmost best to stop laughing as a fierce, red blush crept up her newly-wed husband’s cheeks. She noticed the broom, in the meantime, had been transfigured into something more appropriate indeed – a small car – and rested a hand on Severus’ cheek.

”I was never too good at Transfigurations – used to be Minerva’s horror student, I guess – oh Merlin…”

Jean smiled, though, as she stroked the man’s thick, black hair.

”Oh Severus, it’s okay – I’m sorry I laughed, it was just such a hilarious sight- but I can’t do any magic, so I should really not be commenting on yours-”

As the couple got into the car, Jean noticed Severus smiled again – and she was very glad. She’d really not been able to help her laughter, but on the other hand she knew, better than anyone, how insecure her husband was at times – and after all, he could not help it that the broom, strong magical object that it was, had changed into such a… peculiar object.

At least not that she knew of.

And perhaps her husband was less than apt at Transfiguration – his muggle driving capacities were quite great, really. A few minutes later, the small car, indeed a whole lot more discreet than the broom had been – or the thong, for that matter – pulled into the hotel’s driveway.

It was indeed a rather small place, Jean noticed – had not been there when she had left, she thought, or maybe she just did not remember. It surprised herself, really, how easily she had adapted herself to the modern society she had never thought she would live to see – but then again she had Severus, who, with or without Transfiguration skills, was really the only man who had ever managed to capture her heart – to capture all of her.

As the car came to a stop, Jean smiled.

Severus had chosen the hotel alone, trusting that he’d be able to find something to Jean’s liking. And apparently, he had succeeded. The smile on Jean’s face was unmistakable.

“Oh, Sev, it’s beautiful,” Jean whispered, leaning over to her husband to kiss him. They stood in front of a small villa but obviously a rather exclusive hotel. It was a muggle hotel, so much Severus had told her before they had set off at Hogwarts. From the outside it looked really cosy, and Jean was sure that they’d have a great time here.

“Well, I’m glad you like it. But let’s go inside. I’ve already seen our room, and I want to know what you have to say about that one.” Severus got out of the car and opened the door for Jean before he got their shrunk luggage out of his pocket and returned it to its original size.

Just as the couple was about to make their way towards the building, with Severus carrying the two suitcases, someone emerged and hurried towards them.

“Welcome at the Villa Contessa hotel, sir. May I take the luggage?” The young man held his hands out to take the suitcases from Severus who handed those over gladly. The wizard took Jean’s hand, and together they followed the porter.

“Oh, Mr. Snape… and this must be your bride. Welcome at the Villa Contessa, Mrs Snape. I hope you had a pleasant journey?” A young woman behind the front desk counter smiled warmly at them.

“Yes, thank you. It’s a lovely spot here,” Jean said, looking around. It was indeed a lovely spot. The interior of the hotel was just as cosy as she had imagined. The furniture looked old but in a positive way… more like antique. But it had style, and she liked it. But right now she could hardly wait to get up to their room.

[Rikki]

“Mr Snape, we’ve already filled in the registration form for you, if you could just sign here, please,” the receptionist smiled. Severus quickly signed the form and then took the key to their room.

“Thank you,” he said. “Oh, and don’t forget about our special arrangements.” With that, the dark-haired wizard turned around to his wife and took her by the hand. The luggage had already been brought up to their room. Gently, Severus led Jean up a staircase to the first floor. Their room was at the far end of the hallway, so they wouldn’t get to hear or see much of their neighbours.

When Jean entered the room, she let out a gasp. It was just beautiful. At the far end, there was a secluded corner with a table and large windows, perfect for cosy breakfasts and romantic candle light dinners. The bed was to the right of the door, a large four-poster bed. Apparently, Severus had taken a liking for those but then again, the posters could come in quite handy…

She almost laughed out loud at this idea of hers. With a bit of luck, it would be indeed an interesting couple of days – and as she turned her head to look at Severus, who was looking at her as if waiting for her approval of the room he had selected, Jean winked.

“Do you like it?”

“It is absolutely wonderful, Severus. Thank you!”

Flinging her arms around his neck, the Scottish woman pecked her husband on the cheek – but it was only as she noticed one of those trademark smirks of his on his lips, that she grinned as well. Bad mistake.

As Severus picked her up as if she was a feather, Jean shrieked and laughed at the same time.

“Put me down! Severus, you’ll break your back like this – Severus, put me down, Severus, that is an order, Severus!”

The man merely grinned, though, as Jean kept on laughing and twisting in order to escape – and only as they’d come to a stop in front of the large bed with the, Jean sniggered, four bedposts, did he indeed put her down.

Jean didn’t stand up again for a long time.

***
It was with a very happy smile on her face that Jean Brodie woke up the next morning. There had once been a time when she had not considered herself capable of getting married – of finding someone to spend her life with, after Hugh had died.

She’d been very young when she’d become engaged to Hugh, and she had been very young still when he had died – and somehow, the fact that he had died in the first place had never really made its way into her mind.

But dead he was, and he had been for a very long time – even in her time frame – and buried he was, too, in Flanders fields. And it was high time, no matter how sad, that she left him behind.

It was thanks to Severus that she had finally been able to do just that.

And she was grateful for it.

Severus was still fast asleep when Jean turned carefully in his arms and looked at him. She smiled at the calm and peaceful expression on his face, and she was grateful that she was allowed to see it. Briefly she wondered what his students would say if they could see their potions master with an expression like this.
They probably wouldn’t recognize him, Jean mused.

Jean didn’t want to wake her husband – what a thought, she had a husband! – so she slid carefully out of bed since she had to go to the bathroom. When she climbed back in, Severus arms greeted her readily.

“Good morning, my love,” he whispered, pulling her closer to kiss her.

“Good morning, darling,” Jean whispered back. “I didn’t want to wake you… but it’s a wonderful day.” When she came back from the bathroom, Jean had taken a look out of the window. Before her, she had seen Edinburgh… an Edinburgh that was rather unfamiliar to her, and though she could see some vaguely familiar structures, the city seemed strange to her.

“So I noticed. Your face was practically glowing when you looked out of the window. So eager to rediscover your city?” Severus teased her gently.

“My face was glowing because I just woke up as the wife of the most wonderful man in the world.” Jean snuggled closer to Severus but kept looking at him. “But you’re right; I’m looking forward to seeing Edinburgh again.”

“I thought so. Hm, and as much as I’d like to keep you in bed for our whole honeymoon, I guess we’d better get up and going.” Severus planted another kiss on her lips and climbed out of bed.

About an hour later, after a sumptuous breakfast, Jean and Severus had managed to find their way to the city centre. Jean was looking around curiously while Severus kept taking pictures of her. They were doing one of the usual sightseeing tours, interrupted by frequent stops at teashops, gift shops and book shops.

Most of the day had passed by already. Jean and Severus were walking down the road towards Jean’s old flat, for Jean a walk down memory lane. It hadn’t been that long since she’d left her flat but in fact it had been years ago. She couldn’t quite believe that so much time had passed by, the street looked quite the same actually.

[Rikki]

Suddenly an old man in a wheelchair shouted at his aid to speed after them. Jean and Severus turned around, quite curious what that was all about.

“Hurry up already, Samantha,” the man yelled. The young woman pushing the wheelchair started running, panting heavily due to the weight of the chair – and its passenger.

When the pair of them finally reached the wizard and his wife, the man in the wheelchair looked at them incredulously. He couldn’t quite believe his eyes. This just couldn’t be true.

“Jean? Is that really you?” he asked.

Jean’s eyes widened at these words. She knew that voice - she knew that voice very well, and yet at the same time she couldn’t quite place it. A moment later she knew why - she simply could not place it into her world anymore. It did not fit in with Severus’s world, with the world that had become hers more than she had realized, over the past weeks.

It was Teddy’s voice – and a small glance at the man beside her proved, that Severus had recognized it too.

“I- no, I’m afraid my first name is not Jean. You must be mistaken, Sir.”

It sounded exactly like what is was; a rather weak excuse, also known as the first thing she could think of.

Severus grabbed his wife’s hand – but as the old man laughed, he, too, froze.

“Don’t be so ridiculous, Jean Brodie – an artist’s eye never forgets a model. I don’t know how you got here and what happened to you in all those years, but it is you. I’d know those eyes anywhere.”

The young woman, Samantha, started to look quite uncomfortable at this moment, and smiled rather apologetically at Jean.

“I am sorry, Madam, my grandfather is very old, and though his mind is usually still fine, I think-”

Jean surprised all three of the others when she interrupted the younger woman.

“It’s okay, Miss. Mr Lloyd and I were indeed acquainted once. We were teachers at the same school.”

“The same school? Madam, my grandfather has not been teaching for years…”

As her grandfather smiled and patted her hand, though, the young woman became silent again.

“What Miss Brodie says is true, Samantha. I don’t know exactly what happened either, but we did teach together, years and years ago, long before you were born. I am glad I see you again, Jean. It was always my one wish to meet you once more before dying – maybe that’s exactly why I made the 100!”

He laughed, and Jean herself smiled too, trying to reassure her husband by a small squeeze in the hand she was still holding.

Somewhere, deep down, she was surprised, but also glad because of this extraordinary meeting. As much as Teddy and she had argued, in a way she had left him, and in a way, too, she had felt uncomfortable with the idea of parting with him, whom she’d shared so many things with, on such unpleasant terms.

Still there was one thing, be it pleasant or unpleasant, she suddenly knew he needed to know.

“Do you know you’ve got a granddaughter?”

Teddy looked at her.
“Well, yes, of course I do. This is Samantha, my granddaughter,” Teddy said, taking the young woman’s hand.

Jean blushed.
“Nice to meet you, Samantha. But Teddy, I’m afraid that’s not what I meant. You do remember Sandy, don’t you?” she asked. She knew that she just had to tell him about Hermione. The young woman deserved that. And perhaps it would even be possible to arrange some meeting between them. Deep down Jean knew that Hermione would like that.

“Of course I do. She was a lovely young lady,” Teddy said with a smile. After a while he had told Deirdre about that affaire with Sandy, and though his wife hadn’t been happy to hear about it, she had forgiven him as she always had.

“Indeed, she was. But… “ Jean didn’t know how to say that. She didn’t want to hurt Samantha but she could hardly send her away now.

“But what?” Teddy had a feeling that he knew what Jean was about to say. Could it be possible that Sandy had been pregnant? Could it be possible that he was the father?

“Well, she had a daughter. And you are the father of the girl. She got married and now has a daughter on her own, Hermione,” Jean finally said.

Teddy looked at her, dumbstruck. He couldn’t quite believe it. But of course that would explain Sandy’s rather hurried disappearance, just after Jean had disappeared from school.
“But… “ his voice trailed off. He didn’t know what to say.

“I can assure you that Hermione is a very bright young woman. She’s one of my students,” Severus chimed in. So far he had only listened to the conversation between his wife and her former lover but he could see that both of them were clearly at a loss.

“She’s… you’re a teacher? What do you teach? And where?” Teddy suddenly asked. Somehow, it was easier for him to talk about that than about his granddaughter.

“Yes, I’m a teacher for… chemistry at a private school in the north of the country.” Severus thought that this description was rather safe for a muggle… and rather adequate too.

“Oh, I see. And my… Hermione is one of your students?” Teddy enquired.

[Rikki]

“Yes, she is. And one of the best ones too.” Though Severus didn’t really like to admit it, Hermione was one of the smartest witches of her age, possible the smartest too.

“I see.” Teddy turned to look at Samantha who hadn’t said a word since their encounter with Jean and Severus. For the young woman, it was all way too difficult to understand. The fact that there was this young woman who wasn’t even old enough to be her mother but was supposed to have taught at the same school and time as her grandfather… and the mysterious dark-haired man who claimed to be a teacher – and the teacher of that Hermione who was supposed to be her grandfather’s granddaughter as well.

When Teddy turned back to Jean and Severus, he suddenly noticed the wedding band on Jean’s hand.

“I see that you’re married?” he asked, pointing at her hand.

“Yes,” Jean nodded, “we got married a couple of days ago. And we’re here for our honeymoon.”

Deep down, Jean wondered how Teddy would take this news. They had been lovers, after all, long before she had even heard of Severus, or of his world, for that matter – and though all that lay far behind both of them now, Jean could not deny that it had, once, been very present in both their lives.

It was with pleasant surprise, though, that she noticed how an almost – genuine smile spread over Teddy’s aged features, as the old man, with his granddaughter’s assistance, sat up a little straighter in his wheelchair.

“So you married the lad, didn’t you? I’m glad, Jean.”

Severus, too, felt he could not quite believe the other man’s sudden change of mind – until he, too, suddenly realized that for this man, for this old man, the change of mind had not come that suddenly after all. Over half a century had passed for him, after all – and though he had probably been hurt and angry after Jean had left, old wounds must have healed some way.

“Are you really, Teddy?”

“I am. I’m an old man, now, Jean – but after you left, I was inconsolable. I was angry, too, at you and well, at him.”

The old man glanced at Severus, who shifted from one foot to the other, rather irritated at feeling a bit uncomfortable towards Teddy. It felt so surreal to stand in front of this man again- this man whom, weeks ago, he had still regarded as a serious competitor – this man, who was now, all of a sudden, Hermione’s grandfather.

“But then I realized you were gone, and I’d probably never see you again, and I turned to the person who was the closest to me. That was my wife.”

Teddy smiled, and somehow, Jean knew that what she’d first suspected – that he would not say the truth because of his granddaughter, who was still listening – was not true.

“In a way, I figure I finally calmed down a bit. I settled down and I guess in the end, I became happy that way.”

Jean smiled, and so did Severus – but it was only moments later that Teddy added, almost as an afterthought

“But I never threw away your portrait.”

Severus raised an eyebrow. But in a way he could understand the other man. Jean Brodie certainly wasn’t a woman one could forget easily. If at all, that was.

“Oh,” Jean said. For her it was only weeks ago that she left Marcia Blane – for Teddy, it was a lifetime. A lifetime of wondering what had happened to the formidable Jean Brodie – and a lifetime of never forgetting her.

Severus sensed that Jean didn’t really know what to say.
“Well… I’m sure your Hermione would like to meet you. Perhaps we could arrange something if you’re interested?” he asked. He wasn’t really sure what Hermione would say but she was a clever girl – and rather curious as well. And for Hermione’s mother, it might be a pleasant surprise too.

“Oh, yes, I’d love to meet her. What… what about my daughter?” Teddy said with longing in his eyes. Samantha, his granddaughter, shifted uncomfortably. She didn’t want her grandfather to be upset but actually she hadn’t seen him so lively in ages.

“Oh, I don’t know but we’ll let her know that you want to meet her too,” Severus said with a smile. He already knew who would love to arrange the family reunion. Minerva would be more than happy to see that Hermione, her mother and her grandfather would meet each other.