“Yes, mark that on the list, I’ll need it for my 5th years,” Severus replied.
Dierna looked at the list she was helping her father make as they went through the apothecary. After promising to behave herself Severus had commissioned her to help him place his order for school supplies, and had promised to allow her to get several more expensive supplies for her own experiments, “Confusing and Befuddlement draughts?” she asked.
“If you were not aware of what sneezewort is most often used for by now I would be sorely disappointed,” Severus replied.
Dierna smiled at the harsh tone, it was almost the same as getting praise, “then should I also mark down scurvy-grass?”
“No, I’ll get that from the apothecary in Hogsmeade, they tend to keep a fresher supply. But add the lovage on that list, I want to get that here.”
Dierna looked over the list they had already compiled, “I think dittany is the last thing on here.”
“Good, hopefully I’ll get a batch of students with some semblance of intelligence this year and I won’t have to restock my supplies halfway through October. These should, providing few mistakes are made, last through December technically. Now, what is it that you want to experiment with?”
“Well…” Dierna tried to look innocent, “I was thinking maybe some fluxweed, knotgrass, boomslang skin...”
“You are not making a Polyjuice potion, so stop now,” Severus cut her off.
Dierna snorted, her plan had been found out, “why not?”
“Because I do not think it is a good idea, I would suggest you forget about it now. What else were you thinking of?”
“A variation of Dreamless Sleep, something that can safely be taken for a long period of time.”
Severus seemed to consider this for a moment, “that is a possibility, I will approve that for an independent study. What else?”
“A truth serum.”
Severus raised an eyebrow, “continue.”
Dierna played with a jar of armadillo bile on the shelf in front of her, “I want to create one that can work with the subconscious, a combination between Veritaserum and Quintessence.”
“Keep going,” Severus prompted her. It was obvious that she had thought this out.
“I was thinking that it could be used on people who have had memory charms performed on them, or who are under the influence of imperio…”
“Not something that would be useful in times of peace.”
“Well, we are in the middle of a war,” Dierna replied as she looked up at her father, trying to see if he was going to approve or not.
“You will need Jobberknoll feathers, I suggest you get a large quantity. You will no doubt fail many times before you succeed, if you succeed that is.”
Dierna smiled as she marked down several more jars of Jobberknoll feathers on the list of supplies to be delivered to the school, “do you think I can do it.”
“I think you will be able to give it a good try, whether or not you pull it off… we shall have to wait and see.”
“Are you two almost done?” Morgan asked as she joined them at the counter, “you’ve been in here for over an hour.”
“We will only be a few more minutes,” Severus assured her, “is Olivia getting restless?”
“No, she’s almost asleep on her feet, her energy finally gave out.”
“We will leave for home as soon as we are done here. I’ll take Olivia, I do not want you trying to floo home with her if she is asleep.”
Morgan wanted to tell him that she could manage just fine, but knew that he wouldn’t listen to her anyways. She shrugged it off, she was used to him being overprotective of her by now.
Severus paid for the supplies that were for his own personal stock and charged the rest to the school’s account and arranged for them all to be delivered to Hogwarts at the end of the week. That done he led Morgan and Dierna back outside, where Serena was sitting on a bench waiting for them, Olivia laying with her head in her lap, fast asleep.
Severus bent down to lift Olivia up and apparated home with her. He was almost instantly joined by Morgan and the twins, who had shrunk their packages down to a reasonable size. “Go upstairs and pack your school supplies in your trunks now, I do not want you searching for them when it is time to leave,” he instructed Dierna and Serena.
“Why don’t you put her in the living and then we can have tea in your study,” Morgan suggested.
Severus nodded, and by the time he had settled Olivia on a sofa, a blanket tucked in around her, Misty was setting out tea on his desk while Morgan had settled herself in his desk chair, with her feet propped up on the desk itself. He tried not to smirk. Misty was wearing one of the ruffled pink pillowcases he had gotten in trouble for giving her and had belted it with a bright green ribbon. “Thank you Misty, I’ll let you know if we need anything else.”
“Yes sir, Master Snape, sir, Misty is glad to help,” the house elf instantly disappeared.
“You are in my chair,” Severus informed his wife.
“I can’t move, I think my legs are going to fall off,” Morgan told him while she kept her eyes closed.
“Your feet are on my desk.”
“I told you I can’t move.”
Severus chuckled, “I suppose I’ll have to move you myself then.” He strode over to his wife and lifted her up out of the chair. He sat down in it himself and sat her on his knee.
“Mmm… I like it when you hold me,” Morgan murmured as she leaned against Severus’ chest.
“I should put you to bed, you look like you’re not far behind Olivia.”
“That’s because I had to keep up with her all day. Next time she’s going to be your responsibility.”
“I’d almost forgotten how energetic they can be at that age, and how quickly they can be out again.”
“I had something I was going to tell you to do…”
“Is this something I am going to enjoy?”
“I’m trying to remember,” Morgan muttered sleepily.
Severus kissed the top of her head as she wriggled against him, trying to find a more comfortable position. “Are you going to remember before you fall asleep?”
“Oh… I found a job for you… You need to find a tutor for Olivia,” Morgan said as she clutched the front of Severus’ shirt in her fist and rested her head against his shoulder.
“Not quite what I was hoping for as far as requests go…”
“I promise I’ll ask for something more exciting when I know I’ll be able to stay awake for the duration of what I ask for.”
“Hmmm… that seems like a rather low way to tell me you are not being satisfied,” Severus said dryly as he reached for his tea, while keeping one arm firmly around Morgan’s waist to ensure she was secure in his lap.
Morgan used last of her energy to thump her husband’s shoulder with a balled up fist, “that’s not what I meant,” she slurred as her breathing became deeper and she relaxed against him.
“I would have thought that you’d at least have the decency to stay awake to discuss tutor options for our daughter with me,” he told his wife, who had already fallen asleep. He shifted her slightly with no fear of waking her, an earthquake probably would fail to wake her once she was out. “No matter, I believe I may already have someone in mind. I know exactly what Minerva will say but I have never cared what she thought before, and I think it will be an excellent use of resources.”
He finished his tea while holding Morgan’s slumped form up. “I suppose now I have to carry both you and Olivia upstairs…” He smiled to himself as he shifted her, hooking on arm under her knees and the other behind her back as he stood up, holding her slight form easily.
“Dad?”
Severus stopped at the foot of the stairs and turned to see Serena, “this had better be quick…”
“Just wanted to let you know that Dierna and I moved Olivia upstairs and put her in bed.”
Severus nodded in approval. At least that was one less trip for him to make. He was even more grateful by the time he reached their bedroom and his arms were starting to ache. No matter how small Morgan was, carrying her across the house and up the stairs made her feel a lot heavier.
He laid her down on their bed and gently removed her shoes and robes before tucking her under the covers before undressing himself. Still not at all tired he was content to lay there for well over an hour merely watching his wife sleep and running his fingers through the soft curls that framed her face. A tender smile transformed his usually harsh countenance as Morgan instinctively moved closer to him as she slept, eventually ending up with her head pillowed on his chest, dark curls spread out over both of them. Severus couldn’t remember ever feeling a deeper sense of contentment as he fell asleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~
