[HP Doujin] take care of you

2019. 7, 31

15 years later

Ginny woke up panting, feeling a familiar chill on her right arm.She didn't move, she rolled her eyes to observe the surrounding environment.She's not in the death chamber, she's in—

"Tired?" a familiar voice asked slowly.

Ginny relaxed and rubbed her eyes so she could see Severus better.He sat on the couch across from her with her youngest child in his arms.

"I'm sorry," Ginny murmured, stretching in her seat. "It's exhausting to have so many kids."

Severus raised his eyebrows slightly, adjusting to the sleeping child in his arms.

"Yes, I know." He said dryly. "I've been babysitting them for an hour. Potter and Weasley's kids - who'd have thought I'd be babysitting them?"

At his words, she laughed and felt more relaxed leaving the dream world and returning to reality.It's Harry's birthday today, and in a few hours the Burrow is throwing a huge party.But Ginny offered to babysit Harry and Pansy last night and today so the couple could get the necessary alone time before the party.Potter's children, Ginny's own children, and Ron and Hermione's sons spent the morning making birthday cards for Harry.

But Ginny has eight children to look after.Ginny could admit right away that she wasn't Molly Weasley, and when she took a little rest, she must have fallen asleep right away.She remembers sitting in a chair holding her youngest child, Gabe, and telling him stories.They must have fallen asleep together.

Ginny took a moment to watch Severus.In the past 15 years, he has aged like everyone else.His hair was still long, but with a few gray strands.The lines around his mouth and between his brows deepened.He still works at Hogwarts and is Head of Slytherin.Severus often blamed his aging on the "scary kid monsters" he'd been teaching over the years.

"Where are the children?" Ginny asked, looking out the window.

"You guessed it, Styles," Severus said, nodding towards the window. "Little Lupine came while you were sleeping; he was out playing with the fellows."

Ginny rolled her eyes at Severus' words, stood up, and reached out to snatch Gebe from Severus' arms.Severus ignored her gesture and stood up too, not surprised at all.As he adjusted the sleeping baby in his arms, she saw Gabe grab Severus's dirty shirt unconsciously.Severus must have taken the children into the garden while she was sleeping.

"I'll put him upstairs," he said simply.

She felt obligated to contradict him, to let him know that she could carry the quilt upstairs, but she knew it would be useless.Even though Gabe was only four years old, Severus had a deep bond with him.Ginny wasn't sure, but she figured it was because Gabe was the only kid who looked and acted like her.Ginny nodded, smoothing out her crumpled clothes.

"Is Teddy there?" Ginny walked towards the kitchen.

"Well, Lupine's outside." Severus paused, and Ginny looked back at him.

"what happened?"

Severus frowned.

"You're having a nightmare," he said. "Is it related to the Department of Mysteries?"

Ginny froze, then nodded, she couldn't hide anything from Severus.They've known each other for so long that they've only had each other to keep them sane.

"Teddy wanted to ask me about that night," Ginny said slowly, running her hands through her hair. "Whenever I think about that night...it's not a happy memory."

"Obviously so."

There was a moment of silence between the two, then Severus nodded.Ginny watched him pass through the cabin and disappear up the stairs leading to the upstairs bedroom.Ginny took a deep breath.She had a nightmare; she knew it because she woke to the familiar chill.Teddy had written to her last night that he had a report to finish for the Ministry and wondered if he could come and chat with her before Harry's party.She has a sense of foreboding that has something to do with her many experiences with the Veil, as Teddy's goal is to become a Utter One day.

There was loud laughter outside, and it reminded Ginny of things she'd done before.She opened the back door of the kitchen, and was immediately surrounded by flowers, soil and warm atmosphere.Ginny, breathing in the summer air, saw Teddy first.He looked a lot like Remus from behind, except his hair was bright blue, and he was laughing at something a kid said.

"Teddy!" Ginny called, and her godson turned at her voice, and she smiled even wider.

"Aunt Kim! You're awake!" Teddy ran towards her and kissed her on the cheek.

He was thin and tall like Remus.She keeps forgetting how old he is now, almost 21.

"Professor Snape said you fell asleep and left them all to him." Teddy waved at the children running around in the backyard.

"Always," she said with a smile. "Severus's words are delightful."

Teddy nodded with a smile.

"He wasn't so pleasant when I was at school."

"I have no doubts," Ginny said cheerfully, shaking her head. "He wasn't very friendly when I was in school."

"I heard." Teddy said cheekily. "But that was a long time ago?"

Ginny nudged him, and he laughed loudly again, which caught the attention of several of the children.

"Aunt Kim! Look at the flowers Mr. Snape gave me!"

Lily Potter ran up to the two adults.Holding a tiny daisy in her hand, she proudly shows off her flower, her green eyes sparkling.Ginny bent over the girl, pretending to speak softly to Flower.

"It's beautiful," said Ginny. "Did he let you pick it?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "He let Rory pick one too!"

"Really?" Ginny stood up and looked at the children.

Aurora, often called Rory, was Ginny's only daughter.She's more reserved than the other kids and often likes to be alone, but she's only eight and has a lot of siblings who steal the show.As Ginny expected, Aurora was sitting under one of the few trees in the backyard, twirling the same daisy in Lily's hand.The little girl seemed to feel Ginny's gaze. She looked at her mother and secretly smiled.

"Go, Miss Potter, and play with the other children."

Ginny looked behind her. Severus had just come out of the cabin.He walked over to Ginny and Teddy.Lily smiled, listened to what he said, waved the flowers, and ran back to her brother and other children.

"I didn't know you let children pick flowers from your garden, Severus," Ginny teased.

"Miss Potter is just like her father; she doesn't care about other people's property." Severus frowned. "She picked the flower without permission. So of course I had to let Aurora have a flower too."

"Of course." Ginny smiled smugly.

Teddy shook his head amusedly when he heard Severus' story.

"If only the kids at Hogwarts knew this side of you, Professor," Teddy said.

"I'm not your professor anymore," Severus replied, ignoring Teddy's grimace.

"That's right." Teddy agreed. "But it's weird to call you anything else."

"If it makes you feel better," Ginny turned to her godson. "Severus called you 'Little Lupine'."

"really?"

"Really, it's so cute—"

"Stop messing around," Severus snapped, but his tone was not sharp.He waved them away. "I'll take care of the children. Tell Ginny if you have anything to do."

Ginny and Teddy smiled at each other as Severus strode towards the children.Her eldest son, Tristan, immediately ran up to Severus and said something to him.They were too far away for Ginny to hear what he was saying, but judging by the smirk on Severus' face, it wasn't anything terrible.Tristan had just finished his first year at Hogwarts, and he was used to speaking boldly to Severus in front of the other children.

Teddy glanced at Ginny.

"Thank you for meeting me today, Aunt Kim," Teddy said, offering her his arm.

She took his arm and patted him with the other.

"You're my godson, Teddy. You're welcome to see me anytime."

"My dad told me how busy you were today," Teddy told her as they walked toward the cabin. "To take care of James, Albus and Lily, and your own children, and then Harry's party... He mentioned going to St. Mungo's."

Ginny turned pale when she heard his words.She wondered if she would make it to St. Mungo's, and that thought, along with Teddy's visit, haunted her all day.There are too many things to do today, and she may not have the chance to go.Teddy looked at her worriedly, and she patted his arm.

"Did I mess something up?" he asked, biting his lip.

"Oh, stop talking, it's none of your business."

Teddy closed the door behind him and walked to the kitchen table, where there was a bag Ginny hadn't noticed before.He produced some parchment, a quill, and ink, and Ginny began heating the tea.

"I'm going to ask you what you want to talk about, but I think I know what it is."

Teddy glanced at her, and she wiped her hands on the clothes.

"The night in the Department of Mysteries," Teddy said, confirming her suspicions. "The time you, Harry and Dad went to rescue Uncle Sirius."

Ginny was starting to get a headache, which she always had every time the subject was brought up.She sat at the table across from Teddy, her chin resting on her hand.

"Is it for the Ministry of Magic?"

"No. Well, yes."

She raised her eyebrows with a smile.

"I grew up wondering what happened that night," Teddy admits. "I feel like it's a big family secret. No one talks about it. I don't think anyone knows exactly what happened. Only a few people who were there."

"But did the Ministry let you fill out this report?"

Ginny had never cared about the Reticents who had dealt with Sirius and her.They are knowledge seeking, but also aggressive.They hid the truth from Ginny like Sirius.After that night, they questioned her about what happened.She will never forgive them.All she remembers was that she was cold and scared, and that she was not able to leave until Kingsley ordered her to be released.

But Teddy wasn't the silent man she'd faced.She only hoped he didn't decide to become a Reticent Man in the end, but she knew that after all that had happened with Sirius and Ginny, he had always been fascinated by the profession.

"Just a standard report," he agreed. "They don't seem too upset if I don't find out what they don't currently have on the record."

She nodded at him to continue, noticing how piercing his brown eyes were as he considered what he was about to say.

"When I was little," he said slowly. "I remember a lot about you and Uncle Sirius... the two of you were never seen together, but you were always with my parents. Over the years, I've heard of the point between you after the final battle Bit by bit. But no one knows for sure — I mean, I don't think anyone knows exactly what's going on."

Ginny sighed and brushed the curls from her bun onto her face.Teddy watched her cautiously.