Epilogue
“Alright, class dissmissed.”
Severus watched his students as they hustled out of his classroom, frantically stuffing books and whatnot into their bags.
Some say that after his time in Azkaban, Severus Snape’s temper died, that it turned into an attitude that was less cruel and more witty. Students say that perhaps it was Madam Skydancer that changed it, because it was hardly a secret that the two were absolutely smitten with each other.
Severus became a calm spirit for his Slytherin students. He was still sharp with his words but not as bullying or cruel. And it would be his last year teaching, anyways. Minerva was retiring, and as Deputy Headmaster, he would take on the role of Headmaster once more.
It was seven years after that fateful day when Severus was taken to the Forbidden Forest, seven years after the day that Severus gave his heart to Dahlia Skydancer.
And today, today, on January 20th, he was going to give something else to her. Something bigger.
Severus swung his own bag around his shoulder and limped slowly back to the quarters he shared with Dahlia. Over the years, the pain had gotten better, though some days were worse than others. He still needed the two braces, but he didn’t hate them like he used to.
“How was your day?” Severus sat down on one of the spare beds in the Infirmary, watching Dahlia as she flitted around like a butterfly.
"Busy, busy, busy," she answered, coming over to give him a quick kiss and then running away, continuing with her task. "I need Sting Removers- someone stuck his hand into a bee hive, trying to get honey the 'natural way' and got himself stung."
"Albus wanted me to do it!" came the loud, angry voice from the other side of the Infirmary.
Severus snorted out a laugh.
Dahlia scoffed and disappeared in her office.
"Are you really going to listen to a four year old, Teddy?"
"Uncle Sev, if you'd seen his face...he does that eye thing, like puppy eyes. He really, really wanted me to bring back the honey for him to try!"
Severus limped over and slowly sat down next to Teddy's bed- the boy's face was covered in stings. Severus grimaced sympathetically.
"When Lily gets old enough, I'll bet that she does the same exact thing to her own brother," he said, peering at Teddy. "And Victoire's coming in what, two years?"
Teddy cackled.
"You'll have a bunch of naughty Gryffindors running around the castle, causing you trouble," Teddy promised with bursts of giggles. "Just you wait and see- we'll be running too fast for you."
Teddy snickered again, invisioning a hobbling Severus shouting at them to get back to him, tripping over his robes in his haste.
"Surely one of you might be a Slytherin?" Severus said thoughtfully. "Albus Severus, perhaps?"
"Maybe," Teddy said. "He's evil already, look what he made me do!"
"Evil?" Severus gasped dramatically. "Are you saying I am evil as well?"
"Well, you aren't a saint," Teddy said, and then squealed as Severus tickled him on the belly. "Okay, stop, stop, stop! I'm sorry! You're the best teacher-" Teddy started gasping for air between giggles. "-the best Slytherin, not all Slytherins are evil!"
"Thank you," Severus said, pleased, and Teddy laughed.
"But really," Teddy exclaimed, his expression suddenly serious, "I mean it, Uncle Sev. You really are the best teacher I know, and the best Slytherin. Albus's lucky, getting your name for his middle name."
"You've got your father's," Severus pointed out.
"I didn't say I didn't like mine." Teddy rolled his eyes. "I'm just saying. All Albus needs to do is say his full name and people'll know who he is, immediately! He's got Dumbledore's, yours, and his father's!"
"I would hope they know who he is," Severus said, frowning. "If they don't, we can assume that they'll be failing everything. Who does not know Harry Potter?"
"Muggleborns," Teddy said.
"Hm. But I think we're getting off track."
Teddy nodded in agreement.
"I'm doing something this afternoon, and I was going to ask you to help- until you got yourself landed in the hospital wing." Severus peered at him sternly.
"Don't mind me, Uncle Sev," he said earnestly. "I'll help! What is it?"
Wordlessly, Severus reached into a pocket and pulled out a box. Not an ordinary box.
A ring box.
Teddy's eyes grew large and round, looking at it greedily.
"You're doing it today?" He asked in a soft whisper. "Where?"
"My quarters. Nine at night. I want you to distract Dahlia and make her come into the living. There's going to be flowers on the ground there- dahlias, you know- arranged into the words: MARRY ME? and I'll get down on one knee, somehow, and ask her." Severus had a misty, excited look in his eyes. And then he sobered. "What if she says no? If it looks like she'll say no, will you leave?"
"Uncle Sev," Teddy said firmly, his eyes brightening with happiness, "She will not say no. Only an- only an incompetent dunderhead would say no!"
Severus let out a loud laugh and tucked the box into his pocket.
"Really?"
"Really, Uncle Sev."
Severus nodded, his smile making him look ten years younger, and ruffled Teddy's hair.
"You might want to pipe down on the hair color, Ted, because she'll see that your excited. And we both know that you cannot lie."
Teddy snickered and mock saluted Severus.
"Aye aye, Captain," he said, giggling uncontrollably.
Severus left the Infirmary to find Dahlia shifting through shelves.
"Still looking for Sting Removers?" Severus asked, startling her.
"Merlin, Sev, you scared me. We've got to take that Silencing Charm off of your cane, love. This is the second time this week- you'll give me heart failure."
Dahlia clutched her chest, rolling her eyes at him.
"I'm looking for ingredients for Sting Removers. I haven't got any left... do you think you could brew some for me?"
"Anything for you," Severus responded, limping forward.
Dahlia smiled and wrapped him into a hug. Moments later, Severus returned it.
"Have I ever said thank you?" Severus asked abruptly.
"For what?" Dahlia lifted her puzzled gray eyes.
"For healing me. For giving me hope. For helping me live."
"You don't need to say thank you," Dahlia said softly, kissing him. "Having you back is enough of a thank you."
Severus smiled gently, his excitement more greater than his nerves. He stayed in the embrace, swaying side to side, loving this woman so, so much, so terribly much that his heart hurt. He would willingly sell his soul for her.
Not many people got third chances at life.
But Severus Snape did, and he was more than happy to spend that third chance with her, for the rest of his life.