Work Text:
"SNIVELLUS HAS CHILDREN—?!"
The sudden voice almost startled Kreacher, who was looming around the Black family tapestry. It has been only a few months since Harry's third year, mid-to-late Summertime — And yet — Black was already going crazy, in Kreacher's eyes.
But before the house elf could respond, a shuffling of shoes was heard from the outside, the wooden door swinging open.
Remus Lupin.
"Padfoot? What's wrong?" The man questioned, tilting his head in concern. It wasn't rare for Sirius to randomly scream nonsense, but it didn't make Remus any less concerned. Marlene — Sirius' wife and the mother of his child, was currently away to the Diagon Alley, busying herself with shopping and groceries.
"SNIVELLUS HAS CHILDREN!" Sirius screamed, "MOONY! LOOK!" Sirius screamed again, pointing at the family tapestry. With a slight cock of his brow, Remus made his way towards the tapestry — What the fuck was this guy talking about?
As Remus stood in front of the tapestry, his eyes trailed to where Sirius' finger was pointing.
Regulus Arcturus Black ~ Severus Corveilius Prince Snape.
Remus, unimpressed (as he already knew), let his eyes travel downwards, to the source of Sirius' shock.
Estheria Lyra Cor Serpentis Prince (b. 24/1/90)
Demetrius Velatrix Cor Serpentis Prince (b. 30/11/92)
Ah.
Remus blinked at the names, still unimpressed. Sirius, ever the observant at times, noticed Remus' unimpressed expression, eyes widening further. He knew?!
"Yes. Those would be the children. I already knew about it." Remus calmly stated, turning to Sirius once again. Remus watched as Sirius expression twisted one of shock and even further surprise, eyes widening so much, they looked rounder than a pair of balls. His brows rose to his hairline, jaw opening further.
Sirius could only think about one, single thing — What the fuck?!
"YOU KNEW?!" Sirius screamed again, "MOONY, YOU KNEW AND DIDN'T TELL ME?" Sirius screeched, outraged. "No, Sirius, listen—" "No, NO. YOU LISTEN." Sirius interrupted, putting a hand in-between each other, distancing himself from Remus. "Moony, I'm their UNCLE. I'm practically family! He's— Regulus, he— HE WAS MARRIED AND I DIDN'T EVEN KNOW?!" Sirius screeched once more, turning around, throwing his hands inside of his hair, running his hands aggressively through the shabby locs. Remus' brows knitted themselves into a thick line, a sigh escaping his lips.
And yet, before Remus could respond, Sirius growled. He took a deep breath — something Marlene would tell him to do, at least in this moment.
"You don't get it, Moony. You don't." Sirius groaned, hands travelling from his hair to his face, his pacing slowing. "I thought I hallucinated, right there and there for a moment— Bloody hell, I thought Azkaban was finally catching up to me!" Sirius yelled, one of his legs kicking the wall. His anger was evident.
It wasn't a surprise, really — Despite Sirius' raging hatred for his family, for Regulus' choices, he was still his little brother. He was still his baby Reggie, with whom he used to play hide and seek with. The thought— The thought of not being there for him, not attending his own wedding or engagement party, even if it was to— to Snivellus, of all people!
"Moony, I—" Sirius mumbled, leaning against the wall. How the fuck was he supposed to react? Just.. How? "Merlin's saggy fucking balls, Moony—" Sirius breathed, "—what ELSE happened while I was gone?! Did the fucking Dark Lord reproduce too?!" Sirius yelled again, his anger taking over again.
"..Speaking of reproduction, Padfoot.." Remus awkwardly murmured, one of his fingers reaching out to touch the branch Bellatrix was on, a figure — Not Rodolphus — painted next to her.
Tracing the branch further, his finger trailed towards the name: Tom Marvolo Riddle, it said, another branch already blossomed between the two. Sirius' eyes widened all over again, jaw dropping lower than before. You've got to be fucking kidding me.
".. You're bloody joking." Sirius stammered, slowly walking towards the tapestry.
"..The tapestry doesn't lie, Sirius." Remus whispered softly, his hand scratching the back of his neck.
An hour later: The first Order meeting after the said events, 4:39 PM.
"Alright," said Dumbledore, calmness washing over his expression. "Should we begin the meeting, then?" Dumbledore asked, eyes glancing over the members — The Weasleys (specifically Arthur and Molly), Moody, Shacklebolt, Tonks, Vance, Jones, the Blacks (except for Sirius' daughter, who was upstairs, and Sirius, who should come in anytime now) and McGonagall. It was obvious Severus was running late, although Albus knew it was due to personal reasons (after all, both of his children could be quite difficult).
Suddenly, Moody raised his hand.
"Yes, Alastor?" Dumbledore said, with a gentle yet stern tone in his voice. "Wheres Snape?" Moody questioned, "Hes our double agent!" He added, brows furrowing further than usual. Albus chuckled, nodding his head. "Severus is missing because of personal business. He'll be joining us at the next meeting." Albus explained, his smile not quite reaching his eyes.
A sudden whip of murmurs washed over the meeting room, raising questions and eyebrows of surprise. "Snape? Personal business? I didn't think he had a private life to begin with—" "Well, this is unexpected—" "Well, as long as he has the information—" "He should've warned us beforehand—"
As the murmurs slowly increased, Albus bowed his head for a moment, before slowly clapping his hands.
"Alright, then," Albus started, "Questions aside, I announce the first meeting of the Order of the Phoe—"
Clash!
"ALBUS!" The sudden, loud outburst of a tall man with.. Questionable hair — Sirius — was heard in the entire room, heads whipping into Sirius' direction.
"LISTEN UP, EVERYONE!" Screamed Sirius, "SNIVELUS HAS CHILDREN!" He said, raising his hands up in the air, slamming down a picture of the tapestry.
"You have to be kidding me." Remus thought, massaging his brows. "Oh, fuck—" Marlene thought for a moment, "Coraline and I forgot to— FUCK." Marlene thought again, her head slamming against the table.
"Oh, Sirius, this is a serious meeting—" Molly attempted to protest, before Sirius whipped his head towards her, pushing the picture.
"NO! LOOK!" Sirius screamed, before the entirety of the Order were exposed to the proof of Severus' family. As they all observed the photo — Exception for Remus, Albus, Minerva, and Marlene — their expressions slowly started to morph into one of shock, surprise, fascination and suspicion — If Snape could hide an entire child, then what else was he hiding? Who's side was he truly on?
Silence fell over the room, only the silent rumors being any source of noise. Vance's eyes widened, almost reaching her brows, whilst Hestia — Her wife — covered her mouth in shock. Her eyes glanced over Emmeline, who was staring at with those "are you seeing the same as me?!" Eyes — A look of pure shock and horror. They knew the guy at Hogwarts and even post-Hogwarts.. He hates children!
"I tried to explain it to him—" Remus attempted, sighing. "No you bloody DIDN'T—" Sirius accused, pointing his finger at Remus. Remus just let out a tired sigh, clearly tired with his bullshit. He then turned to Marlene, who's hands were massaging her brows, lips curved into a thin line. She was going to tell him. Eventually.
"Marls, please tell me at least you didn't know about this—" Sirius begged, eyes softening into puppy eyes. Marlene just sighed again, before slowly looking up at the man. "Sirius," she started, "Coraline, aka our daughter.." Marlene trailed off for a moment. "Coraline? What about her? Wait— DID SHE KNOW TOO?" Sirius questioned, as another tired sigh escaped Marlene — Merlin, she was so done with this — Before speaking up again. "She didn't just know, Sirius. Due actively hung out with them, since she was in diapers!" Marlene announced, an offended gasp escaping Sirius.
Meanwhile, next to them, were sitting Arthur and Molly Weasley, clearly mortified.
"Severus Snape?! A father?! A dad?! A girl dad?!" Molly shrieked, eyebrows rising to her hairline, hands on her hips, before her eyes went to another branch. "Is that— Is that a boy?! HE'S A DAD OF TWO?" Molly gasped "Oh, dear Merlin! Those poor children... Snape as a father.." Molly sighed, putting a hand on her cheek.
"Ah, Esther and Demetrius," McGonagall said — Delightfully, may I add — as she adjusted her glasses. "Lovely, brilliant children. Very well-behaved. Demetrius once transfigured a sleeping kneazle into a table. A very talented young man." She praised, as she sipped on her now lukewarm tea. Sirius' head whipped towards his former professor, who seemed way too calm for the situation. "YOU KNEW?!" He demanded, jaw falling open. "Of course I did, Sirius. Estheria and Demetrius grew up at Hogwarts." She vaguely answered, eyes closed. "SHE GREW UP AT—" Sirius' words were interrupted, as Marlene scoffed softly, tugging on Sirius' sleeve. That immediately shut him up. "Sirius, how else did you think Snape raised her? Hes the Potions Master, for Merlin's sake—" Marlene added, looking up at her husband, whilst her hand went from tugging on his sleeve — to his hand. Sirius just nodded, feeling his wife's soft skin against his.
Meanwhile, Arthur, contrasting his wife's — Molly's — reaction, seemed more.. Fascinated, than shocked or suspicious. Arthur's dark eyes swept over the picture in pure fascination, smile curving on his lips. "Ah! How fascinating!" He said, "Snape produced an offspring! How delightful! Are they interested in muggle plugs?" He excitedly questioned, before Molly's hand gently slapped his elbow. "Not the time, Arthur." Molly remarked, furrowing her brows.
"OH my GOD, Snape has children?! Thats the craziest news of this week!" Tonks cheered, eyes glistening, her hair turning a bright shade of pink. "Wait, the tapestry doesn't lie, does it? Does that I'm related to them through the Blacks?" She then asked, one of her colorfully manicured fingers brushing over the person next to Snape — Regulus Black. "Thats mums cousin!" Tonks added, with a small jump following her afterwards.
The other two aurors — Shacklebolt and Moody — were silent for a moment, contemplating their responses. Whilst Tonks cheered excitedly, their reactions contrasted in many ways, as Moody finally spoke up. "Tonks is right," He said, "Tapestry never lies — Constant Vigilance!" He announced, eyes snapping towards the tapestry. "Are they assets? Threats? A possible ways to hide things Snape would never confess? A way to hide things from the dark lord?" Moody questioned, scoffing. Molly's head snapped towards the man, gasping at his accusations. Marlenes brows went all the way to her hairline, as Remus' face paled at Moodys words. Sirius assumed the man was joking at first — before he realized this was Moody they were talking about. "What?" He questioned, cocking a brow.
"THEY'RE CHILDREN!" Both Sirius and Molly shrieked, absolutely outraged. "Moody," Marlene said, with a warning tone to her voice, "Call my niece and nephew those names — Or dehumanize them again — and I swear, I'll hex you into the wall!" Marlene threatened, eyes blazing with fury. She slowly leaned towards the table, standing up — Before Remus' hand grabbed her shoulder, settling her back down again. Someone had to play the mediator, after all.
Before Moody could respond to Marlenes — a very justified and rightful — threat, Shacklebolts cool-and-calm, collected voice swept through the room.
"Snape having children actually makes a lot of sense." Shacklebolt said, nodding his head. Everyone's heads whipped towards him, an exception for Marlene, who was just nodding in agreement. McGonagall cocked a brow. "Explains what, specifically?" She questioned, "The dramatic names." Was the response, as Shacklebolt used his wand to point at their middle names. "Cor Serpentis," Tonks read out loud, tilting her head. "Heart of the Serpent, in other words." Remus smoothly translated, nodding his head. "Oooh! Kingsley was right — The names ARE dramatic!" She joyfully said, grinning.
As Sirius was about to speak up, Dumbledore finally decided that it was enough, silencing the room with a simple clear of his throat.
No one really dared to disrespect the Headmaster — Not when he held such a crucial role in the organisation.
He then turned to Sirius, eyes twinkling behind his half-moon glasses. "Love, my dear," he began, voice gentle, "comes in many shapes and forms. Including parenthood." He said, his gaze sweeping over the order. "Even to the most unexpected of souls, like Severus. After all, he's a quite good father, according to his children." He finished, clasping both of his very pale, jeweled hands together.
The order looked at each other with pure, unadulterated shock — save for a few who knew beforehand — Snape's children actually liked him?
As the Order started it's meeting — After Dumbledore said such.. Amazing news — no one really could accept the concept of a child calling Severus... A father.
End of prologue.