Another year passed since the last raid on a group of Death Eaters, the Ministry announced with great pomp that all the Death Eater criminals were serving their just punishment in Azkaban.
The activities of the Order of the Phoenix were canceled, as was the search for other Horcruxes, since the 5 mentioned were destroyed.
However, Dumbledore regretted losing the ring stone, recognizing the Deathly Hallows symbol on the ring's black stone and knowing it was the Resurrection Stone, something he had sought for most of his life. Hoping to revive his dead family members, particularly his sister Ariana Dumbledore, he was willing to ignore the ring's status as a Horcrux but it was 'destroyed'. Severus managed to hide the relic stone from the Peverells because for some reason Dumbledore's special interest in the ring aroused his suspicions. Severus investigated hard before discovering the 'identity' of the stone with the symbol of the relics set in the ring of the Gaunts, who ironically descended from the second brother of the famous tale.
The most difficult to find was Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, which was discovered in the mansion of Bellatrix and Rodolphus Lestrange, where Narcissa sent her personal house elf to control its maintenance; the household staff of that family had only one old elf who was increasingly declining due to the lack of his masters. This is how by chance the Cup caught the attention of Narcissa's elf, and recognizing the object from images that his masters received from Master Snape, the elf immediately informed his mistress and then received the order to take it with her. Clearly, he had to trick the old elf into not knowing about the missing Cup.
Eleanor was pursuing her degree with great effort, she was already considering the postgraduate degree(s) and the doctorate she would pursue; She thought about taking some time before practicing her profession once she managed to graduate, a mini vacation to recover from stress. Unexpectedly, her plans were modified when she became pregnant.
Severus became a renowned potions master, considered one of the best. This had positioned him better than the rest, his business was successful in Diagon Alley, and his work as a potioner was highly sought after. He published specialized interviews, such as in 'The Practical Potion Maker', a magical magazine that was dedicated to the study of potions.
He interacted with influential people, moving in environments that interested him such as conferences, ingredient conventions, symposiums, etc. Professor Slughorn and Lucius were his keys to entry to a circuit that few people could access without belonging to a Noble family and whose purity of blood was undeniable. Severus was clear that the vast majority of those acquaintances were not his friends, they were contacts of mutual use, that is, as long as he was useful to their interests he could count on their help if he required it. The events were the ideal setting to apply many of the 'professional spy' skills he cultivated in those years and move like a fish in 'social' water.
Marcus Leon Snape was born in May 1984, a natural birth without complications, the child was a copy of his father and a possible tsundere, Eleanor was convinced of the latter. Harry was very fond of the baby, who didn't seem to appreciate the attention but was attached to his cousin. Although he won't show it, Marcus is warm, sensitive, and friendly, once he trusts someone he shows his true self.
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In September 1985, Harry Potter and Dudley Dursley were starting primary school at St. Gregory, this was in the previous life he remembered. In this life, Harry attended a half-day preschool course with Liam and Chris Snape at the same primary school they would begin attending that year.
Things were different for Harry, so far his life was significantly better than the other was. He missed his parents but he had loving people around him and he could be himself. Before, despite agreeing to take care of him when his parents died, both his Uncle Vernon and his Aunt Petunia treated him as someone of no importance, forced to live under the stairs in a tiny room, he had to be the family servant, going always behind his cousin Dudley, who was constantly spoiled by his family. The Dursley family tried to overshadow any relationship he had with magic, even moving away from home just because Harry was accepted into Hogwarts.
Later, Harry understood that this attitude of his family towards him was due to the envy that Petunia felt towards her sister. Harry's mother was a witch and her parents were proud of it. The situation in this new life seemed different, he did not know the sisters' relationship, but what he experienced was a 'normal' relationship, they visited each other from time to time, and he never heard them insult each other, fight, or argue, Petunia's reaction to him: she was affectionate, there was no bored expression or tone or anything like that. Petunia was a witch, he didn't know if she went to Hogwarts or how she ended up married to Severus Snape. Harry had his theories, one of them being that his aunt was sorted into Slytherin House, and from there they got involved. Another is that Snape and his mother never stopped being friends, therefore Petunia was in contact with him, in addition, Harry also considered the theory that his aunt was educated by magical tutors for some reason and that is why she was not so immersed in that world continuing a mainly 'muggle' education.
Whatever the case, Harry was happy with his family, unlike before when he only remembered one or 2 images in his memory, he was able to treasure the little time he spent with his parents, who somehow remained present thanks to his family.
Usually on full moon nights Sirius and Remus would leave Harry with their uncles, the twins had the habit of not sleeping until their mother or father told them a story, or read a story, sometimes Petunia even sang to them to lull them to sleep. And that night was no exception, still tired after finishing a written work that she had to present in a course she was taking, she lovingly helped the four of them put on their pajamas and after getting comfortable in bed, she prepared to start the story from that night: «A man had a horse and a donkey.
One day when they were both on their way to the city, the donkey, feeling tired, said to the horse: - "Take a part of my load if you are interested in my life.
The horse, pretending to be deaf, said nothing and the donkey fell victim to fatigue and died right there.
Then the owner threw all the load on top of the horse, including the donkey's skin. And the horse, sighing, said: - "What bad luck I have! Because I didn't want to carry a light burden, now I have to carry everything and even the donkey skin on top!"
The lesson of this story is: Every time you do not extend your hand to help your neighbor who honestly asks you, without realizing it at the time, you are actually harming yourself."
- "I helped Liam throw away Marcus's diaper."
- "And I helped him feed him" - Chris responded.
- "It's time to sleep." - Eleanor said.
- "My goodnight kiss." - Liam claimed, stretching his face towards his mother.
Eleanor smiled and kissed the three of them on their cheeks, then went to her one-year-old who was already asleep, and kissed his chubby cheeks, causing him to whimper slightly, something that made her laugh because he looked like a puppy.
- "Can you please sing us a song?" - Asked one of the twins.
She nodded, singing a lullaby, which she ended up humming.
Eleanor left the room, leaving the children alone.
- "Why do you tell them those stories?"
- "They are smart, it will help if they learn some things from this age. Children grow up quickly and then the time will come when they stop listening to us. I believe that if we promote good values from the beginning it will be useful to them in the future."
- "I understand." - Severus said, going to take one last look at the children, before going with her to his bedroom.
After each settled down to sleep, she hugged him.
- "What do you prefer, a good night kiss or a night of good kisses?" - She asked suggestively with a mischievous tone.
- "Tuney," - He warned, smiling sideways - "Tomorrow we have a lot to do and we must get up early."
She didn't respond but she was in a good mood, so he settled for the moment enjoying being close.
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The technology of the wizarding world appears medieval in nature, as the use of magic precludes the need for advanced technology, as well as the fact that magic interferes with electrical equipment. Eleanor had to change her appliances many times when her children began to have flashes of accidental magic, in the end, faced with the uselessness of 'muggle and magical technical services', she stopped replacing them and kept the television, clinging to the only electronic device that she believed to be indispensable next to the VCR. She sometimes missed her cell phone, her old laptop, and many other devices that 'put the world in her hands', but unfortunately she would have to wait a few years for the technology to develop further, although it was most likely that they would explode in a short time through the atmosphere full of magic that surrounded her. She discovered a place next to the Museum of Muggle Curiosities, where they specialized in adapting Muggle items to magic, she had to save but it was worth it when she regained the peace of mind of watching a soap opera or a movie without worrying about a trickle of smoke emerging from the device.
As far as the magical community was concerned, the saga continued as is. Pompous 'purebloods' continued their propaganda against the 'mudbloods', fortunately for Eleanor, her status as a 'muggle-born' did not affect their treatment of her once she became more assiduous in the magical sector. Perhaps because she became a kind of friend of Narcissa, who, for Severus and his godchildren, considered that she should integrate 'Petunia' into her circle of friends.
Eleanor, listening to her husband's latest comments about those who rejected relatives for being squibs or blood traitors, Lucius had told about a 'scandal' that fueled rumors in the corridors of the Ministry, the recent head of the Anti-Use Office Indue of Magic was a half-blood. The witch claimed to be pure blood, she obviously despised Muggle-borns, hybrids, and half-bloods, that is, anyone who according to her parameters 'inferior'. She even showed herself as someone from a noble family and always denied having any ties to Orford Umbridge, a floor mop for the Department of Magical Maintenance.
Every time someone asked: 'Are you related to the Umbridge who mopped the floor?', Dolores Umbridge always smiled sweetly, laughed, and flatly denied it, assuring that her father, now deceased, had been a distinguished member of the Wizengamot. Everyone who exposed it usually suffered some kind of misfortune, however, it could not against the noble class, where without knowing how the gossip originated, it was learned that Oxford married a Muggle and had a squib son in addition to Dolores, also that she who claimed a high position in the status quo of magical society, magically forced her parents to divorce, who got rid of her mother and brother in such a way that they were exiled to the muggle world, in addition to bribing and lying to erase her past, not forgetting to mention that she flirted with wizards whose families belonged to the sacred 28, regardless of whether they were married or not, reaching the point of using love potions and plotting to get someone else's husband. Among other unverifiable accusations, the sky was the limit to fuel the gossip, everyone contributed their grain of inventiveness to the rumor.
- "Imagine. Who would have thought? And then what will happen?"
- "According to Lucius, he is under investigation as a necromancer, it is said that he practices dark arts with cats." - Severus said.
Eleanor choked in surprise. - "No? Oh really? Incredible." - She answered.
Eleanor was the one who for some time whispered comments against Dolores Umbridge in meetings or with random people in businesses in the magical district, generally without saying her name but mentioning distinctive features that undoubtedly identified her, nothing serious, just facts and other fictional ones, many people enjoy 'secretly' skinning the reputation of a harpy like that witch. Since they couldn't go against her openly, at least they let off steam by speaking against her, since Dolores Umbridge used any method to ascend. The only thing Eleanor didn't think about was that it was going to be so distorted.
The reason why she did it was simply because she couldn't stand her, and if she could hinder her promotion even better, she saw her on 4 occasions during social gatherings in which she accompanied her husband, she didn't interact with her but she listened to her and her verbosity was so abhorrent intolerant that Severus once restrained her from butting in and interrupting a conversation. Eleanor still remembered her actions in the fifth book of the Harry Potter saga and had chills that such an event would somehow happen, if that witch tried to mess with her children she would not stay still.
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In 1988, the Magic School Potions Championship was held, held every 7 years since 1407, in honor of the potionist Quintia McQuoid, who lost her life due to a poorly made potion to cure fever. It took place in an enchanted garden, and challenged potioners to test their potion-making skills through various challenges, the grand prize consisting of a cauldron of gold and the privilege of demonstrating their skills in front of the audience present. The judges were selected from a select group, that year Severus Snape was summoned as part of the jury for that event.
The judges' family had a preferential place to watch the competition. Eleanor was racing to not be late for the event.
- "They already changed their clothes! Come on, it's getting late!" - Eleanor exclaimed before looking into her children's bedroom - "Why are your clothes on the floor?"
Chris, admiring himself in the mirror, looked at her from the side.
- "It doesn't fit in my closet."
- "It would fit if you folded it right." - She replied.
- "I guess we'll never know."
- "How funny. Fold those clothes well and put them back in their place. And do it yourself, don't use your brother. Liam, Marcus, come with me, let's wait for your brother in the living room."
- "But mom!" - Chris complained about having to clean up his own mess.
- "No complaints. Quickly as time passes, your dad is waiting for us."
She left the room with the other 2. Chris looked unsure how to do it.
- "Alfred help." - He said into the air.
- "His mother gave an order. Alfred can't help." - Said the house elf.
- "Please, I don't know how to do it and it's getting late. I will give you any of my toys in exchange." - The boy proposed.
The house elf seemed to hesitate for a few seconds. He snapped his fingers, everything was organized and clean.
- "Thank you."- Chris said, hugging the elusive elf, before trotting off to join his family.
The elf smiled, sighed and shook his head, and then went back to his work.
The garden was filled with several creatures and other obstacles, including a troll, which had to be overcome with various potions to win this competition. Eleanor and the children went to watch the competition, Remus accompanied Harry since Sirius had work pending.
Each child had an initial bestiary book that provided basic information about various beasts and plants, such as the name of the creature, a short description, and observations; But if the way of life was not included in the book, by using a spell it could be included orally or by transferring written information from another bibliographic source, thus making the book evolve.
The twins and Harry were about to turn 8 years old, Marcus was 4 years old and was stubborn in wanting to keep up with his brothers, whom he hilariously imitated.
Little did they understand the level of potions that were being used, because the 3 of them were in basic training along with Severus' godson, Marcus, still curious, became more interested in the creatures than in the type of use that the participants made of the potions. With his small hands, Marcus leafed through his book with the help of his mother, looking for the animals that were named in the competition.
Harry, Liam, Chris, and Draco's potions instructor was Severus Snape, he was teaching them how to prepare the ingredients according to the books, the flame levels, the effect the juices have on the potion itself, etc., and this added up to other concepts of other topics was their initiation to not be 'cork oaks at Hogwarts.' In the competition, those who attended did as Severus indicated and paid attention to the effect produced by those potions, for example, what caused laughter, the sleeping pills, what paralyzed, etc.
After the Championship finished and the prize was given to a participant who studied at the Durmstrang Institute, the Snape family went to have a snack at the house of Sirius and Remus, who in these years united as a couple raising the puppy of their 'first pack'. When they finished eating, the children went out to play outside and the adults had a sit-down meal.
- "Hogwarts has dropped its level since Professor Slughorn retired. I don't understand why Dumbledore allows it."
- "It will be because he still hopes to convince you to accept the position." - Remus answered, smiling at Severus' expression.
- "Teacher? I can't imagine teaching."
Eleanor had a coughing fit and accepted the offered glass of water.