Severus knelt in his workshop trying to save as much of the Aconite as he possibly could, he couldn’t quite believe he had dropped a new jar of Aconite like a first year student, like Longbottom in his first year. In the past no matter what the situation, potion brewing had calmed him, allowed him to find peace when everything else in his life was chaotic. Brewing had been the one thing that had stopped him going mad during the war but even the calmness of brewing couldn’t settle his mind and body today.

“Severus get off the floor, you don’t want to know what my mother will do to you if you get your robes dirty now.”

“I am perfectly capable of spelling my robes to stay clean, just as I did before I entered my lab. I would have taken them off but it took three of us to get them on me properly,” Severus complained as he turned to look at his best man. Bill Weasley wore a smart black robe, the quality and style correct for his role in the upcoming ceremony.

It had been a surprise to Severus to realise that he had actually become good friends with the redhead. It had started as the odd owl and talking when the families were together to actually going out just to meet with Bill. While he knew Max would have happily been his best man, it just hadn’t felt right, where as Bill had done. Magic was a lot to do with feelings and he knew that Bill would balance the ceremony in a way that Max wouldn’t have been able to.

It was ten months since he had proposed to Harry and knelt there with bated breath, waiting for a response. The Silence had seemed to stretch on forever until he was about ready to decide that he had done the wrong thing and why in Merlin’s name would Harry want to marry him. He had been preparing their picnic/proposal date for weeks, even going so far as checking with Dr Jakium to see if he thought it would be okay. For the longest 87 seconds known to man, he had been sure that he was about to be turned down and he didn’t know if their relationship would survive. Then suddenly Harry had shouted Yes and known himself at Severus, knocking them both to the floor. They had once again enjoyed some frottage before leaving the mountain.

And now ten months later he was just one and half hours away from being Mr Severus Potter-Snape. Not that it had been an easy ten months, between the boys both being at awkward ages, Harry’s nightmares, various job related incidents that had nearly ended with wands at dawn and Molly Weasley organising their wedding, it had been chaos. But they had made it and they would soon be bound legally for the rest of their lives.

Harry still saw Dr Jakium once a fortnight, his nightmares were under control and even though Harry said he was ready for a full sexual relationship they had decided to wait until they were married to resume full sexual practices. They had still been pleasing each other, just had not gone all the way yet. He fully intended that before the morning, he would have claimed Harry in every way possible and for Harry to have done the same to him. He was looking forward to that wonderful ache in the morning.

“Are you okay?”

“I’m fine.”

“I was petrified an hour before my marriage to Fleur, Charlie had to tie me to a chair so that I didn’t run off.”

“I would never abandon Harry like that,” Severus growled at the other man, he might have been so nervous he was wastign ingredients but he would never abandon Harry or his sons.

“I would have come back, I was just convinced that I wasn’t good enough for her and she would be better off without me. It was actually Harry who calmed me down and got me ready to walk down that aisle.”

“He would have only been seventeen,” Severus remembered, the summer before his fiancee's seventh year, still a child even if he was legally an adult.

“Yes and older than any seventeen year old should ever be, he said that facing Voldemort would be the least of my problems if I stood Fleur up at the alter. He told me that love was the strongest emotion and if I had found it then I had to grab hold with both hands and never let go. We just sat and talked, he asked about Fleur and what it was I loved about her until I realised it was time to get married and I couldn’t imagine doing anything else.

“I could do the same with you, ask you to tell me about Harry, what it is you love about him but I know what it is and you know that there is no reason to be nervous. In less than hour in front of your friends and family you will make an honest man of him and you’ll live happily ever after. Your sons will grow up and give you lots of grandchildren to fuss over, you will grow old together and have many years with each other.”

“Thank-you,” Severus said, while he wasn’t calm, the words had helped him settle down a bit. He loved Harry and Harry loved him, it was fine to be nervous but in the end, after all of it everything would be fine and he would be married to the man he loved.

XXX

Harry knelt over the toilet and tried to throw up although there wasn’t anything left in his stomach to come up. Neville was stroking his back and Ginny had been sent to find an anti-nausea potion. He couldn’t believe that he was so nervous about marrying Severus that he was throwing up. He had been nervous before, he had faced Voldemort, he had faced Ron but this was ridiculous.

“Drink up Harry, I don’t want Severus yelling at me because you couldn’t perform tonight.”

Harry sat back and took a deep breath before taking some sips of the potion Ginny gave him, as normal it tasted horrible but thankfully it did calm his stomach enough for him to feel safe enough to move away from the toilet.

“Better?” Neville asked.

“Yeah but I might just sit here for a bit longer and Severus wouldn’t yell at you Ginny, he would just dose me with potions to make me better, the nastiest tasting potions he could find but it would make me feel better.” As he had hoped the pair found it funny and gave him a small laugh.

“I should get back to my mother and the children,” Ginny said, “Neville try to keep him calm and if you need me again just call.”

Harry and Neville gave her a smile and then she was gone, Molly and Ginny, along with Fleur were looking after Seth, Alex and the Weasley children while the rest of the family made sure that the wedding would run smoothly. Neville was his best man while he knew that Bill was Severus’, not a friendship he would have ever predicted but they got on well and he was glad that his lover had a friend to talk to.

“Were you this nervous when you married Ginny?” Harry asked, he had only just made it to the wedding after an emergency case and Dean had had to be best man when he had been unavoidably detained.

“I was a mess, not quite throwing up but only because Dean poured an anti-nausea and calming potion down my throat before I even started getting dressed.”

“I don’t even know why I am so nervous, I love him and our children, I want to spend forever with him yet I still feel so nervous I could puke again.”

“Sip your potion Harry.”

Harry smiled at his friend and took another sip of anti-nausea potion, “Thanks for being here, sorry again I couldn’t be there for you.”

“You were saving the lives of seven people and you were there for the ceremony, that is what is important. Are you really happy with Severus?”

“Very happy although still a bit shocked that he asked me.”

“He loves you Harry, anyone who has spent time with the two of you can tell that.”

“I love him too,” Harry replied with a silly grin on his face.

“I’m very glad Harry do you think you feel well enough to leave the floor and sit on a sofa for a while?”

Harry took a few deeps breaths and nodded, he no longer felt like he was going to throw his insides up and the bathroom floor was cold and hard. He was glad he had a good friend like Neville, Harry thought as the other man supported him until they were sat on the sofa in the quarters he was temporarily staying at in Hogwarts.

Once they had decided to marry and they had told everyone who mattered, the big decision had been where to hold the wedding. While he was no longer quite the sensation that he had been before and directly after the final battle, he was still well known and a lot of people would want to see him get married whether he liked it or not. It had been Minerva who had said she would be privileged if they would marry in the gardens at Hogwarts.

They were staying away from the students and no-one could get in that the Headmistress didn’t want to enter, it was perfect. Hogwarts was almost singing her happiness to him, she loved the fact that both him and Severus, both two of her favourites would be bonding inside her. Bonding was a very sacred ritual in the wizarding world, how sacred depended on how which bonding ritual was used.

He had sat together with Severus and they had discussed it to some length, the advantages and disadvantages of the rituals. In the end they had decided on an older ritual that when translated, roughly meant: “Joining of spirits”, the ceremony wasn’t that long and they could have their own vows on top of those in the ritual.

“You’re both really lucky.”

“Why do you think that?” Harry asked, he knew that Neville was probably only trying to keep him distracted but he was curious.

“You have both lost so much and then in a such a short length of time finally have everything you have wanted: A family, someone for you to love and to love you, I know it is what you’ve wanted since we were at school. I didn’t think you would find anyone after Draco.”

“Neither did I,” Harry answered neutrally. “It kind of just happened between me and Severus but I couldn’t be happier.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t more help when Ron and Hermione left.”

Harry blinked and looked at his friend in confusion, “What do you mean?”

“I know they didn’t just run away, they did something to you, something horrible. I wanted to help but you had Draco and I just thought I would get in the way.”

Harry’s memories of that time were still a bit patchy and blurry, not only from Her attack but Draco’s death yet he knew Neville had helped, “You helped more than you can ever know. You and Ginny gave me hope, reminded me what I was fighting for. When I wanted to give up, I just looked at you two and knew that it was for you and everyone like you that I had to fight for.

“You would listen to me rant when I needed to, keep our dorm clean and my plants alive. You were as important to me during that time as everyone else. I’ve probably never said it before Neville but I love you like a brother.”

Neville gave him the widest smile Harry had seen since the birth of the other man’s children and then hugged him tightly. Everything would be fine, both him and Severus were too stubborn to let their bonding be anything else.

XXX

Severus took Bill’s arm and a deep breath, he would not faint, he was so close to it all being over and being bonded to the man he loved that he would not allow something as silly as fainting stop that. He was almost regretting that he had asked the other man to marry him, not that he didn’t want to be lawfully bonded to Harry but he was not having a good time.

A week earlier when Molly had been in full mother hen/General mode he had thought briefly about the fact that they should have just eloped 9 months earlier and just got it over with. A Merlin look-alike in Vegas may not have been a traditional bonding in Hogwarts but it wouldn’t have been anywhere near as stressful and would have already been over. It was like Molly had read his thoughts, the glare that had suddenly been turned on him had put even his best to shame. He hadn’t been brave enough to mention eloping again, he had done his best not to even think of it since.

None of that mattered now, in half an hour they would be bonded and hopefully only a couple of hours after that they would be able to celebrate their bonding, just the two of them, naked. He was glad that Molly had agreed to keep Seth and Alex for the night, although their sons would join them the next day on their two week honeymoon to Australia.

“Are you ready?” Bill asked.

Severus nodded, he could hear the pipes playing to welcome them so obviously Harry was now also in position to start. Bill pushed open the door and they entered the garden, Severus looked across the guests, past Minerva to where Harry had entered opposite him.

Unlike a muggle ceremony or most other bonding ceremonies, the one they had chosen was for purely same sex couples, the aisle between the guests was only for when they were leaving, already bonded. They entered the ceremony area at the same time, opposite each other, in front of the audience. The only thing on Severus’ mind were the facts that he was one lucky man and Harry was Beautiful.

XXX

No-one would ever accuse Severus Snape of being beautiful, Harry thought but he looked even more handsome than normal in his bonding robes. Harry knew he was biased, he doubted many people saw Severus as Handsome but he loved the man and to him Severus was the most wonderful, handsome man in the world, especially in his bonding robes and naked.

Reaching Severus and Minerva seemed to take an age but finally Neville relinquished him to his bonded to be. With a sigh Harry twined his fingers with Severus’ and instantly felt calmer, the physical contact felt wonderful. Minerva gave them both a small smile and opened the book in front of her.

“We are gathered on this day before the New moon to welcome a bonding between two people who wish to be joined in body, mind and soul. They are kind men who have suffered through heartache and hardship yet they have found each other. I must begin by asking does anyone object to these two men?”

Harry clutched at Severus’ hand as the silence loomed on, Minerva had to ask and if anyone said anything against their bonding it would have to explored and explained. Thankfully no-one spoke, the room was silent until Minerva spoke again and bonding continued, ceremonial wine was drunk, ribbons of various colours that had been dipped in various potions were wrapped in precise patterns around their joined hands and then it was time for their vows, as the eldest Severus went first.

“I have been alone for most of my life, looking for that one person who would complete me and as it turns out looking in all the wrong places. Our relationship snuck up on me and before I knew it I was in love with you. I love you Harry more than anything else, you gave me life where previously I was just surviving, you have given me two beautiful sons, a home and yourself.

“I know that there will be further hardships and rough patches but I want you to remember these words, to know that no matter what I love you. You are beautiful, kind and I will always love you.”

Harry found himself grinning widely at his lover, they were the words he needed to hear and he hoped his words would be as reassuring to Severus. He took a deep breath and hoped that he could remember everything, he had practised his vows so much so that it was perfect.

“After Draco I didn’t think that I would ever love someone like that again and I haven’t, what I feel for you is so much more than I ever had a chance to discover with Draco, things I am unsure we would have managed to have in our life. The feelings that I share with you snuck up on me too, I was attracted to you long before you thought I could share your life in a romantic fashion.

“You are handsome, powerful and although you hide it well you are caring and kind, I am honoured to share your life with you and our sons. I love you Severus and hope that we will always find the light together.”

Severus grinned widely at him, red lips a stark contrast to the pale skin, a real smile that Harry couldn’t help return. Even after all this time it was rare to see Severus smile properly, more than just his lips tilting up at the edges.

“Beautiful gentlemen,” Minerva said and lifted the book, starting to read the bonding part of the ceremony in the ancient language, it sounded a bit like latin but was something else, something with much more power.

Harry could feel the magic building, feel the power of Hogwarts being focused into their bonding. Most importantly he could feel his and Severus’ magic being pulled and manipulated to make sure they were in harmony and receptive to the bond that would form between them. The magic kept building and building until Harry felt like he would burst, it was too much and he hated to think how Severus felt.

Then with a final push the magic was gone and he was no longer alone, Severus was with him. It reminded him a bit of when the bond had existed between him and Voldemort but where as it had been dirty, a dark presence in his mind, Severus was light and love and calm. He would never be alone again and knowing that was the best feeling in the word.

He was barely aware of Minerva speaking again or the fact that magic had done something to the ribbons that had made them vanish until a small hand found his free one. Harry looked down at his eldest son and smiled, he looked wonderful in his ceremonial robes holding a cushion in his free hand with their bonding bands tied on it. Harry could tell that Alex was nervous and understandably so, he had never been around so many people before and had been sat with Molly until it was his turn to do his part in the ceremony.

Minerva placed the bonds on their wrists, whispering the words to shrink them until they fit, blessing the bonds and the bonding. The bonding bands were beautiful matching platinum and silver bands with protective runes scribed into them, they had come from the Gryffindor/Slytherin vault. Harry could feel the protective magic as it bonded with his own, accepted and not rejected as his body had done to much magic in the past.

Alex returned to Molly after a small push from Harry and Minerva finished the ceremony, a few more words in the ancient language and then the kiss. Severus held him gently, his lips soft yet firm that felt perfect against his own. The magic thrummed between them building again as a tongue traced his lips, begging access. Harry couldn’t deny his lover and opened his mouth for a proper kiss, allowing them to touch each other in the most intimate way.

Harry could have quite happily stood there forever kissing Severus but Hogwarts gave him a rather large prod and he broke the kiss, remembering where they were and what they were in the middle of doing. He could feel himself blushing as he looked around at their guests, all of whom were looking at him and Severus with accepting looks.

“I am very glad that lust is not a problem that you have gentlemen,” Minerva said only loud enough for them to hear it, making Harry blush even redder and even Severus was starting to look a little pink on his high cheeks.

“No Minerva it is not and I hope it never will be,” Severus replied just as quietly, the guests did not need to hear that.

Minerva gave them a nod and spoke to the guests, “May I present to you Severus and Harry Potter-Snape and ask you for their blessing.” The words were traditional and Harry and Severus turned to face their guests, hands still laced together and their heads bowed as they felt the magical blessings from the guests. The blessings were amplified by Hogwarts magic, their bonding was true and strong, Harry had never been happier.

XXX

Epilogue Part two

Alex Potter-Snape sat at the Ravenclaw table, his Head boy badge shinning brightly as they waited for the first years to arrive.

“Lily-Rose will be fine,” a voice whispered next to him and Alex turned to smile at his Boyfriend of two years, Jon Stokes was a muggleborn wizard he had met during his first train ride en route to Hogwarts and become fast friends with over a copy of his Papa’s latest potion book.

“I know but I was just as nervous about Seth and Anthony,” Alex replied as he found Jon’s hand to link their fingers together and looked for his younger brothers.

The dark head of Seth sat with his fellow fifth year Slytherins, no doubt up to all sorts of mischief already and no doubt the Weasley’s clustered around him were helping. It had been the biggest shock in Hogwarts since the Potter-Snape wedding, Weasleys in Slytherin.

He turned to Hufflepuff to find Anthony, the redhead was in third year and smaller than both him and Seth had been at that age. It had been his dad who had carried Anthony, there had been complications from the beginning, he remembered his dad spending months in bed during that time and Anthony had still been born a month early. His youngest brother had always been small and more fragile than him and Seth but Alex loved him very much.

Alex knew that at first Anthony had been scared to be in Hufflepuff without either of his bothers to protect him, like they always did but he knew it was the right place for Anthony. Not that it had stopped either him or Seth from making sure that everyone knew better than to even think about hurting Anthony.

Finally the door opened and Uncle Neville, the deputy head and Herbology teacher, led in the first years. He scanned the group until he found Lily-Rose near the back of the line, her long black hair still in the plait he had put it in that morning. While Seth had one green and one black eye and Anthony had their papa’s black eyes, Lily-Rose had the same green eyes as him and their dad. And at that second they were sparkling in excitement, she grinned and waved at Alex and then her other brothers.

The names were being called and then finally they reached the one that they had been waiting for, “Potter-Snape, Lily-Rose.”

Alex was so proud as she strode forward just like their Papa. After the complications in Anthony’s birth it had been decided that Papa would carry their youngest sibling and only sister to term as soon as he had worked out how to change the potion so that he would be pregnant with a girl and not a boy. His Papa’s male pregnancy potion was now a common item in potion shops, helping men everywhere had children. Many even came to the house to get individual help from his dad and papa to make sure they carried to term.

Alex stared at his sister as she appeared to be arguing with the had, he had been happy with the hat’s decision as had Anthony and Seth all of them only taking seconds to sort. Yet Lily-Rose obviously had her heart sat on a particular house.

“GRYFFINDOR.”

Three boys from the other houses were the first and loudest to clap for their sister as she moves to join the other first year Gryffindors.

“See she is more than fine, she’s already found some firm friends,” Jon commented once the food had appeared.

Alex nodded his head in agreement, Lily-Rose was already in deep conversation with Uncle Bill’s youngest son and two other girls he didn’t recognise but looked like sisters or cousins.

“Will you write to your parents?” Jon asked.

“I promised I would and will as soon as everyone is settles, dad will be happy to have another Gryffindor in the house.”

XXX

Harry collapsed onto the bed he shared with his lover, panting madly as the remnants of pleasure buzzed along his nerves. Severus collapsed on top of him panting into his ear while those strong hands continued to pet Harry’s sides. They were hot, tired and sticky but Harry couldn’t think of anything more wonderful.

He loved his children, all four of them but having them all home for the summer had put a severe strain on his love life with Severus. It had seemed that at times his children were going out of their way to make sure that he didn’t have any time alone with Severus.

They had lasted only an hour after returning from the train station, Severus had ambushed him as he was coming out of his office to find his lover. They had made love over his desk, the library, the shower and twice in their bed so far but first another shower or maybe a bath before anything else.

“Bath,” Severus mumbled his opinion against the back of Harry’s neck but made no attempt to move. The bond that had formed at their bonding ceremony had grown in strength over the years. Changing from him just knowing his lover was alive to being able to find his lover and when they were in close physical contact and very relaxed even able to share some thoughts.

It took some prodding but finally the pair were sat in their bath, lavender smelling water swirling around them, his back to Severus’ front. Although calling it a bath was a bit of a misleading statement, it was a jacuzzi that could easily fit six people, magically knew which of its 100 scents would be most appropriate for the occasion and had at least fifty jets ready to pummel stubborn muscles into submission. It had been a tenth bonding anniversary gift from Severus and he loved it.

A pop alerted them to the arrival of a House-Elf, Harry turned and smiled at Jimne, the teenage House-Elf grinned back. “I have a letter for you Master Harry from young Master Alex.”

While Jimne could and did speak proper English unlike most of the House Elves in his service, he still insisted on calling him Master Harry. Over the years many of his elves had joined other households but he still had a small colony living on his land in the mansion they had built. They had many thriving businesses running from the mansion, no longer needing any support from him. The one business he was most proud of was The Agency set up to help House Elves who needed extra help, for a big event or even just day to day activities, especially in those homes where the House Elves were treated less than excellently. He couldn’t do much about the elves being hurt but helped where he could.

“Thank-You Jimne,” Harry replied and took the letter that his eldest son had written him. Alex now knew that he wasn’t really his and Severus’ son, he had even gone to visit his natural father at fifteen years of age. He had returned from his trip to see Dudley’s grave with Severus and just hugged Harry, vowing that Severus and Harry were his real parents. Harry wasn’t sure what Severus had shown Alex, he was just glad that his eldest son still loved him.

“Open it then brat, tell us where Lily-Rose was placed.”

Harry nodded and opened the letter smiling at his eldest son’s scrawl, while not as bad as what his Papa tried to pass off as writing, it was still like trying to decipher a foreign language at times.

Dear Dad and Papa,

She’s in Gryffindor. I just thought I should start off with that incase you get distracted by the sex before you get any further. (“Cheeky little Bugger, he gets that from your side of the family.” “Probably but he would have been right if we had got it half an hour ago.”) She seemed to take ages to arrive in the hall, I found out later it was because four of the first years had managed to capsize their boat and they had to be rescued and dried before they could come in.

She argued with the hat for ages, she wouldn’t tell me where it wanted to put her but she got Gryffindor. I will write a longer letter tomorrow after speaking to the others.

Lots of love Alex.

P.S When I asked her why she wanted Gryffindor she told me that it was so you would have an entire set. If we wouldn’t be gracious enough to all in the same house than you needed a child in all of them.

The sound of laughter burst from the bathroom as the pair lost control, only their youngest would think that. But it had to be admitted she did have some fairly strong Gryffindor tendencies.

“Thank-you.”

Harry looked at his lover in confusion, “For what?”

“Our children, hours of making love and loving me,” Severus said simply and happily.

“Well thank-you too,” Harry answered happily, “I love you Severus.”

“I love you too,” Severus replied and pulled him close, nuzzling his neck. Harry gave a sigh and relaxed against his lover, all his kids were at Hogwarts, he worked when he wanted, doing what he wanted with the man he loved. So far his life had turned out pretty well and he couldn’t wait for the rest of it to happen.

THE END

I am so sorry that this has taken so long to finish, I hope you have enjoyed it as much as I have. There won't be a sequel so this is it for Severus, Harry, Seth, Alex, Anthony and Lily-Rose this time. Thanks for reading, Bleu