Harriet Potter and the Alpha in the Dungeon

Chapter 35 - Hopes

Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Severus breathed a sigh of relief when his duties for his sham campaign finally came to an end.

As Britain's wizarding world prepared to choose its new Minister for Magic, he settled back down into his quiet, reclusive life with Harriet, Maggie, and Disencan.

Kingsley had expressed his immense gratitude for Severus's willingness to help and every few days, a letter arrived from the Ministry, proudly notifying the Snapes about what newly caught criminal had been expunged from government service.

Severus held Maggie one pleasant morning while he worked across from Harriet in the vast garden that grew on their property.

Maggie clutched onto her Daddy and blinked as she watched Severus harvest the gingleberries off the tall, creeping stalks when they both started as they heard a noise.

Severus instinctively tightened his grip on Maggie as he scowled in the direction of the sound.

His face relaxed when he noticed that a small, grey bunny had come to nibble on the lower leaves of a nearby gingleberry stalk.

Severus prepared to shoo the animal away until he heard Maggie gasp.

He looked at his little girl and frowned when he saw that her large eyes had widened as she beheld the animal.

From the bunny's soft-looking fur to its tiny, fluffy, white tail, Maggie was delighted by the creature.

It surprised Severus that his daughter stretched out her arms towards the bunny and thrashed against him as best she could in a desperate attempt to get a closer look.

He frowned as he lamented the fact that Maggie wouldn't be able to toddle towards the animal like other children her age, although he knew that the rabbit would surely flee.

Regardless, Severus deftly sat Maggie down on the ground as he taught her the name of her new obsession in his low drawl, ".....Rabbit."

Maggie blinked up at Severus for a moment.

He looked into his child's eyes and instructed her again, "Rab-bit."

Severus spoke a little too loudly and the bunny jumped.

He looked over at the animal as its heart pounded while it skittishly braced itself.

Maggie didn't seem worried as she stretched out her little arms again and called to her new friend, "Rab-bie!"

Severus's dark eyes widened.

It had taken two long years and something that genuinely interested her, but at last, Maggie Snape had found her voice.

While Severus watched the bunny warily come closer, a part of him realized that he should have called out to Harriet.

Instead, he chose not to interrupt the moment as the small animal slowly and cautiously made its way over to Maggie.

The bunny was just a baby, much like its admirer, and in its gentle way, it curiously sniffed Maggie's chubby little hand with its velvety nose.

Maggie laughed as the bunny's faint breath blew over her while she happily cried again, "Rab-bie!"

Her joyful shriek was a bit too shrill for her nervous friend's liking.

The small bunny made his escape in one sprinting leap as he disappeared through the thick rows of gingleberry stalks.