Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 89

Monday came; Jordan had become herself again, smiling and cooing as she lay on the carpet. Severus and Amilia, relieved as they were, were exhausted. Severus glared as students entered his classroom; Potter had proven that he still had difficulty using nonverbal spells. Severus refused to vent to his wife because he knew she would offer to help tutor the boy.

Severus's scowl deepened, he wanted Amilia to have tasks outside of creating test outlines for him and the occasional Hogsmead trips that Dumbledore offered, but he did not want her helping that boy. He needs to learn to do it on his own. The Dark Lord will do everything to destroy him; if Potter cannot learn to act and think in the moment, he will die.

"Sir?"

Severus blinked harshly and lowered his eyes to see a sixth-year Ravenclaw, "What?"

"Are we dismissed?"

Severus scowled and glanced at the hourglass, "Get out." He turned on his heel, his cape snapping and billowing as he did so. Lost precious instruction time with my thoughts. Severus cursed himself as he sat at his desk. He glared at his lesson plans, scratching out the work needed for the next day of classes, and scribbled in what they failed to complete today. "A day behind, again."

Amilia poured over the textbooks given to her by Flitwick; there was a student who had fallen behind due to their wand backfiring, and she would begin tutoring him on Wednesday. The door behind her opened, and she heard Severus's shuffling feet. "I will be going to the Great Hall tonight so that you know."

Severus huffed as he walked past her, scooping up Jordan off the floor.

"Severus," Amilia balked, "she was doing tummy time!"

"It has been a day."

Amilia slammed the book shut, "What happened?"

"The sixth years are another day behind. Nothing new." Severus grumbled as he buried his face in his daughter's dark hair.

"Is it anything that I can help with?"

Severus held Jordan up in the air; she gurgled at him and put her hands in his mouth while closing her brown eyes. "No, you might be busy for a little while." He gave Jordan a tiny wiggle before bringing her back to his chest. "How was she today?"

"Crabby." Amilia said sourly. "I think she is beginning to miss the sunlight."

"So she will start acting as you do in the winter? I am in for it." Severus mumbled softly, joking but also a little concerned at the thought.

Amilia scoffed at him, "Go get cleaned up."

"I would rather spend that time here with you two."

"Then you can change her nappy."

"What?" He glanced at Amilia, confused; then he heard that telltale grunt from his daughter. "Cheater."

Amilia shrugged, "I told you she was going to keep doing that."

"Yes, but you know her schedule better than I do." Severus grumbled as he walked into the bedroom.

"We could always switch places for a few weeks! I am sure Jordan would love to have you with her all day!" Amilia hollered after him, she couldn't see him, but she knew that he was scowling at the thought. It bothered her less and less each day that he did not want her help, but at the same time, the ache to be teaching again killed her.

Quickly, Severus and Jordan returned to the living room; he handed her back to Amilia, "I am going to get cleaned up, and then we can go have supper."

Amilia smiled at Jordan, "Do you think daddy will take a long time again?" Jordan blew bubbles at her. "I think so too."