The Potions Master and the Ravenclaw

Epilogue

A/N: Well, we've finally reached the end! I want to thank each and every one of you from the bottom of my heart for encouraging me on this crazy journey. This thing was wayyyyy too long, but I have enjoyed every minute of it! I have appreciated every single vote and comment. Thank you for loving my version of our favorite Potions Master and for loving my OC. Madeline will live with me for quite a while, as I feel like she's the best version of my younger self. I'm also posting a link at the end for the first chapter of my next story, and I hope you'll enjoy that one just as much as this one. It will be much shorter and probably better since I've gotten a little experience under my belt. Haha! Once again, thank you so very much. And let me know what you think of the ending! LOVE YOU ALL!!!!

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"Papa!"

The little girl squealed with delight, jumping up and down in her unbridled excitement.

The tall, pale man with long, shining black hair smiled and knelt, opening his arms to his daughter. She rushed to him and hugged him tight, giggling as he squeezed back and wrapped her in his black cloak. He stood with her in his arms, and she kissed his cheek while he carried her to his favorite chair and settled her comfortably in his lap.

She was the spitting image of her mother -long, dark curls, porcelain skin, rosy cheeks, red lips – and she held her father's entire heart in her dainty hand.

"I missed you, Papa," said the little girl, snuggling against his chest.

"Amelia Minerva Snape, he was only gone for three hours!" her mother said teasingly, emerging from the kitchen with a broad grin on her pretty face. A fat black cat followed her and curled up at the man's feet, purring loudly.

"That doesn't matter, does it, Princess?" said Severus Snape, gazing at his daughter adoringly and playfully tapping her nose with his finger. "I missed you, too."

Snape conjured a pink rose and gave it to Amelia, and she gasped, her eyes wide with wonder at her father's gift.

"Oh, thank you, Papa! It's beautiful!"

"Anything for my sweet girl," said Snape warmly. "Now where is your brother?"

"Here I am, Papa," said a tall boy with straight black hair, a carbon copy of his handsome father. He ran to Snape and climbed onto his lap so that he had a child on each knee, and Snape pulled his children close.

"Oh, you're both getting so big!" Snape proclaimed proudly.

"Yes, Papa! Soon, Alexander will be old enough to go to Hogwarts, won't he? And he'll get sorted into a house and get to do magic and everything! Won't he, Papa? Won't he?"

Snape chuckled and kissed them each on the top of their heads as Madeline watched happily.

"Yes, my darlings. It will be a few years yet, but Alexander will attend Hogwarts when he turns eleven. And so will you, though it can't be all that exciting, seeing as how we already live here in the castle." His eyes sparkled with amusement.

"Yes, but I'll get to do magic!" exclaimed Alexander. "And Draco will teach me transfiguration and you'll teach me how to brew potions! And Auntie Minnie will look out for me, too!"

Madeline laughed. "Yes, pumpkin. Auntie Minnie will look out for us all."

"She will indeed." Snape agreed, looking affectionately at his wife. "Come here, my love. I have a kiss for you, too."

Madeline went to him, leaning down to kiss her handsome husband and sighed contentedly. She never dreamed she could be this happy after all they'd endured.