5 Years Later

Elijah stopped his cart just before platform 9 3/4. A small white owl sat in her cage atop the cart and hooted softly.

"Have you named her yet?" Severus asked.

Elijah shrugged. "Dad?" He turned towards Harry. "Could I name her Hedwig?"

Harry chuckled softly. "Of course you can, that would be beautiful."

Elijah nodded his head thoughtfully.

Rose ran up to Elijah and hugged him. He bent his head and pressed a brotherly kiss to her mop of curly red hair.

"Just a few more years and you'll be sending her off, too." Harry teased Hermione. She smiled and wiped away a tear.

"You're going to do so well, Elijah." Hermione told him.

"You will," Arthur agreed, wrapping his arm around Molly.

The Weasleys each hugged Eli goodbye then stepped away to give Harry and Severus a moment with their son.

"Papa," Eli addressed Severus. "What if I'm... what if I'm sorted into-" Eli scrunched his nose. "Into Hufflepuff?"

Severus laughed then bent down towards his son. At this distance, Severus could still see the freckles across the bridge of his nose, though they'd faded quite a bit through the years.

"Elijah Snape-Potter. You will be brilliant no matter what house you are sorted into. Look at Dad and I. He was in Gryffindor, I was in Slytherin. Despite this, he and I are partners, soulmates, and friends. What house you're in doesn't matter, unless you let it matter. It's who you are as a person that holds significance."

"Thanks, Papa." Elijah added in a stage whisper. "But I still hope to get sorted into Slytherin."

Severus laughed and Harry rolled his eyes good-naturedly.

"That's my boy," Severus said as he straightened up. Elijah hugged his fathers then ran full-force into the platform.

—-

An owl flew in through the fireplace.

"It's Hedwig!" Harry called to Severus who was in the kitchen. Severus emerged quickly and took the letter from her.

"What's it say?!" Harry prodded.

"Dad & Papa,

I love it here!

Aunt Minnie says I have to call her Headmistress now, but that's fine. She also threatened me if I ever have to show up in her office. She told me she'd call Papa and he would hang me by my toes. She must not know you at all, Papa."

Harry laughed. "He's got you wrapped around his finger and he knows it!"

Severus grumbled and continued reading.

"I've already made some friends and I will tell you all about them at Halloween when I am home.

That blasted Sorting Hat needs to be re-calibrated, by the way."

Severus chuckled.

"Can you believe it had the audacity to sort me into Ravenclaw?"

"Ravenclaw?!" Severus and Harry said in unison.

"You have to pay up on that bet," Severus goaded and kissed his husband's cheek.

"Don't worry, Dad. I didn't spend all of my money on candy from the trolley. I am fine here, and I'm happy. I have double potions tomorrow first thing in the morning. I can't wait!

I love you both.

Your son,

Elijah Snape-Potter"

"See?" Harry said. "He's fine. We will see him in a couple of months."

Severus still seemed a bit sad but nodded. "He will make us proud."

"Yes, he will... But now that we have an empty house..." Harry smirked.

Severus arched a brow. "Upstairs. Now."

Severus and Harry, after decades of strife, trials and injury, had finally found happiness.