Epilogue

"Mrs. Snape, are you really deciding to resign?" The head healer of St. Mungo's, Dr. Linch, who had gray hair like Dumbledore yet seemed energetically youthful, asked while sitting at his desk, smiling kindly at me.

"Yes, Dr. Linch. I'm very sorry... but I can't leave my children."

I felt a bit embarrassed. I was probably the shortest-serving healer in the history of St. Mungo's...

Not counting the year of training and internships, I had been officially working for less than two months before taking maternity leave to give birth to Ivan. After that, I couldn't return to work due to being targeted by Death Eaters, constantly hiding. 

I had expected to be dismissed long ago due to my prolonged absence, but surprisingly, Burns managed to keep my position for me. Unfortunately, with the responsibilities of my children, I've decided to stay home as a housewife.

"It's a pity, Mrs. Snape. Burns told me about your situation. I believe you are very capable, which is why we kept your position. But if it's for the children, I understand. Well then, if you ever want to come back to work, you are always welcome." The head healer put my resignation letter into a drawer, her kind expression very sincere.

"I will, thank you very much for your care during this time!" I stood up and bowed sincerely.

At first, when I had just graduated, Mrs. Pomfrey recommended me to her teacher, who is now the head healer, and I had been well taken care of from the beginning. In that sense, I had some familial advantages. My training mentor was a familiar face, and despite my prolonged absence—albeit involuntary—I was not dismissed. Of course, the exams were fair, and my skills spoke for themselves, so I wasn't ashamed of the familial connection.

Until my children turn eleven and go to Hogwarts, I will be busy caring for four children. I might seek advice from Molly. But after that, when the children are all at school and Severus is also there, I can't just stay idle at home. Returning to St. Mungo's would be the best outcome.

When I returned home from St. Mungo's, I was greeted by a chaotic living room. Shouts and screams filled my ears; the toy box had been overturned, with various magical toys scattered across the carpet. A few lively toys were bouncing around, and Tito was carefully placing the toys back on the carpet.

With a "whoosh," a figure zoomed past me. I steadied myself and took a deep breath.

"Stop!"

The world was quiet for two seconds before the noise resumed.

"Mom! Look, Harry's flying so well!" Roy was the first to rush over, her hair a mess, her face flushed, and her forehead sweaty.

It turned out the figure that had flown by was Harry. He was now riding Roy's toy broomstick, hovering a meter above the ground, grinning happily.

"Alright—flying very well!" I hung up my outer robe and cleaned off the soot.

"Ivan wants to fly well too," Ivan said quietly from the sofa, looking enviously at Harry in the air. Joanna, lying next to Ivan, patted his head like a little adult when she heard his words.

"You little rascals," I couldn't help but laugh, scooping Roy up under my arm. "Harry, come down here."

Watching Harry land steadily on the carpet, I sighed at the good genes he had inherited. He could fly before he could even walk steadily. Roy flew well, Joanna had no interest in brooms, and Ivan wanted to fly but wasn't good at it.

It seemed I would need to lock away the toy brooms when they weren't in use. Despite their talents, they were still only a year and a half old. Even with Tito watching, I couldn't be completely at ease.

"Harry, tonight Sirius will pick you up and take you to Aunt Petunia's house. You'll come back on Sunday night. Be good at Auntie's house, no mischief!"

Harry might not understand every word I said, but he grasped the key points. His green eyes widened, and he clapped his hands happily, "Sirius, big dog Sirius!"

"Yes, big dog Sirius!" I playfully pinched Harry's little nose and let him rejoin his playmates.

Looking at the messy living room, I sighed. The chaotic days were just beginning.

"Harry! Come to your godfather, good boy!"

The first thing Sirius did every time he stepped out of the fireplace was eagerly look for Harry.

He had finally cleaned himself up. Since the Halloween incident, Sirius had sported a disheveled look, busy every day with his Auror team, hunting down remaining Death Eaters. The last time he came to pick up Harry, his unkempt appearance had scared Harry, who refused to go with him.

This time, Sirius looked well-groomed. His hair was trimmed, and his stubble was gone, looking like a young gentleman. Despite a hint of sadness in his eyes, adding a touch of melancholy to his aura, he was likely to attract many women.

"Sirius!" Harry, lifted high into the air, laughed joyfully, showing no fear.

"You always come at dinner time. I really suspect you come to freeload. Don't you ever wish someone would have a hot meal ready for you when you get home? We're about the same age; my children are old enough to make soy sauce. You should find a wife!" I teased him without any guilt and turned to instruct Tito to prepare an extra dinner.

Sirius responded grumpily, "Thanks for your concern, but I'm not in the mood for romance."

During dinner, Sirius mentioned that they had captured Dolohov, Mulciber, Travers, and a spy inside the Ministry.

"I never thought the Death Eaters had infiltrated the Ministry. Ludovic Bagman from the Department of Magical Games and Sports turned out to be a spy." After feeding the two younger children, I supervised the older two, making sure they ate properly, while I began to fill my own stomach.

"If it weren't for Karkaroff's cowardice, revealing this information to save himself, we might never have discovered this. And there's still a batch of Voldemort's remnants, including my 'dear' cousin and her husband."

Sirius's exaggerated expression made me laugh, "Yes, they're also my cousins. Any leads on them?"

"Leads, maybe," Sirius said with a hint of mystery.

"Maybe?" I raised an eyebrow.

Another Friday evening, Harry had just been picked up, and the three little ones were reluctant to part. With my hands on my hips, I shouted, "Bath time!"

The children immediately became excited, scampering up the stairs. The twins, being three and a half, were naturally faster than the toddling Ivan, quickly reaching the landing, while Ivan was struggling up the fourth step.

"Sisters, wait for Ivan!" Ivan's voice was on the verge of tears.

I held back a laugh, "Don't worry, baby, Mom's coming to help!" I lifted Ivan by his tiny arms and quickly carried him upstairs.

After preparing the bath and adjusting the water temperature, the sisters shared a large tub while little Ivan had his own, with bubbles flying everywhere.

After drying Roy and helping her dress, I sent her to the bedroom and continued the bubble battle with the slippery little ones. Just as I was almost done washing Joanna, I suddenly heard an alarm. My expression tightened. I gathered the three children together and called Tito to protect them. I clutched the object in my pocket, something I had kept with me since I received it, and today it might come in handy.

Holding my wand, I headed downstairs. From the stairs, I saw the defense had been breached, and someone had broken in.

"My dear cousin, aren't you coming down to greet your guests?" Bellatrix and her husband, Rodolphus, looked twisted yet haggard, clearly in bad shape. After Voldemort's fall, they had been on the run from Aurors, living a hard life.

My eyes widened in shock; there were two other men behind them.

Gasping, I clenched the small ball in my hand, feeling it heat up and change shape, then suddenly cool, turning icy cold. I breathed a sigh of relief.

Staying alert, I walked down the remaining stairs.

"Lestrange, you..." My voice trembled with fear and excitement, my feet unsteady, moving without purpose.

"Too bad! It's four against one!" Rodolphus laughed maniacally, "You can Apparate away now, so we can enjoy tormenting the little brats! Screaming, crying, 'Mommy, Daddy, help me!'"

The perverted man mimicked a child's cries. I gripped my wand tightly, my palms aching from the pressure.

"What do you want?" I raised my voice, lifting my wand higher, my feet still moving.

"My cousin is indeed smart. We have some information we'd like to ask you about."

Bellatrix approached me. At this moment, from behind them—thanks to my movement, behind them, the hallway leading to the living room—came sounds like gunfire, several in quick succession.

The sudden noise alerted them to someone Apparating behind them. In shock, they turned around. I seized the opportunity to hide behind the sofa, casting a Disillusionment Charm on myself.

Reinforcements arrived just in time. Sirius was the first to rush in.

I immediately reinforced the main room's defenses with anti-Apparition charms and sealed the Floo Network access. The rest I left to Sirius and his team; capturing dark wizards was their job.

The battle began. I moved to the corner of the stairs, observing the fight, dodging stray curses, and ensuring no one tried to head upstairs. My children were up there, and I couldn't let them be in danger.

More Aurors arrived, filling the living room with sound. Sirius and his team guarded every entrance, including the kitchen and bathroom doors.

Sitting on the stairs, I pondered how many times my home had suffered such calamities. That flying coffee table was something I found in Chinatown, carved with plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums—I loved it. My old gramophone, though unused for ages, was a cherished decoration. Now I saw the large horn lying on the floor. The painting on the wall, drawn by Roy and Joanna, though I never understood what it depicted, was a birthday gift from them! Even such a small hanging could be hit by a curse?

While I lamented the various casualties, someone fell at the foot of the stairs. It was one of the Death Eaters following the Lestranges. He seemed young, not even twenty, with a pale face full of fear, his straw-colored hair limp. He appeared inexperienced, quickly struck down by a spell, lying on the stairs.

The Auror who had attacked him turned to help with Bellatrix and her husband, leaving the boy unattended. I didn't lower my guard, watching him closely. After a few minutes, he moved slightly, his eyes opening a crack to survey the chaos, glancing up the stairs with hope in his terrified eyes.

My gaze sharpened. I raised my wand and silently cast a Stunning Spell. Regardless of his intentions—whether to harm my children or escape upstairs—I wouldn't let this fugitive near my kids. Even if he was just a child in another family.

With the overwhelming difference in power, it was no surprise that the four remaining Death Eaters were subdued.

Three days later, the Daily Prophet reported their sentencing. The Lestranges and Rabastan Lestrange were involved in multiple murders of wizards, sentenced to life imprisonment.

The straw-haired boy turned out to be Barty Crouch Jr., the nineteen-year-old son of Bartemius Crouch, head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Ironically, his father presided over the trial. The newspaper reported that Bartemius disowned his son in court, insisting on sending him to Azkaban for life. Due to the minor injuries from their attack and the absence of prior criminal records, Barty Jr. was sentenced to three years for following Voldemort.

On Sunday night, when Sirius brought Harry back, he told me about the trial.

"Old Bartemius was furious. His son's actions stained his reputation, a fatal blow to his ambition to become Minister of Magic. Despite Barty Jr.'s pitiful claims of innocence, his father emotionlessly insisted on sending him to Azkaban."

"Are you sure Barty Jr. is a Death Eater?" I couldn't imagine keeping an impartial stance if Ivan were in such a situation.

"At least he has the Dark Mark on his arm. Many Death Eaters claimed coercion or control to escape punishment, but the Dark Mark doesn't lie. Maybe he was a new recruit, dragged into this attack by the Lestranges. But to Crouch, anything threatening his reputation must be discarded." Sirius clearly disapproved of the head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement.

"He's only nineteen. Even with three years in Azkaban, if he somehow remains sane, his life is still ruined." I recalled the frightened boy and felt some sympathy, mostly for having such a father. But that was all.

I suddenly wondered, "Why did they come after me? And how did you know they might?"

"They're searching for any leads on Voldemort. You and Severus were the first at the scene that night and are on their watch list. They think you know something." Sirius shrugged, "I didn't know they'd target you. Severus warned me they might, asking me to help protect you and the kids. You've always been at odds with the Lestranges, and they might take it out on you, venting their frustration at losing their master. I couldn't monitor you 24/7, so I made that communication ball on short notice. High-level Transfiguration—it could have been fancier with more time." He looked a bit embarrassed, "Severus asking for my help was a surprise."

"So it was Severus. Without prior warning, with three kids and a house-elf against four ruthless dark wizards... I'd be cleaning up the mess by the time you Aurors arrived, my dear cousin." I handed Sirius a cup of hot tea with a sweet smile.

Sirius choked at my calling him cousin but couldn't refute it. Though not blood-related, we were in-laws. I was older, so cousin wasn't an inappropriate term.

After a few moments, Sirius coughed to cover his embarrassment, ignoring my "cousin" comment. He said, "I suppose Severus isn't so bad, at least not to his wife and kids. As long as he treats Harry well and doesn't mistreat him, I reluctantly agree to him raising my godson."

Still trying to save face, huh? I burst into laughter, which became uncontrollable until Sirius blushed from my teasing.