Into the Light

Business before pleasure

A/N:

I wish to add a short warning: This chapter contains a love scene. For those of you who do not like to read something like that, it starts with this:

***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****
***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** ***** *****

Because the chapter ends with this moment between Severus and Julie, I have not marked the end of the scene.

***** ***** *****

"What are they doing in the kitchen for so long," Severus wondered as he looked in the direction of the hallway.

Alistair glanced over his shoulder and grinned before looking at Severus, "That's my wife. Her habit has undoubtedly rubbed off on our daughter."

"What kind of habit," Severus wanted to know, looking questioningly at Alistair as he reached for his coffee mug.

"Colleen insists on cooking everything herself," he explained. "At first I found it annoying because she wasted a lot of time with cooking. Over the years, however, I have found pleasure in it."

Severus threw a nervous glance toward the hallway, "You say Colleen's habit has rubbed off on your daughter. Does this mean that Julie can cook?"

Alistair nodded cheerfully and seemed to be amused by Severus' question.

"To be honest, I did not know that," Severus said softly. His voice had a nervous undertone, which expressed his mood.

Alistair chuckled, "Julie is as stubborn as my wife, but Julie fits in when she has to. Colleen does not."

Severus knit his brows, "What do you mean?"

"When we went to school together, Colleen complained about the fact that we had to eat the food which was prepared by the house-elves. And Severus, the food was always very good. Nevertheless, I had to endure her complaints every single day. Julie is different. She knows that she has no choice and accepts it," explained Alistair. "Surely she will cook for you when you go home."

Severus swallowed nervously and his gaze wandered to the hallway when a loud rattling was heard from the kitchen. "My kitchen is.. um.. not like yours," he said slowly, thinking of the old, tiny kitchen, which he himself almost never used. Poppy had used his kitchen more often than he had.

"I'm sure it will not bother Julie. She'll arrange everything as she wants it. My daughter is very practical in such matters, like my wife."

Severus frowned as he began to think about Alistair's words. Doubts found their way into his mind and it was not just about his kitchen. Would Julie be satisfied if she were to live in Hogwarts? After all there was only food from the school kitchen. Would Julie like this in the long run? Severus doubted it.

"Why is this troubling you," asked Alistair, who had noticed Severus' doubts.

Severus glanced at him without saying anything. Why could Alistair read him so well? Were his doubts so obvious? Or was he letting down his guard?

"As I said, I have quickly found pleasure in it. My wife is one of the few witches who puts a lot of emphasis on cooking without using magic. Only a few wizards are lucky enough to have such a wife and believe me, I am envied by many. It's a fact that nowadays only few witches learn to cook."

Severus nodded, "My problem is that we live in Hogwarts and therefore eat what is cooked in the school kitchen," he explained.

Alistair could understand Severus' concern and nodded thoughtfully. He knew that this might not be easy in the long run. In general, he and his wife found that it was not easy to live in a wizarding school, no matter if as a couple, or family. Severus und Julie would have to master some difficulties in the future. But he was also convinced that they would manage. He watched Severus attentively, who was sitting opposite him, brooding over his thoughts.