the marriage stone (Discontinued)

Chapter 17 - Thorns

"Well, what do you say, Harry?" Delphina asked. "What would you say is the worst part about being the Boy Who Lived?"

Harry just stared at them in disbelief. "I guess," he said hesitantly, "it would be all the people trying to kill me."

His words were greeted by looks of utter shock, and one barely stifled bark of laughter which Harry realized to his amazement had come from Severus. Severus actually had one hand over his mouth, and was visibly struggling to keep from laughing again. That was definitely approval he saw glittering in those dark eyes this time.

"Oh," Delphina said vaguely. "I suppose that would be difficult."

"Still," Julliana added, apparently having not understood what Harry had said. "I think my hand would start hurting if I had to sign so many autographs."

"Severus," Diana cut in quickly, changing the subject. "Why don't you tell us about your work? I understand your potion skills have far exceeded anything even Mother ever mastered."

Severus, having gotten control of his laugher, shrugged dismissively. "Well, considering the woman poisoned herself, that wasn't difficult to do."

Harry looked over at him in surprise. "Your mother poisoned herself?"

Severus smirked. "Yes, it's one of those obnoxious little family secrets that I'm sure you'll find fascinating."

Harry glanced at the others, wondering if anyone would fill him in. Diana smiled at him. "It's a peculiar story, Harry," she told him. "Not many people know it. Our mother had a rather odd, singular obsession. Have you ever heard the story of Snow White?"

Harry frowned. "Seven dwarves, poison apple, enchanted sleep, true love's kiss. That story?"

"Well, it was actually seven house elves," Diana told him. "But no doubt you heard the Muggle version of the story. The Wizarding version is quite a bit different. Our mother however was interested in the potion brewing aspects of the story."

"She wanted to make a poison apple?" Harry asked, wondering if that was how the woman had poisoned herself.

"Actually, Harry, the poisoned apple is remarkably easy to make," Severus informed him. "Even the enchanted sleep and true love's kiss part is easy enough to brew. A thousand wizards have come up with some variant on that old spell. Mother had no interest in that part of the story."

Confused, Harry glanced back at Diana. He couldn't remember any other potion that was brewed in the story.

"It was the beginning of the story that held our Mother's interest," Diana explained. "The part about the queen who wanted the perfect child. The fairest child in the land, with hair as black as night, lips as red as blood, and skin as white as snow."

White as snow. . . .Harry frowned, only to be struck a moment later by realization, a chill running down his spine as he spared a shocked glance around the room at all the Snapes sitting before him. All with the blackest hair and the whitest skin - he turned toward the impossibly beautiful Julius. Harry's eyes widening in shock, for the description fit him perfectly. The man smiled at him in amusement, inclining his head in acknowledgement of the thought Harry had not spoken but was obviously written plainly on his face.

"She tried with all of us, of course," Diana continued. "And continuously fell short. Until Julius."

"You said she poisoned herself," Harry said, forcing his gaze away from Julius Snape.

Severus smirked bitterly. "Yes, Mother failed to remember one little detail of that pathetic story. The queen dies in childbirth, and never gets to lay eyes on her perfect child. With every experimental potion she took, she risked her own life and the health of her children for something as silly as vanity."