Obiter Dictum

Prologue

To understand the following events of the story, one must first understand how they came to be.

Very few were aware of the relationship between one Severus Snape and one Emmeline Vance.

Quite the odd pairing, some would think, though both fiercely devoted to the cause for which they both fought, their loved ones, and eventually, each other.

Emmeline was a most accomplished witch in her school days. Exceedingly talented and quite powerful in her own skillset. Her husband, the Potions' Master, was evidently skilled in other ways of magic.

Both were members of the reinstated Order of the Phoenix, Professor Snape having joined after the Potters' violent murder.

Emmeline, having been involved long before and been friends with the Potters in school, could not help but gravitate toward the heartbroken tale of a devastated man.

He was surly, nasty, sarcastic, and dour. And he was broken.

And she, well, she was brazen, brilliant, strong-willed, and motivated. And she loved him.

And so began the most curious friendship Dumbledore had yet seen.

Eventually, they married, Emmeline wanting a small Quidditch team of her own, and Snape being all too willing to give his wife whatever she wanted.

He spoilt her rotten, knowing their lives would never be simple, knowing he would never be able to voice his emotions. His love language was in what he could gift her. And she never wanted for much. A house to live in, food to eat, tender moments with her beloved, and a house full of children while he was away at the school.

He gave her all these things, and more. All he could. They'd moved away from Spinner's End into a large, old house out in the countryside. He came home every chance he could to spend time with his family. He brought them surprises and wrote to them twice-daily.

And all was well for nearly 10 blessed years. Despite the occasional hiccough and keeping the Potter boy in line once he came to Hogwarts, everything was bliss.

And no one but the Order knew.

For which the professor was grateful. In 1994, the Deatheater meetings started up again and the Order began gathering its remaining numbers.

In 1995, he moved back into Spinner's End alone to protect his wife and children as the Order gained new members, and promoted Emmeline to the Advance Guard. Immediate protection of Harry Potter. Snape told the Dark Lord he was tracking her to keep suspicion at bay.

During these nights, Molly Weasley and Andromeda Tonks would take turns keeping an eye on the children, a live-in nanny was hired for the days and nights that increasingly took the Snape parents away from the household.

Tensions grew thick and soon the only time they saw one another was at Order meetings. Or on opposite sides of enemy lines.

After Ministry interference at the school and the Headmaster being sent off, all hell broke loose as Potter left Snape a message and broke into the Hall of Prophecies to protect his godfather.

Sirius Black died and Voldemort had officially been declared alive.

1996. Wormtail is sent to spy on Snape as a live-in "servant" at Spinner's End, courtesy of the Dark Lord.

Dumbledore arranges to have Snape shown as a more convincing Deatheater by feeding them semi-true information.

And by pure mishap and unfortunate happenstance-

Body found down the street from Prime Minister's office. Woman identified as Emmeline Vance.

That was no Muggle murder. She was completely unmarked. Authorities had no cause of death other than the fact that she had merely dropped dead in the street in the early hours.

She had never gotten the Quidditch team of babies she had wanted.

And now he had to lie to Bellatrix Lestrange and Narcissa Malfoy about his involvement in her murder.

That he had been the one to share the valuable information that had had her captured and killed.

And then above it all, made to swear to protect his godson should things turn badly and finish the job he was ordered.

What of his own children? Now motherless, alone with an Aupair that didn't count as a parent. 6 of them alone with only each other, not understanding where their father had gone nor what had happened to their mother.

All these points, he had brought up to Dumbledore. Countless times he had begged the old man to return home. To give his wife a proper burial, to feed his offspring, to grieve with his family. Why after all this death and heartache, all that mattered was Potter and his impending death at the hands of the Dark Lord. All the sacrifice and the senseless violence only to have the Chosen One raised like a pig for slaughter.

And in response:

"Don't look shocked, Severus. How many men and women have you watched die?"

"Lately, only those whom I could not save," he had replied.