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Disclaimer.

This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark or infringement is intended

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Late on Boxing Day afternoon, Jenny and Severus tidied up the kitchen following lunch with their children at their Braemar home. Saoirse was down for a nap, while Darrius was watching a Pantomime on the television - Dick Whittington.

"It's all your fault, you know," said Jenny out of the blue.

Severus paused before responding. He'd learned to be careful about what his answers were when he was accused of some lapse in his duties by his wife. She had an inordinate ability to form logic around her reasoning that left him confounded and tongue tied. It was safer to play dumb, even when you knew your parenting skills were about to be criticized.

"I'm not sure what I'm to blame for, Jenny. Would you mind letting me in on what I've done or not done?" He sighed and hung his tea towel up to dry.

Jenny huffed. "Well, it's obvious. Your son is craving male attention. Look at the way he clung on to the idea of Lucius teaching him to be a snob, for heaven sakes. Of all the people he wants to idolize." She turned back to the sink.

Severus rolled his eyes. He'd expected this. "Jenny, Darrius is just an infant. He'll want to be something else in a week or two." He put his arms around her waist and kissed her ear. "Wait and see, it'll be a Seeker on the Cannons or a Muggle Astronaut next."

Jenny escaped from his embrace. "I don't care, Severus. You need to make a little more time for your family. Darrius needs you. Not only that, but he'll be going to Nursery school in February. You need to talk more about his magic and not using it around other Muggle children.

Severus sighed once more. "Yes, Jenny, I know and I will."

"Good," she replied, "and you can start today. Take Darrius out and play in the snow; it'll do you both good."

"I hate snow," Severus complained. "It's cold and wet and ... white." He trailed off as Darrius trotted into the kitchen.

"Daddy, Daddy, look what I did. Mummy showed me how." Darrius held up a piece of parchment upon which he had scribed his name using a crayon. "Did I do it right, Daddy?"

Severus took the offered parchment and looked at it. Turning the page over, he saw his own writing. He'd been using this piece of parchment to write an article to a potions journal. "Darrius, this is my parchment," he said in an annoyed tone.

Darrius looked disappointed. "I thought you'd like to see what I learned, Daddy. Aren't you proud?"

"I do, I am, but when there's writing on one side you shouldn't..." Severus began impatiently, only to fade when Jenny raised her eyebrow at him. He crouched down to his son's level. "I think you print very well, Darrius. Next time can you ask before using a parchment with writing already on it? It might be important for Mummy or Daddy."

Darrius nodded solemnly. "Okay." Unsmiling, he took the parchment back and made to leave the kitchen.

Jenny just looked at her husband who shrugged and asked, "Darrius, would you like to go outside and build a snowman with me?"

Darrius turned back. "Really, Daddy, just you an' me like best mates?"

Snape walked over and snatched up his son, "Yes, just you and me - no girls allowed. Go and start to get dressed."

Darrius hugged his father as he was set down. He ran to the hall where his winter clothing was waiting.

Jenny walked up and wrapped her arms around her husband. "Now you're going to make him a chauvinist. What am I to do with you?"

Severus smiled at her. "Be careful what you ask for. Now, I have some male bonding to do with my son." He pulled his wand and summoned his own winter clothing, donning it with another swipe of his wand. "Come, Darrius, it will be dark soon."

Darrius barreled into the kitchen with his coat undone. Jenny fastened him up and made sure his hat, scarf and mittens were in place. "Have fun," she said, as father and son exited the back door to the garden.

Later, Jenny looked out from the window in her daughter's room which overlooked the back garden of her home. The gentle slope at the end of the garden housed a tiered garden in the summer where her husband grew herbs, vegetables and other plants used in potions. In winter, it served as a perfect place for a small child to sled down. Jenny noticed, however, that there was no sledding going on at that moment. The snowman had already been assembled, with a jaunty hat and scarf conjured upon it. So she wasn't entirely sure what father and son were doing with their backs to her. She opened the window intending to ask if hot cocoa and biscuits were now in order. As she did, she heard Darrius' voice float over to her.

"Daddy, I did it. It's more fun printing like this than using a crayon." He giggled up at his father who had crouched down to fasten up the boy's coat.

"What are you two doing?" asked Jenny.

Darrius plowed back through the snow towards the house. "Look Mummy, I did my name again. See." He pointed at the slope behind him.

Jenny looked where he pointed and gasped. "Severus Snape, what are you teaching our son?" Emblazoned in yellow on the snowy slope were two names - Severus and Darrius. She turned to her husband who was walking back to the house and pointed wordlessly to the urine-created signatures.

Severus looked up and smiled as he stood beside his son. "It's just a little male-bonding ritual, Jenny. Just what you wanted." He patted Darrius on the shoulder. "Not to worry, mate. It's something women don't understand because they can't do it." He led his son to the house.

Darrius frowned as he followed his father. "Why can't they, Daddy?"

Severus kicked himself when he realized what he'd said. "Well, son, that's a long story for another day."

Darrius was still puzzled and not content. Then an idea suddenly struck the boy. "I know why, Daddy."

"You do," said Severus, wondering what the child meant.

"Cause it's a guy thing, an' we never share secrets with girls," replied Darrius in a conspiratorial whisper.

Severus smiled in relief. "You guessed it, Darrius. Let's keep it that way." He took his son's hand and led him to where a scowling mother waited at the back door. He held up a hand to stop Jenny from speaking, "It's alright, Mummy, Darrius knows. Writing in the snow is a man's secret. We can't tell you anything about it."

Father and son stepped inside where Severus dried their boots with a charm and banished their coats to the hall. As Jenny watched, they disappeared into the living room to share a game of chess.

Jenny heard the milk boiling on the cooker and turned to make cocoa. As she poured out the hot drink she spoke to her baby daughter sitting in the highchair. "You know Saoirse, I have a feeling they put one over on me today. That's not good. We'll have to keep an eye on that pair." She called to say the cocoa was ready. "We have to make sure who's in charge around here, Saoirse. We women have a few secrets too."

The baby girl gurgled in glee and banged her highchair table seeming to agree.