Title: Mountain and Shadow
Author: Cobalt Blue Kitty aka Cbc
Fandom: Harry Potter
Pairing: Hagrid/ Snape
Summary: Fate throws two vastly opposite souls, Rubeus Hagrid and
Severus Snape, together. Love and new life soon follows. But will
the wizarding world except them? Begins in the summer before Harry’s
fifth year.
Disclaimer: Sorry, don’t own them, wish I did. That great
joy belongs to J.K. Rowling. I’m just borrowing them for a
bit of fun.
No use suing I haven’t got any money. The only things I do
lay claim to are the people, places, magic, and creatures I create
for this fic.
Archive: Snape Mpreg Archive
****
“
What beck’ning ghost, along the moonlight shade invites my
steps, and points to yonder glade?” Alexander Pope ~ Elegy
to the Memory of an Unfortunate Lady
****
Ghosts.
Spirits of the departed.
Shades of those who have passed beyond.
Virtually every civilization that has ever existed upon this earth
has spoken in fearful, hushed tones about spirits who have abandoned
the peace of the grave.
Our lives are filled with vicissitudes, where nothing is certain,
so it was comforting to believe that there was another existence
waiting beyond the moment we are laid beneath the cold, cold earth.
But some spirits do not rest easily.
Brutal and violent deaths were the greatest catalyst to create a
ghost coupled with strong emotions such as pain, revenge, love, sorrow,
regret, and anger which served to strengthen the bond tying a ghost
to this earthly plane.
Some were doomed to reenact their deaths for all eternity, tied to
the place where their lives were stripped away. Others could wander
about as they chose so long as they remained within the bounds of
the house, or castle, or grounds. There were ghosts that were tied
to an object or a specific family line and where that object or family
went so to did they.
A meager number, the rarest of the rare, even chose to be a ghost,
unwilling to leave this earthly plane and their loved ones, remaining
behind to act as guardians and guides to future generations.
Most ghosts were transparent things of misty silver, drifting about
ignoring such things as walls and doors, unable to completely physically
interact with their environment. A rare few could actually touch
the world around them, move things about as they did in life.
Within the muggle world the debate over the existence of ghosts has
gone on almost as long as the belief of ghosts has existed. Paranormal
investigators, in other words ghost hunters, try to detect these
disembodied spirits using a wide range of means. Muggle devices such
as digital recordings, motion detectors, cameras, electromagnetic
field detectors, and trifield natural EM meter detectors were commonly
used. Even equipment developed for the military, such as infrared
night-vision goggles, were pulled into play. People who claimed to
have psychic powers that allowed them to speak to the dead would
walk about claiming this and that. Sometimes they did indeed possess
a bit of the old power and would hold actual conversations with the
dead. Others were just frauds out to scam a buck or two.
Those muggles that didn’t believe in ghosts would spout off
all manner of things that could cause someone to see a ghost. Hallucinations
brought on by chemical imbalances in the brain, drugs, alcohol, fluctuations
in the magnetic fields, overactive imaginations, and people seeking
to claim a bit of fame for themselves. They’d use much of the
same devices that the paranormal investigators did to come to their
conclusions.
Most of the time these two opposing groups never realized the ghosts
in questions were usually in the room with them and laughing their
spiritual heads off at their ‘scientific findings’ or ‘psychic
readings’. After getting the amusement out of their ghostly
systems the spirits would go about their business and leave the muggles
more puzzled than they were to start with.
*~*~*~*
Gazing down at her silver transparent hands Sybil wept tears of
ectoplasm. It was unbelievable. She was dead, murdered by the one
man she’d trusted above all others.
Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, defeater of the Dark Wizard
Grindelwald, holder of the order of Merlin, and her murderer. He’d
struck her down with the killing curse, snuffing out her life because
of what she’d accidentally overheard.
“
Oh no,” she moaned. “Hagrid.”
Once again she attempted to leave this room, and once again the walls
refused her. So it was true, some ghosts really were trapped in the
place of their demise. Frustrated she stalked about the room, mind
working furiously in an effort to find some way out of her invisible
prison and down to the dungeons to warn Snape. The Potions Master
would see that Hagrid was all right. If there were anyone in this
castle that had a chance to stand up against the Headmaster it was
Severus.
How long had it been since her death?
A few hours?
A day, or maybe a week?
Perhaps even a year?
Maybe she was already too late and the vile old wizard had carried
out him and his cohorts’ nefarious plans.
Flinging herself against the barriers once again Trelawney screamed,
her eerie voice filled with rage as she was hurled back into the
room. Again and again she tried to force her way through only to
be experience the same results.
*~*~*~*
Divinations was certainly different. None of the students could
believe the change in Trelawney’s old classroom in the north
tower. Gone were the shelves of tea cups, crystal balls, and other
means of divination tools. Three large cabinets stood off to the
left, each one marked with what was stored inside. The incense, which
had formally filled the room so heavily it was hard to breathe, was
gone; no lingering trace of the overbearing sweet fumes could be
smelt. The windows were even open.
Seated near the banked fireplace was their new teacher. He looked
up with a brilliant smile plastered to his face and many of the students
cringe and moan, reliving memories of their second year DADA classes.
Once everyone was settled and names checked Professor Lockhart sat
back and regarded his students.
“
Do you know someone actually wished me luck when I told them I was
teaching the fifth year Gryffindors for my first class?” Casually
his gaze swept over the seated children, noting a few of them were
fidgeting.
“
I feel it’s necessary to set a few matters strait before we
begin. One, do not compare me to that idiot Gilderoy.”
Here virtually the entire class jumped, they certainly hadn’t
expected that.
“
The man was nothing but a liar and a fraud who made his living off
the deeds stolen from others.”
Now they were looking at him like he’d grown another head or
something.
“
Two, I have no aspirations to fame or other such nonsense. I am content
with working to expand the uses of my field of expertise.”
Several of the boys in the back started whispering to one another,
particularly the one with messy black hair and glasses and the red-head
besides him.
“
Three, I will not be spouting off about the inner eye and making
predictions of death all the time. Yes, there will be things said
about the senses we possess beyond the standard five but I’m
not going to be falling back on it every three minutes. Now, are
there any questions?”
One girl with a pretty brown braid raised her hand. “Yes Miss
Patil?”
“
Are you going to be changing the books Sir?” “Why should
I?”
“
Well the other Professor Lockhart had us reading all his--.”
“
Miss Patil you forgot the first matter I wanted to set strait. Five
points from Gryffindor. Besides I haven’t written a book, all
of my research and experiment findings have been published in League
of Seer’s magazine and that’s it.”
The boy with the messy black hair raised his hand next.
“
What are you going to teach us then?”
“
Good question Mr. Potter. Before I begin on lessons I want to discover
how much you already know and what areas each of you might be best
in. The first will be checked by the test you’ll be taking
tomorrow.”
A round of groans rose up.
“
The second we’ll check today by using my little friend Horatio
here.” He patted what looked like a shrouded crystal ball on
the table next to him.
“
Horatio? He named his crystal ball?” The sandy haired boy nearest
Potter whispered.
“
No Mr. Finnigan, I did not name a crystal ball, I named this.” And
with that he pulled off the blue velvet cloth and smiled when a round
of astonished gasps filled the air.
Horatio turned out to be a life size, highly detailed and accurate
crystal skull.
“
This fellow here has been my companion for nearly 15 years now. He
was discovered by one of my ancestors in the jungles of South America.” His
long fingers skimmed across the polished crystal’s surface. “Now
what we are going to do is each one of you will come up here and
we will touch the skull together. This way I can get a good feel
for your potential.”
With a mix of curiosity and skepticism the Gryffindors came up as
he called their names. Some he merely nodded and motioned them back
to their seats, others he wrote down a few short notes before the
next child.
Finally it was Harry Potter’s turn.
The boy approached the skull and its owner warily. There was something
about the hunk of rock that unnerved the young man. But still, it
was just a carved hunk of rock, what could it do?
“
All right Mr. Potter, just like you’ve seen your friends do.” The
Professor coaxed the boy a little closer.
Harry nodded and laid his hand on the skull’s surprisingly
warm surface.
All hell broke loose.
Students jerked back startled as the pair suddenly stiffened, a strangled
cry tearing from their throats. With a supreme effort Professor Lockhart
jerked his and Harry’s hands away, quickly letting go of the
boy’s appendage as if the merest touch of his flesh burned.
The young wizard dropped to the floor in a daze while the golden
haired man staggered, clutching the table desperately for support
while blood seeped freely from his nostrils, dark red over shock-pale
flesh.
“
Harry! Harry! What happened??!!” The red-headed boy, Ron Weasley,
rushed up to his fallen friend and checked him over, calling over
and over to Harry and asking if he was all right.
“
He’ll be…fine Mr. Weasley.” Lockhart panted, voice
wavering, as he wiped the blood away with an old handkerchief clutched
in one heavily shaking hand. “I didn’t…expect..such
an…overwhelmingly strong reaction.”
Five minutes later both student and teacher had recovered for the
most part. Harry was nursing a slight headache while the new professor
finally managed to get his nose to stop bleeding.”
“
Please…remember this Mr. Potter; never lay so much as a finger
on me again.” Lockhart’s words brought both Harry and
Ron’s head up.
“
Sir?” Perplexed green eyes stared up at the Professor.
Rather unsteadily Gideon knelt before the two boys.
“
You’re fate is linked to another’s. Tightly is this bond
woven, by spells, pain, and blood.” Here the young one flinched,
rubbing at the inside of one arm, remembering that hideous night
last school year when the blood tie between him and Voldemort was
formed. “Through you Mr. Potter I could feel…him. The
experience wasn’t…a pleasant one.”
“
You could feel him?”
“
Much to my regret yes.”
“
I’m sorr--.”
“
No need for that my dear boy. It’s entirely my fault. Knowing
your past history with the Dark One I should’ve laid down a
few protective wards before testing you.” He smiled at the
green eyed boy while patting Ron on the shoulder.
Potter sighed, sagging back against his friend in relief. He gladly
accepted the hunk of chocolate that the Professor offered, watching
as the man snapped off a sizable piece for himself before stowing
the valuable sweet away. The rest of the class went reasonably well
though a few students balked when it came time for their turn with
the Professor.
Thankfully there were no more reactions like Harry’s and everything
settled down. All in all, despite the strange and slightly disturbing
reaction Professor Lockhart had to him, it was the best Divinations
class Harry had taken yet.
*~*~*~*
For Severus the day went from reasonably decent to hell in two scant
hours. The nausea returned with a vengeance just before his second
class of the day. His students, the combined class of first year
Gryffindors and Slytherins, found the room empty as the Professor
Snape was nowhere in sight. A few minutes later the man came in looking
whiter than he ever had before except for that tinge of green around
his cheeks. Severus had already lost his breakfast and now it seemed
his body was determined to retrieve last night’s dinner and
bring it up too.
The students noted the change in their teacher immediately. Most
were secretly pleased. Professor Snape was the least liked teacher
in the entire school and usually went out of his way to make his
student’s lives miserable. It was poetic justice for him to
be miserable. A few more intelligent students knew what their teacher’s
misery entailed and were filled with dread. Professor Snape would
no doubt take his misery out on them. And they were right.
Despite the constant turning of his stomach Severus stalked through
the class dealing out criticism and removing points in equal measure.
At the end of the period not a single student lingered behind, the
only thought on their young minds was to get out of the room as quickly
as possible.
Lunch time rolled around but Severus remained in the dungeons. He
was hungry, as disgusting as it sounded, but didn’t want to
embarrass himself in front of the whole school by throwing up all
over the staff table and probably the staff too. Severus was just
contemplating whether or not to order the house elves could produce
something light enough to stay down when someone knocked on his door.
(It’s not Rubeus.) Severus rose and walked towards the door.
(I would’ve felt him.)
Snape regretted opening the door immediately. It was Gideon Lockhart.
“
Ah there you are Professor!” He grinned that stomach-turning
Lockhart smile. “I didn’t see you in the Great Hall.
Not hungry?”
Severus turned away, striding back to his desk. “I fail to
why my eating habits should be of importance to you.”
“
Oh?” Lockhart picked a jar of bat’s wings off the shelf
and made a show of examining it. “You know, the first three
months of a pregnancy are very important.” The distinct sound
of breaking glass filled the air as Severus dropped the empty bottle
he’d just picked off his desk.
Blues eyes turned towards Snape. “Eating right is vital if
the baby is to get enough nutrition.” One long-fingered hand
immediately reached for his wand, black eyes locked on the blonde
wizard. “What idiotic babble are you spouting Lockhart?” He
hissed. “How long did my calming energy last?” Gideon
asked, completely at ease despite the danger he was in. “I
made it as strong as I dared within the time I had to work in.”
What? Severus slowly slipped his wand back into its concealing pocket. “What
are you talking about? And make it believable or you will regret
ever setting foot in my dungeons.”
Gideon shut the classroom door before answering. “I have a
bit of healing talent, it runs in the blood. The moment I touched
you this morning I knew you were pregnant.”
Damn.
“
And why would my condition matter to you?”
Blue eyes met black, never flinching under that stern gaze. “Why
haven’t you gone to Madame Pomfrey for some anti-nausea spells?
You’d be much more comfortable. Don’t you trust her?”
No, he didn’t but how could he tell this man that? What if
he was just toying with him? “My patience is running thin Lockhart;
you have not answered my question.”
The genial smile faded from the younger man’s handsome face,
replaced by a somber expression which quelled a tiny portion of Snape’s
anger; so the man could be serious when he wanted to. That was good.
“
I have nothing against you Professor Snape.” His voice deepened. “Make
no mistake, I’ve heard dozens of horror stories about you from
former students, fellow staff members, and strangers down at the
pub; rumors that you are a Death Eater, a heartless animal, a murderer,
and the sadistic bastard-child of an incubus who gets off on terrorizing
his students.”
Severus couldn’t help chuckling; that last one was new.
“
But I prefer to make my own decisions about people. That’s
the nice thing about being a sensitive; you develop a talent for
reading folks.” Gideon smiled softly, blue eyes sparkling in
the torch light. “And beneath that sarcastic asshole exterior
there lies the soul of a good man.”
For the moment Severus was satisfied, he would reserve full judgment
on the matter when he’d discovered more about this unusual
wizard. Now that his emotions were calming the nausea returned with
a vengeance. Snape turned green and raced for the bathroom where
Gideon could hear the poor man heaving.
Severus thought it would never stop, not till his stomach succeeded
in bringing up his colon. Death would be preferable to this torture.
Footsteps on the cold tile announced that Lockhart had followed him
and Snape felt a momentary flash of fear. He was incredibly vulnerable
right now; hardly able to life his wand much less cast a coherent
spell. If Gideon was so inclined he could easily injure or kill the
Potions Master. But that was not the man’s intention.
Another soothing spell permeated his skin and Snape fell limp with
relief into the younger wizard’s arms. He gratefully accepted
the cool washcloth and small sips of water. When he felt strong enough
Gideon helped him to his feet and steadied Severus as they walked
over to the long couch he kept in one corner.
Clutching at the blonde’s arm Severus mulled over the facts,
letting his instincts chip in their opinion. It may be the one of
the worst mistakes of his life but Severus was willing to extent
a measure of trust to this new wizard.
“
Poppy hates me,” Severus said as he laid back on the comfortable
surface. “The staff at the Hogsmeade clinic are no better.
Both have failed to treat me correctly each time I’ve been
forced to submit to their dubious care. They would happily murder
my baby, and I as well, if we went to them for help.”
Gideon blinked; surely he hadn’t heard that right. These were
certified medical personal they were talking about here, not some
shady back-street patch-up quack. They’d taken an oath to do
no harm, to treat all who entered their doors with skill and mercy,
laying aside all prejudices and personal beliefs. He wondered if
the Ministry knew about this selective mistreatment of patients.
But the longer Gideon thought about it the more he believed they
did know. No one was going to protest the mistreatment of a suspected
Death Eater.
“
There’s no place for me to go.”
Gideon made his decision.
“
Yes there is.”
*~*~*~*
Stepping out of the green flames that evening Severus busied himself
with cleaning off the soot before taking stock of his surroundings.
He almost whistled. The house he and Hagrid had flooed to obviously
belonged to a well off family, very well off. The décor was
a perfect blending of antique and modern styles. The materials were
of the finest quality. Marble, crystal, silver, and rare woods abounded.
Portraits of what had to be Gideon’s ancestors hung on the
walls and offered their greetings to the new arrivals.
“Are we in the right place Sev’rus?” Hagrid asked,
dusting the last of the black residue off his coat. “Greetings.You
are Professors Snape and Hagrid?” A house elf appeared right
in front of them.
“
We are.” Severus stepped forwards.
“
This way, Master is waiting for you.”
The couple followed the creature through the halls, marveling at
the architectural splendors each turn revealed. Idly Severus wondered
if Lucius had ever been here. The pale haired wizard would have been
absolutely glowing green with envy since Malfoy Manor wasn’t
even half this elegantly regal.
“
In here, Master is inside.” The elf motioned them through a
pair of ornate cherry wood doors.
“
Thank you.”
The office they stepped into was larger than it actually seemed thanks
to the floor to ceiling bookcases, each filled to capacity with books
of all types, the majority of which were medical texts of some kind.
“
Reminds me of yer rooms Sev’rus.” Hagrid chuckled with
his rumbling laughter.
“
Yes, it does.” The black-haired man longed to study the shelves’ contents
in detail. He could already see several titles dealing with medical
potions that he’d spent years searching for.
“
I may be persuaded to loan you a few tomes for study Professor Snape.”
Both men jumped.
An elderly man was walking towards them. He reminded both men of
Albus. There was the same noble stance, same slow careful movements.
His face however was clean shaven and pristine white hair cropped
short and neat. No fancy robes, just a gray outfit cut in a fashion
similar to Snape’s own school robes. And there it was; that
trademark Lockhart smile.
“
Welcome to my house Professors my name is Giles Encarti Lockhart.” He
held out his hand in greeting. One black eyebrow rose. That name
sounded vaguely familiar.
“
Thank yeh Mr. Lockhart, me name’s Rubeus Hagrid.”
The half-giant’s hand engulfed the smaller wizard’s as
they shook.
“
Then you must be Severus Snape, my new patient.”
Giles turned to the imposing figure in black.
“
That remains to be decided.” Black eyes narrowed.
The elder Lockhart however wasn’t intimidated in the least.
Over the long years of his practice he’d treated patients far
more sinister than this man, though few had ever come near the personal
power level this one was emanating, a power which would only grow
as the pregnancy progressed. Given the awakening magic of his massive
mate the child they’d created between them would be truly wondrous.
He was extremely pleased that his grandson had steered this couple
his way, after all it wasn’t every day one had the chance to
deliver a potential mage.
“
Please, come and sit down.” He directed them towards the chairs
nearest to the fireplace, within reach of the hearth’s warmth.
“
I must say this is a pleasure to meet you Professor Snape. I’ve
read your paper on the various combinations of poisonous plants and
their use in potions for healing advanced forms of nerve damage and
found your conclusions most enlightening. Very few wizards today
take the time to perform experiments properly, much less do them
at all.”
Severus hid his astonishment well. That particular thesis had taken
the better part of two years of patient nightly research and experimentation
and was over 250 pages long. Very few of his colleagues understood
it and many scoffed at his findings.
“
I’d like to show you my own research. Maybe you’d agree
to collaborate on a paper since my work is based on a similar line
of thought.”
“
Oh? Are you also a Potions Master?”
Giles chuckled and flashed that winning Lockhart smile. “No,
just a retired Mediwizard who’s made some progress with pain
relieving potions.”
Several pieces snapped together. “You’re G. Encartis!”
“
Yeh know him Sev’rus?”
Severus was still staring at the elderly wizard when he answered
his husband. “G. Encartis is one of the foremost experts in
the field of medical potions. I remember receiving a letter of congratulations
from him and an invitation to take tea with him but I couldn’t
leave the school at the time. But why didn’t you use your real
name?”
“
At first it was merely to avoid unwelcome visitors but later, in
the wake of young Gilderoy’s misdeeds coming to light, it was
to ensure people took my work seriously.”
His face sobered.
“
Gideon has informed me of the basics of your need, but I’d
like to hear it from you if that’s all right.” Giles
leaned back and waited, not wanting to push as Professor Snape was
stressed out enough as it was without being forced to reveal personal
information. If he was going to take on this man as a patient Severus
Snape would have to start trusting him. Fingers gripped the chair’s
arms tightly as Severus struggled with himself. This was but the
first hurdle for him to traverse. If this man was to treat him properly
he needed to know Snape’s medical background.
Praying that he wasn’t making another horrible mistake Severus
launched himself headfirst into the breech. Giles listened intently
as Professor Snape began explaining about what had brought the unusual
couple to his home. Off to his left his medical quill was carefully
recording everything down on the proper forms so the elder Lockhart
could review them later if necessary. Snape hesitated briefly, struggling
with some inner conflict, before exposing one of his darkest and
deepest shames.
That the man had been a Death Eater wasn’t a great surprise,
that rumor had been floating about for years. What was surprising
was that the man found the strength to turn away from that dark path
and return to the side of light. He was also severely disappointed
with the Headmaster of Hogwarts for using this young man so, sending
Snape back time and time again into the den of that twisted demon.
Someone needed to have a serious talk with Dumbledore.
Some of the tortures at Voldemort’s orders the younger wizard
described enduring were horrible, leaving the healer both sickened
and enraged. It was a real pity he wasn’t a few years younger,
Giles would dearly love to hex Voldemort. His favorite curse one
was to conjure up a batch of angry fire ants in someone’s underwear;
excruciatingly painful didn’t come close to describing the
agony those little insects could inflict on that delicate and sensitive
flesh.
Ah well, at least he could strike at the bastard by aiding this wizard
bring him his child into the world.
Severus’ tale wound down. He felt utterly exhausted, the strong
emotions connected to the facts he’d revealed drained away
his strength. He gratefully accepted the tea Mr. Lockhart’s
elf offered him, sipping the sweet brew, letting the warm liquid
sooth his nerves.
“
Well, the first order of business is to perform an exam. I need to
see how you and the little one are fairing.”
“
Must we?” Severus cringed a bit at what that word ‘exam’ entailed.
“
Unfortunately yes,” the elder Lockhart set aside his cup and
rose. “But I promise you Severus that I’ll be gentle
and if any time things get too much or you feel any pain just say
so and I’ll stop. Is that all right?”
No, it wasn’t all right but for the sake of his child Severus
would endure it. At least the old wizard was allowing Rubeus to stay
during the whole thing.
Once Severus had changed into an exam robe Dr. Lockhart began the
exam with the basics; height, weight, heart, lungs, and blood pressure.
He looked at the elderly healer a little strangely when Lockhart
handed him a little plastic cup and showed him the bathroom but did
as he was told. After he handed over the filled container Lockhart
next collected a sample of his blood. Tests would be run on both
items by specially trained house elves while the rest of the exam
continued.
Lockhart then directed Severus to lie down on the padded exam table
magically warmed to be comfortable.
“Now Severus, I’m going to perform a few abdominal palpations
to see how the uterus is positioned.”
Severus nodded. “Just get on with it.” He tried not to
flinch as his robe was opened, leaving him bare from the chest down.
Memories of previous exams by Poppy and the Clinic staff swam through
his head, so that he cringed as surprisingly warm hands touched his
stomach, but after the first ten seconds and the pain failed to appear
Severus relaxed. Lockhart carefully pressed here and there, humming
as he worked. Writing his findings down Lockhart then gently directed
his patient to place his legs in the stirrups and allowing him to
perform the internal examination. Severus grunted, finding this a
little uncomfortable and Lockhart was quick to finish.
“
Well?” Severus pulled his legs down and arranged the robe in
a more modest manner.
“
Everything’s fine, just fine. We just need to check the baby’s
genetic makeup and you can get dressed.” Giles pulled out his
wand.
This was the part Severus feared most. His grip on Hagrid’s
hand tightened till his knuckles were white. Rubeus tried to calm
his husband, stroking his black hair and crooning softly. Neither
worked, for Severus the only thing that would alleviate his fears
were Lockhart’s findings.
Giles flicked his wand a few times to warm up. Three spells were
called for here; each one had to be cast precisely for the findings
to be correct. No room existed for even the smallest error in movement
or pronunciation.
“
Alvus Deprehendere Genetisus.”
Before his eyes a detailed chart of the genetic structure of Severus’ unborn
child wrote itself out a floating parchment.
(Quite an unusual assortment of genes this little one’s got.)
He studied the rows of DNA. (Little wonder Severus was worried about
deformities.)
“
Genetisus Anomolis Mutatus.”
Now any part of the baby’s structure that was mutated but not
life-threatening would begin to glow. Five little sections began
emitting a faint blue light, indicating these were beneficial adaptations.
If the glow had been red Giles would’ve known these genes would
likely cause some manner of deformity with the severity indicated
by the intensity of the light. The final spell was the most important
for it checked for clashes in the genetics of the parents which would
be fatal for their child.
“
Genetisus Terminus Mortalis.”
Giles waited, eyes scanning the paper. Any section which turned black
would spell doom for this budding life. After a minute the old healer
let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. The parchment
remained unchanged.
“
Congratulations gentlemen, you had a healthy little baby.”
Tears of relief and joy stained their cheeks as Severus and Hagrid
embraced, the sudden release of their worries and fears so strong
it left both men a little dizzy.
“
Thank yeh Sir! Thank yeh!” Hagrid blubbered and scooped the
older wizard up in a massive hug that threatened to squeeze the life
out of him. It reminded Giles of being caught in a Devil’s
snare without a way out.
“
Rubeus, he’s turning blue.”
Stammering an apology the half-giant released Lockhart and held the
man steady as he got his breath back. “Thank you,” he
wheezed between deep gulping breaths. “You can get dressed
now.”
While Hagrid aided his spouse in dressing Giles returned to his office
and poured himself a stiff shot of Mountain Dew, relishing the soda’s
sharp taste and bubbles that tickled his nose. Muggles certainly
made some interesting drinks. He’d just settled into his plush
chair when his patient emerged with his husband and took their seats.
“
First off, would you like to know the sex of your baby?”
Both looked startled then turned towards each other. Severus shook
his head silently and Hagrid nodded. “No thanks Sir, we’d
likes ter find that ourselves.” Giles nodded, pleased with
their answer. Some couples placed too much value in knowing the sex
before the birth. He thought it took some the magic out of this most
magical of events.
“
The health of your baby aside gentlemen the road ahead is still rocky.
I won’t lie to you Severus. This pregnancy would be considered
high risk just on the basis of your original gender alone. Tack on
your age, previous health problems, bloodlines of both parents, and
your stressful career and we have a recipe for disaster.”
“
Bloodlines? But you said the baby was healthy!”
“
Indeed it is Severus, but if the baby takes after Rubeus’ giant
heritage it could grow too large for your womb resulting in an early
c-section, or possibly one overly strong kick could easily cause
a fatal hemorrhage. Keep in mind that for nine months the baby is
inside you, a part of your body, and its growth and development is
going to have a direct effect on you.”
Severus clutched Hagrid’s hand again.
“
But we do have a few factors in our favor. I am familiar with the
spell used on you Severus; it’s continuing to make adjustments
to your body and will do so even after you’ve delivered.”
“
Changes? What, pray tell, can I look forwards to?” Dr. Lockhart
leaned forwards, elbows on the desk’s oaken top, fingers loosely
laced together. “Basic changes, ones that any pregnant woman
might encounter.”
“
Be more specific.”
“
Increased blood production, higher heart rate, increased appetite,
mood swings, pigmentation changes, decreased or increased sex drive
varying on the time of gestation, breast development-.”
“
Breast development?” Snape squeaked. “I’m not a
bloody woman!!”
“
Your body is just reacting to hormones, it’s perfectly normal.”
“
I don’t care if it’s natural or not!” the black-clad
man hissed. “I will not walk around looking like some cow in
need of a milking!!”
Giles smiled at the fuming man. “Given the fact you’re
basically a man I highly doubt they’ll develop that far. You’ll
probably only grow a cup size if even that much.” A quick wand
flick and three books floated off the shelves and over to Snape.
“
These are yours. I want you to read them.”
Picking up each one Snape read their titles aloud. “Miracle;
a baby’s life before birth. What to expect when you’re
expecting; the wizard version. You’re a man and pregnant.” Severus
laid each one on the desk. “Those books have a lot of good
information for the both of you.”
“
Looks ter be good readin’ fer our fire rug love.” Hagrid
opened the first book and smiled at the picture of a baby sucking
its thumb.
“
You’ll need to start eating better and regularly, and I want
you on prenatal vitamins to ensure the baby’s proper growth.
No more strenuous magic; light spells are fine but please refrain
from using stronger ones unless it’s a life-threatening emergency.
Since you work with potions I hope you understand that some of the
ingredients involved in their making can be harmful, even fatal,
to an unborn fetus and you’ll need to avoid coming in contact
with those.”
“
I’ll have to revise some courses then.” Severus said,
mind already working on what potions could be substituted for the
hazardous ones. “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of
cure the old saying goes and I’m a firm believer in it Severus.
If at any time I think your duties are putting too much of a strain
on you and endangering both you and the little one I will order you
to take maternity leave before any problems arise.”
“
But-.”
Giles held up one hand. “No buts! I am your doctor and my main
concern is to see that you safely deliver a healthy baby.”
Snape sat back in his chair fuming, but deep within he was secretly
pleased. This man wasn’t afraid to stand up to him and strong
enough not to back down in light of Severus’ temperament. For
the first time since he’d discovered his unusual condition
Severus fully relaxed. His baby was fine, his health was fine, and
both of them were in good hands.
“
Very well. Whatever you prescribe I will do.”
The elder Lockhart’s smile was so wide it threatened to split
his face. “Excellent! Now are then any other questions you’d
like to ask?”
“
Can yeh tell when the wee one’s due?”
Giles consulted his papers. “Hmmm, let’s see now. Ah!
Here it is. From the growth of the fetus and the date of your last
cycle the baby was conceived about the 12th of January so that places
the due date somewhere around the 19th of October.”
“
Close to Vetraetr.” Snape mused, stroking his still flat belly.
“
Vetraetr? What’s that love?”
Severus smiled up at his mate. “Winter Night; the Norse new
year. My Father’s birthday falls on Winter Night.”
“
A good time of the year for babies. But remember the conception and
delivery dates are only a base estimate. No one knows when exactly
a baby will decide to be born. Babies can come before the due date,
after it, or hit that exact day.”
Blushing and stammering Hagrid asked the next question on his mind. “Ah
I don’t rightly know how ter ask this…but how…I
mean…can we...you know.”
Thankfully Dr. Lockhart knew it was only a matter of time before
one of them asked this particular question and was ready with an
answer. “Sex is okay though Severus may experience a decrease
in his sexual urges during these first few months. Just keep in mind
that if at any time it becomes uncomfortable, painful, or Severus
shows signs of bleeding you’re to stop immediately. Understood?’
“
Perfectly.” Came back the dual answer. “Now I expect
to see you back here for a check up in two weeks, earlier if any
problems arise.”
Both wizards thanked Giles again, the old man barely avoiding another
one of Hagrid’s rib-crushing hugs, before returning to Hogwarts
via floo.
That night the happy couple celebrated in their third floor haven,
talking about their future and making slow soft love to one another
till sleep came to claim them.
*~*~*~*
Delays were the bane of his existence.
That miserable idiot Fudge was becoming much too tiresome. Still
deep in denial and totally out of his league in dealing with the
threat Voldemort posed Cornelius was driving the old wizard up
the wall with tons of letters begging for Dumbledore’s consul.
Between rescuing Fudge’s ass, his duties as Headmaster, and
Order meetings he’d only caught a few brief hours of sleep
a night. Really! Albus was seriously considering getting rid of the
stuffy little twit if only to gain one single good night’s
worth of sleep.
The dark forces were slowly awakening now that their master had returned.
Already there were reports of disappearances and outright murders
with each marked by the dreaded skull and serpent standard of Voldemort.
Everyone in the Ministry who was not an Order member was now suspected
of either being a Death Eater or at least a supporter till they proved
themselves otherwise. Muggle-born and mixed blood wizards and witches
were growing more and more nervous. Some fled to other countries,
others stayed sealed in their homes, and a few chose to come to Hogwarts
with their children. Thank Merlin the school was magically able to
accommodate everyone.
It was now two weeks since he and his cohorts had met in the tower.
Albus had made a promise to the others to speak to both of their
pawns and separate them back into their solitary and malleable existences.
Glancing at the clock he noticed it was nearly time for the black-clad
wizard to make his appearance.
Wondering what is Slytherins could’ve done now Severus climbed
the last few steps to the secret entrance. Eying him speculatively
the gargoyle made the young wizard say the stupid password twice
before allowing him to pass.
*~*~*~*~
Merlin didn’t like this, didn’t like this one bit. There
was an almost palatable sense of menace hanging about the air the
closer they got to the Headmaster’s office and all of it was
directed towards the potions professor.
Recently he’d begun to suspect the school’s Headmaster
wasn’t the genial old lunatic everyone believed him to be.
Behind that idiotic smile and twinkling blue eyes lay a mind more
cunning than most of the wizards in England. Oh, he’d crafted
his mask well this Albus had. But not so well that he could fool
a mind so old and steeped in the practice of deceit as Merlin was.
So as Severus rode the spiral stairs towards the Headmaster’s
office Merlin carefully wove concealing charms about Severus, his
unborn child, and the pendant which was Merlin’s spiritual
base. There would be no risk taking, the safety of Severus and his
child was paramount.
*~*~*~*
Today, for some odd reason, entering the Headmaster’s office
felt as if he was stepping into a manticore’s den.
“
Ah Severus! Come in, come in!” The white-bearded wizard called
out from behind his desk.
“
Headmaster, you wished to see me?” Snape inquired in his usual
tone, taking the seat farthest from Dumbledore.
“
Yes indeed. Lemon Drop?” the tin of yellow sweets was offered
and as always the younger wizard automatically declined.
Albus put the battered tin away. “Well then, onto the business
at hand. It has come to my, and to much of the school’s inhabitants,
attention that there has been a certain level of thawing of the animosity
between you and Hagrid.”
(You could say that again.) Severus maintained his carefully schooled
mask. (The man generates enough body heat to melt a glacier.)
“
Wasn’t that what you requested Albus? It was my understanding
that you wanted me to become more acquainted with my fellow Professors,
make some friends as it were.”
This was amusing. The old man was talking like Rubeus was the only
staff member Severus was on good terms with. Well, in a sense he
was the only one Severus was on that ‘good’ a term with.
“
Yes I did. However, this particular form of ‘friendship’ is
somewhat more than I required.” Under the suddenly stern blue
gaze Snape suppressed a shudder.
“
Hagrid has never been exposed to such strong physical displays and
I have no doubt he is unsure as to how such matters should be handled-.”
“
What exactly are you insinuating Headmaster?” Black eyes narrowed
dangerously, fury welling up inside him as he waited for Dumbledore
to clarify.
“
Leave Hagrid alone Severus. He is not a sexual play toy you can use
and toss aside when it becomes boring. Our Gameskeeper is a flesh
and blood person and cannot deal with such rejection.”
By now Severus was shocked and seething with anger. How dare this
man interfere in the one good thing that had happened to his life
since his father’s death! It was inexcusable! The desire to
whip out his wand and hex the rotten old bastard was strong and growing
stronger by the second. But he couldn’t. First of all if he
hexed the Headmaster Fudge would have his head for sure, something
which the measly sod had been craving to do for years. Then there
was the baby to consider. Dr. Lockhart had warned him about using
strong magic during his pregnancy. And the books he and Rubeus had
been reading said strong emotions could irritate his pregnancy symptoms.
Not that it wouldn’t be fun observing the Headmaster trying
to clean vomit out of his beard. It just wouldn’t be good for
the baby. So he turned to his best weapon; his voice.
“
Rubeus is not a play toy, nor is he unsure. Rubeus Hagrid is my Bonded
husband and remain so till death and beyond. You, nor anyone else,
have the right to interfere in our personal lives.” Severus
was rather pleased with the note of dark menace in his voice. It
conveyed a number of dire insinuations which the old wizard would
do well to notice.
From the look on Dumbledore’s face he obviously had understood
the unsaid meaning in Snape’s reply.
“
Bonded? You have bonded?”
“
On Christmas morning.”
The old wizard slumped back in his high-backed chair. “Severus..Severus
this is entirely unacceptable. Two faculty members are forbidden
to have any kind of intimate relations.”
“
Not true. The school’s charter has absolutely nothing contained
within it which would hinder relationships between teachers. Otherwise
you would’ve already used it against Professor Flitwick and
Madame Pince, and let’s not forget your occasional midnight
romps with Minerva.”
There, let the old buzzard try and explain that off. Albus would
be a right old hypocrite if he condemned Severus while ignoring all
the other goings on within the castle’s walls and on its grounds.
Teenage students were often called hormone driven sex maniacs but
they had nothing on the staff. If the castle’s walls could’ve
talked about all the torrid affairs and passionate flings it’d
seen between the teachers and support staff there’d be enough
tales to fill literally thousands of those disgusting muggle romance
novels. During the thousand years Hogwarts had existed there’d
been 256 births recorded among the employed adults. A small smile
flitted across Snape’s face as he remembered that next October
he would be raising that number to 257.
Dumbledore blushed, but from anger or embarrassment Severus couldn’t
say.
Before the Headmaster could start in again a messenger owl flew through
the office window a rolled parchment clutched tightly in its talons.
Whatever it was written on that parchment must certainly be dreadful
for the old wizard paled noticeably.
“
We will speak of this again later Severus. Right now I have more
important matters to attend to.” The old wizard waved in dismissal.
Severus was never so glad to leave the Headmaster’s office
in all of his life. Heading down to his dungeons Severus checked
his pocket watch. He had just enough time to grab a bite to eat before
he had detentions to oversee.
Fred and George Weasley were determined to drive him insane with
their final year pranks. Occasionally he wondered if the twins were
deliberately earning detentions so they could discuss their prank
formulas with him. Not that he minded really, the boys had a wonderful
talent for developing jokes. He expected to see Fred and George’s
enterprise rival and even surpass Zonko’s so long as their
gags were safe.
Seeing that his future students would no doubt be buying the twins
jokes to use in his potions classes it was in Snape’s best
interest, and continued good health, to see that they were at least
non-lethal. The house elves happily delivered a tray laden with a
large bowl of beef stew and some warm buttered bread to the potions
classroom while he waited for his students to arrive. Closing his
eyes Severus savored the thick stew, chewing the well done vegetables
and succulent tidbits of meat. He sopped up the last bit with his
bread licking the final drops off his fingers. Severus was just setting
the tray on a back table when in walked the clever duo. Both boys
were laughing about some prank they’d just pulled on one of
their fellow Gryffindors. That was fine with the Potions Master;
so long as it wasn’t his Slytherins he wasn’t inclined
to make a fuss about it.
“
Ah, how good of you both to join me tonight.” The twins jumped
when Severus’ silken voice whispered in the air between their
heads. An old trick, casting voices, but very effective if timed
right.
“
Good Evening Professor Snape.” George said with an innocent
smile.
“
Yes, Good Evening Professor.” Fred’s grin mimicked his
brother’s precisely.
“
I trust you have come prepared to work instead of indulging in your
predilection for mischief and mayhem.” Glaring at the two Weasleys
failed to instill a suitable level of fear and apprehension as it
did with their fellow students but Snape still tried. Old habits
did indeed die hard.
“
Of course Professor--.” Said George with a completely innocent
face.
“
--don’t we always?” Fred finished, expression mirroring
his brother’s.
Such angelic smiles were entirely out of place on these two young
sneaks and Severus said so before he could stop himself. Neither
Weasley seemed insulted by it, rather they thought of it as a compliment.
Snape sighed, thanking the heavens that this was the last year these
two incorrigible delinquents would be under his tutelage and feared
for the unsuspecting world he was about to unleash Fred and George
upon.
“
Very well, let us begin. The sooner you are done the sooner I will
be rid of you. What is it you wish to discuss tonight?”
Eager to begin the boys pulled out a stack of papers, each one a
new formula they’d been working on, and showed them to their
teacher. For the next two hours Severus studied Fred and George’s
handiwork, pointing out a few potential problems and submitting solutions
for them. Several ingredients were changed and a couple were removed
entirely due to their volatile nature.
Unfortunately Severus, too involved in the twins’ projects,
had forgotten a few of the guidelines his doctor had written down
for him. Dealing with his last class of the day, walking up to the
Headmaster’s office and the bitter words that followed, and
now spending two hours standing between Fred and George looking over
their work Severus had been on his feet for far too long.
Severus paled, the room was suddenly spinning, the ground beneath
his feet seemingly moving about on its own violation.
Fred was the first to notice their teacher’s rising pallor. “Professor
Snape, are you all right?” “You look a bit pasty.” George
edged a little closer to the swaying teacher.
“
Dizzy.” Snape mumbled before passing out right in front of
his startled students.
Years of Quidditch trained reflexes came into play, both young men
grabbing the older wizard before his body could hit the floor. They
stood their hold Snape between them looking at each other in surprise. “Now
what do we do?” George asked.
“
You’re asking me?” Fred snapped, and then sighed. “Well,
we can’t stand here all night holding our teacher.”
“
Too right. It’s undignified--.”
“—
and what would people think if they saw this?”
That thought brought a bit of a giggle before they settled on a course
of action. Fred held onto their unconscious professor while George
transfigured a couple of stools into a cot. Once they had Snape settled
both we trying to decide what to do next when the classroom door
opened and in stepped the one person in the school harder on the
twins that Snape.
Argus Filch.
The school’s caretaker had stopped by to see if Professor Snape
had anymore of that cleaning solution he’d made for him two
months ago. The gray stuff didn’t smell as bad as that muck
the Ministry supplied and worked three times better. His first thoughts
upon seeing Fred and George was that the boys had gotten into trouble,
again, and were serving detention with the Potions Master. Then those
sharp eyes fell on the lean frame stretched out on the cot.
“
What’s going on here!!??” He snarled, striding forwards,
Mrs. Norris hot on his heels. “What have you two miserable
cretins done to Professor Snape??”
The Weasleys parted, allowing Filch room to kneel besides the cot.
He patted the pale man’s cheeks gently. Mrs. Norris jumped
up and began nuzzling Snape’s hand with her little black nose.
“
Professor Snape?” He called. “Severus?”
When Severus didn’t respond he turned baleful eyes back to
the two seventh years. “Speak up! What devilry have you done
now? This time you two won’t be getting off lightly! Attacking
a teacher--.”
Fred and George both snapped to their full height, eyes narrowed
in anger. “We did no such thing!!” They snapped simultaneously.
“
He was fine one minute--.”
“—
and the next he was keeling over.”
Argus jumped to his feet, an evil light shining in his eyes. “HAH!
A likely story!! You’ll be expelled for this! When the Headmaster
hears about--.”
“
Be quiet.” A sluggish voice mumbled behind Argus.
The caretaker spun around. “Professor Snape!”
The twins let out a sigh of relief. Now that the Professor was awake
surely he would straiten things out and get old Filch off their asses.
Severus worked at setting up without upsetting his stomach. “It’s
not their fault Argus. Leave them be.” “Not their fault?
These monsters poison you and you say--.”
“
They didn’t poison me, I fainted.” Black eyes cleared
a little more as his stomach settled without bringing up his supper.
“
You’re not sick are you Professor?” That thought both
scared and pained the twins. They actually liked the Potions Master
and though they loved playing pranks on him they would never wish
him ill.
Filch and the Weasleys jumped a little when Snape chuckled, actually
chuckled and gave them a soft little smile. “Well, not exactly.
From what I’ve read I can expect more symptoms to show up as
this progresses.”
Curiosity exists at any age and the three before him were being eaten
alive by it.
“
Would you mind being a bit more specific there old chap?”
Looking at the three Severus considered the ramifications of him
disclosing his growing secret. Argus was his friend and Snape was
planning to tell him about the upcoming addition to the school’s
population sometime this week anyway. He was concerned about telling
the Weasleys but was willing to risk it.
Fred and George were able to keep a secret when it suited them. Retracting
his offer to help debugging their joke formulas should keep the pair
in line.
“
This goes no further than this room gentlemen. If I get the slightest
whiff you’ve opened your mouths and blabbed I will take great
pleasure in shutting them with sealing glue.” Black eyes pinned
the twins where they stood. “Is this clear?”
Both boys nodded.
“
I did not faint due to poison, or to illness. I was warned that my
blood pressure might drop if I remained on my feet too long, it’s
one of the most common complaints among pregnant wizards.”
It took a couple of moments for the three men’s brains to comprehend
what they’d just heard. Snape began counting the second the
word pregnant left his mouth, estimating realization would hit in
about 15 seconds.
Three dull thuds sounded off the dungeon walls as his small audience
fainted.
Snape just sat there petting the caretaker’s purring feline. “Hmmm.
Just 12 seconds. I was a bit off.” He mused while staring down
at the three unconscious men. A simple Envenerate spell brought the
three back awake and immediately Snape was bombarded with all manner
of questions. Argus was congratulating his friend on his bonding
and impending parenthood, shaking his hand and beaming like an idiot.
Fred and George, after getting over the nasty shock, offered their
congratulations as well, just not as enthusiastically as Filch did.
Once everyone settled down Severus told the tale of what led him
to be in this delicate state. It took close to two hours but never
once did any of his audience stop him so enthralled with his tale.
When at last it was over Fred was the first to speak. “How
romantic.”
“
Just beautiful, like a story out of our dear sister’s romance
novels.” George agreed, wiping a tear from his eye.
“
Does anyone else know?” Argus helped Severus to his feet.
“
No. Just you three and Rubeus.” Snape straitened his robes. “We’re
planning on telling the rest of the staff next meeting.”
“
And the rest of the students Sir?” Prodded Fred. “As
much as I am loath to reveal this to the whole school I can see no
way to avoid it. Illusion spells are difficult to maintain and I
have been forbidden to perform such strenuous magic unless it is
an emergency.” Running long fingers through his thick black
locks Snape sighed in resignation. “It would be best to tell
them at the evening meal, all the students will be present and--.”
Fred held up his hand. “Perhaps there’s another way.
As soon as they know you’re pregnant those nasty little Death
Eater spawn are going to be all over you. Hiding this would be the
better way.”
“
But how?” Filch rubbed his chin. “You can’t expect
him to wear layered robes or a cloak all the time and those would
only last for a few months at best.” “No, but a layered
illusion spell would work wonderfully.”
Fred snapped his fingers at his brother’s idea.
“
That’s it! If it was tied into that pendant of his the Professor
wouldn’t even have to worry about wasting energy to keep it
going.”
“
Exceptional dear brother!” George favored his brother with
a wide smile and clap on the back. “We could even key it so
Snape could turn it on and off when needed!”
Both boys were getting deeper into planning Snape’s future
illusion, ignoring the two adults who just watched the excited pair
and thought there was hope for Severus’ secret to remain secret
from the students a while longer than he thought it would.
*~*~*~*
Sir Nicholas floated up the stairs leading to the old unused eastern
tower. He needed somewhere private, away from the other ghosts in
order to compose a poem for the Grey Lady. He’d been courting
the beautiful spirit for nearly two hundred years now and thought
that maybe a lovely sonnet might be well received and pave the way
for him to ask the ghostly beauty to be his bride.
He’d just passed through one of the locked doors when he floated
right into another ghost!!
Pulling back he moved to apologize and froze. “Professor Trelawney??!!!”
“
SIR NICHOLAS!!!” Sybil squealed in absolute joy, grabbing the
Gryffindor ghost in a fierce hug.
