Love and Parenthood

Love and Parenthood

Disclaimer: All canon characters are the property of JK Rowling and those with whom she has agreed contracts. This story was written for practice not profit.


Mr Ollivander’s Visit

Severus looked up as Hermione walked into the sitting room.

“Are you all right my love?” he asked.

“I’m fine. It’s just these little fellows don’t seem inclined to shift themselves yet. Ginny’s just starting the first stage of her labour now. Mistress Finch says that if she isn’t swamped with deliveries tomorrow it might be a good idea to start things off for me so that she can give me her undivided attention.”

“How do you feel about that?” he enquired.

“It’s a sensible idea. I don’t know if I’m ready to be separated from you yet though. I know you. You won’t be sneaking in to see me like the Weasleys do. I’ll be all alone.”

“You won’t be alone Hermione. You will have two demanding needy little babies, your parents and an army of attendants. I would only be in tay. ay. The idea of this separation is that you get a complete month to devote to the babies without having to worry about any kind of wifely duties or domestic routine.”

“I’ll miss you though,” she said plaintively.

“As I will miss you. In theory the separation period should serve to make us appreciate each other even more.”

“Absence makes the heart grow fonder.”

“Precisely!”

“It’s a Muggle saying. It might even be a quote… I’m not sure. I think my brain’s turning to mush.”

“You just aren’t getting enough rest. I think you should go along with Mistress Finch’s suggestion. I’m expecting Mr Ollivander shortly. Do you want to be present?”

“I know I should but I think I’m going to have a lie down. Is he staying for lunch?”

“I will invite him.”

“I’ll see you in there then.”

She walked into the bedroom and closed her door behind her. Severus looked down at the book he was reading and sighed. A dot shimmered into view on the map. A closer inspection revealed that it represented Mr Ollivander. Severus closed his book and walked out to meet him.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


Severus met up with his visitor at a point about halfway between the Gatehouse and the main house. A small group of girls were sitting out on the grass enjoying the sunshine. Diana and her baby girl were present. Ollivander stopped at a slight distance from the group and watched them for a moment. Severus realised he had stopped and turned to look at him.

“Are you all right?” he asked brusquely.

“Yes… I’m quite well. I’ve just never seen anything quite like this before. It’s like some kind of image of paradise.”

“I suppose it must seem that way. I think just worry about them all so much I forget that they’re beautiful. Apart from Hermione of course; she looks beautiful to me all the time.”

“Spoken like a faithful husband.”

“I am a faithful husband and I intend to remain so.”

“Who’s the one with the baby?”

“Diana Miggs.”

“Daughter of…..”

“She is my ward now,” he cut in quickly.

“It was quite a scandal.”

“It was indeed. The child seems to have recovereite ite well… much better than I dared hope. I don’t think the potion had any lasting effect on her.”

“Who fathered her child?”

“Blaise Zabini.”

“So the child’s a pureblood?”

“One of the few of this batch that are. We seemed to have a lot of pairings who would not have met with family approval.”

“Including my own former bride-to-be and the son of a Muggle milkman, as I understand it.”

“Mr and Mrs Creevey. Do you bear a grudge over the matter?”

“No, not really. I would not have negotiated with the girl’s family if I had realised that the child’s affections were engaged elsewhere. It was never my intention to force her into doing something she found abhorrent. I just wanted the opportunity to have a family after all these years. My wife was a good woman. We were admirably suited. Our family did right by us apart from the fact that we were too closely related to create children together. It is ironic that bound to others either of us might have continued our family line but together we could not. In her lifetime she was herself a consolation but now I’ve lost her…”

“Have you considered adoption?”

“I’ve put my name forward. I understand some of these babies will need homes?”

“Miss Miggs will need to have her child adopted.”

“She seems quite fond.”

“I know… but it can’t be helped. She stands little enough chance in life given her history. How could she ever raise a child as well?”

“She looks so young.”

“She’s too young. She won’t turn sixteen until the end of next month. If you’d seen her before the pregnancy you would have taken her for a twelve year old. It makes my blood boil to think of the type of man her father must have been selling her to.”

“The Zabinis have shown no interest in the child?”

“Young Mr Zabini was a patron of the brothel and has managed to father three children on underage girls this year. His father conspired with Diana’s father to supply a very dangerous potion which would probably have killed the girls instead of ending the pregnancies.”

“And yet no charges were brought against him?”

“Sadly not. It was stated that Mr Zabini was ignorant of the nature of the potion and was merely forwarding a package from father to daughter. They have categorically refused to recognise any of the children and seem to consider themselves hard done by that the Bulstrodes have broken off the arrangement ben Bln Blaise and Millicent.”

“They’re an unpleasant family in many ways. I once had the misfortune of dealing with the grandfather. Maybe I could do something to aid the girl when she’s finished her schooling. I’m getting rather old to be gathering my own supplies these days. I may be in the market for an assistant in a few years time. I don’t like to think of her going to waste because her father betrayed her. It sickens me to think that a man of his type can be blessed with children when my wife and I could not.”

“Perhaps such an offer would incline her to be favourable to your petition to adopt her child, that is, if you are willing to accept a female child.”

“Believe it or not that isn’t why I made it. I will offer her the chance whatever she elects for the child. Now I think we’d better be about our business. I want to open the shop this afternoon.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“What do you think?”

“It’s a unicorn hair core…almost definitely homemade. I canee aee anyone making much of a living selling stuff of this quality. Sadly that doesn’t help you much. Almost two thirds of the pupils at Hogwarts could get a reasonable amount of response from this article… poorly made though it is. Interestingly fewer adults would be able to use it efficiently, as it tends to be the people with this wand core who mature out of it.”

“As both I and my wife did.”

“I must have sold both of them to you on off days. I never could have dreamed a Muggleborn would turn out like Madam Snape did and I think I should have risked starting you on something stronger.”

“So, on balance, should we be suspecting a younger person?”

“I would say that there’s an eighty per cent chance of the wand working best for someone unmarried under the age of twenty five. I’m afraid I haven’t been much help. If the core had been more exotic I could have given you a better idea, perhaps even names.”

“Thank you for closing the shop to come and see me anyway. Can I offer you lunch?”

“Not today thank-you. I have one or two other errands to run before I go back to London. Perhaps you would do me the favour of approaching Miss Miggs about my offer. I am willing to come up to discuss it with her in person. It must weigh on her mind to have an uncertain future. Please give my regards to Madam Snape and congratulations on your expectations.”

“All things going according to plan our twins will be born tomorrow.”

“Twins! A double blessing. May they both be sons, as powerful as their parents.”

“I will settle for whatever comes. I thought I would never see the day.”

“I suppose it proves that we never know what would be waiting for us in the future.”

“That goes for you just as much as me. You have a good many years in you yet and they may be good ones now that the Dark Lord and his minions are no longer with us. Safe journey.”


xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx


I don’t want to go to sleep until Ginny’s baby’s born,” said Hermione stubbornly. “I never realised it could take this long. She went into labour before lunch.”

“It can take this long and even longer. You need to sleep now if you’re going to do it yourself tomorrow.”

“I don’t want to.”

“Hermione I am this far from rendering you unconscious with a spell!” he said, gesturing with his thumb and forefinger. I know you’re worried but you can hardly keep your eyes open. Mrs Longbottom is in the very best of hands but progress has been slow. You’ll wake up to the news in the morning.”

“Don’t you dare hex me with a spell Severus Snape! Oww!”

“I didn’t touch you. Did one of the babies kick?”

“I think… I think this might be it…I’m not ready!”

“Hermione you are overdue!”

“How can you shout at me at a time like this!” she screeched.

“I’m not shouting,” he said, making an effort to keep his voice steady. “I’m taking you over to the stable right now. Can you walk?”

“Yes. I might have to keep stopping though. I need my things.”

“The things can follow. Yeed eed medical attention far more than you need those. Take this robe and I’ll lace your shoes. Does it hurt badly?”

“No not yet. I don’t want to go! I want to stay with you!”

“Hermione, I’ll be right outside. I love you. I promise I’ll think about you every waking hour.”

“If this hurts as much as I think it’s going to, you’d better. Tell my Mum!”

“I’m you your mother can come inside if that’s what you want.”

“I want my Mum.”

“Come on my love. It’s time to go.”

She eased herself up. He put his arm around and led her off towards the stables.