The Domino Effect

Title: The Domino Effect
Author: Dr. Jeckell & Mrs. Hyde (aka Taran & Magdelena)
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Harry Potter/Severus Snape, Ron Weasley/Draco Malfoy (secondary pairing)
Warnings: Non-consensual sex, Violence, Adult Language, Sexual Situations, Graphic Sexual Content, Rimming, MPreg
Summary: HP/SS – Slash – Chapter 13 of ?. Harry discovers that when he kills Voldemort, all of the Death Eaters will die as well because of the bond that they share with the Dark Lord through their Marks. Harry vows to do anything it takes to allow Severus Snape to escape that fate.
Disclaimer: We do not own any of the characters herein (only the plot). All the characters in the Harry Potter universe belong exclusively to J.K. Rowling, Warner Brothers, and anyone else JKR chooses to allow to play with them. We are publishing our fanfiction writings only for our own selfish desire to be a part of their world.
Authors’ Note: Thanks to the incredibly wonderful Sev1970 for betaing this story.

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Chapter Thirteen – Facing the Future

Severus stumbled through the door, dropping his packages on the floor before falling heavily in the rocking chair by the fireplace. He leaned into the soft cushions, his head back and his eyes closed. His heart was beating hard and fast and his chest heaved with every breath he took.

He had been to the village, and the excursion left him utterly exhausted. He had already cut back his visits to once every two weeks, and even that was becoming too much for him. It had been four months since Harry had stolen his heart and his freedom in one painful blow, and Severus still hadn\'t regained his energy from the final battle against his former Master. Instead of growing stronger, the pregnancy, which he had finally accepted, was draining him and making him weaker. He couldn\'t perform the simplest of magic anymore, and sometimes just walking from the living room to the kitchen left him gasping for air.

Even the villagers were beginning to notice Severus\' lack of energy. Liam, the shopkeeper, had offered him several different medicinal herbs and teas that would help boost his energy, and even sleep herbs to help the dark rings around his eyes. Severus had declined the suggestions, uncertain of what harm his unborn child might suffer because of the herbs. He assured the keeper that he was fine, telling the man it was just spring allergies affecting him.

Because of his exhaustion, Severus had begun making arrangements to have groceries and other necessities delivered to his little cottage on the outskirts of town in order to save his energy.

Besides worrying about his lack of energy, Severus also began to worry about showing. He had noticed that his stomach wasn\'t so flat, a small round bulge was forming and his trousers were tightening. With the warmer spring weather, he wouldn\'t be able to hide behind layers of clothes. The warm days they\'d already had seemed hotter than any other spring he could remember, and it was only going to get worse as summer came.

He stretched out his long legs and rubbed his abdomen softly, feeling nauseous and dizzy. The morning sickness, which lasted all day now, hadn\'t lessened at all, and in fact, seemed to be getting worse the farther along he got; the cramps were frequent and excruciating. He realized, after that first bout of cramps, that it was from his body adjusting to the foreign object that was his child. It was shifting organs and making space where none was supposed to be in a male body.

Severus had just started to drift into sleep when he heard a tap on his window. He got up stiffly and stretched his aching back, then moved to the tiny kitchen window and opened it when he saw a large barn owl carrying a package. The bird flew in and landed on his table to allow Severus to remove the brown-paper wrapped box. As soon as it was free, it gave a hoot of thanks and flew back out the window.

Severus checked the label and saw that it was the new clothes he had sent for from a maternity shop in Diagon Alley. He hoped that it hadn\'t been traced, but knew someone would find him eventually.

Opening the box, he found three pair of black trousers, three white cotton shirts, and six pair of boxer shorts. All of the items were pre-spelled to adjust to the size of the expecting \'mother\', so he wouldn\'t need to use any of his own magical energy to make them fit properly. They were also spelled to hide the pregnancy for up to seven months. By the eighth month, he wouldn\'t be able to hide in his clothes anymore and just had to hope the villagers wouldn\'t see him.

He pushed the box aside for the moment and headed for his bedroom. He stopped and looked in on the empty room that would become a nursery. He hadn\'t had the strength yet to do anything more than remove the few items of old furniture.

\"Soon,\" he whispered in promise as he patted the roundness that represented his child. \"Soon I\'ll get your nursery finished, child. Then you\'ll have a real home.\"

Entering his room, Severus sat on the edge of his bed and looked down at his stomach. He shut his eyes to push back the tears that threatened as he thought about his child. He didn\'t want it to grow up not knowing both parents, but he just couldn\'t bring himself to forgive Harry, or trust him ever again. As he thought about Harry, his mood quickly changed to anger, his tears of pain becoming tears of rage. He yelled in frustration, then damned himself and the pregnancy for the change of hormones that made it impossible for him to control his emotions.

He threw himself into bed, pulled the covers up over his head and cried himself to sleep, worrying about the baby, and how he was supposed to raise it to be someone unlike himself.

~*~


Dear Severus,

So much of what happened between the two of us was a lie that I know you must be unsure where the lies ended and the truth began. You have no reason to believe anything I say, but I want you to know that it tortured me to have to force you to consent to be with me. I know you probably think I delighted in your suffering, that I enjoyed forcing you to be subservient to me, but nothing could be further from the truth.

There were many things I despised about what transpired between us. I hated every cruel, degrading thing I said to you. I hated the fact that my actions reminded you of such a difficult time in your life when my father and his friends treated you so maliciously. I hated the fact that you needed to be manipulated in the first place. But more than any of that, I hated that your freedom of choice had to be taken away in order to make this actually work.

I loved touching you, taking care of you, making you take care of yourself. I dreamed of doing that for the remainder of my days. I loved kissing you, exploring your body, feeling your mouth and your hands on me, and gods forgive me, I loved being inside of you. I felt connected to you in a way that I never had before with any partner, and it had nothing to do with the damned bond. I don’t know when I started falling for you, but when you let me take you, when you gave yourself to me, I wanted to believe that it was because you truly wanted me. Loving you was never a lie, Severus. You’re the only man I’ve ever loved, and without you I just don’t know how to go on.

But with all that said, I still wouldn’t change a thing that I did. From the moment Albus approached me with his plan, I knew that I had to do it. You sacrificed too much for us, and I refused to allow you to die for your perceived sins. You made atonement for those long ago, and your future should be yours to command. I want you to know that I will not ever bother you again, if that is truly what you want. I had always relished the thought of becoming a father and having a family, and I have to admit that at one point I deluded myself into believing that maybe one day we could share that dream together.

I also need to share the truth with you about one particular lie I told you. Albus’ faith in you never wavered; he always has had the utmost of trust in you. I hated that I had to take that away from you by telling you that he had another spy checking up on your movements. In fact, quite the opposite was true. Albus did have another spy, Percy Weasley, but he used information that YOU retrieved in order to test Percy’s true allegiances.

There are so many things that I want to tell you, my Severus, my sweet angel, but it’s not like you’re ever going to even read what I’ve written so far, so what’s the point? I hope that wherever you are, that you are safe, and that you’ve found the peace you deserve. But I would like you to also know, that if you ever need sanctuary, you can still find it with me.

Yours forever,
Harry

Ron looked at the parchment that he held in his hand, and then glanced warily at his sleeping friend. He was supposed to be retrieving his friend for supper… nothing more. He, Hermione and Draco still hadn’t quite figured out what to do with their newfound knowledge about the bond his best friend shared with Severus Snape, and the two would likely have his hide for doing this without their agreement.

Ron offered his slumbering friend a sympathetic look. Harry’s hand was still clutching the quill he had written with, his fingertips still stained from the ink he had used. His head was cradled on the crook of his arm, and dried tear tracks were evident on his face. Ron knew in his heart that Harry had never intended to send the letter he had written, but something told him that despite everything they had learned about the bond, the only way Harry and Severus would truly be happy was if Snape believed Harry’s feelings were genuine, and subsequently realized his own.

His decision made, Ron copied the parchment with a flick of his wand, and laid Harry’s original back in the exact spot he had found it. He quietly let himself out of the Room of Requirement, and headed for the Owlery. He could only hope that Hedwig could find the wizard, and that if she could, that Snape would actually read the letter once he realized who it was from.

~*~


Remus sighed sadly as he stared at the little house at the top of a low hill. He had been searching for Severus for nearly six months. This was his last hope, and while it appeared to be occupied, he couldn\'t be sure it was by Severus. The fact that there were no wards protecting the property had Remus thinking it couldn\'t be housing one of the land\'s most powerful wizards.

Remus took a deep breath, then proceeded up the little cobblestone walkway. He was still amazed at finding the old settlement that had belonged to Severus\' grandmother. It was still registered under the witch\'s maiden name, which Remus hadn\'t known, nor had Albus. Percy Weasley had stumbled upon it at the Ministry while searching for land titles that had belonged to deceased Death Eaters. It had been left to Severus, but had never been filed under his name after she died.

He knocked softly on the door and waited, unknowingly holding his breath. When the door swung open after his second knock, he released his breath in a rush of relief. Standing before him was Severus Snape. He couldn\'t help the smile that curved his lips, even while Severus stared blankly at him.

\"Well, it had to happen sooner or later, I suppose,\" Severus said with an air of mild disappointment.

\"Severus! I\'m so glad I finally found you!\" Remus was nearly in tears as the overwhelming relief poured over him. He hadn\'t realized until now just how worried he had been, and how much he had truly missed the snarky man. He wanted nothing more than to wrap his arms tightly around Severus and hold on, but the distance in Severus\' eyes kept him back.

Severus moved aside and allowed Remus entrance to his little home. He led Remus through the hall and into the sitting room. It was then that Remus really took notice of his old friend. The graceful stride that had made Severus appear to float through the halls of Hogwarts was gone, replaced with slow, careful steps. Severus\' shoulders drooped with fatigue, and his head hung low. The pride that had once held his head high seemed to have vanished. Even the shine was gone from his hair, leaving it dry and tangled.

\"Severus?\" Remus asked worriedly. \"Are you alright?\"

Severus waved the other wizard over to a large plush chair and then sat down gingerly in a well-padded rocking chair. By the time he sat down, Severus seemed to be out of air and panted heavily. He sat with his eyes closed, his hands resting on his protruding stomach, and rocked gently for a moment before looking at Remus again.

\"I\'m fine, just a little tired,\" he said dismissively.

Remus saw the dark circles around the other wizard’s eyes, and the pallor of his face. Severus looked anything but fine. While his stomach had rounded, the rest of his body seemed to have thinned, and Remus didn\'t think Severus had room to lose weight in the first place.

\"Severus, you don\'t look fine. What\'s wrong? Is there something wrong with the baby?\" he asked.

\"It\'s fine, Remus. The pregnancy is just taking a lot out of me. Would you like some tea?\" Severus made to get up, but Remus could see how much of a strain it was.

\"I\'ll get it. You just sit and relax,\" Remus said, and left before Severus could respond. Finding the kitchen easily enough, he started rummaging around and was rather surprised by the amount of food in the cupboards. There were crackers and biscuits, canned meats and fruits, and even what appeared to be jars of homemade raspberry preserves. Even the little refrigerator was well stocked with fresh produce and meats.

Remus brought the hot tea back into the living area and was shocked to find Severus asleep in his chair, a fact that worried him more than the weight loss. Remus was tempted to pick Severus up and take him back to Hogwarts where Poppy could care for him. Severus, however, woke from his light slumber as Remus set down the tea tray.

\"Severus, what\'s wrong? It\'s not like you to fall asleep like that! And really, you look awful!\"

\"I\'m fine, Remus. I\'m just tired, that\'s what happens when you\'re pregnant.\" Severus sat up a little straighter and took a cup from the tray. His hand was steady, but Remus couldn\'t help noticing the way Severus held the cup in both hands, as though afraid of dropping it.

They began chatting, Remus explaining the extensive search that had been underway and how Percy had eventually located the cottage. Severus told Remus about the nearby town and the kind merchant who delivered food to him once a week. When Severus explained that it was because he was showing so much, Remus only half believed him. He didn\'t think Severus had the strength to walk to the end of his property, let alone all the way to town.

Within an hour, Severus had tired to the point of his eyes closing regularly then shooting back open. Remus suggested Severus lay down for a while, but the Potions Master insisted on staying up, claiming to be fine. They chatted a while longer, both avoiding the subject of Harry and Albus. Then, during a lull in the conversation, Severus\' eyes drifted closed and didn\'t reopen right away, so Remus remained quiet and let him sleep.

Remus rose quietly and looked around the small cottage. He found Severus\' room and brought out a soft quilt. He gently laid it over Severus\' sleeping form, careful not to wake him. He then continued to look around.

Next to Severus\' room was a smaller room. Remus poked his nose in and gasped. Severus had begun to create what was sure to be the perfect nursery. The walls were painted soft yellow with green trimmings, a large, thick plush throw rug covered most of the floors, and a small, comfortable rocking chair rested in the corner. There was no other furniture in the room yet, except for a little night stand which was painted Slytherin Green and Gryffindor Red, and a snake and lion lamp that stood on top of it. The base of the lamp looked like it was carved from stone and hand-painted.

\"It\'s not done yet,\" came a soft voice from behind him that made him jump. Remus turned in time to see Severus struggle out of his chair and quickly moved to his side when Severus began wavering on his feet. After a moment with his eyes closed, Severus gently pulled out of Remus\' grasp.

\"The rest of the furniture should be here next week,\" he said as he moved to the doorway Remus had just been standing in. One hand held the doorframe while the other gently caressed his rounded belly as he stared, deep in thought. \"The crib is being made from mahogany as is the dresser. The changing table will be oak, I think.\"

Remus stood back and watched Severus closely. Even his voice sounded weak and distant. When Severus\' hand slipped weakly down to his side, Remus stepped closer. Severus had never appeared weak before, tired yes, but never to this point of exhaustion and Remus couldn\'t help but worry. He was ready for it, when Severus\' legs gave way as he passed out, and lifted the man gently into his arms. He stayed by Severus\' bed until the man regained consciousness, worrying and fretting over whether or not to contact Poppy and Harry.


~TBC~

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Authors’ Notes: Thank you also to all of our reviewers: koki, alliekatgirl, charis lupin, Marie, Katie K, Melody DeMort, and Ela Haven.

A few people have asked us to email them when we update. So, if anyone is interested, Magdelena has a yahoo group to update you on when and where you can find her stories. She also uses it to update the group members on this co-written tale. Sign up here: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/magdelenas_menagerie/