Three\'s A Crowd

Part - 14

Albus Dumbledore could not have been more pleased.

Slowly, Severus was not only adjusting to his somewhat unusual situation, but the Headmaster could see him growing less weary of Remus. He would even allow his husband to touch his hand, or face when in private, which helped to ease the pain.

And even better, the truce with Sirius was holding. Severus had become so comfortable that he even absentmindedly stroked the animagus when he sat beside him.

Black had appointed himself the guardian of the Potion Master. After several weeks, the sight of the huge midnight black dog loping after Snape and waiting patiently outside the door of his classroom became a familiar one. Even if a certain blond Slytherin did not seem pleased, a glower from Snape cowed him.

Or seemed to.

Severus did not however, accept the presence of Sirius Black himself.

While the Slytherin could tolerate, even be comforted by the presence and touch of Padfoot, or Snuffles if you prefer. He left the room (sometimes literally at a run) if Sirius the \'man\' came near.

But it was a start.

The only real problem was Harry. The nervous young man kept his distance. Even if it was obvious that he and Severus were both desperately in need of some sort of physical contact. They both were too stubborn to admit it.

Albus would not worry yet, he was certain that the situation between them would sort itself out eventually.

On the whole, things were going well.

Too, well. The Headmaster supposed that he should have expected something to go wrong.

It came in the form of an Auror bearing bad news. The man had been almost gleefully anticipating giving his ill news directly to Severus Snape, but Dumbledore had instead called Remus.

\"This is Professor Snape\'s husband, he will see to it that Severus is told,\" Assured Dumbledore.

\"So,\" The Auror smirked, \"you are the poor sod that knocked up Snape?\"

\"I am his husband,\" Remus said through his teeth. Dumbledore frowned at the man, his eyes glinting, without their usual twinkle. For some reason, the Auror felt very uncomfortable.

\"As you will.\" The thin, very tall man shrugged, tried to sound unconcerned. \"Sebastian Snape has been murdered.\"

\"Murdered?\" Gasped the werewolf. \"But who would do this? Why?\"

\"We are not sure. So far there seems to be no real clues,\" The Auror replied holding out a large manila folder, which he handed to Remus. \"But I think it is safe to say that someone hated him. Every bone in his body had been not just broken, but exploded from within. He showed signs of multiple curses and even a Necromancy spell. The killer used it to bring him back for at least an hour after he was decapitated. His body was found in a wooded area near Kent. One of my men discovered the head in the man\'s own bed over two hundred miles away. And we still have not found his genitalia.\"

\"Merlin.\" Remus sat down slowly looking at the pictures in the folder. He had hated Sebastian Snape on sight, but the thought of even that vile man being tortured, and butchered in that way was utterly sickening. His stomach clenched, and he was hard pressed not to be violently ill upon seeing the gruesome photographs.

\"I spoke to a student this morning who said that Professor Snape had an argument with his father several weeks ago.\"

\"Professor Snape is in no way involved in this heinous crime Auror Nelson.\" Dumbledore informed him coldly, wondering who had given this man access to the students without his knowledge or consent. \"Because of his condition and threats to his person concerning the Death Eaters, Professor Snape is monitored by magic as well as Mr. Lupin, two very trustworthy House Elves, and myself twenty four hours a day. He cannot leave this castle without my knowing it.\"

\"What about his spouse?\" Very accusatory eyes found Remus.

\"I have not left the grounds of Hogwarts in four weeks. Professor Dumbledore can attest to that.\"

\"Have you had contact with anyone outside of these walls?\"

Remus stood to face the Auror. \"No sir, I have not. It is true that my one meeting with Sebastian Snape was not cordial. I thought long and hard about knocking him on his arse. But I will swear under veritaserum that I had nothing to do with his death.\"

\"You may be asked to do just that Mr. Lupin.\" Noted the Auror, rudely snatching the folder from Remus\' unresisting hands. \"I was told that the deceased mentioned that he was invoking the old Patriarchal Rites, and had entertained an offer by someone to buy Professor Snape. Does Snape have any idea who the buyer might be?\"

\"No.\" Remus clenched his fists remembering that it was not the first time that Sebastian Snape had sold his son.

\"Professor Snape has been estranged from his father for many years,\" Dumbledore informed him coolly.

\"Still, there are some things that need to be cleared up. I need to speak with Professor Snape.\"

\"No, not yet.\" Remus said to the Auror. \"Let Professor Dumbledore and I break the news to him. His condition is somewhat fragile at the moment.\"

\"I had Snape five years for Potions. Fragile is not a word I would use to describe him.\"

\"He was not pregnant with triplets at the time.\" Said Dumbledore even the usually genial headmaster was having trouble holding his temper. \"Allow us to speak to him first, and make sure that he does not react adversely.\"

\"While I can appreciate that you wish to spare him from seeing something so, disturbing, I really must speak to Professor Snape.\"

\"I am sure that because of the extraordinary conditions of this situation that the Wizongamot, and the Ministry would agree that, it would be best if Mr. Lupin and I were to break the news to Professor Snape.\" Dumbledore said moving to stand before the Auror. Their eyes met, and like the late, unlamented Sebastian Snape, Mr. Nelson also found that he could not stand before the barely contained power of Albus Dumbledore.

\"I will need to speak to him, eventually.\"

\"Of course. We will contact you when he is ready.\" Assured Dumbledore.

\"Just make it soon.\" He turned on his heels to leave. As the Auror opened the door, he almost ran into Hagrid.

\"Ah, perfect timing Hagrid. Could you escort Auror Nelson to the gates?\" The Headmaster smiled, the Auror growled, but did not argue.

\"Sure thing, Professor Dumbledore, Sir.\" Hagrid said brightly, completely forgetting whatever he came to see the Headmaster about as he followed the Auror out.

\"Should we bring Severus here, or have him meet us in the infirmary?\"

\"I think both of us would feel better if Poppy were present.\" Admitted Dumbledore. \"I fear that Severus will be very confused by his own reactions. Sebastian was a truly evil man, but he was Severus\' father.\"

---


Pomfrey agreed with their assessment, and readied several calming potions as they waited for Severus to arrive.

They did not have long to wait before he swept into the isolation room near the back of the infirmary, followed by Snuffles. Remus and Pomfrey both looked at Snape\'s stomach. It was not really visible with his robes billowing about him, but in just a shirt and pants as Remus had observed, or undressed as he had been before Poppy, a small bulge was becoming noticeable.

Had it been a single child, it would not yet been an issue yet, but for the much too thin Severus Snape pregnant with triplets, he was already beginning to show.

\"Severus, come in, would you like some tea?\" Asked Dumbledore.

\"No, thank you. My morning sickness now lasts till noon, and no potion seems to help. I will not be able to ingest anything for another hour or so.\" Severus informed him.

\"Please, have a seat Severus.\" This brusque command was from Pomfrey. The dark haired man wanted to argue, but after close to threes month of being bossed around, he knew better. He sat on the edge of one of the beds. The animagus flopped down beside him, laying his large head on Snape\'s right foot. \"What has happened? You all look as if someone has died.\" He could not help but observe how their faces paled at his words.

\"Something is wrong, what is it?\" He sat up straighter, his eyes apprehensive.

\"Severus,\" Dumbledore sat on the bed beside him, but not too close, leaving the man his personal space. \"You are correct, something has happened.\"

\"I am not a child, nor some delicate creature that needs protecting. Tell me what is going on.\" Snape looked angry.

\"Alright my boy. Please try to understand that we are worried about you.\"

\"Tell me!\" Dumbledore flinched slightly at the outburst. This was not going well.

\"Severus, your father is dead.\" Said Remus softly. Black\'s head jerked up.

\"You are joking? The bastard is too stubborn to die!\" Sneered Snape.

\"I am afraid not Severus, your father is dead.\" Dumbledore told him. \"He was murdered.\"

\"Murdered?\" He gasped, his mind finally grasping that this was not a joke. \"Do you know who did it?\" Severus spoke very softly as one hand had reached down to lay on the back of Snuffles\' neck; the other went to his own belly.

\"No. But it would seem to be someone with a grudge.\" Said Dumbledore.

\"That would include the entire Wizarding World.\" Snape sounded numb. \"When I lived at home, he had a fight, or received a death threat at least once a week.\"

\"Do you have any idea of who might be responsible?\" Asked Dumbledore, trying to keep his voice very even. He doubted if there were any way he could know, but felt the need to inquire.

\"My knowledge of his activities is not recent. Before he came here and cursed me, I had not laid eyes on him for almost thirteen years.\" The Slytherin looked to Dumbledore, his face blank, his emotions completely locked down. \"How did he die?\"

\"Multiple curses, and, his bones were, exploded from within.\" Dumbledore volunteered with a look to the very concerned Remus. He intended to be sure that the description of the crime stayed as clinical and clean as possible. \"In the end he was decapitated. The head and body were found separately.\" He would find out many of the gory details eventually, probably in the Daily Profit, so Dumbledore decided not to sugar coat it.

But he would not reveal more then the basics unless specifically asked.

\"His bones were exploded?\" The voice was quiet. \"Was Necromancy used?\"

\"Yes,\" Admitted Dumbledore raising an eyebrow.

Severus Snape\'s face paled to a ghastly white. \"Had he been...Were his,\" He swallowed. \"His, sex organs missing?\"

\"Yes.\" Remus gulped. \"How did you know?\"

\"What was done to him, that is the punishment for a disloyal Death Eater.\" Severus was shaking. \"But, he was not a Death Eater.\"

\"Good God Severus, they would have done that to you...\" Remus Lupin almost bite his own tongue off as he realized what he had just said. Sirius sat up and pushed himself against Severus\' leg.

\"But you have never told us, and, the Aurors have found no other bodies mutilated like this.\" Said Dumbledore.

\"I thought that you would not allow me to risk going if I told you,\" He said softly. \"As for the bodies, they were destroyed. The Dark Lord would not allow even disloyal Death Eaters to be found in that condition by outsiders. He considered it an object lesson for us alone.\"

\"That is sick.\" Whispered Remus.

\"What if his death is a message that the Dark Lord is angry with me? If he knows I have betrayed him? What if he was the one that my father was going to sell me to!\" Fear and pregnancy hormones raged inside Severus. The things he said were improbable, but his emotions would not be stilled. He tried to say something but instead, he doubled over and vomited on the floor, just missing the frantically pacing Padfoot.

Remus knelt beside him on the floor, as did a very human Sirius Black.

Remus held him by the shoulders, while Black carefully pushed his hair out of the way. Pomfrey magiced a bedpan over to him. Sirius dutifully held it for the retching man.

Soon he was only dry heaving. With a moan, Severus leaned against Remus. The werewolf ignored the smell and drew him closer. His sensitive nose was grateful when Dumbledore used his wand to clean the mess on floor and man. To the surprise of everyone, instead of pulling away from Remus as expected, Severus attempted to burrow deeper into his robes, trembling.

Dumbledore caught first Pomfrey\'s eyes, then Sirius, who was watching the two with longing. The Headmaster inclined his head towards the door. Both nodded and followed, somewhat reluctantly in the case of Black, even as he resumed the form of Snuffles.

The shutters closed of their own accord, the suns bright light being replaced by a pair of candles.

Remus heard the locking spell being cast on the door. He was not at all sure what was going to happen now, but they would not be disturbed. He stroked Severus\' hair trying to exude calm. Gently he urged the other man to stand, and moved his unresisting form onto the bed. Then Remus just held his husband until his arms started to become fatigued.

He shifted slightly, not wanting to disturb Severus, but he was in a painful position.

The werewolf supposed that he should not have done it, but before he realized it, gently lips touched the top of Severus\' head. He cursed himself and expected his arm full of skittish Slytherin to pull away, probably even run from the room.

A hand clutched almost desperately at his robes. \"Remus.\" The hoarse voice whispered.

\"I am here Severus.\"

\"I, I am afraid.\" The words were hesitant, almost too quiet to be heard. This simple admission caused Remus to melt. He urged Severus onto his lap, holding him tighter.

\"I will keep you safe, Severus.\" Remus intended to kiss his husband on the cheek. But touched warm lips instead.

Black eyes met amber as their lips parted. \"I need you Remus. Please, take me now!\"

tbc