Deserving (Final Chapter)

Chapter 16

The next morning Severus was brushing his hair when Harry came out of the loo.

“Get me my money bag,” came the request from the Guide.

Severus closed his eyes for a moment to take in yet another abrupt change. Wasn’t he placing the money on the nightstand? He walked over to Harry’s side of the bed, grabbed the bag, and took it to his husband.

“Let see… that was two penetrations…”

Severus raised his head to protest but thought better of it and simply took a deep breath.

“And one blow job…”

Did he know the meaning of a blow job? Could it be considered a blow job if the job was not completed? Yet again Severus refrained from expressing his opinion.

Harry looked at him expectantly. “Good, we are back on track,” he said tying his money bag to his belt and giving Severus time to put his money away. Harry opened the door for his husband and said: “I think we should have some tea and when Richard wakes up we can have a family breakfast in the patio. It’s my day off and I seldom get to have breakfast with him.”

“I will let Kreacher know.”

But as they were passing the sitting room to go into the kitchen they saw the floo flair up again. This time it was Dennis and Harry granted passage. Barely had he finished the word before Dennis flung himself in.

“Harry, I need fifteen galleons, please. I will pay you back. I promise,” cried Denis, desperation causing his voice to rise a few octaves.

“Wow, calm down. What is going on? Are you in some kind of trouble?”

“Harry, please, I have no time. I will explain later, but you must lend me this money now,” the plea turning into a demand.

“Sorry, Dennis, but until you tell me what this money is for, I can’t oblige.”

“Harry, I am begging you. If I don’t get back soon he is going to sell him to someone else…”

“Sell! Who? What are you on about?”

“The baby, Harry, he is going to sell the baby. Please, Harry… please…”

“It is illegal to sell babies and for that matter it is illegal to buy them also. Where are they selling this baby?”

“Harry! He is going to leave. I have to rescue this baby. Don’t you see if he disappears we may never have a chance to save this child again? He looked practically lifeless as it is.”

“Tell you what, why don’t you take me there and we will see what can be done?” All previous plans were forgotten.

Dennis looked at him as if seeing him for the first time. “You mean you are going to help the baby? You do know that if they are selling him it is probably because he is a child of a Marked One.”

“Yes, I do know. Let’s hurry before the monster in me wakes up and decides to eat this baby instead of rescuing him,” said the hurt lion as he walked into the floo followed by the embarrassed cub.

To Harry’s surprise they landed in a pub in the middle of Knockturn Alley. He didn’t have a chance to ask Dennis why because the little lion cub leapt out of the floo and ran outside. Harry had to run to keep up with him until they arrived at the entrance of an ally and Dennis had to bend over to catch is breath.

“He is still here,” he informed Harry.

The ally was dark and Harry had no idea how the kid knew that there was anyone there. Harry took out his wand as he walked into the alley where he saw the undesirable face of Mundungus Fletcher. He was almost run over by Dennis running to a pile next to Mundungus’ feet.

“He is still alive,” he announced.

“Oi, you’re bringing Aurors to my shop?” bellowed Mundungus reaching for his wand.

“I wouldn’t do that,” admonished Harry pointing his wand right at Mundungus.

“Harry? Is that you? How long has it been, old friend?”

Dennis looked up in horror. “You know him?”

Harry saw that it was so easy for Dennis to believe that this lowlife and he were best mates. This fact dropped a lump in his throat.

“Old Harry and I go way back; don’t we Harry?”

“He sells children!” yelled a horrified Dennis.

“And I have them for dinner, remember,” added Harry with what he hoped was obvious sarcasm.

Mundungus did not see the sarcasm in Harry’s words and was all too happy to welcome Harry into his circle. He grabbed the bundle from Dennis and exposed the little head of the baby.

“Look, Harry, sure he looks scrawny now but in a couple of years, and a bit of training, he should provide you with loads of entertainment.”

It was Harry’s turn to look horrified. Mundungus didn’t understand Harry’s face and looking at the baby he seem to reach an understanding.

“Yeah, he is kindda’ ugly but hay… put a pillow case over his head and he is good to go.”

Harry felt as if someone had dropped a bucket of ice water over his head. Over and over again he could hear the words: ‘put a pillowcase over his head…’ The fact that he and Mundungus shared a thought was sickening. He thought he was going to heave, but if he put his wand down Mundungus would flee with the baby. He had to think fast.

“My boyfriend,” pointing with his chin towards Dennis, “wants a baby and I promised him I would get him one. What’s the best price you can do on him?”

Mundungus smiled with a grin that showed ‘Christmas had come early’ and lowered his defenses. He gave Dennis the baby thinking this would seal the deal.

“Well, Harry, you know… you and I… well, we go way back… twenty galleons.”

“What? You told me fifteen,” screamed an outraged Dennis.

“Kid I have had three offers since you left and I turned them down waiting for you. I am not even making a profit. One bloke offered me forty galleons,” lied the thief.

“Given the fact that I can arrest you for this, I think you should reconsider the price,” warned the Chosen One.

“Come off it Harry, you’re not going to arrest me. What would your dear and departed Sirius say if you did such…” but he didn’t get to finish his sentence, Harry had stupefied him.

“Grab the baby. Let’s get out of here,” rushed the Auror.

“Why didn’t you arrest him?” asked a furious Dennis.

“Yeah, for what?”

“He was selling a baby!”

“Oh, so you want to give the baby back to the Ministry so they can place him in a good home like they have obviously done,” said Harry dripping with sarcasm.

Dennis considered Harry’s words and had to admit that the Auror was right.

“Harry, won’t he come after us?”

Harry raised his eyebrow in a ‘are you kidding me’ fashion that made Dennis reconsider his question. They made a run for it and were soon breaching the floo into Harry’s sitting room. Severus ran up to them and Harry held his hand out, stopping him from coming any closer.

***

“Kreacher,” but Harry had not finished uttering the name when the elf had already popped in. “It’s a baby. He is very weak,” said the Guide, incapable at the moment of more complex sentences. ‘Put a pillowcase over his head’ was still ringing in the pit of his soul.

Severus approached Dennis and uncovered the baby’s head. His heart went out to the undernourished child.

The floo made a thundering noise. How many were seeking entrance? Harry granted passage more out of shock than sense. Out came Kingsley, Draco with baby Nicky, Poppy, and Minerva.
“We got your patronus. What happened?” asked Kingsley.

“One of Harry’s friends was selling this baby,” explained Dennis.

“Will you come off it? Mundungus Fletcher is nobody’s friend.”

“Mundungus!” was the collective cry.

Dennis was shocked to discover that they all knew the riffraff.

“He stole from my godfather’s estate. He is one of the top ten criminals on the Aurors’ wanted list. He is not my friend. Is that clear?”

They all faced Dennis with a puzzled look. What would ever make the kid think that Mundungus Fletcher was Harry’s friend?

Severus took the baby from Dennis and Poppy followed him to the dinning area, leaving the rest to their discussion. The medi-witch unwrapped the little bundle and was shocked to see that this tiny baby had to be older than Nicky, who was older then Richard by three months. She came to this conclusion when she saw how many teeth the little fellow had. She examined his body and was thankful that no scars were found. It was strange that the baby did not wake from the examination.

“I believe he is too weak to wake up,” whispered the medi-witch.

Severus took the baby in his arms and walked to his chair in the sitting area. He sat and placed the baby to his nipple. Everyone turned to see what he was doing and Harry turned to see what they were staring at.

“Can he do that?” he asked Poppy.

“I believe he already has, Mr. Potter,” said the smug witch.

“But Richard?” protested Harry.

“Severus’ body will produce as much milk as is consumed. Have you ever heard of multiple births, Mr. Potter?” said the witch, enjoying the fact that her old friend was ignoring his husband’s distress.

Harry looked at Severus for reassurance. “Yes, husband, she is telling you the truth. My body will replenish the milk. Richard will not lack nourishment,” said the Marked One turning his attention back to the baby. He immediately looked up at Poppy. “He has stopped sucking. I am sure that is not enough…”

“Severus,” said Poppy bending down to place a comforting hand on Severus’ arm. “There is only so much you will be able to do for this little one. He grows weaker by the minute. We can only try to make his days as comfortable as possible,” she said in a whisper that everyone heard and felt.

Severus raised his head towards his husband in a silent plea. Harry swallowed and then said: “Severus will get him healthy in no time. You will see. All he needs is good care.”

“You can’t keep him!” protested Dennis.

“Yes, I can, if not for ‘monster Harry’ Mundungus would have taken your money, the baby and fled.”

“I am not that naive! And stop saying ‘monster Harry’ I do not think of you as a monster,” cleared the young Gryffindor.

“I am not saying you are naïve. I am saying that Mundungus is untrustworthy. And you sure would have fooled me. I would have thought I was right up there with the ‘Green Goblin’ in your book,” him and Dennis being the only ones in the room that got the comparison.

“Ah come off it, Harry, I do not think you are the Green Goblin.”

“Who is the Green Goblin?” whispered Minerva to Draco who simply shrugged his shoulders.

Their attention was brought back to the discussion among the two young Gryffindors.

“Harry I found the baby therefore I have the right to keep him,” Dennis continued his argument.

“Are you two under the impression that you get to keep the baby?” asked an outraged Severus Snape.

“Severus is right,” said Kings. “We have to find the baby’s birthing parent and reunite them.”

Harry and Dennis bowed their heads with shame, Harry being the first to rebound.

“Unless you are able to produce nourishment for this baby, you are not taking him away from here,” was Harry’s come back.

This made Dennis and the rest think. They had no way to feed a magical baby. The few that they had been able to rescue were done so with their birthing parent. This was a first and of course they had no provision for it.

“It might be a good idea for Harry to try to ‘save’ this baby,” said Kingsley looking at his companions.

“You know that isn’t possible,” said Poppy.

“I won’t let him die,” interjected Harry. “Look, between Kreacher and Snape they will make sure he is as fit as an ox in no time.”

The visitors looked at each other and came to a silent agreement. Yes, it would do Harry good to ‘try’.

***

That night Harry went into the nursery and found the little newcomer in the crib and Richard suckling from Severus’ chest. He approached and crouched as was his custom. He stared at his son’s mouth, lost in thought. After a long time of silence, “They think I am a monster.”

Severus didn’t move his eyes from Richard’s face.

“They forget. It is so easy to put on rose colored glasses and forget.”

More silence.

“I can’t forget.”

Still no reaction from his Marked One.

“I must be up there with Voldy in your book.”

Severus finally looked at his husband. “You are my husband.”

“Meaning?” asked a confused Harry. “I am sure you are not the first one to hate your husband.”

Severus looked at Harry as if the kid had lost his mind.

“You love Richard,” argued the Potions Master.

Harry was not seeing his reasoning.

“And that has to do with this conversation how?”

Severus was looking frustrated. Wasn’t it obvious?

“Richard came from me, he has my blood, but you still love him,” trying to make his reasoning as clear as day and failing miserably. “He hated her, therefore he hated me. I have known monsters. I know what they look like.”

“Have you forgotten…?”

Severus shook his head. “No, but when I look at the baby in the crib and the one in my arms, I can not help but remember that you have seen beyond my crimes and have loved and cared for my child. Because of you my child will never know a monster. This is all I need to rest easy.”

Harry didn’t understand half the things that Severus was saying; at least he admitted his crimes. What Harry did understand was that Richard was a lucky little boy. He had two people willing to put down their lives for him. Harry was comforted by the idea that his child would always feel that protection. After all, even without his magic, few would dare cross Severus Snape.

He took Richard from Snape’s arms and placed him in the crib next to the tiny baby.

“How old do you think he is?” asked Harry not turning his face away from the baby.

“Thirteen to fifteen months is what Madam Pomfrey and has concluded,” came the answer from behind the Gryffindor.

Harry looked at the stark difference between the two babies. Richard was a head taller and twice as wide. He had cute rosy cheeks where the other baby looked like a little old man.

“Can that be possible?” but no answer came from behind. “Have you named him?”

Severus found it amusing that his husband seem to think that he was good a choosing names.

“No, husband, I have not. I am sure that he has a name, a name given by his birthing parent. I do not wish to confuse the child by giving him another name.”

“But we have to call him something,” protested Harry.

“Richard calls him baby,” offered the man still sitting in the rocking chair.

“Did he actually say ‘baby’?”

“Yes, Sir, when he pointed at the baby, I said baby, and he had no difficulty in repeating it. He is picking up language at every turn of the bend,” said the proud papa.

“Well, I think it would be cruel if Kingsley’s crew doesn’t find his mum or dad and he grows up with a name like baby. We will have to determine how long we are willing to wait before we name him. I say a week.”

Did his husband want to keep the baby? Had he grown attached to him already? But Severus could not help but think that there was a mum or dad out there suffering the lost of his or her child. He could not imagine the anguish.

“I believe a month would be more of a fair timeline on Mr. Shacklebolt’s ‘crew’,” countered the birthing spouse.

Harry considered this and decided it was fair. He knew that Severus was thinking about the birthing parent but the child before him told him that this parent was unable to take care of their baby. Didn’t Snape see that the baby is better off with them?

He suddenly had an idea and ran from the room. Severus was baffled by this and even more so when Harry returned with a bottle and some formula. “I got this for Richard when he was born.” He answered the unspoken question. “It didn’t work,” answering the second unspoken question. “If he is over a year old, it should work; right?”

Severus nodded, rose and went to Harry’s aid. The baby did drink the formula but minutes later had diarrhea.

“Can’t you do something to stop it?” Harry asked his very silent husband.

“I am afraid this is the core of the problem, Sir. They have been given something that makes them lose any nourishment taken. They become wary of food and consume as little as possible.”

Harry seemed to consider Severus’ words and was horrified when he saw the baby’s bottom covered in rash.

“What is wrong with him?”

“I have been trying to feed him, but the diarrhea irritates his bottom.”

“Can you do something?”

“I will cover it with this ointment, but will have to leave him without a nappy.”

Harry watched as Severus cared for the irritated bottom. He knew the baby must feel very uncomfortable yet he was too weak to show his discomfort.

“I will firecall them in the morning. Do you think you can help them without actually brewing?” was Harry’s abrupt reaction.

“Sir, I do not know if I can be of any help at all, but if you will allow me to discuss the problem with them… To know what they have gathered, I will assure you, I will keep my fingers away from the caldron. I will merely be there to guide and suggest.”

Harry was surprised that Snape wasn’t looking for an excuse to brew.

***

Harry had a hard time sleeping that night. Mundungus’ dirty words rang over and over again in his head. It didn’t help that Severus was sleeping in the nursery with the babies. Severus’ scent always helped him sleep better.

***

A/N
Thanks again for all your great reviews and for asking questions that make me think deeper into the situation at hand. I am very happy with the way my story is going. I look at my notes and find that this is a much more mature story than the one I had intended all thanks to your input. Your questions really make me stop and rethink my game plan. At the beginning I was expecting everyone to ask over and over again “When is Harry going to be good?” but that is not the kind of readers that I have. You want to know about the politics, social issues, the mental state of the characters. You have told me how much you feel when reading my story and that is the biggest compliment an author can receive.

Thanks you,

Moon of the Sea
Luna del Mar