Deserving (Final Chapter)

A/N Hi everyone my dear and amazing Beta is very busy with school work (Nursing School) and has had no time to correct my blunders. So you get to see what my work looks like before Ellie gets her hands on it. Spot a blunder, send me an email Tana97@aol.com or simply write it as part of your review. I really am trying hard not to get off schedule.

Chapter 18

Thursday night found Severus and Harry playing with Richard and Baby on the floor next to the hearth in the sitting room. Harry was amazed to see how fast Baby was recovering. His eyes were wide awake now although he seemed to have an absent look. Try as he might, he could not get Baby to look at things that he pointed out for him or even placed in front of him. Severus tried to engage Baby with some of the toys but he would not hold on to them.

“Do you think something is wrong with him?” Harry asked Severus while he was levitating Richard on the ottoman and hearing him giggle away.

“He is still recuperating. Once he is completely healthy he will start to react more to his environment,” assured Snape.

“But he looks healthy already. Look he is even growing hair. It seems to be growing overnight. Why did they shave it?”

“They did not shave it off. When the body lacks nourishment it begins to ration its nutrients. The body stops wasting its energy in producing hair and even fingernails. It is just a self preservation method,” explained the professor.

Harry looked lost in thought even when he was looking straight at Richard and his demands to go “up, up”

“So they did not shave her hair off,” he said voicing his thoughts.

Severus knew who he was thinking of. Harry seemed to be genuinely sorry for what he had done to her, but Snape was still finding it hard to forgive. It was a woman and child. It was a classmate. It was Pansy Parkinson, a girl with whom Harry had lived with in the same castle since he was eleven years old. His thoughts were interrupted when he heard his husband granting permission to enter.

Out of the floo came Neville with a body in his arms. It was hard to say if the person was alive.

Kreacher popped in and Harry gave him the order to take the children to the nursery. He obeyed immediately. Neville knelt down and placed the body on the sofa.

“Milly… Milly… wake up. We’re here. Your son is here,” he whispered holding her hands.

Harry saw that the woman looked just like Pansy: skin and bones, no hair and just rag to cover he nudity. All of a sudden he saw Snape’s eyes grow wide with awareness.

“Millicent Bulstrode!” was Snape’s shocked reaction.

Harry looked at the form lying on his couch. What was Snape on about? Millicent Bulstrode! NO WAY. But Neville confirmed Snape’s statement by nodding his head. Snape ran to the kitchen and got the antidote and handed it over to Neville.

“Milly, you’ve got to drink this. This will make it all right. I promise. And then you can see your little baby. You would like that, wouldn’t you?” said Neville still using a baby soft voice.

There was still no reaction from the body on the couch. Severus disappeared yet again. This time when he came back he was carrying Baby in his arms. He laid Baby on his mother’s chest and as if from magic, a magic not exclusive to wizards, Millicent opened her eyes.

She looked at her baby then looked at Neville and began to cry.

“You did it, Sir, you kept your promise,” she said barely in a whisper.

“Millicent, you must take your medicine,” said the professor from the back side of the sofa.

She looked up at him in amazement. “Professor, but you look… have you been rescued also?”

Severus gave her a little smile. “Please, Millicent, drink.”

Neville took the vial to her mouth and she drank.

“That is going to make you feel much better; you’ll see,” said Harry coming into focus.

She looked up at him in horror.

“NO!!!! Please don’t take me back. Please! Don’t take me away from my baby. Please…”

Neville and Severus tried to calm her down while Harry stepped away. She was terrified by his mere presence. He had never done anything to her but yet see looked as if she was in the presence of a… mountain ogre.

“Millicent, Mr. Potter will not bring you any harm. He has taken good care of you child. Look,” Severus said carrying Baby so she could get a good look at him.

Tears came to her eyes again, “He is so beautiful… isn’t he?”

Neville and Snape nodded.

“Yes, Millicent, your baby is beautiful and he is also healthy. My husband made sure of that. He means you no harm,” assured her head of house.

“But they say he is very cruel to you. I heard my Guide laugh with his friends about how he would not allow you decent clothing and almost killed you by not allowing you to have medical assistance during your birth and …”

Snape cut her off, “Do I look like someone who has been abused?”

Neville duck his head and Millicent looked at her Professor. No, he did not look anywhere near as mistreated as the other Marked Ones that she had seen.

“I don’t understand, Professor,” she said looking up at him for guidance.

“The Guides would love to think that they have Harry Potter’s endorsement of their behavior,” he said with an arch eyebrow as if letting her in on a secret.

Neville had to yet again avert his eyes, while she looked at Snape showing her understanding.


***

She fell asleep on the couch with her baby on her chest. Neville got up from his kneeling position and turned to speak to Harry.

“I will need for them to stay here for a couple of hours while she gains her strength. Then I will take them to the safe house.”

Harry seemed puzzled by his words. “What do you mean, you will take them?”

“They need to get to a safe house. We have a couple set up. They will be safe from Single’s men,” explained Neville.

Harry saw Severus close his eyes and drop his chin.

“They are safe here,” responded Harry making Severus raise his head.

“Harry, the baby was one thing. I don’t think Single’s men could distinguish one baby from another. Especially after the antidote, but they will be able to spot Milly. That is too dangerous.”

“Look, wherever she goes, she will not be able to wonder about. So we will just make sure she stays within the property limits. They will be as safe here as they will be anywhere else,” countered the Guide.

Neville looked at his professor. There was no way he was going to allow Harry access to another Marked One. Yes, it was true that he seemed to be treating Severus a bit more humanly but it was clear to him that his professor had been brainwashed in some way. This was not but a ghost of the Severus Snape he knew and respected back in Hogwarts.

“No, Harry, sorry, but I am taking her somewhere where she will be safe. She has gone through too much. She doesn’t deserve anymore punishment,” countered Neville.

Harry turned towards the hearth in frustration. Yes, of course, they could not be left with the horrible Guide that will torture them. Anger was consuming him; eating him up when he turned to tell Neville off, but when he turned he found Severus’ pleading face staring right at him with a silent ‘please’ on his lips. Then Severus approached Neville.

“Mr. Longbottom, I would dare to ask for a personal favor if I may,” began the Professor.

“Professor, you know you can ask for anything, anything at all,” jumped Neville.

“I have grown so fond of the baby and I will miss him dearly if you take him away…”

“Professor! I can’t separate them. Milly has the right to…”

“Mr. Longbottom, you have misunderstood my request. I would never separate mother and child. I was merely hoping that you would accept my husband’s proposal and allow us to be the host family of both mother and child,” explained Severus happy that Harry had bitten his tongue.

“Professor,” said a hesitant Neville.

“Mr. Longbottom, I assure you, no harm will come to them. Kreacher has taken a liking to the baby and experience tells me that when he likes someone, no harm comes to that person.”

Neville shuffled his eyes from one side of the ceiling to the other trying to find a way to deny his professor.

“What can I do to make you understand that no harm will come to them,” said Harry breaking his silence. “I can make you a promise on my magic that no harm will come to them,” ended the Guide.

“You don’t think she would suffer to see how you treat a man like Severus Snape that was the head of her house and Headmaster of Hogwarts?” argued Neville.

“My husband does not give me ill treatment,” said Severus trying to control his temper and volume not wanting to startle the sleeping duo on the couch.

“Professor, I am not the enemy here. If you would have accepted my proposal I assure you, you would be happy and free,” countered Neville.

“Mr. Logbottom, what you fail to see, or should I say, what you do not wish to see is that I am perfectly content with my family,” he said rising to his full height.

“So you don’t miss your wand, your magic, your potions… your pride,” said Neville swallowing a large lump in his throat.

“That is none of your concern. Nor anyone else, for that matter, these are matters that only concern my husband and I and I will appreciate it if you do not meddle in them,” said Severus leaving the room.

There was a pregnant silence in the room after Severus left. Finally Harry decided to speak.

“Wow! I don’t think I’ve ever upset him as much as you just did.”

Neville looked at him in silence for a couple of seconds. Then he walked to the hearth and as he was about to leave.

“Out of respect for a great man, they will stay,” he was about to throw the floo powder when he turned to Harry and looking him square in the eyes said, “Not even when you raped him in the Single’s office?” and left.

***

When Severus entered the bedroom he found Harry in the window seat hugging his knees to his chest.

“He has allowed them to stay,” he said not moving his eyes from the stars above.

Severus simply closed his eyes and took in a deep breath of relief. He sat on the bed looking at Harry who was intent on the stars.

“I use to have an owl,” he said out of the blue.

“Yes, a snowy owl, it was your signature trade mark back in Hogwarts,” confirmed Severus.

“I had never had a pet before Hedwig. It felt amazing. Even when she was upset with me she would come when I called her,” he paused in silence. “She came every time I needed her.”

Silence.

“You have never replaced her,” stated Severus.

Harry shook his head. “There are some things you can’t replace. If she were here now, she would not fear me.”

Severus took a deep breath of understanding.

“She is running away from a cruel Guide, she is fearful, she does not know who to trust. You can not blame her for her reaction. She …”

“She has heard of my barbarian acts. The Marked Ones are going around praying that they never cross my path.”

“I am sure they have greater fears than you, but as always you seem to believe that life revolves around you,” answered and old Potions Master.

Turning for the first time to look at Severus. “You didn’t see how she…?”

“What I am seeing is a young, healthy, free man feeling pity for him self. And quite frankly I can not sympathize when there is a young broken woman with her undernourished child in the other room.”

“I am not asking for your pity!” yelled Harry but understood immediately his mistake when Severus looked towards the door. He promptly cast a silencing charm and continued in a whisper even though it was no longer necessary. “You are the one that is always pitting me. Trying to make me look like someone you have created in your mind. You have this fantasy, this… this little world of yours. That only you live in,” he said in a sea of stutters.

Severus stood up to his full height.

“You asked me to give Richard a home. Some place where he would grow up happy and secure. Well, I have news for you Mr. Potter sooner or later he will go out into that world and the last thing I need is for my child to come home crying because he has heard that his father is less of the man than the one he has grown to love and admire. I will go to great length to avoid that day in time. No, Mr. Potter, I do not pity you. You are not worthy of my pity. Unfortunately I have way too many others to feel sorry for. I am sorry that my actions and words in front of others offend you.”

Harry walked back to the window and once again looked up to the sky.

“Do you have any idea how messed up we are?” said Harry gazing at the stars.

“I do not have measurement but the assessment seems correct.”

They both smiled in their own spaces none being witness of the other’s action.


***

Friday night found Harry knocking on the nursery door in order to say good night to the children. Millicent had been given the daybed to sleep in because she would not leave Baby out of her sight for a single second out of fear of losing him again.

“Come in,” said a very hesitant voice.

Harry walked in and found her rocking a sleeping child.

“I believe he is asleep already,” he felt the need to point out.

Millicent got up and placed the baby in the crib next to Richard who was also asleep. Harry leaned over and gave both of them a good night kiss.

“You should get some rest. You are still not a hundred percent well. I mean you look great but… as you can see… I am pretty good at… botching up my words.”

She gave him a half smile. “Sir, you are most kind…”

“Um, Millicent, you do know we went to school together and if I am not mistaken you are a year above me. So unless you want me to call you Mrs. I would stop the Sir business.”

“But you are a Guide and I am a Marked One,” argued the girl.

“Yes, but I am not your Guide. The only one that has to call me Sir is Snape and quite frankly there is little I can do if he decides to start calling me dog.”

“Professor would never do that. He only talks kindly about you. I promise, Sir…” she said in frenzy.

“Will you please calm down? And yes, I do know he would never say anything bad about me. I was just trying to make light conversation. You know, I would like it if you and Baby…” he stopped when the thought hit him. “What is his name?”

Millicent looked as if she had been asked a very embarrassing question and was intent on a spec on the floor when Severus came in.

“Is there something wrong,” he asked as he entered the nursery.

Harry looked baffled. “I simply asked her what Baby’s real name was, but the question seem to upset her,” replied Harry still puzzled by her reaction.

Severus looked at her and knew that the question had unsettled her. He asked his husband for a moment alone with her and Harry complied by going to his bedroom.

***

When Severus retuned to the bedroom he found Harry already in bed. Naked as it was his new custom. He began to strip but Harry was not waiting he wanted answers.

“So?”

“It seems that her Guide was particularly mean to her. He was engaged to be married to his Hogwart’s sweetheart when the marrying law came out. His girlfriend would not even hear of a triad.”

“So why didn’t he just give Millicent up?”

“He had made his mother a promise to avenge his father’s death. Death that came from the wand of Millicent’s great uncle.”

“What? You are kidding; right?”

Severus looked at him befuddled. “I am sorry, husband, but I fail to see what you find out of place with my statement.”

“What does she have to do with her great uncle? That is just sheer stupidity. And the baby, why would he want his own child dead?”

“I would think it to be obvious. Millicent and the baby gone, his father is avenged and he can go off to make his life with his true love.”

Harry looked at him with eyes as wide as Trelawney’s eyeglasses. “You think it’s that easy?” he said with a look of disgust on his face.

“No, sir, I do not believe it is that easy but some might fool themselves into believing it might be so.”

Harry had to agree with Severus. As an Auror he had seen many senseless crimes.

“So can we get down to our original inquiry: What is Baby’s real name?”

“Yes, Husband I was getting to that when you interrupted me. It seems that he took it out on the child and gave him a very cruel name.”

“A cruel name? How can you give your own child a cruel name? Well, actually I have seen some pretty bad ones. You have no idea how hard it is when you’re trying to fill out a report with a straight face after the victim has given you a name like Englebert,” but when he looked up Severus was not amused. “Hey, your name isn’t that bad?” still Severus showed no amusement. “So what is Baby’s real name?”

“Sin,” answered Severus with a dry face.

“What?”

“Sin. The man named his child Sin,” trying to contain his anger.

“You are kidding me right? There is no way the Ministry would have accepted that. He must have told her that just to see her suffer; right?”


“I thought the same thing but she assures me she was wide awake when Single came to fill out the birth certificate. She claims he was quite amused by the name. He even mentioned that the Guides had gotten very creative with the ‘unique’ names.”

Harry was speechless. He was looking into blankness opening and closing his mouth like a fish out of water. Could vengeance blind a person to the point of hurting his own child?