Love's Journeys *COMPLETE*

Chapter 28- Severus’ Parents and a Baby


“Severus, do you remember that spring?” Minerva asked.


“Yes. I was 17. It was also the spring that mother and father died.” Severus answered.


Hermione just sat there snuggled in Severus’s arms. Minerva nodded then continued her story. “At the time I wasn’t a teacher. There were no openings so I was hiring myself out as a private tutor for families who wanted to have their children taught there at home. I was sitting at home when Albus called me. I was immediately at Hogwarts. Standing there were Alexander and Analice.” Minerva said.


*Flashback- Hogwarts 1975*


“Analice, Alexander, what are you doing here?” Minerva asked.


“Minerva, it’s so good to see you. We have a problem.” Alexander said.


“Minerva, its Voldemort. He’s trying to get Severus to join him. We have it on good authority that he has gone to the meetings with Lucius Malfoy. Minerva, please, talk to him. He listens to you. We don’t want to lose our only son to that monster.” Analice pleaded.


“I’ll talk to him. Albus, can you send word for him to meet me in the gardens?” Minerva asked.


“Of course. I’ll send it right now. Alexander, Analice, return home.” Albus nodded.


Analice, Alexander and Minerva hugged each other and said their goodbyes. Minerva headed for the gardens to wait for her Godson. After waiting for ten minutes he showed up.


“Minerva! It’s good to see you!” Severus cried as he ran to his godmother.


“Severus my boy. How are you doing?” Minerva asked as she hugged the 17 year old boy.


“I’m doing okay. My N.E.W.T’s are taking up a lot of my time. Other than that I’m doing alright.” Severus replied.


“Severus, I’m here to talk to you about something very important. It has come to my attention that you have been going with Lucius Malfoy to the meetings of Voldemort’s followers. Is this true?” Minerva asked seriously.


Severus sighed. “Yes. I was only interested Minerva. That’s all. Lucius makes it sound very interesting.” He said.


“Severus, listen to me. Voldemort is evil. His beliefs are evil. Trust me on this. He wants to wipe out all of the muggle-born witches and wizards. You can’t choose your parentage. Just because they are muggle-born doesn’t make them less powerful.” Minerva explained.


“How can you, a pure-blood, say this? There is no room in our world for them!” Severus said raising his voice.


“Do you honestly believe that? For example, look at Lily Evans. She is muggle-born, but yet she is one of the smartest and strongest witches here. How can you believe these things that Voldemort is teaching?” Minerva argued.


Severus rose to his feet and began to pace. ‘Minerva is right. Lily is one of the strongest and brightest students here. What am I doing? I’m so confused. Everything Lord Voldemort says makes sense, but so does everything Minerva says as well.’ Severus thought. He turned to his godmother. “I’m confused. Everything he says sounds right, but so does everything you say. What do I do?” Severus asked as he sat beside her on the stone bench.


Minerva took him into her arms. “Oh my son. You are young. Voldemort wants as many young men as he can get. Listen to me, the next time Lucius asks you to go tell him no. You must stay as far away from those people as you can. They are murderers and rapists. You are not like them. You have a bright future ahead of you. Please head my warning and my advice. I have never lied to you. Your parents and I are worried about you.” Minerva pleaded with him.


“Alright Minerva. I’ll stay away from them. I promise.” Severus nodded.


Minerva sighed in relief. After saying good-bye she left and went to Snape Manor to talk to Analice and Alexander.


*End Flashback- Hogwarts Present Time*


“I remember that day. It was two days before they were killed.” Severus said, as he held Hermione closer to him.


“I know.” Minerva nodded.


“Severus, did you really believe what Voldemort was saying?” Hermione asked.


“At the time I was confused. I didn’t know what to believe. Albus, Minerva and my parents tried to keep me away from him, but in the end I joined.” Severus replied sadly.


“Now comes the hard part. The two of you must bear with me, this is still hard to talk about, even 30 years later.” Minerva sighed.


*Flashback- Snape Manor Spring 1975*


Two days after the talk with Severus Minerva was once again sitting with her old friends. “I have talked to Severus. He hasn’t gone to the last two meetings. I think I made him realize the truth. Or so I hope.” Minerva said.


“Thank god. I don’t want my only son hanging around them. I have always taught him that a witch or wizard can be found in anyone. Pure-blood or not.” Analice sounded relieved.


“I know Analice. Voldemort is gaining strength and popularity amongst other pure-blood families. Let us hope that he can be stopped.” Alexander replied as he hugged his wife.


The three friends sat and talked for about an hour when an owl came swooping through the open kitchen window. It dropped the letter then left. Alexander opened the letter. It was from Dumbledore. It read:


Alexander, Analice,


I hope this letter reaches you in time. Death Eaters are on their way to your home. Get out of there and come here to Hogwarts. You will be safe here. I think they are trying to send a message to Severus. Please hurry. I hope this letter finds you two alive and well.


Albus Dumbledore
Assistant Headmaster of Hogwarts


“Let’s go!” Alexander ordered.


Analice and Minerva jumped to their feet and followed Alexander to the fireplace. Five feet from the fireplace the front door was blown apart. At least a dozen Death Eaters poured into the living room. Minerva, Analice, and Alexander drew their wands. The fighting began.


“Get out! Now!” Alexander yelled to Minerva and Analice.


“I’m not leaving you alone!” Analice cried.


“ALEXANDER! BEHIND YOU!” Minerva screamed.


Just as Alexander turned around a jet of green light hit him square in the chest. He landed right in front of Minerva and Analice. Minerva grabbed his body and pulled him to the fireplace. She sent him ahead to Albus.


“Analice! Come on! We have to go!” Minerva cried.


Analice turned and ran to Minerva. Right before she climbed into the fireplace she too was hit with the killing curse. She was then swept away to Albus. Minerva was there waiting for her. When Analice came through she ran to her best friend.


“Analice, Analice, can you hear me?” Minerva pleaded.


“M…Minerva. Watch…over…Severus. Promise me?” Analice gasped.


“Of course. Anything.” Minerva said tearfully.


“Promise…you…won’t…tell Severus. Don’t…tell…him…what really…happened…to me and his father. Promise me…Minerva.” Analice whispered.


“I…I promise.” Minerva said. ‘How can I keep this from him? He has a right to know, but I did just promise to keep it from him.’ Minerva thought. Minerva felt Analice clutch her hand then go limp. Minerva looked down and saw that her best friend was dead. She turned her tear filled eyes toward Albus. “Albus, what do we do? I mean Severus will be heartbroken.” Minerva said.


“I know Minerva. We tell him his parents died in a potion’s accident at the Manor. I will go to the Manor and make it look as if his parents were working on a potion and it exploded.” Albus sighed.


“He will never believe that. His parents were perfectionists when it came to potions.” Minerva cried.


“It is all we can do without telling him the truth. You just swore to his mother that you wouldn’t tell him the truth.” Albus reminded her.


Minerva sighed and nodded. They quickly used a glamour charm on Alexander and Analice’s bodies to make them look as though they had been in a potions explosion. Albus apparated to Snape Manor. Once he was back they placed Severus’s parents in the infirmary and sent for Severus.


“You wanted to see my Professor Dumbledore?” Severus asked as he entered the infirmary.


“Yes my boy. Please follow me.” Albus said sadly.


Severus followed Albus to a back room. Inside he saw Minerva. “Minerva, what are you doing here? What’s wrong, you’ve been crying.” Severus demanded.


Minerva went to the young man and hugged him tightly. “Severus, it’s…it’s your mother and father.” Minerva said.


“What about them? What has happened?” Severus questioned.


“Severus, there…there was an accident at the manor. Your mother and father were working on a potion and their cauldron exploded. They were killed instantly.” Minerva answered as fresh tears fell from her eyes.


“No! Mother and father don’t make mistakes at potions! You’re lying to me!” Severus screamed.


Albus walked to the two tables and pulled back the sheets that covered his parents. Severus looked upon the burnt and bruised faces of his mother and father. He slowly walked to their bodies. Once he saw his mother he broke into tears. He fell across his mother’s dead body.


“NO! It can’t be true! It can’t be!” He roared.


Minerva was immediately at his side. She pulled the distraught boy into his arms. They sank to the floor and she gently rocked him back and forth. “Sshh. It will be alright Severus. Everything will be alright. I’ll always be there for you. Never doubt that.” Minerva whispered.


*End Flashback- Hogwarts Present Time*


Severus had tears falling from his eyes as he recalled the memory. Hermione just held him as best she could. Minerva reached out to take hold of his hand. Severus jerked his hand away from her.


“You lied to me. You knew all along that Voldemort had ordered my parents death just so I would join. The whole time I was a death eater you knew I was working for the man who had my parents murdered!” Severus yelled.


“Severus, I swore to your mother not to tell you the truth. I wanted to tell you. So many times I wanted to tell you the truth. Forgive me for keeping this from you. Please forgive me Severus. I never meant to lie to you or to hurt you.” Minerva pleaded as tears fell from her eyes as well.


“Severus, please listen to Minerva.” Hermione replied.


Severus looked down at his wife then at his godmother. “Minerva, stay with Hermione. I need some time alone to think.” Severus said.


He leaned down, kissed Hermione then left the room. The door leading to his classroom slammed closed. Minerva moved to sit next to Hermione and began to cry. “I knew once he found out the truth he would hate me. What am I going to do?” Minerva cried as she laid her head on Hermione’s lap.


Hermione began to stroke Minerva’s hair in a soothing motion. “Oh Minerva, you were only trying to protect him and keeping a promise you made to his mother. He doesn’t hate you. He just needs some time alone to think. Everything will work out. You’ll see.” Hermione whispered to the older witch.


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Severus walked out to the lake. He sat down on a large rock and watched as the sun began to set. He was angry yet thankful at Minerva at the same time. He just couldn’t understand why his mother didn’t want him to know the truth.


“Why? Why mother, didn’t you want me to know the truth about you and father’s deaths? I don’t understand.” Severus said out loud.


At that moment there was a bright light in front of Severus. He covered his eyes from the bright light. His left hand clutched his wand. When the light faded Severus saw his parents standing before him.


“Mother? Father? How? You’re dead!” Severus gasped.


“My darling little Severus. Your father and I are here to help you understand something. I did not want you to know what really happened to your father and me because we knew you would go and find Voldemort. You would have tried to kill him, but would have been killed instead.” Analice said to her son.


“That still doesn’t make up for the fact that Minerva lied to me! How could she? I know she promised you but still! I deserved to know the truth!” Severus cried.


“Severus, I understand that you are angry. Don’t blame Minerva or Albus because your mother made her swear not to tell you. We were trying to protect you. Please believe that son.” Alexander replied.


Severus began to think. He was hurting, but so was Minerva. She witnessed firsthand the death of her best friends. “I’m being selfish aren’t I?” Severus questioned sheepishly.


“It’s understandable. You just found out something that has been kept from you for 20 years. Plus you have a beautiful wife that you nearly lost. It has brought back all the things you felt when your mother and I died.” Alexander said.


“Do the two of you approve of Hermione?” Severus asked.


“Yes. She is a wonderful witch. She is your soul-mate son. You two love each other very much. Now, you must return to her. I fear something is wrong. Hurry. Go to her.” His mother ordered.


“Good bye mother, father. I love you and miss you.” Severus whispered before he began to run back to the castle.


“We love you and miss you too son.” Alexander and Analice smiled. As the sun sank they faded away into the shadows.


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Severus ran to their rooms. He heard Minerva’s voice crying out. “Hermione! Hermione! Hermione, can you hear me! Wake up!” Minerva cried.


Severus burst into the bedroom and found his godmother holding his unmoving wife in her arms. “Hermione! Minerva, what happened?” Severus asked as he took Hermione into his arms.


“We were talking when her eyes just rolled into the back of her head and she collapsed onto the bed.” Minerva said.


“Have you sent for Poppy?”


“She’s on her way.”


At that moment Poppy came running in. She pushed Minerva and Severus out of the room so she could check and work on Hermione.


“Minerva, while I was at the lake, mother and father came to me. They explained why you were told not to tell me. It was to keep me from trying to go and kill Voldemort. I shouldn’t be angry at you. I guess I was angry because I felt that you and Albus didn’t trust me enough or something.” Severus said.


“Oh no. We trust you. I’m sorry for keeping it from you. I was only trying to protect you.” Minerva exclaimed.


Severus nodded. They sat together waiting for Poppy to reappear. Finally she walked in. “Severus, Minerva come in here please.” Poppy said.


“What happened?” Minerva asked.


“It’s nothing bad. It turns out that she is once again pregnant. She is about two months along. Somehow the baby was not lost during the last attack. And yes the child is your Severus. Congratulations.” Poppy said.


“She’s pregnant? I’m finally going to be a father?” Severus gasped.


“Yes.” Poppy nodded.


Severus smiled brightly. His heart swelled. ‘She’s pregnant! Yes! I’m going to be a father!’ Severus thought happily.


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Poppy left and Severus and Minerva returned to Hermione’s bedside. An hour later she awoke. “Ugh. What happened?” She asked.


“Take it easy love. You passed out.” Severus answered.


“Why?” Hermione questioned.


“You’re two months pregnant. Poppy told us an hour ago. Somehow you didn’t lose the baby when you were attacked. And yes the child is mine.” Severus answered.


“I’m going to have a baby?” Hermione said.


“Yes. We are going to have a baby.” Severus nodded.


Hermione broke into a huge grin and her hands flew to her still flat stomach. Severus embraced her and held her tight.


“Congratulations my children. I will leave you two alone. I’ll see you later.” Minerva smiled. She hugged and kissed both Hermione and Severus.


“I can’t believe it, a baby. Finally.” Hermione sighed.


“I agree.” Severus said as he held her to him and rested his hand on her stomach.


There was a sudden knock on the door. Severus rose to his feet and went to answer it. He found Harry, Ron, Lavender, and Ginny standing there. “Sorry to interrupt you Severus, but we needed to talk to you and Hermione. That is if she is feeling up to visitors.” Harry replied.


“Of course. Please come in. Beside Hermione and I have some great news. Let me tell her you’re here.” Severus said.


He quickly left the sitting room and headed for the bedroom. After about fifteen minutes he stuck his head out of the bedroom and told them to come on in. They found Hermione sitting up on the bed with Severus beside her. There were four chairs beside the bed.


“What is the good news?” Lavender asked.


“Well, Hermione is two months pregnant. We are going to have a baby.” Severus said.


“That’s great!” they cried.


Ginny and Lavender hugged Hermione while Ron and Harry shook Severus’s hand. Lavender then walked over to Severus. She hugged him and kissed his cheek.


“You’ll make a wonderful father professor. Just like Hermione will make a wonderful mother.” Lavender beamed.


“Thank you Lavender. Please call me Severus. Same goes for you Ginny.” Severus nodded.


“Now, down to business. We need to know when you two want to find the chamber. I know it will be once Hermione is well.” Harry said.


“As soon as Poppy gives me the okay you, me and Severus will go and get the wand. That should be in two weeks.” Hermione suggested.


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The group sat around making plans for when they would go for the wand. Finally Severus and Hermione were alone once more in their bedroom. Severus just held her to him while rubbing his hand in small circles across her stomach.


“I’m so happy Hermione. I have never been happier in my life.” Severus said.


“Me too love. Me too.” Hermione sighed.


“I saw my parents tonight. When I went to the lake. They appeared in front of me. They told me that they didn’t want me to know the truth because they didn’t want me to go and try and kill Voldemort. They were also the ones that told me to get back here to you. My mother feared something was wrong.” Severus replied.


“Severus, I think we have guardian angels on our side in your parents, Remus, James and Lily.” Hermione smiled.


“I think you are right.” Severus nodded.


They quickly fell asleep wrapped tightly in each other’s arms.


T.B.C