Unforseen Complications

Upon walking into the great hall, Harry saw Hermione and Ron right away. He smiled when Ron began waving his arms as if Harry couldn\'t pick out his bright red hair in any crowd. \"You look like you\'re trying to fly off of your stool.\"

\"And good evening to you too sir.\" Ron mocked with a grin. \"Where have you been all day?\"

Harry was quiet a moment then shook his head, \"I was doing my potions assignment. . . did you know there\'s a graveyard attached to the school?\"

Hermione looked up from her book suddenly interested, \"The one where the founders are buried? You saw it?\"

\"I went inside to get my quill. . .\"Harry trailed off, \"There was a grave there.\"

Ron looked confused. \"That\'s usually what you find in a graveyard mate. Or do muggles use them for something else?\"

\"Oh yes Ron, they strip naked and hold dances there every saturday night.\"

\"Really?!\" Ron\'s eyes were almost completely round they were so wide.

Hermione snorted and gave him one of her \'you cannot be serious\' looks. \"It was a joke Ron. Muggles use graveyards the same way that we do. They aren\'t heathens you know.\"

\"Well how am I supposed to know when you\'re serious? It\'s not like I know any muggles.\"

\"You should take muggle studies with me next term.\"

\"Why would You take muggle studies?\"

\"I want to know what the wizarding world \'knows\' about muggles.\" she shrugged.

Harry listened to his friends fall into the same conversation they\'d had a million times since Ron told them he wasn\'t taking the muggle studies course with them. After a few moments he saw Snape walk into the great Hall and stood, \"I\'ll be right back.\"

Hermione and Ron stared as he approached the potions master before Snape could join the other professors. \"Professor Snape?\"

\"What is it Potter.\" His words fairly dripped acid.

\"I was just wondering. . . uh. . .\"

\"Out with it. Some of us have things to do this evening.\"

\"doyouhaveasister?\"

Snape sighed in annoyance, \"There is a reason people pause in their speech Potter.\"

\"Do you have a sister?\"

This earned him a suspicious pause, \"I do not see why that would concern you but no. I am the last of the Snapes.\"

\"oh.\"

\"Quite. Now are we finished with this inane moment?\"

\"Does Re. . . uh. . . professor Lupin?\"

\"Does Lupin what?\"

\"Have a sister?\"

\"Getting desperate Potter. Young miss Weasley would be happy to oblige you. Now if you will excuse me. . .\" He turned once again to join the other professors.

//Wait a minuet! If Snape is the last of his line. . .// \"Did you marry a Lupin?\"

Snape froze. He didn\'t move a muscle.

\"Professor?\"

Harry\'s concerned voice broke him from his shock. \"Join your friends mister Potter. The meal will begin soon.\"

The young Griffendor hesitated a moment.

\"If you do not go now I will begin deducting points.\"

Harry nearly ran back to the table.

\"Harry what were you doing?!\" Hermione asked wide eyed when he returned.

\"I had a question.\"

\"You could have asked one of us!\" Ron insisted, \"Snape looked like he was livid!\"

\"What did you ask him?\"

Harry shook his head, \"nothing.\"

They let the matter drop as the food arrived and began to eat. It wasn\'t until the meal was almost over that Harry realized Snape had never joined the professors.


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Hogwarts
1986

Severus Snape looked at the detecting potion he\'d just finished and gasped when the water turned light blue. He quickly brewed another caldron of it and once again added a drop of his blood to the mixture. Again it turned a light blue color and a rare, ear to ear smile graced the usually somber face. //It worked!// He ran his hand over the flat ridges of his stomach in awe. //I can give you both of your dreams Remus. I am giving you a child. No, us. I am giving us a child.//

The door to the potions room opened and Severus looked up at Remus, the smile still on his face.

\"What are you up to?\" The werewolf smiled lovingly.

\"Secret.\" He teased.

\"Keeping secrets from me Sev?\" Remus wrapped his arms around his slightly smaller lover and kissed his neck softly. \"Tell me?\"

\"Not yet.\"

\"You know how I am. I\'ll die of curiosity if you don\'t tell me.\"

\"I\'ll tell you soon. I want to be positive of it first.\" He blushed, \"I don\'t want you to be disappointed.\"

\"It\'s for me?\" He laughed and buried his face in the younger man\'s hair. \"now I know the suspense will kill me.\"

\"At least I won\'t have to listen to you complain about it then.\"

\"Sev! I\'m shocked!\" He reeled in mock pain and pulled the potions master to the floor with him, slipping a hand up under his lover\'s robes. \"Is there anything I can do to convince you to tell me?\"

\"You will be the death of me, do you know that?\" Severus gasped as the questing hand found what it had been searching for. \"REMUS!\"

\"Hush. Let me. . .\"

\"We\'re in my classroom! Remus I have a class of first year Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws due to arrive in ten minuets!\"

\"Then I\'ll have to hurry.\"

\"Wai. . . ohhh!\"

If any of the students thought their professor was in a very good mood that class period, none of them were brave enough to ask why.

The pensive slid shut and the potions master hugged it tightly to his chest. That had been the last time he and Remus had made love, but it had been enough. The potion had worked. //And when Remus found out. . . he left.// That day was trapped in the pensive by accident. Severus had left it open while he prepared a wonderful dinner (cooking being not so different from potion making) to celebrate. He\'d done it. He\'d gotten pregnant. //Harrison Lupin-Snape//

\"Did I marry a Lupin, Potter?\" He whispered, \"No, but I loved one once. I did love one once.\"


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\"Severus.\" Dumbledore stepped into the dark dungeon room where his potions master now lived and watched the man. Severus Snape was sitting in a corner, holding onto a thick book as if it were a life line.

\"Severus.\" Dumbledore repeated.

\"Headmaster.\" Snape stood easily, all weakness gone from view. \"To what do I owe this. . . honor?\"

\"You are bitter, Severus. Do not allow yourself to be consumed by the past.\"

\"What do you want?\"

\"You didn\'t eat tonight.\"

\"I wasn\'t hungry.\" He drawled, clearly annoyed, \"What is the point of this visit?\"

\"You should be aware. Remus Lupin will be returning to Hogwarts within the week.\"

\"That is not acceptable.\" Snape ground out harshly.

“Severus, it\'s been fifteen years. You cannot go on like this my friend. Remus is needed here. I am not asking you to pick up where you once were, only that you do not intentionally aggravate him.\"

\"I do not want anything to do with that creature.\"

\"He is coming. Past grievances must be put aside.\"

\"Grievances? Albus you know nothing of grief.\"

\"You are alive Severus. You could have died along with the child.”
“Would that be so bad a thing?” Severus asked softly. “What do I have to live for, Headmaster? I am a Death Eater, looking for absolution from my sins. My son is dead, my child did not even take his first breath. The man I love has left me. My heart is broken and my soul bleeds. I would welcome death, at least then I would be with my son.”

“You owe us more than that, Severus,” Albus said, his kind voice hardened. “We gave you another chance. I protected you from the Ministry. You agreed to spy for us. And then because you were foolish enough to get involved with Remus Lupin, and fall pregnant with his child, we had to hide you here for six months, loosing much time in finding out what Voldemort is planning next. I\'m sorry to be so harsh with you, Severus, but these are the facts. You owe me more than this apathy.”

“And am I supposed to just forget my child?!” Severus snarled.

“Yes,” Albus answered coldly. Severus reared back in shock. “Listen to me. The child is dead. He has been dead for fifteen years. There is nothing you can do for him. But there are many children who are alive now, who will surely die if Voldemort isn’t stopped.\"


\"Like your precious Potter?\"


\"All of the students here. And at this moment in time, they are more important than a dead infant. . .” The Headmaster\'s voice trailed of as he realized what he had just said. \"Severus. . .\"

An icy masque had fallen over Severus Snape\'s face. He could be cold. He could survive with a soul of ice. It was a state he had perfected on the day his tears had run out. “Very well, Headmaster. You are correct, of course. I will fulfill my duties to you. You will have no cause for complaint. Good day to you.”

\"Severus please. . .\"

\"I said good day.\"

Dumbledore nodded and turned away. At the door he turned and found the potions master in the same position as he was before. He looked so much like the young man he\'d once been. //I am sorry Severus. There are things that one must do in war, for the good of the many. Sacrifices need to be made. But I am sorry.//

In the hallway, Draco Malfoy backed into the shadows quickly and tried to calm his rapidly beating heart. //So that\'s why he reacted like that to Potter\'s question! A Lupin!// The blond waited until Dumbledore was gone and slipped into the classroom. \"Professor Snape.\"

Snape didn\'t turn around. \"What is it Malfoy?\"

\" . . . \" Draco realized that his professor was hiding his tears and frowned. Weakness was not a trait Slytherins showed. Draco didn\'t know how to react. Snape was his favorite professor, probably the only one who cared about him in the entire castle. The young Slytherin found himself in the ackward position of wanting to help. \" . . . \" He hadn\'t had much practice with helping people.

\"Well?\"

//Well, I can\'t make it any worst.// \"I didn\'t know you were gay.\"

That made Snape turn around. His eyes were hard as stone. \"What did you hear?\"

//He thinks I\'m going to blackmail him.// \"You realize that if you have a breakdown it will make Slytherin look bad.\"

\"I am aware of that.\"

Draco nodded and was quiet for a moment.

\"What is it?\"

\"You can make a potion to allow a male to become pregnant?\"

His eyes were like steel. \"Yes.\"

\"And it works?\"

\"Obviously not since my child was still born.\"

\". . .\"

\"Why so curious, young Malfoy.\"

He weighed the pros and cons and decided to continue with his train of thought. \"My father doesn\'t approve of . . . relationships between two men. He wants an heir and if my chosen spouse is male I could not carry on the Malfoy name. But if there was a way then I might be able to court h. . .\"

The hard look was melting as the man before him realized what he was dancing around. \"It isn\'t like a Malfoy to ask for help.\"
\"It isn\'t like a Malfoy not to get his own way.\" He countered, \"But, there are certain expectations that I must meet as my father\'s son.\"

Snape nodded, \"I suppose as the Malfoy heir you are not expected to hold more liberal ideals.\"

\"No.\"

\"Would you like some hot chocolate? My office is not far.\"

Draco smiled, a real smile.

\"And perhaps you would like to talk about your. . . romantic interest.\"

He blushed and nodded.

\"I shall even refrain from asking his name.\"

\"Thank you.\"

//Remus is returning to Hogwarts. Potter suspects and Draco knows, at least a part of the story. How can this continue? How could Albus do this to me again?//

\"Professor?\" Draco touched his arm and Snape jumped.

\"What?!\"

\"We passed your office five minuets ago.\"

He blinked down the corridor and then back the way they\'d come. \"You did not tell me.\"

\"You looked like you needed to work through some things.\"

\"When did you grow up?\" He asked with a suspicious but light tone.

\"It happened so gradually that I didn\'t notice it myself.\"

\"I take it the \'boy\' you needed to talk about has had something to do with it.\"

He nodded a moment then asked, \"What will you do?\"

\"What do you mean?\"

\"With Lupin coming back. . . what will you do?\"

Snape paused as the answer came to him, such a simple answer that he had overlooked it before. \"I will deal with it.\" He said it almost as much to himself as to Draco. \"I can\'t afford to break.\" He tried to smile a bit. \"It would make Slytherin look bad after all. And we cannot have that.\"

\"It was a near thing though.\" The young Slytherin noted. \"I\'ll have a talk with Potter. Get him to keep his mouth shut.\"

\"No bloodshed Draco. I\'ll have enough on my mind as it is.\"

He grinned broadly.

Snape almost groaned aloud but he was more calm then he\'d been in months. //Remus is coming home. Remus. . .//