The Third Time is a Charm

Posted: 16 January 2010

Chapter 67: Sal’s Explanation

It was their wedding night and Severus had plans on ravishing a particular Gryffindor. They took a long hot bath in the tub and not five minutes into it, Harry fell asleep. Not surprising, given all the excitement, but Severus had seen the younger man with more stamina than this and he wondered what his lack of energy was from.

He carefully finished bathing, so as not to wake his husband, and carefully levitated him out of the bath and waved his hand with a drying charm. No sooner than the thought was there they were both dry and Severus carried Harry to bed. Perhaps a little rest would do them both some good. With a flick of his hand the covers were pulled back and he carefully placed the younger man on his side of the bed and silently got in from the other side.

Severus pulled the young man into his arms and Harry unconsciously snuggled up to Severus, placing his arm over his chest as he leaned his head against the older man’s heart. He gave a contented sigh and settled for the night. Severus ran his hands down Harry’s bare back and pulled him closer to get more comfortable. Soon he joined Harry in a deep sleep.

Several hours later, Severus woke up with Harry moving around in his arms. He appeared to be having some sort of dream; not a full blown nightmare but the dream didn’t seem pleasant either. He muttered ‘no’ a few times and ‘not ready’ and Severus wandered what he was dreaming about.

Gently he shook the younger man awake while calling his name, “Harry, love wake up. It’s only a dream.” He started kneading the muscles in Harry’s back to sooth him and his green eyed beauty finally started to wake.

“What time is it?” he asked softly into the dark. Severus did a quick tempus, and noticed it was three fifteen in the morning.

“It is still very early, love. Why don’t you go back to sleep?”

“Oh Severus,” Harry said in alarm as he suddenly realized he fell asleep on his wedding night. “I am so sorry. I didn’t mean to go to sleep like that. I felt so warm in the bath and you felt so good as I was leaning on you, I guess I was more tired than I thought.”

“Think nothing of it. We were both tired and I went to sleep not long after you. We have the rest of our lives together; I think we can afford to get a little sleep during that time.”

Harry smirked at the joke and said, “How about we start that ‘rest of our lives’ now and have a little fun. I would hate to have to admit to anyone that we slept through our wedding night.” He let his hands start to wonder over the older man’s chest and he soon found out that neither one of them had any clothes on. Severus really must have been tired. Harry had a habit of throwing off the covers and Severus always made sure Harry wore pajamas to bed.

Severus leaned in for a good long kiss, when suddenly Harry remembered something. “Wait Severus, we can’t do this right now.”

“What’s wrong?”

“I keep remembering the way the green fairy winked at me. I think that was what I was dreaming about when you woke me up. We need to take a contraceptive potion. I don’t want to take any chances on getting pregnant right now. We have too much to do.”

“Harry, didn’t you take one two weeks ago? They are good for a month. You don’t have anything to worry about.”

“I would feel better if I took another. Maybe the power surge did something and knocked it out of my system.”

“Alright, I will go and get one. But I want you to know, this is above and beyond the call of duty. You owe me for this.” He said with a laugh.

“Why don’t we just call Kreacher and ask him to get one. You should take one too, just to be on the safe side.”

Harry didn’t even wait for Severus to do anything. “Kreacher!” he called out and the little elf appeared at the side of the bed with a ‘pop’.

“Master Prince called for Kreacher?” the elf addressed Harry.

“I am sorry for waking you, but can you get us a contraceptive potion from the lab?” Harry didn’t bother explaining anything to the elf. He wanted to get on with his wedding night.

Kreacher looked at Harry with a confused expression on his face. He didn’t know why his master was asking for such a thing at this time of night. He answered as best he could without being disrespectful. “I can get it but I don’t think it will be good for you.” Kreacher said truthfully. “It could hurt the little one.”

Severus and Harry stared at the elf in shock. Harry shook his head and said, “I’m sorry Kreacher, could you repeat that?”

“The potion you ask for may hurt the little one.” Kreacher said again. “But if master wants, Kreacher will go get one now.”

“No, that’s alright Kreacher. Sorry we bothered you.” Severus took over the conversation as Harry didn’t seem to be able to comprehend anything at the moment.

Harry slumped back into the bed, staring at the ceiling as with another pop the elf left. His expression was unreadable, but it was apparent he was in shock. Severus let him think about what Kreacher had said for a few minutes before he started to get worried about his husband.

“Harry, are you alright?”

He didn’t answer, just stared at the ceiling with a blank look on his face.

“Harry? Love? Are you alright?” Severus tried again.

Harry started to laugh. In fact, what started as a little chuckle, soon became side splitting hysterical laughter and Severus started to laugh with him. “Oh, Sev,” Harry started to say before he curled up in more fits of laughter. “I always heard that men had to take some kind of potion to get pregnant. Somehow my body just keeps defying the laws of nature and magic, doesn’t it?” Harry turned to look at his lover. “I hope you wanted another one, because this is your wedding present, even if I didn’t plan it.” Harry laughed again and finally started to compose himself. “I thought my stomach was a little queasy because of the wedding jitters. Now I know it was something else.” Then he got a look of horror on his face. “Oh, Sev, what are we going to do now?”

“I don’t know about you, but I am going to be more careful about what I wish for. I remember about a month or two ago thinking I really wanted to see you with a baby bump and wishing you were carrying Evan. You know the expression, ‘be careful what you wish for’?” Severus said with a big grin on his face.

“You’re not mad are you?” Harry said hesitantly.

“No, I don’t think I would have the right to be mad, even if I was. The baby didn’t get there all by itself; you had a little help remember? I wonder if that is what the power flash was when we were bathing a week or so ago. We never did talk to Salazar about it.”

“I don’t want to say anything till I see Doc. Kreacher could be mistaken about this and I would rather not make an announcement I have to retract later.” Harry told Severus.

The dark eyed man nodded but then stated with a smirk, “You do realize, he isn’t mistaken, elves always know these things. It helps them serve us better.”

“I sort of knew that, but I was hoping.” Harry said as looked at Severus.

“Does this mean you don’t want to ‘start the rest of our lives’ now?” the older man asked as he started to nibble on Harry’s neck.

“Hey, that tickles.” Harry complained with an amused intonation to his voice.

“Do you know what people say about being ticklish?”

“No, don’t think I heard anything about that.”

“They say you are sexually unsatisfied. I guess I will have to correct that right now. I can’t have you ticklish anymore. People might talk and think I am too old to keep up with your needs.”

Harry snorted at that.

“Let’s see what other ticklish spots I can find so I know how much work I have to do to keep you satisfied.” Severus said as he attacked Harry with renewed vigor.


The next morning…

Salazar, Becca and Remus and Tonks were sitting at the breakfast table waiting for the newlyweds to come. Actually they thought this meeting should have been cancelled. I mean, really, who expects newlyweds to come out the next morning? They didn’t know how determined Severus was to get his answers, but soon found out when he arrived at ten-thirty dressed for the day.

Two minutes later Harry also entered the room and then sat down next to his husband.

“Good morning everyone” Severus said as he sat down. Then he looked at Sal, “Alright Sal, tell me about this theory you and Merlin have come up with.”

“Well, first you know that soulmates are a little uncommon.” Sal started, but Severus gave him ‘the look’ with the raised eyebrow and the scowl on his face.

“Let’s skip the obvious.” The potions master said. Sal got straight to the point after that.

“Merlin thinks and I agree that because you are the light and dark powers and soulmates that it created a magical surge when you were thrice blessed. The ceremony had you blessed by the goblins, a dark power; blessed by the fairies, a light power; blessed by the Vampires by magic infusion in the fairy dust, a dark power; and blessed by the unicorns, a light power. When you add those to the blessing of magic herself with the dark and light powers, it makes you each thrice blessed. We actually didn’t plan it that way, but as far as we can tell there has never been a soulmated couple with that kind of magic. There have been light and dark soulmates, but not with the major dark and light powers.”

Severus was staring at him, trying to understand what he was saying. He didn’t know anything about the Vampire blessing and he and Harry didn’t even know the fairies were going to be involved.

“So you are telling me, we created that surge with the ceremony?” Harry asked.

“Not just the ceremony, but the fact that your union is from the polar opposites of the spectrum. When coming together you have actually created a union of both powers. We have never seen that before.” Sal responded.

“I don’t get it. How did we do that?”

Sal smirked at the younger man, he knew this explanation was going to be hard, especially since it was theory and there was no proof or an example they could use. “Merlin and I think that because light and dark have always been separate entities that you’re joining has forced the magic into a new era. It is only a theory, but we believe you both now created a new power. One that is both light and dark and something in-between.”

“Like gray magic?” Severus wanted to know.

“Yes, but an entity all its own; a third choice if you will.”

“You are talking about a new generation of magic; a different way of using it.” Severus surmised.

“Yes, exactly, a new power. I believe what we witnessed last night was a birthing of a new power.” Sal said in relief. It looked like they were grasping the concept.

Remus Sr. looked at Sal and inquired “What does this mean for the Harry and Severus of this time? Are they also meant to have this great power?” It was a good question, but one Sal couldn’t answer.

“I honestly don’t know. Merlin said he has never seen anything like it and I know the other founders and I haven’t. It could be that because of the destruction of the other time lines, the power focused on where these guys were. It could also be that this was meant to happen in all of the time lines, but was interrupted until now.”

Tonks then got an idea. “Perhaps the younger Remus could go and visit the Potters and find out if Lily was at all effected by the powers from last night. I know she wasn’t here, but if there was a new birth of power and Harry was effected, it could be she was too as she carries the other Harry.”

“Wait a minute, we can’t ask him to do that. Moony, Regulus and Snape don’t know I am or was Harry Potter. They don’t know my parents are Lily and James. How can we ask Moony to check in on them without telling them about their deaths?” Harry was worried about the no interference stipulation of their coming back to this time.

“If I had my mirror, this would not be an issue. I believe we need to sneak into Hogwarts and get the time mirror. The more we look at this, the more questions we have. We could observe much if we can get it.”

Severus looked thoughtful and informed the others of something he had seen in the midst of the wedding preparation. “There were several ‘invitations’ in with the RSVPs requesting our presence in front of a certain old coot. I dismissed them as nuisance letters, but we could use them to our advantage.” He paused to think about how they could best use this.

“You mean set up a meeting with the old man?” Tonks suggested. She may have been a Hufflepuff, but she had also been an auror and knew how to think sneaky Slytherin.

Severus nodded his head. “What if we take the old coot up on his offer and go visit him? We could put together an entourage of at least three or four people to answer his questions, or at least find out what he wants. I think Sal could use some glamour and come too. He could make an excuse to leave the office and go to the chamber. At least find out if his familiar can be set free from Voldemort’s control and also find his mirror.”

“Exactly how many letters did the old man send?” Remus Sr. asked.

“I read three, but Dobby told me there were three more he destroyed. Two were portkeys set to go off as soon as the letter was read and another one had a compulsion charm on it to coerce the reader into attending a meeting.” Severus shrugged. “Those were the only ones that made it this far. He is a persistent old character.”

“So who do you think should go with us?” Salazar asked.

“Not Harry, I don’t want him anywhere near the old coot. Perhaps Regulus and either of the Remuses could go. That would be a good place to start.” Severus said.

“Hey, no way are you not letting me go. I want to see if Fawkes is alright and I am not letting you go without me.” Harry objected STRONGLY to being left out of the party.

“Harry you know why you shouldn’t be there and you look too much like Lily and Potter. The old man may guess you are somehow related to them.”

“If Sal is going under glamour, so can I. You are not going without me and that is final!” His irate husband banged his fist on the table as he said the word final. Severus had never seen the younger man so determined. He wondered if it was the hormones or the desire to go.

“I don’t want Dumbledore to be able to read that new power Sal was talking about. It is stronger when we are together. I would be better if one of us stayed here.” Severus tried to reason with his husband.

“Good. Then you stay, because I am going.” Harry stated with an adamant look on his features.

Severus decided to shelve this topic of conversation until he and Harry were alone, so he changed the subject.

“Can we call Doc and see if he will come over and check on us? Maybe he can get a reading on this new power so we can be sure of what happened.” Severus felt Harry’s hand grip his thigh at the mention of Doc, but visibly relaxed when he didn’t tell them the real reason they needed to see him.”

“Actually, he is due this afternoon after lunch. He wants to give me a checkup after all the excitement of last night, so he arranged it before he left the wedding.” Becca interjected into the conversation.

“Good, I actually have a little trip planned for myself and Harry as a little honeymoon. Will you be alright if we go away for a few days?” He asked Becca.

“With Remus, Tonks and Teddy to chaperone Sal and me? Then add to that Moony and Regulus popping in all the time?” Becca asked. “We could probably do without you for a few days.” She smiled at them to show she was really alright with this.

Two hours later…

“You guys are really one for the record books.” Doc said as he finished with Harry. “You were taking your contraceptive potion?” Harry nodded. “You and Severus didn’t know you were pregnant last night?” Harry nodded again, that was true. “These are the strangest readings I have ever seen.” He finished. Harry started to worry.

“What do you mean, strange reading?” Severus asked. He sincerely hoped that everything was alright. They may not have planned it, but the child was not unwelcome.

“The scans show you conceived almost two weeks ago. But the size of the fetus is the same size as a four week pregnancy. I believe the power surge caused you to accelerate the gestation of the baby. Your magic is interfering with some of my scans, but I believe you will not carry the baby for nine months. I think the fetus will develop faster than that.”

“I know this is a stupid question, but have you ever heard of a fetus growing faster than norm… Sorry, I don’t know why I am even asking. Nothing is normal in my life, why would this be any different?”

“That is what you do best, you know, surprise us.” Doc replied, thinking fondly about the counterparts that he had known in the other time line.

Harry groaned and looked at the healer. “So is it alright for me to go on a little trip with Severus? We want to get away for a few days.”

Doc nodded and smiled. “That is understandable in the circumstances. I don’t see anything wrong with that. I would imagine you could do just about anything you wanted.”

“Can you give us any other details? When is the baby due? What the sex is? How fast is the gestation period going to be?” Severus wanted to know at least something about the pregnancy.

“All I can tell you at this point is, when you get back, I want you to floo me and arrange for Harry to see me twice a week. I hope to find some of those answers for you, but right now, your guess is as good as mine.”

Severus sighed. His life as he knew it was going to change drastically and this was only the beginning. “How is Becca? I hope there are no ill effects from last nights happenings?”

“Becca is fine, she actually has a little more power than normal, but no other side effects from last nights activities. We will have to see if it wears off, or if she will keep it. I imagine everyone that was here last night received a slight power boost of some sort. This morning I checked out several of the healers present last night, and all of them have slightly higher magical core levels.”

“But everyone you tested is alright?” Severus asked.

“Yes, everyone is fine, better than fine actually. I have detected no ill effects from your bonding in anyone I have seen so far. I am going to go talk to Sal to see what his theories on the matter are.”

“We are going to pack and leave for a few days. We will contact you when we get back.” Severus told the healer as he started to leave the room.

“You guys have fun.” Doc smirked back at him, knowing they would likely have a lot of fun.

A/N So here is another chapter. I hope everyone enjoyed it. Thank you all for reading and my ever faithful reviewers. Kim, nari-chan, forsaken_dream, kaasan, mithrilandtj and tamikolee. Every time a chapter goes up there are between three and four hundred hits at a time so thank you for reading, I think you guys are awesome. Next chapter will be tomorrow. It’s almost finished.