Blackmail

Chapter Seven

The weekend arrived again and Severus was glad for the time he was going to be able to spend with Harry, even if his boyfriend was cold and distant towards him. Severus was sure that this was the only think keeping him from going insane in this dreadful place.

It had been arranged so that this time he would meet Harry directly in this room, rather than go down to test another potion beforehand.

Severus finally heard the padding footsteps and another clicking pair, indicating that Harry in bare feet, and what must be a Death Eater were almost there. The doors opened and Harry looked directly at Severus with a sad expression on his face. The Potions Master didn’t notice this immediately, though, having not been able to look directly into his loves eyes for a while now, he just stared at the emerald colour, thinking back to when life had been good.

Harry’s voice quickly brought him back to the present.

“Severus I have some news,” the dark-haired man stood dumbfounded for long moments, finally not feeling so doomed at just hearing that wonderful voice again.

“Severus? Are you listening to me?”

He nodded, making his way closer to Harry. Harry stepped back. Severus stopped.

“There is something I need to tell you Severus. I’m pregnant… with Lord Voldemort’s child.”

The blood began to pound in Severus’ eyes, not fully being able to register what had been said. But he continued listening to what Harry was saying.

“Because of this I asked if he would stop testing potions on me. He agreed in return that we stop seeing each other on the weekend.”

Harry said all of this with an air of impassiveness, as if the relationship the two had meant nothing to him.

“I think this is for the best, Severus. The Master wants me to have this baby, and I… I… want a family, anyway I can get it.”

With those final words said, Harry turned around and left the room not looking back. The Death Eater slammed the door loudly behind him, and that was that.

For the first time in decades, Severus Snape cried.

*************

Just over six months had past since that fateful day Harry came into the room and shattered Severus’ heart. Of course the Potions Master didn’t allow anyone see how hurt he was at looking the man he loved, so the cold demeanour was back in place permanently while he worked and followed Voldemort’s orders.

Since the threat of testing potions had been lifted, Severus had been tempted to sabotage every last one of them, but didn’t. He didn’t see the point anymore. The order had obviously given up on trying to find them, Harry was by the side of the most evil man on the planet, and so Severus didn’t care who won anymore. As long as he died in the upcoming battle, nothing else mattered.

Once Severus had allowed himself to think about Harry’s pregnancy, that he was carrying around the spawn of the Dark Lord inside him, and what the thing would be like when alive, but he found it hurt too much to dwell on.

For a while (before their capture) Harry had been telling Severus how much he really wanted a family. Admittedly Severus was wary and unsure – the war being so close, and the two of them being such important parts – and had refused Harry from thinking about it anymore, at least until the war was won.

Severus felt sickened that the vile creature had been able to impregnate Harry before he could, and that Harry was going to accept it without a fight. But then again he did want a family, and as Voldemort seemed to be winning, it was going to be the only way Harry would get his ‘family’.

From then on, Severus refused to think about the upcoming addition to Voldemort’s dark ranks, only subconsciously monitoring how long Harry was due to have the baby.

There were only two weeks left.

*************

The next day, Severus was making his way back from the kitchens after having his own private dinner, when he felt a tremor through the castle. To begin with he didn’t worry about such a small thing like this, a Death Eater had probably made a spell backfire, or something else as stupid, so he continued on his way back to his dungeon.

Then, two more tremors hit, this time stronger than the last. Severus stopped walking and listened for any signs of what was happening. To his surprise he could hear shouting coming from somewhere outside. Was Voldemort organising an attack?

Curious as to what was going on, Severus walked over to the nearest window and looked down on the extensive lawns of Slytherin Castle.

As is was dark there was nothing much really to see, but bright colours of light flinging back and forwards, curses being shouted and large bolts of magic being flung at the castle, illuminating the scene briefly before becoming black again. Severus watched for endless moments, taking in as much as he could see each time a burst of magic hit the stonewalls.

There were hundreds of people making their way towards the castle, wizards, witches and even some magical creatures. Down, sort of in the middle of the crowd was an elderly man with a white beard wearing shimmering purple robes. Dumbledore.

With more illuminating magic and more tremors shaking the castle, the ancient stones began to glow. From the light Severus was then able to see who was fighting on the front lines, slowly making their way through countless Death Eaters, and nearer Slytherin Castle.

All of the Order members were there, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mundungus Fletcher, the Weasley’s, Tonks, Moody, Auror’s, and even older Hogwarts students from what Severus could gather.

Then voices from the other end of the hall he was standing in diverted Severus attention back to the inside of the castle. He quickly hid himself in the shadow of a statue and waited as a vengeful Dark Lord and cowering Pettigrew ran past. When the coast was clear, he stepped back out of his hiding spot.

Well, Severus thought, it had taken a long time to get here, but the cavalry was exceptional. But then again, one of the two people they were rescuing was the Boy Who Lived…

Severus froze.

He had forced himself not to think of Harry for a while now, and he wasn’t sure how to proceed. He was sure that his ex would have formed some sort of partnership with the Dark Lord and were plotting together now, but what if that wasn’t true.

Not understanding the real reason why (perhaps it was lingering feelings toward the brat), Severus left the window and began walking in the direction he believed to be Voldemort’s bedroom. He scowled as he pictured the boy comfortable in a chair in front of the fire, reading a book and not worrying about the battle raging outside, only wondering when his ‘Master’ would be back.

Up ahead Severus could see some double doors. He was sure that this was the Snake’s bedroom; the dark magical signature was almost suffocating. He put his hand on the knob, believing that the door was locked and heavily warded, but surprised himself when it opened easily.

Severus surveyed the living space. It was rather large filled with texts, scrolls, tables, a bed, cage and hanging body over in the corner.

Oh dear.

Ignoring everything else, Severus made it over to where a heavily pregnant Harry was hanging limp and naked by chains. He took a look at the boy, and though the rounded belly was blemish-free, everything else was marked. Lash marks down the boys back, legs, arms and arse, bruises littering the once beautiful face and chest, and blood (still wet) steadily trickling down his thighs from the most recent rape.

A treacherous tear slipped down Severus’ face and he wondered at that very moment how he could have ever believed Harry would join the Dark Lord Voldemort.

Overcoming his grief and thinking rationally, Severus went about getting Harry down. Neither of them had a wand, and he was sure Voldemort wouldn’t leave one lying around, so Severus though of another way to remove the chains. Remembering that he kept a lethal poison with him all the times (Severus couldn’t be too careful in a building filled with Death Eaters), he hauled a chair over to stand on so he could easily reach the metal links.

The poison was designed to dissolve anything it touched, making it a good defence when an attacker would be unlikely to swallow anything while trying to inflict harm on a victim.

Gently wrapping one arm around Harry’s chest, Severus tipped only enough poison on the chains for it to eat through. He struggled to keep Harry’s weight when the links were broken and manoeuvred them down onto the seat. All the jerking and sudden movements caused Harry to cry out in pain and return from his unconscious state. Immediately he began to twist and turn, trying his best to escape the grasp but slowed his movements when he heard, “Shhh.”

At first Harry believed it was his master being mockingly gently and tender, but then he smelt that scent, one that he focused on every night, trying to remember every component and what it was. He turned his head around and looked through his blurry vision up to obsidian orbs. Not caring about anything else right then, Harry turned completely and embraced Severus.

“I-I thought I’d never see you a-again,” Harry sobbed, holding on for dear life.

Hearing Harry’s broken words, Severus hugged back too before pulling Harry off him so they could talk.

“Listen, Harry. They’re here; Dumbledore and the others are here. I don’t know if they are going to be able to get in, so I think we should make our way out there.”

Harry nodded listening closely, though he hadn't let Severus’ robes go. Severus looked over the body before him and frowned.

“Do you think you can walk, Harry?”

The boy looked momentarily worried before a mask of determination slipped into place. “I’ll try.”

Without further ado, Severus got up and set Harry down on his feet. With the pregnancy, lack of food and water, and being denied walking much, Harry wobbled on the spot trying to find his balance. Severus wrapped Harry’s arm around his shoulders while he hooked his own around the boy’s waist, and they began to make their way out of the castle.

The walk was slow and Harry whimpered at almost every step he took. Severus was slowly supporting more and more of his weight, and didn’t know how much further he could go.

Just as the couple stepped around the corner, nearing the steps that would lead them to the ground floor, they came face to face with none other then Peter Pettigrew, fleeing from the violent battle. All three wizards stopped.

“Well, well, well,” Pettigrew sneered, feeling tough facing these two unarmed enemies, “What have we got here? The Master’s personal Potions Master, and the Master’s personal Whore!”

Harry flinched at the comment. Severus held the boy tighter.

“Get out of the way, scum, and I might not kill you,” Severus growled back.

“Oh? And how are you going to do that, Snape? I’m the only one here with a wand,” Pettigrew said as he drew his own wand.

Fumbling, Wormtail cast a spell that did nothing but force Harry and Severus to break apart and sending the boy down to the floor, not being able to support his own weight. Another blast had Severus sliding on his back some way up and hall and Pettigrew focussed his attention on Harry.

Bringing a foot back, Wormtail was about to kick Harry right in the stomach when a vial came flying out of nowhere and smashed on the Death Eater’s chest. Within seconds the robe, underclothes and flesh began to melt away in plain sight. After a minute Peter Pettigrew’s screams faded away and he was dead.

“Finally that bastard got what he deserved,” Severus sneered from above Harry and bent down to help him up.

Just as Harry found his balance on his feet again, he crumbled back down on all fours, crying out in pain. At first Severus thought it was from the boy’s scar, and that Voldemort was nearby. He scanned over the hallway but there was no one else in sight. He bent down to see what was wrong with Harry and noticed that his stomach was glowing.

SHIT!

In male pregnancies, that was the sign that the baby was ready to be born, just as if a mother’s water breaks. The stress of everything that was occurring must have brought on an early labour.

Harry couldn’t have the baby here, in the middle of Voldemort’s fortress, and if Harry wasn’t given a Caesarean soon both Harry and the baby would die.

With strength Severus didn’t know he had he hoisted Harry (screaming and writhing) up into his arms and continued to make his way to the exit. At the bottom of the steps the door crashed open and Severus froze fearing it was the Death Eater’s calling a retreat. But instead it was a small group of Order members along with students who had infiltrated the castle.

“Hurry, Please! Harry’s in labour, we need to get him to Pomfrey NOW!”

Some of the rescue team stopped at the sight of Harry not only pregnant, but adorning that many wounds, others, like Shacklebolt and Lupin, jumped into action, escorting the two out so they could Portkey from outside where the wards were weaker.

“Um…” Bill Weasley was unsure whether to speak up, “Isn’t it risky and dangerous for an expectant mother… or father… a pregnant person to Portkey?” he finished blurting out.

Everyone in the group looked at the eldest Weasley son, Severus glared. “Yes, Mr. Weasley, it is dangerous, but it can also be fatal if we do not remove the baby from Harry immediately…”

His sentence was split by a wailing cry from Harry.

“… And quite frankly this is the fastest means possible to get him to Hogwarts.”

There were nods from everyone, understanding the risk that a Portkey could cause the baby and Harry harm, and hope that they would have some good luck after such a long stretch of bad.

Severus with Harry still in his arms, Shacklebolt and Lupin touched the Portkey and it activated. The last thing the Potions Master heard was Dumbledore shout “RETREAT!” and Voldemort’s cry of frustration.

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