Blackmail

Chapter Eight

Back at Hogwarts the Portkey landed the four wizards in Dumbledore’s office. Not saying a word, Severus rushed down the steps, out the Gargoyle and towards the Infirmary. Harry’s cries were becoming louder and more desperate. Severus was amazed the boy still had a voice.

He burst through the doors, followed by Lupin and Shacklebolt, and called out to Madam Pomfrey.

“Poppy! POPPY!!,” Madam Pomfrey rushed out from her office.

“What is all this commotion?” she asked, but her eyes widened instead.

“Poppy! Into the operating room - Now! We need to get this baby out of Harry.”

Rather than ask questions, Pomfrey began to order that three other men in the room. Lupin was sent to gather towels, sheets, blankets, water, bandages and anything else he thought would help. Shacklebolt was ordered to gather any sort of potion that could be of use Harry and the baby if need be. Pomfrey collected her surgical tools, and Severus laid Harry down on the bed, soothing him the entire time.

Once a number of Sterilisation Spells were cast, Poppy shooed Lupin and Shacklebolt out and was ready to begin.

“Severus, I wont be able to give Harry any Painkilling Potion until after the procedure is done. I will have to gauge whether the cramps subside once the baby is out, and if not, will have to deal with any internal injuries he has sustained. Do you understand?”

Severus simply nodded, emotion threatening to pull him down at the realisation of how hard this was going to be on Harry.

“I need you to keep him as still as possible.”

Harry cried out again, and all Severus’ attention was brought to the pained and distressed boy.

“Harry? Harry? I need you to listen to me.”

Green eyes cracked open.

“Ok. Madam Pomfrey is about to operate, all right. I want you to hold my hand and focus on me…”

Severus grasped Harry’s nearest hand and squeezed. Everything was going well for a few moments until Pomfrey approached Harry’s stomach with the blade, and he cried out again - this time in fear.

Eyes shut tight, Harry started to scramble away using strength that no one thought he could possess in this state. He had scrambled up to the head of the bed before two sets of hands pulled him back down.

With a muttered, “We don’t have time for this,” a spell was cast and Harry could no longer move his arms or legs. Deep panic set in.

Harry didn’t want to open his eyes, but he knew Voldemort was just there, beside him after tying him to the bed. He could just hear when the Snake-like man chose out a particularly nasty looking knife. That knife was going to rip through his skin, tendons and heart. He was going to die! He would never see Severus again!

“Are you ready, Harry?” he hissed.

“Harry? HARRY?”

The distresses boy let out a strangled, “No!”

“Open you eyes, Harry? You are safe; it’s me, Severus. Open you eyes, precious.”

Slowly Harry opened his eyes and looked up into the ones he loved. “Severus,” he whispered, “Please don’t be mad at me.”

The scary Potions Master smiled, the sort that only Harry got to see.

“Never, my Harry. I could never stay mad at you.”

Harry smiled back and screamed. The first incision had been made.

Severus watched, as Harry was about to slip back into another memory when he tilted the boy’s chin up to face him, detracting him from the pain.

“Don’t think about it, Harry. Just think about the new baby you’re going to be holding in a few minutes, you’re going to be a father soon and have a family.”

Tears welled up in Harry’s eyes as he thought about what Severus was saying. He didn’t know if they were happy or sad.

“Severus. I couldn’t have a family without you.”

His face was impassive as his mind registered what the boy, his love, was saying. He loved Harry dearly – had the whole time while there were locked up in Voldemort’s castle, though he did try to fool himself. But could he be a father to the spawn of Voldemort? Care for an ugly mini Dark Lord? Harry’s face was beginning to look worried.

“I love you, Harry, but-“

Severus was saved from finishing the sentence when Harry let out an almighty scream and a baby’s wail filled the room.

“Congratulations. It’s a boy.”

Both Harry and Severus smiled down on the little bundle with ten tiny fingers and ten tiny toes. The Potions Master had to admit that the little thing was rather cute with a tuft of black hair and soft brown eyes that were hidden by scrunched up lids.

And Harry was calm as Madam Pomfrey healed the Caesarean with her wand and began to clean up the blood.

“I’m going to have to move you to another bed so I can heal your remaining injuries, which all seem to be external apart from a bruised rib or two,” Pomfrey said kindly, “But for now I want you to rest. Here is a Pain Killing Potion for the meantime.”

Harry obediently drank the potion and Severus watched as the boy began to get drowsy immediately. He guessed that Harry wouldn’t have had a painless sleep for the last 8 and half months.

Just as his loves arms began to go limp, Severus scooped up the now sleeping baby and set him down in the little bassinet next to Harry’s own bed. A hand reached out to grab his wrist and he looked down into sleepy emerald eyes.

“Don’t leave me, Sev.” And he was asleep.

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

Harry and the baby had been sleeping for a couple of hours now when Severus left the room to go and speak with the Headmaster. Lupin was outside the room waiting for the dark man, and they walked to the office together.

The old man greeted Severus with a hug, much to his disgust, and sat down to listen to what had been happening over the last few months.

It appeared that the Order had had quite a bit of trouble in locating Voldemort’s headquarters, putting up insanely strong shields and wards to protect his plans from failing. It wasn’t until a lucky capture by Auror’s brought a low ranking, but quite knowledgeable Death Eater in for questioning. From there the Order had a basic idea of where to look and plans were formed.

In return, Severus explained what had happened inside Slytherin Castle. How Harry was used as blackmail material for him to brew countless potions, how Pettigrew had been spying on them from inside Hogwarts – but was now dead. How, during their first week, Harry was raped and the two powerful wizards conceived the child that was now lying asleep in the infirmary.

“Harry’s child is also the son of Voldemort?” Dumbledore asked shocked, and Lupin gasped.

Severus gravely nodded his head.

“This is very, very bad, my boy.”

Only when Dumbledore said that did Severus realise that the old man was right. Lupin cut in.

“The Dark Lord is going to be doing whatever he can to get Harry and the baby back, isn’t he Headmaster?”

It was Dumbledore’s turn to nod. “I’m afraid so, Remus. And if Voldemort ever got his hands on the infant, things would be disastrous.”

“What are you saying?” Remus asked.

“I’m saying that if this baby is the result of Harry and Voldemort’s power combined, then it is going to be one VERY powerful wizard.”

There was silence for a few moments.

“So what do we do?” Severus spat.

“I’m afraid,” Dumbledore sighed, “That we’re going to have to destroy the child before it begins to express any power.”

“B-But that will kill Harry. He has wanted a child for so long, and now that he has one, it has to be taken away? Killed?” Severus was practically screaming. He didn’t know if he would be able to deal with such a fiercely depressed lover if he lost his child.

Dumbledore looked at him with sad blue eyes.

“I’m sorry. This is the only way.”

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


A/N: The next chapter is the last one. I know this isnt one of my best stories, but I still hope some of you enjoyed it.