Chapter Text
Never in a million years did Remus Lupin think that his life would come to this - three months pregnant and retching into a toilet bowl during an Order meeting. He was supposed to be the stable one, the one who got by, the one who kept out of trouble. There was no way of accounting for this.
This, being his and Severus’ child.
Remus groaned. He had managed not to think of Severus for three whole months, but now, he couldn’t afford not to. Severus had no idea, not a one, safely back at Hogwarts having started his new job as the potions professor. They hadn’t communicated at all after that day...
Remus had infiltrated Greyback’s pack as part of his role as an Order spy. It was hilariously easy to get them to take him in, a young werewolf who had been victimized by wizards. That he had a slender body and large, expressive, golden eyes didn’t hurt either.
Remus did his job well, spying and reporting covertly on Greyback’s movements. No one had suspected him, and countless lives had been saved. The war was at fever pitch, both sides taking heavy losses, when Voldemort (curse his name) had had an idea.
He had to think of the long term. He needed an army, and did you know that werewolves could all carry young? What better than an army of young wizards, magic wielding sons of death eaters, with the strength of a werewolf, all indoctrinated and trained under the Dark Lord’s banner? He would be unstoppable.
That was how Severus Snape had reacquainted himself with Remus Lupin, in the dark grotto of Greyback’s hideout.
“Stop moving away,” Snape had hissed urgently, “you’ll look suspicious.”
“Suspicious? I-“
“For fuck’s sake, Lupin,” he whispered, “I’m one of your people, I’m a spy. Now stay still!”
That had been a shock, knowing that Severus Snape had switched sides. A prophecy he had heard about, dooming the Potter’s had forced his hand. He could never abandon Lily, and her child was marked.
Really, it wasn’t much of a choice at all.
Severus had dragged Remus into an empty room shut the door before soundproofing it. “The Dark Lord wants wizarding children with werewolf strength in his armies. He’s thinking of the long term now.”
“You’re not seriously telling me that you volunteered for this, did you?” Remus asked, sounding disbelieving.
Snape snorted. “Half-blood, remember? Apparently, my blood is already poor enough to risk further dilution. You won’t see any were-Malfoys running around, that’s for sure.”
Remus looked horrified. “But then, you...and me-?”
“Unless you’d like Avery,” Snape sneered. “Or Mulciber.”
“I wouldn’t like anyone!” Remus hissed, conscious of not being too loud. “I don’t want to do this, Severus!”
“Neither do I,” Snape replied, running a harried hand through his hair. “Here,” he said, reaching into his coat pocket, where he withdrew a small vial filled with a clear liquid. “Morning after potion. I can’t vouch for its effectiveness on werewolves, but it’s better than nothing.”
Remus took the potion with a trembling hand. “Severus, please,” he begged, “I don’t want to do this. Please, anything but this. We- we can say we did it, and pretend! Sev-“
“Mulciber will check us,” Severus said apologetically. “For, erm, fluids. There’s a spell.”
Remus couldn’t help it. He started crying out of sheer horror at the extent of the violation, and Snape lunged forward, clamping a hand across his mouth to stifle the sound of his sobs. They stared at each other wretchedly, about to be forced together by the machinations of a madman.
Snape sighed and removed his hand after Remus had managed to quiet his sobs. “For what it’s worth,” he said, “I’m sorry.”
Over the weeks, they continued their forced copulation and reporting back to their respective superiors. When he heard of it, Dumbledore looked deeply ill, then put his head in his hands and cried for the boys that he had watched grow up and swore to protect. Remus cried too, unable to handle the sight of the great man in tears.
Dumbledore vowed to him that they, the Order, would end Voldemort. Remus agreed, but stated in no uncertain terms that he would be the one to finish Greyback and Mulciber.
Then suddenly, the war was over, and with it, Greyback and Mulciber. Severus had met his eyes over the bludgeoned body of Mulciber and said appreciatively, “Kudos. That was quite a blow, Lupin.” Remus had murmured a shy thanks, and they had gone their separate ways, thinking that they would not cross paths again.
Now, three months after little Harry Potter - his Harry, baby Harry - defeated the Dark Lord, Remus was crouched in the bathroom in the Order’s safehouse, shaking from the force of his sobs. Outside, the Shaklebolt was droning on about capturing the remaining free death eaters, but Remus couldn’t hear-
The door swung open, but Remus couldn’t bring himself to look up. After a few seconds, he felt a thin arm wrap around his shoulders and pull him into a warm embrace. “My poor boy,” Albus whispered sadly, “my poor, dear, boy.”
Beside Remus’ hitching sobs, Albus’ pained tears were silent, crying for the injustices meted out to an entire generation from the evil of one man. He couldn’t save them, but he could save this one, Albus thought.
Albus Dumbledore took another silent vow there in the bathroom in the Scottish highlands. He would do right by this one boy. He would do right by Remus Lupin and his baby, and if he allowed it, Severus Snape.
………………………………
Severus Snape had hoped for a fresh start, and working at Hogwarts seemed almost too good to be true. The surviving free death eaters had slithered back to their usual places, some in high society, some in low. And here Severus was, all of twenty-one and snarling at a group of terrified fifth years for not being able to brew a blood replenishing potion properly.
The amount of times he had had to brew it this year alone-
No, Severus shook his head to dispel the memories of gore and violence. He was starting again, starting fresh, with new hopes, with new dreams, with Lupin, and-
Wait.
Severus spun around so fast that a smaller man would have been forced off balance. Remus Lupin was standing by the door, looking pale, scarred, and deathly afraid. Terrible memories from the past few months all washed over Severus in a tidal wave of horror.
“Clear down and leave,” Snape snarled at the fifth years, who hastened to obey. He waited until the room was clear before gesturing for Lupin to come in. “What happened?” He asked shortly.
“It didn’t work.”
And Severus’ shiny new life came crashing down with three words.
……………………………………
Dumbledore was staring solemnly at Severus as he digested the news.
“I’m three months along,” Remus said. “The potion didn’t take.” Three months. So it had been in the last week of July.
“Are you-“
Remus took a deep breath. “I want to keep the baby.”
Severus was flabbergasted. “I’m sorry, did I hear that right? You want to keep the baby?” When Remus nodded, Severus jumped up in shock. “You want to keep the baby that was conceived in that- that manner? You want to have and raise the child of a death eater?”
Remus sighed. “It could have been so much worse,” he said softly. “It could have been someone else, but it was you. And I don’t...you made it better, Severus. We were both in a terrible situation, but this child is not a part of that time. I won’t let it be.”
Severus flopped back down, feeling numb. “Lupin-“
“You don’t have to be involved,” Remus hurried to say. “But I’m keeping the baby. I’m keeping it because you’re not as bad a man as you think you are. You helped me thorough a bad situation, Severus. You helped me and put your neck on the line giving me that potion. I- I don’t know if I can have another, and I will raise this child to be a better person than anyone-“
“Lupin, can you hear yourself?” Snape asked weakly. “You- you want to raise a child! My child! A child with my blood, my magic, my nose, into a good person?” When Lupin looked steadily back at him, Severus spluttered. “What about the cost? You are a werewolf, you can hardly support a child!”
At this, Dumbledore cleared his throat. “Ahem. I may have a solution for that particular issue,” he said mildly, pulling out a piece of parchment. Severus and Remus leaned over to read aloud, “Certification for the adult adoption of Remus John Lupin by Albus Percival Bri- what!?”
Dumbledore smiled. “If you would allow it, Remus, I would like to name you as my son and legal heir.” His face settled in a sad frown as he continued, “You have been hurt by this war, on my orders. I was unable to protect you then, to my shame, but I would ask that you give me the opportunity to do so now. It would be an honour to have you as my son.”
Remus gaped in shock at the headmaster’s declaration. “Sir...”
“Please, call me dad.”
Remus was surprised into a laugh, and clapped a hand over his mouth. This was too good to be true. Albus smiled. “So, what do you say, Mr. Dumbledore?”
Remus picked up a quill and signed shakily. The ink glowed red upon contact, and a new bond was sealed. Albus clapped his hands together delightedly. “How wonderful! I have a son, and a grandson on the way! Ah, I am becoming domestic. I have always longed to brag about my children to Aberforth, and now I can.”
Remus grinned and looked up at Snape, who was frozen in shock. “You see, Severus? Things are going to be alright. I can find work now, with the Headmaster’s name and faith in me clearly visible. I’m keeping this baby, and you can be as involved as you wish, or not at all.”
Severus spluttered. “Involved? Involved? Lupin, this is my child too! Of course I’m going to be involved! Knowing you, we’d probably end up with the baby going to Hufflepuff, you great marshmallow!”
“And what exactly is wrong with Hufflepuffs?” Dumbledore asked.
“Have you met any of them recently?”
“Ah. Carry on.”
“There is much to do,” Severus said, pacing around the room. “We should prepare for the birth. We need a crib, and bottles, and an extra closet-“
“Extra closet?” Remus asked. “How many onesies do you plan on buying?”
Severus looked despairingly at Remus. “Not for the child, you ditz, for you. For when you move in with me. We shall also need wipes-“
“Excuse me?”
“Wipes. For wiping the arse.”
“No,” Remus goggled, “the part about us moving in together.”
Severus stared at Remus, uncomprehending. “Oh, I’m sorry. Did you plan on being an unwed father? I didn’t think so. Now, where was I?”
Remus looked at Dumbledore. “Did he just propose to me?”
Albus twinkled infuriatingly. “Already, I can boast about my son’s wedding! Aberforth will surely burn with jealousy.”
Severus rolled his eyes. “Do you really want a proposal, Lupin?”
“...Kind of.”
“Fine. Marry me so that we can raise our child together.”
“You could sound happier about it,” Remus suggested.
“I’ve had a very long day, Lupin. I can’t bring the romance right now.”
Remus was surprised to find himself laughing at Severus’ fatigued expression. “That’s forgivable. Where are you taking me?” He asked, as Severus started to drag him to his feet.
“To the courthouse. There’s no point dilly-dallying, we may as well just get married.”
“Severus!” Remus cried, “I’m not getting married in my outdoor robes!”
“I’ll lend you some of mine. You’ll need a new wardrobe anyway, I refuse to let my spouse wear those tatters that you go about in.”
“I can buy my own robes!”
“No.”
“You’ll choose something black, I hate black!”
“And you’ll choose something in beige, probably. Which is worse?”
“I am partial to purple, myself,” Albus piped up.
“Absolutely not. We will buy green robes. Hurry up, Lupin! The court closes at five!”
“I’m pregnant!”
“Shall I levitate you?”
The door shut behind the men as Remus slapped away Severus’ wand as he tried to levitate him. Albus smiled to himself, and pulled out a piece of parchment and a quill and started to write.
Dear Aberforth,
I have just acquired a son. Let us do lunch on Sunday so that you can meet him.
Try not to be too bitter.
Your loving brother,
Albus.
Chucking, Albus sent the letter off with Fawkes. He barely had to wait for a reply.
Al,
I’m surprised that you managed to get it up for a woman.
Signed,
Abe.
Albus chuckled and wrote back promptly.
Dear Aberforth,
Thankfully, I have never had to covet the female form. I acquired my son through adoption. He is twenty-one years old, and he is with child. I will soon have a grandchild as well! Are we still doing lunch?
Lovingly yours,
Albus.
He shared a sly smirk with Fawkes before sending the bird on his way, and reclined in his plush armchair. The war had been a nightmare, and the survivors carried their fair share of scars. It gladdened him that Remus and Severus were able to see their child through a better lens. They were remarkable men, and he was going to be a remarkable grandfather.
He wondered whether he could convince them to name their child after him.