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"Your suspicions are correct, Severus," Madam Pomfrey told him when she finished the test. "You're 7 weeks pregnant. Congratulations."
Severus gave it a moment to sink in. He had been wondering for a while if his symptoms meant what he thought they meant, and now it was confirmed. He had a baby on the way.
He gently set a hand over his stomach. This was a surprise development, and yet not too surprising. A smile tugged at his thin lips. Just wait until he shared this news.
"You're what?" Dumbledore couldn't believe what his potion master was telling him.
"I said I'm pregnant, Headmaster. Poppy just confirmed it. Almost 2 months along."
Dumbledore sat back, stunned. Of all his staff to turn up pregnant, Snape would have been one of his last guesses. He hadn't even known Snape was with someone. Wasn't he supposed to know everything that went on in the castle? How had something like this slipped by him?
"I assume you know who the other parent is?" Dumbledore recovered enough to say.
Severus looked offended. "Of course I do."
Dumbledore's heart sank as Snape told him who he'd been seeing (right under his nose!), and about his cautious hopes that the baby would be accepted when he broke the news tomorrow.
"Even if it's not welcome and we break it off, I don't care." One of Snape's hands had drifted to his stomach. "I'm going to keep this child and raise them alone if I have to."
Dumbledore's mind was racing. How could two of his people produce a child together without his knowledge or permission? He'd been so careful to arrange every detail, put everyone in their places doing their assigned jobs, and now two of them had gotten together when they weren’t supposed to and put a wrench in the works.
He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that Voldemort would return one day, and he needed his army and allies prepared and in place for the fight. He couldn't have his best spy on the sidelines being all domestic! If Snape and his lover stayed together, they might decide to withdraw entirely, staying out of the fray and having more babies, and he’d be out two players. Dumbledore couldn't risk that. He had the greater good to think about. He needed every person accounted for, in place, and ready to obey. He needed Snape's expertise, his skills, his willingness to give all he had for nothing in return. How could he do this to him? How could his stoic, antisocial spy be the one happily telling him he was going to be a mommy?
It wasn't too late to do some damage control. It was early. Snape hadn't told his lover yet. There was still a chance of sidestepping that temptation of the distraction of domestic bliss. Snape was already willing to give up the lover if it didn't work out, which was promising.
As for the baby… Dumbledore could tell by the subtle gleam in Snape's eyes that it was already too late on that front. He loved this baby. He was willing to give up his lover, but would not be persuaded to give up his baby for adoption or part with them any other way. Dumbledore could try hinting, not so subtly, that it would be in Snape's best interests for him to comply with his plans and hand the child over to someone else, but that was too heavy handed for Dumbledore’s tastes. Control was easier to maintain when people didn’t suspect they were being directed. Less chance of them catching on and rebelling. No, he was going to have to let his spy keep his baby and work it out some other way. Magic couldn't do away with true love, after all.
But magic could help solve part of the problem, at least.
"Well, I must say I am astonished, Severus," Dumbledore said mildly. "I wouldn't have expected this from you. But I offer my congratulations. A child is a wonderful gift."
"Thank you, Headmaster."
"Sit down for a while. We'll have some tea to celebrate."
"I should be returning to my office."
"Just for a minute, Severus. After all, you can't be pushing yourself too hard anymore, can you?"
Snape relented and sat down. Dumbledore brewed tea and poured Snape the first cup. Once his traitorous potion master had relaxed and drank most of the tea, Dumbledore slipped out his wand.
"Obliviate."
Severus got dressed for the day, gently tugging the black fabric of his robes over his distended stomach before stroking the emerging curves with satisfaction. He had safely passed his first trimester, and now he was seeing some real growth. Before long, his little surprise would make itself known to everyone. He was simply biding his time until everyone figured it out. No need to make a big announcement about it.
He went to the Great Hall for breakfast, nodding in greeting as some of his associates said Good Morning.
"How have you been, Severus?" asked Professor Sinistra. "I haven't heard much from you lately."
"I've been… occupied. Rest assured, I am alright."
“... If you say so.”
Severus ate quietly without attempting further conversation with her or anyone. That wasn’t suspicious in itself, but more observant people noticed something else.
“It is good to see you eating again, Severus,” Professor McGonagall remarked. “You were awfully ill there for a while.”
“A passing bug.”
“But you were sick to your stomach for weeks!”
“And now it has passed.”
“Well, you’re certainly making up for it now.” She glanced at his midsection, which was definitely filling out.
Severus lowered his fork with a flat clack. “Is that a crack about my weight?” he asked in a soft, dangerous tone.
McGonagall stiffened. “I only mentioned you are putting on some much needed weight.”
“So you are saying I’m packing on the pounds!”
“That’s a good thing! You’ve always been too skinny!”
“Oh, there’s always something wrong with me, is that it? Forgive me for never being the perfect weight for you!” He abruptly got up, rattling his chair, and stormed out of the hall in a billow of black robes.
McGonagall sat stunned. Snape was prickly at the best of times, but his outburst did seem out of the blue. “Did I do something wrong?” she asked the table at large.
“I wouldn’t worry about it, Minerva,” said Albus, waving a hand dismissively. “You know how Severus is.”
She still felt concerned, but had to let it go for the time being.
The Hogwarts rumor mill was circulating theories about what was going on with Professor Snape. He was more aggressive in class, tearing their heads off worse than usual if they made a disastrous potion, accusing his careless students of trying to kill them all; yet he was also more standoffish, as if unwilling to breathe the same air as them.
Out of class, however, the rest of the staff saw he was mostly as quiet as usual, though sometimes the odd comment set him off for some reason. He was steadily gaining weight around the middle, which seemed odd until someone finally put it together.
Professor Burbage saw him come into the staff room with a rather thick waistline, pour himself a cup of tea, and carefully sit down. She stared as he rested a hand on his rather pronounced stomach.
“Severus, forgive me for asking, but… Are you pregnant?”
He casually sipped his tea before answering. “Yes.”
Heads turned around and conversations halted. “What? Who’s pregnant?”
Burbage sat by Severus, still staring at him. “Why didn’t you tell me? Aren’t we…?”
He glanced at her mildly. “Friends? Yes, I suppose so.” He sipped his tea again.
The other teachers were gathering around for a look, seeing for themselves that his middle was rounded and firm.
“Severus, you sly thing!” Professor Sprout exclaimed. “How long have you been hiding this?”
“About 18 weeks.”
They all offered their congratulations, surprised yet pleased to learn there was a baby on the way.
“May I ask whose it is? Besides yours, of course,” Professor Flitwick asked.
Severus frowned as he thought. “... I don’t know.”
Everyone else frowned too. “You don’t know?”
“No. In fact, the more I think about it… I don’t even recall how I got pregnant in the first place. It’s all a blur. If I think of it too much, I get a headache.” He shook his head a little, already feeling his head hurt.
“Don’t fret over it, Severus,” said Dumbledore, who was hanging in the background. “Perhaps pregnancy brain has already set in. It doesn’t matter. We’re very happy for you.”
“Yes, it’ll be so much fun having a baby around here!” said Sprout.
Burbage and Sinistra were now hovering over Severus on either side, looking particularly interested.
“Is it okay if I feel?” Burbage asked.
Everyone held their breath, waiting for the infamous Snape temper to erupt.
Severus narrowed his eyes.
“... I suppose.”
Several pairs of eyebrows shot up as Burbage gently laid a hand on his baby bump without getting it hexed off. She smiled as she fondly stroked.
“Are you feeling any movement yet?” she asked.
“Just faint little flutterings.”
The witches Awwwed at that.
“May I have a turn?” Sinistra asked when Burbage let go.
“Fine, but that’s it. I won’t sit here and be groped all day for your amusement.”
Everyone relaxed a bit to hear his snark return.
“Have you at least told Poppy?” McGonagall asked him.
“Of course. I went to her first to confirm I wasn’t simply imagining things. I asked her to keep it quiet.”
After Sinistra got to feel his baby bump, he shooed them all away, having reached his limit of physical contact for the rest of the day.
Dumbledore was walking out his visitor from the Auror office, making small talk along the way. They passed the main stairwell, and saw Severus on his way down. Dumbledore kept going, but the visitor paused and stared as Severus slowly made his way down the steps, one hand on the railing and the other cupping his protruding stomach.
"Severus?"
Severus looked up. "Auror Shacklebolt."
Dumbledore had to back up. "Ah, you two know each other?"
"We've… met." Shacklebolt was staring at Severus' unmistakably round stomach beneath his robes.
"Yes, briefly." Severus showed no particular emotion either way. "You were security for a potions convention a year or so ago, weren't you?"
"Yes." Shacklebolt finally remembered his manners and looked Severus in the eye. "How have you been?"
"I've been alright. I fine tuned that replenishing potion I'd been working on for a while."
"I know, I heard about that months ago."
"Really? I must have forgotten. It happens these days." Severus absently drummed his long fingers on the upper swell of his bump.
"I haven't heard about everything, apparently." Shacklebolt gestured to his middle.
"Ah, yes, my little surprise." Severus' lips twitched upward as he stroked his bump.
"Color me surprised."
"You're not the only one. It was certainly out of the blue for me."
"You mean you don't…?"
"I don't what?"
Shacklebolt scrutinized Severus who seemed totally calm, searching him for any recollection and coming up empty. "Nothing. Congratulations, Severus."
"Thank you. Good evening."
Shacklebolt watched as Severus glided away without another word.
"I believe you must be going before it gets dark," Dumbledore reminded his guest.
"Yes… I'd better get going."
Severus strode into Hogsmeade to do some shopping. He smiled as he felt a light thump in his belly, and stroked the spot. His little surprise was occasionally stirring inside him with light movements, which was a strange yet wonderful feeling.
After picking up a few things, he stepped into the Three Broomsticks for a meal. They both needed to eat.
Madam Rosmerta greeted him when she came by his table, then did a double take.
"Severus! It’s so good to see… When did this happen?!"
He smirked as he held his plump belly. "About 6 months ago."
"And you didn't say anything?"
He frowned slightly. "Was I supposed to?"
She kept staring with a mix of disbelief and something like longing. "But, I thought we…"
"We what?"
Rosmerta saw no recognition in his features, and decided with some regret to take the hint rather than make a scene. "Never mind. I must have thought wrong. I'm happy for you, Severus."
"Thank you."
She swallowed the lump in her throat. "So, who's the other parent?"
"I don't know. This is entirely a surprise child."
Her mouth opened a little. "Really? You have no idea?"
"None whatsoever."
"Oh." Rosmerta pouted for only a second before shaking it off. "What can I get you, then?"
Madam Pomfrey was just as much in the dark as everyone else when it came to Severus’ baby, even though she had been the first to know about it. When he had initially come to her wanting to double check his suspicions, he had seemed happy about it, but not that surprised. She had offered her congratulations, and he had offered no explanation. She knew he was a very private man, and didn’t expect him to suddenly open up and tell her everything that had led up to the baby, so she hadn’t asked.
When he came for his follow up appointments, however, he was just as happy, yet somewhat confused, as if he himself didn’t know why he had a child on the way. It seemed a bit odd. Everyone was saying he couldn’t remember, but when Pomfrey asked Severus if he was interested in finding out, he said no. It didn’t matter. He was content with his child, not about to chase after someone who obviously wasn’t around anymore and probably hadn’t wanted to be involved. He could do this himself.
Pomfrey wondered though if this was the entire story. Maybe he was trying to cover up who the other parent was. Maybe they had parted ways and he had decided not to tell them about the baby, or he had told them and they decided they didn’t want to be part of the baby’s life. It was possible Severus was saying he couldn’t remember just so people wouldn’t ask him about something so personal. She wouldn’t put it past him.
So she conducted his check ups and told him that he and the baby were doing well, and saw his rare smile. It wasn’t important to drudge up the past when Severus was happy in the present. And when had she ever seen him happy before?
There were a few things Severus needed to get in Diagon Alley, so he went one weekend to run some errands. He walked with a sway, feeling the weight of the baby, aware that people were looking at his large bump. At 8 months, his size left nothing to the imagination.
He stepped into Flourish And Blotts, and more eyes were on him as he quietly perused the books. Word had gotten out that Hogwarts' potion master was expecting, and here was definite proof.
"Congratulations," said the clerk as he rang up Severus' purchases. "I've been hearing about it from customers, but I didn't know whether to believe it."
"I assume you do now," Severus said dryly, one hand on his back.
"Oh, I do. Is it true that you don’t remember who else was involved?"
"Yes, but it doesn't matter. I'll be raising the child myself."
"Are you going to be alright?"
"I am alright. As far as I'm concerned, this is my child and it's no one's business but my own."
"Alright, I understand." The clerk knew better than to argue with a very pregnant Severus Snape. "Have a nice day."
Severus took his books with a skeptical sneer.
At the apothecary, where Severus was picking up some dried unicorn horn and assorted herbs, he ran into Emmeline Vance.
"Severus, it's been so long! I haven't seen you in ages."
"So you haven't."
"You didn't even tell me your big news!" She gestured at his prominent belly.
"I decided to forego announcing it in the Prophet," he drawled.
"But I mean… I thought you would have told me, at least, since…"
"Since what?"
She searched his face, finding nothing. "You really don't remember?"
"As I have been constantly telling everyone,” he snapped, “no I don't remember how I got pregnant, and it makes no difference in the long run. I will be raising them, and we will be just fine. I am hardly bereft."
Emmeline's face fell, but she refrained from incurring his temper further. "Fine. As long as you're happy."
"I am happy."
She watched him leave the shop without another word, feeling rather forlorn.
It had been shocking news, finding out that Severus was expecting a baby. Even more shocking to see the proof in person. Judging by how far along he was, if the math was correct, there was a very good chance that the baby was theirs. Surely, then, he would have said something, even just to share the news and officially break up, rather than swanning off without a word. What they had shared together wasn't serious, but there had been some hopes that it could be - at least, some one-sided hopes. If Severus had only said that he was pregnant, it would have been a great chance to try a more serious relationship, or at least work out an arrangement so they could both be part of the baby's life. But apparently he had decided not to even offer that chance.
It was difficult watching him waddle around, proudly pregnant, as though he'd done it all by himself. What if he was keeping their baby all to himself? What if it wasn't even theirs, if he'd been seeing someone else on the side and produced a child? After all, their relationship hadn't been exclusive. But now it seemed to be non-existent. He never made contact or came around again; he wouldn't even acknowledge that they had ever been together, acting like it had never happened. Apparently he had gotten all he wanted, no longer seeing anyone at all. He was preparing for the baby by himself, telling everyone he would raise the baby alone. Maybe he’d had more than one lover, shamelessly spreading himself around until someone gave him the child he wanted, not caring who it was. Or maybe getting pregnant had frightened him away from further commitment, and he’d simply run off before he could possibly be rejected. It was easy to let the mind run wild with speculation when there were no answers coming.
There had always been a chance it wouldn't work out between them. They'd both known it. Severus was not an easy man to get close to. He was too independent to believe he needed someone around all the time, unable to trust very easily - it had taken some time for him to be comfortable enough for them to start seeing each other, and they had only been intimate a couple times. It wasn't surprising that he would be fine as a single parent.
But it still hurt, being kept at arm’s length for so long and working so hard to gain some affection from him, only to be dropped without so much as an owl saying it was over. Watching him rub his expanding belly with that little smile he didn't give anyone else, wondering if that was their baby he was feeling inside him, it was terrible suspense; not to mention quite disappointing to be so abruptly cast aside and left out without a word of explanation, or even a confirmation if the child was theirs or not.
But it was for the best to let him go. He was clearly happy, and that was what mattered. It would have to be enough to watch from afar as he raised his child as they grew up. But this, and what little they used to have together, would never be forgotten, even if he had.
Severus waddled into his quarters and sank into the sofa with a groan. He was heavily swollen and due any day, but he insisted he could keep working, even though he was always tired now.
The baby started kicking, and he automatically started rubbing. He was looking forward to having this child soon. Everything was ready, so it was simply a matter of waiting until the big day.
Every once in a while, though, such as now, Severus couldn't help wishing that he could remember how he had gotten this baby, wondering if there had been someone else involved, someone who was supposed to be there with him waiting for the birth. Surely he hadn't done this all by himself (though had he put his mind to it, he probably could have). Maybe there had been alcohol involved, as some people joked, though he didn't recall getting drunk 9 months ago. It made more sense than the possibility that he had been seeing someone, as so many people automatically assumed. What a ridiculous notion. After all, who would want to be with an irritable, ugly man like him? Especially now, all fat and swollen?
Perhaps it was just wishful thinking, some deep part of him that still wanted to be desired and loved, even though that had never happened in his life. He must be going soft. The hormones were getting to him. The truth was, he didn't need anyone's help or anyone fussing over him. He'd gotten along just fine on his own thus far, and he would continue to do so. No need to get all soppy about it.
The baby kept kicking, and he kept rubbing, feeling perfectly fine. However this had happened, he was grateful it did. It was just the surprise he needed.
It was love at first sight, or rather, stronger love at first sight. From the moment Pomfrey had placed his brand new baby boy on his chest, Severus hadn't been able to stop staring. He was no expert on babies, but he thought his was very fine.
As he gazed proudly on that little face, he thought he saw a glimpse of something familiar, like he'd seen some of those features before, features that weren't his. It teased at the edges of his mind that his newborn son reminded him of someone. But he dismissed it as his head started to ache. It must be the fatigue from labor. What mattered was that he had a healthy son who didn't inherit his nose.
As soon as Pomfrey had allowed it, after giving father and son time to bond, visitors came in to see the new arrival. The staff Oohed and Awwwed, amazed that Snape had produced such a cute baby, and told him how absolutely adorable his son was. Dumbledore stood near the back of the small crowd, scanning the infant's features as he slept snug in his father's arms. Yes, he could see traces of the other parent. But thankfully no one seemed to notice - especially not the new father, too wrapped up in his own quiet happiness to examine his newborn too closely. Thankfully, Dumbledore had covered the bases during Obliviation, obscuring and removing any desire Snape might have to do a legacy test or any other means of finding out who had contributed to his child. Hopefully he would be too busy raising the tyke to question it, but not so busy that he wouldn't be able to resume his duties when Voldemort inevitably returned. Dumbledore needed his spy sharp and ready for action, not engrossed in toys and bedtime stories. Perhaps with a son to keep safe, Snape would be more incentivized to do whatever was necessary to protect him from the dark wizard.
So long as the other parent never came forward, so long as Snape never remembered who gave him his baby (or Merlin forbid, went back for another one!), everything should still work out for the greater good, despite this unforeseen hiccup. Dumbledore’s plans would succeed, and everyone would be grateful to him for saving them.
But tonight he would Obliviate the other parent, just in case.
FINI