Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Remus Lupin or Severus Snape, and I make no profit from the writing of this story.
A/N: This is a rewrite of a previous fic, Discovery, Secrets and a Bit of Magic. I'm hoping to retitle it as well as rewrite it.
Lupin, Snape, Potter (and how they managed to get themselves into this situation)
Chapter 1 - Discovery
"Morning, Lupin," said Snape, as he passed Lupin in an upstairs corridor at Grimmauld Place. It was a weekend, so Snape had no teaching duties to fulfil, and was therefore free to pursue what Fred and George Weasley had termed "the leisure activity of your choice". At the minute he was on his way to Hogwarts to brew some potions. He never stopped working, even at weekends. No wonder his skin was so pale. "Where, may I ask, are you going?"
"To see Poppy. I'm ill."
Indeed, Lupin did look a little pale, even paler than usual. It couldn't be-
"Nothing to do with the Potion, Severus!" Lupin added hastily. Snape gave him a typical Snape glare. If it wasn't the potion, then what could it be?
"Just a bit of a stomach upset. Nothing to worry about. Probably something I ate at breakfast."
It had better just be that, thought Snape. I do not want to have to modify that potion of yours in the slightest, thank you very much. I wonder what Potter's been like. Probably making a huge fuss of his darling werewolf pet.
"And I suppose Potter has been making such a fuss of you that you feel you're being smothered," Snape sneered nastily. I really wouldn't be surprised if the brat has. He always did smother the Weasley girl in affection.
"No, actually. This only happens after Harry leaves for work in the mornings. Don't know why."
Only after Potter leaves for work? And…it's been going on for some time, obviously. I wonder why he hasn't told Potter. Maybe he thinks it's life-threatening.
Lupin said goodbye. Snape didn't bother to grace him with a reply. Don't think he deserves it. He is just a filthy werewolf after all. The fact he's ill changes nothing.
---
Lupin stumbled into the Order meeting that evening, white-faced. Oh dear, get something he didn't want to hear? Well, whatever it is, we're all bound to hear about it sooner or later, aren't we? He doesn't exactly keep his private life private.
Snape was just about to go back to his reading of the Daily Prophet when Harry burst into the room. Never one for subtlety, Potter. No wonder it was so easy to get into his mind.
"Harry, could I talk to you for a minute? Outside?" So this is when he tells him. How I would love to be Potter right now. The two of them left the room together, fingers intertwined. Oh, how sickening. Potter is concerned about his dearly beloved werewolf. Think I'll go back to reading the newspaper.
---
"Remus, what's wrong? You're white as a sheet," Well, of course I am. If you were me, you would be too. But, of course you have no idea what I'm about to tell you.
Swallowing, Lupin closed his eyes for a few seconds, then opened them again. He looked Harry straight in the eye. You are going to be so mad at me. I'll never forgive myself for this.
"Harry, I'm pregnant. I'm pregnant, scared, and quite frankly I don't know what to do." There, it's out. Won't be long before everyone knows.
Waiting for Harry to yell, or scream, or hit him, Lupin was surprised when Harry took his hand and squeezed it lightly. Thank God he's not mad at me. I know I'd never survive this alone if he was.
"Remus, don't panic. It'll be okay, it'll be all right. How far along are you?" I nearly fainted when Poppy told me how far gone I was, I have to say. I thought I was maybe a month, month and a half at most. Nothing could have prepared me for what she said next.
"Two months and counting." Lupin's voice was quiet, as if he still couldn't get his head round it. And counting. So strange. In seven months I'll be the mother and the father of a child. My child. Seems such a long time away now…
---
Snape had only just finished clearing away his potion ingredients and notes. He hadn't been eating anything, so found it odd that he suddenly needed to throw up. What is happening to me? If that werewolf has given me anything, I won't hesitate to Avada Kedavra him. I'd better call Poppy.
It was now fifteen minutes later. This is not happening. Please tell me this is not happening, not to me. He'd just been told he was pregnant. Men don't get pregnant. How is this possible? There's no way…
"Congratulations, Severus, you're having sextuplets, and you're two months gone." Two months? Sextuplets? If I know my Latin, that means… I am having… six children at once. Six?! How on earth are they all going to fit in there?, he thought, looking down at his flat stomach.
"Poppy, this is absurd. How can I be pregnant? It's impossible for wizards to-to get pregnant. It just doesn't happen."
"I can't yet tell you how you became with children, Severus. And as it's such a rare thing for men, it can't be terminated. You're just going to have to stick with it, I'm afraid."
Snape pulled down his shirt and sank into his pillows. Stick with it. That isn't fair, Poppy. How am I going to brew my potions? How am I going to teach? And Albus, the old codger, is going to mother me to no end when he finds out. I swear, the first thing he's going to want to do is cuddle me. Whoever did this will be on the business end of a good hex when I find them.
He swung his legs over the edge of the bed and prepared to leave the hospital wing and return to his dungeon. I'm going. I need to get my head around this.