Timothy James Speedle, he was Speedy to his mother figure Alexx Woods, Speed to his friends, and Tim to his lover's when they were in the privacy of their own home had a secret. It was his biggest secret, but it was also his most dangerous. Life as Harry James Potter had snuck up and bit him in the ass. Or that was what he was sure had happened as he come to awareness smelling the familiar smell of the hospital wing.
Even though it had been years since the last time that stench had invaded his senses he would never forget it. A feeling of dread swept over him, because the last thing he remembered was Horatio pressing down on his chest, trying futilely to stop him from bleeding to death. He was so fucked it wasn't funny- because Potter's life? They thought he had died taking down the big bad that they had pitted a child against, and that was how he had wanted it to stay. Somehow though, after over 13 years of being happy and free he was back in the Hogwarts infirmary, laying on the stiff beds that he had visited once a year as a child. He heard someone move.
"Mr. Potter or perhaps I should say Mr. Speedle given the circumstances. I appreciate the fact that waking up in what I am sure is the one place you never wanted to see again is alarming, but I must insist that we speak. First I want to assure you that you wouldn't have been removed from your home, but it is necessary until the situation that endangered your life is resolved." Madame Pomphry's aged voice spoke softly, he clenched his eyes shut.
"What situation? I was shot by a suspect in a kidnapping case." He growled, taking inventory of his body. He was fully healed, and nothing felt out of place. The last fact made him breathe a little easier. His secrets were many, even though he knew that the healer had to know of this one too. She had worked on him after all. She sighed, and he felt her hand on his forehead. He resisted the urge to flinch away. He didn't want to be here.
"The scene of your attack tested positive for magical usage- the imperious was cast on the man who shot you. One Dr. Alexx Woods was on the way when it was confirmed. You were still breathing when she got to the scene and she administered the Draught of Living Death, faking your death. You wouldn't have made it to the muggle hospital if she hadn't. In short Mr. Speedle someone decided to try and claim the Hallows from you." She replied, her voice brisk as if she was offended by his body language. He opened his hazel eyes and looked at her.
"Do you know who cast the spell?" He asked sharply, resisting the urge to press his hands to a particular area of his body. If she wasn't going to point it out then he wasn't going to give her a reason to approach the subject. She sighed, and he noticed that she couldn't look at him for long. His altered appearance must bother her.
"Auror Weasley is currently tracking that. He is the only one aware of who you really are besides myself. And he swore me to secrecy before allowing me to treat you. For the past 13 years,since the momen you faked your death in fact, that young man has been protecting you from the the shadows. He blames himself for missing this, but he was sending his second youngest to their first term at Hogwarts." She replied. Tim paused and snorted. Ron hadn't abandoned him, that shocked the hell out of him, considering everything that had happened.
"So Ron was there this whole time?" He murmured, and the fact that his best friend had stayed by his side warmed him slightly. He almost wished that Ron had stepped foreword and let him know he was there. He might not have liked it in the beginning, but it would have been nice to introduce the man that had been there through everything to Horatio and Eric. Poppy nodded, the movement drawing his attention back to her. She finally looked at him, and it looked like she was trying to find the messy haired, green eyed boy that he had known. She looked away again after not finding what she was looking for apparently. She laughed dryly at his question.
"According to what he told me he knew immediately after the battle you were not dead. He kept his distance because he knew you needed out. He knew that after what his sister had done, what his mother tried to do, that you probably wouldn't like the fact that he was aware of your living." She murmured, busying herself with something across the room. At the reminder of Ginny Weasley and her betrayal Tim's hands went to his stomach, cradling it. That lying money grubbing bitch had killed his godfather, Tonks and their one month old child on the Dark Lord's orders. And now he was back in this world while he was in this condition. Before he could tell his lover's about the magical world and what it meant to love a wizard. He sighed, Ron had saved this secret, because even though he was pretty sure he wouldn't die permently because of his title this would have.
" I should have at least talked with him before I left. Told him what I was going to do and why. And Hermione too, but I was so angry. I didn't want to know if he had been in on that harlot dosing me with love potions like his mother had been. I didn't want to deal with them after what she had done to Remmy and his family either." He murmured, feeling guilty for his actions. She looked at him, her eyes gentling as she saw the positioning of his hands. He didn't move them away, because he wasn't ashamed of his child.
"Mr. Speedle, what you did is in every way understandable. Neither Mr. nor Mrs. Weasley blames you for your actions. They know how you felt all too well in fact." She assured him, her voice calm and reassuring. Harry shifted under her look and sighed. He could tell she was uncomfortable talking with what looked like a stranger like this. He had no grudge against her so her discomfort was him being petty.
"Sorry for making you talk to a stranger." He joked, letting himself revert back to his base image for the first time in thirteen years. When Tonks has discovered his metamorphangi abilities she had been ecstatic. And she hadn't rested until he could shift forms and hold it for as long as needed. She had become like a mother, and like his first one she had been taken from him, because of him. Poppy smiled widely, although it was a touch strained.
"You shouldn't have been in the field in your condition Harry." She murmured, a note of scolding clear in her aged voice. He chuckled, a little amused, but mostly sad.
"I'm still trying to figure out how to explain this to the men I love Poppy." He shot back sardonically, his hands still resting on his stomach. It looked so much larger than the slight pudge it did on Speedle. But then again his base form was forever 18, and had the marks of long term malnutrition. She smiled a little easier at his self defense.
"You always did have the most unusual luck Potter. Both children are healthy still. If Woods hadn't have given you the potion when she had they would have aborted due to the stress of the shooting and the blood loss you suffered." She reported. Tim stiffened at the multiple term for his child. He was no mediwizard. He knew enough to know he was pregnant and the fetus was healthy and that was all that had mattered. He closed his eyes.
"I need to get back home as soon as I can so I can explain this to H and Delko." He murmured, his voice cracking slightly with tears that wanted to fall. He pushed them back, because now was not the time to break down and pity himself. Poppy sighed, sitting on the side of his bed and laying a hand on his leg.
"I am sure that Mr. Weasley will make sure you can go home just as soon as he can. That being said I need your promise that you will stay out of harms way. Those children can not handle you almost dying again. For their sake you need to push that urge of yours that drives you to do the things you do away and just let someone else take care of it for once. As for your Bond mates and the family you have forged for yourself in Miami. You might just be surprised with how they take your secret." She murmured her voice reassuring. He snorted.
"I'm going to be telling them that I've lied to them the whole time that they've known me. Somehow I don't think everything is going to end all sunshine and daises." She actually laughed when he said this and he looked at her in shock.
"Somehow I think finding out they didn't lose you and the reason's behind your secret will make them act in ways that surprise you. Just because you were born under a different name, and can change your face, it doesn't mean you are any different." She replied wryly. Before clapping her hands and winking at him playfully.
"Now, Mrs. Weasley doesn't know your identity. She knows that you are alive, and that her husband knows where you are, but his philosophy is the less that know the less chance of you being outed. It is up to you if you wish to tell her while you are here or not. That being said I wouldn't suggest staying in your base image, no matter how much it gladdens this old woman to see her favorite patient." She chirped, standing up and looking at him sternly. He rolled his eyes. Nothing had changed with her, not a single thing.
"I think it's time I spoke with my sister. I have been monopolizing her husband's spare time, however unknowingly." He murmured. She smiled approvingly, and nodded, heading towards the fireplace.
"I'll just get her right now if you don't mind Mr. Speedle. I'll watch her youngest while you reconnect." She suggested, throwing floo into the fireplace as the curtains around his bed closed magically. Tim sighed, and prayed that Ron got whoever had attempted to kill him soon. He already missed Horatio and Eric, and Horatio must be out of his mind, considering he had 'died' in his arm. He hated that fact. He was brought out of his thoughts when he heard Hermione's voice. As Poppy brought her through he sat up and bunched the blankets over his stomach, not wanting to spring that on her right away. He heard a little girls voice and grinned.
"Stay with Grandma Poppy for a little bit. Okay Lily?" Hermione asked and his heart squeezed. They had used his mother's name for one of their children. Lily laughed and started babbling to Poppy, then his curtain parted. Hermione gasped and entered quickly, looking at him like she was drinking him in with her eyes. He smiled at her carefully and she sat down in the chair next to his bed, grabbing his hand carefully.
"I knew that Ron was watching you. I never expected to actually see you again. Ron said you never reverted to your base form. What happened?" She asked, her voice soft, like she was afraid to speak too loudly. He sighed, squeezing her hand slightly and closed his eyes. His chuckle surprised even him.
"My damned luck happened. Someone imperioed a suspect and I got shot. They had to administer the Draught of Living Death to save me. Ron had me portkeyed to Poppy- he's tracking down whoever was behind the attack so I can return safely." He replied, his voice cracking slightly. She squeezed his hand back and sighed.
"Ron will get you home. I promise you that. He's told me things, not enough to let me know who you were now or where you were, but enough to know that you are more than loved. And that's all either of us could ever ask for. He won't let you be taken from that, not without one hell of a fight." She assured him. He grinned and shifted slightly, his blankets moving and her eyes zeroed in on the small, but extremely visible roundness of his stomach. Her eyes went wise and she paled. He was almost afraid she was going to faint on him.
"Holy mother of Merlin. It's okay right? If they had to give you the draught to save you then. Oh Harry!" she gasped, her voice faint. Tim rolled his eyes, chuckling softly as he did.
"Poppy assured me that the draught save my twin's life too. By Merlin I hate being so small. The form I took on before only showed me as a little pudgy. You can defiantly tell I'm packing kids in this one though." He muttered. He yelped as she punched his arms, her face gaining it's color back rapidly enough and she was furious.
"You were working in a dangerous job and knew you were pregnant?" She hissed. He rolled his eyes again and looked at her dully. She could be so… unrealistic sometimes. It was a little annoying.
"I was working in a muggle environment Herms. Taking maternity leave would have been a little revealing if you catch my drift." He replied. She ran a hand though her hair and looked upwards.
"You have so much bad luck it isn't funny Harry. I know that you wanted to separate yourself from the magical world, but some things cannot be ignored. You're inherently magical Harry and when you mix things like a magical creature and love things happen. How often did you go to a mediwizard once you realized you'd gotten pregnant?" she asked. He looked away, slightly embarrassed that he hadn't gone in for medical attention.
"I knew enough to make sure that I was pregnant and that the fetus was healthy. That was enough for me." He replied. She looked at him in shock then shook her head. An angry look settling on her face.
"You're a bloody idiot Potter. Male Pregnancies are very delicate things. Your body isn't designed to carry a child, to support it- not without magic. I don't care how often you checked, the children in your body need a certain level of interaction with magic. Normally it's gotten from the parents around them, but you were in the muggle world. And then there's giving birth. How in Merlin's name do you expect that to happen Harry? You don't have the equipment to go through birth Potter- you need magic for that too." She growled, acting like he was a child. In a way he was, because he hadn't given what she was lecturing him on much though. In Timothy Speedle's life he wasn't magical. He was just a muggle who knew of it, and didn't really care about getting caught in it.
"I hadn't really thought of the logistics of it yet." He muttered and she exhaled loudly. He could hear her counting under her breath and looked at her warily. She was really upset, he knew that she'd started doing that during the war to stop herself from exploding on him. Her grip on his hand was painfully tight though, and then she shook her head sharply, glaring at him, but at least her hand loosened. She took a deep breath.
"You never did stick to the logical side of things did you Harry? I'm almost glad this happened, if just so I can make note of the fact that I'm going to have to look into the magic schools around where you're living and make arrangements with the magical ministry to transfer Ron over. It's clear that leaving my little brother alone in the big bad world isn't going to work out. Not when he plays everything by ear and chance." She spoke, her voice firm and with an air that was almost like an exasperated mother. He made a face at her, but couldn't deny that having Ron, Hermione and their brood in Miami when he gave birth wouldn't be nice. She looked unimpressed.
"Alright, Alright, I was being a reckless idiot, Happy? Timothy James Speedle, Miami Florida, United states." He muttered under his breath. She smiled widely, before getting up and hugging him.
"You're not going to regret letting me do this Speedle. And with twins you're going to need the support. So tell me about your lovers." She hummed, sitting on the bed and not letting him go. Tim grinned at her easy acceptance of his new identity, the fact that he was involved with a man, and his pregnancy. She tugged on his hair, trying to get his attention again and he sighed, closing his eyes and chuckling a little.
"Horatio is technically my boss, and he can get me hard with one look. When I transferred into the department it was an instant tension between the two of us. I wasn't going to make the first move, so he did. And he made a big one. I couldn't sit right for a couple of days and he looked so damned smug whenever he saw me flinch and damn didn't that make me even hotter. Funny thing is he's a red head. I was sure I'd never fall for one, considering what everyone here had wanted. In the end it doesn't matter, I love him. And then there is Eric. He works with me too, but I'm senior to him. He kissed me one day, and I bolted." He chuckled. Hermione shook her head, a fond smile on her lips and he looked at her questioningly. The smile turned to a smirk.
"That last reaction was a classic you. You were so dense sometimes when I came to people being attracted to you. You'd do anything that you could to avoid the person once it was out in the open too." She hummed. "You must have been extremely attracted to this Horatio not have to have done the same thing." She added. Tim snorted shaking his head slightly. H wouldn't have let him bolt after the night that they had.
"Horatio made sure I had no reason to bolt. He reminded me every chance he got. Anyway I didn't tell H what Eric had done, just kept my head down and away from him. I was freaking out over the kiss, I didn't know how H would react, or what I should do and it showed in our work. Eric thought I was homophobic and that I was going to get him fired over the kiss so he was panicking and then H confronted me over it. Eric had been my best friend and then suddenly I didn't want to have anything to do with him? I explained that Eric had kissed me and he laughed. Teased me that I was so sexy even my best friend couldn't resist me and told me not to worry about it. I didn't expect him to bring over that night though. Poor Eric looked like the world was ending." He murmured. She giggled at the tone of his voice and looked at him knowingly, as she ruffled his hair.
"Let me guess, this Horatio had no problem with bringing you a gift to keep." She teased. Tim looked at her in shock, because she didn't know Horatio, but she had him pinned to a tee. His elder lover had brought Eric to his apartment with one thing in mind. And even though it had taken him almost an hour to be convinced that H wasn't just trying to pawn him off and break up it had worked. And they hadn't looked back since. Hermione leaned over and kissed his forehead as he thought and he looked at her. She sighed.
"Even if they didn't see the real you they both love you. And love does strange things to a person's priorities. Especially when it comes to what thier partner needs. With what happened to you here? I can see that you would need a whole hell of a lot of love to become the man you are today. I think this Horatio could see it too." She murmured. He chuckled. Horatio was going to love her, if she didn't scare the hell out of him with threats when they got back. She nodded to herself suddenly, as if she had made a decision and he looked at her oddly.
"What's going through that head of yours Hermione?" He asked, almost afraid of the answer. She shrugged, a grin spreading over her features at his reaction to her body language.
"That I'm going to be hosting one pregnant Timothy Speedle at my home while my husband is securing his safety. And that I'll have an extra set of hands to help me research moving my family to Miami Florida while we're waiting." She chirped before hopping out of the bed. "I'd shift to Tim, Next comes introducing Lily to her Godfather." She warned, before disappearing behind the curtain. Tim was already shifting, even as he wondered how everything could go back to normal so easily. Hermione was something else. Hell, so was Ron.