Disclaimer: This is just for fun. I don't own HP or any of his kingdom, sadly.
A/N: I'm a first time contributor, so I would love your suggestions. I will try to write more drama into the story, but I have a feeling that this series is going to run long. I hope you all enjoy!
The Headmaster could see the quiet pain swim beneath the surface of Harry's face, and knew that only one thing would shake him out of it. "Harry, my boy, why don't we go at get you settled in your quarters before your guest joins you. It has been quite some time since we have had children in the castle, but I think that you will find the family quarters on the second floor are more than adequate for young Mr. Potter to grow into."
"Thank you, sir. He doesn't take up much space currently, but it will be good for him to have the growing room. If George keeps sending toys to him from the shop, Molly was going to have to create a second playroom for Evan and Victoire."
Bill and Fleur's daughter had been born only a few weeks before Evan and the babies were what kept Molly and the rest of the family from sinking too far into their grief. When Victoire Frederique and Evan Ronald joined the family in March and April respectively, some of the light that left the Burrow with Ron and Fred began to shine again. Though not even five months old, Evan had charmed not only his Daddy, but the rest of his extended family with the bright green eyes, pale skin, and full head of black, silky hair. Harry had not told anyone other than Hermione who Evan's other father was, but it wouldn't be long before they started putting two and two together. There was no doubt when looking at the infant that he was going to grow into a perfect combination of his two fathers.
***
Harry had never noticed the hallway that jutted off the corridor between the DADA professor's office and the staircase that sent visitor's either up to the Headmaster's tower or directly to the dungeons. Magic. It probably was never visible until there was a need for it.
Wandering down the light-filled corridor, Harry smiled as he thought of Evan running beside him in a few years. The idea of his son growing up surrounded by Hogwarts' magic warmed Harry's heart and he knew that he had made the right decision in leaving the comfort of the Burrow.
The Headmaster slowed down in front of a picture of students playing quidditch with the castle and the Black Lake in the background. "The password is currently "April 8th" in honor of young Mr. Potter's birth, but you will likely want to switch it to something a bit more difficult to ascertain."
After uttering the words, Harry stepped into the great room that was immediately inside the doors. His jaw dropped at the light, open living quarters that the castle had provided Harry and his son. The comfortable looking living room furniture was centered around the fireplace and hearth with marble inlays that matched the tiles in the elegant and efficient kitchen to the right of the entry way. There was both a breakfast bar and a respectably sized dining table where he could imagine serving not only Evan and himself meals, but any family or friends that dropped by as well. The entire south facing wall on the opposite side of the great room was floor to ceiling picture windows looking out onto the quidditch pitch and the Black Lake.
"If I had known that all I had to do to get these rooms was get pregnant, I would have done it years ago, Headmaster," Harry joked lightly to avoid the emotion that was welling up in his chest. "Thank you, sir. They are more than I could have imagined, and I know that Evan will have plenty of room when he starts running around."
"I will leave you to get settled in, my boy. The bedrooms and bathrooms are through that hallway, and I have already keyed the floo to be connected to the Burrow, Grimmauld Place, and my office. Feel free to come by anytime, Harry. I expect to be seeing a lot of both you and Evan, especially since I have seen so little of you over the last year."
"I'm sorry, Headmaster. It was hard for me to come back here for awhile after the final battle, but I have come to peace with it now. I want to raise my son and help prepare the next generation to protect the light, just as you prepared me."
Eyes twinkling madly, Albus Dumbledore put a hand on Harry's shoulders, which nearly came up to his own now. "I know, Harry. I would have liked to know about Evan prior to his birth, but I understand why you kept that from everyone other than the Weasleys with so many death eaters still at large. It will be a surprise to many when you walk into the Great Hall with your son, but it is time to introduce your family to the world, my boy. We will do everything we can to protect you both."
"Thank you, sir."
"I think you have earned calling me Albus, as the other staff members do. There are few who I am as close with as I am to you."
"It is an honor, Albus. I hope you don't mind if Evan calls you "Grandpa Albus" when he is old enough to talk, it is what I have started calling you when I tell him about my adventures as a student here."
The headmaster's blue eyes twinkled more than even Harry thought possible at that request. "Now, THAT would be an honor, Harry. You both are family to me, as the Miss Granger and the Weasleys are to you and Minerva and Severus have always been to me."
The mention of Severus' name sent a surge of emotion into Harry's heart. Will you ever know our beautiful son? When I hold Evan at night, I can practically feel your arms around us.
Albus had never asked about Evan's other father, but the look in his eyes told Harry that it wasn't as well kept a secret as Harry thought. After his graduation, it was hard not to notice all of the time that Harry spent with Severus. Beyond the hours of training, Harry could usually be found curled up on the couch in Snape's quarters in the dungeon. Reading or napping after an exhaustive day of dueling. It was the only place in the months before the war where Harry felt like Harry, protected, even maybe a little bit loved. Everywhere else he was expected to be a leader, confident that he would end this war for the better of their world. Everywhere else he was the Savior. In the presence of the sardonic Potion Master, he was able to find quiet in the chaos. He could recharge and face another day as the chosen one.
"Is my honorary grandson going to be joining us in the Great Hall for dinner, Harry?" Albus interrupted Harry's flood of memories.
"No, Hermione is going to floo him over tonight before bed. We thought that I should get settled first and make sure that Evan's room is all set before we transition him away from the Burrow."
"I see. All of the staff will have arrived by dinner tonight, so maybe you should let people know about the little man that is going to be joining us at the head table this year before his introduction in the morning."
Harry nodded in agreement and watched Albus leave his quarters with his fuchsia and orange polka-dotted robes swishing behind him. Chuckling to himself, Harry thought about the sweets and silly outfits that Evan would look forward to every time he went to spend time in Grandpa Albus' office. His son was already so loved.
Harry had happy that he sent his trunks earlier in the week to the castle, as he found much of his clothes and personal items were already put away in the master bedroom at the end of the hallway in his quarters. The room easily fit the king-sized bed, nightstands, and dresser, but still felt warm and cozy. The four-poster bed was dressed in warm ivory and slate blue fabrics that complimented the dark wood of the furniture. Harry had two windows with comfortable looking window seats where he could imagine reading or correcting papers. On the opposite side of the room was a large closet and door that led to a simple, but well-appointed bathroom.
Pleased with his room, Harry examined the other three doors in the hallway. At the center of the hallway was a large bathroom with both a good-sized tub and an enclosed shower. On either side of the bathroom was a door that each led to a smaller bedroom. The room closest to Harry's was already decorated for Evan. Pale green walls with a border of dragons and a crib and changing table. It would serve the infant well, but was large enough for him to continue to enjoy as he grew. Harry couldn't help but fill with warmth at the thought of Evan enjoying the room for years to come. He would have everything Harry didn't - toys, comfort, love, the support of an extended family who only wanted his happiness. The other bedroom was set-up with a twin bed, simple dresser, and a toy box. Harry thought that it would be a great guest room for when his two year old godson Teddy would come to visit. These quarters where more than Harry could have expected and he could see many happy memories being made. Come on, love, come home. There are so many memories to be made and I don't want you to miss out on too much.
***
When Harry left the hospital wing after a week under the watchful eye of Madam Pomfrey and Hermione, he immediately tried to find Severus. Harry knew that he was physically OK after the final battle, but needed to tell him the news. I guess more like shock him with the news. Harry had known that wizards could get pregnant, but it was almost always a difficult task and required potions to stimulate fertility. To Harry's surprise, Madam Pomfrey shared with him that if two powerful wizards are deeply in love, soul mates really, then unaided pregnancy is possible. Unlikely, but possible. How Harry and Severus had been able to do this with only a few short weeks together flabbergasted Harry and sent a grief-stricken Hermione directly to the library to quickly become an expert in male pregnancy. When Harry went to try and find Severus in the dungeons, he saw the space cleared out of the Potion Master's personal belongings and a note on the mantle addressed to him.
Potter,
I know that you would come here first when you woke up. This letter can be seen and read only by you. I'm sorry that I couldn't be here to celebrate your defeat of Voldemort. Congratulations, I never doubted that you would succeed. Despite your total lack of skill in the fine and noble art of potion making, you surprised me with your commitment to learning about the Dark Arts. You may have a few redeeming qualities after all, Potter.
War brings together unlikely bedfellows as allies, and I thank you for bringing some light into the dungeons these last few months. You have the rather annoying ability to ignore all of my derisive comments and do only exactly what you want to do. Despite all of my attempts otherwise, I grew to respect and care for you. I had no expectations that this liaison would continue beyond what it was: comfort and unexpected camaraderie. I want only the best for you, and I know that your greasy git of a potions professor is the last thing you need as you enter into the world as a celebrated hero. You deserve every happiness.
After two decades as a spy and teacher to complete dunderheads (yourself included), I am going to try and see the world. It is your fearless optimism that makes me take a chance to do something I have always dreamed. You will always be in my thoughts.
Sev
Hermione found Harry a few hours later still sitting on the floor in front of the Potion Master's former fireplace clutching a piece of parchment in his hand. There could be no doubt about who the other father of Harry's baby was when she saw the genuine sorrow on his face. His eyes were full of tears yet to fall, and his face gave away that he was unable to figure out what to do next. The second her arms surrounded him, Harry broke down. He cried for losing Ron, Fred, Remus, Tonks, even his parents and Sirius, but mostly he cried because he already had failed the child growing inside of him. Eighteen and pregnant and he had absolutely no idea how to find the baby's other parent. He knew that he had to be strong and help Hermione and the rest of the Weasleys get through the loss of their loved ones, but something inside of Harry told him that it was OK to crumble in Hermione's arms this once and she would hold him up.
Hermione somehow got Harry to the Burrow that night and they both moved directly into Ron's old bedroom. No one cared about propriety; the two of them would not leave each other's side for weeks after the final battle. When Harry began to get ill with morning sickness shortly after returning to the burrow, Hermione was there with her newly discovered wealth of knowledge on male pregnancies. When Hermione broke down in the middle of the night after waking from a nightmare, Harry climbed in bed with her and told her that everything would be alright. She held his hand before, during, and after he gathered the Weasleys together and told them that he was pregnant (which in turn broke it to them that he was gay and would never marry Ginny, much to Molly's dismay). She was who placed Evan in his arms for the first time after he had given birth. As his son's godmother and Harry's very best friend, Hermione would always be a central part of his family. The hardest part of taking Dumbledore's offer to return to Hogwarts was knowing that he would not be there to take care of Hermione if she needed him. She may be the strongest and smartest witch I know, but I like her to be close so I can make sure that she is happy. I couldn't have done any of this without her.
A/N: Please review! It really motivates me to write for you guys!
