Chapter 4 - Learning the Truth
Minerva stood in front of the full-length mirror Severus had transformed out of a lamp for her. She turned this and that way as she studied her nude reflection critically. She was now five months pregnant and it showed. Her stomach was not the toned one it had previously been but big and round. She sighed in acceptance before dressing in her nightclothes.
She crossed the room and settled on the couch with a novel Severus had brought to her last night after returning from a mission. He had been called away again this morning by Voldemort and Minerva had been forced to entertain herself. She had been reading the entire day and only had a few more pages left in the book.
As soon as Minerva snapped the book shut after completing it, Severus burst through the door looking angry. His chest was heaving, fists balled at his side and jaw clenched shut, a sure sign he was furious. Minerva jumped up from her seat and went to her husband's side with as much haste as she could muster. She laid a calming hand on his forearm then asked, "What's wrong Severus?"
Even through his anger, he realized he was upsetting his wife and forced himself to calm down a bit. He planted a quick kiss to her cheek and gently placed his hand on her protruding belly. "Voldemort has captured Hermione Granger in an attempt to get to Potter," he told her.
She shuddered with fear for her pupil before asking, "How is she?"
"They have beaten her severely. I have to figure out how to get her out of here safely before it is too late," he said with a slight tremble in his voice, one she hadn't ever heard before.
Minerva's keen ears picked up on it immediately and asked, "What are you not telling me?"
Severus looked up sharply at her question, he had not figure she would read between the lines. Sighing in defeat he admitted quite bluntly, "She's my daughter."
"Your daughter," she repeated unsurely.
"My daughter," he clarified.
Minerva was silent for a few moments then asked, "Who's her mother?"
"Elizabeth Burke," he replied honestly.
Minerva gasped at the unexpected news then her eyes widen with fear. "Elizabeth Burke as in Albus Dumbledore's only daughter," she stated with a shaky voice. "Voldemort would not hesitate to kill her if he knew the truth."
"Exactly, that's the reason I have to think up an escape plan for her," he replied then began pacing about the room.
"Does Hermione know the truth," she asked nearly an hour later after allowing herself to recall the interactions she had witnessed between the two at Hogwarts.
He stopped pacing long enough to answer, "No."
"You don't want her to know the truth, do you? That's why you would never give her the credit she deserved on her assignments, isn't it?"
"Fine I'll admit it but it's for the best," he answered.
"No that's not it, you're afraid she will reject you," she stated as she slowly pieced the puzzle together then asked, "Why are you afraid?"
He sighed in defeat before offering, "I cannot tell you but I can show you."
Severus gazed into his wife's emerald eyes and entered her mind. The walls of the hospital wing at Hogwarts were bright from its white décor. It was deserted except for the group near the back wall. A woman, Elizabeth Burke, was occupying one of the many hospitals beds and a newborn baby lay nestled in her arms sleeping. Severus Snape and Albus Dumbledore stood at the bedside arguing over what to do with the baby. "Albus I can not just give her away to strangers," Severus bellowed.
Albus sighed before reasoning, "You must Severus. If anyone were to find out about her or her lineage she would be great danger."
"I can not Albus," Severus whispered brokenly as he picked up his daughter. He held her near to his chest and kissed her forehead gently. It was obvious that he loved his daughter very much and he even realized that he had to protect her at all costs. "Is this the only way," he pleaded.
"I'm afraid so," Albus agreed then added, "I have found a Muggle couple that is willing to take her in immediately."
"Very well Albus," Severus said then focused his attention on his daughter. He gave her another kiss before whispering, "Keep safe my little girl. I hope our paths shall meet again and maybe then you'll know me as your father."
Severus kissed her again then placed her back in her mother's waiting arms. Without acknowledging Albus or Elizabeth, he walked out the door, leaving two speechless people gaping at the spot he previously vacated.
Slowly Minerva felt Severus withdraw from her mind. His chocolate eyes searched her emerald ones for understanding and found it. He had longed to share this with someone for a while now but hadn't felt comfortable enough to do so until now. He figured he might as well tell her the rest of the story. "That was when I decided to switch sides and follow Voldemort," he offered.
"Tell me," Minerva demanded, knowing he needed to talk about it.
"When I first found out Elizabeth was pregnant it was wonderful. It was always a dream of mine to have a houseful of children but then Albus destroyed that dream. When he convinced Elizabeth to give away Hermione, it destroyed me. I turned my back on Albus and Elizabeth that night and joined Voldemort," he confessed.
"What made you come back to Albus," she asked patiently.
"Elizabeth," he muttered painfully. "Voldemort discovered she was Albus' daughter and captured her. They had tortured her to death before I could get to her but I did manage to return her body to Albus. It took Elizabeth's death to make me realize what danger Hermione could face if her family roots were exposed."
Minerva wrapped her arms around her lover and kissed the side of his neck in an attempt to show him her love. He snaked his arms around her waist and drew her as close to him as her protruding belly allowed. He kissed her tenderly before whispering in her ear, "I love you."
"I love you too," she replied.
"I'm going to miss you terribly when you leave," he stated matter-of-factly.
Minerva looked at him confused before asking, "What do you mean when I leave?"
"You are going to escape with Hermione," he informed her calmly.
"I can't leave you alone," she cried.
"You have to Minerva. I need you to protect Hermione and the baby now. I will be fine here but you will not. You need to return to Order Headquarters where you will be safe," he pleaded with unshed tears glistening in his chocolate eyes.
"Fine," Minerva gave in then kissed her husband passionately.
Minerva followed Severus through the darken halls of Voldemort's fort towards the dungeons. It was nearly three in the morning and most of Voldemort's followers were asleep with the exception of a few idiots. They were headed for the room where Hermione was being held captive.
They stopped once they reached the cell furthest from the entrance, one Minerva recognized from her three week period of torture. She shivered involuntary at the thought of that horrible experience causing Severus to look at her with concern. "I'm fine," she whispered then added, "Just remembering my stay here."
He cast a doubtful look before unlocking the cell by muttering a few complex spells. He gently pushed the metal door causing it to groan in protest. Minerva and Severus peered in to the cell cautiously at first then slowly walked in and quietly shut the door. Minerva spotted Hermione lying battered on the cold marble floor and rushed to her side. "Hermione," she said frantically as she shook her carefully.
Hermione stirred at the sound of her name and with a little bit of effort opened her chocolate eyes to see who was present. Her eyes welled with tears as she saw her beloved professor kneeling next to her. She was safe now, she was sure of it. "Professor," she uttered before closing her eyes in relief.
"Hermione I need you to sit up," Severus demanded, revealing his presence.
Hermione turned towards the distinct male voice and was surprised to see Snape standing there with concern etched on his facial features. "Why," she asked although she already began to sit up.
"It will be easier on you during the port key phase," he said matter-of-factly. "You will also need to take this healing draught."
For some unexplainable reason, Hermione didn't question him on his motives but followed his orders. As she finished the healing draught and returned the flask to him, the effects were immediate. She felt the healing power of the potion flow through her body and give her battered body the energy it craved. Slowly she started to notice her surroundings and what she noticed immediately was the expanding waistline of her professor. "Professor you're pregnant," she blurted out before she could stop it.
"Yes I am but we'll discuss that after we've escaped," Minerva answered hurriedly.
Severus approached the two women sitting on the floor and carefully draped his heavy cloak around Hermione's scarcely clothed body. He moved closer to Minerva and kissed her tenderly on the lips thoroughly startling both woman. Minerva recovered from her shock within seconds and deepened the kiss. Hermione had turned beet red from embarrassment and turned her head to allow them some privacy.
"The port key will transport you to my ancestral home in a secluded part of England. I want you to stay there for a couple of weeks and recuperate, you will be safe there. There are charms and spells protecting the house and its property from unexpected and unwanted visitors," he rushed then noticed the alarm on her face at the last part of his statement. He quickly added, "Don't worry, love, the spells guarding the house will recognize you and Hermione."
"Are you certain," she asked, worry evident in her voice.
"Quite certain," he reassured before dropping a quick kiss on her nose. "Now I need you to move closer to Hermione."
Minerva shifted behind Hermione and wrapped her arms around the younger woman. Severus looked one last time at his family before withdrawing a small silver box from his pocket. "Open the box when you are in the Snape family home," he said before laying it in the women's joint hands. He watched as they were slowly transported away to safety.
Minerva and Hermione landed with a soft thump on the ground. Momentarily startled, it took them a few minutes to get to their feet and survey their surroundings. They had landed on stone path leading to a quaint country manor nestled amongst the rolling hills with a brook beside it. It was quite breathtaking in the early morning lighting. Minerva grasped Hermione's hand in a supportive gesture before starting their trek down the path to the house.
Once inside the house, the two women were bombarded with overexcited house elves. Minerva ordered them to prepare breakfast before sending them out of her sight. She settled Hermione and herself on the couch next to the fire in the parlor before looking at the little box that had been their salvation from Voldemort's clutch. "Open it," Hermione encouraged.
Minerva glanced up at the young woman beside her then back at the box in her hand. Slowly she lifted the lid on the small box and found a letter inside written in his familiar scrawl. She hesitantly removed the letter from its protective place inside the box and saw Hermione's name written neatly on it. She slowly passed the letter to the younger woman sitting next to her and motioned for her to open it. With shaky hands she unfolded the letter and began to read it aloud.
Dearest Hermione,
I know this letter must come to you as quite a shock but I feel compelled to reveal the truth to you. The truth has been hidden from you from the moment you entered this world. You were not born to Muggles as you have been led to believe but to magical parents that were unable to raise you. You may be questioning how I know this and the answer is that I am your biological father.
I know this news is unexpected but it is the truth. Your birth mother and her father decided that it would be best if you were to be raised in the Muggle world instead of this troubled one. I only went along with their decision because I knew I couldn't raise you by myself. If I thought that it would have been possible to keep you, I would not have hesitated but as fate would have it, you were not meant to be with me.
I am sure that by now the wheels of your mind are turning trying to figure out the identity of your birth mother. Well I will not keep you in the dark any longer. Your mother, Elizabeth Burke, was a magnificent witch. You are a carbon copy of her except you inherited my hair and eye color. I wish I could tell you that you act like her too but that would be a lie. Your courage comes from her but that know-it-all attitude of yours comes from me.
I am saddened to say that your mother departed this world when you were just over a year old. Elizabeth was captured and tortured to death by Voldemort when he learned that she was the only child of Albus Dumbledore. That's right Hermione you are the granddaughter of Albus Dumbledore and the last of that line. It is imperative that no one learns of your true roots until Voldemort is finally defeated or there could be devastating outcomes.
My dearest Hermione I can not offer you words of wisdom or some brilliant fatherly advice, all I can offer you is my unending love if you chose to have me in your life. Keep safe my little girl and remember I will always love you.
Your loving father,
Severus
Hermione held the letter to her chest as silent tears streaked down her pale cheeks and dripped onto the heavy cloak Snape, her father she corrected, had given her. The rich black material of the cloak and the serpent fastener branded it as a trademark Snape cloak but now it meant so much more to her. He had removed it from his own self to cover her up and he did it because he loved her. "I didn't know," she softly said to Minerva.
Minerva wrapped her arm around the distraught girl and pulled her against her side. "Hermione dear, I know this must be quite a bit to handle just now, with what you have gone through, but you needed to know the truth," the older of the two offered.
"Professor, how long have you known about all of this," Hermione asked timidly.
Minerva sighed loudly before answering, "I did not know the entire story until last night actually. Severus told me the entire story after he learned you had been captured."
Hermione, bewildered by McGonagall's role in this, sat there quietly. She bit her tongue to keep from voicing her questions out loud. Minerva observed her silently for a while before saying, "What's puzzling you dear?"
At the endearment, Hermione looked up to meet her beloved professor's eyes. She frowned before bluntly asking, "What's your role in all of this, Professor?"
Minerva smiled before offering, "That's quite a long and difficult story but I'll try to explain it. When I was first captured, I was tortured for the first three weeks and then they came up with a new inventive way to torture me. My brother Thor, one of Voldemort's Death Eaters, arranged a marriage for me to one of Voldemort's inner circle. You see Hermione, when the head of the McGonagall family betroths a female it is unbreakable and my brother is technically the head of my family."
"That's horrible," the girl yelled in outrage.
Minerva nodded her head in agreement then continued, "Thor forced me to marry a man that I despised at the time and he prevented my escape attempts by choosing the most ancient of bonding ceremonies. Have you read about them yet?"
Hermione answered negatively prompting Minerva to explain, "Well the spell demands that the couple share the marriage bed every night until an heir is produced. Anyways to finish my story, Thor chose this particular ceremony because he knew I was barren."
"But you're pregnant Professor," Hermione interrupted.
"Only because Severus invented a potion that healed my barrenness," she clarified then added, "Thor failed to realize where Severus' true loyalties lay and arranged a marriage between us."
"He killed Professor Dumbledore," Hermione cried. "We know where his loyalties lay."
Minerva pulled the teenager into her arms and planted a kiss to her forehead. "He only did it because Albus begged him to," Minerva revealed.
"Why?"
"Albus wanted to protect you from the same fate as Elizabeth," she answered simply.
"He sacrificed himself for me," Hermione asked, surprise evident in her tone.
"He loved you more than anything even though he couldn't show it," Minerva reassured. "Our meal should be ready by now so how about we head to the dining room? After all, we would hate to undernourish your brother or sister."