Week in Hell

A HariPo fanfiction

by mew-tsubaki

- ^-^3

Day 7: The Spectrum in Elation

"The space between the tears we cry

is the laughter that keeps us coming back for more." —Dave Matthews Band, "The Space Between"

Angelina hummed a sad tune distractedly while they rode up in the lift. It was just the four of them—Freddie, Lorcan, Angelina, and George—and they were on their way to the Maternity Ward in St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies.

At one point, Angelina's voice caught, and the tune came out brittle and broken. She choked on a sob, and George had to put a reassuring arm around her shoulders. Freddie looked away, and Lorcan stared at the lift doors. It was the most uncomfortable lift ride he'd ever experienced.

And the longest. And he meant between both St. Mungo's and the Ministry of Magic.

It seemed like forever before they reached the right floor. Things not in Lorcan's direct field of vision were blurry. His mind had only one focus: Roxanne.

When they finally reached Roxanne's room, the Healer only let Lorcan in. "Well? Is it bad? What's wrong?"

"She started having very painful contractions in the middle of the night," the Healer answered. "Another Healer's in there right now to soothe her pain."

"…what?"

"Her contractions are becoming shorter and shorter in time between. She'll go into labor any time soon now."

The wizard stiffly nodded his head. "Uh, o-okay… Is it all right if I see her?"

The Healer grimaced but let him in anyways. "Be careful not to distract the other Healer too much."

Inside, lights shone so brightly in the room that Lorcan had to squint. The bed fittings, the walls, the window treatments—everything was that disturbing, sterile white. It made him wonder if he had stumbled into the crazy ward instead. He gently nudged his wife's arm. "Roxie, are you okay?"

"Hmmm… Lorc…?"

He nearly wept at hearing her say just his name. "Yes, luv, I'm here."

"Can I have that ice-cream you promised three days ago…?"

He laughed. "After, dear, after. I'll buy you all the ice-cream you want once the Healers say you're okay."

"'Okay'?" she repeated. "Is this thing still inside me?"

"Um, well, yes…"

"Damn. I thought it was over with those first few contractions…"

"Er, no, no, not yet, luv… You've had just contractions so far. Really painful ones at that, but just contractions. Your water hasn't even broke yet."

She grabbed his shirt collar and yanked him down so they were nose-to-nose. "WHAT?!" she hissed. She had that dragon-dangerous look in her eyes again…

Lorcan squelched the "eep!" that almost escaped him. "W-Well… Once that happens, then it'll be all over, Roxie… And, uh, there'll be ice-cream?"

"Damn right there'll be ice-cream!" She winced and released him. "Oh! Oh, good Merlin, that hurts!"

"Try not to move around so much," the Healer ordered.

Lorcan grasped her hand in his. …really, she was gripping his hand in hers. He winced in pain. She had enough strength right now to break the bones in his hand, but he wouldn't cry out. His pain wasn't anything compared to hers.

"Ah, there's her water," the Healer announced.

He paled. Did he really have to hear that?

Roxanne blushed and glared at the Healer. "Well? What the bloody hell are you waiting for? Grab the damn Head Healer so he can play CATCH!"

Her husband squirmed. "Uh, how about I go get the Head Healer?"

"Fine! But then come back!" Though she said it viciously, he saw the fear in her eyes. She had to have been in the worst pain imaginable.

As he ducked outside, he heard her first heartrending scream. Yes, he could never imagine that. But he put that out of his mind as he flagged the Head Healer over. The Head Healer brought a midwife and another Healer with him, and Lorcan followed them all back inside the room. Then Lorcan took his place at Roxanne's side.

To spare everyone the horrific/beautiful details of what normally ensues during the minutes/hours of actual labor, let's just say there was more screaming. Several grunts, too. Some pants on Roxanne's part, a near stomach-content-upheaval by Lorcan, and lots of gross stuff no one wants to see even if they're the woman delivering the baby. Oh, and of course there was the usual cheer: "Push! Push! Almost there—PUSH!"

The one beautiful sound was the baby's cry that could be heard over everyone else. It was the culmination of all the most glorious colors of the rainbow crammed into one little sound.

With a few precise flicks of their wands, the medical staff cleaned up the baby and Roxanne. In fact, thanks to the Healers' skills, Roxanne felt better in no time. One of the Healers, a kindly old woman, passed the baby wrapped in a blanket to Roxanne. "Congratulations. You have a brand new baby boy."

Lorcan leaned his head on Roxanne's and sighed. Actually, it was more of a choked sigh, as a sob got caught in his throat. He kissed Roxanne's temple. "Wow," he whispered, blinking back tears, "he's beautiful."

"Are you kidding? He's all gross and wrinkly!" Roxanne said, but she laughed and blinked back her own tears. Her eyes roved over her son as though she couldn't get enough of this picture. "He's the best thing in this world…"

"That he is. That he is."

"What should we name him?"

"I was thinking harder on it…"

"Me, too. You do have the middle name picked out, right?"

"Well… I was thinking…"

- ^-^3

A little while later, Roxanne was resting peacefully, and Lorcan finally had the chance to leave her hospital room and grab a snack. Freddie joined him.

"What's it like?" he asked.

Lorcan smirked. "The process? Or the baby?"

Freddie blushed and glared at the other wizard. "The baby, you git."

"Come and see for yourself."

"Oh, wait—why's your hand all messed up?"

Lorcan held up aforementioned hand. "Aw, crap. Roxie broke my hand… Let's grab a Healer and some Skele-Gro."

They did as planned. Lorcan coughed from the smoke that wafted up when the Healer poured him some of the vile bone-repairing potion, but he slowly sipped at it on the way to the babies. The two wizards saw Angelina and George smiling as they watched the newborns through the glass. Freddie followed his parents' point and saw the baby boy.

The child had pale, sandalwood skin. A few wisps of walnut-colored hair graced the top of his head, and his little eyes were closed. He slept so quietly and calmly, Lorcan couldn't believe it was the same baby who had been crying at the top of his lungs a little while ago.

Freddie smiled at his nephew. "Wow, he's cute. He's—" His face fell, and he started laughing. "Oh, my Merlin! Please tell me that is not what you named the poor kid!"

Lorcan scowled. "What? She and I both like it. Roxanne and I picked it out."

Angelina hit her son over the head. "Leave him alone! He's family now!" She silenced George, too, with a glare, but she was all smiles when she faced Lorcan. "I think it's very nice, Lorcan. It fits well in this family."

"Thank you, Angelina." He smacked Freddie on the back of the head for good measure. "Anyway, Freddie… Allow me to introduce you to Valerian Achaius Scamander."

- ^-^3

WAH! No, no, it's not Valerian crying. It's me. I can't believe I finished this! X0 I really didn't want it to end, but I had already planned this out, so I knew I had to write it. And it came out a lot better than I originally imagined. :3 I hope you all had as much fun reading it as I enjoyed writing it! Just in case you're wondering, it really was hormones controlling Roxanne through this whole story. Until this chapter. So, yes, Lorcrox is fine, their marriage is fine, everything's fine. And what'd you think of the name? Kinda out-there, but that fits for the HariPo universe…and the Scamander family, especially. I mean, "Lorcan"? "Lysander"? Must I say more on that subject?

Thank you, everyone, for reading and reviewing!

-mew! X3 …*is still bawling*

Thanks as always to Morghen for beta'ing! :D

P.S.—This is a little bonus for everyone, so… ;)

- ^-^3

Years later…

"OH! Don't you dare, Ian!"

Valerian Achaius Scamander smiled impishly at his mother. "Why, Mum, whatever do you mean?"

Roxanne glared at her son. "Try that wand out and I will personally deliver you to the Dementors myself, Valerian!"

He gulped. Okay, so his mother could be quite scary when she so desired. But he refused to drop the implement. "B-But… It's my wand! I just want to test it a little!"

Lorcan entered the living room, curious at the commotion. "What's going on? Oh, Ian, you're testing your wand already!" He grinned—the same grin Valerian wore on his own face. "Ah, I remember trying mine out when I got it years ago. You're excited to go to Hogwarts, right?"

Ian beamed. "More like ecstatic, Dad! Merlin, I thought I'd have a heart-attack—and then the letter came!"

"That doesn't mean you should be trying out your wand!" Roxanne scolded. She stuck out her hand. "Give me the wand, Ian. You don't want a letter from the Ministry, do you?"

He turned his cerulean blue eyes—ones just like his father's—to her. "Okay, okay, Mum…" He passed her the wand, and she ruffled his feathery, walnut-colored hair, hair that was just like hers.

"Thank you, Ian. … Wait a minute…" She looked at her hand and shook it. The wand was not coming off. She fought down a proud smirk. "You are just like your grandfather and uncle."

Ian laughed. "Come on! You should've guessed I'd test Grandpa George's latest Wheeze! Dad's actually the one who secretly delivered it to me." Yes, he was definitely smart…and evilly clever. But to have tried such a trick on his mother—that wasn't just rash. That was bloody stupid.

"Ack! Ian, 'secretly' implies that you don't tell your mother! Aw, bloody hell…"

Roxanne inhaled. "LORCAN!"

And so ended an afternoon in this Scamander household, which would only become more hectic once Ian learned a few things at school….

- ^-^3

YAY! Eleven-year-old Valerian! Sorry, but I really liked him. Not too shabby for an OC, right? XD

Thanks so much for reading, and please review!

-mew! -w-

2017 note: I thought I'd save my comments for after the bonus. XD Honestly, I've written a few pregnancies since this story, and I have to say: I love the cliché of the pregnant woman's partner having their hand broken due to pregnancy strength. XD I've used it a couple of times. Ahh, little Ian… He's in my overall headcanon for them, because I couldn't resist giving Lorcrox this handful. ;D Also, in editing this, I'm surprised 2010 mew never remarked, but I feel as tho Rox had some type of post-partum depression right before Valerian was born… I mean, there's only so much that can be written off as "just hormones," right? Ah, well. Anyway, I'm still happy with this fic, and I'm glad I wrote it. :D Even if next gen charries are all p much OCs… -_-; BUT! I wanna say once again: Thanks to everyone who originally read and reviewed on FFN all those yrs ago! :')