Author's Note: Naturally we all know that I have no ownership whatsoever of Harry Potter and his fellow wizarding mates, or of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. Original characters are mine.
Warning very, very adult content within this chapter.
Thank you FireSenshi2 and Trickster32 for your reviews.
Chapter Nine
Uncertainty
A month passes by...
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"About that huge company, what was the name? EW-something?"
"EWATGRI?"
"Yeah! Them!"
"About their collapsing into disappearance after too many of their workers either died by suicide or went nuts, rendering the whole thing cursed and many, but a few, no longer willing to touch work the area."
"So, you've heard?"
"Heard what?"
The whispers were buzzing about not only in the Muggle world, but also the Wizard one. Because of the company having dealings with both magical and non-magical, and once being so recognised, it did come as a real surprise by many to learn of this news.
It was Splinter who told Remus and Severus about what had happened, as it appeared that the news was more widespread and more 'detailed' in the Muggle world, than the Wizard one.
"Explains why I got that visit from a couple of members from the Ministry, whilst I was setting up my new office," said Severus, who had been going back and forth between the home he shared with Remus and Hogwarts to organise himself to start his new job as Professor. It wasn't something he thought he would do, nor would he have agreed to do if he didn't have any other choice.
"As well as their attempt to cross the protective barrier that's marked within the forest," said Remus, nodding toward the mass of trees that surrounded the property, before resuming in chopping up the salami. (They were in the kitchen and dining area, where Remus was doing food prep).
Both Remus and Severus told the other of what had happened on both their accounts. Equally assured that the measures they've taken to protect their home works, as well as bemused as to why the ministry members were even allowed to interrogate Severus in the first place.
"I have a feeling that this isn't over," said Splinter, seated on one of the dining chairs. "You are still in high danger."
"We are very aware of that, Splinter," said Severus, who was standing by the door that exits out to the back of the house, with the door pinned back.
Remus explains more, resting the knife for a moment; "That is why we have made it so that our girls won't be leaving our property until they are aged five. Unless they have been placed in your care in New York City, again with the same measures of protection we've placed. We have Minerva McGonagall on our side, as you know, she's never agreed with Dumbledore in his view on showing off the girls, so has agreed to help us where she can. Knowing that it would just allow for some excuse for whoever is after them to try and get to them even more if they knew what they actually looked like.
"Just unfortunate that we cannot ask for James and Lily to help, even if they are on our side, as we have no idea where they've been hidden, because of the threat they've been put under from You-Know-Who. Plus the added fact we can't really bring in either Sirius or Peter because, probably for the same reasons toward me, someone close to James and Lily is trying to sabotage them and it's like there is distrust that is now in place. Frustrating really."
"So, I take it you are not secret keeper?" Severus asks.
"What do you think?" Remus makes a small frown, as if it ought to be obvious, and then went back to prepping, moving on to the kabana.
Just then Severus looked out to where the kids were playing and started laughing.
"I think a much needed bath is needed," he says, placing his face into his palm.
"Why?" asks Splinter, getting up to see for himself.
Just as curious, Remus, (after placing the knife on the bench), went over too.
"Athena!" cry the Turtles, in a mix of laughter and uncertainty, trying to cover their faces.
"WWWEEE!" Freya calls, holding her hands up and dancing about all excited, her twin all in giggles.
They were all covered in mud, and Athena seemed to be the one who was causing it to go up in the air and 'rain', but on closer look Freya was also 'helping' by 'controlling' the air.
"Not even a full day after they turn one, their powers kick in!" says Remus, not sure whether to be worried or amused, while Severus was holding his sides with laughter. "Remember to breathe, Sev."
"I think we ought to rescue my Turtles," Splinter chuckles at the sight of his poor sons trying to get away from the mud rain, but with the girls knowing out to walk, Freya, especially being the first to figure out how to run, and both believing the boys were playing, found it difficult.
Turns out being able to have cease their daughters powers was a lot easier than they thought, Severus was able to quell Freya's air power with a simple wave of the hand, overpowering her little breeze, while Remus 'collected' the airborne mud and set it down, before scooping up the very pleased pair of girls.
"We can honestly say we had nothing to do with it!" said Raphael, holding his hands up to chest height.
"I saw the whole thing from the door, I know you didn't," said Severus.
The Turtles were a little notorious for being a little rowdy, boisterous and get into trouble. But they were children and they were, as a whole, well rounded and understood when they were being faced with a consequence.
"But you are going to need to get yourselves washed up," said Splinter.
"You four can use the downstairs bathroom," Remus suggests. "Lucky there are fresh towels in there."
"And the shower is large enough," Severus adds.
Long story short, the Snape-Lupin homestead has had a fair number of modifications, adding on, or changing what was seen of much needed use, such as the bathroom downstairs, and making a room for Splinter and expanding the room for the Turtles whenever they stayed, and even a potions room for Severus. Just to name a few.
"What about our bandannas?" Leonardo asks.
"They can easily be washed, Leonardo," Severus assures.
The children were all herded inside, tracking muddy footprints through the area.
"Oh yum! Salami! Capsicum! Is that olives?" Michelangelo cries, seeing the food.
"Indeed they are," said Remus.
"What are you making?" Donatello asks.
"You'll find out after you've had your showers," said Remus.
"I'll get these two upstairs and cleaned up," said Severus, taking the twins from Remus, so he could finish doing what he was doing.
Remus went and washed his hands before returning to cutting up the kabana. He also made the mud tracks vanish without a trace.
Splinter supervised his Turtles, making sure they didn't make too much of a mess of the water and soap and any mud that was coming off. Thankfully it was easy enough to wash away, and the Turtles never turn down the chance to be in water where can.
Nor, it seems, do the twins, when they were placed in the bath by their father. Their gills livened up when they hit the clear lukewarm liquid; Athena would even attempt to go under on occasion, but couldn't quite figure out how to 'breathe', so Severus or Remus would simply make sure she was sat up quickly once she hits face down. Freya wasn't as sure on the idea of what her sister was doing, simply getting wet was enough.
Severus, because it was water, no matter that it was in a bath, felt calm when his hands touched it. He didn't mind getting splashed by his water loving babies, he often welcomed it. Remus, on the other hand, sees the funny side a lot of the time, didn't exactly enjoy having a messy bathroom, if anything he HATES having a messy bathroom! Severus learned this quickly, teases him about it every now and again.
Back downstairs, the Turtles were all squeaky clean, out of their bandannas and other gear, because they were mud covered, but Severus and Remus have babysat them enough times to know who was who.
"I've placed their belongings in the little hamper near the sink," Splinter informs Remus.
"Pizza!" the four Turtles cried with excitement, before Remus could reply.
"All good, Splinter," Remus goes to say, before addressing the boys; "Not just any pizza. See those bases over there?" He points to the trays of small pizza dough lying flat ready in wait.
"Yeah?"
"You will be getting to pick your own toppings; there is enough for each of you to have three," said Remus.
"But what about Freya and Athena? Aren't they having pizza, too?" Michelangelo asks.
"Or you?" said Donatello.
Remus shakes his head. "Freya and Athena will have something else, as will your Sensei, Severus and myself."
"Are you sure you don't want any pizza?" Leonardo asks; seeming to think it was a little unfair that the adults had to miss out.
Remus gives a small laugh. "I am sure."
While Splinter and Remus helped the Turtles sort out the toppings for their pizzas, Severus re-entered in the room, with beautifully cleaned twin daughters in each arm.
One thing the two fathers made a point in was, even though they were identical, they were not going to be dressed head to toe in the same ridiculous outfits. They didn't see the point or need. So, Athena was dressed in a soft blue and white one-piece, while Freya was in a pale green and yellow one. He places them into their highchairs that were at the dining table.
"So, what are you having for lunch?" asks Raphael.
"Sweet chicken curry and rice," said Remus, indicating to the cooker.
"That explains the nice smell," said Donatello. "Wouldn't that be too hot for Athena and Freya, though?"
"They're getting fruit salad," said Remus, showing the two bowls of cut up fruit, with dollops of custard.
"Speaking of, watch out for Athena with the bananas, she's eating them like tomorrow, while Freya thinks they're good for throwing," Severus comments. "At least that is what I seem to get every time I give them banana."
"Duly noted."
Remus then spied Severus closing his eyes for a moment, taking in a deep breath, as though to try and keep himself together. He waited until Splinter was helping the Turtles be seated at the table, waiting for their little pizzas to cook, and Severus was beside him.
"Are you okay?"
Severus just nods, a sign he didn't want to discuss it. Remus knew enough to not push it, knowing that he was something that had to wait. A sudden sense, however, couldn't go unmissed, Remus couldn't make sense of it, but he saw that Severus was, again, trying to get a grip.
The distraction of lunch was a help. Severus focusing on helping Athena with her fruit and custard, she can feed herself, but still likes either of her fathers to assist, whereas Freya was fiercely independent, wanting to do it all on her own! Being that way since five months old when she first started trying to hold her own bottle... not doing so well, still needed her Daddy to help her, but she was determined. Just as she was now, holding her spoon, trying to get the custard on it and get in her mouth, making a nice mess on her face as she slightly missed, and grabbing her fruit with the other hand, shoving the healthy goodness in.
Athena was pretty chilled back and just opened her mouth when she wanted more, now and again taking the spoon for herself.
The Turtles devoured their pizzas with satisfaction; the sweet chicken curry was just as nice.
"May I try a little?" Leonardo asks, looking at the curry.
"Yeah, can I too?" ring his brothers.
Unable to refuse the request for the Turtles want to try new foods, and when Splinter said yes, Remus got four small sauce bowls, put a bit of the curry and rice on each one, before giving them to the boys.
Raphael made an instant face. "Yuck!" Then... "OW! OW! HOT!"
Splinter handed him a piece of bread. "This will help it."
The five year old looks over to see Athena and Freya giggling at him, thinking he was dancing when he was waving his hands to cool his mouth down, for they were trying to do the same thing.
"It's not that hot!" Leonardo exclaims. Michelangelo agrees with his oldest brother.
"It's not too bad," says Donatello, who also made a face. "Not as hot as Raphael probably feels it, but I am not fond of it."
"And that is okay to not like something, Donatello, same goes with you Raphael," said Splinter, kindly. "You gave it a try, that's what matters."
"Not everyone likes anything with heat in it, even at its mildest, which is what I've made this at," said Remus. "Also, some are more sensitive to heated foods, at least you know for when it comes to curries, Raph on what you can handle."
"Yeah! Couldn't handle the heat!" Michelangelo jokes.
Raphael glares at his little brother. "Shut up!"
"Alright, enough of that," said Splinter.
Soon, lunch was over and it was time for Splinter's compulsory two hour quiet time upon his Turtles, where they can nap, read or choose a quiet activity. It was also nap time for the twins, both of whom had started rubbing their eyes and displaying they were tired.
Splinter herded his sons to their room, located downstairs, while Remus and Severus took their daughters upstairs – well after giving a very pleased Freya a good wipe down after thinking it was a good idea to see if her bowl would make a good hat, getting custard and fruit chunks in her hair.
Once he was sure Athena was fast asleep, which didn't take too long, Severus left the room, leaving Remus with Freya, who as starting to follow her sister into the land of snooze.
Severus slips into the room he and Remus now share, which they've been sharing since they made their declaration of husband and husband, closed the door and strips his clothes off. As he did, he saw his complete naked reflection in the mirror of the wardrobe door that had been left hope, doing his best to not drop his jaw, and understand what he was seeing.
His scales that were once blended into his natural pale skin were now a shining mix of silver, green, blue and purple, blending equally and beautifully. His gills were standing out because of this. To add, the scales were starting to show up even more where they were usually more blended in, his temples, his joints, down his spine. He remembered the last time he saw himself with this beautiful display. He won't deny that he admired it... but...
The door opened up, Remus enters and sees his partner, with wet cheeks from tears, trying not to crack.
Severus looks at Remus, struggling to find the words, lips trembling.
"I... I... I don't..." he tries.
Immediately, Remus closes the door and goes over and wraps his arms around Severus.
"Shh!" he sooths.
"I want to... but... I..."
Remus makes Severus look at him, his blue eyes right in his partner's ebony.
"Then I won't," he said firmly. "We are not in EWA, Severus. We know what this means now, we can find ways to get around this and not end up having more."
"I still don't regret letting you in... I don't... I love our girls... I do... but...!"
Pulling him closer, Remus exhales heavily, heart sore knowing that Severus was freaking out over the fact that he was 'presenting himself' via his alluring scales, partly erect and the scent that Remus remembered so very well from...
Severus could feel Remus's breathing starting to ramp up a little.
"If you... if you want..."
Remus shakes his head before Severus could finish saying what he had to.
"No, Sev," he manages to say in between his own trying to get it together. "No one is here to force it."
"I just want it to stop! Started getting this sensation for two days, now this! I don't know what to do, Moony! I don't want to be pregnant again! I don't! Yeah! If it did happen, fine, but..."
Again Remus got him to stop.
"You want it to stop?" he asks carefully. He ponder over the fact that Severus had been fighting this for the past forty-eight or so hours, (which would explain a few things, such as the extra cosiness and the fondling and, of course, trying to keep a lid on just how much more this happened to be).
"Yes!"
Seeing how mixed Severus was, being scared, confused, wanting sex and needing his partner's comfort, Remus had to think fast. Neither one knew exactly how long Severus was going to be like this, because the last time, which was the first time it's happened, resulted in the conception of their daughters. By then Severus's colours had faded down a little when that happened, but not completely, and he wasn't interested in being laid, nor Remus looking to climb on to him anymore.
"Where do you want to do this? Shower? Bed?" Remus asks, as he gently snakes his hand down. "Do you want this?"
Severus closes his eyes, the feel of light fingers going along his length; Remus could feel himself hardening within his pants.
No words were exchanged, as Severus just backs up to the bed; Remus starts to strip down, as he moved in to join. Their lips met, deeply, passionately, like a fire that hadn't been stroked for so long. Remus feels his partner tugging at his pants, and a hand sliding between his legs once they were down enough. He could still sense the hesitation, the confusion.
"Severus!" Remus whispers, pulling the hand away, and holding it away, while resting his other hand softly on Severus's cheek and jaw line. "Do you really want this?"
Severus went to try and answer, but failed, his thoughts on this going a million miles a minute. He felt that he wanted this. He really did want his partner. Yet... with everything coming back, confusion on what he really wanted was high.
Remus tried to read him, Severus was excellent at Occlumency, even Legilimency, but he knew how to tap into something he couldn't fully suppress, and that was his emotions, his chemistry, senses. Severus also tended to breakdown his walls with Remus, so it didn't take much for him to be able to glimpse at a hint of what was troubling his partner.
I don't know what I want, Remus read, before he felt Severus starting to shake.
Remus slid off and lay right up close to Severus, pulling him in firmly.
Let me help you, he mentally speaks, nuzzling softly into the crook of Severus's neck and shoulder. Please.
Severus, still with his head in a muddle, tears once again rolling, stuck in how to deal with what his body wants him to do, and what his head and heart wanted, takes Remus's hand and slowly guides it to his genitals, particularly helping the fingers to locate a certain area, just behind his scrotum.
It was Remus to nearly be unsure.
It's what 'opened up' for you last time... and delivered our girls into the world. I didn't know how to tell you that it's appeared again. I didn't know what you'd think... or do... I don't even know what the fuck I am anymore, Severus telepathically spoke, lowering his head more into the pillow, (he was lying with his back against Remus).
Now Remus understood the confusion and fear that his partner was radiating. In all the time they believed that Remus had entered Severus and impregnated him through the arse, discovering this little, perhaps better explained detail...
It closed up after my body was sure that I was going to have you fertilise whatever I was producing to conceive our daughters, at least I think that is why it did it, and it opened up two days leading up to when the girls were born, you saw them coming out of it.
Severus could still feel his tears; he didn't want to have Remus seeing him like this.
But Remus moves to prop himself up on his elbow and manage to convince Severus to turn around and look at him.
"First, I still remember watching those girls coming out of you. I didn't question how, or why it was possible on how you were able to get them out of you, and I am not about to question it now. All I cared about back then, was all five of you surviving through the ordeal. It is the same way I would feel if it were to ever happen again," he says to his partner, tenderly and firmly.
"Second," as he softly places a kiss on to Severus's nose, "you are," kissing his jaw line, "my legally wedded husband," now kissing the neck, shoulder area, "Severus Tobias Snape, and that is never going to change... because I love you.
"Third," now looking back at Severus in the eye, "you're not a freak... yes, I heard it in undertone. Okay, this was a bit of a surprise, but it doesn't change how I feel about you, as I've explained in my second point. Also, I will never, ever, force you to become pregnant, if that is what you want. We can deal with this little phase we now know happens, as they come along."
Remus gives a small smile, as he lowers once more; Severus felt his arms going up and around him, as their lips met.
Severus then hears Remus whisper; "We can also explore different ways to alleviate ourselves whenever it does appear."
"How...?"
"Am I allowed to demonstrate?" Remus places his hand on Severus's thigh.
Severus put up no resistance, spreading his legs, to allow Remus in between; the feel of a finger gently, delicately toying with the 'newly discovered' area, shuddering with pleasure. Remus never went in deep, he didn't want to make Severus uncomfortable, instead just concentrated on the outer area of it, as well as the scrotum and penis, making are Severus felt that he was still very much wanted by Remus, that he belonged to him, and vice-versa.
They were so caught up in their love fest that it was fair to say that when they heard one of their daughters calling on out, both groaned with the agony of having to stop.
It was just bugging me on how to explain a little more on Severus and his change. Back and forth over how to proceed, as I felt that it was needed. I've been stewing on it for as long as I've been writing this fiction. (Longer with any other fiction I've written where I've had Mpreg content).
It also, I hope, brings in the more sense with Remus and his actions in the EWA facility, too. Again, I know the Turtles and Splinter only got a snippet, sorry. I am trying, really, I guess the storyline with Severus and Remus has more fruit at the moment, doesn't mean I am forgetting my favourite father rat and his four turtle sons.
Hope you are all well, until the next chapter... whenever that will be...
