Disclaimer: Don't own it, but would love to. Do participate and appreciate and hope it goes on forever more.

Author's Note: Okay, quick note to clear something up. Any spelling, grammar or anything else mistakes in these Notes, thanks and disclaimer are all mine and my purple penned friend has had no input what-so-ever! LOL

Regards

Les

Part 4 – Coming to Terms

It was midmorning when Harry next woke, stretching and groaning as muscles and joints popped. He was mid-reach when it suddenly hit him and he froze. He was pregnant! Bloody Hell! A panic attack threatened to swamp every logical thought in his head but he managed to slam a lid on his terror and push it away into a tiny corner of his mind and tamp it down hard. At least Occulmency was good for something, he thought wryly as he wrestled his breathing back under his conscious control. Muscle by muscle, sinew by sinew, he relaxed back onto the mattress and raised his head to look down the length of his body. Now that he allowed himself to see, he really did have a slight pot belly, not fat, just rounded and… full-looking.

"Hello, Little one? How the hell… Ugh, I mean heck, did we get to this predicament?" he asked softly, almost fearfully curving a hand around the bulge just under his navel.

A warmth seeped into his fingers making him smile. Maybe there really was a little person living inside his body without him knowing it. After all, he had had some pretty unusual cravings recently. Liver and cheese sandwiches with mustard and raspberries came to mind.

"You know, I have to speak to you about your taste in sandwich fillings, it's pretty gross, really, but I guess it was quite delicious at the time," he murmured. He looked up startled when someone chuckled, blushing at getting caught being silly.

"Babies do play havoc with the tastebuds," Lila assured him, placing the morning tea tray down beside his bed. "Madam Pomfrey thought you would be waking up about now. There's a nutrient potion to be taken and some mineral supplements which should help with the food cravings. Madam wants to know who you would like to inform of your whereabouts; after all, you have been here for more than thirty-six hours already."

"Oh, Merlin! Nash will be beside himself! If I write a note can someone owl it for me?" he asked sitting up suddenly, swinging his legs out of bed. Unfortunately, a wave of dizziness took him but Lila's strong arm stopped him crashing ignominiously onto his nose on the floor. "Whoa! Not a good plan, Wardsmith," he muttered as she helped him back into bed.

"Gently does it," the Medi-witch cautioned, holding him until he was balanced again. "Much as you probably don't want to hear it, you are doing all the work for two, which includes eating, making blood and oxygen, and resting for two. You have to take that into account before doing anything strenuous."

Harry sighed, rubbing his nose. "You're right, you're right. Okay, how about I start eating while you get me some paper and a quill?"

"Sounds like a plan. Madam wants to know if you will be joining the staff for lunch in the Great Hall today, by the way. The Headmistress will be delighted to see you, I'm sure."

Thinking of Minerva McGonagall and her reactions triggered an internal struggle that lasted for a few seconds then Harry nodded and smiled, deciding to leave 'Brian' out of the picture for the moment. "Sure."

oo0oo

Minerva McGonagall pointedly ignored the piles of paper on her desk as she gazed out the window. Another term was starting tomorrow, another year of student problems, teacher headaches and teenage angst flooding the hallowed old halls. Usually the challenge of the year ahead infused and invigorated her, but this year she was tired, bone weary and ready to give it all away. Sometimes a witch had to know her limitations and she felt she had reached hers. It was time to retire. Mortimer Snorton was well trained, having acted as her Deputy Headmaster since he took over Ravenclaw from Filius. He was a good man, fair and unbiased when dealing with the house problems that arose. He wasn't as powerful as some of the past Headmasters but he was well versed in all the warding and defence techniques. He dealt well and diplomatically with the Ministry and parents, and some of the ideas he had introduced were quite revolutionary, bringing Hogwarts neatly into the twenty-first century, never mind the twentieth century. He would serve the old castle very well when she retired.

'So be it,' she decided, glancing at the clock and gathering up her hat. Lunch time already and no work done. Oh, fiddle, so what! It didn't happen often and she should just enjoy her impromptu holiday, perhaps something good was coming her way.

Hogwarts was always kind to her Head, opening a shortcut to the Great Hall most obligingly. The staff table was neatly set, half the staff already there and the others arriving in time. Madam Pimpernel, who taught potions, was playing some sort of betting game with Rolanda Hooch while Wilhelmina Grubbly-Plank looked on and batty Trelawney made inappropriate comments on the flips of the dice. Agytha Sinistra and Dayton Igneous, Astronomy and Runes respectively, were involved in some intricate discussion that involved cutlery. Peter Steinway and Gordon De Sota, Charms and Transfigurations, were madly trying to scramble to the table before the Headmistress arrived and she slowed her pace to speak to Madam Sprout who was still behind her in the hall. Here they were, the cream of the wizarding teaching world and all hers to command and adjudicate over the next twelve months. Most of the old guard had already retired and even Madam Pomfrey was going next year, the end of an era indeed.

"Where's Poppy, and her trainee?" Minerva asked, taking her place and noticing there were three empty spots. "And who is visiting us today?"

"I heard they had an emergency a couple of days ago who is still under Medi-witches orders. You know Poppy doesn't give up her prey easily," De Sota teased gently, having spent quite some time in Poppy's realm the year before.

There were a few chuckles which stopped as the side door opened and Poppy came through with a tall, dark-haired man on her arm, Lila, with a huge grin on her face, bringing up the rear of the small procession.

As they approached the table, Minerva gave a gasp of recognition and flew out of her chair to envelope the stranger in a huge hug, all aches and pains forgotten in that moment of joy. One of her little Lions had returned to her!

Madam Hooch half rising, too. "Harry? My God! Harry Potter, where the hell have you been hiding?" the flying instructor demanded cheerfully.

Harry grinned, patting Professor McGonagall's back gently as she clung to him. "I've been in America for quite a while. I was just passing through when, true to form, I ended up in Madam Pomfrey's care, as per usual," he told them over his Head of House's shoulder before leading her to her chair and ceremoniously seating her. Taking his seat between Poppy and Lila, he acknowledged introductions shyly and laughed at various reminiscences his old teachers made, ignoring the slightly awed looks from a couple of the younger ones. As the meal progressed through soup and roast chicken and vegetables, the younger teachers thawed out and were equally keen to hear the answers his old teachers elicited from the 'Boy-Who-Lived', hanging on his words and allowing the elders to conduct the very genteel interrogation.

"So what are your plans now, Harry? Are you coming back to live in England or Scotland?"

"No, I'm afraid not, I like to travel and I keep a low profile these days. Its best, don't you know?"

"Have you seen any of your old friends recently?" Minerva asked, once the dessert was served.

"Oh, I've seen them off and on over the years but they have their own lives now. Getting tangled up in the Potter saga is not really much fun when trying to raise a family, believe me." He couldn't help the touch of bitterness in his tone and ducked his head to self-consciously address his treacle tart.

"Never mind, dear, it's so good to see you, no matter how briefly," the Headmistress covered his uneasiness with caring concern. "Why don't you come up to my office before you go and have tea with me?"

"He won't be going anywhere except back to bed until the scans come back clean," Poppy said firmly, as the used plates disappeared and the staff began to leave. "Come along, Mr Potter, back to bed for you. Lila will send your owl, never fear."

"Thanks, Lila," he murmured, as he allowed Poppy to take his arm and lead him away.

oo0oo

Nash woke slowly, the sun telling him it was after midday. He felt terrible, his eyes gritty and swollen as he crawled out of bed and staggered into the shower. For a few moments he couldn't think why he felt so bad then it all came flooding back, the meeting, the news that Brian was missing; the sheer despair when they could find no trace of his passing at the Barrow site. Ron and Hermione Weasley had brought him home and dosed him with Dreamless Sleep before the sheer horror could overwhelm him totally. Brian was missing, presumed vaporised by his own magic. It was not possible!

The sound of the shower covered his sobs and the water ran cold before he had the heart to uncurl from the floor and crawl out to dry himself off. Shaving was beyond him as he staggered into his bedroom and dragged on the nearest robe, a plain black winter robe of stiff linen that he usually wore to mix potions in. Catching his weight on the doorpost he staggered down the hallway to the kitchen and stared grimly at the neat tidiness. He wanted to scream and smash things, and rail against the unfairness of it all. How dare fate play him such a foul hand; how dare the Powers-That-Be steal his lover away like that without a hint or a tip!

IT WAS NOT FAIR!

He did not realise he screamed it aloud until a fluttering of feathers made him spin to face the startled owl, wand in hand, a curse on his lips. His vision was so blurred with tears he nearly missed the small letter attached to the owl's leg until the creature flew at him, landed on his shoulder and nipped at his ear to get his attention. Dropping his head down so his chin rested on his chest, he managed to fumble the scroll free and offer the creature a bit of corn chip from the half empty packet on the bench. Even that small action was fraught with memories -- Brian sitting on the arm of the chair, stuffing down corn chips and forcing him to try them by teasing him with the stupid things.

Sniffing and drying his eyes on his sleeve, Nash managed to unroll the scroll and read the first few lines.

"Nash love,

I am not dead…

Electrified, Nash scrubbed his face and blinked hard to get rid of the excess tears before reading the missive.

"Nash Love,

I am not dead so stop panicking. The Wight almost escaped before I managed to force it back to sleep, but it drained me almost dry. I hooked into the ley line and used the natural magic to transport myself to a safe place. I am at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry in the infirmary being treated for exhaustion. Unfortunately, they did not know who to contact until I woke up. I'll see you as soon as I am able to leave here.

Love Brian."

Nash did not think, he simply ran, grabbing his broom as he left the house and apparated mid-step. He landed in the Forbidden Forest and jumped on his broom pushing it to its top speed without thought for his safety as he swooped over the grounds and screeched to a stop on the front steps of the school. The doors flew open as he hit them with a wandless Alohamora and stormed up the stairs and down the hallways, his long legs eating up the distance until he thrust the doors to the infirmary wide open.

Lila Littlehorn jumped in surprise and whipped around on her toes, wand drawn, as the slam echoed over the ward.

Madam Pomfrey yelled from her office, "Severus Snape, will you cease that…"

There was a patter of feet and the old Medi-witch burst out of her office in time to see an all too familiar swirl of black robes heading in the direction of her private staff room. "Severus?"

The young man who whirled to confront her could easily been mistaken for a young Severus Snape, long black rat-tail hair and all, but he was a healthy golden tan and nowhere near as tall as Severus Snape, besides being twenty years younger. His wand was wrong, pale and short rather than black and long and he held himself differently too. "Who the hell are you?"

Lila blinked at her superior's shocked tones, then bit her lip as the young man snapped back. "Sarasvat Narsimha Rao. Who the hell are you?"

Madam Pomfrey bridled, then blinked as a low voice called her name. The tone electrified the stranger who whirled on his toes, robes flying as he thrust the door open and disappeared into the room.

Brian looked up and smiled tremulously, thankful he had managed to recast his glamour, as he was smothered in a swirl of black, strong arms wrapping around him and crushing him into a heaving chest. Words tumbled over him in the soft, foreign language Nash called his native tongue. His control broke and he cried, his own arms clinging as if he was a drowning man thrown a lifeline. Someone tried to pull them apart then, when that failed abysmally, the experienced hands eased them both down onto the mattress and a light blanket was thrown over them both. Emotionally exhausted, neither young man registered the widening of the bed or the dimming of the torches as they collapsed into a deep, healing sleep.

oo0oo

Hermione arrived at the shop in Kilbridie at nine o'clock to find the Muggle girl Mandy standing outside with a pair of old witches who were looking somewhat impatient. "I don't understand how he could be late. I don't think he has ever been late in his life," Mandy assured the customers, as the strange woman stepped up.

"Hello, I'm Hermione Granger-Weasley and I wonder if you have seen Nash? He had some very bad news these last few days so I thought I would check on him and tell him we were going to set up a proper search for Brian later this morning."

"Bad news?" the elder of the pair of witches asked, hitching her basket up higher.

"His partner fell into a ley line day before yesterday and we aren't quite sure where he ended up," Hermione said cautiously, making both witches gasp and cover their mouths. Mandy just looked puzzled.

"Old Magic; you go fooling around with that stuff and you just cannot predict what will happen. Come along, Arachnia, maybe tomorrow." The two witches waddled off gossiping madly.

"What happened to Brian?" Mandy asked, thrusting her hands into her pockets. "Er, if you can take the spells off, I can unlock the door," she said holding out a key.

"Oh, very well, but how will you deal with the potions?"

"Oh, I can dole out the pre-bottled ones and measure out the more common ingredients but the really magical stuff will have to wait until either Nash gets back or I can send a message to Mr Phynii who used to run the shop so he can come over for a few hours. He's a bit old and smelly but he can handle magic still."

"Do you have an owl?"

"No, the post office usually keeps a couple on standby as we are a mixed village and it's a rather open secret. The Ministry for Magic has granted us a dispensation over the Statutes of Secrecy so we're all good here."

"Amazing! Anyway, I'll check the house and if he's there, I'll make sure he's alright, if not… well, I'll deal with that later. Lock up when you are finished, won't you?"

oo0oo

Brian woke slowly and murmured appreciatively into the warm shoulder he was using as a pillow. Breath stirred the hair at his temple and strong arms anchored him against a comforting body. Nash was a possessive sleeper and didn't like to let go, even if his partner was desperate for the loo. Half asleep, Brian performed a small piece of magic he had learned on one of his multiple trips to hospital and emptied his bladder magically without ever having to get out of bed. That trick had disconcerted nurses in Muggle hospitals on more than one occasion. Hospitals!

He blinked awake and spotted the soft pink, very familiar walls and groaned very quietly. Just in case, he murmured his glamour charm and felt the ever so slight tingle that told him it was firmly in place once again before he realised Nash was beginning to awaken, his breathing beginning to change note. Nash, like him, was not a happy riser.

"Evening… or perhaps it's morning," Brian murmured, noticing the quality of the light in the room.

"Humm, hi, yes, we've been out to it for nearly eighteen hours. That's all I've done here, is snore my head off, it seems. Did you sleep well?"

"Yeah. Need coffee?" Brian teased again, still gently. In a battle of wits, his partner was unarmed at this time of morning.

"Yeah. I… Brian! You're alive! Have you any idea how worried I was about you?"

Brian giggled; he couldn't help it, then yelped as Nash slugged him in the arm. "Don't you laugh at me, I thought you were dead! I thought you had been destroyed by a Barrow Wight and I would never see you again! It was only Hermione's reasoning that you had escaped on a ley line that kept me from splitting my wrists!"

"Oh, Love, no! You know I'm too tough to die like that," Brian assured him, hushing Nash as he sobbed brokenly. "Ah, Love, I wouldn't leave you so, really I wouldn't. Come on now, blow. There, dry your eyes and…" The rest was lost in a desperate kiss that stole both their breaths and assured each other they were still alive and loving. Crumpled robes and cotton pyjamas were hurriedly dispensed with as both needed to touch living skin to assure themselves the other was real and uninjured. Neither heard the door close as the two Medi-witches moved quietly back to the office with faint blushes on their faces.

Snuggling together, Brian sighed and dropped a kiss on Nash's shoulder before sighing again.

"Okay, what have you not told me?" Nash asked, too mellow to get really upset with his partner.

Another big sigh prefaced the blond's snuggling deeper. "Okay, I have been keeping a couple of secrets from you, from the whole world really, I suppose. It was just easier that way, no expectations, no awe or fear wherever I went, just me, just a man who performed on his own merits, you know?"

"What were you, an axe murderer?" Nash asked humorously. "Look, just tell me and we'll deal with it, okay? It couldn't be worse than the build-up you're giving it."

Brian bit his lip. "Okay… I don't look like this, I actually have black hair and green eyes and my name isn't really Brian Wardsmith, it's… it's… Harry James Potter."

"Okay… and?" Nash asked after a pause.

That was not the response Harry had both expected and dreaded after his 'big announcement' and it took him a moment to regroup. "You know, Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived?" Harry turned slightly to glance up, wondering if Nash was taking the mickey, but he genuinely looked puzzled. "I thought you were brought up in England for a while?"

"Well, yes, but I was kept at home while the stupid war was on and had little or no contact with the outside world. Oh, wait a minute, Harry Potter, defeater of He-Who-Should-Not-Be-Named, that Harry Potter? But, but wasn't there a scar or something?"

Harry went limp then started to laugh, almost hysterically, enough to bring Madam Pomfrey in at a run, Lila on her heels. She was confronted by a wand pointed at her throat topped by a pair of hard brown eyes and her patient laughing so hard, tears ran down his face.

Harry almost managed to pull himself together enough to lower Nash's wand and half sit up to giggle at Madam Pomfrey. "He… he doesn't know who Harry Potter is!" he managed to gasp before going off into more peals of laughter.

"I hope you know why he is in hysterics?" Nash asked the Medi-witch, holding protectively onto the giggling blond.

"You have to understand that Harry has lived in the shadow of his fame all his life," Madam Pomfrey told Nash with a very deliberate graveness. "It tainted his growing years and almost killed him on a regular basis until he was seventeen and managed to defeat one of the worst Dark Lords we've had for years. Once he pulled off that victory, the Ministry feared his power and suddenly they were looking sideways at him and speculating on the chances of him growing too powerful for them to control. There were all sorts of rumours and then suddenly, he just disappeared, gone into thin air! There was some speculation that the Unspeakables had finally removed him from the equation but no hard evidence. Then day before yesterday, he managed to apparate into Hogwarts despite the anti-apparation wards and landed on what was once his favourite bed while he was growing up at school, and here he is!"

"I went to America," Harry managed to say, having got his giggles under control again. "I fled to Muggle Los Angeles and attended Muggle University for a year to study ancient languages before someone suggested plastic surgery for my scar. The Muggle surgeon removed the damaged bone in my skull - said something about traumatic osteonecrosis - and replaced it with a titanium mesh, then stitched the skin so the scar was all but invisible. I had Laser treatment for my eyes, too, which improved greatly once the curse scar was removed, so now I don't need glasses, either."

"So what do you look like without your glamour?" Nash asked indulgently.

Harry blushed and cancelled the charm, barely daring to raise his head to look at Nash who gasped. "I can put it back if you prefer."

"And hide those eyes, I think not," Nash murmured softly. "Actually, you don't look a great deal different, just brunet instead of blond, but those eyes…" He dropped a kiss on his partner's nose. "What do I call you, by the bye?"

"Brian, I think, I'm sort of used to it now," Brian decided, looking over at the two Medi-witches who both smiled back. Madam Pomfrey nodded encouragingly as she shooed her young assistant out. "There's more," he said heavily as they both sat up and Nash rearranged the pillows into a comfortable nest.

"What? More revelations? You're actually female and pregnant?" Nash teased then frowned as Brian stiffened in his arms. "What?"

"Well, you got one right, and as you very well know, I am not female."

Nash sat up straight, dumping Brian in the pillows as he spun around to stare down at the smaller man. "You are kidding, right? How can you be pregnant, if you really are male? That's im… well, perhaps not impos… the Jorensecle job, all that extra magic. We made love almost as soon as you got out of hospital and didn't bother with lube, just used cu... The magic didn't dissipate when you regained consciousness, it was encapsulated and needed somewhere to go so it… and you… No wonder you've been so moody and tired!"

Mouth open to make a comment, Brian deflated and started to snigger. "And they reckon I'm an Olympic class jumper to conclusions?" he murmured fondly. "Are you angry?"

"I am in shock! No, I'm not angry, just completely blown away. A child of my own seed? Impossible, unless I compromised my principles and I had such a disagreement with my Head of Family who wanted me to procreate, it almost caused a Family split. But this, my God, you have no idea of what you have done, do you? None at all! A child! You're sure? I mean, absolutely, definitely, one hundred percent sure?"

"I guess. Madame Pomfrey says…"

Nash sprang out of bed and flung open the door, yelling for the Medi-witches who came at a run, the younger one blushing at such an expanse of naked manhood but Nash didn't even register his nudity as he grabbed the older woman's arm and all but dragged her over to the bed where his partner lay in complete bemusement.

"Perform the pregnancy scan," he commanded imperiously and Madam Pomfrey's mouth tightened. "Please…" he added distractedly.

Brian nodded sharply and the old woman did as asked, casting the charm that projected a three dimensional image of the womb above the patient's stomach. Nash leaned in close and studied the tiny, almost fully formed child curled in the golden light. It moved ever so slightly and Brian's eyes went wide as his hand cupped the small bump and Nash inhaled sharply. Their eyes met through the golden haze and smiles spread over their faces, slow and wondering. Lila bit her lip and Poppy unashamedly wiped a tear as the spell began to fade.

"No doubt about it, that is a baby, not wind," Nash murmured reverently as he grasped his partner's hand. "What a rare and unexpected treasure we have."

Brian relaxed with a gasp of relief and clutched convulsively on Nash's long fingers. It was going to be alright!

Madam Pomfrey smiled at the two of them as she bustled out and returned almost immediately to hold out yet another potion for Brian to swallow, only to have it intercepted by Nash who sniffed it with a grimace of distaste.

"Inferior quality nutrient potion. I will brew your potions in future," he remarked before handing it over.

"Sometimes you sound just like an old colleague of mine," Poppy said with a grin as Brian sipped the greenish fluid with a moue of disgust. "Severus was a brewer of magnificent skill, the best we ever had, and I must admit to missing his delicate touch on most of the potions we get now. He could tweak any potion to its maximum efficiency without really seeming to try, such was his skill."

Nash cocked his head interestedly. "Sounds like someone I would like to meet."

Brian giggled. "I respected Severus as a fellow soldier and as a spy but I have to admit, he had all the personality of a rabid badger."

"Now, now, circumstance shaped Severus Snape to be what he was and its best not to speak ill of the dead, they have a habit of taking offence," Poppy murmured gently. "So, Harry… er, Brian, I am going to write a letter to a good friend and ex-apprentice of mine who should be able to look after you and the baby very well. I think… I think we may be able to pull off a little subterfuge, if you are willing to assist, Lila?"

The Medi-witch flashed a smile and nodded, her lips pursed. "And my friends thought taking a job at Hogwarts would be boring!"

Poppy merely barked a derisive laugh!