Disclaimer; I do not own Harry Potter

Halloween

The students did not know how to react on Halloween morning when the doors to the Entrance Hall burst open and a figure in a black cloak strode in. Some thought it a Halloween prank while others were afraid of a death eater attack.

Dumbledore put their minds at ease as he came down the stairs. "Ah Dionysus, it has been a long while, how are you?"

"Albus," the figure replied; the sound washed over the watching students like water over a bell. "Alas how time has come between us. Now I believe you required my assistance on a certain matter."

Dumbledore smiled, "If you would care to follow me." As two of them walked up the stairs and were out of sight, the students burst into murmurings.

"I wonder who that was?"

"Maybe it has something to do with Snape."

"He might be from the ministry."

"Did you see his hooves, is he some kind of centaur?"

"I bet he's an unspeakable."

Dionysus chuckled as he continued to climb the stairs. "Your students certainly are amusing Albus."

"Yes, it only takes one person to create a stir."

"So tell me, how many cases such as this do you have each year?"

"We maybe have one every couple of years, teenagers will be teenagers, but most of our students are good. I'm sure you can understand why this is a rare case." Albus led them into a side room of the infirmary and warded the door behind them.

Chris was sat on the bed with Lucius and Severus once again sat in chairs either side of him.

Dionysus took off his cloak and to Chris' amazement, it walked itself over to the hook and hung there. Only then did Chis get a full look at the figure.

His strawberry blonde hair fell in curls around his head, and his legs matched his hair colour. "You're a faun!"

"Yes and no. The common form derived from Roman lore is a faun, but my family is descended from Greece, so we prefer the term satyr, Dionysus is my name."

"Like the God?"

"Quite so, my mother had a sense of humour. So young man, let's take a look at you." He took out the chart Madame Pomphrey had been keeping for the past month. "Ah yes, that certainly should not be that high, at least not in a teenage boy," he winked at Chris. "What we will do is; I'm going to teach your matron a handy spell, similar to how the muggles use their ultrasound machines, to see inside of you. Then we can determine if and where your baby is located."

With a wave of his wand a grainy black and white image appeared over Chris' stomach. He muttered a few things as he moved his wand around, the image shifting as he did so. Chris could not make head nor tails of the image, but knew that it was showing some part of his insides. He remembered one time in primary school where one girl had brought an ultrasound image of her new sibling to show off. Dudley had described it as an alien.

A quick "aha" from Dionysus drew Chris out of his musings. "This little bubble here is what we are looking for. This bubble is the womb and has attached itself to your bowels, this section here attached to your small intestine, is the placenta to allow nutrients to be transferred. I can not see anywhere that has developed to allow passage out of the body; that may develop the further you come to term, if not we shall deliver by section.

"Now I shall be coming once a month for check ups, but in the mean time I want you to take it easy; so minimal practical's, no quidditch and as little exposure to potion fumes as possible. I am aware you have your exams this year so it might be possible for you to sit your practical's early, I shall have words with the headmaster about that."

Chris could only nod as he stared at the image, he was mesmerised by it. He had been inclined to believe there was a possibility that he might be pregnant when Madam Pomphrey had first told him, after all it had only been a phantom pregnancy charm. Now however, looking at the image above him, several of his old insecurities reared their heads.

Of course something like this would happen to him, he could never just have a normal life and now he was dragging Lucius into his craziness. Chris' heart skipped a beat; Lucius, what would he think? Lucius already had a son, would he want another child?

Dionysus cancelled the spell and turned to speak with Madam Pomphrey and Professor Dumbledore, Chris wasted no time in getting off the bed and hurrying out of the hospital wing. He headed down to his father's rooms and locked himself on his bedroom where he curled up on his bed.

That was how Severus found him when he returned from class that afternoon.

Lucius watched as Chris almost ran from the hospital wing; he was halfway out of his seat before Severus grabbed his arm. "Leave him be a little while, it's a lot to take in right now, I don't think he ever fully comprehended what was happening, and now that he's faced with the decisive proof, he's not doubt apprehensive."

Lucius slumped back into his seat with a sigh. "What should I do? I've barely seen him this past month."

"Don't give up on him, I've not seen much of him either. He goes to class and then locks himself in the Gryffindor dorms according to his classmates. There will come a time where he will need us; you were there for him last time he went through a dramatic change, he'll come through eventually." Severus stood up, "I have a class I must get to, I shall see you at the feast."

Looking around as Severus left, Lucius realised that he was alone with Dionysus; Albus and Poppy must have slipped out while he and Severus were talking.

"He's right you know. Your young man will need your support, but at the same time he needs his space. Most women will go through a panic stage while they are pregnant and for Chris this will be twice as rough. Offer your support, but wait for him to come to you. Good day to you."

As Dionysus departed, Lucius was left with a swirling mix of emotions.

Chris had fallen asleep after his appointment and it was only because of his stomach reminding him that it was lunchtime did he wake up. As much as he wanted to call a house-elf to bring him some food, he knew it would relieve his father to see him interacting with his friends.

As it was, the moment he stepped out into the sitting room he saw his father sat in his armchair. "Ah, you've woken up and have decided to grace us with your presence."

"I am feeling hungry and was going to go down to the Great Hall."

Severus stood up with a smile. "Let's go then."

Chris could tell that his father was pleased with his decision. Since it happened, he had not been going to the Great Hall, preferring to eat in his room and only going out for classes.

As they approached the Entrance Hall, there was a group milling around something pinned to the wall. Drawing close, Chris saw a banner displaying an announcement.

'Headmaster Dumbledore formally invites you to a

masquerade ball at eight pm.'

Chris' eye glinted mischievously, "A masked ball? With such short notice?"

"I believe the headmaster wanted to see how creative you youngsters could be."

"Well as it happens, I do have an idea, but I'm not sure how people will take it. It's something I picked up while we were away."

Severus eyed his son suspiciously, "Is that what you were doing in that store in New Orleans while I was at the apothecary?"

Chris smiled, "Actually it was the store in New York while you were in the bookshop."

Severus could not resist giving his son's shoulder a squeeze. "I can't believe how like your mum you are sometimes; she could be just as cheeky."

"Glad to see it's no longer that 'James Potter arrogance' anymore"

Severus practically pushed him into the Great Hall. "Be careful, or I'll show you what I do to arrogant little boys."

Chris laughed as he headed over to the Gryffindor table.

That evening the Great Hall was transformed for the Halloween feast/ball. All the tables had been pushed to the sides leaving space in the middle for a dance floor. A buffet spread was on the tables for the students to help themselves to, and up where the teachers table usually stood, an orchestra had been set up to play magically and lanterns hung from the walls.

At eight o'clock the doors to the Great Hall opened and the students came in.

Considering the short notice of the party, a vast majority of the students had made an effort to dress up. Some of the muggle born students had come as characters from films; one girl had even dressed up in a traditional depiction of a witch, wearing her robes and hat and had painted her face green.

The was an array of magical creatures from one first year dressed up as an augrey to a seventh year dressed up as a yeti.

Some of the teachers had even dressed up for the occasion. Dumbledore had dressed in an old grey robe and was carrying a staff. A tabby was ambling its way through the students' legs, hissing dangerously at anyone misbehaving.

Much to everyone's shock, Snape had donned hid usual robes, but had added a pair of round glasses to his ensemble. To anyone who asked, he was dressed as the bane of his existence. To those in the know, recognised the costume for what it was.

Speaking of the bane of his existence, Severus looked around the hall for his son, but could see no sign of him. Weasley and his Gryffindor cohorts were in one corner dressed as a quidditch team, and Draco and his friends were in another corner and had to his surprise come as a muggle rock band. He even saw Lucius stood in his best dress robes by the table.

Severus stepped over towards Lucius, but as he did so, the lights in the Great Hall went out and the main doors opened with a bang. A hooded figure swept into the room, circled around a few times before settling onto the middle of the floor.

It dismounted, at what first seemed to be a broom, until it was seen to be a scythe.

"Three brothers once set off on a journey," The figure began as one by one, the lights in the Hall flickered on. "And dared to try to outsmart me." Thus he began the tale of The Three Brothers, and once he had finished, gave a deep bow as the students burst into applause.

As the figure stood up the hood of the cloak fell back to reveal Harry Potter.

Severus narrowed his eyes at this imposter, was Chris playing a trick on him again?

He looked around once more to see if he could spot his son, but with all the costumes it was a little difficult.

However, Harry was not yet done; with a wave of his wand he morphed into Chris and then back again, before once more bowing to the crowd.

Severus gave a sigh of relief, at least his son was the one playing his own doppelganger, although he had to admit the Weasley twins had been entertaining last year.

It was good to see Chris more like his usual self.

A/N hey guys im back. Looking back it's been about 6 months since I last updated...but what can i say? well i got a promotion at work so less time to write i'll admit and more responsibility. Anyway I am now on vacation for the next three months so hopefully I can update i little more for you if I don't get distracted by other stuff. Anyway hope you enjoyed reading!