A/N: Frankly speaking, I hadn't planned to rush things up so quickly, but after re-reading this chapter for the umpteenth time I finally decided it should stay like this :) Maybe it is for the better - to finally write some action instead of sappy melodrama XD
I have about 1/3 of the next chapter written, but a) I'm again not satisfied with it, and b) big summer family time is coming - meaning I'll be spending really little time at my PC and much more time with my mum and later with dad, even going on vacation to the sea-side with them in couple of weeks. I hope I'd have time while there, but am not promising anything.
Thank you for your likes and coments!
Enjoy!
"Are you sure it's really stuck? The glamour, I mean," Harry muttered under his breath, looking sideways at Tom. They both now looked completely unrecognisable, with Harry visibly taller and plumber, sporting wild red mane and freckles and dressed in merry purple robes, while Tom seemed shorter and even thinner than usual, almost skinny, his head shaved, with huge round glasses on a hooked nose, clothed in plain Muggle office suit, complete with tie and suitcase.
"Absolutely. You are really a fast learner," Tom's usual chuckle sounded wrong, clashing with his harsh voice and dull appearance.
"I am starting to doubt it was a good idea," Harry jerked his head nervously. "I think I saw Moody over there just now."
"Too late," murmured Tom lowly, looking in the same direction. "Stay near me – "
"Potter! He is over there!" roared Moody at the other side of the street. "Grab him!" he barked, pointing in their direction.
Chaos erupted.
Window of the shop they were standing near burst from the misdirected spell. Someone screamed. At the opposite end of the street Harry saw several figures, clad in dark, firing spells at everyone and moving in the general direction of where he stood with Tom.
"Anti-Apparition shields are up!" Tom growled. "I won't risk going through them with you like thi– " he turned around to where Harry stood just moments ago only to find him missing. "Damn!"
'I've said to stay with me!' he roared mentally. 'Harry?'
' –am okay – ' Harry's mental reply came as if from a long distance, muffled by it. 'Wai– '
Growling low in his throat, Tom instinctively moved his wand, raising a shield to protect himself from any stray spells, frantically searching with his eyes and mind for Harry, not minding his surroundings. He didn't notice people in black cloaks with raised hoods approaching, before it was too late. The first of their spells went through his shield like hot knife through butter, getting Tom in the chest square and successfully putting him out for a while. When a group of dark-clothed men got to him, though, he was already at the other spot upper on the street, back on his feet and still wildly turning his head from left to right in search for Harry.
"Take that one! He was with Potter just now!" unrecognizable voice from under one of the raised black hoods barked an order. "We'll take him to the Dark Lord as a gift."
Tom laughed openly, hearing this. They wanted to bring him to – him? Really? And what are Moody and the Order members doing catching Potter, when there is clearly an attack going on? He'll deal with these black-hooded idiots later, but his first priority were his children and their mother.
"Anti-Apparition shields are up!" Harry heard Tom growl. Next second someone collided with him, grabbing him by the shoulders and a moment later they both were yanked by a port-key away from all of the commotion on Diagon Alley. And away from Tom, Harry realized with dread.
"No!" he cried out, when he and another person landed somewhere outside Diagon Alley. But, before Harry managed to regain his balance and to look at his captor, he was once again grabbed in a hug and apparated even further away from Tom.
Two jumps through big distances were too much for Harry's state – immediately after Apparition ended he fell to his knees, throwing up violently, right onto his captor shoes.
'Harry?' he heard Tom's mental outcry as if through a wool blanket or through a long distance.
'I am okay,' Harry tried to reach for Tom's mind, but was not sure he had enough strength and concentration to manage it. 'Wait a bit – '
"Merlin's beard, Harry!" Harry recognized the voice – it was one of the Weasley twins. "Sorry, mate, I didn't know you're sick," remorse in twin's voice was genuine. "You alright there? Need help?"
Harry's nausea at last subsided enough for him to stop vomiting. He scrambled to his feet and stepped back from the redhead, eyeing him warily.
"Water?" came the second twin's voice from behind Harry.
Harry whirled around to look at the other redhead.
"Whoa! Careful, Harry," one of the twins caught him by the elbow, when the room around Harry began spinning from his momentum, trying to drop him on the ground. "Here, you'd better sit," he was led to a nondescript sofa. "I am sorry, but this was the only way to get you out of there. Old Fart Moody upped the shields at the wrong time, or we'd simply brought you here by one Apparition. By the way, Fred, where did you lost our little brother, huh? He was your duty!" George pointed an accusing finger at his twin.
"He didn't lost me, moron," snapping, Ron appeared in Harry's field of view, a bit green at the edges himself. "I hope, 'Mione and Gin are okay, though. I am not sure their port-key is strong enough to go through those wards safely."
"Don't worry, little brother, I'll go to Diagon a bit later to check, if they're still there. If they won't arrive on their own, of course." Fred promised. "I won't be able to do it right now, what's with those shields and all the commotion over there." He winced. "Those freaks in black didn't seem to me like Death Eaters, frankly speaking," he noted.
"Harry, is it really you?" Ron asked meanwhile, warily looking at a stranger on the sofa.
Sighing, Harry took out Voldemort's wand out of his sleeve, receiving shocked gasps from all three Weasleys, and carefully removed layers of Parseltongue glamour, hiding his usual features, and put on his old glasses, taking them from the inside pocket of his robe.
"Yeah, it's me, Ron," he breathed out tiredly. "What have you done?!" he shook his head disbelievingly, feeling a first wave of weakness overwhelm him already.
"Harry!" at this very moment there was a loud crack of Apparition followed by a double shriek, and in a second Harry's arms were full of two crying and simultaneously hysterically laughing girls.
"Hermione! Ginny!" Harry allowed them their moment of joy.
'Harry – where – ?' Tom's mental voice was strained and laced with worry. ' –okay?'
'Tom! I am good! Don't come yet, please! And don't kill these idiots, please!' Harry hoped he managed to reach Tom through who know what distance.
"Guys, I am glad to see you all too, but, really, you shouldn't have – " he was interrupted by Ginny.
"Harry, it's okay! We know!"
"What?"
"We will help! You don't need to worry, everything will be fine now! Look, I rented this flat," Hermione waived her hand around, "It's small, I know, but we'll manage! There is a small Muggle town outside with shops and everything! If you need anything special, I am sure everyone in here would gladly get it for you! No one will find us here, be it V-voldemort or Dumbledore! Don't you worry!" Hermione repeated, waiving her hands frantically.
"What?!" Harry raised his voice in alarm. "What do you mean?"
"Harry, we know everything," Ron nodded gloomily in confirmation. "We heard you and Pomfrey that time. And also 'Mione heard Dumbledore ordering Kingsley to catch you at any cost," Ron added even more darkly. "The old man's gone completely mad, I think, with all his lemon drops and sherbets!"
"We don't know all of the story, mate," interjected one of the twins, "But when 'Mione wrote us asking for help, we prepared these port-keys just in case and were at the ready."
"And just in time, it seems!" the other twin added, grinning.
"You lot! – " Harry's eyes watered. "I really appreciate all this, but – "
'Harry, I am still waiting!' Tom's sudden mental jab made Harry to flinch, distracting him from his customary emotional breakdown.
'Tom, please! Seems, like they are safe. Let me talk to them!' Harry pleaded.
"Listen, guys, I don't know what exactly you know, but – " Harry began.
"Sh-sh, it's alright, the twins only know, that you're running from everyone, but we – Ron, Ginny and I – heard your big news," Hermione gave out a watery smile. "About pregnancy – "
"What?!" double shout of shocked twins was muffled by Harry's own.
"Harry, it's alright, we won't think of you any less," Ginny's weak smile matched those of Ron and Hermione. "We know it was not your fault. It was that awful Death Eater – "
"Oh, Merlin," Harry breathed out with relief. "Thank you, all. But if you know – Hermione, I am surprised, that you didn't turn all the libraries in London upside down in search of information on male pregnancy," he shook his head in disbelief. "Because if you did, you missed something really important."
Hermione blushed.
"Harry, I was so worried! There was no time for reading! We needed to act, and quick, before the start of the year, before they dragged us to Hogwarts! I promise you, I'll read everything there is, when all calms down a bit! I don't think, there is anything vital in there, differing from normal, oh, I mean, female pregnancies – " She trailed off, seeing Harry's face whiten. "What is it, Harry?!"
"The father," replied Harry in clipped voice. "We need to be near each other at all times. Separation strains our magic and health. Mine and the babies'."
"Mine, too, it seems," Tom's husky voice made everyone jump and turn around towards the door with their wands drawn and their bodies shielding Harry, who was trying very hard not to black out.
'Please, don't kill them!' Harry managed, before finally loosing his senses.
"Are you – ? The father?" Hermione found her bravery and her voice first, lowering her wand a notch. Tom still looked like he did at Diagon Alley – in Muggle suit, with shaved head and hooked nose, his huge glasses with thick lenses successfully hiding quickly reddening eyes.
He swayed a little, but managed to straiten his back again, never lowering his wand.
"It seems so," he responded in a harsh voice. "What are you going to do?" the Dark Lord stretched thin lips in a nasty smirk. "Fire a curse at me?"
"You! – " Ginny shrieked suddenly. "You ra – You violated him!" she swished her wand his way, uttering something under her nose angrily. Ugly purple beam sprang from the tip of her wand and collided with the Dark Lord's chest not catching on any obstacles on its way. Tom swayed again, hissing lowly and hunching his shoulders in an obvious pain, but didn't aim his wand at Ginny or at anyone in the room.
"I suggest you allow me to take him to safety first," uttered Tom in tired voice. "Then I will allow you all to have a go at me," he chuckled. "If you'd still want it, that is. You can peruse this port-key, if you wish to follow Harry," he dropped something under Hermione's feet, then calmly went forward, ignoring their wands, trained on him. Picking Harry up bridal-style, Tom whirled on the spot with a soft crack of Dis-Apparition.
Hermione looked around her at dumbfounded expressions of others, while already bending down to pick up the port-key left by a stranger – a silver ring in the form of a skull with snake coming out of its gaping mouth, bearing a striking resemblance to the certain image – the Dark Mark, known to everyone in the Wizarding Britain.
"Are you going or not?" she asked impatiently.
This seemed to wake them from their shock.
"Wait, 'Mione! It can be dangerous!" Ron exclaimed.
"He took Harry," she reminded them all. "Should we remain in relative safety here? And anyway that man had already been here, so it is not safe place either! He could have already called the Death Eaters to our doorstep! I am coming for Harry, you can hide in this safety hole, if you wish!" she finished angrily, stretching her hand toward the port-key again. "Well?!"
"We are going!" chorused the twins simultaneously with Ginny.
"Ginny, no!" Ron, who the moment ago was the only one, still not reaching for the port-key, pushed her hand away, jumping in front of her, ready to grab the ring in her place. "You stay here, just in case! As back up!" he quickly added.
And a second later Ginny was left alone.
Hermione landed on a marble floor first, quickly shuffling to the side, so that the others won't pile atop of her, when they arrive.
She jumped to her feet immediately, frantically looking around – searching for a possible danger and for Harry. She hoped, he truly was here, and that they had not been deceived by that suspicious and ugly looking guy.
She didn't found anything dangerous around her, but fortunately Harry really was here – he and the stranger in a Muggle suit were both lying on a couch nearby. Or rather Harry was on the couch and the stranger was on his knees beside it, his head lowered onto Harry's chest, his body unmoving, hands gripping Harry's shoulders.
"Is Harry alright?" Hermione inquired quietly, approaching the couch carefully.
The stranger didn't move or otherwise registered her presence. When Hermione stepped closer she understood the reason – the man was unconscious, too. Gasping lowly, she took out her wand and tried to enervate first Harry, and then, when it didn't work, after a moment of contemplation – the stranger.
He shuddered and loudly took a big gulp of air in his lungs, waking up, wand already trained on her, even before he fully opened his eyes. He stopped at the least moment, dropping the wand to the side.
"Ah, it's you," he slurred incomprehensibly. "Wait till he wakes, will you?"
"What?" Hermione exclaimed incredulously.
"Should be any moment now," not answering her question, clarified the stranger. Then stood up and stretched. "Salazar, this suit is like coffin," he grumbled, hearing the sound of his clothes tearing.
"You'd better change before anyone sees," Harry suggested weakly, not opening his eyes.
"Right. The glamour," the man winced. "Almost forgot."
Harry snorted.
"I meant the clothes, but – "
"Harry, we have guests," the man reminded him.
"What?!" Harry finally opened bloodshot eyes and stared at his friends, now standing around the couch and looking at him eagerly. "What are you doing here?!"
"We came for you, mate," one of the twins pushed him in the shoulder in friendly gesture. "Thought, you might want some company at the enemy's lair, you know," the twin winked at him.
Harry shook his head.
"You guys are crazy, you know?"
'These four don't know your face, you can change safely,' Harry observed.
'Can't,' came clipped reply.
Harry's brows arched in bewilderment.
"What do you mean by "can't"?!" he blurted aloud.
'My magic is unstable. I hardly managed to get us both here in one piece.' Harry noticed a trace of pain in Tom's mental tone. Before he could ask about it though, Tom swayed on his feet.
'Tom -!'
"'am 'lright," Tom slurred, tried to support himself on the back of the couch and once again fell senseless – this time atop of Harry proper, covering him almost fully with his heavy body.
"Fuck!" Harry breathed. "Heavy bastard!" he grunted. "Hey, guys, can you help me -? No, don't lift him yet. The wand. It's somewhere under me, I think." Harry puffing, tried to get to the wand in question by himself.
"Here," Hermione managed to take the yew wand out from under him. "But Harry, isn't it – ?"
"Not now, 'Mione," Harry replied in strained voice, lifting Voldemort's wand above its rightful owner's head and uttering glamour spells in Parseltongue. Almost a minute later Tom again looked like himself except for his suit.
"Move him," Harry breathed out.
Twins not very carefully lifted Tom and put him on the floor beside the couch.
"Care to explain this all, Harry?" Hermione asked, eyeing the unconscious body suspiciously. "The wand – His looks – This ring – " she showed him the former port-key, which she picked up, when they arrived. "And what had you said at the flat? About the father needing to be close – ?" She trailed off again, unsure.
"Hermione, if you'd researched beforehand, you'd learn about this," Harry explained darkly. "In male pregnancies fathers should not be separated from each other, for the first trimester, at least. Otherwise, the lives of both fathers and a child, and their magic, too, are in danger." Harry let out a heavy sigh. "That's what I said. I am truly happy to see you all and I really appreciate your intentions, but – "
"Harry, I am really sorry," Hermione lowered her eyes in shame. "I should have researched, you're right. But is he – ?" She glanced at the man, lying on the floor, again. "Is he a Death Eater, Harry?" she winced sympathetically.
Harry sighed. On the one hand, he was glad, that they didn't recognize Tom yet, especially while he was still out cold. But on the other hand – That was Hermione! If she didn't pieced it all together yet, it was just because she was shaken by all the events. He didn't expected from twins or Ron to be smart enough to understand the truth, at least – without her help.
"I will try to tell you all that I can, but let me help him first," Harry pleaded. "He was already wounded even before, I shudder to think what's his condition now," he looked at Hermione with puppy eyes."Please, Hermione," when she didn't react, he added "it's vital for my health, too, and for this," Harry put his palm on his own still almost flat belly.
Hermione's face became ashen with worry.
"Oh, alright, Harry. What can we do to help?"
He slowly sat up and pursed his lips in contemplation.
"Let me think – "
"Harry, do you live here?" Fred suddenly interjected.
"Yes, why?"
"Only two of you?" George asked tensely, looking out of the nearest window.
"No-o – Oh, right! Thanks, guys!" Harry's face brightened. "Just, please, give me you wands, for a little while?" he requested in a sugar sweet voice suddenly.
"Wh-why? Harry?" Hermione's voice hitched, when she finally saw several men in black robes and with white masks on their faces, coming calmly through the main door, like they owned the place.
"That's alright, 'Mione. They won't do anything to you. Just give me your wands. Like – right now!" Harry barked, although she still saw a plead in his eyes.
The first to surrender his wand though was not her, but Ron, immediately followed by both twins.
"Here, mate, I trust you," Ron grumbled warningly.
Harry nodded, before quickly collecting all of their wands bar Voldemort's and Lucius', which was sticking out of Tom's pocket, and shaking this wooden bouquet in the air in demonstration.
"These are my guests, gentlemen. I advise you to treat them as such," copying Tom's regal manners, Harry informed the quickly approaching horde of Death Eaters. "I suggest you put him," here Harry pointed with his thumb over his shoulder at Tom leisurely, "in his bedroom, before he learns, that you've seen him like this," he smirked evilly, "Also retrieve Algie and bring him here. And I advise you do it all quickly," still holding the others' wands in one hand, he trailed the index finger of his other hand along the length of Voldemort's wand meaningfully, in a trademark gesture of the Dark Lord, chuckling menacingly. "If Snape is on the premises, bring him to me, when he finishes his potions business, of course. We don't need a loud 'boom' to betray our location to everyone listening," winking at the nearest White Mask finished Harry. When nobody twitched a muscle, he winced, then took in a big gulp of air and barked, mimicking the Dark Lord's tone, "Move, you imbeciles!"
All the Death Eaters were gone at the drop of a hat in less then a second: some picked up their Lord and hurriedly took him to the bedroom, others scattered in search of either Snape or Algie.
Harrry, who stood up when they came earlier, dropped back on the couch with a tired groan.
"That was something, mate!" Ron exclaimed in awe.
"Harry, just who is this man?" Hermione asked him tensely, over Ron's words.
Harry looked her in the eyes.
"You already know, don't you?" he asked with a sigh of long suffering. "You're too smart sometimes, 'Mione." He smiled to soften his harsh words.
"The Dark Lord." The guess came not from Hermione's lips, surprisingly, but from one of the twins'.
"George?!" Ron asked, his eyes almost popping out in shock.
Harry raised his head to look with surprise at the smart redhead.
"What betrayed him?" he smiled weakly.
"You," snorted George. "You wouldn't dare to boss his minions around, if not for your position here. And the wand," George pointed at Harry's hands, one still mechanically caressing Voldemort's wand.
Harry winced.
"I am not too discreet, am I?"
"Why did you ordered them to take h-him away though? Hadn't you said just now about the distance between you?" Hermione asked in trembling voice. "Will you be okay?"
"Should," Harry shrugged. "This house is not too big, so it is rather safe, I think -"
"I am afraid, not this time, my Lord Petit-Mort," interrupted him Algie, who just came in. "Pardon me for intrusion, but you need to lay down yourself, and more then preferably – by the Dark Lord's side. I presume, your friends will not be going anywhere anytime soon, so you can take your nap and necessary time with the father of your babies, before you could resume chatting. So off you go," Algie tried to shepherd Harry towards the bedroom.
"Babies?!" before he could leave, Harry heard Hermione gasp in shock.
"Yeah," in even more tired, but very proud tone, replied Harry, smiling. "I'll tell you everything later, but now I really should be going, I think." He swayed slightly, but got caught at the elbow by one of the twins.
"We can help you to the bedroom, Harry," the twin suggested, grinning and wriggling his eyebrows meaningfully.
"It is unadvisable, like Algie likes to say," Harry snorted. "The Dark Lord doesn't like strangers in his bedroom," he chuckled. "Or rather visitors, when he's sleeping," Harry snickered. "I'll ask Severus to arrange a room or two for you all," he promised, before finally leaving for a bedroom.
"I am such an idiot!" Hermione plopped on the couch with a groan of exasperation, covering her face with her hands.
Taking advantage of the situation, Ron sat beside her on the couch, putting a hand around Hermione's shoulders in a hug.
"It's okay, 'Mione. Nobody can be smart all the time," he said in a soothing tone.
Hermione shook her head.
"No, Ron! I could have checked – We've put Harry's life in danger – And the baby – Babies – !" he sniffed.
"Blimey! Who could have thought!" Ron exclaimed grinning. "Harry's with the Dark Lord's child. Dumbledore'll blow a casket!" he snickered.
"Serves him right," Hermione grumbled. "He wanted Harry to abort it – " she shuddered.
"What?! No way!" one of the twins gasped. "Poor Harry!"
"That's why he ran," Hermione explained.
"As I understand, he would have left anyway," the other twin noted. "To be with the father – " he winced. "That must have been awful," he admitted. "Sleeping with the Dark Lord – "
"Ugh! George, I don't need this image!" Ron shuddered, making a rude face.
"Though, it seemed he truly cared – " Hermione trailed off pensively.
"Who? Harry? Didn't you hear him? He needed this monster for his own health!" Ron said indignantly.
"No, not Harry. V-Voldemort. Didn't you see?" Hermione asked. "Harry said, he had been injured before, then I saw him catch a curse while on Diagon, and later Ginny hit him with some spell right in the chest – But he still brought Harry here, not minding his own wounds and not sparing his precious magic for shields, so that he could apparate Harry to safety!"
"If you say, it's sweet, I might throw up," Ron grumbled, scrunching his nose in disgust.
She hit him in the shoulder.
"You're so dense sometimes!"
"What was that for?!" Ron rubbed the sore spot. "You, girls, are strange! This is Harry we are talking about! With V-Vol-You Know Who! It is not sweet, it is disgusting!" He made another rude face at her.
"But he cares," Hermione muttered stubbornly under her breath. "That's what matters," she turned away from Ron. "Hey, where are you going? George? Fred?" she noticed the twins exiting the entrance hall and going deeper into the house. "Come back here! You morons!" She tried to jump to her feet, but Ron grabbed her by the shoulder.
"No, 'Mione! They are grown up adults, they can fend for themselves. Stay here, please! It's too risky!"
"Let go, Ron! It's twins! You know that they are not adults, they are – !"
"Pranksters," Ron grumbled. "Let them be, please. Those jokers will be okay even without their wands, I'm sure. Harry said, he'd arrange a room for us, so let's stay here and wait."
"I don't know, why are you so calm suddenly, Ron," shaking her head and sighing, Hermione sat back down. "I am surprised actually, that you didn't blow a casket yourself, when learnt of this all – "
Ron shrugged uncomfortably.
"Don't know. Growing up, maybe?" he gave out a lopsided smirk. "It looks like we exchanged places. So at least one of us needs a cool head," he snorted, not believing in his own words. "I just – I am worried about you, 'Mione," he blushed, but not averted his gaze. "When we became two instead of three and you suddenly took Harry's place as a leader – " he smiled weakly.
"And who just now called us girls strange?" Hermione laughed. "We are, as always, in a live or die situation, and you suddenly start to act all manly," she poked him in the ribs with her elbow. "What's happened to you all of a sudden?"
Ron fidgeted in his seat nervously.
"Dunno," he mumbled.
"Oh, Ron – !"
"Please, spare me of your sappy teenage drama!" drawled the familiar voice of their Potions Teacher, who right this moment entered the hall. "Follow me!" he barked, beckoning them with a jerky gesture of his hand. "Where are those mirror monsters? Potter said, they should be here as well," Snape winced. "Though, I can't say I will miss them, if they find themselves in trouble," he grunted.
"He-hello, Professor!" Hermione nudged Ron, mouthing 'Be polite!' to him. "Did you see Harry? Is he okay?"
"As okay as he could be," reluctantly answered Snape, "Sleeping, I think. You'll see him in two or three hours, maybe. For now you may stay in the library, I'll send some food a bit later."
"What of the twins?" Ron asked tentatively.
"I don't need your help locating them," Snape pursed his lips. "I'll bring their cold bodies later, if luck permits," and with a nasty smirk he left them in front of the library doors.
"De-dead?" Ron stuttered.
"Oh, don't you know Snape, Ron? It's his way of joking," Hermione puffed. "Come on! It's very convenient to be brought to the library!"
"Oh, don't you know Harry?" Ron mocked. "It's his way of revenge!" he snickered. "He won't let you out of there before you read every book there is on male pregnancies," he giggled, seeing Hermione's falling face. "Come on, 'Mione, I was joking, too," he dragged her into the room. "Hope, the twins won't meet too much trouble before Snape finds them, though," he muttered.