Chapter 24
Battles and Rescues
Severus nervously paced Grimald's kitchen, waiting for the other earing in his pocket to heat up and alert him to the location of the manor. He hoped the girl stayed alive long enough to get the order there. He hoped the Dark Lord was still using it as a main base. He prayed Hermione was still alive.
His pocket burned and He pulled out the little stud and placed it on the table so that the diamond became large enough for all those gathered in the kitchen to grab onto it.
'This ends tonight Potter.' He vowed to the young green eyed man, before they were all port keyed to the foyer of Malfoy Manor.
Lucius Malfoy was in the process of dragging is new mudblood bride up the stairs to his bed chamber. He had every intention of bedding her and then tying her to the bed and shoving a potion down her throat to make her barren. She was a pretty young thing, meek too, meaning he'd find it much easier to bed her than Narcissa.
He stopped as he heard the tell-tale sound of a port key landing and turned to find twenty members of the order in his foyer. He looked from them to the girl Who had a triumphant look in her eyes as she stared him down. He rolled his own eyes. 'It's always the women.' He muttered before drawing his wand and flicking it lazily at her watching as the killing curse effulged her and she dropped like a stone, tumbling down the stairs.
'Well well, if it isn't the traitor.' He said rolling his sleeve up to call the Dark Lord.
'Where is my wife?' Severus asked taking a step towards the blonde. He had a moment regret for the young Miss Burnside who lay at the bottom of the stairs but he was well aware the Dark lord was on his way and that time was of the essence.
'Ohh you'll see her soon enough, old friend.' Lucius said placing the tip of his wand to his mark and soon there were numerous appretation pops as the inner circle and the Dark Lord made an appearance.
'Severus, my own traitorous servant.' Voldemort said with a hissing lilt.
The order members quickly busied themselves with taking on a Death eater or two. Remus taking on Greyback, both allowing their wolves to shine through as they growled at and circled each other in a predatory manor. Sirius scoffed at his cousin's mad cackle as they began to fire off spells. Severus snuck a spell at McNair and engaged him in a duel as Potter and Dumbledore took on Voldemort himself.
Draco took on his would be father and, the twins took Crabbe and Goyle out easily enough.
'Find Hermione!' He called to them as he dodged a curse from McNair.
'Your wife has a good mouth Snape; I might have to keep her alive when this is all over.' McNair taunted as Nott came to his aid, causing Severus to double his efforts, taking a couple of stray hexes in the process.
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She'd lost count of how many hours she'd been in labour and had long since given up keeping silent as she felt her child's body slid out of her. She panted heavily Narcissa wrapped the babe in one of their shabby, threadbare blankets.
'You have a little girl Hermione,' She said as she cleaned the child's mouth and it began to wail.
'Ah! Then why does it still hurt' Hermione said as another contraction took over her body.
'That'll be the placenta pet,' Narcissa explained as Hermione's screams joined her daughter's. Narcissa glanced behind them, wondering why McNair, Nott or even Lucius hadn't been down to see what all the noise was about. She placed the new born on the floor wrapped tightly in the blanket as she turned her attention to Hermione's placenta.
'This way.' A voice said Narcissa froze and Hermione hiccupped. A blast sounded above them. Hermione shared a look with the older woman, she knew that voice.
'I heard a scream.' A second voice said and Hermione began to sob, they had come for them. The order.
'They better not be hurting her or Snape will kill us.' The first voice said.
Narcissa looked behind her and back to Hermione. 'Fred. Gorge.' She croaked her voice hoarse from hours of labour.
Narcissa realising that these were order members, got to her feet taking the child in her arms as it began to fuss, she bounced it lightly. 'Here!' she called desperately 'in Here!'
They herd footsteps turning a corner and Hermione broke into tears at the sight of the twins in the small barred window of the door, bloodied but alive and grinning at her.
'There you are Granger. You gave us quite the run around.' Fred said as Gorge blasted open the cell door.
Hermione groaned as another contraction hit and Narcissa handed the child to the closest young man and took his wand.
'Hey! There's Death Eater's about woman!' he said.
'Yes and this girl has just given birth, I need to heal her or we'll never get out of here.' She said pointing the wand at her own wrist. Her movements a little clumsy since it was her wand wrist that had been broken, she hissed as the bone was snapped again and knitted back together.
'Snape's kid. Wow.' Gorge said down peering at the child his brother was holding.
Narcissa turned her attention to Hermione once more and ran a few diagnostic spells using sheer determination to make the boy's foreign wand work for her. She paled and turned to the boys. 'We have a problem'
'You mean a bigger one than the battle going on upstairs?' Fred said, covering the baby's head as the ceiling shook and some rubble fell down on them.
'There's another baby.'
'What?' Hermione said, whipping her sweat soaked brow. 'I can't do that again; I don't have the strength.'
'Nobody mentioned an escape plan did they Gorge?' Fred asked with a worried tone.
'Shit.' Gorge said and he took off back down the corridor.
'Where the hell's he going!' Hermione yelled, her words turning into a scream.
'Push dear, that's it.' Narcissa encouraged.
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Severus finished McNair off and shot a quick severing hex at Lucius who was about to cast the killing curse at his once son.
Severus turned to make his way to the dungeons when he saw Wood fall and lie lifeless of the floor, he felt a pang of regret knowing that his wife had told him she was pregnant mere days ago.
'Weasley.' He said spotting the tell-tale read hair of one of the twins, he made his way over to the boy. 'Where is she?'
'In the dungeons.' Gorge said with a pant, tucking a stray hex. 'There's a problem, well a couple of them actually.'
'Such as?' Severus growled firing a hex at a masked figure causing him to crash through a set of wooden doors.
'Well we never discussed an escape plan.' Gorge said lightly. 'And Hermione's in labour' he finished.
Severus cursed and pushed his back to Minerva turning so that she could take a break from her duel with the Carrow twins. Gorge joined him and he relayed to Minerva the problem with their plan.
'Christ!' The woman cursed and took off to try and get close to Dumbledore who was guarding Harry's back as he fought the Dark Lord.
'That's for my Son in law you bitch!' Molly cried and fired a finishing hex at Bellatrix just as she was set to kill her cousin. She helped Sirius to his feet and he nodded at her in thanks.
There was a loud growl and The Carrow twins were knocked to the ground by two brawling werewolves who had apparently forgotten they had wands.
Gorge slashed Alecto's neck and Severus aimed the killing curse at Amycus. 'Let's go' He said and nodded for Gorge to lead him to his wife.
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'Gaaarrrrrrrr' Hermione screamed as she pushed her second child into the world.
'You're doing great Hermione, short breaths now.'
'Hey little girl, shhhh now, mummies getting your sibling into the world, you don't want to be without your twin you know.' Fred was cooing at the little girl, trying to stop her from wailing.
'Freddie.' Gorge called.
'He better have brought my husband this time or I swear I'll kill you both.' Hermione panted, groaning as the need to push overcame her.
'Good, one more big push for me.' Narcissa encouraged.
Severus rounded the corner and was met with the sight of his wife covered in sweat, Narcissa Lupin between her bent legs as she struggled to get their child into the world.
'Professor!' Fred said with a grin turning to reveal a grubby buddle in his arms.
'I am going to kill you Severus Snape!' Hermione screamed, her head thrown back as she gripped onto her knees and pushed her child into Narcissa's waiting hands.
'ohh' the pure-blooded woman said gently and used Fred's wand to quickly cut the cord, she wrapped the baby in a second blanket and began to rub the babies back hard. 'Come on, little one.' She muttered.
Severus made his way to his wife and brushed sweaty greasy hair from her face. 'You're alive.' He said gently. Hermione reached for the baby that Fred was holding and held it close. 'Adalyn Blair Snape.' She said tiredly and Severus took the little girl form her, and tucked it into the crook of his arm.
'Narcissa we need to get out of here, do hurry it along.' He said with a note of urgency. As another blast echoed from above them. He had no idea what was going on upstairs now, but he knew he had to get his wife and children out of here.
'No no no, you need to breath, come on.' She muttered to herself as she continued to rub the child's back in effort to make it breath.
Hermione gasped and covered her mouth with her hands as she felt a slight pressure and absent mind idly bared down pushing out the placenta. 'Give me my baby.' She said holding out her hands.
There was a loud bang and a set of scuffling footsteps. Neville Longbottom came tumbling round the corner the sword of Gryffindor in his hand and a dead snake at his feet. 'We need to go, Now!' He said coming over to them and holding out a book 'Grab on.' He said sternly.
'My baby.' Hermione said holding out her hands for the second child Narcissa was still trying to assist to breath.
'Poppy can help, but we need to go now Hermione.' Severus said gripping onto her and their breathing daughter and the book Neville was holding out. They all felt the pull of the pert key and within seconds they had landed in McGonagall Croft.
'Poppy!' Severus called as he stood up handing his child to Raine who had been passing by when they landed. He gripped Hermione tightly and pulled her in the direction of the dining room Poppy had been using as her surgery. Narcissa followed still trying to work on the lifeless child and muttering to it. Hermione struggled in her husband's grip desperate to get to her child, giving up Severus threw her over his shoulder. She was feather light considering she had been kept prisoner for nearly seven weeks.
'Oh my. Hermione dear.' The matron began.
'Child first.' Narcissa said placing the babe in the healers arms 'I tired.' She said meekly as she sat down in a chair, next to the bed Severus deposited Hermione.
'MY BABY!' Hermione screamed beating her fists on his chest.
'Shhhh, little witch shh.' He said gently as he placed a sedation enchantment on her and felt her fall limp in his arms. He turned to Raine and Lavender who had followed behind them.
'Watch over her.' He asked gently.
Raine nodded. And sat next to the two recused witches. Taking a basin and cloth from Ginny and setting to work on cleaning Narcissa lightly and watching she sobbed lightly to herself.
'I'll get the child cleaned up does she have a name?' Lavender asked rocking the babe in her arms.
'Adalyn.' Severus said as he turned to follow poppy he had another daughter to save right now.