Chapter 37 – Angels and Daemons
Halloween had always been unpleasant for Severus Snape since Lily Potter's death, but it was more so this year than ever before. He was to be found pacing in his Potions classroom the entire day without even a hint of entry into the Hospital Wing from Poppy. He continued to keep the door just barely open for Poppy Pomfrey's patronus – a squirrel – for the news as to Sarah's health status. It had been at eight oclock, just after dinner that Sarah had had her first labor pang on the thirtieth, and it was now eleven in the morning of Halloween. So, in short, he was miserable as he was in class. Even terrorizing the students and docking points didn't help him feel any better, which was saying something since those were some of his favorite things to do while he was in class.
Meanwhile, Sarah was just as miserable, if not more so. She, too, was pacing, only it was around the Hospital wing as Poppy tried to get her contractions to speed up with the newborn. It would be the first time in Hogwarts history that a child was born on school grounds, but the staff (well, most of them) took great pleasure knowing that it would be Poppy's watchful eyes to keep an eye on the young duo as the time came for the newborn to come into the world.
With each new labor pain, Sarah was wishing that she had a patronus here at her side, but each time her pains hit, her patronus would fade, and Poppy's wasn't doing much good for her either. She knew whose patronus she needed, but unfortunately he would be too busy teaching and terrorizing the students in the dungeons to be able to keep his own patronus up for very long. She had eaten breakfast in silence, and was preparing to each lunch, all of which consisted of very soft foods that would be easy for her to digest.
By the time two oclock rolled around, she was physically exhausted, but unable to sleep. Poppy Pomfrey had a hard time getting her onto a bed, but was finally able to do so to comfort the soon-to-be-mother who was immediately asleep as soon as her head hit the pillows, with a body-numbing charm cast on Sarah's sleeping frame so that she would be able to stay asleep and wait it out for the baby to come.
Severus was never so tempted to destroy something as he was that Halloween day, and the students and faculty alike all sensed his unease with his situation. It was a Friday, meaning that he had all the time in the world as soon as Minerva would let him leave the stupid Halloween feast. Sadly, she wouldn't until Poppy sent her patronus down to him to let him know that they were ready for him.
The feast began with a moment of silence to honor Lily and James Potter, as well as all others who died in the war against Voldemort, and Severus wasn't eating very much when the food appeared. The headmistress simply shook her head while Harry put his arm on the potions master's back reassuringly, saying that he'd been forced to stay at work while Ginny was in labor with Lily.
By the time eight pm came and went, Severus was now in full blown panic mode. He had read that it was unhealthy for a woman to be in labor for more than twenty hours, and it had now been twenty-four that Sarah had been in labor. Harry had begun to keep his eyes peeled for any sign of any patronus, as well as his arm latched onto Severus' to keep the older (now younger) wizard from darting upstairs.
0O0O0O0
"Severus," Sarah was whining in Poppy's personal quarters. "I want Severus!"
"No, you daft girl! Now push!" the mediwitch ordered, and Sarah shook her head stubbornly. "Push, or the baby won't come!"
"I want Severus! he needs to see this," the animagus whined, her pain building. "I want Severus! I need Severus! Please, Poppy, just let him in! Please!"
"No! now start pushing or Severus won't be allowed in here for another week!" the mediwitch ordered and Sarah was forced to push and try to bring her child into the world, knowing that the woman would very well do something so cruel to them. "Harder!"
"I'm trying!" she shot back, tears forming at her eyes. "This hurts, you know!"
"Yes, I can tell by the tears you're shedding! Now, push! Push as hard as you can!"
"What part of 'I'm trying as hard as I can' do you not understand, you blasted medic?" Sarah yelled in pain as her child came closer. "Ugh! How much longer?"
"Not too long now," the mediwitch soothed. "the baby's head is close to coming. Just a few more pushes and you'll be a mother. Come on, just a little longer."
"What time is it?" Sarah whined as more pain racked her while she attempted to push. "Poppy!"
"You're almost there," the older witch soothed. "I can see the head. You're doing wonderfully. Just a few more and – oh!"
"Gah!" Sarah gasped as her child's tiny head came into Poppy's waiting hands. "OW! Ow!"
"Just a little more, I've got the head, and now stomach," the older witch encouraged. "Come on, Sarah, just a little longer!"
"No more," she whined loudly. She was startled to feel the pain decrease drastically as she heard her child take its first breath and begin screaming loudly. "My baby… oh, so cute… just like its papa…"
"His papa," Poppy corrected as she placed the newborn on his mother's stomach. "I'll send my patronus to Severus to let him know he has a son."
"No, surprise him," Sarah murmured as her son began feeding greedily. "Middle name is Severus… let him pick the first name…"
"You're out of your mind," Poppy said shaking her head.
"No, just stubborn," the younger witch retorted as her eyelids closed in exhaustion.
0O0O0O0
To everyone's surprise in the Great Hall, the squirrel patronus came flying through the window, straight up to the staff table and landed in front of the Potions master, to which he turned and was granted immediate permission to leave the festivities. He was immediately up and out of his chair and racing across the Great Hall as fast as his legs could carry him. Both student and staff alike were astounded by this since the man had hitherto never shown emotion unless it was towards Sarah. Then, as if in unison, it clicked and the students turned to Minerva for the news, who shrugged and told them that she would announce the name and gender of the new Snape as soon as she received word of it.
As the Great Hall was speculating, Severus was racing as fast as he could, his heart pounding with adrenaline and excitement. Thoughts of gender and the two names he had picked out for the child ran through his head, and he was hardly slowed down by the Hospital Wing doors, and had been forced to finally slow down and catch his breath as the startled mediwitch looked at him and almost shook her head in disgust. He approached her door, but froze when she motioned for him to remain put.
"Severus, meet your son," the mediwitch whispered as she placed the tiny bundle in his arms. "Sarah wanted you to name him. She's fine, just asleep. He's already eaten, I promise."
"He's a Halloween baby, so… Daemon," Severus decided. "Daemon…"
"Daemon Severus it is," Poppy said, and his eyes snapped to her. "Sarah picked his middle name just before passing out. The little prat was greedy enough when he was eating, he was."
"Daemon," Severus whispered. "I have a son. I'm a father. Holy basilisks, I'm a dad…"
"and it's about time, too," the mediwitch said calmly. "Here, let me see him for a moment. Well, he's perfectly healthy, Severus, you have nothing to fear as far as I know. Congratulations."
"Expecto Patronum!" Severus called out, and a startling snake burst out of his wand. "Let only Minerva hear your message. Sarah's fine and resting. Daemon Severus is healthy as well, and was received as an honorary Slytherin at twenty-two hours and ten minutes when he was born. Go!"
Poppy shook her head as she went to go back to clean up her office and private quarters.
0O0O0O0
To the Great Hall's excitement, a snake patronus slithered into the halls about five minutes after their potions master left, meaning that he'd held the child and that the name had been decided. Only Minerva heard it, however, but she stood up to address the school.
"Professors Potter and Weasley are no longer the only parents on staff! Professors Snape welcomed their son Daemon Severus into their arms mere twenty minutes ago! Your Potions Master would also like to make mention that little Daemon is an honorary Slytherin! That is all," she said sitting down, and the students stared at her. they all knew that Daemon was a crazy name, and that it was Halloween and all, but to really name your kid that when their birthday was on Halloween? That was just wrong.
Except for the Slytherin house, that was the students' methods of thinking. The snakes, however, were cheering and excited that they had a new member, and an honorary one who was the first child in history to be born on school grounds. They were cheering and raising their goblets in toast to the good fortune of their heads of house, and Severus could vaguely hear them cheering from his location in the hospital wing, much to his amusement. Try as the students might to get off easy because of his new parenting duties, they were in for a harsh surprise if they thought he was going to relent and give them less homework.
"To Daemon and Professors Snape!" Lily Potter and Midna yelled out in unison over the roar, and the house immediately joined in. "To the Snape family!"
The teachers also raised their goblets, to which a good number more of the students, who had gotten on Sarah's good side and been considered almost friends with her, also raised their goblets to join in the toast. Severus sneezed off to his right just as Sarah sneezed in her sleep and Daemon sneezed gently for the first time. The proud father smirked, bringing his son closer to him, wearing his heart on his sleeve in a very Gryffindor fashion. Sure, the Marauders would give him hell for this if they were still alive, but then it was a good thing they weren't. he figured that they'd never let him live it down as he lay back in a bed.
He yawned, falling asleep with Daemon fast asleep on his chest, both wizards exhausted by the day's events. But it wasn't over yet, not by a long shot.
Severus was again in his dream state that he'd been in two years before when Lily had come to visit him in his dream. Sarah was twenty-one, just at the age Lily had been at when Harry was born. He stared at the redhead, his appeal for her completely gone now, and he bristled as the four Marauders appeared behind her, with his own parents falling in behind them.
"Severus," Lily began, "It's the second time we feel the need to visit you on Halloween. I have no quarrel except to say that I'm glad you took the chance and became the man that you've always deserved to be. You'll make the perfect father for your son, Severus, don't worry. I think it's time you made peace with your phantoms from your past. We'll start with the Marauders – I won't blame you if you don't forgive Wormtail – and then to your parents. Remus is still alive, so you'll have to work with him on your own."
Severus gaped as she retreated with a pop, leaving Wormtail behind in their wake, who was now cowering and shivering.