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—

Severus and Lily were both numb as they left the healer's office. Neither were sure what to think or how to feel.

They had politely listened to the healer's advice, which was vaguely familiar to the couple, having previously welcomed a baby, but prenatal care was the last thing on their minds in that moment.

As soon as the Snapes apparated back to their house, Severus frowned when Lily sat down on the sofa and began to sob bitterly.

"My love, don't weep." Severus cooed, his low voice soft and gentle as he perched beside Lily and put his arm around her. Lily silently turned towards him and cried on his shoulder. Severus pressed a kiss to her cheek and rubbed her back soothingly while he added, "I'm not angry….. I'll gladly have another child. I'll go through another war, I'll teach for fifty more years…..I'll do anything to be with you, my love. Anything. Staying by your side is all that's important to me."

Lily wound her arms around Severus as she mumbled something into his robes that he couldn't hear.

"...What was that, dearest?" Severus blinked.

"Harry!" Lily cried as she pulled back to look up at Severus, her face contorted with despair, "Harry's going to hate us for this!"

"...No he won't." Severus firmly disagreed with a scowl, "He's too much like you, Lily. Though I'm not exactly sure how he'll react to the news."

"We can't tell him…" Lily gasped, putting a hand to her chest as she fought for breath.

"Calm down..." Severus coaxed in his velvet tone, looking at his wife worriedly, "Exciting yourself over imagined possibilities won't do you, the child, or our adult son, any good."

"We can't tell him, Sev!" Lily wailed, starting to sob all over again at the uncomfortable thought of revealing her diagnosis to Harry.

Severus fought back a chuckle as he replied, "He comes for dinner every week. He's not simple, my love. He'll notice something's amiss eventually. Do you honestly believe we can hide the truth from him forever? Don't you think that we've already hidden enough?"

Lily continued to cry but her sobs gradually eased as Severus reclined on the sofa and gently pulled her back to lay on top of him.

"I'm frightened, Sev." Lily admitted after a few moments of letting her silent tears flow freely.

"There's no reason to be afraid." Severus quietly reassured her, letting his fingers drift up and down Lily's arm as he held her close, "We're a family again. Perhaps not in the way or the time that we had imagined in our younger days, but we're still a family, my love."

Severus spoke with enough confidence in his voice to give Lily strength, but truthfully, he was as anxious as his wife.

Severus frowned as he thought.

He was a man that appreciated knowledge and study and as such, the many unknown variables regarding their current situation bothered him.

How was Harry going to react?

Disbelief?

Rage?

Sadness?

Would Harry shun his mother and father?

Would Harry blame them?

…...How were Lily and their little hidden passenger going to fare?

What unknown effects did the killing curse have on its survivors?

Harry bore a scar.

Lily had slept for sixteen years.

….But what about the unborn?

What did the killing curse do to its survivors who hadn't yet entered the world?

—

Every Friday since that first visit when Severus had given him a tour of the house, Harry had come for dinner.

The Friday after Severus and Lily's return from their honeymoon was no different.

Together, the couple had decided that they would make their shocking announcement to their adult offspring then.

There was little point in waiting and Severus was right, it was inevitable that Harry would eventually find out. Whether he did so by the roundness of Lily's belly or by the fact that a baby suddenly took permanent residence in his parents' home one day, Harry would know sooner or later that he wasn't actually an only child.

Besides, after years of deep family secrets, lies, abuse, and mourning losses that hadn't actually happened, Severus felt that his son would probably appreciate blunt, transparent honesty more than anything.

Lily made Harry's favorite foods that night as a reminder that his mother and father did truly care about him.

She and Severus welcomed their son as warmly as they had during the other family dinners they had shared since the end of the war.

While they ate, Severus and Lily kept glancing over at each other at every pause in the conversation.

When to do it?

Now?

No, wait.

What about now?

No, hold on.

As they finished eating, one last opportunistic silence presented itself. Before Severus or Lily could speak, Harry stole his parents' window and changed the topic yet again, "...I've decided not to go back to Hogwarts."

Lily and Severus both blinked.

"I've made a decision." Harry said confidently, "I'm going to be an auror. They'll let me start training next month if I can submit a letter of recommendation."

Severus bristled, knowing that he couldn't supply Harry with that, it'd be a conflict of interest.

"Don't worry." Harry said, glancing over at Severus, "I've already asked Professor McGonagall and she agreed."

Watching his father's face relax slightly, Harry began speaking again, "I'm looking for an apartment, you know, so I can give the Weasleys some space. It's quite crowded there and Ginny and I aren't allowed to…..be together much."

Lily felt an overwhelming rush of warmth and followed her instincts, which urged her to help her tired-looking son, "Why don't you come home, sweetheart?"

Severus's mouth fell open.

So his wife didn't want to tell Harry about the baby, but she was perfectly fine asking him to move in?

Harry looked at Lily and he laughed incredulously, "W-What do you mean, Mum?"

"Why don't you come and live here, sweetheart?!" Lily asked, laying her hand on Harry's and giving it a gentle squeeze, "I know it's strange for you, but this is where you belong! This is your home, at least, it should have been….it should be! You can bring Ginny with you, if you want. She's a lovely girl."

Severus's gaze flickered back and forth between Harry and Lily. As it did, his face twisted into a scowl.

Harry saw his father's blatant disapproval and he smiled at Lily but he politely declined, "Thanks Mum, but I don't want to impose. I've already found a place in Hogsmeade."

Tears gathered in Lily's eyes and Harry frowned, upset that his refusal had offended his mother.

"I mean…..I….I'm planning on asking Ginny to marry me soon. I've thought about it, anyway." Harry stammered, trying to explain himself to Lily and Severus.

Lily gasped.

Severus stared at Harry like his son was a difficult puzzle that he couldn't quite figure out.

"I was thinking if I do it in the next couple of months, then you know, next spring, we could have another wedding in the family….Maybe in March? That's a decent time of year….if she'll have me, of course." Harry shrugged.

Unable to contain the heart wrenching sob that burst from her throat, Lily covered her mouth and quickly stood from the table to flee the room.

"Mum!" Harry shouted in shock, watching Lily race from the kitchen and up the stairs in the foyer.

Harry instantly leapt up from his chair and went to chase after her, "Mum!"

Before Harry's feet left the tiled floor of the dining area, Severus ordered his son in a low, authoritative rumble, "...Sit down."

Harry didn't know what was the best thing to do next.

For once, he found his father's low, commanding tone to be comforting.

"I thought Mum liked Ginny!" Harry exclaimed as he walked back to his chair and took his seat again, staring across the table at Severus, "She just said that-"

"Your mother's tears aren't about your imagined union to the Weasley girl." Severus snapped at Harry in an icy voice.

Severus gazed at Harry and as he did, Harry had to glance down at the table to make sure he wasn't sitting back in potions class.

Harry blinked.

Nope, he was still at the dining table, despite the calculating look that his father was giving him.

"Surviving the curse had few effects on your body." Severus began, "The healers aren't sure why, but I think it has to do with the protection you received from your mother's selfless display of love."

Harry sat and listened, wondering what any of that had to do with Lily's inexplicable outburst.

"Unfortunately, your mother did not have the same aid and the curse did not leave her without…...more dramatic effects." Severus went on.

Harry swallowed dryly and he felt a tiny trickle of adrenaline crawl down his spine.

…...What was his father trying to tell him?

"Your mother's a brave woman. She hasn't been entirely well since she returned to us, but she doesn't complain often. During our…...holiday…...she felt particularly ill." Severus added.

"What are you saying?" Harry nervously asked Severus.

"I'm afraid your mother and I won't be able to attend a celebration in March." Severus said, "She doesn't have that much time-"

"-What are you saying?!" Harry shouted with a desperate cry.

Tears pooled in his green eyes.

Harry had only gotten his mother back a month or so earlier and now she was dying?

Severus was not disturbed by Harry's emotional display as he finished, "...Until your sibling arrives."

Harry was breathing hard. He wiped away the tears that tumbled down his face with one rough motion of his hands.

Through his fog of grief and bitter resignation, Harry processed Severus's words and once he did, he looked at his father in shock.

"...My what?" Harry asked Severus in disbelief.

"Your sibling." Severus repeated.

Harry blinked at Severus and Severus stared back at him.

"...You've got to be joking." Harry chuckled.

"Is that something that I do?" Severus asked very seriously.

Harry blew out a breath and the look on his face changed from one of sadness to one of bewilderment.

"Wow….." Harry sighed, "Wow…..Well, I'm glad you two enjoyed your trip."

Severus grit his teeth in irritation at his son, as he hissed angrily, "This has nothing to do with our trip, P-!"

A smile tugged at the ends of Harry's lips.

Severus looked mortified and he fell silent.

Growing annoyed with his son, Severus was embarrassed that he had resorted to his old habit of being able to channel his irritation with his offspring by spitting out his old nemesis' name.

"Go on, say it then." Harry challenged his father.

Harry was being playful, but Severus didn't have much of a sense of humor.

Severus chose to say it, alright

Severus continued, clenching his jaw, "This has nothing to do with our trip, Harry!".

Harry's eyes bulged in their sockets as his father gave him more than he had asked.

That was the first time that Severus had ever called him by his first name.

His actual name.

Severus watched the look in Harry's eyes soften while he continued to explain, "The healers told your mother and I the child was conceived before the night of the attack. Your mother's state during these years has kept everything in her body dormant…...think about someone petrified, only their muscles are relaxed and they sleep peacefully."

Harry fell quiet for a moment.

Harry.

His father called him by name.

A sibling….

"So…...then I should have a brother or sister that's only a bit younger than me?" Harry asked.

Severus nodded slowly, "In a situation where the Dark Lord hadn't discovered your and your mother's whereabouts, yes, that would have been the probable outcome."

"I could have had someone with me all along…..." Harry whispered, more to himself than his father.

The remorse in his son's voice bothered Severus. Wanting to get Harry's mind back on the present, Severus informed him, "The child is expected to be born in March."

"Oh…" Harry said slowly, "I see."

"You understand why that month won't fit into our calendar, then?" Severus asked Harry.

"Of course." Harry said quickly.

Severus scanned Harry's face, trying to determine his reaction to the news he had just been presented with, but when he failed to do so, he frowned.

After a pause, Severus spoke again, "Your mother and I are still getting used to the idea, just as you are now. She's terrified that you'll be angry…..or that you may even grow to despise us."

"Why would I despise you two about this?" Harry asked.

"No idea…..." Severus shrugged, "...Ask your mother."

"Where did she go?" Harry said quickly, standing from his seat again.

Severus watched the determined look on his son's face as he replied, "Most likely to our room. Go and speak with her there if you wish."

"Right." Harry said with a nod.

Harry took a step forward to leave the dining area but Severus called to him before he walked away and asked, "...Are you angry with us?"

"No." Harry said, turning around and blinking at his father, "Why would I be? What happened, what he did, wasn't your fault."

"Are you angry about the child?" Severus pressed.

"No." Harry repeated. Looking directly at Severus he added. "Really, I'm happy to have a family at last, my family. And I'll take it in whatever size or whatever manner…" Severus couldn't help but feel like Harry was referring to him by that statement, "...it comes."

Without another word, Harry dashed from the dining area and walked up the stairs to go and comfort his distraught mother.

Sitting alone at the table, Severus enveloped himself in his musings.

This time, it was Severus that swallowed dryly, profoundly humbled by his son's words.

—-

Lily tried to dry her tears when a slight knock sounded on the bedroom door.

"C-Come in." She called out weakly.

The door creaked open and Lily looked over. Her green eyes widened as Harry entered the room.

Lily moved to sit up quickly, putting a feigned, bright smile on her face, "Oh, sweetheart! I'm sorry about that! You didn't have to-"

"-It's alright, Mum." Harry said seriously as he sat down on the bed beside his mother, "Dad told me."

"...He….did?" Lily asked in a small, fearful voice.

The apprehension that shadowed her face made Harry frown.

"Why would you think that I'd be angry?" Harry asked Lily with a sigh.

Lily wiped her eyes and forced back her tears long enough to speak, "I just…...I didn't want you to be disappointed or…..unhappy."

"As long as we can be a family," Harry said, his eyes flickered to Lily's flat belly as he spoke, "All of us, then I'm not disappointed, I'm not unhappy, Mum!"

Lily laughed in spite of herself and Harry leaned in towards his mother to give her a gentle hug.

"Will you still come home?" Lily asked Harry in a hopeful voice.

"I don't really think he….Dad….. wants me to." Harry said as their embrace ended and they pulled away from each other.

"Of course he does, sweetheart! Your father's just a little shy sometimes." Lily smiled at Harry.

"Right….'shy'." Harry said with a sarcastic grin.

Lily knew her husband well.

Harry didn't realize it, but downstairs as Severus sat at the table, he was already pondering which bedroom upstairs would be best suited for the nursery and which bedroom upstairs would be best suited for Harry.