[a/n]Two exciting milestones with this post. #400 in the HDD Collection. And whosoever posts the 1st review here will have the high honor of being #2000 of SoHDD. I love my fans!

Sequel to SoHDD#149, rare that I've immediately sequelized. A first I believe, where Harry doesn't even appear.

Harry Does Different CCCCb

Snape Post Traveler

January 6 1981

"Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Malfoy, this confirms you are in fact pregnant." She told her patient.

The couple shared rare smiles "That is most excellent. And so soon after Draco's birth. Can I assume another boy? As the royals say, an heir and a spare." Said the husband.

"None of that, Lucius." The mother scolded her husband "Girls are as important as boys in making alliances. We do not need to be Weasleys, but I never thought I could be even half as prolific as Mother. Especially after the difficulty with Draco. Healer Lockhart, I thank you for everything you have done."

The lovely older witch smiled at the compliment "Thank you, Lady. Though truthfully, I did little more than diagnose the condition and bring the potion. This is barely out of the experimental stage. Even more remarkable is the researcher who created it. The ink on his healer's license is not even dry."

"Indeed? Scarcely a child." The husband's comment was difficult to decipher, even for the wife. "Would it be possible, Healer, for me to thank him personally? While my wife rests? After all, my father is a member of the Board. It is nice to see our contributions doing so much good."

Abcij

Lucius Malfoy was not a wizard to go into a situation blindly. He did go St. Mungo's onsite laboratory, but not before first stopping in the personnel office. There, his family name granted him access to the researcher's file. An hour later, thus well informed, he opened the door marked POTIONS.

"Severus, we are low on Skele-grow. I believe it is your turn to clean the cauldron." A witch told her co-worker.

In a slightly suffering tone, the wizard replied "Yes, oh elf-mistress. You start on the ingredients, Alice, and watch my brew. Make sure it stays right at boiling. Hello, may I help you?"

"In fact you already have. Very much so. Lucius Malfoy." The visitor introduced himself formally "I understand you are Mr. Snape?"

The potioneer nodded and shook the proffered hand "I am a fully licensed healer, though I have little direct contact with patients. To what do you refer, sir?"

"My wife and I desired a second child and had been quite unsuccessful. My understanding is you developed the potion we both took to achieve a pregnancy." Replied Lucius.

Severus brightened, pausing before resuming his scrubbing "Most kind of you. Through my school years, I thought it odd so few of my classmates had brothers or sisters."

"You are then a mud - - Muggleborn?" Lucius stifled his usual vocabulary.

Severus' expression didn't change "My Mother was a witch, my Father a Muggle. He was less than accepting of our abilities." That answer, he thought, enough of the truth for an acquaintance.

"That is unfortunate." Lucius seemed sympathetic, then became cautious "I do not mean to be rude, but might our conversation be confidential? Medical privacy …I am sure you understand, my dear?"

Severus waved his wand "Silencio! Alice will hear nothing and, regardless, will not approach until I invite her to."

"I recall you from school." Said Lucius, stretching the truth quite a bit "I am a bit older, but even my class was aware of your feud with Black and his gang. I had graduated by the time you finally told off that Gryffindor chit, but I still had friends in Hogwarts at the time. You were friends with the Mudblood against all the tenets of our House, but finally saw reason. I believe with your skill and correct political leanings, you would make a valuable addition to the Dark Lord's movement."

Severus shook his head "I am gratified at the success of my fertility potion. And, no."

"I beg your pardon?" Lucius' face tightened "My impression is that Slytherins are ambitious."

Severus set aside his scrubbing brush "Mr. Malfoy, perhaps I can explain this way. I love research and I am, without false modesty, brilliant at it. The fact that I am a fully qualified Healer has little to do with spending the day on the floor treating everything from Quidditch injuries to dragon pox. I went tens of thousands of Galleons into debt to do exactly what I am doing right now."

"Scrubbing cauldrons? How glorious." Lucius sneered "Though for a moment, back to your potion invention, did you consider a parent might prefer a male child?"

To the first part, the researcher sneered back "You had the same teacher as I. Any self-respecting potioneer cares for his or her equipment." The second part caught his interest and he picked up parchment and scratched a note, adding distractedly "Choosing sex? I never considered that, even as an academic question. That might be possible."

"The Dark Lord does not take rejection well. And, once refused, he does NOT extend a second." Lucius' voice was icy, his eyes had stormclouds "You have likely made an enemy, Mr. Snape."

Snape's wand slid out of his wrist holster into his hand, though the move was unseen "This from the man grateful his wife is pregnant? Be that as it may. You speak of ambition, perhaps you speak of the ambition to be tortured for the least little thing? My sources tell me that is quite common among Death Eaters. Tell me, how many times have you experienced a Crucio?"

"How dare you- -" the blond wizard began to rage.

Severus cut him off "Regardless of my inclination to even vote for you should you run for Minister, I find the actions of Death Eaters deplorable. Participation in that, even to the taking of one life, betrays my sacred oath to my craft. I would, however, if called upon, treat any victim of violence. That includes someone who likely inflicted torture on others."

"Mudbloods and trait- -" Lucius started.

Severus overrode him without raising his voice "Your modus operandi is predictable. You would next threaten my life and those of my wife and daughter. Understandable, my childhood friend never forgave me, however, I learned most thoroughly the lessons of the snakepit."

"What?" that made no sense to the visitor.

The researcher smiled coldly "As I said, I am pledged to heal. But family above all. If anything happens to my family, I will give a pensieve memory of this whole conversation to Potter. He may hate me, but the do-gooder hates you even more, never mind your master. Should I die of anything other than old age, the same. I doubt you could kill both me and my fellow brewer. Even if you succeed, this room is specially warded. Congratulations on your coming child, you may go."

"Mark. My. Words. Snape. You will someday meet a very. Sticky. End." Lucius ground out the words and stormed out of the room.