Okay… I must admit it: I couldn't leave my story here. I loved it too damn much. Plus, I received many demands to continue it. So here it is. But I must warn you. It's so not going to be a walk in the park. It's gonna be quite atrocious for our heroes. Although SQ is endgame. As it's meant to be.
So here it goes: Harry Potter's years in Hogwarts with Henry, Ron, Hermione, Severus and Regina. And Emma, of course.
Have fun, guys.
Chapter 8. The Beginning of Hell
Regina was stunned. For the longest moment, she stood around, lost. The words were slowly impregnating her mind, but couldn't make sense just yet. How could she have made a child? She was a girl. Sleeping with another girl. This was impossible. But isn't magic supposed to be impossible for Muggles? a little voice kept whispering in her head. Magic was indeed everywhere.
She looked again at the picture. Henry was just a little baby. It was hard to say, but his hair was black, just like hers. And Regina didn't know any black-haired guy with whom Emma could have slept with… not that she knew any guy Emma could have slept with…
"Oh my God…" she murmured.
At the exact same moment, Severus appeared in front of her and hollowly exhaled:
"Lily gave birth to a son two weeks ago"
She looked at him, too stunned to physically react. Lily was a newly mother. Just like her. And she hadn't said a word about her pregnancy to her oldest friends.
"You are an uncle"
That was the only response she was capable to voice in that moment. Severus raised his eyebrows, despising.
"You really think I'll love that bastard as my nephew?"
She slowly inspired.
"I wasn't talking about Lily's child. I was talking about mine" she finally answered, handing him Henry's picture.
Severus didn't say a word and took the photo. He examined it for a very long time.
"Is that possible?" he calmly asked.
"I have no idea"
Then, Regina fell to the ground, crying. Her brother cradled her and soothingly rocked her, murmuring that everything was going to be alright. But his tears were also falling in her neck, she could feel them.
"Do you think he's really mine, Sevy?" she sobbed.
"Yeah… I think he is, sweetie. Emma wouldn't have lied about that" he conceded.
She abruptly stood up and paced, thinking out loud:
"Holy f…, what do I have to do? She'll never forgive me! How could I have been so stupid? I should ha…"
"Stop that, Gina" Severus said. "You couldn't have guessed that kind of thing, and honestly she could have explained it a little bit more clearly!" he bitterly added.
"It's not her fault!" Regina weakly protested.
"Yes, it is! You're suddenly a mother, and you didn't even know it! She should have told you before!"
"She thought I had understood and didn't want a child!"
"Oh please, who could have understood that?" he disbelievingly asked.
"What do I have to do, Sev?"
"You have to find her. And you have to meet your son. God, I have a nephew" he finally smiled through his tears. "What's his name?"
"Henry" she murmured.
Understanding flashed through her brother's eyes.
"I never thought I would be happy today" he whispered back.
"Who told you about Lily?"
"The Dark Lord. He has spies everywhere…"
"Obviously not around Emma" she remarked.
"You have to find her, Gina. Right now. We have to see him!" he exclaimed.
"I have no idea where she could be right now!" Regina cried dejectedly.
"Then go find Dumbledore. And ask him" Severus urged her.
It took half an hour for Severus to convince Regina that it was the right thing to do. As usual, she eventually followed Severus' instructions. She took some Floo powder and landed in Dumbledore's office. He looked at her, surprised.
"Regina? Is there a problem with the Minister?"
"Not with the Minister" she darkly answered. "I need to see Emma" she kept on.
"I see" he simply stated.
Regina raised her eyebrows.
"You knew, didn't you?" she asked, as if she wanted to hear the exact opposite answer.
"I did" he calmly said.
Regina felt so lost she wanted to cry. Why didn't Dumbledore say anything to her? He knew she was going to be a mother, and yet he didn't feel the necessity to inform her…
"Where is she?" Regina voiced, still struggling not to cry.
"She is at the Potter's for the time being. She worked for the Order until the very last moment. Lily and James wanted her to live with them as long as she was pregnant. They both gave birth. Henry's the first born, and Harry followed his lead two days after. They're both healthy." He gently smiled.
"She didn't want you to tell me, did she?" Regina inquired.
Dumbledore nodded. Regina could understand that. Of course Emma didn't want her to know anything about her pregnancy.
"If I assume correctly, you didn't know the child was yours" Dumbledore kept on.
It wasn't a question. It was an affirmation.
"How could I?" she asked back.
"And this is why you left Hogwarts"
Regina nodded.
"I see. I think you should go and talk to her… Henry's a newly born. He needs both his mothers"
A single tear ran down Regina's cheek.
"Where do they live?" she inquired.
"Godric's Hollow" Dumbledore gently smiled. "You have a week before going back to the Ministry, Regina".
Regina acquiesced.
"Is it really possible? For me to be his mother?" she murmured.
Dumbledore's eyes seemed to pierce her very soul.
"You are capable to turn a hat into a cat. And you're wondering if it is possible to conceive a child with another woman?" he asked, almost amused.
Regina slowly exhaled, somehow relieved. Henry was hers. Emma had never betrayed her trust. She loved her. Maybe she still loved her enough to forgive her. They had been through so many things together.
"Thank you" she whispered to Dumbledore.
Regina took some Floo powder for the second time, and went back at her place. Severus was waiting for her.
"So?" he urged her.
He didn't seem to be sane in that moment. His deception about Lily, and joy about Henry were competing hard in his mind. It was obvious to Regina. Although, his joy seemed to predominate. She would have to introduce him to his nephew as soon as possible, to keep him away from his resentment.
"So, she's at James' and Lily's…" she blushed, uncomfortable.
Severus grumped. To be fair, Regina wasn't glad to see her childhood friend right now.
"You still have to go. Never mind if I can't see him. I will later" he winced. "But you have to go, now"
Regina knew he was right. But she was scared… so scared. Not only because of Emma and Henry. Also because of her childhood sister, who hadn't even had the decency to tell her that she was pregnant? Why hadn't she? And why hadn't Emma told her before about her being a mother? Everything felt unfair to her. Of course she shouldn't have jumped to conclusions, but how could she have seriously believed that she had conceived a child?
However, Regina nodded. She needed to meet Henry. Emma had showed her love for her throughout this very name. She had been the one saying that she would like her son to be named Henry, had she had the chance to be a mother someday. This had to mean something, right? She kissed Severus goodbye, holding him in her arms a little too long for a simple goodbye. She was scared. She needed comfort. Severus whispered some encouragements in her ear.
When she felt okay (okay enough not to vomit, that is), she transported to Godric's Hollow. She had no idea where their house would be, but she figured she would find it anyway. So she walked. The houses weren't big, but seemed comfy enough. All those months trying to forget Emma, trying to refrain her feelings… and here she was, about to see her. She didn't even know what she felt for the woman anymore. She didn't want to remember the memories she had spent months to bury. The throbbing pain in her chest, she had spent months ignoring, seemed impossible not to feel right now, though.
It became even more excruciating when Emma, Lily and James came into her view throughout a window.
They seemed happy. The three of them were sitting on a sofa. Emma and James were feeding the babies. Every time their eyes landed on the babies, they couldn't stop smiling.
Regina gulped and slowly advanced. She felt sick. Her stomach was hurting as if hundreds of butterflies had decided to go through World War III inside of her.
They didn't see her approaching. And when she rang the bell with a shaky hand, they couldn't see her anymore.
"Coming" a muffled voice said.
Lily didn't even have be seen, Regina knew it was her. As soon as she opened the door, her mouth fell open.
"Regina" she murmured, her eyes instantly watering.
"Who's there, Lil?" James loudly asked from the distance.
But Lily didn't answer, still focused on her friend.
"Hey. I came to see my… Henry." Regina muttered, her eyes fixed on the ground, unable to look at her friend – out of guilt, shame and anger.
"Of course you are… please come in" Lily gently said.
The door was being closed when James arrived, alerted by the fact that his wife hadn't answered him yet. And he was followed by Emma...
As soon as their eyes met, Regina realised how foolish she had been to believe that she ever could forget her feelings for Emma. And if Emma's expression was anything to go by, Regina would have sworn that the blonde's thoughts were exactly the same as hers. Her chest constricted when all the memories came back rushing at her. It was overwhelming to look into those eyes. To escape their intensity and the pain, her eyes landed on Henry. The baby was resting in Emma's arms, peaceful. She realised she had never craved anyone's love harder than in this moment. Henry would mean her life from now on… she already knew it. She would give her life for this child if she had to.
"Lily could you take Henry and give us a moment, please?" Emma lowly asked, her words difficultly leaving her mouth.
"Sure" Lily hastily answered.
The Potters and Henry went upstairs, while Emma went to the living room, probably expecting Regina to follow her. Regina's gaze was fixed on Henry until she couldn't see him anymore. She then followed Emma – who still hadn't turned around -, not really realising what was happening. As soon as she closed the door though, Emma turned around and slapped her. Hard.
Regina didn't know how to react. So she blankly stared back at her, her hand on her reddening cheek, numb. Emma intensely looked at her, and turned around again. She rearranged her hair, and loudly exhaled.
"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have slapped you" she whispered. "I promised myself I wouldn't react this way, that I wasn't mad at you anymore" she rambled.
A long silence ensued. Emma was trying hard to regulate her breath it seemed. And Regina was trying her best to find the right words which needed to be said.
"Why didn't you tell me?" Regina finally murmured.
"Tell you what?" Emma answered distractedly.
"That he was mine"
Emma quickly turned around.
"You thought he wasn't?" she asked disbelievingly.
Regina nodded. Emma seemed completely shocked.
"You thought I would have cheated on you?" she tried to clarify.
"Of course I did, Emma!" Regina answered dejectedly. She felt shameful and frustrated.
"You're even dumber than what I originally thought" Emma exhaled, angry now.
"Right. It's completely dumb to believe that a child can only be conceived by a man and a woman" Regina angrily answered.
Emma pondered her words for a moment. Probably trying to remember the moment she had made it perfectly clear that Henry was hers. She didn't seem to find any, and shamefully looked at her.
"I've never been the best at communication… I really thought you had understood and wasn't ready for a child" she explained.
"I know. You only saw what you were expecting to see. You never trusted me enough to believe that I would never abandon you… and I never trusted you enough to believe that you'd never betray me" Regina admitted, defeated.
"We really suck with our fucking trust issues" Emma pondered, despairingly.
"I trust you don't speak this way around our child, Emma" Regina reprimanded her, almost horrified.
She couldn't help it. Surprisingly, Emma burst into laughs for a few seconds.
"I can't believe you're already lecturing me on the way to raise our son… but it feels so good to hear you say it, though"
Emma seemed suddenly so relieved, it was transfiguring. She looked so beautiful through her unspent tears, and radiant smile.
"I wish I had been there, Emma. I wouldn't have been scared…"
Regina was about to add that she would have been thrilled instead, but stopped. It wasn't the right time for that kind of declarations. Emma seemed on the verge of tears already.
"I am so sorry I wasn't there for you, Emma" Regina said instead.
Emma lowered her head and throatily chuckled.
"Yeah, me too" she whispered.
She raised her head again and locked eyes with Regina. The intensity of their love filled every part of Regina, mending the pieces of her broken heart, and filling each and every empty places in her chest. Getting lost in Emma's loving eyes felt like finally coming back home.
They closed the distance between them at the exact same moment, and desperately grabbed each other. Emma instantly lifted Regina. The brunette wrapped her legs around Emma's waist in an automatic motion, and cupped her face in both her hands, still staring hard at her eyes. Emma pushed her up against the nearest wall. They were both breathing the same air, and God how had she missed the feeling, Regina realised.
"Hey" Emma breathed, brushing her nose against Regina's.
"Hey" Regina answered.
Unable to wait any longer, the brunette finally kissed her. It was sweet, devouring, hungry, desperate, and passionate all at once. It wasn't enough though. She needed Emma to make love to her, it had been too long. Still lost in Emma's mouth, and not realising what she was doing, she began to rub herself against her lover. Her moans were louder and louder. It had been so long that four thrusts were already enough to make her feel on the verge of coming. But Emma felt it and suddenly stilled her hips. Regina growled. Emma detached herself from the tempting lips, just enough to look at her and chuckled.
"You haven't changed a bit. You're still the same as you were at 14 years old" she teased her.
"I don't exactly feel like chatting right now, baby" Regina answered, kissing her again and resuming their previous activities.
But Emma broke the kiss again, and gently said:
"We can't do that here…"
But her murmur turned into a loud moan when Regina began to lick her neck.
"Don't you wish to meet Henry?" she hoarsely asked.
Regina froze. Henry. Her own son. Of course she wanted to meet him. She gently let go of Emma, who put her down slowly. Emma grabbed her hand and reassuringly smiled at her. Regina smiled back and they both went upstairs.
Meeting Henry was the most overwhelming experience she had ever felt. The first time she had held him in her arms, it had felt so foreign, and so terrifying… but so right. She couldn't let him go, and couldn't get enough of him. James and Lily had exited the room, giving Emma and her family some privacy. The three of them had laid in the bed, Emma enlacing Regina who was still cradling the baby. After being fed, Henry had fell sound asleep. For the longest time, none of them had spoken.
"How's your job?" finally whispered Emma.
"Helpful" Regina admitted.
"How?"
"It makes me feel useful… and it prevented me from thinking about you…" Regina reluctantly kept on.
Emma tightened her grip.
"I know the feeling" she murmured.
"When do you graduate as an Auror?" Regina asked back.
"Soon. They need as many wizards as possible to fight You-Know-Who" Emma answered.
"I'm not sure I'm okay with the idea of you fighting him"
"We don't have a choice, Gina"
"I know" the brunette sighed.
"You… you do?" Emma stammered, surprised.
"Yes. I realised… some things" Regina conceded.
"Then… how do you cope with Severus being a Death Eater?" Emma kept on, curious.
"Not very well, I guess… speaking of which… he wants to meet his nephew" Regina said.
Emma froze.
"It's out of the question" she angrily murmured.
"He has a right to meet him!" Regina indignantly said.
"He hasn't! He's a Death Eater, now! My son will not be around someone like that!"
Regina abruptly stood up, careful not to wake Henry, and put him in his cradle. She then exited the room, expecting Emma to follow the suit. Which she did. They went down to the living room, where James and Lily were tranquilly eating.
"Your son is also my son, Emma. Severus might be what he is, but there's more than meets the eye, and you know that better than anyone. Plus, he's the only uncle our child has. You will not take that away from him!" Regina desperately argued.
"He chose You-Know-Who over his family!" Emma countered.
"He chose You-Know-Who over pain!" Regina nearly screamed.
"That man isn't the only uncle Henry has" James intervened, angrily.
"James, stay out of this" both Lily and Emma said at the same time.
Regina murderously stared at him, and he seemed to curl up under her gaze. She looked back at Emma, almost pleadingly.
"If it wasn't for him, I don't even know if I would have come back" she confessed.
"What do you mean?" Emma asked, lost.
"He almost forced me to come back to you… to do the right thing. He cried when he learnt that he was an uncle. You can't take his family away from him"
Regina's voice faltered, and she stopped speaking, afraid to cry. Emma looked properly torn.
"You still have contact with him?" she quietly asked.
"Of course I do… he's my twin brother" she murmured.
"Regina, can I have a word with you?" Lily interrupted the two women.
Regina turned to Lily, who looked at her expectantly. She nodded her approbation, and Lily stood up. The brunette then turned back to Emma who was gazing at the both of them, apprehensively. Regina gave her a small smile and followed Lily.
The red-headed girl led her outside. There was a lovely little garden, with a swing tied to an apple tree. Lily sat on the swing.
"Remember when we were kids and Severus would always swing us?" she gently smiled.
"Of course I remember" Regina softly and sadly answered.
"I asked for a swing in our garden for him. As a sort of reminder" Lily explained.
"A reminder of what?"
"A reminder of what we used to have. Of what I used to have. Another sister… and a brother."
Regina's eyes watered.
"The apple tree was for you" Lily added, melancholic.
Apple trees had always been Regina's favourites. She noticed that it hurt to know she remembered that as well. She quietly sat at the foot of the tree, waiting for Lily to speak, and trying to process all the events of the day.
"I won't pretend I don't know why Severus acted the way he did. I know him as much as he knows me. And I know we were doomed to end up this way. I don't feel… that kind of feelings for him" she explained.
"I know" Regina simply answered.
"But… I was wrong about you. I was so certain you would always take his side and become just like him… I let my insecurities cloud my judgement"
"What do you mean?"
"I was afraid that you would forget me; that you'd choose him over me. So I pushed you away. Just like Severus did with me. I was so sure you'd end up following his suit and becoming a Death-Eater. I didn't realise… I didn't realise you're not him. I still love the two of you like you were my family. What Severus did, will never change that. But I was so wrong to… condemn you for something you'd never done and would never do… I'm sorry, Gina"
Tears were now pouring on Lily's cheeks. And Regina couldn't tear her eyes away from her. They intensely looked at each other, communicating everything they hadn't said for years, comforting each other without using words. And Regina began to cry. Loudly. Uncontrollably. Lily sat on the ground and enlaced her immediately. They sobbed for the longest time, both begging for forgiveness, and both reiterating their unconditional love. Regina noticed that Lily had kept the bracelet they had offered her, years ago. The sobbing slowly stopped.
"How are your parents?" Regina softly inquired through her tears, still enlaced into Lily's warmth.
"They're good… still coping with the fact that they can't see the two of you anymore, though"
"I miss them so much… I missed you so much" Regina whispered.
"You have no idea how much I hate myself for pushing you two away"
Her voice was hollow. Regina couldn't bear it.
"Don't. I know you love us. Sev does too. Needless to say he loves you too, whatever happens."
"What about you?" Lily asked, insecure. Unconsciously, her grip around Regina tightened.
"You're the only sister I have. No matter what" Regina solemnly answered.
"I love you, Regina"
"I love you too, Lily"
They both exhaled, relieved. Content.
"But seriously, though… Potter?" Regina disbelievingly asked.
Lily chuckled throatily. The brunette couldn't help laughing too.
"I know… who would have thought?" she giggled.
"Severus" Regina darkly answered to the rhetorical question.
"What?"
"Severus knew… right from the start" Regina explained.
Lily loudly exhaled.
"I'm not even surprised… he always knew me better than I know myself. How is he?"
"He's… not really pleased to know that you're a mother" Regina admitted.
"Surprising" Lily smiled, sarcastic.
"He's not really pleased with the fact that you didn't say anything either" the brunette added.
"I'm sorry about that… I really didn't know how to break the news, you know?" she shamefully answered.
"I understand"
"I'll never see him again, will I?" Lily inquired. Silent tears were falling for her eyes, right into Regina's neck.
The brunette didn't answer anything. There was nothing to answer, and nobody could know what would happen.
"I will help you convince Emma to let Severus meet Henry" Lily added.
"Thank you" Regina radiantly smiled.
"Also… I… have something very important to ask you" Lily suddenly changed the subject. Her tone was very serious.
She detached from Regina to look at her, in the eyes.
"What is it, Lil?" she asked, apprehensively.
"I would like… you to be… Harry's godmother. I would like you to take care of him, in the eventuality where we couldn't anymore" Lily slowly and fearfully explained. "Sirius already accepted to be his godfather… I wish it had been Severus, but I couldn't deny James' right to choose a godfather, and…"
Regina's eyes watered and she interrupted her friends' babbling.
"Only if you'll be Henry's godmother" she whispered, unable to speak louder.
Lily laughed, relieved. Happy.
The rest of the day was spent catching up. Lily kept her promise to Regina, and argued about the importance of the family. Regina explained to Emma, Lily and James everything about her job. And the three of them detailed their Auror training to her, and the Order of the Phoenix. They spoke about the Order, wondering if they had any chance to defeat Voldemort. Regina was congratulated for her saving of Elsa's family.
They also spoke about Ruby who had seemingly found the love of her life. Her name was Belle and she was a librarian Muggle. According to Emma, they were so in love that it was hard sometimes to be around them. They also spoke about the Muggle victims of Voldemort.
"Lestrange killed twenty Muggles, yesterday" James informed her, sombrely.
Regina gasped, shocked.
"Rodolphus's always been a brute" she finally darkly answered.
"I wasn't talking about him" James countered. "I was talking about his wife. Bellatrix"
"What the…?" Regina didn't even finish her sentence. She was too stunned.
"She's Voldemort's closest and most faithful ally now" Emma developed.
"The Order has spies within the Death-Eaters… According to Dumbledore, Voldemort's looking for you. Bellatrix knows you're the one protecting the Muggles. He also knows you are behind the rescue of Elsa's family" James added.
"Which means that Sev's still protecting you" Lily intervened.
"That's not possible" Emma countered. "How could he hide her from him? Voldemort's a legilimens"
"So is Severus" Regina slowly answered.
"Not to mention that he's the best occlumens I've ever met" Lily added.
Emma grumped.
"Which means… Voldemort cannot read his thoughts?" she asked.
"He can. Snape merely hides his thoughts, to never let him get the true ones" James explained.
Regina was surprised to hear him speak about her brother without hatred.
"So… Voldemort wouldn't know about Henry if Severus met him?" Emma murmured.
James stiffened, but seemed resigned and comprehensive. Lily reassuringly and happily smiled. And Regina beamed.
"No, he couldn't" she simply answered.
"Fine" Emma exhaled.
Emma and Regina didn't make love that first night. Their kisses were constantly interrupted by the two babies, and they didn't feel at ease in this house, with James and Lily so close anyway. They rested in each other arms, closely connected. They barely slept. They both were secretly terrified to wake up and realise that this had just been a dream. Morning arrived, and although they were extenuated, they were happy. When they went downstairs with Henry – who was eating for what seemed the hundredth time to Regina – the Potters were already having breakfast.
"Good morning" Emma yawned.
"Hey girls" they greeted them back, smiling.
Regina hated to admit it, even to herself, but James wasn't the asshole he used to be. He was even quite charming when he wanted to be. The two women sat, and took some coffee.
"What are you going to do today?" Lily gently inquired.
"I was thinking… maybe we could introduce Henry to his uncle" Emma hesitantly answered, looking at Regina.
The latter almost spat the coffee she was drinking.
"Are… you… sure?" she choked, disbelievingly.
"Yeah… I think you're right, baby. He's family after all" Emma admitted.
Regina's answering smile had never been brighter or more beautiful than in that instant. A silence ensued… eventually broken by Regina's careful words.
"Maybe you also could move in with me today"
It was said very lightly, but no one could mistake. It was a huge deal for her.
"I think this is a good idea" Emma acquiesced. "It would have been too complicated to process otherwise… plus, we've been living with each other for two years, not so long ago" she smiled.
"True" Regina confirmed.
They were both talking about the subject as if it was nothing, but they both knew how much they needed it… as much as they needed air to breathe.
"Where do you live, Gina?" Lily eagerly asked, thrilled for her friends.
"London, right next to Hyde Park" Regina answered.
"Do you have a chimney?" James added.
"Of course, and you're most welcome whenever you feel like visiting us" Regina brightly answered.
"We won't forget that" Lily deviously smiled. "But I'm pretty sure you'll regret it when we visit you everyday"
Regina and Emma laughed. James smiled lovingly at his wife. Regina realised she was happy for them. They truly seemed right for each other. They seemed happy.
The two girls finally packed all the blonde's stuff into one suitcase, and all Henry's stuff into another one, after having enchanted the two pieces of furniture. They were ready to leave.
Regina felt her heart constrict at the mere idea of being apart from Lily again. But she had no choice. And she had a child to bring up. The goodbyes, as predicted weren't easy. Especially for Emma who was leaving two friends… they established that they would spend every Wednesday nights at the Potters', and every Sunday nights at theirs. It felt comforting to know they would see them in two days. It made them feel less heavy.
"But you're welcome to come every day if you want to, Lily" Regina smiled through her tears.
"I'll keep that in mind" Lily answered, crying too.
Regina's apartment wasn't ideal for a family. Consequently, as soon as they arrived, Emma and Regina spent an hour enchanting it. The flat was now bigger, brighter, with four bedrooms (just in case Lily and James wanted to sleep over with Harry), and two bathrooms. The living room was practically smelling "home sweet home", with many coloured cushions and carpets to lay down in front of the chimney. Regina felt like she could breathe for the very first time in months.
At 11am, the moving in was done. Regina was now cooking, and Emma was on a rocking chair, quietly humming a lullaby for Henry. They both couldn't stop smiling. The lasagne were cooking on the stove, and Severus had accepted to come and dine with them. So Regina joined Emma on the rocking chair.
"I love you" she murmured, while enlacing her.
Emma brightly smiled at her, and kissed her as an answer.
"Thank you for forgiving my stupidity" Regina shyly added.
Emma quietly chuckled.
"I will always do. Thank you for coming back" she replied.
"I cannot live without you… and also, I guess you can thank Severus for that"
"Thank me for what, exactly?" Severus lowly asked.
Emma and Regina turned to him, surprised. He had appeared in the living room, and was smiling at them. Regina immediately got up, and hugged him.
"Hey baby bro" she whispered.
"Hey honey. You seem good" he said while kissing her cheek.
"I am" she flushed a little.
Severus then turned to Emma. The blonde seemed torn again. She didn't know if she could trust him or not… and even if he was Regina's brother, she needed to test him.
"How's Voldemort?" she asked.
He winced.
"A little bit better every time he kills a Muggle" he shrugged.
"And how do you feel about that?" she urged him.
Severus simply smiled. Sarcastically.
"I'm sure you'll tell me" he finally answered. "May I see him?" he then asked, insecure.
He was looking at Henry. And Emma still hadn't decided what to do. Regina saw her internal conflict and seized Severus' hand. She wanted to show her that it was okay. Emma's gaze fell on their linked hands and she exhaled slowly, defeated. She had decided to trust Regina with her life. She was determined not to make the same mistakes ever again. So if it meant trusting Regina's twin brother, she would.
"Of course" she finally said.
Severus hadn't noticed the silent exchange, though. He was focused on his nephew. As Emma got up, he moved closer to her to see the baby. When he saw his face, happy tears poured from his eyes and he uncontrollably half-smiled, half-chuckled.
"Hello Henry" he whispered to the sleeping child.
Emma's heart melted at the vision. Her brother-in-law wasn't perfect, but she had to admit that he was very sweet when he wanted to.
"Would you like to hold him?" she smiled.
He looked at her, stunned.
"You… you sure?" he stammered.
She simply laughed and showed him how to place his arms. Then, she gave Henry to his uncle. Severus gasped when the boy caught his shirt between his tiny fists. His smile was bigger than any smile Regina had ever seen on his face. The brunette went to Emma and hugged her tightly, silently thanking her for her brother. She kissed the crook of her neck and chuckled when she saw the goosebumps on Emma's arms. Meantime, Severus was whispering to Henry:
"Hello Henry. My name is Severus, which is a very long and complicated name. But you're lucky, I'm your uncle. So you just can call me that. You can call me anything you want, actually. I will always protect you, little one. Welcome to our family"
His tone was more than a promise, it felt like a commitment. The timer went off in the kitchen. The lasagne was ready.
Regina magically and distractedly set the table and exited the meal from the oven.
"The lunch is served" she announced lightly. Emma took back Henry and placed him in his cradle. She then placed the cradle right next to Severus, who thanked her with his eyes. Emma smiled back in acknowledgement.
"Congratulations Emma. The boy is beautiful… you did well" he praised her.
"Thank you, Severus. Regina helped me conceive him, though. Plus, I got help" she smiled.
"Who helped you?" he asked genuinely interested.
Emma hesitated. Regina answered.
"Lily and Potter. They helped her throughout her pregnancy"
Severus' face darkened.
"How is Lily?"
"She's fine. Harry's a beautiful ba…"
"I didn't ask you about the child, Regina. I asked you about her" he cut her off.
Regina realised her mistake too late. Of course, he wouldn't want to hear about Harry. Emma seemed disgusted on the other hand.
"She apologised to me. To you, too. She said that we were still her family and that she'd always love us as such, no matter what"
A single tear fell from his eyes. This time, they weren't happy ones.
"The lasagne is perfect, Gina" he simply answered.
"Thank you, Sev" she sadly smiled.
"You have to be careful. I think he tries to gather every piece of information he can about you. He uses Bellatrix" he warned her. "He knows about Emma, too. I think it's just a matter of time before he tries to find you too"
"What do you mean? What does he know about me?" Emma asked, alarmed.
"He knows that you wanted to be an Auror, that you always defended the Muggles… that you're the most important thing for Regina… at least one of the most important. And considering that the other one is already on his side and that nobody knows about Henry, I expect him to look out for you" he explained.
"How would I help him?" Emma asked, confused.
"As a bargaining chip. To corrupt Regina. She's one of the most powerful sorceress of our time. The other two ones are Dumbledore and himself. He desperately wants her on his side"
"What about Henry?" Emma fearfully asked.
"Fidelius Charm" Regina answered.
"What?"
"We need the Fidelius Charm. To protect Henry. He must never leave the flat for the time being. We'll find someone worth of trust to watch over him when we won't. But we need a Secret Keeper" Regina elaborated.
Emma solemnly approved. She agreed with the idea.
"If you trust me, I'll be your Secret Keeper" Severus hollowly said.
"What?" Emma disbelievingly asked. "No way! You're working for him" she almost hysterically screamed.
"He doesn't know that I know where my sister live. I am the only one who can hide my thoughts from him. Nobody will ever suspect me to be your Secret Keeper, precisely because I am a Death-Eater. And last, my sister and my nephew are the only family I have left. Trust me, I will always defend them with my life. I'd rather die, physically tortured, than betray them." he slowly explained.
Emma pondered his words for several minutes. The more Regina thought about it, the more it seemed like a good idea to her. Indeed, nobody would ever suspect Severus to be their Secret Keeper. He wouldn't be endangered in any way.
"I agree with you, Severus. On only one condition. Nobody can know." Regina said.
"Which means nobody will ever enter our house, Regina" Emma reminded her.
"I know" Regina admitted. "But it doesn't mean we can't go out" the brunette replied.
"Fine. I trust you two. I know what you're both capable of and… I trust you" Emma conceded.
Severus seized her hand, and whispered:
"Thank you for trusting me with your family. It means very much to me"
"Well, don't screw up, bro. Or I'll find you and you'll regret the day you were born" Emma threateningly said.
But to her surprise, the two twins cackled.
"Something I said?" Emma asked impatiently.
"Well, you're part of my family, too now." Severus simply answered.
"Really?" Emma asked, surprised.
"Yeah. You threatened me. Welcome to the family" he shrugged, still chuckling.
Emma smiled and shook her head as if to clear her thoughts. But she was secretly pleased. Even if she didn't feel completely secure with their choice, she also felt it was the right thing to do. She felt like she could trust Severus. She simply hoped she wouldn't regret it.
"Thank you, Severus" she said. He raised an eyebrow, and she added: "For protecting our family"
"Always" he simply declared.
That night, the two women laid on the cushions, tightly enlaced, after having put Henry to bed.
"What an emotional day" Emma softly chuckled.
Regina hummed her approval.
"Gina, I know this is much precipitated, but I have to have ask you something."
"What is it baby?" Regina asked, her brows furrowed.
Emma detached from her and intensely looked at her.
"After what Severus said… well it made me think. If Voldemort finds you… or me… it'll be the end of our happy ending, right? And I don't ever wanna wait to proclaim my love to you, and to feel bound to you. I love you with every fibre of my being, Regina. And I swear to always protect you and Henry. So… Will you marry me?"
Regina cupped Emma's face in her hands.
"I love you, Emma Swan. You're the love of my life, we both know that. And yes, it's very much precipitated, but yes I will be overjoyed to be your wife" she lovingly answered, happy tears pouring from her eyes.
They heatedly kissed and passionately made love for the most part of the night. When sleep took over, Emma was resting on top of Regina, her head comfortably set on the brunette's chest. Henry woke them up two hours later, though. And Regina grumbled something like "goin'". She stood up, went to his room, cradled him and fed him. The baby contentedly smiled and Regina – even if exhausted – felt warmth spread inside of her chest. Henry finally fell asleep again, and she put him back to "bed".
"Goodnight, my little prince" she murmured.
The following day, Emma offered Regina her ring. The ring was white gold, surmounted by a blue diamond. It was so simple yet so pure. It was perfect.
"I want to marry you soon, Gina"
"Me too, Em" Regina smiled.
"Great. Let's marry this weekend then." She enthusiastically said.
"What?" Regina nearly choked.
"We don't need a lot of people, baby. Just our friends and family – which will be very easy for me since I have none…" Emma tried to persuade her.
"There'll be a problem though. Your best friends aren't exactly in the greatest terms with my twin brother" Regina reminded her.
Emma winced.
"Fuck… I had forgotten. We have to speak to Severus. We'll find something out" Emma kept on pleading.
Regina chuckled. Without directly answering her bride, she took her phone and dialled her brother.
"Yes honey?" he answered.
"I need you here right now, Sev" she told him.
A second later, Severus was in the living room.
"What's wrong? Is it the baby?" he asked, stressfully.
"Don't fret, Sev. It's nothing like that. We have a huge secret to tell you. And we want you to be the first to know" Regina explained.
He broadly smiled.
"You're so getting married"
Their answering smile was enough for him. He pulled them close into a huge bear hug. The three of them laughed.
"Who proposed?" he asked.
"I did" Emma recognised.
"That's my man!" Severus sniggered.
Emma chuckled and answered:
"I want to marry her this Saturday, Severus"
"Wow. You really like my sister, bro" he remarked.
"Stop with that already" Emma laughed.
"Sev, the thing is… you know who Emma's friends are. We'll have to invite them…" Regina clarified.
Severus nodded.
"Yeah, I know. I figured as much. It's fine. I won't talk to them, don't worry." He promised.
Regina beamed at her brother, and hugged him again.
"Thank you" she whispered.
"Anything for you, baby" he adoringly answered.
"I have one last question for you, Sevy. Will you be my best man and Henry's godfather?" Regina kept on.
The wedding took place in Lily's garden. It had been extended for the occasion. The priest was Dumbledore himself. Emma had been the first to walk down the aisle. Remus was leading her. Emma's two best men were James and Sirius. She wore a black suit, with a white shirt. Her hair was up, in a stylish ponytail. She was positively gorgeous.
Regina arrived just after her, in a white and majestic gown, leaded by Lily's father. Severus and Lily were her two best men. Lily's parents, Remus, Peter, Ruby and Belle were the only guests of the ceremony. Lily's mother was holding Henry, while Ruby was cradling Harry.
The ceremony was simple, yet beautiful and emotional. Everybody cried at the exchange of the vows, for the eternal promises of love were heart-breaking. Dumbledore didn't say the traditional "until death do us part" but replaced it by "as long as there'll be love in this world and beyond".
The ceremony ran smoothly. They all ate with each other, joking, laughing. And even though Severus was a little set back, he didn't seem bitter. Or at least, he was hiding it for the sake of his sister. Lily and Severus didn't talk, much to Regina's surprise. But they exchanged glances which spoke volumes. Lily's parents were overjoyed to see Severus and Regina again. They spent the whole afternoon catching up, and cooing Henry and Harry – although Severus was trying hard not to even look at Lily's boy. At the break of the day, everybody left. Emma, Regina and Henry went back home happily, feeling peaceful.
Months passed. Henry had celebrated his first birthday and already played with Harry on little broomsticks – under the careful watch of their mothers.
Severus had been their Secret Keeper for a year, without any incident. However, he had informed them that there was a mole amongst them. Voldemort had learnt that he had assisted Regina's wedding and that they had a child. Severus had no idea who could have told him - if it was not for a guest invited to the party. After all, nobody else knew about the ceremony. Emma had refused to believe him. The only persons present at the wedding had been her closest friends and Dumbledore. Nobody would have betrayed them. Or so she thought.
Severus had had to space out his visits to his sister. It wouldn't have been safe to raise Voldemort's suspicions any more than what they already were. So they didn't have many news of him.
Emma was now an Auror. Lily kept Henry when his mothers both had to work. She had decided to protect their children rather to openly fight Voldemort. Emma had defeated the Death-Eaters two times, nearly losing her life in the process. Many fights had erupted between the two women because of the dangerousness of Emma's job. And the blonde woman understood perfectly her wife's fears. But she couldn't stop. And she wouldn't. Muggles were now killed on a daily basis, after all.
Regina had to be even more careful at the Ministry: Death-Eaters tried to use every possible ways to kill the Prime Minister, and she knew it. She didn't know how long it would take Voldemort to figure out that she was Severus' sister. But as for the moment, she had been lucky.
Emma refused to explain to her anything about her secret missions. Regina found that extremely infuriating. They couldn't speak about their jobs, so they could only speak about their fears. And this often led to fights, because it was easier to deal with anger than with pain. Emma wasn't sure if they could trust Severus anymore. Regina wasn't sure if they could trust Emma's friends – she was absolutely certain that her brother was right. It was eating them alive. They constantly lived in fear. In her dreams, every night, Emma came back home to find her wife and son dead. Regina was less affected by the nightmares, for she truly trusted her brother, and knew they were safe.
On a Sunday morning, while both Emma and Regina were home, Severus appeared. Henry broadly smiled and laughed, but for the first time ever, his uncle didn't answer his smiles, and didn't take him in his arms. He seemed completely out of his mind.
"You're in danger. It's all my fault…"
"WHAT?" Emma screamed.
Regina immediately took Henry in her arms, ready to leave.
"I didn't betray your secret. Your house is safe. It's not it." He tried to explain.
"Then what is it, Sev?" Regina seethed.
He bit his lips then explained:
"I overheard a discussion. Between Dumbledore and a sorceress. She made the prediction that the boy who would be able to defeat the Dark Lord had been born in July the previous year, and that his parents would have defied him thrice… I told him just that. And he's now convinced the prophecy is either about you, or about Lily" he desperately said.
"The prophecy wasn't talking about a woman" Emma coldly replied.
"He thinks it's her son. He'll kill her. He'll kill you" Severus desperatly kept on. His voice broke.
"I'll go see Lily and James at once. Don't worry Severus, nothing's gonna happen to them. Go back to Voldemort, he mustn't have suspicions" Emma urged him.
Severus did as he was told, broken. Emma left. Regina waited alone with Henry, her anger and fear growing. Her wife only came back at the end of the day.
"What the hell took you so long? I was worried sick!" Regina seethed before heatedly kissing her wife.
"Sorry, baby" Emma sincerely apologised, hugging her. "I've been to Dumbledore to explain the situation. Then, we went at James' and we discussed. We finally settled on an agreement. James chose a Secret Keeper. Even Dumbledore doesn't know who. And the four of us mustn't leave our homes. Not even once. It's too dangerous. We have to wait for instructions."
"I see… do you know who Lily's Secret Keeper is?"
"Yes. Only Sirius, James and I know." Emma explained.
"You didn't tell Remus?" Regina asked, surprised.
"We talked a lot about it, just the three of us. And we agreed on one thing: Severus wouldn't have lied. There has to be a mole. They know too much about us. And Remus is very close to Greyback… he has to. It's not his fault. But maybe Greyback is a legilimens, or something like that… anyway. He's too often with the Dark Forces to be truly trusted."
"Okay" Regina simply answered. "I suppose you won't tell me?"
Emma smiled apologetically at her, and went to her son. She kneeled and raised him. He laughed, happy to see his other mother.
"What will we do here all day long?" Regina worried. "And who will protect the Minister?"
"Dumbledore told me that he'd send us some information soon" Emma shrugged.
She put Henry back down gently, to his toys.
"And as to what we are going to do…" she whispered seductively, coming closer to Regina "… I'm sure we'll find a way to… keep busy" she kissed her after raising a suggesting eyebrow.
Regina laughed in the kiss. She couldn't help being happy whenever she was around her wife.
Another week passed by. The days were long, but they kept busy as Emma had suggested. And Dumbledore kept them informed of everything. Henry was glad to be with his two mothers, and had begun to be very talkative. But their peace wasn't meant to last.
Severus appared, on a rainy night He was livid. He looked sick when he hollowly asked:
"Who was Lily's Secret Keeper?"
Horror slowly painted on Emma's and Regina's features as soon as they understood.
"NO!" Emma screamed.
She immediately disappeared. Regina was too shocked to even speak. So she just looked at Severus, crying, lost.
"He killed them?"
"Yes" Severus simply answered before disappearing too.
Regina was terrorized. Shocked. Angry. What if something happened to Emma? Voldemort was still looking for them after all.
And Lily? Her sister. The day before she had received a loving letter, with a photograph of the three of them. They were broadly smiling at the camera before bursting into laughs when Harry seemingly hiccupped. How could they be dead now? Regina suddenly saw a child's face in her mind. Blazing red-hair, beautiful green eyes, gorgeous smile… her friend was gone. Regina fell to the ground.
For three hours, she cried and cried and cried until she couldn't anymore. She sat on the couch, unable to leave the flat without Henry, and too wise to leave it with him. So she just waited, while looking at her son who was playing. Dread filled her being as the hours passed. Henry was sound asleep, and she was alone with her thoughts. Green eyes were everything she was able to see. She didn't even know if they were Lily's or Emma's anymore.
Around 2 am, Dumbledore appeared in front of her.
"Severus gave me the address" he sombrely said.
Regina nodded, dreadfully scared as to why Emma wasn't back yet. As if reading her mind, Dumbledore darkly explained:
"Voldemort killed James and Lily. But when he tried to kill Harry, his powers broke and he disappeared. Harry's alive. Emma went to see him at the now destroyed house. She saw Hagrid there who was taking Harry out to safety. Sirius arrived at the same time as her. They begged Hagrid to let them take Harry, but he had very clear instructions. Instructions I had given him. So he refused."
Dumbledore paused. Regina exhaled, both terribly sad and relieved. Emma was okay. Voldemort was dead. Harry was alive… and Lily was dead. She was gone. She would never see her again…
"Ruby arrived while they were discussing with Hagrid. She asked them who she had to kill. Of course, Hagrid didn't understand that, but she wanted to find the Secret Keeper. The three of them disappeared, and, according to my guesses, reappeared somewhere in the streets of London. Ruby was killed. Peter was screaming at Emma and Sirius that he didn't know how they could have done that to James, Ruby and Lily, when he was also murdered. Everything which remains of him is one of his middle fingers. Every single witness of the scene was killed or found unconscious. Which means dozens of Muggles and wizards. Emma and Sirius were the only ones to have a wand. Sirius was madly laughing when we arrived. And Emma was crawling in the street."
Regina didn't want to hear more. She wanted to scream and die. But Dumbledore implacably kept on:
"Emma and Sirius have been arrested and transferred to Azkaban for the witnesses', Lily's, James', Ruby's and Peter's murders…"
TBC.