Aimee
Food for thought:
Lily was moved to Hogwarts later that evening after saying goodbye to the children. Harry and Ethan were informed of her presence later on, as she was placed in Severus' room. Madame Pomfrey came bustling in once or twice a day to check on her and the twins. Ethan and Harry, however, still didn't know she was pregnant.
"How are we going to tell them?" Lily asked three days after she had arrived.
"Tell them what?" Severus asked, bending over his desk and correcting papers.
"Tell the kids about… these guys." Lily gestured towards her stomach, which was still flat as ever. "Harry especially."
"We'll tell them like we usually do." Severus answered. "Nothing will be different."
Lily nodded, "When though?"
Severus checked his watch. "Tonight, perhaps? We can tell the others when you return home."
"What about Harry?" Lily asked, "He's bound to ask questions."
Severus smirked, "Do you think he'd be happier if the twins were Remus's? He wouldn't feel as if he was alone anymore then."
Lily shook her head, "No, I think that'd make him rebel even more."
"Why do you say that, love?" Severus asked.
"He's fourteen, Sev." Lily said, "Anything against the ordinary… It scares him."
Severus smiled, "Well, he's just going to have to live with it then, isn't he?"
Lily gave him a feeble smile, "Are you sure?"
"We will not tell them of your, err, 'other' state." Severus said quietly, "But yes, we cannot hide the obvious from them. In a few months, you'll barely be able to fit into your robes. That must give them some sort of hint."
Lily laughed, "Lovely for you to think of my robes at this time."
"Well I can't very well think of much else now, can I?" Severus said.
Lily nodded, "Very well. Tonight, then?"
"Yes, tonight." Severus answered. "Lily, love… As painful for either you or Remus, you might want to owl him, ask him questions. The transformation itself will be painful, but hopefully the potion with help a bit."
Lily nodded slowly, "Yes… I believe that would be quite a good idea. I'm not all that sure if he'll respond, however."
"I'm quite sure he will." Severus said, "After all, you two are still friends, correct?"
"About as 'friends' as you can be after a one night
stand…" Lily muttered.
That night, Ethan and Harry were called into their father's room to find Lily and Severus sitting across from each other, not speaking. Harry smirked; he had a good idea of what was going on, as Severus had informed him of their ability to read minds.
"Mum? Dad?" Ethan asked, walking up to them. "Why is Mum here?"
Severus seemed to snap out of a trance as he looked at his two sons. "Harry! Ethan! Didn't hear you come in… Come, sit."
Harry and Ethan quickly and quietly took seats next to Lily and Severus, Ethan next to Lily and Harry next to Severus.
"What did you call us in here for, Dad?" Harry asked.
"Your Mum and I… Well, Lily, why don't you tell them?" Severus started.
"Boys, in August, I'm going to have twins." Lily said cautiously, watching Harry's expression turn from curiosity to confusion.
"But – " Harry started, then quickly caught himself after a glance in Ethan's direction. "Everything is normal… Correct?"
"There is a possibility… But for the most part, everything seems to be in order." Severus answered carefully, looking at Harry with a meaningful expression.
Harry's eyes widened. "How much of a possibility…?"
"Perhaps thirty per cent." Lily answered for Severus. "Although I don't see how it's any of your business."
"I'm in this family, too." Harry glared at his mother, "I believe I have a right to know."
Severus sighed, "Harry, can we talk about this later?"
Harry shook his head, "No. Now."
"Ethan, please leave your brother and us alone." Lily eyed her oldest son before turning to Ethan, who merely shrugged and walked out of the portrait hole without a glance back at the three still sitting in the middle of the room.
"Now, Harry, I know this is quite a shock –" Severus started.
"Why the f-ck do you start everything with, 'Now Harry, this may come as quite a shock to you…'?"
Lily's eyes blazed, "Don't you dare talk to your father like that!"
"He's NOT my father!" Harry exploded, "Just like those babies aren't his, I'm not his son either!"
Without so much as a warning, Lily slapped Harry across the face. Cradling his cheek, Harry looked up at his mother with astonishment.
"Bloody hell, Harry… He raised you and he's as much of a father to you as I am your mother." Lily mumbled, her shoulders slumping over a bit.
"Harry, understand, I'm accepting this, and I wish for you to also." Severus said quietly.
"She slept with Remus Lupin!" Harry yelled, "She's going to have his children – and you're perfectly fine with it all?"
"First of all, young man –" Lily started, " – as far as we know, your father is also the father of these babies. There is a possibility they are Remus's – a slight possibility. We would like it very much if you didn't go broadcasting it around as if it was everybody's news."
Harry shook his head, "What do the others think? What does Lupin think? Does he even know, or are you not going to tell him just like you didn't tell my father you slept with Severus here?"
As calm as Severus was, Lily was more angry with Harry than she could ever remember being. "James Potter was a fool to ever marry me. I made sure he knew about your father and I before he died – he knew. Do you realize what he wanted you for? An heir. Not a son, but a man to carry on the Potter name. If you were a girl, I daresay he would have killed you."
"So you were a fool to ever have me?" Harry spat, "Not only did I have an abusive alcoholic father that was pissed half the time, but a mother who was fool to even have me, let alone allow me to know of my real father before the age of eleven."
"Harry, leave your mother alone." Severus said quietly, yet in a firm voice. "It is none of your concern what went on between her and James."
"It is all my concern!" Harry exclaimed, "After all, they are my parents… I do have a right to know, don't I?"
All of the sudden, Lily reached out and grabbed Harry's shoulders in such a firm grip he couldn't pull away. In a moment's time, Harry felt the surge of her thoughts and memories run through his mind.
Severus looked at Lily, What are you doing?!
He needs to know…
Lily, this isn't the way to show him!
How else is he ever going to know what James was like?
You're going to kill him, Lily…
Severus watched as Harry's face turned from red to while in a matter of seconds as Lily's memories seeped into his veins. He clutched the sofa covering so hard his knuckles turned white, and his eyes were closed tightly.
Severus touched Harry's shoulder gently, trying to get into his mind. Closing his eyes, he saw and heard all of Lily's memories of James flash through his mind, over and over again. The first time he had raped her, the first time he had hit her, the first argument, the first fight… and then, without warning, the memories before his eyes slowed down to the last argument they ever had – the one where James found out about Severus.
"I told you, it's none of your concern." This particular fight was about the Secret Keeper.
"Why can't I know, James? I'm just as apart as this as you are."
"Tell me why, and I'll tell you who."
"No, not as long as Voldemort's still after us. Can't you just trust me for once?"
"Lily, last time I trusted you, you ran off with that filth, Snape."
Harry felt a surge of anger go through his veins.
"Do you want to know James, do you really want to know? Because I promise you, it will ruin your day."
"Tell me Lily, tell me something you think I don't already know."
Harry felt his mother seething and her nails digging into the palms of her hands. "Do you really, really want to know James? Because it could ruin your life."
"What, you're a werewolf? That would explain where you go every month or so."
"This is much, much worse. I daresay you'll threaten to kill me; perhaps even carry your threat out, or attempt to."
"What did you do, Lily? What the hell is so bad you can't even tell me?"
Harry felt his mother cringe as James gripped her shoulders. "Tell me baby."
Harry could feel his mother step back to escape James' grip. "I told you, you don't want to know."
"God damnit Lily, tell me or I swear to God I'll make you."
"You mean you'll beat it out of me? Is that what you mean? Is that how little you care about me?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean, James? Tell me, I want to know."
The room was silent for a moment, then Harry felt a large, rockhard hand come in contact with his - his mother's - face. Startled, he yelled out loud.
"STOP! MUM, DAD! Please!" Severus could hear his son's whimpers as Lily's memories seeped through his veins once more.
"I was right then. You really are a cruel, heartless bastard. Why did you marry me then, if you hate me so much?"
"I wanted an heir."
"Is that all? You could have gone to any girl in that school. Why me?"
"Because you were beautiful. You still are."
"Then why did you hit me?"
"Because you deserved it."
"I gave you a child. I went through nine months of hell while you just sat around and got drunk, The rare chance you did do something for me, you only did for show; to make me see you as the boss. And this is how you repay me? By hitting me? Is that how much you truly wanted an heir?"
"What are you keeping from me?"
"Answer my God damned question."
"Answer mine first."
"I can read thoughts. So can Severus."
"Is that it? You can read thoughts? So you know Peter's the Secret Keeper. Why even bother?"
"That's not all, but I don't think you can handle the rest; not without killing me or Harry."
"I would never kill either of you."
"Great way of showing it."
"Tell me."
"You asked for it." A golden chain with a ring hanging from it flew through the air, then Lily's wand came into view."This is the rest."
"What do you mean? Isn't this the engagement ring that slimy bastard gave you?"
"No."
"Then what is it?"
"It's not my engagement ring to Severus. It's my wedding ring."
"You mean… You and him…?"
"Yes. We got married on December 26th; the day
after he found out Voldemort killed our child. The day after he found out
we would both be killed if we didn't
break up."
"So you got married for a month? Is that it?" .
"No. We're still married."
"Why the hell did you marry me then?"
"To keep up the image of a normal life – without my husband."
"You mean these two years we've been married have been a total joke? Illegal and everything?"
"Oh no, it was legal. Papa made sure of it."
"So Dumbledore's in this, too… Is that all?"
"Remus knew."
"The God damned werewolf knew and I didn't?! Why the hell not?"
"Because he was smart enough to figure it out; you weren't."
"While you and I have been married… Answer this for me… Did you f-ck him?"
Harry felt his mother's body tense up.
"ANSWER ME! DID YOU F-CK THAT BASTARD?" Harry could hear himself, thirteen years previous, crying.
"Your child needs me."
"Answer me."
"I need to see Harry."
"You'll get him after you answer my question."
Harry felt his mother walk towards the door, then a sense of calm filled her, a sense of bravery filling his mind.
"Yes James, I did. Multiple times. Countless times. And I enjoyed every moment of it."
Lily finally released Harry, her green eyes bearing into his own. Breathing heavily, Harry was shaking and his face was pale.
"I'm sorry." He muttered softly. "I look just like him – I'm sorry."
He's had enough, Lily.
She sighed, looking at her son. "Do you understand? He did that to me. He hit me multiple times, he forced me to f-ck him… He made me. The only good thing to come out of our relationship was you."
Harry shook his head, "I didn't know… I'm sorry."
"Yes, you did know." Severus interjected quietly, "You just refused to believe it."
"God damn it… I look just like him…" Harry shook his head once more, breathing heavily.
"Yes, you do, but you don't act a thing like him – only when you act like you did a few seconds ago." Lily sighed, "Do you see why I hate it when you act like that now?"
Harry nodded, "I'm sorry Mum, I'm sorry Dad."
Lily and Severus nodded, "Just never do it again." Severus added.
"God…" Harry rocked back and forth. "I'm such a bastard."
Lily immediately scooped the fourteen year old up, "No, you're not. You're a wonderful person, Harry. I couldn't ask for a better son."
Harry's body shook as he cried into Lily's shoulder, Severus touching his back gently.
I think you just broke him, Lily love.
God… I think you're right.