I Thought It Was The Flu
Chapter Five
by sev1970

Return to Present Day

Sirius woke up with a splitting headache and wondered just how much he had to drink the prior night. He remembered going into Hogsmeade, but had not remained there long, just long enough to get drunk, he surmised.

Looking around, nothing seemed familiar. I went to Hogwarts to face Snape, then…holy shite, I must still be in Snape's chambers. Sirius sat up slowly trying to avoid the dizziness he knew accompanied a hangover, then stood up to leave, when he heard what he thought to be moans coming from the couch. Slowly the events of the previous night began to replay in Sirius' mind and suddenly what he had seen before he must have passed out, reentered his thoughts.

"Snape? Sirius stood up and quickly made his way to the couch, where he found Snape clutching his stomach with both of his hands and balled up in a fetal position, with tears coursing down his face. "SNAPE? Can you hear me?"

"Hurts…Please…Harry." The pale figure could barely speak, but was loud enough for Sirius to understand.

"Shite." Sirius flooed Poppy and within a minute the Matron was tending to the distressed Potion's Master.

She had immediately levitated Severus to his bed and was in the middle of examining him, as Sirius paced in the living room. He did not need any confirmation to know what was happening, or to know whom the other father was, especially after hearing his Godson's name being mentioned. His only thoughts were of the baby that Harry and Severus had conceived. Sirius did not think Harry was dead, but it had been over a month and nothing had been discovered. If part of Harry now resided inside of Snape, Sirius would do whatever it took for Severus to have the baby safely.

Sirius and Severus had hated each other for so long that Sirius did not know how he was going to be able to get though this, but he had to, for Harry, and for Harry's baby. And Severus' baby too, don't forget.

Severus was in distress, and Poppy was concerned about the baby. Wizards were not created to carry babies, and the intricate process that was now taking place in Severus' body was only compounding the already stressed Potions Master. All of his vital signs were okay and he was not running a temperature, but something was causing the man great pain, and Poppy was not sure if it was physical or emotional. Foremost in her mind, she wondered about who the other father could be. She assumed it was one of his fellow Death Eaters who had more than likely raped him, someone who must be very powerful. She sighed sadly at the man who had faced so much in his life. Now he was going to be faced with raising a bastard child, because Poppy knew Severus would never give it away or get rid of it. Severus Snape was not a nice man to most and he could be infuriating as hell, but Poppy knew that underneath all of the cold exterior lay a gentle and loving man, one who only wanted to be loved and respected. Poppy knew the baby could give that to Severus; she only wished there could have been someone else who loved Severus, be the father, instead of some rapist.

Poppy was roused from her thoughts as she heard Severus moaning incoherent words. But then she thought she heard him say Harry. She heard it again and there was no mistaking what she had heard.

Madame Pomfrey came out of the bedroom to find an almost frantic Sirius looking at her questioningly. The Matron was unsure of what she should say. She had promised to keep the pregnancy a secret. But she could not understand why someone, who everyone knew hated Severus Snape with a passion, would seem so panicked about his condition. Then a thought crossed her mind, but she quickly banished it…there is no way that these two could be together!

"Thank you for getting me Sirius. Severus will be fine for the time being. I have given him some potions. May I ask what had him so distressed?"

Sirius knew Madame Pomfrey could not tell him anything, and he was unsure if he should tell the Matron what he knew; there wasn't anything to be done about Harry's absence, and that was the only thing that would for sure help Severus.

Poppy seemed to be trying to read the other wizard's face. He seemed so concerned, and Poppy had seen him looking this way a lot lately, and knew it was because of his Godson, Harry. But why now?

"I don't know; he was moaning and curled up on his couch when I found him."

Madame Pomfrey did not seem satisfied with what she was hearing, but she did not have time to question Sirius further; she was to check on Harry and she was already running late as it was.

As soon as she returned to the Hospital wing, Poppy grabbed what she needed and immediately flooed to where Harry and Albus were staying. Harry had been improving slowly, he had regained consciousness, but still could not speak very much. It had been decided that Harry was not yet well enough to return to Hogwarts. Even with Voldemort gone, there were others looking for him and would be more than happy to hear that Harry was not well.

Poppy entered the room Harry was in and gasped at what she saw. Harry was kicking and screaming as the Headmaster tried restraining him. Albus looked back and gave Poppy a silent plea for help. Sitting on the bed beside Harry, Poppy gave the young man a potion, and almost immediately, he began calming down. It was not long before his breathing leveled off and his eyes shut, allowing him to sleep.

"What happened to Mister Potter? He was fine, yesterday."

"I heard him beginning to scream and when I went to calm him down, all he could say was, get me Severus, I want Severus. Poppy, I've never seen Harry react like that before, not even right after we brought him here. What could be wrong, and why would Harry be calling for Severus?"

Probably because Severus is the one person Harry needs to be with more than any one right now. Poppy of course could not be sure, and possibly, it was only coincidence, but she did not think so. Now she had to decide what to do and say. What she either said or did not say could very well affect three lives.

As a Matron, Poppy knew that it was quite rare for a wizard to conceive a child. Even rarer, was for said wizard to carry the child to term; a child which would almost certainly be a wizard as there were no documented cases of a witch being born from a wizarding union. The only way a wizard could conceive was if the two wizards were extremely powerful and truly loved one another with their heart and soul. Oh my…why didn't I think of this sooner, there is no way Severus could have conceived a child from being raped. A deeper and stronger love than most witch/wizard marriages had was needed, and that in itself was quite rare. When a wizard was conceived, it automatically created a bond between the two parents that would only be severed by death. One of the results of the bond was if the one carrying the wizard was in distress, the other parent would be equally effected.

Poppy had only ever seen the animosity between Harry and Severus and could not see how the two could ever like each other, much less love one other. However, she thought it a little too coincidental that in less than an hour, her two patients were heard each saying the other's name while they were in great distress. And this would also explain Harry's Godfather's unusual concern for Severus; he must have known about the baby. Severus and Harry had to have conceived a wizard, that was the only logical explanation.

"Albus, we have to get Harry back to Hogwarts as soon as possible."

"Poppy, you know Harry is not well enough yet; it was your idea that we keep him here longer."

"I know Albus, but that was when it was only Harry's life that we were worried about, now there are two others. I am afraid if we do not get Harry back to Hogwarts immediately, we will be losing three very powerful wizards." ~ sev1970 ~