THE OLIVE BRANCH
by The Goblet
Chapter 2 - Merry Christmas
Thursday, 25 December 1975
Severus made his way to the Great Hall for Christmas Dinner. Since the Incident he had been studiously avoiding other students, the Marauders in particular. But he knew that his presence was required at the Feast, as an absence would be noted and investigated.
Unfortunately for Severus, only twelve students had remained at Hogwarts over the Christmas holidays: himself, the marauders, a seventh year Hufflepuff, three sixth years of various houses, two fourth year Gryffindors and a first year Ravenclaw. The headmaster had decided that since there were only twenty people at the Christmas Feast, the staff and students would sit at one table.
Severus sat on the end of the table closest to the door, with the intention of making a quick exit once the feast had ended. The Marauders sat further along the table on the same side as Severus, talking spiritedly with the Headmaster and Professor McGonagall.
As the meal progressed, Severus shot several hateful glares towards the Marauders, their joviality bringing back unhappy memories of the night a week ago. Severus was almost physically ill.
He didn't blame Lupin. Not fully. Yes, it was the quiet Gryffindor who had attacked him and Severus was not quite ready to forgive him for that. But Lupin would never have attacked him if he hadn't been in the tunnel. And for that, he blamed Black. Black knew of the evil that Lupin could commit when he was a wolf, and yet he happily led Severus into danger. Not only that, but he nearly succeeded in sending one of his friends to Azkaban for life.
Halfway through the meal, Professor Flitwick, who had been sitting across from Severus, challenged him to a game of Wizarding Chess. Severus eagerly accepted the challenge, knowing that would serve to distract him from Black and his friends, until such time that he could easily excuse himself from the Hall, and return to his solitude in the Slytherin Dorms.
The charms professor summoned a chess set from elsewhere in the castle, and waited, bouncing in his seat, as the pieces arranged themselves on the board. After the first few moves, Severus was totally engrossed in the game, his attention diverted from the Marauders and their antics.
After an hour, most of the students and staff had retreated to their common rooms. The Marauders, following a lively debate with Professor McGonagall about the registration of animagii, stood and excused themselves.
Severus was contemplating sacrificing his remaining Bishop in order to capture Professor Flitwick's Queen, when Black "accidentally" crashed into him on his way to the door. Severus glowered at the Gryffindor as a wound on his shoulder was disturbed. Severus raised his arm to move his bishop, and felt the familiar tear of a half-healed wound opening up. Whimpering slightly, Severus held his arm close to his body. He thought back, trying to remember how he could have hurt his shoulder so badly.
The Slytherin paled considerably as he remembered the injury. Lupin had bitten him. A werewolf had bitten him.
Finishing the chess game in two easy moves, Severus immediately excused himself from the table, stating that he had forgotten to include his mother's Christmas gift in the owl he had sent home earlier that week.
Hurrying along the corridors, Severus made his way to the library. Removing his favourite (and the most comprehensive) book on werewolves from the shelf, the frightened student sat down on the floor in the middle of the restricted section.
Turning to the section on werewolf bites, Severus re-read the passage that he had read so many times before.
Severus sat on the ground in the library, staring at the book in his hands. He wasn't sure what time Lupin had bitten him. Had it been near daybreak? Most possibly. If that were the case, then he was most definitely a werewolf. Just as he thought things could get no worse, he realised that Lupin had infected him with his curse.If one is unfortunate enough to be bitten by a werewolf, the ill-fated person will have contracted the curse if:
the werewolf was in wolf form (it was not in its human guise) the attack occurred on the night of the full moon the werewolf's teeth pierce the victim's skin the bite draws blood the victim's blood and the werewolf's saliva mix †If the moon had not yet set, the victim will undergo the transformation from human to wolf instantaneously. If it is near sunrise, the victim must wait until the next full moon to transform for the first time.
Glancing down at the page opened in his lap, Severus noticed a footnote at the bottom of the page.
Severus sat and re-read the footnote once, twice, three times. He had never heard of a book called Procreating Lycanthropes before. Wondering if the Hogwarts library even held the book, Severus pulled out his wand and cast a simple summoning charm. Above the boy's head, a small, thin book slipped out from a shelf and floated down to his outstretched hand.† If a male victim's blood was contaminated with both the werewolf's saliva, and his own sperm, then he may have escaped contracting the curse. See Procreating Lycanthropes by Aristotle Moonshine for further information.
Although Severus was disappointed with himself for failing to notice the paperback sitting alongside the other books on Dark Creatures, he wasn't surprised that he had overlooked it. It was a tiny, slim volume; quite old and dusty, its fragile pages yellow with age.
Severus gingerly opened the book, discovering that it had been published in the late 1200's. Scared beyond belief, he began to read the introduction to the book, unsure of what he would find – what did procreation have to do with werewolf bites?
Severus sat taken aback. They hadn't even mentioned this in Defence of the Dark Arts, let alone taught it. Flipping to the first chapter, he continued reading.Werewolves, on a whole, have a higher than average fertility rate. Any problems reproducing with the opposite gender is usually found to be the fault of the werewolf's partner and not of the werewolf him/herself. Furthermore, male werewolves have the capacity to impregnate other males. This is the subject matter of this book.
Not much is known about a werewolf conceived pregnancy. I, myself, was conceived of one, and have been studying the matter for most of my adult life. I write this book as a means to consolidate my research, and educate the world about this incredible phenomenon.
Time passed as Severus sat on the floor of the library, reading the antiquated book. The author had gone on to explore the "incredible phenomenon" of werewolf conceived pregnancies, discussing the bond forged between the two partners, the werewolf's protective and possessive instincts over the carrying parent, what the carrying parent should expect over the course of their pregnancy, and the birth itself.CONCEPTION
The creation of a new life is often a wonderful and magical moment in the lives of its parents. Unfortunately this is not the case for a werewolf conceived pregnancy. A couple's first conception is often violent and brutal to the carrying parent as they are at the mercy of their transformed mate. However, subsequent conceptions tend to be very loving and gentle.
In both cases the following must occur in order for a child to be conceived, and a healthy pregnancy to result:
the werewolf partner must be in wolf form it is the night of the full moon the werewolf partner must penetrate the carrying partner the werewolf partner's seed must be ejaculated into the carrying partner the werewolf partner's teeth must pierce the carrying partner's skin the werewolf partner's saliva and the carrying partner's seed must mix and enter the carrying partner's bloodstream during intercourse.The resulting magic of this union will fertilise a magically created egg, and grow a womb inside the carrying partner, providing for the safe incubation of a child.
Many partners had been turned whilst trying to conceive a child in this manner. However, if a child is conceived, then both the carrying parent and the child would be free from lycanthropy, and be effectively vaccinated from the curse for life.
But Severus didn't really absorb anything from the book. He was in shock. All he could think about was that night . He gingerly touched the wound on his shoulder. Was this a normal bite? Could some of his sperm have entered his bloodstream? He wasn't sure. He knew that Moony had bitten him, and had… pleasured himself, but was he pregnant? He hadn't instantly transformed into a werewolf that night, but was that due to him being pregnant, or the moon having set?
Severus curled himself up into a small ball. Only time would tell which of the two options it would be. He wasn't sure which was more favourable, being infected with Lupin's curse, or being pregnant with his child.
After a short time, Severus stood up from his place on the ground. He stretched, stiff from sitting and reading for most of the afternoon. He gathered up the two books which lay on the floor, and made his way back to the dungeons, not bothering to check them out.
In a daze he returned to the Slytherin dormitories, giving the password to the portrait which hung on the entrance, and heading straight for his bedroom.
Crawling into bed after placing the books on his bedside table, Severus abused Merlin over his lousy Christmas.
"I'm so sorry Severus," whispered Albus.
"What for?" replied Severus, his voice soft, so as not to disturb the infant he held in his arms, but his eyes glaring dangerously at the headmaster. "For favouring Gryffindors? For not keeping Black in line? For leaving me to discover for myself that I could be pregnant?"
"Yes. That, and much, much more."
Severus snorted, and tried to calm his upset child.
"What happened next?"