THE OLIVE BRANCH
by The Goblet
Chapter 3 - The Shrieking Shack
January 1976
The next month was agony for Severus. His schoolwork slackened off as he spent more and more time worrying about whether he had been affected by the curse, or had been impregnated by the werewolf.
Severus soon realised that if he was affected by the curse, then he could not stay in the Slytherin dorms during the full moon. He could not run the risk of turning on his classmates, or allowing anyone to discover his ailment.
Severus decided that he would spend the night of the full moon in the Shrieking Shack. If he had been affected by the curse, then he would be in a "safe" place, where he could not harm anyone, nor be seen transforming into a werewolf.
Consulting Procreating Lycanthropes once more, he confirmed that a werewolf would not turn on its mate. If he was not affected by the curse, and was pregnant, then he would not be attacked once more by Moony.
Resolving to stay in the tunnel just long enough to determine whether he was cursed, or pregnant with Lupin's child, Severus made his way down to the Whomping Willow.
To say that he was frightened to see Moony again would have been an understatement. Severus had not slept at all the night before, worrying about the full moon. Pressing the knob on the trunk, Severus descended into the tunnel. It was still early, and Lupin had not yet taken refuge from the castle.
Travelling along the passageway, Severus made his way to the Shrieking Shack. He wasn't sure what to do with himself, so he sat down on the sofa, waiting for the inevitable. Before too long the previous night's insomnia had caught up with him, and he fell into a fitful sleep on the couch.
Severus awoke a few hours later to find a calm, sedate Moony sitting on the floor, licking his face.
Terrified, Severus sprang up from the sofa, and stood, wand drawn, glowering at the werewolf. There was none of the ferociousness of last month in Moony's demeanour. The wolf just sat on the rug, watching him, a sad, lonely look upon his face.
Relief and horror overcame Severus as he arrived at a startling conclusion. He was pregnant: pregnant at only fifteen.
Running to the kitchenette, Severus threw up his dinner into the rusty sink. When he was done, he slumped to the floor, holding himself in a foetal position.
As he sat there, shaking, Moony padded up to him, nudging his tear-lined face with his nuzzle. Glancing up into Moony's eyes, Severus saw comfort and reassurance in them. Uncurling himself slightly, Severus allowed the werewolf to climb into his lap.
The frightened Slytherin hugged Moony tightly, as he sat on the floor of the kitchenette. Tears continued to stream down his face as he thought about the month old baby he was carrying inside his body. He could never tell his parents about this. They would never have understood. His father would sooner disown him than accept a bastard grandchild.
Eventually, Severus cried himself to sleep, hugging Moony, distraught over his future.
"Was Remus there when you woke up?" asked Dumbledore.
"No," replied Severus as he tended to his fussing child, "I'm not sure where he went."
The headmaster sat pensive in his seat as he watched Severus struggle to calm his son. "May I?" he asked, holding out his hands.
"No."
Dumbledore dropped his arms. An uncomfortable silence settled upon the Hospital Wing as Severus managed to settle the infant.
"Why didn't you come to me? To Madam Pomfrey? To your Head of House?"
"You would have informed my parents. I was underage, and you would have been forced to tell my father," whispered Severus. "He would have made sure that this little one was never born."
Albus was deadly quiet. He knew Severus spoke the truth. "You realise, however, that I have informed your parents. Professor McGonagall has sent them an express owl."
Severus said nothing in response to the Headmaster's statement.
"I promise you, my boy, I will not allow your father to hurt you or your son in any way."
A lone tear fell down Severus's cheek, startling Albus. He had underestimated how fearful Severus was of his father's wrath. Desperately, the old wizard tried to distract the boy. "How did you cope with the pregnancy?" he asked.