Thanks to everyone that reviewed! I hope I didn't cause too much pain with that cliffie. To apologize, I worked my hardest on this chapter to get it out as fast as I could. Unfortunately, Harry did not want to cooperate, so anything that happened at the Yule Ball will be ignored. We'll just have to pretend Harry danced decently without stepping on his date's feet and Blaise acted the perfect gentleman under Severus' watchful eyes.
Chapter 11
"How's Dad?"
Severus looked up at Harry as he entered the hospital wing. "Better."
Harry came and sat down next to Severus, where they both waited in silence. Severus occasionally looked towards the door behind which Poppy and a Healer from St. Mungo's were presently conferring over James' condition.
He had rushed his husband to Poppy's care by way of an old portkey left over from his spying days. Severus had been on the verge of hyperventilation as he checked for any type of vital sign. James had been lying on the floor, a pool of blood coming to a stop near his waist. His robes had been slightly hitched, revealing pale, bare feet. James' face, though, was an ashen color that worried Severus, whiter than he had ever seen it. The tiniest bit of color left faded even as Severus watched, sending a trill of panic down his spine.
He had sent Maddy to get the portkey while he stabilized James as best he could. He did a quick body bind, as well as a standard mediwizardy bind to temporarily put James into stasis. Maddy arrived with the portkey, and Severus grabbed hold of James with a firm grip and said the keyword to activate it.
Once Poppy was taking care of James, Severus had alerted the headmaster as to what was happening. He, in turn, had sent a house elf to each of his children - Harry being still in the dungeons and Helena still making her way to the headmaster's office. Dumbledore had also offered to send McGonagall to fetch Hugh from his school.
Grateful for the aid, Severus had made himself as comfortable as he could in the waiting room - which wasn't very comfortable at all.
Poppy had come out, once, to tell him that James was breathing comfortably, but that she needed a second opinion on her diagnosis. Severus had given the go-ahead on it, his mind racing as he thought of everything that could be wrong.
"Severus?"
He jerked up at the sound of Poppy's voice. The mediwitch was wearing a worried frown, but he could hear a hint of hope in her voice.
"Would you please come in? Healer Markowizc has a couple of questions needing answers before we can give the all clear."
Severus nodded and stood. He looked down at Harry. "Wait here for your sister and brother. They should be arriving soon."
"I will, Patri," Harry said as Severus followed Poppy into her office. He declined the seat the mediwitch offered, preferring to stand, and nodded his greeting to the healer.
"Master Snape," Healer Markowizc asked, "has your husband been complaining about being cold lately? Any dizziness or feeling faint?"
Severus nodded. "Yes. At the First Task he complained about having a chill. Other than that, I cannot say. He did not tell me."
"Did he say anything about feeling nauseous in the mornings? Or at anytime of the day?"
He looked at the healer. "What are asking for?"
The healer sighed. "Master Snape, your husband is showing all of the symptoms of an entropic pregnancy. Unfortunately, he lost a lot of blood when he fell, endangering his chances of carrying the foetus full term."
Severus slumped down into the nearest chair. He sat in silence, distancing himself from the scene as Poppy spoke with the healer.
"Severus?" Poppy asked, making him jump in his seat. He looked up at the mediwitch. "Are you all right?"
A gusty sigh escaped him, surprising both himself and Poppy. "What treatments are available?"
Poppy gathered a couple of medical texts from behind her desk. "James should be awake now. We should discuss what is available with him."
Severus nodded and stood. He needed to see James, to know that he was fine.
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"And how is James doing, Severus?" Dumbledore asked at the end of the next weekly staff meeting.
"He's doing well, Headmaster," Severus answered as he watched Moody leave the room. The retired Auror disturbed him greatly, and Severus was sure that his magical eye was kept firmly on him whenever Severus was nearby. Moody left, and Severus and Dumbledore were alone in the room. "Nymphadora Tonks is staying at the house for another week, until Lupin can get here. Lupin will then stay with James until Poppy gives the all clear."
Dumbledore smiled. "I'm glad to hear that James is doing better, then. Will Remus be staying?"
Severus shook his head.
"Ah, a pity," Dumbledore said. He turned slightly as if to leave when he said, "Minerva and Filius volunteered to watch over your Slytherins if you wish to go home this weekend." Severus opened his mouth to refuse - who knew what his Slytherins could be up to - but Dumbledore continued. "And I believe that they also said they would watch your House if you wished to go home after the Yule Ball."
He was slightly suspicious of the offer. "Moody won't be doing it," he stated. "He's not going anywhere near my students."
Dumbledore laughed. "No, Severus. I will keep Alastor away for both of your sakes."
Relieved, Severus finally consented to leaving for the weekend. Sending a school owl to Helena and Hedwig to Harry, telling them that he would be away for the weekend, Severus first stopped at Hugh's lessons with Mr. Black.
"Patri? Are you the one picking me up today?" Hugh asked as he pulled on his cloak. "Tonks was going to, but you're better."
Severus raised an eyebrow. "Am I?"
Hugh nodded. "Yesterday she broke a vase and a picture."
Fredrick Black came forward. "Mr. Snape," he greeted Severus with a warm smile. "Hugh is doing very well in his studies."
"Excellent." Severus guided Hugh to the fireplace. He nodded to the man, anxious to see his husband and what condition he was in. Moving to the fireplace, he herded Hugh into the green flames.
"Give my regards to James then," Black said, "and that I cannot wait until he is on his feet once more."
"Haven House," Severus whispered, even though he knew he could trust Black.
Once out of the floo, Severus was dusting their cloaks, he hurried up to the master bedroom as Tonks came barreling into the den, managing to knock over a table.
"I was just on my way to come get you!" Tonks' voice followed Severus down the hall.
He softly opened the door into a semi-dark room. Treading over to the bed, Severus found James taking a nap, the bedclothes thrown completely off. The green and brown nightshirt he was wearing was slightly wrinkled and was pulled up several inches past his ankles.
Severus was very tempted to wake him up and ask how he was feeling. But he couldn't do that as he looked at James' sleeping face, so carefree looking in repose. Instead, he lay down next to James, who turned into Severus' side almost automatically. He savored the feeling as memories of many lonely nights tried to creep in. It was times like this that Severus yearned for the day when he no longer had to leave James for ten months of the year to go off and teach.
He knew that James shared that feeling, and now, with another child on the way, it was becoming more and more important.
Severus thought back to that first day when James had been in the hospital wing at Hogwarts. James had told Poppy flat out that if he was able to, then he was going to have this child. Poppy had argued that doing so could end up with terrible consequences for both him and the baby. Blood replenishing potions were not safe for him to take because, like his other three children, had different blood types than James.1 In fact, they had a different blood type than Severus, and that is why such a potion couldn't be used.
Poppy had told them that, if James and the child made it through the next month of pregnancy with both of them in perfect health, they would have no problem getting around the blood type problem, for then James's body would have made enough blood to make up for what he lost and the balance between his and the child's blood would be restored. Until then, he was confined to bed rest for two weeks and light activity for the second.
Severus had reluctantly contacted both Lupin and Black on James' request. While he didn't hold any grudges or bad feelings towards the two men - at least not with their history - he felt that this could have stayed between just the two of them for the moment. Yes, he was feeling a little possessive of James, but he was his husband, and Severus was definitely feeling a bit protective of him and his condition. He wanted the news to stay between the two of them, for even their children didn't know anything other than James fell in the bathroom, catching his hip on a sharp edge on the counter, managing to strike his femoral artery. Only if there were no foreseeable problems would they announce James' pregnancy after the end of the holiday break, and then only to their children and the Heads of the other Houses.
"What're you doing home?" James asked a little bit later, his voice still showing signs that he'd been deeply asleep.
"To see you," Severus answered. He turned slightly to see James better in the dim light of the room. "How are you feeling?"
James smiled slightly. "Better. Especially now that you're here." He shifted just a little closer to Severus, pulling the bedclothes Severus had covered them with. "How long can you stay?"
"Through the weekend."
"Good." James draped his arm across Severus' chest and settled even further into his side.
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James wrapped a sopping wet Harry in a blanket, herding him to Madam Pomfrey for a check up. He would like to get a hold of whoever decided to hold the Second Task of this damn tournament in February - in the lake, mind you. Damn the hormones that multiplied his Mother Hen instincts. At this rate he'd be matching up with Molly Weasley as far as they were concerned. And if that wasn't enough, he had to deal with gifts galore from his children. Harry's 'wielding' of magic was driving Severus mad while teaching - and thence making James batty when the letters came home - and Hugh's Seeing - which was going splendidly well according to Fred Black - he was just hoping that Helena or the baby weren't next, because at this point he could not handle it.
He looked over at Severus, who was holding a shivering Helena. She was saying that she was "bummed I was asleep for the whole thing." When Dumbledore had pulled them aside this morning to get one of them, James had been surprised at what Harry would miss most, considering he had been 'going steady' with a girl from Beauxbatons since the Yule Ball.
Professor Dumbledore walked back to the judge's table after conferring with the Chieftess of the Merpeople. There all of the judges were most likely talking about Harry staying down there for longer than the time limit and bringing up the sister of the champion from Beauxbatons besides his own.
The strange thing about the judges was that Percy Weasley was sitting in for Barty Crouch, Sr. As much as James didn't like the man because of what he had tried to do to Severus, the jerk just did not get sick. Besides that being odd, the baby didn't like Moody at all, fluttering violently whenever the man get near James.
The judges finally finished, and Ludo Bagman magnified his voice.
"Ladies and gentlemen, we have reached our decision...."
James tuned him out. The man had always been a pompous windbag, even when he had been chaser for the Wimbourne Wasps. Only when Bagman was finished listing the points for the other champions did James return his attention to him.
"Harry Potter - "
"-Snape," James muttered under his breath.
" - used gillyweed to great effect," Bagman continued. "He returned last, and well outside the time limit. However, the Merchieftainess informs us that Mr. Potter was the first to reach the hostages, and that the delay in his return was due to his determination to return all the hostages to safely, not merely his own.
"Most of the judges - " here James gave Karkaroff a nasty look, echoed by several other people, including Bagman - "feel that this shows moral fiber and merits full marks. However... Mr. Potter's score if forty-five points."
James shook his head. The gallantry he showed by waiting must be part of what he inherited from Lily's Gift. It certainly wasn't from Severus or himself.
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"Merlin, you're huge!" came a familiar voice, followed by a thud from the fireplace.
James looked over in time to see Sirius stand up and brush his robes off.
"Who is it, James?" Remus asked as he walked into the den. "Sirius?"
Sirius' blue-gray eyes brightened. "James, buddy! You didn't tell me Remus was back."
James smiled. "He got back a week ago, and I thought I'd surprise you."
"Well, you surprised me, all right."
Later, when they were eating dinner, Sirius asked, "how much longer?"
"Any day now," James answered. "At my last checkup, Poppy was surprised I haven't gone into labor yet."
"That's why I'm here," Remus said. "I'm here to get James to Poppy when he goes into labor."
Sirius laughed heartily. "Nurse Remus at your service, huh?"
Remus frowned before he joined Sirius and James in their laughter. "Laugh it up now, Padfoot. You're the one who's going to be changing the kid's diaper!"
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"Wow! He's so tiny!" Ron exclaimed as he looked at Harry's newest brother. "What's his name again?"
Harry looked down at the little boy who had been put into his arms as soon as his father and Hugh arrived this morning. He'd been very surprised when they had shown up as part of the festivities surrounding the third and final task of the tournament. If he wasn't so nervous about what was about to happen, he would be celebrating the fact that he was getting out of the end-of-year examinations and getting to meet his littlest brother a week early.
"Hamilton," Harry answered Ron's question. His brother looked up at him with dark hazel eyes - a nice combination of both their Dad and Patri's eyes, Harry thought, from his arms, which were quickly getting tired. Hamilton was so light, but it was no wonder his dad had handed him to Harry after carrying him all the way from the floo entrance in Patri's rooms.
"What's with the name beginning with 'H'?" Ron asked.
Harry shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe they only got a book with H names."
"Or they got stuck."
"Or maybe," came Harry's dad from behind them, "that the baby name book naturally opens up at H."
"I've read about those," Hermione said from where she had been reviewing for her next exam. "It picks the names best suited for your child."
"Except for Harry," Hugh cried song-like. "He got the traditional n - ow!"
Harry pulled back his foot from where he'd stepped on Hugh's foot. "Shut up, Hugh!"
"Make me."
Harry narrowed his eyes. "You do know that if I wasn't holding Hamilton, I'd hit you."
"I know." Hugh grinned cheekily and scooted off to where Cedric and his family sat. He had been practically worshiping the Hufflepuff sixth year since they had arrived in time for the noon meal.
Harry sighed and shook his head. "It'll be horrible next year when he comes to school."
"Harry," his dad admonished.
"It will, Dad! Poor Cedric won't know what hit him!" Harry cried as he set Hamilton in his dad's arms.
Professor Dumbledore stepped in at that moment. "Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger, Miss Potter-Snape, you will be needing to report to your classes in fifteen minutes."
Helena came over as Hermione and Ron said their goodbyes and best wishes.
"Remember what to do when the time comes, Harry," she said in a low voice.
He nodded, swallowing slightly as a sense of foreboding washed over him. "I will."
"Good luck then, Harry."
"What was that about?" his dad asked him when they made their way into a side garden.
Harry sighed. "Hugh told me something about what's going to happen tonight." He paused. "And I don't know what I should do about it."
"Do what your heart tells you to do, Harry."
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"'Do what your heart tells you to do, Harry.' Great advice, Dad," Harry muttered to himself as he traveled through the maze that made up the Third Task. He'd already battled four creatures and knew that the next one wouldn't be good, judging by the increasingly dark rating of the last ones. So, he'd decided to try and pump himself up by thinking of how good it had been to meet his new little brother, which had led to his thinking about what his dad had said, and his thoughts really rambled now, didn't they?
"Calm down, Harry," he told himself, gripping his wand the tiniest bit tighter. "You can do it. You know you can."
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"What happened?" Severus asked Dumbledore as the headmaster stood up abruptly from where he'd been sitting at the judge's table high in the stands where the teachers normal sat for quidditch games.
"Something's wrong," the older man said in a distracted voice.
The other judges also rose. All three were pointing to Moody, who was crashing through the tall hedges that made up the sides of the maze.
"What's he doing, Dumbledore?" Karkaroff demanded. "That's one of your teachers."
"That's not Moody, Albus," Severus said, almost ready to jump out of the stands and into the maze.
A white flash of light burst from the center of the pitch where the cup had been resting. When it faded, everyone could see a body lying there - barely moving - and the cup, a student, and the Moody look-a-like were missing.
"Bugger!" James spat from where he stood next to Severus. Out of the corner of his eye, Severus saw James give Hamilton to Helena as he himself hurried after Dumbledore. He knew that James had also followed, but that Black and Lupin had stayed with their children.
"Mr. Diggory," Dumbledore said as they reached the center of the pitch. "Are you feeling well?"
The sixth year boy shook his head as if to clear it. "Where'd Harry go?" he asked. "What happened?"
"We don't know. That's what we wanted to know," Percy Weasley spoke for the first time tonight. Severus had not been pleased when he showed up as an assistant to Fudge, who had taken over judging the task after Crouch's disappearance back in April.
Severus helped Dumbledore cautiously get Diggory to his feet. The boy swayed slightly before almost collapsing as he put his weight on his right leg. Severus took most of his weight while Dumbledore conjured a cot.
"What do you remember, Mr. Diggory?" Severus asked as the boy was settled.
"That acromantula just came out of nowhere, but Harry and I beat it. Not before it picked up both of us, though. We were arguing to see just who would get the cup, and we finally decided we'd take it together. Just as I was about to touch it, something hit me and then it went black."
"What now?" James asked.
Dumbledore looked troubled. "We wait. While it is possible to trace where they went - most likely by a portkey - we would need a lot more manpower than we have."
"What of ze students?" Madam Maxime asked. "And ze other teachers and parents?"
"It is very feasible." Dumbledore turned to Severus and James. "Please gather all of the prefects, Seventh years, and teachers together at the entrance to the maze."
They both nodded and went to do his bidding.
"Hugh said something was going to happen tonight," James said baldly as they made their way back to the stand where they had been sitting.
Severus turned and stared at his husband, stopping in his tracks. "Did he say what was going to happen?"
James shook his head. "No. Harry said that Hugh told him. It must have been this morning when Hamilton needed changing."
Thinking about it, Severus shook his head. "No. Hedwig delivered a letter three days ago. Harry has been acting a little strangely since then." Severus pointed out the rest of their children. "Go ask Hugh exactly what was supposed to happen. Then get Black and Lupin to help you gather the rest of the -"
A swift and hard pain raced through him, originating at his left forearm. He gripped his tightly with his right hand, almost bending double at the intensity.
"Severus?"
He looked up at his husband, whose countenance shifted to the horrified look his own must show.
"He's back, James," Severus whispered through the pain. "He just called."
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AN2: Please don't kill me for the cliffie. At least it's not as bad as last chapter.
1 – A quite common occurrence during pregnancy. Here's how it works: Severus is AB, while James is O. Harry and Hugh both are A, while Helena and Hamilton are B. Amazing what one can remember from their biology class.