Over the next three months Severus cast about a hundred pregnancy testing charms, tried different charms, different times of day. Tried taking stronger potions and at different intervals and times of day. He still wasn't pregnant. He began to get more irritable and snapped at the students more. Dumbledore came to see him in the Potions classroom during a free period.
"Is everything alright Severus? You don't seem to be yourself at the moment or rather you seem to be your old self. Is there anything I can do to help?"
"No. Thank-you headmaster but I'm fine."
"Are you and Remus having troubles?"
"Not exactly"
Dumbledore sat down and waited. Severus sighed. He flicked his wand at the door to raise the wards and silencing charms. Dumbledore waited, patiently concerned.
"We are trying for another baby but it isn't happening."
Albus blinked rapidly, digesting the unexpected information.
"Goodness me, I would never have guessed. Severus, you never cease to surprise me."
"I have used every potion I know of but it just doesn't seem to be happening."
"Have you tried taking fertility potions as well? Both of you I mean."
Severus shook his head. "No, it didn't occur to me. I mean, we had no trouble last time."
"Last time you were aided by a powerful deity. Her power however is not still in abeyance, so maybe you could help things along a little. It often takes people a long time to conceive a child, it isn't unusual."
"Just frustrating" complained the Potions Master.
Dumbledore smiled, "I must admit that I never expected to find you impatient to become pregnant Severus, peacetime certainly suits you." He knew he was goading the other man a little, but he felt that he could stand it and hoped that it might help to temper his impatience a little. Albus briefly entertained the unbidden image of "the old Severus" trying to explain his swollen belly to his old master. Goodness me; Voldemort would be appalled. He smiled more broadly, just for himself.
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After eight months of trying Severus watched as the blue glow spread across his stomach, confirming his pregnancy. He sighed with relief. He wanted to rush and tell Remus, but the other man was in the middle of fourth year DADA, so that was impossible. He contented himself with stroking his stomach. He knew what he was in for and he couldn't say he was looking forward to it all, but: to feel a child moving inside him again, to feel the swell of his belly full of child, to hold his newborn in his arms again. It would definitely be worth it.
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Severus and Remus decided not tell anyone about the pregnancy for the time being. It was usual to wait until the end of the first trimester before spreading the news, just in case anything went wrong early on. They didn't want to risk Mirari knowing before they were sure that everything was going to be alright. When Severus had been pregnant with Mirari, they had the assurance of a Goddess that the pregnancy would be safe. This time they didn't and the worry was overwhelming at times.
Severus consciously tried to avoid resting his hand on his stomach and Remus tried to avoid looking concerned or nagging him about food and the like. What they didn't consider was the fact that they had both (especially Severus) been rather wound up and tetchy whilst they were trying for the baby; their suddenly calm and perfectly normal behaviour was something of a red flag in itself.
Rolanda Hooch had begun running a book on the cause of the shift and she was offering odds and taking bets on a variety of causes. Sex potions were running favourite at 2:1, Sex toys were at 5:1, Minerva bet that they had been dealing with some frustrating behaviour from Mirari and that it had resolved itself – Rolanda snorted, asked her if she wanted to place a sexually oriented bet and then gave her 50:1 odds. Dumbledore quickly discovered the sordid betting scheme and took it as confirmation of his suspicions. He was seen smiling and humming a lot more than usual, which led Pomona Sprout to place a 150:1 bet that Albus had joined the Snape-Lupins in their bedroom antics.
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By the time Mirari's birthday came around again, Severus was four months pregnant. He and Remus had told Mirari about the baby over a month ago, but they hadn't told anyone else yet. Mirari had been incredibly excited about the prospect of a little brother or sister but she wanted to be the one to tell people and to decide when to do it.
Severus was not opposed to delaying the inevitable and Remus was amused by the whole thing and wanted to see what she did. In the end they agreed to let her be the one to tell everyone, but Severus would have to tell Poppy so that she could make sure that the baby was alright. Mirari very seriously made the concession.
Poppy had been surprised and amused but told him that she didn't really need to see him until he was about four months along and set an appointment for the day of the Hogwarts Summer Fun day.
The Summer Fun day coincided almost exactly with Mirari's birthday, not accidentally either. The day off lessons that Dumbledore had declared on the day after Mirari's birthday had proved such a joyous release for staff and students alike that the Headmaster had declared it an annual in-school holiday.
It would be the easiest "working" day around the four month mark to have the appointment. The days preceding it would be spent preparing for Mirari's birthday party which would take a lot more preparation. Mirari was at Hogsmeade nursery school now and she had a lot of friends.
So it was understandable that Severus nearly forgot the appointment as he tried to get a lie in the next morning. His morning sickness had other ideas though and the wave of nausea swept him out of bed and had him on his knees again.
Remus left Mirari to pour syrup on her own pancakes and rushed to help his husband. He carefully held his hair back for him and held him after the bout had ended; it brought back memories of when they were expecting Mirari.
"Just as well you're seeing Poppy today, she can probably do something about that."
Severus groaned and Remus helped him to his feet and went off to get him some breakfast. Severus slumped against the table and nursed a cold glass of pumpkin juice against his head.
When he looked up he found his daughter staring at him.
"I am alright Mirari. It is normal to feel sick when you are having a baby; it is the body's way of telling you that it is doing good things for the baby."
He was startled when she turned very serious.
"Mama, I am not going to be able to go to see Madame Pomfrey with you. I have a very important job to do today."
Remus wandered through from the kitchen to hear more clearly.
"It's alright. I am going to go on my own so that Daddy can take you to the Fun day. I will not be long."
"I think Daddy should go with you. Hermyknee and Ron will look after me. Today is the special day."
Remus and Severus looked at each other questioningly but it was clear that neither of them knew what was going on.
Remus cleared the laughter out of his throat with a light cough.
"Special day?"
"To tell everyone about the baby."
Severus choked on his juice and Remus grabbed their daughter and hugged her furiously. By the time Severus had recovered, Remus was chasing Mirari around outside and she was squealing with glee.
Mirari had actually managed to owl her Godmother without her parents knowing. So, Hermione and Ron knocked on the door just in time to take her off their hands.