Chapter 7: The big bang
"Ah, Poppy! Have a seat. I hope you have good news about Harry." The headmaster shoved a cup of tea into the medi-witches hands. His eyes were lacking the usual mischievous twinkle.
"Chances are good that he will survive. I did what I could for him, as always. Some more potions over the next few hours and the worst should be over. I have put a charm on him that will alert me of every change of his status while I am here talking to you. But I must ask that we get over with this as fast as possible. I don't want him to be alone longer than absolutely necessary."
Albus watched the woman sitting on a chair in front of his desk. She had the teacup in a vice like grip, her knuckles turning white. The medi-witch's lips were pressed together into a thin line. She looked angry, but he knew her long enough to realize she was most certain just tired and very worried. No surprise considering the last hours.
Finally nodding his agreement, Albus thought that the two of them had had far too many conversations like this over the last years. The scheme was awfully familiar. Harry fighting for his life, Poppy telling him she had done what was in her power to save him. Looking at her for another long moment, the older wizard asked then, "Did he give you permission to talk to me, now? "
The medi-witch took a deep breath and answered, "Yes, he did. And you are right. Harry is indeed pregnant. But before you ask, he does not know who the other father is. He intends to raise his daughter alone."
The headmaster looked at her, dumbfounded. After a second he cleared his throat and uttered, "Well, that is quite a surprise, isn't it?" When Poppy did not answer, Albus asked, "Would you please explain how this happened? Mr. Potter is hardly a person who is in for 'one night stands', I believe."
Shooting the older wizard an annoyed glare, the witch spoke up again. "It happened the day of the victory party. He felt sick and took an anti-flu potion in order to be able to attend the feast. Unfortunately someone gave him alcohol and after a time he felt even worse. He lay down in a guestroom, where someone took advantage of the situation, that night. Surprisingly enough there has not been an article at the Daily Prophet abut this until now. But I fear that will change when they find out about his pregnancy."
Again, the headmaster was silent for long minutes. Poppy watched his reactions carefully. He might not look it most of the time, but Albus Dumbledore could be a very dangerous wizard if he was out to protect the ones he considered family. And Harry definitely belonged to this group. The medi-witch could practically see him thinking. How he made plans. How he fought to control his anger. Finally Albus spoke up, his facial expression deathly calm now. "This is a very unpleasant situation. I know, there are charms to find out who the other father is. Have you used them already? I want to know who did this to Harry. This incident will not go unpunished." Rubbing his temples slightly, he asked, "How does Harry feel about the situation; about the baby?"
Poppy's face went soft. "He loves his daughter incredibly and has done everything to protect her," she announced and Albus blinked surprised, his look spoke volumes. "He told me that he first thought he had had a pleasant dream that night. And that he does not feel like something bad has done to him. Harry also told me that he has no longer the wish to search for the other father and that he is prepared to be a single father. I think he has come to terms with the situation. He sees his daughter as a gift, not a shame. Harry did not once act like he is unhappy or depressed, nor did he say anything about still being scared. In fact, he enjoys his pregnancy."
Albus Dumbledore still looked unconvinced "Of course we can not perform the spell to find the other father without Harry's permission. And if he is determined to raise his child alone, that is his decision. I guess all we can do is to offer our help and our support then. I will have to talk to the heads of the houses first, and later to the whole staff, to keep the gossip at bay. When do you think I can talk to Harry? I need to speak to him before I go and tell any of this to anyone."
Everyone who did not know the headmaster as well as Poppy did, would have been fooled by his collected expression. But not her. She noticed the anger that was burning in him, the rage. It was the way he almost forcefully stirred his tea, the look in those blue eyes that seemed to have turned to ice, the tension that had taken over his body. Oh yes, Poppy was sure he was furious. But she would see for it that he would not let Harry notice it. The boy had enough problems as it was
"If everything is going fine, you should be able to speak with him tomorrow afternoon. But he will definitely not be able to leave the infirmary for the next two days. And no teaching for at least a week." Her tone was rigorous. "If you would excuse me now, I have a patient to take care of." With that she stood and hurried back to the hospital wing.
"Whoever it was, he will regret it. I will make him pay!" The headmaster told the empty room.
ooOoo
It seemed Harry should be right. He survived once again. When the headmaster came to speak to him the next evening, he was sitting on the infirmary bed. Though still pale and hurting, his situation was not life-threatening any more. The young man felt uncomfortable under the searching eyes of the headmaster. The older man took a seat by his bedside and Harry blushed when Albus' look stopped at his swollen belly.
"Hello my boy. I hope you are feeling better. It was quite a bit of a shock to see you like this again. I had hoped you would not end up in the infirmary within a foreseeable space of time. But we can't change that now, can we? So, Poppy told me you are going to have a little daughter. I am delighted to hear that. Congratulations." At Harry's surprised look he smiled and continued, "What I do not completely understand is, why you have not told me of it. You surely must have known that I would do everything possible to help you with this?"
Harry sighed and touched his belly protectively. "Albus, I am sure Poppy has told you about the special circumstances my daughter was conceived? I just wanted some time in peace before the press is going to make my life a living hell once more. Besides, I was a little worried if you would allow me to teach the DADA classes, once you would know. And then there was the fact that this whole situation needed quite a bit of getting used to. Before I was told I was pregnant, I did not even know this was possible for males." Harry looked down on his right hand that was now rubbing small circles over his swollen belly.
It was something, Albus realized, he had done before. Now, with hindsight, the headmaster was surprised he had not noticed it earlier. Even as pale as he currently was, with dark circles under his eyes and in pain, even now, he seemed to radiate it. It was true what was told about pregnancies, they made people glow. Inwardly shaking his head about his own ignorance, Albus thought that he had been jumping to conclusions. All the time he had assumed the positive changes in this young man had been the satisfaction his new job brought and the fact that Voldemort was gone, while all the time a little girl had been the reason. "I think this is in parts my fault. Poppy convinced me that we have to do something about our sexual education at this school. Maybe things would have been different if you had known about male pregnancy." The headmaster sounded unhappy.
"I don't think it would have made much difference." Harry stated. He shifted a little in his bed, trying hard to find a position that did not hurt, before he looked the older wizard in the eyes. "Even if I had known about the possibility to get pregnant, I would not have taken any potion. I had not intended to get this kind of action that night, remember? Though I think your idea will be a blessing for the following students."
Albus winced slightly at the mention of the events of this evening. Smiling sadly, the younger wizard tried to reassure the man sitting beside his bed. He was so sick of those compassionate-pitiful glances. He had earned them one time too often during the last years. When would they learn that this was the best way to raise his temper?
His eyes narrowed a little and his tone turned slightly colder as he uttered, "Please don't look at me like that! First, I was angry of course, for this is nothing that happens every day. But I do not feel raped. I remember that it felt good and I even encouraged whoever was touching me. I thought I was dreaming. I know technically it is rape because I was drugged, and I should feel horrible, but it is not worse than any other thing Voldemort did to me. In fact, someone gave me a wonderful present. I may not know her other father, but I love my daughter deeply. I will not feel sorry for having her!"
At his words the twinkle in the headmasters eyes came back. It was good to see Harry had not lost his spirit. "You always had a way of seeing the good in everything. I am truly sorry that once again this will be a though time for you. But I promise we will help you. You understand, that I have to talk to the Heads of the houses and the rest of the staff? We need to prevent gossip as much as possible. And we will of course support you in any way. I planned to talk to Heads of the houses today, but wait to tell the staff until you can join us, too. Is that acceptable or do you wish for me to wait until you are able to attend both of the meetings?"
Shuddering at the thought to have to witness Severus' reaction, Harry was thankful that he could not join them. "No. That is perfectly fine with me. You tell Minerva, Severus and the others on your own and I will be there when the rest of the staff gets to know. I don't think I could go through this twice, anyways." Harry sighed and leaned back in his pillow, as another wave of pain shot through him. Almost time for the next turn of potions.
The headmaster stood, touching Harry's pale hand for a second. "Rest my boy. Everything is going to be all right, you will see. And don't worry about your classes. Your students already miss you. We will find a solution that is satisfying for all of us. I will not take that from you, I promise."
A few seconds later Harry heard the infirmary door being shut.
ooOoo
Four very worried looking Professors were sitting in the headmaster's office half an hour later. They had been told Harry was out of danger, but nothing more. Currently they were waiting to get to know the whole story. Severus had hardly slept during the night, and had been in a bad mood all day. Now sitting there with a cup of tea in his hands, he lost his patience rather quickly.
"Headmaster, could you please tell us what is going on? Why is no one allowed to go to the infirmary if it is true that Harry is getting better? Why all this secretive behavior? Has it something to do with the accident? Or an attack? We surely would know if Voldemort was back, wouldn't we?" his tone sounded enraged. The other Professors stared at him in a mix of disapproval and shock. But Albus only smiled.
"Severus my boy, calm down please. Drink your tea. I will explain everything. Once again this is a difficult situation for Harry. I expect nothing less that full support from all of you. But most important, we all need to keep the gossip as small as possible." The headmaster shot a quick look at the worried faces of his Professors. "To come straight to the point; Harry is pregnant."
A burning pang of jealousy shot through Snape. Beside him he could hear the other head of the houses gasp. He has found someone and I didn't even notice Severus thought, unable to fight the pain in his chest. "Harry doesn't look pregnant." He heard himself say. What a stupid remark for someone used to handle magic. And then he added, "When did he get pregnant and where is the other father?" The Potions Master could have slapped himself for sounding so curious and so hurt.
"I do not know who the other father is. Harry told me he is going to be a single father. And as for the 'when', that would be the night of the victory celebration. This means...." The rest of the headmaster's words went by unrecognized by Severus Snape. The night of the victory celebration. The night he spent in my bed. The night he can't remember. Oh, Merlin.... Realization hit him like a bucket of ice-water. He is pregnant with my child!
That was the last thought before Potions Master Severus Snape, ex-death eater turned spy and most feared teacher of Hogwarts, fainted.
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