Thank you for reading! I don't own any of Harry Potter! Please let me know if you enjoy! Updates every Saturday!
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Little Sev and Maggie were delighted when their parents informed them about their father's career change.
Although they enjoyed being the Minister for Magic's children, little Sev looked forward to starting his Hogwarts journey with his parents and sister at the castle with him.
Maggie desperately wanted her father's influence at her school.
She hoped that once Severus became the newly reinstated headmaster, the cruel remarks she had begun to receive from her classmates would cease.
At first, it had been mostly stares and contained whispers, but during Maggie's second semester, some of her peers became bold enough to approach her.
Her heart sank as she realized that not a single person besides Scorpius showed any interest in becoming her friend.
"What's wrong with you?
"Why can't you walk?"
"Is your family ashamed of you?"
"Can you use the toilet by yourself?"
Their questions weren't always rude, but sometimes they were difficult for her to answer.
On several occasions, other girls in her year showed their most vicious tendencies.
As she ate dinner one evening, she noticed a girl staring at her across from Slytherin's table.
Maggie blinked at the girl's hostile scowl before the girl glanced from her eyes to her chest and asked, "How did your tits develop and your legs didn't?"
Maggie frowned as she answered, "My legs did develop, they just don't work."
"Why?" The girl sneered, "What did you do?"
"I didn't do anything." Maggie frowned, "They haven't worked since I was born."
"Then what did you Mum do?" The girl asked with a wicked grin.
"What do you mean?" Maggie frowned, "She took care of me, both my parents have…..What were they supposed to do?"
"No, I meant what did she do to get you to be born without working legs?" The girl scoffed, "Babies aren't born that way unless something's off. I bet your Mum was with another man and you became her punishment."
"WHAT?!" Maggie cried with an incredulous gasp, "No! I….She was not! My parents love each other more than any other couple has ever!"
"If that's what helps you sleep at night." The girl shrugged, "I'd have to tell myself that to, if I was a little lie baby."
"A……..what?" Maggie glowered.
"You heard me." The girl smirked, "All you are is an ugly, little lie baby. You shouldn't even be here. This castle isn't built for someone who can't walk. Don't muggles have homes for people like you?"
Maggie took a deep shuddering breath as she stared at the Slytherin girl with her heart racing.
Having been raised in a loving home with little to no conflict, Maggie didn't know what to do or how to respond to her vicious bully.
"Go on, ugly little lie baby." The Slytherin girl taunted, "Turn around and eat your dinner. Don't want Mummy to have to come and feed you now, do you?"
Maggie Snape was indeed a combination of her parents.
Harriet's rage welled in her as she reached for her wand.
Scorpius's fortunate return from the lavatory came at the right moment to save her from detention as he saw the two girls glaring at each other and called out as he walked down the aisleway, "Oi! What's going on?"
The Slytherin girl and Maggie both looked in his direction, but the angry tears he saw in Maggie's eyes told him everything he needed to know.
"What have you done, Lucretia?" He asked as he came to stand firmly between the two warring young women, directly in front of Maggie as if he meant to shield her with his own body, "Leave her alone!"
"We were only talking, Scorpius." Lucretia shrugged before she turned around.
Scorpius shot his housemate a warning glare before he sat down beside Maggie and spoke kind words of gentle reassurance.
"What did she say?" He asked as he held Maggie's hand while she wiped her eyes with the other, "Hey……you can tell me anything, alright? What did she say to you?"
"Nothing." Maggie lied as she sniffed and wiped her eyes once more, "We were just chatting and…..I…..I got a bit homesick, that's all."
Scorpius frowned at his darling while he gently squeezed her hand and hoped that maybe if they escaped the many listening ears, Maggie would be more willing to divulge the truth.
"Well, I don't know about you, but I'm finished with my dinner. Do you still want to go to the courtyard this evening?" He asked.
"Yeah…….yeah, I do. I'm finished too, let's go." Maggie nodded as she hurriedly pushed herself away from the table.
Scorpius loyally followed her as they left the Great Hall together and joined the many students who milled aimlessly around the castle for the last hour before bed.
Lucretia scowled from her seat as they walked away.
The anger in Scorpius's grey eyes had broken her heart.
She gazed at Maggie with utter loathing until she watched her rival disappear from sight.
Lucretia Simmons had been raised in a loving, wealthy household with no hardships, but that hadn't been enough.
She envied Maggie Snape more than any other person alive because Maggie Snape was the Minister's daughter.
Maggie Snape had already developed larger breasts than Lucretia felt she would ever have, given the slight build of most women in her family.
Most importantly though, Maggie Snape had caught the eye of Scorpius Malfoy.
Lucretia could think of no better reason to hate anyone.
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Maggie instantly recovered her nerve as she and Scorpius entered the courtyard.
She sighed as the evening breeze wafted across her heated cheeks.
Her heart still pounded from Lucretia's unexpected attack.
"I'm sorry about all of that." Scorpius apologized once they paused under a tree.
"Why are you sorry?" Maggie asked with a wry smile, "You didn't do anything wrong."
"Yes, but if I had been there earlier, I could have intervened sooner." Scorpius frowned.
"It's not your job to protect me, Scorpius. I can look after myself." Maggie laughed.
Scorpius gazed at Maggie with longing in his grey eyes.
They were too young to present, too young to marry, just too young.
Regardless, their innocent ages didn't stop Scorpius from wanting Maggie Snape's protection to be his responsibility.
He vowed to himself as he took her hand into his while they chatted that one day, it would be.
One day, Maggie would belong to Scorpius and he would belong to her.
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It was no secret that the Minister for Magic remained busy.
However, Severus had never found himself as swamped with work as he had in the weeks immediately following his resignation.
Lobbyists approached him from every angle, hoping to make their pleas passionate enough to persuade him into passing their desired laws.
Insistent Ministry employees heckled him about the plans he wanted to implement in the time leading up to the summer election, before and around the week he would actually leave office.
One morning, while Severus sat at his desk in the Ministry, he understood how a cornered rabbit felt.
Ministry employees, aides, journalists, and dignitaries surrounded his desk as they hurled questions and proposals at him like wild, barking dogs.
Severus furrowed his brow as he glanced at each one and contemplated the cacophony created by their many voices as they competed for his attention.
As he turned to the dignitary closest to his right and prepared to address the situation he presented, Severus struggled to hold back a sigh of frustration.
Harriet usually stayed beside him, eager and ready to help, but that morning she had gone out to complete some errands.
Why?
The grocery shopping could have been done by Disecnan.
The children needed no particular supplies.
Severus needed nothing and his wife didn't either, according to his knowledge.
As he faced the pack of inquirers alone, he wondered where Harriet could have possibly had to go that morning.
Didn't his omega know he wanted her next to him?
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Disencan entertained Little Sev at home while Severus worked and Harriet went out.
Unbeknownst to her husband, Mrs. Snape had a very important errand to run that day indeed.
Harriet had hid her vomiting surprisingly well from Severus while she had continued to wear the scent-blocking salve.
That morning, she walked down Diagon Alley with a queasy stomach and a hopeful heart.
It had surprised her how difficult it had been to make an appointment with her healthcare provider, but she surmised she hadn't been the only omega who had eagerly used the larindonan legumes.
Harriet entered the midwife's office, signed in at the reception desk, and sat down.
She kept her face covered by the hood of her robes, hoping not to start any gossip about the Minister's wife being seen at such a clinic.
When the nurse opened the door and discreetly nodded at her, Harriet rose from her seat and walked over.
As she followed the nurse down the hallway, she flattened her tongue against the insides of her mouth in a desperate attempt to stifle her sudden gag reflex.
She successfully made it to the examination room before she walked in and promptly splattered the bed with the bile that shot from her stomach.
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"I'm terribly sorry." Harriet said for the upteenth time as the nurse cast another sanitization spell on the room while the midwife examined her in a chair, "Really, I can help with the cleaning. It was an accident…..you have to believe me!"
"Oh, Mrs. Snape, this happens at least three times a day. Please don't trouble yourself!" The midwife smiled as she gently laid her hands on Harriet's exposed, flat belly.
Harriet fell silent as the midwife closed her eyes and completed her exam.
Her heart skipped a beat as she waited for the news, whatever it would be.
When the midwife's eyed popped open and a bright smile spread across her face, time slowed down for Harriet as she spoke, "Congratulations, Mrs. Snape! You have indeed conceived again!"
Harriet sucked in a breath as if she had been punched in the gut.
Not one to cry easily, happy tears welled in her eyes before she squinted and wiped them away with a finger.
"Sorry….." The midwife frowned, "Was that no longer welcome news? At our last visit, you mentioned you wanted more children."
"No, I…..I'm very happy, I'm just overcome." Harriet sniffed. She gathered herself as she dropped her hand, looked at the midwife, and nodded, "I bought some larindonan legumes and after all the disappointment, I wasn't expecting too much….I never thought I'd have another baby."
The midwife smiled as she spoke kindly, "Well, Mrs. Snape, I trust you know well enough what to do for the time being. Remember, to ease your nausea, you can take an Anti-Nausea Potion."
"I already have." Harriet frowned.
"Oh….?" The midwife blinked.
"Is there anything else you'd suggest?" Harriet frowned, "It's not working very well this time."
"When did you take the last dose?" The midwife asked as she furrowed her brow.
"About an hour ago." Harriet blinked.
"And you still got that sick? You poor dear!" The midwife exclaimed.
When Harriet shrugged, the midwife asked, "Would you mind laying on the bed for a moment?"
Harriet blinked as she stood, walked over, and lay down.
She watched as the midwife came to her side, pulled out her wand, and slowly waved it over her belly to run one last diagnostic charm.
The frown on her lips made Harriet nervous.
"I'm sorry, Mrs. Snape." The midwife informed her patient, "It seems you aren't having a baby after all."
"WHAT?!" Harriet demanded.
Her heart couldn't take another devastating break, not after she had been promised that finally, finally…..
The midwife interrupted Harriet's thoughts with a smirk, "...You're having three."