Snape pulled away from the arms of his wife and daughter with a jerk. He reflexively covered his left forearm with his hand, wincing at the pain of the Dark Mark. "We have to go, Katrina."
Her eyes widened fearfully, but she said nothing. Maggie seemed just as afraid, but she merely nodded and said, "Be careful."
He led Katrina from the room and down the stairs. They needed to leave the house in order to apparate away. Thankfully, they didn't encounter anyone and they were quickly outside. He stopped just outside the anti-apparation boundary and pulled Katrina close to him, "Stay close to me at all times." She nodded and he quickly re-applied the magic suppression to her collar, knowing the Dark Lord would sense it if it wasn't there.
He kissed her quickly before tapping his wand to the Dark Mark and following the bond to his 'master.' They appeared in a clearing outside a small cottage. Wormtail was the only person in sight. The man, and Severus used that term loosely, stepped forward to greet them, his normal hand nervously stroking his silver one.
"Our Lord wants to see you inside, Severus."
"Indeed," he snapped, brushing past Wormtail and leading Katrina into the cottage. He could hear the other man following them and he scowled. Severus walked directly to the converted living room where he knew his 'master' liked to hold court.
There, on his throne, sat the Dark Lord. The only other in the room was Lucius Malfoy who stood off to the side. Severus ignored the aristocratic blond, instead he watched the Dark Lord as he entered the room and fell to one knee.
"Rissse and come to me, Ssseverusss," the man hissed, one hand gesturing him forward.
He rose and smoothly approached, Katrina following in his wake. He gracefully knelt before his 'master' and kissed the hem of his robes. The mere act made him want to gag. Pulling back so that he was still kneeling, he could see Katrina kneeling beside him, her back straight and head bowed – the perfect pet.
"Rissse, Ssseverusss. Sssit with me, my loyal sssnake," the man hissed, summoning a chair, which came to a stop in front of him.
"Thank you, my Lord," Severus responded, rising and settling gratefully in the chair. Katrina didn't rise, but she shuffled over so that she was kneeling beside his chair. He allowed a hand to play in her hair as he focused on the Dark Lord.
"Luciusss, come join us," he said, summoning another chair which Malfoy quickly took. "Now, firssst thingsss firssst… How are you enjoying your pet?"
"You have honored me beyond words, my Lord," he began. "I am enjoying all of her," he added suggestively.
"I am quite happy to hear that. I wasss told you have replaccced her collar."
Severus moved his hand from Katrina's hair to her chin. Gripping it, he lifted her head so the collar would be visible. "I hope that my choice meets with your approval, my Lord."
"Mmm, it isss asss Radulf dessscribed it. Hisss work isss exquisssite asss alwaysss." The red eyes met Severus' onyx ones as he released his wife's chin. "How isss your pet'sss health?"
Severus had been occluding his mind since he'd been summoned, so he knew there was no way the Dark Lord would know that he was aware of the pregnancy. He knew that because he had not volunteered that information immediately, admitting to it now would only earn him a punishment. "Her health has been fine, my Lord." He added just enough curiosity to the statement in the hopes that the other man would believe his ignorance in the matter.
His 'master' hummed before speaking again, "Ssstand up, pet."
Katrina immediately stood, her head still bowed. The Dark Lord ran his wand over her and cast the same diagnostic spell Poppy Pomfrey had. A feral smile crossed his 'master's' face, "Twinsss… mossst excccellent. Congratulationsss, Ssseverusss."
Severus grabbed Katrina's arm and gave a short tug, indicating that she should kneel again. He bowed his head to the Dark Lord.
"Now, for the reassson I sssummoned you here… Wormtail will be accompanying you to your home. He needsss a sssafe placcce to hide for a while."
Inwardly cursing, Severus again bowed his head slightly, "Of course, my Lord. As you wish."
"Oh, and Ssseverusss, because of your petsss delicate condition, you need not bring her along if sssummoned. I will be sssure to inform you if her presssenccce is necccessssary."
"Thank you, my Lord. I will inform you of any developments with her pregnancy."
"You are disssmisssed."
Severus slowly stood, "Come along, pet." He bowed to the Dark Lord before turning and striding from the room. Wormtail was waiting by the front door of the cottage and he coldly addressed the man. "Come along, Wormtail. I haven't all day to wait for you."
"I'm coming, Severus," the balding man squeaked.
He led the other two out of the cottage and past the apparition boundary. Once there, he pulled Katrina to him with one arm and carelessly grabbed Pettigrew's wrist with his other hand. With that, he apparated himself and Katrina and guided Pettigrew to the area outside his home.
Leading the way into the house, he gestured Katrina into a chair as he turned on the overgrown-rat. He shoved the smaller man into the wall by the door, "Listen to me right now, Wormtail. If I ever find you in your rat form in my home, I will cast a spell to keep you in it and you will find yourself in a cage. You will stay away from my pet. I don't even want you in the same room as her. You have access to this room, the kitchen, a bedroom, and the bathroom. Don't even dream of touching anything." He gave him an extra shove into the wall for good measure, "Have I made myself clear?"
The smaller man hissed at him before nodding his agreement.
"Good," Severus said, stepping away and smoothing down his robes. "Pet, come with me upstairs."
He didn't bother looking to see if she had followed him or not. He led her to her room – or what had been her room. Now this room would, by necessity, be Wormtail's room. He closed the door behind them and put up a silencing spell.
"Katrina, I am sorry."
She shook her head, "It's okay, Severus. Honestly, it will be all right. I guess I'm going to have to move into your room now, hmm?"
He nodded, "I can transfigure a second bed if you wish." Silently, he was hoping she would argue with him about it. They had done nothing more than small touches and a couple short kisses. He had been determined that he wouldn't push her into anything. It was the least he thought he could do. But to be honest with himself, he wanted her in his bed. He wanted to wake to her smiling face every morning.