Hey, well this is the next chapter. Thanks to all of you who read and like this story.
Like I said in the Chap. Heading of the 1st chapter I know this has been done a million times, but I hope it is not too predictable.
~Astig
Cauldron Babies
Chapter Three: Purple???
As Severus followed Miss Granger into Professor Dumbledore's office he looked as bad tempered as normal. Actually he was a little proud of Miss Granger, it was not like her to brew a potion incorrectly so the only logical explanation for the 'Deprehensio Vita' spell not to turn yellow was that she had successfully brewed the potion,
"Congratulations Miss Granger, you have succeeded where the research department at the M.O.M. has failed. I take it you know how dangerous that was but I guess you added extra leeches to the potion, what made you think of that?"
"Um… yes Sir, polyjuice potion, Sir" Hermione stated full well knowing that she should not really know about the potion as the Most Potente Potion book was kept in the Restricted section of the library. She defiantly should not know the individual ingredients well enough to use it for another potion.
"Polyjuice potion, Little Miss know-it-all has stuck again! When did you go into the restricted section and have you brewed it yet?" Severus snarled due to shock.
"Yes Sir" Hermione replied looking down.
"When did you brew it?"
Hermione looked up to see Professor Snape's reaction to this answer "in my 2nd year Sir".
"2nd year… hmmm… I seem to remember you missing classes as you were a cat! Although I was under the impression you had just been hexed" Severus said as he looked over at the Headmaster.
"No Sir, it was the polyjuice potion Sir," Hermione replied muttering 'but how was I meant to know it was cat hair on her robes'.
Severus was quite impressed, to be able to brew the polyjuice potion was a task for most potion makers at the M.O.M., but to brew it as a 2nd year was unheard of. But if anyone had been able to brew it as a student it would be Miss Granger.
Albus interrupted Severus thoughts as he congratulated Hermione "Severus, exactly what is the nature of the potion that Miss Granger here was able to brew? Albus asked. The Headmaster knew that the potion had been designed at the M.O.M. but had been unable to meet the deadline set by the minister. The potion had then been sent to Severus as the closest Potions Master to achieve the required results.
"Albus, you know that recent studies have showed that there has been an increase in birth defects; miscarriages and stillborn babies in the last 50 years, especially in pure blood marriages. This potion is similar to the polyjuice potion but induces immediate ovulation and changes and creates a fertilized ovum. By using the hair of two people and this potion you would now have a child that is biologically theirs in blood. Miss Granger has succeeded where the M.O.M. dunderheads' potion makers have failed. If the potion had been brewed according to the M.O.M. guidelines the 'Deprehensio Vita' spell would have turned yellow. Indicating that the potion had caused fertilization but had not attached to the uterus wall."
Albus smiled, "congratulations, congratulations Miss Granger. So what shade of yellow was it?"
"With the changes Miss Granger made to her potion the ovum is guaranteed to attach to the uterus wall, thus insuring pregnancy. Resulting in pregnancy Albus – when pregnancy occurs it would blue or pink not yellow Sir" Severus informed the Headmaster.
As Professor Snape was telling the Headmaster this Hermione was nervously looking at her hands. Glad that she was having this conversation with the Headmaster. She knew what she had done was wrong and it would greatly anger Professor Snape - she just hoped he would not kill her.
"Oh my, Miss Granger, what was it, pink or blue?" Professor Dumbledore asked leaning forward in his chair.
Hermione nervously looked up, glanced at Professor Snape and turned back to look at Professor Dumbledore, taking a deep breath to calm her nerves before saying "neither Sir, it was purple, Professor Snape didn't mention purple Sir," turning to Professor Snape she asked "what does purple mean Sir? Is there something wrong with the baby?"
The smile left Professor Dumbledore's face as he told Hermione "come here Miss Granger, I will perform a different prenatal test to see what is happening with the child."
"censeo novus vita" Hermione looked down nervously as she saw two lights. One pink, the other blue. Hermione took a deep breath in then gasped, looking between Professors Dumbledor and Snape and stated "Sir?"
"Congratulation Miss Granger, you are having twins" Professor Dumbledore said.
Professor Snape muttered "typical bloody over achiever… so… who is the lucky father?" smirking he added "Mr. Boot I assume, or perhaps Misters Malfoy or Zabini."
'Whoever gave their hair to Miss Granger is going to have a field day with her' Professor Snape thought, glancing over a Miss Granger he noticed how much paler she had gotten, as she looked a Professor Dumbledore.
After glancing back at Professor Snape she quickly looked down at the ground and quietly said, "Um, actually Sir, um…. I, um Ikindaaddedyourhairinsir"
"What as that Miss Granger?"
"That would be you Sir, it was your hair I added Sir" Hermione said a little louder, wishing she could move a little closer to Professor Dumbledore.
"You imprudent little girl! Where did you get my hair from?!"
Hermione was unable to look away from Professor Snape as she heard the Headmaster question him, "Your hair Severus?" as the Headmaster looked between his Potion Master and Head Girl.
Without warning Hermione felt strange as thoughts popped up in her head from class, pausing the moment she had gotten Professor Snape's' hair. Realizing that the Professor was reading her mind Hermione turned away.
"Miss Granger! It is not enough that you have mothered your class members for the past 6 years, but this is taking it too far!!! Shaking his head he took a couple of deep breaths, the lowered his head into his hands "What in Merlin's sake did you steal and add MY hair Miss Granger??? NO, it doesn't matter… come to my office after dinner tomorrow Miss Granger and I will have a potion ready for your problem. And you will have detention 3 times a week for the next month Miss Granger."
Hermione looked up and gasped. She had had about 40 minutes since she had learned the potion had not turned out as planned, and while this pregnancy was still a great shock it was not totally unwanted. Quietly she looked up at Professor Dumbledore before looking back at Professor Snape, "No, I will not be needing that potion Sir, I will not be terminating this pregnancy."
"Miss Granger."
"I am sorry Professor Snape, but I value new life too greatly. My mother and father had been trying for 6 years before they had me, and they have not been able to have any other children since. I will give the babies up for adoption if I need to, but I can't kill them Sir – too many people have died already Sir…"
"Miss Granger."
"…My N.E.W.T.S. will not be harmed, and the babies will not be born till the end of the year, well after graduation…"
"Miss Granger."
"…And if they pass the new law I will have to have children anyways Sir, this way I am just 4 – 5 months ahead of schedule…"
"Miss Granger!!!"
"Yes Sir?"
"Severus! Miss Granger!" Professor Dumbledore yelled.
"Miss Granger, please think about this, but what on earth possessed you to add MY hair to your potion?"
"Professor, you said the potion would not work. When I asked Malfoy and Zabini for some hair they both refused stating that no part of them would ever enter my body – of which I am most thankful – I was about to ask Terry for a piece of hair but you told me to go back to my work station, sit down and to stop asking questions. Professor Snape, you were the only other male in the room Sir, I didn't leave my work station and I asked no questions. I thought you would never know Sir. I didn't want to get a failing grade just because I was unable to get the male hair Sir – you said the potion would not work Sir." Hermione started to explain.
"The potion stated on the board did not work Miss Granger! What possessed you to change the potion Miss Granger? The potion could have exploded killing everyone?" Professor hissed.
"Professor Snape, at the beginning of class I realized that the proportion of the leeches did not take into account of the lacewing flies. I read in Most Potente Potions how to determine the correct ratio of ingredients you need…"
"Yes, yes Miss Granger, but why did you change your potion Miss Granger? And drink it?"
"I tried to ask you about my theory at the beginning of class Sir, but you old me to put my hand down. And as for drinking the potion Professor Snape, I tried to tell you about the changes that I had made, but you demanded that I drink the potion Sir, to stop wasting your time" an exasperated Hermione told her Professor.
Professor Dumbledore looked slightly amused by the sight before him. He had seen the changes in Miss Granger over the past couple of years. While Misters Potter and Weasley seemed to hate Professor Snape Miss Granger had always shown the utmost respect. This respect had changed somewhat over the last two years due to the war into a comfortable working teacher/student relationship. Severus tolerated Misters Potter and Weasley but had come to respect Miss Granger for her mind in the last stages of war [the only reason he had used polyjuice potion in the final battle was at Miss Grangers insistence – her reasoning being that he had too many enemies on both sides of the war – to avoid the waterworks he had agreed to use it for the first hour]. The life of Severus Snape was in no means an easy or pleasant life, with little if any joy. While he enjoyed potions, he didn't and couldn't tolerate dunderheads – to do so would put the lives of all others in danger. His bat of the dungeons demeanor had not changed much since the war. The largest change was that he was less tolerating of the dunderhead actions of his own Slytherins, especially the children of the Death Eaters. Professor Dumbledore smiled at Severus and Miss Granger once more as he realized the topic had changed once again.
"Miss Granger, pray tell me, why again do you want to keep this pregnancy? Surely you don't want to actually want to have MY children."
"Professor?" Hermione asked as she looked at him, then glanced back at the headmaster and as she saw the sad look in his eyes she gained a greater understanding of the love between the two teachers. She looked back at Professor Snape and smiled. "First of all Professor Snape, while this is not planned I would be honored to have your children. You are a great man Professor…"
Severus snorted at this but had a look of surprise on his face…
"…o.k., yes, you have your quirks and you hate my best friends, but you are a good man Sir and these babies will be very lucky to have you as a father."
With this statement Severus looked quite surprised, and was shocked. He had thought Miss Granger would be begging for a potion to terminate this pregnancy. Not only that, but it was twins! How would they ever get through this? He looked up to see Albus and Miss Granger talking.
"What do you think Professor Dumbledore - will the twins be in Gryffindor or Slytherin?" Hermione asked with a slight smirk on her face.
Professor Dumbledore smiled… "We will see Miss Grange, we will see, but with the two of you as their parents they may well be Ravenclaw. What will it be?... ah yes, the class of 2010 I think."
"MISS GRANGER!" Professor Snape growled.
Thinking about the detentions she added "About the detentions Sir, I never thought I would say this Sir, but I know what I have done is wrong, that I have wronged you in doing it Sir," looking down at her feet she continued, "I think I deserve detentions for longer than one month Sir, but I guess you don't want to see me more than you have to. And that is okay. But if you do require my assistance feel free to give me additional detentions. "
"Report in my Office at 7pm tonight for detention. You are dismissed Miss Granger."
A/N
censeo novus vita: evaluate new life (in latin)
Any Qs? Just ask me – I will either include it in the next chapter (which I have yet to actually start writing although I have an outline for the next 8 chapters done) or in the A/N
next chapter: Hermione now has to let everyone know... what will happen...