Alia: Huh! Looks like it's been a while since I updated. I was gonna wait longer but I decided to be nice and everything. Maybe now I'll get off my ass and into the next part of this. I'm still ahead of you guys.
I have more ideas spilling into my head but I'm going to be summarizing a lot of things for later. I may put of some of my snippet series when I get to thirty or something. They all suck anyway. So I might not update for a while. Good news though. I know how Harry is going to find out about our love birds (gags).
Oh and Happy B-Day Tia. I wouldn't have gotten a guy picked without ya.
Title: Expecting The Absolute Weirdest
Author: Alia
Part 1/1
Rating: R
Pairing: Severus Snape / Original Male Character; Severus Snape / Harry Potter
Spoilers: I'm not exactly sure...HBP spoilers (just not the way you would think)!
Warnings: slash, language, angst, humor?, AU
Disclaimer: Sadly, I don't own Harry Potter. I would like to but JKR does and I don't think she's inclined to share.
Summary: Two men facing painful losses drown their sorrows, and make an already interesting rollercoaster much more interesting.
Author's notes: This is just a silly little story. I don't even know why I'm writing it. I think it may be one of those feel good stories. NO SAP. It makes me sick to my stomach. Ah well. Here goes.
Expecting The Absolute Weirdest
"WHAT?!"
Ron winced as the twins exclaimed across their shop. He was happy that it was a quiet day and his brothers' shop only had a couple customers. Said customers were staring curiously.
"Keep it down!" hissed Ron as he glared at the twins. The two men looked totally gobsmacked. It warmed the youngest Weasley boy that he could shock his brothers into silence. Even if the news didn't involve him directly, but he had to tell someone. He simply couldn't tell the one that he thought needed to know.
"Severus Snape got married?" whispered Fred in disbelief.
"Are you serious?" The twins whispered, exchanging a quick look before turning back to their brother.
Ron nodded. "This summer. Hermione found out when he came back from a potions conference in Greece. That's where she thinks they met."
Fred scowled and grabbed Ron's ear. Stifling a squeal, Ron's upper body was yanked over the counter so that he could face his unhappy siblings.
"Oh really?"
"Now tell us, little brother. Why didn't you give us this delightful piece of information before now." George, as unhappy as his twin, pointed toward the calendar. It was nearly Halloween.
Fred let Ron go. The man took a step away from his twins and the barrier between them. Rubbing his ear, Ron answered, "Well, Hermione said that it really wasn't anyone's business but Snape's, so we shouldn't say anything." He fidgeted. "I couldn't keep it to myself anymore. I had to tell someone!" He exclaimed.
George and Fred exchanged yet another wide eyed glance between them. "Are you saying-," George began.
"That dear old Harry-,"
"Who abandoned Snape-,"
"For our stupid baby sister-,"
"Fred!" snapped Ron. The twins hadn't been particularly happy with the way things had happened between Harry, Ginny and Severus. Molly had been one of the many who hadn't cared. She hadn't been happy with Harry and Severus anyway.
"Doesn't know that his-,"
"Ex is newly married?"
Ron nodded reluctantly at the nearly vicious gleam in the twins eyes.
Fred turned to George. "You know, George, I do believe that we should try working on something especially for dear old Harry."
George nodded excitedly. "Maybe an exploding wedding cake?" He rubbed his jaw and shook his head. "No no. Too boring, but we'll think of something won't we."
"Of course!"
"NO!" yelled Ron. He started waving his hands in front of the twins. "No! Absolutely not!" When Fred opened his mouth to respond, Ron yelled, "Do you think mum will ever let us hear the end of it?"
Fred grimaced as George looked at Ron curiously. "Us?"
Ron smirked at little. "Hey, before this mess started, Snape and I were becoming friends." He shrugged.
"Well," said Fred, "Since we can't have fun with our soon to be brother in law, how about we send Professor Snape a wedding gift?" He asked with a grin.
Ron paled as George ran for the back of the store, screaming out ideas over his shoulder. "What? NO!"
Severus ignored Flitwick's giggle as he watched Horus land next to his plate at breakfast. The large black hawk that belonged to Alex was careful not to knock anything over as he stuck his leg out to Severus. The bird gave a very insistent cry.
The potions master paused as he reached out for the letter Horus had brought him.
Horus was usually a quiet bird, if not totally silent, and very patient. He never acted differently either unless something was off with Alexius. The bird had a habit of matching his master's moods. Currently, Horus was acting rather agitated.
/What could possibly be the matter?/ Severus wondered as he thought about Alex. Thinking that his husband had unleashed his fury upon the hapless waiters and waitresses, Severus quickly removed the letter and opened it. "Thank you, Horus."
Without another sound, the bird flew away from the table leaving the concerned mate of his master.
"Is everything alright, Severus?" asked Flitwick. The potions master appeared rather worried.
"Yes. Everything is fine." Severus closed the letter and stared into space for a moment. He then turned to Albus who was two people down from his seat. "Headmaster?"
Dumbledore looked up with a smile, but he immediately noticed the same worried look that Filius had caught. "Yes, my boy? What is it?"
"Do you mind if I take the next three days off? I know you needed me to chaperone for the party tonight but..."
It didn't take a genius to see that it had something to do with Alexius. Albus nodded. "Not at all. I'll have your classes covered immediately."
"No. Just cancel them, Albus." He stood from his seat, not really paying attention to his colleagues.
"Severus, is everything alright?" asked Poppy.
"Yes. Everything is fine. I am needed home for a few days." Severus left the Head Table for the Slytherin table. After exchanging a quick word with the Head Girl, the potions master left the Great Hall at a brisk pace.
Minerva frowned. "I hope nothing has happened to Alexius."
"Oh, I don't think any harm has come to him," replied Albus. The old wizard did hope that whatever sent Severus rushing back to Greece wasn't bad.
"You never have to worry about something like that."
"Why not?" He glared. "That's why he left."
"I'm not him for one thing. And I don't want-,"
"Why not?!"
He looked at him with a sad smile. "You already know."
Severus called his husband's name again as he stood in the foyer of their home. He had been to the pub at first, only to be told that Alex had called in sick that day and didn't want to be disturbed.
The mere notion of Alexius being too sick to come into work was surprising to Severus and his husband's employees. The head cook, an old, heavy set woman with a worst temper than his husband, had immediately contacted Severus using Horus.
"The hardheaded idiot has come here with the pneumonia during one of our coldest winters and he expects us to believe that a little cold is stopping him!"
Severus had also been told by the old woman that Alexius always returned in the worse shape possible.
"He's right sickly when he comes back to work. Looks like he hasn't slept in days or eaten!" She snapped, sounding particularly scandalized by the lack of good food. Her face sobered. "He's always like this around this time of year. Maybe you can do something about it this time."
The cook had told Severus flatly that it was his duty as Alex's husband to do something to help him with his problem. She had then sent him straight to his home via the floo connected to their home.
The fact that the floo had been open shocked him. Alex, like Severus, was somewhat paranoid and took strong precautions. The man was never one to leave the floo open for anyone to enter.
"Alex?" Severus shouted again through the house, walking through the hallways. Their home was a one story with a basement. It wasn't too large though so it wasn't long before Severus was in their bedroom with a concerned look on his face.
Lying on the bed, empty, unblinking eyes staring up at the ceiling, was Alex. The man's hair was sweaty and limp. His face was ghostly pale. He was still in his robes and Severus wondered when had his husband changed his clothes last.
"Alex?" He reached out, almost afraid that his husband was cold and dead from the look of him but a rush of relief went through him as he felt the warm skin. "Alexius?" Severus shook his husband's shoulder. He leaned over him, hoping to catch Alex's vacant eyes.
When he didn't receive a response, Severus climbed into the bed and straddle his husband. He began gently slapping Alexius, hoping that the younger man would come out of whatever comatose state that he was in before Severus was forced to become more violent.
Alex blinked and his eyes slowly began coming into focus. Severus in turn went still. Alex could be violent when startled. He had never done it toward Severus, but the potions master decided to be careful. He didn't forget the poor idiot that had shocked Alexius by bursting angrily into his husband's office. It was a good thing the man didn't try to press charges, especially since the aurors decided that the fool had it coming.
"It's stopped."
Severus's brow furrowed. "Stopped? Alex, what are you talking about? What happened?" He briefly wondered if Alex had seen a boggart.
"No. The crying has stopped." He smiled weakly and Severus was unnerved to see a shaky hand rise and brush the potion master's left cheek. "This happens every Halloween. No matter where I go, he follows."
"Alex, what are you saying? Who is crying?"
"It comes from the nursery." Alex's eyes welled up with tears before he curled up onto his side and cried silently.
Severus was utterly confused but saw that his husband was not ready to talk about anything yet. Pulling out his wand, he used a light charm to push Alex into sleep. There were heavy bags beneath his husband's eyes. /He's exhausted./
Standing with a sigh, Severus covered Alex with a light blanket. /The crying is from the nursery. "No matter where I go, he follows."/ Severus had an idea of what Alex was talking about.
His husband had never fully recovered from Nathanial's death. The baby had, as Alex put it, been one of the few things that had kept him connected after the fiasco with his wife. Alex had went on to say that he didn't remember a lot in the days after the death of Nathan and his lover.
"My friends told me that I was different. I tried to get them to give me more information, but they refused to say anything. Personally, I don't think it mattered in the few days after. It was after the few days that I really changed."
Severus pushed the words from his mind. It was something that he always hesitated to contemplate. Glancing at Alex once more, he turned and left the bedroom, walking out into the hall.
/Nursery? But there is no nursery. I know Alex wouldn't have had one./ Staring at the simple painting in front of him of an unidentified vineyard, Severus wondered if the former owners had a nursery.
Sighing, the potions master headed started down the hallway, wondering how to help his spouse.
TBC
Alia: Yeah, still short but you guys need to read this and the next part. As for the mpreg...I'm leaning towards none at all. I just don't know what I should do for Alex right now and I don't know if mpreg would fit in this story. (shrugs) REVIEW!!!