Chapter 16: Severus' plans
Notes:
(See the end of the chapter for notes.)
Chapter Text
Severus Snape slumped on the wall as soon as he apparated back in the Malfoy Manor to get his bearings. Something he's been itching to do since Granger told him the news. Only he didn't have the freedom to do this in front of the Light members, especially Black, who would no doubt mock him. No one could know how affected Severus was by this.
But the minute those despicable words left her mouth—Draco, his godson, is pregnant with Potter's baby—war flashbacks appeared in his eyes. His one true love was dying, lifelessly slumped in his arms, and a green-eyed baby was staring at him as he cried for his lost love.
Lily Evans. Potter.
His face scrunched when he was suddenly assaulted by the dark memories he tried to bury—of betraying Lily, her having a family with stupid Potter, making deals with the Dark Lord to spare her, and her lifeless body.
Then, his breath hitched as his body burrowed further into the wall when he realized how similar Draco's situation was to Lily's. The pattern's all over there. The Dark Lord was out to get their babies, and they were only in his way. They're both involved with stupid men who are coincidentally named Potters—which Severus knew was the sole reason Lily and Draco were in crisis because those Potter boys are cursed—and both people are special to Severus, and it was up to him to save them—no, him.
Since he failed with... Lily.
He already failed once, he wouldn't fail again.
The only difference between their situations was that even if Severus begged and cried blood, the Dark Lord wouldn't spare Draco, he'd kill him as soon as he knew.
And another difference was that Severus would do everything in his power to save his godson, even if it meant sacrificing his own life.
Straightening his robes, he stood upright and started walking, looking for a certain blonde as he thought of the perfect plan to save Draco, but even now he still didn't know what to do. He could talk to Draco, yes, and told him that he knew and that he was an ally. That he'd save him and his baby. That should put him at ease until he thinks of the right plan to save him.
But save him, how? There's that matter of the death mark, and even if they tried to make it appear as if Draco the Dark Lord, of course, would tell Snape to save him back. If he rejected him or tried to shake him off, the Dark Lord would soon realize where his loyalty truly lies and that he was in the plan, and he would soon discover that it was all a ruse and that Draco was involved with Potter.
Then the torture. No. He shuddered at the image.
Severus would not be the reason for his godson's demise. He already has too much guilt in him.
So no, the kidnapping would have to be off their list, even if it's the most obvious choice they've got, there are just too many holes in the plan.
His fists clenched when his brain started aching, and he hadn't come up with a good plan yet. He wouldn't give up, though.
But it was not because, by saving Draco, he would indirectly save Potter and the Wizarding World. No, he did not care for Potter, nor was it really his priority to see the Wizarding World live in peace.
The only priority he had was to save Draco, because Black was right, Draco was the closest thing he could call a son. And yes, Black was fucking right to claim that Severus indeed felt bitter.
He was. Because how the fuck did it happen that the only people he cared for were stolen by Potters? How the hell did those stupid Potter boys manage to manipulate and fool the two people he thought should be smarter than that?
Why did Draco? Draco has impeccable taste, all thanks to his parents. A potion prodigy. Like Lily was. And just like Severus, they all understood the sophistication of potion-making, something that would always be lost on those Potter boys.
Draco hated Potter. As did Lily. If he closed his eyes and concentrated, he could hear 2nd-year Draco and Lily telling him almost the same thing.
"I hate him, Uncle Sev," Draco would always whine at him, and Severus would stop himself from rolling his eyes because, with the way Draco went, he was beating Severus and the Dark Lord, who could hate Harry Potter the most. "He's such an arrogant toerag. He thinks he could just parade around Hogwarts talking to snakes. Who cares if he's the boy-who-lived? Not me. And he's even friends with Weasley and the Mudblood. I pity the one who'd live their life forever by his side."
"I hate him, Sev. James is an arrogant toerag. Don't listen to anything he tells you. Who cares if he's wealthy and spoiled by his parents? Not me. Not us. He thought being friends with Black and Remus should give him the right to parade around Hogwarts like a king. I pity the witch who'll marry him."
Although, yes, Draco's speech was something else, muddled with slurs and the fact that Severus wasn't sure as well if Draco hated Potter because he's arrogant or if he hated that he's not the one friends with Potter or he's not the one talking to snakes.
But that's Draco. He's always been something else since he was a small blonde, telling Harry Potter stories to their house elves in his squeaky voice, telling his friends, "I'm going to tell father about this!" whenever something didn't go according to what he wanted, and running to Narcissa crying about the smallest wound and asking her with a trembling voice, "Is it going to mark, mother?".
Draco is a spiteful little blonde and a bit dramatic, even for Severus. But he also saw a bright future for Draco. The blonde is very smart, attentive, and an achiever. A thing he had proven when he fixed the Vanishing cabinet.
Draco would be someone to discover every potion for every disease no one had discovered yet. He would be better than Severus. He would be known by all for his discoveries and inventions.
But now, Severus feared, Draco would only be known because he's the Wizarding World's golden boy's partner and someone who's given the great Harry James Potter what he wanted—a family. Severus had seen that the notion had already started in the Light. The way they only cared for Draco because he was the key to waking up their precious Saviour. They did not think of Draco as someone special, as an individual who could be a Saviour in his own way in the future. They treated Draco as if he were a thing, a container to protect Potter's baby until they were ready to be born.
They did not care for Draco. Not even in the slightest. They tolerated him, at best. But only because of Potter.
And that's what made Severus more bitter. Because Draco was supposed to be an individual of his own, garnering awards and recognitions. Now with their kid, and probably more children in the future, Draco would have to stay home with his own little potion lab in their house, at best.
Which was a big waste of Draco's talent. His talent had shown through since he was a curious kid, helping his Uncle Sev in his potion making, attacking him with question after question, which he patiently answered.
Contrary to Black's belief that he's alone, he's not that alone. He's friends with Narcissa Malfoy née Black, someone he'd been friends with even back in Hogwarts. So some days, he visited their manor to talk to her, but then it became frequent when her child took a liking to Potions.
So, Narcissa, like the good mother that she was, begged Severus to be Draco's mentor. Of course, at first, it was something he agreed to because Narcissa was a good friend and he didn't have anything important to do with his time, what with the Dark Lord gone all thanks to Harry Potter.
But then, session after session, he realized Draco's special talent.
Severus had truly enjoyed his potion making sessions with his godson. He treasured it. It's theirs. Draco had made him feel cool, something he hadn't believed for a long time. "You're so cool, Uncle Sev! Someday, I want to be like you."
Severus would answer him with a controlled beam on his face, his chest lighting with pride. "You will be better than me, Draco. I'm sure of that."
And no, Potter and his Gryffindor friends were wrong, Severus did not praise and give Draco those top marks because he was his godson, no, it was because Draco deserved it. He made such a perfect potion. While Granger's potions were intelligently made, Draco's potions were made with finesse.
Draco was truly special. Now that's all gone, thanks to Harry Potter.
But that didn't mean Severus wouldn't do everything to save him.
And maybe, just maybe, his guilt would be assuaged if he did save Lily's son-in-law and grandchild.
He would not fail this time.
Severus stopped when he saw the blonde, he was talking to his friends as he stood a few feet away from them. At first, Severus did not think of anything from it, Draco had always isolated himself since his tasks with the Dark Lord started, and now he knew why.
But before he could take a step towards his godson, "Severus," the Dark Lord had called for him.
Severus forced himself to look away from Draco before the Dark Lord realized something was amiss. Severus bowed a little, "Yes, my Lord?"
He stayed there until the Dark Lord gestured for him to straighten up and looked him in the eyes. "I want to talk to you about the potions you're giving me."
The potions he rigged to impede his health, if only a little, were his way of contributing to shifting the tides of the war. Back then, he didn't care if he got caught and died in the process, but now that he hadn't saved Draco yet, he needed to be more careful.
-
The Dark Lord had told him to increase the dosage for faster revitalization of his health. The Dark Lord, as the day went by, was more frustrated, like he knew himself that Harry was close to waking up. Which meant Draco was soon to give birth.
He's so frustrated that he started to question Severus' potions, he started to talk more with his snake, often ignoring his followers, which made Bellatrix crazier and attack low-ranking Drath Eaters.
And if Severus still knew how to laugh hard, he would, because it was funny to see Bellatrix having a meltdown because of a fucking snake but then again, Severus wouldn't put it past the Dark Lord to have a relationship with his snake because they're too close for it to be considered healthy. But the situation of those three made him think of the cheesy telenovelas Lily always told him when they were still friends, so the only thing he could do was sneer and cheer inside.
Severus didn't know if they knew it themselves, intentionally being funny to crack Severus up, or if they're too clueless to know they're too funny sometimes. Especially that time when Avery cut Bellatrix's rants about how Chang escaped from her just to cast a pregnancy spell on her.
And when Bellatrix glared at him, Avery shrugged and said, "You could've been the one pregnant with Potter's baby for all we know."
It ended with Bellatrix getting more angry and Avery being crucioed.
Severus almost laughed at that as well. And he could see Draco and his friends biting their lower lips, especially Parkinson, who was very red in her face, just to stop the laugh from bubbling. Draco must have had a very fun day at that time, he helped Chang escape and laughed that Bellatrix was tested when he was right there. Truly a Slytherin.
He was so busy pampering the Dark Lord that he almost asked the Dark Lord if he could have Draco help him with the potions just so they would have a bit of time, alone together, to talk, and to plot a plan with the blonde, but shot the idea down when the Dark Lord, who was suddenly frustrated and distrustful, tasked Nagini to guard Severus while he's brewing the potions.
So, since then, Severus has reluctantly made the Dark Lord's potions without rigging them, fearing the snake would know. And so, Severus also tried to be as far away as he could from Draco, especially when the snake was just around since the snake had a bit of stalking tendencies, and Severus wanted every threat as far away from Draco as he could.
Which meant that at the time, the Dark Lord was healthy once again, and when Nagini backed away from him, it had already passed another month. Severus could feel Voldemort's anxiety knowing Potter's increasing power as he slumbered, a far-cry from the Dark Lord's stunted power due to his destroyed horcruxes. And he knew, that it was only a matter of time before Potter woke up to destroy him.
But nevertheless, he looked happier to be back.
Once done with his tasks to heal the Dark Lord, Severus focused on his task of saving Draco, and he realized that it's hard to be alone with the blonde when he's always surrounded by his friends, especially Theodore Nott.
After days of observing the blonde, he realized that Nott was always in the frame; where Draco was, he was right beside him, like a leech, or a bloodhound, ready to expose Draco. And Severus also noticed that he was always looking at Draco, eyes narrowing as if he could find what Draco was hiding, always talking to him, but not in the way Severus expected him to as Draco's friend—no, Nott would always say those iritating things to anger Draco, the old Draco. It's a testament to how much the blonde had changed when he did nothing but scoff and roll his eyes. Severus didn't want to think Potter caused the decrease in Draco's love for dramatics, it's their baby.
Severus didn't know how many more weeks passed, but he knew it was a lot when he could feel the frustration himself. How much more the Light, which mostly consisted of brash Gryffindors. Severus was actually shocked they hadn't attacked yet, but he knew it was only a matter of time.
Finally, one day, Nott was called by his father to a meeting with Bellatrix. Severus didn't want to think about what they could be talking about, but it made him want to grab Draco away from the place.
But he took advantage of the fact that the leech was nowhere to be found.
"Draco!" Draco stopped and took a step back, as a habit. Severus wanted to touch his stomach just to be proven right, but there are low-ranking death eaters everywhere. "Can I talk to you?"
"Sure, Severus."
Severus gestured for his godson to follow him. With an eyebrow raised, Draco did. "What are we going to talk about, then?"
"Just this potion, I wanted to ask you for help," Severus lied, knowing that the low-ranking death eaters hanging around would not know the difference since they weren't informed of the Dark Lord's status.
"Okay? You're asking for my help? That's weird."
"Yeah."
Severus placed silencing charms around the vacant room he first saw and locked the door behind him.
Draco frowned and took more steps backward. "Uncle Sev, what is this? What do you want to talk about? I thought you only wanted to-"
"Listen, are you okay?"
"What? Is this-" Draco shook his head. "Are you making sure you still follow your promise to mother because my tasks are done and this is a little too late-"
"I know."
"Know about what?"
"That-"
"What are you two talking about, Severus? Draco?"
Severus immediately stopped, and from behind him, in the doorway, stood Narcissa, her eyes narrowed at him. Severus turned back to Draco and saw his expression closed off. Now Severus didn't know if Narcissa knew the state of her son, and both of them had a quiet pact to act clueless, knowing Severus was a close contact with the Dark Lord as his personal healer. Either that, or Narcissa didn't know, and if Severus made the mistake of telling Narcissa, then he better prepare himself for the worst.
"Mother, he was just telling me about a potion he wanted to ask for my help with, for the Dark Lord."
"What potion? And what do you need my son for? Aren't you supposed to be a potion master?" Narcissa stood rigid, she was probably reminded of the time her son had impossible tasks set by the Dark Lord.
"Yes, but I need another hand, it's a complicated potion."
"I thought the Dark Lord was better now?"
"He is, yes, but-"
"What is happening here?"
And there was Lucius Malfoy. Now Severus was sure not to let the secret out. He knew the man, he would have no qualms about offering his son just to reap the rewards of doing so. Lucius was not really the best father in the world, it's a wonder why Draco would want to impress someone like him.
"Severus was just telling me he needed Draco's help for the Dark Lord's potion."
"Potion? Isn't the Dark Lord better now?"
Oh, Merlin. If Severus tried to insist he really needed Draco's help, Lucius would, of course, thank the Dark Lord for choosing his son. And knowing he wasn't asking Severus for any complicated potion, he would soon learn the truth.
Severus' lips straightened. "I have to go ask the Dark Lord if he still needs it. Let me talk to you again, Draco, once I confirm it. Anyway, I have to go back to Hogwarts."
Since then, Severus' problem has worsened. Not only was Nott always there, he could also feel Narcissa's eyes wherever he went, and it's not helping that the woman had seen him in Draco's room one night when he decided to talk to him at night with his parents sleeping.
But Draco was a deep sleeper who, oddly, had a smile on his face as he slept.
And Severus had forgotten to consider Narcissa's love for her son; she literally didn't sleep anymore.
"Severus, what are you doing in my son's room in the middle of the night?"
"I-"
Severus didn't have any explanation for this. He's been told and questioned a lot: how did he manage to befriend Narcissa since the woman was very scary even when she was only a student? She was someone who didn't take any shit from anyone; that's why she didn't have a mark on herself. But he would always shrug and tell them he hadn't seen her infamous anger yet, it was never directed at him.
Until now.
She raised her wand. "Out! Or do you want me to hex you?"
Severus only raised his chin and went past her, not trying to go talk to Draco at night ever again.
-
But Severus realized he was all too late and that his plan to talk to Draco was useless one day. With all the Death Eaters present.
The Dark Lord, who was looking far better, with Nagini slithering beside him, was telling them new plans to focus on finding Potter's bitch once again. And this time, they wouldn't stop until they found her, even if they had to exhaust every resource, including money—at this, Lucius had paled considerably since it was their money the Dark Lord was wasting—or their time. They would stop at nothing.
But his speech was suddenly cut short when they all heard a gasp from the side. Severus' heart thundered. That gasp was familiar.
Severus looked, and his eyes widened when he saw how Draco cradled his now unglamoured bump. And he looked very pregnant. His bump was bigger than the memory Severus had of Chang.
Then, drops of water trickled onto the floor, breaking the silence.
His water just broke.
Notes:
Finally. I can post the end I have in my draft more than a month ago.