Disclaimer #1 - not my characters.

Disclaimer # 2 - Mpreg. Non Con.

A/N # 1 - thanks to those that have reviewed. Thanks also to Excessively Perky for her comments.

A/N # 2 - Happy Birthday, Jessica! Thanks for reading!

"But, Severus, you have failed to address one very important issue. What if I'm the true father? What if Poppy discovers that the baby was in fact, created on Christmas, on the night when I took an inconsolable boy to my bed? Do you believe that I will simply step aside and let you flee to Spinners End? Do you think that I will not claim my rights? If necessary, I will go to the Wizengamot, and argue my case."

"No," Severus whispered. "Minerva… please…"

"Minerva, you do understand that it highly unlikely that Severus will actually prevail in the Wizengamot against the Chief Warlock?"

"Albus?" Minerva softly questioned. "Is this vindictiveness truly necessary?"

"That's a question that you truly need to ask Severus, Minerva," retorted Albus. "Severus?"

"Minerva?" The shattered Slytherin plaintively whispered to her. "Why does hehate me so?"

She couldn't just merrily sit by and do nothing while Dumbledore compounded the damage Severus had experienced. Therefore Minerva McGonagall took a deep breath and roared like the Gryffindor Lioness that she was.

"Albus! Enough! You will leave now, or Merlin help me, I will hex you into next week!"

For a moment, Albus' façade slipped, and a concerned Minerva saw that the Head Master was truly furious. Their strong friendship was tearing and straining from the trauma, and a worried Minerva had never witnessed Albus this enraged, not even when Harry's parents had died. Albus' bright and shiny façade of a whimsical, pain in the ass, eccentric professor was a ruse, intended to hoodwink others into underestimating how truly powerful he was. Even though she had known Albus, and known him intimately for many years, Minerva often overlooked the fact that he was the wizard who had defeated the nefarious Gellert Grindelwald. Not now, as Minerva saw That Mage, the One who had Bravely Stood Against all that Gellert Grindlewald Represented. His emotional slip lasted only for a brief moment, and then a composed Albus nodded his head.

"Minerva McGonagall, as you've apparently been elected to serve as Severus' barrister, we will continue this discussion in my office. Thirty minutes, Professor." Albus' tone was quite wry.

"It will be my pleasure, Head Master," she politely answered, refusing to voice her own fury. Severus' healing could only be hampered being in the midst of a battle between two titans.

Her cold, reserved tone combined with the use of his official title seemed to shock Albus back to his senses. He turned away from Severus and Minerva and Albus faced the door.

"Severus, lad… I know you won't believe me… but I do not hate you. Nothing could be further from the truth."

Severus' lone response was to only clench her hand still harder.

Minerva could barely hear Albus' voice when he once again spoke.

"Please forgive me, Severus. I am still feeling the affects of our exertions to free you, and I'm afraid that I'm rather waspish. What I just said just now, Minerva, Severus, was not stated in the manner or in the tenor that I would have wished for this fragile situation. I would never bring this matter to the Wizengamot, as I could imagine all too well how Rita Skeeter and her poison pen would twist and warp this delicate, private matter. Please accept my sincerest apologies for my boorish behavior."

A nod of his head was Severus' only response and Minerva quietly accepted Albus' apology.

"I would humbly request… that if the child is joyfully discovered to be the results of our lovemaking on Christmas night rather than….otherwise, Severus, will you please kindly allow me the courtesy of being involved with your decisions."

Minerva was grateful when Poppy appeared almost immediately after a subdued Albus left. She had a small green potion bottle in her hand, and the mediwitch gave Severus a long, measuring look.

"Drink all of it, with none of your back talk," Poppy demanded. "Yes, it's a Class 1 potion, which means it's safe for you to ingest. After it takes affect, I want to examine your arm. It's time to change the dressing, and I want to ensure that the rather infection has resolved."

Her patient drank it quickly, with nary a comment about the taste, and Poppy shook her head. She sat down next to Severus' bed, and the mediwitch gently stroked his pale cheek.

"You must be feeling poorly, Severus, if you're not telling me how much you could improve upon it. Now close your eyes, and get some sleep," Poppy soothingly crooned. "No nightmares, dear. You have my word on it."

He nodded his head once, and closed his eyes. In a few minutes, the Slytherin was deeply asleep. His hand was still firmly grasping Minerva's hand, though, and Minerva wondered about how to extricate herself without waking him.

"You can probably free your hand from his death grip now," Poppy whispered. "He won't wake for another four hours. Now, let me see it."

She extended her hand, and the meditwitch poked, prodded and requested that she make a fist. The Gryffindor Head wasn't able to make a fist without gasping in discomfort and pain, and Poppy disapprovingly shook her head.

"Good news, Minerva, it's not broken," Poppy authoritatively declared, before she tossed a small tube at Minerva. "Just badly bruised. He's got quite the grip, and I'm sure he has no idea that how strong he is. Rub that on your hand, and it will heal."

Minerva gingerly applied the medication to her hand, and it was first icy and then it burned. The vivid bruises faded from her hand, and she was able to make a fist without wincing.

"I take it that the talk between Albus and Severus did not go well. Severus looked rather gutted, and Albus didn't look much better when he left," Poppy dryly commented. "No, don't you go anywhere, Min. You've got a strong stomach and I need help changing his bandages. I'm trying to keep Severus' care limited to people that I can trust completely to keep their mouths shut. Filius can't handle this, as he's such a gentle soul."

The mediwitch uncovered Severus' arm, and she expertly removed the bandage with a minimum of fuss.

"It's healing nicely," Poppy commented. She flicked and swished with her wand, and then performed several complex incantations. "I'm casting anti-infection, fast healing and anti pain charms. Would you mind holding his arm for me?"

Even though she'd rather face an angry Albus than tend to Severus' war wounds, Minerva, being Gryffindor down to her color coordinated pants, agreed to assist Poppy. She pulled her chair over to where Poppy was sitting, and Minerva sat down.

"Don't worry, the wound is completely closed. It's just smooth skin," Poppy assured her. "Just hold it."

Poppy guided Minerva into positioning her hands properly, and Minerva tried not to look at Severus' stump. To gawk at it, was nothing more a blatant violation of Severus' privacy, much like the female prefects taking a gander when the male prefects were bathing. Not that she had ever gotten caught doing such a thing when she was younger, but she knew where that peephole had been located, and the first thing she had done as a Hogwarts Instructor was seal it.

"Merlin's pants, Minerva, you need to look at it! The boy will require assistance in getting dressed when I release him from the infirmary. He'll need someone who will be able to look at his arm, and not start scriking."

"Severus seems particularly fond of making people burst into tears. It's skill that's been finely honed over the years," Minerva retorted. "Why disappoint him?"

Poppy laughed, and nodded her head. "Good, that's exactly how you need to be with him. Treat him as the acerbic, nasty git he always was. Don't pamper him, and don't suffocate him with compassion."

"Severus isn't always a nasty git," Minerva softly protested. She then gathered her courage and intentionally looked at Severus' arm, deliberately taking a long glance at the ugly, tight scar where his arm so abruptly ended, and Poppy approvingly nodded her head.

"There's a great deal of nerve inflammation which is causing my patient a great deal of discomfort. Let me show you a spell that will ease his pain. We can't keep using the cream on Severus' arm, as it's a Class 2 medication. Class 2s can be used sparingly, only as deemed medically necessary during the first trimester."

Once the spell was demonstrated, Minerva repeated it until Poppy approved. The mediwitch was a harsh task mistress, and Minerva was rapidly losing her considerable patience with Poppy's dismissive comments on her swish and flick technique when Poppy finally gave her grudging endorsement on her technique.

"I'm quite surprised that you went into Transfiguration, Minerva. I still think you should have gone for Healer Training," Poppy grudgingly admitted. "You've got the skill and the empathy."

"You always say that," Minerva sniped, but secretly she was pleased. Poppy rarely gave out compliments, especially with regards to her profession.

"But I mean it!" Poppy exclaimed.

She was close to an hour late for their conference when Minerva finally arrived at Albus' office. Minerva wasn't planning on offering an apology as she had a very good reason for being late. Being able to offer Severus pain relief was more important than any summit. Plus, Albus's earlier behavior still grated on her nerves. The door opened for her, and Minerva was surprised to find Albus sitting in his darkened bedroom. He was wearing a bronze colored silk dressing gown, and his hair was loosely braided.

"I believed that you had decided to skive off our conference." His normally booming and exuberant voice sounded thin and exhausted, and he slowly stood. "I'll meet you in my office. It's not respectable for me to have a meeting with a maiden witch in my bedroom. I know that propriety demands that I not wear my dressing robe, but I'm too bloody tired to change. Is that alright?"

"Albus? Are you feeling well?" Minerva questioned. It was barely one in the afternoon, and Albus was dressed for bed?

The Head Master didn't answer her question until he sat down at his desk. There were dozens of ancient tomes on his desk, including a honest to Merlin copy of Scinncræft Wicung tō Scinnlǣca by Godric Gryffindor. He offered her a chair, and she gratefully sat down.

"Minerva, I fear that recent events have sullied your kind regard for me," Albus slowly confessed.

"You were brutal with Severus," the witch honestly stated. "But if you're reading Godric'sMagical Spells for Wizards in the original Old English, then you no doubt have a headache the size of Hogwarts. Migraine or not, there's still no excuse for traumatizing Severus further. But how did you get your hands on thatparticular book?"

"Flitwick, as the Head of Ravenclaw, has a rather extensive library. Rowena was a voracious reader, and she had ensured that her Head of House has access to her collection," Albus explained.

"Rowena owned that book?" Minerva asked. How she longed to touch it, an honest to Merlin relic from the founding days of Hogwarts. However did Albus manage to acquire it?

"It's a copy. Filius can't let the original leave his quarters, but he copied it for me. I've been researching Paters Gignere Ingeniter, eversince I escaped the not so tender mercies of our Mediwitch. Minerva, if Severus is truly determined to bring this child to term, pray to whatever higher power you believe in that I'm the father."

"So you can inflect your recent bad behavior on Severus for the next seven or so months?" Minerva tartly quipped.

"Minerva, I remember that I sincerely apologized for my outburst. Perhaps, you were occupied at that moment, and you missed it Or do you plan on rubbing my nose in it until you're satisfied?" Albus snapped. He waved his hand, and sighed. "Of all the times I need to be on my best behavior, I feel like I've been used like a Bludger by the Holywood Harpies in their amazing defeat of Heidelberg Harriers in that seven-day match in 1953. Did you see that game?"

"I did not, as you may have forgotten that I was in my first year at Hogwarts," Minerva primly reminded him. It wasn't true, not by a long shot, but this old joke was a comfortable jest between them.

"Professor McGonagall, are you stating that I hired you as the Transfiguration Professor when you were just a third year student? You must have been truly outstanding as a student," Albus dryly commented. His eyes were sparkling with mischief and Minerva permitted herself a small smile.

"Forget trying to distract me with idle flattery, Albus," the Transfiguration Professor retorted. "Why should you being the father bring tears of relief to Severus? He's quite determined to do this on his own."

"According to Godric, Paters Gignere Ingeniter, was far more often used in the past…" Albus' voice was sonorous, which meant he was working on a full head of steam.

"Give me the condensed version rather than the full novel, Albus?" Minerva quipped. "I'll tell everyone that you bludgeoned me with the details."

"Very well. Perhaps you noticed that I'm a moderately powerful wizard," Albus impishly confessed.

Minerva bit her lip from zinging him with a caustic comment about him being a powerful though rather immodest mage.

"Severus is also a moderately powerful wizard. Paters Gignere Ingeniter is Blood Magic. Blood Magic, unwillingly and unknowingly inflicted on its victim, combined with the deceptive use of Polyjuice Potion, an exceptionally traumatizing conception compounded with repeated abuse, Schaum's Third Law of Causality states…" The Head Master of Hogwarts stopped and refused to continue.

"It will be amonster," Minerva whispered.

"There is a high probability that the resulting child will make Voldemort appear to be no more than a petulant two year old. Minerva, explain to me, why does Severus want the child? I never thought he particularly liked children. I'm trying to understand what he is thinking and why." Albus voice was concerned.

"Severus doesn't like children," McGonagall slowly admitted. "But Severus wants the child because he believes it will give him unconditional love he's always wanted."

"Absolute unconditional love?" Albus questioned. "I'd expect that naive answer from a starry eyed sixteen year old Hufflepuff, Minerva, NOT from Severus."

"I'll be vexed if you repeat this, but our boy claims that in his life, he's unreservedly loved four people. None of which loved him back." That painful, heart wrenching confession came slowly to her lips, and Minerva shook her head.

"Eileen, Tobias, Lily… and who was the fourth?"

"Albus, you know you are the fourth," snapped Minerva. "Who else could it be?"

Her caustic comment earned a gentle smile from Albus. He shook his head, obviously bemused with her dim-wittedness before he softly spoke.

"One day, Minerva McGonagall, you must explain to me why you refuse to believe that anyone could love you? For someone who is so observant, you astound me with what you refuse to see the painfully obvious. Iloved you, and you never believed me. So, I must regretfully destroy your illusion and inform you, Minerva that Severus lied to you. He's actually loved five people in his life. Severus loves you, Minerva. It is not the schoolboy crush that he possesses for me, but a deep, abiding affection. It's probably the healthiest emotion he's ever experienced. Minerva. I hope you realize the honor."

Tears came to her eyes, and she shook her head, refusing to accept that. Minerva hadn't wanted to lead the boy on, and she had been very circumspect in their romantic dealings.

"I only took him to my bed, Albus. I warned him not to let the resulting hormones lead his thinking astray, and he never became infatuated with me. We were friend with benefits only, and I know that he doesn't love me," protested Minerva. "Don't you dare claim that I harmed him."

"You didn't hurt him, Min. You physically comforted and emotionally consoled him, and in turn, he learned to trust you. Whose hand did he hold just now? Who did he ask to protect him?" Albus' quiet voice was slamming away at her iron walls.

No, no, NO! Albus is attempting to guilt me into merrily agreeing with his schemes.

"No," Minerva protested. Her voice was weak, but gradually grew stronger. "The question isn't so much why does Severus want the child, but why does Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore desire the child? I know you've always wanted a child of your own. Here's your opportunity."

"Yes, at one time I wanted a child of my own. I did not hide that fact. Perhaps, I should have, as it was the final reason why you dissolved our relationship. When you discovered that due to that old wound that you couldn't safely carry a child to term, Minerva, I begged you not to leave. I promised you that it mattered not at all to me, but you walked out that door, Min. You thought I didn't love you enough," Albus reminded her. "I did. You just didn't trust me enough, and I failed to convince you otherwise."

"You wanted a child in the hopes of you making peace with what happened to Ariana," Minerva quietly stated.

"Through my arrogance, thinking of only my self-serving ambition, I failed Ariana, and I failed Aberforth. This time, I swear on my wand, that I will not do so again," Albus insisted.

"Severus doesn't want you anywhere near him as you've been a right nasty git," Minerva not so gently reminded him. "So if you are the father, why won't Schaum's Third Law of Causality be invoked?"

"The Third Law specifically deals with the conception of the child. If I am the father, the child was conceived with tenderness, affection and love…"

"Love?" Minerva barked. "LOVE?"

"Minerva, that night, Severusloved me. At this point of time, it matters not at all that Severus, has discovered what a monster I truly am. Yes, the love he once possessed for me has turned to ash. The Third Law is concerned with the emotions at the time of the creation. I was gentle with him, Minerva. There was affection, honest and genuine, on my part involved, though you refuse to believe it. There was no deception involved, nor was there was force used."

'You truly believe that Severus will accept your help?" Minerva questioned. "What am I saying? You may not be the father, and all this will be a moot point."

"It won't be a moot point. Regardless of what the results of Poppy's exams state, I will offer to support Severus. If he desires to bring the child to term, I will take responsibility for it. Legally, financially, magically. If Severus agrees, I will give the child my name. Minerva, he thought I would be angry with the child, that I would hold its conception against him. Am I that cruel, Minerva? That I would hate a defenseless child?"

"Didn't you begrudge Ariana?" Minerva questioned. "Your mother died, and you had to take care of her."

"I was seventeen years old, Minerva. A very self-absorbed seventeen year old. My life was before me, and all I could see was that I was tied to her forever and ever. Yes, I was petulant. Yes, I sulked like the spoiled child I was. Now, my life is almost completely behind me, and I will NOT make that mistake again. I will be attached to this child, because it's imperative that I do so. Severus' magical energy will be depleted before the child is ready to be born. As the acknowledged father, I can supplement his energy and keep them both alive."

Minerva took a deep breath. To her concern, she was weakening and actually considering Albus' suggestions. It would be so easy for her to convince Severus to let Albus help, but… she was Godmother to the child, she needed to protect the two of them from everyone, especially Albus.

"Severus doesn't trust you, Albus. Through his years at Hogwarts, you've never been particularly friendly toward the Slytherins."

"I intimately know my weaknesses, Minerva. My limitless ambition is under control, but if I was friendly with the Slytherins, I could easily lose my self control. Slytherins are smart and ruthless manipulators, Minerva, does that remind you of anyone? I never told you that when I was Sorted, I had a choice of three houses. The Sorting Hat was uncertain of where to place me."

"What?" Minerva questioned. "The Hat is never uncertain."

"I was, and what a tough decision it was," the Sorting Hat interrupted. He was sitting in his usual spot, and his cloth 'eyes' peered at Minerva. "He could have easily been in Ravenclaw with his brains, Gryffindor with his bravery and courage, but he could just have easily ended in Slytherin House. He completely lacked the necessary empathy to be in Hufflepuff. It was the toughest decision I have ever made, but I allowed him his rather plaintive request to be placed in Gryffindor to guide me. He has done well in Gryffindor."

"And now, my old friend?" Albus questioned. "Have I at developed any empathy after all these years?"

"You've developed some," the Sorting Hat admitted. "Primarily thanks to Ms. McGonagall. She's also managed to keep your pride sufficiently deflated so I can still fit on your head. It was a very snug fit there for a few years. I worried I'd burst a seam."

"Thank you," Minerva called out her thanks to the Sorting Hat. When dealing with a singing, talking magical relic, it was always a smart idea to keep on their good side. You never know what might cause it at the next Sorting Ceremony to spontaneously break out into an obscene limerick using her name.

"Severus trusts you, Minerva," Albus calmly stated. "Perhaps you help in this matter? I truly have the boy's best interest at heart."

"But what if you're not the father. Schaum's Third Law, after all?" Minerva questioned.

"Schaum's Third Law is not written in stone, Minerva. It's a warning of potential trouble," reminded Albus.

"Damn it, Albus, the boy believes you hate him," protested Minerva. "I saw your anger earlier, don't you deny it."

"Yes, I am angry," admitted the Hogwarts Head Master. "Voldemort deliberately used my face, my hands and my body to systematically torture Severus. If Voldmort modeled his torturers on you, would you be happy?"

"I'd be furious, Albus. But if you want to help Severus, you need to manage your anger better, Albus. He can sense it. I just can't help but think you're being manipulated right now by You Know Who."

"Oh yes, Voldemort is manipulating the situation. He plans that recent events will weaken me considerably. But what choice is there? Refusal to aid Severus will make me a match for Voldemort's treatment of his followers. Severus has been loyal to me, at great pains to himself. Now I have to repay his faithfulness regardless of the personal cost to myself."

He woke, and for a moment, Severus was confused. Where was he? It was dark, but it was warm. The bed was soft and comfortable, and the sheets smelled fresh. What was he saying? He smelled clean.

"Severus, you're awake," Poppy's voice softly called from the corner of the room. "Let me help you sit."

"I can manage," Severus insisted, as he needed to prove to everyone that he could take care of himself. Any physical weakness would be exploited by Albus as a valid reason why he couldn't keep the little sprogling. It took a few minutes, but with Poppy's help, he was sitting.

"Cold?" Poppy questioned.

He nodded his head, and she produced a gentle warming spell.

"No cheering spells. Don't try to make me happy and clappy through magic," he growled. "They're Class Five spells."

"Severus, this may be a complete surprise, but as a Certified Mediwitch who possessed many decades of experience, the number of which I will refuse to admit to you, I am quite familiar with the various Spell Classes and what is suitable for a pregnant…"

"Witch, not wizard," Severus retorted. "As I'm a rather unique specimen, I'd prefer to err on the side of caution."

"Actually, I've been doing a great deal of reading on this particular spell. Filius has been doing a great deal of research."

"How is he doing? Can he hear yet?" Severus thought it would be polite to ask about the Charms Instructor.

"He still rather deaf, but it takes time to heal ears. He would like to visit you after he's able to hear again, and not before, because he believes the two of you shouting at each other wouldn't promote a healing atmosphere," Poppy quipped. "Though he says that it would probably bring back fond memories for you."

"Good old Filius," Severus barked a dry laugh. "He's a brick."

"He taught me the spell," Poppy admitted. "Filius is willing to do it, but he can't do it until he can properly hear again. Shall I cast it?"

Severus swallowed once, and nodded his head.

"Find out when the child was conceived. Do it as soon as possible," Severus decided. "Do it now."

"Severus? Do you want anyone here with you? Minerva? I know you and Albus are at odds right now, but he has a right to know the results."

"He has the right to the results, but I'd prefer not to have him here during the casting. That's my right. Medical privacy for the baby's incubator…"

"Incubator? Severus! What a term!" Poppy protested.

"I am not the baby's mother. I haven't started developing any woman bits, have I? Last time I looked, I was still a proper male. But as I was saying, medical privacy rights for the incubator override the father's rights. Albus will have to wait for the information. Now do it, Poppy, before I lose my nerve."

The Mediwitch gently stroked his shoulder, and he was ashamed to admit that he was so scared that he accepted the gesture. He needed to be strong, yet he was weaker than the sniveling child had had once been.

"Very well, Severus. Please lie down, so I can start casting the spell. We'll know in about ten minutes when the child was created."

Severus nodded his head, and wished his heart wasn't pounding hard enough to explode out of his chest.