Severus held his left arm and looked at Dumbledore and then at Florence, "Something is wrong. There wasn't any meeting scheduled for tonight."
"I'll go after Lily and James," declared Florence, getting up from the chair.
"Hey! We don't need to worry, guys!" said Remus, smiling, "Sirius is here," he looked at his friend, "You didn't tell anybody where they live, right?"
"Of course not, but..." stammered Sirius, looking suddenly terrified.
"But what, Sirius?" asked Florence, frowning.
"Black's not the secret-keeper," Severus revealed between gritted teeth, the pain in his left arm giving no signs it'd stop soon.
"What are you talking about?" she looked from him to the other man, "What is he saying, Sirius? You told us you were the secret-keeper! They said they had chosen YOU!" she whisper-shouted.
"WE LIED!" shouted Sirius.
"WHO is the secret-keeper, Sirius?" asked Florence, furious.
"P-Peter," he whispered.
"WHAT?" she shouted, "You've got to be kidding me!" Florence looked at Dumbledore, "Put the protections down, we must disapparate now!"
Dumbledore pointed his wand at the ceiling and murmured some words.
"It's done. You can go!" said the Headmaster.
And Florence, Severus, Remus and Sirius disapparated.
Godric's Hollow
Florence appeared in front of the Potter's house and her heart skipped a beat before beginning to pound in fear: the front gate was wide-open and so was the front door.
"No no no," she whispered as she ran inside, inhaling sharply at the sight in front of her.
James lay on the floor by the stairs, his eyes open, staring lifeless at the ceiling, his hands clutching his wand.
"No! James!"
Florence kneeled beside him, checking for a pulse but finding none. She fisted a hand in his shirt, not wanting to believe that was truly happening.
"Enervate!" she cast, hoping with all her heart that it would do something.
She checked for a pulse again and, as expected, got the same result: James was gone.
She closed his lifeless eyes with the tip of her fingers and felt tears running down her face.
Then the unexpected sound of laughter cut through her pain – it was a cold sound that she immediately recognised – and it was coming from the upper floor.
Florence stood and ran upstairs, but on the third step someone held her arm; she turned around ready to attack whoever was holding her, but it was Severus, so she just demanded: "Let me go!"
"I can't let you go up there," he said, holding her arm firmly, "The Dark Lord is there, I can feel his presence."
"As if you could stop me!" she touched her other hand to his chest and silently cast: Depulso, making him let go of her arm as he was thrown away from her, falling onto the sofa.
Then Florence resumed running upstairs, her wand in hand, calling: "Lily!"
When she reached Harry's nursery door, she tried to open it, but it was locked; stopping for a moment to hear the voices from inside, Florence could tell Lily was trying to reason with Voldemort:
"You don't have to do this! We'll stand down! I promise you! Not Harry, please! Have mercy!"
"Mercy?"
Florence held her breath as she heard her father ask.
"I can be merciful," he said, "Step aside and I'll not kill you- I'll show you mercy. But the boy must die."
"No! Not Harry!" Lily shouted desperately.
Florence took two steps away from the door and cast: "Bombarda Maxima,"deciding to enter that bedroom at all costs.
But at the same time another spell was cast inside the room:
"Avada Kedavra."
And the nursery exploded in a bright green light.
Florence was thrown backwards against the corridor wall, falling onto the floor, unconscious.
Severus got up from the couch as fast as he could and ran upstairs after Florence.
He had just reached the top of the stairs and could see her standing with her wand pointed at a door, then everything exploded.
He threw himself down onto the floor, trying to protect his head from the ceiling that was, apparently, falling down on them – at the same time, his Mark stopped burning.
What the fuck–?
He stayed down until the house appeared to have stopped collapsing, then Severus got up, looking through the dust and the debris for Florence, finding her lying on the floor, unmoving.
"No, no no!" he exclaimed, his heart nearly stopping as he ran to her and kneeled by her side, checking for a pulse.
Don't be dead. Don't be dead. He thought nonstop as he touched her arm, searching for a pulse, sighing in relief when he found it: she was still alive.
He pocketed her wand and carefully gathered her in his arms, standing up.
I must take you to Pomfrey fast!
He prepared to apparate but the unmistakable sound of footsteps downstairs had him stopping and pointing his wand to the stairs, ready to protect her and himself.
"Florence? Severus?" it was Remus calling them from the bottom of the stairs.
"Up here!" Severus answered, lowering his wand and walking to the stairs, stopping before he had reached a step for he thought he'd heard–
"Mama," he heard a soft baby whimper, "Mama."
"No- it can't be," Severus whispered, walking back down the corridor and into the destroyed nursery, still carrying Florence in his arms.
And there he was: baby Harry, crying in his crib for his mother – who lay on the carpet in front him, dead.
Severus swallowed the tears at the sight of his dead friend and cleared his throat, calling: "Lupin! Come up here! The boy is still alive!"
Remus ran upstairs, freezing when he saw Lily on the floor and Severus with an unconscious Florence in his arms.
"What happened to her?" Remus asked, fearing the answer.
"The killing curse. I don't know why, but it exploded the room and she was by the door."
"Is she...?"
"She's alive," Severus breathed, relieved to be saying that, "I'll take her to the castle..." he looked around the destroyed nursery, glancing at his dear childhood friend once more and losing the battle against the tears that started to fall, "Lily is dead... but Harry clearly isn't."
Remus wiped his own face and nodded, walking into the nursery to pick up the crying baby.
Severus disapparated to the castle.
Remus disapparated right after him with baby Harry in his arms.
Hogwarts
Hospital Wing
"Pomfrey!" Severus shouted as he ran in and put Florence on a clean bed, "Madam Pomfrey!"
Florence stirred on the bed, moaning painfully.
"What happened to her?" asked the mediwitch, running towards the bed, barely registering Remus who suddenly walked in and transfigured a chair into a crib.
"A killing curse," replied Severus, clearly distraught, his voice fast and hoarse: "It exploded part of the Potter's house and I think it hit Florence."
"Bloody hell!" the mediwitch exclaimed, touching Florence's wrist and finding a pulse, then she tried to wake her up, "Flor. Dear."
Remus touched Severus' arm to call his attention: "I'll go check on Frank and Alice now."
He just nodded, never taking his eyes off Florence, and Remus left.
Florence moved on the bed, groaning, her breathing faster than normal.
"She's coming to," said Pomfrey, relief clear in her voice.
"LILY!" suddenly shouted Florence, sitting up, startled, desperately looking around.
"It's Poppy, Flor," said the mediwitch, "Your safe in the castle.
Florence blinked at her, as if finally understanding the place she had woken up wasn't the same where she'd passed out.
"Poppy?" she whispered, looking from her to the man standing beside her bed, "Severus," she ran her eyes down his clothes, noticing his dishavelled and dusty state.
"I brought you here," he briefly explained.
She nodded, slowly remembering what had happened: "James! Is he really-" her voice broke, she couldn't finish that sentence.
"Yes, he's gone," he confirmed.
"And Lily?"
Severus just nodded his head, unable to say the words.
Florence looked at him with a trembling chin and watery eyes, "Baby Harry?"
"He is- inexplicably- alive. Remus brought him in just a minute ago," Severus pointed to a crib near the window.
Florence covered her face with her hands, her shoulders sagging as the reality of what had happened in the last hour slowly hit her: her friends were dead and sweet baby Harry was an orphan.
Poor Harry. He's just a baby. To lose both his parents at once...
Then, with a sharp inhale, Florence remembered: Baby – my baby!
"Pomfrey!" Florence suddenly shouted, looking frantically around for her wand, not finding it and shouting: "Poppy! My baby! Check my baby!" she looked down at her own belly, "Pomfrey! My baby! Please!"
"Baby?" Pomfrey asked, looking at Severus for an explanation, but he looked as surprised as her.
Florence sounded desperate: "I found out this afternoon! I..." she looked at the blood stain on her dress and feared that the worst had happened, "No. Oh, no! Please, no!"
Severus stared at her in absolute shock; she was pregnant.
She had had a house fall on her head while she was pregnant.
Part of a killing curse had hit her while she was pregnant.
Even he knew what that meant.
Pomfrey quickly moved her wand over Florence's body, lowering her head, visibly upset.
"I'm sorry, Flor," she whispered, mournfully.
Florence shook her head, touching her belly, "Oh, no, no..." she whispered, crying.
"You were just a little under two months," continued Pomfrey, "I'm sorry, the baby didn't make it."
But Florence wasn't listening to her anymore, she just sobbed, lowering her head to her knees, hugging them as her shoulder shook with the strength of her despair.
She had spent the day dreaming of that baby, talking to him or her, just to have them die in her womb in less than twenty-four hours.
She lay down and cried on the pillow, the deaths of her friends and the loss of her child just too much for her, the pain was overwhelming.
Severus stood by her bed, looking at her, in shock. He wanted to lay beside her, hold her, comfort her, but part of him wondered if he hadn't fallen in the middle of his worst nightmare once again: where Florence was pregnant and he wasn't the father.
So he opened his mouth and asked the first thing that was in his mind: "Was it mine?"
Pomfrey stopped on her way to the potions cabinet, shaking her head, trying to signal him to not say anything.
"What?" Florence asked, sniffling, a bit confused by his question, trying to understand, through her pain, what he was asking her, "What do you mean?"
Then Severus explained: "You had dinner with the wolf the same night we had sex, about two months ago."
Florence sat up on the bed, blinking, not believing he could actually be saying what she thought he was saying, "What are you asking? I don't understand."
He continued: "How can you know who was the father of your baby?"
Then his words finally penetrated the fog of pain in her brain and Florence shouted: "How dare you say that? So you think that, that night, I shagged Remus, ran to the castle to save your life and then I also fucked you!?"
She looked at him with murder in her eyes – which were the lightest shade of green he had ever seen; her anger and pain for all that night's losses making her control over her veela's power snap, the mythical being taking over her body to protect her, and a sudden gust of wind rushed through the infirmary, forcing all the windows open.
Severus stared at her in awe, shocked to be seeing her like that.
Veelas have power and ability over storms. He remembered.
"Florence, control yourself!" shouted Pomfrey, trying to make her stop, as a stronger wind started to blow, "Stop it! You will hurt baby Harry!"
Severus took a few steps back, away from the bed, regretting having asked her anything.
He'd been stupid and irrational, he didn't really think she'd shag Remus and then him, but he was full of fear of the fact that she could be pregnant of another man's baby again.
"I just need to know," he said softly, trying to make her understand his reasoning: "I saw how Lupin held you, and whispered in your ear at the Halloween party! I saw you dancing with him. And the several dinners and breakfasts..." he kept on trying justify his question, part of him telling his mouth to shut up, for he was fucking up royally, but his lips weren't listening and they kept on moving: "How can you be sure it was mine?"
Florence jumped off the bed and punched his jaw, hard.
"Of course this baby was yours, you prick!" she shouted, "I can't believe you thought that I- that I fucked two men in the same night and-" her heart breaking at his lack of sensitivity.
And the tragedies of that night were finally too much for her to bear, Florence felt the room spin and reached out for the bed but she wasn't close enough, falling onto her knees, the wind showing no signs of stopping as she sobbed.
"Get out of here, Severus," she continued, "Take your childish jealousy and get out of my life," she closed her hand around the imperial jade and pulled the necklace from her neck, throwing it at his feet, before she saw everything turn black.
And the wind suddenly stopped, the infirmary was filled by the sound of clattering and rustling as things and papers fell onto the floor, followed by a heavy silence.
Pomfrey stood watching that heart-breaking scene with a hand over her mouth, in shock.
"How could you say that, Severus?" she whispered.
He shook his head, looking every bit like the broken man he felt he was; then he walked to where Florence had fallen.
"I shouldn't have-" he whispered, the words dying in his throat as he picked her up from the floor, laying her on the bed again.
He touched her face, knowing he should've kept his mouth shut; their friends had just died, she had cuts and bruises all over her body, had just lost a baby, and, on top of it, he had accused her of not knowing who had fathered said baby.
Severus closed his eyes momentarily, "I- I don't really think she'd do that I..." he felt his chest constricting, the lump in his throat making it hard to breathe, "I just needed to know."
He touched her lower belly, thinking that his most desired dream had lain under the palm of his hand just a couple of hours ago – but now its heart was no longer beating.
"She won't forgive you. Not this time," Pomfrey whispered.
Severus closed his eyes again, knowing she was right, and silently nodded.
After touching Florence's face one last time, he turned to leave.
"Don't forget the necklace," said Pomfrey.
He stopped, picking up the jade necklace from the floor, putting it inside his pocket, and going to the dungeons.
Severus walked into his private quarters and closed the door, just going through motions, so emotionally drained he felt numb, his mind filled by the image of Florence passed out on the infirmary floor.
He sat on the armchair in front of the crackling fire.
She was pregnant. Pregnant with my child.
He closed his eyes, leaning forward, resting his elbows on his knees and dropping his head on his hands.
And I questioned her honour as she cried their death - a death I had something to do with.
After all, Voldemort's presence in Godric's Hollow that night was Severus's fault – all that had happened that night was his fault: he had been the one to tell the Dark Lord about the Prophecy; and he had been the one to tell the Lord about Lily and Alice being pregnant.
Alice.
He held his breath, staring into the fire again, hoping Remus found the Longbottoms alive and safe.
He raised his wand to put out all the lights in the room, including the fire in the hearth. Then he retrieved the jade necklace from his pocket and held it in his hand, letting the darkness and the cold embrace him.
That night, he had done even worse than simply ruining his relationship with the woman he loved - people had died because of his actions, an innocent baby had become orphaned, maybe two, and another had died before ever seeing the light.
My own child. I killed my own child.
He let out a sob, closing his fist around the heart-shaped gem of the necklace; in the dark, he couldn't see the beautiful green shade he loved so much, but he knew it in his heart.
Florence had looked at him with those eyes just a few minutes ago – but it had been fury and heartbreak that had awakened her veela, not love and passion.
And she is right to hate me.
He let out a loud painful scream, sobbing for all that he could've had, all that could've been, all that had been lost that night.
Minutes later, leaving the jade necklace on the small table beside the armchair, Severus got up and left. He had work to do for the Order before he fully succumbed to the darkness he himself had created.
Two hours later, Dumbledore walked into the Hospital Wing and Pomfrey informed him of what had taken place between Severus and Florence.
"He just made things much more difficult for them now," he whispered.
"Flor was so hurt, Headmaster. And with reason-" Pomfrey stopped talking when she saw the woman stirring on the bed.
Florence had heard the two of them whispering nearby, but her exhausted mind struggled to make sense of what they were saying.
She sat up slowly on the bed, the memory of Severus's accusation coming back to her, explaining the weight she felt in her chest.
Bloody stupid jealous prat.
Feeling her mouth as dry as the desert and a pulsating pain in her temples – both sure signs of dehydration, her medical-trained mind quickly reminded her – Florence reached for the glass of water on the bedside table, drinking all of it before looking around the room.
He left. She realised with a heavy heart – a small part of her wishing Severus had stayed there by her bedside, waiting for her to wake up so that he could apologise, tell her how wrong he was and that he had acted like an idiot and would never do that again.
Right. Florence snorted at her own foolishness, for the reality apparently was that he'd never fully trusted her and he'd rather break her heart by being a dickhead instead of talking to her like an adult.
"This is all Severus's fault," she whispered, wiping a tear and touching her hand to the place where her jade necklace should be, finding nothing there and quickly remembering that she had thrown it at him.
I shouldn't have done that.
A sudden wave of nausea let her know she had drunk the water too fast and her stomach wanted to send it back up.
"Don't blame it all on him, Florence," said Dumbledore, "Sirius is guilty too; he lied to us. He made us all believe that he was the secret-keeper."
"Where is he by the way? Where's Sirius?" Florence asked, breathing fast to distract herself from the need to vomit.
"He is either hiding or fighting, I'm not really sure," replied the headmaster, "But he's being accused of murder and will probably be taken to Azkaban once the aurors get him."
"But he wasn't the secret-keeper!" she exclaimed, feeling the nausea wasn't relenting.
"Here, have this, dear," said Pomfrey, giving her an antiemetic potion that she quickly drank.
Florence closed her eyes momentarily, waiting for the potion to start taking effect.
"We know that Sirius wasn't the Potters' Keeper," Dumbledore continued, "But some people are saying that they saw him kill not only Peter Pettigrew but also twelve muggles."
"That's preposterous!" Florence shook her head, "If he killed Pettigrew, I can understand, but why would Sirius kill muggles?"
"Because he was an undercover Death Eater," said Dumbledore.
"What?" Florence made a face at that absurdity. "But that's not true!"
"We know that! But things are not looking good for him..." said the Headmaster, sorrowfully.
Pomfrey got close to Florence's bed again, with another vial, "Here, Flor, you must drink this now."
"What is this?" Florence smelled it, recognising its scent, "Abortive potion..." she whispered, her medical training coming forth to remind her of why she had to take that, "To avoid an infection," she continued to whisper, hesitating on bringing it to her lips though; her brain knew why she had to take that, but her heart felt it was wrong – she loved her baby, she shouldn't take that potion!
Florence got her wand from the bedside table, casting: "Vide utero," and looked at the projection of the amniotic sac inside of her womb, the peanut-like shadow inside of it didn't look any different than when she had last seen it hours earlier – however, there was no heartbeat, not anymore.
"The baby's gone, Flor," whispered Pomfrey, understanding her hesitation, respecting her need to check if a miracle hadn't happened.
"I know," she replied, stopping the spell, "But I heard his little heartbeat hours ago," she finally brought the vial to her lips and drank it all in one gulp, more tears falling down as soon as she handed the glass back to Pomfrey.
Then the doors of the Hospital Wing were slammed open and Severus walked in, carrying an unconscious Remus in his arms and putting him on a clean bed.
"What happened?" asked Pomfrey, going towards them.
"He was tortured," briefly explained Severus, "He just needs time to recover. I gave him potions already, he'll be fine. Just let him sleep."
Then he turned and his eyes met Florence's for a moment.
She looked at him expectantly, through her tears, wishing he would run towards her bed and ask her for forgiveness.
She knew that if they talked, she'd be able to forgive him, all he had to do was apologise and admit that he had been a jealous dumbass.
But he just glanced at her and then turned to Dumbledore, saying: "The aurors have captured Black and..." he hesitated, "Bellatrix found the Longbottoms. She tortured them with the help of her husband and Crouch Jr."
"But Frank and Alice are alive?" asked Florence, her voice small, as if she already knew the answer to her question.
"Yes. But... they've been transferred to the Janus Thickey Ward," said Severus with a grimace.
"Oh, no..." she inhaled sharply, fully aware of what that meant.
"According to Healer Smethwyck, there's nothing that can bring them back," Severus finished.
"No no no," Florence kept whispering through her tears; anger beginning to rise as she thought of all that had been lost that night.
Severus looked at her, his heart clenching at the sight of her despair.
"Go to her, Severus," whispered Dumbledore, "She needs you."
He shook his head, "She hates me. I said things..."
Then Florence asked: "What about my..." she stopped herself before revealing too much, "What about Voldemort?"
Dumbledore looked at Severus and he showed her his left forearm, where the Dark Mark had turned grey instead of its usual black, "He's gone."
"Gone how? Dead?" Florence asked, feeling a little hopeful.
"Some people say he's dead but I don't think so," answered Dumbledore, "He's just weak, and it'll probably take him a long time to return, but one day he'll find a way to come back, of that I have no doubt."
Florence nodded, looking at the crib by the window.
"How did Harry survive?" she asked.
"The only possible explanation is that Lily threw herself in front of her son, I believe she gave her life to protect him," explained Dumbledore, smiling softly, "Voldemort underestimated the power of the love of a mother."
Florence nodded, "I'd give my life for my boys too..." and for the jealous dunderhead moron they have for a father as well. She added in her mind, angry.
Pomfrey checked on Remus, confirming that he'd be fine, just like Severus had said.
Dumbledore pulled Severus to a corner, discussing something with him in hushed tones.
Florence couldn't care less about what they were so covertly talking about; she was too mad at Severus, and too sad for all the people she'd lost, to give a fuck right then.
Instead, she got up from the bed and walked slowly to Harry's crib, looking at him as he slept peacefully; she touched his warm chubby cheek, noticing the rectangular bandage on his forehead.
"Harry is going to live with me from now on," Florence said out loud, "I'm his godmother; I'll take care of him."
There was a silent moment, where both Pomfrey and Severus nodded; however Dumbledore shook his head.
"I'm afraid that won't be possible, Florence."
She snapped at him: "What are you talking about? I'm his legal guardian now! I'll raise him with my twins, with love!" she said, not liking what the Headmaster was saying.
"Well, you see..." continued Dumbledore, walking close to her, "when Lily gave her life to protect him, she gave him so much more – her blood now protects him. Therefore he must live with those of her blood."
"What?" asked Florence looking at him, outraged.
"I think I may have misunderstood you, Headmaster," said Severus, walking closer to them, "You're not saying that Harry must be given to the Dursleys, are you?"
"Yes, Severus. That's exactly what I'm saying," confirmed Dumbledore.
"You're insane!" hissed Florence, invading his personal space, "I won't allow it! Petunia will torture him!"
"I agree with Florence, Headmaster," said Severus, concerned.
"That woman is full of hate!" Florence continued, her fury creating a whirlwind around the three of them, "Petunia hates everything magical, and Harry has already shown signs of possessing magical powers. She'll hurt him because he is something that she isn't!"
"You'll be forcing the boy to live a miserable life, Dumbledore," added Severus.
"I'd love nothing more than to be able to give him to you, Florence," continued Dumbledore in a soft voice, "But this blood protection will only work if he lives near someone who has Lily's blood. And Petunia Dursley is our only option. We'll keep an eye on him; if this blood protection doesn't work, he'll go straight to your house. Otherwise, he'll live with the Dursleys until he's eleven and then we'll have him here in the castle – where, I trust, his godmother will send him to study," he paused, looking at Florence.
She glared intently at him, "I swear, right now, I'm considering sending him to Ilvermorny!"
Dumbledore chuckled, "Rest now, Flor," then he glanced at Severus, before leaving the infirmary.
The whirlwind ceased and Severus just looked at Florence, expecting to see her hatred, but her emerald eyes were just deeply sad and angry.
She held his gaze, seeming hopeful, but he just turned and left after Dumbledore.
Florence watched him go and shook her head, more tears falling, her hands touching her collarbone, missing her necklace.
"You know that Severus was just jealous, Flor," said Pomfrey, helping her get back to bed.
"I know. It just makes me so furious that he would ever think that I'd sleep with Remus and just fall into bed with him hours later," Florence said, exasperated, "I've never had any other man touch me, and he just... uggh! He's so frustrating!" she fisted her hands in the duvet covering her legs.
"Would you forgive him if he apologised?"
Florence let out a deep breath before answering: "Yes, I would. He's been growling in jealousy because of Remus for a while now. I love Severus, Poppy – not than he's deserving at the moment."
She paused, remembering Dumbledore saying that her father wasn't dead.
"But maybe it's better this way," she laid her hand on her lower belly; her baby had joined Lily, James, Frank and Alice in the list of loved ones her father had taken from her – and she'd make him pay for each one of them.