The Twincident

Chapter 5: Fears and an Arrest

Severus leaned back against Harry's now closed door and took a shaky breath, closing his eyes briefly as he tried to forget… everything. His husband's death. His fear. The bloody prophecy that has scared him into hiding his baby girl from the world in an attempt to keep her safe.

Because he knew.

The prophecy that had changed Harry's life for the worst, it was more than even Dumbledore thought it was. It was more than anyone thought it was. As soon as he had left the Bank after giving birth to her, he'd had Gideon go to the Department of Mysteries and look at the Prophecy.

That stupid bloody self-fulfilling piece of crap that had been set into motion by one Dark Lord and carried on by another.

And now two children, his now two children, were the ones caught in the middle of it.

They shouldn't be. They should be as far away from the war as possible, along with all the children in the country.

But Harry was already being dragged in.

And one day, his baby would be dragged in, too.

Despite everything he had done to protect her.

One day, it wouldn't be enough.

Pain clenched his insides at the thought of his little girl being part of the bloody war.

And he wished for perhaps the millionth time that Gideon was still there with them.

He sighed and went to his bedroom, not closing the door just in case Harry or Evie needed him, and he waved a hand to light the fireplace, walking slowly over to the mantle so he could look at the few photos he kept there. The rest were in albums he kept securely at his and Gideon's home. Well, his home now.

He sighed shakily again, raising a hand to pass his fingers over the frames that held some of his most treasured memories.

His and Gideon's bonding day.

Him and Gideon on the day they found out they were having a daughter. They had waited until half way through Severus' pregnancy because Severus was terrified his abuse riddled body wouldn't be able to handle pregnancy and something would happen. Gideon understood, and held him through his fears the whole nine months. The photo was rather simple, just the two of them stood in a happy embrace, crying as they both held his small, yet large bump with one hand. The bump he had hidden from everyone but his family.

And then the last photo was perhaps the most important. The most magical.

It was of him, Gideon and Evie shortly after she was born. Him and Gideon just sitting on the bed in the hospital room in the Bank Severus had given birth in. Both topless so they could do skin to skin with their little girl. Both of them just looked down at her with light, and love, and hope in their eyes, even as the fear of his daughter's birthday had been eating Severus alive inside.

Just like it did now.

Maybe he should… Maybe he should bring her out of hiding? The more people who knew of her, the better. He would better be able to protect her if more people knew she existed, right? No one liked him, sure, because of contracts and manipulative coots who forced him to be a certain way. But they wouldn't let his four year old daughter be harmed, would they?

No.

No, he couldn't risk it.

He couldn't.

He couldn't lose her.

And he couldn't lose Harry.

Or the twins.

"Merlin, Gideon, I really wish you were here right now," Severus muttered painfully as he clutched the mantle, trying to choke down the tears that threatened to fall, "You would know what to do. You would know how to protect our children. You know how to be brave,"

He sighed again, letting a tear fall as he went to his en-suite (which he didn't use often, only when he wanted to shower rather than bath) to shower and change. And soon he was crawling into his king sized bed that felt far too empty. Far too cold.

Eventually he fell into a restless sleep.

…

Severus was making breakfast for Evie and Harry, Evie sitting at the dining table doing some colouring, when he saw Harry rush out of his bedroom and to the bathroom. He turned the food to a low heat and ran after him, telling Evie to stay where she was.

He found Harry kneeling on the floor in front of the toilet, retching into it. He sank to his knees next to his new son and started rubbing his lower back gently, unsure of what else to do other than to wandlessly and wordlessly summon a flannel and dampen it with a quick aguamenti.

Harry was soon finished and slumped back into Severus' arms, and Severus held him close, gently wiping his face and neck with the flannel.

"I take it that was my morning sickness kicking in?" Harry muttered.

"Probably," Severus said, "Though morning sickness can happen at any time of the day, so be warned. It is called morning sickness because it is more common in the mornings, when you wake up and there is nothing in your stomach to settle it down. I can keep some crackers or something by your bed so you have something to nibble on first thing if you would like me to. And if you want to sleep in your dorm then I can have a house elf put some up there, too. I can also make you some morning sickness relievers if you would like some. Though the morning sickness does tend to only last the first trimester, in most cases, so you don't have too long left of it, hopefully,"

"You don't have to go to so much trouble for me," Harry said, smiling slightly up at Severus.

"Looking after you, caring for you, is no trouble at all, Harry," Severus smiled down at Harry, "Are you still feeling sick? I am making breakfast at the moment, but if there is anything in particular you fancy then I can make that for you. Or if you just want some toast or something to settle your stomach, that is okay, too,"

"I'm okay, I think. I will have whatever you are making," Harry said, smiling as he stood up shakily, with Severus' aid, "I'm just going to freshen up, I will be out in a bit,"

"Okay," Severus said, "If you need anything, give me a shout,"

"Thank you," Harry nodded.

And Severus left to go and plate up breakfast.

"Is Harry sick?" Evie said sadly, pouting up at him as he placed her already cut breakfast in front of her.

"No, baby, he is just having a couple of babies of his own, and sometimes it makes your belly a bit queasy," Severus said gently, smiling at his daughter, running his fingers gently through her hair and kissing her forehead.

"Twins?" she said excitedly, a beaming smile on her face.

"Yes, twins," Severus said, smiling sadly at her.

"Are big twins coming 'ome soon?" Evie said around a mouthful of food.

Pain clenched at his heart and he turned around to collect his and Harry's plates and drinks as he tried to think of what to say.

What could he say?

"I don't know, baby. Maybe one day," he said as he sat next to his daughter, smiling at her as much as he could as she pouted even more.

"I hope soon," she said.

He just kissed her hair gently as Harry exited the bathroom and sat opposite Severus at the table.

"Morning, Harry," Evie beamed at her new big brother.

"Good morning, Evie," Harry said, smiling at her.

It wasn't long before the family were done eating and Severus was dropping Evie off at the bank to spend the day with her godparents. It didn't get any easier. Even knowing that she was safe with the goblins didn't make giving her to them for the day, or sometimes even days at a time, any easier. He wanted her with him all the time. He wanted to raise her, and watch her grow, and teach her things. But he had a part to play, and he couldn't show her to the world no matter how much he wanted to because she would be in danger the second he did.

Saying goodbye to her, for even just a few hours, was the hardest thing.

But soon he was back in his quarters with Harry, who was now dressed for the day and sitting on the sofa nervously.

"You don't have to go to classes today if you don't feel ready to, Harry. You can stay here and rest. I need to go to a staff meeting to tell them about the adoption, me taking on all your punishments, what happened with Ronald, and your pregnancy. Then I have to meet Kingsley as he is coming to arrest Ronald when everyone is in the Great Hall for breakfast. But you can stay here whilst everyone is calming down from the news of what happened. I will speak to your teachers and you can do the work from home if you aren't ready to face the masses," Severus said gently.

"I mean… I don't really think people will calm down. Once they know I'm pregnant with the Weasley twins because Ron… well, they will be after me for whole different reasons, won't they?" Harry said.

"Probably, yes. But that doesn't mean you can't take a few days or so to rest, and prepare yourself as much as possible for what's to come. You have had a very turbulent few days and you deserve a few days to recover before you face the general masses who will be hounding you for everything they can think of. I will also be spending what time I can over the next few days working with Kingsley to hopefully get Umbridge arrested soon, supposing I can get in her office at any point to get the evidence needed. I will even bring some of your friends down here to spend some time with you, if you want me to. But," Severus sighed slightly, "I just want you to have some peace whilst you get used to everything a bit more, before delving into the stress,"

Harry seemed to be fighting an internal battle, but Severus knew deep down that Harry wasn't ready to face anything, anyone yet. He needed some time to heal, or at least start to.

"I mean, I don't want to go to classes, but I… I need to be brave, right?" Harry said, trying to bolster himself up.

"You don't have to be brave all the time, Harry," Severus said gently, sitting next to the boy and smiling at him understandingly, "You've been through a lot, your whole life really, but especially these last few days. You need some time to begin to heal, to relax, to get used to the changes in your body. And you can't do those things when you are surrounded by idiots," Harry chuckled slightly, "Do you want me to send some friends down to stay with you?"

"I, erm, I mean, I wouldn't mind getting to know Draco, I guess," Harry shrugged, "He was nice after… what happened,"

"Okay, I will send Draco over here. And I will be back any chance I get, I promise. You just get some rest, okay, and if you need anything, if you need me, call for an elf and ask them to come get me," Severus said.

Harry smiled slightly and nodded, "Okay. Thank you,"

"No problem," Severus kissed Harry's forehead gently and stood, "If you are in danger at any point, or something feels wrong with the twins, anything, floo to the bank and the goblins will help you,"

"Okay," Harry said.

"I'll see you soon," Severus said, his heart panging as he had to leave another child for a day of work.

"See you soon,"

And then Severus was out of his rooms, sending a patronus to Draco, and storming the halls towards the staff meeting. Hoping that Harry would be okay.

…

The meeting was… well, eventful was putting it lightly. But he and Harry had the support and understanding of most of the staff. Umbridge was the main one against everything, spouting off about how unnatural Harry's pregnancy was, and how the twins should be… well, that thought was not one he wanted to cross his mind.

Dumbledore was clearly unhappy with the turn of events, and he was trying to get Severus to call Kingsley to not come and arrest Ronald, but thankfully many of the other staff agreed that the boy needed to face the consequences of his actions.

It was decided that Harry's pregnancy would be announced to the school at breakfast, after Ronald had been arrested, so that the school can take some time to get used to the idea of a pregnant student, since it hadn't happened in a while. And so that things would hopefully be relatively calm when Harry was ready to go back to classes.

The teachers agreed to send Severus his work and allow Harry to do it from home for as long as he needed to.

But now he was walking with Kingsley towards the seat in the Great Hall which one Ronald Weasley was sat in. And everyone was quietening down as they turned to watch their Professor and an Auror walking towards one of their students.

Ronald hadn't even noticed yet as he was too busy eating and blathering away at Hermione who was watching the two adults heading their way with weary eyes.

They stopped behind the youngest male Weasley and Kingsley tapped the boy on the shoulder gently. The boy spun around angrily, only to look up in shock and fear at the two men standing there, gulping his food down in a hurry.

"I, er…" Ronald stuttered over unintelligible words.

"Ronald Bilius Weasley, you are being arrested for the attempted murders of Heir Harry James Potter, Frederick Gideon Weasley, and George Fabian Weasley. You do not have to say anything. But it may harm your defence if you do not mention, when questioned, something you later rely on in court. Anything you do say may be given in evidence to the Wizengamot," Kingsley said as he gently pulled the boy up and put some magic restraining cuffs on his wrists.

Hermione jumped up, "This isn't right!" she exclaimed, "He's a minor, he can't be arrested," she said, trying to defend her friend who was too in shock to say anything.

"I can, and I will arrest him. It doesn't matter how old you are, Miss Granger. If you cast a spell you know can kill someone, then two of the potential victims go missing, you will be arrested for attempted murder. Now, if you do not keep quiet, you will also be arrested as an accomplice. Especially since you were, in fact, there when it happened, and so there could be evidence not in your favour," Kingsley warned as he started to lead the now struggling boy out of the Hall and everyone else watched on in shock.

"Sir, this is unfair. Ron can't be arrested, he is a child. You have to stop this," Hermione pleaded to Severus.

"What was unfair, Miss Granger, is Ronald trying to kill three students. Two of which were his own brothers, and the other his supposed best friend," Severus said sternly.

And then he walked away, towards the Head table where he could make sure the announcements would be made properly.

And Merlin did he hope they would be.

Hiya, how are you all?

I hope you enjoyed this chapter, I am a tad tired at the moment so it might not be great, but I tried. How do you think the school is going to react to the rest of the news? Will Harry and Draco be able to become friends? What will happen with the Weasleys? Who knows? But I would love to know your thoughts if you would like to share them.

Anywho, I posted an essay/petition where I (un)officially explain why I think I should be cast as my favourite character, Severus Snape, in the new HBO series, despite the fact that I am a woman. It would mean a lot if you went and read it, but no pressure. It isn't going to lead to anything, unless, by some miracle, it goes viral, but it was fun to write. Feel free to go and check it out.

Also, I am working on some Spotify playlists for my fanfics, so if you can think of any songs you think work with the stories as they are so far, or where you think they are going, or songs that give you the vibes you get from the stories, then please do let me know and I will give them a listen, then potentially add them to the playlists. I will let you know as soon as they are ready, though it may take a few weeks because life.

I have a Facebook group called Maraudering_Paige which you are all welcome to join if you would like to and are able to. It is where we can talk about Harry Potter, fanfics, life, share memes and more. It is also where I have somewhat of an update schedule for my fics and will be keeping you up to date on what I am working on, in regards to fanfics, original works, and more things. So if you are interested in joining then I am more than happy to accept you all.

I also now have a TikTok and an Instagram for my fanfic writing escapades. The username is maraudering_paige on both of them so feel free to follow me, and we shall see how often and what kinds of content I can post when I can. But it is another way for me to keep you all up to date if you don't have Facebook and such, and for me to spread the word about other things I am working on and things I want to do and such. So yeah, feel free to join me on those if you are able.

And finally, if you like poems, then I write them and I have started a where you can read 1 or more poems every month depending on how many I have the time to post. You also get access to information about my original books I am working on before anyone else. For £2.22 a month. If you would like to join me over there and read some rants I call poems, and get updates on original work, then you may. My username over there is Paige_Makepeace. No pressure, by the way, you certainly do not have to if you can't or don't want to. I understand. I just thought it would be a cool thing to try. Any money made from this will go towards helping me write and publish the original novels I am working on. Including the one I am hoping to publish first which is a slow-burn, witchy, bisexual/lesbian enemies to lovers book.

If there are any other platforms you think I should join you all on then let me know and I will have a think.

I hope you are having an amazing day!

Kind regards,

Paige xx