AN: CW brief, and in no way graphic mention of SA. IF y'all see that I missed something that would merit a content warning send me a message or comment, I don't like upsetting people.
Chapter 14
Zorin followed behind Harry, Seras and Integra into her bedroom with a grin on her face. Harry was fussing over Integra the whole way, and Integra was valiantly trying to pretend that she didn't love it. Zorin had volunteered to help her with her things, since she'd be moving into the Manor with Harry and Seras. Packing was a simple affair, most of Integra's maternity clothing was already arranged in the front of her closet. They were about to leave the room when Integra stopped them, and waddled back into her room, leaving with a large, leather bound book. Harry raised an eyebrow.
"It's a photo album. I like looking through it when I'm anxious." Integra said. Harry nodded. Since Hermione had perfected her vampire-friendly camera, with some last minute assistance by Colin Creevy who Harry had hired as lead photographer for the reformed Daily Prophet, she'd become a notorious shutterbug, and had filled two similar albums already. They slowly made their way to her office, where Pip was waiting for them.
"You're sure about zis?" Pip asked. Integra nodded.
"Nobody here understands our day to day better than you, I can't think of anyone that I'd rather have run the organization until I get back." Integra said. Pip nodded
"Besides, if you fuck it up, Alucard is still on the job." Harry said with a cruel grin. Pip shuddered.
"I'll still come by to help with illusion training, I obviously can't actively participate but producing the illusion is not harmful to the baby." Zorin said.
"We'll be ready." Pip said, nodding to his colleague. They explained some particulars about running Hellsing and soon enough, they were walking through the closet in Harry and Seras' shared room into Schrodinger's room at Harry's Manor. When they arrived in Integra's room, which was directly next door to Harry and Seras' bedroom, Rip was already there moving baby furniture around.
"It's perfect!" Integra said, smiling happily as she placed her book on the shelf Harry had provided. It contained several books relevant to Integra's interests, including a number of muggle books on what to expect after the baby is born.
"Harry, what's going on with that room? The elves won't tell me." Rip asked pointing to the room on the other side of Harry and Seras' Zorin, Rip and Integra looked up at him, while Seras smirked knowingly.
"That would be the nursery." Harry said. He gestured for them to follow. Harry nodded at the elf in front of the door, who then opened it and ushered them inside. The room was tastefully decorated in gender neutral colors, and one wall was lined with massive book shelves, filled with hundreds of children's books. The other had three cribs, with fully equipped changing tables, and there were several extremely comfortable chairs arranged around coffee table, along with rocking chairs by the large windows that overlooked the grounds. Finally there was a massive toy chest, expertly decorated with dragons, thestrals, golden snitches and curiously a smiling cartoon figure with fangs and a red hat.
"IT'S PERFECT!" Integra shouted, startling them all.
"Sorry!" she added, sheepishly when they all looked at her like she had three heads.
"Harry, why are there three cribs?" Rip asked, her lower lip trembling as she obviously knew the answer.
"Because Schrodinger is too big for a crib." Harry said, teasing them.
"Harry..." Seras said, nudging his side. Harry grinned.
"I told you two, I want to help, as much as you'll let me. That includes the nasty stuff like diaper changes and sitting up soothing a screaming newborn at four in the morning.
"Harry... you didn't have to..." Zorin went to say, smiling fondly. Harry playfully glared at her.
"I desperately, desperately wanted to, Zorin. Besides, the Elves were threatening mutiny if I didn't, and I quote, 'give them all the babies.'" Harry said.
"It's true! Master is a terrible influence on us poor elves!" Pringle said, poking her head into the room and grinning.
"Pringle, how are you dear?" Integra said.
"Great! We's being so excited to meet the young ones... Mistress Hellsing's will be along very soon." Pringle said, looking intently at Integra's belly. She nodded.
"That's why I'm moving into the room next to Harry's." Integra said, rubbing her belly.
"That closet, if you turn the knob counter clockwise leads to your bedroom at your place. Only You, Rip or the baby when they're old enough will be able to operate it. Best of both worlds, you guys keep your privacy, but can still bring them over when it's my turn." Harry said. Rip smiled fondly at him, however Zorin just stared, her lower lip trembling.
"Harry..." Zorin said, sniffling as tears streamed down her eyes.
"Uh-oh." Harry said with a grin, running over and hugging Zorin who bawled uncontrollably into his shirt. She didn't notice that Harry had levitated a foot off the ground so she didn't have to stoop.
"Uh, Harry? Is she going to be ok?" Rip asked, looking worried. Harry nodded.
"Mood swings. Remember with those two?" Harry said gesturing at Seras and Integra. Integra was calm but Seras was barely keeping it together. Harry reached out an arm and dragged her into the hug.
"You get used to it." Harry said with a grin. After a few moments they were able to calm down and they sat in the chairs around the table.
"So, same thing applies to you Zorin. You're gonna wake up feeling like shit every once in a while. Call me ASAP and make sure Rip is there with you." Harry said.
"Well I mean I'll definitely be there but why?" Rip asked.
"You know what my blood does to you guys. Now imagine gorging on it and then suddenly getting hit with a wave of hormones.." Harry said, trying to be tactful.
"It made me so horny I couldn't see straight. I lost control of myself twice and Harry had to stun me. It barely worked. Harry's going to need you to distract her." Seras said with a grin.
"It can't be that bad..." Zorin said. Seras rolled her eyes.
"Our bed, the last time it happened was as strong as yours is now, when she woke up it was a pile of shredded mattress and twisted metal and I was nearly catatonic. God that was hot." Harry said, smiling.
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"You know, I should probably try to spend time with other kids my age, ja?" Schrodinger said grinning at his fifth-year friend Vanessa.
"Nope! You're all mine!" She said, wrapping her arm around him and squeezing him.
"Thanks again, by the way." Schrodinger said, wiggling flask she'd given him. She nodded enthusiastically.
"Your dad hooked all the volunteers with gallons of replenisher potions, any time, and don't be shy. We'll need to get used to it anyway, I hear you're gonna have some younger brothers and sisters coming along in a couple of years." Vanessa said. Schrodinger smiled.
"Sir Integra's will be born any day now." Schrodinger said, standing and helping Vanessa to her feet. They walked out of the empty classroom and down the hallway towards Minerva's office.
"It's a shame you're going to be stuck here when they come along." Vanessa said. Schrodinger laughed.
"Sir Integra and Harry requested to have the baby here. All of dad's babies are going to be born here I think. They wanted Madam Pomfrey to deliver, Dr. Diggory will probably assist." Schrodinger said.
"That's awesome!" Vanessa said. Schrodinger nodded.
"Dad's got portkeys in every house head's office for every student so they can rush home in case of a family emergency, or something like a sibling being born." Schrodinger said.
"Your dad has done wonders for this school. My first year I was halfway through the paperwork to transfer to Durmstrang before Melody talked me out of it. Once Emperor Potter took over, literally everything got better. I can't believe what the other Slytherins were getting away with... nevermind. I shouldn't be talking about that." Vanessa said.
"I'm aware of the sexual assaults, Vanessa. My dad doesn't hide things from me. He didn't say who the victims were, obviously, but he asked me to keep an eye out for signs. He was horrified when he found out about some of the stuff that went on when he was a student. I really hope those students are doing well now." Schrodinger said. Vanessa hesitated.
"We are." Vanessa said. Schrodinger stopped and turned, looking at her. She was looking at the floor, unwilling to meet his gaze. She let out a a breath she hadn't realized she was holding when she felt his arms close around her.
"I hate that you went through that, but I'm honored you'd share it with me. That isn't something I ever experienced, but when I was younger, I was not treated well by the adults in charge of me.. Except my moms of course." Schrodinger said. Vanessa nodded and wiped her eyes.
"It must be weird having three moms and a dad who is the God Emperor of Magical Britain." Vanessa said, giggling. Schrodinger let out a laugh.
"I wouldn't recommend calling him that but if you do please do it when I'm there. I love watching him get flustered." Schrodinger said. They broke off and Schrodinger made his way to Minerva's office, where he patiently waited for an invitation to enter. The door opened and he entered, but was confused to see that she was not there.
"Your headmistress asked me to inform you that she'll be along shortly." A deep, silky voice said from the wall behind her chair. Schrodinger looked up and saw who he recognized from Harry's description to be one of his least favorite teachers, Severus Snape.
"Thank you, Professor Snape, sir." Schrodinger said. Snape nodded.
"Professor, may I ask a question?" Schrodinger said.
"You may." Snape replied. He braced himself, expecting to have to explain his atrocious behavior as a teacher or death eater, he ruthlessly suppressed the urge to refuse and storm off. He owed Harry far too much to be awful to his child.
"In polyjuice potion, why do we use leeches instead of salamanders? Salamanders would reduce prep time significantly and work for around ten percent longer." Schrodinger said. Snape's eyes widened. He thought for a moment before answering.
"The answer to that is sadly political. Leeches require knotgrass to dampen their tendency to cause uncontrollable bleeding during a failed transformation. knotgrass is grown exclusively by three families, all of whom had spent significant amounts of galleons ensuring that potions books, and Hogwarts curriculum contained only the leech and knotgrass variant. I always used salamanders instead, when making potions for the order... Has the potions curriculum improved that much since your father took over?" Snape asked. Schrodinger shrugged.
"It has improved significantly from what I've been told, but potions is my favorite subject, and I've... read ahead." Schrodinger said.
"How far ahead?" Snape asked.
"Halfway through the sixth year textbook." Schrodinger said sheepishly.
"That's remarkable! Are they still using that atrocious Merrweather book for the sixth years?" Snape asked. Schrodinger shook his head.
"No, sir. They use one of yours." Schrodinger said, withdrawing his copy of 'Practical Potion-making, showing the book to Snape. Snape looked shocked.
"I'm... I don't know what to say." Snape said.
"Dad recommended it for the sixth year curriculum, and 'Neutralizing Volatile Compounds' as one of three texts we read in first year potions." Schrodinger explained.
"I don't understand..." Snape said.
"Dad told me you two quarreled, but he didn't go into details, but what he did say is that you were the greatest potions master in British history, and that wasn't just his opinion. We found out that several of your published works are used worldwide in everything from first year introductory potions all the way to post-graduate masters studies. He scared the publishers of your works into coughing up royalties for them too." Schrodinger said proudly.
"While I appreciate the effort, it's not as though I can spend the galleons." Snape said, utterly floored by the revelation. Schrodinger nodded.
"I know. The royalties fund a public organization he set up to relocate abused magical children to loving homes all over the world." Schrodinger said.
"Excuse me." Snape said, disappearing abruptly from his painting.
"I hope I didn't upset him." Schrodinger said to himself.
"I strongly doubt it lad. That poor man has been through so much, and it's a lot to find out one's life's work is not only being shared and appreciated across the world, but it is benefiting such a worthy cause." the portrait of Armando Dippet said.