February 19, 1999
It did not take Harry long to reach his dorm and then pack enough for two nights to stay over in Severus's quarters. The teenager used his time to think about the appointment. It wasn't the end of the world for him and Severus to have to spend their time together an hour a day all week. But spending two nights in the man's bed? It shouldn't be a problem, they were just sleeping. But Harry knew that their attraction to one another from that night in August was still there. And if Harry felt it, Severus probably did too.
This time together for them could very well open the door to things going beyond what they currently were. In August, they said their goodbyes as Scott and Howard because they believed the other to be a muggle and they wouldn't see one another again. But deep down, they were both wizards and actually seeing each other all the time. And now that was out, who they were to the other. They knew they'd had sex, and the proof grew in Harry's womb. Them bonding over the baby, being this close for the baby…Could push them together.
None of this scared Harry, of course. He was someone who went with the flow, if it happened, then it happened and they'd figure it out. Just as they were for their child. It wasn't the end of the world. They didn't do anything wrong, and age didn't matter with the extended lives of magic folk. Nothing about it would be illegal and Harry was almost graduated, then Severus was also leaving the school. They'd just be regular people with a child between them. Why couldn't they be more?
Well, eventually. Not right now, things were still…Unsure regarding the masses when it came out that Severus Snape, former Death Eater and Headmaster of Hogwarts, had a child with Harry Potter, the boy who lived twice and defeated the Dark Lord. Time would tell. Still, all the time together, surely they'd end up closer. So Harry collected his things and prepared to leave his dorm for the next two days.
Harry made his way to the headmaster's tower, it was now about 4:45 pm. As soon as he went to reach for the quill, the staircase began moving upwards. Well, Severus must have added him to the wards already. Getting to the door, he knocked twice and the door swung open for Harry to see Draco, Severus, and Lucius Malfoy there. Harry almost forgot the man was out of prison as of January.
"I'm sorry for interrupting. The door just opened on its own…" He paused. "I can come back."
"No. No, not at all, Harry. Please, come in. It's similar to the common room entrances. You're warded into the Headmaster's tower, so when you arrive, the wards recognize you. The staircase automatically activates and this door opens for you to gain access." Severus informed.
Harry took a few steps in and the door closed behind him. "You don't look happy." Draco pointed out. "Trouble in Phoenix House?"
"No trouble at all. Wasn't anyone really in the common room to notice me leaving and halls were pretty clear too. Just tired, I told you that earlier, Draco." Harry stated.
"Have a seat, Harry. Get comfortable. You should probably be in on this conversation anyway." Severus said.
"What conversation are we having?" The teenager inquired. "Good to see you again, Mr. Malfoy." He greeted the man.
"You as well, Mr. Potter. As for the conversation…" He paused. "Call it a premeditated defensive case-building in the event that people learn that Severus fathered your child and the ministry arrests him." Lucius informed.
"We didn't do anything wrong." Harry sat down, getting the strap of his bag over his head to then set it down next to him in the chair.
"People won't see it that way, Harry, and you know that." Draco reminded. "You are still the boy who lived, twice, at that. You are the wizarding world's savior from the Dark Lord…There are a great many people who will not see the situation for what it was."
"This is so stupid…" The teenager sighed heavily. "They have no case against him. Sure, we had sex and there's a twenty-year difference in age. But we didn't know who the other person was, we were drinking. He's an adult and so am I. We were not teacher and student, we weren't even on campus. It didn't even happen during the school year…"
"And there might not be anything they can do about the relations leading to conception of the child…But they can build a case on what's happening currently." Draco told Harry. "I told you earlier, you and Severus need to be close now for the development of the baby. There will be physical contact involved, and that will be viewed as inappropriate for the headmaster of the school and a student. Even if he is not your teacher, you are still a student in his school. Regardless of age…" The blonde reminded.
"What am I needed for? Another testimony that he didn't take advantage of me and it's medically necessary." Harry inquired.
"We need your account of the story," Lucius said firmly. "From why you were there under disguise in the first place. Jury will speculate the reasoning on why you felt the need to hide. Draco said you going out had something to do with calming down after a trip to the bank where you learned you were betrayed? Trusted people you shouldn't have?"
Harry narrowed his eyes at Draco. "You promised me you wouldn't tell anyone. I swear to God, Malfoy…I am not above hexing you." Harry glared.
"Potter…" Severus warned. "There will be no hexing anyone in my office. And you will not be wasting your energy either, the child is already at risk."
"Harry." Lucius got the teen's attention. "Your account of the events leading to this evening in August? Let's start with the trip to the bank…"
Harry sighed. "I received a letter from Gringotts requesting me to come that day, the 29th of August, at 2:30 pm. The letter didn't say what for, but I went anyway. Getting there, I met with the goblin to work out my inheritances. Most of it was going over what I had inherited. Vaults, estates and so on. Getting my keys. But…There were a few things I was not expecting-," Harry glanced towards Dumbledore's portrait.
"Harry, my boy, perhaps you shouldn't reveal more than that. It's not relevant…" Albus's picture cautioned.
"Perhaps you should butt out and stop make decisions for me before you fuck up any more of my life and I have to suffer for what you'll reason is the greater good." Harry snapped, leaving the three other males in the room surprised. Hadn't Harry always looked up to Dumbledore, respected him unconditionally?
"Harry…Is Dumbledore the person you were referring to the day you told me you trusted someone you shouldn't have?" Draco inquired.
"You don't know what he did during his life and what he tried to secure for even after he was dead." Harry seethed.
"I was only trying to secure your future like any good guardian would do." Albus stated calmly.
"A good guardian wouldn't have left me with muggles who hated me and blamed blood wards as his reasoning for abandonment and neglect." Harry snarled. "You had no right to take me from Sirius! He was my godfather, he was legally permitted to take me into his custody. HE was a good guardian. Not you."
"He went after Peter, and got himself locked up in Azkaban." Albus sighed. "It fell on me to take over as guardian with no family left to take you besides your aunt."
"That's a fucking lie and you know it!" Harry pulled his wand and aimed it at the picture. "You really did lose your mind alive if you thought all your little secrets wouldn't come out, Dumbledore. I held my own against Voldemort, I saw to it he was destroyed. I have nothing against erasing your memory from everyone who loved and adored you when I reveal what you did. I will destroy your perfect image and show everything the villain you truly are."
"Harry, that's a permanent sticking charm. That picture isn't going anywhere…Settle down." Severus advised.
"I got the picture of Walburga Black down in Grimmauld Place, Severus…Believe me, I can unstick a permanent sticking charm." Harry informed. Severus blinked a few times with surprise.
"Wait! You got her picture down. No one could do that, not even Dumbledore! You really did?" Severus asked and Harry nodded. "How?"
"The charm is to stick them to a wall. Nothing says you can't take out the wall they are attached to." Harry remarked. Severus blinked a few times. It was that simple?! Wow, he and surely many others had underestimated how smart and powerful Harry is.
"Harry, breathe…" Draco told him. "I said no stress, remember?"
"Why is it a lie that your muggle relatives were your only family as Dumbledore claimed?" Lucius pushed.
"There was a marriage between Charlus Potter, who is Harry's great-great-great uncle, and Dorea Black, who is mother's great aunt, father." Draco explained. "It means that Harry had a paternal side of his family he could have gone to after his parents were killed and Sirius was imprisoned. Such as Andy, or even mother could have taken him in."
"Not even that. My godmother was listed as Professor McGonagall. But somehow, my parents' wills listing that and that it was expressly forbidden for me to be placed with Petunia, ended up sealed. And any documents with that information went missing. And somehow, McGonagall, who was told she was my godmother, doesn't remember being notified by letter that with my parents gone and Sirius imprisoned, she was next to take me." Harry explained. "It came out at the bank what you did to ensure I went to my aunt and that you had guardianship over me…"
"Albus, if Harry had other family members that could have taken him and would have gladly…Why did you put him with Petunia?" Severus remarked.
"Because of the blood wards. My father didn't sacrifice his life the way my mother did, it wouldn't have had the same effect. Mother's sacrifice was ancient magic, certain requirements to meet for it to work." Harry said. "The blood wards wouldn't have been able to be used if I went to any of the Blacks."
"But, all that aside…It's just one of the many things he did to me that was wrong." Harry shrugged. "We haven't even braced the surface of what else I discovered in that trip to the bank. How about we talk about all the blocks you put on my natural abilities, Albus? Like me being a Metamorphagus. Like being a natural Occlumens and Legilimens. Like the fact you put a block on my core, set at 85% when I was a baby…"
"You did what?!" Severus's head snapped around so quickly to look at Albus with what would be described as horror-struck. "You blocked his magical core as a baby?! Are you insane, you could have destroyed it."
"Severus, you have no idea how much power he had…Even as a baby. It would have drawn enemies out and right to him. The point was to stay hidden…He didn't need to grow up with all the fame and whatnot. I had to block it." Albus said quickly.
"So wait…Everything Harry did over the years was done with only 15% of his magic accessible?" Draco blinked. "Shit, that's impressive, Potter."
Lucius sighed. "I assume the block broke when he turned seventeen."
Harry glanced at Albus. "You want to tell them, or should I, Albus?" The portrait didn't say anything. "Oh, now you have nothing to say. I thought the great Albus Dumbledore always had something to say in the moment? Suddenly your words fail you, Professor?"
"Harry, when did the block break?" Draco asked.
"When I lost my virginity."
"You tied it to his virginity!?" Severus glared at Albus.
"To the first time he had sex, yes…I had believed it would break long before the battle." Albus admitted.
"By that, you mean you expected him to lose his virginity before he turned seventeen? Before the final battle?" Lucius commented.
"He and Miss. Weasley were going quite steady before I died." Albus said.
"Are you kidding me?" Harry gripped his wand tighter. "Ginny and I had only been dating a few weeks before everything happened with you being killed. What the hell made you think we'd sleep together? Believe you me, with the horcrux hunt breathing down my neck, sex was the last thing on my mind! I had a war to fight and win. That I was forced into fighting, might I add…"
"I assumed it would have been teenage hormones…" Albus replied.
"Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm not like everyone else. I wasn't giving it up at fifteen like others were. I was a bit busy trying to keep a psychopath from killing me over some prophecy that was foretold before I was born!" Harry snarled.
"That means Harry defeated the Dark Lord with only 15% of his power…" Draco blinked. "Remind me to never get on your bad side now that you have full power…" Harry shot him a very unamused glare. "Shutting up."
"Go ahead, Albus. Tell them the rest…About all the compulsions you put on me to do the things I did through every school year. Why did everyone just assume I was getting into mischief? It was because of you." Harry said. Albus didn't speak. "Tell them about the marriage contract you tried to set up with Molly for me and Ginny…"
"Tell them you set it for when I turned seventeen, that we'd marry and I'd impregnate her before going on the horcrux hunt. So she'd have my heir and the Potter fortune would be in her control until my child came of age because I would have been dead. Because it's what you always banked on happening from the moment you saw the scar when I was a baby." Harry said.
"Trust me…It took a while for me to piece things together, but now I know why Ginny and Molly believe that it's set in stone that she and I will marry. They believe the contract is still in effect and at some point, the magic will force us to adhere to the terms, which stated that if we did not marry at seventeen and I lived, the indefinite marriage would happen before I turned twenty."
"That contract stands. I had the right as your guardian to secure your future." Albus remarked.
"It does not stand as I'm definitely not married to her, she is definitely not pregnant and we are not even together." Harry folded his arms. "That contract was created in July 1996. And it is void. Right now, it's just a piece of paper in the files. My thanks to my godfather, god rest his soul, for thinking ahead and realizing you manipulated every little thing to make it go your way cause you always fell on that Greater Good saying. He did something to protect me from any more of your shenanigans." The teen chuckled.
"You couldn't put me under contract for marriage as my not legal guardian. Sirius ensured you couldn't, despite being a felon and couldn't take custody of me to be my guardian. Which I also know you kept him from doing on purpose. You knew he wasn't my parents' secret keeper and left Sirius to rot in prison so he couldn't have custody of me." Albus's eyes grew in an emotion Harry couldn't quite put his finger on. "You see, while the Potter line didn't have rules about guardians setting up marriage contracts, the Blacks did."
"And you didn't know that Sirius went to the bank and named me his heir after he was informed that he was not disinherited. His father reinstated him after his little brother died. Sirius blood-adopted me in December 1995. He made me his son. So…As of June 1996, when he died, I became Lord Black. And the rules regarding marriage contracts are that only Lord Black approves them. And magical guardians are not permitted to set up contracts if the current lord is under seventeen." Harry informed.
"This is to prevent the heir or young lord from getting screwed over from greedy, selfish guardians. So when this contract came up during discussions, I had it destroyed. I am not promised to anyone, Dumbledore. I'm never going to be with her, she's never getting her hands on anything of mine, including me." Harry said. "Thank Merlin my godfather thought ahead to protect me, cause you sure as shit didn't. And if that didn't protect me…The fact that my participation in the Tri-Wizard emancipated me as an adult three years early…"
"You knew that too and ordered the goblin who you worked with not to inform me so you could continue to keep control over me and send me back to the Dursleys every summer to be abused and starved. You knew that was happening too, and you didn't care as long as I was behind those wards. Protection from Voldemort was more important than my well-being." the teen rolled his eyes.
"I was nothing more than a weapon to defeat the Dark Lord to you. I have done my duty, and I will not allow you to use me in life or death any more than you already have. This is my life, I'm living it my way. If it's the last thing I do, Albus Dumbledore, I will see you outed, publicly, for the things you've done." Harry promised. "I will see your beloved memory fall, just like you did from the astronomy tower."
The portrait of Albus paled. "No wonder Tom Riddle ended up as fucked up as he was…He was a child who needed help that no adult bothered to help. He was me. Fuck I see why he said we're so alike. The only difference is that I didn't walk a dark path, or split my soul seven times. But, Dumbledore…And don't ever forget this. I could have."
Well, no one ever heard Harry talk like that before. "Don't believe for a second I didn't have temptations to it. Or that Voldemort didn't offer it to me. I could have turned dark and did whatever it took to have control over my own life. You wanted me to have all this power. You wanted to make me a weapon…I'll put it to good use." Harry said.
"Alright, that's enough…" Draco went over to Harry and waved his wand with the spell to check Harry's and the baby's vitals. "You're getting too worked up, and you're exhausted. Time to rest." The young blonde stated. "I don't want to have to put you on strict bed rest Harry. If I do, you're stuck in bed until you stabilize. That means no magic usage, no leaving the bed unless it's the bathroom and showering. No lifting, no anything. Bed Rest."
Harry sighed and nodded. "We'll continue this another day, once Harry's had time to calm down and rest. Severus, why don't you show Harry where he'll be staying during his time here?"
"Of course," Severus got to his feet. "We can reschedule, Lucius. But thank you for coming so quickly to assist with this matter."
"It's no trouble, Severus. We're old friends…We've survived a lot together. I shan't see you locked up over this." Lucius stated. "Just let me know when. Perhaps we can finish discussing things at the manor during our weekly dinner. Harry is welcome to join as well?"
"We'll discuss it. Thank you, Lucius. Come along, Harry." Severus offered. "Draco is right, you need to settle down. Let me take you to rest? Maybe a hot shower or bath?" Harry accepted his hands as he was pulled to his feet slowly and gently. Severus waited for Harry to steady himself before leading him away from the office and to a door on the left.
Getting into the room, Harry could see that it was Severus's personal quarters. Everything reminding Harry of the dungeons. Stone walls, black light fixtures to the walls and a large one hanging from the ceiling. Other doors leading to a closet or bathroom.
The wardrobe, chest at the foot of the bed, and then the large bed. Canopy, king-size. Green bed curtains, black and silver sheets. The windows had shimmering green curtains hanging from their bar and just a few inches off the floor. There were two nightstands as well, one either side of the bed.
"The door there is the bathroom. Shower and tub, whichever you prefer to use. I made room for you to place your personal hygiene things in there, if you'd like, so you don't have to bring them back and forth every week." Severus told him. "I took the liberty of getting you a wardrobe and chest, again, if you'd like to keep things here for your stays."
"Thank you." Harry stated softly.
"I wasn't sure what side of the bed you preferred. I figured I'd let you decide when you arrived, whichever you're more comfortable." Severus informed.
"I don't have a particular side I prefer when the bed is in the middle of the room like this. But when a bed is against the wall, I sleep on the side opposite the wall, easiest to grab my glasses off the nightstand once I sit up." Harry replied.
"Do you sleep on your back at all?"
"Usually right side sleeper or back, but can't do that while pregnant. Uncomfortable. But these days I sleep on the left or right side of my body. With a support pillow for my legs and belly, not that it always helps…"
"Did you bring your support pillow or should I call the elves to bring more for you. I personally keep four on the bed for looks, but only sleep with one. I usually don't have anyone in here with me, I suppose this will be an adjustment for both of us." Severus admitted.
"I do have my own pillow, it's custom for…pregnant people. It's just two people sharing a bed, I think we'll adjust quickly." Harry said. "Unless there is something you're concerned about?"
"I don't want to make it uncomfortable for you if…I should roll over and end up holding you." Harry arched a brow at him. "You are carrying our child, Harry…I can feel both of you when you're close by, and at night, I may unconsciously end up throwing my arm around your midsection to be closer to the baby." Severus explained.
"I already told you that your touch does not make me uncomfortable, Severus. I'm not going to ban you from being close to our baby just because you roll over and grab hold of me. Just don't tighten the hold when I start shifting. I usually move because I'm uncomfortable in that position or to get up to pee. That's my only limits on being held." Harry told him.
"I'm a light sleeper, I shall not tighten my hold if I feel you trying to readjust." Severus promised.
"Then we're good." Harry nodded.
"We're good. Well, I'll leave you to get settled. I will be right out in the office if you require me." Severus stated.
Harry nodded to him. "Thank you."
Severus gave him a small smile and then left the room. Harry took another look around before he kicked off his shoes, extra layers, then sat down on the bed. It was comfortable, and soft. Harry pulled his pillow out and enlarged it to normal size before adjusting the two pillows on his chosen side and then laying down. Harry got himself situated, then set his glasses on the nightstand before sleep took him almost immediately.