Love and Parenthood

Love and Parenthood

Disclaimer: All canon characters are the property of JK Rowling and those with whom she has agreed contracts. This story was written for practice not profit.


Emergency


At that moment a knock came at the door.


Severus tensed as the young man pushed his wand harder against his throat. There was silence. After a moment there was another knock.

“Professor? Are you in there?”

It was Mr Ollivander.

“Petrificus Totalus,” hissed the Auror and Severus fell backwards knocking away the chair he had been sitting on. He could still see and hear but was unable to move a muscle.

“Let’s see what I can do about your faithful accomplice. Did you promise him anything more thne one of your own personal whores?”

Severus’ mind whirled. The arrangement between Mr Ollivander and Diana was not yet public knowledge. Only a handful of staff and Mike Granger knew of it. How on earth had young Franks found out about it? Then it came to him. Madam Minton! She had helped him stage his bout of unconsciousness when he had returned from dumping the babies. They had used the whole affair to worm their way into his confidence… to get easy access to all the babies. Who else was involved? Not Tonks, she would never betray another Order member… the other Auror students? Quite possibly!

“Come in!” said Franks.

Severus couldn’t see the door from where he lay and Mr Ollivander obviously didn’t register his presence either. He heard the door open.

“Ah… Mr Franks. I was expecting to see Professor Snape. I’m afraid I’ve called on him again without an official appointment. Is he available, do you know?”

“I’m afraid he’s unavoidably detained,” replied the younger man.

“I’m sorry to hear that. I was hoping to obtain his permission for a meeting with Miss Miggs.”

“I’m not sure if she’s seeing clients today,” said Franks maliciously. “Can’t you go without for twenty four hours at your age?”

“I must ask you not to speak of my fiancée with such disrespect,” said Mr Ollivander, with as much dty aty as he could manage under the circumstances.

Severus strained to reach out with his mind. If he could communicate with Mr Ollivander then he might be able to raise the alarm. If only all the women in the birthing teams weren’t tied up with the women in labour! No eye contact, no wand and Mr Ollivander was struggling to repress his reaction to Franks’ insult. This was hopeless!

“Perhaps I might leave a message for Professor Snape?” suggested Mr Ollivander eying the young man carefully.

“There’s no need, old man!” cried Franks in a falsely jovial tone. “You’re not going anywhere and neiths hes he!”

He brandished his wand and threw “Petrificus Totalus” at Mr Ollivander. The frail seeming man went rigid and fell back to lean against the wall in a standing position. Franks used a charm to move the desk out of the way so that Severus and Ollivander could see each other.

“The game’s up now Ollivander!” said Franks. “This unnatural breeding programme you two have got going here is terminated as of now. You’ve saved me and my associates the trouble of coming after you later. We’re disposing of these ill-gotten spawn within the hour and we’ll obliviate the decent children you’ve used in this sick enterprise of yours.”

He turned away to focus on Severus lying on the floor.

“As for you Snape,” he snarled, “you should have had the Dementor’s Kiss years ago and then these girls wouldn’t have fallen victim to you. Let me tell you, eliminating your so-called wife’s brats is our priority.”

“Expelliarmus,” said Mr Ollivander quietly from behind him. Franks’ wand flew into his outstretched hand. The Auror whirled round to fillivllivander holding two wands on him.

“What the… what evil is this?”

“You dare to speak to me of evil when you hope to wipe out these precious new lives,” said Ollivander evenly. “Severus, ‘Finite Incantatum’.”

Severus struggled to his feet trying to blink his eyes back to their normal vision. He summoned his own wand and held it on the Auror. Advancing rapidly he grabbed him by the throat with one hand and began to squeeze. With his wand hand he cast ‘Legilimens.”

Needless to say he was not concerned with gentleness in probing the young man’s mind this time. Franks struggled and flailed but Severus was not to be dislodged. After thirty seconds or so he released him and Franks fell to the floor where Mr Ollivander continued to hold him at wandpoint.

“It’s him and three others,” gabbled Severus hurriedly. “Minton is in place to start picking off the babies of those girls who haven’t recovered enough to defend them and Deeks and Owens are awaiting this one’s signal to start on the others.”

Severus began scanning the map frantically to find the whereabouts of the three.

“Deeks and Owens are outside near the temple. Diana and the baby are in there. Can you deal with both of them?”

“Easily,” said Mr Ollivander. “What about the other one?”

“I can’t see her… Sweerlierlin, she’s in with Hermione!”

“Go to her man! Hurry! I’ll take care of this one.”

Severus needed no second urging and he ran off at a great speed.

Mr Ollivander turned his attention back to Franks. “I suppose you were never taught that a wand cannot be used against its maker,” he said contemptuously. “Stupefy!”

The young man fell to the floor unconscious and a few hastily muttered words had him trussed up in seconds. Mr Ollivander lost no time in leaving in the direction of the two student Aurors and his wife-to-be.


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Diana sat on the grass at the foot of the temple steps. Her baby lay kicking on a blanket beside her and it was obvious, even to a distant observer, that she was wholly absorbed in her child. Mr Ollivander felt a tightness in his throat as he looked on the pair of them. He cast his eyes about to locate Owens and Deeks. He remembered selling them their wands as they prepared to leave for Hogwarts. Come to that, he remembered selling wands to their parents and grandparents. Suddenly he spotted them. They were walking side-by-side along the lawn between the rose garden and the stables. If they continued on their current trajectory they would soon come upon Diana and her infant. He cursed the anti-apparition wards in place on the property. Intended to protect from attackers from without, they were now a hindrance when the attack was to come from within. He walked briskly towards Diana. If he could do nothing else for the moment he could ensure their safety.

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Severus approached his wife’s bedroom door. It was ajar and sounds were coming from within. He threw the door open and burst in. The first thing he saw was his wife sleeping on her bed. The noise was coming from his father-in-law and Madam Minton who were rolling around on the floor. Madam Minton was struggling to cast a spell on Mr Granger but was hampered by the fact that he had a form grasp of her wrist with one hand and his other hand was clamped firmly over her mouth. Severus moved round until he could get a clear shot at the witch.

“Stupefy!” he yelled. Madam Minton went limp and Mike rolled off her.

“She was… she had a pillow! She…..”

“Are the boys alright?” snapped Snape.

“I think so! She was going to smother Number One… If I hadn’t come along… Oh God!”

“You’re a medic. Help me examine them…… Are you injured?”

“It’s just a slight burn. Her wand sparked a bit during the struggle. Are they OK?”

Severus stooped over the nearest crib and plucked his firstborn out of it. The infant stirred briefly before settling into his father’s arms. He reached down a hand to touch the other baby who let out a small cry and began to screw up his face in preparation for a greater effort.

“I think they’re fine. I’m going to secure this woman now and then I’ll need to assist Mr Ollivander with the remainder of the gang. Please stay with Hermione and the boys for me?”

“Of course I will.”

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The two Aurors drew level with Diana when Mr Ollivander was still some distance away. She did not make any eye contact with them at first. They stopped and stood over her. The shorter of the two, Deeks said something to her and she averted her gaze even further. After a second remark she gathered up the child and the blanket and got to her feet. She began to walk away to take refuge inside the temple but was detained by Owens who grasped her arm. Mr Ollivander was now close enough to see the expression of fear on her face. Deeks grabbed her breast forcefully enough to make her cry out and she tried to squirm away.

“Hey!” he yelled. “You can’t assault the child like that. Move away from her!”

“If it isn’t the elderly swain,” mocked Deeks. “Flying to the whore’s defence. You can’t protect her honour; she’s got none left. Grab him!”

Mr Ollivander stood firm as Owens approached. Owens threw a hex at him, which of course had no effect. Mr Ollivander felled him before realisation dawned. Deeks let go of Diana hurriedly and tried to rush him but he didn’t cover half the distance before he too fell. Mr Ollivander was momentarily confused as he hadn’t cast a spell but then he looked over at Diana who stood with her child on one arm and her wand arm extended. She sat down on the ground suddenly, her strength gone.

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Later that night Severus reclined on Hermione’s bed cradling Number Two as she fed Number One.

“I can’t believe how close we came to losing them,” said Hermione as she looked down at the child as he suckled. “How could any woman kill a child?”

“Fanatics! I’m horrified that they could be in positions of trust. Things could have gone very differently. If it hadn’t been for your father and Mr Ollivander they would have.”

“How’s Diana?”

“Ju lit little over-tired. She didn’t mean that Auror getting up in a hurry. He was still out cold an hour ago when they took them away. I gave Mr Ollivander permission to watch over her tonight.”

“I think I owe you an apoloboutbout him. We have to be grateful to him after today. When you told me about him and Diana I couldn’t help but think of what happened to me…. If I’d had no other option but to marry Draco, as he was then. It never occurred to me that Diana might see him as I see you.”

“And how is that?”

“A Godsend.”

“What changed your mind?”

“My Dad. He told me off for upsetting you. Did I really upset you that much?”

“I don’t like it when there is discord between us. I don’t care for anyone else’s opinion but yours and it hurts me if I feel I’ve alienated you.”

“I still love you even when I’m cross. You do know that don’t you?”

“I suppose I know it but at the time I don’t feel it.”

“I’m sorry… Stay with us tonight!”

“I shouldn’t. It’s really not the done thing.”

“I don’t care about the done thing. I know we can’t do anything yet but I don’t want you to leave us… Please!”

“I won’t refuse you Hermione, I’ll stay tonight. May I kiss you?”

“I do wish you would.”

She turned her face towards him and he brought his lips to hers.