As per the poll, the winning result was for an unpublished severitus scene from my current WIP - enjoy! 😊
‘Severus –
It’s a boy! Me? A dad? Can you believe it?!
Ginny is doing well. She’s bloody amazing! Fourteen hours in labour, but both are healthy.
Oh, I can’t wait for you to meet him. Please don’t be long until you do.
Give the news to Minerva and the others and I’ll see you soon.
Harry
Severus sat in awe with the letter in his grasp. A new Potter. He still couldn’t believe this even happened. Harry’s child. Where he once looked at the name Potter with such disdain, now he felt…pride. The name no longer held such venomous hatred, but now, hope. A future. Not the dreaded past.
Life definitely worked in strange ways. Now he felt old.
It took a few more days to allow the Potter’s to settle at home with their new little bundle of noise before Severus even thought about going over to visit. Admittingly, he was a little nervous. A baby? The last baby he had anything to do with was, ironically, Harry himself after he was taken directly from the infamous attack at Godric’s Hollow. And now the tables have turned, and he’ll be witnessing the next Potter. A part of him didn’t want to go, but he knew he’d have to sooner or later.
For Harry. And in Lily’s memory. She would have been so proud to be a grandmother.
When he felt it appropriate, he departed for the Potter’s home when that time came, leaving Dawn behind. She had expressed how jealous she was that he was able to meet him, adding yet another reason why she didn’t want to keep her relationship a secret for much longer, in which another conversation transpired. But she was also right – gradually, he began to understand how much they were denying themselves to love so freely. Of course, being colleagues was problematic, but they were adults in love, not underage teenagers with a reckless lust.
After parting from her embrace, he kissed her on her softly upon her forehead and left for the warm breezy day, arriving in Godric’s Hollow just after lunch.
Straightening out his usual suited wear, he knocked several times on the familiar oak door, finally opening to reveal a tired, but elated Harry.
“Severus! Just in time, “ Harry beamed, rather tiredly, “The Weasleys just left.”
Once Harry stepped aside, Severus crossed the threshold and walked into the familiar, warm abode. The scent of remnants of tea and biscuits filled his nostrils, turning to Harry observe his new, exhausted features. The dark circles under his eyes were not to be ignored and hair instead its usual ruffled mess. He could see blotchy marks on the casual shirt he was wearing, which emitted some strange scents, that of which Severus did not want to know.
Harry’s voice dropped to a whisper, “The baby just fell asleep, so keep quiet.”
Severus couldn’t help but snort in the irony of that statement.
A quiet Potter? That would be the day.
Watching where he tread, he followed Harry to the sitting room to find Ginny in the new rocking chair in the corner, swaying gently and timed to the ticking clock upon the mantle. In her arms, a tiny buddle wrapped in a printed purple blanket where a small tuff of dark hair could be seen at its crown. Ginny stroked the baby’s check with a single finger, glancing lovingly below.
There was something melancholy and serene about the scene, invoking strange emotions within him. It was even stranger to think a student he had once taught all those years ago, was now old enough to bear a child, now in such a deep realisation to how much time had truly passed. Or perhaps even more so of much time he had actually missed previously, barely having the willpower to remain for the entirety of their wedding. But even so, seeing Mrs. Potter rocking a tiny child within her arms, stirred a strange longing. Suddenly thoughts of Dawn playing with Teddy at the recent Weasley Christmas was brought forth in front of his mind, feeling warmth in the chest at the image it gave.
But this was special in its own right. Severus was not one for babies, but he couldn’t help but feel a sense of pride for them and all that they had to overcome just to arrive at this very moment. And Severus felt lucky enough to bear witness to it. After all, he was the reason they were alive today, and Harry was the reason why he was.
Upon the new footsteps, Ginny looked up at Severus and greeted him with the same tired smile Harry had shown prior. Her voice remained at a whisper, “Good afternoon, sir. We’re glad to see you. Teddy has been asking about you for months.”
Severus’ jaw clenched. Speaking of children. “Is he behaving?”
She smirked, “Extremely well.”
Harry motioned for him to take a seat, as he himself occupied one of the kitchen chairs that had been dragged from when the Weasleys were present. But Severus did not move, keeping his curious gaze fixated on the tiny hands poking out from the bundle. He couldn’t fathom the thoughts running through his mind, whilst realising his chest felt warm and light. He was not entirely sure how to react. He never thought in all of his life, would he find himself in this situation. A baby born of two people who survived such a devastating war, Harry once a child – one Severus swore to protect. Now here he was, a young man, starting a family of his own.
It all hardly seemed real.
“Take a seat, Severus, “ Harry broke through his mind, possibly wondering why on earth he was so dumbfounded with it all. Because truthfully, he was.
Snapping a quick glance to Harry, he finally lowered himself to the nearest empty seat beside Harry. “Another Potter.”
Harry smirked, “Yes, another Potter.”
Severus steepled his fingers together, “I would have been content to wait, if you were not ready.”
Harry’s face melted, giving Severus a small, friendly nudge, “No…I didn’t want you to be the last to meet him.”
Severus opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. There was nothing he wanted to add to that, and he felt quietly touched by the sentiment. Trust Harry to be so sentimental, which Severus shouldn’t have even had to guess.
Ginny turned to share a blissful glance, “We’re very grateful for you to be here. Harry and I were adamant about your visit.”
Harry nodded, giving a small weak smile as he did so, “And thank you for not rejecting the invitation.”
Severus drew in a small breath, abhorred at himself for making that such a disheartening habit in the past. No, he couldn’t do that again. For once in his life, he felt a part of something good and he didn’t want to ruin it because of his own insecurities occasionally rearing its ugly head. He didn’t want to feel that defeated and lonely again.
No. Especially after his time spent with Dawn, loneliness now…It would be the end of him.
“…And I do not want to let you down again, “ He could tell Harry was about to protest against that, and he was thankful he didn’t Harry knew that’s what he did but didn’t want to voice it out loud. And Severus didn’t want that confirmation that he did. Shaking his head away at that conversation point, he managed to flash a smirk as he curiously eyed the bundle, “So…another rugrat I am required to chase?”
Harry chuckled quietly, “Not this one, sir. And this rugrat has a name.”
“Ah,” Severus responded quietly. His face appeared to freeze and for a moment, he did not move. His eyes however fleeted from Harry’s to the little wriggling bundle in the young woman’s grasp, “I suspected as much.”
Harry’s face softened, “You know why.”
Severus’ mouth opened to speak but closed them soon enough. Confliction on his face read clear as day, but when he soon managed to compose himself, he blinked slowly, “Those are your reasons and yours alone.”
Looking incredibly relieved, Harry smiled approvingly, “Thank you, sir. And I guess you have no interest in holding him, right?”
Severus’ frown deepened in warning, “Not a chance in hell.”
“Well, if you won’t hold him, then make sure you see Teddy before you go, “ Ginny cheekily interjected.
“I’m not playing that bloody toy piano again.”
“Just go and see him. That’s all…He’s missed your doom and gloom.”
Severus pinched his lip, “Yes, well, the little bugger is immune to it.”
Harry chuckled again but said nothing.
Baby James began to fuss within Ginny’s grasp, and she tried to shuffle the child to the other arm, but without any luck. ”Looks like he’s hungry again. Do excuse me.”
The pair watched as Ginny moved carefully out of the rocking chair with the tiny baby secured in her hold and wandered away towards the bedroom. Severus’ gaze fleeted away, almost distracted by those same thoughts he’s had all day.
“Are you okay, Severus?” Harry asked, breaking through his wandering mind.
Severus turned to look at him, reigned with a relief on his face, “This is surreal, is it not? You, with a child of your own. Where has the time gone? I still see you as the unruly eleven-year-old being sorted for the first time or being a thorn in my side since your first Potion’s class.”
Harry ran a hand through his hair, seemingly bemused himself, “Yeah, I can’t believe it myself, sometimes. Ever since the cave mission…things just fired ahead, I suppose.”
Severus had the deep sudden urge to reveal his relationship with Dawn, but he had no idea how to even break such news. A part of him refrained for fear of ruining a good thing due to his history of misfortune, but the other part of him felt like maybe it was finally time and that Harry of all people should know it first. But where could he even begin? He felt like even that, too, was its own glorious journey. Because Harry was right…Things were firing ahead, despite how late it was for Severus to finally find his place in this new world. A world where he struggled to live in despite his shattered past and now, he had that chance in the palm of his hand. Regardless of Dawn’s investigation, truthfully, he did have his own good things finally playing out. A job which he never thought he’d ever live to be content with. Allies – friends – who never gave up on him, despite his personal struggles. A home and quiet space he was proud to own. And a woman he loved so very deeply. A reciprocated love – something he never thought he ever needed but found it in a time he needed the most.
Yes. It really was surreal.
“I told you things were going to be okay, “ Harry reassured, completely catching him off guard, “After seeing mum…and dad. Not that I wanted to bring them back up in this way, but since then you look a lot more…relieved. And I just wanted to let you know that…it shows. At least to me, anyway.”
Severus’ expression softened and a tiny smile tugged at the corner of his lips. He gave a single nod, “I received my answer and that was my resolve. A well-needed one.”
“Good. That’s really good, “ Harry smiled in his own relief.
“And yourself? No seeking out the Stone in your usual bullheadedness?”
Harry snorted, “No, no, hell no. I’m done with it. I promise you. With little James now, I…I can’t be careless. But I’m glad I got rid of it and I’m glad it was you who was with me.”
Severus pursed his lips and nodded in agreement. He leaned forward, still keeping his voice at a whisper as if to keep it from the Potter matriarch in the other room, “We will get to the bottom of this.”
“The – “ Severus’ voice wavered, “ – The acolytes.”
Harry tensed, “It’s just hard, you know? I have a newborn now. And Teddy…I don’t want this world for them. We’ve dealt with that enough and I don’t want them living with it, either.”
“Dawn and I are trying to figure this out.”
“I hope so sooner, rather than later. Before it gets worse, “ Harry sighed, “Just…Promise me you’ll help me protect them. Or, you don’t even have to promise. Just…help me keep them safe.”
With Severus’ pained expression, he nodded. A sense of deja vu dulled his chest, “I will do my best - ”
