Saving Severus (A Severus Snape Love Story) On Hiatus

Chapter Twenty-Two

Severus and I walked back to the castle in silence, I could tell that something was heavily weighing on his mind and I worried that it had something to do with what my father had talked to him about.

"Severus, you're awfully quiet. What's wrong? Is there something on your mind?" I asked once the courtyard had began to be in sight. I never realised how long a walk Hogsmeade was until you were returning up hill to the castle.

"It's just something that HE had said at the last meeting, I don't think that you were listening. But it's been bothering me. He's going out to recruit people this evening and I'm worried that he knows where she, Lily, is. And that he'll try and get to them in some way or form." He stressed.

"How would he know where she was? I thought they were hidden under the fidelious charm?" I questioned slightly puzzled, why would anyone want to betray them?

"I'm worried about who they decided to trust..."

"Wouldn't have been Sirius? After all he is James' best friend." I said, taking information about them that Severus had told me.

"Everyone would have assumed that it was him, but then that would have made him a target for Voldemort and Lily wouldn't have wanted that. No, it has to be somebody else. It wouldn't be Remus... maybe Pettigrew?"

"Okay, so what if it is Peter?"

"Peter would be easily swayed just by the mere mention of glory, something that his 'friends' couldn't give him." Severus sighed.

"Severus, we don't know for sure about any of this. Why don't we just go back to my chambers, have a nightcap to relax and we will discuss this with Dumbledore once we've got solid proof." I reasoned, trying to get him to calm down a bit. I was also slightly jealous that a married woman had a stronger hold on Severus than I did and we had an intimate relationship, something that he proved to me that night was very much alive.

- - - - - - -

A few months had passed since that night and Severus and I let our relationship grow, he gave me more of his heart each time we met and he was the sole owner of mine. A couple of months ago Lily had given birth to a baby boy, Dumbledore was the bearer of the news.

"There's a prophecy." Voldemort had said on that night of his birth when we were all summoned. I had accompanied Severus as the form Willow. "It is surrounding a boy, It could be one of two boys. The one that Lily and James Potter have just birthed, or the one that the Longbottoms have birthed, it is rumoured that this boy will be my downfall."

"A baby! A baby will be the downfall of a great lord such as yourself?" Bellatrix questioned, hardly believing what she was hearing.

"He must be stopped!" Yaxley cried out in rage, nothing was getting in his way of world domination.

"But he is just a baby, what could he possibly do to you?" I questioned reasonably, Severus' hand gripped my leg like a vice... apparently I shouldn't have said that.

"It is what he will become." Voldemorts cold voice met me. "I must eliminate the threat before it has begun... a bit like weeding." He compared. I sat there in shock, I could feel Severus' disgust radiating off of him, although I think it might have something to do with the fact that Lily's name had fallen from Voldemort's lips.

"Send me, my lord. I want to get rid of this threat." Bellatrix pleaded, eager to prove her worth.

"You can eliminate the Longbottoms, you are aware of their location. I will handle the Potters myself." Voldemort decided, standing and dismissing us all. Severus and I didn't linger, we headed straight back to the castle. I wasn't feeling well so I left Severus at Dumbledore's office before I headed to the infirmary to get Madame Pomfrey to check me over.

"I've been feeling a bit nauseous for a few weeks, food tastes different. Food that I once loved I no longer like." I explained as I laid on one of the beds. She nodded before she started her tests.

"Dear... you and umm Severus are expecting a baby." She said after a while of prodding.

"A baby?" I whispered, slightly shocked. No, no, no that can't be, now was not the right time to be having a baby. I was up instantly, a mixture of happiness and guilt spread through me. I rushed to Dumbledore's office where I knew Severus would still be. As I reached the door I heard Severus yelling at Albus about Lily. In a minute he was stood in front of me, his face pale and angry. "Severus... there's something..."

"I have to go Erin, I might already be too late." He gasped, pushing past me to get out of the office. He was going to her, he would always go to her.

"Oh my dear child..." Dumbledore comforted as he gathered me into his office. "You are with child." It wasn't a question but a statement, yet I still nodded.

"What am I going to do?" I cried. "What do I say to Severus?"

"Nothing, Severus will be going through a tough time. And he will be for some time to come. I will accept this as your resignation you will finish out the week and then return home. I will send you a letter when I believe that you can return, and I hope you will return... you truly are a brilliant nurse and when you do your daughter will come with you. And Severus will know the truth." Dumbledore advised.

"You don't want me to tell him?" I questioned, slightly outraged at this suggestion.

"It is better for you and your daughters safety if he doesn't know about her. He will need to concentrate in order to keep the dark lord out of his thoughts and if he's worried about her, he won't be able to do that." He said reasonably.

"If you think it's for the best..." I said still hesitant. I didn't want to leave... leave Hogwarts or Severus and I didn't want to hide the truth about our child from him. I wanted him to play an active role in her life.

"Erin, I can't tell you what to do. And I would hate to lose you as a nurse here at Hogwarts but I would hate to lose you altogether. And I think that returning to live with your father would be what's safe for you and your baby." Dumbledore admitted, his eyes sad.

"I understand... Albus thank you for this opportunity it really has meant a lot to me." I smiled weakly at him as I got up to leave his office. I slowly made my way back to my chambers, a hand resting gently on my stomach.

All was silent in my chambers until a loud banging came on my front door, a never ending knocking. The person behind it was clearly impatient. I opened the door to reveal a very distressed looking Severus.

"Erin... She's dead. He killed her!" Severus sobbed as he collapsed into my arms a complete and utter wreck. That was when I realised that even though I was carrying his child, his heir, I would never carry his heart not fully. That was when I decided that leaving would be better for me, and as he cried on my shoulder I knew that he would do anything for Lily. And so a week later, I left the castle and returned home, just before christmas, to my father.