Love and Potions - Severus Snape x OC

Chapter 42 - Family is chosen

Rowan did nothing but nod, looking down at her stomach. How was she supposed to be a mother? And Severus- he hated children. It wasn't as if he and Rowan were married and he had to stay. He could leave her, say it wasn't his. What was she going to do?

Before she could figure any of this out, the infirmary doors burst open and Rowan's trio of best friends began to run toward her. Juniper was the first to reach her, quickly wrapped her arms around Rowan. Trying to act as normal as possible, Rowan chuckled. "I missed you too, Juni," Rowan looked toward the doors to see Severus, who was out of breath. "I was trying to stop them, I swear," He said, giving a pleading look to a now rather displeased Madam Pomfrey. 

When Juniper had let go of Rowan, Millicent pulled Rowan into a tight hug. Blaise had chosen to sit down at the end of Rowan's cot instead, a small apologetic smile on his face. "Don't you ever do that again," Millicent said, pulling away and standing beside Juniper. Rowan nodded, turning her attention to Blaise. 

"Zabini, if I didn't know any better I'd say we were strangers. No hug?" Rowan joked, opening her arms out. It was almost as if Zabini had changed within seconds as he engulfed Rowan in a large bear hug. Rowan laughed and accepted his embrace, although it was quite painful. The wounds on her skin hadn't completely healed. "I knew it was your mother, Rowan! I told them and they didn't listen to me!" Juniper exclaimed, pulling Blaise back so that she could see Rowan's face. 

"Well, we always knew you were the brains of the friend group," Rowan said, causing the room to laugh stiffly. It was almost like they thought Rowan might break if they were too loud. "What a lovely reunion. Professor Knight, you may return to teaching but I would like you to come in every few weeks so that we may check up on your- your wounds," Madam Pomfrey said, covering for Rowan. 

She would have to tell them at some point. There was no avoiding it; the baby growing within Rowan would grow and eventually she would start to show. There was no way she could just hide away from everyone for nine months and reappear with a child. She just wanted to enjoy her life a little while longer before she ruined everything she had worked so hard to build. 

"Sounds good, Madam Pomfrey. Professor Snape, could you help me to the Great Hall? I would like to see the students again," Rowan asked, turning her attention to her boyfriend. While he looked greatly concerned at how fast Rowan wanted to reintegrate herself, he didn't protest. Severus helped Rowan stand and supported her as she walked out of the infirmary; all of their beloved friends following quickly behind them.

. ⋅ ˚̣- : ✧ : – ⭒ ⊹ ⭒ – : ✧ : -˚̣⋅ .

The Great Hall was different than Rowan had remembered it. Usually, the children were all bursting with conversations. Most of them were loud enough to be heard by the staff. Today, barely any of the students spoke. The room felt dark and enclosed; even the staff refused to speak. Rowan looked up and saw that Lockhart had already joined the rest of the staff, sitting in his usual spot. He looked as though nothing had just happened to them; the only proof had been the bandages around his wrist. 

As Rowan took a seat in her usual spot beside Severus, the students began to whisper. "The ministry has been gone for a few hours looking for Evanora," Lockhart whispers as he examined Rowan with his eyes. Rowan nodded, a sharp pain growing in her heart as she heard her mother's name. "What you did was foolish, Gilderoy. You should have left," Rowan scolded. "The man who helped you escape came back for me. He is with the headmaster now," Lockhart seemed to ignore Rowan's words; not that she could blame him. 

Rowan looked down at her stomach, gulping at the thought of the child currently growing inside of her. Taking a deep breath, Rowan looked up to see Minerva staring at her. Flashing her a small smile, Rowan could see Minerva's worry spread further across her face. "I'm alright, Minerva," Rowan said. "Could I speak to you? In private," Minerva asked, causing the smile to leave Rowan's face. Rowan stood up from the table, wobbling for only a second. Severus grabbed ahold of her waist and gave her a worried look. 

"I'm not going to break, Sev. I'll be right back," Rowan said, leaning down and placing a kiss on Severus' cheek. Together, Minerva and Rowan walked slowly out of the Great Hall and into Minerva's office; which was quite a while away. "Take a seat, dear," Minerva said, motioning toward a chair in front of her desk. The chair was worn; it seemed that Minerva had seen a lot of people in her stay at Hogwarts. 

Opening a small notebook on her desk, Minerva looked up at Rowan. "Before I get into this mess," Minerva began, waving her hand over her notebook in annoyance. "I want to check in on you. How are you feeling?" Rowan honestly didn't know how to answer. Physically, she felt so much better knowing she was home and under the care of Hogwarts. Mentally, she was a wreck. Finding out the truth about her father, her mother hadn't been captured yet, and she was pregnant. She wasn't processing all of this very well, but she didn't know how to tell anyone; especially Minerva. 

Minerva had expressed to Rowan before that she had always wanted a child. The children of Hogwarts became Minerva's children, but even then she had still yearned for her own. Here Rowan was, not wanting to become a mother but having no choice. It wasn't that Rowan didn't want the child; that wasn't the problem at all. Rowan didn't know how to be a mother and the thought of becoming anything like her own brought tears to her eyes. "Rowan, are you alright?" Minerva asked again when Rowan hadn't responded. 

"Oh- um, I'm feeling alright. Poppy fixed me right up," Rowan replied half-heartedly. Rowan couldn't fool Minerva, though. The two had formed a bond much like that of a daughter and mother. They could read each other like an open book. "I don't doubt she did; she is a wonderful woman. How are you really Rowan? This situation couldn't have been easy on you," Minerva's words had begun to make Rowan's stomach turn. 

"You're speaking about my mother," Rowan's words were more of a statement than a question. She had assumed this would happen; everyone wanted to know how it felt to be kidnapped by your own evil mother. Minerva pursed her lips, not really knowing how to respond. "I always knew she was a monster, Minerva. I knew she had her ways of getting what she wanted, but I never knew she would go to such great lengths," Rowan answered honestly, looking down at her stomach again. 

Minerva nodded, her eyes seeming to gleam as she thought back on her own past. "You know, after having to spend a few days with her, I have come to realize just how different you two are," Minerva began as she leaned back and opened a cabinet attached to her desk. Pulling out a distressed jewelry bag, Minerva placed it in front of Rowan, nodding for her to open it. 

Rowan carefully removed what appeared to be a necklace from the bag. Upon closer inspection, Rowan's usual bright smile reappeared on her face. In her hands was the necklace Millicent had gotten her for Christmas. Rowan had been wondering what had happened to it since she had woken up in the dirty basement. "Your mother left this when she had fled from Hogwarts. I had a feeling you would be wanting it back," 

Teary eyes, Rowan quickly sat up and hugged Minerva, being very careful to keep her balance. It was as if Minerva always knew the right things to say. Rowan couldn't help but think of all of the lives Minerva had changed in the small amount of time Rowan had known her. Rowan slipped the necklace over her head and smiled thankfully at Minerva. "Family is chosen, Rowan. It seems you've found yourself one right here at Hogwarts," Minerva said through a knowing smile.