Forever and Always Yours, SS [Book 3]

Chapter 70

The meeting had ended, and Severus avoided questions from Ritchie about Amilia as much as possible. It seems, to him, that the Dark Lord was pitting the two of them against each other to see who would prevail on bringing in the lost witch. Severus, however, had more important things on his mind.

"Are you not staying?" Bellatrix called after him.

"My apologies to the great house of Malfoy," Severus drawled, "but I do have duties still at Hogwarts that must be attended to. Dumbledore must think that I am at his beck and call in order to obtain the information our Dark Lord requires."

She scoffed, dropping an arm over Ritchie, "I wonder who will get her first?" She made the young man look at her, "If you do it just right, she will think you are the father! Think of it, the two of you raising a baby together under the Dark Lord's reign."

Severus had enough of it, her maniacal laughter and the crazed elated look of Ritchie Clearwater. He turned tail and left quickly. Once outside the doors, he prepared to disapparate, only to be stopped by the raspy laugh of the Dark Lord.

"Ah Severus," Voldemort chuckled, petting Nagini's head, "heading out are we?"

"Yes, my lord, I have duties at Hogwarts."

"Yes," Voldemort turned his eyes to Severus, "I also believe your little pet has been taking a special interest with you as well."

"My pet?"

"The woman." Voldemort turned his back to Severus, "Walk with me."

"I would be honored my lord." Severus kept a single step behind the man.

"Are you sure you do not know the father?" Voldemort asked.

Severus breathed deeply, ready to answer but was interrupted.

"Do you know what I think, Severus? I think that you might be the father, you said you had needs after all." Voldemort laughed.

"My lord?"

"I have also heard that an American professor has taken up residence in Hogsmead. So maybe it is not you."

Severus remained silent.

"Your silence is not convincing, Severus." Voldemort stopped and looked at Severus.

"These are things I do not know much about. Miss Hubbard is a private woman; when we have conversations, it is that of work, your services, and making sure that she is comfortable in her duties." Severus observed the wizard, waiting for a response, "With my tasks given by you, my lord, I have relied on her to pick up the slack on those nights."

"I see." Voldemort caressed his snake's head again. "I wonder if anyone will know the truth."

"I wonder that as well, my lord." Severus said carefully.

"Either way, Miss Hubbard, you said her name was, will be in our ranks, one way or another." Voldemort turned around.

Severus swallowed the lump in his throat as he watched the Dark Lord walk away. As soon as he regained some semblance of himself, he disapparated to his home.

Severus stepped out of the fireplace in his office, his heart in his throat, "Amilia?" He knocked on the bedroom door, but no sounds responded; he secretly hoped she would sleep. He opened the door as lightning flashed outside the windows, showcasing an empty bed.

His head began to pound; he darted for her sitting room, tossing his robes aside, but nothing. "What the bloody hell?" He peeked into the common room, though he did not know why; he knew none of them would be in there.

"Poppy?!" Severus threw himself out into the corridor and raced up the stairs. Thunder echoed around the main hall as he ran to the hospital wing. "Poppy!"

Severus slid to a stop in front of the double doors. With a shaking hand, he opened the door.

As usual, the bed was neatly tucked and folded, glasses sparkled in the candlelight, and a fire blazed in the fireplace. "Poppy?!" Severus did his best to control the panic in his voice, but it cracked.

He approached the office doors and heard fast, hushed talking and shuffling. He knocked and then shoved his hands in his pockets and waited. The door was flung open, and a very razzled witch stared at him. She blinked a couple of times before letting out a deep sigh, "So glad you could make it."

Severus stared at Poppy, "What happened?"

"I think I can best answer that." Healer Pearson waved him in. Poppy stepped to the side and opened the cabinet behind her desk, grabbing glasses and pouring something in them.

Severus looked around wildly; he did not hear anything but could not see anything since the doors were closed. "Is...is she alright?"

"She is resting." Pearson opened the door to the private rooms, "Amilia, are you awake?" There was a muted response, and the man motioned for Severus to enter.

On the bed, tucked in neatly, was Amilia; she looked exhausted, but she lit up when she saw him, but for some reason, he could not keep his eyes on her.

Severus reached for the healer to steady himself. A chair was brought in, and he sat down. "Your wife's labor started naturally, a little ahead of schedule but still within a reasonable time."

Severus listened to the words, but they made no sense to him.

"Congratualations." The words were muffled by the pounding in his ears.

"What?" Severus said.

Pearson laughed and pulled Severus to his feet, giving him a gentle shove to the side of the bed, "I said, congratulations."

A slight sound drew his attention to the woman on the bed. There, he got a good look at her. She looked exhausted, like he had seen when he entered the room, but she had a happy glow. Amilia has reclined on a few pillows, her clothes were not what he last saw her in, and her hair was haphazardly braided and tossed into a bun.

Amilia smiled at him, "You missed it."

Severus dropped to his knees; the stone floor was unforgiving. He took her hand in his and pressed it against his lips. They were clammy, and her nails, which she always took pride in, were chipped and torn. "I am so sorry."

Amilia gave him a wider smile and brushed the knuckles of the hand he had just kissed against his cheek. She cupped his cheek. "I am not angry at you."

"You should know she did a wonderful job." Healer Pearson said proudly.

"I'll forgive her foul mouth this time." Poppy joked behind them.

"Are you doing well?" Severus choked out.

Amilia scoffed and shook her head, "Never mind that right now, there is someone you should meet."

Severus's brows furrowed, "What?"

Severus shoved himself off the floor and sat close to his wife. Amilia grabbed his shirt collar with her free hand and tried pulling him onto the bed. Amilia watched him curiously, but she could see he was unsure what to look at, so she took his chin in her hand and made him look down.

"Is that?" Severus leaned in slightly, looking at the bundle in Amilia's arm.

Amilia moved part of the blanket, obscuring his view with a finger. With eyes closed and a small nose, there was a black-haired baby. Amilia called Poppy over, who manually adjusted Severus onto the bed and set his arms in a holding position. Amilia carefully laid the tiny baby in his arms, "This is Jordan Eileen Snape, your daughter."