Yours, SS [Book 1]

Chapter 55

"Amilia, what does this mean?" Severus waved the folded up paper in the air.

"It means that their baby is coming now. As in my best friend is in the hospital, getting ready to have a baby. A few weeks early."

Severus stood there, watching his fiance bustle about the room. Her bag was slowly filling and essentially eating the contents as it fell into the depths. Early?

He startled slightly when her door opened; Albus placed a slippered foot onto her carpeted floor. "Is everything all right, Miss Hubbard?"

Amilia paused briefly, "I assume one of them got you, sir?" Albus nodded quickly. She released the breath she was holding in, "Kylie...her baby is coming early."

Dumbledores eyebrows knotted together momentarily. "So, this means you are going to stay with them for a few days?"

"I am not sure. Depending on how severe it is, it may be longer than the holiday break." Amilia watched her boss with pleading eyes. She had been keeping him up to date on her friend's condition.

"What is going on?" Severus snapped.

Albus looked at the potions master in surprise. "Were you not informed?" He looked back at the young woman, seeing the cold gaze she was sending her lover.

"Severus, I have told you multiple times that there have been complications in her pregnancy. I have told you at least twice this past month that I will be staying with them for a few days to help them settle."

Severus furrowed his brows. "I do not recall these conversations."

Amilia rolled her eyes, "I am not surprised." The words dripped like venom from her lips.

"Amilia," Severus started, but she turned her back to him, grabbing up her bag.

"You do not need to worry about anything right now, Miss Hubbard, but please keep me posted when it gets closer to the start of the new semester."

Amilia nodded and walked through the entryway; the two men followed on her heels. Severus handed her the satchel full of Floo Powder. She took a handful from the jar on the mantle and stepped into the fire. "I will send you a letter once things die down." She tossed the powder and disappeared into flames of green.

Amilia appeared in her friends living room, Marcus startled, dropping his cup. He had been pacing; a worry line etched into his brow. "I...did not expect you to come that way."

"What did you expect? For me to fly on a broom?" Amilia snapped. He looked frightened, "I am sorry. This holiday has not gone well for me, either." She sighed and set her bags down. "Where is she?"

"At the hospital. She asked me to come back and get you."

"Well, I am here now. Let's go."

Severus tossed and turned throughout the night. Have I really not been paying attention lately? He knew she had been agitated since the beginning of the month, but he assumed it was due to testing and turning in semester grades, something he even found to be an extremely frustrating part of his job. He had not realized she had been receiving letters from her friend, let alone that there were issues. Or did I? He groaned and sat up; dawn was approaching. The soft glow of winter over the lake filtered through his windows. "This is useless."