InsaneJournal

Twenty-three-year-old Harry Potter picked up a stray wooden block and set it into the appropriate box. A large, bedraggled green and blue plush dragon peered at him from beneath one of the tiny play tables. He plucked it up by its threadbare ruff, planning to toss it into one of the rubbish bins, but instead, unconsciously clutched it against his chest.

Inhaling the scents of chalk, crayons and paint, the dark-haired wizard closed his eyes, remembering the bedlam caused by a group of two- and three-year-olds just minutes earlier. He hugged the dragon and wished, not for the first time, that one of those little hellions was his own.

The sound of closing doors shook him out of his reverie. Harry released his wand from the holster on his forearm and began to swish it around the room. Wooden blocks marched across the carpeting and climbed into their storage boxes. The multi-hued crayons floated into small bins, separating themselves by their colors. With a flick, the broken bits reformed into larger segments.

"You're running late tonight, Harry," one of the other nursery school teachers called from his open classroom door. She flicked her wand, and the children's books stacked themselves neatly onto the bookshelves. A second flick returned the baby dolls to their cribs. "Two more days until the Summer Hols...I, for one, am looking forward to a few months of not changing soiled nappies."

"Thank Merlin most of mine are potty trained," Harry laughed and set the paintbrushes to washing themselves in the sink. "Although I fear Vinnie and Matt are never going to get the hang of it."

Harry looked around the classroom. It was as clean as it was going to get without house-elf magic. "Thank you for the help, Sally Ann. Why don't you head on out. I'll lock up when I'm done."

"I think that poor old dragon's about ready for the rubbish heap. Don't stay too late."

Harry looked down at the stuffed animal he forgot was still in the crook of his arm. He felt as sad as the plushie looked. He tapped its snout with the tip of his wand.

"Reparo."

*~*~*~*
"...naturally occurring male pregnancies can only arise when both the bearer and the donor possess a powerful magical core." Harry set the medical book aside and removed his spectacles. He extinguished the bedside lamp and lay back against his pillow. He stared at the moon through his skylight for quite some time.

The lonely silence of his room was broken by the sound of muffled laughter from the flat beside his. The rhythmic sound of the creaking bedsprings reverberated though the thin wall. Not wanting to listen to still another night of sexual conquests, Harry wrapped his fingers around his wand and cast a silencing charm. He rolled over, fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

It didn't matter how powerful a wizard he was if he was too shy to find a bedmate. Stupid little virgin, he thought.

*~*~*~*
Blaise Zabini held open the exterior door for his friend and neighbor when he saw the slender wizard approaching from the direction of the neighborhood Apparation station. Harry was carrying a bag of Muggle takeaway.

"That smells delicious." Blaise inhaled the spicy aroma. "Italian?"

"Mama Leone's lasagna, bread and a side salad. The portions are huge, so there's more than enough for two, if you don't already have dinner plans."

"Thanks, Aitch*. I'm starved." Blaise stopped at the door of his flat. "I'm meeting Seamus and Theo later, but I have hours until I need to be ready. There's a bottle of red in my flat that will go great with the lasagna."

Harry divided up the takeaway while Blaise poured two glasses of Chianti. The green-eyed wizard glanced toward his attractive friend, noting how Blaise always dressed to accentuate the warm brown of his skin and his pale eyes. Harry wished he was as comfortable in his own body as his friend was.

"Oh, this is good." Blaise took another bite of the lasagna. "Not as good as my Nonna makes, but close. You should come with me when I visit her in a few weeks."

"School's closed for summer, so my schedule's fairly open. I haven't seen your Nonna in years." Harry paused to sip the Chianti. "Tonight...would it be a problem if I invited myself out with you, Shay and Theo?"

Blaise looked across the table at Harry. For years he had tried to get the other man to go clubbing with them, but Harry's inherent shyness had always caused him decline.

"Sure, we'd love to have you...but just so you know, we're planning to barhop a little." Blaise smirked. "You have anything sexy in that wardrobe of yours?"

"Define sexy."

"Anything that doesn't scream 'Hi, I'm a nursery school teacher'."

*~*~*~*
Wearing knee-high dragon-hide boots, slim black trousers and a plain pale green poet's shirt, Harry waited for Blaise's opinion. He had never gone clubbing before and, not only did he not own anything as risqué as the Italian's skintight ensemble, he would never have left his flat wearing anything that blatantly sexual.

"You look adorable, Aitch," Blaise commented. "In a buttoned-up virginal sort of way."

Harry winced. "I'll just stay in after all. Wouldn't want to embarrass you."

"Damn it, you look fine. I'm glad you're finally coming out...only been trying to get you out for a few years." Blaise slung an arm over Harry's shoulders. With Harry's fragile ego, he hoped they weren't about to make a huge mistake. "You'll fit in fine at Maxwell's and The Green Fairy, but just so you know...we'll definitely end up at Crossed Wands and that's a real meat market...They'll be all over your virginal little arse."

"Maybe...maybe that's what I want," Harry said, softly.

Blaise looked at him in amazement. What had gotten into introverted Harry this evening?

"Look, Aitch...if you're just looking to pop your cherry...I could..."

"No," Harry snapped, and then the briefest of smiles twitched his lips. "I've known you since before you even had pubic hair to shave...so even though we aren't truly related...it still screams incest to me."

*~*~*~*
Severus Snape took a sip of Ogden's Old Firewhiskey as he shared a table with his former Hogwarts roommate Rastaban Lestrange. It was still early Friday evening, but Maxwell's was filling up quickly.

He was less than pleased when Antonin Dolohov pulled over a chair and joined them at the table. Dolohov had the earned reputation of being a sexual predator, and Severus did not appreciate the undeserved guilt by association his presence could bring. With any luck, Dolohov would soon locate his intended Friday night conquest and leave them in peace.

"Oh, look! Zabini brought fresh meat with him tonight," Dolohov purred. "What a tender little mouse he is."

Severus' dark eyes surveyed the patrons of the pub and soon located Blaise and his group at the end of the bar. It was easy to identify Dolohov's "little mouse." The young man's tasteful attire was in extreme conflict with the tight, strategically torn clothing worn by the majority of the younger men. It made him appear to be a Muggle nun among whores. The man's heart-shaped face and bright green eyes were set off nicely with his dark, tousled hair. With his pleasing fae looks, he would be attracting more than just Dolohov's attention.

Severus watched with amusement as the green-eyed "mouse" was drawn into a one-sided conversation with the outrageously dressed and exceptionally vain Gilderoy Lockhart. Blaise and his friends sniggered into their drinks, offering no assistance as their companion tried to politely extract himself from Lockhart's circle of besotted hangers-on.

"Look at what that idiot's wearing," Rastaban laughed, indicating Lockhart, dressed head to toe in shades of lavender and lace. "He gives queers everywhere a bad name."

~*~*~*
Harry took a sip of Firewhiskey as he studied the other wizards filling Maxwell's. He would have preferred a glass of wine, but didn't want to look even more out of place than he already did. Theodore Nott joined him, standing just out of the main flow of traffic. A band was beginning to set up on the small stage, but the four of them would be moving on to another establishment before the first set. They were just waiting for Blaise and Seamus, who seemed to be stopping to talk to just about everyone. Knowing the pair, they were gathering all of the latest gossip.

"Theo, if you had to guess, who do you think are the strongest wizards in the room?"

"The strongest..." Theo gave him a puzzled look and then remembered Blaise teasing Harry about his plan to lose his virginity that evening.

"Oh, you're thinking about the Hauptman Theory...that if you have intercourse with someone with a more powerful core, you'll get a power boost to your own." Theo looked at his friend. Leave it to bookish Harry to overthink sex. "To be honest, I've fucked both wizards and Muggles, and I can't say I've noticed much difference."

"Humor me. Who would you pick?"

"Well, first off, it's not that lavender ponce." He studied the crowd, the majority of them male. His search ended at a corner table. He gave Harry a nudge with his shoulder. "Well, I think we're both pretty powerful..."

"That's not happening," Harry murmured and Theo laughed.

"Roger Davies and Kevin Entwhistle just came in."

"No. They're both Aurors. It'd get back to my father and that would open up a whole new level of hell."

"Didn't think of that... Then, the three older wizards in the corner. Without a doubt, they are probably the strongest here. Could be others just as strong at The Green Fairy or Crossed Wands."

"What do you know about them?"

"Stay away from the guy in red. That's Antonin Dolohov. If he buys you a drink, don't drink it. Don't go anywhere alone with him. He drugged Shay awhile ago and was pretty rough with him. Heard he's pulled that shite with others, too." Seeing the indignation on Harry's face, Theo continued, "He's got some sort of diplomatic immunity or something - Ministry looks the other way."

Harry was beginning to think he had made a mistake leaving his flat. Maybe he should just place an anonymous advertisement in the Quibbler's Modern Matchmaking edition under the "Wizard Seeking Wizard" section.

"And the others?"

"The guy in blue is really good in bed, and he's pretty funny. Since he's an Unspeakable, you don't really know his actual name, but he goes by Rast. If you're interested, I could introduce you."

"And the one in black?" With his prominent nose and lank black hair, the older wizard was not conventionally handsome, but Harry found his features interesting. Harry had never been particularly attracted to the pretty boys.

"That's Severus Snape. He's the head potions master at St. Mungo's. I hear he's brilliant, but has the reputation of being a bit of a prick at times."

~*~*~*
Standing on the second level, Severus looked down on the dance floor. As usual, the music was too loud and the strobe lights were enough to cause a seizure. The manager of Crossed Wands had definitely studied Muggle nightclub culture. Even the music was primarily Muggle in nature. He saw both Rastaban and Dolohov dancing with random partners. They were keeping their options open.

Severus climbed down the crowded staircase to get a second Ogden's. As he passed by the edge of the dance floor, he saw Dolohov had finally cornered his "mouse." The young wizard was trapped tightly against Dolohov's chest by a muscular arm across his torso, the dark wizard grinding his erection against the man's arse.

Severus looked into the wide green eyes and saw not pleasure, irritation or even anger, but panic. Forgoing his drink, Severus waded into the teeming mass of dancers and stopped in front of the pair.

"There you are, my darling," he announced pleasantly, while casually extricating the mouse from the trap. He swept the younger man away, fixing Dolohov with a glare that could have melted steel. He looked at the pale face of his unplanned partner and leaned in to be heard over the music.

"Do you need some air?"

"Please."

As one song ended and another began, Severus caught the other man's wrist and gently pulled him from the dance floor. In the back of his mind he wondered when he had suddenly become a Gryffindor.

Not wanting to take the obviously inexperienced wizard through the darkened hallways or the back alley where wizards frequently engaged in oral or anal sex in the open, Severus led the compliant man through the front entrance and down the street. They walked out of Knockturn Alley and onto the now desolate Diagon Alley. He dropped onto the first empty bench he saw and pulled his companion beside him.

Harry inhaled the cool night air as he looked at the closed shops in the semi-deserted alley. He could still hear the faint beat of the music from Crossed Wands. Taking another deep breath, he felt his fear subside. How dare a total stranger think he had the right to grope him uninvited and whisper obscenities in his ear?

"Feeling a little better?" a smoky voice asked. The pale glow of the streetlamp illuminated the bench. "Don't know about you, but I needed to give my ears a rest."

"It is rather loud in there."

They sat in comfortable silence for several minutes. A few people passed by them on their way toward The Leaky Cauldron to Floo home or to rent a room for the night. One or two greeted either Harry or Severus.

"Are you planning to head back in soon?"

"Probably not. The dancers there are a bit too forward."

"Didn't appreciate being groped, I take it? I don't appreciate it much either."

"Your friend is rather aggressive."

"Dolohov is not my friend. He was an exchange student from Durmstrang my sixth year. I did not care for him then and care for him even less now."

"Thank you for coming to my rescue. My name is Harry, by the way."

"I'm Severus. It's still early. Would you join me for a drink? The Green Fairy is just around the corner."

"A drink sounds wonderful, but I'd rather not go The Green Fairy. We stopped there earlier and, while the Art Nouveau decor is beautiful, I don't understand people who think nothing of ingesting vast quantities of one of the main ingredients in the Draught of Living Death."

"Paid attention in Potions, did you?" Severus was amused by the oblique reference to wormwood, a major component in the highly toxic drink Absinthe.

"I've always enjoyed cooking, and it helped teach me the proper methods to prepare ingredients. And as you know, proper preparation is essential in successful brewing. Professor Slughorn thought enough of my skills to award me an Exceeds Expectations in Potions."

"A member of his exclusive Slug Club?"

"No. Since I am both a half-blood and a major embarrassment to my father, I offered no obvious political connections to entice the professor - so no invitation." Harry paused, looking into Severus' dark eyes. "And were you an esteemed member, Severus?"

"Yes, but only because I was considered a potions prodigy. As a half-blood charity case, I needed his connections to secure acceptance into an accredited Mastery program. Slughorn claimed he knew I'd be a potions master when I was just a First Year."

"It must be nice to get what you want out of life. I wanted to be a Pediatric Healer, but my father forbid it. He said the Auror Academy or nothing, so I chose nothing." Harry shrugged his shoulder, not wanting to dwell on old disappointments. "So what about that drink?"

~*~*~*
Harry tentatively reached for Severus' hand as they walked away from the Apparation station toward his flat. After seeing Dolohov enter Maxwell's, and having no desire to be subjected to attentions of either the lavender menace or the predatory wizard, he had shyly invited Severus back to his flat for a nightcap. With any luck it would turn into more than just a drink.

The potions master laced his long fingers with Harry's digits. He wasn't sure why the attractive younger man had stayed with him, but he found that he enjoyed the quiet intelligence. Looking at the street signs marking the corners, he did not recognize any of the names. They must be in one of the Wizarding enclaves scattered throughout the British Isles.

The small studio flat was meticulously tidy. It was furnished with older, comfortable looking furniture pieces that were probably cast-offs from a country estate. The bookshelves that bracketed the fireplace were filled with books of varied subjects and strategically placed oddments and framed photographs.

"Have a seat, Severus," Harry said as he gestured toward the sofa facing the fireplace. "I'll be back in a sec. I need to use the loo."

Severus examined the contents of the bookcases and the mantel. You could tell a lot about a person by what items they deemed important enough to save.

One photograph of a laughing young Harry caught his eye. The small boy, missing both of his upper front teeth, was dressed in a flour-dusted apron, holding a mixing spoon covered in batter and flanked by two amused female house-elves. Severus wondered idly how mini-Harry had managed to convince the pair to teach their "little master" how to cook; house-elves were notoriously vocal in protecting their domestic turf.

Harry carried two glasses and a dusty bottle of single malt scotch from his tiny kitchen. Severus noticed Harry had removed his knee-high boots as he padded across the oak floor barefoot. "I don't have any Ogden's, but hopefully this will do."

Severus's eyes closed as he savored the taste of the finely aged scotch. Harry sat beside him, his fingers nervously rolling the empty second glass between his hands. The potions master lifted his glass in the direction of the house-elf photograph. "How did you ever convince your house-elves to let you cook?"

"Rosemary and Thyme raised me," Harry replied with a soft smile. "My mother died of complications several weeks after I was born, and since my father blamed me for her death, I was abandoned into their care. When I was three, my Uncle Remmie's health began to decline and he came to live with us. Seeing as my father pretty much ignored me, Remmie began my tutoring when he felt well enough. He convinced Rosemary and Thyme that cooking would teach me the skills necessary to become proficient at Potions and gardening would help with Herbology. He was right."

"You have many books on early childhood development. Is that an interest of yours?"

"I am in the process of doing a bit of self-study. I have not abandoned my dream of working with children, although I am currently undecided whether to pursue a Mastery in Pediatric Healing or in Teaching."

Harry reached over and gently ran a finger over the top of Severus' left hand. His eyes searched Severus' darker ones for a reaction and then flickered away.

"I am sure you didn't travel all this way to hear the story of my life." Harry nibbled his lower lip. "Is there something else you'd rather do?"

Severus raised his hand to brush a stray hair from Harry's face. Instead of dropping his hand, he slid it behind Harry's neck and drew him closer. Harry closed his eyes and leaned forward; their lips touched. Severus allowed himself to be pulled down on the sofa cushions and welcomed the inexperienced kisses and timid explorations. Harry shivered when cold hands crept beneath his shirt and caressed his warm skin.

Harry let out a startled gasp as Severus rocked against him, their erections meeting. Severus chuckled at the expressive green eyes, curling his fingers around the narrow hips. Slowly they frotted against one another.

Severus captured Harry’s lips in a bruising kiss; Harry stiffened as the older man brought him to orgasm. Harry’s breath came in shuddering gasps; the ejaculate soaked into his boxer briefs.

“Bed?"

*~*~*~*
A virgin's first time should special and Severus really didn't understand why Harry would choose to give it to a stranger, but he was not going to refuse. Harry was receptive to his caresses, but somewhat unprepared for the sensations that overwhelmed him. Severus would teach Harry about the pleasures of sexual exploration.

“Are you certain you want me to do this, Harry? Once we start, there is no going back.”

“Yes, Severus, I'm certain,” Harry replied and began to nip at an especially sensitive spot on Severus’ neck. He had read about sex, had dreamed about sex, and had years of listening to his friends brag about sex. He was ready to find out if reality lived up to his imagination.

Harry found himself on his hands and knees, hips raised. Severus’ hands at his inner thighs spread him open wider. The older wizard trailed nips and kisses down his spine. One lubricant-coated finger, cold and slippery, teased at his entrance before slowly working its way through the tight band of muscle. Harry did his best to relax against the intrusion; it burned a little but was not unbearable. As his channel relaxed, Severus added lubricant and more fingers. He stroked Harry’s sensitized skin as a mild distraction.

“Roll over.” Severus’ voice was thick with arousal. Harry obeyed, pushing the pillows under his hips to raise them. Severus kneeled between his legs, coating his erection liberally in the lubricant. Harry tried to mask his nervousness; Severus’ engorged cock looked too large to fit into him.

“It's your last chance to stop,” Severus cautioned. It had been years since he had been with a virgin and wasn’t sure how to reassure him.

"Do it!"

“Bear down and try to relax.”

Severus grasped Harry’s hips firmly and angled him slightly. He nudged the slicked tip against Harry’s stretched opening. Severus pushed himself past the tight ring of muscle. Harry closed his eyes, his jaw tightening as he bit back a moan. Inch by burning inch, Severus buried himself into the tight channel. He could feel Harry shake beneath him, trying to hold back a whimper of pain.

“Let it out Harry,” Severus breathed into his ear. “I know it hurts, but it will be over soon.”

Severus pulled out and then thrust himself in to the hilt. He paused for Harry to adjust, caressing his face, kissing him, calming him.

“You’re beautiful,” he said and began a slow rhythm, adjusting the speed and angle of his thrusts. Severus pulled out and pushed the long legs toward Harry’s chest, opening him wider before plunging deeper, brushing Harry’s prostate. Harry cried out as Severus hit a spot inside him that felt wonderful.

“Touch yourself,” Severus ordered and Harry wrapped his hand around his own erection, pumping it to Severus’ increased rhythm. Severus felt Harry’s body arch off the mattress and stiffen, his channel tightening. Harry cried out and warm ejaculate coated their stomachs.

Severus found his release moments later as he emptied himself deep within his companion. He gave Harry a peck on the lips and rolled onto his back beside him. Harry straightened his trembling legs and turned his head to examine his bedmate.

"Thank you."

Severus cast a wandless cleaning charm, vanishing the ejaculate and sweat on their skin. He slung his arm across the smaller man and kissed his temple. Severus waited until Harry drifted off into a deep sleep before easing himself out of the bed.

After locating his scattered clothing, Severus gave Harry a final look before Apparating home.

*~*~*~*
Harry awoke to a mild hangover. It wasn't often he drank more than a glass of wine or two with dinner, and the headache reminded him why it was a bad idea to mix wine and hard liquor. He stretched, his body feeling aches in unfamiliar places.

He reached over to where Severus had lain and felt the cold sheets. That certainly prevented awkward morning after conversations, Harry thought, as he opened one bleary green eye. The skylight above his bed made the room much too bright.

Blindly reaching for his wand, he heard glass clink against the wood. His fingers wrapped around a potion vial. Why was there a vial of pain relief potion on his bedside table?

Needing to relieve his bladder, Harry rolled out of bed. Unexpected pain shot up his spine as he stood up. Muscles aching, he collapsed back on the mattress.

Harry reread the unfamiliar spidery handwriting on the label before removing the stopper and giving the contents a sniff. It smelled like a pain potion and Severus was a St. Mungo's potions master, but Harry resealed the vial and set it back on the bedside table.

With both his father and godfather being Aurors, there was no way he would be foolish enough to ingest a strange potion.

*~*~*~*
Blaise stood in the archway of his grandmother's kitchen and watched Nonna teach Harry how to make fresh pasta. The day before she had shown him how to make crusty loaves of bread. There were so many sites Blaise wanted to show Harry in Italy, and he couldn't help thinking Harry would be happy even if he never left Nonna's kitchen.

"Aitch," Blaise called. "I picked up your sunscreen from the apothecary. Don't forget we're supposed to meet my cousins at the beach in an hour."

Harry looked at Nonna, his hands covered in flour. The elderly witch made a shooing motion with her hands. Harry kissed her wizened cheek and left the room to get ready.

*~*~*~*
Harry sat beneath a beach umbrella as he watched Blaise and his cousins play volleyball on the beach. Even with the sunscreen, his pale English skin had burnt; his skin just was too sensitive for extensive exposure to the hot Italian sun.

With his eyes hidden behind dark lenses, Harry admired the beautiful olive-skinned men wearing tiny bikini bottoms or thongs. The witches were beautiful as well, but curves had never held any sort of appeal to him.

The very pregnant wife of one of Blaise's cousins shared the blanket and the shade with him. She practiced her English, prattling on about the new house they were remodeling. Harry nodded his head and made an occasional sound to let her know he was still listening.

Perhaps Blaise could introduce him to a few powerful wizards while they were on holiday. A half-Italian baby in his belly would make a fine souvenir.

*~*~*~*
Severus sat at his customary table in Maxwell's and watched the pub fill for another Friday night. It had been a busy week and he was looking for a little relaxation.

Across the room, Lockhart was holding court. Severus watched lemon yellow roses sway in a field of bright blue and wondered, not for the first time, where one would shop to acquire such gaudy robes.

"I see, once again, that Gilderoy does not disappoint," Rastaban commented as he joined his friend. "I have it on good authority that he's won the effing Best Smile Award for the twelfth year in a row. Maybe if we're exceedingly lucky he will sign an autographed photograph for us."

"Be still my heart," Severus replied as his eyes searched the faces in the crowd. Naturally, the young men were dressed to undress and many older queens just tried too hard to seem younger. There wasn't a tasteful dresser in the bunch. With a start, he realized that, subconsciously, he had been looking for Harry.

*~*~*~*
Summer drew to a close and Harry returned to The Nursery to set up his classroom for another year. He finished lettering the last of the nametags to be attached to the children's individual cubbies and set them aside to dry. Of his class of twelve, only five would be returning students, the remainder of last year's class promoted to the four-year-old class. More and more of the two- and three-year-olds were the offspring of students he had attended Hogwarts with.

In the past few weeks, Harry had found himself spiraling deeper into depression. He was having a difficult time eating because everything seemed to make him nauseated. Harry knew he should speak with a Mind Healer, but he was afraid of his father's reaction should he learn of his son's weakness. Maybe, Harry thought, the return to teaching and being surrounded by rambunctious toddlers would be just the thing to snap him out of his melancholy mood.

Harry tacked a large letter "A" to the corkboard and began attaching paper cutouts of an apple, an aubergine (eggplant), an apron, an axe, an angel, and an alligator. He studied the cutout of a cute cartoonish acromantula and wondered if it would still be too scary for the little ones. The paper arachnid slipped from his fingers and floated to the floor. Harry bent over to retrieve the piece. Standing up he felt lightheaded, and the room began to spin. Unable to regain his balance, Harry crumpled to the floor, cracking the back of his head against the corner of the bookcase on the way down.

*~*~*~*
Auror Sirius Black carried his morning coffee and a toasted bacon sandwich into his dining room and settled in a chair to read the Daily Prophet. After reading the current events and the latest quidditch scores, his grey eyes drifted toward the enormous Black Family tapestry winding around the room.

He blinked. In one of the lower corners, there seemed to be an addition. Thinking his Cousin Narcissa might finally be gaining a desired grandchild, he pushed back his chair. Holding his mug of coffee, the tall wizard followed the convoluted branches on the family tree. The space beneath Draco and Astoria was blank. Sirius followed another branch toward Dorea Black, past James and Lily, and down to Harold.

The coffee mug shattered on the floor.

*~*~*~*
"Pregnant?" Head Auror James Potter screamed. "What the fuck do you mean my son is pregnant?"

"Calm yourself, Mr. Potter," Healer Smethwyck cautioned, casting a silencing charm around the room. "May I remind you, we are in hospital. There are other patients to consider."

Sirius squeezed his godson's hand in comfort as James continued to rant and rave. His color fading, Harry bore the brunt of his father's wrath. James continued to tell him he was worthless, he was a disappointment, he was a disgrace, he was a freak. That he was no better than a whore.

"Enough, James," Sirius said. "You're not helping."

Harry curled up on the bed and withdrew into himself as his father's voice surrounded him. When he had first awoken in St. Mungo's and discovered he was pregnant, he had been both shocked and elated. He was finally going to have the child he'd dreamt of.

But his joy was short lived. It had shattered the moment his father had burst into the hospital room, his godfather at his heels.

When James threatened to disown him if Harry did not abort the child immediately, Healer Smethwyck ejected him from St. Mungo's Hospital. The irate healer spun to dismiss Sirius from the room as well, but relented when he found his patient wrapped in the man's arms.

"Shush, Pup," Sirius murmured as he rocked his sobbing godson. "Let me see if I can talk some sense into him."

"He hates me," Harry whispered. "You know he does."

*~*~*~*
Harry left St. Mungo's Hospital against medical advice. The back of his head was still tender and he had a splitting headache, but his father was vindictive and he had only a small window of opportunity to protect himself.

Just in case James went through with his threat of disownment, Harry stopped at Gringotts Wizarding Bank and met with Stonecrusher, the family account manager. Without going into detail, Harry transferred the entire contents of his dwindling trust vault into a second vault that he had opened when he turned seventeen. His father knew nothing about this second vault and, since Harry was considered an adult, could exercise no control over it.

So as to not alert James of his banking activities, Harry did not close the trust vault. With any luck, James wouldn't realize it was empty until the bi-monthly statement was sent.

*~*~*~*
Severus sat at his desk, transferring the information gathered on various scraps of parchment into a thick potions journal. He made precise notations about the slight modifications he was making to a pediatric burn salve. Since small children were often burned in domestic accidents, and many had a low tolerance for the essence of murtlap, he was trying to find another ingredient that would work just as well.

He rubbed is eyes. The research on top of his usual brewing schedule was beginning to take a toll. His forehead resting on an open palm, he drifted off to sleep. It would not be the first time he spent the night in his office.

Hours later, the office door swung open so violently it slammed into the wall, cracking the plaster. Severus jerked awake. Disoriented, he tried to identify the red-robed trespasser.

He had just recognized James Potter before he was wrenched out of his chair. The Auror swung his fist. Severus dodged one punch, but was felled by a strong right hook to the face. He felt the cartilage in his nose bend; warm blood began to flow from his nostrils.

Severus shook his head, trying to clear the ringing in his ears. James kept screaming something about sons, idiots, and rapists, but none of it made sense. The potions master held his left hand under his nose to catch the blood as he tried to release his wand from his right-hand wrist holder.

A second, out of breath, red-robed Auror careened into the doorway. Just as Severus identified him as his schoolboy nemesis Sirius Black, he found himself staring down the tip of a wand.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

*~*~*~*
Sirius closed the broken door behind him and stepped over James' prostrate rigid form. Potter's eyes glared at the ceiling. Conjuring a white towel, Sirius handed the cloth to Severus. Without breaking eye contact, the dark wizard held the towel to stanch the blood flow.

Sirius reached out with his hand to help pull Severus up from the floor. Warily, the man just stared at him.

"Take it, Snape," Sirius sighed. "I would like to think we have both matured since leaving Hogwarts. I know I was an arse to you, but you have to admit, you gave back just as much as you got."

"Indeed." Severus clasped the extended hand and levered himself to his feet. A little lightheaded, he sat at the edge of his desk.

"Would you like to tell me what the fuck is going on?"

*~*~*~*
Harry sealed the Floo and cast anti-Apparation and protective wards around his flat. He needed to think through his options without interruption.

*~*~*~*
Severus crouched down beside the Black Family tapestry. He ran his finger horizontally along the line linking Harold James Potter to Severus Tobias Snape and then vertically down the pale blue line that read Infant Potter-Prince. A son.

Straightening up, he took a seat at the dining table across from a thunderous James. An unamused Sirius leaned back in his chair, examining both of them.

"So, Snivellous, how long have you been fucking my whore of a son?"

"James!" Sirius snapped. He was glad he had confiscated both their wands. "Enough!"

Severus took a sip of the whiskey Sirius had poured. He debated with himself how to answer the arrogant berk. It had been so easy to trigger James' temper when they were teenagers, and it was obvious to the potions master that James still had no control over his hair-trigger rage. It would be so simple to slag poor Harry, but Harry, who wasn't even there to defend himself, apparently had far greater issues to deal with.

James' eyes narrowed his eyes at Severus' silence. "Did you go out of your way to fuck my son? Were you attempting to destroy the House of Potter?"

"I saw him for the first time several months ago at Maxwell's. I had never seen him in any of the Knockturn Alley gay bars before that night and I've never seen him there since." Severus deliberately did not mention Crossed Wands because, while Maxwell's held a vaguely positive reputation due to its live music, Crossed Wands was considered a hellhole. "And to be blunt, I didn't know he was your son. I didn't know he was a Potter. I shared a one-off with a young man I knew only as Harry. We did not exchange surnames before we had intercourse."

"What made you pick him? He swish his arse in your face?"

"No, actually," Severus sneered. "I rescued him from Antonin Dolohov."

"Shite," Sirius cursed. "What was he doing with that maggot? Did he hurt him?"

"Dolohov singled him out. Your godson had no idea what he was getting into when he stepped foot in Knockturn Alley. He'd gone with a group of friends that should have known better than to leave him alone." Severus knocked back the rest of his whiskey and snagged the bottle for a refill.

"And on that note - there will be no further discussion without your godson sitting at this table."

"Who the hell are you to dictate terms, Sniv?"

"The apparent father of your grandson, you arse."

"Harry will do what I tell him to do,"

"Yeah, right, James," Sirius barked in laughter. "You told him he had to attend the Auror Academy, and he listened, didn't he? Is that why he spends his days teaching two- and three-year-olds their alphabet and colors? You trying to tell me he's working deep undercover cleaning snot from noses?"

*~*~*~*
Harry twisted his wand nervously in his fingers as he listened to his father's tirade from the hallway. So far his wards were holding, but Harry knew he couldn't remain in his flat much longer. No one was going to dictate his future any longer. His father had no right to demand he abort his baby.

Opening the three-lock trunk at the foot of his bed, Harry unlocked the first compartment and began to empty the contents of his dresser and wardrobe into it. He wrapped some of his fragile keepsakes into the duvet and sheets and placed them atop the clothing. Pillows followed before he locked that compartment and opened the second.

He summoned the books from his bookcase row by row, lining them up on the bottom of the compartment. Casting Unbreakable Charms on his framed photographs and paintings, he set them beside the books.

His father had stopped pounding on the door and, after a few minutes of silence, and he thought he heard Blaise's concerned voice. Harry ignored his friend as well. For all he knew, James was holding the Italian at wandpoint. No one was going to stop his escape. He just wished he could think clearly enough to figure out where he was going to go.

Opening the final compartment, Harry decided to leave the contents of his kitchen behind. His mind was in too much of a muddle to figure out the proper transportation of foodstuffs. With a flick of his wand, his bed shrank, followed closely by the wardrobe, dresser, and side table.

Harry's headache exploded in full force and his nausea returned with a vengeance. He just made it to the loo before he vomited the meager contents of his stomach. Harry lay on the cool tile floor and wondered how his life had gotten so out of control.

*~*~*~*
Severus placed his hand atop his glass as Sirius tilted the bottle to pour another shot.

"Thank you, no. I will need a clear head for the unpleasantness ahead."

Sirius poured himself a second shot and capped the bottle. "So...Infant Prince. I'm not familiar with the Princes. Does that make you current Head of House?"

"No. The Family Magiks will not recognize a half-blood, so I am merely Steward to House Prince. My...offspring...apparently is considered pure enough."

A post owl swooped out of the hallway and skittered across the highly polished tabletop. It extended its leg for Sirius to remove the attached scroll. He read the short missive and began to laugh.

"Rosemary," he called, and a wizened house-elf appeared.

"Youse called Rosemary, Master Grim?"

"I need you to do two things for me." Sirius indicated the owl. "First, take care of this little fellow. And second, please locate Harry and bring him here. I know you are not supposed to take orders from me, so don't let James see you."

"Little Master is hurt?"

"He's barricaded himself in his flat. Be careful. James is very angry."

*~*~*~*
Rosemary and Thyme soundlessly Apparated into Harry's flat. Thyme looked in the haphazardly packed trunk and then around the nearly stripped room. She could feel Harry's protective wards and the volatile magic of James beyond it. Snapping her fingers, the trunk contents repacked themselves in a more organized manner.

Rosemary entered the bathroom and discovered Harry lying prone on the floor. She banished the smell of vomit and turned her attention to the sick wizard. Casting a diagnostic charm, her magic soon discovered the small glow of life deep within her little master's abdomen. Her little wizard had been very naughty, she thought.

Her extra long fingers carded Harry's unkempt hair. She felt him tense before his eyes opened.

"Did Father send you?" he asked, suddenly realizing he had not warded against house-elves. He rose from the floor and then rinsed his mouth with water to get rid of the foul taste.

"He doesn't know we's here. Master James be trying to break your wards. We's must hurry."

Harry stepped into the main room just as Thyme added his final possession, a teakettle, into the trunk and then shrank it. She tucked the miniature trunk into the apron she wore over her tea towel.

"We needs to go."

"Where can we go where he won't find us?" Harry could feel his wards shredding and knew their time was short. "You have to go. He'll punish you if he finds you. He'll give you clothes."

"We's raised you," Rosemary declared, her hands on her hips. "We's won't let him find you. Youse is ours."

"We's knows where to take you," Thyme piped up.

Rosemary and Thyme each grasped one of Harry's hands and Apparated out of the flat. Minutes later, the wards fell.

James blasted the door off its hinges and strode into the empty flat.

"Damn them!" James yelled. He could sense house-elf magic blended in with that of his son. Seething, he Disapparated with a crack.

Blaise peered around the corner, thankful that the crazed wizard was finally gone. He had no idea what Aitch had done to set his father off this time, but the clean escape was impressive. He flicked his wand toward the shattered door.

"Reparo."

*~*~*~*
Harry sat in the parlor, wrapping his hands around the warm mug of ginger tea Rosemary gave him to settle his stomach. He looked longingly at the bottle of whiskey, but whiskey had only given him false courage in the past. And, at any rate, he would not ingest alcohol again until the baby was born.

Harry's eyes flickered toward Severus, but the man's expression was unreadable. He wondered what thoughts were going on behind those dark eyes. He had not expected to see the potions master when the house-elves had Apparated him into 12 Grimmauld Place, but when Sirius led him to the family tapestry, Severus' presence was immediately obvious.

Being honest with himself, he had given little thought to who the other father would be. Severus had taken his virginity, but he had also had sex with two different Italian wizards while on holiday. He had been so intent on his own wishes, he never considered what the ramifications of an unplanned pregnancy might mean to another.

The obscure magiks woven into the Black Family tapestry were both complex and frightening. Harry had been fascinated by the tapestry when he was a child, but now he looked at it with dread. Since Severus was not aware of the tapestry's peculiarities, Sirius explained that part of it had been created to prove parentage. Some ancient Black had woven spells into the tapestry to prevent any child created from an affair be attributed to a cuckolded Black. There would be no false heirs on the tapestry, and adoptions were woven in another hue.

"There has not been a bastard Black in over one thousand years." Sirius gave both Harry and Severus a measured look. "And there will not be one now, will there?"

*~*~*~*
James paced in front of the fireplace. As angry as he was with Harry, he could not realistically disown his only heir. There were no other males available to take over his ancient and noble house. Longbottom, Bones, Pucey, Weasley, and even Malfoy, were too distantly connected for the Potter Magiks to accept them.

Even if he remarried and had another son, it was no guarantee the family magiks would accept him. The best he could hope for was a Stewardship.

His demand that Harry abort this child and have another with a more suitable witch or wizard was met with absolute silence. Harry, looking at him with his dead wife's eyes, simply burrowed under the protective arm of the traitor, Sirius. The long-hated Severus merely arched an eyebrow.

"Why can't you see reason? You know nothing about this slimy Slytherin. He's a dangerous Dark wizard. He knew curses and hexes before he was even a First Year." James went on to list all of Severus' shortcomings, real and imagined, before he finally started in on the potions master's hygiene and homeliness.

By the time James began describing what an ugly baby they would have with Snivellous' nose, Harry started to laugh hysterically.

Severus, hurt by Harry's apparent callousness, prepared to stalk out of the room and leave Harry to deal with a bastard child on his own, stopped abruptly when Harry graced him with the most beautiful smile.

"I don't believe it," Harry chirped. "There is actually someone he hates more than me."

*~*~*~*
James finally relented when it was pointed out to him that Infant Potter-Prince was not just heir to House Potter, but also the heir-apparent to two other ancient houses, all three in danger of dying out.

And in an attempt to appear generous, he gifted the pair with two irritating female house-elves he had absolutely no control of to begin with as part of his son's "dowry."

*~ *~*~*
Harry climbed out of the bathtub, critically examining himself in the mirror as he dried off. His abdomen was still flat, but there was a slight thickening around his waist. He brushed his teeth and slipped a silk nightshirt over his head.

After basically being told he could "lie in the bed he had made" by his father, Harry found himself moved into a guest suite in Prince Manor. The heirloom bonding bracelet glittered in the candlelight. Theoretically, this was his wedding night, but he was so tired and confused all he wanted to do was go to sleep.

Harry stepped out of the bathing room into his bedroom. He stopped short when he saw Severus sitting on his loveseat, waiting for him. The older wizard patted the cushion beside him. Harry sat, perched nervously at the edge of the seat.

He nibbled on his lower lip and looked at the father of his child. This was the first time they had actually been alone since the discovery of his pregnancy. He had absolutely no idea what Severus thought about it, and the dour wizard's expression gave nothing away.

"I am really sorry about all of this..."

"Tell me, did you even know it was possible for a male wizard to get pregnant?"

"I knew it was a possibility," Harry answered. He would keep the fact he had deliberately tried to become pregnant a secret. Their situation was tenuous enough. There was no way he would admit to possible entrapment.

"You knew you could get pregnant, and yet you used no precautions? Do we chalk that up to idiocy or the mistaken belief you could not get pregnant the first time?" Severus asked, curtly.

"And yet, you also used no protection," Harry quietly replied. Step carefully, he thought. You know nothing about this man.

"Naturally occurring male pregnancies are exceedingly rare. Usually couples need to take a series of fertility potions."

"I didn't know that. So, my father was right. This makes me something of a freak?"

"A freak? Certainly not...apparently you're just extremely fertile."

Merlin help him, he thought. Just how deep did James' damage go? Severus rubbed the bridge of his swollen nose. Thankfully, it did not appear to be broken, but he would take a dose of Skele-Gro as a preventative measure.

They sat in silence for several minutes, both lost in their thoughts. Neither had awoken that morning with any thought that they would be bonded to a virtual stranger by dusk.

"Tomorrow I will schedule a complete examination for you. Male pregnancies, by nature, are higher risk."

"You'll need to schedule it for a weekend then. My summer holiday ends tomorrow. I can't call off my first week back."

"What exactly is it you do? Black indicated something about alphabets and runny noses. It was my understanding you had yet to pass your Teaching Mastery."

"I work with toddlers in a nursery school. I am basically a glorified nanny. You don't need a Mastery to teach finger-painting."

"You should resign. Children that age carry many illnesses that could be harmful to the fetus."

Harry's mouth dropped open. Resign his job? Severus chose to ignore the reaction.

"Now, you mentioned your mother died of birth complications. Do you know what caused them?"

Harry looked away.

"If it is something hereditary, we need to know. It might be a preventable condition."

Harry remained silent.

"Harry?"

"Thyme always called it Baby Blues. I later learned that means Postpartum Depression." Harry took a deep breath and looked at the ceiling. "Severus, my mother committed suicide."

*~*~*~*
The clock chimed twelve as Harry climbed alone into his bed. He had asked Severus if they needed to consummate their union, but he had just said "water over the dam" and left him alone.

He had a baby in his belly, a sparkling piece of jewelry on his wrist, a partner, and a brand new future. The loneliness he felt was crushing.

*~*~*~*
In the end, Harry was not even given the option to resign. When the director of The Nursery learned of his pregnancy, he was immediately let go with two weeks severance pay. The Nursery had an unwritten policy to dismiss any pregnant staff member once the pregnancy began to show. Little witches and wizards were curious by nature and often asked uncomfortable questions. There was no way the director wanted to deal with the questions that would surround a pregnant wizard.

Harry entered his classroom after hours to gather his few personal belongings. He noticed, idly, that someone had tacked the acromantula to the board.

"I'll miss you, Harry," Sally Ann told him, giving him a hug, "Congratulations on the baby."

*~* ~*~*
Severus returned from St. Mungo's late in the evening. His research was finally bearing concrete results and he would soon submit it to the International Potions Guild for independent testing. He had not altered his work schedule so, as a result, rarely saw his new "husband."

He still did not know how he felt about the situation with Harry. He had never intended to marry, and had not cared if the Prince line died out or not. He had always thought that since the Prince Magiks rejected him in his life, he would reject them in his death, but Infant Potter-Prince changed everything.

*~*~*~*
Harry set his book aside and listened to the wood crackling in the fireplace. He looked at his empty bed, but did not want to crawl into the cold sheets. He was tired of Severus avoiding him and he was tired of being alone.

*~*~*~*
With the latest edition of Potions Monthly in his hand, Severus piled the pillows behind his back and settled his narrow shoulders against them. He pulled the warm duvet over his legs and began to read an article on comfrey.

He looked up when he heard his bedroom door open. Harry slipped into the room and closed the door behind him. With the thin silk of his nightshirt flowing over the lines of Harry's slender body, Severus could make out the tiniest beginning of a baby bump.

"Hi."

"Hello. Is there something wrong? Are you ill?"

"No," Harry replied, shyly. He crossed the bedroom and stopped at the opposite side of the bed. Not breaking eye contact, he pulled down the bedding and carefully climbed up into the bed. Facing Severus, he curled up under the duvet.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Severus demanded.

"Sleeping with my husband," he quietly replied and closed his eyes.

*~*~*~*
Flourish and Blotts was fairly empty, the back-to-school crowd long gone with their children at Hogwarts and too early for the Yule shoppers. Harry wandered through the stacks, selecting a recommended infant and child care book. He was more curious about the latest selection of children's picture books. There had to be something more enjoyable than The Tales of Beadle the Bard. Skimming the pages of a colorful book featuring moving photographs of different breeds of fuzzy owlets, Harry collided into a wizard's chest.

"I'm sorry," he apologized, taking a step back. He stepped back again when he recognized Dolohov. Harry glanced around, seeing only deserted book stacks.

"Well, hello little mouse," Dolohov purred. He would recognize those brilliant green eyes anywhere. It wasn't often intended prey escaped his affections.

Harry felt a presence behind him and held down the panic that threatened to consume him. He was trapped! And then he remembered he was in the middle of a very public book store. If he had to, he could "accidently" knock over a stack of books; the noise would certainly draw attention.

"Dolohov." Severus' voice sounded almost bored. "I don't believe you have officially met my husband yet, have you?"

"Husband?"

"Antonin Dolohov, meet my husband Harold Potter. Harold, Mr. Dolohov is the liaison between the Ministry of Magic and the Russian Ministry."

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Dolohov." Harry's cheerful voice sounded odd, even to himself. As per accepted ritual, he nodded his head, acknowledging the other man. Traditional wizards did not shake hands.

"It is a pleasure to meet the wizard who finally snared Snape. How long have you been together?"

"Oh, it seems like forever, doesn't it, Severus?" Harry looked over his shoulder and winked.

Severus stood back and watched his husband in action. This was a side to Harry he had never seen before.

"I do not understand." Dolohov looked at Severus. "When we saw him months ago at Maxwell's, you told me you did not know who he was."

"Oh that? Mr. Dolohov, have you and your lovers never done role-playing?" Harry asked, teasingly.

"Role...playing?"

Harry smiled coquettishly at the predator, looking up at him through his eyelashes.

"Role-playing...you know...shy young virgin being pursued by an experienced older wizard?...It makes for marvelous foreplay."

Harry rested his hand on Severus' arm. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, but we really must run."

After purchasing their books, the pair stopped for a bowl of ice cream at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor. Severus kept glancing at Harry.

"Role-playing?" he finally asked. "Where did you come up with that?"

"I read about it in a porno romance novel I borrowed from Blaise. It sounded rather kinky, so I just figured it was something that bastard would appreciate."

"I didn't know anything so diabolical could come out of a Gryffindor mind."

"Who ever said I was a Gryffindor? I told you I've been a disappointment to my father with everything I've ever done." Harry smiled, impishly. "You've obviously never looked closely at the school photographs in my room. If you had, you would have noticed that, with the exception of Theo's cousin Seamus, everyone of us is wearing green and silver."

*~*~*~*
Severus looked up from reading the Potioneer's Almanac when Harry crept into his bedroom and climbed into bed. Harry leaned over and gave Severus a chaste kiss. He then curled up on the mattress and closed his eyes.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

"I am giving my husband a kiss good night."

*~*~*~*
Severus stood in front of a display of pastel-hued plushies. He ran his forefinger gently down a fuzzy unicorn horn before setting it back on the shelf. Too pink, he thought.

His eyes were drawn to a small green and purple plush dragon. He reached for the price tag hanging around its felted spike tail. Two Galleons seemed rather steep for a handful of fluff.

"Do you need any assistance?" a middle-aged witch in lilac robes asked, breaking Severus' train of thought.

"I am fairly new to this," Severus replied stiffly. "I am just looking to see what is available."

The sales witch smiled at the severely dressed wizard. Running a shop that catered to infants, she was used to the fish out of water expressions on most wizard's faces. She had to give this man credit, though. He was attempting to be intimidating. How amusing.

"Are you looking for a gift for family, a friend, or is it for your own little angel? Do you know if it is a boy or a girl?"

"My...son. He isn't...born yet."

"Well, we have a complete selection of clothing for the little wizard available. If you need any questions answered, just let me know." The lilac-robed witch walked away to greet several expectant witches who had just entered the shop.

Severus held the little plush dragon in the palm of his hand. He looked around the shop at all the tiny articles of clothing and wondered, not for the first time, what the hell he was getting into.

*~*~*~*
Harry petted the plush dragon and smiled. He had gone into his bonding with Severus on the premise that "an enemy of my enemy is my friend," but a shared hatred of James Potter could never be the basis of an actual partnership.

Severus had shortened his hours at St. Mungo's, supposedly because his pediatric burn salve was in the hands of the International Potions Guild for review, but Harry secretly hoped it was because the potions master liked spending time with him.

Harry held no illusions that life with the prickly wizard would ever be simple, but Severus did have a softer side beneath his snarky exterior that he let few others see. The little green and purple plushie dragon proved that.

*~*~*~*
Severus looked up from Herbology Today as Harry crept into their bedroom. The baby bump was a little more pronounced beneath the silk night shirt. Harry climbed into the bed, snuggling under the warm duvet. He reached over with his bare left foot, and ran it up and down Severus' lightly furred shin.

"Harry, what are you doing?"

Harry snagged the thick periodical from the wizard's fingers and tossed it across the room. With a wandless motion, the room fell dark.

"I am making love to my husband," he said.

"Oh?" Severus captured the soft pink lips into a powerful kiss. "In that case, I think my husband is overdressed."

*~*~*~*

*Aitch - the letter "H" - a nickname Blaise calls Harry.