Disclaimer: Except for some OCs, the characters of my story and the world they inhabit are the creation and property of JK Rowling. This chapter takes place during the timeline of Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.

There were moments when Severus Snape could not stand to be in the same room with his wife. He knew she wasn't sleeping well, and he knew it was making her temperamental. He knew she was worried and that at the same time couldn't stand another moment of the baby even as she desperately wanted to hold the child in her arms. He could handle the rages and the tears from her exhaustion and inner conflicts, because that wasn't Emily as he knew her. It was just the work of circumstances and would pass in a few weeks.

What he couldn't stand were the moments when she was so condescending about his troubles. It was so false and put on that he wanted to jinx her mouth shut. He had experienced her understanding and soothing nature when she really applied herself to it and to have this counterfeit version was not acceptable. It was past annoying for her to smile at him so knowingly when he complained about his class with Potter that day, as if she were humoring him and his problems weren't real.

He went to his office to work on grading and lesson plans but discovered that someone had managed to break in. The night could not get worse. He went in search of Filch, to see if between them they could find the intruder. He was therefore prowling the castle when a piercing wail was heard in one hallway. Approaching the sound, he found Argus screaming for Peeves to be sent from the castle. He had apparently stolen one of the golden eggs the Triwizard Champions needed for the second task. The two men were arguing over the relative merits of apprehending the poltergeist or the intruder when the sound of an unmistakable walk approached from behind.

Apparently the night could get worse as Snape's least favorite staff member came into view. A few minutes later it became clear that Potter was also somewhere close, perhaps on the stairs, in his father's invisibility cloak. When he pointed that fact out, Moody simply goaded him about his antipathy with the boy and his relationship to the Dark Lord. Severus looked at the older man curiously. Something about his comments and demeanor didn't quite ring true. After quite an argument with the Auror, Severus decided the dubious comforts of his own bedroom were preferable.

Emily was there, restless but her true self. She didn't say a word but just put out her arms and held her husband close. He didn't say a word either, but rested for a few minutes in the arms that always brought him comfort. The baby was moving so strongly that it could be seen through her nightgown. They watched and smiled. They couldn't remain in this position long because it soon became uncomfortable for the pregnant woman. They moved around so that Emily was on her side and Severus put his arms around her. Within minutes both were asleep.

---

Dear Lucky,

I'm sorry that my notes haven't been as personal. As you know, I overheard my parents talking about something and I've had a hard time setting it aside. I had a long talk with Grandma about it and she wasn't as helpful as I had hoped. I thought she would be able to tell me the words that would make me forget all about it and stop worrying. Instead she said some things, once we realize them, don't go away. Maybe after a while it won't seem like a big deal, but I'll have to work through it. It's killing me that I can't talk to you about it, because before now I could tell you anything, but that's the problem. I just can't tell you this. Maybe I will when it doesn't seem like as big a deal, as Grandma says.

That second task was amazing! Isn't Harry Potter quite the Gryffindor, trying to save not only his hostage but the others, too? It was nice that Diggory could finally pull something off, as the true Champion of our school. Krum seems a bit more human these days, I think. Daddy is furious. He says Potter obtained what he needed by stealing it and he plans to take that up with the Headmaster.

Mum's time is getting close. She snaps a lot and then bursts into tears, saying that of course she didn't mean it. She said the last month or so of pregnancy is supposed to make a woman want labor just to get it over. Then she got all upset with herself for possibly making me fear childbirth and said that none of it's so bad, it's just that a lot of little things are troublesome all at once. Like I want to know too much about that until I'm actually interested in having kids. I do admit that I'm very interested in this brother or sister, though. I've gotten used to the idea and really can't wait to meet the little one after living with him or her in the abstract all this time. All of the clothes and paraphernalia are so cute, too. It will be fun to actually use that stuff.

I'm sure you want your Potions questions answered, and that Transfiguration one, too. You know it's not a whole lot different from a Charm you showed me...

Sincerely,
Hope

---

“You wished to see me, Severus?” The Headmaster looked over his spectacles at the Potions Master.

“Sir, I must protest Potter's use of Gillyweed. He stole it from my locked storage area.”

“I have it on reasonable authority that he was still looking for a charm ten minutes before the Task.”

“Nevertheless, he used something that was stolen, Albus. It's not the first time Potter has been involved in materials being stolen from that storage area. I'm fairly certain Potter was wandering the castle after curfew a few weeks ago, too.”

“I've heard about your suspicions and you know that nothing can be proven. Have you considered that it has been stolen on his behalf, and not by him? Whatever you do to him in class this week, please refrain from giving him a detention over it.”

“As you wish, Headmaster.” Professor Snape scowled and turned to leave the office.

“Severus, sit down.”

“Was there something else?”

“How is your mark?”

“It continues to grow stronger periodically. As we discussed, I assume it means the Dark Lord has taken some sort of corporal form but has not come to full power yet.”

“What do you hear about it?”

“People like Malfoy are nervous, but will respond when summoned. Igor Karkaroff plans to run. He will not survive long. Too many people wish him ill after his testimony before the Wizengemot.”

“And you, Severus?”

“Why do you ask? We have been planning my return to his service for years. I will do as we have discussed.” His eyes were empty and his voice was resigned.

“It occurs to me that I never gave you the option of refusing. I never allowed you the choice to run. You have much to lose.”

“I have just as much to lose if I run and am caught, and far higher chances of ruin to my entire family in that case, Albus.” Severus peered intently at the Headmaster. “You've never discussed it with me in this light, before. Why now?”

Dumbledore sighed and rubbed his eyes. He seemed quite tired. “I know now that it's really going to happen. People's lives will be affected by it.”

---

A week or so after the second Triwizard Task, Professor Snape finished grading some essays and retired for the night, where he found his wife trying to get comfortable. As he undressed, he watched her shift her position twice. At her full pregnant size, this involved much planning and moving of pillows to match.

“Can't sleep?”

“I get my back comfortable, but then I can't really rest that way. I'm almost ready to try one of those potions my mother hates so much.”

“Here, you know you'll be happiest on your left side. Why don't you let me rub your back for a few minutes?”

“If you think it will help.”

Emily rolled onto her side as directed and Severus put a pillow under her right leg. Lifting her short night gown out of the way, he rubbed the small of her back and continued moving outward from there.

“I love what your fingers can do,” she said. After a while, she pulled his hand around to rub someplace different. “Oh, Severus,” Emily sighed with pleasure after a few minutes. She put her hands around his face and drew him around to kiss her. “This is what I need. Please continue.”

“Are you sure? Isn't it too close to your time?”

“What could it possibly hurt?”

He massaged and kissed and caressed her more and her sighs and moans aroused him. Emily lacked the agility that she usually had, and they had to be very careful about their positioning, but they both felt the rising excitement of their love. It was not a long time before both were sighing their contentment. Emily fell asleep with a smile on her face and her husband's arms around her.

---

She woke him, a couple of hours later, by tossing around in her sleep, except that she couldn't toss very well. Her arms and head were tossing, while the rest of her was too uncomfortable to move. He could feel her stomach tightening hard under his hand and woke her.

“Emily, is it time?”

She murmured, “It hurts. Make it stop.” Her face was all puckered and then it smoothed out. Severus felt the hardness under his hand soften. “That's better, thank you,” she said.

Severus pulled her closer and got her comfortable again. Emily dozed off but he stayed alert, his hand firmly around her middle. Just about a minute passed when he felt the muscles of her body tighten to hardness again. Emily muttered in her sleep again.

“Emily. You need to wake up. Your contractions are very close together. We should get up to the Hospital Wing.”

Between the pains, her husband, and the sudden rush of her water breaking, Emily came to alertness. She processed what he had said to her. “Did you time it?”

“About a minute from the end of one to the beginning of the next.”

“They're too close together. Send some elves after Poppy and my Mum, please?”

Severus slid into a robe and then did as she asked. He came back to the bed and held her hand through another pain. For some reason things were progressing much more quickly than they should if labor was just starting. Emily looked up into her husband's face and hoped that he wouldn't mind what he would need to do if Poppy didn't arrive immediately.

---

Madam Pomfrey arrived just the baby latched on to his mother's breast for a first feeding and Severus was getting a blanket to warm him. She immediately took over guiding the mother through the afterbirth process and shooed Severus to the task of supporting his wife and admiring his son. Healer Smith arrived soon after. She took the baby for an exam and clean up and then discussed the labor with her daughter.

“So you woke up and you were already having contractions within two minutes of each other and you were at nine fingers?” Margo looked at her daughter in disbelief.

“That's what happened.” Emily looked a bit defiant.

“Did you notice any pains or backache before then?”

“Well, I was really uncomfortable last night, but Severus rubbed my back...” Emily drifted off.

“What else happened, Emily?” Healer Smith looked sternly down as her daughter's face reddened. “You were intimate, weren't you?” Emily opened and shut her mouth. “Don't you realize that can speed things up dangerously? What were you thinking, Healer Snape?”

“I wasn't thinking like a Healer. I didn't realize, Mum. It wasn't anything like when Hope and Marcus were born. It wasn't so much different than the trouble I've had getting comfortable all week. I never dreamed it was labor.”

Margo patted her daughter's hand. “All's well that ends well, dear. The baby is perfect and you are in good condition, too. I just hope you haven't traumatized your husband too much.”

---

Professor Snape met his daughter just as she was leaving the common room for breakfast. She looked at him critically. He was never this excited, even when torturing Gryffindors in detention. There could only be one thing...

“Mum's having the baby!”

“That's almost right. Brendon Tobias has invited you to breakfast with your mother and grandmother and myself.”

“Already? It's a boy? I have a brother?”

“Yes to all three questions. You are excused from all of your classes today. Would you care to join us?”

“Oh, yes, Daddy!”

Author's note: The moms will point out that this is an obscenely easy labor. So it is, but after the first two births, I thought Emily deserved to have one that wasn't so bad.