Fathers and Sons

Fathers and Sons

*

Staff Meeting

*

"Welcome back to the world of living, Pomona," said Severus dryly as the witch slowly came to. "Really, this is becoming a habit by now. What's wrong with you all?"

"Oh, Merlin, Severus," the Herbology Professor sighed. "I must have hit my head on something. I swear I saw somebody with your face and Remus's hair!"

"Alas, no such luck," the Potions Professor said dryly. "It was not an illusion. Therefore, I do suggest you take a deep breath before you turn around. I've got about enough of Enervating for one day."

She did take a deep breath as she slowly turned to look behind herself, standing up at the same time. Her eyes became wide as platters as she saw the two golden-haired wizards watching him, equal concern in their eyes. The concern did seem misplaced on the replica of Severus's face, however.

"But -- how --" the witch managed to stammer, not taking her eyes away from them, like she hadn't dared to look away from the weird young boy who seemed to be a mixture of two of her colleagues, one present and one former.

"Surely you've heard of Adoption Charms?" asked Remus pleasantly, repeating the exactly same phrase for the third time that day. "This is our son, Michael Snape. Previously known as Harry Potter."

To her defence had to be said that Pomona did not faint. She did, however, spend quite a lot of time gaping like a goldfish. At last, Severus sighed annoyedly. "Now, I do think you needed to get to a staff meeting," he said calmly to his colleague. "We'll arrive there last, as Albus obviously intends to tell about this little... change... to all teachers today."

"Yeah..." she said faintly. Then, however, she shook her head as if to clear it, and then said, watching Michael closely, "You know, at first I thought your face was exactly like Severus's, but it is not so. You do have Remus's cheekbones, for example. It was just the nose, taking all my attention." Then, realizing what she'd just said, she gave a nervous glance to Severus and fled before any of them could respond with anything.

"What's the matter with my nose?" asked Severus irritably, pinching the part of his face in question. "I have a perfectly good nose! Why do people always talk about it?"

"Well, you have to admit that it's a bit... on the bigger side," Remus said, obviously choosing his words very carefully. "And a bit hooked, on that note. Not to mention that you've also managed to give it to our son."

"It's not hooked, it's aquiline," snapped the Slytherin, sending a heated glare to his husband's direction. "And it's definitely not too big. Have at least some respect for your husband!"

"Well, fortunately I'm married to you, and not to your nose," said the werewolf calmly. Then, avoiding Severus's halfheartedly swung arm by mere inches, he turned towards Michael. "Shall we go to shock the whole staff of Hogwarts, then?" he suggested.

The boy shrugged. "Sounds quite appropriate," he then said.

So, they made their way to the Headmaster's office, knowing that the whole staff, minus Severus, of course, would already be there. The gargoyle let them pass when Severus said the password, and they then made their way up the stairs. Severus walked first, followed closely by Remus, and then their son.

When they opened the door and Severus stepped to sight, all teachers turned to look at them -- none of them had expected anybody else to come, other than Minerva and Pomona, of course. "Severus!" exclaimed Cleopatra Sinistra as she saw the only other Slytherin Professor step in. "I thought you were -- well --"

"Staying with my lover is the term you are looking for, I think," remarked Severus dryly. "And for that aspect, I am still -- Remus just happens to be here with me." At this, the werewolf in question stepped in also, Michael still being hidden in the stairway.

Several shouts of surprise bursted out from the surprised teachers. "Remus!" Poppy Pomfrey said delightedly. "Nice to see you here! But what are you doing here in Hogwarts?"

"Staying here," replied the ex-professor with his most pleasant smile. "With Michael, to be exact."

"Michael?" echoed the mediwitch, frowning. "Who's he?"

"I do believe he means me," said Michael smoothly, stepping in to the room. This again surprised everyone, even to the point of some halfly rising from their seats.

"And who, pray tell, are you?" asked Cleopatra suspiciously.

"This," said Severus, gesturing towards his son, "is the only son of me and my husband Remus Snape, the former Adoption Charms having only recently been removed from him. May I introduce you - Michael Severin Snape, whom you previously knew as Harry James Potter."

The first consequence of this announcement was a deep silence. Minerva, Pomona, and the Headmaster himself were the only ones not staring at the Snapes and especially Michael with their eyes as wide as platters.

Then, as suddenly as the silence had fallen, everyone started talking. And asking questions. And, of course, fainting.

After they had Enervated six teachers and got the rest at least relatively calm, everybody was ready to discuss the situation at least relatively sensibly. "You two are married, that's okay with me," Cleopatra said slowly. "You have a son, okay. All good and well. But why on Earth did you give your son to adoption?"

Severus sighed. "Unfortunately, I had left Remus before he could tell me about his pregnancy, as I thought he would be safer without me," he told with an uncharacteristically soft voice. "As the Ministry wouldn't have allowed a single werewolf to take care of a child, Remus asked the Potters for help. And they, of course, accepted to take care of his baby."

"And when did you find out that you had a child?" asked Pomona, genuinely curious now that she had both got over her worst shock and became sure that Severus would not seriously hurt her for the nose comment.

"About ten past midnight last night," the Head of Slytherin replied, not batting an eyelid. He also determinedly ignored the surprised comments arisen by this revelation.

"What about you, er... Michael?" Poppy asked carefully from the boy. None of them had yet got used to seeing a replica of Severus's face in the middle of the shiny golden brown locks the boy had inherited from Remus. "What do you think about these surprising news?"

The boy pondered the question for a moment before replying, "Well, at least I'm really happy to get away from the Dursleys. And of course I'm surprised, and a bit shocked. Other than that... Well, I'll just have to wait and see how it starts going, right?"

Dumbledore chuckled at this. "Truly you have Remus's character," the Headmaster said. "But say, Michael, aren't you even the tiniest bit worried about having Severus as a father?" The Potions Master shot him a murderous glare at this, while Remus grinned openly and the other teachers tried to suppress smiles.

"No," Michael replied calmly. "He can't be always as bad as he is in the classroom. That should be proved by my sole existence, as well as by the fact that my fathers are married. If somebody can voluntarily take him as a husband, I think I can safely have him as a father." Then, with a bit of Marauder mirth in the extremely un-Marauderish black eyes, he added, "Besides, I would smell if he was that bad a person." And at this, he tapped his slightly oversized nose.

Now Severus groaned aloud, and Remus and Dumbledore laughed. Even the most daring members of the staff dared to chuckle, although they did give the Potions Master fearful glances after doing this. Not only students were wary -- or more often downright afraid -- of the strict and easily irritated Potions Master.

"Now, that's enough," Severus said then a bit snappishly. "Albus, has everything been taken care of?"

"Yes, of course," the Headmaster replied. "Your quarters have been enlargened to have enough room for Remus and Michael as well."

"Fine," the Slytherin muttered, turned around, and started to walk towards the door. "Come on, Remus, Michael. We need to get you settled." The two other Snapes indeed followed him, suppressing grins.

As soon as the door was closed behind them, they heard how everyone still in the room started to laugh.

"I still don't understand what's wrong with my nose," huffed Severus. "Or, rather, what is wrong with you lot! My nose is perfectly good."

"Nothing, love, nothing is wrong with your nose," Remus assured him, trying not to grin too openly. Then, with a wink, he added, "Besides, you know what they say about men with big noses..."

It could not be said that Severus blushed. That would have been completely unlike him. But, he did indeed get a hint of red to his cheeks, making both his husband and son grin even more.