A walk in the park.
~past~
Severus Snape got used to the nosebleeds as well as the morning nausea. He got used to feel like an old bagpipe, out of wind and squeaky, when he climbed stairs or did anything else an old man would find challenging. He even assembled some kind of pattern to follow through the days. How to behave when the nosebleeds arrived and the sheriff came running to "lick the bowl", how to take the stairs in stages, how to manage to get to the pot beneath his bed before throwing up and so forth. But just as he sort of settled in, a new issue caught his awareness, he was starting to gain weight. But the weird part was that he only seemed to be putting on weight round his belly, and he still was eating like a sparrow with an eating disorder. His pants were slowly getting tighter as well as his jacket. What was the reason of this bloating? Was it another level in this disintegration he was going through? And he'd also noticed both the old witch and the Sheriff seemed pretty preoccupied with this new "development". They kept staring at his stomach as if it was made of pure gold, it was disturbing to say the least..
His mind was working overtime trying to figure out the puzzle. Why was he trapped here, for what reason? Somehow his intuition told him his role as a teacher wasn't necessary the reason. How big were the odds that he would end up in the past and meet a man who looked almost exactly like you? And how could the old witch keep him here? The curse that had hit him when he walked through the void seemed to be far too powerful to be the work of a single, untalented witch. There might be someone or something else in the picture here, and Severus felt that the answer lay in the sort of curse he'd been struck with. So far he'd lost his abilities as a wizard and he'd gotten weaker. And now lately he'd been starting to gain this weight on his stomach.. It resembled no curse he'd ever heard of. Sure, he knew several curses and hexes affecting your wizard skills, a powerful wizard could make your abilities fade, go away temporary and even disappear for good!
If Severus was right about his skills they were trapped somewhere inside him, needing a counter curse to be released. Maybe he was hit by two different curses! The more he thought of it, the more obvious it seemed. The other curse then had to be one affecting his body, making him weaker and more vulnerable, and this struck him as very odd. If the witch really was the one behind these curses or hexes, he could understand her damping his skills and making sure he arrived without his wand- for her own safety as she'd probably decided all along to keep him here beyond his time limit. But why would she weaken him? As his condition was now he almost collapsed after a day of teaching, and if he got worse he probably would. What use was he for her if he wasn't able to give her the knowledge she claimed she wanted? Could there be something else he was brought back in time to do, was the clock counting down for the real reason he was here? But his main worry was Albus Dumbledore. Something must have happened with him in the present. He couldn't believe for one second Albus would abandon him here like a lost lamb. Severus knew the headmaster was going to this very area some eight hundred years later to defeat Voltimore who were hiding in the very woods surrounding the castle and village, could it be something had gone terribly wrong during the battle- could Albus Dumbledore be dead? The very idea made Severus shudder. He couldn't think like that. But he had to face facts. Three months had come and gone and no one seemed to be missing him in the present. If he was to get out of this mess he had to do it himself. And to deal with this himself he needed his powers back.
*-*
Sex wasn't the same any more. The Sheriff didn't understand why, though. The women he laid with weren't ugly specimens by far, although, not one of them were a match to Marion's beauty of course. But lately not even her face came to him during his hasty shags with various maids, prostitutes, nuns and other women of the village. Only the image of the one carrying his future heir floated around in his mind, mocking him into coming to fast. Severus Snape. The Sheriff was repellent to the man and knew so. He saw it in his eyes every time he touched him, every time he backed away a little, the hesitation when he called him over. But that only made the attraction towards him even greater. The Sheriff had to fight himself every time he was near that delicate soft skin, so pale it hurt the eyes. The aura of weakness and vulnerability that oozed from the Potions Master aroused the Sheriff so hard he had problems keeping his fingers away from him. Each time he was near him he wanted to hurt him, make him bleed and do things, things he was entitled to do as lord of the manor. Every time Severus' nose started bleeding he wanted to leap forward and lick the blood streaming down his chin, dripping on his jacket and cloak. He vaguely remembered how it had tasted like and he wanted more.
Sometimes a great anger towards the man with his own face took the place of the arousal. Or more likely joined the arousal. He wanted to whip the man, make him pay for his sins and at the same time he knew he would feel enormous pleasure doing so. But he knew his mother wouldn't be pleased if she found out about him using the man carrying her future grandson as some sort of twisted sex-toy. Maybe after the nine months had passed..?
He was the one being portrayed today. The painter had spent a whole week immortalizing sweet Marion to the canvas and now it was the sheriff's turn. He sat on a pompous velvet-coated handcrafted chair, fit to be seated by a king, in the middle of the cherry-tree garden where the little man with the painting skills found the light best. The Sheriff had explained the man exactly how he wanted the family portrait done and after the nervous little man had drafted just about twenty sketches he finally found one he was satisfied with. He, of course would be the center of attention, placed in the middle of the painting, seated in the magnificent chair his father once got maid for him self. Three years later the man would end up dead, with a knife in the back and no witnesses. It was common knowledge amongst most people that the murderer was either his wife or his son, and that the only way to keep safe was to not speak openly about it.
Now his son sat in this very chair, with his chin high and proud while the painter tried his best to captivate the man as he looked and at the same time how the Sheriff saw himself. Yes. He would be the center of attention and as a nice touch, quite genius actually, he would hold his baby son in his arms. On his left, the face and parts of his future wife was already portrayed, looking ever bit as beautiful as the original. She had a childlike smile on her face, a face without worries, with no suspicion, pure. Might wonder how she would look if she knew that in a few month's time her life would be turned completely upside down. The Sheriff chuckled curtly as he imagined her face the day he would show up on her doorstep, handing her newborn son, a child she was the mother of but a man had carried to term.
"Be careful to portray my strong chin the way I explained!" he said lazily as the sun was teasing his eyes. "I need this painting to be perfect!"
"Yes, Sire," came the nervous answer from behind the canvas. The man was so small he disappeared behind the canvas and the easel it was placed upon. Now and again his head ducked into view from the side of the canvas, getting a glimpse of the Sheriff and ducked back again to add another stroke or two to the painting. The last person to be added to the portrait, besides the unborn baby would be his mother. He reckoned he had some pretty serious persuasion to do before she agreed to dress in something less filthy and witch-like, and to dress in a dress more suitable for an old mother. Usually his mother kept in the east wing, with the tower as her favorite hang out place, and that was just as well. He imagined having late night parties with her fluttering about between the guests as an old bat. The baby's face would be the last detail to be added to the family portrait. That would be his son's first task in his life.
*-*
Severus was grateful the disintegration seemed to have stagnated, except from the bloating. His belly was becoming more and more obvious beneath his clothes. If it didn't stop soon he would have a serious problem buttoning his jacket. Winter had shoved autumn out of the way now and the landscape beneath Severus' window in the tower was coated in a thick refreshing white. Severus was freezing his ass of in his cold and draughty prison.
he thought and almost started laughing. Who the hell packs clothes for winter when you're expecting to be back in early autumn? The room contained a small fireplace but it didn't provide nearly as much heat as the potions master would have preferred. Severus had to get used to the frostbites and the silent envy of the Sheriff's many fur coats.
Still he was no closer to adding the missing piece to the puzzle. He couldn't figure out what part he played in all this. The answer came, though, and it was beyond the poor wizard's wildest imagination…
*-*
It was a clear winter's day and the Sheriff showed up for class while Severus frantically tried to button his jacket. He gave up with a reluctant sigh and drew the cloak tighter around his freezing body. He ignored the usual fascinated look the Sheriff gave his belly and turned towards the blackboard to write down today's topic.
"Wait!" his pupil interrupted and as Severus turned he noticed that the man had raised his hand. For a slit second the lazy gaze and the arrogant features made him look like any Slytherin he'd ever seen.
"Yes?" Severus asked silkily and raised his brow like the old Snape would.
"I don't feel like learning today, so I have an offer for you.." the man by the desk said, looking like he couldn't care less.
"And that's what, if you don't mind me asking?" Severus hid his suspicion as best as he could. To take to lightly to the lord of the manor's offers could be the last thing you'd do in life. The man in front of him got to his feet as elegant as any ballet-dancer.
"I get the rest of the day off- you can come for a walk with me in the herbal garden." Severus looked at him, not believing his luck. Finally, after four and a half months longing he would finally inhale fresh air again, feel the soft touch of ground beneath his feet. And then his brain started sounding the alarm. Where was the catch?
"Hmmmm…" He gave his best attempt to hide the eagerness fighting to get out: "It sounds like a decent proposal.. "
"Don't worry," the voice was as dry as the Sahara-sand: "There's no foul intentions intended. I've seen the look you have when you look out a window. It's the same look as Shadow has when I won't let him out of the paddock for disobeying me. So I thought you could do good with a bit of fresh air, maybe it will help you relax a little, you're too tense." This man never stopped to amuse him. He could tell Severus longed to get out because he had the same __expression as a horse?!? Now what the hell.. Severus wasn't about to turn down the offer because he resembled a four-legged animal!
The feel of pale winter sun in his face was exhilarating. Severus actually smiled as he closed his eyes and let the small feeling of being just a little more free embraced him. The garden wasn't all that he had to admit. It was pretty puny and with all the snow on top of it he would never had guessed this was the spot the old witch harvested many of her ingredients. But Severus didn't mind the snow, he didn't mind the cold- heck he didn't even mind the Sheriff in this state of euphoria. To think that such a small thing as true sunlight on his face could lift his spirit.. Severus actually felt happy for the first time since he arrived this prehistoric place.
As he wandered around, inhaling every bit of nature he could before he would get hauled back inside- he felt it. He stopped dead and his hands instantly flew up to his midsection where he for a fraction of a second had felt.. Movement?? He held his breath as he pushed his hands on the spot where… There it was again!!
"What is it!" The Sheriff came running: "What is it!?" But Severus was caught up in his own mind as he felt it again and again- like something was tapping his stomach from the inside. The Sheriff had reached him now, grabbed a hold of his shoulders and started shaking him.
"Are you in pain? WHAT'S WRONG!" Finally Severus snapped back to reality. He looked up. Confused as he saw the fear and concern in the other man's eyes.
"I'm fine," he said as he slowly lowered his hands: "It's just.. well, it was the oddest sensation…" He couldn't believe he was actually telling the man in front of him.
"What sensation!" The Sheriff didn't nudge.
"A sort of "tapping"…sensation, like something small was trying to kick me from inside my stomach." Severus smiled as he said it. He was still aroused on the fresh air and the sight of the sun, and this odd feeling amused him. But the smile on his face soon died a horrible death as he saw the reaction of the other man.
"It moved, did you say it moved?!" A grin, eager hands planted on Severus' belly. "Let me feel it, I want to feel it!" Severus took two slow steps backwards as he stared at the man, heart thumping in his ears.
"What.. moved." he breathed as he felt the movement again, this time the sensation filled him with disgust. The Sheriff followed him. A terrifying smile parted his lips as he tried to touch him again.
"Don't you feel it?" he whispered: "Don't you feel it growing inside you?" His head started to spin, and he wanted to turn around to go back inside, to get away from the insane man following him. But he didn't dare turn his back to this man…
"What's growing inside me.." Severus backed into something, a branch maybe, hidden in the snow, stumbled and lost his balance. He landed flat on his back and his mind screamed as snow never had felt any colder. The Sheriff hovered over him, still smiling that terrifying smile.
"I'm grateful to you in so many ways, my dear. You're the reason I'll get what I want more than anything in this world-: " He paused apparently for dramatic effect before he spat out the rest with a dreamlike __expression on his face: "A seat on the throne!" Severus didn't even try to sit up. He just lay there looking at his insane twin, not making out what he was blabbering about. The man over him bent down on his knees besides him and planted a firm hand on top of his stomach.
"Within you, you carry my future. Quite an honor actually!" The hand pushed harder and the contents of Severus' belly squirmed in reply. Severus' mind went blank. The face above him became fog and a scream started to work its way through his mind as his subconscious slowly started to add two and two things together.
"Or to be less court," the Sheriff went on: "You're knocked up! That's my son you're carrying." No! That wasn't true! It was a lie, a big, fat lie! Severus was helplessly twisting under the stern grip of which the Sheriff now pinned him forcefully down to the ground.
"Let. Go. Of. Me!" Pure hatred melted his brain as he whispered the words. The Sheriff was lying! The snow and ice were sending sharp needle-pricks of pain through his body. And on top of him, this incredible heat as the Sheriff started to lean closer. But it wasn't anything similar to the pleasant kind of heat you feel when your lover bends close, it was a dangerous heat, the sort of heat that can destroy you if you don't do as your opponent pleases. Lust raged this man's eyes and he leaned closer and closer.. Severus still was blind to the idea that this man wanted him for more than his forced abilities to produce his offspring. The man's breath strafed Severus' left cheek and even in this temperature his breath felt hot. Dangerously hot.
Panic started clouding Severus' brain. He couldn't escape, there was not enough strength in his faint body to throw the man off him. A tongue brushed the side of his throat and Severus suddenly remembered the night he awoke with the creepy feeling that someone or something was licking him. Severus lay still for a few breathless moments, to stunned and terrified to do anything. Then needy fingers fumbled their way downwards and ended up groping his lower regions. That was the final straw. The old Snape, the Snape no one dared to defy awoke with a roar.
"Let go of me you filthy beast!" he screamed and partially managed to loosen his opponents grip.
*-*
The Sheriff let go of Severus with a surprised look on his face. He had never seen Snape angry before, not like this. The hate and loathing in his eyes.. how could that be? He'd looked so happy when he'd felt the baby kick, Amused, proud and lovely. The Sheriff was aroused in a heartbeat. The beauty shining through this man's features, no longer looking foul and suspicious. The Sheriff actually believed for a moment that the man was contempt. The need to touch this new man, to take part in his new and exciting experience, he wanted to shag him right there and then.
Now he was standing aghast while Severus, trembling with anger, got to his feet, not taking his eyes of him at any moment. There wasn't a single trace left of what the Sheriff believed he had seen. Disgust, hate and anger colored Snape's black eyes making him look truly perilous.
"If you touch me again I will kill you!" Snape meant every word of it and the Sheriff knew it. Spite the fact that Severus wouldn't have a chance in hell keeping his promise in his current condition, the Sheriff felt the threat like a brick wall collapsing on top of him. He hated the disgust in the man's eyes! He took a few hesitating steps toward the black clad man, but Snape's raging gaze froze him to the spot.
"Severus," he said, his voice bathing in sugar: "don't be such a.." Snape cut him of with a snarl:
"I want this… thing inside me removed… now!! He growled and pointed at his stomach with a trembling finger. "I want this bastard, freak child of yours removed right now, or else…" But now the Sheriff had regained the deadly calmness that was even more dangerous than his furious anger fits.
"Or else what." A cold smile played on his lips as he let Snape slowly understand he had called his bluff: "There's nothing you could do to me- you're more fragile than a flower! You're too weak to even climb stairs without taking breaks every ten steps. And my mother made sure none of your so-called wizarding skills would endanger me or compromise any of my family plans during your stay here. I would keep my mouth shut and beg for your life if I were you, before acting up upon ME! I'm the one who decides whether you'll live or die after this!"
He could see Snape shrink as the words sank in. A sudden need to show him who was Master made him lunge himself upon him and push him backwards so he fell down again. He threw himself at him like a savage animal, the unstoppable need to own this man, to devourer him part by part, limb by limb. His teeth sank down into soft flesh, the fresh taste of blood awaked his animal senses- making him want to howl like a wolf against the sky. Then came the soft, fearful whisper, the last resign of a beaten man:
"Please, I… beg. you… Let me be."
*-*
Locked up in his prison, with blood flowing from a tear in his throat Severus tried to get a grasp of the brutal reality. He. Was. Pregnant. However how impossible, no matter how disgusting- he was pregnant with the Sheriff's child. The mere thought should be more than enough to send him halfway to insanity's oblivion but he had no such luck. He remembered his last dreadful minutes of the experience in the herbal garden with dread. He had begged. HE the potions master, the none fearing Severus Snape had begged this scum for mercy, to let him be! The only time in his life he'd ever crawled for anyone was for the dark lord, Voldemort. But back then he was young and inexperienced, now he was a well grown man who no longer was a stranger to the darkness that could possess other men's minds. And the look the Sheriff had sent him as he backed away… like he discovered something a horse had left behind, under his shoe.. And then he had left him to the guards to haul him back to his quarters.
Now Severus was sitting with his back against the door, trembling from the cold slowly creeping up his body from the stone floor. For the very first time in his life he felt absolutely petrified. The only private thing he had left, his body had shamelessly been taken away from him. He had something growing and living inside his belly he didn't ask for, never wanted, and this was turning his very body to a prison. He felt sick even touching his stomach. Now and again he felt the little twinges inside. Now that he was aware of it he seemed to feel it all the time. Some vomit lay in a small puddle beside him, but there was no strength left in Severus' body to deal with such things right now. He wanted out of this mess, he wanted to destroy the thing inside him! But he knew he had to live through it. He had sworn a solemn oath to protect any innocent life and no matter how he turned and twisted the facts, the life growing inside him was innocent.
the thought was bitter and desperate at the same time. He pictured the headmaster sitting by his desk at his office, the jolly smile, the wholehearted laugh. Why hadn't he rescued him? Why, WHY was he stuck here back in the dark ages set to do something he wasn't even sure he could manage? How would this… thing be born? He was a MAN for crying out loud, he had no vagina or womb! Nor had he been doing anything in his life where the outcome could be a baby. He tore his hair until it hurt more than his panicked breathing, until he was close to shed the first tears he'd done since he was a little boy.
He slowly crept to his bed trying to shut his miserable faith out of his mind, just so he could get some rest.
*-*
The Sheriff found no peace this afternoon as he tried to shut the image of Severus Snape out of his head. He nearly strangled one of the milkmaids during a little orgy he arranged for himself to calm down. Now the different kinds of girls was kicked out and he lay flat on his back in his king size bed, nude and sweaty as his possessed mind brought him back to the episode with Snape earlier that day. What was it with this man that made him want him so? He had never fancied a man in his entire life, but this one was different. Was it the fact that he bore his face? Was it the magic and power infested into his very body that shone through no matter how weakened he got? Just because it had his face… did his mother do this to him as a joke? Did she think it would please him??? The Sheriff decided to see just how magical this creature was, at the end of a chain…
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