Havoc

This is a story by the great Marisol, a German FF writer whose stories can be found at http://www.harrypotter-xperts.de/fanfiction?author=17037

Translated from German into English by Muggline

Disclaimer: Neither Marisol nor Muggline are making any money out of this. Everything you recognise belongs to J.K. Rowling.

A/N: My heart goes out to ladyinthecloak: she shocked the hell out of me by returning the beta'd file only one day after I had sent it (wow!) AND she did not strangle me (not even virtually) although I had forgotten all finer points about English punctuation somewhere on the Mediterranean coast (must have been the red wine in Spain). Should you ever visit Germany, prepare for a visit and some culinary reward, Madam! Oh, and of course the same applies to notsosaintly who still found so many mistakes it made me blush in embarrassment...

Chapter 18

Snape had almost reached the door when it opened with verve, and Harry entered, closely followed by Ginny. They both smiled a very infectious smile, but Snape just frowned when he saw them.

"Oh, what are you doing here?" Harry asked full of surprise.

Snape glanced at Hermione, who was slowly getting up from the couch, and finally said, "I came because of a misunderstanding. Ginevra," he gave Ginny a short nod, "asked me for a favour some days ago. I wanted to meet her request, but found that my help was no longer needed. Be it as it may – please excuse me. Miss Granger can inform you about the details. I would like to take my leave."

His face contorted in a grimace that had a faint resemblance to a smile, but before he could leave, Harry said, "No, please stay!" Snape looked as if he were searching for a polite way to leave anyway, but every argument he might have come up with was nipped in the bud when Harry added, "I am going to be a father again! Ginny and I will be having a daughter!"

He sounded as if they were the first humans ever to be expecting a daughter, and for a very short moment it looked as if he wanted to pat Snape's shoulder. But a moment later, he redirected his hand's movement and made an inviting gesture towards the couch.

Ginny blushed under Snape's gaze, but nevertheless, she smiled the characteristic smile of people who are experiencing some profound inner happiness.

"Well, congratulations," Snape said flatly.

Hermione observed that he was obviously searching for words to express his gladness and good wishes. At the same time, it occurred to her that he had probably never learned how to sincerely congratulate someone. She started at the thought, but when Harry looked at her, she smiled broadly, approached him and gave him a big hug. "I am so happy for you two," she whispered and gave him a peck on the cheek.

Ginny beamed and let her gaze wander over the three of them while she put one hand over her still flat womb for a moment.

"Come on, let's drink to it," Harry said with a grin and did not even wait for their answers. With a wave of his wand, he opened the drinks cabinet and levitated some glasses to the table.

"Hermione, everything all right? Did the boys behave?" Ginny asked.

"Yes," Hermione answered after a moment's hesitation. "We played a little, and they were in bed on time." She observed Snape from the corner of her eyes and almost expected him to add his version of her catastrophic babysitting skills, but to her utter astonishment, he kept silent.

"I'll go and check on them." Ginny smiled when she gave Hermione a thankful glance. Then she went upstairs while Harry disappeared into the kitchen to get some drinks.

"Did you know about it?" Snape asked all of a sudden, eyeing Hermione suspiciously.

"What?"

"Did you know that they were expecting?" he jogged her memory in an impatient tone.

"Oh, I... yes. Ginny told me when she asked me to babysit," she said quietly.

"I understand," he murmured and sat down on the couch, not paying her any attention.

oOoOoOoOo

Harry filled their glasses for the second time – only pumpkin juice for Ginny – when he placed an arm around her shoulders and softly kissed her temple.

Snape looked away with an uneasy expression. It was quite obvious that he felt embarrassed by this open display of affection. Harry and Ginny usually did not exchange kisses and caresses in front of others, but it seemed that they did not care in this particular situation.

"Well," Hermione cleared her throat, "I am glad that it is going to be a girl. It was about time – after two boys." She smiled at her two friends.

Harry raised his glass and proclaimed, "We are very happy, too. Particularly so because we won't need to convince the godmother with lengthy discussions this time." He grinned and winked at Ginny, who laughed when she saw Hermione's bewildered expression.

"No use pretending, Hermione. You can't really be surprised that we would love to have you as Lily's godmother."

Hermione stammered incoherently while she felt the blood rush to her cheeks.

Snape closed his eyes for a short, almost imperceptible moment. When he opened them again, his face was as motionless as ever. However, Hermione could not help but realise that his left hand on the table clenched until his knuckles were white.

"But she... she is not even born yet," Hermione murmured and looked down as if something incredibly fascinating were happening inside her glass.

"Of course," Ginny confirmed. "But after I told Harry the news back at the restaurant while I was waiting for him to converse in coherent sentences again, I already had this image in my mind, you know. You are our best friend, and we cannot imagine anyone else we would rather have as godmother."

"I... thanks." That was all Hermione managed to say, and she was thankful that she managed to hold back her tears.

Snape sat on his chair, stiff and silent, and only after he had emptied his glass, he said to Ginny, "If you need any compounds or potions, please let me know. I guess it would be better for me to go home. It's rather late."

He sounded cold and indifferent. But something in the way he looked from Harry to Ginny and finally shrugged almost imperceptibly told Hermione that he might want to try to say something more meaningful, but did not know how. He seemed as misplaced as a wrong piece in a puzzle, sitting next to cheerful people who were looking forward to a happy event. It broke Hermione's heart to see him shake Harry's and Ginny's hands and walk out of the door as if he knew exactly that his presence was what kept people from expressing their happiness.

oOoOoOoOo

Hermione usually enjoyed spring with all her heart. This time, however, she refrained from her usual practice of taking long walks in the blossoming nature and buried herself in work instead. She rose very early and then did her research, putting in a quota that made her colleagues go pale. She would normally be the last one to leave the office, and when she entered her flat in the evening, she got under the shower, totally knackered, and crawled into her bed to succumb to deep, dreamless sleep.

This walk of life helped her to think about nothing but her work. However, it also made her irritable and unbalanced. When she looked in the mirror, she saw a pale, worn-out woman who looked older than she really was. But the sight did not make her change her 'system,' as she called it.

Nevertheless, she sometimes caught herself thinking about Snape, even if it only fed her stupid crush, angering and frustrating her.

In May, she was torn from her routine when she received a letter from Professor McGonagall. The headmistress told her that she was planning to organise a surprise for Hagrid, who would celebrate his seventy-fifth anniversary as gamekeeper of Hogwarts. Therefore, the professor had sent invitations to all his friends and asked them to come to Hogwarts for the weekend after next to honour the half-giant. Hermione did not need to think twice: she immediately answered that she would be delighted to attend.

On the next day, Harry told her that he and Ginny had also accepted the invitation immediately. She had not thought that she would be looking forward to this event, but she caught herself planning happily what she might get as a gift for Hagrid.

She had no foreboding at all that it would be one of the most horrible days of her life.

oOoOoOoOo

"The boys will come, too?" Hermione asked in surprise when she arrived at the Potters' house where Harry and Ginny were already waiting for her.

"Yes. We thought that we'd like to take them and show them where they will probably go to school." Harry grinned and tousled James's hair. Just like his little brother, James was all dressed up and seemed quite excited.

"Besides, we thought that Hagrid would be glad to see them again," Ginny added before looking around the house once more. "Okay. Read for Apparition?"

Harry was about to nod when something came to his mind at the very last moment. "Hey, stop! I've forgotten our gift upstairs!"

Ginny rolled her eyes, but she smiled when she watched him run upstairs. "What did you buy for him, Hermione?"

Hermione patted her cloak pocket and said, "I've bought him a ticket for this new park in Glasgow where they have the rare exotic animals. And you?"

"We've bought him a set of new, fire-proof gloves made of finest dragon hide," Ginny said. When Harry re-emerged only moments later, they Apparated to the Hogwarts grounds together.

James and Albus stood with open mouths, glancing up at the castle that stood proudly against the afternoon sky. "That's where Mom, Hermione and I went to school," Harry told them.

"Will we go there, too?" James asked in awe.

"Of course you will."

"When?"

Ginny laughed. "Oh, it will take a while, James."

"But how long?" James whined.

Ginny bent down and scooped him up. "You need to be patient, darling. Okay?"

He nodded reluctantly and struggled because he wanted to be put down again.

They had agreed with McGonagall that they would visit Hagrid in his hut and then guide him to the Great Hall at five o'clock sharp where everything would be ready for his arrival. They still had to walk quite a bit until they reached his hut. When Harry knocked on the massive door, they heard a booming voice from inside. "C'm in!" Harry opened the door, and in the next moment, they heard a half startled, half excited "Merlin!"

Hagrid heaved his body out of the armchair with astonishing speed and hurried towards them, beaming with joy. "C'm in, C'm in! Blimey, I can't believe ya finally came up with the idea to visit me! An' ya brought the littl' ones! What a surprise!"

Albus was scared and hid behind his father's legs, but James observed the half-giant curiously and did not back down when Hagrid bowed and tickled him under the chin. "So you're James. Ohoho – I've seen your dad and your granddad fool around here at school! Seems like you take after them, eh? James giggled and did not protest when Hagrid lifted him up. He was only inches taller than Hagrid's forearm.

"How come you suddenly pay me a visit? I sure don't wanna complain, on the contrary!" Hagrid laughed and winked at them happily.

"Must there always be a reason to visit an old friend?" Ginny asked with a grin and tried to hug him, but her arms were way too short and did not even come close to reaching around his massive chest.

Albus started warming up to the situation and cautiously peeked around Harry's legs. When he saw that the funny, hairy man was no danger to him, he took some brave, toddling steps forward.

Hagrid chuckled. "Hey, Albus Sev'rus! Would ya like to have a look at me lil' kittens with yer brother?" He pointed at a corner where they could see a basket with four tiny fur balls wiggling around inside.

"Oh, Hagrid, they are sooo sweet! Where did you get those?" Hermione asked.

"Rosmerta gave 'em to me. Her cat had kittens and died shortly afterwards. She has no time ta bring 'em up by hand, so I took 'em." Hagrid laughed when the children hurried towards the kittens and caressed them with their small hands.

"Come, I have sumthin' I wanna show you, too," the half-giant told the adults. His eyes had that special revealing gleam, and Harry and Hermione knew at once that they had to be on their guard. They exchanged concerned glances while they followed him through the door into the garden – and froze.

"Ha... Hagrid – what is this?" Ginny's voice cracked with horror while she stared at two creatures that were tied to a tree. They looked like very small dragons, but they had fur and their wings were not leathery, but bore black feathers. They were as ugly as sin and snorted angrily when they saw the visitors.

"They're Gordon and Norma," he proclaimed proudly and looked around as if he expected his visitors to clap their thighs in happy excitement. "Aren't they cute?" he chortled.

"Erm..." Ginny said and took an involuntary step backwards.

"Don't worry, Ginny, they're Broflins. They're related to dragons, but they're herbivores. That's why they're not forbidden in England. Useful buggers, they are! Their droppings're used in many potions and salves, did ya know? However, no matter what ya do, never touch their wings. Makes 'em mad." He smiled as if he was itching to do just that. "I feed them these small berries." He pointed to a corner of his vegetable patch where they saw some knee-high bushes with red fruit that looked like cherries.

"But Hagrid!" Hermione exclaimed in shock. "These are Cullus fruit. They are extremely poisonous! One fruit is enough to kill a fully grown man within thirty minutes! Aren't you afraid that students..."

Hagrid shook his head and beamed. "I've got Minerva's explicit permission. That part of the patch is protected by powerful magic wards. Nobody but me can get near."

Hermione grimaced. "I don't know, Hagrid. Cullus fruit contain one of the most potent poisons in the world. Even putting a Bezoar into the mouth of a person who ingested it will only delay the poisoning for some hours, and the patient will die eventually. Brewing the antivenin is so complicated that only very few Potions masters in the world are capable of accomplishing the task!"

"Of course you'd be able to reel that off immediately, Hermione." Hagrid beamed. "Ten points to Gryffindor!"

"Oh, we haven't been students for ages, Hagrid," Harry reminded him, but he smiled, too.

"I know it, you know it, but does the hourglass know it?" Hagrid winked at them and they all laughed with the exception of Hermione. "Listen, Hermione," the gamekeeper said with a sudden serious expression. "I know that you're worried, but you needn't be. Them wards are so strong that even a powerful wizard could not breach them, let alone students. McGonagall made sure of that. She even encouraged me to have them because we need them to prepare salves and that kinda stuff. Jus' relax. I have some dried fruit in a jar on my kitchen cupboard – they like 'em best that way. Want me to get the fruit while you make friends with Gordon and Norma?"

They did not like the idea at all, but of course they said nothing because they did not want to hurt their friend's feelings. Hermione felt a nagging uneasiness when Hagrid re-emerged with the boys in tow.

oOoOoOoOo

Convincing Hagrid to follow them up to the castle had been no problem at all. They asked him to show the boys everything worth seeing at Hogwarts, and when they entered the Great Hall, Hermione already feared that they had missed the right moment. Everything was dead silent, but suddenly, the silence was broken by a deafening applause.

At first, Hagrid stood rooted to the spot and blinked into the crowd. Then he looked around uneasily to find out the reason for this kind of welcome, but he did not have to wait for long. Professor McGonagall stood up from her seat in the middle of the teachers' table, hit her glass with her fork and waited until the pupils and guests had stopped clapping. Then she said with a warm smile on her lips, "For seventy-five years, this school has been happy to rely on the services of the best gamekeeper I know. Today, I am very proud to congratulate our esteemed colleague and friend on his anniversary. Please raise your glasses and drink to our dear Rubeus Hagrid, without whom Hogwarts would not be what it is today."

All around the hall, students and guests lifted their glasses and shouted in unison, "To Hagrid!"

Hagrid took several minutes to realise what was happening around him. Then he burst into heart-wrenching sobs. "You... you..." he sniffled and pointed his enormous finger to Hermione, Harry and Ginny. "Need no reason to visit an ol' friend – as if! Just you wait!"

Harry laughed and wrapped his arms around Hagrid's stomach. Hagrid finally hugged him until Harry emitted a suffocated squeal.

The well-wishers gathered around them, McGonagall in the lead. She was followed by the other teachers and Hagrid's friends, all of them waving parcels. Hermione doubted that Hagrid was able to see whose hand he was shaking through all those tears, but somehow, it did not matter.

oOoOoOoOo

Ron had come, too. He joined them later, and they sat in the Great Hall for quite a while until Ginny gave her watch a concerned look and announced, "The boys need to go to bed, Harry. Shall we take our leave?"

"Of course, just go, now that things are getting fun," Ron added. But then he said, "Of course you are right. Pregnant women need twice as much sleep, you know!" He poked his sister lovingly and said, looking at James, "Hey, where have you got those cherries from? I want some, too!" Ron scanned all the dishes on the table, but he could not find cherries anywhere.

When Hermione heard his words, she looked up in alarm and felt an icy chill run down to her stomach. The realisation hit her like a flash of lightning and she saw James put a fruit in Albus's mouth, take another out of his pocket and put his hand to his own mouth.

"No!"

Hermione jumped up and hit the fruit out of James's hand. It landed on the floor and rolled under the table.

"Albus, spit it out at once!" Her voice cracked as she shrieked loudly, jumping and diving across the large table between them. She gripped Albus's chin hard and shouted, "Spit it out!"

But Albus had already finished chewing and started crying when she shook him and poked a finger into his mouth. He put up a fierce struggle, but she forced his lips apart and searched his mouth. "Did you swallow it?" she shouted again, shaking him.

"Hermione, what the...?"

"He ate a Cullus fruit! Help! Please!" Tears streaked down her cheeks and when she looked up, Harry's deadly pale face was only inches away from hers.

"What did you say?" he burst out.

"Cullus fruit! Bezoar! Quick!" she stammered helplessly and sunk to the floor next to the crying child. Ginny pushed her aside, and she fell to the floor, but the pain did not register.

"Al!" Ginny said over and over again while she tried to make her son throw up. He was shaking more viciously than anyone Hermione had ever seen.

The other people around them had realised that something terrible must have happened when Harry stormed past them, shoving people and chairs in his way aside. There was a muffled murmuring in the Great Hall, but Hermione did not see nor hear anything. Her insides were like a hard, cramped ball, and she felt as if she was going to faint at any moment.

Albus's skin had started turning blue, and it seemed like hours until Harry, closely followed by McGonagall, returned and kneeled next to his son. His face was wet with tears and his glasses were askew when he pushed the bezoar between the boy's lips.

"Get Severus," he shouted towards Hermione, but she stood like a statue, her mind unable to process the words into pieces of information. Harry leaned towards her and slapped her in the face to get her out of her state of shock. "Hermione, listen! You have to Apparate to Severus now. Do you understand? Right! Now!"

Ginny sobbed, and it seemed to Hermione as if thousands of people were talking to her, but Harry's words were the only ones that got through to her. She stood up, and without a single word, she ran out of the Great Hall, down the stairs and across the grounds towards the gates.

While she ran, she heard someone scream like a wounded animal. Hagrid must have realised that James had probably found the deadly fruit in his kitchen and pocketed them.

oOoOoOoOo

Hermione's lungs were burning when she Apparated to Spinner's End and started banging on Snape's door.

"Open the door!" she shouted. When nothing happened, she simply pressed the handle and ran inside.

If Snape was not home, it would be Albus Severus's death sentence. The thought hit her like a sledge hammer while she ran through the house, shouting Snape's name over and over again.

"Severus!" she screamed while she ran upstairs. He met her before she had reached the first landing.

When she saw him, she cried with relief, and she did not care at all that she must seem to him as if she had gone stark raving mad.

"What?" he said.

"Albus!" Hermione panted and grasped his shoulders, realising that he was naked from the waist up. "Albus! Cullus fruit!" she exclaimed. "Please!" Her tongue seemed unable to compose whole sentences, and in her growing panic she started shaking him, shouting, "Cullus fruit! Albus!" again and again as if these three words would explain everything.

"Where is he?" Snape shouted back at her and started shaking her so hard that her head flew back and forth.

"At Hogwarts," she managed to say.

Seconds later, he gripped her hand and she felt the familiar tight pressure of Apparition.