As soon as Severus got back to the castle he figured he ought to speak to Poppy right away, lest he forget to do so another time. He stormed to the Hospital Wing and burst through the doors causing Poppy to jump where she was standing and changing the sheets on one of the beds.

“Severus, must you always be so dramatic?” she said as she tried to calm herself, “Are you okay?”

“Mhm, I’m fine physically. But I would like to know why, when Harry came to you for all those dangerous injuries that would have required an in depth scan, you didn’t pick up on the signs of abuse on the boy?” Severus said, trying to not growl at the woman who was paling drastically, and fidgeting on the spot.

“Severus-”

“Poppy, you know that you need to help children who have been abused, either by going to the authorities yourself when you come across a case, or by coming to me so that I can handle it. So why the hell didn’t you?”

“I… I couldn’t,” she muttered.

“Why not?” he growled, glaring at her formidably.

“Albus… he spelled me so that I couldn’t tell anyone who didn’t already know,”

“Why did you go to Albus in the first place? You know not to do that if you actually want to help the children,”

“He came to me, Severus. When Harry was in the hospital the first time, he came and had me do a scan. Then he spelled me so I couldn’t do anything except give Harry the occasional nutrient potion to help,”

“Why did you let him spell you? You are a capable witch, Poppy, you could have done something to stop him. Anything to protect a child. Anything to protect Harry,”

“I would have lost my job, Severus,”

“And you would have gotten a new one, probably at Saint Mungo’s. They would have hired you on the spot, especially if they found out you were fired because you were protecting a student from their abusers. Is this job really worth more than the life and safety of a child under our care?”

“I have a life Severus, I can’t just go from one job to another, changing my schedule and everything,”

“Not even for the sake of one of the children you swore to protect, and look after?” he raised an eyebrow at her and she backed away, “Harry’s life wasn’t as important as yours, right? His safety, his health, his life. None of it mattered so long as you didn’t have to change your own life. Who else have you done this too? Who else have you put your own life before? What other students are being hurt, or have been hurt, because you didn’t want to lose your job?”

She looked down, clearly nervous and he shook his head in anger.

“Don’t answer, I will find out on my own. But if I could have a copy of Harry’s scans that would be wonderful, I need to punish his relatives and make sure Albus doesn’t send him back to them. You aren’t my healer anymore, or Harry’s,”

She looked at him in shock and sadness, but he didn’t care. He didn’t want someone who put herself before her patient to be his or his son’s healer.

“Severus, you need help with the pregnancy, the birth-”

“Yes, Poppy, I probably do. But I have friends. Friends who are healers and are perfectly capable of helping me birth my son. I would feel much safer and more comfortable with someone who doesn’t put their job before their patients. Please go and get Harry’s files,”

She nodded and as soon as the files were in his hands he stormed back to his quarters to send a note to Neville.



…



He read the files.

And he lost the food in his stomach.

He then laid on the bathroom floor, curled in a ball as his stomach continued to churn and his eyes spilled tears down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry, mummy,” Harry said weakly, sounding terrified beyond anything that Severus had ever heard.

“It’s okay, baby. It’s not your fault,” Severus said gently, rubbing his stomach in the hopes of calming the sickness and the child within.

“But I made you sick,” Harry said.

“And I am very happy to be sick because of you, Harry. You are my baby, and I am going to get morning sickness, and I don’t mind. Because in the end, I get you, and you are all that matters,” he said, really wishing he could go to Petunia and torture her for all the shit she had put his baby through that made him so insecure and terrified of everything.

He shook his head. How could Poppy put her job over Harry after reading those files? How could she risk her oath like that? Harry was clearly not safe, and she just let Albus spell her into complying with his wishes.

And who else had she done that to?



…



He opened the door to his office at precisely seven o’clock the next morning to find a very nervous Neville on the other side. He smiled slightly at the boy and let him in, leading the boy over to his desk and to the breakfast he had ready on it.

“How… How are you this morning, s-Severus?” Neville asked as they started on the food, though Neville was picking at his mostly.

“I am okay, Neville, thank you. And yourself?” Severus said gently.

Neville nodded, “Nervous,” he muttered.

“That’s okay. It is a rather nerve-wracking thing, talking about pain. But you won’t be alone, and we will help you as much as we can,”

Neville nodded again, trying to eat something to calm the butterflies in his stomach.

“Did… Did Professor Dumbledore say anything yesterday? About my pregnancy?” Severus asked, he needed to know what the damage was.

“Mhm,” Neville nodded, “He announced it at lunch. I’m assuming without your permission, Severus,”

“Indeed,” Severus’ lip curled in annoyance, “How did everyone react?”

“Well, the teachers were shocked, but other than that there wasn’t very much reaction from them, other than a little bit of confusion, maybe. Except maybe Professor Lupin,” Neville shrugged, “From the students… it was a very mixed pack. The purebloods and wizarding raised half bloods were rather confused that you are a bearer. The Muggleborns and muggle raised half bloods were confused because they don’t know what a bearer is, but it was explained by a lot of the purebloods, then they were confused because it was… you. There were certain groups of students who were angry, such as Ron, Hermione and Ginny. There was a huge argument between those three, myself and the twins. A few of the Slytherins were angry, mostly the upper year members such as Montague, Higgs, and Flint. But mostly it was just a lot of confusion. Myself, the twins, Percy, Luna Lovegood, and a few others were happy, because, well, it meant that only good things could come from you, right? Now that everything has changed. And it meant that Harry would be properly safe,”

It was then that Neville noticed he had finished his plate of food and his stomach wasn’t fluttering nearly as much as it was. He looked up at his Professor, who was smiling gently at him.

He beamed at the older man and thanked him quietly. Severus just nodded his head.

“What are you going to do, Severus? About everyone knowing?”

“There’s not really much I can do. Once people know, they know. I just have to work to mend any damage, and answer questions, and be myself,”

“Good,” Neville said, nodding.

At half past seven they floo’d to The Leaky Cauldron to escape anyone who may be up this early to interrogate Severus. They took a slow stroll through Diagon Alley, Neville trying to slow his whirling mind, and Severus hoping that the walk might help Neville a bit more, especially with how peaceful it was that early in the morning.

He was shocked, yet again, to find Kingsley waiting outside the bank for him, beaming at both him and Neville as he spotted them.

“Severus, you are positively glowing this morning,” Kingsley winked at him, causing Severus to blush slightly and glare at his friend, Kingsley just chuckled, “And you, young man, must be Neville,” Neville nodded nervously, though there was a slight smile on his face, “I am Kingsley Shacklebolt, Severus’ best friend, but don’t tell the goblins that because they will hunt me down,” he whispered the last part and Severus rolled his eyes as Neville let out a little giggle.

“Now, let’s get you two inside where it is warm and comfortable,” Kingsley said, holding the door to the bank open for them like any true gentleman would.

“Oh, I don’t know, Kingsley, I think I might be more comfortable and warm out here, without you being all… annoying,” Severus said, raising his eyebrow at the man who just gasped, gaping at him with a wounded look.

“Me, annoying? Never. You wound me, Sev,” Kingsley said, and Neville laughed.

Severus just shook his head and led Neville into the bank, Kingsley closing the door behind all of them.

Kingsley led them to the teller that was waiting for them by the door that led to the offices and they were quiet as they followed the goblin to the office that Ragnok would meet them in.

As soon as they entered the room, however, Severus was stopped by Healer Greyclaw, who stood in front of him with her hands on her hips, glaring up at him.

Severus sighed and Kingsley chuckled at his friend as he led a confused Neville over to the round table in the centre of the room and pulled a seat out for him.

“Young man, why didn’t you tell me as soon as you found out you were pregnant?” Healer Greyclaw demanded.

“Because I don’t need to tell you every aspect of my life right away. I wanted some time alone for it to sink in first,” Severus said.

“I hope you know that I will be your healer during this pregnancy, Severus, and afterwards. I will be the little one’s healer also,” she said sternly.

“I know. I was actually going to mention it to you all today that I don’t feel safe with Poppy as my healer during or after the pregnancy,” Severus said, and she backed down slightly, a smile on her face even as worry shone in her eyes.

“Why? Sev, what happened?” Kingsley asked, worried.

“I confronted her when I got back to the school yesterday, about Harry. She did know about the abuse, the full extent of it. But she let Albus spell her to not tell anyone who didn’t already know, so that she wouldn’t lose her job and have to change her life,” he growled.

“She isn’t going anywhere near me or my son during this pregnancy, or after. I have Harry’s medical record, and,” Severus shook his head, not wanting to say anything because he would vomit again. He walked over to the table and placed the file down, allowing them to all look at it whilst he went to sit next to Neville, trying to quench the churning in his stomach as he thought about what his baby had been through.

The growls he heard from Ragnok, Greyclaw and Kingsley were positively brutal, with promises of punishment for everyone who had a hand in hurting his baby. And it made him feel slightly better that at least some people in his life cared enough about children to save them from the monsters who hurt them.

He felt a smaller hand in his and he looked at Neville, shock in his eyes, to find Neville smiling at him sadly.

“You feeling okay, sir?” Neville asked.

“Mhm, a tad queasy is all,” he said, his lips tugging up at the corners slightly and squeezing his hand in thanks as he rubbed his stomach gently with his free hand.

“Did I hear you say you feel queasy, young man?” Healer Greyclaw said, pinning Severus with her eyes.

“Maybe,” Severus said.

“When did you last have a morning sickness relief potion?”

“An hour and a half ago,” Severus said.

He watched her scribble something on a piece of parchment and it disappeared. It wasn’t long before a plate of crackers and a goblet of water appeared in front of him.

“Eat,” she said.

“I have only just eaten,” Severus said.

“Eat,” she said, more sternly this time, glaring him into submission.

He nibbled on the crackers as the three continued to look at Harry’s file, and he was grateful that it actually helped with his queasiness.

Soon the three were done with the files and promising more retribution as they took their seats, Kingsley on the other side of Neville, Healer Greyclaw next to Severus, and Ragnok between those two.

Neville clung tighter to Severus’ hand nervously as attention turned to him and Severus squeezed it to attempt to comfort him.

“Hello, Heir Longbottom, I am King Ragnok, and this is Healer Greyclaw. I believe you know why we are all here, but I will reiterate. Severus came to us because you have said that you are being abused by your family. We have been helping abused children get away from their abusers and in loving families since your professor began teaching at Hogwarts. And we will help you, and keep you safe, in any way we can,” Ragnok said, his voice gentle and calm.

“But… My gran, she’s strong, powerful, and I’m…”

“You are a child, Neville. And you deserve to be safe, loved, and looked after like every other child. Even if it means taking you away from your family. Your grandmother is powerful, yes, but if she is hurting you, in any way, then she doesn’t deserve you. And you don’t deserve her. And if she is hurting you, then we can do something to get you away from it,” Kingsley said.

“How?” Neville asked quietly.

“That is what we will figure out, it differs from case to case depending on the family in question,” Severus said, his voice gentle, “But first we need you to tell us everything you can about how your family treat you. Even if you think it isn’t an abuse, it may well be. It can be something they say to you every day, something you are so used to that you think there is nothing wrong with it,” Neville nodded in understanding, looking at the pattern on the table so as not to look at any of them, “How would you rather do this? We can ask you questions and you answer them, or you can just tell us in your own time,”

“Erm,” Neville said, “Maybe the questions, I don’t really know…”

“Okay, we can do that,” Severus said.

“We will also be recording your answers, is that okay?” Healer Greyclaw said, gesturing to the quill and parchment sitting in front of her, the quill would be charmed to record everything that is said.

“Y-yes,” Neville stuttered quietly.

Healer Greyclaw nodded and charmed the quill, which moved to hover above the parchment, ready to write everything down.

“Okay, Neville, so who are your primary guardians?” King Ragnok said gently.

“My gran, Augusta Longbottom, is my legal guardian, but my great uncle Algernon stays with us most of the time also,”

“And you have been living with them for how long?”

“Since my… since my parents were hospitalised when I was just over fifteen months old,”

“Now we will move onto questions pertaining to abuse, are you okay to proceed? We can stop for a break whenever you need to, just tell us if you want to stop,” Ragnok said.

Neville nodded, “Okay,” he whispered.

“Has food or drink ever been withheld from you for any period of time?”

“I have gone a few days without a proper meal every now and then. One of the house elves would sneak me some fruit or something small that would go unnoticed, but I wasn’t allowed to eat. I always had water though,”

“Okay, and have they ever purposely over fed you, even if you were full, or felt sick?”

“Occasionally,” Neville muttered a shiver going down his spine. Severus squeezed his hand comfortingly, rubbing his thumb gently over the boys’ knuckles.

“As far as you are aware, has anyone in your family given you food or drink laced with anything that is harmful to children, wixen, or muggles, or yourself if you are allergic to the toxin in question?”

“Erm, my great uncle Algie, he gave me some food that was poisoned once to see if a bezoar worked on me,”

“That is Algernon, correct?” Ragnok growled.

“Yes, sir,” Neville nodded, looking down at his lap and scooching his chair closer to Severus’, clearly needing some more comfort, other than just the grip on the older man’s hand.

“As a result of any of these instances, do you have any issues with food consumption?”

“What do you mean?” Neville asked, looking confusedly at the goblin.

“I mean, young one, do you find it hard to eat regularly? Do you find it hard to eat certain foods, or drink certain drinks? Are you ill after eating larger quantities of food? Do you find food appealing? Or do you just eat what you have to to survive?”

“I, erm, I can’t… I can’t eat more than one helping at meal times, but even then, I can’t always eat… a typical portion, like what my year mates would eat. It depends on my mood, I think. I… A lot of the time I’m not even… I don’t want food, but I force myself to eat so that people don’t question me, especially at home. I… I don’t like to eat scrambled eggs, because that is what he put the poison in. The sight of them on my plate makes me sick, with fear I guess. But other types of eggs I am okay with, except maybe an omelette. I also don’t… I struggle sometimes in certain places. Like at home it is worse because that is where I have the most troubles. At Hogwarts it is sometimes okay, but people look at me funny when I don’t eat much compared to them, and, I don’t know. I think it depends on my mood most of the time, and the mood of the people around me. But I don’t like eating in large crowds because of the pressure of everyone there, I guess,” Neville shrugged, fiddling with his trousers slightly.

“Okay. Have they ever left you in a hot or a cold place for an extended period of time without adequate protection or supervision?”

“Erm, when I was younger… They would leave me in one of the greenhouses for a while on my own in the summer, or in the winter, without anything to help me with the heat or the cold. And I would be in there for hours. I… I was scared of greenhouses for a while but then my magic kicked in when uncle Algie threw me out that window when I was eight, and the plants started to talk to me, sometimes. They would help me from that point onwards, and I got over it,”

“Your uncle threw you out of a window?” Severus growled protectively as he squeezed Neville’s hand.

“Mhm, to try and get my magic to come out. He had done other things before then, but none of them worked. I… It was one of the third story windows of the Manor, and… My magic came out just in time and I bounced when I hit the floor… I refuse to go on the third floor or higher now… I can’t,”

“That is completely understandable, Neville,” Kingsley said gently, resting his hand on Neville’s shoulder and giving it a squeeze for comfort before removing it unsurely.

“What other things did your family do to try and get your magic to manifest?” Ragnok growled, his voice both fierce and gentle, somehow.

“Erm… Well… I,” Neville was shaking slightly and Severus wanted nothing more than to take the boy into his arms and hold him, but he didn’t know how Neville would react to it, he didn’t know what the boy had been through, so he held back, just holding his hand.

“Do you need to take a break, Neville?” Severus asked, moving closer to the boy to let him know, silently, that he was there.

“N-No, I need to do this all now because I don’t know if I will be able to do it again,” Neville said, sitting up straighter with a determined look in his eyes, but Severus could still see a hint of fear, and so much pain that it twisted something in his once thought cold heart.

“Are you sure?”

Neville nodded, “It was mostly my Uncle really, although my gran… she knew what he was doing, and approved of it, I guess… He… We went to the beach in Blackpool and he threw me off the pier. I nearly drowned but a nice muggle man saved me. I… I haven’t been able to swim since, water just…” he shivered, “The greenhouse incidents were also things to see if my magic would get me out of there, or help me with the heat or cold. Erm, there was a time when he… there was a fire, and he locked me in the room to see if I could get myself out, with magic. And I couldn’t, until I called for a house elf anyway. The house elves kept me away from him for as long as they could, but he kept finding me,” tears were leaking from his eyes, and his body was shaking, but his back was still somewhat straight despite his eyes looking at the pattern on the table.

Severus wanted nothing more in that moment than to find Algernon and tear him from limb to limb before tossing him in a burning room, without the aid of magic, and seeing if he can make it out alive.

“Why couldn’t they just see?” Neville whispered desperately, “I… My magic was working. I know it was. I did magic all the time, just little things, but I did magic. And they never saw. They never saw me. They just saw my father, and how much I wasn’t like him. Why couldn’t they just let me be me? I don’t… I don’t know my dad, not really. I don’t know what he was like… I just want to be me. I am magical. I am me. They wouldn’t even let me get my own wand, I have to use my dad’s because maybe that would teach me something about being brave, or strong, or powerful. I don’t… I want to work with plants, but no, I have to be an Auror because that is what dad did. I want to do well at school I really do, but I can’t… I don’t know how. Gran will be disappointed in me no matter what I do, and the bloody wand won’t work for me. And I just… I can’t concentrate because I’m not good enough for anything or anyone,

“Harry helped. He helped. He… he had no one, too. But we had each other. We made each other strong. We made each other believe in ourselves. We believed in each other, because no one else would truly believe in us . Not in who we really were. Not in who we wanted to be. But now he is gone. Not gone really, but he isn’t here. He isn’t my age. He isn’t my friend. He can’t help me. And I have no one else,”

Severus turned to face Neville, getting up from his chair just to kneel in front of him, “Neville, remember what I said yesterday, you are going to be Harry’s big brother. And not just anyone can fill that role. It has to be someone who is kind, brave, caring, loving, protective, and has the capacity to make their sibling believe in themselves, even when they feel like they can’t. You and Harry were already practically brothers, but now you will be proper brother, just with a different age gap. And that is okay, because you can teach him all the things you wanted to know growing up, and he can teach you all the things you need to know, and believe in you, and look up to you like the amazing young man you are,

“I wouldn’t have chosen you for that role in Harry’s life if I didn’t believe in you, Neville. You. Not the image of your father that your family has been pushing on you for so terribly long. Your father was a great man. And you will be a great man, too, just in a different way. Your own way. And that is okay. Everyone is different. No one is the same. And you aren’t alone. You have me, you have Harry, and you have all the people in this room with us. And none of us are going anywhere for a bloody long time if I have anything to say about it. We are all here to help you. To protect you. And to help you be you. You shouldn’t have to conform to other people’s beliefs of who you should be. You are a child. And you have the right to figure yourself out; what you want to do, who you want to be. And we will be with you every step of the way. We will get you away from your family. You will be safe. And you will learn that you are worth something. You are worth everything,”

Neville was sobbing as he threw himself into Severus’ arms, and Severus just sat on the floor, holding him, rocking him, and speaking words of comfort into his ears.

He briefly glanced at Kingsley to find the man smiling at them both with a look of awe, and… something in his eyes that sent good, yet weird shivers down his spine and butterflies through his stomach.

He blushed but went back to focusing on Neville and helping him. Neville was all that mattered in that moment.