Chapter 59

I woke up feeling refreshed from the potion-induced sleep. I wasn't sure how long I had slept, but I felt much better. The injuries on my hands from the bindings were healed, and I didn't feel the post-sleep weakness—proof the potion had worked. Turning my head slightly, I saw Severus sitting in an armchair beside me. He must have heard me stir.

"You're awake. How are you feeling?" He gently helped me sit up and handed me a glass of water, which was still warm—he must have kept it that way for me.

"I'm fine. How about you? Are your injuries okay? How did we escape the Cruciatus curse? And how did you get Splinched?"

His face was pale, and blood had been pouring out earlier, but I knew that as long as he took a Blood-Replenishing Potion in time, external injuries wouldn't be an issue. Still, I pulled up his pajama leg to check the wound.

"The wounds are healing well, and I've taken the potions. I'm more worried about you and the baby." Severus's voice was filled with concern, and he tightened his embrace.

I fell silent, feeling guilty. My carelessness had put us in such danger, and our baby had almost… Luckily, the baby was fine, but I would have never forgiven myself otherwise.

We sat quietly for a while, neither of us speaking.

"I'm sorry…" We both said at the same time.

I straightened up and met Severus's gaze. "I'm sorry. It was my fault…"

Before I could finish, Severus interrupted, pulling me back into his arms. "No need to say more. We're all right now."

I suddenly felt a profound sense of relief.

Madam Pomfrey soon came in to check on me. Everything was fine, but she warned me to be extremely careful for the next few months as the baby was still very fragile. After the check-up, she didn't rush us out, only reminding me to rest well. She glanced at Severus before leaving, giving us some private time. I appreciated her thoughtfulness.

I placed Severus's hand on my belly, which was still flat and didn't yet show any sign of pregnancy. Severus seemed hesitant to leave his hand there, but I held it in place and teased him, "It's not made of glass. It won't break. Soon enough, it will grow, and you won't be able to hold my waist like this."

He sighed, still looking a bit awed. "Pregnancy and childbirth are the greatest magic, Sawyer. I love you."

Hearing such a sudden declaration of love, I froze for a moment, then hugged him tightly.

"I love you too, Severus!"

"Careful! From now on, no more dangerous moves, no running or jumping. You should stay in this room, lie down. I'll bring you some books." Severus commanded.

There went my freedom… Did I really need to be bedridden? Before I could argue, he made the final decision.

"That's settled. Rest well. We're moving to a safer place soon. I'll take care of everything. Now, lie down."

Such a dictatorial Severus. I felt both frustrated and sweetly content.

"Wow." I looked at the upscale car that seemed out of place in our surroundings. Thankfully, there was no one around to cause a scene.

"This is a car borrowed from Benjy. He's a Muggle-born, so he's more familiar with these things than we are," Dumbledore explained, introducing us to the driver, Benjy Fenwick, who seemed quite cheerful.

"My cousin works in a government office—the Muggle one. Borrowing a car is no big deal! And yes, I have a driver's license, so rest assured!" He smiled widely, showing all his teeth, even the molars.

Suppressing my laughter, I thanked him, and we got into the shiny black car.

The ride was smooth. We passed through the bustling city, then fewer and fewer houses appeared as the road narrowed, eventually stopping in an open field.

After the car left, it was just Dumbledore, Severus, and me with our minimal luggage. Dumbledore handed us a piece of paper, indicating we should read it.

In an ornate script, it read, 'The place where the phoenix lands.' As we read the words, a house with a front yard appeared on the empty field.

"Welcome to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix!" Dumbledore waved, smiling at us.

Severus's expression was sour. "This is the secure place you're providing?"

"Indeed! I am the Secret Keeper here. It's perfectly safe." He smiled innocently. "One person can only keep so many secrets, and I already have this big house on my mind. Adding another would be difficult. This place is secure, and I haven't broken my promise."

I wasn't sure what deal they had made, but Severus didn't seem pleased.

"Shall we take a look inside?" I suggested cautiously.

"Of course, let's go in," Dumbledore said, leading the way.

Severus looked grumpy, but I squeezed his hand and pulled him forward.

The house was spacious, simple, and quiet, with no one else around. Dumbledore showed us around the first floor, highlighting the kitchen, meeting room, and a newly set-up potion lab. Then, he took us to our room on the third floor.

"This room has a private bathroom. It's also enchanted to be more spacious inside. If it gets too noisy downstairs, just close the door. It's your private space. No need to worry about privacy." The greatest white wizard turned into a real estate agent, giving us a detailed tour and emphasizing how perfect the place was for us. His bright blue eyes seemed to say that not moving in would be our loss.

I admired his persistence. If he ever lost his job in the wizarding world, he could certainly find work in the Muggle real estate market.

We ended up moving in. The headquarters wasn't usually crowded, as most Order members had their own homes and only gathered here for meetings.

The first night we moved in, there was an Order meeting. Some members looked wary of us but didn't say anything, indicating Dumbledore had prepped them. They might not trust us, but at least they wouldn't cause trouble. I didn't attend the meeting, and Severus sent me upstairs, claiming I wasn't feeling well.

Food at the headquarters was usually prepared by the women attending the meetings. After we moved in, I brought Tito to handle the meals, proving the allure of good food. More people stayed for dinner, praising Tito's cooking, with some nostalgically comparing it to Hogwarts' meals. Even their attitude towards us became much friendlier.

I couldn't help but laugh, grateful for Tito's culinary skills.

Life was dull while I was on bed rest. Severus spent his days in the potion lab, coming out occasionally to comfort my boredom. My severe reaction to potion fumes meant I couldn't go near the lab. Oddly, Severus carried a faint medicinal scent after coming out of the lab, but it wasn't too bothersome once he changed clothes. I might have gotten used to it, as his unique scent mixed with the faint medicinal smell was quite comforting.

Lily was busy with Auror training and her upcoming wedding in a few days, leaving her no time to visit. I didn't want to bother her with mirror calls.

Occasionally, I'd use the Floo Network to talk to my parents, though leaning into the fireplace was tiring and couldn't be done too often.

Burns came to teach me in the afternoons after work and left after dinner. Severus also subscribed to various magazines for me, including medical, lifestyle, and even gossip ones. It gave me something to do, but the days were still dull.

Maybe my boredom was too intense, because after attending Lily's wedding, another wizard family moved in.

The Weasleys were a large family with three lively boys, the oldest barely seven and the youngest just turned one. Molly had recently become pregnant again.

I remembered Severus preparing a batch of prenatal potions for the shop shortly before our incident, leaving only a few for Madam Pomfrey, who had said Mrs. Weasley was expecting. Luckily, it was just enough to keep our baby safe, making me very fond of the newly pregnant Mrs. Weasley.

Molly was experienced, and chatting with her became my daily routine. Her husband Arthur worked in the Ministry, and though he had a humble position, he was a typical nine-to-five worker. With Severus in the potion lab all day, Molly and I, both pregnant, spent our days chatting and minding the children.

The house became noisier with more children, and Severus initially left the lab door slightly open to hear any commotion outside. But eventually, he couldn't stand it and closed the door, possibly adding a Silencing Charm. I had to use the two-way mirror to call him.

One night, I joked, "What if we have half a dozen children? This house would be lively!"

Severus groaned, burying his head in the pillow. "Oh, if that's what you really want… I might get a headache."

I giggled. "If they take after you, they'd be much quieter."

He continued trying to bury himself in the pillow.

"Okay, I was joking! Honestly, I think one more would be fine—a boy and a girl. What do you think?" I asked seriously.

Severus turned to me, thinking. "That sounds reasonable. If you think it's good, then it's fine." He seemed relieved.

I couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for him. Severus was just too adorable.

My belly gradually started to show. At three months, Madam Pomfrey and Molly conducted a detailed check-up. We discovered Molly was expecting twin boys. She seemed momentarily disappointed they weren't girls but quickly moved on to sweet talk with Arthur. I overheard Arthur say, "It's okay, the next one will be a girl." I counted on my fingers. Including the baby, they already had five children, planning for another one?

I whispered to Severus, wondering if they'd keep having more kids if the next one was a boy. Severus seemed to view them with awe, perhaps admiring their endurance for so many children.

During my check-up, the result made us both gasp.

"Two pairs of twins in one day, I'm honored," Madam Pomfrey joked.

"Why do you get a girl in one go?! It's unfair!" Arthur and Molly were visibly jealous.

"If you're jealous, how about a trade? You get a boy, and we get the girl…" I teased.

"No!" "I disagree!" Both men spoke simultaneously. Arthur quickly hugged his wife, wary of my joke. Severus glared at me, clearly unwilling to trade our daughter.

I couldn't help but laugh. Such adorable dads!