Madame Pomfrey rushed from her fireside vigil and to Karina�s side. The girl was breathing sporadically and in varying lengths. Sweat poured from her forehead as she lay in a contorted fetal position.
�She�s not due for 5 weeks,� Poppy declared, quite confused by the situation.
�Well she�s going into labor NOW!� Snape shouted.
�Oh my god!� Karina gasped in pain.
Once the contraction had passed and she was resting somewhat comfortably, Karina glanced at the mediwitch. The girl was pale and her crimson and gold locks drooped in front of her eyes.
�Don�t you have something to make the pain less?� she questioned.
�Well dear, you see�this is really the first case of this particular situation and�� she started.
�So the answer is no?� Snape growled.
�Precisely,� Madame Pomfrey stated.
�Shit!� Karina moaned as another contraction wracked her body.
Meanwhile, Snape�s potions class sat idle, waiting for the bell to ring. Harry, Ron and Hermione were playing a muggle card game called Egyptian Rat Screw and were attracting quite a bit of attention. Currently, Ron was winning and as his pile of cards increased, Harry and Hermione would shout angrily at him.
�Ron! You�re cheating!� they yelled in unison.
�Where is Professor Snape?� came a familiar voice.
�I think he went to the hospital wing. Karina fainted,� Neville Longbottom supplied.
�Thank you Mr. Longbottom,� McGonagall answered and quickly exited the room.
Minerva rushed up the stairs towards the hospital wing, praying everything was alright. As she rounded the corner, the tall, thin from of Dumbledore stopped her.
"Where are you going?" he asked politely.
"Hospital wing. Come on, I'll explain on the way," she said, grabbing him by the sleeve of his sapphire blue robes and pulling him along.
"Miss Clark fainted during Severus's class and they're in the hospital wing," McGonagall stated as the elderly Professors made their way to the hospital wing.
"Oh," the headmaster responded pensively.
When they entered, they found Snape by Karina's right side and Madame Pomfrey on her other. For the first time, Dumbledore noticed the teenager's enlarged abdomen.
"My god!" he whispered in utter disbelief and shock.
"How is she doing?" McGonagall inquired, seeming not to have heard the headmaster's comment.
Snape glared at the mediwitch and turned to his colleague. He took a deep breath before proceeding.
"She's in a lot of pain. Poppy doesn't have anything to make it less," he stated angrily.
"I'm not leaving her alone to make anything," he added as an afterthought.
Suddenly a gasp escaped Karina's paled lips. A large wet spot appeared on the sheets and the girl sighed slightly. However, the breaking over her water brought on a continuous succession of contractions. She squeezed her husband's hand forcefully during each serge of pain.
"You're doing fine," he coaxed, gently stroking her hair.
"Just breath," McGonagall urged, having taken Madame Pomfrey's spot.
The contractions were now tow minutes apart and Karina began to feel the instinctive need to push. She used all of the engery she could muster and gave a great heave. Miraculously, a head could be seen.
"Come on, it's coming," Madame Pomfrey said, finally making herself useful.
After three more strong pushes, the first baby was out. It was a baby girl weighing 5 pounds 6 ounces and stretching 11 inches. She was small but healthy. The couple looked at each other and nodded.
"Do you have a name picked out?" McGonagall asked.
"Yes, Elizabeth Marie," Snape answered, for Karina had but pushing again.
Within three minutes the second baby was out. Another baby girl, weighing 6 pounds 2 ounces and stretching 10 inches. She was also happy ad healthy.
"What is her name going to be?" this time it was Dumbledore asking the question.
"Kassandra Elise," Karina stated breathlessly.
"You better be happy with the two we've got because I'm never doing this again,' Karina stated as the mediwitch cleaned and swaddled her second child.
"I am very happy," he said, cradling his first born child in his arms.
He handed Elizabeth to her mother as he received his second daughter. Dumbledore had left briefly but had returned with a camera. Smiling, Karina sat up and took a baby in each arm, Snape by her side. She was glad this moment could be preserved.
"Do you suppose they are identical?" McGonagall queried.
"I don't think we'll know until they are older," Snape replied, rocking Kassandra gently in a loving embrace.
"Would you like to hold one?" Karina asked her head of house.
"I'd love to," the woman responded, taking Elizabeth from her mother and sitting back down in her chair.
"They're such tiny little things aren't they," Madame Pomfrey cooed.
"Indeed they are," Dumbledore said quietly.
McGonagall gently rocked the newborn, clutching the small creature to her body protectively. She looked up and met Karina�s gaze. A deep longing seemed to radiate from it. Suddenly realizing what it meant, she returned the babe to its mother. Severus had let Dumbledore hold Kassandra but the Potions Master grew anxious quickly. Taking his daughter back, the man sat beside his wife as they drank in the images of their precious treasure. Karina lay back in the bed and a slightly determined look came to her eyes. She was searching her spouse�s mind for approval. A smile graced her lips as she found what she wanted. Shooting a knowing glance in his direction and receiving a nod, Karina addressed her head of house.
�Professor McGonagall, would you be their godmother?� she asked hopefully.
�Are you sure?� the elderly woman inquired.
�Yes we are,� Snape responded.
�I�d be honored,� Minerva replied.
An air of calm and satisfaction came over the room as the bell rang and students could be heard in the halls heading for lunch.