The following morning, Karina and Severus rolled out of bed and gathered their things. By this point, Karina was four months pregnant and beginning to show.
�Um hun, I think the potion stopped working,� Karina said, looking in the mirror sideways an hour before they left.
�What do you mean?� he asked coming over to stand behind her, his hand rubbing her stomach.
�I�m starting to show,� she said, tilting her head back and staring into his deep grey eyes.
�So you are. I�ll just have to increase the strength that�s all,� he answered with a smile.
Karina looked down at her wedding ring, a simple gold band with a row of diamonds encrusted on the top. Before long, they were back at the entrance of Hogsmeade. The wind whistled around them, as they made their way up towards the castle.
�So what do you think people are going to say?� Severus asked as he pushed open the large oak doors that led to the Entrance Hall.
�Not that question again!� she said playfully pushing him.
�Fine,� he said and pushed her back.
They both burst out laughing and continued their fun until a voice interrupted them.
�Professor, are you�alright?� Harry asked, staring at his usually solemn, serious potions teacher,
�What do you want Potter?� Snape asked, abruptly changing his mood.
�Nothing sir. It�s just that, I�ve never seen you�� he trailed off.
�Shut up Potter!� Karina spat, glaring at the boy.
He turned and walked off, mumbling incoherently. Karina caught something about �cranky slut� but let it go. She could care less what he thought. Her mind was focused on the bitch who was hell bent on destroying her relationship. As soon as her mind flitted to her, McGonagall appeared.
�Before you say anything, I have something to say,� she said, holding up a hand and so the couple stared and waited.
�I realize that I cannot do anything to change the way you feel but I can keep you apart. Miss Clark by request of Professor Dumbledore, you are forbidden to see him,� she said and turned to go.
�Fuck you! I can see my husband any damn time I want to!� Karina screamed.
�Husband?� McGonagall repeated, her face losing all of its color.
�Yes Minerva, husband,� he said.
�Now if you will excuse us,� he added, taking Karina�s hand and ushering her towards the staircase of the dungeons.
As the couple left, McGonagall regained the color in her face. She shuffled into the Great Hall and took Dumbledore aside.
�Albus, I must speak with you. It�s urgent,� she said, in a whisper.
�Yes?� he answered, turning his gaze upon the elderly woman.
�Severus and Karina are�married,� she told him, having to swallow several times to get the word �married� out.
�What?� the headmaster inquired, looking completely confused.
�Where did they find an ordained minister?� he added, a skeptical look on his face.
�That would be none of your business,� Snape sneered from the shadows.
�As I have said before Albus, I do not meddle in your private life and thus you should have enough common sense to do the same in my regard,� he added rather harshly.
With that, he took his place at the Head Table. Simultaneously, Karina took her seat at the Gryffindor Table. She had taken a stronger dose of the potion and her protruding stomach had slimmed down. She just hoped that the potion wasn�t affecting the twins. Sighing, she looked up at the Head Table and smiled at Severus.
�How was your vacation Karina?� Ginny Weasley asked.
�Huh? What? None of your bloody business,� she grumbled at the redhead.
�Sorry! I was just trying to be nice,� Ginny answered, very offended.
�Don�t bother Gin. She�s never nice to anyone else,� Harry said.
�Shove it up your ass Potter,� Karina growled, glaring intensely at the boy.
Harry just rolled his eyes and turned away to talk to his friends. Ginny shot one last glance Karina�s way before jumping into the conversation that everyone else was having. Karina absently played with her wedding ring as those around her finished breakfast. When everyone was finished Karina snuck up to the hospital wing to have her four-month check-up with Madam Pomfrey.
�How are you feeling today?� the nurse asked as Karina sat down on one of the hospital beds.
�Fine. You know the potion that Sev-Professor Snape has been making for me?� Karina asked, correcting herself in the witch�s presence.
�Yes,� she answered curtly.
�It won�t affect the development of the twins will it?� the young girl inquired.
�Not at all. If anything, it helps them grow,� Madam Pomfrey replied.
Karina breathed a sigh of relief. Running a hand through her hair, she smiled at the aged woman. Madam Pomfrey glanced at the clock and then looked back at the pregnant girl.
�You had better get going. Don�t want to be late for class,� she said, ushering Karina out the door.
The young girl rushed down three flights of stairs towards the Entrance Hall, robes flying out behind her. Although she wasn�t a fan of Hagrid, she knew he would report her absence to Dumbledore and she couldn�t risk that. The brisk January air hit her skin like needles. Ignoring the chill she rushed down the hill and found her classmates huddled around Hagrid. She slipped in and saw that he had found a nest of tree nymphs and was vehemently and enthusiastically telling the class that you never wanted to come across a mother nymph when she�s protecting her young.
�Why not?� Neville asked.
�Well Mr. Longbottom because they get real nasty and bite you. And a tree nymph bite is like being bit by a poisonous snake,� Hagrid answered.
The majority of the girls in the class gasped in fear. A few Slytherin boys snickered, Draco included. Pansy, whom was one of the girls that had shrunk back in fear, slapped the blond upside the head with a rather noisy �thwack�.
�What was that for?� he grumbled, rubbing the side of his head.
�For being so bloody mean to me last night,� she said, tears coming to her eyes.
�Shut up!� Draco breathed through clenched teeth.
�Alright, calm down everyone,� Hagrid called over the din of voices.
�I have a question Professor,� Karina stated loudly.
�Err, yes Miss Clark?� Hagrid addressed the girl.
�Mrs. Snape!� her mind screamed in protest.
�What happens if you set fire to a tree nymph?� she inquired, a smile on her pale lips.
�It would turn to ash and die,� the half giant stated rather abruptly, a shocked look on his face.
Before Karina could get another word in, class was dismissed and the students hurried up the hill towards the castle, eager to get into the warmth. Karina left the premises of Hagrid�s house and trudged up the hill after her classmates. Even though she did not appear to be gaining weight, she was and the trek from class to class was beginning to tire her out. She arrived in the castle five minutes later and realized she had Potions class. She knew Severus wouldn�t mind if she was late but she also knew that she couldn�t risk getting detention for fear of McGonagall thinking it was just a way for them to spend time together. So taking a deep breath she sprinted down six flights of cold, stone steps and arrived just in time. Snape was walking from the other direction and gave her a sidelong glance. She returned with an �I�m fine� nod.
That day in class, they lectured on the many uses of egret blood and how it could be used in substitution for liquefied wolfs bein. Karina usually paid attention during Snape�s lectures but she caught herself dosing off several times. Snape had a rather distracting habit of pacing when he lectured and would gently nudge her with his wand to wake her up. The rest of the day passed without much excitement. Gryffindor beat Slytherin 150 points to 70 in the first Quidditch game of the new year.
�You look so tired darling,� Snape commented as they walked along the edge of the quidditch pitch after the game.
�Well I did run down six flights of stairs you know,� she said, intertwining her fingers in his.
�I thought you looked out of breath,� he nodded.
�Just trying to keep the wench out of our business,� Karina muttered.
The couple walked inside and immediately let go of their hands. Even though their relationship was legal, they were determined to keep it a secret from the students until after Karina had graduated. The sky had turned to a deep sapphire and the stars twinkled like tiny diamonds in contrast. They headed for the dungeons but were stopped by Filch.
�Professor,� his gruff voice echoed in the dim corridor.
�What?� Snape mumbled, annoyed at the roadblock.
�It�s none of my business but why are you taking a Gryffindor to the dungeons. Detention is long over,� Filch stated.
�You�re correct Argus. It is none of your business,� Snape growled.
�You will do well to keep your mouth shut,� he added.
With that the couple departed from the caretaker and retired to their bedroom. They quickly got ready for bed and climbed in. Snape stroked Karina�s delicately streaked hair.
�I love you,� she murmured as she melted under his touch.
In the following weeks, Karina had her share of mood swings. During a rather boring Transfiguration lecture, she made it known that she guessed that the majority of the staff were more interested getting paid than actually teaching the students. This was met with varying degrees of snorts, tsks and gasps. Surprisingly, all McGonagall did was glare profusely at the girl. Any chance Karina got she tormented the Transfiguration teacher. As January rolled into February, Karina began having more difficulty hiding her weight gain. Severus would increase the potion dosage when needed but there would come a point at which the potion would not be able to be affective.