Harry's Future

Chapter 40

Chapter 40

"Welcome back, everyone. I trust your holidays went well," Professor Potter said with a smile. 

He was greeted with a mass murmur of 'yes, sir' from his first year DADA students. It was the first class of the first day back from the Christmas holiday break and it was obvious that his students were still getting used to being back at school. 

"Yes, I know, it's always tough to get back into the routine after a holiday. So let me ask a question. Did anyone getting anything really special for Christmas?" he asked from his perch on the stool in front of the students. 

Several hands were raised and the first half hour of class was spent talking about new broomsticks or a wizards chess set, a toboggan and in a tour-de-force ten minute dissertation by Catherine Biggsby, a description of a full set of Quidditch gear since she had shown great promise with her flying lessons. Harry sat in near stunned amazement, marveling that the young witch hadn't gone blue in the face and toppled over because he swore she hadn't stopped to take a breath for the entire ten minutes. 

The diversion seemed to have had its intended effect as the students looked much more alert so he launched into the planned lesson for the day. When they were finished and the students were leaving Harry noticed that Rhys-Jones and Biggsby were joined by several others of the first years in an animated discussion as they went through the door into the corridor. It appeared the lonely muggle born was making friends, perhaps towed along in the wake of the effervescent Miss Biggsby, but at least it looked like he wasn't feeling alone anymore. 

Winter had come slowly to Hogwarts and Hogsmeade but when it arrived it did so with a vengeance. Howling, bitterly cold winds and snow, snow and more snow hammered at the castle and the town. By the end of the second week back at school Harry had to make a distressing decision. The thestral pulled carriage was having trouble getting through the snow and he was certainly in no condition to walk, short as the distance might be. He could stay at the school but leaving Ginny alone in the small house wasn't a possibility. It was a tense discussion that evening around the small kitchen table. 

"No, absolutely no, Harry. I'm not leaving you up here by yourself," Ginny said adamantly. 

"Sweetheart, I won't be by myself. I'll be in a room in the castle with hundreds of students, the faculty and staff and all those house elves. You're the one who would be alone, stuck in this little house with snow piled up everywhere. I can't remember it being this bad. Please. Go home and stay with your mum and dad. I'll come down every weekend. If something should happen and you need help you'd have your mum right there. Please," he said imploringly. 

Ginny had her arms folded, resting on her ever larger abdomen. Her brown eyes were hard and fixedly staring at Harry. His green eyes, behind those big round glasses were staring right back, showing all the love and concern he had for his wife and unborn child. Her resolve remained steadfast for, oh, another thirty seconds or so and then collapsed. She knew his reasoning was sound and totally selfless but she hated the idea of being apart from him, especially now. 

"Oh, alright, Harry. I hate it when you're logical and reasonable. Kreacher, would you please go to the Burrow and ask my mother if it's okay if I come and sit out the winter there." 

"Yes, Mistress Ginny." 

"You're coming with me if she says yes, Harry." 

"Of course." 

And of course Mrs. Weasley did say yes, that she should come straight away and if need be she'd come and help. They packed several suitcases and Kreacher said he would get some 'friends' to help bring the bed back. Ginny didn't mind using a guest bed for a short holiday stay, but if she was going to wait out the winter and do it getting progressively more pregnant, she wanted her own bed. Harry had heard that expectant mothers could be very demanding, usually for bizarre things to eat, but Ginny hadn't gone that way. If she wanted her own bed, he was willing to go along, since he wouldn't be needing it anyway.