Finding Heather

Year 5 Chapter 9

Author's Notes: I know in the book that Hermione arrives the next day, but for this story she takes a n extra day to arrive. Also, I'm sorry for the pronoun mash up that's going to happen in this and future chapters. Sometimes Harry will refer to himself as she, sometimes Heather will say he. If it gets too confusing, please let me know. This is a confusing time for him/her in a lot of ways and for me as the writer.

As always the world of Harry Potter does not belong to me but J.K. Rowling

Chapter Nine

 Having come out about Heather to Sirius, some of the weight that had being weighing him down left Harry's shoulders. That more than anything was how he was able to survive all of the worry and doubt that filled him for the next day. All around him Sirius and the Weasley's were decorating the house for Christmas and filling the air with cheer. Rather than face them and risk exposing them to his potentially possessed self, Harry stayed in hiding.

 All through the house Harry could hear Sirius singing Christmas carols as he strung the banisters with garlands and put Santa Claus hats and beards on the house elf heads. Harry spent most of his time either in his bedroom or in Sirius's mother's room with Buckbeak, his back against the door to prevent anyone from entering. When he heard Mrs. Weasley calling softly up the stairs for him, he ignored her and continued staring blankly at the ceiling.

It wasn't until Hermione arrived later that evening that he was confronted by anyone. She had had to wait until term officially let out to come, though she was supposed to be going to France with her parents. Unlike everyone else who was willing to let Harry handle his feelings himself, she insistently knocked on the door of Sirius's mother's bedroom until he opened the door, Ron and Ginny in tow. Calmly she told Harry that she'd been told by Ron and Ginny what they'd overheard Moody say. It didn't take her long to make Harry understand that there was no way that Voldemort had transported him to London. Ginny followed this up by asking questions based on her experience with being possessed to get him to realize that that wasn't true either.

Harry felt like an idiot. When he'd needed them most, he'd cut his friends out completely, even though he thought he was doing it for their protection. Having been pulled back completely out of the funk he had fallen into, Harry joined the efforts to decorate the house with gusto. Hermione it seemed had come to join them for the holidays rather than meeting her parents, and the gloomy house was full of laughter and mirth. The updates that were brought back from the hospital were positive, and plans were made to go visit Mr. Weasley again on Christmas Day.

In the days that followed it became a sort of tradition that after dinner Sirius would go sit in the study on the first floor and Harry would come with him. They talked and sat in silence, Sirius asking questions about Heather, and Heather answering. It felt comfortable to be able to talk to an adult about this, in a way it was different than talking to Hermione or Ginny. Heather still hadn't told them everything that had happened in the last week or so and knew that soon the three of them would have to have a long conversation.

That was the only time for the entire Christmas break that Heather was able to be herself with another person. Anytime he tried to be alone with the girls Ron or the twins would come along. On Christmas eve night, Heather was getting ready for bed when she saw a small letter laying on her bed. Curious she opened it and a small ring fell out of the envelope. Years of practice as a seeker allowed her to catch it before it fell to the floor. It was a ring set with three brilliantly blue stones. Looking at the letter, she read

Heather,

On the night your house in Godric's Hollow was attacked all those years ago, I came too late to be able to save your parents, or even to pick you up. In my duty as godfather, I went through the house to see if there was anything that could be salvaged for you to have one day as a reminder of your parents and their love for you. This ring was always a favorite of Lily's. James gave it to her as a gift in their seventh year. No, it wasn't an engagement ring, but she cherished it for the rest of her life. I saved it so you could give it to a girl one day, but instead I think it's right that as Lily's daughter you should wear it yourself.