Albus Potter and the Prophesied Year

Ch 45 Babies, Babies and More Babies

Monday morning June nineteenth was a sunny day at Hogwarts, but the weather forecast was for a large low pressure system moving in. Muggle weather forecasts were much better than magical ones, with their satellite view of the earth and their computerized forecasts. Hogwarts did have access to Muggle weather forecasts via the internet. And the forecast was for an extremely low low pressure system to move over Hogwarts Tuesday.

Madams Pomfrey and Swan called the maternity departments in both St. Mungo's and one in France, because severe low pressure could trigger the onset of labor. "We have a couple of our witches who have started to drop," Genevieve Swan remarked.

"Right in the middle of exams," Poppy Pomfrey muttered. "I've already told the examiners that both the fathers and the mothers are to be excused from exams if the mothers are in labor. We have some mothers of the witches that want to be here as well. It is going to be crazy."

As they were talking Erica Potter waddled in, James holding her hand and looking very concerned.

"Your mother says they have to be a lot closer than an hour apart before the baby is born," James told his wife, looking apologetically at the matrons.

"But they hurt, they are long and hard and they hurt," Erica protested. "I've had them all night, and, well, they don't exactly hurt but they are more like hard exercise, and they are at least an hour apart but when they start they wake me up and I've been having them all night."

"She's mad at me because I've slept right through some of them," James admitted, looked exasperated that she hadn't woken him up, expecting him to just 'know'.

"Let's examine you and see how you are doing," Genevieve told the young witch. Erica climbed into the bed, which was changed into a birthing bed, and she was examined.

"Well, you are dilated to one centimeter, so labor has definitely started," Madam Swan noted. "We will have a midwitch here mid-morning, and I will have her examine you."

"How long will this take?" Erica asked. "I'm bloody awkward and starting to get tired. Just when I've gotten back to sleep one of them starts again."

"First baby, and the labor has just started," the madam thought. "Sometimes it takes hours. Just be patient."

Erica growled at James, who looked a little ashamed and a little lost.

"Should we tell the family?" James asked.

"I'm NOT having the whole Weasley clan mulling around outside my door!" Genevieve insisted. "It is acceptable to have one parent here. Do you want to contact your mother?"

"I don't want to act like a baby who needs her mother," Erica snapped. She stiffened as another contraction started. Genevieve felt Erica's womb, and nodded, "They are labor pains.

"I would like to point out that as much as we all want James here, he has never had a baby. Your mother has been through this four times, and in all honesty if all of you witches decide to give birth over the next twenty-four hours we could use the help."

James handed Erica his mobile, and she called her mother. "Hello, mum. It's Erica. I'm in labor, and the madams say you could come, if you want to, just you, no one else, and I don't exactly need you but I've never done this and, and, it is taking forever!"

Donna Lionheart giggled. "Do you want me to tell the Potters?"

"Yes, but they only want one family member here, and if the Potter and Weasley clan come that's like dozens of people."

"I will call Ginny, and then I will be there."

Donna hung up the phone (why did some people call it hanging up a phone? She terminated the call.) Then she called Ginny. "Hello, Ginny. Erica called, and she is in labor."