Meant To Be

Chapter 23

Gasps of horror and shock rose up from around the room. Whispers of "oh my god" and "is that true?" They were shocked and angry that someone would do such a thing to Harry, or anyone for that matter, but not as much as those close to him.

Remus was lost for words; unable to comprehend what had happened, that it didn't happen, that Dumbledore did not just say that Harry, his best friend's son, one who he had vowed to protect, had something so...inexcusable done to him. And he hadn't done anything; hadn't even known.

Minerva closed her eyes and looked away, clearly upset; Harry hadn't deserved this. For the sake of protecting them all, he had been hurt too many times to count, now this was just another scar for Harry to bare; only this time it cut too deep, there was a limit to how much one can take. It hurt her to know that one of her Gryffindor's had been through something of this magnitude and she had not been able to stop it or help; no matter that he was no longer one of her students.

Molly was crying, her hands covering her face at the thought of Harry, who she thought of as her own son, going through such a thing, such a horrible, horrible thing. Oh how, scared he must have been. It had been no wonder that Harry had been so distant when he had come back, jumpy. And he had told no one except Dumbledore...she glanced at Ron and Hermione who were both looking down, hunched over as the people around them expressed their outrage; she was suddenly sure that maybe Harry hadn't been alone and was at least glad for that.

Ron and Hermione kept quiet and faced downward as the news sank in. They really couldn't believe that Dumbledore had told everyone without Harry's consent, it made them angry that he had betrayed Harry's trust like that, but on the other hand, they knew that it had to be done. With the evidence of Wynter in the house and the fact that some of the Order had seen it, it had to be explained, especially if they were going to find both of them. Now it was only a matter of time until someone put it together.

"T-Then the baby..." Remus whispered, eventually, the facts clicking into place.

"Is Harry's," Dumbledore stated. "He found out he was pregnant a few weeks after he came back," he finished amongst another round of gasps.

"That's why he was sick," Molly whispered through her fingers, eyes swimming with tears, "why he went away..."

"Correct," Dumbledore answered, "once it was time he was hidden away to give birth and stayed there."

"You mean he kept it?" someone asked in surprise.

"Kept it? No, he should have just gotten rid of it."

"Yeah, it's a Death Eater's spawn. It should be killed."

"Would be best..."

"What was Potter thinking?"

"Disgusting..."

"Harry should have known better than to keep it."

"Should be put down..."

"Stop it!" Hermione shouted, standing abruptly. "All of you should be ashamed of yourselves!" The room went quiet as the normally composed girl started fuming at them. "It's a baby you are all talking about. A completely innocent little baby! It doesn't matter who her father is or what he has done. It has nothing to do with her."

"Hermione is right," Ron said standing up, shifting their attention to him, "it doesn't matter. How she was conceived or who her father is. Harry has been doing his best to raise her with all the love and care he can and that's all that matters."

"But it's a Death Eater's kid," a woman spoke up.

"Yeah!" others joined in.

"It's a monster!"