23a . Feb 13
The obstetrician flooed to Westmoor Manor and greeted Lady Potter and Lord Slytherin with a warm smile. She had originally been a bit nervous when she realized that she was being contacted to take of Hari Potter who had ended up pregnant at sixteen. She had been shocked to realize the witch had taken a potion and was physically twenty-two. She had had to take additional oaths of secrecy to keep the pregnancy, the relationship and anything to do with Lady Potter a secret.
"How are you Lady Potter?"
"Tired," Hari sighed. "Very tired. All the time." She glanced at Tom. "And very moody, Healer Anston."
"Maria. And both symptoms are normal. Shall we start the exam? I can answer any questions at the same time."
Tom prodded Hari out of the room ahead of him. He had locked down the manor for the visit only giving the healer access. He did not want her discovering he was Voldemort by running into Death Eaters in the manor.
In their bedroom, Hari laid down on the bed with a weary sigh.
"I can prescribe an energy dense nutritional potion if you need me to. I wouldn't recommend taking it for more than a week or two though."
"How much longer will the fatigue last?" Tom asked curiously. He didn't want Hari to make decisions without the facts.
"Another two or three weeks then you'll begin to have what seems like boundless energy." She smiled down at Hari as she cast the diagnostic to check on the health of the mother and baby. "That's when you'll most likely start putting together the nursery and begin the marathon shopping sprees."
Tom groaned. "I believe I will be grateful for Brianne, Esme, Alice and Nessie at that point."
Hari grinned at him before looking at the healer. "I wouldn't mind having the potions to take if needed. I wouldn't want to take them every day."
Maria nodded. "A very responsible decision. They won't hurt the baby, but the baby will share the energy and not rest as much as it would normally."
Hari frowned. "I'll keep that in mind."
Maria studied the diagnostic. "Everything looks fine. The baby is growing as it should. You are, as expected, fatigued, a bit underweight as your dealing with morning sickness, and stressed. I do recommend trying to minimize whatever is causing the stress. Other than that you and the baby are doing fine. Peanut butter, yogurt, dried fruit and lean proteins like chicken, turkey and fish are a natural source of energy. Drink fruit juices that are high in Vitamin C. At this point the baby is pretty developed, but only about three inches long so it would be hard to see the features. Would you like to see it?"
"Yes!" Tom and Hari both exclaimed excitedly.
Maria chuckled and waved her wand in a complicated fashion over Hari's abdomen. A tiny form wavered into view.
"So small," Tom whispered as he gazed at their child in awe.
Hari just stared raptly. They had created this tiny being. It wasn't a plan or a manipulation or created to be a tool. Their baby created out of love. She swallowed against the tears of joy that welled up suddenly.
Maria enlarged the image and tiny features could be seen. Tiny fingers and feet, a large (for the body) head with eyes shut tight. A tiny pursed mouth and a little bump of a nose. The figure flailed it's teeny arms and legs making Hari laugh in delight at the visual affirmation of life.
Maria smiled at the delight the couple was showing. She was especially pleased to see the delight and love shining in Lord Slytherin's eyes. Dark purebloods often saw babies as line continuation and nothing more. She was glad the Savior had found someone to genuinely care about her after the horrible life the girl had led.
"Thank you, Healer Anston," Tom murmured as he reached out to gently touch the image of his child.
She sighed. They refused to use her first name keeping a distance from her. Hopefully, they would lose that remote distance before the child was born. Trust made delivery a lot less stressful for everyone. "You are most welcome, Lord Slytherin."
After another moment she ended the spell. She packed up her things after setting out four vials of the nutritional potion. "I shall see you in four weeks unless something comes up. You might begin to feel faint movement in the next three to six weeks. Please feel free to contact me with any questions you have."
Tom helped Hari sit up.
"Is there anything I should be avoiding?"
"Quidditch." The healer said succinctly.
"But flying?"
She sighed. "Flying is fine. Just avoid anything that could lead to abdominal blows or major shock to your system. You do want to remain active – walking, swimming, flying. I would suggest spell practice against dummies and not dueling unless you trust your dueling partner explicitly."
"Yes, ma'am."
Feb 15
Rosmerta stared at the large group of people that kept coming out of her fireplace. She recognized Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. The raven haired woman looked familiar, but the rest were strangers and most so beautiful she gawked.
"Rosmerta!" Sirius greeted her with an enthusiastic buss on her cheek. "Ale for the adults and butterbeer for the kiddos."
"Fruit juice for me." Hari cut in.
Sirius gave her a sharp look. "You love butterbeer."
She flushed. "Craving apricot juice."
"Craving..." Remus started to say when Alice cut him off by squealing excitedly.
"This is the cutest pub I've ever seen! Is the rest of the village this quaint?"
"Yes, it is." Tom murmured prodding Hari over to a corner table and placing her against the wall and sitting next to her. Sirius sat on the other side of her with Brianne next to him and the vampires, Remus and the shifters arranging themselves at tables quickly shoved together. Jacob sitting as far from Tom as possible.
Rosmerta and her help brought over their drinks and Sirius dropped several galleons into her hand. Her gaze caught on the emerald eyes of the raven haired woman and she gasped. Her eyes darted to the woman's forehead. Sure enough there was the lightning bolt scar.
Sirius' hand clasped around her wrist. "Shhh." He hissed. "We do not want to attract attention. We want to show our friends around Hogsmeade quietly."
"Well, you picked the wrong weekend for that." Rosmerta replied tartly. "It's Hogsmeade weekend."
Hari groaned.
"What's Hogsmeade weekend?" Nessie asked.
"It means the students from Hogwarts is going to be in the village." Remus murmured.
"We'll keep you safe." Seth stated fiercely. "If any of them start something, we'll finish it."
"Yeah, we will." Leah added firmly.
"So business will be booming?" Sirius asked redirecting the questions he saw in Rosmerta's eyes.
"Yes, and I'm shorthanded. It's going to be a horrible day but profitable."
Leah perked up a bit. "You need help? I've worked as a waitress before. I'm not magical but I'm more than capable of taking orders and bussing tables."
Rosmerta paused. She did need help.
"They're friends of mine from where I'm living now." Hari said quietly. "They aren't magical, but they are wolf shifters."
Jacob growled.
"Oh, stuff it! The magical world has veela, goblins, werewolves, merpeople, vampires, centaurs, etc. You aren't anything special or secret here."
Jacob sighed and leaned back. He was trying to keep his temper in check. The thought of losing it and hurting Nessie had reached him when nothing else had. Well, that and Tom was leveling a stern look at him. He shuddered at the memory of agony dancing along every nerve in his body. "Habit. We can't let people know at home."
"I get that. None of you have to hide here though."
"They're staying with me right now, but are buying a place." Sirius said. "I can vouch that Leah is a very serious and responsible person."
"Aren't you here to take in the sights though?" Rosmerta waffled.
"I can look about the village any time. I really need a job." Leah replied.
"Alright." Rosmerta grinned. "Come to the back with me. I'll fill you in on the menu and drinks before it gets busy."
Leah jumped up and followed the buxom bar owner to the back.
"Mom is going to go ballistic," Seth groaned.
"If you want to come over here with your sister and Jacob, I'll take care of your mom." Hari stated. "Two minutes under my wand and she'll think moving to England is a great educational opportunity for you and considering your pack is moving it is the best choice for you."
Jacob and Seth gawked at her while the Cullens frowned.
"You can change people's minds?" Carlisle asked.
Hari shrugged. "Memory charms...yeah. I don't like to, but I do know how. Mostly I'll just ease her concerns and help her to see the benefits. It isn't like I'm wiping her memory of their existence," she huffed when they continued to frown at her.
"You can do that?!" Jasper asked shocked.
"Ummm, yeah. It's called an Obliviate."
The vampires looked at each other then shrugged. Carlisle sighed. "We can't judge. We have used our gifts to manipulate others many times."
"I influenced their mother's emotions to allow them to come." Jasper admitted.
"Cold Ones and Witches meddling with people's free will. Controlling them, changing their memories. It's not right." Jacob growled.
"We don't do it just for fun. Quit finding fault with everything, Jacob Black." Esme rebuked him sharply. "We know you did not want to take the responsibility of Alpha and that you resent having to be one, but you did so it's time to quit grumbling about it and grow up."
Jacob glared at her then dipped his head to glower silently at the table.
"Why become Alpha if it isn't what you wanted?" Brianne asked curiously.
"It was the only way to save Bella when she became pregnant." Emmett answered when none of the shifters would.
"Come on, let's get out of here. It's going to get crowded very soon and Leah will not appreciate us being in here while she's learning." Hari pushed at Tom gently and he obligingly slid out from the booth and held his hand out to her.
Hari grinned as she took his hand. Her heart still stuttered as she thought of his declaration of love. She couldn't believe this amazing man truly loved her!
He brought her hand up and kissed it. "I do love you," he murmured.
Sirius shook his head. Who'd of ever thought that the Dark Lord would fall in love with the Girl Who Survived. Life was definitely weird.
They trooped outside. They strolled down the wide avenue, Tom, Remus, Sirius and Hari explaining what each shop was.
Carlisle dragged them into Rosa Lee's Teabag shop and was soon involved in a deep conversation with the clerk on the different teas available. He ended up with seven new blends to try. He carefully counted out the odd money and accepted the change gracefully.
They were getting wary looks as the sun came out and bounced off the Cullens sending prisms of light dancing all over the village. They weren't recognized as vampires yet. Vampires in England avoided the sun for centuries until it no longer burned them. They definitely didn't' glitter.
The next stop was of course Honeydukes. The men watched Nessie and Hari go crazy in the sweets shop. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, truffles, chocolate frogs, sugar quills, Bertie Botts Every Flavor Beans, Candy Floss, cauldron cakes, treacle fudge, – all got tossed into baskets that Jacob and Tom were carrying.
Sirius snickered at Remus whose own basket was nearly overflowing with different chocolate delights.
"Oh! You have got to try these!" Hari handed Alice a blood pop. "They are made from different magical creatures like Abraxen horses, Thestrals, Hippocampus, etc."
Alice looked at the sweet doubtfully but gamely licked it. Her eyes widened. "That's...these are..."
"Blood pops." Hari grinned at her.
"Jasper! Come here. Try this!" Alice shoved the pop in his mouth.
Jasper jerked then froze. His cheeks hollowed as he sucked on the lolly. He pulled it out. "That's...good. Very good."
A clerk hurried over. "You do know that you have to pay for..."
"Put it on the Black account." Sirius cut him off with a wave of his hand. "We intend to purchase quite a bit today."
The boy's eyes widened then he nodded vigorously. "Yes, of course, Lord Black." He scurried away.
The total once it was finally rang up came to sixty-three galleons, eighteen knuts. They took nearly all the shops inventory of blood pops.
Students began flooding in as they exited. The students giving the Cullens odd looks as the sporadic sun rays made them sparkle slightly.
"It's odd not having to worry about being caught out." Rosalie murmured wrapping her arm around Emmett's and leaning into him.
"Nice though. Not having to worry."
"Hmmm."
"Sirius? Professor Lupin? What are you all doing in Hogsmeade?"
Sirius tensed then turned to answer Hermione. "Do we need a reason, Ms. Granger?" He started to turn away, but Hermione wasn't going to be put off that easily.
"Have you seen her? Heard from her?"
"Her?"
"Hari. Any word on when she's coming back?"
"She isn't."
"But...she...she has to otherwise You Know Who wins! Dumbledore is gone now. She doesn't need to worry about him anymore. Surely she isn't going to just let her parents' murderer get away with it?"
"Tell me Ms. Granger, are you going to fight against him? Stand up before Voldemort and fire spells at him?"
Hermione paled. "I...no. I don't have the training."
"Neither does Hari. Yet you are all more than willing to let her die for you. Why should she do something you aren't willing to do?"
"We don't need the coward, Mione." Ron growled beside her.
"Hari isn't the coward, Mr. Weasley. Everyone trying to hide behind her are the cowards."
Ron flushed an ugly crimson.
Behind the Cullens and Seth, Tom stiffened at the insult to Hari. Hari's tight grip on his arm held him silent. She didn't want to get in an argument with these two in the middle of Hogsmeade.
"I never hid behind her! Mione and I were right there at her side no matter the danger she dragged us into!"
"Right. We won't mention fourth year will we? Or the fact that you two pushed her into those dangerous situations you are complaining about now." Remus retorted cuttingly making Ron go even redder.
"Stand on your own two feet finally. Go take on Voldemort yourself. You wanted Hari's fame. You wanted the attention and the accolades. Go earn them." Sirius smirked as Ron went white. The freckles on his face stood out sharply.
"I'm sure you two have shopping to do and my guests have been more than patient." Sirius continued after a moment and prodded Brianne into motion. The others followed him down the cobble street.
Hermione stared after them as the large group walked off. The girl in the back, the one the others shifted around to put in the middle. She was familiar. She shook her head and sighed. "Come on, Ron."
Ron grumbled as his girlfriend dragged him to the bookstore. The past two days had been horrible for both of them. Excused from classes while the mind healers cleared the compulsions from their minds they had spent a day and a half in the infirmary recovering.
They had actually had to be immobilized they had fought so hard against letting the healers into their heads. Hermione yelling and screaming about how great Dumbledore was and how everyone was against him now. Ron had went so far as to physically attack them in an effort to get away.
Shaken. That's how they felt. Very shaken. And sickened. Sickened at the blind obedience and the paranoid suspicion that had been instilled in them nightly for six years in a place they had felt safe in by a man they had trusted. A man that they still had a phantom feeling of trust and respect for.
It would take time for the ingrained behavior to completely fade. They would find themselves defending Dumbledore's honor even when they knew he was in the wrong; refuse to admit that something he did was illegal or immoral.
Their heads throbbed with migraine level pain. They were emotionally unstable and got confused on issues easily. The question for quite some time would be was their position on an issue really theirs or was it Dumbledore's.
They had returned to Gryffindor tower after supper last night and their house mates had converged on them wondering what the healers had done and wondering if they felt any different now. Everyone was silent. Betrayal, fear and anger rushing through them all at the same time.
Ron had wanted to stay in and sulk, but Hermione wanted fresh air, books and chocolate so here they were acting as if nothing had changed. Wandering about Hogsmeade just as they had before when everything had changed. Potter had run away. Dumbledore's reputation in shatters. No one at all to keep You Know Who in check.
"I wonder who those people were with Sirius. I can't believe he's acting as if everything is fine. Isn't he worried about Hari? Do you think he knows where she is? Surely she told her godfather. The nerve of him coming here after she deserted us acting as if we should have to fight when its her that You Know Who is after. I can't believe he blamed us for all the dangerous things Hari got us into. And there was something extremely familiar about the girl in the middle."
"Of course he knows. He's helping her hide. How else could Potter pull it off? She wasn't all that smart or brave. We had to convince her to do what she needed to do all the time. Never was a very good Gryffindor if you ask me. Always hanging back not wanting to get involved. Wanting to let the adults handle everything when they weren't willing to do anything. Barely better than Longbottom."
"Why thanks Ron."
The two jumped and turned to see Neville standing behind them arms crossed, glaring in anger. They flushed. "N...n...Neville," Hermione spluttered.
"Hermione." He flicked a glance at her then turned his gaze on Ron. "Just because Hari and I aren't violent, hot tempered bullies doesn't mean we aren't Gryffindors. Gryffindors are to be brave, daring and chivalrous. That doesn't mean rushing headlong into danger or accusing people of things without proof or turning on friends almost every year because they don't do exactly what you want them to. It also doesn't mean browbeating them into submission or running to a professor every time they do something you don't approve of."
Ron turned crimson and Hermione hung her head stung by the rebuke.
"What would you have done if everyone had expected you to face You Know Who by yourself with no special training?"
"I wasn't the one the prophecy was about!" Ron shouted.
"Dumbledore said she was the only one who could kill him!" Hermione yelled at the same time.
"There was no prophecy!" Neville shouted back. "Dumbledore lied! Lied and cost Hari and I our families!"
"Here now! Enough of the shouting." A clerk ran up to them with a glare. "Behave yourselves or leave."
Hermione paled and turned to hurry off her books clutched to her chest.
Ron glared silently at Neville.
Neville sighed. "A lot has come out about her life. How would you have handled it? Neglected, starved, beaten? Set up to be a sacrifice? Can you really blame her for leaving?"
Ron's jaw set mulishly. "I wouldn't have run and left my friends defenseless. Potter's a coward. She should have told someone instead of running away." He turned and stalked off after Hermione.
Neville shook his head and left the store. Those two would never see anything from any view but their own. Neither could understand or empathize with someone else's problems. They would never see that the way Hari was treated was wrong – Hermione because of her deep rooted belief in authority figures and Ron because he was a self-centered, greedy, jealous idiot.
Next chapter: Visiting Hogwarts and the Cullens and the Shifters head back home to pack up for the move to England.