Perfectly Perplexing
Despite their obvious dislike for Hugo Weasley and a few tragic periods that occurred previously in their lives, the 'Talented' students of Gladstone Academy had always been perfect in everyone else's eyes. But to those four children, there were too many secrets, too many technicalities and too many perplexing conclusions in their fragile lives. But either way, they will still try to be perfect and conceal those secrets. Watch them go through their first year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry and face the fate it holds for them.
Prologue: Birth of a Lilypad
Harry Potter sat at his desk filling out some paper work. It was 1:30 in the afternoon on December 30th and there were very few people in the Auror office today. He was working extra days to cover the holidays he would be taking. Ginny was due with their third child on the 10th of February and Harry had decided to stay home with her for a few weeks. He was very excited for the birth, not only because he would be a father to another child, but because it was actually going to happen this time. Ginny had miscarried twice before and it had forced her to think she could never have another child. Another reason Harry was excited was that, they were having a girl this time. He loved James and Al but it just wasn't the same as a little girl. Speaking of James he distinctly heard the six and a half year old's voice screaming. But no, that wasn't possible; James was at George and Angelina's house, playing with their son Fred. Harry was wrong though because as he turned to leave his office, the door opened and Fred, James and Roxanne, George and Angelina's daughter, ran in.
"Guess what Uncle Harry? Actually don't guess, we flooed all the way here by ourselves because Mum told us to tell you something. But we don't remember what it is, it was important though. Oh well." Fred said. Just then Ginny's patronus came galloping in.
"Harry, my water broke, contractions are twenty seven minutes apart. They aren't very strong yet and still pretty far."
"I remember what the message is now; Aunt Ginny is having the baby!." Fred said.
"Good for you Freddy, now Roxy I need you to floo back to your house with James and Fred and tell your Mum to call Hermione and Ron. Ok?" Harry said.
"Ok Uncle Harry, but she's already calling Grandma Molly, so…"
"Just go Roxy, and tell her not to tell Grandma Molly yet, we don't want the whole family waiting for who knows long." Harry said rushing them out of his office. He ran to the apparition point and apparated home. Once inside the house he saw Ginny sitting on the couch in front of the fireplace.
"Gin, are they getting worse?" Harry asked.
"Not really, they are not that bad, simply annoying."
"Oh, that's good I guess"
The next afternoon Ginny squeezed her eyes together tightly as another contraction passed.
"How far apart?" Harry who had just come out of the shower, asked.
"Fifteen minutes, but they hurt like hell; maybe we should go to St. Mungo's now?" Ginny said.
"How about I take the boys over to Ron and Hermione's and then we can go?" Harry asked.
"Yeah that sounds good, tell them that we'll tell them to contact everyone when we're ready ok?" Ginny replied.
"Ok I'll be back in half an hour, can you manage?"
"Yeah just go, I'll see you soon." Harry gave her a peck on the cheek and rushed into James room first, he packed an overnight bag and then rushed into Albus's room to pack him one as well.
"James do you want to floo by yourself over to Fred's?" Harry asked. James nodded and stepped into the fireplace. After he had disappeared, Harry lifted Al and yelled "Ron and Hermione Weasley's"
He hugged Albus as he span through the different fireplaces. Albus buried his head in Harry's shoulder as they spun faster. Soon they began to slow down and eventually fell out on to a soft fluffy carpet. He looked up to see Ron- with an amused look sprawled on his face- standing over him.
"Hi," Harry said, taking Ron's offered hand to pull himself and Albus up off the floor.
"Hello Uncle Ron! Where's Rosie?" Albus asked.
"Hey Albus," Ron said as ruffled his nephews hair, "She's upstairs."
Albus flew up the stairs, in search of his cousin and best friend. Harry could trust them to be on their own without blowing stuff up, unlike James and Fred.
"Why are you here?" Ron asked, quite rudely.
"Well, could you watch Al for the day? Ginny's been in labor for twenty-five hours already and her contractions are only 15 minutes apart, we'll let you know when to tell the rest of the family. Thanks a lot; I got to go before Ginny jinxes me." Harry said. He rushed to the fireplace, grabbing a handful of floo powder.
He came out of the fireplace and walked upstairs to his and Ginny's bedroom. She was sitting on the bed clutching the blanket tightly in her hands.
"Are you ready to go? How far apart are they now?"
"Yes, I've been ready for a few minutes, and they're 12 minutes apart and they are starting to hurt more and more."
Harry helped her up and pulled her down the stairs and into the fireplace shouting "St. Mungo's".
Harry walked up to the plump lady sitting at the front desk and said "My wife has just gone into labor about a month and few weeks early-"
"Go away, I'm filing my nails right now!" the lady said rudely. Harry sighed and pulled Ginny towards the elevator. Harry then heard a familiar voice behind them.
"Gin? You've gone into labor already?" Ginny turned around to see one of her best friends Katie Wood. Katie was holding her almost 5 month son Peter in her arms and looking at Ginny with a concerned look on her face.
"Yes, an-"she cut her self off by yelping in pain.
"Oh no, that's twelve minutes apart, that lady at the front desk won't listen to me Katie! James and Al weren't early." Harry explained. Katie was a healer in the baby ward here at St. Mungo's but was on maternity leave herself.
"Twelve minutes? We have to get her upstairs; here I'll take her to get settled Harry. You take Peter home, just put him down for a nap and watch him, Oliver should be home in a few hours. We should be ready for you when you get back just meet me in the hall on the birthing floor." Katie said handing her son to Harry and supporting Ginny into the elevator. Harry rushed toward the fireplace for what felt the millionth time that day.
"Katie, how is she doing?" Harry said rushing out of the elevator.
"She's still got a while to go, but I'll handle it, Ginny said she doesn't mind. You go ahead in and I'll be back in a while to check on her."
"Harry, you're back, what time is it?"
"Five thirty-nine, that's twenty nine hours and nine minutes of labor, you're doing great Gin."
"Go call Mum, she'll tell the rest of the family,"
Harry left the room and quickly got to the fireplace at the healer station. He grabbed a handful of Floo powder and threw it in, saying "The Burrow!" And then he stuck his head into the green flames.
"Harry!" Mrs. Weasley jumped as his head appeared in the fireplace. "Is something the matter?"
"Ginny, she's gone into labor."
The ear piercing shriek that followed made Harry jump. "Oh, my goodness! We must tell everyone!"
Harry fell backwards from the fireplace and rushed back to Ginny's room.
"You should go see the family," Ginny panted, another contraction having just passed. "I'll be fine, Katie's here
Harry nodded and kissed her on the forehead before making his way down the hall.
"Harry!" Hermione was the first one to see him. She ran at him and engulfed him in a strong hug. "How is she? How's she doing?"
"She's doing fine. Katie's with her now."
Ginny hissed loudly in pain as another contraction passed. It was almost eleven forty. She'd gone through almost thirty-six hours of contractions, and she was getting tired of it.
"Alright, Ginny," Katie spoke up, "Are you ready to push?"
"Hell, yes, but I need Harry in here and I promised Hermione too." Ginny breathed, another contraction coming and going. They were so close together now that she hardly had a chance to get her breath between them. Katie walked into the waiting room and motioned for Hermione and Harry to come over.
"Hurry up Harry, she's ready to push and she won't do it unless you're there! And she wants you in there Hermione." Katie said guiding them into the room.
Katie and a few other healers arranged Ginny on the bed so that she was clenching Harry's hand, her knees spread apart.
"Okay, Ginny. When I say push, I want you to push as hard as you can, alright?" Katie directed.
"Ready... push… now!"
Ginny pushed with all her strength, desperately tired. She heard herself shriek loudly and felt Harry squeeze her hands.
She stopped when Katie told her to, panting. After fifteen minutes, Katie smiled.
"One more push, Ginny." Letting out a shuddering breath, Ginny turned her head and locked her warm brown eyes with Harry's vivid green ones .
"C'mon, Ginny. You can do this. You've done it twice before, remember? Don't you want to meet our daughter? " With those words from Harry, Ginny took in a deep breath and pushed with all her might.
A loud sigh escaped Ginny as she collapsed against Harry's chest. Then a quiet whimper filled the room.
"Hey Gin, you've got a very special little girl here, for several reasons actually, one it appears she was born on December 31st, and two she has a very rare gift." Katie said handing the tiny child to Ginny.
"I feel old now Katie, I mean I'm twenty-six, and I have three children now, what am I going to do?"
"Gin, you are one of my best friends and I would have told you if you were old, and besides twenty-six is hardly old at all. Now why don't we leave you and Harry to admire your baby girl for a while? C'mon Hermione, we'll tell the rest of the family they'll be able to see the baby soon." Katie said grabbing Hermione's hand.
She was perfect. From her small tuft of red hair all the way down to her tiny little toes, with her mother's beautiful deep chocolate brown eyes and her father's perfect little nose.. Ginny gave an exhausted yawn. Harry took the little girl from Ginny's arms, looking down at her lovingly.
"I suppose we should let them in." Ginny suggested with a weak laugh, letting her head fall onto Harry's shoulder. "They've been out there long enough."
"Do we have to?"
Harry permitted a crooked smile before reaching for his wand. "Ready?" he asked, with a dubious look to Ginny. She shrugged wearily in response and watched as he opened the door with a flick of the wrist.
The room was instantly flooded with red-heads as a stampede of Weasleys entered. Molly was inconsolable as she flung herself towards the bed, Arthur dutifully at her side, his face plastered with a soggy smile.
"Four visitors at a time!" A distraught Katie called from in amongst the group, somewhere behind George. "Four visitors!" she cried. George simply smirked, "Oh come on Kate, you honestly think that anyone's going to leave when their last niece has just been born?"
"I'm surprised Angelina actually married you, your just so annoying…" Katie joked under her breath.
"Oh, Ginny, she's beautiful," Hermione cooed adoringly, stroking Lily's rosy cheek with her one hand, the other holding one year old Hugo.
"Looks just like you, Gin." Ron said in hushed tones as he leant down to meet his niece. "Red hair and everything, just like a real Weas-" But before he could finish, Ginny shot him a glare
"So where's Teddy and Vicky?" Harry asked and then looked around the room for his godson.
"He was snogging Victoire last I saw, but don't worry I'm sure they are fine either that or they are shagging somewhere in a broom closet." Louis the youngest child of Bill and Fleur said.
"Louis they are eleven and twelve I highly doubt that-"
"Who the hell is talking about me? They have no right and if it was Louis…, god I am going to kill that boy." Victoire yelled her fingers laced with Teddy's.
"Teddy, Victoire, are you going to come see Lily Luna Potter?" Harry asked.
"Of course Uncle Harry, oh she is soooo cute! May I hold her Aunt Ginny?" Victoire asked gushing. "Is she not the cutest thing you have ever seen Teddy Bear?"
"Teddy Bear?" Louis asked chuckling.
"You know Lou, Victoire just learned a colour changing spell, of course she can only change things to hot pink right now and she isn't quite sure how to undo it, but I'm sure you'd look fabulous in pink…." Teddy started mockingly.