"Seek out The Gem of Ankou..."

Harry was seated in his throne of ice. It was set in a room that was now much more ornate than it had been before as two thrones now sat beside him. One, blazing with black flames and the other was much smaller and a bit obscure.

"...Gem of Ankou"

Harry heard the voice call out again. He followed it as well as he could. He began to wander around what looked to be a palace. He opened door after door, but found nothing. He finally reached a bright green door, slowly opened it. Inside was a person shrouded in robes. The figure was beckoning Harry forth.

"You have found me." the figure warmly stated. "Do not fear me my child. I offer you a chance at what you seek."

"What I seek?" Harry asked. "What do you mean?"

The cloaked figure pulled back his hood and revealed a man in his forties with honey blonde hair. He had a scar going down the right side of his face, but had beautiful blue eyes. He smiled softly at Harry and began to speak.

"I am Gideon, and I was sent by the Goddess of Time and the Underworld."

"What?! I don't understand."

"Your family will play a very important role in the fate of the planet Earth, especially your son."

"The entire planet?"

"Indeed. However, that isn't the reason for this visit. I was instructed to tell you to seek out the Gem of Ankou. You are free to use it at your whim when it is found."

"What is it? What does it do? Where do I start?"

"Relax, young one. All questions will be answered in time. In time..." The voice said and began to fade away.


Harry drifted into consciousness puzzled by the dream he'd just awakened from. 'The Gem of Ankou,' he thought. He promised himself that he'd go and look it up after Ron's tryout. He then turned to find his husband's side of the bed empty.

Harry got up and walked around looking for his ginger lover, he wanted to tell him about the dream and get his insight. He found him sitting beneath the tree in the backyard, staring out at the sky. It was the wee hours of the morning, so the sun was just making its appearance over the horizon.

Harry made his way over and sat down beside Ron. "Everything all right?" he asked, looking at the odd look on his face. It was so different to the bright grin he wore just a few hours before.

"I've been thinking." he cryptically said.

"About?"

"I was thinking what if the only reason I was offered a tryout was because of who I am? Should I be offended?"

"Ah, I see. Well, having a bit more experience in this area, I can honestly say no. There are going to be people out there who are just going to hand things to us because of who we are and what we've done. It makes you feel like you're taking advantage of the situation or you're just using them. You wish you could rely more on your skills and knowledge to get things."

"That's it exactly! I mean, I've dreamed of this happening for as long as I could remember. The Cannons would come up to me and say 'Hey, we need you on the team!', but I always imagined it would be because I was just so good at the game, that they just HAD to have me. Now that it's being handed to me...I don't even know anymore."

"But Ron, nothing's being handed to you! The only thing you've been given is an opportunity. If they were just looking to add you to the team, they would have just given you a spot on the team. You get to show them what you've got and make them see that they'd be crazy not to have you on the team."

"Yeah...yeah, you're right! I'm gonna give it everything I have! Thanks, love," he said pecking his husband on the cheek and wrapping one arm around him. The two sat and watched the sun rise. Harry decided to wait until after the tryout and after more research before he told Ron anything. He was getting the chance of his dreams and he was going to do everything to see that he had it.


A few hours passed and Harry and Ginny helped Ron prepare for his tryout. He was a bundle of nerves and was forgetting the simplest things like his gear, his broom, at one point, his name.

"Calm down, Ron! You'll be fantastic!" Ginny cheered. She clapped him on the back after he was all suited up. They were set to Apparate straight to the stadium. He had insisted that his parents not join them, just in case he messed up. They wished him luck anyway and the trio made their way.

When they arrived, the stadium was absolutely empty for the day so they got to see how massive it really was. They ran into Nick and Hermione who came to cheer Ron on as well. Galvin made his way over after spotting the group and escorted Ron over to the pitch while Nick showed everyone to their seats.


"All right boys, this is Ron Potter-Weasley. He'll be trying out to be a part of the team today. He's going for the spot of Beater, so we'll run a few drills on him first. No one let up just because he's famous. I have it on good authority that he's got the talent to be here, so let's make sure he uses it!" Galvin said to the rest of the team. In addition to being the team Seeker, he was also the Team Captain. His teammates regarded Ron with a sort of awe at first but once Gavin made his speech, they were giving very determined looks.

"Ron," Galvin started. "I understand that you were primarily a Keeper in your school days, but I think you'd make a good Beater. Think you can handle it?"

"Oh yeah, my brothers were our team's Beaters and we played around a lot growing up."

"Good. Well first we're going to test your hitting. We're going to release the Bludgers and see how well you keep them off you. A couple of us will swoop in from time to time to simulate a distraction you might come a cross on the field. Got it?"

"Got it!"

"All right, Let's do this. CANNONS! LET'S LOCK AND LOAD!" Galvin called and the entire team hopped on their brooms and took to the sky. Ron quickly followed suit and the tryout was underway.


"Oh look, they've just gone up!" Hermione squealed. "This is so exciting!"

"Yeah it is!" Ginny seconded, trying to keep focus on her brother.

"You all right, man?" Nick asked a slightly pale Harry.

"Yeah...just the typical pains and stuff. Just breaking into the 7th month so..."

"Say no more, man. Just warn us if it gets too much, all right?"

Harry just nodded and turned back to watch Ron, hand resting on his stomach the entire time.


The Bludgers were released and came hurdling towards Ron. He prepared himself and sped off. He knocked them out-of-the-way with ease and watched as they began to head for his teammates. He gave chase and weaved through the air with more grace than he remembered having. 'Guess it helps that I'm used to turning into a bird now,' he smirked to himself as he sent one of the Bludgers away from the Seeker. He was doing amazingly.

Practice continued that way for a few hours. However it was suddenly interrupted by a yell filling the empty arena.

"RON!" It was Ginny. "HARRY'S GONE INTO LABOR!"

Ron suddenly froze on his broom. 'That can't be! It's too early!' he began to panic. Galvin swooped down and approached Ron.

"All right, you go on ahead, it looks like you're needed elsewhere." he said. Ron was about to shoot off when Galvin yelled, "Congratulations! Be ready to suit up once you guys get settled!"

He'd done it. He'd made the team! Now to see about his husband. He raced over to find Harry slumped over in a chair. He wasn't yelling or making any noise at all, but you could see by the look on his face that he was in a great deal of pain.

"Harry, Harry, love. We have to go now." He propped his silent husband up and turned to his sister. "Tell Mum and Dad to meet us at St. Mungo's!" He said, his voice full of authority. She nodded and Apparated home.

"We're right behind you guys," Hermione said. Ron nodded and turn to his husband. "We're going to go now, alright?"

"Too soon..." Harry whispered through gritted teeth.

"I know, honey. I know."

And with that they were gone.


Molly Weasley was doing a bit of washing up in the kitchen when she'd heard a 'pop' from the living room. Thinking it was Ron to tell about his tryout she rushed out and was surprised to find her daughter in tears. She couldn't tell if they were happy tears or not, however.

"MUM! We have to get to St. Mungo's NOW!"

"What's happened, dear? Is Ron all right?"

"It's not Ron, it's Harry. He went into labor at the tryout."

"Already?! It's too soon!" she worriedly screamed. "You go ahead to St. Mungo's, I'll be along in just a bit. I'm going to g collect your father from work."

Ginny nodded and was gone again. Molly wasn't far behind.


Harry was immediately wheeled into the Emergency Care section and given a look-over.

"Mr. Potter-Weasley, I'm afraid we're going to have to deliver your baby as soon as possible."

"Will he be all right? It's too soon!" Harry wailed over the commotion around him.

"I assure you we'll do everything in our power to ensure both of your lives. We're going to prep you for surgery."

As soon as Ron heard the word surgery, he knew things were taking a dangerous turn. If things were so bad that they had to cut Harry open as quickly as possible then... he didn't want to finish that thought.

Once Harry had been given a strong Sleeping Draught and was unconscious, Ron was shown to the waiting room and began the longest wait of his entire life.


After a few hours, Molly, Arthur, and Ginny came rushing up to a young redheaded man with his head leaned against the wall, looking like death warmed over. He was still wearing his Quidditch gear and was staring despondently at the ceiling.

"Ron!" Ginny called, pulling her brother into a hug. "Is he all right? Have you heard anything?"

Ron just looked down at his sister with tears in his eyes and shook his head 'no'. He was then surrounded by his mother and father in a family hug and broke down and sobbed.


Hermione and Nick had finally found where Harry was supposed to be after asking several unhelpful members of the staff. They walked over and saw the Weasleys consoling a grief-stricken Ron and hoped with everything they had that it wasn't what they thought it was.

They slowly made their way over and were spotted by Arthur. "Hermione, good to see you." He said in a quiet voice, betraying the fact that he had tears in his eyes.

"Is Harry-?" She couldn't finish the question.

"We don't know just yet. We haven't heard anything after he was prepped for surgery. They have to deliver Tiberius today, but it's two months two early."

There was a silence after that. They all knew the risks of being born that prematurely and how fatal the surgery can be in some cases. Everyone took a seat and continued the wait that seemed to stretch on forever.


A few more hours later, Healer Richards made his way out and pulled down his surgical mask. "Ron, I'd like to speak with you."

Ron darted up and made his way over. "W-what is it? Are they all right? Please! Let them be all right!"

"Calm down," he shushed. "Harry and Tiberius are just fine...for the most part. Harry made it through the surgery and once we give him a few potions for the pain and the scar, he'll be fine. Tiberius also made it. We put him in an incubator, where he'll have to stay for a while before he's released. Despite being born so early, he's healthier than we expected."

"But..." Ron said, wishing he would get to the point already.

"But, his vocal chords weren't developed fully, so there's a good chance he'll be mute for the rest of his life."

"He'll never speak?"

"I'm afraid not. However, his hearing seems to be fine, we'll have wait until he opens his eyes before we can check his sight. He's also having trouble maintaining his body temperature, but that should be sorted out in the incubator. He's a very lucky boy."

Ron nodded, taking in everything that was said. He had to see them, and soon.

"When can I see them?" he asked.

"We're moving Harry to his own room, but you're free to head to the nursery and see Tiberius. Congratulations, you're a father." Healer Richards said, patting Ron on the shoulder and heading off to check on Harry.

"Well what did he say?!" Molly almost yelled. The whole family was on pins and needles wanting to know what was going on.

"He said they're both relatively fine. Tiberius is very lucky to be alive, but his vocal chords aren't fully developed, so he'll more than likely never speak."

"Oh honey," she said pulling him into a hug, or trying to. He squirmed and backed away. "We can go and see him in the nursery when we're ready." They all nodded and slowly made their way there.


The got to the nursery and saw all the newborn babies in their bassinets trying to take in the new world they've been brought into. In the corner, was a machine covered with clear glass. The family made their way over and looked inside.

The was a tiny baby, lying on its stomach. There were several tubes attached to him, presumably supplying oxygen and food. He was covered in what to be orange-brown fur with a tuft of reddish hair on the top of his head. On his back there was a small pair of what looked like bird wings, with a matching, smaller pair on his ankles. He had little ears that were slightly pointed and pointed down and out of his diaper stuck a long, bushy tail that match the rest of his fur. He was barely moving, all you could see him slightly raise when he inhaled.

Everyone looked at the child before them and were immediately filled with love for the little person that was in front of them. Tears were filling everyone's eyes, partly with joy and partly with worry.

Ron took off his gloves and placed his hands on the glass. "H-Hey...hey there. It's your daddy. I need you to stay strong for me, OK buddy? Can you...can you do that for me?" Ron couldn't stop the tears and began to sob. Arthur took his son in his arms and held him like he was the only thing keeping him from falling.

"He's going to be fine, son. H-He's going to be just fine."