10 Gifts, Dreams and Curses
"Get up!" Harry said, tossing a pair of trousers at Sirius' head. "We need to get a move on!"
Sirius groaned and pulled his blanket over his head. "What's so bloody important that you wake me up at the crack of dawn?"
"It's not the crack of dawn," Harry said, "It's nine thirty, and I have some shopping to do."
Sirius tossed a pillow at him. "So go shopping, why do you need me?"
"All right, then, I'll just go find a new broom by myself."
"New broom?" Sirius said, his head poking out from the covers. "Why didn't you just say so?"
Sirius dragged himself out of bed and trudged through the shower. Soon he and Harry were walking into Quality Quidditch Supplies in Diagon Alley.
Harry wanted to look around at the chaser's gloves and pads for Ginny, but Sirius went straight for the brooms.
"We could replace your Firebolt," Sirius said excitedly, "and get one for me as well, we'll crush the Weasleys at two-a-side Quidditch!"
Upon seeing Sirius' excitement, the shopkeeper came over. "Can I help you, gentlemen?"
"Yes!" Sirius exclaimed. "We need two Firebolts!"
"Sirius, would you calm down!" Harry said.
Upon hearing the name Sirius, the shopkeeper's eyes went wide. Harry could tell the man was frightened of Sirius. His name may have been cleared officially, but people had been quite accustomed to thinking of Sirius as a murderous lunatic.
"I'm Harry Potter," Harry said quickly, shaking the merchant's hand. "My godfather and I would like to buy some brooms."
Harry saw the man predictably look up to his scar, and then calm a bit.
There was another man in the store, up by the checkout counter. When he heard Harry's name, he turned and hurried over. "Mr. Potter," he said nervously. "it's an honour!"
Harry shook the man's hand.
"Mr Potter, my name is Flavian Frapp, and I work for the Firebolt Corporation. If you're serious about your brooms, I have something you might be interested in!"
"We are definitely interested," Sirius said greedily.
The man took Sirius and Harry over to his trunk, opened it and took out a very sleek looking broom. "This is the Firebolt Elite," he said reverently. "It's our newest product, much faster than the old Firebolt, it has twice the handling and braking capabilities," the man said. "It's the finest broom ever produced!"
Harry looked on in awe.
"How much?" Sirius asked with a grin. "It doesn't matter. We want two!"
"There are only five in existence. They don't go on the market until next season, and then only to the professional teams," Mr Frapp told them. "But I can make an exception for Mr Potter."
"Can I have three?" Harry asked.
"They are not cheap," Mr Frapp said, "but yes, I can get you three."
"The cost doesn't matter," Sirius added. "We'll take them!"
"Absolutely not!" Bill said angrily. "I will not allow it!"
Ginny snorted. "Allow it? It's not bloody well up to you to allow anything!"
"I think that we, as your elder brothers, speak on our parent's behalf," said Percy. "It's out of the question."
Ginny was furious. "I'll be seventeen in a month. I'll make my own decisions!"
"Come on, Ginny!" Ron laughed, "You can't be serious!"
"Think it's funny do you?" she asked with fury in her voice.
Ron laughed. "Well, I mean really, you? You've got to be joking!"
BANG! Bat bogeys, right in the kisser.
"Oh that's really mature, Ginny," said Bill shortly. "We're just looking out for you."
"I don't need looking out for!" she snarled. "If this is what I want, you sorry lot should be supporting me!"
"How do you expect us to do that? I mean honestly! You're still a baby!" Charlie said pleadingly.
BANG! More bat bogeys. Charlie started flailing around just as Ron was, fighting the little mucus-monsters.
"Do NOT call me a baby!" Ginny shrieked.
"Just calm down, Sis," Bill said, trying to soothe her temper. "No one thinks you're a baby, but you should really think about this." Bill paused, waiting for a hex, it didn't come. "This family has lost enough and what you want to do is very dangerous. At least have a little consideration for Mum."
"Bill's right. You're being very selfish. You need to forget this silly idea right now!" Percy said with an air of command.
BANG! Percy got hit with the yellow hex, sending his own bogeys into attack mode. He dropped to the floor and curled up in a ball to try to avoid them.
Ron ran past Ginny, almost knocking her over. "Levicorpus!" she called, and Ron was strung up by his ankle, arms flying about madly against his attackers.
Charlie had managed to stop the flow of bat bogeys, this infuriated Ginny even more. "Furnunculous!" she cast, and large boils broke out all over Charlie's body.
"Real mature, baby sis!" Charlie said sarcastically.
"Densaugeo!" she shot back, and Charlie's front teeth grew to almost two feet long, stopping him from making any more comments.
Arthur Weasley stepped into the room. "What are you lot doing in here?"
"They're treating me like a baby, Daddy!" Ginny said quickly. She knew that she needed to act fast to get Dad on her side.
"She's acting like one!" Bill said sourly. "Your daughter wants to play Quidditch for the Holyhead Harpies!"
Arthur turned to Ginny. "Do you now?"
Ginny dropped her head. "Yes, Daddy."
"Well then, I think that's wonderful. You boys need to realize that your sister is almost a grown woman, and she'll be making up her own mind from now on. Judging by the looks of three of you," he looked at Charlie, Ron and finally Percy who was by now in the fetal position in the corner. "It's a lesson best learned sooner rather than later."
"But Dad," began Bill.
"No buts. Ginny has a right to follow her own dreams, just as all of you." Arthur gave Charlie and Bill a stern look. "How do you think you Mother felt about Curse-Breaking? Or Dragon taming?"
Bill looked guilty, and Charlie looked as guilty as one can look with front teeth hanging down to his waist..
Ginny stepped forward and hugged her father. "Thanks Daddy," she said quietly. Arthur hugged his daughter as he saw her boyfriend enter the room.
Harry looked at Ron, Charlie and finally Percy before speaking. "Hey Charlie, nice tie. What did I miss?"
"Before we explain, Harry, I think Ginny should set her brothers right," Arthur said, letting Ginny know it was not a request.
"Ok, then." She cast Finite Incantatum on Percy and Charlie and turned to Ron.
"Gently," Arthur said.
Ginny gave him a disappointed look. "Okay." She set Ron down gently and stopped the bat bogeys.
"Now fix Charlie's teeth," Arthur said.
Ginny blushed. "I can't."
Charlie's eyes grew very wide.
"You can't?" Arthur asked incredulously.
"I don't know the counter curse," she said quietly.
"It's ok." Ron interjected. "I'll get Hermione to do it. She knows the counter curse."
Percy scrambled out the door as Ron led Charlie upstairs. Bill stormed out in disgust.
Arthur turned to his daughter and Harry. "I'll let you fill Harry in, Princess." He kissed his daughter on the cheek and left.
"Ok, then. What did I miss?"
Ginny looked at him and blushed, then pulled a pamphlet out of her pocket and handed it to him. "They were telling me I couldn't do it."
Harry read the pamphlet and handed it back to her. It seemed the present he bought for Ginny today would come in handy. "I think it's a brilliant idea!" he said happily, "you'll be great!"
She jumped up and hugged him tightly. "Really?"
"Of course, Ginny, you're a brilliant chaser, they'd be lucky to get you," Harry said. "I told you that I would support whatever career choice you made."
Hermione had spent the whole day in quiet solitude. She had camped out in Ron's room since breakfast, staring out the window and thinking.
She was still very upset about her parent's decision to divorce. Her mother had gone off into London this morning to speak with a barrister about arranging the divorce.
Hermione was undecided about her mother's budding relationship with Sirius. Sirius was childish, irresponsible and arrogant, but deep down Hermione knew that he was also loyal and good-hearted. Her mother really could do much worse.
But it was all wrong! Mum already had someone, a husband, Hermione's father! She didn't need a new romantic relationship in her life. Once someone was married, that was supposed to be it!
She idly wished that Ron would come back up so she could make love to him and forget all about these things. She concluded that her parents must not love her anymore, because they had no desire to be a family. They had chosen to pursue their own lives and forsake the family unit, therefore they didn't love her. Ron loved her, and when they were together she felt it, and she liked that feeling.
She thought back to the night before, when Ron had been so concerned about using her and hurting her, he was so selfless and noble. It was like something she would expect Harry to do.
Did her parents really not love her? Hermione didn't want to believe it, but it was apparent that being a family wasn't enough motivation to keep them together. They had loved each other enough to get married and have a child, what could possibly have happened to change things? They had a child, Hermione, that was the biggest difference in their lives now. What else could it be?
Perhaps if she hadn't gone off to Hogwarts, if she had stayed in the Muggle world with them, if Hermione had tried harder to be a part of their family instead of dashing off to the Burrow every summer to be with Ron and Harry, things would be different now.
Ron came in and interrupted her musings. Unfortunately, he wasn't alone.
Ginny had hit Charlie with the Densaugeo Curse, and Ron wanted her to reverse it. Hermione cast the counter curse and sent them on their way. She thought back to the time that she had learned the counter to that particular curse.
She had asked her parents time and again to allow her to reduce her buck teeth with magic, but they had refused flatly. Being dentists, they firmly believed that there was only one natural way to realign her teeth, and it was decidedly not magical.
Hermione briefly thought that it was a bit hypocritical for her mother to take up residence in the magical world now when she had been so fervently against allowing Hermione to use magic to fix her teeth.
Now that Hermione thought of it, her mother had been rather quiet during that particular discussion. It had actually been her father that had forbidden her from using magic to fix her teeth, Jessica had sat there, silent, throughout the conversation. Hermione had thought that to be odd.
She decided to try again, to find out the root of the problem between her parents. She would ask her mother to dinner, a private dinner, so they could talk about things.
Harry and Ginny sat down to lunch at the Burrow with Sirius, Molly, Jessica, Charlie, and Ron. Ron eventually persuaded Hermione to join them.
"So did you and Sirius get your shopping done this morning?" Ginny asked, pouring pumpkin juice for Harry and herself.
"Indeed we did," Sirius said. "We had a very productive morning once I coaxed Harry out of his bed."
"You coaxed me? Harry asked indignantly. "I thought I was going to have to tie Buckbeak to your foot and drag you out of bed!"
Molly, Ginny and Jessica laughed. Hermione smirked at her mother.
"Speaking of our shopping trip," Harry said, turning to Ginny. "I have a surprise for you."
"Oh! Gifts!" Ginny exclaimed, practically bouncing. "I love gifts!"
"Well you can have yours tonight after dinner at Grimmauld Place," Harry said teasingly.
Ginny pouted, and Hermione spoke up. "Mum," said the bushy haired girl. "I was hoping you and I could have a mother/daughter dinner tonight."
"Of course, dear," Jessica said, a bit dejectedly. "That'll be lovely." She had hoped to spend a bit more time with Sirius, but she knew that there were issues to discuss with Hermione.
The rest of the meal was spent with good food and friendly conversation, after which Sirius and Harry excused themselves to prepare for the evening's festivities.
After lunch, Ginny excused herself to her room under the excuse of not feeling well. She had told no one except Hermione of her fears of being pregnant, and Hermione was sworn to secrecy. She hadn't felt sick, or anything else that would indicate pregnancy, it was much too early for that. But she had forgotten the charm.
When Harry had mentioned a gift this evening, she secretly hoped that it was an engagement ring, which would be followed by a whirlwind wedding, and then she needn't be overly concerned about an impending baby. She could claim that in the excitement of the wedding night, she had forgotten the charm.
Of course, even that chain of events would put a damper on her career choice of playing Quidditch for the Harpies. She couldn't very well play Quidditch whilst carrying a baby.
But she could always wait a year and then try out. Once the baby was a bit bigger, Mum could watch him or her during the days while Ginny went to practice, and Harry would keep the baby during games.
Unless of course Harry was off on some Auror assignment, and then Mum could stand in again. She knew that Molly wouldn't mind, once all her own babies were off and married, she would adore a grandchild.
Ginny pushed her hand beneath her shirt and rubbed it across her stomach. She wondered idly what her child might look like. Being that it was half Weasley, red hair was very likely. Adding the fact that Harry's mother was supposed to have been a redhead made it almost a certainty.
Of course Ginny hoped that it would have its father's dark locks, and his piercing green eyes, but she admitted to herself that she might be prejudiced. Any combination would be just fine as long is it was healthy and happy.
She thought of Harry. Would he be angry? Probably not. The boy had been without a proper family for most all of his life, the chance to be a father would probably send him over the moon, if it didn't scare the daylights out of him.
No, that wasn't likely. Ginny had watched the man she loved square off with Voldemort himself and come out victorious. Nothing could possibly scare him after that.
Of course it was all just dreams, Ginny didn't even know for sure if there was a baby, and Harry's gift for her? It would probably just be some chocolate frogs.
Ginny decided that she wouldn't worry about things that she couldn't change. Hermione was supposed to be looking up the spell that would determine whether or not she was pregnant, and until she knew for sure she would continue on like nothing was wrong. Thinking optimistically, Ginny got some parchment and her quill and wrote off her request to schedule a tryout with the Holyhead Harpies.
"So are you giving her both gifts tonight?" Sirius asked, placing the plates on the table.
"No," said Harry, following with the silverware. "Only the first, the other will have to wait until just the right time."
"What's wrong with tonight?"
Harry smiled. "That's the beauty of life now, I've got all the time in the world," said Harry happily. "I don't need to rush anything at all."
"I just wish that James and Lily could be here to see it," Sirius said thoughtfully. "I know they will be so proud."
"It's odd," Harry said quietly. "To think that even though they're dead, they are right here with us."
"Having been on the other side, I know that they're watching us all the time," added Sirius. "It's their favourite pastime."
"Too bad you can't give your gift tonight," Harry said with a smile.
"I'll be seeing her later tonight," said Sirius. "And I'll thank you to keep that to yourself."
As they finished setting the table, Harry heard the floo blaze to life. Ginny was the first one out.
"Gifts!" she said excitedly. "I want my gift!" She rushed over and hugged Harry.
"Can't it wait until after dinner?" Harry asked breathlessly as she squeezed him for all she was worth.
"No!" she said sharply. "It's been driving me barmy all day, I need my gift now!"
Harry rolled his eyes and took her by the hand into the sitting room as the rest of the Weasleys sat down at the table.
"Ok," said Harry reluctantly. "It's not much, but I think you'll find it useful, especially with your new career."
He handed her the long wrapped package. Ginny took it and ripped off the paper hastily. It was a broom case. A very nice broom case but it was useless without a broom.
She gave Harry a disappointed look. She saw the anticipation in his eyes and then it hit her. Open the thing.
She did. And what she found inside left her speechless.
"It's the new Firebolt Elite," Harry said quietly. "It's a professional model broom, the pros won't even get them until next year. It'll be the fastest broom in the league."
Ginny picked up the broom and looked at it reverently. He had to be he best boyfriend ever. For a moment she hoped that she was carrying his child, it would be a small repayment for his thoughtfulness.
Harry didn't know how to interpret her silence. Surely she would like an incredible broom like this. AGinny, he said shyly. "Do you like it?"
Ginny gently placed the broom on the sofa, turned to Harry with tears in her eyes, and leapt.
She threw herself onto Harry so hard that he fell backwards into the floor.
"You.. *mwah* are.. *mwah* the best.. *mwah* boyfriend.. *mwah* ever!"
Harry could only laugh under the assault of kisses. As quickly as she hit him, she jumped off of him, grabbed her new broom and raced into the kitchen to show it off.