Chapter 14: Christmas Actualizations
The next morning dawned to be bright and crisp. The storm from the night before left the yard filled with white fluffy snow. The children raced from their rooms to the dining hall. The adults got up early to help the two house elves set up the humongous tree and get the presents set out in order from youngest on the out side to older children on the inside.
With a control that comes from running an orphanage for fourteen years she allowed the children to get their presents in groups of five. Finally after all the presents were opened and the children gone outside the adults cleaned up and then sat down around the hearth and relaxed.
"How are you Lillian?" Ginny asked, "what you did last night was so nice of you."
"I'm good, all I needed was a good night's sleep."
"You sure you still look tired," Charlie said leaning forward in his chair.
"I assure you that am perfectly fine," Lillian said irritably.
"Sounds like a certain other Potter I know of," Ron said teasingly to Harry. At this Lillian blushed, "Yup just like that other Potter, she embarrasses easily."
Lillian laughed at this bit with everyone else, "Okay I am a little tired so I'll wait on some of the presents," with that she walked over to a closet off to the side of the room. Opening the door she revealed several packages. "I couldn't afford much so it's all hand made." She pasted them each a package.
They opened the their bundles and each shook out a lightweight cloak with a hood, with their initials stitched into the collars.
Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Hermione looked confused. The cloaks were made of a fluid fabric that flowed through their hands like Harry's invisibility cloak did. "It's a spell combination that I have been working on. They will protect you from all the curses except the killing curse, though hopefully you'll never need them anyway."
Harry looked at her appraisingly // How long have you been working on these? //
// I got the idea from Fred and George's protective wear, but as you know those only work against minor curses and wear off after a few months. These don't wear out because the hair maintains spells indefinably //
// Is this what my cloak is made of? //
// Mainly these are made of unicorn and centaur hair, your cloak is made also with the hair from an endangered dragon. //
Turning to Billand george whe were taking about something quietly she cleared her throut and said, "I also want to heal you of your injuries, only if you want me to of course." //Do you want me to heal you Harry? //
// No I'll keep it. I it's a personal memorial to Mom and Dad. //
"Can you still do that after all these years?" Fleur asked coming over.
"It's a little bit harder since so many years have passed but it is doable." Lillian said looking at the beautiful woman.
"It would be nice to erase some of the damage done by Voldemort," Molly said looking at her sons.
They sat in a quiet remembrance for several minutes before Bellalexa came running in.
"Mama Potter! Mama Potter, someone's at the gate!" She yelled.
"Forgive me. I must take care of this," Lillian said standing.
She was happily surprised to see Magaline and Draco standing out side with their two sons.
"Draco, Magaline so nice to see you again."
"We weren't sure if you wanted us over with Harry's family here," Magaline said with a smile.
"It's no secret that your brother and I didn't get along very well at school." Draco commented not moving.
"Umm true…" Lillian said thinking fast// Harry the Malfoy are here to visit me, that all right with you? //
// Fine with me as long as they stay civil. //
// They will, // back to the Malforys she said, "but Harry won't mind as long as the boys behave. They know to behave here anyway."
"That they do," Draco said resting a hand on each of the boys' shoulders, "how is Romulius?"
"Good, he is completely healed up and recuperated. Of course some of that might have been that he would have had to forgo some of the fun," Lillian finished with a laugh.
"I remember doing something like that," Draco said as Lillian led them in.
"I remember that, you were one of the most annoying boys I knew of," Lillian said going into the dining hall, "Hey everyone we have a few more guests," Lillian said as movement stopped in the room. They surveyed the four new guests, Draco and Magaline looked back at them, Kevin and Scorpious hid behind their parents.
Harry stood and came over extending his hand and said, "Hello Malfoy."
"Hello Potter," they shook hands and looked at each other. They hadn't really met each other in almost eighteen years.
The two boys shifted uncomfortably, Lillian seeing this said, "Kevin and Scorpious why don't you go outside and play," Lillian said guiding them to the outside door. // Harry there is a part of the prophecy in which I believe they are a part of or at least you and Draco, //
// Old foes must become allies? Seems right but is it just him or all of his family, or is it even him? //
//Best to start small no matter what, do you want to do this with the rest of your family here? No offence but most of them are hot heads. //
// Try I'll get them to leave, // he leaned over to Fred and whispered something in his ear.
Fred then looked at George and quirked an eyebrow, "I believe that there is plenty of snow outside to hae fun with. I declare a Weasley War!!" Fred said standing. The rest of his family took up the cheer and went outside leaving Lillian, Harry, Magaline, and Draco standing in the hall.
Gesturing for her guests to have a seat Lillian said, "We need to talk Draco," she said looking at him.
"About what?" Draco asked furrowing his brow.
"About our school days," Harry said.
"You see I sometimes have visions and I had one last night and it might have concerned the two of you," she said quietly, looking at her hands.
"Mar.. Lillian deat what was the prophecy you look grim," Magalina said changing her seat to the one next to her old friend.
"I foretold the rise of a new dark wizard and of a child that might be able to stop who ever it is,that part is completely vague. The part that is less vague is that old foes must become allies, this might be about you and Harry or it might not be. Could you two try to be friendly at least?" she asked looking beseechingly at them both.
Harry shrugged before saying, "I already forgave him. I did that when I spoke at his and his parents' trial."
Draco glanced at Harry slightly astonished and said, "Ummm sure why not, he never did anything to me personally really anyway. People can change sometimes and I hope that I have at least some."
"You said that it might not have anything to do with Draco and Harry though what else did the prophecy say?" Magaline asked feeling some slight tension.
"From what I said the savior of this war will be a child born under the third blue moon of the year, eight years after Voldemort's downfall," Lillian said, "so now we've got to… Oh my god no it can't be… " she trailed off.
"Lillian? Lillian what is it? Lillian?" Harry said taking her hands and looking into her hazel eyes. He watched in amazement as they turned from brown tinged with brown, to a ice blue color.
Lillian looked at him but didn't see him, saying, "It can't be her not her, her life will be hard enough…"
"Lillian!" Harry shouted at her, "what is it?"
"Bellalexa, Harry, Bellalexa was born August twenty ninth, under the third blue moon eight years after you defeated Voldemort."
"It might not be her…" Harry started.
"Loved and hated at the same time? No it might not be her but it is a good chance."
They were interrupted by a tabby cat patronaus entering the room. In McGonagall's voice it said, "I'll be by soon to administer the test Lillian. If you could have a room set up with two desks and plenty of room for demonstrating. This should only take about three to four hours."
Lillian stood up shakily and walked out of the room her brother and friends staring after her. "Poor Lillian it must be hard to know that your child might have to go up against evil and lead others into it." Magaline said sadly.
"I think it's more than that," Harry said looking grim, "she knows what I went through against Voldemort, because she was there unknown to either Voldemort or me."
Draco seemed to be about to say something when she walked back in the room. Instead he rose and brought out a package from his cloak and handed it to her. Lillian smiled and opened it, inside was a badge much like the students of Hogwarts wear to represent their houses, but instead of just on of the symbols all four were the in a circle around the Hogwarts H.
"Touch the center," Draco said.
Lillian did do and tears came to her eyes as she read
Lillian Potter: a person who never discriminated anyone based on House or parentage. A true friend to all, she has worked hard to prevent tragedy from befalling everyone. Overlooked by many she is a true unsung hero. When she makes a promise she keeps it to the fullest extent. Lillian Petunia Potter here's to you. You are not just a Ravenclaw; you are the quintessence of what Hogwarts really stands for.
Looking up at her old friends she could only say, "Thank you, thank you so much."
"Draco's mom sent his for Lexa," Magaline said bringing out a small jewelry box. "It is a necklace with her whole name on it, but Lastrange can be changed to Potter if se decides to change it."
Hugging Lillian and shaking hands with Harry they said their good byes and collected their boys.
Lillian stopped Harry as he was about to go out and join in the snowball fight. "There's something you need to know, and you might want to bring in Ron and Hermione. He went and called them in confused and wary.
Once they had shaken the snow off and dried some Lillian asked them to sit. She began pacing before she said; "There's something that I've kept from you, not really on purpose but it just never came up. I had hoped that it never would but if she is the child from the prophecy then you should know," she rambled on.
Harry still concerned and knowing that when he got like this he could go on for awhile said, "what is it that you need to tell us Lillian, it can't be that bad."
Lillian stopped and looked at her brother and said, "It could be it depends on how much you trust me."
"What is it," Harry said.
Lillian took a deep breath and said, "As you know Harry Bellalexa, adoptive daughter might be the one in the prophecy. What you don't know is that Rudolph Lastrange isn't her grandfather, Tom Riddle is."
There was a stunned silence in the room as this sunk in. "No that's impossible. Why would you say something like that! Why would you take her in! Bellatrix was bad enough but he was worst, he was a monster!" Ron yelled jumping from his seat. Hermione tried to pull him down but she too looked confused and disturbed.
Harry stood and went over to his sister and put his hands on her shoulders and said, "are you sure, I mean that, well Tom and Bellatrix they weren't the parental type. I didn't even think that Tom could feel that way about anyone."
"Yes she is his grand-daughter, but Harry, she doesn't know I was going to tell her when she came of age, but now I feel I need to tell her when I tell her about the prophecy."
"Is that wise?" Harry asked.
"You remember how bad it was for her when Dumbledore finally told you about your prophecy."
Harry nodded and turned to Ron and said loudly, "Ron shut up you git."
"Harry that girl's grandfather tried to kill all of us, and her grandmother killed Sirius and my sister and mother. She was born to an evil house!"
"Ron…Ronald! Calm down please she's a little girl. She hasn't done any of those things. The child doesn't necessarily follow in the footsteps of their parents… or grandparents. Sirius didn't."
This bit shut Ron up and he visibly relaxed and said, "No they don't always following in the footsteps of their forbearers. You know how anything connected to him gets me riled up." He looked at Lillian and said, "sorry I didn't mean ahh..er to um suggest that…"
"It's fine Ron." Lillian cut Ron off, "Hermione are you okay?"
"Fine but you should have told us sooner. You want us to trust you but you hide things like this from us. Is there anything else that you're hiding?"
"Hermione it doesn't matter, she told us and that's all that matters, don't worry about it." Harry said calmingly to one of his oldest friends. He then smiled at them all and unlocked the doors with his wand and ran out shouting, "Come on you guys lets show everyone a snowball fight!"
/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
The adults and children paused for a few minutes when Headmistress McGonagall cam to collect Henry and Lucillia to the examination room. Walking them in Lillian encouraged them as they walked in. She went to her office to do some of the paperwork that had piled up during the past couple of days.
She was taking a break when Harry sent// Hey Lil are you busy? //
//Never too busy for you, come on in, I'm in my office. //
She waited a few minutes when Harry walked in. "So you adopted his grandchild hmm. I guess I can see the resemblance but only because I've seen him as a young boy," he said sitting down.
"Do you hold a grudge against his line?"
"No I was just curious if she had any of his talents."
"You mean Parseltongue? Yes she can speak it, she's only done it once that I know of and she knows not to do it too much and especially in front of others." She looked at him closer and added, "but you're not here to talk just about Lexa are you? What do you want to know big brother?"
"Just a few more questions about her then I'll ask what I wanted to ask since yesterday," he said. "Other than she looks like him what other evidence do you have that he is her grandfather?"
"There is a rather powerful spell that can be used to find if two people are related. You make a rather complicated potion and then take a bit of that person and put it all into a large container. The images of the past four generations of the person in question rise out of the container. The potion in a relative to the Polyjuice Potion," she explained.
Harry though about this shrugged, and then said, " Okay not to sound self absorbed but you said that you could tell me where my ambient magic centers. Not that it really matters but…"
"You want to know, you just found out that there is something about yourself that you didn't know and now you want to know. I understand remember how it was when we were young."
Harry blushed and nodded, "Only if you're not too tired of course."
"No it's not that hard to do, it's not even a spell really." Lillian said pulling a crystal ball from under her desk. Seeing Harry's bemused expression she laughed, "Just because some people didn't take Dividiation seriously doesn't mean that it was completely useless. As you might have guessed from my little performance last night I'm a seer, although a minor one I can sometimes get the ball to work. You can too if you remember from the end of our third year," she then peered into the ball. Harry could see the fog curling in the ball, vague shapes shifted in and out of focus, finally one of them became discernable, "Well no surprise one of them is magical strength," the fog swirled again before solidifying again. This time two images showed through and Lillian said sitting back, "Okay now I'm jealous."
"Why?"
"You have not two centered areas but three although the last two are weaker than the first but together they are stronger than the first one."
"What are they?"
"Well have you ever noticed that you know, just know were dark magic has been used?"
"Yes a couple of times I've had a strange feelings when I've come to a scene."
"Well that's one, the other is healing. Again no surprise since you were able to fix up Mrs. Longbottom so easily."
Harry sat there thinking for a bit. Lillian wanted to know what he was thinking so bad that she considered sneaking through their link, but she had promised herself not to do that except under dire circumstances. She was so lost in this battle of wills that she didn't hear what Harry said the first time, "I sorry what did you say?"
"Can you speak it?"
"Speak what" Lillian asked now completely confused.
Harry took a deep breath and said, "do you understand me right now?"
"Yes, when Voldemort tried to kill you and I stepped in front of you what happened to you after he kill Mum and Dad happened to me. I can speak Parseltongue as well now." She hissed back.
"It doesn't mean that a piece of him is still inside us then does it?"
"No I have checked and rechecked a million times. All that is in here is us."
"Then why…"
"It's like riding a bike, once you learn how you always know how in the back of your head. Part of the Avada Kedavra curse is that you send out your essence, your being to attack the other person's essence. This come back to you, but with us it passed through us but we didn't die so we 'learned' how to speak Parseltongue. You of course actually had a part of him in you for several years so it came easier to you. Me on the other hand only it only traveled through me for a second. It took me for ever to figure out that I could understand the snake that lives under the house." Harry nodded and considered this bit of information. He seemed relieved by it, in fact so relieved that Lillian just had to ask, "Okay I know she's your friend and all but why does it seem like Hermione doesn't trust me?"
Harry looked at her startled before answering, "Ever since our sixth year she's been that way. Our stint in the forests didn't help either. Ron thinks and I agree, that she's worried that you've only come out now to get money and a claim to fame. Don't worry about her too much it just takes her awhile to come to terms with certain things. She likes everything organized and in it own little box. You flipped all those boxes upside down and scrambled the contents. She can't figure you out you seem like one thing but then something new about you pops out. Like your little performance last night with the prophecy and all. She never has held a strong opinion about Divination but you proved to her that someone she knows could tell the future. Just don't tell her about all this though, I don't think her mind could take it."
Lillian glanced at her watch and said, "They should be done soon I need to go down."
Harry nodded a followed her down. They met the others coming in laughing and rosy cheeked. McGonagall was in the dining hall with two weary orphans.
Once everyone crowded in McGonagall said loudly, "I wish you to bid a proud welcome to Hogwarts newest third years Henry and Lucillia Wiggens." Everyone clapped and cheered for the two who were blushing furiously, "They'll be sorted after the holidays." McGonagall said after the cheering subsided.
At this Fred and George lit off several Filibuster fireworks as well as some of their custom fireworks. Mrs. Weasley smiled at Lillian and waved her wand, dishes of food came floating out of the kitchen and deposited themselves on the tables. At Lillian's nod the children raced to their seats and tucked in.
"Don't worry the Mali and Kreacher are taking care of the babies." Harry said leaning over to her.
It didn't take long for the children to finish eating. They were tired but not one of them would admit it so Lillian sent them up to the playroom.
She was about to go start cleaning up when Harry stopped her, "Let Kreacher and Mali take care of that."
"But…"
"It's time for you to open your gifts after all," Fred said standing at one side of the table. Feeling around his hand closed on something, pulling Harry's old invisibility cloak which appeared along with a pile of gifts."
"You didn't have to…" Lillian trailed off blushing
"Of course we did dear," Molly said coming up behind her and resting a hand to the slightly taller woman's shoulder.
"Go on then, you made us those nice cloaks after all," Bill said huggin his wife.
Shaking her head in disbelief, Lillian reached down and picked up the top gift. It was from Fred and George and when she saw what it was she had to laugh. It was a simple piece of parchment at first glance until she read the second piece of parchment.
Tired of having to look all over your property for your children? Are they hiding from punishment? Look no further just charm this parchment with a map of your house and lands and every person there will e shown on it.
And for security just say a password unique to you and no one else will be able to read it without said password.
Seeing her raised eyebrow George said, "What can we say, got to give the parents a reason to shop at Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes," laughing.
Rolling her eyes she set the parchment aside and picked up the elder Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's gift. It turned out the be a book written by Molly and Arthur on how to cope with a laugh family.
"Not that you really need that one, we just thought it would be a laugh," Mr. Weasley said smiling.
Grinning back at them she said, "thank you," and placed the book with the twins gift. After opening the rest of the gifts, a large clock much like the elder Weasley's from Ron and Hermione, a handsome broomstick from Harry and Ginny, an all expenses paid trip to Egypt from Bill and Fleur, another all expenses paid trip to Romania this time from Charlie and Rochelle, and a complete set of robes from Percy and Penelope.
She thanked them all and asked them all to sit down and relax.
"What are your plans for tomorrow? I heard one of yours saying something about a trip."
"Well Kaylen is coming back in for what he thinks is another trial session, which it is I guess," Lillian answered with a mischievous smile.
"What are you going to do to the poor boy?" Molly asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Well you see every year I take the children into Hogsmeade for a day. While there we go and visit the centaurs and the children learn about the creatures of the Forbidden Forest." Lillian explained, "Kaylen will be accompanying me and depending on how he reacts I'll decide whether or not to hire him."
"I take it that you are the reason for their change of heart towards wizards?" Hermione asked.
"I just got them to listen to reason, is all. That just made it easier for you lovely people of Regulations of Magical Creatures department to negotiate with them," Lillian said shrugging.
At this point Dill's watch went off. Looking at it she turned it off and said, "We need to be going. We promised Fleur's parents that we would visit after lunch."
"I must be going as well," Professor McGonagall said standing.
After a flurry of quick hugging Lillian and the rest of her new family walked the oldest Weasley brother and his wife and children to the gate. Walking back to the house Harry noticed Lillian hanging back biting her lip.
Slowing down he asked, "What's up Lillian?"
"It's nothing really," she said glancing up at him. Seeing that he was unconvinced she sighted and said, "I think I'm going to advertise a open house during March but I don't know. It's a lot of work for just two people.
"I thought you were going to wait until June to have the open house," Harry stated looking befuddled.
"I was but I figured it would be better to go ahead and have one."
"Well I'm sure that some of us could help out."
"I only need like one or two more people."
"Yo everyone!" Harry shouted. The group ahead of them stopped and turned back to them. "Lillian wants to host an open house in March. Ron and I are probably out that's when every thing is due, but what about some of you. She only needs a couple of people."
The Weasleys looked at each other, Lillian knew that most of the ones that worked for the Ministry would be busy and their wives would be watching their own children. But after a moment George said to Fred, "Veronica can watch the store, March isn't a busy month except for mail order."
"I guess we're coming to help then oh most wholly one."
"Thanks," thinking suddenly she added, "Oh and if you children over five want to come on the trip tomorrow they're welcome, Bill's as well."
"you sure?" Rachelle asked concerned, "that's adding fifteen more to yours."
"Yeah and it will be a learning experience for them all. We stay up at Hogwarts for the night, the non school aged children come back home with me."
"Sounds wonderful, we can meet you at the school to pick up our children," Ginny said smiling at her sister-in-lae.
A few hours later
Lillian and the children were at the gates waving goodbye to Harry and the rest of the adults. All the children, including Teddy, had decided to stay over and go on the thry the next day. Fleur would be dropping her children early in the morning.
Sending the children in to clean up before dinner Lillian went to the two rooms where the children had slept the night before. Collecting the clothing of the orphans she deposited it back into their rooms. She left her nieces and nephew's stuff where it was allowing them to split the rooms equally.
I guess I've need tolearn their names, she thought realizing that she only knew half of her nieces and nephew's names.
After everyone was in bed she when up to her own room exhausted. She didn't so much as lie down in the bed as collapse into it.
"Silly Mama Potter," a voice said as her boots came off and the covers were pulled up over her.