Welcome back to chapter 21!
Thank you for your nice reviews, I too am looking forward to Harry and Charlie getting together.
AnnaMerteuil: That's a very nice idea, thank you for mentioning it.
PlotBunnies4U: Thank you, I think yours is the longest review I've had this far. I simply use the lack of money as the reason that Harry becomes determined to start his business early, making the situation a bit more exciting. Draco Malfoy won't be turned into a creature, sorry for the misunderstanding. Voldemort wants him to have a strengthening blood ritual, so he is more useful. The ritual overcharges the magical core, making the person more powerful, but at the price of an unstable core.
AN: This will definitely not become a Harry/Ginny story, her strange behavior at the end of this chapter will be explained in the next one.
Chapter 21
Hogwarts, January 1997
The vision of the Death Eater meeting troubles Harry greatly for the next few weeks. He is unsatisfied with Dumbledore's reaction, or lack of it. If a teacher could bring a troll into the castle unnoticed, and a suspected mass murder could get into the castle multiple occasion, aren't those signs that the security at Hogwarts is not infallible?
The school term starts up with full force, so Harry doesn't have much time to brood about security issues. His class work demands a lot of his attention, and his renewed vigor for learning Runes hardly leaves him with time for anything else. Additionally, he is still struggling with the elven glamors. It's high time he learns them, as Harry isn't so sure if it's his imagination or if his trousers are gradually tightening around his belly. Yet, learning the glamors is comparable to his attempts at the summoning charm in fourth year. The more he tries, the more elusive success seems. At least he can do the version that only hides the belly, but that's only a temporary solution until he is big enough that it affects his movement.
On the second Thursday in January, Harry takes a break from his everyday stress and does something he has postponed for the last month. While his friends are in class, he slips out of the castle and travels to Diagon Alley.
Harry materializes in the middle of the once colorful and busy street.
"Hey there, lad.", a tired, gruff voice sounds from behind Harry. He turns around and immediately notices the dark red robes of an auror. Are his glamors faulty or something?
"Sir, what's wrong?", Harry asks cautiously. The auror seems to be in his forties, although that is often difficult to tell with wizards, and looks like he hasn't slept in a week. His eyes are bloodshot with dark circles around them, his skin color looks ashen and he has a lot of stubble on his chin.
"Apparating into the middle of the alley is strictly forbidden, as you well know. You could hurt yourself and others with this reckless behavior, a lot of grievous injuries happen when people apparate into crowds. Apparition uses a lot of physical force, if you appeared directly at a spot that is already occupied with someone, you might break their bones or move right through him or her. This is why apparition points were installed, the closest one is right next to Gringotts...", the auror lectures with a bored voice.
Harry stops listening after a few sentences, the lecture is almost as boring as History of Magic. This auror is the first person that has seen him apparating up close. He should have thought about that before coming here. It seems that the elven equivalent of apparration doesn't look too different from the human one, or did the auror simply not notice because he is so tired? Another thing that Harry should find out.
"...You'd know all that if you had listened to your apparition examiner. Now, I have to charge you with a fine of five galleons. Will you be paying now or do you need an owl? What's your name anyway?"
"Ahm. My name is … Stanley Figg", Harry murmurs a bit too quick "And I'd like to pay now. Five galleons, that's quite a sum." he hurriedly adds to get the auror's attention away from the name he might not have heard completely and pulls out his pouch.
"For putting others in danger it's only fair.", the auror replies as he hands Harry the receipt. Harry quickly says goodbye and makes his way to the apothecary. That was an auror, a representative of the authorities, an unkempt and overtired man who looks like a breeze could overpower him.
Harry bids farewell to the auror and strolls down the alley. Normally, he'd expect a moderate number of customers in a shopping district on a rainless Thursday noon, but today there are hardly people around.
While strolling by, Harry looks into the shop-window of Weasley Wizard Weezes. Even the joke shop is nearly void of customers, only a man with three small children browses through the shelves.
After a short walk, he reaches the apothecary that Michael worked at this summer. Jars, bottles and boxes are piled around the walls while the isles of shelves in the middle of the room and the shelves behind the salesman are stocked with potion vials of all sizes, forms and colors.
"Can I help you?", the salesman asks friendly.
"Hello, last summer I met a young man, Michael, who worked for this apothecary. Do you know how to contact him? I have a very important message for him."
"Hm. I know who you are talking about, unfortunately he left the country a few months ago, in November I think, and he didn't leave an address."
"Do you know of any other way to contact him? My message is really important, I'm sure he would want to receive it.", Harry emphasizes.
"As far as I know, Michael and his father left the country, and they can't be contacted via owl or floo."
Harry wonders if the man knows that Michael lives at a creature sanctuary and thus can't be contacted via owl or if he wondered about the reason the young man can't be contacted via owl. After all, it is typically possible to send letters to people abroad via a long distance mail service at the local post office.
"Are you still in contact? Could you forward a message?", Harry asks, getting desperate.
"No, I haven't heard of them since they left and I don't expect any one of them to contact me. I'm sorry, but there's nothing I can do for you.", the salesman really looks sorry about that.
"Oh. Thank you for your time."
Harry walks out of the shop. While the salesman's answers weren't unexpected, it's still a shock to hear: The baby will never get to know its other parent, Michael. Or its only living grandparent. Harry numbly trudges through the alley, not really caring where his feet carry him. Normally, a child has two parents and two sets of grandparents. Harry's baby only has one parent, and no grandparents. Sure, there are Sirius and Remus, but they are more like uncles. And foster parents. Now is the first time Harry really realises how few close contacts the child will have. Will they be lonely or too dependent of his or her few caregivers? Will Harry do everything wrong, being nearly a child himself? After all, he is pregnant aged sixteen, not an ideal situation. And what would Harry's parents think of it? Would they have welcomed the child with open arms or scold Harry for becoming a parent so young? They were only twenty when Harry was born, would they chide him for following in their footsteps, even if it wasn't a conscious decision on Harry's part?
Harry is close to tears when he notices his surroundings again, he is close to the entrance to Knockturn Alley. He doesn't feel like going back to Hogwarts right now and his classes don't start for another hour, so he travels to Grimmauld Place.
***HP***
Harry appears on the corridor of the second landing, directly in front of the room that Sirius and Remus share. He steps into the near dark room, the only light comes from the light orb he gave to the men when he left at the end of the holidays. Sirius lays sleeping on the huge bed and Harry curls up next to him. The movement wakes the older man.
"Harry? What are you doing here?", he mumbles sleepily.
"I was at Diagon Alley and asked after Michael. I expected a negative answer, but to have it was kind of a shock. Then everything became too much."
"What do you mean?"
"This child, the circumstances are absolutely shit. I don't know anything about children and my child will never get to know their grandparents on either side, or their other parent. When I was a child I was quite lonely without them, what if my child feele the same?"
Sirius stops Harry mid-rant. "The fact that you question yourself is a sign that you care, and that is the most important thing. You will do your best and we will find solutions to all those problems together. The child has you, Remus and I. They also have the Weasleys, even if they are not the closest caregivers. Your child will lack nothing, we'll see to that."
"What would my parents say about this mess? Knocked up at age sixteen? They surely regretted having me so young, and now I'm repeating their mistake?"
"Harry, your parents loved you beyond imagination. It's true, they didn't plan on having you for a few more years, but they always knew that they wanted children together, someday. You simply moved up their plans, that doesn't mean that you were loved less. You were their little miracle, created when a charm failed. They would be so proud of the person you have become, so caring and friendly. You are having this child at sixteen even though an abortion would be the easier option in this situation. You're trying everything to ensure a good life for your child, that shows strength of character. Don't doubt that they'd be proud of you, Harry."
"Thanks, Sirius. I think I needed that pep-talk.", Harry smiles slightly.
"No problem, kiddo. Now, not that I don't enjoy your visit, but shouldn't you get ready for your afternoon classes?"
"Sure.", Harry yawns and looks at his watch. "Oh shit, I'm twenty minutes late for runes.", he jumps of the bed, waves goodbye and leaves for Hogwarts.
***HP***
The next evening finds the three friends seated on Ron's bed behind the locked doors of the boys' dormitories. In front of them lies the two-way mirror showing Sirius' and Remus' faces.
"How are you three?", Remus asks as soon as the connection is established.
"We are great, Harry though seems to be tired a lot lately.", Hermione answers promptly.
"Is that so?", Remus asks with a raised eyebrow.
"Yes, but I'm fine. My school work is exhausting, that's all." Harry answers. "Anyway, what we'd like to talk about is my latest vision. I witnessed a Death Eater meeting, Voldemort mentioned blood rituals that Lucius Malfoy should use on his son because he is a disappointment." Ron claps his hand over his mouth to muffle his giggles without much success while Hermione looks at him sternly. "Do you know anything about such rituals? Voldemort wants Malfoy to use Elven or Fae blood for them."
Sirius frowns "Blood magic is a vast and dangerous field and, as far as I know, completely forbidden. A whole lot of awful things can be accomplished with it, such as involuntary bonds, curses, temporary strengthening rituals and changes in someone's core. What Voldemort might allude to is a ritual that strengthens someone's core and is used upon the coming of age. I don't know exactly how it works, my parents planned such a ritual for me, but I cut ties with them before I was seventeen. What I know is that about a bowl of creature blood is sacrificed. Everyone has a small influx of magic when he or she comes of age. It's usually nothing spectacular but with this ritual the influx is larger because the young adult absorbs the magic in the blood. The mightier the creature the more significant the influx."
"As far as I know, dragons were often used because they seem so powerful. It was one of the factors that led to their endangerment. Yet physical strength doesn't actually matter, they aren't the most magical beings around, those are Fae and Elves. Hunting them was prohibited in the 40s and since then that those rituals have become less attractive.", Remus adds.
"Yes, before it was entirely prohibited a few years ago, the ritual had the character of a blessing by magic and the most common sacrifice was said to be hippogriff blood.", Sirius adds. "Boosting your magical core, no matter how much, is always dangerous and inadvisable. Having more magic than you are supposed to have by nature makes it difficult to control, possibly up to the point where your core burns out, leaving yourself a squib."
"This sounds so awful, I can't imagine Lucius Malfoy taking the risk of making his son a squib.", exclaims Hermione.
"He doesn't have a choice if Voldemort demands it. Those people don't think like us, Hermione. They only see power and ways to claim it.", Sirius answers.
It's silent for a minute while everyone is deep in thought. Harry can't imagine valuing power and reputation more than the health of a child. Unconsciously, he puts a hand on his slightly rounded belly. Not that anyone is able to see anything.
"After everyone else left, Voldemort asked Wormtail about his project, doing something to Hogwarts wards. Wormtail said that it's doable, but a whole lot of work even with Rookwood's help."
"Dumbledore mentioned this fear of yours yesterday at a meeting. Wormtail is one of the least powerful or talented wizards that I ever met, believe me. He'd never be able to do anything to the wards, they are so strong that even Rookwood will be wasting his efforts.", Sirius explains. Harry is still not convinced, so Remus elaborates "At the beginning of the school year the wards were tested by Bill and they were top notch. There's no need to worry, so please don't do anything rash."
"Rookwood was an unspeakable, he knows a lot of obscure, unknown curses, so he's a formidable opponent, yet he is neither a warder nor a curse or ward breaker. He will be too busy and impatient to spend much time with Wormtail's incompetency and an impossible mission.", Sirius adds.
"I can't help but feel that something big is coming, it could very well be this.", Harry exclaims exasperatedly.
"We are doing everything we can, Harry. Worrying yourself sick will help no one.", Remus soothes him.
***HP***
Harry continues to worry that Wormtail might have success with the wards. It is a week before his attention is drawn to a different topic.
Until now, his pregnancy has progressed without much fuss, making it easy to concentrate on other things. However, today is the second day in a row that Harry wakes up just in time to lean over the side of his bed and vomit onto the floor, waking his dorm mates in the process.
"You okay, mate?", Ron mumbles sleepily from his bed. He looks worried, but the disgusting smell keeps him from getting closer. Harry's relationship with Ron is still awkward and cooler than usual. Although in the two weeks since Harry's announcement that he is no longer playing Quidditch, Ron seems to have calmed down from his initial rage.
Harry waves his wand and the vomit vanishes. "Sure. I just ate too many sweets.", he lies. His dorm mates groan and reluctantly start their day, as it is too late to get back to sleep.
A while later they sit at the breakfast table and Harry nibbles his toast. His stomach still feels awful, but at least he didn't vomit again. Additionally, his head hurts from the effort of heaving.
With a loud screech, a big brown owl lands in front of Harry, who flinches at the unwelcome sound. The annoying bird carries a thick envelope with the Ministry seal on it. As soon as Harry relieved the bird, it screeches again and flies out of the hall.
Harry listlessly opens the envelope and starts reading. Today is absolutely not his lucky day.
"What is it?"
"Why is the Ministry writing to you?", his friends ask at once.
"I donated money to establish a charity fund to pay for werewolves' health costs, it has only become active this month because the goblins were not able to find an agreeable healer sooner and now the Ministry has started an investigation."
"Why would they do that? Charity is perfectly legal and with the Ministry's misguided policy helping the werewolves is very honorable.", Hermione frowns.
"It's against their goal to exclude werewolves from society, so they are grasping for straws to prevent this charity fund. They intend to conduct a throughout investigation, about the source of the money, the healer and the patients. If it becomes known that every recipient will be recorded, no werewolf will want to have anything to do with this charity.", Harry fumes.
None of his friends or classmates, who are sitting around the trio, have anything positive to say about the situation. Harry silently finishes his toast and accompanies the others to class.
***HP***
"Harry? What are you doing for the Hogsmeade weekend after Valentine's day?", Ginny sits down next to Harry in the common room, where he, Ron and Hermione are doing homework at the desk closest to the fire. Valentine's day is on a Friday this year and the visit to Hogsmeade is on Saturday.
"Ahm. I'm going to Hogsmeade with Ron and Hermione, like we always do. Why are you asking?", Harry replies with a frown. 'Why are you asking me, when you have a boyfriend?' he adds in his thoughts.
"Actually Harry, I'm assisting Ron with his extra credit project for Potions. You know, to make up for the miserable test before Christmas."
"Oh.", Harry's bad feeling increases at Ginny's hopeful expression. Something is not right. "What are you going to do?", he asks, stalling for time.
"We will be writing an essay about the cure for wizard's flu and brewing the NEWT level potion."
"So, you will be able to spend the day with me!", Ginny beams.
"What about Dean, your boyfriend?"
"Dean can spend the day without me.", she claims loudly. The three friends look bewildered at her. This is very unlike Ginny. Sure, the redhead sometimes flirts with other boys, but this level of disregard for her boyfriend?
"What was that, Ginny? You want to go on a date with Potter on the Valentine's Hogsmeade weekend?", Dean interrupts furiously, having walked by when Ginny spoke.
"Of course I want to date Harry."
"Woa, date? I'm not romantically interested in you, Ginny!", Harry says loudly, but no one pays any attention to him.
"If you go on a date with Potter, we are though!", Dean yells, attracting the attention of all students in the room.
"I don't care!", Ginny yells at the same time that Harry yells: "I don't want to date Ginny!"
With a hurt look on his face, Dean stomps up the stairs to the dorm and bangs the door shut.
With a gleeful face, Ginny turns back to Harry. "Now we are free to go out together."
For a moment, Harry is too shocked to answer. Where is the shy and cute little girl that put her elbow in the butter? How did she become this … bitch?
"What's wrong with you? Of course I won't go out with you, especially not after this.", he roars and hurries out of the common room, out of sight of the redhead mystery, away from the unnerving silence and the stares of the other Gryffindors.