As the Yule Ball was happening, there was a meeting in Rose's trunk that she was unaware of. Eddie, Emery, Vitality, Aelfric, Maple, Galen, and many more creatures were present, each one for their own reasons. If Rose were to stumble into this meeting she would be ecstatic; so many of her friends in one place? And with two creatures she counted as her children? There would be nothing wrong with that image, in her eyes, which was exactly why they weren't letting her know about the meeting.

There was something wrong, after all, something desperately wrong.

"Wait, wait, wait," Emery called out, trying to gain order in the field they were using as a meeting place. "Everyone, please!"

"OI! Shut it why don't cha?!" Eddie roared out, finally getting everyone to settle down.

"This is serious business, serious business indeed…" Vitality said as he ruffled his feathers.

"This is your fault in the first place!" Galen hooted, insulted.

"How was I supposed to know? I barely knew the girl!"

"Well if you would've-" Maple started but what cut off by Eddie and Emery's angry roars. There was silence again, and many stressed creatures finally settled down.

"Is there any way to fix this?" Eddie asked, his age coming through in the whimper of his voice.

"No," Vitality said slowly. "There isn't."

"This is my fault," Aelfric said balefully. "If I hadn't have introduced her to you…"

"She would've found him anyway," Emery said with a sigh. "Why was I told to protect someone when she obviously already has so many people protecting her?"

"I can't be there always. I can tell she doesn't want people to know about me yet," Vitality supplied.

"And I'm stuck in the forest and near the castle," Aelfric offered.

"I'm just a cat." Maple deadpanned.

"Just as I'm just an owl," Galen said with a gentle hoot that meant he was sighing.

"So… How many of you have bonded with her?" Emery sighed.

"Me." Maple purred.

"Moi!" Galen hooted, having picked up some French from the new French owls.

"And I, too, have bonded to her," Vitality said.

"And she bonded to me," Eddie said, flinching a bit at the hard stare Emery gave him.

"And how many two-leggers have bonded to her?"

There was a pause, before Zolsy spoke up, "My mistress is bonded to Misters Wheezy, both, the Master Potter, the Wolf, and the Vampire. The Vampire is temporary."

"So… Five," Aelfric said with a toothy grin.

"No fucking wonder she's so fucking powerful. Shit!" Marsha, the Jarvey, said.

"So, all together, that makes…" Galen started to speak before Maple cut him off.

"That makes nine."

There was silence again, and Emery sighed. "Aelfric. Grab the book, read the passage."

"Of course, Mister Dragon sir."

Aelfric zipped to a book in the middle of the area and cleared his throat no more than seven times as he searched for the appropriate passage before he started reading, "Each bond adds, but takes away, something from the Wizard or Witch the bond is formed to. For instance, Familiar bonds can, if with a powerful creature, add immense magical power, but if your familiar dies the witch or wizard will live with depleted magic after that moment. That's why, most typically, familiars are simply cats, owls, or toads, as their magical affinity is faint and will only affect your mental health for a short while, and have no effect on your magical health.

"Bonds with other witches and wizards, or magical beasts that look like humans, also come at their own cost. Some, like the twin bond, cannot be helped, and are to be cherished as they are special and cannot be forged from nothing. If, however, a member of a bond was to be injured, the other member would feel it as if it were their own pain. This is the danger of bonds; while they give you great boons, they can also leave you helpless when you need to be strong."

There was a collective sigh that filled the grove, but Emery spoke again, "And is there anything about the number of bonds a two-legger should have at most?"

Aelfric hummed as he flipped pages, everyone getting antsy as they waited for him. Finally, after the third page turn he spoke up, "A wizard or witch should try to limit themselves to five bonds, unless, like the Great Albus Dumbledore, they have a very powerful familiar. Then they should stop at the one."

Silence coated the grove like frost coated the tree branch that Vitality had settled upon. All eyes turned to look at the Phoenix, who looked almost ashamed. He heaved a great sigh and let out a mournful song, that soon had all creatures with the capability to do so start crying.

Love is a finicky thing, you see. You cannot always help who you love, and you will not always love who you think you should. However, love doesn't believe that your opinion in the matter is all that important, as matters of the heart are much harder to understand than matters of the brain. And thus, Rose Potter had gotten herself into a mess. Each bond was adding to her power, but she was gaining many weaknesses along the way too. If somehow, Vitality the Phoenix were to die for good, Rose Potters magic would be slim to none, the only reason she would have any at all would be because of the other bonds she had created.

However, in the meeting, it was decided that Rose would never know this fact.

"Miss Potter?"

Rose turned when she heard Dumbledore, holding back a yawn as she had just been about to go to the common room to get some sleep. Fred and George stayed by her side, holding her hands gently.

"Yes, Professor?"

"I need you to go to my office, Sirius's fiancé has gone into labor and he requested that you and Harry be allowed to leave Hogwarts for the birth."

All tiredness that had been running through Rose fled at those words and she went wide-eyed, "Oh my Merlin! Oh, but I have to get back to Emery-" Rose was about to turn to Fred and George to tell them to apologize to Emery when Dumbledore spoke up again.

"I will bring your trunk to you, Miss Potter. The password is licorice wands."

Rose nodded her head and raced up to Dumbledore's office, only pausing to give both Fred and George a hasty kiss on the cheek, and then barely even taking a moment to look at and fawn over Fawkes, before she was dashing through the floo and to the maternity ward of St. Mungo's.

There, in the waiting room, was a pacing Remus, an amused Faith, along with a beaming Sarah. Rose looked around for Sirius for a moment, but when she didn't see him she walked up to Remus.

"So, Victoria is in labor," Rose said with wide eyes.

"She has been for a while," Remus said as he drew Rose into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you. How has your Christmas been? I see you're still in your dress robes."

Rose blushed and laughed quietly, "I was just heading to the common room when Dumbledore stopped me, actually. Once my trunk gets here-"

Just then Harry appeared, dragging Rose's trunk behind him. "You ordered a trunk?"

"I did! Emery is in there and-"

"Wait, your dragon is in here?!"

"Well, yes, he-"

"Rose, he's too big, he must be suffocating!"

"No, it's really-"

But it was too late, as Harry had already popped the top of the trunk up to find organized stacks of clothing.

"You were lying to me," Harry accused.

"No, I really wasn't." Rose snapped as she shut the trunk of her lid, starting to fiddle and twirl dials. "If you would've listened to me you would know that I actually use our trunks magical capabilities and I keep Emery in, essentially, a cave that he's very fond of." Rose raised the lid of her trunk to find a latter leading down, and she turned to Remus who was smiling.

"Will you tap on the lid if I'm not back in time? Just twice."

"Of course," Remus said with a nod. Rose smiled and climbed onto the latter, and was about to pull the lid down when Harry spoke up, "I want to go in too!"

Rose paused and looked at Harry, "Well… What for?"

"It's a trunk," Harry deadpanned. "You actually did stuff with your trunk! I've only used two compartments!"

Rose would roll her eyes and motion for him to climb onto the latter as she climbed down, "Shut the lid behind you!"

The heard a dull thud above her as she dropped down in the housing compartment. She didn't even let Harry look around before she hummed and pulled him to a guest room. "You get changed out of your dress robes; you have clothes in here. Ah," Rose held up her hand to stop him from speaking, "no questions yet. Hurry up."

Rose left quickly and went to her room to change quickly, and then met Harry outside of his room once she was in yoga pants and a sweater, with her wand holster holding her wand in her sleeve.

"What is this place?" Harry asked in wonder as she lead him to the front door, not to the latter.

"Oh, it's my little slice of heaven, actually. Now, bear with me, we have to go see Emery."

"Your dragon?"

"Yes." Rose knocked on the door three times, and the cracks around it glowed white for a moment before she opened it and stepped into the cave with Harry.

"Momma!" Emery and Eddie chorused before both tensed up at the sight of Harry.

"It's fine, boys," Rose assured as she wrapped an arm around Harry. "He's my brother, so he's your uncle."

Harry was too stunned to speak, however.

"Not much of an uncle," Emery said with a sigh as he laid his head down on a small pile of knuts that Zolsy had been giving him.

"Yeah, doesn't talk much," Eddie noted.

"Speak, Harry."

"Hi –" Harry squeaked before he cleared his throat and tried again. "Hi."

"And the uncle speaks!" Emery roared, releasing a small burst of flame and making Harry squeak again.

"Behave!" Rose pointed at Emery sternly.

"I don't want to Be Have I want to be Emery," Emery sniped back.

Rose groaned and shook her head, "I'll be back later, darlings," Rose said as she approached them, the closer she got the more potent she got the more the room smelled like chocolate chip cookies. She stroked Emery's nose gently, leaning down to kiss between his eye bridges, and then rubbed Eddie's ears before kissing his nose.

"Will dads be with you when you come back?" Emery asked in a small voice.

"Hopefully, love."

Emery and Eddie simply nodded and went back to playing as Rose walked back to Harry. "Ready to go meet our brother or sister?"

"No," Harry admitted as a ladder appeared and he started climbing up it.

"Neither am I," Rose would admit. "I'm not sure I'm good with human babies. I like animals and creatures better."

"I can tell," Harry muttered as he pushed the trunks lid open, only to be confronted by some hospital staff.

"What is this? What's in the trunk?" an angry healer was asking as Harry and Rose climbed out.

"Sorry, ma'am," Remus said with a sigh. "This is Rose and Harry Potter. Rose recently, as I'm sure you've heard, acquired a dragon and has been taking care of it. She wasn't able to be with it much today, due to a ball at Hogwarts, so she needed to make sure it was still okay and didn't think it was a good idea to release it in the middle of the hospital."

The threat was easy to decipher for Rose and she glanced at Remus slightly wide-eyed.

"Well I-"

"Guys!" Sirius burst through the waiting room doors with wide happy eyes, interrupting the healer in the process. "Guys, guys! It was twins!"

"Sirius, your hand is in a cast," Remus said, deadpan.

"You're the godfather, mate," Sirius said, ignoring Remus's comment, as he barreled into his friend's chest and hugged him tightly. "Maggie and Lucas Black! They're beautiful, just beautiful!"

He then noticed Rose and Harry and went over to squeeze them too, "And you both made it! They're twins, like you! You can help us take care of them!"

Rose snorted a laugh, but Harry solemnly nodded his head, "What type of older siblings would we be if we didn't help take care of them?"

Sirius faltered for a moment and Rose knew this was a big moment. She remembered calling him 'daddy' when she was very young, and him sitting her down and telling her all sorts of stories about her real daddy. However, in her heart, this was her dad, and she knew Harry felt the same.

"I mean, I can take them for rides on a Nundu if that's what they want," Rose offered with a smirk, breaking the momentary tension.

"Rose Lillian Potter you will do no such thing!" Remus admonished.

"I will do no such thing, got it."

"I don't know, I think it would be interesting," Sarah said with a smirk.

"Sarah!" Sirius called as he whipped around and pulled the woman into a large hug which she returned even tighter, "You're the godmother!"

"Well of course I am. No offense, Faith," Sarah said as she patted the ecstatic Sirius on the back.

"Nein offenze vas taken, Zarah," Faith assured as she patted Remus on the back, who had apparently only just let the fact he was godfather sink in. Rose knew there'd be an argument about that later, and she was glad she was going to miss it.

"Rose, Harry, let's have you meet the babies first because you need to get back to school," Remus spoke up, knowing if someone didn't take lead no one would meet them.

"Right! Yes! That's a great idea, Moony old friend old pal!" Sirius crowed.

This was the day that Rose decided that all the cooing mothers that fawned over red-faced, squishy, squalling babies were absolutely right. Maggie was put into Rose's arms and she felt her world realign. Perhaps, one day, Rose would like to have her own child. Perhaps, one day, Rose and the twins….

"Well, how does it feel to be an older sister?" Victoria asked, tiredly.

"Like…. I would do anything for them," Rose said with a small smile and a great sigh. "I swear I'll do everything in my power to keep them safe."

"Damn straight you will," Victoria said with a grin.

The trip back to Hogwarts was uneventful. Dumbledore congratulated them on their new siblings, and then shooed them back to the tower. Harry and Rose hugged each other tightly, Rose with tears in her eyes, and Harry… well, his eyes were still very manly, even if they looked a little wet.

"We're older siblings," Rose said in amazement as she shrunk her trunk and started trekking up the stairs to the male dormitories with Harry.

"I've always been an older sibling," Harry said with a grin. "But it is in a new way now."

"Oh, hush you!"

Rose laughed as Harry walked into his dorm and continued until she was in the Twins dorm, where the excited twins were waiting for her.

"Well?" They chorused.

"They're… Beautiful. I love them already. However, Emery and Eddie want to see us, so we'll have to wait for the full story until later."

Everybody got up late on Boxing Day. The Gryffindor common room was much quieter than it had been lately, many yawns punctuating the lazy conversations. Hermione's hair was bushy again; she confessed to Rose that she would love to know what the elf had done so she herself could do it later in her life.

It was time now to think of the homework they had neglected during the first week of the holidays. Everybody seemed to be feeling rather flat now that Christmas was over – everybody except Harry, that is, who was starting (once again) to feel slightly nervous.

The problem, Rose thought, was that February the twenty-fourth looked a lot closer from this side of Christmas, and she knew he still hadn't done anything about working out the clue inside the golden egg.

So, that was how Rose found herself cornering Roma in a hallway to talk about it, "The egg," she whispered in a rush. "How does it work?"

"Harry doesn't know yet?" Roma hissed back.

"No! He wouldn't listen to me, and I'm sure I'm missing something but he won't let me take the egg!" Rose hugged her Care of Magical Creatures book closer to her chest and looked at Roma with wide, sad eyes.

"Tell him to take a bath with the egg."

"It can be understood underwater?"

"I have to go, Rose," Roma said, hugging her swiftly as he shook his head before walking away.

When Rose arrived at Hagrid's cabin not long after that, she found an elderly witch with closely cropped gray hair and a very prominent chin standing before his front door.

"Hurry up, now, the bell rang five minutes ago," she barked at them as they struggled toward her through the snow.

"Who're you?" said Ron, staring at her. "Where's Hagrid?"

"My name is Professor Grubbly-Plank," she said briskly. "I am your temporary Care of Magical Creatures teacher."

"Where's Hagrid?" Harry repeated loudly as Rose felt dread fill her stomach.

"He is indisposed," said Professor Grubbly-Plank shortly.

Soft and unpleasant laughter reached Rose's ears. She turned; Draco Malfoy and the rest of the Slytherins were joining the class. All of them looked gleeful, and none of them looked surprised to see Professor Grubbly- Plank. Rose tried to ask Draco to explain with her eyes, but he wouldn't look at her.

"This way, please," said Professor Grubbly-Plank as she strode off around the paddock where the Beauxbatons horses were shivering. Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Rose followed her, looking back over their shoulders at Hagrid's cabin All the curtains were closed. Has Hagrid in there, alone and ill?

"What's wrong with Hagrid?" Harry asked Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"Never you mind," she said as though she thought he was being nosy.

"I do mind, though," said Harry hotly. "What's up with him?"

Professor Grubbly-Plank acted as though she couldn't hear him. She led them past the paddock and toward a tree on the edge of the forest where a large and beautiful unicorn was tethered.

Many of the girls "ooooohed!" at the sight of the unicorn, but all Rose could think was that it was a shame it was tied up.

"Oh it's so beautiful!" whispered Lavender Brown. "How did she get it? They're supposed to be really hard to catch!"

The unicorn was so brightly white it made the snow all around look gray. It was pawing the ground nervously with its golden hooves and throwing back its horned head.

"Boys keep back!" barked Professor Grubbly-Plank, throwing out an arm and catching Harry hard in the chest. "They prefer the woman's touch, unicorns. Girls, to the front, and approach with care, come on, easy does it…"

"Hardly fair," Rose muttered as she looked back to the boys but continued forward with the other girls.

The other girls started to crowd around the unicorn and pet it, but Rose gazed at it unseeingly from a distance away. The creature was in distress at being tied up, and it wasn't handling the attention well. She wanted to scream for everyone to get back as Professor Grubbly-Plank started listing off all of the magical properties of a unicorn, and soon enough the unicorn was looking solely at her.

"I'm so sorry," Rose spoke quietly, with tears in her eyes, feeling helpless to help the beautiful creature.

That's when it happened. The unicorn's muscles bunched together and it reared up and back, making the girls scream and run away, all besides Rose and Professor Grubbly-Plank.

"Woah! Woah there!" Professor Grubbly plank yelled, "Rune, calm down!"

Rune wasn't listening though, and Rose felt her heart breaking. Without thinking she approached Rune the Unicorn and it started settling down. Rose's hands reached up and gently caressed the mane of Rune and she hummed without a melody to it, soon hearing a phoenix song join her. Looking up she saw Vitality circling the tree that Rune was tied too.

"Miss Potter, you and I need to talk."

Rose looked up from her place tucked into the neck of the unicorn, Rune, and blushed a bit at the awed stares she was getting, "I'm sorry… It doesn't like being tied up and pet like… Like a common stallion."

"That's for me to decide and-"

"It's a sentient creature!"

There was a coo from above her and Rose held her arm out on instinct, Vitality landing on it. Rose was sure she was making quite the scene right now; an arm wrapped around a unicorn, the purest of creatures, and an arm with a phoenix on it.

"Miss Potter, how-"

"Professor Grubbly-Plank," Rose said with a hard glare. "I think you're unfit to train this class! Everyone knows that Unicorns are free spirits, you can't just tie them up; they must want to be there of their own volition! And if you can't manage that… Well, then you're just not as good as Hagrid is!"

"No one can get a unicorn to stay in an area without preventative measures!"

Rose watched as the class slowly trickled closer to hear the argument, but she couldn't stop herself, "Oh yeah? That's what you're saying? I bet you…. I bet you your resignation that I can get this unicorn to follow me all day!"

Professor Grubbly-Plank looked very angry, but suddenly very unsure. After all, Rose had a dragon she took care of, and there was a phoenix on her arm, and the Unicorn had started to nuzzle Rose's neck.

"I hardly believe that would be necessary," she spoke up weakly.

"Oh, so you're not confident in this bet?" Harry spoke up with a smirk.

"It's almost like you know you'll have to resign!" Ron chimed in.

"I'd hardly resign based off of- of childish notions!" Professor Grubbly-Plank sputtered.

"Yeah? Well then, let's take this bet to Dumbledore! That way you won't have to resign, you can just be fired!" Rose's eyes were alight with fire, and Vitality quietly cooed into her hair before launching off her arm and settling on the back of Rune the Unicorn. "Then we can have Hagrid back!"

The class was watching the argument with wide eyes. Rose hadn't gone off on a Professor since Snape, and Snape hadn't been teaching for awhile now.

"Ten points from Gryffindor!" Professor Grubbly-Plank yelled.

The class stopped dead at those words, and Rose's head lowered as she felt rage fill her. Ten points from Gryffindor? For what exactly? Nothing. For nothing. For fighting for the rights of a sentient magical being! Pulses of magic started rippling off of Rose's body, and Harry tried to get to her but was held back by Hermione, who whispered rapidly in his ear.

"Fine," Rose said, her voice turning everyone's blood to ice. "If that's what you want." Rose turned pointed her wand at the rope holding Rune, and simply spoke, "Diffindo!" Before she turned her back and started walking to the castle, with Rune the Unicorn following her, and Vitality going along for the ride.