Disclaimer: I own nothing except plot
The Girl Worth Living For
Chapter 26
August 2009
"That boy is a bloody nightmare!" Ginny stormed to Harry one night. It had been a horribly hot and humid day and James had been driving Ginny up the wall. Now 7 years old he had developed a taste for mischief unlike any Harry had ever known and there wasn't a day that passed when he didn't receive a tongue lashing from his mother.
"Shh honey, you'll wake him up. What did he do this time?" Harry asked.
"He switched the salt and sugar containers so that I put salt in Lily's porridge. I just couldn't understand why she wouldn't stop crying until Albus ratted him out" said Ginny pacing the room like a bull.
Harry shook his head. He was going to have to have a serious conversation with his son.
"And it's so difficult to get them to settle whenever Teddy comes over" Ginny continued. This was true because they always seemed to become unbelievably excitable whenever Teddy spent the night.
"Teddy's off to Hogwarts next week love" said Harry soothingly.
"I know and I'm going to miss him!" said Ginny, welling up with tears. Harry sighed inwardly; since Lily's birth Ginny's emotions had become more unpredictable and Harry was often worried that if she fell pregnant again, he wouldn't notice the difference.
"Ginny baby come to bed. You're tired and I think you could use a cuddle" Harry said holding his arms out to her. She smiled at him and climbed into bed, cuddling deep into his chest. Harry kissed the tip of her nose and placed his forehead against hers. She puckered up and pressed her lips to his. They shared a soft and romantic kiss and Harry could feel the tension leaving Ginny's body as he wrapped his arms around her.
Ginny smiled against his mouth and pulled away.
"Is this why you were being so comforting? Because you're randy?" she said with a smirk.
"No" said Harry trying to act offended, though he really wasn't "I was genuinely being comforting. I am randy only now that you've kissed me" he said with a smile as he dropped another kiss on her lips.
Ginny laughed and it was the sound that made Harry happiest in the world, all those months on the Horcrux hunt without her came flooding back in moments like this, and he always held her tighter and kissed her more passionately because he knew what he had to lose. He loved just being able to snuggle with her and have sex with her whenever she wanted, without fear of retribution from her brothers.
"I love you" he whispered.
"I love you too" she whispered back.
The following day at MoM
Harry once again apparated straight into Kingsley's office. The Minister wasn't at all surprised to see him as it was at his request that Harry was there.
"Good morning Harry" he said pleasantly.
"Morning Kingsley. What can I do for you?" Harry asked.
"Well, as you know, Gabriel will be starting Hogwarts next week" he said conversationally. "And I need an Auror on hand to make sure that the boy arrives safely and is suitably sorted."
"I'd be honoured sir, my godson starts Hogwarts next week as well" said Harry proudly.
"Yes, this is why I thought you would be perfect for the mission. You are the Head Auror as well as a much respected wizard, so no one will dare to cause any trouble with you around. The fact that you get to see your godson sorted is just another bonus, albeit a personal one" said Kingsley with a smile.
Harry had great respect for Kingsley and this just added to it. The face that the Minister wanted Harry to be able to see Gabriel's sorting was excellent. But something didn't seem right.
"Hang on sir; I thought Gabriel was born in 1996. He's surely too old to just be a first year?" asked Harry.
"Yes, but at the time he should have started Hogwarts he was very ill. He has only just now been cleared to attend the school" said Kingsley
Harry mulled over this complication."It won't be an issue will it?" he asked.
"No, we have spoke to the staff and they understand the circumstances. It will not be a problem. After all children are still in the wrong years after the war. Even 11 years later people are only just coming out of hiding and sending their children to school" said Kingsley calmly.
"So what do you need me to do?" asked Harry.
"Be there on the platform, he should be safe enough on the train and then see that he arrives at Hogwarts safely. You have been invited to watch the Sorting and attend the feast, and then you may leave for Gabriel should be fine. Oh and Harry?" Kingsley asked as Harry rose to leave
"Make sure you don't crowd the boy. We need him to make friend by himself" was Kingsley's parting sentiment. With that Harry left to get on with his work and that night he told Teddy he'd be able to see him Sorted.
September 1st
The familiar bustle and madness of Platform 9 and ¾ washed over Harry. He had helped Teddy load his stuff onto the train and talked to Felicity Montgomery about the precautions in place at Hogwarts for Gabriel. Now he was having to physically restrain James to stop him jumping onto the train with Teddy.
"But Dad I want to go" cried the 8 year old.
"Give it a couple of years and you will be James. You aren't old enough yet" said Harry as he gripped the boys little shoulders.
"What time do you need to be there tonight?" asked Ginny as the train moved off. They were waving frantically at Teddy with Andromeda.
"Not until 5" said Harry "That's when I have to be at Hogsmeade station, then I apparate to Hogwarts."
Ginny nodded "What house do you reckon Teddy will be in?"
"Gryffindor won't he?" asked Harry in surprise.
"Not necessarily" said Andromeda who had been listening. "Dora was in Hufflepuff, played Chaser on their Quidditch team."
"I didn't know that" mused Harry aloud. "Well, badger or lion, it doesn't matter to me because it doesn't change anything."
Harry apparated to Hogsmeade station as the train doors were opening. He located Gabriel fairly easily with his dark hair and pale skin he looked ghostly in the light.
"Firs' years, over here. Firs' years!" came Hagrid's familiar bellow. Harry grinned and turned as Hagrid patted him on the shoulder.
"Harry! Great to see you, hear you was comin' up tonight. How are them troublemakers o' yours?" Hagrid asked.
"Same as usual" said Harry with a grin. Lily especially adored visiting Hagrid and Hagrid in turn loved the 3 little Potters.
Harry took his seat at the staff table in the familiar hall. He remembered the last time he was here, to escort Ginny to her Graduation Ball and his heart filled with warmth.
Professor McGonagall led in the gaggle of terrified looking first years to where the stool and battered hat sat in pride of place.
"When I call your name, you must come forward, I shall place the Sorting Hat on your head and then you shall join your house tables" she said. Unrolling her scroll she called the first names
"Allen, Persephone." A little mousy haired girl who was clearly Persephone Allen walked forward to be sorted. Harry didn't think he'd seen anyone look so frightened in his life.
"Hufflepuff!" cried the hat. Cheers broke out from the Hufflepuff table as Persephone went to join them.
"Blakeley, Grace"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Bletchley, Randall" called Professor McGonagall. Harry recognised the name Bletchley from Hogwarts Quidditch.
"Slytherin!" cried the hat.
"Cattermole, Alfred" Harry remembered the name with a jolt. The little blonde boy greatly resembled Reg Cattermole.
"Hufflepuff!" cried the hat and Alfred Cattermole went to join two blonde Hufflepuff girls who were clearly his sisters.
"Clarke, Orlando"
"Gryffindor!" Harry clapped with the other Gryffindors.
Damien Daniel became a Slytherin while George Davies, Elizabeth and Jayne Denby became Ravenclaws before Harry heard another name he recognised.
"Diggory, Cedric" Harry sat up straight as the little boy who greatly resembled Cedric proceeded towards the stool.
"Hufflepuff!" screamed the hat.
"Cedric's cousin, named for him after he died. Heard him telling another boy in the station" whispered Hagrid on his other side.
Isobel Dominic and Riley Evanwood became the second and third new Gryffindors. Aidan Flint went to Slytherin, Katy Gibson to Hufflepuff, Percival Herring and Morgana Higginbottom to Ravenclaw and Malissa Jackson to Slytherin.
Then Harry's neck began to prickle uncomfortably. He looked around the hall and caught the eye of a first year. She had evil dark eyes and was staring at him with pure hatred.
"Kitsby, Wayne"
"Gryffindor!"
"Lill, Ayana " called Professor McGonagall. The evil eyed girl stepped forward and the hat barely touched her head before it yelled
"Slytherin!"
Harry watched Ayana Lill go warily. Then finally
"Lupin, Ted." Harry sat up and nervously watched as the little electric blue head bobbed out of the line and up to the front of the hall.
The hat deliberated for 30 seconds before pronouncing Teddy's fate.
"GRYFFINDOR!" screamed the hat. Harry clapped so enthusiastically his hands hurt as Teddy joined Orlando, Isobel and Riley at the Gryffindor table.
Margaret Marshall was sent to Ravenclaw and then it was Gabriel's turn.
"Montgomery, Gabriel"
"Slytherin!" proclaimed the hat. Harry wasn't surprised, Riddle had been the heir of Slytherin.
"Moon, Andrew"
"Slytherin!"
"Nicholas, Brady" and "Osgood, Michael" went to Hufflepuff shortly followed by the induction of "Quinton, Eva" to Gryffindor.
"Rowantree, Niamh"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Sellers, Demarco"
"Ravenclaw!"
"Taylor, Wendy"
"Hufflepuff!"
"Thompson, Joshua"
"Gryffindor!"
"Yeoman, Holly"
"Gryffindor!"
And finally, with Luke Youngblood's dismissal to Slytherin the Sorting was finished. Teddy had since been joined by 3 more new Gryffindors and the feast was as good as ever. Harry stopped on his way out to congratulate Teddy n making Gryffindor then he proceeded out of the grounds and Apparated home.
"Teddy made Gryffindor" he told Ginny when he arrived home. She was very happy and rushed to floo her family and Andromeda to tell them the news.
"I guess that means he's a true Marauder at heart then" thought Harry.
Teddy's a lion then
I toyed with the idea of putting him in Hufflepuff but decided against it.
This skips further into the future then I maybe would've liked but I keep forgetting that Teddy's birthday wasn't until 1998
Thanks for reading and review please! They inspire me
Exx15