Chapter 31 – The Life She Always Wanted:
Eight long years had passed since the small, but intimate wedding of Jaime Potter and Lionel Diggory. While some things seemed to have changed dramatically over those eight years, some things did not change at all. In fact, many members of the wizarding would might claim that things may have gotten worse.
The war against Lillian had not ceased. In fact, many witches and wizards no longer bothered to even call it a war; a war would suggest that either side had a chance of winning. If everyone was being honest with themselves, it was no longer a war. Lillian was now silently and ruthlessly ruling the wizarding world. Not only was she ruling, but ever since Jaime and Lionel's escape, she had moved her hide-out to somewhere in Spain and had become more violent and malevolent than ever. Lillian continued terrorizing the country and the wizarding world and she was no longer just killing witches and wizards who stood in her way of ultimate power. No, now she was killing anyone and everyone, including and especially Muggles, at random. Nowhere and no one seemed safe; except for one place. The one place that Lillian had not touched or threatened since she was seventeen years old was Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was also the one aspect, or place, of the wizarding world that was not under her complete tyranny.
The Auror Department at the Ministry of Magic had been disbanded since Lillian placed an Imperius Curse on the Minister of Magic. The majority of the Aurors had been murdered or executed but there were a handful that had escaped and joined Bill Weasley's rebellion; the rebellion against Lillian's brutal and ruthless tyranny. However, without the Aurors and the support of the Ministry and Daily Prophet, it made it nearly impossible for anyone to try and capture and bring Lillian to justice.
Lillian also had control over the Daily Prophet, which had completely stopped printing articles about Lillian, her actions, and rumors of where her hide-out might be. As soon as she had breached the Daily Prophet, Lionel abandoned his job and went into hiding with Jaime; now knowing he was no longer safe. It was a good thing he decided to do so because not a week later, one of the secretaries had found that his office had been completely destroyed with a white, blood stained lily resting on his desk.
England was not the only country suffering at the hands of Lillian's wrath. The wizarding Ministries in Ireland, Spain, Italy, Bulgaria, France, Netherlands, Egypt, Canada, and even the United States were under her power. It seemed as tough Lillian had her hands in just about everything magical. She even had some influences over the Muggle world; such as placing the Prime Minister of England and the Vice President of the United States under the Imperius Curse. However, there was one place, one building that she had not dared to touch. She had tried to attack it once back in her youth; many, many years ago. But many argue that she had only done that to use as an escape tactic and to make a statement about what she was capable of; it was not an actual attack.
That building was the castle and the grounds of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.
It was rumored that the reason Lillian never attacked Hogwarts was for the same reason Lord Voldemort had never attacked it; she feared someone who worked in the castle. Lord Voldemort feared Albus Dumbledore and Lillian…Lillian feared Jaime Potter.
Jaime Potter, ever since she had escaped Lillian's clutches, testified in court, and swore her loyalty to the Ministry (before Lillian had corrupted it), had been working at the Transfiguration professor at Hogwarts. Ever since then, due to her skills, intelligence, and remarkable connection to the darkest witch of all time, she had been offered many more job opportunities that were above being a mere professor at Hogwarts. But Jaime never accepted them, claiming that she was happy where she was. Many people, including her husband, family, and close friends, could not help but speculate that the only reason she continued to stay at her post at Hogwarts was to protect the students from being influenced by her twin sister. They also speculated that it was to protect her father and aunt particularly; both who were still a professor and Headmistress and both of whom she had grown to care about and love fiercely.
It took a very long time for Jaime to develop those feelings for her father, aunts, uncles, and cousins. Sure, she had always cared about them; they were her blood…her family after all. But it took a great, great deal of time…years even…before she had come to trust and love them. During those years Jaime had developed extremely close and strong relationships with Harry, Ron, Hermione, Eustrice and her cousins Lynn, Jason, and Charlie. Unfortunately, as much as she tried, Jaime was completely unable to rekindle the friendship she had developed with Annabelle. Jaime just felt that there was just too much bitterness over her abandonment of their friendship that she was unable to overcome; she was never able to fully and truly trust her because of it. And it was fairly obvious that Annabelle was extremely jealous of Jaime over her marriage to Lionel. Annabelle overcame her feelings for him so the tension between the two girls was just far too much. A rift came between them that could never be repaired. They were always polite to one another at family functions and events, but they never went out of their way to seek one another out and they never got close. It was something that secretly and quietly devastated the Weasleys.
Despite her awkward relationship with Annabelle, Lynn had become Jaime's closest friend and confident, other than Lionel of course. The two of them were always causing mischief around the corridors of Hogwarts and at the Weasley's functions and holidays, which brought both laughs and arguments to the household. However, that all changed when Jaime became pregnant.
Less than two years after the wedding, Jaime found out that she was pregnant with her first child. It was a joyous occasion for the family; Harry was found skipping down the corridors of Hogwarts for weeks after hearing the news. However, it also was a cause for great concern. What would Lily do if she found out that Jaime was with child? Lily had always wanted her twin sister all to herself. What would she do or who or what would she attack if she found out Jaime was going to have a baby? Bill immediately decided that the news of the pregnancy and birth would have to be a complete secret. Everyone, especially Lionel, agreed. Though they all wanted Jaime alive for different reasons; Bill's being her connection to Lily and her possible capture and Lionel's being his endearing love his wife, they did not argue on the terms of how she would be protected.
During the pregnancy, Jaime would continue her post as Transfiguration professor so not to arouse suspicion. Hermione and Lynn were more than happy to go out with Jaime to purchase new robes that were a few sizes too big. Once Jaime had the baby, Lionel would take the child and go into hiding using the Fidelius Charm and using Harry as Secret Keeper. Every summer, Jaime would go into hiding with her husband and child. When the child becomes eleven, he or she will attend Hogwarts underneath the protection of Jaime and the castle. Jaime was not thrilled over the fact that she would not be able to be with her son or daughter for the majority of year, and at such a crucial time.
"So I am just to give birth and then hand it over?" asked Jaime furiously, her voice rising dangerously. Bill, Lionel, and Harry had just gone over the finer points of hiding her pregnancy from Lily.
"It's not like you'd be handing it over to a complete and total stranger, Jaime," said Lionel, sarcastically. "I'm your husband and the baby's father…it'll live with me…"
"That's not the point, Nel!" snapped Jaime, clenching her fists and narrowing her eyes at the three men sitting before her. "The point is I am sick and tired of having my life decided by everyone else rather than me! You of all people should understand that!" At that last sentence, she looked pointedly at Harry whose eyes filled with understanding.
"Jaime, please sit," asked Harry quietly, never tearing his eyes away from her own. "This is something we need to seriously discuss. You need to understand that this is not just your life we're making decisions for…"
Jaime stared long and hard at Harry, trying to grasp what exactly he was saying. And he was right. This was not just her life anymore; she was now sharing her life with the life that was growing inside of her. Patting her stomach gently, she slowly took a seat, nodding in agreement that something had to be done to protect her and her family.
"I agree with the arrangement," said Jaime, slowly, not looking at the three men. There was a long pause before she turned to look at them with a fierce determination in her emerald green eyes. "But I have a few terms of my own."
"Such as?"
Jaime looked pointedly at Harry again. "I love and respect my father more than anything. But I still don't agree with some of the decisions he made when he was a young man; such as putting Lily and I into an orphanage. I understand you felt what you were doing to protect us, Dad, I do. But, you and I both know you regret severely; not getting to know your own daughters until it was too late for one of them."
"I do regret it…"
"I don't want that same regret," said Jaime sincerely. "I want to raise my child and be a big part of his or her life."
"So what do you suggest, Jaime?" asked Bill, looking both intrigued and sincere.
"I will keep my pregnancy a secret and I will continue working at Hogwarts as the Transfiguration professor during and after my pregnancy," said Jaime, "but I want more time with my baby other than just summers. I will go into hiding with my husband and child every weekend and every holiday. And they will have full access to the castle so that they can come visit me as well. Also, I want them to have access in case there is ever an emergency." Bill and Harry considered Jaime's words and agreed to her terms without argument; they understood wanting to raise their own child.
So, it was decided and seven months later Jaime gave birth to a healthy baby boy; a boy that Lionel and Jaime decided to name Cedric Eustrice Diggory; named after Lionel's late brother and their mutual best friend.
As Cedric grew, he bore a strong resemblance to his father with his soft brown hair and handsome face. The only difference was his eyes; he had golden, topaz eyes. Jaime could not understand where they had come from but Lionel proudly admitted that Cedric had inherited his namesake's eyes. Harry, who had known the late Cedric Diggory closely, confirmed this as tears welled up in his eyes. There was no other boy that Harry had grown more and completely doted on his grandson as much as he possibly could.
Four years after Cedric was born, Jaime became pregnant again and the same plan applied for this pregnancy as well. It was kept a secret so that Lily would never find out and when the baby was born, it went into hiding with Lionel and Cedric. Everyone went smoothly and this time, Jaime gave birth to a beautiful baby girl whom they named Ginevra Potter Diggory; after her late grandmother and her mother's surname. Right away, Jaime knew that Ginny was going to resemble her Aunt Lily due to the small patch of red hair that was on her head when she was born. Sure enough, Ginny had inherited the fiery red Weasley hair and freckles; but she had inherited Lionel's kind, hazel eyes.
When Lionel and Jaime had told Harry of Ginny's name and he got one look at the small patch of red hair on her infant's head, he had burst into tears. Like Cedric, Harry completely doted on his granddaughter, spoiling her rotten and spending as much time as he could with her. It was not long before Lionel and Harry declared little Ginny as princess of the Diggory-Potter household. Harry accompanied Jaime into hiding as many weekends as he could so that he could get to know his grandchildren; the way that he was unable to know his daughters. Jaime knew that he was trying to make up for mistakes he had made with his own children and was not going to beseech him of that. Jaime and Lionel absolutely loved how Harry spent so much time with Cedric and Ginny. It made them feel more like a loving family, despite the constant danger that they were in.
There were many weekends where sometimes Hermione and Ron, or Lynn, or Charlie, or Jason, or Eustrice would come home with Jaime for the weekend and spend time with Cedric and Ginny, bringing their own children so that the two of them could get close to their family and friends. Just because the two of them were constantly in hiding and had to stay that way; that did not mean that they had to be exiled from the rest of their family. Jaime could not have been more appreciative because they were learning from the very mistakes that they had made with her and Lily; the mistakes that sent Lily to become the dark witch that she was today.
This went on for two years.
Jaime's life was far from perfect. She had to constantly keep her family in hiding, keep her children a secret and she only get to see them on weekends and holidays. But, that did not blind her to the fact that she had a family; a father who loved her and doted on his grandchildren, cousins and childhood friends who had become her closest confidents, a loyal and loving his husband who would do absolutely anything for her, two beautiful children who practically worshipped the ground that she walked on, and a fulfilling and great job; a job that allowed her to be with young, fresh, innocent minds. It was a job was never dull and that never got old because while the material did not change, the students always did and that made it worthwhile and interesting. The best part was that she was able to offer these children her protection. It was not much, but it was the most she could, especially considering all of the horrible things she had done in the past. It was a rewarding job that made her blissfully happy and allowed her to share her knowledge and skills.
Jaime's life was far from perfect, but ever since she had been a small child in the orphanage, it was the life she had always wanted.
A note from the Jitterbelle. I hope this speedy update makes up for the fact that I took forever and a millennium to update! I'm in a writing mood so hopefully I can have another chapter up soon! Be prepared for the next chapter because that's where the action starts! Thank you to the loyalty of my readers and for those who have reviewed! You guys make the writing worthwhile and I appreciate everything you do! Thanks again and keep on reading and reviewing! They are SOOOOO greatly appreciated!
