Chapter Forty-One: Ambrosia
As they entered March the weather became drier, but cruel winds skinned their hands and faces every time they went out onto the grounds. There were delays in the post because the owls kept being blown off course.
Gienah woke up one morning feeling light headed. Drawing her curtains she saw it was only first light. Gienah then ran out of her bed and only just made the toilet when she was violently sick.
"Gienah" Hermione's sleepy voice came from the cubicle door. "Are you okay?"
Gienah vomited once more after seeing the basin filled with yellow liquid and floating bits of -
"God, you're going to make me sick" Hermione whined.
Gienah emerged from the toilet five minutes later looking pale. She rinsed her mouth then brushed her teeth.
"Did you eat something funny last night?" Hermione asked spraying air freshener in the bathroom.
"No.." Gienah trailed off.
"Have you been sick like this before?" Hermione asked.
"Well a few months ago but I saw Madam Pomfrey and she gave me a potion usually given to pregnant women…" Gienah then looked down at her stomach and placed a hand over her belly.
"Gienah?" Hermione squeaked. "You can't- you're a virgin, aren't you?"
Gienah shook her head and slowly lifted her nightgown and turned to face the mirror. There, as clear as day, was a firm bump. How had she not noticed it before.
"Dear Merlin" Hermione said, placing a hand over her naked stomach. "You're pregnant."
The two girls didn't bother getting dressed as they slipped into their slippers and pulled their cloaks over their nightgowns and ran to the hospital wing. Madame Pomfrey was unsurprisingly awake and speaking with a dark haired man.
"Just what I needed" Gienah sighed.
"Madame Pomfrey!" Hermione knocked on her office door.
"Goodness Miss. Granger, I am presently engaged with-"
"Gienah's pregnant!" Hermione shouted.
Snape turned and looked surprisingly at Gienah. Madame Pomfrey didn't even blink. She waved her wand at Gienah then ushered her to a hospital bed and asked her to lie down.
"Seven months" Madame Pomfrey finally said. "You have a very healthy baby daughter Ms. Black."
Gienah squeaked. Hermione held her hand and looked worriedly at Gienah.
"What am I going to do?" Gienah cried. "I'm fifteen. Cedric's barely of age. Merlin, my fathers are going to kill me."
"No they aren't", Snape snapped. "Enough melodrama. You must write to your parents."
"The press are going to have a field day" Gienah groaned. "Fuck that - I'm going to be a mother. I never had a mother. What are mothers meant to do?"
"Calm down Ms. Black." Madame Pomfrey said gently. "You are certainly not the first student to be pregnant nor the youngest. You will inform your parents and then the father of your child before you decide on how you plan to raise the child, whether you wish to raise her at all."
"I'm in school, of course I can't bloody well raise a child!" Gienah shouted.
"Ms. Black!" Snape warned her.
"The options are as follows; place her in an orphanage or have her adopted, place her under the care of your parents, or you may care for her in school where you will be placed in a private room."
Gienah nodded weakly.
"Do you want me to get Cedric?" Hermione asked.
"Yes please" Gienah said in a quiet voice that was barely audible. Hermione nodded and hurried away.
Dear Sirius and Remus,
Please come to Hogwarts immediately. I am in the hospital wing. I am not in any harm but I would rather speak to you face to face.
Your daughter,
Gienah
Cedric arrived in ten minutes, still wearing his pyjamas, an old t-shirt that fit him far too snugly and his feet completely bare.
"Gienah?" Cedric came and looked her up and down, then at Madame Pomfrey who was making notes on a clipboard and Snape who stood looking grimmer than usual.
"Cedric. You must not panic. I only found out now." Gienah said after a deep breath. "I'm seven months pregnant."
Cedric almost fainted, but Hermione had already pushed a chair behind him and he slumped upon the chair instead.
"How?" Cedric finally said. "We used the charm every time."
"I don't know" Gienah said, looking around at the adults in the room.
Snape sighed.
"I believe the contraceptive charm is not effective when it concerns your particular gene." Snape said. "It is not a coincidence that Ms. Tonks and Ms. Malfoy have failed to produce a successful contraceptive charm on themselves."
"What are we going to do?" Cedric said to Gienah. "We're have a baby."
"It's a girl" Gienah said nervously.
"Whatever you decide I will support you Gienah" Cedric said kissing her temple. "I give you my word."
Gienah nodded.
Just then the doors slammed open and in came Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. Sirius looked like a man possessed. His cloak followed him ominously and Lupin followed looking like he'd just recovered from a full moon.
"Dad I'm ok" Gienah said in a small voice, darting her eyes between Cedric and Sirius.
Sirius caught the movement and pulled Cedric out of the chair and against the wall, pinning his neck with one hand.
"What have you done?"
Cedric was choking.
"Control yourself Mr. Black!" Madame Pomfrey chided.
"Dad!" Gienah cried. "I'm pregnant, it wasn't his fault, I'm seven months pregnant and I just found out and I don't know what to do!"
Cedric slid down the wall as Sirius went to Gienah's side and held her as she sobbed.
"Severus?" Lupin asked.
"Contraceptive charms will not be effective against any of your spouse's." Snape said. "The gene is resilient."
"When is the baby due?" Sirius barked at Madame Pomfrey.
"May the 9th." She replied, looking a little ruffled.
"What do you want to do love?" Sirius asked.
"I can't raise her." Gienah said. "Not while I'm in school. I won't leave either. And I certainly won't place her in an orphanage."
"Do you want the public to know you are having a child?" Lupin asked.
"I don't want her to grow up with a scandal hanging over her head." Gienah said, wiping her tears away and speaking resolutely. "Remus, will you raise her as your own?"
Remus nodded.
"Bellatrix is pregnant and it will be easy to pass her off as a twin." Sirius said. "She is due in August."
"But I want her to know who her parents are." Gienah said firmly, looking at Cedric who nodded. "Only we and the Diggory's will know the truth."
There was a pause as Gienah hugged both her fathers and Lupin had tears falling from his eyes. Gienah smirked.
"You're going to be a grandfather." Gienah laughed.
"I'm too young." Sirius said, winking at Hermione.
"We need a bigger house." said Lupin.
And they all laughed.
"I have a meeting kids." Sirius gave Gienah a final kiss. "You are coming home for the Easter holidays and staying there till you've given birth.. Blimey, those have had to be the strangest sentence I've ever said…"
Gienah sat down and told Harry, Ron, Ginny and Luna that evening in the common room once everyone had left for bed.
"Blimey" Ron said. "A baby."
"Yes Ron" Hermione said sarcastically. "A baby, a little human being that is birthed by the mother. The child is a result of coitus-"
"Yeah, yeah alright!" said Ron with a note of panic.
Luna hugged Gienah and Ginny was speechless.
"I'm going to be an uncle" Harry said weakly.
"You aren't marrying him are you?" Ron said. "Because you know - you don't have to."
Gienah laughed and hugged him closely. He nervously patted her back.
"Pregnant women" Ron muttered though he smiled.
Ginny had began to cry and Hermione had to pat her soothingly.
"I'm just so happy" Gienah sniffed.
Gienah left and headed to the Hufflepuff basement as a bird and snuck into his bed.
"What took you so long?" Cedric murmured in her ear.
Gienah sighed, letting him pull her flush up against him. Cedric pulled her night gown above her stomach and caressed the little bump.
"I'm going to be a father." Cedric whispered.
"She's going to be so adored." Gienah laughed.
"It's true. I'll spoil her rotten." Cedric nodded.
Gienah turned in his embrace and kissed his mouth in the dark. Cedric lowered his hand and slipped his fingers inside of her and she gasped.
"For some reason" Cedric whispered in her ear. "I am completely aroused at the thought of fucking my pregnant wife."
Gienah bit her lip.
Cedric thrust deeper inside of her.
"Merlin you're so wet." Cedric groaned. "Get on top."
"Yes sir." Gienah said submissively.
Cedric grabbed his wand and sent a ball of light above them and watched her push herself down on his hard length. Cedric rocked his hip beneath her. He pulled her down and kissed her breasts as he thrust in and out of her. Wanting more control he flipped her over, placed either hand by her head and pushed his whole body weight on her, going so deep she cried out in pain.
"Do you like that?" Cedric murmured, his grey eyes molten.
Gienah nodded as he completely withdrew and slammed into her again. Gienah whimpered. She held tightly onto his muscular shoulders and wrapped her legs around him. She was in awe at how much bigger he was.
"Your breasts are swollen" Cedric said as he pinched both her nipples with a husky laugh.
Cedric picked up his pace and Gienah reached down and circled her finger on her clitoris and cried out as she came undone under him.
"You feel so fucking good." Cedric said through gritted teeth.
Gienah was pulsing with pleasure when he came inside of her.
Cedric withdrew and suckled her breasts.
"How was that?" Cedric smirked as he leaned back beside her.
"Cocky bastard" Gienah muttered, pulling his arms around her waist. She could feel his limp penis against her and it filled her with arousal. She almost enjoyed this better than sex. Cedric seemed to thinking along the same lines as he pressed himself against her and placed his hand on her sex.
"We have classes tomorrow" Gienah reminded him as she felt him harden once more.
"I'm not doing anything" Cedric murmured, his fingers stroking her tantalizingly between her puffy lips. His cock head squeezing between her bum cheeks.
"I can't sleep like this" Gienah gasped.
Cedric eliminated the lights.
"Try" Cedric whispered. "Because I won't sleep tonight.
The next morning Ginny ran over to Hermione and Gienah with Witch Weekly in her hands and placed the open magazine before them with a growl.
Harry Potter's Secret Heartache
A boy like no other, perhaps - yet a boy suffering all the usual pangs of adolescence, writes Rita Skeeter. Deprived of love since the tragic demise of his parents, fourteen-year-old Harry Potter thought he had found solace in his steady girlfriend at Hogwarts, Muggle-born Hermione Granger. Little did he know that he would shortly be suffering yet another emotional blow in a life already littered with personal loss.
Miss Granger, a plain but ambitious girl, seems to have a taste for famous wizards that Harry alone cannot satisfy. Since the arrival at Hogwarts of Viktor Krum, Bulgarian Seeker and hero of the last World Quidditch Cup, Miss Granger has been toying with both boys' affections. Krum, who is openly smitten with the devious Miss Granger, has already invited her to visit him in Bulgaria over the summer holidays, and insists that he has "never felt this way about any other girl."
However, it might not be Miss Granger's doubtful natural charms that have captured these unfortunate boys' interest.
"She's really ugly," says Pansy Parkinson, a pretty and vivacious fourth-year student, "but she'd be well up to making a Love Potion, she's quite brainy. I think that's how she's doing it."
Love Potions are, of course, banned at Hogwarts, and no doubt Albus Dumbledore will want to investigate these claims. In the meantime, Harry Potters well-wishers must hope that, next time, he bestows his heart on a worthier candidate.
Hermione huffed. Gienah laughed hysterically.
"What a load of bull!" Gienah said.
"What is it?" Harry said, taking the paper. Ron and Harry read the article, Harry's cheeks reddening every second.
"I told you!" Ron hissed at Hermione as she stared down at the article. "I told you not to annoy Rita Skeeter! She's made you out to be some sort of- of scarlet woman!"
Hermione stopped looking astonished and snorted with laughter. "Scarlet woman?" she repeated, shaking with suppressed giggles as she looked around at Ron.
"It's what my mum calls them," Ron muttered, his ears going red.
"If that's the best Rita can do, she's losing her touch," said Hermione, still giggling, as she threw Witch Weekly to the side. "What a pile of old rubbish."
She looked over at the Slytherins, who were all watching her and Harry closely across the room to see if they had been upset by the article. Hermione gave them a sarcastic smile and a wave, and she, Harry, and Ron shook their heads.
"There's something funny, though," said Hermione ten minutes later, holding her pestle suspended over a bowl of scarab beetles. "How could Rita Skeeter have known...?"
"Known what?" said Ron quickly. "You haven't been mixing up Love Potions, have you?"
"Don't be stupid," Hermione snapped. "No, it's just...how did she know Viktor asked me to visit him over the summer?"
Hermione blushed scarlet as she said this and determinedly avoided Ron's eyes.
"What?" said Ron.
"He asked me right after he'd pulled me out of the lake."
Hermione muttered. "After he'd got rid of his shark's head. Madam Pomfrey gave us both blankets and then he sort of pulled me away from the judges so they wouldn't hear, and he said, if I wasn't doing anything over the summer, would I like to -"
"And what did you say?" said Ron, because he was looking at Hermione.
"And he did say he'd never felt the same way about anyone else," Hermione went on, going so red now that Harry could almost feel the heat coming from her, "but how could Rita Skeeter have heard him? She wasn't there...or was she? Maybe she has got an Invisibility Cloak; maybe she sneaked onto the grounds to watch the second task..."
"And what did you say?" Ron repeated.
"Well, I was too busy seeing whether you and Harry were okay to-"
"But do you want to?" Ron asked, violently spearing a sausage.
"I haven't really had-" Hermione began.
"Ron- it isn't really any of your business is it." Gienah interrupted.
Ron went red and was in a mood the rest of the day.
Saturday night Gienah sat in detention with Snape practicing an advanced Gemini spell. This created six copies that were able to move in their own record albeit move was all they could do.
"Enough" Snape said. "Take a seat."
Snape threw her two issues of the daily prophet. The first bore the headline Mystery Illness of Bartemius Crouch, the second, Ministry Witch Still Missing - Minister of Magic Now Personally Involved.
Gienah scanned the story about Crouch. Phrases jumped out at her: hasn't been seen in public since November...house appears deserted...St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries decline comment...Ministry refuses to confirm rumors of critical illness...
"They're making it sound like he's dying," said Gienah slowly. "Percy Weasley believes Crouch is suffering from overwork."
"Along with Pettigrew returning to England and Potter's name drawn from the goblet… it can't be a coincidence."
"You think Crouch has something to do with this?"
"Crouch used to be Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Snape said, leaning back on his desk and folding his arms. "He was tipped for the next Minister of Magic, a great wizard in his prime, Barty Crouch, powerfully magical - and power-hungry."
"Crouch was the one who sent your father to Azkaban without a trial" Snape added.
"WHAT!?" Gienah said. "But dad invited him to my birthday party… he got us tickets to the world cup."
"Guilty conscience" Snape shrugged. "I don't know how that man's mind works."
"You mean to say, dad doesn't know?" GIenah asked.
"Oh he knows." Snape said with a wry smile. "He rose quickly through the Ministry, and he started ordering harsh measures against the dark lords' supporters. The Aurors were given new powers - powers to kill rather than capture, for instance. And your father wasn't the only one who was handed straight to the dementors without trial. Crouch fought violence with violence, and authorized the use of the Unforgivable Curses against suspects. I would say he became as ruthless and cruel as many on the Dark Side. When the dark lord disappeared, it looked like only a matter of time until Crouch . But then something rather unfortunate happened..." Snape smiled grimly. "Crouch's own son was caught with a group of Death Eaters who'd managed to talk their way out of Azkaban."
"Crouch's son was caught?" gasped Gienah.
"Yes," said Snape.
"Was his son a Death Eater?" said Gienah.
"Yes" said Snape.
"Is he still in Azkaban?" GIenah asked.
"Died in 1981" Snape said. "Shortly following his death, his mother died."
"What does this have to do with anything?" Gienah asked.
"The greatest weapon is intelligence." Snape said. "Now knowing what you do, do you not consider it strange Potter is a champion in a tournament organized by Crouch and Crouch is now suffering an unknown illness. Bertha Jorkins, a ministry employee likely to have known the tournament would take place this year for the first time in more than a century, disappears in Albania of all places."
"It makes the entire thing more strange." Gienah agreed. "Sanctimonious father with a death eater for a son becomes mysteriously ill months after Bertha Jorkins."
"There was also a muggle that died last summer." Snape passed her a muggle newspaper clipping. She could tell it was muggle by the still pictures on the page.
"Frank Bryce…" Gienah said.
"Killed by the killing curse by the looks of it."
"In.. Little Hangleton!" Gienah shouted. "That's where Voldemort's father lived. I met Frank! And Harry had a nightmare I think on this exact date professor. He dreamt of an old man and a snake and wormtail!"
"Why would the dark lord return to the house of his muggle father sir?" Gienah asked, looking deeply afraid.
"It is late." Snape said looking at the clock. "Return to your dormitory, you may speak to Granger about these findings. Next saturday I expect a comprehensive essay on the rise of Grindelwald."
"Yes sir." Gienah said. "Good night professor."
"Good night Gienah."
Sunday morning Gienah regaled what she had learnt to Hermione, Ron and Harry.
"We should owl Percy" Ron said thoughtfully. "Ask him when was the last he'd seen Crouch."
Gienah nodded.
Gienah, Harry, Ron, and Hermione went up to the Owlery after lunch on Sunday to send a letter to Percy, asking whether he had seen Mr. Crouch lately. When they had watched Hedwig fly out of sight through the Owlery window, they proceeded down to the kitchen to give Dobby his new socks Harry had brought him from Hogsmeade.
The house-elves gave them a very cheery welcome, bowing and curtsying and bustling around making tea again. Dobby was ecstatic about his present.
"Harry Potter is too good to Dobby!" he squeaked, wiping large tears out of his enormous eyes.
"You saved my life with that gillyweed, Dobby, you really did," said Harry.
"No chance of more of those eclairs, is there?" said Ron, who was looking around at the beaming and bowing house-elves.
"You've just had lunch!" said Hermione irritably, but a great silver platter of eclairs was already zooming toward them, supported by four elves.
"Dobby, where's Winky?" said Hermione, who was looking around.
"Winky is over there by the fire, miss," said Dobby quietly, his ears drooping slightly.
"Oh dear," said Hermione as she spotted Winky.
Gienah looked over at the fireplace too. Winky was sitting on the same stool as last time, but she had allowed herself to become so filthy that she was not immediately distinguishable from the smoke-blackened brick behind her. Her clothes were ragged and unwashed. She was clutching a bottle of butterbeer and swaying slightly on her stool, staring into the fire. As they watched her, she gave an enormous hiccup.
"Winky is getting through six bottles a day now," Dobby whispered to Harry.
"Well, it's not strong, that stuff," Harry said.
But Dobby shook his head. "'Tis strong for a house-elf, sir," he said.
Winky hiccuped again. The elves who had brought the eclairs gave her disapproving looks as they returned to work.
"Winky is pining, Harry Potter," Dobby whispered sadly. "Winky wants to go home. Winky still thinks Mr. Crouch is her master, sir, and nothing Dobby says will persuade her that Professor Dumbledore is her master now."
"Hey, Winky," said Harry, struck by a sudden inspiration, walking over to her, and bending down, "you don't know what Mr. Crouch might be up to, do you? Because he's stopped turning up to judge the Triwizard Tournament."
Winky's eyes flickered. Her enormous pupils focused on Harry. She swayed slightly again and then said, "M - Master is stopped - hic - coming?"
"Yeah," said Harry, "we haven't seen him since the first task. The Daily Prophet's saying he's ill."
Winky swayed some more, staring blurrily at Harry.
"Master - hic - ill?"
Her bottom lip began to tremble.
"But we're not sure if that's true," said Hermione quickly.
"Master is needing his - hic - Winky!" whimpered the elf. "Master cannot - hic - manage - hic - all by himself..."
"Other people manage to do their own housework, you know, Winky," Hermione said severely.
"Winky - hic - is not only - hic - doing housework for Mr. Crouch!" Winky squeaked indignantly, swaying worse than ever and slopping butterbeer down her already heavily stained blouse. "Master is - hic - trusting Winky with - hic - the most important - hic - the most secret..."
"What?" said Harry.
But Winky shook her head very hard, spilling more butterbeer down herself.
"Winky keeps - hic - her master's secrets," she said mutinously, swaying very heavily now, frowning up at Harry with her eyes crossed. "You is - hic - nosing, you is."
"Winky must not talk like that to Harry Potter!" said Dobby angrily. "Harry Potter is brave and noble and Harry Potter is not nosy!"
"He is nosing - hic - into my master's - hic - private and secret - hic - Winky is a good house-elf - hic - Winky keeps her silence - hic - people trying to - hic - pry and poke - hic -"
Winky's eyelids drooped and suddenly, without warning, she slid off her stool into the hearth, snoring loudly. The empty bottle of butterbeer rolled away across the stone-flagged floor. Half a dozen house-elves came hurrying forward, looking disgusted. One of them picked up the bottle; the others covered Winky with a large checked tablecloth and tucked the ends in neatly, hiding her from view.
"We is sorry you had to see that, sirs and miss!" squeaked a nearby elf, shaking his head and looking very ashamed. "We is hoping you will not judge us all by Winky, sirs and miss!"
"She's unhappy!" said Hermione, exasperated. "Why don't you try and cheer her up instead of covering her up?"
"Begging your pardon, miss," said the house-elf, bowing deeply again, "but house-elves has no right to be unhappy when there is work to be done and masters to be served."
"Oh for heavens sake!" Hermione cried. "Listen to me, all of you! You've got just as much right as wizards to be unhappy! You've got the right to wages and holidays and proper clothes, you don't have to do everything you're told - look at Dobby!"
"Miss will please keep Dobby out of this," Dobby mumbled, looking scared. The cheery smiles had vanished from the faces of the house-elves around the kitchen. They were suddenly looking at Hermione as though she were mad and dangerous.
"Good-bye!"
The house-elves crowded around GIenah, Harry, Ron, and Hermione and began shunting them out of the kitchen, many little hands pushing in the smalls of their backs.
"Thank you for the socks, Harry Potter!" Dobby called miserably from the hearth, where he was standing next to the lumpy tablecloth that was Winky.
"You couldn't keep your mouth shut, could you, Hermione?" said Ron angrily as the kitchen door slammed shut behind them. "They won't want us visiting them now! We could've tried to get more stuff out of Winky about Crouch!"
"Oh as if you care about that!" scoffed Hermione. "You only like coming down here for the food!"
It was an irritable sort of day after that. Gienah got so tired of Ron and Hermione sniping at each other over their homework in the common room that she picked up her books and went to the Hufflepuff basement where she had her foot rubbed by Cedric as she read A Modern History concerning Grindelwald. She smiled thinking this was a much better arrangement than listening to Hermione and Ron bickering.
By breakfast the next day Ron's and Hermione's bad moods had burnt out, and to Gienah's relief, Ron's dark predictions that the house-elves would send substandard food up to the Gryffindor table because Hermione had insulted them proved false; the french toast was as good as usual.
Ron watched in awe as Gienah finished her second bowl of porridge and reached for the stack of french toast and summer berries. Between nibbling her toast she popped strawberry after strawberry in her mouth.
When the post owls arrived, a gray owl landed in front of Hermione's plate, closely followed by four barn owls, a brown owl, and a tawny.
"How many subscriptions did you take out?" said Gienah, seizing Hermione's goblet before it was knocked over by the cluster of owls, all of whom were jostling close to her, trying to deliver their own letter first.
"What on earth - ?" Hermione said, taking the letter from the gray owl, opening it, and starting to read. "Oh really!" she sputtered, going rather red.
"What's up?" said Ron.
"It's - oh how ridiculous -"
She thrust the letter at Gienah, who saw that it was not handwritten, but composed from pasted letters that seemed to have been cut out of the Daily Prophet.
YOU ARE A WICKED GIRL. HARRY POTTER DESERVES
BETTER. GO BACK WHERE YOU CAME FROM MUGGLE.
"They're all like it!" said Hermione desperately, opening one letter after another. "'Harry Potter can do much better than the likes of you...' 'You deserve to be boiled in frog spawn...' Ouch!"
She had opened the last envelope, and yellowish-green liquid smelling strongly of petrol gushed over her hands, which began to erupt in large yellow boils.
"Undiluted bubotuber pus!" said Ron, picking up the envelope gingerly and sniffing it.
"Ow!" said Hermione, tears starting in her eyes as she tried to rub the pus off her hands with a napkin, but her fingers were now so thickly covered in painful sores that it looked as though she were wearing a pair of thick, knobbly gloves.
"You'd better get up to the hospital wing," said Harry as the owls around Hermione took flight. "We'll tell Professor Sprout where you've gone..."
"I warned her!" said Ron as Hermione hurried out of the Great Hall, cradling her hands. "I warned her not to annoy Rita Skeeter! Look at this one..." He read out one of the letters Hermione had left behind: "I read In Witch Weekly about how you are playing Harry Potter false and that boy has had enough hardship and I will be sending you a curse by next post as soon as I can find a big enough envelope.' Blimey, she'd better watch out for herself."
Hermione didn't turn up for Herbology. As Harry and Ron, Gienah wobbled, left the greenhouse and for their Care of Magical Creatures class, they saw Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle descending the stone steps of the castle. Pansy Parkinson was whispering and giggling behind them with her gang of Slytherin girls. Catching sight of Harry, Pansy called, "Potter, have you split up with your girlfriend? Why was she so upset at breakfast?"
Hagrid, who had told them last lesson that they had finished with unicorns, was waiting for them outside his cabin with a fresh supply of open crates at his feet. Gienah's heart sank at the sight of the crates - surely not another skrewt hatching? - but when she got near enough to see inside, she found herself looking at a number of flurry black creatures with long snouts. Their front paws were curiously flat, like spades, and they were blinking up at the class, looking politely puzzled at all the attention.
"These're nifflers," said Hagrid, when the class had gathered around. "Yeh find 'em down mines mostly. They like sparkly stuff...There yeh go, look."
One of the nifflers had suddenly leapt up and attempted to bite Pansy Parkinson's watch off her wrist. She shrieked and jumped backward.
"Useful little treasure detectors," said Hagrid happily. "Thought we'd have some fun with 'em today. See over there?" He pointed at the large patch of freshly turned earth Gienah had watched him digging from the Owlery window. "I've buried some gold coins. I've got a prize fer whoever picks the niffler that digs up most. Jus' take off all yer valuables, an' choose a niffler, an get ready ter set 'em loose."
Gienah picked up a niffler. It put its long snout in her ear and sniffed enthusiastically. It was really quite cuddly.
"Hang on," said Hagrid, looking down into the crate, "there's a spare niffler here...who's missin? Where's Hermione?"
"She had to go to the hospital wing," said Ron.
"We'll explain later," Harry muttered; Pansy Parkinson was listening.
It was easily the most fun they had ever had in Care of Magical Creatures. The nifflers dived in and out of the patch of earth as though it were water, each scurrying back to the student who had released it and spitting gold into their hands. Ron's was particularly efficient; it had soon filled his lap with coins.
"Can you buy these as pets, Hagrid?" he asked excitedly as his niffler dived back into the soil, splattering his robes.
"Yer mum wouldn' be happy, Ron," said Hagrid, grinning. "They wreck houses, nifflers. I reckon they've nearly got the lot, now," he added, pacing around the patch of earth while the nifflers continued to dive. "I on'y buried a hundred coins. Oh there y'are, Hermione!"
Hermione was walking toward them across the lawn. Her hands were very heavily bandaged and she looked miserable. Pansy Parkinson was watching her beadily.
"Well, let's check how yeh've done!" said Hagrid. "Count yer coins! An' there's no point tryin' ter steal any, Goyle," he added, his beetle-black eyes narrowed. "It's leprechaun gold. Vanishes after a few hours."
Goyle emptied his pockets, looking extremely sulky. It turned out that Ron's niffler had been most successful, so Hagrid gave him an enormous slab of Honeyduke's chocolate for a prize. The bell rang across the grounds for lunch; the rest of the class set off back to the castle, but Gienah, Harry, Ron, and Hermione stayed behind to help Hagrid put the nifflers back in their boxes. Gienah noticed Madame Maxime watching them out other carriage window.
"What yeh done ter your hands, Hermione?" said Hagrid, looking concerned.
Hermione told him about the hate mail she had received that morning, and the envelope full of bubotuber pus.
"Aaah, don' worry," said Hagrid gently, looking down at her. "I got some o' those letters an all, after Rita Skeeter wrote abou me mum. 'Yeh're a monster an yeh should be put down.' 'Yer mother killed innocent people an if you had any decency you d jump in a lake.'"
"No!" said Hermione, looking shocked.
"Yeah," said Hagrid, heaving the niffler crates over by his cabin wall. "They're jus' nutters, Hermione. Don' open 'em if yeh get any more. Chuck 'em straigh' in the fire."
"You missed a really good lesson," Harry told Hermione as they headed back toward the castle. "They're good, nifflers, aren't they, Ron?"
Ron, however, was frowning at the chocolate Hagrid had given him. He looked thoroughly put out about something.
"What's the matter?" said Harry. "Wrong flavor?"
"No," said Ron shortly. "Why didn't you tell me about the gold?"
"What gold?" said Harry.
"The gold I gave you at the Quidditch World Cup," said Ron. "The leprechaun gold I gave you for my Omnioculars. In the Top Box. Why didn't you tell me it disappeared?"
Harry had to think for a moment before he realized what Ron was talking about.
"Oh..." he said, the memory coming back to him at last. "I dunno...I never noticed it had gone. I was more worried about my wand, wasn't I?"
They climbed the steps into the entrance hall and went into the Great Hall for lunch.
"Must be nice," Ron said abruptly, when they had sat down and started serving themselves roast beef and Yorkshire puddings. "To have so much money you don't notice if a pocketful of Galleons goes missing."
"Listen, I had other stuff on my mind that night!" said Harry impatiently. "We all did, remember?"
"I didn't know leprechaun gold vanishes," Ron muttered. "I thought I was paying you back. You shouldn't've given me that Chudley Cannon hat for Christmas."
"Forget it, all right?" said Harry.
Ron speared a roast potato on the end of his fork, glaring at it. Then he said, "I hate being poor."
Gienah, Harry and Hermione looked at each other.
"It's rubbish," said Ron, still glaring down at his potato. "I don't blame Fred and George for trying to make some extra money. Wish I could. Wish I had a niffler."
"Well, we know what to get you next Christmas," said Hermione brightly. Then, when Ron continued to look gloomy, she said, "Come on, Ron, it could be worse. At least your fingers aren't full of pus." Hermione was having a lot of difficulty managing her knife and fork, her fingers were so stiff and swollen. "I hate that Skeeter woman!" she burst out savagely. "I'll get her back for this if it's the last thing I do!"
Hate mail continued to arrive for Hermione over the following week, and although she followed Hagrid's advice and stopped opening it, several of her ill-wishers sent Howlers, which exploded at the Gryffindor table and shrieked insults at her for the whole Hall to hear. Even those people who didn't read Witch Weekly knew all about the supposed Harry-Krum-Hermione triangle now. Harry was getting sick of telling people that Hermione wasn't his girlfriend.
"It'll die down, though," he told Hermione, "if we just ignore it...People got bored with that stuff she wrote about me last time.
"I want to know how she's listening into private conversations when she's supposed to be banned from the grounds!" said Hermione angrily.
"Well, Rita's definitely not using an Invisibility Cloak!" Hermione panted five minutes after their Defence class, catching up with Gienah, Harry and Ron in the entrance hall and pulling Harry's hand away from one of his wiggling ears so that he could hear her. "Moody says he didn't see her anywhere near the judges' table at the second task, or anywhere near the lake!"
"Hermione, is there any point in telling you to drop this?" said Ron.
"No!" said Hermione stubbornly. "I want to know how she heard me talking to Viktor! And how she found out about Hagrid's mum!"
"Maybe she had you bugged," said Harry.
"Bugged?" said Ron blankly. "What...put fleas on her or something?"
Harry started explaining about hidden microphones and recording equipment. Ron was fascinated, but Hermione interrupted them.
"Aren't you two ever going to read Hogwarts, A History"
"What's the point?" said Ron. "You know it by heart, we can just ask you."
"All those substitutes for magic Muggles use - electricity, computers, and radar, and all those things - they all go haywire around Hogwarts, there's too much magic in the air. No, Rita's using magic to eavesdrop, she must be...If I could just find out what it is...ooh, if it's illegal, I'll have her..."
"Haven't we got enough to worry about?" Ron asked her. "Do we have to start a vendetta against Rita Skeeter as well?"
"I'm not asking you to help!" Hermione snapped. "I'll do it on my own!"
She marched back up the marble staircase without a backward glance. Harry was quite sure she was going to the library.
"What's the betting she comes back with a box of / Hate Rita Skeeter badges?" said Ron.
At the end of term Cedric waited for Gienah at the entrance hall as she said goodbye to Ginny, Hermione, and Luna.
"Here" Luna said with a small smile.
Luna had given her a coral healing crystal attached to a fine gold chain.
"The crystal offers high protection to the mother and baby." Luna said.
Hermione gave her a large tub of peanut butter ice cream and a medley of fruits for the train journey and Ginny gave her some homemade bath salts.
Gienah cried as she waved goodbye from the carriage. It was ridiculous how emotional she got these days. She remembered what Dumbledore had said about a childhood, she couldn't help mourning it now.
During the train journey both of them finished the home-made ice cream. Gienah lay in Cedric's lap as she read Jane Eyre. Cedric fed her berries and suggested girl names.
"Ara?"
"No, Draco's sisters name." Gienah said.
"Carina?"
"Sounds like Karen."
"Celina?"
"No."
"Celeste?"
Gienah shook her head.
"Ambrosia?" Cedric was reading off a baby names book.
"Ambrosia" Gienah repeated.
Gienah gasped.
"The baby kicked." Gienah sat up and pressed Cedric's hand on her stomach.
"Ambrosia" Cedric smiled.
"Or Rose for short!" Gienah said.
"I love it" Cedric kissed her.
Lupin met them at the station.
"The charms are flawless." Lupin said looking at Gienah's flat abdomen.
"She's not that big" Cedric said sounding disappointed.
Gienah glared at him.
"I wouldn't refer to the mother of your child as anything less than perfection in her state" Lupin chuckled. "Or ever."
They walked to the Leaky Cauldron as usual and took the floo home. As soon as she arrived she pointed at her stomach with her wand and said "Finite Incantatem".
Lying on the sofas were two very pregnant women.
Cedric looked nervous.
"Gienah!" Bellatrix reached her arms out as she attempted to sit up.
"Stay still" Lupin said.
"Nonsense." Bellatrix said as she kissed her step daughter. "I'm pregnant not an invalid. He's been like this for the last three months. It's insufferable."
"Dinner will be ready in half an hour." Lupin said, kissing his wife.
"I'll help!" Cedric said a little too keenly. Lupin chuckled as the men went into the kitchen.
"Mmm, he is handsome" Alyssandra said, hugging Gienah. "Let me have a look at you. Goodness."
"Where are the girls?" Gienah asked.
"Napping upstairs. Molly's keeping an eye on them. Lyra's with Charlie at the reserve." Bellatrix yawned.
Just then the fireplace flickered and in came Tonks.
"Gen" Tonks smiled. "I can't believe it! Sirius told me about the contraception charm mishap."
"Cassie's napping" said Alyssandra.
"Thank Merlin" Tonks said, collapsing into an armchair.
Twenty minutes later Sirius, Charlie, Lyra, Molly, Ted and Andromeda arrived and dinner was ready. Lupin had made asparagus and ricotta pizza served with a selection of salads. Gienah piled her plate with couscous, green salad and grilled halloumi and peppers.
"We've decided to call the baby Ambrosia, Rose for short" Gienah said to Sirius.
"Wonderful!" Alyssandra said.
"Have we found a nanny yet?" Gienah asked.
"We've decided to train Missy and Poppy." Sirius said. "Kreacher will have to take care of the manor."
"On his own?" Gienah said sceptically.
"We'll make do" Sirius said, waving a pizza slice around. "Remus, you need to make pizza more often, this is delicious."
"We're moving into the Manor in the summer" Alyssandra said. "There is simply no space. So Missy and Poppy can give Kreacher a hand. We'll have to hire household staff. I've put a post in the Daily Prophet. There is just too much to do. But once it's sorted I can begin my training with peace of mind."
"WIll it be just you two?" Gienah asked.
"Goodness no!" Alyssandra said. "In that palace? Tonks, Charlie and Cassie will take the East Wing."
"You and Harry can decide where you would like to live Gienah" Sirius said.
"It's going to be so quiet here" Bellatrix sighed.
"I don't really know how we'll live without Remus's cooking" Sirius said taking another bite of pizza.
Bellatrix laughed wickedly.
Gienah had an early night after a heated argument about where Cedric would sleep. Eventually he was forced to give in seeing as everyone agreed the worst had already happened.
"If Cedric's sleeping in the guest room, you can sleep on the sofa." Alyssandra said.
Sirius grumbled.
Cedric looked around her room with interest. She'd never really decorated it. Half was exposed brick and the other wooden panels painted cream. The floor was covered in a floorboard in a stripped fairy tale blue. There were fairy lights criss crossed from the ceiling. Shelves lined the entire wall between the two large windows with her king sized bed in the centre and her clothes hand on open rails on the opposite wall with shelves climbing up to the ceiling filled with boxes and instruments. The entirety which had been covered with posters and photos. Her large desk stood by the window overlooking the woodland. By the other window there were two blue armchairs with a tea table between them and a rug Sirius had brought back from Columbia. The window was triangular shaped pieced together like an eye. The round windows at the centre opened all the way out.
"This is the coolest room I've ever been in" Cedric said as he turned back to her.
"I love it" Gienah agreed, looking round.
"I was thinking about putting a cot by the window." Gienah said pointing at the armchairs. "And placing the chairs in the corner of the room, here".
"That would work." Cedric said.
"And then when she can sleep in her own room she can take Sirius's bedroom and we'll strip the walls back so it's bare brickwork but the walls will be a deep blue. White furniture and blue curtains and cushions and upholstery. A whole wall covered in paintings in gold frames and another wall lined with books."
Cedric smiled and kissed her as she spoke.
"You are going to be a wonderful mother." Cedric said.
"I won't even be there in the beginning." Gienah frowned.
"I'm sure Dumbledore will let you floo to her in the weekends." Cedric said.
The next morning she woke up at noon. Cedric was not in her bedroom. After a shower, she dressed in a maxi dress and walked downstairs.
Cedric was in the dining room, reading a book for History of Magic and Alyssandra in the kitchen feeding three wriggling babies with Missy's help.
"Good morning" Alyssandra smiled. "Rather, afternoon".
"Mistress Gienah" Missy curtsied. Gienah smiled at the house elf. She was wearing a white blouse and a blue pinafore.
Alyssandra was wearing a summer dress which fit snugly around her belly.
"It's so quiet" Gienah said.
"There's french toast left for you under the plate there" Alyssandra pointed.
"Mmm." Gienah said, looking at the three girls in their high chairs. Cassie had opted for pink hair that morning and was the most energetic, clapping her hands and with baby food running down her mouth. Mira was trying to get Missy to feed her toy dragon. Missy shook her head but Poppy refused to eat otherwise so Missy sighed and fed the dragon, clearing the mess from its mouth every time. It was an adorable sight.
"Where's Poppy, Missy?" Gienah asked, pouring herself a coffee.
"At the manor miss" Missy said. "Kreacher is very very old, he is needing all the help he can get."
Gienah laughed.
"I should get my homework out the way" Gienah sighed. "Can you manage?"
"I have Missy" Alyssandra smiled. "And Bella should wake from the dead soon."
Gienah laughed again.
The afternoon was lazy but productive. She finished all her potions essays and decided to brew a wit sharpening potion in the library after dinner. Remus, Gienah and Missy cooked in the kitchen and at seven they sat around the usually crowded table. Bill was visiting so the company was more boisterous than usual. The table was filled with more dishes too. There was a veggie casserole, a beef casserole and a fish pie served with mashed potatoes, peas and gravy.
"I'd never believe it" Bill said. "Little Gienah pregnant!"
"Dad and Bella are raising her as far as the public are concerned." Gienah said.
"Can you imagine this house in ten years time Charlie?" Bill laughed. "Black haired daughters surrounding the table. It'll put us to shame. Charlie, you need to keep up mate."
"Oy" Tonks said.
Bill winked.
"What about you mate?" Charlie said. "Any girl you've got your eye on."
"Ah that'd be tellin'" Billie said. "Remus, don't tell mum I said this bu' you could give ma a run for her money. Best beef casserole I tasted since Hogwarts."
"Cheers" Lupin grinned. "You should come over more often."
"Remus here feels unappreciated." Sirius said, scowling. "I tell him he's a ruddy good chef every morning and ask him to marry me every night. Think he'd get the idea."
Alyssandra coughed.
"Darlin'" Sirius said, sipping his wine. "As much as I love you I never heard so much nonsense in my life. A lady being too refined to cook! Bah!"
"Why can't you my love" Alyssandra retorted. "A gentleman too much of an imbecile?"
Sirius roared with laughter.
"Bill, I must introduce you to the French" Sirius chuckled. "They're the ones that'll keep you on your toes."
"I'm not so sure about that" Lupin said looking at Bella.
"Moony love, she's got you on hot coals." Sirius said with a wink.
After dinner Gienah and Lyra went into the library. Lyra read a book as Gienah practiced making the potion by heart. Cedric joined her later to do some studying and once Lyra went back to her house they continued their studies into the night. At two Gienah fell asleep.
The next afternoon Alyssandra, Bellatrix, Cedric and Gienah went on a picnic with the girls to a park in town. It was nice to get out of the house and see some new people. Alyssandra spoke to a muggle woman who had come to the park with her two young children. Bellatrix looked uncomfortable but she behaved. Gienah and Cedric pushed the children on the swings and helped them down the slides. Cedric was a little awkward at first but soon settled in. Alyssandra took a few pictures of the two of them.
The Easter holidays passed in much the same way. Studying most evenings and nights. Dinner with various guests and occasional days out shopping or to the park. Gienah began to read bedtime stories to the children and Cedric learnt to change diapers. Soon Cedric had to return to Hogwarts and Gienah spent her days wallowing and dreading the birth. On May 5th Gienah began her labour contractions and on the 8th of May Gienah had a baby girl. That weekend Harry, Hermione, Ron and Cedric came to visit. Cedric teared up and the first baby photos were taken. Ambrosia had the trademark black hair and grey eyes.
Gienah returned to the cottage that same day with Cedric. Gienah couldn't sleep. She was too fascinated by the baby. Her daughter. It was strange to say. As Cedric snored she stood by the window holding her sleeping daughter.
The next day she, Missy and Cedric flooed to Dumbledore's office.
"Congratulations" Dumbledore said. "May I?"
Gienah nodded.
"Ambrosia Elladora Black" Dumbledore said to the blinking baby. "And so the House of Black lives on."
Dumbledore sat down in his armchair with Ambrosia in his arms.
"You have requested a private dormitory for the remainder of the year?" Dumbledore asked.
"Yes sir" Gienah nodded. "Missy will look after her while I am in lessons and next year she will remain with my father at the cottage. I do not wish to be separated from her so soon."
"Understandable." Dumbledore nodded. "I have arranged a private quarters on the sixth floor corridor. It is fully furnished with a small kitchen and a living room. Missy may take the child outdoors or to Hogsmeade. I believe there is a small park where the village children play. If you require further assistance do not hesitate to ask me. Concerning the baby's nutritional needs. Dobby."
The house elf appeared instantly, bowing low before his master.
"Miss Black!" Dobby said in surprise. "Harry Potter tells me you have a daughter, miss, but he is keeping it a secret".
"Yes Dobby" Dumbledore smiled. "This is Missy, she is Ambrosia's nanny. Missy, if you require the pantry you are welcome to use the kitchens. Dobby do introduce her to the house elves. Perhaps introduce her to Winky. It may help with her.. problem."
"Yes sir" Dobby said with a toothy smile. "Pleased to meet you Miss Missy."
Missy giggled as she took his hand and with a CRACK they disappeared.
"Well.. I believe Missy will be well taken care of." Dumbledore said with a raised eyebrow as Gienah burst out laughing.
"Do house elves marry?" Cedric asked.
"Why yes Mr. Diggory." Dumbledore said earnestly. "They have very complicated binding magic, much more powerful than wizards. It is the duty of a house-elf to provide their masters with children to serve their masters."
"I can not wait to tell Harry" said Gienah giddily.
"I will show you to your rooms." Dumbledore said. "Perhaps, Fawkes?"
Fawkes flew over to Dumbledore. Dumbledore took his tail, and gestured Cedric and Gienah to hold onto him and in a flash they appeared in a small living room lined with shelves, two armchairs and a large fire.
"The floo can be connected to any floo in Hogwarts. I have also connected the floo to the Lupin cottage. I hope you use it responsibly."
"Thank you headmaster!" Gienah said, positively beaming. "In that case I may be able to care for Ambrosia throughout my education here."
"Indeed you could." Dumbledore said. "Although you may need to explain to your peers why you are living in private dormitories."
Gienah frowned.
"You may change your mind at any time my dear." Dumbledore said, handing Ambrosia to Cedric. "I bid you good night."
Dumbledore left the living room through the door this time. As soon as he left Gienah looked into the bedroom of a reasonable size with one wardrobe, a chest of drawers and two bedside tables. There were shelves by the writing desk. The kitchen was small and without a fridge. The bathroom consisted of only one bath and a toilet. The living room was the largest room, cosy and with a comfortable desk for her studies.
"This is weird" Gienah said. "I'm a mother in my own apartment."
"What are you going to tell people?" Cedric said, taking a seat in the armchair.
"I have no bloody clue." Gienah said honestly. "Lavender's a terrible gossip."
"Would it be so bad telling people the truth?" Cedric considered. "I can't be ashamed of Rose."
"Nor I" Gienah said, climbing into his lap.
The next morning Gienah woke up at eight and changed into her uniform. Ambrosia was still sleeping. Gienah left a note for Missy telling her she'll be back during lunchtime to feed her. Gienah walked downstairs and felt strange having been with Ambrosia the past seventy-two hours. Her breasts were leaking and she'd had to stuff tissues down her bra. She noticed her shirt was snug around her chest and prayed she didn't leak through the tissues.
"Man, it's good to have you back" Ron said as he walked in to Gienah with her newspaper, porridge and coffee.
"Can't say the same." Gienah frowned. "I miss her."
"Can I come up with you at lunchtime?" Ron asked. "I never really got to spend time with her."
Gienah chuckled.
Predictably Lavander and Parvati bugged her incessantly about her absence.
"I was off being pregnant with Cedric Diggory's secret love child." Gienah drawled.
That shut them up.
By lunch the news went viral. In Potions that day she kept getting stared at. Draco particularly was glaring at her. As she was leaving the dungeons Draco called her name.
"How could you not have told me?" Draco said, frowning. "And with Diggory? Didn't even know he had it in him."
"That's why" Gienah said. "If you'll excuse me I have a child to feed"
Most evenings Harry, Ron and Hermione sat in her lounge, taking turns to hold her as the rest of them revised. When they went off to practice spells in an empty classroom Ginny and Luna would be notified so she never felt alone. In the weekends she'd bring Ambrosia down during mealtimes and take her out to the grounds and Ambrosia would be fawned at. A few would raise their eyebrows and turn up their noses but so many were adoring Gienah actually thought it was healthy for her.
One afternoon Gienah left Ambrosia with Cedric as they went to help Harry practice for the third task. Harry was excused from exams but their exams finished the day of the third task.
"Don't worry about it," Hermione said shortly when Harry pointed this out to them and said he didn't mind practicing on his own for a while, "at least we'll get top marks in Defense Against the Dark Arts. We'd never have found out about all these hexes in class."
"Good training for when we're all Aurors," said Ron excitedly, attempting the Impediment Curse on a wasp that had buzzed into the room and making it stop dead in midair.
The mood in the castle as they entered June became excited and tense again. Everyone was looking forward to the third task, which would take place a week before the end of term. Harry was practicing hexes at every available moment.
Harry had soon mastered the Impediment Curse, a spell to slow down and obstruct attackers; the Reductor Curse, which would enable him to blast solid objects out of his way; and the Four-Point Spell, a useful discovery of Hermione's that would make his wand point due north, therefore enabling him to check whether he was going in the right direction within the maze. He was still having trouble with the Shield Charm, though. This was supposed to cast a temporary, invisible wall around himself that deflected minor curses; Hermione managed to shatter it with a well-placed Jelly-Legs Jinx, and Harry wobbled around the room for ten minutes afterward before she had looked up the counter-jinx.
"You're still doing really well, though," Hermione said encouragingly, looking down her list and crossing off those spells they had already learned. "Some of these are bound to come in handy."
"Come and look at this," said Ron, who was standing by the window. He was staring down onto the grounds. "What's Malfoy doing?"
Gienah, Harry and Hermione went to see. Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were standing in the shadow of a tree below. Crabbe and Goyle seemed to be keeping a lookout; both were smirking. Malfoy was holding his hand up to his mouth and speaking into it.
"He looks like he's using a walkie-talkie," said Harry curiously.
"He can't be," said Hermione, "I've told you, those sorts of things don't work around Hogwarts. Come on, Harry," she added briskly, turning away from the window and moving back into the middle of the room, "let's try that Shield Charm again."
Sirius was sending daily owls now. Like Hermione, he seemed to want to concentrate on getting Harry through the last task before they concerned themselves with anything else. He reminded Harry in every letter that whatever might be going on outside the walls of Hogwarts was not Harry's responsibility, nor was it within his power to influence it.
If Voldemort is really getting stronger again, he wrote, my priority is to ensure your safety. He cannot hope to lay hands on you while you are under Dumbledore's protection, but all the same, take no risks: Concentrate on getting through that maze safely, and then we can turn our attention to other matters.
The evening before the Third Task Gienah had left Ambrosia with Ginny to babysit for the evening and decided to treat Cedric to a bath. Cedric came in ten in the evening, having practiced with his friends out in the grounds. Gienah called his name from the bathroom. He entered and saw his girlfriend naked in the bath surrounded by floating candles and chocolates.
"My treat" Gienah said with a wink. Cedric had never undressed so fast. An hour later Gienah lay back on Cedric, exhausted from their ministrations in the bath. Gienah felt completely content.
"Will you move in with us in the summer?" Gienah asked.
"I can't believe you even had to ask" Cedric murmured. "I love you and I love our daughter. If I died tomorrow I would be happy knowing we made such a beautiful daughter."
"I love you too." Gienah said, kissing him sweetly.
Gienah felt a familiar poking in her back and grinned.
"Up for round two?" Cedric said.
Gienah could only nod as his fingers were already leaving her at his mercy.
Breakfast was a very noisy affair at the Gryffindor table on the morning of the third task. The post owls appeared, bringing Harry a good-luck card from Sirius and Lupin. A screech owl arrived for Hermione, carrying her morning copy of the Daily Prophet as usual. She unfolded the paper, glanced at the front page, and spat out a mouthful of pumpkin juice all over it.
"What?" said Gienah, Harry and Ron together, staring at her. "Nothing," said Hermione quickly, trying to shove the paper out of sight, but Ron grabbed it. He stared at the headline and said, "No way. Not today. That old cow."
"What?" said Harry. "Rita Skeeter again?"
"No," said Ron, and just like Hermione, he attempted to push the paper out of sight.
"It's about me, isn't it?" said Harry.
"No," said Ron, in an entirely unconvincing tone. But before Harry could demand to see the paper. Draco Malfoy shouted across the Great Hall from the Slytherin table.
"Hey, Potter! Potter! How's your head? You feeling all right? Sure you're not going to go berserk on us?"
Malfoy was holding a copy of the Daily Prophet too. Slytherins up and down the table were sniggering, twisting in their seats to see Harry's reaction.
"Let me see it," Harry said to Ron. "Give it here."
Very reluctantly, Ron handed over the newspaper. Harry turned it over and found himself staring at his own picture, beneath the banner headline:
"HARRY POTTER"
"DISTURBED AND DANGEROUS"
The boy who defeated He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is unstable and possibly dangerous, writes Rita Skeeter, Special Correspondent. Alarming evidence has recently come to light about Harry Potter's strange behavior, which casts doubts upon his suitability to compete in a demanding competition like the Triwizard Tournament, or even to attend Hogwarts School.
Potter, the Daily Prophet can exclusively reveal, regularly collapses at school, and is often heard to complain of pain in the scar on his forehead (relic of the curse with which You-Know-Who attempted to kill him). On Monday last, midway through a Divination lesson, your Daily Prophet reporter witnessed Potter storming from the class, claiming that his scar was hurting too badly to continue studying.
It is possible, say top experts at St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries, that Potters brain was affected by the attack inflicted upon him by You-Know-Who, and that his insistence that the scar is still hurting is an expression of his deep-seated confusion.
"He might even be pretending," said one specialist. "This could be a plea for attention."
The Daily Prophet, however, has unearthed worrying facts about Harry Potter that Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts, has carefully concealed from the wizarding public.
"Potter can speak Parseltongue," reveals Draco Malfoy, a Hogwarts fourth year. "There were a lot of attacks on students a couple of years ago, and most people thought Potter was behind them after they saw him lose his temper at a dueling club and set a snake on another boy. It was all hushed up, though. But he's made friends with werewolves and giants too. We think he'd do anything for a bit of power."
Parseltongue, the ability to converse with snakes, has long been considered a Dark Art. Indeed, the most famous Parselmouth of our times is none other than You-Know-Who himself. A member of the Dark Force Defense League, who wished to remain unnamed, stated that he would regard any wizard who could speak Parseltongue "as worthy of investigation. Personally, I would be highly suspicious of anybody who could converse with snakes, as serpents are often used in the worst kinds of Dark Magic, and are historically associated with evildoers." Similarly, "anyone who seeks out the company of such vicious creatures as werewolves and giants would appear to have a fondness for violence."
Albus Dumbledore should surely consider whether a boy such as this should be allowed to compete in the Triwizard Tournament. Some fear that Potter might resort to the Dark Arts in his desperation to win the tournament, the third task of which takes place this evening.
"Gone off me a bit, hasn't she?" said Harry lightly, folding up the paper.
Over at the Slytherin table, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle were laughing at him, tapping their heads with their fingers, pulling grotesquely mad faces, and waggling their tongues like snakes.
"OY MALFOY!" Gienah shouted. Half the hall turned. Malfoy looked a little nervous. "I can speak to snakes too you jerk. And so can your sister. Her and Vanajakshi are great friends. Aren't you sweetie?" Gienah stroked her golden cobra.
Malfoy turned beet red as a few students having read the article raised their eyebrow at him.
"She's lying" Draco hissed.
"Like hell I am" Gienah said and began hissing to her snake. Vanajakshi then darted through scuttling legs and up the Slytherin table, raising her beautiful head near Draco's. remembering the last confrontation with the snake Malfoy sprinted out of the hall.
"Fifty points from Gryffindor" Professor Snape said as he passed their table. Gienah grinned when she saw the smirk on his face she was sure no one could see but her.
Harry, Ron and Hermione laughed heartily after the display.
"How did she know your scar hurt in Divination?" Ron said. "There's no way she was there, there's no way she could've heard -"
"The window was open," said Harry. "I opened it to breathe."
"You were at the top of North Tower!" Hermione said. "Your voice couldn't have carried all the way down to the grounds!"
"Well, you're the one who's supposed to be researching magical methods of bugging!" said Harry. "You tell me how she did it!"
"I've been trying!" said Hermione. "But I...but..."
An odd, dreamy expression suddenly came over Hermione's face. She slowly raised a hand and ran her fingers through her hair.
"Are you all right?" said Ron, frowning at her.
"Yes," said Hermione breathlessly. She ran her fingers through her hair again, and then held her hand up to her mouth, as though speaking into an invisible walkie-talkie. Harry and Ron stared at each other.
"I've had an idea," Hermione said, gazing into space. "I think I know...because then no one would be able to see...even Moody...and she'd have been able to get onto the window ledge...but she's not allowed...she's definitely not allowed...I think we've got her! Just give me two seconds in the library - just to make sure!"
With that, Hermione seized her school bag and dashed out of the Great Hall.
"Oi!" Ron called after her. "We've got our History of Magic exam in ten minutes! Blimey," he said, turning back to Harry, "she must really hate that Skeeter woman to risk missing the start of an exam. What're you going to do in Binns's class - read again?"
Exempt from the end-of-term tests as a Triwizard champion, Harry had been sitting in the back of every exam class so far, looking up fresh hexes for the third task.
"S'pose so," Harry said to Ron; but just then. Professor McGonagall came walking alongside the Gryffindor table toward him.
"Potter, the champions are congregating in the chamber off the Hall after breakfast," she said.
"But the task's not till tonight!" said Harry, accidentally spilling scrambled eggs down his front, afraid he had mistaken the time.
"I'm aware of that, Potter," she said. "The champions' families are invited to watch the final task, you know. This is simply a chance for you to greet them."
She moved away.
"Ooh! Dad's here!" Gienah squeaked. "Missy!"
Missy appeared and curtsied, holding Ambrosia on her hip.
"Go with Harry, Sirius and Remus are here." Gienah said, kissing her bleary eyed daughter.
"Good luck!" Missy called as Gienah ran out of the hall.
At lunch Gienah came in with Hermione reeling over all the points she'd written in her essay.
"Dad!" Gienah cried, running to hug Sirius and then Remus. More than a few eyes were on her fathers. A few girls were clearly admiring him while others looked over warily. Lupin was holding Ambrosia in his arms.
"Hello love." Sirius said. "I don't like Amons much, I'll tell you."
Sirius was eyeing Mr. Diggory from across the hall.
"Dad" Gienah warned.
"Isn't Flear a darling?" Sirius said, quickly flashing a smile. "She knows Alyssandra from Beauxbatons. She's working in Gringott's this summer so I've invited her to dine with us once she's settled in."
"What are you up to?" Gienah said narrowing her eyes. "Dad, what is he up to?"
"I think he wants to set her up with Bill, but I can't be sure. He flirted a lot." Lupin said.
"How's Maia?" Gienah asked.
"Identical to this one." Lupin said, nuzzling her nose. "We had to charm her hair and eyes to match mine. But she still looks like a Black."
Gienah, Ron and Hermione took their last exams in the afternoon and came to dinner in celbratory moods, though Harry looked a littlemore than nervous. Sirius and Lupin spent the entire dinner trying to cheer him up but it didn't help much.
"Ladies and gentlemen, in five minutes' time, I will be asking you to make your way down to the Quidditch field for the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament. Will the champions please follow Mr. Bagman down to the stadium now."
Harry got up. Gienah ran over to Cedric and kissed him passionately. The Gryffindors all along the table were applauding Harry; the Weasleys and Hermione all wished him good luck, and he headed off out of the Great Hall with Cedric, Fleur, and Viktor.
They walked onto the Quidditch field, which was now completely unrecognizable. A twenty-foot-high hedge ran all the way around the edge of it. There was a gap right in front of them: the entrance to the vast maze. The passage beyond it looked dark and creepy.
Five minutes later, the stands had begun to fill; the air was full of excited voices and the rumbling of feet as the hundreds of students filed into their seats. The sky was a deep, clear blue now, and the first stars were starting to appear. Hagrid, Professor Moody, Professor McGonagall, and Professor Flitwick came walking into the stadium and approached Bagman and the champions. They were wearing large, red, luminous stars on their hats, all except Hagrid, who had his on the back of his moleskin vest.
Gienah sat at a row closest to the stadium, fluttering nervously.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the third and final task of the Triwizard Tournament is about to begin! Let me remind you how the points currently stand! Tied in first place, with eighty-five points each - Mr. Cedric Diggory and Mr. Harry Potter, both of Hogwarts School!" The cheers and applause sent birds from the Forbidden Forest fluttering into the darkening sky. "In second place, with eighty points - Mr. Viktor Krum, of Durmstrang Institute!" More applause. "And in third place - Miss Fleur Delacour, of Beauxbatons Academy!"
"So...on my whistle, Harry and Cedric!" said Bagman. "Three - two - one -"
He gave a short blast on his whistle, and Harry and Cedric hurried forward into the maze.