CHAPTER 28

Emma Nott was having breakfast with her Gryffindor Quidditch teammates. It was the day of the match against Slytherin and they were all nervous and barely able to eat, if it wasn't for their captain Austin Felton none would be swallowing a thing. Emma trusted her skills and everything she had learn from her father but, that didn't take off the pressure she felt. This game was her opportunity to show Harry and the world that he could do it.

"Come on, Nott, eat something. I don't want to be left without a seeker mid-game because you fainted." Austin told her noticing that Emma had her gaze fixed on the plate bur didn't eat a thing.

She was about to do as her captain told her, when an owl stood in front of her. It wasn't one she recognised, Emma hadn't even received a mail since she had started Hogwarts, not even from her old Durmstrang friends. Intrigued by who would sent her something, she took the letter from the animal's extended leg. The owl left as soon as Emma freed it from its weight.

Her eyes couldn't believe what they were seeing. Inside the envelope there was a photo of Harry and Ginny kissing in the middle of the Quidditch field. The picture started with his father walking firmly to where her mother was standing and then he kissed her, seconds later Ginny kissed him back. And then it started again.

Emma observed the photo without knowing what to think. Was it a real one or fake? It seemed authentic. Little by little, her anger increased. Her mother was married, what was she thinking kissing another man? Was Harry just using Emma to get back together with his high school sweetheart? Was Ginny using her? Why were they hiding their relationship? Emma didn't like the idea of her parents together once more, at least not now when she was just starting to get to know his father.

She surveyed teachers' table. There wasn't even a little thing that suggested they were having a secret relationship, not a clue. They didn't even talk to each other. Harry was having a conversation with Neville and Ginny with professor Fandom. Harry only glanced in Ginny's direction because Haley, who was next to her, was constantly trying to get his attention.

"What do you think of this, 'dear daughter'? I personally don't like it a bit" Patrick Weasley, who was sitting in front of Emma, said out loud.

"What?" she asked looking at him in confusion.

"That's what's written on the back of it." Fred answered pointing at the photo Emma was holding. They both looked at her in interest.

Emma, carefully so that nobody could see the photo, turned it and read the words. It was Theodore's handwriting, she was sure of it. In an instant, her anger turned into fear. He was capable of doing anything, especially to Ginny. With that kiss her mother had sentenced her death.

She jumped up from her seat, ignoring her teammates' protests and went directly to Ravenclaw's table, where her brother was reading a book. She put the photo in front of his eyes. Unlike his sister, the photo made him smile.

"I think they make a good couple." Thomas commented trying to decipher Emma's expression. He didn't understand why she looked so terrified by the idea of her parents being together.

"Turn it over." When he read what his father had written, he started trembling and lost his entire face colour, he paled in fear.

"W-we have to t-tell her. He is going to-to-to kill her!" he whispered desperately.

"You talk to her. I can't now, I have a game and I'm so mad that I can't even look at her. Why did she do that?!" Emma said angrily. Her mother had risked her own life for that kiss.

"Emma! You can't leave me alone with this, what do I do? How do I tell her? What if Harry is with her? I don't know what to do! This is a threat!"

"Fine." She said after seeing her brother's restlessness and fright. "We'll talk to her after the game, that way I'll burn some of the anger I have. I don't think that he'll do anything right now. Just in case, be sure to stay close to her and that she is surrounded by many other professors, she'll be safe that way."

"Okay, I can do that. I guess she'll be at the professor's stands, so it won't be difficult."

"Yes, and when the game ends, I'll meet you all at her room, okay?"

"Yes." Thomas said firmly. He wasn't going to let anything happen to his family, he was going to protect his mother and sisters.

Emma wasn't able to concentrate on the game. Her mind was still on the photo and its threat. It was the first time ever that flying didn't help her clarify her thoughts. More than ones she was almost hit by a Bludger. It was only by chance and luck that she caught the Snitch, giving the win for Gryffindor. The little winged ball had appeared near her and too far away from the Slytherin seeker. Needleless to say, she wasn't satisfied by her performance.

The Gryffindors were having a victory party but Emma had more important things to take care of. As soon as the match was over and she freed herself from her cheerful teammates, Emma ran to her sister's and mother's room. They were both already there waiting for her. Ginny didn't understand why her son had insisted so much on abandoning the field so quickly; she had wanted to congratulate her daughter on her first wining game.

"Can any of you tell me what's going on" Ginny asked them when Emma had closed the door.

"This morning Emma received this photo." Thomas gave her the picture. Ginny gasped when she saw it, and once again when she read what was written on the other side.

"What do you have to say for yourself about it?" Emma asked a bit scathing.

"I'm sorry. It's not what it look like Emma…" Ginny said, running her hand nervously through her hair.

"Oh, so you are not kissing mi father?" her daughter snapped out. "I cannot believe you! I'm finally getting to know him and you get in the middle! It's not fair! I don't want you to be with him! You're going to ruin everything!"

"Em, I'm not together with Harry" she took Emma's face between her hands, making her look at her eyes. "He as happy that day because you've finally called him 'Dad', it was just a kiss on the spur of the moment. And I was weak and let myself go… I shouldn't have kissed him back. But, I promise you, nothing, absolutely nothing, is going to ruin what you and Harry are building together. He loves you and he would never do anything to hurt you. The last thing he wants is to lose you."

"So, you two are not together?"

"I'm still married."

"You're separated." Thomas intervened, a little disappointed about the truth.

"I'm still magically linked to your father, Tommy. A magical marriage doesn't simple dissolve just because two people are not together anymore. To end a marriage there are only two ways, the first one is death of one of the spouses, and, the second one, is magical detachment. In that case, someone from the Ministry has to do it, I don't know which spell they use to make the separation official but, I do know it's painful." Ginny explained to her children. It was extremely unusual for marriages between witches and wizards to be dissolve.

"But you'd like to be together again with Harry, right?" Thomas insisted.

"I don't think I can be with him again. Our moment is already gone and Emma is here thanks to it but, there's nothing else left. We are done."

"But you kissed! The photo says it!" exclaimed Haley waving the picture on her hands, she had taken it from the table when Ginny left it and had been watching it with interest since. Like her brother, Haley was extremely disappointed about her mother's explanation.

"I WANTED HADRY TO BE MY NEW DADDY!" she yelled with her eyes full of tears and ran to her bedroom, closing the door behind her. Ginny felt her own eyes filled with tears and her throat shrink. She hated seeing her four year old so sad.

"Well… it'll pass, she'll be okay… I hope…" Thomas said breaking the silence that had settled when Haley left the living room. "Now the important thing is what my father sent Emma. It's a threat, mom. I think he will k… I mean, you are in danger."

"I know. It's not the first threat he sends." Ginny confessed to her older children, who paled as soon as they heard her. "But I'm already taking care of it. All my family is aware of this, there Aurors all around the world looking for him, and it very difficult for something to happen to me, or any of you, at Hogwarts. Even so, McGonagall and the rest of the teachers also know about the situation, so does Harry. We are safe here. Don't worry about me, I'm always on the alert."

"It's not so easy not to worry, mom." Emma told her.

"I know, Em, but I want you to enjoy Hogwarts. It's one of the best places in the world. I want you to have friends, to have fun, to discover all the secrets this castle have. I want you to do the things you never did before. I want you to be free." Her children nodded their heads but said nothing.

Giny got up from her seat and went to her youngest daughter's room. She found Haley with her face on the pillow, still hiccupping with sadness.

"Hales" she started, while caressing the little girl's back. "Don't be sad, you'll still see Harry anytime you want."

"But I wanted him to be my daddy." She said sitting in front of her mother. "Hadry gave Hedving, he always let me fix his hair, he plays with me and Mr. Crackers and he doesn't hit me or Em or Tommy or you. And he is good. And if I cry he hugs me and he goes flying with me."

"And he will still do all those things and many more. Haley, that Harry and I are not together doesn't mean you can't spend time with him. He loves you and has fun with you." Ginny assured her. She had seen how Harry treated her children and was sure he loved them all and would never hurt them.

"Really?"

"Yes."

"I also love him very much."

"Then you should tell him, I'm sure he'll be very happy to hear it."

"Okay!" Haley agreed with a beautiful and happy smile.