CHAPTER 29

Harry had lost the opportunity to congratulate his daughter on catching the Snitch. At one moment Emma was celebrating with her teammates and the next one Harry could see her no more. Ginny, Haley and Thomas, who had been at the teachers' stands, were also gone.

He didn't want to let pass the opportunity to tell Emma how proud he was of her. That's why Harry asked a few students if they had seen her and found out she had gone to Ginny's room. No more than ten minutes later, he was knocking on the secret door behind the tapestry of the seventh floor.

"Who is it?" he heard Thomas asked on the other side of the door.

"It's me, Harry, I'm looking for Emma" he answered and a second later his daughter was standing in front of him, inviting him in. "You left before I could congratulate you on winning the game."

"Oh, it wasn't a good one, I catch the Snitch on pure luck" she said taking it importance. With a quick glance at the room, he let sigh of relief at noticing that Ginny wasn't there. Since he had kissed her days ago and she had rejected him, things had been weird between them. It was painful to see her and know he couldn't have her.

"So what? I'm still proud. You flew well. Besides, this might sound silly but, I still really enjoy watching Slytherin lose." He said with a smile. Thomas and Emma both laughed at that last childish part.

"Harry! I didn't know you were here" Ginny greeted him. Haley was up on her arms. They had come out of the girl's room where they had been talking privately.

"Hello, Gin, Hales. I just came to congratulate Emma." He said blushing without looking her in the eyes. He started making his way to the door to leave the room. "Well, that was all, I'm leaving now."

"In fact, Harry, I'm glad you came. Emma received that photo at breakfast." She informed him, pointing with her head at the photo that was still at the table.

Harry took it curiously. His cheeks turned even redder when he saw the picture of him and Ginny kissing and tried to hide his smile. It was a nice photo and Harry wanted to repeat it. But then, a question surged in his mind, who had taken it? Why had this person sent it to Emma? He let a snort of fury, it was Nott again.

"I cannot believe this son of a bitch! I'm going to kill him!" he roared, forgetting about his spectators.

"Harry!" Ginny chastised him with her eyes wide open, reminding him of her children.

"Oh… I'm sorry… I didn't mean that…" he stuttered an apology realising he was talking about Thomas' and Haley's father and his own daughter's stepfather.

"It's fine, we know how he's like" Thomas said, feeling resentment against his own father.

"Even so, I'm sorry. Well, this threat is nothing new, except, of course, it was Emma who received it. From now on, I want you to tell me every time you get mail. I don't want you to even touch it before I make an examination, don't open it even if it's from someone you know, it may be a trap. Do you understand?" he stared at them firmly. This was no thing to take lightly.

"Understood" they all answered at unison.

"Not just that. This photo was clearly taken within Hogwarts range or from the Forbidden Forest, this means Nott or someone who works for him is near. I don't want any of you to be out of the castle, except for your lessons, and even then I want you to always be in companion. Tommy, you share classes with the Weasleys, please stay near them, and you, Em, near Teddy, he'll look after you. Try to always have a group of people around you, especially in Quidditch practices, Emma. This goes for you too, Ginny, I don't like you being alone there, I know it's your job but please make sure to always have someone around. I'll accompany every time I can and I'll talk to Nev, he'll surely also help, and with Leon who lives near the pitch. And, Haley, I'm sorry but you and Mr Crackers will have to play inside the castle."

"Okay, Dad, we'll do as you say."

"And… ehh… umm, ehh…" he started saying embarrass, while passing a hand through his neck trying to calm his nerves. "The photo… I know it… I mean… umm… your mom and I are not together."

"Why?" Haley asked innocently.

"Haley, we've already talked about this." Ginny admonished her.

"Hadry, you don't love my mommy?"

"Of course I love her! She is the best woman I've ever met." He answered without even thinking.

"Then why're you not together?" the little girl insisted.

"Haley Nott! We've already talked about this. This is an adult matter." Ginny chastised her, giving Haley a hard look.

"But, mommy, he loves you very much!" Haley exclaimed smiling at her mother happily as if it was the best news ever. Harry had to bit his lip not to imitate the four year old and smile brightly.

"Haley…" Ginny started saying but Harry cut her before she could continue.

"And I'm always going to love her, just like I love all of you. But, your mom is right, this is a matter between the two of us." He said getting closer to her, who was still up on Ginny's arms. When he was close enough, Haley stretched her arms for Harry to grab her, and he did.

"I wanted you to be my new daddy. I love you very much too." She whispered in his years and put her head on his shoulder. Harry felt his heart expand; it was one of the nicest things he had ever heard in his life. The emotion was such that made with eyes become watery.

"I also wanted that." He said only for her to hear.

A few minutes later, Haley's breathing became steady, she had fallen asleep on Harry's arms. Ginny look at them in love, it was impossible not to do it, even if she tried to deny it, Harry was an incredible man and had all her love.

"So, Emma." Harry spoke breaking the silence and fixing his gaze on his daughter. "Are we good? I don't want you to think that that photo changes anything between us, our relationship."

"Why did you kissed her?" she asked curiously. She already had her mother's answer but, also wanted her father's. Thomas was also interested in hearing it, so he made himself more comfortable and look at Harry expectantly.

"Because…" Harry glance at Ginny's direction, she too look curious. "I'm not going to deny it, Ginny, I've already done it for years. I think they deserve the truth." He told her not looking at her eyes, he didn't think he could say the next things if he did. "I kissed your mother because she is the woman I love and I've always loved. And sometimes it is impossible not to want to kiss her. I know I was in the wrong, she is married and she is your mother, and I already had my chance and blew it. But if I didn't forget about her these fifteen years we were apart, I won't forget her now that I'm only a few feet away from her. No other woman compares to her. Ginny is one of the best things that ever happen to me and I cannot believe how stupid I was to let her go. And, if I'm honest, I want to repeat that photo for the rest of my life."

Ginny didn't know if to be mad because Harry had just confessed all that to her children or if to throw herself at him and fulfil his dream, repeating that kiss for the rest of their life. Thomas and Emma seemed delighted by the answer they have received. Apparently, the initial anger of her daughter had gone away and was replaced by hope. The two siblings shared a conspiratorial look and Emma talked once again.

"There's only one way for us to be good again, Dad." She said with a mischievous smile.

"Which way?" he asked cautiously. He knew pretty well that tone, it clearly came from her Weasley genes.

"Get mom back." Thomas answered for her sister.

"Thomas!" a stupefied Ginny exclaimed.

The next morning, at breakfast, Ginny arrived to the Great Hall to see students and teachers, both murmuring stuff, it seemed like a new gossip was going around. She noticed that a lot of eyes were on her, and once she arrived at her usual sit next to Neville, she understood why. In front of her was the latest edition of the "Daily Prophet", on the front page there was the photo Emma had received the day before.

"'Harry Potter, hero of the Magical World, and Mrs Nott.' – Rita Skeeter.

A few months ago, 'The Prophet' informed all of you about the return of the famous and powerful wizard who defeated You-Know-Who, Harry James Potter. The young black-haired man is now the DADA professor at 'Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry.' Not much has been know of his return to the country since then, the excess of security imposed on the Castle had made it impossible to have an interview with the coveted Harry Potter. Yet, as always, this reporter has her ways.

Many might have asked themselves what 'The Chosen one' has done all these years he was missing. Today, you will get your answer and more.

According to a reliable and close source to Mr Potter, he worked as an Auror in the USA. Young as he is, he was the Chief Auror, nothing less could be expected of such a skilful wizard. You might ask yourself why we didn't know about this, I'll tell you why. Mr Potter had decided to change his name and appearance; he turned into James Vans, a blonde-haired, blue eyed wizard.

The surprises don't end here. After much investigation, this reporter found out that Harry Potter has an adoptive child, who goes by the name of Edward 'Teddy' Lupin. The surname sounds familiar, right? It was Mr Potter's old teacher's surname, Remus Lupin. He was a werewolf who got married to Auror Nymphadora Tonks. That kid, who became an orphan because of the war, is the product of that weird couple.

Do you think that's all? Of course not!

Days ago, Harry Potter has been found kissing passionately with Mrs Ginevra Molly Nott (nee Weasley), also known as Ginny, his former girlfriend, though that teenage romance didn't even lasted two weeks.

Where was Ginevra's husband during that moment? Theodore Nott, who used to be Harry Potter's classmate, is missing, nobody knows what happened to him, only that Mrs Nott has abandon him, taking with her their three children and destroying fifteen years of marriage. What kind of respectable witch would do something like that? What will happen to the fatherless children? Where is Theodore? Answers that, unluckily, nobody have.

Could it be that Ginevra is looking for a new millionaire to live from? You may remember that the Weasleys has always been a humble household; it is not surprising that their only daughter turned out to be a harlot.

Could it be that she searched for Harry to reclaim the money he has never given to his daughter? Yes, you read correctly! A well-kept secret by the Weasleys: Harry Potter and Ginevra have a daughter together. The red-head had kept it from our hero since the very beginning; he knew nothing about his own child until a few months ago. Emma is fifteen years ago and it is a bastard child. According to my confidential sources, Theodore Nott knew about all this and that was why he married her a months before the baby was born, almost sixteen years ago, giving the little girl his own surname, Nott. This reporter applauds the courage and greatness of Mr Nott, so different from his father, a long decease Death Eater. This is the perfect example of how many times children turn out so different from their parents.

And how does Ginevra pay him? Abandoning him, taking his children away, not even worrying about his well-being, and being unfaithful, a scarlet woman.

How did our dear Harry fallen again between her filthy claws? We'll never know. However, we can guess that Emma, the daughter he has just met, had something to do. Or, of course, Amortentia, after all, Mr Nott is a well-known Potions Master, it wouldn't be weird for Ginevra to have learn a few thing about his profession."

The piece of news continued for many pages. Photos of her, of Theodore, Harry, Teddy, Emma, Thomas, Haley, and even Mr Crackers. She loathed Rita Skeeter, her whole body boiled by the hate she felt at that moment. That wrench had not only exposed her, with many lies, but she had also exposed her children and Teddy. She made Ginny look as a terrible person and Theodore as some poor guy that had the misfortune of meting such a horrible woman.