CHAPTER 33

The new romance between Harry and Ginny was a secret. Only those who had been at the party new about it and had swear not to tell anybody. Ginny wasn't ready to tell her family, she was didn't know how they would react, especially her mother since Ginny was still technically married. Moreover, Harry still felt too guilty to face the Weasleys.

"Do you think we should tell my family?" Ginny asked him one afternoon while they were having tea at Harry's office, after they had finished their daily classes.

"I don't know, I don't think I'm ready to see them yet, Ginny. They must hate me, Ron and Hermione do. And they have the right to despise me. I acted as an ungrateful brat with everyone. Your parents had always treated me as another one of their children and your brothers too, and I didn't even say goodbye to them."

"They don't hate you, Harry. Hermione herself asked me to talk to you, she wanted you, Ron and her to get together and be your friends again. And my parents would be happy to see you again, so would Bill, Charlie, Percy and George. And I think they would love to meet Teddy." Harry smiled at the mention of his godson, Ginny never excluded him, she knew how important Teddy was for Harry.

"Do you want to tell them we're back together?"

"Maybe, I'm not that sure… what I would like is for all of us to be together again, just like in the old days. I want them to meet my children, they barely saw them last summer and Emma, Thomas and Haley weren't that comfortable. We had just arrived from Bulgaria, it was all too fast and impromptu, I'd like them to meet them again, now that they had gotten used to this new life."

"If that's what you want, we can do it. Do you think they would be mad about us being a couple? You're a married woman and they must hate me for leaving you behind back then… I don't know…"

"They don't hate you! Stop saying that! But yes, I'm also unsure if this is the best time to tell them. Though they must have seen the photo on 'The Daily Prophet', I bet they know… even if we deny it to 'The ´Quibbler' saying that it was a fake one."

"When do you want to go?"

"They always get together on Sundays. We could go one of those days, when Teddy and Emma have some free time from studying for the OWLs."

"Okay. That gives me some time to prepare myself." He said before kissing her on the lips.

It turned out that Emma and Teddy were way too busy with their studies. Ginny and Harry had forgotten how much work the OWLs took. They finally decided to postponed the reunion with the Weasleys for the next summer break.

A week before the end of the last term, Emma and Teddy were taking their last OWL, and Harry was supervising the exam, since it was the DADA test. Ginny, Thomas, Haley and Mr Crackers were sitting on the steps of Hogwarts' main entrance. They were breathing some air but keeping themselves away from the danger area. There weren't many students, they were practically alone.

"This is nice." Ginny said feeling content to share a beautiful day with her children.

"Mr Cracks also likes it." Haley commented naming her cat by its nickname. Mr Crackers was curled up, warming himself in the sun.

"What are we going to do this summer, Mom? Where are we going to live? Please tell me we won't go back to that baleful house."

"If I'm honest, Tommy, I'm also not looking forward to it, I've always hated that house. In fact, it's Harry's, his godfather left it to him when he passed away, and he also hates it. But we don't have that many choices, your father is still out there, running freely… I don't know what else to do, Grimmauld Place is the safest home I know. If by some miracle he is caught before the term ends, I'll find us somewhere else to live. However, I don't think it will happen."

"How long are we going to live like this? Is it really that hard to find him? I mean, even the photos he sent us clearly indicate he is near, he is watching us. The Aurors should have at least some idea where to look for him. I can't understand why nobody knows a thing about his hideout!" Thomas exclaimed in frustration. He hated that his father had so much power over them.

"Me neither. I thought that by this dates they would have him tied up… we'll just have to endure it a little bit more." She said while putting her arm around his shoulders.

"Mr Crackers!" Haley's scream interrupted them. She had stood up without them noticing it and was running after her pet in direction of the Forbidden Forest.

"Haley! Come back here!" Ginny yelled and started running towards her daughter, Thomas right beside her. She didn't like it a bit where Haley was going.

Haley wasn't listening to her mother and brother, her only thing in mind was to reach Mr Crackers. When she finally did, it was at the edge of entering the forest.

"Bad, Mr Crackers, very bad! You can't go away to the forst!" the four year old chastised her cat when she finally got him on her arms.

"Haley Nott! Don't you ever do that again!" Ginny yelled at her when she was a few feet away.

"But, mommy, he was running away." Haley said trying to justify her actions.

"I don't care! Mr Crackers is a really intelligent cat, he would have come back, like he always does. You are so grounded, Haley! How many times do I have to tell you the dangers of running alone out here?! You promised me you would stay close to me! I can't believe you did something so irresponsible! You could have been hurt! You should be more careful, Haley!" her mother told her severely and took her hand to go back to the castle. Ginny was having a hard time breathing because of the run and the fear she had had for her daughter.

"Yes, Haley, listen to your mother." A cold and mocking voice said behind her back. "Expelliarmus!"

As soon as Ginny finished turning around and protecting Haley behind her, her wand flew into Theodore Nott's opened hand. Her husband was grabbing Thomas by the neck, barely letting him breathe, his wand was also on Theodore's hand.

"T-Theo-dore, what a-are you doing?" she asked fearfully.

"What else, Ginevra? I'm getting what's mine back."

"Let him go." Ginny demanded stronger than she felt.

"No. This one I'll take for sure. The muddy Potter can stay and the little one is too annoying and I never wanted her. But, Thomas, he is coming with me. You, on the other hand, Ginevra, can choose. Are you coming or are you staying? Son or daughters?"

"What kind of game are you playing?"

"Thomas is my son. I taught him how to be a Nott. You're ruining him, leading him astray. I don't care about the girls, they are useless. But he will continue the Nott legacy."

"Theodore, let him go." That only worked for Nott to grab him even more strongly, making their son to turned blue. Ginny couldn't hide her fear anymore.

"Come on, bitch, choose, Nott or Potter?" Ginny saw Thomas eyes pointing at Haley, as if telling her to choose his sisters and Harry. She had never felt prouder of him, he was willing to give up his life for his family. Just like Ginny was.

"Nott." A ghoulish smile spread on Theodore's lips and he let loose his grip on Thomas but not completely.

"Perfect, come here, I've a Portkey and is about to activate." He told her showing her a sock he had taken from his pocket.

"Okay, just let me say goodbye to Haley." Ginny turned around without waiting an answer and discreetly took a piece of parchment from her pocket and put it into her daughter's, who was crying harder than ever. "Give this to Harry. I love you."

"Mommy don't go!" she cried trying to get hold of her mother's arms. It broke Ginny's heart to see her daughter like that but, this was the only way to keep them safe and help Thomas.

"Hales, I have to go with your father." She told her severely but the little girl didn't want to understand. Finally, Theodore got tired of it and threw a stunning spell at Haley, leaving her unconscious.

"Theodore!" Ginny exclaimed turning to look at him.

"She is unbearable, Ginevra, I couldn't stand her crying anymore."

"She is your daughter!"

"Pff, if it were for me she wouldn't even exist."

"Strange, since it was you who forced me have sex with you that time." She didn't know where this strength was coming from, but there she was, reproaching him that terrible night Haley was conceived.

"It was your punishment from trying to run away, Ginevra, I had to show you that that's not possible. You can never run away from me. Never." He said with another one of those smiles that made her want to puke.

Ginny saw that Theodore's grip on Thomas was loose and that the sock was starting to glow. It was now or never. With all the muscle she could muster, Ginny grab her son's hand and freed him from his father's arm. Without giving him time to react, Ginny hugged Theodore and touched the sock he had in his hand. They both disappeared in the spot.