AN: I was planning to post 1 more chapter right after the last one but I got so caught up with the holidays. I lost track. Then I got sick and I unfortunately passed it on to my daughter. My apologies. Thank you for the favorites, follows and reviews! Keep'em coming please :)
Hope everyone had a great holiday! Happy New year everyone!
Thank you to my beta MychelleFennell
Any mistakes left are mine.
Ninjaxoxo
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CHAPTER TEN
Back in the RoR the teenagers sat around the fireplace. Going over the meeting they just had.
"That's over with. Hopefully they can dig up more information with the ministers help." Alex said sighing heavily. Though they were all the same age he seemed older and worn.
"I hope the others take it well. Once they get over who they reproduced with." Theo said chuckling. James rolled his eyes.
Althea looked to Cassie in concern." Are you alright Cass? Your looking pale...well paler than usual." She put an arm around Cassie and let her head rest on her shoulder.
"I'm fine. Just a bit overwhelmed is all." Cassie replied. She was starting to get a pounding headache and her body felt sore in different places. She was feeling a bit warmer than usual sitting in front of the fireplace but had goosebumps across her arms. She didn't want to worry her brother and friends. She smiled trying to reassure them. None of them believed her.
"Come on. It's been a long day. I'll take you to bed." Althea stood her up and guided her towards her room. Cassie didn't have the energy to protest.
"I'll let headmistress know and maybe she will get madam Pomfrey to check on her." Cassie turned to look at her brother. "Thats not necessary Scorp. I'll be fine after I get some sleep." Scorpious cocked a pale brow at her letting her know that there wasn't any room for discussion. Cassie rolled her eyes," Your just like dad, I swear." The rest bid Cassie a goodnight and told her to have a good rest.
Madam Pomfrey came to check on Cassie a few minutes later. The mediwitch did not ask any questions. Cassie didn't know wether McGonagall told her not to or because she knew enough to not have to ask any questions.
"I suggest you eat something to warm
you up before you take these potions I'm about to give you dear." The kind and gentle witch said. Cassie nodded just as Scorpious came in with a tray of chicken noodle soup and some bread with a steaming cup of tea. He smiled at his twin as he set the tray in front of her.
"After she eats you'll need to make sure she takes this fever reducing potion every 4 hours and pain relief potion as needed. I also left three viles of pepper up potion. She can take those once she feels a bit better." Madam Pomfrey looked at the twins with a knowing twinkle in her eye. When she first walked into the room she noticed the three framed pictures on Cassie's night stand. A family portrait, one of she assumed to be their parents and of the twins themselves. She did not mention the pictures as she worked.
Cassie and Scorpious thanked the mediwitch as she left the room. Scorpious set a chair near Cassie's bedside and sat.
Cassie smiled at him glancing at the pictures on her night stand.
"I'm sure they are holding their own Cass." Scorpious laid a hand on hers in comfort.
"Thats not what I'm worried about Scorp." Cassie replied sadly. Scorpious frowned," We aren't here to play matchmaker with our parents Cass. We are here to warn them about this threat. We knew that there were consequences. So did our parents."
Tears streamed down Cassie's face," That doesn't make it any easier." Scorpious scooted onto the bed next to his sister cradling her in his embrace, shushing her soothingly as she cried herself to sleep.
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Harry and Hermione made their way to Hogsmeade. Deciding to stop by the three broomsticks for a drink. Both walking in silence while their thoughts were in chaos.
They sat at the bar and ordered two butterbeers. Harry brought his hand up to his face in stress. "I feel the same way." Hermione laid a hand on his back," Let's just take this one step at a time."
Harry nodded and gave a small smile. Madam Rosmerta set their drinks in front of them giving them a small smile.
"You should read the letter." Hermione suggested."I will when I get home ." Harry stayed silent for a few beats. Hermione chewing on her bottom lip and playing with the hem of her blouse.
"Should we tell Ron?" She asked suddenly. Harrys body tensed, turning around to face his best friend. "I mean he is our best friend but then again he has no involvement in this situation." Both she and Harry knew that their best friend has a uncontrollable temper and a childish attitude. Keeping secrets from him would end up in disaster.
"Kingsley might not want anyone not involved to be privy to this case." Hermione nodded. "Actually he may not want Malfoy and I on this case at all. If it turns into a case. We are involved and it would be a conflict of interest." Harry removed his glasses and rubbed at his eyes in anxiety.
Hermione grabbed his hand away from his face and places his glasses back on his nose. "One step at a time,okay?" She finished her drink and got up taking Harry with her.
"What do you think about the kids?" Harry asked tentatively. "I'm curious about them. Though It's all too much at the moment." She wrings her hands on her lap. "I would love to get to know them. They are still young and It seems they are in a situation much like ours leading up to the war. Right now we are the only ones they have." Harry nodded, "I imagine they need their parents...or er...us now more than ever."
"Malfoy? 'Mione, really?" He asked teasingly. "Shut it Potter." Hermione groaned," I'm at a loss at how that even happened. You're not any better."
"Daphne Greengrass. We've never noticed each other, maybe in passing but we never spoke or have ever formally met." Harry took off his glasses to pinch between his eyes. Hermione sighed," Let's not focus on who we have our kids with and start thinking of a way to help them."
"Let's go home. Get some sleep and start fresh tomorrow ok?" She said smiling at him holding his hand.
"Ok." Harry returned her smile, gave her a hug and they let go before apparating separately home.
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At Grimmuald Place, Harry went straight to his office. It still needed a little work but it would do for now. The dark peeling wall paper and water stained floors and ceiling have been ignored for far too long.
He wrote to Kingsley about setting up a meeting and a response came quickly. He was to meet the minister himself on Monday 9am.
Heading to his room to change, he almost forgot about the letter in his pocket. He finished changing and went into the kitchen to put on some tea while he opened the letter which he noticed had an ornate letter "P" for the wax seal.
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Hermione having been changed into night clothes as soon as she got home was staring at the crackling fire in front of her sitting on the couch nursing a cup of coffee. Yes coffee. She may not admit it but she has become addicted to the beverage, inhaling the scent of hazulnut cream mixed with coffee before taking a sip. The sweet and smooth taste blanketing her tounge warming her throat on the way down.
Despite the comfort of a mug of coffee in her hands she could not stop the chaos that is in her head.
Being married to Malfoy and having kids with him. She scoffed out loud, I must have been impurised or given Amortentia. She wasn't stupid. She would never allow any if those things to happen to her. How could she possibly be willing to be in a relationship with Draco bloody Malfoy?
The teenagers. What she told Harry was true. She did want to get to know them. Though she feared that just by them being here it would change their future. Albeit that was the point but they could've upset the whole timeline with their arrival. She didn't want to get too attached. Knowing that someday they will have to go back or in the worse case they would just completely disappear.
Then there was this threat of Bellatrix possibly having a daughter. Could it be true? Did Bellatrix and Rodolphous reproduce? Both of them being off their rocker surely they wouldn't have thought to bring a child into the world.
She unconsciously started to chew her bottom lip again until she felt her teeth cut into her lip. She winced sucking the blood on her lip.
Malfoy has the letter meant for the both of us. I should ask him if he could send it over by owl. I'm not ready to meet him alone. She shook a cold feeling out of her body at that thought.
She owled Malfoy asking him to send over the letter if he has finished with it before heading to her room.
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The next morning Harry flooed over to Hermione's flat. They were in the kitchen having breakfast of eggs and bacon with coffee for herself and tea for Harry.
"Have you read your letter?" Hermione looked up as she sipped her coffee. Harry nodded," Yes. I feel like it's only right for Daphne Greengrass to read it too." He replied.
They haven't heard or seen much of the older Greengrass girl. All they knew was that her younger sister was bethroled to Malfoy. Hermione felt her stomach twist and she shifted uneasily at thought. Daphne was in Malfoys group of friends but did not join in the bullying back in school. She was quiet. The opposite of a certain pug nosed bint they knew. Astoria was a year below them so they never really crossed paths and paid no mind.
"Malfoy sent me the letter. I think he wants to ask Narcissa Malfoy if she knows anything."
"Though I'm not sure if letting her in the know is ideal. It's the only lead we got." Harry got up to place their dishes in the sink and charmed them to wash and out away themselves.
Hermione shook her head but hid a small smile behind her hand. "You are so lazy Harry James Potter."
"After living with the Dursleys , I don't miss doing things the muggle way. I want to do it the my way now." He replied with a smug smile.
They chuckled and continued to chat sitting on Hermione's couch. Both nursing their preferred hot beverage. Laughing and reminiscing of the golden days. Their troubled minds escaped them even for just a little while.
