Chapter 15

The next morning Rose was quiet at breakfast when Harry, Ron and Hermione sat down.

Harry said "Good morning Rose did you have a good night at least. Ron and Hermione had a fight and I am really confused about how mine turned out."

Rose shrugged and said "I guess it mostly was alright but you were right about Blaise I shouldn't have gone with him. He isn't nice like he seemed at first."

Ron asked "what did he do to you?"

Rose shook her head and said "Nothing I don't want to talk about it. Harry have you figured out your egg yet. I told you I would give you until Christmas and now Christmas is over."

Harry said "I still have months to figure it out."

Rose said "You still have to figure out what you are going to do once you figure out the clues. That could take months. Look if you want me to tell you how to figure out the clue I will I won't tell you what to do about them once you find out the clues I won't completely cheat but well the screaming has to be muffled with water then you have to listen to it under water. I found a bath was easy enough but the clues are in the form of a song like poem and you have to figure out what it means it might be different for each of us I don't know but once you figure out the clues then you have to figure out how you are going to get through the task. I am not sure about that part myself."

The Slytherin point counter drained of more then a few hundred points.

Hermione said "some Slytherin just messed up big time. They are 200 points less. Oh my god where is Creavey when you need a camera."

Draco and Zabini entered the great hall each wearing a sandwich board that read "I like to molest innocent trusting girls."

Rose's face went ashen as she saw them come in she shook her head and ran out of the great hall in tears.

A troll could have connected her reaction to the sandwich boards.

Harry got up but it was George who said "I am going to kill them."

Fred shouted "they hurt our Rose."

They were far from the only ones it seemed nearly the entire school and the delegates from both Beauxbatons and Durmstrang were seethingly angry with Draco and Zabini.

Moody happened to be in the hall and was very interested in the reaction it seemed everyone even the other Slytherins had found the idea of the two boys taking advantage of Rose Potter as so terrible that they forgot their differences. But things were escalating quickly and suddenly Rose came back in. She went to the front of the room and as loud as she could she screamed at the top of her lungs. It was high and shrill but everyone turned to her and quieted.

She looked around the room for a moment then said "Everyone listen and listen closely because I am not going to repeat this. Draco and Blaise didn't rape me or anyone else. They may have intended to I don't know, I don't know what they were thinking. But they didn't do it. I appreciate the outrage that you all feel for someone being hurt in that kind of way. But they didn't actually do anything. Malfoy and Zabini why don't you go take those ridiculous things off before someone kills you. You got everyone's attention but it is not in the best taste."

They didn't need to be told twice the two boys ran out of the great hall.

Rose went over to Snape who was in the back of the room took his hand without saying a word and he let her lead him away.

Snape said "I.."

Rose snapped "don't talk to me right now."

She just kept hold of his hand and led him through the castle.

They stopped at the Gargoyle that led to Dumbledore's office she gave the password and then led him up and opened the door. Dumbledore was not there yet. Rose led him to one of the chairs and said "sit down."

He sat and Rose paced Dumbledore soon arrived and Rose said "He is your employee, friend and former student. Maybe you can talk some sense into him. I told him to let it go but he didn't and almost got two students killed by the rest of the student body."

Snape said "you took me to the head masters office for punishment?"

Rose turned to him and said "I can't rightly turn you over my knee. Withholding sex from you is a punishment to me not just you and I don't have it in me to punish you anyway. But Albus, Sorry Dumbledore is your boss and former Headmaster he has known you since you were 11 years old and damn it Severus it is one thing to take points, give detention even revoke their Hogsmead visits or ban them from the quidditch team. but making them wear those signs not only put their lives in danger did you even consider how it made me feel. What everyone would think about me? How stupid I had to be to get into that situation. You say you love me but then you do something that you had to know would only hurt me. Alright I am leaving, you deal with him."

Rose left the office she ran into Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Fred and George.

Harry said "tell us the truth what really happened last night."

Rose said "Nothing happened not really. Look Blaise and Draco just got a little over excited and a bit too hands on for my liking they didn't want to take no for an answer but someone came by and I left so nothing happened."

Ginny asked "but it came really close to happening didn't it?"

Rose looked down at her hands and blushed and said "I should have known better he was just really nice to me and he said he had something to show me before I went to bed. I was talking like I always do. He got me talking about the babies and stuff. I wasn't really paying attention where we were going. When Draco grabbed me from behind and Blaise grabbed my chest and the two of them said some rather crude things but then someone came by and they let go of me and I left. Those signs were meant as part of their punishment he didn't realize everyone would react like that. But if he had not showed up I don't know if they would have gone through with it or not. Guys that age are mostly all talk but they certainly made me believe they were going to."

Ginny said "they are jerks you stay away from them Rose."

Rose said "I will. I was going to come back to Hogwarts next year but now I don't know. I am not sure I want to. All I want is to go home and be with my babies and never leave. I don't want to be in the tournament anymore. I never really did in the first place. But there is that stupid magical contract to consider which means I have to stay. And I already told Professor Dumbledore and Madam Maxime I want to come back next year."

George said "we will make sure no one ever tries to hurt you."

Fred said "Yeah no one is ever going to hurt our Rose."

Rose smiled and hugged them and said "thanks. Come on the butterbeers are on me."

Ginny said "we can't go to Hogsmead it isn't an authorized visit."

Rose said "since when does that matter. I leave the school when ever I feel like it."

Hermione asked "and how do you do that?"

Rose said "well I have two things called feet I lift one and put it in front of the other and then do the same with the other and repeat. it is called walking. But then I don't suppose that is in a book."

Hermione said "I meant how do you get past Filtch or the rest of the staff."

Rose led them into an empty classroom and pulled out a parchment from her pocket and said "the secret of my success."

Ron asked "what is it."

Rose said "something I made up last year when I was so missing everyone at Hogwarts. I call it the true seers guide to Hogwarts."

Then she pointed her wand at the parchment and said "Dovewing will never die."

Suddenly markings appeared on the parchment and Rose unfolded it.

Fred laughed and said "it's like the marauders map."

Rose said "it is where I got the idea for it. But it is not just Hogwarts. It depends on how you unfold it as to where it shows and what password you use."

Harry asked "where else does it show?"

Rose said "that is my secret."

George said "wait a second there are more secret passages on your map then on the marauders map."

Rose smirked and said "really now I wonder why that is. Let's see where some of them lead. Well there is the one under the whomping willow that leads to the shrieking shack. There is the one from the one eyed witch that leads to Honeydukes though a rather tight squeeze at times. This one I think would be the best for us to use the entrance is just around the corner and leads out to a cave on the out skirts of Hogsmead a good size cave that is dry. Then there is the one..."

Rose stopped talking and got a far off look then said in little more then a whisper "Oh Hagrid."

Rose shook her head and said "change of plans. Hagrid needs us somehow the horrible Skeeter woman found out about him and wrote it up and the mail just arrived."

Ron asked "what did she make up about Hagrid."

Rose said "he is half giant and she just revealed it to the world. He is beside himself he needs us. He needs to know it doesn't change how we feel about him."

They all went to comfort Hagrid he was very drunk and sobbing Harry asked "I don't understand why this is upsetting you Hagrid."

Ron said "Giants are well big dumb and dangerous no offense Hagrid."

Hagrid nodded and Rose said "that might be so. Giants are not like wizards and witches they have their own ways and traditions some might say they aren't as intelligent or that they can be dangerous I certainly would not want to fight one. But half giants are not like that. They take much more after their human side. I have always suspected both Hagrid and Madam Maxime were half giants but I don't suppose she will ever admit it. Harry you know how our world views Remus well it is much the same about giants and half giants face the same fear and discrimination that anyone faces that might be considered dangerous. It is only natural Madam Maxime won't admit it out loud. But for anyone who knows Hagrid at all knows he isn't dangerous. He is kind and caring it is true he has a soft spot for what most would call dangerous creatures. Sometimes he doesn't know his own strength. And sometimes he cooks things us mere humans can't consume. But he is nothing but a big teddy bear he would never purposely hurt any one."

Ginny said "yeah you don't worry Hagrid we all still love you. You are like an overgrown uncle to all of us."

Hermione said "If I could get my hands on that Skeeter woman I would ring her neck. I just don't understand how she could have found out. Dumbledore bared her from the school after her last article came out."

Fred said "clearly she is finding a way."

George said "there is more then one way in and out of the castle maybe she knows a few."

Rose smirked and said "maybe there is a way we can find out. Harry do you still have the marauders map."

Harry shook his head and said "Professor Moody asked to borrow it."

Rose said "we will have to use mine then. Oh and don't tell anyone not Moody or anyone that I have it I don't fully trust him. It took a lot of work to make this."

Rose activated the map and unfolded it then she "Oops wrong location."

She cleared it turned it over and activated it again and said "that is better. Alright Skeeter where are you?"

They all searched the map and after a while Rose huffed and said "she isn't here at least right now. But I will keep looking. Hagrid if you want me to talk to Madam Maxime about this I can."

Hagrid shook his head and said "No I understand why she don't want anyone to know. Look what happened to me I don't want that to happen to her. She is a head mistress she could lose her position."

Rose nodded and said "alright I understand. Is there anything we can do for you Hagrid are you hungry."

Hagrid said "I'm a bit tired if you would all go I'd like to have a lie down."

Ron said "that is probably for the best you can sleep it off."

Rose hugged him and then they all left Harry said as they walked back to the castle "we have to stop her somehow."

Hermione said "we will we know for a fact she won't be able to resist coming to the second task we will find her and confront her then."

Rose said "I am starving is it lunch yet."

Ron said "Nearly lets go to the great hall."

Rose groaned and said "everyone is going to stare at me this is all so embarrassing."

Fred said "you are not the one who should be embarrassed."

Ginny said "No it's those two jerks that should be. They had to know what they were trying to do was wrong."

Rose said "sometimes guys use the wrong head to think with."

George said "Yeah we do but that is no excuse for what they were planning on doing to you. There have been plenty of girls that have gotten me all hot and bother but I never once tried to force myself on anyone."

Rose took his hand and smiled up at him and said "that is because you are a Weasley and there are no men better in this world then Weasley men."

George chuckled and asked "are you flirting with me Rose?"

Rose said "Maybe a little but only a little. Severus is still my love."

Ginny said "I don't understand what you see in him. He's old and well, Snape."

Rose said "Love is both blind and ageless. I can't help loving him and I am fortunate that he loves me to. At least he says he does. It is kind of hard to really know."

Harry asked "Do you doubt his feelings for you."

Rose said "sometimes I think he is more in love with the memory of mum and me looking so much like her he kind of transfers that love on to me. You know they were best friends as children. Even before they came to Hogwarts they grew up on the same neighborhood. Once they got to school mum was sorted into Gryffindor and Severus was sorted into Slytherin. The war was only in it's infancy at that time and they were mostly ignorant of it. I mean they were only 11. But they swore to always be friends even though they were in rival houses. And it worked for a while but they couldn't be little kids forever. And out side of the school as well as in the war was growing just as they were. Severus was in love with mum but mum only saw him as a dear friend, one who was beginning to make bad mistakes becoming friends with the wrong people. People that would lead him to a very dark path. By the time at the end of their 5th year they had drifted very far apart and things were said and done that I know he regrets with all his soul. They never saw each other or spoke again but he is still in love with her deep down. Sometimes our actions and words even in our youth can have lasting and hurtful results. He has told me I am his second chance at love and happiness. So who knows maybe he really loves me or maybe it is just mum he sees in me that he loves. It is hard to say but I love him regardless. That doesn't mean I can't flirt from time to time just a little. After all I shagged Bill there is no reason I can't shag the rest of his brothers."

Ginny said "Oh yes there is mum would kill you. She made you promise not to shag any of my brothers."

George said "You would have to remind her about that."

Rose giggled and said "it doesn't matter. Fudge will force Severus to resign if we become romantically involved again while I am a student. So I am not allowed to be with anyone because Severus is rather jealous and he is no boy scout."

Fred asked "what does that mean?"

Rose said "he is not afraid to use means that could cause pain or injury to anyone who over steps what he feels is appropriate behavior with me. Sometimes he can be rather possessive when it comes to me. I know it is only because he is afraid to lose me like he lost mum. Still it is one of his traits I am not overly fond of. I am suppose to be the girl he loves and the mother of his children. I am not supposed to be something he owns."

Ginny said "Rose it doesn't sound like your relationship with Snape is completely healthy."

Rose said "no relationship is perfect except maybe your parents. The thing about relationships if they are going to last for a long time it takes work on both sides. A give and take as each person changes. And people do change over time. Your parents have been together since they were in school and they seem to be just as much in love now as they did then but they aren't the same people they were. It is because they accept each other through all of there changes and learn to love all the new things about each other."

Hermione asked "you really think Mr. and Mrs. Weasley have the perfect marriage."

Rose said "I am sure they have their ups and downs like everyone else. Marriage is never an easy thing but I think they have the closest thing to a perfect marriage that I have ever seen. It takes a lot more then just love to make a marriage work and they know that. Do you really think anyone else would put up with Mr. Weasley's obsession of muggle things or Mrs. Weasley's slightly over bearing nature. How many people do you know would have stayed together for so long on the shoe string budget they live on and have 7 children, Foster two teenagers and 5 babies and still love each other in the end. Financial problems are the number one reason for divorce, infidelity is the second but the Weasley's don't seem to have a problem with either. No one knows how to stretch money like Mrs. Weasley maybe they don't have the best of everything but they always have clothes on their backs a roof over their head and food in their bellies. They love all of there children and they love each other. You can't deny there are no two people more loving and accepting. So maybe their marriage isn't perfect but it is pretty close."

Ron said "Yeah mum and dad are pretty great but it couldn't hurt if they were a little rich."

Rose said "Ron money is not everything in fact it causes more problems then it solves most of the time. Sure it would be nice if you could afford new things but then it is so easy to lose control over that. Soon you are buying things not because you need them or even want them it is just because it is new and before you know it you have no more money and further more you are never satisfied with what you have. You should have seen Dudley he is the perfect example of that."

Harry said "Yes he was and probably still is. He would get dozens of gifts on his birthday and Christmas or sometimes just for no reason. The last birthday we spent with him he got 39 presents. Most he had broke or discarded within a week and he was whining to get the newest and best version of something all the time. But once he got it he lost interest and went on to the next thing. He even had a second bedroom just for his broken and discarded things while Rose and I were forced to share the cupboard under the stairs."

Rose said "it was quiet snug just the two of us in that cupboard. I doubt we would both fit in it now. We have grown since then and we barely fit by the time we left."

Hermione said "it is a wonder that you both aren't claustrophobic having to live in a cupboard for ten years."

Rose said "I don't know it was actually the only place I ever felt safe in that house. There were a lot of spiders though. They were just little house spiders but the cupboard always seemed to be full of them."

They got to the great hall and sure enough everyone was staring at Rose and murmuring.

Rose said "this is a bad idea."

Harry put his arm protectively around her and said "just ignore them you can't starve yourself."

Rose sat down with Harry and her friends no sooner had she sat down then Maxime came to her and wanted to talk to her in private.

Rose left with Maxime but instead of going to the carriage they went to Dumbledore's office. He was not alone. Zabini's mother and Draco's parents were there as was Draco and Zabini. Snape, Moody and Fudge. Dumbledore was there too of course.

Maxime said "Rose you tell us the truth of what happened last night."

Rose asked "what do you think happened last night? What has everyone said?"

Dumbledore said "the stories seem to conflict about what happened. We would like to hear in your words what happened. Just tell us the truth Rose no one is angry with you."

Fudge said "if these boys violated you. You need to tell us and they will be punished."

Lucious said "from what I understand this girls is more then willing to spread her legs for anyone. but my son knows better then to lower him self to her level."

Rose glared at Lucious boy did she want to tell him off but she turned to Fudge and asked "what kind of punishment?"

Moody said "expulsion, their wands destroyed and a minimum of 6 months in Azkaban."

Rose looked at Draco and Blaise then turned back to Dumbledore and said "Nothing happened. Blaise was a perfect gentleman all evening he was my date for the ball. He was very nice to me. I don't believe I spoke more then a few words to Draco all evening. But it was rather short but cordial greetings. After the ball Blaise and I went for a walk before heading to separate beds but the boys being boys thought they would pull an innocent prank on me and try to scare me. It was nothing really Draco and Blaise didn't do anything wrong except being teenage boys and not always realizing the consequences to their actions. I know neither of them would have done anything of the sort they are being accused of. I do not doubt it looked bad when Professor Snape saw us and it is rather obvious the conclusion he came up with. But nothing happened. Escorting me to the ball is one thing but both Blaise and Draco they know my blood status and their own do not match up in an appropriate manner for their and their families belief's. Friends are one thing, lovers quiet another. And Mr. Malfoy don't believe everything you read. My promiscuity is vastly exaggerated. Mrs. Malfoy and Mrs. Zabini you need not worry neither of your sons soiled themselves with me all that happened was a stupid prank and frankly I would like to put it behind me, I am sure they would too and I think they have been punished enough already. They had points taken and were humiliated in front of the rest of the school. That is more then enough punishment for a prank."

Dumbledore asked "are you sure that is what happened Rose?"

Rose said "yes Draco and Blaise they might be hormonal adolescent boys and I might have looked rather attractive in my dress robes, maybe even enough for them to think thoughts they shouldn't, but they didn't do anything. I understand why you are all so upset about this. If they had done what they are being accused of it would be a horrible thing but they didn't do it and I am sure they never will, to me or anyone ever. They are good boys really but just like any teenagers they don't always use the best judgment. Please can't we all just let it go. It is embarrassing for all of us involved."

Mrs. Zabini said "I think that would be the best for everyone. That we just put it behind us and get on with our lives. But Blaise you be more careful about the pranks you pull. If this girl was not so honest things could have ended much differently."

Blaise said "Yes Mother."

Narcissa said "the same goes for you Draco I know you would never do such a thing but to play a prank that relied on a girl's honesty to keep you out of Azkaban and expelled it was reckless. You need to be more careful."

Rose said "I am not always truthful, I try to be as much as possible but with something this serious something that would effect so many lives not just now but in the future too. I had to tell you what I did. Draco and Blaise they don't exactly run in the same circle as me and my friends. In fact I believe they all hate each other. Most of my friends and family are Gryffindors and they are Slytherins but that doesn't mean I want them to face that punishment especially for something they didn't do. Maybe if I were smart and cunning like a Slytherin I would say they did do it and have both of you pay me off for my silence. You are both very wealthy I am sure you could afford it. But that is not the kind of person I am. I am a Dovewing no matter if the house is closed or not or if I am going to Hogwarts or not it is what I am nothing will change that."

Moody said "you are a strange girl who frequently speaks in riddles but doesn't like to see people get hurt."

Rose smirked and said "that is very true. There are many things I would do and have done to make sure people don't get hurt. My biggest regret so far is that Dovewing had to close. It was where I belonged where I will always belong without it I am like a ship cast on the sea with out a rudder or compass to guide me. But I get by day to day the best I can."