SEQ CHAPTER \h \r 1D/C: I don't own anything.
A/N: Ok, everyone seems to want Sirius and Remus, so, I say lets have Sirius and Remus! They'll be in the next chapter, so don't worry, people! Also, this is my last week of school before Christmas Vacation, so I'll be able to write more. Also, please note that there are a few scenes in this fic that are not in anyone's point of view, but most of it is back to Richard's. Just so you know! This is a very short chapter, so sorry. On with the fic!
Family Portrait
Chapter Seven: Christmas
J-chan
(3rd POV)
"Weasley." Draco said, his gray eyes glistening with a fire that was not pleasing. The red head turned to his arch enemy, and asked what he wanted.
"Just thought you'd like to here a little bit of information I've over heard, staying in the hospital wing and all." Ron listened carefully to Draco's words, not for sure if he should believe him or not.
"It seems, Weasley, that your best friend in the entire world, the one you would do absolutely anything for, has a secret. One I accidently over heard. It's obvious, to me anyway, that our Defense teacher is actually your best friends' grandfather." Draco said, and Ron looked at him with disbelief. "Why should I believe you? You have no proof!" Ron said, determined not to believe his rival.
"Oh really?" He said, pulling something that looked like a muggle tape recorder from out of his sheets, and he played back what he had recorded the night earlier. Ron stood there, in ultimate disbelief.
"Also, a little something I don't think you know. I've heard from certain...people that our Defense professor is also a Death Eater. Seems strange that he's also Harry's grandfather. I just thought you'd like to know that."
(Richard's POV)
I thought it was weird when I came into class that morning, because all of the seventh year Gryffindors and Hufflepuffs seemed to be in an uproar. The only thing I could figure was that Fred or George Weasley let off a Dungbomb in the class. However, it was also weird that the entire class silenced when I entered the room. They looked at me, and they started whispering behind my back. It was very weird, because somehow I knew they were talking about me. Finally, I got to the front of the class, and turned at looked at them all.
"What is with all of you today?" I asked, shutting the entire class up. Finally, little Katie Bell raised her hand.
"Yes, Katie?" I asked, willing to get an answer from anyone.
"Well, sir, there's a rumor going around that...well...people think that you, Richard...are a Death Eater." She said, her voice quivering with fear. Fred Weasley shot her an evil glare, as did a few Hufflepuffs. I, however, found it very funny that someone found out my secret, and bursted into laughter in front of the class.
"Who told ya that?" I asked, laughing slightly. George, the more sensible of the two twins, answered.
"Me and Fred heard it from Ginny, who heard it from Cho Chang, who heard it from Jason Harvey, who heard it from Crabbe and Goyle, who heard it from Melanie Whitebark, who eavesdropped from Ron and Hermione, who I'm guessing heard it from Draco Malfoy." I laughed once more.
"I figured it would be him who start a rumor like that. If you must know, I'm not a Death Eater." I told them. Hey, it was true. I was going to try to give up on that. But, it's always best to be honest, so I continued. "But I once was, so that's probably where he's getting it from." The class became loud and noisy again. I finally got the class to calm down, reassuring them that I was not a Death Eater, and then having a spectacular lesson on Cherokes, small, little pink puff balls that blew up when someone untrustworthy is around. Luckily, the next class I had was with Ron and Hermione, and I needed to talk to them.
However, I didn't even need to ask them to stay afterwards, they did on their own free will.
"Er, Richard...I gotta question, a really personal question..." Ron asked nervously, with Hermione standing next to him, edging him to speak more.
"I need to speak with you two, as well. I'm guessing its over the same thing you wish to tell me, no?" Ron and Hermione shook there heads. It was now break, so I could spend as much time as I needed to talk to them.
"If you must know, yes, Harry is my grandson. How, I'm not so sure anymore. But rest assured, if I had known about him before, he would have never met the Dursleys." I said plainly.
"So you didn't know either?" Hermione said, and I shook my head yes.
"Another thing, Richard...Are you a Death Eater? I mean, I know Draco Malfoy is a liar and a" (He said something that made Hermione slap him, so I won't repeat it.) "But his dad's a Death Eater, and he was really serious when he told me that you were one also. I just want to the truth." He said, and Hermione shook her head also. If I wasn't so honest and good-natured, I would have lied. But these were my grandson's best friends, they had to know. And besides, Harry would have told them sooner or later.
"Well..." I lowered my voice so much that they had to lean up to hear me. "I was at the beginning of the school year. But you must believe me when I tell you that I've changed. Finding Harry and all...I can't hurt him, and that was my entire mission for being here. I realize, as children, excuse me, teenagers its hard to understand why someone like me would go to Voldemort's side, but..." I fell silent for a moment, in deep thought. What would happen when Tom found out? Would he kill me? Or would he ignore me until I finally died of natural causes? Who knew? "But Tom Riddle...Voldemort, was my best friend in school, and even afterwards. I followed him through whatever, but I won't kill my grandson for him." I said, my thoughts still going back to the fear of what might happen when he found out. Ron's face paled.
"You mean You-Know-Who is...was you best friend?" Ron asked, and I shook my head yes. I think he might have fallen out if Hermione didn't catch him. He sat down in one of the seats in the front row.
"Tell me, do you two know when Draco or Harry are getting out of the hospital wing?" I asked, ready to have a long talk to Mr. Malfoy about spreading rumors.
"Draco will be out sometime later today. As for Harry, sometime tomorrow." Hermione said. I smiled and looked at Hermione.
"You're a smart witch, Hermione. You'd understand this better than Ron does. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Deciess spell?" I asked, and her eyes lightened up. Ron's sort of darkened, like I had insulted him or something.
"The family spell?" She asked, and I shook my head yes.
"You know the side effects of it, I trust?" I asked gently.
"Of course. It's makes you feel ill, and your emotions ride like a roller coaster." She said, quoting what she had read in a book. I think she was beginning to understand what I was telling her. "You didn't do the spell, did you?" She asked, her eyes filled with worry and control, almost like shock.
"Yes. So you know what I want you to do?" I asked. I never mean it, but sometimes I hated having Hermione for a student. She could make even Dumbledore feel dumb.
"You want me to watch over Harry, right?" She said, and I smiled.
"Just make sure that once he's out of the hospital wing, he doesn't kill anyone, like, oh Draco Malfoy. I trust you two. You're his best friends. He's going to need you two soon." I said, and Ron looked up at the clock.
"It's pointless to go out to break now. We've only got five minutes left." He said, and I frowned.
"Sorry for wasting your break." Then an idea hit me. "Say, what are you two doing for Christmas?" I asked. Ron and Hermione turned to each other, and then looked back at me.
"We don't know...We'll probably stay here." Ron said, a hint of sadness in his voice.
"Because of Harry?" I asked, and they shook their heads. It had been a long time since either of them had spent the holidays with their families, and they missed them a lot, I could tell. I smiled.
"Don't. I've been talking to Albus, and he seems to think that Harry might want to spend the holidays with his godfather. And I've been meaning to have a nice, long chat with Remus, so I figured Harry and I would go and spend Christmas with Sirius and Remus. Just to warn you, so that if you did stay, you would be staying alone." They smiled at me, just as the bell rang for the next class to come in. This was going to be a long year...I could tell.