Lost in Darkness

Chapter Nine: WHAT?!

"Alex's pregnant," Ally said quietly.

"WHAT?!" George and Rose said together.

"She is in such big trouble," Rose said furiously. "I told her to wait until she was married, I TOLD her! Now look where she is!"

"I told Fred not to try anything like that, ever," George said, shaking. "Now he's going to be a father at nineteen. Nineteen! With a twenty-two year old woman!"

Rose stormed into the house. Harry followed.

"Rose, what was that for?"

"Do you have any idea what it is like to be the child of unmarried parents?" Rose screamed, whirling suddenly to face her brother. "Do you know what it's like to walk around with people hissing 'Bastard child' in your ear?"

Harry was taken aback. He had never seen Rose this angry, at least, not at him. Her eyes were spitting violet, but her face looked hurt.

Rose had been born in October of Lily's and James's fifth year. She had always seemed passive about it, until now.

"It's torture!" Rose yelled. "It took me years to forgive our parents! I didn't fully forgive them until.," her voice softened. "Until it was too late."

She looked away. Harry smiled at her and touched her arm.

"They've known," he said softly. "They always have."

"How would you know?" Rose said bitterly, shoving his hand away.

"I just do. I trust my instincts."

Rose picked up the twins from their playsets and carried them into the library. She slammed the door shut. Harry sighed and left.

*~*~*

"What is up with her?" Ron said.

"She's just annoyed," Harry said quickly.

They noticed that Bill was looking shifty.

"Bill, there's something else, isn't there?" Gretchen said suspiciously.

He nodded guiltily.

"If you tell her I told you, I'm dead. She wanted to tell you herself."

"What is it? Is she sick?"

"No," he said. "She's pregnant."

Sirius rolled his eyes.

"Is everyone?"

"No, unless you have something to tell us, Gretchen," Hermione said with a wicked grin.

"I do not! Sirius and I will wait until our wedding night!"

"Your wedding night?" Hermione and Ginny said with interest.

Gretchen turned a shade to match her hair, noting her slip. Only then did they notice the diamond ring on her finger.

"Oh my God! You're engaged, too?"

"Today's score: two engagements and two pregnancies," Ginny said.

Gretchen was still red. Their attention was diverted by a knock on the door. Bill went to get it.

Charlie and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley entered the door, wrapped in coats and covered with snow.

"Good afternoon," Hermione greeted.

"Has George told you his news yet?" Hermione said deviously.

Molly Weasley cast an accusing eye towards the redhead, who shrunk under the gaze.

"No."

"He's engaged," Ginny blurted.

Mrs. Weasley erupted into squeals and shrieks of delight. She hugged Ally, she hugged George, she hugged Ally again, George again.,

"When's the wedding?" she asked breathlessly.

"July," said Ally, who was bright red.

"And where are Fred and Alex?" Mrs. Weasley said, frowning.

Ally looked at George quickly, so quickly only the Golds had good enough senses to see it.

"Alex got a cold from Fred," Ally lied.

Mr. and Mrs. Weasley swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. Charlie, however, looked much more suspicious. When their parents had gone, Charlie asked them about it.

"What's really wrong with them?" he quietly asked.

"I told you, Charlie," George said, attempting innocence.

"I have never, do not, and never will fall for that innocent act. What happened?"

George looked at Ally again, longer this time. She nodded.

"They have to find out sometime," she whispered. "Alex won't be to happy, but then again, I don't blame her."

George took a deep breath.

"Alex and Fred went off into the bushes last night," George muttered. "We thought it was just kissing, but it wasn't."

Charlie looked shocked for a moment, but recovered quickly. He nodded.

"So Alex's pregnant," said Charlie. "When's the baby expected?"

"Alex's WHAT?!"

The Weasleys had returned.

Everyone suddenly got quite shifty. George looked at Ally. It was her turn.

"You heard right," she said. "Your son got my sister pregnant."

Mrs. Weasley looked horrified. Mr. Weasley just looked stunned.

"You can't tell anyone else about this," he said. "This can't get out."

Harry understood why. Percy's fiancée was pregnant, and it had leaked to the press. The papers had gone wild. Mr. Weasley almost lost his office. If this got out, poor Mr. Weasley had lost his job for sure.

"I am truly sorry about this," Mrs. Weasley said apologetically. "I can't believe our Freddy would do something like that."

"Don't be sorry," Ally said. "He had help."

Rose came back in, James and Lily on her heels. The twins saw their grandparents and ran, shrieking, towards them. Rose laughed. The Weasleys smiled weakly. The grin on Rose's face faded.

"I take it you found out," she said.

Mrs. Weasley nodded. Rose grimaced.

"I told her to wait until she was married," she said disgustedly. "I told her."

"Shouldn't we notify her parents?" Charlie suggested.

Harry winced. Hermione cringed. Ginny looked at the floor. Rose faced her in-laws squarely.

"Their mother is dead and the whereabouts of their father are unknown."

At that moment in time, Alex and Fred came in the door. They were pale. Alex's eyes were red-rimmed and her voice was hoarse. When they saw Charlie and Mr. and Mrs. Weasley, Fred made a strange noise in his throat and turned to leave. Alex caught him with her Beater's arm. Everyone could see the muscles tense. This woman was nervous.

"We already know," Charlie said.

"Come with me," Rose said firmly.

She grabbed Alex by the arm and dragged her into the library.

*~*~*

Rose threw her best friend into a chair and started yelling.

"I cannot believe you! I have told you time and time again about this! Don't you see how stupid it was to do that now? Don't you see how ridiculously idiotic you have been?"

Alex nodded weakly. A tear slipped down her cheek. Rose was immediately mortified. She sat down next to Alex and put her face in her hands.

"I'm sorry, Alex, I'm so sorry!" she cried. She started to weep angry tears. "Why did you do that? Why? Do you know what that baby is going to go through? Do you know how hard it will be for it to ever have a normal life? Do you know how hard it will be for you and Fred to have a normal life now?"

Alex sobbed harder.

"I'm the one who should be sorry," she said. "I should have known you would react like this. I know what it was like for you when you were little. I should have been more careful; I shouldn't have let Fred do that to me. I can't believe I was so disrespectful! I should have considered how you would feel. Rose, you're so much more than a friend to me. You're like my sister. You helped me and Ally when Father beat us and this is how I repay you. I can't believe myself."

"Alex, don't have regrets because of me."

Alex looked at her and Rose looked back. They hugged each other and cried.

*~*~*

"Hey, Bill, where'd you put Ailani Robertson, anyways?" Ginny asked.

"She stays upstairs. She hardly ever comes down. We bring her food and stuff to do, and she doesn't ask for anything else."

Ron "subtly" coughed the word "Reagan."

"No," Bill said.

"Mm," Rose said. "Hm-mm."

Everyone stared. Rose had come back in and was trying to shake her head as discreetly as possible. They got the hint.

"Oh!"

*Idiots. Why don't you just switch over to telepathy?* Ally's voice said in their heads.

*That might be a good idea,* said Rose. *Anyways, Ailani's been helping me look for Reagan and there's been a sighting of him in a room of the Three Broomsticks.*

Rose scratched her arm.

*You feeling that?*

*No.*

*Negative.*

*Nothing.*

*I feel it,* Gretchen said. *In fact, I'm supposed to be there already.*

*Wonderful. This does not mean good things.*

"Sorry," she said aloud. "I need to go and get something."

She left for the Apparition point and went to the Hall. Gretchen followed. Everyone was waiting, except for one person.

"Where's Em?"

Emily Grumman was not there. Rose's on-edge senses were tingling like mad.

"She has had an accident," Severus said.

"Is she all right?" Rose asked concernedly.

"Snape," Minerva said disdainfully. "We agreed we would tell them everything."

"Is she all right?" Rose asked, a note of panic in her voice now.

"She is dead," Minerva said quietly.