Birthday Surprises Chapter 41
Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only. Lolly, xxx.
Yay! Finally, we're onto the start of term! Phew - I never realised just how long the summer lasted. Anyhoo, it's over now, and it's off to Hogwarts they go! Enjoy it and tell me what you think - of course, there's no Malfoy in it yet - in fact, he doesn't play a huge role in this story. He will get the occasional mention, but no pink ferrets, unfortunately. Maybe in another story... ;-D
Mega thanks to everyone who reviewed - an extra special mention to bob33 who compared the story to alpha and omega - I loved that story and to be compared favourably with it was just...wow. It made my day big-time.
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It seemed like no time at all before they were all due to head back to Hogwarts. Harry wasn't sure whether to look forward to it or not. He and Ginny had spent the rest of their summer with their children, and getting to know each other better. Both Ron and Hermione were delighted to be godparents, although they were glad to know that Remus was also a godparent. Harry, true to his word, had taken each of the triplets out on his broom, while Ginny screamed at him from the ground. To his amusement, all three of the triplets had loved flying. And although Ginny hadn't spoken to him for a full day, he had caught her telling the triplets that they were lucky he was being so careful with them. After that, Harry, Ron and occasionally Ginny would take them flying with them. It had been one of the best summers he had had, Harry thought. His very first as a parent.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Ginny asked as they boarded the train.
"Where on Earth Remus has got to. Or Professor Lupin, rather."
"Relax, he'll be here." Ginny said soothingly.
"Yeah, I know. I was thinking about the summer too."
"Maybe next summer you can take them up on their own brooms." Ginny said, earning a grin from Harry.
"Yeah. Now that's going to be interesting."
"Ugh. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
"No idea." Harry grinned. "Don't you trust me?"
"Absolutely not." Ginny said. Harry laughed loudly, and teased her about sounding like Molly.
***
Remus was already sitting on the train when they arrived. They knocked the door impatiently, and he opened it a second later. Both immediately walked over to the pram.
"They've been fine." Remus assured them.
"Thanks Re - Professor Lupin."
"Just stick to calling me Remus - Professor Lupin is strictly reserved for class."
"Ok." Harry said. He sat down, looking out of the window. "So what exactly am I supposed to tell people?"
"Whatever you want to. I understand that you want to keep them safe, but...whether they're your children or not, Voldemort is going to find out about them and he'll want them regardless."
"Yeah. I can't be bothered lying. Besides, they're nothing if not well- protected."
"That's true. I wish you had found that spell that your mother did though."
"It doesn't matter, honestly. Between the two of us, they have more protection than Hogwarts itself."
"How's that?"
"Well, each of them has at least five protection spells from each of us." Harry said.
"I see." Remus said. He didn't ask for details.
***
Rumours were spreading like wildfire around the Hogwarts Express. It seemed that a few people had seen Professor Lupin walking in with a pram, and everyone thought that he had had children. People were taking bets on who the mother was. Hermione and Ron exchanged amused glances as they made their way to the private carriage. They had almost made it when Sally appeared in front of them.
"Do either of you know where Harry is?" She asked.
"Yes, we do. Why?" Ron asked.
"I need to talk to him."
"Why?"
"It's about the DA."
"Follow us." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
***
"Hey Harry, Sally wants a word."
"Just let her in - people are going to find out anyway." Came Harry's voice. Ron shrugged and pushed open the door. Sally went pale.
"Are you coming in or not?" Ginny asked, rolling her eyes. The three came in and shut the door behind them.
"Hey Sally." Harry said, smiling as he rocked Andrew. Sally stared at him.
"Aren't they your children, Professor Lupin?" She managed to croak.
"Mine? Goodness no!" Remus laughed.
"The whole train is sure that you're the dad - they saw you coming in with them and just assumed..."
"This is going to make things a little interesting." Harry grinned. Andrew opened his eyes and began crying again. "Hey, you're showing yourself up." Harry said, soothing him once again. Sally's mouth had dropped open - the children belonged to Harry!
"Uh...have I missed something?" She asked, looking into the pram - there were two more babies in there. Both looked like Harry.
"These are my children - this is Andrew, and Samuel and Eleanor are in the pram." Harry said. Sally gulped.
"How old are they?"
"Two months and a couple of days." Harry said.
"Triplets?"
"Yeah." Sally looked around the carriage. Everyone was watching her closely.
"Umm...congratulations." She said, wanting to get out of there as quickly as she could.
"I should go...my friends will be wondering where I am." She said, heading towards the door.
***
"She said she wanted to talk to you about the DA." Ron said after she had left. Harry frowned a little, and shook his head. He would never understand women.
"You do realise that she'll think you cheated on...was it Hannah you were going out with eleven months ago?"
"Umm...eleven months...that would make it October...yeah, I think so. I might have just split up with her." Harry said.
"How come I didn't hear about any of these girlfriends?" Remus asked.
"I didn't realise you were interested. Besides, we all had other things on our mind."
"I suppose. Well, you'll have to keep me up to date this year - after all, it's my business now."
"How do you figure?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes.
"I'm your children's godfather. Therefore, you have to tell me anything that might affect them."
"And I see that you're pestering Ginny about her love life." Harry said.
"Ah, very good point Ginny. Do you have a boyfriend just now?"
"Actually I don't. It's a good job really, isn't it?"
"Harry, what are you going to say when people ask who their mother is?" Hermione asked.
"Umm...Ginny?"
"Is it optional? I'd rather not be hated by all of your admirers if it's at all possible." Ginny said wryly.
"Uh, whatever you say. So...just say that it's no one's business?"
"Well...you could, but..."
"But?"
"It would mean that you'd get so much hassle. You would probably be linked with every girl in the school, not to mention those that aren't...how about you just say that you're not sure. It would fit with the story."
"If people listen to the story." Harry murmured. But he found that he didn't really care anymore. His family, friends and children were all that mattered.
***
Neville, Seamus and Dean appeared at the door a while before they reached Hogwarts. The news that Harry Potter was the father of the children seen being brought in by Professor Lupin had travelled around the train at immense speed, and the boys had come to see if the stories were true. They were let in, and immediately sat down to hear exactly what was going on.
"That's just wrong!" Neville said as Harry explained that he had had very little to do with the triplets' existence until they arrived on his birthday.
"Some birthday present." Seamus had muttered as he gaped into the pram.
"Made a change, I suppose." Harry grinned.
"Wait, you're pleased about this? You're seventeen!" Dean said loudly. Leah immediately let out an angry squeal, and Harry pulled her from the pram.
"Yeah, I'm pleased." Harry said. "They're my children, I'm hardly about to chuck them into an orphanage, am I?"
"Ah." Everyone immediately saw why Harry was so protective of his children - he was an orphan, he knew exactly what it was like.
***
Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Remus and the triplets shared a carriage up to Hogwarts. Harry transfigured the pram into a basket, as it seemed less of an impossible task than pushing a pram through the hoards of students.
"I'm heading straight up to Gryffindor Tower - I got to make up the password." He said, looking pleased.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Don't you know?" Harry frowned - as head girl, he would have thought she would be the first to know it.
"Yeah, but Ron and Ginny don't."
"Fine - it's arachnid." He said with a grin.
"Arachnid as in...spider?" Ron asked.
"That's the one - thought you might remember that one. I thought 'Voldemort' might cause a few people problems."
"Yeah, but it's not such a bad idea - I already know what my first password is going to be."
"You two take it in turns?"
"Yeah. Well, we take it in turns to make suggestions. I think the Fat Lady accepted arachnid."
"Great." Ron said, throwing Harry a dirty look.
"Anyway, I'll see you guys in a few minutes - save me a seat, ok?"
"Right." Hermione said, craning her neck to watch him hurry away through the masses of people
Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only. Lolly, xxx.
Yay! Finally, we're onto the start of term! Phew - I never realised just how long the summer lasted. Anyhoo, it's over now, and it's off to Hogwarts they go! Enjoy it and tell me what you think - of course, there's no Malfoy in it yet - in fact, he doesn't play a huge role in this story. He will get the occasional mention, but no pink ferrets, unfortunately. Maybe in another story... ;-D
Mega thanks to everyone who reviewed - an extra special mention to bob33 who compared the story to alpha and omega - I loved that story and to be compared favourably with it was just...wow. It made my day big-time.
*********************************************************************
It seemed like no time at all before they were all due to head back to Hogwarts. Harry wasn't sure whether to look forward to it or not. He and Ginny had spent the rest of their summer with their children, and getting to know each other better. Both Ron and Hermione were delighted to be godparents, although they were glad to know that Remus was also a godparent. Harry, true to his word, had taken each of the triplets out on his broom, while Ginny screamed at him from the ground. To his amusement, all three of the triplets had loved flying. And although Ginny hadn't spoken to him for a full day, he had caught her telling the triplets that they were lucky he was being so careful with them. After that, Harry, Ron and occasionally Ginny would take them flying with them. It had been one of the best summers he had had, Harry thought. His very first as a parent.
"Hey, what are you thinking about?" Ginny asked as they boarded the train.
"Where on Earth Remus has got to. Or Professor Lupin, rather."
"Relax, he'll be here." Ginny said soothingly.
"Yeah, I know. I was thinking about the summer too."
"Maybe next summer you can take them up on their own brooms." Ginny said, earning a grin from Harry.
"Yeah. Now that's going to be interesting."
"Ugh. Why do I have a bad feeling about this?"
"No idea." Harry grinned. "Don't you trust me?"
"Absolutely not." Ginny said. Harry laughed loudly, and teased her about sounding like Molly.
***
Remus was already sitting on the train when they arrived. They knocked the door impatiently, and he opened it a second later. Both immediately walked over to the pram.
"They've been fine." Remus assured them.
"Thanks Re - Professor Lupin."
"Just stick to calling me Remus - Professor Lupin is strictly reserved for class."
"Ok." Harry said. He sat down, looking out of the window. "So what exactly am I supposed to tell people?"
"Whatever you want to. I understand that you want to keep them safe, but...whether they're your children or not, Voldemort is going to find out about them and he'll want them regardless."
"Yeah. I can't be bothered lying. Besides, they're nothing if not well- protected."
"That's true. I wish you had found that spell that your mother did though."
"It doesn't matter, honestly. Between the two of us, they have more protection than Hogwarts itself."
"How's that?"
"Well, each of them has at least five protection spells from each of us." Harry said.
"I see." Remus said. He didn't ask for details.
***
Rumours were spreading like wildfire around the Hogwarts Express. It seemed that a few people had seen Professor Lupin walking in with a pram, and everyone thought that he had had children. People were taking bets on who the mother was. Hermione and Ron exchanged amused glances as they made their way to the private carriage. They had almost made it when Sally appeared in front of them.
"Do either of you know where Harry is?" She asked.
"Yes, we do. Why?" Ron asked.
"I need to talk to him."
"Why?"
"It's about the DA."
"Follow us." Hermione said, rolling her eyes.
***
"Hey Harry, Sally wants a word."
"Just let her in - people are going to find out anyway." Came Harry's voice. Ron shrugged and pushed open the door. Sally went pale.
"Are you coming in or not?" Ginny asked, rolling her eyes. The three came in and shut the door behind them.
"Hey Sally." Harry said, smiling as he rocked Andrew. Sally stared at him.
"Aren't they your children, Professor Lupin?" She managed to croak.
"Mine? Goodness no!" Remus laughed.
"The whole train is sure that you're the dad - they saw you coming in with them and just assumed..."
"This is going to make things a little interesting." Harry grinned. Andrew opened his eyes and began crying again. "Hey, you're showing yourself up." Harry said, soothing him once again. Sally's mouth had dropped open - the children belonged to Harry!
"Uh...have I missed something?" She asked, looking into the pram - there were two more babies in there. Both looked like Harry.
"These are my children - this is Andrew, and Samuel and Eleanor are in the pram." Harry said. Sally gulped.
"How old are they?"
"Two months and a couple of days." Harry said.
"Triplets?"
"Yeah." Sally looked around the carriage. Everyone was watching her closely.
"Umm...congratulations." She said, wanting to get out of there as quickly as she could.
"I should go...my friends will be wondering where I am." She said, heading towards the door.
***
"She said she wanted to talk to you about the DA." Ron said after she had left. Harry frowned a little, and shook his head. He would never understand women.
"You do realise that she'll think you cheated on...was it Hannah you were going out with eleven months ago?"
"Umm...eleven months...that would make it October...yeah, I think so. I might have just split up with her." Harry said.
"How come I didn't hear about any of these girlfriends?" Remus asked.
"I didn't realise you were interested. Besides, we all had other things on our mind."
"I suppose. Well, you'll have to keep me up to date this year - after all, it's my business now."
"How do you figure?" Harry asked, rolling his eyes.
"I'm your children's godfather. Therefore, you have to tell me anything that might affect them."
"And I see that you're pestering Ginny about her love life." Harry said.
"Ah, very good point Ginny. Do you have a boyfriend just now?"
"Actually I don't. It's a good job really, isn't it?"
"Harry, what are you going to say when people ask who their mother is?" Hermione asked.
"Umm...Ginny?"
"Is it optional? I'd rather not be hated by all of your admirers if it's at all possible." Ginny said wryly.
"Uh, whatever you say. So...just say that it's no one's business?"
"Well...you could, but..."
"But?"
"It would mean that you'd get so much hassle. You would probably be linked with every girl in the school, not to mention those that aren't...how about you just say that you're not sure. It would fit with the story."
"If people listen to the story." Harry murmured. But he found that he didn't really care anymore. His family, friends and children were all that mattered.
***
Neville, Seamus and Dean appeared at the door a while before they reached Hogwarts. The news that Harry Potter was the father of the children seen being brought in by Professor Lupin had travelled around the train at immense speed, and the boys had come to see if the stories were true. They were let in, and immediately sat down to hear exactly what was going on.
"That's just wrong!" Neville said as Harry explained that he had had very little to do with the triplets' existence until they arrived on his birthday.
"Some birthday present." Seamus had muttered as he gaped into the pram.
"Made a change, I suppose." Harry grinned.
"Wait, you're pleased about this? You're seventeen!" Dean said loudly. Leah immediately let out an angry squeal, and Harry pulled her from the pram.
"Yeah, I'm pleased." Harry said. "They're my children, I'm hardly about to chuck them into an orphanage, am I?"
"Ah." Everyone immediately saw why Harry was so protective of his children - he was an orphan, he knew exactly what it was like.
***
Harry, Ginny, Ron, Hermione, Remus and the triplets shared a carriage up to Hogwarts. Harry transfigured the pram into a basket, as it seemed less of an impossible task than pushing a pram through the hoards of students.
"I'm heading straight up to Gryffindor Tower - I got to make up the password." He said, looking pleased.
"What is it?" Hermione asked.
"Don't you know?" Harry frowned - as head girl, he would have thought she would be the first to know it.
"Yeah, but Ron and Ginny don't."
"Fine - it's arachnid." He said with a grin.
"Arachnid as in...spider?" Ron asked.
"That's the one - thought you might remember that one. I thought 'Voldemort' might cause a few people problems."
"Yeah, but it's not such a bad idea - I already know what my first password is going to be."
"You two take it in turns?"
"Yeah. Well, we take it in turns to make suggestions. I think the Fat Lady accepted arachnid."
"Great." Ron said, throwing Harry a dirty look.
"Anyway, I'll see you guys in a few minutes - save me a seat, ok?"
"Right." Hermione said, craning her neck to watch him hurry away through the masses of people
