Birthday Surprises Chapter 45

Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only. Lolly, xxx.

Ok, I know that it has been like almost a week since I've updated. It would've been quicker had the modem been playing nicely. Unfortunately, it chose this week to be extra-evil. Grrr. Anyway, you have my sincerest apologies. On with the mayhem...

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Harry watched as Parvati ran into the queue outside the Potions' lab. Everyone was cringing as Millicent Bulstrode tried to calm her doll.

"Harry, can't you do something?" Ron asked, covering his ears and wincing.

"Hardly - they're Slytherin. They don't need help from Gryffindors." He replied, making sure that the wails didn't disturb the triplets, because he knew better than anyone else that they could make ten times as much noise as any doll.

"Will someone shut up that infernal racket?" Snape roared as the door to the dungeon was flung open.

"It won't stop crying, Sir." Millicent said.

"I'll try." Pansy said, her voice dripping with sweetness. It made every single Gryffindor want to retch.

"Very well, just shut the miserable thing up!" Snape growled. They all trooped into the dungeon, with Pansy trying to stop the wailing doll, and to no avail. Harry could easily see why - every baby would scream if they were being held the way that Pansy was holding them.

"Professor Snape, why doesn't Harry do it - he knows best." Lavender simpered. Snape glared at her for a minute before turning to Harry with a sneer.

"Very well Potter, shut it up. If you can." He said. Harry rolled his eyes and stood up, walking between the desks and reaching for the doll.

"Have you fed him?" He asked Millicent after a moment. The Slytherin looked rather blank.

"Fed it?" She echoed.

"Yes, have you fed him?"

"I never knew that we had to feed them too." She grumbled.

"He won't stop crying if you don't feed him." Harry explained.

"Out - get out of my classroom! Get that thing out of my sight!" Snape roared angrily at the Slytherin. Harry walked back to his seat, feeling slightly freaked out that he had managed to escape some sort of snide remark.

***

"I wanted to apologise for earlier." Parvati said after Potions, as they made their way to Divination.

"It's ok." Harry shrugged. "But you aren't their mother."

"I know, but aren't I supposed to be for just this week?"

"No. Just...lay off a bit, ok?"

"Ok." Parvati agreed. "So, can I still take Leah to class?"

"Sure, but I'll warn you now that she's temperamental."

"That's ok. We'll be fine, won't we Leah?" They had arrived at the Tower, and Harry carefully floated the basket into the room before climbing the ladder. Parvati followed at his heels.

***

Professor Trelawny was much happier about the children in the class than Snape had been, not that that was difficult.

"Oh, they're adorable! I see great things in store for these children!" She announced loudly as she walked by Harry, Parvati and the triplets.

"You couldn't do a reading to see who their mother is, could you?" Parvati asked hopefully. Harry and Ron exchanged amused glances - this ought to be fairly amusing, although Harry pitied the girl that she decided was the mother.

"I'm sorry, my dear, but it is quite impossible to divine a child's parents. Now their fate is a different thing altogether." Harry listened without interest as she began a speech all about how his children were sure to face great hardships through their life, which they would eventually overcome, and live happy, fulfilled and successful lives.

"No kidding - I wonder if one of those hardships would be my death?" Harry muttered sardonically to Ron, who sniggered appreciatively.

"Probably - then Merlin help them if they come to live at the Burrow."

"They'd be spoilt rotten within two days." Harry said with a grin.

"They already are - you do a good enough job of that."

"They're not that bad. They're too little to be spoilt yet."

"I guess. I can't wait until Leah gets her first boyfriend - she'll have a lot of opposition to that idea."

"What, her godfather, and her brothers? You went mad when Ginny went out with that Michael bloke."

"Are you trying to say that you won't be screening every bloke that she speaks to?"

"Leah? No bloke will ever be good enough for her, but I'm slightly biased. That doesn't mean that she can't date when she's old enough."

"Right. She'll still have to do battle with her brothers."

"I'm sure she will. If you have anything to do with it, they'll watch her like a hawk."

"Too right - big brothers are there to look out for their little sisters."

"If Ginny heard you say that, I'd bet she'd kick and hex you from here to London." Harry grinned.

"No doubt." Ron agreed. He glanced at Parvati, who seemed to be engrossed in her tarot cards.

"So, are you gonna go out with Sally again?" He asked. "I'm not sure." Harry said. "Basically, the triplets come first. If she's ok with that, then I guess I might." He shrugged.

"But what about...you know?"

"No idea mate. Nothing's changed as far as I can tell."

"You are kidding?"

"No - I'm not. Look, it doesn't matter much anyway. Not yet. What matters is that the triplets are happy."

"Fair enough. Don't you matter anymore?"

"Me? Umm...I guess I figure in somewhere."

"You're mental." Ron shrugged. Harry watched the triplets sleep peacefully for a moment before looking at Ron again.

"You thinking about...that thing?"

"The thing from fifth year? Yes. Again."

"You shouldn't dwell on it." Ron said, "It can't be healthy."

"Says he that was worried I wasn't thinking enough about it." Harry replied with a smirk. "It's not as if I'm about to run off right now. But I do have a lot to plan. This is kind of important."

"I suppose." Andrew woke up then, and whimpered a little. Harry automatically reached for him and pulled him close, breathing in the clean baby smell.

"I still can't get used to this." Ron said as Harry began to do his work while still cradling the baby.