Birthday Surprises Chapter 64
Usual disclaimer: Not mine, don't sue. Please. Wish it were mine though. Ah, if only… Lolly, xxx.
Wow – two in one day. Might even post a third – or maybe not. Depends on how much time I get before someone realises that I haven't quite finished the maths homework for tomorrow, haven't even started the 1000 word long essay for history, due in on Thursday – ooh, and the English close reading for tomorrow – eek! Maybe it'll just be the two.
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Apart from the incident in Potions, things passed relatively quietly at Hogwarts. February slipped into March, and the weather took a turn for the worse – the rain never seemed to stop. Being unable to go outside, many of the fifth and seventh years took their opportunity to study for their NEWT's. Much to Hermione's disapproval, Harry wasn't one of them – at least, not to her knowledge. What she didn't know, however, was that Harry was studying very hard – just not while everyone else was. He spent as much time as he could with his children, abandoning everything the moment they awoke, only to go back to it when they fell asleep again. Every now and again he would feel his scar prickle with pain. The pains were getting steadily more frequent – not that anyone but Harry knew that.
***
After Ginny's reaction to the pain in his scar the first time, Harry had been careful not to mention to anyone that it had been more than just a once off. He, however, knew better – the pains grew more and more frequent as the time drew nearer – soon it would be time to face Voldemort for the last time. Until then, he had NEWT's to sit, and children to look after.
***
Everyday, Harry saw something new in each of the triplet's – he had never imagined that he would love anything so much as he loved the triplets. His world revolved around them, and everyone in Hogwarts knew that. Most thought it was sweet, while a few were disgusted.
"It's just repulsive." Malfoy sneered, walking past Harry and the triplets. "You do have to feel sorry for them though – Potty for a dad and Weaselette for a mother – they're going to be lucky to see their first birthday!" Harry's eyes narrowed and he turned to the other boy, who hadn't noticed him.
"You, Malfoy, would do well to remember that your daddy isn't here. Insult my children again and you'll regret it." He warned in a low and dangerous voice.
"Harry!" Hermione hissed, not wanting him to get into trouble.
"Twenty points from Slytherin for those remarks – and a further ten for being cheeky to the head boy." Harry said, watching as Malfoy's eyes narrowed and he stalked off.
***
The NEWT's began on the first of May, and went on for four weeks. Their first NEWT was the charms theory, held on the second. Harry was quite confident that this wouldn't be too much of a problem – not after all of the research that he had done in the past year. He wasn't overly confident, but confident enough to keep his head and not panic, like Neville was doing.
***
The theory test lasted for three hours, and definitely lived up to the name of 'Nastily Exhausting'. Harry had been right to think that it wasn't incredibly difficult, but it wasn't easy either. After three hours, they all walked out of the Great Hall, where the tests were being held, and collapsed down in the common room. "That was awful!" Ron groaned.
"Well you might have studied a little more." Hermione scolded her boyfriend. She did tend to agree with him, though she would never admit it. Harry shrugged, leaning back on the sofa and closing his eyes. Moments later, however, he opened them again and went to see the triplets. Hermione and Ron watched him go silently.
***
"He seems…..different." Hermione mused with a frown.
"I know – it's almost as if…..well, he doesn't want to know anymore."
"Hmm. I wonder what's going on. Something's definitely odd."
"You don't think that…..well…..we haven't done anything to upset him, have we?"
"Not as far as I'm aware, Ron. I think he's distancing himself."
"But why?"
"Because he wants to protect us." Hermione muttered, looking up at the staircase, where he had disappeared.
"That's stupid." Ron said softly, though he knew that Hermione was telling the truth.
"I know." Hermione sighed.
***
Harry lay down on his bed, all three of the triplets beside him. He hadn't told anyone, but he had had a dream the previous night – only this time, it wasn't because of his link with Voldemort – no, this one had not caused him any pain whatsoever, just a cold, detached feeling. The war would be over within the next month. Harry sighed deeply and closed his eyes, allowing himself to forget – to disappear into a world where only he and his children existed. Just for a little while. Once again, he knew the feeling of sheer determination – his children, little Eleanor, Samuel and Andrew, deserved a happy life, without the threat of Voldemort. But after Voldemort, surely another would come – another one hungry for power and willing to do anything to get it. Still, no matter what, he would fight. He would fight for the peace that he had never known, and which he wanted to wrap his children up in – peace. "I love you all so much." He murmured to the sleeping children, marvelling at how much they had grown and how much they looked like him. Andy yawned, his little pink tongue sticking out of his mouth, and Harry smiled. Nothing could take away his memories of them. And he would have many more – he would see this through and come out of it alive. He had to. Harry closed his eyes once again and drifted to sleep.
***
After the theory part of charms came the practical test. Then they had a few days to recover before their next NEWT – Potions. Harry knew that this was one that he needed to pass. Especially if he wanted to join the Aurors. He had spent a lot of time revising and was fairly confident, despite that fact that Snape kept sneering at him as if to say that he was sure to fail. Harry simply ignored the Potions master, concentrating on the task ahead. A few days later it was the Care of Magical Creatures exam, then Divination, Transfiguration and finally Defence Against The Dark Arts. That was one exam that Harry had no problem in – much to the surprise of Ron and Hermione, he had won his duel against Professor Lupin with no problem at all, despite the fact that he never seemed to practice. Harry, seeing their shocked and confused looks, smiled ruefully – he had been training for what seemed like forever without anyone else knowing – not Ron, not Hermione, not Lupin and not even Dumbledore.
***
"Harry? Are you all right?" Albus Dumbledore asked mildly, watching his great-grandson with concern all over his face. Harry looked at him, returning the x-ray gaze that he seemed to have inherited.
"I'm fine." He said, knowing it not to be a total lie. "Was there something you wanted to talk to me about?"
"As a matter of fact…..Remus tells me that you beat him quite spectacularly in your duel earlier." Harry shrugged casually, knowing that it would scare his grandfather if he knew that Harry had barely scraped the surface of his memory to win that duel with relative ease.
"I suppose I did."
"Harry, he also mentioned that you used some quite obscure and powerful spells." Once again, Harry shrugged nonchalantly.
"I suppose I did."
"Harry, is there anything you'd like to tell me about?"
"You want to know where I learned those spells." Harry stated.
"Well yes, I do."
"I'm sorry, but I'm not ready to tell you. I will tell you this though – you'd be surprised how much people can learn without attracting anyone's notice when they need to." Harry smiled briefly before getting up and leaving without another word, leaving behind a very stunned and slightly fearful headmaster.
