Chapter eight: Storms Story.
"Ginny, you've been a great help to me this past few months. I hope you considered me a friend."
Ginny smiled slightly confused, "Of course. But what does this have to do with you being pregnant? You are pregnant aren't you?"
Storm smiled and sighed softly, "Yes Ginny."
Ginny grinned, "Oh wow. We've never had a pregnant teacher before. How far are you along?"
" Five months. Its do in April."
" A spring baby!" she frowned then, "You don't know what it is?"
Storm shook her head, "No, I haven't had the heart to go find out."
"What about the father? I thought you didn't have a love life." Ginny asked confused.
Storm smiled sadly, "I don't have a love life. The baby's father, " She suck in a shuddering breath, "Eric is dead."
Ginny stared at her in stunned silence.
"My father killed him." She said her voice filled with so much hatred it sent a chill down Ginny's spine.
"Ginny, not many people know this about me. Voldemort, "Ginny winced, "Sorry. You-Know-Who is my father."
Ginny gasped, " I knew it."
"No chooses their parents Ginny."
Ginny grinned, "Yeah, you were just unlucky."
Storm smiled in relief, "Thanks Ginny. I was afriad that you, well that you would-"
"That I would run out of the room screaming bloody murder?"
Storm laughed, "Something along that line."
"Course not. We're friends. Everyone has a past, not always the happiest, but hey. I can't hold someone's past against them. Besides, Dumbeldore trusts you enough to higher you."
"Thanks Gin."
"So, what was you life like?" she asked.
Storm blinked in surprise, "That's…a long story."
Ginny smiled, "I'm just curious. I mean, I know what he was like when he was 16, but what was he like as a dad?"
Storm sighed, "Gin I'm not sure you want to hear this."
Ginny smiled, " You know sometimes telling someone about the past lightens the burden of carrying it."
Storm raised and eyebrow, "Are you sure you're only 15?"
Ginny laughed, "I heard McGonagall say that to Snape."
If it was possible her eyebrows rose higher, "And what was his response?"
Ginny laughed, "What do you think? He scoffed and left."
Storm laughed, " Of course." She sighed, "But you know, you're right. I have wanted to tell someone about my life. You don't mind playing psychiatrist?"
" I have six older brothers."
Storm smiled, "Right." She took a deep breath, "Here goes nothing."
***
"My father had no love for my mom. In fact she was just a Death Eater who happened to catch his eye and he accidentally sired a child with. She wasn't to happy about it and died the moment I was born. My father, not about to put his child in an orphanage gave me to one of his closest Death Eaters to take care of. No one let me live it down. I was the daughter of their Lord, which ment I had to be perfect. I was harshly trained in the ways of the Dark Arts and womanly etiquette. At about seven years old my father noticed my ability to plane and began to bring me to the raid meetings. I was on cloud nine then. My father was paying attention to me. I was making him proud. I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew I was making him happy and that's all that mattered to me. Then when I was eleven I received my letter for Hogwarts. I went by my mother's maiden name Mayana. Though all the Slytherins knew who I really was. I was the perfect Slytherin. I tormented the Gryffindors, the Muggle born, and the Muggle lovers. Then the summer before my second year I followed my father to a raid." Storm stopped and closed her eyes. She clutched her robe in a death grip, she continued, " I-it was horrible. What they did, to the parents, and the children, oh the children. " Tears were slipping from her closed eyes, "It was horrible." She stopped again, and opened her eyes. More controlled she continued, " It was there I realized my role in all of it. I remember running back to the manor and spending the night in the bathroom. Those horrible images rerunning through my mind. After that I was hard to live near my father. I was grateful when the school year started again. I didn't celebrate with the Slytherins anymore. I didn't enjoy tormenting the Gryffindors. Then the news came of His defeat. That I celebrated quietly, I was free.
After the school year I was tuned over to my mothers cousin. There I grew up. My father still haunted me. I went to a muggle school and took home school courses for my magic training, My mothers cousins hired a tutor for the more difficult parts. I went to a few years of college and earned my bachelors degree in teaching. Then I traveled. My fathers fortune went to me and I used it only when I needed it, but mostly I went from one country to another doing odd jobs, both magical and muggle. I met Eric in a café in France. We only dated a few months before we married. We moved to London when Eric got a job from the government there. Eric was muggle. About two years ago I woke up and found a note on his pillow. He had left, and I was devastated. Eric had been my life. Then my father showed up at my doorstep. I had heard rumors that he was back. When he told me to join him I had no defiance in me, I went with him. I was a zombie. I did only what I was told and I locked my emotions somewhere deep inside me. Then, I ran into Eric in the same café we met the first time. He was surprised and happy to see me. He told me he had been searching for me. He said he was sorry for leaving, that after a week away from me he missed me so much it almost drove him crazy. He was a mess though, his hair looked like it hadn't seen a comb in a week and his cloths were wrinkled and he looked like he hadn't shaved in a week. I was so happy to know he still loved me I completely forgot about my father when I told him that we were still married and that I would gladly allow him back into my life. That's when I told my father I wouldn't help him anymore; that I wanted nothing more to do with him. Towards the end of August I found out I was pregnant. I was coming home to tell Eric the news, but my father had gotten there before me. The dark mark hug over what used to be my house, but was just a pile of broken wood and glass. Eric's body was found. He was dead. Then the ministry asked me to come to Hogwarts as the Defense against the Dark Arts teacher. I didn't know what else to do. I was a widow with a growing child in me, and here I was being offered a job that would keep a roof over my head until I got back on my feet. I accepted. I told Dumbeldore about the baby. He said that he would have a substitute on hand when if ever I needed one, but that he doubted he would find someone as knowledgeable as me to teach the students."
***
They sat in silence each in there own thought.
Finally Ginny spoke, "Wow."
Storm smiled, "Right."
She shook her head, " Life's a butt sometimes, but it hates you."
Storm laughed, "Oh I would say that. It gave me this blessing." She said placing her hand on her stomach that was in fact swelling just enough for it to show through her robes if she hadn't had the illusion on her.
Ginny grinned, "And you have me to baby-sit on the weekends" she joked.
Storm laughed again, "Thanks Gin. For listening I mean. It feels great to tell someone else."
Ginny smiled, "Of course." Then she got a mischievous look in her eyes, "So, what are you going to name it?"
A/N: Here's the next chapter. You might get another chapter this week I don't know, break doesn't look like it's going to be a break. Anyway. I need your help.
Should her baby be a boy or a girl? And
What are you suggestions for a name?
Please Please Please tell me what you think, and what you would like. Review!!