Disclaimer: see chapies 1 or 10
A/N: Sorry bout the long wait but I've had a bit of writers block and a really busy time so now that I have some spare time. I have written this although I still have writers block. I am sorry if it is horrible but I have to do something to help beat the dam. Its not working I tell you. Anyway onto the story. Oh and thanks a bunch to my new editor. Right now the name is not on my mind but I will get it by the end of the chapter. (I thought I was on chapter 14. guess not.)
Chapter 13: Decisions, Decisions
That night Harry and Cho had their first real fight. Cho, knowing exactly how to get Harry to do her will, finally asked the one question she knew would break his argument.
"What is the real reason you don't want to go?" she asked him.
Harry was silent and then looked her directly in the eye. "I won't lie to you. I am afraid. I almost lost you a year ago while we were staying at the safest place there is. I almost lost Lily when she was with me in Diagon Alley a few days ago. I don't want to risk losing you again. I couldn't bare it. You and Lily mean more to me than my life and I don't want to take you to a foreign place when I so recently almost lost you in the two places I know best. I can't push this fear down. Its there and I don't want it to have a cause to grow." He bent down to pick up Lily from her play pen. "I just can't risk it right now." He looked away from her stunned gaze.
Cho continued to stare at him in utter shock. She knew Malfoy's kidnapping attempts had affected him but she was never aware of how deep those scars really were. She could understand it. Harry had spent the majority of his life without love and now that he had it he didn't want to risk losing it.
"Oh Harry. I didn't know it had hurt you that much. If you don't want to go I can understand. We won't go if you don't want to." Cho kissed him lightly and took Lily from him. She began to rock the baby to sleep.
Little child close your eyes Slumber is near The moon is out the sun is gone The stars wink their goodnights Sleep little child Mama's right here Sleep my dear Lily Daddy is near
Cho sang Lily the lullaby her own mother had sung to her (with Cho instead of Lily) when she was a small child. Harry smiled as Lily's breathing slowed and she fell into a deep sleep. Cho laid her in her crib and turned to smile at Harry.
"Get some sleep. You have classes and Sirius to deal with tomorrow." Cho said as she crawled into sleep.
Harry fell into a nightmare filled sleep. In his dreams he saw Cho and Lily standing a little away from him. He began moving towards them when a dark shadow stood in front of him. Cho and Lily screamed and he tried to get to them. The harder he tried to get to them the louder their screams.
Harry bolted upright drenched in a cold sweat. He was gasping for breath and trying to calm himself. It wasn't working. Harry decided to go into the small den that was attached to their room and read so that he wouldn't wake Cho. He pulled his parents journal from the drawer in his nightstand.
He went and sat in a chair by the ever-going fire. He opened it to one of the entries from a few months before they died.
I am becoming suspicious. Someone is giving Voldemort information on us. They are obviously very close to me and not as close to Lily because they do not yet know of her pregnancy. Only five people besides us know of it for now. Dumbledore of course, Sirius, Remus, Jenny, and my mother. We only told those we trusted with all our secrets. Yet the information being given to Voldemort is obviously from someone extremely close. I know that it is not Remus for he is always loyal and would never do anything to risk his only friends. Sirius is not the cause either for he was kicked out of his family for associating with Remus and myself and has been willing to do anything for me since we became friends. I fear that it is Peter. He has been acting strange as of late. He hangs around but is afraid to look anyone in the eye. He jumps at the mention of Voldemort and often misses Order meetings or disappears immediately after. Something is up with him. I won't voice my suspicions yet but I will watch him closer.
Harry was startled out of his reading by a hand on his shoulder. He jumped up and had his wand out and pointed at the culprit in a second.
"You would have made a great Auror." Cho said smiling at his defensive posture.
"Sorry you scared me. Why are you awake?"
"I woke and you weren't there so I came to find you. What are you doing up at" she glanced at the clock on the wall, "three in the morning?" Cho raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.
"Had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep. I've been reading. Apparently my dad suspected that Peter was a spy."
"That's odd. Why would he put his life in his hands then? It doesn't make sense." Cho's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I'll find out later, right now lets try to get some more sleep." He smiled and made his way back to the bedroom. He peeked into Lily's crib real quick to make sure she was still asleep and crawled into bed. "Night."
"Morning." She corrected before falling back asleep against him.
Harry smiled. Tomorrow or rather today was another day of teaching he did not need to worry about Lily and Cho. They weren't in any danger.
Sirius smiled at Harry as he walked into the dinning hall the next morning looking tired. "Cho made you sleep on that uncomfortable thing you call a couch?" He asked pushing some eggs towards him.
"No I had a nightmare. Then I was reading my father's journal." Harry took Lily from Cho and began feeding her part of his eggs. "Anyway Sirius we have a class of beginners first today. Try not to kill anyone with the bludgers. I would like my students in one piece next week." Cho laughed as he said this.
"Ain't that the truth." Tonks muttered under her breath making Remus choke on his toast.
"Can we ever have a normal calm meal?" Hermione asked from her spot next to Ron and the twins.
At this Ron snorted. "'Mione, the last time we had a normal meal was first year before we became friends with you. And even then it wasn't exactly what most people would call normal."
Ron glanced at his watch. "Bloody hell! I'm never going to get my classroom ready in time. Harry you best be getting ready yourself." With that and a quick kiss for Hermione and the kids he ran off towards his class.
Harry also glanced at his watch and choked when he saw the time. It was already 8:45 and lessons started at nine. He hurried and kissed Cho and Lily and made his way to the Quidditch pitch dragging Sirius behind. (He had been trying to kiss Tonks to tick Remus off.)
Cho came to talk with Harry during his free period that day. They began talk of what was happening at the school and even ventured into a conversation about the possibility of another child.
"We should probably wait until Lily is older. It would be easier on both us and her." Harry suggested when Cho said that she would like another child.
"I'm thinking of taking the DADA job next year. It will be empty as Hermione and Tonks are going to return to their work at the Ministry. I was thinking about it and I could take the class over and Sirius could take over Quidditch." Harry stated out of the blue.
"Good idea but you should take the Advanced DADA class instead and I can take the DADA class. This way I have something to do during the day. I was thinking of going back to work but this is better. Then all the positions would be filled. Simple enough." Cho smiled happy about figuring all the details out. "Now all you have to do is bring it to Dumbledore's attention. So how was your class today?"
They continued talking until Harry's next class. That night he returned to reading the journal. Harry was shocked when Cho came into the room and took it away from him. "No reading tonight. We have a meeting to get to after we get Lily to sleep. Or did you forget about Dumbledore wanting to see us today?"
"I didn't forget. It just slipped my mind for a moment. Let me help you get her ready for bed then we'll be on our way."
Lily was asleep a few minutes later and they hurried to Dumbledore's office. "You wanted to see us Professor?" Harry asked as he entered.
"How many times do I have to tell you Harry? Call me Albus. You are not a student any longer." Dumbledore said shaking his head. "As for what I wanted to see you for I have to wait till the others arrive."
Just as he finished his sentence the door opened and the rest of the teachers filed in. They stood around the room and began chatting as everyone found a spot. The doors were closed when Fred and George entered the room and all eyes turned to Dumbledore.
"I called you all here to discuss a few things with you about this school year. First the issue of the prank store on campus. I am very well aware that the pranks will be used for house rivalries, mainly between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Should this become a big problem I will put my foot down on the matter but so long as no one is hurt there is no harm in it happening. This method is far better than the methods used in years before when physical fights and injuring curses were used. It is my hope that these pranks will prevent a lot of injuries.
"Second, it has been brought to my attention that a rather large group of teachers seems to be getting into as much trouble as the students." At this point he looked towards Harry. "If you are going to fight amongst yourselves, please take it to a place where the students will not witness it. Simple as that. Now concerning classes. I am already looking for two new Defense teachers as this year's teachers will be returning to Auror work next year. I have also been looking into a care taker for your children as it seems that we have more teachers who have such. I figure that we may be able to concentrate on lessons easier if we know that the children in this school are safe and not in danger like they were last year. Any questions?"
Most shook their heads and were shocked when Harry spoke up. "About the defense jobs next year. I had been thinking about that myself and I was thinking of taking over the advanced class and when I mentioned it to Cho she agreed."
"I also am looking into taking the regular defense class and Sirius can just take the Quidditch class completely. It works out good. Its just an idea though. Plus this keeps the tradition of a different Defense teacher every year going." Cho smiled as she thought about it.
Dumbledore looked at the Potters. "That's a great idea. Well now that that is settled, unless anyone has anything else to add this meeting is concluded."
Conversation started almost immediately. Remus and Tonks moved towards the group as they were walking down the hall to the designated rooms for the teachers. "I think you two were the cause of the 'fighting amongst ourselves' portion." Remus said in a low voice.
"Yeah that or you and Sirius' battles. Someway or another it had to do with our group." Harry replied. "So you never did answer our question yesterday. When is the wedding?"
"October 20. We decided that October was a nice month and we would like the students to be able to attend. We just picked the day a week ago. Harry I would like you to be my best man. I would ask Sirius but I plan on locking him in a closet until it is over." Remus smiled as he pictured Sirius' outraged look. "Actually Sirius' is filling in the place of Tonks' father. He is her cousin and is her closest male family around so he is going to fill in."
Tonks nodded in confirmation. "If he tries anything he'll be cursed before he can blink. Cho I want you and Hermione to be my bridesmaids. We have fittings this weekend." Cho smiled at her but it was broken by a yawn.
"We'll let you two get on to bed." Remus winked at them and was met with an elbow to his stomach.
"Remus! You have been hanging around with Sirius way too long." Tonks said as she steered him down the hall.
A/N: Ok I'm done. Look it was actually an interesting chapter. Wow. Anyway, thanks again to my editor, FireFairy05. Yay! Fairy is a quick editor. Thus you get this chapter sooner. Ta da. Now be good little chaps and review.
A/N: Sorry bout the long wait but I've had a bit of writers block and a really busy time so now that I have some spare time. I have written this although I still have writers block. I am sorry if it is horrible but I have to do something to help beat the dam. Its not working I tell you. Anyway onto the story. Oh and thanks a bunch to my new editor. Right now the name is not on my mind but I will get it by the end of the chapter. (I thought I was on chapter 14. guess not.)
Chapter 13: Decisions, Decisions
That night Harry and Cho had their first real fight. Cho, knowing exactly how to get Harry to do her will, finally asked the one question she knew would break his argument.
"What is the real reason you don't want to go?" she asked him.
Harry was silent and then looked her directly in the eye. "I won't lie to you. I am afraid. I almost lost you a year ago while we were staying at the safest place there is. I almost lost Lily when she was with me in Diagon Alley a few days ago. I don't want to risk losing you again. I couldn't bare it. You and Lily mean more to me than my life and I don't want to take you to a foreign place when I so recently almost lost you in the two places I know best. I can't push this fear down. Its there and I don't want it to have a cause to grow." He bent down to pick up Lily from her play pen. "I just can't risk it right now." He looked away from her stunned gaze.
Cho continued to stare at him in utter shock. She knew Malfoy's kidnapping attempts had affected him but she was never aware of how deep those scars really were. She could understand it. Harry had spent the majority of his life without love and now that he had it he didn't want to risk losing it.
"Oh Harry. I didn't know it had hurt you that much. If you don't want to go I can understand. We won't go if you don't want to." Cho kissed him lightly and took Lily from him. She began to rock the baby to sleep.
Little child close your eyes Slumber is near The moon is out the sun is gone The stars wink their goodnights Sleep little child Mama's right here Sleep my dear Lily Daddy is near
Cho sang Lily the lullaby her own mother had sung to her (with Cho instead of Lily) when she was a small child. Harry smiled as Lily's breathing slowed and she fell into a deep sleep. Cho laid her in her crib and turned to smile at Harry.
"Get some sleep. You have classes and Sirius to deal with tomorrow." Cho said as she crawled into sleep.
Harry fell into a nightmare filled sleep. In his dreams he saw Cho and Lily standing a little away from him. He began moving towards them when a dark shadow stood in front of him. Cho and Lily screamed and he tried to get to them. The harder he tried to get to them the louder their screams.
Harry bolted upright drenched in a cold sweat. He was gasping for breath and trying to calm himself. It wasn't working. Harry decided to go into the small den that was attached to their room and read so that he wouldn't wake Cho. He pulled his parents journal from the drawer in his nightstand.
He went and sat in a chair by the ever-going fire. He opened it to one of the entries from a few months before they died.
I am becoming suspicious. Someone is giving Voldemort information on us. They are obviously very close to me and not as close to Lily because they do not yet know of her pregnancy. Only five people besides us know of it for now. Dumbledore of course, Sirius, Remus, Jenny, and my mother. We only told those we trusted with all our secrets. Yet the information being given to Voldemort is obviously from someone extremely close. I know that it is not Remus for he is always loyal and would never do anything to risk his only friends. Sirius is not the cause either for he was kicked out of his family for associating with Remus and myself and has been willing to do anything for me since we became friends. I fear that it is Peter. He has been acting strange as of late. He hangs around but is afraid to look anyone in the eye. He jumps at the mention of Voldemort and often misses Order meetings or disappears immediately after. Something is up with him. I won't voice my suspicions yet but I will watch him closer.
Harry was startled out of his reading by a hand on his shoulder. He jumped up and had his wand out and pointed at the culprit in a second.
"You would have made a great Auror." Cho said smiling at his defensive posture.
"Sorry you scared me. Why are you awake?"
"I woke and you weren't there so I came to find you. What are you doing up at" she glanced at the clock on the wall, "three in the morning?" Cho raised an eyebrow at him quizzically.
"Had a nightmare and couldn't get back to sleep. I've been reading. Apparently my dad suspected that Peter was a spy."
"That's odd. Why would he put his life in his hands then? It doesn't make sense." Cho's brow furrowed in confusion.
"I'll find out later, right now lets try to get some more sleep." He smiled and made his way back to the bedroom. He peeked into Lily's crib real quick to make sure she was still asleep and crawled into bed. "Night."
"Morning." She corrected before falling back asleep against him.
Harry smiled. Tomorrow or rather today was another day of teaching he did not need to worry about Lily and Cho. They weren't in any danger.
Sirius smiled at Harry as he walked into the dinning hall the next morning looking tired. "Cho made you sleep on that uncomfortable thing you call a couch?" He asked pushing some eggs towards him.
"No I had a nightmare. Then I was reading my father's journal." Harry took Lily from Cho and began feeding her part of his eggs. "Anyway Sirius we have a class of beginners first today. Try not to kill anyone with the bludgers. I would like my students in one piece next week." Cho laughed as he said this.
"Ain't that the truth." Tonks muttered under her breath making Remus choke on his toast.
"Can we ever have a normal calm meal?" Hermione asked from her spot next to Ron and the twins.
At this Ron snorted. "'Mione, the last time we had a normal meal was first year before we became friends with you. And even then it wasn't exactly what most people would call normal."
Ron glanced at his watch. "Bloody hell! I'm never going to get my classroom ready in time. Harry you best be getting ready yourself." With that and a quick kiss for Hermione and the kids he ran off towards his class.
Harry also glanced at his watch and choked when he saw the time. It was already 8:45 and lessons started at nine. He hurried and kissed Cho and Lily and made his way to the Quidditch pitch dragging Sirius behind. (He had been trying to kiss Tonks to tick Remus off.)
Cho came to talk with Harry during his free period that day. They began talk of what was happening at the school and even ventured into a conversation about the possibility of another child.
"We should probably wait until Lily is older. It would be easier on both us and her." Harry suggested when Cho said that she would like another child.
"I'm thinking of taking the DADA job next year. It will be empty as Hermione and Tonks are going to return to their work at the Ministry. I was thinking about it and I could take the class over and Sirius could take over Quidditch." Harry stated out of the blue.
"Good idea but you should take the Advanced DADA class instead and I can take the DADA class. This way I have something to do during the day. I was thinking of going back to work but this is better. Then all the positions would be filled. Simple enough." Cho smiled happy about figuring all the details out. "Now all you have to do is bring it to Dumbledore's attention. So how was your class today?"
They continued talking until Harry's next class. That night he returned to reading the journal. Harry was shocked when Cho came into the room and took it away from him. "No reading tonight. We have a meeting to get to after we get Lily to sleep. Or did you forget about Dumbledore wanting to see us today?"
"I didn't forget. It just slipped my mind for a moment. Let me help you get her ready for bed then we'll be on our way."
Lily was asleep a few minutes later and they hurried to Dumbledore's office. "You wanted to see us Professor?" Harry asked as he entered.
"How many times do I have to tell you Harry? Call me Albus. You are not a student any longer." Dumbledore said shaking his head. "As for what I wanted to see you for I have to wait till the others arrive."
Just as he finished his sentence the door opened and the rest of the teachers filed in. They stood around the room and began chatting as everyone found a spot. The doors were closed when Fred and George entered the room and all eyes turned to Dumbledore.
"I called you all here to discuss a few things with you about this school year. First the issue of the prank store on campus. I am very well aware that the pranks will be used for house rivalries, mainly between Slytherin and Gryffindor. Should this become a big problem I will put my foot down on the matter but so long as no one is hurt there is no harm in it happening. This method is far better than the methods used in years before when physical fights and injuring curses were used. It is my hope that these pranks will prevent a lot of injuries.
"Second, it has been brought to my attention that a rather large group of teachers seems to be getting into as much trouble as the students." At this point he looked towards Harry. "If you are going to fight amongst yourselves, please take it to a place where the students will not witness it. Simple as that. Now concerning classes. I am already looking for two new Defense teachers as this year's teachers will be returning to Auror work next year. I have also been looking into a care taker for your children as it seems that we have more teachers who have such. I figure that we may be able to concentrate on lessons easier if we know that the children in this school are safe and not in danger like they were last year. Any questions?"
Most shook their heads and were shocked when Harry spoke up. "About the defense jobs next year. I had been thinking about that myself and I was thinking of taking over the advanced class and when I mentioned it to Cho she agreed."
"I also am looking into taking the regular defense class and Sirius can just take the Quidditch class completely. It works out good. Its just an idea though. Plus this keeps the tradition of a different Defense teacher every year going." Cho smiled as she thought about it.
Dumbledore looked at the Potters. "That's a great idea. Well now that that is settled, unless anyone has anything else to add this meeting is concluded."
Conversation started almost immediately. Remus and Tonks moved towards the group as they were walking down the hall to the designated rooms for the teachers. "I think you two were the cause of the 'fighting amongst ourselves' portion." Remus said in a low voice.
"Yeah that or you and Sirius' battles. Someway or another it had to do with our group." Harry replied. "So you never did answer our question yesterday. When is the wedding?"
"October 20. We decided that October was a nice month and we would like the students to be able to attend. We just picked the day a week ago. Harry I would like you to be my best man. I would ask Sirius but I plan on locking him in a closet until it is over." Remus smiled as he pictured Sirius' outraged look. "Actually Sirius' is filling in the place of Tonks' father. He is her cousin and is her closest male family around so he is going to fill in."
Tonks nodded in confirmation. "If he tries anything he'll be cursed before he can blink. Cho I want you and Hermione to be my bridesmaids. We have fittings this weekend." Cho smiled at her but it was broken by a yawn.
"We'll let you two get on to bed." Remus winked at them and was met with an elbow to his stomach.
"Remus! You have been hanging around with Sirius way too long." Tonks said as she steered him down the hall.
A/N: Ok I'm done. Look it was actually an interesting chapter. Wow. Anyway, thanks again to my editor, FireFairy05. Yay! Fairy is a quick editor. Thus you get this chapter sooner. Ta da. Now be good little chaps and review.