A/N Thanks to everyone who reviewed: nobody *runs off crying*
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- Robert
Ron opened his eyes slowly, finding himself looking into Peggy's concerned face. He wasn't sure if what he just experienced was true or not. By the look on Peggy's face, he knew it was.
"Oh God." Ron moaned, rubbing his head.
"Ron." She said, helping it up.
"How could this of happened?" Ron asked.
"Uh-" Peggy started.
"No, I mean I know HOW but........ argh. Damn my hormones." Ron cursed. He looked at Peggy and then down at her belly. "Oh my God." He moaned, collapsing on a bed.
"Ron, I know I should of told you sooner but I thought..."
"How come the whole school knows?" Ron asked.
"I told Jasmine and Hermione, who told Harry, who told Luna, who told Lupus, who told Ginny, who told her friends and then it spread throughout the rest of the school." Peggy said quietly.
"How could BILL of known?!" Ron demanded.
"I don't know." Peggy said, sitting next to Ron.
"Peggy, I am so sorry. I never meant-it was just-and all that-"
"I know, Ron. I know." She said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Ron stroked her hair gently and looked down into her face. "I am so, so, so, so, so sorry." He whispered.
"I know, I know." She whispered back. Ron wiped some of her tears away, and kissed her. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away or anything, but kissed back.
And that is how Rose found them, when she walked into the dorm. "What the-"
The couple pulled apart quickly. "What are you doing here?" Peggy demanded, rather angrily.
"He's not supposed to be up here. He is a boy." Rose said, glaring at Ron.
"Thanks for noticing." Ron grumbled.
"Oh my God, is HE the father?" Rose demanded, looking hard at Ron, whose ears turned red. "Well, he's probably the only guy in the world who'd do that YOU, Pe-"
Ron launched himself at Rose and they crashed to the ground. "RON!" Peggy shrieked, surprised.
"BITCH!" Ron yelled at Rose.
"Get off of me!" Rose said, crying. Peggy pulled Ron off of Rose, and she stood up. "Oh my God I broke a nail!" She shrieked. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit girls?!" She demanded.
"Oh you're a girl? I thought you might be a-a-a-a poodle in disguise!"
"I am not a-did you say 'poodle'?" Rose asked.
"Get OUT!" Ron yelled.
"This is MY dorm, not yours. I am telling McGonagall that you have a boy in here." Rose turned on her heels and started to leave.
"Fine, then I'll tell McGonagall you've had four boys in here in three days." Peggy said. Rose froze, then slowly turned.
"How did you-"
"I have my ways." Peggy said.
"I-the-FINE!" Rose snapped, and stormed off.
"Did she really have four guys here in three days?" Ron asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" Peggy asked with a sly smile.
*** (Harry's point of view)
The next day, I went down to breakfast and was surprised to see Ron and Peggy. Sitting together. Holding hands. I shrugged, and walked over to them. "You two together again?" I asked.
"Yeah." Ron said, smiling at Peggy. She smiled back.
"Listen, I wanted to apologize about telling Luna." I told Peggy.
"It's okay. I understand about you telling her because she was concerned about you." Peggy said, sipping her orange juice.
"Thanks." I said, sitting down. I stood back up. "Unless you want me to go."
"It's okay, you can sit with us." Ron said.
"Okay." I sat back down beside Ron again. Soon Jasmine appeared, sitting across from me, beside Peggy.
"Good to see you two together again." Jasmine said, tossing her red locks back. "I was wondering when you'd get back."
The two looked at each other and smiled. "I was so stupid to ever give you up." Peggy said to him.
"Why di-" Ron stopped and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Peggy asked.
"I'll tell you later." Ron said quietly.
I looked over to where Luna had walked in. She spotted me, smiled and ran over, her light brown pony-tail bouncing. She slid in next to me, and kissed my cheek. "Morning everyone."
"Morning." Everyone else said. Soon Lupus joined us, followed by Ginny who sat with him. The two smiled at each other a lot.
"Okay, feeling like a third-uh-fifth-uh-seventh wheel here." Jasmine said, standing up.
"Don't go." I said.
"It's okay, I want to talk to Draco anyway." Jasmine pointed to Malfoy, who was standing by the doors.
I scowled. "Oh."
Jasmine patted my head, and went off. "So...." Luna said.
"It's Saturday." Lupus commented.
"A whole day of nothing to do." Ginny said.
"Well, maybe you and I could find something to do." Lupus suggested with a smile. "OUCH!" He suddenly yelled.
"What happened?" Ginny asked.
"Someone kicked me." Lupus said, glaring at Ron who glared right back.
"Ron." Ginny snapped.
"What." Ron growled, still glaring at Lupus.
"Nothing, never mind. C'mon, Lupus." The two left. Ron scowled even more.
"Maybe we should go, too." Luna suggested.
"Sure." We held hands as we strolled out of the hall.
"I wonder what Ron and Peggy are going to do, uh, later." Luna said. I knew she meant when the kid was born.
"Dunno." I said with a shrug. Luna smiled and tightened her grip on my hand.
"You know, I'm glad you and I are together." She said. I smiled, and squeezed her hand.
"So am I."
*** (Ron's point of view)
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Peggy and I were in her dorm, later that day. She was stretched out on her bed, nibbling on some crackers, and I stood beside her.
"I-" I wanted to confront her about the man, Robert. But I didn't want her to know I had listened in! I wanted to do this, but was afraid it might ruin our relationship we JUST got back!
"What is it?" She asked, staring up into my eyes. I sighed and sat down.
"Who is Robert?"
Peggy dropped her packet of crackers. "E-excuse me?"
"Robert. Who is Robert." I said.
"How do you know about Robert?" She asked, her right eye twitching slightly that reminded me in a way of Quirrell.
"I-" What could I tell her? Wait! I know! "I saw it. In a vision. The entire conversation you had Christmas morning." I told her. "When I was asleep." I quickly added.
Peggy sat back against her headboard and gulped slightly. "Oh."
"So, who is it? Why did he say all that stuff to you?" I demanded.
"It is not import-"
"Yes it is!" I said more harshly then I meant. "Don't you DARE say its not important!"
"It doesn't-uh-concern you." She said.
"Yes it DOES. You are my GIRLFRIEND! And now you're carrying my KID inside of you! It damn well concerns me!" I snapped.
"Robert.... ...." Peggy said, looking rather nervous. "Robert is........ my....... unnnclllle."
"Your uncle." I said, not believing her.
"Yes." Peggy said. "My uncle."
"Oh." I said, not sure whether I should believe her or not. "Okay. Well, I'm going down to the kitchens, want me to bring something up?" I asked, running the back of my hand down her cheek.
"Yeah, something chocolate." She said and I smiled.
"That's why you're my girl." I said and she laughed.
I did not, as I said I would, go to the kitchens. But I sought out Trixie. I found her playing tiddlywinks with Sirius.
"Trixie."
"Ron." She said, looking hard at me.
"Does Peggy have an uncle named Robert?" I asked.
"No. I'm her only aunt and she has no uncles." She said, and frowned. "Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Oh God, is someone named Robert totally bugging her?!" Trixie leapt up.
"I-I-I-I don't know." I stammered.
"I'll kill the----" Trixie then wove a tapestry of obscenity, that as far as I know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan.
Sirius and I were both completely shocked. "Man, even I don't even know half of those words!" Sirius whispered.
"Uh.... is it safe to go near her?" I asked, backing up slightly.
"Trix?" Sirius asked. Trixie whirled towards me, causing me to leap back.
"Is someone named Robert bothering Peggy or NOT?!" She demanded.
"I don't know! No, yes, maybe." I panicked, suddenly very afraid.
"I'll kill him. I'LL KILL HIM!" Trixie screamed and stormed off.
"What brought all that on?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know, but someone named Robert was threatening Peggy." I said. Sirius scrambled up, looking rather angry.
"Why?"
"I don't know. I think because Peggy and I ha-uh-were uh-um we uh-we were uh-uh-uh-uh-"
Sirius just shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I better go find Trixie before she really DOES kill someone. Figures, as soon as my name gets cleared of murder she goes and-ugh! That woman is impossible!" He went off. I went to the kitchens, got some snacks and returned to Peggy's side.
***
That night I tossed and turned. All my bedclothes were pushed off of me, and I was laying there in my boxers, in a cold sweat. Something was wrong, oh yes. Was it because of my finding out Peggy had LIED to me? She had no uncles, let alone one named 'Robert'. But from Trixie's account, Robert seemed to bother Peggy. But why? Who was he? I did not have the answer at this moment.
Finally, I got up and got myself a glass of water. I drank it with two gulps, wiped my mouth off and went back to bed. I could hear Neville snoring, and Seamus talking in his sleep. He didn't do it very often, but figures he would do it tonight. Anything to keep me up.
I groaned and rolled on my back, pushing my hair from my face. I was all sweaty, but not hot. Was I getting sick? Yes, I was sick. I felt a sickness in my stomach. Like I had swallowed Gillyweed or something. I groaned and punched my feather pillow. Maybe I should just use a sleeping curse on myself or something....
Suddenly I felt like I had touched a Portkey. I lurched forward, cold air rushing past me. I closed my eyes up tight, waiting for it to end. Finally it did and I found myself standing in a town. If that was what you'd like to call it. A lot of the buildings were reduced to rubble, or else burned half-way or all the way down. The smell made me nauseated. What was all this?
I walked forward, staring around me in a sickening horror. Dead bodies were everywhere. I felt like I was going to throw up. And I did. This couldn't be a dream, then. Oh wait, I wasn't asleep in the first place. Then what was all this?
I spun around at someone coughing. Someone was alive in this terrible, horrible scenario? Sure enough, I saw one of the things I thought was a dead body stir. It slowly lifted its burnt face. "Who are you?" It somehow managed. Its lips seemed to be burned together almost.
"I-I'm a friend." I said, going forward. I knelt beside him? her? In this state, I wasn't sure.
"They were everywhere." It said and began coughing. "My family. My wife, my kids." He said, looking around. I couldn't see how he could do that, his eyelids were-ugh, I didn't want to think about it. "Are they alive?"
"I don't know." I muttered quietly. I wanted to look away, but felt that would be rude. However, if I continued looking at him, I'd be staring and that would be rude.
"Mary." The man said, gripping the front of my robes. Wait, I had just been wearing boxers. I glanced down and saw I was completely dressed. "Jessica. Thomas. Gus." He said, his burnt fingers gripping my robes.
"I'll look for them." I said, trying to pull away. Wanting to pull away.
"Please." He said then fell down. I wasn't sure if he was dead or unconscious. Well I wasn't going to stick around to find out!
After I threw up again, I began looking for his wife and kids in the house he had indicated. I called their names, having a feeling they wouldn't answer. But surprisingly there was an answer.
"John." Someone said. "Is that you?" I found a woman and felt like throwing up a third time. Her clothes were soaked in blood, and one of her legs was........ gone.
"Mary?" I asked, hesitating.
"That doesn't sound like my John." She whispered.
"I'm........" I knelt down, trying not to throw up or cry or anything. "What happened?"
"They were everywhere." She whispered.
"Who were?" I asked.
"I don't know. Couldn't-couldn't see their faces. Masks. They had masks and black cloaks and used magic." She said.
"Magic?"
"I know it sounds stupid but they did. They shot flames from these pieces of woods."
"Wizards." I said.
"Yes.... they attacked the town. Everywhere, they were everywhere." She was crying now. I glanced up and saw a calendar. It said 'March 1st'. That was this Saturday! I was in the future?
"You'll be okay." I told the woman, Mary. There was no answer. I looked down and saw she was dead. I was in the future. At a Muggle community. Death Eaters must of-er, will attack-um.. Okay. In the time it was now, Death Eaters must of attacked this town which would of been the future where I was then.
It was horrible.
Horrible.
I backed out of the house and looked around, wondering how to get back. I wanted back! I couldn't take this sight! I wanted BACK NOW!
And I was.
I was back in my bed, in my boxers and covered in the cold sweat.
I scrambled out of my bed and clutched at the windowsill, staring out over the grounds. I had just gone into the future or something of the sort. All that horrible stuff happening....... and on MY seventeenth birthday!
I took a long drink of water and knew when it was morning, I'd have to go to Dumbledore.
***
"ROBERT!" Trixie stormed into an office, without even being asked.
"What do you w-oh. Its you." Robert stood up, towering over Trixie. Sirius ran in and stopped at the height and build of this man.
"What are you doing to Peg?" Trixie demanded. Sirius was amazed at her courage to stand up to this man.
"What I do with Peggy is none of your business!" Robert snapped back.
"Peggy is MY niece and I care about her!" Trixie screamed. The two were face-to-face (sort of) separated only by Robert's desk. Sirius wondered what would happen if the desk was removed, then realized he probably wouldn't. What Robert said next, shocked Sirius.
"Well Peggy is MY daughter!"
Sirius raised his eyebrows in shock. THIS was PEGGYS FATHER?!?! He was like a grizzly bear turned human, only more dangerous-looking!!!! Just LOOKING at him made Sirius want to turn into a dog, crawl under something and shiver there for a long time until the man went away.
"Uh-" He started but the two ignored him. They pulled out their wands and Sirius dove to the floor and curses were shot out.
"You have no right interfering!" Robert shouted.
"You have no right treating your daughter like that!" Trixie screamed.
"Aack!" Sirius ducked behind the coat rack as a curse sped past him.
"You deserve to die!" Trixie screamed, scrambling over the desk. Sirius quickly grabbed his fiancé around the waist and lifted her up.
"Nice talking to you, bye!" Sirius said and carried Trixie out.
"Sirius! Let GO of me!" Trixie screamed, kicking about. Sirius waited till they were far from Robert's office.
"You could of been killed, Trix." Sirius said, finally setting her down.
"I don't care. You don't know what he does to Peggy!" Trixie screamed, stamping her foot.
"Trixie. You could of been killed." Sirius repeated.
"I don't CARE!" Trixie screamed, whirling around, her hair brushing against Sirius's face. "Peggy is my only niece. I love her, and will die for her."
"So that guy is her father." Sirius said.
"Duh." Trixie said, folding her arms.
"What does he do to her?" Sirius asked with a frown.
Trixie tucked some of her hair behind an ear and sat down on a bench in the room. "He is so awful to her. I mean sure, there's been a hell of a lot worse but.... Peggy is a wonderful, wonderful girl but do you know what her biggest fear is?"
"Uh, Robert?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. Her biggest fear is her FATHER, Sirius. What does that tell you?!" Trixie demanded.
"Okay but maybe going in there ready to fight to the death isn't exactly the best way to do this." Sirius said.
Trixie stood up and frowned. "What is?"
"I don't know. We'll think of something. Maybe we can get Burt to storm his office." Sirius said with a lopsided grin.
"That'd be fun." Trixie giggled.
"Now let's go back to Hogwarts." Sirius kissed Trixie's forehead, and they left.
***
Harry stared at the headline of that day's paper.
'I.W.A. CAPTURES FORTY-NINE DEATH EATERS IN A FORESEEN RAID!!! ALL SENT STRAIGHT TO AZKABAN!'
Azkaban, which had been emptied the previous y-no. It was two years, pretty much. Well in any case, it was emptied. But it was back to running. This time manned by powerful witches or wizards.
"Morning Ron." Harry said as Ron stumbled down the stairs.
"Morning." Ron said yawning.
"Look." Harry showed the article to his sleepy friend.
"Oh, I know." Ron said, waving the paper away from him.
"What do you mean 'I know'." Harry asked.
"Who do you think foresaw it?" Ron asked, blinking at Harry.
"You mean.... you....." Harry watched as Ron slowly nodded.
"Yeah, saw it a few days ago. Told Dumbledore. Now please, I want some breakfast."
Harry just watched as his friend proceeded to gobble down about six helpings of breakfast before seeming truly awake. "You foresaw this Death Eater attack?" He asked again.
"Yeah." Ron said, pouring himself a seventh glass of orange juice. "It was horrible. Ugh."
"And you told Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. I guess this means he's linked somehow to this 'I.W.A.' business. Hmm." Ron shrugged and then his eyes got wide. "Oh my God!"
"What?" Harry asked.
"It couldn't..... Harry, I think I've been to the I.W.A." Ron whispered.
"What?" Harry asked again.
"A while ago I was kidnapped to be drilled information from, about the Stone. I think I was at the I.W.A."
"Wait, you were kidnapped?!" Harry demanded, confused.
"Yeah, in the middle of the night by some guy named 'Sir' and-"
"Sir?!" Harry nearly shrieked.
"Yeah." Ron said, frowning.
"Oh my God, he came to your house during the summer while you-uh-"
"Was still dead."
"Right. He came looking for the Stone. I didn't give it to him cause Sirius told me not to and-"
"Sirius? Now how would he know about Sir?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. Its really confu-oh my God. What if Sirius is linked to the I.W.A.?" Harry asked.
"Sirius and Dumbledore both?" Ron asked with a frown.
"It could be true, you never know." Harry muttered.
"Why don't you ask him? Sirius, I mean."
"I might. So what happened while you were in the I.W.A.?" Harry asked and Ron told him everything. "And Dumbledore came in?"
"Yeah. Opened the door and it slammed into Sir's nose. The door went into his office. Dumbledore I mean."
"The only door in there is the one that leads out." Harry said, frowning.
"I know. When I looked around his office a moment later, the door was gone. It disappeared." Ron said.
"Whoa. Okay, this is freaky." Harry said, shaking his head. He looked up at the table, at his godfather chatting away happily with Remus.
"Harry, all our years at Hogwarts have been freaky." Ron pointed out.
"Yeah, true." Harry mumbled.
"You know, Dumbledore said I can talk to him anytime I want." Ron said.
"He's told me the same thing. Maybe we should ask him." Harry suggested.
"Yeah. Let's go lat-"
"Can't. Game. We have a game. Remember? If we win, we're going to play Slytherin for the championship." Harry reminded Ron.
"Yeah. But the game doesn't start until later." Ron muttered.
"Who knows how long we'll be talking to him? No, let's wait till tomorrow. By the way, happy birthday."
"Thanks." Ron said with a smile.
"How does it feel to be seventeen?" Harry asked.
"I dunno." Ron said with a laugh. "Haven't really been thinking of it. Most the morning has been my 'before-I-get-enough-food' syndrome. And I can't really remember much when I'm like that."
Harry laughed. "Neither do you make much sense. Then again you don't make much sense anyway. Hey!" Harry yelled as Ron threw a piece of toast at him.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Peggy appeared, yawning and stretching her arms.
"Ron's throwing food at me!" Harry said. Ron stuck his tongue out, then turned to his girlfriend.
"How you doing this morning?" He asked.
"Fine, thank you." Peggy said, giving him a kiss. "I feel perfectly fine. Happy birthday by the way."
"Thanks." Ron said with a bright smile.
"Okay what is a piece of toast doing on the floor?" Jasmine slid into the seat next to Harry. "That is a ruin of perfectly good toasted bread!"
"Ron wasted it, not me." Harry said.
"Hey! You antagonized me!" Ron insisted.
"Did not."
"Did so!"
"Did not!"
"Did so!"
"Boys!" Jasmine and Peggy both shouted but they ignored them, and both threw muffins. They both completely missed. Harry's muffin sailed to the Slytherin table and hit a fourth year, and Ron's sailed to Ravenclaw and hit Cho Chang. Harry and Ron grabbed some more food and chucked it at each other.
"FOOD FIGHT!" Sirius and Remus both screamed and at the exact same time dumped their orange juices over each other. Soon the air was thick with flying breakfast foods.
Jasmine picked up a bowl of hot oatmeal and dumped it down the front of Harry's trousers. Harry yelled, and flung syrup at his sister, but she ducked and it hit Seamus instead.
The food fight went on for quite a long time, then Dumbledore announced the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams should go start getting ready. The food fight ended there, while everyone got cleaned up.
*** (Peggy's point of view)
It was time for the Quidditch game to start- and I wasn't there! I was searching for something to wear. Finally I pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, hat and gloves, and started to leave my dorm.
When I opened the door, Robert stood there.
"Hello." He said.
"Hello Robert." I said, feeling sick. He pushed the door all the way open, and slammed it shut behind him. "You know, I was going to a Quidditch game right now." I said, trying to keep my cool.
"I need to talk to you."
"What." I said, folding my arms.
"You sent your wretched aunt to my office, didn't you?" He demanded.
"Aunt Trixie? No." I said.
"Yes you did! She showed up the other day, yelling at me."
"I never sent anyone!" I shouted, stamping my foot. I then screamed (involuntarily of course) as he grabbed my wrist, pulling me close.
"Something is wrong with you."
"Robert, please let go of me." I whispered, trying not to cry.
"There is something different. Something....." Robert suddenly pushed me back. I fell onto my bed and began crying, knowing he knew with one look. "You're pregnant."
I just continued crying a Robert proceeded to scream himself hoarse at me. It was worse then a Howler. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed.
"SORRY DOES NOT CUT IT YOUNG LADY!" He screamed.
"Please!" I begged, covering my ears.
"You're back together with him, aren't you?! AREN'T YOU?!" He screamed after I didn't answer.
"I love him!"
"You WILL break up with him!"
"I WON'T!"
"YOU WILL!"
"I WON'T!'
"Y-" Robert leapt in the air as a gunshot went off. I managed to see, through tear-blurred eyes, Bert standing there with a gun.
"Get behind me, Peggy." He said and I quickly moved behind him.
"You have no right to interfere." Robert snapped, fumbling for his wand.
"Don't. Even. Try." Bert said, aiming the gun.
"What are you doing?!" Robert demanded.
"I asked him." I blinked as Aunt Trixie and Sirius appeared. Trixie had a look of pure anger on her face. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. But what did, shocked me.
Loud screams came from the Quidditch field.
***
Aunt Trixie, Sirius, Bert and I ran out to the Quidditch field. I stared in horror at the scene in front of me. Ron was laying on the ground, dead.
I screamed and ran over to him. "NO!" I screamed, flinging myself at his body. "NO! HE CAN'T BE!"
"Peggy!" I felt a hand on my shoulder. I pushed it away.
"Nonononononononononononononono! Leave me alone!"
Someone pulled me off and gripped me tightly. "He's not dead, Peggy." Harry said firmly. He had pulled me off and was gripping my arms.
"He's not?" I asked, staring at him. "He looks dead."
"He didn't fall THAT far, he's just unconscious." Harry assured me.
I blinked back tears as Pomfrey appeared and took him away. "What happened?!" I demanded.
"I don't know. He just.... fell." Harry said as we walked to the castle.
"What about the game?" I asked.
"It's postponed until next week." Harry explained. We got to the hospital wing, and sat by his bed. I stared into his face, wondering what happened.
Soon Jasmine, Hermione, Luna, Lupus, and Ginny ran in. "Is he okay?" Ginny asked, clutching Lupus's hand.
"He'll be fine." Pomfrey assured us.
After a while, the others left, leaving me alone with him. I held his hand, kissing the back of it and staring down into his pale face. "What happened, sweetie?" I asked.
After a while, I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, who should I see but Robert. "What do YOU want?" I demanded, rubbing my eyes and sitting up straight.
Robert sneered at Ron's body. "What is so special about HIM you are willing to give it all up?" He demanded as he leaned against the wall.
"I am not giving anything up, Robert." I said. I was too mad to be terribly afraid.
"You seem like you are going to."
"Why do you hate me so much?!" I demanded.
"Peggy, I don't hate you." He said, straightening up. "I love you."
"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it." I snapped. I was too angry to realize that was the first time he had ever in my ENTIRE life said that.
"I am concerned."
"Yeah right, like I'll believe THAT?!" I demanded, I was getting so angry, I wanted to hurt him. And I tried to. I flung myself at him, fists flying. He caught me by the wrists and I began crying.
"Peggy, you're my daughter. I am just worried."
"About what?!" I demanded angrily.
"Peggy, you deserve something more then him. He is a regular wizard. You're not a regular witch."
"Well so?! Cinderella was a servant, and look how she ended up." I said bitterly.
"That is a fairy tale. This is real life. Things do not end up as 'happily ever after'. If you just give it up for him, a REGULAR wizard, you'll end up really sad, wishing you never left."
"He is not regular. He got thirteen O.W.Ls." I said, staring down into Ron's face.
"Whoop-dee-doo. You think thirteen is enough? Peggy, you know Jack?"
"That jerk? Yeah, so?" I asked.
"He is a nice wizard. He is very smart, and very strong."
"Oh, you are saying I should marry HIM?! Dad, he-" I stopped and closed my eyes. "I mean Robert, whenever we were around each other, all he did was hit on me. He is the only guy I know who can eat, drink, write things down and still have two hands left to touch me." I snapped.
"He likes you-"
"He likes sex."
"Well apparently so does this wizard if he knocked you up!" Robert snapped.
"How DARE you speak about Ron like that!" I shouted, trying to pull myself free.
"Peggy! I don't want you to wind up a miserable, poor divorcee with dozens of children." He said. I finally managed to wrench myself loose.
"If you say one more word about Ron like that I swear I will hurt you."
"You are very brave, Peggy." He said, pulling his wand out. "But bravery alone cannot help."
"Go ahead, curse me. Kill me for all I care." I said, folding my arms. "But Ron will want revenge. And so will Aunt Trixie. Sirius loves her, and will fight with her. Emerin, Remus, Ivana and Bert are very loyal friends and will fight as well."
Robert narrowed his eyes, and glanced at Ron. He fingered his wand and glanced back at me. "You're willing to die for this pathetic excuse for a wizard."
"Yes, of course."
"Is he willing to die for you?" He asked, eyes narrowed even more.
"I-" I bit my bottom lip. "Don't know."
"Why don't we revive him and find out?" He asked, and pointed his wand.
"Don't!" I grabbed his wrist and the spell bounced off the polished food tray by another bed. It struck me, and I was thrown backwards. I slid along the floor until I hit the wall. "Ohhhhh." I groaned, rubbing my back. Great, just what I needed. More pain.
I slowly stood up, glaring fiercely at Robert. "You ought not of done that." He said.
I stormed over and pulled my wand out, aiming it straight into his face. "You know perfectly well I know a good many curses." I said.
"And I know even more." He said, wand aimed at me.
"Then I guess this is it idn it?" I asked, taking a deep breath.
"Peggy." He said, taking a step forward.
"Go on, kill me. Go ahead. See what happens when they find out a father kills his pregnant daughter in the hospital of a school."
Robert clenched his teeth and used a weight spell to slam against my wrist. I dropped my wand, clutching my wrist which was most likely broken now. "Peggy, decide now. Give it all up, or give him up?" He asked.
"Don't do that to me." I said, shaking with anger and fear.
"What is it going to be, Peggy?"
"Don't." I whispered.
"Make the decision."
"I don't have to." I said, grabbing my wand with my right hand. "You know the rule."
"What rule?" He asked.
"The same rule you had to go for when you met my mother." I said, hoping Robert wouldn't force Ron to make this decision.
"You-the-I-you-FINE. I will speak to someone right away." Robert smirked and left the hospital.
I blinked back tears, and turned to look at Ron. I couldn't make him make a decision like this. I smoothed back his hair, kissed his cheek and decided I wouldn't do this to him. I sat back down and sighed. No, I just wouldn't tell him about this. I wouldn't make him make the decision.
I couldn't............
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN- Robert
Ron opened his eyes slowly, finding himself looking into Peggy's concerned face. He wasn't sure if what he just experienced was true or not. By the look on Peggy's face, he knew it was.
"Oh God." Ron moaned, rubbing his head.
"Ron." She said, helping it up.
"How could this of happened?" Ron asked.
"Uh-" Peggy started.
"No, I mean I know HOW but........ argh. Damn my hormones." Ron cursed. He looked at Peggy and then down at her belly. "Oh my God." He moaned, collapsing on a bed.
"Ron, I know I should of told you sooner but I thought..."
"How come the whole school knows?" Ron asked.
"I told Jasmine and Hermione, who told Harry, who told Luna, who told Lupus, who told Ginny, who told her friends and then it spread throughout the rest of the school." Peggy said quietly.
"How could BILL of known?!" Ron demanded.
"I don't know." Peggy said, sitting next to Ron.
"Peggy, I am so sorry. I never meant-it was just-and all that-"
"I know, Ron. I know." She said, resting her head on his shoulder.
Ron stroked her hair gently and looked down into her face. "I am so, so, so, so, so sorry." He whispered.
"I know, I know." She whispered back. Ron wiped some of her tears away, and kissed her. Surprisingly, she didn't pull away or anything, but kissed back.
And that is how Rose found them, when she walked into the dorm. "What the-"
The couple pulled apart quickly. "What are you doing here?" Peggy demanded, rather angrily.
"He's not supposed to be up here. He is a boy." Rose said, glaring at Ron.
"Thanks for noticing." Ron grumbled.
"Oh my God, is HE the father?" Rose demanded, looking hard at Ron, whose ears turned red. "Well, he's probably the only guy in the world who'd do that YOU, Pe-"
Ron launched himself at Rose and they crashed to the ground. "RON!" Peggy shrieked, surprised.
"BITCH!" Ron yelled at Rose.
"Get off of me!" Rose said, crying. Peggy pulled Ron off of Rose, and she stood up. "Oh my God I broke a nail!" She shrieked. "Didn't your mother ever teach you not to hit girls?!" She demanded.
"Oh you're a girl? I thought you might be a-a-a-a poodle in disguise!"
"I am not a-did you say 'poodle'?" Rose asked.
"Get OUT!" Ron yelled.
"This is MY dorm, not yours. I am telling McGonagall that you have a boy in here." Rose turned on her heels and started to leave.
"Fine, then I'll tell McGonagall you've had four boys in here in three days." Peggy said. Rose froze, then slowly turned.
"How did you-"
"I have my ways." Peggy said.
"I-the-FINE!" Rose snapped, and stormed off.
"Did she really have four guys here in three days?" Ron asked.
"How am I supposed to know?" Peggy asked with a sly smile.
*** (Harry's point of view)
The next day, I went down to breakfast and was surprised to see Ron and Peggy. Sitting together. Holding hands. I shrugged, and walked over to them. "You two together again?" I asked.
"Yeah." Ron said, smiling at Peggy. She smiled back.
"Listen, I wanted to apologize about telling Luna." I told Peggy.
"It's okay. I understand about you telling her because she was concerned about you." Peggy said, sipping her orange juice.
"Thanks." I said, sitting down. I stood back up. "Unless you want me to go."
"It's okay, you can sit with us." Ron said.
"Okay." I sat back down beside Ron again. Soon Jasmine appeared, sitting across from me, beside Peggy.
"Good to see you two together again." Jasmine said, tossing her red locks back. "I was wondering when you'd get back."
The two looked at each other and smiled. "I was so stupid to ever give you up." Peggy said to him.
"Why di-" Ron stopped and frowned.
"What's wrong?" Peggy asked.
"I'll tell you later." Ron said quietly.
I looked over to where Luna had walked in. She spotted me, smiled and ran over, her light brown pony-tail bouncing. She slid in next to me, and kissed my cheek. "Morning everyone."
"Morning." Everyone else said. Soon Lupus joined us, followed by Ginny who sat with him. The two smiled at each other a lot.
"Okay, feeling like a third-uh-fifth-uh-seventh wheel here." Jasmine said, standing up.
"Don't go." I said.
"It's okay, I want to talk to Draco anyway." Jasmine pointed to Malfoy, who was standing by the doors.
I scowled. "Oh."
Jasmine patted my head, and went off. "So...." Luna said.
"It's Saturday." Lupus commented.
"A whole day of nothing to do." Ginny said.
"Well, maybe you and I could find something to do." Lupus suggested with a smile. "OUCH!" He suddenly yelled.
"What happened?" Ginny asked.
"Someone kicked me." Lupus said, glaring at Ron who glared right back.
"Ron." Ginny snapped.
"What." Ron growled, still glaring at Lupus.
"Nothing, never mind. C'mon, Lupus." The two left. Ron scowled even more.
"Maybe we should go, too." Luna suggested.
"Sure." We held hands as we strolled out of the hall.
"I wonder what Ron and Peggy are going to do, uh, later." Luna said. I knew she meant when the kid was born.
"Dunno." I said with a shrug. Luna smiled and tightened her grip on my hand.
"You know, I'm glad you and I are together." She said. I smiled, and squeezed her hand.
"So am I."
*** (Ron's point of view)
"What did you need to talk to me about?" Peggy and I were in her dorm, later that day. She was stretched out on her bed, nibbling on some crackers, and I stood beside her.
"I-" I wanted to confront her about the man, Robert. But I didn't want her to know I had listened in! I wanted to do this, but was afraid it might ruin our relationship we JUST got back!
"What is it?" She asked, staring up into my eyes. I sighed and sat down.
"Who is Robert?"
Peggy dropped her packet of crackers. "E-excuse me?"
"Robert. Who is Robert." I said.
"How do you know about Robert?" She asked, her right eye twitching slightly that reminded me in a way of Quirrell.
"I-" What could I tell her? Wait! I know! "I saw it. In a vision. The entire conversation you had Christmas morning." I told her. "When I was asleep." I quickly added.
Peggy sat back against her headboard and gulped slightly. "Oh."
"So, who is it? Why did he say all that stuff to you?" I demanded.
"It is not import-"
"Yes it is!" I said more harshly then I meant. "Don't you DARE say its not important!"
"It doesn't-uh-concern you." She said.
"Yes it DOES. You are my GIRLFRIEND! And now you're carrying my KID inside of you! It damn well concerns me!" I snapped.
"Robert.... ...." Peggy said, looking rather nervous. "Robert is........ my....... unnnclllle."
"Your uncle." I said, not believing her.
"Yes." Peggy said. "My uncle."
"Oh." I said, not sure whether I should believe her or not. "Okay. Well, I'm going down to the kitchens, want me to bring something up?" I asked, running the back of my hand down her cheek.
"Yeah, something chocolate." She said and I smiled.
"That's why you're my girl." I said and she laughed.
I did not, as I said I would, go to the kitchens. But I sought out Trixie. I found her playing tiddlywinks with Sirius.
"Trixie."
"Ron." She said, looking hard at me.
"Does Peggy have an uncle named Robert?" I asked.
"No. I'm her only aunt and she has no uncles." She said, and frowned. "Why?"
"Just wondering."
"Oh God, is someone named Robert totally bugging her?!" Trixie leapt up.
"I-I-I-I don't know." I stammered.
"I'll kill the----" Trixie then wove a tapestry of obscenity, that as far as I know is still hanging in space over Lake Michigan.
Sirius and I were both completely shocked. "Man, even I don't even know half of those words!" Sirius whispered.
"Uh.... is it safe to go near her?" I asked, backing up slightly.
"Trix?" Sirius asked. Trixie whirled towards me, causing me to leap back.
"Is someone named Robert bothering Peggy or NOT?!" She demanded.
"I don't know! No, yes, maybe." I panicked, suddenly very afraid.
"I'll kill him. I'LL KILL HIM!" Trixie screamed and stormed off.
"What brought all that on?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know, but someone named Robert was threatening Peggy." I said. Sirius scrambled up, looking rather angry.
"Why?"
"I don't know. I think because Peggy and I ha-uh-were uh-um we uh-we were uh-uh-uh-uh-"
Sirius just shook his head. "Yeah, yeah. I know. I better go find Trixie before she really DOES kill someone. Figures, as soon as my name gets cleared of murder she goes and-ugh! That woman is impossible!" He went off. I went to the kitchens, got some snacks and returned to Peggy's side.
***
That night I tossed and turned. All my bedclothes were pushed off of me, and I was laying there in my boxers, in a cold sweat. Something was wrong, oh yes. Was it because of my finding out Peggy had LIED to me? She had no uncles, let alone one named 'Robert'. But from Trixie's account, Robert seemed to bother Peggy. But why? Who was he? I did not have the answer at this moment.
Finally, I got up and got myself a glass of water. I drank it with two gulps, wiped my mouth off and went back to bed. I could hear Neville snoring, and Seamus talking in his sleep. He didn't do it very often, but figures he would do it tonight. Anything to keep me up.
I groaned and rolled on my back, pushing my hair from my face. I was all sweaty, but not hot. Was I getting sick? Yes, I was sick. I felt a sickness in my stomach. Like I had swallowed Gillyweed or something. I groaned and punched my feather pillow. Maybe I should just use a sleeping curse on myself or something....
Suddenly I felt like I had touched a Portkey. I lurched forward, cold air rushing past me. I closed my eyes up tight, waiting for it to end. Finally it did and I found myself standing in a town. If that was what you'd like to call it. A lot of the buildings were reduced to rubble, or else burned half-way or all the way down. The smell made me nauseated. What was all this?
I walked forward, staring around me in a sickening horror. Dead bodies were everywhere. I felt like I was going to throw up. And I did. This couldn't be a dream, then. Oh wait, I wasn't asleep in the first place. Then what was all this?
I spun around at someone coughing. Someone was alive in this terrible, horrible scenario? Sure enough, I saw one of the things I thought was a dead body stir. It slowly lifted its burnt face. "Who are you?" It somehow managed. Its lips seemed to be burned together almost.
"I-I'm a friend." I said, going forward. I knelt beside him? her? In this state, I wasn't sure.
"They were everywhere." It said and began coughing. "My family. My wife, my kids." He said, looking around. I couldn't see how he could do that, his eyelids were-ugh, I didn't want to think about it. "Are they alive?"
"I don't know." I muttered quietly. I wanted to look away, but felt that would be rude. However, if I continued looking at him, I'd be staring and that would be rude.
"Mary." The man said, gripping the front of my robes. Wait, I had just been wearing boxers. I glanced down and saw I was completely dressed. "Jessica. Thomas. Gus." He said, his burnt fingers gripping my robes.
"I'll look for them." I said, trying to pull away. Wanting to pull away.
"Please." He said then fell down. I wasn't sure if he was dead or unconscious. Well I wasn't going to stick around to find out!
After I threw up again, I began looking for his wife and kids in the house he had indicated. I called their names, having a feeling they wouldn't answer. But surprisingly there was an answer.
"John." Someone said. "Is that you?" I found a woman and felt like throwing up a third time. Her clothes were soaked in blood, and one of her legs was........ gone.
"Mary?" I asked, hesitating.
"That doesn't sound like my John." She whispered.
"I'm........" I knelt down, trying not to throw up or cry or anything. "What happened?"
"They were everywhere." She whispered.
"Who were?" I asked.
"I don't know. Couldn't-couldn't see their faces. Masks. They had masks and black cloaks and used magic." She said.
"Magic?"
"I know it sounds stupid but they did. They shot flames from these pieces of woods."
"Wizards." I said.
"Yes.... they attacked the town. Everywhere, they were everywhere." She was crying now. I glanced up and saw a calendar. It said 'March 1st'. That was this Saturday! I was in the future?
"You'll be okay." I told the woman, Mary. There was no answer. I looked down and saw she was dead. I was in the future. At a Muggle community. Death Eaters must of-er, will attack-um.. Okay. In the time it was now, Death Eaters must of attacked this town which would of been the future where I was then.
It was horrible.
Horrible.
I backed out of the house and looked around, wondering how to get back. I wanted back! I couldn't take this sight! I wanted BACK NOW!
And I was.
I was back in my bed, in my boxers and covered in the cold sweat.
I scrambled out of my bed and clutched at the windowsill, staring out over the grounds. I had just gone into the future or something of the sort. All that horrible stuff happening....... and on MY seventeenth birthday!
I took a long drink of water and knew when it was morning, I'd have to go to Dumbledore.
***
"ROBERT!" Trixie stormed into an office, without even being asked.
"What do you w-oh. Its you." Robert stood up, towering over Trixie. Sirius ran in and stopped at the height and build of this man.
"What are you doing to Peg?" Trixie demanded. Sirius was amazed at her courage to stand up to this man.
"What I do with Peggy is none of your business!" Robert snapped back.
"Peggy is MY niece and I care about her!" Trixie screamed. The two were face-to-face (sort of) separated only by Robert's desk. Sirius wondered what would happen if the desk was removed, then realized he probably wouldn't. What Robert said next, shocked Sirius.
"Well Peggy is MY daughter!"
Sirius raised his eyebrows in shock. THIS was PEGGYS FATHER?!?! He was like a grizzly bear turned human, only more dangerous-looking!!!! Just LOOKING at him made Sirius want to turn into a dog, crawl under something and shiver there for a long time until the man went away.
"Uh-" He started but the two ignored him. They pulled out their wands and Sirius dove to the floor and curses were shot out.
"You have no right interfering!" Robert shouted.
"You have no right treating your daughter like that!" Trixie screamed.
"Aack!" Sirius ducked behind the coat rack as a curse sped past him.
"You deserve to die!" Trixie screamed, scrambling over the desk. Sirius quickly grabbed his fiancé around the waist and lifted her up.
"Nice talking to you, bye!" Sirius said and carried Trixie out.
"Sirius! Let GO of me!" Trixie screamed, kicking about. Sirius waited till they were far from Robert's office.
"You could of been killed, Trix." Sirius said, finally setting her down.
"I don't care. You don't know what he does to Peggy!" Trixie screamed, stamping her foot.
"Trixie. You could of been killed." Sirius repeated.
"I don't CARE!" Trixie screamed, whirling around, her hair brushing against Sirius's face. "Peggy is my only niece. I love her, and will die for her."
"So that guy is her father." Sirius said.
"Duh." Trixie said, folding her arms.
"What does he do to her?" Sirius asked with a frown.
Trixie tucked some of her hair behind an ear and sat down on a bench in the room. "He is so awful to her. I mean sure, there's been a hell of a lot worse but.... Peggy is a wonderful, wonderful girl but do you know what her biggest fear is?"
"Uh, Robert?" Sirius asked.
"Yes. Her biggest fear is her FATHER, Sirius. What does that tell you?!" Trixie demanded.
"Okay but maybe going in there ready to fight to the death isn't exactly the best way to do this." Sirius said.
Trixie stood up and frowned. "What is?"
"I don't know. We'll think of something. Maybe we can get Burt to storm his office." Sirius said with a lopsided grin.
"That'd be fun." Trixie giggled.
"Now let's go back to Hogwarts." Sirius kissed Trixie's forehead, and they left.
***
Harry stared at the headline of that day's paper.
'I.W.A. CAPTURES FORTY-NINE DEATH EATERS IN A FORESEEN RAID!!! ALL SENT STRAIGHT TO AZKABAN!'
Azkaban, which had been emptied the previous y-no. It was two years, pretty much. Well in any case, it was emptied. But it was back to running. This time manned by powerful witches or wizards.
"Morning Ron." Harry said as Ron stumbled down the stairs.
"Morning." Ron said yawning.
"Look." Harry showed the article to his sleepy friend.
"Oh, I know." Ron said, waving the paper away from him.
"What do you mean 'I know'." Harry asked.
"Who do you think foresaw it?" Ron asked, blinking at Harry.
"You mean.... you....." Harry watched as Ron slowly nodded.
"Yeah, saw it a few days ago. Told Dumbledore. Now please, I want some breakfast."
Harry just watched as his friend proceeded to gobble down about six helpings of breakfast before seeming truly awake. "You foresaw this Death Eater attack?" He asked again.
"Yeah." Ron said, pouring himself a seventh glass of orange juice. "It was horrible. Ugh."
"And you told Dumbledore?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. I guess this means he's linked somehow to this 'I.W.A.' business. Hmm." Ron shrugged and then his eyes got wide. "Oh my God!"
"What?" Harry asked.
"It couldn't..... Harry, I think I've been to the I.W.A." Ron whispered.
"What?" Harry asked again.
"A while ago I was kidnapped to be drilled information from, about the Stone. I think I was at the I.W.A."
"Wait, you were kidnapped?!" Harry demanded, confused.
"Yeah, in the middle of the night by some guy named 'Sir' and-"
"Sir?!" Harry nearly shrieked.
"Yeah." Ron said, frowning.
"Oh my God, he came to your house during the summer while you-uh-"
"Was still dead."
"Right. He came looking for the Stone. I didn't give it to him cause Sirius told me not to and-"
"Sirius? Now how would he know about Sir?" Ron asked.
"I don't know. Its really confu-oh my God. What if Sirius is linked to the I.W.A.?" Harry asked.
"Sirius and Dumbledore both?" Ron asked with a frown.
"It could be true, you never know." Harry muttered.
"Why don't you ask him? Sirius, I mean."
"I might. So what happened while you were in the I.W.A.?" Harry asked and Ron told him everything. "And Dumbledore came in?"
"Yeah. Opened the door and it slammed into Sir's nose. The door went into his office. Dumbledore I mean."
"The only door in there is the one that leads out." Harry said, frowning.
"I know. When I looked around his office a moment later, the door was gone. It disappeared." Ron said.
"Whoa. Okay, this is freaky." Harry said, shaking his head. He looked up at the table, at his godfather chatting away happily with Remus.
"Harry, all our years at Hogwarts have been freaky." Ron pointed out.
"Yeah, true." Harry mumbled.
"You know, Dumbledore said I can talk to him anytime I want." Ron said.
"He's told me the same thing. Maybe we should ask him." Harry suggested.
"Yeah. Let's go lat-"
"Can't. Game. We have a game. Remember? If we win, we're going to play Slytherin for the championship." Harry reminded Ron.
"Yeah. But the game doesn't start until later." Ron muttered.
"Who knows how long we'll be talking to him? No, let's wait till tomorrow. By the way, happy birthday."
"Thanks." Ron said with a smile.
"How does it feel to be seventeen?" Harry asked.
"I dunno." Ron said with a laugh. "Haven't really been thinking of it. Most the morning has been my 'before-I-get-enough-food' syndrome. And I can't really remember much when I'm like that."
Harry laughed. "Neither do you make much sense. Then again you don't make much sense anyway. Hey!" Harry yelled as Ron threw a piece of toast at him.
"Hey, what's going on here?" Peggy appeared, yawning and stretching her arms.
"Ron's throwing food at me!" Harry said. Ron stuck his tongue out, then turned to his girlfriend.
"How you doing this morning?" He asked.
"Fine, thank you." Peggy said, giving him a kiss. "I feel perfectly fine. Happy birthday by the way."
"Thanks." Ron said with a bright smile.
"Okay what is a piece of toast doing on the floor?" Jasmine slid into the seat next to Harry. "That is a ruin of perfectly good toasted bread!"
"Ron wasted it, not me." Harry said.
"Hey! You antagonized me!" Ron insisted.
"Did not."
"Did so!"
"Did not!"
"Did so!"
"Boys!" Jasmine and Peggy both shouted but they ignored them, and both threw muffins. They both completely missed. Harry's muffin sailed to the Slytherin table and hit a fourth year, and Ron's sailed to Ravenclaw and hit Cho Chang. Harry and Ron grabbed some more food and chucked it at each other.
"FOOD FIGHT!" Sirius and Remus both screamed and at the exact same time dumped their orange juices over each other. Soon the air was thick with flying breakfast foods.
Jasmine picked up a bowl of hot oatmeal and dumped it down the front of Harry's trousers. Harry yelled, and flung syrup at his sister, but she ducked and it hit Seamus instead.
The food fight went on for quite a long time, then Dumbledore announced the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw Quidditch teams should go start getting ready. The food fight ended there, while everyone got cleaned up.
*** (Peggy's point of view)
It was time for the Quidditch game to start- and I wasn't there! I was searching for something to wear. Finally I pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweater, hat and gloves, and started to leave my dorm.
When I opened the door, Robert stood there.
"Hello." He said.
"Hello Robert." I said, feeling sick. He pushed the door all the way open, and slammed it shut behind him. "You know, I was going to a Quidditch game right now." I said, trying to keep my cool.
"I need to talk to you."
"What." I said, folding my arms.
"You sent your wretched aunt to my office, didn't you?" He demanded.
"Aunt Trixie? No." I said.
"Yes you did! She showed up the other day, yelling at me."
"I never sent anyone!" I shouted, stamping my foot. I then screamed (involuntarily of course) as he grabbed my wrist, pulling me close.
"Something is wrong with you."
"Robert, please let go of me." I whispered, trying not to cry.
"There is something different. Something....." Robert suddenly pushed me back. I fell onto my bed and began crying, knowing he knew with one look. "You're pregnant."
I just continued crying a Robert proceeded to scream himself hoarse at me. It was worse then a Howler. "I'm sorry!" I sobbed.
"SORRY DOES NOT CUT IT YOUNG LADY!" He screamed.
"Please!" I begged, covering my ears.
"You're back together with him, aren't you?! AREN'T YOU?!" He screamed after I didn't answer.
"I love him!"
"You WILL break up with him!"
"I WON'T!"
"YOU WILL!"
"I WON'T!'
"Y-" Robert leapt in the air as a gunshot went off. I managed to see, through tear-blurred eyes, Bert standing there with a gun.
"Get behind me, Peggy." He said and I quickly moved behind him.
"You have no right to interfere." Robert snapped, fumbling for his wand.
"Don't. Even. Try." Bert said, aiming the gun.
"What are you doing?!" Robert demanded.
"I asked him." I blinked as Aunt Trixie and Sirius appeared. Trixie had a look of pure anger on her face. I wasn't sure what was going to happen next. But what did, shocked me.
Loud screams came from the Quidditch field.
***
Aunt Trixie, Sirius, Bert and I ran out to the Quidditch field. I stared in horror at the scene in front of me. Ron was laying on the ground, dead.
I screamed and ran over to him. "NO!" I screamed, flinging myself at his body. "NO! HE CAN'T BE!"
"Peggy!" I felt a hand on my shoulder. I pushed it away.
"Nonononononononononononononono! Leave me alone!"
Someone pulled me off and gripped me tightly. "He's not dead, Peggy." Harry said firmly. He had pulled me off and was gripping my arms.
"He's not?" I asked, staring at him. "He looks dead."
"He didn't fall THAT far, he's just unconscious." Harry assured me.
I blinked back tears as Pomfrey appeared and took him away. "What happened?!" I demanded.
"I don't know. He just.... fell." Harry said as we walked to the castle.
"What about the game?" I asked.
"It's postponed until next week." Harry explained. We got to the hospital wing, and sat by his bed. I stared into his face, wondering what happened.
Soon Jasmine, Hermione, Luna, Lupus, and Ginny ran in. "Is he okay?" Ginny asked, clutching Lupus's hand.
"He'll be fine." Pomfrey assured us.
After a while, the others left, leaving me alone with him. I held his hand, kissing the back of it and staring down into his pale face. "What happened, sweetie?" I asked.
After a while, I fell into a deep sleep. When I woke up, who should I see but Robert. "What do YOU want?" I demanded, rubbing my eyes and sitting up straight.
Robert sneered at Ron's body. "What is so special about HIM you are willing to give it all up?" He demanded as he leaned against the wall.
"I am not giving anything up, Robert." I said. I was too mad to be terribly afraid.
"You seem like you are going to."
"Why do you hate me so much?!" I demanded.
"Peggy, I don't hate you." He said, straightening up. "I love you."
"Well you sure have a funny way of showing it." I snapped. I was too angry to realize that was the first time he had ever in my ENTIRE life said that.
"I am concerned."
"Yeah right, like I'll believe THAT?!" I demanded, I was getting so angry, I wanted to hurt him. And I tried to. I flung myself at him, fists flying. He caught me by the wrists and I began crying.
"Peggy, you're my daughter. I am just worried."
"About what?!" I demanded angrily.
"Peggy, you deserve something more then him. He is a regular wizard. You're not a regular witch."
"Well so?! Cinderella was a servant, and look how she ended up." I said bitterly.
"That is a fairy tale. This is real life. Things do not end up as 'happily ever after'. If you just give it up for him, a REGULAR wizard, you'll end up really sad, wishing you never left."
"He is not regular. He got thirteen O.W.Ls." I said, staring down into Ron's face.
"Whoop-dee-doo. You think thirteen is enough? Peggy, you know Jack?"
"That jerk? Yeah, so?" I asked.
"He is a nice wizard. He is very smart, and very strong."
"Oh, you are saying I should marry HIM?! Dad, he-" I stopped and closed my eyes. "I mean Robert, whenever we were around each other, all he did was hit on me. He is the only guy I know who can eat, drink, write things down and still have two hands left to touch me." I snapped.
"He likes you-"
"He likes sex."
"Well apparently so does this wizard if he knocked you up!" Robert snapped.
"How DARE you speak about Ron like that!" I shouted, trying to pull myself free.
"Peggy! I don't want you to wind up a miserable, poor divorcee with dozens of children." He said. I finally managed to wrench myself loose.
"If you say one more word about Ron like that I swear I will hurt you."
"You are very brave, Peggy." He said, pulling his wand out. "But bravery alone cannot help."
"Go ahead, curse me. Kill me for all I care." I said, folding my arms. "But Ron will want revenge. And so will Aunt Trixie. Sirius loves her, and will fight with her. Emerin, Remus, Ivana and Bert are very loyal friends and will fight as well."
Robert narrowed his eyes, and glanced at Ron. He fingered his wand and glanced back at me. "You're willing to die for this pathetic excuse for a wizard."
"Yes, of course."
"Is he willing to die for you?" He asked, eyes narrowed even more.
"I-" I bit my bottom lip. "Don't know."
"Why don't we revive him and find out?" He asked, and pointed his wand.
"Don't!" I grabbed his wrist and the spell bounced off the polished food tray by another bed. It struck me, and I was thrown backwards. I slid along the floor until I hit the wall. "Ohhhhh." I groaned, rubbing my back. Great, just what I needed. More pain.
I slowly stood up, glaring fiercely at Robert. "You ought not of done that." He said.
I stormed over and pulled my wand out, aiming it straight into his face. "You know perfectly well I know a good many curses." I said.
"And I know even more." He said, wand aimed at me.
"Then I guess this is it idn it?" I asked, taking a deep breath.
"Peggy." He said, taking a step forward.
"Go on, kill me. Go ahead. See what happens when they find out a father kills his pregnant daughter in the hospital of a school."
Robert clenched his teeth and used a weight spell to slam against my wrist. I dropped my wand, clutching my wrist which was most likely broken now. "Peggy, decide now. Give it all up, or give him up?" He asked.
"Don't do that to me." I said, shaking with anger and fear.
"What is it going to be, Peggy?"
"Don't." I whispered.
"Make the decision."
"I don't have to." I said, grabbing my wand with my right hand. "You know the rule."
"What rule?" He asked.
"The same rule you had to go for when you met my mother." I said, hoping Robert wouldn't force Ron to make this decision.
"You-the-I-you-FINE. I will speak to someone right away." Robert smirked and left the hospital.
I blinked back tears, and turned to look at Ron. I couldn't make him make a decision like this. I smoothed back his hair, kissed his cheek and decided I wouldn't do this to him. I sat back down and sighed. No, I just wouldn't tell him about this. I wouldn't make him make the decision.
I couldn't............