(5)The Followers

Harry spent a week recovering at St. Mungo's hospital & then the next month & a half at home. He would be unable to play Quidditch for the rest of this season, so Ron had offered to takes Harry's place on Oliver's Team & was accepted, much to Mrs. Weasly's dismay!

It was getting close to winter & Merida was finally starting to show that she was pregnant. Names were still being discussed, but Harry always turned it back to "Sirius" if it was a boy. Naturally of course, Merida secretly hoped she'd have a girl! A girl that would be called either "Jocylene" or "Jewel." Meanwhile, Harry hoped, dreamed & prayed it be a boy, not that he didn't like girls! He just wanted to hear the name "Sirius" again.

It was nearly Christmas & Merida was in that stage of pregnancy where every woman felt like she'll be stuck being pregnant for the rest of her miserable, pathetic life! So of course, Merida was vulnerable to major mood swings & it was all Harry could do to calm her down!

"I'm never getting pregnant again!" Merida grumbled one morning.

"Hey, at least you don't get morning sickness anymore!" Harry tried to sooth her.

"Hmpf!"

"Remus said my dad was the one who was always sick when mom was pregnant with me!" Harry laughed.

"So why aren't you in the bathroom doing whatever your dad did?!" Merida snapped.

"Maybe I take after my mom!" Harry shrugged. Then, Harry suddenly felt a little queazy after all. "Or......not!" He put a hand to his head.

Merida flung herself back on the bed & stared at the cieling as Harry left to take an asprine. "Feel better?" she asked when he returned.

"Yeah!" Harry shrugged.

Finally, it was Christmas Eve. The snow was falling deep & fast, making a thick blanket over the ground. The Weasly's were supposed to come over the next day but finally, Merida went into labor! So, Christmas was spent at the hospital. Mrs. Weasly was just as excited as Harry was nervous! She kept telling stories of "Oh I remember when Bill.....Charlie......was born!"

"I........don't know how to do this!" Harry panicked.

"Now Harry! You'll make a good father!" Mrs. Weasly assured.

"OK it's time!" a doctor showed up. "She wants you in with her!"

Harry tried to stay with Merida the whole time but, being a guy, he passed out half-way through! Big help he was! Turned out that Ginny & Mrs. Weasly had to help Merida while Mr. Weasly flipped the motionless Harry over his shoulder & carried him away!

By now, the name chosen if it was a girl would be "Natasha", which meant "born of Christmas".........but it was still stuck at "Sirius" if it was a boy! Merida DESPERATLY wanted a girl!

It was a boy!

Harry finally came to & the first thing that was asked him, "Are you SURE you want the name to be Sirius?" Harry smiled a yes in reply.

"Fine!" Merida sighed, having to let go of that stubborn Snape pride of hers!

"Just promise me one thing?" Harry suddenly went sober. He looked almost scared.

"What?"

"NEVER bring him to the Ministry Of Magic Department!" Harry worried.

"O....K!" Merida didn't quite understand but, being telepathic, she knew it was a big thing for Harry. Mrs. Weasly & Ginny, of course, knew what he was refering to. Harry was afraid his son might get caught in the Veil.

"Only if you make sure he doesn't figure out how to turn into a black "SHAG"-gy dog!" Merida handed little Sirius over.

"No, I'm hoping for a fawn!" Harry assured, rocking Sirius back & forth. "But considering he's got Veela in him, I'm sure he'll be a "SHAG"-gy stag!"

"HAROLD!!!!!" Merida's smile did NOT reach her eyes!

Harry didn't go back to Auror training for a few months. He stayed on leave until Merida was finished her 7th year. She passed all her NEWTs with ease. For her 18th birthday, Dumbeldore offered her a teaching position as a Potion Mistress. Merida was pleasenly surprised & of course, excepted! She was a lot nicer though, & finally the students didn't dread going to that class. In fact, the lot of them actually had crushes on her! Sirius spent most of the time sleeping in the hospital wing so Merida could check on him whenever she wished while Harry worked at being an Auror.

It was a three-year course, before Harry could officially be called an Auror. At the begining of the forth year, Harry finally graduated & was legally excepted as an Order member. Dumbledore pulled Harry aside one day & told him what the Order was up to even though the Dark Lord himself was gone.

Harry didn't know how to tell Merida, but he had to try. He waited until after supper & Sirius had gone to bed. At 4 & a half years, Sirius was looking at lot like his dad now, but with the veela hair. Fortunatly, the Snape temper didn't show in him-----yet!

Harry decided it was now or never. "Merida? Dumbledore told me something about the Order today. We've found out about a group who call themselves "The Followers" that are electing someone among them to be a new Dark Lord!"

"What?" Merida stared. "Who do they think they are? Let me guess: ex-Death Eaters? I'll bet Malfoy's behind it!"

"Ex-Death Eaters, yes," Harry agreed. "But not Malfoy. Ever since Draco died, they've remianed quiet. Mr. Weasly checks on him often but more for consolation then anything else!"

"Hmmm, I suppose!" Merida tried not to think at how'd she feel if she lost Sirius. "No parent should be forced to bury their own child! Are you sure Malfoy's neutral?"

"Yeah, he is," Harry sighed. "Anyway, Tonks is one of them in disguise, being a metamorph & all. She said they'll be appointing a new Dark Lord in three months. When they pick a location, we plan to be there, waiting for them."

"Only three months?" Merida repeated. "They'll never give up will they?"

"Well, we plan to stop them before they start," said Harry.

"& you're going to be there?" Merida worried.

"It's what I'm trained to do, Meri!" Harry reminded. "I'll be alright & I'll have the lot of the Order with me! Not like I'll be alone!"

"I just don't want anything else to happen to you," Merida sighed. "People have been trying to kill you since you were born. A Marauder; Voldomort I don't know how many times; Malfoy & I'm sure my father wanted to dispose of you too!" Merida half-smiled.

"I'm sure your father would have liked nothing better to do then wring my neck when I offered you your engagment ring!" Harry laughed. "Good thing it was silver!"

"Aww, I almost felt sorry for him," Merida teased. "ALMOST!"

"He just couldn't get his hands on me!" said Harry. Then he returned to the subject at hand. "I'll have to report to Tonks tomorrow. We've only got three months to get organized!"

"You just be careful, OK?" asked Merida.

"I will," Harry promised.

"You ready, Harry?" said Mr. Weasly.

"Ready as I'll ever be!" answered Harry.

It was late in the evening three months later & the Order were crouched behind some rocks at the base of a hill leading up to an old house. The time had come to trap "The Followers" & stop a new uprising before it began. According to Tonks, who had been posng as a Follower, they had chosen one among them, Donoven Randaf, to be their new leader.

Tonks was with them now. She came out with them & as soon as everyone was outside, she made the first strike. Harry, Mr. Weasly, Dumbledore & everyone else sprang into action, attacking a group of at least 15. Tonks changed into her normal self that the Order was used to seeing & stunned two more Followers.

Donoven glared around as he backed away, trying to escape but Harry caught up to him. He was immediatly hit with Crucio. Tonks expelled Donoven's wand & Harry was freed of the pain. Donoven grabbed Tonks & threw her sideways. Harry jumped up & ran full foce into Donoven, knocking him over. They went rolling over. Donoven managed to grab his wand as Harry yanked out his. The other Followers were eventually caught.

"Well, it seems Azkaban may have a few new residents," said Dumbledore.

"Where's Donoven Randaf?" asked Mr. Weasly. "More importantly, where's Harry?"

"I saw a bright flash of yellow light over there," Tonks pointed to a small canyon behind the house. "It's like the whole canyon lit up. That's where Donoven & Harry were last," Tonks glanced at the spot near the edge. "before they.......went over."

It was around three in the morning, Harry should have been back by now. Unless? Merida floo'ed over to Grimmauld Place. It was empty! The whole Order should have been back a long time ago. Merida had a cup of tea & waited a bit, but no one returned. She returned home & checked on Sirius. Merida sat on the edge of the bed, watching him sleep & occasionally glancing through the photo album. (Padfoot would hide whenever she turned over one of his pictures!)

Merida suddenly heard the doorbell ring! "Good grief!" she slammed the album shut. "Whoever the idiot is at this hour is going to get it!" Merida closed the bedroom door on her way out & hurried downstairs. "YOU IDIOT!" she yanked open the door. "Can't you read ti----?" She stopped short & stared at the man before her. He looked like someone from the ministry, dressed in a smart black suit. He gave Merida a somewhat apologetic look as he handed over a note & aparated away.

Merida closed the door & walked into the living room, turning the envelope over in her hands. It appeared to be quite formal & Merida was begining to have a sinking feeling. She finally got the nerve to open the letter. It was as she had feared.

To Mrs. Potter:

We regret to inform you that your husband, Harold James Potter was killed while on Order duty.

Cornelius Fudge, Head of Ministry Of Magic

Merida sank into a chair & burst into tears. She just couldn't believe it. Or maybe, this was just a horrible dream. But Merida knew it was real. Sheknew there was nothing to change the past. She knew it!

Harry Potter was dead.