Chapter 20:
A week after the New Year, students flocked back to Hogwarts and the school year resumed again. The four friends sat in the Great Hall talking with Luna and Neville over breakfast, catching up since the six last saw each other. Neither Harry nor Ginny ignored the brushing of the two's arms and smiled at each other. Ron and Hermione were still clueless about Neville and Luna's feelings for the other. However, they noticed three absences that made them worry.
Dumbledore, Lupin and Snape were all missing from the Head Table and McGonagall and Harmony didn't look too happy. "Where do you think they are?" Ron asked, looking up.
"I don't know, but Harmony looks upset," Ginny said.
"Professor Anderson, Ginny. She may be your godmother but you should still call her by her proper title," Hermione chastised. "And she's probably upset because Professor Lupin must be on a mission."
Ginny left the Great Hall when she saw Professor Sprout help Harmony out of the room. "Harmony?" she called, running after her godmother. Which wasn't far considering that Harmony was pregnant with twins.
"Hey, Ginny," Harmony said, sounding a little tired. "I guess you guys noticed the absence of your Headmaster, Potions master and my husband."
"Yeah. How'd you know?"
"Well, the fact the six of you kept staring at the Head Table and whispering all throughout breakfast was a big clue," Harmony smiled. "Besides, you guys would be the only ones who would know how serious it would be if all three were missing. I can't tell you much because, frankly, they didn't tell me much. All I know is that they were needed in France. Apparently, Fleur Delacour sent out a distress signal through your brother, Bill."
"Voldemort's left the British Isles, then," Ginny said, not even bothering to ask the question. "He's heading for the mainland." Harmony nodded and bid the girl a good day in her classes.
She waddled into her office and sat down. Within minutes, she heard the door open and close. "Hello, Kiki, left the ministry early today?"
"Ace let me go when he got the message from Dumbledore," Kiki replied. "Apparently they're hiding in a barn somewhere in France because there's a rather large group of Deatheaters surrounding them. Severus got a report back to me, which says that they are a mix of French, Spanish and German Deatheaters."
"I wonder how long revels must take with all the translations that have to occur," Harmony mused.
"They all speak English."
"How convenient. I can just see the Deatheater application: do you hate muggles and mudbloods? Do you love to torture and kill? Would you like to rule the wizarding world and then the world? Can you speak English? Are you willing to learn under pain of the Unforgivable Curses?"
Kiki laughed as they heard the classroom door open. "You don't have a class now, do you?"
"Me? No and neither does Remus," Harmony replied. "Albus had arranged it so that he was with me during my morning sickness."
"Then who would be visiting? Madame Pomfrey?"
"I don't have an appointment. Nor does she randomly pop up to check in on me."
"Any of the other professors?"
"Only Minerva, but she's playing Headmistress in Albus' absence," Harmony said, frowning. "Can you go and check."
"Sure send your pregnant friend," Kiki joked as she stood up. "Who, most likely thanks to Narcissa's big mouth, would be known to be carrying a deatheater's child." She opened the door and peeked out. She smiled and waved the person in. Minerva followed and closed the door.
"Any news?" Harmony asked, hopefully. Minerva merely shook her head. "They're stuck in a barn in the middle of the French countryside surrounded by Deatheaters. I'm so scared for them."
"We're all scared," Minerva replied, patting both women on the hands. A soft tapping came to the window and the Deputy stood up to open it. A large brown owl flew into the room. "Mercury."
Mercury alighted onto Kiki's outstretched arm. She unfolded the paper tied to the owl's leg and flattened it out. "Nothing. It's blank!"
"It's not blank. It has to be charmed so that only those with a password can read it. Kiki, you're marrying a genius!"
"I thought that was already well known and accepted."
Minerva broke up their friendly bickering. "Now the question is: what is the password?"
Kiki and Harmony smiled at each other and pointed their wands at the parchment. "Samantha Kristin," they chanted. They watched as Severus' familiar handwriting began to cover the paper. Kiki picked up the letter and began to read:
"Dear Kiki and others,
"I'm stuck here doing my favorite activity—trying to pretend to still be a loyal Deahteater and convincing others that they too should be loyal to Voldemort. You know how much I wish to stand up and yell at them and tell them they are wasting their lives supporting someone who cannot win? How can he? Even a Slytherin has to hope that good always conquers over evil. Kiki, you can imagine how much I'm shuddering as I write that line.
"Tell Harmony and Minerva that their husbands are holding up as true Gryffindors should. I was able to be one of the Deatheaters that must surround that particular area of barns, so I was able to check in on Lupin and Dumbledore. I can get them food and the barn does have running water. I hope the information the three of us are collecting can help the Order in our pursuit to bring down the Dark Lord.
"Rumor has it that the Dark Lord is losing his grip on England. Dumbledore wants you to check with Bianca and her contacts at the Prophet to verify this. It probably also wouldn't hurt to talk with Moody and Ace too. Minerva, tell your son to schedule a special portkey to Provence for Ace and Tonks for Wednesday. I have suspicion that Voldemort will order the first French attack there and I have a feeling the French Ministry's Aurors aren't ready for it. Their minister is in as deep denial as Fudge was. Dumbledore is sending Moody ahead to encourage the French to step up. Germany and Italy have already done so and Remus suspects that Spain will follow soon.
"I can't wait to return to you…okay, this is private, so I'll finish this in the intimacy of our chambers," Kiki said, folding the letter back up. "So, what do you want to take?"
"I'll take Moody and Riley," Minerva said. "You should take Ace and Harmony should go teach hers and Remus' classes and then talk to Bianca. Now, let's go. I have a class right now." With that, Kiki and Minerva left Harmony to prep herself for her classes.
The next day, Harmony was having a wonderful dream in which Remus had returned to her. And their reunion was quite passionate, pregnancy or not. "Ohh, Remus," she moaned, rolling over.
"Uh, I don't think I want to be involved in that dream in anyway shape or form."
"PADFOOT!" Harmony's eyes shot open as she yelled this. Sirius did stand in front of her bed. "What are you doing here?"
"Minerva sent for me."
"What?"
"That's right," Minerva said, walking into the room. "Poppy came to me last night and said that you shouldn't have to deal with both your classes and Remus' classes. You're in the seventh month of a pregnancy with twins."
Harmony nodded, sitting up. "I know, but she said that I should carry Lily and Jamie full term."
"True, but she still has you on alert just in case from now until you give birth." Harmony sighed as Minerva rubbed her back. "I called Sirius here to take over Remus' classes."
"Fine," Harmony said, motioning for Sirius to hand her her robes. "I'll show him where Remus keeps his lesson plans." Minerva nodded and left the room.
"You just wear your pajamas underneath the robes?" Sirius asked as he followed his pregnant friend.
"Of course. You know that no one can see what we're wearing underneath anyway. And when you're pregnant, sometimes pajamas are incredibly comfortable."
"Those don't look like yours."
"Oh, they're really Remus'."
"Ahh."
"Yeah, and here are his lesson plans. Breakfast is in a half-hour and his first class is two periods after that. Seventh year Ravenclaws and Slytherins. Good luck, Professor Black." With that, Harmony left the room.
"Rumor has it that Sirius is taking over for Remus!" Neville whispered excitedly, taking a seat next to Ginny and Harry. This comment drew the attention of the two sitting next to him, but not to separate Hermione and Ron. It even brought over Luna from the Ravenclaw table, though she actually had friends at the Gryffindor table.
"So that's why he said he would see me 'really soon' in his last letter. And why he's sitting next to Harmony," Harry commented, staring at the Head Table. Catching the group's eyes (those that weren't closed, that is), Harmony and Sirius both waved. Which then caused a good number to look at the group who was being waved at by teachers. And then they didn't blink when they realized it was Harry Potter and company. They just turned back to their breakfasts and previous conversations.
Meanwhile, Tonks and Ace arrived in the Provincial countryside near the barn where Dumbledore and Lupin were stationed. Using an invisibility cloak, the two Aurors snuck over into the barn. "Up here," Lupin whispered, helping the two up. "What news do you bring?"
Ace and Tonks threw off their invisibility cloak. "Well, we can confirm that Voldemort has moved overseas because he has realized that he is losing his hold on England," Ace said. "This was received through intercepted eagles and through the contacts at the Prophet."
Tonks laughed. "Bianca's practically salivating. Molly says she hasn't left her room for a day, she's so intent on writing the column."
Remus snorted. "Can we get one of those over here? Maybe it can help convince the French Ministry that the threat is real and that he is within their borders," he said.
"They won't listen to reason. They're just like Fudge," Dumbledore replied. Tonks and Ace shook their heads. "Only an attack will be able to change their minds and get them rallied up. We need top Aurors here—we've got Ace and Tonks. We'll need Moody, Kingsley, Hestia and Kiki."
Ace shook his head again. "Kiki hasn't been on field duty for three months. She's almost on her maternity leave," he explained. "You wouldn't put Minerva on the line if she were pregnant."
"I think she can handle it," Albus said. "And she's smart enough to abandon the field in case of any danger to her or her unborn child."
"Absolutely not! I will not have you risking the life of my fiancée or my daughter! She will stay back in England and pass information out of the office," Severus said, climbing into the loft.
"Thank you!" Ace said, pointing at Severus. "See what I mean?"
"Kiki's not going to be happy about her part," Remus said. "She would rather do what Albus said. However, I do know she wouldn't want to put Sam into harm's way. She's going to be torn."
"I'll address it with her." Severus crossed his arms, signaling the end of the discussion. The others knew that even with her independence, Kiki still took Severus' advice above all others. They all sighed.
The day turned into night and Severus was called away to a revel. The others sat there, staring each other down. They hoped that their colleague would return and when (if) he did, that he would hope that he would have some information that they could use. Remus curled up on a nearby bale of hay, wishing he was back in his room with his wife. If he closed his eyes, he could almost feel Harmony next to him and feel the twins kicking. Albus sat down next to his former student. "It's difficult, isn't it?" he asked.
"I haven't been away from her this long since our wedding," Remus replied. "And now with the twins…"
"Poppy said that she should be able to carry your daughters to full term."
"I know…but I still worry. About her, the twins, Harry, Sirius, everyone!"
"I worry about them, too. All of them."
A/N: What a lovely week we've been having here! It's been so warm, especially on my birthday. I don't know how many readers out there are Catholic, but I am, so the death of John Paul II is affecting me. Now, not to get religious on you all, but I know he's in heaven and shouldn't mourn longer than necessary. Anyway, on to the thank you's!
Brielle Lupin: Thanks for the smartie! Though, no offense, you can keep the rock. Those tend to hurt when thrown. And I'm glad you liked my chapter title…it's hard to figure those things out!
Sarahamanda: Thanks for the birthday wishes—as well as the review!
SarahtheBardess: Yeah, I know, but I repay Ron on Valentine's Day! You'll see! I'm glad you enjoyed the chapter. As for Ron-Voldemort connection, I wrote that chapter so long ago, I can't remember my reasoning for it! (But I like your Percy explanation). And as for the PG-13 rating, I just wrote it—you all put the connotations on it. Okay, they WERE the connotations I wanted you to put on it…but still.
yeah whatever: Yes, you are a hero. I hope you're dog appreciates what you did for him! And I'm glad to see you're in a better mood.
Now, off to experience spring fever…till next week! Mac