"Easy Minerva," Helen whispered as the witch woke up and thrashed about. "You are safe. Don't attempt to get up just yet."
"Helen," Minerva questioned as she looked around the room in confusion.
Helen moved over to the edge of the bed and sat down beside her lifelong friend. She grabbed her hand within hers and smiled. "I thought I had lost you," Helen said with a watery smile. "When Harold told me you had been captured, I nearly destroyed my office with a magical outburst."
Minerva smiled reassuringly at her friend. Memories of her captivity started dancing before her eyes. Her torture and repeated rape by Voldemort, the Weasley twins reassuring her they would escape and the Animagus Mating Ritual. Her eyes widened and she pulled her left hand to eye level and inspected it. She thought she would see the symbol for property or owned tattooed on her hand as books of the ritual described. Instead, she saw nothing. "Did the ritual not take?" she asked hopeful.
Helen smiled sadly at her friend before she conjured a mirror. Helen gently unbuttoned the top three buttons on Minerva's pajama top and then held the mirror so Minerva could see. Slightly above her left breast, a golden and scarlet Phoenix was tattooed. "Apparently Harry refused to call you his property or anything negative in the ritual," Helen said matter-of-factly. "He referred to you as an equal. The magic of the ritual agreed with him and left you with that marking. That is an identical representation of Harry's animagus form."
"Remarkable," Minerva breathed as she studied the mark. "A magical animagus form. There are records of such but none within this century. How is Mr. Potter doing with all of this?"
Helen raised her eyebrow at her friend and snorted in amusement. "Regardless of what you refer to him as, he remains your legal husband. Harold has managed to hide the record at the Ministry in the Unspeakable Department," Helen said seriously. "You need to accept this and quickly. Who knows how the magic has been changed by the altered ritual. However, I will answer your question. Harry has convinced himself that he is a rapist regardless of what we say. I doubt he will believe anyone other than you on the issue."
Minerva thought back to the ritual. Harry had been determined to save her but his tone had a pleading note to it she realized.
"Minerva please wake up," he had begged. "The bond has to be completed."
"Let me die," she had whispered. "I will be a burden to you."
"You are the only chance Hogwarts has," he said passionately. "Finish the bond Minerva. Please don't make me be a rapist. I can't walk away and let you die" he urged.
Minerva frowned as she replayed the memory again in her mind. "I asked him to let me die," she admitted shakily. "He told I was the only hope Hogwarts had and begged me not to make him a rapist. He must have felt horrible after I passed out from the magic."
Helen sighed heavily. "Harry has always placed guilt on himself. It's no wonder with how he was raised."
Minerva raised an eyebrow. "I was unaware you knew Harry so well," she said puzzled.
Helen smiled, "Harry Potter has had his own room at my home since first year. My daughter demanded we help him. Harold has taken him under his wing and been training him since then."
"Your daughter," Minerva asked suprised. Her bestfriend had a daughter that she was unaware of. "Hermione?"
Helen smiled and nodded her head sadly. "She is the light in our dark little world. Harold begged me to not give her up for adoption but I had to protect her. You remember I was captured during the first war?"
Minerva nodded. "I remember."
"Tom Riddle tried to break Harold through me," Helen said emotionally. "I was near death when I was delivered back to Harold but I didn't die as I was supposed to. My unborn child saved my life with a bout of accidental magic."
"Tom Riddle is Hermione's father," Minerva assumed. Minerva knew Harold Robertson was unable to father children due to a serious injury in his cadet days.
"She is," Helen confirmed. "I did my best to protect her and did well enough until she entered Hogwarts. I tried to stay away from her in order to protect her identity but Harold was wrapped around her little finger from the first moment she cried. I found it ironic Voldemort wanted to break Harold but ended up giving him one of the greatest gifts. He is a wonderful father to Hermione. The Grangers knew who we were and graciously allowed us to be a huge part of Hermione's life."
"Hermione knows who her father is," Minerva asked inquisitively.
"She does," Helen responded. "She has always known why that must be a closely guarded secret. Now back to you. I have worked on Harry's confidence since first year and I won't have this break him. I need you to accept this situation quickly and deal with it. I know it will take you a while to deal with your captivity and rape. Believe me do I ever know! We will work on that in time. For now, Harry is downstairs and will remain. Hermione and I will be leaving momentarily to check on the Weasley twins. I will be back tomorrow afternoon to check on you."
"How are the Weasley twins," Minerva asked as she remembered the kindness they showed her.
"Laughing as always," Helen said with a smile. "Harold is with them now. They had a few broken bones and cuts but I patched them up quickly enough."
"I am glad they are safe," Minerva whispered, lost in her thoughts. "I had given up hope of surviving by the time they arrived in my dungeon cell. The care and tenderness they showed helped renew my determination to fight."
"They are special indeed," Helen agreed wholeheartedly. "Now I suggest you eat, rest and then speak with Harry. He needs you to reassure him."
Minerva merely nodded as she watched her friend leave. She looked at the nightstand and noticed a small meal and pulled it to her. She ate slowly as she thought about what she would say to Harry.
