Author's Note: Once again, I'd like to apologize for taking this long to get started on the sequel. I've just been very busy with schoolwork and other stuff. This one guy was actually very impressed with my Star Trek story "Humble Beginnings" and he invited me to join this Star Trek RPG. I've been more preoccupied with establishing my profile on that page for the past month. I even got promoted to the third-in-command last week. Anyway, I apologize for keeping you all waiting for a month and a-half. By the way, is anybody here a fan of CATS the musical?

The pleasant atmosphere remained when Hermione was released from the Hospital Wing. But strange things started happening again.

Ron's birthday was the day after Hermione returned to her classes. Both Harry and Ron woke up early that morning. Their dorm was empty except for them and Jimmy. Someone had come by the previous night and left Ron's gifts in the dorm. They suspected it was the house elves who performed the delivery.

As Ron started unwrapping his gifts, a thought occurred to Harry. He realized that he had been so preoccupied with becoming a father that he had fallen behind on keeping an eye on Malfoy's actions. He decided to investigate the matter before he went to breakfast. He went over to his trunk and started rummaging through it. He threw out a few of its contents until he found the Marauder's Map. He said "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."

Ron helped himself to a box of Chocolate Cauldrons as Harry examined the map. But much to his frustration, Malfoy's presence was not registering anywhere. He grumbled, said "Mischief managed," and put the map away.

He gathered up the belongings he had thrown out of the trunk and put them all back in. Then he went over to Jimmy and changed him.

March 1st was on a Saturday that year. Harry planned to spend part of the day with Ron, and part of it with Hermione and Jimmy. He wanted to go outside with them later that day. Since Hermione had not gotten out for fifteen days, they figured she would benefit from some fresh air.

First things first he thought to himself; he needed to get some breakfast before he did anything with Ron or Hermione. He was about to leave the boys' dormitory, but he noticed Ron was not following him. He noticed Ron had a very peculiar look on his face. Clearly, he was feeling very giddy.

"Ron? Breakfast?" Harry asked his best friend.

"I'm not hungry."

Harry immediately knew something was up; Ron rarely said he was not hungry.

"Harry, I can't stand it!"

"You can't stand what?" Harry asked, a note of confusion in his voice.

"I can't stop thinking about her!"

Logically, Harry assumed that Ron was referring to Lavender. But when Ron expressed that he doubted "she" even knew he existed, he discovered it was Romilda Vane. Initially, Harry had no idea how Ron's sudden infatuation over Romilda had started. Then he remembered; it was the Chocolate Cauldrons! Romilda had given them to him months ago, but Hermione had warned him that they were laced with Love Potion. They had been stashed in his trunk since then.

Harry concluded that the Chocolate Cauldrons were one of the items he had extracted from his trunk when he was searching for the Marauder's Map. When Ron saw them, he must have assumed they were for him, as the box was unopened and just lying around.

Harry tried to explain this to Ron, but to no avail. Harry decided to consult Professor Slughorn.

Harry took Ron out of the dormitory, calling over his shoulder "Neville, I'll be back in a moment. Could you watch Jimmy while I'm gone?"

"Sure, Harry!" was Neville's response.

Harry took Ron to Slughorn, who was happy to make an antidote for the love potion. Once Ron was cured, he felt like a complete idiot for succumbing to a love potion. Slughorn decided to get some drinks for himself and his two visitors.

Ron was the first to gulp down his drink. Almost immediately after he had drunk it, something very odd happened. Ron dropped his glass, fell to the ground, and started twitching violently all over. His eyes seemed to bulge and foam accumulated at his mouth.

Harry soon realized that Ron had ingested a poison. Slughorn seemed to be in shock, so it was up to Harry to do something. He quickly ran over to a potion kit and found the bezoar he had given Slughorn. He ran over to Ron, forced his mouth open, and thrust the bezoar inside.

A moment later, Ron was lying perfectly still on the ground.

Needless to say, the day did not go as Harry had initially planned. Instead of spending his day outside with his girlfriend and his son, Harry spent retelling the incident to several people, such as Dumbledore, McGonagall, and Madam Pomfrey.

A little past ten o'clock, Fred and George had come up to Hogwarts. They wanted to give their gift to Ron themselves, but unfortunately, he was not even conscious at the time. The twins, Hermione, Ginny, and Harry were visiting Ron in the Hospital Wing. Harry and Hermione had brought Jimmy with them.

"Ironic, is it not?" said Hermione, who was holding Jimmy. "Just yesterday, I got out of this hospital equivalent of a prison, but the very next day, Ron winds up in it!"

"I know what you mean," said Harry, "it seems that you, Ron, and I are Madam Pomfrey's three most recurring patients."

Before they could get further into this monotonous subject, Fred and George asked Harry to tell them what had happened. So, for at least the sixth time that day, Harry retold the terrible event. Then he and the others started thinking up some theories about the poisoned mead and what it was doing in Slughorn's possession. Fred theorized that Harry may have been the intended victim, which led Ginny to hypothesize that Slughorn could have a Death Eater. But she quickly shifted her idea and presented an idea that the posion could have been meant for Slughorn. Finally, Harry suggested that the poison could have been meant for Dumbledore.

Ron weakly stirred as they talked. A moment later, they were visited by Hagrid. He told them that he had only just heard about what happened to Ron.

Harry noted the odd connection between Ron's attack and the attack on Katie Bell that took place a few months earlier. He was starting to become suspicious that there actually was a conspiracy forming somewhere in Hogwarts.

A few moments later, Mr. and Mrs. Weasley arrived. After being told that Ron would make a full recovery, Mrs. Weasley embraced Harry very firmly. In the past, Harry had saved Ginny and Mr. Weasley from Voldemort in the Chamber of Secrets and the snake at the Department of Mysteries respectively. Now he had saved Ron from being poisoned.

Madam Pomfrey had a strict six-visitor policy and asked a few people to leave. Harry and Hermione decided that they would go back to the Gryffindor common room. Before they left, Mrs. Weasley noticed Hermione was holding Jimmy in her arms. She asked Hermione if she could hold him for a moment. Hermione had said "Of course" and passed Jimmy to the mother of seven.

Jimmy was sound asleep for the first time since Ron had been poisoned. Mrs. Weasley looked down at him and smiled. "It's been a long time since I last held an infant in my arms."

Harry and Hermione grinned at her. Mrs. Weasley handed Jimmy back to Hermione, and then the latter and Harry departed from the Hospital Wing. Hagrid escorted them back to the Gryffindor common room. Hagrid decided to start a conversation. He asked Harry and Hermione "How's parenthood?"

"It's difficult, but rewarding." Harry answered brightly. "Jimmy is one of the quietest infants I have ever seen. But whenever he wants or needs something, he can be rather loud."

Hermione said "He certainly has one of the finest pairs of lungs I've ever seen. In fact, if it weren't for that spell that temporarily makes people deaf, I doubt that our roommates would approve of us keeping him in our dorms."

Harry scoffed at Hermione's comment, but he knew that she did have a point.

After the two of them talked about parenthood for a minute, Hagrid changed the subject. He brought up certain rumors that were going around. These rumors related to how the Ministry of Magic was considering shutting down Hogwarts. He accidently let slip that Dumbledore was mad at Snape, consequentially piquing Harry's interest.

Soon, Harry and Hermione reached the Gryffindor common room and entered. Hermione kissed him goodnight, gave him Jimmy, and went up to the girls' dormitory.

Harry sat down in a chair with Jimmy in his arms. He took a moment to reflect on the events of the day. His best friend had almost died, he had heard there was a chance that Hogwarts could be closed, and he learned that Snape had been assigned to investigate the members of the Slytherin House. He had expected that Dumbledore would have confided all his suspicions to him, but evidently, there were some that he kept to himself. Harry could not help but feel uneasy about the whole matter.

Harry was about go up to the boys' dormitory when someone shouted "There you are, Potter!"

Harry jumped to his feet and pulled out his wand. He pointed it in the direction of the shout. He thought that he must have looked ridiculous, holding a baby in one arm and pointing his wand with the other hand.

Harry quickly realized that it was just Cormac McLaggen and lowered his wand. McLaggen had also heard that Ron had been attacked and he assumed that he would replace him at least temporarily as Keeper of the Gryffindor Quidditch team. Harry saw the logic in McLaggen's assumption, as McLaggen had come in second-place for Keeper at the tryouts.

Once the matter was resolved, Harry decided to get himself and Jimmy to bed. Harry walked back upstairs to the boys' dormitory, changed Jimmy's diaper, tucked him into bed, and then got himself ready to go to sleep. He collapsed onto his bed and soon fell asleep.