Author's Note:
Thank you to everyone who reviewed this story and thank you to everyone who added this to their alerts list and thank you to everyone who's ever read this story. My muses drove me towards completely original work for the last couple of years which is why I have not updated this or any other story in such a very long time. Events in my personal life, however, have driven me back to fan fiction.
Originally, I expected this story to take a mere 3 chapters. Now, it appears that it will be more like 4 or possibly 5. This is another sad chapter and I'm afraid that it has lost the same tone as the previous two. I'm not sure how to fix that as the story was originally written while I was in a "weird" mood. So please accept my apologies for the incongruous tone between chapters.
Also, as an American, I don't know all of the slang terms in British terminology. I have tried to research spellings and usage as appropriate, but I may have missed a few. Please know that I tried.
As always, JKR owns the canon characters and I love reviews. On with the show.
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January, 2005
Harry very carefully kissed Ginny's rounded stomach and then grinned at her. "One more month," he reminded her with excitement. How he was supposed to get through another month of waiting for the birth of his first child, he'd never know. All he could say was thank goodness for work!
Ginny laughed. "Baby Potter might not make us wait that long," she said as she tried to find a more comfortable position.
Harry smirked before addressing her midsection. "No early appearances. Your nursery still needs to be finished." Teddy had been given the honor of choosing the decorations for the baby's room, but the six-year-old was having a hard time sticking with a choice.
Again, Ginny laughed and let out a long contented sigh. "It was nice visiting with Dudley and Amanda's parents," she mused. They saw Dudley and Ellen at least once a month, but it was even more enjoyable when Amanda's parents, Liam and Jane, could join them for dinner as well.
"It was," Harry agreed. "I hope our kid doesn't grow as fast as Ellen has, though. She's already trying to walk?!"
"Babies tend to give it serious consideration at about nine months," Ginny told him patiently. "She is getting big, though."
Harry nodded in agreement. It seemed like only yesterday that they were trying to explain the basics to Dudley as he desperately tried to balance the grief of his lost wife with the joy of his new daughter. Of course, Liam and Jane, had been unfailingly helpful over the last nine months, but Dudley seemed to think that he would look silly if he asked his in-laws for help at first. To be fair, if he hadn't had a little experience of his own with Teddy, Harry would have been just as lost as Dudley. At least Dudley had managed to keep his own parents away from Ellen except for the occasional Sunday dinner.
They snuggled deep into the blankets, charmed out the lights, and were just beginning to fall asleep when the telephone began ringing.
"Who in the world would be calling at this hour?" Ginny mused as she sat up.
Harry reached over, by-passed his glasses for the moment, and picked up the phone. Really, there were only two people who would use a phone for communication at night: Dudley or Hermione. "Hello?"
"May I please speak with Harry Potter?" came the voice of a woman on the other end. It was not Hermione.
"This is he," Harry answered warily.
"Mr. Potter, this is Carol Tanner, a nurse at St. Bartholomew's Hospital. I'm afraid I have some unfortunate news."
Harry sat straight up, clinched the phone between his shoulder and his ear, and grabbed his glasses. "What is it?" he asked, unable and unwilling to find a less abrupt way to find out which of his loved ones was in trouble. The fact that the call came from a muggle hospital severely limited the possibilities.
There was a brief pause on the other end. "I'm afraid there was a very bad accident this evening, and Dudley Dursely was fatally injured."
"Oh my god," Harry breathed in shock. "Is there time to come and see him. . . first? And Ellen? There was a baby in the car. How is the baby?" Harry wanted to know about the Cosgroves too, but he found his throat going dry and nothing else would come out.
Ginny was immediately out of bed and beginning to get dressed.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Potter. Mr. Dursley never regained consciousness. The baby is actually in pretty good shape. She's going to be admitted for observation, but our pediatric specialists believe that she will be as good as new. I know that it is late, but it was your number Mr. Dursley had in his wallet as an emergency contact," the nurse explained. "Are you a relative?"
"No, no, no, it's alright. Thank you for calling, and yes, I'm Dudley's cousin," Harry said, forcing his Auror's training skills to take over. Without them, he wasn't sure how he'd fumble through this unexpected tragedy. "I'm on my way out the door. Should I go to the Accident and Emergency Ward or to the Pediatric Ward?"
Again, there was a brief pause. It sounded like some papers were being shuffled. "I expect that Ellen will still be here in the A&E," she explained. "I'll let the receptionist know that you are on your way."
Harry finally found the courage to ask about the Cosgroves. Dudley had driven everyone out to Harry and Ginny's, and the four of them had left in a single car. Had Dudley managed to drop Liam and Jane off before the accident? He had to know. "One more thing, Nurse Tanner. . . um. . . were there any other casualties?" he asked apprehensively.
"There were two other adults in Mr. Dursely's car," the nurse replied slowly. "I'm sorry to say that Ellen was the only survivor."
"Thank you," Harry replied dumbly. "I'll be there shortly." He hung up the phone trying to pull his thoughts together. When he looked down at the bed, he noticed that Ginny had already set out a pair of jeans and a clean shirt. She wasn't in the room, though. "Gin?" he called as he began to get dressed.
"Tea," she answered, returning to their bedroom with a commuter cup. "I expect it will be a late night."
Harry pulled the shirt over his head and took the cup from her. "Thank you," he said with the sincerest gratitude. "I. . ."
"Shhh," Ginny replied with a sympathetic smile. "You can tell me about it while we're driving."
At that moment, for the first time in eight months, Harry was actually sorry Ginny was pregnant. It was her condition that required them to drive and not apparate. He immediately felt ashamed. How could he regret the pending birth of his child even for a moment?! He shook his head, assuring himself that he was merely being emotional, and gained full access to the emotional control of a well trained Auror.
"We'd better get going."
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Harry strode through the automatic doors of the hospital desperately. Ginny was close behind, seemingly unaffected by her condition. Harry didn't quite understand why he was so desperate. After all, he'd already been told the worst and that there was no way to say good-bye to his cousin. Still, he couldn't shake the sense of urgency that made him hurry through the security check point with growing impatience.
"Hello," a receptionist greeted them at the desk. "Are you looking for someone?"
"Ellen Dursely," Harry replied with a nod. "I'm Harry Potter, her cousin, and this is my wife, Ginny."
The receptionist nodded in immediate recognition and stood up. "She's right this way. We have a nurse sitting with her until a crib opens up in the Pediatric Ward."
Harry took Ginny's hand and followed the young woman back through the dimly lit rooms. He couldn't help but look from left to right, hoping to see Dudley. Again, he knew that there would be nothing to see. If Dudley had been in a fatal car accident, he might not even look like himself. Still, Harry almost needed to see it for himself in order to believe that something horrific could happen to Dudley. After all, his cousin had made such a turn around in recent years. He was nothing like the bully of Harry's childhood, and Harry dearly loved him.
"Dr. Gupta, these are the Potters," the receptionist explained as they entered a quiet little room with a sterile hospital crib, a nurse, and a doctor.
The doctor, a very competent and sympathetic looking woman, turned to them and extended her hand. "I'm Dr. Gupta. I've been Ellen's doctor this evening. I understand that you and her father were cousins?"
Harry nodded. It was the first time he'd heard Dudley referred to in the past tense and his stoicism wavered a little. "My parents died when I was a baby and his parents raised me," Harry explained. "Really, we're more like brothers."
Dr. Gupta nodded in patient understanding. "I am very sorry for your loss. I imagine you'll want to see him, then. I'll make sure you have that opportunity. As you are a family member and Ellen is in no immediate danger, would you be willing to make medical decisions on her behalf?"
"Of course," Harry replied. "I know that her maternal grandparents were her legal guardians in the event. . . well. . . if something like this happened."
"And that complicates her release a little," Dr. Gupta replied. "I will make sure that a social worker comes to speak with you tonight so that she can go home as soon as possible. In the meantime, let me reiterate that Ellen is doing very well. She shows signs of a minor concussion, but there are no broken bones and only minor cuts due to the breaking glass."
Harry felt Ginny squeeze his hand and he returned the gesture, grateful for her presence. "Is there something specific you're waiting on?" he asked. "I mean, the nurse who called said Ellen was going to be admitted overnight."
"We just need to make sure that there is no brain swelling," Dr. Gupta replied calmly. "It's very hard for an infant to tell us she has a headache, so we always keep them overnight for observation. I am very confident that she is fine, though. Now, if you'll excuse me, I'll see if I can locate Dr. Gibbons to talk with you about Mr. Dursely, Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrove."
Harry nodded as Dr. Gupta and the nurse headed for the door.
"Is it alright if we hold her?" Ginny suddenly asked.
"Of course," Dr. Gupta replied with a smile.
Harry immediately reached down and pulled his little cousin out of the crib. "Hey, kid," he whispered. She was clearly groggy, but her eyes opened a little and she gave him a bit of a smile.
Ginny sat down in the rocker. "I think we're going to need another crib," she mused.
Harry only nodded, barely hearing her. "I'm going to HAVE to deal with Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon now," he observed as he began to sway, lulling the baby back to sleep.
"Mr. and Mrs. Potter?" came a quiet voice from the door.
Harry turned to see a man, though clearly not a doctor, holding a clipboard in the doorway. "Yes?"
"I'm Grant Pollock," he said, taking a step into the room. "Let me express my condolences. I imagine this must be quite a shock."
Harry nodded. "We had dinner with Dudley, Jane, and Liam just this evening."
Grant nodded. "I'm a social worker and I've been assigned Ellen's case."
"Case?" Ginny echoed with furrowed eyebrows.
"Ellen is officially an orphan," Grant explained. "That being said, I have resources at my disposal to determine the parents' wishes regarding guardianship."
"Jane and Liam were Dudley's choice," Harry said, well aware of this decision. Dudley had asked Harry's advice before signing the papers and later lamented how his parents had disapproved of Dudley's choice.
Grant nodded again. "However, since the legal guardians are also deceased in this case, we have to muddle through the appointment of new guardians."
Harry was beginning to get an idea of why he had felt a sense of urgency. Something deep down had told him to get to the hospital before Aunt Petunia and Uncle Vernon.
"I don't suppose you have any contact information for Dudley's parents on you?" Grant asked. Although it seemed like he was trying to be tactful, he wasn't very successful.
"They're listed," Harry replied a little tersely.
"Yes, we've tried their home a number of times. Is it possible that they are on holiday? Would you have a cell phone number they can be reached at?" Grant asked hopefully. "You did say that they raised you."
Harry scoffed. "I used the word loosely," he replied. "We are not friendly, and moreover, I know for a fact that Dudley did not want his parents to inherit custody of Ellen under any circumstances."
"Is there any legal documentation to support that?" Grant asked a little tentatively. "Obviously, the Durselys will need to be notified of their son's. . . accident, but if they are not to receive custody of the child, we should try to establish that immediately."
Harry sighed, trying to think and remember what Dudley might have done when setting up his will. With all of the legal services available through the internet, taking out a lawyer wasn't exactly necessary for regular people like Dudley. "I don't know," he finally answered honestly.
Grant nodded, and expression on his face that made Harry very nervous. "We'll keep trying the Durslseys, then," he decided. "In the meantime, I will try to track down Mr. Dursley's legal documents and authorize you to make medical decisions for Ellen. It is clear that you care for her."
"Thank you," Harry replied, a little resentful of how grateful he felt for something that should have been his right.
"Ellen Dursley?" said a junior nurse with yet another clipboard.
"This is her," Grant confirmed, stepping to the side. "Are you here to take her up to the pediatric ward?"
The nurse nodded with a smile. "We don't have any other babies at the moment, I'm sure she'll get lots of attention from the staff." This seemed to be geared towards making Harry and Ginny feel comfortable with the whole situation. All Harry knew was that he wanted his cousin in St. Mungo's and then home with him and Ginny, not in the care of Muggles.
Still, arguing with the medical staff and social worker would only hinder his efforts to obtain full guardianship of Ellen, so he gently laid her down in the crib.
"Harry, why don't I go upstairs with Ellen, and you can. . . see Dudley," Ginny said quietly, suddenly at his elbow. She gently caressed his shoulder, a supportive gesture that Harry was infinitely grateful for. It was true that while his life was considerably calmer since the Battle of Hogwarts, that even left him emotionally intolerant of personal loss. Ginny's stable, unwavering presence was the cornerstone of his existence.
Harry nodded. "That's a good idea," he agreed. "I'll call Ron and ask him to come and get you too. I think I want to stay here with Ellen tonight."
Ginny smiled in understanding. "Of course."
Soon, the nurse was rolling the crib out of the room, Ginny hot on her heels, and Grant was showing Harry to the room where Dudley had been laid.
There were no tubes or monitors hooked up to him, but there were stitches over his face. Harry didn't think he looked very peaceful, but then, maybe Harry was projecting his own fears about Ellen's welfare onto his cousin's corpse.
"Mr. Potter?" came a new voice. The low pitch and gentle rasp told Harry it was a man. He turned and saw an elderly physician standing in the doorway. "I'm Dr. Gibbons. Dudley was in my keeping this evening."
Harry was suddenly overwhelmed with questions, as well as a few accusations. Self-control prevailed, though, and he nodded. "Was it. . . was it painful?" he asked. Why he had asked, he didn't know. If the answer was yes, what good did it do to know Dudley had been in pain, the last hours of his life?
Dr. Gibbons shook his head, though. "While we were able to preserve the body for a time, I am confident that the head injury he suffered at the time of the accident anesthetized him to the discomfort of his body."
Harry nodded gratefully. That was why he had asked. He'd been hoping that Dudley had gone with little pain, he'd needed that personal comfort. "Do you know how the accident happened?" he asked next. Dudley was almost religious about safe driving. He would have never engaged in habits, like speeding, that could put his daughter at risk.
"Their was a lorry involved, and from what I understand, the lorry was the cause of the accident," Dr. Gibbons replied vaguely. "I'm sorry that I can't be more specific. You'll have to talk to the police for more information regarding the nature of the accident."
"I understand," Harry replied a little frustrated. At least for the moment, the accident wasn't Dudley's fault. He paused for a few moments, just staring at his cousin, trying to think of a question for the doctor that would give this whole tragic scene meaning. He couldn't think of anything, though. He could ask about the actual cause of death, but it really wasn't that important. The fact that Dudley was irrevocably gone would not change if Harry suddenly knew all the biological logistics. "Mr. and Mrs. Cosgrove. . ." he started, thinking that he'd want to assure Ellen someday that her grandparents hadn't died in pain, either.
Dr. Gibbons' face was strained for a moment before he spoke. "Mr. Cosgrove was conscious during most of the ordeal at the accident scene. Sometime during the ambulance ride to the hospital, he lost consciousness and we were not able to get him back. Mrs. Cosgrove, we were able to stabilize temporarily, but her internal bleeding was too extensive, and the surgeons were not able to repair the damage before she succumbed to blood-loss. I am very sorry, Mr. Potter." Dr. Gibbons seemed to be at a loss for further words. After all, what else was there to say that wouldn't trivialize the tragedy or overstate its significance in the grand scheme of things.
"Can I have a few more minutes?" Harry asked as he turned back to Dudley.
"Of course."
Harry waited until Dr. Gibbons was gone before starting to speak. "I know you probably can't hear me," he acknowledged. "Still, I want you to know some things. First, while we were certainly less than friendly as children, I am proud to say that you have been one of my best friends the last several years. You've become more than just my cousin, you've been like my brother. I will miss all the opportunities we would have had to play daddies together. . . taking the kids to quidditch, the park for ice creams," he paused and laughed. "The reptile house at the zoo." He paused again while he caught his breath, determined not to break down into the sobs that he could feel threatening him. "I know you didn't want your mum and dad to inherit Ellen. I will use every favor I'm owed and pull every string that I can to secure her custody, but I don't know if I will be able to prevent your parents from taking her. Still, I swear to you that as long as I live, I will always look out for Ellen. I will check in on her regularly to make sure that she's being treated well. I will monitor her for evidence of magic, and if anything comes up, I will protect your memory by accusing Aunt Petunia's bloodline. They will never know from me that Amanda was a witch or that you hid anything from them. I swear, Dudley. She will be safe."