Chapter 15: Sneaking Out

One month later,

Harry was sitting in the parlor doing his homework. He and Ron had procrastinated long enough for Hermione and she decided to take drastic action. She separated the two best friends. Poor Ron was trapped in the library with her.

"'Airwy?" he heard a voice.

Harry looked up from his essay and saw Megan crawl towards him.

"I can't play." Harry told his sister. "Hermione's making me do my homework."

Megan crawled over to the coffee table and pulled herself up to a standing position.

"Screw the essay." Harry said placing his parchment down. He got on the floor and held out his arms for Megan. "C'mon Meg. You can do it."

She took a step towards her big brother. Then another.

"She's walking." Ginny's voice came in a whisper.

Harry looked up and saw his girlfriend watching the siblings.

"Hi." Harry said to Ginny.

"Shouldn't you be doing homework?" she teased.

"When I can play with my little sister whom I rarely see?" Harry asked as Megan walked into his arms. "I think not."

"Don't let Hermione hear you." Ginny said.

"Hey Gin." Harry whispered. "Do you want to know a secret about me?"

"This ought to be good." Ginny said

Harry closed his eyes and concentrated. Ginny's mouth dropped as Harry's scar vanished.

"Dada?" Megan asked confused.

Harry opened his eyes to reveal hazel.

"Now THAT will get you out of homework." Ginny laughed. "Why didn't you say you were a Metamorphmagus?"

"I'm entitled to SOME secrets about myself. So, want to sneak out and go to Diagon Alley with me?"

Ginny laughed.

"You sounded JUST like your father." She stated.

"That was the point." Harry said. "But the question was valid."

"Are you sure it's safe? What if we're caught?"

Harry closed his eyes again. This time, his hair turned a dark brown. When he opened his eyes, they were a deep blue.

"Do I look remotely like Harry Potter to you?" Harry asked. "And…I've been practicing my wandless."

"Think I can have black hair?"

"Whatever you want."

"With green eyes?"

"Why would you want that, but your wish is my command."

"Megan." Ginny said. "Can you not tell anyone?"

Megan was looking around the room for her brother.

"Let's take that as a "Yes"." Harry told his girlfriend.

0000

"Harry." Hermione said leaving the library with a traumatic Ron. "Are you…Harry?"

Harry wasn't in the parlor. Ron and Hermione went around the house until the found Megan in her playpen.

"Megan." Hermione asked sweetly. "Where's Harry?"

"'Airwy bye-bye." Megan said.

"Oh REALLY?" Hermione said.

"Lucky." Ron pouted.

"Where did Harry go bye-bye to?" Hermione interrogated the baby.

"Dada." Megan stated.

"Did he go visit James?" Ron asked.

"What about me?" James' voice came

"DADA!" Megan called reaching for her father who had just entered.

"How's my little girl?" James asked as he walked in and picked Megan up.

"She said a new phrase." Hermione said.

"Airwy bye-bye" Megan repeated.

"Do you know what it means?" Ron asked the Marauder

"Harry left the room?" James translated.

"I'm translating it more, 'left the house'." Hermione said.

0000

In London,

"This has been the best day EVER." Ginny said.

"Tell me about it. No stares, no autographs, just you, me, and a day out." Harry agreed

"I know what I want to do now." Ginny said dragging her boyfriend.

0000

"We're in the maternity ward at St. Mungos." Harry stated. "Gin. I hate to break it to you, but, unless you've been cheating on me, we have no business being here. Vega was released yesterday after giving everyone a scare."

It was true. Vega had gotten VERY sick and had to be taken to St. Mungos. She had stayed their for a week before getting better. Harry had never seen Sirius so worried. And that included the time during the Tri-Wizard Tournament. Luckily, she pulled through. (See "Sirius' Scare" in Memories II)

"But doesn't looking at all of these babies make you think that maybe ONE day, we'll be the proud parents?" Ginny asked

"You better not be thinking about one day being anytime soon." Harry warned.

"I'm thinking Harry Jr." Ginny said.

"No." Harry said flatly.

"Oh Look!" Ginny said pressing up to the glass as a nurse brought in a new one. "A new one! He's so little."

"He's a baby. They're supposed to be little." Harry informed her. "If not, I'm sure it would be EXTREMELY painful for the mothers"

The nurse turned to reveal Lily. She smiled at the young couple, not recognizing them, and walked the newborn over after noticing how young they were.

Lily had remembered how fascinated she was with babies when she was the visitors' ages.

"She's bringing him over." Ginny squealed.

"What's his name?" Harry mouthed to his mother.

"Colin Lupin." Lily told her son (not knowing it was him)

"Lupin?" the couple repeated.

"He's so cute." Ginny said. "Hi Colin."

"Thank you." Harry told his mother pointing at his watch. "We have to go."

Lily nodded in understanding.

"Do we have to?" Ginny asked sadly.

"We've been gone five hours." Harry informed his girlfriend.

"Gotta go." Ginny said.

0000

"Think anyone noticed we were gone?" Harry asked as he flooed into his bedroom.

"I don't know." Ginny said as she opened the door.

The couple went down the stairs only to be greeted by Hermione.

"WHERE HAVE THE TWO OF YOU BEEN?!"

"I think they noticed." Harry whispered.

"You THINK?" Hermione scolded. "What exactly HAVE you two been doing?"

"NOT what you're thinking." Harry said quickly after reading her mind.

"How did you find out?" Ginny asked.

"Besides your sudden disappearance and Megan's new phrase?" Ron said.

"She's learned how to say "Good bye" and she decided to try it out with her brother's name." James added.

"Doesn't that just mean that I left the room?" Harry asked innocently.

"Not when we've looked all over the house." James told him. "Nice try. But you can't fool the master."

"Really? So "Master", where were we?" Harry teased.

"Hmm." James said circling his son like a hawk. "You've been at a prank store."

"How did you…"Ginny gapped. They had visited Weasley's Wizard's Wheezes.

"And a hospital." James added. "Maternity ward. Visiting your mother, I see."

"He is good." Ginny stated to Harry.

"Okay. You win." Harry said. "I took Ginny out on a date to Diagon Alley. We were both in disguise, so I actually had to PAY for the prank items."

"Should we tell them about the baby your mum showed us?" Ginny asked.

"Why not? When we were looking at the babies, Mum showed us this newborn named Colin Lupin."

"He was SO cute." Ginny added.

"That's when we noticed the time, and…"

"Whoa! Whoa! Back up." James said. "LUPIN?"

"Yeah. Mel had the baby." Harry told his father. "Didn't Remus tell you?"

"I haven't seen him all day." James said.

"That could be why." Ginny said.

"Hi Everyone!" Lily said as she came in.

"MAMA!" Megan called reaching for her mother.

"Hi Sweetie." Lily said before turning to the older people in the room. "I delivered another baby today."

"Colin Lupin?" Everyone asked.

"How did you know?"

"Your son snuck out of the house and went on a date with his girlfriend." James told his wife

"Oh. So when he doesn't sneak out with you, he's MY son?" Lily asked.

"Exactly." James said. "Apparently, you showed Colin to these two."

"That was you?" Lily asked her son. "I didn't recognize you. Hold on. YOU SNUCK OUT OF THE HOUSE?!"

Harry took his sister from his mother and handed her to Ginny with a wink.

They walked five paces away from each other and knelt to the floor.

"What are they doing?" Ron asked Hermione

"Don't look at me." Hermione answered.

"C'mon Meg." Harry said holding his arms out. "Show Mum and Dad what you learned to do today."

Megan started walking towards Harry.

"My baby's walking!" Lily announced forgetting her anger towards her son.

Harry sighed with relief as his plan worked.

0000

A few weeks later,

"Thanks." Harry said to the owls who delivered the letters. Hermione and Ginny weren't up yet, so Harry and Ron got their letters off the owls.

The four owls flew away.

"Yours is awfully thick." Ron pointed out.

"You don't think…" Harry said.

"Open it." Ron instructed.

Harry tore open the envelope and read his letter letting the badge fall to the ground.

"Mr. Potter," Harry read. "After careful consideration, you have been given the position of…Head Boy."

"We are going to rule the school!" Ron cheered. "Hermione's letter is thick as well."

"I'm Head Boy?" Harry asked rereading the letter.

"That's what the badge says." Ron told him picking up the badge as Hermione walked in

"Ron? You're Head Boy?" Hermione asked seeing Ron holding the badge.

"No. Harry's Head Boy." Ron corrected.

"Do my ears deceive me?" James asked as he entered.

"Read it and weep, Dad." Harry said handing his father the letter.

TBC

Next Time:

"You FINALLY got it?" Ron asked.

Harry nodded as a school owl dropped a letter in Ginny's hands.

"Read it out loud." Harry told his girlfriend with a Marauder-like grin.