Chapter 54

Just when he thought things could not possibly get any worse they did, Aberforth mused to himself. She was a child and she was having a child. This was not right. He didn't think he had wanted his mother and father back so much for years. If Percival and Kendra were there then he was sure that together they would take strong decisive action which would in the end bring about the best outcome for their daughter.

As it was, all Ariana had were two brothers who were in conflict with themselves over the news. They had no right to decide for her what to do over the baby. They could not ask someone to get rid of it because of all the options she might have had was she awake, they both knew that was not the route she would go down.

No, if she was here and she was able to choose what was to be done about the child, Aberforth knew what she would be bound to say. So clearly that he was able to hear her voice in his head.

"This was my mistake, if you want to call it that Aberforth. But now I have to face up to the consequences. I am going to keep and raise this baby with your help or not!"

But of course she would have it. They would fight and then he would cave into her desires as he always did.

This time though she was not there to wrap him and Albus about her little finger. If they really thought it was going to be best for her then maybe they should simply get rid.

He shook his head. He couldn't do that to her. Not even now, when she was putting him through this. The baby was part of his family too now. He had to protect his sisters child when she was not there to do so.

He was sitting in his brother's office when he heard the door open. He didn't have to look know who it was. Together, Black and Potter came into the room and Albus observed them. The four of them were going to decide the fate of a mother and her child. Of all the things Albus had ever had to do this was the hardest, as it was an emotional problem there was no way out of. But of course, in reality, even though they were going to talk it through as if they had equal say, the final choice was going to have to come down to Harry.

He was, after all, the baby's fathers.

Harry was utterly confused about why he had been asked to go and see them. He knew it had to be to do with Ari but normally he found Albus and Aberforth Dumbledore, on the whole, tried to stay away from him now, which could be most frustrating.

Life was confusing him more and more. He thought back to his dreams of the corridors, the lessons he had had to start with Snape to master Occlumency. He was sure that Dumbledore could teach him, but assumed the reason he had chosen not to were the recent events that had gone on with Ari.

But then in their eyes, he was the reason they had lost her all over again. So did he blame them for wanting to keep their distance? No.

"Harry, Sirius thank you so much for coming. We need to discuss something quite serious." He said as they sat down.

The desk had been cleared away to one side of the room. They sat in a circle looking at each other. For that moment without his desk and his twinkling eyes it was as if Dumbledore had lost his authority. They were equals.

"It is something to do with Ariana's condition."

"Is she ok?" asked Harry desperately.

"Define 'ok'." Aberforth muttered bitterly and shook his head.

"Last night, when we got to Grimmauld Place Healer Tucker examined Ariana with a fresh eye. While we are still clueless as to how to get her back, we did find something else out. Harry, your night together," he said and Harry saw the headmasters face twist up in distress. "Well, my sister – she's..." he had never had so much trouble delivering as piece of news before. "She is having a baby."

If someone had dropped a pin in the office at that moment, you would have heard it. The silence was almost deathly as the two males tried to digest what they had just been told. The four males looked at one another, unsure what to say next. But then there was a deep breathing from Harry and for the first time since he had seen her walk out of the Room or Requirement, a real smile spread across his face. Albus didn't know how he had been expecting him to react, but not like this.

"She's – she's having a baby? My baby." He breathed as he begun to chuckle. It reminded Sirius of how James had reacted, or how Lily had described his reaction. As if he had just been told he had won the Quidditch World Cup singlehandedly.

"We're going to be parents."

Aberforth shook his head in disbelief. Why was the boy reacting as if they were a married couple who had been waiting for this news? Why was he acting as if she wasn't in a coma? As if she could run up and embrace him as they celebrated the 'good' news. He was acting as if they were any other parents who had been waiting to hear they were to have their first born.

But Harry did not register the anger on the bar man's face. He did not turn to Sirius for his reaction to the news, which was somewhere between the two polar extremes of Aberforth's and Harry's. All he heard was he news Albus had given him. They were having a baby! In a few months, nine or eight now, he presumed his and Ariana's child was going to come into the world. He already hoped the baby had her eyes. No other thought apart from how glad he was entered his head.

They weren't ever going to go away just the two of them, he thought to himself delighted. Because they weren't meant to be alone. They were meant to be a family. He had always known it all along. After weeks of rain and misery, a brilliant sunshine had come into his life. Something to look forward to and long for. She would come round. She would have too. When she had their child... she'd come back. She'd wake up.

"Harry?" asked Sirius.

"I – I – Sirius, I mean, she's carrying – she'll wake up. We'll be together – a family." He said as his broken speech fell out of his month. He was beyond happy."Sir I have to see her, you must let me!"

Aberforth had expected a conversation, rationality, which was of course Albus's specialty. He had expected a long drawn out debate over what was right for them both, mother and child. But no. Rather than need that, Potter had strolled in and he had stepped right up to the mark. Now he thought about it they could not have hoped for a better reaction.

They were never going to like one another. But his reaction had gained him some of the respect he had lost. He had thought the boy would dither. But no. He had come straight down on the course of action he intended them all to take.

"You're going to stand by her, aren't you?" he asked.

Harry looked at him in confusion. Had he seriously believed after all they had come through together, after all the love, comfort and support that had flowed between them he was going to walk out on her? He didn't have a choice because his heart wouldn't allow another option.

He knew they were only sixteen. But they both had people about them who loved them. This baby would be loved. They'd be helped and it would be ok!

"Of course."

"But Harry – a baby. She's so unwell." Sirius pointed out.

"If it doesn't bring Ariana back, then there are four of us. If you don't want to help, Sirius, I'll do it on my own but we're having this baby."

"Don't be silly of course I'll help you. But Harry this is it. You'll be an adult. Your childhood – Ariana's over." Could he really make that choice for her?

"Neither of our childhoods ever really got going though," he said softly. There was no accusation in his voice, just a statement. It was a fact. The two of them had had to grow up fast. The snippets of a childhood they had had were not conventional. But they'd deal with adulthood, parenthood better. This was a twist of fate. Something he hadn't seen coming. But life had thrown him a Quaffle, and he was going out to the Quidditch pitch whether they were coming or not.

"Can I please go and see her?" he pleaded with the headmaster and Aberforth. Slowly Aberforth nodded. He knew he wasn't going to change Potters mind. He hadn't expected there to be that violent out pouring of joy about the fact she had been pregnant from the boy. From the man – Harry Potter.

He had grown up in the moment he had heard he was to be a father and silently, made a promise to himself, his parents, his Ari and their child. The baby was going have everything they could only long for. His baby wasn't going to ever sleep in a cupboard under the stairs, or be attacked by twisted little boys. It was going to have everything they could only dream of.

"Of course," He said the ageing Headmaster giving them permission to go and he found himself alone with his brother once more, Sirius having followed Harry.

"I suppose we should be grateful for the devotion he has shown her. Harry has a loyal heart." Albus mused. He had proved that when he had pulled out the sword of Gryffindor in his second year.

"I suppose." He sighed.

"This isn't what you want for her is it?" he asked.

"I don't want her to be a mother at sixteen, no. But decisions made. We go ahead with it." He said as he put his head in his hands. "I am doing it because I know this is what she would want. Not because of him..."

"I know that."

-

Sirius felt almost uncomfortable as he saw his godson go into see his girlfriend. He felt as if this should be a moment for just the two of them to share but Harry did not look as if he wanted him to go and so he slid into the room and sat on the other side of the bed. Ariana room was dark, as was everything in the house, but her window was opened to allow fresh air to circulate and her face was illuminated by candle light.

Healer Tusker had left the room for a moment when she had learnt that the baby's father had come to see the girl. Who would have thought it of the sainted Boy-Who-Lived?

But of course he was just Harry to Ariana. He had always been just Harry.

Moving close to her than he had been in days, instead of grabbing her hand as he had done on all previous visits to her he reached out and put his hand on her stomach. In there somewhere was his baby. His thumb begun to stroke it, Harry feeling he wanted all the love he had in him to seep through Ariana to their child, and of course herself.

Their child.

It was as if the news had forced him to look at life with a fresh eye. It wasn't enough to walk about in a daze any more because he had something to look forward to. And as usual the catalyst for that was Ariana.

He didn't think she had ever been so beautiful and glorious in her slumber. Her hair, the shape of her eyes, the way her lips met, the length of her nose even! This was the mother of his baby.

He knew he had nine long months to wait. Less than that, she must have been pregnant for what – three weeks already? He couldn't do the math - his head was too full. But each of them, each month would be worth it.

"I love you so much." Harry whispered. Sirius wasn't sure if he was talking to Ariana or the baby she was carrying. It didn't mattered he supposed. As long as that grin stayed on his godsons face he did not care. This was the Harry he knew and loved, not the sad lost boy of a few days ago. This was his Harry – and he was back to fight for his family.

"Sirius, I don't believe this. I know part of you must be looking at me the way I look at Hagrid when he tells us he has got a new pet. Its that's mad - I mean us two having a baby." He was laughing practically. "The Chosen one and the only girl at Hogwarts loopier than Luna. But it just feels so right. There's been a purpose to it all."

All the suffering was going to make sense when he took his son or his daughter in his arms he was sure.

"No, you don't Harry. I think you look like any other dad who has just found out the woman they love is giving them a child."

Harry wanted the two of them to stay together in that moment forever, him and Ari. But more than that he wanted her eye lids to flutter open to see his face so that he might be the one who told him they were going to have a baby together.

"I love her..."

He stayed there with her for quite some time having not been there the day before, but like Aberforth he did not comment on the dust or the state of the run down home. He knew they were safe at Sirius' and that was all that mattered. That Ariana and the baby were safe. She was all he saw.

His baby!

Sirius had thought after a while that Harry might return to the sadness that had taken him since he had found out that Ariana was so ill but he did not. It was as if he could not. Not now that he knew he was having a baby.

Somehow, Harry knew Ariana would wake up. The three of them would be together one day. He didn't know when. But one day.

"I am proud of you Harry James," said Sirius to him. Suddenly Harry looked up to see his godfather was crying with joy and pride. As ever for them, life wasn't perfect. But if it was, then it would not be half as interesting.

Harry was indeed going to be a young father – but too young? Maybe not.

Harry knew Sirius was going to stand by him now more than he ever had before. As theirs eyes met Harry rose up and jumped into his arms. The two begun laughing with joy.

"Not only am I proud of you but I know Prongs would be too. You are doing the right thing Harry, and I love you so much for it kid. So much."

-

"She's having a baby?" the light was dim in the common room. Harry, Ron and Hermione were the only ones left up. He had made them stay up so that he could tell them news, just the three of them. As the three sat in chairs by the fire, Ron and Hermione tried to take in the news they had just heard.

"Yes."

"Are you pleased?" asked Ron. He was thrilled for his mate if he was.

"Yeah, you know what I really am." Harry nodded in a sort of dream state. He hadn't been able to stop smiling, and while knowledge of the pregnancy was not widely known, everyone knew there had been a change in her condition. It was the only thing that could have brought Harry round.

"Well, then congratulation are in order." Said Hermione as she drew him into a bone crushing hug. The idea of them having a baby when she was so ill defied all logic, but at the same time Hermione felt warm when she thought about it. Harry was the happiest she had ever seen him.

"Do you know if it is going to be a boy or a girl?" asked Ron.

"Not yet."

"What do you want?"

Harry looked thoughtful. He had thought about it but not seriously. His son or his daughter. Both the image of a little boy or his and Ari's and what their little girl could look like had formed in his head. They were like twins and he knew he couldn't chose between them. Not till he knew for sure.

"I don't think I care. Just as long as he or she is healthy. That'll be enough."

Both of them nodded with grins on their face. And it was then Harry knew to ask them. He had been planning to wait till later on but – it was the right moment.

"Listen you guys, Sirius has been great. I'm beginning to realise how important he has been in my life since he came back. I want my kid to have that, so...whether it's a boy or a girl; I want you two to be its godparents."

Ron swallowed down a lump in his throat as he nodded. Hermione burst into tears. 'Yes' would have done, but those were the reactions that Harry would remember for the rest of his life. He really did have the two best friends in the world.

-

Poppy, Aberforth and Albus strolled about the lake. They were aware of course that Harry could not be more delighted. It seemed to give him hope that he was going to get her back. But they weren't so sure, and nothing could remove the raincloud from her big brothers lives.

"I have come up with a theory now." Said Poppy. After weeks of reading and trying to get to the bottom what the problem was she was not much closer. But she did have an idea and she knew both Dumbledore's needed to gear something soon or they were going to go mad too.

"Ariana's subconscious has been appalled by what she did. Even if she had the logic to reason that she did not mean to harm her mother, which she may or may not have – we're simply not sure; the blow has appeared to have shocked her into herself. If I may use the analogy of an angel and a devil that might be the best way of explaining things. Ariana's sanity is arguing against her insanity. She may be able to logically explain things till herself, but it is unlikely she will accept that explanation, which I should imagine she will see as an excuse for what she did, not a reason. Until she can accept what she has done and deal with it, it is unlikely, if I am right that she is going to come about. In other words she could come around tomorrow," She told them gravely. "However, it might also take years for her reason herself back to life. But as I said, it remains, at best a theory."

Aberforth nodded. It sounded to him like a very woolly theory indeed. But it was something to cling too. He only wished she could wake up so they could talk about it together. Albus and himself could bring her about. Make her see it was not her fault.

"And the baby? Will it be affected?" Aberforth questioned.

"We hope not. Healer Tusker agrees Ariana's physically healthy enough to carry the child and bring it in to the world, though not naturally perhaps. If she is in the coma still, she will have to have a caesarean." She explained. "She is definitely keeping the child then?" She asked tentatively, knowing there had been discussion between the brothers of a different outcome.

"Yes. Harry didn't even have to think about it and neither of us have the right to choose an abortion for her. We just have to hope for the best now. It is all we can do." Albus sighed heavily. He was over a hundred years old and he was to become an uncle.

As he shook his head, they continued on their walk. The future was uncertain, to say the least.

But up in the castle, for the first time in weeks, laughter rung in Harry Potter's ears as he talked, hoped and planned.

For the first time ever, he was going to have a blood relation who he could love unreservedly, and as he crawled into bed that night he allowed himself a smile as he imagined his Ariana, in her lilac dress, with her hair down, a child on her hip as she walked towards him. She was quite sane and a smile spread across her face.

One day, that image would be a reality he promised himself.

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