Chapter 28: The Thot Plickens
The baby was, by human standards, tiny.
In many ways she looked more like a premature human baby than an elf; her ears were pointed but not large and her eyes big in her head but not the huge eyes that made elves look almost, as Krait described it, like bad copies of anime figures.
"She wouldn't actually be out of place in 'Akira' actually" said Krait. The MSHG had watched it on the clockwork projector only last term, the theme, a group of teenagers held together by ties of friendship and pitted against vast implacable evil, had been quite poignant to them.
"What is we calling her?" asked Sirri "I can't pronounce those Japanese names!"
Krait laughed.
"She's such a lovely little flower, I thought Rose would be appropriate. Roses are so intricate, and so beautiful they are the antithesis of what HE stands for. Rose Gaunt; a sister for Salazar."
"You're not adopting her as a daughter even though her mother doesn't want her?" asked Hermione.
"No…she'll be our ward but it's important to keep the generations separate" said Krait. "She is Salazar's sister by right; I don't know if that will ever be important, but it might be. No, it's not a hunch, nor even a premonition. It just suits my sense of what is right. And when Abigail is able to wake up, she may wish to have Salazar back; and she may wish to give his sister a home as company for him too. These things we have to think about."
"Won't you hate giving up Salazar?" asked Harry.
"Hurt like hell" said Krait, frankly "But she IS his mother; she SHOULD have rights if she is prepared to take the responsibility. It's not like a divorce with acrimony over who has which child; I'm sure Abigail and I can discuss matters amicably. She might feel he's grown up too much by the time she's back to normal and has completed her education and prefer just to visit him. But I have to be prepared for any eventuality. If I'm even alive to hand him over" she added.
"That's a bit defeatist" said Hermione.
Krait shrugged.
"No, it's realistic. We might all ground the killing curse and die together, though I doubt it. Sev and I are ready to be the first sacrifice; you and Ron are the second."
"Why aren't we the first?" demanded Ron "We're seventeen now after all!"
"Because Sev claimed first right to die for Lily's son when you were still shitting in your nappies" said Krait "And where he goes, I go. Rank hath its, er, privileges. I guess Sirius is first sacrifice too actually."
Ron humphed; but accepted Krait's words.
"We're not planning to die though, are we?" said Hermione "We're aiming to live!"
"Damn right" said Krait "But realistic is NOT defeatist. I have two plans; the one I hope to follow and the one that must be followed if I don't get the first plan going to schedule. You'll understand when you and Ron start breeding, Hermione; having little lives under your care makes a big difference in how blasé you may be when walking knowingly into peril."
Hermione looked thoughtful and nodded; Ron just blushed violently.
"If Harry dies I might as well too" said Ginny.
"And cause your parents hurt? Harry wouldn't like that either, would you?" Krait looked at Harry.
"No" said Harry.
"Sometimes it is greater to stay behind and work for the ideals of your love" said Krait "And then if you're taking risks it doesn't matter; and you can be the one to take the risks you'd not put onto others. Severus and I are agreed that that is how we would do it, especially while the children are young. Fishface has caused too many orphans already. Living is sometimes a more courageous path than dying."
Ginny looked mutinous, but nodded. Harry took her hand.
Rose opened her eyes and burped loudly.
"And THAT" said Krait "Sums up the futility of this conversation since we cannot see the future clearly…out of the mouths of babes and sucklings as they say."
It raised a laugh; and lightened the mood!
-/-
Members of the Order of the Phoenix were quietly drifting in to Hogwarts in ones and twos; Tonks and Lupin, each looking gloomy, Tonks with her normally bright hair dull and mousey thereby exasperating Krait who could see how much in love they were; Kingsley Shacklebolt; and Alastor Moody, who Krait could not resist asking if he had been appointed chief Knicker Nicker to the Ministry yet.
Moody stared a moment, then roared with laughter.
"It was you, was it you young limb?" he said "Well! And I thought you were going to set mouse traps, you said?"
Krait shrugged.
"I lied" she said. "Knickers were FAR more entertaining."
"Well, don't expect me to be trusting as a matter of course" said Moody "Constant vigilance!"
"Constant vigilance did NOT allow the Order to stop Mundungus Fletcher from stealing one of Fishface's Horcuces" said Krait dryly "He's a far better target to watch than Severus; not because he's a follower of Fishface but because he's a cowardly sneaking little thief who'd babble any secret to save his own skin and who'd do something to endanger the rest of us without even realising it because he was doing something else self-serving. Like when he went off to make a second hand cauldron deal and left Harry defending Dudley against Dementors."
"He is a liability" grunted Moody "But he has his uses."
"Yeah" said Krait "He's a GOOD bad example."
Moody managed another laugh!
-/-
Dumbledore visited the MSHG in their deliberations, blinking in some surprise to see Dudley Dursley there but nodding and greeting him courteously enough.
"I invited him sir" said Draco a little defiantly "He wanted to know what's really going on. He's got cast iron ones because he's dealing with the truth really well."
"My congratulations, Mr Dursley" said Dumbledore "I am glad that you have overcome then handicap of foolishly doting parents to find a mind of your own. I did not think you had it in you; I was wrong and I apologise for doubting your abilities. Welcome to the team here; though you cannot fight Lord Voldemort I am sure Harry is glad of the moral support from you."
"Yes I am" said Harry "The Big D is a good sport and I'm glad to have him around."
He had never thought before this term that he would ever have said THAT!
"It – it's good to have friends" said Dudley "Real ones. I – I like visiting. If it's okay with you?"
"Oh yes, it is" said Dumbledore "Of course the means by which these young rascals travel around the country makes a mockery of the charms to protect Hogwarts, but there!"
"Well nobody else can use them because we never told those of our parents whose houses we used" said Abrax "So none of Fishface's supporters can take advantage of them because they can legilimens our parents 'til they're blue in the face and still get the answer that they know of no secret way."
"An excellent precaution" murmured Dumbledore forbearing to point out that torture would be the more likely way of questioning than legilimensy. At least if Riddle was present to question any, HIS skills would not penetrate what was not known! "I should like to talk to the senior members only here" he added "So would anyone from the fifth year and below withdraw?"
Ernie Macmillan hesitated.
"You really mean Harry and his closest friends, don't you sir?" he said.
"Why Mr Macmillan, your tact and perspicacity does you credit" said Dumbledore "I believe that is what I really meant; but if I said that, I should be knee deep in young Marauders and Ginny Weasley."
Ernie smiled an understanding and insufferably pompous smile.
"Best of luck, Harry, with whatever you're up to" he said "Anything I can do to help, you have only to call on me. Come on Luna, that meant you too" as Luna Lovegood drifted vaguely around uncertain whether to leave or not.
Dudley hurriedly left through the appropriate stall; this was none of his business either!
-/-
"I believe" said Dumbledore "The time has come for Draco to kill me."
"How are we going to pull it off?" asked Draco "A duel on a tower and a switching charm as you supposedly go over?"
"An interesting idea – with Miss Granger in charge of the switching I presume?" said Dumbledore.
"She is the best" said Draco.
"That's the truth!" Ron whispered to Hermione. She actually blushed!
Dumbledore gave them a mildly reproving look.
"Once I am officially dead" he said firmly "And you are the only people who are to know that I am NOT dead – then Riddle will start to move. His secret supporters will come out of the woodwork in the Ministry and we shall be able to see who they are and what they intend. It will be uncomfortable for a while for many; dangerous for most muggle born and those who are not considered pure wizards." He glanced at Remus Lupin.
Remus nodded.
"At least we shan't have that Umbridge woman" he said "She has a real down on those who aren't as pure as can be. What's the real story behind that, by the way? Was she REALLY a Deatheater?"
Krait grinned.
"She had the Dark Mark on her arm when she was arrested anyway" she said. "And it can ONLY be set by a Parseltongue spell."
"I see" said Lupin gravely. Krait grinned. She thought he probably did.
"Her nephew Martin is a bit of a pain, though his sister's not too bad" said Draco "I was half considering dragging him to Azkaban just as an object lesson; I think he could be broken through to."
"Do it" said Severus.
"You KNOW I can't sanction something like that, Severus" said Dumbledore, mildly.
"Yes but I wasn't asking you to sir" said Severus. "If he uses his initiative and you catch him at it, that's your business."
"You are ALL insubordinate" said Dumbledore.
"It's required of would be heroes isn't it?" said Hermione dryly "Or you'd not have blinked at Harry's frequent insubordinations all these years."
Dumbledore sighed.
"Caught out by the cleverest witch of her age again" he said. "Back to business; Draco, he will NOT believe that you have defeated me in a duel.
"But he knows Narcissa begged my aid." Said Severus "He WILL believe Draco killed you with my help."
Dumbledore nodded.
"I was thinking that near the end of term would be good" he said "And allow time for the trouble to start. You Aurors will smuggle those at risk to safety."
"First" said Krait "We need to have er, constant vigilance over the efficiency of our aurors and protectors; and I say that we have a pair of people here who are not efficient for an easily remedied flaw."
"Indeed?" Dumbledore raised an eyebrow.
"Lumme" said Ron "Duck and run NOW if anyone here is in love and not sorted out, she's about to sort you."
"Did you really mind?" demanded Hermione waspishly.
"No…but it's embarrassing while she's lecturing" said Ron.
"Ron…You're digging yourself a hole" murmured Draco.
"Stay out of this Malfoy" said Hermione.
"I think I shall…it's safer. Even for a friend I'm not tangling with Granger in a mood, Ron, sorry."
"Children please" said Krait; and they ALL glared at her. "Tonks, Remus, when are you getting married?"
"Krait, really!" said Remus "I'm too old and too poor for her, it's ridiculous…"
"Oh, do you really enjoy making her miserable? Is that what you get off on?" demanded Krait "Tell me, is that from the furry little problem that you have or is it just the generations of refined cruelty that wizards have accumulated in their casual unkindness to elves and goblins? Is it that she's a half blood that permits you to torture her and dispose of her in the depths of misery? Do you deny the right of Severus and me to be happy together because he's the same age as you and I'm younger than Tonks?"
"Krait Malfoy you have no right to…"began Tonks furiously. Remus was staring open mouthed in wordless anger.
"I have the right to stand up for another woman Nymphadora Tonks" said Krait implacably "He is being selfish to wallow in his own misery without considering what that is doing to you too."
"Merlin's beard do you think I would deliberately hurt her?" yelled Lupin "I want to protect her – and she needs protecting from me! I have no right to force myself on her!"
"No; but nor do you have the right to prevent her from coming willingly to you if you love her too. If you do NOT love her, that is unfortunate and her misery cannot be prevented" said Krait "For I know you would neither of you accept the sham of a one sided love. But you DO love her, don't you? Enough to be infuriated at my deliberate casting up of how cruel you are thoughtlessly being through a misguided desire to do the right thing. The right thing, both of you idiots, is to tell each other how you feel and get together. If it feels right, you should do it. Now the rest of us are going to leave you here – and Myrtle's NOT going to eavesdrop – and you aren't coming out until you've had a good snog and set the date. Come on the rest of you."
And with that she marched out.
"High handed, ain't you?" grunted Moody.
"Sometimes someone has to be" said Krait "And seeing people who mean something to you eating their hearts out means someone needs to do something; and pussyfooting around tactfully hasn't done a thing so the time has come for blunt."
"And nobody does blunt quite like our Krait" said Draco.