Chapter Six
After lunch Draco returned to Malfoy Manor while the others returned to the Borrow. Harry was feeling a little tired when they got back so he decided to take a nap. Hermione began reading her new school books while Ron and Ginny played chess. They all had a fairly peaceful afternoon until suddenly Harry was screaming. Hermione and Ron ran to Harry's side to find him trapped in the middle of a vision. Ron ran to contact Dumbledore while Hermione kept Harry from hurting himself. Dumbledore arrived just as the vision ended and Harry was regaining semi-consciousness.
"He knows about the baby." Harry croaked out before losing consciousness once more. Dumbledore frowned as he heard this.
"Miss Granger we've got to get Harry back to the castle where he'll be safe. I think it would be best if you and Ronald came as well. Please pack your trunks as quickly as possible then take this portkey to the castle." Dumbledore handed a portkey to Hermione. "The activation word is butterscotch."
"What about Ginny?" Ron asked.
"I'll place extra wards around the house so she'll be safe." Dumbledore replied then began to set the new wards. Once they were set he picked up Harry and apparated straight into the hospital wing at Hogwarts. Since he was Headmaster the school wards let him through.
"Poppy get out here quick." He yelled and Poppy came running.
"What happened Albus?" Poppy asked while running her scans of Harry.
"I'm not quite sure. Ronald Weasley said Harry had some kind of vision. When I got there Harry regained consciousness long enough to tell us that Voldemort knows about the baby then passed out again. I must get to my office now. I'll send Lucius and Severus down here once they arrive." Dumbledore then rushed to his office. Not even a minute later Lucius and Severus arrived via portkey. "Who told Voldemort about Harry's pregnancy?"
"How did you know already?" Lucius asked in surprise.
"Is Harry alright?" Severus asked at the same time.
"Harry is in the hospital wing as we speak being treated by Poppy. You both can go down and be with him once you answer my question. Who told Voldemort about the pregnancy?"
"Nott. His son was at the Leaky Cauldron this morning and saw Harry with his two friends. Since Harry wasn't wearing a robe at the time his stomach was noticeable. Nott's son followed Harry and his friends into Muggle London where they did some clothing shopping and bought maternity clothes for Harry. They then apparently went into a baby store and were there for half an hour before returning to the Leaky Cauldron. Nott explained the whole story at the meeting." Severus answered quickly. "Can we go to Harry now?"
"Yes you may but I'd like a full report about the meeting once Harry has recovered."
"Of course Albus." Severus and Lucius then rushed from the office down to the hospital wing. They could hear Harry yelling as they got closer.
"Where is Severus and Lucius? Where are they?" Harry screamed at the medi-witch. He'd been yelling at her since he'd regained consciousness five minutes ago.
"Calm down Mr. Potter. This isn't good for the baby." Poppy tried to calm him but he wouldn't listen.
"I want to know where they are NOW!" He screamed just as Lucius opened the door. Harry turned at the sound of the door opening and when he saw Severus and Lucius standing there he ran straight for them. Harry began to sob as the two men hugged him "I was so worried about you. I thought Voldemort was going to hurt you."
"Calm down Harry. We're fine. He didn't hurt us." Lucius whispered as he picked Harry up. "Everything will be okay Harry."
"I don't want him to hurt either of you." Harry sobbed as Lucius placed him back on his bed. "Everyone I ever care about is hurt by that bastard."
"Calm down Harry. This really isn't good for the baby." Severus stated while handing a calming draught to Harry. "Take the potion Harry then you can tell us about your vision."
Harry nodded and drank the potion. "I was taking a nap at the Borrow and having a really nice dream about the baby when suddenly the vision hit me. There was a Death Eater kneeling at Voldemort's feet. Voldemort seemed happy about whatever the man had just told him. He then told the man, Nott I think, to rise and retake his place in the circle. Nott quickly made his way back to the circle then Voldemort began to speak again. He told the others it was their job to find me and to kill the baby. He then pointed his wand at one of the other Death Eaters and sent the cruciatus curse at him. He tortured the man for a while then the vision ended. The next thing I knew I was here and I didn't know where you two were." Harry began to cry again. "Don't let them hurt my baby."
"No one is going to hurt your baby Harry. We'll talk to Dumbledore in the morning and come up with a plan. Nothing bad will happen to your baby Harry. I promise." Severus stated as he pulled Harry into his arms. "We'll protect the baby no matter what."
Harry feel asleep a few minutes later while listening to Severus' reassurances. When he woke up the next morning Ron and Hermione were sitting beside his bed. He began to freak out but Hermione noticed and calmed him down by explaining that Lucius and Severus were just talking to Dumbledore in Poppy's office. Harry smiled weakly but was still on edge until the two men came out of the office. They came out with Dumbledore right behind them. When they saw that Harry was awake they were at his side.
"I'm glad to see you awake Harry. We've been discussing the situation and have come up with a plan to fool Voldemort. From today until you have the baby you'll be under glamours. We're going to let slip to the press that you were pregnant but had a miscarriage. The next time Voldemort summons Lucius and Severus they are going to confirm the story. Only the people in this room right now are to know the truth. Not even Poppy will know the truth. Professor Snape will be taking over your care until the baby is born. Then and only then will Poppy be told the truth. I've already placed a false memory in her mind so she now has no clue that you are still pregnant. If you get injured or sick at any time before the baby is born you'll need to go to Professor Snape and not Poppy. We can't risk her finding out the truth." Dumbledore explained. "Do you understand this all Harry?"
"Yes sir. I just have one question. What are we going to do once the baby is born? It'll be kind of hard to hide a baby from Voldemort."
"We'll figure that out when the time comes. If need be we'll place the baby under the Fidelus charm until it's safer. But please don't worry about that right now Harry. Everything will be just fine." Harry wanted to believe the Headmaster but wasn't really sure if he could. He nodded in understanding anyways. "Good. Now I think it's time we got you out of this hospital wing. You can return to your own room now. I'd like you to lay low for the next few days while we set our plan into action. Miss Granger and Ronald will keep you company and Lucius and Professor Snape will still be able to visit. We want to keep you're presence unknown for a little while."
"Alright professor. Will Dobby be aloud to know that I'm here cause I'm getting hungry?"
"Of course. I'm sorry I forgot to mention that Dobby will be available to you 24/7. If you need anything just call him and he'll get it. Now have a good day Harry." Dumbledore then left the hospital wing.
"Lets get you to your room so you can eat." Lucius picked Harry up from his bed and carried him all the way to his room. Harry then called Dobby to bring them all breakfast.
They all enjoyed a quite meal then Harry and Hermione began working on getting Hermione unpacked. Harry had already personalized his bedroom the last time he'd been at the castle and now it was time to do the same for Hermione. It took them most of the day to get Hermione totally settled into her new room. Once Hermione's bedroom was complete they began working on personalizing the common room area. Draco would just have to deal with their choices. They did make sure to stay away from using house colors though.
The next three days Harry was confined to his room with Hermione and Ron. Lucius and Severus visited as often as they could without raising suspicions. Dobby also spent every free moment he had with Harry. Harry was starting to go crazy being trapped in his room on the fourth day when their plan finally went into action.
Dumbledore had 'accidentally' let Rita Skeeter over hear him talking to McGonagall at a restaurant in London and she had immediately given word to one of her correspondence at the Daily Prophet. The story was front page news the following morning. The day the article appeared was also the day that Harry was finally released from his room. He spent most of the day sitting alone by the lake. The staff was told to leave him alone to morn his loss. Harry was glad about that since he wasn't sure he'd really be able to show the proper amount of sadness at his supposed loss. Harry soon fell into a routine of sitting out by the lake less and less each day as he got over his 'loss'.