Chaos of the Potter Family
Wanda: And drawing to the conclusion! Cute moments with Voldemort in the background, because after a while you start running out of interesting ways of killing that imbecile. In Code Geass you can corner the various chess masters in so many different ways, because the plots are so intricate-
Tyene: Are you going to give the disclaimer, or are you going to go on another Code Geass fangirl rant?
Wanda: (glares at her) you might find yourself out of a job.
Tyene: Oh, sure. Like you'd actually be able to handle all these plot bunny infestations, and writer's block ressurections, without me around.
Wanda: (grumbles) I'll rant about the best anime ever if I want to!
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter (holyshitwhohasreadtheCursedChildyet?)
Chapter 12: Demolition Man
Pansy and Tracey were sitting in the art room at Harry's Place. Tracey was in the middle of another landscape painting; Pansy was sitting to her right, asking questions and mixing paints as her friend asked. The two had spent several hours catching up, talking about their feelings and their plans for the future. Luna had been with them for most of the afternoon, though she had gone outside a few minutes before, saying something about how 'the wakersprouts' were going to be coming out that evening and she'd like to see them.
The door swung open, admitting a tired and aggravated looking Harry. Pansy looked up, read his expression, and gestured to the couch she was sitting on – to the right of Tracey's sketchpad, who was sitting on a separate chair which was pointed on an angle towards the couch.
"Long day?" Pansy guessed.
"I will be much happier when I can completely defer the financial and fiscal concerns to Scrimgeour and Jones," Harry said with a groan. "I've had more fun watching paint dry."
Tracey snickered. "Oh, the pains of being a King."
Pansy smiled slightly; she still didn't laugh as easily as the other girls, but she was working on it. Guinevere was doing her best to get the quiet girl to lighten up with harmless pranks, while Daphne offered plenty of laugh worthy statements in her characteristic dry deadpan.
"I think I may need to go straight to sleep tonight," Harry said with a sigh.
"Just as well," Pansy chuckled, placing a hand on her stomach. "I've been throwing up pretty consistently in the evenings."
"How is he?" Harry asked softly, placing a hand on top of Pansy's.
Pansy gave him a mild look. "It could be a girl." She pointed out.
Harry flushed lightly, but his smile remained the same. Boy or girl, he'd be the proudest father in the world. "Yeah. You want to talk names?"
"Aileen, for a girl." Pansy said softly.
"I like that. Aileen Euphemia Slytherin? I like that," Harry said. He had learned the name of his paternal grandmother from a chronology book.
"That sounds nice," Pansy agreed. "Now if it's a boy...hm." She certainly wasn't about to offer her father or uncle's names. Luckily, her husband had that covered.
"How about Jamie?" Harry offered. When Pansy nodded with a smile, he said, "Jamie for dad. Jamie Cedric Slytherin." Hannah, who had been walking by with a plate of snacks for Luna, smiled slightly and nodded in agreement.
"I'm fine with that," Pansy said. She hadn't known Cedric, but she had been shaken by his death. It was so unnecessary and cruel.
"I like that. I was thinking maybe Alyson for my own girl." Tracey remarked. When both Harry and Pansy looked blankly at her, she, without looking up from her painting, announced, "I'm getting sick in the mornings, and it's all your fault Harry."
Harry gaped at her for a few seconds, before squeaking, "When?"
"When do you think?" Tracey drawled teasingly, referring to their wedding night several weeks ago.
Harry flushed. "I hadn't thought – I meant, when were you going to tell me?"
"When you noticed. Which you didn't." Tracey deadpanned.
"I've been distracted! This is amazing news!" Harry exclaimed, walking over and carefully hugging Tracey around the shoulders. Tracey smiled, reaching up with her free hand and messing with his black hair. She was rather hoping that her child would be born with her hair and Harry's eyes.
Pansy laughed and swatted at Tracey's arms. "You're the worst! You just had to surprise me, didn't you?"
"I like surprises," Tracey responded with a light grin.
"So if it's a girl, you'd like Alyson for her name?" Pansy asked.
"Yeah. Alyson Samantha-Adelle Potter." Tracey said, lightly painting another curve onto the castle in the sky she was painting. "If it's a boy, I'll be happy with Jared. Jared Edward Potter."
"Great." Harry said. "I like the sound of it. You know, this is giving me some comfort. Daphne's mom hasn't been very secretive of the fact she'd like multiple grandchildren."
Both girls laughed at Harry's nervous expression. Angela had, in fact, asked for grandchildren during the wedding. Cool cat Daphne had actually blushed when the subject came up, though Astoria looked excited at the thought of having little nieces and nephews to play with.
Hannah walked in about then, heading for the couch. Once she'd sat down, she said, "More word from my dad, Harry. The Mercenaries have cleared out another Death Eater den. No casualties on our side, but they've gotten at least thirty."
"That's great." Harry said, returning to sit next to her. "Did he offer a status report?"
"Well with this, we've gotten about ten victories without seeing the Dark Lord himself. Plus, mother looked into that Diary that possessed Gwen way back, and she deduced that it was a horcrux."
Harry grimaced. He had ended up reading about that, too – horcruxes helped cause the dissolution of Atlantis, by way of turning the King into a monster who massacred a stadium full of his own subjects out of paranoid rage. "I trust she knows how to handle it?"
"Of course. Mother suspects he may have made more, so she's ordering a sweep of any areas related to the Riddle family." Hannah added.
"Send her my gratitude. By the way, where's Susan?"
"Hanging out with Daphne and Gwen, swapping war stories." Hannah shook her head fondly. "They're getting along like a house on fire. It's really quite something."
"I'm glad she's enjoying herself." Harry said sincerely.
All of a sudden, the Floo activated. Harry let out a long groan, while Pansy and Hannah both patted his arms sympathetically. "Don't worry. We'll make sure you get a good night's rest." Hannah promised. Harry grinned wryly before standing up and heading towards the fireplace in the hallway.
**~Back at the Ministry~**
"You're certain?" Harry asked, looking down at Scrimgeour and Jones.
"We're certain," Rufus asserted. "Riddle has been sighted, and he's headed this way."
"And it only took him the loss of half his forces," Harry deadpanned. "That man has no logic. It's amazing he has followers at all."
"He doesn't think he needs them. I imagine they're just there for his ego." Hestia Jones muttered, before blushing. However, Harry nodded approvingly.
"That sounds like him. Is the Ministry prepared?"
"Well start the general evacuation of everyone not in the Auror armed forces," Rufus responded. "I think the question is, are you prepared?"
"Always have been," Harry said grimly. "If I could kill him as a baby, I think I can kill him now. Especially with what I've learned and what I've achieved." The Slytherin and Black rings glowed brightly their respective colours at this comment.
"Very well. EVERYONE! GET TO WORK!"
**~A Few Hours Later~**
Voldemort – Tom Riddle – was furious, and though he refused to acknowledge it as it was, deep inside he was a little afraid. The loss of Slytherin's power had been devastating. Several of his men had abandoned him when they realized he wasn't the Heir, while some fled while thinking that he had become much weaker. He had taught them the error of that belief – he had been the most powerful wizard ever before he became the heir, damn it – but now he could feel a difference in his power level.
And now the power had gone to POTTER. The fact made Riddle's blood boil.
The Aurors fell back to the inner chambers of the Ministry the moment he appeared. Had the man possessed a modicum of common sense, he would have wondered why, but he didn't so he plowed in. Standing in the middle of the hall, wearing Basilisk scale battle armour, was a calm and serious looking Harry Potter-Black.
"Fancy meeting you again, Riddle." He said coldly. "Shall we begin?"
**~Back at Harry's Place~**
Guinevere glanced up at the sky. She, Luna, Daphne and Susan were all sitting on a blanket on the back lawn, listening to the lake water rush up against the beach and the birds chirping in the trees. Daphne gave her a curious look. "Something up, Gwen?"
"Just hoping my brother is being careful," Guinevere responded, before taking another bite of her muffin. Muffins were very popular among the wives.
"Don't worry too much, Gwen," Luna said simply. "Harry's never lost to him before."
"I know. It's just my job to worry." Gwen said, paraphrasing something Bill had said to her when she was young. The entire Weasley clan was being offered House Protection and Alliance from House Potter, and they had been invited to spend the weekend at Harry's Place in a week. Arthur and Molly had happily accepted. Ron had sent a long winded letter to Harry apologizing for the summer. Harry easily forgave his first friend, noting that most people did what Dumbledore said simply out of habit, because he projected an image of knowing everything in the world.
"Harry won't loose to that idiot," Daphne scoffed, buttering her muffin with a dainty hand. "With how I've prepared him? The troops? Nonsense."
Guinevere snickered. "Thanks Daphne. I can't argue with that."
"Good." Daphne said with mock seriousness. The girls all giggled a bit, while the sun started to set. It was setting over a new future, a new world, a new kingdom.
End Chapter
Dumbledore, time skip and lovely fluff due for next chapter! I hope you guys like it!
Read and Review please!