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"This, everything, our situation is very bad." Said Dumbledore. He had gathered the Order for a meeting to discuss recent events. He knew something was brewing, it was almost time for the Yule Ball and he couldn't believe that it had taken this long for him to notice something was amiss.
"I still say we go to whatever backwater Peter's hiding in and drag him out!" said Sirius standing so quickly the table almost turned over. They were in a private room at the Hogshead pub, they couldn't have this meeting at Hogwarts because all travel in and out of the school was closely monitored. It only got worse as the Yule Ball approached, the entire school would be under more scrutiny than normal.
"This is not about Peter Pettigrew." Said Dumbledore. Sirius didn't sit down but looked at him challengingly. Several other Order members wondered why nothing was being done about Peter Pettigrew. The courts might have given him a slap on the wrist but he had betrayed the Potters, he deserved to die.
"Bullocks!" said Sirius loudly. Some other members gave slight nods in agreement. While Peter was out there he was still a threat. Dumbledore was a bit nervous, he needed to steer this conversation away from Peter Pettigrew. If they had known he was a failed spy, for him, they might lose all faith in him and the Order would collapse.
"Now Sirius something much more important has come to my attention." Said Dumbledore. Sirius sat down and let Dumbledore say whatever it was he had to say. If he didn't have his job at the school he'd hunt Peter down himself but now he had to train the next generation of Order members.
"What?" asked Molly Weasley apprehensively. She was starting to lose faith in Dumbledore. He should have done something about Ginny and that cursed book. It had been draining her life and driving her mad until she was admitted to ST. Mungo's for long term care. She got better when the book mysteriously disappeared. This was something she wanted to pin on Dumbledore but he would have mentioned something. Now she was back at Hogwarts but was getting privately tutored. There was no place safer for her than Hogwarts.
"Allastor Moody is not who he claims to be. His mind is very well guarded but a few weeks ago I caught him wandering the grounds disoriented and muttering about a graveyard and a plan. He was making odd facial movements and I got a glimpse of something having to do with one Lady Galatea Black and a ritual." Said Dumbledore. The room was filled with outraged mumurings and accusations that she was a Death Eater. Snape sneered. He knew something was brewing as well but that girl would not have been affiliated with the Dark Lord, he fell when she was just a small child and he knew that the Pettigrew family had no Death Eater leanings. Oh yes they were a very old and pure family, and there was always Peter Pettigrew, but they were neither dark nor light.
"So bring him here and make him tell us who he is!" said Sirius pounding the table. If there hadn't been a silencing spell on the room Aberforth would have thrown them out for abusing his furniture.
"It's not so simple, we can use this to draw Galatea and whoever else she is working for out into the open." Said Dumbledore. Sirius didn't look convinced and he was drawing more and more people to his point of view with every minute.
"Why didn't we do something about her when she was in Hogsmead with that whatever he is she calls a son?!" said Sirius. Hagrid was taking up a large corner of the room and he gave Sirius a dark look. He had seen the little tyke and could tell he was mixed with something. That didn't mean anything, he was just a boy.
"Because I didn't suspect her then. I'm now going to ask some of you to be stationed ta Hogwarts around him and to report his movements back to me." Said Dumbledore. He handed those that he picked their new contracts. They were to be a part of the Hogwarts defense system and work under this false Moody who he suspected to be a plant by Galatea.
"And why exactly aren't we doing something about the other threat under our very roof?" asked Sirius getting up and pacing the room. Dumbledore didn't like where this was going and attempted to get Sirius to sit back down.
"I don't know what you mean." Said Dumbledore. He knew what Sirius mean, Harry Potter and the Pettigrew first born. So far they had kept to their school mates and not put one toe seriously out of line in any way. In fact, they didn't seem to be up to anything at all.
"The brat that calls himself James' son and Pettigrew's little brat." Said Sirius. Snape clicked his tongue in dismissal. This made Sirius' blood boil. If he was Padfoot he'd be growling.
"The boy struts about the school as if he owns it, has no measurable talent, and certainly no respect but he is not a threat. The girl on the other hand isn't much like her contemptible father. From what I can gather she and the sickly looking girl work under Galatea and she is planning something having to do with the north and the Dark Lord. She doesn't serve under him but they wish to use him somehow." Said Snape. The was a collective silence in the room and Dumbledore's eyes lost their customary twinkle.
"How do you know this and why has it not been brought to my attention?" said Dumbledore ready to ring Snape's greasy neck. Snape was unfazed, how could anything that shared blood with that rat Pettigrew ever seek to use the Dark Lord.
"I saw it in the girl's mind. She is a hard person to find but she has a habit of looking people directly in the eye when she speaks. Also, she carries everything close to the surface. All three of them have most likely been instructed by Black's spawn not to communicate with you in any way." Said Snape. Sirius lunged at him and pinned him to the ground.
"Don't ever say that again Snivelly or I'll deny your Lord the pleasure and then kill you myself." Said Sirius. Snape smirked as Sirius was pulled off of him. This man also carried eberything close to the surface. His daughter did not. He couldn't get any kind of a reading from her in the brief time he had seen her.
"Are you denying that she is yours because that is something that you need to take up with her. Then again you were never the brightest person were you. Remember the part where you were arrested screaming about how you killed the Potters and then wonder why you were thrown into Azkaban?" said Snape his tone just begging Sirius to let him have it. Sirius on the other hand looked perplexed for a moment.
"Why was I in Azkaban anyway? You're head of the Wizengamot, Dumbledore. Surely you of all people could have gotten me a trial." Said Sirius. Dumbledore now began to feel hot under the collar. Luckily Severus had given him the perfect excuse.
"Things were crazy then Sirius and I do apologize for what happened. You were screaming about your guilt and the world was all turned in knots over the supposed Death of the Dark Lord. Then later with Harry Potter going missing and the discovery of Peter Pettigrew things simply got madder and madder." Said Dumbledore oozing sincerity from every wrinkled old pore. He couldn't let them figure anything out about Peter Pettigrew's role as his spy. He knew that Peter wasn't going to say anything, he was hiding in India on his tea and cotton plantation. Sirius saw how upset and utterly old Dumbledore looked just then and wanted take it all back. He felt terrible. The meeting was adjourned and he made his way back to Hogwarts.
"See Timmy, the rift is open. We can see the pretty lights from out boat window." Said Galatea as her son came too. The lights were much brighter and more vibrant than the aurora ever was. This was only temporary as the rift healed it's self a bit. She had to keep the statute of secrecy up until Voldemort was back. She had to admit she was worried sick about her poor baby boy. It took massive amounts of energy to open the rift but now that energy was pouring out. Step one was complete.
"Mummy, that hurt." Said Timothy as he sat up. He was on a transport ship back to India. Mummy was coming too and then going up to Scotland for some fancy party. He had been asleep for most the time going from the north down.
"You'll never have to do that again. I'm sorry baby." Said Galatea pulling him close. He bumped into her stomach and then looked very pensive.
"The baby doesn't want to go back to the cold place." Said Timothy. He could feel something like feelings from it, not thoughts. Mummy said that it still very little but he knew what he felt. Galatea smiled, she thought he was just playing a game.
"Well I think we're all glad about that." Said Galatea running her hands through Timothy's hair. Timmy was happy that he was going back to Beadle's house, it was warm there. Galatea leaned back on the bed and held her son. She never wanted to get so close to losing him again. Even if it was for the fate of the world.
"Harry, are you worried?" asked Portia. She and Harry were curled up under a blanket in the astronomy tower just the two of them. It felt like they were the only two people in the world. Harry pulled her onto him so that she was curled up on his chest.
"About the ball? A bit but we've practiced dancing and such before so I'll get through it." Said Harry running his hands though her hair. It was completely down and almost to her waist. It was darker at the roots and blonde at the bottom. He wasn't upset about Galatea anymore, it would have never worked out with her. This was his wife…in time. Yes, he had to be with her. And hopefully tonight would be the night they were together. Physically.
"About the tournament, Harry. Two people died." Said Portia. Harry kissed her deeply. Portia felt like she was floating on air. She hoped that this would be their night. They had escaped to the tower after bed check and knew that they would be alone for hours.
"I won't. I promise." Said Harry kissing her again, they kissed deeply until her hair became knotted in the clasp of her necklace. This layered her in some person protective wards but cancelled out any other wards on her person. She knew that it was cancelling out the contraceptive wards around her so she had taken some anti pregnancy potion she brewed herself in secret. She couldn't purchase it because the owls always made such a spectacle out of delivering the mail and Lady was not seen with such things.
"I love you." Said Portia sliding her hands under his shirt. Harry rolled over so that he was on top of her and cast a cushioning charm on the hard stone floor.
"I love you too." Said Harry. And then two became a very sweaty and uncomfortable one. They walked back to their area hand in hand. He thought he loved Galatea but now he knew he loved Portia. Portia wanted nothing more than to be in his arms forever but she knew that she had to get back quickly. What they had done broke about fifty school rules and warranted academic suspension as well as a very awkward conference with her parents. And for the rest of their lives they would be known as the perverts who shagged in school.
"Night." Said Harry as they reached Hufflepuff. Portia stuttered out something and then kissed him. Little did they know that they were being watched. Ginny Weasley stayed I he shadows and watched her beloved enter Hufflepuff. She stayed in the private quarters reserved for married students and got all of her lesson in private so she didn't have a chance to get acquainted with Harry Potter. She loved him though. Oh yes, he was Harry Potter of course she loved him. He saved her from Tom. She didn't know how he did it but he did. Because that was what he did, saving people. He had even saved her brother and that annoying Granger girl. She knew that the rumors weren't true, he couldn't be a dark wizard. His soul was so pure he rebounded a killing curse. He was pure and perfect and he belonged with her. So what if he was chubby and spotty, it wasn't the box that matter but the present inside. It hurt her physically to see him with that slag but she could win him back. Yes, a plan formed in her mind. She would get him and then everything would be perfect. She quickly went back to her room to plan. Once she had Harry everything would be alright.
The Yule Ball had come at last. All of the students had stayed behind this year to attend and several important people had come as well. Harry and Portia entered arm in arm, stopping only to see if Persephone was alright. She looked a little peaked and said it was just nerves. She then took a page out of fake Moody's book and drank something from a flask. They hoped she wasn't becoming some sort of thirteen, almost fourteen, year old lush.
"Are none of you going to at least give me a hello?" asked Galatea appearing from the crowd. She wasn't wearing dress robes like the pure blood crowd but a long green dressed that shimmered when she walked. Galatea thanked Merlin that moving patterns had finally gone out of style, those were simply obnoxious.
"Galatea!" they all said at once and hugged her. Harry stayed towards the edges, he didn't want to wrinkle his new evening suit. He searched the crowd for Peter and Addie but didn't find them. He sighed; it was safer for them in India after all.
"We're all essentially wearing the same dress." Said Persephone as they broke the hug. It was eerie how similar their dressed looked except for the colors. Galatea was in green as usual, Portia in blue, and Persephone in pink. They all had different rare bird feathers in their hair which was piled high atop their heads. Even their evening gloves were identical white with lace at the top and lace connecting to their sleeveless dresses. Did they always dress like that?
"In our customary colors." Said Portia unable to meet Galatea's eyes. She now felt guilty about what she had done with Harry. She felt as though she had stolen him from Galatea even though she had written to Galatea about it. Galatea seemed alright and hadn't gone back in time and sawed her legs off as a child or anything so things were alright. If someone stole Harry from her she'd saw their legs off without anesthetic. Like that odd red haired girl who seemed to be staking them.
"I know what this is about and I'm alright with it. It would have never worked and besides, I have bigger fish to fry." Said Galatea coming in close to Portia so nobody could hear. He had received many startling things in letters from both everyone. She had cared for Harry but had to be an adult about this. An adult who was craving lots and lots of greasy fish and chips. Yes, with tomato sauce and olives.
"Good, I was feeling terrible." Said Portia giving her hand a little squeeze. They all walked into the great hall together. It looked like winter threw up on it. The fairies flying around were a nice touch but Galatea only saw them and missed Timothy. He would have loved this. Unfortunately no small children were allowed.
"I bet you all of my chocolate frog cards that Dumbledore himself decorated this." Said Harry. There was fake snow raining down upon them, the floor had been spelled to look like ice as were all the tables and chairs. Fairies flew above their heads and into unbearably tacky decorations. Wow, Harry never realized how snobbish he could sound inside his own head.
"I don't take bets I can't win." Said Persephone. Portia and Galatea nodded in agreement. They chose a table near the dance floor. Portia and Harry went to the middle of the floor and took their starting positions. People looked a bit baffled, they were in competition with each other after all. Rita Skeeter felt a new article brewing. Yes, people loved star crossed lovers.
"Nervous?" asked Portia. She knew she was. All of these people were watching her, waiting for her to mess up. Harry's hands suddenly felt very heavy on her. He was making her nervous. What if she couldn't dance as well under pressure as she had in the past and he wanted a real lady who could.
"Never." Said Harry as he pulled her a bit closer. He lied of course, this was terrifying. Almost everyone important was there and those who were could always read about it in the papers or get it from the gossip grape vine. He wondered which would reach Planter's Circle first.
"Is that possible?" asked Portia as the other champions joined them. She locked eyes with Hermione Granger, she looked good in her purple ball gown. Purple was the color of royalty, why couldn't she have been purple instead of blue. Yes, she just had to focus on trivial things like how she felt out of place in powder blue at this event and not on bigger things like how good Harry felt against her or the strange feeling she got when she looked over at Hermione.
"I just pretend that they're something friendly…like an executioners block." Said Harry. Portia gave a little giggle and the music started up. They danced so gracefully, in Portia's mind at least, that everyone else was jealous. Harry wasn't sure about everyone being jealous but they sure did look good out there together. They danced and danced, taking small punch breaks occasionally. Portia noticed that every time she came back her glass was full but thought that it was Harry doing it. She felt very drowsy while Harry felt wilder and more fearless. Several other people were also staring to loosen up and Harry assumed that there was something alcoholic in the drinks. All in all everyone had a good time, a wizard rock band even came to play and a small part goblin teacher was carried above everyone's heads in the mosh pit. At midnight Galatea took her leave like Cinderella at the ball, much like many of the other non-school related people. The Ball was over at one because they were still students even if they were on break. Persephone took a sleeping Portia back to the girls dorms and Harry stayed behind to spend some time with lads for once. He was joking with Ron Weasley and getting progressively drunker until the Ball was over. By that time he was having trouble walking and was helped by why he thought was Portia.
"Steady Harry." Said Ginny Weasley. She had managed to put her plan into action. She arrived at the Yule Ball with fellow outcast Neville Longbottom and had gotten a table near Harry's. She had put a slow acting sleeping potion into Portia drink and had made the punch the students drank alcoholic. She made sure that Harry was good and drunk before getting back to her room and Polyjuicing herself into Portia. If he wanted her to be that girl then she'd be that girl.
"Where we goin'?" slurred Harry as he was lead to an unused classroom. Ginny threw open the door and led him to an area with incense and candles burning. This was the more difficult part of the plan. She had made sure that this classroom was out of the way and secluded but still utterly perfect for what she had planned.
"Somewhere special." Said Ginny as she threw open the classroom door. If Harry hadn't been seevn sheets to the wind he would have wondered why they weren't in the astronomy tower, that was there place.
"It's dark." Said Harry as he sat down. The ground was moving too fast for him. Ginny had put a little something in his drink to make him more susceptible to alcohol. She was unfortunately limited by what she was capable of brewing. She had barely gotten the Polyjuice potion right. She drank a special potion she had brewed herself and pulled Harry onto her. Afterwards she had sent Harry to his room, couldn't have people discovering him here after all and she to hers very pleased with herself. She laid down in her plush bed and wondered if she had done the right thing, something felt wrong about that but she knew Harry wanted that girl and not her. Tom's voice in her head told her that this was the perfect thing to do and soon everyone would know her as Ginny Potter. Sometimes Tom had good ideas like that. She was happy that he was going away though, he wasn't nearly as loud as we was before and couldn't make her mind all hazy where she's wake up outside covered in blood and feathers. Later on Harry would wonder what exactly he did last night and why he had such an ach in his spine.