Ch 7 Collateral Damage
At lunch Erica Lionheart received one of the many paper airplanes that were flying around, landing in the hands of the older witches. It had CONFIDENTIAL written on the outside. Erica read it, her face paling as she took in the implications and showed it to James.
"What did Professor McGonagall mean when she talked about witches being late?" James asked Erica after lunch.
"You know witches have a period every month," Erica told James.
"It says that in the letter. I know the basics of reproduction," James confirmed, squirming uncomfortable at the mention of something so personal. "I think."
"Do you remember what we did three weeks ago?" Erica asked.
"Not really," James replied. "I know we snogged, and more, but I don't remember, I don't remember. I would think you would if you did it but that morning is foggy!"
"I don't think you can do it accidently," Erica thought. "We had better check, though."
"Why we… specifically, the note only says you?" James wondered.
"I assume if I am pregnant, you are the father, although I really don't think I could be. Except. I just don't know."
"Boggarts! James exclaimed. "I hope this doesn't mess with buying the Cannons."
"What about ME!" Erica exclaimed, hitting him in the shoulder… Hard! "It is sure going to mess with my ability to play." She sniffed, obviously very upset. "Pregnant witches don't get to play!"
James took Erica's hand, and they joined a reasonably large group heading towards the infirmary.
"I think we are the only fifth year students here," Ginny Wang whispered, gripping the paper airplane so tightly it was like she was trying to destroy it.
"You are sure?" Jesus wondered. Ginny had shown him the memo, and he was close to being terrified as well.
"I'm not sure of anything except that I've been very regular the last year and a half, and I have felt a little sick in the morning the last few days," Ginny replied.
"And you are late, like it hasn't started yet?" Jesus persisted.
"I'm late, and I feel a little different," Ginny admitted. "Maybe it is nothing, but we had better check.
"I'd better not be, though. We are only in fifth year, and, if I am, this could be very bad."
Flower Sprout and Emily Macmillan nervously stood together in line, holding hands to comfort each other.
"I don't think anything can happen accidently, can it?" Flower wondered.
"Saturday was a strange day," Emily countered.
"Really strange, and I ought to be able to remember more," Flower thought.
"You are sure you want me to come with you?" Charles Koizumi asked Patricia Lee as he took in the others nervously standing in line.
"You might as well," Patricia replied. "Everyone already considers us a couple."
"It is still embarrassing," Charles huffed. Reading that memo reminded him of everything he didn't want to be.
"Grow up!" Patricia exclaimed, turning from him and crossing her arms in frustration.
Helena Rosier and Annabella Bulstrode stood in line together, their heads close to each other so they could speak softly.
"You are sure condoms work?" Annabella wondered.
"If you use them," Helena replied.
"If for some reason you did it, but you didn't use them, then?" Annabella persisted.
"Then you have a problem," Helena confirmed. "There was something really odd going on three Saturday's ago, and I'm worried. Maybe I'm sick to my stomach just because I'm worried."
"Are you late too?" Annabella asked, wringing her hands in worry.
"I wouldn't be standing in line if I wasn't," Helena scowled, then pulled her friend into a hug. "We were going to marry after we graduated anyway, but I don't think an early pregnancy would be welcomed by anyone, me included. Our parents are not going to be happy, although the message on the airplane may help."
In separate rooms, both Genevieve Swan and Poppy Pomfrey were doing the Conceptum revelio tests.
Erica Lionheart and James Potter were led into a modest sized room. Poppy told the couple, "Strange things seem to have happened three weeks ago. We are doing a pregnancy test. It is possible that while you were unconscious last Saturday a spell caused you to have intercourse and then forget that you had done it."
Poppytested Erica. When the result showed that she was pregnant, Poppy confirmed that James was the father.
"What do we do now?" Erica wondered. James put his hand on her shoulder, both looking very pale.
"Normally you are pregnant for about eight more months, and then you have a baby," Poppy replied. "It is early enough that abortions are allowed, but they are strongly discouraged. Magical babies are precious."
"I guess we have to tell our parents," James sighed. "This is bad, isn't it?"
"It is HORRIBLE!" Erica exclaimed. "It is life changing. It is, it is too soon and, James!"
"Your father and mother already know about the strange things that happened three Saturday's ago, James," Poppy reassured the young Magi. "They may be surprised, but not shocked. I would spend more time with you, but we have more witches to test."
James and Erica left and went to one of the semi-private areas under the Gryffindor common room to talk, James comforting Erica but as worried as she was, she was beyond comforting. "This RUINS all our plans!" she stressed.
"It really doesn't ruin much," James countered. "I'm sure my father and the others will still buy the Cannons, and we will move to Chudley. The baby will be born before the start of the 2023-2024 season."
"Like you can have a baby and get back into shape right away! Having a baby is hard! I won't be able to practice in the spring and oh James, it's not like I don't want to have your, our baby but …" and she burst into tears. James held Eric for over half an hour as she cried herself out.
Ginny Wang and Jesus Rios went into a room to be tested by Genevieve. The Matron gave the couple the same explanation that Poppy had given to James and Erica, and then tested the couple, with the same result.
"There is no way I am having an abortion," Ginny insisted, putting her hands protectively over her belly. "I really don't want to tell my parents right now, though. They are not going to be happy about this."
"At least I'm the father," Jesus sighed. "We are really too young to get married, except I guess we have to. I'm glad it is you, Ginny, but it seems really unfair."
"My parents are going to kill us, well, I guess if the matrons and others say it was a spell they would not kill us. Kill us is just an exaggeration, but …" Ginny thought. "This is bad. Not having your baby, Jesus, but having it now, when we are just sixteen."
"I can give you pregnancy potions without telling your parents between now and Christmas break," Genevieve told the couple. "Abortions are strongly discouraged, in some places illegal, after four weeks, and almost everywhere illegal after three months."
"So we do not tell anybody until Christmas," Jesus nodded. "Thank you, Matron Swan."
When they were alone Ginny gasped, bursting into tears, "Oh Jesus, we are only in our fifth year! This is bad, isn't it!"
"It is not good but read the memo again. It is not our fault. And at least I'm the father, and we were going to marry eventually, we were rather sure. We are just totally sure now, and I love you, and we will make it work."
"Well, we don't have much of a choice, but I'm glad it is you," Ginny replied, crying and holding on to Jesus.
'Flower' Sprout entered the room where Poppy was testing witches. When she received her positive test, she told Poppy, "I am almost sure Joshua is the father. He and I were spending the morning together that Saturday."
"If you want to marry Joshua, I would. He will be the legal and magical father to the baby, even if for some reason he is not the biological father. If it would make it easier with the parents, we can confirm it, if you want."
"We probably will confirm it, but it won't make any difference, really," 'Flower' replied. She then left to find Joshua and give him the news.
Emily was tested by Genevieve. After she confirmation that she was pregnant she went to find Zeus.
"Remember what happened in Myrtle's bathroom three Saturday's ago?" Emily asked Zeus.
"Not really," Zeus replied. "I have some vague memory of going in there, and waking up, but nothing else."
"Apparently there was some spell or something that caused people to fall asleep, but some couples, before they did, they … sex … but you couldn't remember … and I don't but, but, Zeus, I'M PREGNANT!"
"Is that what happened in Myrtle's bathroom?" Zeus wondered, shocked at her announcement. "Maybe Myrtle could tell us."
"I'm not eager to let anyone know I became pregnant in that bathroom, or any bathroom," Emily scowled. "I don't want to be pregnant, but I don't want to abort this baby either."
"Maybe Myrtle could tell us what happened, though," Zeus insisted. "Plus, if it was some spell, knowing what she saw could help the Hogwarts staff and Aurors figure out what happened."
The couple went to Myrtle Warren's bathroom.
"Hello, Myrtle," Zeus said. "We would like to talk to you."
Myrtle appeared, looked at the couple, and laughed. "Did you enjoy yourselves three Saturday's ago?" she teased.
"We do not remember what happened, which is a real problem," Zeus replied. "It appears that I impregnated Emily, but neither of us can remember it. What did you see?"
"Oh, you did it," Myrtle replied. "It was strange, though. It was like you were under some spell. I've seen couples do it. Usually, it looks like they enjoy it more. I wish I could take off my clothes and do it, even if I had to do it with some ghost. I think I'd like to do it with Sir Nicholas, have him do it until his head came off, but of course we can't."
Emily looked like she was going to throw up at this suggestion. Zeus, however, just laughed at the ridiculous scene Myrtle was painting.
"I probably ought to tell someone," Zeus suggested.
"Tell Albus Potter," Myrtle replied. "He will tell his father. I like seeing Harry. I will let him know that Harry and his Ginny are welcome to use my bathroom any time they want."
"For THAT?" Zeus wondered.
"I've suggested a few more comfortable places for some couples," Myrtle replied.
"So then you watch?" Zeus pressed.
"I'm not saying anything more," Myrtle sulked, and then she flew to her toilet with a splash.
The couple walked out of the bathroom and found a private place to talk.
"Now what do we do?" Emily wondered.
"Get married?" Zeus wondered. "I thought it would happen in a couple of years, but I'll marry you as soon as we can."
"Thank you, Zeus, but a BABY!" Emily exclaimed. "I'm not ready for a BABY!"
"Do we have any choice?" Zeus asked.
"I guess I could ask for an abortion, but the matrons are not much in favor of that," Emily replied. "I cannot say I'm much in favor of it either. It is just that all our choices are terrible, well, not terrible but, Zeus, I'm not ready for this!"
"We have what, eight months to get ready?" Zeus asked. "And with the wedding spells and, I love you, Emily. We will just marry and make it work."
"We don't have much of a choice, do we?" Emily sniffed. "Except we are only in sixth year, and that means we will have a baby our last year, and everybody will look at us like we did something we shouldn't have done. Will they even let us room together? Will the girls in my dormitory have to help take care of our baby? Will they even let us marry?"
"I don't know," Zeus replied. "I am sure we are not the only people it happened to. Don't panic."
"YOU are not the one who is pregnant!" Emily stressed. Zeus hugged her as Emily tried not to panic.
Patricia Lee bounded into the room where Poppy was testing witches, Charles Koizumi following.
"I THINK," Patricia told Poppy, "that I may be pregnant! All the work we did to make me a witch WORKED!"
Poppy did the test, and confirmed it, and then tested the couple and confirmed that Charles was the father.
"My parents didn't want me to become a wizard," Patricia grumbled. "They totally disowned me when I transitioned to being a witch. I guess I should tell them that they are going to be grandparents, maybe Christmas, if they will even see me.
"I'll just keep staying at your house, Charles. We can sleep in the same bedroom, and you can ravish me and make me glad I'm a witch!"
"It's not like we have to worry about you becoming pregnant, since you already are," Charles agreed. "I wanted to be a wizard, so I cannot complain that I am going to be a father. It's rather impressive, really, being able to father children!"
"CHARLES, are you ready for a baby?" Patricia snapped. "I mean, in one way this is what I always wanted, but you are just in sixth year, and I'm PREGNANT!"
Helena Rosier was tested by Genevieve. After her pregnancy was confirmed, she asked, "You are sure it was some spell? Rudolphus and I are engaged to be engaged, and so it is not maybe the worst thing, but I would like to be able to tell our parents that it wasn't because we were not careful. We were supposed to wait until we were married to have a child."
Genevieve replied, "I can assure you that we will be telling any parents who ask that it seems to be a spell that caused many witches to become pregnant, and that it is not your fault."
"I'd better tell Rudolphus, then," she sighed. "We guessed it could be this way. We'd been very faithful with the condoms, but that Saturday, we didn't forget, exactly, but something happened.
"I don't think he or our parents are going to be happy about this. I know I'm not happy about it!"
Annabella Bulstrode saw Poppy. When she found out she was pregnant she asked, "You are sure it was Saturday morning October first?"
"So far everyone I have tested was with their partner that morning," the Matron replied. "If you cannot remember what happened, I would assume it was then."
"Then I know who I was with, and he is my boyfriend, so I guess we are OK. Except we really are not ready for this." Annabella looked at Poppy hard, and grimaced. "We are really not ready for this. He's Muggle born and not on good terms with his parents, and this is going to make things worse, and my parents are going to disown me, and we are really not ready for this. Can I get care here? Will Hogwarts help me take of a baby until we get a job? What will we do?"
Poppy reassured Annabella, "Neither you or your baby will lack what you need until you can get out on your own."
A shaky Annabella found Richard, and took him to one of the private rooms in the Slytherin Dorm. Once there she asked him, "Do you remember what we did Saturday October first?"
"I think we had fun," he replied, a concerned and questioning look on his face. "I cannot remember that day very well, not until later in the afternoon. It was a strange day."
"Well," and Annabella started to cry. "Well, oh Richard, apparently we started a baby. I'm PREGNANT. This is … Oh …"
"How can we afford a baby?" Richard wondered. "I rather expected that if we did marry we would eventually have children, but this is really awkward."
"AWKWARD! It's life changing. It's, my parents will disown me and we will be all on our own before we even graduate from Hogwarts."
"What choice do we have?" Richard wondered.
"We could abort the baby, but the matrons are really not much in favor of that, and I cannot say I am either. I mean, I know witches help Muggle women abort babies all the time, but aborting magical babies is really discouraged, and …"
"So I make sure I have a job before we graduate, and we start a family sooner than we wanted. I love you, Annabella. I love you."
There was a larger than normal crowd at religious services Saturday night, with many worried couples. Bishop Scheria had several clergies there, plus Magi from the Domestic Affairs department, and all of them were busy talking to couples.
Richard Fagan and Annabella Bulstrode were at the church services, which was unusual. When they were done, they approached Albus and Rose, who were sitting together. Cleo and Scorpius were sitting next to them, but when Richard approached Albus Rose stayed by his side and Scorpius and Cleo moved away. This pairing was unusual enough that several people noticed.
"Albus, Rose, this is my boyfriend Richard Fagan," Annabelle started. "Can we speak privately?"
"Just me, or may Rose come along?" Albus wondered.
Annabelle looked at Richard, who replied, "I don't mind if Rose is there."
"Would a semi-private place in the portrait room, with privacy spells, work?" Albus wondered.
"That would be fine," Annabelle replied.
When the two couples sat down Annabelle started, "I'm pregnant, Richard is the father, and we are going to marry." Annabella looked at Richard, and sniffed. It looked like she was close to bursting into tears. She looked back at Albus and Rose.
Annabelle looked at Richard again, and then down, before whispering, "I'm going to be disowned. Not welcome to ever see my family again. Richard is Muggle born, and I might as well be an orphan."
"My parents did not accept me being a wizard," Richard continued. "I'm might as well be an orphan as well. I have not seen any member of my family since I left for Hogwarts. I had to think long and hard about giving up magic, but my being a wizard was the only thing that explained things that had been happening to me. I cannot deny what I am.
"And what I am is destitute, living on charity. And now I am going to have to support a wife and child on nothing."
Richard looked like he was ready to cry.
"I am sure you can find a job when you graduate," Albus reassured Richard. "What do you want to do?"
"I'm good at languages," Richard replied. "My father was from Switzerland, the German speaking part, and my mother from France. English is really my third language. I've talked to a number of the MELL students, keeping up with my language skills, and would really like to do something that involved language."
"Like be a translator," Albus wondered.
"Something like that," Richard replied. "I'm rather good at learning new languages. It's not exactly magic, but you need to know magic to translate magical terms."
"Mum has some German books that I have tried to read," Rose thought. "I'm good at French, Aunt Fleur having taught us since we were little, and I know German, but I am sure I am missing something."
"Do you have time to do a little translating for us the rest of the school year?" Albus wondered. "I can pay you. I have money, and I think I can get you a job if it is something you like and are good at."
"How can you pay me?" Richard asked.
"Between the soap, shampoo and perfume business, and some money I have inherited, I'm not exactly poor," Albus replied. "There is family money as well. Rose and I have been blessed in not having to worry about money."
"That would be wonderful," Richard replied. He turned to Annabella. "We may be poor for a while, but we will survive."
Sunday morning after breakfast Zeus Sinistra and Emily Macmillan approached Albus.
"Could we speak to you privately?" Zeus asked.
"In the portrait room, with privacy spells?" Albus asked.
Zeus looked at Emily, asking, "Good enough?"
"If no one else can hear us, fine," she replied.
Once there Zeus said, "It is a little embarrassing."
"You are not the only couple who found out that they had become pregnant, and didn't remember three Saturday's ago that it happened and how it happened," Albus responded. "If that is what you need to talk to me about."
"What is so embarrassing is that we seem to have done it in Myrtle Warren's bathroom," Zeus replied. "I'm not sure why we went into that bathroom, or any bathroom. I don't want anyone else to know that it is there that we did it, but you probably ought to tell your father. Myrtle watched, which is also embarrassing, but she said, it was different, like it wasn't the first time she had seen a couple do it. So maybe she can help your father figure out what happened."
"I will not tell anyone except my father, and unless we have to will not tell even him who it was that Myrtle saw," Albus agreed.
"I would really appreciate that," Zeus responded. "I'm related to Professor Sinistra, and I can already see my parents berating me because of the scandal of getting Emily pregnant. I really don't want to add to the scandal by where we were."
Emily Macmillan was holding onto to Zeus's hand like she wanted to crush it. "I don't know how we are going to tell my parents. I know it was because of the spells, but the Macmillan's are not fond of scandal, and … I'm scared."
"Thank you for telling me this," Albus told Zeus and Emily. When they left he redid the privacy spell, and called his father.
Harry was at the New Burrow, sitting at the table just finishing breakfast, when Albus called.
"Hello, Albus. Why the call?"
…
"In the bathroom?"
…
"And she watched?
…
"Yes, I guess that would be embarrassing. Both parts. I will not ask who, but I do want to talk to Myrtle. I might head over there this afternoon, but I will not try to see you or anyone else."
…
"She is almost certainly more eager to see me most days than I am to see her, but this may be the exception."
The call was terminated, but Harry stared at his phone for a moment longer, shaking his head and starting to laugh.
"Out with it, Harry," Ginny jumped in with. "Who called, and who did what where?"
"Albus won't tell me who, but apparently one couple did it in Myrtle's bathroom three Saturday's ago, and Myrtle watched."
Harry had informed the family that apparently a spell had been cast over Hogwarts three Saturday's ago, and that during a missing half hour a number of students had, it seems unaware, become pregnant. He had also told the family that they were still working on finding out how many witches, and who they were.
"Is this related to the witches becoming pregnant?" Molly wanted to know.
Harry nodded his head 'yes.'
"Myrtle's bathroom and conception alley?" George wondered. "There ought to be some joke …"
"DON'T YOU DARE, GEORGE WEASLEY," Angelina yelled. "Forget what Harry said. We don't want anyone to know that which is embarrassing to that one poor couple. Don't you dare!"
Molly had her wand out, and was looking at George with fire in her eyes.
"Yes, Mum, Angelina Love," a suddenly chastised George agreed.
Harry, Ginny and Minerva were back at Grimmauld Place, with Minerva contentedly playing and Ginny reading. Harry told Ginny, "I think I will take a quick trip to Hogwarts. I should be back in an hour, no more than two."
"I'm sure Myrtle will be disappointed you didn't bring me along," Ginny scoffed. "We've never done it in a Hogwarts bathroom."
"No bloody way," Harry replied as he headed downstairs to the Floo. He called for Dobedo, just in case, and together they took the Floo to the Wheeze's store in Hogsmeade. Once there they walked to Hogwarts Castle, and up to Myrtle's bathroom.
Harry knocked on the door to the bathroom. No one answered. He pulled the door slightly open, and asked, "Is anyone in there?"
"No one but me," Myrtle replied. "Come in."
Harry gingerly walked into the bathroom. There was Myrtle sitting on the large central sink.
"Hello, Myrtle. It is good to see you again," Harry started. "I hear your bathroom has been used for something other than the usual functions. Could you tell me what happened three Saturday's ago?"
Two girls came flying into the bathroom, looked at Harry and Dobedo, and shrieked.
"I needed to talk to Myrtle, but I will leave," Harry told the girls.
They giggled, and Harry left. He and Dobedo sat on the floor across from the door to Myrtle's bathroom and waited.
Some minutes later the young witches left the bathroom. One of them said, "Thank you, Mr. Head Auror Potter, sir." Both young witches proceeded to giggle some more.
"I would talk to Myrtle somewhere else, but she seems to like to stay in her bathroom," Harry responded.
"She is nice enough," the same witch replied. "I guess she used to be called Moaning Myrtle, but she seems to be nice enough now, for a ghost that is. She has a strange sense of humor, though."
Both witches blushed.
Harry laughed. The young witches quickly took their leave.
Harry went back into the bathroom.
"Please do not tell any of the students what happened in this bathroom three weeks ago," Harry told Myrtle. "It is very embarrassing for the couple."
"You could partition off a corner of my bathroom for it, and I could even keep guard so no one would catch the amorous couple," Myrtle proposed.
"What did happen three Saturday's ago?" Harry persisted, ignoring Myrtle's offer.
"This couple came rushing into my bathroom and started to snog," she replied. "That was embarrassing enough, but then her knickers came off and his trousers came open and they, well, they did it, but that is all they did. Like they wanted to get it over with, and then get dressed again, and then they fell asleep. Both of them. And when they woke up I guess they didn't remember what had happened.
"I cannot tell what someone else is thinking, or feeling, but it was really strange. I asked the other ghosts, and they said that almost every witch and wizard in the castle, house elves too, fell asleep for about half an hour."
"And no one else saw anything else?" Harry wondered.
"You might ask Albus to talk to the ghost Scorpius Malfoy, but don't say I told you," she suggested.
'I wish I could get a memory out of a ghost, but this will have to do,' Harry thought. "Thank you, Myrtle," he told the ghost as he took his leave.
2022