Disclaimer: All Characters and things associated with Harry Potter belong to J.K. Rowling and Warner Brothers. This writing is purely for entertainment only.
Summary: A tragedy unravels the Weasley Family and the Wizarding World forever, but with the use of a time turner can one Weasley save them all?
Chapter 7
Ron was woken up early the next morning by a horrible sound coming from the bathroom. It took him a moment to register what it was before leaping out of bed and making his way into the bathroom to find Hermione sick over the toilet.
"Oh no, Hermione," Ron knelt down and pulled her curls away from her face.
Hermione tried to wave him off but gave up quickly as she got sick once more before flushing the toilet and leaning against the wall. She had been hoping not to wake him up.
"You're bloody sick," Ron assumed.
Hermione gave a small smirk, knowing Ron had no idea the real reason she was sick was because she was very much pregnant with his child. "I'm alright. Just must have eaten something funny."
"Maybe you should stay home today," Ron suggested.
"No, I'll be fine in a bit," Hermione said, which so far was usually true. So far her morning sickness had limited itself to just the morning.
Ron narrowed his eyes at his wife. "I really think you should stay home. You never get sick like this."
"I'm not sick, Ron. I'm telling you I'll be fine," Hermione said, slowly getting to her feet as Ron quickly reached out to help her. Once she was on her feet, she did feel better.
Ron watched her for a moment and then nodded. "Well, at least let me take you into work this morning."
Hermione was surprised. Usually, Ron had to be there much earlier than she did, and they rarely went in together.
"Ron, really I feel better. I don't need you to walk me into work-" Hermione began.
"I'll feel better if I do," Ron said. Truthfully, he was a little worried she was sick, but he was more worried about her wandering around outside alone right now. Until he knew what type of potential danger they could all be in, until they could figure out the prophecy and whatever else was going on, he knew he would feel better if he could keep an eye on Hermione.
"Is this about what you told me last night? About what Kingsley has you all working on?" Hermione guessed.
Ron's ears went red. "Am I that obvious."
Hermione gave Ron a small smile and cupped his cheek, deciding in that moment she would try again that evening to tell him they were going to have a baby. "Yes, but I appreciate you worrying about me."
Lex woke up and found the sun glaring through the window directly on her face. She rolled over, trying to hide herself, and quickly realized she was not in a bed but on a couch.
She sat up and realized she was in the flat she was sharing with Scorpius and she had slept on the couch in the living room rather than the bed she had picked. She glanced around and found her shoes off, on the floor next to her, and a blanket wrapped around her.
Her brow furrowed. She didn't remember falling asleep or taking her shoes off, the last thing she remembered was crying a bit about how overwhelming it had been to see her father again and then Scorpius pouring them both a big glass of fire whiskey.
Lex rubbed her head, realizing it was throbbing a bit.
"Hungover?" Scorpius asked, emerging from the bathroom, already dressed for the day.
"A bit. Did I pass out here?" Lex asked.
Scorpius nodded. "I tucked you in."
"Thanks," Lex sighed, slamming her head back into the couch and closing her eyes. She did not want to have to get up.
"You should probably shower. We need to get in there early again today," Scorpius said.
"Just already feels like these tasks are overwhelming," Lex admitted.
"It won't once we know we've stopped whoever it was attacking your Mum, and once we find this prophecy," Scorpius reminded her.
"Yeah, except both of those will likely take forever," Lex sighed again.
"You can't literally be giving up after one day. I thought you Gryffindors were tougher than that," Scorpius teased a bit.
Lex opened one eye and glared, but Scorpius could tell she was taking his words in stride.
"Go shower. You smell like a bar," Scorpius told her.
Lex made a face but did as he requested, ripping her tank top off as she made her way to the room and making Scorpius look away, slightly in discomfort. Lex was not a kid anymore. She had really grown up and was starting to look so much like Rose had, aside from the brown hair and darker complexion, but her lips and nose were the same, both girls had gotten them from their mother.
Ron made sure Hermione was safe in her office before making his way down to the Auror's office where he found Harry, Lex, Scorpius, and Kingsley all in Harry's corner office already.
"Sorry, wanted to make sure Hermione got in safely this morning," Ron explained why he was the last to join the group.
"Well, before we get started, I have some news to share..." Harry said, then taking a deep breath with a smile. "Ginny is pregnant again."
Everyone in the room congratulated Harry, and Lex gave Scorpius a small side eye. If Ginny was pregnant that meant Hermione was too. Rose and Albus were only born a few weeks apart.
"Bloody happy for you, mate. Glad it's you and not me though," Ron joked, patting Harry on the back.
Lex bit back a smile, knowing only how wrong her father was, and wondering if her mother knew she was pregnant yet.
"Thank you. I wanted to tell you all before we got into whatever it is we are getting into here," Harry said.
"Indeed, some good news is welcome," Kingsley said, and then he spoke to the wider group. "I suspect we do the same as we did yesterday. Scorpius and Harry, head back down to the Department of Mysteries. Ron and Lex, I thought you both could head to Hogwarts. Make sure everyone there is safe and the school is secure."
"Aren't there already Aurors there?" Ron asked
"Yes, but we had a few Death Eater attacks in Muggle London near some homes of Muggle-born students. It's as if they're looking for something, so I want extra eyes on that place. Give it a thorough sweep." Kingsley said
Ron nodded as a knock on Kingsley's door ended the meeting and the four left to go their respective ways.
Lex followed behind Ron as they made their way to the Atrium of the Ministry.
"Don't love that Muggle-Borns are being targeted," Ron sighed, glancing in the direction of Hermione's office.
"Do you want to go check on your wife?" Lex heard herself ask and realized the question terrified her. It was overwhelming enough to be with her father who didn't know her but she wasn't sure if she was ready to see Hermione yet.
"She is safe here for now. I'd like to get to Hogwarts and back quickly. Then I need to figure something out. We've got charms on the house but I'm worried that won't be enough if something really is happening." Ron said, realizing quite a few people were watching he and Lex. He did not like having so many eyes on him when he was under stress and he quickly began walking away, expecting Lex to follow him.
Lex nodded, understanding his concern and realizing she was not at all shocked that Ron had protected Hermione from an attack in the past. He was so on edge about keeping her safe, in a way she had never seen her father. As she followed him further into the Ministry, she wondered if his guard was up because the war was still so fresh. Her father had always kept a watchful eye on them, but this felt so different, as if he was desperate to keep Hermione safe from anything and everything.
Hermione sat at the large desk in her office and sighed as she tried her best to concentrate on a new set of laws pertaining to the growing of magical plants in private homes. She had reread the first page nearly three times, trying to focus but her thoughts drifting back to the feeling that she was going to be sick any moment. The morning sickness only seemed to be getting worse and she knew she needed to tell Ron she was pregnant soon because she would not be able to hide this very long at the rate it was going.
A knock on her office door broke her from her thoughts, and she cleared her throat. "Come in!"
Hermione's door opened and her assistant, Lena, entered. Lena was a few years younger then Hermione with long black hair and dark eyes. A former Ravenclaw, Lena was smart and by all accounts conventionally beautiful. She was ambitious and Hermione expected she would not be her assistant long before she received a promotion.
"Good morning, Mrs. Weasley," Lena smiled, bringing in a tray with tea and some small baked goods, placing them down on Hermione's desk
Suddenly, any thoughts of morning sickness vanished and Hermione found herself very hungry. She reached for a muffin. "Please, Lena, I told you to call me Hermione. Mrs. Weasley makes me think of my mother-in-law."
Lena just gave a small smile. "I was asked to see how things were going with your review of that request to allow the giants more territory in the north."
"Oh! I completely forgot," Hermione frantically shuffled through the papers on her desk. It was so unlike her to be this disorganized, and she was worried the pregnancy was already starting to have serious effects.
"I can come back in a bit," Lena said quickly.
"No, it's here...oh no, I must have left it at home. I was reviewing it last night," Hermione realized.
"It's quite alright, I don't think it being a day late will make anyone lose their marbles." Lena went and looked out the small window in Hermione's office that overlooked the atrium of the Ministry.
"I suppose you're right," Hermione sighed. She hated not being prepared.
"Have you met Ron's new partner yet?" Lena asked.
"No, not yet," Hermione said, pouring herself a cup of tea.
"She's rather pretty..." Lena's voice was dripping with the faintest hint of jealousy.
Hermione nearly choked on her tea. "What?"
"She's very pretty. All the men downstairs have been talking about her nonstop. I don't personally get it, she looks a little too tough to me," Lena said, moving away from the window.
Hermione racked her brain. Ron had not mentioned his partner was a woman. Why wouldn't he tell her that? Was he trying to hide it from her? Hermione shook her head, embarrassed at her own jealousy creeping up. Surely, Ron didn't do it intentionally.
"He didn't tell you?" Lena guessed from Hermione's expression.
Hermione's eyes snapped up to meet Lena's. "No, just mentioned her name was Lex and apparently she's very good at her job."
Lena shrugged. "I guess that could be a man's name...I could see the confusion."
Hermione bit her lip a bit and gave a slight nod, unable to shake Ron leaving this detail out. He never omitted important things and wouldn't telling her that the first new partner he had besides Harry was a woman.
Scorpius and Harry were both exhausted. They had been down in the Department of Mysteries for a few hours now with no luck as far as Scorpius was concerned. So far, they had only found two other blood curse prophecies, and neither were related to the Weasley family.
"This may take years," Scorpius said.
Harry sighed and turned back to him from an aisle away. "I know. I wish there was a faster way. Not exactly exciting stuff."
"Hardly," Scorpius said as he heard something creak down one of the aisles.
Harry heard it too and both of them stopped moving, listening carefully to the air around them.
Another creak from behind Harry this time. Again, both looked in that direction but this time were surprised by spells being blasted at them as 5 Death Eaters hiding behind their masks came out around the shelves.
A small battle quickly emerged, with Scorpius taking out one Death Eater while Harry chased three down another aisle. Two were blasting spells at him while one was ahead, frantically searching the shelves.
Harry blasted another spell, knocking a shelf over and in the process seeing the death eater far enough ahead carefully grab a red orb in a cloth. The Death Eater then turned to Harry and smiled before blasting one more spell and the three of them regrouping with the other two before blasting two shelves down to put something between Harry and them before they all disappeared into the dark.
"They took something!" Scorpius emerged from behind Harry looking a mess with a small cut on his cheeks.
"A prophecy..." Harry nodded, still staring in the direction the Death Eaters went.
"Bloody hell...a red one?" Scorpius asked, trying to get his breathing under control. He was no Auror and that was the first real battle he had ever been part of. It was scary and thrilling all at once.
Harry nodded.
"I didn't think you could pick up a prophecy that didn't belong to you," Scorpius said, wiping the blood from his cheek.
"You normally can't...they had a cloth or something," Harry sighed.
"His wand looked familiar," Scorpius said, speaking of one of the Death Eaters.
"You recognized it?" Harry asked surprised.
Scorpius thought for a moment. One of the wands did look familiar to Scorpius, yet he had no idea how he recognized it or who it might belong to. "I think."
"Well, think harder. We need to go tell Kingsley. If they were able to get in here, the Ministry isn't safe..." Harry said, beginning to leave the Department of Mysteries with Scorpius hot on his heels.
Lex and Ron arrived at the gates of Hogwarts after disapparating as close as they could to the grounds. It was weird for Rose to be back there. It had been years since she had graduated and she had not been back since. Lex had a strained relationship with the school at best. She had some amazing times there, she was the captain of the Gryffindor Quidditch Team and she was one of the top students in her class and yet she always felt like, especially after losing her father and siblings, she was forever in the shadow of her famous parents and siblings.
"We need to go in here and up to the Headmaster's office," Ron pointed the way to what was now McGonagall's office.
Lex had to stop herself from telling her father she knew exactly where to go. As far as he thought, she had never attended Hogwarts.
Lex followed her father to McGonagall's office where he knocked on the door.
"Please come in!" McGonagall's voice came from the other side of the door.
Ron opened the door to find McGonagall sitting at her desk. She smiled when she saw him.
"Mr. Weasley, so good to see you! You brought a friend," McGonagall stood and looked past Ron to Lex, studying her very hard.
Lex avoided eye contact with McGonagall, feeling like McGonagall was studying her far too hard and she knew why. Even in the future, McGonagall used to comment about how much Lex looked like her mother, and she was certain the older witch could see the resemblance now as well.
"Uh, right...this is my new partner, Lex," Ron said.
"Njce to meet you," Lex shifted uncomfortable in her spot and glanced around McGonagall's office. When she had gone to Hogwarts Neville Longbottom had been the Headmaster and his decoration style was far different from McGonagall's.
McGonagall eyed Lex for a moment longer and then directed her attention back to Ron. "What do I owe the pleasure of the visit, Mr. Weasley l?"
"There's been some concerns with some attacks recently...Death Eaters...we just want to make sure that Hogwarts is protected and that, well everyone who helped Harry is safe." Ron explained their visit.
McGonagall nodded. "So I've heard...as always the Ministry has done a wonderful job keeping us all safe here but I wouldn't mind an extra Auror or two..."
"Easily done," Ron nodded.
And just as McGonagall was about to continue, the door to her office opened and the two students Ron recognized as Head Boy and Head Girl based on their clocks came in and handed McGonagall a note. The older witch took it and read it quickly, color draining from her face.
"Something wrong?" Ron asked.
McGonagall handed Ron the note. "You had better get back to the Ministry, Mr. Weasley."
Ron quickly read the note and then looked at Lex. "There was an attack at the Ministry...Harry and Scorpius. They are safe but something was taken."
"Taken?" Lex felt a pit in her stomach. She had an idea what was taken and she was worried it was the prophecy pertaining to the blood curse in her family, the one Harry and Scorpius were supposed to be looking for.
Ron nodded as he started out the door of McGonagall's office with Lex right behind him.
"Do we know what?" Lex asked.
"No, but that's not what I'm worried about...how did they even get into the Ministry? It's supposed to be the safest place..." Ron was walking even faster now, knowing Hermione was at the Ministry when the attack happened. The note had said they had sent everyone home, and Hermione had an extra security detail but that didn't ease his worries. He needed to get back to her as quickly as he could.