Hey everyone,
As promised the chapter that I just didn't have the time to write as I mostly did my writing in the last week of June. Before then my schedule was filled with other activities.
Let's do this,
Venquine1990
PS. I do have plans for Master Yen Sid, I just don't have the motivation to write for that story right now.
Chapter 52
A Grandfather At Hogwarts
7th of June 1996
Great Hall, Hogwarts
Braig's POV
The stress over exams is almost palpable in the air as I enter this majestic castle once again.
And while the young'uns told me that the OWLs, NEWTs and other exams won't be till the end of the month, I can easily spot several faces who could use a break from grinding and studying.
Because of this, I feel a strong sense of satisfaction and pride with the reason I am here as I feel confident it can help this stressed-out lot take their minds off of their worries.
If only for a few minutes.
I make sure to raise my voice a little as I greet the hall as a whole. A couple of groups had already turned to watch me as I approached and now I have everyone's attention.
"Lord Dinsted. It's wonderful to see you again. It's been a while." Even though Sirius has been training me in these customs, it still feels somewhat weird to hear the venerable wizard at the center of the Head Table address me with such a respectful title.
But thanks to my years as a Nobody, I manage to keep my sense of discomfort hidden behind a mask of cheerful dignity.
"It has been and I have much news to share from the, for me and mine, homefront, so to say. However, before I start sharing, who here wants to hear this?
Please know that, if a minority raises their wand, I'll simply ask the staff to prepare a room for us to meet. However, if the majority wants to hear this, the minority will just have to accept that.
We clear on all that?"
It actually somewhat amazes me, and seems to surprise a few members of the staff, to see almost every head in the Great Hall nod.
Then, to the clear annoyance of maybe 20 or 30 students, almost all of the other wands are raised above the heads of the assembled students.
I make eye contact with the few who look annoyed and give them a shrug that basically tells them heh, what can you do? They accept this with grateful nods.
"Okay, first things first. Could a member of staff perhaps conjure a curtain or something of the sort to cover the windows behind the Head Table?"
The staff seems confused about this, yet the small man – who I was told is called Filius Flitwick – complies with my request.
I thank him, pull out the special kind of Gummi Phone that Chip & Dale made for me for this trip and move over to their podium.
As I walk, I speak.
"So first of, the ceremony to ensure that the little sprog can inherit went really, really well. To be honest, if you were to judge the whole event based on how those two behaved around each other, you'd be forgiven for mistaking it for the official Bonding Ceremony that will take place in Yule.
Here, take a look."
I had worked the special feature of the specialized phone while walking and when I reach the podium, I press the required button on screen.
An expanding beam of light comes from the small circle at the left top corner on the back of the device.
And thanks to it expanding, the picture on my screen is shown much larger on the white, curtain-like screen covering the back wall.
The picture shows Harry and Lea in their wedding outfits, Harry's form very obviously showing that he was in his third trimester at the time of the photo being taken.
Yet it's the look of utter content and love that is shown on both their faces and the love in their eyes as they gaze upon each other that everyone focuses on.
"Like I said, their looks really proved that this ceremony meant way more to them than it was actually meant to.
Those looks on their faces really proved that, no matter what they do or how insignificant it might be, if they do it together, it makes them happy."
Mt of the female students gush, coo and make exclamations like aawww, upon seeing the picture. A few others are shocked at the sight of the picture shown on screen.
And naturally a few boys, who look too young to understand the beauty that is a relationship like this, just look at each other with looks of confusion.
I press the button again and the picture disappears off screen as the beam disappears. I continue my report as I ignore a few students bemoaning their supposed loss.
"Anyway, shortly before all of this, the little sprog suddenly started remembering oh right, I'm supposed to grow in here.
And as much as my boy may have trained for Quidditch and walked around the Grand Staircase in here, his stamina just wasn't up to snuff when it came to the incredible change in his body. It started tiring him out more and more.
Quite frankly a few of us were amazed at how well he managed to keep himself going that day, considering his growing fatigue started a week or so earlier.
And to make matters worse, in the very last week, his magic became erratic. Poor lad was actually forced to stay in a special hospital room in the Master's Castle, all by himself, for a whole week, just to make sure he wouldn't unintentionally hurt anyone.
Needless to say, we heard him scream a lot, both in pain over his magic running rampant in his body and his loneliness.
I only found out afterwards that Tron, our automated helper, was the one to use a moving pathway on the floor to send food to the boy's room.
Needless to say, doggo, my son and I did not approve of this.
Furthermore, we also regretted not using our phasing abilities for this purpose either.
Thankfully, Master Ansem and his apprentices felt equally guilty that they hadn't done this either.
Especially Aeleus as he would have been able to use his shield to protect himself.
Master Ansem also made it an official law that that would be routine from now on, in case a similar pregnancy comes to pass."
Even the students who had not been interested are now staring at me. Yet I grin at them and say: "However, none of you lot need to worry.
It's been a week since my boy has gone into labor. He was lucky enough to have a relatively short labor period and, by now, he and the little sprog have returned to stay with the Doggo until Harry's body has recovered from the pregnancy.
After that Harry and his little one will move in with my boy and they have, just the other day, decided to return to Hogwarts the first week of November.
Now the whole group understands that some of you might disagree with them waiting so long. But I'd like to remind everyone of what has been happening every all Hallow's Eve for the past five years.
Would you really ask my boy to risk that such an event might affect – or worse – hurt his little sprog?"
And even a few students who look like they're rough and used to living the rough, unfair kind of life, who grew up with lots of apathy in their lives and hearts, shake their heads at this.
I nod and say: "Either way, a few of the group knew you'd be able to understand their reasoning and decided to reward you for being, as they called it, more empathetic than you lot were a few months ago.
Students and teachers at Hogwarts, meet precious little – Erethea Jade Potter-Dinsted, my granddaughter."
And with that, instead of pulling up another picture and showing it off with the beam of light, I call my son and make sure that the screen is, again, being shown on the curtain.
Lea answers the phone after the first ring and says: "Hey dad, good timing. Harry just finished feeding and burping our little girl. If you'll wait a moment, Harry should be done putting little Rhea to bed in just a minute.
If the students promise to stay quiet or keep their voices low, I'll see about showing her off." I don't need to look around to know that everyone is nodding their heads solemnly.
And a minute or so later, Harry sticks his head around the doorframe that is behind Lea. Lea turns his head and heads in at Harry's nod.
They enter the guest bedroom that Sirius and Harry turned into a bedroom/nursery and move over to a huge two-person queen-sized bed with gorgeous draperies that has a baby cot attached to both sides of the bed.
And my precious little sprog, the granddaughter that stole my heart even before I got to hold her on the 29th of May, is sleeping peacefully in the one on the left.
She's wearing a little outfit that is obviously knitted with a great deal of love and care, has a few curly black hair strands with red highlights here and there and Lea's healthy complexion.
The girl has her mother's eyebrows yet they are shaped downward to the center of her brow, quite similarly to the eyebrows of her father.
And while only one hand, covered in the glove of the outfit, is visible, there is also a gorgeous yellow and black checkered wristband, with her name on the inside, wrapped around her wrist.
Needless to say, my granddaughter looks like a little angel as she sleeps.
And it really doesn't surprise me that a few girls quickly cover their faces to silence their squeals.
Yet Lea proves that he's as protective of his daughter as he is of his mate. He walks out of the room and, thankfully enough, the students wait until he closes the door behind him before they try to argue against this.
But Lea turns the camera his way and snaps: "My family, my rights of privacy. Radiant Garden doesn't have the same high-society rules and regulations, traditions or ways of acting as Wizarding England.
Be grateful that we're adjusting our family life to your ways of life. We're grateful for your understanding that we won't be back for a few months, but we'll always put our family above your desires where possible.
Keep it memorized.
We don't dig into your family.
Don't dig into ours when we come back.
Or we will leave – and might not come back.
And before any of you try it, even Hermione agrees with this decision of ours. Even she agrees that our family is more important than my mate's education and that he doesn't need his NEWTs to have a good life here in the Garden.
Keep that memorized."
And with that lesson the protective, loving father and mate ends the call. I calmly make sure to dismiss the feature that shows the call off on the big screen.
I look around and make sure to, again, lock gazes with the few who seem to feel personally insulted. And I silence their indignation with a single question:
"Would you have acted differently, if protecting your family's privacy?"
None of the 12 students who had looked obstinate, answer in the negative.
Though three of them still look away stubbornly. I quickly make sure to study their looks.
Then suddenly the Headmaster distracts me and says: "Braig, I can assure you and your family, the staff at Hogwarts fully supports the decisions of the Potter-Dinsted family and we are very grateful that your kids are willing to give us another chance.
Especially considering the truth behind your statement about Harry and his new home.
However, while he now has a new home, I also have information about his old one.
I was approached by Gerard, the Head Unspeakable in charge of Operation Restoration, earlier this morning and he had incredible news for me.
They're done."
Those two words floor me.
The Gummi Phone falls from my grasp.
That happened,
Also, what do you guys think of Erethea's description? Did you like it? Would you have let a daughter of Harry and Lea look different?
Let me know. Also, know that the next chapter – which will come out at the end of the month, like usual – will cover the final points and the results of Operation Restoration.
Until next time,
Venquine1990
