May 1st,2005
It was almost amusing to Harry, watching out of the corner of his eye, as Rita Skeeter kept glancing his way from across the courtyard of Hogwarts, obviously wanting an interview, but recalling his words to her the last time she had tried.
As long as she stayed over there and didn't approach him or mention him as a focal point of one of her articles without his consent, they wouldn't have a problem.
May 8th, 2005
Discover morefamilyBabies & ToddlersChildren's BooksFan merchandiseFiction writing toolsHarry watched as everyone congratulated Hermione and Ron on the pregnancy.
He wanted to be happy for them, excited with them, but he found he couldn't.
Weren't they worried at all? Hermione was still early on, weren't they worried about suffering the same loss as Harry and Ginny had?
No, Harry didn't think he could let himself be excited for them, for another few weeks, if not until the baby's born. At least until she's well into her second trimester.
Pregnancy& Maternity
Discover moreScience Fiction & FantasyRoommates & SharesBooksPregnancy & MaternityReal Estate ListingsMay 15th, 2005
"You guys can go ahead and go to Molly and Arthur's." Harry had told Ginny, as she and the boys headed toward the fireplace.
"Aren't you coming, too?" Ginny asked, eyebrows raising.
He nodded, distractedly, "I'll be there soon." He had said.
Ginny glanced at the clock in her parents living room, that had been two hours ago.
Roommates& Shares
She really wished her husband wouldn't pull away as he was wont to do. While she knew that today was hard for him, it was hard for her as well.
X
Harry watched as Ginny ushered James and Teddy through the floo, sighing after the fire went back to orange. He sat on the couch, staring into the flames.
He wasn't sure how long he sat there, knees pulled up to his chest, before unfolding and leaving the house. Shutting his eyes, and apparating away once he as out of the wards.
His feet hit the ground again, and the first thing he noticed was a strong earthy smell, that had a hint of pine to it, things he had thought were due to Christmas the first time he had been here.
He felt a breeze on his face and cracked his eyes open.
The small two-story house stood tall as usual, overlooking the overgrown yard.
The white picket fence around the yard creaked as he had to use force to push the rusted gate open. He followed the brick path, that was missing bricks here and there, up to the door.
The door swung open on first try, not even locked.
Harry looked around at the first room, able to take the house in in a way he hadn't been able to before.
In the middle of the living room, creating a small walkway behind it, was a brown couch, with a red and yellow striped blanket thrown over one of the arms. Next to the couch, making an L shape, was a matching rocking chair that had its footrest up, as though the last person to sit in it had climbed over the arm to get up.
Across from the rocking chair was the biggest, plushest, armchair that was the brightest red and clashed with the maroon shag carpet. The chair was covered in both orange and black animal hair, the orange could have been dog or cat for all Harry knew, but he knew without a doubt, the black was dog.
He was genuinely surprised that he had missed both the armchair and the carpet the first time around.
He stepped through a doorway next to the fireplace, to be met with a room that appeared to have meant to be a bedroom but had been used as an office.
There were bookshelves filled to the brim with both muggle and magical books.
A desk was a across the room from the bookshelves, nothing setting atop it, other than a leather-bound book, flipped open to a page around halfway through, with a photograph, slid in the creese between the pages the book was open to, and a quill and inkpot.
Picking the photo up, it was it was obviously muggle, the small family of three still radiating pure love, even as they were frozen in time. He glanced at it briefly, before flipping it over and sure enough, there was writing on the back.
January 30th, 1981
Lily (21), James (20), Harry (6 months)
It was written in a straight, blunt handwriting, that slanted just slightly to the left. If he had to guess, it was the handwriting of his dad, not being the flowery handwriting he knew his mum had.
Harry flipped the photo back over, taking it in this time. His mum, red hair braided up into a crown, strands falling out and framing a heart shaped face which was sprinkled with freckles, one arm wrapped around her husband, the other hand on his upper arm, head resting lightly on his shoulder as her green eyes, exactly the same color as his own, sparkling as she stared down at his baby self.
His dad was the one holding him in strong arms, hazel eyes gleaming, left cheek dimpling with a grin, as he too, looked down at the infant, having taken his tiny hand in his own. Harry could see why most said he looked like his dad, with several similarities between them, their eye shape, mouth, and hair were near identical, though his dad's hair seemed to curl more than Harry's ever had while cut short.
But what stood out the most to Harry at the moment, was how young they were.
He was three years older than his mum and four years older than his dad, would ever be.
He continued to stare at the photo even as he set it on the desk, picking the book up.
Before he knew it, he was once again reading what he knew as his mum's flowery handwriting.
October 21st, 1981
Dearest Prongslet,
I'm writing this after you've gone to bed, just before going to bed myself.
Headmaster Dumbledore allowed me to visit home this evening for your
dad and I's wedding anniversary. It's hard to believe that it's already
been 3 years since I married him. When I first got home, I swear, I had
thought your dad had forgotten it, don't worry though, he just wasn't
expecting me until Friday. Though, I suspect he may have had other
things on his mind as well, with what he told me just a couple hours
ago.
He told me that you're going to be a big brother! He's pregnant again,
you should have a little sibling sometime in May. It's another thing
that's hard for me to believe, but I'm so excited to meet him or her
when the time comes. I'm especially excited for you to meet them, as
I know you're going to be a great big brother. Don't worry, though,
we'll always love you just as much as we always have. Just know that
you're always loved, no matter what.
With love, your mum,
Lily Jane Potter
Harry couldn't help but stare at the journalunseeing. He would have been a big brother, should have been. It wasn't just his parents that he had lost that night anymore, he had lost a little sibling as well, the possibility of a future where he would have been just the oldest of many children. His parents had called him 'Prongslet'. His mum had… worked at Hogwarts? Their anniversary seemed to have been in October.
His eyes strayed to the second page the journal was opened to.
October 31st, 1981
Dearest Prongslet,
This morning I found out that the little sleeper your uncle Padfoot got
you when you were first born finally fits you. It was the funniest thing
to me, the man had shown up at the hospital with a 12-month sleeper
for a five-pound infant. Your father naturally, had defended Sirius'
obliviousness about children's and infants clothing.
I tried to talk to your aunt Petunia again the other day. I hope you have
a better relationship with your little sibling than I do with my big sister.
Maybe she saw me trying to share the news with her as an attack on
her and Vernon's lifestyle. Maybe they can't have any more children
and thought I was trying to rub it in. You can never really tell with her.
I just wish she and I could have a better relationship than we do.
Your grandpa Harrison, my dad, likes to tell me in these situations,
that 'it doesn't do to dwell on the shoulda, coulda, woulda beens and
forget to live.' I guess I need to follow his advice. I haven't mentioned
this to him, though, so who knows what he'd tell me here. Your
grandma Euphemia, your dad's mum, would tell me that I need to
talk to my loved ones, and never give up on them, or never let them give
up on me. She was a pretty smart woman.
It's your bedtime now, though, so I need to put this away and go help
your dad get you ready. I'll write to you more later.
With love, your mum,
Lily Jane Potter
Harry sighed, slipping the photograph back into the journal and gently shutting the book. He glanced at his watch, eyes widening as he realized how long it had been. Over two hours, which wasn't exactly 'soon' like he had told Ginny. He cursed quietly, quickly leaving the house and stepping out of the wards surrounding it, first going home to put the journal away, then to the burrow. Thinking the entire time that maybe he ought to follow his grandpa Harrison's and grandma Euphemia's advice.
May 22nd, 2005
"We've got her for now, darling." A voice Harry vaguely recognized as his mum's was saying, he recognized the room he was sitting in as the Gryffindor common room. He let himself sink into the armchair he was sitting in, he didn't have to look at it to know it was the plush, brown one he had always claimed whenever possible while at Hogwarts.
He glanced over at the couch next to the chair, and froze, seeing his parents sitting on it side by side, looking exactly as they had in the photograph he had found of them.
"We've got her." That was his dad, Harry's eyes snapped over to him.
"It's okay." His mum continued, smiling gently, drawing his attention, "You can move on, I know you're never going to forget her, I wouldn't expect you to, but you can continue to live. For yourself. Ginny. Little James and Teddy. No one's going to look down on you for living."
"Speaking of little James and Teddy," His dad started, "I think they may be wanting your attention soon."
Harry blinked awake, his arm wrapped around the small body of his four-year-old son. It took him a minute to remember why James was there, that the child had had a nightmare in the middle of the night and came to their room.
Bright blue eyes stared up at him through the little light from the rising sun that was streaming in through the curtains.
"Good morning." He whispered, getting a grin from the four-year-old in return.
May 29th, 2005
Ginny loved lazy Sunday mornings, who didn't?
The bed was warm when she woke up, leaving her laying there drowsily as she watched her husband sleep.
She knew it couldn't be too late yet, as her alarm had been set for eight that morning, as nine was the latest James and Teddy ever sleep.
After a while, she stretched, carefully rolling out of bed, and padding down to the kitchen, pulling out ingredients to make breakfast, savoring the rare silence. She glanced at the clock hung in the kitchen, half past seven.
It didn't take long for her to hear little feet running down the stairs.
"Good morning, mama!" James called, coming into the kitchen.
"Morning, Ginny!" Teddy said, coming into the kitchen behind James.
"Good morning, James!" Ginny returned, taking a moment to hug both boys, "Good morning, Teddy bear."
"What you doin'?" James asked, trying to peek over the stove.
"Careful, not so close." Ginny scolded, gently pulling the boy from the stove. "I'm making breakfast."
"How long?" James asked, head tilting.
"A few minutes." Ginny responded, "Would you like to watch some cartoons until then?"
She got enthusiastic nods in response and ushered the two boys into the living room.
As she was returning to the kitchen, she heard the shrill Beep. Beep. Beep. Of her alarm clock going off. Ginny knew that Harry was at the very least awake because the alarm was switched off within just a few seconds. It didn't take her long to hear him moving around upstairs, and eventually down the stairs.
X
"You've been really quiet this morning." Ginny stated, later that morning, before they headed over to the Burrow, as she and her husband cleaned up after breakfast and James and Teddy were playing in the living room.
Harry sighed, from where he was wrist deep in dish water, hands sudsy as he scrubbed at dishes. "I've just been thinking. That's all."
"Oh?" Ginny asked, standing next to him as she dried the dishes he washed. "What about?"
He now leaned against the sink, staring down into the soapy water. "Do you want another one?" he asked, glancing at her.
"Another what?" she asked, eyebrow raising.
"Child." Harry clarified, "Do you want another child."
And Ginny had to admit, she had not been expecting a conversation of this sort today.
"…Do you?" she hedged, she knew the answer for herself, she had always wanted at least a few, but she didn't want to force him into anything or for him to feel forced into anything.
"See, that's what I've been thinking about." He started, as he pulled the drain in the sink and dried his hands. "I do want another one." He told her, a thoughtful look on his face, "Maybe one or two more."
"So do I." Ginny agreed, as she put a pile of plates away.
"I want to start trying again." He told her seriously, "I think I'm ready to start trying again."
Ginny really loved lazy Sunday mornings.