Chapter 8: A Vision in Discovery

Harry had never Apparated so fast in his entire life. His meeting with Rhysmana had filled him with a deep sense of urgency, so much so that when he reached the unwarded point at the end of his drive, he ran full-out to his door. Bursting through it, he shouted. “Ginny! Ginny!”

The sound of a lamp hitting the floor and a shouted curse word propelled him up the stairs to the nursery, where he pushed the door open, wand brandished, just as Hermione shouted, “Pertrificus Totalus!”

The man, whoever he was, neatly dodged Hermione’s spell, and in retaliation, threw a spell of his own, a particularly nasty Boiling Hex. Hermione ducked and rolled, a move Harry had seen her use when fighting Death Eaters in the war. Raising his wand, Harry prepared to launch his own stunning spell when Hermione shouted the same spell from her position on the floor, stunning the man immediately.

Harry stepped inside the room and quietly cast a spell that enveloped the man in ropes. “Hermione, are you okay?”

Panting, Hermione looked up at Harry and pushed a heavy piece of hair out of her face. “I’m fine. I’m just a little out of practice, that’s all. I’ve fought meaner Death Eaters than him before. Honestly, his attack was so lacking in subtlety that it just caught me off guard. I’m used to more finesse.”

“Where’s Ginny?”

“She used the Floo to go to the Burrow,” Hermione said. “She thinks she’s in labor.”

Harry felt himself go a bit faint. “She’s… what?”

Hermione smiled indulgently, crossing to Harry and laying a gentle hand on his shoulder. “She’s having a baby, Harry. She’s been pregnant for nine months. You knew this was coming.”

“No wonder Rhysmana wanted me to come back right away,” Harry mumbled. “Thank you, Hermione. For taking care of… this bloke.”

“Not a problem. Pretty much literally. Breaking into Harry Potter’s house takes a certain lack of intelligence. His idiocy was to my advantage.”

“How’d he get in?” Harry asked, torn between wanting to help Hermione with the intruder and wanting to rush to Ginny.

“Broke a window in the kitchen,” Hermione said, and tossed some Floo powder on the fire. “Ronald Weasley’s office, please.”

“What?” Harry was dumbfounded. “That means he had to get around the outer wards. You’d have to be…”

“Much smarter than this bloke,” Hermione finished, and tapped her foot impatiently. “Come on, Ron….”

Archibald Grindlock appeared in the fire. Apparently, it was his turn to play secretary. “Oh, hello, Mrs. Weasley. Mr. Weasley’s not in right now. He’s out to lunch, er… getting paperwork done, oh… bollocks. I’m not supposed to tell anyone he’s here. He’s working on something really important, I guess.”

“I’m the exception to that rule,” Hermione said firmly. “Would you tell him that I was attacked and I’d very much appreciate it if he’d come take this man into custody?”

Archibald gulped. “You were attacked? Are you all right, Mrs. Weasley?”

“I did survive a war, you know,” Hermione said patiently. “I’m completely fine. I’d just prefer he’d take my statement and do his job so I can go pick up Andrew before Molly has a fit.”

A moment later, Ron’s face appeared in the fire. “Hermione, I’m on my way with a few officers. Are you okay?”

“Yes. He snagged my arm with a little bit of a Cutting Hex, but the bleeding stopped on its own, so there’s nothing to worry about.”

“I’m on my way,” Ron said, and a second and cloud of smoke later, he was standing in the room. A glance in the corner to the stunned intruder made the corner of his mouth lift up. “Is that the idiot? Are you sure he survived you, Hermione? Ropes and stunning?”

“I stunned him, Harry did the ropes thing. Ginny thinks she’s in labor. Do you need Harry here?”

Ron blinked. “No, no. Go on, Harry. I’ll get your statement later.”

“Thanks, Ron. Will you let me know when you know who this person is – ” Harry gestured, “—and if he’s working for someone?”

“Yeah, of course. Get going, Harry.”

With that, Harry stepped into the fire and shouted, “The Burrow!”

**

Flooing when you’re pregnant isn’t the most pleasant experience, Ginny thought as she landed in the fireplace of the Burrow, clutching her belly. The labor pains were still dull, and she knew she was a long way from actually having the baby. Her house was under attack, her husband was in Germany, and she didn’t have the bag that she’d packed in case something went wrong and she had to be hauled to St. Mungo’s. As it was, her midwife would have to be notified that she wasn’t at the house in Ottery St. Catchpole, but that she was at her mother’s. Still, it wouldn’t be too large of an inconvenience. If Hermione had managed to fend off the attacker, she would be showing up any moment, Ginny reasoned. Perhaps then she could send her to get the bag.

Ginny concentrated fully from that point on finding her mother and finding a place where she could get comfortable, and so she headed to the first spot she could think of where she would be likely find her mother, the kitchen.

There was no Molly Weasley to be found, but there, pouring a glass of milk with a look of supreme concentration, was Ron and Hermione’s first and only child, Andrew.

“Andy!”

Andy looked up, an expression of guilt on his face, which swiftly changed to a very charming smile. “I get milk!”

“Are you supposed to do that all by yourself?” Ginny asked patiently, noting the large puddle at Andrew’s feet.

“Nuh-uh.”

“Well, why don’t you help Aunt Ginny out, and she’ll clean that up magically for you, okay?”

“Okay!”

“Where’s grandmum?”

Andrew closed his eyes and bit his lip in a way that would have reminded Ginny very much of Hermione, if she had been able to think about things like what Hermione looked like. “Grandmum’s throwing gnomes.”

“In the garden?”

Andrew smiled and nodded enthusiastically, his red hair sliding forward to cover his face. “Don’t tell?”

Ginny shook her head and chuckled, even though she could feel the beginnings of another contraction hitting her. With a wave of her wand, she cast a quick cleaning charm, which made the boy giggle hysterically.

Ginny pushed open the door to the backyard and stepped out, covering her eyes with her hand before she shouted. “Mum!”

“Yes, dear?” Mrs. Weasley asked, popping her head up from where she’d been carefully weeding a geranium.

“Mum, our house has been attacked, Hermione’s still there, Harry’s in Germany and I think I’m going to have the baby soon. Can I stay here?”

Mrs. Weasley blinked, but as a woman with seven children, most of whom had survived the war, she was used to grand catastrophes. With a quick nod, she rose to her feet and wiped her hands off on her pants. “Let’s Floo the midwife,” she said briskly, walking into the house, completely in charge, “since you’ve probably not had a chance to do that yet.”

“No. I came here immediately.”

Molly nodded. “Good. Harry will be here soon. He’s got a knack for showing up at the right time. We can set you up in our bedroom, of course. That would be the most comfortable for you. The last thing you’re going to want to do in a few hours is have to deal with stairs.”

“I wonder if Hermione…” Ginny wandered over to the fireplace and rested her hand on the mantle.

Molly shook her head. “I’ll do the worrying about everyone in the world, Ginny dear. I’m much better at it than you. I’ve had more practice. You go ahead and focus on your labor and your baby. If you want to take a bit of a walk around the yard when I’m done here, sometimes that helps a bit with labor. I don’t think you’re that far dilated yet. We have time.”

Figuring that if anyone knew pregnancy and labor, it would be her mother, Ginny began to walk a circle around the inside of the Burrow, waiting for the tell-tale sound of Harry’s feet hitting the inside of the fireplace. She hadn’t been waiting long, but she felt like both she and the baby were waiting for daddy to show up to get the show started.

“Mummy’s ready to see you,” Ginny muttered, rubbing her belly in that old, familiar circle. “Pretty soon she’ll get to pick you up and change your nappies and feed you. It’s about time for you to come meet the world.”

There was a crash and then a very loud swear word, and Ginny’s face broke into a grin. “There’s Daddy, baby. It’s almost show time.”

**

Molly jumped back and yelped as Harry landed in the fireplace just as she was attempting to throw some powder on it.

“Where is she?” Harry asked, a bit breathlessly. “Is she okay?”

Smiling at the concern on Harry’s face – wasn’t that just adorable – Molly waved her hand. “She’s fine. She’s pacing around the living room, I think. I was about to Floo the midwife.”

Harry looked blank for a moment. “Oh yes. The midwife. Brilliant idea, Mrs. Weasley.”

Patting his cheek, Molly gestured. “You’d better go say hi to your wife, Harry, before she comes in here and casts one of her infamous hexes on you.”

Smiling sheepishly, Harry made his way towards the living room, but he was met halfway by Ginny, who was flushed with excitement and worry. “Harry! You came back earlier than I expected!”

“Rhysmana was finished with me more quickly than either of us had anticipated, I think,” Harry admitted.

“How’s Hermione?”

“She’s fine,” Harry said, shrugging his shoulders. “I don’t think she really needed me there, to be quite honest with you. I got there just in time to tie whoever it was up and stand around while Hermione Floo’d Ron so he could come pick him up.”

“Good,” Ginny said smugly and then gasped. “I think we’re having a baby, Harry.”

Harry grinned, his eyes twinkling behind his glasses. “I think we’ve known that for a while, Ginny.”

Ginny’s eyes narrowed. “Now’s not the time to exercise your sense of humor, Potter.”

“Right. Shutting up now.”

“The midwife’s on her way, dear. Hermione just Floo’d me. She’s going to come by and pick up Andrew so he doesn’t get underfoot just as soon as she can get away from the Ministry. Something about having to give their statements. How are you feeling? “

“Oh, I’m fine,” Ginny said. “The contractions aren’t too bad right now. I can take them standing up.”

Molly nodded knowingly. “Good. I would advise staying standing just as long as you can. Harry, do you want to take her for a walk around the garden?”

“She can walk? I mean, shouldn’t she be lying down or something?”

Molly raised an eyebrow at Ginny, who shrugged. “He reads, Mum. I promise. His brain’s just a bit foggy right now. Happens whenever I’m in trouble.”

Harry’s mouth opened and closed, searching for something appropriate to say and coming up short. “I… am completely speechless.”

“Good. Keep him that way dear,” said a familiar acerbic voice.

“Sarah!” Ginny’s face lit up. “I’m so glad you got here!”

“I wouldn’t miss this for the world. Your Harry wouldn’t pay me if I didn’t show up for the delivery, I don’t think,” Sarah said, half-seriously. “Something about being the midwife…”

Ginny grinned, and then abruptly hissed. “Oh no. Here comes another one.”

“Breathe through it,” Sarah said patiently. “I thought Molly sent you outside for a walk, Harry.”

“Well, she did, but then you showed up and I…”

“Take your wife for a walk. Molly and I will get the bedroom set up for delivery. It certainly won’t be the first time you’ve had to do this, eh, Molly?”

Laughing, the two older women abandoned Harry and Ginny. Harry took it in stride, and clasped Ginny’s hand in his. “All right. I guess we’re going for a walk around the yard.”

“All right,” Ginny agreed, and hand-in-hand, they strolled out the back door.

**

Bill Weasley had never seen the inside of Harry Potter’s vault, and he found himself curious. He knew that Harry’s parents had left him a good amount of wealth, and that Sirius Black and left him even more. The Daily Prophet always hinted that Harry was very well off, but money never overly concerned the Weasleys and they had never thought to question Harry about the state of his finances. He certainly didn’t live like a rich man, Bill thought. He had a modest house in a modest town. Ginny and Harry certainly wore nice clothes, but they didn’t stroll around in designer robes.

When the door melted away, revealing piles of Galleons and stacks of books and other valuables, Bill nearly groaned. Harry probably hadn’t realized the monumental task he’d laid before him, but then Bill had always enjoyed a challenge. This, at least, was something different than endlessly researching the ancient curses of the Egyptians or testing complex warding charms.

Within minutes, he found himself in the same state of mind he’d often been in at Hogwarts, fascinated by the amount of history in the tiny room. Harry had stored collectibles from the Black family fortune and the Potter family heirlooms side-by-side. There were trunks of memorabilia from both wars – Harry had never had time to collect that sort of stuff in the second war, so that must be Ginny’s doing – the research on the Horcruxes they had done during the year they’d searched for Voldemort, Harry’s collection of interesting Defense Against the Dark Arts items he hadn’t wanted at the house around the baby, and of course, stacks and stacks of Galleons.

The first hour of searching yielded little of significance, just some notes between James and Sirius and a few letters from her parents Lily had kept. He also found Harry and Ginny’s wedding robes stacked neatly in a trunk with Harry’s parents’ wedding things. Carefully laying aside the robes, he searched the trunk for a false bottom, but came up short.

As he was restacking the robes into the chest, he noticed a wooden, magic lockbox lying almost carelessly on the floor. Such things often contained protection charms, so he cast a detection spell before proceeding any closer. James Potter had been a clever wizard indeed, most adept at keeping secrets, and it took Bill a good half hour to crack the complex code to get into the box. By the time he’d done so, his hands were shaking and his face shone with the glow of discovery. Whatever was kept in the box was a big secret for any wizard to have gone through so much trouble to protect it.

There was a layer of cloth, and then underneath, stacks and stacks of aging parchment, bound together in leather folders and tied up with string. Pulling a knife from his back pocket, he snapped open the binding on one of them and sank to the floor of the vault to read the clear feminine writing. .

Notes for the Order of the Phoenix. 1979, Lily Potter

Today I got in touch with Professor Slughorn regarding the properties of dittany, which he can hopefully obtain for me, as it is currently out of season. However, if anyone can get it for me, it would be Professor Slughorn. The effectiveness of the potion with the additional ingredient is still purely theoretical and would still only be partially effective. The most difficult thing about the project is my forced silence. Shortly, I will have to cease working with certain ingredients in order to protect my baby from adverse effects. I have hopes that I will have completed my mission by then.

Bill put the bound folder down and reached for another, and then another, mostly filled with cryptic lab notes and incomprehensible gibberish. He was about to give up on finding anything else useful in the box when he came across a second parchment.

Notes for the Order of the Phoenix. 1979, James Potter

Lily has been unable to continue the research she originally began, but I am continuing it under her strict instructions. The effect of adding the dittany was not as immediate as we had hoped and the potion continues to range from completely ineffective to having some marginal success, in that the injected rats live a fraction of a second longer after the curse hits them than they did without. The impossible mission continues to be impossible.

The injected rats live a fraction of a second longer after the curse… Bill swallowed. Were the Potters working on an antidote to the Killing Curse? An ingestible antidote? He tapped his thigh. Such a thing had never been attempted before, and the brewing and inventions of new potions was generally left to Masters of the art, but the reports of Lily and James’s intelligence were glowing. Even Severus Snape had admitted to Harry once that his father and mother had been accomplished wizards – Bill had overheard him. But would the Order have trusted them with something so important?

On the other hand, they were accomplished enough wizards that Voldemort had recognized their names and knew that they had given birth to a child – he had needed to, in order to complete the prophecy.

Suddenly feeling as though the parchment in his hand had caught fire, Bill quickly snapped the folders shut and rose to his feet. Harry needed to know just why someone might be after his family… the Potters had come very close to finding an antidote to the Killing Curse. Very close indeed.

**

Author’s Note: Sorry for the delay on this one. My personal life has been out of control lately. Real life comes before fanfiction, and then beta’ees come before writing my own stuff. I appreciate all the lovely reviews you’ve been sending me, and I hope you continue to read. Hopefully I’ve gotten over the difficult hump in this story and everything from here on out will be smooth sailing.

What you’re reading now would not be half as pleasant it is without the valiant efforts of Daily Prophet Reporting and Kat Morning. Thanks for all the work you guys do!