Although it has been almost two years since the triumphant downfall of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, witches and wizards around the country have not forgotten about Harry Potter. Perhaps it is this fame that made the magical community so eager for him to take over as Minister of Magic. Many experienced Ministry witches and wizards are questioning his compatibility due to his youth. “He’s simply too young!” claims Cynthia Johnson, junior secretary in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. “He is not experienced enough to properly oversee the entire Wizarding world.” However family and friends of Minster Potter are outraged at these beliefs. “He has been through more than Fudge and Scrimgeour combined,” Ginny Potter, wife to the Minister, insists. “He has done more for us than anyone, except perhaps Albus Dumbledore.”
Indeed, it seems that Mr. Potter’s list of accomplishments never ends. He has defeated the Dark Lord, destroyed You-Know-Who’s six horcruxes, finished his education at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, and still had time to settle down and make a family. He may not yet have found the thirteenth use for dragon blood, but he already has the Department of Mysteries under his belt. Before accepting his role as Minister, Harry Potter acted as an Unspeakable. Though it is still unknown what exactly he did, sources inform us that he studied the powers of death, love, and ancient magic. It seems that his past job has greatly influenced his judgment as Minister. Last week, a handful of convicted Death Eaters were led into the Department of Mysteries and have yet to come out-
Harry sighed heavily as he threw the Morning Prophet aside. He stared at the blank walls of his office and sighed again. It had been several weeks since the Dementor attack and Cormac McLaggen was not yet found. Ginny had been worried to say the least, insisting on checking up on her husband every couple of hours, under the pretence of delivering a message from her department. It wasn’t as though Harry was complaining about her extra attention, however. He often found her company a relief from his job, which already proved to be a heavy burden. However, he was jerked out of his train of thought as a knock came from his door.
“Come in,” he called wearily. Kingsley Shacklebolt walked in. “Ah, Kingsley,” Harry said, recognizing the tall dark man before him.
“Harry,” the man acknowledged, closing the door behind him.
“Did you-“
“No, there’s nothing. Harry, are you sure she-“
“She said she saw McLaggen, and I believe her,” he replied tersely.
“Why is he such a threat? What has he done that could make Ginny so worried?”
Harry hesitated. “Other than betraying us and turning me over to Malfoy? Nothing. That’s what worries me. We don’t know the full extent of his Dark abilities. If he scares Ginny so much, I want to stop him as quickly as possible. She’s always been so strong before.”
Kingsley nodded, though he didn’t seem to really understand.
“Have you found the Dementors?” Harry questioned, breaking the pensive silence that had fallen between them. The older man shook his head.
“They’ve disappeared. No one has seen or felt them.”
Harry sighed again and shuffled the papers on his desk distractedly.
“Is that all?” the Auror asked.
“Actually, how is our memorial, for lack of a better word, coming along?”
Kingsley smiled. “It’s getting there. The Department of Magical Cooperation is collecting the names of those who died in fighting or were victims of the Death Eaters, and also people who would want to speak about the person. The Aurors are setting up wards and such around Hogsmeade to ensure its safety.”
“Great- I can’t wait until we can finish. I think that it’s time to honour our losses, on the anniversary of the Last Battle nonetheless.”
“I agree. Well, I’d better get back to work. Be sure to let me know when we have another meeting about it.”
“Will do,” Harry replied, forcing a wry smile. The Auror left quietly as he forced himself to focus on work. After nearly twenty minutes of staring blankly at a report about an exploding toilet in Surrey, he gave up his fruitless attempt at work and went to check on Ginny. As he drew closer to her office, however, he began to feel a strange, worried feeling. He sped up, willing his legs to reach his destination as quickly as possible. He was so intent that he didn’t notice the large trash been at his feet. Swearing angrily as he fell to the ground, he quickly jumped back up and stumbled across the final ten feet to her door.
“Ginny?” Harry asked uncertainly. She was staring at the wall and apparently did not hear when he had crashed to the floor.
Jumping at the sound of his voice, she exclaimed, “Harry! I didn’t see you coming.”
“I noticed,” he replied concernedly. He peered anxiously into her eyes. “What’s the matter?”
She shrugged and pulled him into a hug.
“You can tell me anything, you know that right?” he breathed into the top of her head. She nodded and kissed him.
“I’m fine,” she said, forcing a smile. “There’s just a lot going on.”
Harry nodded understandingly before kissing her again and leaving the room.
As he shut the door quietly behind himself, her mind returned to where it was before Harry arrived, the Dementor attack.
************Flashback*****************************
She didn’t need Harry’s warning to realise that Dementors were on their way. She felt their sickening cold fill her from the inside out.
I love you, Harry whispered in her memory, before his skin turned cold and his eyes closed for what seemed would be the last time. Trying frantically to find a happy thought, she thought of waking up in the Chamber of Secrets. Harry sat next to her, bloodstained and exhausted, but smiling wryly at her.
His smile, Ginny imagined. “EXPECTO PATRONUM”
Only a wisp of silvery smoke emerged from her wand. The cold fog now blinded her. Her brain wouldn’t function properly. She felt herself slipping into the darkness. As she felt her body hit the damp grass, she heard voices, though it seemed from a different lifetime. “You’re not like that! I can’t do this on my own- Help me.”
***************End Flashback************************
Confusion bubbled with the pregnant witch. No matter how hard she tried to remember her voice, which she heard before passing out, was not in her present memories. She sighed and crammed a piece of chocolate into her mouth, which she had noticed after the attack she had an immense craving for. She returned to writing up a report on underage magic. She glanced down at her watch hours later, stifling a large yawn. It was five o’clock and time for dinner. She stood up and met Harry in the Atrium. With a feeble wave at Eric, the security guard, they disapparated. The landed safely in Ron and Hermione’s kitchen to find it empty.
“Didn’t we have a dinner with them planned?” Harry asked. Ginny nodded and made toward the living room. She shouted in shock and scurried back. The missing couple followed her, beet-red and dishevelled.
“Sorry,” Ron muttered to his feet. “We er- lost track of time.”
Harry realized what they were saying and chuckled. “Keep up like that,” he joked, “and you’ll have a baby on the way, too.”
Hermione grinned and murmured something about hoping that it would be soon.
“What was that Hermione?” Ginny asked.
“Oh, er- dinner’s ready.”
All four tried to start up conversation as they set the table together. They ate a delicious Shepard’s pie, while the husbands talked about work and the wives about baby names.
“I’m actually biased toward the name Vivian right now,” Ginny mentioned.
“That’s a cute name,” Hermione agreed, “though I personally think that Sydney is adorable.”
Both squealed in excitement.
“What about Lily?” Ron interrupted, referring to Harry’s mum.
Harry shook his head. “Our kids will already be pretty popular, being the son of the ‘great Harry Potter’ without the names of my famous parents.”
Ginny nodded in agreement. They spent the evening talking about the kids and what they might just be named.
By the end of the night, they had not come up with a name, but left in a much happier mood that they had been in earlier.
“Was it just me,” Hermione began hesitantly, staring at the place that Harry and Ginny disapparated from, “or were they not as, well- together as they normally are?”
Ron looked up in shock. “I didn’t notice, but I guess it would make sense, with McLaggen on the loose and all.”
Hermione heaved a sigh. “I’m just worried that they won’t be able to make it through this.”
“What do you mean? They’re meant for each other- the Ring-“
“Fate can change. It was enough to sink the Titanic.”
“Huh?” Ron asked in clueless curiosity, sitting at the kitchen table.
“The Titanic,” Hermione began grimly, “was a huge, muggle cruise ship. It was huge and could hold thousands of people onboard at once. It took ages to build and, when it was completed, was called the ‘Unsinkable Ship.’ But- on its very first voyage, I think they got complacent because the watchmen let their guards down, even though it was really late at night and very foggy. The huge ship ended up colliding with an iceberg and sank. More people might have been able to survive, but a nearby ship had its radio off so it couldn’t hear the calls for help.” She ended her vague pronouncement with a groan.
“Do you think Harry and Ginny might- you know, divorce?” Ron blurted out, horrified for his sister’s and best friend’s sakes.
“I hope not,” Hermione whispered. “I also don’t want to be the oblivious onlookers who were too blind to realize that they’re sinking just barely in reach.”
Ron reached out to give her a hand of comfort. She took it graciously and sat on his lap. “Don’t worry, ‘Mione,” he hummed into her ear. “We’ll be there for them. They won’t have to sink.”
Hermione lovingly stroked her husband’s wild red hair. “I know that now. Thank you.”
He smiled in a way that clearly said, “You’re welcome,” and with a wink replied, “Now, about that baby-“
“It’d be my pleasure, Mr.Weasley.” With no further conversation, the young couple made their way upstairs to begin a family of their own.
******************************************************
Meanwhile, as Ron and Hermione- well, you know, Harry and Ginny sat side-by-side discussing their predicament.
“We can’t find him,” Harry told a trembling Ginny. She didn’t respond at his words, but stared blankly ahead. “Why does he worry you so much?”
She shrugged. “I really don’t know. I just get this horrible chill whenever I think of him.”
He put a comforting arm around her as he said in such a way that sent chills of delight down her spine, “I’ll protect you, no matter what.”
Ginny smiled in spite of her fears. “I know that, and that’s why I love you.”
Harry feigned of look of indignation. “And if I didn’t protect you, you wouldn’t love me.”
Ginny played along and retorted, “Of course not. Why else would I marry you except for a big, brave protector?”
They both laughed and kissed. As they did, Ginny felt comfort and happiness seep into her soul and she somehow knew that things would be better.
A/N: So there’s chapter 4. Sorry about the horrible cliffies. I know I kinda skipped a couple of weeks, but I didn’t want to unnecessarily drag out the plot line. Anyway, Thanks for the incredible patience you’ve had. Unfortunately, it will be a little over a week and a half before I can update again. Actually, I’m not supposed to be on right now… I give you one word that equals death for all high school/college students: finals Everyone now you can join in: *entire population of students groan* okay, enough of that. Sorry again. I’ll update more often during the summer :]