Chapter Seven
The Hat’s Whisper
The summer for Stanley and Sirius went by quickly. Sirius was busy helping Stanley learn more about the magical world. Then, August thirty-first suddenly came across the two young wizards, and the chaos settled in as the boys attempted to pack for Hogwarts.
“Oh, no! Where’s my wand? I just had it a second ago!” Sirius exclaimed frantically as he looked under his bed and around his room.
“Wait, didn’t you leave it downstairs with your books?” Stanley reminded the frenzied wizard.
“Oh- right!” Sirius said as he dashed out the bedroom door and down the staircase. Mr. Potter came in to the room.
“Everything thing going okay?” he asked as Stanley gathered his textbooks.
“Uh… I think so, just a little nervous,” Stanley admitted, trying to wrestle the books into an overflowing trunk.
“Don’t worry,” Mr. Potter said calmly. “I was very nervous at first, too.”
Sirius zoomed across the hallway screaming, “Where the heck is my hat?”
Mr. Potter chuckled. “Of course Sirius got his franticness from his mother.” He walked out of the bedroom and followed Sirius to find his missing hat. Minutes later, Sirius returned to the room, his hat in hand and out of breath.
“Man, packing is hard work” no wonder my mother was so moody before we went to Ireland.”
Mr. Potter walked into his bedroom where his wife was checking the boys’ lists to make sure they weren’t forgetting anything. He bent down by their bed and pulled out a dusty box. He pulled off the top to reveal a silky, maroon cloak. Harry picked up the box and stood up.
“What are you doing with your invisibility cloak?” Ginny asked him.
“I thought I would give it to Sirius,” he replied.
“What? Why?” Ginny asked, her eyes narrowing.
“He may need it at Hogwarts,” Harry said.
“For what? My son is not going to be a trouble maker like you, so don’t give him any ideas, Harry James Potter!” Ginny scolded, remembering Harry’s adventures with the cloak at Hogwarts.
“Gin, do I have to go over this again? Sirius is going to be at Hogwarts by himself with out us to watch over him” imagine what could happen if any of Voldemort’s followers encounters him,” Harry argued.
“But he’s going to be at Hogwarts . It’s one of the most protected places in England!” Ginny stated.
“Well, when we were in school, Dumbledore was headmaster.”
“Are you implying that Neville can’t keep Sirius safe?” Ginny fired back.
Harry sighed. “No, of course not, Neville is a great man. But…Gin, Voldemort could get to me even with the one he feared most running the building! Imagine what could happen now!”
“Harry, Voldemort is gone! We don’t need to worry!”
“No Ginny, you don’t understand! Voldemort may be gone but that doesn’t mean his followers are! They were just as bad. Don’t you remember Bellatrix? She killed my godfather” the only man who I could call my ‘father’! There are people like her still out there wanting me dead, and with Sirius as an easy target, I’m putting our whole family in jeopardy! It’s not that I don’t have faith in Neville, but Karkaroff’s flesh and blood will be feet away from Sirius, and he may follow his father’s ways! Ginny, we can’t just try to be normal people… because of me, we can never be!” Harry retorted loudly.
Ginny just stood in front of him without saying a word. Her eyes began to water with tears. She knew that Harry was right, and they had had the same argument before. She collapsed her head onto Harry’s chest and cried.
“Oh, Harry, you’re so right! Forgive me! I just hate having to being so overprotective of Sirius! I hate having to be so cautious! I hate that we can’t just settle down and have a big family and live happily ever after! I love you so much, Harry! I love you with all my heart and I am so happy with you, but I can’t stand the pressure!” Ginny sobbed. Harry held her close and stroked her long red hair. “Oh, Harry, it’s not fair! Sirius deserves a life where he doesn’t have to fear for his life! I hate having to be so overprotective of him, but you’re right…we need to be cautious. But Harry, it’s just not fair! Not fair at all!” Ginny sobbed.
“Shh. Oh, Gin, it’s not your fault. It’s okay. Shh... don’t cry. Everything is going to be okay, we are just being cautious. It okay, Gin…” Harry comforted his wife, stroking her long red hair consolingly.
After a few more minutes, Ginny’s tears died down to bare snuffles. She looked into her husband’s green eyes.
“I love you,” she whispered.
“I love you, too, Gin.”
~FLASHBACK~
“Oh, Harry, soon we are going to be parents!” Ginny exclaimed with excitement as they were getting into bed.
“I know, Gin,” he said, kissing her on the cheek. “I am very excited.”
It was days away from Ginny’s due date, and the couple was ecstatic.
“What were the names we decided on, again?” Harry asked.
“Um… Sirius and Lily,” she said. “Now, good night, Harry.”
“Good night, sweetheart.”
Harry closed his eyes quickly; he was very exhausted. He suddenly faded into a dream.
Death Eaters were surrounding the house as he and Ginny ran outside. Ginny screamed as Harry fought off the Death Eaters. They were closing in…”
Harry quickly woke up from the nightmare. Sweat dripped from his face and he was trembling. He needed to wake Ginny up…
But she was already up.
“Gin, what’s wrong?” Harry asked.
“I… Harry… I think it’s time…”
“Okay, Gin. Just breathe; let’s go, come on.”
Harry got out of bed and helped Ginny out, too. Then, he heard a noise from downstairs.
“Harry what was…” Ginny started, but Harry was already down the hallway.
Harry looked down the staircase to see Death Eaters.
“You sure this is their house?” one croaked.
“Yes, it took us months to find it. We must get rid of the offspring.”
Harry couldn’t believe it. He pulled out his wand and Stunned the Death Eater. A bolt of light barely missed Harry’s shoulder, and he fired back and hit the other one. He couldn’t believe his nightmare was coming true.
He rushed upstairs to see a frightened Ginny.
“Harry…”
“We need to go…” Harry started, but a Death Eater crashed through their window. Without a chance to think, Harry grabbed her arm and rushed down the stairs.
He fired back but missed the Death Eater, and they kept running. Soon, Death Eaters were surrounding them. Can’t go to St. Mungo’s… they’ll follow and no one can help, Harry thought, but then he had an idea.
He held tight to Ginny and then Disapparated just as a green light flashed.
Harry and Ginny Apparated into a kitchen. They were at the Burrow.
“Harry, Ginny”” Mrs. Weasley began but Harry interrupted.
“Where are Ron and Hermione?” Harry asked, out of breath.
“Right here,” Ron answered, coming down the stairs with his wife, Hermione. “Harry, what’s wrong?” Ron could see sweat dripping down Harry’s face, and his wand grasped tightly in his hand.
“Death Eaters attacked, and they are coming here now and Ginny is going into”” Harry couldn’t even finish when Mrs. Weasley squealed.
“So we need to fight them before we go to St. Mungo’s,” Ginny said, breathing deeply.
“No, you need to go to St. Mungo’s now,” Hermione said.
“But Harry”” she started.
“Ginny, I’ll take you, and Harry will have to stay and defend. It’s the only way,” Mrs. Weasley said.
“Ginny, just go! I will be there but just go!” Harry exclaimed. “They are coming any minute! They are going to think I took you here because I trust Ron and Hermione. They won’t know if you are here or not, so go!”
Ginny kissed him and she and Mrs. Weasley Disapparated.
“They’re coming!” Hermione shouted as she glanced through the window.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione all grasped their wands tightly, opened the door, and began to fire at the approaching Death Eaters.
Later, Ginny and Mrs. Weasley were at St. Mungo’s.
“Mum,” Ginny groaned.
“Ginny, it’s okay. Harry will be here very soon- I promise,” Mrs. Weasley said, holding Ginny’s hand as she lay in the hospital bed.
Healers were casting spells to help her, but then Ginny screamed.
“Oh, Ginny!” Mrs. Weasley screeched as Ginny began to go into labor.
“Ma’am, we need you to”” the Healer began.
“No!” Ginny refused. “Not until Harry arrives!”
“Ginevra Weasley, be reasonable!” Mrs. Weasley shouted.
“Ma’am, you need to””
Just then Harry ran into the room. Ginny sighed in relief.
“Come on Gin, you can do it,” Harry said and he grabbed her hand as she squeezed tightly.
Thirty minutes later, Harry and Ginny were alone with their new born son, Sirius James Potter.
“Oh Harry, he’s adorable!” Ginny said.
“Ginny?” Harry began.
“Yes, Harry?”
“I’m afraid that because of what happened due to Sirius’ birth, I think it would be best if we did not have any more children- it’s just too risky,” Harry stumbled.
“Harry?”
“I know, Gin. I’m very sorry. I know we wanted a large family, but it just won’t be safe.”
Ginny’s eyes watered and she began to cry as she rested her head on his chest. Harry’s own tears dripped into her hair.
~FLASHBACK ENDS~
It was the late morning of September first and the Potters and Stanley headed to Kings’ Cross station.
“There’s nine and three quarters Ginny indicated to a brick wall between stations nine and ten, forgetting that Stanley didn’t know about it yet.
Stanley squinted at the wall, confused.
“Follow me boys,” she said. She ran through the wall.
“Wow!” Stanley said, his eyes widening.
“Come on, Stanley. Trust me, it will be okay. Just hold onto your cart and go!” Sirius told him.
Stanley gripped the cart with his luggage, closed his eyes half-way, and ran at the wall.
“Stanley, you can open your eyes now!” Sirius said as he stopped Stanley’s cart. He opened his eyes to see a red engine with “Hogwarts Express” engraved on the train.
Stanley and Sirius put their luggage on and returned to Harry and Ginny.
“Bye, Sirius!” Ginny said as she and Harry hugged him.
“Mum, Dad! Please don’t embarrass me!” he said, trying to pull away.
They embraced Stanley too. “Thank you Mr. and Mrs. Potter for everything.”
“No problem, honey,” Ginny replied. “Good luck!” she waved as Sirius and Stanley hopped on the train and waved as the horn rung and the Hogwarts Express pulled away from the station.
Sirius and Stanley found an empty compartment and climbed on in. “Wow, this is exciting!” Stanley said as they sat down. But before they could talk, a girl and a boy slid open the door.
“Is it okay if we sit here?” the blonde-haired boy asked.
“Sure,” Sirius said and Stanley nodded.
The boy and what looked like his sister stumbled in and took a seat.
“Are you guys first years, too?” the boy asked.
“Yeah,” Stanley and Sirius said.
“I’m Eric, and this is my twin sister, Heidi,” he pointed to the girl next to him.
“Hi,” she waved and muttered shyly. She couldn’t seem to stop staring at Sirius. He turned toward Stanley with “She’s creeping me out!” face.
“I’m Stanley and this is Sirius,” Stanley introduced.
The whole ride, Stanley, Sirius, and Eric talked while Heidi kept staring at Sirius between every page of the book she was reading.
The train came to a halt, and soon everyone was piling out of their cars. A young man called the first years forward near a foggy lake. Past the fog, there were parts of a large castle that was Hogwarts School.
Stanley and Sirius were put in a boat with a short girl with long blonde hair.
“Oh my, I’m so nervous!” the girl said, as they paddled across the lake.
“Why?” asked Stanley.
“Because”I want to get into Slytherin! My entire family is in there and I have to make it!”
“Slytherin?” Stanley asked.
“It’s a House,” replied Sirius. “There are four- it’s based on your personality. Like a team.”
“Oh,” Stanley replied.
They got to shore before they died from all the nervousness of the girl. They entered a big, tall hall where four tables were and one long one in the front. There were students with different color badges and Stanley assumed those were the Houses.
“Welcome!” pronounced a voice. “My name is Headmaster Longbottom and welcome to Hogwarts, first years! Here is the Sorting Hat. It will determine which House you will be placed in. Mrs. Lovegood will be calling out your name to come up here.”
A young lady with light blonde hair came up with a scroll.
“Hey, she is the Headmaster’s wife!” someone whispered among the group of first-years.
“Anderson, Taylor!” she shouted.
A small, brown-haired girl came up. She sat on the stool and shut her eyes tightly as the hat was placed on her.
“Ravenclaw!” the hat said. A cheer arose from one of the tables, and she quickly joined her group.
More first years were called and placed into their houses until it was Stanley’s turn.
“Dursley, Stanley!”
“Go Stanley! Maybe we can make it in Gryffindor together!” Sirius told him, knowing he would probably make it in Gryffindor.
Stanley went up and sat on the stool. The old hat was placed on his head. But then, he saw in the audience an older brother bullying his younger one and memories of his dreaded childhood collided into his head.
“You want revenge on your brother, eh?” the hat whispered into Stanley’s ear.
Stanley thought of what would be perfect- finally getting revenge on his brother.
“All right than,” the hat whispered. “I have a perfect match for you!”
“SLYTHERIN!”
The Dursley Descendent by krumflies11392
Chapter Notes: JKR owns it all! Sorry everyone for the delay- chapter got rejected so I had to repost it. Thanks to my beta, phenioxsong22 for editing (and reediting). This is my longest chapter yet!