Chapter 84: A Winter Break not like the others
The morning after the Yule Ball had been fantastic. Lily, who loved having sex at this time of the day, had plenty of fun with Rick and Bella before they all took a shower and made their way to the Great Hall. Since everyone had been tired after the improvised concert, she didn’t get to have any fun with her husband and her ‘little Bell’ so she made up for it.
The previous night had been quite a bit full of surprises. First was James… behaving and apologizing for every wrong he did to Lily at school and after it. He said that it was an apology he had wanted to make for a decade and half but never got around to doing. For whatever reasons. He confessed that it was Lara, his wife that changed him for the better. While he had been fond of her when they started a relationship at work it was just some fun for him. Even during her pregnancy with Henry.
The day everything changed was when he received his letter of disownment. Lara had been supportive even when he acted like a child throwing a tantrum. He only began to realize he had moved on from Lily and fell in love with Lara when Peter Pettigrew’s betrayal was revealed. The thought of losing them both had terrified him and from there, their real marriage began. He had a long period of introspection and long talks with his wife and realized that he has been an asshole his whole schooling. A spoiled entitled brat.
He didn’t like that at all and strived to be better. His first order on the list was making sure Henry didn’t grow up like he did. James loved his mother dearly but he admitted that she spoiled him to death and that was mainly why he turned out the way he did. His second was to be the best husband and man he could be to Lara and so far he never disappointed. His third order was to one day apologize to Lili and Severus.
Lily had been surprised to hear that and James laughed. He too wouldn’t believe it but it was the truth. He couldn’t make things right but he could do the right thing. Afterward when she danced with Severus they talked about it and he proved that he truly had overcome his childhood and was a changed man when he said he had appreciated James’ apology but didn’t particularly care. That justice was in a way done but it was pointless to focus on it and better to move on. Lily teased him about being emotionally well enough to find love and he surprised her again by saying that yes, he was. He would always love Lily, his childhood friend, but that they were not quite the same people anymore and it was pointless to hang on to a memory.
She told him that since he seemed to like upbeat and kind women, he should give a chance to Charity Burbage, the muggle studies professor. Severus never gave her a proper answer but promised he would think about it.
Another surprise was what she saw between Rose and Susan. The way they were holding hands and were so close made her think they were now dating. More than thinking, she was sure of it and shared the information with Rick and Bella. Both were happy for them. Susan was after all like Rick’s second daughter. Bella commented that Potter and Bones were finally having a thing, just to tease Lily who was still pinning after Amelia.
The last surprise was of course ‘The Rebellious Blacks’. She still couldn’t believe, despite seeing it with her own eyes, that they did that. And couldn’t help but laugh at Sirius’ treatment from his female cousins. Making a mental note to tell Marlene all about it and showing her the memory, she slapped with much strength Bella’s butt when they entered the Great Hall for breakfast.
“What was that for?” Bella asked as she rubbed her stinging asscheek.
“I felt like it. To remind you that you may be Queen Trixie but you’re still my little Bell first.”
“Always.” said Bella, giving her a wink.
She was looking at the Daily Prophet’s article on the Hogwarts’ Yule Ball, while drinking some tea when Marlene contacted her on her four way mirror. Probably to talk with her about the article. She missed Narcissa, Andromeda, Atria and Rigella entering the Great Hall.
It was now officially Winter Break and since the four of them were Rose’s family (who was a champion) they were allowed to spend a few days at Hogwarts. Narcissa kissed her son on the cheek and put Rigella on his lap before continuing her way to the teacher’s table.
“How come your family isn’t here?” Susan asked while having Rose sitting sideways in her lap.
“Ve are champions. Ve can’t leave.”
“Becauze of ze magical contract to ze cup, we cahn’t go furzer zan a certain distance. As such, we cahn’t go ‘ome, but our family, zey can come to us.”
“The further we can go is Hogsmeade. Beyond that, like my home, we would breach the contract.”
“And your families are…” she was talking to Fleur and Krum.
“Too far.”
“Spending Noël at ze veela enclave. Eet iz tradition. Now, Draco, would you mind introducing us to zis little cutie?”
“This is Rigella Persea Black. My little sister as I’m sure you’ve already understood. Say hello, Rigella.”
“Hello~” the four year old said with a bright smile that was missing some teeth.
“Awwww.”
“Don’t let yourself be fooled, Fleur. She’s a little troll in truth.”
“I’m not!”
“Yes, you are.”
“Am not!
“What are you then?”
“Adorable! Mommy says so!”
A round of laughter resulted from the little blonde’s adorableness. Draco, began to cut into small pieces his breakfast and fed the little munchkin.
“Soooo. Rose. Susan.”
““Draco.””
“Congratulations are in order, I can see?”
““Yes.””
“I’m glad you finally pulled your head out of… you know where, Rose.”
“What do you mean?” The eldest potter was now frowning.
“It was obvious that Susan…”
“I wasn’t!”
“Susan.” he said in a no-nonsense tone. “No one knows the both of you as much as I do. I grew up with you, remember? Others may have not seen but I sure did. Rose too for that matter, she just never realized it well until last night I suppose.”
Rose couldn’t deny it. When Susan brought her outside, they went to sit on a bench. Immediately the heiress of the House of Bones confessed that she liked her. Hearing that, it was as if something finally made sense to her. Like all the pieces of a puzzle fitted together. The happiness when she was with her, the joy and desires when they were touching each other, the displeasure and unhappiness at the idea that Susan could be with a boy… It all smacked her in the face like a bludger.
She loved Susan Bones.
She always knew but it was more. It went deeper. She was in love with her. She put a stop to Susan fidgeting, trying to make sense of the words she was spouting easily. She grabbed her face with both hands and kissed her strongly like her father kissed her mother. She didn’t stop at just her lips, she invaded her soon to be girlfriend’s mouth with her tongue and made her moan non-stop. Despite how much she loved that sound they both needed to breathe and so broke the kiss.
Rose didn’t have a mirror to look at herself but she knew she must have been smiling like her Aunt Bella did after her father gave it to her good. Susan was disoriented and when she said Rose’s name and tried to talk, she got kissed again. Afterwards, they said nothing and simply went back to the ball. There was no need for words. They were just redundant.
“Vont you get into trouble?” a very curious Viktor asked.
“With the public? Perhaps but I don’t care what they think. Not all people will have a bad reaction. The older ones and more conservative maybe. House Potter and my parents may get a bit of a flak but they don’t care. That won’t really tarnish their reputation or diminish their power base. They are way too popular and loved for that to happen. And Homosexuality is not that taboo here anymore. The real problem is-
“Me.” Susan interjected. “There are only two Bones left. Me and my Aunt. I’m the heiress and clearly… children are not on the table since I strictly love women and not men. As such either my house becomes extinct or my Aunt is forced to continue it.”
“Let me guess, you’re hoping that she continues the line. Preferably with Uncle Rick’s help?”
“We really can’t hide any plans from you, Draco.”
He nodded sagely while feeding Rigella. “I am a Slytherin.”
“What about you, Viktor?” Fleur asked. “Any secret boyfriend back home?”
“Vhat are you talking about?” he replied, a bit uncomfortable.
“Viktor, you knew Rose’s dress color was dartmouz green. A straight male would ‘ave just called it green. Zey don’t know anyzing about colors.”
“Then there is the way you blushed while dancing with my dad. Really, Viktor, no one here will judge you or share the information. Susan and me first and foremost.”
“... Ne I don’t have secret boyfriend.” he finally confessed after a moment of hesitation. “Bulgaria… not accepting like Britain. Dangerous even. Excluded from quidditch least of my problems. Family mainly. Not noble but very old and conservative. Modder… may accept but Fadder?” he shook his head negatively.
“So that’s why you like being here at Hogwarts so much.” commented Draco who finally understood.
“Da. Not only. Grounds not as beautiful as Drumstrang but астросфера better.”
“Hm, what?”
“He means atmosphere.” Draco translated for Rose.
“Da. At-mos-phere. No Dark Arts. No students attacking each other for experiments. No constant vigilance. I like the old magic at-mos-phere. Bit spooky, bit mysterious.”
“Eet 'as quite ze charm, I admit, but ze weazher eez awful, and ze castle's colors and decoration... All grey. I prefer Beauxbatons. Eet's more... alive and sophisticated. I am sure you would 'ave loved making your studies zere. France eez more open minded to change. Especially for ze sexual preferences. Ze wizarding’s side at least, oui.”
“You’re graduating at the end of the year, why not find a team in UK or in France?” wondered Susan.
“I vas thinking of it.”
“I’m sure my dad can give you an opportunity with the Montrose Magpies. They’ve been searching for a replacement since he retired. Every year they send him a letter begging him to come back. However Coach Campbell doesn’t do nepotism. I mean sure you’d be on the team, but as a bench warmer or the starting seeker? You’ll have to show you’re the best.”
“I can do that. Vhat about you Fleur? You asked me, I ask you.”
The veela took a deep breath but went along. “Zat’s fair, I suppose. No boyfriend or girlfriend waiting at ‘ome. I’m sure you know why.” she said with a sigh. “Zank you again for a wonderful evening Draco. Not ze first date I ever went to but ze first one my partner wasn’t making a fool of zemselves before ze end.”
“It was my pleasure and I had fun too. Although your allure was quite difficult to handle by the end of the ball. Thankfully the concert began then.”
“What about the other boys you danced with?” wondered Susan.
“Zey were drooling on zemselves before the end of ze dance. Except Professor Potter.”
“That’s weird. Dad is a magic sensor. A very sensitive one at that. I didn’t think about your allure last night but shouldn’t dad have reacted the same way?”
“Uncle knows occlumency, Rose.”
“‘Eet wasn’t occlumency, non. When you use it, you’re… expressionless. Professor Potter was quite cheerful.”
“Vhat a mystery.”
Rigella seemed to have grown tired of breakfast and adult talks because she began to fidget in Draco’s lap. He put her on the ground and she ran to Lyra who had come into the hall with the twins, Lea, Veronica, Vega and Duncan. The conversation about Rick stopped when the youngest Potters and Black joined the table. Atria joined too, leaving Nymphadora’s side at the head table.
“MERLIN’S SAGGY BALLS! That’s my son! YESSS!” Sirius shouted proudly from the teacher’s table when he saw Camelia and Sage at the arms of Duncan.
“BLACK DETENTION!”
“Which one, Professor?” Lyra asked Minerva.
“The only one I ever gave detention to, miss Black.”
“I’m not a student anymore!” Sirius defended.
“I don’t care! One more usage of foul language in front of students and I’ll have you scrub the whole trophy room with a toothbrush! Adult or not. Auror or not!”
Sirius deflated because he knew she was totally serious about it. Worse? She could make it happen; he was convinced of it. Meanwhile everyone had a good laugh at his expense.
The rest of the Winter Break passed quickly and nothing much happened with one notable exception. On Christmas day, Rick had taken Rose to his office. He locked it with multiple spells and added a soundproofing charm.
“Wow. What you need to tell me must be super important. Is it about Voldemort? The prophecy? Shouldn’t mom-”
“It’s about neither. It’s about House Potter family secrets. Secret between the Lord and their heir.”
“I’m still your heir?!” Rose was taken by surprise.
Her reaction confused her father. “...Yes? Why? Did you think otherwise?”
“Well…I’m not really interested in boys. Susan and I… If we have children it would be through adoption they wouldn’t be of Potter blood. I thought Camelia was the de facto heir now.”
“She’s not. She’s the heir’s heir. I fully intend for you to succeed me as the head of our house. Regardless of your sexual preferences. When I pass away, whether you accept or not your Ladyship, Camelia would be your heir, then her children and their children until there are none down her line. Then it would be-”“Sage and her line, then Veronica and her line. I know.”
“Good. Although… Do you want me to name Camelia? In that case the conversation we are going to have is unnecessary.”
“No. I’m the eldest. It’s my birthright, true but I see it more like a duty than a privilege. I’ll do my duty.” The answer she gave him made him proud.
“Alright. Conversation it is then. Conversation that should have happened once you were seventeen.”
“Why now?”
“Worry, mostly.”
“Aren’t you… It sounds like a tradition.”
“It is but honestly, you can twist it a bit. I had mine at the Christmas before I turned seventeen.”
“One month is different from three years.”
“Yes but as I said: worry.”
Rick pulled out the invisibility cloak from his pocket and put it on his desk.
“This is the oldest and most precious heirloom of our family. An invisibility cloak.”
“An ancestor found a way to reactivate the invisibility charms?!” she exclaimed, knowing perfectly well that those cloaks only lasted for half a decade perhaps a decade at best.
“No.”
“That’s impossible, dad.”
“It is because it wasn’t made by humans.”
“... That would make sense but no… It would be a feat known by now.”
“It is known. Widely. All because it’s the only one in the world ever made.”
Rose frowned cutely. “I… I don’t get it.”
“Do you remember the tales I used to read to you when you were little?”
“You read me a hundred of them, dad.” she replied with a deadpan tone.
“What about the one with the three brothers?”
“Three brothers… Three brothers…” Rose was frowning deeper, clearly trying to remember. “The one with… Death?”
“That one. Do you remember the gist of it?”
“I… Three brothers who cheated death. She gave the oldest an unbeatable wand and he was murdered in his sleep for it. The second brother got a stone to resurrect people but ended up killing himself out of grief and the third got a…”
Under his eyes, Rose had a shocked expression, remembering the third brother.
“That’s impossible. It’s just a tale for children!”
“It’s not. The Peverell brothers did exist. The third brother, Ignotus, had a son who had a daughter named Iolanthe. Iolanthe was the last of the Peverell line and married a man named Hardwin Potter. Ever since, the cloak was passed down from Lord to heir around their seventeenth birthday. I know what you think. I thought the same thing when my father gave it to me and he did too when his father gave it to him. The magic in that cloak, Rose… It’s not of this world. I felt it.”
She didn’t know quite what to say. That was a huge revelation for her. Not only Death with a capital ‘D’ existed but her items existed too. One of them being right in front of her.
“I want you to have it, Rose. For your protection. Wear it around you at all times.”
“I… I can’t accept it, dad. I’m not even close to being seventeen and… and you may need it more than me!”
“Hardly. The only times I used it was at school while I did my patrols. Or when your
mother felt horny and-”
“TOO MUCH INFORMATION!”
“... Yeah, maybe.” He chuckled.
Rose was still horrified. “Maybe?!”
“Still… I want you to have it. At least until the tournament is over. Had I thought about it at the time, I would have given it to you the moment your name came up from the Goblet of Fire.”
“... Until the tournament is over. Then you’ll have it back until I’m seventeen.”
“Good enough. Now… The knowledge about the cloak? The part about being one of the Deathly Hallows, I mean.”
“Yes?”
“Nobody must know. You can tell your close friends that you got an invisibility cloak but not what it truly is. It could prove disastrous for our family if people wanting the power of Death learned about it…. My mother doesn't know. Your mother doesn’t know either.”
She nodded in understanding. “Just between the Lord and the heir. Got it.”
“You are not to tell Camelia-”
“Until I’m the head of the House and she’s at least seventeen and my heir.”Rick nodded and stood from his seat, cloak in hand.
“Wanna have fun with it before we step out?”
Rose grinned and put the cloak around her shoulders.
That’s how the one unordinary moment for House Potter ended. For House Bones however? It was still ongoing after the end of the vacation.
Amelia was both happy and absolutely furious with Susan. On one hand, as her Aunt, she was happy for her niece finding love, even if it was with another girl. On the other hand as the legal magical guardian of the last heiress of the Bones line she was absolutely livid.
Susan told her point blank that either House Bones became extinct or she would be the one birthing children. Something that Amelia had never considered or wanted. Not because she disliked children, she loved Susan very much and all of Rick’s children too after all. She didn’t want children because all her life she had tried to emancipate herself from her status as a woman. Forced to marry someone she didn’t want to. Looked down because she was doing a man’s job. She wanted to be seen for her competence and her hard work, not her gender. The idea of giving birth reminded her that she had not escaped her status, that she had failed.
“Amelia. If there is anyone who understands you, it’s me.” Susan had explained to Rick and Lily the situation with her aunt. The whole situation. Lily was of course all for it. Bringing Amelia to the fold? For good? She had been dreaming of this ever since she was fifteen. Rick didn’t particularly care. He loved Amelia deeply no matter if they were together or not or parents of their own children or not. As such it was Lily who went to speak to the older redhead.
“I graduated with fourteen NEWTs. And you know what I did with them when I graduated? Nothing. It wasn’t until I gave birth to Veronica five years later than I started doing things. Because I wanted to be more than just Rick’s broodmare. I passed five masteries, and I began teaching at Hogwarts. No one would dare insult me by saying ‘You’re a woman’. I have proven that I can be a woman, that I can be a wife and a mother but also competent on my own.
Not just that but more.
Heck, ever since I started teaching, Rick became the primary caretaker of the children. Husband? Right, he was more like my wife and I, his husband. There is no reason you can’t be or do the same. You can be a woman and be respected for your work, for your efforts. You can be a mother and still be the kickass witch that leads the DMLE with an iron fist. You already proved it with Susan, how can having your own children be any different?”
“I…” Amelia didn’t know quite what to say.
“Are you afraid Rick would restrict you in some way? I really felt like a broodmare, yet was never treated like it. I didn’t want more children after the twins. Bella happened however and I got my little Veronica, which I’m very happy about. Rick?
Rick cheered on me every step of the way when I told him I wanted to live for myself a bit, that I wanted to do things. He never forbade me to do anything. He never told me no. He just said: ‘Go ahead. I’m always here for you if you need anything’.
Heck he pulled more weight in raising the children that I did! He would do the same for you. You know that. Nothing would change for you. You’ll just add to it. A husband, if you go that way - and a child or children. Nothing else would change professionally-wise. You won’t be a broodmare, you won’t be a shackled wife. You’ll still be amazing.
And it doesn’t have to be Rick either. You can find yourself a good man or a submissive one. Just don’t put all your eggs in the same basket because the moment you retire… What will you have left? Don’t you find it difficult every time you get home to an empty manor? Do you think you can handle it for the rest of your life?”
Amelia thought deeply about it. She hated it. She hated coming home to a huge empty manor. Her whole family, gone. Susan at Hogwarts. Her friends? She never had many to begin with and they all have their own lives and children if they had survived the war.
That was why she was spending as much time as she could at the office. There was always something to do so she could be distracted easily from how empty and miserable her life was. She was only thirty six. Could she do it until past a hundred? Could she endure the work and the misery? The loneliness? Did she want to?
“No. I don’t think I would be able to handle it. But… I can’t stand being chained down.”
“Do you think Rick does? He’s just like you in that regard. That’s why you two got along so well. Yet he’s handling it because he is not alone. Because he’s surrounded by people who love him. He didn’t want Veronica either. Well, yes he wanted her when we learned I was pregnant with her. He was just done with children. Then Atria happened, then Rigella and now Narcissa is pregnant again. And there is Nymphadora! Andi, Narcissa and Bella are pushing him to get her pregnant too and now you.
More children when all he wants is some time for himself. He loves the children but hopes for them to be all old enough for Hogwarts. He can handle it because he’s not alone. He has his freedom. Perhaps a bit less than what he’d like but he knows it’s temporary. That he loves the children makes it easier. One day however, the youngest will enter Hogwarts and he will be done for good. Don’t miss that time frame Amelia because there is no turning back time. That’s why he played quidditch first. He knew he wouldn’t be able to once he was old.
“...What if… I don’t want to be married?”
“Then don’t marry! Andi and Narcissa are not married and have children out of wedlock. There are naysayers talking but nobody cares about those. They’re trash. Officially, at least on paper at Gringotts, they’re concubines. You don’t even have to be that since any children you have with him would be named Bones. He will recognize them if you want and won’t if you don’t.
You don’t have to worry about line theft either. Only children from Rick and I’s line can become head of House Potter, same for the Black with Bella. Rigella and Atria? They come after Bella’s children. It’s ironclad by an inheritance test done and confirmed by the goblins. If Rick and I’s line is gone? Then the House of Potter is extinct. The name may go on but not the house.”
Amelia really thought about it and she liked what she was hearing. The house of Bones would continue or be extinct but not stolen away.
“Amelia.” Lily took the redhead’s hands in hers. “Don’t force me to unleash Rick on you and make you submit with his pussy pleaser.”
Lily was looked at as if she had two heads. It took a moment for the absurdity to be dealt with by Amelia who for the first time since she learned of Susan’s relationship with Rose, laughed.
“As if he could!”
“I remember some memories of the two of you together where…”
“Alright! I get it! No need to speak about it. As for Susan’s idea… I’ll think about it a bit more… I… I’m tempted to say yes but I want to look at it from every angle and I want it all on our contract.”
“DEAL!”
“That doesn’t mean I’m going back to bed with you!”
Lily gasped in shock. She was denied what she wanted the most and before she could plead her case, Amelia left quickly satisfied with her pay back.