Children of Fate

Ana awoke late the next day. The morning larks and songbirds had long ago flown off in pursuit of food and the sky was a glorious shade of light blue. The light that shone on her was golden and for a few moments Ana just basked in the warm rays of sun. It was the first day in as long as she could remember that she was allowed to sleep in. It was marvelous how such a simple thing as waking up late in the morning could brighten one's day.

With a catlike stretch Ana sat up and took in the surroundings of the clearing that she had been too tired to notice earlier that dawn. The branches of the trees surrounding the clearing provided enough shelter and shade so that rain would not get through and one could get cool, but enough sunlight streamed through the branches that the clearing always had a warm glow about it. With a little cry of delight Ana realized that many of the trees bordering the clearing were ones bearing fruit. Various bushes of berries grew alongside a small pond at the south side of the clearing. The clearing--practically a meadow--seemed to be a paradise to Ana.

It wasn't until she had stood and folded her blanket that Ana realized that she was alone. For one frightening moment Ana thought that she had been abandoned. It took her a few seconds to remember the way Sugar had treated her when they had first met and how highly the small sprite spoke of her mother. Sugar was probably just out foraging.

Sighing, Ana walked carefully over to the pond. The water was impossibly clear and, when Ana dipped her hand into it, she found the water to be surprisingly warm. After contemplating whether the water could be contaminated Ana shrugged and shed her maid's uniform. She slipped into the pond in only her knickers and began to make herself clean.

After deeming herself clean enough to face any other living being she might encounter Ana climbed out of the water and sunbathed in the middle of the circle of flowers. That was how Sugar found her when she returned an hour later. By then Ana was feeling somewhat drowsy, but all that evaporated when she saw her small guide.

"So," she asked, sitting up, "what's happening?"

Sugar sighed. "I went back to Davies Manor and I listened in on a few conversations. Though I don't know exactly where they are, I do know that Liza and Rey have been placed in two Death Eater homes."

"Why?"

Sugar climbed up onto Ana's shoe and gave a large shrug. "I don't know exactly why, but I do have a few theories of which I'll tell you later. I want to get to the coast by the time the sun rises tomorrow morning and before we can begin to set off in that direction I need to finish telling you your mother's tale. Does that sound like a smart plan?"

Ana nodded. "But where will we get food?" she asked. Sugar bit her lip.

"I hadn't thought of that," she admitted. "We can't eat the food in this clearing--it's enchanted fruit and has a few nasty side effects but we might be able to rustle something up once we get on the move. Now can we get on with the story?" Ana nodded again, ignoring her rumbling stomach. Finally...She'd know the whole story of her mother. Settling back in the ring of flowers Ana closed her eyes and listened to nothing but Sugar's comforting voice...

***

Kate was having an utterly miserable time in Lumière et Amour, and it was all thanks to that bloody Felicite Delacour-Audric. The woman had taken her job of guarding Draco very seriously. She had attached herself to Draco and--to Kate's knowledge--she had only let him out of her sight when he went to the bathroom and took a shower. Draco wasn't doing much to resist her charms, though. The young man seemed quite enchanted by the half-veela's beauty and grace.

Once, though, Kate had sought out Chevalier Audric. The curiosity of how Felicite Delacour-Audric could be related to her childhood friend was beyond her. Chevalier had only laughed and said, "Ah, Kate--that just might remain a mystery to you."

That had been three days ago. It had been thirteen days since Draco and she had arrived in France and her stay in Lumière et Amour was almost over. Draco and Kate were leaving early tomorrow morning and they would be back at L'enfer--Draco's summer manor--by the following Sunday. Kate expected that late Sunday evening would be when Ron came around to tell her where and when they would elope.

Both Ron and Kate had agreed that telling their whole families of their engagement would be a terrible mistake. Only Harry Potter, Hermione Granger-Potter (who would were already married) Miranda, Josephine, and Peggy would be present, as witnesses. Kate often had strange dreams about her wedding day--Ron turning into Draco, her dress falling off, the bouquet turning into a bloody knife, and so on and so forth. Once or twice she had even awoken Draco--who slept in the next room. He'd shake her awake and ask what was wrong. She'd mutter something about monsters and then he'd nod and leave. But now was not the time to think about the wedding jitters. Kate looked in her large, Hollywood-movie star makeup mirror, disdain written on hervery feature.

Draco was taking her out to a fancy French restaurant that evening--along with Felicite--to celebrate the trip. Kate had hoped that, for once, she could outshine every woman in the room and hold her fiancé's attention for one moment. She had wanted Draco to look at her the way he used to look at Pansy Parkinson and the way he looked at Felicite.

Like they were his world.

Like they were his life.

Like they mattered.

She had hoped so many things that morning when she had first heard of Draco's plans. Sadly, all of her wishes and aspirations had been thrown to the wind when she saw the dress Felicite had picked out. The pretty young guard had modeled the dress for Kate and Draco a few moments after Draco had announced that he was treating them both to dinner.

It was black, slinky, and almost completely see-through. Only the area where her bra and panties were was covered by black sequined material.

"Draco informed me last night of our plans," she has said in her heavy French accent. "Of course, 'e 'elped me select my dress."

Draco--for the first time on the trip--glared at Felicite. Turning to Kate her had said, "I only wanted to run it by, her, Kate. I mean, to ask if there were any good places to eat."

Kate had shrugged the whole thing off, laughing and saying about how he didn't have to ask her about everything, but really, deep down inside, it burned that that French tart of a veela had known about the plans befre her. And Draco knew that. He was getting to know her too well.

Kate sighed and looked up at her grand Victorian era clock, which read a quarter to seven. Then she looked down at the plain white slip she was wearing. She had agreed to meet Draco at L'Voom--the 'in' restaurant in Lumière et Amour--in fifteen minutes. Even if she had some way to get to a swanky dress shop she'd still have to style her hair, apply her makeup, and choose out complimenting accessories. This was the second of the three hitches in Kate's visit to Lumière et Amour.

"I am doomed!" Kate moaned, resting her forehead down on her white makeup counter.

"Ah, but zat is where you are wrong, Ms. Lowell."

Kate froze. It couldn't be...She had gone ahead with Draco to watch over him--but it was. "Felicite?" she asked in a tiny voice.

The veela woman smiled. "In ze flesh, as one might say," she murmured.

"But what about-"

"Ah, don't worry about your fiancé. 'E is being guarded by my 'usband." Felicite broke into the first genuine smile at the look on Kate's face. "Zat is 'ow I am related 'oo Chevalier. I am 'is wife."

"But how come no one told us?" Kate asked.

"Because no one can be trusted with ze secret. No one but you and Lisle. Chevalier said that you two could be trusted. Only Lisle calls me Mrs. Delacour-Audric." Felicite's smile evaporated as she continued. "You see, I am not at all as rich as I make myself out 'oo bThe Delacours--zey are no longer high class. We lost all our money when You-Know-Who murdered my father and uncle. And you know zat ze 'igh-class society of France is not receptive to ze poor, especially ones 'oo were once rich, like us. Chevalier and I...We 'ad been engaged at ze time, but 'is mother and father wished for 'im to marry a better woman."

"But you two were already in love," Kate said, finishing the story.

"Yes," Felicite said, smiling softly. "We were already in love. And so we eloped and 'ave kept it a secret all zis time." There was a long silence in which Felicite sat down on Kate's bed. "I will not lie and tell you zat zis 'as been easy. We 'ave only found ze time 'oo make love four times in almost nine months!" Tears of utter frustration filled Felicite's eyes, but she was soon to wipe them away. "But enough about me. I am 'ere 'oo focus on your makeup...Oh, dear...Only some 'andy spells can get you fixed up enough 'oo get into L'Voom. Stand up."

Kate did as she was told. Felicite stood and began to circle her like a hungry animal. "Let's see..." the veela woman muttered. "You 'ave a good figure. Not a lot of fat on your bones, but still, you 'ave some shape. And your 'air! It is a lovely color, and it complements your eyes well. But as for ze way you 'old yourself--no wonder you look a mess most of ze time!" Felicite drew her wand from some hidden fold of her dresses sleeves.

She took it and jabbed Kate firmly in the back. "Stand up straight--No, not like zat! You look as stiff and a board! Just 'old your shoulder 'igh and tilt you 'ead back so your chin juts out--Yes, like zat! Now, if you zink you can remember zat, we can move onto ze next step in our transformation!" Felicite shoved Kate into the chair again. "First we shall apply makeup. 'Ere, put some of zis on--and some of zat too!"

Kate smiled into the mirror. Maybe this night wasn't going to the dogs after all...

***

Draco was growing mighty impatient, and with a man who had a fuse as short as his, that was never a good thing. He had taken to sneering at any passing by waiters and was subconsciously destroying the rose that Felicite had slipped in his lapel. As if Kate being late wasn't bad enough, Felicite had gone off to retrieve her and left Chevalier, the over happy gate guard, in her place. The young Frenchmen had stopped humming merrily soon after Draco had sent him a withering glare.

"So," Chevalier had said after a while, obviously trying to find a conversation starter, "when is ze date of your wedding 'oo Kate?"

Draco shrugged. "Don't know. You'll likely be invited, though."

Chevalier shrugged. "I 'ope so. Kate and I went 'oo school together. We weren't in ze same year--I'm two years older zan 'er, but we were always close friends. Lisle--'e was in my year 'oo. Ze three of us--along with Peggy and Miranda--made quite a team. We were always..." But Chevalier trailed off mid-sentence. "Fellie," he murmured, "you 'ave returned to us."

Draco looked up to see Felicite standing over them, smiling strangely at Chevalier. "Yes, Chev--and I brought someone with me." A smile crept onto Felicite's lips. "Gentlemen, may I present, with great pleasure, ze one, ze only...Ms. Kaitlyn Lowell!"

She stepped away from the table booth-like table and Chevalier gasped. Draco would have gasped too, but he couldn't seem to find the air to breathe in. When he had been little his nursemaid had read him the story of Cinderella. Draco would have assessed Kate's makeover as a simple Cinderella fairy tale, but he was most certain that Cinderella had never looked as though she had swallowed the moon. Kate was positively glowing, whether through a simple charm or a new self-beauty that radiated from deep within.

Her hair--which Draco had always thought of as plain reddish-brown, now fell in soft mahogany curls down her back. She had little makeup on, but what little she had applied did the trick. A little shimmer power dusted lightly on her cheeks and over her eyes and pale pink rouge spread on her lips...And then there was the dress.

Kate was dressed in a deep blue strapless dress that shimmered whenever she moved. The neckline of the dress was low and daring and the pleated skirt fell nicely around Kate's legs. The rich blue of the dress brought out the color in Kate's eyes.

"Good evening, Draco," Kate purred, and even her voice was entrancing. Felicite must have given Kate lessons. "Would you care to dance?" Draco nodded and stood, taking Kate's arm. That was the third, final, and biggest of the mistakes Kate made in Lumière et Amour. Asking Draco to dance determined the fate of millions to come, for maybe, if the two had not fallen in love out on the dance floor, dancing to some slow French tune, none of what became would have become.

***

"Do you know what it means?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you know what it means? Lumière et Amour?/p>

Draco wrapped his arms around Kate's waist and buried his pointed nose in her hair. "No," he murmured. "Feel free to tell me, though." He smiled and waited for an answer.

"It means Lights and Love. What could be a better name for a place like this?" Kate gestured to the town of Lumière et Amour.

After they had finished dancing, Draco and Kate had sat down for dinner. Felicite--sensing the aura of love--had pulled Chevalier over to a nearby table. For an uncomfortable moment Kate and Draco said nothing. It had suddenly struck Draco that his entire relationship with Kate had been based on quick moments. He realized that at the exact same time he realized that he wanted to spend more than moments with Kate; he wanted to spend a lifetime with her. There would be hard times in the relationship, of that he was sure...And everything seemed to be going very fast. How could someone fall in love so quickly?

'But perhaps,' Draco thought to himself, watching Kate take a sip of the best champagne that L'Voom had, 'I've been in love with her since that day at the lake. And besides, good things take time, but great things...Ah, great things happen all at once!'

Dinner had ended hours ago, though, and Kate had dragged Draco up to the top of their hotel. It was a cool night and Draco had draped his designer coat over Kate's shivering shoulders. The view they had was incredible. All over the town bright lights flickered. In the darkness, looking down upon Lumière et Amour, it seemed as though they were in heaven, watching the night sky stars.

"See," Kate continued, "there are the lights," she gestured aga to Lumière et Amour, "and there is love." Then she leaned in and kissed Draco soundly on the lips.

The kiss was searing.

The kiss was sweet.

But most of all, the kiss was love.

When Kate broke away, there were no words said between the two lovers. There were no words that could be said to possibly sum up what they were feeling right then.

***

The arrival back at Salazar Harbor was incredibly awkward for Kate. The moment they stepped off the ship and were greeted by their parents, the two affianced teenagers transformed back into their normal selves. No one except Mrs. Lowell and Josephine saw the secretive looks that Draco sent Kate or the bashful ones Kate sent Draco. Even then, only Josephine guessed what was really going on. But, wisely, she decided to hold all her questions in until that night. She had a secret of her own, as well. One that she trusted only Kate with.

Kate and Draco rode in separate carriages back to L'enfer. Kate made sure that only Miranda and Peggy were in her carriage, as she had to go farther into town and locate Ron. She still didn't know what to tell him. Coming strait out and saying that she had "accidentally" fallen in love with his archenemy wouldn't exactly go over well.

"You two wait here," Kate said once the carriage pulled to a stop in front of a store three blocks from Ron's apartment. "I'll be back within the hour." Ignoring the lengthy groans from her sisters, Kate slipped into the bustling crowd and made her way to Ron's.

Harry and Hermione had been married just a little bit past the day Kate left to go sailing with Draco. Kate remembered vividly Draco throwing the newspaper announcing the happy event into the trash bin. She knew that, a little before they were married, Ron had moved out. She hadn't seen his new flat but Ron had said not to expect much.

After a brisk fifteen-minute walk Kate found what she believed to be Ron's residence. Sure enough, just as she was walking towards the building, a tall, gangly red head stepped out. When his amber eyes fell on Kate he broke into a grin.

"Kate!" Ron cried, running towards his 'girlfriend'. "You're back two days earlier than I expected!"

Kate nodded. "It was good sailing and I pushed for it," she said.

Ron's grin widened. "Can't wait to run off, is it?"

Kate bit her lip. "Ron," she began, choosing each word carefully, "I think we should stay here."

Ron's face fell. "I knew it."

Though it was a simple statement Kate could hear the accusation dripping from Ron's every word: "You fell in love with Malfoy!" She should have known better than to try and fool him. He already knew her secret.

"I knew that leaving for so long with him would cause this. You've fallen in love, haven't you?" He paused. "Don't answer that, Kate. I know that answer but I never, ever want to hear it."

A few short months ago Kate would have bowed her head in shame. But the shy, awkward Kate was gone. It took little effort for Kate to hold Ron's angry gaze. "Ron, I still love you, very deeply, and I understand if you want to cut things off. But I do need time to sort things out. I want to see you, still, but I won't lie. If you don't want to hear me say it that's fine."

Ron looked rather shocked at her firm response. "You've changed, too."

Kate nodded. She had on a trendy but simple Parisian robe that Felicite had given her, among other things. It was pale blue with puffy sleeves and a matching sash tied around the waist. Such robes were all the rage in France.

"I just got more...assertive," she murmured.

"Well, I like the change. And I still love you too. But I can tell you one thing," Ron said. "I'll win your heart back from Malfoy."

Little did Kate know that those words signaled the beginning of the end.

***

It was late, late, late at night and Kate was almost asleep when a light knock at her bedroom door jolted her awake. "Who's there?" she called out, fumbling for her wand in the darkness. "Is that you, Draco?"

"No," a meek voice replied. "It's Josie."

Kate found her wand. "Lumos!" she hissed. Indeed it was her elder sister, shivering in a thin green bathrobe.

"Kate, we need to talk." Josephine didn't let her sister reply before she added, "I know that you love Draco. But I think I'm the only one."

"Ron knows," Kate said, pulling her covers back and padding the space beside her. Josephine smiled gratefully and slid in beside her baby sister. "He took it well enough. Draco doesn't know about Ron, though."

Josephine's smile faltered. "That's why I'm here," she said, her eyes boring into Kate's. "Well, sort of, that is. " Then her gaze dropped to her hands, which were fidgeting in her lap. It suddenly occurred to Kate that Josephine was acting very strangely. In all her seventeen years she had never seen brave, bold, conservative Josephine fidget.

"Josie?" Kate asked. "Something's wrong, isn't it? Don't worry, Josie. I won't tell mum."

Josephine looked up at her younger sister for a moment before bursting into tears. "She'll know!" she sobbed, her whole body shaking. "She'll know! Oh, Merlin, she'll find out and then I'll be dead! Robert will kill me when he finds that I've been unfaithful!"

Kate didn't know what to do. Though she had only just found her backbone Josephine had always had one. She never ran away from her problems, never showed fear, and she never, ever cried. Something was wrong.

Terribly wrong.

And then Josephine had grabbed her wand, pointed it at her belly, and whispered, "Abdo gravida!"

Kate gasped and put her hand to her mouth. She knew it was rude to stare, but how could she not? Josephine was pregnant.

Very pregnant.

"I was three and a half months along when I you left. That was two months ago. I wouldn't normally be so big...But Kate, I'm going to have twins!"

***

"Wait," Ana cried, jumping up and interrupting the faerie's tale. "Tinkerbell told me that there was only one child--Amber Lyn."

Sugar smirked. "Well, then, it a good thing that I came along, isn't it? Believe me, Josephine Theresa Lowell gave birth to twins. What happened to the other child, then? That comes later in the story, so be a good girl and don't interrupt me again..."

***

"Twins?" Kate asked, perhaps a little too loudly. "You're going to have twins?"

Josephine frowned and pulled the thick bed cover over her swollen stomach. "Yes, I'm pregnant with two babies, a boy and a girl. You don't have to look at me like I'm a freak, though."

Kate quickly shut her open mouth and sat back on her knees. "Does Oliver know?" she asked. "I am assuming that--since you've decided to tell me this in the dead of night--that your betrothed is not the father-to-be?"

Josephine wrinkled her nose and shook her head vigorously. "Of course not. Oliver is the father, and no, he doesn't know. I can't tell him. It's too risky. I think mother suspects me, so she told Amelia and Sophia to trail me around. I haven't gotten to see him in ages. He thinks I've broken up with him, I'm sure." Josephine stopped crying. "Tell me, Kate, what should I do? I've been going crazy here, trying to get out to see Oliver, or trying to get a hold of you."

"Me?" Kate asked. "Why me? I always thought that you and Marlene were close."

Josephine sighed sadly. "Marlene and I have drifted apart. She's engaged too, you know, to an extremely wealthy man. He buys her whatever she wants, as long as she gives him a few sons. Now a days that's all she cares about...If I told Marlene she'd turn me over to mother."

"I still don't see why you need me, Josie, or why you're even telling me. It seems pretty dangerous to tell anyone about the twins," Kate said,.

"Oh, but Kate," Josephine replied, "you can help me more than you'll ever know. Isn't Ron's older brother married to a midwife?"

Kate nodded. "Yeah. Fred's married to a midwife, but she's muggle."

Josephine smiled for the first time that night. "All the better. She won't be as easy to find...Kate, I needed someone who could move about Salazar Harbor and have mother to cover for them. And I needed someone who I knew wouldn't tell." There was a pause. "Will you help me Kate? If you say no then I don't know how I'll get through this all."

Kate smiled, then hugged her sister. "Of course, Josie. How could I say no?"

Josephine seemed surprised at the sudden display of affection, but she quickly returned the hug. With a long yawn she rolled out of Kate's bed. "I'll see you in the morning. Let's meet in the rose garden tomorrow at sundown. That's when Amelia and Sophie go off to whatever ball they've been invited to. Can I count on you to be there?"

"Of course you can Josephine."

Kate's sleep that night was peaceful. There were no wedding nightmares or futuristic, prophetic dreams. However, just as she fell asleep, she got a strange feeling all over. Everything seemed so peaceful, so quiet, just like before a storm, and Kate couldn't help but feel there was a sort of storm heading her way, one that would destroy everything.

She didn't know how right she was.

***

The following days were surprisingly calm and peaceful. Besides balancing her time wisely between her two lovers and helping Josephine with preparations for the babies, Kate had not much to do. Her wedding date was set for sometime in the coming year and so far she had not had to do much planning for it.

The day after she had returned home Kate had gone in search of Fred Weasley's wife, Orfay. She took much caution to conceal her true identity and had worn a black wig. She had changed the story around a bit, telling Orfay that Josephine was her best friend and that the father had left her when finding out about the children. Orfay had sympathized with Josephine and had sworn herself to secrecy. Every week Kate asked Draco to cause a distraction so she could sneak Josephine out, though she told him that she just wanted to go and shop around.

Things went smoothly--too smoothly in fact. Kate--who had masterminded everything to do with Josephine's pregnancy--had taken such care in planning all the big things that she had overlooked some of the small things. For instance, it had never occurred to her that Fred Weasley sometimes stopped in to see his wife. Even if it had, she never would have guessed that Oliver Wood and Lee Jordan sometimes tagged along. Luckily, none of that happened until one frigid cold day in early December. Josephine was only two weeks away from her due date and concealing her gigantic belly was getting harder and harder.

Orfay--who was still under the impression that Kate's name was Harlene and Josephine's name was Pamela--had taken Josephine into her examining room half-an-hour earlier. Kate was growing busy reading a muggle magazine--Baby World--when the door to the small building swung open and there was the sound of unbridled laughter. The blood in Kate's veins froze.

This wasn't happening.

This couldn't be happening.

But, oh gods, it was happening.

Standing in front of her not only was the husband of the midwife she had been lying to--not to mention the brother of her boyfriend--but the father of her sister's child and their loudmouth of a friend. Oh, things couldn't get any worse. But then the door swung open again and Ron, Harry, Hermione, and Cho followed them in. Kate wanted to crawl under a rock and die. Not only had she not 'made up' with Hermione or Harry, she didn't want to answer Ron's questions of why she was in a midwife's office or even see Oliver at all.

"Orfay!" Fred roared, clapping Lee and Harry on the back. "Orfay! Come out here and meet your new patients!"

There was a clatter from behind the closed door and Orfay stuck her head out. "Fred, darling, I already have a patient in here! I'll see whoever you want me to see in a few minutes! Now please, I'm busy--Oh! Harry! Hermione! Lee! And if it isn't Cho! Are you all expecting?"

There were bashful smiles and prideful nods from the four parents-to-bes. Orfay gave a kind smile. "Well, I will try and hurry up then. In fact, Pamela, you're free to leave."

Kate, who saw the situation as one where only a lose-lose, checkmate conclusion was possible, thought fast. Just as Josephine stepped out of the room, she jumped to her feet and cried, "BOMB! Duck for cover!" at the top of her lungs. In the pandemonium that followed she dashed over to Josephine and all but yanked her towards the door. Yes, there would be some explaining to do next week, but everything had to be kept a secret. Unfortunately, Kate was so caught up in escaping that she didn't notice Harry lying on the ground, his body blocking Hermione's. With a screech like a banshee Kate fell to the ground, Josephine following shortly after her.

Before she knew it, Kate was being hauled to her feet, along with Josephine. Her black wig had fallen off, as had Josephine's fiery red one, and Orfay was staring at the two of them in shock. "Harlene? Pamela?" she asked, looking just the slightest bit fearful.

"Kate? Josephine?" Ron asked, a shocked look on his face.

"Ron?" Fred asked coyly. "You and Ms. Lowell haven't been fooling around, have you?"

"No!" Ron snapped, blushing bright red.

"Besides, Fred, it's Josie who's pregnant," Cho added.

Orfay still looked confused. "Josie and Kate?" she asked. "But they told me they were Pamela and Harlene. Two best friends-"

"Two sisters," Hermione corrected.

"Sisters? You two are sisters?" Orfay--who had always been a virtuous woman--looked betrayed. "I suppose all that rubbish about the father running off with a stripper was naught but lies?"

"Harlene and Pamela? Best friends? A stripper? What in the devil's name possessed you to tell such lies to my wife?"

By now Josephine was sobbing into Kate's robe. "They'll tell her," she moaned. "And then she'll take away my babies. Oh, Kate, please--do something!"

Now Orfay looked disturbed. Hermione--who was very much the motherly type--helped Kate moved Josephine to the waiting-room couch, where they lay her down. "She'll not find out," Kate murmured. "We've come too far and lied to much for me to let her find out. And you've forgotten whose company we're in. Ron won't tell, and neither will Oliver. And the others--if they so dare as to go to her, Josie, then I'll stop every last one of them."

There was a stunned silence. Never had any of them heard meek, spoiled Kate sound so strong and determined. Finally Harry worked up the courage to ask, "What's going on?"

Josephine and Kate looked up, as though they were just remembering that everyone else was there. "Josie's pregnant," Kate said.

"That much is evident," Lee muttered.

"Yeah. Why haven't you told me this, Kate? I could've gotten you a great discount!" Ron said, frowning.

"Because," Kate said, standing and glaring at everyone present, "no one save Josie, me, and those present in this room know about the twins. And it has to remain this way."

"Why?" Oliver asked, speaking for the first time.

"Because," a cold voice answered, "zey were afraid zat I would find out." The door opened and shut one last time. Francine Lowell, accompanied by Amelia and Sophia, stood before the small gathering, all dressed in expensive fur cloaks. Francine was brandishing a walking cane, which she poked Oliver with. "So, you're ze little gutter snipe zat got my daughter pregnant, are you?" She made disapproving noises. "Such a shame zat zese babies will 'ave spoiled, common, muggle-loving blood in zeir veins. I shant ever tell zem what a disgrace zeir father is zough...Doubftul zat I'll ever tell zem what a whore zeir mother was, either." Francine dropped her cane from Oliver and gave Josephine a long, cold stare. "After all," she murmured, "zey will never meet 'er."

Josephine's sobs echoed throughout the room. "Kate! Get your sister up! We shall go and 'ave ze babies removed by a specialist. Zen we will either 'ave one of your sisters raise zem in 'er place or give zem up for adoption. I'll deal with zat problem after I deal with ze Davies. No doubt zat zey will break ze engagement now." Francine paused when her daughter did not move. "You 'eard me, Kate! Get moving!" When Kate did not move again Francine struck out with the hard end of her cane, striking her daughter in the stomach. "You will pay for your disobedience later, Kaitlyn," she hissed before snapped her gloved fingers and watching Amelia grab Josephine shove her towards the door.

"You can't do this!" Oliver cried, finally coming to life. "Those are my babies, not yours! I swear, you old shrew, if you so much as lay a hand on my girl again, I'll curse you from here to Hogwarts!" He paused a moment to catch his breath. "And I'll report you to the Ministry of Magic for hitting your daughter! That's just sick!"

Francine's eyes were strangely cold and free of emotion. She raised her cane again, over Kate's unprotected head. "I'll see you all 'anged before my daughters go to ze dogs!" she cried, striking Kate on the head and turning towards the door, leaving Kate and Oliver to chase after her.

"What will happen to them?" Hermione asked in a small voice. A blizzard had started up so no one could see five feet out with window.

"What will happen to any of us?" Harry replied.