Making Mistakes

little_bird

Story Summary:
The events leading to the birth of Albus Severus Potter.

Chapter 27 - Admirable Restraint

Posted:
05/09/2009
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Bill walked into the back garden of Shell Cottage to find Fleur on her knees, weeding the flower beds that surrounded the house. He cleared his throat nervously. She hadn't spoken to him since Wednesday night. 'I should have listened to you,' he said to the back of her head. 'You were right.' He scuffed the grass with the toe of a boot. 'There were so many time I missed being able to look out for Ginny, and I just sort of lost my head this time.' He wasn't certain, but he thought he heard Fleur snort. 'I overreacted, and shouldn't have gone in there making accusations. It's just she's my baby sister...'

'I know,' Fleur said. 'I might have said ze same zing to Gabrielle.' She looked over her shoulder. 'But I don't zink I would have been so... How do you say eet?' Her brow knit as she searched for the proper English word. 'Ah, peeg-headed about eet.'

Bill flushed. 'Yeah, that's the right word.'

She wiped her hands on the smock she wore over her clothes and sat back on her heels. 'And I would never have assumed she could not take care of herself.'

Bill stared at Fleur for a moment, before pulling out a handkerchief from his pocket, and waving it around. 'All right, I surrender. You're right, and I was wrong.' He stuffed it back into his pocket. 'I'm going to go help Dad take James back home. I'll be home for dinner.'

'Au revoir.' Fleur went back to weeding the flower beds. 'You do not have to keep sleeping on ze sofa,' she added.

Bill ran his fingertips over Fleur's hair. 'Thanks, chérie. That sofa's murder on the back.' He left the enclosed area of the garden, Apparating to the Burrow.

*****

Ginny opened her eyes, and looked down in the sling. Apparition hadn't seemed to bother Albus too much. He had woken up, but only blinked up at her confusedly. 'Give Mummy just a moment,' she told him. 'And we'll be inside.' She pulled her wand from her pocket and began the process of removing the wards from the house, so Molly could go inside. As the last charm was lifted, Ginny heard the loud crack of someone Apparating next to her, and Molly appeared. 'You can go in, Mum.'

'Good, we'll get you settled and I'll send your father for some food. I'll bet there's not a bite to eat in there...' Molly bustled into the house, leaving Ginny to trail after her.

Ginny looked down at the baby. 'And so it begins... Your grandmum means well, but we'll be lucky if she leaves before bedtime.' Ginny followed Molly into the house. 'Mum! You don't have to... Mum?' Ginny heard a bureau drawer slam upstairs. 'Mum, what are you doing?' Ginny went upstairs to find Molly in James' room, directing a feather duster with her wand like an orchestra conductor, while bedding flew off the cot and fresh bedding tucked itself over the mattress.

'Just giving everything a once-over, dear.'

'You don't have to... Oh, never mind.' Ginny shook her head, knowing it was a losing battle. She went across the hallway to Albus' room, and stopped on the threshold. The cot that had been in pieces when they left was now assembled and set in the place she'd chosen. She walked over to it, her fingers trailing along the top rail. 'I wonder when this happened,' she murmured. 'We'll have to get it made up for you.' She went down the corridor to her bedroom, pushing the partially open door open with a happy sigh. This was home. It was their refuge from everything else.

She dropped into the armchair in the corner by a window and lifted the sling over head, taking Albus from it. 'Welcome home, Al.'

'Mummy? Mummmmeeeeee?'

Ginny heard James' feet stump up the stairs. 'In here, James.'

James appeared in the doorway, his stuffed black dog clutched in his hands. 'Mummy!' He dashed to the armchair and launching himself toward Ginny. He stopped in front of the chair and stared at Albus. He dropped the dog to the floor and reached out a tentative hand. 'Baybee?'

'Come on,' Ginny said, holding out a hand. She hoisted James to her lap, shifting Albus to one arm. 'This is your brother, Albus.'

James looked up at her, his blue eyes narrowed as he tried to say it. 'Ahbufs.' He looked back down at the baby, and began to inspect him. He lifted the edge the cap off Albus' head. A pudgy finger lightly touched Albus' face. 'Nohse. Eyess. Mowfh,' James chanted softly, touching each feature as he said it.

Bill appeared in the doorway, a cradle tucked under one arm. 'Where do you want this?' he asked.

Ginny looked up and tilted her head toward her side of the bed. 'Next to the bed. Just make sure I won't trip over it.'

'Sure.' Bill set the cradle down in the area Ginny had indicated. He took out a pile of bedding from the depths of the cradle and began to make it up. He shook out a small quilt, the murmurs of Ginny and James reaching his ears. 'I'm sorry, Gin,' he mumbled.

She glanced up. 'Excuse me? I didn't quite catch that.'

Bill smoothed the quilt in the cradle. 'I'm sorry. For what I said.'

'It's all right.' She turned her attentions back to James, who snuggled against her, his thumb in his mouth.

Bill sat on the foot of the bed, watching Ginny. 'I shouldn't have said all those things about Harry.'

'No, you shouldn't have.'

'And I shouldn't have questioned your marriage.'

'Again, no, you shouldn't have.'

'It's just a lot for you to deal with by yourself.'

Ginny shook her head. 'I'm hardly alone, Bill. You're here.' She nudged James to the floor, and sent him off to find Arthur, then stood up, taking Albus to the cradle, carefully setting him in it, making sure the blanket was securely tucked around him. She turned around and joined Bill on the foot of the bed. 'I know you think I need looking after, but I'm not a child.'

'I know that,' Bill grumbled.

'Then remember that next time you feel the urge to shoot your mouth off,' Ginny retorted. 'Come on. Let's go give Mum a hand. The sooner you lot finish up here, the sooner I get the house to myself. Been around too many bloody people the past two weeks.'

*****

Harry hauled the unconscious woman into the kitchen and dumped her unceremoniously into a chair at the table, and jabbed his wand at her, binding her tightly to the chair. He looked up and saw Benjamin, Moira, and Kevin gaping at him in astonishment. 'Benjamin, go to the house and get Iain and Bree.' When Benjamin blinked in bemusement, Harry shouted, 'Now, Benjamin!' The impatient bark sent Benjamin scurrying for the back garden, where he quickly disappeared. Harry's gaze landed on Kevin. 'You need to contact Shacklebolt. Let him know we need him up here.'

Kevin nodded, and pulled out his wand. 'Expec -'

'Not with a Patronus,' Harry snapped. Kevin's mouth dropped open, and he shoved the wand back into his pocket.

'Who the hell pissed in your Cheerios?' Moira asked.

Harry looked at the trainee. 'Nobody,' he said shortly. 'Just because we've got her, doesn't mean we can operate in the open. Use your brains.' He drew in a deep breath. 'Kevin, I'm going to create a Portkey for you. It'll take you to Diagon Alley. Actually, it'll take you right to the entrance of Knockturn Alley. It's so dark there, nobody will really notice you.' Harry ran his hands through his hair. 'All right, what day is it?'

'July first,' offered Kevin.

'No, I mean what day of the week?'

'Saturday,' answered Moira.

Harry paced the confines of the kitchen. 'All right... Kevin, go to Shackelbolt's house first. You know where that is?' When the trainee shook his head, Harry sighed. 'I'll write the address down for you. There's an alley close by you can Apparate in. If he's not there, go see Percy. He has Shacklebolt's schedule memorized. Or check the Ministry. He might be there. After you've done that, and you still can't find him, then you can use a Patronus, but for Merlin's sake, use it as a last resort.'

Harry Summoned a manky old trainer hanging from one of the electrical wires strung between the houses. He tapped it, muttering, 'Portus.' Harry tore a strip of paper from his notebook and scribbled Shacklebolt's address on it, slapping it into Kevin's hand. Before he handed it to Kevin, he laid a hand on the younger man's arm. 'Sorry for shouting...' he muttered.

Kevin shrugged. 'It's okay. Been hard on all of us.' He took the trainer, and in a moment, vanished.

Harry dropped to a chair, his knees suddenly giving out on him. 'Moira, are Lucy and Eric awake?'

'I don't think so.'

'Go wake them. I'll need everybody here for this.' He sat back in the chair, his eyes fixed on the woman across from him.

*****

Kevin landed at the entrance of Knockturn Alley, suppressing a shudder as the scents of potions and other assorted unsavory items reached his nostrils. He looked down at the parchment in his hand. He knew the area, and knew a good alley to Apparate to. He swiftly turned and reappeared in a shadowed alley in a somewhat posh section of London. He took off running down the street and skidded to a stop at a townhouse, darting up the steps to the door, ignoring the stares of passerby in the street. He pounded on the door. Waited for a moment. Then pounded again, bruising his fist against the heavy wood. 'Damn it,' he growled. Nobody answered the door.

He took off for the alley once more, stopping in the shadows to catch his breath. Panting, he spun, and ended up near Percy Weasley's house. He raced to the door, and began to beat on the door, disregarding the knocker prominently in front of his face. 'Come on, come on...' he muttered.

The door opened and a woman with a great deal of curly dark blonde hair stood there. 'Can I help you?'

'I need to see Mr. Weasley!' Kevin exclaimed.

'He's not in at the moment.'

'Do you know where he is?' Kevin asked in desperation.

'Why do you need to see him?' she asked suspiciously.

'It's private,' he replied.

She sighed and looked at him. 'Who are you?'

Kevin groaned theatrically. 'Kevin Gurr. I'm an Auror trainee.'

'He's at the Ministry. Some sort of reception.'

Kevin's eyes closed. 'Thank you.' He darted back down the street and Apparated to the employee entrance of the Ministry.

A large Hit Wizard stood at the door, a list in his hand. 'Who're you?' he asked rudely.

'Kevin Gurr.'

'Kevin Gurr, Kevin Gurr...' The Hit Wizard moved a blunt forefinger down the list. 'Nope, not on the list.'

'But you don't understand, I need to get in there. I have to see the Minister!' Kevin exclaimed in dismay.

'Sorry, chum, not today.'

'But I'm a Ministry employee!' protested Kevin.

'Not on the list, you don't get into the Ministry until eight this evening with this shindig breaks up.'

'Fine,' Kevin barked. 'Bloody fine!' He stalked away, grinding his teeth in frustration. He threw himself on a bench, determined to wait until eight. Which was still almost four hours away. He rubbed his forehead. Think... How can you get around the bloody watchdog...? 'Visitors' entrance,' he breathed. He had a suspicion they hadn't blocked it for the reception, figuring anybody who would use it, wasn't going to be at the Ministry on a Saturday afternoon. Kevin ducked through the Leaky Cauldron and ran down the street, clutching at the stitch in his side. The disreputable telephone box stood on its corner, looking forlorn. Kevin threw himself inside, and jabbed the numbers "62442".

'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic,' the cool female voice came from the receiver. 'State your name and your business.'

'Kevin Gurr, and I'm here to see the Minister.' The small square badge fell into the coin chute. Kevin shoved it into his pocket, hoping he would be able to find Shacklebolt quickly. He didn't fancy sending a Patronus into a crowded reception, or facing Harry's ire if he did. To his elation, the telephone box began its slow descent to the Atrium.

*****

Harry flicked his wand at the woman. 'Ennervate,' he ground out between clenched teeth.

She lifted her head, tossing the matted grey ringlets from her face. A feral smile graced her face as she took in the man sitting across from her. 'Ah, Harry,' she said in greeting. 'Lovely to see you, as always.'

'I can't say the same about you,' he returned. Then after a pause, added, 'Skeeter.' He tried, but failed to keep his lip from curling in distaste. He kept his wand trained on the middle of the witch's forehead. 'So is it house-elves you despise? Or is it Hermione, Percy, or me?'

'Oh, Harry... Harry, truly, you must learn better interview skills than that,' she drawled. 'Don't you want to know how I've been?'

'Not really,' Harry spat. 'I want to know why you sent those letters. I want to know who else you were working with. If you cooperate, then maybe I'll let the Minister know, and you won't be put into Azkaban until they bury you in an unmarked grave.' The hand not wrapped around his wand twitched and Harry clenched it into a fist. He wanted to punch her, like he had Flanagan, but he usually didn't hit women. Although, calling that cow a woman might be taking it a bit far...

'Kingsley's coming?' she asked brightly. 'Well, then, I just might have to wait until he gets here to talk.'

The sound of her voice was like nails on a blackboard to Harry. He jabbed his wand at her, and her mouth moved, but no sounds came from it. Harry sent a silent word of thanks to Snape. Every time he used a nonverbal spell, he remembered what Snape had shouted at him as he fled the grounds of Hogwarts that terrible night, offering advice for not only Legilimency and Occlumency, but also casting nonverbal spells. At the time, it had sounded like Snape was mocking him, but later, after the war; Harry was able to see it for what it was. Snape ended up teaching him until the very end.

He motioned to Brianna and Iain, standing in the doorway. They stepped forward, eyeing the scowling woman apprehensively. 'Go back to the house, and start checking it for protective spells. Leave the Muggle-Repelling charm, but take down the others. Take Kathleen and Andre with you.' They nodded and slipped out of the kitchen into the sitting room.

Harry sat back in his chair and gazed coolly at Rita Skeeter, saying nothing. He wouldn't give her the satisfaction.

*****

Kevin flattened himself against the wall, scanning the crowd for Shacklebolt's shiny head. In the crush of people, he clung to the one feature that would be easily visible. He was standing on the other side of the room, chatting easily to a man with too much hair, and a blindingly disarming smile. Kevin began to edge slowly around the room, working his way toward Shacklebolt. When he finally reached that end of the room, he conjured a handful of small pebbles. Standing behind a pillar, he used his wand to Banish a pebble toward Shacklebolt. The first three missed, hitting a rather dumpy witch with towering pink hair. Concentrating, he sent the next two right at the back of Shacklebolt's head. When the Minister's head whipped around, Kevin gave him a small wave. Shacklebolt nodded once, and made his excuses to Michel Bergeron, the French Minister of Magic. He made his way to the pillar where Kevin hid, and grasped his elbow. 'What's going on?'

'Harry says you need to come up to Inverness. Right now.' Kevin swallowed the lump in his throat.

'Go up to my office. I'll meet you there in five minutes.' Shacklebolt waited until Kevin had slipped along the walls to the lifts. He made his way to where Percy stood with his wife, chatting to one of the wizards who helped administer O.W.L.s and N.E.W.T.s. 'I have to go,' Shacklebolt said into Percy's ear. 'Do not tell anyone.' He gave Percy a meaningful look, and vanished into the crowd.

*****

Andre, Kathleen, Iain, and Brianna stood in the back garden of the house. 'I can't believe they didn't put anything up,' Kathleen huffed. 'Idiots. What is it about people like that where they think they're invincible?'

Andre gave her a sideways look. 'Because they think they're so good, they can't possibly be caught.' He shrugged. 'Part of the charm, I suppose.'

'Should we go in?' Brianna wondered.

'Are you kidding me?' Iain shook his head. 'No.'

'You're too damn cautious,' Brianna argued.

'And you're too bloody impulsive,' he countered.

'Will you two just shag already?' Andre grumbled. 'You're giving me a headache.'

'What if there're spells up inside the house?' Kathleen interjected.

'Guess it couldn't hurt,' Andre said. 'But don't touch anything.'

They edged toward the rickety back door, and nudged it open. They went into the kitchen, and Kathleen began to murmur something, her wand sweeping the room. 'Nothing,' she said in disgust. 'Amateurs. Just Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder in the front room, and that's dissipating.'

'There it is,' Brianna whispered. 'Where they made the letters.' She pointed to the spindly table, stacked with magazines. 'It's kind of sad... Pathetic, really.' Her gaze swept the room. 'You picture it, but it's never this bad,' she added, wrinkling her nose at the musty odor that permeated the room.

'Come on. Let's go,' Iain said softly, tugging on Brianna's sleeve. Reluctantly, she allowed Iain to tow her out of the house and into the back garden. He locked the door, and turned, Disapparating to their house.

*****

Shacklebolt slipped into his office, where Kevin paced impatiently. 'So?'

'We have her.'

'Good.' Shacklebolt opened a cupboard and took out a set of clothing. 'I'll be right back. I'm not going up there in this getup,' he added, indicating his dress robes. He went into his private bathroom and quickly changed his clothing. He dumped the dress robes in the chair behind his desk, and grabbed the last lime-green bowler from the cupboard. He touched it with the tip of his wand and said, 'Portus.' He held it out to Kevin, who put his hand on one side of the brim. Kevin felt a jerk behind his navel and they landed in the back garden of the Inverness house, as the others Apparated from the hideout used by Rita Skeeter and Ryan Flanagan.

Shacklebolt strode into the house and took in the sight of Rita Skeeter smiling at him with that smarmy expression on her face, her mouth working soundlessly. Shacklebolt glanced at Harry. 'Silencing charm?' Harry nodded. Shacklebolt flicked his wand lazily at Skeeter, and words bubbled forth, as if a dam had been breached.

'Kingsley, you old rogue,' she hailed him gaily. 'Naughty man, putting me under house arrest for something so insignificant.'

'Rita, you were an unregistered Animagus, for God's sake,' Shacklebolt sighed. 'I had every right to do that.'

'Oh, and then you had to prohibit me from publishing,' she tutted.

'Only because you wouldn't stop printing vile slander about people.'

'Freedom of press, darling. People want to know all about the Minister and the people he gave a free pass...'

'And your five years was up when? Two years ago?' Shacklebolt snorted.

'But nobody would print anything I wrote,' she pouted.

'For good reason,' Harry said in an undertone. 'My owl wouldn't leave droppings on it.' In a louder voice, he added, 'All right, Skeeter, you have your audience... Why?'

'Why, Harry, so impatient,' Skeeter cooed. 'How do you know it was me?'

Smirking, Harry murmured, 'Accio letter.' The one he'd gotten from Shacklebolt the previous day. Has it only been since yesterday? Harry wondered. Harry spread the parchment on the table and flicked his wand at Skeeter. The ropes binding her arms to the chair loosened. 'Could you put her hands on the table, Andre?' Harry asked. When Skeeter's hands lay flat on the table, palms down, Harry touched a tiny flake of glittery scarlet nail varnish with the tip of his wand. 'Gefangian.' A ghost-like twin of the varnish rose from the parchment and glided across the table, landing snugly in a chip marring the surface of Skeeter's nails, like a piece in a jigsaw puzzle.

It was an exact match.

'That doesn't prove anything,' she sneered.

'Maybe, maybe not,' shrugged Harry. 'But Ryan Flanagan's memories do.' He flicked his wand at Skeeter, and the ropes snaked up her arms, tying them once again to the chair. 'So? Why?'

Skeeter looked from Harry to Shacklebolt to the nine trainees clustered around the table. 'That Muggle-born witch you're so thick with... She found out all my secrets. She thinks she's so bloody clever. Needed to take her down a few pegs. And that Weasley boy, he worked with her to ruin my career. Found some obscure law that made it possible to prohibit me from making a living,' she snarled. Her gaze focused on Harry. 'And I knew that eventually one of them would go to you. Oh yes, Harry, I knew that. And you'd have to look into it. You and your morals where you have to save people. And it would make your life miserable. Yes, it would. How long have you been here and away from your wife and child? Or is it children now? Flanagan told me she was pregnant.'

Harry's hand tightened on his wand so hard, bright red sparks flew from the tip.

'I've spent years on the edge of polite society because of what your friend did to me, unable to work, unable to make a decent living. Ruined, because somebody didn't like what I wrote about them.'

'It would be one thing if you wrote anything resembling the truth, Rita,' interrupted Shacklebolt. 'But the only thing you've managed to get right most of the time is the spelling of the names.'

Skeeter's eyes flicked to Shacklebolt, but she turned her attention quickly back to Harry. 'You and that Granger. I spent five years waiting for just the right moment to interfere with your lives, and she just handed it to me on a platter. Because who would ever guess that it was me, instead of some barking nutter with smoldering resentments from the war? And I have to say, when Granger had a baby, it just made the deal sweeter. Gave them something else to worry about, didn't it?'

'Flanagan,' Harry said. 'How did you get him involved with this?'

Skeeter smiled widely. 'Icing on the cake, darling. Icing on the cake. He's despised your wife for years, and if you were away, she would suffer.' She tiled her head toward the letter on the table. 'That was his idea, you see. To pull her into it. Because then you would find out about it. Almost a two for one bargain.' Her smile turned into something bordering on beatific.

'I've heard enough,' Shacklebolt said, pointing his wand at Skeeter, putting another Silencing charm on her. He swept his wand down, and his lynx Patronus sniffed the air, before loping out of the kitchen. 'Hit Wizards will be here soon,' he said.

Harry nodded. He looked at the trainees. 'Could I have a word with you lot? Outside?' Without waiting for an answer, he went into the back garden. 'How's the house over there?' he asked, when they filed out after him.

'Just a Muggle-Repelling charm,' Kathleen volunteered.

'Good. We can go over there in the morning and start collecting evidence.'

'Does this mean we're done?' Eric asked.

'What do you mean "we"? You've only been here a week!' teased Kevin.

'Yes, we're done.' Harry let his shoulders slump with exhaustion.

'So when we're done with the evidence collection, we can go home?' asked Brianna hopefully.

'Yeah. After we close up this house. Clean it, take off any charms we put on it. You should all be home this time tomorrow.'

'Oh, thank Merlin,' sighed Iain. 'I can sleep in a real bed again.' He looked back into the kitchen. 'Do we have to go back in? She kind of gives me...' He shook his head. 'Makes me want to smack her.'

'No, you don't have to.' Harry looked at the nine trainees. 'In fact, go out. Get some food. Get sloshed if you want to. Just be back here before midnight, and please don't get yourselves arrested. You've earned it.' The trainees looked at him askance. 'No, really. Go.'

'What about you?' Kathleen asked.

'I'm fine here. I'll stay with Kingsley until the Hit Wizards come, then I'm going to go to bed. Don't wake me up when you get back, either.'

'Are you sure?' Brianna piped up.

'I'm sure. Go before I change my mind and we go deal with the evidence when she leaves.'

The trainees headed toward the gate, and left, going toward the center of the city, good-naturedly arguing about what to have for dinner, and if they should find a club for a spot of dancing later. Harry watched them leave, and waited until the garden gate swung shut. He closed his eyes. Home. Even if it was back to the hospital with Ginny, it was still home. He twisted his wedding ring off, and held it up to the afternoon sunlight.

Faith. Hope. Love.

The words soothed him after hearing Skeeter's answers. He slid it back onto his finger and went back inside to wait for the Hit Wizards to take Rita Skeeter away.

*****