Harry Potter and the Secret of the Twins

April 2002

The middle of November brought not only the first Quidditch match of the year, but also a foot and a half of snow on the ground and more falling as the game was supposed to begin. Slytherin wasn't too happy about playing in a snowstorm, but they had no excuse not to. For that matter, Gryffindor wasn't too happy about it, either. So Harry was in the locker room ignoring the sound of snow beating on the roof overhead and trying to give some kind of motivational speech.

"Er... the weather's bad. We'll be able to see better than two years ago against Hufflepuff, and we... okay, we lost that one. There are no dementors this year, though. We've been practicing hard... though not at the crack of dawn..."

Rose giggled. "Why were you ever practicing at the crack of dawn?"

"Wood," Fred answered dryly.

"He's a fanatic," added George in the same tone.

"Oh," Rose said, wrinkling her nose. "Glad he's not captain. I'd get thrown off the team for skipping practice."

"You wouldn't be on the team in the first place," Harry said slightly wickedly. "He's a Keeper."

"Really?" Rose said curiously. "Bet he would have made me reserve at least. Probably would have had me play pretty frequently, too."

Harry sighed in mock exasperation. "Rose, you should take your own advice."

Rose stuck her tongue out at him. "I'm only serious during the game unless I'm the team captain."

Harry grinned. "It works well enough. Everyone ready to play?"

Everyone nodded.

"Then I don't need to talk anymore. If anyone wants to give Wood's speech, go ahead."

Everyone laughed, and Fred and George started off.

"Okay, men," George said.

"And women," said Angelina.

"And women," George agreed. "This is it."

"The big one," said Fred.

George grinned. "The one we've all been waiting for..."

The team went laughing out onto the field.

"Captains, shake hands," ordered Madam Hooch.

Harry hadn't registered who any of the captains or players were at tryouts, but he did now. The new Slytherin captain was Draco Malfoy. He obediently took Malfoy's hand, and appeased himself by trying to break it. Unfortunately, it didn't work.

"Mount your brooms!" At the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle the two teams rose up into the air. Harry glanced around at his teammates. Fred and George were already after the Bludgers, and Alicia had the Quaffle. Rose was looking slightly bored.

:Rose, remember what I told you this summer. Slytherin plays dirty.:

:I remember, Harry. I've got a few tricks up my sleeve... all perfectly legal. None are considered both proper and safe, but there are no actual rules against them.:

:Just don't get yourself killed.:

:I won't,: she said impatiently.

Harry grinned and turned back to the game, keeping his eyes out for the Snitch and half an ear out for the commentary. Lee still had the job.

"Harry's got himself a good team this year. He, Keeper Rose Black, and Beaters Fred and George Weasley all went to the European Quidditch Summer Academy this year, the only Hogwarts students there! The score is twenty to zero Gryffindor and here comes Montague with the Quaffle: let's see what the newest member of the Gryffindor team can do!"

The Slytherin Chaser came in for the goal... and Rose caught the Quaffle effortlessly out of the air and tossed it to Angelina. Then Harry saw it. The Golden Snitch, perched delicately on the end of Rose's braid.

Harry sped towards it, and as Rose turned towards him, he pulled the Snitch from her hair.

:Ow! Harry! You pulled my hair!:

Harry grinned at his sister in spirit and said, "I caught the Snitch."

Gryffindor had won, one hundred and seventy to zero.

* * * * *

The party in the Gryffindor common room was already underway by the time Harry joined it. He had dropped by the library on the way back because both Ron and Hermione had disappeared somewhere between the Quidditch pitch and the castle. Neither one was there.

It was strange, having even one of them go missing, but both of them kept vanishing like that, and often at the same time. Rose would occasionally vanish, too, right out of his head. He suspected she was off kissing Neville during those times, but where could Ron and Hermione be going off to?

When Harry entered the common room, though, idle thoughts of where his friends might be were banished from his mind. Dean had drawn a large Gryffindor lion and someone- probably Hermione- had charmed it to prance about and roar every time Sergio, who was curled up under the picture, hissed. Romina was finishing up conjuring several large red and gold balloons and they were being bounced around on top of a crowd of dancing Gryffindors, music courtesy of Rose. She had charmed a small red rose that was lying next to Sergio to play WWN. Harry joined the crowd of celebrating Gryffindors.

Then Sergio decided he was tired of his role as the Slytherin serpent and slithered out into the crowd, managed to steal a scarlet balloon, and proceeded to bounce it on his tail in time with the music. A large group of Gryffindors gathered around to watch, and when the song ended Sergio batted it away and several first years chased after it, laughing. Then he retook his post under the lion drawing.

Somewhere around midnight Professor McGonagall came in and told them to go to bed. As Harry drifted off to sleep, he decided that it had been a good day.

* * * * *

The last weekend before the Christmas holiday there was a Hogsmeade weekend. Ron and Hermione wanted to go, but the almost stayed when Harry told them he was going to. He insisted that they go if they wanted to, and said he might be along later in the day. He wasn't planning on it, but it was the only way to get them to go.

Harry was sitting in a fat armchair in front of the fire. The common room had been empty when he sat down because everyone was either playing in the snow or at Hogsmeade. Except for Rose and Neville, they were off kissing somewhere. Rose had slipped out of his head again. He was just going to enjoy the quiet, and not think about anything, especially not Ginny or Voldemort. Then someone spoke.

"Harry, we need to talk."

"Hello, Ginny," he said without turning around. He would never forget her voice. He heard it almost every night. He would have nightmares, horrible nightmares where Voldemort was laughing and Ginny was screaming... and dreams, wonderful dreams where she told him that she loved him. And dreams that turned into nightmares.

"Why don't we go somewhere we can talk uninterrupted? People might come back at any time."

"No." If he got her somewhere where he knew they'd be alone, then he'd start kissing her again. It would put her in danger. "We can talk in here."

"It's fine by me if someone comes in and overhears us," she hissed. "You are going to explain yourself."

Harry turned around and looked her in the eye, careful not to wince. He'd slipped once and put her in danger. He wouldn't- couldn't- do it again. "I'm sorry, alright?"

"You're sorry?" Ginny demanded in a deadly tone. "I'll show you sorry." Then she dropped onto his lap and kissed him.

It was wonderful... pure bliss. He wanted this. But it put Ginny in  danger. Harry forced himself not to react.

After a moment Ginny pulled away. "Why did you kiss me?" She asked sadly. It hurt to see her upset, but he deserved the pain. He was hurting her on purpose.

Harry shrugged. He wanted to tell her that it was because he loved her, but it would be killing her.

She stiffened and tears came to her eyes, but she refused to blink them away, and Harry refused to allow himself to wipe them away. "I- I see. I should have known." She ran up the stairs to her dormitory, and Harry heard her begin to sob. Perhaps it would have been kinder to kill her. Kinder to see her die like his mother had, protecting their child...

Harry shook his head, banishing the thought. He would never marry Ginny, she would never even know that he loved her. She would get over him, and move on.

* * * * *

Rose had invited Harry to come home with her for Christmas. It was the first time he'd had anywhere to go, and he gladly accepted, partially because Sirius was coming to, partially because he didn't want to risk Ginny staying. He was afraid that if they ended up alone together he'd confess everything.

Harry, Rose, and Sirius the dog had shared a compartment only with Sergio. The boa was content with its undemanding life, and Harry wasn't about to change anything. He was playing chess with Rose, who was better then him, but no where near as good as either Ron or Hermione.

"So, how's Neville?" Harry asked as Rose's Bishop took his second Rook.

"Oh, his Potions scores are improving, and so are my Herbology marks," Rose said nonchalantly. :Harry- Dad doesn't know about us.: She whispered urgently in his mind as she spoke out loud. :I'm not technically allowed to have a boyfriend.:

:Ah. In that case you'd better behave yourself.:

:Oh, I will.: Rose muttered darkly, ordering her pawn forward. It became a queen.

"So, what's your house like?" Harry asked after ordering his knight back.

Rose shrugged. "Mum and I have been living in an apartment in London since Dad got put in Azkaban," she said lightly, trying to ignore the fact that her father's dog body had stiffened. "She's just gone back to the manor recently. I've only seen that one picture of it, and I have some really vague memories from when I was a baby that aren't from anywhere Mum's taken me, memories that feel like home." She looked up at Harry and grinned, ordering her new queen to move. "Checkmate."

* * * * *

Maralin had spared nothing in decorating the Black manor tastefully for Christmas. Every line of the house was traced in white lights and tiny silver bells, and fairy lights floated throughout the grounds. A giant Christmas tree was growing in the parlor, decorated with silver bells and fairy lights.

In the parlor Sirius transformed back into himself and called that they had arrived. A short, beautiful brunette woman in her mid thirties appeared in a doorway and ran over to him. He caught her around the waist and lifted her easily, and they both laughed happily as he spun her around. Then placed her beck on the floor and kissed her.

"And that would be my mum," Rose said, her voice rich with amusement.

"I guessed that," Harry said in the same tone, wondering if that had been how his parents had behaved. It was nice to know that they loved each other, to see it clearly. His aunt and uncle weren't affectionate at all, and he preferred it decidedly. However, it was a bit uncomfortable to watch. It made him think of Ginny, and that wasn't a trail he wanted his thoughts to follow at the moment. He started examining the tree, and as he did he noticed that Rose was doing the same thing.

After several minutes the couple broke apart, Maralin leaning contentedly against her husband's chest with her eyes closed and breathing hard. She only came up to the middle of Sirius's chest. "We are going to get everything straitened out," she murmured just loud enough for the teens to hear. "It has been too long-"

Sirius bent down and whispered in her ear, and Maralin's eyes flew open.

"Oh! Welcome home, Rose, dear. And Harry!" She stopped leaning against her husband and stood with her hands on her hips, examining him. "Definitely James's son," she chuckled, eyeing his hair. "And with Lily's eyes..." she trailed off, then smiled with tears shining in her eyes. "Welcome home." She took the few steps over to Harry and pulled him into a hug despite the fact that he was head and shoulders taller than her.

"And you, too, Rose!" she said, pulling her daughter into the hug. After a moment she stepped back and looked at the pair of them together. "Not an bit of difference in your heights, is there?"

Harry turned to Rose, who was looking him strait in the eye. "I suppose not."

Maralin grinned and Sirius rolled his eyes dramatically. "Don't ever think that Maralin doesn't have a healthy streak of mischief," he said in a purposefully over dry tone. "She had to develop one or get flattened when she started hanging around us." There was a decidedly mischievous twinkle in his eye.

However, it was nothing compared to the twinkle in Maralin's eye as she slipped out of the room. When she returned leading four House-Elves carrying dinner trays, Sirius's was very burnt... at least until he worked up the courage to take a bite.