Acts of Fate

"You can't take her from us!"

"We can, and we will. You have no documentation to prove that you are related to her in any way."

"I'm her uncle!"

"That doesn't matter, unless you can verify your claim."

"You saw my sister die! We've got the same red hair, the same face, so many similarities!"

"I'm very sorry sir, but unless I can have documentation..."

"No, you fucking well can't! I don't have any!"

"Please sir, we are in a hospital. Do not alarm the other patients."

"I don't have any documentation! But I'm keeping her!" Ron snapped, and pulled out his wand. Hermione grabbed his arm as the doctor looked on, vaguely surprised. In his arms he held Helena, who was still sleeping soundly.

"Hermione, let me go!"

"We can't help it! Let her go!"

Ron stared at her. "Have you gone insane?"

"No. But please, listen to me. Harry started off the same way, living with Muggles."

"Yes, but that was years ago, and this is now, and that is Ginny's child!"

"Ron! You believe in Fate, don't you?"

"Yes, but that's irrelevant."

"We've got to let her go! We'll see her again!"

"How do you know that?" Ron's will broke, and tears overflowed from his eyes and ran down his freckled cheeks.

"I know, Ron. But we have to let Helena make her own way." Hermione embraced Ron, who kissed her gently, then looked back at the doctor, who still had Helena in his arms.

"Can I kiss her goodbye?" he asked tearfully.

"Yes sir, surely." The doctor handed over Helena. When she was cradled in Ron's arms, she opened her tiny eyes in surprise.

"We'll see you again, Helena. I promise you that..." He knelt his head over Helena protectively, and kissed her forehead. Hermione put her arm around his shoulders, and drew him to her, so that Helena was pressed between them. She gave a little gurgle, and looked up at them.

"We will always love you. Now, sleep." Helena closed her eyes slowly as Hermione handed her back to the doctor. He thanked them, and Hermione guided Ron from the ward. As they left, Ron clasped Hermione's hand in his.

"We will see her again, you're right, Hermione. I love you, even though you break my heart."

"We'll see her at Hogwarts." The two of them walked a little further from the Hospital, and then apparated out of sight.

*

Inside, the doctor who held Helena laid her down in a hospital crib. There were plenty of parents who wanted a new-born child like this one; he would call the families tonight. He watched as Helena was wheeled away, and then started making mental notes - perhaps the Macintyre family would like a baby. Turning on his heel, he walked to his office and began searching for phone numbers of families and orphanages.

*

Helena was taken away within a week by a local orphanage. The woman who came to collect her was in her twenties, perhaps older. She signed her name on the registration papers as Angela Cole. When asked her history with the orphanage, she explained that her grandmother had started running it in the early part of the twentieth century.

"I've been told we've had a few funny ones before, so she'll just be another adventure for us!" Angela said conversationally as she signed.

"Yes, we've already had some problems with her, custody ones. I hope that you will be able to take sufficient care of her?"

"Of course!" Formal matters finished, Helena was fetched. When a nurse returned with Helena in her arms and put her in the buggy that Angela had brought with her.

"She's a rare beauty already. The orphanage will take good care of her."

"I'm sure that we can trust your word, Ms. Cole. Oh, yes, the mother wanted her to be named Helena Jacqueline Potter."

"That's fine! Helena it is!"

Helena was wheeled out of the hospital and down a few blocks to a very old, square building. The iron gates were still there, as was the concrete courtyard. But, in the years since Dumbledore himself had visited, some grass and flowers had been planted near the steps leading to the front steps. At both sides of the orphanage were tall railings. Beyond them, a garden could be seen, in which some children, aged between five and ten, were playing. There was more mud than grass - soon, they would have to ban the children from the playground whilst they planted more grass - a tree was even going to be planted, so that it would in time provide shade and interest for the children.

Helena opened her eyes as she lay in the pram, and looked up at the orphanage. Uninterested, she yawned and closed her eyes again. Little did she know that her future would start here.