Disclaimer: I own nothing that's even remotely recognizable. However, I do lay claim on my plot, Bill, Leigh, and Joshua.
A/N: Wow! I can't believe I actually got around to updating this story! I never want to go that long without updating a story again…it's far too difficult to remember what I had planned then. Fortunately, I scrambled around and searched hard through my various notes in my three notebooks and my computer and managed to remember what I was gonna do. I wrote this in one sitting…working straight for six or seven hours because I really wanted to get this up today. This is a MAJOR chapter. Expect the pace to be quite fast from here on out as far as the plot goes. Anyway, I put a *lot* of work into this chapter and any feedback would be *much* appreciated. Also, if you have any questions or predictions, don't hesitate to review, IM, or e-mail me. All my info is in my profile. Well, enough of this….read!
Recap:
He was about to continue when the knob began turning and the door opened to reveal a young child that he vaguely recognized as being in his first year DADA class.
"Mom! Guess what?" he yelled as he ran to his mom and gave her a quick hug. "I met Harry Potter!"
Chapter 8
I don't wanna die, and leave it all behind
Each day a part of me disappears
But who am I to judge, what's been sent from above?
"We're Forgiven" - The Calling
*~*~*~*
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked, mildly amused at her familiar reaction when she suddenly realized something new.
Hermione turned her face to Harry with a slight look of disbelieving shock on her face. "Joshua is Professor Collins' son."
"Really?" Harry replied, "That's pretty interesting. He seems like a good kid." Harry fell silent as he thought over his meeting Joshua. "Now that I think about it, he does look like her."
"Yeah. You know I can't help feeling like we're missing something important about Professor Collins."
Harry looked concerned. "What do you mean? You think she might be a mole or something?"
"No," she replied, "nothing like that. It's just…I feel like there's some weird connection that I'm missing."
*~*~*~*
"Hey sweetie," Leigh said as she hugged her son. "So you met Harry?"
"Yup, and I met his friends. They're all really nice! And I remembered what you said about treating Harry normally. He seemed to really appreciate it." Joshua turned to see Bill standing there. "Hey, Professor."
Leigh stood behind her son and placed her hands on his shoulders. Clearing her throat, she said, "This is my son…Joshua Steven Collins."
Bill smiled at the boy. "It's nice to see you again today. Did you enjoy your classes?"
"Yeah, I did." He looked up to his mom and said, "I had his class and double Charms today."
"Oh, really?" Leigh asked. "And did you get any homework?"
Joshua immediately moved his gaze to the ground and didn't answer.
"Uh-huh, I'll take that as a yes. Thank you for coming to see me but you need to go do your homework."
"Aww, mom….do I really hafta?"
"Yes, you really, really `hafta'." She kissed the top of his head and said, "Now go do it, you little slacker."
Joshua rolled his eyes and trudged to the door. "Bye, mom. Bye, Professor Buck."
An awkward silence followed Joshua's departure until finally, Bill spoke. "You have a son."
Leigh remarked dryly, "No, I just like to call him that."
Bill chuckled softly.
"What's so funny?"
"You…I almost forgot how sarcastic you get when you're angry."
"Gee, and I was trying so hard to hide it."
Bill smiled sadly at her. "I missed you every day, Leigh."
A single tear rolled down her cheek despite her attempt to keep it from falling. "That still doesn't change the fact that you left me, William."
"I had to do it."
"Bull! There were plenty of people loyal to the cause that could have done it!" Leigh no longer fought her tears and they began to flow freely down her face as she sobbed. "Why did it have to be you?"
Bill appeared heartbroken as he struggled for words to say. When none came, he reached out his hand and gently placed it upon Leigh's cheek before pulling her into a fierce hug. Leigh returned the gesture, clutching him tightly as she dug her face into his shoulder and cried softly.
Bill's hand was now resting on the back of Leigh's head, gently running through her hair as he murmured his apologies into her ear. "I'm so sorry, Leigh. I'll never leave you again, I promise…not if I can help it."
Leigh mumbled into his chest, "Do you have any idea how cliché that sounds?"
Bill laughed softly before he said, "So…I guess you want the whole story?"
Leigh pulled back as she retorted, "No, I'd much rather just remain clueless."
"That would be a yes."
*~*~*~*
"He knows. I know he does," Ginny murmured softly.
Draco cursed softly as he paced around the room. "I knew it," he said. "The look on his face was just…" The words died into silence as Draco began to focus on the myriad of thoughts racing through his brain.
Ginny slumped down onto the couch…onto their couch. They had met in this room almost every night since they started talking. She thought about all the memories they had formed in this very room. From when she finally managed to do a potion correctly under Draco's watchful eye, when she first hugged him, when she first began to realize the pain Draco hid from others….when she first kissed him.
Tears silently fell down her cheeks as she realized that nothing was going to be the same again. Everything was different now - Ron knew - and there was no way this would just blow over easily.
Draco had yet to quit striding the room and running his hands nervously through his hair. Ginny's russet eyes followed him around the room and she just couldn't help wondering if this was it. Would Draco give up on them now that others knew? Ginny's heart wrenched at the thought and she quickly moved her gaze to the floor as a new surge of tears began flowing down.
Draco had finally calmed down and stopped pacing. He turned to face Ginny on the couch and was startled to see the look on her face. He immediately walked over and kneeled down before her, gently taking her face in his hands. He softly ran his thumbs over her cheeks to dry them.
"Hey," he said softly, "it's okay. We knew this was going to happen eventually." He smiled softly. "And I'm not about to let that ruddy idiot brother of yours ruin what we have, okay?"
"Hey, watch it," Ginny said softly, "I'm the only one allowed to call him an idiot."
Draco laughed quietly as a look of love came over his face. "I love you, Ginny Weasley. You can't get rid of me that easily, okay?"
Ginny nodded and said softly, "We can't rid of Ron that easily either."
"I know…but we're going to get through this," Draco said as he leaned forward and kissed her tenderly.
*~*~*~*
Lavender rolled her eyes as she quickly got up from the table to follow her extremely volatile, red-haired friend out of the Great Hall.
She all but ran to catch up with Ron who was storming through the hallways with a murderous look upon his face.
"Ron! Would you please slow down?"
Ron let out a stream of curse words, discussing in detail precisely what he would do once he got his hands on Malfoy, and proceeded to ignore Lavender's request.
Sighing in exasperation, Lavender finally just ran past him before stopping and placing herself right in his path assuming the classic female position of impatience and annoyance.
Ron stopped abruptly to avoid crashing into her. "Lavender, are you insane?"
"Not compared to you, Ronald."
"You mean my sister."
"No, I mean you," Lavender shot back. "You're not going anywhere until you calm down."
"But she's…she's going out with…him," Ron sputtered.
"I fully realize that, Ron…but Ginny is mature enough to know what she's doing and you don't even know the whole story."
"Oh, and you do?"
Lavender said nothing in reply to that, but kept her mouth firmly shut.
"You knew?" Ron's eyes widened. "You knew…and you didn't tell me?"
Lavender took a deep breath. "It wasn't my secret to tell, Ron."
"Bloody h-"
"Ron," Lavender repeated, "it wasn't my secret. I couldn't tell you."
"Why would she tell you and not me?"
"Because Hermione and I are-"
"Hermione knew too?" Ron interrupted. "Bloody hell…I can't do this." He maneuvered past Lavender and quickly made his way to the Gryffindor Common Room.
"Well, that went well," Lavender muttered, as she turned around to follow Ron to the Common Room, not quite ready to give up.
*~*~*~*
"Well," Leigh said, "I'm waiting."
"Well, like I said earlier…Dumbledore said that he came to me because I was loyal and because I had the necessary skills," Bill said, "but, there was another reason."
*Flashback*
"Professor McGonagall?" William asked as he entered through her door into her office.
"Ahh, yes, do sit down, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall replied, motioning to a chair before her desk. I called you in because it's time to discuss what you're to do once you leave Hogwarts. As I'm sure you know, graduation is only a few weeks away."
William took a seat, but didn't say anything; he instead opted to wait until Professor McGonagall continued.
However, the next words out of her mouth weren't exactly what he expected. Her voice dropped several octaves, becoming deep and menacing as her eyes glossed over and seemed to focus on nothing in particular.
"In a time where happiness is worn
When fear and death runs with glee
Two shall be born
The heart and the key
Brown will meld with black and green
And a better future it all shall mean
Red and Gold his ancestor
The heart, the unwitting savior
With blood strangers will grow
Work and hate he will know
Eleven years shall drift by
And then ignorance shall fly
With Blue and Bronze in her vein
Her cleverness shall reign
But deep within are tangled ties
Holding mysterious ways and loving lies
Her love and logic must forgive
For if she fails, none can live
Nothing is done with the brain alone
But add the heart, and they are one
The Lion and Eagle together will mean
The difference between defeat and victory
The Heirs of Ravenclaw and Gryffindor must unite
Lest the world fall into endless civil strife
Together they will stand
Hand in hand
The words shall be said,
And evil will lie dead
But be careful now
And heed these words…
Should their bond be unveiled,
Then evil could prevail."
Behind him, William heard a powerful voice shout, "Obliviate!" He turned to see Professor Dumbledore striding up to the chair in which Professor McGonagall was now slumped down in.
"William, I don't want you to say anything right now, okay? Just follow my lead," Dumbledore said as Professor McGonagall began to stir.
"Minerva, are you okay?"
"I'm…not sure. What happened, Albus?"
"I daresay your busy schedule has finally caught up to you. You look exhausted. Why don't you go and get some rest and I'll finish up here with Mr. Potter."
"Yes…perhaps that would be best."
Professor Dumbledore helped her out of her chair and gently led her to the doorway. After she left, he took a seat in her chair. Both were silent for a few minutes before Professor Dumbledore spoke, "She can't know that she has the sight, William. What has happened in this room must stay here, is that understood?"
"Y-yes, sir," William replied.
"I would Obilviate you…but it seems as though you were meant to hear that particular prophecy."
"Me, sir?"
"Nothing happens by accident, Mr. Potter."
"But…I don't understand why it has to do with me."
"That is not the first time Professor McGonagall has given that prophecy. We are forbidden to write down what she says. As a result, she repeats the prophecy whenever she is alone with the person or persons meant to hear it. As for you, the prophecy deals with two people in particular…one of them being your nephew, Harry Potter."
"What?" William asked, a look of concern coming over his face. He couldn't bear to think of anything happening to him. After all, as of a few months ago, he was his last remaining family member.
"Yes, Harry is one…he's the one referred to as the Heir of Gryffindor"
"Who's the other person…the Heir of Ravenclaw?"
"Hermione Granger."
"As in Auror Granger's daughter?"
"Yes."
"Okay…so where do I come into play?"
"I've told the Granger's that I think it would be best for them to go into hiding…to live in the muggle world for a while. However, I need someone to go with them to insure their safety and to act as our contact. I think you're the one meant to be our contact."
"Me? But what about Harry? I was supposed to take him when I graduated and got a job…"
"Harry will remain with the Dursleys. He is safe under their care."
"What about…what about Leigh?"
Professor Dumbledore took a deep breath. "She can't go with you, nor can she know where you are or even that you're still alive."
"Wait, what?" William's mind reeled at the implication.
"This job will require you to go undercover, and as much as I hate to say it, you are far too much of a public figure for anyone to not notice your disappearance and become suspicious. The only logical thing to do is to fake your death."
"No, you can just find another person. I can't do that! That'll tear Leigh apart!"
"Not if she thinks she hates you."
"What? No! I refuse to do this, Professor Dumbledore!" William yelled as he abruptly stood up and headed for the doorway.
"William, stop right there," Professor Dumbledore said as he stood up and walked to where William stood, breathing raggedly.
"I realize that this is a lot to ask of anyone, much less a 17-year-old. However, I'm left with no choice. You were chosen for this, and I think you know it."
"Professor…you're asking me to give up everything…to give up my future with Leigh."
"I'm asking you to protect the one person Harry needs most in order to defeat Voldemort and, in doing so, protect the entire wizarding world. William…we need you."
*End Flashback*
Bill fell silent as he anticipated Leigh's reaction. Cautiously raising his gaze to her face, he saw that her expression was one of shock.
"Bloody Hell…"
*~*~*~*
A/N: Well, that's it! Two points to anyone who catches the significance/link behind the last name of William's alter ego! Thanks to Ramychan and the *real* Leigh! Love y'all lots! And I love anyone and everyone that reviews! Just take a second and type something….please? Agh….it's 2:30 a.m., I have church in six hours!
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