Chapter 2
It didn't matter that he was Harry Potter. First, he was 'the boy who lived.' Then he was, 'the man that saved the world.' After that, the victories were almost completely taken for granted and he became even better known (if that was humanly possible) for being, the man who "Brought the World Cup back to England Where it Bloody Well Belongs!' thus becoming an ironic example of the power of sport. Saving the world was one thing, but bringing the Quidditch Cup home to England, now there's an accomplishment!
Everyone in the Wizarding world seemed to have forgotten that his second and final victory over Voldemort was a team effort, as had been the case of all of his victories. Even his very first had as much to do with his own mother's sacrifice as his power and destiny. Yes, during the second war he delivered the final blow that made it impossible for resurrection, and yes, Harry had lead the battle to round up all remaining Death Eaters but he didn't do it alone. Yet now he really felt alone even though he was in a room filled with his family, friends and children. One more family member, his infant grandchild, his first, was safe in daycare at the Ministry of Magic.
Dumbledore was pushing 200, but still didn't look a day over 110. Longevity was the norm among wizards, but this was still a bit unusual. If one didn't know better, one might think he had his own Philosopher's Stone stashed away somewhere because he didn't seem any older now than he did over 40 years ago when Harry first remembered meeting him.
Molly and Author Weasley, Harry's mother and father-in-law, were now great- grandparents many times over. Because of the wide range of ages of their own children, some of their great-grandchildren were older a few of their grandchildren. Their children, grandchildren, and even some of the great grandchildren were all crowded into the waiting room at St Mungo's, but this time it wasn't a happy occasion. The staff was so used to the crowd of Weasley's that showed up each time there was a birth in the family that a few unwelcome greetings of "congratulations" had been given by well meaning staff members. The room was filled with red heads of all shapes, sizes and ages, some crying, some without tears remaining. Some very tiny ones sat in the corner with their toys not understanding why everyone was so sad but somehow knowing that their quietest "indoor voices" and play were best right now.
After the defeat of Voldemort and the remaining Death Eaters, Harry had spent the next 10 years as a very successful professional Quidditch player. When he and Ron had lead England to their first World Cup in ages, it was yet another team effort that he got the credit for. Sure, he had caught the Snitch, but England had been 200 points up and Ron hadn't let even ONE Quaffle in! Harry had only ended the game, his teammates having made that a formality. When a team wins a Quidditch game 350 to 0, the Seeker should not be the one to get all the credit! After that, it was back to the Ministry, this time in the Department of Games and Sports, followed by early retirement. He still gave "Defense Against the Dark Arts" seminars at Hogwarts to the 6th and 7th year students as he had yearly since he finished his formal education, and sometimes he surprised the first years by showing up for their first flying lessons, but other than that, his world was being a husband, father, uncle, and now even a grandfather.
He didn't seem old enough to be a grandfather. He was now in his early 50s but the only things that gave this away were that his once black hair was sprinkled with silver, and the crinkles around his green eyes when he grinned did not completely go away anymore. He was still just as athletic on a broom as all but the most talented young professional Quidditch players and until recently, his green eyes still sparkled with youth and vigor. Now they showed the stress he was under.
Before his Quidditch career, and right after the Death Eater roundup, he had been the groom in the wedding of the 21st Century. The marriage of Harry Potter and Ginny Weasley. Their marriage had been quite happy and their children a joy. Their first grandchild brought even more joy. But that changed when Ginny became ill.
At first, the symptoms Ginny suffered were attributed another pregnancy. Then, saddly, a possible pre-mature end to her childbearing years, but a few symptoms just didn't add up. After many visits to the best healers and mediwizards, then months of the problems worsening, the best Muggle specialists were brought in as well. After more months of testing, it was discovered that a very rare form of cancer was responsible for her illness. Muggle medical advances had been startling over the past few decades, but early detection and luck still played a crucial role in any chance of survival. At this point, both Muggle and Magical remedies had been exhausted and the staff at St Mungo's were doing their best to take away her pain and to prepare her to be taken to the comfort of her own home for her last days. That's why it didn't matter that he was "Harry Potter." No amount of fame or wealth could change his wife's fate.
Oh, the decisions that needed to be made! Animosity that he thought he was long over resurfaced as he had to decide where Ginny should spend the rest of her days. Molly had all but taken over their wedding plans years ago, where was her planning now? Harry then eyed his mother-in-law and noticed that she seemed to have aged 20 years since she found out her youngest child and only daughter was terminal, and then he reproached himself silently for any selfish thoughts. He had thought about bringing Ginny to his parent's old home in Godric's Hollow, but she had never lived there even though Harry did for a while before the wedding. Also, it was a small bungalow with no room for the large extended family that would feel the need to be there. Grimmauld Place would have been an option if it had not been sold to a Muggle family after the war. It did seem best to bring her to their home in Ottery St.Catchpole. It was near Arthur and Molly's, and Harry felt the youngest of his children were old enough to handle this. Only one was still in school. She was a 7th year at Hogwarts and strong as nails, just like her mum. If Lilly had been any younger, Harry would have suggested bringing Ginny to her childhood home instead.
Life was so ironic. He had lost so many friends during the war, Sirius, Hermione, Hagrid, Remus, Professor McGonagall, Neville, but Ginny was so strong and had survived it all. She even had insisted on natural childbirth so each of their children had been born with no pain medication what so ever. Yet now some stupid disease was killing her from the inside out and no magic could stop it. Their youngest was just about to go off on her own once she finished her NEWTs; Harry and Ginny were supposed to have the rest of their lives together...
Ron sat in the corner holding his wife, Luna, close to him. They had tried to talk to Harry over the past few weeks, but no matter how hard they had tried to rehearse the words, nothing came out. Their friendship was strong though. Instead of words, the three of them held each other and cried. It didn't last that long though. It couldn't. Even though so many years had past, the feel of Ron and Luna curled up to him felt too much like the old days with the "trio," and it brought vivid memories and thoughts to the surface that Ron and Harry planned on taking to their graves. Certain events during the war make their secret a moot point, but it still was something unspoken between them. They both had been desperately in love with Hermione, but each also assumed the other was pursuing her. Neither followed his heart and quietly dated others. When the relationships simultaneously became public, Harry and Ron had been heartbroken to find that each had stayed away from Hermione for nothing. It wasn't that Harry didn't love Ginny or Ron didn't love Luna, it was the fact that neither of them would have begun another relationship with someone else if he had known Hermione wasn't 'taken.' Hermione seemed to be only a shell of her former self after this. Neither Ron nor Harry had the chance to explore if he had made the right choice or not because a week later, she sacrificed herself in battle to allow a group of children to survive.
Harry collapsed, but was caught by the surprisingly still surprisingly strong arms of Albus Dumbledore.
Now even the smallest child was too aware of the fear in the room to continue his or her quiet play. Was Great Uncle Harry very sick too? Dumbledore took control of the situation. "I'll take Harry to his home and make sure to prepare a place for Virginia as well. She should be ready for her journey home very soon, and you have younger family members that need support right now." And with that Dumbledore appartiated with Harry to Harry and Ginny's home and the older Weasley's took on the task of assuring the children that Great Uncle Harry was fine, he was just very, very tired and needed a nap.