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Portraits by sarahmay
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Portraits

sarahmay

Disclaimer: Don't own it…

Special thanks to Jenna, who wrote my diary entry and who will continue to do so because I have no idea how to journal or anything of that sort!!! Enjoy and please review!!! - Sarah

"I have some of her belongings in my Hogwart's safe," Matthew stated after a moment or two.

"Such as?" Jennifer asked.

"Well, I've never really looked through it, but I think there might be some diaries," he replied, looking over at his student.

"Can you get them?" Jennifer asked hopefully.

"Yeah, let's go," Matthew replied, and they gathered all of the books they had taken up to the painting and returned to the transfiguration classroom.

"Just leave those books on the table, the safe's upstairs."

Jennifer did as she was told and followed him up to his office and over to a wall. Matthew pressed his hand against one of the stones and a door handle appeared. He pulled it open and they both stepped into a small room. There was a trunk in the corner, which Matthew proceeded to open.

"Here," he said, handing Jennifer a small book. "There are about two more of those."

"September 21, 1997," Jennifer read aloud after opening the book somewhere in the middle.

Today was the day. Harry and I were finally married. Of course only Ron, Professor Dumbledore, and Professor McGonagall know that we got married, after all they were witnesses and Ron was The Best. Well, I mean we had to dub him something, he is our best friend, plus I don't have many female friends. He was both Best Man and Maid of Honor, something I think he was very proud of.

I am extremely happy right now. I never thought life could get any better, but now that Harry is by my side for the rest of it, I know it can. I know we are only seventeen years old, but we have both decided that we want a family as soon as we can (and maybe that was a little of my persuasion). Professor Dumbledore pulled us aside after the ceremony and told us that our head boy and girl dorms had been switched around to where we were able to share a room. Merlin bless him.

I have to hurry up, Harry is waking up and he doesn't know about my journals. But I do have to say this, I never thought I could ever have a chance at happiness, I was wrong; with Harry, I am much happier than I have ever been. Now, to break this to the parents.

I'll write soon. I promise.

"Wow," Matthew breathed.

"This is so amazing," Jennifer smiled at him through glazed eyes. "Finding out something that happened so long ago. Knowing that this one entry has changed so much."

"So I'm a Potter then?" Matthew asked, finally realizing the impact this made on him and the rest of his family.

"Yes, I mean, we'd have to trace it back to see if you actually have the last name Potter, or if it would have changed. But I think you are, because if you have the Weasley name after a thousand years, well," Jennifer trailed off. "I'm sorry if my curiosity has hurt you, Professor," she whispered.

"Call me Matthew…we're only a year or two apart in age. Plus you probably know more about me than I do by now," Matthew sighed, running his hand through his messy hair.

"Do you want to read any more tonight?"

"No, not right now," Matthew replied. "I need to talk to my mother."

"Okay," Jennifer sighed and turned to leave. "One more thing, Prof- Matthew."

"Yes?"

"What happened to the rest of Ron's family?"

"Ginny married Draco Malfoy. It's been so long that I'm not sure if we even are in contact with whoever they are nowadays. The twins were bachelors their whole lives." Matthew smiled as he remembered the stories he had been told as a child about how his ancestors invented Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, the biggest joke shop in wizarding Europe. "Bill died in the war, Percy was disowned I believe. Charlie, what did Charlie do? Oh yeah, he got killed by a dragon," he finished.

"Killed by a dragon? Not to be insensitive, but that's kind of funny," Jennifer grinned.

"Yeah, I always thought so too," Matthew smiled half-heartedly.

"See you tomorrow," Jennifer told him before leaving the room.

"Yeah, tomorrow."

Tomorrow was going to be a very long day…

******

"Nathaniel, I need to take the day off from classes for a family emergency," Matthew told the headmaster the next morning.

"Is everything okay, Matthew?" Nathaniel asked worriedly.

"Everyone's okay, it's just something extremely important," Matthew replied.

"Okay, well, say hello to your mother and father for me."

"Will do. I'll see you tomorrow, sir," Matthew said before exiting the room.

He headed back to his office where he flooed to his parents home.

"Mum? Dad?" He called.

"Matthew, dear, what are you doing here?" Beth Weasley, his mother, asked as she walked into the room.

"Mum, I have something very important I need to tell you."

"Well, let me get your father," Beth replied, concern in her eyes. "David, come here, Matthew has to tell us something important," she yelled up the stairs.

"What are you doing home, Matthew? Don't you have classes?" David asked as he entered the room.

"Yes, but I've taken the day off," Matthew replied, sitting down in a chair.

"The students getting to you - Professor Weasley?" David grinned at his son.

"Potter."

"What?" Beth asked.

"I don't know if there are even any Weasley's left," Matthew laughed hollowly.

"Matthew, what on earth are you talking about?" David asked.

"It was never Hermione and Ron, it was Hermione and Harry. I've got her diaries. They were married and everything."

"That's nonsense!" Beth cried. "I won't hear anymore of it."

"Look at the damn diary!" Matthew replied, pulling the diary out of this robe pocket and opening it to the entry Jennifer had read the night before.

"How? Where?" David tried to manage a complete sentence. "Where did you get this?"

"That old trunk that no one ever looked in. There are about three of these. We've only read that entry though."

"We," Beth asked.

"My student saw a painting hanging on the ninth floor of a woman, but it was a still painting and I offered 75 points or so if she could give me the name of the woman in the painting. It's Hermione Potter," Matthew replied, raking his hands through his hair.

"Jennifer's theory, she's the student, is that they both knew that Harry wasn't going to make it through the final showdown with Voldemort and so Harry wanted Ron to look after Hermione because he knew she was pregnant. And so they got married, but they never slept together because Hermione's heart belonged to Harry. She couldn't just forget him. So Ron was the father-figure, and that's how it all started," Matthew finished. "She said it a bit more eloquently, but you catch my drift," he added as an after thought.

"Oh, and we're the last remaining descendents to Godric Gryffindor."

"Oh my goodness," Beth sighed as she sank into the nearest chair.

"Please tell me you're joking," David pleaded.

"I wish I were, but it's all there. Jacob Weasley is a Potter. And Jennifer also figured that if I was the last Weasley, then I was also the last Potter. Dad only has sisters, and I'm an only child, so I'm the only one that can carry on the name," Matthew sighed, standing up and walking over to the fireplace. "I should get back to school. Fire-call me when you've absorbed all of this." And with that he was gone.

******

"Professor!" Matthew turned around and saw Jennifer running after him.

"Yes, Jennifer," he asked as she caught her breath.

"Have you talked to your parents?"

"I just got back from seeing them. It was quite a shock and I told them to give me a call when they were ready to talk," Matthew replied.

"I don't think I slept at all last night. I just kept thinking about everything!" Jennifer exclaimed.

"Yeah, I think I dozed off for a few minutes. Then my alarm clock woke me up," Matthew sighed.

"Well, you'll have to tell me when you want to continue reading the diaries. I've got a few open periods during the day normally, so I shouldn't have homework to do, so just whenever," Jennifer smiled.

"Are you on something?" Matthew asked; no one should be that energetic after getting no sleep.

"I just had some of this muggle drink called Red Bull. It gives you energy!" Jennifer replied. "Well, I better get down to lunch! See you later, Professor!"

Matthew watched as she bounded off down the hallway and shook his head. All he wanted at this moment was to crawl into his warm bed and sleep for a year. As he walked into his bedroom, he decided to write a note to Jennifer.

Tonight at eight in my classroom.

Matthew

"James, here boy," Matthew whistled and James, his black owl, landed on his arm. "I want you to give this to Jennifer McDermott. She should be at lunch right now." The owl gave a gentle hoot and flew out the open window.

Matthew unclasped his cloak and dropped it over the desk chair when he noticed one of the diaries lying open on his desk. He was about to close it, but curiosity took hold of him and he began to read the entry.

December 8, 1997

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