Chapter Graphic by Jeanie at The Dark Arts
*****
Thirteen Years Later
"Hey! Back off! I'm on the outside!!" Twelve-year-old Connor Potter shouted, pushing past his little brother and sister. He raced out of Potter Manor and out onto the drive way, completely covered from head to toe in green and silver, excited for the day's Quidditch World Cup, the Chudley Cannons against Ireland.
"No!" Samuel shouted, bounding out the front steps and tripping over his small feet. The five-year-old tried to leap up on his big brother, but Connor pushed him back down with a hand. Samuel shouted, "I'm on the outside too! Maggie is on the inside!!"
"No, no, no!" Nine-year-old Maggie whined from the front porch, stomping her foot, covered in orange for the Cannons. She grumbled, her face turning the color of her hair, a beat red, and she raced down the steps, "I am not in the middle! Sam, you're the youngest! You're in the middle!"
"Connor and Maggie! What's up with you two?! You're being so immature." James called from the front, holding hands with his wife as they stepped out, closing the front door behind him. Connor and Maggie folded their arms across their chests and huffed loudly. Sam jumped up and down, shouting, "Mummy, Mummy, Mummy, have you got the tickets?! Have you got the tickets?!"
Ginny giggled and waved them in the air, "They're right here!"
"Ohhh! Can I have mine, can I have mine?!" Sam jumped up and down. Ginny laughed, walking down the steps and rubbing her son's head, "No, Sam! You'll loose yours,
then what will you do?"
Sam huffed and stomped one of his feet, "Fine."
Hand-in-hand, James and Ginny approached the car. James opened the door for her and Ginny slipped in. He shut it behind her and Connor burst forward, "I have the right side!"
"No! I have the right side!" Maggie groaned. Connor shouted, sticking his thumbs in his ears and wiggling his fingers, "No! I have the right side! I'm the oldest!"
"Hey!" James barked at his son, whipping around as he stopped his stroll to the other side of the car. Connor clamped his mouth shut and quickly began trying to cover up for his mistake, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Daddy! I'm sorry!"
"How many times is it going to take for you to not claim that you are the oldest?" James asked, aggravated with his son. He put his hands on his hips and Connor looked to the ground, sad. Connor whispered, "I'm sorry."
James sighed and continued walking to the other side. James slid in, rubbing his head as his three children crammed into the back. Ginny asked, putting on her seat belt, "What was all that about with Connor?"
"Connor, claiming he's the oldest..." James whispered as their three children rushed into the back. Maggie pushed her older brother, "Out of my way! Ladies first!"
"Watch it!" James shouted to them. Ginny turned around in her seat and said, "Hey, Maggie, if you're going to use the term ladies first, then you have act like a lady."
"Yes, Mummy." Maggie said politely, buckling her seat belt. Ginny turned back around and sighed, rubbing her head. James asked sweetly, squeezing her shoulder, "Hey, are you all right?"
"I-I..." Ginny swallowed and shook her head, "No. You know, James, I think I'm going to pass on the match today."
"Are you sure?" James asked. Usually he would smile and tease her, but he knew by the look on her face that she was being serious. James nodded and kissed her cheek, "All right, love. We'll be home tomorrow."
She nodded and unbuckled her seat belt, leaning across to kiss him. Ignoring Sam's protests of seeing his parents kiss, Ginny rolled her eyes and climbed out, saying to them, "I'll see you kids tomorrow. Don't give your father a hard time, all right?"
"Okay, Mummy." Sam said. She said goodbye to them, handing the tickets to James, and after Ginny closed the door, James turned around for a fuss, "Connor Potter!"
"Sorry, Dad..." Connor whispered. James groaned and looked to the boy, "What have I told you? You don't bring that up around your mother!"
"I forgot!" Connor defended himself. James rolled his eyes and continued, "Well, try harder not to forget. You three
know perfectly well how easily your mother is upsetted when you bring up your brother."
Maggie whispered a question, "Did Mummy love our brother?"
"Yes." James nodded. He sighed, starting up the car and pulling out of the drive way, "She loved him very much." James sighed and then smiled, trying to put the sadness of the past behind them, "But who thinks the Cannons are going to win!?"
"Nooo!" Connor stuck out his tongue, "Ireland!"
Maggie cheered, "Nu-uh! The Cannons are so going to win!" James smiled lightly and waved to Ginny, standing on the front porch with a sad smile.
As the car pulled out of the drive way, Ginny sighed heavily and dabbed at her eyes, entering their home. She closed the door behind her and leaned against the door, feeling her tears come. She wiped at them and even though she had promised years ago to not look anymore, she ran into James' study and whipped the sheet off of the Mirror of Erised's front. The sheet fluttered to the floor and she sobbed as she stroked the mirror's frame. She sobbed as she whispered, "Show me my life if Harry survived."
She cried as she watched the mirror's face changed. She leaned against the desk for support, her knuckles turning white. The Mirror had been a gift of sympathy to her from Professor Dumbledore. Dumbledore had enchanted it further for Ginny and all you had to do was tell it to show you something and it would show it to you.
This simple request, however, only worked for Ginny. Gripping the desk with her fingers, she watched the mirror's picture change until she saw a happy family running around a different home. She clamped a hand over her mouth and sobbed loudly, slipping down the face of the desk and she stared into the mirror, watching a perhaps thirteen-year-old boy with long, raven hair run about. A girl who looked to be Maggie's age followed. The boy was teasing the girl, until they both laughed loudly and the boy picked her up, swinging her about the room.
Then Ginny saw herself, her belly very large, looking as if she had a baby due any day. Then a man that she hadn't gazed at in years walked down the stairs, laughing loudly and calling to the two children. Harry was holding a child that looked to be nearly two years old, a girl with short red hair, his face glowing with happiness.
Ginny spoke to the mirror, "Harry, talk to me." She folded her arms across her belly and watched the grown man stride forward. She watched his figure in the mirror as he approached her and he spoke to her, "Ginny...Look at you. You're so beautiful."
"T-Thank you..." Ginny whispered to the mirror. The children that had previously run by came to a halt in front of the mirror and smiled. The boy straightened and waved, "Hi, Mum!"
"W-What's your name?" Ginny squeaked out, holding onto her legs, "Tell me your names."
"I'm James." the eldest boy waved. Ginny smiled gently and felt like sobbing. She watched the eldest girl burst with happiness, "Hi, Mummy! I'm Annie!"
"A-Annie..." Ginny stuttered. As tears fell down her cheeks, she cried out, "Just like y-your Aunt..."
"Yes." the raven headed girl nodded. The Harry in the mirror took his second daughter's tiny hands into his large ones and waved them to Ginny. Ginny's sobs turned into laughter as the little girl giggled, her red hair bouncing on her shoulders. Harry spoke to the little girl, "Wave to Mummy, Lily."
"L-Lily..." Ginny whispered out. The Ginny in the mirror smiled and stroked her belly, "And our little boy is going to be Daniel..."
Ginny sobbed, "You all look so happy!"
"But you're happy too, Ginny..." Harry whispered, reaching out a hand and wishing he could hold the woman sobbing against the desk. Ginny rose and let her hand sprawl out against the face of the mirror. She wiped at her tears and shook her head, "Not as happy as I would be with you..."
"You couldn't have made a difference." Harry whispered, shaking his head. He continued, "Besides, you love my father. Don't you?"
"Yes." Ginny nodded. She sobbed loudly, taking her head into her hands, "I love him very much! How did you survive, Harry?! How?!"
"I still don't know how I survived, Ginny..." Harry shook his head at her. He sighed and whispered, "Ginny, you're happy where you are. You have three wonderful children with my father: Connor, Maggie, and Samuel. You're happy, love. Don't look back because I didn't wake. Look at what you have right now."
"But I want
you!" she sobbed loudly, cradling her face.
"Ginny," Harry said softly, "Be happy. Don't look back. For me, please. For me, don't look back to me. Take care of yourself as well. You have another child on the way.”
"I-I do...?" she whispered out, choking on the air, placing a hand over her stomach. The Ginny in the mirror smiled gently and spoke, "Soon, you and James will have a particularly romantic night and you will conceive. It will be a girl."
Will we have any other children after this next child?" Ginny asked, wanting to know. Harry nodded, "Two more."
Ginny smiled lightly and whispered, "Six children..."
Harry spoke softly, "We love you, Ginny, and anytime you need us...You know where to find us."
Ginny shook her head, "No. I promised myself I wouldn't use the mirror this way..."
Harry smiled lightly, "Professor Dumbledore gave you the mirror for this. You should use it in any way you please."
"Goodbye, Mummy!" the children said. Harry looked to James and asked, "Would you hold your sister for a moment?"
The boy nodded and took the girl from his father's arms, saying happily before he left the picture, "I love you, Mum." Ginny tried to stop her tears as Annie waved and left as well, "I love you too, Mummy."
"G-Goodbye..." Ginny whispered through tears. Now it was only herself and Harry in the face of the mirror. Harry spoke gently, “This is our life if I had survived. You, nor anyone else could have made the difference in my awakening. I just didn’t wake up that time…If I had survived, this would be your life…”
Ginny told them, "Please kiss. Just kiss so I can see..." Harry smiled lightly and took the nine month pregnant Ginny into his arms and gave her a romantic kiss. Ginny watched him and with a small sob she closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the desk, whispering to the air, "I love you, Harry..."
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