Albus Potter, Classmates and Elves

Ch 25 The Prophesy Interpretation Department

When Albus and Cleopatra left the room, Harry told Hermione, "It would be nice if prophets could tell the future. All they can do is give you odds, and point you in the right direction, or give you warnings. Everything we are doing, all the intelligence and prophecies, tell us that we are heading in the right direction, but that the victory that we may see will come at a significant cost.

"Albus is taking Cleo down to talk to the prophets. She needs to come to terms with some of the struggles ahead. I think Albus is resigned to his fate, and determined to do all he can to survive and thrive despite the problems."

"A little like Ginny?" Hermione wondered as she stared at her best friend. "She seems thrilled with her life. She is married to Harry Potter, something she thinks is the best thing in the world. Despite the frustrations of raising the children, she feels very proud of her children, happy with her siblings and their spouses. She is happy with her career. The hearing in the one ear is a constant problem, her balance is bad on her good days and terrible on the bad ones, and I know the one leg is not quite right, but she just considers them small problems to put up with."

"Ginny is an amazing woman, and I am so lucky to be married to her," Harry agreed with a nod of his head. "Yes, despite the problems she puts up with, she is basically a very happy person.

"Albus is basically a very good person, and I think good things are ahead for him and for Cleo, but I am worried about what it will cost them to get to the end of the prophesies and to start to live a less dangerous life."

"What about Rose and Scorpius?" Hermione wondered, chewing her lower lip in concern.

"I do not think you can shield Rose any more than you could stop yourself from leaving on that strange and dangerous adventure with your two boys," Harry replied with a rueful grin. "And just like I could not have survived without the two of you, I do not think that Albus and Cleo can survive without their two good friends, Rose and Scorpius. And Hermione, if that scares you, it ought to."

Hermione took a deep breath and closed her eyes. As a mother you wanted to protect your children at all cost. If Harry was right this was one of those "do what is right, not what is easy" decisions. It was obvious to her that she should not try to protect her daughter from any danger by keeping her away from Albus and his friends, a frightening thought. Harry gave her a quick hug and a shake and she smiled sadly at him.

*

Ginny took off Minerva's rather filthy clothes and gave her a bath, while Jane watched. "Minerva is learning how to feed herself," Ginny pointed out. "If you were looking at her from across the table, you noticed that it was not the neatest process."

"She sometimes misses her face!" Jane exclaimed, looking quizzically at Ginny.

"She is learning," Ginny elaborated. "You just have to give her time. Minerva is a very cautious baby. She is walking, but never very far. She is always looking to see if you approve of what she is doing, which is a huge change for me. None of my other children were like that."

Ginny dressed Minerva for bed, and then sat down to nurse her.

"Does she bite you?" Jane asked, noticing Minerva's teeth, curious as to the process.

"No," Ginny replied. "All the other children would have by this time. That is partly while I am continuing to nurse her. It feels good for me and for her. This is one part of being female that I like."

"What part of being female don't you like?" Jane wondered.

Sensing an opening to talk about growing up, Ginny replied with a grimace, "I'm not all that fond of periods."