The trees around Parkinson Place were weedy and drooping over the entrance. The hedges looked as if they were once trimmed to perfect boxes, but not today. Weeds pushed up between the paving stones. Everything seemed a little shabby to Harry, but of course it would be. That's why she agreed to this in the first place. Money was a problem.

He had asked Draco to come with him, but the Slytherin said he had no wish to make things more complicated and urged Harry from this course. But Harry didn't feel comfortable just leaving it. He may not like Pansy, but she was now the mother of his children and he felt a certain obligation to at least visit her during her term.

He rang the bell and stood, waiting, looking up at the massive front doors that reminded him so much of Malfoy Manor. He waited a while until finally a house elf opened the door. "Yes, sir? Who is calling, sir?" said the little creature, clad only in a ragged oven mitt, one leg thrust through a hole in the thumb part and the other in the mitten part.

"Er…Harry Potter to see Pansy Parkinson."

The elf's eyes widened even further. "You is Harry Potter, sir?" The elf seemed beside himself. "Ooh! Fobble has heard about Harry Potter. Fobble is so pleased to see you at last, Harry Potter, sir! Come in, come in!"

Fobble? Why couldn't the bloody things have proper names?

Harry stepped in and followed the little fellow through the bare foyer and into a sitting room. It reminded Harry of Malfoy Manor when he first bought it from the Ministry. Fobble Disapparated, presumably to get his mistress. Harry looked around. It looked normal enough. A little empty and shabby, perhaps. He sat in a wing chair but then shot out of it again when Pansy came through the doorway. It had been a few months since the insemination but Pansy was already showing.

She squinted her pug face at him. "Oh. It's you. Fobble said so but I hardly believed it. Well, since you're here sit down." She wobbled toward a chair and sat. She already had a glass of what looked like pumpkin juice in her hand. "I suppose you want tea?"

"No, no," he said sitting. "Don't go to the trouble."

She shook her head in disgust. "You really are an idiot, aren't you, Potter. The house elf gets it. How could it possibly be trouble? Besides, he's dying to come back and serve the Great Harry Potter. Aren't we all." And she took a swig of her juice.

Fobble returned with tea things and set them next to Harry. He giggled the whole time and stared at Harry as if he were a movie star.

"Oh get out!" Pansy said to the elf, who looked put out at being told to leave.

She gestured toward the tea. "Go ahead. Since getting preggers I'm put off the stuff. But feel free to indulge yourself."

"O-okay." Harry poured himself a cup half-heartedly. He stirred in the sugar and milk but left it at his elbow untouched.

"So, Potter. What did you want? Want to make it triplets or something?"

"N-no! I just came to see how you were doing."

She glared at him. "You're kidding."

"No, really." He scooted to the edge of the chair.

"Aren't you getting the healer reports?"

"Well, yes, but it's not the same thing, now is it."

"I don't get your meaning."

"Look, Pansy, you're carrying our children. I just want to see that you're all right. If you need anything."

She stared blankly for a bit and then dropped her eyes. She toyed with the fraying threads on the chair arm. "Oh. I see. Well. That's…that's nice of you, Potter."

"Harry. Call me Harry."

She offered a weak smile. "Harry." She shook her head. "Well I never. Gryffindors and Slytherins. It's a whole new world, isn't it?"

"It's supposed to be."

She smiled more genuinely now. "I guess." She lifted her hand to the room. "So now you can see for yourself the crux of it. We're broke."

"Yeah, I see. Malfoy Manor wasn't in much better shape when I bought it."

"I couldn't believe you'd done that for Draco. You must really love him."

"I do."

"And who would have thought that?"

"I know."

She studied Harry until he felt a bit uncomfortable. For something to do, he took up the saucer and sipped a bit of the tea. It had already gone cool.

"S-so, how are you?" he asked tentatively.

She shrugged. "Okay, I guess. I don't have any morning sickness, so that's a mercy. Altogether I feel really healthy, just a bit tired. And I have to pee all the time."

Harry blushed. Perhaps that was a bit too much information for him. "So it's all right?"

"Yes, I suppose."

"Do you have any company here? It seems rather lonely."

"It is a bit. My parents are gone and I haven't any siblings so it's really only me and the elves."

"Would you like some regular company? I can come once a week and, if you wouldn't mind, I'm sure Hermione would come. She's just had a baby, you know, and you might want to talk to her."

"I thought all this was a secret."

"But Ron and Hermione know. They know all my secrets."

She shook her head again. "You are an enigma, Potter. I don't get you."

"What's to get? I'm just a normal person."

"No, you're not. No one's this nice without some sort of motive."

"You're thinking like a Slytherin, Pansy. Some of us don't need an angle. We just do what's right because it's…right."

"How very Gryffindor, I'm sure."

"So is it all right if Hermione visits?"

"It's all right by me." But Harry saw a blush to her cheeks. He rose.

"Look, I won't take more of your time today. But I'll come back next week. Maybe I can even get Draco to come."

She looked horrified by that prospect.

"Or…not. But I will Firecall Hermione."

"Okay." She rose clumsily and took his hand. "Thanks, Potter-I mean Harry. See you."

* * *

Harry felt good about visiting Pansy but Draco wasn't interested in going himself. "Just leave me out of it. I did my part. I would think that would be enough for you."

"All right, all right. Don't queen out on me."

"I am not queening out!" he said, hand on hip, chin in the air.

Classic Queen Draco, Harry sighed to himself. "Look, you're going to help me, right?"

"I said I would, didn't I?" he snapped.

Harry touched his arm. "Draco, if there's something you want to say…"

He didn't exactly shake Harry's hand off but he deftly stepped away from his touch. "No. What makes you think I have something to say?"

"Because ever since I suggested it you have this…look about you."

Draco turned his back on Harry and suddenly sighed. "The fact that I can do something as diabolical as Unforgivables and you can't. Why should that mean anything?"

"I don't… 'Diabolical' is sort of a harsh term, don't you think? I mean, I'm sure Dumbledore can do them."

Draco spun. "Then why don't you have him teach you?"

Harry paused. "Because I wanted you to. You understand them. You, of all people, know how harmful they can be."

"And why would you want to remind me of that?"

Harry gestured toward Draco's arm. "You're the one that doesn't want to forget. You're the one who wouldn't let me take the Dark Mark off your arm."

Draco closed his eyes. "I see. Penance, is it?"

"NO! Will you stop. Okay. Forget it. I'll get the headmaster to do it."

"Wait, Harry. You're right. I've used them for evil. I shouldn't be afraid to use them for Good. Especially for you." Draco pulled his wand from his robe. "Hey. What about the Ministry? The condition of their allowing us to marry was to check our wands once a year. See if we've gone Dark," he added with a sneer.

"Dumbledore's sent them a letter. We have permission. But we will have to carefully account for each casting."

"Wonderful. So we're not Dark, we're just Latte."

Harry waited until Draco was done sulking. The blond sighed dramatically and raised his wand. "Do you want to do this here?"

Harry looked around his classroom. He cast a locking charm on the door, a Muffliato, and added a few wards. "Yes. This is fine. Do we need something to…you know. Practice on?"

"We could use house elves."

"Draco!"

The blond shrugged. "Okay. What do you suggest?"

"I could transfigure something."

"Then you'd better transfigure something bigger than a spider. You might as well start with something worth doing something to."

"Like what?" He was already aiming his wand at a chalkboard eraser.

"Like a dog or something."

"I don't want to do that!"

Draco lowered his wand impatiently. "Then how do you expect to perform these on a person?"

"Well I don't really want to…"

"Then why do you want to teach this? Don't you believe that evil is rising again in the world? Don't you want to arm our precious students to deal with it?"

Harry sighed. "Yes."

"Then you'd better face facts, Potter. The Unforgivables are ugly. They do ugly things. You'd better get used to the fact that spiders and plants aren't your enemies."

Draco aimed his wand at the same eraser and transfigured it into a house elf. Harry whipped his head toward Draco accusingly and opened his mouth to say something when he bit back his sharp retort. "This is the face of Unforgivables, Harry. Are you ready?"

Harry stared at the innocent expression playing across the house elf's face. He thought of Dobby or Fobble. But he knew Draco was right. If he were to do it at all, it would have to be as real as possible.

He clenched his wand in his sweaty fingers. "Okay. What's first?"

"The Cruciatus."

He jerked back. "No."

"Harry. It's got to be done."

He knew that. But with sweat now beading on his forehead, he didn't know if he could. It had been done to him, after all. How could he allow another creature to endure it?

Harry rolled his shoulders. "Maybe if it looked like Bellatrix LaStrange."

"Mad Auntie Bellatrix? Yes, she's a prime candidate to be sure." Draco transfigured the elf and suddenly the haunted face of Bellatrix LaStrange stood before him. He stared at Draco. How could he be so blithe about using his own aunt in such a way? Though even Draco considered her a lunatic.

Harry looked at the figure of Bellatrix. Yes, this would be easier than an innocent-looking house elf. He could still dredge up the hate he had for Sirius' murderer.

"Okay, Harry. Concentrate on the hate. You need to want them to suffer. That's the only way these things work."

"I know." He repositioned his hand on his wand and aimed it, conjuring in his mind all the mad things she did to Harry, from her mocking baby voice, to the curses she hurled at him, to the moment she killed his godfather. A ball of hate burned in his chest and he sneered as he raised his wand. He snapped it toward her with a loud, "Crucio!"

Bellatrix staggered back, but the curse did not take hold. She smiled at him and cackled a very Bellatrix-type laugh.

"Try again, Harry," said Draco patiently. "Really hate her for all she did to you. Doesn't she deserve at least a bit of what you got?"

"Yes," he said between clenched teeth. "Crucio!"

The curse whirled her and she doubled over but it was easily thrown off.

Harry was panting. Why should this be so hard? He hated her. Almost as much as Annikki the Witch. He thought of her, too, and what she had done to those dead Aurors, to their families. "CRUCIO!"

Bellatrix fell back and skidded across the floor, writhing in agony. She screamed and Harry immediately released her.

There were tears on his face and shook his head, eyes closed. "I can't do this. I'll never be able to do this."

Draco's hand slid up his back. "You know what, Harry. I don't want you to. Harry Potter doesn't do Unforgivables. To teach them to you would be…well…unforgivable."

He swiped at his wet face. "But what about my class?"

"I'll teach them if you like. If you still want to teach them, that is. It's all right to change your mind, you know."

"No. I still think it's important." But a huge weight was lifted from him. He hadn't wanted to learn them. He hadn't wanted to dig so deep to find that much hate. And the strange part of it was, once he had achieved the right frame of mind, that strange green light filtered behind his eyes again. He supposed it was some left over part of Voldemort and didn't think it worthy of mentioning.

* * *

Harry concentrated on the Dark Witch but he couldn't get a feel for her. It was as if she had vanished from the face of the earth. He couldn't understand it. Why after all this time, this stealth had she come upon the scene only to vanish? It couldn't be that she was afraid of Harry's power. He didn't get that vibe from her. She was toying with him just as Voldemort had done.

And it was really annoying.

He tried to put it aside. After all, the dueling club was going well and he had never mentioned the Unforgivables again to Draco. And Pansy and the babies were doing fine. The next month he decided to visit Pansy with Hermione.

Pansy was larger now and she led them both into the sitting room. Fobble fussed over all of them, simply pleased to have guests at all. Hermione was gracious enough not to say anything, though Harry could tell she bristled at every subservient thing Fobble did.

"So nice of you to come, Hermione."

"Thank you for allowing me. I think the last time we spoke was at Harry and Draco's wedding. I thought we got along rather well at that planning session."

Harry remembered. Draco had told him that Pansy showed up to the hen party when Draco, Hermione, Ginny, and Luna Lovegood Longbottom were planning his wedding. Hermione had gone out of her way to invite her to get the Slytherin perspective for Draco's sake and he said she had been stiff but polite. Still a vast improvement from school days. And here they were again, chatting…about stretch marks.

"Here's a potion that worked extraordinarily well for me. I think it was one of Draco's own devising." She held up a jar and handed it to Pansy. "I found it particularly helpful for the breasts-"

Harry jumped to his feet and headed toward the bookshelves. He hummed to himself to block out what they were saying. He didn't want to think about Pansy's stretch marks-whatever that was!-anymore than Hermione's.

He scanned the titles and shook his head. Honestly. Most of these books should be confiscated by the Ministry. Most of them were Dark. But Harry made a mental note about them. If he needed access he knew where he could come.

Little Annie began crying and Harry, without a moment's thought, rushed forward and scooped her out of the pram before Hermione could make a move. He pulled her up to his shoulder and the little face, all squinched up with crying, began to settle down in her godfather's arms. He cooed to her and she finally giggled a bit. He smiled at her and laid her down on the desk and began to change her nappy.

"Merlin's beard!"

He glanced at Pansy who was staring at him in shock. "What? I do this all the time. Little Annie doesn't mind her nappy changed by-"

"The Savior of the Wizarding World," Pansy finished.

Harry scowled. "I was going to say her godfather." He finished his business, vanished the dirty nappy, and pulled her into his arms. He looked back at Pansy and she was looking at him anew. "What now?"

"You just…." She shook her head and sat back down. "I just…never pictured that."

"Well, we do want a baby, you know. Didn't you think we knew how to take care of one?"

"I…never really thought about it."

"Why should you," he said a little more harshly than he planned. "It's just a business transaction, after all."

"Right, Potter." Her mask was up again and she looked away from the baby. Hermione gave Harry a scathing look.

Later, once he and Hermione were walking down the gravel drive to their Apparition point she clutched his arm.

"Ow! Hermione!"

"Just what was that all about? You were very rude to Pansy. I'm surprised at you, Harry Potter."

He shrugged. "It's the truth. She's just doing this for the money."

"But the least we can do is be nice to her about it."

"She makes me mad sometimes. Here I'd love to have a baby and she's just giving it away-"

"You would?"

Hermione's eyes were shining now. She gave Harry a look he had scarce seen her wear. He was suddenly embarrassed. "Well, yeah. But even Harry Potter has his limitations."

"Harry…that's so sweet."

"Oh cut it out, Hermione. And if you tell Ron I'll hex you."

She slipped her arm in his. "I won't tell Ron. But it was sweet. You're going to be a splendid father, Harry."

"You think so?" His grin almost hurt. "I hope so. I'm really looking forward to it."

They began to stroll slowly, Hermione pushing Annie's pram. "Have you thought of names yet?"

"No," he lied. Actually, he'd thought about it quite a bit but didn't know if Draco would go for it. He wanted to keep this information close until the last minute. Maybe it would be all right.

"And I thought little Annie was spoiled," she said. "Just wait until the Potter/Malfoy brood gets here."

I can hardly wait myself.

But something Hermione said dug into Harry's brain and he returned week after week to have tea and chat with Pansy Parkinson. The visits lasted longer and longer until he was eating supper with her. And when they parted, Harry gave her a hug and he was surprised when on his last visit Pansy hugged him back.

A few weeks later, Harry brought little Annie with him.

"Where's Hermione?" asked Pansy, dropping her gaze into the pram. She didn't actually approach it.

"It's just me and Annie today. Is that all right?"

"Whatever, Potter." Pansy sat and picked up her embroidery.

Harry sidled over to her chair and peered over her shoulder. "What's that you're making?"

She held it up for him to see. It was the Slytherin crest.

"Oh. Dish towels?"

She sneered. "You're mental."

He chuckled. Annie got fussy and Harry scooped her up, bouncing her. Pansy said nothing as she stuck her needle into the material over and over again. Harry stood by the window and showed Annie the birds playfully hopping from branch to branch in the tree's bare limbs. It was already February and Pansy was quite large, having difficulty raising herself out of chairs. Fobble the house elf was on hand more than Pansy wanted just to help her get around.

Harry felt a tingle at his neck and turned his head. Pansy was standing beside him. "It looks like a nice day."

"Yes," said Harry. "Cold, but clear. Want to go for a walk?"

Pansy considered, never looking at Annie. "I'll get Fobble to get my cloak."

They walked the grounds of Parkinson Place with snow mounding along the little path. Annie's pram was stuffed with blankets and Harry had cast a warming charm, too. Annie, now a precocious seven-month-old, was laughing at birds and squirrels and pounding the edge of the pram with her mittened hands.

Harry walked slowly so that Pansy wouldn't have to rush. The healers had said that all was well and Pansy looked fit enough…for a very pregnant woman.

"Is the money enough?" Harry asked.

Pansy, who had worn a more or less bland expression, now frowned. "It's fine. Have you heard me complain?"

"No! I didn't mean anything by it."

"I supposed Draco told you to ask."

Harry said nothing. Actually, he had.

Pansy sighed wearily. "I'll be glad when this whole thing is over."

Harry kept his eyes on the path. "If you don't want me to come anymore, just say so."

"I didn't say that."

"So it's all right?"

"Gods, Potter! What do you want from me? A declaration of love? You can still come. It's not a problem. I look forward to these visits, as a matter of fact. All right? It's…nice."

He kept walking, gripping the prams handle tightly.

"It's just…I feel heavy and ugly and tired all the time. And did I mention the peeing? And now they're moving constantly. It's weird."

"Oh! Can I…?" Harry stopped and looked at her. Pansy looked back, eyes narrowing. "I guess…not." Harry felt very sad of a sudden. He wanted so much to be a part of this process but Pansy really did only seem like the "oven" as Draco had said.

He started to push the pram again when he noticed Pansy unbuttoning her cloak. "I know you want to, Potter. Go ahead." She pushed the cloak aside to reveal her large belly covered in her dark robe. Harry could see the robe rolling from both babies' movements and he was so intrigued by just watching he hadn't reached a hand forward to touch. "I can't wait all day," she said, snapping him out of it.

He tore off his mitten with his teeth and laid his hand over her belly. He felt it rumble and then all fell quiet. He frowned, disappointed, until they started moving again, as if sensing who he was. A wide grin broke out on Harry's face. He couldn't help thinking, one of these is mine, flesh of my flesh. And one of these belongs to Draco, my greatest love. I can't even begin to imagine which one I'd love more.

After a few moments, Harry reluctantly drew his hand away and smiled at her. His face was wet. "Thank you," he said sincerely. She shrugged in reply and pulled her cloak over her again. Harry took the opportunity to turn his face from her to wipe the tears away.

"It's no sense getting emotional," she said tightly, but Harry heard something else in her voice. A tremor. "You'll get your babies, I'll get my manor, and everything will go back to the way it was."

Harry dropped his hand gently on her shoulder. Was Pansy crying? He didn't know what to do. Should he…should he hug her? He gently turned Pansy until she was facing him and he pressed her tenderly against his chest. She sobbed into his shoulder. He stood and took it for a long time until she abruptly pushed him back. "What do you think you're doing, Potter?" she hissed.

"I…I…."

Little Annie started to cry. Harry crouched beside the pram and lifted her into his arms. The contact made them both feel better. He didn't look at Pansy, wondering what that was all about, though he did remember that Hermione was extra emotional when she was pregnant. Given that Pansy was having twins…

"Oh give her here, Potter!"

Harry stared at her. Mesmerized by Pansy's open arms he simply handed a squirrelly Annie over to her. Pansy took the baby and bounced her until she quieted. "Don't you know anything? You upset her."

"I upset her?"

But Harry was just awakening to the fact that Pansy Parkinson, bland mother-to-be, was holding a baby, and she'd never shown the slightest interest in doing so before. Harry watched as she cooed to her, rested her against her chest, and after a time, finally handed her back. She pivoted on the path. "I'm going back to the house. I have to pee. Again."

Harry stared at her back for a moment before he had the presence of mind to return Annie to her pram, wheeled it around, and followed.

* * *

Winter passed into spring and summer was just peeking around the corner. It was the last month of term at Hogwarts and Harry continued to visit, sometimes with Annie and sometimes without. But it was an evening without Annie that Harry sat down at the long dining room table to eat supper with Pansy that strange things began to occur.

Harry ate in silence as he didn't have much to say to Pansy. She wasn't due for another fortnight and the healers had said they wanted her to check into St. Mungos at anytime. Harry was excited and nervous at this. He kept looking up at Pansy who was eating sedately and carefully, cutting her meat just so and pushing her potatoes to her fork with measured movements.

Harry crashed his silverware to his plate. She looked up, startled. "I can't stand it!" He stood up and paced.

She sighed and wiped her mouth with her serviette. "What in blazes is your problem, Potter?"

"You're going to give birth very soon. I don't know how you can just sit there."

She rolled her eyes. "Well, it's not as if I haven't lived intimately with this whole thing for eight and a half months, you know. I am a little nervous but so what? I've still got to eat. Eating for three."

And she looked it. Pansy was enormous. But Harry learned early on to never ever mention it. "I know, but-" Harry slumped and trudged back to his seat. "I'm sorry. I just don't know how to act with you sometimes."

"Act like your normal Gryffindor self. That seems to work best for you."

He grumbled, snatched his wine glass, and took a long swig. When he put the glass down he felt a little dizzy. And stranger still, the green light behind his eyes seemed to suddenly glow to the surface, as if his irises had suddenly grown to the size of his lenses and he was looking at the world through green-coloured spectacles. He tried to remark on this but he found he couldn't speak. Not in words he wanted to say. He was on his feet and heading toward Pansy and not only didn't he recall telling his body to do that, but he was trying mightily to tell it not to.

Pansy waved her wand at the candles to make them brighten when she looked up at Harry standing over her. "What is it now, Potter? Am I not chewing in the right amount of times? Or maybe I'm sitting too close to the candles. Honestly. Get a life."

"I have a life. But now I need yours and those that you are carrying." Harry said the words...that is, they came out of his mouth but it wasn't him. Imperious. It must be that. But it didn't feel like Imperious and he was able to throw off the Imperious curse. But not this one.

Pansy stared at him. "Sorry?"

Harry watched as he took her wrist and squeezed.

"Steady on, Potter. I'm attached to that."

"You're coming with me."

She tried to wrest her arm away. "No, I'm not. What's gotten into you?"

Harry's voice laughed. "'What's gotten into me'? That's funny. You'll see. You'll be rid of these twins just as you wanted. But we must go now."

"What are you talking about?" Pansy began to panic. She glared at Harry and suddenly noticed something in his eyes...or something lacking there. "Harry?"

Harry's lips smiled. "No. Not Harry."

Harry's hand tightened its hold on Pansy's wrist. And before they Disapparated away, she was able to shake a Patronus from her wand...before the wand was knocked from her hand.


On to Chapter Eleven
"Return of Annikki"

Back to Chapter Nine
"The Great Witch"

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