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Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling

Chapter 17: Engaged


After they had retrieved Amanda Addams' body from the Chamber of Secrets, Ginny, Luna, Parvati, Ron and Rose started looking for a professor. As they walked the halls, Luna kept the body levitated. The school seemed deserted. They had never seen it this quiet, even at night. Finally, they turned a corner and came face to face with Professor Sprout.

"Children! What are you doing here?" demanded Sprout.

"Professor! I went into the Chamber of Secrets and got Amanda but it was too late! She was already dead!" blurted Ron.

"And just how did you find the Chamber of Secrets, much less open it?" asked Professor Sprout, skeptically.

"I'm a parseltongue!" said Ron as he struck a dramatic pose.

"Is this true?" Professor Sprout asked Ginny.

"Well, actually-

-Ow!" yelled Ginny as Luna stomped on her foot.

"Yes Professor, that's what happened," said Luna, giving the other girls a knowing look. "Do you think you could put us in contact with Professor Dumbledore?"

"I haven't seen him since the Board of Governors dismissed him," said Professor Sprout. "You'll have to send him an owl. Perhaps acting Headmistress McGonogal could help you? But first, let get that poor girl to the infirmary. It may not be too late to save her."

As it turned out, the girls were correct and Amanda was beyond saving.

But now that they had gotten into the infirmary, the girls didn't want to leave and resisted all attempts to remove them. Ron was easy to persuade to floo home. Rose and Parvati adamantly refused to leave Harry and Padma's sides. Professor Sprout was, however, able to persuade Luna and Ginny to help her tend the mandrakes for the final week before harvest.

PPPPPPP

Today was the day. The mandrakes had been harvested and Professor Slughorn had used them to make the potion. As he carried the potions into the infirmary a surprise guest, made his appearance.

"Professor Dumbledore!" squealed the girls.

"Are you back?" asked Parvati.

"I'm just visiting for now," replied Dumbledore. "What the future brings, only the seers know. I just couldn't miss the revival of our statuesque patients."

"Give it to Miss Granger first," said Madame Pomfrey. "She's been petrified the shortest duration, so she should have the easiest time recovering."

Professor Slughorn poured a dose of the potion down Hermione's throat and instantly her eyes started to flutter.

"Oh Shit! I-" said Hermione. "I did it again, didn't I?"

"Yup," replied Ginny.

Justin Finch-Fletchly was the next to receive the potion.

"Friar, look out!" said Justin. "How did I get here?"

Padma was the next one to be revived.

"Ahhh!" screamed Padma.

"You're back! Squealed Parvati as she enveloped her twin in a hug. "I can feel you again!"

Finally, it was Harry's turn.

"Padma, don't look!" shouted Harry.

"Welcome back, Mr. Potter," said Dumbledore.

"How long have I been petrified?" asked Harry.

"Six months," said Dumbledore with his eyes twinkling, as Harry felt him brush against his occulamantic shields. "I'm afraid you missed most of the school year. I would have to hold you back a year if I didn't know that you already have to the knowledge you were supposed to have gained over the past year."

"What do you mean?" said Harry suspiciously.

"Let's just say that not all of the Mrs. Potters are as good at occulamency as you are," said Dumbledore, his eyes still twinkling.

"So you know," said Harry. "What do you intend to do about it?"

"Nothing, as long as your wives are content with the situation," said Dumbledore. "In fact, if you were willing to confide in me, I might be able to help you in your various quests."

"I'll think about it over the summer," said Harry. "Perhaps, next year, you could give us access to the restricted section to aid us?"

"I may not be here next year," said Dumbledore, sadly. "It seems that Lord Nott has been able to persuade the Board of Governors to remove me as Headmaster."

"Well, I'm sure they restore you now that it's we've all been revived," said Harry.

"Don't be so sure," said Dumbledore. "A girl has died. Her body was found in the Chamber of Secrets."

"But that means that the diary has-" began Harry.

"We have no evidence that such a diary ever existed, only the word of a 1st year girl," replied Dumbledore. "If she was right about it being a horcrux, Tom may have taken the evidence with him after his resurrection."

"What a about the Basilisk?" asked Ginny. "We did find it's shed skin just outside the Chamber."

"Although that is proof that there recently was a basilisk in the school, the discarded skin tells us nothing about the whereabouts of the creature," said Dumbledore. "I am gravely concerned that there may be a basilisk roaming the countryside! In any case, it should keep the Department for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures busy for a while."

"Perhaps Hagrid could give them a hand?" suggested Hermione.

"I'm sure he'd enjoy that immensely," replied Dumbledore. "Well, I'd better be going. I'm not really supposed to be here."


As Dumbledore left, Justin turned to Harry and said:

"Hang on! What he mean about all your wives? Are all these girls married to you?"

Harry cursed himself for not securing this conversation before it had begun.

"Please don't tell anybody!" begged Harry. "Hufflepuffs Honor!"

"Okay," said Justin. "But you've got to tell me how you managed this."

"Occulo Conscientia!" shouted Harry as he waved his wand before beginning his tale.

PPPPPPPP

By the time the kids were released by Madame Pomfrey, it was the Patil's birthday. So, they all decided to floo over to the Patils for a birthday party.
During a lull in the party, Parvati pulled Harry away for a walk in the park.

"So what did you want to talk to me about?" asked Harry.

"When you two were gone, my twin bond was severed and therefore our soul bond was also severed," said Parvati as she drew up her Gryfindor courage. "This gave me time to think and experiment."

"What sort of experimentation," asked Harry.

"I-
-I kissed Neville once under the mistletoe" confessed Parvati. "It was only the one time."

"I see-" said Harry. "-And what did you learn from this experience?"

"I learned that I like being married to you," said Parvati. "I didn't have any choice as to whether or not I wanted to be your wife. And with your two gone, I was no longer soul bonded. If something happens to you or Padma, I'll be in the same limbo again."

"Do you want to be soul bonded to me?" asked Harry.

"No," said Parvati. "I don't want my soul to be bound to yours for all eternity. But I would like formally to be your wife, so that if something happened to Padma again, I'll still be your wife."

"That would be great! How do we proceed?" asked Harry.

"Before you ask me to marry you, you should get my father's permission," said Parvati. "Also, since you are now the eldest male of your family, I would like to have your permission to ask Rose to marry me?"

"I just want you two to be happy. If you two want to be formally married, that's fine with me," said Harry.

PPPPPPPP

Mr. Patil gave his permission Parvati's parents started planning a Hindu style wedding for next summer.

The next day, Harry and Parvati took a trip to Diagon Alley. They strolled the street for a while until they found Aule's Augmented Aura's, a magical jewelry store. When they walked in, they found a middle aged man waiting behind the counter. He wore a black robe with a white prayer shawl draped over his neck. On his head, he wore a black pointy hat with the Hebrew letters Aleph, Vau, Lamed across it.

"Good afternoon, I am your Jeweler, Mr. Aule. Welcome to Au Aule's Augmented Aura's. How may I help your?"

"We'd like to get some engagement rings," explained Harry. "Do you do custom orders?"

"Of course," said Mr. Aule. "We have a variety of available charms. Do you have something in mind?"

"They should have symbols of both our families on them," said Harry. "Make the stones ruby and flank the rubies with a stag and-"

"-A cow," said Parvati. "Can you put charms on them so that they change size to fit the wearer?"

"Yes, that's a pretty standard charm," said Mr. Aule.

"I also want the rings to be able to act as portkeys so that the wearers can go to the other."

"Then you'll want to get one for each of you?" asked Mr. Aule.

"Yes, and in a year I'll need three wedding rings with the same charms," said Harry.

"I can have the engagement rings available by next week," said Mr. Aule.

"Thanks, she'll pick them up," said Harry, indicating Parvati.

HHHHHHHHHH

Harry and Rose spent time visiting each of their wives. On their birthday, they all came to Hufflepuff Manor for a party. As usual, Harry and Tonks had to use their Hufflepuff rings as portkeys to bring everyone over.

Parvati had previously owled one of the engagement rings to Harry. So, in the middle of opening presents he got down on one knee before Parvati and asked:

"You didn't have a choice when our souls became bound through you sister. Now I'm asking you to be tied to me in you own right. What' I'm trying to say is: Parvati Patil, will you marry me?"

After the squealing excitement of the girls died down, Parvati looked down at Harry with a smile on her face and said:

"Yes."

There was more squealing from the girls as Harry slid the ring onto her finger. Harry got up and gave her a kiss, to the cheers of his other wives. As soon as they had finished, Parvati walked over to Rose, knelt on one knee and said:

"Rose, my sister, my love, although we were brought together by circumstances beyond our control, I would like for us to freely choose to be together. Rose Potter, will you marry me?"

There were a few gasps, then, shocked silence and the world seemed to hold its' breath. Then Rose knock Parvati onto her back as she pounced on her best friend and started snogging her senseless and everyone else cheered. When the came up for air, Parvati asked:

"Does this mean yes?"

"Yes!" sobbed Rose as she pulled her into another kiss.

Finally, rose calmed down enough for Parvati to put the engagement ring on her.

TTTTTTTTTTTT

Harry and Tonks were walking hand in hand across the land that was part of Hufflepuff Manor. They were just passing an apple orchard where a girl in her early teens was hard at work harvesting apples. She was one of the Mennonite Witches who worked the land of the Manor. She had her wand out, was summoning the apples off the trees and into her basket when she spotted Harry.

"Greetings milord, milady," said the girl as she dropped her wand and basket and curtsied to them, bowing her head. She had just noticed that Tonks was wearing the ring of Lady Hufflepuff.

"What's you name?" asked Harry.

"Gwendolyn, milord," she said, still looking at the ground.

"Well, Gwendolyn, you don't need to drop what you're doing every time I walk by," said Harry.

"Yes, milord," said Gwendolyn.

"And call me Harry."

"Yes, Lord Harry," said Gwendolyn.

Shaking his head, Harry and Tonks continued on with their walk.

"I've decided that after she comes of age, I want you to give the Hufflepuff ring to Ginny and the Ravenclaw ring to Padma," said Harry.

"They'll probably be the ones most comfortable playing the part of important pure-blood Ladies," said Tonks. "Say, have you been following the news?"

"Not really," said Harry. "What's up?"

"Well Lord Nott has gone missing and the Board of Governors has made Slughorn the new Headmaster of Hogwarts," said Tonks.

"That will make him only the second Slytherin Headmaster ever," said Harry.

"Also in the Muggle news, I read that there was a gas main explosion that killed a Member of Parliament," said Tonks. "Remember how when the Death Eaters used to attack, the muggle news would report it as a gas main explosion?"

"Yeah," said Harry. "Do you think this is the first sign that Voldemort's back."

"I'm not sure," said Tonks. "It sure looks like it though."

"So how's Auror training coming? Are you learning anything new," asked Harry.

"Not really, I've done it all before," replied Tonks.

GGGGGGGGGG

For Ginny's birthday, Harry, Rose and Luna came over to help celebrate. When the party calmed down a bit, Harry and Ginny went into Ron's room to talk, while Rose and Neville went for a walk.

"I can't believe your brother didn't come to his own sister's birthday party!" complained Harry.

"He's been afraid of me ever since I overpowered him and made him open the Chamber of Secrets," said Ginny. "As soon as he got home, he flooed straight to Knock-Turn Alley and bought a pet snake."

"I think we're all going to regret revealing to him that he's a parseltongue," said Harry.

"Not only that, he's bought all these Dark Arts books," said Ginny. Look at this one: Ritual magic for fame and Power. Or this one: An introduction to Goetia. This one I can't even read!

"That's because it's written in parselscript, said Harry. "It's called Spells with Snakes. Yes, it looks like he's turning dark. We need to cure him quickly! By the way, where is he now?"

"At Malfoy's. Where else?" said Ginny. "I think they've got something gay going on."

"Well, you're one to talk," said Harry. "I guess it must run in the family, Luna licker."

"Speaking of Luna, I guess it's her turn next year to be your designated girlfriend," said Ginny. "It doesn't seem fair! You were petrified for most of last year!"

"We'll still get to bundle," offered Harry.

"Big deal! We can't do much under the eyes of all those other kids!" said Ginny.

"I think that's the idea," said Harry. We aren't given privacy, so we can be each other's chaperones. Tell you what, if you really want to, and if you can persuade Luna to go along, I'll let you both be my designated girlfriends this year."

"Sounds fair," said Ginny.