Jennifer Potter and the marauders (book 2) Jenny and Harry

Letting go

Over the next few hours, Jenny paced her home, the Potter Manor. Praying that everyone at the wedding got away safely. Not long after returning home, her ring had turned cold once more, warning her that Harry was in danger. But Jenny could do nothing about it, luckily the ring returned to normal a few minutes later.
Jenny hoped that wherever Harry was, he was safe. He had no home to go to like she did, she wanted to invite him to stay at the Manor, but she knew that it wouldn't be safe.
The Potter Manor was protected by old magic, no one could enter the house, without the homeowners permission. But there were always loopholes, and Jenny didn't want to risk it.

It took a few days for anyone in the Order to get in touch with her, but even when they did, she was still too afraid to leave her house. Fearing that there were Death Eaters tracking her. Instead she read the newspapers, as if they were her lifeline.
A week after the wedding, Remus turned up at her house, looking flustered. Jenny opened the door, but raised her wand warily.
"Who goes there?" She questioned.
"It is I, Remus John Lupin. Often called Moony. I helped create the Marauders map..." said Remus.
"Good enough for me" interupted Jenny, lowering her wand. She then stepped aside, so that Remus could come in.

Remus gave her a quick hug and closed the door.
"Tonks not with you?" Jenny asked curiously.
"No. She's with her parents" replied Remus, looking distracted.
Jenny led the way into the sitting room, and collapsed onto the sofa beside Remus.
"So. Why don't you tell me what this is all about" she said.
"I've just come from Grimmauld Place. Harry, Ron and Hermione are there" explained Remus.
"Harry! Is he O.K?" Jenny asked, absentmindly spinning her ring around her finger. She often did this when thinking of Harry.
"Yes, he's fine" snapped Remus.
"Remus, what's the matter?"
"It's nothing".

Jenny placed her hand on Remus's, and smiled at him.
"It's not nothing. Tell me" she begged.
"It's Tonks" whispered Remus.
"Is she unwell?"
"In a way. She's pregnant"
"Pregnant? Wow. That's great news. Isn't it?"
"No. I made a terrible mistake marrying Tonks. And now I've passed my curse onto an innocent child"
"Werewolves are bitten, not born. This child might be perfectly healthy"
"You don't understand. I've made her and the child an outcast. Most people can barely talk to me when they know what I am. Even her own family is disgusted by our marriage, what parents want their daughter to marry a werewolf? And if by some miracle the child is not like me, then it will a hundred times better off without a father like me, of whom it must always be ashamed of".

"Remus! How can you say such a thing? How could you even think about abandoning your child? James didn't get a chance to raise Harry, but you're giving up your chance to raise your own child"
"That's what Harry said. I offered to join him and the others. But he wanted me to leave, and go back to Tonks"
"Well he's right. Some people don't get the chance to have children, because their bodies don't work properly, for whatever reason. You're lucky. Some people pray to have a child, even though they know deep down that it will never happen. And you're throwing your chance of a family away, like it's nothing".
Jenny stood up abruptly and turned her back on Remus. She felt the tears running down her cheek, and quickly wiped them away with her sleeve.

Remus stood up and placed his hands on her shoulders.
"I'm sorry Jenny. I didn't mean to upset you" he apologised.
Jenny turned around. "You didn't. It's not you I'm angry at. Although my opinion is still correct".
"Is something wrong" questioned Remus.
Jenny shook her head.
"No. I'm fine. Look you had better go. I need to go to Grimmauld Place to check on Harry"
"Jenny..."
"I'm fine Remus. Just go"
"Jen..."
"Remus! I don't need your help. Just go. Get back to your wife. I'm sure she is missing you".
Remus sighed and turned away.
"I wish you would trust me Jenny. We used to tell each other everything" he muttered.
Jenny said nothing, and Remus left the room, defeated.
Jenny was too ashamed to tell him the truth about her infertility. She didn't want people to treat her differently. So she planned to keep it a secret.

Once Remus had left, Jenny took a few minutes to make herself look more presentable. Before picking up her coat, and dissapparating. Being a Potter, meant that she could apparate inside the house, something that only a member of her family, or a house elf could do.
She apparated on the step outside of Grimmauld Place, and quickly opened the door. Slammimg it shut tight behind her.
A ghostly voice spoke to her, filling her with fear.
"Severus Snape?" Asked the dust figure of Albus Dumbledore.
"I did not kill you" gasped Jenny.
That seemed to do the trick, for the figure dissappeared as quickly as it had appeared.
She lit her wand, and illuminated the corridoor.
"Don't move" instructed a voice.

"Harry?" Questioned Jenny.
She lifted her wand, and saw Harry at the end of the room, accompanied by Ron and Hermione.
Jenny lowered her wand, revealing the ring on her finger. "Padfoot" she said proudly, thinking of her best friend Sirius, as she currently stood in his childhood home.
"Prongs" replied Harry.
Jenny ran forward and hugged her nephew.
"I thought something bad had happened. The ring turned cold less than an hour after I escaped from the wedding. What happened to you?" she asked, releasing Harry.
"Nothing much. A couple of Death Eaters ran into us in a cafe on Tottenham Court Road. But that's it" Harry answered.

They began to make their way into the kitchen, and Jenny summoned a few Butterbeers from the cupboard for everyone.
"How did they find you so quickly?" Questioned Jenny.
"I don't know" replied Harry.
"Well you don't have the Trace on you any more. And the chance of a couple of Death Eaters just casually walking down the same street as you, is very unlikely. So the fact that they found you so quickly is disturbing"
"That's what Lupin said"
"Really? Well great minds think alike. He's the one that told me you were here. He also mentioned that you weren't very happy about his plan to abandon his wife and child"
"No I was not"
"Neither was I. I hope that between the two of us we have managed to convince him to go back to Tonks".
Jenny downed her drink, and placed it back down onto the table.

"I'm sure you've read what has happened to the Ministry" said Jenny.
Harry and the group nodded.
"Scrimgeour's dead" replied Ron bluntly.
"They say that he refused to tell the Death Eaters where I was. His final act was to protect me" admitted Harry, feeling guilty about his rude attitude to the Minister on his birthday.
Jenny shrugged. "I did the same thing for James when I was just a child. His sacrifice is nothing special".
"You never liked him did you?"
"Not particulaly. I'm not fond of the people in power. They never make the right decisions"
"Do you think you could do a better job?" Questioned Hermione.
"Merlin's beard no. I'd be awful in power. No one in their right mind would make me Minister for Magic anyway" Jenny answered.

There was an awkward silence that filled the room, as no one knew what to say.
"I assume you're not going back to Hogwarts in September" said Jenny eventually.
"No" Harry replied.
"I thought not. By not going, you are in fact breaking the law by the way, as attending Hogwarts is now mandatory. Not that you could attend even if you wanted to, not now the Death Eaters are running the place"
"I know. Lupin told us"
"Of course he did. The Ministry has also begun moving against the muggle-borns"
"I'm aware"
"Well then, you had better do something about it"
"Me?"
"Of course you, who else? This is what you were planning to do anyway wasn't it? You were going to drop out of Hogwarts, to try and take him down".

Hermione and Ron's mouths dropped open, but Harry had guessed that his aunt would work out what he was up to eventually.
"I suppose you are going to ask to come with us" said Harry.
"Well of course I'm going to ask. I have a personal reason for wanting to kill the Lord of Death. But I know what your answer is going to be" replied Jenny sadly.
"You'll accept the reasons why I can't take you with us"
"Whatever your reasons are, I won't ask. If you don't want my help, then that's your choice. You are not my son, so you are free to do as you like. And I will just have to let you go. I would love to help you, I am a very gifted witch. But I am aware that our styles of magic, aren't exactly compatable"
"What do you mean?".

Jenny stood up and pushed her chair back in.
"You have a good heart Harry. Don't ever lose that. I was good once. But not any more. My spells aren't always good ones you know" she explained.
Harry got up to join her. "You do have a good heart Jenny. No matter what spells you use".
Jenny smiled. "I'm glad that you think so".
"You may have done bad things, but this is a war. You're allowed to do bad things. As long as you are fighting for the right side" replied Harry.
Jenny rested her hand on Harry's cheek, and stroked it gently.
"Stay safe Harry. Don't do anything stupid" she whispered.
"I'll try not to" Harry replied.
Jenny said goodbye to the others, and left Grimmauld place. Returning to the safety of the Potter Manor.