Chapter Three, The Solicitor

Minerva McGonagall was in her office working on a large pile of paperwork that never seemed to cease, even in the summer. She was pulled from her work by a knock on her door. "Come in," she called placing down her quill and looking up. The door opened to reveal her old friend Poppy, but McGonagall was surprised when Honor Potter, one of her favourite students, followed the healer in. "Poppy, Honor, this is a surprise."

"Hello Professor," Honor greeted, rather nervously it seemed to McGonagall. "Minerva," Poppy began, "we seem to have a slight situation. Honor here would like to ask for permission to stay in one of the married apartments." Minerva raised an eyebrow at the fifteen year old witch. "May I ask why, Ms. Potter?" Honor gulped nervously under her head of house's gaze. Poppy placed a hand on her shoulder to reassure her.

"It's alright Honor," the healer assured her. Honor nodded and raised her head so that her gaze could meet McGonagall's. "I'm pregnant Professor." McGonagall's eyes widened and she turned to Madam Pomfrey for confirmation. The healer nodded. The Transfiguration mistress took of her glasses and rubbed the bridge of her nose. She took a calming breath before speaking. "First I would like to say that I'm disappointed that you have been so irresponsible as to end up in this situation Ms. Potter." She leveled a chastising glare at the younger woman who she saw as a granddaughter. "That said," her face softened and she smiled, "I will do everything I can to help you." Honor smiled. "Thank you Professor."

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As soon as Poppy took Honor to an apartment, Minerva made her way toward the Headmaster's office, hoping he was there. She was lucky to find Dumbledore sitting behind his desk. "Minerva, what do I owe the pleasure?" Albus asked, as he folded a copy of the Daily Prophet and set it aside.

McGonagall frowned, the paper had began to slander Albus and, more recently, Honor. Merlin knew she didn't need this on top of her pregnancy. "I just had a visit from Poppy. She had Honor with her." Dumbledore sighed. "We must really find something else for Mundungus to do. It's clear that he's worthless as a watch-out. Since Ms. Potter was in Poppy's care, is it reasonable to assume that she is ill or injured?" Minerva sighed.

"It's a bit more complicated than that Albus. The girl's pregnant!" Dumbledore's eye's widened as his head whipped around to look his deputy headmistress in the eye. "Pregnant?" He closed his eyes and began to rub his forehead. "This complicates things much more. I assume that she has asked to move into one of the married quarters?" Minerva nodded. "Yes."

"Who is the father?" "I don't know Albus, Honor hasn't even told Poppy. In fact, Poppy is currently contacting Andromeda Tonks because Honor doesn't want to inform the father," Minerva explained. Albus stroked his beard thoughtfully. "Has anyone else been informed?"

"No, and Honor is scared to tell Sirius. She's afraid he'll be disappointed in her. And since her friends aren't being very forthcoming in their letters to her, she's not inclined to inform them immediately either."

"I think, after speaking to Andromeda, that it might be prudent to move Honor to headquarters, at least for the summer." Dumbledore sighed he needed to think this over carefully, he knew that Honor would never abort or give her child up for adoption and he wasn't going to insult the girl by suggesting it. He didn't like to think on what Sirius and Remus would say to him when they found out, if there was one thing he knew for certain it was that they would stick by the girl no matter what and blame him and the father of the child instead.

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Honor had gotten two elves willing to bond with her, and as Winky made her way around the apartments small but open plan kitchen/dining area, Honor was unable to to recognise the drunk and depressed elf she had known earlier in the year. The fact that Honor had informed her that she would have to take care of a baby in a few months, while she went to classes, seemed to make the elf's day. Dobby had also wanted to bond with Honor, and had taken to keeping the small apartment clean. Both where also free to help the Hogwarts elves as she didn't have much for them to do. Hermione was going to kill her when she found out.

She was pulled from her musings by the portrait of a mother wolf, named Marianna, started speaking to her. "A Mrs. Tonks is outside the portrait, she wishes entrance." Honor smiled nervously. "I'm expecting her. You can let her in." Marianna nodded before vanishing to her portrait at the entrance to the room. A few moments later, a black-haired woman with pale-blue eyes and a regal demeanour stepped through the entrance to the apartment. She smiled at Honor.

"Hello Ms. Potter. I'm Andromeda Tonks, Though you can call me Andy." She held out her hand and Honor shook it. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mrs. Tonks. Would you like some tea or something?" Andy smiled. "Tea would be lovely." Honor gestured for them to sit as Winky brought over tea and pumpkin juice for Honor.

"Has Madam Pomfrey explained my problem to you?" Andy nodded as she took a sip of her tea. "Yes. But before we get into that, I'd like to say that I'm here as your solicitor. Whatever you say here, stays here unless you say otherwise or it comes up in a legal proceeding. That said, I can't help you unless I know who your baby's father is, and why you don't want him to know."

"So you won't tell anyone else?" Honor asked for confirmation. "Not unless you allow." Honor sighed. "Draco Malfoy. As for why, Lucius. I know Lucius is a follower of Voldemort, he was at the graveyard at the end of the tournament with him. I...I just don't want anything to happen to Draco or our baby if Lucius finds out and tells Voldemort." Honor shivered and placed a hand over her still flat stomach, she couldn't bare to think if what could happen to her secret, well not so secret boyfriend and their baby.

They had been dating since third year in secret and friends since first when Draco found her in an abandoned corridor crying after she was picked on for not having any parents by Fay Dunbar in her dorm room, after she had spilled her heart out to him telling him everything from the Dursleys treatment of her to why she rejected his hand on the train they had immediately struck up a fierce friendship with Draco doing everything in his power to protect and watch out for without letting on he was doing so.

Andy was silent for a moment and smiled weakly. "Draco is my nephew. As for what you can do, there's not much. Legally, you must inform the father and give him the right to claim or disown the child. Illegally, you could try and get someone else to claim it, but I don't advise it as it can come back to bite you and your child in the rears if it's ever discovered. If your only concern is Lucius, and his connection to Voldemort, let me sound my sister, Draco's mother, out. We're not as close as we once were, but we do talk on occasion."

Honor stood up and crossed her hands protectively over her stomach. She paced for a few moments before speaking. "I'm fifteen Andy, I don't know what I'm doing. All I know is that I want what's best for my baby." She turned to look at Andy. "What would you do in my place?"

"I can't answer that Honor," Andy said sadly. "I'm not you. What I can say is that I think Draco deserves to know that he's going to be a father, and that you shouldn't let Lucius stop you."