Access Denied

By: Veela Covington Polgara and Karelin Elladora Lestrange
Images by Karelin Elladora Lestrange
Edited by Kelly Balding

It had been17 years since that fateful night on top of the Astronomy Tower, where Professor Dax Polgara had killed Bellatrix Lestrange for killing his beloved daughter Veela. Of course, as it turned out, Veela hadn’t been killed (thankfully) only knocked out, but whats done was done. In the time since much had happened, the students involved had grown up, graduated from Hogwarts and begun their lives - some closer than others. We speak of course of the eventual marriage of Veela Covington Polgara and Jacob Michael Lestrange (Karelin’s twin brother). The two had started to grow closer after Veela’s near-death experience, not that she remembered much of it, ultimately culminating in their marriage. Even having children after a few years whilst Veela had been teaching at a magical school in New Jersey, USA - triplets in fact! The couple named the children,two boys and a girl, Covington Edward (Ted), Sirius Daxian and Annae Andromeda, and because she couldn’t bear losing her father’s name, Veela  decided to keep her last name, but the couple decided to hyphenate their children's last name to Polgara-Lestrange. A couple of years after the children were born, Veela received an offer to teach Astronomy at Hogwarts. Apparently her papa had been offered a high ranking position of some sort at the Ministry. She of course accepted gladly, always wondering who had recommended her, and never having to change the name on her office door.As time went on, Veela taught at Hogwarts and was happy, and Jacob stayed at home with the children until they turned eleven and received their Hogwarts letters, which they had been expecting since it was clear they were magical given they had inherited their fathers Metamorphmagus ability (rare in itself sure but apparently luck run’s in this family). When they started school Jacob began managing the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes shop in Hogsmeade, unknowingly Rodolphus had found out about this appointment and began watching Jacob which led to him finding out how close his children still were to the Polgara’s, though they were closer then Rodolphus had ever expected.The children’s first year in Hogwarts, this year, had them sorted into three separate houses - Annae went into Gryffindor like her mother and father, Sirius into Hufflepuff like his grand - papa and aunt and Covington into Slytherin (a non-stereotypical Slytherin). The year started off like clockwork, their mother and aunt Karelin (who taught Defence against the Dark Arts as well as Heading the Auror office for the last couple of years) staying as objective as possible. So far they had only been caught trying to impersonate each other a handful of times, and were reprimanded appropriately. It was nearing Christmas now, and Veela had had her first issue of the year with a student who plagiarized some content from one of her papa’s old lessons. She was furious both for the plagiarism as well as the fact she had planned on meeting with her papa that day to discuss an idea she had  thought of- to have him guest lecture in her class on return from the Christmas break. Instead, she had owl’d him to say she would see him at dinner later in the day, a dinner the family had won after beating the Weasley family on a muggle game show called “The Family Feud”.

When she had finally finished talking to the student about how plagiarism would by no means be tolerated, she rushed out the door nearly running into Karelin. *both gasp*“I was wondering if you were still here. I just finished grading some papers myself. You?” Karelin asked. Slightly out of breath Veela replied, “Just had to deal with another student who plagiarized from one of Papa’s lessons in a paper- first one this year.” She had a look of annoyance and frustration as she said this. “Ah, yes that always has been annoying, hasn’t it? I know I was never happy hearing that someone had plagiarized off papa back when we were students.” Karelin replied. Veela smiled when Karelin called her papa - papa as well. She had always called him papa-badger as one of his Hufflepuff students, but ever since Veela and Karelin's brother, Jacob, had gotten married, she had stuck to just calling him papa as well. “Well anyways that’s done with. Shall we go to dinner? After all, the game show people are paying.” Veela asked, chuckling at the end of her speech. “Yes, yes I think we should. The family will be waiting for us and I know how antsy the triplets can get when they start to get bored,” Karelin replied with a giggle.

When the two sisters-in-law arrived at the restaurant, everyone was hugging everyone before they even sat down to eat. But they really did wind up having a lovely dinner, not knowing that they were being watched by none other than Rodolphus Lestrange; who still looked as young as he had that day atop the tower - obviously due to some magical aid. He had heard about the ‘Polgara's’ winning some gameshow on the Radio, and that their prize was a family dinner at this fancy restaurant - all expenses paid. He didn’t know “The Polgara’s” meant his own children as well. He watched the group, furious that his children were still making company with the Polgara’s, not knowing that Veela and Jacob were married with children. Not knowing that is, until he saw Jacob present his wife with her early Christmas gift-  a pendant with three crescent moons. Unknown to Rodolphus from this distance, it was inscribed with each of their children’s names. Rodolphus was really tipped off to this close relationship; the way Jacob leaned forward to clip the pendant around Veela’s neck and then the way she thanked him for it with a passionate kiss, their wedding bands suddenly caught the light and gleamed. He realized what had happened, and just stared in surprise and fury realizing that what he had heard in prison all those years ago was true, as his daughter and the proud Grand - Papa (as the children called him) Polgara clapped in approval. Rodolphus thought to himself, shaking with anger, I’ll get that girl for what she’s done to my son and I’ll use her to get to her father for what he did to my wife. With all this in mind, he made ready to follow the family and grab the Polgara girl at the first opportunity.Unaware of this silent watcher, they finished their meal, thanked the staff, and began to get ready to go. They made their way out of the restaurant and on to the street; the pendant glimmering around Veela’s neck. It was as they started up the street to their newly built home that Veela smacked herself in the forehead. “What is it, darling?” Jacob asked his wife as everyone else gathered around her. “I’ve just remembered I have to go pick up a special gift I got for papa,” she replied, smiling at her father and thinking well and you too but thats a surprise. Jacob thought for a moment before saying, “Well, Karelin and Papa can take the children home and I’ll come with you then.” He was not keen on leaving his wife unprotected after the events on the tower. Veela shook her head, “No - no I’ll be fine, I won’t be but 20 minutes.” She smiled up at her husband who was about a foot taller than her. Jacob considered this before saying, “Ok, but you remember the taboo, and any trouble you say it and we’ll, here he eyed his father-in-lawwho nodded, know.” Veela nodded,  “Of course honey, now you just get these kids out of the cold!” she said before swiftly giving her husband a kiss and bounding back up the street. Well this is perfect, Rodolphus thought, the girl makes it too easy for me. With that, he followed her progress before disapparating to an alley entrance in her path. When she was passing by the alley in question, he stepped out of the shadows saying, “Why hello Polgara, long time no see” with a smirk. Veela stopped in her tracks and smirked back, “Why hello….. dad,” to her own father-in-law emphasising the word dad. Even though she said it with relish, the Polgara in her couldn’t help but mock Rodolphus at any turn.

Rodolphus scowled at her before replying, “If I had my way, you never would have walked out of that tower all those years ago, let alone marry my own son…”, “Or had his children?” Veela interrupted him with a smirk, new pendent gleaming on her chest. “Or.. had… his…...WHAT!?” Rodolphus repeated back as he processed what Veela had said, “You mean to tell me that MY son not only still associates himself with your pathetic family (Veela glared at him here), but you mean to tell me you have bore his children!” he said in a rage. Veela smiled that Polgara-like smile before replying, “Oh, but of course,” she paused before adding, “Oh and did I forget to mention they’re triplets too?” smirking as she said it. It was then that Rodolphus caught a better glimpse of Veela’s new pendent with its three crescent moons arranged in a circle - darting closer he peered at what he realized was an engraving. “Annae Andromeda , Sirius Daxian, Covington Edward,” he mumbled as he read the names of what were also his grandchildren.

“I.. Can.. not.. believe .. this,” Rodolphus said, taking a step forward with each word, forcing Veela to back down the nearby alley to keep away from him. “You have poisoned my children's minds!” he said shaking his wand at Veela as he continued to force her to back down the alley. “You and that ….. that… father of yours!”  he muttered. “You have ruined my son, forcing him to marry you and bearing his children,” Rodolphus accused her. “Forced!?” Veela shouted back glaring at him and continuing to back up before finding herself pressed against a wall. “I never forced anyone in my life, teased and taunted but never forced,” Veela jabbered back. Rodolphus glared at her for a second before replying, “My son…” Veela interrupted him saying, “Your son and yes, even your daughter loves me, and m..our papa with all their heart. Why else would he have asked me to marry him mere years after we graduated?” she snipped at him.

 "Don't you snap at me girl!” Rodolphus growled back at Veela as he pulled a knife from his belt. Veela recognized it as the knife Bellatrix used to carry, but how did he get it back? Rodolphus noticed Veela eyeing the knife and laughed at her as he said, "Ah, remember this do you? Yes, it took me a while to get it back, but I did. I thought it would be fitting that you were killed with it since my darling wife had planned on finishing you off with it.." Veela put her hands out in front of her, "Whoa, easy now, don't you want to hear more about your... Grandchildren?" Veela asked hoping to stall him. Rodolphus growled before replying, "I'm sure I'll learn all about them from them once I do away with you, your father and my own good for nothing children. After all, with all of you out of the way, who else better to care for them than their own paternal grandfather?" he smirked.

Veela smirked back, "Do you really think that- one you'll be able to get rid of all of us? And two, even if by some miracle you did kill ALL of us, do you really think that we don't have a plan set in place for the care of our children and that we'd EVER let you near them?" Veela barked back at him. “It’s not likely you’d get rid of the Polgara family in the first place. After all, when your wife picked a fight with Papa - let’s say, to put it mildly, it didn’t end too well.” Veela smirked while she said the last phrase. Rodolphus screamed in anger and as he did so, he thrust forward with the knife right Into Veela's gut.

Veela staggered sideways, then forward around Rodolphus and then back sideways into the alley wall. One hand holding herself up, one hand to her stomach, she looked right at him knowing this was the moment she had to say the taboo and said, "My papa will Kecker you to death....." and with that she staggered back down the alley the way she had been pushed, picking up speed as she went (well as much as she could), as she knew her papa, and Jacob at the very least would be there soon.

Meanwhile back at the house as Veela said 'Kecker'

Just as Veela had uttered the word 'Kecker' down that dank, dark alleyway with Rodolphus, it was like an alarm was going off back at the house where Jacob, Karelin and Papa Polgara had just put the children to bed. In a poof of smoke, a note had appeared with the approximate location of Veela on it, well more precisely, the two streets that intersect close to the alley. As soon as the note had appeared, Jacob knew something was wrong, but Papa had seized the note first and he read aloud in a crisp voice, "She's somewhere near the post office." Jacob and Karelin nodded before Jacob said, "The kids are down. I'll run to the guest house for the nanny (aka Professor Alex Quilmane)!"

As Jacob quickly sped outside and filled in the nanny, requesting that he come up to the house to watch the children, Karelin and Papa talked over who or what might have happened to Veela. "It has to be Rodolphus!" Karelin exclaimed as Jacob sped back into the house with the nanny hot on his heels. He quickly moved upstairs to check on the children, "He broke out years ago. I've had aurors searching round the clock for him since I took office!" Papa and Jacob considered this a moment before Papa replied, "Well if it is him, we must hurry and Merlin help him if he's hurt my daughter!" With that the three of them rushed out of the house and disapparated to near the Hogsmeade post office.

(This all took mere moments to sort out)

When they appeared, they immediately drew their wands and started creeping along. As they approached the alleyway, Veela came stumbling around the corner and ran smack into her papa. She immediately seized him around the waist to stop herself from falling and choked out, "Ro..dol....phus." Papa hugged his daughter tight with one arm quickly and then turned around and handed her to her husband, that was when he saw the blood on his robes and the gash in her stomach. "Jacob! Hurry get her to St.Mungos!" a note of panic edged with anger for what Rodolphus had done in his voice. Jacob took one look at Papa’s bloodstained robes and the wound in his wife's gut and swept her off her feet like he'd done to carry her over the threshold all those years ago. With a curt nod and a "Give him hell for me," he turned on the spot gripping Veela tightly, her hand pressed hard over her stomach, and disapparated.

Papa and Karelin had barely moved forward another foot when Rodolphus himself came barreling around the corner, running right into Papa and immediately falling right back to the ground. Grunting, he pulled himself to his feet and took a look at who he had run into, " Ah, Polgara Sr, well this saves me quite a bit of trouble tracking you down. You just came right to me," he grinned evilly. "Ah and the prodigal daughter returns," he added, noticing Karelin standing behind Papa, her wand raised. Karelin just glared at him before saying, "You'll pay for what you did to Veela!" Papa had a very stoic expression on his face, but Karelin could see his upper lip curling under. The angry Papa badger was about to emerge Karelin thought.

Papa took a couple steps forward, wand raised. Rodolphus chuckled "Going to fight me, Polgara?" he taunted, "Good, I can finally rid myself of the Polgara family once and for all!" Karelin saw Papa's hand tighten on his wand. She spoke up,"You fight papa and you'll be fighting me too! And even if you somehow manage to kill Papa and me, head of the Auror office, Jacob and Veela will hunt you down!" Rodolphus turned his head to his daughter, "Oh ya? Well I think you misunderstood me girl, by allying yourself with this (he gestured to papa), you are no better than he or his foolish daughter and you will die along with them ," he snapped at Karelin. Turning his attention back to Papa he added, "As for your daughter Polgara, well, I'm sure in a matter of hours she'll be dead anyways," he smirked at him.

Papa wouldn't have this. He growled back in a very angry badger-type way, "You insult and threaten my family, Lestrange? You'll pay for that! Duel me, and we shall end this once and for all!" Karelin smirked from behind papa, well he was sure to get it now she thought before yelling, "And I'm papa's second!" Papa smirked at Karelin's reply before taunting Rodolphus with, "You see Lestrange, even your own flesh and blood can't stand you!"

With that, he stood tall and said, "We will do this properly and bow to each other," knowing full well that Rodolphus would never bow without attempting to take him off guard. Keeping his wand pointed at Rodolphus, he barely inclined his head. Surprisingly, he saw Rodolphus do the same and bowed. Once both of them were in a ready position, Karelin counted them off; her own wand raised and ready, “1….” Papa shuffled his feet, “2……” Rodolphus twitched his wand,”3!” Papa shouted, “Stupefy!” as Rodolphus shouted, “Crucio!” Papa’s spell just went over Rodolphus’ left shoulder as he had twitched as he cast his own spell. Rodolphus’ spell just grazed Papa’s own left shoulder, sending a tingle down to his toes. This did not seem to phase him though as he virtually twirled out of the way and shouted,” Locomotor Wibbly!” Rodolphus, who took a moment to see that papa had moved, was hit by the spell and his legs started to wobble and move uncontrollably for several minutes in which Papa looked on with a smirk enjoying the show. As the movement subsided, Rodolphus shouted, “Tarantallegra!” pointing at Karelin, who had not been expecting this tactic. Her feet started to go into a sort of uncontrolled tap dance. She kept a firm grasp on her wand as she saw Papa shout, “Impedimenta!” at the now cackling Rodolphus, who fell over temporarily frozen. Papa rushed over and muttered, “Finite!” stopping Karelin’s legs from dancing, “I don’t know why I didn’t think he’d try that,” she muttered, resuming a battle ready stance. By now, Rodolphus was getting back to his feet, “What, can’t play dirty Polgara? Well I can! Crucio!” he aimed at Karelin. Papa, who was still standing nearby, shouted “Protego!” his voice rebounding off the stone walls; producing a Shield charm so strong it not only rebounded the spell back at Rodolphus, but also knocked him off his feet, with his head smacking straight into the wall behind him. He didn’t move, didn’t try to get back up, and then they saw it - a trickle of blood starting at his hairline started to run down his face. Papa hesitated for a moment before dropping the shield charm and cautiously walked towards Rodolphus, wand held firmly out in front of him. Once he reached him, he used his toe to nudge his still foot. When he didn’t respond, Papa carefully crouched down - Karelin had cautiously crept over, and put two fingers to his throat looking for a pulse. There was none. “Well,” murmured Papa, “I guess that’s that” and he stood up and turned to Karelin and pulled her into a one armed hug, squeezed her shoulder and said, “I say we go and fetch the children and then go and check on Veela and Jacob?” Karelin nodded in agreement, “Yes, just let me send a message to the office to have someone pick up this (she gestured towards her dead father),” “Of course,” Papa agreed. Karelin turned and cast several protective enchantments over the scene before turning back around to face the street.Next Karelin cast, “Expecto Patronum!” Concentrating on the message she was sending and to whom, a baby badger burst forth from her wand and took off through the night sky. After watching the patronus disappear, Papa chuckled, “Baby badger huh?” Karelin smirked back, “Once a Puffling, always a puffling.” And with that, they both turned on the spot as one and disapparated to pick up the children.

Papa and Karelin arrived outside the family estate and swiftly swept into the house. Immediately they realized that the children had woken up, and by the noise level it had been not long after Jacob and themselves had left, Papa called out, “Alex!?” Quilmane came around the corner looking positively bedraggled and with Sirius’ arms wrapped around his neck and dangling behind him. “Ah! Dax! Karelin! Back already? Where’s Jacob and Veela?” he spouted out, obviously glad they were back, “Also remind me not to challenge you to a staring contest Dax,” he muttered moving closer briefly to Karelin and Papa and saying it only loud enough for Papa and Karelin to hear. Karelin cracked a grin for a heartbeat. Choosing his words carefully, Papa told him, “Veela has had an… accident. We need to take the children to St.Mungos immediately.” Hearing this, Sirius slid down off of Quilmane, and Covington and Annae poked their noses around the corner, “Mama had an accident, Grand-Papa?” Annae asked. Papa nodded at his granddaughter as Sirius asked, always the inquisitive one, “What happened Grand-Papa?” Looking at Karelin for a heartbeat, Papa decided on a version of the truth, “Mama was attacked by a bad man,” he told them. The children looked at each other skeptically before Covington replied, “Mama doesn’t know any bad people. Why would anyone attack her? We don’t believe you!” Papa chuckled at his grandchildrens skepticism before replying, “Ok, you got me. Mama went to play basketball with her friends after supper and she got hit with a bat when she was running for a base,” he fabricated knowing the children had no idea what ‘Basketball’ was. Thankfully the children accepted this with a unanimous, “Oh.” escaping all of their lips. “Ok quickly, quickly lets go see mama,” Karelin spoke up gesturing for the triplets to get their cloaks on and go with her and grand-papa. They quickly pulled on their cloaks, all three of them protesting to hats as they were forced on their heads, before the large group, consisting of Karelin holding Annae’s hand Papa holding Sirius’ hand and Quillmane holding Covington’s hand, stepped back outside and headed for the boundary to disapparate. “Remember,” Karelin said to the children, “Hold on realllllly tight.”  Sirius rolled his eyes and said, “We knoowwww, auntie,” Karelin chuckled at this and said, “Ok well, ready? 1...2…..3!” With that, and holding tight to the hand of the child they had, all three adults stepped and turned and vanished with a swish of their cloaks. Arriving in the shadow of an alley around the corner from the St.Mungo’s street entrance, they swiftly turned the corner  and leaned against the front window of Purge and Dowse Ltd. Karelin muttered, “Family visitors for Veela Polgara, attack victim.” She muttered this low enough so the children couldn’t hear the word ‘attack’. The mannequin nodded its head and beckoned them forward with its jointed finger. Stealing glances at the deserted street, the group stepped as one through the window that served as a door and into the St.Mungo’s lobby. After leaving the children sitting with Quilmane in chairs, Papa and Karelin approached the Welcome desk and Karelin asked, “Hi, we’re here to see Veela Polgara, her husband, Jacob Lestrange, is with her. She was stabbed with a knife?” The Wizard at the desk looked up reluctantly from doing his nails and replied, “Ground floor (pointing through a set of doors to her right) Healer Smethyk.” Karelin beckoned to Quillmane and the children who stood up and walked over. As they went to push through the double doors, the welcome wizard noticed Quilmane and bustled over saying, “Family only!” and eyeing him. Inventing wildly, after the three adults glanced at each other, Quilmane said, “I am family!” and then without further ado, he swung his left arm into the space made by Papa’s arm with his hand in his robe pocket and said, “This is my husband, Daxian Polgara!” He grinned, looking at Papa and double winking at the welcome wizard. Fighting himself not to shake his head right at that moment before answering, “Errr ya I’m his … husband, and these are my grandchildren and their aunt,” he paused and then hurriedly added, “Veela is my daughter from a ..err. previous marriage.” The welcome wizard thought that the couple was very cute and allowed them to pass through the doors. As soon as the doors had swung shut and, looking back, papa saw the wizard was no longer watching them, he shook his arm free from Quilmane saying, “You and your crazy ideas Alex.” He shook his head slowly as Quilmane giggled.

A short time later, they located the right room. The door was slightly ajar so with Papa pushing on it they entered slowly. “Jacob? Veela?” Karelin asked, peering around curtains at empty beds before finding Veela sitting up, thankfully, and chattering to Jacob in the last bed in the ward. “Papa, what’s wrong? You look… annoyed.”  Veela asked Papa. Papa chuckled. Veela said, “Tell me who did it and I will whoop them.” Papa shook his head slowly still chuckling. “Alex had the bright idea to say he was my husband when the welcome wizard said it was “Family Only” for visitors,” he replied, still chuckling between occasional words. Quilmane piped up, “He looked jealous Dax, you should be so lucky!” beaming the entire time. Papa shook his head again, “Enough of that, how are you feeling sweetie?” he paused eyeing the children who had grouped around their mother and father, “After your…. basketball accident,” giving her a look that read plainly, “We couldn’t tell them the truth.” “It was totally my fault,” admitted Veela. “Slam dunks are a lot of fun, but they’re also pretty dangerous.” She couldn’t help but curl up her five-foot tall frame just a little bit, wincing as she did - still being tender.

Covington looked up at his mother as she said this and watched her wince, "Mum, are you ok?" he asked her. Veela smiled down at her son, taking her hand and holding his chin before saying, "Yes, of course darling, mommies fine." Sirius chimed in, "Will you be in here long, mum?" He tilted his head as he said this in his special Sirius way. Veela chuckled at her other son, "Not long Si, not long." She put her hand under his chin the way she had Covington's. She then turned her head to Annae on the other side, her only daughter and put her other hand to her cheek and wiped a tear that had fallen from her daughters eye away. "Awww Annae, what's the matter, sweetie?" she asked her. Annae sniffled before replying in a small voice, "I was scared for you, momma." Veela chuckled again and cupped her daughter's cheek, "Well, I'm just fine sweetie, so don't you worry about it." She flicked the tip of her small button nose with the tip of her finger as she said it.

Papa spoke up at this, "Yes children, your mother will be just fine." He smiled at each of them as they turned their heads towards their grand-papa. "Are you sure grand-papa?" Sirius asked moving closer to him. Papa chuckled and pulled the boys head in close to hug him. Sirius wrapped his arms around his grand-papa's waist and hugged him back. Covington and Annae ran over; Covington, after a seconds hesitation wanting to appear tough being the "eldest" (by like 2 min) and joined the hug.

Veela and Jacob chuckled at this display. Once the group had broken apart, Veela said pointedly, "Alex? Perhaps you could take the children up for some tea?" Quilmane nodded curtly, "Of course," and to Papa he jokingly said, "See ya sweetie," with a mock air-kiss and giggled as he walked out with the children. Jacob turned to his wife, "Ok, what's up?" he eyed her with curiosity. Veela smiled before saying, "Nothing really, but after what actually happened I've been thinking - I don't really remember what happened.... That night ..... on the tower." Jacob, Karelin and Papa looked at each other before Jacob asked, "What do you remember?" Veela squinted her eyes thinking before replying, "Not much. I remember Bellatrix pulling me free of you and Karelin and tossing me to the floor and then vaguely a hug with papa and you two, but that's about it." Papa spoke up, "Well, it's amazing you remember that much really, either of you ladies; you were both tortured pretty badly," he said with his mouth making a straight line. Karelin’s mouth formed a straight line as well, “Ya I’m a bit fuzzy as well. I remember crawling over to M..Bellatrix and looking down the tower .. and hugs….” Jacob exhaled, “Well, I guess its up to us to tell the story, Papa,” Papa nodded, “Yes, I think the ladies were quite out of it that night” he chuckled. Karelin and Veela crossed their arms, “Well, we were tortured ya know!” they said in unison, chuckling after they did so. Jacob and Papa laughed back at them, “Nothing meant ladies, nothing meant,” Papa chuckled. “Ok, where were we…..” He put his fingers to his chin thinking, “Oh right, the tower incident.” Papa took a seat next to Veela’s bed. Jacob cast ‘Muffliato’ at the door and then sat down as well. “Ok, well after Bellatrix took you away from the forest, once Dowler, Rubedo and I showed up of course, she flew …” “Wait flew?” Veela asked. “Yes flew, likely something she picked up from Voldemort. Anyways she flew you up in that direction so I took off after you,” he continued before turning towards Jacob to continue. Jacob picked up this cue, nodded at Papa and picked the story up, “We flew right through one of the open windows. She didn’t seem to care that she half-dropped us either, come to think of it…” he said with an odd expression on his face. “Anyways,” he continued shaking his head, “So she basically dropped us from... I don’t know- 5 ft? no lower than 2 ft? Probably why your ankle broke in a second place Karelin,” he said as he nodded at his sister. “Then,” he said with a sigh, “ she used Veela’s wand to tap the ropes and make just the ones binding her slide off, at which time, she pretty much tossed you on the ground like a rag doll.” Veela was shocked to hear this, “That...that….”she choked out, “Ya, I wasn’t happy to see it myself,” Karelin replied. Everyone turned to look at her in surprise, “Ya, I do vaguely remember that part… I also remember shouting something like ‘You leave her alone!’ and receiving a rather hard smack across the face again for it - which made my brain go all fuzzy again.”“Yes, you did black out again for a bit,” Jacob nodded, “But in the meantime, Bellatrix proceeded to cast the cruciatus curse on Veela so severely she blacked out deep enough to appear dead.” He squeezed his wife’s hand before taking a deep breath and continuing, “Bellatrix even kicked, well I suppose it was more of a prod, with her toe - she thought you were dead,” Jacob said looking at Veela. “And then…” Jacob began, “And that is when I burst through the door. I think I actually cracked the frame, the door bounced so hard,” he chuckled. “But the first thing I sawwas you lying on the floor with Bellatrix standing in front of you. She tried to block my way when I tried to go to you but I was so angry, I shoved her aside.” He paused remembering how he had cradled Veela’s seemingly lifeless body. “And then I just held you for a moment, trying to find some sign that you were alive, but of course as Jacob said, you appeared to be dead.”

“I was furious, my blood was boiling, and so when I looked up and saw that witch was holding your wand, I admit I lost it,” he said with remorse. “And so..” he sighed, “I killed her. I’m not proud of it, but I did,” he finished. “And then I remember coming to,” Veela said, “Yes, I think I came to just after she - Bellatrix collapsed,” Karelin remembered. “I remember coming to, I could barely move, and then suddenly I was cradled in your arms, papa.. and you were crying,” Veela recounted. Papa nodded at this recollection, “Yes, I was just so happy you were alive.”“And then Karelin and I kind of crawled, with difficulty since we were still tied together and she had a broken ankle thanks to Bellatrix,” Jacob said his mouth furrowed, “I mean as much as we hated the woman, she did give birth to us,” he chuckled. Veela nodded looking at her husband, “Of course!” she replied. “She said something about continuing their work and blah blah,” Jacob summarized.

“Then, Professor Quilmane sauntered in, took one look around, teased Papa and freed Karelin and I,” Jacob summarized. Papa shook his head, “And he was giggling most of the time. Alex always has been a bit crazy - but his suggestion that I go and duel Rodolphus did lead to my brainwave to throw Bellatrix over the tower wall.” Veela seemed shocked, “You threw her over the wall?” Papa nodded, “Yup, I figured what better way to insult Rodolphus than to “present” him with his wife’s body,” Papa paused and chuckled, “You probably could have heard his shriek in Hogsmeade.”“And then…. I remember Jacob coming over and helping me to my feet,” Veela recounted slowly, smiling at him. “Yes, and then we all kind of stood around the window in one big group hug. Quilmane teased Papa again before leaving, still giggling, and then he told karelin and I that we weren't alone - that we didn’t need to be like our parents.”

Veela nodded, processing all she had heard, "Wow, I had no idea..... " she mumbled. She turned to Jacob, "This is why you suddenly expressed your feelings like you did, isn't it?" She had a curious expression on her face. Jacob smiled, "It was a ..... contributing factor to my ..... quick movement you could say," he chuckled, "But I would have married you eventually, regardless," he added quickly at her "Oh really?" look.

Veela chuckled at his rushed addition, "I was only kidding honey. I know you love me." Jacob half stood up and kissed her on the forehead, "Well, that's good."

That was when Quilmane and the children returned from tea. They walked around the corner, Annae clutching a familiar plush star, just as Jacob kissed Veela. Both of the boys exclaimed, "Ewwwwwww" while Annae rolled her eyes at them. All of the adults chuckled, or in Quilmanes case giggled, at this exclamation. "What? How do you think you were born?" Veela teased them, before planting a big wet kiss on Jacob's lips and laughing at the triplets reactions.

It was then that Papa noticed the star Annae was clutching and his eyes widened, "Where did you get that, dear?" he asked her. Annae giggled, "Grand-Papa, Quilmane gave it to me," she said as giggled again.

Papa just gave Quilmane a stern look, and Quilmane chuckled, "I had to Daxxy, I had to!" and everyone else laughed along with him.

Jacob absentmindedly started stroking Veela's hair, while the triplets swung their legs in their chairs, stopping only when Covington wound up kicking Papa in the shins and he gave them all  a stern look. The group was mostly silent except for the occasional, "What time is it?" and a response from someone. About 20 minutes later Healer Smethyk walked into the room and asked Veela, "Well, how are we feeling Mrs....... ," he checked her chart, "Polgara? Any pain?"

Veela shook her head, "No, I'm feeling much better after my......accident," eyeing her children as she said so. Healer Smethyk noticed her eyeing the children and understood, replying appropriately with, "Yes, you really must be more careful dear, but I see no reason why we can't let you go home now. You’re healing nicely."

Relieved Veela sighed, "Thank Merlin, I was getting antsy sitting in this bed!" Healer Smethyk smiled and he replied, "Yes, well, I'll just go fill out your discharge papers. Feel free to get dressed and meet me at the welcome desk."

Veela nodded, and everyone except Jacob drew back to the doorway of the ward as Jacob drew the curtains around her bed and helped her get back into her robes from the hospital gown. She was dressed in a jiffy and walking around the corner of the curtain, hand-in-hand with Jacob, in no time. Annae ran up and hugged her mother and refused to let go of her hand; still clutching the plush star with her other arm. The boys ran ahead, racing down the hall to the lobby door, stopping only when they reached it.

After signing some paperwork, the family, and Quilmane disapparated for home- keen to put the whole unfortunate incident behind them.

The End

Dear Papa,

We hope you enjoyed, and got some laughs from our trilogy of stories. We also hope you have had the best birthday imaginable. We just wanted to say thank you for being such an amazing Professor,friend, and papa to everyone, and

Happy Birthday!

Veela and Karelin